Suddenly, the pieces began to fall into place. His frequent absences, the mysterious calls, and his anxious demeanor when I mentioned going to the country house alone—they all made sense now. He wasn’t hiding a mistress; he was hiding this side of himself, a side so different from the man I thought I knew.

Part of me was relieved—relieved that my worst fears were unfounded. But another part of me was hurt. Why hadn’t he told me? Why had he kept this huge part of his life a secret from me? I felt a surge of betrayal mixed with admiration for his dedication to these animals.