Chapter 170: Wouldn’t Dare
Caroline perked up instantly at Diana’s words. After glancing at Claire and Frederick dining in the restaurant downstairs, she tiptoed back to her room.
“What do you have planned for her, Diana? Claire is so manipulative! She’s not the Prescott family’s princess for nothing. All those years in prison just made her even craftier.”
“I can’t keep up with her games. She puts on one face for me and another for Frederick. She even makes a point of telling me every little detail about their time together.”
“She’s nothing but a shameless bitch. Diana, it’s killing me. It’s not even about my feelings for Frederick anymore! My heart breaks for Anna.”
“Every time I think about how she murdered Anna in cold blood, how brutally Anna died, and now she’s got her claws in Anna’s man—it makes my blood boil.”
“God, I wish I could teach that snake a lesson. But you know my situation. I’m only here at Halfmoon Manor because of that fake schizophrenia diagnosis you helped create.”
“I’m no match for her. And tomorrow’s party is hosted by the Prescotts. She used to be their golden child, their precious princess, and Madam Prescott still takes her side.”
“What can you really do? Be careful! She might already have something planned. Don’t let her set you up or cause a scene at the party.”
“Maybe we should just drop it. Poor Anna. If she could see all this from beyond the grave, she’d never rest in peace.”
Though Caroline had no idea what Diana might do at the party, she deliberately kept stirring the pot with her provocative words. She pretended to tell Diana to let it go, claiming it was for her good, but every sentence was carefully crafted to provoke Diana further, using Anna as an excuse.
“Drop it? That’s impossible! Don’t worry, Caroline. She might have been the Prescott family’s little princess once, but that crown fell off four years ago when the truth about her identity came out. She’s nothing to them now.”
“Why else would they let her rot in jail? Even with Madam Prescott backing her, there’s a limit. You can’t unquestioningly support someone in the public eye when they’re clearly in the wrong.”
“I have to act now. If I let things continue between her and Frederick, it’ll be too late once a kid enters the picture.”
“Caroline, I’ve got it all planned out. Even if we can’t get rid of Claire completely, we can definitely drive a wedge between her and Frederick. I’ll make him sick of her until he throws her out himself.”
Diana knew how to pull this off. Between her time in high society, the Hawthorne family’s indulgence, and her frequent visits to bars and clubs, she had these tricks down to a science. As the Hawthorne family’s princess, she’d never lacked male attention, making her quite the expert in these matters.
“Really? Diana, what’s your plan? Tell me everything!”
Caroline could barely contain her excitement at Diana’s words. She was dying to know Diana’s scheme and couldn’t wait to see Frederick look at Claire with pure disgust. Yet, she couldn’t help but worry. In her eyes, the Hawthorne heiress was dumb as rocks. Or else Caroline couldn’t have played her like a fiddle all these years. She just couldn’t shake her unease.
“Caroline, you can rest easy this time. It’s absolutely foolproof.”
Diana was brimming with confidence. As luck would have it, she’d just received a message from Gregory Marlin—notoriously creepy trust-fund kid from their social circle who’d been chasing after her for years. He’d asked if she’d be attending tomorrow’s Prescott family party, where he’d be making an appearance after returning from abroad. It was the perfect opportunity if everyone at the gala were to catch Claire and Gregory in bed together!
Then, not only would Frederick drop her like a hot potato, but even Elizabeth would wash her hands of her.
“Alright, just watch your step. I can’t exactly waltz into a Prescott party to back you up. Two heads are better than one, you know? But this time, you’re flying solo.”
Worried about Diana’s approach, Caroline cleverly maneuvered her way into being included in the plan.
“No, you can come too. I can bring you in with me.”
Diana, not knowing Caroline’s true nature, thought she made a good point—two heads were better than one.
“Really? That’s fantastic! Tell me about your plan.”
Caroline perked up immediately when Diana agreed to include her.
“Let me tell you…”
The two began plotting over WhatsApp, with Diana being careful not to let her parents, Nathan and Jane, overhear anything. Caroline, mindful of being at Halfmoon Manor, figured texting was the safest option. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Downstairs, Claire picked at her dinner, preoccupied with thoughts about tomorrow’s outfit, utterly oblivious to how Caroline was manipulating Diana. She never would have guessed that at that very moment, Diana and Caroline were plotting to make their move at the Prescott family’s gala. Claire was convinced they wouldn’t dare try anything at the Prescott event—it was her home turf, after all.