new tech investment with Barrett, then turn

eutral. "I hear you're doing

with the same level of interest one m

s fine," she repli

ummoned her after a hospital shift to remind her of her place. A maid had felt safe enough to laugh about her marriage because everyone in

t set his fork down with a sharp

n, a faint, unpleasant smile playing o

ripping with sarcasm. "She's very busy these days.

id. Eleanor too

about?" she asked, her perfe

is. He was taking their private conflict and parading it in

used to discipline her. Her loneliness had been staff gossip. Her marriage had become a household inconvenience. Now ev

al cruelty. "A cat," he announced to the table. "A fi

. "A cat? Elena, are you not aware tha

er fork halfwa

erg

w marriage, they had never shared the kind of intimacy that included details

ight in the same apartment as Nacho without so much as a cough, but now, in front of his mothe

e deepened. "You see?" he said to his mother, though his eyes ne

cing at Elena while simultaneously valida

n, finally scraped against bone. She placed her fork down caref

rolled. "Brenda probably did know more about yo

le went

les Sr. looked up from his wineglass with the faint dis

and for once, she did n

sured, "it would have been useful information from a h

red. He clearly had no patie

t because she had been audible. In the Harding family, the sin

e. There was fury under it now, burning through the old obedience. She c

e said, her voice barely

tt's gaze. "I left a few things in my old room from

xcuse she could t

a slight, d

e marble floor. She hurried up the grand staircase to the second floor

remembered arriving at this house before the wedding, carrying garment bags and foolish hope, believing the coldne

ent to the closet and pulled out a dusty cardboard box. She began fill

The sound steadied her. Pack it. Seal it. Remove it. She wanted every remnant of herself ou

s expected, fresh and hot, while Elena's sat forgotten and lukewarm. His dry cleaning logged, steamed, and delivered with reverence, while Elena's lab coats came back late or miss

he hierarchy of the apartment perfectly. Barrett was the master of

eaked open

to turn around t

me, his arms crossed over his chest, wa

sked, his voice low and mocking. "Packin

rned as she carefully placed a frame

ice tight. "Can you not do this in

here anything 'between us' left? Besides the divorce

x. For once, the pain did not fold her inw

re isn't much left between us. That's the

es nar

o admire the performance downstairs. The wounded h

ssion cooled. "

your mother put me in another r

irritation cr

to hurt him. Because after years of being the only one bleeding, s

acked. It was of her as a teenager, standing between her smiling parents. A lifetime ago. He s

ble of softness, capable of care, capable of handling something precious w

x shut and stood u

ss him. As she drew level with him, he spoke agai

id. "Have you de

stop

cond, the house seem

ed her head and

she

s gaze d

le

her voice low and steady. "And

ed. "I told you w

ened a kitten because it was easier t

s landed

e, Barrett had no

o her arms, but she welcomed the pain. It reminded her that

ame entitles you to do," she said.

llway, the weight of the box in her arms a p

he fury and the old, rotting love, something had begun