Colton had his own lawyer, a soft-spoken man who carefully explained that his client wanted to cooperate but would not pretend the consequences were simple.

We reviewed the mortgage, my medical expenses, the disputed settlement withdrawals, and an interim plan for household bills.

No one declared that a single conversation would fix years of mistakes.

The agreement we reached was temporary, subject to the outcomes of the reviews.

Colton offered to repay the money linked to his business expenses from his share of future asset proceeds.

His attorney cautioned that the actual obligations would depend on the facts and any court orders.