CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 62: DON’T TEASE MY CLARA, SHE’S SHY

At night, Clara finished her shower and came out of the bathroom, sitting on a chair to dry her hair, when she saw Julian Hawthorne had sent her a few messages.

[I just came across those videos and posts spreading rumors about you. Are you okay?]

[Do you want to clarify it publicly? I can testify for you, and I can also apply to President Sheffield to release the chat records from that day where the rumors were cleared up in the group.]

Clara was a bit surprised to see the messages.

This was the first time Julian Hawthorne messaged her after work hours.

She didn’t think much of it, just assumed Julian Hawthorne was nice and couldn’t stand to see her being falsely accused.

Clara thought if her colleague were falsely accused in such a way and she knew the truth, she would certainly offer to help clear the rumors too.

Clara replied: [Thank you for your kindness, President Hawthorne. I’ve already hired a lawyer to prepare a lawsuit against the rumor mongers.]

Julian Hawthorne: [Alright.]

Julian Hawthorne: [Don’t worry too much about others’ opinions. You’re an exceptional girl; don’t let those people online affect your mindset.]

Clara: [Yeah, thank you for your concern, President Hawthorne. /Fist bump]

Julian Hawthorne saw the fist bump emoji Clara sent and couldn’t help but smile.

...

The next afternoon.

Ethan Fuller arrived at Silas Sheffield’s house a full half-hour earlier than the scheduled three o’clock.

He wasn’t alone this time.

After hearing from Silas Sheffield yesterday that he got married, Ethan Fuller went and told another close friend, Kevin Kensington.

Today, Ethan Fuller brought Kevin Kensington over specifically to catch up on the gossip.

Discussing the case was secondary; seeing Silas Sheffield’s wife was the main reason.

Ethan Fuller and Kevin Kensington didn’t come empty-handed.

Each of them carried a large pile of gifts that Ms. Cheney couldn’t manage to hold.

Because they arrived early, neither Silas Sheffield nor Clara was aware they were there, and neither was in the first-floor living room.

Silas was upstairs in the study handling work.

Clara had gone to the hospital to see Yvonne Sterling and hadn’t returned yet.

Ms. Cheney put the gifts away and smiled, saying, "Mr. Fuller, Mr. Kensington, please sit down. I’ll go call the gentleman downstairs."

"Wait." Ethan Fuller called out to Ms. Cheney, "When did your lady move in?"

Ms. Cheney recognized Ethan Fuller, knowing he was a close friend of Silas Sheffield, so she didn’t hide the truth and honestly replied, "She moved in before the New Year, I remember it was January."

"It’s been so long already!" Ethan Fuller exclaimed in surprise, "Silas really knows how to keep secrets, doesn’t he? Usually, he’s always alone wherever he goes. Who knew he had a beauty stashed away at home."

Kevin Kensington: "I really didn’t expect him to get married so soon."

Ms. Cheney went upstairs to call Stephen Langdon.

Clara came back from the hospital, carrying a thermos, and walked into the house from the yard in her little leather shoes.

As soon as she stepped inside, she was stunned.

"Who are you...?" Clara was taken aback and felt a bit uneasy facing two unfamiliar men.

"Are you Silas’ wife, Miss Sterling?" Ethan Fuller asked with a cheerful smile, eyeing Clara with interest.

"You’re really pretty, no wonder Silas fell for you." Kevin Kensington also smiled, "By the way, Miss, haven’t we met somewhere before? Why do I find you so familiar?"

"Kevin Kensington, that pickup line is way too old-fashioned!" Ethan Fuller teased Kevin Kensington, "You can’t just hit on someone’s wife because she’s pretty. Watch out, Silas might beat you up!"

"No, I really feel like we’ve met before."

Kevin Kensington studied Clara’s face carefully, then suddenly realized, "Oh! I remember! Didn’t you have a viral photo in camouflage from military training? You’re Crestwood U’s most beautiful campus queen, right?"

Clara pursed her lips, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"That photo was indeed me, but I don’t dare claim to be the most beautiful campus queen at Crestwood U."

Kevin Kensington laughed, "Oh, come on, you’re being modest. With your looks, the title is well-deserved."

Ethan Fuller agreed, "Yeah, your looks match Silas perfectly."

"Don’t bully my Clara, she’s shy." Silas Sheffield’s voice came from the staircase.

"Oh, so you’re coming to her defense now?" Ethan Fuller looked up and laughed, "True to being the wife-devotee you are."

Clara was slightly taken aback.

Wife-devotee?

Was that referring to Silas Sheffield?

She looked up at Silas Sheffield.

She thought he would definitely counter that remark.

But the man’s expression remained normal, with no intention to refute.

Kevin Kensington laughed, "We weren’t bullying her; we were complimenting her."

Silas Sheffield walked down the stairs, his gaze softening instantly when it landed on Clara.

His tone was also very gentle, a stark contrast to his earlier conversation with Ethan Fuller, "Clara."

Clara responded, "Yes."

Kevin Kensington looked like he’d seen a ghost, "Are you possessed? Was that gentle man just now really you?"

Ethan Fuller chuckled mischievously, "Thanks to Clara, otherwise, we’d never see this side of Silas Sheffield in a lifetime."

Silas Sheffield looked back at them, reverting to his usual cool and distant demeanor, "Let’s talk in the tea room."

Clara handed the thermos to Ms. Cheney and followed them into the tea room.

As they discussed the case, Ethan Fuller shed his earlier unserious appearance and switched instantly to business mode.

Ethan Fuller, being an elite attorney, really had strong professional capabilities.

They quickly finished discussing the case and signed the agency contract and authorization letter.

"I found the information on the person posting the rumors that you asked for." Kevin Kensington said, "It’s a man named Jonah Shaw, a former employee of your company."

Clara clenched her fist, fuming, "So it was him, I knew it. But there must be others behind pushing this further."

Ethan Fuller said, "No worries, I’ll apply to the court for an investigation order, and none of the people spreading rumors will get away."

Clara politely thanked him, "Thank you very much, Attorney Fuller."

"The person you should thank is your husband." Ethan Fuller said with a smile, "If he hadn’t personally commissioned me, I wouldn’t have taken on such a small case."

Clara looked at Silas Sheffield, and the man met her gaze.

Clara immediately understood the meaning of his look.

It was as if he was saying, don’t just say thank you, provide a real reward.

Clara knew exactly what kind of reward Silas wanted.

She couldn’t help but blush.

"Hey? Miss, why are you blushing?" Kevin Kensington asked, curious.

Silas Sheffield quickly shifted the topic, "Why call her ’Miss’? Call her ’sister-in-law’."

Though Silas and these two good friends were of the same age, when you calculated carefully, he was two months older than Kevin Kensington and five months older than Ethan Fuller.

"I have to call you brother even though you’re just two months older?" Kevin Kensington protested.

Ethan Fuller also laughed, "Yeah, I won’t call you brother nor call Clara sister-in-law."

Silas Sheffield coldly glanced over the two, "Then don’t call her sister, it’s cheesy."

"Are you jealous over this too?" Kevin Kensington sounded like he couldn’t stand it, "Alright, I’ll just respectfully call her Miss Sterling then, okay?"

Silas Sheffield, with a frosty expression, "Okay."

Ethan Fuller said, "Calling her Miss Sterling sounds too formal; Clara is family, just call her Clara."

With that, Ethan Fuller looked at Clara Sterling, "Is that okay?"

Clara: "Okay."

Kevin Kensington said nostalgically, "Tsk, tsk, you’re really a jealous one, how come I didn’t notice before?"

Ethan Fuller, knowing well, stated, "It’s simple, because he hadn’t met someone he liked until now."

Silas Sheffield didn’t deny it.

Speaking of this, Clara thought of Thea Tate.

Wasn’t she Silas Sheffield’s first girlfriend?

Did Silas not get jealous when he was with her?

Or were Silas Sheffield’s good friends saying this deliberately in front of her to help him make her happy?