13

"They do know where I went, Darling. I left because the university asked me to handle something. I also asked them to keep my departure a secret because I wanted to see if my wife would miss me when I left without a word," he explained with a slight fib.

Frans had to tell a white lie to Veronica because he was afraid she'd become even more self-conscious if she found out who he really was. Her perception of him as a university lecturer was already quite high, and discovering his real job and status might make her withdraw further.

"I'm sorry, Honey. I just wanted to know where Hubby went. It worried me," Veronica admitted, taking a deep breath. She had asked two challenging questions.

"It's okay, continue." Frans comforted her with a smile and held her hands.

Veronica struggled to speak again, "Why did Hubby have to leave without informing me? Even the university had no idea where you went." She adjusted her breathing, finding it challenging to bring up such difficult topics.

"They do