“Without asking me?”
“You’re right.”
Her answer stopped me.
She wasn’t defending him.
“He meant to replace it, but the business recovered slowly. By the time he could repay you, the lie had grown too large.”
“So he kept lying.”
“Yes.”
“You’re right.”
I pushed the statement toward her.
“And this transfer?”
“Money from his remaining share. He wanted every dollar returned to you.”
“After 30 years, he decided honesty was urgent?”
“After the diagnosis, he realized he might run out of time.”
I touched Robert’s letter but didn’t open it.
“Is that why he divorced me?”
“He realized he might run out of time.”
“Partly.”
Claire moved the blue tie away from the papers.
“He knew you’d spend the savings on treatment. He thought you’d borrow against the house if someone offered you another month with him.”