Richard’s Last Letter
I shook my head. “I can’t believe Richard lied to me all those years.”
Claire lowered her eyes.
“I’m sorry. But there’s something else he never told you.”
I stood. “I don’t think I can hear another thing.”
“Please.”
“Did he have another family?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
She opened a drawer. “He was going to tell you everything.”
I laughed bitterly. “Dead men make wonderful promises.”
Claire placed another letter on the table.
“This was written shortly before he died.”
I recognized Richard’s handwriting. “Why do you have it?”
“Because he gave it to me.”
“Read it.”
She unfolded the paper.
“He wrote that he couldn’t continue living two lives. That he’d been selfish.”
“Go on.”
“He wanted to end our relationship and return to his family completely.”
I stared at her. “He was leaving you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t he tell me?”
“He was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Of losing you.”
“He’d already betrayed me.”
Claire looked down. “He also wrote about the apartment.”
“What about it?”
“He admitted he’d turned the apartment he’d bought for you into our secret home. He wanted to tell you everything and finally take you to Paris.”
Tears gathered in my eyes. “So the anniversary letter?”
“He wrote that letter before our relationship began,” Claire said. “He really did buy the apartment for you.”
“Then he met you.”
She lowered her eyes. “Yes.”
“So he turned our dream into a place to meet his mistress?”
“I’m sorry...”
“And he never even gave me the letter.”
“I think he was too ashamed.”
“Did he tell you he was leaving?”
“Yes. I begged him to stay, but he’d made his decision.”
“Thirty-two years,” I whispered.
Claire looked at me.
“I spent thirty-two years believing Richard was a faithful husband.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Did he love you?” I asked.
“I believe he did.”
“Did he love me?”
“He said he did.”
I laughed through my tears. “Apparently, Richard had a very generous heart.”
Claire gave a sad smile. “I hated you for years.”
“Me?”
“He chose you. I thought you had won.”
“Won what, Claire? A husband who lied to me? Thirty-two years of mourning someone I didn’t truly know?”
She looked away. “I never thought about it like that.”
“Neither of us got an honest choice.”
Finally, I picked up my purse. “Thank you for telling me.”
May you like
“I’m sorry.”
“So am I.”
