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.”

So why can’t you spend my money instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then. “Or

understand.” Kathleen always had difficulty winning

then turned around

his plate, which had a sunny-side-up egg on it.

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

back to the

the house, she heard

face. “Where did you go? I hadn’t

Benjamin,” Kathleen explained. “I even bought you

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

that Kathleen was

“I

fell down the stairs. “And here I thought it was him who

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.

his brother.

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,

Charles was rendered speechless.

made her

promise to be his family?” Charles found the

“That’s right.

can be true. But

cunning. His 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 she so foolish, though? She actually bought

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

Charles pursed his lips.

Kathleen would be the one to pay

a fool. “You should learn

was taken aback by

marched up the

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

was having breakfast when Maria brought over an

was surprised. The Morris

invitation, then flipped it open. As she scanned through it, Kathleen began to grin from ear to ear. “This is

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

he inviting you

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

turned awkward in a heartbeat. “So should we give Christopher a call

that he wants to speak with me alone. So what’s the use of

what do you plan on telling them?” Charles

had no