Chloe nodded, and Evelyn recorded her statement — names, times, the suite number, who entered, what Victoria said, what Lewis said outside the door, how the women laughed as Victoria demanded the transfer.

Then came the detail that made my skin crawl. “They made me kneel,” Chloe whispered. “Victoria said I should thank her for teaching me my place before the marriage got embarrassing.”

Evelyn’s pen stopped. Robert turned away, his jaw clenched hard enough to break bone.

“And how did you get out?” Evelyn asked.

Chloe stared at the blanket over her knees. “One of the women forgot her purse inside. When they opened the door, I saw Lewis in the hallway. He looked annoyed.

Not shocked. Not afraid. Just annoyed.” Her voice shrank to almost nothing. “He said, ‘You should have signed, Chloe. This could have been romantic.'”