Read Chapter 18: — THE CANTEEN WAR

Growth created ordinary problems, which were often harder than dramatic ones.

The new workshop needed a canteen.

Helen wanted the contract. Daniel wanted peace. Martin wanted transparent procurement. Claire wanted everyone to stop ringing her about a village kitchen she did not own.

Helen got the contract after submitting the best price.

Within months, workers complained that portions were shrinking and ingredients were disappearing.

A young operations assistant named Lucy began weighing deliveries. Helen took it as a personal insult.

The dispute became a war over meat, cooking oil and loyalty.

Daniel discovered that Helen had been taking food home without recording it.

"It's leftovers," she said.

"It's stock."

"After everything I've done for this family?"

"That's not an accounting category."

It was the first time Martin heard his mild brother use a sentence that sounded like him.

Helen resigned in fury.

Daniel did not chase her.

Their marriage, already fragile, finally separated.

Martin expected Daniel to collapse.

Instead he looked tired and sad, but strangely lighter.

"You spent years telling me to stand up for myself," Daniel said. "Turns out standing up sometimes means someone walks away."

Martin had no wise response.

They sat in the empty canteen after hours eating beans on toast.

Two divorced brothers in a business built on woven willow.

Martin raised his mug.

"To glamorous middle age."

Daniel clinked it.

"May it remain uneventful."

It did not.