Chapter 243


    Chapter 243


    Howard’s lips curled into a smile as he casually tossed the delivery box onto the plush carpet of his


    living room.


    He examined the neatly wrapped small gift box in his hands, turning it over but unable to guess its


    contents.


    From the bathroom came the gentle patter of water


    Through the steamed–up ss door, he could only make out a graceful silhouette, her features


    obscured.


    Setting the gift box back down, Howard decided to wait for her to emerge and tell him about it himself.


    With a single hand, he yanked off his the unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, rolled up his


    sleeves, and grabbed a magazine to flip through.


    When Gwendolyn stepped out in her pajamas, she found herself looking at Howard under the


    lamplight, his handsome features softly


    illuminated


    Her cheeks were flushed from the steam, with droplets of water clinging to the ends of her hair, as if


    she were a fresh rose in the moming dew


    “Mr. Chadwick, you’re home,” Gwendolyn said, her voice trembling slightly as she approached him.


    She figured Marina must have exined everything From tonight, she’d be staying in the master


    bedroom.


    She knew what that implied.


    situation at the hospital.


    Howard put down his magazine and surveyed her from head to toe with a calm demeanor. “I’ve heard


    about the situ If you’re ufortable, I can pressure the Lopezes to take ude back.”


    Gwendolyn couldn’t publicly refuse a patient, but if the Lopez family willingly withdrew treatment, it


    wouldn’t tamish her reputation.


    Gwendolyn let out a small sigh of relief. “It’s okay, and I want to challenge myself.”


    “As long as you’re sure.” Howard stated ndly.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Feeling the awkwardness in the air, Gwendolyn nced at the delivery box on the carpet and asked,


    “What’s that?”


    “Nathan sent it over. If you’re up for it, you can open it for me.””


    “Sure.”


    She retrieved a letter opener from the drawer and sliced through the tape sealing the box.


    Howard leaned back, watching her with leisure as she removed the bubble wrap, her cheeks turning


    pink at the sight of the contents.


    “What’s the matter?”


    “Nothing.” Gwendolyn’s voice faltered, “Maybe next time you should open it yourself.”


    ‘Let’s see.”


    “Mr. Chadwick” Gwendolyn eximed as he a


    approached,


    He tipped the box contents onto the bed anyway, revealing an assortment of small toys scattered


    across the sheets, various models and sizes, including thetest–packaged “Happy Wife” condoms.


    Gwendolyn remembered Nathan telling her she was too stuffy and serious before she left for her


    volunteer shift at Honeysuckle Hollow clinic, promising to prepare some “fun” things for her.


    Now, faced with a bed full of “fun” things, her scalp tingled.


    “And what’s this?” Howard pointed at a light blue gift box in the middle of the bed.


    “It’s a dress from Sandra,” Gwendolyn hurnedly responded.


    So it wasn’t for him. But at the mention of the name Sandra, Howard’s eyes darkened as he suggested,


    “Open it, and let’s see how it looks”


    “Okay.”


    Gwendolyn was eager to seize any chance to escape the current awkward and charged atmosphere.


    As she unwrapped the small gift box, a ckce slip dress fell out,plete with a ribbon tie,


    designed to be sheer and revealing


    A wave of heat rushed to Gwendolyn’s cheeks, turning them scarlet, and she wished for a hole to crawl


    into.


    Howard watched her, an inscrutable look in his eyes.


    “Mr. Chadwick, maybe Sandra got the gifts mixed up. Il return it to her tomorrow,” she stammered as


    she hastily repacked the dress and closed the box. In all her twenty two years, she had never seen


    such a boldly intimate garment.


    Just then, her phone chose the worst possible moment to chime twice with iing messages.


    The screen lit up, revealing two previews.