“No.”

His expression became serious.

“If I had truly given every cent away, would you have stayed?”

I looked toward the gardens.

Six months earlier, I might have lied.

I could have given the answer he wanted.

Told him money meant nothing.

Claimed I would happily spend the rest of my life in the little apartment without security or choices.

But we had agreed to stop pretending.

So I thought carefully.