"Raymond, I just got out of jail," Melinda said softly, her voice carrying a hint of playful teasing.
"Yeah, I know. They didn't treat you bad, did they?" Raymond's voice came through the phone, filled with concern.
"No, I'm good," Melinda replied with a smile, feeling a warm sensation in her heart. "How about you? Everything going okay at the company?"
"Everything's smooth," Raymond's voice softened. "How about we grab lunch? I already made a reservation."
"Sure," Melinda agreed readily, her mood lifting as if the whole world had suddenly become brighter.
When she arrived at the restaurant, Raymond had already pulled out a chair for her and placed her bag on it.
Melinda savored the rare warmth and comfort, feeling as if the world had shrunk to just the two of them.
After lunch, they chatted for a while.
Raymond suddenly mentioned an upcoming charity gala hosted by his company: "Melinda, this Friday, our company is hosting a charity gala. There will be a lot of business elites and media reporters attending."
"Great!" Melinda agreed without hesitation. "Can I invite some friends to join us?"
"Of course," Raymond nodded with a smile. "Invite anyone you like."
Melinda thought for a moment and said, "I'd like to invite Claire and Dennis."
"Good idea," Raymond agreed. "I'll call Dennis right away."
The call connected quickly, and Dennis's voice came through the phone: "Raymond, what's up?"
"Dennis, our company is hosting a charity gala this Friday. I'd like to invite you and your date to join us," Raymond said directly.
After hanging up, Raymond put his arm around Melinda's shoulders and smiled, "Dennis is finally getting it. He knows to bring Claire along. Looks like things are getting serious between them."
"Yeah, it seems like we'll be attending their engagement party soon," Melinda laughed, genuinely happy for Claire finding a good match.
Raymond frowned slightly, "Dennis's family has been abroad for a long time. They have deep roots and a mysterious background. It won't be easy for Claire to enter the Gonzalez family."
Meanwhile, Dennis sat in his hotel room, looking out at the bustling city below, feeling a bit distracted.
He was waiting for Claire to pick him up and found himself missing her cozy home.
His phone rang—it was Claire calling. "Dennis, are you ready? I'm on my way!"
"All set," Dennis said, standing up from the couch and walking to the window, looking down at the street below.
Just then, his phone buzzed again with a message from the family group chat, asking when he would return as there was an important decision to be made.
Dennis glanced at it but didn't reply. The doorbell rang, and he quickly went to open it, finding Claire there, slightly out of breath.
"Why were you in such a hurry?" Dennis asked, pulling her inside and letting her sit on the couch.
"I didn't want you to wait too long," Claire said, looking up at him with a smile.
Dennis felt a warmth in his heart and gently pinched her cheek. "I'd wait forever for you."
Claire smiled and took his hand. "Let's go home. My mom made something delicious today."
"Okay," Dennis nodded with a smile, and they left the hotel together.
On the way, Dennis suddenly said, "There's a gala at the Thomas Group this Friday night. Will you come with me?"
"Me?" Claire was surprised. "But I don't have a dress."
"I'll take care of that," Dennis said, smiling at her.
Claire pouted, "You don't have any money. How are you going to get me a dress?"
Dennis couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Who said I don't have money?"
In the evening, Dennis drove Claire to the beach.
The sea breeze ruffled their hair and clothes, and the sunset cast a golden glow on the water, making it sparkle like a painting.
Claire secretly took out her phone and snapped a picture of Dennis.
"Are you taking a picture of me?" Dennis glanced at her and smiled.
"No, I'm taking a picture of the scenery," Claire said stubbornly, then held up her phone to take a selfie of the two of them.
Looking at the photo of their smiling faces, Claire nodded in satisfaction. "This one's good. I can post it."
Dennis watched her happy expression, feeling a sense of happiness and contentment himself.
He put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Claire, will you be my girlfriend?"
Claire was momentarily stunned, then looked up at him and nodded with a smile. "I will."
They had already been together in an unspoken way, just missing a formal confession.
And now, that confession had finally come.
They smiled at each other and hugged tightly.
They knew that from now on, they would be the most important person in each other's lives.
On the day of the gala, Dennis took Claire to a private dress shop.
It was recommended by Raymond. The soft lighting highlighted the intricate details of the dresses, making them look like works of art.
The elegant murals and the faint scent of perfume in the air added to the ambiance.
Dennis's gaze swept around the shop and finally landed on a dress in the center.
He pointed to the dress, signaling the staff to bring it over.
Claire took the dress from the staff and went into the fitting room.
It didn't take long for her to come out, looking like a princess from a painting.
The dress hugged her figure perfectly, accentuating her curves.
The intricate beadwork and diamond embellishments sparkled under the lights, complementing her fair skin.
Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, matching the elegance of the dress.
Dennis's eyes seemed to glaze over with a hint of amazement.
He nodded and told the staff, "We'll take this one."
The shop owner came over with a smile. "Mr. Thomas recommended you, so you must be a valued customer. This dress is handmade and took over six months to complete. The cost alone is six hundred thousand dollars."
Claire was startled by the price and quickly waved her hand. "No, it's too expensive. It's just for one night. Besides, you..."
Dennis waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about the money. We'll take this one, along with the matching jewelry and shoes."
Claire looked at him, worried. "Do you really have that much money?"
Dennis looked at her, his eyes filled with warmth.
He gently held her hand and smiled. "Don't worry about the money."
He handed a black card to the shop owner.
The owner took the card with a smile and went to process the payment.
As they left the dress shop, Claire noticed a black Bugatti parked outside. She looked at Dennis in surprise. "This car..."
Dennis smiled. "I just bought it. Do you like it?"
Claire nodded, feeling touched and happy.
She didn't know how Dennis suddenly had so much money.
They got into the car and sped away.
Claire looked out the window, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.
The Murphy family wasn't a small family, and they had hosted many events before, but she rarely attended them, disliking the noisy, flattering atmosphere.
But today was different. Today was the charity gala hosted by Raymond and Melinda.
Soon, the car arrived at the hotel entrance.
Dennis held Claire's hand as they took the elevator to the banquet hall.