“You told another woman a story that wasn’t true. You kept coming home to me while pretending our marriage had already ended.”
He lowered his eyes.
“You don’t understand how unhappy I’ve been.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried.”
“No. You told me you were tired. You told me work was stressful. You told me you had headaches.”
He opened his mouth.
I continued.
“You never told me our marriage was over.”
He looked away.
Then he said something that made me pause.
“I felt trapped.”
I studied his face.
“Then why didn’t you leave?”
He didn’t answer.
And I understood.
Leaving would have required a difficult conversation.
It would have meant making a decision and accepting the consequences.
Lying allowed him to keep both relationships.
At least until that morning.
***
“Did you see Laura on my birthday?” I asked suddenly.
Daniel looked startled.
