I smiled and explained, "I've been staying on the east side of the city lately. It's faster to take a cab."
Mrs. Lambert didn't say anything, just tightened her grip on my hand, then pulled me down to sit beside her.
The room buzzed with classmates greeting each other and presenting gifts, the atmosphere lively and warm.
After a few glasses of wine, someone started joking around. "Out of all of us, Jeffrey really has the best luck."
"A genius everyone envied back in school, then made a fortune in business, and even married a sweet, understanding heiress."
Someone pointed at Laura with a grin.
"Look at that—not only does he have a devoted wife at home, he's got a beauty by his side at work too!"
Laura, mid-motion placing food in Jeffrey's bowl, paused her chopsticks and shot the speaker a mock-angry glare.
"What do you all know? Jeffrey is my boss—my meal ticket! Of course I'm going to suck up to him!"
"Besides, I don't think Jeffrey's luck is all that great. If we're talking lucky, that's Jill."
"She's a real trophy wife now. All she has to do is tend her flowers and play with the dog at home, and she's got money to burn. No in-laws to serve, no one nagging her about having kids! Talk about picking the right stock back in the day."
As she finished, a few classmates around the table chimed in with agreement.
I kept my head down, eating in silence.
Mrs. Lambert set down her chopsticks gently. She was still smiling, but her voice had turned several degrees cooler.
"That's not quite fair to say."
"Back then, Jill stretched every penny to help Jeffrey stay in school—all behind her family's back. If my grandson hadn't been her childhood friend, I never would have known that this pampered young lady sold off her treasured handbags and collectibles online just to scrape together money. She even gave up the competition spot her family had fought so hard to get for her—handed it right over to Jeffrey."
"Jill suffered quite a bit marrying Jeffrey."
The table fell silent. Someone let out an awkward laugh, trying to smooth things over. "You're right, Mrs. Lambert. We didn't know any of that. Spoke out of turn."
Laura picked up a piece of braised pork with her chopsticks, still smiling, her tone innocent.
"But if Jeffrey hadn't saved Jill back then, she wouldn't be where she is today."
In the silence that followed, Jeffrey finally spoke up. "Alright, enough. It's Mrs. Lambert's birthday. Let's not keep talking about me."
He raised his glass, inviting everyone to toast together.
I took a quiet sip of wine, my mind drifting back to that summer when I first started school.
The car my driver dropped me off in must have been too flashy. Behind my back, people started spreading disgusting rumors about me.
That I was being kept by some older man.
Even the new student teacher started making veiled jabs at me during class.
One day after the bell rang, all my classmates scattered, and I sat alone at my desk, crying softly until the sky grew dark.
When I finally got up to leave, I discovered that someone had locked the door from the outside.
I didn't understand why everyone was treating me this way. Fear and hurt welled up inside me, and I broke down sobbing.
When the drunk security guard followed the sound of my cries and peered through, I thought I'd found my lifeline.
The door swung open. The middle-aged man's hand crawled disgustingly along my arm.
I screamed and bolted. The sound of footsteps chasing me nearly shattered my courage.
Until I stumbled into an embrace that smelled of fresh soap.
It was Jeffrey.
He couldn't afford a dorm, so he'd set up a makeshift bed in the school's storage room.
His classmates helped keep his secret. The teachers turned a blind eye.
The boy who had always seemed so cold and aloof—in that moment, he was the most solid, dependable person in the world.
He chased the man away for me and called the police.
It wasn't until he helped me into the ambulance that he finally spoke.
"Stop crying. If you're ever out late again, text me. I'll come get you."
That was how we exchanged numbers.
And how our story began.
The memory drew a bitter smile from my lips.
I still didn't understand how we'd ended up here.
The wine had gone to my head. I excused myself to find the restroom.
I never expected to pass the smoking area and hear Laura's tittering laughter.
"Did you see her face just now? I almost died."
"After all these years, she still has no idea you're the one who told us to lock that door, Jeffrey."
I froze. Ice crawled up my spine, and my knees nearly buckled.
His voice carried a note of weary resignation.
"Don't keep bringing up the past. I was young and stupid."
"Oh, please. Don't tell me you still feel guilty? You hated her constant crying back then too. Dating her, marrying her—you've basically thrown away half your life on her."
"Exactly. Our Jeffrey had girls lining up for him back then, and look at him now. If you ask me, she made out like a bandit."
"Hey, what do you think would happen if I messed with her again? Would she still be as fun as before?"
Jeffrey cut her off instantly.
"I'm warning you—don't even think about it."
"Okay, okay, we get it..."
Their voices grew closer. When the door swung open, tears had already blurred my vision—but I could still make out the smile that hadn't quite faded from Jeffrey's face.
It vanished into panic.
"Jill..."
