The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 35

**Dreams Rise Again by Braxton**
**Chapter 35**

“Your calf muscles are incredibly firm, Claire. There’s absolutely no sign of atrophy,” Nina observed with a clinical precision. “A genuine fracture patient would have displayed noticeable shrinkage after just two weeks.”

With a firm grip, she pressed down on Claire’s leg, her fingers digging in as if she were testing the very limits of Claire’s endurance. “And if your bone were truly broken, applying pressure like this would have you sweating and writhing in pain by now. But look at you—you didn’t even flinch.”

In an instant, the atmosphere in the hall shifted dramatically. Guests exchanged hushed whispers, their murmurs swelling into a cacophony of gasps and exclamations that echoed off the opulent walls.

“Oh my God, you mean Claire’s leg was never broken?” one voice exclaimed, incredulous.

“She really put on quite the performance, even down to wearing that cast. She went all out!” another chimed in, eyes wide with disbelief.

“I knew it! Nina’s always been a straight-A student. How could she have done something so foolish?”

“Never thought Claire would stoop this low just to frame Nina. Did she pick up some bad habits when life got tough?”

Jason leaned back, a sneer curling his lips. “Some people just believe whatever they hear. Feeling awkward now, huh?”

The wealthy ladies who had been the loudest in their criticism of Nina suddenly paled, their champagne glasses trembling in their hands.

“I-I didn’t say anything just now,” one stammered, her bravado evaporating.

“Hey, this isn’t all our fault. I mean, Claire’s act was just too convincing,” another added, desperation creeping into her voice.

Charles stared at Claire, disbelief etched across his face. “Claire, why would you do this?”

Claire’s complexion drained of color, her breath hitching as she fought to maintain her composure. Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice cracked. “Dad, I’m so sorry.”

As she struggled to explain, her words tumbled out in a frantic rush. “That day, I discovered something alarming about Nina’s PawGuard Vaccine, so I rushed to track down the source of the issue. I spent the entire night pouring over data, and by the time I went downstairs, I was half out of my mind.”

“When I went downstairs, everything went black, and I fell. Before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw Nina standing there.”

She shrank back, her voice barely above a whisper, “S-so I thought it was Nina who pushed me.”

At the mention of the vaccine, a flicker of understanding softened Charles’s expression. After all, it was Claire who had identified the problem.

Nina’s brow furrowed deeply, confusion swirling in her mind. She had no inkling of what was supposedly wrong with her PawGuard Vaccine.

But she vowed silently to uncover the truth. There was no way she would allow Claire to dismantle four years of her hard work.

“When I fell down the stairs, my leg wasn’t really injured,” Claire admitted, her voice trembling as her fingers twisted the hem of her dress anxiously. “But I thought Nina had pushed me.”

“She’s never liked me. I was terrified—terrified that she’d try to hurt me again.”

As tears streamed down her cheeks, Claire choked out, “I just got home a few days ago, but Mom, Dad, and Alex have twenty-two years of memories with Nina… I was so scared that I would be cast aside at any moment.”

“That’s why I—” Claire suddenly covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently. “That’s why I pretended my leg was badly hurt, so I could push Nina away. I’m truly sorry.”

With those words, the anger that had once contorted Charles’s face melted away.

He reached out to help Claire up and turned to the gathered guests, his voice steady. “I apologize for the chaos. Claire was simply overwhelmed with fear of losing her place in our family.”

The guests exchanged glances, their whispers growing more contemplative.

Nina calmly gestured for a server. “Another risotto, please.”

She didn’t once glance at the furious Charles, treating the entire scene as nothing more than a tedious farce.

“That’s enough! Today is my birthday. Please keep your family disputes private,” Samuel barked, irritation lacing his tone.

It was clear he held little regard for Nina. “Young lady, since you didn’t treat Quentin’s dog and are no longer part of the Summer family, please leave immediately.”

He perceived Nina as ungrateful for publicly embarrassing Charles.

‘Is he seriously kicking me out? What a petty old man,’ Nina thought, her heart racing with indignation.

Shadow, her loyal companion, flopped down at Nina’s feet, refusing to budge. “This is clearly the problem of that strange father-daughter duo. Why should the vet lady be the one to leave?”

Jason, sensing the tension, was about to defend Samuel when an unexpected voice broke through the thick atmosphere.

“Even though my collaboration with Ms. Summer didn’t pan out as planned, her professional skills are beyond question,” Quentin stated, his voice cool yet firm, leaving no room for dissent. “Grandpa, kicking out a guest isn’t in line with the principles of the Hayes family, is it?”

Though he directed the question at Samuel, his tone brooked no argument. Samuel’s brows knitted together, but he fell silent, the weight of Quentin’s words hanging heavy in the air.

Everyone in the room understood who truly held the reins of power in that moment.

Quentin raised his hand toward the butler. “Please provide Ms. Summer with the menu.”

His gaze swept over the room, calm yet commanding. “She can order whatever she wishes and stay for as long as she desires. Prepare a guest room and have the driver on standby.”