“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.”
“And I’m your family and your brother, too. So why can’t you spend my money instead?” Samuel was slightly peeved by then. “Or is it that you don’t want to be family with me? I don’t mind either way.”
“All right, I understand.” Kathleen always had difficulty winning an argument against Samuel.
She then turned around and left.
Samuel stared at his plate, which had a sunny-side-up egg on it. The egg was round and reminded him of Kathleen’s adorable face.
He picked up his fork and took a bite of it. Instantaneously, the corner of his thin lips arched up ever so slightly. She can never escape from me.
Kathleen walked back to the Johnson residence.
The moment she stepped into the house, she heard Charles coughing.
He had a gloomy expression on his face. “Where did you go? I hadn’t heard from you the entire day!”
“I had a meal with Gemma and Benjamin,” Kathleen explained. “I even bought you a necktie!”
The corner of Charles’ lips twitched. “You had only a meal with them? That’s still no excuse to return so late.”
He was secretly angry, thinking that Kathleen was trying to mislead him with a necktie.
Kathleen grinned. She then confessed, “I met with Samuel as well.”
Charles nearly fell down the stairs. “And here I thought it was him who was pestering you.”
Meanwhile, Kathleen felt at ease. “Charles, 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 me, and so are you. The two of you are brothers henceforth. Please do get along well!”
Charles laughed sarcastically, “Haha! I will never be his brother. It’ll be asking me to stoop to his level.”
“Do as you please then. I 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 wants to be my family, he’ll come pestering me once again. When that happens, I won’t let you off so easily,” Kathleen uttered nonchalantly.
Charles was rendered speechless.
Kathleen promptly made her way upstairs.
“Did you really promise to be his family?” Charles found the entire notion inexplicable.
Kathleen peered at him. “That’s right. You don’t believe it’s true?”
“If it’s someone else, then I do believe that it can be true. But if it’s Samuel, I don’t believe it at all.” Charles scoffed.
That man 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 he could get closer to her. Why is she so foolish, though? She actually bought it.
Kathleen gazed at Charles flatly. She 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 decide to leave one day. Otherwise, once everything is settled, do you honestly believe that he will let us go?”
Charles pursed his lips.
Even though he was not afraid of Samuel, Charles feared that Kathleen would be the one to pay for it if Samuel did end up plaguing them.
Kathleen sighed. She was not a fool. “You should learn to trust in me more.”
Charles was taken aback by her words.
Then, Kathleen marched up the stairs.
Charles gazed after her slim figure, then let out a deep, long sigh. Perhaps she’s actually clever but she doesn’t show it. Some things are better left unknown. Elsewise, it would be utterly meaningless.
The next morning, Kathleen was having breakfast when Maria brought over an invitation. “Ms. Johnson, this is an invitation from the Morris family.”
Kathleen was surprised. The Morris family?
She took the invitation, then flipped it open. As she scanned through it, Kathleen began to grin from ear to ear. “This is from Christopher?”
“No, Ms. Johnson. It’s from Felix Morris,” Maria answered. Kathleen immediately placed the invitation down. “It’s Christopher’s grandfather.”
“Why is he inviting you over?” Charles questioned.
“I’m guessing he wants to 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 the situation. They’re making a commotion out of nothing.” There was no readable expression on Kathleen’s clean face as she spoke.
Charles turned awkward in a heartbeat. “So should we give Christopher a call then?”
“Felix is asking me to go over on my own. It’s obvious that he wants to speak with me alone. So what’s the use of calling Christopher?” Kathleen stated coldly.
“So, what do you plan on telling them?” Charles was curious.
“The truth.” Kathleen had no desire to lie to Felix.
Charles paused for a moment. He then asked, “Should I accompany you?”
“There’s no need. I won’t be gone long,” Kathleen muttered.
She decided to explain everything and then come straight home.
However, Charles was still worried about her.
Once they were done having breakfast, Kathleen packed her things and left the house.
She drove to meet with Felix all by herself.
Felix did not reside with Christopher. Instead, Felix stayed at the old Morris mansion.
Kathleen drove her car in and came to a stop in the courtyard. Then, she got out of her car promptly.
A man who looked like a butler strolled over to her. “Ms. Johnson, this way into the house, please.”
Kathleen nodded lightly and followed the butler into the mansion.
After they stepped into the mansion, the butler led her up to the second floor, which surprised her.
“The second floor is where Old Mr. Morris lives and receives guests.” The butler intentionally emphasized his last word.
Kathleen was unconcerned about being referred to as a guest. She simply replied, “Okay.”
Soon enough, they arrived on the second floor, which did indeed have a living room.
“Ms. Johnson, please wait here for a moment. Mr. Morris came over to keep Old Mr. Morris company last night. Hence, Old Mr. Morris got into bed rather late. I’ll go and get him now,” said the butler calmly.
Kathleen nodded. “It’s all right. I’m not in a rush.”
“Please make yourself at home, Ms. Johnson.” The butler then turned around and strode toward the room at the inner part of the mansion.
Kathleen remained standing in the lounge as she examined its layout.
The living room’s design had more of an eastern style to it. Furthermore, there were numerous bookshelves as well.
It appeared as if the room was an amalgamation of a living room and a study.
It was evident from the room’s layout that Felix led a life of silence and tranquility.
All of a sudden, there was a noise coming from a room nearby.
The door opened, and Christopher walked out of the room. His clothes were disheveled.
He was stunned the moment he laid eyes upon Kathleen. Why is she here?
Kathleen, on the other hand, was not surprised. After all, the butler did mention that Christopher accompanied Felix until late last night. It’s obvious that he spent the night here.
Just as Kathleen was thinking to herself, a woman stepped out of the same room as Christopher. The woman had on a thin dress. She implored, “Christopher, don’t go.”
