David opened his mouth, then closed it again.
That small hesitation hurt more than I expected.
“My mother lied to me about love my entire life,” I whispered.
“And now I’m discovering that my husband lied to me about who he was.”
He stood perfectly still.
“Clara, I never wanted you to feel bought or obligated.”
“So you decided to make the choice for me?”
“No.”
“That’s exactly what you did.”
He looked toward Leo, whose tiny chest continued rising beneath the oxygen tent.
“You’re right,” he said.
The immediate admission caught me off guard.
“I was afraid your mother would find a way to use my wealth against you.”
“Then you should have trusted me enough to tell me.”
David’s shoulders dropped.
“I should have.”
For the first time since his revelation, he looked less like a powerful stranger and more like my husband again.
