She looked down at the baby.
“Her name is Sophie.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Vesna said, “I didn’t know he was taking money from your account.”
“How did you think the company was being funded?”
“He told me an investor had given him money. He said he wanted me to be the registered owner because he didn’t want his name connected to the project while he was negotiating his departure from your marriage.”
“And you believed him?”
“Yes.”
She said it without defending herself.
“I believed him because I was stupid enough to love him.”
There was no triumph in hearing that confession. Only an uncomfortable recognition of how easily affection could become a trap when someone knew exactly what to say.
“Did he promise to marry you?”
She nodded.
“He said he wanted a family. He said the baby would make everything real.”
