Chapter 95: The Zeller Princess

"Miss, you can't just barge in like this! If—" 

"And why not? Don't worry, your Mr. Zeller won't blame you. Where is he?" The blonde woman interrupted Claire Grace yet again, her tone sharp and impatient. 

"He's in the conference room for a meeting." Claire forced a polite smile, though inwardly she sighed heavily. *This woman is insufferably rude! Barging into the office without permission and constantly cutting people off? Unbelievable.* 

"And when will he be back?" The blonde tossed her bag onto Lucas Zeller's desk before spinning around and sinking into his plush office chair. 

"Miss, that's the chair reserved for the CEO," Claire said quickly, rushing forward. "Would you mind waiting on the sofa instead?" *Seriously? Sitting wherever you like the moment you walk in? And of all chairs, you pick the CEO's seat?* 

The woman gave Claire a dismissive glance, her tone dripping with arrogance. "I *like* sitting where he sits. Got a problem with that?" 

Claire froze. *What is this situation? Who *is* this woman? And why does she seem to have such a… peculiar relationship with Lucas?* 

"Hey, are you a secretary or just some errand girl?" The woman suddenly asked, narrowing her eyes at Claire. 

Claire tilted her head thoughtfully. *Technically, being a secretary involves a lot of errand work too… tough question.* She shrugged and answered nonchalantly, "Both, and neither." 

The woman sneered, letting out an exaggerated scoff. "If you're just some errand girl, then why don't you fetch me a coffee? Honestly, you're just standing there like a statue. How on earth did this company hire someone so useless?" 

"Coffee?" Claire blinked, hesitating. Making coffee required a trip to the break room, but— 

"Do you not understand English? Or are you just refusing to go?" The blonde snapped, her glare hardening as she reached for the phone on the desk. 

"I need to speak to Mr. Tao. Have him come to the CEO's office immediately," she said curtly after dialing a number. 

*Mr. Tao? She knows Tao Ran?* Claire thought, her curiosity piqued. 

"You must be wondering why I know Mr. Tao and seem so familiar with everything here, right?" The blonde raised a brow at Claire's puzzled expression. 

"Yes, Miss… may I ask who you are?" Claire ventured cautiously. *Could she be a former employee who was let go by Lucas and is now back to cause trouble? After all, Lucas's name might as well mean "layoffs" to the staff.* 

"You'll know soon enough when Mr. Tao arrives." The woman crossed her arms smugly. *Let's see how you react once you find out who I am. You'll be tripping over yourself to apologize and kiss up to me.* 

Claire's curiosity only deepened. Her imagination conjured wild scenarios of the woman as one of Lucas's ex-girlfriends—perhaps even a former employee—returning with a grudge. Something about her demeanor screamed "trouble." 

"Why are you staring at me like that? Are you mesmerized by my beauty?" The blonde flicked her long, golden locks dramatically, her voice filled with self-admiration. 

Claire barely managed to stifle a grimace, feeling secondhand embarrassment for the woman's vanity. 

"Your hair is… beautifully dyed," Claire offered weakly, forcing a polite smile. *I'm such a hypocrite. Thinking one thing but saying the opposite. Gross.* 

"Of course it is! I had it done overseas before coming back to surprise your CEO. He's going to love it." The blonde's confidence was unwavering, her grin broad. 

"Ah!" Claire suddenly exclaimed. 

"Are you crazy? Interrupting me like that while I'm talking? That's incredibly rude!" The woman scowled, clearly offended. 

"I-I think I know who you are," Claire stammered, piecing the puzzle together. 

"Really?" The woman's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Then tell me—who am I?" 

Before Claire could answer, a knock sounded at the door, and Tao Ran walked in, addressing Claire. "Mrs. Zeller, you called for me?" 

Claire winced, feeling awkward. "Mr. Tao, could you just call me Claire when we're off the clock? It feels so formal." 

The blonde's voice cut through the room like a knife. "Tao Ran, are you blind? Didn't you see me sitting here?" 

Startled, Tao Ran turned to look at the source of the voice. His expression immediately shifted to one of shock. 

"Ms. Zeller? When did you get back? Weren't you in the U.S.? Why the sudden return?" Tao Ran stammered, his surprise evident. 

"What, am I not allowed to come back from the U.S.?" The blonde huffed before turning her glare on Claire. "And this girl? Who on earth hired someone so useless? She can't even make a cup of coffee." 

Tao Ran gave Claire an apologetic glance before speaking carefully. "Ms. Zeller, if you'd like coffee, I'll make it myself. As for her—" 

"Who hired her?" the woman snapped impatiently. 

Tao Ran hesitated, clearly flustered. "Ms. Zeller… you don't know her?" 

"Why would I? Wait—don't tell me…" The woman's eyes widened, and her expression froze. 

"She's Mrs. Zeller," Tao Ran clarified, his voice calm but firm. 

The blonde stared at Claire, her jaw dropping as the realization hit. 

Claire raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smirk. *So, this is how I meet Lucas's little sister—Blaire Zeller. Well, what an entrance.*