I looked away.
“That doesn’t excuse lying.”
“I know.”
He continued quietly.
“When your mother first met me, she decided I was beneath her family, and I thought ignoring her would protect our peace.”
“Instead, you let me believe we were struggling.”
“Yes.”
“You let me worry about medical bills and school expenses.”
His face tightened.
“And I was wrong.”
I studied him.
“Did you ever plan to tell me?”
“Yes, but I kept convincing myself there would be a better time.”
I shook my head.
“That’s what people say when they’re afraid of consequences.”
He accepted the accusation without defending himself.
“You’re right.”
I stared at Leo’s face.
“I need a husband who trusts me, David, not a guardian who decides which truths I’m allowed to know.”
He took a long breath.
“Then that’s who I need to become.”
For the first time that night, I believed we might eventually repair what his secrecy had damaged.
