Chapter 243
“What kind of doctor is it? Do you really think traditional medicine can cure Baldrick? Dane, are you even listening to me p>
Latonia noticed Dane wasn’t responding, so she followed his gaze. That’s when she spotted a girl in a black puffer jacket. Her skin was pale and flawless, her features delicate, and her eyes crinkled with a smile. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun with loose strands framing her face, giving her a laid-back, effortless charm. There was something catlike about her, all quiet curiosity.
“Are you looking at that girl? Is she that pretty?” Latonia felt a strange twinge she couldn’t quite name.
Dane didn’t answer. He just started walking toward Claire.
Len and the others, still grateful for the ride on Dane’s private jet, greeted him before Claire even had a chance to speak.
“Dane, what a coincidence.” Claire beamed at him, sneaking a glance at Latonia. Was this a date?
“Did you all just finish eating?” Dane asked, catching a whiff of roast duck still lingering on their clothes.
“Yeah. Is that your girlfriend?” Claire nodded toward Latonia, asking directly.
Leo was watching Dane too. Just the other day at the school gates, Claire was holding onto Dane’s arm like they were really close. But now he was out with another girl, and she looked pretty high-class too. Was Dane just messing around with Claire? It didn’t make sense, especially since Claire didn’t seem bothered at all, which only made Leo more confused.
Latonia didn’t give Dane the chance to say anything. She stepped forward and introduced herself with a smile. “Hi, I’m Latonia.” She turned to Dane. “So, who’s this little sister p>
Latonia always kept track of the women around Dane, mostly because he rarely paid any attention to them. But Claire was different. She looked so young, and her accent was definitely not from Cabinda.
“She’s just a kid,” Dane said gently.
Usually, being called a kid would make Latonia relax, but for some reason just made her feel more unsettled. Dane’s attitude toward Claire wasn’t like how he treated anyone else.
“I didn’t know you hung out with kids like her. Is she a friend’s daughter or something? Are you her uncle now?” Latonia joked, keeping her tone light.
“You’re right, Uncle,” Claire chimed in, playing along.
Dane shot her a look. “Are you all
heading back to school now? I thought you were busy with training time for
Sow you p>
dinner?” He sounded just like an older brother, or maybe everca parent.
Qu
“We just finished the first round, so we went out to celebrate,” Claire explained.
Dane’s concern was obvious. “Did you make it to the next round?” He glanced at the group, guessing from their good moods that she had.
“I did,” Claire nodded.
She was great at reading the atmosphere, so she was quick to wrap things up. “We won’t hold you up. Enjoy your dinner. Bye p>
Dane seemed a little thrown by how quickly she wanted to leave. He frowned for a second, but then smoothed it over.
“If you’re on break, are you still staying at your dorm? Should I come pick you up tomorrow? Baldrick keeps asking about you, and p>
He didn’t finish, but Claire knew what he meant. Baldrick’s arthritis had gotten a bit better, but he wasn’t cured. He drank his herbal tonic every day but after coming back to Cabinda, there was no one around to do the acupuncture treatments for him. Now that Claire was here, Dane probably wanted her to come by and help again.
“I might not be free tomorrow,” Claire said, remembering she had to visit the Churchill family. She had no clue how long that would take, so she couldn’t promise Dane anything.