Kneeling for a Second Chance (Sebastian and Valeria) novel 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."

"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."

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.

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