Nicolas took her water offering, a display of good faith in Claudia's eyes. If Nicolas was TRULY pissed, he would have read her the riot act, told her to shove it, and walked off the soundstage. But Claudia's assumptions about Nicolas being pissed on left and right by these people and wanting some compainonship was spot on. He was tired of his 'friends' emotional abuse. He wanted to feel and be treated as an equal. And Claudia was more than willing to comply to further her agenda.
Watching him down the water, he threw the bottle across the soundstage; Claudia casually turning to look over her shoulder just in time to see the bottle land directly in the trash can forty feet away. Raising an eyebrow, she turned back around only to see Nicolas stretch and flex his body like he had just scored the winning basket in the NBA championships.
"No need to show off, Nicolas. You already have my attention."
She slyly joked; a smirk spread across her glossy lips.
Nicolas: Judging from the cushion you possess in the back, the only thing hurt just now was a bit of your pride, which you could use being taken down a peg.
"Obviously you've never met a woman like me. It takes a hell of a lot more than a sabatoged chair and a few catty remarks from a dvia supermodel to knock me down a few pegs. I've experienced far worse from woman just as
jealous, if not more, than Haleigh Davidoff and Morgan Victoria."
Claudia emphesized the word 'jealous' when discribing Morgan and Haleigh; because that's exactly what they were. Jealous that she got the upper hand on them before they did her. Actions spoke louder than words, and any woman who took the time to try and flat out humilate another was trying to get rid of the competition....but Claudia wasn't going anywhere.
In fact, the battle lines had been drawn, and she was MORE than willing to lock and load against these bitches.
Nicolas: I hope you're enjoying this, because you just opened a hornet's nest.
[with a wicked grin] "Oh, I am. And something tells me YOU are too.."
Nicolas: I'm not even taking the time to be PERSONALLY pissed overmuch, because you have made enough other enemies today as it is. But I do want ONE thing.
Claudia's grin melted into a saulty smile at Nicolas mention that he wanted one thing.
"Really? And what's
that?"
Nicolas: Leave the aide ALONE. She is not in this and she and her family should be safe from you. You may not find her important, but I do.
"She'll be left alone...as long as she follows my instructions."
Claudia stated matter-of-factly. But Nicolas pulled the 'you owe me card' about him saving her life. Claudia's jaw tightened, her eyes staying trained on Nicolas', only this time slightly more narrowed than before.
"You know....I can show you my gratitude in a FAR more....
pleasurable manner than promising to leave that girl alone. But if you'd rather go home at night knowing you helped her rather than helping yourself to me, that's your prerogative. Consider my debt to you paid; her family will be left alone."
The girl and her family wasn't as important an issue to Claudia as it was to Nicolas. She would get the story out about Morgan and her meltdown to the tabloids with or without the aid of someone else; so she agreed to his terms. But the seriousness of the conversation turned lighthearted again as Nicolas mentioned replacing all of her purfumes that had been damaged during Barbas' attack the night before. She was more than capable of replacing them herself....but who was she to turn down free, extremely expensive, purfumes from around the world?
Nicolas: I figured it was the least I could do, especially since...I prefer it when you wear your OWN perfume rather than your sister's.
With a coy smile, Claudia began to backwalk away from Nicolas.
"Save some of that CHARM for Morgan, King. Your fifteen minutes [break] is almost up."
A little stab at the fact he had to get back to work with a woman who would rather eat dog shit from the bottom of her shoe than touch him.
"Ciao."
Turning around, Claudia began to head toward the soundstage exit, deciding the photoshoot's most entertaining aspects were over. She may have been the brunt of some attacks from Morgan, Delilah, and Haleigh, but Claudia succeeded far more in this little set up than anything they threw at her. She pitted Morgan against Nicolas, planted a seed about Zach to Haleigh, and continued to draw Nicolas closer to her which would disrupt their little 'clique' even further. Withdrawing her cell phone, Claudia exited the building as she dialed Clara's number.
