CHAPTER 142: CHAPTER 142: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

Silas Sheffield had just finished signing several contracts, took off his glasses, and rubbed his temples when he received a call from the old lady.

"Hello, Grandma."

Susan Saxon got straight to the point, "I saw your announcement video from last night."

"Yes." Silas replied indifferently.

"Did you push a director out of the Veridian Branch for her?"

Silas frowned, "Who did you hear that from?"

"Never mind where I heard it. Just tell me, is it true?"

"He resigned on his own terms."

The old lady snorted coldly, "Don’t play dumb with me. I know that director, his surname is Hawthorne, and he was the one flirting with Clara Sterling a few days ago."

Silas’s eyebrows slowly knitted together, "Don’t listen to outsiders’ nonsense."

"You know the truth in your heart. I’m aware that you even fired a talented employee for Clara. How do you explain that?"

"What talented employee?"

Silas truly couldn’t recall for a moment.

In Silas’s eyes, someone like Jonah Shaw, a master’s graduate from a 211 university, hardly counts as a ’talented employee.’

At least a doctorate from a prestigious university would earn the title ’talented.’

Therefore, when Susan Saxon mentioned a talented employee, he really didn’t think of Jonah Shaw.

Before calling Silas, Susan Saxon phoned a senior manager from the Veridian Branch to inquire about the matter.

The manager was Susan Saxon’s friend’s grandson and had entered the Sheffield Branch through her connections. Susan phoned him, and he explained everything truthfully.

Although he didn’t exaggerate, he merely recounted the situation as he knew it.

But since Susan already had several grievances against Clara Sterling, she naturally interpreted the words with a different tone.

The manager said the person fired was Jonah Shaw, who indeed had conflicts with Clara Sterling and had spread rumors about her at the company, which Silas personally stepped in to clarify.

He also explained that Jonah Shaw was fired for altering contracts, causing the company significant losses, and they were currently in a lawsuit.

But Susan Saxon wouldn’t listen; she only heard that the firing was related to Clara Sterling.

Seeing Silas wouldn’t admit it, Susan Saxon said angrily, "Just because he had some disagreement with Clara, you fired him directly? Does anyone who displeases Clara Sterling in the company have to be fired? Is this how you manage the company your father entrusted to you?"

Getting to this point, Silas was a bit impatient.

He vaguely guessed who might have said these things to the old lady.

Other than Thea Tate, who else could it be?

Silas coldly said, "I never fire someone without reason. This isn’t how you heard it; it has nothing to do with Clara. The person fired harmed company interests. Alright, Grandma, I have other things to do, goodbye."

With that, Silas hung up the phone.

Susan Saxon grew increasingly angry.

Looking at the now disconnected call, she muttered to herself, "I hadn’t even finished speaking before he hung up on me. Truly, he won’t even listen to his grandmother for that woman. This has gone far enough."

After talking to herself, Susan Saxon called her son Zeke Sheffield.

"Did you see your son’s announcement video last night?"

Zeke paused, then chuckled, "I saw it. Silas and Clara are well-matched."

It was as if a father who worried over his son’s future was sighing with relief at seeing his son finally on the right track.

Susan Saxon, hearing her son’s joy, was rather displeased.

"Well-matched, indeed. You can’t just settle because Silas isn’t young anymore. Our Sheffield Group’s heir should marry either a daughter of high officials or a lady from an illustrious family. How does a girl from a small county like Clara Sterling compare?"

Zeke sighed silently, "Mom, you can’t say that. Silas has brought Sheffield to its current heights; it doesn’t need a marriage alliance to solidify its status anymore. I think it’s great that he marries the woman he loves."

"Great, really great!" Susan Saxon scolded coldly.

"Though an alliance isn’t needed now, who can say what might happen in the future? Let Silas marry someone of equal status, so if someday the company faces trouble, there’ll be support, right? I think Thea is quite nice; the Tate Family matches us well, and they’ve grown up together, knowing each other’s roots..."

The old lady nagged endlessly.

One moment how Clara couldn’t match her grandson.

The next how Thea was exceptional.

Then saying Silas was jeopardizing company interests by whimsically firing employees for Clara.

And how Clara wasn’t a docile, honest girl, always tangled with her ex-boyfriends and rumored with colleagues.

Zeke listened to his mother’s nagging, feeling a headache.

But she was his mom, so he had to listen.

Finally, after over ten minutes, the old lady finished speaking.

Zeke helplessly rubbed his nose, "Mom, don’t meddle in Silas’s affairs anymore. You know his temperament well enough; once he makes a decision, it can’t be changed."

"So I say all that and you didn’t listen to a word?" The old lady exclaimed angrily, "You can’t even manage your son?"

"Silas is grown up; he’s always had his own ideas..."

Zeke’s words hadn’t finished before Susan Saxon interrupted, "You need to return home as soon as possible!"

"Isn’t your 80th birthday coming soon? I’ve already booked tickets; Joanne and I will come back next week."

"Can’t you come back early to handle Silas’s matter?"

"Mom, it’s too busy here, I really can’t leave."

Susan Saxon was skeptical, "Really can’t leave or purposely avoiding?"

"Really can’t leave; I have a meeting soon, goodbye now."

Again, the call was hung up.

Susan Saxon fumed, scoffed coldly, "Just alike, father and son!"

...

After resigning, Clara Sterling had more free time.

At noon, she went to Yvonne Sterling’s for lunch with her mother.

In the afternoon, she chatted with Yvonne.

After chatting, she was ready to leave and received a message from Julian Hawthorne.

[Are you free? I’d like to invite you for coffee.]

Clara Sterling looked at the message, pursed her lips softly, feeling somewhat hesitant.

She was certainly free.

But if she met Julian Hawthorne, Silas Sheffield might mind, right?

Seeing Clara wasn’t replying.

Julian Hawthorne sent another message.

[I resigned. I’m returning to Ardendale tomorrow. I have some things to say in person; consider it a farewell.]

Resigned?

Clara Sterling was stunned.

She hadn’t known Julian had resigned.

Why so sudden?

Was it because of last night’s announcement...

She pondered for a moment and decided to meet him.

There were some things that needed to be clarified.

Besides, Julian had resigned and was going back to Ardendale soon; they probably wouldn’t see each other anymore.

Clara replied, [Okay.]

Julian Hawthorne sent the location of a café.

"Mom, I’m heading out." Clara said, standing up.

"Alright."