She never once raised her voice.
When Margaret finally called for a short break, Daniel leaned toward his wife.
“You destroyed everything over one argument.”
Claire looked at him.
“No.”
“You froze accounts. You dragged accountants into my company. You filed papers without even telling me.”
“I told you for months not to touch my inheritance.”
“This is marriage, Claire. People make decisions.”
“Together.”
Daniel exhaled.
“I made mistakes.”
Claire nodded.
“Yes.”
“I was under pressure.”
“I know.”
“You have no idea what it feels like to have a business collapsing around you.”
“I know exactly how much it collapsed.”
That stopped him.
Claire opened the folder.
“Three clients left last year. The Steinberg contract ended in March. You settled with Andrew Keller for five hundred eighty thousand dollars. The company owes First Midwest approximately nine hundred thousand. You transferred two hundred forty thousand from our brokerage account over fourteen months.”
Daniel looked toward Mark.
His attorney remained silent.
Claire continued.
“You also listed my Wisconsin property as an anticipated contribution in a financing proposal.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
Daniel had no answer.
Claire closed the folder.
Then she asked the question she had carried with her since O’Hare.
“Do you know what I thought about while standing outside that terminal?”
Daniel looked at her.
“I thought about calling you.”
Something in his expression softened.
Claire continued.
“Then I realized I had spent nineteen years calling you.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
