He swallowed but quickly recovered his posture, crossing his arms tighter over his chest.

“You can afford it,” Brandon said.

“You and Mom live in a paid-off house.

You have a pension.”

I let the silence hang between us.

I owned the house, the pension, and a true net worth of more than fifty million dollars that Brandon and Samantha believed was just modest savings.

“I will not have Evelyn stressed over this budget,” I said.

“Then just sign the approval,” Brandon said.