Rick Watson was sound asleep next to his girlfriend Julia. A few hours earlier they got home from the long drive from Miami’s south beach.

“The damn phone is ringing again,” Julia said.

The phone stopped. Seconds later, it restarted.

“Rick, it’s your phone again. Someone must really want you.”

Rick moaned. It had been a long, fun night. Why was the damn phone ringing this much?

“Damn, is someone dead?” Julia said.

“Someone better be,” Rick said as he got up.

It was Mr. Tage.

“Yeah,” Rick answered, “what do you want at this hour?”

“Good morning, my boy. I thought I would be the first to tell you the good news.”

“What news?”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Your ex-wife is in the hospital,” Mr. Tage said.

Why is he so . . . cheery about telling me? Rick wondered.

Rick got up and stepped into the next room. The less Julia knows about my former life, the better.

“Wha . . . Ellie?” he said in a whisper. “What happened?”

“She was in a bad accident. She’s at the hospital now. I’m afraid that she is in bad shape, and the doctors are not sure if she will recover. She might have to relinquish custody of your two boys. Isn’t that what you wanted?” Mr. Tage said.

“I . . . didn’t want her injured. Sure, I want the boys to come live with me, but not like this,” Rick said.

“You need to seize the opportunity, my boy. You can’t let this woman run your life forever,” Mr. Tage said.

Rick looked at his watch.

“I need to check on flights to EIA from Tampa. I can probably be at the airport in an hour. I will book the next flight,” Rick said.

“You going somewhere?” Julia said, walking into the room with him.

“I . . . need to leave for a business trip,” Rick replied, looking away.

“Really? I didn’t think that accountants needed to travel on short notice.”

Damn, she has me there!

“Err . . . my company just acquired one of our competitors. They need help with due diligence.”

“Oh,” Julie said, heading back to bed to get more sleep.

“The next flight leaves in ninety minutes. I suggest you be on it. It is rumored that EIA is going to close due to the weather,” Mr. Tage said.

Rick hadn’t worried much about the weather since moving to Tampa with his mistress.

Where is my jacket, anyway?

“I’m leaving now,” he told Mr. Tage.