Who was the one making a fool of herself for everyone to see?

’Isn’t he my boyfriend? Why is he defending Cecelia instead of me?’

Claire was so angry her eyes started to well up. "Damien..."

Damien Vaughn’s brow was tightly furrowed. "Enough nonsense. Get everyone who isn’t involved out of here."

"What??"

"Is what I said that hard to understand?"

Claire didn’t dare argue with Damien Vaughn, so she could only pout and stomp her foot hard on the ground before turning to address the crowd.

"Let’s all head out for now. We can get together again some other time."

The crowd was just getting into the drama when the host ordered them to leave. Though they were reluctant to go, they had no choice but to depart.

Once everyone had left and the door was closed, Vivian Mason thought that with just a few of them remaining, she absolutely had to teach Cecelia Archer a harsh lesson today.

She immediately started cursing, "Cecelia! You bitch! The audience is gone, why are you still clinging to him and not getting up? You fucking..."

Damien Vaughn remembered Vivian Mason.

She was the nasty woman who had mistaken him for an actor and tried to pay for his services.

’Why is she everywhere?’

He shot her a death glare, cutting off her tirade.

"You’re not leaving? Are you waiting for me to throw you out myself?"

’What? Am I also considered someone ’not involved’? Am I getting kicked out too?’

Vivian Mason had been hoping to make a good impression on Damien Vaughn, but her face instantly turned green with humiliation.

"You... I... Cousin..."

If Vivian left, Claire was genuinely afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle Cecelia on her own. She was just about to put in a good word for Vivian when Damien Vaughn’s death glare landed on her.

Frightened, Claire quickly changed her tune.

"It’s nothing, I can handle it myself. You should head home for now, Vivian."

Furious, Vivian Mason shot Cecelia Archer a vicious glare before storming out in a rage.

Being steadied by him twice in front of his girlfriend made Cecelia feel like a calculating woman, and she was quite embarrassed.

She tried to struggle free several times, but Damien Vaughn was too strong, and she couldn’t break his grip.

Now that the pain had subsided, Cecelia looked up at him, the tips of her ears turning red.

"It doesn’t hurt anymore, it doesn’t hurt. Thank you, you can let me go now."

Damien Vaughn released her, and Cecelia Archer took two steps back.

Like a judge, he glanced at the two women in front of him.

"What happened? What on earth are you two doing?"

Claire quickly explained, "It was really just a joke, Damien. How could I..."

’Still calling it a joke?’ Cecelia’s eyes widened in anger.

"So you don’t know the president of the Vaughn Group at all? You deliberately lied just to make me come here and embarrass myself?"

Claire glanced at the president of the Vaughn Group standing right in front of them. "..."

Cecelia was very disappointed.

The only reason she had come tonight was to make money.

In the end, she had lost face and gained nothing.

"And you said I was shameless? How shameless are you, Claire? If the president of the Vaughn Group found out you were ruining his reputation out here, he’d be the one calling the police to have you arrested!"

’Since she was faking it, there’s no hope of signing the contract. There’s no reason to stay any longer.’

Cecelia stuffed the contract back into her bag.

"This is the last time. Don’t bother me again, Claire! I’m not the same Cecelia I used to be. If you harass me again, I won’t let you off the hook!"

She turned to leave, but as she brushed past Damien Vaughn, he grabbed her arm.

"Wait. Take out the contract and let me see it."

Cecelia: "?"

’Even though he didn’t openly protect Claire, is he still going to pay for her actions at a critical moment like this?’

’It’s five million. Don’t tell me he’s going to pay it for her just to save his girlfriend from losing face?’

"What do you want the contract for?"

Damien Vaughn let go of her, a hint of impatience on his face.

"Just get it out."

’That woman, Claire, has nothing going for her, except for her good luck. How did she manage to find a boyfriend who dotes on her so much?’

Cecelia took out the contract.

Damien Vaughn flipped through it, his mind drifting back to the lie Cecelia had told in front of President Thorne back in Corvane.

She had claimed her company was collaborating with Wellspring Electric, a subsidiary of the Vaughn Group.

Damien Vaughn had seen through it at the time. She had clearly researched Wellspring Electric and was desperate to work with them, but her company’s qualifications were too average. Without a referral, she didn’t stand a chance.

President Thorne had only considered working with her because he heard she was collaborating with Wellspring Electric. He had only placed a small trial order. What if he later checked Wellspring’s list of suppliers and found Cecelia’s company wasn’t on it at all...

Damien Vaughn truly hated being indebted to others, especially to a single mother who valued making money more than her own life.

’Since she won’t accept money if I offer it outright, I’ll just give her a commission instead.’

’This is the last time I’ll help her.’

"The contract is fine."

He raised his hand over his shoulder, and Ryan, taking the hint, came over and took the contract.

"Someone from Wellspring Electric will contact you tomorrow. Go home and wait for the news."

What?

Cecelia suspected she was hallucinating.

’He said the contract was fine, and someone from Wellspring Electric would contact me tomorrow?’

’Are his connections that extensive? He even knows the management at Wellspring Electric?’

"You..."

Damien Vaughn didn’t want to waste words. He raised an eyebrow. "You don’t want to sign?"

’How could I not! That’s Wellspring Electric! A giant in the industry!’

Cecelia never would have dreamed that she would one day secure a partnership with a brand under the Vaughn Group!

"No, no, no!"

"If not, then go home and wait. What are you still standing around for?"

Cecelia left, overjoyed.

Although Damien Vaughn hadn’t been pleasant to her at all, he had still resolved such a huge matter and saved her face. Claire was very moved.

Looking remorseful, she tried to grab his arm and act cute, but Damien Vaughn shook her off.

"Damien~"

"This is the last time, Claire. I’ve told you before, I hate it when people use my name to cause trouble."

"I know. Damien, you haven’t eaten yet, have you? I ordered a cake and lots of other good food. Stay and have a bite with me."

"No need."

Originally, Damien Vaughn hadn’t wanted to come.

But the image of the two of them bickering in front of that street stall came to mind. Unsure what exactly he was worried about, he had ended up rushing over after all.

He hated dealing with such tedious, trivial matters, and he hated listening to Claire talk about pointless topics that only wore down his patience.

With that said, he turned and walked out of the villa.

Ryan followed behind, giving Claire a meaningful look.

Claire, ever so clueless, thought Ryan had something to say to her and hurried after him.

"Ryan, did President Vaughn ask you to pass a message to me?"

Ever since President Vaughn had met her four years ago, Ryan had done too much for her family and cleaned up their messes far too many times. He had absolutely no favorable impression of the pig-stupid Clark Family.

He rarely showed impatience toward anyone, but whenever he faced Claire, he simply couldn’t control his temper.

"What is it you want to say, Miss Clark?"

Claire: "Today is my birthday. Did President Vaughn say anything about..."

’President Vaughn already signed a five-million-dollar contract for her, and she still wants a gift?’

’I’ve seen greedy people, but I’ve never seen anyone this greedy!’

Furious, Ryan retorted directly, "Don’t be so excessive. You should think about what you can do for President Vaughn for a change, Miss Clark!"