--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Plus she had to admit that a small part…" description: "\"“Plus she had to admit that a small part of her secrecy was that she was holding something back, for herself. If she never told Dexter the truth, she w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/chris-pavone-3124_dexter_plus-she-had-to-admit-that-a-small-part_2619427.png" --- # Plus she had to admit that a small part of her secrecy was… ![“Plus she had to admit that a small part of her secrecy was that she was holding something back, for herself. If she never told Dexter the truth, she was still reserving the right to return to her old life. To one day be a covert operative again. To be a person who could keep the largest secrets…” quote by Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/chris-pavone-3124_dexter_plus-she-had-to-admit-that-a-small-part_2619427.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/chris-pavone-3124_dexter_plus-she-had-to-admit-that-a-small-part_2619427.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/chris-pavone-3124_dexter_plus-she-had-to-admit-that-a-small-part_2619427.png) > ““Plus she had to admit that a small part of her secrecy was that she was holding something back, for herself. If she never told Dexter the truth, she was still reserving the right to return to her old life. To one day be a covert operative again. To be a person who could keep the largest secrets from everyone, including her husband, forever.”” [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She keeps a hidden past to preserve autonomy, fearing loss of identity if fully revealed. **In simple terms:** She hides a secret to stay independent. Key Takeaway Protect personal agency by setting boundaries. Themes identity secrecy autonomy trust Mood conflicted reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - marriage - career change - reconnecting with old contacts - making decisions about disclosure Key Concepts psychology personal freedom risk management Questions to Reflect On - What would change if she fully disclosed her past? - How does secrecy affect her sense of self? A Different Perspective Keeping secrets can erode intimacy and cause isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Old life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-life/) [Secrecy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrecy/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) ## Related quotes > [Dexter's a unique killer in that his father saw his dark impulses, shined a light on them, and told Dexter that he saw them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/dexter-s-a-unique-killer-in-that-his-father-saw-his-dark-impulses/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) > [I think Dexter is a man whoa part of himself is very much frozen, or arrested in a place that is pre-memory, pre-conscious, pre-verbal.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall-2/i-think-dexter-is-a-man-whoa-part-of-himself-is-very-much-frozen-or/) [Michael C Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall-2/) > [“Dexter was too legit,” Julia continued. “His life was too verifiable, too aboveboard. He was nobody’s spy, nobody’s mole, nobody’s rat. He was who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/dexter-was-too-legit-julia-continued-his-life-was-too-verifiable-too/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“Honesty is overrated. As someone once said, 'Secrecy is the first essential in affairs of the heart.'" "It was the Duc de Richelieu," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/honesty-is-overrated-as-someone-once-said-secrecy-is-the-first/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [When I wrote 'We Were The Mulvaneys,' I was just old enough to look back upon my own family life and the lies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/when-i-wrote-we-were-the-mulvaneys-i-was-just-old-enough-to-look-back/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“You can never let your compassion stand in the way of justice because when you do, other people get hurt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/you-can-never-let-your-compassion-stand-in-the-way-of-justice-because/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [And what did you do last night, Dexter? Oh, I played with my dolls while a friend chopped up my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/and-what-did-you-do-last-night-dexter-oh-i-played-with-my-dolls-while/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Detective, I don't know where the boyfriend is, really," I said. And it was true, considering tide, current, and the habits of marine scavengers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/detective-i-don-t-know-where-the-boyfriend-is-really-i-said-and-it/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [I really like the stuff that Showtime puts out. I think that 'Homeland' is phenomenal. I think 'Dexter' is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/i-really-like-the-stuff-that-showtime-puts-out-i-think-that-homeland/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [I tell you what it is. It's...when I didn't see you, I thought about you every day, I mean every day in some way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-tell-you-what-it-is-it-s-when-i-didn-t-see-you-i-thought-about-you/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Deborah led me away from it and over to the far end of the room. “Dexter,” she said, “promise me you didn’t kill this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/deborah-led-me-away-from-it-and-over-to-the-far-end-of-the-room/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [I never thought that I would be so attracted to television, but I don't think gigs like 'Dexter' come along too often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-so-attracted-to-television-but-i-don/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I love 'Dexter.' The dark sense of humor is wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-cannell/i-love-dexter-the-dark-sense-of-humor-is-wonderful/) [Stephen J. Cannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-cannell/) > [“Serial killer aren't creative." "Watch a little Dexter and get back to me on that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/serial-killer-aren-t-creative-watch-a-little-dexter-and-get-back-to/) [Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/) > [“I’m not expressing myself very well—’ ‘Dexter, I understand you perfectly, that’s the problem—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-m-not-expressing-myself-very-well-dexter-i-understand-you-perfectly/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) ## More by Chris Pavone > [“They were ticking off items on a to-do list that was magnet-attached to the fridge. There were nineteen items on the list. They'd crossed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/they-were-ticking-off-items-on-a-to-do-list-that-was-magnet-attached/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [Lexicon grabbed me with the opening lines, and never let go. An absolutely thrilling story, featuring an array of compelling characters in an eerily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/lexicon-grabbed-me-with-the-opening-lines-and-never-let-go-an/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“You talking about computer weaknesses?" "Yes. But also human weaknesses." "Meaning what?" "Meaning the types of weaknesses that make humans let down their guard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/you-talking-about-computer-weaknesses-yes-but-also-human-weaknesses/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“She didn’t want to give the murder-pornography frame by frame. Didn’t want to recite her route across Manhattan, the length of the knife blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/she-didn-t-want-to-give-the-murder-pornography-frame-by-frame-didn-t/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [In 'The Travelers,' everyone is defined by his or her relationship to work. I put each character on a different rung of the ladder:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/in-the-travelers-everyone-is-defined-by-his-or-her-relationship-to/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > ['The Expats' would not exist without e-books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/the-expats-would-not-exist-without-e-books/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“It was impossible to understand how brief it is. It seemed like youth would last so long; it would last forever. But it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/it-was-impossible-to-understand-how-brief-it-is-it-seemed-like-youth/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“Back before her life had begun to unravel. Or before she knew it was unraveling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/back-before-her-life-had-begun-to-unravel-or-before-she-knew-it-was/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“I thought you make your living as a thief." "No," he said. "That’s what I do for fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/i-thought-you-make-your-living-as-a-thief-no-he-said-that-s-what-i-do/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [There's so much published by so many different publishers. Most of the time, I don't have to confront that, but walking into a conference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/there-s-so-much-published-by-so-many-different-publishers-most-of-the/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“Circumstantial evidence may not be enough to convict. But it’s almost always enough to reveal the truth. Isn’t it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/circumstantial-evidence-may-not-be-enough-to-convict-but-it-s-almost/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“It hasn't taken long to find herself thinking that people are watching. And that they always have been, all the time. It was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/it-hasn-t-taken-long-to-find-herself-thinking-that-people-are/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“But when Kate returned home he was gone. Back to the video camera that had recorded her. Back to his unexplainable office. Back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/but-when-kate-returned-home-he-was-gone-back-to-the-video-camera-that/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“She needed friends, and a life, and this is how you acquired those things: by talking to strangers. Everyone was a stranger, all on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/she-needed-friends-and-a-life-and-this-is-how-you-acquired-those/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“So she forgave him. And instead she berated herself for her suspicion, for her snooping. For the things she promised herself she wouldn't do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/so-she-forgave-him-and-instead-she-berated-herself-for-her-suspicion/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) [Explore all 139 Chris Pavone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) ## More Dexter quotes > [“Serial killer aren't creative." "Watch a little Dexter and get back to me on that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/serial-killer-aren-t-creative-watch-a-little-dexter-and-get-back-to/) [Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/) > [I love 'Dexter.' The dark sense of humor is wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-cannell/i-love-dexter-the-dark-sense-of-humor-is-wonderful/) [Stephen J. Cannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-cannell/) > [I never thought that I would be so attracted to television, but I don't think gigs like 'Dexter' come along too often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-never-thought-that-i-would-be-so-attracted-to-television-but-i-don/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [“Deborah led me away from it and over to the far end of the room. “Dexter,” she said, “promise me you didn’t kill this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/deborah-led-me-away-from-it-and-over-to-the-far-end-of-the-room/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Detective, I don't know where the boyfriend is, really," I said. And it was true, considering tide, current, and the habits of marine scavengers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/detective-i-don-t-know-where-the-boyfriend-is-really-i-said-and-it/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [And what did you do last night, Dexter? Oh, I played with my dolls while a friend chopped up my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/and-what-did-you-do-last-night-dexter-oh-i-played-with-my-dolls-while/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [“I’m not expressing myself very well—’ ‘Dexter, I understand you perfectly, that’s the problem—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-m-not-expressing-myself-very-well-dexter-i-understand-you-perfectly/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [I really like the stuff that Showtime puts out. I think that 'Homeland' is phenomenal. I think 'Dexter' is amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/i-really-like-the-stuff-that-showtime-puts-out-i-think-that-homeland/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [I tell you what it is. It's...when I didn't see you, I thought about you every day, I mean every day in some way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-tell-you-what-it-is-it-s-when-i-didn-t-see-you-i-thought-about-you/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“She stared at me "You have a message," she said. "On you machine." I looked over at my answering machine. Sure enough, the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/she-stared-at-me-you-have-a-message-she-said-on-you-machine-i-looked/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [For the moment, he's off plotting his Igoresque revenge. I don't know about you, but I have this image of him rubbing his hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/for-the-moment-he-s-off-plotting-his-igoresque-revenge-i-don-t-know/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [You know what, I'm happy to say that everything outside of 'Dexter' feels like a vacation, and I don't mean to say anything negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/you-know-what-i-m-happy-to-say-that-everything-outside-of-dexter/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [ “And although I take no credit for it, I am presentable enough; I clean up good, as we natives like to say." \[Dexter Morgan\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/and-although-i-take-no-credit-for-it-i-am-presentable-enough-i-clean/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [“He loved her, and he would love her until the day he was too old for loving--but he could not have her. So he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-loved-her-and-he-would-love-her-until-the-day-he-was-too-old-for/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Nevertheless she feels a great wave of affection for Dexter Mayhew. In eight years not a day has gone by when she hasn't thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/nevertheless-she-feels-a-great-wave-of-affection-for-dexter-mayhew-in/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) Browse all 126 Dexter quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Plus she had to admit that a small part of her secrecy was that she was holding something back, for herself. If she never told Dexter the truth, she was still reserving the right to return to her old life. To one day be a covert operative again. 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