Dane had completely forgotten the Churchill family's demand to keep their engagement a secret for two years.
Then again, he always knew how to find a loophole.
If he couldn't call her his fiancée, he would just introduce her as his friend.
But what kind of 'female friend' brought by a young billionaire was ever just a platonic acquaintance?
Claire had stayed perfectly quiet at the Cole estate, waiting until they were on the road to confront him. "What was that about? Aren't you going to explain?"
She had implicitly accepted the 'girlfriend' title.
But that didn't mean she wasn't ready to interrogate him for the gossip.
Cassandra was gorgeous, possessing a quiet, classic elegance.
The fact that Dane felt absolutely nothing for her made even Claire feel a twinge of pity.
Dane glanced at her sideways. "Cassandra's stepmother despises her, and it turned her biological father against her too."
"It sounds like they're scheming to sell her off in an arranged marriage."
"Kendrick wanted to find a reliable husband to protect his granddaughter before he dies."
Claire gave him a teasing smirk. "So, you were supposed to be the reliable husband?"
Dane neither confirmed nor denied it.
He waited until her smirk faded before speaking with absolute seriousness. "I'm not reliable."
Seeing her expression shift, he added, "For her, I mean."
"If I don't love someone, I won't treat them well."
Dane held her gaze with burning intensity. "So, Kendrick picked the wrong guy."
Claire completely missed the seductive undercurrent in his words, her mind purely analytical. Given his notoriously icy demeanor, she agreed that if he didn't care about someone, he'd definitely be a nightmare to deal with.
If Dane had actually married Cassandra, he would never let her suffer financially.
He would provide her with the respect and status of his wife, but emotionally...
He would offer absolutely zero comfort or affection.
"Fair point."
Claire nodded as if making a profound clinical assessment.
Dane couldn't help himself; he reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair.
"So what kind of woman is your ideal wife?"
Claire couldn't help but wonder if the two of them didn't work out, what kind of girl would Dane actually go for?
He was breathtakingly handsome, and his physique was absolutely flawless.
If she didn't end up marrying him, it would honestly feel like a massive loss.
"Someone exactly like you."
Dane answered without a second of hesitation.
He wasn't just sweet-talking her.
Before meeting Claire, he had never
om ideal types' and was
content with the idea
he
dying a bachelor. FindNovel.net
Women had always been nothing but an endless source of annoyance to him.
Mostly because there was always an aggressive line of them throwing themselves at his feet.
But after meeting Claire and learning they were engaged, Dane suddenly realized that taking a wife sounded pretty damn appealing.
She wasn't just stunning; she was fiercely intelligent and had an incredible personality.
In his eyes, she was utterly flawless.
"You're doomed. Who taught you how to be such a smooth talker?"
These flirty lines slipped out of him so effortlessly, anyone listening would think he
had been taking lessons from Owen.
Dane paused. "...I'm not being a smooth talker."
He was just speaking his mind.
Whatever. He was terrible with words anyway, so he decided not to bother explaining.
"You worked hard today. Kendrick wanted you to have this."
Dane handed her a sleek bank card.
"He was afraid you'd feel awkward accepting it directly, so he gave it to me."
Claire blinked, looking genuinely amused. "Why would I ever feel awkward about getting paid?"
Dane chuckled softly. "Good. Keep it safe."
"How much?" Claire had no idea what was on the card.
"Half a million dollars," Dane stated the exact sum.
Kendrick had likely consulted Dane to ensure the amount wouldn't be perceived as insulting.
"Once he's fully cured, he'll probably wire another payment."
Another half a million would bring it to a cool million.
Kendrick was notoriously strict with his own descendants, but
apparently, he had no problem throwing cash at att exceptional doctor.