Chapter 5

"Sorry..." Claire tilted her head, as if searching for the right words. "Sorry you had to see how nice Mike is to me."

The warm yellow hallway light fell across her face.

Her smile was so sincere it felt like a harmless-looking dagger, still sharp enough to hurt.

"You don't have to see me as an enemy," Claire said.

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Mike only married you because Irene wanted him to.

"I was abroad and couldn't make it back, so she arranged the blind date because she didn't want him to stay single. Your dad's debts, your…