I looked up in puzzlement, but all I saw was John’s angry face, along with Claire, who had white cream on her shirt. She was standing by the door.

Rage burned in me, and I stood up before saying coldly, “Claire, did I do that?”

With teary eyes, Claire shook her head and waved her hands. “N-No. I was just careless.”

But before I could say anything else, William removed his suit jacket and draped it across Claire’s shoulders.

That suit jacket was a gift from me. I had bought it using the money I got from my first case.

I could not help it. I yelled his name. “William!”

William paused for a moment as he was leading Claire away.

John started talking sarcastically. He said, “I’ll take Claire away instead. If you’re too close to her, Miss Howard here will bully her even more.”

When did John start referring to me like this?

In the end, they all left. No one gave me a chance to defend myself.

The white cake that had splattered onto the floor reminded me of our relationship.

…

After lunch, Richard sent me home.

We exchanged contact numbers. Before I got out of his car, he handed me a box of biscuits.

“You didn’t seem to like sweet stuff. These are my favorite biscuits. Try them.”

I was momentarily stunned. Richard managed to figure out what I liked after dining with me once, but my childhood friend of more than twenty years could no longer remember that.

I forced a smile at Richard before I returned home with the box of biscuits.

My phone kept vibrating; the calls were from John and William. They just kept calling me non-stop.

I drove to the law firm.

Since it was lunch break, only a handful of people were in the office.

Right after I walked in, I saw Claire sitting at my spot.

I stared at her and said coldly, “Get up and get out.”

Claire stood up with a smile while twirling her hair. “Yggdra, are you really breaking up with William? You’re already so old. It won’t be easy for you to get a boyfriend now.”

I sized her up. “Only people like you would think Mr. Nice Guys who flirt with every woman they see are good.”

Claire’s expression shifted. Then, she immediately put on a pitiful expression.

John and William had come in.

Claire covered her face and moved to the side while John rushed in to hug her. “Yggdra, have you lost your mind?! How on earth am I friends with you?!”

William went over to Claire as well to ask her what had happened. Then, he looked at me in disgust.

“Yggdra, apologize to Claire now.”

Despite seeing William’s disgust once more, I no longer felt sad. I just found the entire situation hilarious.

I went over to them. “Apologize to her? For what? For hitting her?”

Before they reacted, I slapped Claire in the face.

Right before their surprised expressions, I rubbed my numb palm before I leveled my stoic gaze at them. “See that? That’s real. This time, I really did hit her. Now, stop blaming me for everything!”

Rage seemed to have overtaken John for a moment. His neck turned red, and he brought his hand up.

I wanted him to hit me. That way, I would have an excuse to instantly cut ties with him.

And I could also sever our friendship of more than twenty years.

But he did not. Instead, he lowered his hand before my emotionless eyes.

A severe scowl had etched its way onto William’s face. He tightened his hold over Claire’s shoulder.

I returned to my desk. While I shut my laptop, I said, “I’m leaving the law firm today. I’ll get the shares transfer agreement ready in a few days and send it to you two. The information and progress of all my cases are in the company computer. Have someone take over.”

With that said, I left.

When I walked past William, he instinctively grabbed my arm, but I just shoved his hand away.

I would get married in seven days, and I had finally gotten rid of them.