Gideon examined the documents without touching them. He reminded her that he had been an ambitious young businessman with few advantages beyond his education and determination, while the Whitmores possessed resources most entrepreneurs could only dream of obtaining. Their marriage, he argued, had created opportunities for everyone, including the children and grandchildren who had benefited from his eventual success. His answer was delivered with such practiced confidence that Alisa wondered how many times he had rehearsed some version of it.
The room felt unusually cold despite the mild May afternoon. Alisa remembered Gideon’s proposal at a restaurant overlooking Long Island Sound, the flowers he had arranged on their table, and the careful way he had asked whether she could imagine sharing his life. She had loved him enough to believe that his determination to provide for their future was evidence of devotion. At twenty-seven, she had never considered that a man might study her family’s finances with greater interest than he showed in her hopes.
“Did you love me when you asked me to marry you?” Alisa asked, looking directly at him. “I know you were involved with Elliot. I need to know whether you were ever in love with me.”
Gideon took longer to answer than he had taken with the financial documents. He rose from his chair and walked toward the windows overlooking the rose garden, where staff were removing the last chairs from the abandoned reception. He spoke about affection, companionship, and the life they had maintained together, recalling Adrian’s childhood and the years after they welcomed Willa into their family. Alisa heard genuine feeling when he mentioned the children, but he continued avoiding the question that had brought her into the study.
Finally, he acknowledged that he had still loved Elliot when he proposed. He had believed marriage to Alisa would give him the stability and social standing necessary to establish his business, and he had expected affection to develop into something deeper over time. Gideon seemed to regard this admission as evidence of practical judgment rather than a betrayal. He spoke of what he had provided throughout their marriage, as though the comfortable life they shared could settle the question of why he had chosen her.
“I thought I could grow to love you the way you loved me,” he admitted, standing beside the window. “Your family could help me build something substantial, and I believed we would both be happy with the life that followed.”
Alisa lowered her eyes toward the binder, allowing herself a moment to absorb his words. Forty years of anniversaries, holidays, hospital visits, and ordinary evenings together passed through her memory with unsettling clarity. She thought of Adrian’s birth, of Gideon holding their newborn son with tears in his eyes, and of the nights she had remained beside him when business ventures failed. Her feelings during those moments had been sincere, and she struggled with the realization that sincerity might never have been mutual.
The truth also changed how she remembered Elliot Crane. Alisa had spent much of the previous evening imagining a bitter former lover whose anger had finally erupted into a grotesque public spectacle. Gideon’s account now suggested that Elliot had been abandoned by a man who chose financial security and social respectability while continuing to accept his affection. She could recognize the cruelty of that betrayal without excusing what had happened at the wedding, especially the terror Tessa had endured.
Gideon approached her when she closed the binder. He reached toward her shoulder with the familiar gesture he used when he wanted to end an argument, but Alisa moved away before his hand settled there. His expression tightened, and he reminded her that their marriage had survived difficulties far more significant than an old relationship. The assumption that she would eventually accept his explanation was evident in his manner, and she realized how thoroughly he had mistaken her patience for agreement.
Alisa left the study and went upstairs, carrying the binder against her chest. Willa was resting in her bedroom with the curtains half drawn, surrounded by stuffed animals that had been arranged carefully along the pillows. The child’s small hands were curled beneath her cheek, and Alisa sat beside her until she stirred and reached for her mother. She had spent the previous day worrying that Willa might have been injured by the axe, and the sight of her sleeping peacefully brought a brief, painful relief.
Later, in her private sitting room, Alisa called an attorney who had previously advised her on matters involving the Whitmore family trust. She explained that she needed confidential guidance concerning her marriage and the financial arrangements connecting her inherited property to Gideon’s businesses. The attorney agreed to review the relevant documents and emphasized that any decisions involving jointly held assets would require careful examination. Alisa arranged an appointment for the following morning, aware that seeking advice was only the beginning of a difficult process.
Al caer la tarde sobre Rosehaven, reunió los documentos originales del fideicomiso y los acuerdos firmados por su padre. Durante años, había permitido que Gideon administrara los negocios vinculados a su matrimonio, confiando en que él distinguiría los recursos compartidos de la propiedad que sus padres habían querido que permaneciera bajo su control. Revisar esos acuerdos requeriría paciencia y ayuda profesional, pero ya no pensaba aceptar sus explicaciones sin examinar los hechos subyacentes.
Antes de cerrar la última carpeta, Alisa vio una factura reciente entre los documentos antiguos de la finca. Se trataba de trabajos adicionales en la instalación floral para la boda de Adrian, incluyendo modificaciones en el acceso trasero del enorme rosal. El cargo se había realizado a través de una de las cuentas comerciales privadas de Gideon, en lugar del presupuesto de la boda que ella había aprobado. Alisa examinó la fecha, recordando que Tessa le había advertido a Gideon sobre la posible llegada de Elliot poco antes de la ceremonia.
