Forbidden Passion
Chapter 652 She Was the One Abandoned

Lori eyed Phoebe with worry. She knew Phoebe had beef with Vanessa from Queen Entertainment. That nasty decision back then left Phoebe out in the cold.

Now, the Reynolds Group was the top sponsor of this new variety show, just to shove Ernest from Queen Entertainment into the spotlight. That was a real kick in the teeth. "Ms. Ziegler."

Phoebe took a deep breath and caught a glimpse of sympathy in Lori's eyes. Even though she knew Lori didn't mean anything by it, it still stung.

"It's cool. Book me a table at Golden Harvest Diner and get it all set up," Phoebe said.

Lori gave Phoebe a silent look. Was she planning to invite Theodore? But Theodore had been stabbed a few days ago and was still laid up in bed. "Okay, Ms. Ziegler."

Watching Lori walk away, Phoebe felt like Lori had gotten the wrong idea. She didn't dwell on it and headed back to her office.

Claire had been out cold. When she woke up, the office was super quiet, with just the occasional sound of pages turning.

Claire opened her eyes. The office was dim, with only the desk lamp on Phoebe's desk lighting up the room. Phoebe was sitting there, focused on writing something. Behind Phoebe, the night stretched out, looking like it was ready to swallow her whole.

Claire sat up, the thin blanket rustling, which startled Phoebe. She looked up, "You're awake?"

Claire rubbed her eyes and leaned back on the sofa. Seeing the clock on the wall pointing to eight, she said groggily, "How did I sleep this long?"

"The fact that you can sleep here is an honor for me." Phoebe closed the file, put it on the desk, locked the cabinet, and walked over with her bag. Claire watched Phoebe come out of the darkness. Phoebe's features hadn't changed much. If anything, it was her whole vibe that had shifted.

"Honestly, Phoebe, if I were a guy, I'd totally marry you."

Phoebe smiled slightly, "What are you talking about, saying stuff like that out of the blue?"

Claire thought of Theodore and gritted her teeth, "I'm serious. If I were a guy, I'd cherish you and never let you go through any crap."

Phoebe clicked her tongue, "Go wash your face and wake up. And make sure you're still a woman."

Claire's tender moment was shattered by Phoebe's words. She huffed and went to the bathroom.

A bit later, Claire came out of the bathroom, grabbed the bag from Phoebe, and slung it over her shoulder. She linked arms with Phoebe as they left. Claire asked, "Where are we eating?"

Claire's face was pretty recognizable in the entertainment world, making it easy for fans to spot her when eating out. Phoebe had her wear a hat and mask before they got in the elevator. "Somewhere no one will recognize you," Phoebe said.

Claire's pretty face fell, "But I wanna eat at a roadside diner, not some fancy hotel."

Since becoming an artist, Claire hadn't eaten at a roadside diner like she used to. Every time she saw those bustling diners, she felt extra lonely and pitiful.

Phoebe pursed her lips, "Noah just had an incident. Cut me some slack."

Claire didn't seem too thrilled.

Guadalupe was chilling downstairs. Claire and Phoebe hopped into the car, heading straight for Golden Harvest Diner. Forty minutes later, they pulled up outside the place.

They got out one after the other. At the entrance of the swanky diner, a waiter led the way. Phoebe gave her name, and they were shown to a private room.

At the door, the waiter opened it, and a strong floral scent hit them. Inside, there was a bouquet of vibrant red roses on the table and pink balloons arranged in a heart shape on the wall, giving off major romantic vibes. Phoebe was momentarily stunned.

She remembered telling Lori to set up the place earlier. Now Lori's weird look made sense.

If she had brought a male artist today, it would've looked like she was trying to woo him.

Claire was shocked. She looked at Phoebe and said, "Phoebe, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you brought the wrong person here."

Phoebe rubbed her forehead, feeling tired, "Lori misunderstood."

Claire's earlier lack of enthusiasm vanished, and her eyes sparkled with gossip, "Who would've thought, Lori with those thick eyebrows and big eyes has such a complicated mind."

Phoebe pulled Claire inside, grabbed the blooming red roses, and shoved them into her arms, "Here, a gift for you."

Claire was momentarily at a loss, "Phoebe, is this all you got?"

"Come on, it's better than nothing. Stop whining." Phoebe turned to the waiter, "Please have your chef start serving the dishes."

"Yes, ma'am."

The waiter closed the door and left. Phoebe pulled out a chair and sat down. Claire, holding the flowers, sat next to her, happily snapping selfies. Phoebe played along and took a few photos. Claire put down the roses and quickly typed on her phone, "I'm sending a photo to Noah."

Phoebe couldn't stop her in time. Claire had already sent the photo. Phoebe gently rubbed her forehead.

A second later, Noah sent a video call. Claire answered and switched to the rear camera, giving a tour of the private room, "Noah, look at this. Phoebe prepared this feast for me." Noah saw Phoebe's slender figure flash by in the video, and his heart skipped a beat. His voice was low, "Where are you?" "Do you want to come? Too bad I won't tell you." Claire looked smug and proud.

Noah was speechless.

Because of the hospital incident, Noah had been laying low at home, not wanting to cause more trouble for Phoebe. Noah hadn't seen Phoebe for days. Just seeing her fleeting figure in the video made him realize how much he missed her.

When Phoebe was in Caneda, it was tough for him to visit her. Now that Phoebe was back and his boss, it was still hard to see her.

Claire teased Noah a bit before ending the video call. The waiter came in with a cart of dishes, all of Claire's favorites.

After the waiter left, Phoebe said, "Hurry up and eat. Don't worry about the calories tonight. Eat as much as you want."

Claire looked at the table full of delicious food, overjoyed, "Phoebe, you get me. I love you the most."

Phoebe handed her a fried chicken drumstick, "Go ahead and eat. After tonight, it's back to your low-fat diet tomorrow. Enjoy tonight." Claire bit into the chicken drumstick with a look of grievance.

How cruel of Phoebe!