They Started Having a Tiff

Claire came back to herself and forced a smile. "No."

"Oh, come on. I'm like the worm in your gut. One look on your face and I know what kind of crap you're about to take! Stop hiding it from me. We're good sisters, good sisters-in-law, aren't we?"

Claire couldn't help finding Ruby's confident words a little funny.

She curled her lips slightly and shot back, "Then tell me—what kind of crap am I about to take?"

Ruby stroked her chin and analyzed carefully, "Let me think... hmm, there wasn't anything else between you and my brother before, so that proves this conflict only happened in the last couple of days. Since it's a new conflict... and it's making you this gloomy, it's definitely because of a woman!"

Claire raised a brow, signaling for her to continue.

Ruby seemed to think of something and suddenly sucked in a sharp breath. "Don't tell me my brother cheated!"

Seeing Ruby's utterly horrified expression, Claire shook her head helplessly, at a loss over her quick little brain.

To keep Ruby from misunderstanding even more, she told her about Hazel Lewis.

After hearing Claire out, Ruby finally let out a sigh of relief. She snorted and said, "That's too much!"

She clenched her fists and ground her teeth indignantly. "I think Hazel Lewis should be gotten rid of too. What woman would be willing to watch another woman who has designs on her husband hanging around in front of her every day?"

Claire hadn't expected Ruby to stand by her side unconditionally. Listening to her curse out Julian Sterling along with her made her gloomy mood much better.

Claire showed a genuine smile, her whole face relaxed, and said with a laugh, "Alright, I can understand your brother's difficulties. I was the one getting stuck in a dead end. Thanks for taking my side."

After their walk, Claire went back to the room to take a shower.

Julian Sterling was still in the study dealing with work and hadn't come back yet. When Claire came out damp all over, she saw that he had already returned and was sitting there as if waiting for her.

"I'm done showering. I'm going to sleep first. I still have work tomorrow. You should go shower."

After saying that, Claire lay down on the bed. She turned directly onto her side, leaving Julian Sterling only a cold back view. In the dim lighting, the outline of her body beneath the blanket was especially clear, making her look particularly slender and fragile.

Julian Sterling stood there watching for a while before turning and going into the bathroom.

Claire, who was just about to fall asleep, suddenly felt a wave of warmth from behind, pulling her back from her hazy near-dream. She opened her eyes and turned around.

Julian Sterling was holding her from behind and said in a low voice, "Claire, I'm sorry."

When Ruby had pulled Claire out, Julian Sterling had also started reflecting on himself, wondering if there was somewhere he hadn't handled things well and had made Claire feel wronged. Even Ruby could tell Claire was unhappy.

When he came back just now, there hadn't been a chance to talk.

By the time he came out after showering, Claire had already fallen asleep, so he could only wake her.

Claire let out a faint sigh and lifted her head to meet Julian Sterling's eyes.

The room was dimly lit, but it was still possible to vaguely make out Julian Sterling's handsome features. She reached out and touched his face, saying softly, "Actually, I'm not angry that you didn't get Hazel Lewis sent away. Mm... well, maybe a little. But more than that, it was your reaction in that first moment. You hesitated for a long time."

She wasn't afraid of Hazel Lewis; she just cared a lot about Julian Sterling's attitude.

Julian Sterling hadn't expected Claire to overthink things so much, nor had he realized that men and women could think so differently.

He was silent for a while before saying quietly, "Recently I went to New York to deal with Ian Walsh's matter with the Kane family, and I also stayed with Grandpa at the Sterling family home for a while. I can tell Grandpa's attitude has changed."

"Hazel Lewis is a woman he brought here. It's not necessarily that he likes Hazel Lewis that much—he just wants to fight me and make me submit. Grandpa responds to softness, not force. The more I resist, the harder it becomes. It's better to go along with what he wants."

"Of course, when it comes to matters of principle, I won't have any contact with any other woman, and I definitely won't do anything to betray you."

What Julian Sterling meant was the matter of Old Master Sterling wanting him to marry Hazel Lewis. That was something he could never possibly agree to, no matter what.

Claire listened in silence, and only then did she realize she had misunderstood Julian Sterling.

She hadn't expected that he was carrying so much. In comparison, it made her seem unreasonable, making a fuss and acting recklessly.

Claire pressed her head against his chest and said softly, "I was the one who didn't think of your side. You really did think more things through. Actually, after Ruby asked me out for a walk, I was already feeling much better. It's okay. There's no need to do anything to Hazel Lewis. Let me defeat her with my own strength."

Hearing Claire's thoughtful words only made Julian Sterling feel even guiltier. In the end, Claire had still been made to feel wronged.

With the knot in Claire's heart untied, sleepiness came over her, and she quickly fell asleep.

Julian Sterling felt Claire's light breathing, and his arms tightened a little, pulling her firmly into his embrace.

Thinking of the reason they'd had this tiff today, a trace of coldness overflowed from his eyes.

The reason Grandpa couldn't accept Claire now was because of Claire's status.

What if he found out that Claire was the Bennett family's daughter?