Dennis frowned at her words but didn't give up. "What's wrong with it? I can change," he said earnestly.
Claire sighed and stayed quiet.
She knew some things couldn't be changed.
Like the gap between her and Dennis, and her fear of the Gonzalez family.
Just then, a black Bentley slowly drove past them. The window was half-open, revealing a cold, beautiful face.
It was Ivy!
Her gaze swept over Dennis and Claire, a flash of surprise and jealousy in her eyes.
She hadn't expected Dennis to humble himself so much for Claire.
Ivy bit her lip and instructed the driver to follow them.
She had to see what was so special about Claire that made Dennis so infatuated.
Meanwhile, Claire and Dennis were unaware of Ivy's presence.
They continued walking, chatting about trivial things.
Suddenly, Claire's eyes landed on a familiar car parked not far ahead. It was Beck's car!
"Oh no, my dad's back!" Claire exclaimed, "Quick, hide."
She grabbed Dennis and quickly pulled him into the nearby bushes.
Dennis, flustered by Claire's panic, followed her into the bushes, their bodies pressed closely together to avoid being seen.
Claire could clearly feel Dennis's breath and heartbeat, and her cheeks flushed involuntarily.
Dennis looked at Claire's shy and adorable expression, his heart softening inexplicably. He reached out and pulled Claire tightly into his arms.
"Claire, you're so beautiful," he whispered in her ear.
Claire was startled by Dennis's sudden intimacy. She struggled to break free from his embrace, but he held her even tighter.
"Let go of me!" she whispered.
"No," Dennis said stubbornly, "unless you agree to be my girlfriend."
"You..."
Claire's eyes widened as she looked at Dennis's shameless face, too angry to speak.
She knew she was already attracted to Dennis.
At that moment, Ivy was hiding in a nearby corner, watching Dennis and Claire's intimate interaction.
Her eyes were filled with jealousy and anger.
She vowed to take Dennis back from Claire!
Dennis gazed into Claire's clear eyes, feeling as if something was pulling him, completely out of his control.
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he suddenly leaned in, closing the distance between them.
"Kiss me, and I'll let you go," Dennis's voice was low and husky, carrying an irresistible allure.
Claire's heart skipped a beat. She looked into Dennis's deep eyes, feeling like she was being drawn in. Her cheeks flushed, and she awkwardly pushed against Dennis's chest, "You... you shouldn't..."
Dennis, seeing her shy demeanor, felt a surge of inexplicable emotion.
He reached out, gently cupping Claire's face, and then kissed her deeply.
At first, Claire didn't react. By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late. She closed her eyes, letting Dennis's kiss linger on her lips.
In that moment, time seemed to stand still.
The air was filled with a sweet and ambiguous atmosphere, intoxicating and inescapable.
Not far away, Ivy sat in her car, witnessing the scene.
Her hands clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.
She felt like tearing Claire apart. Ivy had always thought Dennis was indifferent to women, never showing such tenderness to anyone.
But today, she saw Dennis kiss Claire, and with such passion and devotion.
In that moment, Ivy finally understood her place in Dennis's heart.
Claire was the one Dennis truly cared about. Ivy wanted to get out of the car and stop them, but she feared angering Dennis and losing her current position.
She could only sit helplessly in the car, watching Dennis and Claire embrace intimately.
After what felt like an eternity, Dennis finally let go of Claire.
He looked into Claire's watery eyes, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction.
"I... I need to go home," Claire said shyly, lowering her head, unable to meet Dennis's gaze.
"I'll walk you," Dennis said, reaching for Claire's hand.
"No, my parents might see you," Claire refused Dennis's offer. She was afraid that if she spent more time with Dennis, she would fall deeper into his tenderness.
Seeing her determination, Dennis didn't insist.
He then took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Claire. "This is my contact information. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to reach out."
Claire took the card and carefully put it away.
She looked into Dennis's deep eyes, feeling a strange emotion stir within her.
She knew she couldn't sever her connection with Dennis.
"When are you leaving?" Claire suddenly asked.
Dennis was taken aback, then smiled. "Why? Are you going to miss me?"
Claire didn't respond, just lowered her head silently.
She knew she couldn't ask Dennis to stay because Qiana had already told him to return as soon as possible.
"If you ask me to stay, I might consider not going back for now," Dennis said seriously.
Claire quickly looked up, meeting Dennis's earnest gaze. She wanted to say, "Stay," but the words that came out were, "You... you should go."
Dennis saw her contradicting herself and felt a pang of bitterness.
He reached out and gently ruffled Claire's hair. "I'll be back."
With that, Dennis turned and left.
Claire watched his figure grow smaller and smaller, tears finally streaming down her face.
She knew that her relationship with Dennis was destined to be a love without a future.
Meanwhile, Gwyneth sat on the villa's balcony, gazing at the passing clouds, filled with hope and anticipation for the future.
In five years, when she returned with a child who looked just like Raymond, even if Raymond didn't want to accept her, he couldn't deny that she was the child's mother.
Gwyneth smiled smugly, knowing she had made the right decision.
With Raymond's child, she had leverage to negotiate with him.
Then, she could use the child to force Raymond to leave Melinda.
The next morning, the Gonzalez family arrived at the airport.
Qiana silently calculated that once Dennis returned home, Claire would be forgotten.
Then, Ivy could spend more time with him. After all, they grew up together and had a lot in common.
Over time, Dennis would eventually accept Ivy.
Qiana looked at Ivy with increasing warmth.
"Ivy, once Dennis is back, spend more time with him."
Ivy's heart leaped with joy, and she immediately nodded. "Don't worry, Grandma, I will."
Last night, seeing Dennis's deep affection for Claire had driven her nearly mad with jealousy.
Why did Claire deserve Dennis's favor?
She was determined to win Dennis back and show Claire that Dennis's wife was not someone Claire could dream of being!
Once they were back at the Gonzalez Villa, Ivy had plenty of ways to make Dennis fall for her!