heirs and the reality of her health and isolation. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Madame Goulart as she receives various guests in her Parisian hotel, meticulously arranging her week around visitors and routine meals. Despite her wealth, she is acutely aware of her family's selfishness, perceiving them as primarily interested in her fortune. The opening scenes are filled with a mix of dark humor and tension as Madame Goulart indulges in a lavish lunch while her devoted companion, Zoé Lacave, remains caught between duty and disdain for her employer's gluttony and self-pity. This intricately crafted introduction sets the stage for the ensuing drama as the characters surrounding Madame Goulart grapple with their own motivations, revealing an exceptional blend of wit and social commentary characteristic of Margueritte's narrative style. (This is an automatically generated summary.)