Chapter 3 A Broken Relationship
People's eyes were all fixed on the silver-white car.
They held their breath and couldn't take their eyes away from the woman sitting in the back seat. Amber was standing among the crowd. Ben's keen sight landed on the profile of the woman in the car. Then his eyebrows furrowed. The rage inside him started to roar like a storm. Amber looked at her and smiled. Amber was so glad that she was here. Otherwise, she would have missed out on a great show.
She was playing innocent. She held Ben's arm gently, acted cute, and asked, "What is she doing here?"
Ben looked serious.
Amber bit her lips lightly and pretended to be vulnerable and innocent.
The more she acted like this, the more attention she could draw from men.
Ben stood still and cast a glance at Claudia who was walking out of the car slowly.
Her look for the night was a beige ankle-length dress with high heels. She was pregnant, but her moves were as graceful and attractive as usual. Every expression on her face was so attractive.
However, even so, Ben didn't want her. He left her a cold and resentful look that she had never seen before.
The paparazzi around were overjoyed. The two ladies from the Evans family were all here today. This would be the best gossip of all the tabloids tomorrow.
Some of them even failed to hide their emotions. They stuck their microphones to Ben in a hurry, and threw millions of questions in his face.
"A little bird told us that Mr. Crawford had an affair with his sister-in-law, is that true? Mr. Crawford?"
"It's said that it is a shotgun marriage between you and Mrs. Crawford, is that true?"
All the questions they asked were about Claudia and her sister.
"Excuse me, your former and most beloved woman has always been a mystery, can you give us a clue about who she is?"
"Would that be a bad influence on your current marriage with Mrs. Crawford? Someone said that your marriage is about to break up, is that true?"
Claudia had to be very careful with her big belly. Facing all those cameras and pushed by the paparazzi, she wanted to make sure that nothing would happen to her child. Fortunately, the security and assistants arrived in time. They dispersed the crowd and made a way for Ben and other people to leave.
The paparazzi were disappointed that the drama was over.
Ben's eyes stopped on Claudia and her belly, with his sparkling eyes shining a light.
Claudia felt a bit surprised by his scorching staring. She moved her eyes away and it was at the same moment, Ben said with his low sexy voice.
"Break up? Nonsense."
As soon as he said that, Claudia felt her waist was taken by a domineering force. Before she could react, Ben had already bent over and sealed her lips with his.
It was a peck, which happened unexpectedly and ended fast.
It was like a gentle warm breath sweeping across Claudia's heart.
She was still indulged in the aftertaste of the peck, while he already stood straight. His arms were still around her waist, and his deep eyes were looking at her with a smile on his face. She found it so warm. He said to the paparazzi around them, "My wife and I are very much in love."
The crowd was a bit surprised. Then his eyes moved aside and looked at Claudia. His tone just now was so plain and peaceful, which made it hard to guess what was really behind it.
"Then Mr. Crawford, do you remember Miss Hanna Lewis?"
The good vibe in this place was ruined as that name was mentioned.
Ben's gaze was like two staggers, stabling at the person who asked the question. It was hard to guess what was in his mind.
The place fell in silence.
The paparazzi was stunned. When they realized what had happened, Ben and Claudia had already walked into the hotel, hand in hand.
A tall handsome man gently holding his beautiful wife in his arm - what a lovely scene!
Claudia was the only one who knew what he was thinking. Behind his lowering eyelids hid his fierce eyes.
Hanna was a name that was known to all.
The name was a deeply buried thorn in Ben's closed heart.
Claudia's heart ached when she thought of that.
They finally got rid of the paparazzi as they entered the hotel lobby. Ben couldn't wait to let go of her with an expressionless face.
What he did just now kept stabbing Claudia's heart like a pointy needle.
"What are you doing here?"
As she heard his icy voice, she looked up and saw his pitiless eyes.
She was stunned by his cold eyes as soon as they made eye contact. She pursed her lips in embarrassment.
"Ben, why bother talking to a mute? She's not going to respond anyway!" Amber said as she intimately put her arms around Ben's. She was clinging to him, trying to be close and intimate. Claudia watched them attentively. His strong and muscular arms, and his hands with slender fingers were all territories which she wouldn't dare reach; however. Amber seemed to have made herself so comfortable there.
"Okay, just ignore her, honey. Let's get in the elevator. I'm starving!" Amber kept acting cute and sweet, with her eyes glancing at Claudia from time to time.
Her eyes were secretly saying, "Look! Your man is mine now!"
Claudia's weak and thin fingers clenched in anger. Resentment was gathering in her mind.
Ben pushed Amber's hand away with a disgusted look.
Just by then, the drama was interrupted by a woman who was approaching and speaking.
"Ben!"
They all looked at her. It was Winifred Crawford, Ben's mother. She walked over gracefully from the banquet hall.
"I called Claudia over here today because it was the new products release event of the Crawford Group. She's the wife of the president. It will be very inappropriate if she's not here."
Winifred said as she looked at Claudia with a narrowed gaze. Her staring made Claudia a bit uncomfortable.
Amber grinned an awkward smile. She stepped forward and whispered, "Nice to see you, Mrs. Crawford!"
Winifred ignored her and held Claudia's hand. Then she connected her hand with Ben's. She lowered her voice and said, "You're the president of the Crawford Group. You should know what's important and what's not on this occasion. Are you clear?"
Ben's handsome face was twisted by his rage. He held Claudia's hand and walked into the hall without saying a word.
He was strong. The firm grip on Claudia's thin wrist gave her a sharp pain, which was nothing compared to the agony in her heart.000000