The room was thick with shock and whispers.


    No one expected that, of all people, Lambotte woulde locking for Reba.


    True blue always shines through.


    And how it put the pretenders in their ce!


    But then, in a twist straight out of a drama, Lambotte breezed past Reba as if she were invisible, making a beeline for Anthea. "Ms. Yeager, what a


    surprise to see you here."


    Anthea offered a small, knowing smile. "Mr. Lambotte, the feeling is mutual."


    There, in the midst of her grand entrance, Reba''s hand hung awkwardly in mid-air, caught in the embarrassing limbo of greeting and retraction.


    Her shock was palpable. Lambotte was here for Anthea?


    How did they even know each other?


    What in the world was going on?


    Reba''s face was a mask of disbelief.


    The crowd was equally stunned.


    Anthea and Lambotte knew each other?


    Moments ago, they were mocking Anthea, and now? Now, their faces smarted with the sting of their own ridicule.


    A nobody knows Lambotte?


    "Ba, let''s grab a drink, shall we?" Gloria whispered, sidling up to Reba and offering an out by changing the subject.


    With Gloria''s intervention, Reba''sposure found some footing.


    "Ba, how on earth does Anthea know Lambotte?" Gloria prodded


    Reba tried to y it off. "Well, my dad and Mr. Lambotte are quite close..."


    Gloria''s frown deepened, catching on quickly. "So, you''re saying Mr. Lambotte greeted Anthea just to save face because of your dad? That''s hardly


    fair to you. You''re the real deal, not her!"


    Anthea, the audacious one!


    Reba quickly tried to correct any misunderstanding. "Gloria, that''s not what I meant. Anthea... she''s actually quite kind..."


    Gloria snorted. "Ba, you''re the kind one. If Anthea had any decency, she wouldn''t be stepping on your toes. Wait here; I''ll set her straight.”


    "Stop, Gloria!" Reba pleaded, grabbing at her friend''s sleeve


    But Gloria was resolute, her sense of


    justice as straight as an arrow.


    "Ba, you might tread lightly, but I


    don I can''t stand to see you )


    wronged. Leave it to me. '' Content


    ~~


    With that, Gloria picked up a wine ss and made her way towards Anthea, who was in deep conversation with Lambotte.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    "Ms. Yeager, I received your design.


    proposals’st night. They''re brilliant,


    truly indine with our brand Rh


    phsophy. I''m confident theyll be a


    hit, “Lambotte was saying.


    ~~


    Anthea raised her ss in thanks when suddenly...


    Crash!


    Gloria barged into Anthea, spilling wine all over her.


    Anthea, quick as ever, managed to save herself from aplete disaster, but her dress bore the brunt.


    "Can''t you watch where you''re going?” Anthea''s frown was sharp, her patience thin. Even a fool could see Gloria''s move was deliberate.


    Lambotte was rmed. "Are you alright?"


    Anthea simply shook her head, indicating she was fine.


    "Oh, terribly sorry, I just didn''t see," Gloria''s voice dripped with insincerity.


    "Didn''t see?" Anthea raised an eyebrow. "You couldn''t find anything else to bump into?"


    Her challenge drew the crowd''s attention, turning the incident into a spectacle.


    Gloria yed the victim, her eyes welling up. "l really didn''t see, Ms. Yeager. I''m so sorry.”


    Reba, seizing the moment to


    y peacemaker, chimed in witha


    smile, "Anthea, everyone makes


    mistakes. Gloria has apologized.


    Let’ snot make a mountain obit of a


    melehill shall we?"


    t&" id


    The crowd nodded in agreement, admiring Reba''s grace and poise.


    True blue, indeed.


    As the praise washed over Reba, she soaked in the vindication, slowly reiming her spotlight.


    Anthea, unfazed, responded in kind, dousing Reba with her ss of wine.


    The room fell silent, waiting for the next move in this unexpected drama.