3

After that fight, Julian bought me a pair of diamond earrings and wired thirty thousand dollars to my parents back home in Ohio, in my name.

That was how he operated.

When he’d said something too harsh, he’d make up for it with things.

“Claire, I know my mother can be overbearing and controlling sometimes, but I’m the one you’re spending your life with. Just be a little more patient. For me. Okay?”

He kissed me gently, his voice soft and warm.

My mom called, unable to hide how thrilled she was.

“My girl married so well, the whole family gets to share in it! You’d better hold on to that husband. But you were always such a good, obedient girl—not like that brother of yours, always getting into trouble. I don’t worry about you.”

When I took the stroller to the neighborhood park, a few of the upper-middle-class stay-at-home moms nearby envied me, the way they always did.

“Husband’s a museum director, you live in a gorgeous townhouse, you’ve got a live-in housekeeper—you’re basically the dream for every stay-at-home mom…”

I started eating without any limits at all.

High-calorie doughnuts, salty cheese, junk food of every kind—I shoved it all in, not because I was hungry, but just to see if my stomach could take one more bite.

While I nursed my daughter in a baggy lounge set, Melissa looked me over and snorted, then said to her boyfriend on the phone, “There’s no way I’m ever giving up a career to stay home and be some parasite living off a man!”

I didn’t want to be at home, and I didn’t want to see the moms at the park, so I often took my daughter downtown to the mall just to breathe.

That was where I unexpectedly saw Julian and Sloane, in the atrium.

They were doing press for the upcoming exhibition, sitting for an interview with an art magazine.

I pushed the stroller to the edge of the crowd.

Up on the little stage, they sat side by side, the toes of their shoes almost touching.

Julian was in a suit, the very picture of a refined Boston elite.

Sloane wore an off-the-shoulder black gown, elegant and poised.

“So, what moment between the two of you stands out the most? No dodging the question!”

Sloane laughed.

“It would have to be when I was shooting a war-zone story, deep in a dangerous area. Out of nowhere I got a text from someone, telling me to be careful. That day, because of that one text, I changed my route on a whim—and I missed an explosion.”

The audience applauded.

When it was Julian’s turn, he was silent for a moment, then spoke, low.

“The day before my wedding.”

The interviewer laughed. “Nerves? Director Lowell must have a very happy marriage!”

Everyone laughed along.

But Sloane turned and looked at Julian, holding his gaze.

Her chest rose and fell. Her eyes shimmered.

My eyes went to her neck.

A brilliant diamond necklace with a glittering center stone. It was from the same high-jewelry collection as the earrings Julian had bought me.

Suddenly I couldn’t get enough air. I spun around and pushed the stroller blindly toward the exit.

The stroller jolted to a stop.

Felix stood in my way, head tilted, slouching like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“You’re here—why not go say hi?”

I forced a smile. “The baby needs her nap. I’ll skip it. Felix, could you move, please?”

Felix didn’t budge. He gave a little scoff.

“Don’t tell me seeing Jules with Sloane bothers you? I get it, they look great together. If you went over there now—”

He stopped mid-sentence, looking startled.

“Why are you crying?”

“I… Please just move.”

I wiped the corner of my eye and lowered my gaze, my voice mild.

“Sorry, something got in my eye. Bye.”

As I walked away, I could feel someone’s gaze on my back.

It followed me all the way out.