Chapter 4

Emily Mays had never cared about looking put together. Emily's apartment in Silver Lake was a mess. Canvases were stacked against the walls, paint tubes littered every surface, and the couch was covered in fabric swatches. It was chaotic, loud, and utterly alive. It was the exact opposite of the Kirby mausoleum.

Emily pulled Carma inside and wrapped her in a hug so tight it squeezed the remaining tension out of her shoulders.

"Welcome to the revolution," Emily said, pulling back to look at her. "You look like hell."

"Thanks." Carma dropped her bags by the door. "I feel like it."

"Sit." Emily pointed to the only clear spot on the sofa. She went into the tiny kitchen and came back with a chipped mug filled with hot cocoa. Marshmallows bobbed on the surface. "Drink. It's magic."

Carma wrapped her hands around the warm mug. The sweetness hit her tongue, and for a second, the tightness in her chest loosened. She took a deep breath.

The phone on the coffee table vibrated. The screen lit up with the name "Mildred Kirby."

Emily reached for it. "I'll hang up on the old bat."

"No." Carma put down her mug. "Let her talk." She picked up the phone and hit the speaker button.

"Carma Forbes!" Mildred's voice was a shrill scream. "You ungrateful little witch! You think hiring some fancy lawyer scares us? Come back here this instant and sign the papers!"

"Hello, Mildred," Carma said, her voice calm. "My lawyer has already instructed me to direct all communication through her office. This is the last time we will speak directly."

"Communication? Who do you think you are?" Mildred sputtered. "You want half of Kendall's money? You don't deserve a cent! You're nothing but a glorified maid!"

"Goodbye, Mildred." Carma hit the end call button. She tapped the screen, blocking the number. The silence that followed was deafening.

Emily burst out laughing. "Oh my god. That was beautiful. You blocked the dragon."

Before Carma could smile, the phone rang again. This time the screen showed "Tinsley Kirby." Kendall's younger sister.

Carma answered on speaker. "What do you want, Tinsley?"

"Carma? Where are you?" Tinsley's voice was whiny and demanding. "I have my debutante party next week. My dress needs altering, and you haven't picked up the dry cleaning. Get back here and do your job!"

Carma stared at the phone in disbelief. "Tinsley, do you really think I'm still going to run your errands?"

"Uh, yes? You're my brother's wife. That's your job. Now stop being a brat and come home."

"My job is over," Carma said. "And soon, I won't be your brother's wife at all. Find another maid."

She hung up and blocked the number. A strange, giddy feeling bubbled up in her chest.

Emily clapped her hands. "Yes! Burn it down! Who's next?"

The phone rang a third time. "Kendall."

The giddy feeling vanished. Carma stared at the name. She hesitated, then swiped to answer.

"Carma." Kendall's voice was low, controlled anger. "What game are you playing? You're embarrassing yourself."

"I'm not the one who should be embarrassed, Kendall."

"Stop this." His tone shifted, trying to sound reasonable. "We had three years together. Are you really going to ruin it over money? Is that all I meant to you?"

Carma let out a bitter laugh. "You offered me a quarter of a million dollars to disappear. You tell me what the marriage meant to you."

Silence. Then, the threat. "Don't push me, Carma. My PR team can destroy you. One phone call and you'll be the most hated woman in America."

Carma's spine stiffened. "Do it. Let's see how the public likes the story of an Oscar winner who hides his wife for three years and then tries to buy her off on their anniversary. I'm sure the academy will love that."

The line went dead. Kendall had hung up.

Carma stared at the screen. She didn't hesitate. She blocked his number. Then she went through her contacts. She deleted his family, his agent, his publicist. Every number tied to the Kirby name vanished from her phone.

She set the phone down on the table. The screen was blank. No more calls. No more demands.

"Clean slate," she whispered.

Emily handed her the mug of cocoa again. "To freedom."

Carma took a long sip. It tasted like victory.