Free Monster by Francette Phal

balance.
    “What do you mean I have a zero balance? There’s supposed to be over eighty thousand dollars in that account. Check it again.” She was bordering hysterical as she tried holding herself in check but found that she was failing miserably. With only two haggard tellers working and the line behind Eden getting longer with impatient customers, Eden could feel their judgment at her back, and that only seemed to complete her humiliation and heighten her frustration.
    The teller was getting aggravated with her but Eden could care less at this point. She watched the woman behind the counter press a few keys, prompt Eden to enter her pin, and was once again given the same answer. “Ma’am, I understand your frustration but there is nothing in your account. Now, my manager would be more than happy to further assist you if you could please step aside and wait over to your right. She will be right with you.” Left with little choice, Eden reluctantly stepped aside to the indicated area and thankfully wasn’t made to wait too long for this manager, who was all smiles despite Eden’s declining mental state.
    Her name was Amanda Kelly, and once she’d led Eden to one of the side offices and asked her to take a seat across from her, she presented that infuriating smile and asked how she could be of any help. “I need to know how eighty thousand dollars can just disappear from my account. All your teller can tell me is I have a zero balance when I know damn well how much money was in that account to start with.”
    The smile remained in place. “Oh, well, I’m so sorry to hear that this has happened to you, ma’am, we’ll do all we can to help you. I need your social security number and two forms of ID, please.”
    It took a few minutes and some vigorous clicking on the keyboard before she was able to pull up Eden’s account. “From what I can see in our records, Eden, there were several small transactions made before a large transfer was made three days from this account to a joint account.”
    The wind was literally knocked out of her as she sagged in her chair now completely incapable of thought.
    Amanda’s cheerful disposition faltered slightly at Eden’s desolate expression. “We can begin an investigation into this transfer and see who authorized it…”
    “No,” she said quietly, rising from her seat, “there’s no need. I know who’s responsible.”
    The moment she believed herself a step ahead, Dominic already had three on her. He made her believe she was in control, made her think that she could somehow beat him, but it was all an illusion. It was his game and he’d mastered the rules; Eden was simply a pawn to be moved at his discretion. But with that understanding came a torrent of fury unlike anything she’d ever felt before. The instant she hopped in her car, Eden had only one direction in mind, and she drove like a bat out of hell to get there.
    One of the highest buildings downtown with its gunmetal mirrored exterior was like some formidable edifice from a distant future. It was the head office of the Armstrong Corporation. Eden was on a warpath as she trudged through the expansive first floor and rode the elevator to the thirtieth floor. Determined strides took her past the surprised receptionist who’d been situated just at the front of the elevator like a sentinel. Eden paid her little mind when she hastily chased after her, nothing would deter her from searching out her bastard of a husband. His office was just beyond the closed double doors, and without further regard, Eden wrenched one of the doors with all her might and strode inside. There were two men with him when she entered, who turned bemused glances her way, but again, Eden’s mind wasn’t on anyone but the man seated behind his imposing executive desk. Eden took a momentary victory in the fleeting look of surprise that she spied on that fiercely handsome face before he quickly schooled those features into one of