CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 133: SPLASHING WINE IN HER FACE

After the fashion show, as per the usual practice of the LD Jewelry Fashion Week, all participating designers and guests are invited to attend a banquet in the grand hall.

However, Claire Shaw did not receive an invitation.

When she took the initiative to inquire, the staff from the organizers said they had forgotten about her.

Holding the invitation in her hand, no amount of makeup could hide the resentment on Claire Shaw’s face.

What does this mean?

Does she have to rely on others to grant her the privilege of attending the banquet?!

Despite the fact that she had painstakingly prepared three invaluable haute couture dresses for the jewelry fashion week.

While changing in the dressing room, Claire Shaw noticed that Serena Jennings brought only one evening gown.

If she were to spray the remaining hydrochloric acid on Serena’s gown, then Serena would have no choice but to wear a plain black ladies’ suit to the banquet.

Initially, while Serena was disposing of something, Claire Shaw secretly approached the gown Serena had set aside.

But then she hesitated.

Even if she destroyed that dress with hydrochloric acid, it wasn’t as if Serena would have nothing to wear.

Such revenge seemed too childish.

Thinking of her cold reception today, and remembering how Serena and Quentin Xavier had jointly played a trick on her, Claire Shaw could not swallow this resentment.

Merely ruining a dress was far from enough...

If she were to destroy, she should destroy Serena’s face!

Claire Shaw quickly returned to her locker, a plan forming in her mind.

The grand hall was resplendent, filled with clinking glasses.

Before the fashion show, Serena hadn’t anticipated that she would become the focal point of the entire LD Jewelry Fashion Week.

After all, she was just a rookie designer, and to stay low-key, she wore a pure black off-shoulder mermaid evening gown tonight, elegant yet conservative, a safe choice.

She originally thought she would be the most unnoticed among the many guests, who were all either wealthy or noble, but as soon as she stepped into the banquet hall, a group of prominent figures gathered around her.

Serena was not good at socializing.

But on such occasions, it was difficult for her to avoid socializing even if she wanted to.

Claire Shaw entered the banquet hall after Serena, having chosen the most lavish and expensive of her three dresses, a pink silk gown adorned with tens of thousands of natural crystals. She had also put significant effort into her hairstyle and had deliberately worn the pink diamond hairpiece she had showcased on the runway.

Claire Shaw thought, even if this crowd didn’t appreciate her designs, at least they could admire her battle attire.

However, she felt invisible, unnoticed as she walked through the hall.

Even Caleb Lockwood was too occupied with socializing with business moguls to notice her existence at all.

Claire Shaw bit her lower lip, suppressing the anger within her chest, and began searching for her target.

The grand hall was vast, and there were too many attendees at the LD Jewelry Fashion Week. Many weren’t interested in the fashion show, yet wouldn’t miss the chance to meet influential people, exchange information, and acquire resources at the banquet.

For instance, Peter didn’t attend the fashion show because he was working, but he was invited to the banquet and had to squeeze his way through the crowd of big shots to reach Serena.

Serena hadn’t expected to see Peter there.

Peter was dressed very formally, in a fitted black tailcoat with a British flair, his slicked-back hair elevating his charisma to a new level.

"How do I look today?" Peter asked Serena.

Serena smiled and replied, "Very charming."

"Dressed just for you,"

Upon these words, seeing Serena momentarily stunned, Peter quickly added, "Just kidding."

Serena and Peter were laughing and chatting.

Meanwhile, as Caleb Lockwood was socializing, he subtly glanced at Serena, the displeasure in his eyes hidden by the darkness of his pupils.

Claire Shaw was still searching aimlessly for her target, but before finding them, she bumped into Quentin Xavier.

Quentin Xavier greeted Claire naturally, as if it was only reasonable that he noticed the fury on her face.

He had indeed played a trick on Claire Shaw.

But he never thought he was in the wrong.

If Claire Shaw hadn’t been so malicious herself, trying to use seduction to harm Serena, there wouldn’t have been a subsequent counter-ploy.

In Quentin Xavier’s view, Claire Shaw was reaping what she had sown.

Although Serena had formally thanked him during the speech, he actually hadn’t done much.

The idea came from Serena.

When Claire Shaw first tried to seduce him, he had told Serena about it.

He didn’t take matters into his own hands but wanted to hear what Serena thought.

Serena suggested that they could use Claire Shaw in reverse, helping them complete the magic show at the LD Jewelry Fashion Week.

In this way, every step of Claire Shaw’s schemes was under their control, following their plan step by step.

Quentin Xavier found this approach feasible.

However, Serena also stated that if Quentin wasn’t willing, the counter-ploy would immediately cease.

Quentin Xavier had fallen into a trap once before.

To help Claire Shaw, he had harmed Serena.

The result was Claire Shaw betraying him, whereas the one who lent him a hand was Serena.

Although Quentin Xavier never considered himself smart, he didn’t think he was foolish enough to be used by Claire Shaw a second time.

Between Claire Shaw and Serena, who was truly worth his effort, he had long seen the truth after the New Star Jewelry Design Competition.

The whole plan was seamless, the crux lying in whether his acting could fool Claire Shaw.

To prevent raising Claire Shaw’s suspicions, Quentin Xavier had to act perverted and impatient until pouring out Serena’s theme and concept for the LD Jewelry Fashion Week entirely to Claire Shaw.

The perfume bottle Quentin gave to Claire Shaw was indeed filled with hydrochloric acid.

Because Serena had used a UV lamp to expose the Fluorite for an extended time in advance, allowing it to fully store energy, and then covered it with an alkaline coating to block the phosphorescence.

The top-grade Burmese pigeon blood Ruby was similarly covered with an alkaline coating.

On the day of the show, when Claire Shaw sprayed the diluted hydrochloric acid onto the Fluorite and Rubies, it would gradually neutralize the alkaline coating on the surface.

As the power went out, the models continued the show, and the Fluorite they wore would gradually emit its stored phosphorescence as the alkaline coating dissolved, creating a dynamic effect of thorny thickets.

Next, as directed by Serena, the stage lights would turn on a UV emergency lamp once the Fluorite was fully lit.

Without the alkaline coating, the top-grade Burmese pigeon blood Rubies would blaze vividly under the UV light, perfectly showcasing the theme of blooming red roses amid thorns.

Each step was conceived by Serena, with Quentin just playing along.

"You make me sick!" Claire Shaw gritted her teeth.

"Right back at you." Quentin responded indifferently.

Just then, Claire Shaw spotted her target, her eyes lighting up.

Serena was dancing with Peter at the moment, and in her good mood, she didn’t notice someone glaring at her with unfriendly eyes.

Claire Shaw picked up two cocktails from a waiter’s tray, handing one to Laura Sanders.

"Who would have thought, Serena ruined you so badly, yet she’s becoming increasingly successful."

Laura Sanders shot Claire Shaw a glare, took a sip of her drink, then set the glass down.

"Women like her only climb up by relying on men, moving on from one to another, it’s filthy..." Claire Shaw said, as she discreetly swapped her hydrochloric acid-spiked drink with Laura’s.

"Though Dylan Quinn isn’t a great person either, he has money and power. If it weren’t for Serena, you wouldn’t have divorced him, and it wouldn’t have affected your family’s business..."

"What are you trying to say!" Laura Sanders snapped at Claire Shaw impatiently.

Claire Shaw instantly feigned innocence, "I’m just speaking up for you. If Serena had snatched my husband and ruined my reputation, leaving me with nothing, I wouldn’t let her continue to have the last laugh. At the very least, I’d throw a drink in her face to feel some satisfaction."