CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 149: DEEP-SEA PHOBIA

Clara Bennett sensed something off in his words, her brow slightly furrowed, yet she still smiled gently and asked in a soft voice, "Didn’t we already agree that I would go to the film set and act after we got married?"

William Foster nodded, his tone carrying a hint of self-reproach.

"Yes, it was agreed a long time ago. I just didn’t plan well, thinking you had a few more days off to enjoy our world for two. Originally, I thought, no matter how tight the schedule was, that I would manage to squeeze a few days for a honeymoon, but I suppose I was overthinking it."

Clara was surprised and widened her eyes in disbelief, curiously asking, "Did you really plan a honeymoon trip? Where to?"

William replied with a faint smile at the corner of his mouth: "Yes, I booked a trip to a private island, hoping you’d relax by the seaside."

Looking at the man in front of her who was so considerate, Clara’s heart was instantly filled with complex emotions.

He couldn’t see those beautiful sea sceneries, nor could he swim; such an island would have little meaning for him, right? All these sacrifices were made for her, yet, unfortunately, she had long stopped liking the sea.

And at this moment, William’s true thoughts were simply: he just wanted to see her in a swimsuit, but now, with the film crew starting early, that wish shattered with a "pop."

Mr. William Foster was in a bad mood, and the consequences of such bad emotions were often quite severe.

Whenever he was in a poor mood, those around him would feel a wave of tension, fearing to accidentally anger this man who, although usually indifferent, was extremely rational.

Clara gently explained: "Actually, I really don’t like the sea."

Her gaze revealed a hint of timidity, her voice gentle yet firm.

"Because I have thalassophobia, just thinking about the ocean makes me feel scared and uneasy, so I’ve never been willing to participate in any activities related to water."

For many people, the ocean symbolizes freedom and boundless dreams, but for her, it’s full of the unknown and terror, something to avoid at all costs.

William raised his eyebrows slightly: "You actually have thalassophobia?"

This statement was not only an expression of surprised inquiry but also carried a sentiment of disbelief.

In his memory, Clara had never mentioned this matter, making this sudden declaration particularly unusual.

Clara nodded, her voice carrying a tinge of helplessness: "Yes, precisely because of this reason, I’ve never engaged in any water-related activities, whether swimming or diving or taking a small boat out to sea."

Whenever friends invited her to seaside vacations or water sports, she always found various excuses to decline, and after a time, everyone stopped trying to persuade her.

She still vividly remembered the feeling of being close to death, the sense of despair sinking into the dark water, as if the entire world was drifting away.

And the unbearable pain when seawater flooded her mouth, nose, and lungs.

Having experienced such a frightening ordeal naturally led to severe psychological shadows, making it impossible to escape the haunting trauma of that dark ocean even in the most beautiful dreams.

Some people might overcome this fear with psychological counseling or other methods, gradually alleviating or even eliminating their inner panic, but Clara was not ready to force herself to try it now.

She would rather choose to avoid than face those scenarios that might trigger her fear.

As long as she could stay away from the sea and maintain peace of mind, she already felt very satisfied.

William quietly pondered this issue beside her.

In past impressions, Clara was not afraid of the sea; rather, she was often seen laughing and frolicking on the beach. Hearing her suddenly mention "thalassophobia," this term felt both novel and unfamiliar to him.

"Perhaps it’s something that developed recently..." he thought.

Although this matter seemed somewhat strange, William did not continue to press the issue.

In his view, perhaps it was a reason she invented for fear of not being able to accompany him to do certain things, "It’s okay, as long as you’re happy."

William quietly comforted himself, not appearing overly concerned since their relationship was still long ahead.

After breakfast, Clara intended to return home.

Although her father knew she wanted to become an actress and fully supported her, he was not yet aware of her marriage.

So, to keep it temporarily confidential, she would go back to her home during the crew’s break periods.

"I’ll explain things properly to Dad."

Clara reassured herself while preparing to face the upcoming myriad of questions.

Before leaving, she specifically reminded William: "If any uncle becomes a threat to you—"

"I’ll just use your name to protect myself."

William smiled and said, "Rest assured, they are all quite wary of you now. You see, even the traditional tea ceremony has been prepared."

His words carried complete confidence and ease, seemingly unafraid of any future challenges.

Clara saw three red envelopes, and with a hint of curiosity and anticipation, she slowly opened them one by one.

When she saw that each check inside was worth ten million, she was stunned and speechless: "This is way too generous, just handing out ten million like that."

Unexpectedly, those uncles who were not usually known for their commendable ways turned out to be quite lavish in terms of wealth.

William saw this but simply said blandly: "Take it, the sum isn’t particularly large."

The words coming from Mr. Foster’s mouth were not meant to show off his wealth. He genuinely felt that a few billion was not noteworthy; for families like theirs, such small amounts are not enough to cause surprise or excitement.

Clara silently scoffed at him as a true miser inwardly, but she couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed about receiving such an expensive tea ceremony gift as a "fake wife."

"A meeting gift for the little wife, with tradition stating that a cup of tea represents sincerity... yet here we have ten million! If it weren’t for the blood ties with the uncles, Mr. Foster would have likely wished to dispose of someone on the spot to show his authority."

Faced with such a sum, Clara began to show hesitation: "But if we just accept the money like this, it seems somewhat inappropriate... after all, we are merely in a contractual, ceremonious marriage, not truly partners."

However, while she hesitated, the man opposite her spoke with an extremely serious and solemn demeanor: "You’ve done the right thing and should be rewarded, it’s completely something you’ve earned through your actions, please feel free to accept it."