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

I understand.” Kathleen always had

turned around and

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

it. Instantaneously, the corner of his thin lips arched

to the Johnson

moment she stepped into the house,

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

and Benjamin,” Kathleen explained. “I even bought you a

meal with them? That’s still

was trying

grinned. She then confessed, “I

here I thought it was him who was pestering

family members. He is something like a brother to me, and so are you. The two of you are

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

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

Charles was rendered speechless.

made her way

to be his

him. “That’s right. You don’t believe it’s

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

to buy more time. I bet

spoke with indifference. “Charles, not even I know what 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

Charles pursed his lips.

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

was not a fool. “You should learn to trust in

taken aback

Kathleen marched up the

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

next morning, Kathleen was having breakfast when Maria brought over an invitation.

surprised. The

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

Maria answered. Kathleen immediately placed the invitation down. “It’s Christopher’s

is he inviting you

me. Now, do you understand what I meant? Nothing was happening between Christopher and me, but in the

heartbeat. “So

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

what do you plan on telling

truth.” Kathleen had no desire to lie