[Aiden's POV]
Ansel raised an eyebrow, a smug smile creeping across his face. He held up the pair of glittering high heels as if they were a trophy. "Nice to see you too, Aiden. These?" He waggled the shoes. "They're a gift for Claire. Thought she'd look stunning in them, don't you think?"
My blood pressure spiked. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that decking him outside a crystal shoe store would probably make the evening news. "Stay away from Claire, Ansel."
Ansel chuckled, leaning in closer. "Why? Afraid she might dump you for me? Or is it that she already has?"
I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to wipe that smirk off his face. "She's not interested in you. We've been over this."
He laughed again, this time more condescending. "Oh, I see what's going on here. Playing the dutiful boyfriend, are we? How noble of you, Aiden. But let's be real—does Claire know you’re head over heels for her, or are you still hiding behind this charade?"