These three people chatted in the office for a while, and Ling seems to feel as if he has suddenly become an unwanted presence. He left the office with the excuse of fresh air.
After Ling left, Bryce grabs Claire's hand and sit next to her, anxiously asking, “Has anything happened since you last came home?”
Claire frowns. “Bryce, you said you thought I was your sister now. “
Bryce pauses, startles, as if he were not happy, but in a flash his eyes are filled with tenderness, “Claire, I cannot let you get hurt just because I think of you as my sister.”
Claire says, “Leo's good to me, so you do not have to worry.”
Bryce's eyebrows are all twisted together and he becomes furious. “Claire, when are you going to stop lying to me? I heard some rumors about you.”
Bryce's anger, however, makes Claire feel the long-lost warmth, and that there are people caring about her.
But she soon sobers up in the warmth, “The rumor is hearsay, is not it?”
Bryce said, “You are a very tough person, I have always known that, but you do not have to be strong enough to put yourself in the fire.”
After saying that, Bryce reaches out to touch Claire's cheek, and his action is no less gentle than.
Claire throbs a little, but do not look away. “Do you even think I am that dirty woman? How can you tough me?”
Bryce shudders with his outstretched hand resting in the air, and he smiles wryly.
Claire looks out at the sky and it is getting dark before she knows it. Claire apologized. “It is getting late. I should get back.”
When she had finished, she was ready to get up, and Bryce hurries to help. “I’ll send you home.”
Claire gently refuses. “Forget it. Ling is probably downstairs. He will just take me back.”
Bryce frowns. “How can I let someone else take you back when you are like this?”
It is clear from his words that he does not seem to have much affection for Ling, or at least mistrust.
Claire explained, “Ling is a very nice boy, not like other... “
Bryce frowns. “Other men? Do you mean me?”
Claire waves hurriedly. “Of course not, it’s just a figure of speech.”
Unexpectedly, Ling suddenly enters the door. The conversation was probably heard by Ling.
Claire looks at Ling awkwardly, only to find that he looks innocent and even says to Claire, “Let Bryce give us a ride.”
Claire could not refuse.
They go downstairs together, with a smile on Ling’s lips from time to time. As he walks on the steps, he slips carelessly and loses his center of gravity and falls forward.
Bryce suddenly reaches for Ling's arm and jerks it to steady Ling. And Ling’s body is a moment back is steady fall into Bryce's arms, intentionally or unintentionally.
Claire gapes, and then chuckles, while Bryce holds Claire in one hand and holds Ling, a big boy in one hand.
“Leave it alone, she is a slut, and she is out there all day hooking up with men. Well, you are not even left alone…” Leo uses more strength, so Claire is too painful to say a word.
Ling sees the scene just to feel astonished. “I do not know what you are talking about, brother. She did not do anything to be sorry for you.”
Leo sneers, “Oh, yeah? One man and one woman spent more than an hour alone in Bryce's office, which is said to be that they did not do something to be sorry for me?”
Ling stops, squeaks, knowing that he could not explain it even he has ten mouths to speak, but he hurries, “Whatever you think, you must let go of her.”
Leo throws down a sentence to Ling, “You go back to rest, I do not want to talk to you more.” And he then lets go of Claire's jaw.
As soon as Claire is released, she taps Leo and shouts, “What is wrong with you, Leo? Why are you so shameless? You must die! You...”
Leo ignores it, but picks Claire up in the middle of her arms and suddenly reaches her ear and says softly, “Listen to me tonight and I will forgive you.”
The sudden gentleness of voice softens Claire's heart, but she frowns, “What do you want me to do?”
Leo picks Claire up, leaves the house and puts her in the car. “Do not make any noise, or you will make a big joke.”
Claire is puzzled, especially when Leo finally left her a charming and gentle smile, which was so strange that she felt terrible.
However, Leo slams the door shut and goes away in Ling's dumbness.
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