Chapter 41
Running Into Victor Bennett
The metal scaffolding on the exterior of Sterling International had been rebuilt, and an extra layer of safety netting had been added, making it look much safer.
Claire Bennett stood in front of the wall, holding a brush in one hand as she painted over it.
At that moment, a low-key Bentley slowly pulled up in front of the Sterling International building.
The car window rolled down, revealing a handsome face favored by time. Victor Bennett was dressed in a suit, understated and reserved. Leaning back in the rear seat, his sharp eyes, weathered by the years, were fixed tightly on Claire Bennett.
Although Claire Bennett was angry with him, he had been keeping tabs on her and knew that her current job was painting for people.
When she was little, Claire Bennett had liked drawing too, and she had been especially good at it.
Looking at the slender figure before him, Victor Bennett saw in his mind the image of Claire Bennett as a child, holding up one of her drawings with a beaming smile and asking him to praise her.
In the blink of an eye, Claire Bennett had already grown up.
"Mr. Bennett, you're flying back to New York this afternoon. Do you want to get out and see Miss Bennett?" asked Kevin Hayes, the assistant in the driver's seat.
Victor Bennett shook his head. "No need. It's enough for me to watch her from here. Every time she sees me, she doesn't look happy. I won't go in front of her and make myself an eyesore."
After that, Victor Bennett simply watched Claire Bennett in silence, his eyes full of affection and guilt.
Only when Claire Bennett went inside Sterling International to use the restroom did he pull back his gaze and say to Kevin Hayes, "Let's go."
He had just started to roll the window up when a surprised voice rang out: "Mr. Bennett?"
Victor Bennett turned to look and saw Ethan Sterling standing outside the car window.
His face was a mix of shock and delight, and he looked especially excited.
Victor Bennett thought carefully for a moment and realized he had no memory of ever meeting this person.
He asked in confusion, "You are?"
Ethan Sterling knew Victor Bennett had never met him before and naturally wouldn't recognize him, so he stepped forward and introduced himself. "Hello, Mr. Bennett. My name is Ethan Sterling. I'm your daughter's boyfriend."
Victor Bennett remembered that the last time he had someone investigate Claire Bennett's background, it did show that the boyfriend she was seeing was named Ethan Sterling.
His appraising gaze landed on Ethan Sterling; it was the look of a father sizing up a prospective son-in-law.
Ethan Sterling looked decent enough, but his eyes shifted around, and he lacked steadiness. He still fell quite a bit short of the son-in-law Victor Bennett had in mind.
Still, as long as Claire Bennett liked him, that was what mattered.
After everything he had been through, he had come to feel that a forced match was not as good as choosing someone you truly liked.
Victor Bennett gave him a kindly smile and said, "Treat her well from now on."
When Ethan Sterling had come over to greet him just now, he had been somewhat nervous. Hearing Victor Bennett's words now, his face immediately lit up with joy.
He said repeatedly, "I definitely will!"
Suddenly, Ethan Sterling thought of something and hurriedly added, "We're holding our engagement banquet in Chicago on the fifteenth of next month. We hope you'll be able to come then."
He remembered Naomi Pierce saying that she had argued with her father and that their relationship was strained, which was why the two families still hadn't met. If he acted as the go-between now, he could definitely reconcile them, and he could profit from it too!
Ethan Sterling said sincerely, "She said she wants to improve her relationship with you and hopes you'll give us this chance."
Hearing Ethan Sterling's words, Victor Bennett froze for a moment.
Claire Bennett was getting engaged to him?
She hadn't told him.
But what shocked him even more was what Ethan Sterling had said. The last time at the hospital, Claire Bennett had shown him no warmth at all. He hesitated and asked, "Did she really say that?"
"Really! She also said she'd send you an invitation."
Victor Bennett's eyes couldn't help turning red.
After so many years, Claire Bennett was finally willing to forgive him.
Claire Bennett was his daughter. Even if there had been no love between him and her mother, his fatherly love for Claire Bennett had always been real. How could he possibly hold a grudge against her?
"All right. I'll make time to come."
Ethan Sterling beamed and said repeatedly, "Then we'll be waiting for you in Chicago."
He felt even more pleased with himself, and secretly resolved to perform well in front of Victor Bennett when the time came.
"Mr. Bennett, we're running out of time," Kevin Hayes reminded him.
"I still have a flight to catch, so I won't talk with you any longer," Victor Bennett said.
Ethan Sterling said respectfully, "Take care, Mr. Bennett."
The window slowly rolled up, and the car drove away from Sterling International, quickly disappearing from Ethan Sterling's sight.
After Claire Bennett finished using the restroom at Sterling International, she ran into Ethan Sterling walking in with a face full of delight. Her expression darkened and she moved to avoid him from the side, not wanting to look at something so disgusting.
Unexpectedly, Ethan Sterling stepped in front of her and held out a hand to stop her.
"Ethan Sterling, what do you want?" Claire Bennett looked at him coldly, her eyes distant and icy.
"What you said today about being married—was it true?"
Even though Ethan Sterling had already confirmed it with Naomi Pierce, he still felt uncomfortable inside.
He was extremely vain and greatly enjoyed the feeling of girls fawning over him. He couldn't accept Claire Bennett having another man, while also acting as though she held him in utter contempt.
Claire Bennett let out a cold laugh. "What do I gain from lying to you?"
Was she not allowed to get married?
How ridiculous!
"I don't believe it! How could you possibly be married?" Ethan Sterling frowned tightly and said in a stern voice, "Unless you call him out here so I can see him."
Of course Claire Bennett couldn't call Julian Sterling over.
After all, he was the trump card in her hand. If Ethan Sterling saw him now, then what would she have left to play with when Ethan Sterling and Naomi Pierce got engaged?
She looked at Ethan Sterling with mockery. "Why do I need you to believe me? We've already broken up. Whether I get married or not should have nothing to do with you, right?"
"You..."
Ethan Sterling's eyes were full of suspicion. The more Claire Bennett evaded the issue, the more he felt that something was off, and the more convinced he became that she was lying to him.
Even if Naomi Pierce had seen Claire Bennett with a man, he still wouldn't believe it!
Maybe Claire Bennett was retreating in order to advance, trying to get his attention.