His eyes fixed on the phone.
“The messages?”
“Mine.”
Grant rubbed both hands over his face.
“Rachel, let me explain.”
“Please do.”
He opened his mouth but said nothing.
I placed the beach receipt beside the phone, followed by photographs from the resort and copies of his messages to Tessa.
“Start with the business conference.”
“It wasn’t what you think.”
“Was there a conference?” I asked.
“No.”
“Did you use our joint account to pay for this trip?”
“I was going to replace the money.”
“With what?”
“My bonus.”
“You told Tessa you had 30,000 dollars saved.”
His head snapped toward her.
“Why would you show her private messages?”
Tessa stared at him.
“Private? You were planning a future with me while married to her.”
“I made mistakes.”
I leaned forward.
“You did not make one mistake. You made reservations. You bought plane tickets. You packed a suitcase. You invented meetings. You introduced me as your sister. Then, when Tessa discovered the truth, you threatened her.”
“I didn’t threaten her.”
“You said you could make her life difficult.”
“I was angry.”
“So was she. All she did was write an accurate description across your back.”
Tessa almost smiled.
Grant reached for my hand.
I pulled it away.
“Rachel, I love you.”
“You told her the same thing.”
“I never meant it with her.”
Tessa flinched but recovered quickly.
“That’s not the defense you think it is.”
Grant looked between us, searching for whichever version of himself might still work.
The exhausted businessman.
The misunderstood husband.
The romantic victim.
None of them remained.
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