"If you lack basic motor coordination, there's probably something wrong with your head. Are you sure you shouldn't go to the hospital for a checkup?"
Several girls stifled their laughter.
Zoe had obviously faked that fall just now, yet Preston was the only one who actually took her seriously.
They had originally thought Claire was going to pull up the security footage to expose Zoe's lie, but instead, she went straight for insulting her intelligence.
Zoe's expression soured terribly.
Preston instinctively looked at her.
"I just lost my footing!" Zoe argued, nearly biting her own tongue in frustration.
If she couldn't explain this away, she would forever be labeled as the girl with a screw loose!
Zara chose that exact moment to twist the knife. "Zoe has been randomly tripping and falling since we were kids. Maybe there really is something wrong with her head."
"Could it be a brain tumor?"
"If you really have a tumor, then I forgive you for constantly throwing yourself on the ground in front of me and letting me take the blame for it.”
Whether it was their family members or the boys outside, everyone always blamed Zara whenever Zoe took a tumble.
Zara was used to it by now.
But this time, Claire had offered her a brilliant new perspective.
Zoe looked like she was about to cry. "I am perfectly healthy! I get a physical every year!"
"Did they check your brain?" Claire asked coolly from the sidelines.
Well, no.
Who checked their brain during a routine physical?
She wasn't eighty years old.
Zoe choked on her words.
"I study medicine, and I highly recommend you go get a thorough neurological exam."
“Are you absolutely sure your brain is fine? Why do you suddenly lose the ability to stand whenever you're in front of Zara?"
“If it's not a physical issue, we need to start considering a psychiatric one.”
Claire spoke with absolute conviction.
Zoe finally realized she had met her match.
"There is nothing wrong with me! Not physically, and definitely not mentally!"
Zoe wanted to scream.
Yet Claire simply gave her a look of profound tolerance. "I know. Most people refuse to admit when they have a problem."
"But hiding your illness from a doctor is a dangerous game."
"I advise you to seek treatment early. You need to accept reality."
Claire sounded so deadly serious that it was hard not to genuinely wonder if Zoe had a clinical issue.
For her birthday this year, Zara had only invited a select group of friends over to the house.
She had made sure all the adults were out of the way.
Because of that, she didn't have to worry about anyone stepping in to defend Zoe.
Only an idiot like Preston would willingly walk right into the line of fire.
"Zoe, why don't you head to the hospital right now? Your lapdog-oh, I mean Preston is right here. He can, dive you. Cofftent belongs FindNovel.net
Zara put on a sickeningly sweet 'I'm for your own good'
doing thi
expression, and it made Zo
vomit blood.
If word got out that she had a mental defect, she could kiss her chances of marrying
into a good family goodbye.
“Preston.” Before the argument could escalate, another voice cut in.
A car had pulled up, likely just passing by the estate.
“Reid?” Preston froze, clearly not expecting his older cousin to be off work at this hour.
Reid lived on his own, not too far from the Zeller estate.
Preston visited often and occasionally crashed at his cousin's place.
When Reid was busy, he rarely came home.
He didn't really micromanage Preston when he dropped by, either.
Seeing Preston on his way past, he had simply stopped to say hello.
Noticing the girls standing there, Reid rolled down his window and gave Zara a polite nod.
Zara immediately beamed. “Reid!"
She liked Reid infinitely more than she liked Preston.
Mostly because Reid was entirely immune to Zoe's pathetic little mind games.