Laura Lowell walked over to the cabinet.
Once her back was to Aiden Shaw, she let out a long sigh of relief.
Aiden Shaw sat down on the sofa, casually crossing his long legs.
His white lab coat was open, revealing the white dress shirt underneath.
Laura Lowell sat down beside him with the medicated oil.
She twisted open the cap, poured some into her palm, and then took Aiden Shaw’s injured wrist in her other hand, gently applying the liniment.
“Let me know if it hurts.”
She lowered her head, her long eyelashes casting a shadow on her fair skin.
A few stray strands of hair on her forehead seemed to be blocking her view.
Aiden Shaw’s long, slender fingers gently touched Laura’s forehead, tucking the stray hairs behind her ear.
In that instant, Laura’s heart skipped a beat, and her hands froze.
“What’s wrong?”
Aiden Shaw’s voice, gentle and lingering, floated into Laura’s ears like dandelion seeds drifting across a field.
‘He was asking a question he already knew the answer to.’
Laura bit her lip in embarrassment, stammering out an excuse.
“I…
I was just thinking about Little Mido. New chapters come out on g.com first.
I’m a little worried about him.”
“Hm.”
His perfunctory hum made it clear he didn’t believe her.
“Who is Little Mido to you?”
Laura resumed her work.
“Mido is one of the children at my orphanage.
He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect when he was very young.
That’s probably why his parents abandoned him.”
Aiden had never looked into Laura’s background, so he didn’t know she had founded an orphanage.
He hadn’t looked into her past out of affection and respect.
“Don’t worry.
As long as I’m here, Little Mido will be all right.”
Laura looked up with a smile, her eyes, as clear as water, filled with absolute trust.
“Thank you, Dr.
Shaw.”
For some reason, just having him by her side made Laura feel at ease.
“Shaw, I’m back!
Did you miss me?”
A cloyingly sweet, girlish voice drifted in from the doorway, and a moment later, the girl herself plopped down beside Aiden Shaw.
Aiden’s brow furrowed as he looked down at the hand clamped onto his arm.
His voice was cool and tinged with displeasure. This story is hosted at g.com.
“Let go.”
“No way!
I came straight here to see you the second I got off the plane.
I didn’t even go home first.”
The girl’s dark, shining eyes swept over Laura, sizing her up.
“So you’re the one…
Shaw’s girlfriend?”
‘She had rushed back in a frantic hurry precisely because she’d heard Aiden was seeing someone.’
‘How dare this woman try to steal my man?
She’s so dead.’
Aiden forcefully pried the girl’s hands off his arm.
“She’s my girlfriend.
From now on, you’ll either call her sister-in-law or just Laura.
Stop being so disrespectful.”
“I won’t.”
The girl enunciated each word, her voice brazen and full of defiance.
‘Laura wasn’t a fool.
It was obvious this girl liked Aiden and had already labeled her a love rival.’
‘In such a tense atmosphere, it was probably best for her to leave.’
“You two can talk.
I’m going to check on Mido.”
Laura screwed the cap back on the liniment, pulled a tissue from the box on the table to wipe her hands, and left.
Only after Laura’s figure disappeared behind the door did Aiden raise a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Why are you back all of a sudden?”
“If I hadn’t come back, some other woman would have snatched you away.”
Nancy had never hidden her feelings for Aiden.
She believed that if you liked someone, you should shout it from the rooftops; there was no reason to be coy about it.