Claire’s POV
"There are a lot of things I wish to tell you, but only if you are willing to listen," I said, eting Sissy’s curious gaze.
Her eyebrows arched, and she leaned closer, taking my hand in hers. "What is it that you wish to tell ?" she asked, her tone soft yet insistent. "Don’t keep in suspense, Claire. I need to know what is going on in your life."
I hesitated, my heart thudding against my ribs. How was I supposed to say this without making her furious? Still, I took a deep breath and tried to gather my thoughts. "Well, there is this... I an..." I stumbled over my words, glancing down at our joined hands as I struggled to continue. "I have decided to let Evander pursue . And... I am going to wait for the right ti before I decide whether to say yes to him."
The mont the words left my mouth, I knew they would hit like a storm.
"Are you serious?" Sissy shot up from her seat, her eyes blazing with disbelief and anger. "Claire, have you completely lost your mind?"
"Sissy..." I began, but she cut off, pacing the room like a furious lioness.
"He doesn’t deserve you!" she snapped, turning to glare at . "After everything he put you through, you are actually considering letting him back into your life? No! Absolutely not! I won’t approve of this— ever!"
Her outburst didn’t surprise , but it still made sad. I sat there and faced her, trying to remain calm despite the fiery tension building between us. "Sissy, listen to ," I said, my voice steady yet firm. "I understand why you are upset, and I don’t bla you for feeling this way. This is not about how he treated , but about what I feel is right for ."
She crossed her arms, her jaw tight as she stared down. "And you think what’s right is letting a man who shattered you have another chance?"
I bit my lip, searching for the right words to explain myself. "It’s not that simple," I said softly. "I am not throwing myself back into his arms or forgetting the past. I am giving myself ti. Ti to see if he has changed, if he truly regrets what happened. If he is willing to put in the effort to nd what’s broken."
Sissy let out a frustrated sigh, shaking her head. "You are playing with fire, Claire. You are setting yourself up for more pain."
"Maybe I am," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "But it’s my choice. And if there is even a chance to build sothing better—for Eliam, for —I have to take it."
The silence that followed was heavy, filled with unspoken words and lingering emotions. Finally, Sissy let out a slow breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "Fine," she muttered, though her tone was far from supportive. "But don’t expect to stand by and watch him hurt you again. If he sses this up, Claire, I am going to step in."
I couldn’t help but smile at her fierce protectiveness. "I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Sissy," I said, feeling a flicker of warmth amidst the tension. "Thank you for always looking out for , but... He wasn’t entirely at fault for our relationship falling apart!" I blurted out, the words spilling from my mouth before I could think them through.
Sissy’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. "What is that supposed to an?" she asked, her tone sharp and unrelenting.
I sighed, knowing this wasn’t going to be easy to explain. "Okay, let’s sit down and talk about it," I said, gesturing toward the nearby couch.
She took my hand and led to the couch, her movents brisk and full of tension. Though she seed willing to hear out, I could tell she didn’t like Evander—not even a little bit. The disdain in her expression was impossible to miss.
"Gloria," I began, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "She orchestrated everything with Susan. She wanted Evander gone forever or you could say even and she knew he had feelings for . So, she did everything she could to torture , knowing it would hurt him."
Sissy’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Wait! Gloria? Isn’t she his mother?"
"Yes," I confird, my voice quieter now.
Sissy leaned back and rolled her eyes, her skepticism written all over her face. "Do not let him fool you, Claire," she said with a scoff. "I can tell you exactly what he is doing. He is clearly trying to gain your sympathy by spinning so sob story. It’s classic manipulation."
I shook my head, frustration bubbling to the surface. "This isn’t about sympathy, Sissy! It’s about the truth. I have seen what Gloria is capable of, and I know what she did wasn’t a lie."
"Even if that’s true," she said, her tone softening just a fraction, "how does that absolve him of the way he treated you? He let her manipulate your life— your relationship. He didn’t protect you."
Her words hit hard, and for a mont, I couldn’t argue She was right. "You are right," I admitted finally. "He failed in so many ways, and I can’t forget that. But..." I paused, looking down at my hands. "If he is trying to fix things now, don’t I owe it to myself to see if he is sincere? To see if there is anything left worth saving?"
Sissy sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping as she leaned forward. "I don’t know, Claire," she said, her voice quieter now. "I just don’t want to see you hurt again. You have already been through enough."
"I know," I said, offering her a faint smile. "And that’s why I am being cautious. I am not rushing into anything—I am just giving myself ti to figure things out."
Sissy looked at for a long mont before nodding reluctantly. "Fine but..."
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