The first payment I canceled was Vivian’s luxury SUV lease.
Then the housekeeper.
Then the gardener.
After that came the country club membership, personal trainer, wine subscription, storage unit, and the monthly transfer covering interest on one of her old credit lines.
Vivian stopped smiling.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
“Separating my finances from yours.”
Daniel hurried to my side.
“You can’t just cancel everything.”
I looked at him.
“Why not?”
“Because Mom depends on those payments.”
“Exactly.”
His mouth opened, then shut.
Vivian slammed her palm against the table.
“That money belongs to this family!”
“No,” I said. “It belongs to me.”
Her sister Patricia scoffed.
“You married into wealth, sweetheart. Don’t suddenly pretend you built this lifestyle.”
That was when I realized none of them understood.
I turned the laptop toward them.
At the top of the screen was one number:
$18,642.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
His face drained.
“What is that?” Vivian demanded.
“The balance remaining in the Mercer family operating account.”
Silence.
Vivian frowned.
“That’s impossible.”
“No. It’s accurate.”
I opened another folder.
“Your husband left approximately $3.8 million in property.”
Her smile returned.
“Exactly.”
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