CHAPTER 428: CHAPTER 428: A SENSE OF FAMILIARITY

"Mr. Lockwood, be careful." Quinn Lockwood supported Mr. Lockwood’s arm, her fair fingertips slightly curled.

Mr. Lockwood seemed startled by the recent encounter, pressing harder against his chest, a fleeting trace of pain on his face.

"Thank you." He turned around to see who it was, and upon recognizing Quinn, a hint of surprise flashed across his face, followed by a warm and amiable smile.

"Child, it’s you." Mr. Lockwood turned around, gently patting Quinn Lockwood on the shoulder with affection.

Quinn smiled gently and nodded. The instant she met Mr. Lowell’s gaze, she felt like she turned into an infant in a cradle.

The feeling was so peculiar, bringing a serene calmness like a leaf floating on a tranquil lake, only to be gently stirred by an occasional breeze.

"Chairman, is your heart condition acting up again? Did you see a doctor? How is it, is it nothing serious?" Quinn Lockwood, a bit anxious, bombarded him with several questions, eager to confirm that Mr. Lockwood was in good health.

Mr. Lockwood was momentarily taken aback by Quinn’s barrage of questions. After a slight pause, his smile became even more amiable, with a touch of warmth.

"It’s just an old problem. As people age, ah, they tend to have these issues. It’s nothing major."

"What about you, child? Why are you back at the hospital? Is anyone in the family sick?" Mr. Lockwood looked at Quinn Lockwood with some concern, wondering if Franklin Lowell’s health was at stake.

After all, both of them were getting on in years. Like himself, Franklin Lowell had been too driven when young, leaving him with quite a few ailments.

Quinn shook her head, her tone slightly soft as she told Mr. Lockwood, "It’s not my father, it’s me..."

"I had a cold a few days ago, yes, caught a chill while playing outside, and ended up with a cold." Quinn quickly came up with this excuse in a flash, after all, she couldn’t possibly tell Mr. Lockwood that she got rained on after a fight with Elias Sinclair, right?

Upon hearing this, Mr. Lockwood’s thick eyebrows furrowed instantly, his expression a sincere worry: "A cold is not to be underestimated, one of my friends who is an expert in Chinese medicine sent me a box of herbs for boosting immunity, I’ll have someone send it to the Sinclair Family."

Quinn was a bit surprised, opening her mouth in disbelief, before quickly shaking her head and saying, "No need, no need, thank you so much, Chairman. I’m really fine now; I can’t accept such a valuable gift from you."

After all, they were the herbs Mr. Lockwood’s expert friend had given him for his own health. How could she accept them?

"Why can’t you accept it? Look at you, so slender, your health is probably a bit delicate. Ariana is sturdier than you but still gets little ailments now and then."

"Child, you don’t have to call me Chairman anymore, you can call me Uncle Lockwood or Uncle Jonathan." Mr. Lockwood gently pressed down Quinn’s hand that was refusing his offer, affectionately patting her shoulder.

"I’ve felt a special affection for you since the day we met, a sense of familiarity, like you are my daughter too."

Hearing this, Quinn could no longer suppress the wave of emotions swirling within her.

I am... I am your daughter.

"I really like you too, Uncle Jonathan. To Savannah, you also feel like a father." Quinn looked at Mr. Lockwood with bright eyes, trying hard to suppress the urge to hug him.

It’s so hard, having a father right in front of you and yet unable to acknowledge him.

Mr. Lockwood’s smile deepened at Quinn’s words, as he leaned closer to her, pretending to joke: "Don’t let your father hear that; he’s famous for doting on his daughter. If he knew I held such an important place in your heart, he might get so jealous that he’d come to the Lockwood Group to find trouble with me."

"Alright, child, I have to consult with Director Warren, the time is almost up. I’ll have someone send the items over soon, be sure to take them."

Mr. Lockwood smiled, glanced at his watch, and shook his head slightly as if with a little helplessness.

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Jonathan. I’ll make sure to finish it all." Quinn nodded earnestly, as if promising something important.

She reluctantly watched Mr. Lockwood leave until his figure completely disappeared around the corner.

Why... why are my eyes starting to tear up again?

Quinn sniffed, tilting her head back to urge the oncoming tears to retreat.

After completing the discharge procedures, Quinn returned to the ward to find Elias Sinclair already waiting inside, with all the packed items on the bed gone.

"Have you handled the procedures? Didn’t we agree to wait for me to come back?" Elias’s gaze fell on the bill in Quinn’s hand, asking in a low voice.

Quinn glanced at him, her voice flat as she replied, "I just wanted to get home early to rest."

With that, Quinn stopped interacting with Elias, going to the coat rack to fetch her bag and hang it over her shoulder.

The man’s gaze lowered slightly. He took off his suit jacket and walked towards Quinn, taking the bag hanging from her shoulder and draped the jacket over her.

"Then let’s go home now. I was planning to take you to dinner at a succulent place, but since you want to go home, I’ll just have them pack some and send it to the house." Elias adjusted the collar around Quinn, casually hanging her pale pink handbag over his shoulder.

The man was tall and upright, his black shirt fitting so perfectly it seemed to grow on him. The contrasting bag on his shoulder was dainty and delicate against his noble demeanor, surprisingly blending into a sense of gentle tenderness and indulgence.

Some part of Quinn’s heart felt suffocated, carried away by an indescribable feeling that enveloped her entirely.

Upon returning home, Grandpa Sinclair and Nina Sinclair sat worriedly on the living room couch, waiting for Quinn to come home. There was a beautifully packaged box on the table, containing the herbs sent by Mr. Lockwood.

"Savannah, how did you get sick without telling Grandpa? If Jonathan hadn’t sent the medicine, how long would you have hidden it from me?" Grandpa Sinclair greeted her with his cane the moment she walked in, lovingly scanning her from top to bottom.

"Grandpa, it’s just a minor cold, nothing serious." Quinn quickly supported his arm, her gaze lingering on the red box on the table, a faint complexity crossing her eyes.