I studied the man I’d once loved—the man who’d mistaken my patience for permanent permission.

“I’m not destroying you,” I said. “I’m returning everything you built.”

PART 3

Two days later, the emergency hearing was held at Suffolk County Superior Court.

Victor walked in wearing a navy suit that had been poorly pressed. I took more satisfaction in that than I should have. For years, I’d managed all the unseen details that created his polished appearance: the dry cleaning, the restaurant bookings, the charity lists, the presents for clients’ spouses, the revised speeches, the carefully worded apologies.

Without my help, he looked like a man who’d thrown on clothes in a rush and mistaken it for a plan.

Olivia sat in the row behind him, wearing no jewelry. My diamond bracelet had already been photographed, entered into evidence, and delivered to Diane’s office for safekeeping.