Chapter 1043


    As Jepherson and Santiago walked out of the Moore family''s home, they each got into their own


    cars. Jepherson then sped off. Santiago hurried after him. From expressways to local streets, the


    two siblings went about racing each other. Jepherson led the high- speed car chase as he drove to


    the top of a hill. Refusing to concede defeat, Santiago tried to y catch- up. He stopped when he


    was a dozen or so meters away from Jepherson. Then, he got out of the car.


    As they reached the top of the hill, Jepherson looked for somewhere to sit. Santiago followed suit.


    The two siblings did not talk. They sat there for a while. As it was gettingte, Santiago yawned and


    said he was feeling drowsy. They then made a move.


    When they arrived at the foot of the hill, Jepherson told Santiago, "Head to the school and pick


    Raeleigh up. Let''s go for a meal."


    "Why don''t you go?" Santiago said as he leaned back in his seat. "Well, can you cook us a meal


    then?" Jepherson asked.


    "I’ll pick her up then," Santiago replied. Cooking was particrly bothersome to him.


    He recalled an incident in his childhood. He was about three years old then. Hansen told him to get


    something to eat. Hansen meant to say that he could help himself with some light snacks such as


    cookies or apples.


    However, Santiago took it out of context. He went ahead to cook up a storm. Roast chicken was his


    favorite.


    Then, he got off the couch and dashed into the kitchen. His mother was not at home then. His


    nannies were not around to look after him either. He then went about searching for a chicken in the


    freezer. Before long, he managed to find a frozen chicken in the lowerpartment of the freezer. It


    had been a herculean task for him.


    He was ooh-ing and aah-ing the moment heid eyes on the chicken.


    He put the chicken on the gas stove. He then turned on the gas stove and began roasting the


    chicken.


    Ever since then, Santiago would feel a giddy sensation whenever he entered the kitchen. Therefore,


    he avoided kitchens like the gue these days. Truth be told, he had been wreaking havoc in the


    kitchen practically every year during his childhood.


    In view of this, Jenna jokingly used to exhort that under no circumstances should Santiago get a


    house that was equipped with a kitchen lest his life was in jeopardy. She imed that it was better


    to eat out or order food via food delivery tforms than to risk his life.


    Santiago stepped on the elerator pedal and whizzed away. Jepherson made a detour to


    Raeleigh''s school.


    Stuart was at Santiago''s vi. He was busy preparing a meal. Jepherson had instructed him to


    prepare some nutritious meals as Raeleigh would be dropping by.


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    While he was preparing a meal, Jepherson drove into the vi.


    Raeleigh'' s lecture had just ended. She then headed straight to the dormitory. The moment shey


    down, Santiago called. It was as if he had timed the call.


    As the phone conversation ended, Raeleigh told Scarlette to get ready to leave the dormitory. Then,


    they headed straight to the school gate. Soon after that, they saw Santiago’s car. Raeleigh hurriedly


    walked towards his car. She bent down and looked into the car to ascertain that it was Santiago


    sitting in the car. Then, she heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that he had managed to cheat death


    once again.


    Raeleigh pulled up the door handle and got into the back passenger seat. Scarlette went in after


    her. She then locked the door. As they set off to the vi, Raeleigh asked Santiago where he had


    been for the better part of the day.


    "What''s with you concerning yourself with me though?" Santiago asked as he nced at the


    rearview mirror. He was visibly amused. Raeleigh rolled her eyes at him. "Well, why are you feeling


    ted?"


    Santiago guffawed at her remark before speeding off. Soon after that, they arrived at the vi.


    Santiago headed straight to his room to take a nap as he was feeling sleepy. As Raeleigh walked


    into the vi alongside Scarlette, she could hear someone calling her in the kitchen.


    Scarlette went into the kitchen as Raeleigh took off her shoes.


    Jepherson was cooking bean curds. He made the bean curds himself.


    Raeleigh took a closer look at the bean curds. It surprised her that Jepherson knew how to prepare


    this dish.


    "How was it?" Jepherson asked. No one was in the kitchen. Raeleigh shed a gentle smile. "It


    looks delish," she said.


    Jepherson kissed her and said, "Well, what are you going to do to repay my kindness?"


    "What do you want?" Raeleigh said. "It''s just a meal. What''s more, it''s not that I instructed you to


    prepare the meal. It''s you..." Raeleigh stopped talking as soon as Jepherson pressed his lips


    against hers.


    After kissing for a while, both of them were breathing heavily. Worried that somebody may be


    sneaking a peek, Raeleigh pushed Jepherson away and said, "Hey, stop it. Someone could be


    looking."


    "Hand me a bowl," Jepherson said. "Enjoy it while it''s warm," Jepherson said while holding adle.


    Raeleigh immediately handed him a small bowl. He then lowered his head to kiss her once again


    before he carried on cooking. Raeleigh looked at his back and asked, "Have you found it?"


    While Jepherson was cooking the bean curds, he replied, "It takes time. We can''t be hasty."


    "What about the list?" Raeleigh added. "Have you gone through the list?" Raeleigh went through the


    notebook the other day as she wanted to check if she had missed out anyone who could potentially


    shed some light on his sister''s whereabouts.


    Jepherson shook his head and said, "Nah, I haven'' t. I''ve been busy. I''ll look into it in the next few


    days."


    Raeleigh did not probe afterwards as she was fixated on the pot of bean curds. After waiting for a


    while, Jepherson was done cooking. Raeleigh was very much looking forward to tasting it.


    Jepherson sprinkled some scallions on the bean curds. It looked like a perfect bowl of dish. The


    bean curds looked tender and silky-smooth, the kinds that would melt instantly in the mouth as one


    ate it.


    Although she had not sampled it, she was already impressed with the aroma of the dish.


    Jepherson turned around and handed Raeleigh a bowl. Raeleigh took a spoon and scooped a


    spoonful of bean curds. She then blew on it to cool it before eating.


    Raeleigh frowned. "Something must have fallen into this pot of dish," she thought.


    Raeleighid the spoon in the bowl. Then, she removed the object from her mouth. She was blown


    away the moment she saw the object.


    Jepherson took the diamond ring. Although it did not look particrly outstanding, it was


    nheless a rather expensive ring.


    "Marry me," Jepherson said softly as he put the diamond ring on Raeleigh''s ring finger. He looked at


    her intently. Raeleigh was transfixed by his piercing gaze. Dumbfounded, she was at a loss


    for words. She did not jump for joy. Neither was she moved to tears. She found it too surreal to


    believe that Jepherson had just proposed to her.


    "Please don''t tell me that you aren’t marrying me," Jepherson said as he pinched Raeleigh''s chin. "I


    remember you telling me that you aren''t after fame or fortune. And all that you’ve wanted is my


    love." Raeleigh shook her head. Just as she wanted to push him away, Jepherson lowered his head


    to kiss her passionately.


    Raeleigh was out of breath. As much as she felt like hauling him away, she did not as she was not


    strong enough. She was reluctant to haul him away anyway.