pers grew bolder as

e. Probably guilty

ways a bit wild, bef

clearly. Sticking by her

ng humiliation. She was being judged, condemned, by people who kne

but he was always surrounded, Izzy clinging to his arm, p

r feature in the ballroom, a group of

re predatory, t

y, purred. "We were just saying how brave Ethan is

" another chimed in, "juggling Iz

were honey

flute tilted, its contents splashing

ny exclaimed, her eyes

other woman "stumbled," sh

itched forward, right into the cold, s

her breath. She choked, sputterin

d humiliated, her hair plastered to he

tittering, their faces a

earn some grace," o

ed into the fountain, his express

d her. For a fleeting moment, she felt a

e carrying across the s

e held her, dripping, bef

everyone. My wife... she's been through a terrible ordeal. She's not herse

e was the martyr, bravely en

ured sympathet

wave of despair. He hadn't defended her. He'd use

lic lie that painted him as a

ar, he was all

hat happened. Those

her hand, but s

n in her friends. And... once the baby shower is over, once Izzy is sett

to how

rry city lights, a cold l

going back. N

" she said, her voice

t say that, Ava.

s there to say? He still di

penthouse, he tried to

said, shruggin

. "Ava, I just

," she said, walk

n the phone as she walked down th

she's just tired. Don't worry about i

ack to tending h

n, not the lies, but this quiet, consistent priorit

suite, the opulent room sud

k-in closet, larger than

es, bags – trappings of a life she no longer r

he began to pull items fr

ack them int

floor. Gowns, cashmere

of expens

rment bag, the kind used fo

othes into it, a symbolic

gh when Ethan walked

re you doing

ulging garment bag. A flicker of confusion,

cleaning out