CLAIRE'S POV
She stood frozen, eyes wide, cheek blazing red where my hand had landed. For a moment she looked stunned—then her shrill voice burst out.
“How dare you!” she snarled.
I rewarded her with a mocking look. “How can you be so stupid? I wasn’t finished. I said I’d hate to dirty my hands by hitting you. But if you keep pushing me… that’s another story.”
Her face flushed deeper, rage tightening her jaw. She looked seconds from lunging, but I knew she wouldn’t risk losing face.
At that moment, Isabella finally stepped in to defend her sidekick.
“Claire, how can you talk like that to Sophie? You don’t even show Mr. Scott respect. What do you want him to think of you?”
Her tone was sweet enough to fool anyone who didn’t know her. But I knew her game—use others as paw
