Chapter 14
Persecution Complex
Claire Bennett wandered around Eastwood Road for quite a while, ordered several boxes of paint she needed, and asked the owner to deliver them to Sterling International.
Around lunchtime, she found a drink shop and bought a beverage, and while she was there, she asked the clerk to heat up her boxed lunch. She sat down in a chair outside and enjoyed her meal.
Just as she was about to start eating, she heard a familiar voice from behind her.
"Ethan, there's a private kitchen restaurant nearby that's really good. How about we go try it together?"
That voice... it really was haunting her like a ghost that wouldn't go away.
Claire Bennett frowned slightly. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. Who else but Naomi Pierce, that white lotus? She had no intention of paying attention to her and planned to pretend she hadn't seen anything.
She picked up a piece of cauliflower and put it in her mouth. Naomi Pierce spotted her. "Claire? What are you doing here?"
Claire Bennett had no choice but to turn around. Sure enough, it was Naomi Pierce and Ethan Sterling. Naomi was holding Ethan's arm, and the two of them looked intimately close.
Today, Naomi Pierce was wearing a light green long dress, her glossy black hair falling over her shoulders. She tightened her hold on Ethan's arm and leaned a little closer to him, a winner's smile curling at her lips. She looked smug and pleased with herself.
Claire Bennett was a little speechless.
How had she never realized before that Naomi Pierce was such a two-faced woman?
She had even treated Naomi Pierce as a close best friend and told her quite a lot about herself and Ethan Sterling. Maybe that was exactly what had stirred up Naomi's desire to seduce him.
The moment Ethan Sterling saw Claire Bennett, his expression darkened instantly.
He demanded irritably, "Claire Bennett, are you following us? Wasn't the check I gave you enough? You're really shameless. I'm warning you—if you keep pestering me, I'll make you regret it!"
Claire Bennett couldn't help rolling her eyes. She couldn't help laughing.
Did Ethan Sterling have some kind of persecution complex?
Following them? She didn't have that kind of free time to do something so brainless.
"Mr. Ethan Sterling, aren't you a little too full of yourself? Trash like you, juggling several women at once, isn't worth a second look from me, and I definitely won't cling to you."
"Trash?" Ethan Sterling's face darkened, and he said furiously, "You think I'm trash, and yet you still dated me before?"
Claire Bennett shrugged helplessly and sighed. "My eyesight wasn't very good before, so I picked up some trash. But luckily..." She looked at Naomi Pierce and said meaningfully, "I managed to return the trash to the dump."
Naomi Pierce's face turned gloomy, and she trembled with rage.
She was actually calling her a dump!
In front of Ethan Sterling, she had always maintained the image of a gentle, virtuous socialite. No matter how angry she was, there was no way she could start arguing with Claire Bennett.
In the blink of an eye, Naomi Pierce suppressed her anger, and her expression returned to normal.
She said softly to Ethan Sterling, "Ethan, maybe Claire really wasn't following us. Maybe it really is just a coincidence."
"Hmph! A coincidence? Chicago is so big, so why don't I see her coincidentally showing up anywhere else? Naomi, you're just too kindhearted. You're always speaking up for this woman. Could it be that she's greedy and wants even more money?"
Claire Bennett curled her lips into a cold smile. "You mean that five-hundred-thousand-dollar check? It really was a little too little."
Disgust flashed in Ethan Sterling's eyes.
So she admitted it!
Claire Bennett really was a greedy, insatiable woman.
He had just been about to say something when Claire Bennett continued, "After all, on the day of your engagement, when I burn paper money for you two, the hell money will start at hundreds of millions. Five hundred thousand is too little."
"You..." Ethan Sterling was so angry his face turned black, and he glared viciously at Claire Bennett.
How had he never noticed before that Claire Bennett had such a vicious tongue?
Claire Bennett sighed and said, "Chicago is huge. Tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that, I'll also coincidentally be showing up at Sterling International. So, Mr. Ethan Sterling, do you want Ms. Tang to cancel my mural order? That way nobody with a shriveled brain will think I'm stalking you."
Of course Naomi Pierce wasn't going to let him cancel that bitch's order. Otherwise, how was she supposed to keep suppressing Claire Bennett and make her life miserable?
She quickly changed the subject and soothed him gently. "Claire, don't be angry either. Looks like we really did misunderstand you..."
"I'm not angry. The two of you look angrier." Claire Bennett smiled.
Naomi Pierce's expression stiffened. Soon, her gaze fell on the boxed lunch in front of Claire Bennett, and she asked in confusion, "Why are you eating a boxed lunch? Do you want us to treat you to lunch?"
Ever since Naomi Pierce stole Ethan Sterling away, they weren't even ordinary friends anymore. There was no way Claire Bennett could calmly sit down and eat with them.
She raised a brilliant smile and declined, "No need. I'm a bit of a clean freak. I lose my appetite when I see dirty things."
Naomi Pierce probably hadn't expected Claire Bennett to be like a hedgehog.
The ones with anger pent up in their chests right now really were them, but she seemed to think of something and suddenly smiled in a meaningful way.
"Claire, Ethan and I are holding our engagement banquet at Peony Garden. I remember you once said you liked Peony Garden too and had always wanted to go see it. So when the time comes, you absolutely have to come!"
Claire Bennett gave her a bland look.
She really had told Naomi Pierce that before, but back then she had been sharing her secrets with her with all the tender feelings of a young girl. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen then that Naomi Pierce was an ungrateful snake.
She kept reminding her over and over—was she that afraid Claire wouldn't go?
Claire Bennett answered indifferently, "Sure. I'll be there on time to give you my blessings."
She wondered what expressions they would have when they served tea to their elders.
Naomi Pierce glanced at Claire Bennett. She was probably just forcing herself to keep it together, wasn't she? Deep down, who knew how unwilling she was to accept Ethan Sterling marrying Naomi instead.
If this woman really came to the engagement banquet, she would humiliate her in public and make her lose all face and leave in tears!