Chapter 182″Elodie, I really didn’t expect you to be this good to me,” the voice on the other end of the phone said, filled with gratitude. “You’ve been wronged because of me, and I’m so touched.”

Elodie, lying on her bed, brushed it off casually. “You don’t need to thank me. If someone bullies my friend, it’s like they’re bullying me. Of course, I’ll stand up for you. That’s what friends do—stick together, no matter what.”

Her friend was almost tearful. “I only vented to you, but you really took it to heart. I feel so lucky to have someone like you in my life.”

This was who Elodie had always been—loyal to a fault. Sheltered and pampered her whole life, she’d never encountered the darker sides of human nature. When her friend confided in her about being mistreated, Elodie’s instinct was to defend her, consequences be damned.

Even after today’s fallout with her grandfather, she had no regrets. If faced with the same situation, she’d act the same way again.

The two friends talked for a while longer, exchanging stories and frustrations. The more her friend vented, the angrier Elodie became. People could be so cruel, she thought, her indignation keeping her awake long after their call ended.

When Norah got home, she set about her usual routine: removing her makeup, taking a shower, and carefully hanging her dress in the closet. She admired it one last time before shutting the door. Though she might only wear it once, she liked knowing it was there, a memento of the evening.