Deirdre said in a shaky voice, “Does anybody else loathe me as much as she does?”

As soon as she made the remark, Brendan felt incredulous. “Deirdre, I think you might be experiencing the delusion of persecution! She’s a very kind person, so how could she possibly loathe you! Besides, she has never badmouthed you to me. Do you think she has a reason to put you in harm’s way?”

‘A reason? Aren’t there always ample reasons for her to do so? It’s because I’m the one who saved Brendan. Because Char