"You've said that before."
"I know."
"Then here's your chance. I want to know exactly what happened to our money."
Ryan sighed.
"Meet me at the café near my office at ten."
"Fine."
Daniel ended the call.
Margaret had been watching him.
"What did he say?"
"He agreed to meet."
"Do you trust him?"
Daniel looked at his phone.
"Not anymore."
***
At ten o'clock, Daniel arrived at the café.
Ryan was already waiting at a table near the window.
He looked different from the confident man Daniel had seen in the bathroom. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes moved repeatedly toward the entrance.
Daniel sat opposite him.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Daniel placed his phone on the table.
"Start talking."
Ryan rubbed his hands together.
"I understand why you're angry."
"Good. Then we can save time."
Ryan looked down.
"Clara told you about the investment?"
"Yes."
"How much did she tell you?"
"Enough to know that you introduced her to it."
Ryan nodded.
"I did."
"Why?"
"Because I believed it was a good opportunity."
Daniel leaned forward.
"Did you invest your own money?"
Ryan hesitated.
"Yes."
"How much?"
"About ten thousand."
"And did you lose it?"
Ryan looked away.
"Most of it."
Daniel studied his face.
"Then why did you encourage my wife to invest?"
"Because I thought the situation would improve."
"Did you receive a commission?"
Ryan did not answer.
Daniel's expression changed.
"Ryan."
The other man sighed.
"Yes."
The admission was quiet, but Daniel heard it clearly.
"How much?"
"Five percent."
Daniel stared at him.
"So you received money for bringing people into this investment."
"Yes."
"And you brought my wife into it."
"I didn't force her."
"I didn't say you did."
Ryan shifted in his chair.
"She wanted to make money. She asked me about opportunities, and I told her what I knew."
"Did you tell her about the risks?"
"I explained what I understood."
"Did you tell her that you would receive a commission?"
Ryan looked uncomfortable.
"Not at first."
Daniel leaned back.
The betrayal seemed to deepen with every answer.
"You allowed my wife to believe she was getting independent financial advice from a friend, while you were being paid to bring her into the investment."
Ryan lowered his eyes.
"That's not how I intended it."
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Do you hear yourself?"
Ryan remained silent.
Daniel continued.
"Now tell me about the money she borrowed from you."
"She needed help after the investment started losing value."
"Why did you lend it to her?"
"I wanted to help."
"Out of kindness?"
Ryan looked up.
"I cared about her."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"That wasn't the question."
Ryan looked away again.
Daniel understood.
He had heard enough.
"Did you tell Clara she could recover her losses by investing more money?"
"Yes."
"Did you tell her the money was guaranteed?"
"I said I thought it was likely to recover."
"Did you know that wasn't true?"
Ryan shook his head.
"I genuinely believed it."
Daniel remained silent.
Then he asked the question he had been avoiding.
"Did you start the relationship with Clara because she owed you money?"
Ryan's expression changed.
"No."
"Think carefully."
"I didn't plan any of this."
"That's not an answer."
Ryan rubbed his forehead.
"At first, we were just talking. She was upset about losing the money, and I tried to comfort her."
"And then?"
"Things changed."
"How?"
Ryan stared at the table.
"She told me she was unhappy in her marriage."
Daniel's face became expressionless.
"What exactly did she tell you?"
"That you were always working. That you didn't have time for her. That she felt alone."
Daniel said nothing.
Ryan continued.
"I listened. We spent more time together. Eventually, we became close."
Daniel looked out the window.
He remembered Clara saying almost exactly the same thing the previous evening.
Perhaps she had been telling the truth about feeling lonely.
But loneliness did not explain the lies.
It did not explain the money.
And it did not explain why she had allowed another man into their home.
Daniel turned back.
"Did you love her?"
Ryan looked surprised.
"I..."
"Answer me."
"I have feelings for her."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Then you should understand why I am asking you to stay away from her."
Ryan looked at him.
"Daniel, I don't think you understand the situation."
Daniel stood up.
"I understand enough."
"Wait."
Ryan reached for his arm.
Daniel stepped back.
"Don't touch me."
Ryan withdrew his hand.
Daniel picked up his phone.
"One more thing. I want copies of every document connected to that investment. Every transfer, every agreement, every message involving Clara."
"I'll send them."
"Today."
Ryan nodded.
Daniel looked at him for a final moment.
"And don't contact my wife unless she contacts you first."
Then he walked out.
***
As Daniel drove home, his mind kept returning to Ryan's words.
Clara had told Ryan she was unhappy.
She had described their marriage as lonely.
Daniel could not deny that his work had consumed much of his time during the previous year. He had been trying to secure a promotion, and the additional responsibilities had meant longer hours and fewer evenings at home.
He had occasionally canceled dinner plans.
He had missed a weekend trip because of a business emergency.