Chapter 48 Eat Well, Drink Well, and Enjoy Yourself
"You... you must be mistaken, right?"
After a moment of silence, Evelyn Bennett shrieked.
"How could it be her!"
"May I ask if you are Miss Clara Bennett?" the man asked with a smile, though his eyes were cold. "If you are not Miss Clara Bennett, please step back!"
"You..."
"This is Sterling Manor, the venue for the Harrington Family's banquet," the man said calmly. "Who should be welcomed and who shouldn't is part of my job, and I don't need reminders from you, miss!"
Evelyn turned pale with anger, her lips twitching, unable to say a word.
Yvonne Bennett and Miles Bennett exchanged puzzled glances, feeling that something was very unusual.
That was Clara Bennett, a disheveled illegitimate daughter! What right did she have to be at such an event!
"Miss Clara," the man approached Clara, bowing respectfully, "please follow me."
Clara's heart pounded as if a bolt of lightning had struck from the sky, leaving her mind blank.
"Sir, are you... are you sure you haven't made a mistake?" she asked softly, probing. "I don't have an invitation, and I'm not here to attend the ball. I just wanted to deliver some documents..."
"Miss Clara, please come with me and don't make this difficult for me," the man said with a smile.
"Hey, hey!" Yvonne couldn't hold back and grabbed the man's arm. "What about us?"
The man's lips curled slightly. "May I ask if you have an invitation?"
"What invitation do you need!" Yvonne put her hands on her hips, looking like a shrew. "Go inside and ask around. The young mistress of the Lin Family in Central City is my... my cousin's niece! If she says the word, we can get in! Who do you think you are, asking me for an invitation!"
"The Lin Family?" the man suppressed a smile. "Madam, I am the general manager of Sterling Manor, and I serve only the four major families. I'm afraid I've never heard of this Lin Family you speak of, nor have I seen it on the guest list."
Yvonne's expression changed, and Miles glared at her angrily.
By now, more people were passing by, and some looked at them curiously, their gazes like sharp blades, making Miles feel ashamed.
"Miss Clara," the manager said respectfully, extending his hand, "this way, please!"
Clara bit her lip and followed him with light steps. The manager clapped his hands, and attendants immediately came over to shield her from any media or reporters.
Evelyn watched as Clara was escorted into the grand hall like a star, stomping her foot in frustration.
Clara followed the manager into a room that was beautifully decorated, like a fairy's palace.
However, it was far from the banquet hall, and she couldn't hear the noise from there.
The table was set with exquisite and delicious dishes, and there were servers ready to attend to her needs.
Clara was puzzled, and the manager smiled at her. "Miss Clara, please enjoy your meal. My young master knew you wouldn't be dressed for the ball, so he arranged for you to be here. Are you satisfied?"
Clara was taken aback and nodded vigorously.
"The young master said that Miss Clara doesn't need to attend the banquet. Just eat well, drink well, and enjoy yourself."
"May I ask who your young master is...?"
The manager gave her a meaningful smile and looked at the documents in her hand.
"Miss Clara, who are you planning to give these documents to tonight?"
Clara thought for a moment. Could it be that Jasper had seen her trying to get into the White Group building this afternoon?
She hadn't expected such a high-and-mighty young master to be so hospitable, arranging for her to be here, away from the crowded banquet hall, where she could eat and drink her fill and rest.
Maybe she could even ask this kind gentleman to deliver her sales proposal...
Clara smiled and bowed to the manager, then handed the documents to him solemnly.
...
Back in Harrington, she excitedly told Mason Reed about the incident.
Mason sat on the couch, watching the little woman bustling around, tidying the house while chattering away like a happy magpie.
He smiled softly, feeling as if it were a lifetime ago.
Clara was thrilled, not only because she had successfully delivered her sales proposal but also because she had seen the twisted expressions on Yvonne and Evelyn's faces when they were blocked at the banquet hall entrance.
However, she didn't mention this part to Mason.
So, in her account, Jasper's name came up several times.
"I thought this business trip would be a complete waste, but thanks to Jasper, I managed to submit my sales proposal and have something to report back to the company."
"I didn't expect Jasper to be so kind. He even invited me in! Ha, but I didn't attend the banquet. I just ate and drank in a beautiful room."
"Jasper isn't what I expected. I thought someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth would be a bit of a playboy... but he's quite ambitious!"
"Ambitious?"
Mason had been feeling uneasy, and hearing those three words made him even more irritated. He couldn't help but scoff.
"Did you meet him in person? Did you talk to him?"
"No, I didn't," Clara said, scratching her head sheepishly. "But the fact that he was willing to look at my sales proposal shows he's ambitious, doesn't it?"
"Your understanding of him is limited to photos and some official information. The most interaction you've had with him is that he treated you to a meal without even showing his face... and from that, you can conclude he's ambitious?"
Clara glanced at him cautiously, noticing that his face looked unusually dark and angry.
She paused and asked softly, "Honey, are you... are you upset? Are you angry?"