Margaret stood frozen in the doorway, her packet of biscuits trembling slightly in her hands. Her eyes were wide, as though she had seen a ghost, and the air between the three women thickened with tension.
"I—uh," Margaret started, voice tight, "I… I should go. I didn't mean to—"
Clara held up a hand, firm. "No. Don't go." She glanced at Lily, who gave a subtle nod. Clara turned back to Margaret, taking a deep breath. "You need to hear this too."
Margaret hesitated, unsure, then slowly stepped into the room. She set the biscuits on the table, her fingers lingering over the edge as if she needed the contact to ground herself.
Clara swallowed hard. "I… I was reborn," she began again, her voice trembling slightly, though steadier than the day before. "This is my second life. In my last life… I was used by this girl Laura. She controlled me, ruined me, ruined my marriage to Nathaniel, and… Lily… died in my last life."
