“I’m not leaving my daughter,” I said.

Judith lifted her teacup again and took a slow sip.

“Cole’s father built this firm on hard decisions, Mara.

You’d be wise to remember who holds the deed to this house.”

By eight that evening, rain had begun to hit the windows of the master bedroom.

Cole stood by his closet, taking off his dark blazer and adjusting his gold cuff links in front of the full-length mirror.

I walked into the dressing room holding the navy blue document I’d taken off the kitchen counter four hours before.