I signed the divorce papers – and my mother-in-law immediately threw a banquet to introduce my replacement. But as soon as the bill came, she called me in a panic: “Why was my card… ?…

Then the sound of silverware clinking, muffled conversations, rising panic.

“You need to fix this,” she whispered urgently. “The bill is over eighteen thousand dollars.”

I looked again at the photo of Alina sitting in white satin.

“No,” I replied. “I really don’t.”

Part 2
Marjorie lowered her voice, though I could still hear the chaos behind her: a waiter repeating the total, guests talking over one another, Nolan asking what was happening.