Chapter 172

The crowd erupted in an uproar. No one expected Gilmore to invite Christine to dance instead of avoiding suspicion, and even more shocking was Christine's acceptance. Their interaction defied all expectations—bold, presumptuous, and, in the eyes of many, immoral. Gilmore and Christine, however, ignored the disapproval. Tobias, in particular, felt humiliated. Christine had earlier refused to dance with him, only to accept Gilmore's invitation—a blatant insult, in his opinion.

Spotting Claire nearby, Tobias approached her, indignation etched on his face. "Claire," he said, "your boyfriend is dancing with another woman. He clearly doesn't respect you. Are you okay with this?"

All eyes turned to Claire. Sympathy rippled through the crowd. Tobias is right, they thought. Gilmore is out of line! Many imagined dumping Gilmore immediately if they were in Claire's position.

Claire, however, remained calm. "I'm okay with it," she replied. She knew Tobias had previously framed Gilmore within the Palmer family using a video. Furthermore, Christine was Elaine's cousin, making Gilmore's invitation reasonable. He was also Christine's fake boyfriend. Claire felt no concern.

Tobias was dumbfounded. The onlookers were equally stunned. Why isn't Claire upset? they wondered. This is unbelievable! Tobias was furious, feeling utterly defeated.

Meanwhile, Gilmore and Christine gracefully moved to the center of the hall. He held her waist with one hand and her hand with the other; she placed her free hand on his arm. They danced to the music, their eyes locked on each other, oblivious to the surrounding crowd. Christine's dress flowed, her hair swayed; their affection was palpable. They were like butterflies dancing in springtime.

Even those who had previously scorned them found their dance beautiful. Young women murmured in admiration: "They're so good together!" "They're perfect for each other!" "I'm so touched!" They'd forgotten their earlier warnings to their partners. Women, after all, are emotional beings; touched emotions could override previous judgments.

Tobias's anger intensified with each admiring comment. He had intended to publicly humiliate Gilmore for supposedly cheating on Claire, but the situation had taken an unexpected turn. He noticed Denton, looking cold and seemingly furious. This, Tobias thought, was his chance for revenge. Claire doesn't care, he mused, but Mr. Carter certainly will.

Tobias approached Denton, bowing. "Mr. Carter," he began.

Denton glanced at him. "What is it?"

Tobias smiled. "Mr. Carter, Gilmore is being unfaithful to Claire. You shouldn't let this upset you; it's not worth it."

The onlookers nodded in agreement. Denton, however, asked with curious interest, "Mr. Weston, how did you know I was angry?"

Tobias was taken aback. Denton's questioning expression suggested he wasn't angry at all. "I saw your gloomy face," Tobias stammered, "and assumed you were angry about Gilmore dancing with another woman. Are you jealous of Gilmore's popularity with women?"

Denton's direct question exposed Tobias's scheme. "Then why spread rumors and cause trouble for him?" Denton asked, stepping closer.

Tobias denied spreading rumors. "Christine is Claire's cousin! Why call him a playboy?" Denton's aggressive stance left Tobias speechless, anxious, and sweating. He collapsed, pale and flustered, repeating, "I… I…"

Just then, a man intervened, "Tobias, stop this nonsense and leave!" It was Thomas Weston, Tobias's father. Two servants helped Tobias up and escorted him away. Thomas, with a smile, apologized to Denton. "Tobias was wrong; please forgive him." Denton responded, "I saw someone trying to sow discord and damage reputations; I had to speak up." Thomas agreed, pledging to reprimand Tobias.

Thomas had witnessed Tobias's accusations, but hadn't intervened. He had hoped to see the Carters ridiculed, thus elevating the Weston family's standing. Instead, Tobias had become the villain, leaving Thomas embarrassed and forced to clean up the mess.

Word of Christine and Claire's relationship, combined with Denton's words, shifted public opinion in Gilmore's favor. Whispers of support replaced condemnation. Thomas's embarrassment grew.

Suddenly, Carl announced, "Mr. Weston and Mr. Ray have arrived!" A wave of curiosity swept the crowd as everyone wondered who Mr. Ray was.

Chapter 173