Chapter 586
Why Not Choose the Better Road
"Claire, don't be sad anymore. Actually, my brother had no choice," Ruby Sterling said with a heavy sigh. "Ethan Sterling has completely taken control of Sterling Group now. My brother was forced to leave the company, and there's a good chance he'll end up with nothing. But don't worry!"
Ruby Sterling continued, "He already left a lot of things for you. You won't have such a hard life in the future, Claire. Don't waste my brother's good intentions—hurry up and sign it."
After saying that, Ruby Sterling pushed the divorce agreement in front of Claire Bennett.
Claire Bennett lowered her eyes and looked at it. Only after a long moment did she process what Ruby Sterling had just said.
"So... what you're saying is your brother doesn't want to drag me down. He wants to divorce me, and he left me quite a lot of things?"
"Yes, Claire. Just don't worry about my brother anymore. As long as you sign the divorce agreement, you won't have to carry any debts anymore, and then you'll be able to live a little better." Ruby Sterling looked at Claire Bennett and tried to persuade her sincerely. Claire Bennett was her friend. Although she was very worried about her own brother, she also hoped Claire Bennett could live better.
A firm look flashed across Claire Bennett's eyes as she said, "Ruby, I'm not signing. Go back and tell Julian Sterling that no matter what happens to him, I'll stay by his side."
"Claire..." Although Ruby Sterling had guessed Claire Bennett would do this, she still wanted to try to persuade her.
Unexpectedly, before she could speak, Claire Bennett said, "Ruby, I know what you want to say. You don't need to persuade me anymore. Julian Sterling and I have been through so much together. If I leave him now just because of this little bit of hardship, then our feelings really wouldn't be worth mentioning. It's precisely because Julian Sterling is like this now that I can't selfishly leave him."
"But my brother has no money now. He's not pretending—it's real! Is that really okay?"
Ruby Sterling's expression was extremely serious, without the slightest hint that she was joking.
Claire Bennett curled her lips into a smile. "You know how you all lied to me before, don't you? Anyway, it's not like I've never lived without money before, so what's there to be afraid of?"
With that, Claire Bennett picked up the divorce agreement and stuffed it back into Ruby Sterling's arms. "You should go back first."
"All right, then." Ruby Sterling knew Claire Bennett's temperament. Once she decided something, there was definitely no talking her out of it. She stood up. "I'll head back first. If there's any news, I'll come tell you."
After Ruby Sterling left, Claire Bennett sat there blankly for a while. Looking at the bare walls around her, she thought of Julian Sterling.
For some reason, she had faith in Julian Sterling and felt certain he would pull through. No matter what happened to him, she would always support him from behind.
...
Another half day passed, and someone else came to see Claire Bennett. It was Ethan Sterling.
This time, compared to the last time he came, he looked even more high-spirited. Claire Bennett knew that he and Julian Sterling were now on opposite sides, so she showed him no courtesy. With a dark expression, she said, "Ethan Sterling, what are you doing here?"
"You really don't want to see me that badly?"
Claire Bennett let out a cold laugh. "Julian Sterling and I are husband and wife. You're against Julian Sterling now, so of course I don't want to see you."
When Ethan Sterling heard Claire Bennett's words, his brows knitted tightly together.
He suppressed the unhappiness in his heart and gritted out, "Ruby Sterling came to see you just now, didn't she? Don't tell me you don't know Julian Sterling is a homeless dog now? Julian Sterling isn't the same Julian Sterling he used to be. What are you still sticking by him for!"
Originally, he had thought that after Claire Bennett had been locked up here for several days and had learned about Julian Sterling's situation, she would have come to her senses.
He hadn't expected her to still be this stubborn. Was Julian Sterling really worth this to her?
"Claire, I sincerely want to get back together with you. What happened between us is already in the past. Leave Julian Sterling now. He can't give you any happiness anymore." Ethan Sterling looked at Claire Bennett as he spoke with deep feeling.
"Ethan Sterling." Claire Bennett suddenly called out.
Ethan Sterling looked at Claire Bennett, thinking she had changed her mind. Just as he was waiting expectantly for her to speak, he heard her say, "You seem to have gotten one thing wrong. Back when I first met Julian Sterling, I didn't know his real identity."
"At the time, I thought he was just an assistant at Sterling International, but I didn't look down on him. And now, even if he's fallen to this point, I still won't look down on him. No matter how many times you come looking for me, it will be the same."
"With better circumstances in front of you, why won't you choose them? Why insist on suffering?"
"Because the person I'm staying with is worth it!"
Ethan Sterling was so angry his face darkened. He knew Claire Bennett's temperament—no matter what he said today, her attitude would still be the same.
Ethan Sterling felt he had already been extremely patient with Claire Bennett. He hadn't minded that Claire Bennett had been with Julian Sterling, and he had given her so many chances to choose him.
If it weren't for that bit of unwillingness in his heart, he would never have coaxed Claire Bennett like this.
Since Claire Bennett wanted to suffer alongside Julian Sterling, then he would let her find out just what kind of wrong road she had chosen. Later, if she came begging him again, even if she knelt in front of him, he wouldn't spare her another glance!
In the end, Ethan Sterling angrily stormed off.