I did what my old career taught me to do.
I looked for patterns.
Business trips extended one night beyond Ryan’s stated itinerary.
Hotel parking charges aligned with dinners for two.
Money left familiar accounts and later appeared through entities I didn’t recognize.
When I questioned one transfer, Ryan took the statement from my hand and kissed my forehead.
“Claire, you have not worked in finance for years. You are stressing yourself over things you do not understand anymore.”
The word anymore stayed with me.
A month later, I called
