Chapter 39

‎As Cleo stormed out of Ryan’s estate, her heart shattered into pieces, she could barely see through the veil of tears clouding her vision. The warm evening breeze brushed against her face, but it brought no comfort, only the cold sting of betrayal. With trembling fingers, she hailed a taxi, her mind spinning with disbelief. Was everything he said... everything he did... all just a lie? The question echoed endlessly in her head, each repetition slicing deeper into her chest.

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‎She slid into the back seat of the cab and closed the door a little too hard, startling the driver slightly. She didn’t notice. Her tears flowed freely, blurring her carefully done makeup and leaving dark streaks down her cheeks. The pain behind her red, swollen eyes was unmistakable raw, unfiltered heartbreak.

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‎“Miss, are you okay?” the driver asked gently, his voice laced with concern as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror. He could hear her quiet sobs and wondered what could have possibly hurt such a beautiful young woman so deeply.

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‎“I’m fine, thanks,” Cleo replied quickly, though her voice was barely more than a whisper. She wiped at her face, trying to clean the ruined makeup, trying to hold herself together, even if only on the surface.

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‎The rest of the ride passed in silence, broken only by her occasional sniffles and the hum of the city outside.

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‎“We’re here,” the taxi driver said softly as he pulled up in front of her apartment building. He didn’t expect a reply, but waited patiently as she gathered herself.

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‎Cleo opened the door and stepped out. The night air hit her like a wave, reminding her that she was alone, truly alone now. She paid the fare without a word and gave the driver a small nod before turning away.

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‎Dragging her feet slightly, she climbed the steps to her apartment. Each one felt heavier than the last. When she reached the door, she didn’t even pause. She pushed it open and stepped inside, the familiar scent of home washing over her.

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‎Inside, Claire sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine. As the door opened, she looked up, immediately sensing that something was wrong.

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‎“You’re not going again…?” Claire asked, her voice filled with both concern and surprise. She had expected Cleo to return long before now, maybe even change her mind halfway and come back. But the moment she saw her friend standing there with red, swollen eyes and a trembling lip, she knew something had gone terribly wrong. Without hesitation, Claire stood and walked toward her.

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‎“I… I…” Cleo began, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions. But she couldn’t finish. Her words caught in her throat, and the dam broke. A sob escaped her lips as she collapsed into Claire’s arms, hugging her tightly. The tears came fast and hard, raw and uncontrollable, as she buried her face in Claire’s shoulder, her whole body shaking.

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‎Claire held her gently, her arms wrapped protectively around Cleo’s trembling frame. She rubbed her back slowly, soothingly, murmuring soft comforts she knew Cleo couldn’t hear over her crying.

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‎“What happened?” Claire asked softly after a moment, her voice laced with curiosity and worry. She didn’t press too hard, she knew Cleo would speak when she was ready, but she couldn’t help wondering what could’ve hurt her friend this deeply.

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‎Cleo pulled back eventually, wiping at her face with trembling fingers. She looked utterly broken, her eyes glassy and unfocused as she sank onto the couch behind her.

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‎“It’s Ryan…” she said in a hoarse whisper. “He… he doesn’t love me. He loves someone else.”

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‎Claire’s breath caught. She blinked, stunned for a second, then quickly joined Cleo on the couch. She placed a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder, her expression softening as she saw the pain etched in every inch of Cleo’s face.

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‎“Really?” she said gently, her voice full of compassion. “Oh, Cleo… don’t cry. If he broke your heart like that, then he never deserved it in the first place.”

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‎Cleo sniffled, eyes still brimming, but Claire’s words seemed to reach her. She leaned her head on Claire’s shoulder, quiet now, as the weight of the truth began to settle.

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‎Claire sat beside her, still stroking her shoulder, silently vowing to help her heal, even if it took a long time.

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‎"Today is Friday, right? It's been a while since we went to the club. Let’s go tonight," Cleo said suddenly, breaking the silence. She looked at Claire with a hopeful expression, clearly waiting for her response.

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‎Claire glanced over at her friend, noting the forced smile on Cleo’s face. She could see right through it, Cleo was hurting. Heartbreak had taken a visible toll on her, and though she tried to hide it, Claire knew better. Without hesitation, she nodded.

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‎"Okay. If that's what you want," she replied softly, her tone gentle. She wanted to be there for her friend, even if it meant pretending everything was fine for just one night.

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‎Claire stood from the couch and stretched slightly before turning to head toward her room. "Let me go change."

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‎Cleo stood up as well, brushing invisible dust off her top. "Yeah… I think I should change into something else too," she said as she made her way to her room.

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‎Claire watched Cleo’s back as she disappeared through her bedroom door. For a moment, she considered calling out, Cleo’s current outfit looked perfectly fine, but it was already too late. With a small sigh, she turned and went to her own room to get ready.

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‎Not long after, both women emerged from their rooms dressed and ready to go. Cleo had chosen a revealing, form-fitting outfit that clung to her like second skin, clearly determined to make a statement tonight. Claire, by contrast, wore a simple yet elegant blue short gown that highlighted her calm confidence.

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‎Without exchanging many words, they grabbed their purses and headed out the door, stepping into the warm night air. The club awaited, and with it, the promise of music, lights, and perhaps a few hours of distraction from everything else.