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.”

was slightly peeved by

always had difficulty winning

then turned around and

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

up his fork and took a bite of it. Instantaneously, the corner of his thin lips arched up ever so

to the

moment she stepped into the house, she

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

Benjamin,” Kathleen explained. “I even bought you

had only a meal with them? That’s

thinking that Kathleen was trying

grinned. She then confessed, “I met with

down the stairs. “And here I thought

things through with Samuel. From today onward, the two of us are only family members. He is something

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

can’t be bothered 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.

made her

be his family?” Charles found the entire

him. “That’s right. You don’t believe

true.

Kathleen’s family is probably just a way for him to buy more time. I bet it’s so that he could get closer to her. Why is she so foolish, though?

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,

Charles pursed his lips.

feared that Kathleen would be the one to pay for it if Samuel did end up plaguing

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

was taken aback by

marched up

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

an invitation. “Ms. Johnson, this is an

surprised. The Morris

scanned through it, Kathleen began to

answered. Kathleen

he inviting you

meant? Nothing was happening between Christopher and me, but in the end, the Morris family misread the situation.

turned awkward in a heartbeat. “So should we

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

on telling them?”

had no desire