“Sign the separation declaration,” he said, “and I won’t touch your consulting firm.

I’m not asking for any piece of that.”

“You’re not asking for a piece of the firm.”

“I’m being generous.” He drew the word out, lifting the last syllable, the way he walked a customer through a bill.

I turned to the last page, where the separation declaration stood by itself, and signed my name over the line for the petitioner’s spouse.

Then I flipped to the property settlement and studied it for a while.