Chapter 102 Holding Andrew's Hand and Not Letting Go
Andrew smiled and looked at her, "Hey there, good evening."
Once everyone had arrived, Layla quickly returned to her seat. "Alright, Ella and Andrew, don't be shy. Dig in and enjoy all these delicious dishes!"
As she spoke, she eagerly helped them by placing grilled food onto their plates.
The chef at the White Villa was top-notch, not just grilling the food perfectly but also making it taste incredible.
During dinner, Layla kept the atmosphere lively.
Stella and Paxton, grateful for the help Ella and Andrew had given Layla, frequently raised their glasses in toast.
Olivia, who couldn't handle her liquor well, took small sips each time.
Andrew, however, drank without hesitation, surprising Olivia.
Andrew's drinking capacity was unexpectedly impressive!
She'd never guess it from his usual demeanor, which seemed like he wouldn't touch alcohol, almost as if he was above worldly pleasures.
Tonight, he was showing her a new side!
Whether eating or drinking, he managed to make everything look graceful and pleasing.
Seeing Stella and Paxton being so sincere, Layla felt she couldn't be outdone. She stood up and said, "Mom, Dad, you guys can take a break. It's my turn. I'll grill a steak for Ella and Andrew to show my appreciation."
As she spoke, Layla had already run to the grill, rolling up her sleeves.
"Ms. Scott, are you sure about this?" the chef asked skeptically.
Layla suddenly deciding to grill something seemed a bit alarming.
Layla waved off his concern, "What's so hard about it? I watched you guys earlier; it looks pretty simple!"
With that, she put on gloves and prepared to get to work.
Stella and Paxton found it amusing that she was making food for the first time and didn't stop her.
Olivia shared the chef's skepticism.
Layla clearly had never cooked before. Could the food she made be edible?
Would they get food poisoning?
Were she and Andrew going to be her guinea pigs?
Olivia looked at Andrew worriedly.
Andrew met her gaze, his lips curving into a barely perceptible smile. He whispered, "You don't have to force yourself to eat it. After all, your life is more important."
Olivia couldn't help but laugh.
That would surely hurt Layla's feelings!
But maybe she should wait and see; perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as she imagined.
However, as soon as she thought that, things took a turn for the worse.
Layla found it much harder than she had anticipated.
As soon as the meat hit the grill, the splattering oil made Layla jump back in fright, causing her to drop the utensils she was holding.
She didn't hold back, and the grill became unstable and fell over.
Immediately, the charcoal spilled out.
Everyone was stunned by the situation and instinctively dodged.
Olivia was also startled.
Though the grill was a bit of a distance away, she could clearly see some bits of charcoal flying towards them.
Since she was seated, it was too late to get up, so she instinctively raised her arm to shield herself.
At that moment, she heard a sudden rush of wind, and the scent of cedar enveloped her, almost overwhelming.
Unable to see clearly, her senses heightened, and she vaguely felt a warm presence around her.
Then, a strong arm grabbed her and pulled her aside, followed by a short, deep grunt.
Olivia had no idea what had happened and couldn't react immediately.
Andrew's voice brought her back to reality, "It's okay now." She finally snapped out of it.
She realized that in the chaos, Andrew had protected her.
Not only had he pulled her aside, but he had also used his arm to shield her from the flying charcoal.
Andrew's left hand was visibly red from the burn, standing out starkly.
"Are you hurt?" Olivia instinctively grabbed his wrist.
Andrew was slightly taken aback and reflexively answered, "It's just a minor injury, no big deal."
Olivia didn't think so.
A burn like that could blister if not treated properly. Her doctor's instincts kicked in, and she couldn't just ignore it.
Without hesitation, she pulled Andrew inside, "Come with me!"
Andrew was forced to follow, his handsome brow slightly raised, his deep eyes fixed on where Olivia was holding his wrist, his gaze intense.
Olivia didn't notice. She led him to the kitchen, quickly turned on the faucet, and ran cold water over his burn, her eyes focused intently on the injury.
The burn wasn't too large, but the skin was clearly scorched.
Without looking up, she said, "Keep it under the water for a few minutes. I'll apply some ointment afterward; it won't leave a scar."
Andrew's eyes flickered with amusement, "I don't really mind if it does."
Olivia thought, 'How could he not mind? Such beautiful hands, it will be a shame to have a scar!'
His long, well-defined fingers were like works of art. A scar would be like a blemish on a perfect piece of jade, such a pity!
Just then, Stella, Paxton, and Layla came rushing in, concerned. "Andrew, are you okay? Is it serious? I'm so sorry; I didn't mean for this to happen. It's all my fault."
"Andrew, do you need to go to the hospital? We can't have this scar!"
Seeing their worried expressions, Andrew calmly reassured them, "It's fine. It's not serious, it won't scar, and there's no need for a hospital. Dr. Garcia is here."
"Really?" Layla was skeptical and moved closer to look.
Olivia quickly responded, "Yes, with me here, he'll be fine."
Layla remembered Olivia's medical skills and felt reassured.
After a few minutes, Olivia finished rinsing the burn and led Andrew outside to apply some ointment.
It was then she realized she had been holding his hand for quite a while. She quickly let go, her ears turning red, feeling very embarrassed.
Andrew glanced at her reddened ears but didn't say anything, simply smiling lightly, "What ointment are you using?"
"My... homemade ointment!" Olivia answered quickly, turning to her bag to find the ointment.
Soon, she pulled out a small bottle and opened it. Inside was a pale green paste with a faint medicinal scent. She found a cotton swab and gently applied it to his burn.
Initially, Andrew felt a burning pain, but soon, a cooling sensation spread over the area. The pain quickly subsided, almost disappearing.
He couldn't help but be amazed, "Your ointment works incredibly well. If it were on the market, it would be worth a fortune!"
Olivia smiled and didn't argue, simply tossing the cotton swab and handing him the ointment, "Don't let the burn get wet. Apply this once a day, and it'll be completely healed in a couple of days."
Andrew took it, his gaze deepening as he looked at her. Olivia was extremely skilled, both in medicine and pharmaceuticals.
Michael couldn't see that, what a waste!