Clara was still frozen in place, her knuckles white from clenching her fists so tightly. Noah's cries still echoed in the living room. Vanessa held the child and wiped away her tears, but her eyes would occasionally glance at her, as if to confirm the outcome of this "victory." Liam squatted beside Vanessa, carefully examining Noah's wrist. The so-called "wound" was just a shallow scratch made by the child himself, oozing a little blood, but he treated it as a big deal, his tone full of heartache: "Don't be afraid, Noah, Daddy will take you to disinfect it, it will be healed soon."

Just then, there was a sudden, crisp, creaking sound nearby —a nearly two-meter-tall walnut shelf, upon which sat the ceramic ornaments Vanessa had brought when she moved in, and the vintage clock that Liam had promised to "fix" a few days ago but hadn't gotten around to. Perhaps the child had bumped into the brackets while running around, or perhaps it was simply too full, but the entire shelf suddenly tipped forward, sending the ceramic vases and clock crashing down with a clatter.

"Be careful!" Clara's instinct was faster than her thinking. She even forgot about her ankle injury and staggered to hold the shelf, but before she touched the wooden edge, a dark shadow suddenly pushed her away.

It's Liam.

He acted as if he hadn't noticed Clara standing next to him. He threw himself at Vanessa and her son, one hand protecting the back of Vanessa's head, the other holding Noah tightly in his arms, using his back to block the falling ceramic shards. With a "bang", the clock hit his back, shattering the dial. The glass shards splashed on the back of Clara's hand, leaving a thin streak of blood.

Clara stumbled backwards, her back slamming against the cold wall. Her sprained ankle instantly sent a sharp pain through her, and she gasped in pain, barely able to stand, holding onto the wall. But she ignored her own injuries, her gaze fixed on Liam—he was bending down to check Vanessa's hair, his voice filled with panic: "Vanessa, are you okay? Are you hurt? Did the debris touch you?"

Vanessa shook her head, her eyes red, but with a hint of hidden pride: "I'm fine, I just scared Noah. Liam, thank goodness I have you..."

"It's okay, it's okay." Liam breathed a sigh of relief, turned to Noah in his arms, and gently wiped the tears from his face. "Don't be afraid, Noah, Daddy will protect you. Stay away from that guy from now on, okay?"

Noah nodded, but suddenly pointed at Clara and cried, "It's all her fault! She just had an argument with Mom and that's why the shelf fell! Dad, look at my hand, and Mom almost got hit!"

Liam followed the child's finger to look at Clara, his eyes instantly cold. He didn't notice the blood on the back of her hand, nor did he see her leaning against the wall, her face pale. He only saw her standing next to the pile of debris, like the "culprit." "Clara," his voice was full of disappointment, even with a hint of rebuke, "I told you not to lose your temper, why are you still holding it against Vanessa? Now you almost hit them and their child, are you satisfied?"

Clara looked at him, at his back as he protected Vanessa, at the disgust in his eyes for her, and suddenly found it ridiculous. She had clearly wanted to warn them, had nearly fallen down after being bumped by him, and her hand was bleeding, but in his eyes, she had become the one who was "deliberately causing trouble."

She looked down at the blood on the back of her hand, then at the gleaming silver object beside the shattered ornamental stand—the Bennett family brooch she'd kept on the top shelf. It had been her mother's coming-of-age gift, a token of her family's heir status. A precious sapphire nestled in a platinum base, the Bennett crest engraved on the back . Not to mention its value, that sapphire alone could buy half the Foster family's assets . When the stand toppled over, the brooch had also fallen to the ground, a crack forming on the edge of the sapphire, like her heart now, shattered beyond repair.

Clara slowly walked over, bent down, and picked up the brooch. When her fingertips touched the cold metal and the cracks, the last bit of her thought about Liam was finally extinguished. She didn't cry or argue, but simply gently stroked the cracks on the brooch with her thumb, her voice as calm as a pool of stagnant water: "Liam, you never believed me, right?"

Liam was stunned for a moment, seemingly caught off guard by her question. He frowned, his tone tinged with impatience. "I don't feel like talking to you about this right now. It's just a broken glass brooch from a street vendor. It's broken. Vanessa and Noah were frightened, so I need to take them to rest. Clean up this place yourself and reflect on your actions."

After saying that, he didn't look at Clara anymore. He carefully held Noah in his arms and helped Vanessa walk towards the bedroom. When Vanessa passed by Clara, she deliberately slowed down her pace and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Ms. Clara, face the reality. Liam has always had only me and the children in his heart. You are just a superfluous person."

Clara ignored her, holding the broken brooch, standing amidst the debris. The blood on the back of her hand continued to flow, and the pain in her ankle became more and more severe, but she could not feel it - because the pain in her heart had overwhelmed all her senses.

She walked slowly to the entrance, picked up her canvas bag, and carefully placed the brooch in the inside pocket.

The cell phone suddenly dinged, and I received a text message: The crown of the mistress of the Ethan family is waiting for the return of its future queen.

When Clara checked in at the hotel, she deliberately chose the cheapest standard room. The remaining money she had, from her five years of savings, was enough to last her until the end of her training, but she couldn't afford to splurge. She changed into a clean cotton and linen shirt and jeans, and just as she was about to order a simple meal, she ran into Liam and Vanessa.

Vanessa wore a champagne silk dress, a limited-edition crocodile bag, and her makeup was as refined as if she were attending a dinner party. Liam wore a tailored suit, his watch gleaming with a cold gleam. Walking side by side, they looked like a magazine-style "wealthy couple." Upon seeing Clara, Vanessa paused, a flicker of sarcasm in her eyes. She deliberately tightened her grip on Liam's arm, her voice rising a few notches: "Liam, who's here? I thought Miss Clara had already returned to the village in the city. Why is she in a five-star hotel like this?"

Liam also frowned, his eyes sweeping over Clara's washed-out shirt, his tone filled with undisguised doubt: "Clara, why are you here? You haven't been home these few days, could it be..." He didn't finish his words, but the speculation in his eyes - as if she had seduced other men to be able to step into this "high-end place" - pierced Clara's heart like a needle.

Clara didn't want to get entangled with them and quietly turned around to find another corner, but Vanessa quickly stepped forward to stop her: "Hey, Miss Clara, don't leave! We haven't asked you yet. This hotel costs several thousand a night. How can you afford it with your salary? Did you find a 'rich man'? After all, for a girl like you with no family background, this is the only way to stay in a good hotel."

"Get out of the way." Clara's voice was light, but with a barely perceptible chill.

Liam stepped forward and grabbed her wrist: "Clara, I know you're still angry with me, but you can't humiliate yourself! Come home with me and don't embarrass yourself here." His tone was full of "this is for your own good", but the contempt in his eyes could not be hidden.

Clara shook his hand off with force, leaving a red mark on her wrist: "Where I go and who I'm with is none of your business." After saying that, she stopped looking at them and walked straight to the private room area deep in the restaurant - she saw an empty private room when she passed by just now, at least she could avoid the entanglement of these two people.

But just as she pushed the door open and sat down, the door to the private room was pushed open again. Liam and Vanessa actually followed her in directly. Vanessa even deliberately sat across from her, waving the menu in her hand. "Ms. Clara really knows how to choose a place. The minimum bill for this private room is over ten thousand. But then again, someone else is paying, so you don't have to worry about the money." She paused, her eyes falling on the half-brooch chain exposed from Clara's collar - the Bennett family brooch was hidden in her shirt, with only a little silver edge showing. "Speaking of which, what are you wearing around your neck? Could it be glass beads bought at the small commodity market? And you're pretending they're gems, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"

Liam also agreed with a smile: "Vanessa is right. If you like jewelry, I will buy you a sterling silver necklace after I have reached a cooperation agreement with the Bennett family's subsidiary. It is better than you wearing these 'fakes'." When he mentioned the "Bennett family", his tone was full of yearning - that was the top wealthy family he had tried so hard to get close to, but he didn't know that the "fake" he was talking about was the token of the Bennett family's heir.

Clara didn't say anything, but just picked up the water on the table and took a sip, but her fingertips secretly clenched the cup - she didn't want to reveal her identity before the end of the experience, but the ridicule of these two people came like a tide, almost drowning her calm.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the private room door, and the hotel owner himself walked in, carrying two bottles of red wine. He was dressed in a custom-made suit and had a respectful demeanor. His eyes immediately fell on Clara, a flicker of confirmation in his eyes. He had seen this young lady from a distance a few years ago when the Bennett family was inspecting one of their hotels. Although she was wearing sunglasses at the time, he had a vague memory of her demeanor and features.

"Miss," the boss put the red wine on the table and said in a gentle tone, "This is the 1982 Lafite that our hotel has collected. We specially send it to you for tasting." As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Clara, indicating that he would not reveal her identity.

Clara's heart moved slightly, and she nodded gently: "Thank you."

But before she could say anything more, Vanessa stood up suddenly, grabbed the boss's hand, and said excitedly, "Boss, you're sending this to us, right? My husband, Liam, is negotiating a partnership with a subsidiary of the Bennett family. You must have heard about it and came here to please us!" As she spoke, she glanced at Clara smugly, "Look, if it weren't for us, you would never have the chance to see such expensive red wine in your life."

Liam also echoed, his face full of pride: "Boss, you are thoughtful. We are still moving forward with the cooperation. Please take care of me in the future."

The smile on the boss's face froze for a moment, but he didn't break it. He just nodded politely: "Thank you both for your kindness." After that, he gave Clara a subtle look and turned to leave the box.

Vanessa picked up the bottle of red wine and shook it knowingly. "Ms. Clara, have you ever seen such fine wine? This bottle costs millions . You can't even afford it with your entire lifetime salary."

Clara watched her clumsy movements and finally couldn't help but speak, her voice calm but clear. "This 1982 Lafite has fine tannins and aromas of black currant and cedar. It needs at least two hours to decant. Shaking it so violently will damage the wine's structure, and even the best wine will become sour and astringent." She paused, her eyes falling on the label on the bottle. "Also, this bottle of wine has subtle traces of gilding on the edge, a technique unique to the winery back then. Imitations are rare on the market."

Vanessa's face flushed instantly, and Liam frowned, his tone questioning, "How do you know all this? I'm afraid you just copied it down from a few wine tasting magazines and pretended to understand it?"

"That's right!" Vanessa agreed immediately. "How could a girl from a village in the city possibly know anything about red wine? You must be making it up! Even if you're right, so what? Can you afford it? You'll just have to watch us drink it for the rest of your life!"

Clara looked at their frustrated expressions and suddenly felt bored. She stood up, picked up her canvas bag, and said calmly, "If you like, drink slowly. I have something else to do, so I'll be leaving now."

Today is the last day, and the car that will pick her up from the Bennett family will be arriving soon.

The moment Clara pushed open the door to the private room, Liam instinctively rushed forward and reached out to grab her wrist. When his fingertips touched her slightly cool skin, he felt a strange panic in his heart. Clara's calmness these past few days was too abnormal, so abnormal that he felt like he was going to lose her completely.

"Clara, don't go." His voice was softer than expected, even carrying a hint of pleading that he himself didn't realize. "I was wrong about what happened before. I shouldn't have favored Vanessa and Noah, and I shouldn't have misunderstood you. Give me another chance, and we can start over, okay?"

Clara's wrist was gripped so hard it hurt, but she didn't struggle like usual. She just slowly turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were calm, without hatred, without resentment, without even a trace of emotion. It was like she was looking at a stranger. "Liam, we're over a long time ago."

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Liam's strength increased a little, and his tone became anxious. "How are you going to live without me? You have no family background, no background, and you don't even have a place to live. Do you really have to rely on those shady people? Come home with me, and I can still treat you well like before and buy you what you want..."

"Liam!" Vanessa suddenly stepped forward and pulled his hand away, her tone deliberately "rational." "Why are you wasting your time talking to her? She's just mad at you! Have you forgotten how much she relied on you before? She needed you to stay with her when she had a cold, to give her money when she ran out, and even to call you to change a lightbulb. Without you, she can't even make a living. Now she's just pretending to be tough. When her money is gone and no one pays for her hotel room, she'll naturally come back to you for help."

She leaned close to Liam's ear, lowering her voice a little, but deliberately letting Clara hear: "Think about it, if she was really independent, why would she be with you for five years? Don't be fooled by her appearance, she just thinks you are soft-hearted. Let's go back first and wait for her to come to you herself. Then you will have the final say."

Vanessa's words were like a reassurance, a precise piercing of Liam's ego. He recalled Clara's submissiveness over the past five years—how she would fidget when he came home late, how she would treasure the cheap bracelet he gave her, how she would make porridge and stay up all night when he was sick. Yes, how could a woman who "couldn't live without him" truly leave? Her current determination was just a disguise for her anger.

He let go of her hand, his tone becoming arrogant again: "Clara, I'm giving you a way out, don't be ungrateful. When you figure it out, come home. I can pretend nothing happened."

Clara looked at the arrogance in his eyes and found it ridiculous. She said nothing more, just brushed her wrinkled sleeves lightly, turned and walked out of the box, her back straight, without a trace of nostalgia.

Over the next three days, Liam occasionally picked up his phone, wanting to call Clara, but Vanessa stopped him each time. "What's the rush?" Vanessa said nonchalantly while trying on her newly ordered dress. "She's definitely waiting for you to give in first. If you take the initiative, she'll be even more aggressive. Besides, we're going to the Bennett family banquet soon. If she sees you and me at such a high-end event together, she'll only be more envious and come back faster."

Liam thought about it and agreed. He was currently preoccupied with collaborating with Bennett's subsidiary. If he could meet a few important figures at the banquet, perhaps a partnership would be possible. As for Clara, she would naturally come back when she was hungry.

On the evening of the third day, Liam's brother Jake called out of the blue, his tone as excited as if he had been injected with chicken blood: "Liam! Hurry and pack! The Bennett family's daughter's inheritance ceremony and husband selection banquet are tonight at the Shengshi Building in the city center! I used my connections to get two invitations, come with me!"

"The Bennett family?" Liam frowned, feeling a bit confused. That was the top-tier wealthy family he'd been trying so hard to get close to, but now he couldn't even secure a partnership with a subsidiary. If he went, he'd just be a small-time, insignificant figure, and might even be looked down upon. "Forget it, I'm not interested."

"Not interested?" Jake said anxiously, "That's the Bennett family! They're said to be as wealthy as a nation! This is the first time that the daughter of the family has made a public appearance. I heard they're going to choose a marriage partner at the banquet. Maybe going there will broaden your horizons and allow you to meet some important people. It will also be beneficial for your cooperation with their subsidiary!"

Liam was still hesitant, but Vanessa came over and snatched the phone, her tone enthusiastic: "Brother Jake, let's go! Liam is just being modest. In fact, I have always wanted to see the scene of the top wealthy families. We will pack up immediately, see you later!"

After hanging up the phone, Vanessa dragged Liam to pick out clothes. As she was tying his tie, she said, "Are you stupid? This is the Bennett family's party! So many people can't get in! Not only will going there broaden your horizons, but you might even be able to strike up a conversation with that rich girl. Even if you can't, you'll get to know a few of the executives! It's better than having to keep Clara around all day. If she knew you could attend a party like this, she'd probably regret it!"

Vanessa's words completely convinced Liam. He looked at himself in the mirror, wearing a tailored suit, and imagined being complimented at the banquet. Any hesitation he had felt instantly vanished. He even began to look forward to it—when Clara returned, he would tell her about the banquet, show her that he was capable of standing on a higher plane, and how much she would lose if she left him.

At 7 p.m., Liam and Vanessa took a taxi to the Golden Age Building. Vanessa was mesmerized by the towering structure, the red carpet at the entrance, and the fleet of luxury cars. She held Liam's arm tightly, excitedly saying, "Look at this! It's so much more sophisticated than the last business dinner we attended! When I see the Bennett daughter, I'm going to take a picture with her!"

Liam was also a little dazzled, but he pretended to be calm and adjusted the collar of his suit: "Don't embarrass yourself, maintain some demeanor." Although he said so, his heart was full of anticipation - he wanted to see what this legendary Bennett daughter looked like and what kind of person she would choose as her husband.

The two followed the crowd into the ballroom, where the opulence was breathtaking. Crystal chandeliers shone brightly, the air was thick with the aroma of premium champagne, and the people passing through were all either wealthy or distinguished, each exuding an innate sense of nobility. Liam and Vanessa stood in a corner, looking somewhat out of place. Vanessa was still scanning the room, trying to spot the Bennett daughter.

At that moment, the lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only a single spotlight in the center of the stage. The emcee's voice, trembling with excitement, echoed through the speakers, "Dear guests, welcome to the succession ceremony for the Bennett family heir! Now, with the warmest applause, let us welcome the sole heir of the Bennett family—Miss Clara Bennett!"

(Stuck point)