ork sidewalk was loud and chaotic, the afternoon sun glaring off the windows of the luxury boutiques. Est

ched to a halt right in front

her face flushed with rage. She didn't say a word. She just wrapp

fiercely into her shoulder. "I'll

shoulders cracked, and a single sob escaped her

w beginnings,'" Chloe said, pulling back, her green eye

partment in Greenwich Village. It smelled like coffee and old books, a

arming her hands. She had told Chloe everything. The affair, the confr

"I can't believe your mother. I can't believe Jana. And Conrad! 'You don't know

smile touching her lips for the

ace crumpling with worry. "That house is a disaster. And you

the coffee table. "Here. My emergency fund. It's yours. W

est friend. She felt a rush of warmth, but she s

you're delusional. You've been a housewife fo

aning against the wall. She unzipped it, pushing aside the folded sweaters and toiletry bags

set it on the coffee table. She unbu

her brow furrowed

ssed with a gold seal. "Le Cordon Bleu Paris," Chloe read aloud

ess. He was complaining about the food at his Michelin-star restaurant, saying the sauces were to

one. "Cornell University

pped open. "You'r

Estella said, a bitter edge to her voice. "I had to learn h

elier diploma. An art appraisal certificate. Each one was from a top-tier i

the pile of credentials, then at Est

g on the last folder at the bottom. It was heavier, printed on thi

Estella, her eyes huge. "Columbia Universi

oice hollow. "The therapists he saw were useless. I thought if I understo

h trembling hands. "Estella... you're a ge

. She looked at the certificates, at the years of work she had put in, hidden

ul precision. "He thought I was spending my days at charity lunches and

ked up at Chloe, her eyes were dry and hard. "He thinks he stripped me of ev