la stood on the side of the road, with nothing but a su

ched to a halt in front of her

ed hair was disheveled, and her face was flushed red; she was clea

d, "How did

lf and that jerk on Instagram.

instead, she took her to her coz

oa to warm her hands. She told Chloe everything: the affair, the argum

od floor. "I can't believe your mother! I can't believe Jenna! And Conrad! How could he d

appearing on her face for the f

face full of worry. "The house is a complete mess. And you h

offee table. "Here you go. This is my emergency fund. Here you go

st friend. A warm feeling washed over her, but she

t you're so naive. You've been a housewife fo

t the wall. She unzipped it and moved the folded sweater and toiletry bag aside. At t

placed it on the coffee table. She u

to her, her brow fur

ed with a gold seal. "Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School," Chloe rea

lained about the food at his Michelin-starred restaurant, saying the sauces were too oily. I

one. "Cornell Universi

open in surprise. "Y

by anxiety," Estella said with a hint of bitterness. "I have to learn how to m

mmelier diploma. Art authentication certificate. Each one from a to

stack of documents, then looked at Est

last folder at the bottom. It was a rather heavy document, printed

at Estella, her eyes wide. "Columbia Uni

a said in a low voice. "The psychiatrists he's seen haven't helped. I think if I understa

e table with trembling hands. "Estella...

lt. She looked at the certificates, at the years of effort she had poured into them, efforts

der. "He thought I spent all day attending charity luncheons and g

oked up at Chloe, her eyes dry and cold. "He thinks he's taken everyth