I glanced down at the illuminated screen and noticed a deep furrow forming between my brows as I realized it was my financial consultant, George Weaver.
He was far too disciplined to ever call me during a family function unless he was holding onto something that demanded immediate attention.
I began to walk toward the quiet sanctuary of the hallway, but Carolina raised her voice to a grating, theatrical pitch so that every guest in the parlor could hear her.
“Do not feel the need to rush off, Lauren, unless that is a debt collector finally catching up with you and asking for their share.”
The room filled with that same ugly laughter, echoing against the high ceilings.
I didn’t break my stride as I answered the call, my voice sounding crisp and professional, cutting through the sudden silence that began to settle over the room.
“Is everything alright, George?”
His voice was firm, stripped of any emotion, and sounded startlingly loud in the quiet house as he responded to my question.
“My apologies for the intrusion, but your nephew’s loan payment is now exactly thirty two days past the final deadline. As per your standing instructions, I need a confirmation from you right now because the grace period has expired.”
For a singular, frozen second, it seemed as if the entire house had stopped breathing.
Tyler froze mid laugh, his expression shifting into something far more vacant and hollow.
Carolina stopped in her tracks, the glass in her hand held perfectly still as the reality of the situation began to dawn on her.
I turned around slowly, catching the gaze of every single person in the room as I held the phone to my ear.
Tyler’s face had drained of all color, and his glass hovered in mid air, the ice clinking softly as he realized the floor beneath his feet was nowhere near as solid as he had assumed.
I kept my tone perfectly neutral, ignoring the chaos unfolding on their faces.
“Could you tell me the exact amount of the outstanding balance?”
George did not hesitate for even a heartbeat, his voice precise and cold.