Olívia dropped the fabric onto the floor, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The torn dress looked like a symbol of what she felt inside.

Still breathing hard, she left the bathroom and returned to the bedroom wearing only lingerie. Her skin prickled from the cold air-conditioning, a sharp contrast to the heat of the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.

She lay down on the enormous bed, but it felt like a desert. She wrapped her arms around herself as if she could protect her own body. The c