William Foster furrowed his brows, a hint of jealousy in his voice: "You’ve been talking to him for so long?"
Clara Bennett rolled her eyes: "I realize you’re really a jealous type. We’re in an agreement marriage, how can you still get so jealous?"
William Foster wrapped his arm firmly and decisively around her waist without any hesitation.
His arm encircled her, pulling her close to himself, holding her tightly as if afraid she might escape.
"For you, it’s an agreement marriage," he said in a low voice, with a tone of unquestionable dominance, "but for me, agreement or not, you are mine, always will be."
Each word seemed to be etched into the air, carrying deep emotions and irrefutable determination.
Clara Bennett was held so close by him that she could even catch his unique fresh scent at the tip of her nose.
Her heart raced, and her ears turned red, as if tinged with a faint glow of dawn.
To cover her fluster, she quickly moved back a bit, putting some space between them before looking up to explain in a calm voice, "He had a scene with Daisy Stone, and then I told him we’re going to get our marriage certificate."
Her voice sounded calm and even, but inside, she was secretly anticipating his reaction.
However, when she mentioned the name "Daisy Stone," she deliberately paused, attempting to observe any change in William Foster’s expression.
To her disappointment, from his expression to demeanor, there was no abnormal reaction; he simply listened indifferently.
This calmness made Clara Bennett silently bite her lip, a seed of doubt growing in her heart.
Could Samuel Grant really be lying?
After all, with Samuel’s cunning and sinister nature combined with his malicious intentions, how could he watch the relationship between her and William Foster progress smoothly?
Thinking this way, maybe his words were most likely fabricated lies.
Despite already suspecting Samuel Grant in her heart, Clara Bennett still pretended to be nonchalant and casually asked, "By the way, do you know Daisy Stone?"
She intentionally kept her tone casual, as if it was nothing important.
If William Foster really knew any inside story, this question might reveal some hidden secrets.
Faced with Clara Bennett’s question, William Foster was already prepared, showing no hint of surprise or nervousness.
He raised his eyebrows and a cold smile curved slightly at his lips, appearing particularly nonchalant.
"Don’t know her, who is she?"
He retorted, as if this person never existed in the world.
Hearing such an answer, Clara Bennett felt relieved and further convinced that William Foster had no reason to lie.
She waved her hand lightly and responded nonchalantly, "No one, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know her."
Though the words were simple, her eyes revealed a hint of relief.
It seemed that, in this matter, the only one who had truly changed was Samuel Grant!
Thinking of this, Clara Bennett couldn’t help but clench her phone.
She quickly opened the chat window, her fingers flew across the screen, sending a message to Daisy Stone.
In the message, she briefly recounted what just happened and advised her on what to do next.
She had already planned the upcoming strategy in her mind.
Once Daisy Stone returned, she must act sorrowful and helpless enough, pointing all contradictions directly at Samuel Grant, using emotional manipulation to force him to compromise.
Her plan was very clear: whether Samuel Grant chose to compromise because he was tired of Daisy Stone’s entanglement or out of sympathy for her, there would only be one result.
That was to arrange for Daisy Stone to be in Samuel Grant’s company, nominally as an assistant.
As for the specific function, it wasn’t of much importance; she just needed a nominal position to go through the motions.
Given Daisy Stone’s background, such a request should be like a thorn in Samuel Grant’s side, almost impossible for him to completely refuse.
More importantly, through this method, it was possible to test Samuel Grant’s true intentions and subtly restrain his actions.
Clara Bennett felt more and more that this stratagem was flawless, a meaningful smile appearing on her face unconsciously.
But if Samuel Grant was too cautious, she would bring out the two elders of the Foster family to apply pressure.
If Samuel Grant remained too cautious and adopted tight preventive measures, refusing to budge, then Daisy Stone could bring out the two elders from the Foster family to increase her leverage.
She knew well that the two elders held substantial influence within the Foster family, and their opinions could often sway the direction of many developments.
By slightly introducing the notion of family interests and mixing in some elders’ hopes for the descendants’ future, it would be difficult for Samuel Grant to openly oppose family authority, even if he were more stubborn.
This scheme, though not entirely honorable, was one of the most effective methods at the moment.
Samuel Grant might not want to marry Daisy Stone, but the elders of the Foster family greatly desired the presence of this child.
Indeed, deep down, Samuel Grant rejected this marriage.
He was not someone keen on family life, let alone spending a lifetime with a woman he barely knew.
However, the critical issue was the unborn child.
For the Foster family, the continuation of the bloodline always held paramount importance, and the two elders especially valued this.
They not only saw this child as a significant symbol of family prosperity but also as the hope that maintains the family’s reputation.
Therefore, despite Samuel Grant’s reluctance, he also had to consider the family’s overall interests and the elders’ fervent expectations, otherwise, he would be seen as unfilial or heartless.
Currently, Daisy Stone still had some leverage with this unborn child to strive for the chance to achieve her goal.
Daisy Stone, of course, understood the delicate balance in the current situation.
Though she knew Samuel Grant had no real feelings for her, and perhaps not even a semblance of affection, she had the "ace" in her hand.
That is, the child in her belly, which was enough to give her a certain advantage in negotiations.
Especially in the matter of marriage, this child was undoubtedly her greatest reliance.
Using this point, she could subtly maneuver to get the elders of the Foster family to apply further pressure, thereby forcing Samuel Grant to yield.
By maintaining proper control, taking one step at a time, she might even manage to leverage external pressures to gain more benefits for herself and eventually achieve the initially set goal.
William Foster stood silently by, watching Clara Bennett and Daisy Stone’s conversation, with his lips pressed slightly together, showing a hint of profundity.
William Foster stood silently aside, exuding an inherent dignity despite his low profile stance.
His gaze casually swept over the conversing Clara Bennett and Daisy Stone, and his face maintained a calm composure, only the barely noticeable curve at his lips revealing the complex thoughts within.