Gwen glanced back and forth between her husband and his grandfather, sensing that the two of them were hiding something. “Who is she?” she asked.

“A former colleague of mine,” Dominic replied briefly.

“Let’s head down, I’m already hungry,” added Mr. Charles, and then walked toward the elevator. As soon as her grandfather disappeared from sight, Dominic once again took Gwen’s hand, leading her down the stairs to the first floor. They walked side by side, descending step by step, but neither spoke a word. Dominic looked gloomy, making Gwen concerned about the behavior of both her husband and his grandfather.

The atmosphere at the dining table was equally awkward;...