Chapter 336
Chapter 336: Are Mr. Vanderbilt and Julia Together Now?
Their coordination was seamless, communicating through just a glance without uttering a word. Cassic Palmer watched, dumbfounded, her mouth agape. Such synergy couldn't be developed overnight.
Her eyes widened in surprise as she asked Claire, "Are you two so close that you can just hand over your room key like that?"
Claire, slightly annoyed, rolled her eyes and pulled Cassie towards the elevator. "What's the big deal? Sean and I have been living together for a long time. Such trivialities don't require secrecy."
Cassie shook her head, muttering under her breath, clearly unhappy. She had already felt low at Frederick's, and now she was being fed a dose of PDA. Life was so unfair!
Once they reached the bustling shopping street, Cassic showed no interest in exploring, Claire noticed and led her straight to a supermarket. Shopping for snacks always cheered up girls!
As they browsed the various treats, Claire filled their cart with snacks she hadn't tried before. Soon, the cart was overflowing, but Claire was still enthusiastic.
Suddenly, Cassic stopped and asked solemnly, "Claire, are Mr. Vanderbilt and Julia together now?"
Claire paused, turning to look at Cassie's disappointed face. She felt sympathetic but didn't. want to hurt either of her friends. She took Cassie's hand and spoke gently, "Although they aren't together yet, I can see Frederick treats Julia differently."
Cassie's lips pouted as she tried to retort but remained silent under Claire's sincere gaze. Finally, she huffed, "I've noticed it too. Frederick smiles at me, but he's especially gentle with Julia. And you know what? The last time we had drinks, he poured more for me than Julia"
Claire blinked, not quite catching her point. Was Cassic suggesting Frederick had special feelings for her?
As Claire puzzled over this, Cassie laughed and elbowed her playfully, "Are you silly? He poured more for me and less for Julia because he didn't want Julia to get drunk. To me, he didn't care as much."
Claire's face lit up with understanding, realizing Frederick's subtle tactics. She elbowed Cassie back, laughing, "So you got drunk that night?"
"Exactly!" Cassie grumbled. "After I got drunk, I had no idea what they did. That's when I realized, maybe in Mr. Vanderbilt's heart, Julia is different."
Claire shook her head, handing the cart to Cassic, then linked arms with her, continuing their shopping spree.
"They haven't crossed that barrier yet. I think Frederick might be concerned about the age gap with Julia. Let's give them some time," Claire Donovan said, not wanting Cassic to feel unnecessarily hurt. "I don't want you to be upset over nothing."
"I know!" Cassic Palmer lifted her head proudly, her eyelids flicking up in defiance. "Anyway, my main focus will be in Huaxia in the future. I won't see Mr. Vanderbilt much, so let's just say I don't fancy long-distance relationships. I'll leave Mr. Vanderbilt to Julia."
Claire admired Cassic's broad-mindedness. Being able to say such words showed that Cassic wouldn t blame Julia Sanders, nor would there be any rift between them. This made things much casier to handle.
After picking more snacks, they headed to the checkout. Cassie was reaching for her wallet when she suddenly caught a glimpse of someone. Her bright face darkened, her tone turning cold. "Claire, it's Luna Lyons!"
"What?" Claire was taken aback and followed Cassie's gaze. She saw Luna Lyons and Mia Ashworth standing together. The sight of them instantly stirred a sense of rivalry in Claire. "Talk about enemies on a narrow road!"
"It's not just a coincidence. Luna went abroad after that incident. I never expected to run into her here. The world really is small."
"It's not surprising. The Ashworths are also participating in this jewelry exhibition. Since she's Mia Ashworth's daughter, it's normal for her to be here."
As they were talking, Mia Ashworth, with Luna in tow, approached Claire and Cassic. Luna's gaze towards Claire had no hint of defeat but rather a kind of arrogant hostility. It was as if she had won their previous encounter.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
Cassie whispered to Claire, "I wonder where Luna gets her confidence, daring to come up to you like this."
Claire just shrugged, equally perplexed.
"Claire Donovan, what a coincidence meeting you here, even in a supermarket," Mia Ashworth remarked. She hadn't seen Claire since their last encounter at the hotel.
Claire responded politely, "Ms. Ashworth, quite a coincidence indeed."
"The coincidence is indeed surprising. We've been in the same hotel for days and haven't seen you. I thought you might not be attending the jewelry exhibition."
Their conversation seemed friendly to outsiders, but the underlying tension was palpable.
Claire smiled subtly, "With The Ashworth participating, how could Sinclaire Jewelry, being the leading brand in Iluaxia, not take part?"
Mia Ashworth's smile froze, her lips twitching as her face contorted into an expression of displeasure.