Chapter 36 Summary, Analysis, and Discussion Questions

⚠️ 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

Chapter 36 opens in the early hours of the morning. Juliana texts Nisha at 1:43 a.m. with reassuring news: her son is okay, and Juliana has told him Nisha is coming. She promises to visit him every day until Nisha arrives, adding that he reminds her of Nisha.

Nisha is at Aleks's apartment, where she has spent the night — the first time she has slept in another man's bed in nearly twenty years. The chapter lingers on the contrast between Aleks's world and Carl's. Aleks lives in a whitewashed, spare ex-council flat near the river, with wooden floors he installed himself, a low bed, vintage Polish film posters, and little else. His daughter's room is the one colorful exception. Nisha reflects that Aleks's scent is comforting, unlike Carl's expensive, intrusive cologne. Their intimacy is tender and mutual; Aleks doesn't demand anything from her, and she finds herself drawn to him physically and emotionally. When he kisses her, she feels something raw and deep that is almost terrifying — a stark contrast to Carl's touch, which always felt like a precursor to assault.

The next morning, Nisha is in Sam's kitchen with Andrea, Sam, and Phil. She explains her plan: she will return the shoes to Carl in exchange for a divorce settlement. Andrea is skeptical, pointing out that if Nisha hands over the shoes first, she'll have no bargaining chip. Nisha acknowledges the risk but says she has thought about nothing else for twenty-four hours. She believes Carl doesn't know she knows about the diamonds, and that's the safest position for them to be in. She wants to hand back the shoes before he does any more damage, hoping he'll keep his word. Andrea advises her to make Carl sign the settlement before handing over the shoes and to meet in a public place. Sam, who has been quiet, volunteers to accompany Nisha.

They drive to the Bentley hotel in the camper-van — Cat has borrowed the car now that Phil has replaced the battery. Nisha is visibly nervous, and Sam notices she hasn't complained about the mode of transport once. They enter through the side door and wait in the staff changing room. Nisha, checking her phone compulsively, decides she needs a cigarette and makes Sam follow her outside. After smoking, she suggests they walk through the foyer to scope out where to sit.

In the foyer, Nisha spots Carl immediately. He's sitting at a low table surrounded by three plush sofas, with a group of besuited businessmen. A young blonde woman sits beside him, taking notes on an iPad, looking slim, glossy, and vaguely proprietorial. A larger man with an earpiece stands behind him. Sam looks at Carl — the gray-flecked hair slicked back, the oversized belly — and suddenly recognizes him. She puts her hand on Nisha's arm, says she has to go, and runs off toward the staff corridor, ignoring Nisha's disbelieving protests.

Nisha, abandoned, goes to find Aleks in the kitchens. She paces in the breakfast station, venting about Sam's cowardice, blaming it on Sam's timidity and the trauma of the burglary. Aleks, busy cooking, offers to have Jasmine keep an eye on her in the foyer, but Nisha says she'll be fine. She asks for the locker key, retrieves the shoes from locker 42 in the staff changing room, and notices a small, battered photo on the locker door: Aleks with his arm around a young blonde girl who gazes at him adoringly. She stares at it and thinks of Ray at the same age, silently promising him she's coming.

She returns the key to Aleks, who puts down his pan, embraces her, and tells her she's going to be fine — that she is a magnificent woman. She closes her eyes, lets the words sink in, and straightens her Chanel jacket. She smokes two more cigarettes, visits the staff toilet twice, brushes her teeth, and rearranges her hair several times. It is five minutes to twelve.

Key Events

Juliana texts Nisha at 1:43 a.m. with reassurance about her son's wellbeing.
Nisha spends the night at Aleks's apartment — her first night in another man's bed in nearly twenty years.
Nisha announces her plan to return the shoes to Carl in exchange for a divorce settlement.
Andrea advises Nisha to get the settlement signed first and to meet in a public place.
Sam volunteers to accompany Nisha to the Bentley hotel.
In the foyer, Nisha spots Carl with business associates and a young blonde woman.
Sam recognizes Carl and abruptly runs off, abandoning Nisha.
Nisha retrieves the shoes from locker 42 and sees a photo of Aleks with his daughter.
Aleks encourages Nisha, calling her a magnificent woman.
The chapter ends with Nisha preparing herself — it is five minutes to twelve.

Character Development

Nisha has moved from passive victim to active agent. She has a plan — however risky — and is willing to face Carl directly to secure her freedom and get back to her son. Her anxiety is palpable (the chain-smoking, the repeated trips to the toilet, the hair rearranging), but she pushes through it. Her relationship with Aleks has also deepened; she is learning what intimacy without coercion feels like, and it both terrifies and sustains her.

Sam undergoes a dramatic shift. She volunteers to support Nisha, but the moment she sees Carl, she recognizes him and flees. This is a major reveal: Sam's reaction suggests a personal connection to Carl that the reader hasn't yet seen explained. Her abandonment of Nisha at a critical moment raises questions about her own history and motivations.

Aleks continues to be a stabilizing presence. He doesn't push Nisha, doesn't demand explanations, and offers practical help (the locker key, the promise to be nearby). His quiet confidence and lack of possessiveness contrast sharply with Carl's controlling behavior.

Andrea serves as the voice of caution, repeatedly warning Nisha about the risks and insisting on practical safeguards.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Bargaining for freedom. Nisha's plan is a literal trade: the shoes for her divorce settlement. She is willing to give up her only leverage in exchange for the chance to walk away — a gamble that reflects how desperate she is to be free.

Trust vs. distrust. Andrea and Sam both express doubt that Carl will keep his word. Nisha acknowledges the risk but chooses to hope. Sam's sudden flight adds another layer: the question of whether anyone in this story can be trusted.

Intimacy as comfort. Nisha's night with Aleks is described as a luxury — space, fresh sheets, the freedom to wrap herself around him. His touch is gentle and mutual, in stark contrast to Carl's, which always felt like a precursor to assault.

Minimalism as peace. Aleks's spare, whitewashed apartment — with its wooden floors, low bed, and shelves of books — represents a life stripped of excess and pretense. It's the opposite of Carl's world of expensive cologne and business meetings. Nisha feels the calm seep into her.

Maternal longing. Juliana's texts and the photo of Aleks with his daughter both pull Nisha's thoughts back to Ray. Her silent promise — I'm coming for you, baby — anchors her resolve.

Abandonment. Sam's flight is a betrayal of trust at the worst possible moment, echoing the larger theme of people letting each other down.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the calm before the storm. It sets up the climactic confrontation with Carl — the meeting is scheduled for noon, and the chapter ends at five minutes to twelve. More importantly, it delivers a major twist: Sam recognizes Carl and runs. This revelation reframes Sam's entire arc and raises urgent questions about her past connection to Carl, questions that will presumably be answered in the chapters to come. The chapter also solidifies Nisha's transformation from a woman who was controlled by her husband to one who is willing to face him on her own terms, armed only with a pair of shoes and a desperate hope.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Sam run off when she sees Carl, and what might this reveal about her past?

Sam recognizes Carl immediately — the gray-flecked hair, the oversized belly — and her reaction is visceral. She doesn't explain herself; she simply pushes past Nisha and runs to the van. This suggests a personal history with Carl that predates the events of the novel. Given Sam's earlier trauma (the burglary, her general timidity), it's possible Carl is connected to something in her past that she has been hiding. The chapter deliberately leaves this unexplained, creating suspense.

2. How does Aleks's apartment and lifestyle contrast with Carl's, and what does this say about the two men?

Aleks's flat is whitewashed, spare, and quiet — wooden floors he installed himself, a low bed, vintage posters, and shelves of books. He tells Nisha, I don't need much. Carl, by contrast, wears expensive cologne that lingers in a room for half an hour after he leaves, surrounds himself with business associates and bodyguards, and is described as a king presiding over a court. The contrast is between a man who finds peace in simplicity and a man who needs constant displays of power and wealth.

3. What is Nisha's strategy for the meeting with Carl, and what risks does she face?

Nisha plans to hand over the shoes in exchange for a signed divorce settlement. Andrea advises her to get the settlement signed first and to meet in a public place. The risks are significant: Carl might refuse to sign, might take the shoes and give nothing in return, or might retaliate against Nisha or her friends. Nisha's only advantage is that Carl doesn't know she knows about the diamonds — a piece of knowledge she intends to keep secret. Her strategy is essentially a leap of faith, and the chapter ends before we learn whether it pays off.