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.”

instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then.

understand.” Kathleen always had difficulty

turned around

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

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

back to the Johnson

stepped into the house, she heard

had a gloomy expression on his face. “Where did you go? I hadn’t heard from

Benjamin,” Kathleen

a meal with them? That’s still no

was secretly angry, thinking that Kathleen was trying

confessed, “I met with Samuel

down the stairs. “And here I thought

two of us are only family members. He is

brother. It’ll be asking me

to care about all that. In the end, if you do somehow enrage him to the point where he no longer

Charles was rendered speechless.

promptly made her way

really promise to be his

him. “That’s right.

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

way for him to buy more time. I bet it’s so that he could get closer to her. Why is she so foolish,

deal like this, he won’t intervene if we decide to leave one day.

Charles pursed his lips.

feared that Kathleen would be the one to pay for

fool. “You should learn to trust

was taken aback by her

Kathleen marched up

deep, long sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever but she doesn’t

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

surprised. The

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.

is he inviting you

and me, but

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

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

on telling them?” Charles was

no desire