Naomi jumped to Sonia's righteous defense . " Everyone saw what happened . You ruined Sonia's face! " Kieran burst out chuckling . " Aren't you two being a little too obvious with the false accusations ? " We were sitting here , and the dartboard's there . Why don't you explain to me how the dart just happened to veer off course and come straight at us ? " Did the two think everyone else was an idiot ? Noah agreed that Kieran's point made sense . " Was that intentional , Ms. Woodward ? " With her hand pressed to her cheek , Sonia anxiously said , " I'm the one who got hurt , so why is everyone acting like I'm the criminal here ? " " What exactly just happened ? " Dale asked , turning to Naomi . She played dumb and said , " It probably just slipped out of Sonia's hand . It was just an accident , that's all . " A meaningful , knowing grin spread across Kieran's face . " What's your take on this matter , Mr. White ? " His obvious support for Valerie brought a flicker of displeasure to Lucius ' face . " What's your relationship with her , Mr. Holt ? " " Why do you ask ? " Kieran countered . Calmly swirling the wine in his glass, Lucius replied , " It affects how I handle this . After all , we men shouldn't interfere too much in women's petty disputes . " Lucius ' implication was clear . If Kieran wanted to stand up for Valerie , he'd allow it , but it would come at a cost . Kieran would have to owe him a favor . Kieran rested a hand on Valerie's shoulder and announced , "Val is a very important friend of mine . If you have to ask how important she is ... " He paused thoughtfully and continued , " She's so important that I'd die for her . ' Valerie was utterly speechless at how Kieran was getting increasingly well - versed in adding fuel to the fire . It seemed only men truly understood other men . When Kieran said those words , he sharply caught a flicker of jealousy in Lucius ' eyes and added , " In this case , I wonder if she deserves a proper apology , Mr. White . " Chapter 44 2/2 Lucius ' expression remained calm and unreadable , but anger simmered deep within his chest . Sensing the tension , Sonia's tears started streaming . " Please trust me , Mr. White . I swear it wasn't on purpose . " Naomi chimed in , pleading for her sake , " It's just a misunderstanding , so you don't have to make a scene . Besides , Sonia's already hurt , so what more do you want from her ? " Naomi and Sonia were fair - weather friends . Naomi wasn't genuinely helping Sonia , and all she wanted was to use this chance to put Valerie in an awkward spot . When the atmosphere in the room remained tense , Naomi turned to Dale with a pleading look . " Say something for me , Dale . " With a smile that didn't reach his eyes , Dale tried to play the peacemaker . " Since this is all just a misunderstanding , why don't we all take a step back ? If you're still not satisfied , Mr. Holt , I'll apologize to Ms. Collins on behalf of the ladies . " He wasn't trying to mediate . He simply didn't take Kieran or Valerie of unknown background seriously . In Windmere , social circles had hierarchies , and Kieran's persistent push felt like a challenge to their dignity. Just as tensions peaked , Valerie - still spinning her pen - chuckled lightly . " That's enough , Kieran . " She wasn't being merciful and forgiving , but Sonia's childish stunt had made her the butt of the joke . As for the dart attack , Valerie wasn't worried , since she had plenty of chances to settle the score . Chapter 45 1/2 Chapter 45