Clara looked up.
"Yes."
Margaret's expression hardened.
"Why?"
"He said the opportunity was confidential."
"Confidential?"
"He told me that if too many people knew about it, the company could lose its advantage."
Margaret shook her head.
"That sounds like a convenient excuse."
Daniel looked at his wife.
"Did you ever meet anyone from this company?"
Clara shook her head.
"Only Ryan."
"Did you sign anything?"
"Some documents online."
"Do you have copies?"
"I think so."
Daniel took a deep breath.
"Tomorrow, I want to see every document, every transaction, every message, and every conversation related to this investment."
Clara nodded.
"And I want you to understand something. We are not going to solve this by pretending it never happened."
"I understand."
"No, Clara. You don't."
His voice remained controlled, but the pain beneath it was unmistakable.
"I don't know whether our marriage can survive what happened today. But I am not going to make that decision without knowing the entire truth."
Clara wiped her eyes.
"Will you give me another chance?"
Daniel looked at her.
"I haven't decided."
***
That night, Daniel slept in the guest bedroom.
He did not want to argue anymore. He did not want to hear another explanation or another apology.
He simply wanted silence.
But silence did not bring peace.
He lay awake, staring at the ceiling, remembering the first time he had met Clara.
They had been introduced at a friend's birthday party. She had been sitting near the garden, laughing with two other guests. Daniel had noticed her smile before anything else.
He remembered how nervous he had been when he approached her.
He remembered their first date, their first holiday together, and the evening he had proposed.
He had believed he was choosing a partner for life.
Now he wondered how much of their relationship he truly understood.
At around two in the morning, his phone vibrated.
It was a message from an unknown number.
Daniel picked it up.
The message contained only one sentence.
You should ask your wife what Ryan promised her.
He read it again.
Then he sat upright.
Who had sent it?
He checked the number, but there was no name attached.
He typed a reply.
Who is this?
No answer came.
He waited several minutes.
Then another message appeared.
Ryan isn't telling you everything.
Daniel felt a chill run down his spine.
He immediately called the number.
The call rang twice before disconnecting.
He tried again.
This time, the phone was switched off.
Daniel stared at the screen.
He had no idea who was behind the messages, but one thing was becoming increasingly clear.
Ryan's involvement with Clara might be connected to something much larger than an affair.
***
The following morning, Daniel woke up before sunrise.
He had barely slept.
After showering and changing, he went downstairs and prepared a cup of coffee. The house was quiet, except for the occasional sound of traffic outside.
He sat at the kitchen table and opened his banking application.
The joint account showed several transactions he did not recognize.
He began examining them carefully.
One transfer had been made approximately three months earlier.
Another had occurred two weeks later.
There were several smaller payments, each going to a different account.
Daniel took screenshots.
Then he noticed something unusual.
One of the larger transfers had been made to a company with a name he did not recognize.
He copied the company name into his notes.
A few minutes later, Margaret entered the kitchen.
"You're awake early."
Daniel looked up.
"I couldn't sleep."
She poured herself some tea.
"Did you manage to speak to Clara?"
"Not yet."
Margaret sat opposite him.
"Are you planning to?"
"I need to know where the money went."
He showed her the transactions.
She studied them.
"This is a lot of money."
"Yes."
"Have you ever seen these payments before?"
"No."
Margaret shook her head.
"Your father used to say that financial problems are easier to solve when people are honest about them."
Daniel gave a faint smile.
"I wish everyone had learned that lesson."
His mother reached across the table and touched his hand.
"Whatever happens, don't let this destroy your health."
Daniel nodded.
Then he looked at the time.
It was nearly eight.
"I need to call Ryan."
Margaret frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I want to hear his explanation without Clara standing beside him."
"Be careful."
"I will."
Daniel picked up his phone and searched for Ryan's contact.
He had not spoken to the man since the previous afternoon.
He pressed the call button.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then Ryan answered.
"Hello?"
"It's Daniel."
There was a pause.
"Daniel."
"We need to talk."
"I know."
"Where are you?"
"At home."
"Then stay there. I'm coming over."
Ryan hesitated.
"Daniel, I think it would be better if we spoke somewhere else."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want another confrontation."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Then you should have thought about that before coming into my house."
Silence.
Daniel continued.
"I've discovered the financial transactions."
Ryan said nothing.
"Clara told me about the investment."
There was another pause.
"She wasn't supposed to tell you that."
Daniel gripped the phone.
"What do you mean?"
Ryan seemed to realize that he had said too much.
"Look, Daniel, I can explain everything."