Sebastian's cold gaze landed lightly on Hilary Jones, causing Hilary to shiver instantly. He grinned and silently moved a step closer to Hiram Seaton.
Hiram chuckled softly, "How do you feel? Is there any discomfort since you woke up this time?"
"Nothing unusual," Sebastian responded indifferently, his gaze drifting to Clara Sutton's exquisite cold beauty, with meaningful intent, "In fact, I feel much more relaxed than before."
Clara met his gaze, always feeling as if his words carried some implication. Thinking of the stormy encounter last night, she quietly looked away.
"Sebastian."
A strong male voice abruptly broke the atmosphere among them.
Upon hearing the voice, Clara instinctively turned her head and saw a middle-aged man, exuding several degrees of authority in a black suit, entering the view of Sebastian and the others.
"How's your health? Is it serious?" The middle-aged man stopped a meter away from them, his serious tone mixed with a few degrees of false sincerity, his gaze sweeping over Clara and the other three.
Out of politeness, Clara and Hiram nodded symbolically, but Hilary unabashedly rolled his eyes.
Clara had seen Nathaniel Astor and his wife at the wedding before, so they weren't entirely strangers. She didn't know Nathaniel well, but his wife Grace Ford was not someone easy to deal with.
She looked down on Clara for her 'illegitimate daughter' status, mocking her both directly and indirectly.
Fortunately, Clara was not one to be easily manipulated. Even in the face of this new marriage, she didn't intend to tolerate such behavior and countered everything with a light rebuttal, leaving Grace speechless.
"I won't die." Sebastian's tone was leisurely and laid-back, his eyes also carried some casualness, "How come Chairman Astor has the leisure to attend my banquet today."
"I saw your complexion looked good during the video of the afternoon's conference, so I thought I'd drop by to see you. I have matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now." Seemingly dissatisfied with Sebastian's neglectful attitude, Nathaniel frowned, his voice much colder.
"Safe travels, no need to see you off." Sebastian placed one hand into his pocket, gazing coolly as he turned to leave.
As the words fell, Nathaniel paused his step, turned his head slightly but did not look back.
The relationship between Nathaniel and the Astor Family is quite delicate now. Being adopted by Mr. Astor, he was not favored at home, and not long after Sebastian's father passed away nine years ago, Mrs. Astor removed his name from the family register.
The reasons for this removal remain a matter of much speculation, and no one knows for sure.
The Astor Family was already a particularly prestigious lineage in the Imperial Capital, and under Sebastian's thunderous leadership, the enterprise of Astor Enterprises expanded greatly. Adding to that, the founding of the International Bank Sph brought the family to the pinnacle of commercial royalty in North Metropolis, topping the list of wealthiest individuals, wielding immense power.
"Old Nathaniel, has there been any progress on the matter I asked you to investigate last time?" Sebastian indifferently turned his gaze, the depths of his eyes swirling with a profound storm.
"Should be soon, I'll go urge them tomorrow." Hilary grinned, raising his brows.
"Mm, you two can do as you like."
Sebastian responded, then grabbed Clara's hand beside him and led her toward the long table filled with food, "I'll take your sister-in-law to have some food."
Clara was somewhat caught off guard when she hastily turned her head and captured the helpless expressions of Hilary and Hiram under the 'lemon tree of you and me.'
When they reached the table, just as she retracted her gaze, a plate of chocolate mousse cake was handed over to her. As she slightly raised her head, she heard him ask, "What? Waiting for me to feed you?"
"No need, thanks."
Clara hurriedly took it, eating a piece of cake. All day, apart from the small breakfast she had at home early in the morning, she hadn't eaten anything. With the late program at noon and exhaustion, her appetite was lacking, so she skipped lunch and rested on the sofa for forty minutes.
Now, after his words, Clara's stomach indeed felt a bit hungry.
This evening banquet officially ended at ten o'clock.
After returning to Astor Manor, Clara noticed her white BMW parked nearby as soon as she got out of the car, freshly washed and polished.
She specifically walked over to check the previously punctured tire, which had indeed been replaced.
A slender hand holding a piece of white paper suddenly appeared in her line of sight, and a pleasant voice emerged from behind her: "Here's the warranty you asked for."
Clara turned and took it, glancing over briefly, "Thanks."
As soon as she said that, she took out her phone from her bag and snapped a photo of the sheet to send to Alexia Sutton, along with two videos she obtained from Emily Taylor.
Long fingers gently tapped to a rhythm, her expression composed.
Just when Alexia received her WeChat message, she was already furious about losing an endorsement for a niche brand and the role of the second lead in "Suhua Records." After reading the contents, she became even more enraged, immediately flipping open Clara's phone number and dialing it.
As the ringtone loudly played, Clara silently counted to three. Seeing the caller ID, her delicate brows raised slightly, she calmly answered.
"Clara, what's the meaning of this?"
Just as the phone reached her ear, Alexia's voice, filled with anger and frustration, erupted.
"No meaning, just found the person in the surveillance footage somewhat familiar. Little sister is smart, I don't need to elaborate, do I?"
"You're threatening me?" Alexia was so furious her whole body tensed, her voice trembling.
"Mm, that's right." Clara nodded, not denying it.
Angry enough to feel a block, Alexia couldn't utter a single word.
Many moments later, her voice returned with an unyielding and spoiled tone, "What if I did it? I don't believe you'll dare post these photos online!"
"Mm, thanks for the suggestion, little sister. That might actually be a good idea." Clara coldly chuckled, her voice long and graceful. After speaking, she hung up the call.
The two left the garage and walked under the redwood corridor, when the phone's notification sound abruptly chimed. Clara lowered her gaze, her phone flashing with Alexia's two messages. She lightly tapped to open the audio, an arrogant female voice filled with rage dispersed the gentle night breeze.
"Fine, Clara, I see you're ruthless, but just you wait."
The remaining one was the transaction, the amount she had sent.
Clara ignored her clamor, took the payment, hesitated for a moment, and sent it to Sebastian, even added an extra zero.
"What's the meaning?"
Sebastian withdrew his gaze from her phone screen, seeing the transfer, his brow furrowed, he asked.
"For the car repair and maintenance." Clara replied earnestly.
"Do I lack this little bit of money from you?"
"Fairness in financial matters among siblings."
The man squinted his eyes, scoffed, reached out to grab her slender wrist, stepped closer to her, pressing her against the wall, half enclosing her in his arms, domineeringly looking down at her, "I'm treating you as my wife, you're treating me like a brother? So was this marriage for nothing?"
Clara: "..."
The faint scent of sandalwood lingered around Clara's nose, "I'm worried you'll suffer losses."
"Tsk, it's a loss I can afford."
"Then refund it!" Clara withdrew her gaze and calmly bypassed from the other side, heading towards the house.