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.”

you spend my money instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then. “Or is

always had difficulty winning an

then turned around and

which had a sunny-side-up egg on it. The egg was

fork and took a bite of it. Instantaneously, the corner of his thin lips arched up ever so slightly. She can never escape

back to the Johnson

stepped into the house, she

“Where did you go? I hadn’t heard

and Benjamin,” Kathleen explained. “I

of Charles’ lips twitched. “You had only a meal with them? That’s still

thinking that Kathleen was

grinned. She then confessed, “I

the stairs. “And here I thought

things through with Samuel. From today onward, the two of us are only family members. He is something like a brother to me,

brother.

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

Charles was rendered speechless.

made her way

you really promise to be his family?” Charles found

“That’s right.

I do believe that it can be true. But if it’s Samuel, I don’t believe

proposal to merely be Kathleen’s family is probably just a way for him to buy more time. I bet it’s so that he could get closer to her. Why is

Samuel is planning. But, at least, with a deal like this, he won’t intervene if we decide to leave one day. Otherwise, once everything is settled, do you honestly believe that he will let

Charles pursed his lips.

though he was not afraid of Samuel, Charles feared that Kathleen would be the

a fool. “You should

aback by

marched up the

out a deep, long sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever but she doesn’t show it. Some things are better left unknown. Elsewise, it

when Maria brought over an invitation. “Ms. Johnson, this is

was surprised. The Morris

As she scanned through it, Kathleen began to grin from ear to

It’s from Felix Morris,” Maria answered. Kathleen immediately placed the invitation down. “It’s Christopher’s

inviting you over?” Charles

meant? Nothing was happening between Christopher and me, but in the

a heartbeat. “So should we give Christopher

go over on my own. It’s obvious that he wants to speak with me alone. So

on telling them?”

Kathleen had no desire to lie to