Chapter 16 " Are you really staying here tonight and not going home ? " Maeve was genuinely surprised . Rhea , who used to treat those two kids like her own flesh and blood , was actually letting go for once . They sat around a small table . Maeve had prepared a spread of late - night snacks , but Rhea barely touched a bite . She only clinked glasses with Maeve silently . At some point , she had developed the habit of drowning her sorrow in alcohol . She knew it wasn't healthy , but she couldn't help it . Every time she sobered up , Carter's unfamiliar face would haunt her again . " I want a divorce , " Rhea murmured . Maeve's eyes widened . " Are you serious ? Have you really thought it through ? You might regret it in two days . " Rhea shook her head and smiled faintly . " I never regretted marrying him . And I won't regret divorcing him either . " Maeve raised her glass to that . " Well , you wasted your best years on him . But at least you're still smart . Leave this marriage , go back to work , and shine like you were always meant to . " They said that friends should try to save a marriage , not break it . But as Rhea's best friend , Maeve truly felt sorry for her . If there had ever been love between Rhea and Carter , then maybe she wouldn't have said that . But clearly , there wasn't . " You're the only daughter of a prestigious family . People would have treated you like royalty . Yet , you ran off to Colburn . Honestly , what were you thinking ? " Since Rhea's great - grandfather's generation , the Ravelle family had only ever produced males . That was until Rhea came along . Since she was young , she was cherished beyond reason . Fortunately , her elders had kept their heads , never raising her to be soft or delicate . That was why the Ravelles had never forgiven her since the day she chose to become a stepmother . Rhea lay her head down , resting her cheek against her arm . " Do you think I've embarrassed my parents ? I'm such a disappointment . I've never made them proud . " Tears slid silently down her cheek . Rhea turned her phone back on and , fueled by the alcohol , called Nathan in the middle of the night . She didn't dare call her parents , as she was afraid it would only make them angrier . The call connected quickly . She hadn't even heard Nathan's voice yet when her tears began falling like rain . Thunder rolled outside , loud and unrelenting . Covering her mouth , Rhea tried to suppress her sobs and the choking gasps for air . But the person on the other end of the line had already heard it . Chapter 16 +25 BONUS " Nathan , I'm not okay ... I want to cry ... I'm sorry ... " she choked out between sobs . Right after she said that , tears began to pour out . She tried to hold it back , but the sound of her sobs was still enough to break anyone's heart . Maeve hurried over and pulled her into a hug . " Alright , alright . Just sleep . Don't cry anymore . " Rhea was completely drunk . She dropped her phone as Maeve helped her to bed . But the call didn't end . At a private club in Draventh , George quietly ended the call and set the phone down . Nathan emerged from the restroom , asking , " What's wrong ? " " Nothing . " 11 George lit a cigarette and said with layered meaning , " I'm going to Colburn tomorrow . Do you want me to bring you anything ? " Colburn had never had anything to do with the Ravelle family until Rhea married into it . Nathan frowned and stayed silent for a long time . " Give her something for me . " The next day , Rhea didn't wake up until noon . It had been the best sleep she had had in years . Normally , she could never sleep past 7:00 am as she had to get up early to take care of the kids and get them ready for school . Now , she felt as light as a feather . Her phone , however , had over 20 missed calls from Carter . Rhea didn't call him back . And Carter didn't call again . It wasn't until evening that Rhea returned to the Jamison residence .