By the time she returned to the film set, Chase Childs had already driven away, but Holly Summers was still in a daze.

She racked her brain for a long time but couldn’t figure out what Chase Childs had meant by his words.

She muttered something under her breath, then gasped softly as if struck by a sudden revelation, immediately covering her mouth.

"No way..." Holly Summers muttered to herself, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. "Assistant Childs... he actually... likes President Quinn?!"

’Even though he doesn’t usually like talking to women, who would have ever guessed he was into men?’

’So why did he tell me his secret? Does he see me as a friend? Trusts me? Or was it just that he saw President Quinn risk everything to save Clara, and seeing the man he loves deeply in love with someone else, he was just heartbroken and needed someone to vent to?’

’No, that’s not right,’ Holly Summers immediately dismissed her own idea. ’He never actually said it outright.’

’All that stuff about, "If I were a woman, I would fall in love with him too," and "No matter how great he is, he belongs to someone else now," and "That would not only be disrespectful to them, but it would also mean we aren’t cherishing ourselves"... He was being super cryptic.’

’He probably took me for an idiot, thinking I wouldn’t be able to read between the lines.’

’But no matter what, I’ll keep his secret.’

...

Even though Seth Quinn said he wasn’t hungry, Clara Grant ordered takeout anyway. It was food from a hotel restaurant he had specifically requested. His explanation was that since he was being physically deprived, he had to at least satisfy his soul.

’Well,’ Clara Grant had to admit, ’eating a delicious meal was indeed one way to satisfy the soul.’

Since Seth Quinn couldn’t move his hand easily, Clara Grant took on the task of feeding him.

With every dish, Seth Quinn would exclaim how delicious it was and insist she try a bite. After tasting them, Clara Grant had to agree that everything was delicious.

And so, as the feeding went on, it eventually turned into a cycle of one bite for him, one bite for her.

When they were both nearly finished eating, Seth Quinn suddenly beckoned to Clara Grant with a slight crook of his finger. As Clara leaned closer, Seth Quinn moved his mouth toward hers. Clara thought he was about to kiss her again and started to turn her head, but he had already extended his tongue and flicked it lightly across the corner of her lips.

By the time a confused Clara Grant looked at him, he had already chewed with great relish, swallowed, and then declared with a perfectly straight face, "Wasting food is a disgrace. Not a single grain can go to waste."

Clara Grant then realized he had just eaten the stray grain of rice from the corner of her lips.

She suddenly felt like she couldn’t even look at Seth Quinn anymore. She grimaced. "Aren’t you grossed out?"

Seth Quinn looked completely unconcerned. "Of course I don’t think you’re gross!"

Clara Grant jabbed her spoon to the bottom of the bowl, scooped up a mouthful of soup, and shoved it into his mouth.

"I never said I was gross! You’re the gross one!"

With the soup still in his mouth, Seth Quinn furrowed his brow slightly. He mumbled something indistinctly and beckoned to her again with his finger.

Clueless and completely unsuspecting, Clara Grant leaned in again. She had just opened her mouth to say, "Wha—" when her lips were captured by his with unerring accuracy.

The moment her mouth was open, Seth Quinn took the opportunity to pass the mouthful of soup from his mouth into hers.

Clara Grant swallowed the entire mouthful of soup without thinking.

"..."

’She swore to herself that she would never, ever fall for his tricks again!’

Seth Quinn’s lips didn’t leave hers. His voice, muffled and tinged with laughter, was slightly unclear. "I knew you wouldn’t think I’m gross either!"

Before Clara could even react, he followed up with several more hard kisses. Unable to dodge, she could only take them all.

"COUGH, COUGH!"

Two pointed coughs suddenly sounded from the doorway of the hospital room. Startled, Clara Grant immediately sat bolt upright.