“My husband texted from vegas: ‘just married my coworker. You’re pathetic BTW.’ I replied: ‘cool.’ Then I blocked his cards and changed the house locks. Next morning, police were at my door…”

Lily sneered at me. “You think you’re so smart, Clara. But you’re bitter, alone, thirty-four. What do you even have left?”

I stepped close enough that she lost a little of her bravado under the directness of my stare.

“What do I have left?” I said softly. “My house. My career. My freedom. And I don’t have Ethan. Honestly, that’s the best part.”

Ethan flinched so slightly most people would have missed it. I didn’t.

Rebecca turned to him again, her voice lower now. “Did you know she canceled all your cards?”

His eyes flashed panic before anger rushed in to cover it.

I let that moment breathe. Let her see him. Let him know I saw that she saw him.

Then I said, almost sweetly, “Oh, and Rebecca? Your new husband’s company has a strict no-fraternization policy. I wonder what HR will think about a Vegas wedding between coworkers.”

Her head snapped toward him so fast she nearly dropped her phone. “You said it wouldn’t matter.”

“Rebecca,” he said through his teeth, “shut. Up.”

The air in the garage thickened with humiliation.