My husband's arms were wrapped around my best friend when I walked into my mother-in-law's kitchen.

Ella spent four days in the step-down neonatal unit, thriving under the heat lamps and gaining weight rapidly. By Friday afternoon, the pediatricians gave us the green light to go home.

While I was recovering in the hospital, Diane had been busy.

She had hired a high-profile family law attorney, Eleanor Vance, who specialized in high-conflict divorces involving asset concealment. Eleanor had already filed an emergency motion with the Milwaukee County Circuit Court for temporary sole legal custody, exclusive use of the marital residence, and an immediate injunction freezing all of Ryan's corporate accounts.

When Diane drove me and Ella home to Maple Street on Friday afternoon, two private security guards hired by Eleanor were parked in the driveway.

The locks on the front and back doors had been completely replaced. Ryan's remaining personal belongings—three cardboard boxes of old college albums and golf clubs—were neatly stacked on the covered back porch.

"Has he tried to come back?" I asked, carrying Ella's car seat into the warm living room.

"He tried twice on Wednesday," Diane said, setting my bags on the counter. "The security guards turned him away. Eleanor served him with the temporary restraining order and the custody papers at his office yesterday afternoon."

"How did he take it?"

Diane let out a short, cold laugh. "He tried to claim to his boss that I was 'controlling' you. Eleanor included the bank statements from the Sheboygan escrow company in the court filing. His firm's compliance department has opened an internal review into whether he used company funds for his personal real estate venture."

My phone rang. An unfamiliar number.

I set Ella's carrier on the sofa and answered it.

"Hannah?"

It was Kayla. Her voice was raspy, hollow, and completely broken.

"Kayla," I said, keeping my tone flat.

"I... I wanted you to know that I withdrew my name from the Sheboygan purchase agreement," Kayla whispered. "The escrow agent refunded the remaining deposit back to First National Bank this morning. All thirty-five thousand dollars is back in Ella's trust account."

I stood by the window, looking out at the autumn leaves falling on the lawn. "Thank you for doing the bare minimum, Kayla."

"Ryan called me last night," she continued, her voice trembling. "He was screaming at me. He blamed me for losing his marriage, his daughter, and his job review. He told me he never loved me and that I was just a distraction." She let out a ragged sob. "I lost my best friend, my reputation, and my self-respect for a man who didn't care about either of us."