A question anchored itself in her chest: had she been too trusting? Had she loved him so much that she’d overlooked subtle truths hiding in the edges of their life? Her throat tightened at the possibility. Love had never felt dangerous before. Now it terrified her. What if his name change was something darker?
Could Jake be hiding something from his past? Did something terrible happen on that business trip? She replayed every detail, searching for clues. Nothing stood out clearly, yet everything felt suspicious in hindsight. She felt ashamed even thinking it, but fear drowned her loyalty inch by inch.