"Okay," Hannah agreed without hesitation.


    Lionel''s hands clenched into fists. His chest felt tight, as if he couldn''t breathe. Just as he was about to protest, Sandra stepped up beside him.


    "Lionel, Hannah is your wife. You''re right here. It wouldn''t be right to let Quennel take her," she said softly, tugging at his sleeve. "On the way home, you should apologize properly. Don''t make her angry again."


    Her voice, though gentle, was loud enough for everyone to hear. It was the tone one might use to coax a child-intimate and cloying, yet utterly repulsive. It was as if any kindness Lionel might show his wife was a gift bestowed by her.


    "You should probably just take Ms. Woods home," Hannah said.


    Lionel looked at her, at her deceptively innocent expression, as if she couldn''t see the undercurrents of the situation. Before he could respond, she continued.


    "You brought her out, so you should see her home. You can''t expect Quennel to do it, can you?"


    Sandra flinched, stealing a nervous nce at Quennel. She would rather walk home than be driven by that man.


    "That''s not necessary. I can just get a cab. I don''t live far," she said quickly.


    "It''s dark and unsafe," Hannah countered, her voice calm and steady, her eyes locked on Sandra. "What if you get cornered in an alley again, Ms. Woods? I wouldn''t want you to me me for it, like you did this time."


    Her words were aimed at Sandra, but they were meant for Lionel.


    "Quennel, let''s go."


    She didn''t give either of them a chance to argue. She turned and walked away with Quennel, leaving Lionel and Sandra standing in the cool night air.


    After a long moment of silence, Lionel''s voice came out, raspy. "Let''s go."


    Sandra clutched her handbag, a dull ache in her chest as she followed him.


    "When I came to see you the other day," she began, her voice thick with


    ???


    grievance, "your maid ran off to tattle. She imed was trying to influence you, but I was just there to tell you it was all a


    misunderstanding."


    Lionel was too consumed by his own frustration to listen, and he didn''t reply.


    The injustice of it all washed over her, and she gripped the handle of her bag so tightly her knuckles turned white.


    Once they were in the car, Sandra remembered the security footage Hannah had sent. She subtly nced around the interior but saw nothing out of ce. As she


    Schiffed


    in her seat, her heel brushed against


    something on the floor.


    Pretending to touch up her makeup, she took a lipstick from her bag and


    "" dropped it. As she


    bent down to retrieve it her fingerst brushed against a piece ofce.


    Her blood ran cold. She quickly snatched the object and, with aposed expression, stuffed it into her bag.


    They drove the rest of the way in silence. After dropping her off with a curt "drive safe," Sandra went inside.


    She immediately emptied the contents of her bag onto her bed.


    It was a pair of ck,ce thong underwear. Incredibly provocative.


    She copsed onto her bed, her eyes fixed on the offensive garment.


    Was it Hannah''s? Or Cora''s?


    With a guttural cry of rage, she leaped to her feet and began stomping on the underwear, grinding it into the floor with her heel.


    "Sluts! They''re all sluts! Trying to steal my man! Shameless, disgusting whores!"


    Staring at the now-filthy piece ofce, Sandra grabbed her phone and dialed Quennel''s number.


    "Mr. Rosenberg," she said, her voice dripping with a newfound venom, "I was wrong today. I know you have feelings for Hannah. Let''s work together."