Valerie was pressured by her family to marry a divorced man in his thirties, so she understood Katherine's refusal to marry. Given the current situation, Caleb seemed kind to Katherine, so Valerie believed they should decide their own course.

"You know, sometimes I think you're very nice, just like my sister. No one understands me but you," Katherine said, hugging Valerie's arm affectionately.

Valerie smiled. "You can treat me like a sister."

When Matthew returned, Katherine was gone. Valerie, having showered, sat on the couch, applying medicine to herself. Seeing Matthew, she instinctively gathered the scattered medications. "Mr. Grant, I'm sorry. I'll clean this up."

Matthew frowned and stepped forward, clasping her wrist. "Are you afraid of me?"

Although he was used to people fearing him—like her friend earlier—seeing her fear made him feel bad. He appreciated that she looked him in the eye when speaking.

Valerie's cheeks flushed. "No, Mr. Grant. Could you please let go?"

Matthew misunderstood; she was embarrassed. She hadn't felt embarrassed earlier because others were present, but after showering, seeing him immediately brought last night's incident to mind, making her awkward.

"If you're not afraid, what are you hiding?" Matthew's eyes fell on her elbow. He took the swab from her, noticing her stiffness. He softened his voice. "Sit down."

His tone was commanding. Valerie froze, then realized he intended to treat her wound. She sat down instinctively.

"Raise your hand."

Valerie obeyed. Matthew's brow furrowed. He saw superficial cuts and two deeper gashes, but worse, her wound was water-rinsed, and blood was seeping. He thought, Does she have any common sense? She shouldn't have gotten the wound wet. He was angry. "You showered with that injury?"

Valerie, startled by his low tone, whispered, "I forgot." She had been chatting with Katherine and only remembered her wounds halfway through showering.

Matthew was speechless. She seems smart, but acts so foolishly.

He angrily applied a potion to her wound. "How did you get hurt?"

Despite her embarrassment, seeing his seriousness, Valerie smiled. She thought, He seems cold, but he's kind.

She told him about saving the elderly woman that morning. "The old lady is so poor. Her family is irresponsible; what if that car had hit her?"

"Indeed, those descendants are irresponsible," Matthew frowned, relating it to his own grandmother. He despised such neglect.