hot on my face, but

company, was projected in giant

ere," had just hit one mill

rnalists and inv

where my husband, David Miller, st

down, he wrap

voice loud enough for the people nearby to h

oding sessions in our garage, the loans I took out ag

energy faded, replaced by

ban house, our son Leo' s private school tuition, the two cars in t

he early days, when I was eating ra

aid over the phone, her voice tight with worry. "

efu

yself, Mom," I told

a reality. A very

projections at the dining table, David sat

rketing job at some other firm, and he

ing," he started, pus

om my laptop,

kills me," he said, his expression serious. "I want t

surp

ld you do

es, the HR, the day-to-day operations. You're the visionary, the face of the

ss the table an

u. Let me take some of the

idea of sharing the burden, of having my partner

e spreading across my face.

ally joined InnovateHer as

uge sense

accounting, handled all the vendor contract

me into my office wi

nts on my desk. "To make things simpler, I just need you to sign here to give me full authority. That

He was my husband, the fat

rs without readin

ven know it. I was just happy to focus on product development an

. He wanted a new, expensive Lego set for his

r my debit card, the one linked to our main

hier sw

echoed through

e said, her voice low.

I could feel the eyes of th

," I said, my voice

"Declined. Insu

ast six figures in it. Panic began to crawl up my thro

n't we get

tepped out of line, my hands

he second ring,

ia? I'm in the mi

to keep my voice steady. "It says insufficient funds

was a

the money to a high-yield business savings account. The main account is a lit

was buying Leo a birthday present. Why

s what you wanted," he snapped. "I'll handle

hun

used. The Lego set remained on the counter. I had to w

came home and acted li

me a new c

've set this up for you for personal e

upplementary card, linked

mit?" I asked,

udly, as if he were b

ompany, and my husband, my emplo

expansion," he explained, seeing the look on my face. "We have

e one bringing in all the money, yet somehow I wa

myself he was right. I t

small, cold seed of fear