Chapter 75

Claire looked at Gilmore and exclaimed, "Thank you!"

Gilmore smiled. "What for?"

Claire picked up a cup of coffee, took a sip, and said, "Thank you for speaking up for me earlier."

"It was nothing," Gilmore replied. "Don't mention it." He then asked curiously, "Your family wants you to marry Benjamin?"

A hint of sadness clouded Claire's eyes. She nodded. "Yes. I'm the only daughter in the third generation of the Carter family. I have to be responsible for the entire family, so they want me to marry into a wealthy family of equal social standing."

Claire then explained her relationship with Benjamin and Brandon to Gilmore. After listening, Gilmore understood the situation, which mirrored his earlier suspicions. As the only daughter of the Carters, Denton Carter and her parents would never allow her to marry casually, or an ordinary person. Even a man from a merely wealthy family would be considered "ordinary." The Carters wanted Claire to marry into a powerful and influential family—hence the choice of the Palmers.

Claire vehemently opposed the family's arrangements, resulting in a strained relationship. Eventually, fearing Claire might act rashly if pressured further, the family proposed a compromise: if Claire demonstrated exceptional business acumen and could successfully shoulder the responsibility of the family enterprise, she wouldn't have to marry Benjamin and could choose her own partner.

Claire agreed. The family entrusted her with the Newhaven Commercial Plaza project. She'd been vice-president for six months, tasked with increasing sales and profits by ten percent within two years. Success would free her from her family's control, granting her autonomy in both her marriage and career, along with their full support.

Claire dedicated herself to the plaza's operation for the past six months. However, even with her exceptional ability and tireless efforts, achieving a ten percent increase in two years seemed challenging in Oakhaven's saturated market. In the past six months, turnover and profits had only increased by 1.5 percent—a significant setback for Claire.

To avoid marrying Benjamin, she'd even enlisted Brandon as a "boyfriend" for protection. Despite this, Benjamin persisted, relentlessly pursuing her—calling, visiting her office, and insisting that a ten percent increase in two years was impossible. Though outwardly strong, Claire's heart was crumbling.

After confiding in Gilmore, Claire said, "Actually, lately I've been trying to overcome the commercial plaza's development bottleneck and explore new projects outside of it. This new rustic food partnership represents a glimmer of hope."

Gilmore nodded. "You'll succeed and break free from your family's control."

Claire hesitated. "There's something I'm not sure whether to tell you"

"Tell me," Gilmore said, smiling.

"I told Benjamin you're my boyfriend, so…" Claire trailed off.

Gilmore understood immediately. "Do you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?"

Claire's eyes lit up. She hadn't expected Gilmore to grasp her meaning so quickly. Secretly, she hoped to transform their fake relationship into a real one, much like her cousin Christine's experience.

Gilmore asked, "Anything else I can help with?"

Claire snapped back to reality, shaking her head. "No."

"Okay. Shall we go?" Gilmore asked.

Claire blushed. "Yes, yes! I'll take you back."

She settled the bill, and the manager escorted them out. In the underground parking lot, Benjamin, seething with anger, pressured Marco.

"Why didn't Mr. Salazar intervene in the restaurant earlier?" Benjamin demanded, his gaze fixed on Marlon.

It was inappropriate for Benjamin to act so brazenly, but Marlon, as his man, was obligated to defend him. Benjamin felt humiliated by Gilmore, and Marlon's inaction displeased him. Benjamin had taken Marlon in, not out of charity, but because of his martial arts skills.

Marlon knew the reason for Benjamin's displeasure. He said apologetically, "I failed to act, my fault! However, I have something to report: Gilmore is responsible for the Chapman family's downfall!"

Benjamin looked surprised. "What? He destroyed the Chapman family?"

Marlon and Marco confirmed the news. Benjamin, convinced, asked Marlon to explain Gilmore's involvement.

(Note: The final section mentioning FindNovel.net was removed as it is promotional material.)