“You’re making this bigger than it is.”
Ethan raised his hand.
“Chloe, wait.”
That alone told me something had changed.
I placed the contract on the table.
“No more money without reports. Missed payments trigger the guarantee clause.”
“That will ruin us!” Chloe snapped.
“What’s ruining you is what you’re doing,” Ethan said quietly.
She stared at him.
“Are you taking her side?”
“I’m choosing reality. And I’m admitting we treated her badly.”
Chloe turned to me.
“We didn’t invite you to hurt you. We just wanted something intimate!”
“Intimate means close,” I said. “You called me when you needed money, not when you were celebrating.”
Ethan lowered his head.
“You’re right,” he said.
That admission hurt… but it also set things straight.
“What do you want?” Chloe asked sharply. “A plaque with your name on it?”
“I want respect. And accountability. If not, the money gets repaid.”
“We don’t have it,” she said.
“Then adjust your spending. Cut back. Grow slower. But stop treating my account like it’s yours.”
Ethan sank into his chair.
“We’ve been using clinic funds for personal expenses,” he admitted. “At first, just temporarily.”
Chloe glared at him.
“Alejandro—”
He cut her off.