There was his answer.
Ethan pressed his fingers against his eyelids.
For several seconds, he could not speak.
The betrayal changed again.
He had been trying to understand one night.
Then he learned about months of secret contact.
Then money.
Now a business contract.
The affair was only one visible point in a larger pattern of concealment.
“Did you forge my signature?” he asked.
“No.”
“Did you submit anything in my name?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Did you represent to anyone that I approved the investment?”
Samantha hesitated.
Ethan felt dread before she answered.
“I told Dylan you were fine with it.”
He stood again.
“Why?”
“Because he would not take the money otherwise.”
Ethan almost laughed at the absurdity.
“The man who slept with my wife was concerned about my approval?”
“That was before last night.”
“That does not make it better.”
“I know.”
“Did he know you were married when you signed the investment agreement?”
“Of course.”
“Did he know the money came from our joint account?”
Samantha did not answer.
“You told me this morning that he thought it was your money.”
“He knew some of it came from savings.”
Ethan felt another lie collapse.
“Put Dylan on the phone.”
Samantha hesitated.
“Now.”
There was movement on the other end.
A door opened.
Wind noise entered the call.
Then Dylan spoke.
“Ethan.”
His voice sounded rough and tired.
“Are you still at my house?” Ethan asked.
“I am in the driveway.”
“Leave.”
“I need to explain something.”
“You can explain it through my lawyer.”
“This legal letter makes it sound like I stole money.”
“Did you receive money from my joint savings account?”
Dylan paused.
“Yes.”
“Did you know I had not approved it?”
“No.”
“Samantha just said you knew some of it came from our savings.”
Another pause.
“I knew it was from a marital account.”
“Did you ever speak to me about the investment?”
“No.”
“Did you ever ask to see written approval from me?”
“No.”
“Then why did you believe I approved it?”
“Because Samantha said you did.”
Ethan looked at the wall.
“Did you give her a ten percent ownership interest?”
“Yes.”
“Is the business operating?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Dylan exhaled.
“The lease fell through.”
“Where is the money?”
“Some went to a deposit.”
“Some?”
“Some went to equipment.”
“Where is the equipment?”
“In storage.”
“And the rest?”
Dylan went quiet.
Ethan waited.
“The rest covered older business debt,” Dylan said.
There it was.
Samantha had not invested into a clean new venture.
At least some of their money had been used to cover Dylan’s existing obligations.
