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.”

peeved by then. “Or is it that

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

then turned around

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

bite of it. Instantaneously, the corner of his

back to the Johnson

stepped into the house,

gloomy expression on his face. “Where did

had a meal with Gemma and Benjamin,” Kathleen

only a meal with them? That’s

that Kathleen was trying to mislead him with

confessed, “I met with Samuel as

I thought it was

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

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

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

Charles was rendered speechless.

promptly made her

you really promise to be his family?” Charles

“That’s right. You don’t believe it’s

be true.

more time. I bet it’s so that he could get closer

then 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

Charles pursed his lips.

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

fool. “You should learn to trust in me

taken aback

Kathleen marched

then let out a deep, long sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever but she doesn’t show it. Some

breakfast when Maria brought over an invitation. “Ms. Johnson, this is an invitation from the

was surprised. The

she scanned through it, Kathleen began to grin from ear

answered. Kathleen immediately placed the

inviting

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 the end, the Morris family misread

heartbeat. “So

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

you plan on telling them?”

truth.” Kathleen had no desire to lie to