“I can handle the board, Ava,” he said. “But I need you to stand by me.”

I looked at him, surprised by the sheer desperation in his voice.

“We need to present a united front,” he said. “Just for a few months.”

“No,” I said.

“Just a joint statement,” he pleaded. “We can say we are working through our differences.”

“I am not lying for you, Elias,” I said.

“It’s not a lie,” he said. “We can work through it.”

I looked down at the gold band still on his left ring finger.

My own finger felt light and cold where my ring used to be.

“It is over,” I said.

“Daniel is going to prison, Ava,” Elias said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

He came closer, stopping just a few feet away.

I could smell his expensive cologne, mixed with the faint scent of stale coffee.

“They will come after me next if I don’t have the board’s backing,” he said.

“Then you should hire a good lawyer,” I said.

“I don’t want a lawyer,” he said. “I want my wife.”