Chapter 161

Claire saw someone charging straight at her. She didn’t even have a chance to

speak before the girl raised her hand, aiming a slap right at Claire’s face. The crowd around them gasped in shock. But Claire moved fast. She caught the girl’s wrist in midair and, cool as ever, slapped her right back.

“Who are you?” Claire asked, her slap sharp and echoing. The noise got everyone’s attention. People leaned in, clearly ready for the show.

“You seriously don’t know who I am?” The girl-Vera-shouted, her voice shaky and on the edge of tears.

That’s when Claire recognized her. Vera looked nothing like she had a few days ago. Her face was pale, her eyes red and swollen, hair wild and messy. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days.

“Oh, it’s you. What happened?” Claire asked, honestly confused.

Everyone nearby was watching closely, hungry for gossip. Vera was kind of a big deal at school. People either wanted to be her or wanted to see her fall. Today, it was definitely the latter.

“Leo’s breaking off our engagement! Does that make you happy?” Vera yelled, tears streaming down her face.

Claire rubbed her ear, trying to recover from the volume. “Wait, who’s Leo p>

“Don’t pretend you don’t know! You’re always flirting with guys, and now you’re acting innocent? Leo and I were engaged since we were little, but last semester he confessed to you. Did you forget that? And what about what you said in the bathroom? Or are you just so jealous you had to ruin things between us p>

Claire blinked, completely lost. She didn’t even know Leo and Vera were engaged.

“If you two were engaged, then you’re together. Why Claire paused, glancing at Vera’s stomach. So she was pregnant with someone else’s baby? That takes some nerve.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen! I was drunk, okay?” Vera’s voice shook with anger and shame She felt like someone must have set her up, but she’d never admit that out foud, not in front of Claire “Whatever did, it’s my business. Why did you have to take those. pictures and send them to Leo’s parents p>

Vera was trembling, barely holding it together. Not only had Leo’s parents called off the engagement, but her own parents were furious. Their families had been

connected by business for years. Vera had always assumed she’d marry Leo one day. Now everything had blown up in her face.

Her dad had even slapped her, yelling at her for being reckless. She’d only told her parents she got drunk and didn’t remember what happened, not the whole story about partying with guys she barely knew Her parents

Pad gone to the ole

family to apologize, called off the engagement, and even had to pay a big settlement. They were beyond angry-almost broken by the scandal.

Vera knew she’d messed up, but instead of taking the blame, she aimed all her anger at Claire.

Claire frowned. “Believe what you want, but I didn’t do it p>

“If it wasn’t you, then who else? You’re the one who said ” Vera stopped, but Claire already knew where this was going.

“Let me get this straight. First, I don’t have time to sneak around taking pictures of you. I’m busy. Second, are you sure I was the only one who knew? Weren’t your friends there tear third, don’t even care abouty Leo, so what would I gain from ruining your life? You seriously think I broke up with York just so I could chase after Leo and marry into the Cole family p>