Minimized disrespect.

Kept the marriage looking functional because admitting otherwise felt like failure.

Now I stood in front of officers telling them not to beautify bad data.

That night, I wrote the sentence in a notebook.

Never protect an image at the expense of the truth.

It became a rule for more than command.

PART 10 — JULIAN HIRES A LAWYER

Julian eventually retained counsel.

His attorney’s first letter was almost polite.