“Incidentally, Miss Marshall, you are markedly distinct from Townsend's first love."

“Miss Marshall, you exude an aura of gentleness and sweetness, whereas Townsend's former flame was a truly fierce woman. Interestingly, she possessed remarkable skills at piloting motorboats."

“You see, CC was Townsend's first love. I thought Miss Marshall might be curious and want to see for herself."

Could Kayla have been fabricating stories?

Claudia had never met Bennett before they got married.

How could she be his first love?

“Um, Bennett, did you ever have a first love?" Claudia asked.

What she really wanted to inquire was whether she was his first love, but the question seemed too self-absorbed. So, she settled for a more generalized question.

After a moment of hesitation, she finally summoned the courage to ask him about his first Love.

“What do you think?" Bennett returned the question back to her.

Just as Claudia was about to respond, her phone buzzed inside her bag.

“It could be Amalia," she told Bennett.

Bennett assisted her in loosening her backpack straps, and she fetched her phone.

Sure enough, it was a call from Amalia.

Calls from Amalia usually meant urgent news.

Claudia promptly answered, “Hello, Amalia?"

"CC, where are you? The organizers reached out. There's a dinner event tonight, and a sponsor wants to meet you. Can you make it?"

Instinctively, Claudia glanced at Bennett before replying, “I don't think so. The sponsor isn't backing me personally, so I won't attend.”

Amalia paused for a beat before saying, "But..." She then seemed to recall something and stopped herself.

“Fine, I'll let them know you won't be attending. Also, you've caught the Internet's attention-you're trending in multiple discussions! Seems like people are discovering you're not just a pianist but also a motorboat racer!"

Claudia felt her cheeks warm. "I haven't had a chance to check Twitter yet."

She had been so preoccupied that she hadn't had the chance to check twitter.

“It's fine. The buzz will likely last until tonight. I won't disturb you further, but do remember to join us for a group photo later,” Amalia said, chuckling.

Claudia usually skipped the dinners but never missed a group photo. Before her identity became public knowledge, she'd return to her hotel after competitions and reappear Later wearing a mask.