CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 70: ANABELLE SPENCER

After work, Anabelle Spencer casually linked arms with Clara Sterling, "Clara, what do you want to eat?"

Anabelle was overly enthusiastic.

Clara was a little unaccustomed to being so close with a stranger, but since the other was a girl and harmless, she couldn’t say much.

Clara smiled, "I’m good with anything, see what you want to eat."

Following the guest’s taste politely without being picky is basic courtesy.

Anabelle nodded and asked Lisa Holloway, "What about you, Lisa?"

"You’re treating, so I’ll go with your choice."

Anabelle asked, "Do you guys want to have Western food? I know a newly opened Western restaurant up ahead that’s pretty good."

Clara: "Sounds good."

Lisa: "I’m up for it too."

The restaurant’s environment was very nice and looked high-end.

Lisa was surprised, "Wow, this place isn’t cheap. Anabelle, is this your first time inviting us to such a fancy place? Can our assistant salary afford this kind of spending?"

Anabelle laughed.

"It’s fine, my dad gives me a lot of pocket money every month."

Lisa chuckled, "Wow, turns out you’re a young lady experiencing life, your aura really is like that of a wealthy family’s daughter."

Lisa’s emotional intelligence was high, fully tapping into the emotional value of those words.

Anabelle looked at Clara Sterling with a smile, "Clara, are you a local from Veridian?"

Clara shook her head, "No, I’m from Crestwood."

"Crestwood?" Anabelle paused, "That’s far from Veridian. Why did you come to work in Veridian? Was it because you went to college here?"

Clara took a sip of tea and replied, "No, I also went to college in Crestwood. I came to Veridian because the salaries are a bit higher here."

She didn’t mention that she came to Veridian to treat her mom’s illness.

Anabelle was still just a stranger; there was no need to share everything with her.

"Oh, I see." Anabelle smiled without asking further and lowered her head to look at the menu.

She ordered two dishes and handed the menu to Clara to let her order.

Clara ordered a relatively cheaper steak and a vegetable salad.

Lisa also chose affordable options.

Even though Anabelle mentioned her family wasn’t short on money, Clara and Lisa were tactful and wouldn’t take advantage by ordering only the expensive options.

After the meal, Anabelle asked, "Where do you guys live? I can drive you home."

This restaurant was very close to Sheffield Corporation; they had just walked over here.

Anabelle didn’t know that Clara and Lisa both had cars, and assumed they had just started working and didn’t have much money, taking buses and subways daily.

Lisa: "No need, I drove my car back."

Clara also said, "I’ll just take a taxi myself; how could I trouble you with that?"

"Alright, see you tomorrow."

Anabelle drove away.

Lisa watched her car disappear from sight before turning to Clara, "Why do I feel like she’s a bit too enthusiastic towards you?"

Clara frowned slightly, "I feel that way too."

Lisa said, "Just now she asked where you’re from, where you went to college, and why you came to work in Veridian, but she didn’t ask me. It’s weird."

"Yeah, it’s normal to ask these questions, but she only asked me and not you. And she came up so affectionately, linking arms with me, which I’m not used to."

Lisa squinted, looking serious, "I have a feeling that Anabelle isn’t as simple as she appears."

...

Anabelle’s first week at the company.

Her work was decent, with no major mistakes, nor anything outstanding.

Anabelle often had things she didn’t understand and would ask Clara.

Clara patiently helped Anabelle solve her uncertainties, just like how Lisa once guided her.

However, Anabelle seemed to, intentionally or unintentionally, probe about Clara’s family affairs.

Clara selected some unimportant details to share and brushed off what she didn’t want to reveal.

On Friday after work, Anabelle again offered to treat them to dinner.

Clara declined, "Sorry, I have plans with a friend tonight, maybe another time."

Lisa didn’t go either, saying her boyfriend had come to Veridian to see her.

Returning home that night, Clara talked to Silas Sheffield about Anabelle.

"I feel she’s a bit odd; she seems really curious about me."

In the study.

Silas was sitting behind his desk, dealing with emails on his laptop.

Clara could now freely come in and out of Silas’s study.

When she first arrived and saw Silas dealing with work, she said she wouldn’t disturb him and would wait until he’s done to chat.

Silas said it was fine and wouldn’t distract him.

Clara then sat down beside him to chat.

"It’s always good to keep a guard up," Silas said while typing responses, multitasking effectively. "You can refuse such overly deliberate closeness."

Clara was troubled, "I’m just not very good at refusing people, moreover, she seems harmless."

Silas: "Do you want me to transfer her to another department?"

"That doesn’t seem right either; she’s just displaying unusual enthusiasm and friendliness and hasn’t done anything harmful to me yet."

Clara pondered, "Besides, I’m curious why she’s so invested in my affairs."

"Hmm, your call." The man’s voice was faint.

"We’re heading to Crestwood tomorrow, should I pack our bags, or would you like some help with your packing?" Clara asked, "Anything you want to bring?"

The man’s typing paused, he glanced sideways, his cold eyes softened with a hint of a smile, and his lips curled slightly.

He seemed in a very good mood.

A wife packing for her husband felt quite normal.

But their relationship wasn’t typical.

It started as a mutually beneficial contractual marriage.

Clara voluntarily mentioning packing his bags, something trivial, felt like a feather lightly touching Silas’s heart, softly and ticklishly.

This strange sensation gave rise to unfamiliar emotions.

Silas looked at Clara’s beautiful porcelain-like face and suddenly wanted to kiss her.

The man’s voice hoarse, "Come over here."

"Hmm?" Clara obediently walked over.

Silas reached out and pulled Clara into his embrace, encircling her with his arms.

Clara looked up at him, "What’s wrong?"

"I want to kiss you."

Not a word wasted.

With that, the man pressed his lips to Clara’s.

Hmm.

How did they end up kissing while talking?

Is he not going to reply to the emails?

Clara felt dizzy from Silas’s kiss.

Their lips and tongues entwined, deep and lingering.

Both of their breaths became increasingly rapid.

Her small face was flushed red.

The man’s palms were hot, and Clara felt a flutter running through her body.

"Do you like it, hmm?" Silas briefly pulled away from her lips. His burning lips brushed her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine.