“That I no longer believe those photographs were taken because someone cared about my marriage.” He leaned back against the pillows. “My mother visited me after you disappeared.

She told me to stop looking. She said you’d been given enough money to start over.”

“I never took money from anyone.”

“I know that now. She claimed the payment came from a family account. I reviewed every transaction myself. It wasn’t there.”

I walked to the window, needing distance. “Someone followed me. Someone took pictures. Someone made you believe I was unfaithful. Then your mother claimed I’d accepted money to disappear.”

“Yes.”