“No, I swear I’m not happy about it. I understand your pain. I really do. But I also believe it’s for the best—you separating from someone like Nathan.”

Her words hit like a slap. Stunned, I stand frozen, mouth open. She takes advantage of the silence to grab my arm and tries to pull me into a side street.

“Don’t touch me!” I hiss, yanking my arm free.

“Please. What I have to say is… sensitive. And if Nathan finds out, he’ll lose his mind. You know better than anyone how ...