have listened more carefully when he said those words. He did not really want a partner. He wanted quiet, invisible support that allowed him to take all of the credit.
So when I stood at the table that evening and gently said, “You will not have to marry me,” he assumed he was simply walking away from an uncomfortable conversation.
Then I added one more sentence. “Every agreement that is currently keeping your company stable was drafted through my office. And every extension your lenders have granted requires my written
