Grant didn't spare another glance for the pathetic heap that was Claire Covington , as if she were nothing more than a piece of trash cluttering his hallway . He turned , his gaze landing back on me . The icy fury in his eyes vanished , replaced by a formal , serious invitation . There was even a flicker of something I couldn't quite name ... hope ? " Ms. Vance ," he said , inclining his head slightly , his posture deferential in a way that was jarringly different from how he'd just addr- essed Claire . " Regarding our job offer , and the conversation we have yet to finish ... would you be willing to continue this in my office ? " In that moment , every single eye in the hallway - and every invisible one behind the floating comments - was fixed on me . I looked at Grant's outstretched hand . I glanced at the broken , sobbing figure of Claire , who was now staring at me with eyes full of pure , undiluted hatred . And I looked at the comments , which were finally starting to waver , to question , to splinter . The cold , sharp anger inside me had found its release . I took a single step forward , out of the office and into the bright , unforgiving light of the hallway , into the center of everyone's atten- tion . My back was ramrod straight . My face held no trace of triumph , only a profound , bottomless calm . My gaze moved like a searchlight , sweeping slowly over the pathetic form of Claire Covington , over the shocked faces of the other candidates , and finally , seemingly past them all , into the void where the invisible audience watched . Then , the corner of my mouth curved into the faintest of smiles - a smile so cold it would send Claire into a deep freeze and make the comments explode all over again . " Claire , I know you were reborn . And I can see them , too - these comments that have been your personal cheerleading squad . But you still lost . Because I didn't waste my last life . You , on the other hand , spent all your time blaming me for stealing your chances . And that's why you haven't grown at all . " Claire's face went bone white . Even the comments went silent . I didn't give her another moment of my time . I turned and walked back into the office with Grant Rhodes . Together , we would fix the regrets of our last life . And this time , I would shine brighter than ever before .