Macy nodded obediently. "I know, Sloane."
As the Sterling family guests continued to arrive, Sloane ushered everyone inside to take their seats.
No one mentioned Claire out loud, but the private whispering was unavoidable.
If that guy wasn't her boyfriend, then who was he?
And who in their right mind would two-time someone when they already had such a gorgeous boyfriend?
Wasn't she terrified it would all blow up in her face?
Others secretly admired her audacity, admitting that if they possessed Claire's stunning looks and talent, they'd probably juggle a few billionaires themselves.
The moment Claire and Dane stepped into the elevator, she dropped his arm. Dane shot her an amused look. "You seemed pretty natural holding onto me just a second ago."
Claire rolled her eyes. "I was just doing you a favor by blocking a potential admirer."
"Don't tell me you didn't notice the way she was looking at you. She was practically drooling."
As for whether she had any selfish motives of her own... absolutely not!
Even if she did, she would take it to her grave.
She couldn't stand Sloane.
The girl was entirely too fake.
If Sloane actually managed to hook up with Dane, Claire would be thoroughly disgusted.
She always followed her instincts.
Since she didn't like Sloane, she was going to nip that little crush in the bud.
If Dane actually liked the girl, he could go chase her himself.
Claire wouldn't care.
"Are you annoyed that I interfered?"
Claire continued her own monologue. "If I knew you were going to be ungrateful, I wouldn't have been so nice."
"Should I take you back down and officially introduce you?"
Dane finally lost the battle with his amusement and reached out, gently flicking her forehead.
"I said one sentence, and you managed to spin a whole narrative out of it."
"What are you even rambling about?"
"Didn't you just say you were going to be late? And you still have the energy to worry about someone else?"
Dane hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention to what Sloane looked like, but the moment Claire had looped her arm through his a faint smile had tugged at his lips.
When they reached the fifth floor, Claire didn't invite Dane inside.
"Aren't you running late too? I can go in by myself. Go on."
Dane stared at her. "...Did you major in burning bridges at university?"
Despite the exasperation, he couldn't help his fondness for her. He let out a resigned sigh and headed to his own dinner.
Claire watched him walk away before stepping into The Starry Lounge.
The waiter who had been escorting them had quietly slipped away the moment he recognized Dane.
Dane had waved him off.
The VIP elevator opened directly onto the fifth floor. Members had their own keycards and didn't need escorts hovering around.
As soon as Claire walked in, she spotted Yolande in a pink tiered dress, accompanied by her younger brother, Sebastian.
"Claire!"
Yolande rushed over to greet her, while Sebastian trailed behind, holding a small plate with a mini cake on it.
Claire already had a deeply ingrained psychological trauma regarding Sebastian's baked goods.
"Claire!"
"Stay back!" Claire pointed a warning finger at him.
Seb, of course, ignored her entirely.
He approached with a mischievous
n°
grin. "Claire, I made this cup
with my own two hands And
lemon-flavored this time!"
Claire immediately went on the defensive. "Then what flavor is it?"
"Passion fruit! Just look at the texture, and smell it."
Claire leaned in cautiously. The cake was a pale yellow, beautifully garnished with real passion fruit seeds. It looked incredibly
professional Combe nee
FindNovel.net
The presentation was flawless, and it gave off a tantalizingly sweet and tart aroma.
Visually, there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.
But Seb lived for pranks!
"It looks great, but I'm really not in the mood for anything sour today." Every fiber of Claire's being screamed rejection.
The bright smile on Seb's face withered before her eyes.
"Come on, Claire. I spent all night making this," he whined.