Summary

Years pass after Helen’s accident. István remains on the estate, a solitary figure surrounded by the detritus of wealth. The once immaculate gardens grow over with weeds, and the marble floors gather dust. He keeps Helen’s bedroom untouched, visiting it at night to sit beside her photographs and the clothes still hanging in her wardrobe. Occasionally he drives to the facility where Helen lives under medical care, her body kept alive by machines. He speaks to her softly, updating her on the weather and the state of the house. The nurses nod with sympathy, but he leaves each visit feeling that the woman he loved no longer exists.

The scandal surrounding the accident and his assault on Thomas fades from public attention, but the damage to István’s standing remains. The Nyman lawyers restrict his access to family accounts...