Chapter 72 Why Is He So Childish
For an entire day, the Internet was abuzz with the tale of Anthony and Delilah’s hotel rendezvous. The Nixon family made every effort to quash the scandal, but their attempts proved futile.
Henry’s blood boiled with rage, while Rachel sobbed bitterly in anger.
Ever since Anthony’s wedding walkout, the Nixon family’s reputation had been taking a nosedive.
In Linmarsh’s high society, the Nixon family were now the punchline of many jokes. Claudia, coming home, found Jace engrossed in a book in the living room.
The news about Anthony was widely spread today. As Anthony’s former father-in-law, Jace was well aware of what had happened.
Jace stared at Claudia, a world of unspoken words swirling in his gaze. But all the speeches condensed into one straightforward line. “I’m glad you didn’t end up marrying Anthony.”
Suddenly, Anthony’s runaway bride act seemed less of a disaster. Claudia didn’t have the heart to dwell on Anthony and Delilah’s affair.
Hearing Jace’s remark, she conceded, “1 couldn’t agree more, Dad!”
Initially, Jace had fretted over Claudia’s emotional state. Her agreeable response put his worries at ease, and he shelved the Anthony subject. “Who did Bennett introduce you to today?”
Claudia had informed him earlier that
afternoon about her business dinner with
Bennett, which had come as a surprise to Jace. Reflecting on the evening, Claudia paused before replying. “It was the celebrity, Mathews Gomez, who shared the trending limelight with me today. He’s been appointed the brand ambassador for Segarine Group next year. Mathews has signed the contract with him.”
Jace looked mildly surprised. “Only him? No one else?”
Feeling a bit awkward, Claudia confirmed, “No.”
Jace studied Claudia intently, causing her to flush with embarrassment. “Is there something on my face, Dad?”
Jace snapped out of his reverie and replied, “No.”
He chuckled lightly, shaking his head as he added, “Bennett seems to genuinely care for you.”
In fact, Jace’s real thought was that Bennett was closing in on thirty, but sometimes his behavior seemed rather childish.
Jace, however, didn’t dwell on this, since Bennett’s affection for Claudia was evident.
Claudia held a different opinion. Bennett had teased her on the journey home.
Yet she couldn’t contradict Jace, who was oblivious to their interactions.
In a bid to switch subjects, Claudia chimed in, “Yes, and Dad, Bennett has asked me to move in with him the day after tomorrow…”
“Why the rush?”
Raising his glasses, he pondered for a bit before saying, “It’s probably best you move sooner rather than later, to avoid further harassment from the Nixon family.”
Claudia had intended to seek Jace’s advice on the matter, but she hadn’t anticipated his agreement. She held her tongue and simply said, “Well, Bennett had the same idea.”
With a grin, Jace said, “Remember, you can always return if you’re not comfortable living with him. And there’s no need to rush into a wedding. If you’re incompatible, divorce is always an option.”
Claudia was taken aback by Jace’s open- minded stance. She felt a mixture of surprise and gratitude. “I understand, Dad.”
“It’s been a long day for you. Shower and get an early night. Don’t dwell on the past.”
“Sure.”
After taking a shower, Claudia engaged in a brief chat with Aurora before exhaustion overcame her, and she dozed off mid- conversation.
The following morning, Claudia awoke to find a string of unread messages from Aurora.
“Seriously? Was the so-called business dinner about Mathews endorsing the Segarine Group?”
“You were trending with Mathews, and Bennett took you to a dinner with him. Doesn’t seem coincidental. He probably took you there to publicly stake his claim over you.”
“Did anything noteworthy happen at dinner? How did Bennett treat Mathews?”
“Hey? Where are you? Are you asleep?”
“I’m having trouble sleeping, Claudia! I need details! This is all like a scene from a romance novel!”
After reading through all the messages, Claudia was at a loss for words.
Aurora’s vivid imagination was indeed remarkable. Maybe she should consider writing novels. Such talent shouldn’t go unused.