The library’s fluorescent lights hummed as Maya pulled her secondary laptop from her backpack. She felt a knot in her stomach, tight and cold, as she typed in the merchant identification code from her bank statement.
The search results were stark: Apex Financial Solutions.
Her research revealed it was a private company offering short-term, high-interest loans, often catering to clients with distressed credit or urgent needs. The kind of place people went when banks said no.
She found their customer service number, her finger hovering over the call button. Taking a deep breath, she pressed it.
“Hello, I’m calling about a transaction on my bank account,” she said, her voice strained. She provided the date and merchant code.
The representative’s voice was polite but firm. “I can confirm a transfer was made to an Apex Financial Solutions account on that date. For privacy, I cannot disclose the recipient’s name.”
“But is it… tied to a specific individual?” Maya pressed, her heart thumping against her ribs.
“All our accounts are tied to a primary holder, ma’am,” the representative replied, a pause suggesting she knew more than she could say. “The account linked to this transfer has the surname Novak.”
Maya’s hand clenched the phone. Novak. Julian.
She thanked the representative and hung up, the information ringing in her ears. Julian had taken the money. Not a phishing scam.
Seconds later, her phone vibrated, an unknown number flashing on the screen.
She hesitated, then answered.
“Maya Lin?” a woman’s soft voice asked, tinged with a weary knowingness.
“Yes,” Maya replied, her voice barely a whisper.
“My name is Chloe Albright,” the woman said. “Julian Novak’s ex-girlfriend.”
Maya’s breath caught in her throat.
“Please,” Chloe continued, her voice low. “Don’t let him convince you that you’re losing your mind.”
The connection was tenuous, but the words were clear. They hung in the air, a chilling confirmation of Maya’s deepest fears, and a stark promise of what was to come.
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