Kate's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, but the next second, she shielded one side of her face with her arm to hide her smile.
Zoey didn't know it since she was just arriving, but the Langley family was a major backbone for Henry.
She knew this because he'd once told her, when she was younger, to befriend Natalie because her father was a big figure in business.
Treating the daughter of one of his biggest supporters like this, surely…
"You insolent girl!" The thought had just settled when Henry's annoyed voice boomed through the room.
Zoey, who was really about to smear more cake into Natalie's hair, paused and looked up at Henry blankly.
She hadn't forgotten that this man slapped her last night.
If anything, she was holding a big grudge against him for it.
But until she could talk back comfortably or reach her mother to tell her about it, she would have to endure and do things that wouldn't get her slapped again.
Henry had just taken a step forward when a figure darted past him, heading straight to Zoey amidst sobs.
"Sister, don't hurt Natalie. She only tried to fight you because of how you hurt me."
Zoey released her grip on Natalie's hair, her brows wrinkling in surprise. "I hurt you? When?"
The words were barely out of her mouth when Natalie glared at her, hissing through clenched teeth, "Oh, don't you dare try to make her feel like she's out of her mind! I was there when you casually told everyone at the table you got that role."
"You knew it'd embarrass her, knowing the hours she put in to get that role. Yet you mentioned how you got it and failed to also mention how she helped you land it."
"There's no need to bring that up, Natalie." Kate butted in nervously, her lower lip trembling faintly as she continued.
"This is why I didn't want to tell you. Not only did I know you'd hold it against sister, I knew it'd make me sad recalling I lost the role."
"Not that I wish sister didn't get it, but… I wish it was me. Just look at that. Now I even sound like a selfish girl."
As she fidgeted with her fingers nervously, she secretly pinched her wrist, working up her tear glands.
As tears from the pain welled in her eyes, she raised her gaze to meet Zoey's, choking on her tears as she fervently apologized, "I swear I didn't mean for any of this to happen, sister. I swear it!"
Natalie quickly rushed to console her, gently running her hand across her back as she scoffed, "What are you swearing for? This is not your fault!"
"I know how nervous you were to learn about her, but she doesn't even bother to learn anything about you and does things to upset and make you cry."
"If she were the adopted child of your Smith family, I would've asked your father to kick her out this instant!"
"Simply saying sorry won't resolve this. You will apologize to your sister, Zoey." Henry spoke up authoritatively once Natalie was done, stepping forward.
Zoey's brows were still furrowed as she repeated calmly, "Apologize? I didn't do anything I should apologize for."
"Your sister has fragile feelings, and I understand you were brought up barbarically in the countryside, but here, when you hurt people's emotions and make them cry, you apologize for doing so!" He huffed adamantly.
Zoey's face finally squeezed into a frown.
Growing up, she rarely apologized. Not because she was egoistic, but because she rarely did things that warranted one.
Her mother knew that. So whenever she refused to apologize when people demanded it, even before asking for an investigation into the matter, her mother would already take her side.
So being put in this position where she knew no investigation would be done to find out if she was actually lying, it was up to her to prove her innocence.
But seriously, after their faux peace treaty this morning, Kate still set her up? It didn't even last a day. How could one be so untrusting?
Meeting Henry's eyes, she exhaled sharply, "I will apologize to Kate once she tells me exactly what I said to hurt her feelings."
"It's not my fault she didn't get the role of Brielle Sloane after practicing for several months, so why should I apologize simply because she can't handle disappointment?"
Henry paused.
Kate grew nervous.
Henry was actively grooming her to take over the company. A question like this from Zoey was bound to make him pause and think.
And truthfully, she didn't have a reason for this scene she created. She just felt their peace treaty was the right time to completely smear Zoey to Henry.
Fortunately, she realized halfway into the manufactured crime that it wasn't enough to turn them against her.
So she burst out crying mid-conversation, twisting everything Zoey had said to her during lunch at lunch.
Pinching her wrist harder to work more tears, she smiled through the tears, appearing greatly aggrieved as she refuted sadly, "N-no, I'm not just crying because I didn't get the role. I'm crying because of…"
The intercom at the gate buzzed at that moment, and the security guard's voice came through.
"Good evening, Mr. Smith. I have a man surnamed Leith here to see you. May I let him in?"