Chapter 336
Could He Be an Old Flame?
Suddenly, Hazel Lewis seemed to think of something, and a mocking smile curled at the corners of her lips.
She glanced at Claire Bennett and asked in puzzlement, "By the way, Miss Bennett, your relationship with the head of the Cole family is really enviable. You couldn't be old flames, could you?"
If they were old flames and still in contact now, and she could even get him to come treat Old Mr. Sterling...
that would mean their relationship was far from simple.
Hazel Lewis hadn't been able to make use of this at the birthday banquet, so now she naturally had to give Old Mr. Sterling a proper reminder that Claire Bennett and Zane Cole's relationship was not simple.
"No, we're just friends."
Hazel Lewis wore a look that said she had already seen through everything as she said, "Miss Bennett, there's no need to hide it. Having one or two ex-boyfriends isn't some shameful thing. This is the twenty-first century. Even getting married and then divorced isn't a big deal..."
What she meant by that was that she wanted to imply that Claire Bennett's marriage to Julian Sterling wasn't really much of anything.
Without waiting for Claire Bennett to speak, Hazel Lewis continued, "But I never expected Miss Bennett and the head of the Cole family to have once been boyfriend and girlfriend. No wonder you could get him to make an exception and see a patient. Ordinary people don't have that kind of ability."
Without waiting for Claire Bennett to confirm anything, Hazel Lewis had already branded Claire Bennett and Zane Cole as former lovers.
As she spoke, she watched Julian Sterling's expression.
She refused to believe there was any man who wouldn't mind his woman still being entangled with another man, especially a man as outstanding as Julian Sterling. He surely wanted his woman to be devoted to one man and have an absolutely clean past.
Claire Bennett's eyes turned cold. If she still couldn't tell Hazel Lewis was doing this on purpose, then she'd have to be blind.
She said coldly, "Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Lewis, but my relationship with Zane Cole really isn't as complicated as you imagine. Only people with filthy minds see things from a different angle than normal people do."
Hazel Lewis's face darkened. Claire Bennett actually dared to insult her to her face!
She quickly suppressed her emotions, then put on a wounded expression and said in a dejected voice, "Miss Bennett, don't mind me. I didn't mean to pry into your past. If you say no, then no it is."
Hazel Lewis's words made it sound as though Claire Bennett had lashed out and cursed at her out of shame and anger to cover up her past.
Old Mr. Sterling pressed his lips together when he heard that.
Right—how exactly was Claire Bennett able to get Zane Cole to come?
Even when he had sent people to ask, they hadn't been able to do it. Could Claire Bennett really be more capable than him?
Otherwise, maybe it really was just as Hazel Lewis said—maybe Claire Bennett really did have some unclear relationship with Zane Cole!
Old Mr. Sterling already hadn't liked Claire Bennett that much to begin with. Now that he knew she apparently had this kind of relationship with another man, his expression immediately turned ugly, and the look he gave Claire Bennett was full of scrutiny.
Just as the atmosphere became exceptionally stiff, a voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.
"Miss, Claire and I really are good friends, but I did not agree to treat Mr. Sterling because of her."
Hearing the voice, everyone turned to look.
There in the doorway, Zane Cole stood tall and straight in a white coat, clearly having heard what they had just said.
He stepped inside.
When Old Mr. Sterling saw Zane Cole, his expression eased a little.
After all, he would still have to rely on Zane Cole to treat him in the future, so naturally it wouldn't do to give him attitude.
Old Mr. Sterling asked, "Head of the Cole family, if you say it wasn't because of Claire Bennett, then why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Zane Cole curved his lips faintly and said unhurriedly, "Although Claire and I are good friends, she doesn't have the ability to make me change my mind. It was Young Mr. Sterling who spoke with me. I was moved by him, so I changed my mind. Please don't misunderstand."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room looked toward Julian Sterling.
Old Mr. Sterling hadn't expected it to be Julian Sterling who had gone to talk to Zane Cole, so this grandson really did care a great deal about his health.
He truly hadn't doted on him for nothing!
Faced with everyone's gazes, Julian Sterling's expression remained calm and undisturbed. His eyes lowered slightly as he sank into thought.
At Grandma's birthday banquet that day, he really had spoken to Zane Cole, but Zane Cole had still refused his request to his face, so this talk now about changing his mind because of him was complete nonsense.
The most fundamental reason was still Claire Bennett. Zane Cole was only helping Claire Bennett.
Julian Sterling stood tall and striking with one hand in his pocket. He lifted his eyes to look at Zane Cole, coldness shifting in their depths.
Zane Cole noticed Julian Sterling looking over. He returned the look with a faint smile, not afraid in the slightest.
A silent tension collided in the air.
Standing nearby, Claire Bennett keenly sensed the strange mood between the two men.
A flicker of panic rose in her heart, and she quietly glanced at them both. Could it be that Julian Sterling had also misunderstood the relationship between her and Zane Cole and had taken him for a romantic rival?
Old Mr. Sterling looked moved as he asked, "Julian, when did you go talk to the head of the Cole family?"
Julian Sterling came back to himself and replied indifferently, "At Grandma's birthday banquet, I noticed the head of the Cole family had come, so I spoke with him for a while. The head of the Cole family was very amiable."
In reality, Zane Cole hadn't been polite at all. When facing him, he had been sarcastic and strange.
Before, he hadn't understood what that was about and had thought Zane Cole was arrogant because of his talent. Now he finally understood.
So in the end, it was all still for Claire Bennett!
Although Claire Bennett had no feelings for Zane Cole whatsoever, there was no guarantee that others had no designs on Claire Bennett. As a man, he was completely certain that Zane Cole absolutely had other intentions toward Claire Bennett.
After hearing Julian Sterling's words, all the pent-up anger Old Mr. Sterling had just been holding instantly died down, leaving only a heart full of emotion. The stern expression on his face softened as he said in a low voice, "Julian, you did very well."
Hazel Lewis had originally wanted Old Mr. Sterling to dislike Claire Bennett even more, but she hadn't expected Zane Cole to dissolve the situation just like that.
Not only had Claire Bennett come through without a scratch, it now seemed as though Hazel Lewis had made a fool of herself instead.
She clenched her palms in anger.
Just as Hazel Lewis was about to say something more, Julian Sterling shot her a cold warning look, frightening her into immediate silence.
Next, Zane Cole was going to give Old Mr. Sterling a full-body examination, and Hazel Lewis had no way to stay, so she could only get up and take her leave.
Claire Bennett and Julian Sterling also went out. Hazel Lewis still wanted to find a chance to speak to Julian Sterling, but Julian Sterling directly left with Claire Bennett without giving her any opportunity. Watching the two of them walk away, Hazel Lewis's face darkened with anger.
After they had gone some distance, Julian Sterling said with a face full of apology, "Claire, Grandpa is rather stubborn. Don't take it to heart."
Looking at the guilty expression on Julian Sterling's face, Claire Bennett curled her lips into a smile. "I won't mind it. Don't worry. Do I look like someone that fragile?"
Julian Sterling stared at her for a long while. The expression on Claire Bennett's face was relaxed and at ease, without the slightest trace of forced insincerity. It seemed she truly didn't mind.
While feeling heartache for her, he also felt a faint stirring of emotion in his heart.
A good girl like Claire Bennett deserved to be cherished and protected properly.