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“You know what? You’re not wrong. I was jealous of him and Zoe.

And you’re right about another thing. I made a bunch of wrong choices based on what I believed you wanted, even when I knew better.

Every time, I zigged when I should’ve zagged.

” Vanessa sighed, smoothing one of her frizzy curls with her fingers contemplatively.

“Except for marrying Santino. That was all my choice. And it was a good one.”

She wound the curl around her finger while Nadine went quiet and still, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. If there was any part of this new non-existence she rather liked, it was the springy feel of that curl. It was the simple things in life.

“Anyway, Bobby will figure his thing out. As for Zoe…well, I know I should be zen and understand what she did was a function of her own unhappiness, but fuck her. Honestly, fuck her.”

Nadine gasped. “Despite everything, she’s Everly’s mother and Everly needs both her parents.”

“Okay, but what do you want me to do about it? Really, what ? I’m not some magical being that can swoop in and save the day.

” Vanessa was suddenly shaking, blinking back scalding tears of her own.

“You say you don’t have favorites? Okay.

But I find it very telling that I told you I’m broken, and that I don’t know how to receive or give love, and the only thing you have to say is I need to fix Bobby’s life. I give up. I can’t do this anymore.”

While Nadine glared at her, Vanessa heaved herself up from her chair by the armrests. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an active breakdown to get back to. The dishes in my cabinets aren’t going to smash themselves.”

Nadine gaped up at her. “Are you throwing me out of your house?”

Vanessa threw her hands up, then let them drop at her sides. “That’s your interpretation. I would never. I just thought you’d like to enjoy the rest of the afternoon out here instead of watching me cry. Bring Everly next time. Otherwise, I won’t be going over there for a while.”

“Vanessa!” her mother called after her as she went inside the house and locked the sliding patio door behind her.

She schlumped to the living room and flopped down on the couch. For a long moment, she waited for the inner critic to gloat and tell her she was the worst daughter ever born for speaking to her mother with such flippancy, such bad language, such brute-strength honesty. Nothing came.

“What about you, Auntie? You think I’m a terrible daughter?” Vanessa turned to Belle’s picture, who only smiled back at her with soft, proud eyes.

On Monday, she walked into the office the minute she hit the doorstep.

Once inside, she went straight to Jace’s office.

Trial prep hadn’t been going well since she’d returned, and he was anxiously perched on the edge of his swivel chair, his jaw tight.

When he spotted her putting her bag on her desk, he gestured to her frantically.

“Claremore’s in Mancini’s office right now,” he said in a low voice after shutting the door. “Mancini’s been trying to convince him not to take the stand, but he’s not budging, the narcissistic fuck. Do you know about this?”

Jace held up an SD card, his nostrils flaring. There was also a file in a folder that he handed to her. She took it from him and opened it to read the document and look at the accompanying photo.

“Where did you get this?” she asked, sucker punched at what she was looking at.

“Patel, of course. He got it Thursday, and it checked out as legit.” Jace looked through one of the clear panels in the wall as if waiting for Claremore to bust in on them.

The photo was a still shot taken from a door cam that they’d been told wasn’t active. Someone had apparently lied. The image was of Claremore’s goon, Joe Spallini, in front of the door of the house across the street.

“Let me play it for you. It’s all on here,” Jace said grimly.

He inserted the card into his computer and got the file open.

There he was, a little blurry, but unmistakable.

It was Joe Spallini, alright, breaking and entering one of the houses that had been set on fire in the neighborhood Claremore wanted to take over.

There had been rumors of Spallini handling unsavory business on Claremore’s behalf in the past, but nothing had stuck.

Evidence disappeared, witnesses recanted or refused to talk at all.

Charges always dropped, if they were brought at all.

But here he was, captured on video, looking cool and confident entering the premises.

Moments later, he walked out. It took a while, but dark smoke began billowing out of the windows on either side of the door.

It wasn’t long before the whole structure was up in flames.

From this angle, they couldn’t see the windows on the sides or back of the house, but they already knew the person inside had never left.

The squatter had died in this fire. Now all that was left was for Patel to get Spallini to confess that he’d been ordered to do it by their client.

“Patel is going to admit this into evidence when the trial resumes and you know Bennett is going to allow it in. This is it. We’re fucked,” Jace declared.

“Claremore’s fucked. We’re not,” Vanessa said quietly. “Or at least, I’m not.”

Jace frowned at her, hands on his hips. “What are you saying, Watson? If we lose, we lose together.”

“You know I’ve been going through some things lately.

” He nodded, folding his arms over his chest. She continued.

“Over the weekend, I made a decision. I’m sorry to leave you hanging, but I’m withdrawing as second chair.

” She said it slowly, watching the reactions of shock, then horror, then resignation take their turns on his face.

“I’m going to tell them it’s for personal issues, which is partially true.

But I’m not going to allow myself to be used.

I’ve been talking to Grimes about the case,” she said quickly.

Grimes was one of the other junior associates who had more trial experience than her and who was itching to make junior partner.

“He’s ready and willing. He’s up to speed on the details, and I know he’d be happy to take my place. ”

“It’s too close to the end of the trial. Claremore’s never going to consent to this,” Jace warned.

“Well. I guess we need to go find out.”

Jace was quiet for a moment, looking out his small window to the leafy yard outside. “I didn’t want to ask, but what the hell happened to you in Montreal? You haven’t been the same since you got back. It reminds me of you three years ago when you first started here…”

“You’re cute when you’re being nosy. Let’s chalk it up to boy trouble. I’ll be okay, kind sir.” Her smile was wobbly. She wouldn’t say more, couldn’t say more without breaking down and embarrassing herself.

Jace took a moment, then regarded her with a sympathetic, lopsided smile. “Alright, Watson. Let’s do it.”

Together, they walked down the corridor to the back where the senior partners’ offices were. They passed Sandy on the way, who looked unsure whether to follow, but ultimately sank back down in her chair. Vanessa gave her a thumbs up, hoping she looked more confident than she felt.

From outside Mancini’s office, the sound of Claremore’s obnoxious drawl came through loud and clear despite the thickness of the oak door. Jace paused, visibly bracing himself, then knocked.

“Enter,” Mancini called.

They went inside. By now, Vanessa knew Mancini well enough to tell when he was in the presence of someone very wealthy but very distasteful.

In other words, he smiled his ass off. His full set of implants were on display as he greeted them and encouraged Claremore to retell his awful, boring story of a prank he’d played on his wife.

Jace pushed out a single laugh while Vanessa only stared at Claremore stone-faced.

Finally, he noticed, his expression turning sour. “This one never laughs. You think she’d finally relax after all this time. Can’t get anything out of her.”

“Getting ready for the trial to resume?” Mancini asked, smoothing his salt and pepper hair back from his very tanned face.

“That’s actually what we wanted to speak to you and Mr. Claremore about,” Jace started.

“Ms. Watson has been under some personal pressures lately and doesn’t feel she can give her all to the case.

Obviously, Mr. Claremore’s welfare is of the utmost importance to us.

He should have someone handling his examination and the closing who’s at the top of their game.

So, we need his consent for her to withdraw as co-counsel.

We’d like to bring in Lucas Grimes as new second chair. ”

Claremore stared back and forth between them and Mancini while the latter’s eyes went smaller. He leaned back in his swivel chair, folding his hands across his midsection.

“What sort of personal issues would prevent her from taking this over the finish line?” Mancini asked.

“Family related. I’m not at liberty to say more.” Vanessa held his gaze, her chin up, hiding her shaking fingers by folding them together.

“No. I’m not okay with that,” Claremore said, still looking flummoxed. “She’s not quitting my case. That’ll look bad to the jury, won’t it?”

“We wouldn’t ask if we thought there was any hint that this would prejudice the jury,” Jace tried to assure him, but Claremore held up a hand and pointed his finger at him.

“You stop talking. I want the girl to answer me.” Claremore’s reptilian gaze darted from Jace to Vanessa. “Now, you’ve been a problem since the beginning. You don’t like me? I don’t care. You better show up and tell that jury why they need to let me go or —”

“Calm down, Chuck,” Mancini said soothingly.

He was playing it cool, but she could see by the way his eyes were bulging that he was furious with her.

They’d broken protocol by not coming to see him privately first, but so be it.

He wouldn’t have taken it well either way.

“Vanessa, you’re a professional. I’m sure you can do your best to see Mr. Claremore through to the conclusion of this trial.

After that, you’re free to see to your family’s personal issues. ”

She exhaled briskly. “If Mr. Claremore won’t allow me to file his consent to the switch, my next step is to file a withdrawal with the court without it.

Consider this notice of my intention to do so, Mr. Claremore.

I’ll have it for you and Mr. Patel in writing.

I’m only second chair. Jace is the best attorney here, so there’s nothing to worry about. ”

“What the fuck is this, baseball? Who’s on first, who’s on second, I don’t give a fuck who’s in what chair. Your ass better be in front of that jury making me look good when it’s time for the big speech,” Claremore exclaimed, pointing at her again.

“This face,” she said, pointing to her brown cheek, “is not going to convince anyone that you give a shit about a single person in that community. They know it was you.”

Apoplectic, struggling to rise from his chair, Claremore was practically spitting when he hurled his last and final insults at her.

She zoned out while he had his say but his tone and his red face implied they were not good words, not good at all.

Something about “have you disbarred” and “never practice law again.” He moved on to saying something about her appearance, indicating she was too unattractive to go in front of a jury, anyway.

“That’s enough, Claremore,” Jace broke into the tirade. “Stop, right now. Insult her again and you can find a whole new fucking team.”

“You shut the hell up. With all the money I’m paying you, you both better obey me. Back to her,” Claremore snarled.

He started to say something about her heritage.

Last straw. She interrupted with, “Sir? Sir. Shut. The fuck. Up.” When he quieted, his mouth hanging open, she said calmly, “You deserve whatever’s coming to you.

And you should apologize to all of us for your behavior.

But since I suspect you don’t have it in you to feel shame or remorse about anything, I won’t wait for it.

” Turning to her boss, who sat expressionless, Vanessa nodded then walked out.

Jace followed and closed the door behind them. Surprisingly, Claremore had indeed shut the fuck up, probably too stunned that someone would speak to him that way. Most likely, it was a new experience for him.

“Well,” Jace said when they’d reached her cubicle.

He didn’t look shell-shocked as she thought he would.

In fact, there was a grin tugging at his mouth as he leaned his elbow on the short wall.

“You know, most likely we’re fired, right?

If this were a movie, that would have been an epic scene.

You’d probably even get a promotion for the feisty outburst that put the evil jerk in his place.

Unfortunately, I think there’s probably zero chance they’ll rom-com this one. ”

Vanessa’s grin was genuine for the first time in a week.

“Oh, my ass is definitely fired. Probably not yours, being for real.” Jace acknowledged that with a reluctant nod.

“But don’t you quit. We don’t both need to be disbarred.

” She reflected on that for a moment. All her hard work, all the energy she’d spent just trying to psyche herself up for coming in here every day, all for nothing.

“Anyway, I’m still going to submit the notices and do the proper filing in the hopes that I can at least keep my license.

If Mancini doesn’t make sure no one else in New York State will hire me, that is. ”

“Yeah, I could see banishment on the table, but if you really feel like this was the best thing for you, what can I say?” Jace smiled, rubbing his jaw. “No trial prep for you for the rest of today, obviously. Do you want to get together with Sand for drinks after work if you’re up to it?”

“Mmm, thanks, but no. I’ve got an appointment.”