Chapter 167 - The Truth Always Finds Its way
Emma hovered over her phone, thumb poised above the screen. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with unspoken tension.
"Are you sure about this?" Chris asked for when he saw how Emma was hesitating.
Emma nodded. "Yes. People deserve to know the truth." She glanced at Claire. "But more importantly, you deserve to be free from this burden. This is the way. I'm only hesitating not because I'm unsure about this but because I'm thinking of a better caption to use."
Claire took a shaky breath. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts—fear, anxiety, and hope battling for control. What if they don't believe me? What if they twist the truth again? Even though she had made u her mind a while ago, she still couldn't help the doubts that circled her mind relentlessly.
"I'm scared," Claire finally admitted, her voice small.
Emma met her eyes with a determined gaze. "You have nothing to be afraid of. You told the truth. And I believe the world will see that."
With that, Emma pressed the post button after just using why I killed my prom date.
Everyone fell silent, their eyes fixed on the phone as she went ahead.
The seconds ticked by like hours. The video had just been posted, and nothing had happened yet. Claire's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a bead of sweat trickle down her temple.
"I don't know if I can do this," she whispered.
"You can," Ivy said, squeezing her hand. "You've already survived so much. This? This is just the truth finally coming out."
Suddenly, Emma's phone vibrated. A notification popped up.
"Someone commented," Emma said.
"Already?" Alex leaned in, eyes wide.
Emma opened the comment. The words appeared on the screen:
"Claire, you're such a strong woman. I can't believe you went through all that and still kept going. You're an inspiration to all the abused women out there."
Claire's breath caught in her throat. "They... they believe me?"
Another notification. Then another and countless of them.
The comments poured in:
"Nobody should ever have to go through what Claire went through. Stay strong, girl. We're behind you."
"The person who called her a murderer is disgusting. How could anyone judge her without knowing the whole story?"
"Sending love and comfort. You're a survivor, Claire. I would intentional kill anyone that does such to me."
Margaret wiped a tear from her eye. "They're standing up for you."
Chris stopped pacing, his face softening as he read the comments over Emma's shoulder. "See? People are on your side, Claire."
Claire felt the weight she had carried for so long begin to lift. The world that had once seemed so hostile now felt... kinder.
"It's not just a few," Emma said, scrolling. "More people are commenting. They're supporting you."
Ivy grinned. "The truth always finds a way," she said, thinking of how she'd found out about Hunter.
Claire's heart swelled with emotion. Tears pricked her eyes, but this time, they weren't tears of fear or shame. They were tears of relief.
"I never thought I'd feel this way," she said softly. "I never thought I'd feel seen."
"You deserve it," Alex said. "You deserve every bit of love and support coming your way."
Emma's phone buzzed again.
"I think the tide's turning," Emma said. "People are even calling out the original post that called you a murderer. They're saying the person should've gotten their facts first."
Claire let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. For the first time in a long time, she felt hope. Real hope.
Chris knelt in front of her, his gaze steady. "No matter what happens, we're with you. You don't have to face any of this alone."
Claire nodded. "I know. And that's what makes all the difference. Thank you for pushing me," she said and he shook his head before leaning in to plant a kiss on her forehead.
"I'll always support you and stand by you," he said softly, making Claire's heart swell with love.
As the comments continued to flood in, Claire felt something she hadn't felt in years—peace. The nightmare wasn't entirely over, but for the first time, she could see the light breaking through.
The atmosphere in the room had just begun to settle when Chris's phone rang, shattering the fragile quiet. He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen. His mother's name flashed across it.
"It's Mom," Chris announced, looking at Claire with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.
Claire tensed but gave a small nod. "Answer it."
Chris took a deep breath and swiped to accept the call. "Mom?"
"Chris," Elizabeth's voice came through the phone, uncharacteristically soft. There was no trace of the sternness she carried that morning. "I just saw the post. The one Claire shared."
Chris clenched his jaw. He wasn't sure what his mother's reaction would be, but the vulnerability in her tone caught him off guard.
"I..." Elizabeth faltered. "I didn't know. I had no idea what she went through. Chris, you have to bring her to the house. I need to talk to her."
Chris frowned. "Mom, I don't know if—"
"No, it's fine. I understand if she doesn't want to come, I mean, I shouldn't have even said that in the first place. Please, to talk to her and send me her address. I need to apologize properly."
On the couch, Claire's fingers tightened around Ivy's. Hearing Elizabeth's words, her heart raced. She didn't know if she was ready for this conversation.
Elizabeth continued, her voice breaking slightly. "I feel so terrible for even thinking for a moment that she was guilty. All this time, I judged her without knowing the truth. And I made it harder for her. I owe her an apology."
Chris hesitated as he glanced to Claire.
"Let me talk to Claire," he said softly. "I'll see what she wants to do."
Just as they were about to end the call, another voice came through the line.
"Chris, wait." It was Nicole.
Chris stiffened. Nicole's involvement in the original post had fueled so much of the misunderstanding.
"I need to talk to Claire too," Nicole said. "It's because of me that she had to relive all those moments. I didn't know the full story. I thought she killed Mathew just because he liked her, not because he attacked her or because he tried to abuse her."
Chris's hand tightened around the phone. "You should've asked before making assumptions, Aunt. I told you but you wouldn't....."
"I know," Nicole said, her voice filled with regret. "I was wrong. And now that I know what really happened, I can't keep quiet. I need to apologize—to her and everyone else. Please, Chris."
Claire's mind was a whirlwind of emotions. She thought of all the pain that had been stirred up because of that post. Nicole had been reckless, but now she sounded genuinely remorseful.
Chris looked at Claire. "It's up to you."
Claire's lips trembled as she processed everything. Part of her wanted to refuse—she had been through enough. But another part of her, the part that longed for closure, knew this might be a step toward healing.
"I'll talk to them," she said quietly. "As long as you won't leave me with them alone."
Chris nodded, flashing her a reassuring smile. "You won't be."
He turned back to the phone. "I'll send you the address. It better be that you're truly coming to apologize and not cause trouble."
Elizabeth and Nicole both agreed, their voices filled with gratitude that Claire was ready to hear them out.
As Chris hung up, the room fell silent again.
Claire exhaled slowly, leaning her head back against the couch. She felt drained but also a little lighter. Maybe this was the start of finally putting everything behind her.
The atmosphere in the sitting room had finally calmed, the tension from earlier conversations easing into a more comfortable stillness.
Claire was seated between Chris and Ivy, her eyes closed as she rested her head on Chris's shoulders. Everyone seemed to breathe a little easier now, though the weight of everything that had happened still lingered in the air.
Emma sat quietly on the far end of the couch, her hands folded tightly in her lap. She felt relief for Claire but was also lost in her own thoughts. Just as she started to relax, a sudden flicker of movement from across the room caught her attention. Jake.
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