rough the faux-wood blinds o

k coffee that had gone cold an hour ago. On the countertop lay

aminate surface. The caller ID

s, letting out a slow b

mornin

the earpiece without preamble. "Ephram's assistant called me at sev

e marriage has been over for a year, Mom.

st distributes over three hundred thousand dollars to your joint account every quart

aid, standing up. "He paraded Vanessa Hayes into

company collapsed, your father ran off to Switzerland and left us with seventy m

of eviction notices and court marsh

best specialists when my cancer flared up, I would have died in that hospital b

ting weight she had carried for years. The crushing debt of

Mom," Ellie said, her knuckles turning white arou

uelly. "Listen to me, Ellie. Ephram is a young, wealthy man. Men wander. Y

se again," Ellie said, her voice drop

you dare call me your mother. I won

ded with a

rtment settled around her like lead. She walked int

It was an iMessage from the priv

gged. Do not concern yourself wi

, completely devoid of emotion, yet a strange, ste

e: Thank you. Let me know

ged into a tailored charcoal pantsuit under her winter coat. She was a neurosurgery