“Stay.” It was one small word, and it delivered the final blow more completely than anything I could have said or done.

Because in that moment, cornered in front of his entire professional world, with his wife on one side and his son on the other, my husband made his choice out loud, for everyone to hear.

He did not reach for me.

He did not turn to comfort his frightened son.

He reached for his mistress, and he asked her to stay by his side.

Every person in earshot understood precisely what they had just witnessed, and so, finally and without any remaining doubt, did I.