CHAPTER 164: CHAPTER 162: CALM ON THE SURFACE

"Auntie, you wait for me here, okay? I’m going to the restroom and will be right back! There are candies and fruits here, I’ll be back in a minute." Eliza Bennett settled her there like coaxing a child, appearing like a little adult.

She smiled and ruffled Eliza’s pigtails, replying, "Alright, I’ll wait for you here, won’t go anywhere."

After Eliza left, she stood by the balcony, staring blankly at the bright crescent moon in the sky.

"Elliana."

Hearing the voice, he looked towards the source, only to see Mia Clarke walking towards her shyly, her smile rather flirtatious.

As the woman approached closer, he didn’t quite know how to address Mia Clarke. To be honest, she didn’t want to call this woman "Auntie," so she decided to follow Norman Bennett’s lead and call her by her name.

"Mia Clarke."

This address made Mia Clarke freeze, her smile almost vanishing.

"Elliana, how did you come here? Didn’t your dad take you home?"

She dared to bring it up herself, so she replied with a sarcastic smile, "Thanks to you."

Perhaps seeing her unpleasant attitude, Mia Clarke stopped beating around the bush. She walked up beside her, leaned on the balcony railing, and said directly, "Elliana, you know, right? Norman’s father doesn’t like you, he has someone else in mind, there’s no possibility for you two."

"Oh? Is that so?" She feigned grievance, "Well, sorry to say, but Norman and I are already legally married, what now?"

Came to disgust her, did she? Well, if she didn’t fight fire with fire, then Mia Clarke’s "effort" would be wasted, wouldn’t it?

"What did you say?"

The two faced each other, she smiling leisurely while Mia Clarke’s eyes were shadowed with anger.

Just then, she was suddenly pulled, and realized that Eliza had already stood in front of her, glaring angrily at Mia Clarke.

"Big bad wolf! Stay away from my Auntie!" Eliza’s stance was like a shepherd dog protecting its sheep.

"Eliza, it’s okay, let’s go."

She tried to pull Eliza, but Eliza had no intention of leaving, glaring at Mia Clarke and saying, "We’re not going. If anyone’s leaving, it’s the big bad wolf!"

Yet Mia Clarke didn’t get angry, instead, she spoke with a stern face as if scolding a junior, "Eliza, I’m your grandmother’s sister, how can you talk to your grandmother’s sister like that?"

"What grandmother’s sister, don’t think I don’t know just because I’m a kid. Uncle said you’re a homewrecker."

Mia Clarke was obviously embarrassed and said, "Eliza, do you know it was your grandfather who wants to marry me?" Her tone carried a hint of anger, but because Mia Clarke’s voice was inherently charming, it almost sounded like she was pouting.

"So Grandpa’s a big bad wolf too, neither of you are good people, and also, you can’t come up to the third floor."

"Eliza Bennett! How dare you speak to your grandmother’s sister like that! Are you rebelling?"

This anger that made one shiver was from Zane Bennett, and the three of them turned to look as Zane descended upon them with a face like thunder.

"Coming here and corrupting my Bennett family child at once, unruly thing, get back to your Lyle family!"

Zane said this to Elliana Lyle, who was taken aback but also somewhat surprised at such an accusation.

She couldn’t bring herself to call him Dad and could only say, "Uncle Zane, I haven’t corrupted the Bennett child, instead, the Bennett child is quite sensible."

Pa!

The slap was truly loud, landing on Eliza’s face.

"Eliza!" Elliana hurriedly shielded Eliza in her arms, her little face instantly reddened and started swelling visibly.

Eliza didn’t cry, just snuggled into her arms quietly.

"It’s okay, it’s okay." After comforting Eliza, she looked at Zane in disbelief, angrily questioning, "Eliza is so young, how could you be so hard on her?"

Zane grew even angrier, as if his eyes were on fire, "I discipline my Bennett kids, is it your Lyle family’s place to interfere? Didn’t your Lyle family teach you the rules?"

"Oh dear, honey, let it go, let it go. Kids are the easiest to be coaxed," Mia Clarke threw herself at the man’s chest, gently stroking his torso with one hand.

She then looked at Elliana, sighing helplessly, "Miss Lyle, perhaps you should leave, so both sides can save face, don’t you think?"

"Auntie, you can’t go, I’ll take you to find Uncle!"

Eliza spoke with firm resolve, pulling her by the hand and rushing down the hallway, without caring about Zane’s bellows behind them.

"Eliza! Eliza, wait a moment." Only after Eliza stopped did she say, "Let’s get an ice pack for your face."

Eliza beamed at her, "Auntie, you have to look more aggrieved so Uncle will feel sorry seeing it. I’m used to Grandpa hitting me every time he’s angry, he only dares to hit me."

"Eliza." For some reason, Elliana felt saddened seeing Eliza’s smile, such a young child yet so sensible.

Additionally, from Eliza’s words, she learned that Zane often hit Eliza.

"Right, that’s it," Only when Elliana’s eyes welled up did Eliza put away her smile.

She hugged Elliana, comforting, "Auntie, don’t be afraid, our family is good, it’s only Grandpa and Mia Clarke that are bad."

"Eliza, get over here!" Zane had followed them up.

Eliza held onto her and they continued running, saying, "Auntie, hurry, let’s report to Uncle, I know where he is!"

At the entrance, Eliza said, "Auntie, you mustn’t tell Uncle I got hit, okay? I haven’t told anyone, and you can’t either."

...

"That’s how it is, I wasn’t the one wronged, it was Eliza who was wronged." Although Eliza instructed not to tell Norman, she couldn’t hold it back.

The man gently caressed her face, his gaze deep, "Good girl, we’ll leave tomorrow afternoon."

"Norman, Eliza she..."

The man placed his thumb over her lips, interrupting her, "Do you know why Eliza doesn’t tell anyone?"

This indeed stumped her, she shook her head, indicating she didn’t know.

"The harmony within the Bennett family now is all sustained by Julia and Eliza..."

With Norman’s explanation, she realized the Bennett family wasn’t as peaceful as it seemed on the surface.

It turned out, after Old Master Bennett handed the Bennett Corporation over to Zane, Zane married Mia Clarke. Because of Mia Clarke, Zane once tried to drive his own sister and brother-in-law out of the Bennett Corporation.

Only after Old Master Bennett discovered it did Zane reluctantly settle down. However, this only caused a rift between Zane and his siblings.

It’s not mentioned anymore, but the abortion medicine given to Mia Clarke by the old lady was the real start of unrest in the Bennett family.

The old lady also feared Mia Clarke’s child would threaten Norman and Zane Bennett’s position. At that time, when Zane was about to sever ties with the family in rage.

At that time, no one in the Bennett family understood why Mia Clarke was so important to Zane.

Important enough for Zane to point a knife at the old lady and curse her.

Later, Julia Bennett talked with Mia Clarke for an entire afternoon, no one knows what was said, but it indeed brought this matter to a halt.

Afterwards, Julia Bennett constantly facilitated relationships within the Bennett family; whenever there was an issue, she would call each family member.

The most important reason was to prevent the Bennetts from becoming Mia Clarke’s possession in the end.