Chapter 64
Is Song Coming or Not?
Tanya Sterling pulled Ethan Sterling aside and asked in a low voice, "Ethan, didn't you say you invited the Bennett family to come today? Why haven't they arrived yet?"
Their in-laws, the New York Bennett family, were the truly important people. Whether they showed up would determine whether Ethan Sterling could stand out in the Sterling family in the future.
At that, Ethan Sterling frowned and said, "Mom, important people always make their entrance later. All the other guests are already here, so if they come later it'll create a huge sensation. Let's just wait patiently."
When Tanya Sterling heard that, she felt Ethan Sterling had a point, but she was still a little uneasy.
She looked around for Naomi Pierce. "Where's Naomi? Where did she go?"
Ethan Sterling said uncertainly, "She probably went to the back to touch up her makeup."
"No, I still need to go hurry her along, just in case something goes wrong. You stay here and take care of the other guests. I'll go to the back and talk to Naomi."
After saying that, Tanya Sterling hurried off.
...
Inside the manor castle powder room.
Naomi Pierce had just finished touching up her makeup. Looking at the person in the mirror, she revealed a smug smile.
Today, she was the most beautiful bride.
The door opened, and Tanya Sterling walked in. "Naomi, are you ready here?"
Naomi Pierce quickly came back to herself and said with a smile, "I'll be done in just a minute."
"Ethan and I were waiting outside for quite a while, but no one from your family has shown up. Why don't you call and ask when exactly they're coming?"
Naomi Pierce's expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly suppressed it and said with a smile, "Mother-in-law, since my father already promised he'd come, he'll definitely be here as agreed. You don't need to worry."
When Tanya Sterling heard that, the anxiety hanging over her eased a little.
She smiled and said, "All right then, but don't stay in here too long either. All the guests outside are waiting for you, and you need to go out and greet them too."
"Mm, I know."
Only after Tanya Sterling closed the door and left did a trace of gloom spill into Naomi Pierce's eyes.
The Bennett family hadn't come? Wasn't that exactly what she wanted?
Originally, she had still been thinking about how to bluff her way through the Bennett family matter. If it really came down to it, she would have begged Victor Bennett to help on account of her mother having worked as a servant for the Bennett family. But now that the Bennett family hadn't come, she didn't need to come up with any excuses anymore.
Presumably, the last time Ethan Sterling ran into Victor Bennett, his agreement to come had merely been polite talk.
Things with the Bennett family were settled, but there was still that little bitch Claire Bennett.
That video of hers...
Thinking of it, Naomi Pierce took out her phone and dialed Kevin Parker's number. "Kevin Parker, when exactly are you going to send me the video?"
Kevin Parker sneered and said, "Transfer the money you promised me first. Once I receive it, I'll send you the video as an engagement gift."
After the call ended, Naomi Pierce received a bank account number.
Naomi Pierce's brows drew together slightly, her eyes darkening.
She had only promised money to string Kevin Parker along, but now he actually wanted payment first. How devious!
But for the sake of Claire Bennett's video, Naomi Pierce still painfully transferred a large sum of money into Kevin Parker's account. After the money was sent, Kevin Parker's next message came over right away.
"As soon as I confirm the money has arrived, I'll send you the video immediately."
Large transfers took time to clear, and Kevin Parker still didn't trust her, afraid she might try some trick. Then she would just wait a few more minutes.
Naomi Pierce relaxed slightly and curled her lips smugly.
She was about to get Claire Bennett's video, but if Claire Bennett didn't come, how was this good show supposed to begin?
Those rich girls outside were all waiting to tear Claire Bennett apart for her.
A cold curve lifted at the corner of Naomi Pierce's lips as she dialed Luna Brooks's number again. "Luna Brooks, hurry up and go see whether Claire Bennett has come. Tell me immediately."
Luna Brooks and Meng Lifen were wearing clothes from Vivian Yu Styling and were currently mixed in among the guests trying to hook a rich guy, when Naomi Pierce's call came unexpectedly.
Naomi Pierce told them to go out and take a look. The two of them were busy with enthusiasm. Although they were a little unwilling, they still didn't dare disobey Naomi Pierce.
They looked around the venue and couldn't find any sign of Claire Bennett.
In the end, they could only go outside the manor castle to take a look.
...
In the parking lot, Claire Bennett and Ruby Sterling were still waiting in the car. The quiet surroundings made time pass especially slowly.
At that moment, Ruby Sterling's phone rang with a new message. She hurriedly pulled it out to look, and her expression changed.
Seeing this, Claire Bennett asked, "Ruby, what is it? Did something change?"
"N-no, it's nothing..." Ruby Sterling gave a somewhat guilty smile and said, "Claire, wait here for a bit. I'm getting out to make a call."
After saying that, Ruby Sterling opened the car door and got out.
Watching Ruby Sterling's anxious, flustered figure, Claire Bennett felt a faintly bad premonition in her heart.
Could it be that Julian Sterling couldn't make it?
Very quickly, she comforted herself inwardly. Probably not. He had promised her he would come.
But Ruby Sterling really had looked panicked just now. Could something have happened? Could it be that something had happened on her ex-boyfriend's side?
Ruby Sterling had helped her so much. As her good friend, she shouldn't just stand by and do nothing.
After hesitating for a moment, Claire Bennett still decided to go check on her. She opened the car door and walked in the direction Ruby Sterling had just gone.
At that moment, Ruby Sterling was standing in front of a flower bed, emotionally worked up as she talked on the phone.
As Claire Bennett got a little closer, she heard her completely unguarded voice...
"What! You're having dinner with Miss Hayes? Are you kidding me? Didn't you promise Claire you'd come help her slap them in the face today? If you don't come, what is Claire supposed to do? I'm going to be mad!"
Claire Bennett stopped in her tracks, her brows tightly furrowing.
The person Ruby Sterling was talking to on the phone was Julian Sterling?
"Wait? Wait until when? The wedding banquet is about to start. You're standing me and Claire up. This is way too much. Hello? Hello..."
Ruby Sterling ended the call angrily and cursed without any regard for her image.
She never expected to look up and see Claire Bennett. Her face instantly turned pale, and she immediately stammered, "Claire, y-you heard all of that just now?"
Claire Bennett looked at Ruby Sterling with calm eyes. "Julian Sterling isn't coming anymore, is he?"
"Claire, listen to me explain... actually... ugh! No, that's not..." Ruby Sterling hesitated for a long time, but couldn't find a perfect way to put it.
How was she supposed to explain to Claire Bennett that Julian Sterling was on a blind date with another woman right now, making him unable to come to the scene?
When she had called Julian Sterling just now, she hadn't expected him to say he was on a blind date with a daughter of the Hayes family. It infuriated her so much she had almost chosen righteousness over family and cut off her sibling relationship with Julian Sterling.
In the end, all words of explanation only turned into three powerless words: "I'm sorry."