My husband invited his boss to our house, but just before he arrived, he looked at me with disgust and whispered, “Stay in the bedroom. I’m ashamed to have you seen like this. If my boss sees you, you’ll ruin my promotion.”

seven years ago,” Mariana said, taking a step toward him. “What I want to know is why you were still telling those exact same lies five, six, seven years later.”

Alejandro had nothing to say.

“You also told Sergio that you routinely passed up career opportunities because of my ‘panic attacks,’” she added. “You turned my grief into a convenient professional excuse for your own failures.”

Alejandro sneered and gestured toward the open suitcase. “Are you going to pack your bags and leave then?”

“No,” Mariana said smoothly. “That suitcase