Chapter 8

When Valeria walked into the living room, Selena was already so exhausted that she could barely keep her eyes open. Carrying Selena into the bedroom, she gently patted the child's back and tucked a pink bunny plushie into her arms. She tidied up Selena's backpack and caught sight of a hand-drawn poster with a pale yellow puppy on it. Valeria let out a quiet sigh, deciding she'd take a trip to the pet fair tomorrow. … Sebastian tossed his phone onto the nightstand. Then, he used the gray towel draped around his neck to rub at his damp hair. Mallory stood nearby, firing off questions nonstop. "Was it a female patient? She sounded quite young and pretty, too. Is she single? Be gentle next time. And is that chubby little dog hers?" "Mallory, when did you become such a gossipy person?" he asked in a low tone. "Come on," came her response. "I'm only worried for you." He let out a faint scoff and gave a wry smile. After tossing the tower aside, he leaned back. "Are you a psychic or something? How do you know whether she's pretty after hearing her voice on the phone? You're wasting your talents at the Grant Group. You should consider applying elsewhere instead with that superpower." "She's probably beautiful, isn't she?" Mallory teased curiously. "She's ugly," Sebastian answered flatly, not even glancing up as he sat down with his laptop, flipping through patient records. "Close the door." "Then, she must be drop-dead gorgeous." She knew her brother too well. He often meant the opposite of what he said. So, she sauntered over and plopped down beside him. "Valeria, was it? That's a lovely name. Do you have a photo? Show me." Sebastian queried, "When did you turn into Mom? Why are you so naggy? She already has a daughter with congenital heart disease. The daughter was once my patient." "She's married?" Mallory blinked. "So, she really is a patient. I thought…" Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of his cool, detached expression. Remembering their parents' constant urging, she stubbornly mentioned, "You should at least meet with that woman from the Lawson family." Sebastian handed his phone. "I met her and even added her online. We chatted, so tell Mom the task is done." Mallory scrolled through his chat history with Sabrina, and her expression darkened. Sabrina: "Sebastian, are you busy today? I've got two tickets to the music festival." Sebastian: "Yeah, I am." Sabrina: "Sebastian, I heard my friend has some heart issues. Can I ask you a few questions?" Sebastian: "Make an appointment. Sabrina: "Sebastian, I heard you're off this Saturday. Want to catch a movie?" Sebastian: "I'll be on call." Mallory stared at the sparse replies and felt a headache coming on. "What type of woman do you like, exactly? If the Lawson woman isn't good enough, then what about the dean's daughter? How about the heiress from the Dale family?" To her surprise, Sebastian actually answered, "Someone well-endowed with a slim waist, long legs, and fair skin. She mustn't be too skinny or too flashy either. Oh, she mustn't be too short." She was stunned for a moment as she sketched out a rough outline in her mind. Glancing sideways at Sebastian, she carefully asked, "Jane Carlson's your type?" The next moment, his dark eyes glanced at her in the silence. Merely closing his laptop, he barked, "Close the door." She had been dismissed. Mallory was six years older and a seasoned executive at Grant Group, but she still struggled to deal with her brother at times. He had similar characteristics to their father—commanding presence and the natural skillsets of a leader. The Grant Group would have already been his, if he hadn't chosen medicine to avoid competing with Alexander. As she stepped out of the room, she saw Martha waiting at the door. Martha immediately grabbed Mallory's hands and asked for an update. … After hearing Mallory's answer, Martha sighed helplessly. "Is he looking for a girlfriend or hiring a model? He has such specific requirements…" She warned Mallory, "Don't tell your father about these standards yet. With his traditional mindset, he'll just say that Sebastian has a shallow taste again." "Don't you remember, Mom?" Mallory asked. "Back in college, Sebastian had a girlfriend…" "Of course I do. Didn't he send Gabriella overseas because of that woman?" Martha would never forget that incident. The situation had caused quite a stir back then, but it had honestly been Gabriella's fault. Martha had almost let that memory fade. Now, she thought that they could perhaps track that woman down. If that woman were single, perhaps she and Sebastian could rekindle their relationship. Mallory knew exactly what Martha was thinking. She had brought it up once, only for Sebastian's expression to darken. She wanted to dampen Martha's enthusiasm, but she held back upon seeing the glimmer in Martha's eyes. Mallory also remembered that seven years ago, not long after Sebastian went abroad, that woman broke up with him and sent a huge package to the Grant residence. When Sebastian came back and opened it, it turned out she had returned every single item from their three-year relationship. It was a clean, decisive end, as if she'd vanished from the face of the earth. She had even calculated the cost of a single bottle of mineral water and repaid it. That was the first time Mallory had ever seen Sebastian exasperated. … The week passed by quickly. Valeria attended a fabric expo held in Slate City, collecting ideas and materials for her work. A few coworkers were whispering nearby. Lindsey excitedly grabbed Valeria's hand and whispered, "Did you hear? Ms. Lawson is in a relationship. It's an arranged marriage. The guy's family is apparently super powerful. It's one of the top guns in Slate Cty." Valeria didn't usually pay attention to such gossip, but she couldn't help but think of the Grant family at the mention of powerful families. She didn't like Sabrina's attitude at work, but it didn't feel right to judge her personal life either. Shaking Valerie's hand, Lindey continued, "If only one of those rich CEOs could fall for you, then I don't have to work that hard anymore. Hey, why don't you take a shot? Use your good looks to reel one in." Valeria smiled faintly, reminding, "My daughter's already six." On top of that, she didn't really think she looked that great. Even though she had slimmed down, received compliments from colleagues, and occasionally caught admiring glances from strangers, Valeria still didn't feel attractive. Maybe it was because of all the discrimination she had endured when she was heavier, but insecurity and a lack of confidence were in her blood. Lindsey tilted her chin playfully. "So what if you have a child? Beauty is rare. If I were a man, I'd totally fall for your soft, elegant kind of beauty." Then, she slid a hand lightly along Valeria's waist. "You're so slim. How do you even maintain this figure?" Valeria swatted her hand away with a laugh, treating it as harmless teasing. "Alright, let's finish documenting these fabrics. We've got a meeting tomorrow." Her phone buzzed, but she was busy taking photos in the crowded exhibition hall. … By the time she and Lindsey finished and went for food that evening, she finally checked her phone. Only then did she see a missed call from the afternoon. As she stared at the digits, her appetite completely vanished. It was Sebastian's number.