The clerk, still professional, didn’t look away from the screen. “The system prevents any unilateral changes when a Notice of Marital Interest exists. Any attempt to file a quitclaim will trigger automatic review and require consent from all parties listed.”

Ethan’s gaze snapped back to me. His lips pressed into a thin line. His hands clenched, then relaxed, then clenched again. That flicker of panic—the one he had worked so hard to keep hidden—was real, raw, and I drank it in quietly.

“You filed this yesterday?” he asked, trying for calm, but it came out brittle.

“Yes,” I said softly. “With Natalie’s help. I didn’t want Friday to go the way you planned.”