Chapter 525
Make Claire Bennett Leave the Sterling Family Immediately
Now that Julian Sterling had made his choice, the old Mr. Sterling was no longer as furious as he had been just now.
He looked at Ruby Sterling and said, "Ruby Sterling, pack that woman's things with her and have her leave the Sterling family right now."
Ruby Sterling hadn't expected old Mr. Sterling to be so heartless, wanting to throw Claire Bennett out right then and there.
At this hour, so late at night, where could Claire Bennett possibly go?
She said unhappily, "Grandpa! Even though I know you don't like Claire, aren't you going too far? Claire worked so hard helping with Grandma's birthday banquet this time and arranged everything so well. Grandma was very satisfied too, and now you're going to kick her out in the middle of the night without even giving her any time to prepare."
"Can't you at least let Claire get a little prepared before leaving? Even if she were a stranger, you wouldn't treat her this harshly, would you? Aren't you going too far?"
Ruby Sterling and Claire Bennett were close friends, so now that old Mr. Sterling was driving Claire Bennett out, of course she had to protest on Claire Bennett's behalf.
The truth was, old Mr. Sterling didn't want to let Claire Bennett stay because he was afraid Julian Sterling would lose his head again and regret it. He had finally gotten him to agree to his demand, and if he changed his mind again, then all of this would have been for nothing.
"That's right. It's so late now. Even if Claire has to leave, she should go tomorrow morning." Mrs. Sterling wasn't that cruel after all. She had originally liked Claire Bennett quite a bit, and she wasn't all that resentful about being deceived by her either.
With Ruby Sterling and Mrs. Sterling both speaking up, old Mr. Sterling couldn't very well be quite so heartless.
He pressed his lips together tightly and snorted coldly. "Fine! Since you all have such strong opinions, then she can stay one night in the Sterling family. But tomorrow, in broad daylight, no matter what excuses you come up with, she must leave for me!"
Claire Bennett had already snapped out of her dejection.
After hearing old Mr. Sterling's words, she looked at him with a resolute expression and said, "Grandpa Sterling, don't worry. I won't cling to the Sterling family. I'll pack my things and leave right now."
Now that Julian Sterling had made his choice, she wouldn't stand there in front of everyone and keep hopelessly clinging to him.
She still had some self-respect, after all, and she didn't want old Mr. Sterling to look down on her.
Claire Bennett stood up and said politely to old Mr. Sterling and Mrs. Sterling, "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days."
With that, she turned and went upstairs by herself.
"Claire..." Ruby Sterling called out.
She hadn't expected Claire Bennett to be so determined to leave, and she hurriedly stood up and chased after her.
After Claire Bennett left, the atmosphere in the living room became extremely strange.
The happiest ones were probably Hazel Lewis and Daniel Lewis, father and daughter. They hadn't expected their plan to succeed so smoothly—they had really driven Claire Bennett out!
Even Megan Sterling curled her lips slightly, pleased at how perfectly the plan had gone.
Just then, Julian Sterling stood up. With a dark expression, he looked at the family doctor and Hazel Lewis and her father and said, "Now that this matter is settled, it's time to settle some other matters."
The smile at Hazel Lewis's lips hadn't even had time to fade when she heard Julian Sterling's words.
In an instant, her face turned deathly pale.
What did he mean by that?
Julian Sterling had known from just now that this incident had been premeditated. Only after things between him and Claire Bennett were decided did he have the headspace to deal with it.
He wasn't going to let off a single person who had plotted against Claire Bennett!
Old Mr. Sterling knew Julian Sterling was in a terrible mood and wanted somewhere to vent. As long as Julian Sterling and Claire Bennett were separated, he couldn't be bothered to concern himself with anything else, so he stood up and walked toward the upstairs room.
Seeing that old Mr. Sterling was in a bad mood, Mrs. Sterling didn't go against him either.
She said, "Your grandfather has been angered badly. I'll go check on him."
With that, Mrs. Sterling got up and left as well.
In the living room, only the Sterlings and Hazel Lewis and her father were left in an instant.
The atmosphere was especially heavy and oppressive, and no one spoke.
Julian Sterling looked toward Hazel Lewis and the family doctor and said in a dark voice, "Attempted murder and bribery. Are you planning to confess yourselves, or wait until the police get here to talk?"
"Ju... Julian Sterling, what are you talking about?"
Hazel Lewis still hadn't changed clothes because she had been waiting to see what would happen to Claire Bennett.
She hadn't even had long to celebrate seeing Julian Sterling and Claire Bennett separate before Julian Sterling set his sights on her.
At this moment, Hazel Lewis's hair hung in damp strands, and she looked somewhat disheveled. After hearing Julian Sterling's words, she shook her head hard and said, "I didn't do that. We accidentally fell into the water together just now."
Hazel Lewis's excuses were pale and powerless. She had just had quite a serious conflict with Claire Bennett, so she absolutely had the motive to harm Claire Bennett.
At that moment, seeing Hazel Lewis panic, Daniel Lewis reached out and pressed her shoulder, signaling her to calm down. Then he looked at Julian Sterling and said, "Mr. Sterling, is there some misunderstanding here? Hazel would never do something like that. You should investigate more thoroughly."
Julian Sterling shot Daniel Lewis a cold glance. "You probably didn't know there are surveillance cameras all over the Sterling family estate, did you?"
As soon as he said that, Daniel Lewis and Hazel Lewis froze, their faces turning pale.
When they discovered Claire Bennett had gone alone to such a remote and desolate place, they had secretly been delighted, thinking their opportunity had come.
They never would have guessed in a million years that the Sterling family estate had surveillance cameras.
Wouldn't that mean it captured Hazel Lewis shoving Claire Bennett into the water?
Daniel Lewis had originally wanted to argue a bit, but now he didn't know what to say, and he stood there awkwardly with an embarrassed expression.
The way he looked made it obvious that he knew the inside story.
Julian Sterling couldn't be bothered to say anything more to this father and daughter. After what happened today, old Mr. Sterling would absolutely never think highly of them again, and what they had done to Claire Bennett had to be dealt with properly as well.
He was going to make them disappear from between him and Claire Bennett forever!
After that, Julian Sterling said nothing more and took out his phone to make a call.
When Daniel Lewis and Hazel Lewis heard Julian Sterling making the call, panic appeared in their eyes. She looked pitifully at Daniel Lewis, not knowing what to do.
Could it be... could it be that she was going to prison?
She had always been proud and aloof, and now she might actually end up behind bars. If that happened, her whole life would be ruined!
Hazel Lewis was on the verge of a complete breakdown. She was utterly at a loss now and could only beg Julian Sterling for help.
She pleaded pitifully, "Julian Sterling, please let me go. I know I was wrong."
Hazel Lewis cried so beautifully and miserably that she looked heartbreakingly pitiable. If it were an ordinary man, he probably wouldn't have been able to help softening.
But Julian Sterling only shot her a cold glance. He felt not the slightest bit of pity for Hazel Lewis's pitiful appearance at this moment.
Before long, the sound of police sirens rang out from outside the Sterling family estate.
When Hazel Lewis heard that sound, her whole body filled with terror. Julian Sterling had actually called the police to arrest her!