Could Someone Have Told Her

Seeing that Claire Bennett actually dared to ignore her, Ava Bennett's face darkened with anger. She gritted her teeth and said, "Mom, how did that little bitch find out about this? Could someone have told her?"

Hannah Bennett's expression was a little ugly too. She had originally wanted to use this matter to threaten Claire Bennett, but she hadn't expected Claire Bennett to already know.

Outside the study, Claire Bennett knocked on the door.

"Come in." Victor Bennett's voice came from inside.

Claire Bennett turned the doorknob and went in. Victor Bennett was sitting in the middle seat. When he saw Claire Bennett arrive, he pointed to the seat in front of him and said, "Sit down. You've come to ask about your mother's matter, haven't you?"

Victor Bennett knew Claire Bennett would not come looking for him. Since she had come now, it was probably because she had learned about that matter.

Since Victor Bennett wasn't beating around the bush, Claire Bennett asked directly too. "What happened between my mother and Julian Sterling's fourth uncle?"

Victor Bennett let out a heavy sigh, and his memories instantly returned to the past.

"Back then, your mother and I were originally in a business marriage. Our feelings for each other weren't very deep. After we had you, our relationship grew cold for a time."

"It was around then that I got together with your Aunt Hannah, and your mother also met someone she liked, the Sterling family's fourth son. Our wedding back then had been very grand, and the Shaw family was extremely old-fashioned. They felt a woman's divorce would disgrace the family, so they wouldn't allow your mother to divorce me. So things just continued like that until one day, that accident happened."

When Claire Bennett heard this, all the color instantly drained from her face.

A moment later, she asked, "What you said to Julian Sterling last night—was it this?"

Victor Bennett nodded. "Mm, that's right. I originally wanted to tell you, but after thinking it over, I was afraid that if you found out, you'd be heartbroken, and that it would also affect your relationship."

After a pause, Victor Bennett looked at Claire Bennett and sighed. "Claire, I'm very happy you've found a man you like. After all, your mother and I didn't have a smooth relationship, and I hope you can find happiness. This is only a grievance from our generation. I've thought it over carefully, and I shouldn't interfere with your freedom. None of this has anything to do with you."

So it was true after all. Her mother really had been entangled with Julian Sterling's fourth uncle.

Claire Bennett felt ice-cold all over, and her mind could no longer think. Julian Sterling must be in terrible pain too.

She forced a stiff smile.

How could it possibly have nothing to do with them? He was still a member of the Sterling family, the son of Grandpa Sterling and Grandma Sterling. That day in the countryside, she had talked a lot with Grandma Sterling and knew how Grandma Sterling felt about the Sterling family's fourth son.

Claire Bennett couldn't say a word for a long time.

After waiting a while, she finally said bitterly, "Julian Sterling and I have already decided to separate."

A look of surprise surfaced in Victor Bennett's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

He suddenly stood up from his seat, walked toward Claire Bennett, and then reached out and pulled her into his arms. Claire Bennett stiffened for a moment, but in the end she did not resist Victor Bennett's embrace.

Her heart was hurting, and right now she really did need some comfort.

With her face buried in Victor Bennett's warm embrace, Claire Bennett was briefly dazed, feeling as though she had returned to her childhood. Back then, Victor Bennett had often held her in his arms and doted on her.

Victor Bennett also seemed to be reminiscing about the old days.

He let out a heavy sigh and said, "Claire, when you were little, I used to hold you all the time. But after you grew up, our relationship wasn't good, and later we were never this close again."

"Good girl, divorce doesn't matter. Come back and live with the Bennett family. There will always be a room for you here. Ever since you left, I've had people clean your room regularly. I've always kept it for you."

Hearing Victor Bennett's words, Claire Bennett finally couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

She had never expected that Victor Bennett had actually kept her room.

At that moment, she felt like a small boat that had been drifting aimlessly had found a harbor of its own.

An hour later, Claire Bennett left the Bennett family home.

Although Ava Bennett and Hannah Bennett didn't like her, Claire Bennett wasn't afraid of them. She was no longer like when she was little, when she would suffer their bullying. She and Victor Bennett had already agreed that she would move back to the Bennett family home.

...

At the same time, inside a Sterling Group office.

Ruby Sterling had come. Seeing the department manager standing outside, she walked over, patted him on the shoulder, and asked, "What's wrong?"

The manager had been psyching himself up, and he was startled by Ruby Sterling. "Oh! You scared me to death, Miss. Why are you here? Are you here to see Mr. Sterling?"

Ruby Sterling nodded and said, "Yeah. My brother's inside, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Mr. Sterling is in the office."

After saying that, the manager, as though he had seen his savior, stuffed the files in his hands into Ruby Sterling's arms and said, "Miss, I just remembered I still have something to take care of. I'll have to trouble you to give these files to Mr. Sterling for me. Thank you, Miss!"

After dumping the hot potato in his hands onto Ruby Sterling, the manager immediately fled.

Ruby Sterling was speechless.

Was he really that scary? But now that her big brother was getting divorced from Claire Bennett, thinking about it carefully, he really did seem pretty scary.

After letting out a heavy sigh, Ruby Sterling finally pushed open the office door and went in.

Julian Sterling, dressed in a suit, was sitting at his desk handling work with an expressionless face. Seeing that Julian Sterling was still calmly dealing with business, even though his expression was a little colder, he looked pretty normal.

Ruby Sterling cleared her throat lightly and asked carefully, "Brother, what are you planning to do about this? When are you going to tell Claire?"

"She already found out this morning."

Ruby Sterling was startled for a moment, then pressed on, "And then? After she found out, are you going to separate from Claire?"

Ruby Sterling had originally thought Julian Sterling would drag it out for a few days, but she hadn't expected him to say it now. Wouldn't Claire Bennett be terribly heartbroken after finding out?

Julian Sterling stopped what he was doing and lifted his eyes to look at her. Then he gave a soft "Mm."

Something wasn't right!

Ruby Sterling still felt that something was off. If Julian Sterling had really decided to separate from Claire Bennett, he shouldn't be that calm.

It just felt like something was wrong!