Chapter 2188

By the time Cecilia took Phoebe’s seat, the afternoon sun had already slid past four. Five o’clock loomed, and the women began gathering their handbags and sunglasses, preparing to leave.

None of them ever had to cook, yet each still hurried home to tend to her husband.

“Same time tomorrow,” one of them suggested.

Reluctant laughter rippled through the foyer as they drifted apart in pairs and trios.

As Cecilia walked them to the door, she caught a glimpse of the quiet sweetness of their days—skincare routines, idle chatter, hours passing without urgency. A morning face mask, an afternoon game, and somehow another week would vanish like smoke.

When she returned, Phoebe was still there, venting to Elena.

Late-afternoon light slanted through the tall windows, casting long amber streaks across the polished floor. Elena’s manicured fingers tapped against a coffee cup until she finally burst out, her voice brittle with worry and disbelief.