The silver-plated serving dish had a smear of tarnish shaped like a thumbprint right near the handle. Vivian did not notice it as she scooped another portion of poached salmon onto her plate, her diamond rings clicking against the porcelain. She always insisted on using the formal dining room, even on a Tuesday evening when the only people at the table were the three of us.
“The firm had a record quarter, Emma,” she said, resting her wrists on the edge of the mahogany table. “Daniel mentioned your advisory group handled the restructuring of the Oak Creek logistics hub.”
I adjusted my silver watch strap, pulling it a fraction of an inch tighter against my wrist. “It was a standard reorganization project, Vivian. We finished three days ahead of schedule.”
“Which means the performance bonus must have been substantial,” she said, her voice dropping into that smooth, practiced rhythm she used when discussing other people’s assets. She smoothed the collar of her silk blouse with a slow, deliberate stroke of her palm.
“Most of it went directly into our savings reserve,” I said, keeping my voice level. “We are focusing on rebuilding the capital buffer for the winter months.”
Daniel cleared his throat, his fork scraping against his plate with a sharp, dry sound. He did not look up from his salmon, his eyes fixed on the small pool of dill sauce near the rim. “We just need to make sure the family accounts are aligned, Emma.”
“They are aligned,” I said. “According to the budget we agreed on last Tuesday.”
Vivian set her fork down with a quiet clink that felt louder than a shout. “A marriage is not a corporate merger, Emma. In this family, we have always believed that what belongs to one belongs to all.”
I kept my expression neutral, choosing not to remind her that my monthly paycheck was currently the only thing preventing the bank from calling the loan on the very house we were sitting in.
“We have a lot of capital expenses coming up with the carriage house roof,” Daniel added, finally looking up to offer a quick, tight smile. “Mother was just saying we need to be prepared.”
