Chapter 72: Secret Marriage

As they spoke, faint footsteps came from upstairs. Clara Bennett quickly pushed William Foster’s wheelchair forward, looked up, and saw her elder brother, James Bennett, coming down. After their eyes met briefly, Clara felt uncertain and hurriedly avoided his gaze, not daring to meet his eyes. James studied Clara and then glanced at William sitting in the wheelchair, his expression a mix of gravity. After pondering for a while, he said, "Clara, let’s have a good talk." Clara nodded, and the two of them left the room together. About twenty minutes later, James finally returned to the room and sat in front of William Foster. During this time, William knew nothing about what they had talked about, but vaguely felt that the situation seemed to become more complicated. Understanding his current state prevented him from seeing anything, James deliberately cleared his throat to make himself known. After realizing James’s presence, William wore a polite smile and asked, "Is it Mr. Bennett?" Even though he couldn’t see the other’s expression, he maintained a gentle demeanor. James gently nodded and replied, "Mr. Foster, some of my previous actions may have offended you, and I ask for your forgiveness." His tone was filled with regret, seemingly sincere in his remorse for past conduct. William smiled lightly, unconcerned, and said, "It’s nothing, all just a misunderstanding. I was a bit abrupt today as well, please don’t take it to heart." Faced with the current situation, James still found it very difficult, so he asked directly, "Are you really planning to marry my sister? It’s not that simple a matter." "That’s right," William nodded seriously and replied, "Being Clara’s groom would be my honor." Upon hearing this response, James couldn’t help but cover his face with his hand, letting out a long sigh, "Ah, words shouldn’t be spoken so absolutely... Clara has made it very clear to me about the things between the two of you. Honestly, I never expected such a usually obedient girl to be so bold and open in certain aspects. You’ll probably need to be quite accepting." After hearing these words, William was momentarily speechless, not knowing what to say. However, in fact, he saw everything clearly. Upon witnessing the indescribable change in James’s expression, he had already guessed that the matter was not that simple, with far more complications than he imagined. What on earth did Clara tell her brother to make James’s attitude change so quickly? William waited calmly, watching as James took a deep breath, gathered his courage once again, and said, "If you really want to marry Clara, we Bennetts are not unreasonable people. Clara can take on this responsibility for you." William furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "Take responsibility for me?" This turn of phrase was truly unheard of. James answered earnestly and seriously, "Exactly. She was quite determined, wanting to take responsibility for you, and she also has feelings for you. Therefore, we can agree to this marriage, but on one condition." William nodded and responded solemnly, "Please, go ahead." James stated their condition, "You must keep the marriage concealed for the time being." William immediately frowned, puzzled, and asked, "Concealed marriage?" He had just openly sent betrothal gifts here, and now he was being told the marriage had to be a secret? This was simply— William couldn’t help but laugh, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "Isn’t a concealed marriage just being married in name while nobody knows? What kind of responsibility is that?" William completely ignored the so-called ’responsibility’ talk from the other side and instead seized the opportunity to take control. Seeing the situation, James hurriedly explained, "Don’t rush, listen to me first. From my standpoint, my dad especially dislikes Foster family members who make Isabella suffer. As an older man, he always hopes his daughter can marry into a good family. For him to accept his daughter, who just broke up with an unreliable partner, marrying someone who isn’t in ideal health is a burden on his heart." "My dad’s heart isn’t too good to begin with, and he can’t withstand big shocks. So for now, don’t tell him about your situation. Give him time to gradually accept your relationship leading up to marriage. Of course, you can live as husband and wife, having a normal life together." William spoke slowly, with a slight tinge of questioning and dissatisfaction in his tone, "What you mentioned are concerns from your perspective, but what about from Isabella’s point of view? Why should she agree to such low-key actions?" Before James could respond, Clara entered the room with a tea tray and softly interrupted the conversation, "Let me explain the rest. Since brother has already agreed for us to be together, let us handle the rest of the planning." James’s gaze moved between the two before nodding his consent, "Alright, you two talk." He turned around and silently left the room, leaving the two of them a private space. Clara smiled slightly, gently placing the tea tray on the table, turned to look at William, and asked, "Would you like some tea?" William shook his head, his expression noticeably unhappy, and he directly replied, "I’m not in the mood to drink. I want to know how you plan to justify keeping a husband hidden at home." Hearing this, Clara’s gaze softened, and she gently nudged him, smiling as she said, "Alright, let’s walk and talk. To avoid others overhearing, let’s go see what betrothal gifts you prepared and discuss our marriage conditions?" William didn’t say much more, merely answering in a low voice, "Hmm." In front of the gentle and intelligent Clara, though anxious and puzzled inside, William could still remain relatively composed and listen. He was curious about what kind of reasoning would lead her to want to carry out the wedding in such a concealed manner. Deep down, he still held some less optimistic suspicions. Is it because he is disabled and blind, which, in some way, burdens the one he loves, causing Clara to be unwilling to make a grand affair of the ceremony? If that really were the case... A trace of coldness and determination flickered in William’s gaze. If the reality were truly as his most pessimistic thoughts suggested... Even if they went through with her idea of a formalized marriage, their future relationship might be inevitably unhappy. Bear in mind, both the Foster family and the Bennett family are prestigious, particularly the latter with four gentlemen each managing influential businesses in different fields. Once any vindictive action was taken by the Foster family against a member, from both emotional and pragmatic standpoints, Clara would have no choice but to comply and act accordingly. But in any case, those were last resort measures; for now, he wanted to hear what Clara’s true thoughts were. William Foster is not someone to be trifled with.