“Why didn’t he tell me?” Eleanor whispered, more to herself than to Maya. It was a question drenched in pain and disbelief.

Maya’s eyes softened, understanding the turmoil Eleanor must be feeling. “He wanted to, Mrs. Whitmore. He talked about it often. But he worried about your reaction. He didn’t want to disappoint you, didn’t want you to think less of him.”

Eleanor’s heart ached. She had always believed she fostered a relationship with Jonathan built on openness and trust. But fear of her judgment had kept him from sharing the most significant part of his life. It was a realization that pierced deeper than any sorrow she had known.