Chapter 365
“Lance, Camilla, Shirley, what are you all doing together?” Sarah finally broke the silence, her voice full of surprise.
Shirley couldn’t look up. She stared at the floor, face swimming with guilt, refusing to meet Sarah’s eyes.
Lance didn’t bother with any sort of greeting. He jumped straight to the point. “Sarah, I heard I’m your fiancé. Since when? Why am I always the last to know p>
He wasn’t subtle about it, either. Shirley, hearing him say that, finally realized the truth. Sarah lied to her. The whole supposed engagement was just a story Sarah made up. Realizing that made embarrassment burn hot across Shirley’s cheeks.
Sarah’s own gaze flickered before she tried to cover it up. “Lance, Camilla is here with us. Are we really going to talk about this now p>
“Don’t try to sidestep it. There’s nothing between us for you to hide. Sarah, are you spreading gossip about me behind my back?” Lance asked, his tone cool and sharp.
Sarah was always so skilled at playing innocent, but now her smile looked more like a grimace. Still, she kept up the act, a laugh escaping her lips. “Lance, what’s that supposed to mean? When did I ever trash your reputation? Did someone get to you with some crazy rumor p>
She never actually answered his questions, just quietly deflected every accusation. Even now, with everything out in the open, she was still joking around.
Lance stared her down, feeling like he was fighting with a shadow. He could never grab hold of anything solid. Every word felt like a punch thrown into thin air, leaving him tense and frustrated.
Camilla placed her hand gently over his, a quiet touch to calm him down.
Shirley watched Sarah carefully, catching all the little signs—her confusion, her avoidance, her refusal to meet anyone’s eyes. She remembered all the times Sarah had come to her crying, and now, seeing the way Sarah was acting, Shirley felt something wasn’t adding up. In that moment, it all clicked for her. Sarah had lied, and worse, she’d used her.
Shirley wanted so badly to call it all out, but memories of their friendship crept in, making her hesitate.
Camilla noticed Shirley’s anxious fidgeting, reading the tension between two girls who used to be inseparable.
Clearing her throat, Camilla spoke up. “Sarah, you’re really something. You’re the one who put Shirley up to slandering me. Now that I’m pressing charges, you have nothing to say? I thought you always claimed to be the sweetest friend. Is this how you treat your bestie, just tossing her aside when she’s in trouble p>
Her words were like pinpricks, making Sarah’s discomfort painfully obvious. Shirley almost pleaded with Sarah, desperate for any hint they could fix things. Her knuckles turned white from clutching her knees so tightly. It almost felt like this moment would decide if they’d ever be real friends again.
“When did I ever ask Shirley to do that to you? Don’t try to blame me for your problems,” Sarah shot back, her tone urgent as she tried to distance herself. She wouldn’t even look at Shirley. That hurt more than anything.
Shirley stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on Sarah, silently begging her to tell the truth.
Camilla stepped in, her voice steady. “Shirley, I gave you a chance. But Sarah just said she had nothing to do with it. So it looks like you’re on your own p>
Sarah pressed her lips together tightly, refusing to say another word. Panic crawled across Shirley’s face. “No, this isn’t my fault,” she burst out. “Sarah told me that you stole her fiancé. That’s the only reason I did anything. Camilla, I’ve never even had a problem with you. I barely knew you before all this. Why would I want to hurt you for no reason p>
The conversation circled back, landing right where they started. Lance’s face went cold as ice, making Sarah look nervous. She scrambled to deny everything. “Shirley, are you trying to pin this on me? I never asked you to make trouble for Camilla, not once. I remember telling you I wanted to be friends with her. I can’t believe you misunderstood me so badly and went this far. What you did was out of line p>
As she finished, Sarah burst into tears, her sobs shaking her shoulders. She looked delicate and heartbroken, playing the victim for all she was worth.
Shirley had seen this routine so many times, but today she felt nothing but irritation.
She cut in before Sarah could keep going. “You say I’m out of line? Sarah, weren’t you the one who started all this? If you hadn’t told me Lance was your fiancé, why would I have gotten involved p>
When it came down to it, people only looked out for themselves, especially when they felt betrayed. The second Shirley realized Sarah was about to throw her under the bus, she stopped caring about their friendship at all.
“I…” Sarah was about to explain, but Shirley pressed on, her voice shaking. “When I told Davina to help, I checked with you. You never stopped me then, did you p>