Claire’s POV
I looked at Susan with pity, my lips curving into a faint smile. How could anyone be so pathetic? So desperate for crumbs of affection from a man who barely saw her as anything more than an afterthought?
"Really?" I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "Do you honestly think I left Evander because of you?"
Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, but she quickly masked it with anger. Susan crossed her arms, her posture stiff as she shot back with a sneer, "Say whatever you want, Claire. In the end, you’re far away from him, and I’m still standing tall by his side."
I tilted my head, watching her like one would observe a fly buzzing around. "Yes, you are," I replied calmly. "Standing by his side... as his employee. But here’s the thing, sweetheart, employees have an expiry date." I leaned in just slightly, my eyes never leaving hers. "But I was his wife... and, according to him, I still am."
Her face twisted with fury, her eyes blazing as she took a step forward, ready to lash out. But before she could do anything, Sissy slid smoothly between us, raising a hand in warning.
"No, no, no!" Sissy pushed Susan back with a flick of her hand. "Stay in your lane, princess. You don’t cross this line."
Susan gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing into slits. "You’ve crossed the line by coming back here," she hissed. "Do you really think he’s going to take you back after what you’ve done to him? After you ruined his life?"
Her words stung, but before I could process the jab, Sissy scoffed, stepping up for as she always did. "Oh, please. Don’t flatter yourself, darling. And let give you a little heads-up," Sissy’s voice turned mockingly sweet, her eyes dancing with amusent. "Claire Reed, the ’rookie actress’ you love to look down on? She’s about to take the lead role that you’re currently playing. And as her manager, I’ve already sent my reply to the production crew."
Sissy’s grin widened as she added, "So, you might want to stop grinding your teeth like that, or they might just fall out."
"You—!" Susan couldn’t control her temper anymore. Her entire body trembled with rage. "You think you can go against ? Do you think I, Susan, will let you get away with this?"
I looked at her, my expression calm, almost bored now. "Do whatever you want, Susan. It doesn’t matter anymore." My voice was low but firm. "I’m not the sa woman you used to bully. And I’m not Evander’s wife anymore, either. So, the Kensington na? It no longer scares ."
Turning to Sissy, I nodded toward the street. "Let’s go. The cab’s here."
As we climbed into the cab, I couldn’t help but notice a figure in the distance. Standing under the dim streetlights, his eyes were on us—watching, waiting, filled with a mixture of longing and regret. Evander. My heart ached for a split second, but I tore my gaze away.
I’m sorry, Evander. I’m sorry for what we’ve beco. For the distance that’s grown between us. But I can’t forget what you put through. I can’t forget the hope I lost, the child I’ll never hold. No matter how much ti passes, so wounds are too deep to heal.
"I might never move on from him," I whispered, more to myself than to Sissy. My heart felt heavy with the weight of five years of separation. If I could move on, I would have by now. But every ti I see him, every ti I catch even a glimpse of his broken state, sothing in softens. Forgiveness edges closer, but the pain pulls back.
Sissy must’ve sensed my thoughts because she reached over, squeezing my hand gently. "You’re stronger than this, Claire. Don’t let him pull you back in."
I nodded, though doubt lingered in my chest.
"I’m eting the director later tonight for more information," Sissy said, pulling back to the present. "But you’ll need to go in for an audition. They want to see you in action."
"I get that," I replied, still a bit dazed. "But all I’ve done is a small ad and a few minor roles overseas. What made them want all of a sudden?"
Sissy gave a sharp look, rolling her eyes at my skepticism. "Seriously? You did an amazing job in Between You & . Just because it was a minor role doesn’t an you didn’t get noticed. People are still talking about how much emotion you packed into those five minutes."
"Exactly. It was barely five minutes of screen ti," I countered, trying to make sense of it. "I played the dead lover of the male lead. How is that enough for a lead role?"
"My gosh, Claire!" Sissy threw her hands up in frustration. "You’re hopeless. You don’t use social dia, you don’t go to parties, you don’t even do interviews. How are you supposed to know what people are saying about you?"
She was right. I’d always been wary of the spotlight, keeping myself low-profile, afraid that too much attention might draw Evander’s eyes back to . I entered showbiz by pure chance—Sissy’s friend needed fresh faces for a modeling gig, and I just happened to be in the right place at the right ti.
But now it seed like my efforts to stay hidden were pointless.
"When you were shooting Between You & , Mr. Robin visited the set," Sissy continued, her tone softening with pride. "He praised you so much that the crew hasn’t stopped talking about you since."
We pulled up to the hotel, and I stepped out of the cab, taking a deep breath. Sissy stayed behind, lowering her window as she gave a reassuring smile.
"I have got a eting with Director Rob," she said. "You better take care of yourself tonight, okay? Lock your door from the inside."
I nodded as the cab drove away, leaving standing there alone, under the dim lights of the hotel entrance. Everything that had happened today felt surreal—like a whirlwind that I couldn’t quite grasp.
"Baby..." I whispered to the mory of my unborn child, my hand resting on my stomach out of habit. "It’s ti for your mother to take revenge on those who made cry."
As I stepped into the hotel, my heart steeled itself with resolve. This ti, I wasn’t going to let anyone trample over . Not Susan. Not Evander. No one.
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