Claire looked into Dennis's determined eyes, and courage began to well up inside her.
She took a deep breath, deciding not to run away anymore and to face her feelings head-on.
With a gentle swipe of her finger, she dialed Sabrina's number.
"Mom, it's me, Claire," she said, her voice tinged with nervousness but also firm and gentle.
On the other end, Sabrina's voice came through, filled with surprise and anticipation. "Claire? What's going on?"
Claire paused for a moment, then mustered up the courage to say, "Mom, I want to bring someone home for dinner tonight. It's Dennis. We need to talk about us."
Sabrina was displeased. She had long noticed Claire's deep feelings for Dennis and knew they wouldn't part easily. She was prepared to persuade Dennis to leave voluntarily.
"Alright, we'll be waiting for you."
After hanging up, Dennis smiled and took her hand gently. "Don't worry, I've got this."
As evening fell, Dennis and Claire got out of the car together, exchanging a smile. Dennis lightly held Claire's hand as Beck and Sabrina stood waiting at the door.
As they approached, Dennis took a deep breath, knowing how crucial his next actions were.
He looked Beck and Sabrina in the eye, his voice steady and strong. "Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murphy, I'm Dennis. I'm sorry for the sudden visit, but I truly love Claire and hope to have your blessing."
Beck sized Dennis up and down, then said simply, "Come in and have a seat."
In the living room, the four of them sat around the couch.
Beck was the first to speak. "Mr. Gonzalez, are your feelings for Claire serious?"
Without hesitation, Dennis replied, "Yes, I am sincere." His gaze was firm and intense, as if trying to convey his feelings to everyone present.
Beck paused, then continued, "And your family background? Can you tell us about it?" Dennis was momentarily taken aback but then candidly shared his family's situation.
Upon hearing about his prominent family, Beck, Sabrina, and Claire couldn't help but gasp.
They had suspected Dennis might be wealthy and influential, but they hadn't expected his family to be so powerful, even more so than the Thomas family.
Beck furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
Such a prestigious family would have high standards for choosing a wife. Whether Claire could meet those standards was uncertain.
Sabrina began to persuade Claire, "Forget it, the gap between our families is too big. It's better to give up."
Seeing this, Claire quickly tried to reassure her parents. "Dad, Mom, don't say that! I believe Dennis isn't like that."
She turned to Dennis, her eyes full of trust and hope.
Dennis didn't hesitate to promise again, "Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, please rest assured, I only love Claire."
Dennis's sincere attitude gradually won over Beck and Sabrina.
They began to reassess Dennis.
After much deliberation, Beck and Sabrina decided to give Dennis a chance, letting the young couple make their own choices.
Listening to this, Claire felt a mix of shock and a tinge of insecurity.
She finally understood why Qiana had tried so hard to stop her.
Dennis reached out and held Claire's hand, which was clenched with tension, his gaze gentle and deep, as if telling her not to worry.
Beck got the hint and went to the kitchen to help, leaving Claire and Dennis alone.
After dinner, Dennis drove Claire home.
On the way, Dennis noticed a few black Mercedes SUVs following them.
At the entrance to the neighborhood, Claire wanted to stop by the grocery store, so she asked Dennis to wait in the car.
As soon as Claire entered the store, two tall bodyguards stepped out of one of the SUVs and approached Dennis. They respectfully conveyed Qiana's order: Dennis needed to come home immediately, and this time, he had to go alone, without Claire.
The reason was that the family was about to hold a ceremony, and Claire's presence was deemed inappropriate for her safety.
Dennis was visibly annoyed but stated he had his own plans. The bodyguards emphasized that it was Qiana's order and concerned Claire's safety, so Dennis reluctantly agreed.
The bodyguards got back into their car.
Back home, Claire took a shower, wearing a tank top that revealed her slender legs.
Dennis put down his laptop and opened his arms. Claire smiled and jumped into his embrace, kissing him.
Claire playfully nibbled on Dennis's neck like a mischievous kitten, while Dennis enjoyed her affectionate gestures.
Late at night, Claire fell asleep in Dennis's arms, a satisfied smile on her face.
Dennis, however, couldn't sleep due to the urging phone calls.
After an internal struggle and reluctance, he gently got up, wrote a note for Claire, and placed it by the bed.
He then leaned down, kissed her forehead softly, and whispered for her to wait for his return.
He went downstairs and got into the car that had been waiting for a long time, heading to a private airport.
A dark gray private jet slowly taxied down the runway, gradually disappearing into the night sky.
Meanwhile, Claire, unaware of Dennis's departure, was lost in a blissful dream.
In the morning, Claire instinctively reached out to the side, only to touch a cool, empty sheet, waking her up instantly.
She slowly opened her eyes, seeing the neatly made bed beside her, and a strange feeling washed over her.
She quickly sat up, looking around the room, a strong sense of unease rising in her chest.
She hurriedly got out of bed, searching the small room anxiously.
Finally, she found a note on the nightstand, recognizing Dennis's handwriting.
The note was brief but filled with emotion. Dennis wrote, "Claire, I have an urgent matter to attend to at home. Trust me, I'll be back soon to be with you. Once I handle things with the family, I'll bring you back to prepare for our wedding."
It was signed, "Love, Dennis."
Claire's tense heart relaxed a bit, but the thought of him leaving without saying goodbye still left a small pang of resentment.
However, she realized that if they had said goodbye in person, it would have been even harder to part.
In the distant Thalassia, in a grand estate exuding an air of authority, Dennis appeared in a black embroidered suit.
The gold-threaded patterns on the suit's lapel were striking, highlighting his noble status.
Qiana had been worried about Dennis's situation. Seeing him return safely, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Though she didn't show any blame, she couldn't help but scrutinize Dennis closely, relieved to see he looked well.
Dennis, with a longing expression, walked towards Qiana, affectionately calling her "Grandma," and opened his arms to hug her.
Qiana pretended to be angry, gently pushing him away, saying, "Alright, stop with the act."
Dennis looked at her with eyes full of adoration, sincerely saying, "Grandma, I missed you."
Hearing this, Qiana couldn't keep up the pretense. Her stern expression melted into a happy smile.
She playfully patted Dennis, scolding, "So you still remember me! You rascal, having so much fun outside, and now you finally come back."
At that moment, a figure hurriedly ran in from outside. It was Ivy.