Lorie walked back over, with a cup of coffee in her hand and forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. It looked more strained than sincere. She placed the cup on the table in front of Anne, then sat down across from her with a sigh.
"Robert is controlling," she said, voice low and bitter. "He treats me like a maid, not a wife. I can't even leave the house without him knowing. He won't let me work."
Anne raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Is that so? Then how come I heard you reached out to Megan about getting rehired at the company?"
Lorie froze, caught completely off guard. Anne's question hit her hard. She hadn't anticipated this. No one was supposed to know. Megan had promised to keep it between them, especially after the company turned her down outright. For a moment, a flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a sorrowful expression.
