"No," Sophie Sheridan said. "All of that girl's suffering was caused by her husband. Even if he was more loyal than a dog, that doesn't change the fact he's a piece of trash."
Lianne grew pensive.
'Was my suffering caused by Talia Kensington?'
'Strictly speaking, not really.'
'It wasn't the suffering I cared about, but the fact that Talia Kensington knew who I was and refused to acknowledge me.'
"She's a good person," Lianne's voice was soft. "We just... weren't fated to be."
Sophie Sheridan understood.
Lianne was saying she and Talia Kensington were not destined to be mother and daughter.
"You're a good person, too." Sophie Sheridan finished her coffee, stood up, and tried to cheer her junior up. "But *I'm* fated to be your friend, so let's go out and have some fun tonight."
"Where are we going?" Lianne asked.
"A bar."
Lianne had assumed Sophie meant one of those bustling, well-known clubs.
