He had begun sending money regularly after Elena contacted his attorney.

Some weeks he included generous extras.

Other weeks he sent texts insisting I should thank him more enthusiastically.

I separated the money from the emotion.

His support was for Piper and Quinn, not a favor that purchased control over me.

One morning I opened a letter from the bank and discovered he’d applied to increase a line of credit secured against our jointly owned house.

I called the bank immediately.