Part 2He Rejected Me on Our Anniversary, But He Doesn't Know I'm Dying

The mood in the room curdled.

Caleb and Liam went way back. No one could believe he’d call out one of his oldest friends for a girl he’d just started seeing.

After a stunned silence, Caleb scoffed. “You want me to apologize to her? Liam, what the hell is she?”

Liam’s gaze never left Caleb, but his thumb began to gently stroke the back of my hand. “Stella is my girlfriend. If you still want to call me a friend, you’ll apologize.”

I tugged on his arm, whispering, “It’s okay, really.” The last thing I wanted was for him to blow up a friendship over me. It would only make things worse.

But Liam just patted my hand, a silent command to stay quiet.

Caleb’s face flushed with anger. He shot to his feet, pointing a finger at Liam.

“Then what about Annabelle? What was she? She’s been gone six months, and you’re already showing off some cheap replacement!” he spat. “Have you forgotten how she died?”

Liam’s grip on my hand became a vise. The pressure was so intense I thought my bones would snap. I winced but didn't dare make a sound.

His face, however, remained a mask of calm. “Stella is Stella. Annabelle is Annabelle. Don’t compare them,” he said, his voice flat. “She’s gone. I have to move on.”

His bluntness silenced the entire room.

My own heart felt like it had been squeezed in a fist. Tears pricked my eyes again.

Liam, however, simply wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to my feet.

“Don’t invite me to things like this anymore,” he said to the silent table.

“It upsets Stella.”

From that day on, I had a reputation in his circle.

They all said Liam Carter had found a girl who was a dead ringer for Annabelle.

And that he was spoiling her beyond all reason.