My Clingy CEO Husband

### Chapter 56: Her Son Is the Bottom?!

Ethan Hawthorne was sitting in his executive chair behind the desk, which seemed perfectly normal. What wasn’t normal was Noah Sutton standing next to him!

Noah Sutton was wearing a floral shirt, the top two buttons undone. He had one hand casually draped over the back of Ethan Hawthorne’s chair and the other planted on the desk in front of him, his body leaning forward.

From Claire Sinclair’s perspective, the posture practically penned Ethan Hawthorne between Noah’s arm and the desk, creating an incredibly aggressive and possessive tableau!

What made Claire Sinclair’s heart stop was that Noah Sutton was leaning in, his cheek incredibly close to Ethan Hawthorne’s. A brilliant, roguish smile played on his lips as he whispered something in Ethan’s ear.

And her son, Ethan Hawthorne, didn’t even push him away immediately!

He merely furrowed his brow and turned his head aside, as if trying to dodge him. But to Claire Sinclair, the faint red flush creeping up his ears and the tense line of his jaw made him look for all the world like a virtuous man being teased, too flustered to lash out!

Just then, Noah Sutton caught sight of the petrified Claire Sinclair in the doorway. A flicker of panic crossed his face but was quickly replaced by an obedient smile. "Aunt Sinclair! What brings you here?"

Ethan Hawthorne stood up as well, his brow furrowing even more deeply. "Mom?"

Claire Sinclair looked at her son’s forced composure, then at Noah Sutton’s I’ve-been-caught-but-I’ll-pretend-everything’s-fine expression. A storm of emotions churned within her.

Clinging to her last shred of sanity, she forced a smile that was more pained than a grimace, her voice wavering. "It’s... it’s nothing... You two... are busy. Go on... Mom was just... passing by and brought some soup..."

She shuffled stiffly into the room, placed the insulated thermos on a nearby coffee table, and fled the office without daring to cast another glance in their direction.

The moment the door closed, Noah Sutton let out a sigh of relief and reverted to his usual devil-may-care swagger. He nudged Ethan Hawthorne with his elbow. "What’s with your mom? That was weird. Anyway, have you thought about what I just asked?"

Ethan Hawthorne shot him a look of utter disgust and rejection. "Invest in your new bar? In your dreams!"

Outside, Claire Sinclair’s imagination was running wild. She thought back to the BL novels she had read... and the world suddenly spun. ’Could it be? Is my son the bottom?!’

No! She had to do something to save her son’s precarious sexual orientation. And just then, she thought of Maxine Rhodes.

That dazzling girl from the summit who had stunned her at first sight. Beautiful, intelligent, and with impeccable grace—she was the spitting image of her ideal daughter-in-law.

Claire Sinclair felt she couldn’t wait any longer. She had been racking her brain for an excuse to ask Maxine out when she saw one of Maxine Rhodes’s social media posts.

She had shared a promotional link for a top-tier Impressionist exhibition with the caption: "Couldn’t snag any tickets. Anyone have a hookup?"

Claire Sinclair immediately called Erza Sinclair, asking her to get two tickets. But to her surprise, Erza told her that her own son—the one who’d never shown the slightest interest in art—had already pulled strings to get two of the exhibition’s most exclusive, hard-to-book VIP tickets!

Claire Sinclair’s internal alarms blared once again. ’He’s not planning to go with Noah Sutton, is he?!’

The thought made her antsy. She pictured the scene: in the gallery’s refined, artistic atmosphere, Noah Sutton, in his flashy floral shirt, would be whispering critiques of the paintings into her son’s ear...

That wasn’t appreciating art; that was a date!

No! Absolutely not! She had to stop it!

Claire Sinclair immediately called Ethan Hawthorne, her tone forceful and leaving no room for argument. "Son, I heard you got VIP tickets for the ’Dreams and Light’ exhibition? Perfect. A very important friend of mine wants to go. Give the tickets to me. You young people will have plenty of other opportunities."

On the other end of the line, Ethan Hawthorne frowned. He had planned to use this chance to enjoy a rare art-viewing date with Maxine Rhodes and nurture their budding relationship.

"Mom, I’ve already made plans..."

"What plans!" Claire Sinclair cut him off, playing her trump card with a threatening tone. "If you don’t give them to me, I’ll start camping out in your office every single day!"

Hearing this, Ethan Hawthorne felt a massive headache coming on. For the sake of some peace and quiet, he had no choice but to relent, telling Erza Sinclair to send the tickets back to the family estate.

With the tickets in hand, a gleeful Claire Sinclair immediately contacted Maxine Rhodes. "Maxine, my dear, I got lucky and managed to get two VIP tickets for the ’Dreams and Light’ exhibition! I heard you couldn’t get any, so how about we go together this weekend?"

Maxine Rhodes received the invitation and readily accepted.

Just as Ethan Hawthorne was about to ask Erza Sinclair to get him another set of tickets, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Maxine Rhodes: "Good news! I got tickets to ’Dreams and Light’! I can finally go this weekend! [Dancing Cat GIF]"

Reading her jubilant message, Ethan Hawthorne’s expression softened. He saved the cute GIF she sent and couldn’t help but picture Maxine Rhodes’s own happy face.

He had wanted to offer to go with her, but he felt that would be too forward. He ultimately decided against trying to get another ticket. Since she had already gotten what she wanted, he felt he shouldn’t intrude and should give her some space.

After a moment of consideration, he replied: "Congratulations on getting your wish."

He paused, then added:

"Have fun."

Maxine Rhodes: "[Nodding Cat GIF]"

「That weekend, at the National Art Gallery.」

A long line had already formed at the entrance to the "Dreams and Light" Impressionist exhibition, and the air was buzzing with conversation.

Claire Sinclair stood before the VIP entrance, glancing toward the main gate. Her eyes lit up when she saw Maxine Rhodes approaching gracefully.

Maxine Rhodes had clearly put thought into her outfit today.

She wore an oatmeal-colored, knee-length dress, with a tie that cinched her slender waist, and a light gray cashmere cardigan layered over it. The entire ensemble made her look gentle and intellectual, a perfect complement to the gallery’s atmosphere.

Her makeup was subtle and elegant, her lips a soft, dusty rose. Her long hair was loosely pinned up, with a few stray wisps framing her neck, adding a touch of languid charm.

"Aunt Sinclair, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting," Maxine Rhodes said, walking up briskly with a radiant smile.

"Not at all, I just arrived myself."

Claire Sinclair warmly took her hand, her gaze filled with undisguised admiration. "Maxine, you look wonderful today. So elegant and chic. Your outfit is a perfect match for the exhibition we’re about to see."

Maxine Rhodes’s eyes crinkled in a sincere smile. "Aunt Sinclair, you’re too kind."

They entered the exhibition through the VIP channel, and while it allowed them to bypass the most congested part of the entrance, the gallery itself was still teeming with people. They moved slowly with the flow of the crowd, pausing to appreciate each masterpiece.

Standing before Monet’s "Water Lilies," Claire Sinclair couldn’t help but remark, "Every time I see Monet’s work, I feel like he truly painted light itself."

Maxine Rhodes nodded in agreement, adding softly, "I agree. And considering his eyesight had severely deteriorated in his later years, he was painting almost entirely from feeling and memory. That he could still create such beauty makes it all the more precious."

Claire Sinclair looked at her, pleasantly surprised. "You know about that, too? It seems we’re truly kindred spirits. I also love learning about the stories behind the artists."

The two exchanged a smile, realizing how similarly they felt about the art.

Before Degas’s "Ballerina" series, they were delighted to discover they had both studied ballet. Maxine Rhodes shared stories of her childhood dance lessons, and Claire Sinclair spoke of her hobby of collecting tutus. They found they had an exceptional rapport.

After viewing the entire exhibition, they sat down in the gallery’s cafe.

As Claire Sinclair looked at Maxine Rhodes sitting across from her, her fondness for the girl grew and grew.

This young woman was not just stunningly beautiful with elegant taste; she also possessed a deep understanding of art. The refined poise evident in her every word and gesture was undeniably genuine.

The thought, ’If only she were my daughter-in-law,’ grew ever stronger in Claire Sinclair’s mind.

"Maxine, my dear, I’m truly fond of you. You’re smart, you’re beautiful, and you’re just so easy to be around. To be honest, I have a son who’s about your age. If I could have a daughter-in-law like you, I’d wake up smiling in my sleep! So... why don’t you two find some time to meet?"