Edna was still deep in a dream when a sharp, insistent knocking at her door jolted her awake.


    She hurried to open it, and the sight of Frank’s grim face instantly set her nerves on edge. “Sir, is something wrong?”


    Frank’s gaze was piercing. “When was thest time Mrs. Atwater came home?”


    Standing to the side, Marcia clenched her manicured fingers <i>so </i>tightly into her palm that her knuckles whitened.


    That woman had finally moved out.


    Marcia had only just begun to relish her days asdy of the house, and thest thing she wanted was to see Elissa’s shadow darken the doorway again.


    “Mrs. Atwater? Shees home every night…” Edna feigned confusion but recovered quickly. “Oh–wait. Not tonight. Mrs. Atwater’s


    mother–inw’s eightieth birthday ising up. Mrs. Atwater was called back to the family estate to help with arrangements.”


    Marcia’s eyes shed with surprise, a dozen questions swirling in her


    mind.


    Why was Edna covering for Elissa’s absence as well? Did she, too, think that Marcia was better suited to run the household?


    The thought made Marcia’s lips curl into a satisfied smirk. She turned to Frank. “Come on, it’s just one night. Do you really have to be so suspicious about Elissa?”


    Frank ignored her, his gaze still fixed on Edna. “What about the books in her study? Why are there only a few left on her shelves?”


    Edna froze for a split second.


    But she forced herself to sound confident. “There were only ever a few,


    12.18 @


    sir. Perhaps you’re misremembering?”


    “Is that so?”


    Frank wasn’t sure anymore. Since their marriage, he and Elissa had been little more than distant roommates, each using busy schedules as an excuse to sleep in separate rooms. He’d barely spent any time in the master bedroom, much less noticed how many books she kept there.


    Marcia stifled a yawn. “Edna is always meticulous. If she says <i>so</i>, why won’t you believe her?”


    Frank hesitated, then nodded. Edna had served the Atwater family for decades; she would never side with Elissa against him. And besides, Elissa would never move out without a word. All those girlfriends his friends had—whenever they were upset, there’d be tears, sulking,


    demands to be coaxed back.


    Still, he remembered the look on Elissa’s face at the dealership that afternoon. She hadn’t been happy.


    Maybe he ought to make it up to her.


    The next day, Serenity Wellness Clinic.


    Elissa pulled into the parking lot. The moment she stepped out, a shy red Porsche 911 screeched into the space next to her,manding


    everyone’s attention.


    Several coworkers stopped in their tracks, gawking.


    “Oh my god, how much do you think that car costs…”


    “I don’t know<i>, </i>but I do know it’s not something any of us could ever hope to afford, no matter how hard we worked.”


    “Just goes to show what being born lucky can get you.”


    Elissa didn’t say a word. She calmly averted her gaze and strode toward the clinic.


    212


    12:18 #


    “Elissa.”


    Behind her, Marcia hopped out of the Porsche and hurried to catch up. “Guess we’re colleagues now. No need to act so high and mighty, right?”


    A few coworkers nearby stared in disbelief.


    Since when did people like them get to work with someone this rich?


    Elissa lifted her gaze, regarding Marcia coolly. “Are <i>you </i>looking for another round of public humiliation?”


    Marcia’s words caught in her throat.


    She still remembered, all too well, the cutting things Elissa had said at the clinic the other day–something about the ‘real wife‘ and the ‘other


    woman.‘


    Afraid Elissa might embarrass her again in front of everyone, Marcia quickly backed down. There’d be time to get eventer. She refused to believe she wouldn’t find a way to put that woman in her ce.


    As Marcia fell silent, Elissa turned on her heel and strode into the clinic.


    She’d scheduled a full day’s worth of appointments and wouldn’t be off until evening. Hanging up her wool coat in the office, she changed into her white coat and began calling in patients.


    Her patients loved her–she was neverte, and often started early.


    At lunchtime,, <i>too </izy to venture to the cafeteria, she was mulling over


    what to order for takeout when someone knocked at her office door.


    Elissa looked up instinctively to see Cliff stepping in, a thermos in hand. He closed the door behind him, his concerned eyes searching her face.


    “You alright? I heard Marcia gave you a hard time this morning.”


    Elissa offered a wry smile. “Are you sure that’s the version you heard?”