Love Deceptions and Rebirth Novel – Chapter 2
I laughed—a sharp, cold sound.
“Embarrass you? Ethan, who do you think you are?”
He flinched, clearly not expecting me—always kind, always gentle—to snap like this.
“Is it me embarrassing you, or you can’t stand seeing your precious childhood friend embarrassed?”
I mocked, lips curling.
At my words, guilt flickered in Ethan’s eyes—but the moment he recalled Chloe’s thoughts about me with the older man, it vanished.
“Claire, what’s wrong with you? You were never like this.”
Disappointment clouded his eyes.
This engagement party—Ethan’s parents had barely shown up. They didn’t like me. More precisely, they didn’t like my supposed background.
With Ethan, I’d posed as an ordinary only child from a modest family.
I chased him first, and he, moved, finally agreed to date me.
But in my last life, after Ethan’s betrayal and indifference, I got into a car accident and fell into a coma. My grieving parents died in a crash shortly after—heartbroken and distracted behind the wheel.
“Ethan’s too kind, can’t bear to scold her, but she’s cheating with an old man for money. I can’t let him go astray. Once Claire’s gone, I’ll tell him.”
Chloe’s silent thoughts dripped with false concern.
Hearing her, Ethan grew bolder.
“Claire, I didn’t care about your average background, even fought my parents for you, and you talk to me like this?”
“And don’t forget what you did behind my back. You have no right to act like this.”
I felt like a joke.
He trusted Chloe so blindly, without question, ignoring every second of our two-year relationship.
Or maybe—he just loved Chloe more. And I was just a placeholder after she left.
If I’d held any hope before Chloe’s thoughts, now, even that was gone.
I shrugged, dismissive, “Sure, you’re right. I’ve got no right.”
After the party, I asked Ethan to drive me home.
“You go ahead. Chloe came alone—it’s not safe for her. I’ll drive her.”
Chloe’s eyes sparkled with triumph, but she said, “Ethan, that’s not right. It’s unsafe for Claire too.”
Her heart said otherwise:
“I miss when Ethan walked me home from school. I’m night-blind, scared of the dark, and he always worried, escorting me. Claire’s so lucky to have him, but he’s not mine anymore.”
“I wish he’d drive me home like before, but I’ve no right to ask.”
She lingered in her own longing.
Ethan’s gaze softened, guilt creeping in.
“Ethan, my parents sent the driver home early. You promised to take me. Now you’re driving Chloe instead—how am I supposed to get home?” My tone was cool, edged with mockery, making Ethan briefly regretful—then annoyed.
“Claire!”
“Can’t you speak nicely? Why so snarky?”