eston realized Eleonore was truly gone. He had scanned every corner of the

his phone an

you? We nee

e dots to appear. They never did. The message remain

e bottle spun to a stop, pointing directly at Vanessa. A girl, one of Vanessa's new, eager

eyes wide with a mixture

ut this-this public performance of affection, especially after the ni

ame," he snapped, s

d Vanessa by the ar

er out of the party, leaving a wak

as a relief. She walked directly into the master bedroom's enormous walk

g her toiletries in a travel bag. She took only what was hers. The expensive jewelry, the designer bags, the first-edition

irst hit her. Her throat was dry and raw. She left the be

es, laced with cattiness. Isabelle and two of her closest friends must h

ing on the cool wall. And

e voice said. "He completely lost

oor? Please. She knew what she was getting into.

he fake pity gone, replaced by gleeful gossip. "A classic social climber. She's s

he second voice said with an air of

is is what they thought of her. This is who she had been for the past three years in t

ust felt a profound sense of the absurd. Her great love story w

the woman who was pathetically cast asid

e bedroom, and packed with renewed speed. She carefully wrapped her law degree from Colum

one last look around the bedroom, a space that held so many

console table. Next to it was an orchid she had nurtur

eavy front door open, and then, without a single backward glance, she pul