For two years, my husband never once took me to a reunion with his closest friends. He always brought his childhood sweetheart instead. But when he left me home on the night of his best friend’s wedding, I discovered something worse than their intimate photographs—Sophia was wearing the heirloom bracelet Vincent’s grandmother had given me before she died.

I found Vincent at his downtown office that evening.

His assistant tried to stop me, but I walked past her and entered his private conference room.

He stood beside the windows, looking out over Chicago.

When he turned, his expression changed.

"Claire."

"Why did you marry me?"

He stared at me.

"What kind of question is that?"

"The kind I should have asked two years ago."

He moved toward the table.

"I married you because I loved you."

"Then explain why someone stole Eleanor's beneficiary agreement and left me a message suggesting our marriage was connected to her will."

Vincent went completely still.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he closed the door.

"Who gave you that message?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He looked toward the window again.

"Eleanor discovered irregularities in the family foundation before our wedding. She believed someone was manipulating the trust, but she couldn't identify the person responsible."

"And what did that have to do with me?"

"She had been watching you for months."

I stared at him.

"Why?"

"Because you worked for a legal aid organization before we met. You helped women who had been financially controlled by their families. Eleanor believed you would understand the purpose of her trust."

I remembered how we had met at a charity event. Vincent had approached me after I delivered a speech about financial independence.

At the time, I believed he had been impressed by my work.

Now I wondered how much of our relationship had been shaped by Eleanor's plans.

"Did you know she intended to make me trustee?"

"Not at first."

"When did you find out?"

"Three months before the wedding."

My chest tightened.

"And you married me anyway?"

"I wanted to marry you before I knew about the trust."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

He looked genuinely ashamed.

"Because I was afraid you would think I had manipulated you."

"Instead, you let me discover that my marriage might have been part of a family scheme."

"That's not what happened."

"Then tell me the truth."

Vincent sat down.

He explained that Eleanor had privately asked him to protect me if the trust became the target of a legal dispute. She had warned him that someone might try to use my position as trustee to transfer responsibility for the missing funds.

Vincent had agreed.

But instead of telling me, he had tried to manage the situation himself.

Sophia became involved because her mother had discovered the original financial irregularities. Vincent believed she could help identify the person who had framed Rebecca Carter.

The bracelet was supposed to open the safe containing the evidence.

"And the wedding photographs?" I asked.

His eyes dropped.

"I knew the photographs would upset you. I thought you would be safer away from Rosewood while we searched for the records."

I laughed bitterly.

"You could have told me."

"I know."

"You could have trusted me."

"I know."

"You could have treated me like your wife."

He looked at me.

"I know."