“Money, of course.”

Of course.

“And when he hesitated,” she added, glancing at Daniel, “I told him I’d go straight to you.”

Daniel’s voice dropped. “Don’t.”

“Oh, come on,” she waved him off. “I’d just tell her we’ve been meeting. Quietly. Repeatedly.”

My stomach tightened. “Meeting… how exactly?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t need details. You’d imagine the rest just fine. Some people never outgrow being easy to fool.”

“Stop it,” Daniel snapped. “That’s not what this is.”

“But it would sound like it, wouldn’t it?” she said lightly. “She’d get upset. Maybe furious. Maybe she wouldn’t even wait for your explanation.”

I crossed my arms. “You wanted me to think he was cheating.”

“I wanted a reaction. And even if you learned the truth later… a little damage first might be enough.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened. “I was trying to get the documents without letting her hurt you again. I’ve seen you lose everything once. I wasn’t going to let that happen again.”

Silence stretched.

I turned to Daniel. “And Lila?”

“She saw us. I didn’t want her carrying this… not yet. I gave her the money so she wouldn’t come to you before I could fix it.”

I looked at my mother. “You tricked me into signing something when I was barely holding it together.” Then at Daniel. “And you’ve been bribing my daughter instead of telling me the truth because you thought I couldn’t handle it.”

“I thought I could protect you,” Daniel said.