Chapter 170: Probing Conversations

Claire Grace stayed silent for a long time, struggling to recover from her shock. The person on the other end of the call clearly wasn't pleased by the delay. 

"Come on, Claire, you don't have to take that long to process, even if you're surprised. This is an international call! If you still can't figure it out, I'll just hang up," the voice threatened playfully. 

"Wait, wait, don't hang up!" Claire hurriedly stopped her. "You're Sarah, right?" 

"So, you do remember me after all? You've practically erased the sound of my voice from your memory," Sarah teased. 

"You've got some nerve saying that!" Claire snapped, the frustration she had been holding back spilling out. "Who was it that disappeared without a word? Over a year, Sarah! You were gone for over a year and acted like you vanished off the face of the earth—no calls, no texts. I treated you like my best friend, but you treated me like I was nothing! Now you decide to contact me like nothing's happened?" 

"Why so angry?" Sarah sounded slightly taken aback. "I never forgot about you. You're still my best friend, Claire. That's why I'm calling to let you know before I come back to the States. Otherwise, do you think I'd waste my time making this international call?" 

"Wait, what did you just say? Coming back? International call? Where are you right now?" Claire demanded. 

"France." 

"France?! You're in France?!" Claire's voice shot up in pitch, catching the attention of passersby outside the store where she stood. 

"Yes, France. What's the big deal? You sound shocked." 

"Shocked doesn't even begin to cover it!" Claire exclaimed, her head spinning. She remembered Sarah leaving with Blaine Jackson last year, and as far as she knew, Blaine's entire family had moved to France. That connection alone was enough to throw her for a loop. 

"Why are you so shocked? Explain," Sarah urged, lazily reclining on her sofa as she waited for Claire to continue. 

Instead of answering, Claire fired back a question of her own. "Are you with Blaine Jackson right now?" 

"Claire, have you developed X-ray vision over the past year? How else could you possibly know that?" Sarah teased. 

"Don't be ridiculous. Do you think I'm as oblivious as you? It's obvious. So, what's the deal with you two now?" Claire pressed, her tone sharpening. 

Sarah's voice turned cautious. "Why are you asking? Where are you right now? Is anyone else around? Or has someone been asking you about me?" 

Claire rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You're firing off so many questions at once—how am I supposed to answer? No, there's no one around. I'm alone in the store, pretending to sing to the air. Happy now?" 

She certainly wasn't going to tell Sarah that Lucas Zeller, their company president, had just been asking her about Sarah earlier. That would ruin her plan to "betray" Sarah at the perfect moment. 

"Fine. Just promise me you won't tell anyone at the company that I'm coming back—especially not...you know who." Sarah hesitated, the weight of unspoken emotions clear in her voice. 

"What's your relationship with Blaine, though?" Claire ignored Sarah's request entirely, sticking to the question that mattered most to her. 

"I'm starting to think you've got a crush on Blaine. Why else would you be so insistent about this? If you like him, I can play matchmaker for you. He's actually a great guy." 

Claire exploded. "What?! What part of this makes you think I'd like him? Let me make this crystal clear—I'd rather become someone's second wife than end up with that man! He's the last person I'd ever fall for!" 

Sarah chuckled at Claire's fiery reaction. "I didn't realize you disliked Blaine so much." 

"Blaine?" Claire latched onto Sarah's slip-up. "Didn't you used to call him 'Master Blaine'? Funny how you've dropped the formalities. Don't tell me there's nothing going on." 

"That was then. I'm not as childish as I used to be," Sarah replied lightly. "Anyway, my flight's the day after tomorrow. Let's talk more when I'm back." 

"Wait, where are you staying when you come back? Don't tell me you're still planning to live with Blaine," Claire probed, her concern evident. 

"This trip is to help Blaine relaunch his cosmetics brand. I'll continue being his assistant, so it's likely we'll live together. What's wrong with that? We've done it before," Sarah said nonchalantly. 

"But you're both single adults. People will gossip. Why not move in with me instead? I live alone—it'll be safer," Claire suggested, already envisioning the perks of having Sarah around. Maybe Lucas would even reward her loyalty with a raise. 

"We'll figure that out when I get back. I really don't care who I live with. Now, I need to rest. Don't slack off at work—bye!" 

Sarah hung up abruptly, leaving Claire frowning at her phone. 

"Unbelievable," Claire muttered. Sarah had sounded exactly like the boss's wife, chiding an employee for laziness. And the subtle mentions of Lucas? There was no way she had forgotten him. 

Claire smirked. Sarah's return presented the perfect opportunity to "betray" her—to prove her loyalty to Lucas. 

Quickly scrolling through her contacts, Claire searched for Lucas's number, only to find it wasn't saved. Annoyed, she moved to call Tara, their HR lead, to ask for it but hesitated before hitting dial. 

A scheme began forming in her mind. Something this critical deserved a personal visit to Lucas. Not only would it avoid Tara misinterpreting her intentions, but it would also show Lucas how "loyal" she truly was.