They were silent for a few moments, and then Haris spoke again.
“In case it helps,” he said gently, “I’ve lent him money too.”
She looked at him with a start. Of course. And the way he was looking at her—he already knew.
“There was this person,” she said, her voice catching. “Someone Nasir owed money to. They’re the one who…who started it all, really.”
“Nasir told me someone was harassing him,” Haris said. “He’d clam up when I asked for details. Said he didn’t want to put anyone in danger.”
“He wouldn’t tell me much either,” Hena said. “They’re the ones who got him caught up in the high-stakes tables. When Nasir lost, they gave him credit. Over and over again. I didn’t know about it for years, until he was in too deep.”
She pressed her back against the car, trying to steady herself. “I don’t know why he kept going back, even after he’d swear he was done. I told myself if he wasn’t done, then I was. I must’ve made that promise a dozen times. But when it came down to it, how could I leave him? And how could I say no when he needed money? Especially when it was a matter of life or death by the time he came to me.”
She shivered, remembering the black eyes. The dislocated shoulders. The broken ribs. Unlike her father, Nasir didn’t have a mean bone in his body. It was what had drawn her to him. It was also what had made him such easy prey.
“But he was done with all that. He’d moved on,” Haris said. “Work was going good. We were hitting the gym everyweek. I saw it in his eyes. He was getting his life back on track.”
“I thought so too. It’s why we set our wedding date. I believed him.”
“Of course you did. From what I saw, I think he believed it too. Look, you don’t need to feel bad for lending him money. It’ll raise questions with Milcheck because it wasn’t disclosed earlier, but it’s understandable why you were hesitant to share. And giving him money isn’t a crime.”
This was the painful part to admit. Even to Haris. Especially to Haris.
“I didn’t lend him the money this time.”
Haris tilted his head.
“You didn’t lend him the money,” he repeated. He paused for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, as though he was afraid to say the words. Afraid to hear the answer. “Are you saying he stole it?”
“I don’t know if it’s stealing.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “We were going to be married soon, right? He didn’t clean me out completely. I’d transferred a bit of my trust into an account for the cottage we were about to close on. He knew where I kept my log-ins and passwords.”
“How much did he take?”
She paused. Then—
“All of it,” she whispered. “He emptied the account.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. He took a second before speaking.
“Unbelievable,” he said. “Even for him.”
“I should’ve been more vigilant. I knew he had a problem. He didn’t mean to—”
“Hena…no. This was a bridge too far. I loved him too, but this?”
“Something was off with him all week. I should’ve dug deeper,” she said. “He was getting paranoid. Looking out the windows constantly. He started talking about getting a gun. Can you imagine Nasir with a gun? I pressed him on it, but he swore he wasn’t gambling anymore.”
“But he emptied your bank account. So…”
“Someonewasafter him,” she told Haris. “The person who tried to kill me—he said the attack was a message.”
Haris exhaled. He gazed at the road in the distance.
“He really fucked up,” he said quietly.
“He tried so hard. I know he did. He couldn’t kick the habit.”
“I meant with you, Hena.” His eyes locked onto hers. “What more could he have wanted? How could he throw it away? He betrayed you in the worst way possible. It’s unforgivable.”