ut Lydia hadn't slept. Her eyes were bloodshot. The space beside her in

stared at the woman in the mirror. The f

ld water on her face, again and again, t

awer of her nightstand and took out a private cell

er former classmate from Columbia Law School, who had spent the last decade bu

ars of memories flooded her mind-the sweet and t

om downstairs, followed by a woman's

voice. She had

straw. The last thr

filled with doubt, were now perfectly cle

ional, calm voice came through. "Lyd

she could make it. "I'm ready. Draft the pap

on washed over her, but it was follo

closet, to a locked cabinet. She entere

a few old hard drives, a thick stack of annotated ma

r fingers tracing the name e

g director and screenwriter who had been taking

ars for the sake of her marriage, almo

illed the screen. She opened a browser and logged into a social media account she hadn't touc

all asking the same questions: Where

nd for the first time in years,

seed, replanted in her heart. She wasn't read

she began to methodic

ror had sharp, determined eyes. The persona of Lydia

eek, black power suit

affectionately feeding Leo breakfast. Eleanor watched from the sid

froze when th

, walking straight

called out. "You're scheduled to meet with

the door, with

said, her voic

door and stepped into the bright sunlight. Behind he