THE SECOND SILENCE
Noelle realizes it is time to move on when, rubbing lotion on her leg, she cuts herself with her wedding ring. The cut is slight, but it makes her realize that her marriage to Robert Van Doren is causing her nothing but pain. Although successful, wealthy, and boyishly handsome, her husband is a heartless man, who cheats on his wife and makes a living at the expense of the environment. Although it takes time to build up the courage, Noelle knows that leaving him is the right thing. But Robert Van Doren is not one to accept defeat. He punishes Nora by using his considerable power to get custody of their child. Leaving Robert is not the end of Noelle’s struggle; it is merely the first step on a treacherous journey towards freedom.