Chapter 569
Are You Free Right Now?
Claire Bennett returned to her apartment.
At this hour, Julian Sterling probably still wasn't back yet. She could only wait for him at home. Every time there was any noise outside, she suspected it was Julian coming back and immediately got up to check.
Unfortunately, several times it wasn't Julian, which made her feel very embarrassed.
There was no way to keep waiting like this. What if he wasn't coming back tonight? What if he had to work late?
Claire held her phone, hesitating over whether to call him. But if Julian was busy right now, it probably wouldn't be good for her to call so rashly, would it?
Just as she was tied up in knots over it, there was another sound outside.
She immediately put down the phone in her hand and opened the door.
This time, it really was Julian coming back!
Claire looked at him with excitement all over her face and said, "Julian Sterling, you're back."
When Julian saw Claire open the door and run over to greet him, it was like a wife waiting for her husband to come home.
His eyes flickered slightly, then he revealed a faint smile and asked softly, "Were you waiting for me?"
"Uh..." Claire suddenly felt like she had gotten a little too excited.
It was all because of all the disappointment just now that she was so excited when she finally saw him.
"There are some things I want to ask you. Are you free right now?"
"Any time you want to see me, I'm free."
Hearing the indulgent note in Julian's voice, Claire actually felt momentarily dazed, as if they hadn't argued and their relationship were still like it used to be.
"My place?" Julian asked.
Claire hurriedly nodded. "Okay."
She opened the door and let Julian in. Five minutes later, the two of them were sitting on the couch in the living room.
Julian looked at Claire with dark, unreadable eyes and didn't rush to speak, as though he were waiting for her to speak first.
Claire poured Julian a cup of tea and sat across from him.
She looked at Julian and asked directly, "Julian Sterling, I want to ask you something. Do you know Mr. West, the person in charge of Hudson Capital?"
At that, Julian raised his brows and more or less knew that Claire had already found out about him helping her.
He curled his lips into a smile and said, "He's a friend of mine."
"So you're the one who had him invest in my brand, right?"
"Mm."
After getting Julian's definite answer, Claire felt a complicated swirl of emotions inside and, for a moment, didn't know what to say.
"But we..."
"You have ability but couldn't find investors, and I only recommended you to Landon West. As for whether he wanted to invest, that was his decision." Julian comforted her softly. "You don't need to feel any psychological burden."
Claire pressed her lips together, still feeling a little uneasy.
But Mr. West's attitude toward her at the time had been far too polite, nothing like what Julian had described.
She kept feeling that now they had no relationship whatsoever, she shouldn't accept all kinds of help from him, and there was no need for him to help her either.
Julian himself was having some difficulties now. If he went asking favors from people to help her, maybe he would end up owing a considerable favor again.
But now that Julian had already stepped in, and she had already signed the contract with Mr. West, saying anything more would seem a little pretentious.
Claire looked at Julian gratefully and said, "I don't know how to thank you."
Julian lightly curled his lips and smiled. "If you don't know how to thank me..."
His voice paused for a moment, and Claire's mood grew tense along with it.
She was a little afraid Julian would say something she couldn't accept, yet deep down she also felt a faint sense of anticipation.
For a moment, her feelings were extremely complicated.
Seeing Claire's cautious, worried look, Julian smiled and said, "If you really want to thank me, then make me a meal. It's been a long time since I've eaten your cooking."
It's been a long time since I've eaten your cooking.
When Claire heard those words, she thought of their days back in Chicago. At that time, she still didn't know Julian's identity, and they had shared sweet moments too.
Her eyes reddened, and she almost started crying.
How had things between her and Julian ended up like this now?