Is Your Boss's Last Name Sterling?

When Claire Bennett picked up her phone, she finally saw a message sitting there. It was from Julian Sterling, and it said: "Breakfast is on the table."

She hadn't expected this man to be so thoughtful that he'd even bought her breakfast before going to work.

Claire Bennett's lips curled slightly. She got up, washed up, and changed clothes.

After eating breakfast, Claire Bennett headed out.

The awkwardness from being with Julian Sterling last night was still vivid in her mind. She had to investigate what happened at Kinley Estate as soon as possible. At the very least, she needed to know who had slept with her. That way, even if she had to lay everything out with Julian Sterling, she wouldn't be completely in the dark.

Claire Bennett took a cab to Kinley Estate.

Just like last time, there were quite a few prominent people coming and going here, and the crowd was extremely mixed. Claire Bennett found the estate manager and told him she wanted to meet their boss.

The last time she came, she hadn't been able to meet the person in charge of the estate. She had only met the staff member in charge of guest reception, and he hadn't known a thing, so Claire Bennett had no choice but to leave empty-handed.

After that, she had looked up the estate's shareholders online, only to find that there wasn't any information at all. Anyone who could erase everything that thoroughly was no ordinary person.

The owner of Kinley Estate became even more mysterious.

Luckily, this time she got to meet the estate manager.

After hearing Claire Bennett's request, the manager of Kinley Estate looked at her with an awkward expression.

Then he said politely, "Miss, I'm very sorry. Our boss usually isn't at the estate. He only comes by occasionally, and without an appointment, our boss doesn't casually meet strangers."

Claire Bennett frowned tightly and continued, "Then who is your boss?"

"Our boss's identity isn't something I can disclose to you."

The manager of Kinley Estate spoke flawlessly, giving nothing away. Claire Bennett couldn't get a single useful piece of information out of him, and she couldn't help feeling a little frustrated.

Everything was unknown.

All she knew was that she had lost her virginity to the estate's owner. As for who the owner was or what his name was, not a single clue had come out.

Claire Bennett's eyes flickered slightly, and she suddenly asked, "Is your boss's last name Sterling?"

The manager of Kinley Estate froze for a second, seeming surprised that Claire Bennett already knew who their boss was, so why had she come to ask him?

But he was only stunned for an instant and quickly returned to normal.

By the time Claire Bennett looked closely, his expression was already the same as before. "Miss, I can't reveal any information about our boss. I'm very sorry."

Claire Bennett had clearly seen him freeze just now. Could it be that she had guessed right?

The owner of Kinley Estate couldn't really be that bastard Ethan Sterling, could it?

The thought that she'd actually been bitten by a dog and couldn't even bite back made Claire Bennett feel sick and stifled. She let out a heavy sigh, then said, "Thank you."

With that, she turned and left.

When she reached the door, a woman's voice suddenly sounded by her ear. "Claire Bennett?"

Hearing the voice, Claire Bennett snapped out of it. She looked up toward where it had come from and saw someone familiar.

The woman in front of her was Hazel Lewis, the host of the gathering Kelsey Lee had invited her to last time.

Back at the styling studio, Claire Bennett had heard Ruby Sterling mention Hazel Lewis in passing, so she had some impression of her.

Ruby Sterling had said that the Lewis family was considered one of the bigger elite families in Chicago, and as the eldest daughter of the Lewis family, Hazel Lewis was also a well-known society heiress. Her father, Daniel Lewis, worked very closely with Sterling International...

After hearing that, Claire Bennett's first thought had been that under normal circumstances, Miss Lewis and the Sterling family ought to be headed for a marriage alliance.

But last time, she'd seen President Sterling dating Willow Lane, so she had no idea what the situation was.

"What a coincidence, running into you here. Can I treat you to a cup of coffee?" Hazel Lewis's gaze rested on Claire Bennett, carrying a kind of meaning Claire couldn't quite read.

Claire Bennett just happened to have nothing going on, so she nodded and said, "Sure."

The two of them sat down together in the estate's café.

Claire Bennett looked at Hazel Lewis in front of her. She was dressed in expensive designer brands, her silky hair falling smoothly down her back. Her figure was perfect and slender, her features delicate and beautiful, and her whole body gave off the air of a wealthy socialite.

She couldn't help wondering whether she had once been like that too.

Back then, in order to make Victor Bennett like her, she had forced herself for a time to become the image of a proper heiress, looking just like Hazel Lewis in front of her now, meticulous from head to toe.

While Claire Bennett was observing Hazel Lewis, Hazel Lewis was sizing up Claire Bennett in exactly the same way.

When Ethan Sterling got engaged last time, Hazel Lewis had still been overseas and hadn't come back yet, so she hadn't made it to the engagement banquet. She didn't know that Julian Sterling had pretended to be Ethan and accompanied Claire Bennett there.

After learning at yesterday's launch that Claire Bennett and Julian Sterling were more than casually connected, she had specifically investigated Claire Bennett's identity and everything about her.

When she found out that Claire Bennett had that kind of relationship with Ethan Sterling, and that Julian Sterling knew about it and still didn't mind her, she had to admit that Claire Bennett had been born with a beautiful face. She had actually managed to win Julian Sterling's favor with that face.

She had even made him ignore everyone's opposition and ridicule and go after Claire Bennett.

And yet Claire Bennett had been looked down on by Old Mr. Sterling because of her status.

Thinking that, Hazel Lewis gave a light snort. A look of contempt appeared in her eyes, and her bearing grew even more arrogant.

Compared to Claire Bennett, she was better by far more than just a little. Based on status alone, Claire Bennett couldn't compare to her at all.

Fortunately, the only thing Claire Bennett had going for her was the identity of Queen. In their social circle, that kind of status could be completely ignored.

A faint smile curved Hazel Lewis's lips, without revealing the slightest bit of emotion.

She looked at Claire Bennett and said, "Miss Bennett, I actually only got back to Chicago not long ago, so I don't know many people here. Last time, I wanted to hold a gathering to build some connections, but there were too many people, so I didn't get to talk with you much."

Claire Bennett looked at Hazel Lewis in front of her. Although she wore a smile on her face, Claire felt as though she were wearing a false mask, with no real intention of making friends.

If Claire remembered correctly, at that gathering last time, Hazel Lewis's attention had been on Ruby Sterling and not much on her at all.

Since Hazel Lewis was only talking to her out of politeness, Claire Bennett didn't respond with too much warmth either.

Suddenly, Hazel Lewis changed the subject and said with a smile, "Although I don't know what's going on between you and Julian Sterling, I hope you'll keep your distance from him from now on."