My favorite quilt, which was shoved into a plastic trash bag.
I sat on the edge of the twin bed, took a deep breath of the dusty air, and open my laptop.
Three years ago, when David lost his job, I had added him as an authorized user on a high limit credit card for emergencies.
Even after he found work, I left his name on it, trusting him.
Clearly, my trust was a weakness Sarah had decided to exploit.
I logged into my banking portal. The Wi-Fi was still connected, thankfully.
I navigated to the credit card account.
There it was, a pending charge for $15,000 to Apex Coastal Construction.
I didn’t need a judge.
I didn’t need a complex legal strategy.
I clicked the button that said report card stolen. J lost.
Then I permanently removed David as an authorized user.
The bank immediately froze the account and canceled all pending transactions.
The $15,000 deposit was instantly blocked.
Next, I opened my primary checking account.
I created a brand new account under my name, only completely isolated from any previous shared histories, and transferred every single dollar of my savings over.
I logged into my payroll portal for the clinic and updated my direct deposit.
Within 20 minutes, I had built an impenetrable financial wall.
David and Sarah had committed to a massive renovation project under the assumption that my credit line would float them.
I closed my laptop and set my phone on the nightstand.
Outside my door, I could hear Sarah loudly discussing tile patterns on her phone, already planning where her mother’s antique vanity would go.
I lay down on the lumpy twin mattress, pulled my coat over my shoulders, and set my alarm.
Tomorrow was going to be a very interesting day.
I woke up to the sound of seagulls and the smell of sawdust.