The Santiago and Dreskin families had a close relationship, and if it weren't for the appearance of Claudia, the one standing beside Bennett now would have been Zaria.

But Zaria didn't feel unhappy that her future husband was snatched away.

It was clear she had a deeper fondness for Claudia than for Bennett.

“I haven't seen you for a long time, Cece!"

Hiking up the hem of her dress, Zaria rushed over like a gust of wind before clasping Claudia's arm tightly.

If she hadn't been holding a glass of champagne in her hand, she might have attempted to embrace her when greeting Claudia.

Bennett gave Zaria a warning look.

Zaria glared back at him, defiant, and tightened her grip on Claudia's arm.

“I've been abroad recently and just haven't had the time to catch up. I missed you so much!"

Claudia's face flushed when she heard the latter part of Zaria's words. However, she was happy to see her.

“It's nice to see you again!"

It had been over a month since their last encounter.

The last time Claudia was in a competition, Zaria rushed there, only to find that it had already ended. She felt bad for missing it and insisted on giving Claudia a bag to compensate as a measure of goodwill.

Her persuasive nature made it difficult for Claudia to refuse her offer, and she chose a modest bag. When she arrived home in Linmarsh, she found a neatly wrapped parcel with a note from Zaria already delivered and waiting for her on the doorstep.

Following that, Zaria would occasionally send her Links to bags and jewelry, usually in the early morning.

It was always the following morning when Claudia read the message from her and replied. After some time, Zaria's texts became fewer, and they didn't talk much.

As a waiter passed by with a tray of glasses, Zaria grabbed a glass of juice and offered it to Claudia, saying, "Here, Cece, have some juice. You know you're a light drinker, so let's skip the wine."

Claudia felt embarrassed. She hadn't expected that even Zaria knew she couldn't handle alcohol well.

"Do you have any shows coming up? I didn't have time to see your last one and missed it." Zaria completely ignored Bennett and began to chat with Claudia.

Claudia shook her head.

"No."

The arrival of Zaria drew many curious gazes toward Claudia, their expressions revealing a mix of surprise and intrigue.

Everyone in the business circle knew that Zaria had great discernment in her choice of friends. When the Dreskin and Santiago families considered uniting through marriage, they didn't anticipate that Claudia would suddenly appear, getting married to Bennett.

In a way, Zaria and Claudia were love rivals, and one would expect Zaria to be hostile towards Claudia.