Chapter 367 367 Provoke
Therefore, instead of continuing to babysit her, he left her there to deal with his own troubles.
Unlike how it seemed, he was usually very busy as well with the businesses of the Smith family. Moreover, he had an additional duty as well to act as Zach's advisor in all matters political or otherwise. Zach was using him as an experience bank with unlimited withdrawal.
As soon as Bruce left, a sense of unease overtook Diana. There was a gut wrenching feeling deep inside her and she didn't know what to do with it.
Clara had already found the means to barge into the Smith family despite being an outsider. Even though the connection she had with Zach had already been cut off, she had still managed to find her way in.
Diana analyzed the situation and was certain that she couldn't stop Clara from interacting with Zach now that she had accepted the position as a teacher in the Smith family. She would have more and more chances to meet up with Zach and to be in close proximity to him. She would even have a reason to frequent his room if she wanted to because Zach would never say no to her as she was only here to help him out at his request.
This mortified her to no end. This meant that Clara could easily take her relationship with Zach to the next level, bypassing her completely, just like Christina had done.
While Clara was thinking of some method to keep Clara from advancing further towards Zach, Clara noticed her.
She turned towards her and smiled enigmatically as if she had already figured out what Diana was thinking.
Diana was surprised but she didn't show it on her face. She needed to show her determination as well.
Clara hurriedly said her goodbyes to the soldiers she had previously engaged in a hearty conversation.
It was in her nature to be impulsive.
Therefore, not a single soldier found it odd when she didn't even wait for their replies before marching towards Diana with an oddly light gait that made her seem like an otherworldly fairy walking on air for fear of dirtying her feet.
There was a friendly smile on Clara's face as she waved towards Diana enthusiastically. No one could tell from her demeanor if she really meant it or not, but her actions were sincere enough to put even Diana in doubt as to what her intentions were.
Diana didn't trust her eyes fully. She was extremely wary of Clara to begin with. Therefore, she didn't let the sight in front of her fool her and tried to look for any oddities in Clara's behavior in order to understand what she was thinking.
Clara greeted her with a genuine smile, a warmth in her eyes that seemed to extend beyond mere pleasantries. "Hello, Diana! It's nice to see you."
Her greeting lacked any of the defensiveness that Diana was harboring in her heart which irked the latter.
Diana immediately registered it as an anomaly because Clara was acting overly friendly, which was unlike her. The strain in their friendship had sustained ever since Diana found out that Clara was trying to win Zach's affection as well.
She felt disgusted by Clara's friendliness. To her, it felt like a facade, like a thin veil that was masking deeper intentions.
This perception bred a sense of revulsion, as she perceived it as nothing but a mask of hypocrisy. Clara's outward warmth clashed with the complex history and emotions that had built up between them.
Due to the nature of their relationship, no matter what Clara did, Diana took it in a negative perspective. Her logic had long since been twisted by her jealousy. She couldn't even imagine Clara doing something good.
Diana's perception of Clara resembled a tarnished mirror, reflecting a distorted image. Every interaction with Clara was seen through a lens of envy, warping even the innocent gestures into something sinister.
Even her sincere attempts at amicability were misinterpreted as veiled cunning, her genuine intentions clouded by Diana's suspicions. And before long, Clara's actions became like twisted shadows, devoid of any positive connotations.
A simple smile from Clara seemed, to Diana, like a taunt, and her friendly greetings were interpreted as acts of mockery. The negativity that Diana felt towards Clara had darkened her outlook, obscuring any chance for them to build a genuine understanding.
Therefore, despite Clara's friendly manner, Diana didn't even bother to give a response to her greeting. She deliberately turned her head away, pretending to be engrossed in a document she was holding, as if Clara's presence was inconsequential. The subtle gesture was a clear indication of her disdain for Clara, a disdain that was rooted in jealousy and rivalry.
She was about to turn around and leave when Clara leaned her head towards Diana's shoulder to whisper something in her ear. She wanted to convey a private message, something intended for Diana's ears only.
However, Diana interpreted even this innocent act as an intrusion. The mere proximity seemed to repel her, and she wanted to jerk away as soon as she felt her approaching closer, as if Clara's presence was contaminating.
It was a physical manifestation of the emotional barrier she had constructed against Clara.
At first Diana thought that Clara was trying to pull her in for a hug but then refuted that thought instantly. After all, it wasn't just Diana who hated Clara's guts. The latter didn't like her much either after she found that Diana and Zach were only husband and wife in name. Obviously, they didn't show it on their faces but being women who loved the same man, having differences was only normal.
As she had expected, Clara stopped just short of touching her ear with her face. She looked like she wanted to say something to Diana covertly so that others wouldn't be able to hear the words she was about to utter.
"I heard something recently. It shocked me so much that I have not been able to sleep properly for the past few days."
To others it looked like Clara and Diana were fast friends and were hugging each other while muttering friendly nothings to each other in close proximity.
Anyone witnessing such a sight wouldn't think that a war matching the Cold war in magnitude was actually taking place between the two at that moment.
"What's that got to do with me? Keep what you hear to yourself. I am not interested in your childish games."
Diana belittled Clara without holding back in a similarly low voice with a smug smile on her face.
"I would normally but I couldn't help but want to share it with you. After all, you are the main star of this exciting piece of gossip I heard."
Diana was intrigued at first, but she pushed down her curiosity forcefully. Women were curious creatures by nature and have an inherent urge to figure out all kinds of mysteries, but Diana felt like she had to suppress this urge so as to maintain an upper hand in her interaction with Clara.
"Did I somehow give you the impression that I would be the least bit interested in whatever you have to say to me? If so, I apologize but nothing you may have to say can arouse my interest."
Diana was about to celebrate an early victory over Clara when the latter decided not to pull her punches.
"I heard that you have yet to sleep with Zach. The moment I heard it, I was so excited that I just HAD to share this with you as soon as possible. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep it in without rubbing it in your face?"
Clara's words were like molten lava seeping into her body through her ears. Every inch of her body and soul burned in anger at having her secret revealed; and that too in front of her rival in love.
Clara's lips curved into a smug smile, her body language subtly exuding triumph. It was a silent victory, but one that made her feel powerful.
Meanwhile, Diana, with immense effort, maintained control over her temper. She could feel the heat rising within her, the urge to lash out almost overwhelming, but she held it back, forcing her face into a stoic mask. The battle of emotions was like a storm raging inside her, threatening to shatter the fragile composure she clung to.
Diana was shocked to say the least. Her feet were frozen to the spot. She even forgot to breathe properly in front of Clara.
"Count me surprised. I couldn't believe it when I heard it, but the proof was uncontestable. I can't believe that you had the audacity to act so smug when you have yet to take that last step."
Clara didn't hold back and mocked her to heart's content as if she wanted to provoke Diana into action.
So far, the only advantage Diana had against Clara was her position as Zach's wife in the eyes of society. Even though it was later revealed to be a cover for hiding the Smith family.
Despite that, Clara had been of the opinion that Diana just didn't have the status of a proper wife but was one in every sense of the word.
After all, she spent most of her time with Zach and was fiercely protective of him against all the other women. No woman other than a wife would probably go through all that trouble. Even if that woman wasn't a wife, she had to be physically intimate with him at the very least.
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