Claire’s smile faltered slightly, though she managed to maintain it. She gazed at me with that ever-pleasant expression, yet I could see something calculated lurking beneath.
"Yes, we’ve remained on good terms," she replied lightly. "Besides, weren’t we best friends before all that happened?"
Best friends, she said?
Yes, we had been. Archie, Claire, and I were once inseparable at school. Claire had always liked Archie, which had put a strain on our friendship. They had created their own world, shutting me out of it. And yet, fate had eventually made me part of Archie’s life instead.
And now, Claire had returned—after causing chaos at the wedding ceremony five years ago—acting as though she had done nothing wrong?
"Of course, I haven't forgotten," I said ambiguously. "If you want your world back, I'll gladly step aside."
Without waiting for a response, I stepped into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me. Pressing my back against it, I exhaled deeply, the tightness in my chest creeping back in.
Did they take me for a fool?
Did they truly believe I would welcome their child with open arms and love it as if it were my own? No. I would not waste my life. I would not waste a lifetime on them.