I didn’t respond immediately. My fingers hovered, heart steady, mind calculating. He didn’t know I already knew everything. He didn’t know I had copied deeds, insurance changes, LLC registration, emails, IP traces. He thought he had the timeline. He thought Friday was his alone.

I set the phone face down and walked to the kitchen. Pretending to pour water, I listened for footsteps upstairs, the subtle hum of the house settling. Everything felt heavy with anticipation.

Minutes passed. I didn’t touch the phone. Instead, I started organizing documents on the counter. Deeds, mortgage statements, bank confirmations, emails, the LLC filing. Each piece a layer, a proof, a safeguard. Each page a step toward reclaiming control.

Then the phone buzzed again. Same message.

“Call me. Important.”