"I hope you didn't have a difficult time staying alone abroad," Clarissa inquired.
A twinge of disturbing sensation stirred within him. He nearly flinched away but restrained himself as his jaw tightened.
He gently pulled her away, taking a step back.
"Yes, it was fun abroad," Zane replied.
Leah chuckled in delight. "You don't know how much Clarissa has missed you."
"What about me, Clarissa? Don't you miss me?" Noah chimed in.
Clarissa shot him a playful glare. "We've been seeing each other for months and years, but it's boring," she teased, prompting laughter from the adults and Noah.
Noah placed a hand on his heart, feigning a heartbroken expression. "You're hurting my pride, Clarissa. You should treat it better, like you do with him. Don't you think so, Auntie Leah?"
Leah smiled at Noah's pitiful expression. "How can she treat it better when you let other girls have it?" she teased, causing Noah to grin even wider.
Noah straightened his expression, reaching for Clarissa's hand. He gently took it into his grasp.
"What should I do to show you're my dearest friend? The one who matters?"
Clarissa felt her cheeks warming at Noah's tender words. He lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles, but her mother yanked her hand away before it could reach his lips.
"Don't act so intimate with Clarissa, otherwise people might misunderstand," Leah murmured.
Noah stepped back. "My bad. She's so beautiful tonight that I got carried away."
Zane was feeling out of place in the cheerful atmosphere. He turned around, intending to leave, but Clarissa was quick to stop him.
"Zane, wait!" Clarissa called out, and Zane halted in his tracks.
Zane raised a brow, confused by her sudden call.
Clarissa extended her hands, holding a small blue velvet box, and opened the lid to reveal a sparkling gold wristwatch.
"Please accept my gift. I hope it suits your taste."
Zane glanced at the wristwatch, and before he could voice his rejection, Noah took the gift from Clarissa instead. He turned his head to him, and his amber eyes, concealing deadly emotions, flashed at Noah's playful stare.
"Wow. You don't have to worry. You chose a great present for Zane. He appreciates your efforts." Noah muttered reassuringly.
Clarissa wanted to believe him but unease churned in her stomach about Zane's indifference. It felt so strong that she couldn't comprehend what had changed.
"I have other important guests to meet. Excuse me," Zane said, moving away from his spot while Noah tagged along.
The Everett family didn't know what tonight truly meant. But Zane did.
And when the time the music stopped, so would their illusions.
Leah turned to Clarissa and noticed how disturbed she appeared. Trying to lift her daughter's spirits, she said,
"Zane's flight may have exhausted him, and he may not want to reflect on personal matters right now."
Clarissa turned from his retreating figure and faced her mother. "I don't think he's exhausted. He's just being cold,"
Leah waved off her concern with a faint sigh. "Whatever it is, just get along with him. You two need to be close and understand each other very well. It's for the benefit of our family and Group." She advised me.
"So have fun, dear. Don't overthink it," Hudson added.
Clarissa nodded, exhaling with relief while she watched her parents leave her side to mingle with other elites.
Meanwhile, Selina's eyes remained on her father, Hudson, as a radiant smile graced her lips, seeing that he was in good shape. He looked happy as well.
She looked away from him, and her attention fell on her half-sister, Clarissa, waving at her across the room. She waved back while both of them were smiling genuinely at each other.
Clarissa stepped forward to approach her sister, but her mother's soft voice called for her nearby. She hesitated for a moment before heading to join her mother and the group.
Unbeknownst to Selina, three bossy young women from the left side were approaching, realizing that her presence didn't match their exclusivity.
As Selina lifted a delicious dessert to take a bite, someone yanked it from her hand, causing her face to contort in confusion.
The young women sized up Selina with scornful glares, noting she didn't fit their world of silks and diamonds; her presence was a smear in their curated perfection.
One of them remarked sharply, "Her scent is cheap, and everything about her is, too," prompting Selina to glance at their expensive attire.
One in the middle frowned, maintaining a condescending look directed at Selina. "You don't look like a wealthy lady. How did you get inside?"
Selina didn't utter a word because she owed them no explanation. She picked up another dessert and leisurely brought it to her mouth chewing.
The ladies frowned deeply seeing how nonchalant she looked about their presence.
"How dare she ignore us after stealing someone's invitation card just to come here and lavish the food here?!" One of them growled.
"Someone as respectable and influential as Mr. Zane would never associate with a low-life girl like you!" another girl spat bitterly, attempting to provoke Selina.
Selina just raised a brow at the trio of troublesome women. She picked up a glass of champagne from the piles of drinks nearby and took a sip before saying tediously.
"Why are you so bothered by an ordinary girl like me? I'm here to celebrate his return, same as you."
The middle one waved her hand dramatically in front of Selina's face, as if to ward off what she considered the stench of Selina's supposed lies.
"What relationship do you have with Mr. Zane that would warrant an invitation?" she interrogated.
Selina remained silent again.
"Who knows? She might be here to entice him into some transactional relationship that will elevate her pathetic life." Another girl sneered in response to Selina's silence.
"Unfortunately for her, we won't let her dirty trick work."
"We don't need to do anything because she's too ugly to even catch his attention."
They all chuckled.
Selina glanced past the girls, realizing that this conversation was harming her sense of belonging. A reminder of who she was, an illegitimate and estranged daughter from the Everett family without any social standing. No identity. No recognition.
And here are these women's shallow imaginations starting to prick her nerves. But, she needed to stay calm.
She reminded herself, forcing her boiling indignation not to spill. She clenched her fists, not because she feared them, but because one wrong move would reveal too much.