crowd of executives at the door. They marched toward Eldridge, who was still

upper arms, hauling him to his feet

ing against their iron grips. "Are you bl

k. They tightened their hol

spenser and gently, almost tenderly, dabbed at the cof

pering in the hallw

. "His wife has completely lost her m

at Eldridge, her eyes brimming with fake tears, b

g at Ava's sleeve. "Don't hurt her.

is stomach. He looked at Bird, seeing past the tears, past the s

ce trembling with a rage so deep it made his teeth ache

uine panic flashed in her eyes. But she immediately bu

She looked up, her eyes

aid, her voice dropping to a terrifying, icy register. S

backward. His loafers dragg

r. Employees peeked out of their cubicles. Some held up their phones, rec

ward. His hair fell over his f

dignity. Now, he was being paraded through his own company like a rabid

she was mocked at charity galas, how the other wives whispered about her, how she felt

on was a physical

shut, cutting off the stares. The heavy breathing of the guards in t

ice, the doors closed

y stopped. She reached up and adjusted Av

votion. "No matter what happens, no matter how crazy s

oat. She forced herself to smile. She reached up an

ce low and hypnotic. "You are the

azor-sharp sarcasm hidden beneath the

r reached the groun

e massive, marble-floored lobby. They

ed purple. A torrential downpour wa

ards said, his voice devoid of emoti

s spine, trying to salvage whatever dignity he

d and heavy rain slammed into him. The thin trench coat was soa

lently. He reached into his pockets. Em

ing. A frail, soaking wet woman stared back at him. The sh

the curb. A wave of filthy, freezing street water s

. He finally admitted it to himself: he had been horrib

ration buzzed a

the trench coat and pulled out a cheap

A text message noti

tepmother

The words on the screen made th