William Foster’s voice lowered, with a hint of barely noticeable tension as he replied, "Little girl, your brothers are truly terrifying. Honestly, my heart pounds with worry about what they might do to me."
Clara Bennett gritted her teeth, speaking firmly and with a hint of dissatisfaction, "You still dare to provoke them? If my brothers hear the things you said earlier, it’s already giving you face if they don’t beat you beyond recognition."
William Foster looked at Clara with a helpless expression, innocently saying, "Isn’t there no other choice? If they don’t agree to let me marry you, I’ll have to resort to some special measures to obtain their consent, even if the method seems a bit risky."
The two whispered quietly on the side, which made Edward Bennett, who had been silently listening not far away, increasingly impatient.
His face gradually became serious and somewhat somber, "Clara Bennett! What on earth are you two whispering about over there? Quickly confess honestly!"
Facing the sudden raised voice questioning her by her big brother, Clara swiftly sat upright, then stood up somewhat awkwardly and uneasily.
She turned to her two brothers and said, "Big brother, second brother, let’s go to the study to discuss family matters first. Third brother will soon join our discussion."
As soon as she finished speaking, to shift the focus from the topic between her and William Foster, Clara quickly headed upstairs, and her brothers followed her without saying much more, going upstairs together.
As it came time for Charles Bennett to go up the stairs last, he deliberately turned around and made an exaggerated throat-slitting gesture at Samuel Grant, who still stood on the first floor without moving.
However, upon noticing Samuel Grant’s unchanged expression, just lightly smiling back at him, Charles involuntarily snorted angrily from his nostrils.
He thought to himself that this guy was indeed a calm and composed character.
Once all Bennett family members had successively gone upstairs to the second floor, the old butler Zam, who had been waiting instructions nearby, quietly approached William Foster to inquire.
"Mr. Foster, do you think our visit today can succeed in persuading the young miss and masters to change their stance and support our family?"
Regarding this question, William Foster appeared calm, responding in a natural yet assured tone, "It should be fine, no need to worry too much."
However, such an answer clearly couldn’t ease the concerns of the always cautious and meticulous Zam, his brow furrowed in worry, repeatedly emphasizing his concerns.
"But what if we fail to persuade the young masters to accept this marriage, and instead get kicked out? What do we do?"
To this, William Foster smiled nonchalantly and said, "If the worst-case scenario does occur, it’s no big deal. I will continue to try again tomorrow, striving for an opportunity until the goal is achieved."
Upon hearing this conversation, Arthur Davis was full of admiration and amazement at the persistence shown by his future master.
"This determination is truly remarkable, deserving of respect, Mr. Foster!"
He praised sincerely.
But meanwhile, Zam silently complained in his heart: This is simply pestering and being shameless!
Thus, the group arrived at the private study located on the second floor of the Bennett Residence.
As soon as Clara entered the room, she sensed an unusually tense atmosphere. Before she could speak, she was quickly pulled to a corner by James Bennett.
"Clara, tell us the truth. What exactly is going on? Are you worried about implicating us, so you’ve been threatened or coerced into agreeing with his proposal?"
James Bennett’s voice carried urgency, eager to know the truth while also hoping to stand up for his sister.
Seeing this, Edward Bennett immediately added, "Yes, sister, we know you always bear many pressures alone, but when problems arise, you shouldn’t silently endure. You should explain to the family clearly. Only then can we help you find a solution."
Charles Bennett was the next to speak, his tone containing not only concern but also a touch of indignant anger.
"Even though he’s physically flawed, he still clings to you relentlessly! Clara, do you know? With us protecting you, there’s no need to fear him, nor be forced to make any compromises."
Clara took a moment to compose herself before slowly beginning to narrate the events that had happened to her over time.
"Actually, everything that transpired between William Foster and me can’t be explained in just one or two days. I’ve always wanted to find an appropriate opportunity to thoroughly discuss with you all the changes in our relationship and future plans."
She looked at each person present, saying firmly, "Since he has officially visited today, there’s no need to hide certain things anymore. Let’s sit down and talk calmly."
Considering that the content she was going to talk about might elicit strong reactions, Clara specifically asked everyone to first steady their emotions before speaking, to avoid any unexpected incidents due to excessive surprise.
Once everyone found a seat and settled down, Clara sat opposite them, taking a deep breath, preparing to tell the story between herself and William Foster from start to finish.
"First, I need to clarify that regarding the seemingly non-serious words William Foster expressed to you all, please don’t take them to heart. In fact, there was no coercion involved throughout the process. From the start to the decision to marry, it was all my own choice."
After hearing this explanation, James Bennett immediately retorted, clearly unable to accept this statement, "How is that possible! You are our precious sister, how could you willingly want to marry someone from that family? It’s utterly absurd!"
Due to previously existing significant wariness against the Foster family, and now suddenly learning their sister was going to marry into this family, the suspicion they felt naturally intensified.
They couldn’t understand the motives behind such behavior choices, nor could they immediately believe everything Clara said.
"Big brother, don’t be hasty, let me finish. Previously, I never explained why I chose Samuel Grant as a partner because I knew you wouldn’t understand why I fancied him. Actually, there are profound underlying factors and reasons, and today I might as well speak freely."
Clara took a deep breath, slowly saying, "In fact, I always thought he was the kind-hearted person who gave me a new life opportunity when I was young."
Hearing this, Edward Bennett was utterly shocked, incredulously asking, "Is this true? Samuel Grant is actually the benefactor who saved you back then? Are you sure there’s no mistake?"