“I didn’t withhold it to manipulate you. But I didn’t want you to walk away from something I already knew we were in.”
“You thought I’d say no.”
He met her eyes. “Possibly.”
“And you didn’t want to risk it.”
“I didn’t.”
Bea closed the door and walked slowly toward the kitchen, every step quiet. He opened the folder.
“It’s a summary of the Proximity Law,” he said.
She’d tried searchingUR Tier 4at midnight, and landed on some forum post from three years ago arguing about asset visibility and break clauses. Laws like this didn’t live on the internet. They lived in folders like the one on her counter.
Curiosity compelled her to pick it up. Start to read.
UNITED REPUBLIC OF WESTHAVEN
Ministry of Social Affairs & Domestic Security
Subject:Amendments to the Social Proximity Law (SPL)
Effective:Immediate
The SPL was established to preserve stability amid demographic imbalance, granting men protective authority without compelling premature marriage andeasing pursuit pressures on women. Following Council review, thresholds have been lowered as earlier levels proved insufficient to deter conflict.
Proximity rights are assigned according to the number of nights a woman voluntarily resides in a man’s private residence within one month:
Revised Tiers:
Tier 1 (3 nights - was 5):Emergency notification.
Tier 2 (5 nights - was 7):International travel + medical notification.
Tier 3 (8 nights - was 10):Financial oversight of large purchases; employer notification.
Tier 4 (7 consecutive - was 10) OR (10 nights - was 12):De facto partner status; all above rights extended until formally disputed.
The document went on to describe each Tier in detail. She skimmed, until she landed on Tier 4.
For her, it meant Gage had first standing in a crisis, first say in a public breach, the authority to shut down anything that came too close.
