“Good. Start there.”

I opened an account in my own name, set up secure authentication, and moved my small emergency savings into it.

I did not take money from disputed accounts.

Evelyn warned me that reckless transfers could complicate the proceedings.

I wanted independence I could defend, not a brief moment of triumph followed by another legal crisis.

At night, when Miles fell asleep on my shoulder, I looked at spreadsheets until my eyes blurred.

I was learning how to make a future from figures much smaller than those in the blue folder.