Smiling.
That smile did more damage than the words.
Because in marriage, there are moments when betrayal does not come from the person who attacks you. It comes from the person who sits beside you and lets it happen because the attack flatters him.
“Separate accounts are a great idea,” I said.
Melanie laughed. “Good for you, Jason. I told you. Women get comfortable.”
Jason lifted his glass. “To accountability.”
I picked up my water glass and touched it lightly to his.
“To accountability,” I echoed.
Then I stood.
Jason looked amused. “What are you doing?”
“Getting dessert.”
In the kitchen, I took the pie from the counter. Store-bought apple, warmed in the oven because I had worked too many hours that week to make one from scratch for a woman who thought gratitude was a tax. Beneath the pie plate sat the folder.
For a moment, my hand rested on it.
Not shaking.