Chapter 45 The Mason Reed That Belongs Only to Clara
Mason Reed's expression changed slightly.
Frederick beside him gave him a signal, pointing to a spot not far away.
Through the car window, he saw the little woman standing stunned in the middle of the street, surrounded by bustling crowds. Behind her was the landmark building of Central City, the headquarters of the Harrington Group.
Clara Bennett held the phone to her ear, quietly waiting for his response.
He let out a soft breath and said with a low laugh, "I... spent some time in Central City because of some trouble in the past."
Clara paused for a moment, then quickly changed the subject.
Frederick watched him the entire time, unsure what was said on the other end of the line, but Mason was smiling with a warmth he had never seen before.
Not until Clara and her colleague had walked away did Frederick ask softly, "Young Master, should we clear the areas you mentioned to Clara beforehand?"
"No need, let her enjoy herself freely," Mason said, returning to his usual cool demeanor. "Send more people to protect her these days, but keep them out of sight. She mustn't see them."
"Yes, I understand."
"And..." he narrowed his eyes, "unless I'm there, don't let anyone from the Harrington Family get near her!"
...
The Harrington Estate was located on Sterling Heights in the southern part of Central City.
The entire estate was built along the mountain, grand and luxurious, resembling an independent kingdom. The Harrington Family, as the head of the four major families, controlled nearly half of the nation's economic lifeline.
Zachary Harrington slowly descended the stairs. The large living room, which had been bustling just moments before, fell silent instantly.
His tall, muscular frame was perfectly accentuated by a well-tailored black suit. His chiseled features were stern and resolute, his deep, cold eyes reflecting a sense of detachment and vigilance toward the world.
He glanced indifferently at the faces trying to curry favor, nodded in acknowledgment, and without a word, had them escorted out.
Since returning to Central City two days ago, visitors had been streaming through his door daily.
After the plane crash, rumors spread that Zachary Harrington had been burned to ashes, causing turmoil within the Harrington Family. Everyone coveted the position of heir.
But now, Zachary had miraculously survived and returned.
Both within the Harrington Family and among other families, those with ulterior motives wanted to come and see for themselves what was going on.
"Young Master," Frederick whispered as he approached, "your uncle has sent people over several times."
Zachary's hand beside him clenched tightly.
Since the news of his survival reached Central City and the Harrington Family, his uncle Vincent Harrington had been the most excited, supposedly burning incense and praying to the gods every day, thanking them for their blessings and eager to proclaim to the world how much he cherished his nephew.
But the more guilty someone felt, the more they put on a show for others.
Zachary knew that all of Vincent's actions were for their grandfather to see.
"Your uncle has arranged a welcome banquet for you, set for tomorrow evening at Sterling Manor," Frederick said with a light laugh.
"Rumors are circulating that the Harrington Family is using this banquet to choose a princess consort, so not only will many socialites from Central City be attending, but also quite a few from out of town. "
"Ha, my uncle is really concerned about my marriage," Zachary said with a cold smile. "He's been trying to set me up with girlfriends since I was in college, hasn't he?"
Over the years, Vincent had pushed at least a dozen women toward Zachary, each one manipulated by him, but each one was seen through and ruthlessly sent away from Central City by Zachary.
He wondered what kind of drama Vincent would stage at the banquet tomorrow night.
"Have Jasper and Chase come back?" Zachary asked as he lazily fiddled with the plants on the windowsill.
"They're both back," Frederick nodded. "They'll be at the banquet tomorrow night as well."
"Hmm. Tell them to be cautious, especially Jasper. Make sure he drinks less and doesn't say anything out of line."
After giving his instructions, Zachary went upstairs.
Suddenly, the staircase felt endless, as if he could never reach the top.
Back in his room, he felt tired and lay down on the bed, one arm across his forehead, starting to miss the small rental apartment in Harrington.
There, the balcony also had the scent of flowers, the purple irises that Clara had planted herself. She liked to sit there in a small chair, basking in the sun, her smile as radiant as a crystal under the sunlight.
He got up and went into the walk-in closet, pulling out a belt and running his fingers over it for a long time.
This belt was bought for him by Clara.
At the time, she only had three thousand dollars left in her bank account, but because he said he liked it, she transferred the money to him without hesitation. She even rationalized it perfectly, saying, "A wife should buy her husband a belt. It means tying him down!"
"We should buy a good, durable one, so it can tie you down for a lifetime!"
A warm smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
His closet was filled with countless luxury belts, but he never paid much attention to them.
Yet, this one belt was something he couldn't bear to wear, feeling a pang of heartache even at the thought of lightly scratching it.
Zachary took a deep breath and quickly changed into the T-shirt and jeans he had worn when he came from Harrington. Finally, he felt that the man in the mirror looked more like himself.
This was Mason Reed.
The Mason Reed that belonged only to Clara.