He had known.
And suddenly, I understood why he had always told me:
Never sign anything you haven’t read.
I had thought it was ordinary fatherly advice.
It wasn’t.
It was protection.
That afternoon, Ryan came to my office.
I knew before he entered.
Iris called.
“Addison, he’s here.”
“Let him in.”
She hesitated.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Ryan walked into my office five minutes later.
He looked exhausted.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His hair was messy.
For the first time in years, he looked like a man who had lost control.
He closed the door.
“Are you happy?”
I looked at him.
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
“Then why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Destroying everything.”
I almost smiled.
“You destroyed it.”
“I made a mistake.”
“You married another woman.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
He didn’t answer.
“After the honeymoon?”
Silence.
