Chapter 277
Rejected Him
Before Claire Bennett could think any further, he had already lowered his head and kissed her.
Claire Bennett's mind buzzed even harder.
The man's large hand had already made its way to her collar with practiced ease, undoing her clothes button by button.
His scorching breath spilled against her neck, making Claire Bennett feel ticklish and want to dodge away, but the man on top of her was like a mountain right now. She was domineeringly pinned down by that mountain and couldn't go anywhere.
Tension, fear, panic, and several other emotions swirled through her mind.
It wasn't that she was afraid of sleeping with Julian Sterling. They were husband and wife with a marriage certificate, and doing these things was normal.
What she was afraid of was what would happen if Julian Sterling found out she wasn't a virgin.
What would he think? Would he think she was a dirty woman?
If he pressed her and asked who had taken her first time, how was she supposed to answer then?
Claire Bennett's whole body went rigid with tension, so stiff it was severe, every pore in her body giving off resistance.
The moment she felt a chill across her chest, Claire Bennett reacted on instinct, jerking her hand back to cover herself tightly as she said in a fluster, "Wait, Julian Sterling... I-I'm not ready yet."
She was afraid to face his disappointed, shocked gaze. She couldn't keep going with him anymore.
Julian Sterling took a deep breath, got off her, then sat to the side and looked at her with a cool, dark gaze while also trying to steady himself.
Claire Bennett hardly dared to look up at him. She just kept her head down and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Can you give me some time? When I'm ready, I'll... I'll be with you."
Hearing Claire Bennett apologize, Julian Sterling's brows knitted tightly together.
He wasn't angry at Claire Bennett. He was angry at himself for leaving her with a bad impression, to the point that his closeness now filled her with resistance.
The way she faced him now was completely guarded. She was unwilling to go any further with him, and unwilling to accept him.
He took a deep breath and reached out to help Claire Bennett pull her clothes back together.
"You don't need to apologize."
It was his fault. He hadn't given Claire Bennett a better experience, had even left her with emotional scars, and now this was what he deserved.
Seeing that Julian Sterling wasn't blaming her, Claire Bennett felt even guiltier.
She had an impulse to throw caution to the wind and tell Julian Sterling everything, tell him what she had done.
But if she said it, maybe they really would end things again.
Even if they didn't end, there would still be a nail buried in their hearts, something they would brush against from time to time and get stabbed bloody by.
She didn't want to suffer that kind of torment. Just thinking about it made her feel suffocated.
Tell him...
You absolutely can't tell him!
The two emotions spun around in Claire Bennett's mind. She was almost worried sick.
Seeing Claire Bennett looking so dejected, so upset she seemed beside herself, and as if she hadn't completely rejected him after all, Julian Sterling's disappointed, gloomy mood eased a little. He comforted her softly, "It's okay. There's no need to rush. We can take it slow."
"Julian Sterling..."
Claire Bennett wanted to apologize again, but that wasn't what Julian Sterling needed right now.
Her lips parted, but in the end she still didn't say anything.
Julian Sterling reached out and ruffled her hair. "Don't overthink it. Get some rest."
After saying that, he stood up and went into the bathroom, presumably to take a cold shower.
Claire Bennett looked at the tightly shut bathroom door and let out a heavy sigh.
Sigh! It was all her fault. Maybe once she found out who the owner behind Kinley Estate was, she'd be able to overcome her fear and inferiority and open her heart to Julian Sterling.
Julian Sterling took two cold showers and still felt unbearably overheated all over.
When he came out, he saw that Claire Bennett's breathing had steadied. She was already asleep.
That little ingrate. Looks like he was the only one suffering.
Julian Sterling lay down on the bed. Claire Bennett turned over and faced his direction, and he lowered his eyes to look at her lovely little face right in front of him.
Something in his heart stirred slightly, and he lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.
Claire Bennett's brows drew together faintly. When her breathing gradually became labored, Julian Sterling let her go.
Once she was free, Claire Bennett kept burrowing into his arms, as if she deeply longed for his warm embrace. After finding a comfortable position, Claire Bennett fell back into a deep sleep.
A helpless sigh escaped Julian Sterling.
Just now she had resisted him so strongly, and now she seemed extremely attached to him.
So could he take it to mean that Claire Bennett wasn't rejecting him, but that because he hadn't given her a very good experience last time, she had developed a psychological shadow around him and so instinctively resisted?
In the end, he pulled up the blanket to cover both of them, then held her soft, delicate body and drifted off to sleep with her.
A new day began again.
When Claire Bennett got up in the morning and looked beside the bed, Julian Sterling was already gone. She thought he was angry about what had happened last night.
She hadn't expected that after washing up, getting dressed, and going out, she would see him sitting at the dining table.
"You're up? Come eat breakfast."
He acted as though nothing had happened, still just like his usual self.
At that moment, Claire Bennett's feelings for him reached an unprecedented height. He wasn't angry about her rejection, and he hadn't given her the cold shoulder either.
She remembered that when she had been dating Ethan Sterling before, he had suggested doing that kind of thing.
Back then she had refused in terror. Even though she explained her reasons to Ethan Sterling, he had still been very angry. After that, Ethan Sterling ignored her for a full two weeks, and it was only because she felt bad about it that she apologized first and made up with him.
Even after she apologized, he had stayed sulky for a while and gave her plenty of attitude.
But Julian Sterling not only wasn't angry, his emotions were also very steady, and he hadn't blamed her at all.
He really was a good man!
Claire Bennett swept away all the wild thoughts in her head, walked over, sat down at the table, and ate breakfast with him.
After they finished eating, Julian Sterling took Claire Bennett to the office.
Claire Bennett had already learned from Molly Lee about Naomi Pierce and Ethan Sterling being fired, and when she heard the news, she found it immensely satisfying!
President Sterling had really done something that put her in a good mood.
From now on, she wouldn't have to face that disgusting man Ethan Sterling anymore. That was a good thing for her too, and even her mood at work improved a lot.
After entering, Claire Bennett saw a crowd of people gathered around Willow Lane.
"Willow, you have to look out for us from now on!"
"No matter what, we're your good coworkers. Now that you've become Sterling International's boss's wife, don't forget about us!"
"Exactly, Willow. I've treated you plenty of times before. We have the best relationship, so don't forget me either."
As Claire Bennett walked past, she heard all that flattery.
She sharply caught several key words in it.
Sterling International's boss's wife?
Were they talking about Willow Lane?
She had just been praising President Sterling for doing a good job firing Ethan Sterling, but now, seeing Willow Lane carrying herself like the lady of the house after becoming his woman, she instantly had a bad feeling about this.
Once that woman got power, she would definitely find all kinds of trouble for her.
Looks like she needed to prepare herself mentally in advance.