Claire Xu stared at him, stunned. Two voices warred inside her. One whispered, "Say yes—you like him too, don't you?" The other warned, "Don't forget how that boy who chased you off before was scared away. Do you really want to go through that kind of pain again?"

Henry Mills watched her wavering expression, and his eyes gradually dimmed.

Claire Xu fumbled for words. "It's not that I don't want to say yes to you, it's just... my orientation, well... um..." Surely he'd understand what she meant.

A spark instantly lit up in Henry Mills's eyes.

"So what you mean is, it's not that you don't like me—it's just that you don't like men?"

Claire Xu's smile froze. What a world-class misunderstanding.

With the lie told, she could only push it further: "Yeah, to be honest, I like women."

That ought to kill his feelings for her, she thought.

But Henry Mills fell silent, his joy turning first to shock, then to hurt.

"If you don't like me, you can just say so. Why make up an excuse like that? You really think I'll buy it?"

Claire Xu pressed her lips together, helpless but determined to keep up the charade. "Actually, I already like someone else."

Henry Mills seemed genuinely wounded now. He pulled the car over, his chest heaving with frustration, breathing heavily—maybe out of anger.

Claire Xu thought he'd slam the door and storm off, never to speak to her again. But he didn't.

He clenched his fists tightly, words forced out through gritted teeth. "Who is this woman you like?"

What?

Claire Xu's lips twitched with a sense of foreboding. "Why do you even want to know?"

He hesitated, then declared, "I'm going to make sure she stays away from you. I won't let her appear in your life again."

So even if she liked women, he still wanted to be with her? Was he really willing to go that far?

Claire Xu's first impression of Henry Mills hadn't been great—back in the hospital, he'd seemed all glib and unserious. Later, though, she realized he wasn't as superficial as he appeared.

She never expected that Henry Mills would throw away all his dignity before her. Forget just her—even he hadn't thought himself capable of groveling like this for a woman.

Claire Xu's eyes darkened. She asked seriously, "Henry Mills, do you think all this is really worth it?"

She'd always been fearless—except when it came to someone genuinely caring for her. She'd tasted betrayal before. She was afraid Henry Mills would turn out like that person, leaving her abruptly just as she poured her heart into loving him.

Henry Mills gazed at her with unwavering intensity. "Claire Xu, you should feel proud! I'm the most eligible bachelor at Ancheng Hospital—if even I can fall for you, you must be something special."

He sounded like he was joking, as always, but his expression was deadly earnest.

Claire Xu froze, eyes flickering. She couldn't pretend she wasn't moved.

Watching her slightly parted lips and blushing cheeks, Henry Mills's Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously. She had no idea how alluring she looked right now. Desire stirred within him, and his gaze turned fiery.

Claire Xu turned her eyes to the window, avoiding his stare. "Let's just go home."

Henry Mills withdrew his gaze and obediently drove her home.

When they arrived at her door, Claire Xu got out absentmindedly, only to run into Hannah Xu, who was coming home at the same time.

Since Henry Mills hadn't brought his own car, Claire Xu handed him her keys and let him take hers.

Hannah Xu watched Henry Mills drive off, then shot a look at Claire Xu's flushed face. She couldn't help but sneer, "Seriously, your taste in men is terrible. We're a respectable family in Ancheng, and you go and find yourself a poor doctor boyfriend?"

He even drove off in her car—who knows if he's just a freeloader.

Claire Xu glared coldly at her. "I like what I like. Got a problem with that?"

"Qingqing, your sister isn't wrong," George Xu chimed in sternly. "You can date whoever you want, but if you get married, it has to be with someone on our level."

Claire Xu scoffed, "Is there anything you care about besides profit?"

Tension crackled between father and daughter. Seeing this, May Lee hastily tried to defuse things. "Qingqing, don't upset your father. We all met Young Master Liang tonight—he's very interested in you. You're not getting any younger, and your dad hopes to sort out your marriage soon."

"Young Master Liang? When did I ever say I was getting married?" Claire Xu glared, fury blazing in her eyes.

What year was it? Were they still matchmaking and marriage bargaining like it was the last century? If they forced her to marry someone she didn't like, then nobody would get away unscathed.

May Lee shrank back from her fierce glare, inching closer to George Xu.

George Xu, enraged, barked, "How dare you! Is this how you speak to your elders?"

He'd held back at the Lawrence family gathering because of the guests, but at home, he had no such scruples.

"Elders? My mother gave birth to me, and my grandmother raised me. What kind of elder is she?"

Claire Xu had never been one to back down, especially with a father whose relationship with her had always been icy—and May Lee's constant whispering in his ear had only made things worse over the years.

George Xu was so furious he was practically gasping for air. May Lee feared he might keel over for good this time.

"Qingqing, please stop riling your father. He's getting old, and the doctor said not to upset him."

"I'm not mad at him. I'm mad at you. He just takes it all onto himself."

Claire Xu shot her a cold look, then glanced at George Xu before turning to go inside.

—

Back in her own home, Lauren Shaw frowned at the wound on Yancy Shaw's hand.

"It's just a scratch. Nothing serious," Yancy Shaw reassured her.

"It's partly my fault," she said. "That maid led me to the lounge, and I had a bad feeling about it, but I went along anyway."

Yancy Shaw cupped her face with his uninjured hand. "As long as you're safe, that's all that matters." If anything had happened to her, he didn't know what he might have done to Yvonne Sung.

"Something feels off." Lauren Shaw was suspicious about tonight. How had Yvonne Sung known she'd be in the third-floor lounge?

She remembered, when she hid in the bathroom, Yvonne Sung had taken a call. She'd overheard some of what was said. Whoever was on the line definitely wasn't the maid.

Yancy Shaw interrupted her thoughts, "Don't dwell on it. It's almost ten—go wash up and get some rest."

After Lauren Shaw obediently headed for the bathroom, a dark, violent look flashed in Yancy Shaw's eyes.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number, his tone cold and resolute. "I don't care how you do it—make Eva Snow disappear from Ancheng."

He'd given in and turned the other cheek one too many times. But when his wife's reputation had nearly been destroyed—if he hadn't shown up in time tonight, he dared not imagine the consequences.