Elwyn's POV
Claire continued, her voice filled with a scorn I had never heard before. "I just don't understand why Jackie is interested in her. She has nothing. A single mother like Elwyn could never be worthy of Jackie. Look at how she dresses, how she behaves—it's ridiculous."
I felt my heart tighten. Claire, the woman I had admired and felt close to all evening, was now tearing me down without mercy. Her voice, once gentle and encouraging, was now dripping with disdain and mockery.
"And you think Jackie is serious about her?" someone else from the group chimed in, perhaps one of Jackie's friends. "He's probably just having a bit of fun. Who could be serious with someone like Elwyn?"
I stood frozen, unable to believe what I was hearing. The mocking, the derision continued w
