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.”

I’m your family and your brother, too. So why can’t you spend my money instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then.

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

turned

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

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

walked back to the Johnson

stepped into the house,

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

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

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

that Kathleen was trying to

grinned. She then confessed, “I met with

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

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

brother. It’ll be asking

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

Charles was rendered speechless.

promptly made her way

be his family?” Charles found

him. “That’s right. You don’t

I do believe that it can be true. But if it’s

is way too 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

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

Charles pursed his lips.

afraid of Samuel, Charles feared that Kathleen would be the one to pay for

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

was taken aback by

marched up the

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

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

surprised. The Morris

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

Maria answered. Kathleen immediately placed the invitation down.

he inviting you

me, but in the end, the Morris family misread the situation. They’re making a commotion out of nothing.” There was no readable expression on Kathleen’s clean face as she

a heartbeat. “So should we give

It’s obvious that he wants to speak with me alone. So what’s

on telling them?” Charles

no desire