Chapter 32 Summary and Analysis – "31. Cadence"
⚠️ 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
One month after the events of the previous chapter, Cadence wakes from a vivid nightmare in which she is suspended over a tank of sharks, acting as bait. The dream underscores her persistent feeling of being used as a lure in her relationships. She reflects on the two men in her life: John Zane, with whom she has spent almost every night and who supported her during her mother’s funeral—an act of kindness beyond their arrangement; and John Cruze, with whom she shared a single intense night and whose memory still excites her. Today, Cadence must film a sex scene with Cruze, a prospect that fills her with both anxiety and longing. She recalls their earlier intimate lunch—peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sugar cookies, and his probing twenty questions—and wonders if Cruze thinks of her as much as she thinks of him. Her driver, Lincoln, escorts her to the set, and a fleeting thought crosses her mind about Lincoln’s possible relationship with Zane.
Key Events
- Cadence has a disturbing dream: she is bait dangling over a shark tank, and a shark rips her from her hook.
- She wakes to find Zane absent and realizes she has grown used to his presence and warmth.
- She acknowledges that she still feels like bait—something to be possessed—and yearns to become an equal.
- Cadence contrasts her nights with Zane (many, comfortable) with her one accidental night with Cruze (intense, unforgettable).
- She remembers Zane paying for and attending her mother’s funeral, a gesture that went beyond their arrangement.
- The day ahead will involve filming a sex scene with Cruze; she worries about being naked in front of others, especially Zane.
- She replays the memory of the lunch with Cruze, including his question game and the way his touch and words affected her.
- While leaving with Lincoln, she pats his arm, thanks him, and briefly suspects he might also be involved with Zane.
Character Development
Cadence is caught in an internal tug-of-war. Her nightmare reveals her deepest fear: that she is nothing more than bait, a tool for others. Yet she also feels a growing attachment to Zane and a magnetic pull toward Cruze. Her longing to be an equal rather than a possession marks a shift in self-awareness—she is beginning to question the power dynamics that define her life. Her nervousness about the upcoming sex scene shows her vulnerability: she fears her body will betray her feelings in front of the men who hold power over her.
John Zane is portrayed as absent in this chapter, but his absence highlights his significance. Cadence’s admission that she misses his weight in the bed and remembers his kindness at the funeral suggests that Zane possesses a softer side—one that complicates her view of him as merely a captor.
John Cruze remains a figure of desire and mystery. Through Cadence’s memories, we see him as both seductive and attentive. His twenty-question game during lunch was a form of psychological intimacy, and Cadence’s hope that he still thinks of her indicates that their connection continues to affect her deeply.
Lincoln appears briefly as a stoic driver, but Cadence’s speculation about his relationship with Zane adds an undercurrent of suspicion to his otherwise mundane role.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Bait and Sharks: The central image of the chapter. The shark tank represents the predatory world Cadence inhabits, where she is dangled as bait to attract something larger. The nightmare literalizes her sense of being used and consumed. The phrase “I’ve always been the bait” becomes a thematic anchor for her identity.
- The Struggle for Equality: Cadence’s internal wish “To just be me. Not a thing that's possessed, but an equal” introduces a motif of self-determination. This chapter contrasts possession (the arrangement with Zane) with the possibility of a mutual relationship.
- Duality of the Two Johns: Zane and Cruze embody different facets of control and attraction. Zane offers stability and unexpected kindness; Cruze offers passion and danger. Their shared first name underscores their interchangeability in Cadence’s life—two men who each claim a part of her.
- Body as Reactant: Cadence’s anxiety about her body responding to Cruze in front of Zane highlights how her physical desires are entangled with power dynamics. She is hyperaware of her body as something that can betray her.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 32 deepens Cadence’s psychological complexity and sets the stage for a pivotal scene. The nightmare and subsequent reflections crystallize the central tension: Cadence wants to stop being a pawn. Her preparation for the sex scene with Cruze raises stakes on multiple levels—emotional, physical, and relational. The chapter also humanizes Zane through the funeral memory, complicating any easy judgment of his character. And the brief suspicion about Lincoln hints that betrayals may run deeper than expected. This chapter serves as a turning point where Cadence’s desire for agency begins to surface.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does the shark dream reveal about Cadence’s state of mind?
The dream reveals that Cadence feels vulnerable, exposed, and used. The image of being dangled as bait mirrors her real-life position as a tool in the games of Zane and Cruze. The shark that catches her represents her fear of being devoured—either physically or emotionally—by the men in her life.
2. How does Cadence’s memory of Zane’s behavior at her mother’s funeral affect her feelings toward him?
Zane’s unsolicited financial and emotional support at the funeral shows a side of him that is generous and caring, beyond their transactional arrangement. Cadence remembers this “brief kindness” as something that complicates her view of him, making her feel a gratitude and warmth that she cannot easily dismiss.
3. Why does Cadence wonder if Lincoln is sleeping with Zane?
Cadence’s fleeting thought about Lincoln indicates her growing suspicion that Zane’s control extends beyond their relationship. It also reveals her own insecurity—if Lincoln is also involved with Zane, then her role as “bait” might be even less unique than she believed. This moment underscores the novel’s theme of paranoia and hidden relationships.