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. “Or is it that you don’t want to

right, I understand.” Kathleen always had difficulty winning an argument

turned around

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

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

to the

moment she stepped into the

his face. “Where did you go? I hadn’t heard from you the

Gemma and Benjamin,”

had only a meal with them? That’s still no excuse to return

thinking that Kathleen was trying to mislead him

“I met

I thought it was him who was pestering

Kathleen felt at 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.

be his brother. It’ll be asking me to stoop to his

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

Charles was rendered speechless.

made her

really promise to be his family?” Charles found the entire notion

him. “That’s right. You

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

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

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.

that Kathleen would be the one to pay for it if Samuel

“You should learn to trust in

aback by

marched up the

after her slim figure, then let out a deep, long sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever but she doesn’t show

having breakfast when Maria brought over an invitation. “Ms.

surprised. The

open. As she scanned through it,

It’s from Felix Morris,” Maria answered. Kathleen immediately

he inviting you over?”

happening between Christopher and me, but in the end, the Morris family misread the

“So should

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

on telling

had no