“The contracts were going to transfer. Revenue would cover everything.”
I suddenly understood the panic I had seen between them in the hallway.
Ryan had deceived me.
Claire had deceived me.
But Ryan had also deceived Claire.
No loyalty existed anywhere in the room.
Only overlapping self-interest.
I saved every document to an external drive.
Then emailed copies to a private address Ryan did not know.
Claire looked at me.
“What happens now?”
It was the first sensible question anyone had asked.
I closed the laptop.
“Ryan leaves.”
He stared.
“You can't—”
“I can.”
“This is partly my company.”
“You are inside my home after using unauthorized access to my private office.”
I pointed toward the front door.
“Leave.”
He stood still.
Claire looked at him.
“Go.”
Ryan stared at her.
For the first time, the great future they had imagined together seemed to disappear in real time.
He grabbed his jacket.
At the door, he turned toward me.
“Don't do anything stupid tonight.”
I almost smiled.
“That's the first useful thing you've said.”
Then he left.
The door closed.
Claire and I stood alone.
Twelve years of marriage between us.
I looked at her.
She started crying.
I felt nothing.
That scared me more than anger would have.
Chapter 7: What Claire Admitted
Claire sat at the kitchen table.
I remained standing.
“How long?”
She wiped her face.
“Four months.”
The answer landed differently now.
Not because four months was acceptable.
Because I had imagined years.
“How did it start?”
She looked exhausted.
“You were traveling constantly.”
I said nothing.
“That isn’t an excuse.”
“No.”
“I know.”
She took a breath.
“Ryan started checking on me when you were away.”
“Checking on you.”
“I know how it sounds.”
“How did it become sleeping with him?”
She looked down.
“Slowly.”
“Nothing about tonight looked slow.”
She flinched.
I regretted the cruelty slightly.
Not enough to take it back.
Claire told me Ryan had started by listening.
That was his talent.
He told her I took her for granted.
Told her I cared more about Sentinel Ridge than my marriage.
Told her he had watched me become controlling and distant.
Some of those criticisms were not completely false.
That made them more effective.
I worked too much.
I canceled dinners.
I answered client calls during vacations.
I often assumed Claire understood sacrifices I never actually discussed with her.
Those were marriage problems.
They were not permission slips.
Claire continued.
Ryan eventually told her Sentinel Ridge was in financial danger because I refused to make “necessary decisions.”