“Derek took three hundred thousand dollars from our joint equity,” I said, my voice shaking slightly before I cleared my throat.

“He invested that money, Elena,” Vance said, his voice dripping with condescension. “Unfortunately, those investments did not yield the expected returns.”

“He bought a boat and put his sister’s name on a condo in Brickell,” I said.

Vance did not blink.

“Be that as it may, we are prepared to make an offer to settle the entire estate,” Vance said.

He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

He slid it across the desk toward Marisol.

Marisol didn’t touch it immediately. She stared at him, then picked it up and opened it.

She let out a short, harsh laugh.

“This is a joke,” Marisol said.

“It is thirty thousand dollars,” Vance said. “In cash, paid within forty-eight hours.”

“Thirty thousand?” I asked, looking at Marisol.

“And a full release of all civil claims,” Marisol added, reading the paper. “Including the personal injury claim arising from the house fire.”

“That fire was an accident, as the police report initially stated,” Vance said.