Chapter 468


    Growing up, Keith narrowly escaped being poisoned several times. He was too young to remember any of it, but Shirley filled in the gaps of his


    memory.


    Loyal nannies had taken the brunt for him, and though they were saved each time. the fear lingered, casting a shadow of vignce over Keith''s life.


    Darlene sipped some warm tap water before standing and following Keith to the kitchen doorway, hands shoved in her pockets. She watched him


    open the fridge and retrieve some ingredients


    "What are you nning to whip up?” she asked casually.


    “You''vee all this way, and you must be starving. Making a feast would take too long for your empty stomach. How about I fix you some spaghetti


    for a midnight snack?"


    Darlene chuckled. "Good call. I can''t really wait around."


    She needed to get back to Pinehurst before dawn to avoid her sister''s prying eyes.


    This ndestine visit was not without its troubles


    "You''re a decent cook then?"


    “Decent enough. I mean, no one’s ever called my cooking ‘a culinary disaster,’ if that''s what you''re asking.”


    Keith filled a pot with water, set it to boil, and then added the spaghetti.


    Meanwhile, he prepared some sliced meat, veggies, and chopped scallions, nning to serve Darlene a hearty spaghetti with meat sauce.


    "I like my spaghetti with a fried egg on top," she said.


    "Sure thing."


    After prepping the meat, veggies. and scallions, hearing Darlene''s preference for a fried egg, Keith quickly retrieved two eggs from the fridge and


    began to fry them up.


    While Keith had the fridge open, Darlene noticed it was well-stocked andmented, "Do you make yourself ate-night snack every evening?”


    “Only if I''m hungry, but I rarely have spaghetti.”


    Usually, it was his bodyguards who used his kitchen to make themselves a spaghetti snack.


    A few of them had a particr fondness for itProperty of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "I can hardly believe that as the heir to the Blue family, you live like this, such a hard life.” Darlene mused with a hint of sympathy.


    Keith was the heir to the Blue family, seemingly living a life of luxury, but in reality, his existence was no better than that of an ordinary person.


    The Blue family wasrge, and with size cameplexity—jealousy, ambition, and scheming were rife.


    For personal gain, some people would stop at nothing.


    Darlene thought of her own family, the Bishops. Her sister had endured so much to protect their estate and rebuild the Bishop Group that Darlene


    could empathize with Keith''s situation.


    The schemers trying to take over the Bishop Group weren''t as ruthless as those in the Blue family, where things could escte to life-threatening


    heights.


    Being barn into an elite family and witnessing countless inheritance battles among the elite. Darlene thought it was the Andersons who inspired envy


    and respect.


    The Andersons raisedpetent descendants, each striving to carve out their own sess without relying on the family business. Yet, they couldn''t


    avoid sharing the burden of the family enterprise.


    Stefan, who took his mother’s surname, was meant to run the Coleman Group, but his younger brother refused to take over Ascend Global, and the


    line of cousins was equally reluctant to step up.


    Stefan, the eldest, bearing his mother’s name, reluctantly shouldered the responsibility, knowing he was the preordained sessor since he was.


    raised by his grandparents.


    Keith remained silent.


    Before finding Lucinda, he thought all wealthy families were like the Blues.


    It was only after Lucinda came back


    into his life. Bringing a brother-inw


    into the fold, that Keith realized there


    were outliers like the Andersons.


    Meeting I Frederick and Jeannie-he


    wasgiven a new perspectiveon the


    wold of the elite. Content.belongs to


    4


    "Word is, you spent a small fortune to have me investigated,” Darlene broached the subject at hand.


    Keith hummed in acknowledgment. "Last time, thanks to your help. I escaped danger. You saved my life, but I didn''t even know your name to repay


    you. I don''t like owing favors, so I wanted to find you and express my gratitude."


    Darlene intended to ask why he had people watching her, but she swallowed her words. To ask would be to admit she was Darlene.


    Her visit tonight was a calcted move.


    Only by revealing herself and epting Keith''s thanks would he stop having her agency search for her. Then she could return his deposit and


    maintain her agency''s reputation.


    But she wasn''t ready to admit she was Darlene.


    "It was nothing, really. I''m honored that you''d remember such a small gesture."


    Keith nced at her, then turned back to finish preparing the meal. He added the prepared ingredients into the simmering sauce.


    "I insist on not owing favors,” he said. “It may have been a small gesture to you, but to me. it was a life-saving grace. I won''t rest easy until I''ve


    properly thanked you, miss. May I know your name?"


    After a moment of silence, Darlene


    replied, "May-decline? My line of


    worke$ with its own dangers. : ~


    To protect myself, I''ve always warn


    a mask, and I''d rather not involve my


    family I''m hesitant to reveal even


    mydast name for fear of being


    tracked down."


    "I''m tight-lipped when ites to confidentiality. Besides, you are my lifesaver. I would never expose your identity or put you in harm’s way."


    Keith served Darlene a bowl of


    Spaghetti withimeat sauce, topped it


    with the fried egg, and carried it to.


    the smaltdining room adjacent tos


    the kitchen. Darlene followed


    witha ceremony, taking a seat at


    thettable as he returned to the


    kitchen for another bowl of


    spaghetti for himself.


    Darlene eyed the heaping bowl of spaghetti before her,den with generous strips of steak, and couldn''t help but muse to herself. Don''t judge a book


    by its cover. Keith, for all his icy exterior, was a considerate soul.


    "If you''re not inclined to share your full name, perhaps you''d grace me by lifting that mask to reveal the face of my benefactor?”


    Darlene stayed silent.


    She started to dig into her meal.


    It was because she was genuinely famished.


    Keith watched her tuck in and decided not to press further. The two of them ate inpanionable silence. Perhaps it was thepany. but Keith


    found himself thinking the pasta he had whipped up was particrly delicious this evening.


    Once the growls of their stomachs had been quelled, Keith stood up to gather the dishes and headed to the sink to wash up.


    Darlene let him do his thing; after all, as a guest in his home. it was his prerogative not to have her wash up. It was part of his hospitality.


    "Keith, you''ve got a grateful heart, and I reckon you wouldn''t want to put anyone on the spot," she remarked.


    At her words, Keith paused mid-scrub and turned to nce at Darlene for a moment before resuming his task. "Well then, let''s pretend I never


    asked,” he replied.


    Darlene breathed a sigh of relief.


    Keith figured, if this masked woman had managed to find him and sneak into his quarters undetected, she must be quite skilled. He didn''t want to


    sour rtions with her.


    Maybe they would cross paths again in the future.