“Don’t be childish.”
“Finances?”
Adrian stopped eating.
Victoria’s eyes sharpened.
“What about finances?”
“You mentioned last night that you should help manage them.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Adrian interrupted.
“Eleanor.”
I turned.
“Yes?”
“Enough.”
Victoria reached for her water.
“We are trying to take pressure off you.”
“What pressure?”
They exchanged a look.
There.
So fast I might once have missed it.
Eight weeks earlier I would have.
Now I saw everything.
Victoria leaned back.
“You haven’t been yourself.”
My heartbeat slowed.
Not accelerated.
Slowed.
The way it does when fear becomes certainty.
“How haven’t I been myself?”
“You’ve been suspicious.”
“Of what?”
“Everyone.”
“Who is everyone?”
Adrian pushed his chair back.
“This is ridiculous.”
I ignored him.
Victoria looked at me with practiced concern.
“You forget conversations.”
“Which conversations?”
“You become defensive.”
“About what?”
“Money.”
There it was.
The script.
I glanced at Adrian.
He was pale.
