Chapter 81 81

Chapter 81 81
The person I bumped into, who was now standing directly in front of me, staring at me with equal shock and surprise, was Clara. My ex-childhood friend who had conspired with my ex-fiancé to destroy me.

For a moment, neither of us moved. We just stood there, frozen in the doorway of The Garden Delicacy Bistro, blocking other people from entering or leaving. The morning bustle of the restaurant faded into white noise as my mind struggled to process what was happening.

Clara looked different. Her hair was shorter now, styled in a sleek bob that framed her face. She wore expensive looking clothes, a designer blazer and matching pants that screamed success. But her eyes were the same. The same eyes that had looked at me with fake concern while she plotted my downfall behind my back.

"Claire?" Clara's voice came out breathless, uncertain. "Is that really you?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My throat felt tight, like someone had wrapped their hands around it and was slowly squeezing. All the pain, all the betrayal, and all the hurt I'd buried deep inside when I left came rushing back like a tidal wave.

"I... I can't believe it's you," Clara continued, seemingly recovering from her initial shock faster than I was. "What are you doing here? I thought you were left." She added, her tone dripping with mockery even though she was trying to pretend to be happy to see me.

Still, I couldn't speak. My mind was racing, replaying that night in Liam's bedroom. Hearing their voices, their laughter, their disgusting plan to use me and take everything I'd worked so hard to build. Seeing them together in his bed, celebrating their scheme like it was some kind of victory.

"Claire, please say something," Clara said, reaching out as if to touch my arm.

I immediately stepped back, finally finding my voice. "Don't touch me."

The words came out sharper than I intended, but I didn't care. Clara's hand dropped to her side, and I wasn’t sure of what I saw flash across her face.

"Look, I know we didn't exactly part on good terms," Clara started, her tone shifting to something that sounded less apologetic. "But that was years ago. Can't we just—"

"Didn't part on good terms?" I cut her off, my voice rising slightly. "Is that what you call it? You conspired with my fiancé to steal everything from me. You pretended to be my friend while planning my destruction. And you call that 'not parting on good terms' Are you for real?"

People around us soon began to stare. I could feel their eyes on us, sense their curiosity about what was causing this confrontation in the restaurant doorway, but I didn't care about any of that. All I cared about was the woman standing in front of me, the one who had betrayed me in the worst possible way.

Clara's expression hardened. "You don't understand what really happened, Claire. If you'd just let me explain—"

"Explain?" I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "What is there to explain? I heard everything that night. Every word. Every one of your plans, Liam's plan, everything. I heard how you both laughed about how easy it was to fool me, how you celebrated the fact that I trusted you."

"That's not how it was," Clara protested, but I could see the panic starting to show in her eyes. "Things were more complicated than they seemed."

"More complicated?" I repeated, feeling anger replace the shock that had paralyzed me moments ago. "You were in bed with my fiancé, Clara. You were planning to help him steal my properties, my money, everything I'd worked for. What part of that is complicated?"

Clara looked around nervously, clearly uncomfortable with the attention we were drawing. "Can we please talk about this somewhere more private? Not here, not like this."

"No," I said firmly. "We have nothing to talk about. Not now, not ever."

I moved to step around her, to get away from her and this horrible encounter, but Clara grabbed my wrist. Her grip was gentle, not forceful, but it was enough to make me stop.

"Claire, please, let me explain. I know I messed up big time. I know I hurt you. But there are things you don't know, things I need to tell you."

I looked down at her hand on my wrist, then back up at her face. "Let go of me."

"Just five minutes," Clara pleaded. "That's all I'm asking for. Just five minutes to explain."

"I don't want your explanations," I said, pulling my wrist free from her grasp. "I don't want anything from you. You made your choice years ago when you decided to betray me. Now I'm making mine. Stay the hell away from me!"

"But Claire… I’m no longer with Liam. He was a jerk. He dumped me." She said, thinking I was going to give her audience.

I scoffed with disgust. “And this piece of information is supposed to do what exactly? Make me jump for joy?”

“No, that's not what I'm saying. I was trying to say that—”

“Enough!” I held my hand up. I have no time for this. Excuse me.” I tried to walk away again, but she refused to back off.

“Wait, don’t tell me you’re still bitter.” She suddenly said, and I stopped in my tracks. Her tone had now changed, revealing her true colours.

“What?!” I spun around, trying to understand what she was on about.

“Yes, I can’t believe you're still grumpy and sulking about something that happened almost eight years ago. Come on, Claire, stop being a baby crying over spilt milk.” She continued, her voice dripping with venom.

I almost couldn’t believe all that was happening. It was obvious that she was out to get me, and determined to humiliate me.

I didn’t even respond, I just stood there staring at her.

“Why exactly are you back? I thought you left NewYork city for good. Or were you dumped over there too and decided to run back here like a coward?” She continued, trying to get a reaction from me, but I just stared at her like she didn't matter, because she truly didn't matter. She was just a waste of my time.

“I think Liam once said you got married. Is your husband here? Or are you here ALONE like you’ve always been?” She stressed, her tone laced with mockery.

Hearing her talk about Liam hinted to me that they probably were still together and she had lied to me that they already ended things. Why she would do such a thing still baffled me. Well, what was I expecting from a conniving bitch like Clara?

She still wasn’t ready to give up, and so she continued, “who exactly do you think you are? Do you even have a man to go home to now? Any kids?”

As much as I didn't let any of her previous words get to me, this one stood out. Memories of my past relationship with Liam and how he and Clara betrayed me flooded into my heart, as well as memories of my early years with Tyler before things fell apart.

My eyes almost welled up with tears, but thankfully, I was able to keep my emotions in check.

"Babe?" A new male voice interrupted, his arm gently wrapping around my waist.