At My Daughter’s Wedding, My Husband Gave His Mistress My Seat and Told Me to Sit in the Back—Then the Groom’s Father Walked Past Him and Said, “Laura, I’ve Finally Found You”

The Vance heir.

All the ridiculous importance assigned to male descendants.

Then I watched Tristan hold a tiny girl as though nothing in the universe could outrank her.

People can learn.

Too late for some relationships.

Still in time for others.

That is one of the more complicated forms of hope.

Gertrude died several years later.