Chapter 2

"Chloe? Are you okay?" Savannah' s voice pulled me back to the trendy, open-plan office.

She pushed the bottle closer to me. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

I had. My own.

I recoiled from the bottle, a real, physical flinch.

Savannah' s smile tightened. She saw my reaction.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it?" she asked, her voice loud enough for our nearby coworkers to hear. "I thought you'd appreciate it. It's from my family, back home in Louisiana."

She was trying to guilt-trip me, to make me look ungrateful in front of everyone.

It was a classic Savannah move.

But this time, I was ready.

I let my eyes fill with fake tears, my voice trembling just enough.

"Oh, Savannah," I began, my voice soft but carrying. "Of course, it's... thoughtful."

I stood up and took a step back, drawing more attention.

"It's just, after everything I've done for you, I never expect anything in return."

Heads started to turn from their computer screens.

"When you couldn't make rent three months ago, I didn't hesitate to cover it, did I?"

Savannah' s face paled. "Chloe, this isn't the place..."

"And when your car broke down and you needed a thousand dollars for the repair, I gave it to you, no questions asked. I just wanted to help."

A low murmur started to spread through the office. Our colleagues knew I came from a comfortable family, and they knew Savannah was always struggling. They had seen me help her countless times.

"I even introduced you to Ethan," I said, letting that hang in the air. "I just want you to be happy. You don't need to give me gifts. Your friendship is enough."

I made myself look wounded, betrayed.

The office sentiment shifted, fast. I could see the judgment in their eyes, all of it aimed at Savannah. She looked greedy, manipulative, and deeply ungrateful.

She was cornered.