But she wasn’t done. With a twisted look of determination, she knelt down, picked up a shard of glass, and—before I could react—dragged it across her own forehead. A thin line of blood welled up as she let out a sharp cry.

Footsteps pounded towards us.

"What happened?!" Archie’s voice.

I turned to explain, but Claire was already whimpering pathetically, clutching at her forehead.

"Archie," she sniffled, "Wendy threw a flowerpot at me!"

I froze.

What?!

Before I could protest, Archie was already at her side, gripping her shoulders anxiously.

"Are you alright?"

Claire bit her lip, looking utterly heartbroken. "I don’t know why she got so angry… I just wanted to talk…"

My whole body trembled with rage. "I didn’t do it!"

Archie’s furious eyes snapped to me. "Wendy!"

"I swear, I didn’t! She attacked me first and cut herself—"

Claire whimpered, burying her face in his chest.

"I know she’s mad at me for spending time with Zac," she murmured. "But I never stopped her from holding him. I was only trying to help… I’d do anything for the heir to your family."

Archie fixed me with a sharp glare, his voice as cold as ice.