Right after my divorce, my father told me to change all my bank PINs—and that same night, my ex-husband and his mistress blew nearly a million dollars, until a single message stopped them cold.

had no interest in rooms where men tried to buy importance with someone else’s card.

Grace managed the guest list. Margaret attended as a friend. My father sat at the head of the table, pretending not to enjoy the expensive steak I had ordered for him.

At the end of the evening, he raised his glass.

“To clean exits,” he said.