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.”

spend my money instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then. “Or is it that you don’t want to be

understand.” Kathleen always had

then turned

a sunny-side-up egg on it. The egg was round and reminded him

corner of his thin lips arched up ever so slightly. She can

walked back to the Johnson

stepped into the house,

did you

with Gemma and Benjamin,” Kathleen explained.

had only a meal with

thinking that Kathleen was trying to mislead

grinned. She then confessed, “I met with Samuel

stairs. “And here I thought it was him who

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 are

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

you please then. I can’t be 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

Charles was rendered speechless.

made

be his family?”

“That’s right. You

can be true.

buy more time. I bet it’s so that he

a deal like this, he won’t intervene

Charles pursed his lips.

afraid of Samuel, Charles feared that Kathleen would be

a fool. “You should learn to trust

was taken aback by her

marched up

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

brought over an invitation. “Ms. Johnson, this

surprised. The

scanned through it, Kathleen began to grin from

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

inviting you over?” Charles

what I meant? Nothing was happening between Christopher and me, but in the end, the Morris family misread the

awkward in a heartbeat. “So should we give Christopher

me to go over on my own. It’s obvious that he wants to

on telling

truth.” Kathleen had no