CLAIRE
I let the phone ring. My finger hovered over the screen, trembling slightly, while Ethan's name flashed over and over like a warning signal. Julian stood beside me, his hand still on my shoulder, waiting.
"What do you think he wants?" I asked quietly, not taking my eyes off the screen.
"Does it matter?" Julian replied, his voice even.
The phone rang again, insistent and relentless. I thought about all the times I'd called Ethan after he threw me out, how every single call had gone straight to voicemail, how he'd blocked me without a second thought.
Now he was calling me, now he wanted to talk. My jaw tightened as anger flared hot in my chest.
"I want to hear what he has to say," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
Julian's hand squeezed my shoulder once, then dropped away
