Chapter 77 Party
Clara looked annoyed on the outside, but inside, she felt pretty smug. She knew Diana was here to pick a fight. Losing those three employees must've hit Diana hard. Clara didn't want to get into it, so she tried to leave, but Diana pushed her back down again.
Diana glared at her. "Why did Henry and the others quit? Was it you?"
Clara had been waiting for this. She put on her best innocent face and said, "What? Diana, weren't those three your handpicked hires? It's a shame they left so suddenly."
"Cut the crap! They were fine a few days ago, and now they just up and quit? Who else could it be but you?" Diana stepped closer, one hand on the back of the couch behind Clara.
Seeing Diana all riled up and not her usual composed self, Clara felt a rush of satisfaction. She shoved Diana away. "What are you doing? You think I did it? Got any proof? People quit jobs all the time. Do you have to ask me about every single one?"
Diana stepped back, instinctively covering her stomach, then pointed at Clara, lost for words. Clara noticed and her expression shifted slightly. She almost Diana was expecting; soon, it would be the baby's turn to feel the chaos.
Clara said, "Alright, Diana, I don't have time for this. I've got plans today, so I'm not gonna argue with you. But if you pull this again, just wait!" With that, Clara strutted out, leaving Diana alone in the office.
The employees had never seen Clara in such a good mood, and they all wondered what went down between the two.
Clara wasn't rushing home today. She hit up a makeup studio and got a fresh look. She slipped into a white feathered strapless mini dress. Checking herself out in the mirror, she felt pretty pleased. She was meeting Charles at Mirage Nights Club soon. She had Nathan to thank for this.
Ever since Diana booted them out, a lot of people in their circle had been avoiding them. Nathan tried reaching out to their old contacts, but either he couldn't get through, or they had a million excuses. It wasn't until the Spencer Group started bouncing back that people began to change their tune.
They didn't know Diana was also running the Spencer Group. They thought it was Clara and Charles's connections that turned things around. Either way, Nathan was back in the game.
Today, real estate big shot Jace Gibson was hosting a get-together at Mirage Nights Club, inviting a bunch of industry leaders, and Nathan managed to snag an invite.
Charles usually skipped these things, but Eugene talked him into it, plus Nolan mentioned that Billy would be there. That got Charles curious. With two big names at a party, some networking was bound to happen.
Billy spotted Charles and remembered the incident at Harmony Haven Estate. A look of disgust crossed his handsome face as he turned away, not wanting to even look at him.
The two sat far apart, avoiding any immediate drama. But there was always that one guy who didn't get the memo—enter Nathan.
Nathan raised his glass and toasted Charles, trying to be all humble. "Good evening, Mr. Percy, long time no see. Let me toast you." He downed his drink and flipped the glass to show it was empty.
Charles barely lifted an eyelid, showing zero emotion. He raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his drink.
Nathan was thrilled. Getting Charles to drink with him was a big deal. He'd purposely left out any mention of Diana, not wanting to tick Charles off. Looked like Clara had a shot.
Eugene, slouched next to Charles, was bored out of his mind. He thought the party would be fun, but it was just a bunch of old guys drinking and chatting.
Then Eugene noticed Billy across the room and got a bit interested. He nudged Charles. "Is that the guy from the Richardson Family? He looks pretty legit."
Charles frowned, annoyed. "I thought you only liked checking out women. Didn't know you were into men too."
Eugene's eyes widened. "I'm not into men. I just appreciate good looks. By the way, your ex-wife is looking pretty hot these days. She's even trending. Let me tell you—"
Nolan, lurking in the shadows, stepped out and pinched Eugene, cutting him off. Eugene was annoyed but then saw Charles's dark expression and shut up. He thought, 'What did I say to piss Charles off again? I only mentioned Diana briefly. They've been divorced forever; why does he still hate her so much?' Eugene grumbled to himself but kept quiet.
Just then, Clara walked into the private room. She moved subtly but stood out among the men.
Charles noticed her right away, especially her outfit, which looked a lot like what Diana wore the first time she came to Mirage Nights Club.
Most of the attendees were older businessmen, so no one had brought any companions. Clara's presence drew a lot of eyes. She felt her breath quicken under their stares.
In the dim light, Charles's seat faced the door. His eyes were cold, lips tight, and the shadow from his high nose bridge covered half his face.
His gaze locked onto Clara. She loved the attention from him; it made her blood boil. She walked up to Charles and softly said, "Mr. Percy,"
Eugene raised an eyebrow, glancing between them. He was surprised. 'Charles isn't into women, yet he brought Clara here?'
But then Charles's next move shattered that thought. He frowned, looked Clara up and down, and said coldly, "How come you get the invitation??"
His words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing all of Clara's excitement. She looked embarrassed but quickly pulled a document from her handbag. "I ran into Abigail at the office. She needed to deliver this but couldn't, so I brought it for her."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
