Alle Kapitel von Worth Less Than a Coupon: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 10

Nora's POVOnly then did Adrian hand me a smile, like he was doing me a favor."That's better. I'm thinking about our future too."He rubbed my hair and went into the bedroom to change.Then, under my puzzled stare, he said, "Celeste just finished Milan Fashion Week. Her team is having a celebration dinner tonight."He placed the newest unopened iPhone he'd bought that morning into a gift box.I tightened my grip around the phone I'd been using for five years, its screen visibly cracked.My own phone had frozen the week before.When I said I wanted a new one, Adrian told me to wait until the holiday sales.But when my best friend Celeste Monroe wanted something, he never made her wait.Before leaving, Adrian bent and kissed my cheek."Go to bed early. Don't wait up."I looked at the plate of ribs I'd spent the entire afternoon making.My throat tightened."Okay. I won't wait."Not tonight.Not anymore.I sat alone at the dining table and forced myself to finish the rib

It was only eight when I reached the little family restaurant my parents owned.The last dinner rush was still going.I knew how clumsy I could be, so I found a corner and tried not to get in anyone's way.Instead, Mom and Dad finished the orders already on the stove and closed early.They took one look at me and knew something was wrong.I let out a long breath."Mom. Dad."I think I'm going to divorce Adrian."They exchanged a look.After a long silence, Dad asked carefully, "Is this about Celeste?"My chest tightened.I stared down at my phone and nodded."Yes. And no."Dad rubbed the edge of his cigarette pack and sighed."We helped those two because they seemed like decent kids. I never thought..."He stopped.Adrian and I had grown up together.During our junior year of high school, his father died of cancer.His mother died by suicide soon afterward.Relatives took the family house, leaving Adrian with funeral expenses and roughly eighteen thousand dollars in

That evening, Adrian started calling my parents instead.He kept calling until it was obvious he had no intention of stopping.I finally took Mom's phone."What do you want?"There was one second of silence.Then Adrian exploded."Nora, what exactly do you think you're doing?""Exactly what I wrote.""There's a limit to how far you take a tantrum. Whatever problem you have with me, why are you taking it out on Celeste?"Do you know she almost ran into traffic because she was so desperate to get back and explain things to you?"Adrian cared deeply about appearances.In all the years I'd known him, I'd never heard him lose control like this.For a moment, I was stunned.He seemed to realize it too and forced his voice down."Nora, you're not a child. I'm going to pretend I never saw that message about divorce. Think carefully for the next couple of days. We'll talk when I get home."He and Celeste flew back the next afternoon.Celeste updated a social-media account she'd

On the drive home, Adrian kept thinking about the last few years.Maybe he'd been too hard on Nora about money.There had been reasons.During his father's illness, every dollar had mattered.After growing up that way, saving had become instinct.And there was the promise he'd made when they married.Five years later, he'd finally saved enough for a down payment.He could loosen his grip now.He could change.On impulse, he booked two tickets to the Maldives for their fifth anniversary.He was almost giddy as he hurried home, and nearly tripped on the way.Then the elevator doors opened.Their apartment door was ajar.His heartbeat stumbled.He rushed inside.The blood on the living-room floor stopped him cold."Nora."His shout cracked through the apartment.A neighbor opened her door."You're finally back. How is your wife? Did they save the baby?"Adrian went completely still.His lips started to shake."What baby?"...Nora's POVI'd seen the blood beneath

Celeste turned toward Adrian again."You aren't innocent either. You have to help me clear this up."Adrian had run out of patience with her days ago."There was never anything between us. What exactly do you want me to clarify?"That painting was the year-end bonus you asked for. The phone was a congratulations gift between colleagues. And the apartment..."He stopped.Understanding lit his face."I never bought you an apartment."You're the one who had to post it online to show it off, and you caught me in the shot without thinking. If people are drawing their own conclusions now, that's your own doing."Adrian turned to me immediately."Nora, is that the post that made you give up on me?"I can explain. Grant was the one buying the place. She only asked me to come along and give her a second opinion. I didn't put a dollar into it."And I didn't spend our house fund. I moved it, but every cent is still there. I was going to come back, talk to you properly, and then go loo