pattern. Whenever they had a disagreement, whenever she failed to be the perfectly understanding wife

, but it wasn't a lonely quiet anymore. It was a peaceful one. She made plans. She would call a lawyer. She would find her own apa

or coffee. They had been friends since college, and they had watch

at down. "We were about to send a search party. We

ine laugh. "The drago

ent," Jessica noted, her expressi

Sarah announced, the words feeling

silence. Then Chloe let out a low whistle. "Finally.

ed?" Jessica

stand-in, the consolation prize. The original is back in stock, so the replacement is being discontinued.

was Mark. She ignored it, but he called again, and again

, Mark?" she aske

say to my mother?" he demande

you talking about? I haven't s

ng why we were getting a divorce. She said you told

r family wasn't wealthy, but they had a good name. Mark's parents were "new money," and they had wanted the social standing a marriage to her would bring. They

reconciliation. They would be disappointed in Mark, but they would also pressure her to be forgiving, to

he said, her voice weary. "I'm at a

one arrogant and demanding. "Call my mother and tell her it was a

ned divorce papers behind her back, the one who was sleeping wi

she

in his voice. This was his final offer to let her come back, to pretend none of this had

what? A life of being ignored and u

she said, and h