Chapter 256
Sadly, I Have to Disappoint You
Tanya Sterling's face darkened, and she snorted, "Who says the project can't happen?!"
Seeing Tanya Sterling all worked up, Mrs. King curled her lips into a cold sneer. "If Victor Bennett really planned to set up a new project for your son, then why hasn't he announced it?"
Tanya Sterling gritted her teeth. "Fine! Since none of you believe it, then I'll make you shut up and accept it!"
Mrs. King didn't have that kind of good fortune herself, yet she was still standing here making snide remarks, even saying some nonsense about the new project not happening? The sourness coming off her was practically choking. In a minute, she'd let Mrs. King know just how ridiculous she was!
After saying that, Tanya Sterling led a group of society ladies toward Naomi Pierce.
At that moment, Claire Bennett had finished exchanging pleasantries with Mr. Mike, and she accepted the fact that the ring was already gone.
Naomi Pierce looked awful. She stared at Claire Bennett unwillingly and asked, "Claire Bennett, how are you Queen?"
What she really meant was that Claire Bennett had this identity and yet had never taken the initiative to tell her.
Seeing Naomi Pierce's gloomy face, Claire Bennett curled her lips in mockery and, as if she couldn't understand the question, said, "What are you talking about? Weren't you the one who told the reporters my identity just now? What, you didn't know I was Queen?"
Hearing Claire Bennett's words, Naomi Pierce's face instantly turned green and white by turns.
That bitch Claire Bennett!
She must have known about this all along. She watched her publicize that Queen was coming, while secretly laughing at her behind her back!
Claire Bennett glanced at her lightly, seeming to guess what she was thinking. She said, "Some time ago, when you had people spread the word that Queen was coming, I thought you'd somehow found out about this identity of mine that accidentally got famous while I was in school. I never expected your plan was to make a fool of me. Sadly, I have to disappoint you."
"But don't get too angry. Women age easily when they get angry. Look, you've already got two more wrinkles on your face. Be careful, or Ethan Sterling might not want you anymore."
Naomi Pierce nearly exploded with rage at those words.
The last bit of support she had was gone. Over there, Ethan Sterling was still with Victor Bennett, but who knew how much longer that could last? If her identity as the Bennett family's daughter were exposed...
Naomi Pierce's face had already gone so pale it was bloodless, and she felt a faint cramping pain in her belly.
Maybe she'd been too busy lately; her period was already several days late.
She had put in so much effort. She didn't want everything to collapse at the last moment.
At that moment, Tanya Sterling walked up to Naomi Pierce with several society ladies.
Naomi Pierce had suffered one blow after another and still hadn't dealt with her own problems, when Tanya Sterling grabbed her hand and said with a kindly smile, "Naomi, Mrs. King and I were just talking about you. We were saying you asked your in-laws to get a new project for Ethan. Hurry up and tell Mrs. King whether that's true."
Hearing that, Naomi Pierce remembered the matter she'd agreed to in order to brush Tanya Sterling off.
At the time, she had thought Victor Bennett wouldn't be able to come, so she hadn't been worried at all.
Naomi Pierce stayed silent for a long time. Seeing this, Mrs. King's eyes flickered, as if she had realized something. Could it be she'd actually guessed right?
There was no such thing as a new project at all, and Tanya Sterling had made the whole thing up just to show off?
She curled her lips in mockery and said, "Tanya Sterling, actually, it doesn't matter if there isn't any new project. After all, it's not bad that your Ethan is getting a boost from his wife."
Having been publicly slighted, Tanya Sterling's expression instantly darkened.
She clenched her fists and looked at Naomi Pierce unhappily, signaling with her eyes for her to hurry up and speak.
"Mom, what are you all talking about?" Ethan Sterling's voice rang out.
When he saw Tanya Sterling bring people over and surround Naomi Pierce, he felt uneasy and followed to take a look. After Ethan Sterling came over, Victor Bennett and Julian Sterling also walked this way together.
When Naomi Pierce saw this, a trace of panic she couldn't suppress surfaced in her eyes.
She had to find a way to separate Ethan Sterling and Victor Bennett immediately. If they stayed together even one second longer, it might increase the risk of her being exposed!
But Tanya Sterling kept pestering her, and she simply couldn't free herself.
Mr. Mike seemed to know Julian Sterling. After seeing him, his eyes widened and he let out an exclamation, saying, "Oh! Lu..."
Julian Sterling arched a brow at him, and Mr. Mike seemed to realize something.
In Chicago, Julian Sterling was mysterious and low-key. He didn't like people knowing his identity, nor had he ever left behind any images of himself.
This was reminding him not to publicize who he was.
Mr. Mike changed his tone and said excitedly, "I didn't expect you to be attending Maison Verne's new product launch today too."
Although Maison Verne was a brand under Sterling International, Mr. Mike had assumed Julian Sterling wouldn't attend. Sterling Group's business was spread everywhere; a tiny launch event like this didn't require him to get involved personally.
When Claire Bennett saw Victor Bennett walking over, more annoyance appeared on her face.
The moment she saw Victor Bennett, she thought of her mother, and of how he had favored her stepsister and stepmother in the past. But no matter how unhappy she was, in a setting like this, she didn't want to start arguing with Victor Bennett and make a scene in front of everyone.