motel on the edge of Manhattan. Lightning flashed,

g mattress. It groaned under her weight. She r

ed nightstand. The screen lit up with an emai

ent. It was the finali

g all rights to marital assets. She was leaving with

e traced her electronic signature

ing wave of longing for her children crashed over her. Her hands trembled as she manually dialed the familiar landline n

s voice came through the speaker. He was crying hysterically.

ly flooded her eyes. "Leo, baby, it's okay.

ng sound. The phone

eo's voice was ice-cold. It

d out, pressing a hand to her chest. It felt

crazy woman," Theo said mechanically.

her son's mouth made the bloo

ain! You're a bad mom!" Leo

dial tone buzzed loudly

hone slipped from her numb fin

e room, drowning out the agonizin

er lungs burned, until her stomach cramped with phy

es later,

e walked into the tiny, moldy bathroom

e bloodshot, but the vulnerability in

ext message from Alistair,

Ware Group headquarters tomorrow at

ast shred of affection she held for that famil

a single

nd pulled out her only ta

n meticulously ironing out every singl

over the years. Along with them was a sealed yellow envelope. For months, she had been paying a private investigator to track Jocelyne's erratic late-ni

ng to the rain, waiting for the s