“And to you, Linda,” I said, offering her a cold, empty smile. “You advised me earlier that a woman should cook through a broken arm, or her husband might wander.

Well — you don’t have to worry about him wandering anymore. You’re welcome to take him back. I’m returning your defective product.”

Her mouth gaped, but her sharp tongue was paralyzed.

Chapter 6 — The Exodus

I didn’t wait for a rebuttal. I turned my back on the silent, horrified crowd and walked down the hall to the master bedroom.

I’d packed my essentials that morning, hiding a large duffel in the back of the walk-in closet. I grabbed the strap with my good hand, slung it over my left shoulder, and walked back out.

The party was a morgue. Guests stared at the floor, setting down their plates. Jason stood exactly where I’d left him, hyperventilating over the papers scattered across the hardwood.