Chapter 70 Pure Lies

At this moment, Clara Bennett showcased an extremely convincing display of emotional control, forcing a bitter smile as she said, "At that time, I really did mistake him for someone else, only to find out later that this wasn’t the case." Charles Bennett seemed to have suddenly realized some crucial point, furrowing his brows and tentatively asking, "So, the real lifesaver... is it the person downstairs, right?" Clara slightly nodded, her tone firm as she said, "That’s right, William Foster is actually Samuel Grant’s uncle. They do look somewhat similar, which is what led to my mistaken judgment." Of course, all of this was purely a lie. Clara understood that if she couldn’t provide a reasonable backstory for William Foster, merely suddenly declaring her love for him would not be something her family could easily believe. Anyway, she believed that detestable Samuel Grant wasn’t deserving of this identity, so she might as well let William Foster enjoy this halo. After hearing his sister’s explanation, although it seemed somewhat bizarre, the three Bennett brothers were still a bit incredulous. James Bennett immediately retorted, "Are you sure you didn’t mistake the person this time?" There was a hint of skepticism in his tone. Clara: "I’m sure, this time I really didn’t mistake the person." Her gaze was unwavering, as if beyond question. Edward Bennett: "Then don’t even think about offering yourself as a token of gratitude. Haven’t you already stumbled enough with Samuel Grant? What kind of person do you think Samuel Grant is, and can you guarantee William Foster isn’t the same?" His pace was not fast, but each word struck at the point, filled with concern and warnings. Clara: "William Foster is really different; he treats me exceptionally well, and besides, he’s much richer than Samuel Grant. The ten billion Samuel Grant gave me was borrowed from him. What else could he be after?" Her tone was somewhat agitated, yet it also revealed a hint of helplessness and self-questioning. Charles Bennett: "What would he be after? You’re young and beautiful, still the Bennett family’s eldest daughter, while he’s someone with mobility issues, even a blind man at that; isn’t that enough to be enticing?" His words were sharp and direct, as if wanting to peel away all the appearances and see the truth. Clara: "Third Brother, don’t talk about him like that. Even though he can’t see, he isn’t some useless person. Besides, he doesn’t even know what I look like; he can’t see anything at all." There was a hint of pleading and dissatisfaction in her tone, clearly unwilling to see others harboring prejudice against William Foster. The three Bennett brothers were stupefied by her words, each showing different expressions on their faces. James Bennett’s expression was grave: "He can’t see anything?" This statement was more like confirming an unbelievable fact than just a simple inquiry. Edward Bennett: "He’s blind?!" His tone was filled with astonishment, almost unable to believe it. Charles Bennett: "So, even though he can’t see and has difficulty moving, do you think he’s not considered useless because of this?" There was a sense of unwillingness and doubt in his words. Originally, they thought William Foster’s indifference was merely a display of calmness, but it turned out it was because he couldn’t see at all! This revelation left everyone present deeply shocked. Clara awkwardly explained, "You cannot judge a person solely based on outward appearances." Her tone carried both helplessness and insistence. James Bennett, his expression severe and brows knitted, said, "Clara, I don’t agree to this marriage. No matter what, even if Dad came back, he wouldn’t approve. Stop messing around with this!" Being the eldest brother, his words always seemed so powerful and decisive. Edward Bennett also nodded in agreement, his tone firm as he said, "Even if it truly is a lifesaving favor, there’s no need to repay it with your entire life. If we can confirm there are no issues, we can find other ways to compensate." Charles Bennett quickly followed up with his viewpoint, "If you say you just want to date him, we might consider it. But suddenly proposing to get married obviously suggests other hidden motives, making it hard not to remain cautious." Facing her three brothers’ doubts, Clara knew she couldn’t keep hiding anymore; all the facts would have to be laid bare eventually. Her face flushed with nervousness, she half-covered her cheeks with her hand and said, "What I’m going to say next might be hard for you to accept, but since everyone is pressuring me to explain why I want to marry William Foster, I might as well go all out and disclose everything today." Hearing this, the three Bennett brothers were momentarily stunned, their bewildered eyes fixed on Clara, clearly not expecting her to say such things. Clara took a deep breath, steadying her slightly trembling voice: "That night... I involuntarily approached him!" With these words, the three men exchanged glances, completely failing to grasp Clara’s meaning, their faces blank. Seeing that they still hadn’t understood, she continued, "That night, I actually realized someone had drugged me, and this trick was obviously done by Samuel Grant. Moreover, at the banquet, I discovered the secret relationship between Daisy Stone and Samuel Grant. I didn’t want them to succeed easily, so I went to William Foster’s room and tied his hands while he wasn’t paying attention because he is blind and it’s hard for him to move." Just then, James Bennett, who had been sitting there, suddenly stood up, loudly interrupting, "Stop! Don’t say any more!" But Clara continued, "Big Brother, you might as well listen all the way; now that I’ve embarrassed myself so much, I might as well confess it all. At that time, he was sobbing, crying really sadly, as if he had been greatly wronged. He said that he would only do such things with his wife, implying that I was not loyal enough to him. My mind went blank, and I thought about resolving his troubles once and for all, so I promised to marry him and take responsibility for this relationship. It was because of this that he eagerly proposed." Internally rolling her eyes, Clara felt a deep resentment toward William Foster. Inside, her heart was filled with regret and resentment; her intent to maintain a lifetime of purity was just shattered by him like that. Now, all her reputation was ruined by him. Her previously good reputation, those traits her brothers always praised, now seemed to belong to the past. Seeing the two older brothers’ dumbfounded looks and the trembling expression of her eldest brother, Clara could only sigh repeatedly. She understood, really understood. In her brothers’ minds, she was still a child who hadn’t grown up. Yet now she had done such things, which they found incredibly hard to accept, even breaking the norm. Clara sensibly said, "Should I leave? Give you some time to digest this news?" She thought that at this moment, the best approach might be to temporarily step back, allowing her brothers some personal space to process this sudden big news.