She turned to the final section of the folder and showed me a document connected to a property purchase. My name appeared beside Marcus\u2019s, and the date was only a few days earlier. According to Vivian, the property was intended to become part of a business arrangement that would have placed additional financial obligations under my name. The signatures appeared to have been submitted without my consent. I looked at Marcus, whose face had lost every trace of color. \u201cYou were going to put more debt in my name?\u201d I asked. He rubbed his forehead. \u201cI was trying to fix everything. I had investments that didn\u2019t work out. I thought I could make the money back.\u201d Vivian calmly explained that investigators believed the proposed transaction could have created further problems for me. The engagement ring, the expensive dinner, and the romantic proposal suddenly seemed even more disturbing. Marcus had planned to make a public promise to another woman while still legally married to me and while documents bearing my name were being used in questionable financial arrangements. I finally understood that the evening wasn\u2019t simply about betrayal. It was about how close I had come to losing far more than my marriage.<\/p>\n
The officers then informed Marcus that he needed to accompany them for further questioning. He turned toward me, desperation replacing his anger. \u201cNatalie, please. Don\u2019t let them take me. We can talk about this at home.\u201d I looked at him for a long moment. \u201cHome?\u201d I repeated. \u201cYou mean the place where you lied to me every day?\u201d He stepped closer, but the officer stopped him. The blonde woman remained beside the booth, crying quietly. She removed the ring box from the table and pushed it away from herself. \u201cYou told me you were going to give me a new life,\u201d she said. \u201cYou didn\u2019t even tell me the truth about the one you already had.\u201d Marcus tried to respond, but she turned away. As the officers escorted him toward the entrance, the restaurant remained silent. Nobody clapped, nobody whispered loudly, and nobody seemed interested in their food anymore. I sat motionless, staring at the untouched sea bass in front of me. Five years of marriage had ended in a single evening, but the truth was that the marriage had been falling apart long before I walked into that restaurant.<\/p>\n
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