I looked my father straight in the eye and gave him one final wa:rning: “If your wife mentions my military savings one more time, the polite conversation ends. I will deal with her myself, and I will make it very clear where she stands—and why she will never touch a single cent of my money. Do you understand?”

Chapter 1: The Anatomy of a Hemorrhage The room smelled intensely of lemon polish, overcooked rosemary, and the cloying, synthetic vanilla of the three-wick candle Celeste always lit when she wanted the house to project an elegance it fundamentally lacked. I sat at the edge of my mahogany dining chair, my spine perfectly straight, practicing […] The post I looked my father straight in the eye and…