She hadn’t been pretending to misunderstand our marriage.
She genuinely hadn’t known it existed.
Before leaving, she asked what I planned to do.
“I’m going to make sure everyone hears the same story,” I said.
That evening, I asked Everett, Nina, and Beatrice to meet at the house.
Everett protested.
“This is humiliating.”
“Then you shouldn’t have made three different versions of your life.”
I placed our wedding album and the renovation receipts on the dining table.
When everyone arrived, Beatrice spoke first.
“Why did you tell me Rosalie was your tenant?”
Everett ran a hand over his face.
“Because I knew you’d judge me.”
“For being married?”
“For making another mistake.”
Nina leaned forward.
“You told me your marriage was already over.”
“It was ending.”
“No,” I said. “You were ending it without telling me.”
He turned to me.
“Rosalie, we weren’t happy.”
