Claire's POV
I already felt guilty about how I had acted during the last meeting. It was reckless and only made Susan's accusations about my character seem true. So, I kept my head down and let them say whatever they wanted.
But when I heard Evander's voice, my heart skipped a beat. I looked at him, hoping for him to look at me even for a bit, but he didn't spare me a glance. His focus was entirely on the people ahead of him.
Then there was Eliam. He glanced around the room, his gaze wandering until it met mine. My heart lifted, and I felt a flicker of excitement. But just as I was about to smile, he ignored me completely.
What was wrong with them? I hadn't done anything wrong, had I? I stood there, waiting for even a glance, but Eliam kept looking everywhere except at me. It felt deliberate as if he was intentionally avoiding me.
