“I’m willing to overlook the fact that you ran off to your grandmother’s townhouse with Noah and Lily without telling me.

I’ll even raise your monthly household allowance to four thousand five hundred dollars starting January first.”

“Four thousand five hundred dollars,” I repeated, keeping my voice level.

“As long as you bring the children back to the penthouse before six o’clock tonight,” Cole said.

He polished his platinum cuff links with his thumbs, his tone shifting into the quick rhythm he used in investment committee meetings.

“We show a united front at the firm’s New Year’s Eve gala on Saturday, or your monthly transfer goes back to zero.”