Mona''s brow was already starting to throb. What was Yvonne even getting at? What did she mean by "being wronged," and what on earth was she nning to do to make sure that didn''t happen?


    Yale and Mona were both tense now, every muscle drawn taut.


    Tristan felt a headacheing on, his own brow twitching. "So what are you saying?"


    "I''m saying that, from now on, I''ll be personally handling all the household matters," Yvonne announced.


    For a moment, Tristan, Yale, and Mona could only stare at her in stunned disbelief.


    Personally handling things?


    Xander gave Yvonne a sidelong look, thinking: This ragtag Schultz family-what exactly did she think she was going to manage here?


    Tristan tried to keep his patience. "Yvonne, can you exin what you mean? I''m not sure I''m following."


    "I mean, I want to be in charge," Yvonne said simply.


    The room fell silent.


    In charge. It was a phrase nobody had heard in years, practically a relic. Yet here was Yvonne, dusting it off and dering it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    "And how do you n on being ''in charge''?" Tristan pressed.


    "I''ll take over managing the money. All the household ounts, every penny spent, will go through me." She was matter-of-fact, her tone all business. "The economy isn''t great right now-Schultz family or not, we need to start cutting back. We can''t keep spending money hand over fist like before."


    Yvonne soundedpletely serious and sincere. But damn if her words didn''t sit wrong with everyone else.


    Yale''s face turned stormy. “So after all that, you''re just here to ask for more money? What you tookst time wasn''t enough? And now you show up demanding more?!"


    He red at her, full of resentment. The way Yale saw it, Xander had all but abandoned the family for years, and he''d slowly convinced himself that the entire Schultz estate would eventually be his. But then Xander had married this brazen woman, andst time they''d already managed to wrest a sizable share for themselves. Yale still hadn''t gotten over that indignity, and now Yvonne was here again—this time wanting to get her hands on the entire family ounts.


    "What''s wrong with the two of you? You''re married and you stille crawling to the family for cash? Is there any shame at all?" Yale shot back acidly.


    Calm as you please, Yvonne replied, "My monthly allowance is a measly seven thousand dors."


    Yale was left gaping.


    So were Tristan and Mona.


    Xander watched Yvonne, still trying to figure out what she was up to. He knew she''de to stir things up, but even by her standards, this was hard to predict.


    Yvonne just smirked at Yale. "If I''m not mistaken, aren''t you a few years older than Xander? Old enough to be married three times over, yet there you are—single as ever, lecturing me about shame?"


    Yale went rigid.


    Mona pursed her lips, eyes narrowing.


    Augh slipped from Xander-quiet, but genuine. Usually, he was the one sparring with Yale and Mona; now, he was more than happy to watch as Yvonne took them both to task with even sharper words.


    "And anyway, I''m pregnant now," Yvonne added-loud enough for everyone to hear. "Is it so wrong for me to look for some security from the Schultz family Name one person in this room who spends less than me!"


    5


    "Over my dead body!" Yale snapped. That damn woman... What was she really after? If she actually took control of the finances, it''d be


    impossible for anyone to geta et


    without her say so Yale still thought she was targeting him


    specifically-he hadn''t caught on to the real purpose yet.


    Meanwhile, Mona''s temple was pulsing at the mention of a hundred thousand a month.


    "I''m the one managing the household bills now," Mona shot back, her voice strained. "It''s not right for you to just take over out of nowhere. Your father-inw and I are still here, you know."


    She was still the elder, after all. Who did this upstart think she was, strutting in to ydy of the house? Sometimes Mona thought the Quinn family''s way of raising children was downright appalling.


    Mona mostly wanted to put Yvonne in her ce. But she was also warning Tristan— handing the reins over to Yvonne would be an outright affront to her authority.


    Yvonne paid her no mind


    whatsoever gnoring both Mona and Yale, she


    Tristan


    "Darned straight to T


    "Dad let me be me be absolutely clear- brought this up, and I''m not backing down. Whether you like it or not, I''m running this house."


    Yale and Mona could barely speak, rendered furious and speechless.


    Tristan''s face darkened; the mood in the room sank like a stone.