After several acquisitions, the firm had become Calder Meridian Group, a national logistics and facilities business.

I had spent the preceding decade running an independent operations consultancy, carefully keeping my professional identity separate from my husband’s career.

Connor knew I had been speaking with directors about “a new opportunity.” He did not know its title.

We had been living more like polite roommates than spouses for almost a year, our conversations reduced to travel schedules, grocery lists, and conversations about his mother’s health.

I had planned to tell him after the official announcement, partly because the board had instructed us to keep the selection confidential until the market disclosure was complete.