Knowing Lance would attend the birthday banquet today, Bella had specifically asked her stylist to dress her as a seductive beauty.
They say men are visual creatures; she didn't believe Lance could remain indifferent to her. Thinking of this, Bella blinked and looked at Lance, her red lips parting slightly as she spoke in a seductive tone, "Besides, I quite enjoy you troubling me."
As she spoke, she intended to place her other hand on Lance's chest. However, just as she made a move, Lance grabbed her wrist. "Miss Cody, please behave yourself."
Lance was clearly unmoved by Bella's advances. He released her hand and took a step back, putting distance between them, his face expressionless. "Also, I generally don't like to trouble others. Excuse me."
With that, he turned to greet someone he knew. Bella watched him leave without giving her any face, feeling both angry and bitter. Clearly, in Lance's eyes, she was just "someone else." At this moment, she finally realized that her chances with Lance were becoming increasingly slim. Her expression grew despondent.
Why? Why? She had abandoned her pride to pursue him, yet Lance still wouldn't spare her a glance. Was she really inferior to a woman who had given birth?
Unbeknownst to her, Samantha had witnessed the scene from a distance. She could see that her son had no feelings for Bella, which made her frown. Bella was the daughter-in-law she had in mind; she didn't want her future daughter-in-law to be an ordinary person! Thinking about her son's special attention to Dr. Deanna, Samantha decided she needed to have a talk with Dr. Deanna.
"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," Samantha said apologetically to the lady beside her and left. She went straight to the second floor and approached the study door. The door wasn't fully closed, leaving a gap through which she could see inside clearly.
Deanna was sitting on the sofa, seriously reading a medical book with paper and pen on the coffee table in front of her for taking notes. The bright light shone on her, adding an aura of tranquility and grace.
Deanna was so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice anyone entering. "Dr. Deanna," Samantha called out, breaking Deanna's concentration.
Deanna looked up in surprise upon hearing the voice and saw Samantha standing before her. She quickly stood up and greeted politely, "Mrs. Mercer."
Samantha nodded slightly without much malice on her face and gestured for Deanna to sit down before taking a seat opposite her.
Deanna blinked, realizing that Samantha had come specifically to see her, so she took the initiative to ask, "Is there something you wish to discuss with me, Mrs. Mercer?"
"Indeed, there are some things I'd like to talk about," Samantha admitted while subtly observing Deanna. She couldn't deny that Dr. Deanna was outstanding, but unfortunately, she lacked status and was a mother of two children. For these reasons alone, she couldn't let her son go down the wrong path!
Unaware of these thoughts, Deanna looked at Samantha in confusion. They usually had little interaction; she didn't know what Mrs. Mercer wanted to discuss with her. Though puzzled, she nodded and said softly, "Please go ahead."
"It's like this: I'm very grateful for your treatment of Lance. However, since you are both unmarried, being too close might invite criticism. For both your sakes, I hope you can maintain an appropriate distance from Lance," Samantha said tactfully.
Deanna was stunned but understood Samantha's intention. She frowned slightly and looked at Samantha with some disapproval. "Is there some misunderstanding here?"
Samantha didn't deny it and felt it was better to clarify things. "Let's assume it's a misunderstanding, but I still hope you can heed my words to avoid unnecessary trouble for both parties."
Deanna almost laughed in frustration after hearing this. She pressed her lips together and looked at Samantha seriously. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Mercer, but I can't agree to your request. First of all, I need to treat Mr. Mercer regularly; keeping a distance is impossible. Secondly, Mr. Mercer and I are merely friends; I don't believe I've done anything to cause misunderstandings. Lastly, I have no such intentions towards Mr. Mercer."