Chapter 669
Claire Bennett Woke Up (Continued)
Several times, she could hear Julian Sterling's voice break and cut off with a choked sob, and whenever that happened, she wanted to hug him.
But there was nothing she could do. It was as if she were trapped inside her own shell, completely unable to break free.
Today, Julian Sterling's voice didn't sound by her ear as expected, and she couldn't help feeling worried, afraid that something had happened to Julian Sterling and that he couldn't come talk to her anymore.
She was extremely anxious, worried about Julian Sterling, but she still couldn't open her eyes no matter what.
Finally, through Claire Bennett's efforts, she opened her eyes!
What met her eyes was a strange environment, yet it carried a faint sense of familiarity, as if she had seen it before.
Claire Bennett slowly sat up. She felt incredibly weak, her arms and legs light and floating, with no strength in them at all.
After a brief period of adjusting, she finally got to her feet, staggering.
Only after Claire Bennett stood up did she realize where she was. She recognized it now.
This place... was Old Madam Sterling and Old Mr. Sterling's house in the suburbs!
Julian Sterling had brought her here once before. At the time, she had even gone grocery shopping with Old Madam Sterling, and then had dinner here with Old Mr. Sterling.
How strange... why was she here? Where were Julian Sterling, Grandpa Sterling, and Grandma Sterling?
The last thing in Claire Bennett's memory was Ava Bennett driving straight at her. At that moment, before she had time to react, before she could even make a sound, she had completely blacked out.
After that came that daily life that felt like a dream, and the things Julian Sterling said by her ear.
For a moment, she couldn't tell whether it had all been her imagination or whether something had really happened.
She slowly braced herself against the wall and supported her body as she walked downstairs. In the yard, a middle-aged maid was hanging laundry while humming a little tune. Claire Bennett stood behind her and watched for a moment. She didn't seem to know this person.
Claire Bennett said, "Hello..."
The maid had been busy with her work and hadn't expected to suddenly hear a somewhat hoarse woman's voice. She turned around in shock, and then saw Claire Bennett standing behind her!
This servant had been taking care of Claire Bennett every day and was already extremely familiar with what she looked like.
Her pupils constricted sharply, and even her voice trembled. "Ma'am, you... you're awake?"
Hearing that, Claire Bennett frowned in confusion.
Had she been asleep for a long time?
The maid quickly led Claire Bennett back into the house. "Ma'am, please sit down first. I'll pour you a cup of tea. I'll be right back."
After the maid went into the kitchen, she kept poking her head out again and again to look at Claire Bennett sitting on the sofa, as if afraid she had only dreamed it and Claire Bennett hadn't really woken up.
Seeing the maid like that, Claire Bennett couldn't help but smile.
She slowly came to understand that she must have been lying down for a very long time, which was why this maid was so shocked to see her awake. No wonder she felt like her body was almost crippled; her muscles had no strength at all.
Very soon, the maid brought out the tea and set it in front of Claire Bennett. "Ma'am, please have some tea."
Claire Bennett gently picked up the teacup and asked, "Where is Julian Sterling? Have I been asleep for a long time?"
The maid looked at Claire Bennett, her face still full of excitement, and quickly answered, "Mr. Sterling is at work. Old Madam and Old Mr. have gone to the market, and they haven't come back yet."
"Ma'am, you've been asleep for three years. I always thought you would never wake up again, but Mr. Sterling kept saying you would. And now you really have woken up!"
Claire Bennett looked astonished. So she had actually been asleep for three years.
No wonder this maid had looked so shocked when she saw her just now.
She didn't know what exactly had happened in those missing three years, or whether Julian Sterling had been doing well.
Back then, when Julian Sterling saw her collapse unconscious, he must have been terribly worried. Claire Bennett could practically picture how panicked Julian Sterling had been at the time.
The things he had said by her ear every day suddenly surfaced in her mind.
A fine, piercing ache welled up in Claire Bennett's heart.
The maid's excited, agitated mood gradually calmed down. She felt that the most urgent thing now was to tell Old Madam Sterling and Old Mr. Sterling about this.
But she had no way to reach Old Mr. Sterling at all. The two elders didn't use cell phones here, and all communication relied on the landline in the little courtyard. Otherwise, the maid would have called them already.
Julian Sterling was at work?
Claire Bennett asked again, "Is my phone here?"
"Ma'am, ever since your car accident, you've been lying there quietly every day. It's been a full three years now." The maid's face was full of emotion as she said with admiration, "Everyone said you would never wake up, but Mr. Sterling said you would. And now we've finally waited for you to wake up. If Mr. Sterling knew, he'd definitely be so happy!"