Chapter 14: The Unexpected Encounter
I stepped into the pharmacy, the cool air-conditioning a welcome respite from the sweltering heat outside.
My eyes scanned the shelf, searching for the prenatal vitamins I needed to refill. As I made my way down the shelf, a voice startled me out of my concentration.
"Diane? Is that you?"
I turned, coming face to face with Rachel, an old acquaintance from college. Her eyes were wide with surprise, a hesitant smile playing on her lips. I forced a polite smile, my mind racing to recall our last interaction.
"Rachel, hi," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt. "It's been a while."
She nodded, her gaze meeting mine. "How have you been?" she asked, her tone laced a hidden doubt that set me on edge.
"I'm doing alright," I replied, my fingers tightening around the bottle of vitamins I'd just grabbed, careful to keep the label out of sight. "Just picking up a few things. How about you?"
Rachel shifted uncomfortably, and I could see the internal debate playing out across her features. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision. "Listen, Diane," she began, her voice dropped to a secret tone. "I don't want to cause any trouble, but... I saw something a couple of weeks ago that didn't sit right with me."
My heart rate quickened, but I kept my expression neutral. "Oh?" I prompted, dreading what was coming next.
"I was at Club Euphoria about two weeks ago," Rachel continued, her words coming out in a rush now. "And I saw Liam there... with Sophie. Your sister."
The world seemed to tilt for a moment, and I gripped the edge of the shelf to steady myself. Rachel, mistaking my reaction for shock, hurried on.