Chapter 16 - I empty half the account
My own worst financial decision came two weeks before mediation.
I woke at 3:00 a.m. convinced Lucas would drain the joint savings.
No evidence.
Just fear.
I transferred:
$58,000
from joint savings to an account in my name.
Exactly half.
I told myself:
I’m protecting my share.
Andrea called at 8:10.
“Move it back.”
“What?”
“There is a standing financial order.”
“I took half.”
“The order does not say you may self-divide assets.”
“I didn’t spend it.”
“Move it back.”
I did.
Immediately.
No contempt sanction because I disclosed and reversed within hours.
But Lucas’s lawyer used it.
“Mara acts unilaterally under stress.”
True.
I hated that.
Judge Sloan said:
“The answer to fearing financial misconduct is not competing financial misconduct.”
I wanted the floor to open.
Then later Lucas attempted to draw $80,000 on business line for litigation costs.
Bank required business purpose certification.
Eric objected.
Draw did not happen.
His turn.
May you like
Neither of us became perfect because one had behaved worse.
That mattered.
