Chapter 411 - 414: Caring to This Extent

The Lancaster Residence.

Adrian Lancaster was playing with Owen and Nina.

He was a little distracted today, constantly checking the time and keeping an ear out for any sound at the door.

’She’s been out for so long. Why isn’t she back yet?’

A long time passed, and Owen and Nina grew tired from playing, becoming drowsy.

Adrian Lancaster put the children in their cribs, carefully tucking them in.

Then, he picked up his phone and quietly stepped out of the bedroom.

Just as Adrian Lancaster was about to call Wren Sutton, he heard a noise from the living room entrance.

Claire Sterling and Wren Sutton were back.

As she came in and changed her shoes, Wren Sutton subconsciously tugged at her sleeve, trying to hide the back of her reddened hand, but she couldn’t escape Adrian Lancaster’s sharp eyes.

The person he’d been waiting for was finally home, and Adrian Lancaster’s attention was focused entirely on Wren Sutton. He immediately spotted the glaring red mark on the back of her hand, and his heart clenched.

He hurried forward and gently took his wife’s wrist. His movements were tender yet firm, leaving no room for refusal, as he carefully pushed up her sleeve.

When he saw the large, red, swollen burn, Adrian Lancaster was overcome with both heartache and anger.

"Honey, what happened to your hand? How did it get burned so badly? Who did this?!"

Wren Sutton knew she couldn’t hide it from Adrian Lancaster, but fortunately, she and her mother-in-law had already gotten their story straight.

She forced a relaxed smile and said nonchalantly, "I accidentally burned it while we were having hot pot. Mom already put some ointment on it. It’s nothing, don’t worry."

Claire Sterling, who was standing nearby, helped smooth things over. "Wren was putting ingredients into the hot pot and accidentally got burned. We’ve already treated the wound, so you don’t need to worry too much."

There were no holes in the mother- and daughter-in-law’s story, so Adrian Lancaster believed them.

But he wasn’t reassured.

He gently brushed his fingertips over the hot skin on the back of Wren Sutton’s hand, his brows tightly furrowed and his eyes dark with concern.

"How could you be so careless? It looks so painful."

He looked down at the red mark, his expression a mixture of displeasure and, more than anything, heartache.

"You can’t be careless with a burn. Come on, let’s go to the hospital."

Wren Sutton quickly tried to soothe Adrian Lancaster.

"Darling, I’m really fine. It’s just a simple burn. I’ve put ointment on it, and it’ll be fine in a couple of days. We don’t need to go through the trouble of going to the hospital."

"Even a simple burn is still a burn. The skin on the back of your hand is delicate. What if it’s damaged underneath and leaves a scar later?"

Adrian Lancaster’s tone was gentle but firm, and he absolutely refused to yield.

"I’m not comfortable with this. We’re going to the hospital now. I won’t be at ease until a doctor has checked it."

Wren Sutton tried to refuse again, but Adrian Lancaster was already pulling her toward the door without another word.

"Honey, be good. In my eyes, even a small injury to you can’t be taken lightly."

"Darling, I understand how you feel, but I’m really okay. The wound was treated right away. There’s no need to make a big deal out of it."

"Honey, this isn’t making a big deal out of it. I can’t take risks with your health. Even a burn on your hand is a huge deal to me."

"..."

Wren Sutton couldn’t argue with the genuine worry in Adrian Lancaster’s eyes. She had no choice but to give in, letting him guide her out the door.

Claire Sterling stood where she was, watching the couple leave. She shook her head with a helpless but gratified smile, her eyes full of warmth.

...

「The Hospital」

In the examination room, the doctor carefully inspected the burn on Wren Sutton’s hand, gently pressing the surrounding skin before giving his calm conclusion.

"It’s just a mild, first-degree burn. The epidermis is red but not broken. The initial cooling treatment was timely and done correctly, so the dermis wasn’t damaged."

"Just keep applying the healing ointment as prescribed and avoid spicy and irritating foods. The redness and swelling will go down completely in three to five days. It’s very unlikely to leave a scar, so there’s no need to be overly concerned."

Hearing this, Adrian Lancaster’s heart, which had been in his throat the whole way there, finally settled back into place.

His tense jawline relaxed slightly, but his gaze toward Wren Sutton was still filled with pity and affection.

Before they left, he questioned the doctor in detail about all the aftercare instructions, committing every word to memory, not daring to overlook the slightest detail.

"See? I told you it was nothing. You can relax now, right?" Wren Sutton looked up at Adrian Lancaster, her eyes crinkling into a smile as she reached up to smooth his furrowed brow.

Adrian Lancaster held his wife’s hand as they stepped into the elevator, pulling her into his arms to shield her from being bumped by others.

"Yes, I’m relieved now. As long as you’re okay, that’s more important than anything."

"You heard what the doctor said. No spicy or irritating foods until the wound heals."

Wren Sutton usually loved spicy food.

She nodded obediently. "Okay, I won’t."

"Good girl." Adrian Lancaster’s eyes were soft with adoration.

DING. The elevator reached the first floor.

Adrian Lancaster came out with his arm around Wren Sutton, the two of them looking completely inseparable.

Not far away, by a pillar at a bend in the hallway, Claire Bennett was frozen to the spot.

She had come to the hospital to pick up some custom-prescribed medication and hadn’t expected to see Adrian Lancaster and Wren Sutton in the crowd.

Adrian Lancaster was carefully protecting Wren Sutton’s hand. It was obvious they were at the hospital because of her burn.

’It was such a trivial burn, the skin wasn’t even broken, yet Adrian Lancaster was so worried and concerned that he personally brought Wren Sutton to the hospital. He truly treats her like a precious treasure.’

’He protected her and doted on her the entire time. The way he cherished her, the heartache in his eyes—it was a look Claire Bennett had never seen before in her life.’

’She had schemed so hard to make Wren Sutton suffer and feel pain, only for it to result in Adrian Lancaster doting on and protecting Wren even more.’

All of Claire Bennett’s smugness, secret delight, and the thrill of her successful scheme vanished into thin air.

All that remained was an overwhelming jealousy that threatened to consume her, and a resentment so twisted it was almost unbearable.

She ground her back teeth, her face stiff, and watched helplessly as Adrian Lancaster escorted Wren Sutton away.

From beginning to end, he never once noticed her hidden in the corner.

Only when their intimate figures had completely disappeared from sight did Claire Bennett unclench her jaw. She leaned weakly against the cold pillar, the hatred in her heart burning hotter and hotter.

Just then, her phone rang. The two words "Mrs. Bennett" flashed on the screen.

Claire Bennett’s brow twitched in annoyance as she answered the call.

On the other end of the line, Mrs. Bennett’s voice was tinged with excitement. "Claire, we just received an invitation from the Flynn family. They’re holding a 100-day celebration for their granddaughter at The Zenith Hotel in a week. I’ll take you with me so you can meet more people in our circle."

Claire Bennett was already in a foul mood and had no interest in attending a baby’s 100-day party. She rolled her eyes and replied dismissively, "I’m not interested. I don’t want to go. You can go by yourself."

"The Flynns are a prominent family in Aston. They’ve surely invited a lot of wealthy, influential women to this celebration. It’s a rare opportunity to network. Are you sure you don’t want to go?" Mrs. Bennett persisted.

’Wealthy, influential women...’

A thought suddenly struck Claire Bennett, and she asked nonchalantly, "Will anyone from the Lancaster family be there?"

"Goes without saying!" Mrs. Bennett immediately replied. "Mrs. Lancaster, Claire Sterling, and Mrs. Flynn have been good friends for years. For such an important occasion, the Lancaster family definitely received an invitation. They’ll certainly be there."

Claire Bennett’s interest was instantly piqued. "For a child’s 100-day celebration like this, is it usually just the women who attend?"

"Yes, it’s almost entirely female guests. Very few men attend."

Claire Bennett understood.

’No wonder she saw Claire Sterling buying clothes and jewelry for Wren Sutton at the mall today.’

’If I’m not mistaken, they must be preparing for the Flynn family’s 100-day celebration.’

’Given how much Claire Sterling values and likes Wren Sutton right now, she’ll definitely bring Wren to the Flynns’ party.’

A cold, calculating smile crept onto Claire Bennett’s lips again.

After a few seconds of silence, she said calmly, "I’ll go."