Chapter 245
Claire Bennett's Suitor
Willow Lane covered her mouth and laughed, then said maliciously, "Claire Bennett, of course! Didn't she have a suitor a while back who kept sending her flowers and food? In the end, once he got her, played with her, he dumped her. Claire Bennett really is pathetic."
After saying that, Willow pretended to comfort her. "Claire Bennett, you don't have to be too upset. You'll definitely find another good man."
That day, Willow had overheard Claire talking on the phone in the bathroom and found out she'd broken up.
At a time like this, of course she had to mock her properly.
The people nearby all started gossiping when they heard that.
"So Claire Bennett got dumped. No wonder I saw her at work a few days ago and she seemed kind of distracted. I thought she'd stayed up too late binge-watching shows."
"Men are like that. Once they get what they want, they stop cherishing it."
"Claire Bennett is way too pitiful. It was such a huge, dramatic pursuit before, and now it ended like this. No wonder she stopped getting gifts afterward."
Hearing Willow's words, Claire's eyes darkened slightly.
Was Willow talking about that time a while back when she and Julian Sterling had a falling-out?
How did she know about it?
Just then, calculation flashed through Willow's eyes, and she suddenly said in a falsely helpful tone, "Oh, right, I got the phone number of Claire Bennett's suitor. Why don't we call him over and put in a few good words for Claire Bennett? Otherwise it'd be such a pity. Claire Bennett's been so heartbroken these past few days she can't even eat!"
Claire frowned.
Willow had Julian Sterling's phone number? Where did she get it?
While Claire was still wondering, Molly Lee's face instantly turned white, and she said in a panic, "Director Claire, I'm sorry! This was my fault. That day, you told me to throw away the card in the flowers, but Willow Lane snatched it away."
At the time, she had thought it was just a card and not a big deal.
So she hadn't taken it to heart. She never expected Willow to use the number on the card to get Claire Bennett's suitor's phone number.
If she called him in front of everyone now, then Claire Bennett would definitely be humiliated to death.
"Director Claire, I'm sorry..."
The more Molly thought about it, the guiltier she felt. She felt like she was the one who had harmed Claire.
Hearing this, Naomi Pierce curled her lips into a faint smile. Not only did she not stop Willow, she instead said gently, "It's really not good for two people to quarrel in the heat of the moment. I think Claire must care very deeply too. If they just talk things through, it should be fine, right?"
With a mocking smile, Willow dialed Claire Bennett's suitor's number and even turned on speakerphone!
She wanted to see exactly what kind of man had pursued Claire Bennett!
What if he started cursing them out over the phone, or turned out to be some potbellied old man? If that were the case, then it would really be a joke.
Claire's brows knitted tightly together.
Whether Willow had really gotten Julian Sterling's number or not, there was no way Claire was going to let Julian come here and be surrounded and laughed at. Claire said coldly, "Willow Lane, this is my private business. Stay out of it."
"Oh my, meddling in other people's business is exactly what I like best!"
As soon as she said it, Willow had already placed the call.
Quite a few people at the scene had their attention drawn over here. During this period, Ethan Sterling had also noticed that someone was pursuing Claire Bennett. He had once suspected it was Cameron Quinn, and now he could finally confirm his guess.
The surrounding noise seemed to quiet down several degrees, and the sound coming from Willow's phone could be heard clearly.
Beep, beep, beep...
No one answered the phone for a long time. Just as everyone was feeling disappointed, the call connected, and then a deep, pleasant voice sounded from the other end. "Hello."
...
Fifteen minutes earlier, Julian Sterling was in the hotel's reception room.
Marcus Reed walked in and said, "Mr. Sterling, we just received word that Victor Bennett has already taken a private jet to Chicago and is now on his way to the hotel."
Julian Sterling was silent for a moment, then said, "He's here. Bring him over."
"Yes, sir."
He wanted to meet his father-in-law, but not because he intended to get on good terms with him.
It was because Naomi Pierce had been able to successfully become the manager of Maison Verne Jewelry at Sterling International under the identity of the Bennett family's heiress, and the Bennett family had played an indispensable role in that.
He didn't care how Victor Bennett had been deceived, but he had let his woman suffer an injustice.
This debt needed to be settled properly.
Twenty minutes later, Victor Bennett was brought by Marcus Reed to the hotel's reception room.
At first, when he learned that Mr. Sterling of Sterling International wanted to see him, he had thought this young man was outrageously arrogant to have someone forcibly bring him over.
But after seeing Julian Sterling, Victor Bennett felt that perhaps he had underestimated him.
In the enormous conference room, Julian Sterling was dressed in a black suit and looked elegant and noble. Looking closer, however, one would realize that what he wore was not any expensive brand at all; it was all carried by his own bearing.
Victor Bennett's gaze met Julian Sterling's, and a considerable spark seemed to collide invisibly in the air.
"Mr. Sterling," Victor Bennett said in a low voice, then sat down in the chair opposite Julian Sterling.
Looking at the Julian Sterling before him, he vaguely saw a trace of a familiar shadow in his brows and eyes. Something buried deep down, something he was unwilling to recall, quietly surfaced in his mind.
Victor Bennett's face tightened, and his eyes turned cold. "What did you want to say by seeing me?"
Julian Sterling said flatly, "I wonder if Mr. Bennett has ever heard a certain phrase."
Victor Bennett's thoughts were pulled back. He narrowed his eyes. "What phrase?"
Julian Sterling gave a cold laugh. "Aiding a tyrant in his tyranny."