Chapter 197: Injured While Drinking Water at Midnight

Dennis and Ivy heard the commotion and rushed upstairs to check it out.

Dennis saw Claire's injured hand and his face darkened as he quickly walked over to her. "How could you be so careless?" His voice was a mix of concern and frustration.

Ivy watched the scene unfold, feeling a surge of inexplicable anger.

She glared at Dennis. "She's just a maid, and she can't even handle this?"

Her voice was sharp and grating, tinged with a hint of hysteria.

Dennis ignored Ivy's outburst and turned to Claire. "Keep running cold water over it to reduce the swelling."

His gentle tone brought Claire a sense of unexpected comfort.

Claire nodded, continuing to run water over her hand while glancing at her reflection

in the mirror, feeling a warm sensation in her heart.

Ivy watched Claire's back, seething with hatred.

She vowed to make Claire pay, to show her what true suffering meant.

"Dennis, you're actually treating me like this over a maid? Fine, let's see how long you can protect her," Ivy said, turning to leave.

Dennis watched Ivy's retreating figure, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.

He knew Ivy was a proud woman who wouldn't easily let Claire off the hook.

However, he also knew Claire was innocent and didn't deserve such baseless accusations and difficulties.

He resolved to protect her from any harm.

"Claire, do you know how to make tea?"

Ivy's voice interrupted Dennis's thoughts.

He looked up to see Ivy standing at the top of the stairs, staring coldly at him.

"I..." Claire began to speak, but Dennis cut her off. "She doesn't know how to make tea. I do. You can ask me directly."

His voice was calm and firm, and he gave Claire a reassuring look, signaling her not to worry.

Claire looked at Dennis, feeling a wave of gratitude. She knew that with him by her side, she had nothing to fear.

Ivy's anger flared even more as she watched this, glaring at Claire.

Ivy's brow furrowed slightly as she thought of ways to make things difficult for Claire, her gaze falling on Claire's clothes.

Just as Ivy was about to speak, Dennis looked up, his eyes gentle as he addressed Claire. "Claire, why don't you go change into something else?"

Claire was taken aback, then smiled awkwardly. "I... I forgot."

"It's okay," Dennis said with a smile and a nod.

Ivy's expression stiffened slightly. She hadn't expected Dennis to let Claire off so easily.

This made her even more curious about Claire's background, and she felt a twinge of jealousy.

Claire felt conflicted about what to wear, knowing her time here wouldn't be easy, especially with Ivy's constant scrutiny and exclusion.

Meanwhile, Melinda was on the phone with Gwyneth.

"Melinda, my friend is getting engaged, and I want to give a special gift. Can you help me with some ideas?" Gwyneth's voice was filled with urgency and anticipation.

Melinda smiled and offered a few suggestions, losing track of time.

When Gwyneth hung up, satisfied, Melinda glanced at the clock and realized it was already dinner time. She smiled warmly, knowing Sam would be home from school

soon.

Sure enough, Raymond soon arrived with Sam.

The family of three sat around the table, enjoying a simple yet beautiful moment together.

Simba, their dog, lay at Melinda's feet, while Sam animatedly recounted his day at school, filling the room with laughter.

After hanging up, Gwyneth couldn't resist calling Brielle.

She told Brielle about her call with Melinda, hoping to gain her favor.

Brielle advised her not to rush into applying to the Thomas Group, suggesting she take her time to gauge Raymond's feelings.

Gwyneth assured her she knew what she was doing and would handle it carefully.

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As night fell, Melinda finished her bath and saw Simba struggling to climb onto the couch.

She chuckled softly and picked Simba up, cradling him in her arms.

Raymond emerged from his study, looking tired but with sharp eyes.

"Just finished a meeting?" Melinda asked with concern.

"Yeah," Raymond nodded. "It was a tough international video conference."

Melinda gazed at him, always drawn to his enigmatic presence, whether it was his alluring exterior or his deep, unfathomable mind.

She suddenly had a wild thought, wanting to see a side of Raymond that no one else knew.

She walked over to him, gently hooking her finger around his tie. "Raymond, you look best in pajamas."

Her voice was sultry, almost magical, drawing Raymond in.

Raymond was momentarily taken aback, then smiled charmingly.

"Is that so?"

Melinda's heart raced a little faster.

Raymond leaned lazily against the headboard, his deep eyes holding a hint of tenderness.

He patted the spot beside him, inviting Melinda to sit.

"Give me ten minutes."

With that, he headed to the bathroom.

The sound of running water filled the room, and soon Raymond emerged, wrapped in

a towel.

His muscular frame and defined muscles glistened with water droplets under the light. Melinda lay on the bed, watching Raymond approach, her heart beating faster.

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She took a deep breath to steady herself, then spoke. "Raymond, I don't want to be a housewife. Grandpa suggested I take over the lab."

Raymond lay down, gently pulling Melinda into his arms. "Melinda, I know you're always excellent. You can run the lab however you want. I'll always support you."

Melinda felt a warm surge in her heart at Raymond's words.

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with determination. "Raymond, thank you. I'll

work hard to achieve something great. I won't let you down."

Raymond looked at her serious face, and they both smiled, their hearts closely connected.

Late at night, Claire lay in bed, unable to sleep.

She picked up her phone to continue watching a popular drama until her eyes grew

tired.

Deciding to get some water, she headed downstairs.

As she reached the staircase, she heard a faint noise from below.

Claire's heart skipped a beat, and she cautiously peeked to see what was happening.

She saw Dennis at the fridge, grabbing a drink, and found herself staring, momentarily forgetting her purpose.

When Dennis turned and saw her, she snapped back to reality, stammering, "I... I came down for some water."

The atmosphere grew slightly awkward.

Claire stole a few glances at Dennis, only to find him looking at her too, making her quickly lower her head.

Just then, Claire's foot slipped, and she fell forward.

She cried out, closing her eyes, bracing for the pain that never came. Instead, she

found herself in a warm embrace.

She opened her eyes to see Dennis had caught her just in time.

"Be careful," Dennis's deep, soothing voice calmed her nerves.

He checked her injury, noticing her scraped knee bleeding slightly. "Does it hurt? I'll

get some medicine."

Claire winced, feeling a wave of gratitude as Dennis tended to her wound. "Thank you..."

At that moment, Ivy came downstairs in her pajamas.