Chapter 454
Finally Kicked an Iron Plate
When Old Mr. Bennett heard Old Mr. Walker say that, the look in his eyes as he looked at Ava Bennett's gift turned a little disdainful. He set the thing Claire Bennett had given him by his hand, clearly liking it very much, while the one Ava Bennett had given him was taken away by a servant.
No doubt it would be put away on a high shelf and never brought out again.
...
When Victor Bennett saw Claire Bennett, emotion welled up in his eyes.
He hadn't expected Claire Bennett to be willing to come back. He had once gone to Chicago to look for Claire Bennett, but she had always refused to return to New York.
For Old Mr. Bennett's birthday this time, he had originally wanted to let Claire Bennett know too, but Hannah Bennett had said that Claire Bennett's prejudice against him was so deep now that she probably wouldn't come back again, so he shouldn't waste his effort.
In the end, Victor Bennett didn't call Claire Bennett and ask her to come back.
Now she still remembered Old Mr. Bennett's birthday and had come back on her own. To him, this was undoubtedly an enormous surprise.
He walked toward Claire Bennett and said in a doting, gentle voice, "Claire, you've finally agreed to come back. Since you're willing to come back now, then from now on you should come back to Bennett Group and help out too. Your younger sister is very busy right now anyway. With you two sisters working together, you'll definitely be able to run the company even better."
As soon as Victor Bennett finished speaking, Hannah Bennett and Ava Bennett changed expression at the same time.
They had finally managed to get Claire Bennett out of the way, and now with a single sentence from Victor Bennett he wanted her back. Then what were they supposed to be?
When Ava Bennett heard Victor Bennett say that she was busy, she felt like she'd picked up a rock only to smash her own foot with it.
She had originally wanted to act spoiled with Victor Bennett and tell him she was busy so he would feel sorry for her and give her even more affection. She hadn't expected that what Victor Bennett would do was bring Claire Bennett back.
How could she possibly let Claire Bennett enter the company and disgust her?
When Laura Bennett saw Hannah Bennett and Ava Bennett's expressions change, she felt like she'd finally vented some anger. Usually they were so arrogant, and now they had finally kicked an iron plate!
Her special trip flying to Chicago to bring Claire Bennett back hadn't been for nothing.
Seeing the smug looks on Lila Bennett's and Laura Bennett's faces made Ava Bennett especially angry.
That Lila Bennett—back when she was currying favor with her, she had coaxed and flattered her in every possible way, and had even helped her deal with Claire Bennett. But now she had turned around and gotten on the same boat as Claire Bennett.
She was nothing but a fence-sitter, leaning whichever way the wind blew.
But Ava Bennett had known Lila Bennett for so long that she also knew what kind of person she was. Lila Bennett was especially easy to use. Ava Bennett had used her many times before, getting her to help deal with Claire Bennett.
With what had happened in the past as groundwork, she refused to believe Claire Bennett could truly have no resentment at all toward her.
But she wasn't going to make a move personally. She had to find someone to help.
All of a sudden, Ava Bennett's eyes landed on a woman in the corner, and the corners of her lips curved up slightly.
It wasn't only she and Claire Bennett who had conflicts in the Bennett family. Wherever there was competition, there would be conflict. Lila Bennett also had a younger sister named Lena Bennett. She and Lila Bennett had never gotten along, and on top of that, Laura Bennett favored Lila Bennett, which only made Lena Bennett resent Lila Bennett even more.
Now, if she wanted to deal with Lila Bennett, there was no need for her to do it herself at all.
She only had to egg Lena Bennett on and let her make a move on her behalf, while she sat back and reaped the fisherman's profit!
Taking advantage of everyone not paying attention, Ava Bennett carried a glass of champagne over to find Lena Bennett nearby.
"Lena, why are you here by yourself?"
Lena Bennett was somewhat gloomy. Just now Laura Bennett had kept fawning over Lila Bennett, while she herself had been forgotten off to the side, as if she weren't Laura Bennett's daughter at all. She didn't understand why, when she was clearly Laura Bennett's daughter too, Laura Bennett treated her with such distance.
Actually, Lena Bennett was Laura Bennett's husband's illegitimate daughter from outside the marriage, only brought home for Laura Bennett to raise.
A live-in son-in-law actually dared to cheat outside. Laura Bennett had been angry and made a scene, but in the end, in order not to disappoint Old Mr. Bennett, she swallowed the matter.
Since Lena Bennett hadn't come out of her own womb, how could Laura Bennett possibly truly care about her?
That kind of favoritism only made the imbalance in Lena Bennett's heart grow worse and worse.
When Lena Bennett saw Ava Bennett come over to speak with her, she said gloomily, "It's nothing. I just want to be by myself for a while."
Ava Bennett secretly observed Lena Bennett's expression and said casually, "Lena, haven't you noticed that your mother treats Claire Bennett better than she treats you? She actually treated Claire Bennett like some kind of surprise and let her steal all the spotlight in front of Grandpa."
Hearing Ava Bennett's words, jealousy appeared in Lena Bennett's eyes.
When she had seen Laura Bennett come out with Claire Bennett just now, she had been extremely shocked.
Anyone who didn't know better would have thought Claire Bennett was her daughter.
When Ava Bennett saw that with just a few words she had stirred up Lena Bennett's emotions, the corners of her lips curled up slightly.
She said softly, "Look how pleased with herself Claire Bennett is right now. Even Grandpa looks at her differently. What you need to do now is expose Claire Bennett. Otherwise, in the future, I'm afraid that in your mother's eyes, you won't even measure up to Claire Bennett!"
Lena Bennett clenched her fists tightly.
Exactly!
Although Ava Bennett had moved her, Lena Bennett didn't show it. She only said casually, "We're all family. Why target each other? I'm going to the restroom first."
After saying that, Lena Bennett turned and left impatiently.
Looking at Lena Bennett's departing back, Ava Bennett revealed a triumphant smile and let out a cold laugh.
She really couldn't wait to see how Lena Bennett would deal with Claire Bennett. She was simply too excited for it.