Clara finally whispered, “Why would he do it? Why would Liam go along with her?” Her father shook his head slowly, eyes clouded with disbelief. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “That’s the part none of us can understand.” Clara’s father’s words hung heavy in the room. None of them could understand it. None of them could make sense of what they had witnessed.
“He didn’t even look happy,” her mother whispered at last, staring at the floor as though replaying every second. “Did you see his face? That wasn’t the smile of a man in love.” Phoebe leaned forward, her brow furrowed. “I noticed it too. He looked… tense. Like someone being pushed on stage without knowing his lines.” Clara’s breath hitched.