Chapter 70: Dom's Handcuffs and Eve's Desperate Plan
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Dom has bought handcuffs. Eve initially assumes they are for sex, but Dom explains they are to protect her from sleep‑related violence. He plans to handcuff himself to the headboard each night. Eve calls the plan stupid, believing it will increase his stress and make violence more likely. She blames herself for showing him the video of Kayla Halfpenny’s car accident, which convinced him the prediction could be real.
Dom is drinking heavily, sleep‑deprived, and often sleepwalks—searching for an unnamed important object. Eve understands he is looking for a solution. Their financial situation is dire: they forgot to pay the car insurance, cannot afford repairs, owe Dom’s father money, and live on two‑minute noodles. They avoid social events because they cannot spend money. Eve has taken extra work and feels embarrassed.
Reflecting on her parents’ failed marriage, Eve recalls her mother once describing their early apartment as a time of happiness. This shocks Eve because she prefers to believe her parents were always doomed. She then remembers her father bribing a tarot card reader to say he was the man of her mother’s dreams. Eve decides to follow that family tradition: she will find the prediction lady and pay her to tell Dom the prediction was wrong.
Key Events
- Dom purchases handcuffs and reveals his plan to handcuff himself to prevent sleep violence.
- Eve criticizes the plan and feels guilty for showing Dom the accident video.
- Dom sleepwalks, searching for an important unnamed object; Eve comforts him.
- The couple’s financial strain is detailed: they cannot afford car repairs, owe debts, and eat cheap noodles.
- Eve recalls her mother’s claim of happiness in her early marriage and her father’s bribery of a tarot reader.
- Eve resolves to bribe the prediction lady to change Dom’s fate.
Character Development
Eve: She is pragmatic but increasingly anxious. She takes responsibility for their financial mismanagement and for introducing the prediction to Dom. Her recollections of her parents force her to confront that happy marriages can fail, yet she chooses to act—by bribery—to protect her own relationship.
Dom: He is fearful and desperate, resorting to a physical restraint. His sleepwalking and drinking show intense anxiety. He is committed to protecting Eve, even at the cost of his own well‑being.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Control vs. Chaos: The handcuffs symbolize a futile attempt to control an unpredictable future. Eve’s planned bribery represents another form of control—manipulating information to restore order.
- Financial Strain as a Marriage Test: The couple’s poverty is not romantic; it erodes dignity and intimacy. Money troubles underscore the fragility of their relationship.
- The Power of Prediction: A single prophecy (Kayla Halfpenny’s accident) triggers a cascade of extreme measures, questioning how much weight people give to foresight.
- Family Patterns: Eve’s parents’ history of bribery and failed marriage haunts her. She considers repeating the pattern but believes this time the bribe would be for the truth.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the psychological impact of the prediction on Dom and Eve’s marriage. It shows the practical and emotional toll: sleep deprivation, financial crisis, and strained communication. Eve’s decision to bribe the prediction lady sets up a potential plot turn where she attempts to alter fate. The chapter also humanizes the couple, making their struggles relatable despite the supernatural element. It reinforces the novel’s exploration of how people respond to foretold doom.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Dom buy handcuffs, and how does Eve react?
Dom buys handcuffs to handcuff himself to the headboard at night, believing it will prevent him from harming Eve during sleep‑related violence. Eve thinks the plan is stupid and counterproductive, as it will increase his stress and worsen the problem. She feels guilty for showing him the video of Kayla Halfpenny’s car accident. -
What financial difficulties are Dom and Eve facing, and how do they cope?
They forgot to pay car insurance, leaving them unable to afford repairs. They owe Dom’s father money and have a large credit card bill. They eat two‑minute noodles, avoid social activities, and rely on dinner invitations from parents. Eve has taken extra work, and Dom works multiple jobs. Their embarrassment prevents them from asking for help. -
What does Eve decide to do at the end of the chapter, and why?
Eve decides to find and bribe the prediction lady to tell Dom that her prediction was wrong. She wants to convince Dom that he will not kill her and that they will have a long happy life together. This mirrors her father’s bribery of a tarot card reader, but Eve believes that in this case the bribe would be for the truth.