Chapter 1193
She wanted to see Claire completely break down.
But Claire didn’t.
It was certainly unexpected news. So that was the real reason Felix had been stalling the divorce all along.
However…
He had already surrendered twenty percent of his shares to her the last time they spoke. He had given her far more than what his grandfather’s will demanded. Madeline was just blissfully ignorant of that fact.
Yet here she was, parading that will around like it was her trump card. If she found out Felix had already signed over twenty percent, would she spontaneously combust right here in the hallway?
“Right, got it,” Claire said, waving her off casually. “You’re dismissed.”
Madeline didn’t get the shock or the breakdown she was hoping for. Instead, she was the one losing her mind. “Did you not hear a single word I just said?”
“I heard you, I heard you,” Claire said, her patience thinning as she waved her away again. “Go play somewhere else.”
“Or go find your precious Felix. Just stay out of my way.”
With that, she walked off without a backward glance.
Madeline stomped her foot in pure frustration. “Let’s see how long you can keep this act up!”
Meanwhile.
Padgett Novak had sought out Noreen Gilmore to discuss the summit’s agenda, naturally touching upon a few directives from the higher-ups.
Just as they were wrapping up, Padgett’s secretary walked in carrying a bright pink lunchbox. Seeing the container, Padgett paused the conversation and reached out to take it.
He was about to set it aside when the secretary spoke up. “Your wife specifically instructed that you must eat your meals right on time.”
“I know,” Padgett replied.
The secretary hesitated, clearly sitting on more instructions but holding back because Noreen was present.
Noreen was just about to politely excuse herself when Padgett asked, “Did she have any other orders?”
The secretary yielded. “She also said if you don’t eat on time and take care of your health, she’s making you sleep in the study.”
Noreen had to fight back a smile. Padgett’s wife sounded incredibly entertaining. Padgett offered an awkward, throat-clearing cough.
Taking the cue, Noreen stood up. “I won’t keep you from your meal any longer, Mr. Novak.”
“See Ms. Gilmore out,” Padgett instructed his secretary.
Before turning to leave, the secretary added, “Oh, Mr. Orion Sterling has arrived. He said he’ll be over shortly.”
Padgett gave a brief nod.
The secretary escorted Noreen out. After thanking him, she made her way back toward the main banquet hall.
As she walked, a faint, unsettling sensation crept over her. It felt as though a pair of eyes was boring into her from the shadows.
She stopped and glanced over her shoulder. The long corridor was well-lit, yet it suddenly felt strangely suffocating.
Shaking her head, Noreen convinced herself she was just being paranoid and quickened her pace.
Not long after she left, a figure stepped out from an alcove. He was young, perhaps twenty-six or twenty-seven, and undeniably handsome.
He possessed striking, slightly upturned eyes that normally belonged to a charming playboy. But his irises were as dark and
fathomless as ancient wells. When
he looked at someone, his gaze was thirty percent casual scrutiny and seventy percent cold, calculating intent.
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He stared in the direction Noreen had gone, a faint, razor-thin smile curving his lips.
When Noreen returned to the
ballroom, she immediately spotte
Claire and Wilbur Though they were standing together, they were barely interacting.
Noreen approached them, thoroughly amused. “Why do you two look like complete strangers? It’s not like you haven’t.met.” They were both extreme extrovert usually the life of any party.
“We don’t,” Claire denied instantly. “We’ve already talked about everything we needed to.”
It was a blatant lie.
Since crossing paths tonight, they hadn’t exchanged more than ten sentences. Mostly because they had absolutely no idea what to say to each other.