Chapter 7 I was just worried about you
613 Words
"What did I do wrong?"
In the room, Claire was sitting casually on the couch. Her hoodie was tossed on like she didn't care, but she still looked completely composed.
Across from her, two guys holding playing cards looked a bit edgy in style, but they were bundled up tight—nowhere near the kind of sketchy look you'd expect.
The scene was totally off from what everyone had imagined. People froze, stunned speechless. Claire, on the other hand, smiled calmly and scanned the room, finally settling her gaze on Serena.
"Well? Go on, tell everyone what terrible thing I've supposedly done."
That one look made Serena shiver.
When did this country bumpkin get such a terrifying aura?
Wasn't she always the cautious type, super scared of being kicked out of the family, afraid to even speak up? She'd just been meek as a mouse downstairs—and now this? Who the hell was this person?
And those two thugs she'd prepped to corner Claire—how come they were just chilling, playing cards with her like it was a tea party?
It was insane. She stared in disbelief at the scene in front of her.
But the truth was right there for everyone to see—Claire, perfectly fine and holding cards, like a slap in the face that stung even harder.
While Serena was still reeling, Elena pushed her way through the crowd.
"Claire, what on earth? Why's the dressing room such a mess? And why are you in here playing cards with people like them? Even if you didn't want to go to Serena's birthday party, you didn't need to cause a scene like this!"
Serena immediately picked up the cue, putting on her best wounded expression. "I'm so sorry, sis. I just freaked out. You were taking forever up here changing, and when we came in, the room was a mess, and we heard… Also, you haven't officially divorced Nelson yet…"
Just like that, the accusations started flying again, trying to drag Claire through the mud.
So what if they didn't catch her in the act?
She'd been in that room way too long, with two guys, locked in there! Who knew what had actually gone down?
Seeing people's expressions get sketchy again, Serena acted all flustered, like she was trying to clear Claire's name.
"I didn't mean it like that, Claire! You were up here for ages, I just got worried, swear!"
The whispers in the crowd grew louder.
Serena grabbed Nelson's arm in fake panic. "Nelson, it has to be because you got her dress size wrong! She's mad, that's why she's not coming down. Just talk to her, comfort her somehow! I swear, it's not what everyone's thinking!"
Nelson calmly pulled his arm back, his sharp gaze fixed on Claire. He didn't say a word, but his clenched jaw and dark expression said plenty.
Unlike the tense energy brewing from everyone else in the room, Claire looked completely at ease.
She finished shuffling the cards and tossed them on the table, then leaned back with one leg crossed, grinning at Serena.
"So what, Serena? Are you seriously saying I did something shady in here?"
Her blunt tone and chill attitude suddenly made it all seem like a dumb misunderstanding.
Maybe she really was… just playing cards?
Serena panicked for real now. "No! That's not what I meant. I was just worried you'd been upstairs too long, and something might've happened…"
"Oh, worried about me, huh…"
Claire gave a lazy nod, before her tone turned cold.
"Then care to explain why, under the excuse of letting me change, you locked me in here—with other people?"
- Writer
