“We had to delay the foundation pour because you said the funds hadn’t cleared,” Richard said.

“They did clear,” I said. “They just cleared into Derek’s personal holding company.”

Derek turned his gaze back to me.

The hatred in his eyes was cold and familiar, but for the first time, it had no power over me.

I looked back at him, keeping my spine straight and my shoulders relaxed.

I had spent three years learning how to shrink myself to avoid his anger.

Tonight, I felt entirely solid.

“You think you’re clever, don’t you?” Derek said.

His voice was dangerously quiet now.

“You think you can just ruin my life because you’re unhappy?” he asked.

“I am protecting myself, Derek,” I said.

“And I am protecting the assets that you tried to hide from me.”

Richard flipped to the back of the document, where the financial statements were attached.

His finger traced a row of numbers printed in a neat ledger.

“These are our internal transaction logs,” Richard said.

He looked up at Derek, his eyes cold and sharp.

“How did she get these, Derek?” Richard asked.