The chapter took place before Noel's presumed death. Talia sat alone at the kitchen table, irritated that Noel was late again despite promising to be home by seven. He texted repeated apologies as the evening dragged on, and she kept dinner warm past its prime. At 9:10 p.m., Noel finally arrived, wearing his usual rumpled work clothes, and claimed a work test ran long.

Talia responded curtly, masking anger and disappointment as she set down the now-dry chicken. Noel reassured Talia that she was important and said his project was close to completion. He tried to soften the tension by proposing a post-project vacation to somewhere warm and disconnected, which momentarily reduced her anger and sparked thoughts about starting a family if his workload eased.

Noel crossed the kitchen, removed Talia’s oven mitts, and tried to kiss her. She balked and offered dinner instead, and Noel asked to take a quick shower first, saying he felt covered in chemicals. Talia suggested intimacy later that night, but Noel grimaced and declined, citing exhaustion and asking for a rain check.

As Noel headed upstairs, Talia stood frozen, reflecting that while Noel had lost his sense of smell, she had not. She recognized a strong scent of another woman’s perfume on him, implying he had been with someone else. The discovery reinforced her growing suspicion of Noel’s infidelity and intensified the strain in their marriage.