Chapter 56 I Like

Actually, she didn’t want to hate white roses over such a trivial matter. After all, no flower in the world is guilty. Every blooming flower has its unique beauty and shouldn’t be innocently dragged into these complex emotional entanglements. The significance of the white rose is: only you and I are the most suitable for each other. However, for Clara Bennett, this meaning felt more like a double-edged sword, deeply moving at certain moments, yet inevitably stirring up many complex emotions at others. Meanwhile, the white rose also signifies first love, which is a story not easily forgotten. She used to imagine countless times the boy from her memories, holding a pure white rose, walking towards her with light steps. In her imagination, the boy’s eyes were full of gentleness and affection. But what she ended up with was the detestable Samuel Grant, shattering her fantasy so thoroughly that it even caused her to develop a kind of inexplicable aversion to white roses, a flower that originally symbolized pure love. William Foster seemed to grasp something from her changing expressions, "I understand." He said in a calm tone. It was at this moment that Clara Bennett discovered that William Foster was actually someone who thought of others, feeling a bit favorably toward him: "Thank you for understanding." She expressed her gratitude sincerely. William Foster continued, "I understand hating white roses because you dislike Samuel Grant, but I hope that through my efforts, I can change your perception of them. I hope you’ll start to like this flower symbolizing innocence because of me." His words were filled with hope and sincerity. Clara Bennett was very surprised by William Foster’s words, "Why?" She asked in confusion, her face full of puzzlement. William Foster looked at the girl before him, his eyes shining with firm and warm light, "Because you are my beloved little wife." Though the words were brief, their weight was immense. Hearing this, Clara Bennett didn’t know what to say for a moment. "Isn’t such a statement too domineering? And according to your logic, even if I don’t like white roses, I can still like other flowers; it’s not a mutually exclusive relationship." Though she said this verbally, her heart seemed touched by his persistence. Seeing a trace of disappointment flash across William Foster’s face, along with his carefully dressed appearance, it wasn’t hard to see how much he valued today’s meeting, making Clara Bennett feel she might indeed have been too hasty in judgment. Especially when facing a handsome guy with elegant posture, now showing such a hurt expression, what girl could remain indifferent? Thinking of this, Clara Bennett quickly consoled, "Alright, alright, since you like it, then it’s no problem. I promise not to despise white roses anymore, okay? After all, it has nothing to do with that Samuel Grant." At this moment, Clara Bennett suddenly had an idea that maybe she could occasionally use a sarcastic manner to mention Samuel Grant in the future, as a little joke between them. Just as she was planning it out in her mind, she felt the person beside her gently hold her hand. She heard a deep yet extraordinarily warm voice by her ear: "I don’t want those terrible impressions left by him to remain in your heart, trying to replace them in my own way, but if you feel uncomfortable or resistant, please do tell me—" William Foster’s tone was sincere, his words filled with great concern and care. Almost blurting out, "I like it!" Clara Bennett immediately replied loudly. "I think it’s a good thing for a man to show a bit of dominance, especially since it’s not a display of control but an intention for my well-being." In her heart, there was no idea of sympathizing with the weak or belittling the current one after the end of a past relationship. In fact, just a little glimpse of a vulnerability from her current boyfriend would make Clara Bennett more determined to distance herself from the past. William Foster’s mouth slightly curved, revealing a gentle smile. He held her hand tightly in his palm and said softly, "Sweetheart, you really are a good girl." His tone was full of sincerity and warmth. Clara Bennett felt as if she was floating, making the whole world seem soft and beautiful. Was it just because of these few words of praise? Clara Bennett couldn’t help but wonder if William Foster had gone through a lot of pain and difficulties before. Had everyone bullied him before, never saying warm words to him? She hadn’t done anything special, yet it could make William Foster think she was so wonderful, which surprised her. He was so tall and majestic, usually serious, giving an impression of being unapproachable, and seemed to carry an invisible dignity when not smiling. How could a few simple words from her satisfy him? Clara Bennett’s heart was full of puzzlement, along with a kind of indescribable touch. Thinking of this, Clara Bennett involuntarily recalled the days of her past life when her legs were disabled. By then, Samuel Grant and Daisy Stone had already revealed their true colors. The life after losing her legs made her almost unable to bear the heavy pressure, with injured and weak arms, sometimes finding it difficult just to go to the bathroom. She still remembers once wanting to go to the bathroom but lacking the strength, falling directly from the bed, and eventually having to crawl slowly to get there. In those days, it seemed everyone in the family could laugh at her at will, even the housekeeper would purposely spill scalding soup on her legs, and that pain and helplessness left a profound mark on her heart. Thinking of those oppressed and bullied days, and then considering her current situation, Clara Bennett’s heart felt like a thousand knives cutting through, making it hard to breathe. Perhaps having experienced too much pain and hardship, Clara Bennett suddenly had a thought: she wanted to create a little world for William Foster and herself, protecting him from outside harm. She silently made a decision: William Foster could easily be exploited or deceived in the future. After all, those who have never truly experienced the taste of happiness can be easily moved by a small favor and then have all their trust cheated away. For a man with wealth and status, there are certainly many who covet him and are just waiting for the right moment to approach. William Foster himself might not even be aware of this impending crisis. Therefore, during this period of their time together, Clara Bennett wanted to take care of William Foster as much as possible, teaching him some self-protection methods. In this way, even if one day they must part, William Foster would have enough ability to discern right from wrong, not easily let others take away his wealth or even more valuable affection.