All Too Late

“Well then, when did your affair with Christopher begin?” Samuel asked coldly.

Kathleen leered at him sideways. “Do you truly want to know? Aren’t you afraid of getting triggered?”

“I am,” Samuel answered. His tone was bone-chilling.

“So don’t ask.” Kathleen paused, hesitating. She then continued, “I take a person’s privacy very seriously. Hence, I have no interest in sharing my private life with outsiders.”

Kathleen’s word echoed in Samuel’s mind. Outsiders?

A shadow gradually enshrouded his eyes. She called me family not long ago, but now I’m an outsider?

“It’s done. You can eat now.” Kathleen turned off the fire at the stove.

She then moved the plate of pasta out to the dining room.

Meanwhile, Samuel tried to stamp out the hostility in his eyes, attempting to regain his composure. “Thank you.”

“All right, enjoy your meal. I’m heading home now.” Kathleen removed her apron and got ready to leave.

Samuel paused for a moment, then asked, “Would you stay and talk for a bit?”

Kathleen gazed at him serenely. “I’m going to bed. The face of a female celebrity is of utmost importance. No botox injections can compare to the benefits of beauty sleep.”

Samuel stared at her in return.

Kathleen had spoken calmly without spite. She was merely stating a fact.

It appeared as if she was undeniably treating Samuel as an average family member.

“Okay, then. Goodnight,” Samuel uttered in disbelief.

Nevertheless, there was nothing he could do about it.

He had no other choice. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to grow closer to Kathleen in his entire lifetime.

When Kathleen approached the doorway, she swiveled around. “Samuel, please revoke my VIP status from the malls.”

Samuel looked at her coldly. “All you need to do is not spend your money there. I’ll stop the subscriptions then.”

“I’ll pay you back next time.” Kathleen desired a clean slate with him.

Samuel glared at her. “Will you be spending Charles’ money?”

“Of course.” Kathleen tipped her head up, then declared proudly, “He’s my brother after all.”

slightly peeved by then. “Or is it that you don’t want to

right, I understand.” Kathleen always had difficulty winning

then turned around

egg on it. The

fork and took a bite of it. Instantaneously, the corner of his thin lips arched

back to the

the house,

face. “Where did you go? I hadn’t heard

a meal with Gemma and Benjamin,” Kathleen explained. “I even bought you a

lips twitched. “You had only a meal with them? That’s still no

thinking that Kathleen was trying to mislead

confessed, “I

the stairs. “And here I thought it was

ease. “Charles, relax. I talked things through with Samuel. From today onward, the two of us are only family members. He is something like a brother to me, and so are you. The two of you

will never be his brother. It’ll be asking me to

bothered to care about all that. In the end, if you do somehow enrage him to the point where he no longer wants to be my family, he’ll come pestering me once again. When that happens, I won’t let you off so easily,” Kathleen uttered

Charles was rendered speechless.

made her way

his family?” Charles found

“That’s right. You don’t

then I do believe that it can be true. But if it’s

cunning. His proposal to merely be Kathleen’s family is probably just a way for him to buy more time.

planning. But, at least, with a deal like this, he won’t intervene if we decide to leave one day. Otherwise,

Charles pursed his lips.

was not afraid of Samuel, Charles feared that Kathleen would be the one to pay for it if Samuel did

fool. “You

aback by

Kathleen marched

figure, then let out a deep, long sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever but she doesn’t show it. Some things

an

was surprised. The Morris

it open. As she scanned through it, Kathleen began to

Morris,” Maria answered. Kathleen immediately placed the

is he inviting you over?” Charles

he wants to ask about what’s going on between Christopher and me. Now, do you understand what I meant? Nothing was happening between Christopher and me, but in the end, the Morris family misread

“So should

is asking me to go over on my own. It’s obvious that he wants to speak with me alone. So what’s the use of calling

plan on

Kathleen had no desire to lie