A Night of Desire

Out of concern for his boss, Chase Childs dutifully asked, "President Quinn, your voice is a little hoarse. Are you not feeling well? If so, we should see a doctor right away. It’s convenient since we’re still at the hospital."

Standing to the side, Clara Grant also noticed something was off with Seth Quinn’s voice. She distractedly and messily stuffed clothes into the suitcase, biting her lip and wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

But when she suddenly heard Chase’s last few words, her mind conjured up a few images. She couldn’t hold it in any longer and, amused by her own imagination, let out a snort of laughter.

Chase didn’t know which of his words had made her laugh, so he glanced over at her, mystified.

Seth Quinn coughed loudly twice at Clara Grant’s back. ’This woman, how dare she laugh!’

Clara Grant stifled her laughter. With her head down, she continued stuffing the last piece of clothing into the suitcase. Everything was packed, and there was nothing left to do. But since Seth Quinn clearly wasn’t ready to leave yet, she couldn’t exactly announce she was done and kick him while he was down.

So, she took the last piece of clothing she had just stuffed into the suitcase back out, unfolded it, refolded it, and stuffed it back in. Then she took it out again, and stuffed it back in...

Chase watched as his dear President Quinn grunted in acknowledgment but then fell silent, neither saying they were leaving nor when they would leave. And as for Clara?

He turned his head and glanced at Clara Grant, who was fussing endlessly with one piece of clothing, an even more incredulous look on his face. He couldn’t understand why she was picking a fight with an item of clothing.

After waiting for what felt like an eternity, Chase couldn’t help but look at Seth Quinn and tentatively speak up again, "President Quinn..."

But he had just called out his name when Seth stood up. He looked at Clara Grant and asked calmly, "Are you done packing? Let’s go."

Clara Grant hurriedly stuffed the clothes in for the Nth time, zipped up the suitcase, and straightened up. "I’m ready," she said.

Seth Quinn nodded and held out a hand to her. Clara Grant froze for a moment before realizing he wanted to hold her hand.

She instinctively glanced at Chase Childs, a little embarrassed, but still walked over to Seth, pulling the suitcase along. She placed her hand in his, letting him hold it gently.

When Chase Childs saw Clara Grant pulling the suitcase herself, he quickly went forward and took it from her.

Clara Grant and Seth Quinn walked in front, and Chase Childs hurried to follow behind with the suitcase.

When they got downstairs, River Sterling and Linden Jennings were just about to head up. Seeing them come down, River couldn’t help but ask, "What took you so long? Linden and I thought something had happened. We were just about to come up and look for you."

Seth Quinn glanced at him and Linden Jennings. "You’re here? Then why didn’t you come up?"

"Chase Childs said he’d finished the discharge paperwork and that you’d be down soon, so he told us to wait here. We didn’t expect to wait this long for you to finally come down." River Sterling shot a look at Chase, as if to say Chase had tricked them.

Clara Grant greeted them, "President Sterling, President Jennings."

"Hey, Clara, it’s only been a few days. Why are you being so formal all of a sudden? Calling us ’President Sterling’ and ’President Jennings’ again," River Sterling said with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

Linden Jennings, however, just nodded at her with a blank expression, his version of a greeting.

Clara Grant thought he seemed a bit off. ’While he’s not as lively or prone to joking as River Sterling, he isn’t usually this gloomy. He’s never been so distracted before.’

She suddenly thought of Poppy Vance. Realizing it had been a while since she’d last seen her, she asked casually, "Brother Jennings, I haven’t seen Poppy in a long time. How come she didn’t come with you today?"

The moment she finished asking, the expression on Linden Jennings’s face changed.