Then my phone buzzed.
I looked down.
It was an email from the bank.
The subject line made my heart stop.
OVERDUE ACCOUNT — FINAL NOTICE
I opened it.
It wasn’t our mortgage.
It wasn’t one of my accounts.
It was Nathan’s personal loan.
The amount overdue was more than $4,000.
And the notice said something that made my blood run cold.
Collections action may begin if payment is not received.
I looked at Nathan.
“How many of your debts are already overdue?”
He didn’t answer.
I stood slowly.
“Nathan.”
His eyes filled with tears.
“Most of them.”
I stared at him.
And suddenly, I understood.
The shaving.
The pressure.
The constant demands that I quit my job.
It wasn’t about tradition.
It wasn’t really about Margaret wanting a housewife.
They needed my income.
They needed me working.
Because without my paycheck…
Nathan’s entire financial illusion would collapse.
