But doing that would mean Emma testifying in a public courtroom about her father’s lies.

Listen here, I told myself: I didn’t want my granddaughter spending her childhood in legal chambers, listening to lawyers argue over stolen money.

“I’m taking my granddaughter home, Mark,” I said.

“You can keep the house, but your hold on her ends today.”

Mark nodded slowly, staring at the floor tiles.

“You’ll sign the full custody surrender tomorrow morning,” I said.

“If you ever ask us for another dime, I’ll let Carl take the walls right out from under you.”