“That is insane,” I snapped, keeping my voice low so the boys wouldn’t hear. “You have never been violent a day in your life. You’re the man who captures spiders to put them outside.”

“I know,” Michael said, sounding defeated. “But she had evidence. Or at least, her lawyer said she did. Text messages I supposedly sent—crazy, ranting threats. Witnesses who claimed they’d seen me acting erratic in public. Her parents backed up every word. They painted a picture of me as this unstable, controlling monster. The judge believed them.”

“And the money?” I asked, a cold dread coiling in my gut. “The hundred and fifty thousand I invested in your startup?”

Michael’s face crumbled. He looked away, staring out the window at the tarmac. “She was managing the business accounts. The day before she filed for the order, she transferred everything to an investment account belonging to her father, Douglas. She claimed it was a legitimate business loan we had discussed. I have no proof otherwise because she handled all the paperwork.”

“And the custody?”