Chapter 204: Ancestral Land

On the fifth day after Claire left, Dennis suddenly felt the urge to visit Beck in the hospital.

He wanted to surprise her, so he didn't give her a heads-up.

With a carefully chosen gift in hand, he made his way to the hospital.

But when he pushed open the door to her room, it was empty.

The bed was neatly made, and the window was half-open.

Dennis was taken aback. He turned to a nearby nurse and asked, "Excuse me, where's the patient from this room? Did she get discharged?"

The nurse shook her head. "No, she hasn't."

At that moment, Beck and her parents were leaving the hospital, planning to grab lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Claire wore a simple yet elegant white dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, with a faint smile on her face.

Otis was waiting at the entrance in a gray Bugatti. He was overweight but dressed impeccably, exuding an air of wealth.

When Otis saw Claire, his eyes lit up, and he quickly got out of the car to greet her. "Claire, you're here." He pulled a small, fancy box from his pocket and handed it to her. "Got you a little something. Hope you like it."

Claire glanced at the logo on the box, recognizing it as a famous jewelry store.

She frowned slightly. "Otis, you always give me such expensive gifts. I really don't know how to thank you."

Otis smiled. "As long as you like it, that's all that matters."

Beck and Sabrina smiled happily.

After lunch, Otis insisted on taking Claire to the jewelry store. "Let's go try on some rings."

Claire didn't want to go, but seeing her parents nodding and smiling, she reluctantly followed Otis.

In the jewelry store, the staff greeted them warmly. "Mr. Jenkins, are you here to pick up the ring from last time?" Otis pointed to Claire. "Yes, let her try it on."

Claire put on the ring, which made her fingers look even more slender and elegant.

But there was no trace of a smile on her face.

She knew what Otis's intentions were with the ring, but she didn't want to be a trophy for him to show off.

She took off the ring and handed it back to the staff. "Thank you, but I don't think this ring suits me." She turned and walked out.

Otis quickly followed. "Claire, wait! If you don't like this one, we can look at others."

Meanwhile, Dennis received a call from his bodyguard, saying that Beck and Sabrina had returned to the hospital room.

He hurriedly went upstairs, but as he reached the door, he overheard a conversation that shocked him.

The door was half-open, and Dennis heard Beck and Sabrina talking inside.

"Claire is getting engaged. I'm so happy, but it's a pity I can't be there in person," Beck said with a hint of regret.

Dennis's steps halted abruptly. Engaged? Claire was getting engaged, and he hadn't heard a word about it?

He took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

"Mr. Murphy, how are you feeling?" He tried to keep his voice calm.

"Mr. Gonzalez, you're here!" Beck smiled at him. "I'm fine. What brings you here today?"

"I came to check on you." Dennis said, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at the bedside table, where an invitation card with Claire and Otis's names was prominently displayed.

Dennis's heart sank, and his fingers clenched into a fist.

He struggled to keep his cool and asked, "Mr. Murphy, Claire... is getting engaged?"

"Yes, to Otis," Beck nodded. "They make a good match."

Dennis felt like something was blocking his chest, making it hard to breathe.

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After leaving the room, he anxiously called Claire, but the call went unanswered, and his face darkened.

He turned to his bodyguard. "Find out where Claire's engagement is happening."

In the hospital parking lot, Otis looked at Claire with tenderness.

"Claire, tomorrow is our engagement day. Are you excited?" He reached out to hug her. Claire instinctively moved back, avoiding his embrace.

"I'm... okay," she said, feeling uneasy.

Otis didn't mind her reaction and smiled, holding her hand. "Tonight, our parents are meeting. Let's go see a movie."

Claire felt trapped as Otis held her hand tightly, a sense of resistance welling up inside her.

In the evening, in a luxurious private room of a five-star hotel, Beck's family and the Jenkins family were seated.

After some small talk, they got to the main topic.

"Mr. Jenkins, our company has been facing some trouble recently," Beck sighed. "Someone has been maliciously acquiring our company."

"Is that so?" Otis's father, Orion, frowned with concern. "Do you know who's behind it?"

"Not yet," Beck shook his head. "But Claire mentioned losing a necklace pendant, which was a family heirloom of a young man. It was an accident, but..."

Otis's mother, Kismet, briefly showed a change in expression but quickly regained her composure.

"Mr. Murphy, let's not dwell on unhappy matters," she smiled. "I think the kids make a great match. Let's finalize the wedding."

"Sure," Beck nodded. "But about our family's debt..."

"I'll handle your debt," Orion interrupted. "But you should give us something in

return... I noticed your family has a valuable piece of land."

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Beck and Sabrina's faces turned grim. That land was their family's heritage; they couldn't give it up easily.

"That's... not possible," Beck said, troubled.

"Why not?" Kismet's face darkened. "We're helping you with your debt. Can't you part with a piece of land?"

Kismet glared at Claire. "If that's the case, there's no need to discuss this marriage further."

At that moment, the door was forcefully pushed open, and a tall figure entered.

It was Dennis.

His gaze swept the room and landed on Claire.

Claire looked at him in shock, while Otis was visibly annoyed.

"Who are you? How dare you barge in here?" Otis stood up and demanded.

"I'm here for Claire," Dennis said calmly.

"For Claire?" Otis frowned and looked at Claire. "Who is he?"

"He's... a friend," Claire stood up, her tone uneasy.

She didn't understand why Dennis was here.

"A friend? You've never mentioned him," Otis's face darkened.

"There are many things you don't know."

Dennis smirked. "Claire, I need to talk to you. Come outside."

He turned and walked out, and Claire hesitated before following him.

"What are you doing? Can't you talk here?"

Otis tried to follow, but Beck held him back.