Chapter 10 Valeria resembled that of a startled bird as she immediately tried to get up and leave . To her surprise , however , Sebastian's strong arms had already locked her down by the waist . She gritted her teeth lightly and said , " Excuse me , Dr. Grant . " Sebastian finally let go . Valeria stood up and took several steps back to put some distance between the two of them . She then took a deep breath and said , " Please have some self - respect , Dr. Grant . " With that , she turned and left . Sebastian was amused as he repeated her words . " Self - respect , huh ? " He then watched as Valeria left the room . Her pale blue dress danced around her through the air , leaving a subtle fragrance in its wake . Sebastian drove out of the hospital and spotted the same pale blue dress from a distance by the roadside . The familiar and elegant scent seemed to have drifted through the sweltering heat and ended up around him once more . He was not quite sure whether it was due to the harsh sunlight during August , but he noticed that Valeria's skin looked extremely pale . It was so striking to his eyes that it was Chapter 10 impossible to ignore . It also gave him a strange sense of familiarity . Sebastian subconsciously started thinking about when he had leaned in to kiss her . While it was not a kiss on her lips , he had still touched the corner of her mouth . He recalled how soft her lips were , along with the faint fragrance she carried . He also recalled her waist , which he was able to hold with just one hand . He reckoned that Valeria was probably cursing at him in her heart , struggling and fleeing like a frightened bird . At the same time , she was also trying to maintain some dignity . Just then , Sebastian pulled up his black Cayenne beside Valeria and honked a few times . Valeria flinched like a startled cat before warily glancing at the vehicle beside her . The car window rolled down to reveal a handsome face . " Get in . " She replied , " I don't wish to trouble you , Dr. Grant ." " I don't like repeating myself , " Sebastian replied , his eyes fixed on her face that was burned red by the blazing heat . Valeria's flushed cheeks were glistening with sweat as her long black hair stuck to her face . Meanwhile , hot air immediately surged into the car as he rolled down the windows . He continued , " Do you not want the dog anymore ? If you don't , I guess I'll just throw that fat thing away . " Chapter 10 She hesitated for a few seconds and eventually got inside the car . The car soon came to a halt in the underground garage of Vista Bay . Valeria followed behind Sebastian while maintaining a two- meter distance . Sebastian lived on the 12th floor . He did not bother to block the keypad when he entered the password . However , she still instinctively turned away , as it was never a polite thing to be peeking at other people's passwords . He noticed what she was doing and chuckled softly . Then , he opened the door and walked in first . Valeria stood by the entrance . There were no slippers to change into , and no shoe rack for her shoes . While she was still hesitating over what to do , a bark rang out from inside the house . A cream -colored Golden Retriever soon ran out and locked eyes with her . Sebastian's voice rang out right after . " Nemo , come here . " The dog ignored him and stared intently at Valeria instead while sniffing her . After a while , it started wagging its tail . Valeria looked at the Golden Retriever and saw that it looked rather pale . She reckoned that it must be in its senior years . The dog had a cream - colored coat , leaving her surprised that Sebastian even had a pet dog . Chapter 10 She instinctively reached out to pat its head and could not help but recall the cream - colored stray puppy she had rescued seven years ago . It was also a Golden Retriever , but not a purebred one . She was living at the school by then , and she also had no family around . The stray puppy was about three to four months old back then , and it looked extremely pitiful while drenched in the rain . Valeria had pleaded for Sebastian to adopt and take care of it . Back then , he had refused her outright . " I don't like dogs . " And now , as Valeria looked at the Golden Retriever before her , she wondered whether it was the same puppy from back then . She then dismissed the idea the very next second . She figured that there was no way it could be the same dog . Sebastian raised his voice and repeated himself . " Nemo ! " 21 The Golden Retriever finally turned around and ran back inside the house . He unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled his sleeves to his forearms to pick up a puppy by the scruff of its neck before handing it over to Valeria . " Here , take it . " He then used his free right hand to hold out a plastic bag filled with dog food and some treats . " I bought a little too much . " Valeria cradled the puppy in her arms , and it whimpered softly . She didn't look at Sebastian as she murmured , " Thank you , and sorry for the trouble . " She was looking at the plastic bag filled with dog food , milk powder , and various items for the care of a pet . She could tell that Chapter 10 they were not exactly cheap stuff . " How much are all of these ? I'll pay you . " An odd feeling stirred in her chest at that moment . Sebastian had not wanted anything in return initially , so he gave her a strange look upon hearing her question as she stood by the doorway . He lowered his eyes as he realized that Valeria must have really liked the color blue . She was also wearing blue the last time he saw her . The lighting in the hallway shone down brightly upon Valeria , casting her with an indescribable presence . Sebastian could not help feeling that she looked familiar , but he had spent the past seven years overseas at Inkko . If he had seen Valeria during that time , he would have definitely remembered her . The woman in front of him was not someone a man would ever forget , given her character and her looks . That strange feeling of familiarity had first hit him when he saw her in the consultation room for the first time . Sebastian then took out his phone to accept Valeria's payment . Valeria , however , just opened up her bag and took out her wallet . She still carried a few hundred dollars in cash even in this day and age . She had a total of 450 dollars , and she took it all out to hand it over to Sebastian . Chapter 10 Sebastian looked at her slender fingers and raised an eyebrow slightly . He then took the cash from her and rubbed it between his fingers . He found her actions rather amusing , his dark gaze growing deeper . Valeria soon stepped back into the elevator . Just as the doors were slowly closing , however , a long hand reached in and pried the doors open , revealing Sebastian's intense gaze . He stared at her as if trying to carve a hole through her . " Ms. Neal , have we met before ? " Her heart immediately skipped a beat . " Oh , well , I brought my daughter to the hospital once , and you were there . " " I'm not talking about that time . " Valeria's voice was steady and clear , almost as if determined to hide something . " No , we've never met before . "