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 . " 1 " 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 . " 444 Chapter 8 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 Chapter & 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 . " Chapter 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 n