“I just need a little more time,” Daniel said. “Everything’s almost ready.”

“You think she’s going to thank you for all this sneaking around?” my mother shot back.

“I’m not sneaking,” he said, sharper now. “I’m trying to do this right.”

“Oh, please,” she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Men always say that right before everything falls apart.”

I closed my eyes for a second.

“Listen to me,” she continued. “You don’t owe her this much. Not after everything. You’ve done enough already.”

Enough? For me?

“She deserves the truth,” my mother added. “And if you don’t tell her, I will. This concerns me too.”

Of course it does.

“Okay…” I whispered. “Okay. That’s enough.”

I smoothed my hands over my dress, an old habit.

Then I stepped forward.

“Well, this sounds like a conversation I should’ve been invited to.”

They both turned. Daniel’s face drained of color. My mother didn’t bother hiding her reaction. Her lips curled, slow and satisfied.

“Well,” she said, leaning back, “look who decided to show up.”

“Yeah. Funny how that happens when people stop whispering.”

Daniel stepped toward me. “Hey… this isn’t what you think.”

“Oh, I’d love to hear what I think,” I cut in. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like my husband is lying about business trips and meeting my mother behind my back.”

“Lower your voice,” my mother said calmly. “No need to make this ugly.”

I laughed once. “Ugly? You ran off with my fiancé, and now you’re worried about ugly?”

“Let’s not dig up old drama,” she waved her hand. “We’re talking about something much more… practical.”

Daniel turned sharply. “Stop.”

“No!” she leaned forward. “Tell her about that little workshop she dreams about. The one she thinks was just… lost?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Daniel rubbed his face. “I was going to tell you. I just needed more time.”

“For what? To coordinate your lies better?”

My mother chuckled. “Oh, honey, he’s not that clever.”

“Enough!” Daniel looked at me. “That building… the old one near the river. The one your father used to talk about?”

“Yeah… what about it?”

He hesitated a moment too long.