Perhaps he expected mercy.
Perhaps attack.
Claire gave him neither.
Eleanor nodded.
“Correct.”
The board placed Ryan on administrative leave pending review.
Unanimous.
Ryan did not vote.
The meeting ended at eleven-fifteen.
Claire walked toward the elevator.
Ryan followed.
Again.
“Thank you.”
She stopped.
“For?”
“Not asking them to fire me.”
Claire stared.
“I didn’t save you.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Ryan looked exhausted.
“I don’t know.”
Claire sighed.
“Ryan, I am done being responsible for whether consequences feel survivable to you.”
He looked down.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“It has been our marriage for years.”
His eyes lifted.
She continued.
“You take a risk.”
“I absorb the household.”
“You travel.”
“I explain to Sophie.”
“You miss an anniversary.”
“I plan another.”
“You tell our daughter about your affair before telling me.”
Ryan flinched.
“I did not tell her about an affair.”
“You told her enough to make her keep your secret.”
“I was trying to protect you while your mother was dying.”
Claire stared.
“Do not use my mother to make that noble.”
His face collapsed.
There it was.
The sentence he needed.
Claire’s anger softened slightly.
Not enough to rescue him.
Ryan whispered:
“I was a coward.”
“Yes.”
“I loved Vanessa.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know how to leave.”
“You say the sentence.”
“What sentence?”
“‘Claire, I’m leaving.’”
He looked away.
“It would have destroyed you.”
She almost laughed.
“You decided deception would be kinder?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I decided later would be easier.”
There.
More honest.
“For who?”
He said nothing.
Claire nodded.
“Exactly.”
The elevator arrived.
Ryan did not enter.
Claire turned before the doors closed.
“Is Vanessa here?”
“No.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
That surprised her.
“She gave back the ring.”
Claire looked at him.
“When?”
“Last night.”
The doors closed.
Vanessa called Claire that afternoon.
Claire considered not answering.
Then did.
“Hello.”
“Claire.”
Vanessa sounded terrible.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire sat in her parked car outside her mother’s old house, where she had gone to collect archived Meridian papers stored in the basement.
“For what?”
“For many things.”
Claire waited.
Vanessa continued:
“I knew you were married when Ryan and I became involved.”
There.
Claire appreciated that she did not begin with innocence.
“He told me the marriage was over.”
“I know.”