Chapter 24 Summary: Ezra's Past and a Shared Vulnerability
⚠️ 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
About two hours after the previous scene, Ezra arrives at the narrator's apartment with takeout dinner. They eat together on the sofa, and during the meal Ezra reveals that his ex-wife is Stefanie Gorman—the lawyer who recommended him. He explains their divorce was mutual and childless, but he had wanted children while she did not. He admits he thought he could change her mind and she thought the same, but neither relented. Five years later, she is remarried and happy, while he remains single and has not started a family. The narrator shares her own fear that her family with Jeremy and Teddy is lost. Ezra reassures her that Teddy will not be taken away and that divorce does not end a person's life, pointing to Stefanie's happiness as evidence. He then steers the conversation back to work, summarizing Jeremy's dirty tactics: tricking her into moving out, draining bank accounts, and placing retainers on every top lawyer in town to block her from hiring them. Ezra expresses confidence that he can still win the case despite those obstacles.
Key Events
- Ezra brings takeout dinner to the narrator's apartment.
- The narrator offers him a drink, and he declines her homemade kombucha.
- Ezra reveals that his ex-wife is Stefanie Gorman, the lawyer who sent him.
- He shares the reason for their divorce: he wanted children, she did not.
- He admits he has not remarried and feels his work has become his entire life.
- The narrator opens up about losing the family she once had with Jeremy and Teddy.
- Ezra assures her she still has Teddy and promises to fight for custody.
- He lists the underhanded moves Jeremy has already made: tricking her into leaving the house, cleaning out joint accounts, and securing retainers with all the best local lawyers.
Character Development
The Narrator shows vulnerability by admitting how much she misses the complete family feeling she had before the marriage fell apart. Her willingness to ask Ezra personal questions and share her own fears indicates growing trust.
Ezra steps beyond the typical lawyer-client relationship by revealing his own painful divorce and his unfulfilled desire for parenthood. The chapter humanizes him, showing that beneath his confident legal exterior, he feels lonely and wishes his career were not his only fulfillment. His reassurance and determination strengthen his role as an ally.
Jeremy (mentioned) is portrayed as calculating and ruthless, willing to exploit every legal advantage through deception.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Vulnerability and Trust: Both characters share personal sorrows during a meal, building a bond that goes beyond legal tactics. The act of eating together becomes a symbol of intimacy and openness.
The Cost of Parenthood: Ezra and his ex-wife split because of conflicting desires about having children. Now the narrator faces losing custody of her own child, underscoring how central parenthood is to happiness and identity.
Deception as Warfare: Jeremy's preemptive legal maneuvers represent the theme of using underhanded strategies to gain power in divorce. Ezra's presence counterbalances that deception with competence and honesty.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the human stakes of the divorce. By learning about Ezra's past, the reader sees that even a brilliant lawyer can suffer from loneliness and regret. It also reveals the full extent of Jeremy's manipulations, raising the tension for the custody fight. The personal connection formed here makes Ezra a more trusted figure and prepares the ground for the narrator to rely on him completely.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does Ezra reveal about his ex-wife? Ezra reveals that his ex-wife is Stefanie Gorman, the lawyer who recommended him to the narrator. Their divorce was mutual and occurred because they disagreed about having children—he wanted kids, she did not.
2. How does the narrator respond when Ezra asks about her own family? She explains that before Teddy and Jeremy, work was her whole life. When she married and had Teddy, she finally felt complete. Now she fears that completeness is gone forever, but Ezra insists she still has Teddy and will not lose him.
3. What three dirty tactics does Ezra say Jeremy has already used? First, Jeremy tricked the narrator into moving out of the house, putting him in a better position for custody. Second, he drained the joint bank accounts. Third, he placed retainers with every top divorce lawyer in town so the narrator could not hire them. Ezra remains confident he can still win.