“When did you become such a suspicious bitch? Listening to every conversation. You are so damn prickly. Maybe you’re not as good as you think you are.”

I interrupted him again. “If I’m not as good as I should be, it’s because I’ve been running this fucking restaurant while you’ve been in bed—for almost two years! Yes, I’m your wife. I did it because I love you. But I’ve gotten no appreciation from you.”

“This is business. My reputation,” Elliott said as if it were no big deal. I realized I had been carrying my hostility and anger at him around for a long time, toting it in my satchel and waiting for the right time to unload. It didn’t feel sudden to me at all. If anything, it had gone on way too long. He threw a cookbook across the room. Not at me, but to show his own anger. Too fucking bad I wasn’t scared.

“You are sabotaging my career. My reputation. That is a big deal, just like an affair. And frankly, I don’t think I have been suspicious enough!” Before I could ask him about all the money, something else triggered in my brain. “Just who were you talking to anyway?”

“Mac Whitney. He called me to talk about prospective chefs for his restaurant, and we started talking about you.” I would still be falling if the floor had not caught me.

“You do realize he just hired me and gave me a sizable retainer? Which now, thanks to you, I may have to return.”

“Why would you even work for him? He’s my competition. You’re a disloyal bitch!”

“It’s called a job. It’s my job. However, my job does not involve running a restaurant. So, you can do that yourself tonight. Don’t expect me home. I’ll be elsewhere.”

“What? Is Griffin in town? Are you going to crawl into his bed?” I was incensed by his remark.

I picked up a coffee mug and threw it against the wall. I turned on my heel and walked away. I was done with it all. Throwing the mug was like putting a punctuation mark on it. I walked out of the restaurant and texted Elle about crashing at her place.

When I arrived at Elle’s apartment, I was greeted by an allfemale welcoming committee. In addition to Reggie and Elle, Elle’s baby daughter, Kendall, was there too. I reflected on this crazy year. When Elle announced last fall that she was going to have a baby, marriage was not even on the horizon for me. Now the baby was here, and my own marriage was on life-support.