Vivian's Pov

The condensation on my glass of soju was the only thing colder than the silence between us. I scoffed under my breath, taking a small, sharp sip. The liquid burned a path down my throat, but it didn't do anything to numb the awkwardness. Across from me, Mara was picking at a piece of grilled pork, her eyes fixed on the tabletop.

I watched her for a long minute. For years, I had seen her as the obstacle. She was the legal one. The wife. The woman who stood in the center of the life I thought I wanted with Philip. I used to think she was the...