Chapter 315
Has Her Identity Been Exposed?
Wes Mercer had just been about to complain that there was no way he could make it in ten minutes—it was practically asking for his life—but the moment he heard that the bonus would be tripled, he swallowed every word and agreed without hesitation. "Okay, okay, okay, I'm heading over right now. I guarantee I'll make it!"
Today, even if he had to run himself to death, he was getting to Fountain Ridge Estate within ten minutes!
After that, Julian Sterling called his father and mother and told them not to show up at the estate for the time being.
Naturally, the two of them agreed without a second word.
After ending the call, Julian Sterling seemed to think of something, and his brows knitted slightly. He lifted his eyes to look at Cameron Quinn and said with a frown, "You should leave now. Don't show up in front of Claire, so we don't arouse unnecessary suspicion."
Cameron Quinn: "???"
What a heartless bastard the second there's a woman involved!
Wasn't a real estate salesman like him allowed to come here and pitch properties?
Mm... when you put it that way, it really did seem a little illogical. Someone of his current status really shouldn't be able to get into this kind of event.
Thinking about the absolutely no-progress progress between himself and Ruby Sterling, Cameron Quinn felt a little pitiful.
He looked at Julian Sterling again and decided he still needed to suck up more to his future brother-in-law, in case Julian stopped helping him later on.
With that in mind, Cameron Quinn still gave Julian Sterling some face and slipped away without a sound. Anyway, that dog of a man who had screwed over Ruby Sterling wasn't here, so there was no need to worry about Ruby being sweet-talked by him again.
...
Hazel Lewis had never expected to run into Claire Bennett here!
She still had a faint smile on her lips as she chatted with the socialites around her, but the moment she saw the elegantly dressed Claire Bennett appear before her, her face darkened instantly.
Why was Claire Bennett still here?!
She had thought the Sterling family's butler had already driven her away earlier, yet not only had she not left, she had instead appeared before them in such glory. How exactly had she gotten in?
Hazel Lewis stared at the exquisite makeup on Claire Bennett's face and felt only that there was an indescribable elegance in Claire Bennett's every gesture. She wasn't timid and lacking confidence like an ordinary girl; on the contrary, she was poised and gracious.
Showing up like this, all dressed up and stunning everyone—was she trying to steal Julian Sterling from her?
The socialites around them came to their senses at that moment and began commenting on Claire Bennett and Ruby Sterling.
"Oh my God, who is that woman? She looks gorgeous."
"I think both of them are pretty good, but I haven't really seen them before. Are they daughters from some family who've been studying abroad?"
Hearing the people around her evaluating Claire Bennett and Ruby Sterling like that made Hazel Lewis's expression turn even uglier.
Jade Cole was very quick to read the room. She gave a light snort and said, "Are they that pretty? So what if they are? Without a good family to marry into, they might just get married off by their families to whoever."
As she spoke, she looked at Hazel Lewis and flattered her, saying, "Hazel is still the impressive one. Not only is she beautiful, she even gets to marry a man like that."
Hazel Lewis felt much better after hearing Jade Cole's words.
So what if Claire Bennett and Julian Sterling were entangled now? In great wealthy families like theirs, marriage was never something they got to decide for themselves. It was all business alliances built on mutual benefit.
This time, Old Master Sterling had taken a liking to her because he valued the strength of the Lewis family.
Otherwise, why would Old Master Sterling suddenly propose publicly announcing her marriage alliance with Julian Sterling at today's birthday banquet?
What was Claire Bennett worth? So what if she dressed like this? When the time came, she'd just make a laughingstock of herself.
As she thought this, the unease in Hazel Lewis's heart gradually settled down.
She had to display the grace of the lawful wife. A man as outstanding as Julian Sterling would probably attract no shortage of women like this in the future. She had to win the first battle beautifully!
...
Time passed second by second, and the birthday banquet reached its climax.
Claire Bennett and Ruby Sterling had been in the hall for quite a while and still hadn't seen Julian Sterling anywhere. She had, however, spotted quite a few famous faces at the event, which only made her even more suspicious about this birthday banquet.
Clearly, this birthday banquet was not something a person of Julian Sterling's status could host.
Although she could ask Ruby Sterling directly, Claire Bennett felt that if Ruby Sterling really had lied to her, then asking her now would mean she definitely wouldn't tell the truth.
She looked at Ruby Sterling again and saw that she seemed perfectly calm, as though she had nothing to feel guilty about.
That only made Claire Bennett even more puzzled, leaving her wavering.
Could it be that she was really overthinking this?
In truth, Ruby Sterling was panicking to death inside. But with Claire Bennett right beside her watching, she couldn't tip Julian Sterling off, nor did she dare casually leave Claire Bennett's side.
Luckily, her brother still hadn't appeared.
Maybe he already knew Claire Bennett had come, Ruby Sterling thought, feeling a little more at ease.
Old Master Sterling's capable assistant, Uncle Ming, was in charge of this birthday banquet and was also serving as the emcee.
Holding a microphone, he walked to the center. After clearing his throat twice, he said in a ringing voice, "Distinguished guests, welcome, and thank you all for coming to this birthday banquet. Next, let us invite the star of today's banquet!"
As soon as Uncle Ming finished speaking, a burst of cheerful music rang out, and everyone turned to look toward the entrance.
Claire Bennett immediately pulled back her wandering thoughts and fixed her gaze on the doorway with full concentration.
The star of the birthday banquet... would Julian Sterling appear here too?
Once she saw him in a moment, she would know whether that President Sterling was really President Sterling, Julian Sterling—whether he was the man who shared her bed every night!
Amid a round of applause from the guests, the doors slowly opened...