Chpater 445 
Henry stormed off in a hurt, leaving the crowd next door stifling their laughter. 
Watching a well–known philanthropist and a respected noblewoman argue so intensely was quite a sight, Charlie’s face even flushed as he struggled to hold back his amusement 
From the adjacent room, the crash of Hailey flipping a table echoed, prompting a waiter to rush in for cleanup. Only then did laughter erupt. 
“I never imagined that old hag would almost start cursing!” Lyra shook her head as she savored the drama. “Gossip has never been this juicy. None of the past scandals even come close. 
Lyra turned to Marve and asked, “So, with this fiasco, Clara’s chances of joining the Brooks family are pretty much zero, right?” 
Maeve raised an eyebrow. “With things blowing up like this, Hailey will never accept Clara” 
Considering Nathalie’s background, she should have been the perfect candidate the right age, reputable family background, scholarly lineage, and her father a philanthropist 
Compared to the powerful Brooks family, she’d have been easier to manipulate. So, what really pleased Halley was Clara’s identity as Nathalie. 

Since Sergio had once been so fond of Clara, Halley might have assumed that with Clara pregnant, Sergio would eventually divorce Maeve. Unfortunately, this move severed Clara’s path into the Brooks family. 
A counterfeit socialite who isn’t easily controlled would never catch Hailey’s eye, especially since the Barnoz family humiliated her like this. It was like stepping on Hailey’s toes. 
The old–fashioned, highly dignified Halley would never take this lightly. After all, the Ramoz family dared to challenge her, it would be surprising if she didn’t find a way to retaliate. 
“Let’s eat.” In the meantime, Zion had meticulously deboned the fish and placed it in front of Maeve. 

Lyra, engrossed in conversation, didn’t notice this small gesture and asked, “But with all this drama, what about the baby Clara’s carrying? Sergio will be even less inclined to 
divorce you now.” 
“Conner will take care of the baby. As for Sergio..” Mentioning Sergio, Marve noticed Zion’s jealousy simmered. Even his movements slowed as if he was waiting for her next 
words. 
Maeve cleared her throat and said, “Let’s eat first. The food’s getting cold.” 
Marve focused on her meal while occasionally stealing glances at Zion. With perfect composure, he continued serving her food and handing her napkins from time to time. 
Feeling guilty,Maeve accidentally choked on her tea when Zion handed it to ber 
Charlie and Lyra exchanged puzzled looks at the tension between the two. 
That evening. Zion drove Maeve back to her apartment. When they reached the parking lot, zion opened the passenger door and took Maeve’s bag. “I’ll walk you up ” 
Marve’s breath caught as she got nervous. In the elevator, neither of them spoke. 
At her door, Maeve had just unlocked it and was about to burn on the light when Zion caught her wrist. He pinned her against the wall and leaned in to kiss her. 
In a pitch–black room with the door ajar, Maeve felt achill run through her spine, causing her to moan softly. 
With Zion’s hand around her waist, his warm palm radiated heat through the thin fabric. 
“Zion…” Marve’s face was flushed with embarrassment, but Zion gently pushed the door shut 
His voice was low. “So, that was the “show” you meant.” 
“Are you mad?” Maeve’s bright eyes held a touch of innocent guilt. “I hadn’t expected you to come.” 
She had only intended to watch the drama with Lyra. She hadn’t expected Charlie to be there nor anticipated the news would reach Zion so quickly.