“Good,” David said. “But be careful, Sophia. He is still your legal husband. Until the divorce papers are signed, he can still attempt to freeze your personal bank accounts during the proceedings.”

“How do I stop him?” I asked.

“We need a full financial disclosure,” David said. “But getting him to sign one voluntarily will be almost impossible. If we force it through court discovery, it will take months, and he can hide the assets by then.”

I looked down at the coffee table.

A silver pen that Ethan had left behind caught the reflection of the lamp.

An idea began to form in my mind.

“What if I offer him a way out?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” David asked.

“Ethan is greedy,” I said. “And he is desperate. If I offer him a small payout right now, he might take it.”

“How small?”

“Fifty thousand dollars,” I said. “It’s enough to pay off his immediate personal debts, but not enough to save his brother.”

“He won’t just take the money,” David said. “He will suspect a trap.”