Flash Marriage With Mr. Sheffield: Go Away, Cheap Man!-Chapter 10: Earth-Shattering Gossip!

Clara Sterling was always a well-behaved girl, giving her mother little to worry about since she was young.

Growing up, she considered the boldest thing she ever did was falling in love at first sight with Silas Sheffield and secretly having a crush on him for over a year.

Silas Sheffield was simply too handsome, with deep eyes like a serene, cold pool, a sharply defined nose, and features so exquisite they seemed sculpted by the goddess Nuwa herself.

Whether it was a formal suit or a casual shirt, he wore everything with graceful ease.

The heart of a young girl in the throes of adolescence could hardly resist being moved by such an astonishingly beautiful face.

Yet, plagued by feelings of inferiority due to the socioeconomic disparity, Clara couldn’t muster the courage to confess.

Moreover, at that time, heavy academic demands left her no choice but to bury her feelings to secure a place at a good university.

By coincidence or fate, Clara didn’t visit Sophie Sheffield’s home often, but every time she did, Silas Sheffield was there, and they would meet.

Occasionally, when her gaze accidentally met Silas’s, she’d blush and quickly look away.

In her dreams, a soundly sleeping Clara returned to her high school days, wearing her simple and modest white and blue collar uniform.

It was her first visit to the Sheffield Family home.

Walking with Sophie into the villa, Clara felt both envious and self-conscious at the sight of the luxurious and beautiful mansion.

Her fingers tightened on her backpack straps, a bit of nervousness creeping in.

Before this, she knew the Sheffield Family was wealthy, but she hadn’t expected them to be this rich; the garden alone was larger than several basketball courts combined at school.

In the height of summer, various flowers bloomed in a riot of colors, their fragrance carried by the breeze while butterflies danced among the flowers, enchanting like a fairy tale paradise.

The pool behind the villa was filled, the sky-blue tiles reflecting the water like a beautiful light blue shade.

As she walked anxiously behind Sophie, the sound of splashing came from the pool, startling her as someone suddenly emerged from the water.

She stood there dumbfounded, her gaze locking onto his in mid-air.

She saw a face strikingly handsome, with an almost aggressive allure.

Twenty-year-old Silas Sheffield had clear, cool eyes, his hair damp and water droplets reflecting sunlight, searing into her heart.

That day marked her first encounter with Silas Sheffield.

The first words he said to her were simply, "Hello."

The dream shifted, the time moving to after the college entrance exams at Sophie’s birthday party.

She saw Silas Sheffield in a crisp suit standing beside Thea Tate in a high-end designer gown, the pair equally striking and eye-catching.

Clara felt an invisible hand clutching her heart, every breath she took loaded with suppression and pain, until her chest ached faintly.

The heartache was unmistakably clear as Clara awakened, her gaze momentarily confused as she stared at the ceiling.

She didn’t understand why she dreamt again of her high school years.

Perhaps because there was so much interaction with Silas last night, and even before sleeping, she was still with him, thus her mind naturally carried him into her dreams.

Clara lay in bed for a while, her eyes gradually growing clearer.

Awake, reality was far more suppressive and painful than the dreams.

She sat up, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.

The first thing Clara did upon getting up was check her phone for any missed calls or messages from her mother.

She scrolled through, finding none, only calls from Isaac Sutton and the owner of the diner.

Frowning, Clara decided against returning the call.

Earlier that morning at the police station, after Silas Sheffield finished talking with the police, the diner owner Samuel Adler was placed under investigation for forced sexual harassment.

Under Silas Sheffield’s pressure, Samuel Adler reluctantly settled Clara’s wages for the month on the spot.

The calls from the diner’s owner were either to scold her or plead for help.

Regardless, Clara didn’t want to hear any of it.

Her wages were paid, and she wouldn’t return to that diner, choosing to block the owner’s number to sever any further ties.

She washed up, realizing it was already past one in the afternoon.

Though the nap was short, her head ached mildly.

Opening her bedroom door, she saw two bags placed at the entrance containing the clothes and pants she wore yesterday.

From the living room came a man’s cool voice, "The clothes were taken for cleaning by the staff."

This explanation made clear he hadn’t touched her belongings.

Silas Sheffield was known for respecting boundaries.

Perhaps fearing she wouldn’t have clothes to wear today, he’d arranged for them to be cleaned.

Clara responded with a soft "Hmm," and thanked him quietly.

She took the clothes back to her room to change, then called her mother, asking if she’d had lunch.

Yvonne Sterling replied that she had, with the nurse assisting her with meals.

Clara was surprised, "Nurse?"

"Yes, wasn’t it you who hired the nurse?" Yvonne replied.

Clara stepped out of the bedroom still on the call, seeing Silas Sheffield seated on the living room sofa with a laptop on his lap, seemingly working.

Standing before him, Clara mouthed the word "nurse," to which Silas gave a slight nod, easing her concerns.

Ending the call, Clara looked at the man on the sofa, a strange emotion flickering in her eyes, "Thank you for hiring a nurse for my mother."

His eyes remained on the computer screen as he typed, replying indifferently, "It was nothing, just a little help."

"And for the trouble this morning, I’m really sorry," Clara murmured, biting her lip.

After sending a message, Silas looked up at her.

She’d changed back into the clothes she wore yesterday, even putting on her jacket, clearly indicating she was about to leave.

Silas asked, "Leaving?"

"Yeah, I’ve troubled you long enough. I’m going to the hospital to see my mom."

The man’s long, cold eyes revealed no emotion, his voice steady as he said, "Okay, I’ll have someone take you."

"No need to bother, Silas, I can take the bus."

Before she could finish, Silas had already made the call.

She heard him instruct the driver to pick up a passenger from the hotel.

Leaving her with no room to refuse.

Clara pressed her lips together, lowering her eyes without responding further.

Waiting for the driver, Clara sat a bit awkwardly in the single-seater next to Silas.

With headphones on, the man focused intently on his laptop, leaving Clara hesitant to disturb him.

Though she remained silent, Silas glanced over at her, "There’s food on the table."

Clara paused, murmuring thanks before getting up to eat.

On the table was a plate of steamed dumplings with a dipping sauce on the side.

She picked one up, taking a bite that made her eyes light up.

Linton Steamed Dumplings, her favorite from a long-standing local shop.

The shop was over seven years old, making dumplings fresh with no delivery service, requiring a visit for purchases.

Turning, Clara looked toward the sofa where only the back of Silas’s head was visible from her viewpoint.

Did Silas Sheffield love Linton Steamed Dumplings too?

Perhaps Sophie introduced them to him, since Clara had passionately recommended them to Sophie back in high school, leading to Sophie’s love for them too.

Not long after she finished eating, the driver arrived.

As Clara passed by Silas to open the door, she called out, "Silas, I’m leaving."

The company executives in the video conference on Silas’s laptop were struck dumb.

Was it an auditory illusion?

What had they just heard?

Had there been a girl speaking sweetly to their boss, calling him "Silas"?

A bombshell! Had the eternally stoic man bloomed at last?