Claire Grant eyed Gary Lynch curiously.
After thinking for a moment, she was sure she had never met him before.
“No,” she replied.
Gary Lynch frowned.
Her voice sounded so familiar, but he just couldn’t place it.
Hearing her denial, Gary Lynch didn’t give it another thought.
He nodded, walked over to Mason Lowell, and helped him into his wheelchair.
“You seem to be fine, so I’ll get going,” he told Mason Lowell.
“I just got a call from the hospital about an emergency.”
Mason Lowell nodded.
“Go take care of it.”
After Gary Lynch left, only Mason Lowell and Claire Grant remained in the hospital room.
In the quiet room, Mason Lowell’s phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller ID before answering.
“Mom?
What’s wrong?”
“I’m calling to inform you that your wedding date with Claire Grant has been set,” Mrs.
Lowell said over the phone.
“It’s next month.”
Mason Lowell frowned.
He didn’t like his mother’s controlling tone.
Before he could answer, Mrs.
Lowell continued, “There are some things you need to consider carefully.
I know you don’t like Claire Grant, but for the Lowell Family’s sake, don’t even think about resisting.
You must always remember that you are a part of the Lowell Family.
This sacrifice is nothing for the family’s benefit.
Even if you feel it’s unfair, you will endure it.”
She delivered the last line in a tone that allowed no dissent.
Mason’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
“I understand,” he replied in a low voice.
‘He wasn’t the type to just take things lying down, nor would he blindly obey his mother.’
‘He understood his marriage to Claire Grant would be in name only.
Before meeting her, he had fully intended to reject the young Miss Grant.’
‘But after meeting her, he subconsciously lost the will to resist.’
‘It had nothing to do with her looks.’
‘It was just a strange, inexplicable feeling.’
Mason Lowell glanced over at Claire Grant as she packed up her medical kit.
Meeting his gaze, Claire Grant smiled calmly.
“I heard everything.
Mrs.
Lowell said she knows you don’t like me, but you have to consider the big picture for the sake of the Lowell Family.”
She picked up the medical kit, a slight smile playing on her lips.
“So, you feel wronged by this arranged marriage to me?”
As she spoke, she patted his shoulder.
“Don’t worry.
It’s okay if you don’t like me.
I won’t force you into anything you don’t want.
If you really feel that badly about it, I can be the one to call it off.”
‘Her attitude was so relaxed and natural, as if she didn’t care in the slightest.
It should have been a normal reaction, given that they had just met.’
‘But for a moment, Mason Lowell felt a tightness in his chest.’
“I…” It was as if something was caught in his throat.
After uttering a single word, Mason lowered his gaze and fell silent.
‘He wanted to say that he didn’t dislike her.’
‘But the subtext of that would be that he liked her.’
‘And surely he couldn’t have started liking someone he’d only just met.’
‘More importantly, he didn’t have the right to anymore.’
‘A cripple with sexual dysfunction… What right did he have to talk about liking someone?
What right did he have to talk about love?’
‘None of those things were for him.’
‘Seeing his sudden dejection, Claire was reminded of how he used to pursue her so shamelessly.’
‘Back then, when she got annoyed, she would tell him to get lost—to disappear and never show his face to her again.’
‘What was it he used to say?’
‘Oh, right.
He’d say, “You’re the only one for me in this life.
Once we’re married, we’ll see each other day and night.
It’ll be impossible for me to get lost then.”‘
‘The words echoing in her mind popped like a soap bubble.’
Seeing him sitting there with his head down, silent, Claire found she couldn’t bear to see him look so dejected.
She walked over to him, bent down, and gently ruffled his hair.
“I was just teasing you.
I’m not angry.
Besides, feelings can grow over time, can’t they?
We’ll have plenty of time together to let them develop.”
As she said the last part, Claire tilted her head and smiled at him.
Her tone was like she was coaxing a child.
Mason’s eyelashes trembled as he stared, stunned, at the woman before him.
‘Looking at her clear eyes and gentle smile, Mason suddenly had the feeling he’d seen this exact scene somewhere before.’
‘But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember where.’
Her warm palm brushing through his hair sent a pleasant tingle through him.
Mason’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
‘Is it my imagination?’
‘Her physical gestures toward him always felt so natural, almost… intimate.’
‘It was as if she… wanted to be close to him.’
That conclusion lasted only a second in his mind before Mason immediately dismissed it.
‘No.
In his current state, no one would willingly get close to him.
What she’s after is probably just what comes with the title of Mrs.
Lowell.’
‘Not all feelings can be cultivated,’ Mason wanted to say.
But when he met her eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say a single word of protest.
His fingers, resting on his lap, curled slightly.
He lowered his gaze, nodded, and heard himself say, “Mm, you’re right.”
Seeing him agree, Claire straightened up and said seriously, “That’s all for today’s treatment.
When you get back, if you feel any discomfort, you must contact me immediately.
Got it?”
Her voice was laced with genuine concern.
Mason pursed his lips and replied softly, “Okay, I will.”
Claire stood up straight, her gaze falling to the top of his fluffy hair.
His sudden obedience was deeply satisfying, and she couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle his hair one more time.
“Mm, such a good boy.”
Unlike the comforting gesture from before, this felt like a reward for an obedient child.
After ruffling his hair, she picked up her medical kit and left.
Mason Lowell sat stunned in his wheelchair, staring blankly at the now-empty doorway.
His dark hair was now slightly messy, with one tuft sticking straight up before flopping over at the tip.
He looked a little silly.
When Claire Grant got home, Felix Grant and Isabelle Everett were sitting on the living room sofa watching the financial news, while Grace Grant made tea for them nearby.
“Claire, you’re back?”
Claire had planned to go straight upstairs, but Isabelle Everett stopped her.
Claire glanced at her, not wanting to engage.
She gave a slight nod and said coolly, “I’m going upstairs to rest.”
Seeing her about to leave, Isabelle Everett said quickly, “We’ve settled on the wedding date with the Lowell family.
You and Mason need to remember to pick a good day for your wedding photos.”
“I know.”
‘Even if Isabelle didn’t remind her, Claire would have remembered.’
‘Seeing Claire’s persistently cool and distant attitude, Isabelle grew uneasy.
She worried that after this brat married into the Lowell family, she would really find a way to sabotage the projects the Lowells were supporting for them.’
Suppressing her discomfort, she spoke in a gentle voice.
“Claire, are you still angry with me?
I only scolded you like that because I was worried about you, afraid you were being led astray by people with ill intentions.
You have to understand, everything I do is for your own good.”
Isabelle did feel a sliver of guilt for having misunderstood Claire that morning, but that feeling was nothing compared to the family’s interests.
‘Hearing this, Claire couldn’t help but scoff internally.’
‘When she was making accusations, she’d been so insistent and refused to back down.
Now that she knew she’d been wrong, she claimed she was just worried and that it was all for Claire’s own good.’
‘Isabelle was just using the excuse of “it’s for your own good” as a shield to justify her own slanderous accusations.’