Madelyn acted swiftly and yanked the power cord from Zach's laptop. Without its battery attached, the laptop instantly blanketed the screen in darkness.

Zach just slightly raised an eyebrow, not uttering a word about the call's abrupt end. He shed his black suit jacket and draped it over the chair Madelyn had just been sitting on. He said, "Your old number didn't have an area code; most numbers now require a reset and transfer process. I found it too troublesome and canceled your old number. You'll use this new number from now on, okay?"

Zach spoke as if the matter was light and breezy. His tone suggested that this was a done deal, a decision made for Madelyn without consent.

Angered by Zach's audacity, Madelyn grabbed a pillow from the bed and hurled it at him. She said, "My phone number is mine to decide on. Who gave you the right to just cancel it, Zach? Are you out of your mind?"

The pillow bounced harmlessly off his chest, leaving him unfazed. Calmly picking it up, Zach return