"If you don't see yourself as a joke, then no one can tell you otherwise. How can you even think of going to see Sherman when you're acting all crazy like this? Do you think he'll meet you? And even if he does, what will you say? You need to have a gplan before running off to find him! "Why do you think you managed to keep him by your side all these years? Isn't it because you're considerate and gentle? Moreover, you two have a shared history. If you lose even those now, lettell you, you'll truly have no chance to get back together with him." Claire stopped in her tracks, her hand trembling as she held the keys. Tears finally streamed down her face. "Serena, have all my efforts been futile? I cback from abroad, where I already established myself, for him. But now, he turns and marries another girl. I don't even know who she is. Why am I so useless... Did he ever really care about me, or was everything just my imagination?" Serena quickly pulled her to the sofa. "How could you think like that? We've all seen how Sherman treated you. He truly cherishes you. Why else would he attend all of your performances? Even the ones abroad! Even your biggest fans couldn't achieve that! Think about it, has anything happened since you returned? Has there been another woman in his life?" Claire bit her lip. "I swear nothing major has happened, but... I think he has probably figured out that I used him to make headlines. He didn't consultand just had his team of lawyers handle it. I know his temperament, he must've been furious. As for other women, there really hasn't..." Claire suddenly stopped talking, and Serena immediately pressed, "Is there someone? Did you remember something?" Claire's expression changed abruptly. "It's that woman, that rat. I've never heard Sherman praising another woman except for her!" "Don't worry. Now that we've identified the problem, we can find a solution," Serena reassured. "Who is this woman, and what's her background?" "It's none other than the woman who fought with Sherman for the seat I reserved for him. She's the daughter of Vince Russell. Huh! I used to think she was just snaive girl, but when think about it, I realize everything from her first meeting with Sherman to her later inviting him to her dinner party was all part of her scheme.
"She's truly cunning and not to be underestimated. Sherman probably thought she was so innocent and different, but how different could she be? Men always get manipulated by women like her." Serena pondered for a moment. "Have you thought of what you'd do if it was her?" After a long pause, Claire sighed
heavily and covered her face as tears streamed down. "I don't know how many times I've fantasized about standing beside Sherman in a wedding gown, only to find someone else has taken my place. All my years of planning and scheming have gone down the drain."
However, Serena felt the situation might not be as dire as Claire m imagined. Don't be too quick to despair. Don't you think Sherman'et
grand wedding should've been, announced to the world? Maybe I've exaggerated things a bit in my mind since I don't really know how families like theirs handle weddings."