“It convolutes boundaries, muddies the waters of power.” He sighs. “But what’s done is done. We linked your trials to test loyalty and see how well you could fare, separate from your husband.” It does not go unnoticed that the one in need of proving was me even though I had entered the marriage with no knowledge of any of this. He clears his throat, stroking his neatly trimmed gray beard. “What we found is, you both excelled apart, but also managed to unite when it all came crashing down, despite the devastation between you. We couldn’t have asked for more.”
