But he believed the combination of financial exposure, coercion, and his family’s increasingly desperate behavior created a serious risk.
When he saw me alone during the reception, he decided to warn me.
He had only a small amount of cash with him.
So he gave me what he had.
Then he sent a driver to wait near the hotel in case I needed transportation.
I had left with Claire before the driver approached me.
I stared at Victor.
“Why didn’t you simply tell me everything?”
He looked down.
“Because I was afraid Adrian would discover that I had warned you before you could leave.”
His voice broke.
“And because I was a coward.”
For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Then I asked, “Did you know about this before I married him?”
Victor’s eyes filled.
“I had suspicions.”
“How long?”
He hesitated.
“Several weeks.”
I felt something inside me harden.
