Chapter 47
This Position Is Really Ambiguous
Claire Bennett awkwardly averted her gaze. She cleared her throat lightly and said, "Um... you can let go of me now."
Julian Sterling let go of her, and Claire immediately backed away awkwardly. She grabbed her phone and fled the room to the living room as if she were escaping.
After fleeing to the living room, Claire reached up and lightly smacked her forehead.
Oh my God! What on earth had she just been doing?
If her phone hadn't rung, then they probably would have... She couldn't think about it anymore!
The phone in her hand was still ringing. It was Ruby Sterling calling her. She suppressed her complicated emotions and quickly swiped to answer.
The moment the call connected, Ruby's voice came through the phone. "Claire, I saw the photo you posted. How did Ethan Sterling and Naomi Pierce end up so miserable? Hahahahaha..."
"Yeah, they wanted to show off in front of me, but instead they got hit with bad luck. So I took a picture for them," Claire said a little absentmindedly.
Ruby could hear the hesitation in Claire's voice.
She exclaimed, "Oh wow, it's so late. Did I interrupt your married life? Sorry, sorry. I won't be a third wheel. You two enjoy yourselves. Bye!"
After Ruby finished speaking, she hung up the phone.
What the hell was she talking about? Married life?
Thinking of what had just happened, Claire couldn't help feeling the tips of her ears burn. Had Ruby installed surveillance cameras in this apartment or something?
Claire dawdled for a while. She drank a big glass of ice water, and only after suppressing the restlessness in her heart did she nervously return to the room.
Julian Sterling wasn't asleep either. He had already returned to his reserved, cold demeanor, as if that near-loss of control just now had been an illusion.
Hearing movement, he raised his eyes to look at Claire and said in a deep voice, "Come here."
Claire's heart thumped. "Do... do what?"
Julian couldn't be planning to continue what they hadn't finished just now—wanting to do that with her, right?
It seemed like they had signed an agreement, and the agreement said... when necessary, she had to fulfill the duties of Mrs. Sterling. So if he wanted to do something now, was she supposed to cooperate?
Claire took a deep breath, wearing a look as though she were facing death with calm resignation, and walked over.
She lay down beside Julian, squeezed her eyes shut, and gritted out, "Go ahead."
Seeing Claire's body stiff as a taut bow, her fists clenched at her sides, looking as though she were going bravely to her death, Julian found it a little funny.
He curved his lips into a faint smile. What was this woman thinking?
"Get up. There are some things I want to talk to you about."
Claire opened her eyes, only to see Julian looking at her. There even seemed to be a trace of amusement in his eyes.
Was he laughing at her?
Then he hadn't wanted to just now...
She'd misunderstood!
Claire's face burned hot. She immediately sat up. "Talk, talk about what?"
Julian put away his smile, frowned, and said seriously, "From now on, don't wear something so revealing to sleep, or I'll think you're deliberately trying to seduce me."
Claire froze. She looked down at the pajamas she was wearing.
It was summer. On her lower half she was wearing shorts that reached her knees, and her short-sleeved top only exposed her arms. Everything that should have been covered was covered up tight. How were these pajamas revealing?
Claire widened her eyes and couldn't help arguing for herself.
She looked at Julian and said unhappily, "I don't think there's anything wrong with my pajamas. On the contrary, you! Do you know that every night after you fall asleep, you press down on me and hold me? You're so heavy I can't even push you off!"
"What did you say?" Julian said in surprise.
His gaze sharpened as he stared at Claire, suspecting that she was lying. How could his sleeping posture possibly be that bad?
Claire lifted her chin. Her eyes were clear, without the slightest guilty look. She didn't seem to be lying.
Julian had never slept with anyone else before, so he didn't know his sleeping posture was bad.
He had actually just wanted to give Claire a reminder.
Before, when he had mistakenly thought she was pregnant, he might still have used that as an excuse to steady himself. But now he knew she wasn't pregnant, and that nothing had happened between her and Ethan Sterling either.
It was very easy for him to have impulsive thoughts. Like just now, he had almost wanted to take her right there.
After a moment of silence, Julian said, "Good. Then starting today, I'll sleep in the living room."
He stood up and took the initiative to walk out.
Watching Julian's departing back, Claire felt a little baffled. But since he wanted to go sleep outside, that was his own choice and had nothing to do with her.
So she lay down at ease, and before long Claire drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of the night, she felt a twisting pain in her stomach, as if someone had given her a brutal beating, yanking her out of her sweet dreams.
She clutched her stomach, her little face scrunching up.
Did she eat something bad? Or was it that big glass of ice water before bed?
Suddenly, she remembered that her period was about to start. She'd forgotten all about it for a moment and had even chugged a huge glass of ice water. Now it really was going to kill her.
She wanted to climb up and get some painkillers, but she hurt too much. She lost her balance before she could stand and fell to the floor with a dull thud.
The bedroom door opened, and a tall figure quickly walked in. Julian's voice sounded above her head. "What's wrong with you?"
Clutching her stomach, Claire said painfully, "My stomach hurts. Can you get the painkillers from the first drawer outside and bring them in for me?"