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Part 1: When the Past Walks Back Into Your Family
The engagement party was held at an upscale restaurant, all warm lighting and polite laughter. My brother spotted me immediately and pulled me into a hug, glowing with happiness.
Nancy stood near the bar, champagne in hand, looking effortlessly polished. When her eyes met mine, a slow smile spread across her face.
“You actually came,” she said lightly. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
Her tone sounded friendly. But I recognized it instantly. The same voice she’d used years ago. Sweet on the surface. Sharp underneath.
Throughout the evening, she delivered her familiar routine.
“I love that you kept the same haircut,” she said with a smile. “It’s so… nostalgic.”
“I heard you’re still single,” she added later. “That must be freeing. No one expecting anything from you.”
At one point, when no one else was close enough to hear, she leaned in.
“Still the same,” she whispered. “I always wondered how you’d turn out.”
Something inside me hardened.
