Chapter 8
Just Temporarily Living Together
After Claire Bennett left Sterling International, she didn't go back to the Sterling residence. She turned on her phone and started looking up rental listings in Chicago.
Even though she'd accidentally had a whirlwind marriage with the Sterling family's driver, she still didn't dare stay at the Sterling residence. If she accidentally ran into the real person, there'd be no way to explain it clearly. Better to avoid that situation altogether.
Many years ago, her mother had become a vegetative patient because of an accident. Now she was lying in a private hospital in New York, and the monthly expenses were considerable.
By painting murals for other people, Claire Bennett could barely afford it. If she lived a little more frugally in her day-to-day life, she might even have some money left over.
So she never spent recklessly. Every cent went toward something important.
She had just paid this month's medical bills, and there wasn't much money left on her. She had to choose carefully when it came to renting a place.
After looking through rental information for quite a while, Claire Bennett settled on an apartment that was a little far from downtown, but had convenient public transportation for getting around.
After seeing the apartment and the surrounding area, she paid one month's deposit and three months' rent with satisfaction and rented the place.
Only then did Claire Bennett remember that she needed to contact Julian Sterling.
But then she suddenly realized she didn't have Julian Sterling's phone number. She and Julian Sterling were nothing more than legally certified strangers. Their relationship was so flimsy they didn't even have each other's numbers.
And her luggage was still at the Sterling residence. It looked like she could only go back first to get her things.
The Sterling residence.
Ruby Sterling looked at Claire Bennett with a beaming smile and said ambiguously, "Claire, are you about to move in with the man I... the man I found for you? That's wonderful!"
Thinking about how her brother, that ten-thousand-year iron tree, was finally about to bloom, Ruby Sterling was so excited she couldn't stop smiling.
She looked like she'd been pumped full of adrenaline, radiant and animated, wishing she could watch Claire Bennett and Julian Sterling as a couple up close every single day!
Seeing Ruby Sterling's sparkling eyes, Claire Bennett felt like she might be a little too excited.
Now she was starting to suspect that the fake marriage certificate becoming real had been deliberate on Ruby Sterling's part.
"No, it's not convenient for me to stay here."
"What's inconvenient about it? My home is your home!" Ruby Sterling said quickly.
"It's not convenient for me to stay with the Sterling family, so let's just forget it." Claire Bennett refused firmly.
Ruby Sterling felt that if Claire Bennett and her brother lived together, their relationship might develop faster, so she stopped trying to stop her.
She pushed the suitcase over and said, "All right then, it's fine if you move out. I've written down the address. I'll come see you another day. Here! I've already packed your suitcase for you, so hurry up and take it away."
After leaving the Sterling residence, Claire Bennett thought of Julian Sterling.
Even though they were a halfway married couple, since she wasn't staying at the Sterling residence, she ought to tell him at least.
Before leaving just now, she'd asked Ruby Sterling for his contact information. She took out her phone and dialed Julian Sterling's number.
After the call connected, a mechanical voice sounded instead: "The number you have dialed is currently on another call. Please try again later..."
Claire Bennett frowned lightly and ended the call.
Since Julian Sterling was still busy, she would move over first.
After moving everything into the apartment, Claire Bennett called Julian Sterling's number again. Unexpectedly, it was still the same message.
It had already been two hours, and he was still on a call?
Julian Sterling didn't look like the type who would spend hours chatting on the phone with someone either.
Forget it. This way, she wouldn't have to have too much contact with a strange man anyway. After all, she only needed him to go with her to the engagement party.
Claire Bennett quickly pushed Julian Sterling to the back of her mind.
The apartment she was renting sat high up, and there were several flights of stairs to climb. A cab couldn't drive up, so she could only get out at the intersection and drag her suitcase up by herself.
Claire Bennett lifted her suitcase and struggled up the stairs, only to find that it seemed much heavier than before. After only a few steps, she was already panting, and a thin sheen of sweat had formed on her forehead.
Not far away, at the traffic light, Julian Sterling's Rolls-Royce happened to pass by.
Marcus Reed reminded him, "Mr. Sterling, it's Ms. Bennett."
Julian Sterling's brows knit tightly, his gaze settling on Claire Bennett. He watched her slender figure laboriously carrying the suitcase, with no idea where she was going.
All of a sudden, he felt a little sorry for her.
After learning today that Claire Bennett was his nephew's ex-girlfriend, he had blocked her number, intending to cut ties with her.
He hadn't expected to see Claire Bennett here on his way home from work.
Come to think of it, Ethan Sterling was the one who had wronged her. Claire Bennett was just a pitiful girl who'd been deceived, so why should he take it out on her?
Even though they had gotten married because of an accident, if they were going to end the marriage now, they should at least part on good terms.
While Claire Bennett was still straining with all her might to lift the suitcase, a strong, powerful hand suddenly appeared and took the suitcase from her grasp.
She looked up and saw Julian Sterling's somewhat cold, handsome face.
"Julian Sterling?" Claire Bennett said in surprise. "How did you know I was here?"
"Where are you going?" Julian Sterling asked.
Claire Bennett pointed to the apartment building at the top of the slope and said, "There. I just rented a place there today."
Julian Sterling picked up the suitcase.
Suddenly, with a click, the suitcase latch popped open, and the suitcase burst apart instantly, clothes and other things spilling all over the ground.
Clinking sounds rang out as everything scattered everywhere. A golden brass ball-bell-looking thing rolled down the stairs step by step to below.
When Claire Bennett saw everything strewn all over the ground, she was completely dumbfounded.
A sheer sexy slip nightgown, lace thong panties, a strappy bra no bigger than three fingers wide, fishnet stockings, and some unspeakable little toys, mixed in with her own bras and underwear...
What was all this?
Aside from the normal bras and underwear being hers, none of the other things belonged to her. How had they ended up in her suitcase?
Suddenly, Claire Bennett thought of Ruby Sterling's mysterious, excited smile just now, and everything seemed to have an answer.
Ruby Sterling was going to get her killed!
Julian Sterling's gaze fell to the ground, and his eyes darkened.
Preparing so many shameful little things like this—was she trying to seduce him so he could happily become a father?
A trace of coldness surfaced in his eyes, and his handsome face tightened.
The air around them gradually froze over. Claire Bennett's face turned red in an instant, from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears, like she was about to spontaneously combust on the spot.
The passersby nearby looked at the ground and wore meaningful smiles, secretly whispering and pointing as they said, "Kids these days really know how to have fun."
She hurried forward in a fluster and picked everything up, stuffing it all haphazardly back into the suitcase.
After picking things up for a while, Claire Bennett finally managed to stuff everything back in. At that moment, Julian Sterling handed her a collar and said coolly, "Your thing."
"..." Claire Bennett felt like she was going to die of shame.
Would Julian Sterling think she'd prepared all this for their newlywed life?
Claire Bennett wanted to cover her face and run away crying. Ruby Sterling had stuffed all this in there on her own, and Claire Bennett felt horribly wronged.
She crouched down and stuffed things into the suitcase. "N-no, it's not... listen to me..."
"Let's go." Julian Sterling had already picked up the suitcase and walked off.
"..." Fine. She was stuck taking the blame for this one.
Looking at Julian Sterling's tall back, Claire Bennett was on the verge of tears. She could only lower her head and follow behind him. Along the way, she kept a death grip on the suitcase with her eyes, afraid it might burst open again.
Furious and mortified, she took out her phone and sent Ruby Sterling a message demanding an explanation for this woman's evil deed.
"Ruby Sterling, what exactly did you stuff into my suitcase!!"