"Sorry?" Claire replied after a long pause.
Lucas gave a small nod. "Polygamy's common there. The Deira would appreciate it. It'll help strengthen our position, represent shared values, you know?"
"Oh I know," Claire replied with a dry chuckle. "But shared values? You're really going with that? Doesn't that come off as a little pretentious? I mean it's even against Italian culture."
Claire tried to keep her voice as neutral as possible, burying deeply the burning jealousy inside her.
Lucas shrugged lazily. "It's just business, Claire. Nothing personal."
Claire's grip tightened even harder around the water bottle, the tension in her muscles betraying her calm demeanor. "Right," she said through clenched teeth. "Nothing personal."
Lucas wiped his face with the towel. "Thought it'd be best to get familiar with each other before the event."
