Niamh froze, caught off guard.
She hadn't expected Jonathan to bring up something personal at work.
"Jonathan, we've already—"
"We're not divorced yet. And don't tell me you've forgotten what Saturday is."
Jonathan didn't even bother to look up from his desk.
Of course Niamh remembered what Saturday was.
Clifford's seventieth birthday.
She didn't need Jonathan to explain; she knew exactly what he meant.
Every year on Clifford's birthday, his old friends and fellow veterans would gather at the house, and the one thing they always raved about was Niamh's cooking.
"Alright. I understand."
Jonathan gave a small, knowing smile—he'd known she wouldn't refuse when it came to his grandfather's birthday.
"That's all. You can go."
Niamh left Jonathan's office, her mind still tangled with conflicting emotions.
She'd made up her mind to divorce Jonathan, and yet here she was, still unable to break free from him, or from the Thomas family.
After work on Friday, she started getting ready to head out to Thomas Manor.
Clifford's seventieth was a big deal, both for the family and for her. She took it seriously.
During her lunch break, Niamh wrote out a menu. After work, she headed straight to the supermarket to pick up anything she could get in advance, saving the rest for the next morning's trip to the farmer's market.
With two heavy bags in each hand, she stood at the curb, waiting for a cab.
A sleek black Mercedes pulled up beside her.
The window rolled down, and just as she'd suspected, it was Jonathan.
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