My Sweetheart

“One part is mine,” Joseph laughed in the face of Kathy’s expression.

Kathy shrugged. Getting out of bed, the two of them sat at the table. Joseph poured her soup, and added condiments for her, his ministrations precise and gentle. Kathy was at a loss. One day he’d treat another woman like this. The thought wrenched at her.

Impulsively she asked, “Hasn’t Grandfather pushed you to remarry?” She remembered that when she’d become part of their household, Grandfather had been quite nervous about their marriage.

“He hasn’t been around, so no.”

“Oh.”

“You really want me to remarry?” he feigned hurt.

She furrowed her brow. “Not really.”

“Why?”

“No reason,” Kathy replied, and left it at that. The thought of him marrying another woman was torture for her.

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t,” he told her seriously.

Hearing this, she looked up, unable to hide her surprise. “It’s your affair, not mine,” she said evenly, concealing her joy.

“Is that so?” Joseph asked, giving her a long hard look.

Kathy felt she could hide nothing from him. “Of course it is. Or else what?” she countered.

He laughed lowly. “I don’t want to hurt my ex-wife.”

“You won’t,” she insisted.

He stayed with her till that evening, to the point where she asked him, “Won’t you go home?”

alone?” The room

“No.”

Then I’ll go.” With

Kathy’s face crumpled. Just the sight of him walking

tracks, turned,

here,” she forced herself to

up to me?” he asked, bending at the waist till

her on purpose! Regaining her senses, she said, “I got hurt at your company, shouldn’t you

right. How?” he asked

herself into? “Well, of course you…” But before she could finish, a searing kiss had covered her lips, a familiar scent filling her nose. Her eyes went wide in shock. He settled her against the head of the bed, wrapped her up in his arms.

snapped out of it, she wanted to push him away, but the kiss didn’t last long anyway. Breathing deeply, she forced herself to say, “Get

smirked. “All right. Just couldn’t help myself.” Kathy grabbed a tissue to scrub at her lips. He didn’t even look, just went to sit on the sofa and said deeply, “Since your getting hurt involves me, I’ll

A tense atmosphere permeated the room, yet even so, she gradually drifted to sleep. Joseph watched as

stopped short. “For

is

Kathy’s friend, while

mention Bertie as a friend. At this, Bertie’s complexion changed, and his hands

Bertie, sitting on an opposite end

woken Kathy, but she didn’t want to open her eyes. Yet with

who do you want to stay with you?” Joseph

sleep any longer. Opening her eyes to see both handsome men, she felt prickles along her scalp. Evenly she said, “Both

Get some rest.” Joseph

Bertie, his expression determined, did not. Sternly Kathy said, “Bertie, I’m

don’t want to see

with him. Once the room was quiet, for some reason she couldn’t fall asleep. All she could think of

Joseph leaned against the wall, watching Bertie exit. Bertie asked with narrowed eyes, “What, have you still

you very interested in