“Did you have to come back and ruin everything? Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d stayed dead abroad?”
“All these years, Paula had to carry your face like a curse. The moment you step back in, you stir up chaos like a storm.”
“Apologize and repent, or you’re no longer my friend.”
Disgust filled their eyes, but I didn’t flinch. I let their words fall like raindrops on a shield of indifference. Without another glance, I dialed my mother’s number.
“Mom,” I said, my voice steady and cold, “I’ll accept the marriage proposal from the Moore family.”
The room fell into stunned silence as I walked out, leaving their gossip and judgment behind. These so-called friends weren’t worth the effort.
***
I returned to the house Jason and I had once shared—six years of memories locked behind its door. I hadn’t been back in three years, but stepping inside felt like trespassing in someone else’s life.
The master bedroom was unrecognizable. My belongings were gone, replaced by someone else’s: flowery perfume lingered in the air, a pair of lace underwear and men’s boxers were tossed carelessly on our bed.
The audacity stung.
Right on cue, my phone rang. Jason.