For a moment, he said nothing, his eyes searching mine for something—remorse, guilt, fear. He found none. The realization settled there was no innocence left to claim in our marriage, no trust to salvage. We were adversaries now, locked in a silent struggle for truth and survival.

“Why, James?” I asked, needing to know the reason behind his betrayal, even though every instinct screamed that whatever the truth was, it would shatter any remnants of our past.