I could see a faint tremble in her chin, a sign of the panic she was trying to hide behind her anger.

“I tried to use my card at the boutique on Broad Street an hour ago,” she said, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “It was declined, Daniel. In front of everyone.”

“That card is tied to a corporate account,” my father said. “You don’t work here.”

“I am your wife!” she cried. “I built this life with you!”

“You built a lie,” I said from the sofa.

My mother spun around, her eyes widening as if she had only just noticed me sitting there.

Her face hardened.

“Sophie,” she said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. “Go wait in the lobby. This is adult business.”

“No,” I said, leaning back. “I’m staying.”

“Daniel, tell your daughter to leave,” Claire demanded, turning back to my father.

“Sophie stays,” my father said.

Claire took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.

She turned to her lawyer and gave him a sharp nod.

Vance opened his briefcase and pulled out a stack of documents bound in a blue folder.