Claire had been standing just inside the foyer, watching the drama unfold.
Since Skylar and Lex were holding their own, she hadn't rushed to intervene.
But Preston's sheer audacity had pushed her over the edge.
What gave this arrogant jerk the right to show up at his ex-fiancée's party and insult her guests?
The Dalton family clearly lacked basic etiquette.
Why hadn't Professor Dalton taught his grandson some manners?
The moment Zoe spotted Claire, she looked like she wanted to scream.
She had been playing the role of the innocent, concerned aristocrat in front of Skylar
and Lex, but all pretenses vanished the second Claire appeared.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped, abandoning her sweet facade.
"Isn't it perfectly normal for me to be here? I'm Zara's friend. Of course, I was invited."
"The real question is, what are you doing here? Didn't you steal her fiancé?"
"And you actually brought him to her birthday party?"
"Let me guess, you aren't here to celebrate. You're here to ruin her night, aren't you?"
Claire's rapid-fire delivery left the couple completely speechless.
Even the Zeller family butler was now glaring at them with blatant suspicion.
Zoe panicked and scrambled to save face. "That's a lie! We came to wish Zara a happy birthday."
"She and Preston broke off their engagement ages ago, and Preston and I are just friends!"
"Zara doesn't care about that anymore."
Zoe absolutely despised Claire, especially after learning that Claire had secured a man of such terrifying power and wealth.
The jealousy burning in Zoe's chest was a suffocating wave of despair, threatening to consume her.
"Oh, you're just friends? How incredibly sweet," Claire mocked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"But did anyone actually invite you?"
"No? You just showed up uninvited to harass her guests?"
Zoe's face flushed with humiliation.
She knew damn well Zara didn't want her there.
But how could she pass up an opportunity to humiliate her cousin in front of the city's elite?
"Ms. Claire, whatever is going on between me and Preston is none of your business."
Claire let out a sharp scoff. "Then
how my roommates got here, or et
whether Zara sent a car for them absolutely none of yours."
"Do you get off on being a busybody? Do you just love stirring up drama?"
"You—!" Zoe choked, stunned by Claire's sheer ruthlessness.
Before Zoe could formulate a comeback, Zara marched out the front doors.
"Tell her!" Zara cheered, clapping her hands as she walked down the steps.
"I was just wondering why you guys texted the group chat that you were outside but hadn't come in yet. Turns out, we had a couple of pests blocking the entrance."
Zara didn't spare Zoe a single ounce of dignity.
Zoe's expression crumpled.
Playing the tragic, misunderstood victim,
she whined, "Zara, I was only
can you be
looking at for you blow as so cruel?"
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"Today is your birthday. Preston and I went out of our way to get you a gift—"
"What kind of gift?" Claire interrupted seamlessly. "A front-row seat to your pathetic little romance?"
Zoe was rendered completely mute.
Preston glared at Claire, disgusted by her toxicity.
How could she speak to Zoe like that?
"You have no idea what you're talking about. Zoe spent weeks planning for Zara's birthday."
"Are you really going to let one snarky comment ruin all her hard work?"
"And you, Zara—I only showed up today out of respect for Zoe. You should be thanking her."
"If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have even bothered coming!"
Claire was genuinely astounded by Preston's lack of self-awareness.
If she was this disgusted, she could only imagine how Zara felt.
Zara didn't hold back. "Thank her? I'd rather thank a brick wall!"
"Get the hell out of my house. Nobody wants you here!"
Preston froze in shock.
He still hadn't grasped reality, blindly believing Zara was still desperately in love with
him.
He thought he could leverage her broken heart to get away with murder.
It had never occurred to him that Zara was completely and utterly over him.