Chapter 2

When I got to the office, the young receptionist avoided my eyes, keeping her head down.

My desk had been completely emptied.

The computer was gone, the folders were gone, and even the plant I'd been growing for three years had disappeared.

"Grace," Wanda from admin hurried over, rubbing her hands nervously. "Your desk has been moved. This way, please."

She led me down the hallway, and it got more and more out of the way.

Finally, we stopped in front of a door next to the break room. There was an A4 sheet of paper taped to it, with "Cleaning Supplies" printed on it.

"This is it," she said, pushing the door open.

Inside, there were mops, buckets, and disinfectant piled up. Against the wall was a folding table with an old computer on it. Its screen even had two big cracks.

Wanda said, "Ms. Summers said you'll be working here for now."

I turned to her. "Ms. Summers?"

She bit her lip, lowering her voice even more. "Ms. Victoria Summers. She's running HR now."

"Got it."

I walked in and set my bag down on the folding table. A mop lay at my feet, so I bent down, picked it up, and leaned it back in the corner.

The sound of high heels echoed down the hallway, unhurried and steady.

Victoria appeared in the doorway, holding a latte with condensation beading on the cup. She looked me up and down, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Grace, this spot is quite good, right? It's quiet here, and no one will bother you," she said.

I looked at her without saying a word.

Victoria tilted her head and blinked. "Or do you want to go do some manual labor at the construction site? It's even quieter over there."

"No, thanks," I replied.

"Great," she said, taking a sip of her coffee. "I was afraid you'd complain."

She walked a few steps, then paused and looked back at me. "By the way, Richard said you're not really competent, so I'm supposed to keep an eye on you. Don't worry. I won't give you a hard time."

*****

At three in the afternoon, I left work early to pick up Ethan.

The school gate was packed with parents. Ethan came running out, his backpack hanging off one shoulder, clutching a test paper folded into a paper airplane.

I crouched down and opened my arms.

He saw me, paused for a second, and shouted, "Mom!"

Then he sidestepped me and ran off to the side.

Victoria was standing by a car at the curb, wearing a white dress with her hair down, waving at him.

Ethan dashed over, hugged her waist, and looked up at her, his eyes curving into little crescent moons as he grinned. "Mom, you came to pick me up today?"

Victoria bent down and pinched his cheek. "Just call me Victoria."

"No, you're my mom," Ethan said, burying his face in her dress. "You're so much better than my real mom."

Ethan glanced back at me, his eyes sliding over my face like I was a stranger.

"Mom, let's go," he said, pulling open the car door and climbing in.

Victoria flashed me a smile. "Grace, I'm taking Ethan to dinner. He said he wants some seafood, so I made a reservation."

"He's allergic to seafood," I said.

Victoria froze for a second, and then looked inside the car.

Ethan popped out the window. "I'm not! You just don't want me to go."

"Ethan is right," Victoria said as she opened the car door. "Kids never lie."

Then the car pulled away.

I stood there, still clutching the yogurt I'd bought from the convenience store that morning. Ethan loved this flavor, so I went out of my way to get it for him.

The yogurt slipped from my hand and hit the ground, the lid popping open as the white liquid spilled out, seeping into the cracks between the bricks.

My phone rang. "Ms. Grace Nolan? This is the Financial Crimes Division. We need you to come in for questioning."

"What's this about?" I asked.

"Mr. Richard Lane reported that you embezzled three million dollars from the company."

*****

At seven in the evening, I walked out of the Financial Crimes Division.

Nina was waiting at the entrance. As soon as she saw me, she rushed over. "How did it go?"

"They said they're going to launch an investigation," I replied.

"Three million dollars?" Nina's voice shot up. "Does the company even have that much money? Has Richard lost his mind?"

Richard: [Grace, I really didn't want things to get this far. If you transfer the shares, I'll drop the case.]

"Nina," I said.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Did you get the details on the ownership structure?"

Nina took a deep breath. "Yes."

*****

On the third floor of the mall, in the kids' section. I picked out two hoodies and held them up to check the size. Ethan was growing so fast that the ones I bought last time were already too short.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Nolan," a voice called out from behind me.

The voice was so shrill that it was like nails on a chalkboard.

I turned around. Mary was standing in the aisle, holding a few shopping bags, with two old ladies beside her, probably her friends.

"Mary," I said.

"Don't act like we're close," she snapped, dropping her shopping bags and giving me a once-over. "After all the drama between you and Richard, you still dare act like we're family?"

The two old ladies exchanged a look and took a half-step back.

I tried to explain, "Richard and I—"

"You still have the nerve to bring up Richard?" Mary stepped forward, jabbing her finger at me. "Richard supported you for eight years. Have you ever given him a child? Ethan is a Lane. He's got nothing to do with you."

"Ethan is my child."

"Your child?" she sneered. "You gave birth to him eight years ago, but does he even call you Mom now?"

One of the old ladies tugged at her sleeve. "Mary, it's not a good place to..."

"What are you afraid of?" Mary shook off her hand, her voice getting even louder. "She's shameless anyway, so what's the point of worrying about gossip?"

She got angrier with every word, her face flushed red. Then she raised her hand and slapped me. The slap landed sharply on my left cheek.

The whole floor fell silent.

The store clerk nearby stopped folding clothes, and a few customers turned to stare.

My ears were ringing, and my cheek was burning hot.

"This slap is for Richard," Mary said through gritted teeth. "You keep refusing to get divorced. You're totally holding him back!"

I didn't move.

Mary raised her hand again, but this time, one of the old ladies pulled her back. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

"Listen up," Mary snapped, still glaring at me as she was dragged toward the elevator. "Richard and Victoria are doing great. Don't even think about breaking them up!"

The elevator doors closed.

I stood there, and the sting on my cheek slowly faded into a dull, throbbing pain.