The dinner event was held at a private club in the city center.
The moment we walked in, nearly every gaze in the room landed on Daniel.
A few people immediately approached with wine glasses in hand, smiling eagerly.
Daniel remained indifferent, replying only occasionally, yet even that was enough to leave the others visibly flattered.
Clearly, his status in this circle carried far more weight than I had imagined.
Standing beside him, I naturally became the subject of everyone's scrutiny as well.
I kept a polite smile on my face while silently cursing him several times in my head.
Just then, a middle-aged man hurried over and whispered something into his ear.
Daniel frowned slightly before turning to me. "Wait here for me for a bit."
Without thinking, I asked, "Will it take long?"
He glanced at me as though surprised by the question. After a brief pause, he answered, "Not long."
With that, he left with the man.
Just as I was about to sit down and rest for a moment, a sharp female voice sounded behind me.
"I thought I was seeing things. Turns out it really is you."
I turned around.
Ryan's sister, Grace Cooper, stood a short distance away with a wine glass in hand, the mockery in her eyes completely undisguised.
I looked at her calmly. "Do you need something?"
"Need something?" Grace repeated as if she had heard a joke, walking closer with her glass.
"My brother's only been dead a few days, and you're already clinging to another man." She sneered. "Claire, you really have no shame."
Her voice was loud enough that several nearby guests instinctively turned to look.
"Ms. Cooper," I replied without even lifting my eyes, "didn't the Cooper family already cut ties with me?"
Grace's expression stiffened slightly.
I looked straight at her and continued word by word, "Back then, your mother was so terrified I'd touch the Cooper family's inheritance that she could hardly wait to throw me out that very day. Since all of you were so eager to distance yourselves from me, who I spend time with now has nothing to do with you."
The smile on Grace's face began to crack.
"You..."
"You came here tonight just to watch me embarrass myself, didn't you?" I curled my lips faintly. "Too bad. You're going to leave disappointed."
Before she could say anything else, I noticed the hand holding her wine glass lift slightly.
So the instant the red wine came flying toward me, I had already stepped aside.
The wine only brushed past the edge of my dress before splashing all over Grace's own skirt and shoes instead.
Several startled gasps immediately broke out around us.
Grace looked down at the mess covering her clothes, her face turning bright red.
"What are you so smug about?" She glared at me viciously, hatred filling her eyes. "You're the one who killed my brother! You cheating little bitch!"
Seeing that I stayed silent, Grace seemed to regain some confidence and opened her mouth to continue.
A cold, low voice cut through the air.
"Are you done?"
Everyone turned toward the voice.
At some point, Daniel had returned.
He stood a few steps away, his expression terrifyingly cold.
His gaze swept over me from head to toe, and only then did his expression ease slightly.
Grace's face turned ashen slightly, but she still forced herself to speak. "Mr. Carter, this is a matter within the Cooper family. It has nothing to do with you."
Daniel cut her off, his eyes falling to the hem of my dress. "That glass of wine stained her gown. Pay for it."
The moment those words fell, the entire room went silent.
Grace glared at me as though she wanted to tear me apart on the spot.
Everyone knew that going against Daniel would only humiliate her further.
In the end, she gritted her teeth, pulled a card from her purse, and practically threw it into the waiter's hand. "I'll pay for it!"
After saying that, she turned and stormed away, fury radiating from her retreating figure.
For the rest of the evening, I could barely remember how I made it through the dinner at all.
The only thing echoing in my mind was Daniel's cold command from earlier. "Pay for it."
Was he standing up for me?
Why?
By the time we finally left the club, the cool night wind eased the heaviness in my chest a little.
Daniel opened the car door for me. "Get in."
I did not refuse this time and bent down to get into the car.
The car pulled away from the club as rows of city lights slid backward outside the window.
I originally thought he would drive me to the address I had given him the other day, so I closed my eyes to rest.
But when I opened my eyes again, I suddenly realized something was wrong.
The intersection ahead and the twenty-four-hour convenience store by the street were sights far too familiar to me.
My back instantly stiffened, and I sat upright.
"You..."
Daniel's expression did not change. His eyes remained on the road ahead. "What is it?"
"Why did you drive here?" My voice tightened immediately.
The car came to a smooth stop downstairs.
Daniel finally turned to look at me. "Claire."
My breathing faltered.
"Why?"
