"Dennis, how is she?" Dennis asked anxiously.
The doctor adjusted his glasses. "Her fever's at 104. She needs an IV."
Dennis held Claire's hand, feeling the warmth of her skin as their fingers intertwined.
Ivy, restless and agitated, kept scrolling through her phone. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and had her bodyguard take her home.
Dennis, however, chose to stay at the hospital, keeping Claire company.
The room was now just Claire and Dennis.
Dennis sat by the bed, watching Claire's peaceful sleeping face. He felt a strange emotion stirring inside him.
He reached out and gently touched her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin.
Just then, his phone buzzed on the bedside table. It was his grandmother, Qiana, calling.
He stepped out of the room to take the call. Qiana informed him that she would be bringing his grandfather's ashes back to the country the next afternoon and asked him to be prepared.
Dennis hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.
The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains into the hospital room. Claire slowly opened her eyes.
Dennis had fallen asleep by the bedside. Claire felt a warmth in her heart and moved slightly.
A nurse came in to check on her and was surprised to see Dennis.
She assumed he was Claire's boyfriend and told Claire that he had taken care of her all night.
Hearing this, Claire felt a surge of warmth.
She looked at Dennis's sleeping face, feeling incredibly safe and happy.
When Dennis woke up, he found Claire smiling at him.
He was momentarily stunned but then smiled back.
He got up to buy breakfast and naturally checked her forehead with his hand. The fever had gone down.
Claire picked up the last piece of pastry and held it to Dennis's mouth. "Try it."
Dennis instinctively took a bite, looking at Claire's serene smile. They both smiled at each other.
After breakfast, Dennis arranged for a bodyguard to take Claire home to rest while he returned to the villa.
Before they parted, he reminded Claire that he would be busy with his grandfather's burial arrangements and might not be able to visit her.
Claire nodded obediently, happy to finally be able to rest at home.
When Dennis returned to the villa, Ivy was already waiting for him.
As soon as he walked in, Ivy couldn't wait to confront him. "Dennis, you stayed with Claire all night?"
Dennis's eyes darkened, and he frowned slightly.
"Grandma is back. Don't mention Claire in front of her," he said, pausing before adding, "And stay out of my business."
Ivy watched him go upstairs, feeling resentful. She knew Dennis was warning her.
Dennis personally went to the airport to pick up Qiana.
Despite being nearly eighty, Qiana was still sharp and energetic, her eyes piercing.
She immediately noticed Dennis's tired look and the flicker in his eyes, suspecting he was hiding something.
"Dennis, are you hiding something from me?" Qiana asked directly.
Dennis was startled but maintained a calm smile. "Grandma, you're overthinking. What could I possibly hide from you?"
"Don't think I don't know," Qiana said, giving him a stern look. "Have you done something with that Claire?"
Dennis was taken aback by the sudden mention of Claire. He quickly explained, "Grandma, you misunderstand. Claire is just a friend."
"A friend?" Qiana clearly didn't believe him. "Would a friend make you so unsettled?"
Dennis had no response and could only smile awkwardly.
He knew he couldn't hide anything from Qiana, but he also didn't want her to get involved.
Qiana couldn't resist investigating Claire, and the results shocked her.
Claire turned out to be a girl whose family had once been burdened with billions in debt.
This news made Qiana frown deeply.
She couldn't understand how Dennis, who always held himself in high regard, could be interested in such a girl.
After all, the Gonzalez family was no ordinary family, and Claire's background was worlds apart from theirs.
Qiana began to suspect that Claire might have used some means to enchant Dennis.
That evening, Ivy brought a glass of milk to Qiana's room.
"Is it because of that Claire?" Ivy seized the opportunity to say. "Grandma, you have to be careful with Claire. She's not a good person."
"How do you know?" Qiana asked curiously.
"I... I heard it from others," Ivy said, feeling guilty. "They say her private life is a mess, always fooling around with different men. Dennis must be under her spell to be so distracted."
Qiana's face darkened upon hearing Ivy's words.
She decided she needed to meet Claire in person.
Meanwhile, Beck had been discharged and was resting at home, and the household staff had been dismissed.
Sabrina, though not from a prestigious family, had never been in the kitchen.
One evening, Sabrina decided to cook a meal for the family on a whim but ended up cutting her hand.
Hearing the commotion, Claire rushed into the kitchen and saw Sabrina's injured finger and the blood-covered cutting board. Her face turned pale.
"Mom, what happened?" Claire asked urgently.
"I'm fine, just cut my hand," Sabrina said, trying to endure the pain.
Claire quickly fetched the first aid kit and carefully bandaged Sabrina's hand, feeling guilty. "Mom, you shouldn't cook anymore. Let me handle it."
"No, you don't know how to cook," Sabrina refused. "You should go find a job. Don't worry about the household chores."
Claire knew Sabrina was worried about her. Although most of their debts had been settled, the monthly expenses were still a significant issue. So, she decided to find a job.
For several days, she was busy submitting resumes and attending interviews.
Finally, on the third day, she was hired as a receptionist at a multinational company because of her language skills and elegant appearance.
On her first day at work, Claire arrived at the company early.
Dressed in a black and white business suit, wearing high heels, and with a sophisticated red lipstick, she looked exceptionally poised.
As she walked into the office, she noticed her colleagues giving her strange looks.
"Did you hear? The new receptionist got in through connections," her colleagues whispered.
"No wonder she's so pretty."
"People with no skills who rely on their looks to get into the company, watch how I push her out." Claire listened quietly, feeling uncomfortable.
She knew she had gotten the job on her own merits, so her mood wasn't too affected by the gossip.
She felt a mix of emotions as she listened to the whispers.
Claire was just getting started, but the other receptionist seemed impatient and unwilling to teach her.
At that moment, the whispering colleagues suddenly straightened up. "Good morning, Mrs. Thomas."
Claire, unfamiliar with the situation, reacted a few seconds late, making her greeting sound awkward.
Melinda turned slightly, her gaze lingering on Claire. "You..." She was about to ask why Claire was there when she saw Claire winking at her.
"Coincidentally, I need a personal assistant. Would you like to try?" Melinda's tone was gentle, but her offer was hard to refuse.
Claire was stunned. She hadn't expected such an opportunity on her first day. "But, Mrs. Thomas, I don't have any experience..."
"Experience can be learned. Don't worry, I'll have someone teach you," Melinda continued. "Go to HR and handle the transfer paperwork, then come with me."
Just like that, Claire unexpectedly became Melinda's personal assistant on her first day.
As she was gradually adjusting to her new job, an unexpected phone call shattered the calm.
"Melinda, Grandpa has collapsed and has been taken to the hospital. You need to come quickly!"
On the other end of the line, Raymond's voice was urgent and heavy.
"Melinda," Raymond's voice on the phone was urgent. Melinda's face changed, and she gripped her phone tightly.