He looked startled.
“What?”
“Two hundred thousand dollars. With my corporate card.”
He stared at the table.
“She wanted it.”
I waited.
He continued.
“I thought the card would still work.”
The simplicity of the answer was devastating.
He hadn’t even considered whether he had a right to use it.
He wanted something.
So he expected my company to pay.
I looked at the man I’d once loved.
And suddenly, I understood.
He hadn’t believed my success belonged to me.
He’d believed proximity gave him ownership.
And when the marriage ended, he still expected access.
I stood.
“There’s nothing more I need to hear.”
Brandon looked up.
“Elena, please.”
I shook my head.
“You had nine years to treat me like a partner.”
Then I walked out.
The next several months were difficult.
I had to explain the investigation to senior managers.
Review internal controls.
Replace portions of our vendor approval system.
