Even though she had a desire to put Kayla in her place, Claudia didn't wish to outshine or embarrass others.

Since she hadn't won the championship, Claudia sidestepped the spotlight, pushing the actual winner forward. "I'm not the champion this year. You should be talking to her," she stated, redirecting the reporters' focus.

Once the group photo was done, Claudia made her way off the stage. The general planner of the competition intercepted her.

“CC, are you going to skip out on the Lunch party again today?"

Yet Claudia's focus was nowhere near the general planner. Instead, her gaze was fixed on the man standing behind him.

Claudia had anticipated this moment but still felt disoriented when it actually occurred.

Bennett was in the crowd, standing seven or eight meters away from her, locking eyes with her.

Caught in his stare, Claudia had Little concern for offending the staff member. "I'm sorry, my husband is waiting for me," she stated definitively.

With that, she lightly moved past the man and rapidly approached Bennett among the spectators

“Husband? CC, when did you get married?"

The man was bewildered, but before he could elaborate, Claudia was already gone.

On an impulse, the man turned to catch up but stopped in his tracks. Claudia was already embracing a striking man, trophy in hand.

Hold on!

That man seemed familiar.

The man was savvy and well-connected, and while he had no direct ties to someone like Bennett, he certainly knew of him.

He'd never crossed paths with Bennett in business circles, but here he was at a motorboat race of all places.

And what had Claudia just said?

That he was her husband?

What's going on? Are people maintaining such a low profile these days? He thought.

Taking in the sight of Claudia in Bennett's arms, the man silently abandoned the pursuit.

How could he even think to vie with Bennett for Claudia's attention? Never!

The seven or eight meters to Bennett felt like a marathon for Claudia. Her nerves didn't settle until she was enveloped in his arms.

The crowd was buzzing again, first from her mask falling and now from her plunging into the arms of a man.

Claudia's face flushed, a rosy hue extending down to her neck.