CHAPTER 20

Pearl barely slept. The events of the last few weeks had twisted her world in ways she couldn’t quite name. Gary’s humiliation. Fiona’s threats. It was as though every ghost from her past had risen all at once, but instead of drowning under their weight, she was still standing, scarred, yes, but stronger. That morning, she walked into the Bridge Gallery expecting another lashing from the owner. The gallery was quieter than usual—more observant eyes than active buyers. Pearl could feel it. A whisper here. A side glance there. Ever since Fiona’s outburst, she’d become the center of an unspoken scandal. The energy was stiff, like paint left to dry in an open room full of criticism. The air was stiff. The assistant barely made eye contact. Pearl’s heels clicked against the polished floor as she entered the back office, and she wasn’t surprised when the gallery owner didn’t even ask her to sit down. The owner, Mrs. Judith, had grown less subtle in her disapproval. She had stopped ackno