Blind date turned proposal (Josie and Dexter)

Upon hearing those words, the man instantly looked up, his aura partially unfurling. "Mrs. Olsen, have you forgotten that the child is ours? Even as the father, I wouldn't dare to utter such words. Yet you, being only the grandmother, dare to do so. Isn't it overstepping your boundary?"

Claudia looked at him. This young man always had an aura about him that was hard to surpass, but I'm not afraid. "If I'm not mistaken, she hasn't remarried you yet. Aren't you rushing things a bit by trying to win her over so eagerly?"

"I appear to have lost a piece of my memory. Has Josie recognized you all as her family?" Dexter retorted.

"You!"

The two stood off against each other, but it was Dexter who first eased the tension. He lifted his hand and added some more tea to Claudia's cup.

"The tea leaves are precious. The process from picking to drying isn't easy for the attendants. You probably saw it when you came in earlier. It's best not to waste them."

Claudia stared at the rippling tea. "I've met the one outside. They're your elder."

As soon as the term 'elder' was mentioned, Dexter immediately burst into laughter. He then looked up, "So, a cousin who's just a bit older than me also counts as an elder?"

Claudia remained silent.

"She was ignorant of the world's ways, venting her temper on the wrong person. This was a deserved punishment for her."

Claudia frowned. Even though she's his family member, he disrespectfully has her doing menial tasks in public. It's not a good look.

However, Dexter simply didn't care.

Noticing her silence, Dexter turned to look at the scenery outside. "You mentioned appeasement earlier, but this is not appeasement. It's only natural for a mother to name her child. There's no question of appeasement here."

He spoke with such calm rationality that it even made Claudia waver. She narrowed her eyes. "He's also of your family's bloodline. Don't you feel even a little..."

"I don't mind at all," Dexter quickly interjected, looking at her. "As long as she's happy, I'm okay with anything."

Claudia found the man somewhat inscrutable. "People have been saying that Mr. Russell spent two years in seclusion, sinking into a world of his own and changing significantly. Now it seems that truly is the case. In the past, you would have only kept her tethered to you. Now, you've learned how to step back."

Though that statement appeared to be a compliment, it was actually not very pleasant to hear.

Dexter had just taken a sip of the honeysuckle flower tea when Moses returned with Grape. She bounced ahead with vitality, occasionally bending down to right a small flower knocked over by the wind. Dexter subconsciously grinned. "Grape is living a happy life here, oblivious to everything. You shouldn't trouble a child, and of course, I won't let you do that."

Given the influence of the Russell family, it was naturally impossible for Claudia to forcibly take Grape away. If Josie was willing to leave the child there, it must have been a carefully considered decision. Seeing Claudia remain silent, Dexter asked again, "What do you think? Does she resemble Josie as a child?"

Claudia's anger had already subsided by half. "It's as though they're from the same mold."

"As a mother yourself, you should understand parents will do anything to pave the way for their children."

Upon hearing that, Claudia finally picked up her teacup and emptied it in one gulp, yet her expression remained unpleasant. "Dexter, regardless of your intentions, there's no way the Olsen family would allow the child to bear the surname Warren. You can relay this message to Josie. This is my stance."

After leaving the lounge, Grape happened to be running in that direction. Without looking up, she ran straight into Claudia's arms.