Capturing the Young Doctor's Heart: Mr. Big Shot Won't Let Me Go-Chapter 42 - 41: So-Called Affection

This matter had nothing to do with him; he didn’t need to blame himself.

The one at fault was the person who bullied her.

However, that person had already been injured by her, and also beaten by Keane Lowell, which they deserved.

Claire Prescott looked at herself in the mirror, her mind involuntarily conjuring images of Keane’s fury, his out-of-control deep kiss, and his tender embrace.

When he held her, she felt that her whole being, her entire heart, belonged to him. It was a flutter she’d never experienced before.

Could this be... falling in love with him?

...

The next morning, Jericho Prescott suddenly returned.

The three of them sat at the dining table, having breakfast together. The atmosphere was just as tense and suffocating as always, and the aura around her father still sparked fear in her.

Claire found it hard to swallow her food.

But there were some things she had to say.

Swallowing the food in her mouth, she spoke up, "Dad, I’m planning to go back to Kystral tomorrow."

Those words caused both father and son to change their expressions and look at her.

Jericho Prescott frowned, speaking in a heavy tone, "Why are you going to Kystral so soon?"

He used "going" instead of "returning".

This clearly indicated that Valoria was her real home.

Claire replied in a calm voice, "There’s something at the apothecary."

"Your grandfather will handle it."

"Grandpa is getting old, and some things..."

Before she could finish, Jericho interrupted her, "That’s your grandfather’s concern. He’s ageing; if the apothecary needs to close, then let it close. It’s time for him to retire and enjoy life. What’s wrong with that?"

Claire turned the conversation back to herself, "I don’t want Grandpa to shut down the apothecary."

Her voice was calm, yet it revealed a strong determination, showing her stance.

Regarding her career in traditional Chinese medicine, her father had always been unsupportive. He wanted to groom her as a successor; back when she applied for college entrance, he had changed her major to business and management without telling her.

Had she not discovered it in time, he would have succeeded.

She understood that he did these things just to ensure she could stand on her own two feet, learn how to manage the family business, and help Finn Prescott support the family, worried that no one would inherit the massive Prescott assets.

Therefore, every time she left home, he wouldn’t let her return to Kystral; the last time they parted, it ended in a huge fight for the same reason.

It led to a vicious cycle—her reluctance to come home was largely because of this. She didn’t want to face his fury again, or be manipulated and controlled by him.

This time, Jericho steered the conversation elsewhere, coldly asking, "Let’s leave the apothecary for now. You’re not young anymore. What are your thoughts on marriage? I heard you’ve been quite close with someone from The Lancasters."

Claire’s expression darkened immediately.

Jericho quickly added, "Let me be blunt upfront: I don’t approve of you being with him."

"Why?"

"He’s not suitable for you."

"So, according to you, who is suitable for me? Is it Ethan Lancaster or those playboys I played cards with last night?"

In the heat of the moment, Claire’s eyes welled up with tears. She left her breakfast unfinished, slammed her utensils down in anger, and ran out to the backyard.

The atmosphere immediately turned somber, the air so heavy it was suffocating.

Only father and son remained in the dining room.

And the brunt of their father’s anger, Finn Prescott silently bore.

At this moment, Jericho pressed his anger, asking in a low voice, "What happened with your sister and the card playing?"

Finn recounted the events of the previous day in full detail, but he omitted the part where his sister was grabbed by the neck and later brought someone home.

By the end of his recount, he quickly added, "Grandma just wanted her to meet more Valoria friends and hoped she would stay in Valoria."

Jericho’s brows remained tightly furrowed.

The whole family was worried sick about her future and marriage, yet she couldn’t comprehend this—instead, she chose someone from the Lowell Family in Kystral.

Isn’t this enough to drive them to their graves?

The two families had been archenemies for years, and in recent years, The Lancasters had been increasingly suppressing them. Losing a bit of money was not a big deal, but their dignity and face were at stake.

She’s out of touch with The Prescott Family, unaware of the family’s circumstances, let alone knowing Keane’s intentions for approaching her.

Looking at her eagerness,

it seemed clear that their relationship wasn’t exactly shallow.

"How involved are your sister and Keane?"

"Hard to say," Finn responded vaguely.

Indeed, it was hard to say.

Though he had secretly been keeping tabs on his sister’s activities over the years, he had no idea when she met Keane or how they ended up together.

"This is preposterous," Jericho muttered to himself.

Half of the breakfast was left uneaten. He went to the study, took a document, and silently left the house.

The breakfast ended on a sour note, leaving an awkward silence.

Finn glanced through the floor-to-ceiling window at the backyard.

Beneath the awning was only his sister, lying on a chair, her silhouette faintly revealing her ongoing anger.

He picked up a cup of hot milk and walked toward her, softly coaxing, "Drink the milk."

Claire looked at him resentfully before taking the cup and drinking more than half in one go, leaving the rest back on the table.

Seeing her frowning, as if he had put poison in the milk,

Finn sat down beside her, his voice unconsciously softening, "Heading back to Kystral so soon, is it because of Keane?"

"No."

"Then it’s for the Sinclair Apothecary," Finn stated, completing her thoughts, "Or maybe it’s because of the pressure from Dad, and you want to leave this place."

Claire ignored his words.

Finn advised, "Avoiding problems never solves them."

Mentioning avoidance again, Claire instantly became displeased, her voice rising, "Am I supposed to follow your plans and obediently be the rich girl in Valoria, and when I reach a certain age, let myself be married off, without even being able to have the things or the person I like? How is that different from being a puppet at someone else’s mercy?"

Finn’s voice was steady, "Father is strict, but he cares for you deeply."

"Not following his plans results, at best, in scolding, at worst, beatings. Is this what you call care? If Mom were here, she’d never let this happen."

At the mention of their mother, Claire’s gaze toward him turned cold.

With a sullen face, she stood up and left the backyard without looking back, heading upstairs alone.

Mrs. Prescott’s death was a knot in the family’s heart, a forbidden subject between the siblings.

Mentioning their mother made his sister resent him, not wanting to see or speak to him. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

It hadn’t changed over the years.

It had also become a weight he couldn’t lift.

He tried every possible way to compensate, to take care of her in their mother’s stead, but what she truly wished for was her mother’s impossible resurrection and safe return.

However, that was something that could never be realized.

...