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Thankfully,Nathan helped.After the incident,he’d given me his contact.
My sharp retort to Emma in the cafeteria wasn’t just about venting my frustration—it was a warning.
In my past life,she’d harassed me at home during my depression.This time,she might target my mom.
So I set a trap.
I asked Nathan to arrange for me to be“on a month-long business trip”for me,but I secretly stayed at the hospital with my mom.
Emma,thinking I was gone,would make her move.
On the seventh day,she snuck into my mom’s room when it was empty.
She started fake-crying:
“Mrs.Evans,please talk to Claire!”
My mom,believing Emma was my friend,trusted her.
“You don’t know this,but to pay for your treatment,Claire ruined my relationship with James!”
“She got him drunk,took off his clothes,and seduced him just to get money!”
I’d introduced James to my mom as a friend,like he’d asked me to.She thought we were keeping things private,but Emma’s lies made her think I was in a paid relationship.
“And…she’s been with multiple executives…Oh,Mrs.Evans,she’s gone too far for money!”
Emma knew my mom’s brain condition required a calm and stable emotional environment, but she kept going anyway.
My mom,distressed,refused to believe it:“You’re lying!Claire would never do something like that!”
“With all the money your illness is costing,haven’t you wondered where Claire’s money comes from?How can she afford this fancy room?”
My mom’s emotions spiked,her hands clutching the sheets until she convulsed.
“Dear Mrs.Evans,if you don’t die,how can I break Claire’s heart?”Emma smirked,satisfied.
“Is that right?”
Nathan and I stepped out from behind her.Emma stumbled back,startled.My mom snapped to clarity.
Emma finally realized she’d fallen into my trap.
“Claire,you’re so despicable!Setting me up like this!” she hissed angrily.
“Don’t you know the saying ‘you reap what you sow’?”
“So what?ust because you have a rich boyfriend, you think you’re invincible?I’ll just leave this industry!”
Nathan stepped oforward,and Emma,thinking he was helpless,grew smugger.
“Where’s your evidence?How can you prove anything against me?”
“I’m only vulnerable while I’m stuck at this airline!”
She brushed off imaginary dust,oozing arrogance.
Then her phone rang.After answering,the color drained from her face.
Nathan stepped forward and said,“I’m sure you’ve heard the news.If you don’t apologize to Claire,it won’t just be your brother’s getting expelled from school or your father losing his job.”
He’d arranged it while he stepped out.
Emma’s expression turned stormy. After a moment’s hesitation,she dropped to her knees.
“Claire,I’m sorry!I shouldn’t have bothered your mom!”
She slapped herself repeatedly,begging forgiveness.
I recorded her groveling and told her to get lost.
I wasn’t going soft on her; I wanted to see what she’d do next.
Afterward,to thank Nathan,I invited him to dinner at the hospital’s restaurant.
“Why are you helping me,Mr.Brooks?”I asked,puzzled by his involvement.
He paused,then smiled.“You saved my life,remember?”
He’d been reborn too.No wonder he kept helping me.
Later,as I scrolled through my social media, I noticed my inbox was flooded with 99+ messages.
All of them were insults.
Emma had posted a video claiming I stole her boyfriend,and when rejected,I attacked her.
She showed off her swollen face—self-inflicted from her earlier slaps—and selectively edited our old chats with James,blurring dates to make them seem recent.
She hinted that she hadn’t reported me because I was her“friend”and she wanted to give me a chance.
The comments on her post were filled with praise for her “kind heart.”
“Our Emma’s a treasure!”
“Having a friend like that is revolting!”
“We’ll curse her on your behalf!”
