Eliana frowned, considering. In all her different imaginings of how this conversation would go, she’d never thought ofMiloas one to commit a crime of passion. He was so even-tempered, so quiet and gentle. But if he did . . .how would insurance payouts work in cases of murder?She added it to her mental list of questions to consult with her lawyer.
“I’ll be honest . . .” She sighed. “I’m not against the idea.” She paused when he turned his dark gaze her way, his anger clear in the taut line of his shoulders and ticking jaw, but she carried on, “This is fresh for you. I was basically catatonic when I found out. I get it.” She laid a hand on the knee bouncing beneath the table, willing it to be still. “I hope you don’t go after them. It would ruin your life, and I think you deserve better than to go to prison for a woman who would betray you.
“Theyalreadyruined my life,” Milo growled, his furious eyes flicking to Eliana as he leapt back up, resuming his pacing. “Fifteen years of marriage, and for what? I invested everything in Bea.Herhappiness,herbusiness,herfamily. I gave her the best of everything. How could she do this?” Milo ranted, his words eerily familiar to the same cries Eliana had unloaded to Clem and the stars above just two nights ago. “How?”He shouted, turning back towards her, his arms wide.
She fought the urge to flinch, knowing he wasn’t intending to scare her. But with his feet spread apart and his fists clenched and that furious red climbing his tensed neck, Eliana had to pause and consider how well she knew him.What was he capable of?She eyed the distance to the back door, though not as discreetly as she thought she did, for Milo followed her gaze. He glanced back, browsdrawn tight, then his eyes shot wide at whatever he found in her expression, and he stumbled back a step.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I would never?—”
“I know,” Eliana said quickly, feeling silly for her thoughts. “Your shout caught me a little off guard, butI know, Milo. We’re good.” She sighed. “I told you, I didn’t react well when I found out either. But I already knew by the time I got this recording.”
“Friday?” He asked, still being careful to keep his distance, his posture relaxed.
She nodded.
“When did you suspect?”
“Weeks ago . . .” Eliana blushed, embarrassed by how long it took her to piece it together. “But I didn’t suspect Bea until last week.”
Milo held his tongue, waiting.
“That bouquet on your table. With the lilies.”
“That’s fromJesse?” Milo breathed. “She told me one of her regulars sent them.”
Eliana’s nose involuntarily scrunched at the double entendre, and Milo swore, low and fierce. He strode off with jerky movements, then returned a moment later, clarity in his eyes, as if he’d had an epiphany.
He lowered himself back into the chair opposite Eliana, eyeing her with a calm, watchful expression. “Does he know that you know? Does she?”
She shook her head, slowly. “They have no idea.”
His eyes narrowed. “Were you expecting me to confront them?”
“No. I told you because you deserved to know, and what you do with the information is your choice. But I was actually hoping that you’d agree tonottell them yet.”
“Why?”
“Because . . .” Eliana’s forehead creased, her gaze sliding from his for a brief moment. “She’s your wife? I would hope that you’d tell me if youfound out first.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Why did younotwant to confront them yet?”
“Oh.” Eliana grimaced. “It’s embarrassing.”
Milo didn’t say a word—he simply waited, quiet and patient, until the words began to flow.
“I’m not in the best situation . . .financially,” she clarified. “I have no work history, no degree, no references. I’ve talked with a lawyer, and I have someone doing some investigating—” Her breath hitched, her gaze falling to the golden band on her ring finger, a mocking symbol of all the lies she was uncovering. “It seems Jesse has been accruing a mountain of debt,” she admitted, choosing to leave off her suspicions about his extracurricular activities.
“If I divorce him now, where does that leave me and my girls? If we had plenty of savings, why would Jesse be taking out more credit to fund his affair? I want to move on, get divorced, and support myself. But I’m going to be starting from fucking scratch,” Eliana snapped, finally losing a piece of the control she’d been fighting to maintain. “As much as I hate it, I’m stuck. I need to get my shit together and find a stable job that would pay enough to keep a roof over our heads,” she hesitated. “Maybe even go after that degree I’ve always dreamed about . . .”
Eliana glanced back up at him, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t have the documentation I need yet to control the outcome. I worry that if he finds out I know, then he’s going to put us through a divorce onhisterms. Sure, there’s no prenup, so I’ll be entitled to half . . . but half ofwhat? I don’t know. And yes, I could demand alimony, but can I truly depend on that? Is that sustainable? And will I end up saddled with half the debt as well?”
Eliana snorted, meeting Milo’s steadygaze. She wished she could tell what he was thinking, but the warm honey of his hazel eyes had solidified into hardened amber as he listened to her rant. A pang of empathy settled in her stomach as the painful memory of her own realization washed over her anew. He still loved Bea. Everyone loved Bea. And yet, she told him the truth, “I want to take them down, witheverythingin me. I want to destroy them. To make them suffer. But I need time.”
She glanced back at her little stick pile in the distance. “But my problems are not yourproblems, Milo. If you need a confrontation, then do it. I will make it work, I promise. Just give me a heads up.”
“I . . . I need to think,” he said.
“That’s fair. I’ll be home all day if you have any questions.”
