Chapter 468
I'll Take You Somewhere
After Claire Bennett got up, she was dazed for a moment. She looked around, and only then remembered that yesterday she had gone with Julian Sterling to attend the Bennett family's birthday banquet. Then, when they were leaving, Victor Bennett had called both her and Julian Sterling into the study, and afterward had sent her away so he could speak to Julian Sterling alone.
And there was Ava Bennett's phone call last night too!
Claire Bennett instantly snapped awake and threw back the covers to get out of bed.
There were slight wrinkles in the sheet beside her, proof that Julian Sterling had come back and slept here last night. But he was nowhere to be seen first thing in the morning, and she had no idea where he'd gone. Claire Bennett quickly washed up.
She hurried downstairs and saw Julian Sterling sitting in a chair.
He was dressed in a pure black shirt and black dress pants, noble and extraordinary, his whole person giving off a mysterious, aloof aura.
Claire Bennett stood there for a moment admiring Julian Sterling's stunningly handsome face, unable to stop herself from marveling at how a man could be that good-looking. How had she ever thought Julian Sterling was just an ordinary little driver? With that kind of presence, there was no way he could possibly be an ordinary person.
Hearing the sound, Julian Sterling lifted his head and looked over at Claire Bennett.
Then he said in a low voice, "Claire, come have breakfast. After we eat, I'll take you somewhere."
Claire Bennett sat down across from him in surprise. "Where are you taking me?"
Julian Sterling's expression was grave. "You'll know in a little while."
He had decided to take Claire Bennett to see Quentin Sterling, and then tell her about it there. Maybe she would be able to accept it a little better.
Claire Bennett looked at Julian Sterling a little longer, feeling that he seemed troubled. But after speaking, Julian Sterling lowered his eyes to the phone in his hand, and Claire Bennett could only suppress all her questions.
The two of them finished breakfast, each occupied with their own thoughts.
Julian Sterling drove Claire Bennett toward the Lake Geneva countryside. The last time Claire Bennett had come here was to attend old Mr. Sterling's birthday banquet. She still remembered that this was property owned by the Sterling family, with a nursing home, the estate, a hospital...
Back then, she still hadn't known Julian Sterling's identity. Thinking about how he had deceived her, Claire Bennett wanted to grab him again and beat him up hard. That liar had actually fooled her for so long.
Claire Bennett looked at the pleasant scenery outside the window and felt herself relax quite a bit.
No wonder they had built the wetland residence here; it really was suitable for recuperation. She turned and asked, "Is this the place your grandpa and grandma thought about retiring to? You all even lied to me back then."
"Mm, not just them."
"Then who else?" Claire Bennett was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered that Grandma Sterling had once said there was also a person in a vegetative state in the Sterling family.
She asked curiously, "Oh right, Grandma said your family also has someone in a vegetative state. You're not taking me to see him, are you?"
Although Claire Bennett felt it was a little strange that Julian Sterling suddenly wanted to take her to see a patient from the Sterling family, she didn't object.
Since it was a member of the Sterling family, she had no objections.
"Mm. He's my fourth uncle, Quentin Sterling."
A wave of bitterness rose in Julian Sterling's heart. He didn't know what expression Claire Bennett would have once she learned the truth in a moment.
As they spoke, they arrived at a spotless white building.
The building stood amid lush green woods, looking like a pearl forgotten in an oasis. Claire Bennett suddenly felt an inexplicable flutter of panic. The feeling came strangely, and she had no idea why.
Julian Sterling took Claire Bennett upstairs in the elevator.
It was probably already arranged in advance, because they got up there very smoothly.
Claire Bennett turned to look at Julian Sterling. His face looked especially cold and indifferent. She didn't know whether it was because they were in an environment like this that even their emotions tensed up along with it.
She wanted to say something to comfort him, but suddenly didn't know what to say.
Because her own mother was also in a vegetative state, Claire Bennett knew this kind of pain. Taking care of a patient was not an easy thing.
In the blink of an eye, the two of them arrived at the door of the hospital room.
Julian Sterling pushed the door open and walked in.
The hospital room was not very large. It looked white and clean. In the center was a hospital bed, and lying quietly on it was a man. His features looked somewhat similar to Julian Sterling's, especially around the brows and eyes.
Claire Bennett sighed inwardly that the Sterling family had good genes; they were all very good-looking.
Julian Sterling walked to Quentin Sterling's side, and Claire Bennett followed closely and stood beside him.
Julian Sterling lowered his eyes to the motionless man, then said in a deep voice, "Fourth Uncle, it's Julian. I've come to see you."
After hearing Julian Sterling's words, Claire Bennett also obediently followed with a greeting, "Fourth Uncle."
Julian Sterling was silent for a moment, then continued, "Claire is from the Bennett family, Megan Shaw Bennett's daughter."
Hearing Julian Sterling's words, Claire Bennett looked at him in surprise, not knowing why he was deliberately saying something like that. Shouldn't the normal way of introducing her be to say she was his wife?
Knowing the confusion in Claire Bennett's heart, Julian Sterling turned to look at her.
His gaze fell on her, his dark eyes carrying a complicated emotion.
After a long while, Julian Sterling finally said hoarsely, "Claire, your mother was in the same car accident as my fourth uncle."