He had wanted to cheat me of my fair share, and in order to do it he had let a thief into the company’s veins, and the thief had taken far more than either of them intended.

“Sixteen years,” I said, and my voice was steady and very quiet.

“When I met your family, your father owed millions.

My parents sold their land.

I emptied my savings.

I worked through four pregnancies, built your supply chain, secured your national contracts, saved your name.