Chapter 380 For Clara, He Doesn't Care About Dignity
Dimly lit bar.
Dione hung up on Desmond for the third time, her patience wearing thin. Her friend leaned in.
Violette handed Dione a drink, casually asking, "Who's been blowing up your phone?"
Dione frowned, taking the drink. "An ex-date."
Violette perked up, sitting straighter. "An ex-date? The one who dared to hit you?"
She couldn't help but glance at Dione's face. Even in the bar's dim light, the slap mark was visible.
Dione noticed Violette's gaze and frowned. "I hit him back way harder."
Though she had returned the slap with interest, the fact that the mark was still there reminded her that Desmond hadn't held back.
Anger flared up again, and she downed her drink.
She had seen Desmond's invitation text earlier but chose to ignore it.
She didn't know why he was reaching out now, but she had no intention of responding.
Her dad had said the Boleyn family needed something from them, so she could do as she pleased.
Even though her dad had given her the green light, she hadn't openly expressed her disdain for Desmond.
After all, if not Desmond, her dad would just set her up with someone else.
But the next guy might be harder to handle than Desmond.
Violette was about to say something when Dione's phone lit up again. "Dione, if you don't want to answer, let me do it. I'll give him a piece of my mind!"
Dione, slightly tipsy and distracted by the bar's loud music, didn't catch what Violette said. "What?"
Violette grabbed the phone, saying, "Dione, I'll handle this!"
Before Dione could react, Violette answered the call.
Desmond, relieved to finally get through, was about to speak when he was met with a barrage of insults. He froze, confused.
Realizing the voice wasn't Dione's, he asked, "Who are you? Where's Dione?"
Violette laughed, ready to continue her tirade, but Dione snatched the phone away and hung up.
"Dione, why'd you hang up? I wasn't done! Guys who hit women deserve to be yelled at!"
Violette looked at Dione's still-visible slap mark, feeling both sympathy and anger.
"Why bother?" Dione knew Violette's temper and handed her another drink. "Let's just drink."
Violette reluctantly took the drink and asked, "What's going on, Dione?"
Dione thought for a moment before recounting the events. She had stood Desmond up and didn't want to see him now.
Violette had a different take. "Dione, if he waited this long to call, he probably didn't show up either!"
Violette never hesitated to think the worst of men when defending her friends. And this time, she was right.
"Exactly! If he were really upset, he'd have blown up your phone the moment you didn't show!"
The more Violette talked, the more sense it made, and Dione started to believe her.
Seeing Dione's growing conviction, Violette urged, "Dione, if he calls again, ask him directly!"
Dione reluctantly agreed.
Sure enough, Desmond called again.
Dione took a deep breath and answered. "Why didn't you show up?"
Desmond was taken aback. He had assumed Dione hadn't shown up either. Why was she asking this?
His first instinct was to explain. "Something came up. I'm sorry, Ms. Saunders."
His response confirmed he hadn't shown up.
Violette, listening in, couldn't help but comment, "See? He stood you up! What a jerk! Standing you up and then blowing up your phone?"
Desmond realized he had been tricked, but didn't care.
He was calling to apologize to Dione anyway.
As long as Gabriel was satisfied, he could ask him for a kidney donor.
Thinking of Clara, Desmond swallowed his pride. "I'm sorry, Ms. Saunders. I called to apologize."
Dione laughed. "A phone apology? I don't hear any sincerity."
Violette chimed in, "If you're serious, come apologize in person!"
Desmond hesitated for a moment before asking, "Ms. Saunders, where are you? I'll come to apologize in person."
He could tell Dione was in a noisy place, likely a bar. Apologizing in such a setting wouldn't be too humiliating. For Clara, he could endure this.
Dione and Violette exchanged a look. Encouraged by Violette, Dione gave Desmond the bar's address.
After hanging up, Violette said, "Dione, watch me. I'll make sure he regrets this!"
Dione knew Violette was up to no good but wanted to see Desmond embarrassed. She raised her glass to Violette.
"All yours."
They clinked glasses and shared a conspiratorial smile.
Meanwhile, at Starhaven Airport,
A woman stepped out.
Confident and striking, she immediately caught someone's attention. They hurried over.
"Ms. Kate, welcome back!" The person greeting her had an air more akin to a mobster than a businessman.
Emma glanced at him, uninterested.
The man didn't mind and continued, "Ms. Kate, heading home? The car's over there."
Emma paused, smirking. "Why go home? Take my luggage. I'm meeting friends."
She wasn't back for her brother's funeral. She was here to spend money.
As the daughter of the Kate family, she knew that with her brother gone, the family's vast empire in Starhaven would eventually be hers.
Not just because she was a Kate, but because of the family's strict patriarch.
With the outcome already decided, why bother trying? She could live as extravagantly as her brother had.
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