Cory thought it was better for his business if she wasn't working. Their image of the perfect family, with two beautiful blonde children and a sunny, stay at home wife, was a great marketing tool.
-- Narrator (chapter 2)

Importance: Here, Kelley takes readers into Cory's mindset and shows the first red flag for his character. Cory, a wildly successful business man, understands his home life to be a mere accessory to his real life: that is, his life at work. At work, Cory is an all-star golden boy, and his good looks, beautiful wife, and adorable children serve to buttress that image that he holds so dear. Without it, his ego would be bruised. For this reason, Mandy's requests to work, get out of the house, and do something meaningful are discouraged by Cory. He wants her to be his trophy wife, and that's it.

Any nervousness she felt quickly melted away once the...
-- Narrator (chapter 9)