Chapter 122: A Misunderstanding About Blaine Jackson’s Kindness

A month had passed. 

"Claire, the day's nearly over. Are you heading home with me after work?" asked Ruby, a coworker who usually shared the same bus route as Claire Grace. 

"Oh, no need. I still have some tasks to finish," Claire replied with a warm smile before turning back to her work. She carefully wiped down the cosmetic tools Blaine Jackson had lent her, organizing the jars, brushes, and palettes neatly back into the makeup case. 

Since taking on the assistant role for Blaine, Claire had undergone a subtle transformation. With his patient guidance, she'd learned the art of applying a soft, dewy makeup look that made her skin appear luminous. Recently, she'd noticed a change in Lucas Zeller's demeanor toward her—his gaze lingered longer than usual, a sharp contrast to his previously indifferent attitude. He often looked like he had something to say, especially when she walked out the door looking her best. 

This change in Lucas's behavior had filled her with a quiet satisfaction. It was one of the reasons she'd agreed to work under Blaine in the first place. She hoped Lucas might begin to see her in a new light. 

"What are you smiling about?" a smooth, teasing voice suddenly broke her reverie. Startled, Claire's hand jerked, nearly tipping over a bottle of primer. 

"You're not just smiling—you're daydreaming on the clock!" Blaine's deep, amused tone carried a note of mock reprimand. "Let me guess, you're thinking about your jealous husband?" 

"Blaine!" Claire's cheeks flushed as she glanced up at him, unable to suppress a laugh. 

"Why do you keep calling him a jealous husband?" she asked, her tone light but curious. 

"Because it fits," Blaine replied, his cryptic smile suggesting more than he let on. He glanced at his watch and raised an eyebrow. "You're off the clock now. Will Lucas be picking you up, or are you heading home on your own?" 

"I'll go on my own. I don't want to make him go out of his way," Claire replied, her voice soft. 

Blaine clicked his tongue in mock disapproval, tapping her forehead lightly with his finger. "You're calling it being considerate, but I call it foolish. He's your husband. Picking you up is part of the job description. Besides, hasn't Blaire fully recovered from her hospital stay? He's got no excuses to be running around anymore." 

"Well, he still has to pick up groceries for dinner after work." 

"I thought you guys hired a housekeeper?" 

"Blaire decided to let her go," Claire said with a small shrug. 

Blaine groaned, throwing his hands up. "You two are hopeless! Letting that little troublemaker Blaire run the show? Do you realize how dangerous this situation is for you?" 

"What do you mean, dangerous?" Claire asked, genuinely puzzled. 

"Forget it. You wouldn't get it," Blaine said, shaking his head. He gestured toward a nearby client. "Since you're not calling Lucas, stay a bit longer and prep that client's base for me. I'll handle the rest of the makeup after I'm done." 

"Got it. Whose kit should I use for the client?" Claire asked, glancing at the neatly arranged cases around her. 

"Mine, of course. It's right there," Blaine replied without hesitation, pointing to his own pristine kit. He ignored the surprised glances from the other designers in the studio as he walked off. 

"Wow, Claire," Ruby said, stepping closer once Blaine was out of earshot. "He really treats you differently." 

"Huh? What do you mean?" Claire asked, looking confused. 

"That makeup case is Blaine's pride and joy. Apart from his former assistant, Lauren, he's never let anyone touch it, let alone share it. But he doesn't seem to mind when it's you." 

Another designer, Adam, chimed in, "Yeah, Claire. I think he really likes you. I mean, think about it—when you first joined us, the whole studio was under this weird, tense vibe. Then you walked in, and suddenly everything felt lighter. And when he introduced you to the team, did you notice he smiled? Not his usual business smile, but a real one." 

Claire waved her hands dismissively. "No, no, you've got it all wrong. Blaine and I go way back—he's actually a friend of my husband's friend. That's all there is to it." 

"Wait—you're married?" the team exclaimed in unison, eyes wide with surprise. 

Claire nodded sheepishly. "Yep. So, no more misunderstandings, okay?" 

Just then, Blaine's voice cut through the chatter. "Are you all planning to stand around gossiping, or are you going to get back to work?" 

The group scattered instantly, leaving Claire to focus on the client. She carried Blaine's case as if it were made of glass, determined to handle his "pride and joy" with the utmost care. 

---

Later that evening, as Lucas walked into the house with a bag of groceries, he heard a loud *thud* from the living room. His heart leaped as he dropped the bag and rushed in. 

"Blaire!" he called out, finding his sister sprawled on the floor beside the couch, surrounded by scattered strawberries. 

"Blaire, are you hurt?" Lucas knelt beside her, gently examining her ankle. 

"My ankle's fine, but everything else hurts," Blaire muttered, her face twisted in discomfort. She wrapped her arms around Lucas's waist, clinging to him like a child. 

Lucas stiffened, subtly stepping back to untangle her grip. "Should we go to the hospital to make sure?" he asked, his tone calm but distant. 

"No, it's fine," Blaire said quickly. "I just wanted some strawberries but couldn't reach them, so I tried jumping for them… and, well, you can see how that went." Her lashes lowered, masking the glimmer of unease in her eyes.