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.”

the house alone. I knew that if I walked out on her right then, my entire family and everyone at work would view me as a total scumbag.”

Chloe: “So you stayed all these years just because of what people would say?”

Alejandro: “At first it was pity. Then I just got used to it. Divorcing her a year after the funeral would have looked just as bad. Now enough time has passed that I can make a clean break once the promotion goes through.”

Mariana finished reading.

For seven