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.”

your brother, too. So why can’t you spend my money instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then.

had difficulty winning

turned

had a sunny-side-up egg on it. The egg was round and reminded him of Kathleen’s adorable

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

into the house,

his face. “Where did you go?

and Benjamin,” Kathleen explained.

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

that Kathleen was trying to mislead him with a

grinned. She then confessed, “I met with Samuel as

I

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

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 happens, I won’t let you off so easily,” Kathleen uttered

Charles was rendered speechless.

made

promise to be his

him. “That’s right. You

else, then I do believe that it can be true. But

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

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

Charles pursed his lips.

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

a fool. “You should learn to trust in me

taken aback by her

marched up the

sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever

over an invitation. “Ms. Johnson, this is an invitation from the

surprised. The

took the invitation, then flipped it open. As she scanned through it, Kathleen

Morris,” Maria answered. Kathleen immediately placed the

inviting you

what’s going on between Christopher and me. Now, do you understand what I meant? Nothing was happening between Christopher and me, but

“So should we give Christopher a call

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

plan on

Kathleen had no desire