The entire office knew about Claudine and Steve. That wasn’t what he was expecting to hear. It was the first time anyone had ever acknowledged Claudine’s affair out loud. He was surprised how painful it was to hear it, even after so many years.

“Yes,” he said. “I knew.”

“She just disgusts me so much. How could she treat you like that? That’s why I invited Steve tonight. I wanted to make this night insufferable for her. I want her to lose the sale to Zara. And I guess I figured if I put all of you in the same room, it’d help you see that you deserve better.”

“Invited Steve? So you didn’t bring the statue?”

“The statue? No. I brought a star. Literally a star. You get to name an actual star. Why? What does the statue have to do with anything?”

He put his hand to his head. It felt like the pantry was shrinking, the walls closing in on them.

“I need another drink,” Henry said.

“No,” she said, “what you need is to make a fundamental change in your life. What you need is to leave Claudine.”

He knew she was right. He knew that quitting tomorrow and leaving the state or even the country wouldn’t be enough. Not if Claudine was with him. If he had any chance of making a fresh start, it would need to be without her. But he knew he never would. “Till death do us part.” That was the vow he had made. Only death hadn’t parted them. What would he be without her, she’d been part of his sense of self for so long.

“I’m young,” Jules said. “I know. But I think the world is this weird, wonderful place, and you never know when something—someone—extraordinary will come along and change your life.”

Henry put his hands on her shoulders. Jules closed her eyes and tipped her head back, expecting a kiss. The image flashed in his mind of wrapping his hands around her throat and squeezing tight. Eyes bulging. Gasping for air. Struggling to pull his fingers away. That was the sort of thing he was capable of. That was what lived deep inside of him. He kissed her on the forehead and took a step back. She knew what that meant.

“Okay,” she said, taking the box of candles from the shelf. “My guess is Claudine brought that statue. Everyone knows the company’s in bad shape. She probably couldn’t afford a fancy gift. So she got a crappy one to blame on someone else. You saw how over-the-top her reaction was. What an actress. Then you watch: she’ll steal it, say she’s sacrificing herself for the group, and come out looking like a hero. Better get back with these.” Then she was gone.