Oh, so that’s how it is now?” Ethan shot up from his chair, his face flushing with anger. “You think I do nothing? If it weren’t for me, you’d have nothing!”

“What would I have, Ethan?” Anna shot back, a new, steely edge to her voice. “Would I be waiting for you to deign to earn a single penny?”

He stared at her, seething. A tense, ugly silence filled the small kitchen.

“Alright,” he said finally, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “Here’s how it’s going to be. You are going to the bank today, and you are taking out a loan in your name.”

“And if I don’t?” Anna challenged, looking him straight in the eye.

He moved closer, his face contorted with a rage that terrified her. “If you don’t,” he hissed, “you’ll regret it.”