Even Ellie stopped moving her fork through the pie crust I had just placed on her plate.

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”

“It means your bonus is not going into the joint account.”

“How would you know?”

“Because last week, when you asked me to handle your promotion paperwork, you signed the direct deposit update with the new account instructions attached.”

His face changed.

Confusion first.

Then recognition.

Then fear.

Then anger racing to cover fear.

Melanie’s voice rose. “You stole his money!”

“I didn’t steal anything,” I said. “He signed the authorization.”

Jason stood. “I didn’t authorize that.”

I took the final page from the folder and slid it across the table.

His signature sat at the bottom.

Not forged. Not copied. Not manipulated. His handwriting, bold and careless, the way he signed everything when he assumed I had already made sure the details would not inconvenience him.

“You asked me to print your onboarding documents for the promotion,” I said. “You signed without reading because you assumed I was your unpaid assistant.”

Jason stared at the paper like it had betrayed him.

“This is fraud,” he said.

“No,” I replied. “This is paperwork you didn’t respect until it stopped benefiting you.”

“Send it back.”

“After it deposits, we can discuss your required household contribution.”

“My required—Nora, that’s my bonus.”

“And this is our household.”

“I earned that.”

“I earned the income that has been paying the mortgage you sleep under.”

Melanie pointed a shaking finger at me. “You are unbelievable.”

I turned toward her. “Melanie, you have received almost ten thousand dollars from an account funded mostly by my labor. That ends tonight.”

Her face contorted. “After everything I’ve been through—”

“You’ve been through my bank account,” I said.

Ellie’s small voice cut through the room.

“Mommy… are we okay?”

My heart pinched so sharply I almost lost my composure.

I turned to her immediately. “We’re okay, baby.”

“Is Daddy mad?”

Jason looked at Ellie then, and something like shame flickered across his face. Not enough. But something.

“No, peanut,” he said, forcing his voice softer. “Daddy’s not mad.”

He was lying, but at least he was trying not to scare her.

I stood and lifted Ellie from her chair. “Why don’t we wash your hands and get ready for a movie upstairs?”

“But pie.”

“I’ll bring it.”