"Alright, I'll handle the family stuff for now. Come back when you've made up your mind!" Qiana sighed. "And your bank card stays frozen until you return and get married!"
Meanwhile, Claire secretly brought Dennis back to her apartment without her family knowing.
Though they were living under the same roof, they each had their own room, so it was a sort of cohabitation.
Dennis made himself at home, staying in Claire's apartment. He helped with chores like hanging up the laundry and would sometimes sneakily pick up her clothes when she wasn't looking.
"These clothes are nice. You'd look great in them," Dennis said, making Claire blush as she snatched the clothes back. "Stop looking at my stuff!"
"I'm just looking, not doing anything."
Dennis chuckled. "By the way, I invested in some stocks recently and made a bit of money."
"Stocks? Where'd you get the money?" Claire was taken aback.
"I borrowed it from a loan agency," Dennis admitted openly.
"What? You took out a loan to invest in stocks?" Claire's eyes widened in shock. "Are you crazy? What if you lose it all?"
"Don't worry, I won't," Dennis said confidently. "I'll pay it back within a week."
Claire was skeptical but decided to trust him after a moment of thought.
"Dennis, let's go out for dinner," Dennis suggested, pestering Claire.
"Where to?" Claire asked.
"The place we went to last time," Dennis said with a smile.
"Okay," Claire agreed after thinking it over.
At the restaurant, Dennis ordered a lot of dishes, his face showing a faint smile. His every move exuded elegance.
Women around them couldn't help but glance over, with some even taking out their phones to snap pictures.
"What are you doing?" Claire quickly intervened. "Stop taking pictures!"
"Sorry, we thought you were celebrities," one of the women said, embarrassed, as they put their phones away.
After dinner, the two strolled hand in hand through the bustling mall.
Daniel Wilson, a director from BrightVoice, was scouting for new faces in the mall when his eyes landed on Dennis and Claire.
Dennis was tall and dignified, while Claire was charming with her bright, expressive eyes.
This is exactly the kind of potential star I've been looking for, Daniel thought.
He approached them enthusiastically. "Hi there! I'm Daniel Wilson, a director at BrightVoice. You both have the look and presence perfect for our show. Would you be interested in becoming stars?"
Dennis frowned, uninterested in the sudden approach. He was about to refuse when Claire spoke up first. "Thanks for the offer, but we have no plans to become celebrities."
Daniel persisted. "Please consider it! We offer great compensation and long-term contracts. With your looks, it would be a shame not to become stars!"
Dennis's regal demeanor made Daniel feel a bit pressured, but he continued. "Sir, do you know about our show? It's very popular, and we have a professional team and ample resources to make you stars."
Dennis gave him a cold look that seemed to say, "You're not worth my time."
Feeling the unspoken pressure, Daniel reluctantly backed off.
Back at home, Claire busied herself preparing dinner while Dennis focused on his stock and bond investments in the study.
During dinner, Dennis had an unusually good appetite, a stark contrast to his usual pickiness.
"Looks like you really like the food today," Claire teased, watching him eat.
Dennis smiled faintly, enjoying the rare moment of warmth.
After dinner, they each went about their own tasks. When Dennis came out of the shower, Claire was already on the couch watching TV. Dennis sat down beside her and naturally put his arm around her shoulders.
Claire leaned into him, feeling the warmth and security he provided.
Her heart raced a little.
Dennis found her shy expression adorable and couldn't resist giving her a kiss.
The kiss ignited a spark between them, making Claire's heart race and her body go weak.
Dennis felt his own heart pounding as if it would leap out of his chest. He took a deep breath to calm himself.
"I need a cold shower to cool down," he said, standing up and heading to the bathroom.
Claire was left on the couch, savoring the sweet moment and the tender kiss.
When Dennis came out of the bathroom, Claire was already in bed, ready to sleep.
They said goodnight and went to their separate rooms.
However, Claire lay in bed, unable to sleep, worried that she might not be able to resist her feelings for much longer.
At 3 AM, the airport was still brightly lit as Raymond's private jet landed on the runway.
Stepping out of the warm cabin into the cold night air, Raymond and Gwyneth shivered.
Raymond tightened his coat, his eyes resolute as he looked into the distance.
He knew what this return meant.
Gwyneth followed him, silently observing his determined figure.
She knew she couldn't change his mind, but she had to try. "Raymond, if I can convince my dad to give up the fight for the family inheritance and power, will you let us go?"
Raymond stopped and turned to her. "Impossible! Family feuds aren't something you can just resolve with words. Your only job is to get the surgery done. Leave everything else to me."
He turned and walked away, leaving Gwyneth standing there, realizing her words had no effect. She could only accept reality.
They arrived at the Thomas Group hospital's obstetrics department.
An hour later, the red light above the operating room turned off, and the doctor emerged. Raymond hurried over. "Mr. Thomas, the surgery was successful. What should we do with the embryo?"
"Leave it to me."
Raymond finally felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
He glanced at the consent forms and related items the nurse held, deciding to have them disposed of later to avoid any risk of exposure.
He turned and walked out of the hospital, exhausted.
The streets were empty. Raymond took a deep breath of the cold air, trying to shake off the fatigue from his travels.
When he got home, it was late.
He quietly opened the door, trying not to make any noise.
The living room light was still on, and he saw Melinda curled up on the couch, asleep.
Her face was full of worry, even in her sleep.
Raymond's heart ached. He gently walked over and knelt beside her.
He softly brushed her brow, trying to ease her worries.
Melinda groggily opened her eyes and, seeing Raymond, her face lit up with joy.
"You're back," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
Raymond nodded and hugged her gently. "Yes, I'm back. Don't worry, Gwyneth is back, and the surgery was successful. You don't need to worry anymore."
Melinda leaned into his embrace, listening to his steady heartbeat, feeling completely at ease.