《All Too Late》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The Return Of His First Crush Kathleen Johnson was sitting on the bed with a nket wrapped around her. There were small red bruises on her exposed smooth shoulder and delicate corbone. Although she was in a daze, it was undeniable that she still looked sexy. The sound of running water from the bathroom stopped abruptly, and Samuel Macari came out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his waist after a while. He had broad shoulders, a lean body, well-defined abs, and the chiseled features of a male model. No, he looked much better than a male model. ¡°Why are you in a daze?¡± Samuel¡¯s deep and maic voice rang out. ¡°Have you thought of what you want?¡± Kathleen regained her senses. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked at the man¡¯s muscr body. ¡°Is it okay if we don¡¯t get a divorce?¡± Her voice was sweet as usual, and her eyes were filled with a hint of innocence and misery. ¡°Why have you be so ignorant all of a sudden?¡± Samuel looked at her gently yet coldly at the same time. ¡°Nicolette is back.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart sank. Of course, I know that Nicolette is back. Nicolette Yoeger was Samuel¡¯s childhood sweetheart. Unfortunately, she was not weed in the Yoeger family, as she was an illegitimate child. Thus, the Macari family did not agree with Samuel marrying her. Kathleen, on the other hand, had a clean family background, and she was not the illegitimate child of a rich family. Indeed, her background was very immacte. Her parents were ordinary doctors, who had unfortunately passed away in an effort to rescue Samuel¡¯s grandmother, Diana Lane, from a fire. The couple had sacrificed themselves in order to save her. To thank the couple and prevent Samuel from marrying Nicolette, Diana had forced Samuel to marry Kathleen. Back then, Diana had been in poor health, and the doctor had issued several notices of critical illness to Samuel. Samuel did not have any choice but to agree to the arranged marriage. He had told Kathleen that he would not fall in love with her and that everything was done so that Diana would be at ease. Kathleen naturally understood. She looked very much like a harmless little rabbit. She was gentle and thoughtful and was never a competitive person. Thus, he had assured her by saying, ¡°As long as you are still Mrs. Macari, I will not let you suffer. We will get a divorce three yearster, and I willpensate you when the timees.¡± Kathleen looked at him meekly. I married him not because of his money, but because I wanted to fulfill a dream from my youth. And the dream is shattered now. It¡¯s time for me to face the reality. I¡¯ve been gentle and obedient for three years, but I just couldn¡¯t let this man fall in love with me. How pathetic of me! ¡°Sam,¡± Kathleen called him. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She was the only one who would call him by that name. And whenever she called him that on the bed, Samuel could never stop himself from making love to her. She may look like a small rabbit, but she is a vixen deep down. She is excellent at seducing people. At the thought that she would probably marry another man after their divorce and of her using that same gentle voice to call another man, he felt a little displeased. ¡°Hmm?¡± Kathleen could see her reflection in his eyes. She mustered her courage and said, ¡°Sam, I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened at once. ¡°What did you say?¡± Kathleen trembled involuntarily. She bit her lip and repeated, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± ¡°Get rid of it,¡± Samuel said without hesitation. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said get rid of it.¡± His handsome face was full of hostility. ¡°I¡¯m not going to backtrack on my n to divorce you just because of a baby. Besides, I don¡¯t want the baby to be a hindrance between Nicolette and me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s face turned pale. It looks like even a child can¡¯t change his decision. How could he tell me to abort the baby? What a cold-blooded man. The baby is his own flesh and blood. Kathleen chuckled softly. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Samuel¡¯s face clouded over. ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant. I lied.¡± Kathleen had a smile on her face, but her heart was bleeding inside. ¡°You lied?¡± Samuel was visibly upset. ¡°That¡¯s right. If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t we go to the hospital for a body checkup?¡± ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want the existence of a potential threat. Abort the baby if you¡¯re really pregnant. I¡¯ll give you an extra one hundred million so that you can do what¡¯s necessary for your health. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t affect your¡­ second marriage.¡± Second marriage? Kathleen gave a rueful smile. ¡°I¡¯m really not pregnant, so you don¡¯t have to give me extra money. If you¡¯re worried, we can go to the hospital for a checkup.¡± Samuel held her chin. ¡°What¡¯s your n after we get a divorce?¡± Kathleen wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°I wanna join showbiz.¡± Samuel was stunned. Kathleen had graduated from a film academy after taking an acting course. If not for her marriage to Samuel, she would have won the award for best actress long ago. For some reason, Samuel did not like the idea of her joining the entertainment industry. He knew that she was an alluring woman and was afraid that people would have their eyes on her. ¡°Very well. I will add another use to our divorce agreement. You¡¯ll be signed under Starlight Entertainment, and they¡¯ll make you famous in five years.¡± Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was just saying. How are you going to tell Grandma about us?¡± Samuel felt the onset of a headache at the mention of Diana. He knew that Diana would not agree with them getting a divorce. Moreover, Diana did not like Nicolette¡¯s identity as an illegitimate child. ¡°You go.¡± Samuel looked at Kathleen coldly. ¡°She listens to you. I will give you an extra house if it works.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words, and there was a throbbing pain in her heart. Did he really think that I married him for the money and the house? It doesn¡¯t even concern him that he has hurt my feelings. ¡°Fine,¡± Kathleen agreed. ¡°Sam, make love to me one more time.¡± ¡°Your wish is mymand, you little vixen.¡± Samuel pulled her out of the nket and positioned her such that she was sitting on him. Truth be told, he could never have enough of her, for the woman was a delightful treat to him. When he realized that he could never taste her again, he acted even harder than before. He wished he could drain her energy. The night passed by and morning came. Kathleen was awakened by the sound of a phone ringing. Even though she was emotionally abused by Samuel, he had pampered her in other aspects. Knowing that she would be grumpy in the morning, he would set his phone on silent or vibrate mode when he arrived home at night. He was afraid that someone would look for him and wake her up. However, unbeknownst to her, he had switched it back off. Lifting the phone groggily, she intended to tell him that there was an iing call for him. But the moment she saw Nicolette¡¯s name on the phone screen, she froze. So that¡¯s the reason for the change. Is he afraid that Nicolette can¡¯t find him? What a considerate man! All of a sudden, Kathleen realized that the past three years had merely been a dream. As a matter of fact, it was not without any signs. Even though Samuel did not love her, he had doted on her, for she looked very identical to Nicolette. She had been Nicolette¡¯s recement for three years. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Help Me Hide It Samuel picked up the call from Nicolette. There was a gentle look on his face. Samuel was also gentle to her, but that was only because he saw her as another woman. That was what broke Kathleen¡¯s heart the most. Not once had he seen her for who she was. Instead, she was just a recement. Kathleen hated herself for resembling Nicolette so much sometimes. They weren¡¯t even rted, but they looked almost identical. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯lle over right now,¡± Samuel assured tenderly. Hanging up, he turned to Kathleen and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get Tyson to take you to the hospitalter.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t trust me, do you?¡± Kathleen grumbled in a daze. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t,¡± he admitted heartlessly. Kathleen pursed her lips, an imprable look in her eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Just hurry up and tell Grandma,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°She hasn¡¯t been feeling welltely. Are you sure you want me to tell her now?¡± Kathleen stared at his cold, handsome face. ¡°Yes. Nicolette can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Nicolette can¡¯t wait any longer? Does that mean he doesn¡¯t care about Grandma¡¯s life and death? I guess true love is enough to make him throw his whole family aside. Kathleen knew she had lost, but she had not expected herself to lose so thoroughly. ¡°Fine,¡± she conceded with a weak nod. ¡°But no matter how much of a rush you¡¯re in, you have to give me at least three days.¡± ¡°Sure. I hope you won¡¯t let me down.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± There was a heart-wrenching smile on her face as she said that. ¡°When have I ever let you down, be it in our three years of marriage, or as your wife?¡± Her words caused Samuel to freeze. It was the truth. Having been married to him for three years, she had never disappointed him in any way. She had done well in every aspect and carried things out wlessly, especially in bed. Kathleen had always given in to him and had tried to satisfy him in every way. That was the only thing he felt reluctant to give up on. ¡°Good, then.¡± Samuel turned around and stepped into the walk-in closet to change his clothes. Wrapped in the nket, Kathleen was lost in thought. Is this the end? Even though she was upset, she knew that it wasn¡¯t up to her. After Samuel left, she got out of bed as well. She went to wash up, then put on a pretty dress in preparation to go see Diana. However, the moment she left, she bumped into Tyson Hackney. Kathleen had her arms crossed as she looked at him with displeasure. ¡°What?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Tyson was confused. Mrs. Macari is certainly an enigma. She acts like a cute, innocent little rabbit in front of Mr. Macari, but in front of me, she¡¯s like a hostile version of Hello Kitty. ¡°Mr. Macari wants me to take you for a checkup,¡± Tyson said. ¡°Hmph!¡± Kathleen was visibly annoyed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how little trust you have in me.¡± Tyson didn¡¯t know how to reply to that. ¡°Take me to Goodwill Hospital,¡± Kathleen said specifically. It was the number one private hospital in Jadeborough that was equipped with the best medical equipment and the most qualified doctors in the country. Seeing that there was an unfathomable look in Tyson¡¯s eyes, Kathleen asked frostily, ¡°What is it? Too expensive for you?¡± ¡°N-No.¡± Tyson didn¡¯t know how to exin. ¡°Please get in, Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen stepped outside,pletely bare-faced, but she still looked stunning. After she got in the car, all she did was stare out the window. She had chosen Goodwill Hospital not because she wanted to act superior, but because her parents had worked there as doctors and she was born there. Everyone working there, from the director to the nurses, all knew who she was. They all treated her as if she was part of their family. On top of that, they would undoubtedly agree to help her if she ever asked for it. A long whileter, Tyson piped up, ¡°We¡¯re here, Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen came back to her senses and realized they had arrived at the entrance of the hospital. She pushed the car door open and stepped out. Tyson followed her from behind. He wanted to say something but eventually held his tongue. When they got to the entrance of the obstetrics and gynecology department, Kathleen turned around. ¡°Stop right there, Mr. Hackney. Men aren¡¯t allowed to go in.¡± The moment Tyson saw the sign on the door, a wave of embarrassment washed over him. ¡°Understood.¡± Truthfully speaking, Mr. Macari should have been the one toe here with her. She¡¯s his wife, after all. What¡¯s the point of me going with her? Kathleen turned and walked in. ¡°Ms. Williams,¡± she greeted the doctor. Quinn Williams was dumbstruck at the sight of her. ¡°It¡¯s you, Kate! I thought it was just someone with the same name as you when I saw the papers earlier.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me,¡± Kathleen uttered while taking a seat. ¡°So you¡¯re here to check whether you¡¯re pregnant or not?¡± Quinn asked in surprise. Kathleen nodded. ¡°I think I am pregnant, Ms. Williams. Can you help me hide it, though?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Quinn looked stunned. ¡°I might be getting a divorce, Ms. Williams. I want to keep the child, but my husband will never allow it. That¡¯s why I really hope you can help me out, Ms. Williams,¡± Kathleen begged. ¡°How could you mess around like that, Kate?¡± Quinn was both angry and heartbroken. ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it is to be a single mother?¡± Kathleen hung her head. ¡°I know, Ms. Williams, but I have money. I can still raise this child.¡± ¡°This has nothing to do with money,¡± Quinn protested. ¡°Who on earth is your husband? When you told me you were getting married, I kept asking you about it, but you refused to say. Tell me who your husband is right now. Is he treating you like this because your parents aren¡¯t around anymore?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know, Ms. Williams.¡± It was impossible to decipher any emotion from Kathleen¡¯s pale, delicate face. ¡°I knew that all of this would happen when I married him. Now that we¡¯re getting a divorce, I have nothing toin about. That¡¯s why I want you to help me out here, Ms. Williams. Once we¡¯re divorced, I¡¯ll leave this ce with the child.¡± It¡¯s not like I can stay. Samuel will definitely find out. Quinn felt as if her heart was being ripped in half. She¡¯s suffering because she¡¯s all alone and there¡¯s no one to support her. ¡°Kate, if you really don¡¯t have any other choice, you should try and plead with Old Mrs. Macari. She sees you as her own granddaughter after all,¡± Quinn suggested, not knowing what was going on behind the scenes. ¡°Samuel treats you like his own sister, too, doesn¡¯t he? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll deal with that husband of yours.¡± Kathleen averted her gaze. ¡°This is the only thing I can¡¯t go to the Macari family for, Ms. Williams. Just help me out here, please?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Quinn frowned. ¡°Lie down for now and let me have a look.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the checkup, Quinn pushed her sses up and stated, ¡°You¡¯re already eight weeks in, but it seems that you¡¯re a little anemic because of your weak body. You should eat more nutritious food.¡± ¡°I was a premature baby, so my body¡¯s always been a little weak. It¡¯s how I¡¯ve always been,¡± Kathleen muttered glumly. ¡°Does your husband not know about this?¡± Quinn inquired in a serious tone. ¡°He never asked, so I never brought it up,¡± Kathleen answered in dejection. Even though Samuel had always been generous when it came to providing her with daily necessities, he never had any questions regarding her health. Instead, he would get Maria to take care of it. His only responsibility was to provide her with money. Quinn let out a sigh, then passed Kathleen a report. ¡°This is what you wanted. I hope you can think things through, Kate.¡± Kathleen stared at the report in front of her. Her lips quirked up. ¡°What I want doesn¡¯t matter. When it comes to my marriage, my husband has the final say.¡± Just as she got up to leave, Quinn called out, ¡°Kate, is your husband¡ª¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Leukemia Kathleen turned around with a faint smile. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to get you involved, Ms. Williams.¡± With that, she proceeded to make her way out. Tears began to drip down Quinn¡¯s face. Kathleen¡¯s mother used to be her mentor, yet there was nothing she could do to help Kathleen. She didn¡¯t know how she was going to face her own mentor. When Kathleen came out of the obstetrics and gynecology department, she showed Tyson the report in her hands. ¡°Take a good look. I¡¯m not pregnant, so you can go now.¡± What she said made Tyson feel awkward. ¡°Where are you heading, Mrs. Macari? I¡¯ll send you there.¡± Here, he paused and added in a softer voice, ¡°Mr. Macari told me to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being followed around. You can tell Samuel that I will look for Grandma, but I have something else to do right now,¡± Kathleen dered. ¡°Understood.¡± Tyson nodded. Kathleen turned and left. After taking two steps, she realized that she had forgotten to take her phone, so she went back to get it. When she came out again, someone stopped her by calling her name. ¡°Kathleen.¡± Nicolette¡¯s voice traveled into her ears. Kathleen froze. How did I end up bumping into her? She turned around quietly and looked at Nicolette, who was dressed in a hospital gown and looked a little pale. Even so, she still looked gorgeous. Despite the physical resemnce between them, their temperaments werepletely different. Kathleen was alluring, but there was something innocent about her. Nicolette, on the other hand, was purely priggish. The two of them were worlds apart. Kathleen furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Nicolette stared back at her icily. A glint of envy shed in her gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve been admitted to the hospital for leukemia.¡± ¡°Leukemia?¡± ¡°Samuel was the one who arranged for me to get admitted here.¡± Nicolette smirked. ¡°Oh, right, I heard that the treatment for leukemia in this hospital was perfected by your parents.¡± Her words disgusted Kathleen. She didn¡¯t like the idea of Nicolette receiving the treatment that her parents had perfected. ¡°Good luck with your treatment, then,¡± Kathleen said emotionlessly. She wanted to leave, but Nicolette stopped her again. ¡°Give Samuel back to me, Kathleen.¡± Kathleen paused. ¡°If it isn¡¯t because you snatched him away, I would have been the one who married Samuel three years ago. Because of you, we were separated for so many years, and now, this is the state that my body¡¯s in. Do you still intend to have him all to yourself? He doesn¡¯t even love you!¡± Nicolette continued. Kathleen remained expressionless. ¡°What a joke. If he wants to get a divorce, then he should be the one talking to me about it. Why are you the one saying it? Is he that much of a coward?¡± The truth was, she knew that Nicolette had only said that on purpose to provoke her and let her know just how much Samuel cared about Nicolette. Even though Kathleen was aware of it, that didn¡¯t change the fact that it hurt. She had loved him for so many years, after all. ¡°Samuel just feels bad,¡± Nicolette muttered through gritted teeth. ¡°You think it¡¯s natural for you to be with Samuel because you lost your parents and Old Mrs. Macari likes you. But you seem to have forgotten that he doesn¡¯t love you. Not even a tiny bit!¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Kathleen challenged. Nicolette was dazed upon hearing that. ¡°Why would he touch me if he didn¡¯t love me?¡± Kathleen continued taunting. Nicolette trembled slightly. Right then, she looked behind Kathleen. ¡°Samuel?¡± Kathleen froze for a second and smiled calmly. I guess I fell for it in the end. She turned around and was greeted by the sight of a cold, striking man. ¡°I came here to get a checkup. I¡¯ll be on my way now,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°And what were the results?¡± Samuel questioned in a frigid voice. Kathleen pulled out theb report and stuffed it into his suit pocket. With a grin on her face, she answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not pregnant.¡± Samuel took the report with a slight difort in his heart. Truthfully speaking, he had had his hopes up. However, the feeling soon dissipated. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re not pregnant, let¡¯s discuss the future,¡± he suggested in an unconcerned manner. ¡°Are you sure you want to talk about that here?¡± Kathleen looked aggrieved. ¡°I haven¡¯t even eaten yet just so I could get a checkup.¡± ¡°Go eat, then,¡± Samuel responded impassively. ¡°Take me there.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°We can talk while we eat.¡± Samuel stared at her without any warmth in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything funny.¡± Kathleen giggled, which was music to one¡¯s ears. ¡°If I had tried anything funny, you would have been kneeling in front of Grandma at this moment. All I¡¯m asking is that you join me for a meal.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°You can go with her, Samuel. I¡¯ll wait for you in the hospital,¡± Nicolette piped up, pretending to be understanding. Kathleen beamed and grabbed Samuel¡¯s arm. ¡°If you say so, Ms. Yoeger. Let¡¯s go, then. There¡¯s a ce nearby that I¡¯ve been wanting to try for a while.¡± Nicolette watched as they linked arms with venom in her eyes. Samuel nced at her and said, ¡°Go back to the ward and get some rest. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nicolette bit her lip. ¡°Hurry back. Let¡¯s eat lunch together.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen dragged him outside, and they went to the nearby restaurant that she had mentioned. She took one menu, looking rxed. ¡°What are you getting, Sam?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to save some room in your stomach to have lunch with Nicoletteter, right? I get it.¡± Kathleen gestured for the waiter. ¡°Can I get one quinoa sd? Also, I want a te of chicken drumsticks. Thanks.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The waiter nodded, then walked away. Samuel knitted his eyebrows. ¡°Why are you eating so much?¡± He knew that Kathleen typically had a small appetite. She would be full after just a few bites. ¡°Really, Sam? I only ordered a bowl of quinoa sd and some chicken drumsticks, and you think I¡¯m eating too much? Has yourpany gone bankrupt or something? Are you poor now?¡± ¡°Just eat.¡± Sometimes, her cheekiness was adorable. Other times, however, it was in infuriating. Even so, Samuel had to admit that it hadn¡¯t been too bad waiting for Nicolette toe back for the past three years with Kathleen by his side. When the food was served, Kathleen began to dig in. She was practically starving at that point, and so was the baby she was carrying. As she chewed her sd, her cheeks puffed up. That action of hers was incredibly cute, and she looked just like a squirrel. ¡°What did you want to say to me?¡± Kathleen asked softly. ¡°What did Nicolette tell you just now?¡± Kathleen frowned. Is he trying to settle the score? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She told me that she had leukemia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I went to check for a bone marrow match for her. Surprisingly enough, there¡¯s a donor in this hospital whose blood type is a perfect match for her. Can you guess who it is?¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°You mean¡­ me?¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Family Specialty Samuel nodded. This is unbelievable. Seriously, what a f*cking cruel twist of fate! Kathleen, who yed the part of a gentle princess most of the time, cursed internally. Is God ying tricks on me? ¡°I¡¯m not going to donate to her.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°I will never donate my bone marrow to a woman who destroyed my family and stole my husband away.¡± Truth was, those actually didn¡¯t matter that much. What mattered was that she was pregnant with a child, so she couldn¡¯t donate her bone marrow. However, she couldn¡¯t tell Samuel about that. If he found out, he would force her to get rid of the baby. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want as long as you agree to be her donor,¡± Samuel offered generously. ¡°Even if it means not getting a divorce?¡± Kathleen muttered with her head lowered. She didn¡¯t want him to notice the sorrow in her gaze. Samuel fell silent. Looks like he can¡¯t let Nicolette go. Even if he agrees to my request, that¡¯s only because he wants to save Nicolette¡¯s life. He¡¯s willing to sacrifice his marriage and happiness for her. What an admirable show of love. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get too greedy, Kathleen,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Even if I did it to save Nicolette¡¯s life, you should know that I don¡¯t love you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s face paled. Those words were like a dagger stabbing through her heart. It was as if fresh blood was pooling out, and it hurt like never before. ¡°And what if I insist on keeping this dead love alive?¡± Kathleen slowly lifted her gaze and revealed her sparkling eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t get anything from it, then. It doesn¡¯t matter what aspect you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve found you so disgusting, Samuel.¡± Kathleen put down the spoon in her hand. ¡°You said I¡¯m greedy, but aren¡¯t you the same? You want to divorce me so that you can be with Nicolette. Fine, I agreed to that. But don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too brutal to ask me to save her life now?¡± Does he even know how much I love him? How can he be so cruel to torture me like this? ¡°You can¡¯t have the best of both worlds, Samuel. It¡¯s just like me and you.¡± She had loved him for ten years, but that love had only turned into a source of pain to her. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely avaricious.¡± Samuel stood up to leave. Kathleen gave a self-deprecating chuckle and muttered to herself, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m avaricious. I want everything¡ªI want you, and I want your heart.¡± She lost her appetite then. There was no way she could take another bite. After getting out of the restaurant, she went to the Macari residence. Diana had had a stroke a while ago, and her condition had only improved recently. When Kathleen saw the kind old woman, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell her about the divorce. ¡°Grandma,¡± she greeted before taking a seat beside the bed. ¡°Katie, you¡¯re here.¡± Diana was all smiles at the sight of Kathleen. Out of everyone in the Macari family, she was the one who liked Kathleen the most. It wasn¡¯t just Kathleen¡¯s parents who had saved her life, but also Kathleen herself. Back when Diana had an abrupt stroke attack, Kathleen was the one who had stayed calm and saved her. Even the doctor had said that if Kathleen hadn¡¯t acted fast, Diana would have already lost her life. However, only Diana, Kathleen, and the doctor knew about it. Everyone else was kept in the dark. Diana took Kathleen¡¯s hand in hers with a sigh. ¡°I never knew that you were well-versed in so many things.¡± Kathleen felt embarrassed. ¡°That¡¯s what my family specializes in, Grandma. Even though my parents practiced modern medicine, my granddad was a practitioner of traditional medicine. I only learned a few basics from him. I didn¡¯t think that they would be of any practical use.¡± ¡°Rx. I¡¯m not questioning you,¡± Diana reassured. Her heart ached as she continued, ¡°I just feel that your marriage with Samuel is holding you back. Otherwise, with your talent, you can go as far as you want.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes began to water. She knew that Diana was the one who understood her most in the entire Macari family. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have made so many sacrifices if not for the fact that you loved Samuel so much.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that he¡¯s an ignorant child. He knows nothing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell him about it, Grandma. I don¡¯t want to burden him,¡± Kathleen begged. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t tell him,¡± Diana promised. ¡°You and Samuel have been married for three years now, Katie. Why isn¡¯t there any news yet?¡± Kathleen¡¯s cheeks flushed red. ¡°Grandma, I¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. Are you really not going to have a child just because he says so?¡± Diana cut her off. ¡°You should hurry up and have a kid and tie him down so that even if Nicolettees back, she won¡¯t be a match for you.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. Nicolette had alreadye back. Even if they had a child, she still wouldn¡¯t be a match for Nicolette. Samuel was much more ruthless than they thought, and he waspletely devoid of emotion. Kathleen took Diana¡¯s pulse and shed a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot better, Grandma.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯d like to live a few more years so I can see you have a baby, Katie.¡± Diana smiled amiably and expectantly.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course.¡± Kathleen chatted with Diana for a bit longer, then got up to take her leave. Right when she stepped out of Diana¡¯s room, she bumped into Wynnie Staines, Samuel¡¯s mother. ¡°Mom,¡± Kathleen greeted respectfully. Wynnie was different from most mothers-inw. She wasn¡¯t the picky kind, nor was she incredibly weing. Instead, she was standoffish and cold. Even so, she had never insulted Kathleen in any way, nor had she looked down on her. Kathleen felt that it was a good thing. That was why she held Wynnie in high regard. ¡°Mm.¡± Wynnie was a sophisticated woman in her forties. She was wearing a professional suit with high heels and was still working hard as awyer. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Grandma,¡± Kathleen said. She looked as adorable as a little rabbit. Wynnie, in fact, liked her a lot. She just wasn¡¯t ustomed to expressing herself that much. That was one thing she had inmon with Samuel. The only difference was that Wynnie liked Kathleen and cared for her a lot. To her, Kathleen was a delicate young girl who was as pure as snow. ¡°I brought some crabs home. Let¡¯s have dinner together,¡± Wynnie said. One of her clients had given them to her. She didn¡¯t want to ept them at first, but she had done so because she knew that Kathleen liked them. She had even wanted to call Samuel and get him to bring Kathleen over for dinner. But surprisingly, Kathleen was already there. It was true that Kathleen really enjoyed eating crabs. In the past, she could eat five all on her own. On top of that, Samuel would help her with the shells. When she thought about it, she realized that they had shared quite a few intimate moments. The only thing was that there was no love in them. Even though she liked crabs very much, she felt absolutely disgusted when she thought of the taste right then. She immediately turned and dashed into the bathroom before vomiting into the sink. Wynnie came in and watched as Kathleen washed her mouth with some water from the door. Kathleen wiped her hands with a towel and said, ¡°My stomach hasn¡¯t been feeling welltely, Mom.¡± Wynnie¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Did you go for a checkup?¡± ¡°I did. The doctor told me to get enough rest.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Wynnie hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Nicolette¡¯s back. Do you know that?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Kathleen did not respond, but Wynnie was well aware because she knew her son very well. Wynnie did not understand which part of Nicolette was attractive after seeing that thetter could not walk. She did not discriminate against Nicolette¡¯s background and upbringing but because her actions were undignified. "Why don¡¯t you go back to your room to rest? I¡¯ll call Samuel and ask him toe back," said Wynnie calmly. Kathleen pursed her lips and replied, "Okay." After that, she turned to leave.Wynnie watched her leave and sighed.If only Kathleen isn¡¯t so thoughtful.I¡¯ll stand up for her if she cries. Wynnie took out her phone and called Samuel, "I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re busy with now, but I want you to get your ass home this instance!" She hung up after saying that, and Samuel frowned. Wynnie was evidently angry, judging from her tone. Could it be that Kathleen told Grandma? Samuel became upset, and his eyes darkened. Nicolette was afraid when she saw that. "Samuel, what happened?" Nicolette bit her lips and asked, "Could it be that Kathleen didn¡¯t want to get a divorce and told your Grandma?" "I¡¯m not sure." Samuel grabbed his coat and said, "I¡¯ll be leaving for a bit." "Are youing home tonight?" asked Nicolette while she tugged at the corners of his shirt. "Yeah." Samuel nodded. Nicolette smiled and said, "I¡¯ll wait for you.I¡¯ll be waiting for you no matter howte it is." She would definitely not let go of him again. Samuel looked at her meaningfully and left. Nicolette¡¯s eyes turned cold right afterward. Samuel returned to the Macari residence, and Wynnie blocked him at the entrance. "Mom, what happened?" asked Samuel coldly. "You smell entirely of disinfectant.Could it be that you realized that having children is your problem, so you went to the hospital for a checkup?" asked Wynnie icily. Samuel frowned and said, "Mom, what are you saying? I¡¯m perfectly healthy." "Very well.Why don¡¯t you want children?" asked Wynnie unhappily. "Kathleen was the one who didn¡¯t want kids," replied Samuel calmly. "Nonsense." Wynnie scolded, "Samuel, how could you push the responsibility for this to a girl? This is akin to resenting your wife for not being able to have children.How did I give birth to a son like you!" Samuel¡¯s brows furrowed, saying, "I¡¯m telling the truth." He had tested Kathleen. After they made love, she said she wanted to sign up for art lessons, and he asked her about having a child since she felt bored. Kathleen instantly rejected the idea. Wynnieughed coldly and said, "Were you the one who raised the idea of having kids?" "Yeah." Samuel nodded. "You fool.Would you have let her go if she didn¡¯t say that?" Wynnie angrily continued, "You probably told her she¡¯s thinking about something she shouldn¡¯t.Moreover, what are you going to do if Nicolette returns after the both of you have a child?" Samuel replied, "If Kathleen doesn¡¯t want a child, she can give birth to the child and let Nicolette and I care for the baby.She¡¯s still young, and she can find another man." Wynnie let out a chuckle from frustration and scolded, "You can¡¯t be my son! I need to check if I took home the wrong child!" Samuel was at a loss for words. "I seldom interfere with the issues between you and Kathleen, so you guys can do what you want." Wynnie coldly said, "You¡¯re such a jerk and are not a match for Kathleen.Plenty of talented young men in myw firm will be a good match for her!" After that, Wynnie turned to leave. Samuel frowned.He knew that Grandma liked Kathleen, but he was surprised that Wynnie liked her as well. What kind of mother-inw will look out for men for her daughter-inw? Samuel¡¯s heart clenched, and he was ufortable at the thought of his wife who was as cute as a rabbit in the arms of another man. He went up the stairs, and Kathleen was lying on the bed, hugging her nket, sound asleep. They might have unpleasantly parted ways, but Samuel¡¯s anger toward her was usually short-lived and dissipated as quickly as it came. This sweet peach is too delectable and I can¡¯t stop myself from having a few bites. Kathleen had an odd habit when she slept.She did not like to wear too much as she felt it was constrictive. That was why she immediately changed into a pearl-white sheer nightgown when she went upstairs. At that moment, she was hugging her nket, and her fair and slender hand and legs were exposed, appearing alluring. "Kathleen," whispered Samuel as he supported himself on both sides of her body. Kathleen was sleepy and tired. She did not even open her eyes when she heard someone calling her. Instead, she just said in a soft and raspy voice, "Be quiet.I¡¯m sleepy." She became drowsy very often after getting pregnant. Samuel grinned and said, "Why don¡¯t I apany you to sleep?" He extended his hand and caressed her smooth and soft face.He wondered how she cared for herself as her skin was very smooth. "No.You¡¯ll crush¡­" Kathleen was in a daze, and she wanted to say that he would crush the baby. Samuel¡¯s face darkened, and he said, "We are not even divorced yet, but you¡¯re already rejecting me?" She never rejected him usually, aside from the days she had her period or if she did not feel well.He knew when Kathleen¡¯s period was, and it was not time yet. Kathleen suddenly felt her body dip, surrounded by an intense embrace. She immediately became wide-awake. Kathleen watched Samuel, who was hugging her, and froze. "Samuel Macari?" she asked in shock. He was upset as she rarely called him by his full name. She usually called him Sam and did not allow others to call him that, saying it was her exclusive nickname for him. Kathleen quickly sat up, hugging her nket, and looked at him nervously. She knew Samuel loved to misbehave, but she could not allow that as she was pregnant. Kathleen was willing to indulge him and was happy to do so, but the circumstances were different then. Samuel did not like Kathleen avoiding him and icily said, "What did you tell my mom?" Kathleen¡¯s eyes showed how puzzled she was, and she replied, "I didn¡¯t say anything to Wynnie." "How did Mom find out that Nicolette is back if you didn¡¯t say anything?" asked Samuel unhappily. "Samuel, Nicolette is not invisible, and many people in Jadeborough know her. You also let her move into Goodwill Hospital. Don¡¯t you know how many wealthy people in Jadeborough go there to see the doctors? Won¡¯t they gossip if they saw Nicolette? It¡¯s normal that news may travel into Wynnie¡¯s ears!" Kathleen was usually gentle, and she never got angry at Samuel.She kept trying to be a good wife, but she finally understood that Samuel would not like her no matter how good she was. He even wanted her to save her love rival. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Samuel saw her defensive manner and frowned, saying, "I¡¯m just asking." "Aren¡¯t you suspecting me? You felt that Iined to Grandma and Wynnie because I don¡¯t want to get a divorce." Kathleen felt wronged.She was not someone like that. Ever since she married Samuel, she remained silent about the injustice she faced. However, she was hurt that Samuel would misunderstand her that way. Does he not have the slightest trust in me even if he doesn¡¯t love me? What am I to him? Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Will You Miss Me Samuel didn¡¯t deny it. Kathleen was both furious and frustrated. However, because of her appearance, she didn¡¯t look intimidating at all even though she was angry. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯d better listen up,¡± she said as she looked at him seriously. Her red cheeks were obvious on her fair skin, the straps of her shirt were loose, and her slender legs were exposed. It was a beautiful scene. Samuel narrowed his eyes at her as his gaze darkened. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± ¡°Samuel.¡± Kathleen was angry, and she felt that she was intimidating enough. Nheless, it wasn¡¯t the case in Samuel¡¯s eyes. To him, she was the same as an angry white kitten with fur erect. ¡°I¡¯m not that kind of person who goes back on my promise! I¡¯m fine that you wish to get a divorce. I just didn¡¯t want to trigger Grandma since she¡¯s not feeling well. So of course I wouldn¡¯t tell on her because of that!¡± Kathleen said angrily, her eyes red. How could he doubt me like this? When Samuel saw that she was really mad, he said in a gentler tone, ¡°I¡¯ve misunderstood you.¡± Kathleen snorted. Samuel pinched her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ll help you deshell the crabster.¡± The moment Kathleen heard ¡°crabs,¡± she felt like throwing up. Despite that, she had to hold it in when Samuel was in front of her. ¡°I went to the hospital for a checkup today,¡± she said in a small voice. Samuel asked indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re not pregnant?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not. But the doctor said that I have a weak stomach and told me not to eat anything cold.¡± So that¡¯s the reason. Samuel stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re really fragile.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°You¡¯re the one who pampered me so much that I¡¯ve be used to it now. If you continue to mock me, I won¡¯t divorce you since it¡¯s not easy to find anyone who will treat me like you do.¡± She regretted it the moment she finished speaking because she knew that Samuel would definitely get mad. But to her surprise, he didn¡¯t. He merely said, ¡°Even if we¡¯re not together anymore, I¡¯ve told you that you¡¯ll get everything that you deserve. After we¡¯re divorced, you can carry on your life as usual and just act like how you used to be. No one¡¯s going to bully you.¡± Kathleen fixed her gaze on him. Hello, Mr. Liar? You¡¯re bullying me right now! ¡°Samuel, is Kate up yet? Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Wynnie¡¯s voice rang from outside the door. ¡°Okay! We¡¯reing!¡± Samuel replied. ¡°Hurry up. Christopher¡¯s here too,¡± Wynnie urged. ¡°Got it!¡± Only then did Wynnie turn and make her way downstairs. ¡°Wake up.¡± Samuel looked at Kathleen coldly. Kathleen asked in surprise, ¡°Why is Christopher here?¡± Christopher Morris was Samuel¡¯s older cousin. His mother was Wynnie¡¯s elder sister, Emily Staines. Although they were sisters, their personalities were theplete opposite. Emily was gentler. ¡°Why are you asking me so many questions?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Kathleen was frustrated. Samuel¡¯s temper was truly something else. One moment, she felt as though she was in heaven, but the next moment, she felt as though she was in hell. ¡°Wear something less revealing. We¡¯ve got an outsider tonight,¡± Samuel reminded. ¡°An outsider?¡± Kathleen was confused. Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Christopher.¡± He hated the way Christopher looked at Kathleen the most. The way Christopher looked at her wasn¡¯t that of a pervert, but it was a look of yearning for something that one couldn¡¯t have. Even so, Christopher was Samuel¡¯s older cousin, and the two of them were so close that they were inseparable since they were little, so Samuel couldn¡¯t say anything to Christopher. Kathleen only thought that Samuel was in a bad mood because of Nicolette¡¯s illness. She didn¡¯t even want to argue with him at all. After she got out of bed, she took a pink V-neck sweater and a pair of white wide-legged pants from the closet before putting them on. Her corbone was exquisite, and she had beautiful, fair skin. She looked like a charming and enchanting minx from all angles. She tied her hair up into a ponytail, exposing her slender and fair neck. When her fair neck and exquisite-looking corbone were exposed at the same time, she looked indescribably charming. Samuel didn¡¯t like that. He walked over to her and untied her ponytail. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was soft. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good on you.¡± ¡°So what? My hair will get in my way when I eat if I don¡¯t tie it up.¡± Kathleen stretched out her hand. ¡°Give it back.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Samuel raised his hand. Kathleen stood on her tiptoes as she tried to snatch it back. She was a hundred and sixty-eight centimeters, but in front of Samuel, who was a hundred and ny centimeters, she was still a shorty. It didn¡¯t do much help even after she stood on tiptoe. Her entire body waspletely pressed against Samuel¡¯s warm body, and her feeble hand was pressing onto his chest as she put in her entire strength to get back her hair tie. Even then, she didn¡¯t notice anything. Ever since they got married, Samuel had never pushed her away. They were a married couple, so they had done whatever a married couple would do. Because of that, she was used to being intimate with him. Suddenly, he put his arms against her slender waist as he leaned down to speak next to her ear. ¡°You¡¯re really stubborn. Why are you still trying to get it when it¡¯s obvious that you can¡¯t reach it? Why don¡¯t you beg me the way you used to?¡± Kathleen would have begged him in her mellow voice. ¡°Sam¡­ Give me back my hair tie. I¡¯ll be a good girl.¡± But now, she wouldn¡¯t say it, and he didn¡¯t like the way she was resisting him. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen pushed him away and looked at him in anger. ¡°That¡¯s because we can¡¯t go back to how things were.¡± Samuel was stunned. Kathleen stretched out her hand. ¡°Give me back my hair tie.¡± It was what he wanted her to say, but the look in her eyes and her tone weren¡¯t the same as before anymore. ¡°No!¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face darkened as he walked to the side of the window and threw it out of the window. ¡°You!¡± Kathleen gritted her teeth. Samuel walked out of the room in a huff, rendering her speechless. Since Kathleen and Samuel rarely came back to sleep over that much, she didn¡¯t have many of her daily necessities with her. Most of her stuff was at the condominium. The hair tie that Samuel had just thrown out the window was the only one that she had. Something is definitely wrong with him! Having no other choice, Kathleen could only go downstairs with her hair down. Wynnie waved at her. ¡°Come here, Kate.¡± Kathleen walked over. Christopher looked at her with gentle eyes. ¡°Kathleen.¡± Kathleen smiled at him sweetly. ¡°Christopher.¡± Samuel had a gloomy look on his face. Christopher¡¯s lips curved upward, but he looked slightly depressed. Kathleen took her seat between Samuel and Wynnie. Immediately, Wynnie chose a big crab for her. ¡°Your stomach¡¯s unwell, so you can only eat one.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡± Phew. Fortunately, I only need to eat one. But why do I feel like throwing up? Despite that, she held it in because she didn¡¯t want anyone to notice anything. Right when she was about to deshell the crab, Samuel snatched it away. Kathleen swallowed a lump in her throat, her gaze fixated on the crab. Although she couldn¡¯t stand the smell, it didn¡¯t mean that she couldn¡¯t eat it. I can still eat one. ¡°Take your vegetables. Don¡¯t forget what the doctor said,¡± Samuel said like a strict father. Kathleen puffed her cheeks as she took her fork. Christopher looked at her, and there was no telling what he was thinking. After dinner, Samuel and Christopher went to the study upstairs to discuss some matters. Kathleen, on the other hand, went to the courtyard. The Macari family had a big Samoyed called Snowy. Kathleen and Snowy were very close. Whenever she came to the Macari residence, she would always y and talk to Snowy. ¡°Snowy, I don¡¯t think I cane to visit you so often anymore. Will you miss me?¡± Kathleen asked as she hugged Snowy. ¡°Why can¡¯t youe to visit it so often anymore? What happened between you and Samuel?¡± Christopher¡¯s voice was low. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 You Wanted To Marry Me Kathleen was shocked. She turned around and saw Christopher. ¡°Oh, Christopher, it¡¯s you.¡± Christopher smiled. ¡°Did something happen between you and Samuel?¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Kathleen blinked innocently. She had tender features with a pair of eyes that sparkled. ¡°The Yoegers told me Nicolette¡¯s back.¡± Christopher was very straightforward. The smile on Kathleen¡¯s face slowly faded. ¡°So everyone knows about it already.¡± Everyone in the Yoeger family knew that Kathleen was married to Samuel. Though Rose Yoeger, the legitimate daughter of the Yoeger family, did not like Nicolette, she liked Samuel. She had turned up at Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s wedding and insulted Kathleen, saying thetter was overestimating herself for thinking she could turn her life around by being a recement. Back then, Kathleen had indeed overestimated herself. She had thought that she could turn her unlucky life around. However, life is not something a person can control. When Christopher saw Kathleen¡¯s dejected look, his heart ached. He raised his arm, wanting to pat her head. In the end, he only ced it on Snowy. ¡°Kate, you cane to me if you need any help.¡± His voice was gentle. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you, just like old times.¡± Kathleen tilted her head, frowning. ¡°Christopher, what are you talking about?¡± She did not understand what he was saying. Christopher stared at her, hesitant with his words. ¡°Kathleen, ten years ago¡ª¡± ¡°Christopher, you¡¯re still here?¡± Right then, Wynnie appeared. ¡°I¡¯ve got some big crabs here. Bring them home to your mom. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll like them.¡± ¡°Okay, Aunt Wynnie.¡± Christopher nodded, reaching out to take the box of crabs from Wynnie. ¡°Drive safely,¡± Wynnie reminded. Christopher nodded again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Wynnie. You should head inside.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie nced at Kathleen and turned around to enter the house. Once Wynnie entered the house, Kathleen asked softly, ¡°Christopher, what did you just say? What happened ten years ago? Did we know each other back then?¡± Christopher¡¯s gaze was gentle. ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± I¡¯ll tell her when she divorces Samuel. It should be the right time by then. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now,¡± Christopher said. Kathleen furrowed her brows, finding Christopher rather odd. ¡°What were you two talking about?¡± Samuel stepped out from a dark corner. By that time, Christopher had already disappeared from their view. ¡°Nothing much.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°But I noticed you two talking for quite some time,¡± Samuel said icily. He had seen everything from the second floor. ¡°We were just exchanging some tips about rearing dogs.¡± ¡°Tips about rearing dogs?¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°As far as I know, you¡¯re not the one rearing Snowy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My dog¡¯s called Sammy,¡± Kathleen jeered. Instantly, Samuel knew she was being sarcastic. ¡°Kathleen!¡± ¡°Did I say something wrong, you son of a b*tch?¡± Kathleen became bolder when she was at the Macari residence. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got a death wish.¡± Samuel tugged at his tie. Kathleen mustered her courage and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll show Nicolette all my scars of abuse you created.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll do it if you bully me!¡± Kathleen decided to go all out. Why should I shut up when I¡¯m being bullied? ¡°You sure have some guts.¡± Samuel was officially angered. Upon seeing his reaction, Kathleen felt pleased. ¡°Samuel, Kate, why don¡¯t you two sleep here tonight? You can return tomorrow.¡± Wynnie walked over. ¡°Mom, I think it¡¯s best if we go back,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Kathleen doesn¡¯t feelfortable staying here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kathleen tried to go against Samuel¡¯s words. ¡°You can go back if you want to. I¡¯m staying here.¡± Samuel was utterly displeased. If she were to remain in the house, then he could not leave, as it would make Diana suspicious. However, he had promised Nicolette that he would return. He narrowed his eyes at Kathleen, hinting at her to cooperate with him. To his surprise, Kathleen stepped forward and held Wynnie¡¯s arm. ¡°Mom, I¡¯d like to learn about thew from you, especially the Marriage Act.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wynnie nodded. ¡°Calvin is on a business trip, so I¡¯m free tonight.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen smiled faintly, revealing her dimples that made her look pretty and sweet. Wynnie could not understand why Samuel did not like Kathleen, who was such a likable person. Samuel could only watch Kathleen leave with a cold gaze. Kathleen stayed in Wynnie¡¯s bedroom for two hours. During that time, Samuel had sent Kathleen a message telling her to go home with him, but she had ignored him. Wynnie was a discerning woman. She knew what was going on the moment she noticed Kathleen¡¯s unhappy expression whenever Kathleen nced at her phone. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± Kathleen faked a yawn. ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie¡¯s eyes were filled with concern. ¡°Kate, no matter what happens, just know that we¡¯re your family, okay?¡± Kathleen was taken aback, but she quickly smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± She then turned around, walked out of Wynnie¡¯s room, and made her way back to Samuel¡¯s. As soon as she entered, Samuel grabbed her wrist. His gaze was filled with rage. ¡°Kathleen, stop messing around!¡± ¡°Let go, Samuel!¡± Kathleen¡¯s arm hurt from his grip. ¡°No one¡¯s stopping you from seeing Nicolette. The door is wide open. If you want to go, then go ahead. Why should I cover up for you? You¡¯re such a jerk. Do you know that?¡± How could he ignore my feelings like that? What gives him the right to treat me this way? ¡°You were the one who asked for it,¡± Samuel uttered coldly. ¡°I said I¡¯d never like you three years ago, yet you still wanted to marry me.¡± ¡°Yes, I was too stupid three years ago. I thought I could change your heart during these three years.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Samuel, ten years ago¡ª¡± Before she could continue, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. He took out his phone, and his gaze darkened instantly. ¡°Yes, Nicolette.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was incredibly gentle. It was as though he was coaxing a baby. ¡°I know. Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll go back right now.¡± With that, he hung up and cast Kathleen an icy look. ¡°Put on your coat ande home with me!¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°No!¡± She did not want to stay in the cold and empty house alone. ¡°It¡¯s useless, Kathleen. Do you think you can avoid having a divorce by hiding here?¡± Samuel pinched her chin. ¡°Think of your uncle. Do you think I¡¯ll let him live a peaceful life if you offend me?¡± Kathleen froze. ¡°Put on your coat.¡± Samuel released his grip on her. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the car. If you don¡¯te down in five minutes, then you shall see your uncle¡¯s dead body soon.¡± After that, Samuel turned around and left. Kathleen¡¯s legs gave in instantly; she had to lean against the wall for support. Her eyes reddened, but she forced herself to hold back her tears. Samuel is really ruthless. Then again, I¡¯m just a recement. What was I thinking, expecting him to treat me with care? She shut her eyes, and tears started rolling down her cheeks. After some time, she wiped her face with the back of her hand, put on her coat, and went downstairs.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Samuel was already getting impatient waiting in the car. Upon seeing her arrival, he urged Kathleen to enter the vehicle quickly. Kathleen got into the backseat. In the past, she had always sat in the passenger seat. Her actions made Samuel¡¯s brows twitch. He did not like her silent rebellion. He preferred her to be gentle and obedient. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 All Alone ¡°Why aren¡¯t you driving? Isn¡¯t Nicolette waiting for you?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. Samuel had wanted Kathleen to take the front passenger seat, but he changed his mind when he heard what she said and started the engine. Neither of them spoke a word on the way home. The atmosphere in the car crackled with tension. Samuel felt that it was all Kathleen¡¯s fault. If she had behaved like she was before, they would not have argued. Halfway through the journey, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. It was Nicolette again. ¡°What did you say? I¡¯ll go over immediately.¡± Samuel suddenly stopped the car and turned to Kathleen. ¡°Get down. I¡¯ll ask Tyson toe and take you home.¡± Kathleen refused to move. ¡°Get down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost twelve. Are you going to leave a girl here all by herself?¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart wrenched. ¡°Tyson will be here in five minutes.¡± Kathleen felt a sickening lurch in her heart. Her face was drained of color. Biting her lip, she got out of the car. ¡°Five minutes. Tyson will be here soon. Wait here,¡± Samuel said. Kathleen lowered her head and kept quiet. She had nothing to say to Samuel anymore. Even if Samuel did not have any feelings for her, he should know that it was not safe to leave a girl by the road at this hour. Yet he had chosen to leave her by the road. Samuel nced at Kathleen. For some reason, he felt awful seeing her head hung low. Just then, his phone rang again. Nicolette needed him now. Without hesitation, Samuel drove away. Tears ran down Kathleen¡¯s cheeks, falling to the ground. Five minutester, Tyson arrived to pick her up. However, there was no one on the road. Where is Mrs. Macari? Tyson tried to call Kathleen. However, no one answered the phone. Sensing that something was not right, Tyson quickly gave Samuel a call. ¡°Did you find her? Remember to send her home safely. If she¡¯s hungry, ask¡ª¡± Samuel started talking the minute he picked up Tyson¡¯s call. ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari is missing,¡± Tyson said in a quavering voice. ¡°Missing?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no one on the road. I tried calling Mrs. Macari, but no one answered the phone.¡± Tyson was starting to feel nervous. ¡°Send some men to look for her. You must find her no matter what,¡± Samuel bellowed. What should I do if something happens to her? ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson hung up the phone and ordered some men to search for Kathleen with him. However, they could not find her within a ten-kilometer radius. Tyson checked the surveince cameras and got the shock of his life. Indeed, Kathleen had met with a bad guy. A man who appeared to be drunk had dragged her into an alley. Tyson¡¯s face turned ashen, and he called Samuel immediately. Stunned, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± He stood up and was about to leave when Nicolette tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Samuel, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Something happened to Kathleen.¡± ¡°Something happened to Kathleen?¡± Nicolette pursed her lips. ¡°Is she deliberately causing trouble because she doesn¡¯t want to divorce you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel was very sure that it was not nned by Kathleen. He knew her to be a very simple person. ¡°All right, then. Go quickly ande back soon. I¡¯ll wait for you,¡± Nicolette said. Samuel nodded and walked out. Nicolette bit her lip. Kathleen, you¡¯re really scheming, but it¡¯s no use. Samuel is mine. Samuel rushed to the scene where Kathleen had gone missing. Tyson handed a phone to him. ¡°Mr. Macari, this is Mrs. Macari¡¯s phone. There¡¯s blood on it.¡± A chill ran down Samuel¡¯s spine. ¡°Go find her! I want her dead or alive!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Tyson nodded and immediately ordered his men to search again. Samuel¡¯s knuckles whitened as he gripped Kathleen¡¯s phone. He prayed hard that nothing had happened to her. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Gemma Young was shocked to see Benjamin Young carrying a girl, who was smeared with blood, into the house. ¡°Stop talking nonsense! Move aside!¡± Benjamin growled. Gemma quickly moved to one side as Benjamin ced Kathleen on the couch. Gemma walked over. ¡°Isn¡¯t she¡­ Kathleen?¡± ¡°Yes. Bring me a towel.¡± Benjamin¡¯s eyes were fixed on Kathleen. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma went to the bathroom and handed a wet towel to Benjamin. ¡°Benjamin, what happened?¡± ¡°I was on my way here to look for you when I saw a drunkard harassing a girl. I only realized that she was Kathleen after I saved her.¡± Benjamin helped Kathleen wipe her face. ¡°Why is there blood?¡± Gemma frowned. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It belongs to the drunkard. She¡¯s not hurt.¡± Gemma folded her arms. ¡°Benjamin, shouldn¡¯t you send her to the hospital?¡± ¡°She asked me not to send her to the hospital before she passed out.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gemma did not understand at all. ¡°How would I know?¡± Benjamin shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her with you. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Benjamin, where are you going? You have blood all over you. Will someone call the police if they see you in this state?¡± Gemma was worried about her brother. ¡°I am the police. Who are they going to call? I¡¯m going to the police station to check who her family is and give them a call.¡± Gemma¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Does she still have any family? She¡¯s like us. Our parents are no longer around.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still have to check.¡± Kathleen had muttered the name ¡°Sam¡± when she was conscious. Benjamin thought Sam must be her family, possibly her boyfriend. They had not seen each other for so long. Benjamin was not surprised that she now had a boyfriend. However, he was a little heartbroken. Benjamin left after instructing Gemma, ¡°If Kathleen wakes up, ask her who else is there in her family. Give them a call and get them to pick her up. If she refuses to say, leave her alone. Don¡¯t force her.¡± Gemma looked at Kathleen¡¯s ashen face and sighed. She was wiping Kathleen¡¯s face with a towel when Kathleen opened her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Gemma sounded relieved. Stunned, Kathleen looked at Gemma in a daze. ¡°Gem?¡± ¡°Oh, you still remember me? I thought you¡¯ve forgotten about me ever since you were adopted by the Macari family,¡± Gemma teased. Kathleen paused for a while. ¡°I wasn¡¯t adopted by the Macari family.¡± ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m d that you¡¯re awake. Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± Gemma started to examine Kathleen. It had been so many years, and Kathleen was still as beautiful as before. ¡°I¡¯m feeling fine. Where is this ce?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°My house. My brother saved you. He asked me to call your family once you¡¯re awake, in case they get worried.¡± Kathleen looked up in bewilderment. ¡°I don¡¯t have any family.¡± She would have nothing after she divorced Samuel. Gemma said wistfully, ¡°That¡¯s right. We have no family. We are all alone now.¡± ¡°You still have Benjamin,¡± Kathleen corrected her. Gemma sighed. ¡°Oh, do you want to give the Macari family a call?¡± Call the Macari family? What will Samuel do if he knows about it? Kathleen was put in a spot. If Diana and Wynnie knew that Samuel had left her ale at night, and she had almost been molested by a drunkard, Diana would know that Samuel had gone to look for Nicolette. It would incur Samuel¡¯s wrath. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Emergency Contact ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Old Mrs. Macari is in poor health, so it would be better if you don¡¯t tell her, lest she worry for me,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Have you been alone throughout the years?¡± Gemma hung her head low as she sat beside Kathleen. ¡°I suppose,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°You suppose? What does that mean?¡± Gemma was confused. Kathleen smiled ruefully. Ever since marrying Samuel, she was mostly alone even though it seemed as if they lived together. ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯re quite lucky. You at least have Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Gemma sounded depressed. ¡°My brother and I are different. Neither of us was of legal age. Nobody wanted to adopt the both of us together, so we were forcefully separated when adopted by different families.¡± ¡°So that was what happened.¡± Kathleen pulled her lips into a thin line. ¡°Jeez, why am I even telling you this?¡± Gemma¡¯s expression reverted to its former state. ¡°I need to go to a night shift at the hospitalter on. You take care.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave after getting some rest.¡± Kathleen knew she shouldn¡¯t have met up with Gemma, for both of them had varying degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder. Their parents¡¯ passing had caused great hurt to their young and fragile hearts. Because there were hurt that would never heal, these kinds of people hade to a tacit agreement to not meet up with each other. Without meeting each other, they would never be forced to recall those painful memories. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Gemma sounded slightly exasperated, causing Kathleen to pause for a moment. Realizing that she might have said that a little too loud, Gemma softened her tone. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This ce is your home too. I have clean clothes in my room, so you can put them on after taking a shower. There¡¯s still some oatmeal that I madest night in the kitchen. Have some after heating it.¡± Gemma went to get changed as she spoke and was ready to leave after putting on her coat. ¡°Gemma, are you working in a hospital now?¡± asked Kathleen. ¡°I work as a nurse now.¡± Gemma didn¡¯t look back. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯ve already moved on, so it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s okay even if you have troubles that you can¡¯t talk about to me. Just stay without worrying about anything else.¡± She left after saying that. Kathleen heaved a long sigh. She knew both Gemma and her were dealt the heaviest blows during the incident because both of them had witnessed first-hand the horrible death of their parents. Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened as she was on the verge of tears, but she managed to force them back when she lowered her head to check the blood on herself. She entered Gemma¡¯s room and took a change of clothes before going into the shower. After showering, she checked on her belly in the mirror before reaching a fair hand out to caress it softly. ¡°Do not fear, my baby. I will protect you!¡± To her disappointment, tears still fell when she recalled the fact that it was Samuel who had put her in such danger. Samuel will never care about my state of being. He must be all lovey-dovey with Nicolette in his arms while in the hospital. On the road, Samuel was leaning against his Maybach while puffing on a cigarette. He was chain-smoking, so cigarette butts were littered all over the ground around him. It was almost the break of dawn, but he had yet to uncover Kathleen¡¯s whereabouts. His fingers gripped her phone tightly as his heart trembled nonstop. Will she die? Will she disappear from my life entirely? No! I won¡¯t allow this to happen! ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± Tyson ran over to him. ¡°We¡¯ve found the drunken man who abducted Mrs. Macari.¡± ¡°Bring him over,¡± Samuel ordered in an aloof tone. When two bodyguards brought the drunken man over to him, the man was already battered and bruised all over his body and face. ¡°What have you done to that woman?¡± Samuel lifted his gaze, a distant look in his eyes. The drunken man was jostled awake and was aware that Samuel wasn¡¯t someone he could afford to cross, so he said, ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing.¡± ¡°Chop his hand off.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t even blink. One of the bodyguards immediately unsheathed a dagger. Upon noticing that Samuel was being serious, the drunken man fell to his knees before Samuel while begging for mercy, ¡°Please don¡¯t chop my hands off! I¡¯ll tell you anything!¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Samuel looked intimidating. ¡°I was in a bad mood because I just had a divorce. Lust overtook me when I saw a beautiful woman standing beside the road, but I didn¡¯t do anything to her. A man saved her and brought her away as soon as I dragged her into an alley.¡± ¡°Which hand did you use to touch her?¡± questioned Samuel. The drunken man dared not answer his question. ¡°Chop both his hands off since he doesn¡¯t have the guts to reply.¡± Samuel¡¯s exquisite jawline was tensed up as he maintained a cool, refined look. ¡°No, please don¡¯t! It¡¯s this hand!¡± The drunken man raised his left hand. Still smoking, Samuel said, ¡°How dare you lie? You touched her with both hands. Chop them both off.¡± The drunken man nearly fainted from shock. Why ask if you¡¯ve already made up your mind? ¡°Argh!¡± Just when the drunken man was spacing out, the bodyguard chopped one of his hands off with a clean swipe of his dagger, causing the man to howl in agony. The other bodyguard covered his mouth before his other hand was also chopped off. ¡°Discard this scum to a deserted ce,¡± ordered Samuel with a stern voice. ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± The two bodyguards left, dragging the drunken man away with them, while the other bodyguards stayed behind to clean up the scene. ¡°Check the surveince footage of the back alley and find out who rescued Kathleen,¡± Samuel instructed in a detached manner. Just when Tyson was about to make a call, he got an unexpected call. ¡°Hello?¡± Tyson picked up. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Are you Kathleen¡¯s family?¡± asked Benjamin distantly. ¡°Is Kathleen with you?¡± Tyson frowned. Samuel narrowed his eyes as he snatched the phone away from Tyson. ¡°Where¡¯s Kathleen?¡± Benjamin was startled. ¡°How are you rted to Kathleen?¡± Samuel replied sternly, ¡°I¡¯m her brother.¡± ¡°All of her family members are dead. She doesn¡¯t have any surviving rtives.¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t believe in that. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°How did you manage to track down Tyson?¡± Samuel was displeased. Why would he call Tyson when I should be the one who¡¯s closest to her? ¡°I got his phone number from the emergency contact list Kathleen has filled during the recent years.¡± Benjamin was unfazed. ¡°Can you pass the phone back to Mr. Hackney?¡± It¡¯s not me but Tyson, who she listed as her emergency contact? Samuel didn¡¯t feel good about it at all. This is from N?velDrama.Org. While passing the phone back to Tyson, he said emotionlessly, ¡°Ask him about Kathleen¡¯s whereabouts.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Tyson took the phone and asked Benjamin where Kathleen was. ¡°She¡¯s safe, but I need to confirm this with her before I can tell you her whereabouts. I will contact you again.¡± Benjamin hung up after saying that. Tyson didn¡¯t know what to say as he looked at Samuel with a gloomy look. ¡°Mr. Macari, he said he would have to check this with Mrs. Macari before he could tell us her whereabouts.¡± ¡°Start an investigation about the caller.¡± Samuel sounded impassive. ¡°I want information about him before the sun is up.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Tyson immediately sent someone for the investigation. All the while, Samuel puffed on his cigarette, still feeling disturbed deep down. Although he had found Kathleen, he had no idea what her situation was. Why didn¡¯t she contact me if she¡¯s fine? Shouldn¡¯t she havee to me first and foremost after such a grave incident? Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Get The Papers Signed Benjamin rang the doorbell after he finished his call. Kathleen was standing inside when the door opened. She had just finished her shower, and her face was still pale. ¡°I bought some pizza.¡± Benjamin did not know how to react when he saw Kathleen¡¯s expression. They felt awkward meeting each other because they had experienced the same trauma. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen took a step back and allowed Benjamin to enter. Benjamin walked to the table and put down the pizza in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s still hot. Eat up.¡± ¡°Gemma went to work the night shift.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to be a nurse. She¡¯s amazing.¡± Benjamin froze for a moment. ¡°Nothing is amazing about it. There are many nurses out there who are better than her.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s really amazing, especially after that matter.¡± ¡°Have you been doing well?¡± Benjamin asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen took her seat. Benjamin took a cigarette box out of his pocket. Kathleen hesitated before saying, ¡°Benjamin, can you not smoke in the house?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Benjamin felt awkward. He did that because he was too nervous. Kathleen ate the pizza slowly. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go out sote next time.¡± Benjamin¡¯s heart ached for her. ¡°Even if you have an emergency, find someone to apany you. Don¡¯t go out alone at night.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I called a man named Tyson, but I didn¡¯t tell him you¡¯re here. I wanted to ask you first.¡± Benjamin looked at her. ¡°Should I ask him toe here?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s bright outside. I can go home alone.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Benjamin nodded as he sized Kathleen up. He had many words to say, but he held himself back. Who am I to interfere with her matters now? She¡¯s married, and the man named Tyson is not her husband. Is her marriage that painful to her? Is that why she has¡­ Knock! Knock! Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Kathleen and Benjamin exchanged nces. ¡°Is that Gemma?¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°She doesn¡¯t get off until noon,¡± said Benjamin as he went to open the door. He opened the door and saw a handsome, elegant-looking man in his long ck coat. He seemed unfriendly, judging from his looks. Benjamin recalled seeing this handsome man. He¡¯s Samuel Macari, the CEO of Macari Group and the head of the Macari family. He¡¯s also Old Mrs. Macari¡¯s grandson and Kathleen¡¯s husband. ¡°Benjamin, who is it?¡± Kathleen walked to the door. She froze when she saw Samuel. He came rather quickly. Kathleen knew it would be a matter of time for Samuel to find her once someone contacted Tyson. Samuel narrowed his eyes and stared at Kathleen coldly. Kathleen was wearing a pink hoodie with a cartoon figure printed on it and a pair of grey sweatpants. Her hair was tied up in a bun, which made her look cute and fresh. She still looks like an eighteen-year-old university student though she¡¯s already twenty-three. She looks so fresh and charming. Instantly, anger surged within Samuel. How dare she stay in a stranger¡¯s house? Doesn¡¯t she know how dangerous the world is? ¡°Come with me!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep and cold. ¡°How did you find this ce?¡± There were no emotions in Kathleen¡¯s voice. ¡°You could have just sent Tyson to pick me up. Why did youe?¡± Kathleen knew she was a nobody in Samuel¡¯s heart. She did not expect him to care about her, not even the slightest. Samuel did not like the way Kathleen was looking at her, as well as the way she spoke to him. He walked toward Kathleen with a dark expression. Kathleen was so terrified that she took a step backward and knocked onto the table behind her. ¡°Be careful!¡± Benjamin was worried. Samuel held Kathleen¡¯s wrist, pulled her into his arms, and said in a low voice, ¡°Kathleen, he¡¯s just a police officer. He¡¯s not a difficult opponent to me. Are you sure you want to argue with me here?¡± Kathleen froze. Samuel was threatening her again. He knew she had a soft heart. He knew how to use her weakness to his advantage and threaten her with someone he could make use of. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± said Kathleen as she lowered her head. Kathleen was grateful that Benjamin had helped her. She could not bear to trouble him again. Gemma only had Benjamin, and Kathleen did not want to get the siblings involved. Benjamin stared at Kathleen with concern. ¡°Kathleen, if you don¡¯t want to go back¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± Kathleen did not look at Benjamin as he had been sensitive since he was young and could observe the emotional change in people around him quickly. ¡°Thank you for saving her, Mr. Young. You will be rewarded after this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t save her for rewards,¡± Benjamin rejected. ¡°Hmph. Mr. Young, you¡¯re an orphan, and your biological family doesn¡¯t wee you. If you be rich one day, they will treat you differently. So keep it.¡± Samuel sounded really arrogant. ¡°Samuel, that¡¯s enough.¡± Kathleen was furious. Who does he think he is? How could he humiliate Benjamin like that? Samuel stared at the woman, who was inches shorter than him. This is the first time she has thrown a tantrum at me because of a stranger. The more she acted that way, the angrier Samuel got. How is she rted to this man? Why is she defending him? Kathleen thought Samuel was being ruthless. Furthermore, he had left her on the streets and something bad had almost happened to her. Kathleen pursed her lips and went straight out without turning back. Samuel¡¯s expression fell. Why is she acting like this? He went after her, and they arrived at the vehicle. ¡°Kathleen, how dare you give me this attitude because of some random man?¡± A vicious re appeared on Samuel¡¯s handsome face. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you an attitude because of a man. Samuel, do you know what would have happened to me if not for Benjamin?¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened. Her tears made her look pitiful and less lethal. ¡°I almost got taken forcefully! Do you know what that means?¡± Kathleen was trembling. ¡°If you were human, you wouldn¡¯t have left me, a woman, on the streets alone just so you could meet your mistress. Do you know what I was going through when you were flirting and snuggling with the mistress?¡± Samuel panicked. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mean it?¡± Kathleen¡¯s tears started streaming down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ve reminded you, yet you didn¡¯t bother about my safety. Even if I die, you will not even bat an eyelid.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Samuel knew he was wrong. He didn¡¯t expect her to be in danger in five minutes. Sniffling, she continued, ¡°Samuel, you never cared about me. You never even tried to get to know me.¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t like to eat crabs. Do you know why I started to like them? It¡¯s because you would remove the shells for me.¡± Samuel reached out as he wanted to hug her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. It broke his heart to see Kathleen cry. Kathleen pushed his hands away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! You¡¯ve touched Nicolette with these hands, so don¡¯t touch me!¡± Samuel was stunned, and his gaze darkened. ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to divorce you. Grandma is not well, and I¡¯m afraid she can¡¯t take the news.¡± Kathleen wiped away her tears. ¡°We can get a divorce and hide the news from Grandma until the right time arrives. Let¡¯s go to the City Hall to get the papers signed tomorrow.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Live To See My Own Wedding After Kathleen finished her sentence, she got into the car. She curled up in the back seat. It was not what she had intended. She had wanted to say her goodbyes to him in goodwill before divorcing, but Samuel kept agitating her. Samuel got into the car, sat by her side, and asked the driver to start driving. He did not look at Kathleen throughout the journey, but his eyes shed with mixed emotions. When they arrived at the bottom of the condominium, both Kathleen and Samuel got out of the car. ¡°Why are youing up? Aren¡¯t you rushing to the hospital to apany Nicolette?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. Samuel frowned. ¡°Kathleen, this is my home, too.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and turned to walk away. She knew that it was Samuel¡¯s home, but she felt that he had never treated it as such. He had never cared enough for this family. Samuel noticed that Kathleen was limping as she walked. He quickly caught up inrge strides, held her by her wrist, and pulled her into his arms before lifting her up to carry her. At that moment, Kathleen¡¯s tiny chin quivered slightly, and her eyes welled up with tears. She was not a particrly resilient person. Ever since she lost her mom and dad, she cried very often. However, she always held it in so that no one could tell. Nheless, in the face of Samuel, she could not help but break down. She wrapped her arms around Samuel¡¯s neck as her tears trickled down continuously. It was a heartbreaking sight to behold. Samuel softened as he watched her cry pitifully. ¡°What a baby.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Samuel carried her and walked into the elevator. Kathleen was still crying. Irritated, Samuel said, ¡°Stop crying.¡± Seeing her cry made him feel frustrated. However, Kathleen¡¯s tears still flowed uncontrobly. Frowning, Samuel lowered his head and kissed her lips to seal her mouth. Kathleen got taken aback as she thought that Samuel was just trying to scare her. She did not expect him to really kiss her. Because of that, Kathleen was stunned and actually stopped crying. Satisfied, Samuel carried her out of the elevator. Standing at the doorstep of their condominium unit, he entered Kathleen¡¯s birthdate and opened the door. Finally, they were back to a familiar ce. Kathleen asked Samuel to put her down, but he ced her on the bed instead. Thereafter, he took out some medicated cream from the drawer. He knew that there would always be some medications stored in the house for emergencies. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen would often fall sick. Moreover, she often knocked into something by ident when she walked. As her skin was delicate, a light hit would leave her bruised. Sometimes, he would get rough in bed, and Kathleen¡¯s soft skin would end up in a bad state. He wondered if her future husband would be able to take good care of her given how fragile she was. As he thought about that, Benjamin¡¯s face popped up in his mind. Benjamin was a policeman, which was a pretty good profession to have. Furthermore, he was quite good-looking. Although he could notpare with Samuel, he could still captivate na?ve young women like Kathleen who had barely stepped into the real world and were unaware of the real deal. However, Samuel¡¯s eyes turned dark. He could not live with the fact that he was going to lose such a beautiful, sweet, and softdy to someone else. Samuel applied the cream on Kathleen¡¯s sprained ankle. Kathleen tried to shift her leg to avoid him, but his long and well-defined arm held firmly on her leg to prevent her from escaping. He only loosened his grip after he finished applying the cream. Kathleen retreated all the way to the end of the extremelyrge bed. With a darkened face, he questioned, ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± She was really testing his patience every now and then. Kathleen pulled the nket over her. ¡°You are not needed here. Go and care for your Nicolette.¡± She was very tired and wanted to rest. A lot of things had happened that day, so she needed to process everything in her mind and think about how she could end the marriage between her and Samuelpletely. Earlier, she was not joking when she said that she wanted to get divorced first before informing Diana. She could love a man for ten years, but she could give up on him instantly as well. Even though it would break her heart immensely, she did not want to harm herself anymore. Her heart had been aching too terribly. Furthermore, she was still carrying a child, so she would still live on bravely. ¡°I will go when you fall asleep,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Staring at him destely, Kathleen snapped, ¡°Samuel, do you know how cruel you are in doing this to me? I¡¯d rather you don¡¯t stay here with me. You might as well just leave here for good.¡± He was really treating her too well and too badly at the same time. ¡°Kathleen, stop speaking nonsense and go to sleep.¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned a shade darker. Her eyebags were very visible by then. ¡°I will sleep even without you telling me to,¡± Kathleen responded quietly. Staying up the whole night was not healthy for her child. Wrapped in her nket, shey down. With a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°Samuel, I will wait for you at the City Hall at twelve in the afternoon.¡± With that, she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. Samuel stared at her pale but delicate face, and a sh of coldness went past his eyes. How eager she is to divorce me. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of that Benjamin. Is that man really that good? How could he make her brush off Diana¡¯s love for her and take the matter into her own hands first before informing Diana? Kathleen did not have a good sleep. She dreamed of her mom and dad. They were covered in blood from head to toe, and their faces were disfigured. Even their limbs were mutted. She wanted to throw up, but she could not do so. Gemma wailed while hugging her. Meanwhile, she stared at her dead parents with a pale face. Her body became chilled all over. ¡°Dad! Mom!¡± Kathleen yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me! No!¡± ¡°Kathleen! Kathleen!¡± Samuel was about to leave when Kathleen started having nightmares. Sitting at the bedside, Samuel shook her shoulders. ¡°Wake up, Kathleen!¡± ¡°Dad! Mom! Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t leave me alone¡­ Bring me with you, please?¡± Kathleen was still in her bad dream. Samuel frowned. His efforts in waking her up were futile. Left with no choice, he pulled her with her nket into his arms and lightly patted her back. In a deep maic voice, he consoled, ¡°Kate, don¡¯t cry. I won¡¯t leave you. Don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± Gradually, Kathleen quietened down. Samuel continued hugging her. He was afraid that the moment he put her down, she would cry again. At that moment, Nicolette sent a message to Samuel: Samuel, are you not here yet? As though words were precious, Samuel gave a one-word reply: Yeah. Nicolette texted: Have you found Kathleen? Samuel paused for a while before sending: No. Nicolette frowned. He hasn¡¯t found her yet? Kathleen can¡¯t be hiding on purpose, right? Nicolette then wrote: Samuel, if there¡¯s really no choice, why not call the police? Samuel replied: What¡¯s the point of calling the police? The person lost is not their wife. Nicolette froze. She was deeply agitated by the word ¡°wife¡± from Samuel. Is Samuel acknowledging Kathleen as his wife? How is that possible? What if these are sent by Kathleen herself? Kathleen, that pig! She must be using the most extreme tactics and doing whatever she can to get Samuel. With that thought in her mind, Nicolette texted: Samuel, is that really you? Samuel: What do you mean by if it is really me? Nicolette: Because you used the word ¡°wife.¡± How would you admit that Kathleen is your wife? Samuel flipped the records and replied indifferently: It¡¯s just an analogy. If something really happens to Kathleen, my grandma will hold me ountable. She has not recovered from her illness yet. The divorce is put on hold for now. Deep rage arose briefly from within Nicolette¡¯s eyes. What did he say? The divorce is put on hold for now? Does he know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this day? That Kathleen really has some abilities and tactics to make Samuel change his mind in just a day. Nicolette then replied in a pretentious way: I know you are concerned about your grandma¡ªso am I. It¡¯s okay. I can wait. But I don¡¯t know if I can wait till the day I get a bone marrow transnt from a donor. Am I really not going to live to see my own wedding? Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 In A Rush To Get Divorced Samuel read Nicolette¡¯s message and frowned. Then, he texted: I have found you a bone marrow match. All we have to do is wait for the donor to say yes. Nicolette was surprised and asked: Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Seeing that, Samuel replied: I wanted to wait for the donor to agree before telling you. She questioned: Did the donor ask for anything? Does the donor want money or a house and a car? Samuel answered: It¡¯splicated. Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll handle it. Nicolette texted: Okay, Samuel. I trust you. After seeing that, Samuel wrote: You should get some rest. I¡¯ll head over in the morning. Nicolette responded: Okay. With that, Samuel put down his phone and looked at Kathleen¡¯s delicate and pale face coldly. What am I supposed to do to get her to agree to donate her bone marrow to Nicolette? Is not getting a divorce the only way? Samuel stared at Kathleen¡¯s face for a while and suddenly realized that he didn¡¯t detest living the rest of his life with her. However, he liked Nicolette more. Thus, he didn¡¯t have a choice. When Kathleen woke up, Samuel had already left. She walked out of the room. Seeing that, Maria, the housekeeper, rushed over. ¡°Mrs. Macari, you¡¯re up. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?¡± Kathleen nodded in reply. ¡°Okay. You should go and wash up while I heat up the food,¡± Maria said thoughtfully. Kathleen had a weak stomach, so she couldn¡¯t eat anything that was too cold. Maria knew that better than Samuel. With that, Kathleen turned around and went to wash up. After she was done, she sat at the dining table. Maria had prepared a western-style breakfast. However, when Kathleen smelled the smell of milk, she felt nauseous. She hurriedly covered her mouth and ran into the bathroom. When Maria saw that, she was worried. ¡°Mrs. Macari, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Maria asked. ¡°My stomach is not feeling well. Maria, I don¡¯t like the western-style breakfast. Can you prepare something else for me?¡± Kathleen said impassively. In the past, she ate the same type of breakfast every day just to amodate Samuel. In fact, she hated it. Kathleen much preferred warm food. ¡°Okay.¡± Maria nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go prepare some pasta for you.¡± ¡°All right.¡± With that, Kathleen quickly rinsed her mouth and walked out of the bathroom. Meanwhile, Maria swiftly cooked a bowl of pasta for her. ¡°Mrs. Macari, did you visit the hospital to find out why your stomach was unwell?¡± Maria asked meaningfully, hinting at something. ¡°You and Mr. Macari are young, so you might not have experience in some areas.¡± She was trying to sound subtle. ¡°Maria, I¡¯m not pregnant. I did visit the doctors, and they told me that it was because my stomach is weak,¡± Kathleen exined. After Maria realized that she had misunderstood the situation, she smiled awkwardly and apologized, ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Macari. I saw you feeling nauseous and assumed that it was morning sickness.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen smiled softly and said, ¡°Maria, don¡¯t tell Samuel. Otherwise, he¡¯ll get worried and force me to get it checked out at the hospital. If that happens, I¡¯ll be forced to eat a whole bunch of medicine again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maria nodded. ¡°You can get back to work now. I¡¯ll put the te and cutlery in the sink after I¡¯m done,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Okay.¡± Maria knew that Kathleen liked to be alone. Thus, she said, ¡°Mrs. Macari, I¡¯ll go do theundry.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Kathleen replied. With that, Maria turned and left. Kathleen then silently finished her pasta. She still remembered what she had said to Samuel and remembered that she was about to get a divorce from him that day. Hence, after she finished her breakfast, she put her household registry and marriage certificate into her bag and left the house. Halfway through the journey, she called Samuel and said, ¡°I¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°I¡¯m at City Hall,¡± Kathleen responded. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to get a divorce so that you and Nicolette can finally be together? As for your grandmother, we will tell her after she recovers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free today,¡± Samuel replied coldly. ¡°Then when will you be free?¡± Kathleen asked grimly. ¡°Give me a date.¡± ¡°Are you in a rush to divorce me?¡± He sounded displeased. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who is anxious to get a divorce?¡± Kathleen was frustrated. ¡°Who was the one who forced me to tell your grandmother about our divorce? Yet, now you are saying that I¡¯m the one who is rushing to get a divorce.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t signed the divorce papers yet,¡± Samuel replied coldly. ¡°The house and the money that I¡¯ve promised you will only take effect after you sign the papers.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Kathleen couldn¡¯t help butugh mockingly at herself. ¡°Samuel, do you think that I married you for your money because I¡¯m an orphan?¡± ¡°Why else?¡± he asked. His words were as hurtful as ever. Hearing that, Kathleen felt as if her heart had shattered into pieces. ¡°Turns out that in your eyes, I am just a greedy woman.¡± Is Kathleen greedy? I don¡¯t think so. She has never asked me for anything, and she never wanted anything. The things that I gave her were all out of my own will. Perhaps it is because she is too sensible and well-behaved, or maybe it¡¯s because she is good in bed. In short, I want to give her the best of everything. ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t want anything from you. I don¡¯t even want you as my husband anymore. Why would I want your things?¡± Kathleen buried her face in her coat. Then, in a soft but cold voice, she said, ¡°Stop wasting time ande over so we can get a divorce!¡± She was fed up. With a darkened face, Samuel thought. How dare she order me around? ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± With that, he hung up the phone. Kathleen was speechless. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Benjamin never thought he would bump into her at City Hall. Kathleen was slightly taken aback. ¡°Benjamin? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Benjamin asked her the same question. ¡°I¡¯m here to deal with some affairs.¡± Kathleen was embarrassed to tell him that she was at City Hall to get a divorce. ¡°Well, I¡¯m here to investigate a criminal¡¯s household registry for a case,¡± Benjamin exined. ¡°Have you finished dealing with your affairs?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen sighed and said, ¡°I have toe and deal with it next time.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Benjamin asked, ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. May I treat you to lunch?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°But you have to let me treat you. Consider it as a token of appreciation for saving my life.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so courteous.¡± Benjamin smiled and said, ¡°My car is that way.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen smiled sweetly. With that, Benjamin and Kathleen left the City Hall. ¡°Is your leg feeling better?¡± Benjamin questioned. ¡°It¡¯s much better,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Benjamin focused on the road as he drove, and Kathleen noticed that he had a sharp jawline. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Anything except for western food.¡± At that moment, Kathleen no longer liked cold and dry food. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Later, Benjamin took Kathleen to a restaurant that sold eastern food. They ordered a few simple dishes. Then, he watched Kathleen eat affectionately. She still munches on her food adorably like a squirrel, just like when she was a kid. ¡°Kathleen, what are you doing for a living?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°I am unemployed,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°However, that¡¯s going to change soon.¡± After hearing that, Benjamin pursed his lips. ¡°Kathleen, I heard everythingst night. You and Samuel¡­¡± ¡°We are going to get a divorce soon.¡± Kathleen knew that Benjamin was a policeman, so there was nothing that he couldn¡¯t find out. With just some digging around, he could easily find out about her rtionship with Samuel. ¡°Back when your parents passed away, the Macari family took you in and raised you. I never thought that you would get married to their son, Samuel.¡± The expression on Benjamin¡¯s face suddenly turned grim. ¡°However, why are you getting a divorce?¡± Kathleen is kind and perfect. Whoever marries her is lucky. I can¡¯t believe that Samuel can be so ungrateful. How can I let anyone bully my precious Kathleen, who I adore with all my heart? Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Reluctant To Part ¡°Because I don¡¯t love him.¡± Kathleen eyes were cold. You don¡¯t love him? However, he thought that Kathleen actually loved Samuel. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The previous night, hearing her roaring at Samuel hysterically, he knew that she loved him. Otherwise, she would have given up on the fight from the beginning. She was devastated and upset only because she was in love with him. ¡°He must have not known how good you are,¡± said Benjamin in a raspy voice. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how good I am. He doesn¡¯t love me anyway.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath, then continued, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him anymore. Right, you said that you wanted to be a policeman when you were young. It turns out that you¡¯ve actually be one now.¡± Benjamin smiled. In fact, it wasn¡¯t him that wanted to be a policeman but Kathleen. There was one time when Gemma and Kathleen were talking about how seductive uniforms were, and he had borne it in mind since then. He knew that Kathleen liked policemen, so he became one. After she was adopted by the Macari family, Gemma and he was also adopted by different families respectively. Even though they didn¡¯t keep in touch as much since then, he remembered everything that Kathleen had said. ¡°Actually, a policeman is only an upation,¡± answered Benjamin. ¡°I¡¯m jealous of you and Gemma because you guys can do what you like. Samuel doesn¡¯t let me go out and work. Otherwise, I would have already be famous,¡± said Kathleen in frustration. Benjamin smiled. ¡°You¡¯re only twenty-three years old. It¡¯s not toote for you to debut now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kathleen grinned. However, she didn¡¯t have a chance to debut anymore. She had to give birth to a baby, so she didn¡¯t have time for it. There was no hope for her to make a debut in the future too. If the others found out that she had an illegitimate child, Samuel would definitely know about it too. For her baby, she could not appear in the public. She certainly would not do it. After eating, Kathleen went to pay the bill. She swiped her card but found that the transaction was unsessful. What¡¯s going on? Benjamin noticed the situation, so he paid with his card instead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Kathleen was helpless and awkward. Benjamin stared at the ck card in her hand and said, ¡°Kathleen, spending other people¡¯s money means you¡¯re being controlled by them.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. She agreed with Benjamin¡¯s words. The ck card was given to her by Samuel. Hence, he could freeze the card whenever he wanted. This man has gone overboard. I wonder what¡¯s in his mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll send you home,¡± said Benjamin. ¡°Benjamin, you can carry on with your work. I still have other stuff to deal with,¡± said Kathleen gently. ¡°Are you really going to be fine on your own?¡± Benjamin frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°All right, then.¡± Benjamin didn¡¯t want to force her. Kathleen and he walked out of the restaurant together. When they arrived on the side of the road, Benjamin gathered his courage and said, ¡°Kathleen, I still don¡¯t have your contact number.¡± Kathleen blinked several times out of surprise. ¡°Actually, Gemma wants it.¡± Benjamin used his sister as an excuse. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen took out her phone. At that moment, a ck motorcycle drove toward them. The man who was on the motorcycle suddenly took out a baseball bat from behind. ¡°Be careful!¡± Benjamin knew that the man was targeting Kathleen. He pulled her into his arms to protect her. Bang! The baseball batnded on the back of Benjamin¡¯s head. ¡°Benjamin!¡± Kathleen shouted in shock. However, Benjamin wrapped Kathleen tightly in his arms. He was afraid that the man would try to hurt her again. The man didn¡¯t attack them anymore. Initially, he had intended to end Kathleen¡¯s life with one hit. What he never expected was that Benjamin would willingly sacrifice his life to protect her. He would be caught if he continued attacking. Hence, the man drove off. Kathleen held Benjamin in her arms as he was swaying and unable to stand upright. They then staggered backward and slumped onto the ground. Kathleen immediately pulled out her phone to call the ambnce and the police. Soon, the ambnce arrived, and the paramedics carried Benjamin into the vehicle. The policemen and Kathleen went to a hospital nearby. The hospital was Goodwill Hospital. The policemen were taking Kathleen¡¯s statement. She was dumbfounded the entire time. As she had never experienced something like that in her entire life, she waspletely stunned. The police officer noticed that she was not emotionally stable. Hence, he said, ¡°Ms. Johnson, should I notify your family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any family members. My parents are not here anymore.¡± Kathleen then raised her head. Her eyes reddened as she continued, ¡°Please make sure to catch the culprit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will. It¡¯s our colleague who¡¯s injured. We will do our best in finding out the culprit,¡± answered the police officer. ¡°Thanks.¡± Tears streamed from Kathleen¡¯s eyes. If Benjamin was dead because of her, she didn¡¯t know how she could give Gemma an exnation. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Gemma¡¯s voice was heard. Kathleen raised her head and saw Gemma running over in a nurse uniform. ¡°You two know each other?¡± The police officer was surprised. ¡°The injured person is my brother, and this is my friend. I¡¯m a nurse in this hospital,¡± replied Gemma. The police officer understood the situation and said, ¡°We will be going back to investigate the incident now. I will notify you all if we have any updates.¡± ¡°Okay. Thanks for your hard work.¡± Gemma was calm. The police officer nodded and left. Looking at the blood on Kathleen¡¯s body, Gemma knew how serious Benjamin¡¯s condition was. In fact, she was shaking. Due to her upation, she had faced many deaths in the past few years. Hence, she forced herself to remain calm in any situation. ¡°Kathleen.¡± Gemma reached out her hand and touched Kathleen¡¯s face. Kathleen was trying to hold her tears in. However, at that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but burst out in tears. ¡°Gemma, I¡¯m sorry. Benjamin is hurt because he was trying to protect me. I should be the one lying on the sickbed now.¡± If she caused Gemma to lose the only family member she had left, she would never forgive herself. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, Kathleen. Stop ming yourself. My brother will certainly not want to see you in this state. To him, the most important thing is to protect you.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Everything is going to be all right. Benjamin will survive this. He¡¯s reluctant to part with you and leave this world.¡± Kathleen burst out in tears after hearing that. She didn¡¯t want to drag anyone into the mess. However, Benjamin was still hurt because of her. Gemma couldn¡¯t help but let her tears fall too. She lowered her body and touched Kathleen¡¯s forehead with her own. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kathleen. We will all be okay. Everything will be over soon.¡± At that moment, the light above the operating room door was turned off. A doctor came out from the room. Kathleen and Gemma walked over. ¡°Dr. Green, how¡¯s my brother?¡± Gemma knew Shawn Green, the doctor in charge. ¡°The patient¡¯s brain is severely injured. If he can survive for these three days, he will be fine. If he can¡¯t¡­¡± Shawn looked at Gemma with a meaningful look and continued, ¡°You know what will happen since you¡¯re also a medical personnel.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dr. Green.¡± Gemma¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Don¡¯t worry. We will do our best to treat your brother,¡±forted Shawn. Gemma choked up, ¡°Okay.¡± The eyes of Kathleen were reddened. She turned around and left. ¡°Kathleen, where are you going?¡± asked Gemma in surprise. ¡°I¡¯lle back soon.¡± Kathleen gritted her teeth. She took the elevator upstairs. Everyone in the elevator was looking at her with odd gazes as they saw that she was covered in blood. ¡°Miss, are you hurt?¡± asked ady with concern. Kathleen shook her head numbly as she answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Right then, the elevator arrived at a floor. Kathleen stepped out of the elevator. She walked toward a ward, then pushed open the door forcefully. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Is He That Important To You ¡°Kathleen?¡± Samuel frowned. Why is she covered in blood? ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Samuel walked to her, stretching his hands to touch her. ¡°Get lost!¡± Kathleen shoved his hands away. ¡°Don¡¯t use the same pair of hands that touched your mistress on me!¡± Samuel¡¯s face was a mix of dark emotions. ¡°What do you want, Kathleen?¡± Nicolette¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Kathleen, I know you¡¯re unwilling to divorce Samuel. But he has already promised topensate you. You shouldn¡¯t be too greedy.¡± Kathleen walked over and picked up a fruit knife. ¡°Kathleen! What are you trying to do?¡± Samuel walked over. ¡°Stop there!¡± Kathleen clenched her jaws and lifted the knife in front of her. ¡°Samuel, stay where you are!¡± Samuel paused in his actions, and his face darkened. ¡°Put the knife down!¡± ¡°You¡¯re in no capacity to order me around!¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°You have no idea what I went through!¡± Samuel frowned again. ¡°Benjamin is severely injured for saving me and is lying unconscious in the hospital ward.¡± Kathleen¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°The person who wanted to hurt me is sent by either you or her. But I¡¯ve already agreed to the divorce, Samuel. Since it can¡¯t be you, it can only be her.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Nicolette¡¯s face was pale white. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± ¡°You know it deep down in your heart. Samuel would be widowed once I¡¯m dead, and you can marry him officially.¡± Kathleen gritted her teeth. ¡°You don¡¯t have any evidence! Moreover, how could you think that it¡¯s me? It might be your enemies!¡± Nicolette retorted. ¡°Haha!¡± Kathleen sneered, and her eyes turned cold. ¡°Nicolette, I¡¯ve been living in the shelter Samuel built for me since I graduated from university. I have no contact with anyone else. Other than his grandma and mother, I¡¯m all alone. How can I possibly have enemies?¡± Nicolette pouted her lips. So Samuel has been so protective of her? ¡°Even if we assume it¡¯s Samuel¡¯s enemies, not many know that Samuel and I are married. On the other hand, he has been visiting you openly at the hospital recently. If his enemies wanted to take revenge, they should be looking for you, not me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes remained indifferent. ¡°Nicolette, in this whole world, only you would hate me to this extent and want me dead!¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not me!¡± Nicolette was frightened out of her wits, and her face was bloodless. ¡°Samuel, save me!¡± Samuel focused his gaze on Kathleen. ¡°Put the knife down.¡± ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s get divorced.¡± Kathleen looked at him sorrowfully. ¡°I¡¯ll grant both of you your wishes.¡± She lowered her hand gradually and threw away the fruit knife in her hand, walking out of the room. Samuel¡¯s eyes were full of worry while looking at her. She mentioned that Benjamin got hurt for saving her. The blood all over her must be Benjamin¡¯s. If it¡¯s hers, the consequences would be unimaginable. Samuel ran after her. ¡°Kathleen!¡± He stretched his hand to grab Kathleen¡¯s wrist. However, he did not expect Kathleen to faint the moment he touched her. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel immediately carried her in his arms and dashed into the doctor¡¯s office. By the time Kathleen woke up, it was nightfall. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep and cold. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kathleen held onto the nket. ¡°The doctor said that you fainted as you were too agitated, and your emotions fluctuated too much. You¡¯ll be fine after resting a night.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded detached. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°If I shouldn¡¯t be here, where should I be then?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯m not as heartless as you think. Even if I don¡¯t love you, you¡¯re grandma¡¯s savior. I have the responsibility to take care of you.¡± Kathleen mocked at herself dolefully, ¡°So you only treated me as Grandma¡¯s savior.¡± He has never looked at me as his wife. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to the City Hall today?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°I already agreed to the divorce.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this some other time.¡± Samuel was seemingly avoiding the question. ¡°You¡¯re still hoping that I can donate my marrow to Nicolette, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen asked callously. Samuel did not respond. ¡°I will not donate.¡± She would rather be dead than agree to it. Nicolette must have sent the killer. She wants me dead. My baby and I would be dead now if it wasn¡¯t for Benjamin. How could I donate my bone marrow to her? She was determined to keep to her decision. ¡°If we do not get divorced, will you donate to her?¡± Samuel asked suddenly. ¡°No, we will definitely be divorced.¡± Kathleen closed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to continue living with you. Even if we continue our marriage, your heart¡¯s with another woman. Why would I want a marriage that¡¯s only in name?¡± Kathleen was clear-minded and understood that when love was gone, it was gone for good. There was no use no matter how she tried salvaging it. Samuel said coldly, ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯d better take your time to consider this carefully.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you think that I¡¯llpromise just like this?¡± Kathleen sneered sarcastically. ¡°You¡¯re as fearsome as the rumors say, Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel clenched his jaws. ¡°I¡¯ve said it! We can continue to be married. I just need you to donate your marrow to Nicolette.¡± ¡°Samuel, aren¡¯t you too full of yourself? Did you think I would tolerate anything after loving you blindly for so many years?¡± Kathleen sat up straight, and her eyes were dull. ¡°If Nicolette did note back, I¡¯ll donate to whoever you ask me to, but not her.¡± Samuel stood up. ¡°Kathleen, I would have been together with Nicolette long ago if it wasn¡¯t for you. You stole three years of our time.¡± A piercing pain shot through Kathleen¡¯s heart. She lifted her head with her eyes filled with tears and laughed. ¡°Stole? Samuel, I¡¯m speechless at your behavior. If you had resisted in the first ce, you might have got together with her long ago. How did everything be my responsibility?¡± She came to a realization. In Samuel¡¯s opinion, it was all her fault. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She was the culprit for separating them. ¡°I¡¯ve made my stand clear that I will not donate.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart went cold. ¡°Mr. Macari, you can try pulling your tricks on me and see what you can get out of me.¡± Samuel was shocked. He had always thought that Kathleen was soft and undemanding. In his eyes, she had no character or temper and was always gentle and obedient. She had worshipped him like he was God, always admiring him starry-eyed regardless of what he said. He loved the admiration. However, he only realized today that it was not that Kathleen did not have a character or temper. It was simply because she hid them well. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you anymore.¡± Kathleen turned her head away. Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Kathleen, is that man so important to you? You even picked up a knife for him.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 She Will Agree ¡°Benjamin isn¡¯t just anyone else. He¡¯s the man who saved my life,¡± stated Kathleen as a look of utmost sorrow formed on her face. Samuel felt that this was a rather ridiculous line of reasoning. ¡°I¡¯ll leave since you don¡¯t want to see me,¡± dered Samuel calmly as he shot a long and meaningful nce at her before he turned to leave. Kathleen felt utterly helpless at that moment. At the rate things were going, she felt like she had no choice but to donate her bone marrow to Nicolette, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t fathom how someone could turn out to be that greedy. To be fair, Kathleen knew that she was being greedy herself. She wanted the opportunity to stay by Samuel¡¯s side and fervently hoped that he would notice her and fall in love with her. When it came down to it, she realized that she paled inparison to even a moth that dove straight into a me. This was because the me that represented Samuel didn¡¯t burn for her in the first ce. Forget it¡­ I¡¯m exhausted. We should just finalize the divorce earlier. I can¡¯t wait to leave this ce. I don¡¯t want to see anyone else get hurt because of me¡­ With that, Kathleen took a moment and calmed herself down before she slipped her shoes on and padded out of the sick room. She wanted to drop by to check in on how Benjamin was doing. Just as she arrived at the entrance to his room, she saw Gemma seated diligently on a chair ced right outside. She walked over and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go home, Gem?¡± Gemma¡¯s eyes were swollen red as she turned to face Kathleen and shook her head vigorously. Kathleen was worried and asked, ¡°How can you continue on like this? You need to take good care of yourself at a time like this. After staying up through the night, you should head home to get a good rest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother persuading me, Kathleen. I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ll never leave Benjamin¡¯s side,¡± dered Gemma in a raspy voice. Kathleen pursed her lips as she replied, ¡°Even so, this isn¡¯t the way to go. You haven¡¯t been eating or resting sufficiently. How can your body continue to go through such torture?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid, Kathleen!¡± eximed Gemma as she wrapped her arms around herself to seek some measure offort. She added, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t be around anymore by the time I wake up, just like what happened with my mom and dad. They said that they were going on duty, but they ultimately never returned!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, Gemma. Benjamin will be fine. I promise you that,¡± replied Kathleen soothingly as she sat down gently beside her and wrapped her in a warm embrace. ¡°I¡¯ve already lost both my parents, Kathleen. I can¡¯t afford to lose my brother as well. What you don¡¯t know is that my life was a living hell back then when I had just gotten adopted. I missed my parents, my brother, and you as well. I survived through that hell and finally got the chance to make contact with Benjamin. He¡¯s thest remnant of a family that I have,¡± wailed Gemma in her raspy voice which was punctuated by the asional sniffle. Kathleen didn¡¯t know how to respond. Gemma blew her nose and continued, ¡°Benjamin and I aren¡¯t as fortunate as you. Old Mrs. Macari seems to like you so much! You¡¯re basically living in paradise! Although Benjamin and I may not be living in a literal hell, we do look upon you sometimes with the asional tinge of jealousy. If something were to happen to him, I would truly be left utterly alone in this world.¡± ¡°Nothing will happen to Benjamin, Gemma! I¡¯ll stay by your side and wait till he regains consciousness,¡± promised Kathleen as she gripped Gemma¡¯s hands reassuringly. ¡°Kathleen¡­¡± wailed Gemma as she dove right into Kathleen¡¯s embrace and began sobbing earnestly. Despite her best efforts, Gemma ultimately couldn¡¯t hold her emotions at bay anymore and let it all out. Kathleen patted her lightly on the back and consoled her. ¡°I¡¯ll stay by your side and wait with you until he wakes up. Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Gemma grunted and nodded her head in acknowledgment. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Just like that, the pair continued to sit on the chairs, and the silence continued for some time. Kathleen was about to offer to get some food for Gemma when she suddenly saw Wynnie making her way over hurriedly. ¡°Mom,¡± greeted Kathleen awkwardly. Why is Wynnie here? ¡°I went over to your ce to look for you but saw that both you and Samuel weren¡¯t around. Later on, Maria told me that you were hospitalized. What happened to you? Are you feeling difort anywhere?¡± asked Wynnie worriedly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom,¡± replied Kathleen as she gently shook her head. She added, ¡°Sorry for the wasted trip you made.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to apologize for? You should have told us the second you got hospitalized! It¡¯s such a huge matter! You¡¯ll only make us more worried and hurt by hiding it from us like this,¡± admonished Wynnie with a frown. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± repeated Kathleen as she lowered her head in shame to look at her feet. Although she acted that way, she knew that Wynnie truly was worried for her. At that point, Gemma suddenly interjected and asked in surprise, ¡°Kathleen, is this your Mom?¡± Kathleen regained her senses and replied, ¡°Let me introduce you. Gemma, this is my mother-inw, Wynnie. Mom, this is my good friend, Gemma. Her brother is the one who saved my life.¡± Wynnie was taken aback by this revtion and repeated, ¡°The one who saved your life?¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment but eventually shared the details of the incident with Wynnie. She knew that there was no way she could keep such a huge and monumental incident under wraps for long. Once Wynnie had taken in the torrent of new information, her eyes were cold as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re saying that someone wanted to kill you?¡± Kathleen only nodded in agreement. ¡°I know what to do now. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll follow up on this matter,¡± replied Wynnie firmly. Not only was she awyer, but she also knew she had to take charge of this matter since Kathleen was her daughter-inw, after all. Wynnie turned to face Gemma and decisively said, ¡°Thank you, Gemma, for your brother¡¯s efforts to save Kathleen. It¡¯s not ideal for you to stay here all night to keep an eye on him as well. Why don¡¯t you head home to rest for now? I¡¯ll arrange for someone toe over to look after him in the meantime. I¡¯ll let you know immediately if anything crops up.¡± However, Gemma was still unwilling to leave and tried to protest. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gemma,¡± repeated Wynnie. She had spoken firmly and was extremely persuasive in her tone. Finally, Gemma gave in and nodded as she replied, ¡°All right then.¡± With that, she took her leave and headed back first. Wynnie eyed Kathleen for a moment before she asked, ¡°Why are you here alone? Where¡¯s Samuel?¡± Kathleen opened her mouth to speak but ultimately didn¡¯t know what to say. Wynnie took this in and snorted derisively before she turned and headed straight for the elevator. ¡°Mom!¡± yelled Kathleen as she chased after her. However, Wynnie had already gotten in the elevator and was headed up. Kathleen started to shake and had goosebumps at the thought of what was about to happen next. She knew that Wynnie would not speak too kindly to Nicolette the second she arrived at where Nicolette and Samuel were. Furthermore, Samuel would assume that Wynnie was able to find him because she had told on him. For her part, Wynnie had long known which room Nicolette was recuperating in. After all, she had a reputation to maintain in Jadeborough, and she had been around for long enough to have eyes and ears everywhere. She was about to barge in when she heard Nicolette speak. Thetter said, ¡°Samuel, tell me the truth! Is Kathleen the one you mentioned that has a matching bone marrow type with me?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her,¡± replied Samuel coldly. Nicolette sounded aggrieved as she asked, ¡°So she¡¯s not willing to donate her bone marrow to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll persuade her,¡± replied Samuel coldly. ¡°How can she be this selfish, Samuel?¡± whined Nicolette as she burst pitifully into tears. She continued, ¡°In the first ce, we were separated from one another all because of her. The three full years that she has had with you were all stolen from me! Now that my life is dwindling to an end, all I want is for her to return me that period of stolen time! I want those three years back from her.¡± Samuel¡¯s face was dark yet mysterious as he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get her to agree.¡± Nicolette sobbed and continued, ¡°She married you because she had designs on the Macari family¡¯s wealth, Samuel! I can understand that since she doesn¡¯t have parents at all. She would have felt more secure with a sizeable fortune by her side. We can always give her more money, or perhaps, I can even kneel and beg her if she¡¯s still not satisfied!¡± ¡°Why the hell would you have to kneel before her?¡± asked Samuel with a tinge of anger. Nicolette¡¯s eyes darkened in response, but her voice remained unsteady as she countered, ¡°Is she refusing to donate her bone marrow because she can¡¯t bear to leave you, Samuel?¡± Samuel didn¡¯t respond to her statement, and his face remained icy cold. ¡°Samuel, if all else fails, why don¡¯t you just go along with what she wants? Pretend not to divorce her so that she¡¯ll willingly donate her bone marrow. After some time, you can try to find another way to get a divorce and get rid of her. What do you think? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way once you put your mind to it,¡± proposed Nicolette as she shot him a long and meaningful look. However, Samuel coolly dered, ¡°We don¡¯t have to go through all that trouble. Three days. I¡¯ll make sure she willingly donates the marrow to you within three days.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Not A Tool Just as Wynnie was about to push the door open to enter the ce, Kathleen held her hand. She had also heard what Samuel had said. He imed to be able to have her donate her bone marrow in three days. What does he n on doing? Will he tie her on a sickbed and force her to donate her bone marrow? Wynnie gave Kathleen a side nce, noting that thetter already had tears rolling in her eyes but had willed herself not to cry even though she was feeling aggrieved as it was. Wynnie heaved a sigh before leading Kathleen away. Sensing that someone was outside the room, Samuel came out to check, only to find no one behind the door. Was it an illusion? Meanwhile, Wynnie led Kathleen back into the ward. After closing the door, she said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. Samuel would never be able to force you as long as you do not agree to this. How dare he act like a dictator!¡± ¡°Thank you, Wynnie.¡± Kathleen pulled her lips into a thin line. Although Wynnie was Samuel¡¯s biological mother, she had always been protective over Kathleen. Wynniemented, ¡°Kathleen, you have an overly tolerant personality. Don¡¯t you know only by ying weak that you will be tended to? Samuel won¡¯t care for you if you keep on being such a doormat.¡± ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to stay at his side if I don¡¯t tolerate him.¡± Kathleen bit her lip with her teeth. ¡°Why did you go to City Hall today?¡± Wynnie studied Kathleen. Kathleen was a bad liar, so Wynnie knew what was going on uponying eyes on her. ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen was hesitant to speak. If she told Wynnie the truth, the entire Macari family would know about it. ¡°Were you nning to file for divorce?¡± Wynnie gave her a side nce. ¡°Are you and Samuel nning to go through with the divorce before informing anybody else?¡± Kathleen lowered her head sheepishly. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You two are such a bother.¡± Wynnie was furious. ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯ll be in big trouble if your grandmother-inw knows about this?¡± What Wynnie meant was that Diana would be angry if she knew that Samuel and Kathleen were filing for divorce. Diana was in poor health, so she would fall ill if she ever flew into a rage. It would be disastrous if that happened by any chance and something bad befell Diana. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Wynnie, she won¡¯t know if nobody tells her.¡± ¡°Do you think that b*tch Nicolette can possibly hold her tongue?¡± Wynnie asked in exasperation. ¡°She might even make a public announcement immediately. If that¡¯s the case, Old Mrs. Macari will still hear about it.¡± It was impossible to keep things under wraps forever. Even if Diana never left home, she lived in a modern era. She would go online with her phone, so it would be impossible to keep things from her. Kathleen fell silent. What should I do? Should I continue this stalemate with Samuel? Grumble! Kathleen¡¯s stomach growled without warning, startling Wynnie. Kathleen felt a little awkward. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything the whole day. ¡°Samuel, this bastard! Did he not even buy you a meal?¡± Wynnie was fuming. All of his attention is on that mistress even though his wife is in the hospital. He isn¡¯t even aware that she¡¯s hungry here! No wonder Kathleen is adamant about filing for divorce. ¡°Wynnie, I can just buy myself breadter on.¡± Kathleen wanted to quell Wynnie¡¯s anger. Wynnie stared at her knowingly. ¡°Hold on for a moment.¡± After that, Wynnie reached for her phone to dial a number. ¡°Hello, are you still at work? Prepare a meal and send it to the hospital. My daughter-inw is hospitalized. Yeah. I need something tasty and nutritious.¡± Wynnie turned to look at Kathleen after hanging up. ¡°I ordered avish meal from M. She¡¯ll be here in a moment.¡± The woman who Wynnie mentioned was her close friend and a five-star chef capable of cooking delicious meals. Those who wanted to get a taste of her food would have to book an appointment, and the waiting list had reached as far into the future as next year. However, Wynnie was able to settle everything with just a phone call. In a sense, she was the dominant one. M Hunter arrived twenty minutester with a bunch of stuff. Wynnie took the things from her while saying, ¡°Thanks for your hard work, Babe.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so formal with me.¡± M turned to look at Kathleen. ¡°Why were you hospitalized, Katie?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen wasn¡¯t sure how she should exin. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s infuriating! Someone tried to plot against Katie, but a policeman rescued her. That policeman suffered grave injuries and is still in the intensive care unit,¡± Wynnie exined. ¡°What?¡± M was shocked. She walked over to the sickbed and checked on Kathleen. While cupping Kathleen¡¯s soft cheeks with both her hands, she inquired, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Great. If something happened to you, your mother-inw would bawl her eyes out,¡± joked M. Wynnie took out all of the dishes that M brought with her. ¡°You bet.¡± ¡°Your mother-inw wanted a daughter, but your father-inw thought that childbirth was too painful. In the end, they only had Samuel, their only son,¡± said M. ¡°That¡¯s why she had been treating you as if you were her daughter.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know that.¡± Kathleen was aware that Wynnie was very nice to her and loved her like how a mother would, while she also loved and respected Wynnie. M also doted on Kathleen due to her rtionship with Wynnie. In fact, everyone in and rted to the Macari family was nice to her, with Samuel being the only exception. Sometimes, Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but think that the reason she couldn¡¯t make up her mind to divorce Samuel and leave him once and forever was perhaps that she had all those amicable people around her. ¡°Come on. Have something to eat.¡± Wynnie ced the food in front of Kathleen. M looked around. ¡°By the way, where is Samuel?¡± Wynnie sighed impatiently. ¡°He¡¯s upstairs.¡± M grasped the situation immediately. With a frown, she muttered, ¡°Samuel had gone overboard! I¡¯ll go get him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Mdm. Hunt.¡± Kathleen held M back. ¡°Let him be. I¡¯m fine and no longer care.¡± It was true that she no longer cared. M looked at her apologetically. ¡°Samuel will regret this.¡± Wynnie nodded. ¡°Definitely! It would be best if he regrets this so much that he kneels in front of Katie while bawling his eyes out.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± M didn¡¯t feel that was enough. ¡°Kate, you¡¯d better not forgive him that easily by then!¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know what to say. Aren¡¯t you two supposed to be Samuel¡¯s mother and close associate? All of a sudden, Kathleen retched as she felt her stomach churning, so she hopped off the bed to run into the washroom. Wynnie and M exchanged nces. After a while, Kathleen returned with a pale face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Katie?¡± M stared at her in puzzlement. ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have worried you, Mdm. Hunt. My stomach had been feeling ufortable. I had seen a doctor yesterday,¡± she exined. She was determined to hide the fact that she was pregnant. If it was uncovered, the Macari family would never agree to her divorce and would want her to give birth to the baby. However, she knew that wouldn¡¯t matter, for Samuel would never change his mind, nor had she ever nned to tie him down with her child. Children were people, not tools. She would love and care for her children on her own, so she needed nobody else. Thus, she was ready to leave the ce that had too many people and incidents that had hurt her. Even though Diana, Wynnie, and M were all nice to her, she still felt like leaving. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Not Let Him Hurt You Since the day she lost her parents, she was like a weed without roots. Drifting around aimlessly was her fate. A rtionship with Samuel was impossible. It was all her wishful thinking. ¡°I had another checkup yesterday and showed the report to Samuel.¡± Kathleen avoided the dish that made her nauseous and ate something else. M frowned. Samuel wouldn¡¯t be so calm if he knew that Kathleen was pregnant. Maybe we really misunderstood. ¡°In any case, don¡¯t worry, Katie. We are on your side.¡± Wynnie patted Kathleen¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. M and I will leave now. I¡¯lle and pick you up when you get discharged tomorrow.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Wynnie. I can get discharged by myself tomorrow.¡± Kathleen did not want to trouble Wynnie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll bring you back to the Macari residence for a few days to help you recuperate your stomach,¡± Wynnie answered. ¡°I¡¯ll call Maria and tell her to pack some things for you and send them over.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips with a helpless expression. Samuel will be even more angry with me now. Not long after Wynnie and M left, Samuel arrived with supper. He frowned when he saw the dishes on Kathleen¡¯s table. ¡°Did Mdm. Hunt make these?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°How did she know that you were hospitalized?¡± Samuel was unhappy. ¡°Not just Mrs. Hunt, but even Mom knows too,¡± Kathleen said calmly. ¡°Mom also said she will bring me to stay at the Macari residence for a while.¡± She thought Samuel would be furious, but unexpectedly, he was calm. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Will you being?¡± ¡°The Macari residence is a little far from thepany. I may not stay there,¡± Samuel replied indifferently. Kathleen smiled bitterly. ¡°You can say that staying at the Macari residence will prevent you from taking care of Nicolette. No need for such excuses. Before we were married, you traveled to thepany from the Macari residence, right?¡± Samuel knew that she was being sarcastic. ¡°I¡¯m d you know that.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart ached. ¡°I¡¯ve investigated the incident. Nicolette did not send that person to attack you,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Benjamin provoked someone, and the other party thought you were his girlfriend. That¡¯s why they attacked you.¡± Kathleen did not believe what he said. It was not even twenty-four hours since she and Benjamin reunited. There was no romance or intimacy between them. The other party couldn¡¯t have believed that she was his girlfriend. They were just excuses and reasons Samuel came up with to defend Nicolette. ¡°Have you contacted your uncle?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve said it¡¯s useless for you to threaten me with my uncle.¡± Kathleen¡¯s soft voice was cold. ¡°I almost got killed. Who else can I save? If Benjamin died, it would be all my fault. I¡¯m just a human. I cannot decide who lives or dies. Do whatever you want. You can kill my uncle to threaten me or force me to my death. It¡¯s your choice.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You think that I¡¯m threatening you?¡± ¡°What else could it be? Are you showing me concern?¡± Kathleen asked sarcastically. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Macari¡¯s way of showing concern to be so special. I understand now.¡± ¡°Kathleen, stop being sarcastic.¡± Samuel was displeased. ¡°Was I doing that?¡± Kathleen looked at him coldly. In the past, her eyes were always sparkling like a clear spring. Now, the light in her eyes had vanished without a trace. Samuel was infuriated. ¡°Don¡¯t force me, Samuel.¡± Kathleen¡¯s thick and long eyshes covered the light in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go all out, so let¡¯s get divorced as soon as possible.¡± Samuel retorted coldly, ¡°And if I disagree?¡± ¡°Did you fall in love with me?¡± Kathleen looked at him indifferently. ¡°If you admit it, I¡¯ll reconsider getting a divorce.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was ice cold when he replied, ¡°I don¡¯t like you. I never have, and never will.¡± Kathleen¡¯s face paled. Samuel turned around and left. Drip. Kathleen¡¯s tears fell on the table. She wiped them away with her hand. Drip. Drip. However, her tears kept falling. Her face was wet with tears no matter how many times she wiped them away. In the end, Kathleeny on the table and sobbed as her heart ached. She really wanted to know what Samuel wanted from her. He wanted a divorce, and she agreed. Why is he rejecting it now? Samuel did not know what had gotten into him. Kathleen had agreed to the divorce, but he was unwilling to go through with it. He knew that she was sensible and obedient and that she loved him deeply. Hence, he thought that Kathleen would struggle and be hysterical. However, in the end, she was not hysterical about begging him to not get divorced. Instead, she wished that they would get divorced quickly. He did not understand why this was happening. The next day, Kathleen was ready to get discharged. After a short wait, Christopher arrived instead of Wynnie. Christopher looked at her with a gentle gaze. ¡°Something urgent came up for Aunt Wynnie, so she sent me here.¡± ¡°Actually, I can handle this alone.¡± Kathleen was embarrassed. ¡°Thank you, Christopher.¡± Christopher hesitated for a moment. ¡°Kathleen, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen paused for a moment. ¡°As long as it is not too much.¡± Christopher chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know if my request is too much. Can you stop calling me Christopher?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Then what should I call you?¡± ¡°Samuel and I are cousins. You can just call me Chris.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s suitable.¡± Kathleen refused. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I really hope that you will address me as Chris.¡± Christopher persuaded. ¡°Do you feel that this request is too much?¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re fine with it.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Chris from now on.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Christopher was satisfied. ¡°Chris, before we leave, I want to see Benjamin,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°You should. He saved you, after all.¡± Christopher exined, ¡°Aunt Wynnie told me to inform the hospital that Benjamin¡¯s medical expenses will be covered by the Macari family.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way to repay the Macari family in the future.¡± Christopher paused. ¡°What are you talking about? What belongs to the Macari family is yours too.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°What belongs to the Macari family is not mine.¡± Christopher looked at her seriously. ¡°Kathleen, is something wrong with your marriage with Samuel?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen squirmed under Christopher¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°I thought something was wrong during dinner that day,¡± Christopher said in a low voice. ¡°Did you two quarrel or have a misunderstanding? Can you tell me about it?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°There¡¯s only one problem between us. You know what it is.¡± Christopher¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Nicolette?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°She¡¯s back and is staying in this hospital. Also, she has leukemia.¡± Christopher frowned. ¡°Leukemia?¡± ¡°Yes. What¡¯s even worse is my bone marrow is a match with hers.¡± Kathleen¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°Samuel wants to divorce me and told me to donate my bone marrow to her.¡± ¡°What?¡± Christopher¡¯s face changed as his warm eyes sharpened. ¡°I will not let him hurt you like this!¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Together With Her Kathleen had not expected the usually gentle and soft-spoken Christopher to get angry. ¡°Chris, it was only a suggestion. He can¡¯t do anything if I don¡¯t agree to it,¡± Kathleen said awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re too easygoing,¡± Christopher said as he eyed her worriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I actually have quite a temper too.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were like beautiful dark orbs. Christopher felt incredibly bad for her. ¡°It¡¯s because he forced you to it.¡± Kathleen nced at Christopher. He really is too nice! ¡°Chris, you¡¯re such a nice person. Why aren¡¯t you married yet?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°You¡¯re a gentleman who¡¯s very good atforting people.¡± Christopher nced at her with an unfathomable expression. ¡°Well, it¡¯s because there¡¯s no one I like.¡± ¡°I remember the incident fromst year. Grandma said she wanted to introduce a girl to you, but you said you already had someone you liked.¡± Kathleen suddenly recalled. ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s married,¡± Christopher replied cagily. The person was married? ¡°Oh, Chris. I¡¯m so sorry for prying. I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡± Kathleen felt extremely apologetic. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Christopher replied warmly. ¡°If you¡¯re done packing up, let¡¯s head downstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Christopher stared at Kathleen. Thetter was like an adorable bunny. He really wanted to stroke her head and tell her not to be afraid. However, he had to resist the urge. If Kathleen really divorced Samuel, Christopher vowed to stay by her side no matter how painful the road ahead was going to be. Without her asking, Christopher automatically helped Kathleen carry her bag. Kathleen felt embarrassed. She said sweetly, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need. I can do it myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Christopher was exceptionally gentle. He was going to take good care of her from this day onward. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Then, they stepped into elevator. They were on their way to the ICU to visit Benjamin. Gemma was keeping watch outside. ¡°Gemma,¡± Kathleen called out as she went over. ¡°You¡¯re here. Did you have a good rest?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Gemma tugged at Kathleen¡¯s hand. ncing at Christopher, she asked, ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°My name is Christopher Morris.¡± Christopher¡¯s tone was mild. Gemma gazed at him intently. Flushing slightly, she greeted, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Benjamin?¡± Kathleen asked in concern. ¡°Benjamin¡¯s condition has stabilized somewhat,¡± Gemma exined. ¡°The doctors said that they are using the best medicine and that the effects are better than expected. Kathleen, thank you so much.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°I heard from the doctors. The Macari family paid for all of Benjamin¡¯s medical fees,¡± Gemma replied. Kathleen shot Christopher a nce. ¡°Did Wynnie already meet up with the director of the hospital?¡± ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Christopher knitted his brows. If it wasn¡¯t Wynnie? Then, who was it? ¡°It was me.¡± Samuel¡¯s icy voice sounded from outside the room. Samuel? Kathleen¡¯s gaze turned cold. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. There isn¡¯t much difference between the Macari family¡¯s or Samuel¡¯s money anyway. After all, the Macari family was his. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°He¡¯s your savior. It¡¯s only natural that I pay for his hospital bills. There is no need to thank me.¡± Samuel had a dark expression on his handsome face. Just who¡¯s wife do you think you are? ¡°Christopher, why are you here?¡± Samuel frowned. Samuel and Christopher were only a few days apart in age. Therefore, the former had never addressed Christopher with deference. ¡°Aunt Wynnie asked me to send Kate home,¡± Christopher replied impassively. Samuel saw the bag Christopher held in his hand. It was filled with Kathleen¡¯s daily necessities. Moreover, Christopher and Kathleen both wore turtleneck sweaters. Christopher¡¯s was white, while Kathleen¡¯s was ck. They looked like they were wearing matching outfits meant for a couple. Samuel¡¯s expression darkened considerably. ¡°What a coincidence. I¡¯m headed home too. I will take her.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Kathleen refused in a soft voice. ¡°You¡¯re always so busy. I can¡¯t possibly inconvenience you. I¡¯ll go with Chris instead. There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself.¡± Samuel said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s currently a busy time at my mother¡¯s firm. Christopher would bete to get back to assist her after he sent you. I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve quit working at Aunt Wynnie¡¯sw firm,¡± Christopher replied coolly. ¡°What?¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Chris, did you quit working as awyer?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m still awyer. I¡¯ve only changed firms.¡± Christopher quirked his lips. ¡°Where did you transfer to?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°Morris Group,¡± Christopher replied. Kathleen was stunned. Christopher went back? When Christopher graduated from university, his father, Aaron Morris, wanted him to help out at his company. However, Christopher had gotten into a huge fight with his father when he first went to university. He had wanted to attend medical school, but Aaron had secretly changed his application behind his back. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Christopher had been livid when he found out. Following that, the rtionship between the father and son became incredibly strained. Despite Emily attempting to act as a mediator, things did not improve. However, since Christopher said he had gone back to Morris Group, did that mean he had reconciled with his father? Samuel huffed in displeasure. Christopher had once said, if he returned to the Morris Group, it would be only for one reason. He was willing to return to thepany for the sake of the girl he loved. He would go back if she needed his aid. So, does that mean the girl he likes needs him? For the sake of some woman, he was willing to give up his freedom. How ridiculous. Kathleen blinked a few times. Christopher stared at her with a lidded gaze. ¡°I¡¯m all right. It¡¯s my choice to do so.¡± For her sake. ¡°The Morris Group¡¯s business is even busier. We¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± Samuel took the bag from Christopher¡¯s hand. He then grabbed ahold of Kathleen¡¯s slim wrist and tugged her toward him. ¡°I¡¯ll send her back first.¡± ¡°Gemma, I¡¯lle to visit Benjamin again tomorrow.¡± Kathleen turned around and told Gemma. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma looked at her faintly. With that, Samuel sessfully dragged Kathleen away. Christopher wore an unfathomable expression. Currently, Kathleen was still Samuel¡¯s wife in name. Thus, Christopher¡¯s hands were tied. When they finally divorced, he would never allow Samuel to take Kathleen away from him ever again. He would never allow that to happen again. Samuel exited the hospital with Kathleen in tow. He then stuffed her into the passenger seat of his car. Throughout the way, Kathleen behaved herself. She did not struggle or rebel against him. Although she did not like Samuel touching her, she had to think of the baby in her belly. Kathleen refused to let Samuel harm her baby. After getting in the car, Samuel asked coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you use to address Christopher by his name? When did you start referring to him as ¡®Chris¡¯?¡± ¡°I can call him by whatever name I wish.¡± Kathleen¡¯s fine white teeth bit into her ruby lips. ¡°Just like how I used to call you ¡®Sam,¡¯ or when I called you ¡®Darling¡¯ in bed. I did as I liked. Now that I don¡¯t like you, I¡¯ll just use ¡®Samuel.¡¯ What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Samuel snorted in response. Kathleen was right. When they were having an intimate moment, Kathleen would often call him ¡°Darling¡± sweetly. At that moment, it melted away all his fatigue. It made him feelfortable and at ease. ¡°Why won¡¯t you call me ¡®Sam¡¯ anymore?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°I no longer like you,¡± Kathleen replied as she stared out of the car window. ¡°That¡¯s why.¡± Hmph! Samuel cleared his throat nervously. He wanted very much to ask why she no longer liked him. However, upon further thought, the answer was tantly obvious. ¡°Samuel,¡± Kathleen said despondently. ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce. I¡¯m really tired of all this.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Sweetheart ¡°What if I reject?¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was aloof. ¡°After our divorce, you can marry Nicolette.¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Are you still hoping that I will donate my bone marrow?¡± Kathleen¡¯s gentle voice was emotionless. ¡°Samuel, give it up. I will not donate my bone marrow to Nicolette.¡± Samuel continued driving indifferently. ¡°So there¡¯s no space for negotiation then?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen remained firm on her decision and shook her head. What will happen to my baby if I donate my bone marrow to Nicolette? My baby will not be the sacrificial offering to their love. Samuel stepped on the elerator and increased the speed. Kathleen tightened her grip on the car door¡¯s handle, and her face turned pale. Upon reaching the Macari residence, Kathleen alighted and vomited into the flower bed with her back bent. Her fair-skinned and small face waspletely pale. Samuel regretted driving so fast earlier. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Samuel went over to support her. ¡°Get lost!¡± Tears streamed from Kathleen¡¯s eyes. She appeared more pitiful after suffering grievances with her originally fragile appearance. ¡°What happened?¡± Maria walked out of the mansion. ¡°Mrs. Macari, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Maria.¡± Kathleen wanted to stand up, but her legs were wobbly. Maria quickly supported her. Everyone in the Macari family except Samuel knew that Kathleen¡¯s body constitution had been weak. As Kathleen was small-sized, everyone felt sorry for her every time she put up a strong front and refused to tell when she was unwell. She did not have any parents. Although she was married into the Macari family, she did not have a sense of belonging as Samuel disliked her. Kathleen always presented herself as a guest in the house. Samuel scooped Kathleen up in his arms and walked toward the mansion. ¡°Open the door,¡± he said to Maria. Immediately, Maria ran forward and opened the door. Samuel carried Kathleen upstairs and went to their room. By that time, Kathleen was brawling her eyes out. The nauseous feeling that she got from the pregnancy was unbearable. At the thought of her earlier suffering, her little hands held onto the man¡¯s white shirt while she cried uncontrobly. She refrained from crying downstairs because she was afraid Diana would hear it. Hence, she only cried after entering the room. Samuel carried her and sat on the bed, putting her on hisp like he was holding a child. ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore. You have sensitive skin. It¡¯ll redden when you cry.¡± Samuel wiped her tears with his cold and rough fingers. He had never seen her crying so hard. ¡°Samuel, how could you bully and threaten me?¡± Kathleen cried terribly and said grievingly,¡± The woman you like is your sweetheart, but I¡¯m also the sweetheart of others!¡± ¡°Whose sweetheart are you?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Did someone tell her that she was their sweetheart? ¡°Grandma, your mother, everyone! Just not yours.¡± Kathleen sobbed. ¡°If my parents were alive and knew how you bullied me, they would definitelye after you!¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze remained on her. ¡°Just because I have no kin left and no one can teach you a lesson for me, you¡¯re bullying me for all you want! You¡¯re too much, Samuel!¡± Kathleen continued sobbing and was breaking down. She had been tolerating for the past few days. Samuel heaved a sigh. He hugged her while patting her back lightly with one of his hands. ¡°I agreed to your request to keep our divorce from Grandma and the rest of your family. What else do you want from me?¡± Kathleen choked while sobbing, ¡°Do you want to see me dead?¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel felt helpless. He had never wanted her dead. On the contrary, he felt guilty toward her. Hence, he wanted to take good care of her and not let anyone bully her despite their divorce. ¡°Samuel, tell me. Was it a mistake to love you?¡± Kathleen¡¯s tender small hands held his cor. ¡°Tell me, was I wrong?¡± Samuel¡¯s lower jaw tightened, and he said indifferently, ¡°Kathleen, there¡¯s nothing wrong with liking someone else. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have any feelings for you.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath to stop herself from crying. She was afraid that it might affect the baby. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s nothing wrong with liking someone, but please don¡¯t trample on my love.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve already given in and agreed to a divorce. However, you kept forcing me to save Nicolette. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too much? There are so many people out there, and you can easily find someone else that can donate their bone marrow to Nicolette. Why must you make me donate to her? I loved you wholeheartedly. How could you trample all over my love for you?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened while looking at her. She finally stopped her sarcasm toward him and behaved like the gentle person he knew. Sheined woefully in a tender manner instead of agitating him coldly. Kathleen suddenly thought of something. She came down from Samuel¡¯sp and took out the ck credit card from her bag, throwing it at him. ¡°Take it. Since you¡¯ve canceled the card, I¡¯ve no use for it.¡± Canceled? Samuel frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t cancel your card.¡± Moreover, he did not intend to take the card back. Samuel thought Kathleen could continue using his money even though they were divorced. He did not wish for her to be troubled by mary matters. From the day that she married him, he had never let her feel worried financially. He did not n to let it happen in the future as well. ¡°If you didn¡¯t cancel it, who else did?¡± Kathleen said furiously, ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t want you. I don¡¯t want to love you anymore. I¡¯m sick and tired.¡± Samuel stood up and paced toward her imposingly. Fluster took over her fair dainty face as she backed away and finally ended up with her back on the door. Samuel ced an arm against the door and looked at her coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t want me and don¡¯t love me anymore? You¡¯re sick and tired of me?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Kathleen said, her pearly white teeth visible as she snarled. ¡°You can love whomever you want from now on. I¡¯ll look for another man after the divorce. The next one will be better and more loving.¡± Uncontroble rage surged within Samuel. He grabbed Kathleen by her chin and mocked, ¡°The next one will be better and more loving? If I¡¯m not letting you go, how will you find the next one, Kathleen? I¡¯ll send you and your new man to prison for committing bigamy!¡± p! Kathleen gave Samuel a tight p and red at him with her doe-like eyes. ¡°How shameless can you get, Samuel? I meant after our divorce. Do you think everyone is like you and Nicolette?¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°And what can you do about that?¡± Kathleen¡¯s whole body was trembling with anger. Samuel stroked his face and mocked, ¡°Your p was like a tickle. You would easily make anyone have the thought of bullying you when you¡¯re like this.¡± She¡¯s a little rabbit and a soft cake. Soft, cute, tender, and delicate. Kathleen bit her lips and looked at the man who was closing in on her. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t you dare touch me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll tell Nicolette.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist. ¡°We¡¯ll see if you still have the strength in a while.¡± ¡°You!¡± Kathleen red at him. ¡°Oomph!¡± Samuel raised her chin and kissed her lips. A storm then swept across the room. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Is She Pregnant Two hourster, Kathleen was lying weakly on the bed. Her body was covered with a ck nket, and her skin was especially pale by contrast. The marks on her soft body were remnants of the passionate session earlier. That beast! Kathleen bit her lips and stared at the man who was putting on his clothes by the side of the bed. ¡°I will tell Nicolette about this. Just you wait,¡± she threatened. Samuel raised his brows and said, ¡°You still have the energy to talk?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Samuel bent down and supported himself with his arms on her sides. Affectionately, he raised his hand and gently flicked her forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a way to contact her. How do you n to snitch about this?¡± Kathleen froze. While staring at her, he continued, ¡°Besides, you have your pride too. I don¡¯t think a shy person like you would show someone else your body.¡± Kathleen snorted and burrowed herself under the nket. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit. You should take a good rest. I¡¯ll ask Maria to bring you food, so you don¡¯t have to get off the bed,¡± Samuel reminded. Kathleen ignored him. Suddenly, she felt something slipping under her nket. Samuel grabbed her hand and put a ck card in her palm. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate to see why the ck card was canceled. Remember to keep it with you at all times. Otherwise, you¡¯re going to have a hard time without money.¡± Kathleen remained motionless. After putting on his suit, Samuel headed out. Kathleen threw the ck card onto the floor. Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened, and he left after turning around. Kathleen stared at the ceiling while lying on the bed. I will never spend Samuel¡¯s money anymore. Tomorrow onward, I will earn my own money! But¡­ What can I do? She became ipetent ever since she got married to Samuel. The problem of surviving never crossed her mind. I¡¯ve messed up¡­ After leaving the Macari residence, Samuel got into his car and called Tyson. He instructed, ¡°Give the bank a call and ask them why Kathleen¡¯s card has been canceled.¡± Surprised, Tyson asked, ¡°Mr. Macari, weren¡¯t you the one who asked to cancel it?¡± ¡°When did I ask you to cancel it? Didn¡¯t I tell you that I will still continue to take care of Kathleen even after we get divorced?¡± Samuel replied with a darkened face. Confused, Tyson replied, ¡°I¡¯ll ask the bank to reactivate it.¡± Samuel ordered coldly, ¡°Hurry, and remember what I said today. Even after getting divorced, Kathleen will still have special treatment as usual.¡± Tyson nodded and replied, ¡°Understood!¡± He started to feel like Samuel might actually have feelings toward Kathleen. Indifferently, Samuel instructed, ¡°Wait for me at the office.¡± Feeling confused again, Tyson asked, ¡°Mr. Macari, aren¡¯t you going to the hospital?¡± Samuel coldly replied, ¡°Can you handle thepany alone if I go to the hospital every single day?¡± ¡°No, I cannot.¡± Tyson was fully aware that he was not capable of doing that. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up.¡± With that, Samuel ended the call. Right when he was getting ready to drive to thepany, Nicolette called. ¡°Samuel, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll be back in a while? Why are you not back yet?¡± Nicolette whined. ¡°I have to settle somepany matters. I¡¯ve hired a caregiver to take care of you. Rest well. I¡¯ll hang up now,¡± Samuel replied and swiftly hung up. Nicolette was stunned when Samuel hung up on her. Did he actually hang up on me? It must be Kathleen¡¯s fault! This won¡¯t do. I have to figure out a way to make Kathleen obediently donate her bone marrow to me and vanish from this world! Meanwhile, Kathleen finally got up and took a shower. She got out of the room after changing into a loose outfit. She went downstairs to check on Diana. Seemingly full of energy and in good spirits, Diana said, ¡°Katie, you¡¯re here.¡± With rosy pink cheeks, Kathleen asked, ¡°Grandma, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± Diana tugged Kathleen¡¯s arm and rolled up her sleeves. Kathleen felt nothing but awkwardness. ¡°Samuel, that little brat! He doesn¡¯t have anypassion at all. You don¡¯t have to spoil him. Even though it¡¯s important to get pregnant, your body is important too,¡± Diana reproached. Upon hearing that, Kathleen felt even more awkward. She knew this would happen if she stayed in the Macari residence. ¡°I¡¯ll get the kitchen to make you some mushroom soup. You should have moreter.¡± Dianaughed and continued, ¡°I was so excited when I heard that you and Samuel will be staying over. I¡¯ll definitely recover faster with my dear Katie by my side.¡± Kathleen smilingly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not capable of doing that.¡± Diana lovingly remarked, ¡°Katie, you¡¯re my best remedy.¡± Kathleen leaned her head on Diana¡¯s shoulder. Everyone in the Macari family likes me, except Samuel. Why? ¡°Katie, don¡¯t be afraid. Let me know if you¡¯ve gotten wronged. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Diana held Kathleen¡¯s slightly trembling hands. Kathleen nodded and hummed in reply. The corners of her eyes were getting watery. She was afraid of Diana finding out, so she held back her tears. After that, time flew by as she chatted with Diana. At eight in the evening, it was time for Diana to rest. Kathleen left Diana¡¯s room. Samuel had not returned yet. Kathleen felt like Samuel would not return for the night. Once she got back to her room, she received a call from Gemma. ¡°Gem?¡± Kathleen asked softly. ¡°Kathleen, I need your help for something,¡± Gemma said timidly. ¡°Okay. What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been volunteering at a charity home, but I can¡¯t help out because of what happened to Benjamin. I was thinking maybe you could help out. Are you okay with that?¡± Gemma asked shyly. ¡°Of course! That¡¯s a good thing,¡± Kathleen agreed immediately. ¡°There are children with autism, so their conditions are a bit special. You¡¯ll need to be patient, and please take care of yourself as well,¡± Gemma reminded. ¡°Autism?¡± Kathleen had heard of this disorder before, but she did not know much about it. Gemma nodded and exined, ¡°Yes. These children are quite pitiful. They don¡¯t interact with the outside world. They are immersed in their own worlds. Life gets tough for them once their parents or rtives are no longer around because there¡¯s no one to take care of them.¡± Upon hearing that, Kathleen¡¯s heart wrenched. Now that I¡¯m carrying a baby of my own, I hope my precious little one can grow up safely. I only want my baby to be happy. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there tomorrow,¡± Kathleen agreed and gently caressed her belly. ¡°I¡¯ll send you the address and some information. I¡¯m really sorry to trouble you,¡± Gemma thanked Kathleen again. Kathleen smilingly replied, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite with me. I¡¯m more than willing to help out with something like this.¡± Gemma breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good to hear. I have to get to work now, so I¡¯ll have to end the call.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen hung up the phone. Soon after, she grabbed her tablet and researched autism. While doing that, she fell asleep. When Samuel got back, he found her sleeping while leaning against the headboard. She did not have a nket on, and her tablet was still on. He walked over, and right when he was about to turn off the tablet, he read the words: How do complications during pregnancy lead to autism in children? His hand slightly trembled. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Is she pregnant? Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Why Is He Not Good Enough Kathleen was having a fitful sleep when she was awoken by a bitingly cold presence. Her gazended on Samuel, who was standing by her bed. She was ovee with nerves and disbelief that he had actually returned. Samuel regarded the squeamish Kathleen in an icily condescending manner. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± ¡°No. Who told you that? Do you deny theb test results?¡± Kathleen bit back as she worried her bottom lip. ¡°Then what is it that you¡¯re looking at?¡± retorted Samuel as he pointed at the tablet. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I had promised to help Gemma out tomorrow by volunteering at a charity home advocating for autistic children. Do you find fault in me doing some background research beforehand?¡± That managed to convince Samuel. ¡°What time will you be leaving tomorrow?¡± asked Samuel dispassionately. ¡°I n to reach by ten o¡¯clock.¡± Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief. That was a close call. Her pregnancy was almost revealed. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯re not pregnant?¡± Samuel reiterated. ¡°Of course. When have I skipped my birth control pills?¡± deadpanned Kathleen. ¡°That trip to the hot springs two months prior.¡± Samuel could still recall it vividly. Well, that was true indeed. Kathleen had decided to head to the hot springs on a whim while Samuel had been there on a job inspection. Neither she nor Samuel had an inkling that either party would be present, yet both had met out of sheer coincidence. It had only taken Samuel one look at Kathleen, enticingly flushed and bundled up in a bathrobe, for him to ravish herpletely in his room. In the heat of the moment, Samuel had forgotten to bring along his condoms. He rarely used them, as a matter of fact, and relied on Kathleen¡¯s regr intake of morning-after pills. After their night together, he had urged Kathleen to take her pills on time and hastily left for work. Kathleen was so wrung out after the night¡¯s exertions that she failed to act on it immediately. She had brushed off the reminder since she wasn¡¯t ovting and promptly forgotten all about it. Samuel had worn a condom the subsequent few times they slept together. Hence, she did not see the need in taking the pills. Yet, a seed had been nted in her womb, and a new life took shape. ¡°You weren¡¯t around when I was taking my n B pills thest time,¡± exined Kathleen coolly. ¡°I¡¯ll ingest them right now if you still doubt me!¡± Kathleen then proceeded to retrieve a box of morning-after pills from the drawer. The pill had almost reached Kathleen¡¯s lips when Samuel grabbed her hand, disrupting her. ¡°Fine, I trust you. You haven¡¯t been feeling welltely. Taking these pills might only cause more harm than good.¡± ¡°I hope the future men I meet won¡¯t let me suffer through this, unlike you! All you care about is your own pleasure regardless of my feelings.¡± Samuel was incensed. Did I truly act irresponsibly? Still, it is true that Kathleen often has to be on n B pills. ¡°Without proper contraceptive measures, would you prefer to be as fecund as a sow?¡± countered Samuel. ¡°If a man were to truly love me, he would certainly have a vasectomy.¡± ¡°Dream on. No man wouldmit such folly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so full of yourself that your opinions are skewed. I swear I¡¯ll prove it to you by finding a good man for myself.¡± ¡°Believe me, Kathleen, when I say that such men are a mere figment of your wishful imagination,¡± quibbled Samuel. How dare shepare me with her imagined good man. What is so bad about me anyway? Kathleen is given ample money to spend. Besides, her needs and wants, both in bed and in day-to-day life are well taken care of. What more is there to ask for? ¡°The good men out there are a dime a dozen. I can¡¯t believe my poor luck to have met the only bad egg out there.¡± Kathleen fumed. ¡°This means that we¡¯re fated then,¡± replied Samuel slyly. Kathleen uttered self-mockingly, ¡°As if! Curse my rotten luck. I must have been utterly blinded!¡± Her mind must have been lust-addled to have pined after him for ten years. Samuel huffed in displeasure. Kathleen instantly sensed that something was off. Recently, it seemed that she had inexplicably be more prone to losing her temper. Based on her research, however, it could be that her mood swings were due to pregnancy hormonal imbnces. Kathleen pinched the space between her eyebrows, deted. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯m going to bed.¡± She then proceeded to flop onto the bed, pull up the covers, and fell asleep. Samuel grimaced. The gall of her to instigate my anger then promptly snooze off like nobody¡¯s business. She would not have dared to do so in the past. When did she be so gutsy? Kathleen thanked the heavens for her quick wit in switching the birth control pills to vitamins. She wouldn¡¯t have proposed to take them right before Samuel otherwise. Kathleen eventually drifted off and sumbed to sleep. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Samuel¡¯s cial gaze was pinned on the bottle of birth-control pills. What an eyesore. Best get rid of it. How am I not a good man? If a good man was defined by his actions in not allowing her to consume birth-control pills, then so be it. He would use a condom from this day forth. After showering, Samuely in bed and turned to his side, taking in the view of Kathleen. She was as soft and luscious as fresh peach and slept as soundly as an endearing tabby cat. How is it possible for such an irresistibly adorable woman to exist? No wonder everyone seems drawn to her. Especially Christopher. The way he looks at Kathleen does not belong to that of an ordinary friend. The mere thought of that did not sit well with Samuel, and he waspelled to wrap Kathleen in his embrace to soothe his unease. ¡°Let go of me you scum!¡± Kathleen shrieked as she struggled to escape from him. Samuel frowned in dismay at themotion, but Kathleen was merely sleep-talking. ¡°Leave me alone. I no longer love you. I¡¯m going to find someone else whom I deserve,¡± Kathleen whimpered in her sleep. Samuel felt a twinge in his chest. He couldn¡¯t seem to exin why those words made him so queasy. Yet, there was nothing he could do but bear down on the difort. The day dawned bright the following day. Kathleen kicked aside her covers in frustration. My entire body feels so warm! The room¡¯s temperature was ridiculously high, even after factoring in the fact that the heater was still running. Kathleen was drenched in sweat and felt as if she were being burnt alive when the weight of the covers descended upon her once more. Kathleen was livid. Who is the annoying fellow? She was preparing to kick aside her nket again when she felt her limbs being restrained. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal the close-up of a beautifully handsome face. What in the world is happening here? When did I fall asleep in the arms of Samuel? A smile tugged on the corner of Samuel¡¯s sensuous lips. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Kathleen disengaged herself from him and scooted to the corner of the bed, rmed. Some things never change. She used to instinctively burrow into Samuel¡¯s arms before falling asleep and relished the feel of warming her icy feet on his thighs. Samuel had been tolerant of her quirks and never once objected to them. It turned out old habits were hard to break, even today. ¡°Excuse me, don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re about to get divorced. For propriety¡¯s sake, could you please keep your distance and sleep on the couch instead?¡± Kathleen would have done so if not for her baby. ¡°Ladies first.¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°All right then,¡± said Kathleen with gritted teeth. The couch was wide enough for one anyway. As long as she kept to her space, it was unlikely that she¡¯d fall off. Samuel¡¯s face was drawn into a rictus. She wouldn¡¯t have acquiesced to sleeping on the couch in the past. What has gotten into her? Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 I Will Blow His Head Up Kathleen knew Samuel was puzzled. She said, ¡°I just want you to know that I¡¯m not being whiny to seek your attention, I¡¯m serious about this.¡± Kathleen was determined to divorce Samuel. She could not afford to wait until her baby bump started showing and got found out by others. By that time, she might still be able to get the divorce but would the Macari grant her custody of her baby? It was definitely out of the question. On top of that, Samuel would not stop seeing Nicolette just for the sake of the baby. In the end, the ones who suffered would only be the baby and herself. ¡°Samuel, let us end this on good terms,¡± said Kathleen. She then took a deep breath and said, ¡°After crying it out yesterday, I suddenly feel that I can let go.¡± It might be painful to give up, but she would be damaged beyond repair if she did not take back her heart now. She did not want to y with fire anymore. This time, she wanted to live for herself. Samuel gave her a cold nce without saying anything, and he went from the bed to the shower. Kathleen let out a sigh, and a bitter look showed on her face. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow. She was now being rewarded with the consequences of her own action. Kathleen and Samuel stoppedmunicating. They went downstairs together when they were ready. Later while they were having their meal, Kathleen told Wynnie that she was going out. Wynnie asked, ¡°Are you visiting Benjamin?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m heading to a charity home for some volunteer work, I¡¯m helping Gemma out. She has a lot on her te, but the charity works need to keep going,¡± Kathleen exined. When Kathleen was talking, her doe-like eyes sparkled, so she looked very cute while doing so. Wynnie liked Kathleen; it was a genuine feeling. Wynnie asked, ¡°What sort of charity home is that? Anything I can help?¡± ¡°It is a charity home established specially for children with autism,¡± replied Kathleen in her sweet voice, ¡°Actually I¡¯m also not quite sure what they would need.¡± Wynnie looked solemn as she said, ¡°There is quite a number of autistic children nowadays. We really should give more attention and concern to them. It¡¯s okay, let me know what they need after your visit.¡± Kathleen nodded. Wynnie turned around and took out a cheque from her Birkin bag, she wrote a six-figure cheque and ced it in front of Kathleen. Then, she said, ¡°Here, donate this under your name as Mrs. Macari.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen looked at her in astonishment. ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°You are Samuel¡¯s wife, and you will be attending all kinds of events representing the Macari family, you cannot keep shying away from the spotlight.¡± Wynnie was hinting at Samuel. Samuel had been keeping Kathleen hidden from the public eyes for long enough. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, just do as I said,¡± Wynnie said. ¡°Whoever dares to disagree with me, I¡¯ll blow his head up.¡± Samuel fell speechless. Kathleen bit her lips, she did not dare to, nor did she want to do that either. Since she had decided to get a divorce from Samuel, she did not want anything to do with him from then on. She was not going to donate in the name of Mrs. Macari, she would instead donate it in the name of the Macari family. ¡°Right, let me send you there.¡± Wynnie was still worried. After what happened to Kathleenst time, she kept having an anxious feeling. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Christopher, he will get you a bodyguard to look after your safety,¡± Wynnie said. Samuel looked displeased and said, ¡°Mom, I will send her over, and can¡¯t you just get a bodyguard from the Macari family?¡± Wynnie retorted in a sarcastic way, ¡°I was worried that those people in the Macari family have changed and only recognize that vixen in the hospital as theirdy boss.¡± Diana was not with them, so it did not matter what Wynnie said. Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Mom, there is no need for all the fuss.¡± Kathleen was a bit embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ll just make sure to be more aware when I¡¯m outside.¡± When I am no longer Samuel¡¯s wife, I will then be safe and free from danger. I¡¯m going to leave this ce, and make sure not to leave a trace for anyone to find me. ¡°No way, you are precious to the Macari family, I¡¯ve asked Christopher to get you a female bodyguard, don¡¯t you worry.¡± Wynnie was being considerate. Kathleen was biting down on her bagel sandwich as she said, ¡°Mom, if only I could marry you.¡± Wynnie let out a loudugh and said, ¡°It¡¯s a shame I¡¯m not a man. I would never do someone as adorable as you any wrong!¡± Samuel always knew they had a good inw rtionship. To be able to make Wynnieugh, Kathleen was indeed quite capable in her own right. Furthermore, she did not even do it on purpose. It all came naturally. ¡°Are you done?¡± Samuel gave Kathleen a cold look. Kathleen finished up thest bagel sandwich and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done.¡± Wynnie was not happy about it and said, ¡°What is wrong with just waiting for her to finish her meal? What¡¯s the hurry? She is a slow eater. Can¡¯t you just wait for a while?¡± Samuel went speechless. Is she really my mother? ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve really eaten enough.¡± Kathleen did not want to see them arguing. In fact, she only had three bagel sandwiches, she actually wanted to have more. However, she could not eat however much she wanted to without care, she needed to take care of her health. No one knew she was pregnant, so nobody was watching over her. She must learn to take care of herself. As a matter of fact, she knew if she let the Macari family know she was pregnant, they would take care of her. Nevertheless, she could not tell them. Samuel lightly pinched between his eyebrows. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen got up and said, ¡°Mom, we are heading off now.¡± Wynnie nodded and replied, ¡°All right, you get going.¡± With that, Samuel went out with Kathleen. After they got into the car, Samuel said coolly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I would think that I¡¯m the inw here.¡± Kathleen asked in a thoughtful way, ¡°Are you ming me for being too adorable?¡± ¡°No,¡± Samuel replied indifferently. ¡°What is the address?¡± Kathleen said the address, and Samuel drove to that ce. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a bodyguard,¡± Samuel said in a cold and stern way. However, Kathleen rejected him. ¡°I don¡¯t want a bodyguard.¡± Especially when the bodyguard is sent over by Samuel. The bodyguard would follow her all the time. In that case, she would not be able to cover up her pregnancy. ¡°It¡¯s a must,¡± Samuel said coolly. ¡°I do not wish for that incident to happen again.¡± Kathleen paused and smirked. ¡°You are worried about me falsely using Nicolette. That¡¯s why you want to send me a bodyguard, but it is actually for the sake of Nicolette right? You¡¯re doing this so that I will not be able to me anything on her.¡± Samuel was not happy with her reply. How does her brain function? When have I said such a thing? ¡°Fine, you go ahead and arrange however you want.¡± Kathleen was feeling a sense of jealousy in her heart. With his face all gloomy, Samuel sent Kathleen to the entrance of the charity home. Kathleen got down from the car and went in without looking back. Staring at her slender back, Samuel was engrossed in his own thoughts. She sure has a huge temper for someone of her size. Kathleen knew she needed something to distract herself. She could not stand the misery of pondering things between Samuel, Nicolette, and herself day after day. Upon entering, she greeted the person in charge of the charity home. The person in charge there was Sophie Campbell. Sophie smiled and said, ¡°Gemma has already informed me about you. Ms. Johnson, do you have any experience in taking care of autistic children?¡± Kathleen was a bit anxious, she shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll learn with all my heart.¡± Sophie replied with a smile, ¡°Ms. Johnson, there is no need to be nervous about this. Everyone starts on the same nk page, you just need to learn. Once you pick it up, it will be just fine.¡± She then passed a key to Kathleen, there was a number tag hanging from the key. ¡°This is for you, you can change first and then juste to the ssroom over here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. She then went and changed her clothes. Kathleen came out after changing, and she heard someone calling her name. ¡°Kathleen? You are Kathleen right?¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 I Did Not Behave Again Kathleen turned and looked at the guy walking toward her and asked, ¡°You are Federick Evans?¡± Federick smiled and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s been a long time, Kathleen.¡± Federick was Kathleen¡¯s neighbor. After her parents passed away and she moved into the Macari residence, she seldom met Federick. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Federick, what are you doing here?¡± Federick¡¯s face looked sorrowful. He said, ¡°My daughter is here.¡± His daughter? Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Federick, is your daughter¡­¡± ¡°Mid-level autism,¡± Federick said calmly, ¡°I bring her here every week. What about you?¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°I¡¯m here as a favor for Gemma, to do charity work.¡± Federick got it and said, ¡°Oh, so you are a friend of Gem.¡± Kathleen reminded him that they should get going as she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Federick made a sound of approval and nodded. They went into the ssroom which had a few autistic children in it. They were all brought there by either their father or mother. Kathleen learned that the biggest concern for most families with autistic children was that one of the parents could not stand the stress and chose to divorce or leave the family behind. For instance, Federick¡¯s wife was one of them. When Madeline Evans was diagnosed with autism, her mother chose to divorce after she persisted for six months. Madeline was five years old, and she was a cute little girl. Nheless, because of autism, she did not react to the world around her and did not interact with people. She sat in a corner quietly, holding a barbie doll in her hands. Actually, most autistic children were quiet, as long as they were not provoked. As they were quiet, they did not take the initiative to tell others what they wanted or when they were not feelingfortable. The parents brought their children there because the doctors were professional and would be able to help them. ¡°Madeline, do you want some water?¡± Federick got down next to Madeline and asked. Madeline did not give any reaction to her father. ¡°Madeline, the doctor is going toe and examine youter. Let¡¯s not yell at the doctor likest time, all right?¡± Federick asked. Again, Madeline did not show any response. Federick let out a sigh. Kathleen walked over and got down next to Madeline, she waved her hand and said, ¡°Madeline?¡± Federick sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s no use, she does not even react much to me.¡± Out of expectation, Madeline raised her hand and looked at Kathleen. Federick was amazed. Kathleen gave a gentle, warm smile and said, ¡°When the doctor is here, we will let the doctor examine you. After that, I will make a pretty little dress for your barbie doll, okay?¡± Madeline then lowered her head again. Federick was excited at first, but looking at Madeline going back to her usual state and being shut off from the outside world, he felt heartbroken. Kathleen knew this was how children with autism behaved. ¡°Okay.¡± Madeline finally gave a response. Federick was dumbfounded. Kathleen was overjoyed. ¡°Pinky promise?¡± She held her pinky finger forward. Madeline also held her hand out. With that, Kathleen made a pinky promise to her and said, ¡°It¡¯s a promise, you will let the doctor examine you and I will make your barbie doll a little dress.¡± Madeline nodded with a light hum. Federick¡¯s eyes were filled with tears right away. He said in a quavering voice, ¡°Kathleen, she rarely reacts to things or people from the outside world. Besides me, this is the first time she responded to someone speaking to her.¡± That¡¯s wonderful. ¡°This shows that the treatment here is working,¡± Kathleen exined. She did not think that she was the special reason. Federick covered up his face and did not want Kathleen to see him cry. ¡°You are right. I¡¯m content with her getting better little by little. I¡¯ll be very happy if she can show a little bit of response to the outside world.¡± Kathleen handed a tissue to Federick. He took it and wiped off his tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to show you this side of me. This is embarrassing.¡± ¡°Federick, this is what it¡¯s like being parents, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Kathleen. She then said in a gentle tone, ¡°As long as the kid stays safe and healthy, nothing else matters.¡± As she was going to have her own baby, that moment gave her a profound feeling. ¡°Right, nothing else matters. I just want my Madeline to be healthy,¡± Federick said with his puffy eyes. The doctor came in at that moment. One by one, the doctor examined the children. When it was Madeline¡¯s turn, the doctor asked, ¡°Madeline, do you still remember me?¡± She remained silent. ¡°I¡¯m going to examine you,¡± the doctor said softly. Kathleen could see that the doctor was nervous. It might be that Madeline had caused a scenest time during the examination which left an impression on the doctor. Although the doctor knew it was normal for autistic patients, he was still anxious. Unexpectedly, Madeline was very still this time that even the doctor was amazed. ¡°Madeline, you are very good today.¡± That was a huge step forward. Federick exined, ¡°Yes, she even responded to Kathleen when she spoke to her just now.¡± The doctor nced at Kathleen and said, ¡°You are new here?¡± ¡°Yes, I am here on behalf of Gemma,¡± Kathleen answered. The doctor looked at Kathleen and saw that she had a friendly smile. ¡°We need someone like you here, would you consider staying?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°I mean for the charity work,¡± the doctor further exined. Kathleen smiled and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± The doctor nodded. Suddenly, a kid sitting not far from Madeline started screaming. He fell from the chair and was kicking around. ¡°Doctor!¡± the little boy¡¯s mother panicked. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The doctor hurried over. Madeline covered her ears and she started to scream too. ¡°Madeline!¡± Federick was shocked and he reached out, wanting to hold Madeline. However, Madeline kicked his hands away and refused to let him touch her. Then, she went to the corner. With her ears covered, she continued to scream. Kathleen approached her and said, ¡°Hey Madeline, it¡¯s me, Kathleen. You are going to be okay.¡± Madeline was kicking around just like the little boy did. She could easily hurt herself that way. Kathleen embraced her and said to Federick, ¡°The medicine.¡± Madeline was struggling in an aggressive way. She knew that she could not escape, so she bit strongly on Kathleen¡¯s palm. Kathleen was in pain but she did not loosen her grip. Federick brought the medicine and helped Madeline take it. ¡°Madeline, it¡¯s okay, no one¡¯s going to harm you. It¡¯s me, Kathleen.¡± Kathleen tried tofort Madeline while holding her in her arms. After Madeline took the medicine, and with Kathleen soothing her, she started to settle down. The little boy was still screaming but it was in a much lower tone. The other children were all somewhat affected by this. The little boy¡¯s mother was crying in grief. Kathleen knew she must have had a hard time taking care of the boy all by herself. Her eyes turned red instantly. It¡¯s hard enough for a woman to take care of a kid, let alone a kid with autism. ¡°Kathleen, thank you,¡± Federick said apologetically. ¡°Let me have Madeline. You should hurry and get your wound treated.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen proceeded to hand Madeline over to Federick. However, Madeline held on to Kathleen¡¯s hand, and said in her hoarse and soft voice, ¡°I did not behave again, Kathleen. Will you still make my barbie doll a dress?¡± Kathleen could not take it and tears poured down her cheeks. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Getting Angry After the charity work had ended, Sophie escorted Kathleen out of the charity home. ¡°Does your hand still hurt?¡± Sophie asked. Kathleen shook her head and replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Sophie noticed Kathleen¡¯s dejected mood and consoled, ¡°Everyone was like you when they first volunteer here. Even though they might not have encountered situations where the children were having episodes, they felt the same way as you when they heard about the parents.¡± Kathleen bit her lips and asked, ¡°What are the chances of recovery for these children?¡± ¡°The chances are slim. Even if they¡¯ve recovered, there are still possibilities for them to be triggered again.¡± Sophie sighed and continued, ¡°As of now, there¡¯s still no definite exnation as to why this happens. There¡¯s no cure for it as well.¡± Gloomily, Kathleen said, ¡°Ms. Campbell, I don¡¯t know how to exin my feelings. After seeing those children and their parents, I¡¯m worried that my own child will be like this too. Am I being very selfish? The first thing I thought about is myself after witnessing what happened.¡± Sophie patted her shoulder and said, ¡°You silly child. It¡¯s normal to feel this way. When you get pregnant in the future, you just have to make sure that you¡¯re feeling happy at all times. Everything is fine if you give birth safely. Stop overthinking.¡± Feeling happy at all times? I want to but I¡¯m suffering. That was the reason why Kathleen was feeling upset. She was worried that her suffering would affect her child. With a gentle tone, Sophie said, ¡°You¡¯re a kind-hearted person. God will not mistreat you.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Campbell, I really like this ce. Can I continue to volunteer here?¡± Kathleen asked. Sophie nodded and replied, ¡°Of course! We will always wee you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Kathleen was delighted upon hearing that. Just then, a ck Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of her. Federick got off the car and said, ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡± Puzzled, Kathleen asked, ¡°Federick, how¡¯s Madeline?¡± ¡°My mum¡¯s looking after her. Don¡¯t worry, my mum has experience taking care of Madeline,¡± he exined. Feeling relieved, she nodded. ¡°You guys can continue chatting. I have something to deal with, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± With that said, Sophie turned around and left. Federick looked at Kathleen and asked, ¡°May I treat you to a meal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Federick. My family is waiting for me to dine with them at home,¡± she exined. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Federick was worried that she might misunderstand, so he continued, ¡°I¡¯ll send you back home then. We can chat in the car.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Federick opened the passenger seat¡¯s door and saw some children¡¯s picture books on the seat. Embarrassed, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I forgot that I put some books here.¡± Federick nned to move those books to the backseat. Kathleen was afraid it would be too troublesome, so she suggested, ¡°Federick, you don¡¯t have to move them. I can sit at the back.¡± With a faint smile, Federick said, ¡°Okay, that works too. These books are quite heavy.¡± Kathleen smiled and got into the backseat. Soon, Federick got into the car as well and fastened his seat belt. He asked, ¡°Where do you stay?¡± She told him the address of the Macari residence. He was stunned for a moment before regaining hisposure and said, ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Kathleen noticed some books in the backseat as well, so she took one and asked, ¡°Federick, what are these?¡± Federick¡¯s lips curled upward and replied, ¡°These are some picture books published by mypany. The one you¡¯re looking at is a story I¡¯ve written for Madeline. An illustrator drew the pictures for me.¡± Kathleen found it to be a good read and said, ¡°This is interesting.¡± With a smile, Federick replied, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°However, why is the story notpleted?¡± Kathleen asked in confusion. ¡°I was going to publish the sequel this summer, but the illustrator got into an ident and couldn¡¯t draw anymore. I couldn¡¯t find another illustrator to rece him, so the sequel has to be dyed,¡± he exined. Kathleen nodded at his words. ¡°Federick, is there a reason why you¡¯re looking for me?¡± she asked out of curiosity. ¡°I just wanted to ask if you¡¯ll be volunteering here next time,¡± Federick asked calmly. Kathleen nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, as long as I have the time for it.¡± Federick was relieved upon hearing that. ¡°That¡¯s great! Autistic children don¡¯t really interact with anyone since they¡¯re too immersed in their own worlds. If there¡¯s a way to pique their interest in interacting with others, there might be a chance to cure this disorder.¡± Kathleen continued to listen to him. ¡°Madeline actually reacted to your words today. Will it trouble you if I ask you tomunicate with her more often?¡± Kathleen gently replied, ¡°Of course not. Federick, you don¡¯t have to be so polite when speaking to me. It¡¯s my pleasure to help out.¡± Federick would not let Kathleen help out with nothing in return, so he offered, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear! Feel free to let me know if you need anything.¡± Kathleen asked, ¡°Federick, can I have this book?¡± ¡°You can have it if you like it.¡± Federick happily gifted her the book. Kathleen wrapped the book in her arms and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take it then.¡± Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Macari residence. While looking at the magnificent mansion, Federick was reminded of that family. Kathleen was worried that Federick might misunderstand. ¡°Federick¡­¡± With a gentle smile, he said, ¡°I know that the Macari family took you in after what happened to your parents. Don¡¯t worry, I did not misunderstand anything. I won¡¯t go around talking about this either.¡± Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Federick drove away with a wave of his hand. Kathleen watched as he drove away. She took a deep breath. At that moment, a cold voice sounded from behind. ¡°No wonder the driver did not manage to pick you up. It¡¯s because someone has already sent you back.¡± Kathleen turned around in shock and looked at Samuel with a pale face. At this hour, shouldn¡¯t he be apanying Nicolette after getting off work? Why would he be home? ¡°It was on the way, so Federick sent me home.¡± She headed into the mansion while holding tightly to the book. Samuel blocked her path. He was emanating a cold and dangerous aura. With a cold voice, he said, ¡°Did you meet that man at the charity home? He sent you back after only meeting you for the first time. Seems like you¡¯re still doing well in the dating scene.¡± Dating scene? She bit her lips and said, ¡°Samuel, you don¡¯t have to be cynical about this. That man is Federick Evans. He used to be my neighbor. We¡¯ve only met each other again at the charity home today. His daughter has autism.¡± Samuel¡¯s darkened gazended on the back of Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± With that said, Kathleen strode away. ¡°Stop there!¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist and yelled, ¡°Tell me! How did you get hurt?¡± She was a fragile person, and so was her skin. ¡°I already told you that it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Kathleen did not want to exin it to him. There was no need to do so. She got more distressed every time she saw him. Samuel refused to get a divorce, so she did not want to interact with him. She was afraid that getting angry all the time would have an effect on her child. Samuel threatened, ¡°You know that I can order someone to end the charity home right this instance, don¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Samuel Is Not Worthy Kathleen gritted her teeth. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°Then tell me the truth.¡± Samuel¡¯s face was dark. He did not want to use this method to force her. However, Kathleen¡¯s temper had been getting worse recently. She was no longer as gentle as before. In other words, she was still a gentle and cute bunny who was only not friendly with him. ¡°A child was acting up. He identally bit me when I was trying to help,¡± Kathleen exined vaguely. ¡°identally?¡± Samuel grabbed her hand and tore off therge band-aid on the wound. The bite mark was deep. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to go there anymore.¡± Samuel was very displeased as he looked at her fair and tender hand. ¡°I¡¯m still going there.¡± Kathleen pulled her hand away. ¡°Those children and everyone else needs help. It was just an ident.¡± ¡°Do you know how dangerous those children are? This time, they injured your hand. Who knows where you will get injured next time,¡± Samuel said sternly. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Those children are not dangerous. As long as they don¡¯t get provoked, they are very well-behaved. Besides, did you think that their parents wanted them to be like that?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°What kind of attitude is this?¡± I¡¯m doing this for your own good! Kathleen knew that she was agitated. She was afraid that her negative emotions would affect her baby negatively. The insecurity, agitation, and fear she felt were all for her baby. However, she could not talk about it to anyone. There was no one she could turn to for advice. She knew that she could possibly have prenatal depression. However, despite this knowledge, there was nothing she could do. ¡°Fine. Do whatever you want.¡± Samuel got angry and left. Kathleen¡¯s tears rolled down her face. Since when have I be such a weak crybaby? I want to endure it, but I can¡¯t take it anymore. Samuel did not hesitate as he drove away. He felt that he had lost his mind. He thought it was a good idea to go home earlier to apany Kathleen since she had been in a bad mood for the past few days. However, he did not expect to get into an argument with her. He should not have been kind. Kathleen wiped her tears and returned to the mansion as if nothing had happened. During dinner time, she did not go to the dining room. She had no appetite. Holding the picture book Federick had given her, Kathleen settled on the couch. Federick was great at writing stories. In his story, Madeline was a gentle and sensible child who could not speak. She broke into the witch¡¯s territory to ask for medicine to save her father. The Madeline in the story was brave and strong. In the end, she managed to win the witch over, and thetter gave her the medicine. That was the end of the story. There were no descriptions of how Madeline returned home or how she saved her father. It was probably in the sequel. However, Kathleen loved this story. In the story, Madeline used tree leaves as a boat and made friends with fireflies. Both the text and illustrations were warm and therapeutic. After a quick search online, she found that The Adventures of Madeline was a bestseller, and everyone was looking forward to the sequel. Kathleen also felt that her heart had healed. She gave Federick a call. ¡°Frederick, it¡¯s me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°Kathleen, is something wrong?¡± Federick had just exited Madeline¡¯s room after she fell asleep. ¡°I finished reading the book.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Frederick, should I try being an illustrator?¡± ¡°Are you interested?¡± Federick was a little surprised. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I think that your story is great and therapeutic. I want to give it a try.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Federick smiled. ¡°You can draw some drafts first, and I will take a look at them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen was ecstatic. She had learned to draw illustrations before, so there were no problems for her in terms of skill. However, being able to draw something that everyone liked required some ingenuity. Yet, Kathleen was confident. ¡°You can send the drawings to me once you¡¯re finished with them,¡± Federick continued. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Frederick hummed in acknowledgment and hung up. Kathleen held the picture book with eyes filled with anticipation. Knock! Knock! There was a knock on the door. Kathleen walked over and opened the door. She was surprised to see Christopher standing there. ¡°Chris?¡± ¡°I came to deliver something to Aunt Wynnie, so I thought I¡¯ll drop by to see you.¡± Christopher¡¯s gaze was deep. ¡°I heard that you and Samuel quarreled.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t take offense. I was just asking.¡± Christopher was worried that she took offense to his questioning. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Kathleen replied inly. Christopher¡¯s voice lowered when he saw her dark expression. ¡°Kathleen, I can help you if you want to divorce him.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°You can help me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m awyer. I can help you file a divorcewsuit,¡± Christopher replied. ¡°No!¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°You and Samuel are cousins. How can you two take this matter to court because of me? Aunt Emily likes me, and Wynnie treats me well. I can¡¯t do that!¡± Christopher frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not happy now.¡± In just a few days, she appeared so much more pale and haggard. Kathleen was startled. She was indeed unhappy. He could tell that I was unhappy? If Christopher could tell, doesn¡¯t it mean that Old Mrs. Macari and Wynnie could too? I¡¯m so stupid. There was no way to cover it up. She had no choice but to expose herself. ¡°The unhappiness is only temporary,¡± Kathleen said softly. ¡°Chris, don¡¯t interfere in my and Samuel¡¯s affairs. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be in an awkward position.¡± Christopher was a good person. Kathleen did not want to make things difficult for him. Christopher¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Kathleen, some things are impossible to shoulder alone.¡± ¡°Chris, everyone has to learn to grow up. There¡¯s nothing that I can¡¯t take.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was deep. Christopher¡¯s heart ached even more. Samuel is not worthy of her love! He doesn¡¯t deserve her! ¡°It¡¯ste, Chris. I want to rest now.¡± Kathleen lowered her thick eyshes. It was then that Christopher remembered his and Kathleen¡¯s status. He was worried about her, so he came upstairs to see her and ask about her situation. However, with Kathleen¡¯s reminder, it was really not appropriate for them to have such a conversation here. ¡°Sleep early. Good night.¡± Christopher turned and left. He wanted to help her break out of this cage and bring her away from here. He wanted to let her experience the happiness a twenty-two-year-old girl should have. However, with his current capabilities, there was nothing he could do. He could only wait for Kathleen and Samuel to get divorced. Only then could he care for and take care of her legitimately and treat her as his wife. When Christopher left, Kathleen also retreated into the room. She sat on the bed and bit her lip harshly. I can¡¯t trouble Christopher anymore. It waste, so she decided to wash up and go to bed. When shey down on the bed, her phone rang. A stranger had added her on WhatsApp. Who could this be? She pondered for a while and deduced that it was probably one of the parents at the charity home. Hence, she epted it. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 The person sent an audio recording to Kathleen. She clicked into it. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re the best. I like you so much.¡± ¡°Nicolette, I love you too. You¡¯re so alluring.¡± ¡°Samuel, I want to stay together with you forever. I want to be your legitimate wife and have your children.¡± ¡°I want to be with you too. I¡¯ll make Kathleen donate her bone marrow to you. I¡¯ve already had it arranged. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Samuel, try harder. Give me more pleasure.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll satisfy you.¡± Thud! The phone in Kathleen¡¯s hand fell to the floor. Her face was pale, and her whole body was trembling. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He said everything had been arranged. Does he really n to force his way through? How can they be so shameless and still think about my bone marrow while making out? How can Samuel be such a jerk? Kathleen could not believe he was the man she had loved for the past ten years. Devoting her heart to the wrong person, she had never felt this disgusted. She calmed herself down and picked up the phone again. She sent a message to the other party: Who are you? However, that person already blocked her. The sole purpose of the sender was to make her listen to the audio recording. The sender probably did that out of a good intention to inform her of the affair between Samuel and Nicolette. Or perhaps, that person was Nicolette, showing off to Kathleen. Regardless of who that person was, Kathleen was disgusted. Since the sender already blocked her, she would not add that person¡¯s contact too. She saved the audio recording so that she could use it as evidence in the future. The next day, Kathleen headed downstairs to eat after she woke up. Looking at her, Wynnie asked, ¡°Samuel wasn¡¯t homest night, was he?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°This kid.¡± Wynnie was displeased. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s because of all the work in thepany. Besides, the Macari residence is a little far from thepany, so he stayed in the condominium,¡± Kathleen exined. Wynnie looked at her with an ambiguous gaze. How long is she going to cover up for Samuel? ¡°I¡¯ll give him a callter,¡± said Wynnie. Kathleen hesitated before replying, ¡°Mom, forget it. He¡¯s really busy recently. It¡¯s time to do the quarterly report again. He won¡¯t maunder in the hospital even if he¡¯s free.¡± Samuel was always busy at the end of every quarter. Kathleen was aware of it, and she had figured out his pattern. The busier he got, the more intense he made out with her. Fully refreshed, he would then go to work. Unfortunately, the person he wanted to make out with had now changed to Nicolette instead of her. She should probably be thankful to Nicolette, as she was no longer the outlet for him to vent his emotions. Wynnie pondered for a moment and fell silent. Did Kathleen think that I was not going to make the phone call after what she said? Wynnie went straight to the hospital instead. She walked into Nicolette¡¯s ward. As expected, Samuel was in there. Nicolette was acting coquettishly. ¡°Samuel, feed me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands?¡± Wynnie crossed her arms. ¡°Might as well chop your hands off if they¡¯re useless.¡± ¡°Mom, what are you doing here?¡± Samuel frowned. Wynnie looked at him in rage. ¡°You were wearing this outfit yesterday.¡± He¡¯s still wearing the same clothes right now. It seems like he indeed spent the night here. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived here from thepany. I¡¯m nning to get myself changed at hometer,¡± Samuel exined calmly. He was not lying. After arguing with Kathleen, he headed straight to thepany. He was upied with work until seven o¡¯clock in the morning and came to the hospital only after Nicolette called him. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re my only son. I¡¯ve been respecting your decision ever since you were young.¡± Wynnie¡¯s voice was stern. ¡°For twenty-six years, the only thing I¡¯ve interfered with is your rtionship with this woman.¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari, I know you don¡¯t like me, but¡­¡± Nicolette uttered in a low voice. ¡°Shut up! What right do you have to speak in front of me?¡± Wynnie interjected coldly. Aggrieved, Nicolette lowered her head. She did it on purpose to make Samuel feel sorry for her. ¡°Nicolette, you don¡¯t have to y any trick. Didn¡¯t you do that just so Samuel would take pity on you?¡± Wynnie exposed Nicolette. ¡°Let me tell you something too. Since I¡¯ve stopped you two from getting together back then, I¡¯ll keep it the same way! I¡¯d rather Samuel stays single for his whole life than allow you to set foot in the Macari family!¡± Nicolette bit her lips. ¡°Mom, that¡¯s not what Nicolette meant.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Samuel, I understand women better than you do.¡± Wynnie said coldly, ¡°Since you¡¯ve decided to be together with her, Kathleen¡¯s destined to get hurt. Kathleen is a pitiful child. Since her parents passed away, there¡¯s no one by her side for her to rely on and seek justice for her. I¡¯ll call the shots for her today. Get a divorce with Kathleen, and stop torturing that poor kid. I¡¯ll convince your grandma.¡± With that, Wynnie turned around and left. Samuel grimaced. Did Mome here just to tell me this? Nicolette was delighted to hear what Wynnie said. If Wynnie is going to decide on the divorce between them, I can forgive her for scolding me like that just now. ¡°Samuel, we can finally be openly together.¡± Nicolette teared up in joy. Samuel stared at her. ¡°Eat first. I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± He did not know why Wynnie suddenly agreed to him divorcing Kathleen. He turned out to be somewhat not used to it, as he thought everyone in the family was against it. Thinking about it, he felt like going back to see Kathleen. Kathleen wanted to return to her room after finishing her meal, but Diana called out to her. She went up to Diana. ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°Come here. Take a seat.¡± Diana patted the bedside. Kathleen walked forward and sat down. She asked softly, ¡°Grandma, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Much better.¡± Diana held Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°Why are your hands so cold?¡± ¡°Probably because I¡¯m scantily d. Grandma, I¡¯ll put on extrayerster. Don¡¯t worry,¡± replied Kathleen. Diana looked at the young woman with pity in her eyes and heaved a long sigh. ¡°Katie, Nicolette is back, isn¡¯t she?¡± Kathleen froze. How did Old Mrs. Macari know about it? ¡°Katie, nothing could be kept secret forever. There are some things that you can¡¯t hide from me.¡± Diana spoke faintly, ¡°Back then, Nicolette¡¯s mother was a vixen who muddled things up in Jadeborough, and so many people had hated her. Everyone¡¯s also aware of what kind of person Nicolette is, so I knew it once she¡¯s back.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not hiding it from you on purpose.¡± ¡°I understand. You¡¯re thoughtful and afraid that I might pass out again.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°But I¡¯ve made you suffer.¡± Kathleen cried easily. Hearing what Diana said, she burst into tears at once. She was aware that everyone doted on her, which was why she did not want to cause any unnecessary trouble. Diana¡¯s heart ached when she saw Kathleen crying. ¡°Katie, I was foolish. I thought you¡¯d be happy after getting married to Samuel. However, I found that you¡¯re actually suffering in the Macari family by marrying Samuel. I was the one who forbade Samuel from marrying Nicolette and also the one who forced you into marrying him. You keep quiet even when you feel wronged because you don¡¯t want me to worry. I¡¯ve promised your parents to make you happy. Now that you¡¯re not, I feel extremely guilty.¡± ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t put it this way,¡± Kathleen said with her reddened eyes, ¡°You dote on me and want me to officially be one of the Macari family so that everyone will dote on me and love me. I know too well about that.¡± Diana patted her head. ¡°How can you be so sensible?¡± Kathleen was crying. ¡°Katie, I won¡¯t be selfish anymore. I agree to the divorce between you and Samuel,¡± Diana stated solemnly. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¡°Do you mean it?¡± Kathleen did not expect Diana to agree. Staring at Kathleen¡¯s delicate and soft face, Diana replied, ¡±Yes, I do.¡± Why is she so happy when she mentions getting divorced from Samuel? She used to like him so much. What happened to her feelings? That brat! What exactly has he done to make Kathleen so disappointed? Holding Kathleen¡¯s hand, Diana said reluctantly, ¡°You¡¯ll always be my Katie even after you¡¯re divorced from Samuel. Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± When Diana took Kathleen to the Macari residence, thetter was only twelve years old. Diana¡¯s son and her daughter-inw had been very busy all these years. Samuel had already started taking over somepany works at a young age. As a result, they were so busy that none of them had time to apany her. Over the years, Diana only had Kathleen by her side. Therefore, she did not feel that lonely. She watched Kathleen grow up from a little girl to a young woman. From Diana¡¯s perspective, Kathleen was a kind, gentle, adorable, and good-tempered person. Furthermore, Kathleen had a courteous demeanor. On the other hand, Samuel was the opposite with his foul temper. Diana thought only Kathleen could make him happy. She felt that such a cheerful and lovely young woman like Kathleen would be a good match for her grandson. She wanted them to get married when the time came. Even though the two were not involved in a romantic rtionship, Diana was hoping that they would develop feelings toward each other down the road. s, Diana never thought that she would get blindsided by her grandson. I can¡¯t believe Samuel likes Nicolette, the daughter of that shameless vixen. Diana was not an unreasonable person. After all, the children born to a mistress had no way to change their past. However, Nicolette¡¯s mother, Elena, was simply toozy. At that time, Elena relied on her beauty to hook up with many wealthy sons of the prestigious family in Jadeborough. Diana was infuriated by her promiscuous life. Luckily for Diana, her son resisted Elena¡¯s seduction. Therefore, she did not lose sleep over this matter. However, some of Diana¡¯s old friends were not so lucky. Elena had either seduced their sons or ruined their daughter¡¯s marriage. It was only after she gave birth to Nicolette that everyone could breathe a sigh of relief. Diana found out that Elena was determined to marry into the Yoeger family. However, Frances Schott, Nicolette¡¯s grandmother, was a fierce woman. She threatened to end her life if Elena was allowed to join their family. In the end, Frances got her wish granted. Elena continued her debauched lifestyle for a few more years before passing away due to a serious illness. Jadeborough was finally at peace. However, before Elena died, she sent Nicolette to the Yoeger family. Veronica Burke, the wife of Zachary Yoeger, could not tolerate Nicolette. Nevertheless, she came from a prestigious family. Hence, she never treated her husband¡¯s illegitimate daughter harshly. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Nicolette inherited Elena¡¯s scheming personality. The former embarrassed Veronica during a banquet many years ago. After suffering in silence, Veronica decided not to y nice anymore. Her attitude toward Nicolette changed overnight. Since you¡¯ve already given me a bad name, why do I care anymore? Nicolette¡¯s father, Zachary, tried to interfere on a few asions. Nheless, Veronica paid him no heed and continued to do as she pleased. She had lost faith in her husband for a long time. Still, Veronica knew that they would not get divorced that easily. Her family had a strong coboration with the Yoegers. Hence, she could not terminate her marriage with Zachary. Veronica did not intend to live a miserable life anymore. She vowed to enjoy herself if Zachary dared to go out and fool around again. Most importantly, Frances decided to turn a blind eye to this. From that day onward, Zachary did not dare to fool around with other women anymore. Even though Nicolette was not as vicious as Elena, she was also a person who would not stop until she achieved her goals. Nicolette knew that the Macari family was the leader among the four prominent families in Jadeborough. That was the reason why she clung to Samuel for her dear life. She wanted to ride on his family¡¯s coattails. Still, Diana would never let Nicolette seed. Even if Kathleen and Samuel are divorced, I¡¯ll never allow Nicolette to join our family. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll always be there for you for the rest of my life.¡± Kathleen pouted while putting her arm around Diana¡¯s neck. Diana beamed with joy upon hearing her promise. At that moment, Maria walked over and announced, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macari is back.¡± ¡°Let him in,¡± Diana ordered coldly. ¡°Right away.¡± Maria immediately turned around to call for Samuel. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll leave first. It¡¯s better for you guys to have a conversation without my presence,¡± Kathleen suggested. ¡°All right.¡± Diana nodded in agreement. With that, Kathleen got up and left. She met Samuel outside. Seeing Samuel¡¯s haggard and weary face, Kathleen recalled the voice recording she heardst night. It made her feel disgusted. She could not help but look at Samuel with a hint of contempt. Without sparing Samuel another look, Kathleen walked off in huge strides. Meanwhile, he entered Diana¡¯s house with a gloomy expression. ¡°Grandma, are you looking for me?¡± Samuel asked in an icy tone. Looking at him nonchntly, Diana said, ¡°Samuel, do you think that I¡¯ll die soon because of my old age. Is that why you¡¯re trying hard to fool me?¡± ¡°Grandma, what are you talking about?¡± Samuel frowned in confusion. ¡°You didn¡¯t even dare to inform me that Nicolette has returned, right?¡± Diana retorted in a low voice. Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Grandma, who told you about this?¡± Diana snorted loudly. ¡°Ha! You must be thinking that it was Katie who snitched on you, right?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pin everything on Katie! Do you honestly think that I¡¯m oblivious to everything that¡¯s happening around me since I can¡¯t leave the house or get out of bed?¡± Diana fumed. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Samuel frowned. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Listen carefully. I have my sources outside. I know exactly what you did with Nicolette,¡± Diana warned in a chilling tone. Looking at her, Samuel rified, ¡°Grandma, I didn¡¯t do anything with Nicolette. We¡¯re innocent.¡± Samuel was not lying at that moment. The only woman he had touched until now was Kathleen. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about this. Let me ask you a question. Do you want to marry Nicolette?¡± Diana probed sternly. Samuel replied decisively, ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°You should know very well that I will never agree on that. Besides, I know what you are nning. You wanted to wait until I die so that no one will prevent you from marrying that woman, am I right?¡± Once again, Samuel did not reply her. ¡°Great! You¡¯re getting more rebellious by the days!¡± Diana could not helpughing mockingly at herself. ¡°Let me warn you first. As long as I live, I will never allow her to marry into our family. Do you know how Old Mrs. Yoeger prevented Nicolette¡¯s mother from joining their family?¡± Samuel naturally remembered it. ¡°Samuel, Katie is a very nice woman. It¡¯s you who don¡¯t know how to cherish her. I can only say that you¡¯re not worthy of a woman like her. She deserves someone gentle and loyal. That man is definitely not you,¡± Diana said dejectedly. Samuel was displeased by his grandmother¡¯s frank remark. ¡°Okay, then. I agree to your divorce with Kathleen,¡± Diana uttered impassively. Samuel grimaced with shock. ¡°Grandma, what did you just say?¡± ¡°You heard me right. I allow you to divorce Kathleen.¡± Diana raised her voice as she became more annoyed. ¡°What? You must be on cloud nine, right?¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 However, Samuel was not overly delighted upon hearing that. He never expected that Diana would agree to him divorcing Kathleen. ¡°But there are conditions to this.¡± Diana was strategizing. ¡°After you divorce Kathleen, you have to give her half of yourpany¡¯s shares, and you can¡¯t marry Nicolette. If you insisted on marrying Nicolette, then you¡¯d have to give Kathleen the remaining half of thepany¡¯s shares. But you can¡¯t resign or leave thepany. You¡¯d have to stay in thepany. It¡¯s like you¡¯re working for Kathleen, understood?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. ¡°Kathleen has been married to you for three years. Think about all her youth and the devotion she has invested in this marriage for the past three years. Do you know how much you¡¯re indebted to her?¡± Samuel felt that the conditions set by Diana were ridiculous. ¡°What if I don¡¯t agree to those conditions?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Why on earth would you not agree?¡± Diana challenged Samuel. ¡°Or that Nicolette is after your money after all, and she wouldn¡¯t want to marry you if you became broke?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Nicolette is not a gold digger. She likes me for who I am.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Diana snickered. ¡°Then go ahead and tell her that and see which option she¡¯d go for.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained calm. ¡°Katie has been visibly haggardtely. I wouldn¡¯t want to see her being tortured by you and Nicolette anymore. That¡¯s why divorce is the best option.¡± Diana stared straight into his eyes. ¡°Just now, when I said I agree to you divorcing Katie, she was delighted.¡± Delighted? Ha, looks like she can¡¯t wait to get rid of me. ¡°Let¡¯s just divorce. Quickly. I can¡¯t wait to see my Katie smile again.¡± Diana urged Samuel. ¡°You¡¯re a man, so act like one. Just do it.¡± Samuel felt a tearing pain in his head. Why did Grandma and Mom have such a huge change in their attitude all of a sudden? ¡°Settle the divorce within three days. Do you hear me?¡± Diana reminded Samuel. ¡°Katie had already promised me that she would still have me as her grandma even after the divorce. I have nothing to lose. I¡¯ll merely lose one granddaughter-inw and gain one more granddaughter. Who knows, I might even have another grandson-inw in the future!¡± Samuel was at a loss for words again. ¡°All right. All right. Take your time to think this through in theing three days.¡± Diana waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m tired. You should go now. I get upset whenever I see you now.¡± Samuel felt dejected. He felt as if his own mother and grandmother were no longer on his side. They had both sided with Kathleen as if Kathleen were their own. Samuel turned around and walked out of the room. At the same time, Calvin walked in. ¡°Dad?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re back? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be dyed for two days?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed your mom and decided toe back,¡± Calvin said coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. What happened? Did your grandma scold you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel paused. ¡°Dad, were you switched at birth?¡± Calvin furrowed his brows. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you think if you were the one switched at birth?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. ¡°Did your grandma scold you because of Katie?¡± Calvin asked. ¡°Grandma agreed to me divorcing Katie,¡± Samuel said in a low voice. ¡°Really?¡± Calvin asked excitedly. ¡°Your grandma has finally thought things through.¡± ¡°So, Dad, are you supportive of my divorce from Katie?¡± Samuel asked in a low voice. ¡°I am not supporting you. I am merely supporting Katie.¡± Calvin said in a cold voice. ¡°Nicolette is back, and you still have a thing with her. Katie would not be happy about it, so you two might as well get a divorce.¡± Samuel felt strange that everyone agreed to him and Kathleen divorcing each other. What¡¯s going on? ¡°Dad, did you all collude with one another, thinking that if everyone appeared to agree to our divorce, I would wonder what¡¯s going on and refuse to divorce Katie?¡± Samuel felt that this was a trap. Calvin snorted. ¡°Do you think we would do such a thing? If your theory were true, what would happen if you and Katie really divorced each other? We wouldn¡¯t achieve our objective, would we?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°We just can¡¯t bear to see Katie being so unhappy. If being with you upsets her, it¡¯d be better for you two to break up,¡± Calvin said coldly. ¡°Son, I just hope that you won¡¯t regret this decision. There¡¯s no turning back. You¡¯d better think this through before making any decision.¡± Samuel replied coldly, ¡°What if I haven¡¯t thought this through?¡± ¡°Then that means you don¡¯t like Nicolette that much,¡± Calvin said matter-of-factly. ¡°If you really love Nicolette very much, why would you hesitate then? The fact that you hesitated means that perhaps the person you¡¯re in love with has changed.¡± Changed? Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened. Calvin took out some stuff from his luggage. ¡°Give this to Katie. This is the gift I brought back for her. The rest are for your mom and grandma.¡± ¡°Nothing for me?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°No, you don¡¯t deserve any gift,¡± Calvin replied in disdain. ¡°You¡¯re making me lose a daughter-inw. Why would I give you any gift? You should be happy that I didn¡¯t give you a p.¡± Samuel held the box in his hand and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A snow globe. Katie is a big fan of collecting something like this. Don¡¯t you know?¡± Calvin asked in a cold voice. Samuel shook his head. He did not know about this. ¡°You¡¯ve never brought back any gift for Katie whenever you went on a business trip?¡± Calvin looked surprised. ¡°Never,¡± Samuel answered. ¡°Hmph.¡± Calvin snickered. ¡°Why on earth did Katie fall for a sc*mbag like you?¡± Samuel was speechless once again. ¡°I really have nothing more to say to you.¡± Calvin held a box in his hand and went to see Diana. Samuel clutched the gift box in his hand and walked upstairs. He went to the bedroom and saw that Kathleen was sitting in front of the desk with aptop, a tablet, and a sketch board. What is she doing? He ced the gift in front of her. ¡°Dad is back.¡± ¡°Dad is back?¡± Kathleen was delighted. ¡°He brought this back for me?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°I¡¯ll go downstairs and thank him in a while.¡± Kathleen unwrapped the box impatiently and took the snow globe out. The snow globe contained a Christmas scene; the red and green hats each contained a cute little doll. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The meaning behind the gift was obvious. She knew that this symbolized the good wishes from the family. Shortly after, she ced the snow globe on the desk. ¡°You like this sort of stuff?¡± Samuel asked, his brows furrowed. ¡°Yes, why not?¡± Kathleen picked up a pen and started drawing on the sketch board. Samuel took a deep breath. ¡°Today, Grandma and Mom both agree to our divorce. Even Dad agrees to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s surprising,¡± Kathleen said indifferently. ¡°So, do you agree to it?¡± ¡°Grandma said that if I were to divorce you, I¡¯d have to give you half of my shares. I¡¯d also have to agree that if I marry Nicolette in the future, I will give you my remaining half of the shares, and I¡¯m not allowed to leave thepany. I¡¯d have to stay on and work for you,¡± Samuel said emotionlessly. ¡°Grandma really dotes on you.¡± ¡°Why? Mr. Macari, are you reluctant to part with your shares?¡± Kathleen asked in a cold voice. ¡°I thought you were determined to marry Nicolette. People like you have no issues with doing shameless things. It must be true love then. Mr. Macari, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you to sacrifice for true love, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®people like us¡¯?¡± Samuel grabbed her chin, his palm cold. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want all that?¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t want it back then because I used to like you and thought that asking you for money would sully our rtionship.¡± Kathleen looked at him aloofly. ¡°However, I¡¯ve figured everything out. No matter how well I do, it would still seem like a crime to you. So, I¡¯ve decided it would be better to stick to negotiating with you about the benefits instead. Any talk about love and feelings is a nuisance.¡± She could finally see things clearly, so her heart no longer felt in as much pain as before. Although Samuel had be a part of her life and that it would pain her to cut him out of it, she had no choice but to do so, for he had be a festering wound within her. If she didn¡¯t cut him off, she would eventually die. Samuel huffed. ¡°A nuisance?¡± ¡°Yes. Anything unnecessary would be a nuisance,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°So, are you going to divorce me or not?¡± ¡°No,¡± Samuel answered harshly. ¡°No? Why so? Have you perhaps fallen for me?¡± mocked Kathleen. ¡°Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself, Kathleen.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was frosty. ¡°The only reason I don¡¯t agree with the divorce is that you have yet to agree to donate your bone marrow to Nicolette.¡± Kathleen looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯ll never donate it. We¡¯ll just maintain this stalemate. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s in a hurry to get a divorce anyway.¡± In fact, neither she nor the Macari family was in a hurry. It was Samuel and Nicolette who needed things to speed up. ¡°What is your reason for not agreeing with the donation anyway?¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist. ¡°You¡¯ll get everything as soon as you agree with this! However, you just won¡¯t! Kathleen, are you¡ª¡± Kathleen looked at him very anxiously. Could he be suspecting that I¡¯m pregnant? ¡°Are you still in love with me?¡± asked Samuel coldly. Kathleen pursed her lips into a thin line. This man sure knows how to make people feel uneasy. ¡°No. I just no longer like you anymore.¡± Kathleen held her gaze low. ¡°Samuel, I want to divorce you, but I¡¯ll never donate my bone marrow to her. If you don¡¯t agree with my decision, we¡¯ll just have to settle things in court.¡± She was worn out. All she wanted was to leave everything behind her. ¡°Are you nning to file awsuit against me? Sure. As you wish.¡± Samuel chuckled mirthlessly all of a sudden. ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t want things to get to that point.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was soft but hoarse. ¡°Besides, you should also be aware that our rtionship will be made public if we choose to take matters to court.¡± Our rtionship will be made public? Samuel retorted in disdain, ¡°So be it. Let them know about it.¡± With that, he entered the shower. Kathleen took a deep breath while wearing a look of defeat. She and Samuel were stuck in a vicious cycle. As long as she wouldn¡¯t donate her bone marrow, Samuel wouldn¡¯t agree to the divorce. While she hoped for a divorce, she didn¡¯t want to donate her bone marrow to Nicolette because she was pregnant. This is so tiresome. Standing under the showerhead, Samuel was taking a hot water shower. He had a lean and fit figure that made him look good no matter what he chose to wear. At that moment, his mind was filled with images of Kathleen. She was crying in some of them, while in others, she was smiling. There were also those in which she was devastated, as well as those in which she was annoying him in an aggressive manner. He wondered why he had such vivid memories of her. When he saw her getting out of Federick¡¯s car the previous night, he was burning with envy. He had done a background check on Federick. It was revealed that Federick was divorced and had custody of a daughter. He also ran a publishing firm. Not only was he even-tempered and very understanding toward his employees, but he also had a good reputation among his peers. Despite all that, why should Kathleen marry a divorcee with a child? This is from N?velDrama.Org. He got out of the shower after he was done. Kathleen was still sitting in front of the table, focusing on her drawing. She was infortable casual clothing, while her hair was tied together and draped over her left shoulder, making her look like a cute woman who would fit well in the household. Samuel walked over to her before picking her up from the chair. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kathleen was startled as she started getting nervous. He just showered. Could he be¡­ She was forced to sleep with himst time, but she had no desire to go along with him this time. Nicolette had slept with him, so he is impure now. ¡°Why are you so nervous? I won¡¯t eat you.¡± Samuel wasn¡¯t being very empathetic. ¡°We can have negotiations about anything. However, we¡¯re on the verge of a divorce, so we¡¯ll act ordingly, and you¡¯re not allowed to touch me!¡± Kathleen bit her soft lips. I¡¯m not allowed to touch her? ¡°Do you seriously think you have a say in this?¡± Samuel asked indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ll call for help if you force yourself on me. We aren¡¯t in our condominium. If Grandma hears me, she¡¯ll assume that I¡¯m being mistreated by you. She wouldn¡¯t just stay out of this.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips into a thin line, her voice soft but emotionless as she spoke. ¡°Kathleen, have I everid a hand on you?¡± Samuel had a morose look on his face. How dare she make such ims? ¡°I bet you¡¯re on the verge ofmitting it.¡± Kathleen was being bold. ¡°Anyway, we should refrain from all forms of intimacy. We¡¯re on the verge of a divorce, so you¡¯d better show some restraint.¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°What if we don¡¯t go through with the divorce?¡± Don¡¯t go through with the divorce? ¡°This is merely a temporary state of affairs. All you need is for me to donate my bone marrow to Nicolette. We would¡¯ve been divorced long ago if it wasn¡¯t for this,¡± stated Kathleen in displeasure. ¡°What if I insist on not getting a divorce?¡± Samuel stared at her face, a wless piece of art that was as smooth as silk. Is there a secret to maintaining her skin in such a great condition? But it also goes to show how fragile she is. Any slight bumps would leave an obvious bruise on her skin. That would be an unfortunate sight. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just maintain this stalemate.¡± Kathleen gave up on struggling. ¡°The worst-case scenario would be Nicolette dying as we allowed this to drag on.¡± Samuel¡¯s face fell. Kathleen got out of his arms to tidy the hem of her dress while standing aside. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯ll be able to be with Nicolette openly if you divorce me. Otherwise, your rtionship would never flourish. Aren¡¯t you afraid that this might end up as the biggest regret of her life?¡± Samuel was unfazed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to threaten me using my uncle. I¡¯ve forgiven enough. Although I¡¯ve been your wife for some years, nobody, aside from a select few, knew that we¡¯re married.¡± Kathleen was feeling aggrieved. ¡°You knew a lot of the staff in Goodwill Hospital are my parents¡¯ former colleagues. Although they aren¡¯t aware of our rtionship, have you thought of the possibility that they might know of it one day, and what their reaction would be?¡± She was on the verge of tears. ¡°From the beginning till the end, all you ever did was try winning me over with money, for you had assumed that money would be what I was after. Either that or you threatened me using my uncle. You had never put yourself in my shoes, even for one second. It was unfortunate that I put my trust in the wrong person. I just don¡¯t get why it is so hard for me to have a divorce. If you don¡¯t agree to the divorce, I can¡¯t be med for making a huge fuss out of it.¡± ¡°What do you n on doing?¡± Samuel looked at her coldly. ¡°I will announce publicly that I¡¯m your wife, whereas Nicolette is the mistress. Why don¡¯t you guess how she might react?¡± Kathleen tried to threaten Samuel as well. However, Samuel snickered. ¡°Sure. If you feel like making your identity public, why don¡¯t you attend a ball with me tonight? You can make your announcement by then. What do you think about that?¡± Kathleen sensed that he was plotting something. ¡°I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ll just publish a post on Twitter.¡± ¡°I bet you just don¡¯t have the courage toe with me, you coward!¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 A coward? Me? Rage crept onto Kathleen¡¯s pretty face as anger simmered within her. ¡°You¡¯re the coward! Divorce me if you have the guts to!¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± Samuel was unsympathetically persistent. ¡°You will not make mention of the subject ever again.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re still not agreeing with the divorce, right?¡± Kathleen picked up his phone before handing it to him. ¡°Call Nicolette and tell her you¡¯re not getting a divorce, assuming that you even have the guts to do so.¡± An ominous look fleeted across Samuel¡¯s gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t have the guts to make the call.¡± Kathleen put his phone down with an aggrieved expression on her fair face. ¡°The only reason you insist on not divorcing me is that you¡¯re trying to force me to donate my bone marrow! I will never do that! Now that Grandma knows about this, I will have her be the judge. With her stepping in, you will have to divorce me!¡± With that, Kathleen left the room. This is infuriating! Why is this man constantly going back and forth? Why is it so hard for me to get a divorce? Meanwhile, Samuel stared at the phone she discarded on the bed with a chilly look on his face. She sure is getting bolder by the day, but I just don¡¯t feel like divorcing her. Now that the other members of the family had agreed on the divorce, he was no longer in a hurry, so he decided to maintain the stalemate. Kathleen strolled around in the courtyard, for she didn¡¯t want to be in the same room with Samuel. It felt suffocating to her. Wynnie arrived home by noon. Because she and Calvin shared a great rtionship, the two of them were constantly seen together, which was something Kathleen admired. Moreover, Calvin was a great husband indeed. He would bring Wynnie anything she liked whenever he returned from a business trip. Sometimes, he would create romantic scenarios to help preserve their love. Despite having a great father like Calvin to set an example, Samuel picked up nothing from him. Calvin made some cake which he cut a slice from and offered to Wynnie before offering another slice to Kathleen. ¡°Come, Kate. Don¡¯t you like strawberry cake?¡± Calvin handed the slice of cake to her. ¡°You can have all the strawberries on it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± Kathleen was astonished by his kindness. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me,¡± said Calvin. ¡°Why did you offer Kate such a huge slice? Women nowadays have to keep a slim figure. By doing this, you¡¯re essentially forcing her to finish the whole slice,¡± Wynnie reminded. However, Calvin countered, ¡°Kate isn¡¯t fat. Women shouldn¡¯t always talk about going on diets. It¡¯s not good for your health. Keeping a moderate figure is fine enough. You don¡¯t need to feel anxious about it. Instead, have more confidence in yourself.¡± Wynnie shrugged in defeat. Kathleen smiled demurely. Dad really is a great parent. I¡¯m so lucky to have inws like them. But why do I just have to have such a sh*tty husband? ¡°Eat up, Kate. I¡¯m heading to thew firm now.¡± Wynnie stood up. ¡°Darling, are you seriously going to work now?¡± Calvin tracked Wynnie with his gaze. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have needed toe back home during noon if it wasn¡¯t for you,¡± Wynnieined. ¡°There are a lot of tasks that I still need to tend to at thew firm, so I have to leave.¡± ¡°Come home earlier,¡± suggested Calvin, unwilling to part with her. ¡°I¡¯ll cook your favorite dishes.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re making such a fuss. You don¡¯t look like the president of apany at all.¡± Despite saying so, Wynnie was beaming. ¡°You¡¯ll always be the more dominant one when we¡¯re together.¡± Calvin blinked. ¡°Since you said so, you¡¯d better take care of your son. He has done something to cross me,¡± Wynnie demanded. ¡°Worry not. I promise to beat the crap out of that brat.¡± Calvin rubbed his hands together. ¡°All right then. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Wynnie was in a hurry to get back to work. Calvin stood up. ¡°Hold on, Darling!¡± Wynnie turned around. ¡°What is it?¡± Calvin walked up to her to hold her arms before leaning in to kiss her on the lips. All of a sudden, Kathleen felt like she had lost her appetite. ¡°Hey, our daughter-inw is watching!¡± Wynnie chided, flustered despite her usual domineering personality. Calvin smiled. ¡°She¡¯s our daughter, so it¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Wynnie huffed before wheeling around to leave. Calvin turned to the side to check on Kathleen while smiling kindly. ¡°Is the cake nice?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°It¡¯s great that you like it. Tell me if you ever feel like having it again.¡± Calvin sat down, which made Kathleen anxious a little. Although Calvin was mild-mannered most of the time, he exuded a mysterious and domineering aura that befitted his prominent status. It was just that he rarely showed that side of him to his family, so Kathleen rarely saw that side of him as well. However, she couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of the distance between them whenever she saw photos of Calvin in magazines, in which he wore a stern expression. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been quarreling with Samuel,¡± Calvin inquired calmly. ¡°Did he bully you?¡± ¡°No. I suppose that doesn¡¯t count as bullying.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°What would count as bullying if not an affair?¡± Calvin consoled. ¡°Kate, you can¡¯t consider the fact that he had an affair as being in the right just because he doesn¡¯t love you. He should be held ountable. Your marriage is both legally and morally binding. No matter how the two of you got together and ended up getting married, you¡¯re both responsible for your marriage.¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen bit her lip lightly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that.¡± ¡°I know you aren¡¯t responsible for this. What wrong could you have done? You just allowed Samuel to do as he pleased because you loved him too much. Kate, you have nothing to fear. You¡¯re Samuel¡¯s legal spouse and also have our support. Go and confront the third party if that¡¯s what you feel like doing. Wynnie, my mother, and me; none of us are afraid of Samuel,¡± Calvin advised seriously, which touched Kathleen. Why are they all so nice to me? ¡°Dad, I know Samuel and I would never be able to return to how we used to be ever since weid things out in the open,¡± said Kathleen in dejection. ¡°Do you mean you¡¯ve made up your mind to file for divorce because your rtionship will no longer be what it was?¡± asked Calvin solemnly. Kathleen nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide anything from you, Dad. Samuel did something unforgivable, so I don¡¯t think I can tolerate him any longer.¡± Calvin frowned. Something unforgivable? Could it be that he and Nicolette have¡­ That brat! ¡°So, I would like to file for divorce, Dad.¡± Kathleen¡¯sshes fluttered as she lowered her gaze. ¡°But Samuel doesn¡¯t agree to the divorce.¡± ¡°I heard from Wynnie that you and Nicolette have matching bone marrows. Am I right?¡± asked Calvin coldly. Kathleen nodded. Calvin finally grasped the situation. ¡°Did he threaten not to divorce you if you do not donate your bone marrow to Nicolette?¡± Kathleen nodded even harder. Calvin scoffed inwardly. D*mn, this brat sure knows how to plot. Other than forcing her to be a bone marrow donor, he might have ulterior motives for refusing to divorce Kathleen. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ve spoken to your grandma about this. You have our support, so we won¡¯t try to convince you to change your mind about the divorce.¡± Calvin paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll help you think of something.¡± Kathleen blinked in astonishment. Is he serious? Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Dad, how are you going to help me?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°It can be deemed that Samuel is cheating on the marriage. We just have to get the proof that he¡¯s cheating and send it to the court. Let the court decide on your divorce,¡± Calvin said. Kathleen was baffled. Is Samuel really his son? Why does it look like he¡¯s more like my own father? It seems like the Macari family doesn¡¯t even like Samuel. Embarrassed, she reminded him by saying, ¡°But Dad, he¡¯s your son.¡± ¡°We treat you just like our daughter. As both of you are my children, I love the two of you dearly.¡± Then, he gave her a meaningful look. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s his loss if you are to be divorced.¡± Kathleen was touched by his words. ¡°Dad, thank you. But I wish to settle this matter with Samuel amicably.¡± After all, it would be possible that we might bump into each other even after the divorce. There¡¯s no need for the situation to be this tense. At that moment, Calvin¡¯s phone rang. When he answered the call, his voice was cold. ¡°The other party needs an interpreter because he¡¯s from Granatano? Go to the Faculty of Foreign Studies and find someone who is proficient in Granatann.¡± Kathleen spoke suddenly. ¡°Dad, I can speak thatnguage. Is there anything that I can help you with?¡± Surprised, Calvin said, ¡°Can you?¡± She nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°That¡¯s very good. Why don¡¯t you go upstairs and change your clothes? We will need to go to the companyter. An expert from Granatano has arrived. But he doesn¡¯t speak Ustranasion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She immediately left to change her clothes. Meanwhile, Calvin returned to the call and said to his assistant, ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Having said that, he hung up the phone. In the meantime, Kathleen went to change her clothes. She took out a white blouse and a knee-length pleated skirt from the closet. If the two garments were to be paired, it would give her a beautiful and elegant look. Moreover, there was a small necktie underneath the cor of the white blouse. It made the outfit look professional. Coupled with her stunning face, it would mesmerize anyone in an instant. After she had prepared herself, she exited the house with Calvin. It was her first time to thepany. In fact, she had never been there in her entire life. After she had married Samuel, he told her not to go to thepany. It was to prevent the others from knowing her identity as he was worried that it would affect his reputation. During that time, she did not want to cause him any trouble. Thus, she had followed his request willingly. However, this time around, she was there to help Calvin. She did not have any intention of meeting Samuel. ¡°Dad, is it possible if you don¡¯t tell anyone that I¡¯m your daughter-inw when we arrive at the office?¡± Kathleen asked awkwardly. With a frown, Calvin asked, ¡°Is this a request from Samuel?¡± She nodded. ¡°Why does he have so many requests? Have you requested anything from him?¡± He was curious to know the answer. Embarrassed, she answered, ¡°I¡¯ve never requested anything from him.¡± Calvin was at a loss for words. Thinking that she had let him down, she felt guilty in an instant. With a sigh, Calvin said, ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve gone so easy on Samuel. That¡¯s the reason why he¡¯s behaving this way.¡± Why is she indulging him too much? Sheepishly, Kathleen lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯m not scolding you, but you are his wife. Why didn¡¯t you request something from him?¡± Calvin was perplexed by her attitude. The answer was so obvious to Kathleen that she was confused to hear his question. It¡¯s because Samuel doesn¡¯t love me. I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t be able to ept my requests. In the end, he will ignore me. Feeling the onset of a headache, Calvin relented. ¡°Very well. You have my word.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± She pursed her lip before saying, ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. I should call you Mr. Macari.¡± Calvin was not in a good mood after having his identity changed from being her father-inw to an acquaintance. Why do I get a feeling like my daughter¡¯s noting home after she marries someone else? That rascal Samuel! It is all thanks to him that I¡¯m so disappointed. If he dares to marry Nicolette, I will kick him out of thepany. What a useless son! Half an hourter, they arrived at the office. Calvin took Kathleen inside. Meanwhile, Simon Lowe, his assistant, was already waiting for them. Simon gave Kathleen a temporary work ID tag. ¡°This is for your ess.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She took the tag offered to her and hung it around her neck. The ID tag had her name on it. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to meet the expert,¡± Calvin said coolly. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Simon then led both of them to the room. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The fact that Calvin brought a young woman to thepany had piqued everyone¡¯s curiosity in an instant. They started to discuss it among themselves. ¡°Am I seeing it wrongly? I saw Mr. Macari bring a young and beautiful woman to ourpany.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right. Is there no more true love in this world? But Mr. Macari has been in love with Ms. Staines for almost thirty years. There¡¯s never a single scandal or bad rumor. Is the youngdy really that beautiful?¡± ¡°Yes, she is very beautiful. Her face is petite, just like the size of my palm. She has a pair of huge and round eyes. On top of that, her skin is wless.¡± ¡°Wow! Has Mr. Macari changed his preference from a domineering woman to a timid young girl?¡± ¡°Stop the nonsense. I¡¯ve already asked them about it. Mr. Macari brought her here to be the Granatann interpreter.¡± ¡°Why is he bothered by such a petty matter? He can just ask Simon to do it. I saw the womaning out of his car. She¡¯s with him.¡± ¡°After listening to you, I want to take a look as well.¡± Upon hearing their discussions, Tyson coughed lightly. Then, in a cold voice, he said, ¡°Have you finished all your work? I can see that you still have the energy to chat here. Are the overtime tasks for the past two days not enough?¡± Frightened, no one dared to say anything. He added icily, ¡°Mind your words. How dare you gossip about Mr. Macari. Are you courting death?¡± Lowering their heads, the staff continued to work. Tyson left and headed to Samuel¡¯s office. ¡°I told you to take the report. Why are you back here?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Mr. Macari, I heard that Mr. Calvin has brought a Granatann interpreter to thepany,¡± Tyson answered sullenly. ¡°So what about it?¡± Samuel probed in an icy tone. Tyson smiled sheepishly. ¡°I am just curious. It¡¯s rumored that Mr. Calvin found the interpreter himself.¡± Lifting his head, Samuel responded, ¡°It¡¯s nothing surprising for him to know some people who speak Granatann.¡± Tyson merely shed an awkward smile. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Frowning, Samuel asked, ¡°You won¡¯t bring up this matter without any reason. What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that everyone suspects that Mr. Calvin and the interpreter¡­¡± Tyson hesitated before continuing, ¡°But I¡¯ve warned them about it. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Macari.¡± Samuel did not believe that Calvin would do anything wrong to Wynnie. He knew how deeply in love the two were. By the look of the rumors circting in the building, he was curious to know how beautiful the interpreter was. ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡± Samuel put down his pen before standing up. Meanwhile, Tyson was slightly stunned. However, he could only follow Samuel obediently. Meanwhile, Kathleen was helping Calvin with the interpretations. As it was rted to some very technical jargon, Simon and the others were worried that Kathleen would not be able to interpret it well. However, Kathleen¡¯s performance was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. From her expression, they could see that she was not nervous at all. Moreover, her interpretations was very urate. ¡°Mr. Bach, Mr. Macari is pleased to wee you once again to our country. We hope that you¡¯ll have a good time,¡± she said. Johann Bach then replied in Granatann, ¡°Miss, your interpretation is very fluent and urate. There¡¯s a banquet tonight. May I invite you to be my date for the dance?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± A cold and low voice was hearding from behind her. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Everyone was very surprised to know that it was Samuel¡¯s voice. Calvin cast him a side nce. What is this? A certain sense of possessiveness? ¡°Of course, Mr. Bach. It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Kathleen offered her hand to Johann. Happily, thetter took her hand and shook it. Then, he went out with his team. Once again, everyone had their eyes on Samuel and Kathleen. Why did Samuel object to that? Calvin started to give out instructions. ¡°Simon, prepare an evening gown for Kathleen. Also, set an appointment with a make-up artist.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Simon nodded. Samuel turned to look at Calvin calmly. ¡°Dad, what is this about?¡± ¡°Kathleen wants to go to the banquet. I¡¯m helping her with the evening gown.¡± He continued darkly, ¡°Ever since you and Kate¡­ In short, Kate has her own freedom. She doesn¡¯t need you to control her life.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. Meanwhile, Kathleen looked at Calvin with admiration. No wonder he¡¯s the father of the bossy director! Subsequently, Samuel narrowed his eyes at her. He noticed that she was wearing a beautiful outfit that day. Itplimented her skin in a way that showed her fair and unblemishedplexion. Moreover, she had a sweet and innocent smile. When he arrived, he saw that everyone had their eyes on her. It made him extremely displeased. ¡°Kate, let¡¯s go to my office. You need to jot down the trantions and print them out before handing them to me,¡± Calvin said coolly. ¡°Sure!¡± She was more than willing to follow him. I don¡¯t want to see Samuel¡¯s darkened expression. He makes it look like I¡¯ve owed him five million! Calvin took Kathleen to leave the ce. Samuel, meanwhile, looked at her retreating back with a cold expression in his eyes. He was displeased. When Kathleen was in Calvin¡¯s office, she typed the trantions down. Then, she printed the document out and gave it to him. After perusing it for a while, the man said, ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job. When did you learn Granatann?¡± How can we not know that she¡¯s fluent in this? ¡°Dad, have you forgotten about it? My parents were in the medical field. They needed to trante the foreign materials themselves. When I was young, I always spent time with my father reading journals. Thus, I learned it little by little,¡± she exined. He nodded. ¡°If your parents are still alive, it¡¯s possible that you will also be a doctor after being raised in that kind of environment.¡± However, she disagreed with his remarks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a doctor now.¡± When she sat for her university entrance exam, she could choose medical as her university course. Nevertheless, she gave up on the idea in the end. Unable to face the trauma of losing her parents, she knew that she would not be able to even hold the scalpel. If she were to force herself, it could bring trouble for the patients. It was also the reason why she chose to enroll in the film academy. Nheless, she gave up the acting career as well. Fortunately, she would still have many options on how to live her life even if she were to get a divorce. Thus, she was not worried at all. Calvin said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and have some rest? We can go to the banquet together after I¡¯ve finished my work.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Is this your first time in thepany?¡± Again, she nodded faintly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the rooftop? It¡¯s a very interesting ce.¡± Calvin started to rmend her ces to go. She let out a faint smile and said, ¡°All right.¡± Having said that, she left the room. Calvin sighed. What an innocent and naive daughter-inw! It will be a waste if she falls for someone else. Finally, Kathleen arrived at the rooftop. She did not expect that the view would be so beautiful. Moreover, they built a small garden with flowers and trees. There was also a small pond with colorful fish. This is incredible. No wonder Dad told me that the view on the rooftop is interesting. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t bring any fish pellets or bread. If I had, I could feed the fish here. It¡¯s fascinating that they are all sparkling under the sunlight. After that, she put her hands together and closed her eyes. ¡°Dear lucky fishes, I pray that my divorce with Samuel will be sessful. If it goes well, I will feed you the premium fish pellets.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Your wish won¡¯te true.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was cold and menacing. Stunned, Kathleen stood up and turned to look at him. When he was approaching her, the aura that he was exuding was cold and ruthless. It could be because he had worn a ck shirt and a pair of ck trousers. With a frown, she said, ¡°Why? It can¡¯t be because they only listen to you.¡± He snorted. Then, he sat down and took out a bag of fish pellets. After that, he threw the pellets into the pond. In a split second, the school of fish swam to eat the food. ¡°I¡¯m the one who raises them. If they can make your wishe true, I will cook them,¡± he said coldly. Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Grabbing a handful of fish pellets from the bag in his hand, she threw them into the pond. Weirdly enough, the fish dispersed immediately. Again, she was rendered speechless. ¡°What is there to be afraid of? He wouldn¡¯t dare to eat you even after cooking you.¡± The school of fish swam further away. At that time, she began to doubt herself. Can they actually understand what I¡¯m saying? Upon seeing her frustration and angry expression, Samuel felt his mood bing better. Subsequently, he grabbed a handful of fish pellets and threw it again into the pond. The fish swam back happily. Kathleen¡¯s mouth twitched in anger. ¡°Even the fish bullies me.¡± Her voice was soft and meek even when she was angry. It would only make people like her even more. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Samuel asked icily. Gently, she exined, ¡°You don¡¯t have to remind me about it. I remember that you told me not toe to thepany. But Dad needs an interpreter who speaks Granatann. Thus, here I am. Besides, I didn¡¯t go to see you. Moreover, I didn¡¯t reveal our rtionship and my identity. You don¡¯t have to worry. In fact, I¡¯m more afraid to let other people know than you.¡± ¡°Why are you afraid?¡± He frowned. ¡°If we can get a divorce quietly, no one else knows that I will have a second marriage except my husband.¡± She continued sullenly, ¡°If everyone knows that we¡¯re married, they will know that I will be married for the second timeter in the future. I¡¯m not stupid to cause unnecessary trouble for myself.¡± He was annoyed to hear her repeating the words again and again. She keeps mentioning a second marriage. It¡¯s as if she has found a candidate to rece me! Then, he said indifferently, ¡°That Johann is a pervert. You can¡¯t dance with him.¡± ¡°Haha! I can¡¯t say for sure that he¡¯s a pervert. But don¡¯t you think that you should mind your own business?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°We will be divorced soon. Now that you will be my ex-husband, you don¡¯t have the right to stop me from dancing with other men. Will you still control my life after our divorce? Who gives you the right to do so?¡± Samuel was furious. After throwing all the fish pellets into the pond, he grabbed her arm. With an icy tone, he warned, ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to control your life? Kathleen, let me tell you something. Even if we are divorced, I¡¯m still your family. Thus, I can control your life!¡± She retorted angrily, ¡°Samuel, are you insane? I can tell you this. After we get a divorce, I will think of everyone as my family except you! There¡¯s nothing between us after we divorce. Don¡¯t even think of having a rtionship with me. I refuse to let you¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Samuel had pressed his lips against hers. However, they did not know that a helicopter had flown by just in the nick of time. There was a photographer inside the helicopter. On that particr day, he was there to take photos of the view of the city. It was a coboration with a television station to do live streaming. As such, he managed to capture the image of Samuel kissing Kathleen. Instantly, that footage went viral on the inte. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°What else would I want?¡± Kathleen asked in puzzlement. ¡°Think about it. Do you want to have fun alone?¡± Samuel reminded. At that, Kathleen suddenly thought of something. ¡°Oh! I can¡¯t spend all your money eating alone. So, I¡¯m going to invite my friends as well!¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. He started to doubt if Kathleen had fallen for him. ¡°I hope that you will choke on your food,¡± said Samuel indifferently. Kathleen snorted and replied, ¡°I know what you mean, but I¡¯m not of such a low standard. No matter how lonely I am, I will have other ways to make myself less lonely. I will never cheat on you or be with another man. I¡¯ll fulfill my duties in marriage, and I won¡¯t go overboard. I¡¯m not like you, Samuel. Marriage is sacred, but you treat it as bondage. For me, it¡¯s not.¡± Samuel looked at her frostily. ¡°Marrying a man who doesn¡¯t love you, and you call this kind of marriage sacred?¡± Kathleen¡¯s face turned pale at that. Samuel¡¯s words had cut deep into her heart instantly. It took a lot of effort for her not to cry in front of him, but his words caused her heart to ache terribly. She felt the resentment and hatred bubbling from within at that instant. She tried her best not to cry and care, but his remark was a hard blow. It¡¯s fine if he knew the truth, but why did he choose to say it? Samuel never thought that Kathleen would cry. Without saying anything, she wiped her tears away and stormed toward the exit. Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened as he stared at her. Why is she crying all of a sudden? She is so fragile. Did I say something wrong? Samuel got down from the rooftop. Tyson walked toward him. ¡°M-Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°Why are you stuttering?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°The scene of you and Mrs. Macari on the rooftop just now was broadcasted. Besides, Ms. Staines publicly stated that she would not allow you to marry Ms. Yoeger. Now, everyone is discussing this,¡± reported Tyson. Samuel knitted his brows. ¡°Did anyone find out Kathleen¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°Not at the moment.¡± Tyson shook his head and added, ¡°Besides, Mr. Calvin had warned everyone in thepany not to say anything about this matter.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t control what my mom says, but keep an eye on this matter. As long as they don¡¯t discover Kathleen¡¯s identity, everything¡¯s fine,¡± said Samuel. After all, the most important thing at that moment is to protect Kathleen¡¯s privacy. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Tyson nodded and continued, ¡°One more thing, Mr. Macari. Your phone keeps ringing. It¡¯s a call from Ms. Yoeger.¡± That incident spread all over the inte. How would Nicolette not be concerned about it? ¡°Okay,¡± replied Samuel indifferently. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Back at his office, his phone was still ringing. Picking up the phone, he said, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Samuel, how could you kiss her?¡± Nicolette asked while sobbing. How could I kiss her? Why can¡¯t I kiss her? She is my wife! Samuel was frustrated. ¡°Nicolette, you should know that I have kissed her countless times during the past three years. Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re going to fuss over all those.¡± Nicolette froze at that. However, she didn¡¯t dare to be mean toward him like Kathleen did, as Samuel was her only hope. Without him, she would have nothing. No matter what, she would at least need Kathleen to donate her bone marrow first. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not trying to me you. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Nicolette sobbed and added, ¡°Samuel, I know your family members don¡¯t like me, and you must be under pressure. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nicolette¡¯sdylike ways were different from Kathleen¡¯s. Although Samuel could not pinpoint the contrast, he did sense the difference. ¡°Samuel, I know you¡¯re just trying to coax her to donate her bone marrow, right?¡± Nicolette tried to find excuses. She could not bring herself to believe that Samuel had fallen for Kathleen. ¡°About the bone marrow, I¡¯ll think of a way. You can hang up first.¡± With that, Nicolette regretted, knowing that she had acted rashly. ¡°Samuel, can youe over to apany me tonight?¡± Nicolette sobbed. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± With that, she hung up the phone. cing down his phone, Samuel remained expressionless. Once Kathleen returned to the rest area, she noticed that the way everyone looked at her was odd. What happened? At that moment, a new notification popped up on her phone screen. She whipped out her phone, only to realize that Wynnie had added her into a group chat containing her, Wynnie, and Diana. Wynnie shared a news to the group. Clicking the link, Kathleen read the news and was nonplussed. Wynnie texted: I¡¯m cool, right? Kathleen replied: Long live my mother-inw. Diana then texted: Well done! Wynnie replied: Kate, you¡¯ve done a great job as well! That¡¯s what you need to do. You have to let them know that Samuel belongs to you! Although my son is now a sc*mbag. Kathleen chuckled the moment she saw that. Why is my mother-inw so adorable? Diana texted: Both of you did a great job! I¡¯ll reward you when youe home! Wynnie texted: Thank you, Mom! With that, Diana sent a ¡°No worries¡± sticker to the group. She was indeed a modern folk. Wynnie replied: Mom, it¡¯s Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s birthday banquet in three days. So, I¡¯m nning to bring Kate with us this time. Diana texted: I agree! We can¡¯t listen to Samuel and Katie anymore. Kathleen replied: Grandma, Mom, I¡¯d better not show up. After all, my identity is a little awkward. Wynnie texted: What are you afraid of? We will introduce you to them as your grandma¡¯s god- granddaughter. After all, everyone knows that we have a god-daughter. Diana agreed: That¡¯s right! You are my granddaughter. Why can¡¯t you attend the banquet merely because of Samuel? Wynnie texted: Okay! I¡¯ll contact the boutique and ask them to prepare a gown for Kate. Diana replied: Okay. Thank you. Wynnie texted: No worries, Mom. Do remember to reward me during dinner! Diana then sent her a cute emoji. At that, Kathleen was dumbfounded. ¡°It looks like you guys are having a fun time chatting!¡± Calvin stood behind Kathleen. Thette was so shocked that she immediately stood up. ¡°Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°There is no one here. You can call me Dad. It sounds strange to hear you calling me that way,¡± said Calvin. After all, Kathleen had been with the Macari family for more than ten years. He did watch her grow up since young. Therefore, he knew how thoughtful and obedient she was. When Diana suggested Samuel marry Kathleen, he agreed as well. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Have a seat first.¡± Calvin spoke smilingly. Kathleen sat down again. ¡°Kate, listen to me. No matter what happens to you and Samuel in the future, even if both of you have come to an end, don¡¯t neglect your mother-inw and grandmother. Both of them like you very much.¡± ¡°Dad, I won¡¯t. I like Grandma and Mom a lot too. I respect you as well. I know all of you are different from Samuel. I won¡¯t treat you like how I treat him,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°I know you are a thoughtful girl. I have never worried about this. However, I would like to ask you a question. Have you really stopped loving Samuel?¡± Calvin asked. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Kathleen was slightly startled by the question and started to grip her fair hand tightly. Meanwhile, Calvin scrutinized her. In fact, she did not need to answer anymore since her action had already betrayed her. ¡°Kate, you are ultimately bound to get hurt if you fall in love with someone like Samuel,¡± Calvin said solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m not just his father; I know him inside out. My son isn¡¯t that honest, and his words sometimes contradict his action. You might have toply with his requests, which could be unfair to you because love is supposed to be reciprocal. However, Samuel is extremely stubborn. Therefore, the woman who loves him must sacrifice a little more.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°My son is born with a silver spoon. Hence, he naturally thinks that if a certain thing belongs to him, he does not need to fight for it or bother with it. Nheless, he will only realize how much he cares for it once it slips out of his hands,¡± Calvin uttered gently. ¡°Perhaps, you should give him some time.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°How much time should I give him? A day? A week? Or a lifetime?¡± ¡°This is for you to specte.¡± Calvin¡¯s voice fell to a hush. ¡°I believe you will make your judgment at that time.¡± Kathleen lowered her gaze and kept quiet. She knew Calvin was persuading her to give Samuel another chance. Why should I give him a chance, though? He and Nicolette had already done that unspeakable act. Later that evening, Kathleen had changed into an indigo one-shoulder evening gown, making her look elegant. The indigo gown only made her skin appear fairer than it already was. Her long supple hair was pulled into a loose bun and was pinned up with a dark blue gemstone hairpin, giving her a beautiful and sophisticated image. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen had never dressed like that in front of anyone before. It was her first time. Calvin was very pleased. ¡°Your mother-inw instructed someone to deliver this gown to you.¡± ¡°No wonder it fits me like a glove.¡± Kathleen felt a surge of warmth in her heart. ¡°She wore this gown when we met each other for the first time.¡± Calvin ruminated over the past. Kathleen was stunned by the story behind this particr gown. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car,¡± Calvin said. ¡°Dad.¡± Samuel stepped out of thepany. ¡°You¡¯ve knocked off from work,¡± Calvin responded coolly. ¡°I¡¯ll bring Kate to the banquet.¡± Samuel¡¯s darkened gaze fell on Kathleen, the look in his eyes unfathomable. ¡°Dad, what would outsiders say if you brought her with you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy. I could say Kate is the one your grandmother adopted as her granddaughter. Otherwise, I¡¯ll tell everyone that her parents were your grandmother¡¯s saviors. Everybody knows that.¡± Calvin had long thought of a good exnation. ¡°How do you n to exin to people in the future if you assert that your daughter-inw is Grandma¡¯s adopted granddaughter now?¡± Samuel spoke in a chilly tone. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her there instead.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this all your fault? Besides our family, no one else knows Kate is your wife,¡± Calvin taunted. ¡°That¡¯s fine too. After the divorce gets finalized, Kate will be the legitimate daughter of my family. You better not cause trouble at that time.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Why would I cause any trouble? ¡°If not, why don¡¯t you let Kate decide?¡± After that, Calvin asked the youngdy, ¡°Whose car do you want to get in?¡± ¡°Mine.¡± Samuel grasped Kathleen¡¯s hand. Nheless, Kathleen retracted her hand and muttered, ¡°Mr. Macari, it¡¯s best if we avoid arousing suspicion.¡± With that, she got into Calvin¡¯s car. Gloominess shrouded Samuel¡¯s face. Calvin shot his son a dubious look. ¡°She said to avoid arousing suspicion, heard that?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression turned grim. Once Calvin boarded the car, he ordered the driver to start driving. As Calvin nced at Samuel from the rearview mirror, his lips quirked into a small smile. During the banquet, people began asking Calvin about Kathleen¡¯s identity when they saw that he had brought her with him. Calvin let out a chuckle. ¡°Did you guys forget that my mother adopted a granddaughter ten years ago?¡± ¡°Oh, I see. So this is the girl.¡± ¡°Does that also means she¡¯s a daughter of the Macari family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Calvin grinned. ¡°She¡¯s Kathleen Johnson, my daughter.¡± Kathleen was very well-behaved. ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± she greeted politely. The crowd nodded in response. For Calvin to bring thisdy here for an eye-opening experience, I highly suspect he wants to find a suitable husband for her. Although Kathleen was not rted to the Macari family by blood, her parents were Diana¡¯s saviors. The latter even adopted her to be her god-grandchild. That would mean she still had a decent status in the family. Some elders dragged their sons before Kathleen and introduced them to her. It was undeniable that those elders and their sons seemed pretty reliable. Although their family backgrounds were not as prominent as the Macari family, they weren¡¯t too shabby either. Samuel, who stood nearby, was staring at the scene with a chilly gaze. He could not help but feel uneasy when he noticed Kathleen chatting merrily with other men. This eye-catching youngdy is going to attract people¡¯s attention! Samuel strode over gracefully. His tone was cold. ¡°I got a few words to say to her.¡± After that, he grabbed Kathleen¡¯s wrist and left. They went to a ce with no one around. Kathleen could no longer hold back her anger. ¡°What are you doing, Samuel? You were so rude just now!¡± ¡°Do you think those men were being courteous?¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Dad too; he clearly knows you¡¯re my wife, but he still introduced those people to you! What¡¯s so good about those men?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Kathleen fumed. ¡°They don¡¯t know the rtionship between us. Right now, we are siblings, get it?¡± Siblings? ¡°Samuel, you reap what you sow. All these are the results of your actions.¡± Kathleen let out a snort. ¡°No one will ever know we¡¯re husband and wife. For us to carry on as siblings will do.¡± Upon saying that, Kathleen was about to leave. However, Samuel pulled her back and pressed her against the wall. He snarled, ¡°Kathleen, how bold of you to insist we¡¯re siblings instead of a married couple!¡± Kathleen bit her lip in frustration. ¡°Samuel, if you dare kiss me again, don¡¯t me me for betraying you! I¡¯ll let everyone here know about our rtionship! Kiss me if you dare!¡± Samuel grabbed her chin and kissed her passionately. He had long wanted to do that to her ever since he saw how beautifully dressed up she was. How could someone like her be so gentle, cute, alluring, and exquisite all at once? Not only that, she isn¡¯t pretentious, and none of the expressions she portrays is fake. That was why he did not want anyone toy their eyes on her all the more. He also had no clue when he had be obsessed with the woman and could not get enough of her. Kathleen pounded on the man¡¯s chest with her fists with all her might. ¡°Let go of me! Samuel, you shameless man! Why did you kiss me when you obviously have no feelings toward me? We¡¯re about to get a divorce, but why are you still bullying me? Haven¡¯t I always obeyed your words and acted as Nicolette¡¯s substitute and your anonymous wife for the past three years? I have nothing left, so what else do you want from me?¡± Loving this man had caused her to lose too many things. She wanted to recover them bit by bit, but Samuel had be her hindrance. ¡°You still have me.¡± Samuel drew her into his embrace. ¡°No matter what happens, you still have me.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°I just want to have a proper husband, Samuel. If you can¡¯t give me that, then stop trying to get yourself involved with me,¡± Kathleen pleaded in great distress. ¡°Every time you kiss me, it makes me hesitate. I begin to wonder if you might like me just a little bit, but the things you do afterward shatter me completely. Please stop torturing me. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Tears were streaming down her cheeks uncontrobly. The sorrow and pain she was experiencing were unbearable. Kathleen was well aware of how much she loved Samuel. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of time. Rather, he had be a permanent part of her life. Only she knew how agonizing it was to have to rip him out of her life just like that. Despite the fresh wound that he had left behind, she still loved him. It took time for wounds to heal, after all. What she needed was time. What she didn¡¯t need was Samueling back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching torment once again. At that point, she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel¡¯s arms. There was no way she would be able to head back in that state. Samuel took off his suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Stop being so nice to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipte me,¡± Kathleen sobbed. ¡°Who else am I nice to other than you?¡± He felt like he was at his wit¡¯s end. ¡°Nicolette,¡± she mumbled. Her eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°I told you I wanted a proper husband, Samuel. If you¡¯re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right now. Then, we can go our separate ways in the future.¡± He stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, ¡°Can you give me a bit of time?¡± That left Kathleen startled. ¡°Just give me some time to straighten everything out,¡± he said while caressing her face. Truthfully speaking, he was quite reluctant to let her go. ¡°How long?¡± Her lips were pursed together. ¡°I can¡¯t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There¡¯s no way I can wait as long as a year, either.¡± ¡°One month,¡± Samuel proposed in a deep voice. After a moment of contemtion, she replied, ¡°I can give you that much, but I have my own demands.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± he questioned. There was a smile on his face. ¡°Give me a copy of the divorce agreement with your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I¡¯ll sign the papers and leave,¡± insisted Kathleen. She wanted to have a backup n for herself instead of waiting around like an idiot. He chuckled in response. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you rather cunning.¡± ¡°Are you going to give it to me or not?¡± sheined. Samuel pped his hand against her outstretched one. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good. I want it by tomorrow,¡± she ordered, then bit her lip. ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded his head. Kathleen hesitated for a while, then stated, ¡°This is really going to be thest chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you¡¯re not doing this to lead me on or trick me. I know I¡¯m soft-hearted, but I would never let anyone take advantage of me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t trick you,¡± he promised while staring at her. ¡°Also¡­¡± Her gaze turned cold as she trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever again.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel frowned. Get intimate with her? I¡¯ve never even done that before. Is she talking about physical contact? ¡°Got it,¡± he agreed. Only then did she feel better. Nheless, she was still incredibly on edge because she couldn¡¯t tell what Samuel¡¯s true intentions were. What am I going to do if he really is just trying to trick me? ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Samuel suggested. He grabbed her hand before heading outside. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we tell Dad?¡± Kathleen protested softly. Even though she had just cried herself silly, she still hadn¡¯tpletely regained herposure. On top of that, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her manners either. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He simply brushed the matter off. ¡°Where are we going, then?¡± she inquired. ¡°Well, where do you want to go?¡± asked Samuel in response. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the condominium,¡± said Kathleen after a pause. ¡°Okay. Come on.¡± He proceeded to walk out of the hotel with her hand in hand. Once they returned to the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers with bunny ears. On the other hand, Samuel had used the same pair of simple ck slippers since the start. In the past, Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but he had onlyined about it with disdain. In fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed products with contempt. The way he saw it, they were nothing but childish things that only young girls would be into. What he had forgotten, however, was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft and gentle one. After changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and kissed her. It was even more intense than the kiss they had shared back in the hotel. Kathleen was ovee with terror. Her dainty fist pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with me until the month is over.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a test,¡± she muttered. ¡°If you manage to pass the test after the month is up, I¡¯ll give you a surprise.¡± In the event that he actually chose to be with her from then on, she woulde clean about the baby. She would simply look forward to how exactly he was going to deal with Nicolette. ¡°So, after one month, you¡¯ll give in to me?¡± he questioned while scrutinizing her. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she affirmed with a nod. ¡°You should know what the consequences of making me hold back for a whole month are,¡± warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her eyes with a devilish gaze. ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen was being perfectly obedient. Either way, she figured that once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn¡¯t share a room with him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, either. Hehe! ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower,¡± he told her. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel proceeded to turn around and go into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched her fists. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. If Samuel truly intended to stay with her, then she could just act like she knew nothing about him and Nicolette. Kathleen decided to give Wynnie a call. ¡°Samuel and I won¡¯t be going back tonight, Mom.¡± Wynnie arched a brow. ¡°Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He¡¯s using you as his cover, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Kathleen immediately denied. ¡°Could you get me a towel, Kathleen?¡± Samuel piped up with his deep voice. ¡°Coming,¡± she answered. The moment Wynnie heard that exchange, she could tell that it was Samuel¡¯s voice. ¡°Okay. Got it,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°You both should rest early.¡± After that, she hung up. Kathleen ced her phone down and went to pass Samuel a towel. When he opened the door to take it from her, he waspletely naked. The man¡¯s figure was unbelievably well-built, and he could even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles were perfectly defined. He had something unique about him that most people didn¡¯t. As a rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn¡¯t really the type to open up to others. The only experience that she had was with Samuel himself. Because of that, seeing him so exposed made her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Her face was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that it was out of this world. That purity and innocence of hers were exactly what he liked about her. She had yet to be tainted by the world. Kathleen instantly turned around. Even the tips of her ears felt hot. Samuel wrapped the towel around himself and approached her from behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Why are you still so shy?¡± A shiver ran through her body. ¡°You promised me, Samuel.¡± Despite the fresh wound that he had left behind, she still loved him. It took time for wounds to heal, after all. What she needed was time. What she didn¡¯t need was Samueling back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching torment once again. At that point, she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel¡¯s arms. There was no way she would be able to head back in that state. Samuel took off his suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Stop being so nice to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipte me,¡± Kathleen sobbed. ¡°Who else am I nice to other than you?¡± He felt like he was at his wit¡¯s end. ¡°Nicolette,¡± she mumbled. Her eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°I told you I wanted a proper husband, Samuel. If you¡¯re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right now. Then, we can go our separate ways in the future.¡± He stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, ¡°Can you give me a bit of time?¡± That left Kathleen startled. ¡°Just give me some time to straighten everything out,¡± he said while caressing her face. Truthfully speaking, he was quite reluctant to let her go. ¡°How long?¡± Her lips were pursed together. ¡°I can¡¯t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There¡¯s no way I can wait as long as a year, either.¡± ¡°One month,¡± Samuel proposed in a deep voice. After a moment of contemtion, she replied, ¡°I can give you that much, but I have my own demands.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± he questioned. There was a smile on his face. ¡°Give me a copy of the divorce agreement with your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I¡¯ll sign the papers and leave,¡± insisted Kathleen. She wanted to have a backup n for herself instead of waiting around like an idiot. He chuckled in response. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you rather cunning.¡± ¡°Are you going to give it to me or not?¡± sheined. Samuel pped his hand against her outstretched one. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good. I want it by tomorrow,¡± she ordered, then bit her lip. ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded his head. Kathleen hesitated for a while, then stated, ¡°This is really going to be thest chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you¡¯re not doing this to lead me on or trick me. I know I¡¯m soft-hearted, but I would never let anyone take advantage of me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t trick you,¡± he promised while staring at her. ¡°Also¡­¡± Her gaze turned cold as she trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever again.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel frowned. Get intimate with her? I¡¯ve never even done that before. Is she talking about physical contact? ¡°Got it,¡± he agreed. Only then did she feel better. Nheless, she was still incredibly on edge because she couldn¡¯t tell what Samuel¡¯s true intentions were. What am I going to do if he really is just trying to trick me? ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Samuel suggested. He grabbed her hand before heading outside. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we tell Dad?¡± Kathleen protested softly. Even though she had just cried herself silly, she still hadn¡¯tpletely regained herposure. On top of that, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her manners either. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He simply brushed the matter off. ¡°Where are we going, then?¡± she inquired. ¡°Well, where do you want to go?¡± asked Samuel in response. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the condominium,¡± said Kathleen after a pause. ¡°Okay. Come on.¡± He proceeded to walk out of the hotel with her hand in hand. Once they returned to the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers with bunny ears. On the other hand, Samuel had used the same pair of simple ck slippers since the start. In the past, Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but he had onlyined about it with disdain. In fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed products with contempt. The way he saw it, they were nothing but childish things that only young girls would be into. What he had forgotten, however, was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft and gentle one. After changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and kissed her. It was even more intense than the kiss they had shared back in the hotel. Kathleen was ovee with terror. Her dainty fist pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with me until the month is over.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a test,¡± she muttered. ¡°If you manage to pass the test after the month is up, I¡¯ll give you a surprise.¡± In the event that he actually chose to be with her from then on, she woulde clean about the baby. She would simply look forward to how exactly he was going to deal with Nicolette. ¡°So, after one month, you¡¯ll give in to me?¡± he questioned while scrutinizing her. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she affirmed with a nod. ¡°You should know what the consequences of making me hold back for a whole month are,¡± warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her eyes with a devilish gaze. ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen was being perfectly obedient. Either way, she figured that once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn¡¯t share a room with him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, either. Hehe! ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower,¡± he told her. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel proceeded to turn around and go into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched her fists. If Samuel truly intended to stay with her, then she could just act like she knew nothing about him and Nicolette. Kathleen decided to give Wynnie a call. ¡°Samuel and I won¡¯t be going back tonight, Mom.¡± Wynnie arched a brow. ¡°Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He¡¯s using you as his cover, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Kathleen immediately denied. ¡°Could you get me a towel, Kathleen?¡± Samuel piped up with his deep voice. ¡°Coming,¡± she answered. The moment Wynnie heard that exchange, she could tell that it was Samuel¡¯s voice. ¡°Okay. Got it,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°You both should rest early.¡± After that, she hung up. Kathleen ced her phone down and went to pass Samuel a towel. When he opened the door to take it from her, he waspletely naked. The man¡¯s figure was unbelievably well-built, and he could even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles were perfectly defined. He had something unique about him that most people didn¡¯t. As a rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn¡¯t really the type to open up to others. The only experience that she had was with Samuel himself. Because of that, seeing him so exposed made her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Her face was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that it was out of this world. That purity and innocence of hers were exactly what he liked about her. She had yet to be tainted by the world. Kathleen instantly turned around. Even the tips of her ears felt hot. Samuel wrapped the towel around himself and approached her from behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Why are you still so shy?¡± A shiver ran through her body. ¡°You promised me, Samuel.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡°I just want to have a proper husband, Samuel. If you can¡¯t give me that, then stop trying to get yourself involved with me,¡± Kathleen pleaded in great distress. ¡°Every time you kiss me, it makes me hesitate. I begin to wonder if you might like me just a little bit, but the things you do afterward shatter me completely. Please stop torturing me. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Tears were streaming down her cheeks uncontrobly. The sorrow and pain she was experiencing were unbearable. Kathleen was well aware of how much she loved Samuel. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of time. Rather, he had be a permanent part of her life. Only she knew how agonizing it was to have to rip him out of her life just like that. Despite the fresh wound that he had left behind, she still loved him. It took time for wounds to heal, after all. What she needed was time. What she didn¡¯t need was Samueling back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching torment once again. At that point, she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel¡¯s arms. There was no way she would be able to head back in that state. Samuel took off his suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Stop being so nice to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipte me,¡± Kathleen sobbed. ¡°Who else am I nice to other than you?¡± He felt like he was at his wit¡¯s end. ¡°Nicolette,¡± she mumbled. Her eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°I told you I wanted a proper husband, Samuel. If you¡¯re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right now. Then, we can go our separate ways in the future.¡± He stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, ¡°Can you give me a bit of time?¡± That left Kathleen startled. ¡°Just give me some time to straighten everything out,¡± he said while caressing her face. Truthfully speaking, he was quite reluctant to let her go. ¡°How long?¡± Her lips were pursed together. ¡°I can¡¯t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There¡¯s no way I can wait as long as a year, either.¡± ¡°One month,¡± Samuel proposed in a deep voice. After a moment of contemtion, she replied, ¡°I can give you that much, but I have my own demands.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± he questioned. There was a smile on his face. ¡°Give me a copy of the divorce agreement with your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I¡¯ll sign the papers and leave,¡± insisted Kathleen. She wanted to have a backup n for herself instead of waiting around like an idiot. He chuckled in response. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you rather cunning.¡± ¡°Are you going to give it to me or not?¡± sheined. Samuel pped his hand against her outstretched one. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good. I want it by tomorrow,¡± she ordered, then bit her lip. ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded his head. Kathleen hesitated for a while, then stated, ¡°This is really going to be thest chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you¡¯re not doing this to lead me on or trick me. I know I¡¯m soft-hearted, but I would never let anyone take advantage of me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t trick you,¡± he promised while staring at her. ¡°Also¡­¡± Her gaze turned cold as she trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever again.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel frowned. Get intimate with her? I¡¯ve never even done that before. Is she talking about physical contact? ¡°Got it,¡± he agreed. Only then did she feel better. Nheless, she was still incredibly on edge because she couldn¡¯t tell what Samuel¡¯s true intentions were. What am I going to do if he really is just trying to trick me? ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Samuel suggested. He grabbed her hand before heading outside. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we tell Dad?¡± Kathleen protested softly. Even though she had just cried herself silly, she still hadn¡¯tpletely regained herposure. On top of that, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her manners either. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He simply brushed the matter off. ¡°Where are we going, then?¡± she inquired. ¡°Well, where do you want to go?¡± asked Samuel in response. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the condominium,¡± said Kathleen after a pause. ¡°Okay. Come on.¡± He proceeded to walk out of the hotel with her hand in hand. Once they returned to the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers with bunny ears. On the other hand, Samuel had used the same pair of simple ck slippers since the start. In the past, Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but he had onlyined about it with disdain. In fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed products with contempt. The way he saw it, they were nothing but childish things that only young girls would be into. What he had forgotten, however, was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft and gentle one. After changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and kissed her. It was even more intense than the kiss they had shared back in the hotel. Kathleen was ovee with terror. Her dainty fist pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with me until the month is over.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a test,¡± she muttered. ¡°If you manage to pass the test after the month is up, I¡¯ll give you a surprise.¡± In the event that he actually chose to be with her from then on, she woulde clean about the baby. She would simply look forward to how exactly he was going to deal with Nicolette. ¡°So, after one month, you¡¯ll give in to me?¡± he questioned while scrutinizing her. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she affirmed with a nod. ¡°You should know what the consequences of making me hold back for a whole month are,¡± warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her eyes with a devilish gaze. ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen was being perfectly obedient. Either way, she figured that once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn¡¯t share a room with him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, either. Hehe! ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower,¡± he told her. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel proceeded to turn around and go into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched her fists. If Samuel truly intended to stay with her, then she could just act like she knew nothing about him and Nicolette. Kathleen decided to give Wynnie a call. ¡°Samuel and I won¡¯t be going back tonight, Mom.¡± Wynnie arched a brow. ¡°Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He¡¯s using you as his cover, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Kathleen immediately denied. ¡°Could you get me a towel, Kathleen?¡± Samuel piped up with his deep voice. ¡°Coming,¡± she answered. The moment Wynnie heard that exchange, she could tell that it was Samuel¡¯s voice. ¡°Okay. Got it,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°You both should rest early.¡± After that, she hung up. Kathleen ced her phone down and went to pass Samuel a towel. When he opened the door to take it from her, he waspletely naked. The man¡¯s figure was unbelievably well-built, and he could even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles were perfectly defined. He had something unique about him that most people didn¡¯t. As a rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn¡¯t really the type to open up to others. The only experience that she had was with Samuel himself. Because of that, seeing him so exposed made her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Her face was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that it was out of this world. That purity and innocence of hers were exactly what he liked about her. She had yet to be tainted by the world. Kathleen instantly turned around. Even the tips of her ears felt hot. Samuel wrapped the towel around himself and approached her from behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Why are you still so shy?¡± A shiver ran through her body. ¡°You promised me, Samuel.¡± Despite the fresh wound that he had left behind, she still loved him. It took time for wounds to heal, after all. What she needed was time. What she didn¡¯t need was Samueling back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching torment once again. At that point, she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel¡¯s arms. There was no way she would be able to head back in that state. Samuel took off his suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Stop being so nice to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipte me,¡± Kathleen sobbed. ¡°Who else am I nice to other than you?¡± He felt like he was at his wit¡¯s end. ¡°Nicolette,¡± she mumbled. Her eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°I told you I wanted a proper husband, Samuel. If you¡¯re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right now. Then, we can go our separate ways in the future.¡± He stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, ¡°Can you give me a bit of time?¡± That left Kathleen startled. ¡°Just give me some time to straighten everything out,¡± he said while caressing her face. Truthfully speaking, he was quite reluctant to let her go. ¡°How long?¡± Her lips were pursed together. ¡°I can¡¯t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There¡¯s no way I can wait as long as a year, either.¡± ¡°One month,¡± Samuel proposed in a deep voice. After a moment of contemtion, she replied, ¡°I can give you that much, but I have my own demands.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± he questioned. There was a smile on his face. ¡°Give me a copy of the divorce agreement with your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I¡¯ll sign the papers and leave,¡± insisted Kathleen. She wanted to have a backup n for herself instead of waiting around like an idiot. He chuckled in response. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like you¡¯re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you rather cunning.¡± ¡°Are you going to give it to me or not?¡± sheined. Samuel pped his hand against her outstretched one. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Good. I want it by tomorrow,¡± she ordered, then bit her lip. ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded his head. Kathleen hesitated for a while, then stated, ¡°This is really going to be thest chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you¡¯re not doing this to lead me on or trick me. I know I¡¯m soft-hearted, but I would never let anyone take advantage of me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t trick you,¡± he promised while staring at her. ¡°Also¡­¡± Her gaze turned cold as she trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever again.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing that, Samuel frowned. Get intimate with her? I¡¯ve never even done that before. Is she talking about physical contact? ¡°Got it,¡± he agreed. Only then did she feel better. Nheless, she was still incredibly on edge because she couldn¡¯t tell what Samuel¡¯s true intentions were. What am I going to do if he really is just trying to trick me? ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Samuel suggested. He grabbed her hand before heading outside. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we tell Dad?¡± Kathleen protested softly. Even though she had just cried herself silly, she still hadn¡¯tpletely regained herposure. On top of that, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her manners either. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He simply brushed the matter off. ¡°Where are we going, then?¡± she inquired. ¡°Well, where do you want to go?¡± asked Samuel in response. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the condominium,¡± said Kathleen after a pause. ¡°Okay. Come on.¡± He proceeded to walk out of the hotel with her hand in hand. Once they returned to the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers with bunny ears. On the other hand, Samuel had used the same pair of simple ck slippers since the start. In the past, Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but he had onlyined about it with disdain. In fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed products with contempt. The way he saw it, they were nothing but childish things that only young girls would be into. What he had forgotten, however, was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft and gentle one. After changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and kissed her. It was even more intense than the kiss they had shared back in the hotel. Kathleen was ovee with terror. Her dainty fist pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to get intimate with me until the month is over.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a test,¡± she muttered. ¡°If you manage to pass the test after the month is up, I¡¯ll give you a surprise.¡± In the event that he actually chose to be with her from then on, she woulde clean about the baby. She would simply look forward to how exactly he was going to deal with Nicolette. ¡°So, after one month, you¡¯ll give in to me?¡± he questioned while scrutinizing her. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she affirmed with a nod. ¡°You should know what the consequences of making me hold back for a whole month are,¡± warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her eyes with a devilish gaze. ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen was being perfectly obedient. Either way, she figured that once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn¡¯t share a room with him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything, either. Hehe! ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower,¡± he told her. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel proceeded to turn around and go into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched her fists. If Samuel truly intended to stay with her, then she could just act like she knew nothing about him and Nicolette. Kathleen decided to give Wynnie a call. ¡°Samuel and I won¡¯t be going back tonight, Mom.¡± Wynnie arched a brow. ¡°Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He¡¯s using you as his cover, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Kathleen immediately denied. ¡°Could you get me a towel, Kathleen?¡± Samuel piped up with his deep voice. ¡°Coming,¡± she answered. The moment Wynnie heard that exchange, she could tell that it was Samuel¡¯s voice. ¡°Okay. Got it,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°You both should rest early.¡± After that, she hung up. Kathleen ced her phone down and went to pass Samuel a towel. When he opened the door to take it from her, he waspletely naked. The man¡¯s figure was unbelievably well-built, and he could even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles were perfectly defined. He had something unique about him that most people didn¡¯t. As a rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn¡¯t really the type to open up to others. The only experience that she had was with Samuel himself. Because of that, seeing him so exposed made her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Her face was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that it was out of this world. That purity and innocence of hers were exactly what he liked about her. She had yet to be tainted by the world. Kathleen instantly turned around. Even the tips of her ears felt hot. Samuel wrapped the towel around himself and approached her from behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Why are you still so shy?¡± A shiver ran through her body. ¡°You promised me, Samuel.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve always been a man of my word,¡± Samuel assured before casually biting her ear again. ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t even have the room to speak right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry. I¡¯m going to go make some pasta.¡± Kathleen diverted the topic and escaped right away. Samuel revealed a frosty smile. What a coward. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s so scared of. Out of nowhere, she turned back around. ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded. She shed a smile that reached her eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Following that, she turned and went to cook some food. In the meantime, Samuel blow-dried his hair and put on some clothes. At that moment, his phone rang. It was a call from Nicolette. He picked up and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When are youing, Samuel?¡± Nicolette whined pathetically. ¡°I have to undergo chemotherapy tomorrow. I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy today¡­¡± Samuel had only just begun to answer when Kathleen walked over. ¡°The pasta¡¯s done, Sam!¡± she announced. Her voice left Nicolette stunned. Is that Kathleen¡¯s voice? Is he with her right now? What¡¯s going on here? I¡¯m sure she¡¯s heard the recording. How could she be with him? ¡°All right,¡± Samuel responded with a nod. ¡°I¡¯lle over right now.¡± Kathleen, who didn¡¯t know that he was on a call with Nicolette, grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Finish up whatever you¡¯re doing while I go and make a few side dishes.¡± Having said that, she stepped back out. ¡°Nicolette,¡± he murmured with his voice lowered. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Samuel. I know you¡¯re tired, so it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯te and see me today,¡± Nicolette reassured and tried to seem understanding. ¡°You should eat a bit more. Eat enough for the both of us.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡± Samuel inquired indifferently. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have much of an appetite,¡± she admitted and bit her lip. ¡°I heard Kathleen say that she made some pasta for you two. I¡¯d love to have some, too. The food they serve here isn¡¯t appetizing at all.¡± Actually, she had only said that so that Samuel would bring her the food that Kathleen had made. It wasn¡¯t because she actually wanted to eat the pasta. Instead, Nicolette intended to let Kathleen know that Samuel would do whatever she asked for. ¡°I¡¯ll get Tyson to bring you some,¡± he offered. His words once again left Nicolette in a daze. Is he noting? ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t being serious. You should go ahead and eat. I won¡¯t bother you any longer,¡± Nicolette murmured miserably. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine alone, Samuel. When I was out of the country for the past three years, I handled everything on my own, whether it was about my illness or anything else. I can go through it all alone. You don¡¯t need to bother with me.¡± With that, she hung up the phone. Samuel furrowed his brows. What she had said made him intensely ufortable, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact reason why. After putting on his shirt, he went outside to see Kathleen walking out of the kitchen with some side dishes in her hands. She wore pink casual clothes, and her long, silky hair was tied in a high ponytail. The aura she exuded was youthful and precious. To top it all off, she was even wearing an apron with rabbit and carrot patterns on it. No matter how one looked at her, she was the definition of adorable. Even when she thought nobody was around, she still looked gentle and rxed. There was no sense of pressure around her. ¡°Let¡¯s eat, Sam,¡± she coaxed with a sweet smile on her face. Samuel went over, and they made their way to the dining room. Kathleen had prepared two tes of pasta. There were eggs, shrimp, and ham on his te. As for hers, there was only pasta, eggs, and some vegetables. ¡°Why are you eating such in food?¡± he asked while taking a seat. After all, she was the one who liked eating ham the most. ¡°I¡¯ll have trouble digesting heavy food thiste at night,¡± she exined with a pout. Honestly, she didn¡¯t want to eat it at all. In fact, she had the urge to throw up but held it in. ¡°You sure are pampered,¡± he remarked. Kathleen sat down as well, and they both began to dig in. It had been a long time since they had shared a meal together. It was as if they had gone back to the days when Nicolette hadn¡¯t returned yet. Whenever Samuel had to workte into the night, she would wait for him. Once he came back, she would prepare a te of pasta or some piping hot mushroom soup. It had be a habit of hers. However, while they were eating, she noticed that he was a little out of it. It makes sense. It¡¯s not like he would be able to get over Nicolette that easily. I promised to give him a month¡¯s time, so I won¡¯t bring it up until the month is over. Following the meal, Kathleen washed up all the dishes before taking a shower. When she came out of the bathroom, she noticed that Samuel wasn¡¯t around. Did he leave again? She let out a sigh. I shouldn¡¯t have had any hope in a b*stard like him. Bang! An abrupt sound traveled from the outside. It caused Kathleen¡¯s face to turn pale. Has a thief broken in? Did Samuel forget to lock the door because he was in a hurry? D*mn you, Samuel! Kathleen took a look around the bedroom and picked up a vase. She summoned her courage and approached the door. After sucking in a deep breath, she turned the doorknob and opened it. The lights in the living room were still off, but the door was wide open. Oh God. Someone really has broken in! If she and her baby were to perish right then and there, she would never forgive Samuel, even in death. The sound of footsteps reached her ears. They came from the living room. She backed into the house and fished out her phone to call the police. ¡°Hello? Police? There¡¯s a thief in my house,¡± she stammered. Her body was trembling from anxiety. ¡°Could you tell us your address?¡± the policeman requested. Kathleen did as he said. ¡°Got it. We¡¯lle over right now. Please stay put and make sure you¡¯re safe,¡± he informed. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied while cowering in fear. Knock! Knock! She could hear someone knocking on the door, and her body began shaking even more violently. Why is this thief so polite? He¡¯s even knocking on the door. ¡°Why did you lock the door, Kathleen?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice traveled into the house from outside the door. The sound of it left Kathleen dumbstruck. Samuel? I thought he left. She quickly ran over to open the door and saw that it really was Samuel. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± asked Kathleen out of shock. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± He frowned. ¡°I was smoking just now, and I identally spilled the ashtray. I went to throw the trash, and when I came back, I saw that the bedroom door was locked. I heard you whispering inside, too.¡± A wave of awkwardness washed over her. ¡°Why did you have to turn the lights off if you just went to throw the trash? Why didn¡¯t you close the door after you were done, either?¡± ¡°The kitchen light is on, isn¡¯t it? I only need a bit of light to see. I opened the door so that I could air out the smell of smoke from the living room. I thought you hated the smell of cigarettes?¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen pursed her lips. It seemed that there was a huge misunderstanding. Just then, two police officers walked in. ¡°Stop right there!¡± one of them ordered strictly. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt that woman. Put your hands up!¡± Both Samuel and Kathleen were rendered speechless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Kathleen began apologizing to them profusely. She was so full of shame that she couldn¡¯t even lift her head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir. I got it all wrong. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Samuel stared at her with his arms crossed. There was a subtle smile at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you keep your guard up, youngdy. It¡¯s amazing that your first move was to contact the police, but next time, tell us right away if it was a misunderstanding.¡± The policemen were clearly dumbfounded by the turn of events. ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Kathleen was on the verge of tears at that point. She couldn¡¯t have known that Samuel was still around. The policemen eyed Samuel and found him rather familiar. ¡°You should reflect on yourself too, sir. Why would your wife think that you weren¡¯t at home?¡± Samuel remained quiet. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¡°It was my fault, sir. Please don¡¯t me him,¡± she piped up in humiliation. ¡°Well, since everything¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± In any case, the policemen knew it wasn¡¯t their ce to poke their nose into a couple¡¯s personal affairs. ¡°Goodbye, sir.¡± Kathleen bid them farewell politely. She only walked back after they had entered the elevator and stared at Samuel awkwardly. There was a forced smile on his face. ¡°Hmph.¡± Kathleen approached him and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I was questioned by the police for the first time in my life,¡± hemented indifferently. Gnawing on her lip, she protested, ¡°I assumed you had left already. The door was open, too. I thought a thief broke in.¡± ¡°You assumed?¡± he repeated while frowning. ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know what to say. Thwack! He gave her a flick to the forehead and warned, ¡°You didn¡¯t do too badly this time. Since you know that you shouldn¡¯t be reckless, I¡¯ll forgive you just this once. If this happens again, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± As she rubbed the sore spot on her forehead, she had a pitiful and wronged expression. ¡°Can you really me me, though? I thought you were rushing to see Nicolette and forgot to close the door.¡± That made Samuel frown. Is she really trying to justify herself here? ¡°Think about it. Why do you think I chose this ce as our new home?¡± he prompted gloomily. ¡°The security downstairs is so tight. Do you really think a thief could get in? Why don¡¯t you use your brain a little?¡± ¡°You can never be too cautious,¡± she insisted in an aggrieved manner. ¡°You just said that I didn¡¯t do too badly!¡± Samuel let out a chilling huff. ¡°You¡¯re really going to make me explode from anger someday, Kathleen.¡± In response to that, Kathleen puffed up her cheeks. She looked like a kicked puppy. That night, the two of them were lying in bed. There wasn¡¯t much movement going on. Neither of them was tired, but they weren¡¯t talking to each other, either. Rather, they were both deep in thought. However, considering that Kathleen was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t fight off her sleepiness for long. Some timeter, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. Of course, a ringtone yed along with it. ¡°What?¡± he eximed. There was a grim look on his face. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll head over right away.¡± ¡°What is it, Sam?¡± Kathleen had woken up from themotion. ¡°The security guards downstairs gave me a call. I¡¯m going to take a look.¡± His answer was deliberately vague. Her lips were pursed as he got changed and went downstairs. She noticed that he took his phone and car keys with him. There was an unsettling feeling in her heart, so she put on a white coat and discreetly followed him down. When Samuel got downstairs, he saw Nicolette curled up into a ball on the couch. The weather was cold outside, and she was only dressed in a hospital gown. ¡°Nicolette,¡± he called out. Samuel made his way over to her and immediately took off his coat to drape it around her. ¡°Samuel!¡± she yelped. Nicolette jumped up and clung to his neck while sobbing, ¡°I¡¯m so scared, Samuel. I¡¯m scared of the chemotherapy tomorrow. The doctor told me that my hair was going to fall out. I¡¯m going to be ugly!¡± Samuel¡¯s breathing grew deeper, and he reached hisrge hand out to pat her on the back. ¡°How could that be? You¡¯ve always been beautiful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m terrified, Samuel. Can you chat with me for a bit before going back up?¡± she whined. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to the hospital.¡± There was no way he could let her hang around there. If she were to get sick with a cold or a fever, it would be disastrous for someone like her, who had leukemia. All of a sudden, Nicolette stared at someone behind him. ¡°Kathleen?¡± The realization made him freeze. He let go of Nicolette and caught sight of Kathleen standing nearby. Kathleen¡¯s exquisite features were hidden behind the coat as she strode over. ¡°Why did you leave the hospital toe here in the middle of the night, Nicolette?¡± she confronted. ¡°You¡¯re an adult already. You should know how many people would be worried about you. Of all ces, you came straight to Samuel. Are you trying to make him feel bad for you?¡± Nicolette forlornly protested, ¡°That¡¯s not what I was trying to do, Kathleen. I just felt helpless. I have chemotherapy tomorrow, which is why I¡ª¡± ¡°Whose fault is it that you feel that way? Is it mine?¡± Kathleen retorted. Her usually soft tone had be harsh and biting. ¡°At least you have a father. For the three years that you were overseas, he was the one providing you with money the whole time, wasn¡¯t he? I don¡¯t have a single living rtive. Don¡¯t you think I need Samuel more than you do?¡± ¡°Stop it, Kathleen,¡± Samuel interjected unhappily. ¡°You came here at this ungodly hour to kick up a fuss. You¡¯re trying to steal Samuel away, aren¡¯t you?¡± she continued to use. There wasn¡¯t a hint of warmth in her eyes. ¡°Even if you manage to lure him into your arms, how long do you think he will love you?¡± Nicolette chewed on her lip. Kathleen isn¡¯t gentle at all! In fact, she doesn¡¯t hold back with her words. ¡°This is right below our apartment, Samuel. Everyone who passes through this ce knows what kind of rtionship we¡¯re in. What are people going to think when they see you hugging another woman over here?¡± Kathleen pointed out while quivering. It was then that Samuel noticed the weird looks that the security guards were sending them. Even though their marriage was a secret to the public, the security guards were aware of it. It wasn¡¯t like they would run their mouths, though. Despite that, it would be hard to exin to them what was going on. Having said that, Kathleen sighed. ¡°Just send her back.¡± She turned to leave. Her petite, lonely silhouette was heartbreaking. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Nicolette¡¯s jaw was about to break from how hard she was clenching her teeth. Initially, she had thought that by making trouble, Kathleen would lose all sense of reason and go into hysterics in front of Samuel. That way, he would begin to despise her. What she didn¡¯t expect was for Kathleen to actpletely differently from what she had predicted. ¡°I swear that isn¡¯t what I meant, Samuel,¡± Nicolette persisted. ¡°Kathleen must have misunderstood things. Give her an exnation. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m sending you back to the hospital.¡± Complex emotions had taken over Samuel¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a proper exnation when I get home.¡± An exnation? Is Samuel really going to do that? He usually can¡¯t be bothered with things like exnations, even if it was a misunderstanding. Nicolette kicked herself for leaving for three years in an attempt to use reverse psychology. It was the only reason why Kathleen had gotten the opportunity to step in, after all. Once Kathleen got home, she leaned against the door and put her hands on her belly. Her voice was choked with sobs. ¡°I wonder, my child. Even if I gave him a year¡¯s worth of time, would he have cleared up his rtionship with Nicolette by then? To tell the truth, the chance that I gave him makes it so that he¡¯ll never be able to go back on his choice. I¡¯m sorry for being a useless mother. I can¡¯t even provide you with a proper family. I¡¯m truly sorry. I promise to give you the love you deserve from now on. I¡¯ll never make you feel unloved.¡± She was well aware of the fact that a month would pass by in no time. Therefore, she had to start nning for the future. No longer did she have the luxury of waiting on Samuel to deal with everything before she started thinking of the road ahead. That would be toocent of her. Thus, she turned on herputer and sat in front of it. After editing the image for a bit, she sent it to Federick. Surprisingly enough, he replied in no time at all. Federick: Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet? Kathleen: I¡¯m getting ready for bed right now. Federick: It¡¯s already sote. You should take care of yourself. Kathleen: Yes, I know. Federick: There¡¯s going to be a seminar for parents of autistic childrenter this afternoon. Would you like toe? Kathleen: You¡¯re asking me? Federick: There¡¯s nothing more to it. To be honest, I got the inspiration for those stories from them. Who knows? Maybe if you interact with them a bit, you¡¯d experience something new. Kathleen: Sure. I¡¯ll go. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°It was my fault, sir. Please don¡¯t me him,¡± she piped up in humiliation. ¡°Well, since everything¡¯s okay, we¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± In any case, the policemen knew it wasn¡¯t their ce to poke their nose into a couple¡¯s personal affairs. ¡°Goodbye, sir.¡± Kathleen bid them farewell politely. She only walked back after they had entered the elevator and stared at Samuel awkwardly. There was a forced smile on his face. ¡°Hmph.¡± Kathleen approached him and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I was questioned by the police for the first time in my life,¡± hemented indifferently. Gnawing on her lip, she protested, ¡°I assumed you had left already. The door was open, too. I thought a thief broke in.¡± ¡°You assumed?¡± he repeated while frowning. ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know what to say. Thwack! He gave her a flick to the forehead and warned, ¡°You didn¡¯t do too badly this time. Since you know that you shouldn¡¯t be reckless, I¡¯ll forgive you just this once. If this happens again, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± As she rubbed the sore spot on her forehead, she had a pitiful and wronged expression. ¡°Can you really me me, though? I thought you were rushing to see Nicolette and forgot to close the door.¡± That made Samuel frown. Is she really trying to justify herself here? ¡°Think about it. Why do you think I chose this ce as our new home?¡± he prompted gloomily. ¡°The security downstairs is so tight. Do you really think a thief could get in? Why don¡¯t you use your brain a little?¡± ¡°You can never be too cautious,¡± she insisted in an aggrieved manner. ¡°You just said that I didn¡¯t do too badly!¡± Samuel let out a chilling huff. ¡°You¡¯re really going to make me explode from anger someday, Kathleen.¡± In response to that, Kathleen puffed up her cheeks. She looked like a kicked puppy. That night, the two of them were lying in bed. There wasn¡¯t much movement going on. Neither of them was tired, but they weren¡¯t talking to each other, either. Rather, they were both deep in thought. However, considering that Kathleen was pregnant, she couldn¡¯t fight off her sleepiness for long. Some timeter, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. Of course, a ringtone yed along with it. ¡°What?¡± he eximed. There was a grim look on his face. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll head over right away.¡± ¡°What is it, Sam?¡± Kathleen had woken up from themotion. ¡°The security guards downstairs gave me a call. I¡¯m going to take a look.¡± His answer was deliberately vague. Her lips were pursed as he got changed and went downstairs. She noticed that he took his phone and car keys with him. There was an unsettling feeling in her heart, so she put on a white coat and discreetly followed him down. When Samuel got downstairs, he saw Nicolette curled up into a ball on the couch. The weather was cold outside, and she was only dressed in a hospital gown. ¡°Nicolette,¡± he called out. Samuel made his way over to her and immediately took off his coat to drape it around her. ¡°Samuel!¡± she yelped. Nicolette jumped up and clung to his neck while sobbing, ¡°I¡¯m so scared, Samuel. I¡¯m scared of the chemotherapy tomorrow. The doctor told me that my hair was going to fall out. I¡¯m going to be ugly!¡± Samuel¡¯s breathing grew deeper, and he reached hisrge hand out to pat her on the back. ¡°How could that be? You¡¯ve always been beautiful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m terrified, Samuel. Can you chat with me for a bit before going back up?¡± she whined. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to the hospital.¡± There was no way he could let her hang around there. If she were to get sick with a cold or a fever, it would be disastrous for someone like her, who had leukemia. All of a sudden, Nicolette stared at someone behind him. ¡°Kathleen?¡± The realization made him freeze. He let go of Nicolette and caught sight of Kathleen standing nearby. Kathleen¡¯s exquisite features were hidden behind the coat as she strode over. ¡°Why did you leave the hospital toe here in the middle of the night, Nicolette?¡± she confronted. ¡°You¡¯re an adult already. You should know how many people would be worried about you. Of all ces, you came straight to Samuel. Are you trying to make him feel bad for you?¡± Nicolette forlornly protested, ¡°That¡¯s not what I was trying to do, Kathleen. I just felt helpless. I have chemotherapy tomorrow, which is why I¡ª¡± ¡°Whose fault is it that you feel that way? Is it mine?¡± Kathleen retorted. Her usually soft tone had be harsh and biting. ¡°At least you have a father. For the three years that you were overseas, he was the one providing you with money the whole time, wasn¡¯t he? I don¡¯t have a single living rtive. Don¡¯t you think I need Samuel more than you do?¡± ¡°Stop it, Kathleen,¡± Samuel interjected unhappily. ¡°You came here at this ungodly hour to kick up a fuss. You¡¯re trying to steal Samuel away, aren¡¯t you?¡± she continued to use. There wasn¡¯t a hint of warmth in her eyes. ¡°Even if you manage to lure him into your arms, how long do you think he will love you?¡± Nicolette chewed on her lip. Kathleen isn¡¯t gentle at all! In fact, she doesn¡¯t hold back with her words. ¡°This is right below our apartment, Samuel. Everyone who passes through this ce knows what kind of rtionship we¡¯re in. What are people going to think when they see you hugging another woman over here?¡± Kathleen pointed out while quivering. It was then that Samuel noticed the weird looks that the security guards were sending them. Even though their marriage was a secret to the public, the security guards were aware of it. It wasn¡¯t like they would run their mouths, though. Despite that, it would be hard to exin to them what was going on. Having said that, Kathleen sighed. ¡°Just send her back.¡± She turned to leave. Her petite, lonely silhouette was heartbreaking. Meanwhile, Nicolette¡¯s jaw was about to break from how hard she was clenching her teeth. Initially, she had thought that by making trouble, Kathleen would lose all sense of reason and go into hysterics in front of Samuel. That way, he would begin to despise her. What she didn¡¯t expect was for Kathleen to actpletely differently from what she had predicted. ¡°I swear that isn¡¯t what I meant, Samuel,¡± Nicolette persisted. ¡°Kathleen must have misunderstood things. Give her an exnation. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m sending you back to the hospital.¡± Complex emotions had taken over Samuel¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a proper exnation when I get home.¡± An exnation? Is Samuel really going to do that? He usually can¡¯t be bothered with things like exnations, even if it was a misunderstanding. Nicolette kicked herself for leaving for three years in an attempt to use reverse psychology. It was the only reason why Kathleen had gotten the opportunity to step in, after all. Once Kathleen got home, she leaned against the door and put her hands on her belly. Her voice was choked with sobs. ¡°I wonder, my child. Even if I gave him a year¡¯s worth of time, would he have cleared up his rtionship with Nicolette by then? To tell the truth, the chance that I gave him makes it so that he¡¯ll never be able to go back on his choice. I¡¯m sorry for being a useless mother. I can¡¯t even provide you with a proper family. I¡¯m truly sorry. I promise to give you the love you deserve from now on. I¡¯ll never make you feel unloved.¡± She was well aware of the fact that a month would pass by in no time. Therefore, she had to start nning for the future. No longer did she have the luxury of waiting on Samuel to deal with everything before she started thinking of the road ahead. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. That would be toocent of her. Thus, she turned on herputer and sat in front of it. After editing the image for a bit, she sent it to Federick. Surprisingly enough, he replied in no time at all. Federick: Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet? Kathleen: I¡¯m getting ready for bed right now. Federick: It¡¯s already sote. You should take care of yourself. Kathleen: Yes, I know. Federick: There¡¯s going to be a seminar for parents of autistic childrenter this afternoon. Would you like toe? Kathleen: You¡¯re asking me? Federick: There¡¯s nothing more to it. To be honest, I got the inspiration for those stories from them. Who knows? Maybe if you interact with them a bit, you¡¯d experience something new. Kathleen: Sure. I¡¯ll go. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 She says she¡¯ll give me a month to settle matters. But she¡¯s on a date with some other guy the next day? Kathleen¡­ What do you take me for? Samuel mused. Tyson was standing aside, feeling a bit nervous. He first saw Kathleen standing together with another man. It was undeniable that Kathleen was gorgeous. She looked like a perfect match with whosoever was standing next to her. Mrs. Macari is cute and innocent. Why doesn¡¯t Mr. Macari like her? Meanwhile, Kathleen and Federick had received their entrance tickets. When they were about to enter the hall, a man ran into Kathleen. She lost her bnce and nearly fell. Luckily, Federick wrapped his arm around her waist. Samuel¡¯s expression turned beyond grim at that moment. ¡°Are you okay?¡± When Kathleen was able to stand on her feet, Federick let go of his arm. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kathleen heaved a sigh of relief. She thought she was going to fall and hurt the baby. ¡°There are a lot of people here today. Be careful,¡± Federick reminded her. Kathleen nodded. ¡°I will sit still after entering the hall. I won¡¯t move a single bit.¡± Federick smiled. ¡°Good girl.¡± At the same time, Samuel walked toward them. His face darkened when he heard Federick¡¯s commend. I know Kathleen is perfect. But she doesn¡¯t need yourpliment. ¡°Ms. Johnson,¡± Tyson greeted Kathleen. They¡¯re husband and wife, but they have to hide their rtionship from outsiders. Doesn¡¯t Mr. Macari know that this will only make the situation worse and estrange her further from him? Just then, Kathleen turned slightly. She was stunned when she saw Samuel together with Tyson. ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked. ¡°What about you?¡± Samuel returned the question. She¡¯s dressed nicely today, and with her sweet and innocent face, she looks adorable. Ever since she¡¯s here, there have already been a few pairs of eyes pinned on her. Actually, Federick managed to figure out the rtionship between Samuel and Kathleen earlier back then. However, he did not expose them. ¡°Mr. Macari, I was the one who brought Kate here. It¡¯s a conference for families with autistic members.¡± Family with autistic members? Is Kathleen one of his family? This irritated him. Samuel teased, ¡°Mr. Evans, Kathleen doesn¡¯t have any family members with autism.¡± Federick understood what he meant. He then replied, ¡°If she is willing to, she can have one.¡± Samuel stared at the man coldly. He is only the owner of a publishing firm. How dare he try to go against me? Kathleen felt uneasy. ¡°Federick?¡± Please don¡¯t do anything reckless. Samuel will get offended. ¡°Mr. Macari, I used to be Kate¡¯s neighbor since we were young. She¡¯s just like a little sister to me.¡± Federick grinned and added, ¡°When the matter happened, my parents were thinking of adopting Kate since we don¡¯t have any girls in the family. If it weren¡¯t because the Macari family¡¯s wealth is way above average, I think she will never meet with you.¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes and became enraged. To lighten up the atmosphere, Kathleen exined, ¡°Samuel, I just want to know more about the sickness. If you¡¯re busy with your work, don¡¯t mind me. Please go ahead. Bye for now.¡± With that, she pulled Federick and headed to the hall. Unexpectedly, Samuel hugged her from behind and would not let go. Sweat beaded across her forehead. What is he doing in public? ¡°I¡¯m interested in that as well. Let¡¯s go take a look,¡± Samuel said coldly. Tyson was stunned for a second. ¡°Mr. Macari, what about the business banquetter?¡± ¡°I will go over with her after the conference.¡± Soon after finishing his words, he went into the hall with his arm around Kathleen¡¯s shoulder. Tyson cast a sidelong nce at Federick and said, ¡°Mr. Evans, just a kind reminder, Ms. Johnson is¡ª¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. I know it. I just don¡¯t like to see Kathleen feel wronged. I do not have any improper thoughts about her. I treat her like a little sister. If I do have any motives, believe me, Mr. Macari will not have his chance.¡± Federick spoke gently. Tyson was dumbfounded. His words make sense. So, Mr. Evans is doing it on purpose to infuriate Mr. Macari? I didn¡¯t expect that! He is gentle but sneaky at the same time. On the other hand, Samuel led Kathleen into the hall. Samuel Macari, a genius in the business world. Who was not aware of him? Although his father, Calvin Macari, was a legendary businessman, Samuel had already overdone him. Immediately after they entered the hall, Kathleen pushed Samuel¡¯s hand away. She whispered, ¡°Mr. Macari, please behave yourself. In public, we are siblings.¡± Siblings? Samuel hated that word. ¡°Mrs. Macari, you better stay by my side obediently. Or I will shut down the publishing firm tomorrow,¡± Samuel threatened her in a low voice. Kathleen bit her lips and let out a snort. Someone went over to greet Samuel and gave Kathleen a side-eyed nce. ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Macari¡¯s sister, Kathleen Johnson.¡± She then continued, ¡°Although we don¡¯t share the same family name, we are really siblings.¡± Samuel¡¯s mouth twitched a little. That person was astounded. ¡°Kathleen is my grandma¡¯s god-granddaughter. We¡¯re not blood-rted,¡± Samuel added. ¡°We¡¯re not blood-rted, but we¡¯re close like a biological sibling, right? Samuel?¡± Kathleen blinked. Samuel stared at her coldly. She did that on purpose. ¡°Ms. Johnson?¡± A young voice was heard. Kathleen nced to the side, wondered, and said, ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Graves, right? We met in the banquet last time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alex smiled and continued, ¡°Ms. Johnson, you still remember me.¡± ¡°Of course. Why are you here, Mr. Graves?¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor and a specialist for autism,¡± Alex answered and took out his name tag. He then handed her his name tag. Such a sweet and adorabledy. Ever since Calvin introduced them to each other, Alex had fallen for her. Butst time, Samuel took her away midway, so they did not even have time to exchange their contact numbers. ¡°Mr. Graves, that¡¯s impressive.¡± Kathleen returned his name tag. Alex seemed about the same age as Samuel, but their auras were totally different. Alex was a doctor who cared for his patients as much as parents cared for their children. He had always been gentle and attentive. He dressed formally in a suit with a doctor¡¯s white coat draping over it, making him look stylish. Samuel felt disdain when he saw Kathleen¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration. Just a doctor¡¯s white coat could catch her attention? Samuel lightly coughed and cleared his throat. Just then, Alex noticed Samuel. ¡°You¡¯re here too, Mr. Macari.¡± Samuel shot him a re. Alex felt embarrassed. He then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was excited when I saw Kathleen. Please don¡¯t be angry with me. Why don¡¯t I go to the Macari residence to visit Old Mrs. Macari tomorrow?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t get her chance to speak and heard Samuel reply coldly, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. My grandma needs some rest at the moment, and she¡¯d better not be disturbed.¡± ¡°Is that so? I see. Next time then.¡± He then smiled at Kathleen and continued, ¡°Kathleen, why don¡¯t you give me your phone number? So, I can give you a call to know when I can visit Old Mrs. Macari if she is feeling better.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel¡¯s face darkened, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. ¡°The conference is starting soon. Please take a seat.¡± He then grinned. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯ll be delivering a speechter.¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°I¡¯ll pay close attention.¡± Kathleen encouraged him, ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do well because you¡¯re here.¡± Alex blushed slightly as he turned around and walked off. Kathleen blinked. Some people just didn¡¯t know how attractive they were. At the sight, Samuel snorted. At the seminar, there was a seat specially reserved for Samuel. However, there was only one seat reserved for him. As Federick was the one who brought Kathleen along with him, they naturally sat together. ¡°I won¡¯t bother Mr. Macari then,¡± Kathleen said as she turned to Federick. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Federick.¡± Federick nodded in response. ¡°Stop right there,¡± Samuel demanded coldly. He walked up to Federick and took the seat number from thetter¡¯s hands as he continued indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll swap seats with you.¡± Federick and Kathleen were rendered speechless by his actions. In the end, Samuel still switched seats with Federick. Despite that, Samuel was always the center of attention wherever he went. Even though they were seated in thest few rows, the crowd¡¯s gaze constantly remained on him. ¡°I swear I¡¯ve gained more attention over the past few dayspared to the past three years that I¡¯ve been married to you,¡± Kathleen whispered. ¡°We haven¡¯t even gotten a divorce,¡± Samuel responded coldly. ¡°I know. It¡¯s in one month¡¯s time,¡± Kathleen replied as she looked toward the stage. Alex had already made his way up onto the stage. Samuel didn¡¯t like it when Kathleen looked at other men. He hoped that he would be the only one in Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kathleen, since you already know that, then why did you still go out with other men?¡± Samuel asked in a stern tone. ¡°Even you¡¯re allowed to send Nicolette off at night and stay out for the entire night. All we did was go out openly in broad daylight, unlike the shady business you were up to.¡± There seemed to be thorns in her sweet voice as she added, ¡°Samuel, since you could question me on the basis of marriage ethics, why don¡¯t you take a look at yourself first?¡± If they weren¡¯t in public, Kathleen genuinely wanted to stand up and leave. As Samuel heard her words, his face darkened. While Alex gave his speech on stage, Kathleen listened to him attentively. However, it wasn¡¯t because she was interested in him. Instead, she was thinking about how she would handle the situation if it ever happened to her and her child. In the future, she would have to deal with everything on her own. Besides making a living, she still had a lot of important skills that she had to learn. In fact, she already wasn¡¯t expecting much deep down. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t forget about the divorce agreement,¡± Kathleen reminded. Samuel remained silent. He hadn¡¯t been paying much attention to what Alex was talking about. All he heard was that there wasn¡¯t a conclusion on the causes of autism and how parents should take special care during pregnancy. Despite that, he felt that he was just worrying too much. Out of the corner of his eye, he nced at Kathleen¡¯s belly. They didn¡¯t know when she would give birth yet. After the specialist¡¯s talk was over, the host invited a member of the audience to go up onto the stage to share their views. The host then picked a number and announced, ¡°Number two hundred and fifty-one.¡± Kathleen was stunned to hear this. Me? But I don¡¯t have any experience. Kathleen waved her hands to refuse it. At this, the host chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Juste up on stage. No one¡¯s going tough at you.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. How could I be so lucky? I rarely attend such events, and I can¡¯t believe that I got picked once I went to one. But now, she had no choice but to go up on stage. Once she went up, the crowd started discussing among themselves. ¡°What a pretty girl. She doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s married.¡± ¡°How do you know that she isn¡¯t married? Let me tell you this. Beautiful girls and handsome men always marry at a young age.¡± ¡°No, I stand by my words. I want to take a few photos of her. I¡¯m going to find a wife just like her in the future.¡± ¡°I also think that she looks like everyone¡¯s first love who could make people¡¯s hearts flutter.¡± As he listened to them, Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. How dare these disgusting men talk about my woman like that! Nheless, what they said wasn¡¯t wrong. Kathleen indeed looked like everyone¡¯s first love. Although she looked simr to Nicolette, thetter didn¡¯t really seem to have the face of everyone¡¯s first love. She just didn¡¯t look as innocent as Kathleen. Besides, Kathleen naturally had a sweet personality. Just as how one¡¯s appearance was a reflection of one¡¯s heart, the two of them exudedpletely different auras. As Kathleen stood in front of the microphone, she got slightly nervous. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just here to listen to the talk. I don¡¯t really have a deep understanding of autism.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. You can still share your views with us., the female host encouraged her gently. After all, Kathleen had a likable personality, and anyone would easily take a liking to her. ¡°I think that life is fascinating. From the moment a mother gets pregnant, she will probably worry if her child will grow up to be healthy. Nothing else would matter more than her child¡¯s health and safety.¡± Kathleen spoke in a soft voice. ¡°Once the child is born, although there may be unexpected situations, it is still as how they say that every child with autism is a child of the stars. No matter what happens to them, as parents, we will never give up on them. No matter how hard the road ahead is, we will press on bravely.¡± A round of apuse erupted from the audience. Kathleen got embarrassed and said, ¡°Please forgive me for not speaking very well. I hope that more people will pay attention to autism and learn more about it. I also hope that those in the medical industry will be able to find out about its causes soon and develop a treatment to save families with autism.¡± ¡°Well said!¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± ¡°This is the reason why this seminar exists.¡± The audience was extremely enthusiastic. After handing the microphone over to the host, Kathleen got off the stage. As she sat down, she then heaved a sigh. After the seminar, someone wanted to take a photo with Kathleen. Although Kathleen couldn¡¯t bring herself to reject it, Samuel pulled Kathleen beside him and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the time for that.¡± With that, he then pulled her and walked away. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Kathleen asked with a frown. ¡°A business banquet,¡± Samuel replied coldly. ¡°But I don¡¯t drink.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows slightly as she went on, ¡°Besides, why would I go there?¡± ¡°To fill your stomach.¡± In any case, he just couldn¡¯t leave Kathleen there. That ce was like a wolf¡¯s den. Samuel brought Kathleen to another hotel. There would be a business banquet held in the banquet hall there that afternoon which was organized for Samuel by his business associates. Besides wine, of course, there would be beautiful women. All the women were gorgeous and dressed to the nines. Their main target was Samuel, and they weren¡¯t interested in any other men. Once Kathleen entered, she immediately shook Samuel off. Samuel was surrounded by his business associates and had no time to care about Kathleen. Meanwhile, Kathleen carried a te and walked over to the dining area to find some food to eat. After taking some cakes, she headed to the corner to enjoy them. Just then, she heard two women talking beside her. ¡°Did you know that Nicolette sent me a message yesterday? She showed off about how she slept with Samuel.¡± ¡°So soon? Isn¡¯t Nicolette sick? How does she have the energy to sleep with him?¡± ¡°Even if I were on the verge of death, if Samuel were willing to do it, I would¡¯ve slept with him too!¡± ¡°Nicolette sure is lucky. After three years, Samuel still can¡¯t seem to forget her.¡± ¡°Let me tell you a secret. Don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± ¡°What secret?¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I heard that Samuel is actually married.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Do you know who his wife is?¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Kathleen, the one who walked in with Samuel just now. Besides, Kathleen was the perfect match as Nicolette¡¯s bone marrow donor. Samuel said that he wanted to coax Kathleen to get her to donate her bone marrow before divorcing her.¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Kathleen silently listened to them as they finished their words. In an instant, the cake in her mouth didn¡¯t seem sweet anymore. It tasted nd. However, the two women didn¡¯t notice her at all and left after they finished chatting. Kathleen wanted to drink some water to quench her dry throat. Just then, someone handed her a ss of warm water. As she nced in the direction of the beautiful hand that was holding the ss, she saw Christopher. ¡°Chris?¡± Kathleen took the ss from him and gulped down the water. She had only focused on getting food just now and had forgotten to get herself some water. Christopher looked at her before ncing at Samuel, who was by the side. He then asked, ¡°How could he leave you here by yourself?¡± Hasn¡¯t he thought about how ufortable and out of ce Kathleen would feel on her first time at such an event? ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡± Kathleen sipped her water slowly. After eating some cake, she drank some more water. As she would eventually feel full from it, she then decided to stop eating. I¡¯ll eat some vegetables and meatter at night. Kathleen started nning the menu for her mealter on. She had to constantly keep her mind upied with other things to stop herself from thinking about Samuel and Nicolette. When Kathleen said that she was used to it, she meant that she was used to being abandoned by Samuel. No matter how much she needed Samuel, he would always abandon her for Nicolette. At that moment, Samuel was happily chatting away with others. But at the same time, he hadn¡¯t forgotten about Kathleen. After Samuel turned around again, Christopher had already taken his seat beside Kathleen. The two of them chattered andughed, and it seemed to be an eyesore for Samuel. Lowering his ss, Samuel said, ¡°Please excuse me.¡± He then walked toward Kathleen. Kathleen sensed that there was a growing pressure getting closer to her. When she nced sideways, she saw that it was Samuel. Samuel looked at the food on her te and grumbled, ¡°Is that all that you¡¯re eating?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like eating anything else,¡± Kathleen replied with a frown. ¡°You¡¯re too picky,¡± Samuel fussed. ¡°Are you only finding out about this now?¡± Kathleen asked nonchntly. ¡°Oh right. You don¡¯t even care. Even Maria knows more about me than you.¡± At this, Samuel was rendered speechless. Is she intentionally trying to make me look bad in front of Christopher? ¡°Kate has a weak stomach. Most of the food here was prepared beforehand and is already cold. How do you expect her to eat those?¡± Christopher questioned him coldly. Samuel was displeased by his words. Even Christopher knows that she has a weak stomach? ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to eat something warm.¡± Samuel pulled Kathleen onto her feet. Her hands were dainty and soft. Of course, Samuel would get frustrated seeing her talk to other men. But when he saw her talking to Christopher, he felt as if he was about to lose a precious item of his. He gripped her hand tightly as if it was the only way that he could slowly make that feeling disappear. ¡°Christopher, I know you¡¯re busy and probably don¡¯t even have the time for a meal. So I won¡¯t be inviting you to join us,¡± Samuel told him coldly. With that, he then walked away with Kathleen. Christopher fell into deep thought as he watched Kathleen leave. He felt that there was something missing when Kathleen gazed at Samuel. Although that was something that he hoped for, he felt his heart wrench at the same time. He genuinely wished that Samuel would treat Kathleen better. But at the same time, if Samuel continued with this, Christopher would stand a chance with Kathleen. This painful feeling tormented him every day, leaving him in excruciating pain. Samuel brought Kathleen to the car. However, he was in a dilemma about where he should bring her to eat. After thinking about the oatmeal he hadst time, he decided to bring Kathleen there. Kathleen sat in the car and nced out of the window, saying, ¡°If you miss Nicolette so much, then you can go. I can take care of myself.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face darkened. ¡°I¡¯m bringing you out to eat.¡± This has nothing to do with seeing Nicolette. ¡°You could¡¯ve taken me anywhere else, but you chose to bring me here.¡± Kathleen then pointed at the hospital outside the window. ¡°Do you think that I would make up such an excuse just to see her?¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°Because you want to coax me into donating my bone marrow,¡± Kathleen responded nonchntly. With that, Kathleen whipped out her phone and yed the recording of the conversation between the two women just now for Samuel. As he listened to it, Samuel¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Samuel, we¡¯ve been married for three years. If someone at home exposed this, they wouldn¡¯t expose it only after three years. So I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware of who was the one who let this out,¡± Kathleen said icily. ¡°I don¡¯t like dirty tricks like this. Tell Nicolette that my word is final. I won¡¯t donate my bone marrow. And tell her to stop forcing me to do it!¡± With that, Kathleen got out of the car. She then gged down a taxi and left. After which, Samuel drove the car to the hospital opposite the road and got out to look for Nicolette. Nicolette was sitting on the hospital bed and looking at her phone. She kept reying the video of Kathleen giving a speech on stage. It wasn¡¯t because she thought that Kathleen spoke well, but because Samuel¡¯s gaze was filled with pride as he listened to her. It was impossible that Samuel didn¡¯t have feelings for Kathleen. Just then, she heard footsteps outside. When she turned around and saw Samuel, she was delighted. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re here. Didn¡¯t you say that you were onlying at night?¡± ¡°Nicolette, did you tell others about my marriage with Kathleen?¡± Samuel asked sternly. Nicolette was stunned. How did he know? ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Nicolette denied. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not that childish.¡± ¡°Did you arrange for someone to gossip about it in front of Kathleen?¡± Samuel questioned her icily. At this, Nicolette panicked. How did he know about this? Could it be that he heard it? Those two idiots just can¡¯t do a simple thing right. Nicolette just wanted to provoke Kathleen and let thetter know that Nicolette was the one Samuel liked. She hoped that Kathleen would give up on him sooner because of this. But she didn¡¯t expect that Samuel would find out about this. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that even if I divorced Kathleen, I wouldn¡¯t let anyone harm her?¡± Samuel wore a steely expression. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°I know. But I didn¡¯t even do anything.¡± Nicolette feigned ignorance. ¡°Did someone tell you something? Samuel, I know that Kathleen¡¯s parents saved your grandmother before, so she¡¯s a benefactor to your family. Samuel, she¡¯s your benefactor, and she¡¯s also mine. Why would I do anything to harm my benefactor? Besides, it¡¯s impossible for you to keep your three-year marriage with Kathleen under wraps and not expect anyone to find out about it.¡± ¡°Because no one knew about this for the past three years,¡± Samuel responded with certainty. Nicolette felt wronged as she bit her lip, and tears streamed down her face. ¡°So do you think that I sent someone to intentionally anger Kathleen? What good would it bring me if I angered her? How would she donate me her bone marrow then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you know that.¡± Samuel remained indifferent. ¡°Nicolette, you know me better than anyone else. I hate being yed by others.¡± ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not ying with you. I really didn¡¯t.¡± Nicolette sounded as if she was about to cry. ¡°I just love you too much. Samuel, I went through so many hardships outside over the past three years just so that I could get back on my feet.¡± She tugged Samuel¡¯s sleeve and went on, ¡°Samuel, I want to go home. Grandma¡¯s birthday falls on the day after tomorrow. I want to celebrate her birthday. Can youe along with me?¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Kathleen entered a restaurant and ordered herself a te of vegan pasta. After her meal, she soon left to visit Benjamin who was admitted to the nearby hospital. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help her rising concern as she observed the unconscious form of Benjamin through the window of his hospital room. ¡°My brother¡¯s condition has been stable since early this morning,¡± Gemma uttered from behind Kathleen. Kathleen turned to face Gemma, who was dressed in her nurse¡¯s uniform and bncing a tray between her hands. ¡°When will your brother be regaining consciousness?¡± queried Kathleen cautiously. Gemma¡¯s expression darkened as she replied, ¡°The doctor says that it¡¯s still too early to tell.¡± ¡°Why not try consulting the opinions of other specialists?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Kathleen. There¡¯s still time,¡± Gemmaforted. ¡°By the way, how was your experience volunteering?¡± ¡°It was such an eye-opener! I learned so much from it,¡± Kathleen enthused. Gemma smirked. ¡°I watched your speech just now during my break. You were pretty amazing out there.¡± ¡°By the way, why the sudden interest in individuals with autism?¡± ¡°Well, my foster brother is autistic,¡± said Gemma grimly. Now that is new. ¡°My foster parentse from pretty wealthy backgrounds. They adopted me as I had seemed pliant and obedient. Their hopes were that I wouldply with their wishes to look after their son once they were gone. Their n was for both of us to marry by offering me their inheritance as an incentive. They then threatened to disown me if I were to refuse,¡± said Gemma drily. Kathleen was stunned speechless. ¡°I overheard all this when I was in high school. If I were to go against them, they swore never to pay for my tuition fees and daily expenses. Gaining admission into a university would have been a lost cause.¡± ¡°That¡¯s preposterous!¡± ¡°Consider yourself lucky, Kathleen. Truly. I¡¯ve gone through the worst of it all, and things barely faze me these days,¡± advised Kathleen with a wry smile. Kathleen gripped Gemma¡¯s hands anxiously. ¡°What happened after? How did you make it out?¡± ¡°Thankfully, my brother was already a policeman back then. He located me and sponsored me all the way till graduation.¡± Gemma smiled fondly. Feelings of sympathy welled up within Kathleen, her eyes prickling with unshed tears over Gemma¡¯s predicament. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kathleen. My brother will be fine,¡± Gemma reassured. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen pursed her lips. Gemma was right. She was indeed very fortunate. The Macari family had always treated her with respect and kindness. Gemma excused herself after noticing the time. ¡°Duty calls. I will catch youter, Kathleen.¡± ¡°See you around!¡± Kathleen added with a nod. With a final parting nce at Benjamin¡¯s room, Kathleen departed from the hospital. One day after the hospital visitation, Kathleen met up with Federick to finalize the terms of their contract. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Frederick! A-About yesterday¡­¡± stammered Kathleen. ¡°Don¡¯t fret about it. Ipletely understand.¡± Frederick offered a gracious smile while handing over the contract. Kathleen¡¯s eyes widened as she perused the terms. ¡°You¡¯re willing to pay this much for my script?¡± ¡°Of course! You still haven¡¯t seen how much maestros earn from their work. Yours is good enough for a greenhorn starting out, though.¡± ¡°One hundred and fifty thousand has already far exceeded my expectations.¡± Kathleen beamed with satisfaction. ¡°Would you be able toplete your work within three months?¡± Kathleen nodded enthusiastically while signing the contract. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Our rules stipte that one-third of the sum will be first transferred to you. It should be reflected in your bank ount shortly,¡± exined Federick. ¡°Allow me to treat you to lunch as a celebration of my achievement.¡± Kathleen twinkled. ¡°I am afraid we¡¯d have to rain check. I still need to get some work done.¡± Federick chuckled apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Federick. Whenever you¡¯re free. I will be taking my leave then.¡± ¡°Sure. Take care.¡± ¡°You too. Goodbye!¡± Kathleen departed with a faint smile stered on her lips. Frederick noted that Kathleen¡¯s smile was indeed as warm and therapeutic as basking in the spring sunlight after a harsh winter. Upon leaving the publishing firm, Kathleen was consumed by the thought of the advance money. She was getting paid for the first time in her life. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was a significant milestone in her life worthmemorating. She could barely suppress her glee from the mere thought. That¡¯s right, I can choose a present for Old Mrs. Macari! But Old Mrs. Macari has everything she needs. Even so, a present won¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s merely a means of expressing care and appreciation. Kathleen soon received slightly less than fifty thousand in her bank ount after tax reductions. Despite that, she was ted. She was veritably glowing with joy as she entered the department store. After selecting several items, Kathleen decided to call Maria. The sharine innocence of Kathleen¡¯s voice instantly dispelled any lingering negativity. ¡°Maria¡­¡± Maria almost let slip a ¡°Darling!¡± before righting herself swiftly. ¡°Mrs. Macari,¡± she answered warmly. ¡°Could you inform Grandma that I¡¯d be dropping by for dinnerter tonight?¡± ¡°Of course, dear. Old Mrs. Macari would be pleased to hear of it. I¡¯ll be sure to have your favorite dishes prepared.¡± It was no secret that Kathleen was a favorite of Maria. It was probably only Samuel who could resist Kathleen¡¯s infectious charm. ¡°I absolutely can¡¯t wait!¡± chirped Kathleen before hanging up. Kathleen deemed it unnecessary to dampen the mood of others with the argument brewing between her and Samuel. Suddenly recalling that she had almost forgotten to purchase gifts for Calvin and Wynnie, Kathleen turned on her heels and backtracked toward the department store once more. Regardless of the fact that there was only twenty thousand left of her advance, Kathleen had not an ounce of regret as she hailed a taxi and headed toward the Macari residence with her hands full. All members of the Macari family were present as Kathleen entered the house. Embarrassingly enough, even Samuel. Kathleen conjured up her winning smile as she addressed the elders seated before her. ¡°Grandma, Dad, Mom.¡± Diana was delighted to see her. Kathleen¡¯s honeyed smile caught the hearts of Diana as well as Wynnie and Calvin. Samuel was the only one who went by unacknowledged, much to his displeasure. Nheless, Samuel did feel that the entire room seemed to brighten up with her brilliant smile. ¡°You seem to be in high spirits, dear girl. Do share with us why,¡± crooned Diana affectionately. Kathleen brought forth her gifts. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing major. I¡¯ve just brought all of you presents with the money I earned from my advance. I got you a pair of reading sses since yours seemed a bit dated, Grandma.¡± Diana was pleasantly surprised and asked, ¡°You bought this with your money?¡± ¡°That is right,¡± Kathleen preened. ¡°Here is a Montnc pen for you, Dad. I remembered yours recently broke. I hope this arrived just in time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Calvin was moved by Kathleen¡¯s dedication. It felt as if he had a daughter that had finally grown up. ¡°Last but not least, here is your silk scarf, Mom. I hope you like it.¡± Wynnie was a huge fan and fervent collector of scarfs belonging to this particr brand. This design that Kathleen managed to snag was a new release of the season. Wynnie was overjoyed. ¡°I¡¯d surely love it as long as it is from you.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Kathleen sat down after giving out the presents. Scowling, Samuel stretched out his hand toward her. Kathleen looked at him, baffled. Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Where¡¯s mine?¡± ¡°I forgot about yours,¡± Kathleen replied nonchntly. Forgot? Samuel snorted. He was certain that Kathleen had not forgotten; she had simply not gotten him a gift. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She had bought presents for everyone in the family except him. Diana put on her sses. ¡°Katie has her principles. Whoever treats her well, she will also be nice to them.¡± Both Calvin and Wynnie nodded approvingly. Samuel scoffed at their response. Don¡¯t I treat her well too? She eats and dresses well. I¡¯ve never mistreated her. ¡°Where did you get the money from?¡± an irate Samuel asked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret for now. Don¡¯t worry; the money¡¯s legit.¡± Kathleen was unwilling to tell Samuel the truth. Samuel gave her a sullen re. ¡°Samuel, do you still not trust Katie?¡± Diana was clearly annoyed. ¡°Let him be. It¡¯s all right if he doesn¡¯t trust her since they¡¯re going to get a divorce soon anyway. He can ask all he wants to now. When they be siblings, he will no longer have the right to question her.¡± Wynnie took the opportunity to mock her son. ¡°Why can¡¯t I question her as a sibling?¡± Samuel felt a flicker of irritation. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t overstep your boundaries. There are some things you can ask and some things you can¡¯t as an older brother. Besides, we are your elders. We are more entitled than you to receive the presents,¡± Wynnie replied unemotionally. Scoffing, Samuel retorted, ¡°Who says we are getting a divorce?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want a divorce? Well, too bad. Katie wants to divorce you,¡± Wynnie shot back. ¡°You can ask her yourself whether we¡¯re getting a divorce.¡± Samuel turned to look at Kathleen. Diana¡¯s brows drew together in a frown. ¡°Katie, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve discussed this with Samuel. We agreed to have a cooling period for a month. If we decide that we don¡¯t want to stay together after one month is up, we¡¯ll get a divorce,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°You must have been too soft-hearted and agreed to whatever he wanted, didn¡¯t you?¡± Diana guessed. Kathleen kept quiet, not knowing how to respond. Grandma, do you have to spell it out? Samuel did not say a word too. Grandma, whose side are you on? Am I even your grandson? ¡°All right then. Let¡¯s go and eat,¡± Diana said coolly. She was clearly dissatisfied that Kathleen had forgiven Samuel so easily. Knowing that Diana had always doted on her, Kathleen hung her head guiltily like she hadmitted a grave mistake. She wondered if Diana meant that they should get a divorce immediately. If this was truly Diana¡¯s wish, she would not hesitate to do so right away. Diana stood up and walked toward the dining room, supported by Calvin. Wynnie went over to Kathleen and ced her arm over thetter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mom cares for you very much. Even though Samuel is my son, I also think that you¡¯re letting him off too easily.¡± Everyone was concerned that Samuel would continue to make things difficult for Kathleen. Kathleen was confused. Why do they seem so certain that we won¡¯t get a divorce one monthter? ¡°Mom, I¡¯m still here,¡± Samuel reminded Wynnie. Wynnie looked at him with disdain. ¡°I¡¯m treating you like you¡¯re invisible. Samuel, remember that this is your only chance. You won¡¯t get another opportunity if you miss this. If you continue to fool around and be an irresponsible man, I won¡¯t be on your side if Katie really wants a divorce. In fact, I will pop a bottle of champagne and celebrate that Katie has finally escaped the clutches of a scumbag.¡± Samuel was speechless. ¡°Come, let¡¯s eat. Ignore him.¡± Wynnie led Kathleen to the dining room. This left Samuel alone to frown and sulk. What¡¯s wrong with this family? At the dining table, Wynnie brought up the topic of Frances¡¯ birthday dinner, which was to be held the day after. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve told the Yoeger family that the five of us will be attending the birthday dinner. I didn¡¯t tell them Kathleen is Samuel¡¯s wife. I said she¡¯s your granddaughter.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Diana nodded. ¡°Is Kathleening too?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s not going as your wife. Why are you so flustered? We know how to protect Katie better than you. Otherwise, everyone would have known about your marriage by now,¡± Wynnie replied. Indeed, the Macari family was very good at keeping secrets. Samuel looked coldly at Kathleen. ¡°Are you sure you want to go?¡± ¡°Am I not allowed to go?¡± Kathleen felt a little hurt. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. He doesn¡¯t call the shots in this family.¡± Diana took a piece of beef and gave it to Kathleen. Samuel¡¯s eyes were fixed impassively on Kathleen. Kathleen¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Will Nicolette be there too?¡± Is that why he doesn¡¯t want me to be present at the birthday dinner? Samuel looked startled. How did she guess that? Noticing his expression, Kathleen was crestfallen. She knew she had hit the nail on the head. Diana felt a jolt of anger, and her face darkened. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re too much!¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that you don¡¯t want anyone to know about Katie¡¯s identity because of your mistress. Now you¡¯re refusing to let her attend the birthday dinner too? Who do you think we Macaris are? Since your grandfather¡¯s time, the men in the Macari family have always been righteous, filial, and respectful to their spouses! They have never done anything as absurd as you are now!¡± Diana bellowed in rage. Diana¡¯s husband had always loved and spoiled her after they got married. Her mother-inw treated her kindly. Likewise, both she and Wynnie extended the same affection to their own daughters-inw. This virtue had been passed down over the generations. A husband should be respectful toward his wife. In the same way, a wife should be understanding toward her husband. The Macari family had always been an honorable and peaceful family. In fact, Samuel had never even seen Calvin and Wynnie fight. Hence, Diana felt that Samuel had gone too far this time. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t allow Katie to go to the dinner, do you think Nicolette can marry into our family? Nicolette is asking you to apany her to the birthday dinner so the Yoeger family can¡¯t stop her from attending the event. She¡¯s just using you. What a sly woman indeed!¡± Diana sneered. The atmosphere at the dinner table became awkward and tense. Kathleen felt increasingly nervous. This only proves that I shouldn¡¯t go to the dinner. ¡°Grandma, Nicolette just wants to visit the Yoeger residence and have a look around,¡± Samuel replied sullenly. Diana looked at him with contempt. ¡°You can believe her lies all you want. Just don¡¯t force us to do the same.¡± Feeling annoyed, Samuel stood up and gave Kathleen an icy re. ¡°Go if you wish. I won¡¯t interfere.¡± He then stormed out in a fit of pique. ¡°Samuel!¡± Wynnie was simmering in anger. That¡¯s not interfering? He¡¯s threatening her! How did I give birth to such a son? I might have been better off giving birth to a dog! At the very least, she could still hit the dog if it made her angry. Dejected, Kathleen lowered her head. Diana felt bad for her. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Katie. We¡¯ll go to the birthday dinner together.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and kept quiet. ¡°Come, let¡¯s eat.¡± Wynnie was equally pained to see Kathleen looking so upset. She felt that Samuel should not be so unkind, no matter for what reason. Katie must be devastated. They felt angry at the injustice of the situation. After all, Kathleen had not done anything wrong. Why could she not attend the dinner just because Nicolette would be there? For the next two days, Kathleen did not see Samuel. She continued staying at the Macari residence while Samuel was in the condominium. On the day of Frances¡¯ birthday dinner, Kathleen fell ill. She was truly sick and had a fever. Wynnie went to take a look at Kathleen. Patting her head, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t make yourself suffer because of Samuel.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m all right. You should get going. Don¡¯t keep Grandma and Dad waiting. Tell Grandma not to worry as I¡¯ll get well soon. And please don¡¯t let Grandma visit me since I don¡¯t want her to be sick as well.¡± Kathleen¡¯s face was drained of color. ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie was worried for Kathleen but had to leave her to go for the birthday dinner. Kathleeny on her bed. The house was so quiet that she felt a sense of emptiness in her heart. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Kathleen got out of her bed after Diana and the rest had left. Looking at the evening gown hanging next to her, she smile resignedly. She mumbled to herself, ¡°I won¡¯t be getting another chance to wear you in the future.¡± In truth, she did not actually feel regretful. She did not really care whether she could go to the dinner or not. It was just that Samuel¡¯s attitude that day had truly disappointed her. Apart from Nicolette being the reason Samuel did not want her to go to the dinner, she was sure another reason was that he thought she did not deserve to go. I am merely an orphan. Of course, I would not have the right to attend a dinner of this sort. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. We do not belong to the same social ss. Once she figured this out, she was no longer as upset as before. It all came down to the fact that she did not deserve it. She walked to her desk and started drawing. It was only by burying herself in work that she would not feel the pain. Half an hourter, someone knocked on the door softly. At the same time, she heard Christopher¡¯s warm voice. ¡°Kathleen, are you in there?¡± Kathleen was taken aback. She stood up and walked over to open the door. Indeed, it was Christopher who stood outside her room. Christopher was d in a dark grey coat and a ck turtleneck, looking ssy and handsome. ¡°Chris?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°I heard from Wynnie that the Morris family is on the guest list too.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t go.¡± Christopher smiled slightly. He then held up the box in his hand. ¡°I brought fried chicken.¡± ¡°Fried chicken! My favorite!¡± Kathleen was delighted. Christopher really knows me well! Upon seeing the sparkle in Kathleen¡¯s eyes, the smile on Christopher¡¯s face broadened. ¡°Come downstairs and have some?¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds great. We could watch a movie too.¡± Kathleen stretched to loosen her tight shoulders. Coincidentally, she was feeling a bit tired. ¡°All right.¡± Christopher nodded. Kathleen followed him downstairs. ¡°Chris, is it really okay that you don¡¯t go to the dinner?¡± Kathleen asked in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s all right. My parents are there to represent the family. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Christopher replied in a gentle voice. ¡°How did you know I didn¡¯t go to the dinner?¡± she questioned dubiously. ¡°I¡­ just know.¡± He then continued in a tender voice, ¡°Go wash your hands. I¡¯ll bring the fried chicken to the living room.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Christopher¡¯s heart melted at how obedient she was being for him. His disdain for Samuel grew even stronger. If he were in Samuel¡¯s shoes, all he wanted to do was to pamper such a lovely girl like Kathleen. Christopher and Kathleen entered the living room. Sitting down, she asked, ¡°Chris, what do you feel like watching?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch whatever you feel like watching.¡± Christopher was okay with anything she wanted. Kathleen stared at the television screen, her lips in a pout. She held the remote control in her hand, flicking from movie to movie. All the while, Christopher stared at her tenderly, taking in all the tiny expressions on her face. Atst, Kathleen settled on watching a heartwarming film, the famous Hachi: A Dog¡¯s Tale. At the end of the movie, she had barely touched the fried chicken as she was crying uncontrobly. Christopher handed her some tissues. ¡°Stop crying. If you continue to cry, you¡¯ll hurt your eyes.¡± Kathleen epted the tissues from him. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Sometimes, when you¡¯re in a bad mood, you just have to cry it out.¡± ¡°Would you feel better after you cried?¡± he asked curiously. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No.¡± He furrowed his brows in response. ¡°Kathleen, do you know you¡¯ve lost weight?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Indeed, she had lost weight again. Even though she had been eating like normal, she still somehow lost weight. She did not understand what was going on. Is there something wrong with my body? If there is, does that mean I can¡¯t keep my baby? At the thought of her baby, Kathleen became even more upset. ¡°Bleargh!¡± Kathleen felt nauseous all of a sudden. She covered her mouth with her hand and rushed into the bathroom. For a moment, Christopher was stunned. He then followed her into the bathroom immediately. Kathleen was bent over the toilet bowl, vomiting uncontrobly. Christopher brought a ss of warm water to her and patted her on the back lightly. ¡°Chris, you better go out for now.¡± Kathleen was feeling a bit embarrassed. How could I let him see me in such a state? ¡°You¡¯re already feeling this unwell. There is no need for you to feel self-conscious in front of me.¡± Christopher caressed her forehead. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re having a fever.¡± His palm was cold, and it felt good against Kathleen¡¯s hot forehead. However, she knew that it was inappropriate for them to be in such close proximity to each other. ¡°Chris, I¡¯m fine, really.¡± She rinsed her mouth quickly and prepared to get out of the bathroom. As she turned around to leave, Christopher grabbed hold of her wrist from behind. His warm voice sounded a bit hoarse. ¡°Kathleen, are you pregnant?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°N-No.¡± ¡°You always look up whenever you are lying.¡± Christopher knew her extremely well. Her face went pale as her lower lip began quivering slightly. ¡°How far along are you?¡± Christopher asked again. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°Almost two months. Chris, I¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone about this. I shouldn¡¯t be the one to announce your pregnancy.¡± He looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Who else knows about this?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Just me. And now, you too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m delighted to know that I¡¯m the second person to find out about this.¡± Christopher looked at her pale face. ¡°If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have brought fried chicken over. Was it because it was too oily? I heard that pregnant women prefer food with mild tastes and less oil.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Chris, would you act normal, please? If you took special care of me, it¡¯d be easy for people to tell I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Christopher felt embarrassed. ¡°Sorry. This is my first time taking care of a pregnant woman.¡± ¡°This is my first time being a pregnant woman too,¡± Kathleen replied. After she finished speaking, the two of themughed. ¡°You can¡¯t have cold medicine when you¡¯re pregnant, right?¡± Christopher asked in a serious manner. ¡°Yeah, unless it is a very serious cold.¡± Kathleen went on to exin to him, ¡°However, my cold is not very serious. I just have to drink more water and rest more. I should be fine then.¡± ¡°Then you should go back to your room and rest. I¡¯ll head into the kitchen and cook something light for you.¡± Christopher¡¯s heart ached for Kathleen. She was pregnant, yet she had told nobody about it. This meant that no one would be taking special care of her, even though she had been through enough suffering already. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be in my bed anymore. It¡¯s not good to lie down all day.¡± Kathleen slouched down on the couch instead. Maria, too, was on leave today, which was why the house had been very quiet. Whatever they talked about, no one would be there to hear. ¡°Chris, talk to me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gentle voice sounded weak. ¡°All right.¡± Christopher sat down and grabbed hold of a pillow. ¡°Here. Rest your back on this.¡± Kathleen hesitated before lifting her body off the couch. He then ced the pillow behind her waist. Resting her back against the pillow, she indeed felt much morefortable than before. Christopher really knew how to take good care of people. ¡°Chris, when you be someone¡¯s husband in the future, you¡¯ll definitely score 100 out of 100 marks as a model husband,¡± Kathleen remarked. ¡°Thanks.¡± Christopher smiled. Do I score 100 marks in your book too? ¡°What about Samuel?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°His score is in the negatives,¡± Kathleen replied in disdain, a frown forming between her delicate brows. Christopher looked at her solemnly. ¡°You¡¯ve concealed your pregnancy so well. Do you have any n?¡± ¡°I will divorce Samuel. It¡¯s just a matter of when.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°To him, so long as I agree to donate my bone marrow to Nicolette, he¡¯ll agree to divorce me. He¡¯ll even give me lots of money, a house, and a car.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Christopher paused. ¡°Are you going to give birth to the baby?¡± Kathleen caressed her belly. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t want Samuel to know about this. Not now, not ever. I just want to take care of the child on my own.¡± ¡°Kathleen, let me help you take care of the child,¡± he suddenly blurted. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¡°W-What?¡± Kathleen was bbergasted. Christopher let out a chuckle. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± She nodded. ¡°I was just joking.¡± Christopher¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°What I mean to say is, a friend is an extra pair of hands for support, isn¡¯t it?¡± He knew that he could not make his intentions clear right now, as Kathleen was not divorced from Samuel yet. Kathleen was someone who held onto her morals strongly, and so was he. They respected each other, so they would not put each other in an awkward situation. Essentially, both of them were full of pride. Prideful people like them would never allow others to point fingers at them. Christopher wanted to confess his feelings to Kathleen only after she was divorced from Samuel. As for the baby in her stomach, he could treat it like his own child since she was the mother, after all. ¡°To be honest, Samuel and I have an agreement.¡± Kathleen lowered her gaze, and her expression was calm. ¡°We promised to not divorce if we both feel that we can remain with each other after a month. However, it was not until that day at home, when I saw how condescending and harsh Samuel was when objecting to me attending Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s birthday dinner, that I finally understood. He looks down on me from the bottom of his heart.¡± She would not be maintaining this unequal marriage anymore. Christopher¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Kathleen, you shouldn¡¯t belittle yourself. The Macari family and I have never thought that you¡¯re inferior to others.¡± ¡°Chris, I¡¯m well aware of how kind you, Grandma, and the rest are to me.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°Samuel is responsible for his own actions, so I won¡¯t hold a grudge against you all. However, I feel like leaving this ce after I¡¯m divorced from Samuel.¡± ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of going to my granny¡¯s house.¡± Kathleen took a sideways nce at him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t.¡± Christopher shook his head. He was delighted that she could open up to him like this. ¡°Is there anyone else in your granny¡¯s house?¡± Christopher continued. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen replied calmly, ¡°My mom told me there are many flowers in my granny¡¯s house. The flowers wille to full bloom in the summer and are extremely beautiful. I¡¯d like to visit the ce that even my mom missed.¡± Nodding, he said, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ll simply look on in silence regardless of whether Samuel messes around with me or gets angry at me. I don¡¯t want to torture myself anymore.¡± Kathleen said tly, ¡°He¡¯s not worth it. I guess I¡¯ve wasted ten years of my youth on the wrong person.¡± Christopher paused for a moment before starting, ¡°Kathleen, actually¡ª¡± He was just about to say something when there was a knock on the door. Kathleen was astonished. ¡°Are Grandma and the rest back so soon?¡± ¡°Take a seat. I¡¯ll go get the door.¡± Christopher stood up and went to open the door. Upon doing so, he saw that it was Tyson standing outside. ¡°Mr. Morris?¡± Tyson was rather surprised. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here?¡± With his face expressionless, Christopher asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with Samuel?¡± ¡°Mr. Macari has instructed me to pick Mrs. Macari up to head to the Yoeger residence,¡± Tyson exined. Christopher frowned. What does Samuel mean by this? ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know that Kathleen¡¯s sick?¡± Christopher was utterly displeased. ¡°She can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Tyson dared not say so to Samuel. ¡°Come in and ask her in person.¡± Christopher did not give him a hard time. Tyson nodded. He entered the mansion and walked to the living room. He looked at Kathleen, who indeed appeared paler than usual. It seemed like she had genuinely fallen sick. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kathleen asked ndly. ¡°Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macari has ordered me to take you to the party at the Yoeger residence,¡± Tyson answered. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Kathleen rubbed her temples. ¡°I bet Nicolette instigated him to do so, which is why he asked you to pick me up.¡± Tyson fell silent sheepishly. ¡°If I didn¡¯t follow Grandma and the rest there and only show up after Samuel sent someone over to pick me up, what do you think the Yoeger family and other guests at the birthday party would think?¡± Kathleen sneered, ¡°Why would I bring this nder upon myself?¡± Tyson pursed his lips. He actually thought the same way as well. ¡°Mrs. Macari, it¡¯s actually not Nicolette. Mr. Macari gave this order himself,¡± Tyson defended Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m not going either.¡± Kathleen scrunched her brows and refuted, ¡°He can¡¯t order me around!¡± Helpless, Tyson wanted to say something else. However, before he could, Christopher instructed coldly, ¡°Call Samuel and tell him Kathleen is seriously feeling unwell.¡± With his lips pursed, Tyson turned to walk away. N?velDrama.Org ? content. He called Samuel. It did not take long for Samuel to answer his phone. ¡°Have you picked her up?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tyson hesitated before adding, ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari said she¡¯s not going as she really feels unwell.¡± Samuel was displeased. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her that it¡¯s me who asked you to pick her up?¡± ¡°I told her.¡± Tyson bit his lip. ¡°Mrs. Macari insisted that she¡¯s not going. Since she didn¡¯t follow the rest to the birthday party, if I send her over right now, it would make her seem too troublesome and affect the others¡¯ impression of her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s indeed troublesome.¡± In an unhappy tone, Samuel ordered, ¡°Bring her to me!¡± He was determined to see her! ¡°Mr. Macari, I dare not act rough.¡± Tyson found himself in a tight spot. ¡°What¡¯s more, Mr. Morris is here.¡± ¡°Mr. Morris?¡± Samuel questioned with his face all gloomy, ¡°Christopher?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tyson nodded vigorously. Mr. Macari, you better realize the danger soon. Your woman is going to be taken away. Stop bothering about Nicolette or whoever. ¡°I¡¯m going back right now!¡± Samuel stated coldly. I just knew Christopher had some ulterior motive for not showing up at the birthday party! After the call, Tyson returned and stood in the living room without saying anything. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Mr. Hackney, I don¡¯t want to make things difficult for you either. These past three years, you¡¯ve apanied me to go shopping, watch movies, have meals, and even have body checkups at the hospital more frequently than Samuel has.¡± Tyson felt awkward. ¡°Mrs. Macari, this is my duty.¡± Christopher knitted his brows. Has Kathleen been so lonely after getting married to Samuel? ¡°Is Samueling over to get me?¡± Kathleen questioned suspiciously. Tyson nodded. At that, she was speechless. This is too much! He was the one who refused to allow me to go. Yet, it¡¯s also him who¡¯s forcing me to be there now! Is he trying to torment me to death? ¡°Chris, you should go back first,¡± said Kathleen, troubled. They¡¯re definitely going to fight if they encounter each other. ¡°All right.¡± Not wanting to make things difficult for her, Christopher took his leave first. Exiting the mansion, he got into his car. He then drove away from the Macari residence. Halfway through his journey, he still bumped into Samuel. As Samuel blocked his way, the two men got out of their respective cars. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Samuel looked at Christopher with a chilly gaze. For some unknown reason, he always felt that Christopher was the biggest threat to him. ¡°Samuel, for the past three years, how many times have you shopped, ate, or watched movies with Kathleen?¡± Christopher took a step forward and interrogated in an icy tone, ¡°How many times have you left her all alone, made her cry, and broke her heart!¡± ¡°Christopher, that¡¯s between me and Kathleen. It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was stern. Christopher grabbed Samuel by his cor and spat heatedly, ¡°She¡¯s the woman I¡¯ve loved for ten years! How could you do this to her!¡± Samuel was taken aback. He has loved her for ten years? Christopher¡¯s eyes had turned red. ¡°She¡¯s Kathleen, the woman I most adore. How I wish I could dote on her and love her like the priceless treasure she is. Yet, here you are, hurting her over and over again!¡± ¡°Christopher, she¡¯s my wife.¡± Samuel warned frigidly, ¡°You better know where you stand!¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Christopher scoffed. ¡°I used to set the boundaries too clearly.¡± Hearing that, Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Samuel, do you know why Kathleen is head over heels in love with you?¡± After a short pause, Christopher added coldly, ¡°It¡¯s because she got the wrong person.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Samuel was puzzled. ¡°As I expected, you have forgotten about it.¡± Christopher smirked and said, ¡°About eleven years ago, we joined the school¡¯s summer camp, and I rescued a little girl who was drowning. At the time, I was wearing your school uniform with your name on it. She was barely conscious, so she didn¡¯t see my face clearly and only saw the name tag. Thus, she got the wrong person and thought that you were her savior. The person that she is truly looking for is me.¡± Samuel was shocked. ¡°We are cousins, so we look simr to each other. I don¡¯t me her for getting the wrong person. Maybe it¡¯s fate that she fell in love with you.¡± Christopher said coldly, ¡°I thought she would live a happy life after marrying you, so I had nned to keep it a secret forever. However, since Nicolette¡¯s return, I knew that you could no longer give her happiness. I will find an opportunity to tell her the truth. Once she is no longer infatuated with you, I can easily change the way she has perceived you for the past twenty years!¡± With that, Christopher let Samuel go. Then, he turned around, got into his car, and drove away. At that moment, Samuel felt his heart sink and found it hard to breathe. Kathleen only fell in love with me because she was mistaken? What will she be like once she stops loving me? For some reason, he felt uneasy. He hurriedly got into his car and rushed back to the Macari residence. After Samuel entered the house, he looked at Tyson coldly and asked, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari said she was feeling unwell, so she went back to her room,¡± Tyson replied hesitantly. ¡°You can leave now,¡± Samuel said without looking at him. After a short pause, Tyson called out, ¡°Mr. Macari.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel stopped in his tracks and asked coldly, ¡°What is it?¡± A moment of hesitationter, Tyson questioned, ¡°Mr. Macari, have you ever gone on a proper date with Mrs. Macari even once in the past three years?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Mr. Macari, I know that I shouldn¡¯t interfere, but¡­¡± Tyson was anxious. He was worried that if he didn¡¯t bring it up, it would be toote. ¡°But what?¡± Samuel was losing his patience. ¡°All rtionships require maintenance.¡± Tyson pursed his lips and continued, ¡°Mrs. Macari has loved you deeply for ten years. Once she ispletely heartbroken, she will be able to cut off all her feelings for you and be heartless. Mr. Macari, once that happens, it will be toote.¡± When that happens, there will be no hope for Mr. Macari, and it will impossible for him to gain Mrs. Macari¡¯s love again. As long as there is hope, Mr. Macari will still be able to fight to keep their marriage. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Tyson was mentally prepared for a scolding. Whatever. I had to try. ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel answered simply and left. Hearing that, Tyson was stunned. Did I just escape death? Samuel went upstairs and headed to Kathleen¡¯s bedroom. At that moment, Kathleen was getting some rest with her eyes closed. When Samuel saw her, he instantly felt relieved. He walked up to her and reached over to touch her face. It was still a little warm. ¡°Have you eaten any medicine?¡± Samuel questioned in a low voice. Kathleen opened her eyes slightly and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± In truth, she hadn¡¯t taken any medicine. After she finished her sentence, she closed her eyes again. Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Have you eaten anything?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kathleen answered indifferently. In the past, she only ever spoke to Samuel in a soft and sweet voice, even when he treated her coldly. However, everything had changed. ¡°Why don¡¯t I cook something for you to eat?¡± It was rare for Samuel to be this gentle. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯m tired.¡± Kathleen turned to the other side so that her back was to him. ¡°You should leave. Stop disturbing me.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. However, he continued to stand there. Seeing that, Kathleen frowned and wondered why he wasn¡¯t leaving yet. Just then, she heard him taking off his clothes. What is happening? After taking off his suit jacket, Samuel walked up to sit down by the bed. Kathleen pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave? Someone is waiting for you. Just ask Tyson to take care of me.¡± ¡°Is Tyson your husband?¡± Samuel was visibly upset. ¡°Even though he is not my husband, he surely knows me better than you do.¡± She said coldly, ¡°Actually, I think anyone knows me better than you do.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Samuel sneered disdainfully. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Kathleen pulled her lips into a thin line. ¡°I am an orphan with no parents. Are you satisfied?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression became icy as he looked at her and asked, ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight?¡± ¡°No.¡± She bit her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m just annoyed by you, and I don¡¯t want to see you! I¡¯m not a pet you can order around as you please. Samuel, have you ever had any respect for me?¡± Pursing his thin lips slightly, he replied, ¡°I asked Tyson toe and pick you up.¡± He thought that could be considered an apology. In reality, he had been waiting for Kathleen to contact him for the past few days. That was how it had always been. Whenever he had a fight with Kathleen, he would go to work feeling upset. However, when it was time to get off work, Kathleen would definitely call him to apologize and coax him. Then, she would persuade him toe home. However, this time around, Kathleen hadn¡¯t done so. She hadn¡¯t called or sent him anything on WhatsApp. Samuel even heard from Maria that Kathleen had never mentioned his name once. He was furious but also vaguely uneasy. Thus, he had been nning to have a talk with Kathleen when she attended the party that night. However, she unexpectedly didn¡¯te. Because of that, Samuel was in a bad mood. At first, when Nicolette went to the Yoeger residence, she wanted to show off. However, because of Samuel¡¯sck of enthusiasm, she gave up the thought. She didn¡¯t dare to upset Samuel when he was already in a bad mood to begin with. Hence, after allowing Nicolette to be at the party for a short moment, Samuel then had someone send her home. Not having Kathleen around made him feel empty. He had never felt that way before. Thus, he sent Tyson to pick Kathleen up. Samuel thought that doing so would make things less awkward for her. However, he had forgotten that other guests would point fingers and judge Kathleen if she attended the partyte. ¡°What were you and Christopher doing in the house?¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t help but ask. Even though he tried to control his jealousy, it still showed. ¡°We had dinner and watched a movie,¡± Kathleen replied coldly. ¡°Were you two enjoying your time together alone in this house?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone sounded bitter. Upon hearing that, Kathleen responded calmly, ¡°He just pities me. Samuel, I¡¯ll repeat myself once more. Christopher and I have more dignity and shame than you and Nicolette, so we won¡¯t do anything inappropriate.¡± ¡°What movie did you two watch?¡± he questioned. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Why are you asking?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is it a secret?¡± Samuel asked in a strange tone. ¡°We watched Hachi: A Dog¡¯s Tale,¡± she replied. Hearing that, Samuel grimly asked, ¡°What is it about?¡± ¡°Go watch it yourself.¡± As Kathleen spoke, she pulled the covers over herself. She was feeling tired. Samuel was silent for a moment before he started moving around. Kathleen had no clue what he was doing. Not long after, Samuel picked her up before moving her to the center of the bed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked with a frown. Instead of replying, the man leaned against the headboard. It was then she realized the projector was already on. Hachi: A Dog¡¯s Tale was ying on the screen. Seeing that, Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°If you want to watch the movie, you can watch it yourself. Don¡¯t force me to watch it with you. I¡¯ve already cried once, and I don¡¯t want to cry again.¡± ¡°If you be blind from crying too much, I¡¯ll be your eyes,¡± Samuel coldly said. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°You are a monster.¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¡°Why am I a monster?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°You watched the movie with Christopher. Why can¡¯t you watch it with me?¡± Kathleen sat upright. Her fair face looked tired and angry, but she still appeared exceptionally beautiful. ¡°What did Christopher and I do? Have I ever asked you to do with me the same things you do when you hang out with Nicolette?¡± Hearing that, Samuel nced at her and said, ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll definitely regret it.¡± Kathleen lowered her gaze and added, ¡°Why should I torture myself by experiencing the sweet moments you spend with another woman?¡± Samuel did not want to exin any further. Besides, Nicolette and he were not considered a sweet couple. He pulled Kathleen into his arms and hugged her from the back. ¡°Enough. Whenever I start a conversation with you, you always go off-topic. I¡¯ll watch the movie myself, and you can just continue to sleep.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Did I go off-topic? He was the one who brought it up first. However, she loved toy in Samuel¡¯s arms. Back when they didn¡¯t fight, she loved to curl up in his embrace. To her, Samuel¡¯s chest was forever warm. Furthermore, he had a unique refreshing scent that only mature men had. Since young, Samuel had been reluctant to get close to others. Even though he and Kathleen were a normal couple when he first married her, he rarely took the initiative to hug her. However, Kathleen loved to burrow into his embrace. He never pushed her away, and eventually, he got used to it. Samuel had grown ustomed to having Kathleen in his arms, having a sweet and innocent woman by his side, and being the only person that she had eyes for. Just then, he suddenly thought of Christopher¡¯s words. Does Kathleen love me only because she got the wrong person and thinks that I¡¯m her savior? If she finds out the truth, will she not hesitate to divorce me? Although Samuel was watching the movie, his mind was somewhere else. He couldn¡¯t help but wrap his arms around Kathleen tighter because he hated the feeling of being out of control. The first time he had the same uneasy feeling was three years ago. It was a month after he and Kathleen got married. One time, he saw Kathleen and Christopher chatting happily. There were guests in the house, and they didn¡¯t know Kathleen was married to Samuel. However, they knew Kathleen¡¯s rtionship with the Macari family, so they jokingly suggested Kathleen and Christopher be a couple. They even mentioned that the two looked like a perfect match. At that time, Samuel felt slightly insecure and uneasy. However, the feeling vanished that night. He had forced Kathleen onto the bed and told her to tell him that she loved him. In that instance, Kathleen was sweet and obedient. She did everything that he asked her to and satisfied his every desire. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Samuel suddenly felt that his strange behavior toward Kathleen was because she always indulged him. The next day, it was after Kathleen woke up when she realized that Samuel was holding her tight in his arms. She struggled to break free. ¡°It¡¯s hot. Let go of me.¡± Samuel¡¯s body temperature was usually a little on the high side. Hence, Kathleen liked to hug him in the winter. Her body was weak, and she was afraid of the cold. Thus,ying in Samuel¡¯s embrace helped her sleep peacefully. However, she no longer liked it anymore. Samuel knew that Kathleen was not bothered by the heat and that it was just an excuse to hide the fact she no longer liked his embrace. This is definitely because of Christopher. ¡°I¡¯m not hot,¡± Samuel whispered as he tightened his arms around her. Kathleen was speechless. ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t given me the divorce agreement yet. You promised to give it to me.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°If we don¡¯t get a divorce, that piece of paper will be wasted. We have to think about the environment.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen was at a loss for words. What a sly jerk! ¡°Samuel, you are the CEO of a bigpany. How can you not keep your promise?¡± she asked angrily. It was early in the morning, and she had just woken up, so her voice was alluringly husky. Hearing that, Samuel¡¯s hands started traveling up and down her body. Kathleen snorted and said, ¡°Stop it. I don¡¯t want to. You promised me that you won¡¯t have sex with me for this whole month. Samuel, if you continue to break your promises, I¡¯ll be genuinely angry.¡± She was not without her temper and limits. Samuel nced at her and replied, ¡°I was just touching a little.¡± ¡°That is also forbidden.¡± Kathleen pressed her soft hands against his chest and said seriously, ¡°Samuel, if you don¡¯t end things with Nicolette, I will never be able to ept you. You are already dirty.¡± I¡¯m dirty? Samuel frowned and asked, ¡°How am I dirty?¡± ¡°You know the answer to that.¡± With that, Kathleen sat up and got out of bed. Meanwhile, Samuel furrowed his brows as he wondered what she meant. After they finished washing up, they went downstairs together to eat breakfast. When Wynnie saw Kathleen, she asked concernedly, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m feeling much better. My fever is gone,¡± Kathleen answered with a small smile. Wynnie looked at Kathleen meaningfully and said, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Mm-hm.¡± After that, Kathleen lowered her head and started to eat. A whileter, Wynnie peeled an egg and handed it to Kathleen. ¡°You should eat more eggs.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Kathleen said with a sweet smile. Seeing that, Wynnie felt happy. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the chef to cook some salmon for dinner so that you can have some nutrition. You are too skinny.¡± When Kathleen heard that she was about to eat fish for dinner, she felt a little nauseous. At that moment, she realized that she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of eating anything that had a fishy taste. ¡°Mom, I am craving beef,¡± Kathleen said softly. ¡°Can we eat beef instead?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Wynnie said with a smile. ¡°You rarely tell us what you want to eat. Now that you¡¯ve specifically requested it, there is no reason for me to not satisfy your cravings. How does grilled beef steak sound?¡± ¡°Good.¡± Kathleen nodded. After hearing that, Samuel gave Kathleen a side nce and realized that she was indeed skinnier than before. Has she not been eating proper meals in the past few days? After breakfast, Samuel and Wynnie left the house together. Just when Wynnie was about to get in her car, she called out to Samuel. Samuel obediently walked up to her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Samuel, can¡¯t you be nicer to Katie?¡± Wynnie said angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯ll think if she finds out what happenedst night. However, if she does find out, she will never forgive you. I¡¯ve eaten plenty of meals together with you two and only seen you peel crab for Kathleen once. However,st night, you fed Nicolette cake in public. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°At that time, I honestly wanted to smash the cake into your faces and curse at you shameless couple.¡± As she spoke, her eyes turned red. ¡°Samuel, do you know how furious I am?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Mom, Nicolette had just finished her chemotherapy treatment and was too weak to raise her arm.¡± ¡°Wow, she was too weak to raise her arm? But she was clearly strong enough to walk on her own!¡± Wynnie snapped. ¡°She even had the strength to hug you. How is she too weak to raise her arm?¡± After hearing that, Samuel didn¡¯t utter a word. ¡°Samuel, I know you are wondering why I care so deeply for Katie even though you are my son.¡± Wynnie nced to the side. ¡°Nicolette¡¯s actions are exactly the same as the woman who seduced your granddad back then. I remember seeing my mother, your granny, secretly crying at night, but she tolerated him for the sake of my sister and I. It hurt my heart deeply to see her suffer so. Don¡¯t do the same to Katie. Otherwise, I will make sure to destroy both you and Nicolette¡¯s reputations!¡± After she finished speaking, she turned, got into the car, and drove away. At that instant, Samuel suddenly thought of his granny. She was a gentle but resilient woman. Everyone thought that she would never ask for a divorce. However, one day, she shocked everyone by suddenly asking for a divorce. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Kathleen was drawing at home when she received yet another friend request notification from that unknown number again on her phone. Whoever it was had also sent a video to her. It was a video showing Samuel going to the Yoeger residence with Nicolette. Nicolette was dolled up in the video as she held Samuel¡¯s arm, smiling broadly and smugly. As Samuel was there to back her, no one from the Yoeger family dared to chase her out. After Frances cut the cake, Samuel was seen feeding Nicolette the dessert. The pair looked extremely sweet and very in love. Kathleen¡¯s heart ached at the sight. Indeed, the most perfect way to take someone¡¯s life was by breaking their heart. Samuel had refused to allow her to go along, so Nicolette provoked her with the video. What a shameless couple! Kathleen¡¯s face was pale as she wondered when her heart would stop hurting. Will it stop hurting when I don¡¯t love anymore? Is it hurting so much because I still love Samuel? It was impossible to stop loving the man she had given her entire heart and soul to for the past decade. At that moment, her phone rang. Kathleen took a nce and saw that it was Quinn. ¡°Ms. Williams?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Come over for a checkup.¡± Quinn cut straight to the point. Kathleen paused before answering, ¡°Ms. Williams, I¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what your ns are. It is my duty as a doctor to ensure that the mother and child are safe as long as you¡¯re pregnant with the baby. Come quickly.¡± Quinn added, ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen dared not refuse. After tidying up, she left for the hospital. Quinn had made arrangements so that no one would know that Kathleen came for maternity checkups. After the checkup, Quinn held onto the results while her face turned pale and her hands trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me, Ms. Williams. Did I contract some incurable illness?¡± Kathleen was anxious. p! Quinn mmed the result slip on the table. ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re suffering from malnourishment? You¡¯re pregnant with a baby! How dare you be malnourished!¡± Kathleen was like a child scolded by her parent. ¡°Ms. Williams, I always have my meals on time. I swear I¡¯m not skipping out on any meals.¡± ¡°How about your mood?¡± Quinn looked at her. ¡°I keep seeing Samuel in thepany of a woman named Nicolette Yoeger.¡± Quinn was a doctor at this hospital. Hence, it was easy for her to know the identity of anyone that visited the hospital. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Ms. Williams, everything will be over soon.¡± ¡°Are you going to tolerate it in the meantime?¡± Quinn was shocked. ¡°No, but Samuel and I have discussed and agreed to give him a month to settle the matter. If I¡¯m satisfied with his way of handling it, we¡¯ll not get a divorce. If I¡¯m not, we¡¯ll divorce.¡± Kathleen kept silent for a while. ¡°However, I think there¡¯s nothing much to consider anymore.¡± She was naturally unhappy with the way Samuel was dealing with the matter. After a brief pause, Quinn said, ¡°It¡¯s better to get it over and done with soon. You¡¯re pregnant, and such an issue will affect your mood. It¡¯s not good for you and the baby.¡± ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± Kathleen nodded. Quinn looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Kate, you¡¯re carrying twins.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Twins,¡± Quinn repeated herself. This was the main reason that Quinn had insisted Kathleene in for a checkup, so she could get a confirmation. ¡°If you divorce, it¡¯ll be difficult to raise even one child alone. Have you ever thought about what you¡¯re going to do if it¡¯s two?¡± Quinn was worried. ¡°I can do this.¡± Kathleen stroked her belly. ¡°I really can. No matter how many children there are, I¡¯m giving birth to them all.¡± She could not bear to end their lives as they were her very own flesh and blood. Quinn heaved a sigh and instructed sternly, ¡°You must eat more. Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard you.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes and did not dare to turn a deaf ear to the doctor¡¯s instruction. ¡°I know you¡¯re having a difficult time trying to keep it from the Macari family. They have always doted on you, but if they don¡¯t know that you¡¯re pregnant, they won¡¯t know how to take care of you.¡± Quinn brought out a thermos. ¡°I made this for you. Drink it.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Ms. Williams, you¡­¡± ¡°In the future,e to my house twice every week. I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± Quinn stared at Kathleen¡¯s sharp chin. ¡°You¡¯re malnourished, and that will affect the fetuses¡¯ growth.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With a few gulps, she finished the soup that Quinn had cooked for her. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl.¡± A warm smile appeared on Quinn¡¯s face. Kathleen looked at her obediently. ¡°Can I leave now?¡± ¡°Go. Get out of my sight,¡± Quinn shooed as she waved her hand. Kathleen exited Quinn¡¯s office and went upstairs to visit Benjamin. Benjamin was still unconscious. Kathleen was worried as the person who hurt Benjamin still could not be found. She knew nothing woulde out of the investigation as Samuel was most likely a part of it. Even if Samuel found that it was Nicolette behind all of these, he would do nothing. He would get his men to remove the evidence and ensure Nicolette¡¯s innocence. This all happened because I was too weak. If I were more capable, I wouldn¡¯t be such a pushover and constantly at the mercy of others. Just then, her phone rang. Granny? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Hello? Granny?¡± Kathleen immediately answered the call. ¡°Katie, what are you doing?¡± Cynthia Graves¡¯ gentle voice sounded through the phone. ¡°Nothing. What¡¯s the matter, Granny?¡± Kathleen turned and headed for the elevator. Cynthia chuckled. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in days. Do you want toe over to my house?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll make your favorite ravioli.¡± Cynthia had always doted on Kathleen. ¡°Yeah!¡± Kathleen was ted. ¡°I¡¯lle over now.¡± With that, she hung up the call and entered the elevator. Upon reaching the first floor, she stepped out of the elevator only to see Samuel. He had some bags in his hand, and Kathleen knew they were for Nicolette. Kathleen ignored him, wanting to leave the hospital as quickly as possible. Samuel handed the bags in his hand to a nearby nurse. ¡°Please send these to ward number 1705.¡± Subsequently, he ran after Kathleen. ¡°Kathleen!¡± He grabbed her hand. ¡°Why did you ignore me after seeing me?¡± She¡¯s growing a temper. ¡°Stop pulling me.¡± Kathleen yanked her hand out of his grip. ¡°All of Jadeborough knows about your rtionship with Nicolette by now, Samuel. Your actions will cause misunderstandings, and I¡¯ll get scolded. Moreover, you¡¯re not going to stand up for me if I get used of being a mistress, so stop behaving like this!¡± It was then Samuel realized that Kathleen knew of what happenedst night. ¡°Nicolette just had her chemotherapy treatment.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°So what if she just had her treatment?¡± Kathleen remained indifferent. ¡°Does that mean I have to take all the humiliation and insults lying down? I¡¯m your legal wife, but because of her, I¡¯m looking like the mistress. Are you two even human for doing this to me, Samuel?¡± Samuel remained silent while looking at her. He agreed that he had done wrong by Kathleen in this matter. Upon seeing that he did not reply, Kathleen continued walking out. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll send you there.¡± Samuel followed closely behind her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s fair-skinned face was currently puffed up like an angry hamster. Samuel could not help but poke at her cheek. It was bouncy. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Kathleen was furious. ¡°Don¡¯t use the same hand you used to feed Nicolette to touch me!¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Samuel carried Kathleen into his car and helped her fasten the seatbelt. Kathleen pushed the car door, only to realize it had been locked. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Let me out! You¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Pinching her cheek using his rough and slender fingers, he asked, ¡°I have gone too far, but what can you do about it?¡± ¡°Samuel, if you dare to provoke me again, I will publicly reveal our rtionship and make Nicolette the homewrecker!¡± Kathleen was enraged. Samuel took out his phone and turned on the camera. Then, he ced one hand over Kathleen¡¯s shoulder and took a photo of them together. Kathleen was stunned. In the next instant, he logged into his Twitter ount and crafted a tweet with only one word: Married. After that, the photo was attached below. He then ced the phone in Kathleen¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It will be posted as soon as you press it.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°So, where are you going? You can slowly think about what you want to do on the way there,¡± Samuel added with both hands on the wheel. Kathleen pursed her lips and replied, ¡°Granny asked me to go over.¡± Granny? Samuel drove Kathleen to the said location. On the way, she held the phone and remained motionless. Her mind was a mess. If she posted the tweet, her rtionship with Samuel would be known to the whole world. Despite being aware of whaty ahead, Kathleen had never expressed worry. She was more concerned about the purpose of disclosing their rtionship to the public if they were only going to end up divorcing. It would also be problematic for her as she would be recognized wherever she went in the future. I will also have two children with me by then. What should I do? Forget it. I just said that in a fit of anger. Samuel lightly furrowed his eyebrows. He thought that Kathleen would be eager to post it. However, he did not expect her to not take any action at all. Doesn¡¯t she want to publicly reveal our marriage? Is she reluctant to do so because she is afraid that she will not be able to be with Christopher in the future? Samuel¡¯s eyes gradually turned dark at that thought. All of a sudden, a child that was ying ball by the sidewalk ran onto the road. Samuel immediately stepped on the brakes. Luckily, nothing happened. Kathleen was thrown forward before she was pulled back because of the seatbelt. However, the phone in her hand slipped out in the process. As she panicked, her finger identally tapped on the screen. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Samuel frowned and looked at Kathleen, whose face was pale. Then, she saw the child¡¯s parent bringing the child away. Kathleen frowned deeply and thought, How can there be such an irresponsible parent? ¡°Oh right, the phone!¡± She moved to pick it up. ¡°Let me.¡± Samuel¡¯s arm was longer than hers, so it was easy for him to pick the phone up. Kathleen fixed her gaze on him and asked, ¡°Please take a quick look. I think I might have tapped on the screen by mistake. Have I posted it?¡± Samuel switched on the screen and nced at it. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank goodness. It would truly be troublesome if I had posted it.¡± Samuel stared at her coldly. She doesn¡¯t want to announce it to the public? He then continued to drive calmly. Soon, they arrived at Cynthia¡¯s house. The ce where she lived was not an area for the wealthy. Samuel had proposed to give Cynthia a bigger house back then, but she had not agreed to it. She had worked hard for her three-bedroom house. Before being married, both Emily and Wynnie grew up in that house. Cynthia could not bear to move out. That was why she continued to stay there. Kathleen unfastened her seatbelt and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± After saying that, she got out of the car. Samuel followed. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Why did you get down from the car?¡± she asked. ¡°She¡¯s my granny too. Can¡¯t I go up and have a look?¡± Samuel was visibly upset. Kathleen furrowed her eyebrows. She then said silently to her stomach, ¡°Babies, don¡¯t be like him in the future. How can anyone stand this bad temper unless they¡¯re someone as sweet-tempered as me? You two might not have a wife in the future if you imitate him!¡± Samuel didn¡¯t know that Kathleen was silentlyining about him to his children. They took the elevator upstairs. When they reached the entrance, Kathleen pressed the doorbell. Click. The door opened, and Christopher was behind it. Samuel¡¯s eyes became icy-cold at the sight. On the other hand, Christopher¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Chris?¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°Yeah. I came to see Granny. She told me that you would being too.¡± Christopher grinned. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen entered the house. Samuel did not believe that it was a coincidence. ¡°Come in.¡± Christopher nced at Samuel with an unfathomable gaze. Samuel stepped inside too. Christopher grabbed a pair of pink slippers for Kathleen. When Kathleen was taking off her shoes, she lost her bnce and nearly fell. Christopher subconsciously reached out to support her. Unexpectedly, Samuel hugged her from behind and said, ¡°Go ahead and take them off.¡± Seeing that, Christopher quickly retracted his hand. Kathleen frowned and whispered, ¡°I can stand firmly myself. Let me go.¡± Samuel replied with a low tone, ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn. If you fall, my heart will hurt.¡± Bleurgh! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Kathleen did not believe him and swiftly changed her footwear. Christopher did not grab slippers for Samuel. Samuel didn¡¯t care either. It was his grandmother¡¯s house anyway. He didn¡¯t consider himself an outsider. After he changed his shoes, Samuel headed straight for the kitchen. He then saw Kathleen hugging Cynthia. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Kathleen said softly. Cynthia grinned and said, ¡°Hungry? Christopher, hurry up and make some ravioli for Katie.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Christopher smiled and said to Kathleen, ¡°I just hinted to Granny that I didn¡¯t have enough breakfast when I entered the door, but she ignored me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a grown man. You can endure a little starvation, but Katie must not starve,¡± Cynthia said dotingly. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Christopher went to prepare the ingredients. ¡°Granny,¡± greeted Samuel as he came to stand before Cynthia. ¡°You are here too,¡± she replied with a neutral expression. Samuel fell silent. Cynthia used to love him very much. However, at that moment, she was talking to him with an indifferent tone. ¡°I¡¯ll help with the ravioli,¡± said Kathleen as she rolled up her sleeves. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Cynthia did not want to trouble her granddaughter. Kathleen¡¯s small hands were fair and soft. Cynthia was worried that doing anything would mar her wless skin. If Cynthia had to be honest with herself, she had to admit that Samuel had done his job as Kathleen¡¯s husband when it came to her materialistic needs. After all, Kathleen¡¯s appearance had not changed at all in the three years since she married him. However, he had failed terribly when it came to her emotional needs. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Samuel shrugged off his coat and handed it to Kathleen, who took it. He rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands. After that, he went to help Cynthia to prepare the ravioli together. Kathleen had never seen Samuel do housework, not even once, let alone cook. ¡°You know how to make ravioli?¡± Kathleen was surprised. Samuel knitted his brows and asked, ¡°Who told you that I didn¡¯t?¡± He was just toozy to do it. Kathleen thought about the bags that Samuel was holding earlier. He had probably made the food himself for Nicolette. He¡¯s notzy; he just doesn¡¯t want to cook for me. ¡°Have you never eaten meals made by Samuel before, Katie?¡± Cynthia asked in surprise. Kathleen shook her head and replied, ¡°Nope, never. But it doesn¡¯t matter. He didn¡¯t train his cooking skills for me, so what he cooks might not suit my tastes at all. Thus, it doesn¡¯t matter if I have never eaten his cooking before.¡± Samuel nced at her. Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll go hang up the clothes.¡± Cynthia sighed and shot Samuel a nd look. She asked, ¡°Do you know what she was implying just now?¡± Samuel nodded. Cynthia thought to herself, So, he knows. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡± She did not bother to exin further. Hearing that, Samuel frowned. How am I hopeless? I¡¯ll make meals for her when we get back! Kathleen returned after she hung up Samuel¡¯s coat and her bag. ¡°Kate,e and have a taste.¡± Christopher took a piece of ravioli and offered it to her. Kathleen walked over and grabbed the te and fork from him. Then, she took a bite. It was a little hot. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± Kathleen gave a thumbs up. Christopher¡¯s lips curved upward. Cynthia nced at them, a benevolent smile appearing on her face. Samuel didn¡¯t feel good about it at all. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Cynthia saw that Samuel was looking at them unhappily. She said lightly, ¡°Hurry up and finish up thest few.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel¡¯s temper was non-existent in front of her. Kathleen put down the te and fork. ¡°Granny, what else do you need me to do?¡± she asked. ¡°Take out the tes and forks and ce them on the table for everyone,¡± said Cynthia while smiling. ¡°Got it.¡± Kathleen went to the cab and took out the tableware. She was familiar with the ce. Samuel was a little surprised when he saw that Kathleen had skillfully found all the things needed from various ces. ¡°You all are always busy, so Kathleen usuallyes over to keep mepany on weekdays.¡± Cynthia didn¡¯t look at Samuel as she spoke. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know about this.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t utter a word. Cynthia said coldly, ¡°Samuel, we like Katie not because she has helped the Macari family or because she is your wife. She has her charms. Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but think how much of a pity it is that such a good girl ended up with you.¡± Was Samuel good? That was for sure. In Cynthia¡¯s eyes, Samuel was the most outstanding child. Despite that, the way he treated Kathleen couldn¡¯t be considered ¡°good.¡± Samuel looked at the busy little figure in the kitchen. He didn¡¯t know that Kathleen cared so much for his family. Cynthia finished filling in thest ravioli. She said, ¡°It¡¯s done. Go and wash your hands.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel walked to the bathroom to clean his hands. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Kathleen was there too. ¡°You want to wash your hands? I¡¯ll be done soon,¡± she said while washing her hands. Samuel stepped forward, and his warm chest pressed against her back. He put his hands under the faucet before resting his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Help me wash them. I can¡¯t do it.¡± Kathleen blushed and wondered, Why can¡¯t you do it yourself? ¡°Wash them yourself,¡± she retorted awkwardly. ¡°If you don¡¯t help me wash them, I won¡¯t let you go. Even Granny won¡¯t be able to save you, so figure it out yourself.¡± Samuel slightly curled his lips. Kathleen said angrily, ¡°Y-You are a scoundrel!¡± He always likes to make things difficult for others. ¡°Hurry up and wash them. Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Samuel asked with a faint smile. Kathleen was furious. Eventually, her soft little hands wrapped around Samuel¡¯s as she gave in. First, she made his hands wet. Then, Kathleen squeezed a little hand soap onto her palms and scrubbed them till it foamed up. After that, she rubbed the foam on his hands. Samuel kept staring at the lithe figure of his wife in his arms. She was even cuter when she was acting soft and shy. Samuel thought for a moment and whispered in her ear, ¡°Kate, we are not divorcing.¡± Kathleen was stunned. What did he just call me? She turned off the water and turned around. Shooting Samuel a strange look, she asked, ¡°Did a screw in your heade loose?¡± Her words caused Samuel to be speechless. ¡°Wipe your hands clean ande out to eat.¡± Kathleen pushed him away and walked out. Samuel remained silent. Did she not feel anything? Samuel came out of the bathroom and saw that Kathleen and the others were already waiting for him. He walked over and automatically sat beside Kathleen. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat,¡± Cynthia said with a smile. Kathleen and the others waited for Cynthia to pick up her fork before they started eating. Kathleen took a piece of ravioli and started eating it. She smiled and said, ¡°Granny, you make the best ravioli. It tastes so good. Did you use apple cider vinegar in it?¡± Cynthia chuckled. ¡°Last time, you said you liked the vinegar, so I asked someone to buy me a few more bottles. Take them with you when you go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Eat up. You¡¯re thinner than thest time I saw you.¡± Cynthia was worried and took another scoop of ravioli for Kathleen. Kathleen obediently ate it. Everyone kept telling her that she had gotten thinner. Hence, she vowed to eat more. However, there was a limit to how much she could eat. Her stomach was already full after eating three scoops of ravioli. Initially, Christopher wanted to find a chance to talk to Kathleen. Unfortunately, Samuel was present, so Christopher didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for her. He nced at the time and said, ¡°Granny, I have a meeting in the afternoon. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Cynthia nodded and replied, ¡°Okay. Be careful when driving on the road.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Christopher nodded. He then nced at Kathleen and said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°See you,¡± Kathleen said softly. Samuel frowned slightly upon hearing that. After the meal, Kathleen wanted to wash the dishes. Nheless, Cynthia refused to let her do it. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. The dishwasher you rmended to mest time works very well. I just put the dishes in and let the machine wash them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Hearing that, Samuel furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°What dishwasher?¡± Cynthia replied, ¡°Look who¡¯s asking. The dishwasher you rmended to me three years ago was not easy to use at all. I only used it once and hated it, so I just left it there. Then, Kathleen asked me to rece it when she came over one time, but I didn¡¯t bother. Later on, my arm was ufortable, so I had no choice but to use the dishwasher to wash the dishes. It then exploded with my dishes inside.¡± Samuel frowned and said, ¡°Seriously? That brand was Nicolet¡ª¡± Suddenly, he stopped talking. Cynthia frowned at him, while Kathleen felt nothing but awkwardness. Scoffing, Cynthia said, ¡°Hah! I wondered why I didn¡¯t like it. Turns out that I didn¡¯t like the person who rmended it.¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash my hands.¡± Kathleen turned around and walked away. Cynthia looked at Samuel coldly and asked, ¡°Samuel, you have to understand one thing. When a woman you like is rejected by the whole family, you should think about it. Is it really that we are causing trouble without reason?¡± As Samuel remained calm, she continued coldly, ¡°Diana, your parents, and me¡ªdon¡¯t we have the ability to distinguish right from wrong? We have also encountered situations where the parents are bad people, but the children are good. Do you think that we would treat the child badly because of the parents?¡± ¡°Granny, Nicolette isn¡¯t a bad person. She justcks love,¡± Samuel replied coolly. Cynthia gave him a helpless look. ¡°She needed to love you, so you gave her all your love. Then what are you giving Kathleen? An empty shell without a heart? If that¡¯s the case, why can¡¯t she change a man? Why does she deserve an empty shell? Just because she loves you doesn¡¯t mean you can trample on her like this.¡± ¡°Granny, I will treat her well in the future,¡± Samuel informed. ¡°Do you think Kathleen can ept that you still have another woman? You said that Nicolettecks love. If a man runs up to Kathleen and tells her that hecks love and wants her to love him, would you be able to ept it?¡± she demanded sternly. ¡°No.¡± Samuel shook his head. It was uneptable for him. Cynthia said coldly, ¡°As the saying goes, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you understand this, then you shouldn¡¯t have done that. If you can¡¯t bear to leave Nicolette, then divorce Kathleen and let her be free. I won¡¯t interfere with what you want to do with Nicolette; just don¡¯t make me angry by bringing her to me.¡± Samuel replied with a grim expression, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± At that moment, Kathleen returned. She felt that the atmosphere in the living room was a little strange. ¡°Granny, we have to leave now,¡± she said gently. Kathleen felt guilty. Cynthia used to love Samuel very much. Every time Samuel came, Cynthia would prepare delicious foods for him to eat. However, she had been treating him very coldly this time. Kathleen had felt it. Could it be because of me? Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Kathleen didn¡¯t want to be the one who ruined Samuel¡¯s rtionship with his family. She thought it would be better for everyone if she left. ¡°Okay. You can go home and get some rest since there is nothing else to do here.¡± Cynthia took out the apple cider vinegar that Kathleen liked to drink and put it into a bag. Then, she packed some snacks for Kathleen too. Kathleen liked to eat fruit-vored snacks. Hence, Cynthia always prepared them for her. Kathleen smiled sweetly like a kid as she held the snacks that were given by Cynthia. ¡°Granny, I¡¯lle again next time,¡± Kathleen said adorably. Cynthia smiled as she said, ¡°You cane every day. I will always wee you.¡± ¡°Granny, I¡¯lle as long as you don¡¯t mind it.¡± Kathleen was shy. ¡°Why would I?¡± Cynthia patted her head and said, ¡°Take good care of yourself, my girl.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. Goodbye, Granny.¡± Despite her reluctance, she bade farewell to Cynthia. ¡°Goodbye,¡± Cynthia said. With that, Kathleen and Samuel turned around and headed toward the elevator. Samuel helped Kathleen to hold the bag while she stood next to him. The elevator stopped after going down two floors. After that, several people got into the elevator. Samuel put the things in one hand and used the other hand to hug Kathleen lest she got hit by others. Pressed into his embrace, all she could hear was the sound of his powerful heartbeat. She felt as if she was drowning in his warm embrace. Soon, Kathleen felt the strange gaze from the people next to them. They had been scrutinizing Samuel and her. There were two young girls who were holding their phones while pointing at and gossiping about Samuel and her. Kathleen frowned upon seeing it. The girls put down their hands hurriedly and looked away out of guilt as soon as they noticed Kathleen was staring at them. Kathleen was speechless upon seeing their action. Shortly after that, they stepped out of the elevator after it arrived on the ground floor. Samuel then pulled Kathleen into the car. After they got into the car, Kathleen asked, ¡°Are you going back to the office?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Then you can leave me halfway. I will go back to the condominium to get some clothes before heading to the Macari residence,¡± Kathleen said. Samuel looked at her coldly. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen thought he was unwilling to go there. ¡°It¡¯s almost the New Year. Haven¡¯t we always done that? We would always go to the Macari residence and stay there when the year-end is approaching.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t utter a word. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to go there so early. I¡¯m not going to pack my things then,¡± Kathleen said softly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it a few dayster.¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows lightly. Samuel didn¡¯t want Christopher to have a chance to meet Kathleen as the former had been going to the Macari residence too frequently recently. Or rather, from the bottom of his heart, he didn¡¯t want Kathleen to discover the truth. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. Samuel nced at Kathleen and asked indifferently, ¡°Do you really like to stay at the Macari residence?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Why?¡± Samuel asked in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s lively there.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gentle voice sounded indifferent. The condominium where she and Samuel lived together was a huge one. Its size was one thousand square meters. Although the home was spacious and well-equipped with everything, she felt lonely when she was there. Samuel was barely home, so she was always alone and bored. He didn¡¯t like being disturbed too. Hence, he did not hire a live-in housekeeper who would live with them in their house every day. Instead, the housekeeper would onlye asionally to cook and clean the house. The pay that Samuel offered was good without a doubt. Therefore, there were quite a lot of people who competed for the job. Samuel¡¯s slender hands were holding the steering wheel as he spoke with a clear voice. ¡°After we have more babies, our home will be lively.¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips and kept quiet. Does he want me to look after the kids alone? How should I exin to them if their father is always absent during festivals? If we¡¯re divorced, I can still tell them their father has passed away as an excuse. However, if we¡¯re still married, how should I exin it? At the thought of that, Kathleen wanted a divorce even more. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the future nster.¡± Kathleen¡¯s soft voice was cold. ¡°Samuel, there are twenty-seven days before the New Year. You still have some time to think about it.¡± Samuel¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°Are you sure that you wouldn¡¯t object at all after I have made up my mind?¡± ¡°You have always been calling the shots in our rtionship. So, it¡¯s up to you. I don¡¯t want to think about it anymore as I¡¯m too tired,¡± Kathleen said while pinching the bridge of her nose. She was exhausted. ¡°Okay. Let me think about it.¡± Samuel sent Kathleen to the lobby of the condominium. When Kathleen was about to get out of the car, Samuel locked the car door and stopped her from leaving. Kathleen frowned. As she turned around, she saw Samuel. To her surprise, Samuel¡¯s handsome face was close to hers. Then, his soft and warm lips pressed against her lips and they shared a passionate kiss in the car. Five minutester, the corner of Kathleen¡¯s eyes was slightly wet as she red at him angrily. ¡°Your legs are weak after the kiss, right?¡± Samuel ced hisrge hand against Kathleen¡¯s soft cheek and rubbed it gently. Her shy and alluring reaction was adorable. I don¡¯t want other men to see her like that. I don¡¯t! The desire to possess her burned in his heart. ¡°I wille back early tonight.¡± Samuel gently kissed Kathleen¡¯s face. Her face was soft like a pillow. Kathleen¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°You cane home whenever you want. But it would be better if you don¡¯t come back. I¡¯ll be happier by myself.¡± Samuel grinned and gazed at her intently as if he wanted to eat her alive. His burning gaze gave her chills all over her body. She pushed Samuel away and got out of the car. Then, she took the things from the rear seat. Samuel chuckled. She was obviously bothered by my gaze. Yet, she didn¡¯t forget to take the snacks with her. Such a little glutton. Samuel thought for a while before texting Tyson: When Kathleen took medicine previously, I recall that you had brought her fruit candy made in Remdik, and she said she liked it, right? Tyson replied instantly: Yes. Samuel continued: Find out the manufacturer and acquire it. Help them to develop several types of low- sugar fruit candy products. From now on, deliver the candies to the condominium every month. Tyson agreed immediately: All right. Samuel put his phone down, and his lips curved into a smile. Kathleen is candy; she is so sweet. Meanwhile, Kathleen got home and put her things on the coffee table. She then sat down and calmed herself down for some time before taking out her phone. She hadn¡¯t checked her phone since just now, but she didn¡¯t expect the chat group with Wynnie would have more than ny-nine messages by then. Why are there so many messages? Wynnie texted: Katie, you¡¯re trending. Diana replied: What about? Wynnie took a screenshot and sent it over to the chat group. The title of the number one trending topic read: Kathleen and Samuel Are Married. Kathleen¡¯s face turned pale. Did I really send it by mistake? But I¡¯ve already asked Samuel to check it. Kathleen opened her Twitter ount and noticed the news was still on the top of the trending topics. She dared not read thements below. She then clicked on the chat group and continued reading the messages. Wynnie: I think that Katie is being threatened by Samuel. Diana: That sc*mbag! He is going to divorce Katie, yet he dares to ruin Katie¡¯s image. Wynnie agreed: Mom, you¡¯re right. He is such a sc*mbag! In the future, the whole world would know that Katie was once married. Diana: I think he has bad intentions. It might be Nicolette¡¯s idea. Wynnie: Mom, do you want me to pull some strings and kick Nicolette out of the hospital? Diana replied: We have to be cultured people. Why don¡¯t we acquire the hospital and shut it down? Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Wynnie: Mom, you¡¯re a genius! This is such a great idea! Diana: Of course I am! Wynnie: It¡¯s been so long. Why hasn¡¯t Katie appeared? Diana: Could she have been abducted by Samuel? If so, shall we call the police to capture that rascal? Wynnie: Let me drag someone in for questioning. With that, Calvin was dragged into the conversation. Calvin: Wow! Mom, you guys made a group chat behind my back? Wynnie: Do you know what your son has done? Diana: Do you have any idea? She added a stern-looking emoji behind that. Calvin: I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know anything! I¡¯m on your side! I¡¯m not with that rascal! Wynnie: Mom, he got the code word correct. Looks like he¡¯s really on our team. Calvin: I¡¯ve always been on your side, okay? Kathleen could not help butugh when she read their conversation. They were all so adorable. Wynnie: Have you checked the trending news? Calvin: Yes, I¡¯ve seen them. I¡¯m working on public rtions. Wynnie: Are you guys trying to clear their names? Calvin: No. We want to skew the discussion in favor of Kate. We¡¯ll talk about how much she has suffered the whole time she was supporting Samuel behind the scenes. Wynnie: Great! Keep it up! Whatever you do, remember that your son is in the wrong no matter what. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Calvin: Got it, Wynnie! What about the crystal ornament that you brokest time? Are we ming that on Samuel? We might as well make him the scapegoat for that too. Wynnie: Where¡¯s your dignity? Diana: It was probably thrown away along with his centa. Calvin was rendered speechless. Kathleenughed her head off. It seemed that it was the Macari family¡¯s tradition for mothers to pick on their sons. Wynnie: What does your son say about that? Calvin: I haven¡¯t been able to get in touch with him. Wynnie: That rascal! Where could he have gone? Calvin: I¡¯m already looking. Wynnie: If anything happens to my daughter-inw, I shall disown this son of mine. Calvin: Sure. Whatever you say, Wynnie. Wynnie: I really wonder what all this is about. I don¡¯t know if Nicolette harbors any ill will, and if she intends to bully our Kate. Diana: I dare her! Kathleen felt a surge of warmth in her heart when she read that. She sent a message: Grandma, Dad, Mom, I am safe now. Wynnie: Where are you? Are you all right? Kathleen: I¡¯m fine. That Twitter post was sent by mistake. I asked Samuel to check, but he told me that it hadn¡¯t been sent out. The group chat fell silent. The other three were in deep thought. Sent by mistake? Kathleen even asked Samuel to check, but he didn¡¯t manage to find out. How is that possible? Kathleen sent a message to Samuel: Did you really not see the Twitter post that had been sent by mistake? Samuel: No. Kathleen frowned. She asked: Is there any way to remediate this? Samuel: Only if you can turn back time. Kathleen: I can¡¯t. So, what now? Samuel: What do you mean by that? Kathleen: Aren¡¯t you going to exin to them? Samuel: Why do I need to exin? Aren¡¯t we already a married couple? Kathleen: You see, the problem is on your side. Won¡¯t Nicolette be furious with you when she sees that? If she¡¯s mad at you, you will vent on me. She does not want to be cannon fodder. Samuel: Have I ever vent on you? Kathleen: When have you not? Your temper has never been good, and now it¡¯s even worse! Samuel sent a emoji depicting confusion: Has my temper been bad in the past? Kathleen did not want to talk to him anymore. She sat on the couch and sank into deep thought. Why didn¡¯t Samuel delete the Twitter post after she had sent it by mistake? What was he thinking? Meanwhile, at the hospital, Nicolette saw the trending news on Twitter. She exploded with rage. Why is this happening? She thought that Kathleen and Samuel would divorce in secret just like how they had gotten married in secret too. No one was supposed to know. No one would ever know. After that, Samuel would force Kathleen to donate her bone marrow to cure Nicolette. Then, Samuel would marry Nicolette. Nicolette would deal with the other members of the Macari family at ater time. As long as Samuel loved her. As long as Samuel had her back, she would not care at all. At most, she would limit Samuel¡¯s interactions with Diana and the rest. That way, Samuel would truly be hers, and hers alone. However, when Samuel publicly announced his rtionship with Kathleen, all the glory that Samuel had given Nicolette the night before vanished without a trace. On the contrary, Kathleen, who had not revealed herself the entire time, became the biggest winner. She wondered where the Macari family had gotten ghostwriters from. They would rather trample on Samuel in exchange for Kathleen¡¯s honor without discrediting her one bit. Currently, someizens empathized with Kathleen. Othersmended her. Someone had even posted a picture of her and Samuel at the birthday banquet at the Yoeger residence the day before. They proceeded to mock her for being the homewrecker. Unable to stomach her anger, Nicolette gave Samuel a phone call. In the most pitiful voice, she asked, ¡°Samuel, what is all this about?¡± Samuel exined casually, ¡°Nothing much. Kathleen and I are in a rtionship. It¡¯s that simple.¡± ¡°Then, what about me?¡± Nicolette cried. ¡°Samuel, tell me. Who am I to you?¡± In a hoarse voice, Samuel replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t divorce her.¡± Nicolette froze. What did he say? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will always take care of you. I will continue to assist you in your treatment. Rest well. Don¡¯t overthink things,¡± he added. With that, he hung up the phone. Nicolette was dumbfounded. Did he mean that he would never divorce Kathleen? I¡¯ve put in so much effort, and in the end this is what I get? She felt like calling Kathleen to question her on what she had done. However, she knew that doing so would expose her, so she could not do that. She totally did not expect Kathleen to be so patient. Nicolette also could not believe that Kathleen could be this indifferent even after thetter found out that Nicolette herself had slept with Samuel. Could it be that she only loves Samuel for his money? Haha! It¡¯s fine. Samuel says he¡¯ll take care of me forever. That means he won¡¯t ignore me. I still have a chance! Kathleen, you won¡¯t get to be cocky for long. Nicolette still had a spot in Samuel¡¯s heart. No one could rece her. Next, she needed to destroy the rtionship between Kathleen and Samuelpletely. Nicolette took out her phone and dialed a number. ¡°I want you to sneak into the ward tonight and unplug Benjamin¡¯s life support.¡± The other party replied, ¡°That man is already in a vegetative state.¡± Nicolette chuckled coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t care what he is. I only want him dead! Kathleen and Samuel¡¯s rtionship can only be destroyed if Benjamin dies. One more thing. You have to leak this out. Say that I got people to do the dirty work, but don¡¯t let her catch you.¡± ¡°You are ying with fire. What if Samuel doesn¡¯t care about you anymore?¡± asked the other party. Nicolette said confidently, ¡°No, he won¡¯t. Samuel will not be cruel to me. He won¡¯t believe that I¡¯m behind this. The more Kathleen holds me ountable, the uglier their rtionship will get as it tears apart!¡± This was the only way she could have a chance. The other party replied after a pause, ¡°Okay. Got it.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 In the evening, Samuel returned home as the sun was setting. Kathleen had been drawing. When she heard soundsing from outside the door, she immediately got up. A look of surprise appeared on her fair and delicate face when she went out. ¡°Y-You¡¯re back?¡± Samuel stared at her. Why is she so shaken up? I just happen to get off work on time. ¡°I told you I¡¯lle back earlier, didn¡¯t I?¡± Samuel said tly. ¡°You seem unhappy.¡± In the past, Kathleen would always wee him warmly when he returned. She would even jump into his arms if he was in a better mood. Now, she did not seem very happy. ¡°No, I¡¯m not unhappy.¡± Even Kathleen herself wasn¡¯t sure if she was happy or not. Perhaps it was because Samuel had disappointed her too many times, so much so that she did not know what to feel anymore. ¡°Wash your hands ande to dinner.¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen replied indifferently. She went to the bathroom to wash up. Just then, a tall shadow suddenly shrouded her. Samuel reached out and held her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡± Kathleen puffed her cheeks. She looked cute that way. ¡°So¡­ I can¡¯t help if you¡¯re not a child?¡± Samuel gave her a gentle peck on the cheek. Kathleen wanted to evade him, but she was trapped in Samuel¡¯s arms. Her body was quite soft. Dirty thoughts aroused in Samuel¡¯s mind as she squirmed in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep and hoarse. ¡°If you keep moving, I¡¯ll eat you before dinner.¡± Kathleen bit her lip angrily. ¡°One month!¡± ¡°It¡¯s less than a month.¡± Samuel smiled. Kathleen remained silent. She gritted her teeth. Samuel helped her wash her hands before letting her go. Once Kathleen was freed from his arms, she headed to the dining room and waited for him. Samuel came soon after. He sat down. Maria had already prepared dinner. Kathleen and Samuel dug in once they were seated. They did not interact with each other at all throughout the meal. Samuel was used to Kathleen telling him everything about her day. N?velDrama.Org ? content. He found it odd that she was being so quiet. ¡°What have you been doing today?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been painting.¡± Kathleen knew that she couldn¡¯t hide from Samuel the fact that she was working for Federick. Since it was impossible to hide it, Kathleen did not wish to make things difficult for herself. Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Are you really going to keep this job?¡± Kathleen nced at him calmly. ¡°This job isn¡¯t embarrassing you, is it?¡± Samuel looked at her coldly. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s what I meant?¡± ¡°If not, what else do you mean?¡± Kathleen asked meaningfully. ¡°Kathleen, I provide you with a hefty sum for living expenses.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was rather cold. Why does she want to take on such an exhausting job? If she¡¯s short on cash, she could have just told me. Kathleen¡¯s grip tightened on her fork. ¡°If you think it¡¯s too much, you can reduce it. We can both contribute to the household expenses from now on. I¡¯m fine with that.¡± Samuel felt a flicker of irritation. She¡¯s always twisting my words! Kathleen drank her soup quietly. ¡°Samuel, I need to work. I don¡¯t want my life to bepletely under your control. Do you understand?¡± Samuel froze. ¡°You have control over my life as well as my finances,¡± Kathleen said bitterly. ¡°If I leave you, I will be useless. I don¡¯t want that, so I need to work.¡± ¡°I believe I¡¯ve said before that we won¡¯t get a divorce.¡± Samuel looked at her with a cold expression. Kathleen lowered her eyes when she met his cold gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t trust you for the time being.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice remained ice-cold. ¡°Think about it, Samuel. You haven¡¯t forgotten Nicolette after so many years. Can you really forget everything about her now?¡± Kathleen asked tly. ¡°So, I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I cannot believe you when you said we won¡¯t get a divorce. I can¡¯t bring myself to believe it.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes shed coldly. ¡°Then, what about the one-month deadline you¡¯ve set?¡± ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s impossible for you to sever ties with Nicolette even if I gave you a year.¡± Kathleen said quietly as she put away her utensils, ¡°That one month is just a buffer.¡± Samuel stared at her coldly. He wished that his eyes could tear a hole through her. ¡°Samuel, if we don¡¯t get a divorce, what do you n to do with Nicolette?¡± When Kathleen was not acting coquettishly, she had the air of an aloof fairy. Samuel said nothing. ¡°She is the Yoeger family¡¯s illegitimate child. The Yoeger family won¡¯t acknowledge her, so she is not entitled to any of their assets. That means you¡¯ll have to support her for the rest of her life, is that right?¡± Right then, Kathleen¡¯s charming face was beautiful but cold. ¡°In that case, it will be impossible for you to sever ties with her in this lifetime. You¡¯ll be at her beck and call whenever she wants you. My feelings won¡¯t matter to you, and I won¡¯t be able to stop you.¡± ¡°How are you so sure that I¡¯ll do that?¡± Samuel said, infuriated. ¡°Because you have done it before,¡± Kathleen replied quietly. ¡°Samuel, I can¡¯t ept that there¡¯s a woman out there whom you long for. Simrly, you can¡¯t ept Christopher¡¯s feelings for me.¡± Samuel froze. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Kathleen went on indifferently. ¡°Just because I don¡¯t have a temper, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not intelligent. I can tell that Christopher likes me. However, because of who we are, I¡¯ve always avoided him. You saw him at Granny¡¯s house today. That¡¯s why you said those weird things, am I right?¡± Samuel stared at her coldly. ¡°Samuel, I want a husband who loves me wholeheartedly. I love you, but that does not mean I must stay with you.¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°As long as Nicolette exists, we will never reconcile. It¡¯s time to let go.¡± Kathleen turned around. Just then, Samuel grabbed her wrist. He questioned her harshly, ¡°Do you fancy Christopher?¡± Kathleen smiled bleakly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you admit that you¡¯ve hurt me? Why are you using me of having feelings for other people instead?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze remained ice-cold. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not so desperate that I¡¯ll settle for the first man I see,¡± Kathleen said proudly. ¡°I won¡¯t settle for just any man. My husband must love only me. He can only offer his love to me. If he does that to someone else, then I don¡¯t want him.¡± ¡°Kathleen, you should know that Nicolette and I would have gotten married long ago if it wasn¡¯t for you,¡± Samuel retorted. ¡°Does that mean I have to endure it?¡± A cold smile formed on Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Samuel, ask yourself. Is it really my fault that the two of you can¡¯t be together?¡± Samuel frowned. Kathleen was innocent in this matter. She had never forced Samuel to marry her, and neither had she begged Diana to let her marry him. Having stayed in the Macari residence for so many years, Kathleen had never done anything to make others dislike her. When Samuel and Nicolette were dating, Kathleen had never harassed Nicolette. She was not that sort of person. She was willing to hide her feelings for Samuel in her heart forever. Samuel and Nicolette could not be together because Nicolette was unweed. It was Diana and Wynnie who disapproved of their rtionship. Kathleen was aware of it all. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Even so, Kathleen had never pulled any tricks. She watched, quietly and sadly, as Samuel loved and pampered another woman. She kept her emotions suppressed. When she felt sad, she merely hid herself away and cried. She had never done anything hateful. Until one day, Diana found out about her feelings for Samuel and saw through her. ¡°You silly child, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Diana was over the moon. She had not asked for Kathleen¡¯s opinion when she arranged for Nicolette to be sent away. Using Nicolette¡¯s life as a threat, she forced Samuel to get together with Kathleen. Samuelpromised on the condition that Kathleen¡¯s identity remained undisclosed. Diana knew what Samuel was nning, but she said nothing and agreed. Kathleen, who married Samuel amid the confusion, naturally did not mind. She assumed she would eventually warm Samuel¡¯s heart. She believed that, one day, Samuel would return her feelings. However, that day would never arrive. No matter how much Samuel liked her, he loved Nicolette more. Kathleen had her pride. She refused to be the hated one. She would leave so that the lovers could be together. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much Nicolette means to me,¡± Samuel said solemnly. ¡°Kathleen, even if I don¡¯t marry her, I can¡¯t ignore her for the rest of my life.¡± Kathleen felt a sharp pain in her heart. She knew that. ¡°I fell into a river when I was thirteen years old. Nicolette was the one who saved me.¡± Samuel looked at her with a bone-chilling coldness in his gaze. ¡°I owe her my life.¡± Kathleen froze. This came as a surprise. In other words, ten-year-old Nicolette had saved thirteen-year-old Samuel. So that¡¯s how their rtionship started. ¡°So, it¡¯s even less likely for you two to break up.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart ached. Her delicate face paled considerably. Samuel did not say a word. He just looked at her silently. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After a long while, he spoke. ¡°Kathleen, the one I like now is you.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡°You like me now, but you can¡¯t bear to let go of Nicolette. What should I do, Samuel? You want me to repay that life debt together with you?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Are you worthy?¡± Kathleen growled. His expression turned grim. ¡°Kathleen, like I said, you need to give me time. You can¡¯t force me like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said that no matter how much time I give you, the final result will never change.¡± Kathleen looked at his darkened, handsome face. ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s stop struggling. Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± Samuel stood up and red at her coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± With that, he grabbed his suit jacket and stormed off. Kathleen sat on the chair weakly, her hands lowered. Her heart had never hurt so much. On the other hand, Samuel went out for a drive alone. He rolled down the windows to let the cold wind in and calm himself down. In fact, some of what he said hade out in a fit of anger. He knew that he didn¡¯t just have feelings for Kathleen. On the contrary, he liked Kathleen a lot more than Nicolette. His feelings for Kathleen were also a lot stronger. What he felt for Kathleen could not bepared to what he felt for Nicolette. After having struggled for some time, Samuel realized who he had feelings for. What he felt for Nicolette was simply out of responsibility. He had to repay her for saving his life. He could not ignore her. However, it was indeed difficult to hope for Kathleen¡¯s eptance. Hence, he needed a month¡¯s time to persuade her. However, it was clear that Kathleen had not given him a month. She had offered him a lifetime. In return, she was determined to get a divorce. Samuel did not return for the rest of the night. Kathleen had always felt uneasy whenever she was alone at home. She did not know why she felt this way. It was rather worrying. All the while, she had always believed that her sixth sense was been urate. She had a simr hunch that time when Diana had a sudden stroke. However, Diana was healthy thest time Kathleen saw her. Her pulse was fine. There did not seem to be anything wrong with the old woman. The rest of the family were also in good health. If it was not her family members, perhaps one of her friends was in danger. On that note, Kathleen thought of Benjamin. Gemma told her that Benjamin was out of danger. However, Kathleen was not assured, as Benjamin had not regained consciousness. She put on her coat, left the house, and drove to the hospital. The hospital was exceedingly quiet at such ate hour. Kathleen headed to Benjamin¡¯s ward with a frown. She happened to see a figuree out of there. Kathleen was startled. The man panicked. ¡°You¡¯re not a doctor! Who are you?¡± she red at him. The man did not expect to get caught by Kathleen. He turned and ran away. ¡°Stop right there!¡± she shouted. The man ran without looking back. Kathleen picked up the trash can next to her and threw it at the man. It hit him in the back. ¡°Ouch!¡± the man shouted in pain before he crashed onto the ground. Kathleen stepped forward and aimed a silver needle at the man¡¯s eye. ¡°Tell me! Who sent you here?¡± The man did not expect Kathleen to have such a terrifying object with her. He did not dare to move. He gritted his teeth and stared at the silver needle in Kathleen¡¯s hands. Why does she have something like this? ¡°Who sent you?¡± There was a ruthless expression on Kathleen¡¯s pretty face. ¡°Nicolette,¡± the man said in a hoarse voice. ¡°What did she want with Benjamin?¡± Kathleen questioned harshly. ¡°She told me to kill him,¡± the man replied. What? Kathleen froze in shock. Her face instantly paled. ¡°Come with me to the police station!¡± Kathleen growled. At that moment, doctors and nurses came running. They quickly entered Benjamin¡¯s ward. Kathleen was startled. Seizing the opportunity, the man pushed Kathleen away and fled the scene. Kathleen wanted to give chase, but she was more worried about Benjamin. Hence, she called the police as she ran toward Benjamin¡¯s ward. The nurse, who was closing the door, told her to wait outside. Gemma spoke up from inside the ward. ¡°Doctor, please let her wait inside. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Benjamin liked Kathleen. Perhaps he would be fine if he knew that Kathleen was here. The doctor sighed. ¡°All right.¡± Gemma turned to look at Kathleen. Kathleen was very grateful. She stood aside as she watched the doctor give Benjamin emergency treatment. Benjamin was in a serious condition. The oxygen level in his brain was declining while his heartbeat was slowing. ¡°Doctor, the blood pressure¡¯s gone.¡± The nurse¡¯s face paled. She nced at Gemma. ¡°No! His heart is still beating!¡± Gemma protested in panic. The doctor was holding the defibritor. They had administered it for the third time, but Benjamin¡¯s heart rate was still dropping. After that, Benjamin¡¯s heartbeat stopped. All the data on the screen dropped to zero. ¡°No!¡± Gemma fainted. A nurse rushed to support her. ¡°Gemma, wake up!¡± Sad looks appeared on the doctors and nurses¡¯ faces. They had some knowledge about the siblings¡¯ past. Their mother had been a doctor at this hospital, and their father had been a policeman. The couple had lost their lives in a disaster, leaving behind their children. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Kathleen stepped forward and stared at the doctor with pleading eyes. ¡°Let me do it! Please, let me try!¡± The doctor knitted his brows and asked, ¡°You?¡± She exined, ¡°I¡¯m Kathleen Johnson. My parents used to be doctors here. My grandfather as well.¡± Upon hearing that, the doctor frowned. The head nurse verified, ¡°Doctor, her father is the former director, Dr. Johnson.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Dr. Johnson¡¯s daughter?¡± I never heard about her attending medical school though¡­ ¡°Doctor, please let me save him,¡± Kathleen said coldly. The doctor frowned and replied, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Please, I beg you!¡± Kathleen pleaded with determination in her eyes. Upon seeing her gaze, the doctor stepped aside. Kathleen took out her set of silver needles and ced them at the side. Everyone was in shock. Is she using traditional medicine? Kathleen took a needle and inserted it into the acupoint on top of Benjamin¡¯s head. She then inserted a few more needles into other acupoints on his head. Following that, it was his heart, palms, and soles of his feet. Finally, she took thest needle and gently inserted it into his forehead. Seconds had passed, and the electrocardiogram was still static. Everyone had prepared to face the worst oue. Benjamin was actually not breathing anymore. He was a goner. Gemma stared at Kathleen¡¯s back in a daze. She burst into tears. She wailed, ¡°Benjamin, wake up! Open your eyes and look at the girl you like in front of you! Do it for her!¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. Benjamin likes me? While sobbing, Gemma bellowed, ¡°Benjamin, haven¡¯t you been waiting for Kathleen? Isn¡¯t that why you don¡¯t look for a girlfriend all these years? How could you leave after you¡¯ve found her?¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart wrenched, and she silently shed tears. Benjamin got hurt for saving me. Did Nicolette send someone to get rid of him to force me to get a divorce with Samuel? It¡¯s all my fault that everything turned out this way. Kathleen was overwhelmed by sorrow. She would not hesitate to give her life away if Gemma wanted it. Beep! The electrocardiogram suddenly sounded. Everyone was stunned. Beep! Beep! The electrocardiogram recorded electrical signals. Finally, Benjamin was breathing faintly. The head nurse announced excitedly, ¡°Doctor, his heartbeat and blood pressure have returned!¡± Upon hearing that, Gemma cried hysterically. Tears kept streaming down Kathleen¡¯s face. Thank goodness! He¡¯s alive! The doctor ordered the head nurse to inject Benjamin with adrenaline. Suddenly, Kathleen felt her hand being grabbed by a cold hand. She was startled. Benjamin opened his eyes and called with a hoarse voice, ¡°Kathleen.¡± Thrilled, Kathleen held his hand in return and said, ¡°Benjamin, you¡¯re awake!¡± Gemma walked over, looked at Benjamin, and cried even louder. Benjamin had no idea what had happened, but he felt at ease looking at Kathleen and Gemma. After Benjamin¡¯s condition had improved, Kathleen removed all the silver needles. The doctor also gave him a regr check-up. Benjamin¡¯s condition had stabilized. Even though he still looked rather weary, it was fortunate that he had woken up. ¡°Benjamin, get some rest. We¡¯ll talk the next day.¡± Kathleen was aware of how tired Benjamin was. Benjamin really wanted to know what had happened, but he nodded after hearing Kathleen¡¯s words. Kathleen tucked him into bed. Benjamin gazed at her face before closing his eyes. To not disturb Benjamin¡¯s rest, Kathleen and Gemma left the ward. Feeling awkward, Gemma said, ¡°Kathleen, you don¡¯t have to take to heart what I said in the ward just now. I¡­¡± Confused, Kathleen asked, ¡°Benjamin likes me? I didn¡¯t know.¡± Gemma froze for a moment and said, ¡°Kathleen, you don¡¯t have to feel burdened by that. I said that out of desperation amid that critical time.¡± Kathleen lightly furrowed her brows and said, ¡°I know. I¡¯m just very surprised.¡± Gemma pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve always treated Benjamin as a brother. You¡¯ve never liked him, right?¡± Kathleen nodded. Gemma shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Kathleen, please don¡¯t feel burdened just because Benjamin has saved your life, and because he likes you. Both of you won¡¯t be happy this way.¡± After sitting down, Kathleen uttered, ¡°Gemma, I can¡¯t pretend I don¡¯t know. I¡­¡± Gemma sat down as well and said, ¡°Benjamin would rather conceal his feelings deep inside his heart. Actually, he¡¯s very happy to be able to meet you again.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words, and silence ensued. Gemma knew that Kathleen only looked sweet and innocent from the outside. In actuality, Kathleen was very clear about how she felt. It was evident that it came as a shock to her. She had no feelings for Benjamin, but she did not wish to hurt him either. With a lowered gaze, Gemma said, ¡°Kathleen, if you marry Benjamin because you feel indebted to him, I will look down on you. If you marry my brother out of guilt, isn¡¯t this a form of deceit?¡± Kathleen nodded and replied, ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Kathleen, about Samuel and Nicolette¡­¡± Everyone saw what was trending today. Kathleen leaned against the seat and said, ¡°Samuel and I will get a divorce. I can¡¯t love him anymore. Gemma, there are no words to describe how mentally exhausted I am.¡± Gemma held Kathleen¡¯s hand and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not happy, then get a divorce.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen nodded and agreed, ¡°Yeah, I will.¡± She stayed outside of Benjamin¡¯s ward with Gemma for one whole night. The next day, Benjamin was still sleeping when Kathleen went home first. Right when she was about to enter the password, the door opened. Samuel gave her a vicious re and eximed, ¡°Where did you go? Why weren¡¯t you home for one whole night?¡± Doesn¡¯t she know that I¡¯m worried? He got extremely anxious when he came home in the morning and realized she was not there. Kathleen lifted her head. Her eyes were red, and dark eye circles could vaguely be seen under her eyes. It was obvious that she did not sleep well. ¡°Say something.¡± Samuel extended his hand to touch her. However, she avoided his touch. Samuel frowned upon seeing that. With a cold and raspy voice, she threatened, ¡°Samuel, let Nicolette know that if she dares to harm Benjamin again, I will end her.¡± Samuel asked coldly, ¡°What did you just say?¡± Coldness gathered in Kathleen¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°I said I will end her. I will end the life of the woman you love to seek revenge for Benjamin!¡± Samuel grabbed her hand and consoled her, ¡°Calm down.¡± Kathleen had never acted this cold. She said, ¡°I¡¯m very calm. Samuel, someone pulled the plug on Benjamin yesterday night. I managed to catch and threaten that person. He told me that Nicolette ordered him to do so.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°There are surveince cameras in the hospital. You can check it yourself.¡± Kathleen continued coldly, ¡°Samuel, I can¡¯t wait to divorce you, so there¡¯s no reason for me to badmouth her. If I do so, you won¡¯t believe me and will think that I¡¯m ming Nicolette to avoid getting a divorce. I can clearly tell you that I¡¯m not lying, so believe whatever you want.¡± I don¡¯t care whether he believes me or not. After all, he will only believe that Nicolette is a kind-hearted fairy. She pushed him away and entered the room. After taking out her suitcase, she started packing her clothes. Samuel grimaced and questioned, ¡°What are you doing? Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Kathleen had reached her limit. ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s live separately.¡± Live separately? Samuel furrowed his brows and said with a cold voice, ¡°Do you think I would agree to that?¡± With reddened eyes, she said, ¡°Samuel, it doesn¡¯t matter whether you agree or not. I can no longer live with someone who protects an evildoer! Benjamin nearly died because of Nicolette!¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned gloomy. While holding back her tears, Kathleen said, ¡°Samuel, that person has no reason to nder Nicolette. Neither do I. If anything happened to Benjamin, I would never forgive both of you.¡± After she was done packing, she carried her suitcase and said, ¡°If Benjamin really dies, I will be a widow for him. I owe it to him.¡± With that said, Kathleen headed out. Samuel narrowed his eyes, and a vicious glint shed across them. She wants to be a widow for another man? When Kathleen reached the door, Samuel snatched the suitcase away from her hand and tossed it aside. He raised her slender arms above her head and pressed her wrists against the door with his big hand. Meanwhile, his other hand pinched her delicate chin. His cold breath fanned her face, and his eyes were so cold that they sent chills down her spine. Samuel snapped, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, and you want to be a widow for another man? Kathleen, who gave you the courage to do so?¡± A wave of pain washed over him. Kathleen let out a bleak, coldugh. ¡°So what if I¡¯m your wife? Aren¡¯t I practically a widow anyway?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes turned beyond grim. ¡°It seems like I haven¡¯t been showing you enough caretely. That¡¯s why you¡¯re starting to have unrealistic thoughts.¡± He inched closer and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re not adhering to the promise we¡¯ve made, I have no reason to hold back then.¡± As he said those words, his big hand reached into Kathleen¡¯s sweater. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Kathleen demanded as she struggled to break free. She knew how rough Samuel could get. She must do all she could to protect her child. With no warmth in his eyes, Samuel stared at her and warned, ¡°Kathleen, remember this. You¡¯re my woman. Mine!¡± Kathleen was terrified by his icy gaze. She was afraid because she had never seen him like this. Kathleen shook her head and said, ¡°No! Don¡¯t! I¡¯ll give you time. I¡¯m not leaving anymore. Let go of me!¡± However, from Samuel¡¯s point of view, she was only saying that to stop him from touching her. Samuel let out a chuckle in his heart. She doesn¡¯t want me to touch her? Is she saving herself for that man? I will never allow it! He carried her in his arms and put her down on the couch in the living room. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t do this!¡± Kathleen cried. She was overwhelmed with fear. What if this causes a miscarriage? Samuel disregarded her and removed all her clothes. Kathleen¡¯s skin was porcin white and soft. She had a voluptuous body that Samuel was addicted to. Samuel turned up the temperature of the room when he saw her shivering. After that, he took off his own clothes as well. Kathleen was well aware of how aggressive Samuel could be. She trembled with fear, knowing that she would not be able to stop him. With tears pouring down her face, Kathleen looked especially pitiful. ¡°Sam¡­ please be gentle. It hurts.¡± She finally calls me Sam. A hint of warmth returned to Samuel¡¯s handsome yet darkened face. He teased, ¡°Keep calling me.¡± With a trembling voice, she said, ¡°Sam¡­ Y-You end up hurting me every time. Please¡­ I beg you. Please be gentle this time.¡± He stared at her. ¡°Every time?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s because you¡¯re too impressive. So¡­ please be more gentle,¡± she replied in fear. Seeing how she looked like a frightened little rabbit, Samuel showed her somepassion. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Her tears were extremely effective against him. Samuel got more gentle, but he was still driving Kathleen crazy. An hourter, Kathleen weakly sprawled on the couch and remained motionless. Traces of tears and exhaustion were evident on her tiny, delicate face. Samuel grabbed a nket and covered her with it before putting on his clothes. He sat on the couch and caressed her face with his big, rough hand. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate this matter.¡± As she was really exhausted, Kathleen only cast him a nce and remained silent. She did not believe that Samuel would be able to give her a conclusion. With a slightly hoarse voice, she asked, ¡°Samuel, does that promise still count?¡± Samuel gazed at her and replied, ¡°If you want to, I¡¯ll continue to adhere to it.¡± Kathleen extended her hand and said, ¡°Give me the divorce agreement. Only then will I be at ease.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give it to you,¡± Samuel said tly. Kathleen frowned upon hearing that. While gazing at her coldly, he continued, ¡°What should I do if you run away after signing the agreement?¡± If it wasst time, he would not think that Kathleen had the guts to do so. Now, he felt otherwise because Kathleen had proven to be quite courageous. Feeling helpless, Kathleen said, ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to keep any promises. You may go now. I want to sleep for a while.¡± After saying that, she closed her eyes. Samuel looked at her coldly and said, ¡°Sleep then.¡± Her mind was muddled. How can I break free? I¡¯ve fallen too deep in this. There¡¯s no way for me to take control at all. Even if Grandma agrees to the divorce, I¡¯m still stuck in this marriage if Samuel refuses to sign the agreement. Of course, if Samuel insisted to get a divorce, nobody could stop him either. Kathleen could not help but mock herself. She could not escape his grasp, and she had no power to do anything. After Samuel had left for a while, Kathleen realized that she could not fall asleep even though she was beyond exhausted. Hence, she got up and went to take a shower. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, she sat in front of the table and started working on some sketches. I need money! With money, I can leave! It doesn¡¯t matter whether Samuel is willing to get a divorce. All I need to do is to leave this ce! Samuel went to the hospital to inquire about Benjamin¡¯s condition. The doctor exined, ¡°He has woken up, but the damage on his brain is still in a critical stage. This morning, someone came into his ward and pulled his plug. Thank god the emergency rm went off. If not, the consequences would¡¯ve been dire!¡± Samuel remained indifferent. Seems like what she said is true. He ordered coldly, ¡°You have to make sure he recovers as soon as possible. Understand?¡± The doctor nodded and replied, ¡°Mr. Macari, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± After that, Samuel turned around and left. When he saw Samuele out of the room, Tyson rushed over and reported, ¡°Mr. Macari, here¡¯s the surveince footage.¡± He then handed over a phone to Samuel. Samuel watched the footage and saw the suspicious man entering Benjamin¡¯s ward. After that, Kathleen arrived and encountered that man. That man quickly turned around and tried to escape. Then, Kathleen picked up a trash can, threw it toward that man, and actually managed to hit him. Following that, she rushed over and pointed something at that man. He froze in fear at the sight of that. At that moment, Samuel frowned because he could not tell what that thing was due to the unclear footage. Nevertheless, he continued watching it. Kathleen and that man confronted each other for a few minutes. That man uttered something before the doctor and the others arrived. He managed to escape when Kathleen got distracted. However, Kathleen did not chase after him. Instead, she entered the ward. Samuel¡¯s face darkened. I can¡¯t believe she risked her life for another man! What do I mean to her? Chapter 58 Chapter 58 When the doctor came out, he noticed the grim look on Samuel¡¯s face and was about to leave quickly, not wishing tond himself in trouble. ¡°Stop right there,¡± Samuel said in an icy voice. The doctor halted and asked nervously, ¡°Mr. Macari, what can I help you with?¡± ¡°Have you watched the recording of the surveince cameras?¡± Samuel asked coldly. The doctor nodded. ¡°Yes, of course. This is a serious matter.¡± ¡°What did Kathleen use to put that man under control?¡± Samuel frowned. The doctor answered, ¡°It¡¯s a silver needle used in acupuncture. Last night, Benjamin¡¯s situation was crucial, and she used a silver needle to save him.¡± A silver needle? Samuel never knew that Kathleen possessed such a skill. ¡°Her granddad was a traditional medicine doctor. He even held the position as an advisor in the National Traditional Medicine Hospital headquarters,¡± the doctor exined. Samuel fell silent as he was unaware of that. He never took the initiative to know more about Kathleen, despite the fact that she had been right in front of him. Yet, not once did he at least try to understand her wholeheartedly. ¡°I see.¡± Samuel nodded. Then, he turned to Tyson and ordered, ¡°Go and find that man.¡± ¡°Yes, roger that,¡± Tyson replied in a serious tone. After that, Samuel went to look for Nicolette. Nicolette was just donebing her hair. She felt anxious when she saw that a bunch of her hair had fallen again. If this continues, I might actually die¡­ At that moment, she heard footstepsing from outside and immediately put on her hat. Samuel walked into the room, his eyes dark and cold. Nicolette was about to hide her fallen hair, but Samuel walked toward her and seized the strands of hair in her palm. She was so afraid that her eyes turned red. ¡°Samuel, if I one day lose all of my hair, would youe to resent me?¡± Samuel shook his head. Nicolette¡¯s eyes welled up in tears at once. She hugged Samuel and said, ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t.¡± Heating that, Samuel felt a weight in his heart. Nicolette then continued through sobs, ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t want the bone marrow anymore. Can you just divorce her? I want to spend my remaining days with you. That way, I won¡¯t have any regrets even if I die.¡± She wanted Samuel and Kathleen to get a divorce as soon as possible, at any cost. She did not want Samuel to hesitate anymore. His hesitation showed that he held feelings for Kathleen. Nicolette could not let things develop this way. At this rate, she would lose Samuel forever. ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s get married. The greatest wish in my life is to marry you. After I fulfill my wish, I can die without regret,¡± Nicolette persuaded through tears in a pitiful voice. Samuel stayed silent and did not say anything. Nicolette felt uneasy and urged, ¡°Samuel?¡± However, he pushed Nicolette away. ¡°We should wait a bit longer. I won¡¯t let you die,¡± he said indifferently. Nicolette sobbed while looking at him. ¡°Samuel, I want to take our wedding photos before I lose all of my hair. Can you do that for me?¡± Samuel paused for a while before agreeing. At that, Nicolette¡¯s mood lightened up. ¡°Shall we go dress fitting tomorrow then?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel replied. Nicolette was very pleased with the oue. As far as she knew, Kathleen had never worn a wedding dress or taken wedding photos with Samuel. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you,¡± Samuel said with a serious expression. ¡°What is it?¡± Nicolette nced at him nervously. ¡°Did you send someone to hurt Kathleen?¡± Samuel asked with a calm voice. Nicolette was stunned. She had assumed that he would ask whether she was the one who sent the man who removed Benjamin¡¯s oxygen mask the day before. To her surprise, he asked about Kathleen. ¡°I didn¡¯t. Samuel, why would I do something like that? Even if I wanted to do it, I don¡¯t even know who to ask in the first ce.¡± Nicolette shook her head, looking as if she felt deeply wronged. Samuel stared right into her eyes. ¡°Is it really not you?¡± Nicolette forcefully shook her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this time,¡± Samuel said tly. Trust me this time? Shouldn¡¯t you trust me no matter what? Samuel, you¡¯ve changed¡­ ¡°Rest well and take care. We¡¯ll talk about taking the wedding photos next time.¡± As he finished his words, Samuel turned and left the room. Nicolette was slightly trembling, and her body was filled with coldness. Her heart sank as her happiness from moments ago vanished in an instant. Is Samuel not going to divorce Kathleen? If things go on like this, I¡¯ll lose everything I have! That afternoon, Kathleen called Federick. Federick picked up the phone and said, ¡°Hey, Kathleen.¡± ¡°Federick, your voice doesn¡¯t sound right. What happened?¡± Kathleen asked, bewildered. ¡°Madeline is gone! I¡¯m finding her right now.¡± His voice sounded extremely anxious. Kathleen sprang to her feet. ¡°Gone? Send me your location. I¡¯ll help you find her!¡± ¡°No need. I shouldn¡¯t trouble you with this,¡± Federick refused. Kathleen took her jacket and car keys. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Federick. If something happens to Madeline, I¡¯ll be sad too. Let me find her with you,¡± she persuaded as she made her way to the door. ¡°Okay.¡± Federick nodded and gave her his address. Kathleen drove to the park where Federick was searching for Madeline. Kathleen went to him and asked, ¡°Federick, does Madelinee to this park very often?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very near to our house,¡± Federick replied with a desperate tone in his voice. Kathleen nodded. ¡°You know how Madeline is a special kid. Even if we call out to her, she won¡¯t respond to us. What I worry about the most is that she won¡¯t shout for help even if something happens.¡± Federick¡¯s eyes slightly reddened. Kathleen understood what he meant immediately. ¡°We should search the ce carefully and not miss out on any corner,¡± Kathleen suggested.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Federick nodded. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°However, the two of us won¡¯t be enough. Hold on a minute.¡± She took out her phone and called Calvin. Calvin answered the call. ¡°Hello, Kate.¡± Samuel, who was sitting opposite Calvin, lifted his eyes. He frowned when he heard Kathleen calling Calvin. ¡°Dad, can I borrow some men from you?¡± Kathleen asked carefully. ¡°What kind of men do you want?¡± Calvin enquired. ¡°Your bodyguards will be good enough. I¡¯m currently looking for a child but am short of people,¡± Kathleen replied softly. ¡°Is ten men enough? No, I should send twenty of them to aid you,¡± Calvin said in a serious tone. ¡°Ten will be sufficient. I¡¯m at Starlight Park now. Dad, please ask them toe and find me here,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll have them go over right away.¡± Then, Calvin hung up the call. He asked his assistant, Simon, to make the necessary arrangements ording to Kathleen¡¯s request. After that, Calvin looked at Samuel with a dark expression. ¡°The one whom Kate asks for help from is me.¡± Samuel was speechless. ¡°You as the husband can¡¯t evenpete with the father-inw,¡± Calvin mocked. Hearing that, Samuel sneered. Nheless, he felt utterly displeased by the fact that Kathleen did not ask for his help. He got to his feet and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± Calvin smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to know that you¡¯d feel threatened too, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your son after all.¡± Samuel frowned. Calvin stared at Samuel expressionlessly. ¡°Samuel, the whole family knows that you have the upper hand when ites to you and Kathleen¡¯s marriage. If you want a divorce, no one can stop you. If you don¡¯t want a divorce, none of us can force you either. However, have you ever thought about Kathleen¡¯s opinion? Does she want to spend the rest of her life with you?¡± ¡°She does,¡± Samuel said definitely. Calvin replied, ¡°That was the Kathleen before, but she might not want to now.¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Samuel felt extremely annoyed. On his way to the park to find Kathleen, he had been pondering. Does Kathleen really not want to spend the rest of her life with me? It can¡¯t be. She loves me. How could she not want to be with me? Samuel figured he was overthinking. After all, as long as he did not mention Christopher¡¯s n, Kathleen would not know a thing. Kathleen and Federick went to look for Madeline separately. When Samuel found her, she was shouting, ¡°Madeline? Madeline?¡± Even though she knew Madeline would not respond even if thetter heard her, she still could not help but give it a try. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel walked over. Kathleen was stunned momentarily. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Then, she shifted her gaze toward the more than twenty bodyguards standing behind Samuel. So he¡¯s brought his men here. Walking over, Kathleen took out her phone. ¡°Please add my WhatsApp. I¡¯ll create a group and send the girl¡¯s photo to the group. Her name is Madeline, and she has autism. She hates the crowd, so you can search in ces where there are fewer people. Don¡¯t leave any corner unsearched. Update the group once you¡¯re done searching a particr area so that we can sort it out. Understand?¡± The men nodded in response. ¡°Another thing. Don¡¯t touch her after you guys find her. Just make sure that she is safe, and contact me right away. I will go over to wherever you are,¡± Kathleen uttered again. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Macari.¡± The crowd nodded. Upon hearing that, Kathleen was stunned momentarily. Lowering her head, she created the group chat on WhatsApp and invited everyone into it, including Federick. ¡°Invite me in too,¡± Samuel said. Kathleen rolled her eyes at him before inviting him in. Kathleen texted: @Federick Please send Madeline¡¯s photo here and tell everyone what she is wearing today to make it easier for everyone to find her. Federick did not expect Kathleen would summon so many people. Without hesitation, he sent the photo in the group chat. He then texted: Madeline is wearing a red dress with white bottoms, along with a pair of red leather shoes today. Her hair is tied into a ponytail, and she¡¯s holding a doll in her arms. After that, he sent a photo of the doll as well. Kathleen texted: All right, everyone. Let¡¯s go find her separately. After receiving the information, everyone started the search immediately. Federick texted again: Thanks, everyone. Soon after, Kathleen started searching as well, and Samuel followed her. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Do you want to say something?¡± Does he want to say that I¡¯m being nosy again? ¡°The priority right now is to find her.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°Have you looked over there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Why are we looking around here?¡± Samuel questioned. ¡°Because her scope of activity is within this area,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know much about it, speaking of the scope of activities, she should have been to more ces, right?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Kathleen nced at Samuel. ¡°Do you mean we need to expand the scope of our search?¡± ¡°Autism would usually be apanied by paranoia.¡± Samuel stared at her. ¡°They usually have certain preferences for certain things.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Let me think.¡± ¡°What day is today?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Sunday,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°What was supposed to be her schedule for today?¡± Samuel asked again. ¡°She was supposed to go to the charity home,¡± Kathleen answered, ¡°but because Federick had something to do, and Madeline¡¯s grandma was not feeling well today, she didn¡¯t end up going.¡± Samuel stared at her curtly. ¡°I just said that she has paranoia. What do you think she would do when her schedule is changed?¡± Kathleen came to a realization. ¡°Let¡¯s go search along the road to the charity home!¡± She immediately grabbed Samuel¡¯s hand. Stunned momentarily, Samuel tightened his grip too. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel drove while Kathleen sat in the passenger seat, looking out the car window for Madeline. The night fell gradually, and it became more difficult to search for Madeline even with the street lights. Kathleen started to worry that Madeline might have gotten into trouble. ¡°Hold on a second.¡± Suddenly, Kathleen stopped Samuel. Samuel immediately stepped on the brakes. Kathleen ran out of the car and approached an olddy. ¡°Where did you get this doll from?¡± ¡°I picked it up from the river behind,¡± the olddy responded. Walking over, Samuel took out a few banknotes directly. ¡°Sell us this doll, and tell us the specific spot you found it.¡± The olddy¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Follow me then.¡± Kathleen fixed her gaze on Samuel as thetter grabbed her hand and led her to follow the olddy. The olddy brought them to a river and pointed at it. ¡°I found it here.¡± After thanking the olddy, Kathleen walked forward.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Samuel opened his mouth. ¡°Based on the direction, we should head backward instead.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Why so?¡± Samuel exined, ¡°I think she¡¯d gone to the charity home, but it was closed, and it was getting dark. She wanted to walk home, but she got lost. So, she kept moving forward.¡± Kathleen felt that Samuel¡¯s words made sense. She did not doubt his analyzing ability at all for he was always very sharp and urate. As such, after finding Madeline¡¯s doll, they walked in the backward direction. The sky had turned darker by then, and the road was not as bright as the main streets. Grabbing Kathleen¡¯s hand tightly, Samuel used his phone as a torchlight with his other hand. Kathleen¡¯s hand was cold. Meanwhile, Samuel¡¯s was warm, which gave Kathleen a great sense of security. After walking for a long while, they arrived at a construction site. There were severalrge cement pipes outside the construction site. Kathleen seemed to have seen something as the light from the phone shone toward the site. ¡°That way.¡± She pointed with her finger. Samuel directed the light at the site and spotted a little girl curled up inside one of the cement pipes. ¡°Madeline!¡± Kathleen ran over without dy. Samuel sent a message to Federick before walking over. Just then, Kathleen carried Madeline out. ¡°Madeline?¡± Madeline¡¯s body was freezing cold. When Kathleen was about to take off her coat, Samuel had already taken off his. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kathleen thanked him. Samuel felt somehow uneasy, but he did not argue with her. Kathleen checked Madeline¡¯s body and was relieved to find that thetter was not injured. ¡°Madeline?¡± Kathleen caressed thetter¡¯s head and confirmed that she did not have a fever either. At that moment, Madeline woke up. Her eyes were bright and starry-eyed as she opened them. ¡°Katie!¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart melted. ¡°You naughty girl. Do you know that everyone has been looking for you?¡± ¡°But I was looking for you.¡± Madeline stared at Kathleen sincerely. ¡°Looking for me?¡± Kathleen froze on the spot. Madeline nodded. ¡°Katie, are you done making the doll¡¯s clothes?¡± Only then did Kathleen recall that. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Madeline was overwhelmed with joy. ¡°Let¡¯s put it on my doll then.¡± When Madeline was looking for her doll, her eyes suddenly turned red. ¡°Where¡¯s my doll?¡± ¡°Madeline, don¡¯t worry. Your doll is in my car. Let me take you to it,¡± Kathleen immediatelyforted Madeline. Madeline almost burst into tears before Kathleenforted her. With that, Kathleen carried Madeline out. Samuel wanted to help Kathleen, but Madeline refused to let go of her and clung onto her tightly. ¡°Let me. She doesn¡¯t trust other people easily,¡± Kathleen uttered. Samuel frowned slightly upon hearing that. After walking for a while, Federick arrived at the scene. Tears rolled down his handsome face the second he saw Madeline. ¡°Madeline!¡± After hearing Federick¡¯s voice, Madeline responded, ¡°Dad.¡± Federick approached and hugged Madeline all while bawling his eyes out. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Kathleen was moved because Federick truly cared about Madeline. ¡°Federick, it¡¯s great that you found Madeline,¡± Kathleen reassured the former as she took a step forward. ¡°Let¡¯s take her to the hospital for a quick checkup.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Federick nodded his head in agreement. He knew he should keep a lid on his emotions. With Madeline in his arms, Federick turned to leave. Resting her chin on her father¡¯s shoulder, Madeline turned around to look at Kathleen. She stared at Kathleen and Samuel with a pair of discerning eyes. Then, she smiled at Kathleen. Kathleen was surprised. She returned the smile after a moment. The way Madeline quietly stared at her made her seem like a pretty little angel. Consequently, Kathleen felt pained when she thought of the situation Madeline was in. Soon, they arrived at the parking lot. Federick helped Madeline into the car before turning to Kathleen and returning the coat. ¡°Kathleen, Mr. Macari, thank you so much.¡± There were two tear streaks on Federick¡¯s handsome face. ¡°It was no trouble at all, Federick,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°As long as I was of help to Madeline, I would do all of it again.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Thank you.¡± Federick was truly grateful. ¡°I¡¯ll take Madeline to the hospital. Both of you must be tired. You should go home and get some rest.¡± ¡°Federick, can I visit Madeline tomorrow?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°She only ventured out alone because of the promise she made with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to,¡± Federick replied. ¡°Kathleen, it wasn¡¯t your fault. It¡¯s the nature of Madeline¡¯s illness. This is all on me. Due to my negligence, I seldom spent time with her.¡± ¡°Federick, I¡¯ve heard many stories about autistic children. You¡¯re doing your best with Madeline.¡± Kathleenforted. ¡°I¡¯m sure she will get better.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Federick nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± ¡°Goodbye,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Federick got into his car and drove off. Kathleen turned around and passed Samuel the coat. ¡°Put it on. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± epting the proffered coat, Samuel replied, ¡°Let¡¯s head back as well.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. The two of them got into the car. Throughout the journey back, they did not speak. When they arrived home, Samuel took out his phone and nced at the screen. He had multiple missed calls from Nicolette. Kathleen nced at it briefly before averting her gaze. Pursing her lips, she said, ¡°You should go if you have matters to attend to.¡± With that, she unbuckled her seatbelt and prepared to get out of the car. Suddenly, Samuel grabbed ahold of her pale wrist and said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a child.¡± Kathleen froze in shock. She stammered, ¡°W-What did you just say?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a child.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the child¡¯s a boy or girl.¡± As long as the child is mine. Previously, he had not liked children. However, after seeing Madeline, Samuel suddenly wanted a daughter of his own. Kathleen was still frozen stiff, and her face was pale. ¡°Are¡­ Are you out of your mind?¡± Kathleen could not believe her ears. Samuel frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why would you want a child now?¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression was sorrowful. ¡°Even I can¡¯t stand being in this household, and you expect my child to grow up in this sort of unhealthy household?¡± Irritated, Samuel asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The child would have a father who keeps a mistress on the side! For the sake of his mistress, the child¡¯s father would always return homete, that is, if he evenes home. He would also drop everything and run to the mistress the moment she calls. Can this be considered a wholesome household?¡± Kathleen fumed. Samuel had not expected her to care about such things. ¡°What if you have a child with Nicolette? You would be spending time with them on New Year¡¯s and on Father¡¯s Day. You would constantly be with your other child, ying with them, and taking them to amusement parks. What would happen to my child then?¡± Tears started to fall from Kathleen¡¯s eyes as she said these. She felt incredibly heartbroken. The mere thought of it made her heart clench in pain. Kathleen wasn¡¯t stupid. She refused to let her own child go through such suffering. Kathleen would rather tell her child that their father was dead than let them know that their father did not love them in the slightest. Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡± ¡°Is it really me thinking too much? Aren¡¯t you the one who made me think this way? You made me think that you would sleep with Nicolette,¡± Kathleen said disdainfully. ¡°I refuse to take the risk. I won¡¯t give birth to your child.¡± With that, Kathleen got out of the car and entered the entrance to their apartment. Samuel heaved a sigh as he stared after Kathleen¡¯s retreating figure. He had no ns to have children with Nicolette. Why won¡¯t Kathleen believe me? Kathleen entered the apartment. The dining table wasdened with dishes prepared by Maria. The food was still warm. Kathleen helped herself to a te of food and sat down to eat. She had expended too much energy that day. Thus, she was going to eat more to replenish her energy and nutrition. After a moment, a sound came from the door, and Samuel walked into the room. Kathleen was momentarily stunned. He didn¡¯t go to Nicolette? She left him so many missed calls. Samuel walked into the room and took off his coat. He proceeded to wash his hands. Finally, he also grabbed a te of food and sat down to eat. The two of them were quiet. It was as if the argument had never happened. After finishing their meal, Kathleen prepared to wash the dishes. Samuel grabbed the tes from her and went into the kitchen. Pursing her lips, Kathleen stood up and went into the bedroom. When Samuel came out of the kitchen after doing the dishes and found Kathleen missing, he, too, headed into the bedroom. Kathleen was lying on the bed with her eyes tightly shut. After surveying her for a moment, he decided that she was really asleep. He went over and helped her remove her clothing. Just then, his phone rang again. Frowning, Samuel answered the phone. ¡°It¡¯s me. What do you want?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was indifferent. ¡°Okay, I got it. I¡¯m not going over today. You should sleep soon.¡± With that, Samuel hung up. He then set his phone on vibrate. After helping Kathleen settle down, he went to take a shower. Kathleen opened her eyes slowly and stared at the ceiling. She wasn¡¯t actually asleep. It was just that she did not know how to act around Samuel. She had no idea what to do. After thinking it over for a moment, she fell asleep for real. Samuel got into bed aftering out of the shower. He embraced Kathleen, whispering in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been with you for three years. I can tell if you¡¯re really asleep.¡± However, Kathleen did not respond. Samuel kissed her face. ¡°Sleep, then.¡± After that, he fell asleep while holding onto Kathleen. Samuel had no idea why, but he slept very poorly that night. The next day, Kathleen woke up to find something holding onto her waist tightly. She pushed Samuel¡¯s arm aside and tried to get out of bed. However, Samuel tugged her back. His eyes were still closed. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± he asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± Kathleen replied as she massaged her temples. Still, Samuel refused to loosen his grip. ¡°Kate, don¡¯t be so unreasonable.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen was startled by his words. ¡°You promised to give me a month, and yet you refuse to put in the effort.¡± Samuel rubbed his chin against her soft face. ¡°You even called me out yesterday. If we have a child together, how do you know that I won¡¯t put you and the child first?¡± ¡°Even if you put us first, I know your heart belongs to someone else, and I can¡¯t ept that,¡± Kathleen said as she pursed her lips. ¡°I would rather you treat me coldly, instead of acting hot and cold. I may be able to endure it, but I refuse to let my child suffer the same.¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 ¡°I won¡¯t touch Nicolette,¡± Samuel said with a cold voice. Only Kathleen could enchant him. However, Kathleen refused to believe him. She closed her eyes. ¡°Let me get out of bed. I still have lots of things to do today.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to do today?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°I have to visit Benjamin at the hospital in the morning, then I¡¯m going to visit Madeline in the afternoon,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°What about me?¡± Samuel buried his face in the crook of her neck. ¡°You didn¡¯t include me in your ns at all.¡± Her time belongs to everyone else. This is infuriating! ¡°You¡¯re very busy.¡± Kathleen hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your n then.¡± ¡°I want to have you for the entire day,¡± Samuel said bossily. Kathleen took in a deep breath. ¡°Samuel, you can¡¯t do this. I need my own time to do my own things.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s have lunch together,¡± Samuel relented. He rarelypromised. Even Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed reluctantly. Samuel curled his lips. ¡°Go ahead and use the bathroom. You¡¯re slow.¡± Kathleen fell speechless. After Kathleen went in the bathroom to take her shower, Samuel went to the one in the guest room for his hot shower. Kathleen came out of the bathroom, wrapped in her towel. There were visible red marks on her neck and her corbone. Traces from the day before remained on her body. She had fair and soft skin to begin with. With these marks on her, she looked even more alluring. However, she had cried so miserably the day before. Samuel did not want to torture her any further. He decided to wait for two more days to allow her to recuperate. Samuel got suited and headed out for work. Kathleen did not have to do so. Dressed in herfortable loungewear, she got ready to begin her sketches. Samuel walked over to the front of the desk and put his arms on either side of her. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Kathleen looked up. ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel gave her a peck on her red lips. ¡°Shall I pick you up at noon, or will you being to me?¡± Kathleen paused. ¡°You really want to have lunch with me?¡± Samuel¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Do you think I was joking?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Somewhat.¡± ¡°I never joke around.¡± Samuel caressed her face. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen puffed her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re also dropping by to see Nicolette, right?¡± Nicolette and Benjamin were staying at the same hospital. Samuel¡¯s face darkened. Kathleen thought he was going to lose his temper. However, Samuel said in a cold voice, ¡°Not dropping by. I am onlying to pick you up.¡± He left after he said that. Kathleen fell speechless. She felt uneasy all of a sudden. Kathleen left home at ten o¡¯clock in the morning. She went to visit Benjamin once she arrived at the hospital. Benjamin had already regained consciousness. However, it would take some time for him to recover. Nevertheless, the doctor said that Benjamin had already passed the critical period. All he needed to do was rest and recuperate. Kathleen sat by his bedside. ¡°Benjamin, thank you.¡± Benjamin¡¯s face was rather pale. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± He pursed his lips and added, ¡°What matters is that you¡¯re all right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± Kathleen hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a prescription once I get back. You should give it a try and see if it works.¡± ¡°I heard from Gemma that it was your silver needle that saved me?¡± Benjamin stared at her with a meaningful look. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I remember that your granddad was a traditional medicine practitioner.¡± Benjamin pursed his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve inherited his legacy.¡± ¡°I just know some small tricks here and there,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°Small tricks? Yet you¡¯re bold enough to wrestle with the Grim Reaper?¡± Benjamin teased her. Kathleen felt awkward. Benjamin smiled faintly. ¡°Am I embarrassing you?¡± Kathleen flushed. The two of them fell silent. After a long while, Benjamin said in a low voice, ¡°Sorry, I know that Gemma told you some weird stuff. I hope you don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Kathleen replied calmly, ¡°Benjamin, thank you for liking me, but¡­¡± ¡°Kathleen, you don¡¯t have to say anything. I understand.¡± Benjamin said with an honest gaze. ¡°I know that you only see me like a brother. I don¡¯t mean to force you to reciprocate my feelings. I never even assumed that you should ept me because I shielded you from the ident.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s just pretend those words were never spoken. I am still your friend, okay?¡± Benjamin was a real gentleman. He was very understanding toward Kathleen. Kathleen nced at him. She felt her uneasiness subside considerably. ¡°Okay.¡± Benjamin smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay here with me. I¡¯m feeling a little tired. I want to sleep some more.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Benjamin nodded. Kathleen turned around to leave. Benjamin said in a low voice, ¡°Kathleen, you have to be careful. That person was clearlying after you that day.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t take any chances with your own life. Despite everything, Samuel is still your husband. He has the responsibility and obligation to protect you. If anything happens, you have to go to him.¡± Benjamin was worried about her, so he added, ¡°Never take any risks on your own.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Kathleen said to reassure him. Benjamin stared at her incredulously. It was only after she had left that he retracted his gaze. Gemma came in to help Benjamin change his dressing. ¡°Benjamin, did you tell Kathleen?¡± Gemma inquired. ¡°Tell her what?¡± Benjamin said tly, his brows furrowed. ¡°Tell her that you love her,¡± Gemma replied matter-of-factly. ¡°That was a rare opportunity to confess to her.¡± ¡°Drop it.¡± The furrow between his brows deepened. ¡°I can¡¯t cause her harm.¡± Gemma hesitated. ¡°Her husband came to the hospital to visit another woman every day. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they file a divorce.¡± Benjamin furrowed his brows again. ¡°Every day?¡± ¡°Not as muchtely¡± Gemma exined. ¡°However, the woman told her caregiver that she is about to marry Samuel. Yet, Samuel had just announced his rtionship with Kathleen a few days ago.¡± Benjamin furrowed his brows. ¡°Never thought this would happen.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± Gemma looked at Benjamin worryingly. ¡°That woman suffers from leukemia, and is in need of a bone marrow match. Lo and behold, Kathleen is her match. I reckon that man announced his rtionship with Kathleen so suddenly just to fool her. He¡¯ll wait until Kathleen has fallen for his tricks, then ask Kathleen to donate her bone marrow to that woman, and then kick her out of the picture.¡± Benjamin said coldly, ¡°Did you tell Kathleen this?¡± ¡°She knew,¡± answered Gemma. She knew? Benjamin gave Gemma a meaningful look. ¡°If Kathleen came to you for help, you have to tell me about it. I will help her figure something out.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Gemma nodded. ¡°Benjamin, don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re of one mind. All I wish is for Kathleen to be my sister-inw.¡± Benjamin looked askance at her. ¡°Shut up!¡± Gemma did just that. Kathleen saw that Samuel hade to pick her up once she got out of the hospital. Pursing her lips, she walked over to him. ¡°You really came!¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Samuel opened the car door. ¡°Get in.¡± Kathleen got into the car. Samuel got in after her and drove away. Not far away, Nicolette could be seen running. She wanted to get a hold of Samuel, but she was too late. She stood rooted to the ground, her fists clenched. Samuel hade to the hospital. Yet, he did not visit her. He left after he picked up Kathleen. How far along are they in their rtionship? Lately, she felt that she had been losing her grip on Samuel. If this goes on, I¡¯ll really be left with nothing! Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Samuel brought Kathleen out to eat. By pure coincidence, they encountered Michelle Yoeger. She was the second daughter of the Yoeger family. Michelle and Kathleen hardly crossed paths in life. However, Michelle disliked Nicolette too. Therefore, when Kathleen got up to go to the restroom, Michelle left her table and stopped Kathleen before thetter could enter it. That made Kathleen frown. She asked, ¡°Is there something wrong, Ms. Yoeger?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Why else would I look for you?¡± Michelle brushed her hair and said, ¡°I mean, you are a stunner. Why couldn¡¯t you handle your man?¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Michelle sized up Kathleen and said, ¡°What¡¯s more, you look identical to Nicolette. There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t catch any feelings for you at all.¡± ¡°Ms. Yoeger, I hope you won¡¯t bother me regarding Samuel and Nicolette.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and continued, ¡°It¡¯s none of my business.¡± ¡°How is that none of your business?¡± Michelle panicked. ¡°She¡¯s trying to snatch away your husband. He¡¯s your husband, right? Don¡¯t act like a bystander. Or else I seem to be more worried for you than yourself.¡± ¡°Ms. Yoeger, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it,¡± Kathleen said soberly. ¡°Therefore, please stop looking for me over this matter.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask for my help?¡± Michelle looked at Kathleen intently. ¡°I know just the way to handle a man. Should I teach you the know-how?¡± ¡°I heard you just broke up with your boyfriendst month, Ms. Yoeger.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Ever since you started dating, all of your rtionships don¡¯tst over two months. Some guys even dated you because of your affluent background. But they all broke up with you after a few days because they couldn¡¯t stand you.¡± This time, Michelle was at a loss for words. ¡°How did you know that? You investigated me?¡± Michelle was stunned. ¡°Are you interested in me?¡± She was terrified and hugged herself. Kathleen sighed. ¡°No. You are too famous. I¡¯ve heard about it from others.¡± ¡°Hehe! So I am this famous?¡± Michelle acted shyly all of a sudden. ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m preparing to make a debuttely.¡± Once again, Kathleen was rendered speechless. She couldn¡¯t believe Michelle didn¡¯t get what she really meant. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re going off-topic.¡± Michelle furrowed her brows and continued, ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t let that little bitch, Nicolette, get what she wants. Got it?¡± Kathleen kept quiet, not knowing how to respond. ¡°Do you understand what I just said?¡± Michelle put one of her hands on Kathleen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Reach out to me if you need help from the Yoeger family. Here, this is my phone number.¡± Michelle stuffed a tiny note into Kathleen¡¯s pocket with her other hand. Then, she turned and left. When Samuel and Kathleen went to pay their bill, they found that Michelle had already paid it ahead of them. With pursed lips, the cashier said softly, ¡°Ms. Yoeger has something to say to the two of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°She said she hoped for asting happy marriage for both of you.¡± The cashier stammered, ¡°And also that she had put a curse on the meal.¡± Samuel and Kathleen were rendered speechless. They thought Michelle was being ridiculous. Then, they left the restaurant together. Kathleen told Samuel. ¡°You have Michelle¡¯s contact number, haven¡¯t you? Let¡¯s pay her back for the meal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s only a meal. I¡¯ll find an opportunity to repay her,¡± he said coldly. ¡°Well, don¡¯t bother about what she said. She was just¡­¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words and didn¡¯t know how to justify Michelle¡¯s actions. ¡°Why would I be bothered?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Did she do anything wrong?¡± ¡°She¡­ She hoped we have asting marriage,¡± Kathleen said with a frown. ¡°Isn¡¯t she wishing us well?¡± Samuel was confused. ¡°Yes, Michelle meant well. But it isn¡¯t suitable for us,¡± she exined. ¡°If we have asting marriage, then what about Nicolette?¡± ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped then,¡± he said indifferently. What Samuel said gave Kathleen a headache. She thought he didn¡¯t understand what she meant. However, in fact, Samuel knew just what she was saying. The Yoeger family hated Nicolette more than the Macari family did. No one from the Yoeger family had positive feelings for Nicolette. Samuel didn¡¯t understand why the woman he considered pitiful seemed vicious in their eyes. Samuel sent Kathleen home. On their way back, they didn¡¯t utter another word. Without sparing another look, Samuel left right after he dropped Kathleen in front of the house. Kathleen breathed a heavy sigh. Then, she packed up her stuff and left for the Evans residence to see Madeline. Soon, she arrived at the Evans residence. Ever since Kathleen¡¯s parents passed away, she no longer lived in her old neighborhood. Their house was a country allotment unit. Hence, when her parents passed away, it got taken away from her. Federick moved away too when he got married. He moved into a vi. When Kathleen saw Federick¡¯s mother¡ªLily Abbott¡ªagain, she felt thetter had gotten much older. She seemed a lot more aged than people her age. ¡°Mrs. Evans,¡± Kathleen greeted her while looking at her intently. Lily looked at Kathleen and said excitedly, ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s Kate!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s been a long time. You¡¯re all grown up.¡± Lily held Kathleen¡¯s hands and said, ¡°You¡¯ve grown gracefully. Your parents must be at ease.¡± Kathleen wore a mncholic smile. Lily pulled Kathleen to sit on the couch. ¡°I heard from Federick that it was you who found Madeline.¡± ¡°It was Samuel and me,¡± Kathleen exined. Lily had seen the news. ¡°Yes. I know that. I¡¯m grateful to both of you.¡± ¡°Not at all, Mrs. Evans. Right, where is Madeline?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°In her room.¡± Lily grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded her head lightly. Then, Mrs. Evans brought Kathleen to Madeline¡¯s room. The design of Madeline¡¯s room looked adorable. Furthermore, all the edges of the furniture had round finishing without sharp edges. It was apparent that Federick wanted to keep her safe, even if he didn¡¯t express it outright. ¡°Madeline, guess who¡¯s here.¡± Lily sounded very gentle. However, Madeline did not respond to her. She remained seated on her chair without moving an inch. Seeing that, Lily let out a sigh. ¡°Madeline,¡± Kathleen called out and walked over to her. ¡°Katie!¡± Madeline responded immediately. Lily looked at Kathleen in astonishment. Kathleen squatted in front of Madeline and shook the bag in her hand. ¡°I brought the clothes I made for your doll. Shall we try them out?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Madeline beamed. Lily was amazed by what she saw. They had spent so much time, yet there was no response from Madeline. However, Madeline took the initiative to speak when she saw Kathleen. It was impressive. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. After that, Kathleen yed with Madeline in the room. Madeline gradually began to talk more aspared to usual. Even so, Lily was d. Later that evening, Kathleen was still at the Evans residence when Federick got home. Lily invited Kathleen to stay for dinner. She didn¡¯t feel it was polite to decline thetter¡¯s invitation, so she agreed. ¡°Federick, Kathleen was so impressive.¡± Lily sounded excited. ¡°She could interact with Madeline.¡± ¡°Madeline loves her,¡± Federick exined. Lily heaved a sigh out of a sudden. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Federick furrowed his brows. ¡°It would be great if Kathleen were your wife,¡± Lily said. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Federick said with a frown. Lily knew she should watch what she said too. At that moment, Kathleen came out of the room and said, ¡°Mrs. Evans, Federick, I have to go now. Samuel came to pick me up.¡± Madeline came out too and held onto Kathleen¡¯s hand tightly, not willing to let go. Federick smiled lightly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we invite Mr. Macari in for dinner too?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡°Huh?¡± Kathleen was surprised at the suggestion. She then remembered how Samuel looked just before she left. At times when she spoke to him gently, he would break into a smile. Otherwise, Samuel hardly smiled on normal days. Kathleen was afraid that the family would be put off by Samuel¡¯s poker face. Federick smiled. ¡°Just ask him toe in.¡± Kathleen looked rather abashed. ¡°All right then.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. By the time she got downstairs, Samuel had already reached the entrance of the vi. ¡°Mrs. Evans asks you to join us for dinner since you¡¯re here,¡± said Kathleen. Then, she watched him apprehensively and added, ¡°That is if you want toe up.¡± Samuel looked at his timid wife and said coolly, ¡°Why do I get this feeling that you don¡¯t want me to join you?¡± Kathleen shrugged as she replied, ¡°It¡¯s not that. You never introduce your friends to me, but you know all my friends. It doesn¡¯t seem fair.¡± Samuel was at a loss for words. Kathleen looked at him. ¡°So, are youing up?¡± Samuel got down from the car, which indicated that he had epted the invitation. Kathleen brought him upstairs, and they entered the Evans residence together. The Evans family lived in a mansion. Lily was a little hesitant when she saw Samuel. ¡°This is Mrs. Evans, my old neighbor who also watched me grow up. Mrs. Evans, this is my¡­ husband.¡± Kathleen made the necessary introductions. She sounded reluctant to address Samuel as her husband. Samuel¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Mr. Macari, how do you do?¡± Lily greeted Samuel politely. ¡°Mrs. Evans, there¡¯s no need to be so formal. Since you¡¯re Kate¡¯s elder who watched her grow up, you are also my elder.¡± Samuel sounded polite but indifferent and distant. Lily smiled. ¡°Mr. Macari, please take a seat.¡± Samuel nodded. Just then, Federick walked out, carrying Madeline. Madeline was a very adorable girl, and she looked cherubic. She just did not talk much and hardly made eye contact with anyone. ¡°Madeline, say hello to Mr. Macari.¡± Federick guided Madeline patiently. Madeline did not respond. ¡°Just call me Samuel. Doesn¡¯t she call Kate by her name?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was curt and unfriendly. Why should she call me Mr. Macari? Kathleen surreptitiously tugged at Samuel¡¯s sleeve. Do you have to be so petty? Samuel held her soft, tiny hand in his own. Kathleen was unable to pull her hand away. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Federick smiled knowingly and led them to the dining room. When everyone was seated, Federick tried to feed Madeline with a spoon. Madeline was very obedient when she ate. She would only eat when Federick fed her. When Frederick was not feeding her, she would sit by herself quietly. Despite that, Federick was very patient and did not show signs of irritation at all. Kathleen looked enviously at Federick and Madeline. Samuel marinated in resentment when he saw that Kathleen¡¯s gaze was fixed on the father and daughter. Is that guy so good-looking that she has to keep looking at him? ¡°Mr. Macari, do you like kids? If you do, you should have one with Katie. She¡¯s a very good girl. I¡¯m sure she will give birth to a beautiful daughter just like her.¡± Lily got the impression that Samuel was looking at Madeline. Samuel turned to look at Kathleen and replied tly, ¡°She¡¯s still young.¡± What he meant was that they still had many years ahead. Kathleen lowered her head and ate her dinner. I knew it! You were lying when you said you wanted a child previously. Liar! Hypocrite! Kathleen felt her anger building at the thought that Samuel was only trying to sweet-talk her into donating her bone marrow to Nicolette. ¡°Katie, don¡¯t be angry.¡± All of a sudden, Madeline spoke. Stunned, Kathleen looked up and blinked several times. Madeline left her seat and ran up to Kathleen. She reached out her hand to stroke Kathleen¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry.¡± It was a bittersweet moment for Kathleen. She felt that Madeline was such an angel. The little girl could sense that Kathleen was feeling down and wanted tofort her. It was not entirely true that Madeline could notmunicate with anyone outside her world. Kathleen rubbed Madeline¡¯s head fondly. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I won¡¯t get angry.¡± It won¡¯t do my baby any good if I get angry. Delighted, Madeline broke into a smile. Lily was also thrilled. ¡°Kate, you must be Madeline¡¯s guardian angel. She¡¯s only responsive to you.¡± At that moment, Kathleen¡¯s feelings were indescribable. This fragile, delicate girl was actually healing her at the same time. Kathleen¡¯s heart wrenched as she carried Madeline. Shortly after, she released Madeline. ¡°Go and eat, Madeline.¡± Madeline nodded and went back to her seat. Federick smiled. ¡°We should try to get her to interact with others a little every day as part of early intervention. Perhaps one day, she will be able to live like a normal person.¡± At that moment, Kathleen came up with a suggestion. ¡°Federick, why don¡¯t I have a video call with Madeline every day? I can¡¯te here frequently, but I can still talk to her every day. Maybe she can start on early intervention treatment soon.¡± Federick hesitated. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be very troublesome for you?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Not at all. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to trouble you for your help.¡± Federick was more than happy to ept Kathleen¡¯s help. Kathleen beamed. ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s no problem at all.¡± Federick had helped her find a way to make a living. It was only right that she extended a helping hand to his daughter. Soon, they came to an agreement on the matter. After dinner, Kathleen bade the Evans family goodbye. On the way home, Kathleen was staring out of the car window. After a while, her brows became knitted. ¡°This is not the way home.¡± Samuel said impassively, ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to meet my friends. They just asked me out.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. Your friends don¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°They will like you. Aren¡¯t you a little charmer?¡± Samuel teased. Cough! Cough! Kathleen gave him a perplexed look. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯m not lying. They really don¡¯t like me.¡± She knew a few of Samuel¡¯s friends who were very close to him. These friends knew what Samuel liked or disliked. Naturally, they were aware that Samuel liked Nicolette. Hence, they were fiercely protective of Nicolette, no matter how the others perceived her. They felt that Kathleen was a dog in the manger and treated her with disdain. Two years ago, Samuel¡¯s friend had brought him home after he had gotten drunk. She found the friend¡¯s manner toward her distinctly hostile. He even warned her not to harbor any improper thoughts toward Samuel. The incident had left a vivid impression on Kathleen. ¡°You¡¯reining that I don¡¯t bring you along to meet my friends. Now that I¡¯m bringing you, you refuse to go.¡± Samuel voiced his displeasure. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to go. I won¡¯t stop you if you want to go. Let me get off. I can go home myself.¡± Kathleen was feeling a little tired. Samuel remembered the incident when he left her alone by the road. He quickly turned back to take her home. Kathleen continued, ¡°It¡¯s not toote. There are many people out there. You-¡± ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t want to hear any more nonsense from you.¡± Samuel felt a flicker of irritation. He never wanted a repeat of that dreadful episode. Kathleen kept quiet as Samuel drove home. Back at home, Kathleen went to change her clothes, and Samuel went to his study. Just as he was sitting down, his phone rang. ¡°Why are you not here yet?¡± Cedric Tatham asked impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m noting,¡± Samuel replied unemotionally. ¡°Oh, I know. Go keep Nicolettepany then.¡± Cedric took a swipe at Samuel. Samuel lit a cigarette. ¡°It¡¯s not her. I¡¯m with Kathleen.¡± Cedric was astonished to hear Samuel¡¯s response. ¡°Kathleen? You¡¯re going to divorce her soon. Why do you need to be with her?¡± ¡°Who told you I¡¯m going to divorce her?¡± Samuel became annoyed. ¡°I heard it from your grandmother,¡± Cedric replied. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Samuel was taken aback by Cedric¡¯s words. My grandma? Why did she do that? ¡°That isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. You and Nicolette¡¯s suffering is finallying to an end,¡± Cedric replied. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Feeling annoyed, Samuel ended the call. He wanted to call Diana. Nevertheless, he felt that it was unnecessary to do so. For some reason, Samuel felt a pang of sadness at that moment. It made him feel uneasy. Samuel stubbed out his cigarette and went to look for Kathleen. After taking a shower, Kathleen sat on the bed while texting on the phone. Diana texted: Katie, I¡¯ve helped you spread the news of your divorce from Samuel. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Diana followed up with another message: I didn¡¯t expect Samuel to make your rtionship public. Don¡¯t worry. I know many outstanding men. They wouldn¡¯t mind a divorcee. Once again, Kathleen did not know how to reply to Diana. Wynnie added: Me too, Kate. There are plenty of good guys out there. You can choose whoever you like. Calvin texted: I concur. Kathleen was dumbfounded. She did not know how to respond to their suggestions. Suddenly, she felt the presence of a towering figure over her head. Looking up, she realized it was Samuel. He nced at the phone and immediately snatched it out of her hands. Then, Samuel tapped on the phone with his long, slender fingers. He tossed it back to Kathleen before going to the bathroom for a shower. Kathleen immediately picked up her phone to take a look. She saw that Samuel had sent a message in the group chat. Kathleen texted: Add me to the group. Diana and the others did not respond to the message. After all, they were not foolish people. They knew that the person who sent the text was Samuel instead of Kathleen. The group chat fell into an unusual silence. Later in the evening, Samuel came out of the shower wearing ck silk pajamas. Picking up his phone, he called Wynnie. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in bed at this hour?¡± Wynnie asked as soon as she answered the phone. ¡°Add me to the group chat,¡± Samuel said emotionlessly. Wynnie replied softly, ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the group admin,¡± Samuel said indifferently. Wynnie retorted, ¡°So what if I¡¯m the group admin? We created this group chat in preparation for Kate¡¯s divorce. I¡¯ll add you to the group if you agree to divorce her. Are you nning to divorce now? Huh?¡± Without giving his mother a reply, Samuel hung up the phone. His face darkened like a raging storm. Pfft! Kathleen covered her mouth and snickered at him. Turning around in the direction of her voice, Samuel looked at Kathleen. His side profile was stern yet handsome at the same time. Suppressing herugh, Kathleen put her phone down andy on the bed. Samuel did the same and went to bed too. Laying t on the bed, with hands behind his head, he asked, ¡±What are youughing at?¡± ¡°What? Am I not allowed tough?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. He grimaced. ¡°Are you happy to see me suffering?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m delighted,¡± Kathleen admitted. She paused for a moment before adding, ¡°Well, since I can¡¯t handle you, someone else must be able to take you down a peg.¡± ¡°Hah. You¡¯re certainly getting bolder. You aren¡¯t treating me the same way as you did before,¡± Samuel retorted coldly. After some hesitation, she said, ¡°There¡¯s no way back for us. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying, Samuel? We can¡¯t turn back the clock.¡± ¡°Yes, I do. So what?¡± ¡°We should move on with our lives.¡± Kathleen pondered for a moment before continuing, ¡°Perhaps these past three years have been miserable for you. Hence, we should end our rtionship.¡± Was I miserable? I don¡¯t think so. I was very happy spending every day with her. ¡°Don¡¯t mention such matters in the future. Don¡¯t mess around with grandma and my parents. They¡¯re trying to fool us by doing theplete opposite. They want to prevent our divorce,¡± Samuel advised. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I think you misunderstood their intentions. You aren¡¯t someone who would be deceived that easily.¡± ¡°Do you know me well?¡± Samuel asked impassively. Kathleen was stunned by his question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Of course, I don¡¯t know you at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. I would fall for their tricks. Don¡¯t joke around with them anymore. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be the one who¡¯ll be embarrassed in the future,¡± he reminded in a low voice. Kathleen¡¯s lips twitched at his warning. Still, she remained silent. She did not understand what Samuel was trying to say. Nevertheless, she was so exhausted to the point that she did not want to dwell on the matter anymore. As a result of her fatigue, she fell into a deep slumber very quickly. Hearing the sound of breathinging from his side, Samuel turned sideways and held her in his arms. While embracing Kathleen, Samuel whispered in her ear, ¡±We won¡¯t be getting a divorce.¡± After that, he shut his eyes as well. The next day, Kathleen woke up to an empty bed beside her. Thinking that Samuel had left for work, she got up from the bed and walked out of the room. All of a sudden, Kathleen heard a man¡¯s cold voiceing from the living room. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s confirmed. The other party has admitted to it.¡± Frowning, Samuel ordered, ¡°Lock the person up. We can¡¯t let anyone find out about this matter.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°What about the person I asked you to find?¡± Samuel continued probing. ¡°She¡¯s outside.¡± ¡°Ask her toe in,¡± Samuel ordered. Tyson nodded and went out as instructed. ncing sideways, Tyson immediately saw Kathleen. He greeted respectfully, ¡°Mrs. Macari.¡± Samuel turned around and looked at her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± She nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Breakfast¡¯s on the table,¡± Samuel informed quietly. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen walked toward the dining room. Sure enough, her favorite breakfast was set on the dining table. After a while, Samuel led a woman in. The woman was around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old. Despite her average look, she exuded a fearsome aura. Furthermore, her all-ck outfit made her look standoffish. ¡°She¡¯s Sarah, your bodyguard. She will be responsible for your safety from now on. She won¡¯t leave your side at any moment,¡± Samuel uttered monotonously. Kathleen frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t need a bodyguard.¡± ¡°You must ept her. This is for your safety,¡± Samuel replied with a stony expression. Taking a deep breath, Kathleen persisted, ¡°Samuel, if you¡¯re worried about my safety, you should investigate Nicolette instead. She has been trying to harm me on several asions. Why don¡¯t you investigate her? If she¡¯s caught, there won¡¯t be any problem left. Hiring a bodyguard for me isn¡¯t going to solve these problems.¡± Samuel was displeased by her remarks. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to do things.¡± Kathleen knew he would react like that whenever she mentioned Nicolette. In Samuel¡¯s eyes, Nicolette was an angel or a saint who was not capable of harming people. Therefore, he thought that it was Kathleen who ndered Nicolette. At that moment, Kathleen was emotionally exhausted to continue arguing with him. Without saying a word, she continued to eat her breakfast. Samuel¡¯s eyes swept over her coldly. Turning to Sarah, he ordered, ¡°Protect her.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Understood.¡± Sarah nodded in acknowledgement. Then, Sarah nced at Kathleen with a chilling expression. Her eyes were full of contempt. Meanwhile, Kathleen was dissatisfied with Samuel¡¯s arrangement. This isn¡¯t protection at all! It¡¯s surveince. Samuel, you¡¯re too much! Samuel knew that Kathleen was fuming at that moment. Without saying anything, he finished his breakfast and left the house. Like a deted balloon, Kathleen slumped back into the chair. Sarah nced at her and persuaded, ¡°Mr. Macari is doing this to ensure your safety.¡± ¡°So?¡± Kathleen side-eyed her. ¡°So, you¡¯d better don¡¯t be ungrateful,¡± Sarah retorted with obvious displeasure. Kathleen sneered. ¡°So what if I¡¯m being ungrateful? Just ask Samuel to rece me if you don¡¯t like this arrangement.¡± Sarah remained silent. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, can you? However, I can rece you with another bodyguard. Don¡¯t look at me with such a disdainful gaze. You don¡¯t have the right to do so. Even Tyson, who is always by Samuel¡¯s side, wouldn¡¯t dare to re at me like that. I didn¡¯t want to expose you in front of Samuel just now. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m afraid of you,¡± Kathleen said harshly. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Even though Kathleen had always been acting meek toward Samuel, it did not mean that she was a weak person. No matter how weak or docile she was, she would not allow a mere bodyguard to order her around. Sarah looked at Kathleen with displeasure. This woman is so disgusting. She has snatched Samuel from Nicolette. On top of that, she¡¯s acting so arrogantly now. Still, I don¡¯t care how she treats me. After all, Nicolette is the future daughter-inw of the Macari family. Hence, I only need to please Nicolette. Kathleen got up and went back to her room. Left with nowhere else to go, Sarah could only sit in the living room. Samuel went to the hospital. Nicolette was thrilled to see him. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Looking at her coldly, Samuel asked sternly, ¡°Nicolette, I¡¯m giving you one more chance. Did you send anyone to hurt Kathleen?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Nicolette¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Why is he suddenly bringing up this matter again? ¡°The man who injured Benjamin has been caught,¡± Samuel said impassively. Nicolette was stunned. ¡°He couldn¡¯t withstand the torture and came clean about everything.¡± Looking at Nicolette expressionlessly, Samuel asked, ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me why?¡± Nicolette¡¯s eyes instantly brimmed with tears when she heard his usation. Samuel frowned at her. Wiping the tears off her face, Nicolette admitted, ¡±This is because I love you, Samuel. I want to have you. Do you understand how painful it is for me to love you, yet I can¡¯t seem to win your heart? You only think that Kathleen was dismayed by this situation. What about me, then? Do you know what I have to endure in the past three years without you?¡± Samuel remained silent. Nicolette choked back her tears and muttered, ¡°Do you know how much I¡¯ve missed you? I can¡¯t stop thinking about you. Sometimes, I think I¡¯m losing my mind because of you. I want to return to your side. However, I can¡¯t do anything about it. Whenever I wanted to return to the country, I would be stopped by your grandma¡¯s people. If I didn¡¯t get seriously ill this time, they wouldn¡¯t have allowed me toe back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse for you to hurt her.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows in annoyance. Nicolette sniffled. ¡°I know I¡¯ve made a mistake. However, can you me me for wanting to be with you? Samuel, it¡¯s clear that we¡¯re in love with each other. Kathleen is the third wheel here.¡± ¡°It was my family who forced me to marry Kathleen. She had no say in this.¡± Samuel corrected her in a chilling tone. ¡°Nicolette, I won¡¯t expose you for what you did this time. However, you mustn¡¯t do this again. Do you understand?¡± Tugging at the hem of Samuel¡¯s clothes, Nicolette implored, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Samuel. I know I¡¯ve troubled you.¡± Mixed feelings surged within Samuel as he saw her bursting into tears. He looked up and stroked Nicolette¡¯s head. ¡°Stop crying.¡± Sniffling loudly, Nicolette suggested, ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s get married. Even if I only have one day left to live, I still want to marry you. I want to die in your arms. Then, I will die without regrets.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on curing your illness first.¡± Upon hearing his words, Nicolette bit her lip. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t want to divorce Kathleen now. What am I going to do? I¡¯ll be left with nothing at this rate! It seems like I have to use myst resort. The chaos seemed to have died down after two days. Samuel returned home at noon. Looking at him with surprise, Kathleen probed, ¡°Why are you back?¡± ¡°Well, there are some problems with the business over in Frosa. I need to go there to resolve the matter,¡± Samuel exined monotonously. Walking over to his side, Kathleen asked, ¡°How long will you be gone?¡± ¡°A week,¡± Samuel answered. A week? Hooray! That means I can finally enjoy some time alone! Arching an eyebrow, Samuel teased, ¡°You seem thrilled to see me leaving the country.¡± ¡°No.¡± Lowering the corners of her mouth forcefully, Kathleen said, ¡°Look, I¡¯m not smiling.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened at once. ¡°You¡¯d better stay at home throughout this week. You¡¯re not allowed to go anywhere else.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips at his warning. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone watch over you.¡± Kathleen pouted in disdain. After Samuel had packed his luggage, Kathleen deliberately walked him to the door. Seeing the oing elevator, Samuel instantly pulled Kathleen into his arms. He cupped her chin with his huge hand, forcing her to look at him. Then, he lowered his head and kissed her with his cool, thin lips. He was dying to taste all of her sweetness at that moment. Samuel only stopped kissing her passionately when the elevator arrived. The corners of Kathleen¡¯s eyes glimmered with tears at that moment. It made her look enchanting and charming. ¡°You!¡± Kathleen red at him. Stroking her head gently, Samuel reminded her, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a week.¡± Hmph! Kathleen spun around to avoid his gaze. Nheless, that did not stop Samuel from kissing her lips again. ¡°Kate, we aren¡¯t getting a divorce. Just wait for me.¡± Kathleen felt that he was just coaxing her. Letting go of her, Samuel entered the elevator. He fixed his gaze on her until the elevator doors closed. Only then did Kathleen let out a long sigh of relief. So what if Samuel said he doesn¡¯t want to divorce me? After all, I¡¯m no match for his first crush. Back in the hospital ward, Nicolette looked at the lock of hair in her palm. She was heartbroken by her heavy hair loss. At that moment, her phone rang. Picking up the phone, she asked coldly, ¡°Has Samuel left yet?¡± ¡°He¡¯s already at the airport. When should we make our move?¡± Biting her lip, Nicolette instructed, ¡°Wait a little longer. We have to make sure that he¡¯s no longer in the country.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Samuel will be mad at you when he returns home?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried at all. Samuel still has me in his heart. What¡¯s done is done. What can he do about it? Kathleen thinks she¡¯s better than me. Ha! She has overestimated herself! I¡¯m going to show her who¡¯sContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. the most important person for Samuel,¡± Nicolette said disdainfully. ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± The other party hung up the phone. Nicolette¡¯s gaze turned gloomy when she looked at the lock of hair in her palm again. Soon, I will have a healthy body. At longst, that day wille! Later that evening, Kathleen came out of her room to have dinner. Maria left after she finished preparing dinner. Meanwhile, Sarah was sitting in the living room. Kathleen did not bother to invite her to eat together. I¡¯m not dumb enough to invite someone who loathes me to have dinner. Sitting down, she picked up her fork and put some vegetables on her te. She then began eating. Nevertheless, Kathleen felt very sleepy as she ate. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. Sarah came over to Kathleen¡¯s side and gave her a nudge. After making sure that she had fallen asleep, Sarah immediately made a call. ¡°Drive the car over. I¡¯ll bring her down in three minutes.¡± With that, she ended the call. Holding Kathleen up, Sarah took her outside the house. By the time Kathleen regained her consciousness, she noticed something was amiss. She snapped her eyes open and realized that she was in a hospital. Furthermore, she was tied to the hospital bed with a doctor and nurse standing in front of her. ¡°What the hell are you guys doing?¡± Kathleen yelled in panic. The doctor replied emotionlessly, ¡°We¡¯re going to do the bone marrow transnt for Ms. Yoegerter tonight.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Kathleen¡¯s blood ran cold when she heard the doctor¡¯s reply. ¡°How dare you do this without my consent!¡± The doctor took out the consent form for the bone marrow donation. ¡°Look. You¡¯ve already pressed your thumbprint here.¡± Gritting her teeth, Kathleen barked, ¡°You pressed my thumbprint while I was unconscious. I¡¯m the wife of Samuel Macari! How dare you do this to me?¡± ¡°Do you think we would go through this procedure without getting Mr. Macari¡¯s permission?¡± the doctor rebutted her indifferently. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Kathleen was stupefied. ¡°Mr. Macari was heartbroken when he saw how much pain Ms. Yoeger had to suffer from the chemotherapy. That¡¯s why he asked us to bring you here and do the surgery on Ms. Yoegerter.¡± With that, the doctor picked up the needle before sticking it into Kathleen¡¯s arm. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°I do not believe it!¡± Kathleen was struggling. She panicked upon seeing her blood being drawn from her body. ¡°Ms. Johnson, we have the written authorization from Mr. Macari.¡± The doctor took out another agreement. Kathleen looked at the signature on the agreement, it was indeed the exact signature from Samuel¡¯s note. How could he! He said he did not want divorce yesterday, but today he is taking my bone marrow forcefully like this! I am still pregnant with a baby! ¡°Let go of me now!¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were all red. ¡°If anything happens to me, Old Mrs. Macari will never let you get away with this!¡± Sarah replied, ¡°Wake up now, as long as Mr. Macari is putting Ms. Yoeger under his care, even old Mrs. Macari cannot do anything.¡± ¡°You!¡± Kathleen said with her teeth grinding. Sarah let out a sarcasticugh and said, ¡°Why do you think Mr. Macari asked me to be your bodyguard all of a sudden? It was to keep an eye on you and to make sure you don¡¯t run away.¡± Kathleen could not move with her hands and feet tied up. ¡°Help!¡± Facing the door, she screamed. ¡°Help!¡± ¡°There is no need to shout, no one wille to your rescue. Don¡¯t you know what time it is now? There are not many doctors and nurses around in the hospital now. Even if someone heard you, they will not Kathleen can feel her blood being drawn away from her. They were not giving her a blood transfusion, meaning they took her blood out and extracted the bone marrow. Then, they did not replenish blood back to her body. Instead, they just let her blood drain. Kathleen felt that her body was getting colder and colder. Samuel, you are too inhumane! You think it would be okay if you asked someone to do it after you left? Sheughed in her heart with scorn. As I guessed, he was nice before this but it was all fake. It was just for me to put my guard down. He¡¯s too cruel. ¡°Is Kathleen inside?¡± Suddenly, Gemma¡¯s voice could be hearding from outside. There were people guarding the door. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Get lost now!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on inside?¡± Gemma frowned and said, ¡°Kathleen are you in there?¡± ¡°Gemma, hurry! Go get Old Mrs. Macari, ask her to¡­¡± Kathleen let out a groan and did not manage to finish her sentence. She was hoping for Gemma to get Diana to save her. However, she was knocked unconscious by Sarah before she could do so. From the sound of it, Gemma sensed something was not right. She quickly turned and run. Gemma had Wynnie¡¯s contact, so she would be able to get to Diana by contacting thetter. Unfortunately, she was caught by Sarah before she could run far. Sarah was better than most ordinary people, and she was brutal and sharp in her attacks. She knocked Gemma out and casually put her outside the operating room. After they got the bone marrow, the doctor hurried over to perform the operation on Nicolette. No one cared about Kathleen. They all thought she would wake up by herself as time passed. No one noticed she was bleeding down there; little by little until her whole body was red from the blood. Gemma suddenly awakened, but she could not stand up. Sarah was very harsh in her attack and she hit on Gemma¡¯s nerve. As a result, Gemma felt weak on her feet. She knew nothing could be done even if she crawled in by then. Whatever had happened in there, she was powerless to stop it from urring. Getting someone to give Kathleen her justice was the most important thing at the moment. She took out her phone from her pocket and dialed Wynnie, unsure if she had already gone to bed at that hour. ¡°Ms. Young?¡± Wynnie was still awake. Gemma¡¯s neck was still in pain. So much so to the extent that she had to break her sentence up. ¡°Mrs. Macari¡­ Hospital, save Kathleen¡­ Quick!¡± Save Kathleen? ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Wynnie hung up the call and got off the bed. Calvin frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong Darling?¡± ¡°Something might have happened to Kathleen, I need to go to the hospital,¡± Wynnie replied in a serious tone. Calvin was concerned too. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± They quickly changed and headed out. Gemma felt somewhat relieved. She struggled to get up to a sitting position, leaning on the wall. At that moment, the door in front of her was opened. A nurse hurried out and looked for the doctor. ¡°Doctor, we have a problem. Kathleen is losing a lot of blood!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I have no idea, but I think we¡¯vended ourselves in big trouble. We cannot afford to bear the responsibility if she dies.¡± The doctor¡¯s face turned gloomy and said, ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll go find out.¡± The doctor entered the operating room. He came out after a while. ¡°Ms. Yoeger said since nothing can be done now, we do not need to do anything. Send her straight to the morgue. Mr. Macari will not ask much when he is back anyway,¡± the doctor said mercilessly. ¡°Save her!¡± Gemma¡¯s voice was weak. ¡°I beg you, save her!¡± The nurse felt troubled too. She knew this operation should not happen. Now, they were in a bad situation. ¡°She¡¯s already dead,¡± the doctor said coldly. ¡°It can¡¯t be! She can¡¯t die just like that!¡± Gemma started crawling over. She pulled the cuff of the doctor¡¯s pants and said, ¡°I¡¯m begging you. Please save her!¡± The doctor shoved Gemma aside with a kick. ¡°Get lost! Don¡¯t you stand in my way of treating Mrs. Macari-to-be!¡± The doctor went back to the next room without turning his head after finishing his sentence. The nurse looked at Gemma with an expression that said there was nothing she could do. Gemma wanted to beg her, but the nurse stepped back and said, ¡°She really is going to stop breathing. I¡¯ll go get someone to send her to the morgue.¡± Gemma was terrified. If Kathleen was sent to the morgue, then it would be the end for her. ¡°No! No!¡± Gemma shook her head. She flung herself at the nurse and gripped her legs. ¡°I will not let you go!¡± She had to hang in there until Wynnie came; she had to hold on. Sarah came out from the next room at that moment. Seeing Gemma holding on to the nurse, she walked over and kicked her. Gemma felt immense pain, but she gritted her teeth and did not let go. Sarah then kicked her again on her head. Still, Gemma did not loosen her grip. Upon seeing that, Sarah was furious. ¡°You don¡¯t know who you are dealing with.¡± She pulled at Gemma¡¯s cor and hit her head on the wall. Instantly, blood started spilling all around. ¡°Ah!¡± The nurse was shocked. ¡°You are going to kill another person!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I am doing,¡± Sarah said without emotion. ¡°Go get someone.¡± The nurse nodded. Gemma did not have any strength in her anymore. That was all that she could do for Kathleen. In the end, she was thrown aside to the wall like a garbage bag. Sarah gestured and said, ¡°If you cause any trouble again, I¡¯ll throw you to the morgue!¡± Not long after that, the nurse was back with two people with her. They were holding a body bag, and they put Kathleen in it. Kathleen was breathing very weakly and her face was as pale as a sheet. There were no signs of any reaction from her. They put Kathleen onto a trolley and were ready to push her away. Wynnie and Calvin arrived right at that moment. However, they did not know that Kathleen was in the body bag. They only noticed Gemma. ¡°Ms. Young, are you all right?¡± Wynnie helped Gemma up. Gemma had notpleted fainted; she weakly pointed at Kathleen who was being pushed away. Wynnie frowned, but Calvin understood her. Hemanded in an icy voice, ¡°Don¡¯t move¡± The nurse and the two people were greatly terrified as they thought no one woulde to rescue Kathleen. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Calvin walked over and unzipped the body bag. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Kathleen¡¯s lifeless face appeared inside. ¡°Kate!¡± Calvin clenched his teeth in anger and stared at the nurse. ¡°How dare you!¡± Wynnie moved Gemma aside and walked toward them. She then put her finger below Kathleen¡¯s nostrils and said, ¡°She¡¯s still breathing.¡± ¡°Go and call a doctor over! Or I¡¯ll make your entire family pay for her.¡± Calvin red at the nurse and raged. The nurse was terrified and dashed to find the doctor. Wynnie burst out in tears. ¡°What should we do? If something really happens to Kate, how should we exin it to her parents?¡± Calvin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°The Macari family will give her a reasonable exnation.¡± Soon, the doctors came over. Luckily, there were a few doctors on duty that night. They then rushed Kathleen to the operating room for emergency treatment. Gemma went into the operating room as well. After a while, a nurse came toward Calvin and Wynnie. She then said, ¡°Kathleen¡¯s family? I need your signature here.¡± Wynnie answered, ¡°I¡¯m her mother-inw; let me sign for her.¡± The nurse hesitated for a second and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s her husband?¡± Wynnie paused. ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip. Am I allowed to sign for her?¡± The nurse replied, ¡°She has been three months pregnant. But due to the excessive blood loss, there¡¯s no hope for the baby to survive.¡± ¡°What?¡± Calvin and Wynnie froze. Kathleen is pregnant? But the baby could not survive? In just a few seconds, waves of mixed emotions flooded them, sending them through an emotional roller coaster. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them!¡± Wynnie was infuriated. The nurse pursed her lips. ¡°Please sign for her then. When she¡¯s awake, you have to give her good comfort. She was about to have twins, after all.¡± Wynnie was taken aback. Twins? I lost two of my grandchildren instantly in one night? Calvin fell into silence and signed the paper. He knew that Wynnie was already falling apart. The nurse went into the operating room with the signed surgical consent form. Calvin wrapped his arm around Wynnie¡¯s shoulder and consoled, ¡°Darling¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡­Ha¡­¡± She then smirked. ¡°I really want to kill Nicolette right now! Like right now!¡± ¡°I know.¡± His expression was even more sullen. Nicolette, how dare you! ¡°I¡¯m not going to let a single person who takes part in this tonight off the hook easily!¡± she furiously stated. Upon hearing her words, Calvin nodded. He wouldn¡¯t let them off easily as well. A momentter, Simon and his subordinates brought Sarah over. Sarah got down on her knees. ¡°Sir. Madam.¡± ¡°Tell me! Who ordered you to do this?¡± Calvin asked coldly. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Macari,¡± she answered. ¡°Impossible!¡± Wynnie red at her. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever use Samuel as an excuse! Tell me! Was it Nicolette?¡± ¡°Madam, it¡¯s really Mr. Macari. I have proof,¡± Sarah replied. ¡°Where is it?¡± Calvin asked. Sarah took out her phone and said, ¡°Mr. Macari sent me a voice message.¡± Calvin took over her phone and clicked into the voice message. Samuel¡¯s cold deep voice was heard: ¡°You will do whatever Nicolette wants you to do. Her words are mine. ¡° Wynnie was stunned. Could it really be Samuel? However, Calvin kept the phone away and uttered, ¡°I will send someone to investigate. I¡¯m sure that you know what you¡¯ve done!¡± ¡°Sir, I did nothing wrong.¡± Sarah paused for a while and continued, ¡°Mr. Macari likes Ms. Yoeger the most. If she is safe and healthy, Mr. Macari will be happy. As for Kathleen, just give her a sum of money.¡± p! Wynnie gave a hard p in Sarah¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re just a f*cking servant! Who are you to tell me what to do? You don¡¯t even deserve to carry Kathleen¡¯s shoes!¡± Sarah was flushed with pain. ¡°Do you think that if you please Nicolette, she will defend you in front of Samuel?¡± Wynnie ordered coldly, ¡°You two, take her away. Give her your most severe punishment so she will remember!¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± The two men that brought Sarah forward took her away again. Wynnie could not stop trembling in anger. ¡°Let¡¯s not tell Mom about this. She will¡­¡± Calvin was worried. Wynnie nodded. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she said, ¡°What should we tell Kate when she¡¯s awake?¡± Calvin¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Give Samuel a call and ask him to get back home right now.¡± Wynnie sniffled. ¡°He is probably still on the flight. We can only give him a call after he disembarks from the ne.¡± Calvin took a nce at his watch and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± Wynnie took out her phone and called Samuel. Indeed, the call went through shortly. ¡°Mom? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Samuel, book the earliest ticket ande back now. Something happened to Kathleen. If you don¡¯t hurry, you¡¯ll lose her forever.¡± Wynnie was trying hard to control her anger while talking to Samuel. ¡°What happened?¡± Samuel¡¯s heart sank. He looked at Tyson and ordered, ¡°Go and book the earliest return ticket.¡± Tyson was astounded. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes. Right now,¡± Samuel replied to Tyson coldly. He then asked, ¡°Mom, tell me. What happened to Kathleen?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you¡¯re back.¡± Wynnie hung up the phone straight once she finished her words. Samuel called again, but she did not pick it up. He then called Kathleen, but no one answered. What happened exactly? Was there an ident? On the other hand, Kathleen dreamed of two cute little boys holding her hands. She crouched in front of them. ¡°You two are simply too adorable.¡± One of the boys held her hand and said, ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re sorry.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Mommy,¡± the one who replied to her was cute. Another was cool but cute at the same time. They looked exactly the same. Kathleen was astonished. ¡°Cutie, are you mistaken? I¡¯m not your mommy. My kids have not been born yet. But they will being to the world soon in just a few more months.¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± the other cool boy replied her. Confused, Kathleen asked, ¡°Why not?¡± The cute little boy interrupted the cool boy and chuckled. ¡°That means we need to go now.¡± Kathleen was stunned for a second. ¡°You want to go and find your mommy?¡± The cute little boy hugged her, then said in a mellow voice, ¡°Mommy, please don¡¯t be sad. We know that you love us very much. We love you too. But we have no choice¡­ We need to go now.¡± The cool little boy hugged Kathleen as well. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re kind of stupid. Please take care of yourself, so we do not need to worry. We would have sworn to protect our silly little mommy when we grew up. But we can¡¯t anymore¡­¡± ¡°You are my kids?¡± Kathleen asked with a frown. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be devastated. It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯ll allow you to miss us. However, you mustn¡¯t be demoralized because of the overwhelming grief.¡± The cool boy let go of Kathleen and stared at her face. ¡°My stupid mommy, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t make us worried¡­ We have to go now.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t! Please don¡¯t go!¡± Kathleen hugged them once again with tears in her eyes. She knew it in an instant. They were her babies. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 The cool boy patted her head. ¡°You¡¯re so silly, Mommy. You¡¯ll turn ugly if you keep crying.¡± He sounded like he was going to cry, yet his voice was still very gentle. On the other hand, the cute boy started crying loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you, Mommy. But I know that we cannot stay.¡± Kathleen shook her head vigorously. ¡°No! What can I do to make the two of you stay with me? Please tell me.¡± ¡°Forget about it, Mommy. You should leave that man if you want to be happy,¡± the cool boy said. The cute one nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen looked at them nkly, tears rolling down her cheeks. The two young boys stepped away from her. They sped their hands together and waved her goodbye. Secondster, they disappeared from her sight. ¡°No! Don¡¯t go! I¡¯m begging you. Please don¡¯t go!¡± Kathleen knelt on the ground and screamed. However, no matter how much she pleaded, her precious children were gone. They were gone and left her for good. Kathleen burst into tears, her agonized wails echoing through the room. It was all my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have married Samuel. My little boys came into existence full of excitement and happiness, but they had to leave in utter disappointment. I don¡¯t care how Samuel treats me. However, my babies are innocent. They are innocent! ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Kathleen was racked with guilt. Suddenly, a bright light shed in front of her. As she slowly regained consciousness, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Am I not dreaming anymore? Is this reality? My babies are gone. Then, Samuel¡¯s husky voice echoed from beside her. ¡°Kate, you¡¯re awake! You¡¯ve been unconscious for three days. Do you feel unwell?¡± Disgust surged in Kathleen¡¯s heart when she heard his voice. She grabbed a fistful of the nket and asked, ¡°Where are my babies?¡± Samuel paused for a moment before replying, ¡°They¡­¡± Kathleen scoffed coldly as she gave him a sidelong nce. There were hints of dejection in Samuel¡¯s expression. When he saw the strange smile on Kathleen¡¯s face, he frowned. ¡°Now that Nicolette¡¯s leukemia has been cured and my children are gone, the two of you no longer have any obstacles standing in your way. You can be happy together now and stop causing misery for others.¡± Kathleen scoffed. Her eyes were filled with coldness and despair. Samuel¡¯s brows knitted into a deeper frown. ¡°What on earth are you talking about? I can¡¯t just abandon you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend to be a nice guy. Isn¡¯t this all part of your n, Samuel? You suddenly started treating me nicely and even retracted your decision to divorce me. But it was just so I would lower my guard against you. You hired Sarah to protect me, but your real intention was to have her drug me andnd me in the hospital. That way, your lover will be able to get my bone marrow! Everything had been meticulously nned by you!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make Sarah do that. She made that decision herself,¡± Samuel replied sternly. Kathleen gritted her teeth. ¡°Everyone knows what a heavy price they would have to pay if they disobeyed you. Would she have dared to drug me if you hadn¡¯t ordered her to? Would anyone in the hospital have the guts to?¡± Samuel fell silent and did not utter a word. Ever since I found out about everything, I knew it woulde to this. I knew Kathleen would hate me because of her children. She didn¡¯t tell me about her pregnancy because she didn¡¯t trust me. ¡°Please calm down. The doctor said that you must not get agitated. You have to take good care of yourself and recuperate. Otherwise, your health will continue to suffer.¡± Kathleen let out a sarcasticugh. ¡°Haha! You¡¯re right. There is always a risk of leukemiaing back. When that timees, I still have to donate my bone marrow to your beloved.¡± Samuel frowned and gazed at her sadly. ¡°Kathleen, can you please not speak to me like that?¡± ¡°If you hate the way I speak or don¡¯t want to listen to me, you can leave. Stop wasting time caring for me and worry about Nicolette instead. Get out! I don¡¯t want to look at you.¡± Kathleen feltpletely exhausted. Samuel grimaced. ¡°Kathleen.¡± ¡°Get out! Scram! I don¡¯t want to see you. I don¡¯t want to see the person who caused my children to die!¡± Samuel froze when he heard her words. Is she saying that I was the one who killed them? Right at that moment, Wynnie entered the room. Frowning, she turned to Samuel and said, ¡°Leave, Samuel. Are you trying to drive her to her grave?¡± Samuel felt his heart squeeze painfully. ¡°Take care of her on my behalf, Mom.¡± With that, he spun on his heel and left. Soon after, Kathleen¡¯s heart-wrenching wails sounded from inside the ward. Samuel¡¯s eyes were slightly reddened as well. He stormed over to Nicolette¡¯s ward, practically shaking with rage. There, Nicolette was lying in bed, looking a lot better than before. The doctor had informed her that her white blood cell count was almost back to normal, and she would be able to get discharged soon. Nicolette was overjoyed at the news. I didn¡¯t expect Kathleen¡¯s bone marrow to be such a good match. If I had known, I would have taken it way earlier. She also lost her children, but I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s just a baby. I can give birth to one for Samuel; Kathleen doesn¡¯t need to go through the trouble. However, it¡¯s been a few days since Samuel returned, but he hasn¡¯te to visit me even once. He hasn¡¯t even appeared anywhere. I¡¯m kind of worried. Sarah and everyone else who was involved in that incident had been captured by Samuel. They¡¯re in a dire situation right now. But even if they die, I won¡¯t be too worried because I finally have a healthy body. Right now, I need to focus on capturing Samuel¡¯s heart and bing Mrs. Macari. Just then, she heard footsteps from outside. The door was pushed open, and Samuel came in with a gloomy expression on his face. ¡°Samuel! You¡¯re here! I thought you had forgotten about me.¡± Nicolette gazed at him expectantly. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. However, he stared back at her indifferently. ¡°Why did you use my name to do that?¡± Nicolette replied unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s because they wouldn¡¯t help me if I said it was my decision.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should know that I didn¡¯t give you permission to harm her,¡± Samuel spat coldly. ¡°Why are you so upset, Samuel?¡± Nicolette pouted at him. ¡°I know I was wrong, and I should have told you. But I just did my treatment, so my entire body hurts. I really don¡¯t feel well.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened as he continued to stare at her. Nicolette felt even more aggrieved. ¡°And how was I supposed to know she was pregnant? She didn¡¯t say so. Moreover, she kept it from you even though you were about to divorce her. She obviously wanted to use the child as a trump card! Now that she lost her child, she can forget about it. We¡¯ll just give her more money aspensation.¡± Samuel looked at her coldly and asked, ¡°Do you think that this incident will end just like that?¡± ¡°How else would it end?¡± Nicolette puffed her cheeks. ¡°I can kneel and beg for her forgiveness. That¡¯ll do it, right?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Think about it, Samuel. She¡¯s the one who broke us up, but I didn¡¯t take revenge against her. She has been with you for three years. Isn¡¯t that more than enough? It¡¯s even better that she didn¡¯t have kids. It would be easier for the two of you to sever ties after the divorce.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened. ring at her coldly, he reached out and grabbed Nicolette¡¯s wrist. ¡°Do you think this is a small matter? That was my child!¡± ¡°Why are you so angry, Samuel? It¡¯s just a child. I can give birth to as many children as you want,¡± she replied softly. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Samuel narrowed his eyes and stared at Nicolette¡¯s face coldly. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy.¡± Nicolette froze. ¡°Samuel, you¡­ What did you say?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Samuel threw her a sharp gaze and condemned, ¡°Nicolette, you shouldn¡¯t have crossed my bottom line.¡± Nicolette was shocked. ¡°Your bottom line?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be Kathleen.¡± Samuel stated coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of hurting her as the price to save you.¡± ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve no idea that she was pregnant.¡± Nicolette was still trying to defend herself, ¡°I merely wanted to regain my health as soon as I could so that I can get married to you. Samuel, we missed out on three years. I don¡¯t wish to waste any day from now on. Let¡¯s get together peacefully, shall we?¡± Samuel stared at her indifferently. ¡°If worse came to worst, I¡¯ll make it up to Kathleen with you from now onward. I¡¯ll be her servant and do whatever she asks me to. Is that all right?¡± Nicolette pleaded with aggrievance, ¡°Samuel, you should be worried about me too. I almost died.¡± Samuel¡¯s vicious re emitted coldness. ¡°Your life is precious, but aren¡¯t my babies¡¯ lives too?¡± Stunned, a shiver ran down Nicolette¡¯s spine. She had never seen Samuel looking at her with such a terrifying gaze. Looking at the dignified man, who was exuding an intimidating aura in front of her, Nicolette was anxious and petrified. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m sorry. If you want children, I¡¯ll bear them for you. All right?¡± Nicolette¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. Samuel threw her a cold gaze and turned around to leave. ¡°S-Samuel!¡± Nicolette shouted at his back. She knew that there would probably be no turning back for Samuel once he walked away like that. D*mn it! If Kathleen were not pregnant, Samuel wouldn¡¯t get so enraged. However, that did not matter, as Nicolette felt that she remained important to Samuel since he was indebted to her for saving his life. As long as his real savior never showed up, she could make use of his weakness to her advantage to be entangled with him forever. In the ward, Kathleen was still weeping miserably in Wynnie¡¯s arms. Wynnie wasforting her, ¡°Kate, I understand that you must be very upset. But your healthes first. Crying like this is not good for your body.¡± Kathleen whimpered. ¡°Mom, keep this from Grandma. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± Hearing her words, Wynnie¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°All right. I get it.¡± Kathleen loosened her hold on Wynnie and wiped away her tears. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Despite what she imed to be, Wynnie was very worried for her. How can Kathleen be fine after losing two kids? Wynnie would find it normal if Kathleen let it all out or caused a ruckus. However, with her behaving that way, Wynnie was worried sick of her. It was probably not a good thing if she did not vent her pent-up frustration. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m tired.¡± Kathleen¡¯s pale and delicate face revealed weariness. Wynnie had consulted the doctor. Kathleen¡¯s body was seriously damaged and would probably take a few years to recuperate. Moreover, she could not have a baby within a year or two. Otherwise, both she and her baby would be in danger. What Kathleen needed right now was a good rest. ¡°All right. Go to sleep. I won¡¯t disturb you then.¡± Wynnie understood her feelings. Kathleen nodded andy down. She needed silence and deep thoughts. With Wynnie around, she could not do so. Seeing her lying down, Wynnie tucked the nket in for her before turning around to leave the ward. She bumped into Samuel outside. Upon seeing Samuel, she immediately raised her hand and pped him. Wynnie had held this p back for three days. She held it back when Samuel had just returned, as Kathleen was unconscious with her life at stake at that time. Now that Kathleen was out of danger, Wynnie could not hold herself back any longer. ¡°Did you go to see that woman again?¡± Samuel was expressionless after getting a p in his face. ¡°I merely went there to make things clear.¡± ¡°What else do you have to say to her?¡± Wynnie reprimanded in rage, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you teach her a lesson and put her in jail?¡± Samuel fell into silence. ¡°How could you still show mercy to her.¡± Wynnie scolded furiously, ¡°Are you going to realize how wicked she is only after Kathleen is dead?¡± ¡°Mom, I know what to do.¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice was filled with coldness. ¡°Don¡¯t bother about it.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Wynnie scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t bother? This is what Kathleen has to suffer when I stay out of it! You¡¯ve made me lose two unborn grandsons!¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Why? Are you unhappy with me scolding you like this?¡± Wynnie snapped, ¡°Samuel, Kathleen¡¯s never going to forgive you with this!¡± Never forgive me? That¡¯s true. I don¡¯t deserve it. ¡°Kathleen even reminded me just now to keep this matter from Grandma.¡± Wynnie¡¯s heart ached. ¡°She¡¯s such a good woman, and you¡¯ve gone ahead and ruined her.¡± After that, she turned around and left. With a grim face, Samuel turned around to enter the ward. Kathleen was simply lying down. Looking at her exquisite yet pale face, which was as white as a sheet, Samuel¡¯s heart ached. She was delicate and soft in the first ce, not to mention her sickly look, which could move the hearts of everyone who came across her. The pathetic sight of her made Samuel wish he could care for her dearly by holding her in his arms. ¡°Kate.¡± Samuel asked in a husky voice, ¡°Are you hungry?¡± With her pale lips pursed for a moment, Kathleen replied, ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t want to see you. My body is too weak right now, so I don¡¯t want to scream at you. Can you leave me alone, seeing that I¡¯ve just lost my two kids?¡± Samuel sat down instead and reached out to hold her hands. Kathleen dodged his outstretched hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Samuel instantly felt a twinge in his heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tears started rolling down Kathleen¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Sorry? My two babies died in vain with a mere apology in return. Are their lives this worthless?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Samuel never expected Kathleen to think of it that way. ¡°What else could you mean then?¡± The normally sweet voice of Kathleen had now be insouciant. ¡°How are you going to make it up for my two kids?¡± ¡°Kate, let¡¯s live together nicely from now on. We can still have kids.¡± Samuelforted her with a thoughtful gaze, ¡°Don¡¯t be like this.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Kathleen let out a bitter and sarcastic chuckle until tears streamed from her eyes. ¡°So what you mean is you¡¯re just going to let Nicolette off the hook and leave this matter unsettled. Am I right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Then how do you n on punishing her? Are you going to make her pay with her life for my babies, or do you have something else nned?¡± Kathleen questioned coldly. The aura she was exuding right then was dangerous and chilly,pletely different from her normally gentle and cute demeanor. She now appeared cold yet fragile. ¡°Kate, I won¡¯t care about her anymore. I promise.¡± Samuel grabbed her hand. ¡°I¡¯m actually the one responsible for this. I¡¯ve failed to train my subordinates right, which was why they were daring enough to do such a thing behind my back. You can just punish me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s long eyshes quivered, and her gaze glinted with coldness. ¡°Samuel, of course, you¡¯re not innocent either. Both you and Nicolette should die. Do you understand?¡± Her hatred for Samuel was more intense than that for Nicolette. Stiffened, Samuel looked at her. ¡°If you had let me go earlier, I¡¯d have left this ce by now, and my babies wouldn¡¯t die too.¡± Despair brimmed in Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you and Nicolette, you adulterous pair!¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Samuel¡¯s expression stiffened. No matter how Kathleen cursed at him, he had noints. However, when he heard her expressing her desire to leave, he unknowingly felt very flustered. ¡°Samuel, I can¡¯t endure living another day with you anymore. Let¡¯s get a divorce immediately.¡± Kathleen bit her lips. ¡°I only feel disgusted at the sight of you now.¡± A cold aura exuded from Samuel¡¯s body. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were pregnant?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Kathleen let out a sneer. ¡°Nothing would have changed even if I told you. Previously, when I asked you what I should do if I got pregnant, you said to abort the baby.¡± Samuel froze at that. He recalled he had indeed spoken such words. Back then, he didn¡¯t expect himself to fall head over heels for Kathleen in the future. That was why he said that. However, his feelings for Kathleen eventually changed. He discovered he had started to like the woman. If she told me she was pregnant, I would definitely not¡­ Teardrops were hanging on Kathleen¡¯s eyshes. ¡°Samuel, on ount of my good behavior for the past three years, can you please divorce me? I no longer love you anymore.¡± Kathleen absolutely had no more feelings for this man. She could put the past matters aside. Nevertheless, now that Samuel nned to let Nicolette off this easily, she could neither bring herself to forgive him nor continue to live with him. ¡°You should get some rest,¡± Samuel¡¯s guttural voice sounded. Kathleen was undeniably exhausted to the point that she didn¡¯t want to argue with Samuel any further. She closed her eyes and ignored himpletely. Kathleen also withdrew her hand from Samuel¡¯s grip and turned her back toward him. Samuel felt an influx of grief in his heart and the pangs of pain that followed. He waited for Kathleen to fall asleep before getting up to leave. Samuel came to the ce where Sarah and the others were locked up. Those who had a part in harming Kathleen were all captured. They were kneeling before Samuel, their eyes brimming with despair. ¡°Mr. Macari, I thought the instruction came from you.¡± Sarah trembled in fear. Samuel coldly responded, ¡°I only ordered you to protect my wife!¡± ¡°The voice sounded exactly like you,¡± Sarah exined. Samuel¡¯s eyes resembled a bottomless abyss that could devour everything. ¡°Do you think I would ask you to protect her and then order you to drug and harm her the next second?¡± Sarah bit her lips and remained silent. ¡°Also, I discovered someone installed Trojan in your phone and manipted it. That voice message did note from me at all.¡± Samuel adopted a chilly tone. Sarah insisted, ¡°Mr. Macari, I truly have no idea what is going on! I really know nothing!¡± A cold light flickered in Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°One will only learn his lesson in the face of death!¡± ¡°Do it!¡± Samuel leaned back slightly. Two bodyguards came forward and dragged Sarah before a pool. Realizing what they were about to do to her, Sarah struggled to break free with all her might. ¡°Mr. Macari, please don¡¯t do this. I beg you to give me another chance. I¡¯ll wholeheartedly protect Mrs. Macari.¡± Nheless, the expression in Samuel¡¯s eyes remained cold and detached. Tyson said to the two guards, ¡°What are you guys waiting for?¡± Without hesitation, the guards dunked Sarah into the pool. When it was almost time, they pulled her up and repeated the same action until Sarah couldn¡¯t withstand it anymore. Despite that, Samuel didn¡¯t ask his men to stop. The doctor and nurses kneeling at the side quivered when they witnessed the scene. ¡°Mr. Macari, please spare us,¡± the doctor whimpered. ¡°We truly thought you were the one who gave us the order. We also assumed you would do anything for Ms. Yoeger since you love her so much.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do anything for her?¡± Ruthlessness shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mr. Macari, you can¡¯t me us for that. Nicolette was the one who said so,¡± the doctor pleaded. Samuel merely snorted. ¡°What led you to have such a misconception?¡± The doctor anxiously replied, ¡°Mr. Macari, didn¡¯t you visit Nicolette often in the hospital and shower her with care because you adore her more than Kathleen? In particr, you would always apany her back to the Yoeger residence even though her family loathed her. Wasn¡¯t that because of love?¡± Samuel¡¯s body suddenly turned rigid. His gaze contained an icy coldness that caused the surroundings to be dim. All these happened because of me? He realized he only had himself to me for leading others to form such misconceptions, which allowed them to bully Kathleen tantly. ¡°Apparently, Kathleen could still be saved at that time, but why did you send her to the morgue instead?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze turned sinister. ¡°Are you also going to insist I authorized you to take someone¡¯s life?¡± The doctor awkwardly looked toward Sarah. ¡°It was her idea.¡± Sarah, who got dragged up not long ago, heard the doctor¡¯sment and immediately copsed to her knees, begging, ¡°Mr. Macari, please don¡¯t torture me anymore. I wouldn¡¯t dare do that next time! I promise!¡± ¡°I already told you there¡¯s no next time,¡± Samuel callously remarked. ¡°I just want to know who allowed you to do such a thing.¡± Sarah gasped heavily for air. ¡°It was Nicolette.¡± ¡°Why are you so obedient to her?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze turned steely and cold. Sarah pursed her lips. ¡°Her mother once did my father a favor.¡± So, that¡¯s how it is. ¡°The Trojan in your phone¡ªwas that also her doing?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was devoid of warmth. Sarah nodded weakly. ¡°Yes. She said that Kathleen would thoroughly give up if I showed it to her.¡± When he recalled Kathleen¡¯s sorrowful yet cold expression, Samuel felt like someone had plunged a knife into his heart. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll kill you?¡± A vicious re shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Yoeger said that you love her more than anything. Hence, as long as she pleads on our behalf, you¡¯ll let us off.¡± Sarah summoned her courage. ¡°Mr. Macari, since Ms. Yoeger is now out of danger, doesn¡¯t that mean we did nothing wrong?¡± Both the doctor and nurses nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right. We did save your beloved.¡± How could he treat us this way after we saved his beloved¡¯s life? A sardonic smile was stered on Samuel¡¯s face. Yet, he felt heartbroken deep down. ¡°My beloved?¡± Samuel¡¯s words were loaded with sarcasm. ¡°Did you think you know me very well?¡± His remarks stunned them. Is that not the case? Tyson reacted impassively, ¡°If Mr. Macari loves Nicolette, will you guys still be locked up here?¡± The doctor and nurses were dumbfounded. Did we get it wrong? ¡°What a bunch of fools.¡± Tyson gave them a look that chilled them to the bone. They brought this on themselves. Serves them right! Samuel rose to his feet and instructed in a chilly tone, ¡°Tyson, I¡¯ll leave this to you. You should know what to do.¡± ¡°You can count on me, Mr. Macari.¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel then took his leave. ¡°You guys are obviously asking for it.¡± Tyson sneered disdainfully. ¡°Prepare to go to hell.¡± ¡°How did this happen?¡± Sarah could not fathom the situation. ¡°Why would Mr. Macari like Kathleen?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Tyson looked down at Sarah, who got drenched from head to toe. ¡°How stupid can you be? If Mr. Macari had no feelings for Kathleen, he would have immediately filed a divorce once Nicolette had returned. Did you think he kept dying the divorce because of the bone marrow? You must have assumed that he secretly dispatched people to travel around the world to find a suitable bone marrow for Nicolette because he loved her. No, it¡¯s just because he doesn¡¯t want Mrs. Macari to donate hers to that woman, you idiot!¡± Sarah was startled by his words. She always thought Samuel only had Nicolette in his heart. That was why she was willing to listen to the woman¡¯s instructions and did not expect the situation to end up that way. Am I going to die a terrible death today? Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Kathleen woke up after sleeping for only a short while. For the past three days, she had been relying on IV drips to get all the necessary nutrients. Hence, she felt hungry after waking up. She sat up, wanting to look around the ward for something to eat. To her surprise, she saw Christopher sitting beside her bed. ¡°Chris?¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Have you been here for a long time?¡± Christopher nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for quite a while. I didn¡¯t wake you up since I noticed you were still sleeping.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the patient. Why are you apologizing?¡± Christopher gazed at her, his heart aching. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Kathleen was a little embarrassed when she answered, ¡°A little.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re just a little hungry.¡± Christopher got to his feet and took out the thermal lunch box he brought. ¡°You were unconscious for three days. You haven¡¯t had anything apart from the IV drips. My mom made you some oatmeal. Here, try this.¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to trouble Aunt Emily.¡± Kathleen felt bad. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t treat us like strangers.¡± Christopher served her some oatmeal. ¡°There are also some toppings here. You can have it with the oatmeal.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen took the spoon from him and ate slowly. She ate rather gracefully. On top of that, her pitiful looks made Christopher¡¯s heart ache. At that, he raised his hand and ced it on top of Kathleen¡¯s head. ¡°You can rely on me, Kate.¡± Kathleen¡¯s cheeks flushed red, and she lowered her head without making a sound. Christopher smiled gently. ¡°Does the topping suit your tastes?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great. I was the one who prepared it.¡± Christopher smiled faintly. Kathleen was stunned. ¡°You made it?¡± ¡°What is it? Did you think I could not cook?¡± Christopher grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve got great cooking skills, you know? If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll make you some food and let you try them next time.¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± Kathleen took another mouthful of the oatmeal. ¡°You never lie.¡± She trusted Christopherpletely. Everyone she knew said Christopher was a gentleman who lived by his principles. He would never tell lies. Thus, she believed he would never do so. As Christopher watched her eat, he hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Do you have any ns?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice became grim. ¡°I n to divorce Samuel and cut all ties with him.¡± Christopher fixed his gaze on her. ¡°Are you not considering giving him a second chance?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might be badly hurt by then.¡± She hesitated once, which cost the lives of two of her unborn children. If she continued being obstinate, she could lose her own life in the end. Christopher nodded. ¡°Okay. I understand.¡± As long as she was firm with her decision, he could help her walk out of the terrible situation. Right then, the door of the ward was pushed open. Samuel walked in, carrying the food he had brought for Kathleen. When he saw Christopher in the room, Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened, and he uttered coldly, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°My mom made her some oatmeal and told me to bring it to her,¡± Christopher answered impassively. Samuel cast him a cold gaze. Is that so? Christopher obviously has ulterior motives toward Kathleen. He¡¯s definitely trying to take advantage of her. Christopher rose to his feet. With a stern voice, he said, ¡°Samuel, you can stop making wild guesses in your mind. I¡¯m going to tell you honestly that I like Kathleen. In fact, I¡¯ve liked her for ten years.¡± Kathleen froze. What did he say? He likes me? For ten years? Samuel gripped the items in his hands so tightly that his knuckles paled. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t love you.¡± Christopher nced at Kathleen¡¯s delicate yet pale face with a heartbroken gaze. ¡°Kate, I was the person who got you out of the water ten years ago.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened, and he quickly turned to Kathleen, who knitted her brows. ¡°I know,¡± she said. Christopher was dumbfounded. ¡°Y-You knew?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I knew it all along.¡± Christopher was puzzled. ¡°Then, why did you say Samuel was your savior? I kept thinking-¡± Kathleen stared at him calmly. ¡°That¡¯s another matter.¡± Confused, Samuel asked, ¡°I saved you?¡± Kathleen cast him a cold gaze. ¡°As expected, you don¡¯t remember it.¡± ¡°When did this happen? Tell me!¡± Samuel stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. She had lost weight again over the past three days. Her wrist was terrifyingly skinny. ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± A look of disdain shed past Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling you? Does it change anything?¡± Samuel demanded sternly, ¡°Tell me!¡± Kathleen cast him an emotionless gaze. ¡°You¡¯ll never know about it.¡± Samuel gazed at her intently. He knew Kathleen hated him, and the hate had offset her love for him during the past ten years. He knew Kathleen no longer loved him. Even so, Samuel¡¯s heart ached. Meanwhile, Christopher frowned. He originally thought Kathleen would realize she had fallen in love with the wrong person once he made things clear. Truth was, she knew about it all along. ¡°Chris, thanks for bringing me the oatmeal. There are some things Samuel and I still have to deal with. Could you please go home first?¡± Kathleen said gratefully. ¡°And thank you for saving me.¡± Christopher gazed at her seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, Christopher turned around and left. Soon, Samuel and Kathleen were the only ones left in the room. Kathleen¡¯s eyes were pretty, yet they had a frosty gaze at the same time. ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s get divorced.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was hoarse and cold. ¡°You and I can¡¯t continue living together. Let¡¯s not torture ourselves.¡± ¡°Do you not love me anymore?¡± Samuel whispered hoarsely. ¡°I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was so cold as if it had ayer of frost. ¡°Samuel, there¡¯s absolutely no room for discussion for this matter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Samuel pulled her into his embrace and ced his chin on her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, Kate! How could you stop loving me just like that?¡± Kathleen did not return his hug. She merely ced her arms on the sheets. ¡°Because I¡¯ve given up on you. Don¡¯t worry. Even if I don¡¯t love you, I can still love someone else.¡± She had merely lost the ability to love him. Samuel¡¯s heart ached badly. He felt utterly depressed. ¡°Kate, please give me another chance. Please?¡± Samuel was truly panicking. He did not know how to win her back. ¡°No.¡± There was deep disappointment in her voice. ¡°Samuel, I don¡¯t have the energy to love you anymore. Really. I don¡¯t. What I want now is to live in a world where you don¡¯t exist and forget you gradually. I want to remove you from my lifepletely.¡± I want to get rid of him, even if it hurts. I¡¯m going to feel numb after the pain, anyway. After that, I¡¯ll get used to it. It won¡¯t hurt once I¡¯m used to it. The wound will slowly heal. By then, I¡¯d have forgotten Samuelpletely. ¡°Samuel, I want to start a new life.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was still frosty as ever. ¡°For the past ten years, my life revolved around you. I just want to live a life without you. Can you let me do that?¡± Samuel tightened his arms around her. ¡°No! Kate, you must love me! You must!¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re the greediest and most shameless man I¡¯ve ever met. Are you trying to get into multiple rtionships at the same time? I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t be a part of that.¡± ¡°Kate, I¡¯m not in multiple rtionships. You¡¯re the only one I have.¡± Samuel was panicking for real. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me, Kate. I¡¯ll give you time to recover, okay?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°Sure, but I have a condition.¡± ¡°Okay. What is it?¡± He was determined to agree to any request she would make. ¡°I want Nicolette to pay the price,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°I want her to be unable to walk for the rest of her life.¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Am I being heartless? I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t even care if others say I¡¯m heartless. Isn¡¯t Nicolette heartless? She caused my miscarriage and almost made me lose my life. I¡¯m already going easy on her by just wanting to make her crippled. Kathleen¡¯s delicate eyes nced at Samuel lifelessly. Right then, Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°You can¡¯t agree to my request because you can¡¯t harden your heart to do it, right?¡± Kathleen eyed him emotionlessly. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the point of having this conversation anymore?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Samuel, you can just pretend nothing has ever happened and live with that vicious woman. That¡¯s your business. Just don¡¯te to me and make me feel disgusted.¡± Kathleen shut her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough.¡± I can be as cold-hearted as him, not having a care about anything else. Kathleen had given up entirely. Samuel stared at her icily. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Kathleen was stunned by his response. She looked at him palely. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡± But is Samuel really willing to do so? Of course, Kathleen did not believe it. ¡°Okay. I understand.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was grim. ¡°Then, you¡¯ve got to listen to me and take good care of your body. Kate, we¡¯ve got a long way ahead of us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it once you¡¯ve fulfilled my request,¡± Kathleen said inly. Samuel released her. ¡°Okay. Wait here for my update.¡± With that, he walked out of the room. Kathleen remained calm. When Samuel stepped out of the room, he ordered Tyson to approach him. ¡°Get someone and send Nicolette to the vi.¡± Tyson was stunned. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Samuel responded tly. ¡°Once she¡¯s fully recovered, send her out of the country.¡± Tyson was shocked. What¡¯s is Mr. Macari trying to do? ¡°Look for another woman who looks simr to Nicolette. I need her for something,¡± Samuel instructed coldly. ¡°You must find her within twenty-four hours.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson went off to carry out his tasks instantly. With a dark expression, Samuel turned around and left. Meanwhile, Kathleen was alone in the ward. Right then, she thought of Benjamin, and she pressed the call bell. Momentster, a nurse walked in. ¡°How can I help you, Mrs. Macari?¡± Mrs. Macari? Kathleen was confused. ¡°You can just call me Kathleen.¡± The nurse was dumbfounded. After all, everyone in the hospital knew how much Samuel treasured Kathleen. All the rted personnel involved in Nicolette¡¯s surgery were removed by Samuel. In fact, the doctor and nurses never appeared again. No one knew of their whereabouts, nor did anyone dare to ask. Moreover, for the past three days, Samuel showed no interest in Nicolette and treated her coldly. Instead, he neither ate nor drank for three days straight. All he did was take care of Kathleen. Thus, everyone came to a tacit understanding. That was the power of a legal wife. That was why everyone treated Kathleen with utmost politeness. ¡°Where¡¯s Gemma?¡± Kathleen asked, frowning. ¡°Gemma¡¯s fine. She just injured her waist a little and needs to recuperate for some time,¡± the nurse exined. ¡°Is it serious?¡± Kathleen questioned concernedly. That day, she heard sounds of a fight outside. She knew Gemma could never defeat Sarah. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine after some rest,¡± the nurse answered. Despite that, Kathleen was still worried. ¡°I want to see her.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Mrs. Macari, you can¡¯t move about,¡± the nurse said hurriedly. ¡°Your body is still very weak. Even walking will be a problem for you. Having a miscarriage is not a simple matter. You should sit still and rest.¡± Kathleen frowned deeper. ¡°Is someone taking care of her right now?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Macari. Mr. Macari has assigned someone to take care of her. Everything will be fine,¡± the nurse replied. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s good. Please do your best to satisfy her needs. If there¡¯s something you people can¡¯t figure out, tell me. I¡¯lle up with a solution.¡± The nurse nodded. ¡°Okay. You should worry more about yourself, Mrs. Macari. It¡¯s impossible for this body of yours to recover in less than a year and a half.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve got it.¡± Kathleen lowered her gaze. She was a traditional medicine practitioner. When she ced her fingers on her wrist, she knew what her body¡¯s condition was. Before her pregnancy, her body was already weak. On top of that, she was constantly in shock, fear, and emotional stress. Hence, she could barely eat anything. After that, a lot of blood was drawn from her, and she lost more of it when she had her miscarriage. Now that she had lost so much blood and vitality, it would take at least three to five years for her to recoverpletely. After saying all that, the nurse finally left, leaving Kathleen sitting on the bed with her gaze lowered, lost in her thoughts. When midnight came, Samuel returned. Meanwhile, Kathleen was sleeping on the bed. Suddenly, she felt a weight on her body. Samuel had pulled her into his arms along with the nket. Right then, Kathleen could sense his cold aura and smell the scent of blood from his body. Did he really cripple Nicolette? ¡°Where did you go?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was slightly grim. ¡°I went to do what you asked.¡± Samuel released her and pulled out his phone. ¡°I¡¯ve got a video of it. Here, take a look.¡± At that, he passed the phone to Kathleen. Holding the device, Kathleen pressed the y button. In the video, Nicolette¡¯s legs were stained with blood, and her hair was a mess. Some were even stuck on her face. She looked like she was half dead. Kathleen put down the phone without saying anything. Seeing that, Samuel took the phone back and patted her head. ¡°I did what you said. Don¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?¡± Kathleen eyed Samuel. ¡°Do you not love her anymore?¡± ¡°I love you more,¡± Samuel answered instantly. Love me more? So, he doesn¡¯t just love me. He still has feelings for Nicolette. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for someone to send her away. She¡¯ll never appear in front of you again,¡± Samuel promised. ¡°Kate, we¡¯ll live a great life in the future. No one will interfere with our lives again.¡± When Kathleen heard his words, she somehow could not bring herself to feel happy. She did not even respond to Samuel¡¯s hug. At that moment, she was just exhausted, so exhausted that she felt like dying. After some time, Samuel felt the body in his arms was motionless. Slowly, he released Kathleen. Only then did he realize she had fallen asleep. ording to the doctor, she lost a lot of blood during her miscarriage. On top of that, her body was originally weak. Thus, she needed to be taken care of properly. If she did not heal properly, she would sufferplications for the rest of her life. Samuel ced her on the bed gently and tucked her in. Then, he went for a shower to wash away the stench on his body. After putting on a fresh set of clothes, he got into the bed and hugged Kathleen to sleep. That night, his uneasy heart had finally felt a sense of relief. He knew he could never lose Kathleen no matter what. At the same time, he also knew it would be difficult to make Kathleen return to her sweet and innocent self. No matter how difficult it was, he would never give up. As he pondered on that, he gradually drifted off to sleep. Meanwhile, his phone was on silent mode. There was no answer, no matter how many times Nicolette called Samuel. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, please stop dawdling. Let¡¯s leave now.¡± Tyson nced at Nicolette impatiently. Does she really think Mr. Macari will pay attention to her? She should be thanking the gods that he didn¡¯t kill her for doing all those things. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 ¡°Why isn¡¯t Samuel picking up?¡± Nicolette asked angrily. Tyson was impatient. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, are you sure you don¡¯t know why Mr. Macari wouldn¡¯t answer your calls? You caused the deaths of his two children. Did you really think he¡¯ll still talk to you after that?¡± Nicolette replied angrily, ¡°Those are just two embryos that were manually fertilized! If he wants children, I¡¯ll be the mother of his children!¡± ¡°Do you really think that Mr. Macari would like children without considering who the mother is? He only cares about Mrs. Macari¡¯s children. Besides, Mr. Macari doesn¡¯t want you anymore, so why would he want to have babies with you?¡± he said sarcastically. ¡°You¡¯re lying! I want to see Samuel!¡± she yelled. Tyson asked the bodyguards to stop her. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, Mr. Macari has ordered that you are never to appear in front of Mrs. Macari for the rest of your life. Therefore, you¡¯d better be good and stop struggling like this.¡± Nicolette had a gloomy look on her face. ¡°Where are you sending me?¡± ¡°Based on Mr. Macari¡¯s orders, we¡¯ll send you to a vi first. Once your body fully recovers, we¡¯ll send you out of the country. Ms. Yoeger, judging from what you¡¯ve done to Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macari is already being courteous and kind to you. So, you¡¯d better be grateful for it,¡± he said coldly. She spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°You¡¯re just Samuel¡¯s servant! How dare you speak to me this way? I¡¯ll get him to deal with you if you dare to stop me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given you a choice, but you don¡¯t appreciate it. What are you waiting for? Get her!¡± Tyson snorted. Nicolette¡¯s expression changed. ¡°How dare you!¡± Heughed coldly. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, it¡¯s best if you follow us obediently.¡± Before he finished his sentence, two burly men were already walking toward Nicolette. As they approached her, she had no choice but to get in the car. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Everything was over. Nothing else would happen anymore, or would it? The next day, when Kathleen woke up, she realized that Samuel was lying next to her. He was hugging her so tightly that she couldn¡¯t even move. Suddenly, she recalled that she had fallen asleep after arguing with him. She couldn¡¯t help but suspect that something was wrong with her body. Is my body really so weak? With that thought in her mind, she ced her left finger on her right wrist. Indeed, her body was very weak. That weakness was far more than losing blood and vitality. Even if she took a lot of high-grade supplements, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for her body to recuperate. It could be said that her body waspletely ruined. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Samuel¡¯s low and husky voice was heard. She was stunned for a moment and put her hand down. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He leaned closer to her and gently kissed her cheek. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± She frowned. ¡°No. The bed¡¯s too small. There¡¯s not enough room.¡± He hugged her tightly. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t do anything about that. You can only be discharged after your body¡¯s a little better.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Didn¡¯t you consider letting me sleep alone these few days?¡± ¡°No. Your body¡¯s too weak and coldtely. The doctor told me to keep you warm,¡± he replied with a domineering tone. She frowned. ¡°Which quack said that?¡± He nced at her. ¡°I did. I want you in my arms when I sleep. Can¡¯t I?¡± She was speechless. He murmured in a low voice, ¡°Shh. Be good. I¡¯m really doing this for your own good.¡± Kathleen did not listen. He let go of her. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. You should sleep for a while longer.¡± Kathleen ignored him as she stared at the ceiling while lying on the bed. She couldn¡¯t understand how Samuel could behave so casually as if nothing had happened. However, only he knew how careful he was being deep inside him. When Samuel was showering, Kathleen was in a daze. After he got out of the washroom, she had already fallen asleep yet again. After putting on his clothes, he walked over to her hospital bed and leaned down to kiss her soft cheeks. ¡°I¡¯lle back to have lunch with youter.¡± She didn¡¯t hear him because she was sleeping soundly. With that, he walked out of the ward and went to see the doctor. He looked at the doctor coldly. ¡°When can she be discharged?¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari¡¯s condition is stable now. However, I¡¯m afraid that she¡¯ll need to wait for two more days if she wishes to be discharged,¡± the doctor replied. Samuel grimaced. ¡°Then, when can her body fully recover?¡± After a short pause, the doctor said, ¡°At least three years. Actually, Mrs. Macari isn¡¯t only injured physically this time. Her mood and mental state are affected as well. You have to take care of these aspects together if you wish for her full recovery.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel asked coldly. The doctor asked in a quiet voice, ¡°Mr. Macari, you¡¯ve heard about prenatal depression, haven¡¯t you? Mrs. Macari had a few symptoms of prenatal depressionst time. Now that she has lost her children, I¡¯m sure that she¡¯s deeply affected by it. She may look okay on the outside, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s holding all her feelings in. That¡¯s really dangerous because she¡¯s keeping everything bottled up. It¡¯s better if she can vent it all out.¡± Samuel recalled Kathleen¡¯s search entries. Actually, if she had told him about her worries, there was no way he would have let her worry that much. However, she carried everything on her shoulders all by herself without trusting him. ¡°I understand,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°Mr. Macari, other than modern medicine, you can also look for traditional medicine to help regte Mrs. Macari¡¯s body. After her body¡¯s fully recovered, she can get pregnant again after a year,¡± the doctor said after a few moments of hesitation. Samuel snapped coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because I want her to give birth to my children.¡± He truly hoped that her body can fully recover. Even if they couldn¡¯t have children for the rest of their lives, he was okay with it. The doctor felt extremely awkward after he realized that he had misunderstood. Samuel red at the doctor coldly with a hint of a warning in his eyes. ¡°Remember not to say any nonsense in front of her, or else I won¡¯t let you off. I¡¯m sure you know what happens to those who disobey me.¡± The doctor¡¯s legs trembled. ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t say anything.¡± With a dark expression, Samuel turned around and left for his office. He didn¡¯t go back to the ward. On his way to the office, Nicolette called again. He picked up. ¡°This is thest time that I¡¯ll answer your call.¡± Nicolette paled. ¡°Why are you being like this all of a sudden? So what if she had your babies? If you wish for it, I can do that too!¡± He responded icily, ¡°I only want her to bear my children.¡± She froze. The next moment, she roared, ¡°Samuel! What am I to you, then? After all these years of doing everything for you! What am I to you?¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°If you¡¯re really doing it for me, you wouldn¡¯t hurt Kathleen. You know I never wanted to hurt her.¡± No matter what, he had never thought about hurting Kathleen. He didn¡¯t want her to get hurt at all. If Nicolette knew that, there was no way she would do what she did. However, she still went ahead and did it. She was more than spoiled and did not know her ce. Since she had overestimated how important she was in Samuel¡¯s heart, she thought that she could do anything and hurt anyone just because he loved her. Nicolette cried aggrievedly, ¡°Samuel, I was wrong. Please don¡¯t ignore me! I love you! I really love you very much!¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ¡°I don¡¯t love you,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°In the past, I didn¡¯t understand what love was. You saved my life, for which I was grateful, and I naively thought that was love. But when I heard that Kathleen lost our children, I finally realized I don¡¯t love you.¡± He had rushed to the hospital back then and heard from Wynnie that Kathleen managed to pull through. Their children, unfortunately, didn¡¯t make it. At that moment, the one thing that Samuel panicked most about was what would happen to him if Kathleen died. If Kathleen left this world, where would I go to find her? In that instant, he realized who he truly loved. Kathleen! I love Kathleen and I can¡¯t lose her! Nicolette, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°You love her? But you just said you didn¡¯t know what love was.¡± ¡°That may be so, but I do know that I don¡¯t have that feeling when I¡¯m with you,¡± Samuel retorted. ¡°I might have already fallen in love with Kathleen from the day she became my wife. I just hadn¡¯t noticed then.¡± ¡°Samuel, if it weren¡¯t for your family¡¯s disapproval, we¡¯d have gotten married long ago!¡± Nicolette whimpered as tears coursed down her cheeks. s, Samuel remained cold and distant. ¡°If rtionships can¡¯t stand the test of time, it¡¯d mean there wasn¡¯t true love. I¡¯ve probably never liked you that much, which exins why I gradually fell for Kathleen after you left. Or perhaps, my being with you was just a form of rebellion. The more my family disapproves of something, the more I want to go against them.¡± ¡°How could you treat me like this, Samuel?¡± Nicolette asked amidst sobs. ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re my only hope?¡± I¡¯ve painstakingly put on this act for so long because of him, yet he¡¯s now telling me he doesn¡¯t love me? No! I won¡¯t allow that! ¡°Since you¡¯ve saved my life before, I¡¯m willing to wipe the te clean between us,¡± Samuel uttered calmly. ¡°From today onward, we¡¯ll have nothing to do with each other. I¡¯ll arrange for you to start a new life abroad and also ensure that you¡¯ll livefortably for the rest of your life. However, you are not to show up in front of Kathleen again. I won¡¯t allow you to bother her either.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Nicolette continued to cry, indignant at the way Samuel had treated her. Her goal had always been to marry rich so she could haughtily return to the Yoegers andugh in their faces. Now, however, all her hopes and dreams were shattered. She had nothing left. On the other end, Samuel promptly hung up the phone and turned to Tyson. ¡°Tyson, have you prepared everything I told you to?¡± ¡°There¡¯s just a bit more to go.¡± ¡°Hurry up, then.¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Understood!¡± When Kathleen finally woke up, it was already ten in the morning. She opened her eyes and saw Emily sitting by her bed. ¡°Aunt Emily.¡± Emily was Wynnie Staines¡¯ elder sister, which made her Samuel¡¯s aunt. Therefore, it was only right for Kathleen to call her by that too. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake,¡± Emily replied as her lips curled into a smile. She carried herself with an air ofdylike elegance, while Wynnie was a tough, no-nonsense career woman. The two sisters, without a doubt, were very different. Surprised by the visit, Kathleen blurted out, ¡°Aunt Emily, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came to see you. By the way, I¡¯ve made some mushroom soup. Try some,¡± Emily replied as she poured a bowl of soup and ced it in Kathleen¡¯s hands. The soup smelled delicious and since it wasn¡¯t too hot, thetter drank it immediately and felt it warming up her insides. ¡°Aunt Emily, I¡¯m sorry to have troubled you.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t stand on ceremony with me,¡± Emily said with a grin. ¡°Your mother-inw¡¯s busy, so she got me to help take care of you. Let me know if there¡¯s anything you need.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, Aunt Emily.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being polite with me again. It¡¯s really no bother at all.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t need anything, Aunt Emily,¡± Kathleen mumbled as she quietly finished her soup. Upon hearing that, Emily let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s heart-rending to see you like this, you know?¡± Kathleen merely pursed her pale lips and said nothing. ¡°Well, what did Samuel say?¡± Emily asked concernedly. ¡°He said he wants to live happily with me.¡± ¡°People often fail to appreciate what they have until it¡¯s gone,¡± Emily uttered. ¡°The whole family has tried to talk some sense into him, but he¡¯s just too conceited.¡± As it turned out, Emily was absolutely right. Samuel was the CEO of Macari Group, and being in that powerful position gave him a superiority complex. Because of that, there were many times when he refused to ept other people¡¯s opinions or advice. It took a painful loss before he finally understood what everyone else had been trying to tell him. Once again, Kathleen was silent. ¡°What about you?¡± Emily probed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Kathleen answered as she bit her lip. ¡°But if I were to ask for a divorce, I know he wouldn¡¯t agree to it.¡± Even if the rest of the world forced him to do so, Samuel would still stubbornly refuse to sign the divorce agreement. Besides, if divorce had ever been a viable option, things wouldn¡¯t have had to drag on till now. Now that Kathleen was thinking about it again, she realized howughable the situation was. In the beginning, Samuel was the one who wanted a divorce, and she agreed to it. Later, he changed his mind, but it became her turn to ask for a divorce. Just like that, the two of them went back and forth with no end in sight. Emily caressed Kathleen¡¯s pale face and mumbled, ¡°You¡¯re a good person. If it were someone else, they¡¯d have thrown a fit.¡± Admittedly, Kathleen still had feelings for Samuel and didn¡¯t want to embarrass him. However, could he ever truly understand my good intentions? Kathleen was by no means weak, but she knew she loved Samuel a little too much. Emily didn¡¯t say anything more as she watched Kathleen finish her food. Afterward, she chatted a bit more with thetter and finally left. Now that she was alone, Kathleen decided it was time to do something about her body odor. Without further ado, she walked into the bathroom and took a warm shower. While standing under the showerhead, her hand instinctively went to her stomach. There used to be two adorable babies in here. In the past, no matter how awful she felt, Kathleen was always cheered on by the fact that her two babies were about toe into the world. Even if the future seemed bleak, they¡¯d be the motivation she needed to take it one step at a time. All she felt now, however, was a t stomach and utter coldness. Oh, my babies. I¡¯ve been robbed of my babies! Getting Samuel to break Nicolette¡¯s legs would never be enough to make up for Kathleen¡¯s pain. However, there was nothing else that she could do. With Samuel defending Nicolette, she could never really do much harm to thetter. That was why she specifically asked him to break Nicolette¡¯s legs. To her surprise, Samuel held up his end of the bargain. In that case, there was nothing more she could ask for. Just then, Samuel¡¯s deep voice rang out. ¡°Kate, are you in there?¡± s, Kathleen didn¡¯t feel like entertaining him. ¡°Kate, can you say something if you¡¯re inside?¡± Samuel pleaded, a hint of worry in his voice. In the end, Kathleen gave in. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Okay, good,¡± Samuel replied, sounding relieved. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± With that, Kathleen turned off the shower and dried herself. After putting on a bathrobe, she walked back out into the room. Upon seeing her, Samuel immediately went forward with a towel to help dry her hair. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be taking showers. Given your condition, it¡¯s easy to catch a cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my body. I know what¡¯s best for me,¡± Kathleen answered coldly. Samuel instantly furrowed his brows. ¡°Your body¡¯s mine too.¡± The remark rendered Kathleen speechless, and she just let him continue wiping her hair. After a while, Samuel took out a hair dryer and quickly set it up. ¡°Sit here,¡± he said as he patted his leg. Kathleen hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± In return, Samuel shot her a knowing look. ¡°Are you rejecting me?¡± ¡°Are you only seeing it now?¡± Kathleen asked indifferently. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Based on Kathleen¡¯s understanding of Samuel¡¯s personality, she thought he would lose it. Unexpectedly, Samuel merely looked at her coldly as his rough fingers cupped her face domineeringly. Immediately after that, he kissed her deeply. Kathleen wanted to avoid his touch. However, Samuel stopped her with his other hand and pressed her back into his embrace. He didn¡¯t like how Kathleen rejected him and refused his touch. Although Samuel was upset at her actions, he couldn¡¯t order Kathleen to ept him. That didn¡¯t matter to him because he had decided to spend the rest of his life with her even if she treated him coldly and pushed him away. He would do anything to make her forgive him. Samuel kissed Kathleen for about five minutes passionately. Because of that, Kathleen¡¯s legs went soft. Satisfied, Samuel carried her with one hand and ced her on his leg. When it came to strength, Kathleen could only ept her fate. As Samuel was strong and Kathleen was weak, there was nothing she could do about the situation. She could only sit on Samuel¡¯s leg and let him dry her hair all he wanted. Kathleen¡¯s hair was like her personality, both soft and smooth. In fact, she had always been a cute and obedient girl. Samuel¡¯s warm chest leaned toward Kathleen. He ced his lips by her ear and said, ¡°I know you are still angry at me, and you can¡¯t forgive me now. But that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already decided to attach myself to you for life. Hence, no matter what happens in the future, I will not let go of you.¡± Kathleen felt bitter. Why wasn¡¯t he like this in the past? Why is he so nice to me after my heart stopped beating for him? She remained silent. The quiet Kathleen looked like a beautiful doll. ¡°After your body recovers a few dayster, we will hold a wedding.¡± Samuel let out a deep sigh. ¡°Kate, I will slowly make up for everything I¡¯ve owed you.¡± Hold a wedding? Kathleen stared at him in disbelief. Samuel curled his lips. ¡°When the timees, we will choose the wedding dress together.¡± After Kathleen heard his words, her head hurt. That was because she didn¡¯t want a wedding. ¡°Your hair is dry.¡± Samuel put down the hair dryer and carried Kathleen. Soon after, he ced her on the bed and covered her with a nket. While he was doing that, Kathleen fixed her gaze on him. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°If you are exhausted, you should sleep,¡± said Samuel straightforwardly. ¡°What I mean is I¡¯m mentally tired.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t want to trigger him. ¡°Can we not hold a wedding? I don¡¯t have the energy and the mood for this.¡± She had just lost two unborn children. It was not true that she was not upset. She just didn¡¯t want to show her emotions. Samuel got closer to her. With a low and hoarse voice, he said, ¡°But I want to.¡± At his answer, Kathleen frowned. ¡°This is not what you used to say.¡± ¡°Just like what you¡¯ve said, that was before.¡± Samuel pinched Kathleen¡¯s soft cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t feel tired. You merely need to dress up and attend the wedding as my beautiful wife.¡± ¡°Can you show some respect for my opinion?¡± asked Kathleen helplessly. ¡°All right.¡± Samuel looked at her dotingly. ¡°If you have any special requests, you can tell me. I¡¯ll grant all your wishes.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. In reality, that wasn¡¯t what she really meant. She was sure Samuel knew the meaning behind her words. However, he chose to ignore her. It didn¡¯t cause any impact even if she did express her point of view. As expected, nothing had changed. Samuel¡¯s character was still the same. He was still in control of the rtionship. That left Kathleen having a headache. A few dayster, Kathleen was finally allowed to discharge from the hospital. She went to the ward next door and bid goodbye to Gemma. Thetter still needed to rest and recuperate in bed for some time. Samuel hired two caregivers to look after Gemma. He would bear all the expenses. ¡°Are you going to be discharged?¡± Gemmay on her bed. Kathleen was in her own clothes. Previously, she wore hospital gowns. Kathleen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. The doctor says I can be discharged from the hospital.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Gemma smiled and said, ¡°Congrattions on being able to leave the hospital. I might be able to discharge after some time.¡± Kathleen sat down. ¡°Gemma, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Oh, stop apologizing. My ears are numb from hearing that.¡± Gemma slowly continued, ¡°I will save anyone in that situation. Hence, you don¡¯t have to feel bad about it.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You silly girl.¡± Gemma pinched Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Haha. Your cheek is so soft. No wonder everybody likes pinching it.¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t pay the situation any mind. It¡¯s all water under the bridge now.¡± Gemma pulled her lips into a thin line as she asked solemnly, ¡°Have you and Samuel reconciled?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve rejected him.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°And after that?¡± questioned Gemma. ¡°He disagrees. Besides that, he wants to hold a bted wedding ceremony with me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression became dark as she continued, ¡°He doesn¡¯t care about my thoughts.¡± ¡°Samuel has been a blessed one since birth. He has everything. An individual like this is arrogant and self-centered. Thus, it is hard for him to learn how to respect you.¡± Gemma pointed out the reality straightforwardly. Hearing that, Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m too weak.¡± ¡°Ordinary women can¡¯t possibly stand his attitude.¡± Gemma sighed as she continued, ¡°He is Samuel Macari, and he is no ordinary man. If you two want to continue living together in peace, one of you has to give in.¡± Kathleen remained silent because she thought Gemma had a point. Between Samuel and I, I¡¯m the one who alwayspromises, and Samuel is the person who doesn¡¯t bother about anything. That was all due to Samuel¡¯s personality. As they were talking, the door of the ward was pushed open. Samuel walked into the room. He wore a ck coat. Under it was his three-piece suit. His vest was gray, and it matched the other garments fashionably. One could see that the outfit was immactely put together. It made him look cold and charming. ¡°Gemma, I¡¯ve got to go.¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°If anythinges up, you can always call me. Let¡¯s keep in touch.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Gemma nodded. Samuel draped the white coat in his hand on Kathleen¡¯s shoulder. After wrapping his hand around her, they headed toward the door. Staring at them, Gemma heaved a sigh. Kathleen is indeed on the passive side whenever Samuel is around. Moreover, Samuel doesn¡¯t seem to realize the graveness of the matter. He can¡¯t win her heart back if he continues to treat her this way. Samuel held on to Kathleen as they took the elevator downstairs. The wind was cold that winter. Hence, Samuel held Kathleen in his embrace tightly. After Tyson drove the car over, Samuel carried Kathleen into the car. In the car, Samuel ordered Tyson to increase the car¡¯s temperature. Meanwhile, Kathleen¡¯s tiny, pale, and exquisite face was expressionless. She looked like the lifeless bare trees outside. As for Samuel, he continued wrapping his arms around her, unwilling to let go. ¡°Drive,¡± Samuel said in a cold tone. Tyson nodded and started the car engine. At that, they left the hospital. It was warm in the car. Kathleen started to feel sleepy. Noticing that, Samuel stared at Kathleen¡¯s fair face as he curled up his lips. ¡°You can sleep for a while. We will arrive at our destination soon.¡± Kathleen shook her head. I¡¯ll be doomed if I continue sleeping. With that thought, she looked out the window. Shortly after, Kathleen knitted her brows and questioned, ¡°Are we going to the Macari residence?¡± This isn¡¯t the way back to the condominium. At her question, Samuel smiled mysteriously. ¡°You¡¯ll know where we are heading in a while.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. Soon, the path became different from what she remembered. It doesn¡¯t look like we are going to the Macari residence either. N?velDrama.Org ? content. The car drove on the path for a while. Momentster, it started climbing the slope. It then stopped in front of arge gate decorated with magnificent engraving. The gate slowly opened. Tyson drove the car into the ce. After entering the venue, a bamboo forest appeared in front of them. As they continued their journey, they could see a vastwn. They passed through thewn and saw a spacious courtyard. Atst, they arrived at a baroque-style mansion. Kathleen blinked her eyes and asked, ¡°Where are we?¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 As Samuel¡¯s arm cradled Kathleen¡¯s slender waist, he grandly dered, ¡°This is our house. It¡¯s where we¡¯ll stay from now on.¡± Kathleen was confused by his statement and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the ce you prepared to stay in with Nicolette?¡± Samuel didn¡¯t reply, so Kathleen turned to look at him expectantly. ¡°If you truly knew her, you would know that she doesn¡¯t like the style of this ce. Furthermore, when I made my preparations to move into this house, I didn¡¯t consider her at all,¡± replied Samuel calmly. That wasn¡¯t a lie. Indeed, Samuel had designed the ce with only his likes and dislikes in mind. ¡°I started designing and building up this ce before we got married, but the construction work didn¡¯t complete in time. That condominium unit is far too small, and it doesn¡¯t have a yard. Thankfully, they wrapped up the work at this ce just a few days back, but there¡¯s still some essential furniture that still require about a month or so to arrive. I gave the word yesterday for them to expedite the delivery and paid a fair sum for the delivery fees alone,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen pursed her lips as he spoke. ¡°However, what¡¯s most important is that you find the ce and the set-upfortable. Go in and take a look,¡± added Samuel as he lifted her in his arms and stepped out of the car. Just like that, Kathleen was cradled in his arms as they both disembarked from the car. Immediately, the housekeepers stationed within the mansion rushed out to wee them. A middle-aged man led the charge. He was Sebastian, the butler here. Sebastian greeted the pair with a smile and said, ¡°Wee home, Mr. Macari and Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen was taken aback by how formal everyone carried themselves. As Samuel continued to guide Kathleen into the mansion, thetter saw that the interior was nothing short of grand and opulent. Even then, it managed to retain a sense of style and refrain from going overboard with the grandeur. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but be amazed by the sight she took in. ¡°The first floor houses the living room and dining area, along with the kitchen and the housekeepers¡¯ residences,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rush to take everything in for now. There¡¯s plenty of time for you to familiarize yourself with theyout of the ce. Let me first take you to the bedroom.¡± Kathleen froze where she stood as she wondered why Samuel was so insistent on escorting her to check out the bedroom. As he stood beside her, Samuel could visibly pick up on her now stiffened frame. The doctor had instructed that Kathleen focus on her recuperation for two whole months before they would be allowed to share a bed together. Although Samuel wanted to skip ahead, he had no choice but to take Kathleen¡¯s physical condition into consideration. He didn¡¯t want to put her into a spot, after all. With that, the pair headed up the stairs. The entire mansion consisted of three separate levels, each as expansive as the one that came before. Just a single bedroom alone could upy about ny square meters, and there were four of them on each level. On the second floor, only the master bedroom and guest room remained untouched. The remaining two rooms had been converted into Samuel¡¯s study and Kathleen¡¯s workstation, respectively. When they reached the second floor, Samuel guided Kathleen toward the master bedroom. There, Kathleen saw that it was spacious and well-lit by natural lighting. The fixtures within the room had a muted extravagance to them and had features tailored to each of the upant¡¯s needs. For example, the walk-in closet was huge and packed full of clothing. Almost all of Samuel¡¯s clothing seemed to be formal wear, and they consisted mostly of darker and more muted colors. The rest of the space was dedicated for Kathleen¡¯s use. It amodated a range of outerwear, shoes, and even small essories that she could use immediately. Everything had been prepared meticulously, and the sheer quantity of items present meant that it took up a sizeable bulk of the walk-in closet¡¯s space. The master bedroom also boasted an expansive bathroom that even contained a twin bathtub equipped with a massage function. In totality, the entire tour so far simply screamed of luxury. ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± asked Samuel. Kathleen could only nod numbly in reply. Samuel curled his lips and said, ¡°You¡¯re thedy of this house. Feel free to let Sebastian know if there are any areas in which you feel need to be changed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already good enough,¡± replied Kathleen numbly. Samuel smiled faintly as he stated, ¡°Ultimately, the key is whether you like it or not.¡± ¡°While we were on our way here earlier, I saw that this ce is located rather close to the Macari residence. Is it?¡± asked Kathleen in confusion. ¡°Yes, it is. I was afraid that you would have no one to chat with when I¡¯m not around. That¡¯s why I purposefully picked a location closer to the Macari residence. That way, it would take a mere ten minutes by car for you to get to the Macari residence if you ever need to,¡± replied Samuel. Kathleen paused for thought and realized that this was finally an aspect of the ce that she was fully satisfied by. Samuel reached out and gently cradled her head in his hand as he pulled his thin lips closer to hers. He nted a light kiss on her plump lips before he added, ¡°You don¡¯t seem particrly happy at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy,¡± replied Kathleen with a shake of her head. While it was true that she wasn¡¯t unhappy, she wasn¡¯t particrly overjoyed either. Samuel didn¡¯t pick over the finer details. Instead, he stated, ¡°I have other matters to deal with in the afternoon. Stay here and wait for me obediently.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Okay,¡± replied Kathleen as she pursed her lips. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask where I¡¯m going?¡± asked Samuel as he shot her a long and meaningful nce. ¡°Aren¡¯t you heading to work?¡± asked Kathleen in confusion. She didn¡¯t understand what he was getting at. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t inform her in advance even if he were to head into the office. She had no idea what was going on with him today. Samuel sighed and remarked, ¡°I can¡¯t even tell if you trust me thispletely or if you simply don¡¯t care about me.¡± Kathleen picked up that it was because she hadn¡¯t asked where he was headed. She replied, ¡°I used to ask, but you found me to be too annoying and controlling.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless as he realized that all this was of his own making. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll take the initiative to report my movements in the future,¡± promised Samuel as he reached in and nted another light kiss on her lips. He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll have the staff prepare some food for you. You can go ahead and have a good rest once you¡¯ve eaten. Don¡¯t fret over anything else. What¡¯s most important right now is for you to take good care of yourself and recuperate. Do you understand?¡± Kathleen nodded obediently in response. ¡°Good girl,¡± stated Samuel with satisfaction. Samuel reflected that she really was obedient if not a little cold and distant from him. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong urge to shrink her and tuck her into his pocket to keep her with him wherever he went. ¡°I¡¯m heading off,¡± he dered. He didn¡¯t have that much free time to spend with her. After all, he was a truly busy man, especially toward the end of each year. Kathleen was fully aware of how busy Samuel was. As such, she found it hard to believe if someone were to im that Samuel spent each day in Nicolette¡¯spany, day in and out. She knew that she couldn¡¯t bank on a workaholic like him to waste so much of his time just lounging around in someone else¡¯spany. Regardless of how much he loved Nicolette, that was a sheer impossibility. Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell ringing interrupted Kathleen¡¯s train of thought. She called out, ¡°Sebastian?¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macari instructed us to prepare some food for you. Here¡¯s some oatmeal. Do have it while it¡¯s still warm,¡± stated Sebastian warmly as he carried a tray into the room and gently ce the bowl of oatmeal on the desk. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be this polite with me, Sebastian,¡±mented Kathleen as she fidgeted ufortably. ¡°You¡¯re thedy of the house, Mrs. Macari. It¡¯s only right for us to treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve,¡± replied Sebastian in an upright manner. ¡°Thank you for the meal then,¡± she stated. He smiled and said, ¡°Enjoy your meal, Mrs. Macari. Please feel free to shout out to us if you need anything.¡± Kathleen nodded her head in acknowledgment, and Sebastian headed out. As she stared at the warm bowl of oatmeal sitting before her, Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but sigh once again. After she finished her bowl of oatmeal, Kathleen slowly drifted off into a deep sleep. When she finally woke up, she made her way downstairs and bumped into Sebastian. He said, ¡°Mrs. Macari, Ms. Staines is here.¡± Kathleen immediately headed to the living room, where she saw Wynnie seated on the couch as she sipped slowly at her cup of coffee. Kathleen entered the space and greeted her, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re here.¡± Wynnie pursed her lips and said, ¡°I went to the hospital to check on you, but they informed me that you were discharged. I headed to the condominium after that, and that¡¯s how I found out you no longer live there.¡± Kathleen came to a sudden realization and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Samuel inform you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother mentioning him. He was barely willing to let me know about this ce, let alone that you had moved over. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s on his mind!¡± puffed Wynnie angrily. Kathleen had no idea what was on his mind either. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± asked Wynnie as she eyed her with a frown. ¡°Yes, the doctor said that I¡¯ll have to recuperate slowly,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°I see¡­ Then you should get a good rest,¡± replied Wynnie. Her tone darkened as she continued, ¡°Kate, do you still intend to divorce Samuel?¡± Kathleen was a little taken by surprise, and she clenched her fingers as she looked down nervously. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m not here to force you into anything. I¡¯m just worried that you feel burdened. It would be great if you no longer feel like getting a divorce. That would allow Samuel to take good care of you as you recuperate. Otherwise, I would find it difficult to rx if you were to end up in the care of a random stranger. I would be so worried that you would get bullied!¡± exined Wynnie. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Kathleen understood that Wynnie wasing from a ce of concern. ¡°Thanks for your understanding, Mom. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Wynnie responded with a solemn nod. ¡°Remember that no matter what decision you make, my husband and I will always be on your side.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why not show me around since it¡¯s my first time here?¡± Wynnie grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve just moved in today and barely know my way around.¡± Kathleen blushed. ¡°All the better! Let¡¯s explore together,¡± replied Wynnie as she took hold of Kathleen¡¯s hand. Oh dear, her palms are freezing even with the heater on. I shouldn¡¯t have let that she-devil Nicolette off so easily! They began their tour of the mansion and finished by the time the sun started to set. ¡°Why not join us for dinner, Mom?¡± Kathleen invited. ¡°It¡¯s all right, dear. I¡¯ve already taken too much of your time.¡± She did not savor being the third wheel in their rtionship. It was best to leave them both to sort things out together. Wynnie chose to take her leave promptly. Kathleen ushered Wynnie to her car. ¡°Are you aware that Samuel intends to have the wedding ceremony as soon as possible?¡± Wynnie queried while getting into her car. Kathleen inclined her head. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not as if there¡¯s anything I can do about it.¡± Wynnie heaved a sigh. Samuel was still oblivious to the most pertinent part of getting back into Kathleen¡¯s good graces. It was just like him to be irretrievably set in his own ways. After all, bad habits die hard. It would have been unrealistic to expect such a drastic turnaround from Samuel in such a short time. ¡°Fret not as I¡¯ll be helping out with the wedding preparations as well. Samuel will have his share of work to do, but promise me you¡¯d tell him off if you¡¯re not happy with his choices? Don¡¯t keep it all to yourself.¡± ¡°Sure, Mom. I¡¯ll bear that in mind.¡± ¡°You best head in now that the weather has dipped. I shiver to think of what Samuel would do to me if you caught a cold,¡± Wynnie jested. Kathleen¡¯s face heated up with embarrassment as she stared after Wynnie¡¯s car as she drove off. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen had just returned to the warmth of her home when Samuel arrived. Kathleen stood and walked toward the entrance where Samuel was standing, his body emanating the residual cool of the outdoors. ¡°Did you take your afternoon nap?¡± Kathleen dipped her head in mute assent. Samuel handed his coat to Sebastian and proceeded to drape his arm around Kathleen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. We¡¯ll discuss our wedding after dinner.¡± Kathleen felt weighed down with resignation. Is there really any point in a discussion? Why not decide everything yourself and get things over with? If only she had the courage to voice her thoughts out loud. After their meal, Samuel led Kathleen to the study to begin their discussion. Kathleen was at a loss. She used to imagine what her wedding would be like back in the day. Now, however, it seemed as if she were merely a shell of her former self. All her hopes and wishes of a dream wedding felt like they had been dashed upon a cliff. ¡°Just do whatever you see fit.¡± These words tumbled out coldly as Kathleen stood and excused herself. Samuel¡¯s brows knitted. What now? Isn¡¯t this what she wants, getting a say? Just then, the shrill ringing of his phone broke the burgeoning silence. It was Wynnie. ¡°What is it, Mom?¡± Samuel gruffed as he massaged his temples. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still n on going ahead with the wedding.¡± Wynnie clucked as she beheld the wedding invitation in her hand. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even deign to consult your own mother before setting the date for such an important asion! All the notice I got was a single wedding invitation and nothing else.¡± ¡°Would you have preferred that I sent you another one?¡± Wynnie¡¯s patience was wearing thin. I can¡¯t believe this rascal is actually my son. ¡°Have you conferred with Kathleen about this?¡± ¡°Yes, but she didn¡¯t seem keen about it.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°How could you be so clueless, boy?¡± Wynnie cried. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°What Kathleen needs from you right now is respect, not self-centeredness!¡± Samuel scoffed, ¡°We would have been divorced by now if I had gone along with her.¡± Wynnieunched into a tirade. ¡°Good for her! Now that the child, bless their soul, is gone, I would have filed for a divorce too if I were in her shoes. Besides, what redeeming qualities do you have other than good looks and wealth?¡± Samuel was tongue-tied. ¡°I didn¡¯t call solely to lecture you. I was hoping that you¡¯d address the elephant in the room and straighten the issues between you and Kathleen.¡± ¡°Regardless of that, divorce will never be an option. I won¡¯t allow her to leave me.¡± Wynnie shook her head in disappointment. ¡°Rest early, Mom. Your wrinkles are starting to show,¡± Samuel muttered curtly as he hung up. Wynnie was positively fuming by then. How dare this insolent brat try that tone of voice with me. Hasn¡¯t he an ounce of respect for his parents? Calvin sensed his wife¡¯s growing displeasure and hurried over to cate her. ¡°Whatever¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°This is all your fault for giving me such an incorrigible son!¡± Calvin was taken aback by Winnie¡¯s outburst. ¡°Calm down, Darling. I¡¯ll take the me. It must have been some gic mutation on my side to have birthed such an unfilial child.¡± Hmph! Wynnie continued to brood. ¡°Would you mind exining the reason why?¡± Calvin ventured cautiously. Kathleen gestured toward the wedding invitation. ¡°Samuel got into his thick skull the idea of making it up to Kathleen by wedding her.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t be serious in thinking that¡¯s all it¡¯s going to take to win her back.¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s what everyone thinks as well,¡± mulled Winnie in dismay. ¡°However, I suppose we can¡¯t me Samuel for behaving as such. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, with every door open to his whim and fancy. Never has a day gone by where the needs and wants of another person had to be considered,¡± said Calvin. ¡°Still¡­ That doesn¡¯t mean he can simply disregard Kate in this matter. Her consent matters!¡± Wynnie followed up urgently. ¡°Samuel¡¯s methods may be uncouth, but deep down, all he wants is for Kate to give him another chance. He knows that she¡¯s slipping through his fingers and is desperate to hold on to her. At least he¡¯s aware of his feelings now, don¡¯t you agree?¡± That seemed to appease Wynnie. ¡°We promised never to interfere with their marital affairs unless they approached us for help.¡± Calvin gently held on to Wynnie¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s have a little more faith in them.¡± ¡°Goodness gracious, Calvin! I can¡¯t believe you have misread me all this while.¡± ¡°I understand that you worry Samuel will foil his chance at redemption. Kathleen¡¯s a wonderful girl, and her intentions toward Samuel are pure, unlike that calcting Nicolette. Samuel is more than blessed to have her.¡± ¡°If only Samuel had your acumen! That would have saved him a great deal of trouble.¡± Calvin chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve lived twice as long and have learned more than my share of lessons, Darling.¡± Wynnie remained silent. ¡°Give him time. Now that he¡¯s sure of his feelings, there¡¯s hope yet for Calvin to earn Kathleen¡¯s forgiveness. As parents, all there¡¯s left for us to do now is provide the moral support he so desperately needs from us, okay?¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Samuel turned and went back into the house. Kathleen looked out the window while sitting on the bed, hugging her knees. The enormous bed made her look tiny. Samuel went forward and hugged her from behind. ¡°Babe, are you upset?¡± Kathleen was lost. Should I be happy? Samuel kissed her cheeks, ears, hair, and neck gently from behind. Instead of lust, his actions were doting. ¡°I just want to give you my promise.¡± Samuel exined, ¡°Babe, give me a chance, please?¡± Kathleen remained silent. Samuel¡¯s breath was warm. ¡°We still have a long time to go, and you can¡¯t continue to be like this. Give me a chance to make amendments.¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice was maizing. ¡°You used to like me. It¡¯s my turn to court you. Please?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Can I believe you, Samuel?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel tightened his arms around her. ¡°Please believe me this time around.¡± Kathleen hesitated. ¡°Even if my heart might continue to be cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it. We still have a long time. The main point is you must give me a chance. I¡¯ll use the rest of my life to warm it.¡± Samuel kissed her face. He knew deep in his heart he loved the tender and gentle woman in front of him. He could not bear to give her to anyone else. Kathleen sighed sorrowfully and kept mum. However, she did not resist. Although her body was stiff still, Samuel knew Kathleen agreed to give him a second chance. The next day, Kathleen received a morning kiss from Samuel before she woke up. There was a hint of mint in his breath. Kathleen opened her eyes and was surprised. ¡°What¡¯s the time?¡± ¡°Eight o¡¯clock.¡± Samuel stroked her head. ¡°I¡¯m leaving for work. You can continue to sleep.¡± Eight o¡¯clock? Kathleen frowned. ¡°Why am I feeling so tired even though I didn¡¯t do anything?¡± ¡°Because you have a weak body constitution.¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°I guess we need to train you up soon. Not only in bed, but out of the bed as well.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. Samuel was satisfied seeing that the tender little girl was speechless at his response. ¡°I¡¯m off to work.¡± Samuel left the room. Kathleen heaved a sigh. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After sleeping a little more, she got up from the bed and washed up. She then headed downstairs to have breakfast and went to the art studio. She had been curious about the studio since yesterday. However, she was too tired to visit the space. She decided to check out the room today since she had the time. The art studio took on a simr style to the rest of the house while being more minimalistic. The art studio was warm, tidy, and built practically. Kathleen instantly took a liking to the room. She continued looking around to her left and right and was ted. Samuel had arranged to have her things delivered from her condominium, and they each found their ce in the studio. Kathleen sat down and looked out the window quietly, withplicated feelings rumbling on her insides. At that moment, her phone rang. She took a look and saw that it was a call from Diana. ¡°Grandma.¡± Kathleen answered the call. ¡°What are you busy with, Katie?¡± Diana said with a kind voice. ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡± Kathleen added, ¡°New home.¡± Diana chuckled. ¡°And so I¡¯ve heard. Samuel is finally doing it right and dotes you.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve received the wedding invitation.¡± Dianaughed. ¡°Although it¡¯s rather rushed to hold the wedding next month, it¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kathleen replied darkly. Diana noticed that Kathleen seemed unhappy. ¡°Are you upset with something, Katie?¡± Kathleen recalled Diana¡¯s illness. ¡°I¡¯ve happy, Grandma. I¡¯m just tired from all the wedding preparations.¡± ¡°I know. Samuel should get a few people to help you with it.¡± Dianaughed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll help get a few helpers for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandma. No need to get helpers. Samuel said that we¡¯ll get a wedding nner.¡± Kathleen did not dare to trouble Diana. ¡°That won¡¯t do. It¡¯s Samuel¡¯s and your wedding. Everything must go well.¡± Diana chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not tired. I¡¯ll have the strength to help out with your wedding preparations.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Grandma, you¡¯ll have to take good care of yourself. Samuel and I won¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Diana smiled. ¡°You have a good rest.¡± ¡°Okay. Bye Grandma!¡± Kathleen ended the call. Diana hung up on her end as well. She looked at Maria. ¡°Katie is such a kind-hearted child. She¡¯s not telling me anything because she doesn¡¯t want me to be worried.¡± Maria agreed. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, it¡¯s also my fault for not noticing that Mrs. Macari is pregnant.¡± Diana¡¯s eyes went cold. ¡°The fault¡¯s not on you. I¡¯ve heard the entire sequence of events. They kept me in the dark about such important news because they didn¡¯t want me to get worried. But Katie suffered for it! How can we let it slide just like that?¡¯ ¡°But Mr. Macari had already sent that person away,¡± Maria responded. ¡°Do you think that vixen will be satisfied at that?¡± Diana sneered. ¡°Did she think that she escaped from the punishment of her wrongdoings? I¡¯m going to contact Old Mrs. Yoeger. I¡¯ll break the ties with her if she¡¯s not helping with this!¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, it¡¯s not worth it.¡± Maria tried to console her. ¡°You¡¯re long-time friends with her, and it¡¯s not worth falling out with her just because of a vixen. Moreover, you have beenforting her since Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s youngest daughter was taken away. She won¡¯t bear to break ties with you.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, all the more she should help me.¡± Diana stated coldly, ¡°Nicolette killed my two precious grandchildren. I will not let her off easily!¡± Samuel returned home after work at ten o¡¯clock at night. He did not see any meaning in returning home in the past. However, he finally understood that one would return home because someone was waiting at home for them. There was someone at home to leave a nightlight for him. Kathleen had be an important part of his life for the past three years. He knew that he could not live without her for the rest of his life. It was different from the feelings he had for Nicolette. Samuel entered the house, and Kathleen was not there to receive him. ¡°Where¡¯s Kathleen?¡± Samuel asked aloofly. ¡°Mrs. Macari has been in the art studio for the entire day,¡± Sebastian exined. ¡°She has yet to recover. Shouldn¡¯t you all remind her not to exert herself?¡± Samuel uttered coldly. Sebastian was awkward. ¡°We tried, but she refused to listen to us.¡± Samuel went upstairs. He walked into the art studio and saw Kathleen was asleep while lying on the table. He took his coat off and covered her. Kathleen woke up. Her voice was adorable while she was still looking confused. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Upon hearing her voice, Samuel felt his heart go soft. ¡°Yeah. Why are you sleeping here?¡± ¡°I was tired after painting for a while. I wanted to take a nap.¡± Kathleen had yet to wake uppletely. Samuel carried her and sat down, cing her on hisp and hugging her tenderly. ¡°You¡¯ll get a cold.¡± Samuel stroked her face and found that her body temperature was regr. Kathleen blinked her eyes. ¡°Is it thatte?¡± Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Samuel pursed his lips. Lowering his head to look at Kathleen who was in his arms, he asked, ¡°Hmm? Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Her voice was very soft. ¡°The meal is ready,¡± he exined in a gentle tone. ¡°Carry me.¡± Having said that, Kathleen wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t want to walk.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel then lifted her up. She was very light. It was as if she was weightless. Kathleen held tight to his neck. They finally arrived at the walkway. Samuel trod slowly on the soft carpet wearing a pair of shoes. Subsequently, he carried her downstairs with care. ¡°Sam.¡± Kathleen leaned her head on his shoulder. Staring at his side profile, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s start again.¡± Samuel froze. I asked her about itst night. That time, she avoided the question. But she finally gave me an answer today. Did something happen today? ¡°Sam, I feel like I¡¯m a helpless person.¡± Her voice was hoarse. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far before. Despite everything you¡¯ve done, I still love you.¡± Upon hearing her words, Samuel hugged her harder. ¡°As expected, my determination fades away the moment I meet you. It¡¯s exactly like what is written in the song.¡± Her voice sounded as if she was going to cry. ¡°I swore to myself that I wouldn¡¯t forgive you. But when you treated me well, my heart softened. My effort has been in vain.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Samuel felt the pain in his heart. ¡°I will never do anything to hurt you again in the future.¡± ¡°Sam, I will give you a chance. It will be a chance for me as well.¡± She sniffled. With dismay, she continued, ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to make me sad again. If you do, I won¡¯t forgive you anymore. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said gruffly. Satisfied with his answer, Kathleen huffed. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Samuel curled his thin lips. Then, he continued to carry her downstairs into the dining room. All her favorite dishes were already set on the table. When he sat down, he put her on hisp. Frowning, Kathleen uttered, ¡°You can put me down now.¡± ¡°Be good. You can eat while sitting on myp.¡± With his hands around her slim waist, Samuel hugged her from behind. Kathleen was speechless. After a short pause, she asked, ¡°How do I eat like that?¡± ¡°Just eat in this way.¡± Samuel was unwilling to let her go. In fact, he did not think that it would be a problem to hug her while she was eating. Kathleen knew that it would be a futile attempt to struggle. Thus, she chose to give up. It was known that she ate slowly. Thus, Samuel made adaptions to suit her habit. While looking at the woman in his arms, Samuel was rid of his usual cold expression. Instead, he was very happy. Noticing that Kathleen had put her fork down, he asked, ¡°Do you still want to eat?¡± Kathleen shook her head. Her stomach was bloated because she had eaten too much the night before. ¡°Sebastian, get us a bowl of mushroom soup,¡± Samuel instructed. Upon hearing the instruction, Sebastian immediately gave him the soup. After Samuel took the bowl offered to him, he put it close to Kathleen¡¯s mouth. ¡°Drink this. The temperature is just about right.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Coaxing her slowly, Samuel said, ¡°Be good.¡± Only then did she reluctantly drank it. Samuel was satisfied. ¡°You behave just like a child.¡± Kathleen let out a light snort as soon as she heard it. After that, Samuel pinched her cheeks affectionately before carrying her back to their bedroom. At that time, Nicolette was staying in an inconspicuous vi. Without her phone in her possession, she was unable to contact Samuel. She was desperate to ask him to stay with her in the ce. After pulling off the needle on the back of her hand, she got off the bed and walked out directly. The moment she reached the huge entrance door, she was stopped by a bodyguard. With a cold expression, he said, ¡°Ms. Yoeger, please go back.¡± Nicolette red at him. ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to?¡± The bodyguard, however, refused to answer her question. ¡°Open your stupid eyes. I¡¯m the woman Samuel likes. Also, I will be the nextdy of the Macari family.¡± As she spoke, her face distorted in anger. ¡°Now, I want to see Samuel. Prepare the car for me.¡± Nevertheless, the bodyguard was still unperturbed. He continued to block her path. Nicolette was furious. ¡°I can make Samuel fire you.¡± In response, the bodyguard asked coolly, ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Nicolette barked, frowning, ¡°How dare you use this tone to speak with me!¡± ¡°Ms. Yoeger, please stop your daydream. It¡¯s impossible for Mr. Macari to marry you.¡± In a cold voice, the bodyguard added, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Macari have decided to hold their wedding next month. If he wants to marry you, why are they holding the wedding reception?¡± What? Stunned, Nicolette asked, ¡°Did you say that Samuel and Kathleen will be holding their wedding?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Everyone in Jadeborough has received the wedding invitation card,¡± the bodyguard said. No, this is impossible! How can Samuel be willing to hold the wedding? That¡¯s right. It must be Kathleen who forced him to do it! She must have gained his sympathy by using the excuse that she had lost her two children. He, meanwhile, must have relented because he thinks he owed her. Hah! What a cunning woman! ¡°Ms. Yoeger, please go back.¡± The bodyguard remained impassive. ¡°Listen to me. It¡¯s impossible for Samuel to marry Kathleen. She must have threatened him.¡± It looked like Nicolette had lost her cool. ¡°You need to follow my instruction now. Take me to see Samuel. I¡¯m the only one who can bring him back to his senses. After everything is settled, I will reward you with a huge sum of money. Quick!¡± Having said that, she dashed outside. bbergasted, the bodyguard dragged her back. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, I think you are the one who is very sick.¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Nicolette struggled to release herself from his grasp. ¡°You are a bunch of bad people. How dare you prevent me from being with Samuel. He will never let you go off easily!¡± At that moment, a doctor finally arrived at the scene. He instructed a nurse to hold Nicolette tight. Then, he gave her a sedative. Subsequently, Nicolette slumped to the ground. She slowly lost consciousness. I refuse to stay quiet. It was difficult to be able to achieve my dream. How can I be hindered here? Over the past few years, I endured endless humiliation just so that I can marry Samuel. It¡¯s also the reason why I have never set my eyes on any other guy. In fact, it is easy for me to get married if I want. But no other man can surpass Samuel. They can¡¯t give me what I want. Only Samuel can do it! I need to get Samuel back! That night, Samuel made a call to the vi while he was in the study. He furrowed his brow slightly and asked, ¡°How is her recovery going?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Macari. She is doing very well after the bone marrow transnt,¡± the doctor replied. Samuel was indifferent. ¡°After her condition gets better, you cane back here. I will instruct someone to send her overseas.¡± The doctor hesitated for a while. ¡°Mr. Macari, Ms. Yoeger has been asking for youtely. Thus, we keep sedating her every time so that she can remain quiet. But you also know that there will be a lot of side effects.¡± ¡°Do I need to concern myself with this?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Upon hearing his words, the doctor was awkward. ¡°You only need to keep her quiet.¡± Samuel was unperturbed. ¡°Yes, Sir. Understood,¡± the doctor quietly responded. Then, Samuel hung up the phone. He had a frown on his face. Previously, Nicolette had attracted his attention because he had been saved by her. She was the illegitimate child of the Yoeger family. Thus, the family members were not the only ones who did not like her. In fact, everyone in Jadeborough did not like her because of her mother. Samuel knew that she was unloved and unwanted. It could be because he was constantly reminded of her piteous life. There was also a possibility that it was because she was his savior. Thus, he had given her a lot of attention. At that time, he was not interested in any other women. Even though Nicolette was an uninteresting person, she was pitiful. Hence, he decided to be in a rtionship with her. Unexpectedly, they were unable to be together in the end. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Samuel turned and went into the bedroom. Kathleen had just had her bath and was dressed in a light pinkish silk bathrobe. A beautiful silhouette could be vaguely seen, which entuated her womanly figure. Samuel stood behind her and sniffed. ¡°You smell good.¡± Kathleen blushed. ¡°Go and take your shower.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Samuel quickly nted a kiss on Kathleen¡¯s cheek and went into the bathroom. As for Kathleen, she went straight to bed after blow-drying her hair. Samuel took a quick shower and was done in just ten minutes. He then went to the bed and embraced her. Kathleen stared at his Adam¡¯s apple then closed her eyes. ¡°Do you want to go and try out the wedding dresses tomorrow?¡± Samuel asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Promise?¡± Samuel grinned. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen smiled. I¡¯m not saying that I don¡¯t want to. Why does he have to double confirm with me? Little did she know that Samuel wascking peace of mind. Perhaps he felt guilty that he hadn¡¯t done what Kathleen wanted him to do and that he had lied to her. If she ever found out the secret, she would be furious. Samuel couldn¡¯t imagine what it would be like if Kathleen was mad. So, he could only do everything he could to make her happy. He could only pray that she wouldn¡¯t be mad at him and disappear from his life if the secret was revealed. The next day, Samuel woke up early and went for a jog around the area. When he returned, he saw Kathleen still in a daze, sitting in the bed with one hand holding a tablet and the other holding a stylus pen. ¡°Why are you awake?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°I feel that if I continue to sleep in, I will be a goner,¡± Kathleen said worriedly. Even though she had been pampered for three years as Mrs. Macari, she rarely slept in. She never spoiled herself too much to avoid that if something really happened, everything couldn¡¯t return to the way they were. Her solidity made him feel bad for her. She did everything with caution and care. ¡°There are only two of us in the house. You don¡¯t have to be so obedient. Lie down and get some more rest.¡± Samuel patted her. ¡°Okay.¡± Shey down immediately. Samuel shed a faint smile. He took away her tablet and the stylus pen, then went for a shower. Kathleen fell asleep once again. When he found out she was asleep after his bath, he did not disturb her. He went downstairs after getting dressed. Samuel ordered Sebastian, ¡°Call me when she¡¯s awake.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari. I will.¡± Sebastian nodded. Samuel left the house after making sure everything was managed well. Sebastian mused. Kathleen is lucky to be doted by him. I thought Nicolette would be the one staying in this ce. Who would have guessed it would be Kathleen instead? There was a saying, ¡°If one is in love with someone, they will not fall for others. But if that person falls in love with another, that means their feelings for the first person weren¡¯t as deep in the first ce.¡± After all, Samuel was not fond of Nicolette, but he was more in love with Kathleen. When Kathleen woke up, she headed downstairs for her meal. Sebastian informed Samuel while she was eating. A few momentster, Samuel sent someone to pick up Kathleen. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Sebastian informed Kathleen, ¡°Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macari is sending someone to pick you up. The driver will arrive in just a few minutes.¡± Kathleen suddenly burped, like a cute little hamster, and paused for a second. ¡°Why is he sending someone to pick me up?¡± ¡°To try out wedding dresses and to take wedding photos, Mrs. Macari,¡± Sebastian answered. I forgot about that! Kathleen was taken aback. Seeing her reaction, Sebastian knew that she must have forgotten about it. Kathleen finished her food in a hurry and went to wash up and get changed. Just when she finished tidying herself, the car arrived. She got into the car and headed to the bridal studio. Halfway through the journey, Samuel gave Kathleen a call. ¡°Something came up. I might be ten minuteste. You can choose the dress first. I will be reaching shortly after,¡± Samuel said in a deep voice. ¡°Okay. I will wait for you.¡± Kathleen gave a nod. ¡°All right.¡± Samuel nodded. Then, Kathleen hung up the phone. Soon, she arrived at the bridal studio. It was the most luxurious bridal studio in Jadeborough. They only sold their wedding dresses instead of renting them. Moreover, it would cost a few million for a set of wedding photos. It was definitely a ce for high-end consumers. Ordinary people would not be able to afford that. Kathleen walked into the bridal studio. The staff gave a quick nce at her outfit. In an instant, her eyes brightened. She then looked at Kathleen carefully and recognized her at once. She is¡­ Ms. Jo¡­ What¡¯s her name again? Whatever. I just need to know she is Samuel Macari¡¯s wife! ¡°Hello, Mrs. Macari. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± the quick-witted staff greeted her immediately. ¡°Mr. Macari has made an appointment,¡± Kathleen stated inly. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Macari. Are we going to pick out a wedding dress now?¡± She smiled. Kathleen nodded in agreement. The staff then led her to choose her wedding gown. Coincidentally, twodies were choosing some wedding dresses. They were sisters. ¡°Sandra, don¡¯t you want to give it a second thought? Robert is nothingparable to Mr. Macari.¡± Yvette was frustrated. Kathleen was taken aback. Is she talking about Samuel? At that moment, a familiar voice was heard from behind the curtains. ¡°Yvette, stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Nonsense? The Sullivan family is nothingpared to the Macari family. You used to be high school and university ssmates with Mr. Macari. You two were quite close at that time. You should grab the chance and interact more with him so that you will not have to marry an average man like Robert.¡± Yvette was indignant. ¡°Samuel is already a married man. I should not be meddling in his matter anymore,¡± the woman replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think Mr. Macari is truly in love with Kathleen. He still showed up at an event with Nicolette a few days ago. I don¡¯t believe that he will change his mind so soon. Perhaps he is forced by Old Mrs. Macari,¡± Yvette said in a cold voice. ¡°Stop talking about that.¡± Ady walked out from behind the curtain dressed in a wedding dress. It¡¯s Sandra. She used to be Samuel¡¯s ssmate. It had been ten years since Kathleen lived with the Macari family. She was familiar with Samuel and the people around him. Sandra went to the Macari residence once to attend Samuel¡¯s twentieth birthday. Kathleen had met her before. So, she knew for a fact that Sandra was fond of Samuel to the point of being obsessed. Initially, Sandra thought of stopping Yvette from talking about the matter as some other workers were around. It would be terrible if words spread. However, she didn¡¯t expect to bump into Kathleen at the studio. She rubbed her eyes, thinking there was something wrong with her eyes. Yvette realized that Sandra was staring at the person behind her. She turned around and was stunned for a second. She is Kathleen, right? Last time, I couldn¡¯t see her clearly in the video. Now I¡¯ve finally met her. She really is pretty. It¡¯s no wonder Samuel would fall in love with her. ¡°Hello, Kathleen.¡± Sandra was feeling slightly awkward. Did she hear what we were talking about just now? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Sandra,¡± Kathleen responded coldly. She is about the same age as Samuel. So, she is probably three or four years older than me. But I¡¯ve never liked her anyway. I think she is well aware of the reason. Yvette saw that her sister acted timidly in front of Kathleen. She frowned and asked, ¡°Sandra, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Sandra shook her head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°Why are we leaving? We¡¯re still in the midst of trying out the wedding dresses.¡± She frowned and continued, ¡°Why are you so afraid of her, Sandra? You¡¯re the daughter-inw of the Sullivan family. As for her, she might be dumped by Samuel the next day!¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Don¡¯t spout nonsense,¡± Sandra reprimanded her sister. The former¡¯s expression became unnatural when she saw Kathleen. With a stony expression, Kathleen eyed Yvette and uttered, ¡°You have a mouth but fail to speak properly. It might as well have grown below you; at least it would serve some form of purpose then.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± responded Yvette in an extremely shrill voice. ¡°Do you not understand what I mean? If you do, then great. If not, looks like your brain¡¯s faulty too,¡± said Kathleen with an icy tone. ¡°Kathleen, my sister did not speak in a nice tone just now, but did you really have to criticize her like this?¡± interjected Sandra, frustrated. ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t your sister the one who started it first?¡± Kathleen said tly. ¡°Surely you know that it¡¯s always the instigator who¡¯s at fault.¡± Sandra bit her lip and did not say a word. Back then, Kathleen said the exact same thing to her. Yvette mocked, ¡°Kathleen, what¡¯re you so cocky about? You and Samuel have been married for three years, but he ended up having a mistress anyway.¡± Kathleen¡¯s delicate countenance paled a shade. Previously, Samuel and Nicolette appeared in the Yoeger residence together. Everyone in Jadeborough knew that he personally fed that woman cake. At that time, Kathleen¡¯s marriage to him had not been publicly announced yet, so everyone thought that Samuel and Nicolette would be a couple. ¡°Why the silence?¡± asked Yvette smugly. In a calm manner, Kathleen said, ¡°Even if he has a mistress, you decided to insult me, the wife, instead of ming the cheating man. Where are your morals?¡± Yvette was stunned for a moment before replying angrily, ¡°Kathleen, stop lecturing me like you¡¯re on the moral high ground. I inquired about this long ago; Samuel and Nicolette were a pair, to begin with. The one who snatched someone else¡¯s partner was you! You¡¯re the real homewrecker!¡± Kathleen sneered and said, ¡°I¡¯m the homewrecker? What a pity¡ªthe ¡®homewrecker¡¯ you¡¯re referring to is actually Samuel¡¯s real wife, while Nicolette became the mistress that everyone hates. Are you dissatisfied with that?¡± ¡°Kathleen, you vile, shameless woman! Samuel will divorce you eventually! Homewrecker b*tch!¡± Yvette hissed through gritted teeth. ¡°Yvette!¡± Sandra creased her brows. Kathleen chuckled aloud and said with disdain, ¡°I¡¯m a homewrecker b*tch? What does that make your sister?¡± At that, Sandra¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my sister?¡± said Yvette with arms akimbo. ¡°She¡¯s a thousand¡ªno, a million¡ªtimes better than you!¡± Kathleen nced at Sandra frostily and uttered, ¡°Sandra, if you can¡¯t restrain your sister even the slightest bit, then don¡¯t me me for going all out.¡± ¡°Stop talking,¡± said Sandra as she pulled Yvette¡¯s arm, intending to drag her sister away. ¡°Sandra, what¡¯re you doing? Why¡¯re you afraid of her?¡± Yvette scowled. ¡°She¡¯s a homewrecker, a vixen who destroys other people¡¯s rtionships! What right does she have to be the young madam of the Macari family?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t have the right, do you?¡± A hint of scorn filled Kathleen¡¯s beautiful eyes. ¡°If I had the chance, I¡¯m sure Samuel would like me,¡± dered Yvette assuredly. In truth, her attacks on Kathleen were merely out of her jealousy, not out of support for Nicolette. Yvette came to know Samuel because of Sandra. Rather than saying she ¡°knew¡± him, she actually only saw his photo as Sandra and Samuel went to the same school. Yvette liked Samuel almost to the point of obsession. Even though she had devised countless ns to approach Samuel, she did not seed even once. It was absolutely impossible for people of her social status to get close to Samuel. Perhaps she could have had the opportunity to get in touch with Samuel back when Sandra was still coursemates with him. After that, they did not contact each other anymore. And so, Yvette lost any chance of seeing Samuel. Although Yvette worked hard throughout the past few years, her efforts proved to be futile. It was only when Samuel announced his marriage with Kathleen some time ago that she discovered he was taken. Moreover, the woman that he had married was a parentless orphaned girl. To Yvette, Kathleen did not match up to Samuel other than the fact that she was pretty. Thus, when Yvette saw Kathleen, she tried all methods to humiliate thetter. After all, the person Samuel likes is Nicolette. He wouldn¡¯t care about what happens to Kathleen! ¡°You?¡± Kathleen insulted, ¡°Back then, your sister tried everything and failed. You¡¯re not even half as pretty as her, so what makes you so sure of yourself?¡± Sandra¡¯s face became flushed. ¡°She would never!¡± said Yvette confidently. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a lesson if you dare to use my sister again!¡± Slowly, Kathleen stated, ¡°Are you sure? You can¡¯t read her mind, so how would you know that? I remember that she employed very underhanded tactics.¡± ¡°Kathleen, that¡¯s enough!¡± Sandra bit her lip and snapped, ¡°I have never offended you, have I? Why must you hold on to the past?¡± ¡°Who asked your sister to attack me?¡± Kathleen said nonchntly, ¡°I told you just now that you¡¯re not restraining her. Instead, you¡¯re letting her do as she pleases. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Sandra was taken aback. Kathleen continued stonily, ¡°You had the chance to stop her from sputtering nonsense, but did you? Not at all. Looks like after so many years, you still harbor ulterior motives and impure thoughts for another man despite your uing marriage. Since your sister loves being an upright warrior for morality and pointing out others¡¯ faults, how could she miss you out?¡± ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯re still as eloquent as ever,¡± Sandramented through clenched teeth. ¡°Thank you for thepliment. I naturally would not show any mercy toward lowlifes.¡± Kathleen weed the woman¡¯s remark dly. ¡°How dare you scold my sister like that! I¡¯ll have your head!¡± Yvette raised her fist and aimed it at Kathleen. The corners of Sandra¡¯s lips curved upward. She wanted to see Kathleen beaten up. Kathleen¡¯s eyes were cold as ice as she stared directly at Yvette¡¯s fist without budging at all. Suddenly, a strong force pulled her, and she fell into a warm embrace. Inhaling the cold, woody scent, Kathleen buried her face into the man¡¯s chest. She felt aggrieved. Samuel hugged her tightly with one arm while using the other to push Yvette away. Sandra and Yvette were utterly shocked. It¡¯s Samuel! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. When Samuel spoke, it felt as though hell froze over. ¡°Who gave the two of you such courage toy a hand on the young madam of the Macari family?¡± ¡°Samuel, long time no see,¡± greeted Sandra awkwardly. ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± Samuel questioned in a cold demeanor. Sandra¡¯s face turned beet red. Does he not recognize me anymore? ¡°Mr. Macari, she¡¯s Sandra, your ex-ssmate. My name¡¯s Yvette, and I¡¯m her sister.¡± Yvette was not expecting to meet Samuel here, so she was very excited. Samuel¡¯s eyes were dark and cold as he looked at the two sisters. ¡°I asked the two of you¡ªwho gave you such courage toy a finger on my wife?¡± ¡°It was she who scolded Sandra first,¡± justified Yvette. ¡°Mr. Macari, do you really not remember my sister?¡± ¡°Did you scold her?¡± Samuel lowered his eyes to look at Kathleen, who remained in his arms. The woman¡¯s lips were a luscious shade of red. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°So be it,¡± said Samuel nonchntly. Sandra and Yvette¡¯s faces fell. He gazed at Kathleen¡¯s gentle and sweet face and uttered coldly, ¡°Do you think that I¡¯d believe you randomly scolded someone? I know you. If people don¡¯t get on your nerves, you wouldn¡¯tsh out at them.¡± Kathleen was never one to be unreasonable or unt her power in public. Samuel knew this full well. If she were really that sort of person, she could not possibly have silently tolerated being his wife for three years. If she did have that kind of intention, their rtionship would have been publicized a long time ago. Hence, it was definitely not Kathleen who started this ruckus. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Kathleen pursed her lips quietly. Yvette was fuming. ¡°We didn¡¯t scold her. All we did was say a few words of truth.¡± Coldly, Samuel remarked, ¡°What truth could possiblye out of the mouths of dogs like you?¡± Yvette was rendered speechless while Sandra froze. ¡°Mr. Macari, we know that she¡¯s the third person who took Nicolette¡¯s spot.¡± Yvette reminded, ¡°Isn¡¯t Nicolette your true love?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were zed with ayer of frost. ¡°Who do you think you are to have the audacity to say that you know who my true love is? It seems to me that the two of you are courting death.¡± Yvette was stunned. Is Nicolette not Samuel¡¯s true love? What does he mean? Kathleen stared at the two sisters icily. ¡°Sam, do you really not remember this woman anymore?¡± inquired Kathleen as she lifted a finger to point at Sandra. ¡°Nope.¡± Samuel added disgustedly, ¡°Why would I remember a random woman? I¡¯m your man; can¡¯t you be a little jealous?¡± Sandra and Yvette were thunderstruck. D-Did Samuel just say all that? How could he say such things? ¡°You don¡¯t like them anyway, so why should I be jealous?¡± Kathleen found his question to be very confusing. Samuel was displeased by her words. ¡°Do you really not have any impression of her?¡± asked Kathleen once more. ¡°No. Isn¡¯t it annoying to ask this again and again? I only have eyes for you,¡± rified Samuel, who was afraid of answering wrongly. However, to be fair, he did indeed forget who Sandra was. Kathleen turned to look at Sandra, whose face was pale as a sheet, and said tly, ¡°You spent so much effort back then, but he doesn¡¯t even remember your name in the end. What a pity.¡± At that, Sandra¡¯s face became even paler. ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t cross the line,¡± fumed Yvette. ¡°I crossed the line?¡± Kathleen mocked, ¡°It was you who insulted me first, saying that I¡¯m a homewrecker b*tch. There¡¯re surveince cameras here; should we check the footage?¡± Yvette felt guilty. Kathleen coldly eyed Sandra. ¡°I warned you just now that you should hold your sister back. Since you did not heed my words, don¡¯t me me for taking action.¡± Thetter panicked. ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t you dare!¡± ¡°Sandra, why¡¯re you scared of her?¡± The tactless Yvette added fuel to the mes. ¡°She¡¯s just a homewrecker who monopolizes the fact that she¡¯s an orphan to garner sympathy and snatch someone else¡¯s man. How shameless!¡± Sandra wished she could p her sister there and then. Shut up! Kathleen sneered, turned to Samuel, and asked, ¡°Sam, do you remember Wynnie throwing you a birthday party at home when you were twenty, and a lot of your coursemates were invited?¡± Thetter nodded with a frosty expression. ¡°Yes. I was drunk that time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kathleen nced at Sandra and went on, ¡°This woman snuck into your room and wanted to take off your clothes.¡± The blood instantly drained from Sandra¡¯s face. Samuel knitted his brows. ¡°What did you say?¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. It was I who stopped her. Otherwise, the person whom you would be married to right now would be her.¡± With a sigh, she continued, ¡°I really regret stopping her.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡±manded Samuel unhappily. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Yvette eximed in shock. ¡°My sister would never do that!¡± ¡°She even knelt in front of me that time. In fact, I have footage of what happened. Do you want to take a look?¡± said Kathleen icily. Yvette was stupefied. ¡°This matter was initially over long ago, but you brought this upon her.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was gentle yet freezing cold. ¡°It¡¯s too bad that she has a sister like you who causes her trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Yvette shook her head hard. ¡°You b*tch¡ªAh!¡± Sandra pped her before thetter could even finish her words. ¡°Stop f*cking causing me problems!¡± Sandra was so livid that her insides hurt. What would happen if the Sullivan family found out about this? Yvette was dumbfounded by her sister¡¯s action. Kathleen snickered. ¡°Sandra, I¡¯m speechless about your sister. I¡¯ve reminded you time and time again, and you¡¯ve told her repeatedly as well, but she insists on making me angry. Does she hold a grudge against you? Or is she envious of you, so she¡¯s destroying you on purpose?¡± Sandra¡¯s face was ck as thunder as she eyed Yvette, who felt wronged as she cried, ¡°Sandra, I¡¯m not jealous of you! Really!¡± Sandra harrumphed. ¡°Shut it!¡± Yvette unhappily lowered her head. Looking at Kathleen, Sandra said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not educating my sister properly.¡± ¡°Did you not educate her properly or did you merely decide to use her as your weapon?¡± retorted Kathleen expressionlessly. ¡°If you had restrained her sternly, to begin with, I wouldn¡¯t have exposed what happened. You brought this upon yourself.¡± Sandra bit her lip. ¡°Sandra, I¡¯ve never been one to be bullied so easily,¡± Kathleen added stonily. It¡¯s just that I love Samuel too much. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sandra had no choice but to apologize. After that, she dragged Yvette along and left. The store returned to its usual peaceful state. Samuel stared at Kathleen, who casually asked, ¡°Why¡¯re you looking at me like that?¡± Are you surprised at how I behaved? ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± answered Samuel in a low voice. ¡°I just thought that I should get to know you properly.¡± Such a tiny, dainty girl, yet she¡¯s so feisty when ites to teaching people a lesson. This is a side of her that I¡¯ve never seen before. I knew that she wasn¡¯t as weak and demure as she seemed. ¡°Take your time then,¡± said Kathleen. Samuel could not resist the urge to pinch her face. ¡°So, you did it to protect me back then?¡± Kathleen merely gave a humph. With a frown, Samuel went on, ¡°I remember that I had had too much to drink then, so I went back to my room to rest. In a daze, I kissed someone.¡± The woman¡¯s ears reddened. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I can confirm that it wasn¡¯t Sandra, and it¡¯s impossible for it to be Nicolette.¡± Samuel gazed at Kathleen deeply and asked, ¡°So, it was you?¡± ¡°N-No,¡± responded Kathleen in awkwardness. ¡°I remember that kiss tasted of peaches.¡± Samuel pinched her chin and said, ¡°Back then, I remember a little peach telling me that she loved eating this type of candy the most.¡± Kathleen stiffened up. ¡°I-I thought that you had already forgotten about that.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I didn¡¯t forget it, but I did think that it was a dream.¡± He had always assumed that was the case, so the matter was buried at the bottom of his heart. Back then, he had not begun dating Nicolette yet, but he dreamed of Kathleen and even kissing her. He thought that he was nothing more than a beast. After all, Kathleen was only seventeen back then. So, it was really her! My affection for her had already begun a long time ago. ¡°Let¡¯s go try on the bridal outfits.¡± Kathleen was worried that he would give her trouble. ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯re such an idiot,¡± said Samuel as he pinched her face. ¡°Why¡¯re you scolding me?¡± Kathleen felt speechless. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who took the initiative. It was you who suddenly grabbed my hand, asked me why I was so sweet, and then¡­ I thought you mistook me for Nicolette.¡± Samuel fell silent. What a huge misunderstanding! ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± Samuel exerted more force in his fingers and added, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m one too.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows, not understanding what he meant. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go try out the clothes.¡± Samuel held her hand to select wedding dresses. After getting some things in order, Samuel¡¯s mind became crystal clear. Back when they first got married, he epted Kathleen at once for a reason.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The man had already fallen for her before he even realized it. My sweet peach, I must have you! Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Kathleen was bewildered. She was totally clueless as to why Samuel was grinning. The man asked her to try on some wedding dresses, so she obliged. She dared not say anything about it either. Nevertheless, the process of trying on the wedding dresses was extremely slow and arduous. Kathleen only tried on two outfits. Samuel narrowed his eyes and uttered, ¡°If you don¡¯t try them on properly, I¡¯ll buy everything home, then you can slowly try on all of them.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. That¡¯s not how you should spend money, even if you¡¯re wealthy! In the end, Kathleen selected an off-shoulder, demure wedding dress, which suited her meek and gentle personality. She exuded a sweet, lovely vibe. Samuel tested a ck tuxedo. He stood with Kathleen and asked the store employee to help take a photo. That would be their only picture togetherter on. After they finished trying on their wedding outfits, Samuel brought Kathleen out to eat. Once they finished their meal, the couple went home together. Kathleen remained happy all the way until before the wedding. Even though she was still unable to let go of the pair of children whom she had lost, she knew that she had to look forward and move on. Soon, their wedding day arrived. The ceremony was to be held in a chapel. That day, Kathleen wore the wedding dress that she had chosen with Samuel. A joyful grin was carved on her face as she walked step by step toward him amid the well-wishes of her friends and rtives. Samuel, elegant and handsome, stood before the altar as Kathleen, gentle and sweet, strode forward. The two seemed like a perfect match as they stood together. Christopher sat on one of the pews, staring at Kathleen from behind in a serious manner. If this is her choice, the only thing I can do is respect it and give her my best wishes. Benjamin was seated on one of the pews too. Gemma was still unable to get down from the bed, so she could not make it. He came to give Kathleen his blessing. No matter who she married, all he hoped for was her happiness. She must obtain happiness! Kathleen walked in front of Samuel and ced her small hand in his.N?velDrama.Org ? content. Thetter held her hand and, through the transparent veil, gazed at his petite bride. Warmth and bliss filled his heart. Perhaps we should have held this wedding ceremony a long time ago. How foolish I was! The couple turned simultaneously to look at the priest, who smiled at them and slowly uttered, ¡°Dear Mr. Samuel Macari and Ms. Kathleen Johnson, do the two of you agree to live together in matrimony and never leave each other regardless of wealth and health?¡± Samuel dered solemnly, ¡°I do.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes gleamed with sincerity. ¡°I-¡± Bang! Before the woman could even finish her vow, a loud bang sounded from behind. Then, there was the patter of footsteps. Kathleen turned around, and so did the crowd. Nicolette strode forward, silhouetted by the light. Kathleen froze on the spot. Nicolette? Why are her legs perfectly well? Samuel¡¯s handsome face turned ck as thunder as he ordered his subordinates to take Nicolette away. How dare she show up here! Nicolette chuckled sinisterly. ¡°Kathleen, you must be shocked. I caused you such grief and pain, so you requested Samuel to destroy both my legs. But, how could I stand here¡ªperfectly fine¡ªin front of you? Have you thought about that?¡± Kathleen slowly flipped open her veil and looked at Samuel. ¡°Was the video you showed me fake?¡± In the video, she saw Nicolette¡¯s legs being broken. Samuel grabbed her wrist and stated sternly, ¡°I¡¯ll exin things to you when we go home!¡± ¡°Samuel, do you not dare to tell her that you couldn¡¯t bear for me to get hurt, so you found someone who looked extremely like me as a substitute?¡± Nicolette smiled seductively and continued, ¡°Kathleen, so what if you lose your children? Samuel doesn¡¯t want me to get hurt at all! He loves me more than you!¡± D*mn Kathleen! How dare she upy Samuel for so long! I won¡¯t give up so easily! ¡°Take her away!¡± ordered Samuel icily. p! Kathleen raised her hand and gave Samuel a p. Her visage was purple with rage, and her chest heaved erratically. ¡°Samuel Macari!¡± The man¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll exin it to you when we get back.¡± ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± said Kathleen in anguish. ¡°Why did you lie to me!¡± Samuel took a step forward and tried to hug her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± roared Kathleen. ¡°You¡¯re a piece of work! Do you know how much I hate her? She killed my children and almost took my life, and you let her off unscathed to appear in front of me? Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Because he loves me,¡± said Nicolette smugly. ¡°Scram!¡± Samuel red at her, enraged. Nicolette was taken by surprise. ¡°Do you know how much I went through to carry my two children?¡± Kathleen grabbed Samuel by the cor. ¡°You kept coercing me to donate my bone marrow to Nicolette. I was afraid that you would force me to get rid of my babies, so I didn¡¯t dare to tell you about it. I wanted to divorce you and leave this ce, but I ended up losing my babies! It was her! She killed my children!¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes became bloodshot. ¡°I was so powerless, and I could not punish her because you shielded her. I wanted to get a divorce and leave, but you refused. I asked you to break her legs, but you lied to me.¡± Kathleen roared, ¡°What am I to you? What am I?¡± ¡°Kate, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Samuel gripped her hands that were grabbing hold of his cor. ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± Kathleen fell into total despair. ¡°Samuel Macari, you¡¯re such a big bully.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tears streamed down her face ceaselessly, blurring her vision. ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± ¡°Kate!¡± Samuel wanted to embrace her. Her cries were filled with sorrow and hopelessness. Everyone¡¯s heart ached for her. They knew how powerless she felt. Kathleen pushed Samuel away and shoved a vase at the side onto the floor. A broken shard flew and grazed her neck, leaving a deep streak. Everybody was astounded. ¡°Kate!¡± ¡°Katie!¡± ¡°Kathleen!¡± What is she trying to do? Kathleen stood at the door and turned to look at the crowd. ¡°Samuel, I want a divorce. If you don¡¯t agree to it, you won¡¯t see me ever again.¡± Samuel froze. ¡°Everything that happened between us was always up to you; the ball was always in your court.¡± Kathleen took in a deep breath and went on, ¡°Be it our marriage, our divorce, or our wedding, you were the one in control of everything. Everything! I was but an essory to you. Even if I had my own opinion, you wouldn¡¯t care.¡± Samuel gulped. ¡°However, I can have a say in how I¡¯m going to spend the rest of my life.¡± Kathleen shut her eyes for a moment and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to it, don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll see me again. You decide.¡± ¡°Kate, put down the shard.¡± Samuel clenched his jaw. ¡°I don¡¯t want to divorce you.¡± I like you. Devastated, Kathleen cried, ¡°I can¡¯t bear the weight of your love. I never want to see you again, and I certainly can¡¯t bear to see you protecting her.¡± ¡°Katie, don¡¯t do anything silly.¡± Diana panicked. ¡°Samuel, this was your fault to begin with. Hurry up and agree to her request!¡± Gritting his teeth, Samuel said, ¡°Kathleen, tell me how you want her to suffer, and I¡¯ll make her pay immediately!¡± Kathleen sneered coldly. ¡°What¡¯s the point in saying all this now? Samuel, I¡¯vepletely given up. I can¡¯t go on with you anymore. Nicolette is the murderer who killed my children, but does that make you any less guilty? If it weren¡¯t for your indulgence, would she dare to do such a thing?¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Kathleen then exerted considerably more pressure on the shard against her fair neck. The cut on her neck deepened as more blood oozed out from the wound. The pure white wedding gown was also stained red. It was not a sight for the faint-hearted. ¡°Promise her, Samuel!¡± Diana urged anxiously. Calvin quickly held onto Diana, who was seconds away from fainting. He stared at Samuel as he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, Samuel, two lives will be lost due to your indecisiveness.¡± The two lives he meant were referring to Kathleen and Diana. Samuel looked at Kathleen with a pained expression on his face. He really wanted to live a happy life with her. He wanted nothing more than to pour affection on a gentle youngdy like her. Yet, he owed Nicolette a debt of life and was required to return her the favor. ¡°Put down the shard, Kate. I¡¯ll promise you the divorce,¡± Samuel said. He had no idea that he would experience such intense heartache after saying those words. He had never felt anything like that for her before. Or perhaps he did, but he was unaware of it. However, it was toote for him to regret it now. ¡°I want the divorce agreement, now.¡± Kathleen was adamant about her decision. She really wanted nothing to do with Samuel anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it,¡± said Wynnie. She immediately made a call to her assistant. ¡°Bring me a divorce agreement right away. Don¡¯t forget to mention that the wife will receive the entirety of the husband¡¯s assets!¡± Wynnie was also shocked to see the scene before her. She had no other choice but to agree that a divorce was the best course of action for Kathleen and Samuel. However, she would never allow Nicolette to get a share of their assets. Nicolette was delighted at first. Yet, her mood soured after hearing Wynnie¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve benefited from the Macaris enough over the past few years, Kathleen?¡± Nicolette asked, her tone mocking. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still capable of extorting more money before you leave!¡± What right does Kathleen have to receive support from everyone? And what authority does Wynnie have over Samuel¡¯s assets? ¡°F*ck you!¡± Wynnie yelled. She could not help but curse as she charged forward and kicked Nicolette. Completely caught off guard, Nicolette lost her bnce and fell by Kathleen¡¯s leg. ¡°Keep your mouth shut, you f*cking b*tch! It¡¯s up to me to decide how the assets of our family are distributed. You¡¯re dissatisfied because you¡¯re not getting any money, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re merely clinging to my son for the Macaris¡¯ money and status! Let me tell you one thing¡ªeven if Samuel and Kathleen divorce, you won¡¯t get anything!¡± Wynnie yelled. She would not allow a troublemaker like Nicolette to enter the Macari family. Wynnie wasforted by Emily who had walked over to her. Thetter then said icily, ¡°Your mother carried out the same action in the past, Nicolette. She enjoyed stirring up problems from time to time. It amazes me that you are the same.¡± ¡°Well, what can I do? Samuel¡¯s in love with me,¡± Nicolette snarked with a delightedugh. She would have a chance as long as Samuel and Kathleen got a divorce. Suddenly, Kathleen crouched down and grabbed a fistful of Nicolette¡¯s cor. Her slender hand was pinching onto the broken shard of the vase. Her palm had already been slit open, and blood was seeping from the cuts between her fingers. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Nicolette asked, horrified. Kathleen¡¯s gaze was murderous as she roared, ¡°I want to avenge my two children!¡± ¡°N-No!¡± Nicolette was struggling to set herself free from Kathleen¡¯s grip. However, thetter was too strong. Nicolette resorted to getting help from Samuel as he was her only option. ¡°Save me, Samuel!¡± Samuel moved two steps toward Nicolette and Kathleen. With a steady voice, Kathleen began, ¡°Samuel. I know. You love this woman. But she murdered my children. Therefore, we will never be able to be together. But I do hope you have some conscience as they¡¯re also your flesh and blood. They were still unborn. Yet, the woman you loved killed them! You even failed to hold her ountable for what she had done. And you even-¡± She could not bring herself to finish her sentence. It was her first time feeling such sorrow. It was also her first time being as rude as she was. ¡°Why did I have to fall in love with you?¡± Kathleen muttered to herself. ¡°Why did I insist on torturing myself and turning myself into a running joke in front of everyone?¡± ¡°The person I love is you, Kate,¡± Samuel said, taking another two steps closer. Kathleenughed coldly at that. ¡°I won¡¯t ever believe in your words.¡± Then, footsteps could be hearding from outside the door. The owner of the footsteps was Emily¡¯s assistant, the person who brought along the divorce agreement. ¡°Sign it,¡± Kathleen said without looking at Samuel. ¡°Your woman is in my arms now.¡± Wynnie took the divorce agreement and a pen and passed them to Samuel. ¡°Sign it, Samuel. Stop stalling.¡± Samuel hesitated for a while before signing it. He never expected a pen to weigh as much as it did at that moment. A swish was heard, followed by Nicolette¡¯s scream. Everyone was taken aback! Kathleen had used the shard to cut Nicolette¡¯s face. And then another swish was heard as another sh was made. Kathleen had marked a cross on Nicolette¡¯s face. ¡°My face! My face!¡± Nicolette shrieked as she cupped her face and rolled on the floor. Samuel stared at Kathleen nkly. Thetter threw away the shard in her hand and walked over to Samuel. With the pen in her left hand, she signed her name on the document. Taking off her veil, she said, ¡°From now onward, it¡¯s totally over between you and me.¡± Samuel could only gaze at Kathleen without a word. ¡°As expected, taking revenge on my own feels better,¡± Kathleen said as she red at Samuel coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll be at your service anytime if you want to take revenge on her behalf.¡± With that, she turned and left. ¡°Save me, Samuel. Look at my face!¡± Nicolette cried out while sobbing. ¡°I want to sue her and get her in jail!¡± Wynnie sneered. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to see if anywyer dares to ept your request.¡± On the other hand, Samuel had taken a step forward. He wanted to talk to Kathleen. However, he was held back by Wynnie. ¡°Give her some space, Samuel. I know her better than you do. She wouldn¡¯t want toe back if she really made up her mind.¡± ¡°So what if we¡¯re divorced? She¡¯s still my woman!¡± Samuel bellowed. ¡°Do you really want to push her to the brink of death?¡± Wynnie asked, staring at Samuel incredulously. ¡°You¡¯ve always been indifferent to her when she was in our family. What¡¯s the point of you acting like this now?¡± Why can¡¯t he understand that Kathleen doesn¡¯t love him anymore? Samuel did not care and walked out of the ce. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Yet, by the time he was outside, Kathleen was already gone. After that, her disappearancested for an entire year. One year had passed, and Federick was staring helplessly at the person in front of him. ¡°Mr. Macari, could you not drop by every two days?¡± he begged while handing Samuel a cup of coffee. ¡°My coffee¡¯s about to be finished by you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get people to send you more,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Samuel had grown even more mature and attractive in just one year. Inparison to the past, his aura was also even more dependable and strong. ¡°Do you think I care about the d*mned coffee?¡± Frederick asked exasperatedly. Samuel remained silent as he continued to sip on his cup of coffee. Federick was not nning to entertain Samuel. Yet, he was left with no choice. ¡°I¡¯m beingpletely honest right now. I really have no idea where Kate is, Mr. Macari,¡± Frederick said with a raise of his hands, signaling his defeat. ¡°Give it some thought. It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s trying to hide from you. Why would she contact any of us from Jadeborough if she wanted to do that?¡± Samuel remained silent. The wedding ring remained on his long and slender ring finger. It was of a simple style that was chosen hastily in the past. Yet, he cherished it more than anything at that moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to Mr. Morris?¡± Frederick suggested with a lift of his eyebrows. ¡°He might know where she is.¡± The ¡°Mr. Morris¡± which Frederick mentioned was Christopher Morris. Ever since Christopher¡¯s father had taken the back seat, he was the one who managed Morris Group. ¡°He won¡¯t tell me anything,¡± Samuel replied coldly. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t want me to find her.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 To everyone, it was no secret that Christopher liked Kathleen. However, Kathleen vanished suddenly without a trace. It was not like Samuel had never suspected Christopher. The thing was, Christopher was a cautious man and did not give himself away. Until then, Samuel still could not uncover anything of interest. He figured that Federick was among those people who had an idea of Kathleen¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Kate misses your daughter,¡± Samuel said coolly. ¡°She can¡¯t simply vanish without a trace.¡± She kept in touch with everyone but him. Perhaps, Samuel was the only person who was oblivious to this fact. Once, he had even attempted to get Kathleen back by resorting to an extreme method. Unfortunately, she never returned, and he ended up in hospital for two months. A crease formed between Federick¡¯s eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s toote for regrets now, Mr. Macari.¡± Samuel kept quiet and maintained a calm expression on his face. He never expected Kathleen to be so resolute. Crossing his long legs, he held his cup of coffee and sat still gracefully. ¡°How are you?¡± Federick decided to show some concern for his biggest investor. Six months ago, a crisis descended upon his publishing firm. It was Samuel who helped to resolve the issue. ¡°Very well,¡± Samuel replied tly. Really? Federick thought the man opposite him looked terrible. Ding! The sound of a notification came from Federick¡¯s phone. He could not hide his surprise when he nced at the screen. Then, he realized Samuel¡¯s phone was silent. ¡°Isn¡¯t your phone on, Mr. Macari?¡± Federick asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s on silent mode,¡± Samuel answered calmly. Normally, when he was there, he would not answer his phone. If any issues arose, Tyson would inform him. Federick sighed and passed his phone to Samuel. ¡°Take a look.¡± Samuel lowered his gaze and saw a news article. It read: Congrattions to Kathleen Johnson for winning the Academy Award for Best Actress and for being the first Chanaean to receive this prestigious award. The article was apanied by a photo of Kathleen. In the photo, she looked exceptionally graceful and alluring in her red, one-shoulder evening gown. Kathleen became even more beautiful after Samuel had not seen her for a year. He returned the phone to Federick, stood up, and headed outside. ¡°Where are you going, Mr. Macari?¡± Federick asked a rhetorical question. ¡°She¡¯sing back tomorrow.¡± Samuel stopped in his tracks and threw the man a sideways nce. ¡°You do know.¡± Federick felt embarrassed. ¡°Sorry, it was what Kathleen wanted. If you aren¡¯t happy¡­¡± Instead of waiting for Federick to finish, Samuel walked away. He would not press Federick further. Otherwise, Kathleen¡¯s hatred for him would intensify. In fact, Samuel knew that everybody else could contact her. However, it was Kathleen who told them to keep mum. When he got hurtst time, Kathleen was also aware of it. Still, she did not cave in and return to him. As such, Samuel had been dumped. Yet, there was nothing he could do about it, for he had been a horrible person. Charles Johnson handed a document to Kathleen on the ne. ¡°Look, it¡¯s a variety show I signed you up for,¡± he said. Kathleen donned a red sweater and a pair of white jeans. A caramel-colored beret was ced on her curly hair. Furthermore, she wore a cute pair of cherry-shaped ear studs. To sum up, she looked beautiful and adorable. ¡°Why is it a variety show? Where are the scripts?¡± Kathleen asked casually. ¡°There¡¯s nothing suitable, so it¡¯s best for you to participate in a variety show first,¡± Charles exined. ¡°You must maintain your poprity if you want to develop your career in your home country. It only takes a few hours to record a variety show. You can take your time to pick a script.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You call the shots.¡± ¡°Hey, won¡¯t you at least take a good look?¡± Charles frowned. ¡°I¡¯m the CEO of an entertainment company, and I¡¯m also your manager. Can¡¯t you take this a bit more seriously?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my biological brother. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll harm me.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to look at it. I¡¯m tired.¡± Charles eyed her with pity and said, ¡°Fine. Go to sleep.¡± Thus, Kathleen closed her eyes. The sunlight shone through the window of the ne and illuminated her fair, wless face, making her look remarkably tender and lovable. When the ne was about tond, Charles woke his sister up. Kathleen got up. Charles brought her white coat over and put it on his sister¡¯s body. He cared for the young woman like a delicate doll. After that, the two of them disembarked from the ne. It waste winter in Jadeborough, and it was extremely cold. Kathleen covered her face with herrge coat. We meet again, Jadeborough. Charles passed a face mask to his sister. ¡°Wear it. You aren¡¯t a regr person anymore.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen put on the mask obediently. Her brother smiled. ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°Right, Charles. When are we going to the Yoeger residence?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find out again afterward,¡± Charles replied. She nodded in response. Soon, the shuttle bus arrived. Charles led his sister as they boarded it. The shuttle bus took them to the airport terminal. After alighting from the bus, they waited for the workers to remove their luggage before walking away. Kathleen and Charles were chatting happily when amotion erupted nearby. Following that, more than twenty bodyguards showed up to block the passersby in front of Charles and Kathleen and cleared a path for them. Then, a man in a ck, three-piece suit appeared in the distance. He was wearing a ck trench coat with a military cor design. Kathleen¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Samuel! What is he doing here? I doubt he¡¯s here to look for me. Kathleen felt rather anxious, but she pretended to be calm. Samuel saw his little bunny at first nce. Although she wore a mask, he still managed to recognize her. Charles stood in front of Kathleen andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°However, he might not be here for me. After all¡­¡± Before she could finish, a massive shadow fell upon her. A familiar, woody scent assaulted Kathleen¡¯s senses, and she felt dizzy. ¡°Are we in your way, Mr. Macari?¡± Charles spoke slyly. ¡°Let¡¯s move aside, Darling.¡± Kathleen nodded and decided to move along with Charles to make way for Samuel. Samuel did not know who Charles was, but his gaze hardened when he heard thetter addressing Kathleen as ¡°Darling.¡± Who does he think he is? ¡°What? Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Samuel muttered. His voice was as deep and seductive as ever. Kathleen knew he was talking to her. Hence, pursing her red lips, she raised her head slowly. As always, her charming doe eyes took Samuel¡¯s breath away. He had to fight the urge to pull her into his embrace. ¡°Mr. Macari,¡± Kathleen said. Upon hearing that, Samuel felt a stab of pain in his heart. Mr. Macari? She sounds so distant. Has she really let me go? ¡°Mm.¡± Samuel cleared his throat and spoke. ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mr. Macari. I¡¯ll take her home.¡± Charles was annoyed. ¡°Please be informed that you have nothing to do with Kate anymore, Mr. Macari. She¡¯s now a famous celebrity. If you take her home, you¡¯ll only create problems for her.¡± Samuel replied coldly, ¡°I can take care of the press.¡± Charles chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Mr. Macari, I can make the press shut up, too. However, Kate has a fianc¨¦. How is she supposed to exin to her fianc¨¦ if you do that?¡± ¡°Fianc¨¦?¡± Samuel stared at Charles in shock. She¡¯s engaged? Kathleen frowned as well. I have a fianc¨¦? Why didn¡¯t I know about this? ¡°Yes. You know him, Mr. Macari.¡± Charles disyed a sly grin. ¡°He¡¯s your cousin, Christopher.¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Kathleen was stunned. She tugged on a corner of Charles¡¯ shirt with her soft tiny fingers to urge him not to sprout nonsense. Samuel¡¯s eyes turned dark. Christopher! ¡°So, Mr. Macari, please know your ce.¡± With that, Charles pulled Kathleen along and left. Samuel turned his head to look at Kathleen who left without turning to look at him once. Samuel felt a stab of pain in his heart. For a while, he could not tell if it was physical or psychological pain. Regardless, he felt terrible. Charles dragged Kathleen into the car. Kathleenined, ¡°Charles, how could you speak so carelessly? They are cousins. If they really get into a fight, I will be the main culprit.¡± ¡°What are you scared of? I¡¯ve already made an agreement with Christopher to say that you two are engaged. This will save you a lot of trouble. Specifically, Samuel will stop clinging to you.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡± ¡°What¡¯s bad about it? Isn¡¯t Christopher a hundred times better than Samuel? Why? Are you having feelings for Samuel again after seeing his face?¡± Charles spoke with disdain. Kathleen was speechless. Am I really that useless? She had loved Samuel deeply before. It had only been a year, so she had notpletely let go of him. Still, she was almost there. She was very clear that she would never ever get back together with Samuel. There was no turning back for Samuel and her. Caring dearly for his sister, Charles advised, ¡°Let me tell you. It¡¯s fine if you make your first mistake in this kind of stuff. But if you make the same mistake again, you have iting. Darling, listen to me. I am a man, so I know what a good man is like.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°But still, it can¡¯t be Christopher! Anyway, just don¡¯t sprout nonsense anymore.¡± Charles replied casually, ¡°Toote. Just now, Christopher epted a live interview. I reckon that everyone now knows that his fianc¨¦e is the new winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress, Kathleen.¡± Kathleen fell speechless. Charles patted her head. ¡°ept your fate, youngdy.¡± Kathleen looked at him helplessly as he smirked. Samuel returned to the Maybach and ordered Tyson, ¡°Check the identity of that man who is with Kathleen.¡± Awkwardly, Tyson replied, ¡°Mr. Macari, I already checked. He¡¯s Charles, the CEO of Astra Entertainment.¡± Astra Entertainment? That was the first time Samuel heard of it. He was never interested in the happenings of the entertainment industry. ¡°Mr. Macari, there¡¯s something else you should look at instead. This.¡± Tyson passed the tablet to Samuel. Samuel received it and saw that it was ying a video. The video was showing the live interview with Christopher by Financial Magazine. The host asked, ¡°Lastly, may I ask you a personal question?¡± Christopher smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± The host asked, ¡°Do you have a girlfriend? This question isn¡¯t from me alone. I¡¯m asking this on behalf of everyone else.¡± Christopher maintained his smile. ¡°I have a fianc¨¦e.¡± The host asked, ¡°Really? Do you mind revealing who she is?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Kathleen.¡± The host was surprised. ¡°Kathleen, the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± Christopher confirmed. The host wanted to question further, but Christopher smirked and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wrap this interview up and call it a day.¡± The video ended at that point. Samuel¡¯s gorgeous face was drained of its warmth, and his pupils were cold and dark. ¡°Delete the site,¡± Samuel spat out the three words and passed the tablet back to Tyson before closing his eyes to rest. Tyson was put on a spot. There was no use if the whole site was deleted since the video was already broadcasted. In fact, there was nothing Samuel could say or do to change that fact. ¡°Check Kathleen¡¯s most recent travel history. The more detailed the better,¡± Samuel instructed coldly. ¡°Mr. Macari, why don¡¯t we nt a spy near Mrs. Macari?¡± Tyson suggested quietly. Samuel replied without any emotion, ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson pursed his lips. ¡°Recently, a cousin of mine got employed by Astra Entertainment. She just got the notice that she will be Mrs. Macari¡¯s assistant.¡± His cousin was certainly ted at the moment. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Valerie.¡± ¡°Tell her that aside from the sry she¡¯s getting from Astra Entertainment, I will also be giving her ten thousand every month. All she needs to do is to tell me what Kathleen is doing every day,¡± Samuel commanded. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel frowned as his eyes glowed menacingly. Christopher, are you really trying to steal my woman? Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve really got to do that! Charles arranged for Kathleen to stay in his mansion. Normally, he lived alone. Kathleen was still watching the video as she entered the mansion. She looked at Charles and asked, ¡°Charles, would my career in acting be affected adversely if I¡¯m involved in a rtionship?¡± Charles said, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? You¡¯re the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress now! Furthermore, a stable rtionship is beneficial to you. This prevents all sorts of people from taking advantage of your reputation.¡± Kathleen pouted. ¡°Who dares to do that? You are my biggest support now. Who doesn¡¯t know that within the entertainment industry, Astra Entertainment is the one that should not be messed with? Seriously.¡± What¡¯s the point of doing something extra like this? Charles patted her head and said, ¡°You just have to follow my arrangements. All right, go take a rest. There¡¯s a dinner party tonight.¡± Kathleen grumbled, ¡°You¡¯re giving me work when I¡¯ve only juste back?¡± ¡°Christopher will be attending. As his fianc¨¦e, shouldn¡¯t you attend as well? We owe him a favor. If it hadn¡¯t been for him, I would never have found you.¡± Kathleen felt bad. ¡°I know. But after all the things you guys did, how am I supposed to talk to Old Mrs. Macari and the rest?¡± ¡°I believe that the Macari family, other than Samuel, is very reasonable and understanding. They won¡¯t mind,¡± Charles said as though he understood them well. Kathleen felt helpless. ¡°But I don¡¯t love Christopher. I treat him as a brother. Furthermore, if the marriage is canceled, how should I exin it? It will look bad on Christopher.¡± Charles advised, ¡°In that case, you should just marry him. A woman should find someone who loves herself instead of someone she loves.¡± ¡°Charles!¡± Kathleen got angry. Charles immediately stopped joking around and got serious. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kathleen was fuming. ¡°Listen well. I know you dislike Samuel, but I am responsible for my own feelings. What you did this time really crossed my line. You know, the main reason why I divorced himst time was that I had been manipted by him in various ways. Do you want me to cut ties with you as well?¡± Charles panicked and consoled, ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t be angry. I just didn¡¯t want Samuel to bother you.¡± Kathleen yelled, ¡°There are many ways to keep him from bothering me. One monthter, make an announcement that the marriage between Christopher and me is canceled!¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± Christopher relented. Kathleen instructed sternly, ¡°Tell the public that it¡¯s my fault. Don¡¯t taint Christopher in any way. Start prepping for it now. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Charles did not expect Kathleen to get this angry. He really did neglect Kathleen¡¯s sensitive feelings this time. However, he only wanted to protect her. They had returned to handle matters pertaining to their identities and reunion, so Samuel would naturallye to pester her. He did not want Kathleen to fall further into the trap. Thus, he had no choice but to do that. Furthermore, Christopher actually loved Kathleen. He had expressed that he was willing to marry Kathleen whether she loved him or not. Such a man would surely treat her dotingly. Why would she reject him? Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Returning to her room, Kathleen took out her phone and called Christopher. ¡°Chris, are you an idiot? Why did you agree to Charles?¡± Kathleen was vexed. ¡°Don¡¯t scold him. I chose to do it,¡± Christopher replied in a gentle voice. Kathleen sighed. ¡°Thank you, Chris. But you really don¡¯t have to sacrifice so much for me. I can never repay you for what you did for me.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you considered repaying me with yourself?¡± asked Christopher with a half-smile. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Christopher gave dryugh. ¡°I¡¯ll stop messing with you. Will youe to the banquet with me tonight? I¡¯ve told the others. It¡¯ll be embarrassing for me if you don¡¯te.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen had no choice but to agree. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tonight.¡± Christopher smiled. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen hung up the phone. Sitting on the bed, she knitted her brows slightly. She wanted to keep a low profile initially, but she had never thought that the movie would make her popr and actually earn her the Best Actress Award at the Academy Award. The movie had obtained the film release permit, and its release date had been confirmed. However, to be able to attend the Academy Award this time around, the director decided to submit the movie for nomination earlier. In fact, they did not hold out much hope, but to their surprise, Kathleen became the dark horse and the Academy Award for Best Actress. It was hence impossible for Kathleen to keep a low profile. Knock. Knock. There was a knock at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Kathleen said. Charles went in. Looking at Kathleen, he asked ingratiatingly, ¡°Still mad?¡± Kathleen snorted coldly. ¡°I was wrong. Tell me what you want. I¡¯ll say yes no matter what,¡± Charles apologized. Kathleen gave him a sidelong nce. ¡°Don¡¯t do this anymore. I don¡¯t want to trouble Chris. I also don¡¯t want to marry myself off in such a rushed manner. Do you get it?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do such a thing anymore.¡± Kathleen let out a sigh. ¡°I know. You keep saying that I¡¯m useless. You¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll go soft on Samuel once Ie back and see him.¡± Charles nodded vigorously. Kathleen got upset. ¡°Charles!¡± Charles cleared his throat. ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve liked Samuel for ten years. Although you said that you¡¯ve moved on, I¡¯m always worried that you¡¯ll go soft on him.¡± Kathleen was too soft-hearted and kind. He was worried that she would be bullied again. ¡°Charles, you worry for nothing. I won¡¯t go soft on him. It won¡¯t bring my kids back to life,¡± Kathleen replied calmly. It was her biggest regret. It always would be. ¡°Even if Samuel kneels before me, I won¡¯t forgive him.¡± Her soft voice was indifferent andced with a tinge of coldness. She still could not be at ease around Samuel, but she was fine with it as she had really gotten over him. Yet, it did not mean that she needed to get into a rtionship with Christopher. She did not want to think about romantic rtionships for the time being. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m d you have pride!¡± Charles gave her a thumbs up. ¡°That¡¯s my good sister.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°Quit clowning around. I need a dress for the banquet tonight with Christopher.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s already prepared.¡± Charles smiled at her. ¡°Your assistant will send it over in a while.¡± ¡°Have you found an assistant for me?¡± asked Kathleen. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s a fresh graduate named Valerie Taylor.¡± Charles had a smile on his face. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded in acknowledgement. After a while, a girl arrived, just as Charles had said. Dressed in a white down jacket and a pair of jeans, she had her hair pulled up in a ponytail, looking youthful and energetic. ¡°Nice to meet you, Kate. My name is Valerie Taylor. You can call me Vee,¡± Valerie introduced herself politely. ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Nodding, Kathleen went on with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you from now on.¡± Valerie became embarrassed. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Kate.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony. I¡¯m not your boss, and you¡¯re not my subordinate. We¡¯re co-workers.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Valerie blushed and could not help admiring the beautiful actress in front of her. Kathleen is so beautiful. There can be many kinds of beauty, but hers is irrefutable by everyone even if they find fault with everything she does. Kathleen said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m going to change. Can you help me get the cosmetic case from my suitcase?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Valerie immediately went to get the cosmetic case as instructed. To her surprise, Kathleen¡¯s cosmetic case was very clean and tidy. Everything inside was organized and not messy at all. So this is how a celebrity organizes her stuff. It¡¯s amazing. I want to learn from Kate! Kathleen then went to the walk-in closet to change into an evening dress, which was a dark purple gown with spaghetti straps. Being someone with fair skin and a cool undertone, she looked charming and elegant in the dark purple dress, exuding a sense of mystery. When she walked out of the walk-in closet, Valerie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Kate.¡± Valerie blinked her eyes. ¡°Shall I take a photo for you?¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Kathleen nodded. Valerie took a photo of her and secretly sent it to Tyson, who was on the way to the banquet with Samuel. The man sitting in the Maybach was dressed in a ck custom-made suit, looking cold and handsome. Tyson then forwarded the photo to Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari, it¡¯s from Vee.¡± Samuel felt the vibration of his phone. Taking out his phone, he tapped open his WhatsApp and tapped on Tyson¡¯s message. Then, he saw the woman he had been thinking about day and night. So she¡¯s wearing purple tonight. ¡°Get me a purple tie,¡± he instructed coldly. ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson was bereft of speech. Is he trying to wear something that matches her outfit? ¡°Also,¡± Samuel paused before continuing, ¡°ask Valerie to add me.¡± He did not need Tyson to forward him anything about Kathleen. ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson was speechless that Samuel actually got jealous. After informing Valerie, Tyson sent her Samuel¡¯s contact. Feeling uneasy, Valerie then added Samuel on WhatsApp, who immediately replied to her as an acknowledgement. ¡°How is it?¡± Kathleen came up to Valerie. Valerie was shocked, but luckily, she was no longer on WhatsApp. ¡°Very beautiful.¡± She showed Kathleen the photo. Kathleen took a look at it and said in satisfaction, ¡°It¡¯s really not bad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Kate. You look good from every angle,¡± Valerieplimented. ¡°Enough sweet talking. I¡¯m going to do my makeup,¡± Kathleen replied with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll help you pack your suitcases, then,¡± Valerie offered. Kathleen had a total of four suitcases. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen sat down and began putting on her makeup by herself, just like she had always done. Valerie nodded. While Kathleen was doing her makeup, Valerie helped her pack her suitcases. After Kathleen was done, thetter was also done. Knock. Knock. There came a knock at the door. Valerie nced at Kathleen to make sure that she was ready before she went to get the door. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Standing at the door, Christopher looked elegant and handsome in his ck suit. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m here to pick you up,¡± he said with a smile. Kathleen stood up. ¡°Perfect timing.¡± She then walked up to Christopher. Pursing her lips, Valerie immediately texted Samuel: Mr. Macari, Mr. Morris is here to pick Kate up. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Seeing Christopher, Kathleen could not help but say, ¡°Chris, don¡¯t fool around with Charles next time.¡± Knowing what she was referring to, Christopher gave her a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I told Charles to make it look like we spend a lot of time apart, and we¡¯ll announce our breakup a monthter so that there¡¯ll be a lesser impact on you,¡± Kathleen said with a serious expression. Christopher felt dejected. Does she still not want to get too involved with me? ¡°Okay.¡± Christopher¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Anything you say.¡± He only wanted to dote on her and do as she wished. Only then did Kathleen smile at ease and followed him to the banquet. This time, Charles did not follow them to the banquet. As Kathleen had just returned to Jadeborough, Charles needed to make a lot of arrangements for her. Therefore, only Valerie went with her. Valerie received training before, so she knew what she needed to do while at the banquet with Kathleen. The banquet was hosted by Christopher¡¯s business partner. Coincidentally, the host was the sponsor of the variety show that Kathleen was about to join. Christopher¡¯s appearance with Kathleen immediately caused a sensation. To the people in Jadeborough, Kathleen was not only the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress but also Samuel¡¯s ex-wife. Everyone knew about her wedding with Samuel, for it was the talk of the town when it happened. Hence, when they saw her with Christopher, they could not help feeling weird about it. After all, Christopher was Samuel¡¯s cousin. This rtion of theirs made things all the more interesting. Fortunately, Kathleen had thought of it beforeing back, so she did not care about it at all. ¡°Mr. Lawson,¡± Christopher greeted a man while taking Kathleen along. James Lawson was a chubby man. ¡°Mr. Morris.¡± ¡°Mr. Lawson, this is Kathleen Johnson. She¡¯s going to join the filming of The Fantastic Restaurant,¡± Christopher introduced. ¡°Really? This show will definitely be very interesting with the participation of an Academy Award- winning actress,¡± James replied with a grin. Kathleen was embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re ttering me, Mr. Lawson. In fact, I¡¯m still a rookie whom no one knows.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be humble, Ms. Johnson. You¡¯re so popr now. Who doesn¡¯t know your name?¡± James said with a half-smile. Kathleen gave him a faint smile in response. ¡°Mr. Lawson, I¡¯m going to show her around,¡± Christopher said. ¡°Okay.¡± Due to his kindness and his rtionship with Christopher, James would not treat Kathleen as he did with other female celebrities. Besides, he had heard that Kathleen had a close rtionship with the CEO of Astra Entertainment, so he did not dare to do anything to her. Taking Kathleen to the dining area, Christopher said with a gentle smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. They don¡¯t dare to make things difficult for you when I¡¯m around. Come. Eat something.¡± Kathleen sighed and replied, ¡°I really didn¡¯t think that this movie would win an award. Although I studied acting, I was scouted by the director on the street and given the opportunity to act in this movie by ident.¡± In fact, she did not intend to be a celebrity at the beginning, but after thinking about it, she really did not have any other skills. Besides, her brother was the CEO of Astra Entertainment. Hence, she had no choice but to make her debut. She also knew what she would face after her debut. The fact that she was Samuel¡¯s ex-wife was enough for others to make a fuss about her. Thus, she was mentally prepared from the start. ¡°This shows that you¡¯re capable.¡± Christopher took a ss of fruit juice for Kathleen. Taking it from him, Kathleen drank it slowly. ¡°What do you want to eat? Actresses can¡¯t eat much in the evening, can they?¡± Christopher asked with a faint smile. ¡°Yeah. Just give me some vegetables.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s very easy to provide for you,¡± joked Christopher. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a blessing to marry me,¡± Kathleen replied friskily. She had always been bubbly and adorable and not dull. Although she went through a lot a year ago, fortunately, she managed to ovee it. The mention of marrying her brought a dark look to Christopher¡¯s eyes. ¡°I wonder if I have this pleasure,¡± he said meaningfully. Kathleen, who got distracted by the cakes on the table, did not hear what Christopher said. ¡°What did you say, Chris?¡± Kathleen tilted her head, looking cute. ¡°Nothing,¡± Christopher replied calmly. Kathleen went to take a piece of strawberry cake, but two women did not notice her and ran into her by ident. Losing her bnce, Kathleen fell backward. Christopher extended his arms to catch her, but someone acted faster than he did. A long and strong arm wrapped around Kathleen¡¯s slim waist as her shoulders hit a man¡¯s firm chest. The familiar and powerful musky fragrance of a mature man filled her nostrils and entered her bloodstream. ¡°Be careful.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep and attractive like a cello. Startled, Kathleen noticed the dark purple tie around the man¡¯s neck. She quickly got out of Samuel¡¯s arms and took two steps to the side. Samuel smiled. Her waist is still so soft. Christopher swiftly stood between them to shield Kathleen. Now that Kathleen was not rted to Samuel anymore, Christopher could openly protect her and did not need to be bound by his identity as Samuel¡¯s cousin. Samuel did not like seeing how Christopher was protective of Kathleen as if she belonged to him. He looked over at Kathleen, whose hand was holding a small te with strawberry cake and blueberry cheesecake. She still likes the same things as she did when she was younger. Kathleen was speechless to see the strawberry cake on her te as the strawberry had fallen off the cake. ¡°Here. Take it.¡± Samuel handed her a small fork. Kathleen frowned. Christopher also picked up a fork and said with a smile, ¡°Go ahead and dig in. I¡¯ll buy you one every day if you like it.¡± Kathleen took the fork from Christopher and replied with a sweet smile, ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing that, Samuel slowly put down his hand, his heart aching. ¡°If you like it, I can ask a Michelin chef to make it for you.¡± His voice was hoarse. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Kathleen did not even bother to look at him. Thest thing she expected upon her return to Jadeborough was that Samuel would pester her. As the CEO of Macari Group, he did not need to grovel to a woman at all. Looking up, Kathleen stared straight at her former husband. Her beautiful eyes were adorable, but there was a look of aloofness in them. ¡°This is inappropriate, Mr. Macari. It can easily cause misunderstanding.¡± Kathleen sounded cold. Despite his heartache, Samuel asked calmly, ¡°What misunderstanding can be caused?¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips. ¡°We have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡± Samuel gave her a meaningful look and said in an attractive voice, ¡°Kate, Grandma misses you very much.¡± I miss you too. Yet, he dared not say thest sentence as he was afraid that Kathleen would be displeased. Naturally, Kathleen missed Diana as well. In the past year, she dared note back to visit Diana for fear that Samuel would find her, so she only called Diana secretly. ¡°I will find time to see her,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°Okay. When will you be free?¡± Samuel swallowed hard, his Adam¡¯s apple bopping up and down. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Samuel, why do you need to know? You don¡¯t n on waiting for Kathleen when she goes to the Macari residence, do you?¡± Christopher sneered. He was hinting at Kathleen about Samuel¡¯s n. Kathleen was still too young and innocent, particrly for a cunning man like Samuel. Kathleen gave Samuel a sidelong nce. He¡¯s actually ying mind games with me, but unfortunately, I won¡¯t fall for it! Never! ¡°I¡¯ll visit her when I have time. I don¡¯t need your intervention.¡± Putting down the te, Kathleen grabbed Christopher¡¯s hand and left with the man in tow. Samuel watched her flee with a look of dejection in his eyes. She made no secret of her distaste for him, which sent a sharp pain to his chest. Kathleen left the banquet with Christopher and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chris. I¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin.¡± Christopher understood herpletely. Kathleen was feeling aggrieved. Reaching out to pat her on the head, Christopherforted, ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart, Kate. You haven¡¯t gotten used to being around him yet. You¡¯ll be fine after you get used to it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so useless.¡± She was frustrated. Christopher smiled faintly at her. ¡°It¡¯s really fine, Kate. Take it slow.¡± She looked at him. ¡°Chris, thank you forforting me.¡± ¡°You silly girl.¡± Christopher shed her a smile. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll send you home.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell Mr. Lawson first? Wouldn¡¯t it be rude to leave like this?¡± Kathleen looked at him. Christopher replied with a faint smile, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded obediently. Christopher then turned to go back in. Standing by the window, Kathleen looked out of it. The night view from the window was breathtaking. All of a sudden, a tall silhouette appeared behind her. Kathleen saw the reflection of Samuel on the window. She tried to run away but was instantly hugged by him. ¡°Let me go!¡± She struggled to break free from his embrace. Feeling angry and anxious, she threatened, ¡°I¡¯ll shout for help if you don¡¯t let go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a celebrity. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being seen by others and getting yourself in a scandal? I won¡¯t touch you as long as you don¡¯t run away from me, okay?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse and deep. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Kathleen said angrily. Samuel let her go. Turning around, Kathleen shot him a death stare. ¡°What do you want, Samuel?¡± There was an iprehensible emotion in Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have a question for you. You said you¡¯ve loved me for ten years¡ª¡± ¡°I used to! I don¡¯t love you now,¡± corrected Kathleen. Samuel smiled wryly. ¡°I know. I just want to know, when did you start liking me? Was it when you first arrived at the Macari residence?¡± Kathleen gave a dryugh. ¡°Samuel, I fell in love with you earlier than you knew.¡± ¡°Was it when you fell into the water?¡± Samuel knitted his brows. Biting her red lips, Kathleen shook her head. Samuel was baffled. Was it even earlier? ¡°Tell me.¡± Samuel stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. ¡°Tell me, when did you fall in love with me?¡± Kathleen was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°What¡¯s the point of talking about this now, Samuel?¡± She did not understand why he could not let it go now that they were already divorced. ¡°It¡¯s not pointless. Tell me or I¡¯ll kiss you right here until you do!¡± Samuel said with a clenched jaw. ¡°You!¡± With tears in her eyes, Kathleen took a deep breath and went on, ¡°Your high school is right next to my middle school.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Is it?¡± Kathleen red at him. ¡°Yes!¡± Samuel was struck dumb for a while before asking with a smile, ¡°So?¡± ¡°One time after school, a driver hit several people with a car. I almost got hit too, but you appeared and saved me by pulling me to the side and running away from the scene with me in your arms. That¡¯s when I¡­¡± I fell in love with you. The fields of their schools were next to each other. Coincidentally, she had gym ss during her ninth grade at the same time as Samuel¡¯s gym ss. She would secretly look at him from across the railing. The basketball court where he yed basketball was very far away from her, but she still went to see him. Every time he scored, she would be excited, happy, and delighted for him. Samuel thought of the incident she mentioned. Saving her was the least he could do at the time, but she kept it deep in her heart. It turned out that she fell in love with him that early. If he had known it earlier, he would not have let her down for ten years or even longer. ¡°Kate¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes were as deep as the sea. Kathleen had calmed down at that point. ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to pester me, Samuel. Do you still want to force me to death again?¡± Her words made him freeze. ¡°Kate.¡± Christopher returned. Seeing Samuel with Kathleen, Christopher was anxious. ¡°Chris, I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen had gradually learned how to face Samuel. Christopher gave his cousin a displeased look. ¡°Let me give you a piece of advice, Samuel, don¡¯t make a joke out of yourself.¡± With that, he held Kathleen¡¯s hand and turned to leave. The look in Samuel¡¯s eyes turned cold. Make a joke out of myself? Ha! How ridiculous. We¡¯ll see who¡¯s a joke. While on the way back, Kathleen remained silent. Christopher said in a gentle voice, ¡°Rx, Kate. To be honest, you will inevitably run into Samuel after you return to Jadeborough. You¡¯ll also meet him when you visit Old Mrs. Macari at the Macari residence.¡± Even if they avoided each other, they would still meet sooner orter, so Kathleen must learn to adapt. ¡°Chris, I¡¯m actually clear-headed.¡± Kathleen looked at the neon lights outside the car window. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I know how to get along with Samuel.¡± Christopher pursed his lips. Kathleen let out a sigh. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t love or hate Samuel now. Besides, there are Grandma, Mrs. Macari, and Mr. Macari between us, so it¡¯s impossible for me and Samuel to be enemies forever.¡± Christopher understood that it was a part of Kathleen¡¯s personality. ¡°I¡¯ll treat him in a calm manner, and I also hope he can be the same to me.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not only me who has to learn to get along with him, but also him. Both of us need time. We had an ugly breakup back then, and we feel a little resentful deep down, but it¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll slowly be at peace with each other when we meet again in the future. Then, it will pass.¡± Christopher nodded. ¡°I believe in you.¡± However, he did not believe in Samuel, who had done such crazy things in order to see Kathleen. He did not believe that thetter could move on from Kathleen. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He knew very well what kind of person Samuel was. Samuel was ruthless and cruel, but it would be terrifying once he fell in love. His affection included his possessiveness. Christopher was afraid that Kathleen would not be able to resist it, which was why he tried so hard to make her his. That way, he would not worry no matter how Samuel pestered her. However, he had no chance at all in the past year. If only I could have a few more years. s, Kathleen could not wait as she had a reason that forced her toe back. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Christopher took Kathleen home and drove her to the mansion¡¯s entrance. ¡°We¡¯ve reached your house,¡± Christopher said warmly. Kathleen nced at the white building outside his car window and said, ¡°Thank you for taking me home, Chris.¡± ¡°There really is no need for thanks, Kate. It¡¯s okay.¡± Christopher disliked how Kathleen was being distant from him. Despite that, he knew if he confessed to her, she would certainly reject him. ¡°I¡¯ll get going then.¡± Kathleen pushed the car door open and got out of the car. Christopher stared nkly at Kathleen¡¯s slim figure as she disappeared from his sight. Maybe I should give her more time and not force her to make a decision now. Once Kathleen entered her house, Charles descended the stairs. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± he asked in concern. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I bumped into Samuel.¡± ¡°What is he doing there?¡± Charles walked and stood in front of Kathleen. ¡°It was nothing. He wanted me to visit Grandma,¡± Kathleen answered and pursed her lips. ¡°I know that! But I just came back home today. I¡¯ll visit her. It¡¯s just a matter of time. What¡¯s the rush, geez.¡± Charles knew that Kathleen treated and loved Diana like her own grandmother. ¡°When will you visit her? I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Charles said. ¡°I¡¯ll go tomorrow,¡± Kathleen answered after contemting. ¡°Anyway, I think Samuel would assume I¡¯ll visit her several dayster, but I want to catch him off guard by visiting Grandma earlier.¡± Charles smiled faintly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll prepare the gifts then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get anything that¡¯s toovish or expensive, otherwise she¡¯ll think we¡¯re not being sincere enough,¡± Kathleen said before adding, ¡°I think I¡¯d better prepare the gifts myself. I know what she likes best, after all.¡± Charles chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me, your own brother?¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what to do,¡± Charles said with a slightugh. ¡°Just go and rest.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Kathleen nodded and climbed up the stairs with her high heels on. Charles withdrew his gaze. A hint of coldness glinted in his eyes. Samuel is such a pest! The next day, Kathleen and Charles visited Diana in the Macari residence. For the past year, Kathleen frequently stayed in touch with Diana. However, they never met face to face. When Kathleen arrived at the Macari residence, everyone was d to see her. After all, Kathleen had lived in the Macari residence for a few years. Moreover, she was kind, so everyone loved her. Everyone had missed her for the past year. ¡°Grandma!¡± When Kathleen saw Diana, she ran over and hugged the older woman. Diana had recovered well in this past year. Now, she could get down from her bed and walk around on her own. ¡°Oh, my sweet little Katie is here! Haha!¡± Diana eximed in joy. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m back. I¡¯m sorry for worrying you for this past year,¡± Kathleen said sadly as if ming herself. ¡°Silly girl, it¡¯s not your fault. We¡¯re the ones who let you down,¡± Diana said as she patted Kathleen¡¯s head. ¡°Come here and sit with me.¡± Then, Kathleen released Diana. With a slightugh, the former introduced her brother. ¡°Grandma, let me introduce you to Charles. This is Charles Johnson, my elder brother.¡± Diana was a little shocked. ¡°Your brother?¡± Charles took a step forward. ¡°Nice to meet you, Old Mrs. Macari. I¡¯m Kate¡¯s elder brother, Charles Johnson.¡± ¡°You have a brother?¡± Diana asked quizzically. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded and continued, ¡°Actually, we lost my brother when he was born. He was passed through many hands before he was sold off overseas. We only reunited with himst year.¡± ¡°My goodness,¡± Diana eximed and looked at Charles with pity. ¡°Poor boy, you¡¯ve really suffered. Come here and sit.¡± Holding Charles¡¯ hand, Diana and the pair of siblings sat down. Diana scrutinized Charles¡¯ face and nodded. ¡°You have your father¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Grandma, my brother and I had already done our DNA test,¡± Kathleen exined, grinning. Diana nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good, but it¡¯s truly a miracle.¡± ¡°I heard it from my parents when I was young. They believed that my brother had passed away. Every time he was mentioned, my mom would cry, so everyone was careful not to talk about him anymore because they were afraid that my mom would cry herself ragged,¡± Kathleen continued to exin. ¡°This is natural. Since you¡¯re Katie¡¯s brother, then Charles, you are also my dearest grandson. From now on, I¡¯ll love you too,¡± Diana said with a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Charles smiled too. It seemed that Diana was an easy person to get along with. ¡°Maria, please call Calvin and Wynnie. I want them toe back for lunch.¡± Diana was delighted. ¡°We¡¯ll have a family lunch!¡± she eximed. Although she had said it was a family lunch, she did not invite Samuel. At that instant, Kathleen knew that Diana had her best interests in mind. Despite that, she only hoped to be able to get along with her former husband. This could only work if Samuel was willing. ¡°Yes, Old Mrs. Macari,¡± Maria said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare something Mrs¡­. Ms. Johnson likes.¡± Smiling, Kathleen did not mind Maria¡¯s mistake. Honestly, Maria was not the only one that needed to be ustomed to Kathleen¡¯s new identity, for Kathleen herself needed to get used to it as well.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Maria nced outside the window. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, Mr. Samuel is back.¡± ¡°What?¡± Diana panicked. Why is that little brat back now? ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s okay,¡± Kathleen said as she sped her hands around Diana¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s really okay. We¡¯ve agreed that we¡¯ll treat each other like siblings when we divorced.¡± Diana¡¯s other hand gripped Kathleen¡¯s hand in return. Her hand is so cold! She really doesn¡¯t want to meet Samuel. Look how much that little brat must have scared her! As they were chatting, Samuel entered the house. His almond-shaped eyes narrowed when he saw the trio in the living room. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Diana said, her disapproval being written all over her face. ¡°Documents,¡± Samuel said expressionlessly before adding, ¡°I left them here yesterday.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Diana scoffed. Kathleen was a little surprised. Is Samuel living in the Macari residence? I thought he lived at Florinia Manor. Florinia Manor was the mansion Samuel currently lived in. The man shot a nce at Kathleen. Today, she wore a rose-red sweater and a ck umbre skirt. She looked cute yet dignified. On the other hand, Charles was dressed in a formal ck suit and white shirt, making him look like an elite. However, his gaze had a wild look to it. ¡°Leave when you¡¯ve gotten your document,¡± Diana urged Samuel unhappily. ¡°Mm,¡± Samuel hummed in agreement, but he looked slightly gloomy. Pursing her lips, Kathleen nced at him and then at Diana. Samuel turned and went up the stairs for his document. ¡°Grandma, does Samuel always live here?¡± Kathleen asked in curiosity. ¡°Sometimes,¡± Diana answered. Kathleen nodded. At this moment, Samuel descended the stairs with a document in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now,¡± he said, looking at Diana. However, Diana ignored him and stayed silent. Expressionless, he strode withrge steps to the entrance. Before he could leave, Kathleen stood up and called out to him, ¡°Samuel.¡± He halted his steps abruptly, turned around, and walked toward her. Stunned, Kathleen took two steps back instinctively. ¡°Hey, Mr. Macari. Don¡¯t you know you have to keep a safe social distance?¡± Charles eximed in annoyance. Why does he have to walk all the way over here? My sister only called out to him. He could have just stood there and answered. ¡°Looking someone in the eye and talking with the person face to face is the polite way of interaction.¡± Then, Samuel looked at Kathleen before saying gently, ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen was a bit nervous as she was not used to talking to him with him so near her. Nheless, she invited, ¡°Come and have lunch with us.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Diana and Charles both wore dumbfounded expressions on their faces. Samuel¡¯s almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly as he answered, ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen sat down again and lowered her head without a word. I must be crazy! Samuel sat down and ced the documents aside, which invited a re from Diana. The old woman rolled her eyes at her grandson, disgruntled. He¡¯s returned so hurriedly to get these documents, yet he refuses to leave after retrieving them. An excuse! An excuse is what it is! Meanwhile, disdain was written all over Charles¡¯ face. This man is pretty cunning, huh? That gloomy look on his face was obviously meant to deceive Kathleen! My sister¡¯s a soft-hearted person. How dare he make use of her kindness. Son of a b*tch! At the same time, Kathleen was chastising herself as regret crept up her. Why did I invite him back for a meal? Come to think of it, this is Samuel¡¯s residence, and I¡¯m the guest here. Why am I, a guest, inviting the resident of this residence for lunch? Oh, how awkward! ¡°Katie,e and have some oranges.¡± Diana eased the tension in the room by piping up and stuffing a slice of fruit into Kathleen¡¯s slender hands. ¡°This is your favorite, no?¡± ¡°Thanks, Grandma,¡± said Kathleen upon recovering her senses. Diana was delighted. ¡°Tell me. What have you been up to abroad for the past year?¡± she asked. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen naturally began chatting with the older woman. As the twodies chattered away happily, Samuel kept his attention on Kathleen¡¯s each and every move. His gaze was filled with an infinite amount of gentleness. Displeased, Charles asked, ¡°Mr. Macari, fancy having a talk outside?¡± D*mn it! How dare he have the audacity to pretend as if he cares about Kathleen? Has he forgotten how the woman he loves harmed Kathleen and my two little nephews who never got the chance to see the world? How disgusting! Samuel replied indifferently, ¡°Sure.¡± The two men headed out. Upon noticing their movements, Kathleen could not help but feel nervous. Diana smiled and held Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°You have your brother to protect you. Don¡¯t worry. They will be just fine. Let¡¯s continue your story.¡± Kathleen bit her lip and returned to her conversation with Diana as Samuel and Charles went outside for a chat. Even on winter days, warmth seeped out of the bright sun. As soon as they were outside, Charles let out a sneer. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware my sister is now engaged.¡± ¡°If one can divorce after a marriage, one can also call off an engagement.¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice which resembled a cello was void of emotions. ¡°So, what are you trying to say, Mr. Johnson?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is¡ª get away from my sister!¡± Charles hissed with a menacing look. ¡°I forbid you to go near her. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was chilly. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like to say to me?¡± Charles could not help snickering upon hearing his response. ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t thinking that she will change her mind and live with you as long as you insist on keeping her by your side like an unreasonable person? Just like what you did in the past?¡± Unreasonable person? Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°No, I won¡¯t anymore.¡± He knew what Kathleen resented. Otherwise, she would not have left him using such extreme measures. Samuel thought about it before. Had he not pushed to her limit, perhaps Kathleen would have stayed. A year¡¯s time was neither long nor short. However, only he knew how hard the year had been without Kathleen¡¯s presence by his side. Throughout this year, everyone told him that his temper had changed. He had be more vicious and colder than before. s, only he knew that the woman who could suppress the hostility in him was gone. She no longer wanted him. ¡°Let me get this straight. My sister¡¯s getting married to Christopher. That man is a thousand times better than you as he respects and adores her more than you. Hence, there won¡¯t be any so-called first love or hopeless lies in their rtionship!¡± Charles red at Samuel furiously and spat, ¡°Most importantly, Kate has me, her brother, to protect her now. I won¡¯t allow you to mistreat her anymore!¡± A hint of viciousness shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes when he heard that Kathleen was marrying Christopher. He uttered coldly, ¡°Christopher won¡¯t probably have the guts to marry her.¡± ¡°Pfft! You¡¯re really confident with yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡± Charles mocked. ¡°Thanks to Christopher, I got to reunite with Kate. He had been helping her search for her long-lost brother since he knew she had a brother who was separated from her at a young age. What about you? Did you even know that she has an elder brother?¡± Samuel swallowed hard, causing his Adam¡¯s apple to bob up and down. Evidently, he was unaware of this. He never cared about these things. Naturally, he did not ask about them either. Though he seemed to know Kathleen well, in truth, he waspletely ignorant about her life. At that moment, a white Maserati drove into the courtyard. Wynnie emerged from the car first. She appeared to be in high spirits, but her mood turned sulky when she saw Samuel. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She frowned. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Samuel fell speechless. ¡°You are?¡± A deep knot appeared between Wynnie¡¯s brows as she turned around to look at Charles. In an instant, a smile appeared across her face as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re Kate¡¯s brother, right?¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs. Macari.¡± Charles curled his lips. ¡°I¡¯m Kate¡¯s elder brother, Charles Johnson.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Johnson.¡± Wynnie shook his hand. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing to hear. Kate finally has an elder brother to take care of her.¡± Upon hearing thatment, Charles smiled lightly and answered, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Macari, for looking after my sister.¡± Wynnie shot Samuel a look and replied awkwardly, ¡°We didn¡¯t do our job well, really.¡± ¡°Your kick at the wedding was really satisfying,¡± Charles uttered in gratitude. ¡°That was nothing. I suppose everyone present would¡¯ve done the same,¡± Wynnie said sheepishly. ¡°That might not be the case.¡± Charles paused and added, ¡°Some gentlemen wouldn¡¯t bear to do so.¡± Wynnie took another nce at Samuel. ¡°Mrs. Macari, Old Mrs. Macari and my sister are in the living room,¡± Charles stated with a half-smile. ¡°I will see them inside then.¡± Wynnie pondered for a while and added, ¡°Mr. Johnson, feel free to punch someone in the face. I will help you with thewsuit if a certain someone dares to sue you.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless after hearing that. Charles smiled gently. ¡°Okay.¡± I¡¯m not that violent, though. ¡°It seems that Mr. Macari isn¡¯t popr among his family either,¡± Charles said coldly, ¡°What goes around comes around.¡± Having said that, he returned to the house, leaving Samuel alone outside. Coincidently, Calvin returned in his car. He approached his son and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I be here?¡± Samuel answered frostily. ¡°Do you want to stuff me back into my mother¡¯s tummy?¡± ¡°Such a huge figure of you will wreck my wife¡¯s stomach,¡± Calvin scoffed. ¡°I will be heartbroken to see that, even if you aren¡¯t. Oh! I¡¯ve forgotten that you don¡¯t even adore your wife, let alone your mother.¡± Samuel was at a loss of words. With that, Calvin stepped in with Samuel following behind. The entire living room was filled withughter. Back in the days when Kathleen was absent, this ce was never lively and merry. Now that she was back, the house was once again filled with warmth and passion. Samuel knew his dull character would not bring a smile to his family. Kathleen was the one who helped himmunicate with his family those years. ¡°You are still staying around?¡± Wynnie¡¯s brows knitted together. Samuel ignored her and sat down. Calvin furrowed his brows too. It isn¡¯t easy for Kathleen to visit us. Even Mom is d to see her here. Can¡¯t he read the room and stay away for a while? ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m the one who asked him to say,¡± Kathleen uttered. ¡°Hear that?¡± Samuel said indifferently. Wynnie snorted at her son while Calvin red at him. What¡¯s with his boastful attitude? Kathleen is merely being courteous toward him. After that, they all headed to the dining hall to have their meal. Everyoneughed and chatted throughout the meal, but only Samuel was eating his food quietly. His seat was far away from Kathleen¡¯s, yet his gaze never left her for a second. After finishing his meal, he got up to leave. However, Kathleen pursed her lips and said, ¡°Samuel, let me see you out. I have something to tell you.¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Samuel did not expect Kathleen to take the initiative to send him off. He curled his lips into a smile. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen then got up and walked Samuel out. Outside, the warm afternoon sun rays shining on Kathleen made her look warm and pleasant. It was as though the whole of hers was no longer icy. ¡°Samuel.¡± Kathleen looked up at the man who was much taller than herself. He was dazzling with his back against the light. Yet, he was so cold that the sunshine did not seem to warm him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Samuel stared at her. He had not seen her for a year. She seemed to be the same as before, but at the same time, she looked different. When she gazed at him, her eyes no longer twinkled. ¡°Let¡¯s just be friends.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze on Samuel no longer contained the nervousness it had when theyst met at the airport. She was now as calm as millpond. Samuel silently stared at her before saying, ¡°Do you think I can do that?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips as she spoke. ¡°If you can¡¯t, I have no choice but to stay away from you in the future, Samuel. If it hadn¡¯t been for Grandma, Mr. Macari, and Mrs. Macari, I would never have reconciled with you.¡± ¡°Reconcile?¡± Samuel mocked himself, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was a killer? Are you sure you want to reconcile with me?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re right. In truth, you were the executioner who indirectly ended both my children¡¯s lives. There¡¯s no way I can really forgive you. But Samuel, I don¡¯t want to put Grandma and the others in a tight spot. I don¡¯t want them to drive you away when I meet you in the Macari residence. There¡¯s really no need for that.¡± ¡°Are you trying to tell me that I¡¯m only a stranger to you now?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was husky. Although he knew the answer to his question, he still felt incredibly miserable when he uttered the words himself. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel looked at her with a sullen face. ¡°What if I can¡¯t do it? Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°As I told you, I have no other choice but to try my best to stay away from you if you¡¯re unable to do so.¡± ¡°Are you going to avoid me for the rest of your life?¡± His voice was hoarse as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve found you now. I¡¯ll never let you go again.¡± Everyone had helped Kathleen keep the secret from Samuel for the past year. However, once she exposed herself, he would definitely seize her, giving her no chance to escape. ¡°Samuel, if you want both of us to suffer, you may have a try.¡± Kathleen met his sharp eyes as she spoke. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do if you insist on getting into a life-and-death conflict.¡± Samuel took a step forward and grabbed her delicate, fragile chin with his rough, slender fingers. He said coldly, ¡°You won¡¯t die. I¡¯m the one who should die.¡± Kathleen inhaled deeply as she took a few steps back. ¡°Since you insist on having your own way, I can¡¯t stop you from that. Anyway, I came back with Charles this time just to settle some personal matters. We¡¯ll leave once everything is done. The world is so big; you won¡¯t be able to find me.¡± As soon as her words fell, she turned to leave. Samuel¡¯s gaze turned colder. Is she going to leave gain? No, I¡¯ll never let her leave! Kathleen¡¯s face was filled with sadness when she returned to the mansion. Upon seeing that, Charles went up to her and put his big hand on her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just ignore him.¡± Kathleen remained silent. Just then, Wynnie walked over. ¡°Kate.¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen looked at Wynnie, feeling a little guilty. ¡°Actually, you guys don¡¯t have to treat Samuel like this for my sake.¡± Wynnie held Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s okay. He deserves it.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°By the way, I heard something good happened between you and Christopher. Is that true?¡± Wynnie asked with a smile. A feeling of awkwardness surged in Kathleen instantly. ¡°Mrs. Macari, actually¡ª¡± ¡°Indeed, Mrs. Macari.¡± Charles¡¯ gaze darkened. ¡°In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for Christopher, Kate and I might not have been able to reunite with each other. He has helped Kate a lot this year.¡± Wynnie smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too pressured, Kate. It¡¯s normal to get married again after you and Samuel have divorced. Christopher is my nephew. I¡¯m still very happy to see both of you get together.¡± Kathleen felt helpless. In truth, her rtionship with Christopher was not like what Charles imed. However, she understood her brother¡¯s intention. After all, the only way to convince Samuel about her engagement with Christopher was to convince Wynnie and the rest first. Kathleen thought Samuel would stop pestering her by then. ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know if both of you need any advice on legal matters in Jadeborough,¡± Wynnie said gently. Kathleen nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°No matter how you and Samuel ended, we will still treat you as part of our family. Even though you and Samuel can¡¯t treat each other like brother and sister, you are still the child of the Macari family.¡± Wynnie caressed Kathleen¡¯s head and smiled. ¡°No matter where you are, you will still be our family¡¯s girl.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were red with tears. ¡°Mrs. Macari¡­¡± Wynnie smiled dotingly. ¡°This is also your home. Remember toe back often. As for Samuel, I¡¯ll drive him away whenever youe.¡± Kathleen fell speechless upon hearing that. Suddenly, Calvin walked over to them. ¡°Darling, are you going to work? Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Wynnie nodded. Calvin then shed Kathleen a smile. ¡°What Wynnie said is exactly what I want to tell you. Don¡¯t feel pressured.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Macari,¡± Kathleen expressed her gratitude. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. If Samuel dares to bully you again, I¡¯ll smack his face for you.¡± Calvin also caressed her head as if she was his daughter. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Thanks, Mr. Macari.¡± Kathleen chuckled. Calvin smiled in response and left with his wife. Seeing that, Charles sighed. ¡°I finally understand why you¡¯re willing to reconcile with Samuel even though he had hurt you so much.¡± In truth, all the Macaris are kind except for Samuel. Meanwhile, in Macari Group, Samuel remained indifferent throughout the meeting in the afternoon. Everyone was scared stiff and spoke extra cautiously. After casually ncing at his son, Calvin announced to the room, ¡°Let¡¯s take a ten-minute break.¡± Everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief before getting up from their seats and heading out. Soon, only the father-and-son duo were left in the conference room. ¡°What¡¯s with this sour face of yours?¡± Calvin was displeased. ¡°Did we offend you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for you to retire, Dad,¡± Samuel said indifferently. Calvin was rendered speechless. ¡°Having one person in charge in thepany will be sufficient.¡± Samuel¡¯s face was void of emotions. ¡°You¡ª¡± Calvin exploded in rage. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll just retire, then! I¡¯ll be more than happy to spend more time with your mom at home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one retiring, not Mom. Just go home and be a househusband,¡± said Samuel coldly. Apparently, he was displeased with everyone that day. ¡°Haha! What¡¯s wrong with being a househusband? I¡¯m delighted to be one.¡± Calvin sneered. ¡°I can make my wife delicious food after being a househusband. Unlike you, simply throwing tantrum here for not having a wife.¡± ¡°Childish.¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m childish?¡± Calvin snorted. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m childish. At least, my wife didn¡¯t force me to divorce her with her own life. And you? You didn¡¯t give your wife a hoot when she was around. Now that she¡¯s gone, you pretend to be deeply in love with her and even stabbed yourself in the chest. How pathetic you are!¡± Samuel fell speechless. Calvin mmed the table before bellowing, ¡°Initially, I wanted to teach you how to patch things up with Kathleen. But apparently, you are still the same! F*ck! I don¡¯t care anymore!¡± With that, Calvin proceeded to make his way out. ¡°Dad,¡± Samuel called out awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re such a wise and powerful man. How can you retire now? Ourpany needs you.¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 The corner of Calvin¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as he turned around. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be begging me for help one day,¡± he said. Samuel¡¯s tone remained icy-cold. ¡°Are you going to spit it out or not? Otherwise, let¡¯s talk about how Mr. Heathrow sent his secretary to¡ª¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Calvin shot him a re and cut him off, chastising, ¡°Do you wish to cause chaos within the family?¡± Samuel merely looked at him indifferently. ¡°Let me tell you this. Kate has been requesting us, time after time, not to treat you differently for her sake. Do you know what that means?¡± Calvin cast a nce at his son. The calm andposed Samuel probed, ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Calvin mmed the table passionately. ¡°It indicates that she still cares about you deep down inside! Hence, she couldn¡¯t bear to see us give you the cold shoulder. If she genuinely hates you, why would she try to reconcile with you?¡± Hearing that, Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°The fact that she pitied you means that she¡¯s not as cold as ice toward you. However, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean there¡¯s still space for you in her heart. If you¡¯re smart enough, you¡¯d know how to make use of this situation,¡± exined Calvin before adding in a stern tone, ¡°If I have to be honest, I didn¡¯t want to tell you this. If you won over Kathleen for real, I¡¯d feel like I may haveid out a trap for her. Nevertheless, you are my son, and I have to help my son. Do not tell your mom or grandma about this. Otherwise, I¡¯d be in hot water!¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. If I were to tell someone my dad¡¯s behaving in this manner, I doubt they¡¯d believe me. Then again, what he said does make sense. Kathleen does still harbor some feelings toward me. s, his delusions would soon be shattered by Kathleen herself. A few dayster, Kathleen went to the studio for the recording of The Fantastic Restaurant. There were a total of five participating celebrities in the show, including Katherine. The other participants, apart from Katherine, were two male and two female celebrities, all of whom were extremely popr figures in the entertainment industry. After all, the show was to be broadcasted on Young TV, and the main purpose was to spread positivity. The other four celebrities were Steve, Kylie, Nancy, and John. Steve Xander was a trending star in the entertainment industry. He had starred in several romance dramas, all of which gained significant poprity, thus solidifying his position in the entertainment industry. Kylie Jakeson, on the other hand, was a beautiful and skillful actress. She recently coborated with Steve on a drama that was well-received by the audience. Many fans of the drama began shipping the two together, and that was why the production team decided to invite them both onto the show. Nancy Walker was the eldest among the five celebrities, but she was only thirty-two years old. She was both elegant and sophisticated. Her recent show, The Ambitious Stars, had pushed her poprity to the peak. Thest participating celebrity was John Davidson, who debuted on a talent show. Apparently, he was rmended to the production team by an investor. At first, Kathleen was not on the guest list of the show. However, the celebrity who was in discussion with the production team to confirm their participation did not seem too enthusiastic and never gave a direct answer. Much to everyone¡¯s surprise, Kathleen won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Thus, the production team immediately contacted her and invited her onto the show. Because of that, the celebrity who was reced by Kathleen had been holding a grudge against her. Kathleen was the first to arrive on set, followed by Steve. When he first saw Kathleen, his eyes sparkled with excitement and admiration. She¡¯s so beautiful! Her beauty was so eye-catching that Steve found himself unable to look away from her. ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted. Kathleen felt slightly awkward and merely gave a short response. ¡°Hi.¡± Just then, Kylie had arrived as well. She was extremely enthusiastic and friendly toward Steve as she patted thetter¡¯s shoulder and greeted, ¡°Hey, man. We meet again!¡± Although many people loved Kylie and Steve as a couple, the former was afraid of negative press and dared not be too close to the male celebrity. Instead, she treated him as if he was a brother of hers. Nevertheless, there was still a tinge of intimacy in their interactions. Steve nodded. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Kylie¡¯s gaze shifted toward Kathleen. As soon as sheid eyes on Kathleen, Kylie¡¯s eyes were filled with hostility. The reason was none other than Kathleen¡¯s gorgeous appearance and the fact that she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Moreover, she also had Christopher backing her up. Kylie greeted nonchntly, ¡°Hey. Nice to meet you.¡± Kathleen hummed in response before saying, ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Neither of them held out their hands for a handshake. After that, Kylie let out a faint snort. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Just then, Nancy and John arrived on set together. Thetter helped Nancy carry her suitcase as if he was her subordinate. Though Nancy greeted everyone, she paid extra attention to Kathleen. Even if these celebrities were powerful figures in the entertainment industry, their statuses were still iparable to Kathleen¡¯s as Kathleen was about to marry into a wealthy family. Simr to Steve, John also could not take his eyes off of Kathleen. His eyes were almost popping out of his sockets as he stared at her. How can there be someone so beautiful? Nancy and John greeted Kathleen, who responded with courtesy. Cain Dodson, the director of the show, asserted, ¡°Since everyone¡¯s here now, I have an announcement to make. This season of The Fantastic Restaurant is unlike the previous seasons as we¡¯ll be shooting locally this time. Hence, we¡¯ll be under stringent conditions, which means the start-up capital is limited.¡± The participating celebrities were well aware of that, so Cain was merely exining to the audience. Then, he turned toward the group of celebrities, asking, ¡°Who do you think should be the restaurant manager?¡± ¡°I rmend my good friend, Steve,¡± Kylie suggested while patting Steve¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be more than happy to assist him.¡± Cain went on, ¡°What about the ountant?¡± As a matter of fact, an ountant needed to be responsible for the money, and there would be a lot of issues to deal with when money was involved. One could say it was a thankless role, so no one desired the position. Kylie swiveled her eyes around as an idea came to her. ¡°How about we let Kate be in charge of that?¡± she proposed with a smile. In actuality, Kylie was two years older than Kate, but she acted as if she was younger than thetter. ¡°Kate, since no one expressed any objections, why don¡¯t you be the ountant?¡± said Kylie with a wide grin stered on her face. Everyone remained silent because they didn¡¯t have an opinion on the matter. However, Kylie¡¯s words made it sound as if they all agreed with her suggestion. Kathleen was calm as a millpond as she said frankly, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can manage it very well by myself. Why don¡¯t we take turns?¡± Her response rendered Kylie speechless. ¡°Seeing as no one¡¯s objecting, we¡¯ll decide on that arrangement then.¡± Kathleen¡¯s lips curled into a smile as she continued, ¡°To be honest, I have no experience with managing finances. Why don¡¯t Kylie have the first go? I¡¯ll be able to watch and learn from her that way.¡± Once again, Kylie could not find the right words to refute Kathleen. Nancy was secretlyughing inside. How true! As the saying goes, there¡¯s no best, only better. ¡°Me?¡± Kylie bit her lip. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± A faint smile appeared on Kathleen¡¯s face as she queried, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to do basic mathematics?¡± Kylie dared not respond to Kathleen¡¯s question. If I say no, that¡¯s basically admitting I don¡¯t know basic mathematics! Geez, Kathleen sure is one tough nut to crack. ¡°Fine, then why don¡¯t you be in charge of doing the dishes, Kate?¡± suggested Kylie. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it as long as the manager agrees.¡± There was aposed smile on Kathleen¡¯s face. Feeling awkward, Steve piped up, ¡°There are so many dishes. I¡¯m not sure one person will be able to handle it all.¡± Kylie wore an innocent expression on her face as she said, ¡°How many dishes can we possibly use? I doubt we¡¯d use that many, right?¡± No one responded to her question. Just then, John volunteered himself, ¡°I¡¯ll do the dishes with Kate.¡± Steve nodded in agreement before shifting his gaze toward Nancy and asking, ¡°In that case, are you okay with being the waitress, Nancy?¡± Nancy¡¯s lips curved upward. ¡°Sure.¡± Just as Steve was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Nancy added, ¡°Anyway, whenever we need help, anyone who¡¯s free can give a helping hand. After all, we can¡¯t just stand there and watch the others get busy with work, can we? I¡¯m sure we¡¯re not such inconsiderate people, don¡¯t you all agree?¡± Steve nodded in response. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re a team.¡± Hearing that, Kylie bit her lip in annoyance, thinking Nancy was deliberately targeting her. ¡°All right, then! Let¡¯s get ready. We have a couple of reservations tonight,¡± said Steve. At that moment, the director reminded him, ¡°Mr. Xander, you haven¡¯t decided who¡¯s going to be the head chef yet.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Feeling awkward, Steve replied, ¡°But no one knows how to cook here.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Kate to give it a try?¡± Kylie stared at Kathleen. Cooking exposed one to fumes, grease, and whatnot. As long as Kathleen appeared oily every day, Kylie would be the prettiest one among the group of celebrities. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Then who¡¯s going to clean the dishes?¡± Nancy raised her brows. Again, Kylie gazed at Kathleen. Seeing that, everyone shot Kylie quizzical nces. Can your discrimination be any more tant? Steven couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Are you trying to tire her to death?¡± Kylie blinked at him and replied innocently, ¡°Well, it should be fine.¡± Steve was rendered speechless. Kathleen looked at Cain nonchntly and asked, ¡°Is there a hidden mission?¡± shing a sheepish smile, Cain replied, ¡°Yeah. You caught me!¡± Kathleen smirked. Why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier? Must you watch Kylie pick on me? It looked like he, too, had gone overboard for the sake of viewer ratings. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a hidden mission. Mr. Dodson, you¡¯re so cunning. Are you trying to wear Kate out?¡± Kylie asked, pretending to care. ¡°The production team has prepared the hidden mission, but I didn¡¯t expect you to push everything to me. How could you me them for being cunning?¡± Pausing for a moment, Kathleen continued indifferently, ¡°Besides, everyone has discovered the hidden mission. Only you don¡¯t know about it.¡± Instantly, Kylie was at a loss for words. As she watched the scene unfold, Nancy couldn¡¯t help grinning in satisfaction. Despite looking soft on the surface, Kathleen indeed has quite a personality. She certainly doesn¡¯t want to be on the losing side. After all, she was once Samuel¡¯s wife, and now, she is Christopher¡¯s fianc¨¦e. She sure has some dirty tricks up her sleeve. Otherwise, how else could she mingle with the two men? Pondering silently, Nancy concluded that it would be better not to offend Kathleen. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Trying to defend herself, Kylie continued, ¡°Only the capable ones have the opportunity to do more work.¡± With a faint smile, Kathleen responded, ¡°Have I ever mentioned that I¡¯m well-versed in everything?¡± Upon hearing that, Kylie was at a loss for words. Steve turned to look at Cain and asked, ¡°So, are we allowed to ask for help?¡± ¡°Yes. You have to find the chef on your own. What sort of chef you can get hold of depends on your capability.¡± Cain paused before adding, ¡°I¡¯ll give you an hour. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to cook yourselves tonight.¡± Feeling helpless, Steve asked everyone to gather in the dining area. ¡°Do you all have any idea on this?¡± he asked with a frown. ¡°I don¡¯t know any chefs,¡± John responded. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have to get a highly-rated chef or whatsoever. Can¡¯t it be someone who can cook?¡± Nancy chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ve checked. The guest who ising for dinner tonight is Jadeborough¡¯s mayor,¡± Steve exined. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t simply get someone over to cook. ¡°Wow! Is it necessary to be so grand?¡± Kylie¡¯s face rekindled with anticipation. ¡°Well, I guess I have to doll myself up tonight.¡± Nancy let out an inexplicable chuckle. This Kylie is indeed an attention-seeker. Kylie¡¯s words had also left Steve speechless. He was so anxious at the moment, yet Kylie was thinking about what to wear that night. ¡°I think Nancy has a point. It doesn¡¯t have to be a top chef.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was so soft that it gave them a warm feeling as they listened. ¡°The problem is that we can¡¯t even find a regr chef up to this moment,¡± John uttered resignedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you know any chefs?¡± Steve asked doubtfully. Nancy shook her head. Hearing that, Kylie hesitated for a while before replying, ¡°Kate, I think there should be someone you know who works as a chef given your previous distinguished background.¡± Everyone looked at Kylie in shock. She is indeed not afraid of offending people. Kathleen¡¯s pretty red lips curved upward. ¡°I¡¯m still very distinguished now.¡± Staring at Kathleen, Kylie replied, ¡°Why don¡¯t you invite a chef over, then?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Kathleen let out a faint chuckle. ¡°Regardless of my status, it has nothing to do with whether I can get a chef. You shouldn¡¯t make things difficult for others just because you can¡¯t invite a chef over, should you?¡± In a fit of rage, Kylie huffed, ¡°Who says that I can¡¯t get a chef over? It¡¯s just a cook anyway.¡± Everyone turned to look at her. ¡°Did you all hear what she said? Since Kylie can invite a chef over, we¡¯ll just let her take care of it,¡± said Kathleen with a half-smile. Kylie began to regret what she said. Her heart was filled with hatred at this moment as she had fallen for Kathleen¡¯s trick. Undeniably, Kathleen had sessfully provoked Kylie. Nancy couldn¡¯t help smirking internally. It was obvious that Kylie was no match for Kathleen. ¡°Just you wait!¡± Kylie was enraged and embarrassed at the same time. She rose to her feet, took out her phone, and walked away. ¡°Steve, why don¡¯t we go check out the kitchen? I think we should set the table first, or we won¡¯t make it in time,¡± Nancy suggested. ¡°Okay,¡± replied Steve. A tinge of worry crossed his face as he continued, ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if she can get a chef.¡± ¡°Steve, you should learn to trust her.¡± Nancy paused and smiled meaningfully. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Everyone got up and walked toward the kitchen. Meanwhile, Kylie was talking on the phone outside. ¡°Margaret, are you still keeping in touch with the chef from yourst blind date? Stop asking me this and that. I need his help. Can you contact him and ask him toe to my show?¡± Kylie¡¯s expression changed drastically upon hearing her sister¡¯s reply. ¡°Margaret, what do you mean? Did you say I sold you? I made money and supported you to study abroad. It¡¯s okay that you don¡¯t like that idiot, but can¡¯t you make some sacrifices for me? It¡¯s just a phone call anyway.¡± Her sister must have said something that irritated Kylie that she almost roared at the top of her lungs. ¡°Why are you giving me all these excuses when I ask you for help? Is it me who made you ignore him? You despise him for being fat and look down on him for working as a chef. With that being said, he is a hotel chef. You, on the other hand, graduated from a low-tier university abroad. Why are you so fussy? Hello? Hello?¡± Kylie stomped her feet in anger. ¡°How dare she hang up on me!¡± Suddenly, she looked up at the cameraman who followed her over and ordered coldly, ¡°Cut this scene out! Don¡¯t broadcast this.¡± The cameraman stared at her awkwardly. Just then, the chat room was flooded withments. Is Kylie not aware that it¡¯s a live broadcast? I know that she is sick in the head from the moment she bitchily mocked Kathleen. She dares to sabotage Kathleen even in front of the camera. I can¡¯t imagine what she would do behind the scenes when the cameras aren¡¯t rolling. Her remarks earlier were simply too harsh! She wanted her sister to seek help from a guy whom her sister met during a blind date but reproved her sister for graduating from a low-tier university. That¡¯s too much! Kylie and her sister are birds of a feather. Didn¡¯t Kylie say that her sister ignored the guy and even called him fat? The whole family is disgusting. Seeing Kylie harassing Kathleen reminds me of the moment I was discriminated against at work. But Kathleen handled it very well. I have to learn from her. It¡¯s not Kathleen¡¯s fault that she got married before. What¡¯s wrong with a second marriage? Why is Kylie so conservative? Do all people who remarried not deserve happiness? Kylie is just a hussy. She keeps mingling with the guys and getting close to them. Picking on women is disgusting. Kylie haspletely embarrassed herself this time. This show is live. I couldn¡¯t believe I liked her coupling with Steve previously. How much I like them before equates to how disgusted I feel right now. Right then, Kylie¡¯s phone received a text message from the manager. Shut your mouth right now! The rule of this show has changed. It¡¯s a live broadcast now! Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Kylie¡¯s face turned pale when she saw what her manager sent to her. When did this program be a live broadcast? Isn¡¯t this supposed to be a recorded broadcast? Little did she know, it was all a plot designed by a bossy superior. He wanted to see someone in particr right away, so he¡¯d bought the program¡¯s copyright for five hundred million. Since he was the program¡¯s owner, the production team would have to do as he wished. After all, no one in Jadeborough dared to mess with Samuel. Soon after, Nancy and the rest were also informed. Nancy breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, I didn¡¯t say anything I shouldn¡¯t have said just now. Kylie is just reaping what she sowed. Steve and John were safe as well because they didn¡¯t say what they weren¡¯t supposed to. Kathleen furrowed her brows when she saw the text Charles sent to her. Why did they suddenly change it from a recorded broadcast to a live broadcast? This is ridiculous. Don¡¯t we need additional technical support now that we¡¯re doing a live broadcast? With that in mind, she walked outside to have a look around. That was when she saw a few production trucks parked at the side of the road. She instantly knew where the trucks hade from when she saw the logo of Macari Group printed on them. Kathleen held her forehead at the sight of that. My instincts were right! This must be Samuel¡¯s doing! Has he gone mad? Kylie returned with a grouchy expression on her face. When she saw Kathleen, she dared not to talk to her with the attitude and tone she¡¯d used before. Steve strode over as well and asked, ¡°What now?¡± With a pale face, Kylie grumbled, ¡°What do you mean? Am I the only one doing the program? What are you asking me for? Why can¡¯t you guys figure it out?¡± Steve was stumped. None of us said we weren¡¯t going to find a solution. She was the one who took it upon herself, no? Kylie realized she¡¯d spoken in an aggressive tone, so she uttered in an apologetic tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just worried. I just want the dinner to be done well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Steve frowned. Right then, Nancy approached them and suggested, ¡°Worsees to worst, we¡¯ll just prepare some home-cooked dishes. That¡¯s the best we can do.¡± ¡°What do you guys know how to make?¡± Steve queried. ¡°Scrambled eggs?¡± Kylie and John were just about to say something, but they immediately silenced themselves. Nancy, on the other hand, uttered softly, ¡°I only know how to make soup. We can¡¯t possibly prepare soup only, can we?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no other way, why don¡¯t we reserve a table at another restaurant?¡± Kylie suddenly came up with an idea that she thought was brilliant. In response, Kathleen stared at her and asked monotonously, ¡°The production team only allocated four thousand to spend. If you were to reserve a table at a restaurant, wouldn¡¯t we use up all the money? It¡¯s not like we can collect money from the people who are eating, right? If we were to spend the money today, how about tomorrow?¡± Kylie bit her lips and retorted, ¡°What, then? Since you¡¯re quick to shut me down, why don¡¯t youe up with something instead?¡± Kathleen looked at her calmly and said, ¡°Kylie, I¡¯ve rejected your idea because we have to abide by the rules of the program. Since there aren¡¯t any feuds between us, why are you so critical of me? If you keep this up, don¡¯t me me when I bite back.¡± Kathleen¡¯s imposing presence had intimidated Kylie. Although Kathleen was usually gentle and sweet, she could be frightening when she was angered. If Samuel was around, she could lose that imposing aura of her, but that didn¡¯t mean she was willing to get pushed around. Kylie was stunned. In one way or another, Kathleen was still Christopher¡¯s fianc¨¦e. If the program they were doing was a recorded broadcast, she couldn¡¯t care less if Kathleen were toin to Christopher. However, she had no choice but to restrain herself because they were doing a live broadcast. Hence, she uttered pitifully, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything offensive, did I? Why would you say that to me?¡± Meanwhile,ments started flooding the chatroom. What the f*ck? I¡¯ve never seen a person as shameless as Kylie! Indeed. Kylie is the one who¡¯s offending people here and there. How could she turn around and use others? Luckily, this is a live broadcast. If they were doing a recorded broadcast, Kathleen could be said to be bullying Kylie after some editing. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. I refuse to ept the rumors of Kylie being romantically linked with Steve! She¡¯s neither worth it nor qualified! ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Steve¡¯s patience was wearing thin. ¡°Can we talk about the important matters instead?¡± ¡°Steve, I was just trying to lessen your burden.¡± Kylie started acting pitifully again. However, Steve was getting sick of her. ¡°If it¡¯s a dinner, I think I have an idea,¡± Kathleen uttered inly. ¡°Really?¡± Steve looked at her in bewilderment. ¡°Are you able to get a chef toe?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. Steve fell silent sheepishly. ¡°I can cook, though,¡± Kathleen added coldly. ¡°However, I¡¯ve gone to the kitchen to look around just now. There are things I need. We need to buy them.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Steve looked at her and asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re able to do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You can cook? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± Kylie looked at her disdainfully. ¡°Did I get a chance to speak?¡± Kathleen replied coldly. ¡°You were busy ordering me around, right?¡± Kylie was stunned. Kathleen ignored Kylie and said to Steve, ¡°I need two assistants in the kitchen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± John eximed enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯ll help as well. I can make soup and make your life easier,¡± Nancy said. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go to the kitchen.¡± With that, Kathleen led them to the kitchen. Steve shifted his gaze toward Kylie and ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Go and set up the table.¡± After Steve said that, he went to the kitchen to find the others. Kylie stomped her feet in anger. What¡¯s going on? If Kathleen knew how to cook, why did she get me to find chefs? She¡¯d embarrassed me! At that moment, they were all busy in the kitchen. Kathleen put on an apron and looked at Steve. ¡°Please get someone to buy the things I need. After that, find out how many people are we cooking for, and see if any of them have allergies.¡± ¡°Oh, okay!¡± Upon hearing that, Steve understood Kathleen knew what she was doing. ¡°I¡¯ll go now!¡± He then passed Kylie a list made by Kathleen and said, ¡°Go and buy what we need ording to this list.¡± After that, he went to look for the production team. Kylie was utterly displeased when she was looking at the list. Why do I need to go? Why can¡¯t Kathleen go instead? She¡¯s the one cooking, right? She should go and buy the ingredients herself! Since she had cameras pointing at her, she didn¡¯t dare to show her anger. Hence, she left with the list. When Steve returned, he said to Kathleen, ¡°We have eight diners.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded and started to get busy. Meanwhile, Nancy and John were assisting her by rinsing the ingredients. As for the preparations of the ingredients and cooking, Kathleen did it on her own. An hourter, Kathleen looked at Steve and asked, ¡°Where are the things I asked for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gotten Kylie to buy them, but she¡¯s not back yet.¡± Steve was also getting anxious because the sky had darkened. After John went outside to take a look, he returned panting and yelling, ¡°Bad news! The mayor and his entourage have arrived!¡± Everyone was taken aback. So soon? Our dishes aren¡¯t even done yet! Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Steve said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and receive the guests. Nancy, please give Kylie a call.¡± Nancy nodded and took out her phone to call Kylie. Kathleen cast a sidelong nce at John. ¡°John, go and boil some water. We¡¯re going to serve them Earl Grey tea.¡± John was taken aback. ¡°But, Kate, the most expensive tea we have here is Red Hibernia.¡± ¡°The mayor loves to drink Earl Grey tea,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Really? How do you know that?¡± John asked in surprise. Kathleen replied quietly, ¡°I have some prior knowledge about this.¡± Samuel had told her once, but that was a long time ago. Nancy gave John a nudge. ¡°Why do you ask so much? Quick, go and boil some water.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± John went off to boil water as told. Nancy looked at Kathleen. ¡°Kylie isn¡¯t answering her phone. What should we do?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. She had a bad feeling that Kylie was going to y them out. Meanwhile, John was done boiling the water and making the tea before bringing them out. Shortly after, he asked anxiously, ¡°Do you know who else ising with the mayor?¡± ¡°There are eight of them including the mayor. How do we know who they are?¡± Nancy was still trying to get hold of Kylie on the phone. N?velDrama.Org ? content. John turned to look at Kathleen with a sheepish grin. Kathleen frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± John let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°Out of the eight people, I know two of them very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not bad. You actually know someone from the mayor¡¯s office,¡± Kathleenmented. ¡°They are not from the mayor¡¯s office. One of them is Samuel, and the other is Christopher.¡± John looked intently at Kathleen. Kathleen was rendered speechless. Nancy still could not get through to Kylie¡¯s phone. It looked like thetter would not be able to make it back in time. Just then, Steve walked in, looking at Kathleen. Kathleen quickly went up to him. ¡°We can¡¯t find Kylie. Can you check with the production team? I hope nothing¡¯s gone wrong.¡± Steve immediately made a phone call. Folding her arms, Kathleen took the ingredientsid out on the table. If Kylie did not appear, all her efforts in nning the menu would go to waste. In reality, the production team had also prepared some ingredients, but they did not include seafood. As the dishes were best served fresh, Kathleen had already checked out all the nearby supermarkets earlier. She only included ingredients that could be purchased from these supermarkets in her list. No one expected Kylie not to return after so long. However, Kathleen was well aware that Kylie was doing this on purpose to spite her. Steve also gave Kylie a call. Surprisingly, the call was connected in an instant. Nancy¡¯s expression dimmed at that. Looks like she purposely ignored my call, huh? ¡°Kylie, where are you?¡± Steve tried not to sound impatient. He had asked her to buy the ingredients at the supermarket. It should not take her more than an hour. However, it had been two hours, and she was still not back. Steve heard Kylie sobbing uncontrobly at the other end of the line. ¡°Steve, I twisted my ankle. Can youe and pick me up? I can¡¯t walk now.¡± ¡°Where are the ingredients?¡± Steve asked anxiously. Kylie wailed even louder, ¡°I¡¯m injured, and all you care about are the ingredients!¡± Steve was at a loss for words while Nancy snorted. Kathleen¡¯s brows knitted together as she fell into deep thought. She had expected such a thing to happen. ¡°I¡¯ll get the production team to pick you up.¡± Steve did not want to lose his temper in front of the camera. ¡°Steve, can youe instead? The production team has its rules,¡± Kylie pleaded with Steve. Thetter was struck speechless once more. ¡°It¡¯ll take you at least an hour to get there. Even if you manage to bring the ingredients back, we won¡¯t make it in time. Besides, the guests are already here,¡± Nancy said. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the production team.¡± Steve hung up the phone and turned to look at Kathleen anxiously. ¡°Can we do without the seafood?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, but there will be fewer dishes,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Let¡¯s do it then. I can¡¯t think of any other solution.¡± Vexed, Steve decided to proceed without using seafood. He should have known better than to let Kylie buy the ingredients. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hearding from the door of the kitchen, startling the four of them. Samuel saw Kathleen wearing an apron, looking very sweet and demure. He curled his lips slightly. He only appeared affectionate in front of her. Soon, all eyes were on Kathleen. It was no surprise, for Samuel was her ex-husband. ¡°No,¡± Kathleen replied coolly. Nancy then spoke up in a meek voice. ¡°Mr. Macari, Kate needs some seafood for some of the dishes tonight. Can¡ª¡± Immediately, Samuel turned to Kathleen and asked, ¡°What do you need? I¡¯ll get them to deliver it here in half an hour.¡± He only had eyes for her. Kathleen felt her head throbbing. ¡°Kate? The show is more important,¡± John whispered. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°I need prawns, lobsters, and abalone.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Samuel nodded as he whipped out his phone. ¡°Go buy some prawns, lobsters, and abalone. Send them over.¡± He hung up the phone and said gently, ¡°They will deliver everything in twenty minutes. Feel free to let me know what else you need.¡± Kathleen cast a nce at him. She realized that his eyes were as captivating as ever. Meanwhile, the comment section went into a frenzy. I feel my knees going weak just by looking at Samuel¡¯s eyes. Yet he looks so deadpanned! I think Samuel has not gotten over Kathleen. He still loves her. Samuel must still love Kathleen. It was Kathleen¡¯s idea to get a divorce back then. Don¡¯t talk nonsense if you don¡¯t know the truth. They¡¯re now divorced. Samuel is seeing another woman. Another woman? Will there be a wedding? It is a known fact that Samuel likes Nicolette, the illegitimate child of the Yoeger family. Everyone in Jadeborough knows about it. It¡¯s nothing new. Hasn¡¯t Nicolette disappeared for a year? Has she left the country? Or is she kept at home by Samuel? That¡¯s not possible. When Samuel married Kathleen, he told everyone that Kathleen is the one he likes. I heard that Nicolette got into an ident and is now a cripple. Whatever, I am rooting for this couple to get back together. I seriously think Samuel still loves her, but Kathleen is not aware of it. Good luck, Samuel and Kathleen! Kathleen turned around and started to prepare the food. Seeing that, Samuel gave a knowing smile and walked away. Fifteen minutester, Tyson came in with the ingredients. ¡°Mrs. Macari, these are the things you asked for.¡± Tyson deliberately addressed Kathleen as ¡°Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen looked at him in wordless amazement. Tyson then apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was just a slip of the tongue. I¡¯ll be more careful next time. Mrs. M ¡ª Um¡­ Ms. Johnson, these are the ingredients you need.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Kathleen uttered each word through clenched teeth. After that, Tyson left in a hurry. Kathleen took a kitchen knife and chopped off the head of a prawn with one swift swipe, imagining it to be Tyson¡¯s head. At that point, a gentle voice called out. ¡°Kate?¡± Wow! The ex-husband just left, and her fianc¨¦ has arrived. This is getting very exciting! Chapter 97 Chapter 97 ¡°Chris.¡± Kathleen was embarrassed. Why did hee too? ¡°I heard something happened over here. Has it been resolved?¡± Christopher looked at her with gentle eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Christopher shed a half-smile and said, ¡°If there¡¯s anything else you need, feel free to let me know. I can help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just something unexpected came up,¡± exined Kathleen. Looking at her, Christopher shed her a smile before turning around and leaving. Nancy was also looking at Kathleen, her eyes filling with admiration and envy. Be it, Samuel, the former husband, or Christopher, the fianc¨¦, they were both outstanding men. I would be satisfied with either of them! Meanwhile, Kathleen had turned around to prepare the dishes. She spaced out twice during that period. Christopher¡¯s and Samuel¡¯s appearances were definitely not a coincidence. However, they might not have expected the other person to be at the scene as well. Samuel¡¯s purpose was obvious. Kathleen was not a narcissist, but she could tell the man still had feelings for her. As for Christopher, she knew he liked her and was currently pursuing her. Kathleen, unfortunately, did not want either of them. However, if she were to put the two men together, Samuel was someone from her past. She had already exined it to Samuel, but the man didn¡¯t understand. Hence, Kathleen reckoned she could only make things clear through her actions. An hourter, all of the dishes were served. Nancy walked over to the table and began introducing the dishes one by one, ¡°The appetizer is a mushroom soup I¡¯ve made. As for the main course, we have almond-coated prawns, ck pepper tenderloin roast, lobster, crab-stuffed sole, and prime rib!¡± ¡°Did you prepare all these dishes yourself?¡± asked Samuel in an icy-cold tone. Nancy was rather a petty person. She only mentioned the soup was prepared by her and did not mention Kathleen at all. Hearing Samuel¡¯s question, Nancy grew awkward and said, ¡°I prepared the soup.¡± ¡°What about the other dishes?¡± Samuel questioned indifferently. ¡°Kathleen was the one who prepared the rest of the dishes,¡± Nancy exined, albeit bitterly. She could tell Samuel did that to stand up for Kathleen, but she did not disregard Kathleen intentionally. Nancy only wanted to leave a good impression in front of the mayor. Meanwhile,ments began pouring in. What the hell! Is everyone in this variety show this evil? If Samuel did not probe further, would Nancy have told everyone Kathleen was the one who prepared all the other dishes? Why is this show full of b*tches? I¡¯ve already had enough of Kylie. Why did another one have to show up? I didn¡¯t Nancy was someone like that. It seems I was wrong about her. Christopher furrowed his brow upon seeing that. Samuel is only making people turn on Kathleen. What if Nancy gives Kathleen a hard time because of this? ¡°Why don¡¯t everyone have a taste of the dishes?¡± suggested Nancy with a tinge of awkwardness in her voice. ¡°Where¡¯s Kathleen?¡± Samuel questioned again. Introducing the dishes and attending to the guests is something the head chef should be doing. ¡°She¡¯s busy preparing the desserts in the kitchen,¡± Nancy responded. Samuel didn¡¯t say another word. While the other began their meal with the appetizer, he went straight to the main course. Of course, his actions did not go unnoticed by Nancy, who couldn¡¯t help grumbling internally. It seems that Samuel is still protective of Kathleen, despite the two of them being divorced already. With that thought in mind, Nancy dared not give Kathleen a hard time. Samuel tasted the food made by his former wife and began reminiscing the times before their divorce. Kathleen learned to cook for him, but he had never expressed a hint of gratitude whenever she prepared a table full of food for him. Gradually, she stopped cooking. Samuel suddenly felt a pang of pain in his heart. ¡°Mr. Morris, you seem to enjoy the crab-stuffed sole a lot,¡± said one of the guests. Christopher curled his lips. ¡°Yes, I really like it a lot.¡± ¡°You can probably have it any other day, isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Morris? I¡¯m sure Ms. Johnson makes them for you often.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Kathleen always cooks whatever I want to eat.¡± Happiness was written all over Christopher¡¯s face as he said that. On the other hand, Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. Does Kathleen cook whatever he wants to eat? Well, it¡¯s natural since they¡¯re engaged now. There¡¯s not a single dish on this table that is among my favorites. She even made such a troublesome dish like crab-stuffed sole for him. Is she trying to show how much she loves Christopher? Gloominess shrouded his face at that thought. When it came to trying the rest of the dishes, Samuel had already lost his appetite. After the main course, it was time for dessert. Kathleen came out of the kitchen when it was time to serve the desserts. Despite working for an entire evening, she still looked energetic instead of dispirited. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. John helped Kathleen serve the desserts for everyone. When the guests removed the lids, they noticed that only Christopher¡¯s dessert was different from the others. The rest of them had the same dessert. Of course, Samuel was also included in the majority. ¡°Oh, it seems Mr. Morris¡¯ dessert is different from ours.¡± A faint smile spread across the mayor¡¯s face. Kathleen exined, ¡°I heard you prefer sweet dessert, but Mr. Morris doesn¡¯t like it too sweet, so I made another one for him.¡± The mayor chuckled and said, ¡°Of course, of course. I understand.¡± ¡°Please, have a taste. This is ice cream I made by infusing Earl Grey tea into the milk,¡± said Kathleen. The mayor took the spoon from the table and had a bite of the ice cream, immediately gasping in surprise. ¡°This tastes great. The ice cream is fragrant and sweet. It¡¯s silky smooth and melts in my mouth almost immediately.¡± Hisment made Kathleen smile. ¡°Yes. I heard you like Earl Grey tea, so I didn¡¯t use coffee for the ice cream and opted for Earl Grey tea instead.¡± Nodding, the mayorplimented, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know my preference, Ms. Johnson.¡± ¡°I heard it from¡­¡± Kathleen paused before continuing, ¡°I heard it by coincidence.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. Did she forget all of my preferences? Does she think I will give up if she uses a method like this? After finishing the dessert, dinner was finally over. Kathleen and the rest walked to the entrance to send the mayor off. The mayor got into his car and left, leaving only Samuel and Christopher behind. ¡°Chris,¡± Kathleen called out before pulling Christopher aside. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± When Samuel saw that, a cold glint shed across his eyes. However, his car had already arrived. Tyson got out of the car and opened the door for Samuel, who got into the car swiftly. As soon as the car drove away, Steve and the others let out a sigh of relief. Kathleen was watching all this from a distance. She couldn¡¯t help letting out a breath of relief when she saw Samuel had left. Then, looking at Christopher, Kathleen said, ¡°Chris, please don¡¯t get me wrong. I just don¡¯t want Samuel to pester me anymore. I¡¯ve told him countless times, but he just doesn¡¯t understand. I¡ª¡± Before Kathleen could finish her words, Christopher ced a slender finger on her red lips. He smiled as he responded, ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin. Even if you take advantage of me or treat me as a pawn, I¡¯m willing to put up with it for you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s ears flushed red when she heard him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Christopher reassured once more. ¡°Would you like me to wait for you so we could go home together?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Kathleen shook her head and continued, ¡°I have to film the show for fifteen days. During this time, I¡¯ll be staying in the mansion provided by the production team.¡± Hearing that, Christopher nodded. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go home and watch the live stream.¡± He would see her through the live stream. Kathleen blinked. ¡°Everyone is asleep at night. There¡¯s nothing to watch.¡± ¡°But I will still watch it,¡± Christopher said in a deep voice. Kathleen was dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯re tired. Go back home and rest early.¡± Christopher lifted his hand and stroked her head gently. ¡°If anything happens, send me a message.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded in response before watching Christopher leave. Then, she turned around and headed back to the restaurant. In the meantime, Kylie was back. She entered the restaurant with a limp and was covered in dust. However, everyone waspletely exhausted from the ordeal and slumped on the chairs with barely any energy left. Kylie¡¯s eyes turned red as her blood boiled. ¡°I¡¯m injured. Don¡¯t you all have anything to say to me?¡± she snapped. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Another turmoil broke out. John disputed, saying, ¡°We all knew you were hurt, so we asked the production team toe to get you. We also heard that the production team had sent you to the hospital for an examination. What else do you want us to do?¡± Kylie¡¯s tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°How could you be so mean? You¡¯re all bullies!¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re using us of bullying you? Could you please stop your nonsense?¡± John scoffed. ¡°Who was it that was attempting to frame Kathleen earlier? We¡¯re already being considerate to you by not exposing you right away.¡± ¡°You!¡± Kylie gritted her teeth in frustration. ¡°After we instructed you to purchase items for us, we were unable to contact you for two hours before you finally answered the phone. And guess what? Not only did you not buy anything, but you also injured yourself.¡± Then, he continued indifferently, ¡°What have you been doing in those two hours?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t locate the location. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Kylie yelled angrily. When John heard that, he replied coldly, ¡°Ha! Please! Someone on Twitter posted that you were casually hiding in a dessert shop and enjoying your dessert until you finally decided to buy the ingredients. It was around that time that you were hit by a bicycle and had your ankle twisted.¡± Kylie¡¯s cheeks and ears flushed red in an instant. She had no idea how John had found out about it. Initially, she believed that nobody would be aware of it as long as there was no drone following her. Then, sarcastically, John asked, ¡°Do you really think no one would recognize you as long as you have a hat and mask on? You were still recognized in the end.¡± Surprised by John¡¯s words, Steve frowned and looked at Kylie. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± She was at a loss for words. ¡°Kylie, this is a show, not a drama in which you have topete to be cast. Could you please refrain from employing such deceptive tactics?¡± Dissatisfied, John added, ¡°Do you even realize how worried everyone was today?¡± Nancy was taken aback as she stared at John. After all, she had not anticipated John speaking up for Kathleen. John defended Kathleen because he was impressed by her culinary skills that day in the kitchen. In the past, he had some prejudice against Kathleen. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He assumed she was a troublemaker because she was the wife of a wealthy family. However, after they got along for a while, he realized that in addition to being good-tempered, competent, calm, and collected, she also made everyone feel secure. In reality, John had no ulterior motive. He simply admired her. He feltpelled to defend Kathleen because he thought Kylie was being too pretentious. ¡°How dare you!¡± The more Kylie heard, the more enraged she became, to the point where she no longer pretended to cry. ¡°You taught him all this, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked, her gaze fixing on Kathleen. Kathleen, who was drinking water at the time, replied coldly and directly, ¡°Kylie, I don¡¯t need other people¡¯s help to deal with you.¡± ¡°Kylie, you were already in the wrong, and you¡¯re saying they¡¯re being instructed just because they pointed out your wrongdoing? How talented you are at distorting the truth. So you¡¯re saying that even if you¡¯re wrong, everyone has to stand up for you?¡± John made a mocking remark. Kylie responded by staring at him. ¡°Forget about it. Everyone in this room can reason logically. Do you honestly believe that everyone is the same as you?¡± John chimed furiously. Kylie gritted her teeth and retorted, ¡°You all are just ganging up on me!¡± Nevertheless, no one paid attention to her. When she noticed that, she turned to face Steve. ¡°Are you in agreement with them, Steve?¡± Steve stared coldly at her and responded, ¡°It¡¯s better if you just admit your mistake.¡± With an attitude like that,izens had already lost trust in her. To make matters worse, she could easily jeopardize her own acting career by behaving this way. Steve was not a moron, so he did not defend her. When she realized no one was standing up for her, she returned her gaze to Kathleen and yelled, ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a woman abandoned by a wealthy family. I¡¯m sure Samuel dumped you because you¡¯re a bad woman!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Steve frowned. ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Is she crazy? ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± ring at Kathleen, Kylie continued, ¡°You¡¯re just an actress who won an Academy Award. Maybe you even used some shady methods to get it. You¡¯re nothing more than a divorcee!¡± When Kathleen heard that, she responded, ¡°So what if I¡¯m a divorcee? Do you have any experience marrying into a wealthy family?¡± Kylie was taken aback when she heard that. ¡°As for how I won the Academy Award, it was because of my own abilities. Do you have an issue with that?¡± Staring at Kylie indifferently, she added, ¡°I¡¯m not like someone who only knows how to make a fuss and nder others.¡± After Kathleen finished her words, Kylie¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°In fact, the reason I divorced Samuel was that I no longer needed him. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask him yourself. Oh, wait. You have no chance of meeting him because of your social standing.¡± ¡°You!¡± Kylie was outraged. She became more enraged as Kathleen spoke casually about it. Everyone could see that Kylie was no match for Kathleen, and thement section was lively once more, with countlessizens giving their own two cents regarding the situation. Kylie is going too far. She has overreached byunching a personal attack. So what if Kathleen is divorced? Is there a rule that divorced women do not deserve to be in the entertainment industry? My goodness, Kylie is so disgusting. How could she be so cruel to Kathleen, referring to her as a divorcee? I can¡¯t believe someone so evil exists. Even though she was the one who made the mistake, she is attempting to dismiss it by ming others. Everyone¡¯s disregard for the fact that Kylie was hurt was what caused her to be irate. Stop your meaningless act, Kylie¡¯s fans. Someone has already tweeted that she was hiding in order to make things difficult for Kathleen. What a nasty person Kylie is. I¡¯ve decided not to watch all of the dramas in which she has appeared. I sincerely hope that future producers will consider this before hiring her in order to avoid affecting the rating. I feel bad for Kathleen. Everyone was aware of her divorce from Samuel, so why is Kylie using it to nder her? What a shameless woman! Actually, I¡¯m more surprised by Kathleen¡¯s calm demeanor. If it had been me, I would have pped Kylie right away. Meanwhile, Samuel was looking at the calm and unruffled woman on the screen in Macari Group. He felt as if his heart was being torn apart for some unknown reason. Then, he opened his Twitter and tweeted a message. Hey, Samuel tweeted on Twitter. What did he tweet? He imed that he divorced Kathleen because he was a bad husband who did something wrong. It wasn¡¯t him who wanted to divorce her, but the other way around. He also stated that everything was his fault and that Kathleen had nothing to do with it. I didn¡¯t expect to learn the reason for their divorce from this show! Samuel is a responsible man because he came forward and admitted that he was to me, unlike some men who were afraid to admit their mistakes despite the fact that it was clearly their fault. Now that he¡¯s exined it, it¡¯s actually good for them. Otherwise, it could be used to nder Kathleen again. Over at the restaurant, no one bothered to care about Kylie. After all, they were all annoyed. Feeling enraged, Kylie shouted, ¡°You all are bullying me! I want to quit!¡± With that, she turned around to leave. ¡°Are you not going to persuade her, Steve?¡± Nancy cast a nce at Steve. In aposed manner, Steve replied, ¡°I¡¯m not someone who matters to her. Why would she listen to me?¡± Since she had such a bad attitude, they were all convinced that the next person would do a better job than her. Suddenly, a growl could be heard from somewhere in the restaurant. John sighed regretfully. ¡°It¡¯s been a busy day, I haven¡¯t even eaten yet, and I have to deal with such a pretentious woman.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen informed, ¡°There are still some ingredients in the kitchen. I¡¯ll go make something for you to eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an excellent suggestion.¡± John¡¯s eyes glowed with anticipation. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ve been dying to try your recipes, so my stomach will be in your care for the next fifteen days.¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Nancy knocked on John¡¯s head. ¡°Hey! Speak properly!¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I meant I¡¯ll be counting on Kate¡¯s cooking to fill my stomach,¡± John exined, rubbing his head. Not bothered by John¡¯s choice of words at all, Kathleen went to the kitchen to prepare the food. The others did not idle around. They proceeded to clean the dining table, and then assisted Kathleen in the kitchen. In the meantime, Kylie went to see Cain. ¡°I want to quit!¡± Speechless, Cain looked at her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kylie said angrily, ¡°In any case, I don¡¯t want to be in this show anymore! Why don¡¯t you guys tell Kathleen to be polite to me? I can¡¯t stand her!¡± Cain replied, ¡°You should just quit then. You can¡¯t afford to offend her. Do you think we can?¡± Kylie responded grimly, ¡°Mr. Dodson, you guys are cowards!¡± Cain let out a sneer. ¡°Cowards? Kathleen has done nothing wrong. What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± Is it true that Kylie has lost her mind? Cain added, ¡°If you wish to quit, get your manager to talk to us.¡± Then, he ignored her and turned around. Kylie was indignant. She actually wanted to stay in the show. However, she did not want Kathleen to outshine her. Even if Kathleen had won the Academy Award for Best Actress, Kylie did not want to lose to her. During their first encounter, Kylie could tell that Kathleen would be the biggest threat to her in the show. Kathleen was exceptionally gorgeous! She was practically a shining star! Kylie was very envious of her. We¡¯re both actresses. Why does she get all the attention and fame? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be such a tough opponent. At that moment, her phone rang. She went out to answer the call. Her manager snapped at her over the phone, ¡°Are you nuts? Why did you offend Kathleen? Why did youin to Mr. Dodson? This is a live broadcast. I can¡¯t clear your name even if I want to!¡± Kylie pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s just a live broadcast. What¡¯s the big deal? She may have won the Academy Award for Best Actress, but I¡¯m a popr actress too.¡± Her manager was speechless. ¡°Did you knock your head? Samuel debunked the rumor right after you used Kathleen of being abandoned by him. It¡¯s obvious that he is still in love with her even though they¡¯re divorced! Moreover, Christopher is her fianc¨¦ now. Can you afford to offend her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose to her!¡± Kylie replied in dismay. ¡°Suit yourself! Quit if you want to. You breached the contract. You pay the price. It¡¯ll be threefold the amount of your remuneration. The representative from Astra Entertainment is dealing with the management now. Your bad days areing!¡± With that, her manager hung up the phone furiously. Kylie was dumbfounded. Why isn¡¯t thepany defending me? The drama starring Steve and me is on air right now. I¡¯ll be famous soon. I¡¯ll be generating lots of profit for thepany! How could they give up on me? What should I do now? After dinner, Kathleen and the others went back to their rooms. The production team provided them with amodation right next to the restaurant. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. It was a three-story building. Kathleen and Nancy would be staying on the third floor. They were given one room each. Kathleen¡¯s belongings had been delivered by the time she returned to her room. She opened the cases, took out her pajamas, a towel, and some toiletries, and went to take a shower. After that, she sat by her bedside and picked up her phone. Charles had texted her: I¡¯ve contacted Kylie¡¯s talent agency. I intend to acquire it. Kathleen replied to his text: Why do you always acquirepanies without reason? Where did you learn that? Charles texted: Haha! Samuel almost acquired it before I did. Fortunately, I¡¯m one step ahead of him. Pursing her lips, Kathleen texted back: What does this have to do with Samuel? Charles: Samuel posted on Twitter and took up the responsibility for the divorce between you two. As a man, I respect him for that.¡± Kathleen: Let bygones be bygones. Charles: What Samuel did to you was horrible. How can we let go of him so easily? Kathleen: What do you want to do? Charles: I¡¯ll hire ghostwriters to nder him! Kathleen: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, Charles. Drop it. I won¡¯t be in touch with him in the future. Charles: You¡¯re such a softie. You almost lost your life because of him. He made you lose two unborn children. Most importantly, he¡¯s keeping Nicolette somewhere safe. Do you know about that? Kathleen¡¯s heart throbbed in pain. I haven¡¯t looked into it this year since I know that Samuel will never leave her alone. There¡¯s no sign of her in Jadeborough ever since my return. However, I know that she¡¯s most certainly under Samuel¡¯s protection now. He loves her so much. He¡¯ll never let her suffer. He¡¯s probably thinking of keeping her safe until things have settled down. What a faithful man. Kathleen: We didn¡¯te back to deal with these, Charles. Charles: I know. Don¡¯t worry. Kathleen: Good. Don¡¯t be swayed by your emotions. Charles: Vanessa will be attending a banquet. Do you want to go? Kathleen: Yes. Inform the production team for me, please. I want to meet her. Charles: Okay. Leave it to me. With that, Kathleen put down her phone, stood up, and walked to the mirror. Looking at her reflection, she lifted her hand and touched her face. No wonder Nicolette and I look so alike. When Kathleen went downstairs the next day, she realized that everyone else was sleeping in due to the exhaustion the day before. She decided to go to the kitchen to make some food. To her surprise, someone else was already there. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Kate.¡± Kylie stared at her as though nothing had happened between them. Unconcerned, Kathleen ignored Kylie. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened yesterday, Kate. It¡¯s all my fault. Can you forgive me?¡± Kylie said, putting on an adorable face. Kathleen¡¯s expression remained cold as she kept quiet. Has Kylie realized the error of her ways overnight? Impossible! Even I find it hard to believe. Kylie must be willing topromise because she has something to gain. Someone like her will eventually stab you in the back when you don¡¯t even know it. ¡°Kate?¡± Kylie looked at her with pitiful eyes. Kathleen remarked coldly, ¡°You¡¯ll learn from your mistake when pigs fly, Kylie. When you addressed me so intimately yesterday, I was wondering just how audacious you could get. Everyone knows about your age. Furthermore, we aren¡¯t close. How could you address me that way? You wouldn¡¯t have called me that if you¡¯ve really learned from your mistake.¡± Kylie had intended to address Kathleen intimately in order to gain thetter¡¯s favor. Kathleen paid her no mind. However, she decided to teach Kylie a lesson when she realized that Kylie was still putting on her pretentious act. Kylie bit her lower lip. ¡°How should I address you then?¡± Kathleen was cold. ¡°What do you think? Didn¡¯t your parents teach you?¡± Feeling aggrieved, Kylie asked, ¡°What does this have to do with my parents?¡± Kathleen replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you that your parents should have taught you basic manners. If you still don¡¯t know, that¡¯s your problem. Has your brain shrunk, or have you suffered a memory loss? You should consider medication. How can you make it if you have such a weak memory at such a young age?¡± Kylie was at a loss for words. At that moment, Steve entered the kitchen. He frowned. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°Steve, help me persuade Kate. She doesn¡¯t want me to call her that. How else should I address her?¡± Kylie attempted to drag Steve into the smokeless war. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ¡°She has a name. Use that. Do you even have to ask?¡± Steve was rendered speechless. Even he could tell how pretentious Kylie was. Kylie feigned aggrievance. ¡°Is that so? I have no idea. I just want to be friendly with everyone. How on earth would I know that someone actually has a problem with it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you care how other people address you?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. She turned around and took a packet of milk from the refrigerator. ¡°I most certainly don¡¯t. I¡¯m not that petty,¡± Kylie added meaningfully. Kathleen proceeded to ask with a frigid smirk, ¡°Wow, how magnanimous! In that case, I¡¯ll call you Inky, Snowy, and Doggy from now on. Is that all right?¡± Kylie¡¯s face turned livid. ¡°You¡¯re insulting me!¡± ¡°I thought you said you don¡¯t care how people address you,¡± Kathleen replied, seemingly unconcerned. Infuriated, Kylie roared, ¡°That¡¯s true, but now you¡¯re insulting me!¡± ¡°Ha! Didn¡¯t you do the same to me just now?¡± Kathleen red at her. ¡°Or do you want the audience watching this livestream to be the judge?¡± Kylie pursed her lips and fell silent. Kylie¡¯spletely defeated this round! Thank goodness Kathleen isn¡¯t someone who mellows out silently. Otherwise, Kylie would have p*ssed me off so much. Kylie is overly pretentious. Why is the production team still keeping her in this show? She affects my mood whenever I watch it! I heard that someone gave Steve and Kylie¡¯s show a one-star rating! Could that be one of Kathleen¡¯s fans? Her fans are so annoying! Why does it have to be Kathleen¡¯s fan? For all we know, you could be one of Kylie¡¯s fans, toe up with a im like this! You guys could be creating a publicity stunt by pretending that someone is out to get Kylie. What a joke! New update! That show has blocked ratings! Fantastic! With the rating section closed, the show won¡¯t be discussed as heatedly as before. That¡¯s Kylie¡¯s loss! The fault lies with Kathleen¡¯s fans! Kylie obviously deserves it! How can she me others when she¡¯s the one ruining the audience¡¯s perception? She should retire from the entertainment industry! The screen exploded with livements yet again asizens argued with one another. The production team was secretlyced with delight, as they managed to gain a wave of heat this time. In the kitchen, seeing that Steve wasn¡¯t even standing up for her, Kylie broke into tears of frustration. Steve did not feel like entertaining her at all, as she tended to cry easily. She never even cried as much when she was acting. Kathleen informed Steve after she made coffee, ¡°I probably have to leave for a moment after making the dinner.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to cook tonight like you did yesterday. We¡¯lle together and discuss the menu during breakfastter,¡± Steve replied with much consideration. ¡°We can¡¯t let you do all the work.¡± Kathleen nodded. Seeing that they were all ignoring her, Kylie turned around and left in a huff. Steve and Kathleen looked at each other in resignation. Soon, everyone woke up. Nancy came into the kitchen. ¡°The coffee smells good! I want some.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made five servings.¡± Kathleen¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Would you like some milk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. ck coffee will do.¡± Nancy chuckled. ¡°Kathleen, not only do you know how to cook, but you can make nice coffee too. After drinking your coffee, I bet I¡¯ll be full of energy for the whole morning.¡± Kathleen grinned. ¡°Not a lot of people have tasted my coffee.¡± ¡°Ha, you mean besides Samuel or Christopher? That¡¯s nothing worth showing off,¡± Kylie said as she stood by the kitchen door. Nancy threw her a sideways nce. Is Kylie out of her mind, or she¡¯s going all out? ¡°Why would you consider this a humblebrag?¡± Kathleen retorted calmly, ¡°You read too much into a simple remark. You must have a dirty mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Kylie refuted. ¡°Then, why would you think of it that way?¡± Kathleen questioned tly, ¡°Do you want to make coffee for them in the morning? Can I read it like that?¡± ¡°You!¡± Kylie¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Since you think of others in that way, don¡¯t me others for thinking the same,¡± Kathleen snapped at her with disdain, ¡°Even if you want to take the reins, you should check if you¡¯re really up to it!¡± Kylie pursed her lips and fell silent. Unable to hold back her admiration for Kathleen, Nancy apuded her. Well done! While Kathleen appeared gentle, her words were powerful. Kylie turned around and left. ¡°Ignore her. She must be crazy,¡± Nancyforted Kathleen. ¡°I don¡¯t get why her manager allows her to behave like this. If she keeps this up, will we still have an audience?¡± Kathleen blinked. ¡°Nancy, this is a livestream.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Nancy replied calmly. ¡°I seriously can¡¯t stand her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make breakfast,¡± Kathleen said, weighed down with resignation. ¡°What¡¯re we having?¡± Nancy¡¯s face rekindled with anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared abalone and some lobsters. I¡¯m nning to make seafood risotto too,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°Sounds delicious to me!¡± Nancy grinned. Kathleen put on an apron and went on to prepare the food. Compliments overflowed thements section. Kathleen seems to be a really nice and capable woman. Not only is she a good actress, but she also knows how to cook. Whoever gets to marry her must be very lucky. I¡¯m so jealous of Christopher for having her as his fianc¨¦e. Shouldn¡¯t you be envious of Samuel instead? Haha. Samuel didn¡¯t cherish her in the past. Why should I be envious of him? I wonder if Samuel ever regrets it. Samuel: I regret it. His reply rendered everyone speechless for a moment. Oh my god! He¡¯s actually the real Samuel, not an imposter! He¡¯s really Samuel! I checked his profile and found Macari Group following him. He¡¯s real! N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Samuel said he regrets it. It clearly shows how good Kathleen must be. Stay strong, Mr. Macari! Mr. Macari, you have my support to get Kathleen back. Then, Christopher will be mine! Anyway, as long as they¡¯re not married, you still stand a chance, Mr. Macari! You can do it! People can file for divorce as well after marriage! Mr. Macari, as long as you¡¯re determined, miracles can still happen! Fixing his gaze on thosements with darkened eyes, Samuel curled his lips into a smirk. They¡¯re right. I still have a chance as long as she¡¯s not married. He picked up his coffee and took in the scent. All of a sudden, he had the urge to know what Kathleen¡¯s coffee tasted like. Since he never tasted her coffee before, she had probably learned how to make it within the year. Has she really make coffee for Christopher in the morning on a given day? If so, what happened that night before? Could they be¡­ Putting down his coffee, Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. Tyson entered the office right then. ¡°Mr. Macari, Kylie¡¯s entertainmentpany has agreed to our acquisition.¡± Samuel instructed coldly, ¡°Fire Kylie.¡± After a brief hesitation, Tyson replied, ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari told the production teamst night that, as long as Kylie doesn¡¯t want to quit, there¡¯s no need to make her go.¡± Samuel asked sternly, ¡°Is that what you heard from the production team?¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel grimaced. ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari has always been like this. She never takes things to the extreme,¡± Tyson stated faintly. Samuel cast him a cold gaze. ¡°Do you know her better than I do?¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Tyson felt awkward. He would not dare to say that. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The look in Samuel¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°I¡¯m not upset with you.¡± Tyson froze. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°I really missed out on too many things in those three years,¡± Samuel said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯ve even asked you to go with her when she went for checkups at the hospital. Of course you¡¯ll know her better than I do.¡± It¡¯s me. I¡¯m the one who pushed Kathleen away. I can¡¯t be upset with anyone about this. At that, Tyson mustered the courage to say, ¡°Mr. Macari, I think that, as long as she¡¯s still alive, you still have a chance. Don¡¯t wait until she¡¯s gone before you really regret it. That will be toote.¡± Samuel turned to nce at him. ¡°Honestly, Mrs. Macari has already said that she wants to live peacefully with you. Why don¡¯t you just say yes?¡± Tyson muttered gloomily. ¡°Mrs. Macari has spent ten years to make you fall for her. You can do the same. Make her fall for you again.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Make her fall for me again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Although Mrs. Macari isn¡¯t how she used to be, you can put in more effort. Don¡¯t force your will onto her the way you used to. Consider what she wants,¡± Tyson exined. ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Samuel nodded solemnly. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve found some information regarding the matter you asked me to look into.¡± Tyson put down the documents in his hands. ¡°Apparently, Mrs. Macari and Mr. Johnson have returned in search of their kin.¡± ¡°What kin?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Mrs. Macari¡¯s parents are orphans,¡± Tyson started. ¡°It seems that they wish to find their family. Mrs. Macari¡¯s mother was adopted, but she has always wanted to look for her biological parents. ording to my investigation, it seems likely that Mrs. Macari and the others have found some clues, and that¡¯s why they¡¯ve returned.¡± Samuel kept staring at Tyson. So, Kathleen didn¡¯te back because of Christopher, he mused. ¡°What have they found?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°Mrs. Macari¡¯s mother seems to be the missing third daughter of the Yoeger family,¡± Tyson replied. ¡°What?¡± Samuel eximed, taken aback. Kathleen¡¯s mother is the Yoeger family¡¯s third daughter? Is that why Kathleen looks so much like Nicolette? Is that why their bone marrows were a match? ¡°What else did you find?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Nothing else. That is all,¡± Tyson mumbled. ¡°Mrs. Macari will be attending a banquet tonight. Christopher will be there too.¡± ¡°Make the arrangements. I¡¯m going as well,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°Understood.¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel¡¯s keen eyes then turned to look at the screen. As he looked at Kathleen¡¯s side profile, his chest ached. If I¡¯d gotten Kathleen to attend Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s birthday celebration three years ago, would things have turned out differently? Would she not have left a year ago? As for the Yoeger family¡­ I have a score to settle with them. At eight o¡¯clock that night, Charles came to pick Kathleen up in a ck Bentley. Kathleen was wearing an off-shoulder maxi bodycon with a slit that revealed her long fair legs. Kathleen was beautiful in a soft, tender way. However, the moment she dressed herself up, she looked absolutely alluring and exquisite. As Charles looked at his sister, he said, ¡°Who are you nning to seduce tonight?¡± Kathleen only shed him a shy smile. She then leaned over to enter the car. Then, Charles drove them to the banquet. ¡°Vanessa is currently the one with the final say in the Yoeger family. Zachary may be the heir, but he¡¯s in poor health, so Vanessa is the one who makes most of the decisions,¡± Charles exined. Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Is Zachary Nicolette¡¯s father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charles nodded in affirmation. Hearing that, Kathleen fell silent. ¡°Leave this to me if you want to take revenge on her,¡± Charles said to her in a cold tone. ¡°I don¡¯t care who Samuel is. I¡¯m going to cripple Nicolette and hand her over to you. I¡¯m going to avenge my two nephews.¡± Kathleen was quiet for a while. ¡°My grievance with Nicolette can¡¯t be dismissed just like this. However, let¡¯s settle the issue regarding our history first. I¡¯m afraid Samuel will stop us if we target Nicolette now. If that happens, we¡¯ll lose more than we gain.¡± ¡°True,¡± Charles agreed with a nod. After that, they went to a private club. The two of them stepped out of the car. Kathleen hooked her arm around Charles¡¯ before they entered the premise. Almost immediately, everyone cast them inexplicable gazes. Charles had been keeping a low profile before that. It was only when Kathleen rose to fame did the others find out that he was Kathleen¡¯s manager and the CEO of Astra Entertainment. On the other hand, Kathleen was an award-winning actress, Samuel¡¯s ex-wife, and Christopher¡¯s fianc¨¦e. To sum it up, her identity was quiteplicated. Nevertheless, Samuel and the Macari family protected her well. She was rarely seen in public. One of the few times she ever appeared in public was when Samuel revealed their wedding photo a year ago. Even now, Samuel still kept that post as his pinned tweet. He had never taken it down. Charles led Kathleen to Vanessa. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, hello.¡± Vanessa Yoeger turned fifty that year. However, because of her strict skincare routine, she did not look a day over thirty-five. Vanessa gave the siblings a long look. ¡°So, this is Mr. Johnson and the award-winning best actress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you know us, Ms. Yoeger,¡± Charles said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. ¡°I heard you¡¯re interested in starting a business in red wine, Ms. Yoeger. What a coincidence! I have a winery in Belmonia. Ms. Yoeger, are you interested in working with me?¡± Vanessa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Mr. Johnson, are you here for a business negotiation?¡± ¡°Of course. Why else are we here for?¡± Kathleen smiled sweetly. No one could tell what she was truly feeling at that moment. As Vanessa stared at Kathleen¡¯s pretty face, she uttered, ¡°Ha. No matter.¡± ¡°Ms. Yoeger, shall we discuss this in detail?¡± Charles coolly asked. Vanessa nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Charles peered at Kathleen and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded at him. With that, Charles and Vanessa stepped aside for a chat. Kathleen picked up a ss of wine and strolled around the ce. Her gaze eventuallynded on a middle-aged man. She strode over to him. ¡°Mr. Pord, is that you?¡± Kathleen smiled at him. Ivan Pord turned around. ¡°Are you Ms. Kathleen Johnson?¡± he said in pleasant surprise. Kathleen replied, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you know me, Mr. Pord. What an honor!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too humble, Ms. Johnson. Who wouldn¡¯t recognize you?¡± Ivan nced at her meaningfully. ¡°How can I help you, Ms. Johnson?¡± ¡°I just want to have a chat with you, Mr. Pord. May I have the honor?¡± Kathleen queried. ¡°Sure,¡± Ivan replied with a chuckle. ¡°What would you like to talk about?¡± ¡°A year ago, when I was in Ferropene, I was attacked by a gang,¡± Kathleen started with a gloomy look. ¡°We caught one of the attackers, who said that he was acting under your orders. I¡¯d like to ask if I¡¯ve offended you in some way.¡± Ivan froze. My men have been caught? I thought they were all dead! I can¡¯t believe some are still alive. ¡°Ms. Johnson, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense! This is nder!¡± Ivan fumed. ¡°I do not hold any grudges against you, Ms. Johnson!¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Pord. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the one behind it. I just want to find the real culprit. Perhaps you were framed by your enemy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! If my enemy was behind this, it must be Samuel!¡± Ivan eximed furiously. Kathleen narrowed her eyes at him. It seems like there¡¯s bad blood between Ivan and Samuel. ¡°Samuel? I didn¡¯t expect my ex-husband would want to kill me,¡± Kathleen feigned surprise. An icy glint shed across Ivan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he? He would do anything for Nicolette.¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising to hear. After all, I was the one who ruined Nicolette¡¯s face. I wonder how she is doing right now.¡± ¡°I heard that Samuel found the best stic surgeon for her. After that, he hid her somewhere else. Ms. Johnson, this kind of man isn¡¯t worth your affection,¡± Ivan said solemnly. ¡°You must be joking, Mr. Pord. How could I still long for him after everything he has done to me? I wish he was dead!¡± Kathleen said in a chilling voice. ¡°Do you want me to die?¡± Samuel¡¯s emotionless voice suddenly sounded from behind. Kathleen froze on the spot. Why is he here? This is bad! He¡¯s heard everything I said about him. What awful timing! She sneaked a peek at Ivan, only to see him smiling maliciously. That wily old fox! ¡°Mr. Macari, do you know it¡¯s improper to eavesdrop on other people¡¯s conversation?¡± Kathleen said sarcastically. Samuel fixed his cold gaze on Ivan instead. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for days.¡± Ivanughed awkwardly. ¡°Mr. Macari, what are you talking about? I didn¡¯t know you were looking for me. Anyway, I¡¯ve got to go now.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Kathleen looked anxiously at Ivan, who was about to flee. Samuel reached out to grab Kathleen¡¯s hand and pulled her into his embrace. He sped hisrge hands tightly around her slender waist. Gosh, she¡¯s so soft! ¡°Let go of me!¡± Kathleen yelled furiously. She could see his exquisite jawline the moment she raised her head. Samuel directed his razor-sharp gaze at her. ¡°Feel free to ask me what you want to know. You don¡¯t need to look for that guy.¡± ¡°I have nothing to do with you. Why should I look for you? Let me go!¡± Kathleen was akin to a caged bird at that moment. Samuel recalled Tyson¡¯s words. ¡°Come with me. I can exin everything to you.¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to! We¡¯re in public, Samuel! Bear in mind what you¡¯re doing! I don¡¯t want people to get the wrong idea!¡± Kathleenined in a soft voice. Samuel¡¯s lips curled up into a devilish grin. ¡°You¡¯d better follow me, or I¡¯ll kiss you right here. Let¡¯s see how you can exin the situationter.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless by his shamelessness. Ah! What a sc*mbag! Ugh. He¡¯s so infuriating! ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Holding her hand, Samuel led Kathleen out of the venue. He brought her into a room. After that, Samuel pressed Kathleen against the door. He pinched her chin with his long, coarse fingers and said, ¡°Ivan is Vanessa¡¯s lover. Only hell knows how many women that man has harmed in the past. Why are you provoking him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! I know what kind of person he is. Besides, I have Charles with me. He won¡¯t let anything happen to me,¡± Kathleen retorted. Samuel was furious at her attitude toward his warning. ¡°You have only just returned to Jadeborough. What do you know about the situation here? Earlier, you said you wish I was dead. Well, my life¡¯s yours for the taking now. Please don¡¯t put yourself in danger anymore. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Samuel, I only said it casually earlier. I didn¡¯t want you to die. It has nothing to do with me whether you¡¯re alive or not. Please release me. Charles will be anxious if I¡¯m gone for too long.¡± Seeing Kathleen trying so hard to avoid him, Samuel instantly exploded with rage. Looking at her luscious red lips, he could not help but lower his head and kissed her. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kathleen pped Samuel¡¯s shoulders hard with her hands in a desperate bid to break free from him. Instead of releasing her, Samuel grabbed her hands and lifted them above her head. He continued to kiss her. It was obvious that shecked experience in this department. Samuel calmed down when he realized that Kathleen hadn¡¯t been kissing other people much after their divorce. Five minutester, he finally let go of Kathleen. The corners of Kathleen¡¯s eyes glimmered with tears. It made her look endearing. p! Kathleen pped Samuel hard across the face. Her chest heaved erratically with her rising anger. ¡±It¡¯s been a year, and you still haven¡¯t learned how to respect me!¡± With that said, she made to leave. However, Samuel refused to let her go by pressing the door. Kathleen noticed the wedding ring on his left hand. This guy has no shame, hasn¡¯t he? Samuel leaned over and rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°I didn¡¯t send anyone to kill you. If I know where you are, I will look for you myself,¡± he confessed with a hoarse voice. ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin to me. I was just testing Ivan earlier.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She was aware that if Samuel knew about her whereabouts, he would go searching for her. After all, she was the one who had dumped him back then. His ego must have been shattered. ¡°The rtionship between Ivan and Vanessa is one of a superior and a subordinate. Ivan is just one of her many lovers, but he has been staying by her side the longest. I¡¯m sure he knows a lot of things,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Ivan has helped Vanessa deal with many hical activities over the years. He must have a lot of evidence to use as leverage over her.¡± After a pause, Kathleen continued, ¡±Therefore, she won¡¯t break up with him that easily.¡± Furthermore, Ivan was counting on Vanessa to take care of his business. They relied heavily on each other. ¡°So, that¡¯s it.¡± Samuel grinned. She¡¯s finally able to talk to me in a calm manner. Unfortunately, Samuel¡¯s tion was short-lived. Kathleen lost her temper again. ¡°Anyway, what does this have to do with you? Do you know that I¡¯m this close from getting something out of Ivan just now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating them over the past year. I know a lot about them. I can tell you anything you want to find out,¡± Samuel offered his help with a raspy and alluring voice. Kathleen sneered, ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you betraying your family? Vanessa is Nicolette¡¯s aunt, and Ivan can be considered Nicolette¡¯s uncle because of his intimate rtionship with Vanessa. Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Samuel remained silent despite her sarcastic remarks. I guess I deserved that for what I¡¯ve done to her in the past. ¡°Well, my mother-inw happens to be her aunt,¡± Samuel taunted. Now, it was Kathleen¡¯s turn to be at a loss for words. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Charles¡¯ voice sounded from outside the room. ¡°Let me go! My brother is looking for me,¡± Kathleen pleaded anxiously. I¡¯m doomed if Charles sees us like this! ¡°I can tell you everything that Ivan has done for Vanessa. Juste to Florinia Manor tomorrow night. I will show you all the evidence.¡± Samuel smirked. Kathleen froze at his suggestion. Gritting her teeth, she snapped, ¡°Samuel, do you take me for that kind of woman?¡± Samuel knew what she meant. ¡°You¡¯ll always be the purest woman in my heart. I just want to taste your cooking. A meal will do just fine.¡± ¡°A meal? Do you promise to give me the information after you¡¯re done eating?¡± Kathleen probed. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want,¡± Samuel promised. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Kathleen did not believe him. ¡°Will you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when youe over to my ce,¡± Samuel replied with a raspy voice. With that, he put down his long arm that was pressing the door shut. Kathleen bolted out of the room right after that, as though she was running away from a savage beast. Smirking, Samuel muttered under his breath, ¡°You can¡¯t escape me.¡± Kathleen found Charles and grabbed his hand. ¡±Let¡¯s go, Charles!¡± With a nce at her lips, Charles asked, ¡°Did Samuel bully you?¡± Kathleen¡¯s lipstick had faded, indicating that she had been kissed. Kathleen¡¯s cheeks flushed red. She barked, ¡°Don¡¯t bring him up!¡± Charles realized that his spection was true. Samuel, you b*stard! Kathleen got into the car and fastened her seat belt. Charles asked as he started the engine, ¡°Do you know what Vanessa told me?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°She told me that Nicolette has been living in a mansion over the past year. Someone called Melvin Lambert had been taking good care of her. Apart from restricted movement, she¡¯s living quite comfortably.¡± Kathleen¡¯s fingers clenched tightly when she heard that. I knew Samuel couldn¡¯t bear to see Nicolette suffer at all. He has taken great measures to protect her. Kathleen snorted. ¡°I never expect him to be kind to me. Charles, you don¡¯t need to tell me about this. I won¡¯t go back to him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you understand.¡± Charles was worried that Kathleen might still be pining for Samuel. Ten years of unrequited love isn¡¯t something one can forget overnight. If Kathleen can let it go, she wouldn¡¯t have¡­ Forget about it. I have to tell Samuel to stop pestering her. Charles took Kathleen to the filming set. He looked deeply into her eyes. ¡°Kate, don¡¯t be afraid of anything. I¡¯m here for you.¡± She nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Have a good rest. I¡¯ll get you a script today. Don¡¯t think about anything else,¡± Charles reminded. ¡°Okay, Charles. Drive safe,¡± she said warmly. ¡°Of course. Get in, then.¡± Charles nodded. Kathleen turned around and went inside. After that, Charles lit up a cigarette. Looking up, he saw the Maybach parked not far away from him. Charles snorted at the coincidence. He got out of his car and walked over to the Maybach. Samuel opened the car door and asked in a chilling tone, ¡°Are you getting in, or should Ie out?¡± ¡°Samuel, leave my sister alone. Kathleen doesn¡¯t like you anymore. Do you understand?¡± Charles threatened viciously. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Samuel replied nonchntly. Charles bared his teeth at him. ¡°You truly have no shame, haven¡¯t you? Do you remember how you treated Kathleen all these years?¡± ¡°I know I¡¯ve wronged her in the past. I¡¯ll make up for it. I want to treat her well in the future,¡± Samuel said in a low voice. ¡°In the future?¡± Charlesughed in exasperation. ¡°Do you think you have a future with her? You allowed your woman to do whatever she pleased with Kathleen. A sc*mbag like you should be locked up with that b*tch! You should stay together! That way, you won¡¯t cause any harm to other people!¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned gloomy as he warned, ¡±I won¡¯t hit you because I don¡¯t want to upset Kathleen, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m afraid of you.¡± Charles burst intoughter when he heard the threat. ¡°Do you honestly think Kathleen will appreciate this?¡± Samuel did not say a word. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go to the Morris family and let Kathleen marry Christopher as soon as possible. Let¡¯s see if you dare to cling to a married woman. Hah! She will be your sister-inw in the future!¡± Charles fumed. Samuel red at him in response. Emanating a cold aura, Charles left with a cigarette in his mouth. Samuel twiddled the wedding ring in his hand. I¡¯ll never let Kathleen marry another man.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The next day, Kathleen got up and went out to attend the recording. The production team made the task more difficult for the participants today. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. Many people want toe for dinner, but they don¡¯t have the time. So, your task today is to make fifty takeaways and deliver them. We¡¯ll give you the addresster,¡± Cain informed them. Everyone present was dumbfounded. Fifty takeaways? ¡°You have four hours left. If youplete the task, you will be given an additional four thousand for the start-up capital,¡± Cain dered. Everyone was tempted by the reward. After all, they had spent almost all their money when they went out to make their purchases the day before. ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± Kathleen suggested. ¡°Fifty takeaways. You¡¯ll need to have greens as well as meat. Kathleen, are you sure you can do this alone?¡± Nancy looked at her worriedly. ¡°How can you not have faith in Kathleen after the banquet two nights ago?¡± Kylie taunted in a low voice. ¡°I think we should make one dish each.¡± Steve picked up the lunch box on the side and instructed, ¡°John, go ahead and cook the pasta.¡± ¡°All right.¡± John nodded in agreement. ¡°Kathleen, Nancy, you two should be in charge of cooking the main dish. The three of us aren¡¯t good at cooking. So, we¡¯ll do the washing and chopping instead,¡± Steve arranged. Kathleen and Nancy nodded gently in unison. Feeling aggrieved, Kylieined, ¡°My foot still hurts.¡± John sneered at her. ¡°You were as fit as a fiddle when you went upstairs yesterday. How did you get injured all of a sudden? You should go home and recuperate. Why are you still taking part in this show? You want to make money, yet you aren¡¯t helpful at all. How ridiculous!¡± ¡°You!¡± Kylie¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. After sessfully provoking her, John went about his task. ¡°Nancy, you should prepare the vegetables. I¡¯ll do the rest,¡± Kathleen suggested. ¡°Okay.¡± Nancy nodded. The duo went to work together. Kylie was suddenly left alone in the restaurant. She felt rather awkward. Why is Kylie still on the show? Why won¡¯t they let her go? I know, right? She¡¯s looking for a fight every day. It¡¯s so annoying! She¡¯s behaving like this in the livestream. Can you imagine what she¡¯s like in private? I¡¯m begging the production team to get rid of her quickly. Thements section was full ofints. The audience was sick of Kylie¡¯s disruptive antics. Nevertheless, Kylie had no clue about the negativity she had garnered. She silently shed tears as she looked into the camera. She was trying to portray herself as a victim of bullying. Three hours and a halfter, the quartetpleted fifty takeaways. Kathleen made a chicken casserole and shrimp cocktail, while Nancy made asparagus risotto with lemon. They also made beef stew. On the other hand, Kylie did not contribute the entire time. She just sat there and cried pitifully. Jeez. Has she been crying for four hours? Is there any water left in her? Nah. She hasn¡¯t been crying for that long. She only shed some tears at the beginning. She was in a daze the whole time. If she wants to repent for what she did, she wouldn¡¯t be sitting here for four hours. At that moment, Cain spoke up. ¡°These fifty meals are to be delivered to Macari Group.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Everyone immediately looked at her with interest before turning their heads to Cain. They must have arranged this on purpose. Kathleen knew that the production team would not dare to pull this stunt. Samuel must be behind this! ¡°Let¡¯s go together. It¡¯s just a task. No one will refuse, right?¡± Cain asked, testing the waters. Kylie suddenly sprang to life. She said sarcastically, ¡°Mr. Dodson, I have a high degree ofpatibility. I¡¯ll go! Unlike someone, I know how to draw a line between personal matters with business.¡± Her remarks left everyone at the scene speechless. What a joke! You¡¯re one to talk. Kathleen knew Kylie was mocking her just now. ¡°I have no problem with that,¡± she said indifferently. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 The production team got Kathleen and the other participants an Iveco. They carefully ced the fifty packs of food into the vehicle. After that, they all got in. Steve was the driver. John wanted to take the passenger seat so that the women could sitfortably in the back. However, no one had expected Kylie to get the passenger seat first before John could. John scoffed. Eventually, Kathleen and Nancy sat in the middle, while John sat in the back. ¡°It¡¯s my first time going to Macari Group. I heard the design is the best among thepanies in Jadeborough!¡± John said in anticipation. ¡°You can ask Kathleen if you want to know whether it¡¯s got the best design,¡± Kylie responded meaningfully. ¡°She must have been there before.¡± John snorted, ignoring her. This woman¡¯s so shameless! She¡¯s seeking attention everywhere! John looked awkwardly at Kathleen. ¡°Kate, I¡­¡± I didn¡¯t mean it! Kathleen replied, ¡°I only went there once, not as many times as you think.¡± Feigning surprise, Kylie asked, ¡°Really? You were Samuel¡¯s wife, weren¡¯t you?¡± Her words left everyone in the vehicle speechless. ¡°Get out if all you¡¯re going to say is nonsense!¡± Steve was displeased. Kylie snorted in discontent. Meanwhile, Kathleen looked out of the car window, lost in her thoughts. She could not be bothered about Kylie¡¯s look of surprise. After all, no one expected that, as the wife of thepany¡¯s CEO, she had only been to Macari Group once. They finally arrived at Macari Group half an hourter. Tyson was waiting for them at the lobby. Seeing him, Kathleen could not help but frown. Since someone else hade to wee them, she supposed the trip might not have been nned by Samuel. However, she confirmed that Samuel was behind all this once she saw Tyson. Steve asked, ¡°Hi! May I know where shall we be taking these to?¡± ¡°Forty-nine packs are to be delivered to the thirty-third floor.¡± Tyson smiled. ¡°Thest one is to be taken to the top floor.¡± The group immediately turned to Kathleen. They were obviously implying that Kathleen would be the one to take thest takeaway to the top floor. Kylie eximed excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll take it to the top floor! Don¡¯t fight with me!¡± Tyson responded calmly, ¡°You have no right to go there.¡± Annoyed, Kylie said, ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°No means no.¡± Tyson disliked Kylie ever since he watched the livestream. Vexed, Kylie red at Kathleen. ¡°Kathleen, tell me! Do you think I can do this?¡± Kathleen answered indifferently, ¡°Of course! You can take the food to the top floor.¡± Tyson was dumbfounded to hear Kathleen say that. Kylie nced at Tyson triumphantly. ¡°Did you hear that? I¡¯m qualified!¡± With that said, Kylie grabbed one takeaway and headed toward the elevator. Confused, Tyson looked at Kathleen worriedly. ¡°Ms. Johnson?¡± Kathleen responded calmly, ¡°Tyson, I hope you can understand that we¡¯re here to record a show.¡± Tyson fell silent. He understood that Samuel was abusing his power just to see Kathleen, but something did not sit well with him. ¡°All right! Let¡¯s take the elevator up!¡± Kathleen said to the others. None of them bothered about Kylie anymore as they followed Kathleen into the elevator. Seeing this, Tyson heaved a sigh and walked into the elevator as well. Thements starteding in. Is Kylie an idiot? Doesn¡¯t she know how to assess the situation and read the room? It¡¯s so awkward! I find it amusing when she asked Kathleen whether she can go to the top floor. Mr. Macari wants to see his ex-wife, not some random person. I bet one hundred that Kylie wille down crying. What? Is Samuel that crude? Oh, well! You don¡¯t know Samuel well enough! Theizens waited in anticipation. They wondered how Samuel would treat Kylie. At the same time, Samuel had just ended the meeting. He had not been watching the livestream. He had instructed Tyson to go downstairs and weed Kathleen beforehand. He thought he could meet Kathleenter in his office. N?velDrama.Org ? content. However, his face darkened once he stepped into his office and saw Kylie. ¡°Get out!¡± he bellowed. Kylie had a miniature camera on her. It managed to capture everything on live broadcast. Haha! What a joke! I want to watch it from Samuel¡¯s point of view. I want to see Kylie¡¯s reaction! I haven¡¯t seen anything like this in any live variety shows. This is interesting! Isn¡¯t Kylie ashamed at all? Kylie flushed hot as she said, ¡°Mr. Macari, this is a live show!¡± In other words, she wanted to remind him that whatever he said had been broadcast live. ¡°Scram!¡± Samuel did not want to talk to her anymore. Tears welled up in Kylie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kathleen sent me! Why are you shouting?¡± Morements flooded in. What? Seriously? Can she be any more shameless? Wasn¡¯t she the one who volunteered toe up and deliver the food to him? Is she crazy? Well, I¡¯ve decided to call Kylie a lunatic from now on. Damn you, crazy woman! That¡¯s a barefaced lie! I suppose Kathleen would pop a blood vessel if she saw what happened. Bah! That woman¡¯s absolutely shameless! Samuel¡¯s face fell. He pressed the numbers on thendline and gave his orders, ¡°Get security! I want this woman out of here!¡± Panicking, Kylie said, ¡°Mr. Macari, it has got nothing to do with me! Kathleen asked me to deliver the food to you.¡± When Samuel spoke, his voice was cold and foreboding. ¡°I know her better than you do. She wouldn¡¯t do this.¡± Kylie bit her lip and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth, Mr. Macari! She doesn¡¯t care about you. She would rather fool around with John than get back together with you.¡± She was sure that Samuel would not remain calm after listening to what she had just said. A cold glint shed past his eyes when he heard her. ¡°Do you know that you¡¯ll go to jail for defamation? Do you want to try going against the legal team of Macari Group?¡± ¡°You and Kathleen are divorced, Mr. Macari! You don¡¯t have to defend her anymore,¡± Kathleen blurted out angrily. ¡°She¡¯s an evil woman!¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes turned dark instantly. ¡°I still love her even though we¡¯re separated. I shall defend her as I please. Moreover, she¡¯s the biggest stakeholder in Macari Group. I¡¯m just her employee. Do you think I¡¯ll let you go easily after you¡¯ve defamed her?¡± Kylie froze. What? Kathleen is the biggest shareholder of Macari Group? I¡¯m quite shocked to hear Samuel¡¯s sudden confession. I didn¡¯t know there are even more surprises! Is Kathleen the biggest shareholder of Macari Group? When did this happen? Why didn¡¯t I know? Samuel is just working for Kathleen. Is that true? Can someone exin what¡¯s going on? Rumors say that Samuel gave Kathleen all his properties and assets when they divorced. That¡¯s worth hundreds of billions. The screen and thement section fell into silence at once. No one uttered a single word as they digested the information quietly. Thissted three seconds. I don¡¯t know how to describe my feelings anymore. Whoa! Kathleen is lucky to have been married to Samuel! He¡¯s so generous even after they divorced! Ha! I think Samuel feels guilty, so he wants to give her everything he owns. Why do I have a feeling that this is impossible? It must be fake. Is Samuel trying to convince us that he¡¯s an affectionate man? Right then, Wynnie posted on thement section: As awyer, I am telling you that all this is Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Inside the office, the security guard came in to chase Kylie out of the ce. Samuel stared at the lunch on the coffee table and suddenly lost his appetite. Kylie was infuriated after she was chased out of the ce. She went to Kathleen and get to the bottom of it all. At the time, Kathleen and the others had just finished working and were getting ready to go home. They ran into each other in the lobby. ¡°Kathleen Johnson, you are too evil. You got me in trouble!¡± growled Kylie angrily. Kathleen calmly replied, ¡°Me? Getting you in trouble?¡± ¡°Yes! You told me to get some lunch for Samuel, but he ended up chasing me out of there. The two of you must¡¯ve nned this together to embarrass me,¡± used Kylie, who was still angry. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who wanted to go,¡± said Kathleen to point out the obvious. ¡°That is not true at all!¡± replied Kylie through gritted teeth. ¡°I asked you if that was okay, and you said that it¡¯d be fine. You knew that Samuel would chase me out of the ce, but you let me go, anyway. That is definitely a con!¡± Kathleen chuckled upon hearing those stupid thoughts. ¡°What kind of logic is that? I also told you to drop dead, but you¡¯re still here, aren¡¯t you? Besides, I¡¯m not the boss of Macari Group and can¡¯t do anything about what happens there, so stop making a fool of yourself.¡± ¡°How are you not the boss?¡± refuted Kylie angrily as jealousy overwhelmed her. ¡°Samuel told me the truth earlier. When the two of you got divorced, he gave you everything he had, so you are now the Kathleen was rendered speechless. Steve and the others stared at Kathleen in surprise as well. She is loaded. ¡°That is not true,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°You can ask around if you don¡¯t believe me,¡± uttered Kylie who was on the verge of crying. ¡°You¡¯re the bully who embarrassed me.¡± ¡°Kylie, quit being so shameless already,¡± warned Kathleen as she red frostily at the angrydy. ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t kick you out of here? All I did was look the other way and didn¡¯t let yourpany put you on hold for a few years. I didn¡¯t ask the production team to chase you away either, but that doesn¡¯t mean I am incapable of punishing you.¡± Kylie was stunned. ¡°Stop being ridiculous because if you mess with me again, I will push back!¡± continued Kathleen mercilessly. Kylie started trembling and sobbing. With that, Kathleen turned to the others and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Everyone else nodded. Kylie hesitated for a moment before she left with the crowd. That afternoon, the filming was paused momentarily. The production team had to go to a meeting and talk about whether they wanted to keep Kylie hired. Kathleen packed her things and left soon after. She drove all the way to Florinia Manor, but she didn¡¯t get out of the car. She simply sat there quietly. It didn¡¯t take long before Sebastian showed up from the front door. ¡°Ms. Johnson, pleasee in and sit inside,¡± said Sebastian politely. Kathleen stared nonchntly at the guy and replied, ¡°I am waiting for Samuel.¡± ¡°He is on his way home,¡± informed Sebastian. ¡°He learned that you are here, so he¡¯sing home early. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t be here until nine or ten o¡¯clock at night.¡± Kathleen replied stoically, ¡°That has nothing to do with me.¡± Sebastian didn¡¯t respond to that statement. ¡°Uhm, maybe you should wait inside, anyway. Mr. Macari would insist that you enter the house after he¡¯s home.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment before she got out of the car and entered the house with Sebastian. The ce remained unchanged and looked exactly the same as it did when she left about a year ago. After she reached the mansion¡¯s front door, she paused and asked, ¡°Is Nicolette living here?¡± Sebastian was taken aback. ¡°What are you talking about, Ms. Johnson? This is the home that Mr. Macari has specially built for you and only you, so why would anyone else be here? Mr. Macari has been living on his own in this ce over the past year.¡± ¡°Ah, so Nicolette isn¡¯t living here,¡± murmured Kathleen. She didn¡¯t catch the message Sebastian was implicitly sending. Kathleen had sent someone to investigate the matter, but she still couldn¡¯t figure out where Samuel had hidden Nicolette at. At first, she thought that he would hide Nicolette at the least expected ce. Huh, I guess that is not the case. Kathleen entered the ce with Sebastian, then sat down in the living room. Sebastian politely asked, ¡°Ms. Johnson, can I get you any drinks?¡± ¡°Some coffee, please,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°Understood,¡± said Sebastian before he left to prepare everything. He did more than just get her some coffee, though. He also prepared some of her favorite snacks. Kathleen drank some coffee and ate a little. It didn¡¯t take long before the sound of a car screeching came from outside the house. Samuel hopped out of his Maybach and hurried into the mansion right away. He showed up in the living room soon. At the time, he was wearing a ck tuxedo with a ck shirt, so he looked regal but unapproachable. Kathleen, on the other hand, was wearing a pink sweater and a pair of ck jeans, making her look both sweet and stunning. ¡°I thought you¡¯d only be here when it is time for dinner,¡±mented Samuel as he took off his coat. He handed it to Sebastian, then walked to Kathleen before sitting down. Kathleen had her head down the entire time. Anxious, Samuel didn¡¯t know what to do with his legs, so he ended up crossing them. His thin lips curved into a grin as he teased, ¡°You¡¯re not here for a beating, so rx.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Go ahead. I will tell you everything I know,¡± replied Samuel as his eyes glowed with warmth. ¡°You told Kylie that you gave me everything you had. Is that true?¡± asked Kathleen calmly. ¡°Yes,¡± answered Samuel before he nodded. ¡°Why am I unaware of it?¡± She frowned. ¡°It is written in the divorce agreement. Didn¡¯t you read it?¡± He smiled at her. Kathleen bit her lip and replied, ¡°Take it back. That is yours, and I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°There is no reason for taking back the gift I have already given. It¡¯s yours now.¡± His dark eyes shone with sincerity as he looked at her. That is not all. I am yours, too. Samuel secretly added that sentence in his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t need any of that,¡± replied Kathleen. Still frowning, she said, ¡°That is nothing but a burden to me. Samuel, you should know what exactly it is I want.¡± He stared calmly at her, then picked up the coffee cup on the table before sipping on it. ¡°That is mine,¡± reminded Kathleen. Can¡¯t he see the red lipstick mark right there? Or did he do that deliberately? He calmly asked, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± She gnawed on her lip again. ¡°Yesterday, you said that you won¡¯t make things difficult for me and will give me anything I want.¡± He smiled meaningfully. ¡°You will have it, eventually.¡± Kathleen bit her lip a little. ¡°What do I have to do to get the evidence from you, Samuel?¡± He put the coffee cup down and ordered, ¡°Sebastian, serve the dinner.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± replied Sebastian while nodding. Samuel stood up and walked toward the dining room. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± grumbled Kathleen angrily. ¡°The evidence I have with me is the only one in existence. There is no other way to get it,¡± reminded Samuel coldly. ¡°I will never let you have it if you step out of this door now.¡± Kathleen was speechless. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He stared at her thin and tiny figure. ¡°Come have dinner with me. I¡¯ll give it to you after we ate. I promise.¡± ¡°Fine, I will believe you one more time,¡± answered Kathleen after she gave it a thought. If he lies again, then I will be the idiot for falling for his tricks yet again. She followed Samuel into the dining room and sat at the table. Sebastian served the dishes, then led everyone out of the ce. Samuel picked up his fork andmented, ¡°The cooking is not as good as yours, but at least it¡¯d fill your tummy.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Just be happy there¡¯s something for you to eat. Why are you being so picky with your food? If you don¡¯t like this chef, you can get someone who cooks the way you like it. No one¡¯s stopping you.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 ¡°I like your cooking, but you won¡¯t cook for me,¡± replied Samuel in a crisp and clear voice. His aura seemed ever so regal. Kathleen¡¯s red lips mped shut. She refused to talk. Samuel ate quietly. The truth was that he was satisfied with being able to sit there and share a meal with her peacefully. He didn¡¯t dare to even dream of more. Still, his heart ached because he had to force her to eat with him. He knew that Kathleen never wanted to stay and that she didn¡¯t even want to see him. Kathleen put her cutlery down after taking a few bites. After that, she sipped water while waiting for Samuel to finish his meal. Samuel, on the other hand, ate extremely slowly. It was as if he was deliberately torturing her. As Kathleen sipped her water, she had a frosty look. ¡°There is something wrong with my stomach,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°It¡¯ll hurt if I don¡¯t eat slowly.¡± Kathleen heartlessly pointed out, ¡°That has nothing to do with me.¡± A hint of sorrow shed past his eyes. ¡°I know. I just wanted to talk to you.¡± Kathleen put her ss down and stopped being mean. Samuel knew that was just how she was. She couldn¡¯t be mean even though she hated him with every fiber of her being. Samuel¡¯s dark eyes shone with suppressed desires and intelligence. ¡°A year ago, I stumbled upon some information about how Vanessa has been searching for a woman.¡± Kathleen raised her brow and stared at him. ¡°That woman is connected to Vanessa in some way, but that is not the important bit,¡± continued Samuel before he paused a while. ¡°The interesting bit is that Vanessa didn¡¯t send Ivan to capture that woman. Instead, she wanted him to kill her.¡± Kathleen turned her attention to him. ¡°What proof do you have to back up your words?¡± Samuel had a skin-deep grin on when he turned to her. She gripped her ss, and her fingers turned pale from that. ¡°You have some conditions, don¡¯t you?¡± she added upon seeing that smile. ¡°Yes,¡± replied Samuel, nodding. She was so angry that she chuckled out loud. ¡°Hah! And to think that just yesterday, you promised you won¡¯t make things difficult for me.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded amazing when he replied, ¡°That is true, but you get to choose whether you want to ept those conditions.¡± ¡°What choice? It¡¯s not really a choice when you won¡¯t let me have that evidence unless I agree to your terms,¡± protested Kathleen. She was a little upset, and her beautiful eyes were glistening with tears from being treated unfairly. Samuel chuckled, his smile mysterious and dangerous. He handed a folder to her and replied, ¡°This is the evidence you want.¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Take it,¡± offered Samuel with a smile. ¡°With this, you can prove that Ivanmitted the crime. However, your efforts will be for naught if he refuses to betray Vanessa.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°What do you want in return?¡± She refused to ept his gift for no reason. ¡°I want you to cook for me,¡± replied Samuel in a maic voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to cook every day, though. Once a week will suffice.¡± Kathleen stared in astonishment. That¡¯s it? His undecipherable cold gazended on Kathleen, and he grinned. ¡°If you find that to be troublesome, then feel free to just leave. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± If he had stopped her, she would only end up hating him more. That was something Samuel knew all too well. Kathleen bit her lip once more. ¡°Do you have any other requests?¡± ¡°Yes, but you will never agree to that term,¡± answered Samuel. The lust in his eyes shone as though it were a caged monster. Kathleen mped her lips shut as if she had figured out what that was. ¡°Fine, I will cook for you, but only because I don¡¯t want to be in your debt. However, I will leave at any time, Samuel, so¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can stop cooking if you wish to leave, but if you ever return, please cook for me again, okay?¡± He grinned. A dangerous and ambiguous aura seeped out of his eyes as he spoke. The evidence he gave her had helped solve a huge issue. Given Kathleen¡¯s style, she would not want to be in his debt, but she truly wanted to sever all ties with him. Still, I can¡¯t just leave with everything he gave me. He doesn¡¯t owe me anything¡­ at least not where this matter is concerned. ¡°Okay, I will cook for you if I am free.¡± She nodded and promised reluctantly. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Samuel politely. She stood up and left with the folder right away. Samuel gracefully sipped his ss of warm water. A small grin crept up. She is too simple-minded. Good thing she has Charles as her brother. If that weren¡¯t the case¡­ Samuel¡¯s thought took a sharp turn at that moment. No, that¡¯s not right. I should be the one to protect her. I won¡¯t let her get hurt so long as I am here. As soon as that thought ran past his mind, he picked up his phone to call Tyson. ¡°Put some pressure on the production team and make them chase Kylie away,¡± ordered Samuel mercilessly. ¡°Also, Christopher¡¯s grandfather set up an arranged marriage for Christopher when the latter was a baby. Look into the matter and find some way to get his betrothed here.¡± Tyson was taken aback to hear that. Oh dear, Mr. Macari is getting a little too cruel¡­ ¡°Quit dilly-dallying and just do it,¡± demanded Samuel. ¡°Understood,¡± answered Tyson. He put his phone away immediately. Dang, the predator has locked in on his victim. I guess Mrs. Macari is done for. Kathleen held the folder with her and went to Charles. She handed it to him and said, ¡°Take a look and deal with it however you see fit. I have to go to work now.¡± After saying all that, she turned around to leave. ¡°Hang on,¡± called out Charles. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°Samuel gave it to me,¡± answered Kathleen. Charles¡¯ eyes bulged. ¡°You went to talk to him?¡± She nodded in response. ¡°Then d-did he take advantage of you?¡± asked Charles in a hesitant and worried tone. She shot him a nonchnt look. ¡°No. He acted like a gentleman this time.¡± Charles scoffed, ¡°Pfft, listen to me. That monster is trying to get in your head and manipte you, so don¡¯t fall for his tricks.¡± ¡°What could he want from me? We were married in the past, and he already has everything he could get from me,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°He¡¯s just a bit annoyed with how I dumped him a year ago.¡± Charles asked, ¡°Wait, are you saying he¡¯s only courting you to dump you?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± Charles didn¡¯t quite buy that. Things can¡¯t possibly be as simple as she thinks it is. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± replied Kathleen firmly. ¡°When we first got married, he saw me watching a soap opera. The screen showed how the female lead in the show dumped the man she loved, and he said that it was stupid. Samuel also said that he was the only one who can dump others because no one else was good enough to do that to him.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°What an idiot. Who the hell does he think he is? Ignore him, Kate. Make him suffer.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t fall for his tricks.¡± She yawned and added, ¡°In any case, please deal with the matter concerning Ivan. I gotta go now.¡± ¡°Let me drop you off,¡± offered Charles. He was worried. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I drove here.¡± She shook her head, then stepped out of the ce to leave. Charles stared at her back, then at the folder he had with him, sighing. This is the only part where Samuel is better than Christopher. Looks like thetter will have to work harder. Kathleen drove back to the mansion that the production team got for them. She had just entered the ce when she heard Kylie crying. ¡°Please give me another shot. I can¡¯t afford to lose this job.¡± Kylie was heartbroken and was crying as she sat on the couch. A few other workers were sitting beside her. Kathleen didn¡¯t even bother looking at her before making her way up the stairs. ¡°Kathleen!¡± shouted Kylie. Kathleen turned to her. ¡°What, b*tch?¡± Kylie was speechless. ¡°We have nothing to say to each other,¡± added Kathleen. She walked up the stairs immediately after. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Kylie had never seen someone like Kathleen before. It was urate to say that Kathleen was meek and was sometimes a pushover, but what was strange was that it was also correct to describe her as someone with a temper. Kathleen definitely wasn¡¯t kind to Kylie, but no one would me her for that. After all, what Kylie did earlier had crossed the line, and she didn¡¯t deserve any forgiveness. Kylie sounded pitiful when she said, ¡°Kathleen, the old wives¡¯ saying ims that we should always show mercy. Is it really okay for you to be that cruel?¡± ¡°Cruel? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never given you a chance.¡± Kathleen kept her face impassive. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wasted the second chance I gave you, and I¡¯m not giving you a third one.¡± With that, Kathleen walked up the stairs. Kylie broke down right away, bawling loudly. ¡°She¡¯s bullying me by taking advantage of the fact that she is Samuel Macari¡¯s ex-wife.¡± Everyone was speechless when they heard those words. Samuel had already put the pressure on them, so there was no way they could keep Kylie anymore. It was also why she had to be reced, and that was what everyone else wanted as well. Kathleen returned to her room and took off her shoes before she climbed onto her bed to rest. She had a splitting headache, so she took some sleeping pills to sleep. The next morning, Kathleen woke up refreshed. She freshened up before strolling down the stairs. Everyone, including the director, was there. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed the matter, and Kylie has beenpletely cut off from the show. We¡¯re still looking for a guest to rece her, but we should have someone in three days,¡± announced Cain while shooting everyone a meaningful look. ¡°So you want the four of us to film first for the next three days?¡± asked Nancy. Cain hesitated for a moment. ¡°Yes, that is exactly it. That is why I¡¯m making this announcement. Is everyone okay with the new arrangement?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we get a temporary guest?¡± asked Nancy in a troubled tone. ¡°There¡¯s no way the four of us can work that much.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± replied Cain hesitantly. ¡°The thing is, Kylie has ruined our reputation, so no one is willing to come.¡± No one knew what to say to that. Cain forced a smile onto his face as he added, ¡°Haha, I have no idea how things be like this. This is the first time I direct a show like this.¡± He grinned as though he had given up on life. ¡°Mr. Dodson, may I suggest someone?¡± asked Kathleen in a sweet voice. ¡°She doesn¡¯t work in this industry, but she¡¯s famous.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°For the record, I can only ask her to be here as a temporary guest star for three days,¡± exined Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± replied Cain right away. ¡°It¡¯s M Hunt. She¡¯s my cooking mentor,¡± shared Kathleen. Everyone was surprised. ¡°M Hunt?¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, she was given the Best Chef Awardst month. Shepletely annihted herpetitors!¡± eximed Cain excitedly. ¡°Are you sure you can get her to join us?¡± ¡°Yes, but she is very picky, and we might need to amodate her on many asions,¡± replied Kathleen after she nodded. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem at all.¡± Cain was over the moon. ¡°When can she be here?¡± ¡°Hang on, let me call her and ask her about it,¡± said Kathleen. She then fished out her phone and left the room to make the call. Cain kept staring at her nervously. Soon, Kathleen returned with a smile. ¡°Mdm. Hunt said that she can make it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great news!¡± Everyone was excited to hear that. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go inform the others. We¡¯ll start shooting as soon as M is here,¡± replied Cain. He was so excited that he leaped to his feet. ¡°Thank the heavens. Our show is saved.¡± With that, he left. Nancy had a small grin on when she turned to Kathleen. ¡°So, you know M Hunt, huh?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Yeah, she and Samuel¡¯s mom are friends, so I met her,¡± replied Kathleen. Nancy nodded and spoke in a meaningful tone. ¡°So this has something to do with Samuel as well?¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Wait, no. I don¡¯t mean anything by that,¡± added Nancy nervously. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t see it that way, either,¡± replied Kathleen calmly. She was never a petty person. Still, Nancy¡¯s words reminded Kathleen of something important. Every connection Kathleen had in Jadeborough was rted to Samuel one way or another. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about it. M showed up about an hour and a halfter. She might be a middle-aged woman, but she was still a charming woman. She went on dates but never settled down or get married. That was why she looked much younger than her peers. Nancy couldn¡¯t help but shed a tear of envy when she saw how well-maintained M¡¯s skin was. M¡¯s manager negotiated the price and made a deal with the production team. That deal also came with some conditions. ¡°The main branch of M¡¯s Kitchen has already been renovated, so before its grand re-opening, we would like to invite our friends and family to a meal to taste test our food. That is why all of our guests have been determined, and this is our list. Is that okay?¡± asked M¡¯s manager, who was very good at negotiating. His name was Ss Fuller, and he had been working as M¡¯s manager for about thirty years. Cain nodded. ¡°No problem. No problem at all.¡± Ss grinned and fished out the contract. ¡°Then let¡¯s sign on the dotted line.¡± Cain signed his name right away. What he didn¡¯t know was that there would be more incidents during the filming of the show down the road. With M¡¯s participation, the rating of the show shot up, and everything turned for the better. That night, M would be serving three sets of guests. The first set had six guests, whereas the second set had two guests. Thest set only had one guest. M¡¯s friends were all rich and powerful figures, and the show was live, so the guests¡¯ identities remained a secret. Everyone began preparing for the show. M started working as well. Meanwhile, Kathleen stayed in the kitchen to help. M grinned a little andplimented, ¡°Your cooking has improved again.¡± ¡°Yeah, I did as you suggested, Mdm. Hunt. I would cook whenever I am sad, and it really helped cheered me up,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d I could help.¡± M winked. Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Yes, it was very helpful.¡± M checked the clock andmented, ¡°The guests are about to be here. Kate,e with me and help me wee them.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Kathleen as she nodded. She turned around and left the kitchen to go to the front door. Just then, John ran to them. ¡°Kate, I was about to go get you. The first set of guests is here, and they im they know you.¡± ¡°They know me?¡± repeated Kathleen curiously. Who could it be? She hurried over to wee them. That was when she saw Cynthia and Diana getting out of the car with teary eyes. ¡°Grandma, Granny!¡± greeted Kathleen, running to them right away. ¡°Katie!¡± eximed Diana. She was delighted to see Kathleen there. Cynthia hugged Kathleen and said, ¡°Katie, you¡¯re finally back.¡± Kathleen felt warm and fuzzy. She might not be rted to them by blood, but they loved her dearly. That was why she was happy that M had invited them as their VIPs. Onlinements came flooding right after. Those are Samuel¡¯s maternal and paternal grandmothers, right? Are they Wynnie and Calvin? The other two people that followed¡­ Holy cr*p! That¡¯s Christopher¡¯s parents, Aaron and Emily! What? How dramatic is this? Her ex¡¯s parents and her fianc¨¦¡¯s parents are here together! Well, Wynnie and Emily are sisters, and Samuel and Christopher are cousins, so Kathleen should¡¯ve already known that things will be awkward. Oh, I am suddenly so intrigued. I wonder what will happen next. Yeah, who knows how Kathleen will deal with the situation? Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Kathleen looked at Aaron and Emily in shock. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Morris.¡± Hearing that, Aaron coldly nodded. Emily just smiled and said meaningfully, ¡°Let me take a look at you.¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips as she panicked. Oh no! They probably think that the rumors are true! Kathleen nced at the camera and said hesitantly, ¡°Pleasee inside.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous.¡± Wynnie held Kathleen¡¯s hand and said, ¡°We are not close-minded people.¡± At that moment, Kathleen felt awkward. She led them inside the restaurant. They sat down at the dining table that had been reserved for them. Just then, M walked out of the kitchen with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°M, congrattions on finding such a good opportunity to promote your business,¡± Wynnie said with a half-smile. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Kate,¡± M replied with a faint smile. ¡°Mdm. Hunt, it is your great reputation that attracts all these customers.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t dare to take credit. ¡°There is no need to be humble.¡± M shed a smile. ¡°You should drink some coffee while you wait. I¡¯ll go prepare the food.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± With that, Wynnie let go of M¡¯s hand. Just when Kathleen was about to go and help in the kitchen, Steve said grimly, ¡°Kathleen, you know these people, so you should be the one serving them. I¡¯ll go help in the kitchen.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Steve gave her a soft smile before he turned around and left. ¡°Kate, the second group of customers are here,¡± John shouted excitedly. Kathleen walked over to the entrance. She was stunned when she saw who hade. ¡°Charles? Chris?¡± Why is everyone I know visiting today? More importantly, why did the two of theme together? ¡°Christopher?¡± Emily grinned. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Mdm. Hunt invited me,¡± Christopher exined. ¡°Let¡¯s chat inside.¡± Charles patted Christopher on the shoulder before raising his brows at Kathleen. Kathleen followed them. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s dine together,¡± Emily said. ¡°Mr. Johnson, is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Charles smiled and nodded. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind me joining you.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all. After all, we are family,¡± Diana said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. Just treat me like family.¡± Charles shed them a suggestive smile. Hearing that, Kathleen kicked his chair under the table to stop him from spouting nonsense. Next, Charles turned to greet Cynthia. Kathleen and Johnbined the tables for them so that the group could sit together. Kathleen nced at the only single table and frowned. I wonder who reserved this table. While she was deep in thought, a shadow approached her. Kathleen looked up in shock. ¡°S-Samuel?¡± Samuel looked at her coldly. ¡°What were you daydreaming about?¡± Kathleen hurriedly looked to the side. Everyone was looking at them. Samuel added tly, ¡°Mdm. Hunt invited me.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Since you all know each other, do you want to join them?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Wynnie shook her head. ¡°Let him eat by himself. If he joins us, he¡¯ll ruin the atmosphere.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know what to say. However, Samuel wasn¡¯t bothered by what Wynnie had said. He looked at Kathleen and exined, ¡°I really don¡¯t have any other intentions. Mdm. Hunt invited me toe, so I have to show up.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Her gaze was calm. ¡°Are you really not going to join¡­¡± Samuel shook his head and cut in, ¡°I want to eat alone.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Then, she led him to the only single table in the restaurant. ¡°Do you want water or coffee?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. Samuel unbuttoned his suit. Seeing that, Kathleen had to admit that he looked extremely elegant and charming. ¡°Water,¡± he said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Are you working as a waitress today?¡± He took note of the maroon apron tied around her waist. ¡°Yup.¡± Kathleen nodded slowly. ¡°So, you¡¯ll be serving me for the entire meal?¡± Samuel questioned. ¡°Yes.¡± She looked at him grimly, then she added, ¡°But not just you. I have to serve everyone who comes here to eat tonight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡± Samuel said, ¡°Give me a ss of water.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± With that, Kathleen went to pour him a ss of water. At that moment,ments came flooding in. Oh, my goodness! What is happening? The Macari family and the Morris family are eating happily together, yet they excluded Samuel? I just heard Samuel¡¯s mother say that Samuel would ruin the atmosphere if he joined them. I¡¯m curious to find out what horrible crime had Samuelmitted that made his family detest him so much. What other reason could it be? I heard that he is Nicolette¡¯s sugar daddy, and that Kathleen divorced Samuel because of Nicolette. Watching Samuel eat alone makes my heart ache. I feel bad for him too. He shouldn¡¯t be punished like that. ¡°Kate, we need some warm water,¡± Charles called Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯ming.¡± With that, Kathleen quickly put down the ss of water in front of Samuel. ¡°Here you go.¡± Samuel nodded in reply. After that, Kathleen rushed over to refill water for everyone. The atmosphere at the big table was very lively, making Samuel looked lonely inparison. Seeing that, the viewers of the livestream left plenty ofments conveying the pity they felt for Samuel. After Kathleen refilled the sses at Diana¡¯s table, she went to the kitchen. When M saw her, she smiled and asked, ¡°Is everyone here?¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask Samuel toe,¡± M said, smiling lightly. ¡°My manager was the one who invited him. I personally nned to invite him toe tomorrow night.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen pursed her lips and nced outside. She saw the group of people chattering happily while Samuel sat alone. M looked at Kathleen tellingly and asked, ¡°Do you feel bad for him?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No. I just think that Mrs. Macari and the others shouldn¡¯t treat Samuel like that because of me.¡± After hearing that, M replied in a stern tone, ¡°You and Samuel are divorced. How Wynnie treats him is no longer your concern. Samuel made a mistake, so he should be punished.¡± Kathleen seemed to have something to say, but she hesitated. Then, she turned to M and said, ¡°Mdm. Hunt, I want to make a dish.¡± ¡°Are you looking to show off your culinary skills in front of your future inws?¡± M looked at her in confusion. However, Kathleen merely shook her head. ¡°No, I want to make something for Samuel. M blinked. Did I hear her right? Kathleen proceeded to prepare the ingredients. M went on with her cooking with a faint smile on her face. She felt relieved. Oh, Samuel. Among your family and friends, I am the only one on your side. You had better not disappoint me! Soon, M finished cooking. Since Samuel was eating alone, he only got a small portion of food on his table. Yet, he ate really slowly. When he realized that Kathleen hadn¡¯t left the kitchen in a long time, he frowned, feeling upset. He wanted to see her. However, he knew that he had to give her some space, since they were in front of his family, friends, and the camera. Just then, Kathleen came out of the kitchen with a te in her hand. She walked up to Samuel and put the te down. Samuel instantly froze. ¡°Mac and cheese.¡± Kathleen threw him an indicative look and said, ¡°Last time, I promised that I¡¯d make mac and cheese for you. Well, now¡¯s my chance. Here you go.¡± As Samuel stared at the te of mac and cheese, his expression turned solemn. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it all.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself,¡± she said. Then, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she whispered, ¡°Samuel, I think you should find a way to patch things up with your family.¡± Samuel shot her a meaningful look. ¡°The only way to do that is to remarry you.¡± Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Kathleen furrowed her brows. Samuel noticed the changes in her expression and said teasingly, ¡°I¡¯m just joking.¡± It was then that Kathleen let out a sigh of relief. ¡°However, there is no need for you to worry.¡± Samuel lowered his gaze and said, ¡°Some rtionships can¡¯t be recovered. If they could, you wouldn¡¯t have left me.¡± You left so heartlessly, and you never returned. Upon hearing that, Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°They are your blood rtives.¡± Sooner orter, they will forgive you. Samuel nced to the side. ¡°Kathleen, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m prepared to die alone.¡± There was a short pause before Kathleen responded, ¡°You won¡¯t die alone.¡± Samuel looked at her pointedly and questioned, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°You already know the answer. You don¡¯t have to ask,¡± Kathleen shot him and emotionless nce. However, he was indeed clueless. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± She did not want to continue the conversation. After she said that, she turned around and left. She actually wanted to tell Samuel that he still had Nicolette by his side. No matter what, as time passes, everybody will forget whatever Nicolette has done. When that happens, Samuel will definitely bring her back, and the two of them will get to be together openly. Why must he y the pity card in front of me? Kathleen quickly retired to the kitchen. M saw here in. She peered at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Mdm. Hunt, how many more dishes do I have to serve?¡± ¡°We only have the dessert left. It¡¯ll be done soon,¡± M replied with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded, still in deep thought. After a while, John entered the kitchen. ¡°Kate, Mr. Macari has left.¡± He left? Kathleen was momentarily stunned when she heard that. She got to her feet and exited the kitchen. Samuel¡¯s seat was indeed empty. As she got closer, she found that he had indeed finished his te of mac and cheese. Why did he eat so fast? Didn¡¯t he say that he can¡¯t eat fast because of his weak stomach? Just then, she spotted a note under the te. To Kathleen: The mac and cheese was delicious. Thank you. I am unsure why you got angry when I said that I would die alone. I wasn¡¯t ming you. I just didn¡¯t want you to misunderstand. I chose to be alone. It has nothing to do with anyone. From: Samuel. Haha! Kathleen crumpled the note. He says he doesn¡¯t me me, but I think he does! Why else would he leave a note? ¡°Kate, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Just then, Wynnie walked over to her. Kathleen was stunned for a moment, but she quickly put away the note and shook her head. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said. Wynnie patted Kathleen on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to you. He¡¯s been really ill-tempered this past year. We don¡¯t want to be bothered by him anymore.¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Samuel is an adult. He¡¯s free to be with whoever he wants.¡± Hearing that, Wynnie cast a meaningful gaze at her. ¡°If he dates Nicolette, are you fine with that?¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us anymore.¡± In other words, she was implying that Samuel was free to date anyone, and she had no right to stop him. Wynnie sighed softly and said, ¡°Well then, he¡¯ll just stay single.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. She was of the opinion that Wynnie and the others wouldpromise eventually. After all, they couldn¡¯t bear to see Samuel alone. ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce a girl to him?¡± Kathleen said coldly. Wynnie did not know how to react. ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen muttered awkwardly. ¡°No way.¡± Wynnie shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t ept anyone else as my daughter-inw.¡± Kathleen flushed. After the meal, everybody got ready to leave. Kathleen walked them to the exit. Emily smiled as she asked her, ¡°Kate, when are you going to visit us?¡± After a short pause, Kathleen uttered, ¡°I¡­¡± Just then, Charles came to Kathleen¡¯s rescue. ¡°Ms. Staines, we¡¯ll visit when we have the time.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Emily shed him a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± With that, Emily got into the car. Then, Aaron got into the driver¡¯s seat and left with her. Kathleen turned to Diana. ¡°Goodbye, Grandma.¡± Diana smiled softly. ¡°Do visit often. That house will forever be your home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Calvin, Wynnie, and Diana got into the car and left. After that, Kathleen turned to Charles and Christopher. ¡°I¡¯ve got a show to record. You two should leave first.¡± ¡°Okay, we won¡¯t bother you,¡± Christopher replied with a grin. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen didn¡¯t say anything to Charles. She merely turned around and reentered the shop. Charles looked rather abashed. ¡°My sister is angry.¡± ¡°Kate is not a petty person.¡± Christopher chuckled. ¡°Yes, she is. She¡¯s mad that I came without informing her. Not to mention, I came with you,¡± Charles borated, feeling upset. Christopher responded, ¡°You can just exin it to her in the future.¡± ¡°Mr. Morris, you certainly are¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Charles went on, ¡°If you were as thick- skinned as Samuel, my sister would have fallen for you a long time ago.¡± His words caught Christopher by surprise. ¡°Look at how good Samuel is at using reverse psychology and ying the pity card to gain Kathleen¡¯s favor today!¡± Charles growled, ¡°He knows that my sister has a soft heart.¡± That b*stard! He is pulling all his despicable tricks to make Kathleen fall for him again. Christopher said coldly, ¡°Kate might know what he¡¯s up to.¡± ¡°So what if she knows?¡± Charles shot Christopher a strange look. ¡°You should take more initiatives.¡± Christopher exined, ¡°Kate has repeatedly told me that she is not interested in dating at the moment. If I ignore her feelings and continue making my moves on her, she might grow to hate me.¡± Charles observed him solemnly. ¡°You are such a gentleman.¡± In the end, your thoughtfulness would be a wasted effort, and you¡¯ll regret it! Emily called Christopher in the car. ¡°Have you left the restaurant?¡± She smiled faintly. ¡°I thought you would wait until the recording ends and invite Kate to grab a bite.¡± Christopher replied, ¡°No, she¡¯s exhausted.¡± ¡°As an elder, I know I shouldn¡¯t intervene in your affairs, young man.¡± Emily grinned and said, ¡°I trust you can settle it on your own.¡± With that, she ended the call. Just then, Aaron mumbled coldly, ¡°Kathleen doesn¡¯t like Christopher.¡± Emily replied calmly to that, ¡°I know. I¡¯ve seen how Kathleen looked like when she was in love with Samuel. Samuel used to be her whole world.¡± ¡°Since you know that she doesn¡¯t like Christopher, why are you telling everyone that she is Christopher¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± Aaron expressed his displeasure. Right then, Emily¡¯s phone beeped. ncing at the screen, she said, ¡°Kathleen just sent me a text and exined everything. You are the one overthinking things and jumping to conclusions.¡± Aaron snorted in response. ¡°Besides, can¡¯t you tell that your son really likes Kathleen?¡± Emily said solemnly, ¡°Christopher was the one who announced Kathleen as his fianc¨¦e. Even Kathleen was clueless.¡± ¡°She was clueless? Then, why didn¡¯t shee clean?¡± Aaron frowned. ¡°Well, what do you expect her to say?¡± She said coldly, ¡°Your son made the announcement. If she clears things up, it will ruin the Morris family¡¯s reputation. If that happens, you¡¯ll me her for being ungrateful.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± Aaron felt speechless. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about our son. I don¡¯t want him to be deceived.¡± ¡°I know, so I don¡¯t want to bicker with you.¡± Emily said softly, ¡°Our son really likes her. It doesn¡¯t matter whom she had been married to as long as our son likes her.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Aaron knew that Emily had recalled the memories of the past. ¡°All right. It¡¯s my fault. Don¡¯t be like this¡­¡± He was a little panicked. ¡°Hmph!¡± She turned her face away from him. Feeling weighed down, he said, ¡°But, your sister and brother-inw are quite cunning too.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± She eyed him from the side. ¡°Have you ever seen any parents treating their son this way?¡± Then, raising his eyebrows, he continued, ¡°This is a ploy to help their son! Didn¡¯t you see that Samuel gets to eat the mac and cheese made by Kathleen while our son gets nothing?¡± Emily was rendered speechless at once. ¡°Everyone in their family is full of evil intentions!¡± Furious, Aaron snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t forget how Calvin managed to marry your younger sister back then.¡± ¡°So what? Calvin¡¯s been nice to my sister. Just look at how happy they are,¡± she said. Aaron huffed in exasperation and scoffed, ¡°Back then, Calvin¡¯s mentor wanted him to marry his daughter, but Calvin was not fond of her. Calvin then approached your sister and told her that his mentor wouldn¡¯t let Calvin get his doctorate if he disagreed with the marriage. Your sister was a loyal friend. As he used to help her in the past, she then told his mentor that both of them were engaged. She never expected to get dragged into it. She only wanted to help Calvin initially. Don¡¯t you think his act of gaining sympathy is the same as Samuel¡¯s? Upon hearing his words, Emily was dumbfounded. ¡°The Macaris are devious!¡± Aaron continued angrily. She pursed her lips and responded, ¡°You are right. However, Old Mrs. Macari and my sister are kindhearted.¡± ¡°Of course. Only the men of the Macari family are devious.¡± Aaron corrected his previous statement. Emily let out a light chuckle. However, she pulled a long face again right after that. ¡°But our son is fond of her. As his parents, we have no choice but to grant his wish.¡± Aaron¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll talk about it with Kathleen another day.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. Don¡¯t frighten the youngdy,¡± Emily disagreed with the idea. ¡°I won¡¯t. I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± he said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything reckless! I won¡¯t be easy on you if you mess things up and break our son¡¯s heart!¡± she eximed angrily. He was speechless. Can¡¯t she just believe in me once? ¡°Kate had made Samuel mac and cheese!¡± Wynnie spoke emotionally. ¡°Is Kate nning to forgive him?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too optimistic,¡± Calvin replied indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t think Kate will forgive him easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because his rtionship with Nicolette is still left unsettled,¡± Diana said coldly. ¡°Katie is back now, yet Samuel is still defending Nicolette. So it would be difficult for them to get back together.¡± ¡°Samuel¡¯s out of his mind!¡± Wynnie was infuriated. ¡°My sister and brother-inw were already here to see their future daughter-inw, and he was still unmoved no matter how hard we tried to help. It is so infuriating!¡± ¡°Katie is heartbroken. Your y of gaining sympathy would not help.¡± Diana sighed. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Kate might not like Christopher,¡± Calvin said calmly. ¡°After all, Kate is all grown up. She knows how to reserve her love now, unlike thest time when she showed him all her love without concealing her feelings.¡± Wynnie was deeply troubled. ¡°When can I have a grandchild?¡± There used to be a chance. Diana remained silent for a while beforementing, ¡°Don¡¯t be hard with Katie. I can tell that she doesn¡¯t like Christopher too. However, if she intends to ept his love in the future, we shouldn¡¯t me her too.¡± Calvin and Wynnie nodded in unison. ¡°It isn¡¯t a small matter to lose two children, not to mention losing them in such a manner,¡± Diana continued in a deep tone. ¡°When I had a body checkup a few days ago, I ran into the doctor in charge of Katie¡¯s surgery. He told me that the abortion had hurt her a lot, and it might cause her to have difficulties getting pregnant in the future. The Macari family is in debt to her, and we must make up for it no matter what.¡± Again, Calvin and Wynnie nodded approvingly. It was the conclusion the three of them hade up with. No matter how bad Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s rtionship was, they will still treat thetter as their biological daughter. As for the couple¡¯s ending, they would leave it for fate to decide. On his way back, Samuel received a call from Tyson. ¡°Mr. Macari, Nicolette has been kicking a fuss in the past few days. Plus, some people recently went to the vi to sniff out some information,¡± Tyson said solemnly. ¡°I know.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows deeply. There was a slight pain in his stomach since he had eaten too fast. After hanging up the phone, he headed to Spirit Vi hurriedly. Spirit Vi had its name due to its eerie vibes. No one in their right mind would ever live there. One year ago, Samuel bought the vi to make it a ce for Nicolette to settle down. Nicolette had broken her leg and only had an uncouth maid to look after her. As she was the illegitimate child of the Yoeger family, no one cared about her well-being. However, the Yoeger family recently remembered her existence. They even sent some people to find information at Spirit Vi. As for their intentions, Samuel was unsure as well. He arrived at the room where Nicolette was locked up. Nicolette was sitting on the bed in a blue and white stripe hospital gown, looking lifeless. One could tell from the obvious scar on her face that she did not treat it properly back then. As soon as she saw Samuel, she became agitated. ¡°Haha! You are here.¡± One could hear a hint of hatred and despair in Nicolette¡¯sughter. ¡°You think of Kathleen the most whenever youe to see me, don¡¯t you?¡± He replied frigidly, ¡°The Yoeger family is looking for you recently.¡± Taken aback by the news, she became overwhelmed with excitement. ¡°Is that true? Are they finally coming to save me?¡± ¡°You are a useless person. Have you ever thought of why they want to save you?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°Who cares? It doesn¡¯t matter as long as I can be free.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t let me go. Am I right?¡± He remained silent. ¡°I¡¯ve been suffering a lot thanks to your torture, Samuel!¡± she screamed angrily. ¡°For the past year, I¡¯ve been living an inhumane life without any dignity. Why can¡¯t you let me go, considering I¡¯d saved your life before?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he answered cold-heartedly. ¡°You¡¯ve caused the death of my two unborn children and almost caused the death of Kathleen. All this torture is iparable with what I¡¯ve lost!¡± Tears began welling up in her eyes at once. ¡°That¡¯s because I love you!¡± ¡°All you want is my power,¡± he responded grimly. ¡°You want me to help you regain your status as the daughter of the Yoeger family.¡± Seeing that Samuel had seen through her plot, she remained unbothered. ¡°That¡¯s true. I do intend to use you. But at the same time, I love you too. Do you think I¡¯m the one who caused Kathleen¡¯s miscarriage, Samuel?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The look in his face remained frosty. ¡°Haha!¡± She guffawed arrogantly. ¡°Oh, Samuel. If it wasn¡¯t for your negligence which made everyone think that I was the one you loved, do you think they would heed what I say?¡± He narrowed his eyes and shot her an icy-cold look. ¡°You are right. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°So, you are also partially responsible for Kathleen¡¯s miscarriage.¡± Nicolette arched a brow. All of a sudden, Samuel removed his necktie and opened his shirt to reveal his chest and the horrendous scar which extended to his abdomen. She was stunned by the sight at once. ¡°You¡­¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¡°I atoned for my sins.¡± Samuel ced his hand down. ¡°I cut my stomach open myself.¡± Nicolette paled. ¡°H-Have you gone nuts?¡± He responded icily, ¡°I love her.¡± Upon hearing that, she froze. Slowly, he buttoned his shirt. ¡°I¡¯ll only love her this lifetime.¡± Nicolette was at a loss for words as she stared at his handsome but expressionless face. ¡°Thus, I will never let you get away with this,¡± he added coolly. ¡°I won¡¯t let myself get away with this, too.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Nicolette scoffed before hollering with all her might despondently. ¡°I¡¯ve found a better ce for you,¡± Samuel told her. She gaped in disbelief. ¡°You want to make things difficult for me!¡± He met her gaze calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ha! Samuel, you¡¯re an extremely cruel man.¡± Nicolette stared at him quietly. ¡°I¡¯m cruel to you only.¡± There was an indifferent look on his handsome face. With that, he spun on his heels and went away. ¡°Let me leave, Samuel! I did save your life previously, didn¡¯t I?¡± Nicolette roared at his retreating figure. s, Samuel paid no heed to her. After walking out of the mountain vi, he turned to Tyson. ¡°Inform everyone to lower their guard on Nicolette.¡± ¡°Why, Mr. Macari?¡± Tyson was confused. Samuel exined, ¡°The Yoeger family wants to save her. Am I right? Let them achieve their goal.¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around his employer¡¯s decision. ¡°Nicolette¡¯s is important to the Yoeger family,¡± Samuel revealed coldly. ¡°Why would you think they want her back? So she could enjoy avish lifestyle?¡± Suddenly, Tyson understood what he meant. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve heard a rumor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel asked tly. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been proven true,¡± Tyson exined. ¡°I heard that Zachary suffers from kidney failure and needs a kidney transnt.¡± Samuel sneered, ¡°Oh, I see. You should know how to deal with this, right?¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Nevertheless, he gave a curt nod. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel turned around and entered his car. Tyson got to the driver¡¯s seat and nced at the rearview mirror. ¡°Mr. Macari, you look unwell. Is your gastric problem acting up again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Samuel shut his eyes and leaned against the car seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, where are we heading?¡± Tyson inquired. ¡°Are you going back to the Macari residence or Florinia Manor?¡± ¡°Florinia Manor,¡± Samuel answered cidly. ¡°Did you find out where Kathleen is staying now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s staying with Charles,¡± Tyson replied. ¡°Their neighborhood is the one Mr. Troelson has developed.¡± ¡°Tell Gustav Troelson I want the mansion next to theirs,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°All right.¡± Tyson nodded. For the next three days, Kathleen threw herself into work. Now that Kylie was gone, everyone got along pretty well. The viewer ratings also kept increasing. The audience was surprised to see Kathleen and M showing their cooking skills. It was a visual feast, for they couldn¡¯t eat the food personally. It was time for M to leave on the third day, for the new celebrity would show up soon. The production team didn¡¯t reveal anything about the new guest, so everyone was curious about who it could be. When it was time for M to leave, everyone sent her off. ¡°Thanks for taking care of me for the past three days. I had a great time!¡± M said. She was reluctant to leave this soon. ¡°M, can I visit your restaurant?¡± John asked earnestly. ¡°Of course, you can.¡± M shed a meaningful smile. ¡°I¡¯ll save a table for you. You don¡¯t have to make a reservation.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great!¡± John beamed happily. ¡°Mdm. Hunt, I¡¯ll pay M¡¯s Kitchen a visit after our shooting ends so that I can enjoy your cooking,¡± Kathleen chimed in as her lips curled up. ¡°Sure.¡± M took her hand. ¡°Remember to bring the man you love the most along.¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°I love Charles the most now. I¡¯ll bring him along.¡± M grinned. ¡°Sure.¡± She then nced at the rest. ¡°I guess that¡¯s it. You can back to work now!¡± With that, she entered her car and left. Everyone returned to the restaurant. Inside, they saw a luggage at the door. ¡°Is the neer here?¡± John asked curiously. As soon as he finished speaking, a pretty and elegantdy walked out of the kitchen. ¡°Hello. You weren¡¯t around when I arrived earlier, so I took a look around the restaurant,¡± thedy said with a smile. ¡°We went to send someone off earlier.¡± Steve nced at her. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Astrid Holloway,¡± Astrid introduced herself. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Everyone nodded and began introducing themselves. When it was Kathleen¡¯s turn to introduce herself, Astrid cut in, ¡°I know who you are.¡± Kathleen was taken aback by her words. After all, it was normal for Astrid to recognize everyone here except for Kathleen. ¡°Have we met previously?¡± Kathleen asked softly. ¡°Not really.¡± Astrid¡¯s lips curved. ¡°I used to be Christopher¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e.¡± The crowd fell silent. Christopher¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e? Kathleen is his current fianc¨¦e! Things are going to get really interesting. As expected, thements came flooding in. What a show! Previously, we had an ex-husband and an ex-fianc¨¦. Now, we have an ex-fianc¨¦e and the current fianc¨¦e. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a coincidence! The production team was obedient for two days but is now causing havoc again. This isn¡¯t a battle. It¡¯s practically hell! Hahaha! I wonder how traumatized Kathleen is feeling right now. It doesn¡¯t look like Kathleen knows who she is. I think Christopher never mentioned her. Why does Kathleen keep getting herself involved with these kinds of men? Her ex-husband couldn¡¯t forget his first love, and her current fianc¨¦ has an ex-fianc¨¦e. Kate, stop dating men. They spell disaster. Won¡¯t you consider me? Back at the scene, Kathleen was unfazed. ¡°Hello.¡± Astrid held her hand and shed a pleasant smile. ¡°The engagement was actually decided by my grandpa and his grandpa when we were kids. It doesn¡¯t count, so you don¡¯t have to be nervous.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°I¡¯m not nervous,¡± Kathleen responded. She was neither nervous nor shocked. Perhaps it was because she wasn¡¯t in love with Christopher. Astrid gave her a slight tug. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to the ce we live. Can you bring me there?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen bobbed her head. As requested, Kathleen brought Astrid to their dorm. Christopher¡¯s brows snapped together when he received a call from his mother. ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? What fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Astrid Holloway!¡± Emily replied hastily. ¡°The engagement your grandpa decided for you when you were young, remember? She came to you when she was twenty years old, but you rejected her.¡± ¡°She went overseas. Am I right?¡± Christopher¡¯s frown rxed slightly. ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Emily told him. ¡°She is currently shooting a show with Kathleen. During their first meeting, she exposed you and Kathleen¡¯s rtionship to the public.¡± Christopher¡¯s brows were knitted. ¡°Did it just happen a while ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Emily nodded. Christopher hung up at once. A WhatsApp message arrived on his phone, and he clicked into it. It was sent by Astrid¡¯s grandfather, Osvald Holloway. Osvald texted: Christopher, I didn¡¯t me you for refusing to marry Astrid. She wants to stay in the country, so please take care of her. Thanks. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 ¡°I atoned for my sins.¡± Samuel ced his hand down. ¡°I cut my stomach open myself.¡± Nicolette paled. ¡°H-Have you gone nuts?¡± He responded icily, ¡°I love her.¡± Upon hearing that, she froze. Slowly, he buttoned his shirt. ¡°I¡¯ll only love her this lifetime.¡± Nicolette was at a loss for words as she stared at his handsome but expressionless face. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Thus, I will never let you get away with this,¡± he added coolly. ¡°I won¡¯t let myself get away with this, too.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Nicolette scoffed before hollering with all her might despondently. ¡°I¡¯ve found a better ce for you,¡± Samuel told her. She gaped in disbelief. ¡°You want to make things difficult for me!¡± He met her gaze calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ha! Samuel, you¡¯re an extremely cruel man.¡± Nicolette stared at him quietly. ¡°I¡¯m cruel to you only.¡± There was an indifferent look on his handsome face. With that, he spun on his heels and went away. ¡°Let me leave, Samuel! I did save your life previously, didn¡¯t I?¡± Nicolette roared at his retreating figure. s, Samuel paid no heed to her. After walking out of the mountain vi, he turned to Tyson. ¡°Inform everyone to lower their guard on Nicolette.¡± ¡°Why, Mr. Macari?¡± Tyson was confused. Samuel exined, ¡°The Yoeger family wants to save her. Am I right? Let them achieve their goal.¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around his employer¡¯s decision. ¡°Nicolette¡¯s is important to the Yoeger family,¡± Samuel revealed coldly. ¡°Why would you think they want her back? So she could enjoy avish lifestyle?¡± Suddenly, Tyson understood what he meant. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve heard a rumor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel asked tly. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been proven true,¡± Tyson exined. ¡°I heard that Zachary suffers from kidney failure and needs a kidney transnt.¡± Samuel sneered, ¡°Oh, I see. You should know how to deal with this, right?¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Nevertheless, he gave a curt nod. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel turned around and entered his car. Tyson got to the driver¡¯s seat and nced at the rearview mirror. ¡°Mr. Macari, you look unwell. Is your gastric problem acting up again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Samuel shut his eyes and leaned against the car seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, where are we heading?¡± Tyson inquired. ¡°Are you going back to the Macari residence or Florinia Manor?¡± ¡°Florinia Manor,¡± Samuel answered cidly. ¡°Did you find out where Kathleen is staying now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s staying with Charles,¡± Tyson replied. ¡°Their neighborhood is the one Mr. Troelson has developed.¡± ¡°Tell Gustav Troelson I want the mansion next to theirs,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°All right.¡± Tyson nodded. For the next three days, Kathleen threw herself into work. Now that Kylie was gone, everyone got along pretty well. The viewer ratings also kept increasing. The audience was surprised to see Kathleen and M showing their cooking skills. It was a visual feast, for they couldn¡¯t eat the food personally. It was time for M to leave on the third day, for the new celebrity would show up soon. The production team didn¡¯t reveal anything about the new guest, so everyone was curious about who it could be. When it was time for M to leave, everyone sent her off. ¡°Thanks for taking care of me for the past three days. I had a great time!¡± M said. She was reluctant to leave this soon. ¡°M, can I visit your restaurant?¡± John asked earnestly. ¡°Of course, you can.¡± M shed a meaningful smile. ¡°I¡¯ll save a table for you. You don¡¯t have to make a reservation.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great!¡± John beamed happily. ¡°Mdm. Hunt, I¡¯ll pay M¡¯s Kitchen a visit after our shooting ends so that I can enjoy your cooking,¡± Kathleen chimed in as her lips curled up. ¡°Sure.¡± M took her hand. ¡°Remember to bring the man you love the most along.¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°I love Charles the most now. I¡¯ll bring him along.¡± M grinned. ¡°Sure.¡± She then nced at the rest. ¡°I guess that¡¯s it. You can back to work now!¡± With that, she entered her car and left. Everyone returned to the restaurant. Inside, they saw a luggage at the door. ¡°Is the neer here?¡± John asked curiously. As soon as he finished speaking, a pretty and elegantdy walked out of the kitchen. ¡°Hello. You weren¡¯t around when I arrived earlier, so I took a look around the restaurant,¡± thedy said with a smile. ¡°We went to send someone off earlier.¡± Steve nced at her. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Astrid Holloway,¡± Astrid introduced herself. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Everyone nodded and began introducing themselves. When it was Kathleen¡¯s turn to introduce herself, Astrid cut in, ¡°I know who you are.¡± Kathleen was taken aback by her words. After all, it was normal for Astrid to recognize everyone here except for Kathleen. ¡°Have we met previously?¡± Kathleen asked softly. ¡°Not really.¡± Astrid¡¯s lips curved. ¡°I used to be Christopher¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e.¡± The crowd fell silent. Christopher¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e? Kathleen is his current fianc¨¦e! Things are going to get really interesting. As expected, thements came flooding in. What a show! Previously, we had an ex-husband and an ex-fianc¨¦. Now, we have an ex-fianc¨¦e and the current fianc¨¦e. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a coincidence! The production team was obedient for two days but is now causing havoc again. This isn¡¯t a battle. It¡¯s practically hell! Hahaha! I wonder how traumatized Kathleen is feeling right now. It doesn¡¯t look like Kathleen knows who she is. I think Christopher never mentioned her. Why does Kathleen keep getting herself involved with these kinds of men? Her ex-husband couldn¡¯t forget his first love, and her current fianc¨¦ has an ex-fianc¨¦e. Kate, stop dating men. They spell disaster. Won¡¯t you consider me? Back at the scene, Kathleen was unfazed. ¡°Hello.¡± Astrid held her hand and shed a pleasant smile. ¡°The engagement was actually decided by my grandpa and his grandpa when we were kids. It doesn¡¯t count, so you don¡¯t have to be nervous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous,¡± Kathleen responded. She was neither nervous nor shocked. Perhaps it was because she wasn¡¯t in love with Christopher. Astrid gave her a slight tug. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to the ce we live. Can you bring me there?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen bobbed her head. As requested, Kathleen brought Astrid to their dorm. Christopher¡¯s brows snapped together when he received a call from his mother. ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? What fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Astrid Holloway!¡± Emily replied hastily. ¡°The engagement your grandpa decided for you when you were young, remember? She came to you when she was twenty years old, but you rejected her.¡± ¡°She went overseas. Am I right?¡± Christopher¡¯s frown rxed slightly. ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± Emily told him. ¡°She is currently shooting a show with Kathleen. During their first meeting, she exposed you and Kathleen¡¯s rtionship to the public.¡± Christopher¡¯s brows were knitted. ¡°Did it just happen a while ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Emily nodded. Christopher hung up at once. A WhatsApp message arrived on his phone, and he clicked into it. It was sent by Astrid¡¯s grandfather, Osvald Holloway. Osvald texted: Christopher, I didn¡¯t me you for refusing to marry Astrid. She wants to stay in the country, so please take care of her. Thanks. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Christopher couldn¡¯t stop frowning. Why did Astride back right now? I heard she worked as a war correspondent for a few years. Christopher typed out a reply: I¡¯ll do my best to be a good friend to her. Osvald: It¡¯s up to you. I just want you to keep an eye on her. That¡¯s it. Christopher let out a cold snort. Is he saying that I¡¯m overthinking? Christopher went to watch the live stream and happened to see Kathleen bringing Astrid to their rooms. ¡°This is your room. Nancy and I are living on this floor, so if you need any help, just let us know.¡± Kathleen was both gentle and thoughtful. Astrid chuckled. ¡°All right. This is my first time on a variety show, so I¡¯mpletely baffled. Please let me know if I do anything wrong!¡± ¡°This is my first time, too.¡± A smile nudged Kathleen¡¯s lips. ¡°We can learn together.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Astrid replied cheerfully. ¡°I worked as a war correspondent overseas previously. A year ago, a grenade splinter cut across my forehead, and I nearly lost my life. I was traumatized and ended up coming home.¡± Kathleen nodded in acknowledgment. She actually didn¡¯t want to ask personal questions, for she knew how to respect someone else¡¯s privacy. Now that Astrid chose to reveal everything herself, Kathleen had to y along. ¡°You did great.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t do it, someone else will,¡± Astrid responded. ¡°It might be dangerous, but I think it¡¯s a meaningful job. Compared to normal jobs, I think mine is far more significant.¡± ¡°Every job has its own significance,¡± Kathleen told her. Astrid met her gaze thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head down to join everyone downstairs.¡± Kathleen smiled. Astrid nodded and reached out to take Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, your hand is soft, unlike mine. I didn¡¯t get to take care of my hands previously, so they are pretty rough.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen¡¯s lips curved. ¡°You can start now. Your hands will be like mine soon.¡± ¡°All right. Whatever you say.¡± Astrid¡¯s lips twitched. With that, both of them headed down the stairs. Strangely, I felt really ufortable after hearing Astrid¡¯s words. Was it only me? I feel the same way, too! She seemed to be mocking Kathleen! But she¡¯s way better with her words than Kylie. You¡¯re reading too much into her words. She was justmenting how hard her life used to be. I can¡¯t believe you interpreted her words that way. I think Astrid¡¯s being honest. She revealed her identity outright so that Kathleen wouldn¡¯t misunderstand things, right? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with Astrid¡¯s remarks. She wasn¡¯t lying. Her job was really tough. Yes, her job was tough, but there was no need for her to insult other jobs! Kathleen¡¯s right. Every job has its own hardship. We all work our asses off to earn money. She isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s having a hard time! I can¡¯t stand it when shemented how soft Kathleen¡¯s hand was. She even said her hands are rough because of her job. Obviously, she was mocking Kathleen. Theizens began arguing again. Christopher read thements as his expression turned dark. The shooting went on smoothly. That afternoon, the production team told them that some special guests would being for dinner that night and they should pay extra attention to those guests. However, the production team didn¡¯t mention how special the guests were. Everyone felt nervous at that piece of news. Astrid asked deliberately, ¡°Kathleen, who do you think the customers would be?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d know who they are,¡± Astridmented. Kathleen¡¯s voice was calm as she replied, ¡°Why would I know when none of you know?¡± Astrid gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°Will Kathleen prepare dinner alone tonight?¡± Nancy asked Steve. Steve hesitated for a while. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I can prepare dinner,¡± Astrid offered gaily. ¡°My looks might suggest otherwise, but I¡¯m a great cook. I have the potential to be a good wife and mother.¡± Nancy fell silent sheepishly. So what if you have the potential to be a good wife and mother? Is that something that is worth bragging about? That sounds really strange. ¡°It will be tiring if you handle everything alone. You and Kathleen should work together,¡± Steve said. ¡°Sure. I heard that Kathleen¡¯s a great cook. I shall take the opportunity to learn from her!¡± Astrid agreed readily. ¡°Kathleen, please teach me well.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s each prepare our own signature dishes for dinner,¡± Kathleen suggested nonchntly. ¡°What do you think, Astrid?¡± After a pause, Astrid replied, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you sometimeter,¡± Kathleen assured her with a grin. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll teach you everything you want.¡± Astrid pursed her lips. What an inconspicuous retort. Nancy shot a look at Astrid and sneered inwardly. After that, Kathleen turned around and went to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients. Astrid went after her. In the kitchen, Astrid said happily, ¡°What a wide kitchen. I just realized that there is a dishwasher here. That eases our work.¡± When she was busy touring the kitchen, everyone else had already gotten to work. Shortly after, Astrid went to them. ¡°I need some garlic.¡± John gave her the garlic he had just peeled. ¡°Here, these are peeled.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re fast!¡± Astrid was surprised. ¡°How did you do that?¡± John¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°I did this when you were strolling around.¡± Astrid was speechless. After his encounter with Kylie, John was equipped with the ability to distinguish ttery words. Nancy bit her lip and tried hard to tamp down herughter. She hadn¡¯t expected John to be the first one to speak up. He must¡¯ve been badly tormented by Kylie. None of them wanted another Kylie among them, for it was really exhausting to keep cleaning up her mess. Astrid froze. She nced at Kathleen before turning to John. ¡°John, do you hate me?¡± A smile yed on her lips as she posed that question. John continued peeling the garlic. ¡°If you don¡¯t say a word, I might fall in love with you.¡± Astrid fell silent. Nancy gave John a kick. ¡°Stop joking around. Your fans will be upset if they hear that.¡± ¡°I love my fans the most!¡± John beamed. ¡°I hope they love me forever and never abandon me. I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Nancy¡¯s kick relieved the tension in the air. ¡°Why do you need garlic?¡± Nancy asked. ¡°I¡¯ll get them minced,¡± Astrid replied stonily. ¡°But we don¡¯t have the tools here, do we?¡± ¡°Yes, we do. None of us use it because we have to wash it after using it,¡± Nancy exined. Astrid couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. ¡°Huh? What should I do, then? I don¡¯t know how to mince garlic using knives. Oh, I¡¯m a fool. I can take pictures well using a camera, but I¡¯m not a good cook. Kathleen¡¯s different, though. She can act and cook well. I envy her.¡± Kathleen ignored her. ¡°Kathleen, can you help me mince the garlic? Thank you,¡± Astrid requested. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Kathleen felt that if it were not for Madeline being autistic, she would have suspected that Samuel had deliberately taught her to say those words. That jerk is capable of anything! ¡°I miss him.¡± Madeline pouted. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded in resignation before looking at Federick. ¡°Go ahead and call him then.¡± Thetter felt around his pocket. ¡°I left my phone in the car.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Why don¡¯t you call him instead?¡± he suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t have his phone number,¡± she murmured in reply. ¡°He hasn¡¯t changed his number, so you should be able to memorize it, right?¡± Federick asked. Kathleen bit her lip. She did remember Samuel¡¯s phone number but did not expect that he was still using the same number. Looking at Madeline¡¯s aggrieved face, she took out her phone and called him. After two beeps, the call was picked up. ¡°Hello?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was as captivating as always, maic and pleasant to the ears. Kathleen could not help but feel nervous upon hearing his voice, causing her to fall silent for a while. ¡°Kate?¡± Samuel called out. She knitted her brows. ¡°Are you watching the live stream?¡± ¡°No.¡± He answered in a raspy voice, ¡°I¡¯m still at the office. I have some matters to attend to. Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re busy, just forget it,¡± she uttered tly. It¡¯s already eight o¡¯clock, and he¡¯s still at the office. Is he truly such a money lover? A certain someone once said that money is just a number to him. He¡¯s already so rich, so why is he still working so hard? ¡°I¡¯m done with work. Go on.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was extremely gentle. I¡¯ll be willing to listen to her even if she spoke for the entire night. ¡°Madeline came here for the variety show. She wishes to see you,¡± Kathleen exined softly. He nodded upon hearing that. ¡°The ce you¡¯re recording the program is not far from my office. I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± She nodded. ¡°Is this¡­ your phone number?¡± Samuel inquired with his deep voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded affirmatively. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll remember that.¡± His lips curved into a grin. ¡°See you soon.¡± Having said that, he hung up the phone. Kathleen kept feeling that something was weird after their conversation. Meanwhile, Samuel put on a ck suit. With his tall, muscr figure, and broad shoulders, he gave off a dignified yet delectable feeling. He walked swiftly out of the office and entered the elevator. While saving Kathleen¡¯s number on his phone under the name ¡°Katie,¡± he curled his thin lips into a contented smile. Over at the restaurant, Kathleen had finished cooking and brought the food over to Federick and Madeline. The girl suddenly reacted. ¡°It smells so good.¡± ¡°If you think so, then eat up.¡± Kathleen stroked the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s mac and cheese and suits your taste very well.¡± Madeline clutched her spoon as she replied, ¡°No. I want to wait for Samuel.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Federick chuckled before exining, ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s the same at home. Once she knows that Samuel ising, she¡¯ll keep waiting for him.¡± ¡°So, love does disappear, right?¡± Kathleen looked at Madeline miserably. The girl blinked a few times. ¡°I also like Katie. You and Samuel saved me when I got lost. You¡¯re both good people, and good people should be together.¡± Kathleen was once again rendered speechless. Amused by his daughter¡¯s words, Federick chuckled, causing Kathleen to look at him in wordless amazement. What¡¯s so funny about this! ¡°Little one.¡± Kathleen pinched Madeline¡¯s cheek affectionately, which made the girl giggle. ¡°Federick, how has Madeline been doing this year?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Her condition has truly improved. I¡¯m very grateful to Mr. Macari. Half a year ago, mypany was on the verge of copse. It was him who helped me.¡± Federick then added meaningfully, ¡°Maybe he lost something, so he wishes to get somepensation from Madeline. Some feelings need to be expressed toward someone.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips upon hearing that. ¡°Oh, such a pretty little girl,¡± Astridmented as she strode over. ¡°Pretty one, can you be my model?¡± When Madeline saw Astrid, the former instinctively hid behind Federick. ¡°You didn¡¯t hide from me, Madeline. Does that mean that I¡¯m a good person in your eyes?¡± John asked, intrigued. Madeline nodded in response. He was overjoyed. ¡°Such good moral values at a young age. I like you a lot.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Kathleen red at him. ¡°Be mindful of what you say. She¡¯s a child.¡± Madeline clung to Federick¡¯s arm as she turned to John and said, ¡°You look old, so I¡¯ll call you mister.¡± John was rendered speechless. Upon hearing that, Kathleen burst intoughter. ¡°You address Samuel by his name as though he is your close friend, but you call me mister? I¡¯m younger than Kathleen.¡± John subtly frowned before continuing, ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right. You¡¯re older than me, but she addresses you as Katie. Isn¡¯t it confusing?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t care about that.¡± Federick shed him a half-smile. ¡°As long as Madeline¡¯s happy.¡± Astrid did not expect to be ignored by everyone. She looked at Madeline and said to her, ¡°I¡¯m a photographer, Madeline. I can take pictures of you.¡± As she said that, she reached out to touch the girl. ¡°Ah!¡± Madeline shrieked, scaring the former. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Kathleen immediately went to hug the girl. However, a giant silhouette appeared before her and swept Madeline off her feet. Kathleen lifted her head and stared at Samuel in surprise. ¡°Be good. Don¡¯t cry,¡± he coaxed as he carried Madeline. Federick suddenly felt that he, as her father, was unnecessary. He did not expect his daughter to calm down, merely weeping in Samuel¡¯s arms, but did not make a fuss. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry,¡± Federick apologized to the others. ¡°My daughter is autistic. She acts this way when there are a lot of people. Sorry about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. We understand.¡± Everyone was very kind. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she has autism,¡± Astrid muttered. Samuel handed the calm Madeline over to Kathleen. It was as though they were a family of three. Federick was dumbfounded, seeing that his daughter had be a tool to get them together. ¡°I watched the live broadcast just now. When Mr. Evans was talking about his daughter¡¯s illness, you looked over at them. How could you not know about it?¡± Samuel exposed her coldly. ¡°They were too far. I couldn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Astrid looked slightly flustered. ¡°Couldn¡¯t hear anything?¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°Would you like me to get a professional to test the decibel?¡± Astrid was dumbfounded. ¡°Moreover, when you first touched her, she showed obvious resistance, but you still want to approach her. What are you up to?¡± he continued. His words made her face flush hot with embarrassment. ¡°I truly didn¡¯t do it on purpose. You must believe me.¡± Kathleen was about to speak, but Samuel beat her to it. ¡°Keep your identity in mind, Ms. Holloway. This isn¡¯t a ce where you can behave atrociously.¡± After saying that, he sat down. Astrid¡¯s eyes turned slightly red as she apologized, ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Mr. Evans. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Federick quietly responded, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t do such a thing again.¡± Astrid took a deep breath before giving Kathleen a side nce. ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯ve known about this all along. Why didn¡¯t you mention it earlier?¡± she grumbled. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ¡°Did you give me a chance to do that?¡± asked Kathleen coldly. ¡°In normal circumstances, even if a normal person opposes you, you should still know your limits and stop the harassment, and what did you do?¡± Astrid was slightly startled. ¡°Do you understand what social distancing is?¡± continued Kathleen displeasedly. ¡°Kate, you¡¯re scaring me,¡± said Astrid with an aggrieved tone. Kathleen retorted with a stone-cold face, ¡°I can be even scarier. Do you want to see that?¡± Astrid was stunned. ¡°Even though Madeline is just a child, you should still understand that you shouldn¡¯t invade her personal space,¡± scolded Kathleen coldly. ¡°I hope you understand that.¡± Samuel looked over at Kathleen solemnly. She had a lot of different personalities, which he had yet to understand. He had always thought she was gentle like a bunny. At the moment, she seemed more like a little fox in sheep¡¯s clothing. ¡°You may leave now. Do you want us to have a bad appetite because of you?¡± asked Samuel as he looked at Astrid frostily. Astrid¡¯s expression looked as if someone had pped her across the face. With that, she turned and left. Kathleen was speechless. Why did Astrid have to do that? If she wants to chase after Christopher, then she should go ahead. Why did she have to bother me? Just then, Madeline stopped crying. She tugged at Kathleen¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Katie, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Kathleen swallowed her feelings and stopped dwelling over the matter. She smiled at Madeline. ¡°You should dig in then. These are made for you,¡± she said. Madeline opened her mouth and waited for Kathleen to feed her. Kathleen chuckled and sat down. She then fed her with a small spoon. ¡°Madeline?¡± Federick was rendered speechless. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was happy that his daughter was bing more normal, but he was taken aback by the sight of Madeline being close with Kathleen. After all, Madeline and Kathleen were not even that close. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Kathleen with a grin. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to do at the kitchen.¡± Federick apologized, ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± Kathleen shook her head and continued feeding Madeline. Samuel looked at the whole situation with a gentle gaze. If my children were born, would I have a wonderful, warm family? Kathleen would have been a great mother, and I would have been an awesome father as well. However, it¡¯s all gone. ¡°Delicious!¡± Madeline looked at Kathleen with her big ck eyes. ¡°Katie, can you be my mommy?¡± she asked. Kathleen and Samuel was dumbfounded. ¡°No!¡± Federick shook his head and said, ¡°You just said Samuel and Kate were a good match for each other.¡± ¡°Samuel can be my godfather, and Katie can be my godmother. Isn¡¯t that okay?¡± asked Madeline seriously. ¡°All right,¡± replied Samuel as he patted her head. What? Did I say yes? Besides, I don¡¯t have to have anything to do with her godfather if I be her godmother. Kathleen felt awkward. As she focused on feeding Madeline, Samuel stared at her beautiful and delicate face. His dark eyes were filled with affection. ¡°Kate, what am I having for the meal?¡± he asked, trying to strike up a conversation with her. ¡°Isn¡¯t the food on the table?¡± she replied coldly. ¡°I want mac and cheese too.¡± He looked at her solemnly. ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough of itst time.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Federick came over and took the spoon from Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯ll feed her. You should go,¡± he said. Kathleen red at Samuel before getting up to leave. Federick let out a slight chuckle and said, ¡°You two have grown close. She¡¯s making a meal just because you ask her to do so.¡± Samuel replied with a deep voice, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that she¡¯s reluctant? She definitely wouldn¡¯t make it if it wasn¡¯t for the camera.¡± Needless to say, he would never tell anyone about their deal. Federick was curious. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m curious as to why you would use my daughter.¡± Samuel kept his cool. ¡°Madeline is getting better. Didn¡¯t you know? Although she has autism, it doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s dumb.¡± Federick huffed in exasperation. ¡°Do you know the chances of a genius being born with autism?¡± Samuel kept quiet. Instead, he pulled out a letter from his suit. ¡°This just arrived. It¡¯s from Bridge University,¡± he said. Federick frowned. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Madeline¡¯s IQ test and medical report,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°It says very clearly that her IQ score is one hundred and eighty, and her condition is improving. As long as we¡¯re careful, she¡¯ll be fine if she doesn¡¯t rpse.¡± Federick was slightly excited. ¡°She rpsed just now, but she recovered quickly, which means that she¡¯s getting better,¡± added Samuel. ¡°However, you shouldn¡¯t have hopes for her to be a normal person. She still has a lot of repetitive patterns of behavior.¡± Federick nodded. He patted Madeline on the head gently and said, ¡°I only wish for my sweetheart to be healthy. I don¡¯t care if she bes a genius or not.¡± Madeline still had her mouth wide open, waiting to be fed. Upon seeing that, Federick fed her. She chewed for around twenty times and opened her mouth again. With that, the cycle repeated. Samuel looked at Federick, thinking that he was only fond of Federick because of Madeline. After a while, Kathleen came out with mac and cheese and set the te in front of Samuel. ¡°Thanks,¡± said Samuel with a grin. Kathleen snorted coldly. Samuel grabbed a spoon and dug in. After that, he frowned and asked, ¡°This is mac and cheese?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s macaroni with cheese, so it¡¯s mac and cheese,¡± answered Kathleen. Samuel smiled and ate everything. Federick was shocked while Kathleen pursed her lips and stayed silent. After dinner, all the guests had left except for Samuel. Federick had taken Madeline home early because she usually slept early. Kathleen focused on cleaning up the tables and paid no heed to Samuel. She did not know why Samuel was still here. Although she ignored him, Astrid brought him water and fruits. However, Samuel did not touch any of it. Everybody else did not want to ask him to leave either. Steve turned toward Kathleen. ¡°You should go and tell Mr. Macari that we¡¯re closed,¡± he said, deciding to ask her to do the thing that everyone was afraid to do. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go instead?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Do you want to know the truth?¡± Steve was a bit embarrassed. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen stared at him. ¡°I¡¯m scared. You should go. You¡¯re the only one here who¡¯s not afraid.¡± Steve tried to convince her. ¡°How did you know I¡¯m not afraid?¡± asked Kathleen, knitting her brows. ¡°What are you afraid of? You even tricked him. You have the courage,¡± Steve teased. He slowly got to know Kathleen¡¯s attitude. As long as it was not anything strange, she would be fine with a joke. Kathleen snorted coldly in response. Steve held his hands together and pleaded, ¡° Please, Kate.¡± She looked at him, feeling speechless. ¡°Did you make a deal with Samuel? It¡¯s just a word with him. What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°What deal?¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice came from behind. Kathleen was startled. She did not know when Samuel hade up behind her. His breath could be felt on the top of her head. Steve said sheepishly, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do in the kitchen. Both of you should have a chat.¡± With that, he ran away. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 athleen turned around. ¡°Mr. Macari, we¡¯re closed.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Samuel looked at her from above. Her hair was braided today. Wearing a red sweater and a pair of ck jeans, she looked exceptionally youthful and pretty. When he stood behind her earlier, he kept gazing at the fair nape of her neck. His memories floated to when they had just gotten married. He had left countless marks at that exact spot. Every time, Kathleen wouldin that she couldn¡¯t go out like that. Back then, she was so shy, gentle, obedient, and alluring. ¡°So why aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡± demanded Kathleen coldly. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Samuel smirked meaningfully. ¡°I can¡¯t say it here. I¡¯ll wait for you in the car.¡± Kathleen frowned. Suddenly, Samuel bent down and whispered beside her ear, ¡°It¡¯s about the Yoeger family. You¡¯d know.¡± With that, he spun around and left. Kathleen frowned. Is he telling the truth, or is he lying to me? However, it was safer to believe that it was the truth if it was about something like this. After all, what Samuel gave her the previous time was quite useful. Now, Ivan had already been arrested. She heard that Vanessa was trying to bail him out. With all the strong evidence, it was difficult for Vanessa to achieve that too. More importantly, Kathleen heard that a bigshot was pressurizing JC, so Ivan couldn¡¯t get bail. Is Samuel behind this too? She pursed her lips. Since it was more important for her to investigate her mother¡¯s background, she decided to meet him. After work, Kathleen went to look for Samuel. His ck Maybach was parked by the roadside. Meanwhile, he sat in the car, his gaze brooding and unreadable. As he stared at Kathleen¡¯s slender figure, his lips curved into a gentle smile. This adorable bunny has fallen into the trap. Kathleen got into the car, sat beside the driver¡¯s seat, and asked, ¡°What do you know?¡± Samuel smirked, his eyes as dark as ink. ¡°My dearest Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re begging me for a favor now. Why are you acting like I owe you?¡± She pursed her lips. Knowing that she sounded quite impatient earlier, she changed her attitude and said, ¡°Is there anything that you¡¯d like to tell me, Mr. Macari?¡± An amused look shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes as he passed a file to Kathleen. She was stunned. Is he giving it to me so easily? Finally, he¡¯s acting like a decent human being. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. When she opened the file, she was shocked. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Did Zachary¡¯s illness worsen?¡± ¡°This is why Vanessa¡¯s frantically eliminating everyone that can affect the Yoegers¡¯ core interests recently.¡± Samuel nced at her from the side of his eyes. ¡°Be careful.¡± Kathleen hesitated. ¡°My brother and I know nothing about this.¡± ¡°Vanessa concealed it well. I had to spend a lot of money before receiving this intel,¡± revealed Samuel solemnly. ¡°A few million just for an egg fried rice.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯ll repay you.¡± She pouted. ¡°I¡¯ll ask my brother for that few million.¡± A sharp glint shed across Samuel¡¯s icy gaze. Suppressing it, he smiled. ¡°Do you want more information?¡± ¡°Do you have them?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°I can find out information that you can never get your hands on.¡± Samuel stared at her with an unreadable expression. She didn¡¯t deny it. Meanwhile, Samuel continued gazing at her rxedly and patiently. ¡°But you have conditions,¡± replied Kathleen anxiously. ¡°What is it this time?¡± He smiled. ¡°You sure are smart.¡± ¡°I was never dumb. I became useless when you were taking care of me,¡±ined Kathleen resentfully. She regretted saying that immediately. ¡°If you want, I can continue taking care of you.¡± Samuel shed her a meaningful smile. Kathleen frowned. ¡°I can take care of myself now.¡± ¡°Then why are you asking your brother for money?¡± mocked Samuel coolly. She bit her lips. ¡°He¡¯s my brother. Am I supposed to ask you for money instead?¡± ¡°Naturally, I won¡¯t refuse if you¡¯re the one asking me.¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°But aren¡¯t you Christopher¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Why aren¡¯t you asking him?¡± Kathleen paused. So that¡¯s what he¡¯s waiting for. ¡°Chris is different from you!¡± Her eyes shone brightly. ¡°He respects me a lot and wouldn¡¯t put me in a tight spot.¡± Samuel gripped the steering wheels tightly, his knuckles jutting against his skin. Everything she said was what he hadcked in the past. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll change in the future,¡± said Samuel hoarsely. ¡°A leopard can¡¯t change its spots.¡± Kathleen breathed in deeply. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s your condition?¡± ¡°Macari Group is nning to invest in a movie, but the female lead hasn¡¯t been decided yet. I want you to act in the role,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°With an award-winning actress, the movie will be extremely popr even before its release.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment. ¡°I want to read the script first.¡± Samuel raised his eyebrows. ¡°So, are you agreeing?¡± ¡°The remuneration will be used to repay you,¡± she continued. Samuel chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you agree to act in the movie.¡± ¡°I want to read the script first. If it¡¯s bad, I won¡¯t do it.¡± Kathleen stuck to her own principles. Samuel grinned. ¡°The director of the movie is Spencer Scott, and the screenwriter is Remy Mills. You know their status in the entertainment industry very well.¡± Kathleen was stunned. Spencer was an internationally famous director who had won countless awards. Numerous people were dying to coborate with him. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but feel tempted. If both of them were producing a movie, it would definitely be good. However, she didn¡¯t dare to express it. ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to take a look at the script.¡± Samuel smirked meaningfully. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send it to youter. Oh, right. Why don¡¯t you add me on Whatsapp? Otherwise, I can¡¯t send it to you.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Eventually, they added each other¡¯s contacts. Samuel looked at her profile picture. She was wearing a white dress and hugging a sunflower. With her dazzling smile, she looked beautiful. She probably had a fun time during her year abroad. She probably never missed me, right? She kept praising Christopher. Has he been keeping herpany for the past year? As those thoughts ran across his head, Samuel¡¯s emotions began raging in turmoil. Meanwhile, Kathleen looked at Samuel¡¯s profile picture. It was taken when she was trying out her wedding dress. ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± Kathleen opened the car door and left. It felt as if she was escaping. She didn¡¯t understand why Samuel wanted to use that photo as his profile picture. Everyone in his social circle was wealthy and had high status. If they saw his profile picture, their minds would wander. Staring at Kathleen as she left, Samuel smiled and stroked her profile picture. It¡¯s fine even if she forgets about mepletely. It¡¯s fine if she wants a gentle boyfriend who respects her. I¡¯ll satisfy all her wishes. At that moment, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Christopher. He picked up the call. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Stop pestering her,¡± instructed Christopher in a deep voice. ¡°Samuel, she doesn¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 ¡°I love her,¡± replied Samuel icily. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°I think you don¡¯t realize how grave your mistake was back then!¡± yelled Christopher furiously. ¡°You¡¯ll make her unhappy if you keep forcing her against her wishes.¡± ¡°Got it. Thanks for your reminder.¡± Samuel ended the call and drove away. Christopher frowned. What did he understand? Christopher stopped his car outside where Kathleen was staying before calling her. However, the call didn¡¯t get through. ncing at the time, he saw that it was already eleven at night. She¡¯s probably asleep. After all, she¡¯s the main chef now. I¡¯ll just let her sleep. She must be exhausted! Christopher¡¯s heart ached. At that moment, a woman stood in front of his car and knocked on his car window. Christopher rolled the windows down. ¡°Astrid?¡± ¡°Can I get into the car?¡± asked Astrid softly. After thinking about it, he nodded. Astrid sat beside the driver¡¯s seat and said after a short pause, ¡°Oh no! I forgot that this is your fianc¨¦e¡¯s seat now.¡± Christopher said grimly, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Delighted, Astrid closed the car door. ¡°What do you want, Astrid?¡± demanded Christopher unhappily. ¡°You can¡¯t keep making things difficult for Kathleen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just struggling to get over it,¡± apologized Astrid. ¡°I simply want to know what kind of woman you like.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like someone who¡¯s like you,¡± replied Christopher coldly. ¡°I¡¯m just being polite to you out of courtesy for your grandfather. I hope you do what¡¯s best for yourself.¡± ¡°I know. Do you think that I can do anything to her?¡± asked Astrid indignantly. ¡°Look at what she had done to me! Why don¡¯t you tell your fianc¨¦e off and ask her to be nicer to me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t interfere in how she¡¯s treating you,¡± rejected Christopher curtly. Astrid hesitated. ¡°Christopher, I know you hate me and think I¡¯m deliberately making things difficult for Kathleen. But I have no choice.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Christopher frowned. ¡°Would you believe me if I say my grandfather¡¯s coborating with Samuel? He hinted to my grandfather that I shoulde back and stir up trouble,¡± revealed Astrid. ¡°If I refuse, Samuel would stop coborating with my grandfather. I¡¯m left with no choice.¡± ¡°Are you saying that Samuel instructed you to do this?¡± Christopher frowned. ¡°Yeah! He wants me to separate both of you so that he has an opportunity to intervene.¡± Astrid pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Christopher. I don¡¯t want to do this either. But my grandfather¡¯s old, and I don¡¯t want him to work too hard.¡± Christopher said coldly, ¡°If Samuel¡¯s using this to threaten you, I¡¯ll think of a solution. I¡¯ll talk to your grandfather and tell him that Morris Group can coborate with him instead, so he doesn¡¯t need to worry. Meanwhile, you should stop bullying Kathleen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! I have nothing to fear if you¡¯re backing me up.¡± Astrid grinned. Christopher said solemnly, ¡°Go out. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Astrid nodded and was about to leave the car. ¡°Huh?¡± She raised her hands and ced them on Christopher¡¯s cor. Smiling, she remarked, ¡°Your cor is ruffled.¡± Christopher shoved her hands away. ¡°I¡¯ll tidy it myself.¡± Not feeling embarrassed, Astridughed. ¡°Quickly pick your fianc¨¦e up! If she¡¯s taking care of you, you won¡¯t be so clueless that you don¡¯t even know your cor¡¯s up.¡± Christopher gave no response. Only then did Astrid finally get out of the car. Christopher frowned. I¡¯ve underestimated how vicious Samuel is. He¡¯s gone overboard! The moment Astrid left the car and turned around, a cold smirk formed on her lips. Christopher¡¯s bing more and more charismatic. I¡¯ll never give up. Kathleen¡¯s just another b*tch who was previously married. She doesn¡¯t deserve Christopher! When Kathleen woke up the next day, her head felt extremely heavy. When she took her temperature, she realized that it was 38.7 degrees Celsius. ¡°Are you awake, Kathleen?¡± Astrid knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± she replied. Astrid pushed the door open and entered. Smiling, she asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wake up? Everyone¡¯s waiting for you. It¡¯s not good to keep everyone waiting, right?¡± ¡°Please tell them that I have a high fever, so I can¡¯t go down and cook,¡± said Kathleen weakly. ¡°No way!¡± Surprised, Astrid raised her hand to touch Kathleen¡¯s forehead. Kathleen dodged it. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± Astrid nodded, got up, and let. After that, Kathleen stood up from her bed and took out some fever medicine from her luggage. She gulped a pill down with some warm water. Still, she had a huge headache and felt extremely ufortable. She crawled back to the bed and wrapped the nket around herself tightly. After a while, Nancy entered. ¡°Are you having a fever, Kathleen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 37.8 degrees Celsius.¡± Kathleen snuggled in the nket and said in a nasal tone, ¡°Nancy, I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t cook today.¡± Nancy ced her hand on Kathleen¡¯s forehead and frowned. ¡°Rest well! Don¡¯t worry about what¡¯s happening downstairs. Have you taken some medicine?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Good. Have a good rest. I¡¯ll bring some porridge over to youter. Lie down now!¡± said Nancy. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleeny back down, and Nancy left after tucking her in. When she arrived downstairs, she told Steve, ¡°She really has a fever.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! 37.8 degrees Celsius is really high!¡± remarked Astrid snarkily. ¡°What should we do?¡± John looked at Steve. ¡°Who¡¯s going to cook?¡± ¡°Kathleen¡¯s really exhausted recently. She¡¯s the only onemanding the entire kitchen,¡±mented Nancy meaningfully. ¡°Why isn¡¯t the production team giving us someone more reliable?¡± Astrid said nonchntly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask M toe back? Just tell Kathleen to make a call. She still has the energy to make a call even if she has a 37.8 degrees Celsius fever, right?¡± Nancy shot an unhappy nce at Astrid. ¡°Do you know what an average human being¡¯s temperature is? Why do you keep saying that it¡¯s 37.8 degrees Celsius in such a snarky tone?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything mean, right, Ms. Nancy?¡± replied Astrid. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! I¡¯m your age,¡± snapped Nancy in annoyance. ¡°We¡¯re both adults, so stop speaking like a child. It¡¯s as if you¡¯re dumb! Everyone¡¯s thinking of a solution, so why are you saying something so unrealistic?¡± Astrid bit her lips in indignance. ¡°Nancy, I didn¡¯t say anything much! Also, none of us know how to cook. Who¡¯d expect that Kathleen would fall sick the moment Ie?¡± ¡°Anyone can fall sick.¡± John shot a displeased re at Astrid. ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re still in love with Christopher, why don¡¯t you look for him privately? We¡¯re still filming a show. What are you trying to do?¡± Biting her lip, Astrid remained silent with a pitiful look. The atmosphere in the kitchen was extremely tense. John eximed in frustration, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What kind of guest did they invite? She¡¯s so b*tchy! If we rebuke her, it¡¯s like we¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°John, I¡¯m sorry. I might not have adjusted to you guys yet,¡± mumbled Astrid. ¡°I know that I¡¯m wrong, so stop hounding me, okay?¡± John smirked coldly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to. Why would I dare to hound you? You¡¯d b*tch about me every minute, and people would criticize me for being such a petty man.¡± ¡°John, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Astrid continued in a meaningful tone, ¡°I know that you care about Kathleen deeply. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°Look! You¡¯re hinting that there¡¯s something going on between Kathleen and me! You have a way with words, huh? Let¡¯s stop talking in the future. Don¡¯t mention my name either! I¡¯ll be creeped out.¡± With that, John spun around and said to Nancy, ¡°Nancy, cook something for Kathleen.¡± ¡°Yeah, we mustn¡¯t let her starve.¡± Nancy strode toward the kitchen. ¡°I remember that there¡¯s still some mushroom soup.¡± Both of them left the battlefield, leaving only Steve behind to face Astrid. Steve shot a nce at her before looking at Cain. ¡°Mr. Dodson, why don¡¯t you spare us? Five of us aren¡¯t enough. Now, even Kathleen¡¯s sick.¡± Cain thought about it for a while. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take this day off?¡± Steve agreed enthusiastically, ¡°Great! Everyone¡¯s been filming for a week, so they must be exhausted. Let¡¯s take a break.¡± With that, he left to inform John and Nancy. Both of them were delighted. When Nancy brought the mushroom soup upstairs to Kathleen, she told Kathleen the news too. However, Kathleen felt extremely guilty. ¡°It¡¯s all because of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not! Actually, the production team was worried that everyone¡¯s too exhausted, especially you.¡± Nancy peered at Kathleen. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s a disadvantage to be too capable, Kathleen.¡± Kathleen knew what Nancy was trying to say. ¡°Alright, I get it.¡± ¡°Rest well. I¡¯ll go back to my room to review the script. Call me if you need anything.¡± Nancy patted her shoulder. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Only then did Nancy leave. After drinking some soup, Kathleen regained some energy and continued lying on the bed. At that moment, her phone rang. It was a message from Samuel. Samuel: The script. Kathleen: Got it. Samuel: Are you feeling better? Kathleen: Thanks for your concern. Samuel: If you feel ufortable, go to the hospital. I can fetch you. Kathleen: There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m going to sleep for a while, so don¡¯t disturb me. Samuel: Okay. Go and sleep. Indeed, he didn¡¯t disturb her anymore, and she quickly fell asleep. When Kathleen woke up, she felt something warm and moist on her cheek. Raising her hand, she touched a warm hand. She quickly opened her eyes. ¡°Chris?¡± Christopher was wiping her face with a warm towel. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Feeling awkward, Kathleen said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± She grabbed the towel. Not stopping her, Christopher exined, ¡°I came to visit you because I felt worried. Noticing that your fever seems quite serious, I put a cooling patch on you. I was about to wipe your face when you woke up.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I suddenly got a fever.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been overseas for a year, where it¡¯s humid. The winter at Jadeborough is so cold. It¡¯s normal that you can¡¯t take it,¡± said Christopher with a smile. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Looks like I need to train more.¡± Christopher grinned. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Running!¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°I can¡¯t continue being like this.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll run with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feel bad.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t like to trouble others. Christopher grinned brightly. ¡°I like it when you trouble me.¡± Kathleen felt embarrassed. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. ¡°I¡¯ming in, Christopher.¡± Astrid¡¯s voice sounded from outside as she pushed the door open and entered. She looked like she had put in a lot of effort in dressing up. Although it was so cold, she didn¡¯t wear anything warm at all. Instead, she wore a long-sleeved dress with her hair tied up. A pair of red earrings dangled from her ears. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Kathleen. Are you feeling better?¡± Astrid pretended to be concerned. Kathleen replied nonchntly, ¡°Thanks for your concern.¡± ¡°Are you still angry at me, Kathleen?¡± Astrid sat beside her. She thought that she would look more beautiful inparison to Kathleen¡¯s sicklyplexion. However, to others, Kathleen would win. She had a naturally vulnerable and fragile demeanor¡ªone couldn¡¯t help but wish to dote on her. ¡°Chris, I want to rest well. Go chat with her outside,¡± said Kathleen calmly. Astrid came here just for Christopher, didn¡¯t she? I know very well. ¡°Chris, we should let her¡­¡± said Astrid. This is a rare opportunity. ¡°I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡± Christopher then shot a nce at Astrid. ¡°Go out.¡± Astrid was speechless. Meanwhile, Christophery Kathleen on the bed and tucked her in. Astrid stood there motionlessly. ¡°Do you need me to send you out?¡± demanded Christopher emotionlessly. Feeling awkward, Astrid stood up and walked out. Kathleen shot a meaningful look at Christopher. ¡°Chris, she likes you.¡± Christopher was stunned. ¡°I know. I¡¯ll tell her to stop having ridiculous thoughts. Don¡¯t overthink.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m saying that she really likes you. She¡¯s targeting me because she wants me to back off,¡± she exined. ¡°But I don¡¯t like her.¡± Christopher stared into Kathleen¡¯s watery eyes. ¡°I like you.¡± After a slight pause, Kathleen interlocked her fingers and said, ¡°Chris, I¡­¡± ¡°Kate, I won¡¯tmit the same mistake as Samuel. Just like you, I like a pure rtionship. I don¡¯t have a first crush, nor do I have a childhood friend. All I want is you.¡± Christopher¡¯s voice was gentle and firm. Kathleen¡¯s heart beat rapidly. She knew that Christopher liked her. Over the past year, he had hinted at it as well. However, this was the first time that he was confessing to her so solemnly. Feeling anxious, Kathleen bit her lips and said dazedly, ¡°Chris, how should I say this to you? I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but I don¡¯t want to be in a rtionship now, nor do I want to think about marriage. I¡¯ve been hurt so badly that my heart is still bleeding. I don¡¯t want to hide anything from you. I fear that my scars can never heal. Even if you like me, I might not be able to reciprocate your feelings. I¡¯ll feel very apologetic.¡± Christopher held her hands and smiled. ¡°Why are you thinking about so many things?¡± Kathleen frowned. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you have to be together with me right now, right?¡± Christopher burst outughing. ¡°I¡¯m confessing to you because I want you to know that you don¡¯t need to feel burdened. Even if one day, I¡¯m not the man who¡¯d win your heart, I¡¯ll still wish you all the best. To me, you¡¯re the most important.¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Listening to Christopher¡¯s words, Kathleen felt touched. However, she thought she was being too arrogant. She just couldn¡¯t feel the same way as he did. She tried to, but her heart didn¡¯t listen to her. Of course, she could tell that Christopher was indeed a good man. Perhaps it was because he was too good for Kathleen, so she didn¡¯t want to treat him that way. It was too cruel to Christopher. Christopher patted her head. ¡°Kate, don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯m not trying to force you. I¡¯m just worried you¡¯ll misunderstand my rtionship with Astrid. There¡¯s nothing going on between us, I promise. Even though we had an engagement in the past, we have only met a few times. Moreover, we canceled the engagement long ago.¡± Kathleen looked at him with overwhelmed emotions. ¡°Chris, thank you for making me feel safe.¡± Christopher smiled. ¡°Then sleep well with this sense of security.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded and shut her eyes. Christopher stared at her sleeping face. His lips curled up as his hand was still holding Kathleen¡¯s. She didn¡¯t push him away. Maybe Kathleen has some sort of feelings for me. It¡¯s just because she has been hurt in a rtionship before, so she has be extra careful about love. That¡¯s why she¡¯s rejecting me again and again. It¡¯s okay. I can wait. I¡¯ll wait until the day shepletely lets go of the past. Outside the door, Samuel heard the conversation between them in the room, and his gaze darkened. He left while carrying the things in his hand. John looked at him, bewildered. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± he called tentatively. ¡°Give this to Kathleen.¡± After Samuel passed the things in his hand to John, he turned and walked away. John gazed at the things in his hand and slightly frowned. Samuel drove alone and headed to the seaside. When he reached, he got off the car. He was smoking a cigarette as the chilly sea breeze blew at him. He told himself to stay calm and rational. Christopher¡¯s confession was nothing since Kathleen didn¡¯t ept it. Nheless, Samuel knew that Kathleen¡¯s heart had wavered. Christopher was better than Samuel in many aspects. When there was a misunderstanding, Christopher would exin it to Kathleen to give her a sense of security. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. At that, Samuel had lost to him. Kathleen resisted Samuel so much that he had to force every chance to get close to her. I¡¯m not a part of Kathleen¡¯s world anymore. Not anymore¡­ Cough! Cough! Samuel began to cough, and Tyson quickly came to him. ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± shouted Tyson. He immediately dropped a coat over Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari, please stop torturing yourself like this. Your body can¡¯t take it,¡± he said worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Samuel replied indifferently. ¡°Mr. Macari, I know you¡¯re desperate to pursue Mrs. Macari¡¯s heart. However, if your body is worn out, Christopher will win without a fight!¡± Tyson added. ¡°Tyson, if I¡¯m dead, do you think Kathleen will feel sad for me? Yearster, will she remember me?¡± Samuel asked in a low and husky voice. ¡°Mr. Macari, you won¡¯t die,¡± answered Tyson, feeling bitter in his heart. Tyson knew Samuel was heartbroken and regretted everything he had done in the past. However, Kathleen was deeply hurt too. Nothing could be changed unless they could travel back in time. He genuinely hoped that Kathleen and Samuel could be happy. ¡°She won¡¯t remember me, will she? Perhaps she would feel pleased and satisfied,¡± said Samuel, his voice croaked. He continued, ¡°Tyson, I like her so much. I really¡­¡± Before he could finish, Samuel copsed into Tyson¡¯s arms. ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± Tyson panicked. What should I do? At midnight, when Kathleen woke up, Christopher had gone home. She was still feeling unwell. After getting off her bed, she changed her clothes, wore her hat and mask, and left her residential ce alone. She wanted to go to the hospital but didn¡¯t wish to trouble anyone. Therefore, she called a cab and came to the hospital. When she arrived, she walked to the counter for registration. Just then, Tyson, who had just sent Samuel to the hospital, stepped out of the elevator. He was stunned when he saw Kathleen. ¡°Ms. Johnson? It¡¯s really you!¡± Tyson called as he walked toward Kathleen. Kathleen¡¯s watery eyes were slightly red due to her fever. ¡°Mr. Hackney?¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, what¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Tyson in concern. ¡°I have a fever. It seems a bit serious, so I thought I shoulde to a doctor,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait here. I¡¯ll bring you to the doctor. This way,¡± said Tyson enthusiastically. Kathleen hesitated. Tyson added awkwardly, ¡°Ms. Johnson, you can¡¯t see me the wrong way just because I¡¯m Mr. Macari¡¯s assistant, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Thank you for your help,¡± she apologized. After all, when she faced problems in the past, it was Tyson who helped her. She believed that his personality was trustable. Tyson led Kathleen to the doctor. The doctor was a very young man who looked 28 or 29 years old, around the same age as Samuel. ¡°My name is Richard Zimmer,¡± The man introduced himself. Kathleen blinked. ¡°Oh, nice to meet you, Dr. Zimmer.¡± Richard gave a faint smile. ¡°Your body temperature now is 39 degrees Celsius. You have to be hospitalized.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°It¡¯s you who have a fever, Ms. Johnson. Are you feeling dizzy because of the fever?¡± He continued to smile. ¡°I am indeed feeling sick.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Richard said, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange your stay in the hospital and then set up the IV drip for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Ms. Johnson, as you might be aware, most hospitals in Jadeborough are short of beds at the moment. We might not be able to allocate a better ward for you, and you¡¯re possibly going to share a room with another person. Is that okay?¡± asked Richard. Kathleen felt her head be heavier as she answered, ¡°Anything will do. I¡¯m going to leave after getting the IV drip, so¡­¡± She fainted before finishing her words. Fortunately, Tyson caught her. He nced at Richard and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call the production team. The production team probably doesn¡¯t know that she came out alone.¡± Richard nodded in response. When Kathleen opened her eyes again, she saw the ceiling and knew she was in the hospital. ¡°Kate, are you awake?¡± Wynnie¡¯s voice rang. Kathleen was stunned. She looked sideways, and Wynnie came into sight. ¡°Mrs. Macari, why are you here?¡± Who has informed her that I¡¯m in the hospital? ¡°We came to visit Samuel and were surprised to find you here too.¡± Wynnie touched her face and continued, ¡°It¡¯s still a little hot. You shouldy back down. Do you want to drink water?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°You¡¯re here to see Samuel? Is he also hospitalized?¡± However, how did they find me here? What does that have to do with Samuel being hospitalized? Wynnie pointed at the bed beside hers. ¡°He¡¯s right there.¡± Kathleen was utterly dumbfounded. As she looked over, Samuel was in the bed next to hers. He was getting an IV drip as well but was still unconscious. What¡¯s going on? Why am I in the same ward with Samuel? ¡°I¡¯ve asked the doctor. He said the wards in the hospital are inadequate, so this VIP ward has been changed into a double room. This is thest ward, so he made you share this room with Samuel,¡± Wynnie exined. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Why is Samuel staying at the hospital?¡± ¡°Gastroenteritis. It¡¯s his old illness and urs a lot of times. He has be a regr of the hospital,¡± Wynnie replied. Kathleen asked after a slight pause, ¡°I remember he didn¡¯t have this before, did he?¡± ¡°It started this year,¡± Wynnie answered in an unfathomable tone. Kathleen assumed that it was because he had put too much effort into his work. ¡°Your brother is on his way here. You should get some rest,¡± said Wynnie gently. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Kathleen nodded in acknowledgement. It wasn¡¯t long before Richard arrived in the hospital room. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ms. Johnson. You barely avoided a lung infection caused by dehydration. I¡¯d suggest you stay put for two more days for observation, just to be safe.¡± ¡°Is it mandatory?¡± Kathleen questioned with a grimace. ¡°But of course. You wouldn¡¯t want to deal withplications from the flu,¡± Richard answered sternly in a tone that warranted no objection. ¡°Rest well.¡± He then turned to address Wynnie and Calvin who were at the corner. ¡°Were either one of you aware of his eating habits? My diagnosis shows that his gastroenteritis was caused by irregr eating schedules.¡± Wynnie wrung her hands in concern. ¡°You know how stubborn he can be.¡± ¡°That boy is digging his own grave if he continues neglecting his health,¡± Richard announced baldly while Wynnie continued studying her son¡¯s sickly pale features. It was at that moment that Tyson strode into the room. ¡°Tyson, has Samuel been eating at all recently?¡± Wynnie questioned hurriedly. ¡°But of course. However, the food prepared was not up to his standard, insomuch that he barely consumed several morsels out of each meal. I tried convincing him but to no avail.¡± ¡°How is he such a picky eater?¡± Wynnie eximed in exasperation. ¡°I remember Mr. Macari enjoying the meal prepared by Ms. Johnsonst time. He finished eating it.¡± Tyson darted a meaningful nce toward Samuel. Wynnie crossed her arms. ¡°Kathleen won¡¯t always be around at his beck and call. He can jolly well learn to care for himself.¡± Kathleen flushed at the sudden turn of events. She recalled the time hepletely devoured the in oatmeal she prepared and felt an inexplicable surge of sympathy for Samuel. Just then, Samuel began to stir, his eyes opening groggily. Wynnie rushed toward her son. ¡°Are you feeling any better? With the way you¡¯re treating your body right now, you might as well be nning for an early death!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, all right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn as a mule. Is eating such a harrowing ordeal? I wouldn¡¯t have given birth to you if I¡¯d known you¡¯d turn out this way!¡± Wynnie¡¯s anger was irrepressible. Samuel chose to remain silent but discreetly directed a knife-sharp re at Tyson. God knows why you contacted Mom! Tyson wiped the cold sweat from his brow. What a way of showing your appreciation. You wouldn¡¯t be staying in the same room as your wife right now if not for my quick thinking. ¡°Suit yourself! I couldn¡¯t care less if you were to ruin yourself,¡± Wynnie huffed as she stalked out of the room. ¡°Darling, wait up!¡± trailed Calvin as he hurried after his wife without a care in the world for Samuel. Tyson was about to speak up when Samuel cut him off. ¡°You should leave too. I need some space to clear my head,¡± Samuel uttered while shutting his eyes, signaling the end of their conversation. Tyson cocked his brows in question at Kathleen. It was only when she waved him on that Tyson finally departed from the room. Samuel sucked in a breath and let his eyes wander over the stark ceiling, deep in thought. Kathleen¡¯s voice disrupted his ruminations. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you eating on time?¡± Samuel looked askance at the petite woman, who was also dressed in a hospital gown, sitting at the edge of her bed. ¡°Dr. Zimmer imed that this rooming arrangement was because the hospital was full, though I doubt the veracity of it,¡± said Kathleen. Samuel¡¯s mind was churning with a sea of roiling thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea.¡± Am I dreaming? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to this if I¡¯d known.¡± It was Kathleen¡¯s turn to stare at the ceiling. ¡°Your parents were worried sick. Couldn¡¯t you at least try to ay their fears by taking good care of yourself?¡± ¡°What happened to you?¡± asked Samuel instead of answering her question. ¡°I had a really high fever.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Samuel dipped his head. It still felt like he was dreaming. He reached for his phone and tapped on the message notifications that were popping up. Richard wrote: No need to thank me, Samuel. This was all Tyson¡¯s idea. Richard had no ns of incurring the wrath of Samuel, hence he chose to ce the me on Tyson the scapegoat. Samuel put down his phone and collected himself. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I suppose so. But I still have to remain admitted for two more days just in case.¡± Two days? Doesn¡¯t this mean we¡¯d both be¡­ Samuel¡¯s heart dropped. The buzz of activity at their doorstep turned out to be the appearance of Charles. He strode in and gave Samuel a dirty look. ¡°I must have mistaken your room for another, my apologies.¡± ¡°What are you doing here, Charles?¡± ¡°I could ask you that myself,¡± said Charles in bewilderment as his eyes darted between Samuel and Kathleen. ¡°I know what this looks like, but I swear it¡¯s not what you think. This peculiar situation was entirely coincidental. The hospital was out of avable rooms, so we had topromise,¡± Kathleen borated. ¡°Really?¡± Charles eyed Samuel dubiously. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I was unconscious all this while and had just woken shortly before your arrival.¡± Charles was unconvinced. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I can testify to that. He was truly left in the dark just like myself.¡± Charles couldn¡¯t stand the thought of his sister staying with that abominable man. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for you to switch rooms right this instant. If there still aren¡¯t any avable, we¡¯ll file for a transfer to another hospital.¡± ¡°The doctor advised against moving around too often due to my pneumonia,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°That sounds serious.¡± Charles held his palm against Kathleen¡¯s forehead. ¡°That production team be damned. Their entire team should be dismissed for such negligence!¡± Kathleen held on to her brother¡¯s hand and said soothingly, ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± Charles was drowning in guilt. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, dear sister. It¡¯s my fault for not having taken care of you well enough. That¡¯s it. We¡¯ll be withdrawing from the show. I¡¯ll cover the penalty for breaking the contract, so don¡¯t you worry.¡± ¡°Get ahold of yourself. With the state I¡¯m in, I¡¯m not fit for work. You¡¯d have to make arrangements with the production team to search for a recement.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± Charles ruffled Kathleen¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°Rest well and recuperate after you¡¯re discharged. I¡¯ll handle the new script for the production.¡± ¡°Actually¡­ I sort of agreed to star in the show Samuel invested in,¡± muttered Kathleen sheepishly. Charles¡¯ jaw dropped. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re kidding.¡± ¡°Come on, Charles. Samuel invested his time and money in this. All I have to do is film. There¡¯s a cut out of the remuneration to boot.¡± ¡°Our household is far better off than you think.¡± Charles side-eyed Samuel. ¡°How much was it exactly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need the money,¡± Samuel replied stonily. ¡°Stop coveting my sister! If it¡¯s revealed that you intentionally arranged all this, your days are numbered,¡± Charles barked. ¡°I honestly have no clue what¡¯s going on right now,¡± Samuel replied. Hmph! Charles averted his gaze back to Kathleen and handed her a lunchbox. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you my signature oatmeal. Eat it while it¡¯s still warm.¡± ¡°Thank you! I¡¯m absolutely famished.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I knew you¡¯d love it. There¡¯s also your favorite Ratatouille for when you¡¯re done with that.¡± Charles smiled tenderly at Kathleen. Kathleen felt like a child opening presents on Christmas day. Samuel gazed thoughtfully at Kathleen. Her gentleness was truly the result of her tender and loving upbringing. ¡°Do you happen to have more of this?¡± Kathleen nced over at Samuel and wondered out loud while savoring Charles¡¯ cooking. ¡°This is all I¡¯ve got.¡± Charles stared suspiciously at her. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s more in that bag over there,¡± Kathleen coaxed. ¡°What are you nning?¡± Charles¡¯ eyes narrowed in question. ¡°Why not make some for Samuel? We¡¯re roommates after all¡­¡± ¡°As if!¡± Charles folded his arms and refused to look Kathleen in the eye. Over my dead body! ¡°Only my brother-inw is worthy of this. Who exactly is he, pray tell?¡± Charles remarked disdainfully. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Rolling her eyes at Charles, Kathleen didn¡¯t say anything else as she ate her oatmeal quietly. Upon seeing that, Charles disyed a satisfied smile. Samuel fixed his gaze on Kathleen, and his lips curled into a smile. Charles blocked Samuel¡¯s sight and waited for him with a grin. Samuel wasn¡¯t bothered with him because he was Kathleen¡¯s elder brother. He was determined not to do anything to make Kathleen hate him anymore. ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± Just then, Tyson came back with a lot of stuff. Kathleen shifted her gaze toward him. Tyson was carrying a load of clean clothes, some meals, and arge stack of documents in his hands. Seeing that scene, Kathleen was rendered speechless. He¡¯s out of his mind. Even now, he¡¯s still thinking about work. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve brought your stuff for you,¡± Tyson uttered faintly. He was worried that no one would take care of Samuel. ¡°Okay. Thanks,¡± Samuel responded gently. At that moment, Tyson¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Since when did Mr. Macari be so polite? Something must be off! ¡°Mr. Macari, Sebastian knows that Ms. Johnson is here. Hence, he asked me to prepare another portion for her,¡± Tyson added. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not that petty.¡± Charles felt like he was mocked. Putting the stuff down, Tyson carried up a pink bag and smiled. ¡°Ms. Johnson, here¡¯s some stew that Sebastian asked me to bring for you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kathleen responded with gratitude. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll like it.¡± Tyson put the pink bag down. ¡°There¡¯re some other snacks inside too.¡± Upon saying that, he retreated to Samuel¡¯s side and started preparing food for thetter. Kathleen ate some oatmeal and then stopped. Right away, Charles took out a small cake. ¡°There are strawberry vor and yellow peach vor.¡± ¡°Thanks, Charles.¡± Kathleen smiled meekly like a cat. Charles smiled in response. I have only one sister. Of course, I¡¯ll pamper her. Samuel took a nce at them. As a matter of fact, he never knew that Kathleen liked to eat those stuff. Charles took care of her for a while, and soon the visit time came to an end. Charles had no choice but to leave. Tyson had to leave as well. Furrowing his brows, Charles stared at Kathleen with concern while whispering, ¡°If this man does anything to you at night, just scream. If you have no choice, you can smash him with stuff as well.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes. ¡°Charles, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± After all, Samuel is a prideful man. He won¡¯t try to conquer a woman with such methods. ¡°You have no idea at all.¡± Charles stared at her with aplicated look. ¡°Anyway, just remember what I said. I¡¯ve set up an emergency contact on your phone. If you encounter anything, just press on it, and the information will be sent to my phone. Then, I wille over immediately.¡± ¡°All right. I got it.¡± Kathleen brushed him off. Charles poked her forehead gently. ¡°I¡¯lle again first thing tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen looked at him faintly. Charles couldn¡¯tprehend why Kathleen trusted Samuel so much. In his eyes, Samuel seemed like a man who would do anything to achieve his goal. Charles could see that thetter was confident about winning Kathleen¡¯s heart. That was why he was so concerned that Kathleen might fall for him. At that moment, Kathleen cast a helpless look at Charles. Why does he not trust me at all? Do I look like I¡¯m still into Samuel like before? She couldn¡¯t wrap her head around what made Charles so worried. After Charles and Tyson left, the ward fell into an awkward silence. Kathleen grabbed her ss and drank the water quietly. She looked utterly adorable. Just then, Samuel uttered faintly, ¡°I might go to sleepte, so I need to keep the bed light on. Would you mind that?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not sleepy either. I want to read through some scripts.¡± ¡°Okay. Tell me if you mind.¡± Samuel picked up the documents. Meanwhile, Kathleen took her tablet and started reading the script. The script was sent by Remy to her via WhatsApp, and there was only one-third of it. Kathleen fell in love with the y after only reading the beginning. It was a y about a female assassin. The female assassin was an orphan, and she was adopted by her master, who honed her into a first- ss murderous and ruthless assassin. He even named her Assassin. Until one time, she lost her memory on a mission and met a schr. The schr changed her name to Foxy, as her eyes were as charming as a fox. The two fell in love secretly, and the female assassin was gradually regaining her memory. One day, the master of the female assassin appeared and exposed the schr¡¯s identity. It turned out thetter was the target whom the female assassin was supposed to kill, whose real identity was the prince. The prince used the female assassin to lure her master so that he could capture them in one go. Only then did the female assassin realize that she was trapped not in the prince¡¯s love but in his conspiracy. She told the prince that she was pregnant, hoping thetter could spare her and her master¡¯s life. Yet, the prince was merciless. He said that as long as she was obedient, she would be a concubine in the future. Overwhelmed with disappointment, the female assassin picked up her sword again to rescue her master and his disciples. The prince made a move and stopped her. With that, the two were entangled in a battle. Her master took the opportunity to sneak up on the prince. She rushed to the front of the prince, and the de pierced through her. The prince was left in awe. Seeing that the assassination failed, her master immediately fled with the people. Hugging the female assassin in his embrace, the prince eventually cried. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The female assassin asked him if he had ever loved her without any scheme. The prince nodded. As such, the female assassin died in the prince¡¯s embrace without any regret. After Kathleen finished reading the outline of the story, tears welled up in her eyes. A ruthless killing machine finally had some feelings. Even if it were just a little bit, she would hold onto it tightly like a light in the darkness. Unfortunately, light couldn¡¯t be grabbed. Kathleen was once a foolish girl who tried to chase the light. In the end, she discovered that the light wasn¡¯t shining on her but on someone else. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Just then, someone passed her a tissue. Stunned momentarily, Kathleen cast a side nce at Samuel. ¡°The y is too touching.¡± Taking the tissue, she wiped her tears off her face. Samuel smiled slightly. ¡°As long as you like it.¡± ¡°I like it very much,¡± Kathleen uttered. Samuel¡¯s gaze seemed extremely gentle. ¡°Your eyes will ache if you cry again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Kathleen put her hand down. Samuel paused for a while. ¡°Did you hate me?¡± Kathleen was dumbstruck by his question. ¡°Did you hate me in these past three years?¡± Samuel asked again. Kathleen grabbed the nket. ¡°I did, but not anymore. It¡¯s over now.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you seek revenge on me?¡± Samuel asked in a low voice. ¡°You said that I was also the executioner.¡± ¡°I know myself well enough,¡± Kathleen answered truthfully. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to beat you. Anyway, you have been eliminated from my life. That¡¯s enough.¡± Since I can¡¯t defeat him, I might as well avoid him. ¡°If you have the chance, how would you revenge me?¡± Samuel showed utter curiosity. Kathleen hesitated for a while. ¡°Do we really need to have such a heavy conversation?¡± Samuel uttered indifferently, ¡°If I talk about other things, will you chat with me then?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we just stop talking then?¡± Kathleen was left speechless. ¡°But I want to talk with you.¡± Samuel stared at the ceiling. ¡°I want to hear your voice. I miss you so much this whole year after you left.¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Samuel knew how painful it was to miss somebody. It turns out that even thinking of someone hurts all over. His stomach twisted. It was the kind of pain that would spread to every limb before having them smashed by boulders. Despite the pain, he found that he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen fell silent. Samuel¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°Say something.¡± ¡°I have nothing to say to you,¡± she bluntly said as shey down. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a nap. Please carry on with your work.¡± Samuel studied Kathleen thoughtfully, trying to decide if she would be heartbroken or disgusted if he told her he had missed her. Judging by her expression, probably thetter. Meanwhile, Kathleen felt awful. Samuel hasn¡¯t changed. Why would he tell me this after a year? Does he think that I¡¯m foolish enough to change my mind just because he said that? I¡¯m no longer that girl who loved him wholeheartedly in the stupidity of my youth. Not anymore. Why didn¡¯t he treasure me when I did? Leaving him was the right choice. Samuel looked sideways at Kathleen, who had her back to him. She seemed to be asleep. He didn¡¯t bother her further. Instead, he turned off the light. The night suddenly became unbearably long. Kathleen woke up the following day in a daze. ¡°Good morning, Katie,¡± said Diana with a kind voice. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari?¡± Diana sat on the chair between the two beds as she reached out to stroke Kathleen¡¯s head. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Kathleen murmured demurely, like a small furry animal being caressed. ¡°I brought you something delicious.¡± Diana turned to Maria. ¡°Bring it over.¡± ¡°Yes, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Maria brought a hearty breakfast in her arms. Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°I got up at three this morning to whip up some mushroom soup with Maria. It¡¯s your favorite, isn¡¯t it?¡± Diana smiled kindly. Kathleen felt a pang of guilt. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, you really didn¡¯t have to go through all that trouble.¡± The lovely olddy really loves me. I can feel it. Diana beamed. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, dear. I¡¯m usually bored on weekdays, anyway. I¡¯m happy to cook you something nice. Now, be a good girl and have a taste.¡± ¡°Yes, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen nodded obediently before picking up a spoon and doing as instructed. ¡°It¡¯s so fresh!¡± She smiled so broadly that her eyes were reduced to slits. A warm, fuzzy feeling erupted in her heart. ¡°As long as you enjoy it, Katie.¡± Kathleen returned the olddy¡¯s smile with an embarrassed grin of her own. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Samuel looking at her and pursed her lips at once. Diana noticed what had caught her attention. ¡°Samuel had some of your soup before you woke up.¡± Kathleen looked over. ¡°I really did,¡± Samuel affirmed gently. Without a word, Kathleen turned her attention back to her meal. Diana gazed at her grandson. ¡°I did some digging of my own. What happened with the ward this time really wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± Samuel was struck dumb. I¡¯m really not as dirty as she thinks I am! Kathleen was surprised to discover that Diana didn¡¯t believe Samuel either. ¡°I heard that a ward is being vacated this afternoon,¡± Diana announced. ¡°I have already arranged for Katie to move in.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Samuel nodded and didn¡¯t voice his disapproval. Kathleen stared at Diana thoughtfully beforemencing her meal. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Katie,¡± Diana crooned as she stroked Kathleen¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯d said before that I¡¯ll treat you like my granddaughter, which is naturally better than how I treat Samuel.¡± Kathleen was moved to find out that Diana didn¡¯t intend to bring them back together. Samuel, on the other hand, remained silent. Soon, the ward next door was vacated, and Kathleen moved in. After sending Maria to help Kathleen settle in, Diana turned to look at Samuel. ¡°Katie and Christopher are quitepatible, you know.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t deign to answer her. ¡°You have already missed your chance with Katie,¡± Dianamented. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work with her no matter how hard you force things. The sacrifice of Katie¡¯s parents has given me several additional decades of life. Moving forward, I¡¯ll only act in her best interests.¡± ¡°I do care for her, Grandma,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Oh, Sammie.¡± Diana hasn¡¯t addressed Samuel like that for a long time. As soon as Samuel was old enough, she addressed him by his actual name. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stop you if Katie hadn¡¯t left,¡± Diana said earnestly. ¡°You and Christopher had each pursued Katie to the best of your abilities. Though it was fair game back then, I now know what Katie needs. I can¡¯t control your obsession with that girl from the Yoeger family, but Katie can no longer suffer the indignities of being a scorned woman, do you understand?¡± ¡°Nicolette and I broke things off a long time ago, Grandma,¡± Samuel said coldly. Diana was displeased. ¡°Why would you still keep her around if there¡¯s nothing between the two of you? Who are you lying to? Everyone in Jadeborough knows that you have her well-fed in a vi somewhere. Do you think Katie wouldn¡¯t find out about it? She¡¯ll only hate you more when she hears it. You just had to stand before her without a shred of guilt, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re lucky that she¡¯s too mild- mannered to put you in your ce.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just rumors.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was icy. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rify them, then?¡± Diana retorted. ¡°Even if Katie¡¯s no longer with you, you shouldn¡¯t let her be tormented by this falsehood.¡± Samuel gazed at his grandmother calmly. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon whether or not I rified matters, Grandma.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always like this!¡± Diana burst out angrily. ¡°How does the Macari family end up with a freak like you? Not only do you have abysmal taste in women, but you don¡¯t care about the women who love you!¡± I do care about Kathleen. Diana stood up. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m done trying to talk sense into you. You leave that poor girl alone, you hear me? Also, did you bring Astrid back?¡± Samuel remained silent. Diana sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve been underestimating my grandson this entire time. Contest openly against Christopher if you dare, but don¡¯t resort to such petty tricks when you¡¯re falling behind. I never thought you would be capable of such a despicable thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say, Grandma,¡± Samuel said lightly. ¡°Hmph!¡± Diana scoffed in her anger. ¡°Just you try to hurt Katie again. I¡¯ll disown you!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I won¡¯t let her get hurt anyway.¡± If she gets hurt, I¡¯ll be sadder than anybody else. Diana turned and left him alone in the ward. Tyson entered a littleter and said in surprise, ¡°Mr. Macari, has Mrs. Macari moved?¡± Samuel regarded his assistant impassively. ¡°Tell the finance department that you¡¯ll be given a year-end bonus of a hundred thousand.¡± Tyson froze. ¡°Mr. Macari, what did I do wrong?¡± Why would there be a reward for me out of nowhere? ¡°You did nothing wrong,¡± Samuel replied as he picked up the documents. ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied with the arrangements you¡¯ve made.¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Tyson heaved a sigh of relief. Mr. Macari isn¡¯t being sarcastic today, after all. ¡°Have Vanessa¡¯s people gone to the vi?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°She did send some scouts to gather information,¡± Tyson reported. ¡°In response, I had sent our defense the items ording to your instructions, Mr. Macari. They should make a move tonight.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Samuel said calmly. ¡°Let them make the first move tonight. If they decide to attack, we¡¯ll just send them a message. There¡¯s no need to overdo it.¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on at Yoeger Group?¡± Samuel asked next. ¡°Nothing much.¡± Tyson hesitated for a while before adding, ¡°I heard that Yareli has returned to the country. Apparently, she¡¯d gotten a divorce from the son of the Yates family.¡± Samuel chuckled grimly. ¡°She left Joel Yates?¡± Tyson nodded in response. ¡°The Yoegers are an ungrateful bunch,¡± Samuel said scornfully. ¡°Contact Joel and extend an offer to a partnership on my behalf. I can help him achieve revenge.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Consider it done.¡± Tyson nodded again. ¡°Return to the office with these documents,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about everything else tonight.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari.¡± Tyson held the thick stack of documents against his chest and turned to exit the room. Upon passing the ward next door and noticing the ajar door, he nced inside to discover, to his astonishment, that Kathleen had settled down and that Christopher had arrived. The way Old Mrs. Macari treats them really blurs the distinction between which one is her grandson and which one isn¡¯t. Having Kathleen move out might be her way of giving Kathleen and Christopher a chance to spend time together. If so, Samuel might lose miserably. As his assistant, I should think of something. ¡°What are you looking at, Tyson?¡± Diana nced sideways at him. ¡°Nothing, Mrs. Macari,¡± Tyson mumbled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned for Ms. Johnson. See you around, Ms. Johnson.¡± Kathleen gazed at Tyson as he turned around and left. Diana frowned. ¡°The people around Samuel sure are weird.¡± ¡°Tyson isn¡¯t malicious, Old Mrs. Macari,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Whenever Samuel couldn¡¯t keep me company, he would always send Tyson.¡± ¡°That kid has plenty of money to throw about. You don¡¯t have much to thank him for,¡± Diana consoled her. ¡°No matter what they say, Katie, don¡¯t feel the need to take it all upon yourself. You don¡¯t need to be responsible for the lives of others. Your life should be the only one that matters. Take charge of your own life, will you?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I understand, Old Mrs. Macari. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never put myself in that position again.¡± I¡¯m not that pushover I used to be. ¡°Good. Now that Christopher is here, I¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡± Diana stood up and smiled meaningfully. ¡°Christopher, take good care of Katie for me.¡± Christopher nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Diana left with Maria and entered the elevator. ¡°Do you think Ms. Johnson and Christopher would be better together, Madam?¡± Maria asked while helping the older woman in. ¡°What do you think?¡± Diana was curious. ¡°I don¡¯t have an opinion,¡± Maria said abashedly. ¡°Having lived with Ms. Johnson for a while and after getting to know her better, it seems to me that she treats Christopher like a friend and nothing more.¡± ¡°That hardly matters,¡± Diana said earnestly. ¡°Romance will blossom as long as friendship is established. I¡¯m only afraid that the pain that Katie had suffered may take more than a lifetime to heal.¡± Maria understood Diana¡¯s worries. ¡°If Ms. Johnson does marry Christopher, what will be of Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°He deserves it,¡± Diana said fiercely. ¡°Didn¡¯t Katie give him a chance back then? Instead of seizing it, he squandered it and caused things to get out of hand as they have.¡± Maria didn¡¯t know what to say to cate the olddy. ¡°I won¡¯t stop Katie if she wants to be with Christopher,¡± Diana continued with a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll even treat her like my own granddaughter. Samuel¡¯ll never know how much he owes Kathleen.¡± He¡¯d just missed his chance of being with a woman who loved him to such a degree. Christopher was looking at Kathleen meaningfully back at the ward after the two women departed. ¡°I should¡¯vee to see youst night, but my grandpa needed to be taken to the hospital as he wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡± However, it was at a different hospital that Christopher had spent his night. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Kathleen shook her head gently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Old Mr. Morris. Don¡¯t worry about it. You were just fulfilling your duty as a grandson. I¡¯ll shake off this fever soon enough.¡± Christopher looked at her calmly. ¡°I heard you and Samuel were in the same wardst night.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°The hospital told us that they were out of empty rooms. Even this ward had been arranged by Grandma. Fortunately, I won¡¯t have to stay much longer.¡± Christopher gazed at her meaningfully. ¡°You don¡¯t even suspect that Samuel did this on purpose?¡± Kathleen blinked. ¡°Is he capable of something that shameless?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know him well enough,¡± Christopher said enigmatically. ¡°He found Astrid, you know.¡± Kathleen frowned at the news. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Astrid told me personally.¡± Christopher met her clear eyes. ¡°She told me that there was some problem with her family¡¯s business and that Samuel agreed to help her on the condition that she came back to pester me.¡± Kathleen was speechless with shock. How could Samuel do something that awful? ¡°My rtionship with Astrid was made clear a few years ago,¡± Christopher exined. ¡°We are only friends now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin, Christopher. Ipletely understand,¡± Kathleen said at once. ¡°Though Astrid has feelings for you, you don¡¯t feel the same way.¡± ¡°I have rejected her as clearly as I can.¡± Christopher looked at Kathleen seriously. ¡°In fact, I told her quite inly thest time I visited you that I would have my assistant handle her pleas for my help. Rest assured, I¡¯ll never have any contact with her.¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Why are you so nervous, Christopher? Do I frighten you?¡± Christopher scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m worried that you might misunderstand. I don¡¯t want you to feel insecure.¡± Kathleen froze for a moment. ¡°Thank you, Christopher.¡± Her voice was soft. ¡°But you¡¯ll miss a lot of great girls by being hung up on me.¡± Though Astrid made things difficult for her, Kathleen could tell that the former really liked him. ¡°It¡¯s better to reject someone outright rather than keep them hopeful, don¡¯t you think?¡± Christopher said after thinking about it. ¡°I refused Astrid so she wouldn¡¯t waste her time with me and find her happiness instead.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°You can reject me if you don¡¯t feel the same way, of course,¡± Christopher continued. ¡°I don¡¯t have anybody at the moment. I won¡¯t go out and have a rebound just because you turned me down. I¡¯ll reject everybody else and wait for you in case you change your mind. Do you understand?¡± Kathleen froze, not quite knowing what to say. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Christopher¡¯s gaze upon Kathleen was disquietingly intense. Her heart pounded as she heard his words. Despite being married, Kathleen had never been in a real rtionship. She was always the one running after Samuel, who treated her in much the same way as he always did. Now that there¡¯s a man who¡¯d confessed his feelings in such a bold and romantic manner, how am I not feeling a thing? Kathleen struggled to understand her inner turmoil. Christopher was gentle about it. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you into anything, Kathleen. I just needed to tell you what¡¯s in my heart. I won¡¯t be upset no matter what you choose in the end.¡± Kathleen returned Christopher¡¯s gaze. ¡°You make me look like such a horrible person.¡± Christopher grinned crookedly. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Though you did reject me and have never been intimate with me, at least you¡¯ve never toyed with my feelings. Do what you need to do to heal at your own pace, Kathleen. I¡¯ll always be here waiting for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as perfect as you make me out to be,¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°I was married.¡± Christopher was puzzled. ¡°So what if you were married? Don¡¯t you deserve to live a blissful life?¡± Kathleen bit her lip, not knowing what to say. Christopher smiled kindly. ¡°Be kinder to yourself, Kathleen. Don¡¯t shackle yourself to such an extent.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Christopher smiled. Charles arrived with arge bouquet of roses in his hands at that moment. ¡°You¡¯re here, Charles!¡± Kathleen greeted her brother with a smile. ¡°Where did the flowerse from?¡± Charles stared at her by way of greeting. ¡°I got this for you for switching wards.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari made the arrangements,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari sure is a good woman,¡± Charles said gratefully. ¡°There aren¡¯t many old people like her anymore. I¡¯ll be sure to pay her a visit and thank her in person.¡± Kathleen shook her head helplessly as she held therge bouquet in her hands. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go to the Macari residence, Charles. You¡¯re going to quarrel with Samuel when you meet him. That¡¯ll make Grandma really sad.¡± ¡°Be good and stay away from him,¡± Charles coaxed. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have less of a chance to cross paths.¡± Kathleen was left even more speechless. ¡°I¡¯ve secured your refund from The Fantastic Restaurant,¡± Charles announced in exnation for his late arrival. ¡°There wasn¡¯t a problem as both parties have mutually terminated the contract.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Why are you worried about something like that?¡± Charles sat down and crossed his legs. ¡°We¡¯ll see if they dare put you through any more indignities!¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Christopher smiled. ¡°Mr. Johnson is right. With us by your side, nobody will dare wrong you again. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Kathleen sighed in resignation. Christopher and Charles left soon after that. Kathleen wasn¡¯t the only artist Charles had on his roster. As the entertainmentpany he was in charge of was one of the biggest in the country, he didn¡¯t have much time to spend with Kathleen. The same was true for Christopher. Since taking over Morris Group, he had been kept very busy. Therefore, the task of caring for Kathleen fell to Valerie. Kathleen was in the middle of reading a script when her phone vibrated with a notification. As it turned out, Nancy and the others formed a chat group without Astrid. Nancy was the first to text: Did you really quit, Kathleen? Kathleen: I did. My body can¡¯t take the strain anymore. Nancy: Hah! No wonder the production team suddenly changed their minds and announced that they were going to have three new artists over for the next few episodes. John: Doesn¡¯t this count as lying to the viewers? Kate has been recovering at a steady pace. Why are they making arrangements for her recements? Kathleen was embarrassed. Nancy: Well, the contract has been terminated anyway. Don¡¯t worry about anything here, all right? Just focus on getting better. I hope to see you soon on the show, Kathleen. Kathleen: I¡¯ll be there. John: I want to quit as well. I can¡¯t stand Astrid. Nancy: Not as ufortable as Steve is, I¡¯m sure. Steve conveyed his incredulity with a series of ellipses. Kathleen: What happened? John: Astrid pestered Steve today and forced him to tell them that you¡¯d quit the show because you hated the sight of her, not because of an illness. Steve ignored her. Kathleen frowned slightly. I¡¯m already out of the picture. What else does Astrid want? Nancy: Here¡¯s a juicy piece of gossip. Astrid had signed with a brokeragepany half a year ago with ns for her debut. Kathleen was surprised. Did Astrid n to debut as a reporter as early as half a year ago? However, Christopher had clearly told her that Astrid was found by Samuel. Half a year ago, she was still filming and had no ns to return. It would¡¯ve been impossible for Samuel to know in advance. Unless he had somehow foreseen that, which is also unlikely. What the hell¡¯s going on? John: I knew that everything was premeditated, given the hype around Kate. She must¡¯ve capitalized on that. Kathleen considered the implication of his words and sent a message to her brother: Charles, please check which agency Astrid had signed with. Then, she searched through the chat records in the group. Nancy: You have to be careful, Kathleen. She¡¯s not going to let you go even after you quit. With nothing to lose now, she¡¯ll drag you through the mud with her if it means getting back at you. Kathleen: I won¡¯t let her. Nancy: I¡¯m sure you know what¡¯s best for yourself. You¡¯ll be met with all sorts of trouble once this slug attaches herself to you. John: They¡¯re right, Kate. Have your fianc¨¦ deal with it if you can¡¯t. He was the one to have provoked her. Why should you have to deal with it? Nancy: Shut up, John. Kathleen: It¡¯s all right. I know John didn¡¯t mean it. Christopher exined to me that he and Astrid have nothing to do with each other. Steve: Have him make a statement that Astrid is a bigger troublemaker than Kylie. Don¡¯t forget to emphasize the fact that she has thick skin. Kathleen: Thanks for the reminder. I got it. Steve: Although our partnership had prematurely ended, I think we all got along very well over thest ten days. We¡¯ll keep in touch through this group if there¡¯s ever anything you guys need help with. John: Thank you. This is why I wanted to start the group. Kathleen: Alright. Nancy: That¡¯s what I thought too. Kathleen smiled slightly at the phone in her hand as her spirits lifted. Watching quietly from her corner, Valerie wondered who Kathleen was chatting with to make her smile like that. Could it be Christopher? He¡¯s pretty good for her. Handsome and soft-spoken, his refinement sets him apart from other men at very first nce. When Valerie arrived earlier, Christopher was in the middle of reminding her of several routines to keep throughout Kathleen¡¯s recovery. It was clear that Christopher really cared for Kathleen. Samuel had started victorious by having Kathleen¡¯s love to himself before hepletely lost it all. Feelings can¡¯t be forced to be had. Though Samuel had enlisted her help, Valerie strongly felt that Kathleen deserved to make her own choices. Despite originally intending to tell Samuel, Valerie quickly dismissed the notion. Kathleen and Nancy chatted a little longer before the headline of a startling piece of news grabbed her attention. ording to sources close to the Yoegers, Nicolette Yoeger had returned to her ancestral home at the time of reporting. How the Yoegers responded to the return of their illegitimate daughter remains to be seen. Kathleen¡¯s fingers clenched the phone tightly. Nicolette is back at the Yoeger residence. Why? Could Samuel have arranged for her return? Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Nicolette¡¯s return to the Yoeger family had nothing to do with Kathleen. She only wanted to find out about her mother¡¯s past and identity. That was all she wanted. That night, Kathleen tossed and turned and couldn¡¯t sleep. After all, Nicolette¡¯s existence perturbed her. Shouldn¡¯t Samuel be worried about Nicolette¡¯s safety to release her now? Won¡¯t he be scared that I would take revenge on her? Or is he confident about his capability to protect her? Right, perhaps he¡¯s that confident. However, Kathleen despised Nicolette for causing death to her two unborn children because of Nicolette¡¯s selfishness, only wanting to save herself. She didn¡¯t even let me off! However, Kathleen had never thought of killing Nicolette because it was illegal. If Nicolette were to provoke her, Kathleen wouldn¡¯t let her go. ncing at Valerie, who was sleeping on the couch, Kathleen didn¡¯t wake her up. Instead, she covered herself with a coat and walked toward the balcony to enjoy the breeze. In reality, she didn¡¯t know why she felt so conflicted. She had repeatedly told herself that it mattered nothing to her, even if Samuel liked Nicolette. However, bitter resentment and anger washed over her. Perhaps Samuel didn¡¯t even take my unborn children seriously. After all, he had never care of them. Hence, it¡¯s normal that he was unconcerned about it, but¡­ Kathleen lowered her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. My babies¡­ N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Why don¡¯t you know how to take care of your body?¡± Samuel¡¯s frosty voice rang out behind her. Kathleen was startled. Then, she turned around and looked at Samuel coldly before saying, ¡°It¡¯ste now. Why are you here?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Samuel took a step forward and looked down at her, a head shorter than himself, from high above. One year was neither long nor short. Kathleen wasn¡¯t as innocent and young as before and had adorably puffy cheeks back then. However, her delicate facial features grew sharper and more exquisite now. Moreover, her pair of sparkly eyes weren¡¯t seductive. Instead, they were crystal clear. ¡°I¡¯m here for some fresh air.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and continued, ¡°I¡¯m going back now.¡± With that, she walked past Samuel. The next instant, he grabbed at her wrist and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the wind,¡± Kathleen answered calmly. Samuel¡¯s voice became heavier as he said, ¡°You¡¯re lying to me.¡± Kathleen shoved his hand away and said in annoyance, ¡°You don¡¯t know me!¡± The next moment, Samuel immediately blocked her path and said in a husky voice, ¡°At least I can tell when you¡¯re telling lies.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Kathleen let out a self-deprecatingugh. ¡°Oh! You sure have sharp eyes, Mr. Macari! Then do you know why I want to lie to you?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened as he heard her words. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re trying to brush me off.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right! I¡¯m d that you know yourself well.¡± Kathleen sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯m brushing you off on purpose. Plus, I dislike you, and I hate you! I¡¯ve got nothing to do with you! So, can you leave me alone?¡± Samuel froze at that. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve asked you to spare me, haven¡¯t I?¡± A pang of painful sensation hit her head as she continued, ¡°Stop torturing me. Aren¡¯t you pestering me just to vent your anger, for I have dumped you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze fell. An unbearable feeling rose within him as he witnessed Kathleen break down before him. Then, he swallowed his pride and said apologetically, ¡°Kate, I¡¯m sorry. I really am.¡± ncing over at him, she saw his eyes were red. Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°Why do you have to keep pestering me, then? Do you want me to die?¡± After her voice fell, Samuel pulled her into his arms. The coats draped over their shoulders immediately fell onto the ground due to the impact. Hugging her tightly in his arms, he suddenly realized she was skinny and fragile. Panicked, Samuel exined, ¡°Katie, I never want you to die. Not for the world. I even wish I could die for you just because I want you to live happily.¡± Kathleen sniffed in his fresh body scent. With her reddened eyes, she said, ¡°Can you let me go? Stop bothering me, can you? I¡¯ll think of my babies whenever you appear before me. Do you know how it feels to have them slowly flowing out of my body? Do you understand how I feel?¡± Samuel¡¯s heart broke. He didn¡¯t know how tofort her. Moreover, he didn¡¯t know how to react to her abruptness. After all, what he said was pointless, and she wouldn¡¯t listen to him. Kathleen wasn¡¯t like this before this. Why? Could it be¡­ He kissed her hair with his thin lips. ¡°Nicolette¡¯s return to the Yoeger family has nothing to do with me.¡± Kathleen replied coldly, ¡°Why do you want to tell me this?¡± Samuel said huskily, ¡°The breaking news that you read was released by the Yoeger family. It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s been a year since I had anything to do with Nicolette. Now, there¡¯s nothing at all.¡± Kathleen pushed him away and smiled in despair. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that easy to fool?¡± Nicolette was staying in his ce before this, and everyone in Jadeborough knew about it. Hearing her response, Samuel fixed his eyes on hers and said, ¡°Why do I have to fool you? What¡¯s the point, then? Will you ept me even if I lie?¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that those you heard are only rumors in Jadeborough?¡± Samuel stared into her clear eyes before continuing, ¡°I had been waiting for you toe back. Then, I was pursuing you again. Do you think I would have anything to do with her again?¡± ¡°There¡¯s some fact to the rumors, anyway.¡± Then, she nced at Samuel solemnly and said, ¡°Would you dare to say that you¡¯re not protecting and taking care of her for an entire year?¡± Locking his gaze on her delicate and elegant face, Samuel responded, ¡°Yes. I took care of her for a year.¡± Kathleen remained indifferent. ¡°If you think locking her up in Spirit Vi is a form of taking care of her, I¡¯ll admit it,¡± Samuel said coldly. Confused, Kathleen asked, ¡°Spirit Vi?¡± Spirit Vi, the eeriest vi ording to everyone in Jadeborough? ¡°Impossible!¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t believe his words. ¡°You can¡¯t deceive me!¡± Samuel bent down and grabbed their coats from the floor. He covered his coat on Kathleen¡¯s body and said, ¡°Come to my ward. I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± Kathleen hesitated. Samuel took her hand in his and strode down the balcony. At the elevator, Kathleen retracted her hand and rubbed it on her clothes in disgust. Samuel huffed upon seeing that. What an immature girl! Shortly after that, they stepped out of the elevator after its door dinged open. Holding her hand in his, Samuel dragged her to his ward. Then, he handed over a tablet to her and said, ¡°It¡¯s the surveince footage in Spirit Vi for that year. Watch it yourself.¡± Kathleen hesitated before tapping on the video. The footage was thetest. Sitting on the bed, Nicolette shouted in exasperation, ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish me off, Samuel? Why do you have to torture me?¡± Her hair cascaded down her shoulder. She looked frail in a long white dress as if she was a ghost. ¡°You ask everyone to leave this vi at night! I¡¯m alone in the dark! You¡¯re a monster, a devil! Yes, it¡¯s no doubt that I¡¯ve used you, but I love you with all my heart! Why do you have to treat me like this? Why? I can give birth to our babies if you want it!¡± Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Kathleen¡¯s expression darkened after watching the video of Nicolette being hysterical. Is this real? No! It¡¯s impossible. She put down the tablet and said to Samuel, ¡°Previously, you¡¯ve deceived me with a fake video as well.¡± Thus, I won¡¯t fall for it again. Giving her a meaningful look, he said, ¡°That was before. But I swear that I have never hidden anything from you since you are back. Everything that you have seen or known is real.¡± She frowned. Should I trust Samuel? Lowering his head, he put his lips close to her ears. ¡°After all, you¡¯ll be going to the Yoeger residence. Why don¡¯t you check it out yourself to see whether I¡¯ve lied to you?¡± Kathleen moved to the side. ¡°Is it possible not to stand too close to me when you speak?¡± He curled his lip. ¡°Why can¡¯t I stand close to you?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re of different genders. That¡¯s why!¡± she blurted out angrily. ¡°So what?¡± Slowly, he frowned. ¡°But this is my ward.¡± ¡°It was you who dragged me inside!¡± she continued with exasperation. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten all about it,¡± he said meaningfully. Kathleen chuckled out of frustration. ¡°Forgot? Has your brain shrunk? But you¡¯re still young!¡± He was at a loss for words. This youngdy sure is¡­ irritating. Although she¡¯s as cute as a ragdoll cat, she is feisty. But that¡¯s good. It¡¯s better for her to berate me loudly rather than give me the cold shoulder. ¡°What else do you want to know? I can tell you everything.¡± He looked at her gently. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± She turned around to leave. ¡°Kate, do you love Christopher?¡± he asked suddenly. Stopped in her tracks, she turned around and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I was merely asking if you prefer a man like him. Do you?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like a considerate and thoughtful man?¡± Having said that, she added sarcastically, ¡°It¡¯ll be better than a man like you, Mr. Macari, a man who¡¯s arrogant and snobbish. You don¡¯t even care about other people¡¯s feelings. Christopher would be a perfect lover ifpared to you.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Samuel huffed. ¡°What¡¯s good to have someone who behaves in a mellow way, just like warm water?¡± She smirked. ¡°Humph! You¡¯re right, Mr. Macari. I was attracted to your good looks because I was young and ignorant. Moreover, I had fallen head over heels for your evil and arrogant attitude. After I have experienced a lot of things, I realize how valuable Christopher¡¯s soft and gentle attitude is.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome and elegant face turned cold. ¡°I¡¯ve stopped loving you from long ago, Mr. Macari.¡± Her face became indifferent. ¡°It¡¯s really true. I have mentioned it to you in the Macari residence before. Now that I¡¯m willing to live peacefully with you, I hope that you can understand it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only willing to cooperate because of Grandma. In the end, you still hate me.¡± Sullenly, he continued, ¡°Katie, why don¡¯t you stab me?¡± Isn¡¯t it better so that the hatred in her heart can disappear? ¡°You¡¯ve stabbed yourself before,¡± she replied calmly. ¡°If I were to disregard the fact that you¡¯re remorseful for the two children, I would¡¯ve ignored you after I came back.¡± Did she know? Did she know everything? ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to see me?¡± Samuel grabbed her shoulder. ¡°If I were dead, wouldn¡¯t you want to see me for the final time?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Why do I need to see you? Samuel, did I ask you to end your life?¡± He was the one who was willing to do it. Samuel put down his hands. His handsome and elegant face turned paler than usual. I told him that I didn¡¯t hate him anymore. But, at that time, I really wished that he was dead. He looks so disappointed. Why doesn¡¯t he me me? Frightened by the hostility in his eyes, Kathleen retreated a few steps back. Samuel pulled her back into his arms. While embracing her tightly, he said in a low and maic voice, ¡°Kathleen, please hear what I want to say. I love you. Thus, I want to pursue you again. I won¡¯t force you to do anything because I only want to treat you better. From now onwards, I won¡¯t lie to you. Not even a single word.¡± She was taken aback. Then, he continued, ¡°I won¡¯t do anything that you don¡¯t like. Also, I won¡¯t do anything that you aren¡¯t satisfied with. As you like a gentle and considerate man, I¡¯ll try to be one. I can do it better than Christopher.¡± Then, he pressed his forehead against her. Gazing at her intently, he said, ¡°Do you understand me?¡± She was furious. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you won¡¯t force me? But you make it sound like it¡¯s a notice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think about it.¡± Nonchntly, he continued, ¡°Let¡¯s put it aside. The most important thing is how I¡¯ll act, isn¡¯t it?¡± While biting her red lip, Kathleen looked at him sullenly. ¡°Then, release me. You¡¯re forcing me right now.¡± Smiling gracefully, Samuel released his hands. She turned and walked away. It looked like she was running away from him. At that moment, Samuel¡¯s phone beeped. When he lifted it, he noticed that there was a message from Nicolette. After reading the content, a dangerous glint gleamed in his eyes. The woman has overestimated herself! When Kathleen woke up the next day, she saw Charles sitting in front of her bed while reading a book. ¡°Charles, why are you here so early?¡± She was very inert. ¡°Will I be discharged today?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m here to pick you up. I¡¯ll bring you to an audition this afternoon,¡± he said. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen was relieved to hear it. ¡°Finally, I can get out of the hospital.¡± Extending her hand, she wanted to look at her phone. However, she noticed that it was missing. Baffled, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve identally dropped it. It¡¯s broken.¡± Charles lifted the phone to let her see it. Looking at the cracks on her screen, she then said, ¡°Even if you sit on it, it wouldn¡¯t be this cracked. It looks more like you had thrown it out of the window.¡± How can her instinct be this urate? ¡°You won¡¯t die without your phone. I¡¯ll prepare a new one for you.¡± Then, he started to urge her. ¡°Wash up quickly. I already told Valerie to deal with the discharge procedure.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After getting out of bed, Kathleen went to wash up. Meanwhile, Charles stared at his phone coldly. He sent a message to the bodyguards who were waiting downstairs. It seemed like he was making some arrangements. Indeed, Kathleen didn¡¯t depend much on her phone. Thus, she was unperturbed to find it broken. As a matter of fact, she didn¡¯t have many friends to stay in contact with. Moreover, Charles would always be there if she wanted to use money. After she had cleaned up, she came out of the bathroom. Meanwhile, Charles had helped her to pack her things. ¡°Hasn¡¯t Valeriee back?¡± She blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve told her to wait for us downstairs after she has finished with the procedure. I¡¯ll pack your stuff for you. Why don¡¯t you change your clothes?¡± he said. ¡°Okay.¡± She left to change her clothes. Subsequently, he lifted her bag and dragged her out of her ward. When they walked past Samuel¡¯s ward, Charles sneaked a peek inside. Then, he pulled her into his arms and pressed her head on his chest. ¡°Charles, what are you doing?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°You¡¯re a huge celebrity. I¡¯m worried that someone might snap a photo of you,¡± he said meaningfully. ¡°Why don¡¯t you prepare a hat and face mask for me?¡± sheined. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was in a hurry, so I forgot. Next time, I¡¯ll remember it.¡± Wrapping his arms around her, they entered the elevator. It was only then that he released her. Immediately, she felt a little strange. Meanwhile, there were a few uniformed men in Samuel¡¯s ward. One of the men said darkly, ¡°Mr. Macari, the Yoeger family is suing you for Nicolette¡¯s uwful imprisonment. Do you admit to doing it?¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Samuel asked in a breezy tone, ¡°Does she have evidence?¡± The reporter was stunned and replied embarrassingly, ¡°In the past year, Jadeborough was filled with rumors that she has been staying at your vi.¡± Even though Samuel was seated on a hospital bed, he still exuded a powerful presence. ¡°Looks like I have to sue those who have been spreading rumors. I had nothing to do with her since a year ago. Please don¡¯t report something that¡¯s not true. It¡¯ll cause me a lot of problems if the person I¡¯m pursuing finds out.¡± The reporter was shocked. ¡°Mr. Macari, you¡¯re pursuing someone?¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curved elegantly. ¡°I thought everyone in Jadeborough knew? What¡¯s wrong with you guys? You guys report something I don¡¯t admit and make no mention of the things I¡¯ve admitted.¡± The reporter proffered an exnation. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because Mr. Macari didn¡¯t like people to know about his personal matters in the past?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It looks like I have to do some reflection.¡± Samuel smiled lightly before continuing, ¡°Do you have anything else you¡¯d like to ask?¡± ¡°So, what are Mr. Macari¡¯s ns regarding this matter?¡± asked the reporter. Samuelughed coldly. ¡°When a dog bites you, do you bite the dog back?¡± The reporter was speechless. ¡°I¡¯ll let her off this time because of our past rtionship. However, if she persists in her ways, mywyer will be getting in touch with her,¡± replied Samuel icily. The reporter thought that his words felt more like a threat. ¡°The five minutes for the interview is up. Please leave now.¡± Tyson was ready to chase the reporter out. ¡°Onest question!¡± The reporter was slightly excited. ¡°Mr. Macari, is the person that you are pursuing Kathleen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Samuel answered candidly. The reporter was bewildered. ¡°But she has a fianc¨¦.¡± ¡°I feel that I still stand a chance as long as she¡¯s not married.¡± Samuelughed meaningfully. ¡°After all, I¡¯m the one going after her.¡± The reporter wanted to ask more questions. However, Tyson interjected. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Do you want to lose your job?¡± The reporter was stumped and had no choice but to leave. Tyson closed the door and reported, ¡°Mr. Macari, Ms. Johnson has left the hospital. When Charles came to fetch her, he purposely prevented her from seeing what was happening in the ward¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯ll find out eventually.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, I have already obtained most of the Yoeger family¡¯s shares that are avable for purchase. Do you want me to deliver them to Ms. Johnson immediately?¡± ¡°You can send it to her. She won¡¯t ept it. Just hold onto it first. I¡¯ll make her ept it.¡± He then instructed in an icy tone, ¡°Find out from Richard when I can be discharged from the hospital!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked him already. You¡¯ll need to stay here for two more days,¡± replied Tyson. ¡°Tell him I want to be discharged right now and get him to process it,¡± Samuel said sternly. Tyson¡¯s expression became fearful. Where did the man who said would give me a reward this morning disappear to? Meanwhile, Kathleen followed Charles home. ¡°Charles, get someone to send me a phone quickly. I need one,¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? If you have a need, you can use mine first,¡± suggested Charles. Kathleen crossed her arms and stared at him coldly. ¡°Charles, you¡¯re being weird.¡± ¡°How am I weird?¡± Charles¡¯ expression carried a trace of guilt. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but feel that something strange was going on. ¡°Your phone!¡± she demanded. Upon seeing that Kathleen was upset, Charles had no choice but to surrender his phone to her. Kathleen opened Twitter and took a look at what was trending. Nicolette Yoeger suing Samuel Macari. A lover bes an enemy. Nicolette¡¯s disappearance for a year. Nicolette appears after Kathleenes into the picture. Samuel Macari admits that he¡¯s pursuing someone. Is it still possible for Samuel Macari and Kathleen Johnson to get together? The top ten trending tweets were mostly about the three of them. Kathleen clicked on the first trending tweet. Why does this feel ridiculous? Could it be that the videos Samuel showed me yesterday are real and not fake? ¡°Kate, don¡¯t think too much. Even if Samuel did this, it doesn¡¯t mean that you have to marry him again.¡± Charles took the phone away. Kathleen¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°Charles, don¡¯t be so childish in the future. Get someone to send me a phone now.¡± ¡°All right. I was only afraid that the reporters would pester you,¡± Charles exined. ¡°Charles, how would the reporters know my number? You¡¯re my manager, and you help me liaise with them on these matters. You only didn¡¯t want me to see these or let me know the things Samuel did.¡± Kathleen¡¯s small and beautiful face looked rather serious. ¡°Charles, I don¡¯t want to live a life controlled by others, you know?¡± Charles muttered guiltily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡± ¡°Charles, I won¡¯t have a change of heart no matter what Samuel does.¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips. ¡°I was the one who asked him to help me take revenge. Now that it has caused him trouble, I should at the very least ask after him.¡± Charles sighed. ¡°I was wrong. I¡¯ll get someone to send a phone over now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. She got ready to go upstairs. After two steps, she said, ¡°Charles, I¡¯ve already cut all ties with him. You don¡¯t have to treat him this way anymore. You can just treat him like a normal person.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles always listened to his sister. Kathleen went upstairs to rest. Ten minutester, the housekeeper appeared with a phone. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Johnson said that he has to return to the office to handle some matters and won¡¯t be home for dinner,¡± the housekeeper reported with a smile. ¡°Noted.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t have to prepare too much for dinner. I don¡¯t have a preference for strong vors, so you can just prepare something simple.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The housekeeper smiled and then turned around to leave. Kathleen picked up the new phone and inserted a SIM card. It was a bit warm in the house. She took the phone to the balcony and gave Samuel a call. ¡°Are you home?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep and attractive, like a cello. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Will it be difficult to settle the matter with Nicolette?¡± she queried. ¡°It won¡¯t be if you don¡¯t give the video to her.¡± In an arrogant tone, Samuel added, ¡°I¡¯ve always handled matters impably.¡± ¡°Why would I give it to her?¡± Kathleen was bewildered. ¡°Perhaps one day, when you¡¯re sick of me pestering you and spoiling your rtionship with Christopher, you might wish to send me to jail to put an end to things,¡± Samuel said half-jokingly. ¡°I would never do that! Don¡¯t use me.¡± Kathleen was livid. ¡°I¡¯m not that kind of person!¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°Go inside the house. It¡¯s cold outside. You were just discharged from the hospital. Don¡¯t end up getting admitted again.¡± Kathleen was startled. How does he know that I¡¯m on the balcony? Chapter 128 Chapter 128 W here are you?¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°You want to know?¡± Samuel purposely avoided answering that question. ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± Kathleen was furious. ¡°In any case, I was the one who asked you to break Nicolette¡¯s legs back then. Even though you didn¡¯t do it initially, you still did it eventually. So, no matter what happens in the future, I¡¯ll bear all consequences with you.¡± I¡¯ll bear all consequences with you! How sweet those words were! However, Samuel knew that wasn¡¯t what Kathleen meant. ¡°Hah, I¡¯m not so hopeless to the point I¡¯d drag a woman down with me,¡± Samuel coldly uttered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take all the me if there¡¯s a need. Just marry Christopher in peace when the timees.¡± ¡°Samuel! Are you out of your mind?¡± Anger shed in Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m being serious now!¡± ¡°To me, pursuing you is a serious matter.¡± The man¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t serious about marrying Christopher?¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°I won¡¯t make things difficult for you, Kate. I only hope you¡¯ll take time to consider your rtionship with Christopher properly.¡± Samuel paused for a moment. ¡°Aunt Emily didn¡¯t marry into the Morris family that easily either. She has suffered a lot even though Aaron loves her deeply. Old Mr. and Mrs. Morris are extremely good at making things difficult for her.¡± ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± she faintly responded. ¡°I think there¡¯s no other wealthy family that¡¯s as joyous and cozy as mine,¡± the man added. ¡°Samuel, I always find a deeper meaning to your words. I honestly thought those words wereing from your good intentions. But it turns out you¡¯re just trying to brag about yourself!¡± Kathleen hung up the phone angrily. She then turned and went back into the house. Watching her walk away from the balcony opposite, Samuel pulled a smirk on his face. She sure is cute. Returning to her room, Kathleen browsed through Twitter. At that moment, someone from one of her WhatsApp group chats tagged her in a message. She clicked the pop-up notification. John: Kathleen, is Nicolette trying to gain attention? Before that particr text, the group had been actively chatting, but Kathleen didn¡¯t notice it. Nancy: Of course she is! God knows where she has been all this while. Yet, now that Kate¡¯s back, she appears! It¡¯s obvious she has nefarious intentions. John: Nicolette says she¡¯ll be revealing evidence in the evening. I¡¯m curious what evidence she has! Nancy: Hey! Who¡¯s side are you on? John: I¡¯m obviously on this side. But if I know what it is, I¡¯ll be able to help Kate think of solutions. Kathleen: Don¡¯t bother yourself about her. John: Kate, we¡¯ll always be your strongest support! Kathleen: She won¡¯t be able to provide any evidence. Samuel¡¯s no fool; how would he leave any evidence behind? Nicolette¡¯s probably just putting on an act to mislead everyone. John: That¡¯s good to hear. Kathleen: Thank you all for the concern. Nancy: Don¡¯t mention it. Kathleen: By the way, where¡¯s Steve? Nancy: Don¡¯t mention him. The new guests have been confirmed, and they¡¯re three members of a newly-debuted girl group. They would stick together in almost every situation and would get into an argument with Astrid whenever there was a slight disagreement. Steve¡¯s trying to help them talk things out. John and I, on the contrary, are bystanders watching a good show. John: Those threedies are astonishing! Astrid¡¯s nowhereparable to them at all. And because of that, she tried toin to us, hinting that we should be on the same team as her and that we can¡¯t let the threedies steal the spotlight. Nancy: Actually, even though those threedies are young, they¡¯re pretty impressive. They finished everything that needed to be done. Unfortunately, they can¡¯t seem to put up with Astrid. John: Well, I¡¯m only an onlooker waiting for gossip. Steve: Help me! John: I don¡¯t dare to do that. Nancy: Aren¡¯t you afraid that things will get even more out of control with the presence of another woman? Steve was a little stumped for a split second. Steve: Kathleen, help me out, please! Kathleen: How do you want me to help you? Steve: Is there any way to stop them from quarreling? Or perhaps an idea to save me from the racket? Kathleen: How about you quit? Steve: Well¡­ John: Hahaha! Steve: Can you propose something more constructive? Kathleen: That¡¯s easy. Let the threedies run those errands to purchase stuff instead. Things will get better if you reduce the chances of them hanging around with Astrid, no? Steve: But you can¡¯t possibly expect them to stay out all the time, right? Kathleen: Well, I don¡¯t think Astrid would dare make any noise, right? Steve: As far as I know, she dares do it to anyone. John again replied to Steve with aughing emoji. Kathleen: Oh, what about the customers who visit for a meal? Let Astrid take the role of a waitress. With those customers around, she wouldn¡¯t dare argue with the threedies. All you have to do afterward is try to get the threedies to return to the kitchen again. Will that work? Steve: This seems like a feasible idea. John: Seems like there¡¯s something wrong with your arrangement since the start, Steve. Steve: How would I know that they would fight? In fact, he, too, felt especially helpless about it. Steve: That¡¯s all for now. We¡¯re going to prepare the ingredients. Kathleen: Good luck! Steve disappeared after replying with a frowning emoji. John: I bet Steve won¡¯t dare take on variety shows again in the future. This situation he¡¯s in right now is enough to leave him traumatized. Nancy: Haha! Suddenly, Steve turned active again and wrote: Stop making fun of me. Hurry. Head over and help me. They aren¡¯t listening to me now! Nancy: Let¡¯s go. Bye. Kathleen also sent a goodbye emoji. Then, shey on her bed and let out a sharp breath of air. Samuel has really imprisoned Nicolette for a year and even broke off her legs. Nheless, she didn¡¯t take pity with Nicolette. After all, no one had spoken up for her when she was harmed by Nicolette then. But how can Nicolette so shamelessly try to sue someone now? What a joke! Right then, a cold glint shed across Kathleen¡¯s soft gaze. I was the one who got Samuel to do that. Since Nicolette dares to take revenge on Samuel, I¡¯m sure she has the guts to take revenge on me too. I¡¯ll never let her off if she dares to stir trouble! Never! Later that evening, Kathleen heard someone knock on the door downstairs. That person left shortly after a brief conversation with Maria. Kathleen then headed down and asked, ¡°Maria, who was it?¡± ¡°The new neighbor next door came to exchange some pleasantries and even gifted us some cakes.¡± Maria chuckled as she exined. Averting her gazes, Kathleen eximed in delight, ¡°Wow, those are cakes from that expensive brand. I heard there¡¯s a long wait even with a reservation made.¡± ¡°Exactly, Ms. Johnson. And they¡¯re all your favorite fruit cakes.¡± Maria smiled. Kathleen blinked. ¡°I want to have a slice of it now.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± There was some seriousness in Maria¡¯s tone. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I was instructed to watch you eat dinner. Finish up first, and you¡¯ll get to have some cake.¡± Kathleen, feeling aggrieved, wrapped her small hands around Maria¡¯s arm. ¡°Maria¡­¡± Her voice almost made Maria go weak at the knees. This youngdy sure is adorable. How did Mr. Macari bear to divorce her? ¡°All right. Just one slice, then you¡¯ll have to go and eat dinner,¡± Maria said. If she were my daughter, I probably would pamper her with everything. ¡°Thank you, Maria,¡± Kathleen thanked her with a sweet smile. ¡°I want the strawberry one.¡± Maria took out the piece of cake topped with strawberries. Holding onto it carefully, Kathleen walked toward the dining room. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Watching that sight, Maria smiled affectionately and then headed to the kitchen to cook for Kathleen after putting the rest of the cake slices into the refrigerator. As Kathleen happily enjoyed her cake, she took a photo and posted it on Instagram with the caption: Thanks to the new neighbor, I have such delicious cakes to eat! Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Someone liked Kathleen¡¯s post on Instagram less than half a minute after she posted it. When she tapped on the notification, she noticed it was Samuel who liked it. It seems like he¡¯s very free. Wasn¡¯t he very busy earlier? Sitting on the couch in the living room, Samuel looked at the post that Kathleen had posted on Instagram, and a smile formed on his lips. This little glutton. She¡¯s so easily won over. After pondering for some time, Kathleen decided to block Samuel on Instagram. When Samuelunched the app to look at her pictures again, he realized her ount had be inessible. Samuel texted: Did you block me? Kathleen replied: It¡¯s my Instagram ount, so it¡¯s up to me what I want to do with it. Samuel sent another text: Are you hiding something on your Instagram ount? Kathleen responded: They¡¯re all pictures of me and Christopher showing off our affection for each other. Want to have a look? Samuel was rendered speechless. Meanwhile, Kathleen felt pleased with his dyed response. Finally, Samuel replied: Fine! Show it to me! Kathleen was at a loss for words, and she ignored him. Meanwhile, she continued to indulge in the cake. When she was done with it, she had a light dinner. In the end, she ate too much. She rubbed her round belly. This won¡¯t do. I have to exercise for a bit. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be embarrassing to audition with a round belly tomorrow. She stood up and said to Maria, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡± Maria walked out of the kitchen and said worriedly, ¡°Ms. Johnson, it¡¯s not safe for you to go alone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maria. The security system here is quite strict. It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± With that, Kathleen put on her white jacket and walked out of the house. Meanwhile, Samuel stood by the window, watching a white figure exiting the house. Upon seeing that, he frowned, put on a ck coat, and strode out of the house. Meanwhile, Kathleen strolled around casually. The residential area had a high upancy rate, yet there were very few people around. Perhaps the garden in the residential area was too big that there were not many people around. Even so, Kathleen liked it there. The scenery should be quite beautiful if Ie here during the day. After taking a few steps, she suddenly felt someone was following behind her. She turned around abruptly and was stunned by what she saw. ¡°Samuel?¡± Why is he here? ¡°What are you doing here alone at night?¡± Samuel frowned. His expression was extremely stern. ¡°I ate too much, so I¡¯m taking a walk,¡± Kathleen exined bewilderedly. Her brows were tightly knitted as she asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking a walk,¡± Samuel answered indifferently. ¡°Why would you take a walk in our residential area?¡± Kathleen did not believe him. ¡°Why not?¡± Samuel stared at her. Kathleen scoffed inwardly and continued walking forward. Samuel followed behind her. As they walked, his long, slender shadow ovepped with hers. His gaze darkened as he fell into deep thought. After taking a few steps, Kathleen realized Samuel was still following her. She stopped and questioned, ¡°Samuel, why are you following me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going the same way.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome and elegant face still had a look of indifference. ¡°What? Is this road yours?¡± Kathleen snorted lightly. She ignored him and continued with her walk. Right then, she recalled he had just recovered from an illness. She stopped in her tracks again, frowning. ¡°Were you discharged from the hospital?¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°I was just asking. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to answer me.¡± Kathleen turned around and continued walking. Seeing that, Samuel quickly walked to her side. Kathleen merely snorted in response. Samuel grinned. ¡°Was the cake delicious?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kathleen replied honestly. ¡°Oh, even a neighbor knows what I like. I don¡¯t understand why some people aren¡¯t the same.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just scold me. I¡¯ll ept it humbly.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Do you know who Yareli Yoeger is?¡± Samuel asked. Kathleen looked sidelong at him. ¡°Yes, I do. She¡¯s the eldest daughter of the Yoeger family and Vanessa¡¯s daughter. What about her?¡± ¡°Previously, she had been preparing for a wedding abroad. But she canceled the wedding two days ago and is back in the country.¡± A sharp glint shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s got something to do with the heir of the Yoeger family.¡± Kathleen paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Does she want to inherit the Yoeger family too?¡± ¡°Well, who doesn¡¯t?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Hearing that, Kathleen frowned. Samuel smiled. ¡°I know you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Thanks for telling me this,¡± Kathleen said in a distant manner. ¡°My house is right in front. Goodbye, Mr. Macari.¡± Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°My house is right in front, too.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. Stretching out his hand, Samuel greeted, ¡°Hello, Ms. Johnson. I¡¯m your new neighbor.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Kathleen was speechless. That night, Charles saw Kathleen sitting on the couch while hugging a pillow the moment he returned home. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charles walked over and poked his sister¡¯s face. ¡°Who offended you this time?¡± ¡°Charles, you said you¡¯ve looked into all the neighbors in this residential area, right?¡± Kathleen nced at him from the corner of her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°The one on the left is a university professor, while the one on the right is an old couple.¡± Kathleen rose to her feet. ¡°Who said our neighbor living on the right is an old couple? He¡¯s clearly a singleton! What¡¯s worse is he¡¯s the kind who¡¯s divorced, likes to harass people and tell lies!¡± ¡°What?¡± Charles stood up. ¡°What happened?¡± Kathleen fixed her gaze on him. ¡°Did he harass you?¡± Charles frowned. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Wait here!¡± Charles turned around and left. He went to the house next door and rang the doorbell. As soon as the door opened, Samuel could be seen standing inside. He looked elegant and handsome in a white fitted shirt and a pair of ck pants. Why is he here? ¡°Where¡¯s the old couple who lives here?¡± Charles asked coldly. ¡°They moved away.¡± Samuel grinned. ¡°I made arrangements for them to live in Jadeborough¡¯s best old folks¡¯ home.¡± Charles was baffled. This man is really cunning! ¡°No wonder my sister says you¡¯re a singleton who harasses and lies to her,¡± Charles fumed. ¡°You¡¯re really despicable, Samuel.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you since you¡¯re Kate¡¯s brother,¡± Samuel said, acting as if he was a magnanimous person. ¡°From what I can see, you¡¯re basically asking for a beating!¡± Charles raged. ¡°You can beat me up, but I won¡¯t retaliate. After all, it¡¯ll make Kate feel bad.¡± Samuel stared at him calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad since I can get her concern.¡± Charles was speechless. Samuel shed a smile. ¡°Is that all? I¡¯m going to close the door, if you have nothing else.¡± Charles gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to move out tomorrow!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to being your new neighbor.¡± Samuel smirked. After saying that, he shut the door, leaving Charles at a loss for words. This is so frustrating! Left with no choice, Charles returned to his house. Upon seeing him, Kathleen asked, ¡°So? How did it go?¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve beaten him up if it wasn¡¯t for you,¡± Charles said helplessly. Feeling embarrassed, Kathleen said, ¡°Beat him up, then. I won¡¯t feel bad for him. It¡¯s just that Old Mrs. Macari treats me really well. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for the olddy if you hit Samuel?¡± After giving it some thought, Charles pulled out his phone and gave Diana a call. Kathleen frowned upon seeing that. Soon, the call was answered. ¡°Hello, Charlie!¡± Diana¡¯s voice sounded rather energetic. That meant the call did not disturb her from her rest. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, we have a new neighbor who constantly harasses Kate. Don¡¯t you think I should beat him up?¡± Charles asked calmly. ¡°What?¡± Diana raged. ¡°Why is he harassing Katie? You¡¯re her brother. Just beat him up if you want to!¡± ¡°Based on what I know so far, he¡¯s divorced and is even a liar,¡± Charles said. He was trying to imply something with his words. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it if you don¡¯t know how to deal with him,¡± Diana said agitatedly. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to beat him up.¡± Charles said softly, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, that person is Samuel.¡± Diana fell silent. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Diana buried her face in her hands. ¡°Why is he so shameless?¡± Kathleen snatched the phone from Charles and assured, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, ignore Charles. It¡¯s normal for Samuel to have many properties. Just let him live wherever he wants.¡± ¡°Katie, you don¡¯t have to speak up for him,¡± Diana said exasperatedly. ¡°That son of a gun. He never inherited the genes of loving his wife from the Macari family. And now, he¡¯s regretting it.¡± ¡°Perhaps his genes mutated,¡± Charles suggested. ¡°That¡¯s possible. Who knows, he might not even be a child of the Macari family,¡± Diana fumed. Kathleen red at Charles before telling Diana, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine now, Old Mrs. Macari. Sorry for interrupting your rest.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you have to apologize for. I¡¯ll give that grandson of mine an earful now.¡± Diana hung up the call angrily. Right then, Charlesughed out loud. Seeing his response, Kathleen frowned. ¡°Charles, did you lose to Samuel earlier?Is that why you went looking for Old Mrs. Macari? ¡± ¡°Me? Losing to him? What a joke!¡± Charles denied. ¡°Fine, I give up. You¡¯re too childish.¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°Katie, you must not feel sorry for him, okay?¡± Charles reminded. Kathleen was speechless, and she turned around to head upstairs. She entered her room and looked at the balcony opposite hers. So, is he watching me from the other side today? Meanwhile, Samuel was sitting in his room. Right then, he saw Kathleen¡¯s room lights turned on. Kathleen¡¯s silhouette could be seen through the curtains. She seemed to be looking in his direction motionlessly. ¡°Samuel, did you hear what I said?¡± Diana asked sternly. ¡°I heard you.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was indifferent. ¡°Grandma, you can stop talking now. I won¡¯t listen to you. I¡¯m pursuing her.¡± ¡°But she doesn¡¯t like you anymore,¡± Diana reminded. ¡°Ever since Katie came back, did she show any signs of wanting to remarry you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Samuel said tly. ¡°But that¡¯s not important. Feelings can grow. This time, I¡¯m never letting her fall into another man¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of making things worse by constantly pestering her? Samuel, I¡¯m giving you my advice so that you won¡¯t make Kathleen hate you. Otherwise, you won¡¯t even get the chance to be her friend. Do you understand what I said?¡± Diana said calmly. Samuel remained silent, for the silhouette on the opposite window moved. His lips slightly curved into a smile. I never knew that watching her silhouette in silence like that was such a happy thing. ¡°I understand, Grandma,¡± Samuel responded faintly. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, anyway.¡± ¡°Things like that depend on fate. If you and Katie are fated to be together, the heavens will help you out. Otherwise, nothing woulde out of it no matter how you force it,¡± Diana said seriously. Samuel smiled. ¡°Grandma, how do you know if we are fated to be together or not? Back then, God let me live and didn¡¯t take me to him. And now, she¡¯s back in the country after a year. I believe that fate brought us together.¡± Diana stayed silent. Samuel was too obstinate. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ll never forgive you if you break Katie¡¯s heart again,¡± Diana said in a deep voice. ¡°Her parents died to save me back then. Otherwise, she¡¯d still have parents to protect her. Do you understand?¡± Diana always felt guilty about that matter. ¡°Grandma, I love her. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll never let her feel aggrieved again.¡± With that, Samuel ended the call right away because he saw Kathleen standing on the balcony. She was holding a metal clothing rail and wanted to knock on his window. What¡¯s she doing? He walked over to therge window and opened it, asking coldly, ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel¡¯s thin, seductive lips curled to form a smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone open the door when I pressed on your doorbell earlier? Where¡¯s your housekeeper?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°I live alone.¡± Samuel stared at her intently. ¡°I was talking to my grandma on the phone just now. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t hear it. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Something from my house flew into your backyard. Could you please open the door? I¡¯ll go and get it.¡± Kathleen¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll get it and pass it to you over the balcony,¡± Samuel said. ¡°No! No! No!¡± Kathleen shook her head frantically. ¡°I¡¯ll get it myself!¡± Samuel was puzzled. ¡°What exactly is that thing?¡± Kathleen¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡°Your bottoms?¡± Samuel asked discreetly. Kathleen blushed even more. Looks like I¡¯m right. Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get it.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. This man must be doing it on purpose. A wicked look shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes as he left the balcony. Several momentster, he reappeared on the balcony with something white in his hands. Kathleen panicked. ¡°G-Give it back to me!¡± ¡°How did thisnd in my backyard?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°It was the wind. My house¡¯sundry room is next to your backyard. The second the wind blew, it flew over. Anyway, just give it back to me!¡± Kathleen urged. Her face was as red as a tomato. Samuel smirked. ¡°What are you ashamed of? Didn¡¯t I see these things all the time back then?¡± Kathleen red at him. ¡°That¡¯s the past. I¡¯ve got nothing to do with you now. Hurry up and give it back to me!¡± Samuel shed a charming smile when he noticed her anxious gaze. ¡°Give me your clothing rail.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen followed his instructions obediently. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Samuel hung her undergarment on it. With a flushed face, Kathleen quickly retracted the clothing rail and removed her undergarment from it. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me touching it.¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll wash it again!¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯s good to be hygienic.¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°By the way, it feels quite soft, just like you.¡± ¡°Pervert! Jerk!¡± Kathleen hollered. Samuel chuckled. ¡°Will something bigger fly over next time?¡± Kathleen red at him. ¡°I can¡¯t determine if your measurements have changed or not. Based on my observation, they look about the same as they were in the past,¡± Samuel muttered with a meaningful smile. ¡°Pervert!¡± Kathleen yelled before turning around to leave. She then mmed the balcony door shut with a bang. Samuel stood on his balcony, watching her lock the door and pull the curtains. He continued gazing at her door intently while licking his thin lips. ¡°How cute.¡± Meanwhile, Kathleen returned to the bathroom and threw her undergarment into the basin. ¡°D*mn it! D*mn it! D*mn it!¡± She scrubbed the fabric furiously. Why do I get angry so easily whenever I see Samuel? When I was in the hospital, I was his roommate. When I came home, he became my neighbor. Even my undergarment wanted to bully me by drifting to his backyard. She had done her best to get along with him. Yet, Samuel constantly agitated her and disrupted the peace in her heart. That was how things had always been between them. He always acted however he wanted. When he was in a good mood, he would treat her exceptionally well, no matter if she wanted it or not. When he was in a bad mood, he would treat her badly, without showing her an ounce ofpassion. Basically, he was a jerk. At that moment, Kathleen had the urge to break down. Her head hurt so badly from all the thoughts. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 When Kathleen woke up, she found that it was already the next morning. She pinched between her eyebrows lightly. There was a bottle of sleeping pills on the bedside table. At this moment, there was a knock on the door, followed by Charles¡¯ voice. ¡°Kate, are you awake? Can I go in?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Kathleen let out a yawn as she sat up on the bed. Charles pushed open the door and came into the room. ¡°There¡¯s an audition today.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen hugged the pillow while she was in a daze. Charles nced at the bottle of sleeping pills on the bedside table. He asked anxiously, ¡°Did you have a headache again?¡± ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t fall asleepst night, so I took two pills.¡± Kathleen noddedzily. Charles clenched his fists. ¡°You¡¯ve already taken two?¡± ¡°The doctor said that there wouldn¡¯t be a problem for me to increase the dose. Don¡¯t worry,¡± replied Kathleen in azy voice. ¡°Is it because of Samuel? This is why I want him to stay away from you!¡± said Charles solemnly. Kathleen put on a faint smile. ¡°Charles, it¡¯s no use running away from him. The doctor has said that it¡¯s a psychological issue. I¡¯ll have to get over it.¡± Charles let out a sigh. ¡°However, it¡¯s him who has caused you the trauma.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who doesn¡¯t have a strong mentality. It¡¯s not his fault. Charles, you shouldn¡¯t overthink it. Samuel and I are even now. Just think of him as a normal person,¡± said Kathleen calmly. ¡°Okay, I promise you.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°I¡¯m awake now. Wait for me downstairs.¡± As Kathleen had just yawned, her eyes looked gentle and misty. ¡°Okay.¡± Charles got up and left. Kathleen stretched her arms. She walked toward the window, wanting to draw the curtains and let the sunlight shine in. However, she immediately closed the curtains the moment she opened them. No! Samuel¡¯s living on the opposite. I have to be aware of that pervert! Ding! Suddenly, her phone rang. She picked it up and found that it was Samuel who had messaged her. Samuel: ¡°When will you be free to cook for me?¡± Kathleen was stunned as she hadpletely forgotten about this matter. Samuel: ¡°Did you forget about it?¡± Kathleen felt guilty. Kathleen: ¡°I have an audition to attend today. I¡¯ll cook for you in the afternoon.¡± Samuel: ¡°Do you need me to prepare any ingredients?¡± Kathleen: ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll bring them from home.¡± Samuel: ¡°The ess code is your birthday. If I¡¯m not around, you can go in first.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. She decided not to reply to Samuel further and went to take a bath instead. Charles drove Kathleen to the casting location in his Bentley. They arrived at the Macari Group building. Kathleen looked at Charles and said, ¡°Charles, are you sure this is the right location?¡± ¡°Yes. Kathleen, he¡¯s stuck on you like a piece of gum,¡± answered Charles as he unfastened his seatbelt. Kathleen was speechless. They got out of the car together. Dressing in a ck suit with a dark grey color coat, Charles looked elegant and handsome. Kathleen was in a pale yellow cashmere coat and a pair of white wide-legged pants, looking adorable and charming. When she smiled, her eyes crinkled up, and her adorable teeth were shown. Looking particrly joyous, she was a likabledy at first nce. She was sweet and delicate.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. They entered the lobby. Tyson walked over and said, ¡°Mr. Johnson, Ms. Johnson, I¡¯ve waited for a long time for both of you.¡± Charles let out a light snort. Kathleen tugged at his sleeves. Charles looked at Tyson and exined, ¡°I¡¯m not targeting you. It¡¯s your CEO who¡¯s being inhumane.¡± Tyson kept quiet. He has a point. I can¡¯t argue with that. ¡°Please follow me,¡± said Tyson while flushing. Kathleen and Charles followed him. The three of them took the elevator and arrived at the top floor. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Hackney, where¡¯s the audition?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the CEO¡¯s office,¡± answered Tyson. Kathleen pursed her lips. Charles¡¯ voice was cold as he said quietly, ¡°You see?¡± Isn¡¯t Samuel such a jerk? Kathleen took a deep breath and said, ¡°I owe it to him.¡± Just then, they arrived at the CEO¡¯s office. Tyson opened the door and guided them in. There were three people sitting on the couch in the office. One of them was Samuel, while the other two people were Spencer, the director, and Remy, the screenwriter. All of them were looking at Kathleen. She wore very light makeup that day. It was evident that she had a goodplexion. This movie required the actress to be barefaced in many scenes. Hence, her appearance and skin had to be in good condition. Kathleen didn¡¯t undergo any stic surgery, so her natural beauty was even more suitable for the role. ¡°Please have a seat.¡± Samuel grinned as he looked at her. She looks so cute today. Kathleen ignored him. She sat down and greeted Remy and Spencer. Both of them thought that she looked shockingly beautiful at first nce. As for acting skills, they had confidence in her. After all, she had won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Even though the movie was a big production, it was hard to say who would be leeching off the poprity. ¡°Ms. Johnson, if there isn¡¯t any problem, should we start the audition?¡± asked Spencer. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Feeling confused, she asked, ¡°Right here?¡± Spencer nodded and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Remy passed her the script. ¡°Try acting this part.¡± Kathleen took over the script. After looking through it, she was surprised. ¡°So I have to perform without any props?¡± Remy smiled. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s too awkward for me and Cain to do it, so we have asked Samuel to help you.¡± Kathleen was momentarily stunned. ¡°But this is a kissing scene. Even though the main actor is ill, there are quite a lot of kissing scenes.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t really an intimate scene. All you have to do is to kiss the main actor¡¯s nose and lips. Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re an actress.¡± Remy showed her a meaningful smile. Kathleen was speechless. Charles was about to lose his temper. Of course, he wasn¡¯t angry at Remy or Spencer but at Samuel. However, Samuel only furrowed his brows slightly as he didn¡¯t know about it. He didn¡¯t say anything either. ¡°Fine. Then, can I have you cooperate with me, Mr. Macari?¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curled upward. ¡°Lie down. Remember, you¡¯re an unconscious man who has severe injuries,¡± said Kathleen coldly. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuely down. He was 1.9 meters tall, so the couch wasn¡¯t enough for his long and slender legs. Hey down with his eyes closed, looking like a painting. He was so elegant and reserved as if he was a deity. Kathleen sat beside him. She inhaled a deep breath as she held his hand. ¡°Why are you still unconscious?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was cold, carrying a sense of interrogation. In the scene, she was an assassin who had lost her memory. However, she was still slow in realizing her feelings. She fell in love with a schr but was unaware of it. ¡°People told me to kiss you if you¡¯re still unconscious. I¡¯ve never heard about this kind of healing method. Have you heard of it before?¡± The schr didn¡¯t reply. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try, then.¡± Kathleen approached him. Samuel¡¯s elegant face was impable. His nose was sharp, and his lips were sexy and tempting. Kathleen pursed her lips. Then, her cherry red lips fell gently on his well-defined nose. Samuel¡¯s heart was fluttering. It¡¯s ticklish! Immediately after, he felt something soft on his lips, followed by a hint of pain. Kathleen was biting him. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Samuel grunted. That sensation was painful but exhrating at the same time. He knew Kathleen was expressing her dissatisfaction. I didn¡¯t know about this scene. I must tell them to delete this part! Kathleen stopped and gazed bitterly at Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re still unconscious, after all. They really lied to me!¡± With that, she stood up, seemingly ready to seek revenge on those who deceived her. ¡°Cut!¡± said Remy, who was holding a phone to shoot the scene. Kathleen let out a sigh of relief. Samuel opened his eyes and put his legs down. He brushed his lips with his slender fingers and smiled faintly. ¡°Has anyone mentioned you behave like a cat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about me, but I¡¯m sure you are a dog,¡± she retorted. Samuel chuckled. ¡°But I did not bite you.¡± Kathleen ignored him and turned to look at Spencer and Remy. Spencer grinned. ¡°Your acting skills are indeedmendable. Why didn¡¯t you debut earlier, Ms. Johnson?¡± She exined, ¡°I got married at a young age, but I¡¯m divorced now. This indicates that having a man would only hinder my career.¡± Spencer wore a faint smile. ¡°Not all men are like that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. A good man would never be a woman¡¯s stumbling block. Only terrible men would think of women as their possession, prohibiting them from progressing well in life,¡± Kathleen replied sarcastically. Remy regarded Samuel with a meaningful look. Thetter appeared unconcerned. I did forbid Kathleen to be an actress in the past, and I will not deny the mistakes I made. However, I will change from now on. Spencer got up and stretched out his hand. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I officially wee you to join the cast and crew of Assassin.¡± Remy stood up as well. ¡°Wee, wee!¡± Kathleen shook hands with Spencer and Remy. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, I shall get going then.¡± Kathleen did not wish to stay there for a second longer. ¡°All right. I will arrange someone to inform you of the specific filming time,¡± Spencer said while wearing an amused expression. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She turned around to look at Charles. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Charles.¡± Charles nodded. Then, he nced coldly at Samuel before leading Kathleen away. ¡°I don¡¯t think she recognizes me.¡± Remy was disappointed. Spencer stared at him. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a daredevil? When did you change the scene?¡± ¡°Just now. I did that for Samuel.¡± Remy smirked. Samuel said coldly, ¡°But she misunderstood that I instructed you two to do that.¡± ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re obviously unwee. I can¡¯t believe she hates you so much.¡± Remy sighed. ¡°Nevertheless, Kathleen has be prettier. She was the campus belle in the past. So many guys had tried to win her affection but failed miserably.¡± ¡°Are you one of those guys?¡± Spencer eyed him. ¡°I¡¯ll never have the guts to do so!¡± Remy said sulkily, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Samuel would skin me alive.¡± Spencer sneered. Remy exined, ¡°Don¡¯t get mad at me, Samuel. I was just testing Kathleen¡¯s acting skills. Anyway, I do think that she¡¯s a talented actress. If you had not¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. Remy fell silent immediately. Spencer grinned. ¡°I think you did a great job with the script. Let¡¯s just use this scene.¡± What the heck! Remy gazed at Spencer in astonishment. Is he crazy? Samuel will never allow that! ¡°What do you think, Mr. Macari? Spencer looked at Samuel. ¡°I think the investment capital can reduce to half the amount,¡± Samuel answered casually. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. I¡¯m just kidding,¡± Spencer responded in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to utter nonsense. I¡¯d like to see what you will do without any money!¡± Remy grumbled. Spencer kept quiet afterward. Remy eyed Samuel. ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave now, Samuel. We¡¯ll inform you of the filming timeter.¡± Samuel nodded indifferently. Remy hurriedly dragged Spencer along and left. They were afraid of infuriating Samuel, the devil. After they were gone, Samuel licked his lips which were forcefully bitten by Kathleen earlier. He curled his lips into a smirk. Remy and Spencer went downstairs and met with Kathleen and the others. They waited for the elevator earlier, so both parties arrived downstairs around the same time. ¡°Kath- Ms. Johnson!¡± Remy had an outgoing personality. He jogged over to greet her, ¡°Do you remember me?¡± She shook her head lightly. He felt upset. ¡°I¡¯m sad! You even yed a role in my screeny previously.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°Previously?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I remember it was an event at your school. They requested I write the script and invited me to watch the y. You were the female lead,¡± Remy borated. She seemed to have recalled that incident. ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t realize you wrote the screeny. They said they would ask for a senior¡¯s help toe up with the script, but I didn¡¯t expect that person to be you.¡± Remy felt awkward. She only remembers that I¡¯m her senior andpletely forgotten that she met with me at the Macari residence. Nevertheless, I cannot me her for that because we could have had plenty of chances to meet with one another, but Samuel did not allow her toe out. What a jerk! ¡°Those scenes earlier were truly part of the script. That has nothing to do with Mr. Macari,¡± he uttered while thinking about Samuel. I can only do so much for you, Samuel. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded indifferently. ¡°I know now.¡± She stared coldly at him. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Remy flushed. He thought she must be feeling angry. ¡°That¡¯s all. I¡¯ll see you during the filming then,¡± he said. Kathleen nodded again. ¡°See you.¡± With that, she turned on her heels and walked away with Charles trailing behind her. Spencer came to a halt beside Remy and asked, ¡°Is it true when you said that you¡¯ve never liked her?¡± Remy lightly coughed and cleared his throat. ¡°No! I¡¯ve never liked her.¡± Spencer was unconvinced. ¡°Enough with that pretense. I am familiar with your personality. There¡¯s no way you would help your juniors write the screeny for no reason. You usually charge one thousand for every word you write. Do you know how expensive is that? How much money could those university students have?¡± Remy snorted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hire somebody else instead of me if you¡¯re so capable?¡± Spencer said nothing. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Remy pursed his lips. ¡°I did reject them by giving the excuse of not having any inspiration at that moment. Then, they showed me Kathleen¡¯s pictures. I grew up with Samuel, so I was aware of her rtionship with him. I also knew they were married then, but I¡­¡± Spencer patted his shoulder. ¡°I can understand your sentiment. Unrequited love is usually the hardest to let go of. Anyway, she¡¯s single now, so you still have a chance.¡± Remy replied bitterly, ¡°Ha. Judging by the look on his face today, do you think Samuel would do nothing and let me pursue her?¡± Spencer frowned. ¡°But I think she doesn¡¯t like him.¡± He had heard of some news rted to the grudges between Kathleen and Samuel. In Spencer¡¯s opinion, Kathleen did not seem like a lovestruck fool, so he doubted she would fall for Samuel again. Remy borated, ¡°You don¡¯t know Samuel. If he has his eyes set on Kathleen, he will never take her by force. I¡¯ll put it this way. He will transform into a cunning fox, putting on the fa?ade of the type of man Kathleen admires before approaching her, gradually developing a deeper bond with her. As a result, she will bepletely smitten with him.¡± Spencerughed. ¡°Just you wait and see. That guy from the Morris family does not stand a chance,¡± Remy said firmly. ¡°What if Kathleen really marries Christopher?¡± Spencer asked in fascination. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll write the screeny for you for free. What do you say?¡± ¡°Deal! That¡¯s settled, then. Don¡¯t you regret what you¡¯ve said.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit I¡¯m a sore loser if I go back on my word!¡± After saying that, Remy swiftly texted Samuel on WhatsApp: Samuel, I¡¯m counting on you to get paid now! Chapter 133 Chapter 133 amuel read the text Remy sent him without any expression on his face. He had no idea what Remy was talking about. I¡¯m better off without his help. Charles was driving as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reject the offer?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I like the director and the script,¡± came Kathleen¡¯s answer. ¡°But Samuel¡­¡± Ugh, I don¡¯t feel like saying it. ¡°Kate, have you ever considered this? If you remain single, Samuel will keep pestering you,¡± Charles said solemnly. ¡°You kept a distance from Christopher, so Samuel thinks he still has a chance.¡± ¡°Charles, I can¡¯t really use Christopher to get rid of Samuel, can I? That isn¡¯t fair to Christopher,¡± Kathleen exined. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Charles knew that Kathleen would neverpromise when it concerned her love life. She was not that particr, too. Forget it. I¡¯ll have toe up with an idea to deal with Samuel. ¡°Charles, can you pull up at the shopping mall ahead? I need to buy some stuff,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Don¡¯t tag along, for I want to shop alone. Find out who the male lead is and what he is like.¡± After saying that, Kathleen unbuckled her seatbelt and got off. Charles could not even stop her in time. I shouldn¡¯t have said that out loud. It¡¯s obvious that Kathleen doesn¡¯t have any romantic feelings for Christopher. He¡¯s a great guy, but she doesn¡¯t like him. Should I get her eyes checked? Meanwhile, Kathleen was shopping alone with a cap and mask covering her face. It was nice to be able to shop alone. She got herself some stuff and went to pay for her purchases at the counter. When it was her turn, she btedly realized she did not bring her purse out. It was normal to pay using one¡¯s phone nowadays, but she still had not gotten herself a local phone number. Sh*t, this is embarrassing. ¡°Let me pay for your purchases.¡± A woman¡¯s voice rang out behind her. Kathleen turned at her shoulder in surprise. ¡°Gem!¡± Gemma shot her an exasperated look. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your purse out?¡± ¡°I forgot. I don¡¯t even have a local phone number,¡± Kathleen replied, pouting her lips. ¡°How much?¡± Gemma asked. The staff shed a smile. ¡°The total would be thirteen thousand and eight hundred.¡± Gemma was shocked. ¡°What did you buy? I don¡¯t even earn this much in a month!¡± A flush crept up Kathleen¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Just some personal items.¡± Gemma¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You owe me a meal!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kathleen responded. Meanwhile, the staff was frowning. ¡°Are you Kathleen Johnson?¡± he asked. Kathleen could barely hide her surprise. Did he recognize me even though I¡¯m wearing a cap and mask? ¡°Hello!¡± She gave the staff a tiny wave. The staff¡¯s lips curved. ¡°You¡¯re our VIP. There is ten million in your card, so you don¡¯t have to pay for your purchases.¡± Kathleen was confused. ¡°When did I be a VIP?¡± ¡°A year ago,¡± came the staff¡¯s reply. ¡°Ms. Johnson, here are your purchases. Have a nice day!¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows snapped together, but Gemma dragged her out of the store. ¡°This is obviously Samuel¡¯s doing,¡± Gemma told her firmly. ¡°After you went missing a year ago, he searched high and low for you. You have no idea how many times he showed up at my house.¡± Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Did he cause you any trouble?¡± Gemma shook her head in response. ¡°Not really. He came to ask if I knew where you were. He showed up practically every day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that,¡± Kathleen apologized shyly. ¡°That¡¯s nothing.¡± Gemma gave a dismissive wave. ¡°I told him that it¡¯s toote to regret. After I got back to the hospital, he made arrangements for me to be the youngest head nurse in the hospital.¡± Kathleen blinked twice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if he offered me help, I won¡¯t side with him. He wanted to make it up to me, so I epted his help,¡± Gemma revealed cheerfully. ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded before asking worriedly, ¡°Gem, your waist¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m still wearing my waist support. The doctor said I have to continue recuperating, for the incident only happened a year ago.¡± Gemma shot her a reassuring smile. ¡°My brother also got promoted, but it wasn¡¯t rted to Samuel. He got the promotion himself.¡± ¡°Wow, congrattions!¡± The corners of Kathleen¡¯s eyes crinkled up. ¡°Should we have dinner together?¡± Gemma nced at her. ¡°If Benjamin knows you¡¯re back, he won¡¯t work overtime.¡± Kathleen grinned. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s have some fondue.¡± ¡°Sounds great!¡± Gemma giggled excitedly. ¡°We should head to another mall.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Samuel found out I often frequented this mall. Back then, he paid no notice to me and never remembered anything about my preferences.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma bobbed her head. They promptly went to another shopping mall. The same thing happened, and Kathleen was still a VIP. She did not have to spend a cent. Refusing to give up, Kathleen went to a few other malls, but the same thing happened. In the end, she copsed in Gemma¡¯s Audi, utterly exhausted. Gemma chuckled at the sight of her fatigue look. ¡°Where are we going next?¡± ¡°Dinner.¡± Kathleen was starving. ¡°No more shopping mall excursions?¡± Gemma asked, her lips curved into an amused smile. Kathleen shook her head profusely. ¡°I won¡¯t go to shopping malls, ever!¡± Gemma chuckled. ¡°All right.¡± She started the engine and drove to the fondue restaurant. There, she gave Benjamin a call. After learning that they were going to have dinner with Kathleen, Benjamin immediately got off work and rushed over to the restaurant. Kathleen sent Charles a text: Charles, I need twenty thousand. Charles transferred the money to her without hesitation. Kathleen then transferred thirteen thousand and eight hundred to Samuel. Samuel sent her a question mark. Kathleen: I don¡¯t want to owe you a favor. Actually, Samuel had been informed that Kathleen went to two shopping malls, so he could guess what her reaction would be. Samuel: Okay. I¡¯ll ept the money. He then confirmed the transfer. Seeing that, Kathleen felt much better. Samuel: I¡¯m famished. Kathleen btedly recalled that she promised to cook for Samuel. Oh, dear. I forgot all about it! She typed out a reply hastily: I¡¯m sorry, but I totally forgot about it. Inwardly, she med Samuel for doing something unnecessary that caused her to forget about her promise. Samuel: It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m d you¡¯re filling your stomach. Kathleen bit her lip guiltily, for it was her fault. Casting a hesitant look at Gemma and Benjamin, she asked, ¡°I owe Samuel a meal. Do you mind if he joins us?¡± Both shook their heads. The corner of Kathleen¡¯s mouth quirked up. ¡°Great.¡± She proceeded to give Samuel a call. Samuel answered her call promptly and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His voice was calm, and it did not sound like he was upset. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I forgot about it,¡± Kathleen apologized guiltily. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Samuel gave a half-smile. ¡°Enjoy your dinner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m having dinner with Gemma and Benjamin. Do you want to join us?¡± Kathleen inquired. ¡°No, I won¡¯t disturb you. I need to get back to work,¡± Samuel told her. ¡°I told Tyson to buy dinner for me, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After a pause, Kathleen added, ¡°I¡¯ll cook for you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Samuel hummed in acknowledgment before hanging up. ¡°What did he say?¡± Benjamin asked. ¡°He won¡¯t join us, for Tyson had bought him dinner,¡± Kathleen exined. To her surprise, Benjamin said, ¡°I saw Tyson when I was on the way here. He was on a blind date.¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Kathleen pursed her lips silently. Why did Samuel lie to me? Did he lie to me so I can eat in peace? I don¡¯t remember him being this nice. ¡°Eat up,¡± Gemma told her. ¡°You can buy some takeaway food and deliver it to himter.¡± Kathleen inclined her head. ¡°The quinoa sd from this restaurant is the bomb. You can buy that for him,¡± Gemma suggested. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Kathleen did not want Samuel to starve and wait for her, as he could end up in the hospital. After dinner, Gemma drove Kathleen back to Macari Group. Kathleen walked into the building with the food in her hand. Gemma turned to look at her brother. ¡°Benjamin, you¡¯re growing more and more apart from Kathleen.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Benjamin remained unperturbed. ¡°Nothing matters more than her happiness.¡± Bitterness rose in Gemma¡¯s heart. ¡°If those things hadn¡¯t happened, you¡¯d still be Kate¡¯s childhood sweetheart, and¡ª¡± ¡°It has already happened. Let¡¯s go.¡± Benjamin had epted reality. Gemma¡¯s lips thinned. Such was life, and everything was set in stone. They just were not meant to be. ¡°Who do you think Kate will end up with?¡± Gemma queried. ¡°Samuel or Christopher?¡± Benjamin gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°Kate¡¯s choice matters the most, right?¡± ¡°Benjamin, Kate won¡¯t pick Christopher.¡± Gemma seemed sure of it. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if she still loves Samuel, but did you hear her talking about Christopher during dinner?¡± Benjamin stiffened. ¡°A woman¡¯s intuition is highly urate.¡± Gemma started the engine. ¡°You don¡¯t know us well.¡± With that said, she sped away. Meanwhile, Kathleen walked into Macari Group. Upon spotting her, the security guard greeted her warmly, ¡°Ms. Johnson! Are you here to meet Mr. Macari?¡± Kathleen shot him a nod. ¡°Is he still here?¡± ¡°Of course. Mr. Macari works overtime every day,¡± replied the security guard. Kathleen felt embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ll head up now.¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, you can take the CEO¡¯s private elevator,¡± the security guard told her cheerfully. Wearing an awkward expression, Kathleen replied, ¡°Got it.¡± Despite saying that, she chose to take the normal elevator. The elevator reached the top floor, and she stepped out. The floor was brightly lit. Kathleen went straight to Samuel¡¯s office. The door was slightly ajar, and she saw a sliver of light through the gap. Gently, she pushed the door open and nced around. Samuel was resting in his chair with his eyes shut. She went over and gazed at him. The man¡¯s features were still sharp and dangerous. His thin lips told tales of how cruel and heartless he could be. Nevertheless, she had to admit that he was handsome and elegant even though he could be merciless and decisive. ¡°Samuel?¡± Kathleen broke the silence. Her brows snapped together. I¡¯m practically mere inches away from him. Why isn¡¯t he responding? Is he suffering from a rpse? She immediately ced the stuff she was holding down and hurried over to him. Bending down, she prodded his shoulder. ¡°Wake up, Samuel.¡± Samuel did not even stir. Kathleen was startled. He must¡¯ve fainted! She pulled out her phone, about to call the ambnce. Right then, a slender but huge hand grabbed her wrist and gave her a forceful tug. She ended up tumbling into a seducing embrace. ¡°Did you put up an act?¡± Kathleen blurted out. Samuel¡¯s arms were wrapped around her. He rested his chin on her shoulder and smiled. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Kathleen fumed. ¡°Let me go!¡± Hearing her, Samuel released his grip on her obediently. Kathleen jolted to her feet furiously. ¡°I was kind enough toe to visit you! How dare you take advantage of me?¡± Samuel shot her a lopsided grin. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who stood me up?¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Indeed, she had given her word earlier but forgotten all about it. ¡°Besides, my gastric was acting up. I just took the medicine and was about to take a nap when you showed up,¡± Samuel exined. He pushed the bottle of pills on his desk to Kathleen. He was not lying to her. Kathleen¡¯s lips thinned. ¡°I brought some food for you. You can eat it now. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that said, she spun on her heels and stalked toward the door. Suddenly, Samuel started coughing violently. ¡°Thank you,¡± he managed in between coughs. Kathleen halted in her tracks at once. Reluctantly, she went back to him. Aftering to a stop beside him, she patted his back gently. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old problem,¡± Samuel grunted. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so you can leave now. It isn¡¯t safe to travelte at night.¡± ¡°Are you going to continue working?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do back at home. I¡¯m used to working overtime, anyway.¡± Samuel shot her a smile. ¡°You should get back home.¡± Kathleen pressed her lips together. ¡°Won¡¯t you take care of yourself? Do you want Grandma to host your funeral?¡± ¡°Ha! That won¡¯t happen. If I die, there¡¯s still Christopher,¡± Samuel replied nonchntly. ¡°Christopher¡¯s a great guy, so he¡¯ll take care of them.¡± ¡°Stop being sarcastic,¡± Kathleen snapped. Her brows knitted, she said, ¡°You insisted on marrying Nicolette, so you can¡¯t me them for getting mad at you.¡± Samuel shot her a look. ¡°They¡¯ll like any man who marries you.¡± Kathleen paused before retorting, ¡°Stop talking nonsense. No parents would hate their own child. Now that Nicolette wants to sue you, I believe Mrs. Macari and the rest won¡¯t me you anymore.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was scorching. ¡°Kate, if I die, will you take care of my family?¡± Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Of course. I think of Grandma and Mrs. Macari as my own family. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re here or not, for I¡¯ll treat them well.¡± Samuel gazed at her without a word. Actually, he wanted to ask if she would cry at his funeral. However, he knew he would get humiliated if he were to ask that question out loud. ¡°What about me?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was raspy. ¡°If I have a long life, and my grandma and parents die before me, will you take care of me?¡± Kathleen frowned in confusion. ¡°I mean¡­¡± Samuel corrected himself. ¡°Will you visit me asionally?¡± ¡°Samuel, you¡¯ll have your own family,plete with a wife and kids.¡± Kathleen asked, ¡°Can I think of you as a family?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze grew as dark as thunder. ¡°You mean you want to revert things back to when we weren¡¯t married to each other?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing, of course.¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°Samuel, let bygones be bygones. We can never return to the past. I don¡¯t want to hold a grudge against you and put your grandma and mother in a tight spot. Can we be rtives and nothing else?¡± Samuel asked forlornly, ¡°Will we be rtives forever?¡± Kathleen nodded gently. ¡°You won¡¯t stay away from me or hate me anymore?¡± Samuel added. Kathleen¡¯s reply was vague. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t force me to go against my wishes.¡± Samuel stared at her intently. ¡°As long as you stay put instead of crossing the line, we can get along well. I promise,¡± Kathleen gave him her word. After dealing with her business, she was going to leave. It would be annoying if he kepting after her. ¡°Kate, can you hug me?¡± Samuel asked hoarsely. ¡°We shall say goodbye to our past. You left in a hurry one year ago, and we didn¡¯t get to say goodbye to each other.¡± Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Are you seriously agreeing to be my rtive?¡± Kathleen was startled. Samuel¡¯s lips curled. ¡°Yes.¡± A deep line appeared in the middle of Kathleen¡¯s brow. ¡°You won¡¯t do things that I hate? For example, kiss me or flirt with me without warning?¡± she asked doubtfully. ¡°No,¡± Samuel responded with a shake of his head. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen paused. ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance.¡± Chuckling deeply, Samuel spread his arms wide. Kathleen hesitated before wrapping her arms around him. Samuel felt his heart clenching up as a lone tear dropped down his cheek and disappeared underneath Kathleen¡¯s cor. She¡¯s so soft and fits right into my arms perfectly. s, this will be thest time we¡¯ll ever hug each other. Kathleen had no idea why her heart was aching. A year had since passed, but the pain still remained. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll be a family. If you need help, just let me know. I¡¯ll try my best to help,¡± Samuel rasped. ¡°I promise no one will dare toy a hand on you in Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen bobbed her head. His lips curled up, Samuel added, ¡°One more thing. I hope you¡¯ll say yes to my request.¡± ¡°Say it,¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°Please don¡¯t show your affection for Christopher in front of me. I might¡¯ve agreed to be your family, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can ept your rtionship. Do you understand?¡± Samuel stated. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. I won¡¯t be affectionate with Christopher in public, anyway. ¡°I can¡¯t bring myself to release you,¡± Samuel grunted. ¡°If I let go, you¡¯ll no longer belong to me.¡± Something told him he would forever be her family. Kathleen hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll let you hug me for ten seconds longer.¡± Samuel snickered andmented, ¡°How kind of you.¡± ¡°Release me then,¡± Kathleen hissed with her brows furrowed up. ¡°No!¡± Samuel tightened his grip. ¡°I earned the ten seconds myself.¡± Kathleen let out a light snort. Ten secondster, Samuel released her reluctantly. He ced his hand on her head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get along well, Kate.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. Samuel let out a low chuckle. ¡°What did you bring?¡± He must¡¯ve faked that tear! I felt bad for him, but he started joking again. Never mind. If he dares to go against his word, I shall cut off all ties with him! ¡°Quinoa sd.¡± Kathleen ced the takeaway food in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s still piping hot, so eat up. I shall take my leave now.¡± ¡°Did you drive here?¡± Samuel inquired. ¡°I¡¯ll get a taxi,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Samuel got to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll eat this at home.¡± ¡°No need for that. It¡¯s just ten o¡¯clock.¡± Kathleen raised her hand to nce at her Patek Philippe watch. ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me a ride home.¡± Samuel put on his coat. ¡°I insist. Did you forget what I said? I said I won¡¯t let you run into danger ever again.¡± Every time he recalled how she had nearly lost her life after he abandoned her on the street, he would have to resist the urge to p himself twice. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°All right.¡± She had stopped recalling the matter. Samuel drove a Maybach, and it was the first time Kathleen had ever driven it. Sensing her anxiety, Samuel chuckled. ¡°Drive slowly. It¡¯s fine. I can eat the quinoa sd in the car.¡± ¡°Stop mocking me.¡± Kathleen clenched her jaw. ¡°I can drive a Bentley, let alone this car. Eat your food.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Grinning, Samuel started eating his supper slowly. Kathleen was focusing on driving. She pursed her lips in concentration and wore a determined expression. Samuel nced at her and smiled discreetly. Finally, the car arrived at the house. She promptly heaved a sigh of relief. Turning around, she looked at the quinoa sd in Samuel¡¯s hand and grumbled, ¡°The journey took over an hour. Why didn¡¯t you manage to finish your food?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t as good as your cooking,¡± came Samuel¡¯s answer. Kathleen snorted. ¡°Back when I cooked for you, you never praised me.¡± Samuel shed a half-smile. ¡°I was an idiot back then.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll park the car in the yard and tell Maria to prepare some food for you.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you cook for me?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°I collected so much information for you and agreed to be your family today. Is that how you repay me?¡± Kathleen gaped silently. Why is this suddenly my fault? She caved in. ¡°Will pasta do?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel inclined his head. Kathleen sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She unbuckled her seatbelt and got off the car. Samuel¡¯s lips curled into an alluring smile. He got out of the car and caught up to her. At the door, Kathleen entered her birthdate. The door clicked open. Whipping around, Kathleen asked, ¡°Won¡¯t you change the passcode?¡± ¡°No. Is there a rule saying I can¡¯t use my rtive¡¯s birthday as my passcode?¡± Samuel retorted. No, indeed. But one usually uses the birthday of one¡¯s significant being as the passcode. It¡¯s totally different! ¡°Kate, you¡¯ll have to give me some time to get used to it.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was bitter. ¡°You changed our rtionship forcefully. You might¡¯ve gotten used to it, but I need more time.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Kathleen felt as though she was an evil person. ¡°All right, then.¡± She strode into the house. A smile nudged Samuel¡¯s lips as he went in after her. Kathleen went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The refrigerator was full, so she grabbed a few ingredients and began cooking. Samuel removed his coat and ced it on the couch. He went to the kitchen and asked, ¡°Can I ask you some questions?¡± ¡°Sure, if you don¡¯t try to invade my privacy.¡± Kathleen was busy cutting tomatoes. Samuel smirked. ¡°How did you find your brother?¡± ¡°It was Chris¡¯ doing,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°He helped me to check my family records and discovered I had a long-lost brother. All the while, he had been searching for Charles, and Charles happened to be looking for me, too. They then bumped into each other.¡± Samuel fell silent. If I showed her more concern, I might be able to help her. ¡°What happened next?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Charles assumed we¡¯re getting a divorce, so he didn¡¯t show up. He nned to reunite with me after our divorce and take me with him. However¡­¡± Kathleen paused momentarily. ¡°Anyway, he took me with himter on.¡± Oh, I see. Samuel¡¯s gaze was dark. No wonder I failed to find anything even though I investigated Christopher thoroughly. ¡°You never told us about this,¡± Samuel remarked. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± Kathleen stopped in her tracks. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t mind if your grandma decides not to adopt me. I¡¯m d that my parents are kind souls. I didn¡¯t grow up to be like them, but I can promise that they didn¡¯t save her just because she¡¯s Old Mrs. Macari.¡± ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to exin that to me. There was no way they¡¯d recognize her during the incident,¡± Samuel replied hastily. He was afraid she would misunderstand things. Kathleen exhaled. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t bring myself to ask for your help to find Charles. I didn¡¯t know Chris was helping me, either.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t love me,¡± Kathleen answered with a soft sigh. ¡°You were busy and didn¡¯t have time for me. I don¡¯t me you, though.¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ¡°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 te of pasta out to the dining room. Meanwhile, Samuel tried to stamp out the hostility in his eyes, attempting to regain hisposure. ¡°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 canpare 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 te with him. Samuel red at her. ¡°Will you be spending Charles¡¯ money?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kathleen tipped her head up, then dered 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 te, 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 exined. ¡°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, rx. 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!¡± Charlesughed 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¡¯lle pestering me once again. When that happens, I won¡¯t let you off so easily,¡± Kathleen uttered nonchntly. 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 tly. She then spoke with indifference. ¡°Charles, not even I know what Samuel is nning. 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 guing 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 ced 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 amotion 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 n 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 apany you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I won¡¯t be gone long,¡± Kathleen muttered. She decided to exin everything and thene 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 hisst 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. Morrispany last night. Hence, Old Mr. Morris got into bed ratherte. 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 itsyout. 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¡¯syout that Felix led a life of silence and tranquility. All of a sudden, there was a noiseing from a room nearby. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The door opened, and Christopher walked out of the room. His clothes were disheveled. He was stunned the moment heid eyes upon Kathleen. Why is she here? Kathleen, on the other hand, was not surprised. After all, the butler did mention that Christopher apanied Felix untiltest 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.¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Kathleen looked at that woman coldly. Astrid Holloway, what a coincidence. Did they spendst night together? No wonder Felix specially mentioned on the invitation card, for me toe earlier. Did he do that just to make me witness this scene? Interesting. ¡°Kathleen?¡± While Astrid appeared to be surprised, a flicker of smugness shed through her eyes. ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t get it wrong. Actually¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Frustrated, Christopher looked at Astrid and stopped her from talking. Christopher strode over to Kathleen and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. I¡¯ll exin to youter.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kathleen nodded. In fact, she would not be bothered even if he did not exin it to her, as sexual attraction wasmon. Astrid¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment after she got chided by Christopher, and she started whimpering. Kathleen¡¯s lips curled into a sarcastic smile. ¡°I really can¡¯t tell that you used to be a war correspondent.¡± Astrid was shocked to see how calm Kathleen was, as though she was not at all bothered with Astrid, and what Astrid did was child¡¯s y. At this moment, Felix walked out of the room with a crutch in his hand. With his face darkened, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s nothing to do with Christopher. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± With tears trickling down Astrid¡¯s cheeks, she looked heart-rending. Felix questioned gravely, ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Both Christopher and Astrid remained silent. Felix looked at Christopher with a solemn look and reproached, ¡°Christopher, as a man, you should bear the responsibility.¡± ¡°I was drunkst night, so I couldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Christopher did not believe that he had done such a thing with Astrid. A drunk person would not have the extra energy to do that. There was no such thing as a drunken mistake. It just depended on whether someone was willing to do so. Christopher was certain that he would nevery a finger on Astrid, as he was not interested in her. ¡°Mm¡­ Mm¡­¡± Astrid wailed, aggrieved. Felix¡¯s expression darkened. He instructed the butler to go take a look. After a while, the butler came out while holding the bedsheet, which had some red marks on it. Kathleen felt likeughing, and she did burst outughing too. Felix shot her an apathetic look and questioned, ¡°Ms. Johnson, what¡¯re youughing about?¡± Kathleen answered calmly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing much. Old Mr. Morris, I simply feel that you actually don¡¯t have to go through so much trouble to stop Christopher from marrying me, as Christopher and I¡­¡± ¡°Kate!¡± Christopher gritted his teeth. ¡°Christopher and I are not engaged.¡± Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°However, even though we¡¯re not in a rtionship, Christopher doesn¡¯t like Astrid either. To force me into leaving Christopher, you¡¯ve resorted to sacrificing his marriage and happiness. That¡¯s somewhat not worth it.¡± Frowning, Felix asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you two engaged?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not, of course.¡± Kathleen exined monotonously, ¡°It¡¯s actually because my brother is afraid that Samuel would be pestering me after I¡¯m back. Therefore, he asked Chris for a favor, and Chris agreed to help me out. I initially intended to tell the reporters after a month, that Chris and I have called off the engagement.¡± Felix replied in a stern voice, ¡°Ms. Johnson, you should know that you¡¯re notpatible with Christopher.¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± Christopher was getting anxious. ¡°It¡¯s between me and Kate. Stay out of it!¡± Christopher walked to Kathleen, grabbed her hands, and wanted to lead her outside. Nevertheless, Kathleen refused to leave. Christopher looked at her, and his gaze was dark yet nervous. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, you seem to be very concerned about me. Is it because I¡¯m Samuel¡¯s ex-wife?¡± asked Kathleen, appearing calm andposed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Felix did not hide what was on his mind either. ¡°If you were the ex-wife of a random person, I probably wouldn¡¯t say anything too. But the problem is, Christopher and Samuel are cousins! If Christopher marries the ex-wife of his cousin, he¡¯d be theughing stock of others! Even if you¡¯ve no shame, the Morris family can¡¯t afford to have our name tainted!¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± Christopher bellowed, ¡°The whole thing is my idea. Why do you have to humiliate Kate like this?¡± Kathleen grinned. She looked confident under her captivating facial features. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, precisely because I¡¯m shameless, I still came here on my own after receiving your invitation despite knowing that it might be a trap. Do you think I¡¯m a fool that I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to?¡± Felix¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits. Amused, Kathleen smiled and stated, ¡°You imed that I¡¯m shameless, but how about yourself? You¡¯ve let an outsider like me witness this scene. It seems like there¡¯s nothing good about the Morris family either since you¡¯re not at all afraid of bing the gossip of others.¡± Felix¡¯s expression changed drastically. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, don¡¯t tell me you think that I wouldn¡¯t retaliate for getting scolded by you like this.¡± Kathleen sneered, ¡°Or do you assume that I¡¯d put up with all these just to get married into the Morris family?¡± Felix stared at her coldly. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re really sharp-tongued.¡± ¡°Thank you for yourpliment.¡± Kathleen simply smiled in response. ¡°I¡¯m being reasonable after all.¡± Felix¡¯s face fell. ¡°Ms. Johnson, sorry for being blunt. I¡¯m afraid that no one would want to marry a divorced woman like you, especially someone from a prominent family like ours.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Kathleen could not help but burst outughing. ¡°The Morris family means nothing to me. While your family is wealthy, isn¡¯t mine too? My brother isn¡¯t inferior to anyone else, and the revenue of the company he runs is not less than that of yourpany as well. What right do you have to look down on me?¡± Felix fixed his cold gaze on her. ¡°There¡¯s really no need for you to abuse your seniority.¡± Kathleen stated coldly, ¡°Lastly, Old Mr. Morris, I¡¯ve to tell you that times have changed. Third marriage can turn out well for a woman too, not to mention a second one.¡± After finishing her words, she turned to leave. ¡°Kate!¡± Christopher went after her. ¡°Christopher, stop right there!¡± Felix warned harshly, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯ve something very important to do.¡± Christopher sneered, ¡°Since she has no shame, let¡¯s call the police to run a test on her and see if I did anything to her!¡± Astrid froze, as she never expected Christopher to say such a cruel thing, which waspletely different from his usually genteel and polite image. Kathleen headed downstairs and bumped into Samuel and Charles. Surprisingly, not only were they here, but they also heard everything Kathleen said just now. Charles felt utterly embarrassed. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m sorry. I really never expected that¡­¡± There¡¯ll be this kind of person in the Morris family. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be surprised of. It¡¯s just that the Macari family has made us think that everyone from a wealthy family is as kind as they are.¡± Kathleen cast Charles a nonchnt gaze. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I disagreed with you and Christopher secretly deciding on your own.¡± ¡°Kate, don¡¯t be angry. I won¡¯t do this again.¡± Charles replied sheepishly, as he never expected such a thing to happen. ¡°The most important thing you need to do right now is to release the news to inform everyone that there¡¯s nothing between me and Christopher.¡± Kathleen warned in a grim voice, ¡°Also, leave me alone today!¡± After that, she walked off. Charles felt bad for what he had done. Just then, Samuel grabbed ahold of her pale wrist from behind. Kathleen turned around. ¡°Samuel, let go of me! There¡¯s nothing between me and Christopher, but I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you either!¡± Samuel fixed his darkened gaze on her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I understand where I stand, and I¡¯m not thinking of forcing you either. I¡¯ll get you out of here!¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Samuel dragged Kathleen toward the car. However, she did not want to get in the car. Samuel asked coldly, ¡°Do you want Christopher toe down and pester you? At that time, Felix might think that you¡¯re just blowing hot and cold. Will you be able to exin yourself?¡± Kathleen bit her lip. Then, Samuel continued in a low voice, ¡°I really won¡¯t do anything to you. Just get in the car!¡± Kathleen gave up struggling and was pulled into the car by Samuel. He closed the car door and drove away with Kathleen. When Christopher rushed out, they had already left. Christopher gave Charles a sidelong nce. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop them?¡± Charles felt a mix of emotions and replied, ¡°I couldn¡¯t. Christopher, Kate doesn¡¯t like you, indeed. This is the first time I saw her talking back in that way. Your grandpa had gone too far.¡± After that, he got into his car. Christopher gritted his teeth. Samuel must be behind this! Meanwhile, Kathleen was sitting in Samuel¡¯s car. She looked out of the window, and her vision turned blurry. Samuel felt a stab in his heart. Why does she like Christopher so much? In fact, Kathleen felt aggrieved. Argh! I had never gotten scolded so much by an elder in my whole life. What have I done wrong? Looking at how she was crying miserably, Samuel could only try to make himself appear less hostile and gloomy. Then, he stopped the car and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Stop crying.¡± Kathleen shot him a sideways nce. The next instant, she grabbed Samuel¡¯s tie and questioned angrily, ¡°Samuel, tell me what¡¯s wrong with a second marriage?¡± Samuel was slightly stunned. Kathleen bellowed in a gentle voice, ¡°So what if I¡¯m a divorcee. Do they think I wanted that divorce? I wouldn¡¯t have opted for a divorce if I hadn¡¯t been forced to the edge! Who did he think he is? What rights does he have to chide me like this?¡± Samuel looked at Kathleen who broke down tears. After hesitating for a moment, he took her into his arms. His voice was extremely hoarse as he apologized, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry. I was the one who made you bear the title of a divorced woman. me it all on me.¡± Kathleen broke down and asked, ¡°Why are they ming me? What have I done wrong? I gave you all my love, and I tried my best to maintain the family. Why am I the one to be med in the end? They even said that I will never be happy in the future. Why?¡± Samuel¡¯s heart ached. He had never been in such pain. Kathleen was right. She was not the one at fault. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Samuel could only hug her tightly, as he was the one to be med. It was him who made her suffer. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Kathleen was torn between sorrow and anger. She had never thought of getting involved with Christopher. Yet, she was scolded without any mercy. Samuel was at a loss for what to do, so he could only hug her without saying a word. After Kathleen cried for a while, she finally regained herposure. Then, she let go of Samuel and wiped her tears. ¡°Sorry, I¡­ lost control of my emotions.¡± Samuel merely smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good that you can vent it out. I was afraid that you¡¯d keep everything to yourself.¡± Kathleen sniffled. She then looked at his crumpled suit and tie. ¡°I¡¯llpensate you for a new set.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen fell silent. Samuel looked at her calmly. ¡°The suit can still be saved, but not the tie.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just let me pay for your tie?¡± questioned Kathleen, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re earning more than one hundred million from the film. Why can¡¯t you buy me a suit?¡± asked Samuel. Kathleen snorted in annoyance. Samuel handed her a tissue and said, ¡°Take this. You¡¯re the one who requested to make everything clear between us. And now, I¡¯m merely following your request, yet you¡¯re unhappy about it.¡± Kathleen wiped her nose. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡± Having been distracted by Samuel, Kathleen did not feel as depressed as before. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Samuel looked out of the window and cast his gaze upon the beach and sea. ¡°Ie here often. After you left, I¡¯de here whenever I missed you. I¡¯d sit in the car alone, listening to the sound of the waves rolling in and out in rhythm and the whistling of the passing breeze. No one was there to disturb me, and I was able to enjoy a moment of serenity.¡± Furrowing her brows, Kathleen uttered, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I just want to tell you that it¡¯s really quiet here. You can close your eyes and take some rest,¡± said Samuel as he opened the sunroof. It was a bright and sunny day. The sound of waves and whistling of the wind sounded in their ears. Kathleen sat in the car, and she slowly calmed herself down. Then, she gradually closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Samuel took off his coat and covered Kathleen. As Samuel fixed his gaze on thedy¡¯s sleeping face, his heart softened. She¡¯s not with Christopher now, and she¡¯ll never be with him. That¡¯s great. Just then, Diana sent him a message: Is Kate with you? Samuel: Yes. Diana: Do you possibly think that Kate will have something to do with you just because she has nothing to do with Christopher? Samuel: Yes. Diana: If you dare to plot against Kate again, she will not forgive you. Samuel: Okay. Diana: Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m joking! If you still treat Kate the way you used to, then you should give up as soon as possible. Samuel: Sure. Diana was utterly speechless. She did not want to bother him anymore. Suddenly, Wynnie sent Samuel a message that wrote: Are Kate and you dating? Samuel: Yes. Wynnie: Wow. You¡¯re dating her right after she had a fallout. Are you a monster? Samuel was rendered speechless. Obviously, his mother showed no mercy when it came to educating her own son. Wynnie: Don¡¯t try to take advantage of her. Kate will never like you! Samuel lightly pinched between his eyebrows and replied: She wouldn¡¯t like Christopher anyway. Wynnie: Do you think you have a chance, then? Samuel did not want to keep the conversation going. At the same time, he received Calvin¡¯s message on WhatsApp: Good job, Samuel! Although I don¡¯t support you and Kate together, I finally don¡¯t have to see that smug look of Aaron! Haha! Seemingly annoyed, Samuel massaged his temple and switched off his phone right away. He diverted his gaze to Kathleen¡¯s sleeping face, and even his thin lips appeared gentler than before. Samuel got off the car. Then, he leaned against it and lit a cigarette. After a while, the car window was wound down and Kathleen stuck her head out. With a sleepy look, she said, ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Samuel asked while holding the cigarette between his slender fingers, ¡°Would you like to eat what I make?¡± Kathleen looked up and asked, ¡°Is it edible?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Kathleen only shed him an awkward smile. ¡°Let me finish this cigarette.¡± Samuel turned his head away. Kathleen ced both her fair hands on the window frame and stared at him. Samuel was undeniably good looking. He looked attractive even when he smoked. With a slight frown on her face, Kathleen advised, ¡°Samuel, stop smoking. You¡¯re not in good health, yet you smoke.¡± Samuel nced at her. ¡°I only feel like smoking under two kinds of situations.¡± ¡°What kind of situations?¡± She was curious to know. ¡°First, it¡¯s when I miss you,¡± said Samuel in a husky voice. Kathleen was momentarily stunned. ¡°What about the second one?¡± ¡°When I miss you very much.¡± Samuel threw the cigarette butt away and squashed it with his leather shoes. Kathleen hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°But I¡¯m right in front of you.¡± Samuel seemed a little sad. ¡°Is there a rule that says one could only miss someone when that person is not around? I merely miss the old you, the one who used to love me so much. I always think if God is willing to give me another chance, I¡¯ll give you everything I have.¡± Kathleen was a slightly nervous. Samuel¡¯s thin lips curled slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I only want to chat with you. That¡¯s all.¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Kathleen bit her lip and said, ¡°I¡¯m not nervous. Samuel, I don¡¯t want to look back.¡± In truth, there was no way she could turn things back to how they used to be. Samuel looked at her delicate and flushed cheeks. He wanted to kiss her but he held himself back. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not forcing you to go back.¡± His voice was slightly hoarse. Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Samuel turned around and got in the car. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Samuel asked. Kathleen nced at the time. It was already one o¡¯clock. ¡°Just find a restaurant.¡± She thought for a while and continued, ¡°It seems like the two of us haven¡¯t eaten out together before.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Back then, you were always afraid that we would get caught on camera by the media. Were you afraid that Nicolette would get mad after she found out and choose not toe back?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Samuel looked at her deeply and asked, ¡°Do you want to hear the truth?¡± Kathleen nodded and replied, ¡°Why would I ask if I don¡¯t want to hear the truth?¡± Samuel looked straight into her eyes. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not entirely right. You know my identity. It¡¯d cause you trouble if you got exposed. Of course, it¡¯s true that I neglected your feelings. As for Nicolette, I didn¡¯t think about it that much.¡± He had not thought about it at all. and he just felt there was a need to protect his privacy. However, Samuel finally understood it now. There was no need to sacrifice someone for the sake of his privacy. If he had just admitted it openly, the media would not have probed further on that matter. Blinking, Kathleen said bitterly, ¡°It seems like we don¡¯t know each other well enough, so it¡¯s normal for us to part way from one another. Maybe we would break up too even without Nicolette.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Samuel replied in a deep voice. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. In actuality, he had thought about it. He might not divorce her, as he had never thought of letting her go when he began to realize his affection for Kathleen. It was just that Kathleen had opted for the extreme ways. If she had not threatened him, Samuel would not have broken up with her. Whether she resented or hated him, he would never leave her. However, all of that had be the past. And Kathleen had left the past behind. Nheless, that was not the case for him. Maybe he would dwell on the past for his whole life. Samuel took Kathleen back to the city center and found a restaurant. The weather was too cold, so Samuel ordered hot stew for Kathleen. Kathleen ate something warm, and her pale face immediately turned rosy. She looked as adorable as a peach. Samuel gazed intently at her. He felt inexplicably satisfied just by watching her. During their meal, Kathleen received a call from Emily. She quickly ced her cutlery aside and answered the call. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Morris,¡± replied Kathleen, feeling bad. Emily sounded resigned. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ve heard about everything. I¡¯m very sorry. In truth, I¡¯m aware of what kind of a person my father-inw is, but I forgot to give you a heads-up. Last time, he and my mother- inw tried to stop Aaron from getting together with me. I didn¡¯t expect them to meddle in Christopher¡¯s marriage now!¡± Kathleen replied calmly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If I were to think from Old Mr. Morris¡¯ point of view, he¡¯s not wrong too. It¡¯s just that Christopher and I have been faking our rtionship all this while, and we lied to you.¡± ¡°Is that true that you two have been faking it?¡± asked Emily in a soft voice. Nodding, Kathleen replied, ¡°Yes. Chris and I are just friends.¡± Emily was disappointed. Everything seemed to be over now. Kathleen was clearly aware of the situation. She had even bumped into Christopher and Astrid, who came out of the room in a disheveled state. Hence, it was apparent that Kathleen would not even have the thought of getting together with Christopher anymore. Emily sighed. ¡°Kate, I understand how you feel, but Christopher is truly fond of you.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I can¡¯t force you to like someone,¡± said Emily with a faint smile. ¡°Mrs. Morris, please help me to persuade Christopher more.¡± That was all Kathleen could say. ¡°Christopher has been insisting that he has done nothing to Astrid. He also called the police and asked them to do a test for himself and her. I believe there will be results tomorrow,¡± said Emily. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen merely nodded. ¡°Have a good rest then.¡± Emily hung up the phone. Only then did Kathleen let out a sigh of relief. Samuel merely looked at her impassively and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kathleen shot him a meaningful look and said, ¡°It seems like guys have to protect themselves well when they¡¯re out now.¡± Samuel was baffled. In the meantime, Kathleen sipped on her coffee. ¡°My family isn¡¯t that shady. I guess why Felix doesn¡¯t like you is most likely due to the reason that he had once lost to my grandpa. Besides, he used to like my grandma.¡± Cough! Cough! Kathleen was slightly agitated to learn about the shocking fact. Samuel stared at her and continued, ¡°It was merely a one-sided love. Grandma and Grandpa are each other¡¯s first love, and you know that.¡± Kathleen nodded lightly. ¡°Of course, I know that.¡± ¡°So, Felix hates you mostly because of this reason. It¡¯s not because you¡¯re getting married for the second time,¡± Samuel said meaningfully. Kathleen pondered for a while before asking in doubt, ¡°You didn¡¯t make up a story just tofort me, right?¡± Samuel looked at her and replied, ¡°No. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go and ask Grandma.¡± Kathleen felt embarrassed and said, ¡°I¡¯m not going. What if things get awkward?¡± Samuel lowered his head and smiled dotingly. ¡°Rx, I won¡¯t lie to you.¡± There was no need for him to lie about that. Kathleen then picked up the fork and continued eating. She stuffed both her cheeks full. A look of happiness appeared on her face. Samuel stared at her with an unfathomable gaze. If only I can make her happier than now, then she will never leave me. Every time Samuel thought about that, he just could not wait to give her everything. What can I do to make her fall in love with me again? After their meal, Kathleen said to Samuel, ¡°You can go back to thepany. I¡¯ll return home on my own.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you there.¡± Samuel put on his coat. Kathleen raised her head and looked at the handsome and noble man in front of her. ¡°Your phone screen lit up a few times. It must be Tyson looking for you. You don¡¯t have to waste your time on me when you should be working and making money.¡± Samuel gulped and stated, ¡°Money is nothing but a set of numbers to me.¡± ¡°Haha! Stop bragging in front of me. If money is a set of numbers to you, then why are you working overtime?¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°Because I feel bored at home,¡± Samuel exined in a low voice. Kathleen froze. She then looked at Samuel with a serious expression. ¡°Samuel, you can always look for another woman other than Nicolette. I¡¯m sure there are people who¡¯re fond of you. Why would you choose to be alone?¡± Samuel looked at her soft face, and his handsome face darkened. ¡°So what if they¡¯re fond of me? It¡¯s pointless if I don¡¯t feel the same. Could you ept someone who loves you but you don¡¯t have any feelings for him?¡± Kathleen was stumped by his question. I can¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong to put things that way. I just wanted to persuade you¡­¡± said Kathleen. Samuel grabbed her chin and said with a solemn look on his face, ¡°Everyone has a bottom line that even their family member shouldn¡¯t cross. Do you get what I mean?¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Kathleen felt awkward. She nodded in response sheepishly. ¡°Got it.¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes finally regained rationality. In a low voice, he said, ¡°If I want to enter into a rtionship, I will tell you. Hence, you should do the same too.¡± Kathleen nodded faintly. ¡°Call a taxi, as I will not send you home. However, do send me a message when you arrive at your house. If not, I will feel worried.¡± Samuel gradually released his big, slender hand. Kathleen rubbed her chin and replied, ¡°Mm.¡± Samuel stared at Kathleen¡¯s delicate features as he said furiously, ¡°Please don¡¯t ever bring up the topic about me searching for a partner. If you piss me off, I might do anything.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. I¡¯m merely trying to advise him nicely. Is it necessary for him to react so terrifyingly? Kathleen took her coat and bag. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the bill.¡± Coldly, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯ve never let a woman pay the bill before.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Samuel nced at her. ¡°I only wanted to treat you to a meal to express my gratitude because you¡¯ve spent the whole morning apanying me,¡± exined Kathleen. The charming man stared at her calmly. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I¡¯ve lost tens of millions because of you this morning. Do you think you canpensate me with just one meal?¡± ¡°That much?¡± Kathleen eximed in surprise. ¡°Do you expect the Macari Group to be simr to the Morris Group?¡± questioned Samuel sarcastically. Kathleen was speechless. ¡°No matter what, the Morris family is still your Aunt Emily¡¯s inws.¡± ¡°If my aunt and Aaron filed a divorce, I¡¯ll take care of her until the day she dies.¡± Samuel sounded frivolous. At his words, Kathleen didn¡¯t know how to react. Soon, Kathleen hailed a taxi and returned to the Johnson residence. Just when she entered her room, Charles called. ¡°Are you home?¡± Charles asked casually. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Charles, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Oh, I called to tell you I¡¯ve already released a notice to announce the calling off of the engagement between you and Christopher. You ought to know we can¡¯t possibly inform the public it was a fake engagement. After all, I must consider both your reputations,¡± exined Charles. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Kathleen continued in an icy tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to announce the cancetion of the engagement and not say a word about the engagement being fake?¡± ¡°Anyway, the announcement will not jeopardize both your reputations this way.¡± Charles hesitated for a while. ¡°Christopher told me that he had never touched Astrid before.¡± ¡°Charles, there is no need to exin to me whether he has or has not touched Astrid.¡± Kathleen continued coldly, ¡°If he did, he should talk to Astrid about the matter. If he did not, Astrid should give him an exnation. As the situation has nothing to do with us, I suggest you don¡¯t interfere with it.¡± ¡°Right, I got you.¡± Charles understood that Kathleen really wanted to draw a line with Christopher. As Felix¡¯s attitude was terrible toward Kathleen, it was apparent that Charles could not bear to see his sister married into a family like that and live the rest of her life miserably. ¡°Get some rest. You need to go for a photo shoot for a promotional poster tomorrow,¡± said Charles. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± With that said, she ended the call. Meanwhile, Charles breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Kathleen did not ignore me. I will never y matchmaker for Christopher and her ever again. If not, I might lose my dear sister. Kathleen took off her high heels andy on the bed. Although she wasn¡¯t tired, she wanted to have a good rest. Just then, her phone rang. It was a number she didn¡¯t recognize. Kathleen frowned upon seeing that. She then let the call through. ¡°Hello?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was clear. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± An icy yet familiar voice came through. ¡°Nicolette.¡± Kathleen sat up straight as she continued, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would dare to call me.¡± Nicolette grinned wickedly. She questioned, ¡°Why should I be afraid to phone you?¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I saw the news today. I¡¯m shocked that you and Christopher called off the engagement.¡± Sarcastically, Nicolette continued, ¡°Are you nning to get back together with Samuel?¡± Kathleen smiled indifferently and asked, ¡°Who are you to question me?¡± Nicolette was stunned at her words. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why did you call me immediately after seeing the news of Christopher and me breaking off our engagement? Are you so afraid that Samuel and I will reconcile?¡± mocked Kathleen. ¡°Haha.¡± Nicolette scoffed and replied, ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t forget that your children wouldn¡¯t have died if Samuel hadn¡¯t indulged it!¡± ¡°How would I ever forget about it?¡± Kathleen sounded cold. ¡°Yes, Samuel is at fault. But Nicolette, you are not innocent.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Nicolette¡¯sughter became madder. ¡°Too bad I have the Yoeger family backing me up now. Kathleen, what can you possibly do to me?¡± Kathleen snorted. At that moment, she knew the reason Nicolette gave her a call. She merely wanted to trigger her. ¡°Nicolette, I¡¯ve only agreed to let you off temporarily. That doesn¡¯t mean I will spare you forever.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gorgeous face became as cold as ice. ¡°Now that you don¡¯t have Samuel supporting you and only have the Yoeger family, do you think I¡¯d care?¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re scared of Samuel too,¡± mocked Nicolette. ¡°Haha. Of course, I am. Aren¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen asked in return. ¡°Coward.¡± Nicolette said in an icy tone, ¡°I thought you¡¯d do anything to seek revenge for your children.¡± ¡°It is not wise to take action before having a detailed n. There is no use provoking me. Previously, I was unsure of what Samuel thought of you. Hence, I didn¡¯t take any action. But now that I do, do you think I¡¯ll show mercy? Do you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± Kathleen was expressionless. Nicolette remained silent. ¡°Previously, I dared to scratch your face in front of Samuel.¡± A cold glint shed across Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t want to dirty my hands because of a person like you. However, I understand that you want me dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Nicolette was infuriated. ¡°Kathleen, if it weren¡¯t for you, I would already be Samuel¡¯s wife. Besides that, he wouldn¡¯t have broken my legs personally. Do you know how much hate I have in me because of that?¡± Samuel broke her legs with his own hands? Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°If so, do you hate him?¡± ¡°Yes! I hate all of you!¡± Nicolette gritted her teeth. Kathleen hesitated for a while. Then, she said, ¡°Nicolette, do you know the person who decided to send you overseas wasn¡¯t Old Mrs. Macari?¡± Upon hearing that, Nicolette snorted. ¡°Are you trying to speak up for the Macari family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to do that. You will hate us whether I tell you or not.¡± Kathleen was calm. ¡°I just want to tell you that the Macari family isn¡¯t the only party that caused the separation between you and Samuel.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t believe you.¡± Nicolette clenched her teeth. ¡°It¡¯s the Yoeger family.¡± Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°I overheard someone from the Yoeger family call Old Mrs. Macari. They said they would send you away.¡± Haha! Nicolette smiled coldly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I¡¯ll seek revenge on all of you! Kathleen, I¡¯m calling to tell you that I will never forgive you. You will meet your end soon!¡± With that said, Nicolette hung up the phone. Immediately, Kathleen narrowed her eyes. Is the day I¡¯ve been waiting for so long finally here? She turned, walked to her closet, opened a cab, and took out two pairs of infant shoes. My beloved children, I will avenge you! Chapter 141 Chapter 141 That night, Christopher suddenly called when Kathleen was just about to sleep. ¡°Chris? Why are you calling sote?¡± She was a little surprised. ¡°Can youe out? I have something to tell you.¡± His voice was hoarse. ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me over the phone?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°I¡¯m downstairs of your ce.¡± Christopher looked up at the window of her room. ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed. Then, she put on a white down jacket and went down. Standing against the car door, Christopher looked sophisticated in his dark gray coat. His expression was gloomy, though. ¡°Chris.¡± Kathleen walked up to him. She wrapped herself in a white down jacket and cascaded her hair down to her waist. The sight of her delicate and adorable cheeks would make one feel the urge to hold her in their arms. ¡°Are you cold? Do you want to get into the car?¡± Christopher asked in a husky voice. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m wearing snow boots.¡± She had put on a pair of snow boots with rabbit ears. Christopher looked deeply at her before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve received the test result from the police.¡± Stunned, Kathleen did not understand his words for a moment, but soon, realization dawned on her. ¡°Nothing had happened between her and me. In truth, she had prepared the blood on the bedsheets in advance,¡± Christopher exined. Anyhow, he had proved his innocence. ¡°My gosh, how bold of her!¡± Kathleen said in disbelief. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare to do so if she didn¡¯t have her grandpa¡¯s tacit approval,¡± said Christopher coldly. ¡°Of course, she couldn¡¯t have nned this matter alone. They probably did not expect I would go to the police when nning this.¡± ¡°Did you just say ¡®they¡¯? Who else was involved in this?¡± Kathleen asked faintly. ¡°Will you believe my words if I tell you?¡± Christopher shot a meaningful look at her. ¡°Then tell me about it. I¡¯ll analyze it first and decide whether to believe it,¡± Kathleen answered solemnly. Christopher knew that Kathleen had always been calm and wise. She rarely got emotional. ¡°Do you have any idea how Astrid came back?¡± Christopher shot Kathleen a look. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°It was Samuel. He had a deal with Astrid¡¯s grandfather. The reason he asked her toe back was to break us apart,¡± Christopher continued coldly. Kathleen pursed her scarlet lips. ¡°Samuel also nned the incident yesterday with Astrid. If not, why would he rush over?¡± Christopher¡¯s words implied a deeper meaning as he looked at her. Kathleen frowned deeply upon hearing that. Does this have something to do with Samuel? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we can go and ask him,¡± she said coldly. ¡°Do you think he will admit it if you ask?¡± Christopher questioned in a deep voice. However, Kathleen said, ¡°Whether he¡¯s going to admit it or not, we should at least convey our stance regarding this matter to him. If he continues being obstinate, we still have other options.¡± Christopher was silent. ¡°Christopher, I still don¡¯t believe in Astrid. Of course, it doesn¡¯t mean what she said was false.¡± Kathleen looked at Christopher as she spoke. ¡°You witnessed how Astrid treated me during the filming that day. Did she learn all those, including every single word, from Samuel as well? What if she was trying to shove the me on Samuel so that she could get away from it?¡± Christopher pursed his thin lips in silence. ¡°This matter has already alerted the police. They will naturally interrogate Astrid and Samuel. We¡¯d better do nothing but wait for the oue,¡± Kathleen said indifferently. ¡°Are you thinking that I¡¯ve lost my sense of judgment now?¡± Christopher asked in a deep voice. Kathleen shook his head. ¡°No, but the onlooker sees most of the game. You are the victim, Chris. It¡¯s normal for you to suspect someone, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯re wrong. Simrly, as a bystander, I have my own opinion.¡± Christopher stepped forward and took her hands. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Kate, do you like me? Even a little bit will do.¡± Kathleen looked at him quietly. She did not know why the feeling of Christopher getting close to her waspletely different from the feeling Samuel gave her. When Christopher came close to her, she could remain calm andposed. Yet, when Samuel approached her, she would get very nervous and flustered. While Kathleen was lost in her thoughts, Christopher suddenly pulled her into his embrace. He hugged her hard and tight in his arms. ¡°Chris, let go of me first. I can¡¯t breathe.¡± Kathleen struggled to get out of his grip. ¡°Astrid and I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Christopher¡¯s voice was husky. ¡°Yes, I know. I trust you.¡± Kathleen felt a little uneasy. Unlike his usual self, Christophers was a little emotional that night. Kathleen found it understandable, though. After all, he had been wronged and had not recovered emotionally. Nheless, Christopher knew that the little good impression Kathleen had for him had been extinguished after what had happened earlier that day. ¡°Chris, you¡ª¡± Kathleen struggled incessantly. Right at that moment, she felt a force exerted on her waist, pulling her backward. She then fell into a rtively warm and refreshing embrace and abruptly raised her head. ¡°Samuel?¡± It was indeed Samuel, who had appeared in a pair of light trousers and a casual shirt. ¡°Samuel.¡± Christopher stared at him coldly. ¡°Christopher.¡± Samuel cast Christopher an icy gaze. ¡°Kate always said you are a gentleman and will not make things difficult for others. She obviously didn¡¯t want you to hug her just now. Couldn¡¯t you feel it?¡± Christopher let out a chuckle out of frustration. ¡°How shameless you are, Samuel. Were you the one who summoned Astrid back?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. In aposed manner, Samuel replied, ¡°Her grandfather and I just happened to have a coboration. As for her return to the country, it was her grandfather¡¯s arrangements and had nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Astrid told me personally that you asked her toe back and approach me so that she could separate Kate and me!¡± Christopher bellowed as he grabbed Samuel¡¯s cor. ¡°And this morning¡¯s incident was obviously nned by you and her. How dare you deny it now!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you find your words ridiculous, Christopher? If I had set you and Astrid up, it would have been more than just sleeping pills for you.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice turned icy. ¡°How do you know I was given sleeping pills, then?¡± Christopher scoffed. ¡°Not only you have people in the police station. As soon as the investigation results were out, someone informed me.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression was still cold as he continued, ¡°Listen, Christopher. If I were to n this kind of thing, I would make sure everything was impable. I would¡¯ve drugged you, taken detailed pictures of you and Astrid, and posted them on the Inte. I would do more than just give you sleeping pills to annihte you.¡± Seeing that, Kathleen quickly walked up to the men and tried to smoothen things up. ¡°Chris, Samuel has already exined to you. Now, let go of him.¡± Christopher cast a sideways nce at her. ¡°And you believe him?¡± Stumped by Christopher¡¯s words, Kathleen turned to Samuel. ¡°Do you dare to swear on it?¡± Samuel immediately lifted his three fingers. ¡°If any of what I just said was false, I¡¯ll never get to marry Kathleen in this life!¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Staring at Samuel coldly, Christopher suddenly gave the former a punch when he was about to loosen his grip. Samuel had quick reflexes, but Christopher still managed to sweep his fist across the former¡¯s cheek. After being beaten up, Samuel naturally fought back. He also grabbed Christopher¡¯s cor and punched him. Kathleen stared at them wordlessly. ¡°Must you two fight in front of me like this?¡± She was infuriated. ¡°Listen carefully! I won¡¯t even feel bad if either of you gets hurt!¡± Kathleen was exasperated. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what the point is to fight over this matter. Couldn¡¯t it be Astrid trying to sow discord between you guys?¡± Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Samuel and Christopher had an intense fight. In the meantime, Kathleen¡¯s expression went darker and darker. D*mn! These men are really stupid! From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the water gun used to water the flowers beside the flower bed. She immediately walked over to pick it up and pointed it at the two men. The men immediately stopped their fight and soon became entirely drenched. It was then that Kathleen threw the water gun onto the floor. ¡°Maria, please prepare bath towels for them,¡± she instructed. Maria quickly ran into the house to prepare them. Meanwhile, Kathleen shot the men an icy gaze imposingly. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever do such things in front of me again. What I resent the most are those who fight without making things clear. Are you two beasts?¡± The two grown men were being lectured like they were dogs, standing in ce with their hands hanging naturally at their bodies¡¯ sides while lowering their heads. Christopher then looked at Samuel. The white shirt thetter was wearing clung to his lean figure, showing his abs clearly. The scar from his heart that stretched all the way to his abdomen was now even more noticeable. Shortly after, Maria returned with the bath towels, handing one to each of them. ¡°Maria, please take Christopher inside to take a shower,¡± Kathleen instructed expressionlessly. ¡°Okay.¡± Maria then led Christopher inside. Looking at Samuel, Kathleen said, ¡°Hurry back home. You just got discharged from the hospital.¡± ¡°Why can he take a shower at your ce while I can¡¯t? Am I not worthy?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone sounded pitiful. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Your house is only next door.¡± Kathleen was speechless. What¡¯s the point of fighting against this? ¡°You said I¡¯m like a rtive to you, but I can feel that you treat a stranger way better than me.¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I¡¯m living alone. If I fainted, who¡¯s going to save me?¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words upon hearing that. In the end, Samuel managed to step into the Johnson residence. Kathleen went to Charles¡¯ room and found two sets of clothes for the two men. Since Christopher went to take a shower first, he used the bathroom on the first floor, and Samuel used the one on the second floor. After asking Maria to send the clothes to Christopher, Kathleen went to pass Samuel the other garments. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ll leave the clothes at the door.¡± said Kathleen from behind the door. Click! The bathroom door was pushed open. Kathleen was startled. Oh, my! Will, will he¡­ Although we used to be husband and wife, we have already divorced. How inappropriate for him toe out naked like that. Needless to say, she thought too much. ¡°Give it to me,¡± Samuel said in a hoarse voice while stretching out his slender, fair arm. After putting the clothes in his hand, Kathleen turned around to leave. ¡°Wait.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°What else do you need?¡± Kathleen asked, puzzled. Samuel then opened the bathroom door. Kathleen was so shocked that she covered her eyes. Her reaction amused Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m not a pervert. Look. I have my bathrobe on.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes upon hearing that. ¡°Can you lend me your hairdryer?¡± The man¡¯s voice was clear and deep. ¡°Follow me.¡± Kathleen led him to her room. She took out the hairdryer from the drawer and handed it to him. When Samuel received it, his slender, cold hand touched the back of her hand. Kathleen instantly felt a tingling sensation over her body. While blowing his hair, Samuel said, ¡°I did call Astrid¡¯s grandfather again.¡± Kathleen was startled. ¡°And I did ask him to send someone over.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°But that person was not Astrid.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes, asking, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel turned off the hair dryer, his hair was half dry by then. He exined, ¡°Morris Group is bidding for the construction project of Horington. In fact, this project has been postponed for two years and has only been resumed now. Morris Group is determined to secure this project. Thus, I asked Astrid¡¯s grandfather to help me find Olivia, the woman who had stopped this project two years ago. By the way, I admit that I was jealous when I learned you and Christopher were in a rtionship.¡± The mention of Olivia surprised Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of her. She¡¯s a geologist and is always out of the country,¡± Kathleen quietly responded. ¡°She proposed to end the Horington project because thend structure where the building resided was unstable.¡± ¡°You actually know about that?¡± Samuel was a little surprised. Kathleen rolled her eyes. ¡°I was still your wife at that time. There was once I overheard your video conference with someone and learned all that. It¡¯s not confidential and doesn¡¯t matter if I listened in, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°Even if it¡¯s confidential, so what? You can listen to it if you want.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°So Astrid was sent here by Old Mr. Holloway on his own initiative?¡± Samuel stared at her with his arms crossed. ¡°I won¡¯t believe it if you haven¡¯t run a background check on Astrid.¡± ¡°So what if I did?¡± Kathleen was displeased. ¡°Couldn¡¯t I investigate her?¡± Samuel chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t you try to shove that me on me. Let¡¯s get down to business. Astrid already signed with an entertainmentpany six months ago. Her so-called war correspondent job was fake.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t she afraid of being exposed?¡± ¡°Generally speaking, there¡¯re very few war correspondents out there. Thus, it¡¯s not easy to expose her, not to mention she had indeed spent two months in several war-torn countries. But she didn¡¯t really go to the camps. It was others who took the photos and sent them to her. She only published the photos after that,¡± Samuel exined. Of course, Kathleen was unaware of that. ¡°I¡¯ve already exined it to you.¡± Samuel cast her a meaningful look. ¡°If I said I wouldn¡¯t lie to you, I won¡¯t.¡± Kathleen flushed at his words. ¡°I also didn¡¯t say that what you said was false, but you¡­ shouldn¡¯t have made a move.¡± ¡°He was the one who hit me first.¡± Samuel pursed his sharp thin lips. ¡°You saw it yourself.¡± ¡°Of course I did. I¡¯m not blind,¡± Kathleen quietly responded. ¡°But no matter what, you¡¯re now nning to deal with the Morris family.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it,¡± Samuel admitted. ¡°You don¡¯t even feel embarrassed?¡± Kathleen knitted her eyebrows. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t pay Christopher any respect, you should still think about Aunt Emily who married into the Morris family.¡± ¡°How do you know that Christopher hasn¡¯t secretly dealt with me, then?¡± Samuel raised his brows. ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Kathleen said with certainty. ¡°How can you be sure of that? Just because he¡¯s good to you, you think he¡¯s good when doing everything?¡± Samuel questioned coldly. Kathleen was rendered speechless. She felt like she was going to start quarreling with Samuel at any minute. ¡°You¡¯d better get changed now and go downstairs.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t want to continue the subject any longer. When she reached the door, Samuel asked casually, ¡°Am I that evil in your heart?¡± Kathleen bit her lip for a moment and walked off. Is he evil? Not really. It¡¯s just¡­ Argh! I can¡¯t tell what kind of feeling that is. It¡¯s something like¡­ Even if he¡¯s not a bad guy, he will not be a good guy either. Meanwhile, Samuel¡¯s dark eyes were cold and deep-set. It seems that it¡¯s hard to patch things up once the person has lost trust in you. But this time, I really didn¡¯t lie to her. I really didn¡¯t. When Kathleen arrived downstairs, Christopher was already sitting in the living room, sipping coffee. Charles happened to have returned home and asked curiously, ¡°What happened to the yard? It¡¯s a complete mess.¡± ¡°Two dogs came and had a fight,¡± Kathleen exined indifferently. Dogs? Charles frowned at her words. He was a little surprised when he saw Christopher. ¡°You came!¡± Christopher nodded in response. Charles frowned. What¡¯s happening here? While Charles was pondering the situation, Samuel came down from the second floor. Charles was even more shocked by then. ¡°What is this guy doing here?¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here if Christopher can?¡± Samuel walked to Kathleen¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re wearing my clothes! Kate bought this set of clothing for me. I couldn¡¯t even bear to wear it.¡± Charles was bothered by Samuel who was wearing his clothes. ¡°You couldn¡¯t bear to wear it? I thought you didn¡¯t like it,¡± said Kathleen as realization dawned on her. ¡°I haven¡¯t worn it even once.¡± Charles gritted his teeth, ring at Samuel. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep it then. It suits me quite well,¡± said Samuel calmly. Kathleen bought this, after all. Charles was speechless. Then, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your dignity?¡± Do you still want it? ¡°Go and drink your coffee and go home,¡± urged Kathleen. Samuel went over and sat at the furthest seat from Christopher. Maria brought him a cup of coffee. Thanking her, Samuel picked up the cup and sipped slowly. Charles tugged at Kathleen¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The two of them fought in the yard. I stopped them with the spray gun you used to water the nts,¡± exined Kathleen. Charles blinked several times. So they were the dogs that fought? Kathleen walked over to Christopher and remarked, ¡°Chris, the incident where Astrid schemed you is far from simple. She had signed a contract with an entertainmentpany half a year ago. She nned well with every step she made.¡± Christopher frowned after hearing that. ¡°Samuel exined to me just now. He didn¡¯t get Astrid to harass you.¡± Kathleen paused before continuing, ¡°I believe what Samuel told me. After all, he¡¯s not someone that unscrupulous.¡± Samuel was at a loss for words. ¡°You never know because someone¡¯s appearance can be deceiving,¡± mocked Christopher. ¡°Ipletely agree with you.¡± Charles raised his brows. ¡°You stay out of this.¡± Kathleen glowered at Charles. Charles felt awkward. ¡°Why did you show up at my grandpa¡¯s ce today?¡± Christopher stared at Samuel coldly. ¡°I was worried about Kathleen,¡± said Samuel indifferently. Christopher narrowed his eyes and queried, ¡°How did you know Kathleen went to see my grandpa? Did you stalk her?¡± Kathleen also turned her gaze to Samuel. Looking at Kathleen, Samuel slowly nodded. What a jerk! Kathleen red daggers at him and howled, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re being ridiculous!¡± ¡°I have someone protect you secretly for your safety. Nicolette will surely take revenge on you,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Plus, I¡¯ve ordered them not to appear in front of you and not to disturb you. I did this out of good intention,¡± remarked Samuel in a deep voice. ¡°Nicolette will take revenge on my sister because of you! It was you who wandered between two women and hesitated back then, causing the situation to turn out like this!¡± raged Charles. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Anyway, I did that to protect Kathleen. I know Felix¡¯s character more than any of you.¡± Since Samuel was nine, Calvin began to teach him how to manage thepany. At that time, Felix was still handling Morris Group. Although the Macari family and the Morris family seemed harmonious on the surface, they had always been fighting secretly. Later, the two families started to be on good terms when Aaron led the Morris family. However, it felt like something big wasing uptely. Christopher did not deny it when Felix was being suspected. Of course, he was familiar with his grandfather. All those years, Emily would tell Christopher about something that happened back then. Emily would never spill a word before that. Actually, when Emily married Aaron, she went through a lot of twists and turns. The first obstruction was from Felix and his wife, namely Christopher¡¯s grandmother. They thought Emily was not from a prominent family. The two believed that a woman from a regr family was not good enough for their son. It was due to the same reason that Felix disliked Kathleen. He had an old-fashioned way of thinking. Felix thought Kathleen was not good enough for his grandson because she had been divorced. Meanwhile, Astrid was his old friend¡¯s granddaughter. He knew Astrid well. Christopher drank his coffee quietly. Right then, Charlesmented meaningfully, ¡°The people backing Astrid are indeed not ordinary. She could join the most popr variety show as soon as she returned. That is strange by itself. Although we have investigated her, we know nothing about the people behind her.¡± In other words, Astrid was not an ordinary woman. ¡°Chris, do you know Astrid?¡± Kathleen asked faintly. Staring at her intently, Christopher shook his head and answered, ¡°Even though I had an engagement with her before, that was an arranged marriage. I¡¯ve never been serious about it, and I¡¯ve never met her. Later, Grandpa asked me to get in touch with her, but I refused. I told Grandpa about my wishes straightforwardly and called off the marriage.¡± He also did not expect Astrid toe back again. ¡°How about we look into Astrid? If she¡¯s making you two fight each other, there must be someone who will benefit from this.¡± Samuel fixed his gaze on Kathleen. She has be more mature. Her way of viewing an issue is also different from before. Perhaps she has never changed. It was me who had never paid attention to her. Charles frowned and responded, ¡°Do you mean Astrid¡¯s purpose was not to marry Christopher but to make Samuel and Christopher fight each other?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of any reasons other than that,¡± replied Kathleen in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll look into this.¡± Standing up, Christopher shot a meaningful look at Kathleen and said, ¡°Anyway, their n won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Chris, your grandpa believes Astrid no matter what. You should be more cautious when handling this matter,¡± reminded Kathleen. Christopher said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe Grandpa will still trust her when the evidence is right in front of his eyes.¡± Hearing that, Samuel sneered. ¡°Your grandpa will certainly say Astrid did that because she loves you too much.¡± Christopher pursed his lips. Turning around to look at Kathleen, Christopher uttered, ¡°Still, I have never touched her.¡± ¡°Okay. I understand.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go back first. I¡¯ll deal with all these and ask you out on another day.¡± Christopher stared at Kathleen meaningfully. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. A gleam shed through Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will join the film set on the day after tomorrow.¡± She was going to film. Christopher said solemnly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll visit you at the film set.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Samuel smirked. ¡°He will undoubtedly get nothing from Felix.¡± Walking over, Charles urged, ¡°Have you finished the drink? Quickly leave if you¡¯re done.¡± Looking at Kathleen deeply, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Cough! Samuel coughed a few times before getting up slowly. ¡°I was just discharged from the hospital, and I got wet. My head is aching slightly.¡± Charles was speechless at the sight. Where is this jerk¡¯s pride? ¡°Wait!¡± Kathleen called out to Samuel. Samuel raised his head, and his face was full of anticipation. Kathleen turned around and took a box of medicine. ¡°Here¡¯s some fever medicine. Eat it if you have a fever.¡± It was Samuel turn to be speechless. ¡°Haha!¡± Charles could not hold back hisughter. As the saying goes, ¡°There is no best, only better.¡± Is he trying to gain sympathy from Kathleen? Unfortunately, she doesn¡¯t buy that anymore. ¡°Thank you.¡± Samuel took the medicine. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mr. Macari. You should hire a housekeeper as soon as possible. The trick you used just now is obsolete.¡± Kathleen looked at him indifferently. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Samuelughed in his deep voice and said, ¡°Was it too old-fashioned?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try something new next time.¡± Samuel was being thick-faced. He took the medicine, then turned around and left. Charles was annoyed and said, ¡°This man is just a jerk.¡± Kathleen asked calmly, ¡°Charles, why are you agitated?¡± ¡°This man is ying his tricks, you gotta be alert,¡± Charles warned her. Kathleen gave him a side-eye and said, ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Charles said faintly, ¡°I did not. But weren¡¯t you being too calm with Christopher just now?¡± ¡°I treat everyone the same way,¡± Kathleen said in a soft and steady tone, ¡°Right, do you know who is the guy ying the main character in this show?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Charles nodded and answered, ¡°Timothy Currah.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s him.¡± Kathleen was a bit surprised to hear that. ¡°Do you know him?¡± Charles raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°Yes, he graduated from the same college as me. I even presented him with a flower bouquet for his graduation ceremony that year,¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°but he probably would not remember it.¡± ¡°Why were you the one who gave him the bouquet?¡± Charles was curious. ¡°Because I¡¯m beautiful, I guess,¡± Kathleen said. Charles was curious. ¡°How did Samuel react to that?¡± Kathleen answered without giving much thought, ¡°There was no reaction from him. He did not pay much attention to me at that time.¡± Charles was speechless. He cursed in his heart again. Jerk! Samuel must have been blind to not notice someone as pretty as Kathleen. The next day, when Charles was heading out to jog, he met Samuel, who was going for a jog too. Charles gave him a snort and said, ¡°Together?¡± Samuel curled his lips and said, ¡°Sure.¡± Both of them did some warm-up exercises right there. ¡°Do you know who¡¯s the guy ying the main character in this show?¡± Charles asked in a suspenseful way. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Timothy Currah?¡± Samuel said without showing much, ¡°I did not keep my eye on the entertainment industry, and this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of him.¡± ¡°Then do you know he was Kate¡¯s senior?¡± Charles shot him a nce. Samuel shook his head. ¡°Then do you know Kathleen was the one who presented a flower bouquet to him during his college graduation ceremony?¡± Charles continued asking. ¡°It¡¯s him?¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned sullen. ¡°Oh, so you do know him?¡± Charles asked in a quizzical way. ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t recall his name,¡± Samuel said without showing much emotion. Charles smirked and said, ¡°Timothy was the campus hunk then, and Kathleen was the campus belle. If it weren¡¯t because she was already married to you, they might have developed an unforgettable romance in college.¡± Samuel snickered coldly in his mind. That¡¯s just impossible! Samuel and Charles then started jogging together. Charles asked during the jog, ¡°Do you know if anyone approached Kathleen in college?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± Samuel responded and he started to have some unpleasant shbacks in his mind. Of course there were people trying to approach Kathleen! She was so beautiful and adorable. What¡¯s more, she was such a gentle and caring girl. He still recalled when Kathleen was celebrating her eighteen-year-old birthday. There were people telling Diana that they wish to have their son or grandson marry Kathleen in the future. However, Diana was unwilling to marry her off like that so she did not give her consent. ¡°Actually, the rtionship you had with Kathleen would not have happened if it hadn¡¯t been because of Old Mrs. Macari. There was no way that you two would be together, ever,¡± said Charles on purpose. Samuel sped up without saying anything, and Charles followed suit. Both of them stopped only after theypleted onep. Charles stood in Samuel¡¯s way and said, ¡°Samuel, I really want to know. You loved Nicolette so much, but why did you get into an intimate rtionship with Kathleen after marrying her?¡± Samuel gave him a sharp look and said, ¡°Because I love her.¡± Charles retorted, ¡°You love her but you still hurt her?¡± He thought Samuel was ridiculous. Samuel answered in a steady voice, ¡°Because I did not realize my feelings for her at that time.¡± Charles stared at him in an icy way. ¡°And now you know what are your feelings for her? You are now pestering her because you want to get revenge on her, aren¡¯t you? Because she embarrassed you at the wedding?¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± Samuel gave a smirk. ¡°Getting revenge by putting in my heart for the revenge?¡± Charles gave him a warning. ¡°Samuel, Kathleen is no longer the old her, and I hope you remember this. Those words you said are now meaningless to her. She is not going to get back together with you. She had loved you for a long time, but you never cared about her.¡± Charles walked on after finishing his sentence. Samuel said in a chilly tone, ¡°Charles, I¡¯m not the old me either.¡± Charles did not stop his pace and continued his way back to the Johnson residence. Samuel¡¯s eyes were dark and seemed to hold a lot of emotions. He did care about Kathleen, but even he himself did not realize that. He got jealous because of her long ago. However, it was toote when he finally realized that. Kathleen arrived at the filming set, and she met Timothy. Timothy smiled and said, ¡°We meet again Kathleen.¡± Kathleen was somewhat shy. ¡°Hi, Timothy. You still remember me?¡± Timothy gave an indicative smile and said, ¡°You were the one who presented me with the flower bouquet during my graduation if I remember correctly?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°So you two know each other?¡± Spencer was surprised. Timothy exined, ¡°Kathleen presented a bouquet to me at the graduation ceremony, and my coursemates were all envious of me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Spencer was intrigued. ¡°What else could it be?¡± Remy raised his eyebrow and said, ¡°Kathleen was the campus belle at that time, and a bouquet presented by the campus belle herself of course is bound to invite all the jealousy.¡± Remy then continued his sentence with a look of dismay on his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I get this kind of treatment for my graduation?¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°Maybe because we were not from the same course.¡± ¡°Possibly.¡± Remy felt regretful. ¡°If I had known better, I would have taken the performance course. Why did I want to be a screenwriter in the first ce?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not toote to change now,¡± said Spencer, holding the script. ¡°Look, there¡¯s a creepy character in this that suits you quite well.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Remy said in anger, ¡°You only know how to exploit me and push me to work on the script. I¡¯m forced to work on a new script when the ongoing one is not even done filming yet. You are just inhumane!¡± Spencer did not know what to say. Kathleen chuckled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you two are this close.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Remy was furious and said, ¡°I am being exploited day by day. I will turn into a mummy someday. Spencer, you are too cruel.¡± Spencer could not find the words to defend himself. ¡°Can you stop with those misleading phrases? I would not know how to rify to others if someone misunderstood us.¡± ¡°What was misleading here?¡± Remy was enraged. While they were talking, they heard someone call out, ¡°Mr. Macari is here!¡± ¡°Well, what is the devil doing here?¡± Remy was intrigued. Samuel walked toward them before Remy finished his sentence. He lookedposed and elegant in his ck outfit. Kathleen nced at him and felt her heartbeat rising just from looking at his face. He¡¯s just too handsome! Samuel stared at Kathleen and walked toward her. ¡°I need a few minutes with you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen thought he had some serious business to discuss, so she walked away with him. The went into an empty room. Samuel frowned and said, ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Kathleen felt a bit uneasy. He had this deadpan face and it made her feel scared. ¡°Do you remember not long after we got married, and the time I took your first time?¡± Samuel asked in a serious tone. ¡°You know, our first time.¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Kathleen¡¯s face was flushed red. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Why are you bringing it up now?¡± Samuel was breathing hard. ¡°I thought about it suddenly. I saw you taking a photo with Timothy, and¡ª¡± ¡°And what?¡± Kathleen was baffled. ¡°I was jealous. Kathleen, I was so jealous then.¡± There was a tinge of irony in his eyes. Kathleen looked grim. ¡°So what if you¡¯re jealous? Why are you telling me this?¡± Do you expect me to give you some sugar to neutralize the sour taste in your mouth? ¡°This means that back then, I¡¯ve already fallen for you.¡± Samuel¡¯s face turned a little red as he said that. Kathleen was stunned. What is he talking about? When Samuel saw her startled look, he became indignant. ¡°What¡¯s so shocking about it?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°It¡¯s shocking indeed.¡± Samuel sat down. ¡°Perhaps, I¡¯ve fallen in love with you long ago. I just didn¡¯t realize it.¡± His feelings for Nicolette had blinded him. Kathleen managed a rueful smile. ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s all over. Stop dwelling on the past. We¡¯re family now. I¡¯m not troubled by it at all, why should you?¡± Although Kathleen was a little surprised by Samuel¡¯s confession, she was not overly shocked and touched. She just felt that destiny was often cruel. Regardless, they had already missed each other. They could never regain what they had once it was lost. That was Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s destiny. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m sorry. No matter what you say now, I don¡¯t feel anything for you. I really don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± Kathleen gazed steadily into Samuel¡¯s face. Samuel¡¯s face was drained of color, overwhelmed with a sense of powerlessness. ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to repeat it so many times. I just want to tell you how I feel.¡± Kathleen looked at him serenely. ¡°I¡¯m going to start filming now.¡± Samuel nodded. He was hoping to catch a different expression on Kathleen¡¯s face. Secretly, he wished that she could look shocked, moved, or angry. In truth, he hoped she felt something other than calmness. Herposure threw him off. She seemed to be telling him that they were no longer destined to be together. Kathleen walked out of the lounge and saw everyone gathered outside to take a group photo. Timothy beckoned her to join them. ¡°We¡¯re missing the female lead. The director was going to ask someone to send for you, but Remy said it was not necessary.¡± ¡°How can I not be in the group photo?¡± Kathleen jested with him. ¡°That¡¯s easy. We can always photoshop,¡± Remy said. Kathleen smiled in amusement. As both Timothy and Kathleen were the lead characters, they stood next to each other during the photo-taking. When Samuel saw them together as he walked out of the lounge, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. The filming of Assassin started in the morning. Kathleen and Kathleen were acting in their first scene together. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. As in earlier shows, the leading characters had to get to know each other first, so that they could develop a better rapport between them. Kathleen looked Remy up after she had read the script for the first day of filming. ¡°I recall that the script we discussed in Samuel¡¯s office was not the same. Where happened to the intimate scene?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve removed it. It¡¯s not appropriate to include it in the scene. This is a situation where lives are at stake. An intimate scene will ruin the mood,¡± Remy said. Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°Besides, the audience is very spoiled these days. We need to fire up their imagination. Otherwise, they won¡¯t be too happy with the plot.¡± Remy tried to justify removing the intimate scene. Kathleen¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°The scriptwriting team has the final say about how the movie unfolds. I¡¯m a professional scriptwriter. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± Remy threw her a stern look. Kathleen stared stonily at Remy for a minute. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not Samuel¡¯s idea to change the script?¡± ¡°Of course not. He¡¯s only an investor. He doesn¡¯t have any say in this.¡± Remy assured her shamelessly. However, anyone in the entertainment industry would know that the investor had the biggest say on how the movie would be shot. They were, after all, the ones who were forking outrge sums of money for the movie. Thinking that it was futile to protest, Kathleen did not say anything further. She took the script and left to rehearse her lines with Timothy. Remy was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Kathleen and Timothy put on an almost wless performance for their first scene together. Spencer was very pleased. They then moved on to the next scene where they had to build the set. Timothy walked up to Kathleen. ¡°The director noticed that we seem rather unfamiliar with each other. Why don¡¯t we have dinner together tonight to build a better rapport?¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Kathleen nodded. Timothy smiled and walked into his lounge to take a rest. Just then, Valerie skipped up to Kathleen. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll bring you to your lounge.¡± The film crew was very generous this time. They had prepared a lounge room for every actor. Valerie led Kathleen to the her lounge. Kathleen looked at it in shock. ¡°Samuel brought me here this morning.¡± Valerie nodded. ¡°The film crew informed me just now that this will be your lounge. I heard it¡¯s the best lounge among the film crew. There¡¯s even a bathroom inside.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. The film crew must have given her the best room on Samuel¡¯s ount. ¡°Kate, you should be well taken care of. Don¡¯t forget that your status is higher than Timothy¡¯s. You¡¯re the first actress to win an Academy Award. No one else in this country has that honor.¡± Valerie pointed out. Kathleen sighed. She was not used to such deferential treatment. Valerie opened the door, and Kathleen walked into the lounge. The room was filled with a floral scent. In addition, there was a strawberry cake and some coffee on the table. ¡°Wow!¡± Valerie eximed. Did Samuel arrange these? He¡¯s really considerate. Kathleen knitted her brows. Samuel seemed to have gone to great lengths this time. Just then, Charles appeared from behind. ¡°This is exactly how the best actress for the Academy Award should be treated.¡± Kathleen turned to look at him. ¡°Charles.¡± ¡°I have something to discuss with you. Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Charles¡¯s face was set in a grim expression. Kathleen nodded. Both of them walked into the lounge as Valerie closed the door. Just when both Kathleen and Charles sat down, Kathleen said to Valerie, ¡°Take a seat too. Make yourselffortable.¡± Valerie nodded and sat down. Kathleen helped herself to the cake and gave one piece to Valerie. Valerie knew that such a cake cost a lot of money. It was the most expensive cake in Jadeborough. Kathleen took a bite of the cake, savoring the taste in delight. ¡°Charles, what do you want to talk to me about?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°I just went to the lounge for the supporting actors. Astrid¡¯s also there. She¡¯s also been cast in this movie and she¡¯s taking on the role of your servant. It looks like a meaty role,¡± Charles said. ¡°Yes. There is indeed a role of a servant named Imelda.¡± Kathleen recalled after a while. ¡°I don¡¯t care what she¡¯s acting as. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s not appropriate for her to be acting in this show? Isn¡¯t it too much of a coincidence that she¡¯s been cast in a movie that Samuel has invested in?¡± Charles¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Charles, are you still suspicious of Samuel? Do you think he was the one who cast Astrid in the role?¡± Kathleen gave Charles a knowing look. Charles nodded stiffly. Other than Samuel, he could not think of anyone else. ¡°Since you¡¯re all suspicious of Samuel, just let Astrid stay. Let¡¯s see what she¡¯s capable of. Oh, the cake is so delicious.¡± Kathleen beamed with joy. Charles stared at Kathleen. ¡°Are you a glutton?¡± Kathleen grumbled, ¡°I¡¯ve not eaten at all today. How can youe here empty-handed when you visit me? You¡¯re worse than Samuel.¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 C harles fumed. ¡°I¡¯m way better than him. At least I will never let Astride near you.¡± Kathleen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Do you think he cares about such things? He only cares whether I am the female lead in this movie. He will never ask who the other actors are.¡± Charles¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You should look into who is behind whatever Astrid has done.¡± Kathleen felt that Charles was wasting his time. He might be unhappy with Samuel, but he also had to look at the facts. Charles frowned. ¡°Darling, aren¡¯t you a little too biased toward him?¡± Kathleen eyed Charles coolly. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you¡¯ve not gotten over him. It¡¯s true that he¡¯s a crafty guy,¡± Charles hurriedly exined. ¡°Charles, I know Samuel better than all of you. Samuel has his pride. Do you think he will cast Astrid in this movie, knowing full well that she will make things difficult for me? Don¡¯t you think he will try and stop Astrid from plotting against me?¡± Kathleen tried to reason with her brother. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s using Astrid to break you and Christopher up?¡± Charles retorted. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing between me and Christopher. What¡¯s the point of getting Astrid into the film crew?¡± Kathleen shrugged. Charles paused for a while. ¡°I¡¯ve already exined everything when we were at Felix¡¯s house. You heard me loud and clear. He knows that there¡¯s nothing between me and Christopher. What¡¯s the point of nting Astrid here? On the contrary, Astrid seems to appear wherever I am. This goes to show that the person is using her to get back at me.¡± Kathleen analyzed the situation for Charles. Charles thought Kathleen¡¯s spection sounded reasonable. ¡°Are you saying that you intend to let Astrid stay with the film crew?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to cast a long line to catch the big fish. These people must have a motive for getting close to me,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Won¡¯t you be in danger then?¡± Worry puckered Charles¡¯ brows. ¡°They won¡¯t dare to act rashly. The main thing is, if Astrid is not sent by the Yoeger family, they won¡¯t dare to be too impulsive,¡± Kathleen deduced. Besides, Samuel had sent someone to protect her on the sly. What could happen to me? Charles asked, ¡°What do your think is their motive?¡± Kathleen took a bite of the cake. ¡°I think their target is Samuel and Christopher. They want to see the both of them on opposing sides.¡± ¡°Opposing sides? If both of them start to fight, it could be a matter of life and death. In the end, it might be a no-win situation for both of them.¡± ¡°So, when there¡¯s a casualty in both camps, the person whom Astrid is working for will stand to gain,¡± Kathleen said. Charles finally understood. In the CEO¡¯s office of the Macari Group, Tyson was standing in front of Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari, we¡¯ve got thetest update on Astrid. The owner of the entertainmentpany that Astrid is working for is from the Corbyn family. They are the ones who previously failed in their bid for the Horington project.¡± ¡°The descendants of the war veteran, Thedeaus Corbyn?¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. Tyson nodded. Samuel¡¯s handsome face became cold. ¡°Looks like the Corbyn family is really keen on the development of Horington.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, should we stop them this time?¡± Tyson asked. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Samuel scoffed. ¡°No, if he wants it, we¡¯ll give it to them. He can fight over it with Christopher.¡± ¡°I wonder if Mr. Morris knows about the pitfalls in this project.¡± Tyson looked a little worried. ¡°Why worry about him? He¡¯s so distracted by a woman and still wants to manage apany. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± A smirk flickered at the corner of Samuel¡¯s mouth. Samuel and Kathleen had the same thought. The person behind Astrid was not targeting Kathleen. His target was Samuel and Christopher. Astrid was supposed to use Kathleen to sow discord between them. The person would stand to gain if both of them were on opposing sides. Samuel was not dumb. ¡°Mr. Macari, we also found out where Olivia is. Should we get her back?¡± Tyson asked. ¡°No. Don¡¯t force her.¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson nodded. Ring! Just then, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. He picked it up and read the message. It was from Valerie. She wrote: Mr. Macari, Kate spoke up for you in front of Mr. Johnson just now. She also said the cake tastes good. Samuel quickly replied to her text message: What did she say about me? Valerie texted one sentence back: Well, the gist of it was that she said you¡¯re not stupid. Samuel knitted his brows. ¡°Mr. Macari, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Tyson was curious. ¡°Go home, and buy some books for Valerie.¡± Samuel cast an icy stare at him. ¡°On how to be a good manager?¡± Tyson asked. Tyson wondered if Samuel was going to give Valerie a pay raise. ¡°To teach her how to talk properly.¡± Samuel put down his phone. Tyson¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Oh no, has Valerie just offended the big boss? Kathleen met Astrid at the film set in the afternoon. Astrid narrowed her eyes when she saw Kathleen. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± ¡°A nned coincidence is not a coincidence at all.¡± Kathleen gave her a mocking smile. Astrid was dumbfounded. Kathleen might look like a pushover, but she was actually a strong-willed person. It was the first scene between Kathleen and Astrid that afternoon. The female assassin had lost her memory. The schr found a neighbor to help the injured assassin to change her clothes. The neighbor was actually Imelda, who was the schr¡¯s guard, in disguise. On normal days, Imelda pretended to be the schr¡¯s neighbor to protect him. The schr asked her to pass the clothes to the assassin so that she could change into them. Imelda was unhappy to see the female assassin and helped her change into the clothes in an abrasive manner. While she was changing the assassin¡¯s clothes, thetter would wake up and p Imelda. Spencer had said that there should be no substitute for this scene. However, he had reminded Kathleen to control her strength when she delivered the p. Astrid knew she would certainly be pped by Kathleen. When the camera was focused on Astrid changing Kathleen¡¯s clothes, the former deliberately exaggerated her actions so that Kathleen¡¯s body would be exposed. Half of the employees on the set were men. If Kathleen exposed herself in front of them, it would be a great embarrassment for her. When Astrid started moving, Kathleen knew immediately what she was trying to do. She certain would not let Astrid have her way. When Astrid held on to both Kathleen¡¯s coat and shirt and tried to take them off, Kathleen opened her eyes wide. She was not acting ording to the script. Kathleen was supposed to open her eyes only when Astrid made her next move. Kathleen eyed Astrid with iciness and hostility. She raised her hand and pped Astrid hard on her face. Astrid waspletely stupefied. Kathleen asked coldly, ¡°Who are you? Why are you trying to take off my clothes?¡± Astrid bit her lip. ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°How have I gone too far? The script asked you to take off my coat. You¡¯re trying to take off my shirt as well. You are the one who has gone too far. Shall we y back the video so you can see for yourself?¡± Astrid looked aggrieved. ¡°Mr. Scott?¡± Spencer frowned at Astrid disapprovingly. ¡°Astrid, why are you not acting ording to the script? Why aren¡¯t you reading your lines after Kathleen had said her part?¡± Tears rolled down from Astrid¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Mr. Scott, she¡¯s bullying me!¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 ¡°Ha!¡± scoffed Kathleen as her scarlet lips curled with cold derision. Spencer frowned and asked, ¡°Do you or do you not want to proceed?¡± Astrid froze in response as she took in his question. Spencer eximed angrily, ¡°Get lost if you¡¯re not continuing with the filming! I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t bother with all these useless schemes when you¡¯re in my film crew. I don¡¯t buy a single one of them! I don¡¯t care who you have backing you. I¡¯ll personally shame you on the inte if you dare to create a situation where I can¡¯t continue with the filming!¡± Astrid¡¯s face stiffened and was stony as she returned Spencer¡¯s gaze. He was clearly different from the other directors she had worked with and certainlymanded significant influence within the entire film crew. She bit her lip in thought as she recognized she hadn¡¯t achieved her objective and thus had to find a way to prevent herself from being kicked out of the film crew. With that in mind, she didn¡¯t dare to retaliate despite being reprimanded by Spencer at length. She cradled her face and grudgingly epted that she had taken the p for nothing. Later that evening, the film crew had packed up for the day and were ready to leave. Kathleen strode out and immediately caught sight of Samuel. Why is he here? His tone was heavy as he said, ¡°Get in the car. I have something extremely important to tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve promised Timothy that I would have dinner with him,¡± replied Kathleen as she gazed at him curiously. Samuel frowned slightly in response to her sudden announcement. At that point, Timothy strode over and asked, ¡°Mr. Macari? What brings you here?¡± Samuel coolly replied, ¡°I heard that you were nning on treating Kathleen to a meal. Is that right, Mr. Currah?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± replied Timothy readily with a nod. He continued, ¡°The director told us to familiarize ourselves with one another, or we would only be awkward and distant in the scenes that we acted in together. That would then impact the overall effect that the film brings to people and its sess.¡± A stark coldness emanated from Samuel¡¯s gaze as he asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind if I joined you for your meal tonight, would you?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± replied Timothy, dumbfounded. Kathleen¡¯s brows furrowed as she frowned and looked at Samuel. He remarked coldly, ¡°Since the goal is for the two of you to know each other better, I¡¯m sure we can achieve the same oue even with a third party present. It¡¯s not as if you will be doing something else together.¡± Kathleen was rendered utterly speechless by hisment. Timothy was a little taken aback as well. ¡°Come on. Get in the car,¡± instructed Samuel as he pulled Kathleen in along with him. Kathleen frowned and asked, ¡°What are you up to, Samuel?¡± He shot her an icy cold look that was more than capable of freezing anything in its tracks but didn¡¯t respond to her query. Instead, he merely put on his seatbelt. She nced at him from the side and began, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Seatbelt,¡±manded Samuel irately. Kathleen was frustrated but had no choice but toply and put on her seatbelt. Samuel didn¡¯t speak another word and proceeded to drive off. He followed closely behind Timothy as thetter led them toward the dinner venue he had previously arranged. Timothy had made arrangements for their dinner. Furthermore, he had arranged for a stew for sharing. Kathleen absolutely loved having this kind of food for her meals. It was clear that Timothy knew Kathleen very well. Even as she sat beside Samuel, she could feel the waves of displeasure cascading off him. However, she made up her mind and decided to ignore him. For the entire meal, she only focused her attention squarely on Timothy and engaged him in conversation. Timothy picked up on the fact that Kathleen was giving Samuel the cold shoulder. Instead of helping thetter out, he conversely began to engage with Kathleen more enthusiastically. Throughout the entire meal, Samuel had barely touched his fork, let alone pick it up. He was infuriated beyond measure at how things had developed but also knew that he didn¡¯t have the right to be mad. ¡°I still remember your neer performance during your first year of university. Your performance was a contemporary dance that truly astounded the audience,¡± recalled Timothy fondly. ¡°What? You actually saw my performance?¡± asked Kathleen in surprise. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Word spread around campus the very moment you reported on the first day of school. I mean, how could it not? They imed that a peerless beauty had joined our faculty of performing arts, so everyone inevitably knew of you,¡± exined Timothy with a chuckle. Kathleen was rather embarrassed andmented shyly, ¡°To be fair, there were quite a few gorgeous ladies on campus.¡± ¡°Stop being humble already!¡± eximed Timothy with augh. Then, he added, ¡°Back then, everyone knew for a fact that you would be famous eventually. After all, there were several directors who had already picked you out for parts in their productions. It¡¯s just that no one expected you would stop coming to school once the mid-year break for your second year ended.¡± Kathleen was momentarily dumbfounded. She thought back and realized that she had already gotten married to Samuel at that point in time. She sipped from her ss of water before she exined, ¡°My family wanted me to maintain a low profile at the time. That¡¯s why I ultimately didn¡¯t pursue a career in acting.¡± Timothy shot her a long and meaningful look as he said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity. You could have gotten famous much earlier.¡± It was clearly being suggested that Samuel had held her back for several years and in doing so, had affected her career prospects. As he listened on, he reflected and realized he had never gone to visit Kathleen at school during her university days. He didn¡¯t know what her university environment and experience were like either. He had only picked up from the asional whisper here and there that she had been very well received. Ah! Timothy¡¯s saying all these on purpose! After their meal, they headed out of their private room, and Timothy made his way to the counter to foot the bill. However, Samuel reacted faster and beat him to it. He pulled out his credit card and said, ¡°Bill, please.¡± The staff at the counter hesitated for a moment but finally epted the card from Samuel. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that I would be treating for this meal?¡± asked Timothy as he stared meaningfully at Samuel. ¡°Thank you for letting me hear so much about Kate and her university days. This is nothing more than my way of showing my appreciation to you,¡± replied Samuel coldly. Kathleen nced at him and couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he was behaving so strangely. Timothy smiled and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll take you up on your kind offer. Let me send you home, Kate.¡± ¡°Why are you sending her home? Do you want her to appear on the headlines the next day?¡± asked Samuel aggressively. He continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you know just how viciously and cruelly your fanbase will defame her online?¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, there¡¯s nothing going on between Kate and me. We¡¯re innocent,¡± stated Timothy simply. ¡°Do you think the fans out there would believe that?¡± demanded Samuel as he grabbed Kathleen¡¯s wrist. He continued, ¡°She doesn¡¯t need you to send her home. Also, I feel that both of your acting skills are excellent. In view of that, there¡¯s no need to improve your rtionship off the stage any further. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll perform well nevertheless.¡± With that, he tugged at Kathleen and dragged her away. Timothy¡¯s eyes shed dangerously for a moment as he took in Samuel¡¯s words. It seems like Samuel still has feelings for Kathleen. Kathleen was dragged away from the restaurant by Samuel and back to his car. As she was infuriated, the second Samuel joined her in the vehicle, she eximed, ¡°What are you doing, Samuel!¡± He sat there sullenly before he replied in a low voice, ¡°I won¡¯t allow him to get close to you.¡± ¡°My affairs arepletely none of your business! Who are you to intervene? I¡¯m only colleagues with Timothy, do you understand? Samuel, even if we view each other as family, you¡¯ve crossed the line this time,¡± fumed Kathleen. Samuel swallowed hard but coolly kept his silence. She adjusted her tone of voice and added, ¡°Even if I have feelings for Timothy and want to be a couple with him, that¡¯s also not something you can interfere with and control.¡± Samuel¡¯s face contorted into an utterly ugly expression as her words sank in. He realized that she could fall in love with anyone else but himself. To be fair, this was a fact he was long aware of, but he simply could not ept it. Even though he also knew he had no right to step in or make a judgment, he ultimately still couldn¡¯t control his emotions. He was afraid that someone would steal Kathleen away from him and that those men would be so gentle that they would win over Kathleen¡¯s heart. Deep down, he was fully cognizant of just what kind of man she loved. She pursed her lips for a moment before she stated, ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve yet to internalize our rtionship, Samuel. I¡¯ve said before that we won¡¯t even have the chance of being friends if you continue to cross the line like this.¡± His already paper-thin lips were now pressed together so firmly that they almost formed a single line. He finally spoke up and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She didn¡¯tment any further and only lowered her eyes to stare at the floor for the rest of the journey. It didn¡¯t take long before Samuel had driven her right to the Johnson residence¡¯s doorstep. As she released the sp of the seatbelt, she decided to leave some parting words for him. ¡°Samuel, I hope you head back and take some time to think things through. If you continue to overstep the boundaries and intrude into my life, I promise you that I¡¯ll hide from you and avoid you forever.¡± With that, she prepared to step out of the vehicle. However, Samuel grabbed hold of her wrist and dered in a low voice, ¡°I dropped by to find you for something legitimate. It¡¯s some information on Astrid.¡± He handed the packet of documents over and continued on with his coarse voice. ¡°Take a look at what¡¯s inside. If you have any questions or issues, feel free to call me.¡± He knew that he couldn¡¯t push her too much, or it would only achieve the opposite oue. She was right when she had said that he needed to get used to the nature of their current rtionship. At the end of the day, they were really just ordinary friendsbeled as family. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Kathleen hesitated for a moment. In the end, however, she still took the packet of documents in his hand. Samuel stared at her gorgeous face and said in his baritone voice, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that you¡¯re the reason we can¡¯t find anything,¡± she said in a small voice. Samuel merely looked at her impassively and uttered, ¡°I have better things to do.¡± ¡°That might not be true.¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips. ¡°You got your hands on this information ahead of us, and then you wipe out the evidence trail so that we won¡¯t be able to find out anything so that you may take the credit for finding out about these in front of me.¡± Samuel let out a chuckle. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Kathleen demanded as she shot a re at the man. ¡°I¡¯mughing at the absurd thoughts going on inside your little head,¡± Samuel said as he held her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not asplicated as you think.¡± Kathleen let out a snicker. Samuel¡¯s bony fingers pinched Kathleen¡¯s chiseled chin and said, ¡°Kate, if I were to force myself on you, would you be able to resist me?¡± The woman was stumped. He brushed his hands on her chin and continued, ¡°What can your brother do even if I do force myself on you? After all, you will surrender yourself to me, if that is the price you have to pay for me to not hurt your brother. Isn¡¯t that so?¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re too full of yourself.¡± Kathleen was fuming. ¡°Do you take me for someone whom you can just trample all over?¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, looking gorgeous as always. ¡°I know one thing that is beyond my control¡ªyour life. If you¡¯re truly desperate and have no way out, I reckon that you¡¯re going to threaten me with your life again.¡± Kathleen kept quiet. ¡°Kate, I won¡¯t push you to that extent anymore. Hence, I will not stoop so low and resort to such a mundane tactic.¡± Samuel let her go and said, ¡°I acknowledge that I¡¯ve done you wrong in the past. Hence, I will do better from now on. I will give you anything you want. Your wish will be mymand.¡± Kathleen¡¯s delicate features stiffened. ¡°Go on, you¡¯d better get some rest earlier,¡± Samuel said as he lowered his hand. Kathleen did not hesitate and pushed the car door open. The man let out a sigh in response. Have I frightened her? Kathleen ran back into the mansion and shut the door behind her. She leaned against the door and panted. Samuel is still Samuel after all. Kathleen still felt as burdened when she was with him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Charles got down from the second floor and asked, ¡°I saw youing out of Samuel¡¯s car. Did he go find you again?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°This man is really tenacious!¡± Charles said in a disdained manner. ¡°Charles.¡± Kathleen tried to steady her breathing and handed over the documents to her brother. He took over and nced at it. ¡°So the entertainmentpany behind Astrid is backed by the Corbyn family.¡± Kathleen paused. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The Corbyn family.¡± Charles pointed out to her. After taking a look, Kathleen uttered in a low voice, ¡°So, it really is the Corbyn family.¡± ¡°Do you know them?¡± Charles asked as he raised a brow. ¡°Monica Mayfield¡ªI call her Granny Monica¡ªused to be our neighbor. She used to be the matriarch of the Corbyn family. Back then, she had trouble walking. So, Mom and Dad used to pop in all the time to take care of her,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Her children don¡¯t bother about her. In fact, I¡¯ve never seen them.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the current Old Mrs. Corbyn the matriarch of the Corbyn family?¡± Charles was stumped. ¡°That current Old Mrs. Corbyn is the second wife. In fact, she¡¯s a homewrecker. The Corbyn family wished to keep their dirtyundry to themselves. In fact, Granny Monica is the first and legitimate wife. Even Granny Monica¡¯s children don¡¯t visit and pay heed to their own mother because of the Corbyn family¡¯s money.¡± Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°How dramatic.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Kathleen then continued, ¡°Then, before Mom and Dad got into the ident, Granny Monica passed away. I did finally see the Corbyns the day she died. There was not a trace of sorrow on those people¡¯s faces. It was as if a total stranger had died.¡± ¡°Could it be that the Corbyn family¡¯s true intention is to sow discord between Samuel and Christopher so that they could get the rights to develop Horington?¡± ¡°Samuel stopped them once two years ago. He had no interest in developing Horington. I think he just did not wish to see the project developed. Though, I forgot to ask him the reason.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°However, he did mention that the location for the Horington project was not ideal. The project had only been dyed as this finding was backed by research and analysis of geology experts. Why is the Corbyn family thinking of getting into this right now?¡± ¡°You could ask him that. Didn¡¯t you say that he won¡¯t lie to you?¡± Charles asked in a rhetorical manner. Kathleen threw a sideways nce at her brother and said, ¡°Charles¡­¡± ¡°Forget I said that.¡± Charles shrugged and said, ¡°There¡¯s oatmeal in the kitchen. Go on and have some.¡± Then, he turned around and headed upstairs with the documents in his hand. Kathleen took the oatmeal and headed upstairs as well. She looked out the window and noticed that the lights in the bedroom opposite her were on. Kathleen went out to her balcony and used her metal clothing rail to hit on the railing of the balcony opposite her room. Samuel noticed the noise and headed out his balcony. He looked at her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Why are you stopping the development of Horington?¡± Kathleen asked in a curious tone. Samuel held her gaze and uttered, ¡°You¡¯re finally asking a sensible question.¡± ¡°Tell me! Otherwise, I¡¯m going to poke you with this metal clothing rail!¡± Kathleen was enraged. Samuel let out a low chuckle and exined, ¡°Because thend ownership is ambiguous.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kathleen was taken aback by his answer. ¡°Have you seen the map of Horington?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°No,¡± she answered as she shook her head. She had never paid attention to the matter before. ¡°Come over to my ce. I¡¯ll show you.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment. ¡°What are you afraid of? Are you scared that I will devour you?¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to exin it well without looking at the map.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Kathleen said as she looked at him. ¡°Do you want to try jumping over here instead?¡± Samuel crossed his arms before his chest and smiled. ¡°I will die,¡± she blurted with furrowed brows. ¡°I will support you from here.¡± ¡°Ha-ha. I¡¯m not tired of living yet.¡± Kathleen turned around and paused. ¡°Anyone home at your ce?¡± ¡°I do count, right?¡± Samuel raised a brow. ¡°I mean, do you have any housekeeper over?¡± Kathleen frowned. Samuel shook his head. She did not wish to entertain him further and turned around to leave. Kathleen closed the balcony door behind her and pulled the curtains. Samuel lowered his gaze and smiled. After a while, he heard the sound of his doorbell ringing downstairs, and he went to answer the door. Kathleen was wearing a white puffer jacket thatplemented her delicate features well, making her seem all the more adorable. She had a bowl of oatmeal in her hands as she said, ¡°Here you go. You can warm this up in the microwave.¡± Samuel was slightly taken aback by her gesture. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Kathleen asked as she looked at his handsome face. ¡°No, I do.¡± Samuel pulled her in. ¡°Where is the map?¡± ¡°In the study. Follow me upstairs,¡± Samuel replied. She trailed behind him. This time, there was not a hint of hesitation. Samuel¡¯s lips quirked into a smile. She¡¯s such an enigma. They soon arrived at the study. The furnishing of the study was simple. It was a mix of ck, white, and gray tones. Moreover, there were a number of books on the shelves on the wall. Some of them were Samuel¡¯s favorite reads. She could recognize them. ¡°This is the map.¡± Samuel turned on the lights on his desk and started to show Kathleen the map. Kathleen leaned in closer. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Horington is this big. What are these ck holes? Why are they right at the center of the map?¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Samuel looked at her meaningfully. ¡°The owners of these twonds have not been found so far.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°How can work be done if the owners are not found? Do you just go around it?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t, as this is the main building of Horington,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°Then how can this project proceed? Both the Morris family and the Corbyn family arepeting for thesends. Could it be that they have a way to solve this issue?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°You think too highly of them,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Shocked, Kathleen frowned and asked, ¡°That means they want thesends to be unrecognized, so they can treat them as abandoned ces and build Horington?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Then why are you stopping them?¡± She was curious. No matter who owns thosends, I wonder why Samuel is stopping it since he is not interested in that project. He may also offend the Morris family and the Corbyn family by doing so. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s underneath thesends?¡± he asked in a cold voice. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Gold. Horington ns to bulldoze these two mountains and build a new town to expand Lightspring. I approached Olivia back then because I found out that these two mountains are gold mines. Although they are mines, no one is doing the mining here,¡± Samuel said in his baritonal voice. ¡°Wait! You mean that the Morris family and the Corbyn family care about the mines, but not the development of Horington?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re partially right. Simply put, at least two billion is needed to invest in Horington¡¯s development. It¡¯s hard for apany toe up with that much money. Its construction would take at least three years. If the funds break down within these three years, Horington and thepany will get into trouble. However, this big problem can be solved if they have these mines in their hands.¡± Samuel looked sideways at her. ¡°They¡¯re too bold. Mining requires a lot of documents.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. Looking at her fair face, he asked, ¡°With their abilities, do you think the authorities will not approve?¡± Kathleen was startled upon hearing that. Samuel is right. ¡°You still haven¡¯t exined why you¡¯re stopping it.¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°The idea of leveling these mountains and building a new town was originally proposed by me. However, something went wrong during that period, and the authorities decided to build Horington here,¡± he responded with a smile. ¡°Are you trying to bring this Horington project to a halt and make it yours?¡± she asked slyly. Samuel nodded his head. Businessmen are indeed all treacherous. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m bad?¡± He raised his eyebrows. She shook her head and answered, ¡°You have the essence of a businessman.¡± Staring at her, he said, ¡°Huh! Christopher is bound to get this Horington project. He is fond of these mines and even wants to ignore the ownership of these two mountains so that he can do mining here. Is he a good guy by doing so?¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m not in a position to criticize any of you on this matter. So, you got Olivia to tell the authorities that the ground of these two mountains is soft and not suitable to build a city?¡± Kathleen asked solemnly. Samuel turned on theputer. ¡°This is the futuristic city, Flobury, that I designed.¡± Kathleen looked at the drawing of the city designed by Samuel. He nned to avoid the two mountains and have them as part of the town. ¡°I had Olivia check it out. As long as we avoid the mountains, the geological structure of this ce will remain unchanged. Otherwise, we¡¯ll let them mine first and then build the city. Of course, by doing this, the construction period will be extended,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°Why don¡¯t you change to another location?¡± She did not understand. ¡°This ce is connected to Lightspring and Tayhaven, so the future development here is promising. One has the initiative once one gets the development right. This is a critical strategy deployment for a largepany,¡± Samuel said meaningfully. ¡°What do you wish for? To mine or not to mine?¡± asked Kathleen. Afterward, Samuel responded firmly, ¡°No mining. Olivia sent me an appraisal report saying that there is not much gold under the mountain, which means mining is unnecessary. Of course, the Morris family and the Corbyn family will not believe it, as they think Olivia is on my side. With that, they got other experts to identify and say that these two mountains are rich in mines and suitable for development.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were so many things involved here.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°What about your n? What if your n to avoid the mountains works, but the owners of these mountainse to you in the future and say they want to mine?¡± she asked again. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to find the owners of the mountains. We¡¯re actually fighting over who gets to call the shots in Lightspring rather than thend,¡± he said coldly. Kathleen looked at his handsome side profile. I shouldn¡¯t know such a confidential matter. But why did he tell me everything? Looking at her charming facial features, Samuel asked solemnly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m scary?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No. Maybe I would do the same as you if I were in your position. Actually, you¡¯ve done a good job. At least you have the intention of finding the owners of the mountains.¡± Hearing that, Samuel smiled lightly. ¡°How are you going to find them? Are you going to spread the news everywhere?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Taking out the information, Samuel said, ¡°ording to the information, these two mountains were bought during the time when the country was newly founded. However, we can¡¯t find out the information of the purchaser because the file was lost. Unless the purchasers themselves show up, it¡¯ll be hard for us to find out. I¡¯ve asked my overseas friends to help, so they should have their whereabouts.¡± After pausing for a while, Kathleen said, ¡°So the Corbyn family is trying to take advantage of the situation by getting the Morris family to get in your way and fight it out among yourselves. Then, theyN?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. will reap the benefits when both of you take out each other?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all a conspiracy.¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°It¡¯s very likely that they¡¯ll use you. I know you¡¯re smart and not easy to be deceived. You should keep being like this. One thing you have to remember is to trust me,¡± he said while looking at her deeply. ¡°Are you trustworthy?¡± Kathleen looked at him seriously. Staring at her exquisite face, Samuel smiled elegantly. ¡°Of course. I said I won¡¯t lie to you, so I would never do that. Kate, you can always trust me.¡± ¡°What can I do for you?¡± She pursed her lips. Stunned, Samuel asked, ¡°Why do you want to help me?¡± ¡°I just feel sorry for Granny Monica,¡± answered Kathleen. Samuel stared at her misty eyes. Is it really like that? Why do I feel like she¡¯s hiding something from me? ¡°Well. Looking forward to working with you.¡± He pinched her face. ¡°Don¡¯t simply pinch me. It¡¯s rude!¡± She swatted his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m too used to doing that.¡± He curled his lips. He did pinch her a lot before. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Remember to let me know if there is any news,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°All right.¡± His ck eyes became unfathomable. Kathleen then turned to leave. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Samuel sat down to eat the oatmeal. Even though he did not like oatmeal, Kathleen was the one who brought it to him. When he thought of Kathleen holding the bowl anding from her house looking for him, he could not help but feel happy. Knock! Knock! Knock! Kathleen returned and knocked on his door. ¡°Samuel.¡± She looked at him, panting. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Samuel gazed at her. What happened? ¡°I used the safety deposit box once in the condominium. Have you opened it after I left?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Samuel shook his head. ¡°No, the safety deposit box is still in the condominium.¡± ¡°Okay. Then I will go back tomorrow to take my stuff,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°The condominium is under your name. You¡¯re the owner. You can go back anytime.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°Do you need me to apany you?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s all right. I will drop by the ce before heading to the film crew tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Well, enjoy your meal.¡± She turned around and left. After returning to her room, she plopped down on her bed and went into deep thought. The next day, Kathleen left the house earlier than usual. She did not ask Charles to send her off or the driver to pick her up. She drove alone to the condominium. The guard at the doorstep had a shocked expression upon seeing her walking into the condominium. Kathleen did not expect that the guard had not been changed. She walked straight into the elevator and went upstairs. Shortly after, she arrived at the condominium where she and Samuel used to stay for three years. All of a sudden, a wave of miserable emotions appeared deep down in her heart. It hasn¡¯t changed at all. Everything¡¯s still in its original ce. However, the ce seemed abandoned and cold as no one had lived there for quite some time. Despite that, there was not a single corner that was covered in dust. She figured someone had been cleaning the house frequently. In all honesty, she preferred the condominium more whenpared to Florinia Manor. When Samuel first brought her there, it was still empty, like a sample house. Every little thing in the house was personally decorated and arranged by Kathleen herself. She let out a sorrowful sigh and walked toward the bedroom. Back then, she told Samuel she wanted a safety deposit box. Immediately, the next day, he sent someone to set it up in the closet. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Actually, when it came to material stuff, he would amodate her every request without hesitation. In fact, everything he provided was the best. She went straight to the closet. It was still full of dazzling new clothes. Samuel did not remove them. She massaged her temples to stop herself from overthinking. Then, she crouched down and opened the safety deposit box. The passcode of the safety deposit box was very simple. It was abination of her birthday and Samuel¡¯s. The passcode is so simple. Is it possible that he really hasn¡¯t opened it before? Not even once? She looked inside and found that the documents were still in the position she had ced them. He really hasn¡¯t opened it. She took out the documents and searched through every single piece. Atst, she found two transfer documents of thends. She opened them, took a quick nce, and checked the address. She let out a sigh. As expected! Thud! Thud! Someone knocked on the door heavily. Kathleen paused for a second. She then put back the documents and locked the door of the safety deposit box. Thud! Thud! The knock became increasingly ferocious. Kathleen walked toward the door and looked through the peephole. It was three men with menacing faces and muscr bodies standing outside. Upon seeing that, she quickly hid in the bedroom. Instinctively, she gave Samuel a call. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m at the condominium.¡± Kathleen¡¯s sounded nervous. ¡°What happened?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°There are three scary-looking men standing outside, banging on the door.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°If it¡¯s convenient for you, can youe and pick me up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m somewhere nearby, so I¡¯lle right away. I¡¯ll call the guard and ask him to go and take a look. Do not go out. Just wait for me!¡± Samuel reminded her. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded fervently and hung up the phone. However, the men stopped knocking and started kicking the door crazily. Those people were ruthless! Kathleen went to the kitchen and took a knife, just in case, to fight back. Just then, she heard some other movements outside. The voice of the guard was heard. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Where are you from?¡± The men stop kicking instantly. One of them walked toward the guard and grabbed his neck. He then pulled the guard and pinned him against the peephole. ¡°If you don¡¯te out now, I¡¯ll kill him,¡± the man coldly stated. Kathleen was overwhelmed. ¡°Come out! Now!¡± threatened the man. Kathleen¡¯s eyes darkened. She put down the knife and opened the door. He then mmed the guard forcefully against the wall. Thetter passed out right away and fell on the ground. Kathleen stared at them coldly. ¡°You¡¯re from the Corbyn family?¡± The man smirked. ¡°What a surprise. Mrs. Macari is quite smart.¡± Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°So, who wants to see me?¡± ¡°Shut up and follow us.¡± The man red at her. ¡°Just behave yourself, or you will suffer.¡± Kathleen coldly uttered, ¡°Lead the way.¡± To save the guard, she had no choice but to follow them. By the time Samuel arrived, he only saw the floored guard, motionless. He took out his phone, called 911, and then informed Charles. Charles was dumbfounded. ¡°What did you just say? Kate was taken by the Corbyn family?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Samuel hopped into his Maybach. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Corbyn residence now.¡± ¡°Send me the address. I¡¯m going with you.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°I have to make a call to Christopher as well.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. He might already be at the Corbyn residence,¡± Samuel uttered icily. What? Charles was surprised. With that said, Samuel hung up the phone and drove off. At the Corbyn residence. Kathleen looked at the strange surrounding calmly when her blindfold was taken off. ¡°Ms. Johnson, such a brave one.¡± The voice of a middle-aged man was heard. Kathleen turned and looked at the man. ¡°You don¡¯t recognize me?¡± The middle-aged man grinned and continued, ¡°We met once at my mother¡¯s funeral. I have a very deep impression of you.¡± Kathleen stared at him and said, ¡°Clement.¡± Clement smirked. ¡°I appreciate the care you and your family gave to my mother. I heard from the neighbors that my mother was fond of you.¡± Kathleen remained silent and only stared at him frostily. Clement narrowed his eyes. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you should know why I invited you here.¡± ¡°Invited?¡± Kathleen retorted, ¡°Are you sure this is not a kidnapping?¡± Clement chuckled. ¡°Ms. Johnson, have you forgotten who you are? How would I dare to kidnap you? I just wanted to invite you to teatime and ask you something.¡± Coldly, Kathleen said, ¡°Untie me.¡± Clement ordered his men to release Kathleen. She threw the rope away and stated, ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± ¡°When my mother passed away, we all saw her will. She transferred all of her house and savings to you, right?¡± Clement paused for a second and continued, ¡°Anything else except for the house and money?¡± Kathleen taunted, ¡°Ha-ha. If you¡¯re asking for these two things, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t give them to you. I¡¯ve sold the house and donated the money.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Clement grinned. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I haven¡¯t finish my words.¡± Kathleen stared at him calmly. ¡°Then what are you waiting for? Just go ahead and talk.¡± Clement gritted his teeth in anger and stared at her. ¡°Kathleen, how dare you talk to me like that?¡± ¡°Clement, if you have the nerves, raise your hand to me. Let¡¯s see if you can continue staying in Jadeborough,¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think that the Macari family will support you! You¡¯ve already divorced Samuel. The Macari family will not mess with me because of you,¡± Clement uttered disdainfully. Kathleenughed. ¡°Clement, I¡¯ve been Mrs. Macari for at least three years. What¡¯s more, I¡¯ve been living in the Macari residence for almost ten years. Do you think I will be afraid of you?¡± In response to her words, he frowned. ¡°You are the one who wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with the Macari family instead,¡± Kathleen said mockingly, ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate yourself. Even though you¡¯re older than Samuel, you¡¯re nothingpared to him.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Clement red at her furiously. Kathleen smirked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m oppressing you with the Macari family? My brother will not let the Corbyn family off the hook, either. Do you think he¡¯s just a big shot in the entertainment industry? Do you really think that he gains his wealth and force through the show business?¡± If they purely took Charles as the boss of the entertainment industry, that would be hrious. Clement narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°What other identity does your brother have?¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°Do you want to know?¡± Clement remained silent, but his gaze turned cial. ¡°You can find it out yourself. Or you¡¯ll think that I¡¯m fooling you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s pretty eyes turned frosty. Anger shed across the man¡¯s eyes. He grabbed Kathleen¡¯s neck and eximed, ¡°Everything you just said was to frighten me. Do you think that I¡¯ll believe you?¡± There was no fear in her eyes. She uttered mockingly, ¡°Then do it! What are you waiting for?¡± Clement gritted his teeth. ¡°Did my mother ever give you other things? Not the house or the money! Something else!¡± ¡°She did!¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°She gave me her hatred. She wanted me to avenge her. The most unbearable thing in her lifetime was that she had done nothing wrong, but she was cast out of the Corbyn family. On top of that, her own children treated her cold-heartedly like a stranger!¡± ¡°You b*tch!¡± Clement knew that Kathleen was fooling him. His hand was clenching hard around her neck. Kathleen was out of breath, and her face began to turn pale. Even so, she didn¡¯t struggle nor retaliate and let Clement strangle her neck. At that moment, a man was running in from outside, reporting, ¡°Mr. Corbyn, Samuel and Charles are here.¡± Clement sneered, ¡°That¡¯s fast.¡± No wonder she is not afraid or retaliates. She knows that they will be showing up just in time to rescue her. ¡°Tell the boys to hold them off for some time!¡± Clement ordered coldly. ¡°Yes, Mr. Corbyn.¡± The man went out again. Clement grabbed Kathleen¡¯s jaw. ¡°I know your lips are sealed. But, let¡¯s see how stubborn you are then!¡± He roughly prised Kathleen¡¯s mouth open and stuffed a pill inside. After that, he let go of her. Kathleen rubbed her neck and stared at him. ¡°What did you feed me?¡± ¡°A poisonous pill. If you don¡¯t give me what I want in three days, you will be poisoned to death.¡± Clement red at her wickedly. ¡°Trust me; I¡¯m not lying to you. Not only that, but I am also the only one who has the antidote to this poison.¡± Right after he finished his words, Samuel and Charles dashed in with several men. ¡°Kate!¡± they voiced out at the same time. Charles reacted faster than Samuel. He quickly took a good look at Kathleen. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Thetter answered sullenly, ¡°He made me swallow a poisonous pill and asked me for something. I don¡¯t actually know what he wants.¡± Clement frowned. Did she just say it out loud? Shouldn¡¯t she silently carry all of this without troubling anyone else? Then, after a moment of struggling with her thoughts, she will give me what I asked for in exchange for the antidote. ¡°Clement, you made me do this. Do you think I will be a dimwit, silently solving the problem by myself? Well, I won¡¯t. If I can¡¯t deal with it, why don¡¯t I just tell my brother?¡± Kathleen mocked. Upon hearing her words, Clement gritted his teeth. She is such a pain in the a*s. ¡°I think the antidote is on him,¡± Kathleen uttered coldly while staring at Clement. Is he trying to escape? Not a chance! Samuel promptly rushed toward him. His big, slender hand grabbed Clement¡¯s cor from the back. He then dragged thetter forward and smashed him onto the coffee table. ng! The coffee table shattered into pieces. Everything on the table fell to the ground. Charles shielded Kathleen to prevent the pieces from hurting her. Samuel walked toward Clement, stepped on thetter¡¯s chest, and loomed over him. ¡°Where¡¯s the antidote?¡± Clement was so infuriated. ¡°What are you waiting for? Get him!¡± However, no matter how hard he raged, no one wasing to save him. Nobody entered either. Samuel coldly said, ¡°Your men have been subdued by my people. They are all dead meat.¡± Charles walked over, searched Clement¡¯s body, and found a pill. He handed it to Kathleen. She did not take it eagerly but stared at Clement. ¡°Next time, use your brain first before you make a move. Investigate my family background clearly before kidnapping me.¡± Upon finishing her words, she swallowed the pill. Clement red at her furiously. Kathleen then looked at Samuel. ¡°Samuel, about the mines¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± The man gazed at her meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯ll sell them to you. Can you take them all?¡± Kathleen said indifferently. ¡°Of course.¡± Samuel nodded and then continued, ¡°But are you sure you want to hand them to me?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s not him,¡± Kathleen scoffed and gave a sidelong nce at Clement. Thetter smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t want to give me? That¡¯s your business. But why would you hand them to your ex-husband instead of Christopher? It seems like you still have feelings for him.¡± ¡°Do you want to hear the truth?¡± Kathleen stood up. Meanwhile, Clement red at her. ¡°Even if I give them to Christopher, you will think of a way to take them from him. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust him, but he is oppressed by his family. I will only stress him out.¡± Kathleen paused for a second and continued, ¡°However, Samuel is in a totally different situation. He can take them all without seeking any approval from anyone. Furthermore, he will never allow the Corbyn family¡¯s wish toe true. That¡¯ll be enough.¡± Clement gritted his teeth. This woman is clearly not the type of person who ys by the rules. Kathleen mocked, ¡°Clement, I¡¯m the one who has the upper hand in this. If you try to take away the things by threatening me, you¡¯re just too naive.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Charles¡¯ heart ached when he saw the bruise on Kathleen¡¯s neck. Samuel walked over and lifted Kathleen into his arms. With that, he strode out of the ce. Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Samuel ced Kathleen inside the car and buckled her seatbelt. ¡°I¡¯ll ask my men to keep an eye on Clement. After we confirm that you are fine, I¡¯ll release him.¡± Kathleen uttered faintly, ¡°He won¡¯t dare to make a fake drug.¡± ¡°Just in case.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was deep as he shifted his gaze toward Kathleen. ¡°You¡¯ve really grown a lot.¡± Kathleen nced at him helplessly. ¡°Thanks for thepliment. I¡¯ve grown a lot in terms of love as well.¡± Samuel cast her aplicated look. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Taking off his coat, Samuel put it on Kathleen before closing the car door. Then, he went around the front of the car and came to the driver¡¯s seat. After getting into the car, he drove Kathleen to the hospital. Charles stayed behind to wrap up the mess. Seeing Samuel taking Kathleen away, Charles was not pissed this time. Turning around, he saw Tyson leading his men to tie Clement up. ¡°Tyson, what are you doing?¡± Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°We¡¯re following Mr. Macari¡¯s order. He said that we should wait until Ms. Johnson is fine before letting him go,¡± Tyson exined. ¡°He isn¡¯t scared of offending the Corbyn family, is he?¡± Charles asked meaningfully. Tyson responded disdainfully, ¡°It¡¯s just the Corbyn family. Mr. Johnson, don¡¯t worry. We will take good care of Mr. Corbyn. We¡¯ve even prepared three beautiful women in case he needs them. We¡¯ll make sure he feels at home, and we won¡¯t torture him.¡± Charles was rendered speechless by that. Does everyone around Samuel talk like this? Charles waved his hand, gesturing them to handle it themselves. In any case, Samuel did that for Kathleen. If the Corbyn family dared to express their dissatisfaction in the future, surely Samuel would help out. Charles did not want to owe Samuel any favor. Nheless, Kathleen chose to call Samuel at the most critical moment. Indeed, Charles was upset that Samuel¡¯s existence exceeded his. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kathleen was admitted to the VIP ward again. Richard personally came to draw her blood. Kathleen¡¯s face seemed somewhat pale as she asked, ¡°Dr. Zimmer, are there beds avable this time?¡± Richard was rendered speechless as he immediately shifted his gaze toward Samuel. Samuel uttered coldly, ¡°She is asking you if there are enough beds in your hospital. I have no idea about that.¡± What an ungrateful person he is! I shouldn¡¯t have helped him! ¡°Ms. Johnson, rest assured. There are enough beds.¡± Richard gritted his teeth. ¡°I guess I came at a bad timingst time,¡± Kathleen respondedzily. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Richard said faintly. ¡°You had bad luck.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Kathleen replied with aplicated look. Richard narrowed his eyes and stared at Samuel. Thetter did not say anything. ¡°Samuel, the title deeds for those two mountains are in the box of the apartment, and the code for the safe is¡­¡± Kathleen paused momentarily. Samuel asked coldly, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your birthdaybined with my birthday,¡± Kathleen replied faintly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask my men to get it.¡± Samuel sent a message to Tyson, asking him to go take the deeds. After Richard finished drawing Kathleen¡¯s blood, he let her rest and left the ward. Kathleen looked at Samuel indifferently. ¡°Samuel, I gave you the title deed for no other reason, just because I think it is the best option. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Samuel stared at her in an unfathomable way while nodding. ¡°You made this decision after weighing the pros and cons. I know there is no emotion involved.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a while. ¡°How could you say so? I didn¡¯t give it to Chris because I didn¡¯t want to trouble him. Plus, I know that if I gave it to him, he would need to cooperate with the Corbyn family. Besides that, Granny Monica has deep grudges against the Corbyn family. Surely she won¡¯t let them have the advantage. Hence, I can only give it to you. Whether I take it for myself or give it to others, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to fight against the cooperation between the Corbyn family and the Morris family.¡± Samuel asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you think the Morris family and the Corbyn family will work together?¡± ¡°Nothing is impossible.¡± Kathleen bit her lips. ¡°Like I said. Chris is under his dad and grandpa, while Astrid is with Clement. Not to mention, Felix likes Astrid very much. If I give the title deeds to Chris, Clement will definitely extend an olive branch to the Morris family. Samuel nodded upon hearing that. Indeed, Kathleen¡¯s analysis was correct. ¡°Samuel, I have no choice but to trouble you then.¡± Kathleen pursed her lip. ¡°Maybe in my subconsciousness, I feel that you¡¯re strong enough to handle it.¡± Samuel grabbed a chair and sat down casually. ¡°By giving it to me, of course, others might think you have some intentions toward me.¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes, rendered speechless. Samuel¡¯s cold lips curled into a smile. ¡°How about we work together on Flobury?¡± Kathleen blinked a few times. ¡°Work together?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll consider these two mountains as the capital that you brought into the venture. We¡¯ll split the profit in half.¡± Samuel looked at her seriously. Split the profit in half? ¡°Evidently, you contributed more than me. How can we split the profit evenly?¡± Kathleen was exasperated. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°Four six then?¡± Kathleen was left dumbfounded. ¡°Four for me and six for you?¡± ¡°Six for you, four for me,¡± Samuel responded. Kathleen said, ¡°Can you stop fooling around?¡± Noticing her starting to lose her calm, Samuelforted her, ¡°All right. I will stop. Seven for me and three for you then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Kathleen resumed herposure. Samuel stared at her deeply. ¡°As a partner, do you have any suggestions regarding future developments?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve only one condition,¡± Kathleen uttered coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want the Corbyn family to be part of it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t involve them,¡± Samuel promised. ¡°The Yoeger family as well!¡± Kathleen added. Samuel teased, ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of the Yoeger family?¡± Kathleen paused for a short while. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± cing his hand on her head, Samuel smiled deeply. ¡°I will only cooperate with you then. How about that?¡± Kathleen snorted in response. ¡°Please get some rest.¡± Samuel helped her tuck the nket. As a matter of fact, she was indeed a little tired. The drug turned out to be extremely powerful. Even though she had consumed the antidote, there were still some side effects. One of the effects was making her entire body strengthless. She needed to have a good rest. All of a sudden, she opened her eyes. ¡°No way. I still need to go and film.¡± Samuel pressed her down on her bed. ¡°I¡¯ve applied for sick leave for you.¡± Only then was she willing to lie down. ¡°Thanks.¡± Samuel stared at her with aplex look. ¡°Get some sleep.¡± Nodding slightly, Kathleen dozed off with an easy mind. By the time she woke up, she noticed it was already sunset. The sky was getting dark. Is it already thiste? Did Samuel leave? ¡°Are you awake?¡± Just then, Christopher¡¯s gentle voice was heard. Stunned momentarily, she sat upright. ¡°Chris?¡± Christopher was sitting on the couch. He stood up and turned on the light. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Kathleen nodded. She saw two contracts on the coffee table, and she supposed they were prepared by Samuel. Did Christopher see it? In truth, she would not be able to hide such a fact. ¡°Chris, actually¡­¡± Kathleen wanted to exin. ¡°The mountain is yours. You can handle it the way you like.¡± Christopher sounded utterly gentle. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Actually, I understand your concerns. My position in the Morris family is not the same as Samuel¡¯s position in the Macari family. He can run the family all by himself,¡± Christopher responded bitterly. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 ¡°Chris, I¡¯m not looking down on you,¡± Kathleen exined awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Christopher¡¯s face was clouded with disappointment. ¡°I know I¡¯m not as good as Samuel.¡± Kathleen kept quiet, not knowing how to respond because that was not what she meant. However, she decided not to rify Christopher¡¯s misunderstanding since she did not want to complicate things further. She believed Christopher would understand her concerns. He merely felt dissatisfied that she chose Samuel over him. At that moment, Samuel entered the ward with a medical report in his hand. He left the room because he had gone to retrieve the report for her. It was at that time when Christopher hade to see her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Samuel asked Kathleen without sparing a single nce at Christopher. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Are the results out?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Samuel replied as he passed the report to her. ¡°It seems that pill is indeed an antidote. There are no toxins detected in your body.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She heaved a sigh of relief. Samuel¡¯s expression darkened when he finally noticed Christopher. Christopher quietly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Clement?¡± The question was directed at Samuel. ¡°He¡¯s being locked up.¡± Samuel then continued coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Corbyn family went to beg you for help.¡± When Kathleen heard what he had said, she froze on the spot. The Corbyn family begged Christopher for help? Could the Corbyn family already have ns to work with the Morris family? Samuel turned around to pour a ss of water before passing it to Kathleen and coldly remarked, ¡°Do the Corbyn family regret their decision to use Astrid to ruin your rtionship with Kate?¡± Christopher remained silent. ¡°Otherwise, Kate would have handed thend deeds to you for the sake of helping her fianc¨¦, even though the engagement was fake. This way, the Corbyn family would be able to work with you with confidence. Am I right?¡± Samuel questioned sarcastically. Upon hearing his words, Christopher¡¯s eyes turned icy cold. ¡°I bet the Morris and Corbyn families were already in cahoots when I ruined your n with Olivia two years ago. Too bad none of you had expected thend deeds to be in Kate¡¯s hands,¡± he mocked. A frown formed across Kathleen¡¯s forehead. The Morris and Corbyn families have been in cahoots since long ago? With a smirk, Samuel continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to wrongfully use you because I doubt you have any say in the n. I¡¯m pretty sure your grandfather was the one who came up with this n.¡± ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t you think you know too much?¡± Christopher asked as he shot a cold re at him. ¡°Haha! I think you just don¡¯t want me to spill too much in front of Kate,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Knowing that he could not refute, Christopher could only narrow his eyes and re at Samuel. ¡°Samuel, you told me before you would never lie to me. So tell me, what do you know?¡± Kathleen asked with knitted brows. ¡°I will tell you whatever you want to know,¡± he replied solemnly. Worried about what Samuel was about to say next, Christopher quickly voiced out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I will tell her myself.¡± Samuel gestured for Christopher to go ahead and tell Kathleen everything. There was no reason to stop Christopher from spilling the beans himself. Looking at Christopher, Kathleen asked, ¡°Chris, what¡¯s going on?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Christopher finally exined, ¡°Grandpa told me that we can get married as long as you hand over the twond deeds to the Morris family. From then on, the Morris family will treat you well, like how the Macari family has been treating you.¡± After listening to his exnation, Kathleen remained silent. He quickly continued to exin when he noticed her silence. ¡°Of course, I did not¡ª¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed before he could finish his sentence. Her words caught Christopher by surprise. Immediately, a look of thunder clouded Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Are you sure?¡± This woman will be the death of me! ¡°Chris, can you give your grandfather a call? Since he¡¯s the one who came up with the idea.¡± Kathleen shed a sweet smile at him. Her sudden request caught Christopher off guard. He quietly stared at her as he contemted if he should make the call. ¡°Can¡¯t I speak to him? Was he expecting you to discuss such an important matter with me? Won¡¯t he want to speak to me instead?¡± she asked. ¡°All right.¡± Christopher pulled out his phone and dialed Felix¡¯s number. Meanwhile, Samuel stood aside in silence with a darkened expression. While waiting for the call to get through, Kathleen took a sip of the water that Samuel had poured for her. Soon, the call was answered. ¡°Grandpa, Kate would like to speak to you.¡± Christopher put the call in loudspeaker mode and ced his phone before Kathleen. Felix¡¯s cold voice was heard from the phone. ¡°Ms. Johnson, have you decided to hand over thend deeds to us?¡± ¡°I can hand them over to you, but not without a price. Let¡¯s see if you can offer me an attractive deal that I can¡¯t resist,¡± Kathleen replied. However, her words seemed to be implying something else. ¡°Is the condition of marrying into the Morris family not attractive enough for you?¡± Felix sounded confident. ¡°Haha!¡± Kathleen burst intoughter. ¡°Attractive? I think we both know very well how much the two mines are worth. Also, I don¡¯t think I need to remind you about their real value, right?¡± ¡°So? What are you trying to say?¡± Felix asked in an icy tone. ¡°I can give you what you want, but I¡¯ll have to see if you can offer me a deal more attractive than what Samuel has offered,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°Tell me what you have in mind,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Honestly, when I married into the Macari family, I wasn¡¯t interested in being a part of a wealthy family. Besides, now that I¡¯m wealthy on my own, I¡¯m even more uninterested in marrying into prestigious families.¡± Kathleen continued in an indifferent tone, ¡°But since you¡¯ve asked me to state my conditions, how about letting Christopher marry matrilocally into my family? Of course, our children will take after myst name. If you ept this condition, I will hand you thend deeds.¡± ¡°What did you say? You want Christopher to marry matrilocally into your family?¡± Felix thundered. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, do you think I don¡¯t know what you had been fighting for was never the money but the authority over Jadeborough in the future? Don¡¯t you think you should pay a price that is befitting to reach such a huge goal?¡± She smirked and went on, ¡°You think too highly of the Morris family. If I really wanted to marry into a prestigious family, it would never be the Morris family.¡± Felix is way too confident! ¡°Even if I were in love with Christopher, do you think I ought to willinglypromise my self-interest? I¡¯m not so dumb as to hand over the two valuable mines in exchange for mistreatment and suppression from the Morris family! You may dislike me for having married once before, but I simrly feel disgusted by the Morris family¡¯s greediness!¡± she added. ¡°You!¡± Felix was infuriated. ¡°The Morris family is known to be greedy and likes to take advantage of others, so would you allow someone like me, who has nothing to offer, to marry into your family? Moreover, you even nned to work with the Corbyn family. Do you think I am unaware of your ns to attack the Macari family once you¡¯ve attained the authority you seek? I may have divorced Samuel, but Grandma, Mr. Calvin, and Mrs. Macari love me like I¡¯m their own daughter. If you think I¡¯m going to let anything bad happen to them, dream on!¡± Kathleen snapped. With that, she hung up the phone. After listening to the conversation, Samuel realized that there was nothing for him to worry about. Kathleen was surprisingly level-headed. Hence, it was clear that she was not in love with Christopher. She looked at Christopher solemnly and asked, ¡°Chris, can you guarantee that the Morris and Corbyn families would not join hands to fight against the Macari family in the future? Please think it through carefully before answering me.¡± Christopher fell silent. ¡°I know you can¡¯t convince your grandfather. But, Chris, I¡¯ll repay all the kindness that you¡¯ve shown me before. However, I am indebted to the Macari family as well. In fact, I am indebted to them more than you, so I can¡¯t be an ungrateful person,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°I-I understand.¡± Christopher nced at her with a soft look. ¡°Kate, actually I can¡ª¡± ¡°No, you will never be able to convince your grandfather.¡± Then, with clear, unwavering eyes, Kathleen said firmly, ¡°There is no point in discussing a hypothetical situation. As long as there is some uncertainty, I will not take the risk. Besides, I don¡¯t like you, and I¡¯m not interested in marrying into the Morris family.¡± ¡°Chris, I¡¯m not looking down on you,¡± Kathleen exined awkwardly. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Christopher¡¯s face was clouded with disappointment. ¡°I know I¡¯m not as good as Samuel.¡± Kathleen kept quiet, not knowing how to respond because that was not what she meant. However, she decided not to rify Christopher¡¯s misunderstanding since she did not want to complicate things further. She believed Christopher would understand her concerns. He merely felt dissatisfied that she chose Samuel over him. At that moment, Samuel entered the ward with a medical report in his hand. He left the room because he had gone to retrieve the report for her. It was at that time when Christopher hade to see her. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Samuel asked Kathleen without sparing a single nce at Christopher. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Are the results out?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Samuel replied as he passed the report to her. ¡°It seems that pill is indeed an antidote. There are no toxins detected in your body.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She heaved a sigh of relief. Samuel¡¯s expression darkened when he finally noticed Christopher. Christopher quietly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Clement?¡± The question was directed at Samuel. ¡°He¡¯s being locked up.¡± Samuel then continued coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Corbyn family went to beg you for help.¡± When Kathleen heard what he had said, she froze on the spot. The Corbyn family begged Christopher for help? Could the Corbyn family already have ns to work with the Morris family? Samuel turned around to pour a ss of water before passing it to Kathleen and coldly remarked, ¡°Do the Corbyn family regret their decision to use Astrid to ruin your rtionship with Kate?¡± Christopher remained silent. ¡°Otherwise, Kate would have handed thend deeds to you for the sake of helping her fianc¨¦, even though the engagement was fake. This way, the Corbyn family would be able to work with you with confidence. Am I right?¡± Samuel questioned sarcastically. Upon hearing his words, Christopher¡¯s eyes turned icy cold. ¡°I bet the Morris and Corbyn families were already in cahoots when I ruined your n with Olivia two years ago. Too bad none of you had expected thend deeds to be in Kate¡¯s hands,¡± he mocked. A frown formed across Kathleen¡¯s forehead. The Morris and Corbyn families have been in cahoots since long ago? With a smirk, Samuel continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to wrongfully use you because I doubt you have any say in the n. I¡¯m pretty sure your grandfather was the one who came up with this n.¡± ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t you think you know too much?¡± Christopher asked as he shot a cold re at him. ¡°Haha! I think you just don¡¯t want me to spill too much in front of Kate,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Knowing that he could not refute, Christopher could only narrow his eyes and re at Samuel. ¡°Samuel, you told me before you would never lie to me. So tell me, what do you know?¡± Kathleen asked with knitted brows. ¡°I will tell you whatever you want to know,¡± he replied solemnly. Worried about what Samuel was about to say next, Christopher quickly voiced out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I will tell her myself.¡± Samuel gestured for Christopher to go ahead and tell Kathleen everything. There was no reason to stop Christopher from spilling the beans himself. Looking at Christopher, Kathleen asked, ¡°Chris, what¡¯s going on?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Christopher finally exined, ¡°Grandpa told me that we can get married as long as you hand over the twond deeds to the Morris family. From then on, the Morris family will treat you well, like how the Macari family has been treating you.¡± After listening to his exnation, Kathleen remained silent. He quickly continued to exin when he noticed her silence. ¡°Of course, I did not¡ª¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed before he could finish his sentence. Her words caught Christopher by surprise. Immediately, a look of thunder clouded Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Are you sure?¡± This woman will be the death of me! ¡°Chris, can you give your grandfather a call? Since he¡¯s the one who came up with the idea.¡± Kathleen shed a sweet smile at him. Her sudden request caught Christopher off guard. He quietly stared at her as he contemted if he should make the call. ¡°Can¡¯t I speak to him? Was he expecting you to discuss such an important matter with me? Won¡¯t he want to speak to me instead?¡± she asked. ¡°All right.¡± Christopher pulled out his phone and dialed Felix¡¯s number. Meanwhile, Samuel stood aside in silence with a darkened expression. While waiting for the call to get through, Kathleen took a sip of the water that Samuel had poured for her. Soon, the call was answered. ¡°Grandpa, Kate would like to speak to you.¡± Christopher put the call in loudspeaker mode and ced his phone before Kathleen. Felix¡¯s cold voice was heard from the phone. ¡°Ms. Johnson, have you decided to hand over thend deeds to us?¡± ¡°I can hand them over to you, but not without a price. Let¡¯s see if you can offer me an attractive deal that I can¡¯t resist,¡± Kathleen replied. However, her words seemed to be implying something else. ¡°Is the condition of marrying into the Morris family not attractive enough for you?¡± Felix sounded confident. ¡°Haha!¡± Kathleen burst intoughter. ¡°Attractive? I think we both know very well how much the two mines are worth. Also, I don¡¯t think I need to remind you about their real value, right?¡± ¡°So? What are you trying to say?¡± Felix asked in an icy tone. ¡°I can give you what you want, but I¡¯ll have to see if you can offer me a deal more attractive than what Samuel has offered,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°Tell me what you have in mind,¡± Felix replied. ¡°Honestly, when I married into the Macari family, I wasn¡¯t interested in being a part of a wealthy family. Besides, now that I¡¯m wealthy on my own, I¡¯m even more uninterested in marrying into prestigious families.¡± Kathleen continued in an indifferent tone, ¡°But since you¡¯ve asked me to state my conditions, how about letting Christopher marry matrilocally into my family? Of course, our children will take after myst name. If you ept this condition, I will hand you thend deeds.¡± ¡°What did you say? You want Christopher to marry matrilocally into your family?¡± Felix thundered. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, do you think I don¡¯t know what you had been fighting for was never the money but the authority over Jadeborough in the future? Don¡¯t you think you should pay a price that is befitting to reach such a huge goal?¡± She smirked and went on, ¡°You think too highly of the Morris family. If I really wanted to marry into a prestigious family, it would never be the Morris family.¡± Felix is way too confident! ¡°Even if I were in love with Christopher, do you think I ought to willinglypromise my self-interest? I¡¯m not so dumb as to hand over the two valuable mines in exchange for mistreatment and suppression from the Morris family! You may dislike me for having married once before, but I simrly feel disgusted by the Morris family¡¯s greediness!¡± she added. ¡°You!¡± Felix was infuriated. ¡°The Morris family is known to be greedy and likes to take advantage of others, so would you allow someone like me, who has nothing to offer, to marry into your family? Moreover, you even nned to work with the Corbyn family. Do you think I am unaware of your ns to attack the Macari family once you¡¯ve attained the authority you seek? I may have divorced Samuel, but Grandma, Mr. Calvin, and Mrs. Macari love me like I¡¯m their own daughter. If you think I¡¯m going to let anything bad happen to them, dream on!¡± Kathleen snapped. With that, she hung up the phone. After listening to the conversation, Samuel realized that there was nothing for him to worry about. Kathleen was surprisingly level-headed. Hence, it was clear that she was not in love with Christopher. She looked at Christopher solemnly and asked, ¡°Chris, can you guarantee that the Morris and Corbyn families would not join hands to fight against the Macari family in the future? Please think it through carefully before answering me.¡± Christopher fell silent. ¡°I know you can¡¯t convince your grandfather. But, Chris, I¡¯ll repay all the kindness that you¡¯ve shown me before. However, I am indebted to the Macari family as well. In fact, I am indebted to them more than you, so I can¡¯t be an ungrateful person,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°I-I understand.¡± Christopher nced at her with a soft look. ¡°Kate, actually I can¡ª¡± ¡°No, you will never be able to convince your grandfather.¡± Then, with clear, unwavering eyes, Kathleen said firmly, ¡°There is no point in discussing a hypothetical situation. As long as there is some uncertainty, I will not take the risk. Besides, I don¡¯t like you, and I¡¯m not interested in marrying into the Morris family.¡± Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Christopher was offended by Kathleen¡¯s distrust of him. However, he knew that he could not force her to trust him as well. It was his incapability that prevented her from believing him wholeheartedly. However, she had an indescribable trust toward Samuel, be it good or bad. Her understanding of Samuel was deeply engraved in her. ¡°Rest well. I¡¯m going to make a move first.¡± Christopher got up to leave. Kathleen sighed. Samuel stared at her with his dark eyes as he asked. ¡°Should I be happy?¡± Kathleen stared back at him. ¡°Happy about what?¡± ¡°Happy that you trust me more than Christopher.¡± Samuel raised a brow. Kathleen snorted coldly, ¡°What¡¯s there to be happy about? Do you think it¡¯s something that you should be proud of?¡± Samuel¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You think that I treat you differentlypared to others but you don¡¯t know that these were my sufferings back then.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was soft and hoarse. ¡°Because I know you too well, that¡¯s why I can read all your minor expressions. I¡¯ve learned how to observe your expressions, afraid that you¡¯ll dislike me if I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve been trying to y my role as that perfect wife but we still ended up with divorce.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I was constantly wondering. Must it always be like this?¡± Kathleen was frowning. ¡°Must I understand you so well and please you so much? There was a voice in my head back then, telling me that you¡¯ll fall in love with me if I try harder. Maye if I just wait for a bit longer, then you¡¯ll notice how good I am. But all my hard work was wasted once Nicolette was back.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not reprimanding you by saying it all out, Samuel.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s just that I realized that you won¡¯t care about that person no matter how much she loves you because you don¡¯t love her. Likewise, it¡¯s because you don¡¯t love me, that¡¯s why you tend to ignore whatever I do. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Samuel was silent. ¡°How much do you know about me, Samuel?¡± Kathleen was biting her red lips. ¡°Aside from those shallow stuff, how much do you know about my inner thoughts?¡± ¡°I¡­. I don¡¯t know.¡± Samuel spoke hoarsely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was deep. ¡°But it means that you still have some self- awareness, judging by the fact you¡¯re admitting this. Here¡¯s what, Samuel. I rejected Christopher not because he wasn¡¯t as good as you but because I just wanted to simplify things. I didn¡¯t return for the Morris family, the Corbyn family, or whatever. I just wanted to quickly settle all these unimportant things. Do you understand?¡± Samuel stared at her with his deep eyes. ¡°Is it perhaps that I¡¯m one of those unimportant things too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen could not help but nod. ¡°You sure are. I initially thought that we¡¯ll just be strangers when we meet again. But little did I expect you to cling to me.¡± She could not understand that. ¡°So I¡¯ve never been a part of your n?¡± Samuel asked. She nodded slowly. Heh! Samuel smiled coldly. ¡°The truth always hurts more than lies.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Samuel raised his hands and ced his thumb on her red lips. He gently caressed them. ¡°But what should I do? I think I¡¯m feeling down but I can¡¯t bring myself to leave.¡± Kathleen was frowning. ¡°Back then, I wasn¡¯t afraid because I took your love for granted. I knew that you¡¯d always be waiting for me no matter how many times I left.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Now, I¡¯m not afraid to leave too because you don¡¯t love me, but I love you.¡± Kathleen stared at the cold man before her. She could not believe that those words came out from him. Samuel was overflowing with ferocity. The air surrounding them turned cold. Kathleen shivered a bit. However, that ferocity in him vanished in a blink of an eye. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this.¡± Samuel put down his hand. ¡°We¡¯ve agreed on being a family. I should learn how to adapt to this.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. A smile shed across his cold yet charming face. ¡°But I must say, you made the right choice. It¡¯s the simplest way by giving thend deed to me. It simplifies everything.¡± Kathleen said, ¡°But that¡¯s if you can manage it.¡± ¡°How hard do you think it can be?¡± Samuel raised a brow. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard? What if Felix and Clement join hands?¡± ¡°They will have no gains from doing so. Why would they?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Kathleen paused. That¡¯s true. If Clement knew that the Morris family could not do anything once thend deed was given to Samuel, he would not coborate with them anymore. Christopher returned home. Emily approached him. ¡°How¡¯s Kate?¡± ¡°She¡¯s all right,¡± Christopher answered. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s here. He¡¯s waiting for you in the living room,¡± Emily said. Christopher frowned. He was not feeling good inside as he was displeased with Felix. Upon reaching the living room, he saw Felix sipping coffee. He greeted, ¡°Grandpa.¡± Felix eyed Christopher from the side. ¡°Was Samuel there when Kathleen called me?¡± Christopher nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmph! I knew it! You saw everything, right, Christopher? She¡¯s so disrespectful toward me but yet you want to marry her?¡± Christopher frowned. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because you insulted her first, Grandpa? What¡¯s with a second marriage? Is it illegal?¡± Felix mmed on the table. ¡°How dare you talk to me like that? That woman¡¯s a bad influence on you!¡± Bad influence? ¡°Don¡¯t me it all on others, Grandpa.¡± Christopher was cold. ¡°Why can¡¯t she talk? You were wrong in the first ce. There¡¯s nothing bad about Kate. The bad ones are the Morris family. We don¡¯t deserve her!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Felix was furious. ¡°Who is she to be picky about? She¡¯s a woman who¡¯s going to remarry. It¡¯s her honor to be married into the Morris family. How dare she reject us? If she had been smart enough, she could¡¯ve just given thend deed to me and have children at home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Christopher was mad. ¡°Who do you think Kate is? And who do you think you are?¡± Felix¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Stop being so arrogant,¡± Christopher said angrily. ¡°I know about how you and that woman treated Mom! After all these years, and now you¡¯re doing the same thing to the woman I like. I¡¯m telling you now that¡¯s intolerable! Whether I get married to Kathleen or not, I won¡¯t allow you to insult her like that!¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind!¡± Felix was mad. He turned to look at Emily. ¡°Look at your son!¡± Emily frowned. ¡°Why are you ming Mom?¡± asked Christopher coldly. At that moment, Aaron came back. He could hear them arguing from the courtyard. It was apparent that he knew the reason behind the argument. ¡°You¡¯re back just in time, Aaron! Look at them!¡± Felix said angrily. ¡°What kind of head of the family are you?¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Aaron questioned calmly, ¡°Am I the head of the family?¡± Felix froze for a few seconds after hearing that. ¡°How are you not?¡± Felix¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Dad, why did youe to my house to meddle in my affairs if you think I¡¯m the head of the family? Aaron asked coldly. Felix¡¯s scowl deepened at his words. ¡°One is my wife, and the other is my son. No matter how bad they are, it¡¯s not for someone who isn¡¯t the head of the family to lecture them.¡± Aaron continued coldly, ¡°Also, you have left thepany for many years. How do you know how thepany currently functions? Why must you insist on the Morris family working with the Corbyn family?¡± ¡°Are you dumb?¡± Felix was furious. ¡°Even Kathleen knows this isn¡¯t purely about business. It¡¯s to compete for who will have the final say in Jadeborough in the future!¡± Aaron had an indifferent look. ¡°You lost to Samuel¡¯s grandfather many years ago. Moreover, Samuel surpasses his grandfather in greatness.¡± ¡°Why are you belittling yourself?¡± Felix felt highly aggravated. Aaron saidposedly, ¡°I¡¯m not belittling myself. It¡¯s a no-win situation for both parties if I try to fight for the final say with the Macari family. Someone else might benefit from it. Moreover, it¡¯s enough to be on equal footing with the Macari family.¡± Felix snorted. ¡°How pathetic!¡± With that, he stormed off. Aaron was unmoved. Does he think that it¡¯s an easy matter to be on equal footing with the Macari family? He turned to nce at Christopher. ¡°Your grandfather is not going to things slide that easily. He cannot swallow his anger that Old Mrs. Macari chose Old Mr. Macari over him in the past. He¡¯s targeting the Macari family and that girl because of his anger.¡± ¡°Kate must have thought of this since she¡¯s a level-headed person. Thus, she¡­¡± Emily spoke hesitantly. ¡°Indeed, she knows this better than anyone else,¡± Christopher murmured with his voice lowered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Aaron added faintly, ¡°I do admire her. Kathleen knew she had no future with you, so she made it clear to you. Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Do you like fickle-minded people?¡± Christopher shook his head lightly. Emily stated, ¡°Christopher likes Kate because she is more sensible than anyone else.¡± Christopher remained silent and turned to leave. Aaron said frigidly, ¡°I didn¡¯t imply directly that Kathleen still likes Samuel.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much,¡± replied Emily. ¡°Is Christopher not outstanding?¡± Aaron said in a deep voice, ¡°The most popr bachelor apart from Samuel was Christopher. When Samuel revealed his marriage, my phone was blown up with calls from people wanting to be our inws.¡± Emily quietly responded, ¡°You experienced love too. However, you still don¡¯t understand that you can fall in love with someone for no reason.¡± Aaron shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t people always desire the unobtainable?¡± Emily was rendered speechless at once. What kind of father speaks like this about his son? ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡± Aaron¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Although my words are unpleasant to listen to, they are true. The same applies to Samuel, Kathleen, and Christopher.¡± Emily did not feel like entertaining him anymore. Aaron followed behind her. ¡°Darling, look at my dad. He still hasn¡¯t let go of this matter after over forty years.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think this matter is not fair to your mother?¡± She frowned. ¡°So what if it¡¯s unfair? She was happy to be with my father. What¡¯s the use of me saying it?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Of course, my mother also desired the unobtainable.¡± Emily was at a loss for words. ¡°Back then, Samuel had Nicolette in his heart. However, when she returned, he discovered she was not how he imagined her to be. After Samuel finally saw Kathleen¡¯s qualities, she did not love him anymore. He then began to chase after her,¡± Aaron said while analyzing. At this, Emily frowned. Aaron uttered quietly, ¡°It¡¯s the same for Kathleen. Although she got together with Samuel, she could not capture his heart. So, Kathleen always believed that she would be rewarded for her efforts if she tried harder. Ultimately, she learned it the hard way and gave up on Samuel. Christopher should have confessed to Kathleen since he liked her from the start. He held back his feelings and got beat to it by his love rival.¡± ¡°Aaron, you¡¯re speaking really annoyingly!¡± Emily was not too pleased with his remarks. ¡°I already mentioned that although my words are unpleasant to listen to, they are true.¡± He continued, ¡°It¡¯s the same as Calvin chasing after your younger sister back then.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Emily looked at him coldly. ¡°How do you feel about me?¡± ¡°Of course, that doesn¡¯t apply to me! After all, I won you over instantly,¡± Aaron said smugly. He was better than Calvin in terms of getting girls. ¡°ording to what you say, the undesirable is the most sought. Those people seem to be truly in love and really loyal.¡± Emily sneered coldly. ¡°Since you won me over so easily, this means that you don¡¯t cherish me, right?¡± Aaron was speechless. ¡°Speak up.¡± Emily raised the knife that she was using to cut the avocados. She was nning to make an avocado sd. Aaron replied sheepishly, ¡°Darling, what are you talking about? I only cherish you even more after getting together with you. I¡¯m not the same as those scum men out there.¡± Emily was rendered speechless at once. ¡°In short, Emily, I love you. I will love you forever!¡± He hugged Emily and kissed her a few times. Emily said angrily, ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s be serious for a moment.¡± Aaron hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Are you not going to help Christopher? Look at how united the Macaris are! Although they appear to be shunning Samuel, it¡¯s to evoke sympathy from Kathleen. Even though she can see through their facade, she will still go soft on him.¡± Emily pursed her lips. ¡°What can I do? Christopher lost at the starting point. Kathleen fell in love with Samuel first.¡± ¡°You have to help Christopher. My heart aches for him seeing him in this way.¡± Aaron sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t force a rtionship,¡± Emily muttered softly. Aaron took a deep breath. ¡°Where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. Kathleen might have feelings for Christopher. However, she might have formed a bad impression of our family after what my father did. You can seek her out more often and let her know that there are people from the Morris family who wee her. When she considers settling down in the future, it will be helpful for Christopher.¡± ¡°Can we beat Old Mrs. Macari to it?¡± Emily asked. ¡°Why not? Since Old Mrs. Macari treats her like her biological granddaughter, we can treat her like our biological daughter.¡± Once again, Emily was at a loss for words. ¡°Do work hard. You can do it!¡± Aaron gave her words of encouragement for no reason. Emily smiled in amusement. Aaron hugged her and smiled along with her. ¡°Speaking of this, it¡¯s fortunate that Kathleen put a stop to this matter.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t want to cooperate with the Corbyn family?¡± Emily inquired curiously. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes. The Corbyn family¡¯s business overseas isn¡¯t legitimate. I¡¯m not going to get the Morris family involved in this mess,¡± replied Aaron indifferently. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your father wish to cooperate with the Corbyn family?¡± Emily frowned. ¡°He is getting senile and also got fooled by Astrid¡¯s grandfather. My priority is to kick Astrid out of Jadeborough first. We can¡¯t just forget about the matter of her setting up Christopher. Even if Christopher is unable to marry Kathleen, there is no way he will marry her!¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 It was seven o¡¯clock at night. Wynnie had brought Kathleen some food. She gave Kathleen a big portion. ¡°Here¡¯s yours.¡± Then, Samuel received the smaller portion. ¡°And here¡¯s yours.¡± Samuel was left speechless. Wynnie exined, ¡°Well, I only made an extra portion in light of your rescue efforts today. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be getting any food. Not even a bowl of soup.¡± Reluctant to speak, Samuel remained silent. Kathleen saw that Samuel was slightly depressed, so she said to Wynnie, ¡°Mrs. Macari, I was saved today all thanks to Samuel.¡± ¡°Oh. Kate has put in some good words for you. I¡¯ll reward you with a bowl of soupter,¡± Wynnie muttered slowly. ¡°Hah!¡± Samuelughed in disdain. ¡°Thank you, my queen. Thank you, my princess.¡± Wynnie scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m your queen, but she¡¯s not your princess. Keep your slick tongue to yourself.¡± Samuel decided to shut his mouth as he dined. Wynnie patted Kathleen¡¯s head, slightly concerned. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Wynnie furrowed her brows. ¡°Mom was furious when she learned about this. She mentioned that she¡¯ll make time for poker tomorrow. She ns on telling her poker friends about this incident. Don¡¯t worry. The news will spread like wildfire.¡± Kathleen asked, ¡°Mrs. Macari, is that necessary?¡± ¡°Of course it is! They have wronged you,¡± Wynnie replied seriously. Kathleen was grateful, but she didn¡¯t want to trouble them. Wynnie had a good look at Kathleen before taking a nce at Samuel. She felt at ease. After Kathleen finished her meal, Wynnie tidied up the table and prepared herself to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll see you out.¡± Samuel got up to send Wynnie off. Both mother and son were standing in front of the elevator when Wynnie asked coldly, ¡°Have you finally thought things through? Do you now know that you have to protect her?¡± Samuel did not utter a word. ¡°Now that you¡¯re finally together with Kathleen, you¡¯d better do your best to treasure her. Be careful, or she might not forgive you next time,¡± Wynnie added with a frown. ¡°Mom, she doesn¡¯t love me anymore. I can sense it,¡± Samuel replied in a serious tone. Wynnie stared at him. He continued, ¡°She¡¯s no longer the same Kathleen who used to love me.¡± Wynnie maintained herposure. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not surprised. You shouldn¡¯t be pestering Kate if it bothers you. Who knows? Perhaps she¡¯ll end up with Christopher.¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t find the words to reply, causing his mother to snort. Atst, he replied adamantly, ¡°She¡¯s not going to be with Christopher. She came back this time to reim her identity.¡± Wynnie was stunned for a moment. ¡°What identity?¡± Samuel threw her a sideways nce. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Kate¡¯s parents were both orphans.¡± ¡°I knew that already. In fact, I learned about it before you. Who do you think I am?¡± she said. Samuel¡¯s face was expressionless as he felt mocked. He continued to exin nonchntly, ¡°Kathleen is back because she found out her mother¡¯s real identity. She¡¯ll leave once her business is done here. No one can stop her then.¡± Wynnie gave him her heartfelt advice. ¡°It alles down to your own doing. How can you be sure if you haven¡¯t tried? As long as you¡¯re sincere, I don¡¯t think Kate will hold a grudge against you forever.¡± Samuel fell silent. At that moment, the elevator arrived. ¡°All right, this will do. You don¡¯t have to send me any further. Go back and keep Katepany,¡± said Wynnie. ¡°Mom, do you know about Kate¡¯s identity?¡± Samuel asked all of a sudden. His mother shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ve never suspected why Kathleen and Nicolette looked so alike?¡± he went on. Wynnie was shocked. ¡°Wait¡­ What? Are you saying that¡­¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger had a little girl once, but she disappeared without a word. Sounds about right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Wynnie missed the elevator, her brows tied into a knot. ¡°Could it be that Kate¡¯s mom is actually Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s missing daughter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel nodded in response. ¡°Oh my God!¡± Wynnie took a step forward and grabbed Samuel¡¯s arm. ¡°Samuel, now that you mention it, I remember how we were supposed to bring Kate to Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s birthday party back then. If we had brought her with us that time¡­ then maybe¡­¡± Samuel took a deep breath. ¡°I was the reason why they missed out on each other.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Wynnie was agitated. ¡°Nicolette must have known! Otherwise, why did she insist on going? She was aware that the Yoeger family disliked her and knew you wanted to avoid conflict. Between herself and Kate, you¡¯ll only bring one of them to attend. She was trying to prevent the reunion from happening!¡± At that, Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Grinding her teeth, Wynnie growled, ¡°Who would have thought? She¡¯s just as cunning as her mom! So, when is Kate going to the Yoeger residence for her big reunion?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t mentioned when. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯ll be soon. She¡¯s probably still investigating the reason behind her mom¡¯s disappearance. After that, she¡¯ll head for the Yoeger residence,¡± Samuel replied indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s right. Your grandma spoke to me about this before. She suspected it to be an inside job. The security in the Yoeger residence was really tight. It was unlikely that anyone could juste in and take the child away. Sadly, even after some extensive searching, there were no leads for the investigation to continue on. Otherwise, Old Mrs. Yoeger wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± she trailed off with a sigh. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t share this information with Grandma just yet,¡± Samuel reminded. ¡°I know. Rest assured.¡± Wynnie nodded in acknowledgment. The elevator had returned. Wynnie managed to get on it this time. Samuel watched as the elevator door closed before him. Right when he was about to leave, he heard a deep and familiar voice calling to him. ¡°Samuel.¡± Turning around, Samuel stared sharply at the woman in the wheelchair. A cold gleam shed across his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Nicolette was wearing a mask. She sneered at him. ¡°Are you surprised to see me?¡± Samuel merely shot her an icy nce and made to leave. ¡°Samuel!¡± Nicolette shouted. ¡°I heard Kathleen was hospitalized. I would like to visit her.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Samuel¡¯s reply was icy and ruthless. Nicolette narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so cold and heartless.¡± Samuel asked with a grim voice, ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± Nicolette snorted with an evil look in her eyes. ¡°Samuel, you cruel man. You broke both my legs for Kathleen¡¯s sake. The pain I felt at the time was excruciating, do you know that?¡± ¡°When you killed our child, Kate was in immeasurable pain too,¡± Samuel replied impassively. Nicolette burst intoughter and mocked, ¡°Too bad she can no longer give birth.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± By this point, Samuel was clenching his fists. ¡°It¡¯s a fact. Why can¡¯t I say it?¡± Nicolette appeared to be deliberately provoking him. Samuel was on the brink of losing himself. Noticing that, Nicolette stared at him. ¡°You want to hit me? Go ahead! Hit me!¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°You think I won¡¯t?¡± In response, Nicolette shut her eyes and braced herself for the p. She was waiting for Samuel to hit her. Nicolette had reporters on standby. They were hiding around the corner, ready to capture any movement that might serve as evidence. If Samuel made a move on her, she¡¯d gain the upper hand in future negotiations. Samuel is going to be at my mercy, and Kathleen as well! They can both die together! Nicolette knew now that Samuel wouldn¡¯t have a change of heart. Since he was unattainable to her, she would rather destroy him. Once she got rid of him, there would be nothing left that she was afraid of. p! As expected, Nicolette received a harsh p to her face. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 ¡°Samuel, you¡ª¡± Nicolette opened her eyes. However, to her surprise, the one standing before her was Kathleen. Thetter was wearing a blue and white striped hospital gown. Although her delicate and beautiful face looked pale, she was still exuding an imposing air. The one that hit her was Kathleen. ¡°It was my first time hearing someone make such a request, so I naturally had toply,¡± Kathleen answered maliciously as she looked down at Nicolette from above. This was the first meeting they had after a year. Nicolette gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°Kathleen!¡± ¡°I merely fulfilled your request,¡± Kathleen said coldly and raised her eyebrow. ¡°If you ask me to hit you like an idiot, then you can¡¯t me me when it hurts. You deserved it, though.¡± Nicolette¡¯s face and ears reddened with fury. ¡°Hmm? Is your mask stuck on your face?¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking it off?¡± When Nicolette recalled how her face looked now, her eyes zed like two torches. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you!¡± ¡°Me?¡± Kathleen faked ignorance. ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± ¡°Did you forget?¡± Nicolette ground her teeth in resentment. ¡°You¡¯re the one who did this to my face! Don¡¯t you think you can worm out of this if you pretend you forgot!¡± ¡°Oh. In that case, you deserved it. Can¡¯t me me.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°Kathleen, if Samuel hadn¡¯t illegally imprisoned me, I would have sued you! I¡¯ll make sure you get thrown in jail!¡± Nicolette roared. ¡°You¡¯re going to sue me?¡± Kathleen stared at her expressionlessly. ¡°Who gave you the gall to do that?¡± ¡°I have evidence!¡± Nicolette gnashed her teeth before yelling furiously, ¡°And witnesses too! Those who attended the wedding are my witnesses! They saw it all!¡± ¡°Try me then,¡± warned Samuel, his low voice tinged with frost. ¡°Let¡¯s see who will dare to bring out the evidence and who will testify for you.¡± ¡°Nicolette, don¡¯t think you didn¡¯t leave any evidence of what you have done all these years!¡± Kathleen said mockingly while looking coldly at her. Nicolette smirked. ¡°Back then, Samuel got rid of all those people in a fit of anger.¡± In other words, Kathleen did not have the evidence or witnesses. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Kathleen said indifferently. Nicolette scoffed. ¡°I know Gemma is your friend. She would be more than happy to fake evidence for you.¡± ¡°It seems like you have done your research. My bad for underestimating you,¡± Kathleen replied icily. ¡°You¡¯ll never win against me!¡± Nicolette red at Kathleen in a threatening manner. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Coldly, Kathleen said, ¡°Bring it on!¡± After that, she turned and left. Nicolette gave Samuel a knowing smile. ¡°You know, I have to thank you, Samuel. You got rid of all the witnesses of that incident only because I saved your life.¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes were cold as ice. ¡°If you dare toy a hand on Kathleen, you¡¯re dead!¡± Samuel warned Nicolette, his eyes giving her a forbidding re. Although Nicolette¡¯s heart skipped a beat in fear, she faked herposure and smiled. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t forget that I once saved your life.¡± ¡°I told you long ago that we no longer owed each other anything,¡± Samuel retorted, his aura getting colder by the minute. ¡°You¡¯re so heartless,¡± Nicolette muttered and looked at him wistfully. Samuel ignored her and left. Nicolette¡¯s eyes glinted as she watched Samuel disappear. I still love him. To me, Samuel is dazzling. If I can¡¯t have him, I¡¯d rather destroy him. I will never let Kathleen have him! Kathleen returned to the ward. Whenever she saw Nicolette, other than a deep hatred, she also felt a tightness in her chest. That¡¯s right. Whenever I see her, I feel suffocated. For every day she failed to get her revenge on Nicolette for killing her children, that was one more day she could not be at ease. Samuel entered the ward. As he walked gracefully toward Kathleen, the gaze he fixed on her wasplicated and unfathomable. ¡°You should leave,¡± Kathleen said expressionlessly. Samuel¡¯s sharp jawline tensed. ¡°Kate, Nicolette and I have nothing between us anymore.¡± Slowly, Kathleen raised her head. Looking at the cold yet charming man in front of her, she said, ¡°Samuel, there¡¯s another important reason I don¡¯t want to be with you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°You slept with Nicolette, didn¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen gritted her teeth hard. ¡°To me, she is the killer of my unborn sons, but you had sex with her. I can¡¯t¡ª¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist before replying irritably, ¡°I know you hate me and resent me. I can take that. However, you shouldn¡¯t nder me for something I didn¡¯t do!¡± Kathleen frowned and retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t nder you!¡± ¡°The only woman I have ever slept with was you!¡± he dered solemnly. ¡°Haha!¡± Beads of tears started to appear at the corners of Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Samuel, you said that you¡¯ll never deceive me. But now, you¡¯re lying straight to my face.¡± However, Samuel was firm in this statement, and the whites of his eyes gradually reddened. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie.¡± Eventually, the tears rolled down her face. ¡°I heard it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Samuel¡¯s brows creased. ¡°I heard the voice recording Nicolette sent me. It was you having sex with her.¡± Kathleen smiled dejectedly, her tears beading on her curled, longshes. The hand that had been holding her wrist tightly slowly loosened. Gradually, his eyes filled with disappointment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me? I told you I would not lie to you.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips tightly. Grabbing his jacket, Samuel turned and left. Kathleen¡¯s expression was miserable. With both hands covering her face, she sobbed lightly. Why am I crying again? I thought I had moved on. After that, Kathleen did not see Samuel for several days. It appeared like he would never bother her ever again. Meanwhile, Kathleen resumed her daily routine of going to the filming set and returning home. She never went anywhere else. Although her life was simple, it was exciting too. On this day, Charles was the one fetching her back from work. In the car, Charles asked, ¡°Since your workload at the set isn¡¯t that heavy for the time being, can you help me with something?¡± ¡°Sure. What do you need me to do?¡± Kathleen put down her script. Tomorrow was the scene that involved the court, so Kathleen had nothing to do. ¡°It¡¯s like this. A boy band in ourpany has participated in an idolpetition. They were scheduled to record their live performance this Thursday, but the female idol they were supposed to work with refused to go. That female idol was from anotherpany. After an artiste from ourpany snatched a movie role from said idol, she refused to participate in this idolpetition anymore,¡± Charles exined, rubbing his temples. ¡°You want me to stand in as a dancer for them?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°Yes.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°This live performance is important because it is also an elimination round.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you spend money on it?¡± Kathleen raised an eyebrow. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stand out too much and win it now that money has been spent on it, if you know what I mean,¡± Charles hinted. ¡°Oh, I get it.¡± Kathleen immediately understood her brother¡¯s n. ¡°You deliberately didn¡¯tpromise and let ourpany artiste snatch the female idol¡¯s movie role so that you will get the chance to ask me to fill in for the boy band and make them famous. Am I right?¡± ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s not snatching,¡± Charles righteously corrected her. ¡°It¡¯s just a standard business tactic. Moreover, if she wanted to participate, I would have let her.¡± Kathleen was speechless. This is the day I finally got to see my brother¡¯s calctive side! ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do what I can,¡± Kathleen said in exasperation. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Charles took a look at the time and said, ¡°They should be at the rehearsal room at this hour. Let¡¯s go there now.¡± Kathleen was lost for words. Looking at her, he asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Helplessly, Kathleen replied, ¡°I still haven¡¯t eaten.¡± Is he really my brother? Charles was dumbfounded upon hearing that. ¡°I forgot about that. I¡¯ll get someone to prepare some sd for you.¡± Kathleen whined, ¡°I want steak!¡± ¡°No. You have to be on stage three dayster. Your face cannot be bloated. Be good, okay?¡± Charles coaxed. The corners of Kathleen¡¯s mouth twitched. He only has eyes for money! Thus, Kathleen followed Charles to hispany¡¯s rehearsal room. Music sounded from within. They peered into the room through the ss door and saw four tall and slender men practicing inside. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Charles led Kathleen into the room. The dance instructor immediately turned off the music. When everyone saw Charles, they greeted, ¡°Mr. Johnson.¡± Charles smilingly announced, ¡°I¡¯ve brought you guys your female dance partner.¡± With a charming smile, Kathleen walked over and greeted, ¡°Nice to meet you guys.¡± The four men were shocked. ¡°Let me introduce her. She¡¯s my younger sister, Kathleen Johnson. She¡¯s also the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress. With her help, I¡¯m sure you guys will be able to get through the third round of eliminations,¡± Charles said with a grin. Kathleen humbly said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to my brother. I¡¯m not that famous yet. A lot of people might have heard of my name, but they probably don¡¯t even know what I look like.¡± With a meaningful smile, Charles introduced, ¡°Kathleen, this is Skyler Mayer, Mason Linsley, and Yohan Nicholson. As for this guy, he has the same surname as us. His name is ke Johnson.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± the four men greeted Kathleen. She nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s my first time dancing today. Please bear with me.¡± Chuckling, Yohan said, ¡°Ms. Johnson, you don¡¯t have to be so humble. I heard that you¡¯re a professional in contemporary dance.¡± Upon hearing that, Kathleen was surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡± Yohan exined, ¡°We¡¯re schoolmates, unlike the three of them. They¡¯re from Zaprington University.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± He continued, ¡°Even though I was busy back then and did not have time to attend the school celebration, someone sent me the video of your dance and stage y. It was absolutely amazing.¡± ke chimed in, ¡°Hey! Even though we¡¯re from Zaprington University, we know a lot about Jadeborough University too.¡± He looked at Kathleen meaningfully and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to coborate with you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kathleen replied with a smile. The dance instructor pped his hands and ordered, ¡°All right, it¡¯s time to practice again!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get changed,¡± Kathleen said to everyone. They nodded in response. Following that, she left to get changed. After a while, she returned wearing sportswear. Her outfit entuated her voluptuous figure and slender waist. It was no exaggeration to say that she had the face of an angel and the body of a subus. Kathleen stood in the middle and began training with the dance instructor. Everyone else stared at her in surprise. She can remember and repeat every move after learning from the dance instructor only once. Even her positions are correct! Is she a prodigy? There were a lot of intimate interactions between Kathleen and the four men during this dance routine. It was quite rare that Kathleen managed to perform so beautifully and charismatically. None of her actions were inappropriate at all. The dance instructor had brought up this problem when coborating with the female idolst time, but he was at ease after seeing Kathleen¡¯s performance. On the day of the performance, everything was broadcasted live. Nobody knew that Kathleen would be Team LR¡¯s special guest. Instead, everyone¡¯s attention was on a new, mysterious judge who would be on the panel this time. The mysterious judge¡¯s vote would be crucial in deciding the oue. It was said that anyone could advance to the next round and escape elimination if they could get the golden card from this judge. Hence, everyone was trying to guess the identity of the mysterious person. Kathleen¡¯s interest was piqued as well. She asked, ¡°Charles, do you know who it is?¡± Charles shook his head and replied, ¡°The production team was good at keeping it a secret. I tried to sound them out, but they still kept their mouths shut.¡± Apparently, to maintain confidentiality, Kathleen could only show up once it was her turn to get on stage, so she had to wait in the car before that. The car was parked in the parking lot. Once it was time to go, she could just get off straight from the car. She had already put on makeup and changed her outfit. The look she was going for today was cool and chic. There was a hint of wildness amid the sexiness. The live broadcast had begun. The first performance was done together by all the contestants, instantly firing up the crowd, who cheered loudly. Following that, the host stepped on stage and started to introduce all the judges. Finally, it was time to introduce the mystery judge, who was not sitting below the stage. In an excited tone, the host announced, ¡°Now, let us wee our esteemed judge, Macari Group¡¯s CEO, Samuel Macari!¡± Apuse and screams filled the air. Nobody expected the judge to be Samuel. Following the announcement, Samuel walked up from backstage. He was wearing a custom-made ck suit paired with a white shirt, giving off an elegant and noble aura. Under the lights, his gaze was stern and cold. Seeing his sharp gaze, everyone was in awe. It was as though his surrounding had lost its glow. Charles frowned and eximed, ¡°How could it be him?¡± Kathleen did not know that the mysterious judge would be Samuel either. It had been a week since theyst met. They had not seen each other ever since the fight. Kathleen had been very busy these few days too, so much so that she had not had time to think about Samuel. However, her heart wrenched when she saw Samuel¡¯s handsome and distinctive features. Samuel took his seat with a cold expression. The cameras were all focused on him. The audiences in the live room went wild. Oh my god! That¡¯s Samuel Macari! Never in a million years would I have expected Samuel Macari to be the judge. He¡¯s so good-looking! He will definitely be the top celebrity if he enters the entertainment industry! His looks are impable! I thought some of the contestants from ¡°Super Rookie¡± were outstanding enough, but Samuel Macari is on a whole other level! Now I know why Kathleen Johnson liked him so much back then. If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist this face either! He¡¯s just too handsome! His body is also so well-built! I am so jealous of Kathleen! All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Can you people not bring Kathleen into this? They¡¯re divorced. Katie is now a strong independent woman! It¡¯s just the truth anyway! You guys can hate on the rtionship, but we can¡¯t ship them? Can you all not be so nosy and controlling? That¡¯s right! How could Kathleen have fans like this? I thought her fans were all gentle. Kathleen is Kathleen. Her fans are her fans. Her fans aren¡¯t exactly wrong. Since they¡¯ve gotten a divorce, they¡¯re strangers to each other now. There¡¯s no need to bring up the other person¡¯s name. The live room devolved into frenzied squabbling. Charles gave Kathleen a side nce and casually remarked, ¡°You have fans who defend you now.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Kathleen said coldly, ¡°Are you implying that you didn¡¯t expect me to have fans?¡± ¡°That movie¡¯s premiering only on the week after the next,¡± said Charles in a deep tone. ¡°Even though you scored an award beforehand, the vast majority of the public has yet to see you on screen, so you couldn¡¯t have gotten so many fans. After they¡¯ve watched your acting and have a good impression of you, only then will your fan base expand. If not, all these are mere casual fans and serve you no purpose.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Even though the viewers in the live room were still in an uproar, the performance had already begun on the stage. They had drawn lots to determine the order, and Team LR¡¯s performance would be thest one. Up until the moment before Team LR took to the stage, Samuel had yet to hand out the golden card in his hands. It seemed like getting the golden card was a difficult feat to achieve. On top of that, all of Samuel¡¯s feedback had been straightforward and harsh. Each time he gave hisments, no one would dare to utter a word. For a person with an imposing aura like him, wherever he went, he would unwittingly suppress the presence of the people around him. It was inevitable. Right then, someone knocked on the car window. Charles side-eyed the person by the window and said, ¡°It¡¯s time to go.¡± Kathleen nodded. Putting on a jacket, she got out of the car and followed the staff member backstage. On their way there, they were extremely cautious so that no one would catch sight of them. As they reached backstage, Kathleen took off the jacket and prepared to go on for her performance. The staff member then helped her put on an earpiece. The former was a youngdy, seemingly a little older than Kathleen. Gazing at Kathleen, she was somewhat excited. Even her hands were trembling. Kathleen looked extraordinarily attractive with her makeup that day, and her features were wless. Suddenly, Kathleen shed a smile at the youngdy. Thetter¡¯s heart melted into a puddle right away. How could she have a smile as pure as an angel? After the youngdy finished everything, she uttered timidly, ¡°G-Good luck.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± said Kathleen with a sweet smile. Seeing her grin, the youngdy nearly fainted. She then walked away with an unsteady gait. In the meantime, Kathleen was all ready to go. As the music began, she walked up the tform from backstage. Initially, everyone saw only a silhouette and could not tell who the person was. As she paced into the spotlight, the crowd instantaneously realized that the figure was Kathleen herself. It was then the audience went into a state of frenzy. Kathleen was all dolled up that day, looking stylish and stunning. She was d in a ck leather top with wide shoulder straps and a pair of ck leather shorts. Her slender, long legs were in a pair of thigh-high boots. Wearing exquisite smoky-eyed makeup, she gave off an air of indescribable wildness and sexiness. As she showcased her swift and sharp dance moves, her every expression and posture was inundated with charm and beauty. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Her interactions with the other male celebrities also looked elegant and dashing. Not a tinge of tackiness was present in her movements. Watching Kathleen¡¯s performance, the crowdpletely went out of their minds, so to speak. They had almost forgotten that they were there to watch the male celebritiespete in a talent show. Sitting on the judges¡¯ panel, Samuel observed Kathleen with an intense, ice-cold gaze. What a beauty! Under the dazzling lights, it was as if Kathleen was glowing. That day, she became the goddess in every man¡¯s heart. A burning sensation of possessiveness gradually hit Samuel. He wished to just take her away and hide her from the eyes of other males. He tried his best to rein in his emotion and suppress his desire, yet deep down, he longed for her. Kathleen. My one-and-only Kathleen! I wish I could get my hands on her right now! The music finally stopped. Thus ended Kathleen¡¯s perfect performance. She held hands with Skyler and Mason, and they bowed together to the audience as a gesture of appreciation. The sound of apuse continuously filled the air. Soon enough, the host appeared on stage and remarked, ¡°Who would¡¯ve expected the special guest of Team LR to be Kate?¡± Kathleen put on a faint smile. ¡°Let¡¯s see what our judges have to say,¡± added the host. The judges were so pleased with Team LR and Kathleen¡¯s performance that they gave a very high score. Team LR and another group ended up neck and neck for first ce. In the end, everything boiled down to Samuel¡¯s vote. The atmosphere turned silent. Everyone knew about the rtionship between Samuel and Kathleen. Hence, they were very worried that Samuel wouldn¡¯t be fair in giving his rating. Some of them were thinking that Samuel might just grant the group a sky-high score while the others were afraid that he might give a terribly low score. There were all kinds of conflicting thoughts in the crowd. Kathleen, too, was a little nervous, for she wasn¡¯t sure if Samuel would be fair and square. From her point of view, there was a possibility for Samuel¡¯s pettiness to act up all of a sudden. ¡°Mr. Macari, what do you think of ourst performance?¡± asked the host in a tranquil manner. The crowd turned to look at him. Samuel, in turn, watched Kathleen intently andmented, ¡°The dance was good.¡± Pursing her lips, Kathleen expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡± ¡°You must work harder.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone reeked of coldness. Panic-stricken momentarily, Kathleen then replied, ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Out of the blue, Samuel directed his impassive gaze at the host. ¡°Not everyone is allowed to call her Kate. Are you that close with her?¡± Everyone fell silent on that note. So, he kept mum a while ago just because he was bothered by this? Samuel continued in an icy tone, ¡°I think it¡¯s better for me to withhold my vote. Otherwise, some folks would use me of being biased.¡± After saying that, Samuel put down the golden card in his hands. Kathleen gawked at Samuel, and thetter narrowed his eyes to slits. ¡°Are you trying to say that this golden card was supposedly meant to be given to Team LR, Mr. Macari?¡± The host had no choice but to carry on with the emceeing. Samuel gave a nonchnt response, ¡°This is to avoid any misunderstandings.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. He¡¯ll only invite spections if he doesn¡¯t give that card! ¡°Mr. Macari, from the way you spoke, we already know where you stand. The other groups won¡¯t be delighted, anyway,¡± uttered one of the judges indifferently. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve taken my stand.¡± Casting a nce at Kathleen, Samuel exined, ¡°The reason for me not giving the golden card is to save everyone else from embarrassment. After all, it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re good.¡± All the others stared at Samuel. shing a half-smile, he went on, ¡°Besides, the special guest of thest group is outstanding in all aspects.¡± ¡°Do you mean Ms. Johnson is very charming, Mr. Macari?¡± That judge appeared to be implying something. Putting on a deadpan look, Samuel answered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it already public knowledge that I¡¯m wooing her right now? Where are you going with this conversation?¡± Hearing that, the judge was stumped for words. Kathleen fixed her gaze on Samuel. He¡¯s actually the one who¡¯s making a scene here! The host flushed at the sudden turn of events. ¡°All right! Who would¡¯ve anticipated a tie for first ce to happen in our show? Anyway, thank you very much for watching our performances today. We¡¯ll be announcing the elimination name list privately. Thank you for your participation!¡± As the host finished hisst sentence, thepetition that night also officially came to an end. Kathleen wheeled around and prepared to leave. At that moment, Samuel approached her and grabbed her hand from behind. He dragged her straight to the other end of the stage to exit. The onlookers were in shock while Charles¡¯ expression darkened. I¡¯ve had enough of that Samuel! Samuel towed Kathleen all the way outside. As they arrived at the parking lot, Samuel threw Kathleen into his car before hopping into the vehicle himself. After that, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around Kathleen. Kathleen stared at him in puzzlement. ¡°What the heck are you doing?¡± Looking her in the eyes, Samuel brought his head low and pressed his lips to her skin. He had kissed slightly above her eye. Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t ever look at other men that way.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been wanting to get you off the stage since just now.¡± ¡°You broke the rules, Samuel!¡± Kathleen flew off the handle. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to remain as close friends?¡± ¡°Rules are meant to be broken.¡± Pinching her chin, Samuel said, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for the performance today, I wouldn¡¯t have realized that I wanted you to be mine so much.¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Kathleen froze. Colour drained from her fair face as an uneasy and panicked expression took over. ¡°Samuel, what are you doing?¡± His dark eyes turned misty. Samuel ran his long and slender fingers along her jawline before forcing her to tilt her head up. With his thumb, he rubbed her red lips gently. He craved her desperately. Yet, he was doing his best to suppress the intense desire. From the moment he threw aside all caution and dragged her away from the stage until kissing her eye earlier, he had been holding himself back. Otherwise¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t you letting me go?¡± Kathleen said anxiously as his action against her lips was starting to hurt a little. Samuel loosened his grip. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Open the door!¡± she yelled angrily. She wanted to leave the car. ¡°Head to the Johnson residence,¡± Samuel told Tyson calmly instead. ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson then started the car engine. ¡°Samuel, you can¡¯t be this forceful!¡± Kathleen was furious. Snorting, he crossed his legs and stared at the petite woman next to him. She had been incredibly alluring earlier on the stage. No wonder he had been hearing news about his ex-wife being the campus belle in her schooltely. Looking at her wless face, he shed her a gentle smile that wasced with affection. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened just now.¡± Kathleen ignored him. He¡¯s a freaking rule breaker! ¡°I apologize,¡± he said solemnly. She maintained her silence. ¡°Sorry.¡± Samuel sounded extremely serious and earnest. Upon hearing that, Kathleen was shocked. When she hade back this time, Samuel had apologized to her too for the past mistakes he committed. However, she didn¡¯t expect him to make an apology for this matter. Samuel was a proud man with a powerful status. There was no way he would apologize to others. When Samuel saw her startled expression, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s there to be surprised about?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Kathleen withdrew her gaze from him. At that moment, his phone rang. Picking up the call, he said, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s in my car. I didn¡¯t do anything to her, and I¡¯m sending her home. Yes, all right, I¡¯ll ask her about it.¡± With that, he hung up on his mother. ¡°Mom said the family has prepared a celebratory dinner for you. Do you want to go over?¡± His voice was deep. Celebratory dinner? Kathleen wasn¡¯t feeling convinced. ¡°It was Grandma¡¯s idea. She said it was the first time she saw you performing on the stage, and you even won the first prize, so she wants to celebrate it for you.¡± Upon hearing it was Diana¡¯s idea, she agreed to it immediately, ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel frowned. Would you still go if it was my idea instead? I bet you wouldn¡¯t. ¡°By the way, why did they call you?¡± Kathleen asked puzzledly. ¡°Because when they called your phone, it was your brother who answered it. He obviously talked bad about me,¡± Samuel said in a t tone. It was then she realized she didn¡¯t have her phone with her. She extended her hand in Samuel¡¯s direction. He gave her his in response. Kathleen was speechless for a while before shoving his hand away. ¡°Phone!¡± Samuel gave it to her obediently. When Kathleen was dialing Charles¡¯ phone number, she noticed it had already been saved in Samuel¡¯s contact list. However, upon seeing the disy name, she was at a loss for words. ¡°Why did you save his name as Husky?¡± she huffed. His expression darkened. ¡°He names me Retriever.¡± ¡°How can you guys be so childish?¡± she blurted and rang Charles up. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve already spoken to Old Mrs. Macari about this! Where the heck did you bring Kathleen?¡± ¡°Charles.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t expect him to be this mad. ¡°Darling, where are you? Is everything okay?¡± The sudden change in his tone was obvious. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m on the way to the Macari residence now. Why don¡¯t youe over too, Charles? Then we can head back together.¡± Kathleen stole a peek at Samuel. He wasn¡¯t showing any reactions. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ming over to save you!¡± He ended the call as soon as he finished speaking. When Kathleen was about to hand the phone back to Samuel, she identally saw the disy name he set for her¡ªWife. Her eyes darkened as her gaze fell on his finger once again. He was still wearing his wedding ring. Pretending as though she had not seen anything, Kathleen returned the phone to him. ¡°Why did you join this kind of variety show all of a sudden?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Those people are from Charles¡¯pany,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a television program sponsored by mypany.¡± I see. After some thought, she decided to remind Samuel. ¡°Samuel.¡± Her voice was sweet, but it sounded aloof at the same time. ¡°Hmm?¡± He turned, gazing at her smooth and pretty face. ¡°You should take off your wedding ring, or else people might misunderstand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not used to the empty feeling.¡± Samuel stroked his ring. ¡°Just like I¡¯m not used to you not being by my side either.¡± Staring at his exceptionally attractive lips, she said, ¡°You have to move on with your life. Don¡¯t dwell on the past.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never asked me why I liked Nicolette so much.¡± He diverted the topic. Kathleen kept quiet. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°Does one need a reason to like someone else?¡± Her gaze darkened. Grabbing her wrist, he rasped, ¡°I thought my feelings for her were love, but they weren¡¯t. They were merely a sense of gratitude because she had saved my life before. I didn¡¯t expect myself to be so terribly wrong.¡± Samuel had never dated anyone before, so he didn¡¯t know what love was. After Nicolette saved him, he developed favorable feelings toward her. He had thought it was love. However, it was nothing close, merely a sense of gratitude. Unfortunately, it had overshadowed his love for Kathleen, leaving him oblivious. By the time he understood everything, it was already toote. Still looking outside the car window, Kathleen pulled her hand from his grip and didn¡¯t say a thing. What¡¯s the point of understanding it now? We can no longer go back to how it was. Soon after, they reached the Macari residence. The moment they stepped inside the house, Diana and the rest of them were already there, holding party poppers. Boom! Boom! Boom! They pulled the strings of the poppers, and confetti rained down on Kathleen and Samuel. Kathleen felt like they were a pair of newlyweds. ¡°Katie! You looked so amazing today!¡± Diana said excitedly. ¡°Seeing how sessful you are now, I regret letting Samuel marry you back then. Men are definitely the stumbling blocks in women¡¯s career paths!¡± Samuel was silent. He stretched his hand in Kathleen¡¯s direction, wanting to clear away the confetti that was all over her head. However, Wynnie shoved him aside. ¡°Go away. Don¡¯t touch her!¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Diana then dragged Kathleen to the living room. There was a huge strawberry cake ced on the coffee table. ¡°Come,e! Cut the cake.¡± Diana handed Kathleen the knife. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, this is too grand,¡± Kathleen said embarrassedly. ¡°Our little princess has performed on television and even got first ce! Of course, we need to celebrate.¡± Diana was extremely happy. ¡°Exactly! You were abroad when you won the Best Actress award. We couldn¡¯t even celebrate for you that time. Thus, we¡¯re making up for that now,¡± Wynnie said. Kathleen blushed. Holding the knife, she cut up the cake. A message was written on top: ¡°Kathleen¡¯s Domineering Return.¡± Offering the slices to the people around, she gave Samuel the piece with the ¡°Domineering¡± word. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Samuel epted the te, his lips twitching when he glimpsed the word written on the slice of cake. He then fixed his gaze on Kathleen. Kathleen was sitting next to Diana and having a delightful conversation with thetter. From the way Diana beamed with joy, one could tell she was genuinely happy. Samuel remained silent as he saw that. Calvin nudged him with his shoe. ¡°Stop looking. She¡¯s not yours anymore.¡± ¡°Dad, do you think making fun of me is interesting?¡± Samuel ate the cake even though he did not enjoy desserts. The reason was simple¡ªKathleen had given it to him. ¡°Mull it over. If it weren¡¯t for you, my grandchildren would be calling me Grandpa by now.¡± Calvin felt depressed when he brought up the issue. Whenever he was reminded of that, he felt like hitting Samuel. It was not an easy feat to be pregnant with twins. Yet, the children were gone. Samuel did not say a word. Losing the children was the biggest regret in both Kathleen and his life. It was also a traumatic experience for the Macari family. If the children were still alive, Samuel would already be hearing them calling him ¡°Daddy.¡± Not long after, Charles came over. He greeted Diana and the rest nicely. However, Samuel did not receive the same treatment. Despite that, Samuel was not bothered by Charles¡¯ attitude. His family members were always being mean to him anyway. The celebration ended when everyone had the cake. As Kathleen prepared to leave, Diana was not willing to let her go. She held Kathleen¡¯s hands and said, ¡°When you¡¯re done with shooting,e over and stay with me for a few days, will you?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, I will. I promise you.¡± I¡¯m a man with elegance. If she¡¯sing to stay over, I¡ª ¡°By then, I will prohibit Samuel froming anywhere close to the ce. Rest assured.¡± Diana smiled. Hearing that, Samuel was at a loss for words. Kathleen was flushed. ¡°Goodbye, Old Mrs. Macari. See you, Mr. and Mrs. Macari,¡± she said. ¡°See you again. Be careful on the way back,¡± Diana reminded. Soon, both Kathleen and Charles left the ce. After sending Kathleen off, Diana narrowed her eyes at Samuel. ¡°I had wondered what motivated you to attend the event, Samuel. Don¡¯t tell me you had no idea Kate would be joining thepetition today!¡± ¡°So what if I had? It¡¯s all part of my n to get Kathleen back,¡± Samuel coldly responded. ¡°How shameless! You¡¯re the one who lost yourself when Nicolette returned. Not that just, but you even forced Katie to divorce you within three days!¡± Diana fumed. Samuel did not say a word. Don¡¯t even mention that matter again. I regret what I¡¯ve done. ¡°Katie and Christopher are not together now, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible between them. Don¡¯t be arrogant. There¡¯s no way to tell who Katie will choose at the end!¡± Diana coldly responded. ¡°That¡¯s right! Now, you¡¯ve finally realized how good Kate is. Just what were you even thinking back then?¡± Wynnie uttered angrily. After saying that, she led Diana back to her room. Calvin approached Samuel with a grin. ¡°If you¡¯re going to say the same thing as them, save your breath,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°Is this how you speak to your father? I was about to say I want to help you!¡± Calvin was frustrated. Samuel said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not expecting any good ns from you.¡± ¡°Fine! I won¡¯t help you then! You¡¯re an insensible guy. Despite how adorable you were when you were young, I feel like kicking you in the butt now,¡± Calvin fumed. With a frown, Samuel questioned, ¡°Any ideas?¡± ¡°I refuse to tell you. I want to piss you off!¡± Calvin was a man with character. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Although he did not dare to be mad at Wynnie, he did not hold himself back when speaking to Samuel. ¡°Dad?¡± Samuel said in exasperation. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Calvin drank his coffee. ¡°Do you still want to have a grandchild?¡± Samuel frowned. Calvin put down the cup. ¡°I would have gotten my grandchildren if it weren¡¯t for you!¡± ¡°Without me, you won¡¯t even have the chance to have grandchildren,¡± Samuel responded indifferently. Calvin snorted. ¡°I will be leaving now if you refuse to talk.¡± Samuel picked up his jacket. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Calvin approached. With a deep voice, he responded, ¡°The appearance of Astrid was all it took to find out whether Kathleen and Christopher had serious feelings for each other. Do you know what that means?¡± ¡°What?¡± Samuel put on his jacket. Calvin spoke seriously. ¡°In some rtionships, you can only tell if you truly love someone when a third wheel appears. Do you think I can¡¯t tell Kate has a small spark of affection for Christopher? Although that spark isn¡¯t enough for her to pursue an intimate rtionship, they would have gotten together if it weren¡¯t for Astrid¡¯s presence.¡± Samuel remained silent. Calvin added, ¡°Astrid¡¯s presence cleared things up for Kate, causing her to be aware that she doesn¡¯t like Christopher that way. If she had, nothing Astrid did would have changed that.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Samuel was not sure why Calvin was telling him all these. Is he trying to upset me? ¡°You¡¯re so dumb. Let me ask you. Why do you think Kate chose to marry you even though she knew you liked Nicolette?¡± Calvin questioned. ¡°Because she was fond of me,¡± Samuel responded. ¡°Bingo. Kate was not bothered by the fact that you liked Nicollete because of her deep love for you,¡± Calvin replied. He subtly implied, ¡°To know what she¡¯s feeling for you now, you just have to find another woman to test the waters. With that, you may find something out.¡± A frown marred Samuel¡¯s countenance. ¡°Think about it. You will never gain anything in life if you don¡¯t take risks.¡± Calvin patted Samuel¡¯s shoulder. As soon as he finished his words, he strode out of the room. Samuel fell silent. Do I really have to do that? After that, he furrowed his brows and left. Once he was gone, Wynnie came out from the corner and returned to her room. ¡°What kind of stupid scheme did you just give our son?¡± Wynnie fumed. Calvin frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Kate doesn¡¯t like Samuel at the moment. It¡¯s hard to tell, but she might feel better knowing he is seeing another woman,¡± Wynnie worriedly said. In a serious manner, he asked, ¡°Darling, is that what you really think?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± She was puzzled. ¡°I can tell Kate still has feelings for Samuel.¡± Calvin loosened his tie before continuing, ¡°Previously, Kate mentioned she would be with Samuel if he broke both Nicolette¡¯s legs. However, he failed to do so, and she left. Now, Kate knows Samuel did what she wanted, and it¡¯s even causing him trouble. Do you think she could bear the guilt of that?¡± Wynnie was stunned as she heard that. Calvin went on, ¡°We both know Kate¡¯s character well. Do you think she actually wanted Samuel to break Nicolette¡¯s legs? All Kate wanted to see was his attitude, and his response disappointed her. However, now she knows he had fulfilled her request, and Nicolette is pressing charges. Do you think she will stand by and do nothing?¡± His wife kept quiet. ¡°One of Kate¡¯s strengths is her kindness. However, that¡¯s also her weakness. She¡¯s too kind. It¡¯s only a matter of time before Samuel seeds in wooing her back.¡± Calvin narrowed his eyes. ¡°I think you¡¯re being optimistic.¡± With a meaningful look, Wynnie responded, ¡°Even if she still has feelings for him, there¡¯s no way to undo the damages. Kate will not be able to ept Samuel another time.¡± ¡°You want to bet on that?¡± Calvin broke into a wide smile. ¡°On what terms?¡± she asked. ¡°If both of them reunite, promise me to put your work at thew firm aside temporarily and travel the world with me. If they don¡¯t, or either one of them is involved in a new rtionship, you can be on top and ride on me.¡± Calvin grinned. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 ¡°Y-You shameless man!¡± Wynnie¡¯s face instantly flushed red. ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to be the queen in bed. I¡¯m here to satisfy your needs.¡± Calvinughed wickedly. Wynnie refused to talk to Calvin after that. He is a filthy pervert! Looking at how embarrassed Wynnie was, Calvinughed out loud. That¡¯s Wynnie. She may look like a mature and steady woman on the outside, but deep down, she also has a shy and embarrassed side. Calvin hugged her and kissed her cheek. In a low voice, he said, ¡°Breaking news. Aaron urged Emily to be nice to Kate. They want to have Kate as their daughter-inw.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Wynnie frowned. ¡°Knowing one¡¯s strengths and the enemy¡¯s is the sure way to victory. This is my strategy,¡± he said. Her brows furrowed deeper. ¡°You have a snitch in the Morris family?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Calvin merely smiled and said nothing. Wynnie was rendered speechless. This man is full of schemes. Meanwhile, Samuel drove back to his mansion. Upon entering the room, he looked at the balcony opposite of his ce. He saw the light was still on. Without turning the light on in his room, hey on the bed and texted Kathleen. He texted: Are you still angry? Kathleen replied: I¡¯m not a petty woman. However, from now onward, I will avoid you. Samuel texted: We are partners. How are you going to avoid me? Kathleen replied: We canmunicate via phone without having to meet each other. Samuel: Aren¡¯t you afraid your phone might be tapped? It is possible if the Morris family and the Corbyn family refuse to give up. Kathleen pursed her lip before she replied: There must be a third person at the scene if we meet. Samuel: Sure. As long as the person is not Husky. Kathleen: Don¡¯t you dare insult Charles! Samuel: He even reprimanded me, your ex-husband. Kathleen: Serves you right! You deserve it! Samuel¡¯s mind was imagining Kathleen¡¯s angry face when he glimpsed the words on the phone screen. She is always so lively and energetic. What a pretty and adorable woman. Samuel: Sure. Serves me right. I deserve it. Kathleen did not feel like entertaining him anymore. This man is shameless. Samuel: I will be editing the blueprint for Flobury tomorrow. Do you want toe and have a look? Kathleen: No. I have a shooting session tomorrow. Samuel: I can send it over to you. Kathleen: You can ask Tyson to send it. Samuel: He went to Smend to dig up some potatoes. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Kathleen: Is there no one else in yourpany who can send it over? Samuel: They don¡¯t have the right to speak to the best actress. Only I can do that. Again, Kathleen was rendered speechless. Samuel: My dad told me something today. Kathleen: I¡¯m not interested. Samuel: He wanted me to look for another woman to trigger you. Kathleen¡¯s lip twitched a little. Calvin is indeed his father. How thoughtful he is for his son. Samuel: However, I promised not to lie to you again, so I turned him down. Kathleen did not respond to his text. Samuel texted: If a woman appears out of nowhere, that must be my father¡¯s arrangement. You better not use me of that. Kathleen still did not reply to his message. In the meantime, he noticed the opposite light was off now. Is she asleep? Samuel sent another text: Good night. He put down his phone. Although the heater was on in the dark room, he could not feel the warmth. The winter Kathleen left me was pure suffering. Since she¡¯s back now, I don¡¯t have to force her to be with me. As long as she¡¯s there, and I can see her, it will be fine. Samuel woke up in the morning and realized he remained in the same position he fell asleepst night. He sat up in bed and felt a little dizzy. As a bout of coughing wracked his body, he noticed he had a fever again. The self-inflicted injury a year ago had made his body constitution worse than ever before. He took some medicine before going for a shower. While Samuel was showering, he stood in front of the mirror and fixed his dark gaze on the long scar on his body. Due to the physical pain back then, he realized that true agony was when he lost Kathleen. Everything else paled inparison. After the hot shower, he changed into clothes that could keep him warm. Samuel wore a ck knitted turtleneck on the inside with a white shirt over it. On the outside, he wore a long cashmere coat with a suit cor. His lower body was d in a pair of ironed pants and boots. His outfit was clean and smart, lending him the air of an elite. Samuel walked downstairs and left without taking his breakfast. Coincidentally, he met Kathleen, who was heading out at the same time. His lips curled slightly when he saw her. Kathleen turned her head around and got into a car. Soon after that, the car drove off. Samuel went into a Maybach and followed behind. Kathleen felt restless the moment she reached the film set. After she quickly rposed herself, she was able to focus on her shoot again. Soon, the scenes were all done for the morning session. Suddenly, Kathleen questioned Valerie, ¡°Are we expecting someer today?¡± ¡°Who is that going to be?¡± Valerie was puzzled. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Never mind.¡± Valerie did not get what Kathleen was trying to say. Everyone took a break at noon and continued shooting in the afternoon. Once in a while, Kathleen would nce around. Curious, Valerie asked, ¡°Kate, are you looking for anyone in particr?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to see if there are any fans here today,¡± she responded in embarrassment. Valerie smiled. ¡°If fans wanted toe and visit you, they would have to discuss and get approval from the manager and the film crew first. They can¡¯t juste here as they wish.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen nodded. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s your turn to shoot now.¡± Valerie removed the down jacket from Kathleen¡¯s shoulders. Kathleen then approached the set to continue her scenes. The shooting ended at seven o¡¯clock in the evening. After Kathleen changed her clothes, she returned to the car. She massaged her temples as she felt uneasy. However, she could not tell why she was feeling that way. The driver sent her back to her ce a momentter. The moment she got off the car, she noticed Tyson walking out of the mansion while carrying something in his hands. ¡°Tyson, what do you have in your hands?¡± Kathleen approached with her brows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Macari¡¯s clothes,¡± he replied. ¡°Is he noting back tonight?¡± Kathleen was confused. ¡°He¡¯s been admitted to the hospital,¡± Tyson remarked. Admitted to the hospital? With a frown, she asked, ¡°Why was he admitted to the hospital all of a sudden?¡± ¡°He got a fever,¡± he said. Fever? ¡°Samuel had gastritisst time, and now he¡¯s having a fever. Is his body¡¯s condition that bad?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Ever since you left him, his constitution has never been good. I thought you knew about it, Ms. Johnson,¡± he said awkwardly. ¡°You thought I knew?¡± Kathleen was confused. What do I know? ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone in the family, Ms. Johnson. Mr. Macari didn¡¯t want them to worry about him. He didn¡¯t want me to tell you too, but I can¡¯t hold it in anymore. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you now,¡± Tyson remarked. Kathleen responded with a nod. Tyson felt embarrassed. ¡°I will get going now. Goodbye, Ms. Johnson.¡± ¡°Sure. See you around.¡± Kathleen nodded. Tyson got into the car and drove away. Kathleen turned around and returned to her house. Charles put away the tablet in his hands. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back? Sit down, and we will have dinner.¡± Kathleen walked to the kitchen and looked at the dishes on the table. She ordered, ¡°Maria, please prepare some oatmeal and two simple dishes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden urge to eat a lighter meal? We can have our dinnerter then.¡± Charles sat over. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I want to send the food to Samuel,¡± she exined. Her words rendered Charles speechless. Maria approached and asked, ¡°Is oatmeal all right, Ms. Johnson?¡± ¡°Yeah. I gave you a pack of assorted medicinal herbs before, right? Put that in and cook it together with the oatmeal. Those herbs are not toxic in any way, so anyone can take them without a problem,¡± Kathleen instructed. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Kathleen sat down to have her meal. Charles stared at her. ¡°Are you nning to visit Samuel?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She nodded. He did not know what to say anymore, nor did Kathleen wish to exin. After finishing her dinner, she collected the prepared oatmeal and drove to the hospital. Kathleen gently knocked on the door upon arriving at the ward¡¯s entrance, but there was no sound inside the room. She lightly pushed the door open, entered the room, and saw the tablemp lit inside the ward. When she walked over, she noticed Samuel sleeping soundly on the bed, hisplexion pallid and lips slightly chapped. He wore a blue and white striped hospital gown, which was unbuttoned from the cor to his chest, revealing his muscr torso. The man appeared to be experiencing slightlybored breathing. His forehead, neck, and chest were covered in a thinyer of sweat. Kathleen came to an abrupt halt. ¡°Water.¡± His voice sounded hoarse. She immediately poured him a ss of water. ¡°Here¡¯s your water, Samuel.¡± Samuel gradually opened his eyes and regarded her with bleary eyes. ¡°Katie?¡± ¡°Here, drink this.¡± She helped him sit up on the bed. He sat up, received the ss of water from her, and gulped the content. Kathleen ced a pillow behind his back so that he would feel morefortable leaning against the headboard. Then, she took the ss and put it on the bedside table. ¡°I saw Tyson on my way back. He told me you have a fever.¡± Samuel looked up. His hazy eyes instantaneously became focused. ¡°I told him not to say anything.¡± ¡°Why is your body so frail?¡± She frowned. The man paused and subconsciously pulled his hospital gown closer. Kathleen was perplexed. What is that supposed to mean? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think I¡¯m taking advantage of you?¡± she asked awkwardly. ¡°This is not the first time I¡¯ve seen your body anyway. I¡¯ve already lost interest in it.¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes gleamed. ¡°I¡¯m being reserved. Do you have a problem with that?¡± She was at a loss for words. He buttoned his clothes and added nonchntly, ¡°Thank you for visiting me.¡± ¡°I brought you some oatmeal.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll eat itter. I don¡¯t have the energy to do that at the moment.¡± He turned his head sideways to look intently at her. ¡°Unless you feed me.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Why should I feed you? Aren¡¯t you being reserved, Mr. Macari? I think it¡¯s best I keep a safe distance from you.¡± Samuel, handsome as he was, regarded her with a sensual gaze and uttered in a husky voice, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible if you wish to see my body. I¡¯ll allow you to do it if you feed me.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. His mood lightened up at the sight of the youngdy¡¯s resigned and embarrassed reaction. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now.¡± She stood up and was about to leave when he suddenly grasped her wrist. Kathleen noticed Samuel was indeed weak when he grabbed her, unlike his usual energetic and vigorous self. Displeasure filled her fair and delicate face when she turned her head around. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really hungry; I haven¡¯t eaten anything in a day,¡± he said feebly. She pursed her red lips. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask Tyson to feed you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird for a man to feed another guy?¡± Samuel retorted unhappily. Kathleen sat back down. ¡°Tyson isn¡¯t bad-looking either. The two of you standing together is quite a captivating sight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I do not share that sentiment.¡± The woman poured the oatmeal into a bowl and ced it in front of him. Then, she picked up a spoon, scooped some oatmeal, and fed the man. ¡°Eat.¡± Her cid gaze did not reveal any emotions as she stared at him. He opened his mouth and tasted the food. Samuel did not expect Kathleen to really feed him. He remembered he had once returned home after having too much to drink, causing his stomach to feel ufortable. She had also cooked oatmeal for him back then, even blowing on the food to cool it before feeding him the meal. Yet, he had taken her kind gesture for granted. At that moment, only did Samuel realize he was truly a blessed man. ¡°Did you make this?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m too busy to do that.¡± Kathleen spooned another mouthful of oatmeal. Instantaneously, he thought the food was nd and tasteless. Still, he ate an entire bowl because he was genuinely famished. After the meal was finished, Kathleen cleaned up and stretched out her hand in his direction. ¡°The blueprint of Flobury isn¡¯t here with me. I¡¯ll send it to you tomorrow after I¡¯m discharged from the hospital.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want the blueprint. I want your hand.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Samuel raised his arm without knowing what she was nning on doing. She ced a hand on his wrist to check his pulse. The man never knew that she possessed such a skill, so he was a little astonished to see that. She nced at him from time to time, then lowered her gaze frowningly, absorbed in her thoughts. After repeating the series of actions a few times, she asked, ¡°Why are your internal organs in such a frail condition?¡± Samuel curled his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re adept at pulse-reading.¡± ¡°My granddad is a traditional medicine practitioner. I learned it from him,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Old Mr. Yoeger?¡± He knitted his brows. ¡°I¡¯m referring to my mom¡¯s adoptive father!¡± He chuckled lightly. Of course, I knew that. ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject. What happened to your body?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already know?¡± he croaked. I do? Kathleen was baffled. ¡°What do I know?¡± Samuel grimaced, unsure if she was feigning ignorance. ¡°Do you really not know?¡± He narrowed his pensive eyes. She was caught in utter bafflement. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± He regarded her meaningfully with a frosty gaze. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Speechless, she searched her bag and took out a piece of paper and a pen. ¡°It¡¯ll be very troublesome to return your body to good health. I¡¯ll write you a prescription. A human¡¯s internal organs are important, but we need to address them individually, starting from the liver.¡± Samuel ced hisrge palm on her soft hand. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°Why? Are you aware that this prescription is extremely valuable? Those wealthy businessmen from Norwal City even offered me a huge amount of money to treat their diseases, but I rejected them.¡± The man stared fixedly at her. ¡°Thank you, but you really don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Samuel Macari, do you know that you may not live over forty years old if you do not care for your health?¡± ¡°I believe I have more than ten years to live,¡± Samuel replied coolly, seemingly genuinely unperturbed. She fixated her piercing gaze on him. ¡°What will happen to your grandma and the others if something bad happens to you?¡± He uttered expressionlessly, ¡°I already died a year ago.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯ll make the necessary arrangements since I still have over ten years to live.¡± Samuel ced both hands behind his head and gazed at the ceiling. ¡°That¡¯s an optimistic assumption. If you¡¯re always ill and still reluctant to care for your health, you should consider yourself lucky if you can survive another five years!¡± Kathleen snapped. ¡°You¡¯re the sole heir to the Macari family. Your grandma and the others will be devastated if you die.¡± He cast her a sidelong nce. ¡°I heard some people can still reproduce at the age of sixty?¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll persuade my parents to have another child while they are still young,¡± Samuel answered faintly. She was rendered speechless. ¡°If I can only live for another five years as you¡¯ve said, I feel rxed instead,¡± he continued, gazing at her. ¡°Why?¡± She was startled by his words. ¡°Because that means I can only pester you for another five years.¡± He hung his head. ¡°You must be ted that you can get rid of mepletely five yearster, huh?¡± ¡°You are simply unreasonable, Samuel Macari!¡± Kathleen stood up angrily. ¡°I only left because you were the one who broke my heart in the first ce!¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t bear to lose me, can you?¡± Samuel cast her an unfathomable look. She was at a loss for words. The man stared into her clear eyes, asking, ¡°Can you?¡± ¡°Talking to you is really exhausting, Samuel. It¡¯s full of traps.¡± She took a deep breath before replying, ¡°No matter how much I hate you, I¡¯ll never wish for the worst for you because Old Mrs. Macari and the others will be heartbroken. That¡¯s all.¡± His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down. ¡°I¡¯d be sad if you die, but not particrly sad,¡± she continued coldly. ¡°Everyone has to go through the process of aging and death. It¡¯s only a matter of time. I won¡¯t grieve for your death because you¡¯re just an insignificant person in my life. How deep my love was for you before is equivalent to how unimportant you are to me right now.¡± ¡°If only I had died in the past,¡± he said self-deprecatingly. The woman took a deep breath. ¡°Since you do not require my prescription, I will not force you either.¡± Having said that, she began to pack her belongings. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m going to miss you if I die,¡± Samuel uttered in a hoarse voice. Kathleen paused momentarily before continuing her actions. ¡°Prescribe the medication for me, then. I¡¯ll do as you say and take it regrly.¡± He grabbed her wrist, but she immediately shook it off. The man held it again, repeating the cycle several times. Finally, Kathleen was infuriated and bellowed, ¡°What exactly do you want, Samuel Macari!¡± Samuel cast a look at her soft and delicate face that was tinged with rage. ¡°I want to stay alive so that I can keep seeing you.¡± Speechless, she shook off his hand and left quickly without a backward nce. When she stepped out of the ward, she coincidentally bumped into Tyson. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Thetter was stunned when he saw her. ¡°Ms. Johnson, are you here to visit Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to visit that son of a b*tch!¡± Kathleen strode away in a huff. Did they fight again? Tyson was confused. After taking a few steps forward, the woman turned around and called out to him. She handed him a piece of paper. ¡°This is a prescription. Get the medication from the pharmacy and ask him to take it.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Bewildered, Tyson held the prescription in his hands with a slight frown. When Kathleen reached home, Charles was still wide awake. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± He looked at her. She walked over and sat down. ¡°Mm. Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± ¡°How can I sleep in peace when you aren¡¯t home? So, how is he?¡± She knitted her brows. ¡°Nothing major. It¡¯s just that his internal organs seem weak for some unknown reason.¡± ¡°Are you worried about him?¡± Charles kept mum about the secret. Kathleen raised her head in exasperation. ¡°He is Old Mrs. Macari¡¯s only grandson. If anything happens to him, how can she go on living without him? The same goes for his parents. I may not have feelings for Samuel anymore, but I can¡¯t simply sit by and watch him suffer for the sake of Old Mrs. Macari and the others. Stop making guesses, Charles.¡± He gazed at her intently. ¡°Won¡¯t you feel upset if Samuel has a girlfriend?¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll wish him the best for finally leaving the past behind.¡± Charles thought his sister might be sincere this time. ¡°Anyway, I can ept anyone as long as it isn¡¯t Nicolette.¡± Kathleen stood up leisurely. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait any longer, Charles.¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°Do you mean you want to bring the n forward?¡± She nodded in response. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡± He looked at her meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Old Mrs. Yoeger, then.¡± ¡°That would look very intentional.¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression remained calm as she said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of asking Old Mrs. Macari¡¯s help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to go beg her?¡± She nodded. The next day, Samuel visited the film set while Kathleen was filming. Although he was thergest investor, he still brought many food and beverages for the film crew during his visit. Needless to say, all of those were thanks to Kathleen. The ex-husband investing in his ex-wife¡¯s movie was a topic the film crew often secretly discussed. They even spected when the duo would remarry. Nevertheless, Kathleen didn¡¯t think that much. She bit on the straw while sitting beside Samuel as he showed her the blueprint of Flobury. This time around, the blueprint was way more detailed than before. The man had made many changes because she had suggested bulldozing the two mines first. Naturally, he intended to give her the ie from the mines. Yet, she disagreed, ¡°Just take it as my investment.¡± ¡°An investment doesn¡¯t require such arge sum,¡± Samuel responded coolly. ¡°You¡¯re going to suffer losses if you do business this way. Even if you¡¯re now coborating with me, you should learn to watch for your own benefits.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t take advantage of you either.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be taken advantage of.¡± He smirked. She had nothing to say to that. ¡°Do you want to see it?¡± He suddenly stared at her. ¡°See what?¡± ¡°My body.¡± The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you walk away angrily yesterday?¡± ¡°Are you sure that was what pissed me off?¡± She scowled. How skillful he is at twisting the truth! ¡°I won¡¯t take a single cent of the ie from these two mines. Of course, as for the right to use the land, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony either,¡± he stated in a deep voice. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Since it¡¯s a coboration, it¡¯s best that everyone profits.¡± Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to take advantage of me, why do you want to coborate with me?¡± ¡°As I said, I thought you were the best candidate for coboration. I can find a way to pay you back if I¡¯ve taken advantage of you, but I don¡¯t want the Corbyn or Morris family to take advantage of me,¡± she answered solemnly. ¡°Of course, had it not been because Felix was too difficult to deal with, I might have partnered with the Morrises instead.¡± ¡°In Jadeborough, I¡¯m the only person who can take the two mines away from you.¡± Kathleen peered at him, wondering where he had gained his confidence from. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner tonight?¡± Samuel invited out of the blue. ¡°Sure.¡± She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re quick to agree, aren¡¯t you?¡± He was a little surprised. ¡°I called Old Mrs. Macari earlier and said I¡¯d go over for dinner tonight.¡± Kathleen sipped on her ck coffee. No wonder¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you and head back together, then.¡± Samuel crossed his legs and took out his phone to settle some work matters. ¡°But it¡¯ll take at least another three hours for me to wrap up.¡± She frowned. ¡°I can wait.¡± Hiszy voice somehow carried a hint of affection. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°As you wish.¡± With that, she stood up and walked out. Upon seeing that, the man curled his thin lips into a smile. So what if I have to wait for you here for three hours? I can even wait for you for a lifetime. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Three hourster, Kathleen finally knocked off work. When she returned to the lounge to get changed, Samuel was indeed still there. She drew the curtains and began to undress. After a while, Samuel did not hear any movements from the changing room, so he asked, ¡°Kate, are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she answered in an incredibly soft voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he queried worriedly. ¡°Could you get Valerie here for me?¡± Kathleen muttered awkwardly. She had wanted to use her phone, but she could not reach for it as she had left it on the dressing table. The man furrowed his brows and questioned, ¡°Is it that time of the month?¡± She gave no response. ¡°Wait there,¡± he said before walking out. Kathleen waited patiently. Finally, Samuel returned five minutester. With a bag in his hand, he reached past the curtains and into the changing room. She noticed that there were new underwear and sanitary pads in it. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her face heated up. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± she whispered. ¡°Do you need painkillers?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get some.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Kathleen quickly shook her head. ¡°Could you please pass me the bathrobe that¡¯s hung outside? I forgot to grab my clothes earlier, and it will be troublesome if I dirtied the film set¡¯s costume.¡± The man noticed a ck bathrobe hung outside and took it to pass to her. ¡°Thank you!¡± She took the bathrobe and immediately draped it over her body beforeing out from behind the curtains. Her fair, exquisite face was currently as red as an apple. Carrying the bag, she hurriedly walked toward the restroom. Samuel smirked at the sight of that. What¡¯s there to be shy about? After a good five minutes, Kathleen came out of the restroom, her expression looking a lot more rxed. She grabbed her clothes and went into the changing room to get changed once more. In the meantime, Samuel sat quietly on the couch and kept himself busy. Kathleen could not help but realize that one of Samuel¡¯s greatest merits was his patience. After she was done, she came out and said, ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll always have the patience to wait for you.¡± The woman fixed her gaze on him. ¡°I was just about to praise you for having such good manners to wait this long patiently.¡± ¡°It also depends on whether the person is worthy of my time.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep with a hint of affection. ¡±You¡¯re the first.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Kathleen refuted firmly. ¡°Have you never waited for Nicolette?¡± ¡°She never dared make me wait,¡± he replied indifferently. ¡°She was always the one trying to please me. Although she had saved my life, what she needs more are the status and identity I can give her. There was always a clear line when it came to our rtionship.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He did not mind telling her everything. Kathleen pursed her lips, saying nothing. Samuel then stood up and added coldly, ¡°As for what you said about her and me previously, I can swear I¡¯ve never touched her. If I did, I¡¯d rot in hell.¡± Once again, the woman was at a loss for words. Kathleen followed Samuel as they returned to the Macari residence. As soon as they entered, Wynnie said, ¡°Samuel, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± The man bent over and handed Kathleen a pair of adorable bunny indoor slippers to change into. ¡°What is it this time?¡± he asked ndly. Wynnie lowered her voice, slightly concerned about Kathleen. ¡°You¡¯re trending online.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. How could he not know about it? ¡°You went to the convenience store and bought underwear and sanitary pads for some woman! The paparazzo captured everything!¡± Wynnie grumbled. ¡°They are truly idle, huh?¡± he scoffed. Kathleen blushed upon hearing that. Is such a piece of news even worth the buzz? ¡°Do you know everyone is suspecting that you have a new lover? Who did you buy those things for!¡± Wynnie boomed. Samuel let out a sigh, then said to Kathleen, ¡°Take off your coat. It¡¯s warm in the house.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that,¡± the woman replied and did just that. She wore a fluffy pink sweater and a ck knitted skirt on the inside, making her look both sweet and stunning. ¡°Mom, get her a painkiller,¡± Samuel requested calmly. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Kathleen answered as her face reddened in embarrassment. This incident is already trending online. Now, everyone knows I¡¯m on my period. Let¡¯s just hope Samuel doesn¡¯t rify it. ¡°Kate, are you not well?¡± Wynnie asked concernedly. ¡°Um, my back¡­ hurts.¡± Kathleen¡¯s delicate countenance flushed exceedingly. ¡°Your back? Have you seen the doctor?¡± Wynnie was worried that it was the after-effect of that incident a year ago. Samuel looked casually at his mother and asked, ¡°Mom, when do you think a woman¡¯s back would hurt?¡± ¡°It can hurt anytime!¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Pfft! Kathleen couldn¡¯t hold back herughter anymore. ¡°Mrs. Macari, Samuel actually bought those things for me,¡± she stated bashfully. ¡°Oh.¡± Wynnie was calm for a moment before realization dawned on her. ¡°What!¡± After dinner, Kathleen went to visit Diana and confessed everything. Thetter furrowed her brows. ¡°So, your mother is the daughter of Frances?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded. Diana mulled it over before saying, ¡°Since you¡¯re certain about it, you should go to the Yoeger residence immediately.¡± ¡°Charles and I are being cautious because we¡¯re not sure how Old Mrs. Yoeger feels about this. It¡¯s a tricky situation, after all. If Vanessa really yed a part in not allowing Old Mrs. Yoeger to look for my mother, I have no choice but to take revenge,¡± Kathleen exined. Diana understood Kathleen¡¯s intentions. ¡°If you have evidence, I¡¯m sure Frances won¡¯t y dumb. However, you are right; it is a tricky situation. Furthermore, there are a ton of problems within the Yoegers at present, and Vanessa can be said to be the one leading the family right now. If you really want to avenge your mother, I doubt Frances will let youy hands on Vanessa.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s why I was hoping you¡¯d be able to arrange a meeting for me with Old Mrs. Yoeger. I want to know more about the rtionship among the Yoegers first. I initially wanted to wait until Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s birthday banquet to do so, but I don¡¯t think I can wait that long anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be a piece of cake,¡± Diana said solemnly. She then called out to Wynnie. Wynnie swiftly entered the room. ¡°Did you call for me, Mom?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not host the charity auction I mentioned to you outside anymore. Let¡¯s do it at home,¡± Diana stated. ¡°Sure.¡± Wynnie nodded. Diana then turned to Kathleen and said, ¡°The few of us have a charity home where we organize a charity auction annually.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°It happens to be my turn to host it this year. I¡¯d intended to find a suitable venue for the event, but since you wish to meet Frances, I¡¯ll host it here at home.¡± Diana truly doted on Kathleen. ¡°Thank you, Old Mrs. Macari,¡± Kathleen said in appreciation. Diana grinned. ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for? You don¡¯t have to be so courteous with me!¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, if you ever need my help, feel free to let me know.¡± ¡°Just focus on your filming. I¡¯ll help you settle everything else,¡± Diana reassured. Kathleen was deeply grateful as she looked at the elder. Diana held the former¡¯s hand and remarked smilingly, ¡°I¡¯m really delighted you shared this with me and allowed me to help you with it. It shows that you still see us as your family.¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Kathleen was ttered. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t find me troublesome, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Diana chuckled. ¡°Why would I find my dear Katie troublesome?¡± At that moment, Samuel entered the room. Diana added meaningfully, ¡°I even want to announce that you¡¯ll be my god-granddaughter from now onward.¡± Kathleen was astonished. On the contrary, Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°No way,¡± he piped up. I¡¯m fine with anything but this! ¡°What right do you have to object?¡± Diana¡¯s face fell. ¡°My amazing granddaughter-inw had to be my granddaughter! I¡¯ve yet to settle the scores with you, and you dare to go against my will?¡± The man¡¯s captivating face darkened further. ¡°No matter what you say, it¡¯s a no.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I want to!¡± Diana did not care whether her grandson agreed. Although Samuel was unwilling, he no longer said anything else. He was always filial regardless of the circumstances. Meanwhile, Diana held Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°Katie, I was the one who took your parents¡¯ life away. Had they still been alive, they would definitely be doting on you to the moon and back. I owe you this much.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t owe me anything, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen felt uneasy. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. In any case, treat me like your biological grandma from now onward. You¡¯ll have my support in everything you wish to do. Just let me know.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen felt utterly touched by that. Diana stroked Kathleen¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered too much in the past. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have let you marry Samuel.¡± Thetter shook her head lightly. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. It was all my wishful thinking.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Samuel chimed in huskily. He had feelings for her too, but it was only a recent discovery. ¡°You, shut up!¡± Diana was irritated at the sight of her grandson. As such, Samuel fell silent. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you in the future, then, Old Mrs. Macari. It¡¯ste now. I should get going,¡± said Kathleen. Diana nodded faintly. ¡°Okay.¡± When Kathleen stood up and turned to leave the room, Samuel did the same. ¡°Did you only realize now that the person you liked all along has been Kathleen?¡± asked Diana frigidly. He pursed his thin lips slightly. ¡°Had it not been because I saw your feelings for Kate, do you think I would have married her to you?¡± Her face turned grim. ¡°I originally wanted her to marry Christopher. Because you¡¯re my grandson, I fulfilled your wish. In the end, it was a mistake and a thorn in my heart. I¡¯ve genuinely let Katie¡¯s parents down.¡± A shadow shielded Samuel¡¯s eyes as he strode to catch up to Kathleen. ¡°Let¡¯s go back together,¡± he said in a deep voice. ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded silently. The man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he swallowed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They put on their coat together while Wynnie and Calvin sent them off. Wynnie became increasingly concerned as she watched their retreating figures. ¡°Do you think this would be good for them?¡± Calvin answered cidly, ¡°Everyone has their destiny.¡± She heaved a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s go in. It¡¯s cold here.¡± He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She nodded, and they turned to return to the mansion. On the way back, Samuel inquired in slight nervousness, ¡°Is your back still hurting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s much better now.¡± Kathleen¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°Regarding the trending topic about you¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make any rification. I¡¯ve asked Tyson to get it off the trending topics.¡± Samuel¡¯s aura was aloof yet maic. ¡°Thank you.¡± She let out a breath of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t want certain people knowing the date of your period, after all. In case anyone tries to offer a needless favor,¡± he added darkly. Kathleen remained silent. He should be referring to Christopher. The duo did notmunicate for the rest of the journey. Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the Johnson residence. When Kathleen was about to alight from the car, he held onto her small tender hand with his broad one. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± She tried pulling her hand out but to no avail. He said in a deep and alluring voice, ¡°Take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°I will.¡± She tugged her hand once again. Samuel released her hand and watched her get out of the car. He then leaned back in the driver¡¯s seat and sighed heavily while cing both hands on the steering wheel. Concurrently, Kathleen opened the door and entered the house. Charles peered at her. ¡°What¡¯s going on with the trending topic?¡± ¡°Are you referring to Samuel?¡± He nodded. ¡°I know that photo was taken when he was near the film set. What a coincidence that a paparazzi happened to catch him around.¡± ¡°Charles, why don¡¯t you say that my period came at the perfect time, then?¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you think Samuel is a psychic and can predict everything?¡± He snorted coldly. ¡°Stop imagining things,¡± she said in resignation. ¡°He won¡¯t use such a matter to get himself on the trending topic.¡± ¡°You seem to trust him a lot, huh?¡± Charles shrugged. ¡°Because I understand him. He won¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Samuel is not a person that would go so low as to attract attention using such private matters. ¡°You, on the other hand, should be looking out why such an incident would be trending,¡± Kathleen reminded him tly. He frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Samuel was buying things at the convenience store near the filming site. How could the paparazzi not know this fact? Why didn¡¯t they rify?¡± ¡°Are you saying the paparazzi made it sound ambiguous on purpose so that you would admit to it?¡± Charles raised a brow. She nodded. ¡°Check whether that person is rted to the Yoeger family. I have a feeling this incident might be rted to Nicolette.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll investigate.¡± Kathleen then turned and went upstairs, massaging her temples while doing so. I was too careless. Why didn¡¯t I think of this? After returning to her room, she knocked on Samuel¡¯s bedroom¡¯s balcony railing with aundry stick. The man came out of the room. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get our balconies joined together?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something important to discuss with you. It¡¯s in regards to your trending topic,¡± she said awkwardly. ¡°Nicolette did it.¡± Samuel had investigated it a while ago. ¡°As expected.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°What does she want?¡± ¡°To create misunderstandings between us.¡± She blinked. ¡°I reckon everyone will think I¡¯m the one behind it, assuming I¡¯m using this to force you to admit to our rtionship. Even if it doesn¡¯t seed, you might think I¡¯ll do something as low as that to court you. Grandma, my parents, your brother, and the rest of them must think that way,¡± he said grimly. ¡°Indeed.¡± Samuel was dispassionate yet charming and elegant. ¡°However, Nicolette miscalcted.¡± Kathleen¡¯s exquisite face remainedposed. He peered at her. ¡°How?¡± ¡°I know you better than that.¡± The moonlight reflected in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not someone who will be that despicable to use private matters to attract attention. Besides, it¡¯s totally unnecessary, for you know that would vite my boundaries.¡± He stared at her doe-like eyes and felt a surge of warmth in his chest. ¡°I presumed you might misunderstand me.¡± The man¡¯s gaze wavered.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 ¡°You¡¯re mocking me!¡± Kathleen gasped. How dare he doubt my intelligence! ¡°Fine, I¡¯m the foolish one then.¡± Samuel relented reluctantly. Kathleen replied smugly, ¡°Rightfully so, too. I¡¯m going to bed. Goodnight.¡± ¡°Before I forget, thanks for the medicine. Though they might be one of the most bitter ones I¡¯ve ever tasted,¡± said Samuel as he fixed his gaze at the back of Kathleen¡¯s willowy figure. ¡°That was intentional. You¡¯re most wee.¡± Samuel was dumbstruck by her imprudence. Kathleen continued on her way, leaving behind a resigned Samuel. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it up regardless!¡± Samuel called out, sounding like he had been wronged. A smile tugged on the corner of Kathleen¡¯s cherry red lips as she entered her room and shut the door to her balcony. Samuel lingered on his balcony till Kathleen¡¯s curtains were drawn. He had just reached his room when his phone began to ring. The caller ID disyed was that of Nicolette. Samuel had lost count of the number of times his phone had been bombarded by her. He had never picked up any of her calls ept for that first time. Nevertheless, he had to put a stop to this. ¡°Do you in on exining yourself, Mr. Macari?¡± Nicolette mocked over the phone. Samuel couldn¡¯t help his rising feelings of disgust. ¡°I owe you nothing.¡± Nicolette curled her lips. ¡°I wonder what Kathleen thinks of you right now. She must be beside herself, ming you for everything that transpired?¡± ¡°Don¡¯tpare her to the likes of yourself.¡± Nicolette gritted her teeth. ¡°You¡¯ll never have her!¡± ¡°It was you who sent her that fabricated audio recording a year ago,¡± Samuel uttered harshly. Nicolette was stunned to hear this but quickly regained herposure. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were two endless chasms of swirling wrath. ¡°Enough of your games, Nicolette.¡± Nicolette was the reason all along for the rift between him and Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s toote, Samuel. Kathleen would never believe that we¡¯ve never slept together before,¡± Nicolette taunted. Samuel remained silent. ¡°We¡¯re all grown adults now. Who¡¯d actually care about an asional dalliance or two? Unfortunately for you, you can¡¯t prove your innocence like a woman can.¡± There was ice running through Samuel¡¯s veins. ¡°You repulse me.¡± It was unthinkable that Nicolette would exploit him as a tool for bragging. Me? Repulsive? Nicolette¡¯s face formed into a snarl. ¡°You only have yourself to me! This wouldn¡¯t have happened at all if you had married me in the first ce.¡± Samuel was indifferent to Nicolette¡¯s paroxysm of anger. ¡°You should have questioned the reason behind it instead.¡± ¡°Why then? Tell me!¡± Nicolette cried. ¡°I¡¯ve never loved you, and I never will,¡± Samuel delivered coolly. It felt as if someone hadnded several blows to Nicolette¡¯s gut. She had known this all along but had refused to acknowledge the truth of it. If Samuel had truly loved her, he would have gone against his family for her sake. She supposed that she simply wasn¡¯t important enough. Nicolette attempted to cling to a string of hope. ¡°You¡¯re saying this because Kathleen¡¯s around, right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± Samuel inclined his gaze toward the opposite balcony. The lights had dimmed. ¡°Don¡¯t ever try calling me again. We¡¯re over and done with,¡± Samuel warned as he swiftly hung up. ¡°Samuel, wait!¡± Nicolette screamed into the void that was the empty ringing tone. She gripped her phone tightly till her knuckles turned bone white. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It had stille to this in the end. Samuel did not love her. He had never belonged to her, not in the truest sense. What more was the point in her pretending to be his savior? Nheless, she would carry the secret of his savior¡¯s identity to her grave. It was the day after Nicolette¡¯s phone call. Kathleen was getting into her car when she spotted Samuel headed her way. He was dressed impably in a white dress shirt, dark sweater, and suit with peakedpels that entuated his elegance. ¡°Good morning,¡± Samuel greeted. ¡°Are you going to work this early? It¡¯s only seven o¡¯clock,¡± Kathleen bemused. Samuel signaled toward his car. ¡°Hop on. We¡¯ve got important matters to discuss.¡± ¡°Are you saying that there are trivial matters too?¡± Kathleen joked. ¡°Sorry to burst your bubble, but that¡¯s not the case today.¡± Kathleen huffed indignantly. ¡°Get in. It¡¯s too cold to stay out for long,¡± Samuel urged. The snow-white cardigan and down jacket Kathleen was engulfed in made her resemble a fluffy furball all the more. Kathleen scanned Samuel from head to toe. ¡°I¡¯m dressed in moreyers than you are.¡± Winters in Jadeborough were not to be trifled with. The corner of Samuel¡¯s lips lifted in amusement. ¡°Is your heart aching out of sympathy for me?¡± ¡°You can freeze to death for all I care.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes lit with a feral glint. ¡°My car¡¯s over there.¡± ¡°Rumors will be flying all over town if others catch sight of me. You should get in my car instead,¡± Kathleen refused profusely. ¡°Would you still make it in time after sending me to work?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips in thought. ¡°Can¡¯t whatever it is be discussed over the phone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crucial that we discuss this face to face. Besides, I have a flight to catch at nine o¡¯clock.¡± Kathleen was caught off guard by his statement. ¡°I¡¯ll be traveling outstation for two days due to work,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen strode toward Samuel¡¯s car. ¡°That¡¯s none of my business.¡± What an interesting reaction. Samuel followed closely behind. He had left the heater on, so the car was perfectly warm and toasty. Kathleen brought along a thermal sk of coffee to keep her functioning throughout the day. Samuel took his ce at the driver¡¯s seat and fastened his seatbelt. The sunlight reflecting off Samuel¡¯s wedding band caught Kathleen¡¯s attention as Samuel rested his hands on the steering wheel. She felt her skull thrumming with a portent migraine. Kathleen couldn¡¯t bear the silence any longer and forged on. ¡°So, what is this all about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s regarding theunch of Flobury in three days. As thepany¡¯s partner, you should attend the opening ceremony as well.¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate your importance, dear partner,¡± Samuel said with a half-smile flirting his lips. The morning sunlight illuminated his coal-ck eyes to a sparkling sheen. ¡°You may set a date with Charles. He¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± ¡°Considering how much animosity he bears toward me, I doubt he¡¯d even give me the time of day to voice my request.¡± Samuel shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve still got some degree of self-awareness.¡± Samuel continued to sulk. ¡°It¡¯s fine then. I¡¯ll personally convey it to him instead once we¡¯re done with the discussion.¡± Samuel nodded in agreement. Now that everything was settled so breezily, Kathleen felt as if she¡¯d just walked into a trap. This borate set-up must have simply been a ploy for her to get into his car. She should have smelled it from a mile away. Just then, a bag of medicinal herbs in the storagepartment snagged her attention. Samuel saw her reaching for it. ¡°I¡¯ll drink itter once I¡¯ve reached the airport.¡± ¡°Remember to heat it up first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± said Samuel impassively. ¡°You¡¯ve always had a weak stomach. Drinking it lukewarm would simply defeat it¡¯s medicinal purpose in the first ce.¡± Kathleen was furious that Samuel ced his health in such low regard. ¡°What would the doctor say if he knew of this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m really running short on time,¡± Samuel responded gently. Kathleen brows knitted worrisomely. ¡°You should have hired a domestic helper then.¡± She retrieved the medicinal herbs and warmed it with her heat pack. Problem solved. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Samuel regarded Kathleen thoughtfully. Her prickly exterior truly concealed a heart of gold. She may admonish him, but she still ensured that he took his medication correctly. ¡°How confident are you in your medical skills?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to brag, but I¡¯m actually pretty good. My treatment methods are renown worldwide, just search it up and you might learn a thing or two about me.¡± ¡°Do you have anything to increase longevity? I¡¯m hoping to at least be around long enough to care for my parents in their old age.¡± ¡°Cut to the chase, Samuel. I haven¡¯t got all day.¡± ¡°I want you to treat me,¡± Samuel muttered lowly. Kathleen felt as if she¡¯d been drenched by an ice-cold bucket of water. ¡°State your price. All I want is to live as long as you do,¡± said Samuel. Kathleen was speechless. ¡°Please?¡± Samuel pleaded. ¡°But you¡¯d have to listen to my instructions withoutint. Otherwise, neither the mostfortable hospital room nor the best medication would do you any good,¡± Kathleen warned grimly. Samuel could barely believe his luck. ¡°So I¡¯ll take this as a yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to refuse such an offer. This is money we¡¯re talking about here.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be under your care then,¡± Samuelmented cheekily. Kathleen instantly switched into her professional role. ¡°Would you mind telling me why your body weakened so drastically?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll hear all about it once I¡¯m back from my trip.¡± What¡¯s with all this dodgy mysteriousness? ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Samuel announced promptly. Kathleen passed the medicinal herbs to Samuel. ¡°I can¡¯t emphasize this enough, but please remember to take them regrly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it right now.¡± Samuel tore open the package and drank it in a single gulp. His sharp features scrunched up at the ghastly aftertaste. The bitterness was truly a force to reckon with. Samuel swallowed and felt an overwhelming wash of relief that it was over. ¡°We¡¯re done here. I hope my future prescriptions are ones that taste fit for human consumption.¡± An unexpected burst ofughter escaped from Kathleen at the amusing tableau in disy. Samuel¡¯s mood instantly lightened upon witnessing Kathleen¡¯s gorgeous face fill with mirth. ¡°Right. See you in two days¡¯ time.¡± Kathleen took hold of the empty medicinal packet. Samuel leveled a meaningful look at Kathleen. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Kathleen turned to leave and went on her way. Samuel immediately took to quaffing an entire bottle of water. The medicinal herbs were truly horrendous. Kathleen must have been trying to exact her revenge with them. Having said that, her smile today was worth the affliction. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Kathleen had three hours of time to spare in the afternoon. She changed into discreet attire, donning her shades and face mask before departing from the film crew. She was headed to a hospital specializing in traditional medicine in search of her grandfather¡¯s old friend who was the director. The hospital was famed all over the country and her role as a director required noteworthy medicinal as well as management skills. Kathleen never would have expected to catch sight of Vanessa in the director¡¯s office. She hadn¡¯t meant to eavesdrop, but the door was ajar and the sound of the conversation within floated out clear as day. Vanessa spoke in hushed tones, ¡°Dr. Yarrow, all I¡¯m concerned about now is how well Nicolette is faring.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll need more time to convalesce. Proceeding with the transnt now would only endanger both her and Mr. Yoeger.¡± Vanessa was visibly displeased with the news. ¡°It is of utmost importance for Nicolette to be in optimal health for the operation to be a sess,¡± Ethan Yarrow advised. ¡°What a hassle,¡± Vanessa grumbled. Ethan shook his head firmly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to be done.¡± ¡°Prescribe her your best medication and make sure she¡¯s back in the pink of health as soon as possible,¡± Vanessa urged, ¡°And keep this between us.¡± Ethan swore his secrecy and Vanessa exited the office not long after. Kathleen moved out of her hiding spot once Vanessa had entered the elevator and she was no longer at risk of discovery. She announced her arrival with a knock on the door of Ethan¡¯s office. Ethan took in her conspicuous attire suspiciously. ¡°And you are?¡± Kathleen removed her disguise and was instantly recognized. Ethan was delighted by her appearance. ¡°Kate, it was you all along! What brings you here today?¡± ¡°I just wanted to check in on you, Dr. Yarrow. I would also like to request for some medicinal herbs if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Kathleen uttered politely. ¡°Be my guest. Here, take a seat.¡± Ethan poured her a ss of water. ¡°I never would have imagined seeing you here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Dr. Yarrow.¡± Kathleen hesitated before continuing, ¡°That woman you were talking to just now¡­¡± ¡°As in Vanessa, Nicolette¡¯s aunt?¡± Ethan was aware of Kathleen and Nicole¡¯s shared history. However, Kathleen understood that his role as a doctorpelled him to save patients indiscriminately. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re bound by your medical ethics. It¡¯s just surprising that Nicolette would actually be allowed the kidney transnt at all.¡± Ethan surmised that Kathleen had overheard most of the dialogue that took ce. ¡°Truth be told, it is not previously unheard of for patients with less than ideal health conditions to undergo surgery.¡± Kathleen seemed desperate. ¡°Is Mr. Yoeger¡¯s health really so dire?¡± ¡°His health seems to be deteriorating, or else Nicolette wouldn¡¯t have been sent here to recuperate in the first ce,¡± responded Ethan. ¡°So the surgery won¡¯t be carried out here then,¡± Kathleen murmured thoughtfully. Ethan shook his head. Kathleen quirked her lips. ¡°I see.¡± The reason behind Nicolette¡¯s reinstatement into the Yoeger family must be because they intended for her to be the kidney donor to her biological father. However, hadn¡¯t Vanessa always nned to usurp the position as the head of the Yoeger family? Nicolette saving Zachary would have been contrary to that. Or did she have a little ident staged at the surgical theater? The plot thickened. Kathleen handed Ethan her checklist. ¡°These are the medications that I¡¯m looking for. Don¡¯t worry about their cost.¡± Ethan skimmed the text and grinned. ¡°I might have the herbs, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to help you.¡± ¡°Why is that so?¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. Ethan shrugged. ¡°You specified wild herbs, which I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know where I may procure them?¡± ¡°I know of this one person who¡¯s the biggest medicinal manufacturer in the country. He has ess to every kind of herb under the sky.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Dr. Yarrow! I owe you big time!¡± Kathleen was overjoyed that her search hadn¡¯t been for naught. Ethan scribbled down a phone number and handed it over to Kathleen. ¡°Just tell him that I sent you.¡± Kathleen stole a nce at the strip of paper. ¡°Caleb Lewis?¡± The CEO of Lewis Enterprises? ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s sure to have everything that you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been a great help, Dr. Yarrow. I¡¯ll be heading over right this instant.¡± ¡°d to be of service,¡± said Ethan in good cheer. Kathleen retrieved a dainty box from her handbag and proffered it with ir. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the goods.¡± Ethan flipped open the lid and sniffed its contents. ¡°You truly know me the best.¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Chapter 169 ¡°Dr. Yarrow, I¡¯ll be leaving first,¡± Kathleen dered with a smile. ¡°Okay. Be careful on the way,¡± Ethan reminded as he watched her leave. After leaving the hospital, Kathleen got into her car and called Caleb. He picked up after two rings. ¡°Hello. Who are you?¡± Caleb asked, his voice low and cold. ¡°Mr. Lewis, hello,¡± Kathleen answered politely. ¡°I am Kathleen Johnson.¡± Kathleen? Isn¡¯t she Samuel¡¯s ex-wife? Why is she calling me? ¡°Mr. Lewis, I got your phone number from Dr. Yarrow. I want to buy some medicinal herbs, and Dr. Yarrow said you have them,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°So it was Dr. Yarrow who suggested you find me.¡± His voice still emotionless, Caleb asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I have a list with me. However, I want the medicinal herbs to be wild. The price is not an issue.¡± ¡°Wild medicinal herbs are difficult to find and expensive. Even if I have them, you may not be able to afford them,¡± Caleb replied monotonously. Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Send me your list. I¡¯ll take a look,¡± Caleb offered in a calm voice. Judging from his tone, he did not seem reluctant to help. ¡°Mr. Lewis, why don¡¯t I message you on WhatsApp? It¡¯s easier that way,¡± Kathleen suggested tentatively. ¡°Sure.¡± Caleb nodded. After hanging up, Kathleen added his phone number to her contacts. His name in the app was still Caleb Lewis. Kathleen sent him a message, and he added her to his contacts too. Then, she sent the list over. After a while, Caleb texted: This is not a list. It is a prescription. Kathleen answered: There isn¡¯t much difference. Caleb: You made this prescription yourself? Kathleen: Yes Caleb: Do you know Connor Johnson? Kathleen texted back after a short pause: He is my granddad. Caleb: Your granddad? Kathleen: Yeah, my granddad. Narrowing his eyes, Caleb typed: If you do me a favor, I can give the medicinal herbs to you for free. Kathleen was shocked, as she did not expect to hear such pleasant news. Kathleen: As long as it is not murder or robbery, I¡¯m okay with it. Caleb: Come to my house at nine o¡¯clock tonight. Upon seeing that, Kathleen was startled. Caleb: I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up. Kathleen froze. Wait! Does he want to¡­ She hurriedly texted: Mr. Lewis, I forgot to tell you, but I¡¯m not that kind of woman!¡± However, Caleb did not message back after a long time. Did he not see it? Or is he pretending not to have seen it? I regret agreeing so fast now. I think I¡¯ve shot myself in the foot. That night at eight o¡¯clock, Caleb came to pick Kathleen up. Looking at Caleb¡¯s Maybach, Charlesmented to Kathleen, ¡°The most amazing car te number I have seen in Jadeborough is four As, which belongs to your ex-husband, Samuel¡¯s car. The other one will be this car with four ones.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°I think I¡¯ve messed with the wrong person.¡± ¡°I heard Caleb is unmarried and doesn¡¯t even have a girlfriend. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want Christopher. He is cousins with Samuel, so it¡¯s weird anyway. However, Caleb is different!¡± Charles eximed excitedly. Not wanting to say anything further, Kathleen walked out wearing a ck down jacket and got into Caleb¡¯s car. He was an aloof and handsome man. However, the cold aura around Caleb was different from Samuel¡¯s. Caleb was more unfeeling, whereas Samuel was more bloodthirsty and crueler. In other words, Caleb was slightly warmer than Samuel. Samuel was icy from inside out. ¡°Uh, Mr. Lewis¡ª¡± Kathleen began nervously. Grabbing the steering wheel with his long fingers, Caleb interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m not that kind of man either.¡± Kathleen fell silent. Since he had already spoken, she heaved a sigh of relief. But why does Caleb want me to go to his home sote at night? She was in a state of nervousness for the entire journey. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. Taking out her phone, Kathleen saw a message from Samuel. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Samuel: Are you sleeping? Kathleen: Yeah. Samuel: Good night. Kathleen sighed. For some reason, I feel awkward lying to Samuel, as if I got caught cheating on him. But we have divorced already, so why do I feel guilty? While she was lost in her thoughts, the car stopped. ncing sidelong at Kathleen, Caleb realized she was prettier than on television. Not only that, she seemed meek and quiet. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Caleb dered, his voice a deep timbre. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen got out of the car, and the two walked toward the mansion. As Caleb¡¯s family lived overseas, he lived alone all these years, so his house seemed deste. Following him into the mansion, Kathleen asked softly, ¡°Caleb, why did you bring me to your house?¡± ¡°Follow me upstairs.¡± Caleb did not want to exin too much. After hesitating for a moment, she followed him upstairs, her hands in her pocket. Before she left her house, Kathleen had brought a pepper spray along. Caleb only gazed impassively at her hand motions. Bringing Kathleen upstairs, he stopped before a door and pushed it open. ¡°Come in.¡± Kathleen paused for a second before entering. The room was bright, but there was no other furniture except for a bed. A gaunt woman huddled in a corner, her hair covering her face. When she moved, Kathleen heard the nking sound of metal chains. The woman¡¯s feet were cuffed and chained to the wall. Dumbstruck, Kathleen shouted, ¡°You!¡± Caleb nt her a look. ¡°She¡¯s crazy.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°I heard your granddad has a secret technique that can treat madness. Have you learned it before?¡± asked Caleb, gazing at her. Frowning, Kathleen retorted, ¡°Is she really mad? Are you sure she didn¡¯t go crazy because you imprisoned her?¡± Caleb was speechless. ¡°Ms. Johnson, if I were really such a person, I would have secretly brought you here to imprison you. I wouldn¡¯t have personally gone to fetch you from your house,¡± he answered frostily. ¡°Who is she?¡± Kathleen asked, staring at the woman. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that.¡± Kathleen frowned again. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re better off not knowing some things. I will give you whatever you want as long as you make her normal again,¡± Caleb warned. Kathleen pondered for a while. If this woman is really illegally imprisoned here by Caleb, I won¡¯t be able to save her if I fight with him. Of course, I can¡¯t just suspect him for no reason. After a short pause, she walked toward the woman and squatted before her. The woman reflexively huddled further into the corner. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Vivian.¡± Turning back, Kathleen looked at the woman. ¡°Vivian?¡± Thetter had no reaction. Kathleen stretched out her hand, ced it gently on Vivian¡¯s head, and stroked her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here to help you.¡± Caleb creased his forehead. Vivian didn¡¯t push her away. Usually, she would push anyone who tries to approach or touch her. What a surprise! Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Chapter 170 After retracting her hands, Kathleen held Vivian¡¯s wrist. Vivian flinched and raised her head to stare at Kathleen from under her long, thick bangs. Curling up her red lips, Kathleen cooed, ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you. Can you give me your hand?¡± Vivian gave no response, but her wrist remained in Kathleen¡¯s hands. Kathleen silently breathed in relief and began checking Vivian¡¯s pulse. However, she only frowned deeper. ¡°How¡¯s she?¡± Caleb asked, his hands tucked in his pockets. Kathleen put down Vivian¡¯s hands and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± Caleb inclined his head. After leaving the room, Kathleen stared seriously at him. ¡°She had been pregnant before?¡± Caleb nodded. ¡°However, her way of aborting the baby was very extreme, so her health was severely affected. Mr. Lewis, if you don¡¯t tell me why she became mad, I can¡¯t save her,¡± Kathleen dered, knitting her brows. Clenching his fingers, Caleb maintained hisposure and said, ¡°She was pregnant, but she didn¡¯t want the child, so she tied a rope around her abdomen and¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her?¡± Kathleen gasped in horror. After all, it was too cruel. ¡°She already did that when we found out.¡± Staring at her nkly, Caleb asked, ¡°Do you have any methods to make her return to normal?¡± ¡°We can only cure her once we target the source of her illness. Although I¡¯ve learned Granddad¡¯s secret technique, it has a disadvantage,¡± Kathleen replied solemnly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It will shorten a person¡¯s lifespan by half.¡± Caleb fell silent. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± he asked, staring darkly at her. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Unless we find out why she became mad and gradually treat her afterward.¡± After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Caleb suggested, ¡°What if you treat her first?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but¡ª¡± Kathleen still wanted to remind him, but he interjected, ¡°Give me the prescription.¡± After a slight pause, she uttered, ¡°Mr. Lewis, the greatest issue is with her psyche. It¡¯s not enough to just treat her with medicine.¡± Caleb made no reply. ¡°And you can¡¯t chain her,¡± Kathleen added with a frown. With a look of displeasure, Caleb countered, ¡°This is none of your business.¡± The words got stuck in Kathleen¡¯s throat. ¡°Ms. Johnson, stop being so sympathetic. There are things you do not understand. Moreover, this is just a deal between us. You have no right to interfere with my affairs,¡± Caleb added reproachfully. Kathleen frowned upon hearing his words. If it wasn¡¯t to find Samuel¡¯s medicine, I would have left already. And since I have promised Caleb, I need to keep my word. I was indeed filled with sympathy when I saw Vivian. I know my nosiness is my fatal weakness, but I really want to help her, seeing her in such a state. Nheless, Caleb is right too. This is just a deal between us. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t interfere, but I have a request,¡± announced Kathleen, staring calmly at Caleb. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°What is it?¡± Thetter knitted his brows together. ¡°Allow me to visit her anytime so I can understand her condition,¡± Kathleen said firmly. ¡°Okay.¡± Caleb nodded. Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Giving her an inscrutable look, Caleb added, ¡°I have already asked someone to prepare the things you want. You can take them with you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kathleen answered lowly. She did not expect Caleb to give her the medicinal herbs she wanted straightaway after her first time checking Vivian¡¯s condition. ¡°I¡¯ll send you back,¡± Caleb offered. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen tipped her head. Silence hung between the two as he drove her back. Though Kathleen was filled with questions, she resisted the urge to ask. Massaging her temples, she told herself to stop being a busybody. Soon, Caleb stopped the car at the entrance of the Johnson residence. ¡°Then, do I have to inform you beforehand if I want to visit Vivian?¡± Kathleen asked, uncertain. Caleb¡¯s eyes were dark and bottomless. ¡°No need. You can visit her anytime as long you don¡¯t speak of her condition to others.¡± Not expecting him to suddenly be so easygoing, Kathleen was startled. This man makes me so nervous! She nodded. ¡°Got it. Good night.¡± Caleb hummed in response. The instant she got out of the car carrying the herbs she obtained with great difficulty, he drove off. Kathleen let out a long breath before walking into the mansion. Charles was still waiting for her. ¡°Charles, you haven¡¯t slept?¡± she asked softly. ¡°How can I fall asleep when you¡¯re not back yet?¡± Frowning, he asked, ¡°But, why are you back so fast?¡± ¡°Charles!¡± Kathleen screeched angrily. ¡°Haha! I¡¯m kidding!¡± After a momentary pause, Charles continued, ¡°Did you see Caleb¡¯s family when you went to his house?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t his family overseas?¡± Kathleen retorted matter-of-factly. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Charles replied while nodding meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll go rest first.¡± Kathleen strode toward the stairs. ¡°Sure,¡± Charles said warmly as Kathleen turned around and went up. After Kathleen left, he lit a cigarette and started smoking. Is she overseas? The next day, Kathleen was woken up by her phone ringing. It was a call from Gemma. ¡°Kate, you¡¯re trending,¡± she said grimly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for a famous actress like me to be trending?¡± Kathleen replied sheepishly. ¡°No. The paparazzi posted a video of you going to Caleb Lewis¡¯ housest night.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. The paparazzi caught that on camera? It¡¯s going to be difficult to exin now. ¡°Oh, and you don¡¯t need to bother with what theizens say,¡± Gemma reminded. Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Did you call me early in the morning tofort me?¡± Embarrassed, Gemma replied, ¡°I was afraid you¡¯ll be unhappy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve stopped caring about these things already. So what if I went to Caleb¡¯s house in the middle of the night? We¡¯re both single,¡± Kathleen dered nonchntly. ¡°I agree. But, you know, manyizens are rude,¡± Gemma said furiously. ¡°Anyway, you have the freedom to love whoever you want. There¡¯s no need to care about them!¡± Laughing, Kathleen exined, ¡°Caleb and I don¡¯t have that kind of rtionship. However, I can¡¯t tell the others the reason. Whatever. They can think whatever they want.¡± ¡°Then, you don¡¯t care what Christopher or Samuel thinks?¡± Gemma asked quietly. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°We¡¯re just friends.¡± Sighing, Gemma answered, ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t talk any longer. I¡¯m hanging up,¡± Kathleen uttered, preparing to get out of bed. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma inclined her head. After Kathleen hung up, she saw a message from Caleb. Caleb: I have cleared up the scandal. Kathleen: Thank you. Caleb: I implicated you into this mess. This is the least I can do. Kathleen: Thank you. There was no reply from Caleb after that, so she closed the app. Just then, someone sent her a message on WhatsApp again. Clicking on it, she realized it was from Samuel. Kathleen thought he would question her, but he simply texted her: Morning. Letting out a deep breath, she typed back: Morning. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Samuel: I¡¯lle back tonight. Kathleen: Are you done with work? Samuel: I miss you. He badly wanted to return to her side and protect her. Before he could even deal with Christopher, Caleb showed up. Samuel was not even close to dying, yet there were already so many people lining up to take his ce. Kathleen: You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Samuel: It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s all settled. Kathleen: I¡¯m going to wash up now. Samuel: Okay. Although he believed that she was not a woman of easy virtue, he was still worried that she might have feelings for Caleb. Perhaps, Kathleen had been more reserved when it came to Christopher because of Samuel. However, Caleb was different. He was totally unrted to Samuel. There was no blood rtionship between them, and they were not competing against each other in their respective businesses. Kathleen would not need to worry about anything. There was even a chance that she might actually consider Caleb as a potential partner. As such, Samuel was incredibly tormented by that thought. He wanted to go back as quickly as possible, but he still had to finish his tasks on hand. At noon, there was a business luncheon organized by his business partner. Samuel attended the event in a ck suit, looking refined yet aloof. There seemed to be a cold aura radiating off his body. ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Macari,¡± a sexydy greeted him as she approached. She was seductively dressed in a long, red dress with spaghetti straps. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her lips matched the fiery red color of her dress. She looked incredibly alluring and enchanting. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Samuel stared at her impassively. ¡°Have you forgotten who I am?¡± she asked, her attractive lips quirking up. ¡°Should I know who you are?¡± he questioned back frowningly. ¡°I¡¯m Scarlett Harrison, Kathleen¡¯s friend from high school.¡± She smiled faintly. ¡°We met when I visited the Macari residence.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t ring a bell.¡± The man was still as distant as ever. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ve taken a look at this morning¡¯s trending news, Mr. Macari. I never imagined that Kathleen would turn out this way,¡± Scarlett remarked with a meaningful smile. ¡°This way?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She knitted her brows. ¡°She¡¯s such a promiscuous woman, seducing so many men. Is that what a properdy should be doing?¡± Samuel wanted to drink, but Kathleen had instructed him not to. Therefore, he was only holding a ss just for show. He would listen to Kathleen, even if she were not with him. ¡°Mr. Macari, I know you want to reconcile with Kathleen, but you have to think it through. She¡¯s merely using you.¡± Scarlett scrutinized his handsome countenance. I must say Kathleen¡¯s really lucky to have shared a bed with such a good-looking man for three years. I wonder how enjoyable it is for her in bed every night. She had been pining after Samuel ever since the first time they met. Unfortunately, there were so many obstacles in her way of interacting with him, such as Kathleen. Moreover, she was not that close to Kathleen, so there was next to no chance of chancing upon Samuel. Now that she had finally met the man, there was no way she would let this opportunity slip. ¡°Mr. Macari, Kathleen told me once that she was only clinging onto you because your family is rich and powerful. She¡¯s a greedy woman who wants to covet your family¡¯s wealth. She doesn¡¯t even love you.¡± Scarlett began sowing discord. ¡±Otherwise, she would not have gotten into ambiguous rtionships with so many men right aftering back. She¡¯s simply trying to boost her fame.¡± A cold glint shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell that to Kathleen¡¯s face?¡± She instantly stiffened. ¡°Do you dare to confront her?¡± he asked frostily. Right then, everyone started looking at them. ¡°Do you have a death wish? How dare you insult her in front of me?¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice was chilly and ominous. Scarlett nched. ¡°She is not tied to anyone and has the freedom to be with whomever she wants. I love her and will continue to protect her regardless of who she chooses. This isn¡¯t something people like you can use to drive a wedge between us. If I ever hear you insulting her again, I¡¯ll make sure that you won¡¯t have a ce in this industry,¡± he threatened. The woman was rooted to the ground, unable to move an inch. ¡°Tyson!¡± Samuel shouted sternly. ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari.¡± Tyson walked over. ¡°Tell Mr. Simmons I won¡¯t hesitate to terminate our partnership if he dares to pull such a thing again.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel then left in long strides while Tyson immediately went to look for Elijah Simmons. Once Elijah heard what had happened, he instantly broke into a cold sweat. ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me who arranged for Scarlett to attend the luncheon, Mr. Hackney!¡± he hurriedly exined. ¡°Mr. Simmons, Scarlett Harrison is your employee. Do you think I won¡¯t be able to see right through your decision of selecting her to attend this event?¡± Tyson rebuked. They were merely devils trying to pretend to be angels. It was apparent that they had wanted to make use of Scarlett¡¯s beauty. At that, Elijah became utterly awkward. ¡°Handle the rest of the matter on your own,¡± Tyson added before turning around to leave. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Elijah wiped the sweat off his forehead. He then called for Scarlett and gave her a harsh p. ¡°Useless! Didn¡¯t you say that everything will go just fine?¡± She held her face in silence. ¡°You even said you knew Samuel and told me he would show you respect!¡± Elijah berated. ¡°In the end, you¡¯re nothing but a liar!¡± Scarlett gritted her teeth in rage, not reflecting on her mistakes at all. Instead, she ced all the me on Kathleen. It was during the afternoon break when Kathleen saw the trending news. Samuel Macari Caught Scolding Someone Is Kathleen Johnson Worth It? Samuel Macari Bullying A Woman She turned to Charles when she read the headlines. ¡°Can you get someone to remove these?¡± ¡°Let him settle it himself.¡± Thetter was in the middle of ying a game. ¡°But Samuel did this to protect me,¡± she replied with furrowed brows. ¡°That is what he should have done,¡± he said sternly. ¡°He never protected you when you were with him. Are you moved just because he defended you publicly once? Get a grip!¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The news only just started trending. It¡¯ll definitely be gone once you refresh the page,¡± he continued. Just as her brother said, the news had disappeared when she refreshed it. She breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, Christopher called. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get that?¡± Charles nced at his sister, who was hesitating to pick up. After a brief moment of contemtion, she answered the call. ¡°Hello, Chris.¡± ¡°Did you really go to the Lewis residence yesterday?¡± Christopher asked in a vague voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. ¡°Caleb does not seem to have any scandals so far. There was never any news of his girlfriend or partner. If you choose to be with him¡ª¡± ¡°Chris,¡± she interrupted him. ¡°You have friends of the opposite gender too, right?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± he replied after a moment. ¡°I¡¯m only tonic friends with Caleb,¡± she stated. ¡°Just like what he exined, I only went to his house to get something. It¡¯s that simple.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he responded softly. ¡°Good. Thank you for your concern.¡± Christopher felt like Kathleen was trying to distance herself from him. Ever since Felix got in the way, she had be especially polite toward him. In the beginning, he was confident that there could be something between them. However, it would now be difficult to go back to how things were previously. Christopher was worried, afraid, and at a loss for what to do next. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 ¡°Kate,¡± Christopher rumbled her name. ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen asked in mild confusion. That tone of his was far too gentle. ¡°I¡¯m jealous,¡± he admitted in a hoarse voice. ¡°I know there isn¡¯t actually anything going on between you two, but I still got angry when I saw the news.¡± His words left her stunned. ¡°You¡¯re a smartdy. I¡¯m sure you know my feelings for you,¡± he continued with a gulp. ¡°If you don¡¯t fancy Caleb, please give him a proper rejection, all right?¡± Kathleen¡¯s head was throbbing uncontrobly. ¡°There¡¯s seriously nothing between us, Chris. I swear,¡± she insisted in helplessness. ¡°Mm, I believe you.¡± His voice was low as a mumble. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need,e look for me, not him.¡± ¡°He sells medicinal herbs, though. I can only look for him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the middleman for you two, then,¡± Christopher suggested meaningfully. ¡°You don¡¯t have to interact with him.¡± Subtle difort was starting to tug at the woman¡¯s heart. ¡°I have my own social life too. I don¡¯t want anyone to interfere with whom I talk to and what I do with them.¡± That made the man pause. ¡°I don¡¯t like the feeling of being controlled. I mean, do I really have to get your permission for everything I do?¡± she added tly. ¡°I hope you understand what I mean.¡± Even though Samuel had refused to publicize her identity back when they were together, he had never tried to control her in any way. It was true that Kathleen had a docile and obedient personality. Nheless, that didn¡¯t mean she would simply let someone else dictate her life. Christopher was aware that he had crossed the line. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was insensitive of me,¡± he murmured, knowing he had gotten ahead of himself. He had been in too much of a hurry to get rid of all the uncertainties. In the process of doing so, he had pushed Kathleen past her limits. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up.¡± With that, she ended the call, leaving Christopher dumbstruck. Charles eyed his sister and piped up, ¡°Christopher must be heartbroken.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it when people try to interfere with my life,¡± she dered impassively. ¡°He¡¯s just a little too possessive.¡± Charles tried to defend Christopher. That made her get to her feet. ¡°Why should I have to sacrifice my social life for his possessiveness?¡± Her reply left him dazed. ¡°He¡¯s using the fact that he likes me as an excuse to do things that I disapprove of. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s disrespectful of him?¡± she continued to point out while gazing down at her brother. ¡°Do you guys think I¡¯m some kind of toy?¡± After saying that, she turned to leave. Meanwhile, Charles was still stupefied. It¡¯s over. Christopher really pissed her off this time. ¡°Kath¡ª¡± He wanted to stop her. Unfortunately, Kathleen was already gone. Charles began to scratch his head, sensing an iing storm. Kathleen filmed an entire night and finally knocked off work at two in the morning. She returned to the lounge to get changed, then walked out of the film set. Charles approached her and asked, ¡°Darling, do you want to get some fondue?¡± However, she merely ignored him, got into the Alphard, and shut the door. Unable to get into the vehicle, Charles was on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kathleen!¡± Instead of responding, Kathleen looked right at the driver and ordered coldly, ¡°Start the car. We¡¯re going home.¡± The driver didn¡¯t dare to disobey, so he immediately started the engine. As much as Charles wanted to cry, no tears woulde out. It seemed that his sister was seriously enraged right then. She closed her eyes to rest in the car until they got to the Johnson residence. When the driver told her they had arrived, she finally opened her eyes and got out of the vehicle. Samuel¡¯s voice sounded right as she was about to head into the residence. ¡°Kate,¡± he called out in his husky voice. Upon hearing that, Kathleen turned around and saw the man in a ck suit slowly making his way toward her. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± He stood in front of her, startled by the look on her face. ¡°Who on Earth made you so angry?¡± Her expression was one of intense displeasure. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, the headlights of a car shed on them. Kathleen turned around to take a nce, then turned back to him and questioned, ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± Samuel shook his head in response. ¡°Neither have I. I have some ingredients at home. Would you fancy some fondue?¡± she suggested with a brow arched. ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed while nodding. ¡°Come on in, then.¡± He obediently followed her in. Either way, he would do whatever she asked him to. Once Charles got out of the car and saw Kathleen bringing Samuel into the house, his heart skipped a beat. He instantly chased after the duo. Kathleen took her coat off. ¡°Have a seat. I¡¯ll go get things ready in the kitchen.¡± Samuel took the coat from her and hung it up on the rack. ¡°I¡¯ll help you out. It¡¯ll be faster if we both do it together.¡± With a nod, she epted his offer. Thus, he took off his own coat and hung it up as well before following her into the kitchen. Kathleen opened up the fridge, which was packed to the brim with anything one could ever need. She chose a few of the ingredients inside. Both of them preferred food with a milder taste, so she decided not to make the fondue overly sweet. Samuel helped her with rinsing the ingredients while she prepared the other things. Neither of them spoke to each other. Meanwhile, Charles soundlessly observed them from the doorway. Nobody paid any mind to him, and he felt as if he had been abandoned. The fact that Kathleen had let Samuel inside was actually a form of rebellion and provocation toward Charles. He knew that he had shot himself in the foot that day. ¡°I¡¯ll help out too,¡± he suggested softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rinse that many of the ingredients, Samuel. It¡¯s just the two of us eating, after all,¡± Kathleen reminded. Charles was dumbfounded to hear that. Samuel hesitated for a moment. He looked at Charles briefly, then shifted his gaze away. ¡°Mm.¡± They left Charles frozen in ce. In the meantime, the duo finished up the preparations. Kathleen and Samuel sat at the dining table and began eating the fondue while Charles sat silently at the side. He picked up a water bottle and twisted it open. I highly doubt Samuel can resist the urge to ask why Kathleen went to the Lewis residence! Kathleen¡¯s simply too naive. Samuel¡¯s possessiveness is even more terrifying! ¡°Is the opening ceremony going to be held the day after tomorrow?¡± Kathleen began. ¡°Mm. I¡¯ve already told Tyson to get everything ready. It¡¯ll start at ten in the morning the day after tomorrow and end at one in the afternoon.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was murky. ¡°It won¡¯t interfere with your filming schedule.¡± ¡°I have to drive there, though. That will cause a significant dy,¡± she replied while chewing on some food. ¡°I¡¯ve already applied for leave, so all I have to do is get back to the set in the afternoon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good to keep taking leaves,¡± Charlesmented in a hushed voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If anything, I¡¯ll have a talk with the film crew,¡± Samuel stated icily. ¡°There¡¯s nothing money can¡¯t solve.¡± Charles let out a snort. Is he even hearing himself? ¡°That¡¯s true. There¡¯s nothing money can¡¯t solve,¡± Kathleen agreed meaningfully. ¡°You can even kill someone with enough money. All you have to do is hire a hitman to get rid of the person you hate most.¡± How terrifying! Charles, who was sitting next to her, began to tremble. ¡°Indeed. The scandal between you and Caleb began trending because the Yoeger family kept adding fuel to the fire,¡± Samuel muttered. That was within Kathleen¡¯s expectations. ¡°They truly do keep an eye on me at all times.¡± ¡°I heard that Old Mrs. Yoeger is ill,¡± remarked Samuel. Ill? ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean the matters I¡¯ve entrusted to Old Mrs. Macari have gone down the drain?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s only hearsay.¡± There was a hidden implication in Samuel¡¯s tone as he went on, ¡°It seems to be quite aplicated illness, though.¡± She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± What exactly has happened to her? ¡°She¡¯s got Alzheimer¡¯s,¡± he revealed. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what that is.¡± Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Kathleen was taken aback to hear that. ¡°Alzheimer¡¯s?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Samuel affirmed, fixing his frosty gaze on her. ¡°You guys need to set your n in motion right now. Otherwise, if Old Mrs. Yoeger really loses her memory, then things might take a bad turn for you two.¡± She nodded. ¡°Mm, I got it.¡± Even so, he continued staring intently at her. ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± She put down her fork and started patting her own cheeks. He merely shook his head lightly. ¡°Ha!¡± Charles scoffed. ¡°He obviously wants to ask what you did at the Lewis residencest night!¡± Upon hearing that, Kathleen turned to Samuel. ¡°Didn¡¯t Caleb already exin it?¡± Samuel uttered indifferently. ¡°He said Kate went there to get some medicine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable, Samuel Macari. That look in your eyes just now made it so obvious that you were contemting whether to ask my sister about her rtionship with Caleb!¡± Charles grumbled. ¡°I trust her when ites to that,¡± Samuel countered withposure. Despite that, Charles refused to believe it. Samuel sure is an expert at pretending to be the good guy. ¡°When I went to the airport that day, Kate promised to help treat my illness. It was too severe, though, so she wanted to get me a prescription personally. That¡¯s why she went looking for Caleb,¡± Samuel methodically elucidated. ¡°Caleb owns the biggest medicinal herb business in the country, so there are herbs he can get that other people can¡¯t. Kate chose him in particr for that very reason.¡± Charles was at a loss for words. Kathleen peered at her brother and taunted, ¡°Hmph. Hear that? Intelligence is a gift. I sure hope you guys have been blessed with it.¡± Charles didn¡¯t want to respond to that. A whileter, he spoke up once more. ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, aren¡¯t you angry or jealous at all?¡± ¡°Does it matter if I am? I still don¡¯t have the right to stop her,¡± Samuel stated truthfully. That only rendered Charles even more speechless. ¡°Keep pretending.¡± Samuel eyed Kathleen with a profound stare. ¡°I can process those negative emotions on my own without being vocal about them. I wouldn¡¯t do anything that you¡¯d hate, though.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t have the desire to possess her. He just wouldn¡¯t show it. This b*stard Samuel is too good at acting! Once they finished eating, Kathleen stood up and started tidying up. ¡°Just leave it. We can clean up tomorrow. You should go to bed for now,¡± Charles urged. Kathleen¡¯s cold reply was, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± The grievance on Charles¡¯ face was unmistakable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kate. I was wrong.¡± ¡°Why would you be the one at fault? You¡¯re my older brother, aren¡¯t you?¡± she sneered. ¡°No, no. You have more power than me, actually,¡± he said with sincerity. Kathleen didn¡¯t intend to pay her brother any more attention. Instead, she turned to Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m going to be filming all day tomorrow. You remember how you promised to tell me why your body turned out like this when you left, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The man nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the morning opening ceremony together in two days. I hope you¡¯ll tell me the truth.¡± She gazed right into his obsidian eyes. ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Good night,¡± she murmured. He got up and responded, ¡°Good night. Then, he put on his coat and left the Johnson residence. Charles was utterly flustered. Is Samuel going to tell Kathleen the truth? Is this no longer going to be kept a secret? Oh no. Everything might be about toe to an end. I have to hurry and inform Christopher! All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Following Samuel¡¯s departure, Kathleen eyed her brother icily. ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before, Charles. No matter how horrible Samuel may be, he¡¯s never even thought of trying to control me. Get it?¡± Her words made him purse his lips. ¡°Ever since you and Christopher decided to suddenly dere that we were engaged, I¡¯ve just been tolerating the two of you. I never thought that you both would have such unusual thoughts about what happened with Caleb,¡± she continued to mock. ¡°Do I not have the right to make my own decisions? Am I supposed to sacrifice my social freedom just because Christopher likes me? Who is he to me, anyway? What right does he have to try and control me? What about you? Why are you speaking up on his behalf?¡± Charles didn¡¯t dare to utter a word. ¡°Think about it,¡± she remarked in an apathetic manner. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some rest.¡± He quietly observed as his sister ascended the stairs, then let out a sigh. Nheless, he called Christopher right away. ¡°It¡¯s me, Christopher,¡± he croaked. ¡°I think Kate is about to find out about that matter.¡± ¡°Did Samuel tell her?¡± Christopher asked after a pause. ¡°It looks like he¡¯s about to,¡± Charles muttered. ¡°Kate¡¯s definitely going to hate us if she finds out.¡± Christopher¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about that.¡± ¡°Are you nning to give up?¡± ¡°Do I have another choice?¡± Christopher said self-deprecatingly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like we could hide this in the first ce. Were you really hoping that Samuel would help us keep it under wraps?¡± ¡°All right. Since that¡¯s what you think, I¡¯m not going to worry about it anymore.¡± Charles massaged his temples. ¡°Ultimately, she¡¯s still my sister, so she won¡¯t really ignore me no matter how angry she is. You, on the other hand¡­¡± Christopher fell silent. Sometimeter, he finally replied, ¡°I thought she would start to like me back.¡± ¡°If not for your grandfather and Astrid kicking up such a fuss, then maybe that would have been the case,¡± Charles concurred. ¡°All of this only happened because of them.¡± The look on Christopher¡¯s face darkened. What Charles had said was right. If not for what Felix had done, Kathleen wouldn¡¯t have cut Christopher off so cleanly. She was just too clear-headed, which was why he had always been cautious. Unfortunately, that caused him to end up missing a lot of opportunities. If not for Felix and Astrid, he would have won over Kathleen by at least a half, if not all of her. Meanwhile, Kathleen returned to her room and saw Samuel standing on the balcony across from hers. She went outside with a shawl wrapped around her. The man watched her intently. ¡°Did you have a fight with your brother?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She puffed up her cheeks. ¡°He keeps trying to defend Chris.¡± He put both hands down on the cold railing and tightened his grip on it. ¡°Did Christopher try to stop you from interacting with Caleb?¡± Kathleen sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Even worse. He told me that if I wanted to buy any medicine from Caleb, I could go through him instead.¡± Her exnation baffled Samuel. ¡°Does he think I¡¯m mute or socially inept?¡± she raged. ¡°I hate being controlled like that. At first, he and my brother kept trying to keep secrets from me. When they made a public statement saying he was my fianc¨¦, I was already about to explode.¡± ¡°Are you not mad at the fact that I¡¯ve been publicly saying I still have feelings for you, then?¡± Samuel inquired in a deep voice. ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± She shot him a stern look. ¡°Whether you have feelings for me or not is your own problem. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re saying I epted your confession or anything. Since it¡¯s your business, I can¡¯t stop you from thinking that way. It¡¯s different when ites to them, though. They locked me into a predetermined identity and kept making choices for me. I hate it!¡± He could tell that the woman was genuinely infuriated. On top of that, it wasn¡¯t the kind of fury that could be quelled by brushing it off with a joke. ¡°Honestly, even though I know why you went to the Lewis residence, it still bothers me a lot,¡± he admitted as he gazed at her. ¡°I was worried you¡¯d be attracted to Caleb too.¡± She stared back at him without speaking. ¡°The thing is, I knew I had no right to interfere,¡± he went on earnestly. ¡°Not that I would ever try to interfere in your life, of course.¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Kathleen kept her mouth shut. ¡°As I said, Samuel, how you feel for me is your business. As long as you keep it to yourself, that¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need to say it out loud. It¡¯d be a disaster if what you said ended up making the other person ufortable.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze fixated on her. ¡°However, Christopher actually said it. That¡¯s what pissed me off,¡± she emphasized. ¡°All I want is for him to respect my wishes instead of trying to make choices for me. Samuel, when I got married to you, Old Mrs. Macari also questioned me over and over again. She only allowed the marriage to happen because she saw I didn¡¯t want it any other way.¡± He didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°I messed up too, though,¡± she confessed bitterly. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to marry me, yet I insisted on it. Hence, I don¡¯t have the right to criticize anyone else.¡± ¡°Do you really think just anyone could force me into anything?¡± There was a heartfelt look in his gaze. ¡°I was the one who refused to face my true feelings. I liked you, which was why I agreed to marry you. It¡¯s not like I felt aggrieved or anything. You don¡¯t have to me yourself.¡± All she did was look at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have tofort me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying tofort you, Kate,¡± he protested with dimmed eyes. ¡°You know I have feelings for you. If I had wanted to take advantage of your guilt, I could have acknowledged the fact that you and Grandma had backed me into a corner. If I had done that, you would have treated me better out of remorse. But I told you before that I would never lie to you. Every word that I¡¯m saying right now is the truth.¡± A sense of warmth suddenly wormed its way into Kathleen¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯s getting reallyte. You should sleep early too. Good night.¡± She immediately got up and turned away. Samuel merely watched her back view without a sound. He knew he had already conveyed to her the feelings in his heart. There was no way for him to know what she thought about it, though. He could only hope he would be more sincere in pursuing Kathleen this time instead of trying to trick her. Two dayster, Kathleen stood in front of the house waiting for Samuel. He didn¡¯t make her wait long. In less than a minute, he had already driven the car out and pulled over in front of her. She gave him a quick greeting before getting into the vehicle. In the meantime, Charles stood at the door and observed silently as they left. At that point, Kathleen had been ignoring him for two consecutive days. He was so upset that he genuinely could cry. She turned to nce at her brother and shed a resigned smile. Looks like it¡¯s about time. Samuel glimpsed at her. ¡°You guys still haven¡¯t made up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. We¡¯re getting there, though,¡± she answeredzily. ¡°As siblings, it wouldn¡¯t be beneficial to give him the silent treatment for too long. I just need to teach him a lesson. It¡¯s not like I could truly cut ties with him.¡± He didn¡¯t probe further, so Kathleen side-eyed him. There was an imprable look on his face. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me now?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°Or are you nning to stay quiet for the whole ride?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The man smirked. ¡°Do you want to hear about it now?¡± She nodded. ¡°Is it okay if I want to do something else first, then?¡± he queried tentatively. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t feel like he would do anything over the top. After all, Tyson was still driving in the front seat. Samuel¡¯s gaze deepened when he heard that. His long, slender hand reached out to unbutton his suit. Then, he loosened the buttons on his ck vest. What is he doing? He proceeded to remove his tie and continue to unbutton his white shirt one by one, revealing the scars that reached all the way from his chest to abdomen. It was an incredibly deep scar that twisted and turned like centipedes. In any case, Kathleen was a child from a prestigious medical family. Yet, the sight of Samuel¡¯s scars astounded her to the point of speechlessness. ¡°When you left that year¡­¡± He paused briefly before continuing, ¡°I got into a fight. That person used a very sharp knife and cut my chest open all the way to my abdomen. Other than my heart, all of my internal organs were damaged. I barely managed to survive. That¡¯s why my body turned out this way.¡± A fight? ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± Tyson was panicked. He had assumed Samuel was finally willing toe clean to Kathleen. Unexpectedly, there were still some things the man was keeping in the dark. ¡°Keep driving,¡± Samuel ordered chillingly. That scared Tyson into silence. He continued driving the car seriously. Kathleen furrowed her brows. Samuel cast her a gentle gaze. ¡°Now, you know why my body is¡ª¡± Before he could even finish, however, he was interrupted by Kathleen¡¯s finger lightly grazing his scar. It seemed that her eyes had be red-rimmed. He nearly died. It would be a lie to say she wasn¡¯t upset. Samuel smiled subtly as he coaxed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m still alive.¡± All of a sudden, she grabbed the cor of his shirt. ¡°Hmph!¡± He froze. ¡°Are you trying to trick me?¡± she used furiously. Samuel stiffened in a fluster. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± ¡°Would you really get hurt this badly from a fight?¡± she fumed. ¡°There are so many people around you at all times. Do you think I don¡¯t know that?¡± He didn¡¯t try to talk back. ¡°Moreover,¡± she thundered, ¡°I started learning about medicine from my granddad at a young age and learned how to identify wounds. I¡¯m well-informed about the difference between a self-inflicted wound and a stab wound, even more than you are!¡± The atmosphere in the car began to freeze over. Kathleen ced one hand on his chest and looked right at him with a clear gaze. ¡°Why did you hurt yourself?¡± In turn, Samuel put his hand on her waist. A trace of disbelief surfaced on his exquisitely handsome face. ¡°Because I missed you.¡± His words made her go stiff. Using his other hand, he wiped her tears away. ¡°Nobody would tell me where you went. I searched for you everywhere, nearly going insane from the search. Kate, It was then that I realized one could miss someone so much that every part of their body was in pain. I knew I loved you, but only then did I understand that I loved you to my bones. I was in so much pain, and I had no choice. I knew I had hurt you, and you would never return for the rest of my life. That¡¯s why I stabbed myself with a knife and forcefully¡ª¡± ¡°Stop!¡± She covered his mouth to stop him from borating any further. Tears were streaming down her face uncontrobly, and her hands were trembling. In fact, her entire body was quivering. Her eyespletely filled up with tears to the point that her vision was starting to blur. She couldn¡¯t see Samuel¡¯s gorgeous face clearly anymore. Everything looked hazy to her. Samuel got Tyson to stop the car. Thetter pulled over on the side of the road, then got out of the vehicle. ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore, Kate,¡± Samuel said in a husky voice. ¡°They¡­ They¡­¡± Sobs were choking her up. ¡°They told me that all you did was stab yourself, but¡­ They never told me that you nearly cut your own stomach open. Not a single soul let me know.¡± If she had found out that Samuel nearly died back then, she definitely would have lived in regret for the rest of her life. ¡°Who told you that all I did was stab myself?¡± Samuel put hisrge hand on the back of her head and rested his forehead against hers. ¡°My brother and Chris,¡± she choked out between sniffles. ¡°If I had known how badly you were injured, I would havee back to see you for sure.¡± He then pulled her right into his arms and gave her a tight, forceful hug. If he could, he wanted to absorb her straight into his own body. ¡°Hearing you say that is enough for me,¡± he whispered gruffly. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Kathleen pushed Samuel away and sat aside with confusion written all over her pale face. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Because I missed you.¡± He slowly buttoned his shirt back up and sorted out his attire. As she watched how the man returned to being the elegant, noble elite he was, she could not associate him with the possibility of self-harm. Samuel did not look like he would do such a thing. He is a self-centered man. Why would he harm himself because of sentiments? Furthermore, it¡¯s such a severe case of self-harm. Kathleen¡¯s mind was in a mess. Samuel looked at her with his dark, unfathomable eyes. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m the same as you. I miss the children too.¡± She froze. ¡°Because of my mistakes, I¡¯ve caused harm to my own child, and my beloved wife left me.¡± A bitter smile appeared on his refined face as he continued, ¡°I can¡¯t forgive myself for ruining what could¡¯ve been a loving family with my own hands.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Kathleen¡¯s heart ached when she heard that. ¡°Don¡¯t I deserve to die?¡± Samuel said in a husky voice, his dark eyes gazing deeply at her. She did not know how to respond to that. As he looked at the woman¡¯s lost and uneasy expression, he was certain about her answer. She had thought of wanting me to die. Meanwhile, Kathleen could not exin her feelings either. When she lost her child, she had indeed thought of wanting Samuel to die. If not because of him, her child would¡¯ve been safe and sound. However, right then, when she saw the state Samuel was in, she did not want him to lose his life. The internal wounds within her were not healed. Instead, they were buried deep within her heart. Despite that, she knew very well that she could no longer ept Samuel anymore. Even when he was in his current state, she felt it was uneptable. The woman started sobbing. It was too much for her to bear. She thought she could be cold-hearted, but upon seeing the wound on his body, she was caught off- guard and abruptly broke down. Samuel cautiously moved over to embrace her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you go through so much.¡± Kathleen sobbed, ¡°Samuel, things can¡¯t go back to how they were before. We can¡¯t go back anymore. No matter what you say or do, there will always be a thorn in my heart. The closer you are to me, the more pain I would feel.¡± He stiffened. ¡°It¡¯s too excruciating,¡± Kathleen choked out. ¡°It¡¯s been a year, and I thought things would change. However, I realized nothing has changed at all.¡± Samuel grew a little panicked. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m not trying to make you feel sorry for me. I¡¯m really not.¡± He truly was not trying to make her feel bad. It was just because she asked, and he did not want to lie to her. He had lost her trust before and said never to lie to her again. Unfortunately, he still lied to her once more, albeit it was eventually exposed by her. He lightly patted Kathleen¡¯s back,forting her gently. That sense of helplessness and fear swept over him again. To be honest, he knew better than anyone that once they started to discuss the matter, he and Kathleen would not have a future anymore. It was not that he wanted to give her up. However, he could not bear to see her going through such a miserable time. He embraced the woman and carried her on hisp. Then, he told Tyson to get back into the car. Thetter did not dare to ask any questions and only focused on driving. Samuel did not say anything either. All he did was held onto the youngdy in his arms tenderly and cautiously. There was no other expression on his handsome face, but Kathleen, who was in his embrace, had a very conflicted look. Soon, they arrived at their destination. Samuel asked Tyson to get out of the car to make preparations. Kathleen had stopped crying by then. She remained silent while still snuggling in Samuel¡¯s arms. He gently stroked her head. ¡°Did you bring your makeup kit?¡± She nodded. He shed a gentle smile. ¡°Your makeup has smudged, you messy kitten.¡± Kathleen lifted her head. ¡°Samuel, I¡ª¡± He put a finger on her red lips. ¡°Just indulge me this once, all right?¡± Samuel¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he gulped. ¡°I know what you want to say. Frankly, I didn¡¯t want to tell you about this at all because you¡¯re going to forgive me. Once you¡¯ve forgiven me, you¡¯ll no longer hate me, and you won¡¯t have any feelings toward me anymore.¡± She stared nkly at him. ¡°You know me too well.¡± ¡°Touch up your makeup first. The opening ceremony is about to begin. After we settle the event, let¡¯s find a ce to talk about this, okay?¡± he asked hoarsely. ¡°Mm.¡± The opening ceremony was a straightforward task. After Kathleen finished touching up her makeup, she followed Samuel out of the car. She looked radiant and stunning as she carried a professional smile, behaving demurely. The way she held onto Samuel¡¯s hands was very natural as well. Once the opening ceremony ended, a group of reporters came over for an interview. They fixed their eyes on Kathleen while asking, ¡°Ms. Johnson, what¡¯s your current rtionship with Mr. Macari?¡± Kathleen gave a confident and beautiful smile. ¡°We¡¯re friends and working partners.¡± The reporters were astonished. Her lips curled up gracefully. ¡°Nobody said a couple can¡¯t be friends after a divorce, right? Moreover, Mr. Macari and I have moved on from our past. We will continue to look ahead in the future.¡± Samuel looked at her silently with an unfathomable gaze. That¡¯s good. She can let go of the troubles in her heart and ept a new life. That¡¯s better than anything else. The reporters wanted to ask Samuel more questions. However, his countenance, albeit handsome, was as scary looking as a Grim Reaper, and the reporters were afraid to ask further. The interview finished shortly after. Samuel then led Kathleen to the hotel next to them to rest. He took her to the presidential suite and said, ¡°Get some rest. I¡¯ll be backter.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Samuel¡­¡± He turned to look at her. As she walked toward him, her dark pupils reflected the handsome man¡¯s face. Samuel lowered his head. He cupped her face in his hands and said, ¡°Rest well. If there¡¯s anything, we¡¯ll talk about it tonight.¡± With that, he lowered his hands and left. Kathleen knitted her brows slightly. Why did he leave in such a hurry? Still, Kathleen rested obediently. After crying so much, she actually had a headache. When she woke up from her nap, she was startled that somebody was sitting by the bedside and hurriedly sat up. Samuel grinned. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± She nodded. He said in his solemn voice, ¡°I wanted to ask you to get something to eat downstairs, but I couldn¡¯t bear to wake you up from your sleep.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Come and sit here. Let¡¯s chat.¡± The man pointed next to him. Kathleen sat over to where he pointed with the nket covering her legs, tilting her head to lean on his shoulder. He felt a slight clench in his heart. ¡°I agree with what you said today about how we should look forward. Nheless, it¡¯s easier said than done,¡± Samuel stated in his husky voice. Kathleen remained silent. ¡°I¡¯ve said in the car that I know you¡¯ll forgive me when you find out I harmed myself. Our love and hatred will be wiped clean. From today onward, you won¡¯t have any feelings toward me anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She gripped the nket. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. We all have to pay for our mistakes. Since I did something wrong, I deserve it,¡± he said self-deprecatingly. Her eyes turned red. ¡°Katie, can you please call me Sam onest time?¡± he requested hoarsely. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Kathleen nodded. ¡°Sam.¡± Samuel held her hand. ¡°I won¡¯t pester you anymore in the future, nor will I constantly appear before you. I won¡¯t immediately return home once you go to the Macari residence and do anything you dislike either.¡± Her heart ached when she heard his remarks. ¡°But if you need my help, you can look for me at any time. I won¡¯t just stand by and do nothing.¡± He continued to remind her, ¡°The Yoeger family isplicated. It¡¯s not surprising if your brother can¡¯t understand it. Thus, you have to remember to look for me if you need anything. Don¡¯t go to the others. They don¡¯t know as much as I do.¡± ¡°Mm. I got it.¡± She gave a slight nod. ¡°Vanessa took Nicolette back not because she wanted to make up to thetter.¡± He furrowed his brows. ¡°Zachary needs a kidney transnt, so Nicolette is merely the kidney source they¡¯re looking for. But in order to make her donate her kidney willingly, the Yoegers have promised to fulfill some of her terms. You need to be wary. I will keep my eyes on them as well so that you won¡¯t be in danger. However, at the same time, you need to be mindful.¡± ¡°All right.¡± She continued to nod. ¡°Felix is an extremely dangerous man. He might seem to be retiring from the family business, but his words are still absolute in Morris Group.¡± Samuel remained indifferent. ¡°Had it not been for the Macaris¡¯ presence all these years, Felix would have thrown my Aunt Emily out of the house long ago. It¡¯s unlikely that her husband and Christopher can protect her. Therefore, Christopher may not be able to protect you as well. You have to be cautious.¡± Sullenly, she stated, ¡°It¡¯s genuinely impossible between Chris and me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ great.¡± After a short pause, the man said, ¡°All right. That¡¯s all that I want to remind you. Do you have anything to say to me?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m immensely worried about your health. Hence, I will continue to provide you with consistent treatment in the future. You can¡¯t refuse it.¡± She knitted her brows. ¡°If not, I would¡¯ve asked for the medicine from Caleb in vain, not to mention the annoying weird scandals that arose from that.¡± Samuel was stunned. ¡°Did you go there specifically to get medicine for me?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°Do you think I need it?¡± He felt a warmth in his chest. ¡°Thank you. I promise you.¡± The woman let out a sigh. ¡°At first, I had so many things to tell you. But when I stand in front of you, it seems like everything is redundant.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll wait until you wish to speak about it,¡± Samuel replied in a deep voice. After musing on it, Kathleen asked, ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± With a nod, he responded, ¡°Mm. Go ahead.¡± Pursing her lips, she queried, ¡°Why do you like Nicolette so much?¡± He froze momentarily. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t like her that much. I had mistaken my gratitude for her in saving my life as love at first sight.¡± ¡°Tsk! I¡¯ve saved you once as well. Why didn¡¯t you feel grateful toward me, then?¡± she grumbled. He frowned. ¡°When did you save my life?¡± ¡°One time, I followed my father to the orphanage to give free medical consultations to the staff and children. At that time, Old Mrs. Macari took you there as a volunteer. You had a fight with a young kid there. When you had your guard down, he pushed you into the water. I was the one who saved you!¡± ¡°That was you?¡± His frown deepened. ¡°I always thought it was Nicolette because she was the one who gave me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when I woke up.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯ve asked her about it. She said she was the one who saved me.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°What nonsense!¡± Kathleen fumed. ¡°After I got you out of the water, I went to look for the adults to help you.¡± He gazed at her wordlessly. Could I have been deceived for all these years? So it was Kathleen, not Nicolette, who saved me. At that time, I noticed Nicolette¡¯s clothes were wet too, not to mention she gave me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Therefore, I assumed she was the one who saved me. As it turns out, I was wrong? Kathleen felt the energy draining from her. ¡°I always wondered why you didn¡¯t have any reaction upon seeing me. In the end, you don¡¯t even remember it.¡± Grasping her hand, the man asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± ¡°At that time, you treated me as if I was some kind of gue. I reckoned it would be useless to tell you,¡± she replied. Samuel fell silent. She¡¯s right. Back then, I was indeed immensely aloof toward her. ¡°Drat!¡± he cursed furiously. If it were not for Nicolette taking the credit, I would have had a blissful future with Kathleen. In the end, Nicolette ruined everything. I won¡¯t let her off that easily. Thest bit of sympathy I have toward her has disappeared! Kathleen sighed. ¡°At this point, we shouldn¡¯t me other people anymore. Perhaps, we are simply not destined for each other.¡± Upon hearing her remarks, he did not utter a word. He regretted and resented himself deeply. Turning to look at the man, she called out, ¡°Sam?¡± Samuel turned and gazed at her intently. With a faint smile, she said, ¡°Everything is perfect. We have cleared things up and resolved all the problems. I feel that the burden has been lifted from my heart in an instant.¡± Still, Samuel looked at her in misery. ¡°Moreover, this is great for us. If we still can¡¯t be together after experiencing so many hardships, then it means we are truly not destined for each other. The Heavens indeed has its own ns,¡± she remarked mockingly. Wrapping his arms around the woman, he said, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± As a matter of fact, he had regretted it too much. Meanwhile, Kathleen stayed in his arms quietly. She was no longer as emotional as she was when they were in the car earlier. Even though her eyes were still red-rimmed, she did not feel any burden in her heart anymore. Both of them had used their own ways to repent their past. Thus, they finally felt at ease. Samuel took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s have onest date together, shall we?¡± Stunned, she asked, ¡°A date?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have it right here. I want to have a date with you for the final time,¡± he exined. After a short hesitation, she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel told her to get ready for it while he went outside to wait for her. Half an hourter, the duo appeared on the streets. In order to prevent others from recognizing them, both of them wore face masks. They spent the day wandering around. ¡°It looks like this small city is very vibrant,¡± Kathleenmented. ¡°Mm. If this ce doesn¡¯t be a major development area, it can be a vacation spot after it undergoes slight revamping,¡± Samuel remarked. ¡°But the management has set the rules. Nothing can be done anymore.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the two mines are not disturbed. Or else, it won¡¯t be this picturesque,¡± she exined. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said tly. ¡°When will the people move?¡± ¡°After New Year¡¯s Day. It¡¯s the management who fixed the time. Everything has to be done quickly.¡± She was taken aback. ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird that they are in a rush?¡± He nodded. ¡°Mm. I heard Felix went to see the management. In order to avoid any trouble, they urged me to start the works as soon as possible.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°If you start the work in a hurry, will there be any trouble?¡± Pursing his lips, he answered, ¡°Even if there is a problem, it won¡¯t affect the development. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Is Felix crazy? Why is he always going against you?¡± she asked in displeasure. Samuel gave a half-smile. ¡°Probably because I remind him of my grandpa.¡± Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Chapter 177 ¡°I really forgot about that.¡± said Kathleen awkwardly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let him go that easily.¡± Samuel said in a frigid and overbearing tone. ¡°I can only cheer for you, then.¡± ncing at her, he snorted. She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that gaze?¡± ¡°Felix almost became your grandpa!¡± he remarked bitterly. Hearing that, Kathleen was rendered speechless. Nheless, he held her hand and kept walking forward. ¡°How petty!¡± she muttered under her breath. ¡°Indeed, I am!¡± Not wanting to argue anymore, she glimpsed at the clock on the building. ¡°Sam, it¡¯s almost midnight. They had agreed not to have anything to do with each other after the clock struck twelve. Not even family In the future, Samuel wouldn¡¯t pester her anymore. ¡°This way!¡± He squeezed her hand slightly. She followed him to a mountainside. Looking down, they could see the entire city. Samuel took off his mask. It was utterly chilly on the mountain in winter. He then helped Kathleen to remove her mask too. Next, he cupped her face with both hands. Her petite face was wless, so fair and delicate. Not only that, but herrge eyes were like ck pearls, sparkling in the dark. Samuel couldn¡¯t help but touch her face with his cold fingers, his dark eyes abruptly turning scarlet. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to bid farewell.¡± She raised her hand and gently covered the back of his. He couldn¡¯t utter a word. ¡°Sam?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. His breath became heavier as he lowered his head and captured her lips, venting all his emotions on that kiss. Reluctance, regret, indignance. He had never felt so emotional before and almost wanted to go back on his words He genuinely didn¡¯t want to let her go, but what could he do? Kathleen had already bid goodbye to him, and he knew they could never go back. She said they had to look forward. Hence, he had no choice but to respect her wishes even though she would not be in his future anymore. He felt that his life had stopped, and he had lost all motivation. The reason why he agreed was that he wanted to make her life easier. That was it. Fireworks appeared in the small city at the foot of the mountain. Meanwhile, Samuel kissed Kathleen so passionately as though he was about to devour her. In his tight embrace, the woman could hardly move By the time they broke apart when the fireworks ended, her legs had turned weak. Samuel breathed heavily as he held the back of her head with hisrge hand. ¡°I love you, Kate.¡± I¡¯ll only love you in my life. No matter where you go, I¡¯m going to miss you. The next day. Samuel and Kathleen left the hotel together. Charles came to pick up Kathleen at the lobby. ¡°Did you sleep wellst night? Samuel asked politely as he looked at the woman, seemingly trying to restrain himself. She blushed. ¡°Mm¡± ¡°Last night¡­¡± He paused. ¡°If you feel unwell, then go to the hospital.¡± Her face turned even redder at that. How could I go to the hospital! Last night was really¡­ I was ovee with lust! In fact, Samuel was too good at bewitching her. ¡°Get in the car,¡± Charles piped up with a dark expression ¡°Mm¡± Kathleen had no choice but to nod, ncing at Samuel. ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± The man retracted his gaze Seeing him in that state, she could guess that Samuel hadpletely let go of her afterst night Good That¡¯s how it should be She quickly got into the vehicle After closing the door, Charles urged the driver to leave at once Samuel only raised his head after the car drove away. He said coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s go back too.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, are you genuinely going to give up on Ms. Johnson? Tyson asked. ¡°Give up?¡± Samuel sneered. ¡°Impossible!¡± Tyson was taken aback. I knew it! Samuel narrowed his eyes. Had he not said that, how could he have had her? Now that he had gotten Kathleen¡¯s body, he would proceed to win her heart next Nevertheless, he was no longer in a hurry Kathleen is so youthful and adorable, she can only belong to me. Tyson thought Samuel was sly and reckoned the man would definitely be taught a harsh lesson by Kathleen in the future. Absolutely! No doubt about that In the car, Charles nced at his sister and queried, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nothing Kathleen shook her head indifferently. For some reason, she kept recalling what happened in the hotel roomst night There had been a ckout in the hotel, and knowing that she was afraid of the darkness, Samuel stayed with her the whole night. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, what happened next was¡­ Ahhh! She was still in slight disbelief For some unknown reason, the atmospherest night became intimate out of the blue. It was true that Samuel did it only once as he promised Sull, she could feel his touch all over her body. Every inch of her skin had been covered by his breath, and it seemed that he wanted to leave some kind of mark on her so that people coveting her wouldn¡¯t dare to approach her again It was too insonest night Samuel nearly went crazy Kathleen looked out of the car window and said, ¡°Pull over at the pharmacy in front¡± Charles was at a loss for words Samuel Macari, that ticking bastardi 11 gel Roge surged his chest He quickly got out of the car and returned soon after, handing her the medicine with a grim expression ¡°Eat it.¡± ¡°Is this a painkiller?* Kathleen asked, perplexed. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You have to take¡­ birth control pills after doing that She furrowed her brows. ¡°After doing what? Charles, you¡­¡± Charles paused briefly. ¡°Did I get it wrong?¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°Then, why did you two speak so ambiguously just now? One will easily be misunderstood!¡± he fumed, She was too embarrassed to say anything more. Samuel didn¡¯t go all the way. He merely kissed her and nearly drove her out of her mind. He had not missed any part of her body with his lips, iming to want her to feel unforgettable bliss. In the end, he truly did it, and it was indeed still reying vividly in her mind ¡°Well, I was wrong about him this time, then.¡± Charles breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some painkillers.¡± He got out of the car again Meanwhile, Kathleen hid her face in her down jacket, blushing furiously. Kathleen had returned to continue her filming In the evening, na called her. ¡°Katie, I¡¯ve arranged everything. Don¡¯t forget toe tomorrow night,¡± the woman said with a smile. ¡°Thank you for everything, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen was grateful ¡°Don¡¯t be silly! I don¡¯t want you to thank me¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be there tomorrow afternoon. See you then¡± ¡°Great!¡± Diana nodded and hung up. However, as soon as she stood up and was about to return to her bedroom, she spotted Samuel ¡°Why are you back?¡± she questioned coldly ¡°I came back to see you all, of course. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll die one day and never see you guys again, the man answered apathetically Upon hearing that Diana was speechless ¡°Iven if I die. You guys won¡¯t care anyway.¡± Samuel added frostdly ¡°You all care inote about Christopher than I wonder if I should exchange itry position with him ¡°You!¡± Diana red at him and snickered. ¡°I see you¡¯ve revived!¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 If this had happened in the past, Samuel would not have grumbled about it. However, he finally knew how to voice his feelings after suppressing them for a year. It was also why Diana asked him that question. Samuel smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve always been alive.¡± Hearing his response, Diana said in an ironic tone, ¡°Bah! Look at you now! You look as fine as how you were a year ago. You appeared always to be on the brink of death before this.¡± ¡°A year ago?¡± He replied smilingly, ¡°It¡¯s good that I¡¯m like how I was a year ago. Katie was still my wife at that time.¡± ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t bring misfortune to her!¡± Diana¡¯s expression darkened. He asked coolly, ¡°What if I insist on pursuing her? I¡¯ll never let her go, I¡¯ve decided to win over her heart. I won¡¯t let the others have the chance to go near her.¡± Hearing his words, she asked worriedly. ¡°What are you trying to do? Don¡¯t bully katie anymore!¡± ¡°I would like her to be my wife,¡± he answered casually Shocked, Diana stared nkly at him. With that, Samuel walked upstairs. When she snapped back to her senses, she rubbed her temples before calling out, ¡°Maria?¡± Maria walked over to her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Old Mrs. Macari?¡± ¡°Ah! My head hurts!¡± Diana sighed. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Anxious, Maria responded, ¡°Huh? Shall I get a doctor now?¡± ¡°No! Ask Katie toe here. I want to see her,¡± instructed Diana. ¡°All right.¡± Maria nodded in response. The next moment, she wanted to phone Kathleen Immediately Before she could do that, Diana blurted out, ¡°Walt a minutel I almost burst a blood vessel listening to Samuel¡¯s words. Hmm, It¡¯s fine Katie is at the filming set. Let¡¯s not disturb her.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Maria nodded The Macari residence was bustling with crowd and activities the next day, as na had Invited many guests The most prominent guest she invited was Frances, but thetter had not arrived yet. Kathleen arrived earlier upon receiving the invitation Charles came along too Hofring Kathleen¡¯s hard in hers, Diona introduced Kathleen to the people around her hris my granddaughter, Kathleen Johnson¡¯ said na with a smile Upon hearing that, an awkward expression appeared on the guests¡¯ faces. ¡°Well, I know what you all are thinking. Anyway, Kathleen will be my granddaughter from now on! You should take care of her when she¡¯s in trouble,¡± Diana instructed. The crowd nodded sheepishly. ¡°Sure!¡± Kathleen smiled awkwardly. Just then, Samuel walked over, looking handsome and emanating an elegant yet cold aura. The guests fell silent once they saw him. Meanwhile, Kathleen blushed shyly upon seeing him. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Samuel was polite, but there was a tinge of aloofness in his eyes. No one dared to respond to his question. After all, everyone did not dare to offend him. ¡°We¡¯re talking about you having a sister,¡± said Diana meaningfully. What? Sister? Samuel nced at Kathleen. ¡°Come one, call me Sam.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. His words left everyone at the scene dumbfounded as well. He raised his brows and added, ¡°Why don¡¯t you call me that? Are you not going to acknowledge me? I¡¯m your brother.¡± ¡°Go on, Katie. Address him as he wish!¡± persuaded Diana. Awkwardly, Kathleen called out, ¡°Sam.¡± Samuel shed her a half-smile and teased, ¡°Won¡¯t Charles be vexed because you¡¯ve got another brother now? After all, you¡¯ve changed the way you address me.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows upon hearing his words. ¡°Oh! It seems like you don¡¯t want to Upon seeing her reaction, he smiled meaning acknowledge me as your brother, do you?¡± ¡°Sam,¡± Kathleen called out his name again nonchntly. Satisfied, he replied, ¡°Good girl!¡± Then, he stroked her halr affectionately. No one knew what was on his mind. Seeing that, Kathleen pursed her lips. After a while, he retracted his hand and stood aside aloofly Just then, sorricone came in and sold something 10 Diana, ¡°Old Mrs Mocani, Ms. Yoeger is here¡± ¡°Oh? Old Mrs. Yoeger is noting? Diana frowned. That person shook his head. Diana turned over to look at Kathleen Thetter lowered her voice and responded, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandma. Let¡¯s see what she wants.¡± Hearing her words, Diana nodded faintly. As soon as Kathleen responded, Vanessa entered the residence. She was not the only who came, as Nicolette was with her as well. Diana¡¯s face fell immediately when she saw them. ¡°Hmph!¡± Samuel remained forbidding. ¡°Hi, Old Mrs. Macari!¡± Vanessa smiled, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Diana questioned coldly Vanessa smiled meaningfully and replied, ¡°My mother isn¡¯t feeling well, so she asks me toe.¡± Kathleen remained silent and turned around to look at Samuel. Samuel strode toward Kathleen and stood beside her before saying icily. ¡°Katie has some medical skills Why don¡¯t you let her treat Old Mrs. Yoeger?¡± Startled, Vanessa stared at her contemptuously. ¡°Oh! Does she really know medicine?¡± ¡°My granddad is a renowned traditional medicine practitioner.¡± Unfazed, Kathleen nced at Vanessa frostily ¡°Really? Vanessa asked back in a cold manner Kathleen knew Vanessa did not believe her. ¡°Hey, Kathleen! Nicolette narrowed her eyes as she looked at Kathleen The was as cool as a cucumber as she replied, ¡°Did someone talk to me?¡± Sitting on a wheelchair, Nicolette looked up at Kathleen indifferently She was still wearing a mask to cover the scar on her face ¡°Heal my face if you are that capable Nicolette raised her brows. Kathleen scoffed Treat your face? Do I need to do that? colette was slumped kathlera pod ad continued I can? belleve you still care about your appearance it won¡¯t make a Y + vbi igre you healineil lor the gran Yuukce would still be as reduxte as brlore¡± **A OD Hinwrpln u it Wine Moca Ye4smilet pvilly and the Wor here out of respect for you, Old Mrs. Macari. Is this how you treat your guests?¡± Wynnie came over and chimed in, ¡°The Macari family always wees our guests, of course! However, we can¡¯t enjoy the privilege of the Yoeger familying here because you¡¯re always on your high horse. Anyway, we must treat every one of our guests with respect.¡± Vanessa bit her lip and shot daggers at Wynnie before saying, ¡°Ha! How good you are with your words, Mrs. Macari!¡± ¡°Haha! I only know how to speak to a civilized human. Some people can¡¯t even speak human language,¡± Wynnie retorted with a smile. Vanessa¡¯s face fell. Suddenly, everyone tensed up as they felt the tension in the air in the Macari residence grow thicker. Kathleen asked casually. ¡°Nicolette, do you still remember pped you previously?¡± Nicolette pursed her lips upon hearing her words. ¡°Ha! How dare you mention it now! You beat me to Remaining indifferent, Kathleen uttered, ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t that the reason why you¡¯re here tonight? That¡¯s fine with me. Why don¡¯t.we settle ounts with each other since you¡¯re here?¡± Nicolette responded, ¡°Settle ounts? How do you want to do it?¡± Kathleen soon put a frosty fa?ade on her beautiful face and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about why I pped you. I guess everyone here is curious about that, too.¡± Nicolette narrowed her eyes. Kathleen continued, ¡°You¡¯re the shameless one. Everyone knows the reason for the separation between Samuel and me. It¡¯s your fault.¡± Samuel remained calm upon hearing her words. ¡°But they¡¯ll never know why I hate you to the bone,¡± added Kathleen. ¡°There has always been bad blood between us because you owe me two lives.¡± Her words caused an uproar among the crowd who heard it ¡°What? Lives?¡± ¡°I wonder why Samuel and Kathleen divorced that year. Hadn¡¯t they had everything prepared for their wedding?¡± ¡°Ah! You know nothing! Kathleen is talking about her unborn children!¡± ¡°What? Was Kathleen pregnant before?¡± Thold its Nicolette¡¯s fault initially, Kathleen had twins, but they died out of the blue*. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 The crowd started chattering among themselves. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nicolette turned to look at Kathleen with a stony expression. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You returned to the country to treat leukemia that year.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gentle voice grew colder as she said, ¡°Samuel helped you look for a suitable donor from all the blood banks and found out that I am a sultable candidate. I was pregnant at that time, so there was no way for me to donate bone marrow to you. However, you were too selfish and sent someone to knock me out before bringing me to the hospital and allowing the doctors to draw my bone marrow. My children are gone because of this.¡± Nicolette¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, Kathleen?¡± She appeared composed on the outside, but in fact, she was so scared that her palms became sweaty. ¡°Ha!¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°I know you won¡¯t admit it.¡± ¡°Why do I have to admit it if I¡¯ve never done it before?¡± questioned Nicolette in an aggrieved tone. ¡°Don¡¯t use me of something like this.¡± She knew Samuel had gotten rid of the two key witnesses. After all, the dead could never reveal the truth. No one would know the entire incident as long as she never admitted it. Gemma walked over and said, ¡°Oh? use you, huh? I¡¯m the witness! You even broke my waist when you got to know I wanted to stop you from doing this!¡± Nicolette replied calmly. ¡°Ms. Young, everyone knows you¡¯re Kathleen¡¯s good friend. Of course, you will help her concoct a devious n against me.¡± Irritated, Gemma retorted, ¡°What? Not everyone is as shameless as you!¡± Nicolette sneered, ¡°Gemma, do you think you can enjoy all the glory and wealth by choosing to side with her?¡± ¡°Y-You!¡± Gemma almost burst a blood vessel upon hearing Nicolette¡¯s words. Kathleen tugged at Gemma¡¯s arm and consoled, ¡°Don¡¯t stoop to her level.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Nicolette mocked, ¡°Gemma, the Macari family has done you a lot of favor these years. Look how you speak up for Kathleen! Are you interested in Samuel?¡± Gemma was infuriated. ¡°Hey! Not everyone is as shameless as you!¡± Nicolette asked in a steely tone, ¡°Shameless? Me? Are you sure you are better than me?¡± Hearing that, Kathleen said frostily, ¡°Nicolette, we¡¯re talking about the thing between us. Why do you have to change the topic and verbally attack Gemma? Are you feeling guilty about something?¡± Nicolette scoffed. Kathleen looked at her, exuding a uniquely aloof aura. ¡°So what if I don¡¯t have any witnesses? Although you think your n that year was wless, there are still surveince cameras in every hospital. Don¡¯t you know about that, Nicolette?¡± Nicolette¡¯s expression grew frostier. ¡°Unfortunately, the surveince cameras all malfunctioned that night.¡± Kathleen responded nonchntly. ¡°But, some surveince cameras are functioning normally In other ces in the hospital. There was also surveince footage of me being knocked out and brought into the hospital.¡± Nicolette was stunned. Samuel walked toward Kathleen and gently ced his hand on her shoulder. His dark eyes were as deep as chasm as he suggested, ¡°You want witnesses? I have them.¡± Kathleen was shocked. The next instant, he pulled her into his arms. Nicolette bit her lip in disbelief upon hearing Samuel¡¯s words. That¡¯s impossible! How can Samuel have witnesses? I remember he had gotten rid of Sarah and the doctor, hadn¡¯t he? Has he looked for the others to fake evidence for Kathleen? ¡°Knowing that you may need them. I¡¯ve asked my men to bring them here beforehand.¡± Retracting his hand from Kathleen¡¯s shoulder, he smiledzily, exuding a cold aura. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Nicolette could not believe her ears. He looked at Tyson and instructed, ¡°Bring them here.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tyson strode out as he heard Samuel¡¯s order. Nicolette chewed on her lip in anxiousness. No! It can¡¯t be! Samuel will not force me to a wall! Soon, Tyson brought a man and a woman along with him. Kathleen stared at them and could barely recognize them. Kathleen could hardly believe her eyes the moment she saw Sarah, not to mention the doctor. Sarah had be plumper, and her rosy cheeks made her look healthy. She did not seem like she had been mistreated. In fact, the same went to the doctor who had be rotund. ¡°Tell them who you are,¡± Samuel ordered coldly. Sarah came clean about everything after hearing Samuel¡¯s words. ¡°My name is Sarah, and I was Mr. Macari¡¯s bodyguard. He asked me to protect Mrs. Macari, but I was bribed by Nicolette. Therefore, drugged Mrs. Macari and took her to the hospital. He was the doctor who operated on Mrs. Macari.¡± ¡°Yes. At that time, Nicolette approached me to discuss this matter. I was blinded by money and agreed to help her out. However, I did the operation anyway even though Mrs. Macari imed that she was pregnant at that moment. I was too greedy! After that, she suffered a hemorrhage, causing a shock. I didn¡¯t perform any treatment on her, so I directly asked someone to send her to the morgue. Fortunately, Mr. Macari and Mdm. Wynnie arrived and saved Mrs. Macari,¡± the doctor said. ¡°Gemma was trying to stop us. However, I went against her and almost broke her waist to prevent her from ruining our n. She wasn¡¯t lying,¡± added Sarah. ¡°Hey! You two!¡± Nicolette was enraged. Sarah raised her hand to make a vow gesture. ¡°I swear on my life. Everything I said Is true. I¡¯ll suffer from divine retribution and rot in hell if I were to lie to you!¡± The doctor said, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s right! I swear to the heavens! If I lie, may the heavens strike me down with lightning!¡± The crowd immediately believed Sarah and the doctor after hearing their horrific vow. ¡°Gosh! Nicolette is too evil!¡± ¡°Serve her right! Kathleen is not wrong for ruining Nicolette¡¯s face!¡± ¡°Nicolette deserves the punishment! She is so disgusting for sabotaging Kathleen and Samuel¡¯s marriage. Anyway, she was the one who gave up on Samuel first.¡± ¡°Hmm, I think Kathleen is too generous. If it were me, I would send Nicolette to prison!¡± ¡°Samuel was protecting Nicolette at that time. Otherwise, she would be long be jailed.¡± Hearing the crowd¡¯s spection, Samuel exined, ¡°I was kind to Nicolette because I thought she was the one who saved me.¡± Everyone froze like a statue, and Nicolette gaped at Samuel in silence. What does he mean by that? Could it be that he knew everything? That¡¯s impossible! He never knew the truth even after so many years. Thus, I believe he¡¯s never mentioned anything about it to Kathleen. He would never question the truth, would he? Staring coldly at Nicolette, Samuel said, ¡°The one who saved me when I almost drowned in the orphanage wasn¡¯t you, Nicolette.¡± Nicolette was shocked by his words. Everyone was equally surprised. ¡°It was Kathleen who saved me,¡± Samuel continued. Unwilling to give up, Nicolette bit her lip and said, ¡°She lied to you!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to trick me. I just confirmed it a few days ago,¡± Samuel said solemnly. His words stupefied Nicolette. ¡°I was kind to you because I thought you were the one who saved me. After knowing that you weren¡¯t the one, I owe you nothing, then. In fact, you are the one who owes me.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes turned dark and frosty. Nicolette froze on the spot. ¡°Samuel, Kathleen is lying to you!¡± The next instant, Samuel turned to Diana and said, ¡°Grandma, was Kate drenched when she went looking for you at that time?¡± Diana answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, Nicolette. Tell me then. Why was Kathleen soaked if she wasn¡¯t the one who had saved me?¡± asked Samuel in a cold voice. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Nicolette was dumbstruck. ¡°Why did she have to make herself soaked?¡± Samuel stared at Nicolette, putting her in a tight spot. Nicolette could barely handle the situation, as she did not know how to react to it when Samuel went against her. After all, it was too easy for Samuel to deal with her if he wished to do that. with a disdainful look, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say now? Weren¡¯t you spouting a mouthful of nonsense just now?¡± ¡°Hahal¡± Nicolette looked at him in despair and said, ¡°We were in love, Samuel. How can you-¡± ¡°No, I never did. I was only reciprocating your kindness,¡± responded Samuel haughtily. Nicolette¡¯s face turned ashen. She was so shocked that her body was trembling in disbelief. Reciprocating my kindness? He is so cruel! Staring into his dark eyes, she yelled, ¡°How can you do this to me? All you want is to pursue Kathleen!¡± Samuel responded calmly, ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯ve decided to give up on that. She will be my sister from now on. I¡¯m only protecting her. Is it wrong?¡± His words stumped her once again. Kathleen flushed upon hearing his words. She was supposed to feel peaceful to hear his words. However, for some reason, she was conflicted. Instead, a gloomy feeling descended upon her. Seeing how the tables had turned, Vanessa chimed in coldly, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, your family has gone overboard! You¡¯re all bullying her!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you utter a word when Nicolette was bullying Kathleen?¡± Displeased, Diana continued, ¡°Why? Are you anxious because we¡¯ve finally revealed her true colors? Are you scared that it might ¨C bring shame to your family?¡± Vanessa was rooted to the spot upon hearing Diana¡¯s words. ¡°I need to ask you something, Nicolette.¡± Kathleen took a step forward. ¡°Why did you choose the hospital where my parents used to work instead of other hospitals that treat leukemia? Also, why did you choose the hospital that has my bone marrow tissue type on record?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Nicolette remained silent. ¡°Did you already know about something beforehand?¡± Kathleen added, ring at Nicolette. Nicolette did not dare to look at Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Kathleen turned to Vanessa and said, ¡°We¡¯ve got witnesses now. Can we now leave Nicolette¡¯s case of intentional assault to the court?¡± Vanessa bit her lip and fell silent. Kathleen shot Nicolette a cold nce. ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve nothing to say, I¡¯ll see you in court then.¡± Nicolette¡¯s face turned pale as she looked at Kathleen. ¡°Don¡¯t me me for doing this. I¡¯m only avenging my two children.¡± Kathleen continued coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s leave now!¡± Vanessa wanted to take Nicolette to leave with her. Kathleen sald calmly. Vanessa, Grandma and I will go to the Yoeger residence and visit Old Mrs. Yoeger. I think what happened between Nicolette and I should not trouble the elders in our families. Therefore, I need to exin it properly to her.¡± Vanessa turned to look at Kathleen coldly before letting out a scoff and turning around to leave. Seeing this, Kathleen did not say a word. After the Yoeger family left, Samuel asked someone to bring Sarah and the doctor out. Afterward, the charity auction continued. ¡°I have something else to attend to. I¡¯ll leave first,¡± said Samuel to Diana before turning around and leaving the mansion. Kathleen followed him. ¡°Samuel,¡± she called out his name. He turned around. ¡°Call me Sam.¡± She was at a loss for words. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡¯ He smiled faintly. Confused, Kathleen asked.¡±What¡¯s happened to Sarah and the others?¡± She saw someone drag Sarah and the doctor into a vehicle. ¡°What ways of torturing people can you think of?¡± A tinge of evilness shed past Samuel¡¯s eyes as he looked at her. She pursed her red lips. ¡°Like the way you treated Nicolette?¡± ¡°That¡¯s one.¡± He grinned. ¡°Have you ever heard of a story in which there was a group of evil people who were sent to heaven? They were happy in heaven with sufficient food and drinks, and they did not have to suffer all day in fire like those in hell. All they had to do was to eat and drink. However, they would gradually realize they could not stand it anymore because their only task was to eat. As time went by. they felt that it was actually a kind of torture.¡± Kathleen fell silent for a moment. ¡°I know this story. In reality, there¡¯s no heaven but only hell.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. So, I¡¯m putting Sarah and the others in the living hell. They can only be fed on a bed like pigs in a sty. They can¡¯t go down from their beds nor do other activities. Do you think they will be happy living in such a state?¡± It was a mental suffering for them. Realization soon struck Kathleen as she looked at Samuel intently. Ah! How can he evene up with something like that? Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Judging from Nicolette¡¯s expression, I think she must have thought that you have already gotten rid of Sarah and the doctor. I also thought-¡± I¡¯ll never let them off the hook,¡± Samuel Interrupted unsympathetically. ¡°All right. Anyway, thank you,¡± said Kathleen in a low voice. He looked at her meaningfully before saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Samuel nced at Kathleen, who had been behaving polite and obedient. ¡°Good. Go in then. It¡¯s cold outside.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°I told you just now that I wouldn¡¯t pester you anymore. I¡¯ve given up on pursuing you. Shouldn¡¯t you be happy to hear this?¡± He shed a half-smile. Kathleen pressed her lips into a thin line. ¡°All right.¡± With that, he turned around to leave before getting into the car. Tyson was the driver. Meanwhile, Samuel looked at Kathleen through the car window. I¡¯ll definitely win her heart. In reality, I have never thought of stopping pursuing her. It¡¯s simply a way to buy time because I want to include myself in her life. I want her to fall for me again. Sighing, Kathleen turned around and went to look for Diana. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, I¡¯m sorry for deciding to pay a visit to Old Mrs. Yoeger tomorrow without your permission.¡± Kathleen felt embarrassed, knowing that she was too foolhardy to say that. Diana replied solemnly, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m also worried about her. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°Who do you think Old Mrs. Yoeger will choose to be the next head of the Yoeger family?¡± ¡°Definitely not Vanessa,¡± Diana assured. Shocked, Kathleen asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Vanessa isn¡¯t Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s biological daughter. She is an illegitimate daughter of Old Mr. Yoeger. A woman carrying Vanessa went looking for him at the Yoeger residence when Old Mrs. Yoeger just got married to him.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°In order not to create a hassle, Old Mrs. Yoeger could only im that Vanessa is her own daughter.¡± Kathleen was shocked to the core. Ah! I have never thought things would turn out to be like this! Vanessa is an illegitimate child! ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow,¡± Diana said calmly. ¡°I¡¯d like to know what she¡¯s up to!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°By the way. If Samuel bullies you again, don¡¯t spare him anymore!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood him, Grandma. We¡¯ve talked it out, and he¡¯s decided not to pester me anymore!¡± Diana fell silent. Hmph! I will never believe his words! He must be lying to Kathleen! I¡¯m sure he is a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing! After all, Samuel was Diana¡¯s grandson. She could not bear to reveal his true nature in front of Kathleen. All she could do was to remind Kathleen not to trust Samuel. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Vanessa and Nicolette were on their way back Nicolette was very anxious. ¡°Aunt Vanessa, what should I do? Samuel knew I was not the one who saved him. Will he kill me?¡± Why are you worried? Even if the Macari family is powerful, they couldn¡¯t send someone into prison easily Vanessa raised her eyebrows with displeasure Upon hearing that, Nicolette felt relieved Meanwhile, Vanessa gritted her teeth. No matter what, I won¡¯t let Samuel send Nicolette into prison Nothing can happen to Zachary! If Zachary dies and Kathleen reconciles with the Yoeger family, Old Mrs. Yoeger will surely give the Yoeger family¡¯s Inheritance to Kathleen Then, all my effort will be in vain Vanessa only needed to wait She had to wait until Frances died and passed the inheritance to Zachary. Then, Vanessa would wait for Zachary to suffer from the renal transnt rejection. Until then, everything from the Yoeger family would be hers She only needed to be wary of Kathleen and stopped thetter from getting in touch with Frances Kathleen wants toe to the Yoeger residence tomorrow with Old Mrs. Macari. In her dreams! Sitting beside Vanessa, Nicolette stared at her legs as she fell deep in her thoughts as well I want to stand up again I¡¯m under many restrictions in this state Kathleen stepped out of the Macari residence and returned home with Charles As soon as they left, Caleb gave her a call ¡°Do you have time? Caleb¡¯s voice was low and attractive ¡°Yes. What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Kathleen in surprise ¡°She¡¯s not quite well¡± Caleb questioned calmly. ¡°Can you help me?¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ming right away Kathleen nodded. Thank you with that, Caleb hung up the phone. Giving Charles a side nce, Kathleen said, ¡°Charles, send me to the Lewis residence¡± The Lewis residence? Charles slightly furtowed his brows and asked, ¡°Do you still have to go to the Lewis residence?¡± This is something between Caleb and I answered Kathleen. He quickly exined, ¡®I mean, aren¡¯t you afraid of going viral again?¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not doing anything wrong Why should I be scored? Besides, I¡¯m single now Kothleen¡¯s dazzling eyes were clear Charles nodded in response With that, he sent her over In fact, he also wished to visit the Lewis residence Soon, they arrived at their destination Caleb was standing by e door This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Wearing a white shirt and gray pants, he put his hands in his pockets. His expression was indifferent Kathleen got out of the car and walked over She eximed in shock, ¡°What happened to your face?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine Why is he here?¡± Caleb maintained his aloolposure ¡°Don¡¯t worry My brother won¡¯t say anything.¡± she answered Caleb did not reply to that Charles came up and greeted, ¡°Mr Lewis.¡¯ Caleb simply nodded in reply He was, in fact, no friendlier than Samuel ¡°Charles, wait for me in the living roomter reminded Kathleen Charles nodded and hummed in response Looking at Caleb, she said, ¡°Lead the way Thetter cast a deep look at Charles before bringing her upstairs When Kathleen reached the room upstairs, she headed inside and found that the woman was all tied up on the bed She struggled greatly to break free, but to no avail Kathleen walked over and checked her pulse Staring at Kathleen¡¯s eyes, the woman struggled even harder ¡°Now, she can¡¯t stay calm even with two shots of sedatives. The doctor says if we give her more, it will cause damage to the nervous system in her brain.¡± Caleb spoke hoarsely ¡°The doctor is right.¡± Kathleen ced the woman¡¯s hand back. Then, she took out a silver needle and said, ¡°Please hold her head.¡± Going over, Caleb held the woman¡¯s head ¡°Let me diel I want to die!¡± The woman suddenly burst out crying ¡°I won¡¯t let you die, Vivianl You have to livel Caleb gritted his teeth You must survivel ¡°Caleb. I¡¯m in great pain I feel terriblei Please don¡¯t torture me anymore, Vivian cried miserably Caleb did not speak as his charming face turned grim. Meanwhile, Kathleen grabbed the silver needle and gently inserted it into Vivian¡¯s forehead At that instant. Vivian did not struggle as hard as earlier After that, Kathleen inserted another silver needle at the acupoint on top of Vivian¡¯s head With that. Vivian became quieter Seeing that, Caleb looked at Kathleen in amazement ¡°Where is the medicine?¡± asked Kathleen Caleb knew the medicine she mentioned was the one she prescribed a few days ago Nodding, he brought the medicine over Kathleen took it from him and fed it to Vivian After finishing the medicine, Vivian fell asleep quickly This medicine has the effect of soothing her mind, Feed her twice a day It has fewer side effects than sedatives, exined Kathleen *Thank you.¡± He slightly rxed and let out a sigh of relief ncing at Caleb, who was tucking Vivian in bed, Kathleen uttered, ¡°She¡¯s in indescribable agony ¡°Have you ever seen happy people be crazy?¡± he asked frigidly Kathleen froze after hearing his words, ¡°No offense;¡± Caleb rified ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I think you have a point,¡± replied Kathleen He nced at her intently before saying. ¡°She¡¯s Vivian Lewis, my elder sister Three years ago, she was tricked by a man. Her baby died when she was in the sixth month of pregnancy Kathleen was shocked ¡°After that, she became like this. Caleb gulped before continuing. ¡°The outsiders don¡¯t know about my sister¡¯s situation. They think she is staying overseas That¡¯s why ¡°Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t tell anyone about this* Kathleen did not expect him to tell her everything She did not intend to learn the painful secrets He looked at Kathleen calmly. ¡®Sure, I believe you¡± Kathleen was put on the spot Leaning against the wall, he fixed his gaze on her ¡°Can my sister be cured?¡± ¡°Previously, I thought we should get to the root of the problem. But after you mentioned her past, perhaps I would be useless even if we let her meet the man For now, I¡¯ll treat her with acupuncture and medication.¡± Kathleen uttered in a low voice ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was deep. She shed him a smile and remarked, ¡°You thanked me several times today. Are you actually this formal, Mr. Lewis?¡± Caleb was rendered speechless by that. As he gazed at the woman standing before him, he felt slightly happier than earlier somehow. ¡°What are you going to do about Nicolette?¡± Caleb asked out of curiosity. Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°How did you know?¡± ! ¡°There is nothing in Jadeborough that I don¡¯t know. Do you need my help?¡± he asked calmly. ¡°No. I can handle it by myself.¡± She shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m only returning the favor. Also, I heard the trending post of usst time was Nicolette¡¯s doing.¡± Caleb remarked in a frigid tone. She pursed her lips. ¡°I will think of a way to deal with her.¡± Caleb noticed Kathleen was a bit cautious, ¡°Why do you need to dwell over that? As Johnson Group¡¯s CEO¡¯s sister and a recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actress, you even have the Macari family as your backing. What are you worrying about?¡± He straightened his back and continued, ¡°You have me now. I will help you.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. His words are so ambiguous. ¡°I still have work to do at the office. Let¡¯s go.¡± said Caleb. Momentarily stunned, she nodded in response before following him downstairs. Charles was sitting in the living room, drinking coffee. He stood up when he heard Kathleen and Caleb coming down the stairs. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 ¡°Charles, we can leave now,¡± said Kathleen nonchntly So soon? Charles looked at Caleb. ¡°Does my sister need toe to the Lewis residence often in the future?¡± ¡°Charles.¡± Kathleen frowned. Did he misunderstood something? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Johnson. From now on, we¡¯ll make sure that there are no paparazzi within a five kilometer radius of the Johnson residence, Caleb promised impassively. ¡°That would be the best,¡± replied Charles coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing my sister home. Please excuse us.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Caleb replied emotionlessly. Charles led Kathleen away while grabbing her hand. Meanwhile, Caleb retrieved his lighter and cigarette case from his pocket and lit a cigarette for himself. A smile tugged on his thin lips when he heard the sounds of the car starting outside. Kathleen sure is an interesting woman Charles drove his car to send Kathleen back home Halfway through their journey, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What business does Caleb have with you? Stop asking me that, Charles I can¡¯t talk about it.¡± Kathleen was flustered. Her brother frowned ¡°Not even to me?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± She nodded Upon hearing that, he smirked, ¡°is the woman upstairs named Vivian Lewis?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°How do you know that, Charles?¡± ¡°What happened to her?¡± he inquired in a hoarse valce, his hands gripping the steering wheel She hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡®Her mental state is unstable It seems as if she had gone through a traumatizing experience The veins on the back of Charles¡¯ hands popped out ¡°Can her condition be cured?¡± ll depend on the circumstances,¡¯ answered Kathleen Charles persed his lips into a thin line ¡°You have to save her Kathleen looked at him in Cucosity Charles, do you know her? Hodn¡¯t reply to her question, but the answer was afirmative Katiwe utowed her brows deeply Cherley knew Vivian? How on they incel, and when? Could Charles have anything to do with the state This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. which Vivian is in? Kathleen dared not continue down that line of thought. From what she knew, Charles wasn¡¯t someone like that. Perhaps I might just have overthought this. Meanwhile, Caleb entered his study to retrieve a photo from the drawer of his desk and studied it closely. At that moment, a man entered the study. ¡°Mr. Lewis, the car is ready, and the ne is already waiting for your arrival at the airport.¡± Caleb put the photo down. ¡°Philip, look at this. Don¡¯t you think this man looks like Charles?¡± Philip Lewis walked up to him and observed the photo after taking it from Caleb. ¡°Mr. Lewis, this photo is all blurry That man resembles Charles but not entirely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve hired a lot of hackers to restore this photo, but they only ever managed to recover this man¡¯s face. Who is he if not Charles?¡± questioned Caleb indifferently. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Charles directly. Mr Lewis?¡± Philip was confused ¡°Do you think Charles will admit to it even if he is indeed the man in the photo? Caleb sounded stern. ¡°Would he even have the guts to admit it that he is the reason why my elder sister is in such a state?¡± Philip pursed his lips. ¡°What do you propose then, Mr Lewis?¡± ¡°I would like to court Kathleen. I need her to fall for me, and then I¡¯ll dump her By then, Charles would definitely bend to my will for the sake of her happiness. He would answer whatever questions that ask¡± Philip didn¡¯t say anything to that. Caleb looked at Philip with an aloof expression. ¡°What do you think about my n?¡± ¡°I think it sounds decent.¡± Philip was almost ashamed Caleb furrowed his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s good?¡± ¡°Mr Lewis, I think you should do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Ms. Lewis only became like that because of a bad rtionship, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to go do that to another wornan Moreover, Ms Johnson Isn¡¯t in the wrong, no?¡± Philipmented calmly ¡°Im not going to actually dump her I¡¯m only going to scare her,¡± said Caleb. ¡®Youll fust have to be able to court her, Mr Lewis. Philip inocked How could you be certain that I wouldn¡¯t seed in 117 questioned Caleb frostily Php averted his are from Caleb ¡®lust yet that freliny lebitted Altri puturniite tecto ball into the diowe. le sait lu Philip. Remeniber to have Kathleeni one in If yngleri ondo lne doily Juring the next pw days¡¯ ¡°Understood.¡± Philip nodded. Caleb picked up his jacket and left after putting it on. At the airport, Samuel boarded the ne. Tyson came to his side and whispered, ¡°Mr. Macari, ording to thetest update, Ms. Johnson had gone to the Lewis residence just now.¡± Samuel had a cold look in his eyes. ¡°Kathleen went to the Lewis residence again?¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Did you manage to find out what was the purpose of her visit?¡± asked Samuel aloofly. ¡°Members of the Lewis family are tight-lipped,¡± said Tyson in chagrin. ¡°Hmph!¡± There was a look of gloomy disdain on Samuel¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Think of other ways to proceed.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson nodded. As soon as he said that, another indifferent voice came through. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Samuel looked beside him. ¡°Mr. Lewis.¡± Caleb smiled His seat was located on the other side. As he settled into it gracefully, he asked, ¡°Where are you going. Samuel?¡± *This is a direct flight, so I am, without a doubt, heading to the same destination as you,¡± answered Samuel in an impassive tone. Caleb smiled knowingly. ¡°Mr. Macari, can I ask you a few questions? Samuel didn¡¯t utter a word, ¡°What does Kate like?¡± Caleb inquired casually. I would like to court her, but I don¡¯t know her well yet, so I would like to get more information from you, who is her ex-husband. Of course, I¡¯ve also heard that you don¡¯t know her that well even though you¡¯ve known each other for many years and both of you had been married for quite some time. It seems to me that I¡¯ve directed my question at the wrong person.¡± ¡°Do you actually think I¡¯ll tell you?¡± Samuel found that hrious. ¡°Are you not telling me because you¡¯re afraid that I might go after Kathleen, or is it that you have no idea at all? Caleb sounded as if he were trying to sow discord Although Samuel Ignored him, he was feeling anxious deep down. Kathleen won¡¯t belong to anyone but me Kothleeri lel out a sneeze Who¡¯s talking about lig behind iny back? She was currently filmning on sel The prop master had just hooked her up on a wire. The next scene that she would be filming was of her jumping off a watchtower Everybody double-checked everything and confirmed that nothing could go wrong before lifting Kathleen into the air As Kathleen saw herself getting further and further away from the ground, she was also beginning to feel uneasy The lifting stopped when she had reached a certain height. Then, the directormanded, ¡°Action!¡± The scene depicted the memories of a female assassin She had a shback in her mind as she jumped off the watchtower to cut off the head of the enemy¡¯s leader All Kathleen had to do was to go through the motions after she had descended to ground level with the help of the high-tension wire. However, a weird noise could be heard as soon as the director called for filming to begin. Next, Kathleen fell from mid-air, shocking everybody on the set. ¡°Argh!¡± Kathleen was also shocked. Because she had nothing to hold onto, she could feel herself falling downward I¡¯m done for! Unexpectedly, the prop masters reacted incredibly swiftly and managed to grab the wire with their hands It was fortunate that all of them were wearing gloves when they grabbed the wire. Just before Kathleen fell t on the ground, she stopped and hovered in the air a few centimeters above the ground. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 ¡°Are you okay?¡± Everybody flocked over to check on her. Kathleen held Valerie¡¯s hand with a grim expression on her face. ¡°I hurt my waist.¡± Valerie was stunned. ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the hospital!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t move.¡± Kathleen¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet. ¡°Call an ambnce.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Valerie called an ambnce right away. Everybody knew that Kathleen was gravely injured. Soon, the ambnce arrived, and Kathleen was rushed to the hospital. The doctor checked on her before sending her into a ward. Shey motionless on bed until Charles came to visit her. ¡°I already sent someone to investigate this.¡± Charles wore a frown on his face. ¡°So you agree that something is fishy, right?¡± Kathleen felt dejected. ¡°Isn¡¯t this obvious?¡± Charles arched his brow. ¡°Someone must have done it on purpose. Other than the Yoeger family, I couldn¡¯t think of anybody else as the suspect.¡± ¡°If this is really their doing, they sure are bold.¡± Kathleen frowned. He stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°So it seems you have yet to hear of it.¡± ¡°What did I miss out on?¡± Kathleen was at a loss. ¡°The police had detained Nicolette at the same time when you were being rushed to the hospital,¡± replied Charles. Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Was it Samuel¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°No. I think it¡¯s Caleb,¡± said Charles cidly. Kathleen didn¡¯t know what to say to that, ¡°News is spreading like wildfire in Jadeborough. Everybody¡¯s lming that you and Caleb share some sort of rtionship. Everyone in Jadeborough is now aware of this even though it¡¯s only been an hour. Could he be trying to court you by making such a move?¡± Charles was in deep contemtion. Kathleen shook her head, for she also did not know the answer. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible. He doesn¡¯t seem to harbor feelings for me.¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± Charles analyzed the situation in all serlousness. ¡°There are some people who don¡¯t wear their heart on their sleeve. Of course, there are also people like Samuel, who are just ying innocent. He might im to see you as his sistei when he doesn¡¯t think that at all.¡± ¡°Charles, we¡¯re talking about Caleb here. Why do you need to mention Samuel7¡± Kathleen was Speechless Wall, l¡¯be happy for you, no matter who you marry in the future, with Samuel Deing the exception.¡± Charles couldn¡¯t bring himself to like Samuel. Kathleen heaved a sigh, no longer feeling like speakingThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay, okay. We won¡¯t talk about Samuel any longer¡± Charles made apromise. ¡°Will you ept Caleb if he actuallyes after you?¡± ¡°It depends,¡¯ answered Kathleennguidly Charles frowned. ¡°Do you like him?¡± She shook her head. ¡°So why are you even considering him?¡± Charles couldn¡¯t understand ¡°As I said, it depends,¡± replied Kathleen nonchntly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be embarrassing myself if I make a stand now but change my mind in the future?¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Charles Smirked. ¡°Instead of doing that for Caleb¡¯s sake, I think you would more likely do that just to spite Samuel.¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°All right, I won¡¯t mess with you any longer. Get some rest.¡± Charles tucked her in. ¡°I will request the film crew to conduct an investigation while you get some rest.¡± Shutting her eyes to nap, Kathleen nodded as Charles stood to leave. At the Yoeger residence, Vanessa couldn¡¯t do anything as she watched Nicolette being arrested Since the police had an arrest warrant, she couldn¡¯t mitigate the situation Thus, she could only allow the police to take Nicolette away before trying toe up with a n to restue her From what she heard, neither Kathleen nor Samuel was behind that, but it was Caleb, which displeased her. Caleb must be seeking revenge for the incident with the trending list, but he doesn¡¯t have to make such a huge fuss out of it to the point where it becamemon knowledge unless he¡¯s doing this deliberately so that everybody knows he¡¯s standing up for Kathleen. So why is he standing up for her? Aside from romantic interests, Vanessa couldn¡¯t fathom any other possible reason. Hahal Interesting. All men fancy Kathleen and would stand up for her, while Nicolette, being the fool she is, assumes that she can do as she pleases just because she has saved Samuel¡¯s life. Now that her lie has been exposed, she¡¯s out of moves. Regardless, Vanessa was determined to rescue Nicolette, no matter the cost At that moment, a housekeeper walked up to her before announcing solemnly. ¡°Ms. Yoeger, Old Mrs. Yoeger would like to see you.¡± ¡°Got it Vanessa nodded before turning to head to Frances¡¯ room Frances had a sicklyplexion and yellow coloration to her face ¡°How are you feeling. Mother?¡± Vanessa sat down ¡°Vanessa, I know I don¡¯t have much time left, so can you figure out a way to find your sister?¡± Frances voice was hoarse. Vanessa¡¯s heart sank as she held Frances¡¯ hand, ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve been trying my best to find her, but I haven¡¯t gotten a clue as to her whereabouts. Perhaps she had long since passed away.¡± Frances sighed heavily. ¡°Your father had instructed me to find your sister when he passed away. However, my efforts were futile, and I have yet to find her even though forty years have passed. How should I face your father in the afterlife after I pass away?¡± ¡°Mother, you can¡¯t force this. I¡¯ve been doing my best.¡± Vanessa was having a headache. ¡°Lately. Zachary¡¯s health hasn¡¯t been the best, and there are a lot of things that I need to handle in the office. Mother, I¡¯m already spreading myself too thin.¡± Frances had a solemn look on her face. Vanessa consoled her, ¡°However, you can rest assured that I¡¯ve been sending people to search for her. I¡¯ll inform you as soon as I get any clues, so don¡¯t you worry.¡± Frances remained silent. Seeing that Frances ignored her, Vanessa no longer felt like speaking and stood up to leave. Frances shut her eyes before asking the housekeeper, ¡°Where¡¯s Nicolette?¡± ¡°She was arrested by the police just now. I think it was because she was found guilty of conspiring with a doctor to frame Ms. Johnson a year ago.¡± ¡°Serves her right Frances was irritated. ¡°How dare they ept Nicolette into the household now that they¡¯re all grown up? They¡¯re just trying to irk me!¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, as Ms. Yoeger said, she did all that to help cure Mr. Yoeger. She had no foul Intentions.¡± Frances didn¡¯t reply to that. After a while, she asked, ¡°Have I had breakfast?¡± The housekeeper shuddered before saying in remorse, ¡°Old Mrs Yoeger, you¡¯ve had your breakfast. It¡¯s almost time for dinner¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Frances paused for a moment. ¡°So I¡¯ve already had breakfast.¡± The housekeeper heaved a sigh. She sure is getting senile, Frances muttered under her breath for some time before finally falling asleep. Then, the housekeeper also left the room. In the dead of night, a slim figure snuck out from the hospital She was in full disguise, wrapped underyers of clothing After hailing ax, she got into it. ¡°To the Yoeger residence¡± The drivet sent her to the Yoeger residence as per her instructions Upon arriving at hel destination, she handed the driver a bill ¡°I don¡¯t need change.¡± The driver drove oft ofter taking the bill froin her After checking the walls around the Yoeger residence, she smirked and retrieved a grappling hook from the bag she carried. Then, she threw the grappling hook over the wall and grabbed onto the rope attached to it to scale the wall before entering the courtyard. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 The Yoeger residence was quieter than Kathleen had expected. It seemed that no one from the Yoeger family had predicted that someone would intrude into their residence. Even so, it was a good thing for her, for she could rx a little. Kathleen managed to enter the residence easily. She had ordered someone to map out the Yoeger residence¡¯s building n and mark which room Frances was sleeping in. Because Frances had trouble walking, she was staying in the room on the first floor for convenience. Kathleen found Frances¡¯ room and gently opened the door. There was only one nightlight turned on, and the room was still kind of dark. After making sure that there was no one else around, Kathleen quietly walked into the room and closed the door. In small, quiet footsteps, she sneaked over to Frances¡¯ bed. Kathleen took out a candle that was meant to lull a person to sleep. She was about to light it when she heard Frances speak. ¡°Who are you?¡± Kathleen paused in shock. She put down the candle and looked at Frances. ¡°I..¡± ¡°Do what you want,¡± Frances said as she closed her eyes. Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Old. Mrs. Yoeger, I¡¯m Kathleen.¡± She bent down. Frances opened her eyes once more to take a good look at Kathleen. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re that woman from the Macari family?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Samuel¡¯s ex-wife,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°But not anymore.¡± Frances looked her dead in the eye. ¡°A man who likes Nicolette is not a good person. I rmend you to give up as soon as possible.¡± Kathleen was stunned momentarily. ¡°Is it true that you are bing senile, Old Mrs. Yoeger?¡± ¡°Who said that? They¡¯re the ones bing senile¡± Frances sald harshly ¡°Walt, who are you?¡± Once again, Kathleen was lendered speechless. forget H. There must be something wrong with Old Mrs. Yoeger if stie¡¯s acung this way. Kathleen til the candle Wher Fruncus dozeld ont, Kathleen took out a silver needle and inserted it into Frances¡¯s right hand. She then took an out when a shon white. The end of the silver needle had turned ck. It seems that Old Mrs. Yoeger is really poisoned. It¡¯s not because of Alzheimer¡¯s disease. Kathleen took out more silver needles and started treating Frances After thirty minutes, she took out all of the needles and found that all of them had turned ck Kathleen furrowed her eyebrows. Judging from the needles, Kathleen thought that Frances had been poisoned for more than a few days. Moreover, it was a chronic poison. Whoever that did this was very smart. If that person had used a type of poison that would take effect quickly, it would be easy for others to diagnose that Frances had been poisoned All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. However, since they had used a slow, chronic poison, it would be harder to detect It was fortunate that Kathleen thought that something was wrong and came to the Yoeger residence Or else Besides, Kathleen knew that Vanessa would stop them froming to visit Frances If she hadn¡¯te that night, she probably would have never gotten the chance to see Frances anymore Kathleen looked down at Frances¡¯ pale face while her eyes teared up. Frances probably never expected that her own biological daughter would poison her. After a while, Kathleen was about to leave when she heard a sound from outside the door. She quickly opened the window and jumped out of it before closing it gently Kathleen was not rushing to leave She then saw Vanessa bringing in a bowl of herbal inedicine. Vanessa walked over to Frances and nudged her mother, but Frances did not respond, In the end, Vanessa forced Frances¡¯ mouth open and poured the medicine into her mouth What a cruel woman! Kathleen took out her phone to record everything for evidence Suddenly. Vanessa felt like there was someone watching her, so she whipped her head around Kathleen liimediately ducked ¡°Did I sense something wrongly? Vanessa furrowed her eyebrows She looked back at Franves coldly ¡°Don¡¯t me me. Moni I am your eldest daughter, but you decided to give everything to that useless Idiot Zachary You would rather give it to your inigging, youngest daughter instead of me. You leave me no choice but to do this.¡± Frances was still deep in slumber. ¡°If you had been fair in your decisions, I would not have done this,¡± Vanessa continued menacingly. ¡°That b*tch, Nicolette, even wants a share of it. How dare she! That little bich has no right to be a part of the Yoeger family!¡± Still, there was no reaction from Frances. Vanessa forced all of the medicine down Frances¡¯ throat and did not even bother to wipe her mouth. ¡°Soon enough, everything will be mine. Mine!¡± Vanessa cackled evilly. Kathleen furrowed her eyebrows Vanessa must have gone crazy Kathleen never expected that Vanessa could act so atrociously in the Yoeger residence. There was no one around that could stop her. What is Zachary even doing? Even if he isn¡¯t well, he must be out of his mind to allow Vanessa to do whatever she wishes Vanessa soon left the room, and Kathleen knew that she had to leave as well She left the Yoeger residence using the same route she came in. After arriving at the main road, she called for a taxi and headed back to the hospital. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Kathleen had just entered the ward when she saw Charles standing by the bed with his arms crossed He was staring at her coldly. 1. Kathleen was taken aback. He noticed her outfit and asked in a low voice. ¡°Did you go to the Yoeger residence?¡± She nodded, ¡°I just wanted to examine Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is?¡± her brother questioned solemnly. ¡°How would we know the truth If we don¡¯t do anything?¡± Kathleen retorted grimly ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger has been diagnosed with Alzheimer¡¯s. She can¡¯t remember anything anymore. Vanessa Is now the head of the Yoeger family. If we want to find out about Mom¡¯s past, we can¡¯t trust Vanessa. Therefore, Old Mrs. Yoeger must be awake and clear-headed. Otherwise, there won¡¯t be anyone who would acknowledge our identily¡± Charles¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I should be the one investigating it. You¡¯re only supposed to take care of yourself That¡¯s my parents, too, Charles I can¡¯t just stand by and watch Moreover, Old Mrs. Yoeger is our granuly There¡¯s no way I can sit idly and do nothing about it.¡± Kathleen replied. He pursed his lips in silence ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Charles No one saw me I was very careful¡¯ she added ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re careful. That ce is the lion¡¯s den,¡± he said as he rubbed his temples. ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger is poisoned. She doesn¡¯t have Alzheimer¡¯s. The one who poisoned her is Vanessa.¡± ¡°Do you have any proof?¡± he asked gravely. ¡°The evidence that I have is still not enough. I¡¯m nning on going there again tomorrow night and installing an audio bug in Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s room,¡± Kathleen replied. An audio bug? Charles frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll go instead.¡± ¡°No,¡± she instantly rejected. ¡°I¡¯ve been there once. I¡¯m more familiar with the ce than you are. You can follow me and wait for me outside.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go in together.¡± He stared at her. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier for us to be spotted if there are two of us. Please trust me this one time, Charles. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kathleen held her ground. He remained silent. ¡°I also have to treat Old Mrs. Yoeger. I need to go back,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°She is severely poisoned. If I don¡¯t help her, her life might be in danger.¡± Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Charles¡¯ce clouded over. Kathleen looked at him in silence. *All right. I got it,¡± Charles relented. Kathleen was overjoyed. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed. You should go home too.¡± ¡°Go home? Pfft. The ident was obviously directed at you,¡± Charles replied with a serious expression. ¡°Who else wants to kill me other than Vanessa and Nicolette?¡± Kathleen remarked coldly. ¡°There¡¯s someone by the name of Jennifer Leigh in your film crew. Do you know her?¡± asked Charles. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. What role is she ying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a minor role, but someone saw her tamper with your wire,¡± Charles replied in a deep voice. Kathleen was shocked. ¡°I¡¯ve had no contact with her at all. Did you ask her about it?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t as I didn¡¯t want to alert her. I¡¯ve sent someone to keep an eye on her for a few days and see where things stand. We can only tell the others that it¡¯s an ident for now.¡± Charles¡¯ voice was cold. ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Take it slow. The top priority now is to heal Old Mrs. Yoeger.¡± ¡°Your matter is just as important. If you act like how you did tonight again, I¡¯ll send someone to keep an eye on you. Then, you won¡¯t be able to go anywhere,¡± Charles warned solemnly. Kathleen was bereft of speech. ¡°Shit! She suddenly remergbered something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charles knitted his brows. ¡°Charles, I almost forgot that Samuel secretly sent some people to protect me, and they¡¯re all elites. Although I disguised myself when I went out earlier, they¡¯ll definitely recognize me. That means Samuel knows about what happened!¡± Charles was rendered speechless. Ding dong! Kathleen received a notification and immediately took out her phone. Samuel texted: Are you in the ward already? It was Kathleen¡¯s turn to be speechless. Samuel: Next time, you can tell me about such risky things. I¡¯ll find someone to handle it for you. Kathleen showed Charles her phone. After ncing at it, Charles said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This man is so obsequious. He¡¯ll definitely not tell on you.¡± ¡°I know he won¡¯t, but, Charles, now he knows my secret.¡± Kathleen felt bitter. he already knows, you can¡¯t hide it from him anyway.¡± Charles patted her on the shoulder. Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s gettingte. You should rest now. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Okay Kathleen nodded. Aner ncing at her, Charles turned to leave. Taking her clothes off, Kathleen took a hot shower before lying down on the bed and checking her phone. During her shower, Samuel sent her a ressage which read: What happened between you and Jennifer Leigh, the girl from your film crew? Seeing that he had sent her several texts, Kathleen thought that she should reply to him. She texted: Nothing happened. Samuel: I don¡¯t think so. If nothing happened, it¡¯s impossible that she¡¯ll do what she did. It¡¯s either she was instructed by someone, or she bears a grudge against you. Kathleen did not know what to say as she really knew nothing about it. Samuel: I¡¯ve sent someone to look into it. There¡¯s no unusual credit to her bank ount as well as her family members¡¯. Also, nothing out of the ordinary has happened to her family either. Kathleen: So, you¡¯re ruling out the possibility that she was instructed by someone? Samuel: The only possibility left is that this is rted to a personal grudge. I found out that she¡¯s a film academy graduate and took the same major as you. She enrolled in the same year as you but took a year off and only graduated this year. Kathleen was shocked to learn that she and Jennifer were former coursemates. Kathleen: I really don¡¯t remember anything happening between us. ording to what you¡¯ve said, she took a year off from school, so it¡¯s even more impossible for us to cross paths. Samuel: Not necessarily. Kathleen: Can you not be so inscrutable? Just tell me what you know! Samuel: The reason she took a year off was because you stole the leading role from her in the freshman production during your first year. Kathleen: I stole the leading role from her? She was baffled. Kathleen: The person who got the role was decided through voting. It¡¯s not like I got it without working hard for it. Samuel: You received one more vote than she did, which was why you became the female lead, while she couldn¡¯t even get a supporting role. Kathleen was rendered speechless. I never stopped her from taking the other roles. What right does she have to pin the me on me? Samuel: That¡¯s all my men managed to find. If you want to know more about the details, I¡¯ll get someone to go over and fill you in. Kathleen: Thanks for helping me look into this. What he found out was even more detalled than what Charles had discovered. Samuel smirked. While texting Kathleen, he was looking at their wedding photo and touching her face on the photo. Samuel: Don¡¯t risk going to the Yoeger residence alone again. If you want to see Old Mrs. Yoeger or treat her, I can help you. Surprised that he could do it, Kathleen replied: Do you have a way? Samuel: Did you know that Old Mrs. Yoeger has a younger sister? Kathleen: Yes. She married a man abroad many years ago. Samuel: I¡¯m in Nnica now. The person with whom I¡¯m working on a new deal is the grandson of Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s sister. As long as Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s sister intervenes, the Yoeger family will definitely send Old Mrs. Yoeger to the hospital for treatment. What do you think about Goodwill Hospital? Kathleen did not expect Samuel toe up with such an idea. She asked: When are you free? Can we have a video call? Samuel smiled, feeling pleased. Looks like she¡¯s taken the bait. As soon as Kathleen sent him the text, she received a video call from Samuel. She immediately epted the call. Dressed in a white shirt and ck vest, Samuel was sitting on a chair. Behind him stood a huge floor-to-ceiling window that looked out to the blue skies and ake. Looking at the elegant and handsome man, shemented, ¡°It looks kind of nice over there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you here next time if you want.¡± Samuel smiled. After they got married, he had yet to take her out on any trips, which was the reason they did not have any beautiful memories to look back on. That was his fault. ¡°Do you really have a solution?¡± Kathleen asked. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve asked. Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s sister, Yasmine Schott, doesn¡¯t want to see her sister end up like this, so she agreed to go back with me,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Really? You¡¯re awesome, Samuel! After knowing you for so many years, I didn¡¯t expect you to do such a great job this time!¡± There was a helpless expression on Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel ted after hearing what you¡¯ve just said though? Kathleen replied with a smile, ¡°All that matters is that I¡¯m happy. Thank you. I really owe you a big favor this time, but rest assured that I¡¯ll pay it back.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll remember it, and I hope you will too, Samuel replied. ¡°Of course I will.¡± Kathleen gave him a faint smile. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m relieved. I¡¯ll contact the hospital tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of it. If you intervene now, it¡¯ll be easy for Vanessa to find out,¡± Samuel pointed out. Kathleen nodded. All right. Anything you say.¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°Good girl.¡± ¡°All right. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Remember to contact me if anything happens.¡± Kathleen was about to end the video call. Samuel, however, said, ¡°Hold on.¡± Chapter 186 Chapter 186 C hapter 186 Kathleen was at a loss for words. It turned out that Caleb knew everything as well. Even so, she still felt uneasy. ¡°Do you think you can order me around just because I¡¯m not injured? Don¡¯t forget that to everyone else, I¡¯m a patient who needs recuperating. If I help you find Vivian and am seen wandering around, what would people think? Do you want me to be caught lying?¡± Why is Caleb acting so ridiculously as well? Caleb was stunned for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not my intention for you to be spotted outside, but you¡¯re the only person I can trust.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Charles to help look for her. I really can¡¯t show up in public.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Caleb nodded. He then hung up the phone. Sitting up, Kathleen dialed Charles¡¯ number. ¡°I¡¯ll be at the hospital soon. Are you hungry? I brought you breakfast,¡± Charles said. ¡°Charles, Vivian¡¯s missing. As you know, I can¡¯t go out in the open and look for her. You mentioned her last time, so it seems like you know her. Help me find her, would you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s missing? How?¡± Charles was astonished. ¡°I don¡¯t know elther. Caleb called me just now. So I¡¯ll leave it to you then, Charles,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Got it. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Charles nodded. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. He was determined to find Vivian. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Tell me as soon as possible if there¡¯s any news about her.¡± ¡°All right. I will.¡± Charles hung up the phone. ¨C Kathleen frowned. She knew that Charles did not have many subordinates. Thebined number of subordinates he and Caleb had was probably less than that of Samuel¡¯s. With that thought in mind, Kathleen made a video call to Samuel. After a few rings, Samuel answered the call. This time, the call background was the bathroom. He was taking a bath. Kathleen tell einbarrassed ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were taking a bath. But why would you answer the call if you¡¯re in the middle of a bath?¡± ¡°¡®m a man, Why should I be afraid of you seeing me naked?¡¯ Samuel chuckled, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve trendy woon overy part of my body Kanthanpursed her red Npw and gove dry Inugh. I haven¡¯t seen it for a year after all theng Langatton about ¡°Do you want to refresh your memory7* Samuel asked with a half-smile ¡°Not¡± Samuel replied meaningfully. ¡°I wont hold back if you do want to see it Anyway, is there anything urgent you need to tell me? Kathleen turned serious as well. ¡°Samuel. I know that you have many subordinates. Can you help me find a person?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s it ¡°Vivian Lewis Vivian Lewis? There was an indifferent look on Samuel¡¯s handsome face ¡°Caleb Lewis¡¯ sister? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°She ran out of the house, and she¡¯s a little mentally ill, so * ¡°Are you asking me to help you look for Caleb¡¯s sister 7* Samuel asked coldly ¡°Yes. Kathleen nodded Samuel was stunned for a moment, even though he did not expect much to begin with ¡°Got it Send her photo to me,¡± he said indifferently ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes ¡°You¡¯re so powerful, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you to get a picture of Vivian, right? Who do you think I am? Santa us, who can give you anything you like?¡± Samuel furrowed his brow ** you can¡¯t do it, then forget about it I¡¯ll go to Chris¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll keep you posted *Please be quick Samuel gritted his teeth ¡°You really will be the death of me!¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded After hanging up the call, Samuel called Tyson and instructed him to search for Vivian Later, Kathleen also texted him on WhatsApp Kathleen Remember to keep it a secret Ask your men nol lo tell anyone about it Samuel massaged the space between his eyebrows, Teeling vexed This girl is pushing her luck! After Charles learned that Vivian had run away from home, he pulled over the car A frown formed on his face as he began to ponder where she would go He had met Vivian abroad Based on her habit, he instantly thought of a ce she might go. Although he was not sure if she would go there, he thought that she should have been there before since she grew up in Jadeborough. With that thought in mind, Charles drove to the ce, hoping to find Vivian there. Thirty minutester, he arrived at thergest art museum in Jadeborough. Instead of going inside, he went to a small shop next to it. The shop was selling a broad range of watercolor supplies and stationery. As soon as he walked over, he saw a woman squatting at the door. She was wearing a white dress. She had long, ck hair, and her skin was so fair that it appeared translucent. Charles could not believe she was Vivian. Walking over with difficulty, he squatted down gently and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Vivian?¡± Vivian was stunned for a moment before she slowly looked up at him with her ssy eyes. Charles reached out to ce his hand on her head. ¡°It¡¯s really you. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± There were tears in Vivian¡¯s eyes as soon as she saw him. ¡°Charles!¡± Chapter 187 Chapter 187 ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Reaching out, Charles wanted to touch her face but withdrew his hand. ¡°Ah!¡± Vivian suddenly screamed. Charles was taken aback. Pushing him away, Vivian got up and ran away. ¡°Vivian!¡± Charles swiftly chased after her. As Vivian did not run very fast, Charles soon caught up with her and quickly seized her in his arms. ¡°Let me go! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Vivian cried out. At the sound, people around started looking over. Fortunately, Charles brought along some men with him. However, he did not let them touch Vivian. As Vivian was putting up a fierce fight, he had no choice but to knock her out and carry her into the car. He then immediately gave a call to Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯ve found Vivian. Where should I send her?¡± he asked. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°You found her already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charles nodded. Kathleen was struck dumb for a moment before saying, ¡°Caleb doesn¡¯t want her to be exposed. Just send her back to the Lewis residence. I¡¯ve prepared a herbal soup there that would help ease her nerve. Feed her some.¡± ¡°Okay. Vivian put up a fight just now, so I knocked her out and carried her into the car. We¡¯ll have to get someone to delete any relevant stuff from the inte to avoid troubles,¡± Charles replied with a hoarse voice. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll call Caleb.¡± With that, Kathleen hung up the phone. Putting away his phone, Charles removed his jacket and wrapped it around Vivian. He kept her in his arms the whole journey. As he recalled, Vivian was not this skinny even though she had a slim figure back then. He did not expect her to be so skinny now and started wondering why she became like that. Judging from her appearance, she seems to have gone¡­ crazy. I wonder what happened to her. Kathleen gave a call to Caleb. ¡°Charles found Vivian,¡± Kathleen said coldly. Caleb was stunned and speechless as only two hours had passed since he called her asking for help. Charles had found Vivian within two hours, which made the task seem ridiculously simple. It was as though Vivian¡¯s disappearance was just a game. ¡°Caleb, can I ask you something?¡± Kathleen sounded cold. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Caleb replied calmly. ¡°Why did you ask me to help you find Vivian? Did you already expect that I would ask Charles for help?¡± she asked coldly. Caleb was stumped. Why is this woman¡¯s intuition is so scary? ¡°Caleb, I don¡¯t want to ruin our rtionship, but I hope you understand that I won¡¯t allow anyone to use me as a tool. You can tell me honestly if you need anything, but if you use trickery to get what you want, I won¡¯t entertain you. Do you understand what I mean?¡± There was a tinge of iciness in Kathleen¡¯s gentle voice. She was giving him ast chance to confess. Caleb had a deep look in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Kathleen let out an indifferent chuckle. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve made myself clear.¡± Then, she hung up the phone. Caleb narrowed his eyes slightly. Philip looked at him. ¡°How¡¯s it, Mr. Lewis? Has Ms. Lewis been found?¡± ¡°Yes. As expected, Charles found her.¡± Caleb sounded bitter. Philip was shocked. ¡°So¡­ was he the one who made Ms. Lewis so miserable back then?¡± Instead of answering him, Caleb asked, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still no news. I can¡¯t find anything about Ms. Lewis¡¯ time in Pollerton. Now, we can only judge by a photo that she¡¯s crossed paths with Charles. But, Mr. Lewis, there are three men in the photo with Charles¡¯ face being the clearest. Are you sure it¡¯s him?¡± Philip furrowed his brow. ¡°Would I ask you to look into it if I was certain about it?¡± Caleb said coldly. Philip felt awkward. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just ask Charles? Why do we have to go through so much trouble?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not aware of that? But how can you be sure that Charles would tell the truth?¡± Caleb retorted in a cold voice. Philip was stumped. ¡°So we have to get to the bottom of it or at least find out some information before we ask him. Otherwise, we can¡¯t do anything if he cooks something up,¡± Caleb exined. Philip nodded. ¡°It was poor judgment on my part.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. The man who hurt Vivian is too cunning. He¡¯s deleted all past traces of him and Vivian. After much difficulty, we finally found Charles. I¡¯ll definitely not let him off if he¡¯s indeed the man back then.¡± ¡°Of course. Look at how tormented Ms. Lewis is. She¡¯s such a nice person. I won¡¯t let that man off either!¡± Philip said, feeling angry. Caleb looked at him. ¡°Tell everyone in the family not to stop monitoring the Johnson siblings. Also, don¡¯t stop Charles if hees to visit Vivian at home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Philip nodded. Charles sent Vivian back to the Lewis residence. Carrying thetter in his arms, he met the Lewis family and intended to pass her to them. After all, he was aware of the boundaries between men and women. The housekeeper looked at him. ¡°Mr. Johnson, there¡¯s nothing I can do if you pass her to me now. How about you carry her upstairs? Thank you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles swallowed hard. Carrying Vivian in his arms, he headed upstairs. When he entered Vivian¡¯s room, he was stupefied. ¡°Is this really her room?¡± he asked in disbelief. The housekeeper nodded and exined awkwardly, ¡°Ms. Lewis often smashes things. We¡¯re afraid that she would get hurt, so we have no choice but to remove everything.¡± Charles was stunned for a moment. ¡°Why does she smash things?¡± The housekeeper was stumped, not knowing how to tell him. Charles nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to say?¡± She nodded. Walking up to the bed, Charles gently ced Vivian on it. She looked like an angel while asleep. He could not help but brush the hair from her forehead while his gaze lingered on her. ¡°She¡¯s not crazy,¡± Charles stated. The housekeeper remained silent. Charles pulled away from Vivian. ¡°All right, now that I¡¯ve sent her back, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± Removing his jacket from her, he pulled the nket over her body. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Johnson,¡± the housekeeper said. ¡°My sister said that she¡¯s prepared a herbal soup. Don¡¯t forget to feed it to Ms. Lewis,¡± Charles reminded in a deep voice. ¡°Okay.¡± The housekeeper nodded. Charles then left with his jacket. Watching him go downstairs, the housekeeper nced at Vivian, who was lying on the bed, and let out a sigh. Thank heavens she¡¯s been found and sent back home safely. After Charles left the Lewis residence, he put on a Bluetooth headset and dialed a number. He talked on the phone while driving. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Just how much have you been hiding from me? Why did Vivian be like this?¡± Charles gritted his teeth. The person on the other end of the call kept quiet for a moment before asking, ¡°D-Did you see her, Charles?¡± Charles sneered coldly, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°What exactly did you do?¡± After a pause, the person replied, ¡°I¡¯ve done her wrong.¡± ¡°Finn Moris, you¡¯re a bastard!¡± Charlesshed out. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 ¡°There¡¯s nothing I¡¯m keeping from you.¡± Finn Morris uttered coldly, ¡°We broke up like any normal couple.¡± ¡°How would she be like that if it was as you said?¡± Charles roared, ¡° I shouldn¡¯t have given up on her in the first ce!¡± Finn replied cidly, ¡°If you still like her, it¡¯s not toote for you to pursue her now.¡± When Charles heard that, he snorted coldly. In a deep voice, Finn continued, ¡°Charles, I have no other choice. You are well aware that I am an illegitimate child. I had to do it this way in order to get my share of the family fortune. Otherwise, my mother would not be able to rest in peace.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed for using a deceased person as an excuse?¡± Charles snapped, ¡°I don¡¯t care about your identity or what you¡¯re trying to achieve. It¡¯s none of my business, but you can¡¯t simply hurt Vivian¡¯s feelings for the sake of your own selfish desire.¡± ¡°Charles, you don¡¯t know anything,¡± Finn responded, as if he was in a quandary. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know,¡± Charles grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll never trust you again, Finn!¡± After a brief pause, Finn stated, ¡°Charles, I¡¯ll be heading to Jadeborough in a few days, and I need your assistance.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± Charles responded sarcastically and hung up the phone. Meanwhile, Finn put his phone down. Behind the lenses of his sses, a cold gleam shed across his eyes. Is she currently in Jadeborough? That¡¯s great news. I¡¯m finally able to see her again. Kathleen was about to leave for the Yoeger residence when midnight rolled around. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a noise behind the door. She quickly hid herself once more beneath her cover. Then, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I¡¯m Mr. Macari¡¯s subordinate. He told me to bring you something,¡± the man outside exined. Samuel? ¡°Come in,¡± Kathleen replied. When the man walked in, he was holding a box. He ced the box in front of her. ¡°This is what Mr. Macari asked me to deliver to you, Ms. Johnson. Mr. Macari will call youter and give you further instructions on how to use it and what to use it for.¡± When Kathleen heard that, she was rendered speechless. What is Samuel trying to do? Why does he have to act in such a mysterious manner? ¡°All right. I understand,¡± she said coldly. After he heard that, he nodded and turned around to leave. Kathleen frowned as she checked the box. What a pleasant surprise. Samuel actually has manners. Just then, Samuel video called her, and she epted it, showing a sour face to him. Upon seeing that, Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to sleep tonight. Why do you look as if I¡¯m bothering you?¡± ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t be sleeping tonight?¡± Kathleen inquired. ¡°My intuition,¡± Samuel replied. Bullsh*t intuition! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Can you tell me what you sent to me?¡± Kathleen was curious. ¡°It¡¯s a miniature camera. After sessfully cing it in Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s room, you must connect it to your phone. You can try monitoring it once you¡¯ve connected.¡± Samuel exined further, ¡°With it, there¡¯s no need for you to keep worrying about her safety until I return.¡± She had no idea he would prepare something like that for her. ¡°How am I supposed to hide it?¡± Kathleen frowned ¡°That¡¯s the Yoeger residence, and I don¡¯t live there.¡± She was unfamiliar with that ce, and it would be inconvenient if she was discovered. Samuel replied indifferently, ¡°Once you reach Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s room, you¡¯ll notice that her room¡¯s interior design is ssic-style. A cab with a lot of stuff on it is on the wall opposite her bed. You¡¯re going to hide the miniature camera in a high ce where no one can find it. I¡¯ll send someone to retrieve it a few dayster after Old Mrs. Yoeger is brought out.¡± Kathleen was speechless, not knowing what to say. ¡°When are you going to return?¡± she asked casually. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Samuel cracked a grin. Hearing that, she frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you my brother?¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t you miss me anymore now that I¡¯m your brother? If you keep acting like this, how will we ever be closer than real siblings?¡± he asked, his face solemn. Kathleen chuckled, her lips pursed. At that moment, he liked the expression on her face. Samuel stated tly, ¡°As I said, I¡¯ve given up on it. And you¡¯re heading there at half past two in the early morning.¡± ¡°What made you pick that time?¡± She looked perplexed. He exined, ¡°Vanessa is leaving for a private party at one o¡¯clock in the morning, and she won¡¯t return until dawn. Aside from her, no one else at the Yoeger residence poses a threat to you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kathleen remained silent after that. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it because a trusted aide of mine will meet you thereter.¡± Samuel had given it careful consideration. Kathleen raised her eyebrows. ¡°Do you believe something bad will happen to me? But I got away unscathed yesterday.¡± He remainedposed. ¡°I know. If I were by your side, I would never have allowed you to take such a risk.¡± Kathleen was taken aback when she heard that. ¡°I should get to Jadeborough at thetest the morning after tomorrow. You can wait until then if you need my assistance with anything else,¡± he added solemnly. ¡°Why should I wait around for you? You do realize that I have a brother by blood?¡± She scowled. Samuel replied with slightly narrowed eyes, ¡°But Vivian is all he can think about right now. The only person who is concerned about you is me.¡± Kathleen bit her lip in response and ended the video call. Stubborn girl. Shortly afterward, Samuel sent her a message. He wrote: A Bluetooth headset is contained in the box. We can speak directly once you put it on because it has the Pris Navigation Satellite and Communication System installed. The fact that he had everything ready surprised Kathleen. After she checked the time, she decided to take a nap before heading there. It was one o¡¯clock in the morning when Kathleen drove her car to a location near the Yoeger residence. Then, she turned off the lights and hid in the darkness. After everything was ready, she put on the headset and turned it on. Over the device, Samuel¡¯s deep and cold voice could be heard. ¡°You arrived?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. Vanessa¡¯s car passed hers at that precise moment. Fortunately, Vanessa did not notice her. Vanessa was the passenger, not the driver. She appeared to be on the phone as she sat in the car. ¡°She left.¡± Kathleen paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m ready to make my move too.¡± ¡°Did you feel much more at ease when you heard my voice?¡± Samuel teased smilingly. ¡°Not at all,¡± she replied indifferently. Following that, he remained silent. ¡°Actually, every time Ie out alone at night, I remember the night you abandoned me and left me on the side of a deserted street,¡± Kathleen continued softly. Samuel clenched his jaw. Deep down, he knew that was the reason Kathleen would never forgive him. He believed that he deserved to die for his sins. With a hoarse voice, she added, ¡°After that, I arrived at Moranta, and I learned all kinds ofbat techniques to prevent that kind of incident from happening again. Samuel, I can protect myself now. I don¡¯t need you anymore.¡± He was devastated to learn that she no longer needed him. When she needed him the most, he abandoned her to see another woman. ¡°Our rtionship is beyond repair. I¡¯vepletely given up on you, Samuel,¡± she continued coldly. When she spoke to him, her heart no longer skipped a beat. Despite the fact that everyone assumed she still loved Samuel, she no longer did. More precisely, she could not bring herself to love him any longer. She had been deeply hurt in the past, so she was never going to let herself be hurt again. Unfortunately, she was unable to avoid his persistent pestering. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Two of them fell into a long silence amidst the tension in the air. Samuel knew that Kathleen would never forgive him for what he did to her in the past. It wasn¡¯t just a single mistake. It was the umtion of small matters throughout the years. Kathleen hadpletely lost hope in him. What can I ask of her after everything I¡¯ve done? Snapping back to reality, Samuel reminded, ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nodding, Kathleen got out of the car. She couldn¡¯t drive the car too close to the house lest she would be easily discovered. Following the same method as yesterday, Kathleen sneaked into Frances¡¯ room again. Simr tost time, there was only one nightlight in the room. Kathleen walked over and took out the silver needle. Frances opened her eyes and looked straight at Kathleen. Kathleen looked at her and greeted, ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, we meet again.¡± Frances frowned at her in confusion. Kathleen felt embarrassed by her reaction. Okay. It seems like Old Mrs. Yoeger has forgotten me again. Kathleen let out a sigh of frustration. Suddenly, Frances grabbed Kathleen¡¯s wrist and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Are you my youngest daughter?¡± Upon hearing that, Kathleen was stunned momentarily. She did resemble her biological mother. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, do you remember something?¡± Kathleen inquired earnestly. Frances was in a daze. ¡°Gloria? Where¡¯s my little Gloria?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Gloria?¡± Kathleen had never heard of the name before. ¡°Sh-She¡¯s my youngest daughter. She¡¯s gone. Do you know where she is?¡± Frances asked anxiously. Her voice rang out through the room. Kathleen was afraid that the noise might alert other people in the house. Raising her hand, she knocked Frances unconscious at once. I¡¯m so sorry, Old Mrs. Yoeger. I have no choice but to do it. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be in huge trouble. After Frances had passed out, Kathleen began her treatment. The situation was the same asst time, with the needle still turning ck. Taking this opportunity, Kathleen installed a hidden camera in Frances¡¯ room. ¡°You¡¯re way too familiar with the setup of the Yoeger residence. Did youe here often?¡± she asked through the earphones. ¡°It isn¡¯t that hard to find out,¡± Samuel answered. ¡°Oh, I had forgotten that you liked Nicolette in the past. You almost became the Yoeger family¡¯s son-in- law,¡± Kathleen teased. Samuel remained quiet. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Kathleen pped her hands. ¡°Tell me, how do I link it to my phone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you an appter. You only have to install it,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Someone¡¯sing! You need to find a ce to hide now,¡± Samuel urged. Someone¡¯sing? Kathleen was ready to jump out of the window. To her dismay, she couldn¡¯t open the window no matter how hard she tried. ¡°Hide under the bed,¡± Samuel instructed. Upon hearing that, Kathleen immediately crawled underneath the bed. At that moment, the door to Frances¡¯ room was gently pushed open. Instead of footsteps, Kathleen heard a strange sound. Then, the wheels of a wheelchair appeared before her eyes. Is it Nicolette? No way. Isn¡¯t she still at the police station? ¡°It seems that Vanessa¡¯s drug is quite potent. Look, Mom. This is what Vanessa did,¡± a man muttered to himself. Kathleen furrowed her brows. Is this man Zachary? He knew Vanessa had drugged Old Mrs. Yoeger, yet he did nothing to help her. What is he trying to do here? ¡°Mom, you¡¯re too biased. I¡¯ll never allow you to hand over the Yoeger family to Vanessa. It¡¯ll be mine once I¡¯ve recovered. However, her mere existence is a threat to me. Therefore, I¡¯ve asked someone to collect evidence of all her evil deeds. Then, I¡¯ll expose her in public so that she¡¯ll lose her right as the sessor. The whole Yoeger family will be mine soon. Do you hear that? Mine!¡± Zachary uttered in a chilling voice. Gosh, he¡¯s crazy! Kathleen gnashed her teeth with anger. These people are so cruel! ¡°Mom, stop looking for Gloria. You¡¯ll never find her. For once, Vanessa and I are on the same page about this. With one more person, we¡¯ll get one less share of the family fortune. So, we can only condemn her to a life of wandering alone somewhere else.¡± Zachary sneered. He paused and looked at Frances meaningfully. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s no need to wait for her return because she¡¯s dead. Both she and her husband are dead! Haha!¡± Kathleen wanted to rush out from her hiding spot and p Zachary hard. Nevertheless, she knew that she couldn¡¯t afford to lose her cool at that moment. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m here to see you. It makes me feel better seeing you in this state. I finally feel more at ease.¡± After finishing whining, Zachary left the room. He looked like a believer who hadmitted a grave sin and went to a priest for confession. After confessing to all his sins, he felt at ease. He couldn¡¯t care less about the feelings of the people he hurt in the past. After Zachary had left, Kathleen finally got up from under the bed. She went to check the window. ¡°Someone has reinforced the window,¡± she uttered in a deep voice. That was the reason why she failed to open it earlier. ¡°I heard it was Vanessa¡¯s idea to seal the window due to the cold weather,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Did she notice something? Or perhaps she has also installed a surveince camera here?¡± Kathleen scanned the room. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± Samuel replied firmly. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why are you so sure about it?¡± Kathleen couldn¡¯t help frowning. ¡°The earphones I gave you have a function of detecting surveince cameras. It¡¯ll send an rm if there¡¯s a problem,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Is it so high-tech? Then how did you know that someone wasing earlier? Is it because of the earphones too?¡± Kathleen probed. ¡°These earphones also have the function of thermal imaging. It can detect anything within the range of three hundred meters.¡± So, that¡¯s how it is. ¡°I¡¯ll go out through the front door.¡± After carefully stepping out of Frances¡¯ room, Kathleen left through the main entrance. Kathleen was in a gloomy mood after departing the house. She walked outside without saying a word. ¡°Were you riled up by what Zachary said earlier?¡± Samuel asked impassively. ¡°Zachary and Vanessa know everything, don¡¯t they?¡± After getting into the car, Kathleen put her hands on the steering wheel. ¡°They know that my mom is their sister. Nicolette also knows my family background. That¡¯s why she was trying so hard to prevent me from meeting with Old Mrs. Yoeger back then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite possible,¡± Samuel responded. ¡°Possible?¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°They certainly knew the truth. Just look at Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s state right now. Yet, they¡¯re still hiding her and giving her drugs. Should they treat their mom like this? Do they even see my mom as their sister?¡± Why are they so ruthless? Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Kate, there¡¯s something you must know.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked in a low voice. ¡°Zachary, Vanessa, and your mom have someplicated bloodlines. In fact, Zachary¡¯s the child of Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s elder sister,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Wh-What did you just say?¡± Kathleen was flummoxed by his exnation. ¡°Vanessa and Old Mrs. Yoeger have no blood rtionship. Zachary¡¯s biological mother is actually Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s elder sister. I heard this from Yasmine,¡± Samuel exined monotonously. Kathleen felt that she was suffocating at that moment. Then, she came to a realization as to why Zachary and Vanessa wanted to hide the truth from Frances. If my mom were found, they would lose their rights to be the heir of the Yoeger family. My mom was the rightful sessor. That was the reason why they wanted to conceal the truth. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°So, Old Mrs. Yoeger and the other two are sisters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Furthermore, Old Mrs. Yoeger and her elder sister are twins,¡± Samuel revealed. ¡°Twins!¡± Kathleen eximed in astonishment. ¡°That also exins why you resemble Nicolette,¡± he added. Kathleen remained silent. She didn¡¯t expect to find so many secrets in the Yoeger family. A wave of mixed emotions surged within her when she heard Samuel¡¯s exnation. Frowning at her thoughts, Kathleen said, ¡°Judging by what Zachary had said just now, maybe he doesn¡¯t know the truth himself. Well, it seems like we can only wait for Ms. Schott to return with you.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t do anything rash for theing days. Wait for my return. Do I make myself clear?¡± Samuel instructed sternly. ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t warn me, I wouldn¡¯t put myself in danger,¡± Kathleen retorted. Samuel remained silent. In truth, he was worried about Kathleen¡¯s well-being at that moment. Samuel didn¡¯t expect to see her mature so much over the past year. At the same time, he was furious that Charles didn¡¯t care about Kathleen¡¯s current situation. All he could think of is Vivian! ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going back to the hospital. I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Kathleen was ready to take off the earphones. Samuel swallowed hard but coolly kept hisposure. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t ask much from Kathleen, he whispered, ¡°Let me know when you¡¯ve arrived at the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Only then did Samuel feel at ease. After turning off the earphones, Kathleen sighed in relief. Then, Samuel sent her the app for monitoring the surveince camera. After installing the app onto her phone, Kathleen drove back to the hospital. As soon as she arrived at her destination, she entered the ward and saw Charles. Thetter frowned at her and asked, ¡°You went to that ce?¡± She nodded in response. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have forgotten about it. Are you all right?¡± Charles uttered apologetically. However, Kathleen didn¡¯t me Charles. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can handle these things on my own.¡± ¡°I went out to calm myself down. I didn¡¯t expect it would take so much time,¡± Charles admitted. Looking at her brother seriously, Kathleen said, ¡°Charles, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°You want to ask me about Vivian, right? Go ahead.¡± His voice sounded hoarse. Kathleen said solemnly, ¡°Charles, I won¡¯t force you to answer my question. You can refuse if you don¡¯t want to answer it.¡± She had an inkling that this matter might involve Charles¡¯ personal feelings. Nevertheless, she would never interfere with his personal life. Kathleen wasn¡¯t someone who would force others to do things against their wishes. Charles¡¯ lips twitched. ¡°Okay.¡± After all, he knew Kathleen¡¯s personality well. ¡°Charles, you have known Vivian for a long time, right?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve known her for a long time. I think she went to Pollerton when she was around 17 years old. She was in tenth grade while I was a freshman in university at that time. We had amon social circle. We got to know each other during a Christmas party,¡± Charles exined. Nodding, Kathleen said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s pretty and has a good personality. Many guys like her,¡± Charles added. He was also one of them. ¡°Charles¡­¡± After hesitating for a moment, Kathleen continued, ¡°Caleb told me that Vivian¡¯s mental condition was caused by a guy. Are you that person?¡± Charles¡¯ heart skipped a beat. Then, he said dejectedly, ¡°If I had a girlfriend like her, I would wake upughing from my dreams.¡± ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t you who knocked her up?¡± Kathleen probed. ¡°What? She was pregnant? How did she¡ª What has Caleb been doing all these years?¡± Charles was shocked. ¡°Calm down, Charles. I¡¯ve kind of guessed that Vivian¡¯s condition has something to do with the loss of her child,¡± Kathleen said awkwardly. Charles took a deep breath. ¡°I also want to help her after seeing how pitiful she is. That¡¯s why I need to rify this matter with you. Charles, we need to take care of the root of the problem. To cure Vivian, we have to start from her mental state,¡± Kathleen advised solemnly. ¡°What can I do?¡± Looking at Kathleen deeply, Charles asked, ¡°What can I do for her?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and said, ¡°Charles, I need to tell you something. I suspect that Caleb thought you were the sc*mbag who hurt Vivian.¡± Charles was rendered speechless. ¡°So, you understand why Caleb would do something that might mislead other people, right?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t really want to pursue you. He thought I was the one who ruined Vivian. That¡¯s why he wanted to win you over and then hurt you as a way to take revenge on me. Am I right?¡± Charles¡¯ handsome face was full of rage. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What a b*stard!¡± Charles stood up immediately. ¡°Please calm down, Charles! We¡¯ve already seen through his n. He can¡¯t hurt me anymore,¡± Kathleenforted. Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°As if I would allow him to harm you!¡± ¡°He can¡¯t hurt me. Besides, I don¡¯t like him,¡± Kathleen said with disdain. ¡°However, I think we can take advantage of the situation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the n?¡± Charles was curious to find out. Kathleen said with a sullen face, ¡°Charles, Samuel still hasn¡¯t given up on pursuing me. Regardless of his excuses, he still wants to be with me again.¡± ¡°That guy is delusional!¡± Charles fumed. These two wicked men have no pure intentions toward my younger sister! ¡°That¡¯s why I want to capitalize on the situation. I want to use Caleb so that Samuel would give up on mepletely,¡± Kathleen said with a sly smile. Frowning deeply, Charles probed, ¡°Do you want to date Caleb?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No. Since Caleb wants to get closer to me, I¡¯ll grant him the wish. I don¡¯t really want to be with him. I¡¯m only doing this to get rid of Samuel.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s fine to mess with Caleb?¡± Charles was concerned about her n. However, Kathleen reassured him. ¡°What¡¯s so great about him? The person I fear most in this world is Samuel. Caleb¡¯s no match for him.¡± ¡°Ha! Samuel will be thrilled if he hears that. On the other hand, Caleb won¡¯t be impressed by your remarks,¡± Charles teased. ¡°Who cares if they¡¯re happy or not? In short, Samuel¡¯s much scarier than Caleb. I¡¯d rather deal with the latter,¡± Kathleen admitted seriously. Nevertheless, Charles was still feeling anxious. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to forget about the n.¡± Shaking her head, Kathleen said, ¡°No. Think about it, Charles. Caleb wanted to use me as his pawn without investigating the matter properly. Do you think I can let him off like that?¡± Charles frowned at her. Kathleen isn¡¯t afraid of anyone in this world apart from Samuel. For some reason, she¡¯s so fearful of that guy. Furthermore, it seems like it¡¯s difficult for her to ovee this fear. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Charles furrowed his brows and said, ¡°Let me think about it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? You didn¡¯t hesitate when it was Christopher back then. So, why are you hesitating now?¡± Kathleen was displeased. Charles looked askance at her. ¡°Are these two the same? Christopher would never hurt you. The same can¡¯t be said for Caleb.¡± ¡°Yes, Christopher wouldn¡¯t hurt me. What about his grandpa, then? Huh? If that¡¯s the case, I should just remarry Samuel since everyone in the Macari family has treated me so well, apart from Samuel himself.¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°Hell no!¡± Charles barked. He refused to let Samuel be his brother-inw again. Left with no better alternative, Charles had no choice but to yield to Kathleen¡¯s n. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 ¡°Alright. Charles, you can stop worrying about that now. Now, let¡¯s talk about Vivian. I heard that she managed to recognize you today,¡± Kathleen stated. Charles nodded in response. Kathleen stroked her chin and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. That means there are times when she¡¯s clear- minded.¡± ¡°But she started shrieking soon after that,¡± Charles said worriedly. ¡°Follow me to the Lewis residence tomorrow. We¡¯ll take a look together,¡± Kathleen suggested. Charles nodded and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± He really wanted to cure Vivian. After all, a kind-hearted girl like her shouldn¡¯t be wasting her life like this. Kathleen patted his shoulder and said, ¡°Charles, you should go home and get some sleep.¡± With a darkened expression, Charles reminded in a worried tone, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take my leave. Take good care of yourself. Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡± Kathleen was amused. ¡°This is a hospital. What could possibly happen? You¡¯re too alert.¡± Even then, Charles was still worried. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. The Yoeger family has been too activetely.¡± Kathleen said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles was persuaded by her, so he got up and prepared to leave. He calmly continued, ¡°I¡¯ll get going now and be back tomorrow.¡± ¡°Charles, I want to be discharged tomorrow and return to the film site to see that person called Jennifer,¡± Kathleen said meaningfully. After giving it some thought, Charles said, ¡°I guess it¡¯s better to get things resolved as soon as possible so that it doesn¡¯t get moreplicated.¡± Kathleen nodded. Charles turned around and left. Soon after, Kathleen got ready to sleep. The next day, Kathleen was preparing to get discharged. She nned to head straight to the film site. Valerie came to help her pack up and apany her to the film site. Right when Kathleen got out of the restroom after changing, she saw Christopher. Surprised, she called, ¡°Chris?¡± Why is he here? Christopher calmly said, ¡°Hey. I heard something happened to you when I wasn¡¯t in Jadeborough for the past few days, so I rushed here to pay you a visit. Are you feeling better?¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen stretched her waist a little and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My condition¡¯s much better now.¡± ¡°I saw the news online. You were injured quite severely,¡± he said worriedly. Kathleen smilingly reassured, ¡°I¡¯m really fine now.¡± He stared into her eyes and said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯m d to hear that you¡¯re okay.¡± With a gentle smile, Kathleen said, ¡°Chris, thank you for visiting me. However, I¡¯m going straight to the film site after being discharged, so¡­¡± Feeling helpless, he replied, ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Kathleen called for Valerie, and they both got ready to leave. In a raspy voice, Christopher suggested, ¡°Kate, let me send you there.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble you.¡± He walked toward her and said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡± Reluctantly, she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± They went downstairs together. After that, Kathleen got into Christopher¡¯s car. Throughout the journey, Christopher remained silent. He seemed to be mentally preparing what he was about to say. After arriving at the film site, Christopher finally started to speak. He asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to date me?¡± Once again, Kathleen was caught off guard by his words. In actuality, she could sense that Christopher was going to confess to her. She gripped the hem of her shirt and lowered her head. ¡°Chris, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Christopher said bitterly, ¡°In the end, I still lost to Samuel.¡± Kathleen shook her head and remarked, ¡°Chris, I won¡¯t be with Samuel. I¡¯ve already rejected him.¡± He stared intently at Kathleen and questioned, ¡°Why?¡± She exined, ¡°Why would I give another chance to someone who has hurt me before? Even though he¡¯s now aware of what he did wrong and has fixed his mistake, the trauma I suffered will always be there.¡± Christopher asked, ¡°Will he¡­ give up on you?¡± In a grim voice, she uttered, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether he gives up or not. He knows that he¡¯ll drive me to the brink of death if he forces me.¡± Christopher remembered the wedding ceremony from a year before. Kathleen fell into despair and really felt like dying. She¡¯s right. Samuel would never force her to that extent anymore. With a deep voice, he said, ¡°Kate, then why are you not considering me? The reason I left was to deal with Astrid. I¡¯ve already settled my family problems as well. Except for Grandpa, both Mom and Dad will ept you. You don¡¯t have to care about what Grandpa thinks.¡± She gazed at his handsome face and replied, ¡°Chris, putting all these aside, the ultimate reason is that I don¡¯t love you.¡± He was rendered speechless. She continued, ¡°I know how well you treat me. That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯ve been rejecting you over and over again. I can¡¯tpromise. Compromising is a painful thing to do. I don¡¯t want us to end up being an unhappy couple and ruin the chance to even be friends.¡± I really don¡¯t want things to end up that way. Christopher mocked himself, ¡°Am I not good enough?¡± Kathleen bit her lips and said, ¡°You¡­ are good. However, liking someone doesn¡¯t corrte to how good a person is. It depends on how you feel about that person. Everyone defines their feelings differently. From my point of view, no matter how good a person is, if that person doesn¡¯t make my heart race, then that person¡¯s not the one. So don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to make things clear right from the beginning?¡± With a look of defeat, Christopher nced at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re too honest.¡± There¡¯s nothing I can do about her honesty. I wish she would give me just a glimmer of hope, but she has ended all possibilities. ¡°Did I rush it too much? Maybe I should¡¯ve waited. I should¡¯ve waited until you realize that there¡¯s a good guy like me by your side. Wouldn¡¯t you choose me then?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen in the future, but I¡¯ve already told you how I feel.¡± He sighed and said, ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Feeling awkward, Kathleen said, ¡°Chris, I¡¯m sorry. If you don¡¯t feelfortable about it, you can sever ties with me. I won¡¯t mind.¡± He said solemnly, ¡°But I would. I don¡¯t want to lose you¡­ as a friend.¡± Kathleen felt awkward. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m not going to bother you any longer.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. She opened the car door and got off the car. Christopher fell into deep thought as he watched her leave. Kathleen let out a heavy sigh. What¡¯s with this situation? It¡¯s all Charles¡¯ fault. If he didn¡¯t announce Christopher as my fianc¨¦ back then, there wouldn¡¯t be so many problems. Kathleen felt a headacheing. Meanwhile, the film crew was shocked to see Kathleen. Everyone came up to her to ask about her body condition. She exined, ¡°My body¡¯s fine now. Thank you, everyone, for your concerns.¡± After observing for some time, she noticed that everyone was concerned about her except Jennifer. Something¡¯s wrong with this woman indeed. Upon seeing Kathleen, Jennifer was in shock. Wasn¡¯t Kathleen severely injured? How can she be back to continue filming? How? A murderous glint shed across Jennifer¡¯s eyes. I guess I¡¯ll just have to end her life again! I¡¯ll put an end to her no matter what! This time for sure! Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Kathleen¡¯s scenes were very simple that day. Cain arranged to shoot scenes that involved more dialogues on her part as his way of looking after her. Her scenes that day relied heavily on expressions and emotions instead of physical prowess. Those were easy tasks for Kathleen. The filming carried on and only ended when evening arrived. Once her work was done for the day, Kathleen got ready to rest. Then and there, an assistant came running toward her. The assistant said, ¡°Kate, Mr. Currah brought some fruits for the film crew. Here¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen gestured for Valerie to ept them, who promptly did. ¡°Please extend my gratitude to Timothy,¡± Kathleen stated. ¡°Sure!¡± The assistant nodded. Kathleen and Valerie promptly retreated to their break room. Once they had arrived, Valerie asked, ¡°Kate, do you want to have a bite?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°All right. Timothy did put in the effort to have them delivered. It would be inappropriate if I don¡¯t eat them.¡± Valerie then opened the box. It was packed full of a myriad of fruits. Kathleen picked up a fork and popped a strawberry into her mouth. Valerie was about to have one as well when Kathleen frowned and stopped her. ¡°Hold on!¡± Taken aback, Valerie asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kathleen opened her bag and took out a silver needle. She then poked it into the strawberry. In a few seconds, the silver needle turned ck. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± Valerie cried out, astonished. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Kathleen sniffed the strawberry. ¡°It¡¯s poisoned.¡± ¡°What?¡± Valerie eximed. ¡°This is a type of poison capable of restricting the human¡¯s respiratory system. Its toxicity is less potent than cyanide, but it¡¯s still lethal nheless,¡± Kathleen exined. Then, with a cold tone, she instructed, ¡°Valerie, call the police.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± Valerie picked up her phone. However, after a short instance of deliberation, Kathleen grabbed Valerie¡¯s hand. She then spoke in an icy tone. ¡°Forget it. Whoever did this left no traces behind. There¡¯s no point in calling the police.¡± Valerie frowned. ¡°So what do we do then?¡± After a moment of consideration, Kathleen whispered something into Valerie¡¯s ear. Once Valerie was done listening, she nodded. ¡°Should I go now?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Valerie promptly turned around and left. Meanwhile, Kathleen stared at the strawberry on her fork with a cold gaze. Jennifer sure is reckless. But from where did she get a poison like this? This is too weird. Ten minutester, Timothy¡¯s assistant ran out of his break room. The assistant yelled, ¡°Bad news! It looks like Mr. Currah had been poisoned!¡± Everyone panicked upon hearing that. They dashed straight into the break room to check up on Timothy. Hey on the floor, unconscious. ¡°Quick, get an ambnce!¡± Spencer bellowed. Timothy¡¯s assistant immediately picked up his phone to call an ambnce. ¡°He was fine just now. How on earth did he get poisoned?¡± ¡°Exactly! Please don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of somebody¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°Stop spouting nonsense without any proof!¡± ¡°How is it nonsense? Last time, Kathleen nearly fell out of her wire. Who knows? Someone could be trying to hurt them intentionally!¡± ¡°When you put it that way, I¡¯m suspecting that perhaps it¡¯s this shooting location that is¡­ problematic?¡± Upon those words, everyone present felt a chill go down their spines. ¡°That¡¯s enough! Stop making random assumptions! This has got nothing to do with the lot of you. So, go home!¡± Spencer reprimanded them sternly. Everyone could only leave then, having heard what Spencer said. Soon enough, an ambnce arrived, and Timothy was taken away along with his assistant. As for the rest of the film crew, they began to take their leave. Gradually, the number of people present at the location lessened. Just then, the silhouette of a woman silently slipped into Timothy¡¯s break room. Several moments passed, and the woman finally got ready to leave with Timothy¡¯s box of fruit tter in hand. ¡°Hold it right there,¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice called out abruptly. Jennifer was startled so much that the fruit tter fell to the floor. Anxiously, she looked in the direction where Kathleen¡¯s voice came from. Kathleen was leering at her coldly as she got closer. Kathleen began to interrogate Jennifer. ¡°What are you doing with the fruit tter Timothy had eaten from?¡± Jennifer bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m helping him clean up.¡± ¡°Your role in the film crew is an actor. You¡¯re not the film crew¡¯s housekeeper. What would prompt you to clean up the fruits?¡± Kathleen asked in a bone-chilling tone. ¡°I like him. Sometimes, I secretly take care of some chores for him. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± It seemed as if Jennifer had already thought of a reason and excuse. However, Kathleen snickered in response. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you have a secret crush on him or that you¡¯re invading his privacy. I¡¯m not interested in those. But I only want to know why you¡¯re only clearing Timothy¡¯s fruit tter if you¡¯re cleaning his stuff.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the fruits would start stinking up the ce if they go rotten,¡± Jennifer exined hastily. Kathleen scoffed, ¡°Hah! You sure know how toe up with excuses for your behavior.¡± Jennifer bit her lips once more. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Jennifer, let me ask you something about the fruit tter which Timothy got for us. Is it true that you came into contact with the tter Timothy gave me before passing it to his assistant, who then passed it to me? Why did you do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Jennifer refused to admit anything. Kathleen sniggered, ¡°Ha! Timothy¡¯s assistant told me that she was handed a fruit tter from you and was asked to deliver it to me. She even informed me that she questioned your motives. You then answered that I love to eat strawberries and that the tter you held had muchrger strawberries. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Jennifer remained silent. Kathleen continued speaking in her cold tone. ¡°You really do understand me, don¡¯t you? You know my favorite food. You¡¯re putting so much thought and effort into poisoning me to death that you didn¡¯t expect that Timothy would be the one to be poisoned in the end. Am I right?¡± Jennifer jerked her head up suddenly. She red viciously at Kathleen. ¡°What do you mean by poisoning you to death? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Kathleen drawled on, ¡°Jennifer, I¡¯ve heard that we belong to the same school. During our first year¡¯s freshmen performance, I yed the part of the female lead. However, you believed that I stole the part from you, correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jennifer shot an icy re at Kathleen. ¡°Of course not. Before the performance, the cast for the female lead wasn¡¯t set in stone. While some people imed that it was you who got the role, it wasn¡¯t confirmed. Back then, apart from you and me, there were others vying for the part as well. We were all waiting for the news, and it was only at the end when it was finally revealed that I got the part. But you couldn¡¯t ept it and decided to quit school. Afterward, you convinced yourself that I was the one who led you to where you are. But in fact, I did nothing to you. You¡¯re the one who brought all your problems on yourself!¡± Kathleen lectured mercilessly. ¡°Bullsh*t! It¡¯s because of you! You¡¯re beautiful, you have amazing acting skills, and everyone adores you. They couldn¡¯t see anyone else but you, which is why they picked you. I¡¯m amazing too, but just because you look beautiful, they gave the opportunity to you! It¡¯s not fair!¡± Jennifer shrieked. ¡°Jennifer, it¡¯s wise to consider all options when we¡¯re looking to pay for something. The fact that I look good is out of my hands. However, in terms of acting skills, I¡¯m most definitely better than you. What do you have toin about? Or do you truly think that I¡¯m somehow ruining you just because you think things are unfair?¡± Kathleen spoke coldly. In response, Jennifer burst out in anger. ¡°Of course it is! You¡¯re ruining me! If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have quit school, and I might have even won the Academy Award for Best Actress by now, and I wouldn¡¯t have done anything unforgivable! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Kathleen was in utter disbelief. ¡°So you admit that you¡¯re the one who damaged the wire and poisoned the fruits?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the one who did it! I wish to kill you! Go to hell!¡± Jennifer howled. She then drew out a fruit knife and charged toward Kathleen, attempting to stab her. ¡°Look out!¡± someone warned. All of a sudden, a shadow shed before Kathleen¡¯s sight. She was soon wrapped into a warm and sweet-smelling embrace. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Then, Kathleen heard an ear-piercing scream. When she regained her footing, she noticed that Jennifer was pinned to the ground by two bodyguards. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Jennifer screamed while struggling to free herself, ¡°Let me kill this b*tch! She took everything from me. Everything that belongs to me!¡± Samuel let go of Kathleen. His breathing had never been so chaotic before. She looked at him, slightly dazed. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel nodded. His handsome face was emotionless. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Kathleen shook her head. In actuality, she could¡¯ve avoided it herself. If Samuel hadn¡¯t moved swiftly, she would¡¯ve already dodged it. She just didn¡¯t expect him to appear. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ll be back tomorrow?¡± Kathleen was puzzled. Samuel didn¡¯t respond but looked at Tyson. ¡°Take this woman away and interrogate her thoroughly.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Tyson replied with a nod. ¡°Wait,¡± Kathleen abruptly said. Hearing that, Samuel frowned deeply. Kathleen approached Jennifer, lifted her hand, and pped thetter hard on the face, angering Jennifer. However, Kathleen merely looked at her coldly. ¡°Snap out of it! I¡¯ve never taken everything away from you. If that¡¯s possible, it only shows that you aren¡¯tpetent enough. Also, my winning Best Actress had nothing to do with you. You¡¯re just poisoned by Jealousy. I¡¯m not taking the me for that!¡± Jennifer red at Kathleen viciously, looking extremely resentful. ¡°Jennifer, you should be d that Timothy wasn¡¯t poisoned,¡± Kathleen stated coldly. ¡°What?¡± Jennifer was utterly shocked. ¡°He was merely helping me to lure you out.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was soft yet cold. ¡°If the person that was poisoned was me, you wouldn¡¯t go to my lounge for sure, for fear of being implicated. When you heard that Timothy was poisoned and found out that you had poisoned the wrong person, you panicked. You wanted to check whether he ate the poisoned fruit on the tter, so you went to his lounge. Am I right? Jennifer bit down on her Hp. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Before Timothy pretended to be poisoned, he had hidden a phone in his lounge that had captured evidence of what you did after entering.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes darkened as she continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t we show ft to everyone and see if you truly went to help him clean up?¡± At that inomeni. Timothy walked out with the phone. Upon seeing him looking handsome and well, Jennifer heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯re fine?¡± she murmured. Timothy raised the phone as he remarked, ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re okay. If something had happened to you, I would never forgive myself.¡± Jennifer sniffled. ¡°I love you, Timothy. Do you know that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bring myself to be happy to be loved by a wicked woman like you,¡± he uttered coldly. Hearing that, she shrieked at the top of her lungs, ¡°I¡¯m wicked? I was forced to do this! By Kathleen!¡± ¡°No one forced you.¡± Timothy said in an icy tone, *You weren¡¯t chosen as the female lead back then, but it wasn¡¯t because you weren¡¯t as good as Kathleen. You were also the worst among the rest.¡± You were also the worst among the rest! Jennifer stared at him in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. I also participated in the voting session for the freshman production that year, so I know what happened.¡± Timothy continued coldly, ¡°Even if you think that Kathleen was chosen because of her looks, I can only say that being born with good genes is a form of skill. Why don¡¯t you try again in your next life?¡± Jennifer was stunned speechless. ¡°Take her away.¡± Samuel ordered coldly. The two bodyguards took her away. It looked like they were taking her to the police station. Timothy turned to look at Kathleen and Samuel, especially thetter. ¡°You¡¯re holding onto her quite tightly, I see,¡± he teased, rendering Kathleen speechless Samuel slowly let go of her and said indifferently, ¡°I promised my grandma that I would protect her.¡± However, Timothy merely looked at him in disbelief. Do you think no one can tell what you¡¯re thinking exactly? Stop pretending! ¡°Thank you, Samuel,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°But don¡¯t do this next time. I can avoid it by myself: Samuel¡¯s handsome and elegant face instantly darkened. It¡¯s all Timothy¡¯s fault ¡°By the way, did Ms. Schotte back with you?¡± Kathleen asked excitedly. ¡°I was worried about you, so I came back early She¡¯ll be back tomorrow,¡± he replied tly. She nodoled ¡°Oh, I see¡± Tot¡¯s go Samuel pulled her and walked away She wanted to break free froin his grasp but found that he was holding her lightly Upon stepping outside, Samuel shoved her straight into his Maybach. What are you trying to do? I want to go back in my car!¡± Kathleen yelled as she hit the car door. However, he ignored her. He went around the front of the car, got into the car, and drove off. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she huffed. ¡°Do you know how worried I was about you for the past two days?¡± Samuel questioned coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to worry about me. I¡¯m fine!¡± Kathleen blurted out angrily. ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten used to this. Don¡¯t cross the line, Samuel!¡± I crossed the line? I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯ve been worried for days. I¡¯ve been in a constantly unsettled state ever since she fell out of her wire. The minute I left Jadeborough, something happened to her. I¡¯m truly afraid now. I can still endure a momentary separation, but what if we were to be separated forever? Where will go to find her? She certainly won¡¯t understand anything! However, now that he had calmed down and thought about it, he realized that he had no right to treat her that way When sheined to him about leaving her on the road in the middle of the night to meet Nicolette, he truly regretted his actions back then and even felt fearful every time he thought about it. In my 27 years of life, there aren¡¯t many things that can make me afraid, but every single one of them is rted to her. Samuel clenched his jaw, looking extremely stern. No matter how angry Kathleen was, she knew that she shouldn¡¯t provoke him at this time. It was this reason she said that she was afraid of no one but Samuel, for she knew better than anyone what kind of person he was. A long whileter, they arrived at the entrance of the Johnson residence. Samuel nced at Kathleen. His breathing became heavier as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t take such risks in the future. Let others handle the matters. How can I rest assured and let you go when you¡¯re like this?¡± Kathleen paused for a moment before muttering. ¡°Samuel, you don¡¯t have to worry so much about me in the future. In all honesty. I¡¯ve been considering a matter for the past few days.¡± ¡°What matter?¡± he asked lowly ¡°Caleb¡¯s trying to woo me¡± She said indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ve given if a serious thought and think that we can give it a try¡± Salnuel was at a loss for words Het word tumne like o boli from the blue for him Despite that he didnt show any signs of being shocked, knowing that once Kathleen had found Miednicht kan br had no choice bul¡¯u let her yo However, he didn¡¯t anticipate that it would happen $o soon and for that person to be Caleb. ¡°Why him?¡± Samuel asked darkly. How is he better than me? Chapter 194 Chapter 194 ¡°I guess it just feels right,¡± Kathleen replied calmly. ¡°You know that there¡¯s no need for a reason to like someone.¡± Samuel¡¯s jaw tightened as he remained silent. ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± Kathleen opened the car door. Samuel quickly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Are you dating him just to get rid of me? You can just tell me if I¡¯m annoying you. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. But you don¡¯t have to be with him.¡± He felt extremely horrible. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this seriously, Samuel.¡± Kathleen looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you know my personality?¡± She¡¯s serious? Samuel felt like his heart was being shredded to pieces. His grip slowly loosened. Kathleen got out of the car and walked away. However, she had no idea why her heart was in so much turmoil when she saw how heartbroken Samuel was. Why does it hurt so much? Samuel stared at Kathleen¡¯s back. Even breathing felt painful for him at that moment. It was after Kathleen had entered the house did Samuel close the car door. He locked himself inside the car and remained silent for a long time. The next day, Caleb descended from a ne. He was slightly surprised to see Samuel there. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°To send you off,¡± Samuel answered with a grave smile. ¡°To send me off?¡± Caleb frowned. He had just gotten off the ne. What does he mean? Just as he spoke, he felt pain bloom across his face. Samuel had hit him. Caleb instantly retaliated It was then that he remembered Kathleen¡¯s message from the night before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± That was all she wrote. What did she do? Everyone rushed over, wanting to pull Samuel and Caleb apart. s, they were fighting so Intensely that no one dared to get any closer. They were afraid that they would end up getting dragged into their dispute. After ten minutes, both men stopped. Both of them seemed to have lost nearly all of their strength. Samuel¡¯s body condition was already bad, to begin with. Furthermore, he had used up all his strength to attack right from the start. Caleb was also not in the right state. He had been feeling slightly feverish, but every move he made was equally as strong. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this, Samuel.¡± Caleb touched his lips to find that there was blood on them. Samuel wasn¡¯t looking any better as well. ¡°Treat her well!¡± He red at Caleb coldly. With that, he turned around and left. Caleb¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Philip quickly walked up to him. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Lewis?¡± Caleb nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I would¡¯ve been crippled if that jerk was healthy.¡± Of course, Samuel was thinking the same thing. ¡°Why did he punch you?¡± Philip asked in puzzlement. ¡°What else if not for a woman?¡± Caleb walked over to his car. He took out his phone to call Kathleen, who was resting. ¡°I was beaten up.¡± Caleb didn¡¯t bother to beat around the bush. ¡°Come to the Lewis residence to see me after you finish work.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed that you had been beaten up by a sick man?¡± Kathleen taunted him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about the reason why I was punched,¡± Caleb answered in a cold voice. ¡°What Do you like me?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you pursuing me? Otherwise, why would you kidnap Nicolette out of the blue?¡± Kathleen replied with an equally aloof tone. ¡°Does that mean that I have a girlfriend now?¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too far ahead. I¡¯m only epting your courting. However, I still need more time to consider dating you.¡± Consider? Caleb snorted. ¡°I think you¡¯re just using me.¡± ¡°Would that matter if you genuinely like me?¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Unless you have some other motive?¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes narrowed even further. She¡¯s really intuitive. How interesting. ¡°Fine. But I have something to say. This is my first time pursuing someone. You must tell me if there¡¯s anything that I¡¯m doing wrong. Don¡¯t treat me like Samuel. I don¡¯t like it when you keep things to yourself,* Caleb finally answered. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°All right. Time to put on an act.¡± Caleb then hung up Kathleen was speechless. That man certainly was quick to get into action. ¡°What happened, Mr. Lewis? Why are you so happy?¡± Philip noticed that a smile had formed on Caleb¡¯s face. ¡°Kathleen finally allowed me to pursue her,¡± Caleb replied. ¡°Quick. Send me that saved article on 25 tips to pursue a girl.¡± Philip looked at him, speechless. ¡°When did I save such a thing?¡± ¡°I saw it,¡± Caleb replied curtly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to reconsider this, Mr. Lewis?¡± Philip stared at him, trying to remain patient. ¡°Think about it. She had shown no interest in you before this. Right now, she suddenly allowed you to pursue her. Moreover, she only agreed to your pursuit and not to officially be in a rtionship with you. Shouldn¡¯t you think about this?¡± Something¡¯s definitely wrong here! ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? It doesn¡¯t matter even if I¡¯m being used,¡± Caleb answered indifferently.¡± just want to see what she actually wants.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about Ms. Lewis,¡± Philip reminded him. ¡°I know.¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°From today onward, we¡¯ll definitely be the Macarl family¡¯s enemy. Tell everyone to be more careful In everything that they do. Samuel won¡¯t let go of Kathleen this easily.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Lewis.¡¯ Philip nodded. Caleb looked out the window while his thin lips pulled into a small smile. Although he was being used, he was still feeling good for some reason. Meanwhile, Samuel had been admitted into the hospital. Caleb¡¯s blows were pretty heavy. As his body condition wasn¡¯t good, it was obvious that he couldn¡¯t withstand the beating. Richard looked at Samuel, who was lying on the bed ¡°Do you think you¡¯re 18? Don¡¯t you know how bad youi condition is right now? Samuel didrit want to speak His entire body ached painfully. ¡°If you wanted to die so badly, you shouldn¡¯t havee to the hospital!¡± Richard eximed in anger. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay at home and wait for death instead?¡± ¡°Dr. Zimmer, Tyson called out. ¡°You have no right to speak!¡± Richard red at him. ¡°You knew that he never cared about his health. Why didn¡¯t you stop him from fighting?¡± ¡°Mr. Macari did it for Ms. Johnson, Dr. Zimmer. He started a fight with Caleb. How was I supposed to do anything?¡± Tyson said helplessly. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. It was a matter regarding a man¡¯s dignity. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Richard frowned. ¡°Ms. Johnson seemed to have decided to date Caleb.¡± Tyson emphasized the word ¡°seemed.¡± Richard paused before looking at Samuel. ¡°Serves you right!¡± Samuel remained silent. He had been quiet ever since he entered the ward. He didn¡¯t want to speak as well. Samuel had no other choice. He couldn¡¯t bring Kathleen back anymore. Richard crossed his arms. ¡°ording to what I know, Caleb had never dated anyone before. He¡¯s basically a virgin who fell in love with a divorced woman. Don¡¯t you think that Kathleen would find such a man attractive?¡± Tyson threw a pleading look at Richard. Shut up! However, Richard continued to speak, ¡°Samuel, there¡¯ll always be some things that you can never give Kathleen. For example, your first time falling for someone and your first hug. You gave those to another woman. Men had always cared about a warnan¡¯s virginity. Shouldn¡¯t women do the same to men?¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 ¡°Shut up!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice turned hoarse. ¡°My first kiss and my first time belong to her!¡± They¡¯re all hers! Regardless of what he said, Kathleen wouldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°ept your fate. You and Kathleen aren¡¯t destined to be together,¡± Richard uttered faintly. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s better this way for you and her.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Samuel, the only thing Kathleen can¡¯t let go of is the two kids. Half of it is because of you,¡± Richard said coldly. ¡°Whether you want to listen or not, if your men didn¡¯t think that your favorite woman was Nicolette, they wouldn¡¯t dare to do this. If you had told them earlier and let them know who their mistress was, do you think this would still happen?¡± Just then, Samuel¡¯s throat felt itchy. Sitting up, he pulled a few tissues. Then, he covered his mouth and coughed a few times. Taking down the tissues, he saw the tissues covered in blood. Richard¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the nurse to give you an infusion.¡± Without saying anything, Samuely back down. Tyson stared at Samuel, and his heart felt utterly uneasy. In the evening, the film crew wrapped up their work. Right then, Tyson came to the filming site. Kathleen was stunned momentarily upon seeing him. ¡°Tyson?¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, I need to talk to you for a while.¡± Tyson looked utterly dispirited. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen led him to the lounge. At the lounge, Kathleen invited him to sit down. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tyson paused for a while. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I want to ask you. Are you really with Caleb now?¡± Sitting in front of the makeup table, Kathleen stared at himposedly. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I didn¡¯te here to me you. Mr. Macari doesn¡¯t have the right, let alone me.¡± Tyson was somehow nervous. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I¡¯ve been working for him for five years. You know that I¡¯m a few years older than him. When he officially took over thepany at the age of 20, I just came to the company as an intern assistant.¡± Kathleen stared at him quietly. Tyson continued, ¡°I¡¯ve worked for him for so many years. Even though I don¡¯t know him very well, I¡¯ve seen his other side.¡± ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Kathleen looked at him confusedly. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Macari loves you very much,¡± Tyson borated. ¡°He¡¯s indeed a bit machismo, and he doesn¡¯t know how to care for a woman. But, Ms. Johnson, it¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t care, but he only cares about the outside. For example, before the season changes, he would ask me to contact those high luxury shops to deliver thetest clothes back home. All the clothes, shoes, bags, all kinds of skincare products, cosmetics, and jewelry. Maybe you don¡¯t care about these, Ms. Johnson, but Mr. Macari¡¯s a straightforward man. He thought you would like it.¡± Upon hearing that, Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°One more thing.¡± Tyson summoned up his courage. ¡°Ms. Johnson, have you ever thought about it? Mr. Macari was unable to win your heart because you kept your distance. Before you two were married, you had already been living together. Have you ever had a nice conversation with him? From what I know, Mr. Macari wasn¡¯t against you back then. He wouldn¡¯t leave whenever you open your mouth.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Ms. Johnson, actually, you¡¯re his favorite,¡± Tyson uttered with a low voice. ¡°There was one time when he said he would be home for dinner. You prepared the meal for him, but he waste in the end. You called and scolded him. That was the first time I saw him smiling. Indeed, he longed to be cared for by you.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Is he a masochist? ¡°When Mr. Macari found out you were dating Caleb, he went to have a fight with thetter. Before leaving, he asked thetter to take good care of you.¡± Tyson¡¯s heart twitched in pain. ¡°Actually, his heart¡¯s bleeding. You¡¯ve always been the one he likes. He realized itte, and he thought he was into Nicolette. Now, he regrets it deeply.¡± Kathleen let out a deep sigh. ¡°Tyson, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that you used to take good care of me, I would¡¯ve asked my men to throw you out.¡± Tyson was left speechless. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to imply.¡± Kathleen sounded utterly cold. ¡°But Tyson, it¡¯s toote. Who will give me back the lives of my two kids then?¡± Tyson bit his lip. ¡°I don¡¯t care about what he did to hurt me, but what about my children¡¯s lives?¡± Kathleen questioned deeply. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Macari didn¡¯t know about it,¡± Tyson responded. ¡°If he knew you were pregnant, surely he wouldn¡¯t allow Nicolette to do so. You didn¡¯t tell him, so how can you me him now? Yes, the most important point about the whole thing was those people under him thought that he liked Nicolette. However, they didn¡¯t spend time with him as often as I do. They don¡¯t know how he thinks, and they could only analyze based on what they saw. If Mr. Macari was the one who gave the order, you could me him, but he¡¯s innocent.¡± Kathleen said nothing. ¡°Ms. Johnson, if you have the time, please check this ce out.¡± Tyson put a note down. ¡°Then you¡¯ll understand him.¡± Upon saying that, he turned and left. Staring at the note that Tyson left behind, Kathleen hesitated for a while. Walking over, she took it and had a look. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She decided to go check it out tomorrow. Kathleen came to the Lewis residence. Caleb was sitting on the couch in the living room, wearing ck clothes and ck pants. He looked cold and handsome as usual. Kathleen frowned slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you clean your wounds?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you to clean them for me.¡± Caleb nced at her with aplicated look. Staring at the gauze on the coffee table, she threw it at him and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not your mother.¡± ¡°Are you sure I¡¯ll still pursue you if you behave like this?¡± Caleb furrowed his brows. ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t want to pursue me. I won¡¯t force you,¡± Kathleen uttered coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t serve you anyway.¡± Caleb chuckled out of frustration. ¡°So you¡¯re merely treating me as a shield, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°So?¡± Caleb remained silent. How dare she admit to it. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m easy to be used?¡± Caleb was somehow pissed. ¡°Who knows?¡± Kathleen respondedzily. ¡°I¡¯m not here for you. I¡¯m here to see Vivian.¡± Upon saying that, she walked off abruptly. Just then, Philip walked over and whispered, ¡°Mr. Lewis, it looks like your ploy is useless toward her.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Caleb stood up. ¡°She has triggered my fighting will. I¡¯ll get her eventually!¡± He liked a woman who was hard to get. Upon saying that, he went upstairs. At that moment, Kathleen was checking Vivian¡¯s pulse. As usual, Vivian showed utter indifference toward her without any reaction. Secondster, Kathleen put down her hand and looked at her. ¡°Vivian, I¡¯ve brought something for you.¡± Vivian was still ignoring her. Kathleen took out a handmade star from her pocket. ¡°Check this out.¡± Staring at the star inside Kathleen¡¯s palm, Vivian disyed a confused look. ¡°Charles?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He asked me to give you this.¡± Kathleen smiled slightly. ¡°He said after you collect a thousand, you can make a wish, and all your wishes wille true. Do you still remember the wish you made?¡± Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Vivian stretched out her slender fingers, wanting to touch the star. However, her hands were tied. There was no way she could touch it. She shook her head fervently as her eyes started brimming with tears. ¡°No! I¡¯m not worthy.¡± Kathleen frowned andforted, ¡°Vivian, there¡¯s no such thing as being worthy or not. You can have a blissful life as long as you want it.¡± Tears started rolling down Vivian¡¯s cheeks. ¡°I can¡¯t start one!¡± Kathleen held Vivian¡¯s face, saying, ¡°Calm down. Listen to me. Did you know I lost my children just like you?¡± Vivian froze. ¡°My children weren¡¯t even born yet. When they were still in my belly, my blood was drawn from me. At that time, I could feel their lives slowly slipping away.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°That¡¯s why I can understand your feelings.¡± ¡°No! You don¡¯t!¡± Vivian squirmed furiously. ¡°I don¡¯t love that child. I don¡¯t! Just like how I don¡¯t love the father of the child because I don¡¯t even know who the father is!¡± Kathleen was shocked. Caleb stepped into the room and pulled her away. ¡°Sedative,¡± Caleb ordered in an icy voice. Immediately, two elderlydies walked over. One of them held Vivian down while the other brought over the sedative and injected it into Vivian¡¯s arm. Slowly, Vivian quietened down. Her eyelids started feeling heavy, and she drifted off to sleep. Only then did Caleb pull Kathleen out of the room. He pressed her against the wall with both arms on either side of her. He hissed coldly, ¡°Are you still going to meddle in other people¡¯s business?¡± Kathleen sensed the hatred in his eyes as if she was the cause of Vivian¡¯s current condition. Perhaps she wasn¡¯t the one Caleb hated, but someone else. However, that person was closely rted to her. It was Charles. Caleb hated Charles. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°This is my responsibility now!¡± Kathleen pushed Caleb away. Thetter snorted as he watched her slender and graceful back leaving the scene. He hurried forward and blocked her path, ring at her with a cold and hatred-filled gaze. Kathleen clenched her fists. ¡°Caleb, I¡¯ll find a cure for her. Please believe me.¡± Caleb remained unmoved. ¡°I¡¯m deeply saddened by Vivian¡¯s matter. If this really has something to do with my brother, I¡¯ll take full responsibility for it.¡± Kathleen gazed at him seriously. Caleb stared at Kathleen with his dark eyes while remaining motionless. After taking a deep breath, Kathleen asked, ¡°Can you move aside now?¡± Caleb hesitated briefly before stepping aside. Seeing that, Kathleen walked past him, wanting to head downstairs. Suddenly, Caleb stretched out both his arms and hugged her from the back. Kathleen was startled by his actions. ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± ¡°You must cure her.¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°She¡¯s the sister I love the most. When I was younger, I got bullied all the time. She would always stand up to protect me. Now that I¡¯m grown up, I realize I can¡¯t protect her. So¡ª¡± Kathleen assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Caleb. I¡¯ll definitely cure her. Please, let me go first.¡± This will make people misunderstand the situation. However, Caleb didn¡¯t let her go. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°There¡¯s always a line between a man and a woman. We have different strengths.¡± Caleb scoffed, ¡°Different strengths? Yet, you dare to go to the Yoeger residence alone. It looks like you¡¯re quite the brave one, eh?¡± Kathleen was taken aback. He knows about this, too? Caleb reminded, ¡°Don¡¯t take such risks in the future. There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t ask me for help. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Caleb, you and I have nothing to do with each other now.¡± Kathleen frowned lightly. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Caleb released her from his embrace and smiled halfheartedly. ¡°Aren¡¯t I pursuing you now?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t promise to marry you, either.¡± Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. Caleb sneered, ¡°We haven¡¯t even started dating, and you¡¯re already thinking of marrying me?¡± Feeling speechless, Kathleen marched down the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll send you home.¡± Caleb hurried after her. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly let a woman go home alone at such ate hour.¡± Kathleen eyed him in puzzlement. ¡°What are you? A chameleon? A minute ago, you were still giving me a death stare as if you hated me to the bone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Caleb said sincerely. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to send me home. I can walk by myself.¡± Kathleen continued walking out of the house. ¡°Come on. Since you¡¯ve agreed to let me pursue you, then you should give me a chance to show off my good points, right?¡± Caleb grabbed her hand and brought her out. Soon, they entered the car and started their journey. Meanwhile, Samuely on the patient¡¯s bed. Right then, his phone chimed. When he lifted it to check out the notification, he saw a picture of Caleb hugging Kathleen from behind. There was even a picture of Caleb holding Kathleen¡¯s hand while walking out of the door. Immediately, Samuel felt an excruciating pain in his heart. He put his phone aside; his gaze darkened. At the same time, Caleb was sending Kathleen home. As they sat in the car, Caleb¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve witnessed my sister¡¯s condition today, please don¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Kathleen said inly. After all, she wasn¡¯t a bbermouth. Caleb remained calm. ¡°Have you visited Samuel at the hospital?¡± ¡°How did you know he was admitted to the hospital?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°I just know,¡± Caleb said coldly. ¡°Have you visited him?¡± Kathleen shook her head. Ever since she decided to use Caleb to avoid Samuel¡¯s pestering, she never thought of seeing him again. She couldn¡¯t understand what was on her mind. All she knew was that she feared Samuel. Seeing the conflicted expression on her face, Caleb said, ¡°It¡¯s better if you didn¡¯t visit him. Now that you¡¯ve agreed to date me, you should distance yourself from him.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind.¡± Caleb eyed her. ¡°Youngdy, don¡¯t underestimate my charms. I can make you fall for my gentleness anytime.¡± ¡°Caleb.¡± Kathleen cast him a serious nce. ¡°I hope you cane to your senses. I¡¯m not just some youngdy. I¡¯ve gone through a failed marriage. I¡¯m not the kind of woman who¡¯ll easily fall for a handsome man.¡± She was cautious in terms of love, especially when it came to Caleb, who had ulterior motives from the start. Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting I¡¯m handsome?¡± ¡°Maybe a little less than Samuel,¡± Kathleen said tly. Caleb was at a loss for words. ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t I makeparisons?¡± Kathleen feigned ignorance. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was only telling the truth.¡± Caleb was displeased by her words. Not long after, they arrived at Kathleen¡¯s house. When she wanted to get off the car, Caleb locked the doors. Immediately, Kathleen put on her guard and stared at him. With his arms crossed, Caleb said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t mind you being married before. What bothers me is that you¡¯reparing me with your ex-husband. If he¡¯s so great in every aspect, why did you divorce him?¡± Kathleen said nothing. ¡°So, don¡¯tpare me with someone who¡¯s not so great,¡± Caleb said sternly. ¡°I, Caleb Lewis, am different from others, and I don¡¯t want to bepared to someone else.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen answered halfheartedly. Caleb narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Fine. I get it. Open the door now,¡± Kathleen grumbled. ¡°Hold on. I can see you don¡¯t look too happy.¡± Caleb looked at her coolly. ¡°It¡¯s called an act of weighing my options. Why shouldn¡¯t I makeparisons if I were to get married?¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy about it, then stop pursuing me. No one¡¯s forcing you to do it, anyway.¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Seeing there was no response from Caleb, Kathleen unlocked the door by herself and opened it. After getting off the car, there was a faint smile on her delicate face, which made it hard to see if she was mad or happy. ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m not a little girl anymore. Your domineering acts might be effective on young girls, but not on me. I¡¯m not the slightest bit attracted by it.¡± Caleb scoffed. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I¡¯m pursuing a difficult woman?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly. At least, it¡¯ll be difficult to pursue me. Those romantic tricks you learned from someone else are useless to me,¡± Kathleen said seriously. ¡°You should go home and think about it.¡± Caleb was silent for a moment before asking. ¡°What kind of man do you like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, either,¡± Kathleen said inly: ¡°Perhaps someone who likes to take it slow. My previous rtionship was too tiring. I was always sacrificing myself back then. Now, I don¡¯t have the ability to continue doing that. And I think that¡¯s rather unfair for you.¡± Hearing that, Caleb alighted the car. He stood before Kathleen, leaned against the car, and crossed his arms. ¡°Kathleen, to me, you¡¯re only a woman. It doesn¡¯t matter if you were married or not.¡± He looked at her intently. ¡°No matter what kind of person I am, I only want to give you the best in life. Though you don¡¯t like domineering men, that¡¯s how I am. Even if you don¡¯t like me viewing you as a little girl, I¡¯m still older than you. To me, you¡¯re still a youngdy.¡± Kathleen was speechless. So, everything I said earlier was useless? ¡°Couples shouldn¡¯t be hiding things from each other.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°At most, i¡¯ll change for you.¡± Change for me? Kathleen didn¡¯t know how to respond. Caleb shed her a cunning smile. ¡°it¡¯s too cold today. Let¡¯s continue our conversation on WhatsApp, okay? Or do you n to invite me in?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°No.¡± Caleb snorted. ¡°Go on in then.¡± With that, Kathleen turned around and left. Caleb smiled as he watched her retreating figure, who was putting up a fearless appearance. After that, he entered the car and drove off. Returning to her room, Kathleen stood by the window and looked down. When she saw Caleb had left, she finally let out a sigh of relief. She sat beside the bed and fell deep into her thoughts. Is it roally a good idea to use Caleb like this? On second thought, he¡¯s also using me! There¡¯s nothing bad about it When the next day arrived, Kathleen heard amotion outside. As she looked out of the window, she noticed the sounds wereing from the house next door. It looks like the things are getting moved out of the house. Is Samuel moving out? At that thought, she quickly put on her coat and went downstairs. As soon as she walked out of the house, she saw a ck Maybach pulled over by the side of the road. Samuel should be in there. Has he been discharged already? Kathleen pondered for a while. She wanted to go over, but she hesitated Right then, Tyson walked out of the mansion and was surprised to see Kathleen. ¡°Hello, Ms. Johnson.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°Is he moving out?¡± Tyson cast the Maybach a subconscious nce before nodding. ¡°Mr. Macari says he won¡¯t be disturbing you in the future.¡± Really? Kathleen felt a little strange. ¡°Where¡¯s he moving to?¡± ¡°He¡¯s returning to Florinia Manor,¡± Tyson answered. ¡°Please tell him I¡¯ll continue to regte his health. That¡¯s what I promised him back then,¡± Kathleen said calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll send him the medicine regrly. I¡¯ll also give him a monthly examination.¡± After a short pause, Tyson said, ¡°Please hold on.¡± He stepped over to the car, opened the door, and said something to Samuel, who was in the car. Shortly after, Tyson returned. He scratched his head. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Macari says there¡¯s no need for that. He¡¯ll take good care of himself from now on. So, you don¡¯t have to worry about him.¡± Kathleen was stunned, and she pursed her lips. ¡°Okay. I understand.¡± ¡°By the way, Mr. Macari also asked me to tell you he¡¯ll stay far away from you in the future. He won¡¯t bother you anymore,¡¯ Tyson said helplessly. Kathleen nodded. All right¡± With that, she turned around and left. Tyson felt helpless. She doesn¡¯t understand the situation at all! Samuel¡¯s current condition was far from great In fact, his eyes were red when he was telling Tyson all that He didn¡¯t dare to say it to her face for fear of losing control over his emotions. The truth was that he could¡¯ve chosen not toe. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. However, he wanted to take a look at Kathleen. Though Tyson knew Kathleen was definitely not heartbroken, the same couldn¡¯t be said for him. After all, Kathleen and Samuel were so close to being together. Yet, Kathleen chose Caleb. It was an unexpected turn of events. Tyson lowered his head and returned to the car. Samuel¡¯s handsome and pale face was exceptionally grim. ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°Sh-She¡­ Tyson stammered. Samuel was unfazed by his reaction. ¡°She said she understood.¡± Tyson informed, feeling helpless. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t think you should¡¯ve said that. It¡¯ll only push her further away.¡± Samuel mocked himself. ¡°She¡¯ll still distance herself from me, even if I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Tyson was at a loss for words and could only sigh. Samuel coughed a few times. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, let¡¯s go to the hospital,¡± Tyson said concernedly. ¡°The weather¡¯s cold, and your body¡¯s wounded.¡± Thump! Thump! Suddenly, a series of knocks sounded from the outside of the car windows. Samuel looked out and noticed Kathleen standing outside. Tyson rejoiced inwardly. He quickly got out of the car and opened the door to the back seat. ¡°Ms. Johnson, let¡¯s not talk outside. It¡¯s too cold.¡± Kathleen frowned. It was indeed quite windy that day. The car was exceptionally warm; she could feel the warm air brushing her face. Kathleen nced at Samuel He was dressed in a three-piece suit, looking rather elegant. However, his handsome face was unusually pale. Seeing that, she got into the car Kathleen had a fresh, flowery scent on her. She had just woken up. Thus, her face was bare yet fair and clean. She looked absolutely tempting. As Samuel studied her, he gulped uncontrobly. Seeing her again made him realize how much he wanted to hug her. He had the urge to keep her in captivity, not allowing her to go anywhere. The picture he receivedst night triggered his emotions. He never expected how miserable it would feel seeing Kathleen being with another man. ¡°This is a prescription. Since you said you¡¯re not letting me take care of you, this is thest thing I can do.¡± Kathleen handed Samuel a piece of paper with the prescription on it. ¡°Follow whatever¡¯s written on it and get the medical practitioners to prepare it for you. You¡¯ve got to consume it every day until around the beginning of summer. If your body¡¯s fine, then you can stop taking it in the future. But if you still have any problems, you cane and see me. Then again, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t.¡± Samuel merely gazed at her calmly, without saying anything. Kathleen then studied the wound on his nose. Caleb has the same wound. Don¡¯t they understand the rule of not hitting someone¡¯s face during fights? ¡°Thanks.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was extremely hoarse. Kathleen frowned upon hearing that. Samuel coughed lightly, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He swallowed hard. Seeing that, Kathleen frowned even more. She reached out and grabbed Samuel¡¯s wrist, causing thetter to frown. ¨C Kathleen was shocked. ¡°Why is your hand so cold? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Samuel started coughing again. As if he couldn¡¯t suppress it anymore, he immediately took out his handkerchief and covered his mouth. Kathleen quickly patted him on the back. When he finally stopped coughing and wanted to put away his handkerchief, Kathleen grabbed his hand and opened the piece of fabric. The moment she saw the blood on it, she froze. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 ¡°Samuel, you * Kathleen hadn¡¯t even realized that her voice was shaky The man¡¯s big hands clutched tight to the handkerchief and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Kathleen bit her lip and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just stay in the hospital?¡± ¡°Does it have anything to do with you?¡± Samuel asked as he threw a frigid look at the woman, stumping her ¡°Havent you chosen to be together with Caleb?¡± Samuel mocked ¡°He¡¯s better than me anyway I mean, you¡¯re his first love Since you guys were practically intertwined with each other, I reckon that you¡¯ve already kissed him at this point So, why do you care so much about me?¡± ¡°You!¡± Kathleen was so furious that her hand shook violently His eyes darkened as he peered at the woman¡¯s porcin fair skin ¡°I didn¡¯t mess with you.¡± I did try to steer clear of you Kathleen slowly loosened her grip ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee to find you¡± Kathleen let go of her handkerchief and got out of the car Somnuel¡¯s eyes turned red as he looked at her silhouette tears brimming in his eyes ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said in a hoarse voice Tyson lelt terrible He closed the car door and chauffeured Samuel away Kathleen went back to the mansion and curled up on the couch Charles came down from the second floor and said, ¡°I saw Samuel moving out That¡¯s great Charles was taken aback alter noticing his sister¡¯s devastating looks and tear-stricken eyes ¡°My dear, what¡¯s the matter?* Charles went over and asked in a concerned tone ¡°Charles, Samuel¡¯s condition is worsening.¡± she said in a shaky voice Charles patted her head and said, ¡°You guys are already divorced Why do you still care about him? ¡°Yes, we¡¯re divorced But why do I still feel such a strong urge to cry?¡± Kathleen muttered Charles was stumped ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be loathing that man and be happy about his condition instead?* Kathleen sniffled. ¡°Why do i feel so miserable about this?¡± Charles circled his sister in his embrace to coax her gently ¡°Because you¡¯re a kinddy, Katie No matter how much Samuel hurts you, you would still care about him This just means that you¡¯re a kind person it doesn¡¯t have to do with anything else ¡°Will he dier Kathleen sobbed in hol a doctor So I cant answer that question But, the Macari family is loaded They can afford to here the best doctors money can get He¡¯s not really that sick anyway it¡¯s going to be all right.¡± Charles said in an attempt to soothe her. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were red, ¡°He¡¯s severely injured from his previous attempts of hurting himself. I realized that when I checked his pulsest time. Normal doctors won¡¯t be able to treat him. He needs abination of different treatments, but he¡­¡± ¡°Katiel¡± Charles pressed his hands down on her shoulders and said in a clipped tone, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this. The fact that he can be discharged from the hospital means that his condition isn¡¯t that serious Don¡¯t worry about him too much. He¡¯s young, powerful, handsome, and rich. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s going to give up such a perfect life. I bet that he hasn¡¯t had enough fun in his life yet. This could be a ploy to fish for your sympathy. Do you understand?¡± Kathleen stared at Charles nkly, ¡°A ploy to fish for my sympathy?¡± ¡°Yes So, please don¡¯t think about him anymore,¡± Charles said as he leveled a stare at his sister Kathleen sniffled ¡°You¡¯re on leave today. Just take a good rest at home. I¡¯m heading to the office,¡± he said grimly ¡°Okay Kathleen nodded Charles got up and headed toward the door. He paused in his tracks and turned around before saying to Maria, ¡°Take good care of Ms. Johnson.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Charles then turned around to leave. Kathleen went back to her room. She reached into her pocket and felt a piece of note in there. Tyson had handed that to her the day before, He asked her to head to the ce written on the nate. She thought for a moment and hurriedly changed into an all-ck attire before leaving the Johnson residence. After an hour, she arrived at a mountainside Cars weren¡¯t allowed to drive into the mountainside. Hence, she got out of the car and walked After walking for about ten minutes, she saw a cemetery Is this the ce? She walked inside the cemetery An old man guarding the entrance asked, ¡°Who are you looking for? Tyson asked me toe here,¡± Kathleen sald nkly ¡°I don¡¯t know who I¡¯m looking for The old man cyed her from head to toe and uttered, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Mrs Macan¡± Kathleen was stumped. ¡°This is the cemetery of the Macari family,¡± the old man exined. ¡°I know why Tyson asked you to come here. Please follow me, Mrs. Macari.¡± ¡°Sir, actually, Samuel Macari and I are already divorced,¡± she said quietly ¡°Oh,¡± the man uttered in a hoarse voice. Then, he said nothing else. Kathleen followed him to the most corner spot of the cemetery. ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡± The old man pointed at a grave not far from them. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen muttered and headed there. She was taken aback at the sight of the epitaph on the tombstone. My dear children. Father. Samuel Macari, Kathleen then wondered if it was the tombstone that Samuel had put up for his two children. Her agitated heart calmed down right away. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°It¡¯s been a year. Mr. Macari woulde over every other day and just stand right here as he looks at the tombstone,¡± the old man said. ¡°Does hee here very often?¡± Kathleen asked softly ¡°Every other day.¡± The old man let out a sigh. ¡°Tyson said that he must be missing you so badly that he made an effort toe here even after he was just discharged from the hospital and despite his illness.¡± ¡°What good does it do though?¡± said Kathleen as she mused. ¡°Mrs. Macari, no one can be sure that they won¡¯t cammit a single mistake throughout their whole life. eeling miserable as well. How could he be so vicious to harm or even murder his own children?¡± Kathleen crouched to take a better look at the inscription on the tombstone. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve forgiven him before. I asked him to help me break Nicolette¡¯s leg. But he didn¡¯t do it, and he lied to me. That¡¯s why I left. I just wanted him to do our children justice.¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari, of course, Mr. Macarl has his faults too. As an outsider, I can¡¯t make furtherments on this. But If you really think that way, please also consider what he¡¯s said and done after that. He did make Nicolette pay, and he hurt himself too. He¡¯s atoning for his mistakes.¡± Kathleen kept quiet. ¡°Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macarl would¡¯ve been gone If he hadn¡¯t been able to receive treatment in time.¡± The old man sighed. ¡°You may want to consider asking yourself If you really want him to be gone, Mrs. Macari¡± ¡°No, never¡± Kathleen denied it outright. ¡°That thought has never crossed my mind. He¡¯s the one Insisting that I do.¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari, since he¡¯s already atoning for his mistakes, why are you still feeling so miserable? Do you still have feelings for Mr. Macari? Is it because you can¡¯t ept the fact that you have feelings for him? He has hurt you and your children, so you think that you shouldn¡¯t just let him off the hook that easily and forgive him. Yet, you can¡¯t stop yourself from harboring feelings for him. Instead of ming him, you¡¯re actually feeling guilty about your own feelings, right?¡± Tears rolled down Kathleen¡¯s face immediately. The old man let out a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re a silly girl. You think that you¡¯re tormenting Mr. Macari, but you¡¯re actually tormenting yourself.¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Kathleen kept her mouth shut and didn¡¯t want to say anything anymore. She walked out of the cemetery with heavy steps. Then, she got in the car, leaned against the seat, and closed her eyes. Honestly, she felt conflicted about her feelings for Samuel after what everyone had said. She wasn¡¯t sure what she should think about her feelings for Samuel. Complicated thoughts flitted through her mind, especially when she saw Samuel put tombstones for the two children. But, what of it? Does it mean everything he did could be wiped off the te clean? They said Samuel would die. Nicolette almost sent me to the morgue. In the end, Samuel lied to me when he hid Nicolette away. Sometimes I wonder. Does Samuel even love me at all? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever forgive him. Thinking of this, she was furious. She couldn¡¯t calm herself. Not only was she not able to forgive herself, but she also couldn¡¯t forgive Samuel. Kathleen took in a deep breath. Forget it. All in all, we aren¡¯t destined to be together. Suddenly, her phone rang, snapping Kathleen out of her daze. ¡°Hello?¡± Kathleen answered after putting on her Bluetooth earphones. ¡°Are you free tonight? Care to apany me to a banquet?¡± Caleb asked as he sat in his office. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go, Kathleen refused before continuing, ¡°I need to look at Vivianter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can wait. After all, I had already told everyone you¡¯de,¡± Caleb replied, his eyes narrowing. ¡°You¡­¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare your evening dress,¡± Caleb said and hung up, smirking. Kathleen sighed. It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll take a look together with him then. In the afternoon, Kathleen arrived at the Lewis residence, Caleb wasn¡¯t in. Although he wasn¡¯t there, the evening dress Caleb prepared for her had already been sent to his house. It was a purple tube top dress, and its length was only up to one¡¯s ankle. It was matched with a pair of simr colored high heels. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. With one nce, Kathleen stayed quiet. She had to adinit that Caleb had done his research on her. Her favorite color was purple I wonder where he got his intel from? Then, she went upstairs to check on Vivian. Vivian was still tied to the bed. Her gaze were empty as she looked at Kathleen. Kathleen looked at her solemnly. Then, she walked over and asked, ¡°Do you remember me?¡± Vivian frowned. She nodded at first but shook her head after that. ¡°Kathleen.¡± Kathleen sat on the side of the bed and repeated, ¡°I¡¯m Kathleen.¡± ¡°Kathleen¡­¡° Vivian parroted her words, yet she sounded uncertain. Looking at the pitiful woman in front of her, Kathleen stretched her arms out and hugged Vivian. Instantly, Vivian shuddered and tried to push Kathleen away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! I¡¯m dirty! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dirty.¡± Kathleen hugged her even tighter. ¡°You¡¯re not dirty. Really: ¡°No! He said I¡¯m dirty! He even said he doesn¡¯t know who fathered the child i¡¯m pregnant with, and I¡¯m dirty, so the child must be a little mongrel,¡± Vivian sobbed. Kathleen¡¯s heart ached at her exnation. ¡°That¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t understand you. You only have to disregard him. Moreover, he¡¯s the only one that thinks that. Everyone else doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I can ignore what everyone else said, but why did he have to say that to me?¡± Vivian cried in despair. ¡°I love him so much, but he¡­ Ah!¡± Vivian fell into Insanity yet again. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! I¡¯m dirty! I¡¯m really dirty!¡± However, Kathleen didn¡¯t release her hold. ¡°Vivian, snap out of it! Why do you care what that man said to you? What¡¯s Important is you yourself!¡± Kathleenforted her. ¡°You aren¡¯t dirty. Just ignore what he said.¡± Vivian cried even louder. But fortunately, she stopped struggling. Kathleen hugged her in her embrace, patting her back gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything will be okay.¡± Eventually, Vivian fell asleep in Kathleen¡¯s arms. Then, Kathleen put her down gently on the bed before injecting her with medication. ¡°Is this the mind and body two-pronged treatment?¡± Caleb queried, his arms folded as he leaned against the doorframe. Kathleen didn¡¯t look up ¡°Mind you, and this is your sister you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯ll be our sister, don¡¯t worry.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. Kathleell was speechless ¡°Do you like the dress?¡± Caleb asked. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes, I love the color.¡± The corners of Caleb¡¯s lips curled upward. ¡°I was right to watch and study every one of your interviews.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°You watched all of my interviews?¡± . ¡°Yes, not only that. I¡¯ve dug up all your photos online and studied all of those too.¡± Caleb massaged his temples. ¡°I¡¯m so dimn tired. I didn¡¯t get a winkst night. Moreover, I have to wake up early and earn money for you.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°Why do you need to earn money for me?¡± ¡°So when we get married, I can give everything I have to you.¡± Caleb arched an eyebrow. Kathleen was stunned into silence yet again. Caleb stared intently at her. ¡°Do you want to grab a bite before going?¡± He looked like he was afraid of starving Kathleen of food. Kathleen stared at him solemnly. ¡°Caleb, I don¡¯t recall agreeing to date you. Aren¡¯t you too much?¡± ¡°No, this is what I call nning for a rainy day.¡± Caleb shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll be toote to look for solutions if thingse to a head.¡± Kathleen looked at him helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need to do so much for me. What if I say I don¡¯t want to date you?¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll do my utmost best to stop you from saying that.¡± Caleb stared seriously at Kathleen. The more he talked to Kathleen, the more he thought she was interesting. Although that girl looked gentle and meek on the outside, she was actually someone who was resolute and had an attitude. Sometimes, Caleb wondered If Samuel regretted losing such a fine girl like Kathleen. Kathleen avoided Caleb¡¯s stare. It suddenly urred to her that Caleb was different from the others. Even though Caleb was cold to others, he was a straightforward person. He wasn¡¯t like Christopher, who was secretive and calctive On the contrary, Caleb was frank with his thoughts He was like an open book because one could see straight into his heart Inct. getting along with these kinds of people was much easier than a secretive one. However, this only worked if they already liked them Il nol drolines with these kinds of people would be tiring Kathleen felt that At this moment, Caleb sat at the chair by the side, his long legs crossed, his arms folded, and waited for her to finish. He didn¡¯t urge her to go quicker or look anxious. He was quiet. Simrly, Kathleen was calm too. She changed into her dress for the banquet after finishing Vivian¡¯s treatment. Twenty minutes had passed, and Kathleen emerged in the purple dress. Wearing that dress, she walked toward Caleb. Caleb stared at her in a daze. Then, he smiled. ¡°You look gorgeous.¡± Kathleen flushed. Caleb didn¡¯t sweet-talk Kathleen. He meant what he said. Kathleen was fair and supple, and when she wore a purple attire, she exuded an elegant and dignified air that entuated her beauty. Especially her slightly wavy hair and the purple tassel earrings she wore looked beautiful on her. Caleb extended his arm, and the housekeeper ced Kathleen¡¯s white cashmere coat in his hand. Then, Caleb helped Kathleen wear it. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen responded with gratitude. Caleb responded cooly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks.¡± After that, with a sweeping motion, he let her hair out from under the coat. He sure is meticulous. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Kathleen said, her ears reddening. ¡°A beautiful woman should enjoy herself when there¡¯s a man who caters to her every need ¡± Caleb Nashed her a smile. ¡°Moreover, I want to do it please tell me if I¡¯m doing it wrong since this is the first time I am doing this for a woman.¡± Kathleen tell awkward ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t dare¡± What¡¯s there lo be afraid of?¡± Caleb folded his armis. ¡°You and I are equals Taking love out of the Buation I¡¯d still treat you with respect.¡± Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Kathleen was shocked that those words actually came out of Caleb¡¯s mouth, Caleb took her hand and ced it around his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my future girlfriend.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded, but she still followed him down the stairs anyway. They got into the car and left. The banquet between Kathleen and Caleb was about somepany¡¯s thirtieth anniversary All of the prominent figures in Jadeborough were present. Kathleen knew that she would bump into members of the Macari family and the Morris family there, She was a little nervous. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here,¡± Caleb assured her casually. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone pick on you.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt if anyone from the Macarl and the Morris familyes to talk to me.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Caleb nodded. She didn¡¯t know what to do with him anymore. ¡°Kate.¡± Just as she finished speaking, Kathleen heard a very familiar voice. ¡°Hello, Mr. Macari.¡± Kathleen turned around and saw Calvin walking over. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here,¡± Calvin said with a hall-smile. ¡°Hello, Mr. Macari,¡± Caleb greeted with a bow. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite, Mr. Lewis. I¡¯m no longer in charge of Macarl Group and have handed it over to Samuel,¡± Calvin said with a falnt smile. ¡°Everything?¡± Kathleen was stunned, Calvin nodded. Wouldn¡¯t he feel worn out? Kathleen thought, ¡°He doesn¡¯t have much to do except for work anyway.¡± Calvin¡¯s smile had deep meaning behind it ¡°That¡¯s right. Focusing on work can help someone to forget a lot of things,¡± Caleb replied Kathleen quirked an eyebrow and nced at him. Caleb merely smiled in response. When Calvin noticed the interaction between the two, he sighed inwardly 11: Over My Son 18 officially out of the game ¡°Mi Macan¡¯ Kathleen poused for a briel moment. ¡°Samuel¡¯s body lon¡¯t doing well ll might bd for ha health if you give luni loo triuchi lo do ¡°There¡¯s no use in telling me that. I can¡¯t stop him at allo Calvin was also very helpless about Samuel¡¯s attitude. ¡°You know how stubborn he is. No one can ever make him change his mind.¡± Except for you, Kathleen. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve already been separated from Samuel, Mr. Macari.¡± Calvin looked at her deeply while his expression remalned stoic. ¡°You¡¯re right. It was Samuel¡¯s fault in the beginning. Don¡¯t worry about it, Kate. Every life has its own ending. To be fair, ever since both of you have split up, his well-being has nothing to with you anymore. Whether to die or to live will be ording to Samuel¡¯s own wishes.¡± Caleb sneered from the side. What an old bastard. He knows that Kathleen¡¯s soft-hearted. That¡¯s why he¡¯s using this to pressure her. Kathleen probably thinks that he¡¯s not ming her at all. ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Macari. I don¡¯t have any other solutions as well.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I no longer have anything to do with him.¡± Calvin rernained silent. Sure enough, Kathleen had been hurt too much. He had asked Tyson about what happened, and thetter told him everything. Even so, Kathleen remained unfazed. However, she couldn¡¯t be med. If it weren¡¯t for Samuel¡¯s negligence, Nicolette¡¯s n wouldn¡¯t have seeded. Kathleen nearly died because of that. What was even more dreadful was that she lost her babies. The Macari family had no right to force Kathleen to stay with Samuel to save him. Nevertheless, he was still Samuel¡¯s father. He could still help him a little. But he could only do so much. ¡°Mi Macari, I¡¯ll be bringing Kathleen to meet the others, Caleb sald as he led her away. If he continued to allow Kathleen to talk with Calvin, she might change her mind. Calvin smiled coldly Caleb sure is no fool as well Caleb brought Kathleen to the other side lo greet the other guests. However, they didn¡¯t expect to burn into Felix when I lex notored that Kathleen was nding beside Caleb, his eyes glimted coldly 11 de liar kiriwaithal Kathleei wus benelicial to the Morris fomnlly, he would¡¯ve agreed for Christopher Wite with me Alv. War. 100t 16 POINT ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to move on so quickly, Ms. Johnson,¡± Felix said while his words held a different meaning. Kathleen remained silent. ¡°There was nothing real between her and Christopher anyway. I remember that you, Old Mr. Morris, had made a big fuss about it. However, she doesn¡¯t even want your grandson anymore. What are you being so cynical for?¡± Caleb¡¯s words were as sharp as a knife. Felix¡¯s expression darkened. Apart from the Macari family and the Morris family in Jadeborough, there was the Lewis family, No one dared to challenge these three prominent families. Moreover, each of these three families didn¡¯t like each other at all. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Caleb wasn¡¯t afraid of Felix, and thetter was equally so. Vivian only looked at Samuel as an enemy in some way. Kathleen looked at Felix coldly. ¡°You were the one who started all of this mess, Felix. It doesn¡¯t matter that you¡¯re 70, for you are still as shameless as ever.¡± She hated him down to the bone. The only reason why she was willing to tolerate him was because of Christopher and Emily. Regardless, Felix was still ungrateful. Kathleen continued to stare at Felix with a hostile look in her eyes, but he didn¡¯t have a hint of awkwardness on his face at all. ¡°We¡¯ll make a move for now.¡± Caleb, however, smiled lovingly at Kathleen. Upon speaking, he brought her away. Just as Kathleen turned around, she saw a figure dash across the entrance. She furrowed her eyebrows at what she saw. ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom, Caleb.¡± Kathleen let go of him and turned around to leave. Caleb frowned slightly. ¡ª ¨C ¨C Kathleen ran out and looked around her surroundings. She quickly walked over to the restroom. Just as she neared it, she saw Samuel leaning against the wall. He was propping himself with one hand and covering his mouth with the other as he coughed nonstop Kathleen walked over to him only to see blood dripping out from the gaps between Samuel¡¯s fingers She tumed to walk into thedies¡¯ room to take some tissues out to wipe his hand Samuel looked at her nkly. At that moment, Kathleen heard the voices of somedies walking toward them. If they were spotted together, thedies would definitely spread the news around. After thinking for a moment, she quickly dragged Samuel into a small room at the side. The room was actually a lounge, and there was also a small restroom located inside. Kathleen dragged Samuel into the restroom and turned on the water faucet. Samuel started coughing out blood onto the sink. Kathleen was dumbfounded at the sight. Why has his condition worsened? She raised her arm and patted his back lightly. ¡°Why did youe if your condition has worsened?¡± she scolded him. Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse after so much coughing. ¡°I have toe. There¡¯ve been a lot of rumors about my health. You know that there are a lot of people eyeing the Macari family. If I don¡¯te today, these people will work together to bring us down.¡± ¡°What can you possibly do by showing up? Are you going to ignore your health?¡± Kathleen was furious. Samuel washed his hands and used them to bring water to his mouth. He had to gargle many times before he managed to get rid of the blood. Kathleen brought a towel over for him to wipe his mouth. She then grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. ¡°Did you take the medicine I gave you?¡± She furrowed her eyebrows. Samuel shook his head. Because he was afraid that she would get angry at him, he quickly rified, ¡°I didn¡¯t have the time to go and get it.¡± ¡°You have so many people working for you. Why didn¡¯t you ask them to take it instead?¡¯ She frowned. Samuel remained silent. ¡°Apart from the medicine that I gave you, did you take any other pills?¡± Kathleen asked. He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve been poisoned,¡± Kathleen continued as she stared at him. ¡°What have you eatentely?¡± ¡°All I had was my mother¡¯s cooking,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°What about an IV drip?¡± Kathleen bit her lip. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Samuel hummed in response. His handsome face was very pale. ¡°It seems that someone mixed poison into your infusion.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows and continued, ¡°I think you should ask Tyson to take a look. Don¡¯t just¡ª¡± Samuel suddenly felt dizzy and copsed in Kathleen¡¯s direction. Kathleen held him, only to realize that his body was feverish to the touch. ¡°Wakeup!¡± Kathleensaidurgently,¡°Samuel!¡± Samuel put up a strong front and replied, ¡°Tyson is out running errands for me. I came alone.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Just leave me here. As long as no one sees me being so weak, it¡¯ll be fine,¡± said Samuel in a hoarse voice. ¡°Leave you here?¡± Kathleen sounded incredulous. ¡°Then what they will find tomorrow is your corpse, bleeding out from seven different orifices.¡± Samuel said nothing in response. In his mind, he noted that Kathleen¡¯s body was quite soft. Leaning against her wasforting. If I just close my eyes, it¡¯ll be fine. At least I¡¯d die in her embrace. Kathleen really couldn¡¯t support Samuel, who was about a hundred and eighty-eight centimeters tall. She dragged Samuel out and lowered him onto a couch. However, she soon noticed that she did not have a phone on her. Kathleen walked over to Samuel and felt about his pockets. Fortunately, he still had his. ¡°Don¡¯t call my father. He¡¯d panic and turn the world upside down,¡± Samuel slurred as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Kathleen knew what he was worried about. After all, which parents do not worry about their children? Letting Calvin know would plunge the Macari family into chaos, and the news would only spread even faster. Kathleen nodded in agreement. As she mulled over whom to contact, she realized that she only memorized one person¡¯s phone number and promptly dialed it. ¡°Samuel, what is the meaning of this?¡± Charles said in a low voice. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°Sam, it¡¯s me.¡± Kathleen was unable to exin the situation. Charles frowned. ¡°Kate!¡± What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t she attend the banquet with Caleb? Why would she use Samuel¡¯s phone to call me? ¡°Can youe pick me up?¡± asked Kathleen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charles suddenly went on high alert. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get here, but you cannot raise an rm,¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°Okay.¡± Charles agreed. Ten minutester, Charles arrived. Kathleen immediately dragged him inside. Charles was speechless when he saw Samuel lying there. ¡°Let me guess. This meeting was somehow fated?¡± asked Charles with an arched brow. ¡°Stop asking me questions. I need you to help me find a way to get Samuel out. He was poisoned and must be treated as soon as possible,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°All right. Just move him out, then,¡± said Charles faintly. ¡°If I could do that on my own, why would I need to call you?¡± Kathleen hissed. ¡°True.¡± Charles pursed his lips and thought for a bit before speaking again. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend that we¡¯ve both had too much to drink and take him outside.¡± Kathleen¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. ¡°For the love of god, have some sense. Anyone can share a drink, but the two of you? What if someone sees you? And if you¡¯ve had too much to drink together, what would people think?¡± ¡°They will think that I have epted Samuel, so you and Samuel are definitely going to remarry,¡± Charles said quietly. ¡°Exactly.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Think harder.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use the back entrance then,¡± Charles said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with this ce, so no one will see me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± murmured Kathleen. Charles helped Samuel up and asked, ¡°Are we taking him to the hospital?¡± Kathleen looked at Samuel¡¯s pale face. ¡°No, take him to our house.¡± Charles said nothing. ¡°Just get him outside. I¡¯ll notify Caleb before leaving.¡± Having said that, Kathleen turned around and left. Charles gave Samuel a sideways nce. ¡°Do you know how much you owe my sister? You have hurt her so many times, but she still spares no effort to help you. Samuel Macari, you should really count your blessings.¡± Unfortunately, Samuel did not answer. He seemed to have truly fainted. Kathleen returned to the scene and noticed that Caleb was looking for her. ¡°Where did you run off to?¡± Caleb then gave her the once over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kathleen nodded her head. ¡°Of course I¡¯m okay. By the way, I really should get going.¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? I still want to dance with you.¡± ¡°Another time,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you off,¡± said Caleb in resignation. He was not going to force her to stay. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No need.¡± Kathleen shook her head gently. ¡°My brother is here to pick me up and he is waiting for me outside. I¡¯ll just leave with him. You should stay and enjoy yourself. Goodbye.¡± After saying that, Kathleen turned around and left. She took her coat, put it on, and headed for the door. Caleb looked at her retreating back quietly, his eyes somber. She seems to be in a hurry. But since she doesn¡¯t want me to know, I won¡¯t ask. Hmm, I¡¯m still curious though. Kathleen walked out of the party. Charles brought the car around with Kathleen sitting at the back. The first thing she did when she got into the car was to check Samuel¡¯s condition. At the same time, she took out her mobile phone to call Maria, asking her to prepare for their arrival. ¡°Yes, I need you to fill a tub with hot water and put those herbs in,¡± urged Kathleen. ¡°Turn the heating on and make sure the room is warm too.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Maria. Kathleen hung up the phone and looked at Charles. ¡°Charles, hurry.¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Charles snorted. Kathleen frowned, and she looked at Samuel worriedly. They soon arrived at the Johnson residence. Charles helped Kathleen get Samuel out and brought him into the vi. The two of them then tried to help Samuel up the stairs. ¡°Go to the bathroom,¡± said Kathleen. Charles then promptly brought Samuel there as instructed. In the bathroom, Kathleen took off Samuel¡¯s jacket and suit first. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this,¡± said Charles to Kathleen. ¡°You should prepare the other stuff.¡± Kathleen nodded, turned around, and left. Charles closed the door, took off Samuel¡¯s clothes, and put him in the bathtub. Soon, Kathleen returned with silver needles. Her coat had been removed, and her long ck hair was tied into a ponytail. Holding the silver needles, she stuck them into several important acupoints. She then picked up his right hand, pricked the index finger, and squeezed hard. A ck blood trail flowed down his fingertips to the ground. Charles was surprised. ¡°He was poisoned?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Somebody put poison in his infusion.¡± ¡°How sinister.¡± Charles was shocked. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is.¡± Kathleen frowned. She raised her hand and brushed away Samuel¡¯s ruffled hair. Charles looked at Kathleen pointedly. ¡°Do you still love him?¡± Kathleen¡¯s fingertips trembled, but she didn¡¯t answer. Charles sighed. ¡°Why is it so difficult for you to let him go? Hasn¡¯t he hurt you enough? Sure, he seems repentant now, but what if he encounters another woman in the future and he still treats you like this? What then?¡± ¡°I never said I wanted to be with him again,¡± said Kathleen helplessly. ¡°Go and mind the tinctures I¡¯m brewing in the kitchen, please.¡± Charles was speechless. ¡°Go on,¡± said Kathleen urgently. ¡°Fine.¡± Charles got up and left. Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Samuel¡¯s pale yet handsome face and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re going to be okay.¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 After a while, Charles came in with the tincture and handed it to Kathleen. ¡°Is it okay to not send him to the hospital?¡± Kathleen took it from him. ¡°Are you doubting my medical skills?¡± Charles was embarrassed. ¡°You could bring him to a hospital, but they may not be able to treat him on time. They can¡¯t think of possible diagnoses soon enough,¡± said Kathleen faintly. Charles said nothing. ¡°Charles, help me,¡± said Kathleen brusquely. ¡°Straighten his head, or I can¡¯t feed him his medicine.¡± Charles sighed, and he reluctantly helped Samuel up. Kathleen ced the liquid near Samuel¡¯s lips, coaxing him to drink. However, Samuel did not respond. ¡°Just force it in,¡± said Charles heatedly. Kathleen red at him, then took a mouthful of medicine and kissed Samuel. She did not falter or hesitate. Charles was rendered speechless at this. Did she just¡­ offer herself up as a sacrifice or something? After about three or four mouthfuls, Kathleen finished feeding Samuel the medicine. She then took a towel and dabbed the corners of his mouth gently. Kathleen red at Charles. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Charles shrugged and grunted in response. He was not about to say anything anyway. Kathleen nced at Samuel. His face was not as pale as it had been at first. She then decided to take his pulse again. ¡°How is he?¡± Charles was curious. ¡°The toxins have reduced, but it will take time toe to,¡± Kathleen said calmly. ¡°He might need about a week.¡± ¡°That long?¡± Charles was surprised. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. At that moment, Samuel¡¯s cell phone rang. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Kathleen picked it up and saw Tyson¡¯s name shing on the screen. ¡°Charles, keep an eye on him for me.¡± Bringing the phone with her, she decided to take the call outside. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± came Tyson¡¯s hushed tone. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Tyson, it¡¯s me,¡± murmured Kathleen. Tyson was stunned. ¡°Ms. Johnson? How did you¡ª¡± ¡°Tyson, Samuel has been poisoned,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°Check and see if any of the hospital staff seems suspicious to you. I think someone tampered with his fluids.¡± Tyson was furious. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you mean to say that someone has deliberately harmed him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°These b*st*rds!¡± Tyson said angrily. ¡°It must be those people!¡± ¡°Those people?¡± Kathleen frowned lightly. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Jacob Stewart. Jacob and his god-forsaken family.¡± Tyson exined, ¡°This b*st*rd has always been jealous of Mr. Macari. He used to do things behind his back. This time, Mr. Macari won the bid for the construction of Flobury. I imagine he must¡¯ve been pretty pissed and done this in retaliation.¡± Jacob Stewart? ¡°Tyson, Samuel told me before he passed out that no one should know that he was poisoned,¡± Kathleen said quietly. ¡°He¡¯ll be staying with me for a week.¡± Tyson was very excited. A week? This is terrific news! But wait a moment¡­ ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Macari must attend the press conference for Flobury in three days,¡± said Tyson sheepishly. ¡°There will be many important people at that time. This schedule has already been announced and cannot be changed.¡± ¡°What will be the consequences if he doesn¡¯t show up?¡± queried Kathleen warily. ¡°Poor public opinion, for one. And it will leave a poor impression, especially since so many important people are attending.¡± Tyson continued, ¡°Actually, the most important thing is the development of Macari Group. Mr. Macari and the other executives will have every move nned carefully. Jacob Stewart also has his eye on the prize and seeks topete with Mr. Macari. However, given that he could not do this head-on, he resorted to such lowly tricks!¡± Kathleen frowned in response. ¡°Tyson, Samuel likely won¡¯t be conscious for another three days. Knowing his physical condition, recovery would take at least a week.¡± Sighing, Tyson asked, ¡°What can I do?¡± Kathleen paused before she responded. ¡°No matter what, you can¡¯t reveal that Samuel stayed here with me.¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, don¡¯t worry. My lips are sealed,¡± said Tyson reassuringly. ¡°I know what would happen if this leaked.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll help him get rid of the poison.¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, we¡¯re fortunate to have you,¡± Tyson said, moved. ¡°I¡¯d have been aplete mess if I had to handle this on my own.¡± Kathleen said solemnly, ¡°Also, make sure that nobody at home finds out. Just tell them he went abroad.¡± ¡°This is easy to say now, but three dayster? That¡¯s a different story.¡± Tyson could feel pain surging through his temples. That event was truly critical. Kathleen said coldly, ¡°I will think of something.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Tyson. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest of this to you.¡± Her tone was somber. ¡°No problem, Ms. Johnson. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°If anything happens, you can call Samuel¡¯s cell phone directly, and I will pick it up. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Tyson. ¡°I¡¯ll look into the poisoning.¡± ¡°Remember, keep a low profile,¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Tyson hung up the phone. Kathleen put down her hands and sighed. She went to the bathroom. Charles¡¯s eyes were gloomy. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°This week, Samuel will stay here.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was dark. ¡°Please don¡¯t reveal Samuel¡¯s whereabouts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t,¡± Charles said calmly. ¡°I never thought he¡¯d be poisoned like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to guard against something like this. I never thought someone would have the audacity to tamper with his fluids.¡± Kathleen sighed in resignation. ¡°Didn¡¯t he have a friend at the hospital?¡± Charles reminded. ¡°You mean Richard?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I doubt he would have known either.¡± Charles shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that he met you. Otherwise, he would have died for sure.¡± Kathleen said nothing as she looked at Samuel¡¯s pale face. ¡°I wonder what you did in your past life to owe him this much right now.¡± Charles truly found this hard to fathom, given how coincidental it was. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Kathleen looked at Samuel¡¯s handsome face. After all, how could she know what happened in her past life? ¡°Charles, it¡¯s almost time. Help me get Samuel out.¡± Kathleen raised her wrist and nced at his watch. She had brought over a white bathrobe. Together, they lifted Samuel out of the tub and dressed him in the robe. After that, they slowly made their way toward the bedroom andid him down gently on the bed. Kathleen said to Charles, ¡°I need a pair of your pajamas.¡± Charles hummed disapprovingly. ¡°I¡¯ll wipe him dry. You should go and fetch the clothing. Men and women shouldn¡¯t be in such close contact.¡± Kathleen red at him wordlessly. ¡°Come on, now.¡± Charles pushed her out of the room. Kathleen was rendered speechless. Goodness gracious, what reaction is he expecting me to have towards Samuel¡¯s body in the first ce? This is ridiculous! She went to Charles¡¯s room and came back with a set of pajamas. Charles then helped Samuel put on his pajamas. Kathleen looked at Charles, who was sweating profusely and said with a smile, ¡°If not for the fact that you¡¯re both men, I¡¯d have assumed you fancied him yourself. Look at you, putting in so much effort!¡± Charles red at her. Kathleen only offered a giggle and a wicked grin in response. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Charles showed her an impatient look. ¡°Me, fancying him? Even if I were a woman, I¡¯d do better than a sc*mb*g like this!¡± ¡°On a more serious note,¡± Kathleen said sternly, ¡°Samuel will be staying here, with nobody to take care of him. If you¡¯re not busy, you should stay home and help out.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charles vehemently disagreed. ¡°We have a housekeeper, so why do you need me?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who brought up the notion of men and women not being allowed close contact or something?¡± Kathleen simpered. Charles was about to retort but was forced to keep quiet. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then you can help me get a week¡¯s leave. I will take care of him myself,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°No!¡± Charles objected. Kathleen frowned at him. Charles was very angry. ¡°I will take care of him. You¡¯re not allowed to leave work!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving him in your capable hands.¡± Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°Wait, I will write down a schedule for you. With that, you¡¯ll know when to give him his medicine and when he needs a soak.¡± Charles was full of anger. ¡°Charles, you are the best!¡± Kathleen took his hand. Charles could then feel his anger dissipate slightly. ¡°By the way, how is Vivian?¡± Charles looked at Kathleen, his expression mild. Kathleen hesitated for a moment. ¡°Both good and bad, I suppose.¡± ¡°How can I cure her?¡± Charles asked with concern. ¡°Tell me, I¡¯ll find a way.¡± ¡°Charles, Vivian¡¯s situation is quiteplicated.¡± Kathleen said quietly, ¡°She has suffered from quite a shock.¡± ¡°Apart from Finn abandoning her, is there another reason?¡± Charles asked coldly. Kathleen hesitated for a moment, then murmured, ¡°Yes.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Charles snapped, ¡°What is it, then? Answer me!¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know how to tell him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can tell me.¡± Charles had prepared himself mentally for this. Kathleen hesitated and said, ¡°She was vited.¡± Charles was shocked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just one person.¡± Kathleen looked deste. ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know who the child in her womb belongs to.¡± Charles¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Vivian was not in the right mind, but I managed to deduce that much from her rambling. Caleb was with her at the time, but he did not say anything.¡± Kathleen fiddled with her sleeve before continuing, ¡°Of course, Caleb had every intention of finding out who hurt Vivian, but maybe he¡¯s also testing me.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°Testing you?¡± ¡°Wait, surely you don¡¯t think that Caleb and I are truly dating?¡± said Kathleen sardonically. Charles blinked. ¡°He approached me to find out who hurt Vivian.¡± ¡°What?¡± Charles was dumbfounded at the revtion. Kathleen thought it was funny. ¡°You don¡¯t really think I like Caleb, do you?¡± ¡°He¡­ Why does he need to figure this out?¡± Charles frowned. ¡°Could it be that it¡¯s someone she knows?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± There was a chill in Kathleen¡¯s voice. ¡°If it were anyone else, Caleb would have done whatever he could for revenge long ago. He probably didn¡¯t know who or where this happened, so he thought of using me to his advantage. Or rather, hebed through a list of men that Vivian got along with well. Since you are a known acquaintance, he decided to make a move on me.¡± Charles looked at Kathleen pointedly. ¡°You know this, and you¡¯re still dealing with him?¡± ¡°I just wanted to use Caleb to get rid of Samuel,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect Samuel to be like this.¡± ¡°But why not use Christopher?¡± Charles asked, his tone thoughtful. ¡°Are you reluctant to hurt Christopher, or do you think he¡¯s not even qualified?¡± Kathleen was flustered. Charles sighed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that deep down, you think that Samuel is much better, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Kathleen was quiet. Charles smiled faintly. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s only through my understanding of someone like Samuel. I think this man is not only unfathomable but also very shrewd. You can¡¯t tell his temper, and you don¡¯t know what can set him off. His heart is bottomless, but I understand your fear of Samuel¡¯s feelings.¡± Although after Kathleen came back, Samuel had been behaving very well. He was gentle, considerate, and patient with Kathleen. However, he remained just as domineering at everyone else. However, he could not be med fully for this. After all, what Samuel had experienced was different from everyone else. That was also how he ended up that way. Because she could not read his emotions well, Kathleen was afraid. Samuel could see through others, but others could never do the same with him. That was the most terrifying part of him. ¡°But since Caleb is approaching you with a purpose, no matter how good you are, you can¡¯t want this kind of man.¡± Charles was most worried about Kathleen. ¡°Charles, I only want to get to the bottom of this situation involving Vivian. I also don¡¯t want you to end up in trouble,¡± exined Kathleen. Charles paused. ¡°I will ask him to make it clear. I think he shouldn¡¯t need to hide his intentions.¡± ¡°Can I listen in on this when you speak to Caleb?¡± murmured Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯m also curious about you and what kind of life you lived back then.¡± Charles was also very secretive about his past. Kathleen had always wanted to know, but Charles revealed very little. He said that his secrecy was also to help his friends. If he was willing to reveal that to Caleb, she wanted to know too. Charles nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s ask him toe over tomorrow. We should do this as soon as possible to avoid dragging this out. It¡¯s no good for all of us,¡± Kathleen suggested. Charles nodded lightly. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°But would you be betraying their trust by doing this?¡± Kathleen was still a little worried. ¡°No, because he didn¡¯t keep his promise,¡± Charles said coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± A promise? I bet there¡¯s a whole story to that. At that moment, Kathleen yawned. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Hurry up and go to bed.¡± Charles looked at Kathleen distressedly. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Samuel.¡± ¡°Can you manage?¡± Kathleen yawned again and again. ¡°You need to give him medicine every three hours.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°Go to bed now. You have to film tomorrow.¡± ¡°Fortunately, there are not too many scenes these days,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°If you can¡¯t manage, you can call me.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Charles nodded. Only then did Kathleen walk out, making her way to the guest room for the night. Charles walked toward the bed, grabbed Samuel¡¯s cor, and said angrily, ¡°If you really have a conscience, you should stop pestering my sister, or treat her better! Otherwise, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± Charles hissed. This man was truly infuriated. He was aware that Kathleen liked Samuel, but things could not continue this way. Samuel¡¯s behavior had led to Kathleen feeling somewhat fearful. He took Kathleen away and did not let them meet again. In fact, he promised Kathleen toe back. After all, he did have selfish motives himself. He wanted to undo the knot in Kathleen¡¯s heart so she could move on. However, he thought that even she could not undo it on her own. Perhaps it had to do with Samuel. Perhaps Samuel could undo the knot for her. Charles sat beside the bed and sighed. ¡°Samuel, what do you want Kate to do? She gave you everything. Is Christopher bad? Caleb too? Are they not good enough? She doesn¡¯t even like them, and it¡¯s all because she loves you still.¡± Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Samuely motionless on the bed. Charles felt sorry for him. ¡°Why does she like you so much? She can¡¯t forgive herself because of that. Actually, all of us know that it¡¯s not that she can¡¯t forgive you, she just can¡¯t forgive herself.¡± There was a pin drop silence in the air. Samuel¡¯s breathing rate was regr as Charles continued, ¡°You have hurt her, but she still loves you so she can¡¯t forgive herself. She thinks that she¡¯s silly and foolish. Even though she knows that you¡¯re the one who hurt her, she still can¡¯t stop herself from loving you. That¡¯s why she¡¯s eaten up with self- me. Do you understand her? Can you even do that?¡± It all came down to the fact that Kathleen fell head over heels for Samuel. But her love for him could not undo the things that he had done. Kathleen despised herself for not being able to bring herself to hate him deeply. Even when she stood face to face with him, she suffered a meltdown. Charles sighed. ¡°How I wish I could kill you for my sister and end all of this.¡± However, he could not do that because his sister would be more upset if he were to do it. Charles felt helpless. The next day, the first thing Kathleen did was to check on Samuel. After checking his pulse, she smiled. ¡°His pulse is fine. Charles, thanks for your helpst night.¡± Sitting on the couch, Charles snorted coldly in response. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash up.¡± With that, Kathleen went out. When Charles saw her leaving, he sighed. Can¡¯t she see the dark circles under my eyes? What kind of sister would do this to her brother? After washing up, Kathleen went to have her breakfast. She gave a prescription to the housekeeper. ¡°Get the medication from the pharmacy.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Johnson.¡± The housekeeper took it over. Kathleen took a sip of the milk in her hand. ¡°Prepare the medication once you get it. Change the medication of the medicinal bath as well.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°All right.¡± The housekeeper nodded. After that, Kathleen continued to eat her breakfast. Later, Valerie and the others drove over to pick her up to the studio for filming. Charles felt speechless as he drank a cup of coffee. ¡°She hasn¡¯t even asked if I¡¯m okay since the time she woke up. I feel like I am dead!¡± The housekeeper chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re overreacting, Mr. Johnson. Ms. Johnson gave me two prescriptions just now, and one of them is for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Charles¡¯ mood was instantly uplifted. The housekeeper gave the prescription for him to see. Seeing his name on it, Charles said, ¡°Hmm, she still has a little conscience.¡± ¡°Mr. Johnson, I¡¯m going out to get the medication.¡± ¡°Sure, when you go to the pharmacy of the Lewis family, get the medication using Caleb¡¯s name if someone asks you about it,¡± Charles reminded. The housekeeper nodded. After the housekeeper left, Charles went upstairs to check on Samuel. Although Charles was quite reluctant to do so, he had to do it because Kathleen had entrusted him to do that. Hence, he had to take care of Samuel well. At noon, Caleb visited the film set, bringing a food truck along with him. Kathleen stared at him speechlessly. He smiled. ¡°Does this make you proud?¡± ¡°Come here. I have something to say to you,¡± Kathleen uttered frostily. Caleb strode over to her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Are you free tonight?¡± Kathleen asked in a low voice. ¡°You want to go on a date with me?¡± Caleb shed a half-smile. ¡°Do you want to go to the seaside or to the mountain? Where do you want to go?¡± ¡°My house. Are you free?¡± ¡°Your house?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is it good for us to rush things in our rtionship?¡± She scoffed, ¡°What? Are you chickening out?¡± ¡°Me? Chickening out?¡± He nced at her. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯ll stay here and wait for you.¡± With that, he plopped down on the couch in the lounge. She spoke indifferently. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind being bored, wait then.¡± After saying that, she left to continue filming. Remaining true to his words, Caleb did not go anywhere else in the entire afternoon. He asked Philip to send work documents to him so that he could deal with work matters in the lounge. As a result, everyone knew that Caleb was pursuing Kathleen, and he was doing it very sincerely. After work, Kathleen went to the lounge. She went to change her clothes first before approaching Caleb. He was on a phone call. ¡°You have invited me, Mr. Stewart. Of course, I¡¯ll go.¡± She perked up her ears upon hearing that. Mr. Stewart? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be there, Mr. Stewart.¡± Caleb curled his lips into a smile. After saying that, he ended the call. Kathleen looked at him. ¡°Is Mr. Stewart Jacob Stewart?¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Caleb raised his brows. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him,¡± she replied cidly. ¡°Do both of you have a coboration?¡± ¡°He wants to team up with me. Both he and I didn¡¯t get to work on Flobury since Samuel won the project.¡± Caleb sounded calm. ¡°Soon, there¡¯ll be a hugend remation project at South Sea. Mr. Stewart and I are interested in it.¡± Land remation? This must be Samuel¡¯s development n mentioned by Tyson yesterday. It seems Caleb is interested in it as well. ¡°Does that mean that both of you are going to join forces?¡± Kathleen took a bottle of water but couldn¡¯t open it no matter how hard she tried. Caleb took it over to help her open it. ¡°That¡¯s a national project. Of course, we¡¯re interested, but who knows who will get it in the end? That¡¯s a huge project, so one corporation can¡¯t handle it on its own.¡± ¡°Even Samuel?¡± she asked curiously. Caleb cast her aplicated look. ¡°You seem to care a lot about whether Samuel can have the project all to himself.¡± She smirked. ¡°Of course. If Samuel can do that, Jacob and you can coborate topete with Samuel. Besides, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m involved in Flobury too.¡± Caleb shed a wry smile. ¡°Girls shouldn¡¯t get involved in this.¡± ¡°Girls?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Even Samuel doesn¡¯t dare to say that to me.¡± Caleb was stunned momentarily. Kathleen continued, ¡°But since you say that, I feel displeased. I have suddenly had an interest in this project too.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Should we team up?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You looked down on me just now. If I team up with you, You¡¯ll take the credit and deny my efforts in the future.¡± Once again, Caleb was caught off guard. He started to regret why he blurted that out without thinking. ¡°But I don¡¯t care who you want to coborate with.¡± Kathleen smiled, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°But I¡¯d advise you to think twice before coborating with Jacob.¡± He stared at her with an unfathomable expression. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Intuition.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were clear as she spoke. ¡°I think he¡¯s not a good guy.¡± He grabbed her wrist, his voice deep. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a good person?¡± ¡°No,¡± she answered firmly. ¡°How about Samuel?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯s not.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°Although you guys are not good people, you guys are not evil either. However, Jacob is not the same.¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes darkened. She shook off his hand and continued, ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m not trying to stop you. Actually, I don¡¯t care about who you want to coborate with. Alright, let¡¯s go to my ce.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I thought you were angry and didn¡¯t want to let me go with you.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± She grinned nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m not that petty. Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Caleb thought that Kathleen was not angry anymore as he followed her home. Even though he knew she was not a loose woman, he thought she might want to take their rtionship one step further since she had invited him to her ce. Kathleen didn¡¯t head there with his car. He wanted her to ride in his car, but she did not agree to it. Caleb was unfazed. They reached the Johnson residence one after another. Caleb went over to her and asked, ¡°Is your brother at home?¡± \ There was an aloof look in her clear eyes. ¡°Are you hoping for him to be at home? Her reply caught him by surprise. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen blinked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I thought it¡¯s just the two of us. We won¡¯t have privacy if he¡¯s around.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± She chuckled lightly. ¡°I thought you¡¯re more interested in him than me.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You know why.¡± She cast him a side nce. He narrowed his eyes. As she opened the door and entered the house, Caleb followed after her. Charles was carrying a cup of coffee as he walked out of the kitchen. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded. Caleb eyed Charles. Is he really at home? Charles shot Caleb a cold look. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Caleb¡¯s handsome face remained aloof. ¡°Charles, are you not going to eat?¡± Kathleen piped up. ¡°In a second.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to change my clothes first.¡± Kathleen walked up the stairs while Charles invited Caleb to have a seat in the living room. When Kathleen reached her room, she put down the things in her hand and went to check on Samuel first. Good. The potency of the poison has reduced, but his hands are still cold. She put Samuel¡¯s hand back under the cover before adjusting the temperature so that the room would be warm. As she looked at his well-defined facial features, she reached out and poked his cheek. Why have I not noticed that it feels good to poke his cheek before this? After that, she stood up to get changed. Samuel was unconscious, so she did not avoid him as she changed her clothes. After changing into a snow-white sweater and a pair of jeans, she went downstairs. The atmosphere in the living room was tense. There was zeromunication between Charles and Caleb. Only when Kathleen reached downstairs did Caleb say, ¡°Mr. Johnson, I haven¡¯t thanked you for helping my sister.¡± Charles took a sip of his coffee and replied in a cold voice, ¡°You want to thank me?¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes in response. ¡°I assumed you thought that was what I should do, Mr. Lewis,¡± Charles added coldly. ¡°Mr. Johnson, what are you trying to say?¡± Caleb stared at Charles meaningfully. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I thank you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to thank me if that¡¯s insincere,¡± Charles said slowly. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to ept it anyway.¡± ¡°Mr. Johnson, maybe you should stop beating around the bush.¡± Caleb finally realized what Charles was getting at. Charles asked solemnly, ¡°Mr. Lewis, there¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°You can speak your mind, Mr. Johnson.¡± Kathleen sat down. Looks like they¡¯re not in a hurry to eat, but I¡¯m hungry. She then decided to get herself a mandarin and started peeling it. ¡°Good.¡± There was a cold expression on Charles¡¯ face. ¡°Mr. Lewis, why do you pursue my sister?¡± ¡°Because I like her.¡± Caleb was looking at Kathleen as he answered the question. Kathleen, who was eating the mandarin, was unbothered. Charles¡¯ gaze darkened. ¡°Is that the truth?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Caleb replied firmly. Charles huffed. ¡°Caleb, stop lying.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes slightly. Charles questioned as he added, ¡°Are you not getting closer to Kate to use her to investigate me?¡± Caleb was stumped. ¡°You think that I was behind Vivian¡¯s mental condition. Am I right?¡± A cold glint shed across Charles¡¯ eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t dare to confront me directly because you think I won¡¯t admit it. Knowing that I dote on my sister, you n to wait until your rtionship with her turns stable before you ask me about it, and because I don¡¯t want to hurt my sister, you figure I will definitelye clean. Right?¡± Caleb furrowed his brows. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Charles was exasperated. ¡°No one is stupid! Right from the moment you started nning this, Kate has seen through your ploy!¡± What? Caleb looked toward Kathleen, exining, ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± She gazed at him with a calm look. ¡°Caleb, someone told my brother and me that you took a very worn picture to have my brother investigated, and in that picture, only my brother¡¯s face was clear.¡± Caleb was dumbfounded. She continued, ¡°You knew Vivian was vited by several men, so you surmised my brother was surely one of them. That was why you wanted to get close to me.¡± Charles pursed his lips. Strangely, he was a tad nervous. Kathleen knew all of that, but she was not angry at all. He felt inexplicably uneasy in his heart, as he thought that she should not have been so calm and collected She should have been angry or upset. Her expressionless face felt like mockery to him. It was as though she was making fun of him. After all, he was the one who set up the n, but he fell for her first. Yes, that was the n. The one who falls in love first will be the one who¡¯s going to be controlled. Kathleen did not fall in love, but he did. In a way, he had sort of submitted to her. Charles added, ¡°Caleb, when I left Pollerton back then, your sister was still fine.¡± Caleb looked at him in silence. ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to lie to you,¡± Charles continued somberly. ¡°I know I need to have evidence.¡± ¡°Do you have any proof?¡± Caleb asked gravely. Charles sighed. ¡°I do.¡± Caleb frowned, staring at Charles. ¡°But before that, I want to make things clear.¡± Charles looked back at Caleb meaningfully. ¡°Besides the four people in the picture you gave them, there were actually five of us including the one who took the picture.¡± Five? ¡°Back then, we were studying abroad in Pollerton. We knew each other since high school, so we often hung out together,¡± Charles continued. ¡°Three of us are guys, and the other two are female.¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°I had checked before, but why can¡¯t I find any information about all of you? Even my sister¡¯s information was not avable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because out of five of us, there were three people who needed to have their identities concealed,¡± Charles answered coldly. ¡°The girl who took that picture was an illegitimate child of a Spaunia¡¯s royalty. After she graduated, she went back to her home country to get married. For safety purposes, her father deleted all her information, so our information was deleted as well.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes in silence. ¡°Another guy was the crown prince of Bera.¡± Charles continued to exin. ¡°For safety purposes, his information was deleted as well. Therefore, besides the information you can get from the university¡¯s system, you can¡¯t find any other personal information.¡± ¡°So my sister¡¯s information was not deleted deliberately?¡± Caleb was dubious. Charles sighed. ¡°Someone took advantage of that to tamper with her information.¡± ¡°Is that the third person?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Charles nodded. ¡°Who is this third person?¡± Caleb asked with great concern. Charles replied slowly, ¡°I promised him that I would never reveal his identity.¡± verre Caleb knitted his brows. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s my friend, but¡­¡± Charles trailed off. ¡°Why do you still want to hide it after what happened to Vivian?¡± Caleb questioned. ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m even sadder than you after Vivian bes like this. When I left, she reminded me to go back and attend her wedding!¡± Charles said in a deep voice. Caleb was stumped. Kathleen asked, ¡°Charles, who exactly is that man? ¡°Felix Morris has an illegitimate son,¡± Charles revealed coldly. Kathleen was shocked that Felix actually had an illegitimate son. ¡°His name is Finn.¡± After a pause, Charles went on, ¡°He¡¯s the man Vivian is in love with.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to delete all the information even though he¡¯s the illegitimate son of Felix, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kathleen pointed out, stunned. ¡°Finn¡¯s mother is Lindsay Turner, a world-famous celebrity thirty years ago. Sheter married into the royal family.¡± Charles paused for a moment and continued, ¡°But she was already pregnant when she got married.¡± Kathleen was astounded. Charles went on, ¡°After Finn was born, he was rejected by the rest of the royal family. For the sake of his future, Lindsay sent him to Pollerton to study. That was how we knew each other.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Caleb asked coldly. ¡°Then, Vivian, the belle in themunity of international students, was the crush of many men, including Finn and I. However, she likes Finn, so I didn¡¯t pester her and just silently watched over her. It wasn¡¯t until my adoptive parents asked me toe back that I left Pollerton. We haven¡¯t been in touch since then,¡± exined Charles. ¡°Where¡¯s the proof?¡± demanded Caleb. Charles threw him a sh drive. ¡°There¡¯s a recording of them seeing me off back then, which can prove that I¡¯ve left Pollerton upon graduating from the university. At that time, Vivian was still doing fine. In addition, you can go look up my itinerary over the years. Other than thest time I went to Pollerton with Kate, I¡¯ve never been there ever.¡± Grabbing the sh drive, Caleb asked expressionlessly, ¡°Why did Finn do this?¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kathleen surmised, ¡°Could it be that he felt that Vivian was a stumbling block to his future? For example, he needed to ept a blind date or a marriage arranged by the royal family in order to gain their approval, but Vivian got pregnant at the time, so he-¡± Caleb cut her off with a gloomy face, ¡°If that was the case, I¡¯ll definitely not let him off!¡± Charles said calmly, ¡°Finn will be in Jadeborough tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why is he here for?¡± Kathleen asked, surprised. ¡°To attend a meeting the day after tomorrow.¡± exined Charles A meeting? ¡°Is it the press conference of Macari Group¡¯s Flobury?¡± Kathleen asked slowly ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Charles answered. It must be! Kathleen was certain about it. There would be no major events in Jadeborough two dayster, except the press conference for Flobury She even overheard a discussion about it earlier on the set that day. It was no wonder the Stewart family would secretly do something about it The thought filled Kathleen with anger. ¡°Does that mean that I¡¯m about to see him soon?¡± Caleb clenched his fists. The rage in him seemed to be out of his control. ¡°Charles, did Finn tell you anything?¡± asked Kathleen curiously. Charles shook his head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t contacted me since ourst call, but since he¡¯s here, it won¡¯t be that easy for him to leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go there that day,¡± Caleb dered in a deep voice. Charles shot him an indifferent look. ¡°Anyway, what happened to Vivian has nothing to do with me. I hope you¡¯ll stop pestering Kathleen because of this. If you dare to continue pestering her, I will definitely not let you off!¡± Kathleen was his Achilles¡¯ heel. Caleb gave Kathleen a solemn look. ¡°So you already knew what I wanted to do, didn¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen nodded. Caleb sneered at himself. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect it.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t look down on women,¡± Kathleen stated indifferently. Caleb smiled meaningfully. ¡°I didn¡¯t. In fact, I admire you even more now.¡± Kathleen looked at him ndly. ¡°You are indeed different from the rest. I have something to tell you too, Kathleen. I¡¯m serious about you. Regardless of what my motive was in the beginning, my feelings for you are real.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°I won¡¯t give up.¡± Caleb dered. Kathleen had a cold look in her eyes. Caleb rose to his feet. ¡°Mr. Johnson, thank you for telling the truth. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it. As for Kathleen and I, I¡¯ve expressed myself clearly. My pursuit of her has nothing to do with revenge. I will continue to pursue her.¡± Charles narrowed his eyes. ¡°Goodbye then.¡± Caleb turned to leave. Kathleen and Charles exchanged looks. ¡°Don¡¯t believe the words of such a man. He has other motives from the very beginning and is so fickle minded. You shouldn¡¯t go out with this kind of man.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen replied awkwardly, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t like him. No matter how fickle he is, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re still young. Although you be popr right after your debut, you still have to maintain it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what I want better than anyone.¡± Kathleen assured. Charles nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Samuel again,¡± Kathleen said, worried. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Charles frowned. ¡°I will after that.¡± Kathleen turned to go upstairs. Charles muttered to himself, ¡°I kind of know why she doesn¡¯t like Caleb now.¡± That man had a ce in her heart all the time. She is still into him! When Kathleen was upstairs, he heard Samuel¡¯s phone ringing. She answered it. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, how¡¯s Mr. Macari?¡± asked Tyson. ¡°He¡¯s still unconscious. Why? Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°The remation project has attracted the attention of many people. Many havee to Jadeborough, waiting to participate in theunching of Flobury and get in touch with those people above. If Mr. Macari isn¡¯t present, I¡¯m afraid that those people will be ahead of the game.¡± ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m still here, remember?¡± said Kathleen. Tyson stiffened. ¡°Tyson, have you forgotten that I am the biggest shareholder of Macari Group?¡± Kathleen reminded. Tyson was stunned at once. Only then did he remember that Samuel had transferred all his shares to Kathleen when they divorced. In other words, Kathleen was the boss. ¡°What they care about is that there will be chaos if something happens to Samuel, who has no heir, don¡¯t they? Now that I¡¯m here, what else would they dare to say?¡± Chapter 207 Chapter 207 ¡°You¡¯re right, Ms. Johnson!¡± said Tyson with sudden realization. Kathleen said softly, ¡°Though I¡¯m not as good as Samuel in business, I¡¯m not totally ignorant. Tyson, I¡¯ll handle the press conference the day after. Give me all the relevant information.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Tyson excitedly. ¡°We¡¯ll let Samuel have a good rest,¡± said Kathleen as she looked at Samuel¡¯s handsome face. Yesterday he was deathly pale, but he had regained some color in him after one whole night of rest. ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson nodded and added, ¡°Shall Ie round for you the day after?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied Kathleen impassively. ¡°It¡¯s better that no one knows that Samuel is here with me. I¡¯ll drive there.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Tyson nodded again. Kathleen then hung up. She let out a long sigh. She was confused and lost. In fact, she asked herself why she did all that for. She pursed her lips and convinced herself that it was definitely not for Samuel. She was doing it for the Macari family. Diana and the rest of the family had been very good to her. If something were to happen to the Macari family, it would definitely affect them. Kathleen reiterated to herself that she did it for the Macari family and not for Samuel. Definitely not. No way. ¡­ The next day, Kathleen was roused from her sleep by the ring tone of a phone. At first, she thought it was her phone. It turned out to be Samuel¡¯s phone, and it disyed the caller ID of Ms. Schott. Kathleen was instantly wide awake. Oh, no. How can I forget about herpletely? This is bad! Ms. Schott was in Jadeborough and wanted to meet Samuel and was looking for him. It meant that she had to pick up the call. After a moment of hesitation, Kathleen finally answered the call. ¡°Hello,¡± said Kathleen softly. The caller on the other end, obviously taken aback, asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± It could be discerned from the voice at once that the caller was someone elderly but authoritative. ¡°I¡¯m Kathleen,¡± replied Kathleen. Kathleen? Ms. Schott frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you answering Samuel¡¯s phone?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Aren¡¯t the two of you divorced?¡± Ms. Schott broke in, sounding displeased. ¡°Yes, but-¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and continued, ¡°We are together again.¡± Ms. Schott said coldly, ¡°I want to speak to Samuel.¡± After a little hesitation, Kathleen answered, ¡°Ms. Schott, it¡¯s not convenient for Samuel to talk to you now. You can tell me what it¡¯s all about and I will inform him.¡± ¡°Okay. Remind him what he said to me before¡ªif I were toe to Jadeborough and get him and my sister out of the Yoeger family, he will get engaged with my granddaughter. Ask him if this still stands!¡± Ms. Schott replied angrily. Kathleen stiffened at what she had just heard. Samuel is marrying Ms. Schott¡¯s granddaughter? Why has Samuel never told me anything about it? Unless Samuel is trying to help her and has, therefore, agreed to Ms. Schott¡¯s condition. ¡°I get it,¡± answered Kathleen, feeling more and more uneasy with every passing minute. Then, she hung up with a big frown clouding her face. She found the matter hard to believe but was relieved that Ms. Schott had not insisted on seeing Samuel. Still in her nightie, Kathleen returned to her room. She walked up to the bedside and felt for the pulse on Samuel¡¯s wrist. The pulse felt a lot stronger than it was yesterday. Perhaps, he woulde round in less than seven days. However, she was sure that he would not recover consciousness by tomorrow. Hence, it was necessary for her to go to the press conference. She poked Samuel¡¯s face and said, ¡°Samuel, I have underestimated you. I thought you¡¯d never marry, but it seems you have already made ns.¡± She could not understand why she was feeling uneasy. Her heart felt heavy for no particr reason. Forget it. Maybe Ms. Schott¡¯s granddaughter is a beauty. It¡¯s nothing unusual if Samuel is captivated. Returning to her soliloquy, she said softly, ¡°Since you have made other ns, why do you bother to look affectionate? You are such a cheater! You should have told me your intention to marry Ms. Schott¡¯s granddaughter and I will never stand in your way. If you have nned a new life with another woman, you should stop seeing me and pay greater attention to your safety. Don¡¯t make your wife a widow right after you two get married.¡± Having aired her resentment, Kathleen stood up and prepared to leave. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Samuel¡¯s hand flickered. Kathleen thought he wasing round. However, he showed no further responses. Kathleen sighed and turned to leave. Samuel¡¯s hand moved again, and his eyeballs started to roll, but nothing more happened. The next day, Kathleen asked Charles to help her apply for leave from the film crew. She drove to Flobury where the press conference was being held. Tyson was waiting for her at the entrance of the venue. She got out of the car to reveal a confident and professional persona, dressed in a light green business suit with a matching yellow silk shirt. Tyson blinked as he looked at her. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you look every inch the big boss of apany.¡± Kathleen replied softly, ¡°I¡¯ve gone through the information that you sent me yesterday. Everything seems to be in order.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Tyson was still feeling nervous. ¡°But the most critical thing is to establish a good working rtionship with the top brass. You are not familiar with them, so-¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not familiar with them,¡± cut in Kathleen coldly. ¡°But I don¡¯t see that as something to worry about. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson nodded in response. Kathleen led the way, and Tyson followed behind. The moment they entered, attention was drawn to them. Kathleen could also hear the murmurs and mutterings among those present. ¡°Why is Kathleen Johnson here?¡± ¡°That must be Samuel¡¯s secretary behind her.¡± ¡°There are only Kathleen and Samuel¡¯s secretary, but Samuel is not here. Where is he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rumored that Samuel has disappeared. There has been no news of him for the past two or three days.¡± ¡°Has Samuel been kidnapped?¡± ¡°Who knows but something must have happened. Otherwise, it¡¯s unlikely that he hasn¡¯t been seen for thest few days.¡± ¡°If something happened to Samuel, why is the Macari family taking it so calmly? Stop your wild spections for he may being soon.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about when he¡¯lle, but don¡¯t you find things rather strange?¡± The question on everyone¡¯s lips was why Kathleen was there. ¡°That¡¯s right. Why is she here for the press conference? Can she be a specially invited guest?¡± ¡°Do you invite your ex-wife as a guest to your press conference?¡± ¡°Of course not. However, isn¡¯t Samuel going after Kathleen? That¡¯s why she¡¯s invited.¡± ¡°Even so, Kathleen is already here, but where is he?¡± ¡°He should know better what kind of an asion this is. What good can a guest do?¡± ¡°Kathleen is not a guest. She¡¯s in partnership with Samuel, so it¡¯s perfectly normal for her toe.¡± ¡°Her presence serves no purpose. The key point is whether Samuel will be here. In fact, this press conference is of no importance at all. What counts is how to deal with the top-level leaders so that they can be won over.¡± ¡°Spot on. Only if they are convinced will Macari Group get the project fornd remation and urban development. If Samuel does note, others will score an advantage.¡± Kathleen remained calm in the face of the conjectures flying around her. Come what may, she was determined to help Samuel make the press conference a sess. Tyson, on the other hand, was very tense and nervous. Kathleen looked at him coolly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not even afraid. What are you afraid of?¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Tyson did not know why he was so nervous. Perhaps he was feeling that way because the press release that day was too important. In the past, no matter how major the event was, all he had to do was make the arrangements. There was nothing to worry about as long as Samuel was around. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I don¡¯t want to feel this way, either,¡± exined Tyson. ¡°I just realized Mr. Macari¡¯s existence is extremely crucial to me and the entire Macari Group. It¡¯s as if with him here, nothing will go wrong.¡± Kathleen replied quietly, ¡°He does give others that feeling.¡± Although she feared Samuel, his powers were evident. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let thepany copse,¡± promised Kathleen. Tyson nodded. ¡°Everything will be fine as long as today¡¯s press conference carries out ording to the usual n. As for the higher-ups, they¡¯ll just have to show up. That¡¯s all.¡± He expected nothing more. Kathleen nced at him solemnly but said nothing. ¡°Kate?¡± Christopher walked over. Kathleen looked at him impassively. ¡°Chris?¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Christopher furrowed his brows. ¡°Where¡¯s Samuel?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still on the way. He might not make it for the press conference,¡± Kathleen breathed. Hearing that, Christopher stared into Kathleen¡¯s eyes. In his recollection, Kathleen would never lie. However, Kathleen was an excellent actress. As expected, Christopher did not notice any problems with her words. Softly, he said, ¡°Tell Samuel to hurry. How could he bete for an event like today¡¯s?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to bete, either,¡± Kathleen answered sheepishly. It was the truth. Samuel never expected to be poisoned and pass out from it. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you sit here with meter?¡± Christopher whispered. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chris. I can¡¯t sit with youter.¡± Christopher paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Oh, I forgot. You and Caleb¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Kathleen cut him off. Her sudden interruption caught Christopher by surprise. Kathleen said gently, ¡°I¡¯m not going to look for Caleb.¡± Christopher tilted his head in confusion. ¡°I need to host the press conference on Samuel¡¯s behalf.¡± Kathleen¡¯s red lips curled into a smile. Christopher stared at her in surprise. ¡°See youter at the press conference.¡± Kathleen shed him a warm smile before leaving with Tyson. A shocked Christopher was left to his own thoughts. Kathleen¡¯s hosting the press conference on Samuel¡¯s behalf? Is she joking? Then again, she doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s joking. Christopher frowned and followed them. The press conference was starting in five minutes. Tyson went to the front to steal a nce. To his surprise, there were many people seated below the stage. Even some of the higher-ups had shown up. On top of that, all of them had solemn expressions. When he was done studying the people in the hall, he backed down and went off to look for Kathleen. She was busy studying the script when he appeared before her. With a calm expression, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tyson?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just that I saw some of the higher-ups there, and they look very serious,¡± Tyson said, feeling uneasy. ¡°They¡¯re literally expressionless. Are they unhappy because Mr. Macari isn¡¯t here?¡± ¡°People who held high positions usually have no expression on their faces. They don¡¯t like people to see through them,¡± Kathleen said nonchntly. ¡°If we want to figure out what¡¯s on their minds, we¡¯ll have to wait until the press conference is over.¡± Tyson asked in a deep voice, ¡°Mrs. Macari¡­ I mean, Ms. Johnson, have you finished reading the script?¡± Kathleen nced at him and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The event will start in three minutes,¡± said Tyson. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. They walked to the entrance together and arrived right on time. Tyson walked up to the stage and started speaking. ¡°Thank you for attending Macari Group¡¯s press conference for Flobury today. I¡¯m Mr. Macari¡¯s assistant, Tyson Hackney. Due to certain reasons, Mr. Macari isn¡¯t able to attend today¡¯s event on time. Hence, we¡¯ll be inviting our boss to speak on Mr. Macari¡¯s behalf.¡± Shocked expressions appeared on the faces of the guests below the stage. Macari Group has another boss? Right then, Kathleen walked up the stage. She wore a slim-fitting suit, which gave her a charming yet powerful presence. She looked drastically different from her usual gentle and obedient self. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to exin the situation to all of you.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°A year ago, Samuel and I were divorced. During that time, he felt bad and decided to transfer all his shares to me.¡± Looks of astonishment appeared on the audience¡¯s faces. ¡°Samuel is hired by me to manage thepany.¡± A faint smile remained on Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Hence, I¡¯m the biggest shareholder of Macari Group, also known as the ¡®Boss¡¯ Tyson mentioned.¡± In other words, she was hinting that she had all the rights to be standing on the stage. That said, naturally, no one dared to raise any doubts. Kathleen was well aware that the objective of those people was to let the higher-ups see how little Samuel cared for Flobury. They wanted to ruin the higher-ups¡¯ impression of Samuel. Most importantly, he was absent from the press conference, and many people would be curious about the reason. If the news about Samuel being poisoned and falling unconscious was released, someone might seize the opportunity to stir trouble. Thus, it would calm everyone¡¯s hearts with her standing up to speak. It gave them reassurance that no matter what happened to Samuel, Macari Group would never end up in a state of chaos. Kathleen silently scanned the crowd. Sure enough, she had gotten control over them. Next, she started introducing Flobury¡¯sunch and its construction n. She had the script for all that. All she had to do was repeat what was printed on it. In fact, she memorized it so well that she made no mistakes. Soon, the first stage was over. The next item on the schedule, the business lunch, was the most stressful part.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. If Kathleen failed tomunicate with the higher-ups, it would give others the opportunity to interrupt. Especially Jacob, who had been coveting Macari Group. As soon as Kathleen finished her speech, she was pulled over to meet the mayor, Aydin Lopez. Unexpectedly, Jacob beat them to it. ¡°Mr. Lopez!¡± Tyson interrupted the conversation forcibly. ¡°Mr. Lopez, let me introduce you to someone. This is the boss of Macari Group, Ms. Johnson. Ms. Johnson, this is Mr. Lopez.¡± Aydin eyed Kathleen with a frown. Jacob interjected, ¡°Mr. Hackney, didn¡¯t you see me talking to Mr. Lopez just now?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Tyson replied calmly. So what? Jacob snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you find yourself rude, interrupting us like that?¡± Tyson could not help but curse at Jacob inwardly. Tyson could not be bothered about being polite. At most, he would take full responsibility if something happened. However, he would never let Jacob get the chance to talk to Aydin, let alone talk about thend remation project. ¡°Mr. Lopez, as you can see, Samuel¡¯s employee is an arrogant person. In fact, Samuel is even worse. How could he not turn up for such an important event?¡± Jacob narrowed his eyes at Kathleen. ¡°They even created a so-called boss. Huh, what a joke.¡± ¡°Mr. Stewart, are you saying that I¡¯m not qualified enough?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. ¡°Back then, didn¡¯t your father step down to work behind the scenes because he had health issues and couldn¡¯t manage thepany? Didn¡¯t your mother take over? They did the same thing like us. How is it that we be a joke for doing it? What does that make your family, then?¡± Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Jacob narrowed his eyes and shot Kathleen a cold re. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I know who you are, but you have no right to interrupt during this kind of asion.¡± With a snort, Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to meet a snob out here today.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Jacob eyed her coldly. ¡°You are a snob,¡± Kathleen taunted, smirking. ¡°You!¡± Jacob gritted his teeth and red at her furiously Tyson was at a loss for words. Kathleen can really be ruthless when she scolds someone, but I have to admit, it¡¯s really satisfying. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you look rather familiar.¡± Aydin raised a brow. ¡°Mr. Lopez, she¡¯s acted in a movie before. Of course, you¡¯ll find her familiar.¡° Jacob paused briefly before continuing in a disdainful tone, ¡°Then again, she¡¯s just an actress. There¡¯s nothing impressive about it. If it were in the past, she¡¯ll just be a ve who¡¯s a little more premium.¡± Everyone¡¯s expression darkened when they heard his words. Tyson felt more infuriated. However, Kathleen merely stared at Jacob icily. When Jacob was about to continue provoking her, someone spoke up. ¡°Jacob Stewart, watch your words!¡± Caleb could be seen walking over with a deathly expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong,¡± Jacob argued gloomily. ¡°She just earned a load of money because of a divorce. It¡¯s nothing worth being proud of. She didn¡¯t work for it.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± Kathleen pped her hands. Jacob paused, stunned by her response. The smile on Kathleen¡¯s face was elegant yet icy cold. ¡°You¡¯re right. The fact that the Macari family is so sessful today is all thanks to the hard work put in by the different generations, from Old Mr. Macari to Samuel. All three generations were diligent workers. This is a known fact. You, on the other hand, are really something else. In fact, you¡¯re not even worthparing to them. Though everyone addresses you as the CEO, your mother is the one who has a say in the family. You don¡¯t own a single share. Yet, you have the guts to stand here and insult someone else. Who exactly do you think you are?¡± Jacob¡¯s face turned purple with rage. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He wished he could strangle Kathleen to death. ¡°Ms. Johnson is right!¡± Tyson nodded vehemently, expressing his agreement. ¡°Apart from being courageous, having a good eye is also a crucial attribute to be a leader of apany. This is what Ms. Johnson has. She chose to let Mr. Macari continue managing thepany because she acknowledges his capabilities. Besides, she has also contributed to the construction of Flobury because she gave Mr. Macari the two mines. All of these require good judgment. What about you, Mr. Stewart? What have you done so far? Please enlighten us.¡± Jacob¡¯s face was ashen, and he remained silent. ¡°Oh, I remember it now.¡± Aydin piped up. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you saved my daughter in Norwal City three months ago, right?¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°I¡¯m d you remember me, Mr. Lopez?¡± ¡°I knew it. No wonder you looked so familiar.¡± Aydinughed heartily. The others were stunned. ¡°Mr. Lopez, did you two know each other?¡± Caleb questioned. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Ms. Johnson before. But my daughter went to Norwal City for a winter camp three months ago. She stumbled into some foreigners when she was walking on the streets, and they tried to mess with her. Thankfully, a Chanaeandy helped her out. My daughter even took a picture with the lady and sent it to me. It was you, Ms. Johnson. Thank you so much for saving her.¡± Aydin was overjoyed. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, Mr. Lopez,¡± Kathleen responded with a polite smile. Caleb stared at Kathleen in amazement. So, she saved Mr. Lopez¡¯s daughter in the past. No wonder she wasn¡¯t worried from the beginning. Looks like she was nning to use this connection long ago. That¡¯s a smart move. She waited for Mr. Lopez to recall the incident instead of bringing it up herself. After all, her motives will be too obvious if she does that, and it¡¯ll make people dislike her. The situation will be different now that Mr. Lopez was the one who mentioned it. Tyson was all excited. Is this for real? The awkward look on Jacob¡¯s face made Tyson extremely pleased. No wonder Kathleen has been so calm since the beginning. She has a n all along. Tyson was so excited that he was at a loss for words. Wow, we actually depend on Mrs. Macari to salvage the situation. ¡°Mr. Lopez, I¡¯m truly sorry. Samuel really has something important to deal with. That¡¯s why he¡¯s dyed,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°I¡¯ll get him to talk to you about these things once he¡¯s here.¡± To her surprise, Aydin said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to address me so formally when it¡¯s just among us. Just Mr. Aydin will do.¡± Kathleen grinned and said, ¡°Of course, Mr. Aydin.¡± ¡°Actually, Samuel has already told me everything in detail,¡± Aydin said solemnly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter if he¡¯s not here today.¡± Kathleen let out a sigh in her heart. Samuel has already prepared beforehand. ¡°Mr. Lopez, actually,¡± Jacob spoke up. ¡°Gosh, I wonder who said I was being rude earlier,¡° Tyson muttered. Hearing that, Jacob red at Tyson furiously, only to see traces of mockery on thetter¡¯s face. Despite Tyson¡¯s mockery, Jacob seized the opportunity and said, ¡°Actually, Mr. Lopez, I¡¯d like to talk to you about thend remation project in private.¡± Unfortunately, Aydin replied, ¡°Jake, today isn¡¯t the day to talk about such things. Besides, this isnt something! can decide alone. I¡¯ll still need all of you to make your bids in the future. So, it¡¯s pointless even if you talk to me.¡± Jacob froze. Aydin¡¯s response had destroyed all of his ns. Kathleen snorted quietly. What an idiot! These kinds of matters can¡¯t be rushed. The more impatient he gets, the more he¡¯ll get taken advantage of. Only those who can stay calm will get the upper hand. The bidding hasn¡¯t even started, and he¡¯s already trying to get close to Mr. Lopez. He didn¡¯t even bother observing if Mr. Lopez was willing to do the same. Kathleen was determined to help Samuel regarding that matter. ¡°Ms. Johnson, it¡¯s time to open the bottle of champagne,¡± Tyson prompted. Kathleen smiled politely, saying, ¡°Mr. Aydin, please excuse me.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Aydin nodded. Kathleen walked to the stage while Tyson handed her a bottle of champagne that was already unwrapped, saying, ¡°You¡¯ll just have to open it. It¡¯s very easy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. She held the bottle of champagne and smiled at the crowd, looking extremely gorgeous. ¡°On behalf of Samuel, I¡¯d like to thank all of you for attending today¡¯s event. Thank you!¡± Pop! She opened the bottle of champagne, and the crowd apuded. The next thing she had to do was to pour the champagne into the champagne ss tower. However, the height of the tower was made ording to Samuel¡¯s height. Samuel was one hundred and eighty-eight centimeters tall. Her height, however, was only one hundred and sixty-five centimeters. On top of that, she was not wearing exceptionally high heels. Thus, it took her a lot of effort to reach the top ss. Tyson blushed with awkwardness. He, too, had overlooked that detail. Meanwhile, Christopher and Caleb had noticed the problem. They wanted to go over and help when a tall and handsome figure walked past them, which made them stop in their tracks. When Kathleen was at a loss for what to do, her back fell into a refreshing embrace. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Samuel extended both hands to help her raise the bottle. Kathleen looked as if she was being hugged by him. Instantly, thunderous apuse broke out below the stage. Samuel lifted the topmost ss, curling the corners of his pale, thin lips. ¡°My apologies for beingte, everyone. Thankfully, my boss has already helped me to fulfill my duties. Thank you for your support, everyone. And thank you, too.¡± At the final sentence, Samuel lowered his gaze to look at Kathleen. Kathleen was almost pulled into his dark, sparkling eyes when she stared at him. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 When Samuel was about to take a sip of the champagne, Kathleen grabbed the sleeves of his suit. ¡°You can¡¯t have alcohol.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just a gesture.¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice was very attractive. Finally, he took a sip and ced the ss down. A waiter then walked over, transferred some sses of champagne onto the tray, and served thern to the guests. Suddenly, Kathleen felt a weight on her shoulders. As she turned around, she found Samuel leaning onto her skinny shoulders. He whispered, ¡°Lend me your shoulders for a while.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, they stepped down from the stage together. ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± Tyson shouted excitedly. ¡°You did a great job,¡± Samuel praised tly. ¡°You¡­¡± Kathleen scrutinized Samuel. ¡°Where did you get your clothes from?¡± ¡°Look familiar?¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°Charles said this is a birthday present you gave himst time.¡¯ ¡°No wonder it looks so familiar!¡± Kathleen eximed as realization dawned on her. During Charles¡¯ previous birthday party, she gifted him a custom-made suit. That was precisely the suit. She did not expect the suit to fit Samuel so perfectly. At that thought, Kathleen lifted her head to look around, finally spotting Charles standing somewhere not too far away. He was leaning against the wall with his hands stuffed in his pocket, looking rather displeased. Truth was, he did not willingly give his suit to Samuel. It was Samuel who snatched it from him. ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯re awake.¡± Kathleen nced at him awkwardly. Their rtionship seemed to have gone back to square one. ¡°¡­. Uh¡­¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to Caleb.¡± However, Samuel did not release his grip on her. ¡°Can¡¯t you goter? Who am I going to lean on when you¡¯re gone? My cover will be instantly exposed if you leave now.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Come on. Apany me to greet Mr. Lopez,¡± Samuel said softly. Hearing that, Kathleen nodded. Along the way, she told Samuel about her history with Aydin. Samuel smiled slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen snorted disapprovingly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. If you didn¡¯t force me to go to Norwal City. I wouldn¡¯t have encountered that episode.¡± With a low tone, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss.¡± Kathleen was speechless. She could not help but feel that that address had an underlying meaning, Soon, they arrived before Aydin, and the men exchanged pleasantries. No matter what, the truth would always be exposed once Samuel appeared. Standing not too far away was Jacob, watching the trio with his arms crossed. Ugh! I can¡¯t believe Samuel stole my opportunity again! He side-eyed Caleb. ¡°Isn¡¯t that woman your girlfriend? Aren¡¯t you mad that a man¡¯s being all touchy- feely with her?¡± Caleb responded coolly, ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend yet. I¡¯m pursuing her.¡± ¡°That means she¡¯s toying with your feelings.¡± Jacob attempted to sow seeds of discord. ¡°You should be more careful. Don¡¯t fall into the traps of promiscuous women like her.¡± ¡°Jacob, just how shameless can you be?¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you want me to beat you up?¡± Jacob was taken aback, and he asked with a scowl, ¡°Are you serious about her?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Caleb looked over silently. Looks like Samuel¡¯s having health problems. Right then, Jacob gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, ¡°I can¡¯t believe Samuel is still alive.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Caleb cast him a side-nce. Jacob narrowed his eyes and answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Hearing Jacob¡¯s words of denial, Caleb grabbed the former by the cor, demanding, ¡°What did you do to Samuel?¡± ¡°I just drugged him a little to stop him from showing up at today¡¯s press conference. I never expected him toe up with a countermeasure by transferring all his shares to his ex-wife,¡± Jacob hissed. ¡°Caleb, if I were you, I would do everything to win Kathleen over. That way, Macari Group will be mine.¡± Caleb clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles cracked. No wonder Kathleen said that yesterday. Looks like Kathleen views me and Jacob as the same kind of people. ¡°Jacob, go home and tell your mom that the coboration between Lewis Enterprises and the Stewart family is off.¡± Caleb¡¯s gaze was hostile. ¡°What did you say?¡± Jacob was dumbstruck. However, Caleb turned around and left, leaving a stunned Jacob frozen to the spot. No wonder Kathleen gave me that look. D*mn it! Jacob has wasted all my effort! When Samuel and Aydin finished exchanging pleasantries, Kathleen carried Samuel away because she realized he was constantly gulping. Kathleen knew he had vomited blood. True enough, as soon as they entered the car, Samuel covered his mouth and coughed violently. Seeing that, Kathleen handed him a piece of tissue. He epted it and coughed a few more times. Immediately, the tissue was stained with blood. Kathleen brought over a bottle of water and uncapped it before giving it to him, ¡°There, there. Just cough it out. It¡¯s a good sign. It should be thest batch of poisonous blood in your body.¡± Samuel let out a sigh and leaned against the seat to rest. He silently watched Kathleen help him get rid of the used tissues. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Samuel croaked. ¡°It¡¯s for the Macari family. I¡¯m doing it for Old Mrs. Macari and the others, not you.¡± Kathleen turned away to look out of the window. Samuel smiled weakly. ¡°Thank you, no matter who you¡¯re doing it for.¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± Kathleen turned around. ¡°let¡¯s go home. If you want to be fully recovered, you¡¯ve got to continue taking the medicinal bath.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t have much energy left, anyway.¡± He forced himself toe, worried about Kathleen not being able to handle the event on her own. However, he was obviously overthinking it. Kathleen had matured.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. She was no longer the gentle and obedient girl from the past. It made Samuel feel relieved and sad at the same time. ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡± Kathleen offered, fastening her seatbelt before helping Samuel with his. Suddenly, Samuel¡¯s massive arms locked around her, taking long and deep breaths. Despite that, Kathleen did not move. After a while, Samuel released her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll get some sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen bobbed her head and started the engine. Before shutting his eyes, Samuel briefly nced at Kathleen. His heart pained for her. He was in great sorrow, for he had deeply hurt a woman who loved him so much-so much so that he did not know how to make it up to her. Nothing he did was enough to make things right. Meanwhile, Kathleen focused on the road as she drove. Soon, they arrived at the Johnson residence. After pulling up in front of the entrance, Kathleen helped Samuel to get off the car, and they entered the mansion. She then helped him to the bedroom and ced him on the bed. She removed her coat and tied up her long hair. ¡°Sit here and get some rest. I¡¯ll fill up the tub with hot water.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. His face was pale, and beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. It should be quite fun to bully him now. However, she shook her head and dismissed the thought, quickly leaving to prepare the medicinal bath. When she was done, she called out to Samuel, who was already half asleep. Kathleen shook him gently. ¡°Samuel, wake up.¡± Samuel held her hand. ¡°Katie, my head hurts.¡± Kathleen hesitated, unable to tell if he was telling the truth. ¡°Are you faking it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a doctor. Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± Samuel asked while looking helpless. Kathleen touched his forehead. Indeed, it was burning. ¡°Why are you having a fever again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how my body works.¡± Samuel started coughing again. Kathleen passed him a tissue and examined his clothes. She said grimly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wear a thicker outfit? Surely you¡¯re well aware of your current condition? Couldn¡¯t you wear a down jacket?¡± Samuel muttered pitifully, ¡°No one bought it for me.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Who is he kidding? Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Chapter 211 You Can Decide I¡¯m not fond of the ones that others have bought for me.¡± A touch of sincerity shed in Samuel¡¯s eyes as he added, ¡°However, I like what you¡¯ve gotten for Charles. How about this? I¡¯ll pay you to purchase some for me.¡± Baffled, Kathleen retorted, ¡°You think I¡¯ll do it for money?¡± ¡°Why not? You¡¯ve already provided me with treatment. What¡¯s wrong with helping me purchase two jackets?¡± His intense gaze locked on her. In response, she met his eyes while speaking. ¡°Well, I suppose I can since you¡¯ve already asked me. However, you can forget about paying me. After all, I¡¯m your boss now, so let¡¯s think of this as an early bonus.¡± ¡°Thanks, Boss,¡± came his reply in a husky voice. That made Kathleen snort coldly. Don¡¯t get too happy. ¡°I want jackets from the same brand that you usually wear.¡± A half-smile crept up Samuel¡¯s face while he continued, ¡°You can decide everything else.¡± After ncing at him, Kathleen responded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll order some online. They¡¯ll get delivered to you in no time.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Samuel nodded, a dashing grin curving across his well-sculpted face. Hmph. What are you so happy about? Kathleen shoved away her grumpy thoughts while cing her hands on her waist. ¡°Take off your clothes and go soak in the tub for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel seemed obedient as he took his time undressing. Meanwhile, an icy look graced Kathleen¡¯s face as she watched him. She wondered if his limp and slow actions were because his body genuinelycked strength at that moment. Her eyebrows twitched endlessly, irking her as she snapped, ¡°Did you get starved or something?¡± Just then, loud grumbles came from Samuel¡¯s tummy. The ironic turn of events rendered Kathleen speechless. Opposite her, Samuel¡¯s charming face shed a helpless look. ¡°I¡¯m indeed famished.¡± §£§¡§³ §©§¡§ª§¯§´§¦§²§¦§³§µ§¦§´ Rihanna¡¯s Most Fashionable Pregnancy Looks She Has 54.4M On TikTok And 22.6M On IG: Know Her? It was only natural as he had been bedridden for three consecutive days without any food. All he consumed was water. When he regained consciousness, he forced Charles to let him tag along as he was worried that Kathleen could not handle things on her own. Thus, he had not eaten anything for the entire day, much less drank any water. Kathleen sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go whip up some food.¡± That was when Samuel grabbed her hand, his eyes narrowing to slits while his pupils constricted. ¡°You can call Tyson over if taking care of me is too much of a chore for you. I¡¯ll just be borrowing your ce for a bit.¡± At that moment, Kathleen gazed at the man¡¯s slender hands, realizing how much weight he had lost over the past three days. It was so severe that the shape of his phnges seemed obvious beneath his skin. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Kathleen shook his grip off her arm before stating, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything. Just rest up and recuperate.¡± With that, she turned on her heel to leave. Something shed in Samuel¡¯s deep gaze as he watched her lithe figure depart. Once she was gone, he hurriedly took off his clothes and got into the bathtub for a soak. In the meantime, Kathleen arrived at the kitchen. She looked through the fridge before taking out the ingredients to make some risotto. It did not take long before she brought a warm bowl of freshly cooked risotto upstairs. After cing it on a table, she walked into the bathroom. Inside the tub of water and medicinal herbs was a sleeping Samuel, whose arms held the sides of the tub as his head tilted back. The circles beneath his eyes were dark like coal as fatigue stained his gorgeous face. Kathleen knelt by the tub while reaching out to poke the man¡¯s face. Just as her finger was about to touch Samuel¡¯s cheek, he awoke. He then grabbed her fair hand and ced it on his bare chest before shutting his eyes to rest once more. Kathleen was at a loss for words at that point. Has he lost his mind? ¡°Samuel, wake up.¡± She wanted to retract her hand but realized she could not wiggle free from Samuel¡¯s death grip. Not a single reaction came from him. Desperate, Kathleen leaned toward him and yelled, ¡°Samuel! Quit sleeping. You¡¯ve already slept for three days!¡± She then shoved him hard, her fingers briefly grazing against his firm and muscled arms that contradicted his slim appearance. Samuel¡¯s eyes gradually opened to reveal a dark look in his eyes. ¡°Are you awake now?¡± Kathleen asked. It was only then that Samuel realized he was holding the former¡¯s hand. Fearing Kathleen would get upset, he hurriedly let go of her. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡± His husky voice exined apologetically, ¡°It¡¯s just that I have had a bad dream.¡± Those words made Kathleen freeze for a moment. She continued kneeling by the tub and staring at the man before her. ¡°You get nightmares too?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Samuel stiffened before moving closer to Kathleen¡¯s side. ¡°Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have said it, huh? After all, I¡¯m not worth anything in this world, not even nightmares,¡± he stated huskily. A cold scoff came from an indifferent-looking Kathleen. ¡°I need to tell you something, Samuel.¡± Anxiety caused Samuel¡¯s heart to drop at once. Is she going to announce her engagement to Caleb? No, I don¡¯t want to hear that. Please let it be anything but that. ¡°I was diagnosed with depression after arriving in Norwal City,¡± Kathleen calmly said. Her words made Samuel tense up then and there. She fixated her gaze on him and resumed, ¡°My weight dropped from forty-five kilograms to forty. Do you know how frightening that was?¡± Samuel clenched his jaw. Meanwhile, Kathleen¡¯s gaze lowered to the ground. ¡°Charles couldn¡¯t stand to see me suffer any longer, so he scouted out the best hypnotherapist in Norwal City.¡± Grief engulfed Samuel so much that he had no idea how to respond. Nevertheless, Kathleen continued speaking, her delicate features appearing indifferent. ¡°The hypnotherapist exined I couldn¡¯t fully recover from my depression because I kept having nightmares. Every night, I would dream of blood seeping out of my body. Even if it wasn¡¯t real, it was so convincing that I could feel myself getting shoved into a body bag. I even heard someone zipping the bag up from outside, trapping my body. That¡¯s why all my clothes don¡¯t have zippers. I break down every time I hear that sound. Do you understand?¡± Samuel gazed at her intently. ¡°I then underwent hypnotherapy. Do you know what my hypnotherapist did to me?¡± asked Kathleen with red-rimmed eyes, sniffling. Pest-like guilt ate away at Samuel¡¯s handsome face while he shook his head. A chill-inducing chuckle came from Kathleen. ¡°My hypnotherapist removed some of my memories, like the romantic things that happened between us. She would then alter those memories to make me believe I did all those things alone. Such a method won¡¯t entirely delete my memories, but it can remove all traces of my deep-rooted emotions for you. This way, my love for you will no longer run deep. I don¡¯t view the things that happened that night as an oversight on your part anymore. Rather, I now see it as something I brought upon myself.¡± That was enough to make Samuel stunned. ¡°It sounds magical, huh?¡± Kathleen¡¯s emotionless voice borated, ¡°Although I¡¯m aware of everything that happened, I don¡¯t feel any pain now that my feelings for you are out of the picture.¡± Only grim silence came from Samuel. ¡°However, this method isn¡¯t a permanent measure.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice grew hoarse as she rified, ¡°If I don¡¯t see you for many years and live a breezier lifestyle, then it won¡¯t hurt should I recall my original memories. However, If I encounter you before fully moving on from the past, those memories will rush back to my mind like a raging ocean.¡± ¡°What will happen if you recall everything?¡± Samuel questioned glumly. A dark expression shed on Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll fall back into a deep state of depression.¡± Samuel¡¯s husky voice spoke once more. ¡°What should I do then? Stay away from you?¡± At that point, Kathleen turned around and leaned her back against the tub while curling into a ball. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I haven¡¯t been able to sleep with the lights off these days. It¡¯s like I can picture myself being shoved into a body bag despite still being alive.¡± A sharp pain clenched in Samuel¡¯s chest, suffocating him. He hugged Kathleen from behind and could not stop trembling guiltily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His voice became utterly hoarse and exuded deep sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kate. If I had understood everything sooner, I would¡¯ve never let Nicolette off so easily back then.¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Warn Him Even Kathleen became choked up. She bitterly asked, ¡°Did you assume I faked my depressed state back then?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes now took on a tinge of red as he added, ¡°It¡¯s just that Icked empathy back then and didn¡¯t try to understand things from your perspective. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Not a trace of emotion showed on Kathleen¡¯s delicate face. Behind her, Samuel¡¯s hot breath tickled her skin while his tearnded in the crook of her neck. Silence filled the air as the afternoon sun shone into the space from the windows above. It felt as though there was no one in the bathroom. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Both Samuel and Kathleen knew the truth deep down in their hearts. They got stuck in this perpetual state of being unable to move or return to the way things used to be, and they were both to me. The indefinite loathing in Kathleen¡¯s heart prevented the two from moving on while Samuel¡¯s past actions had blocked off any possibility for them to return to the way things were. It was then that a series of knocks came from outside the door. Samuel let go of Kathleen, who then stood up. She instructed, ¡°That should be long enough. You cane out of the tub and get dressed before having your meal.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel noddedpliantly. After that, Kathleen went to open the door outside, where Tyson stood with two bags. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I¡¯m here to deliver some things to Mr. Macari,¡± said thetter. ¡°You cane in.¡± Once Tyson entered, Kathleen stepped out of the room and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have a look at things outside for a bit.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Tyson who had put down the bags in his hand. Rihanna¡¯s Most Fashionable Pregnancy Looks Know Her? That was when Samuel came out of the bathroom in a ck robe. Tyson immediately walked over and greeted him, ¡°Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°Mmm, is something the matter?¡± said an expressionless Samuel. ¡°Ms. Schott wants to see you, and she insisted on meeting you tonight.¡± Huh? Tonight? Something icy flitted across Samuel¡¯s eyes as he sternly responded, ¡°All right. Also, I want you to keep a close eye on the Stewart family.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve arranged everything.¡± However, Tyson hesitated for a bit before continuing, ¡°It¡¯s just that Jacob Stewart seems really discontent and even hired trolls to viinize Ms. Johnson on the inte.¡± ¡°He did what?¡± A murderous intent filled Samuel¡¯s voice. Helpless, Tyson exined, ¡°He spread rumors that Ms. Johnson is a promiscuous woman involved in sexual rtionships with various men. However, ourpany has already taken action against him. We won¡¯t let him get away with it.¡± That was when Samuel shot a sideways re at Tyson. It felt as though a dark mist filled with rage was exuding from the former¡¯s body. Tyson instantly fell silent. Subsequently, Samuel picked up his phone and dialed a number. A few minutes passed before the line connected. The person on the other end asked, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Stewart. It¡¯s me,¡± said Samuel¡¯s frosty tone. The ¡°Mr. Stewart¡± on the call was Byron Stewart, Jacob¡¯s father. Byron was currently spending his retirement overseas in a town named Bellridge. He was shocked as he spoke into the phone. ¡°Samuel Macari? How do you have my contact number?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Samuel was candidly cold as he made his purpose clear. ¡°I merely called to ask about that nurse that¡¯s always looking after you. How are she and the baby in her tummy?¡± Byron¡¯s expression grew grim at once. ¡°Y-You!¡± ¡°Do you think you actually hide your secret well, Mr. Stewart? Do you assume that no one would ever find out because your wife is always busy withpany matters and unable to visit you all this while?¡± Samuel thundered sardonically. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Byron asked through gritted teeth. ¡°Mr. Stewart, as the saying goes, a father is to me for his son¡¯s misbehavior. I believe you¡¯re more than aware of what Jacob has done recently.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice became dangerously low like a menacing growl. He added, ¡°If you can¡¯t teach him to behave, I¡¯ll dly step in. I can also give him a stern reminder that being an heir to a well-off family doesn¡¯t mean the world is his oyster.¡± ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Byron tensed before giving in. ¡°I¡¯ll warn him not to do it again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook this once, Mr. Stewart. However, if your son makes the same mistake, do know that I won¡¯t let him go that easily. I hope you understand me clearly.¡± After uttering that threat, Samuel hung up the phone. That left a sullen-faced Byron on the other end. I can¡¯t believe that stupid son of mine dared to ruffle Samuel¡¯s feathers! Who does he think he is? Enraged, Byron quickly dialed Jacob¡¯s number. ¡°Dad, why did you call me? Are you feeling better these days?¡± Jacob questioned, feeling a little shocked by the sudden call. ¡°How can I feel better when you¡¯re trying so hard to piss me off?¡± Byron¡¯s voice boomed from the phone¡¯s speakers. ¡°What do you mean, Dad? I¡¯ve been helping Mom out at thepany all this while,¡± Jacob defensively and confusedly stated. That further caused Byron to blow his top. ¡°Oh, really? Are you sure what you¡¯re doing is actually helping us out? Samuel Macari has just phoned me!¡± ¡°Hah! Is he a three-year-old or something? What¡¯s with him trying to rat me out to my parent? How shameless!¡± Jacob scoffed. ¡°It seems to me that the one who¡¯s shameless is you! Do you think he¡¯s merely ratting you out? Well, you¡¯re wrong. He¡¯s given us a warning!¡± ¡°Why are you afraid of him, Dad?¡± Jacob felt disgruntled andined, ¡°He¡¯s not actually that remarkable.¡± ¡°You think he isn¡¯t?¡± Byron was baffled by his son¡¯s words. ¡°Duh. He¡¯s not that big of a deal! I got someone to drug him, and he didn¡¯t even notice! I would have gotten away with it if it weren¡¯t for his ex-wife meddling with my n!¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Byron felt his blood pressure rising with every second. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. No one can trace it back to me since the people I hired are all loyal to me.¡± At that point, Byron desperately wanted to reach through the phone and choke his son for uttering such cocky words. His face took on a hideous shade of purple as he roared, ¡°You idiot! Don¡¯t you know why the Macari family is known to be powerful?¡± Upon getting yelled at, Jacob felt upset as he grumbled, ¡°No.¡± Byron exined with utter rage, ¡°The Macari family has operated their businesses on behalf of the country¡¯s higher-ups for a few generations Don¡¯t you understand? During Chanaea¡¯s most challenging times, Samuel¡¯s great-grandpa, great-grandma, and their entire family helped the country with their business. Why else do you think Samuel secured Flobury with such ease? And consider why he has a part to y in thend remation project too. It¡¯s all because his ancestors made significant contributions to Chanaea!¡± That shocked Jacob, who had no idea such a situation could exist. ¡°Why do you think Felix Morris is so obsessed with one-upping the Macari family? Because he sided with the wrong people all those years ago and is jealous of their family¡¯s smarter decision!¡± Following that, Byron massaged his temples while urging, ¡°Samuel has ced a massive target on your back. Our business will gravely suffer if you remain in Chanaea. I want you to pack your bags andy low overseas for now.¡± ¡°Now?¡± Jacob was evidently upset by the state of things. ¡°But Dad, it¡¯ll be New Year soon!¡± ¡°Why does that matter? Do you not value your life?¡± Byron yelled through the phone. It rattled Jacob¡¯s bones, causing his nose to scrunch a little as he said, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Only then did Byron hang up the phone. However, he knew that his family, the Stewarts, would soon encounter a grave problem now that his son had pissed Samuel off. That was because Samuel would never let a person bold enough to drug him off easily. Fear filled Byron¡¯s mind at that moment. Our family is doomed¡­ Sometimeter, Kathleen walked into the room and saw Samuel eating the risotto she had made earlier. She ced the mushroom soup in her hands down on the table. ¡°Have some.¡± The man before her looked her in the eye and said, ¡°I need to head out for a bit tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded before continuing, ¡°Take the medicinal herbs home with you. Make sure to soak in it for a while, and you¡¯ll be fine. The drug in your body has pretty much been neutralized.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel¡¯s gaze flickered to stare intently at her. ¡°Dr. Johnson, you may have neutralized the drug in my body, but you have yet to heal me entirely.¡± Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Kathleen paused for a second before murmuring, ¡°I thought you said that you don¡¯t need it?¡± ¡°I regret saying that.¡± Samuel smirked. Gazing at his handsome features, Kathleen let out a chilling huff. ¡°You went to see Ms. Schott?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded as a response. Then, she pursed her lips and asked, ¡°I heard that you invited Ms. Schott here to agree to date her granddaughter. Is that right?¡± Granddaughter? Samuel fixed his eyes on her wless face and said, ¡°Granddaughter? As far as I know, Ms. Schott only has one grandson.¡± Hearing his reply, she was at a loss for words. ¡°Hah!¡± Samuel let out a chuckle. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Kathleen looked at him in silence. ¡°It seems like Ms. Schott was joking with you, but you believed her anyway.¡± Samuel showed a teasing smile. His words made Kathleen feel unhappy. With his lips curled, Samuel asked, ¡°Let¡¯s go together, shall we?¡± Kathleen¡¯s face flushed red almost instantly. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go visit Ms. Schott¡¯s granddaughter.¡± Samuel stared at her intently. ¡°You told me that Ms. Schott only has one grandson, right?¡± Kathleen asked grimly. ¡°Yes.¡± He curled his lips in amusement before continuing. If you want to know the truth, you should see it yourself.¡± Nheless, Kathleen shook her head and rejected him, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± Ah! This is so embarrassing. With a faint smile, Samuel replied, ¡°If you refuse to go, I think it will be difficult for Ms. Schott to help you get Old Mrs. Yoeger out of the Yoeger residence.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen was caught off guard by his words. ¡°Kate, Old Mrs. Yoeger is your granny. Are you really intending to leave her alone?¡± Samuel stared at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± After giving it a brief thought, Kathleen voiced, ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± To that, Samuel grinned in response. He took a sip of the mushroom soup and said to her, ¡°I¡¯m feeling cold, Kate. In other words, he was hinting at her about the down jacket that she had promised to buy for him. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked someone to send it over.¡± Kathleen fixed her gaze on him. Sainuei merely nodded. It was at that moment they heard footsrepsing from outside the door. Maria was carrying a bag as she walked in. ¡°Ms. Johnson, someone sent this over a while ago. I got it for you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Kathleen took over the bag from her. She then opened the bag and took out a red down jacket from it. Seeing that, Samuel could not help but twitch his mouth a little, as he only wore outfits with simple ck, white, and gray color tones. Is she serious? I don¡¯t think that the red color suits me at all. Furthermore, that color might even undermine my dignity¡­ ¡°Do you like it?¡± asked Kathleen. Nevertheless, Samuel kept mum, knowing that she did it intentionally. ¡°Yes, I like it.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°If so, put it on.¡± A look of anticipation appeared on her face. Samuel paused for a while. ¡°Why not¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen focused on him and asked. ¡°I¡¯ll go put it on now.¡± He stood up leisurely and then shot Tyson a re, hinting him to leave. Noticing the look in his eyes, Tyson was taken aback. Is that even necessary? It¡¯s just a red down jacket! Although that thought crossed his mind, Tyson walked away ordingly. Shortly after, Kathleen handed the down jacket to Samuel. It took some time for Samuel to summon his courage before wearing it. Upon wearing it, he felt ufortable. ¡°Why are the sleeves so short? I feel ufortable on my shoulders too.¡± He frowned deeply. With an insouciant expression, Kathleen answered, ¡°Is it? Maybe I forgot about your size. Don¡¯t me me for that.¡± Samuel walked toward the mirror to check out the down jacket on him, only to see Kathleen slowly shifting herself to the door. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were fixed impassively at her. Kathleen turned around, looking at him faintly, and uttered, ¡°It was you who asked me to buy it!¡± Feeling helpless, Samuel said, ¡°But this is fordies¡­¡± ¡°This design for this jacket is the same for both males and females! Don¡¯t wear it if you don¡¯t like it. My style is not as good as Nicolette¡¯s,¡± Kathleen eximed angrily. Almost instantly, Samuel felt a stab of pain in his heart. He could not help but feel that whatever he did was never right. Eventually, hepromised. ¡°I¡¯ll wear it.¡± Kathleen bought it for me, after all. Kathleen did not expect that and was shocked to hear those wordsing out of Samuel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Really?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Yes. I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± Samuel said while nodding his head. After that, she bit her lower lip and muttered, ¡°Actually, I bought another red sweater for you too.¡± Samuel felt helpless, yet he gazed lovingly at her. ¡°How about you get me a pair of red pants as well?¡± Blinking her eyes, Kathleen responded, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it for you if you like it!¡± He continued staring gently at her. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll wear whatever you buy for me.¡± As Kathleenid her eyes on him, she felt a little embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯ll go get changed.¡± Samuel took off the down jacket and ced it on the side. Afterward, he walked to his room to change into the shirt and suit that Tyson had brought for him. Right when he got out of the room, he saw Kathleen packing the jacket. He walked toward her, grabbed her by her wrist, and stated in a husky voice, ¡°I¡¯ll wear it. Don¡¯t take it away.¡± It¡¯s rare for her to buy me something. How would I not appreciate it? Hearing his words, Kathleen felt an ache in her heart. Throwing him a sideways nce, she noticed that he lookedposed and elegant in his ck outfit. With that, she mumbled, ¡°I think you look better in ck.1, Samuel started to feel anxious hearing her reply. ¡°I truly don¡¯t mind.¡± Kathleen held the down jacket in her embrace and voiced, ¡°It¡¯s mine. Why are you trying to snatch it away from me?¡± ¡°Yours? What do you mean? You bought it for me, right?¡± A frown marred Samuel¡¯s countenance. Kathleen fixed her eyes on him. ¡°Samuel, I be forgetful after the hypnotherapy. However, it¡¯s impossible for me to forget about your size. In fact, I bought this down jacket for myself.¡± As soon as she said that, Samuel was rendered speechless, ¡°So, you didn¡¯t buy it for me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen nodded. He let out a breath of relief upon hearing her reply. Nheless, he felt slightly uneasy at the same time. Slowly, he withdrew his hand. ¡°Since you¡¯re all ready, let¡¯s depart now,¡± said Kathleen. His pale face was expressionless as he nodded lightly in response. Later, Kathleen put on her white down jacket and eximed, ¡°Ah! It keeps me warm!¡± Samuel did not utter a word. They then went downstairs together and bumped into Maria. Baffled, Maria asked while holding a bag. ¡°Ms. Johnson, why are you hiding this?¡± Kathleen dodged her eyes from Samuel¡¯s gaze and replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Approaching Maria, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m not hiding it. I totally forget about it.¡± ¡°Is it? I think this is a down jacket. It looks quite big. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s for a guy.¡± Maria mentioned in puzzlement. Hearing that, Samuel raised his brows. He walked over to her and directly took out the down jacket from the bag. Seeing that, Kathleen yelled in panic, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Without hesitation, Samuel grabbed the down jacket and wore it on himself, Meanwhile, Kathleen was stumped. Having a tall and slender figure, Samuel looked extremely good in that down jacket ¡°Mr. Macari, you look so good wearing this!¡± Maria eximed in delight The next second, Kathleen shot her a side-eye. Noticing that look in her eyes, Maria was taken aback ¡°Not bad.¡± Samuel was very pleased. Kathleen said unhappily. ¡°I bought it for my brother.¡± Hearing that, Samuel furrowed his brows. The perplexed Maria voiced again, ¡°I remember Mr. Johnson doesn¡¯t wear a down jacket.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Ugh. Is she trying to make a monkey of me¡­ With a beam on his face, Samuel said, ¡°I like wearing a down jacket.¡± He thennded his eyes on Kathleen¡¯s jacket and spotted that it was exactly the same design as Kathleen¡¯s jacket. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel held her hand. Kathleen stiffened and mentioned, ¡°It¡¯s just a gift I bought for you. Don¡¯t overthink. It doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± Chapter 214 Chapter 214 ¡°I know.¡± A faint smile appeared on Samuel¡¯s charming face. No, you don¡¯t know anything. Kathleen pursed her lips and uttered, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel let go of her hand, which led her to pause in her tracks. The man walked slowly. She looked back and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll fall,¡± said Samuel, looking frail. Kathleen was a little speechless as she walked over and reached out her hand to him. Samuel took her hand and exined, ¡°When I¡¯m better, I won¡¯t touch you anymore.¡± She looked at him judgmentally, thinking what he said sounded extremely weird. Samuel felt wronged and exined, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you. Aren¡¯t you a doctor? You can check my condition and see if I¡¯m getting better.¡± ¡°Okay, enough. I know.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t know what to do with this man. Do I really need to check to know the condition of his health? He obviously looks ill. Actually, she didn¡¯t mean anything by saying that just now. It was just that Samuel¡¯s actions were so natural when he took her hand, as if that was what they always did. She only wanted to remind him to watch his behavior, but he ended up putting on a pitiful facade. Kathleen was never a ruthless person. If she really were ruthless, she would have ignored Samuel. Holding her hand, Samuel got into the car, and she asked, ¡°Where does Ms. Schott live?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a mansion in advance for her. She likes it quiet, so the ce is quite secluded,¡± Samuel replied in a deep voice. Kathleen nodded. When they arrived at the mansion, they saw a ck BMW parked at the entrance. Tyson said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Macari, that¡¯s Vanessa¡¯s car.¡± Kathleen spoke faintly. ¡°She¡¯s fast in catching wind.¡± Samuel, on the other hand, scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s still toote. Ms. Schott has been here for days, and if she only knows about this today, that means my men seeded in controlling her informationwork, causing her to get the informationter than everyone else.¡± Kathleen turned to look at him in shock. ¡°You destroyed her informationwork?¡± Samuel snorted disdainfully. ¡°You call that an informationwork? I simply sent some of my guys to mess with it, and look how it turned out! She¡¯s not as powerful as she thinks she is.¡± Kathleen feil silent and had to admit that Samuel was indeed outstanding in finding out information. The results of her and Charles¡¯ effort, albeit a lot of time was spent, were nowhere near the mere lift of Samuel¡¯s finger. Sometimes, she had to admit she admired his capabilities. ¡°Let¡¯s go and check out what Vanessa said to Ms. Schott.¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curled and formed a cold smile. ¡°Mm.¡± She nodded. The two of them got off the car together and walked into the mansion side by side, entering the living room. They saw an elderly woman sitting on the couch with a cigarette in her hand while Vanessa sat on the couch next to her. Narrowing her eyes, Vanessa stared coldly at them. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to visit Ms. Schott. Do we need your permission to do so?¡± The look in Kathleen¡¯s eyes was frosty as she spoke with an equally cial tone. Vanessa snorted in response. ¡°Ms. Schott, I¡¯m sorry for not being in Jadeborough a few days ago. I had something to tend to.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was indifferent. Yasmine said with a faint voice, ¡°Have a seat.¡± A decorous smile surfaced on Samuel¡¯s charming face. This is Kathleen Johnson.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Ms. Schott,¡± greeted Kathleen. The old woman scrutinized her wordlessly before Samuel pulled her to sit down. ¡°Ms. Johnson, we¡¯ve talked on the phone before,¡± said Yasmine icily. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel, who knew about this, began, ¡°Ms. Schott¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, my granddaughter is still waiting for you.¡± Yasmine spoke meaningfully. Samuel didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Ms. Schott, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you had a granddaughter,¡± said Kathleen, her face flushed. Yasmine chuckled coldly. ¡°If memory serves me right, you sounded so righteous and solemn through the phone.¡± Kathleen was clueless about how to exin herself. She wouldn¡¯t have spoken to Yasmine like that if thetter hadn¡¯t said such things. ¡°You have quite the courage.¡± It was unknown whether the old woman was praising her or reproaching her. Kathleen felt awkward, while Vanessa was quite pleased. ¡°Aunt Yasmine, if you¡¯re unhappy, just throw her out.¡± Kathleen red coldly at Vanessa, who said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her, Nicolette wouldn¡¯t have been stuck in jail.¡± ¡°She¡¯s nothing more than the illegitimate child of a b*tch. I can¡¯t believe the Yoeger family treats her like she¡¯s some kind of princess. Has the Yoeger family deteriorated?¡± Yasmine was suddenly displeased. Vanessa instantly froze. ¡°I never like judging people by their identity, but have you ever thought of what Nicolette and her mother did? You guys are ridiculous!¡± reprimanded Yasmine. Vanessa¡¯s face fell, and Kathleen struggled to hold back herughter. As expected, everything has its vanquisher. ¡°I¡¯m telling you; since my sister is currently in this state, she has to be sent to the hospital. I swear I¡¯ll expose everything the Yoeger family ever did if you try to get in the way again!¡± Yasmine bellowed furiously. Vanessa¡¯s body stiffened as she tried to reason with Yasmine, ¡°Aunt Yasmine, how could you scold me in front of outsiders?¡± Can¡¯t she save me some face? ¡°Outsiders? So you still don¡¯t know?¡± Yasmine red coldly at her. As she met the old woman¡¯s gaze, Vanessa was stunned. Subsequently, Yasmine grinned sarcastically and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Kathleen¡¯s mother is the child that my sister lost.¡± Vanessa knitted her brows. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. It turned out that Yasmine had known about this a long time ago. Yasmine looked sideways at Kathleen. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have hidden everything if you know about this, too.¡± Kathleen exined in an aggrieved tone, ¡°Ms. Schott¡­ Grandaunt, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. I wanted to reveal my identityst time, but I didn¡¯t dare to because of what happened to Granny. I¡¯d be theughing stock if someone refuses to acknowledge my identity.¡± The look in Vanessa¡¯s eyes was cold as she stared at Kathleen, who spoke lightly to Yasmine. ¡°But now, with you around, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be able to help me.¡± Yasmine¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You sure know how to use me. Kathleen replied embarrassedly, ¡°No, I would never. It¡¯s just that it¡¯d be best if an elderly is around when I announce that. Otherwise, someone might think I¡¯m an impersonator.¡± Yasmine gazed at her with a profound look in her eyes and said to Vanessa, ¡°You heard her.¡± Vanessa remained stunned. The old woman dered indifferently, ¡°If you can¡¯t make a decision, then let me. Let my sister and Kathleen do a DNA test. We¡¯ll know if Kathleen is truly rted to the Yoeger family or not after the results are out. Such things can¡¯t be proved with words alone. Do you understand?¡± Vanessa bit her lip. ¡°Yes. But Aunt Yasmine, you can¡¯t me us for this. We¡¯re just trying to be cautious because, throughout the recent years, a lot of people tried to impersonate Kathleen.¡± Yasmine boiled with anger. ¡°Being cautious? If you guys wanted to be cautious, you guys should have run DNA tests instead of blindly rejecting people. Who knows? One of those people who are rejected might actually be my sister¡¯s granddaughter! A shameless illegitimate child was easily epted by the Yoeger family, while the rightful heiress of the family was left wandering out there. The audacity of you guys to even try and exin to me. How outrageous!¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Vanessa was indignant and humiliated, but she dared not express her distress. ¡°I¡¯ll go back and arrange for the DNA test,¡± she responded sheepishly. Yasmine said emotionlessly, ¡°Go ahead then.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Vanessa got to her feet and shot Kathleen an icy re before turning to leave. ¡°Is there anything else you guys want to talk about?¡± Yasmine queried. ¡°Thank you, Grandaunt! Without your help, I wouldn¡¯t be able to return home.¡± Kathleen went to sit next to Yasmine. Thetter snorted coldly, concealing her true feelings. This girl is lovable. She¡¯s quite the sweetheart. ¡°Save it. Anything you say will be useless if the test proves that you¡¯re not my sister¡¯s granddaughter.¡± Yasmine put up an aloof front. ¡°Even if I¡¯m not, I¡¯ll still think of you as my grandaunt.¡± Kathleen shed a smile. Yasmine looked at the young woman apathetically. Well, she does look like my sister. ¡°Ms. Schott, I¡¯ve already run the DNA test.¡± Samuel suddenly spoke. Yasmine was slightly stunned. ¡°When did you do it?¡± Kathleen was equally shocked, too.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. His tone was nd as he answered, ¡°A few days ago. I took the DNA of Old Mrs. Yoeger and Kate¡¯s mother and ran the test.¡± Yasmine was even more taken aback. ¡°I thought Kate¡¯s mother had passed away?¡± He exined, ¡°Yes, but Goodwill Hospital kept her DNA.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± Yasmine couldn¡¯t believe it. Samuel rified, ¡°Goodwill Hospital was able to be established with the support from Kate¡¯s parents, so the hospital kept both her parents¡¯ DNA.¡± The elderly woman nodded. ¡°The couple is indeed respectable.¡± Upon finishing her sentence, she turned to Kathleen. ¡°You have something else you want to ask, right?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Kathleen questioned carefully. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Yasmine prepared herself to answer whatever question that was thrown at her. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Grandaunt, do you have a granddaughter or not?¡± Yasmine fell silent, while Samuel curled his thin lips. Does she care so much about that? The old woman was speechless. ¡°No. I only have one useless grandson.¡± ¡°I see. I was just thinking, if you do have a granddaughter, I would have an elder sister.¡± Kathleen looked disappointed. Yasmine stared at her. ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re telling the truth?¡± ¡°I am telling the truth, I swear!¡± the young woman replied seriously. ¡°Is there anything else you want to ask?¡± ¡°Grandaunt, what did you mean when you said you¡¯re going to expose what the Yoeger family did?¡± Yasmine furrowed her brows. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that yet.¡± ¡°Does it have something to do with Zachary¡¯s and Vanessa¡¯s ancestry?¡± Kathleen asked out of curiosity. The old woman was dumbfounded. ¡°How do you know?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t respond but instead mused inwardly. Samuel told me all that! After a brief pause, Yasmine said with a deep voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect word about this has gotten out, too.¡± ¡°Word about this isn¡¯t widespread. There aren¡¯t many who know about it. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± reassured Samuel. When Yasmine heard him say that, she was sure he knew everything. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hide anything. Actually, I did this as a way to protect Kate,¡± she said emotionlessly. Protect me? ¡°What do you mean by that, Grandaunt?¡± Kathleen was stupefied. ¡°Your mother is different from Vanessa and the others.¡± Yasmine looked deeply into her eyes. ¡°Different how?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I¡¯ll put it this way. In terms of rtionship, Vanessa and your mother had different parents. It¡¯s just that both of their mothers are twins who share the same blood,¡± elucidated Yasmine. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Which means my granddad¡¯s surname isn¡¯t Yoeger?¡± Yasmine nodded, and Kathleen turned to look at Samuel, who apparently had no idea about that either. The two of them had never expected to hear something like that. ¡°Grandaunt, please borate,¡± Kathleen urged. The old woman slowly began to tell the story, ¡°Back then, our eldest sister Teresa Schott married the eldest son of the Yoeger family due to the rtionship between both families. After that, she passed away due to difficultbor.¡± Kathleen listened intently. ¡°At that time, the Schott family had declined, and the Yoeger family was the rising upstart. Just like that, my parents did everything in their power to force Frances, your grandmother, to be the second wife of the Yoeger family¡¯s heir.¡± Yasmine sighed. Kathleen was enraged to hear that. ¡°How could they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Frances said, too. However, my parents are selfish human beings, and if she didn¡¯t do as told, they¡¯d make me do it instead. I was twenty years old and was studying abroad. Frances is a kind woman, so in the end, she had no choice but to give in.¡± Kathleen felt horrible. ¡°Then who is my mother¡¯s biological father?¡± Yasmine shook her head. ¡°I have no idea, too. All I know is that Frances was dating someone during that time. I guess she didn¡¯t tell anyone about it because her boyfriend didn¡¯t have a dignified status, and my parents despised the poor. After that, she married into the Yoeger family and was probably separated from her boyfriend. She was already pregnant by then, and out of a mother¡¯s love for her child, she didn¡¯t abort the child.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, didn¡¯t Old Mr. Yoeger say anything?¡± Samuel queried coldly. Yasmine replied, ¡°I suppose no. If he did mind back then, the child would have been aborted. I don¡¯t know what they talked about privately, but ever since then, Frances became thedy of the Yoeger family. She did everything for the sake of the Yoeger family and raised two children on her own. It was not easy for her.¡± Kathleen spoke sadly. ¡°Yet Vanessa and Zachary still wanted to harm her.¡± ¡°I think they must¡¯ve known about their own identities. I saw all those surveince footage, too. What Zachary and Vanessa did are indeed outrageous, but we still need to investigate what they were thinking and what their goal was. The most important thing now is for Frances to be treated,¡± said Yasmine in a low whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandaunt. With me around, Granny will be cured of the poison. I promise,¡± Kathleen reassured. ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡± Yasmine breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Ms. Schott, this matter shouldn¡¯t be dyed. To stop Vanessa and Zachary from doing anything, what do you say we pay the Yoeger residence a visit?¡± asked Samuel solemnly. ¡°Okay.¡± Yasmine agreed after pondering briefly and stood up from her seat. ¡°You guys wait here. I¡¯ll go change.¡± Kathleen and Samuel nodded and watched as the old woman trudged up the stairs. Kathleen tugged at Samuel¡¯s sleeve. ¡°When did you run a DNA test?¡± ¡°When you told me about your rtionship with the Yoeger family,¡± answered Samuel. ¡°That was a long time ago. Why did you only tell me today?¡± He looked at her with an unfathomable look in his eyes. ¡°You want to know why?¡± She bobbed her head. ¡°Of course. Would you tell me or not?¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Aplex luster glinted in Samuel¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°Because I wanted to have more reasons and excuses to see you.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. The man looked at her pretty and delicate face. ¡°But now I¡¯ve changed my mind. You hate me so much and don¡¯t want to see me, so I don¡¯t think I have a need to hide that from you any longer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± Kathleen pouted. Samuel stared attentively at her. ¡°Then what do you feel about me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything about you.¡± She turned her head away and snorted. ¡°I see,¡± he said with a chuckle, which surprised her. Usually, he would tell her something along the lines of how he still loved her and couldn¡¯t forget about her. However, his reaction was so unexpectedly in and insipid. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re quite happy to know that Ms. Schott doesn¡¯t have a granddaughter.¡± Samuel brought that up on purpose despite knowing Kathleen wouldn¡¯t want to talk about it. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not happy.¡± Kathleen refused to admit it. He curled his lips. ¡°If you say so.¡± She ignored him and rolled her eyes. How presumptuous! He slightly lowered his head and said, ¡°Oh, by the way, the down jacket is indeedfy.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything, and her silence put a faint smile on his face. Soon after, Yasmine came down the stairs from the second floor, and the trio headed toward the Yoeger residence. Upon reaching the ce, they sensed a stagnant atmosphere. Yasmine was immediately angered when she saw that they hadn¡¯t sent Frances to the hospital yet. ¡°Samuel, where are your subordinates?¡± asked Yasmine with a deep, displeased voice. ¡°They¡¯re outside.¡± ¡°Have theme in here and send Old Mrs. Yoeger to the hospital,¡± ordered Yasmine. ¡°All right.¡± He took his phone out and summoned his men, who had been standing guard outside. After receiving the call from Samuel, they stepped in right away to carry out the order. ¡°Aunt Yasmine?¡± Zachary stepped out of the room, shocked to see Yasmine. Thetter sneered. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re around? I thought everyone in this house was dead.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. The man felt awkward. ¡°Aunt Yasmine, when did you get here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a while. Didn¡¯t Vanessa tell you? She had just left my ce,¡± questioned Yasmine with an icy tone. Zachary pursed his lips, looking at Samuel and Kathleen. Samuel whispered a few orders to Tyson, and thetter immediately sent someone to Frances¡¯ room. A few of Samuel¡¯s men carried the old woman out of the room and put her in the car, sending her to the hospital. At the same time, Tyson took the camera that Kathleen installed a few days ago when no one was paying attention. The footage saved inside would act as evidence. ¡°Aunt Yasmine, where are they bringing my mom?¡± Zachary was concerned. ¡°The hospital, of course! Look at the state she¡¯s in! Why didn¡¯t you guys send her to the hospital?¡± Yasmine responded unhappily. Zachary didn¡¯t know how to answer. ¡°Can¡¯t you all see my sister¡¯s terrifyingplexion? How dare you guys dy sending her to the hospital? What a bunch of b*stards!¡± Yasmine exploded with fury. Zachary pursed his lips and exined calmly, ¡°Aunt Yasmine, we consulted a doctor. My mom¡¯s suffering from Alzheimer¡¯s disease, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullsh*t! How dumb do you think I am? Do you think I don¡¯t know anything about Alzheimer¡¯s? How would someone¡¯s face turn purple from getting Alzheimer¡¯s?¡± Yasmine roared. Zachary was at a loss for words. ¡°Just you wait. I¡¯ll make you guys pay if the test results show that you guys are the culprit!¡± Yasmine was genuinely infuriated as she turned on her heels and left the residence after yelling at Zachary. Samuel and Kathleen exchanged a brief nce and prepared to leave as well. ¡°Ms. Johnson, can you talk to Mr. Lewis and ask him to show mercy on my daughter?¡± Zachary suddenly spoke. Kathleen turned to look at the man. ¡°Nicolette can only me herself for being arrested. Even if I go to Caleb, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. She deliberately vited thew, so she must be punished.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t be convicted if you drop thewsuit. Even if you are resentful, I don¡¯t think you should vent all your hatred on her.¡± He looked at her with a grim expression on his face. She chuckled. ¡°Why do I have to listen to you about who I should or should not hate?¡± Zachary was tongue-tied. ¡°Yes, I hate Nicolette, and yes, I do want to see her downfall. She¡¯s the culprit of that incident. As for Samuel, I have some other way of punishing him. You¡¯re in no ce to teach me what I should and should not do. You can¡¯t even educate your own daughter properly. How dare you tell me what to do? Who do you think you are?¡± she said, her tone as frosty as ever. Zachary¡¯s face darkened. She continued, ¡°No one has the right to make me forgive or punish someone. None of you are qualified to do so. Stop putting on airs and acting all high and mighty in front of me. If you want to save your daughter,e up with a way yourself. Don¡¯te and pester me, or I¡¯ll make sure she never gets out of jail.¡± Zachary¡¯s breathing became rapid while Samuel gazed deeply at Kathleen. She¡¯s never a weak woman. Back then, at the condominium, she pointed out Nicolette¡¯s scheme with the same calm and indifferent attitude. That was also when Samuel began seeing Kathleen in a new light. He spoke to Kathleen in a gruff voice. ¡±Let¡¯s go. Why waste your time talking to someone like him?¡± She nodded and prepared to leave with him when Zachary spoke up. ¡°Samuel, you and Nicolette were once in love.¡± There was a cial light in Samuel¡¯s eyes as he turned to scowl at Zachary. ¡°Once in love? Who told you that?¡± Zachary was slightly startled by the look in Samuel¡¯s eyes. Samuel scoffed. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you that I mistook my gratitude toward Nicolette for love? Moreover, after that, I found out that she was never my savior. Kathleen was my savior. She pretended to be my savior, which is another crime. So, she can kiss her days of freedom goodbye.¡± Upon finishing his sentence, he took Kathleen¡¯s hand and headed out. Zachary watched them leave and clenched his jaw. It looks like it won¡¯t be an easy feat to get Nicolette out of jail. When Kathleen and Samuel exited the residence, they happened to run into Vanessa. She looked quite helpless, probably because she was reprimanded by Yasmine just now. However, the woman¡¯s spirits were immediately lifted when she saw Kathleen and Samuel. The duo didn¡¯t even bother to look at her as they strode past her. Upon entering the mansion, Vanessa looked at Zachary in annoyance. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop them? How could you allow Aunt Yasmine to take Mom away?¡± ¡°Do you know how many men Samuel brought with him? How can I possibly do anything when everyone in the residence is at your disposal?¡± Zachary said coldly in a sarcastic tone. Vanessa bristled with rage. ¡°Are you ming me? I returned homete because I was helping you get Nicolette out of jail! Just look at the state of your health. How long more do you think you could hold out?¡± Zachary¡¯s expression was dull. ¡°Then did youe up with a way?¡± ¡°Nicolette would be released from jail three dayster. I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± asked Zachary. ¡°Her leg has issues, and she needs to be taken care of. Two more dayster, I¡¯m going to make her fake a leg infection and get her out of there throughpassionate release,¡± exined Vanessa. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Zachary¡¯s anger subsided after he listened to Vanessa¡¯s exnation. ¡°I truly didn¡¯t expect Aunt Yasmine to return.¡± Zachary felt utterly regretful. ¡°It means we aren¡¯t ruthless enough.¡± Vanessa¡¯s voice fell to a hush. Zachary¡¯s face darkened. ¡°We¡¯re talking about our mother here!¡± Vanessa sneered, ¡°Zachary, don¡¯t you already know our true rtionship with her deep down?¡± Zachary knew that Vanessa was referring to Frances. ¡°Nevertheless, she was the one who brought us up after all,¡± Zachary murmured. ¡°Furthermore, even if she is not our biological mother, she¡¯s our second aunt who is rted to us by blood.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Vanessaughed in ridicule. ¡°You¡¯re so naive.¡± Zachary was displeased by her words. ¡°I only know she ns to pass down the Yoeger family assets which belonged to us to that illegitimate brat, who doesn¡¯t even know the identity of her father. Who gave her the right to give that brat our family¡¯s inheritance?¡± Vanessa felt very resentful. Zachary took in a deep breath. ¡°If you regret it, you can choose to back out.¡± Vanessa directed her words to Zachary in an apathetic voice. ¡°You can arrange the matter regarding the kidney transnt too. I couldn¡¯t care less.¡± Zachary¡¯s face turned gloomy. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Let me get things straight today, Zachary. I¡¯ll spare no mercy to those who dare to get in my way. Don¡¯t assume I won¡¯t dare take action just because she¡¯s our aunt.¡± Vanessa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m not a coward!¡± With that, she went upstairs. Zachary¡¯splexion turned even paler. Don¡¯t tell me Vanessa even n to get rid of Aunt Yasmine? Wouldn¡¯t that be too vicious? When Frances got sent to Goodwill Hospital, the doctor immediately performed a throughout body check-up on her. After that, the doctor called the others to his office. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger indeed has symptoms of poisoning. However, the signs are already very mild,¡± the doctor exined. ¡°Then why is she always unconscious?¡± Yasmine expressed her concern. ¡°It¡¯s because the poison has notpletely passed out of her system, which would take a day or two,¡± the doctor answered. ¡°Fortunately, Old Mrs. Yoeger has no other health issues. You can be at ease.¡± ¡°What about her Alzheimer¡¯s disease?¡± Yasmine inquired again. The doctor replied, ¡°I need to wait for her to regain consciousness before examining her brain. Only then can I determine if her brain was affected by drugs previously, or she was truly diagnosed with the illness.¡± Yasmine nodded while looking dejected. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen expressed her gratitude to the doctor. The doctor responded calmly, ¡°No problem. We should let Old Mrs. Yoeger get more rest. You can look for me anytime if you have any questions.¡± Kathleen nodded in reply. Then, the doctor turned around and left. Yasmine breathed a sigh of relief. Kathleen supported her to sit on a chair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandaunt. Granny will certainly be all right,¡± Kathleen assured her. There was a profound look in Yasmine¡¯s eyes. ¡°Luckily, you were able to sneak into the Yoeger residence and help her to expel the poison in her body. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips at her words. ¡°Ms. Schott.¡± Samuel¡¯s cold voice rang out. ¡°How do you n to deal with Zachary and Vanessa?¡± Yasmine was promptly stunned, seemingly to be at a loss. After all, they were both dear to her. No matter what, Zachary and Vanessa were also the children of her other older sister. ¡°I believe you two should know why Zachary and Vanessa had acted this way,¡± Yasmine said in a grave tone. ¡°Isn¡¯t it all for the sake of the family assets?¡± Samuel callously replied, ¡°Family assets? Do you think they deserve to inherit the hard work that Old Mrs. Yoeger had put in over the years?¡± Yasmine froze after hearing hisment. ¡°Old Mr. Yoeger knew that Old Mrs. Yoeger was already pregnant when she married into the Yoeger family. Despite that, he still passed over the family matters to her. Apart from trust, they must have formed an agreement before that, which was why she could decide whom she wanted to hand the family assets to.¡± Samuel continued sarcastically, ¡°For people who try to forcefully snatch things that don¡¯t belong to them will get struck by karma.¡± Yasmine fell silent sheepishly as she knew Samuel was speaking the truth. Kathleen suggested softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait for Granny to wake up and ask for her opinion?¡± Samuel and Yasmine fixed their eyes on her simultaneously. ¡°All in all, it was Granny who raised them. We should let her make the decision,¡± Kathleen said cidly. Samuel did not refute her idea. Meanwhile, Yasmine couldn¡¯t help but nod her head. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should let my sister decide what to do.¡± Ultimately, no one knew exactly what was on Frances¡¯ mind. ¡°Grandaunt, I think Granny might only wake up tomorrow. Since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t I let Samuel arrange for someone to send you home?¡± Kathleen could tell that Yasmine was feeling pretty exhausted. To have seen how Vanessa and the others had been treating Frances must have caused Yasmine to feel both anxious and upset. As one grew older, there would be a growing limitation to their strength. Having experienced several ups and downs emotionally could cause people to feel drained. Yasmine nodded in agreement. Once Kathleen looked at Samuel, he immediately understood her intention and called for Tyson to personally send Yasmine back home. After the couple watched them enter the elevator, Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°If you send Tyson away, who¡¯s going to drive you home?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you here too?¡± Samuel gazed at her piercingly. ¡°Are you not going to care about me again?¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. She suddenly felt she was getting pestered. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t going to care for you.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°You¡¯re my doctor,¡± Samuel reminded her. ¡°So, this is not considered pestering. That is what you¡¯d promised me after all.¡± Kathleen became speechless once again. The feeling of digging herself into a hole was very unpleasant. ¡°I remember that. You don¡¯t need to remind me.¡± Kathleen felt helpless. ¡°Anyways, you can get out of here after soaking inside the medicated bath once more today!¡± Get out of here? Samuel¡¯s thin lips quirked into a small smile. ¡°What about in the future?¡± ¡°I¡¯lle by your house and look for you after that. You don¡¯t have to stick around with me every day,¡± Kathleen responded apathetically. ¡°Very well.¡± Samuel appeared to be cooperative. However, Kathleen sensed that things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed. She then nced at Frances¡¯ ward. ¡°I¡¯ll dispatch people to protect her and absolutely not allow Vanessa and the others toe near her.¡± Samuel gave Kathleen his words. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for people to stand guard at the hospital¡¯s entrance, the elevator, and the door of Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s ward.¡± Kathleen responded with a nod. ¡°Kate!¡± Gemma ran up to her. ¡°Hey, Gem.¡± A smile appeared on Kathleen¡¯s face. Gemma was slightly startled as she didn¡¯t expect to see Kathleen and Samuel appearing next to each other. ¡°I heard from someone just now that you came to the hospital and thought something must have happened to you. That was why I rushed my way here.¡± Gemma studied her from head to toe. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nothing happened to me. It was my granny,¡± Kathleen exined. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Granny?¡± Gemma was astonished. ¡°I thought she had passed away a long time ago?¡± ¡°I¡¯m referring to my biological granny,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°She¡¯s my mother¡¯s biological mother.¡± Gemma could not mask her shock. ¡°Is that true? You finally found your biological granny?¡± Kathleen bobbed her head. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m so happy for you!¡± Gemma replied smilingly. ¡°Who is your granny?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger of the Yoeger family,¡± Kathleen answered. Gemma was taken aback by the revtion. ¡°Isn¡¯t she Nicolette¡¯s grandmother?¡± Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Kathleen nodded. With her brows furrowed, Gemma asked, ¡°So you two are cousins, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°But I refuse to acknowledge her as my cousin.¡± ¡°Right! Someone like her isn¡¯t good enough to be your cousin. No wonder there¡¯s a resemnce between you and Nicolette.¡± Kathleen replied calmly, ¡°Yes. I even became her recement back then.¡± Samuel cleared his throat, trying to soothe the awkwardness. As though she had sensed something, Gemma replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be on duty tonight, so I¡¯ll take care of your granny for you.¡± ¡°Gem, thank you,¡± Kathleen expressed her gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Looking into Kathleen¡¯s eyes, Gemma said, ¡°Look at your dark circles. They look so bad. Hurry and go home to have some rest.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. Be careful on your way home,¡± reminded Gemma. Kathleen gave a slight nod and tugged at Samuel before leaving. After leaving the hospital, Kathleen and Samuel got into a Maybach. Samuel let out a cough and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never taken you as a recement before. Never.¡± He could ensure that, at least. Although Kathleen and Nicolette resembled one another, and sometimes he had also wondered why they looked so alike, he had never taken Kathleen as Nicolette¡¯s recement. Pursing her red lips, Kathleen replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± In a deep voice, Samuel muttered, ¡°Kate, if I had taken you as her recement, I would¡¯ve only disliked you more.¡± Kathleen shot him a sideways nce. ¡°I know myself well, and I think you do too.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t ept how you resemble Nicolette, I wouldn¡¯t have married you.¡± Initially, he married Kathleen due to pressure from Diana. However, he definitely did not see Kathleen as Nicolette¡¯s recement. If he had really done so, he would have resented Kathleen more, and he would not have thought of going near her. The truth was that he had already done so since the beginning, and he had fallen head over heels in love with her. ¡°I trust you.¡± Kathleen held the steering wheel with her slender fingers as she continued, ¡°Samuel, I could still make my own judgment on some matters. The misunderstanding wasn¡¯t the reason why we got divorced.¡± Kathleen and Samuel were both clear-minded. They were aware that their divorce was not caused by the reason that someone had sowed discord between them. Even if there were some misunderstandings, and they were to talk things out, they would still divorce in the end. The root of the problem was that they were not meant for each other. Her voice was faint as she said, ¡°Did you realize that we actually got along well before our marriage and after our divorce?¡± Samuel did not say a word. ¡°Perhaps, that could only mean that it¡¯d be better for us to stay friends.¡± Kathleen had no choice but to make herself clear. Suddenly, Samuel gently ced his cold finger against her thin lips. His gaze on her was gentle as he replied, ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin to me, and you don¡¯t have to feel pressured. Kate, I¡¯m not doing anything to you. After you¡¯ve done treating me, it¡¯s all up to you whether you wish to leave or stay. I¡¯ll not stop you. Besides, I¡¯ll agree if you want to keep in touch. If you wish to stay as friends, we¡¯ll stay friends then.¡± Furrowing her brows, Kathleen asked, ¡°Do you really understand what I mean?¡± Samuel responded with a nod. ¡°All right, then.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath, and the refreshing scent of the man wafted through her nose. ¡°Can you stop with those gestures that a friend wouldn¡¯t do, like holding my hand, touching my face and head?¡± Samuel paused for a second before replying, ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen gave him a sidelong nce and questioned, ¡°Have you really kept that in mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After a momentary pause, Samuel continued, ¡°Could you tell me what kind of friends we are to each other?¡± ¡°Ordinary friends,¡± Kathleen emphasized. ¡°If we¡¯re just like what you said, would you be this harsh to your ordinary friend?¡± Samuel asked seriously. Kathleen was rendered speechless in an instant. Haha! So now I¡¯m the one to be med! ¡°Kate, can I say something?¡± Samuel asked cautiously. ¡°Go ahead.¡± For some reason, Kathleen was getting impatient and furious all of a sudden. ¡°I can¡¯t be your friend, and you feel the same, too.¡± Samuel went straight to the point. ¡°It is because we used to be husband and wife.¡± Kathleen remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s be each other¡¯s close friends. After all, some physical touches are inevitable. What do you think?¡± Samuel suggested casually. ¡°Close friends?¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°Do you know how easy it is for close friends to step over the line?¡± ¡°Why would you think close friends tend to step over the line?¡± Samuel¡¯s charming face grew solemn. ¡°Have you ever had any close friends?¡± Kathleen was tongue-tied. The man¡¯s warm breath lingered around her. ¡°You would know how good it feels to have a close friend after having one. Moreover, we¡¯re business partners. I don¡¯t think we could be considered ordinary friends.¡± Kathleen shot him a suspicious look. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened as he stared at her. Without saying a word, Kathleen pursed her lips slightly and started the engine. Samuel cast her an unfathomable look. ¡°So, is that a yes?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Kathleen eximed, enraged. Samuel curled his lips into a wicked smirk. I knew she would agree to it. Kathleen and Samuel went back to the Johnson residence together. As Samuel had regained consciousness and no longer needed someone to take care of him, he went straight for the medicinal bath after having his meal. Meanwhile, Kathleen was resting in the guest room. Her bedroom was upied by Samuel as usual. Just as she was looking into the script, Caleb¡¯s call came in. ¡°Hello.¡± Kathleen picked up the phone. ¡°Are you busy?¡± Caleb¡¯s voice sounded rather husky. Ever since Kathleen had exposed his intention, he was filled with an indescribable sense of guilt whenever he faced her. ¡°Not really,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°Did something happen to your sister?¡± Caleb fell silent for a moment before he questioned, ¡°Can I only call you when something happens to my sister?¡± ¡°Of course not. If there¡¯s anything wrong with your health, you can also call me.¡± Kathleen paused for a bit. ¡°You have to pay, though.¡± Caleb was at a loss for words. Blinking, Kathleen asked again, ¡°It isn¡¯t about your sister, but you¡¯re feeling unwell, huh?¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Caleb chuckled and retorted, ¡°I know you¡¯re turning me down indirectly.¡± Kathleen did not reply. ¡°You used me to free yourself from Samuel, but why do you two get closer and closer to each other?¡± Caleb questioned in a low voice. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯m serious about being with you.¡± Caleb looked up and stared at the window of her room. ¡°Could you give me a chance?¡± Kathleen was slightly taken aback. ¡°Caleb, you¡­¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you? Have you already epted Samuel?¡± Caleb asked gravely. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Caleb, I don¡¯t n to get into a rtionship again, and I mean it. So I have no idea why all of you are forcing me to end my single life. I¡¯m happy on my own, and I get to enjoy the freedom. Also, I have my own career. Love and marriage aren¡¯t everything. Why are both of you making me get back together or be in a rtionship with you? As though romance is the only thing that matters in the world.¡± She was truly annoyed. She had all the dreams and goals she wanted to achieve, and there were many more meaningful things that were worth her time and attention. Yet, these people were trying to have her trapped in a rtionship. She was troubled and frustrated. Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Caleb heard Kathleen¡¯s grumbles, but he did not get mad at her. I bet she isn¡¯t doing this to me only. ¡°Okay. I got it. I¡¯ll not bother you anymore,¡± assured Caleb in a hoarse voice. He hung up the phone as soon as he left those words behind. Holding her forehead, Kathleen felt so worn. She felt her head throbbing. Caleb looked up and stared at the window. Then, he got into the car and drove off. He was determined to win Kathleen over. At the same time, Samuel was listening silently outside Kathleen¡¯s room with his arms crossed. His lips curled into a subtle smile. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. At least she hasn¡¯t thought about dating Caleb. Since she has so many things to aplish, I¡¯ll fulfill her wishes as long as she¡¯s happy! The next day, Kathleen went downstairs to have breakfast after freshening up. Charles and Samuel seemed exceptionallyposed at the dining table. Then, she sat down. Samuel and Charles held up a ss of milk respectively at the same time, wanting to give it to her. Kathleen took a bite of the toast and said, ¡°I can manage on my own.¡± The two men exchanged nces and released their grips. Kathleen was rendered speechless. She took the ss of milk over and sipped it slowly. ¡°Samuel, did your house get burned?¡± Charles began with his sarcasm. Samuel shed him a wide smile. ¡°Which house did you mean?¡± Charles was rendered speechless. He had already lost when the fight had just begun. ¡°Since you have so many houses, why are you at my house, then? You even took my clothes to wear last night,¡± Charlesined angrily. ¡°Let me correct you. This house belongs to you and Kate. Kate agreed, so I moved in. As for your clothes, I already bought them,¡± Samuel exined patiently. ¡°You bought them?¡± Charles fumed, ¡°I haven¡¯t even worn them yet! Those were birthday gifts given to me by Kate!¡± ¡°That was why I bought them at the original price. If not, name me your price. I¡¯ll pay you.¡± Samuel wore a grin. Charles was breathing heavily. He lost in the second round, too. ¡°Get out of my house today!¡± Charles mmed the table. Looking ratherposed, Samuel cast his gaze upon Kathleen. ¡°Do I need to stay for another night today?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Did you hear that? Get lost!¡± Charles was agitated. Kathleen stared at Samuel calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll look for youter and treat you at your home.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel replied with a nod. Charles was beyond speechless. And that was the third round he lost. ¡°Charles,¡± Kathleen called out. Charles immediately came back to his sense. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Go visit Granny at the hospital today. Inform me if she¡¯s awake. Remember not to let Vanessa and the others approach Granny,¡± reminded Kathleen. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go now.¡± Charles finished his cup of coffee and rose to his feet. ¡°Drive safe,¡± said Kathleen. Patting Kathleen¡¯s shoulder, Charles stated indifferently, ¡°Remember, tell him to get lost! Also, call me to go with you if you¡¯re going to his house.¡± ¡°Charles, are you that free?¡± Kathleen questioned softly. ¡°What do you mean? I have plenty of time to keep you safe from a pervert.¡± Charles shot Samuel a cold re and turned around. Kathleen nced at Samuel. ¡°Do you really have to trigger my brother?¡± ¡°I was only telling the truth. The clothes you bought for him suit me better,¡± Samuel said confidently. ¡°I bought those clothes for my brother. Why do you need so many clothes? Is there a need to snatch his?¡± Kathleen spoke helplessly. ¡°Because¡­ I like them,¡± Samuel replied in his deep voice. In truth, he wanted to say he only liked them because Kathleen was the one who bought them. Kathleen was troubled. ¡°Give those clothes back to Charles. I¡¯ll get you new ones.¡± ¡°Serious?¡± Samuel looked at her, his gaze filled with anticipation. ¡°Why would I lie to you? Didn¡¯t I buy you the down jacket that I promised youst time?¡± A bright smile crept over Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen let out a sigh. Both Samuel and Charles have always been domineering, but why do they always fight like kids whenever they meet? She could not seem toprehend their behaviors. ¡°I¡¯m done eating. I¡¯ll head to the film set now,¡± said Kathleen after finishing half a corn cob. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Samuel ced the cup down. He had finished eating some time ago, and he had been waiting for Kathleen. Kathleen ate slowly and gracefully, chewing every small bite she took. She nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Remember to send someone here to pack your things.¡± Samuel wore a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll move them on my own tonight.¡± Tonight? Kathleen turned to look at him. ¡°I¡¯ve moved back to next door.¡± Samuel narrowed his eyesnguidly as he stared at her. Kathleen was stumped. I¡¯ve never been this speechless in my life before. After that, Samuel left the house with her. He even sent her to the film set personally. Before getting out of the car, Kathleen shot him a nonchnt look. ¡°I can go back on my own after work. You don¡¯t have to pick me up.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel merely shed an unbothered grin. ¡°But my mom told me to bring you to the Macari residence for dinner. I¡¯ll turn down the invitation on your behalf, then. Grandma misses you, and she wishes to talk about the Yoeger family¡¯s matter too.¡± Kathleen was doubtful. Samuel¡¯s charming face remainedposed. ¡°I¡¯m not that shameless to use Grandma as an excuse to fool you. Besides, you know Grandma will not y along with me.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kathleen replied with a slight nod after giving his words some thought. She took another look at him before she pushed open the door and got out of the car. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened as he watched Kathleen walk to the film set. The next instant, he took out his phone unhurriedly and called Diana. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± came Diana¡¯s cold reply. ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t you care about me at all?¡±ined Samuel, his brows settled into a frown. ¡°Haha! Kate is there to take care of you. You won¡¯t die for sure.¡± Diana was at ease. Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m bringing Kate home for dinner tonight.¡± ¡°Did Kate suggest it herself?¡± Diana knitted her brows. ¡°I invited her in your name,¡± answered Samuel directly. His reply left Diana speechless. ¡°But I told her you were the one who brought it up. Grandma, remember not to blurt it out identally.¡± ¡°Bas¡ª¡± Diana chided. Before she could finish her sentence, Samuel immediately hung up the phone. Massaging his temples, Samuel instructed the driver, ¡°Head back to thepany.¡± The driver nodded and drove Samuel back to thepany. Later, Samuel arrived at the building and walked into the office. Tyson walked over. ¡°Mr. Macari, Nicolette has been released.¡± Samuel removed his down jacket and hung it at the side. In an apathetic tone, he said, ¡°Is she receiving treatment at the hospital outside?¡± Tyson replied with a nod. Samuel smirked. ¡°Great.¡± Great? Tyson was baffled. ¡°Let me ask you. Why must Vanessa save Nicolette?¡± Samuel arched an eyebrow. ¡°Because she wants Nicolette¡¯s kidney, as Zachary needs a kidney transnt,¡± replied Tyson almost immediately. Samuel scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re too shallow.¡± Shallow? Once again, Tyson was puzzled. Samuel took out a report from the drawer. ¡°This report shows that Nicolette isn¡¯t apatible donor to donate her kidney to Zachary.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tyson was shocked by that revtion. ¡°Besides, based on Zachary¡¯s current condition, he doesn¡¯t need a kidney transnt yet,¡± said Samuel in a cold tone. Tyson was even more startled. ¡°This¡­¡± Samuel seemed unfazed. ¡°Vanessa is trying to get rid of anyone who might get in her way to inherit the family¡¯s assets. Kate, Charles, Zachary, Nicolette, Old Mrs. Yoeger, and Ms. Schott are threats to her, so they must die.¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Cold sweat was trickling down Tyson¡¯s forehead as he stared at the document. ¡°Vanessa is such a vicious woman!¡± Meanwhile, sheer hostility was apparent on Samuel¡¯s handsome and chiseled face. ¡°Mr. Macari, shouldn¡¯t we inform Ms. Johnson about these?¡± Tyson asked curiously. Samuel shook his head in response. Tyson was taken aback upon seeing Samuel¡¯s response. ¡°But won¡¯t doing so allow us to reveal Vanessa¡¯s sinister schemes?¡± ¡°But I want Nicolette dead,¡± Samuel stated, his eyes cold. Then, everything clicked into ce for Tyson. Samuel would never intervene if he could use Vanessa to take Nicolette¡¯s life. He no longer harbored feelings for Nicolette as she had nearly killed Kathleen. Furthermore, she caused Kathleen a great deal of psychological trauma and even killed his two unborn children. How could he possibly let Nicolette off the hook? Samuel was already being charitable by not offering Vanessa a weapon and assisting her in murdering Nicolette. Tyson eventually understood Samuel¡¯s intention. Quietly, he said, ¡°You have a point. We should just let the wicked punish themselves. There¡¯s no need for you to get your hands dirty, Mr. Macari.¡± It was not worth it to be charged with a crime because of people like them. ¡°Oh, right,¡± Samuel said with a slight smile. ¡°Acquire the brand of this jacket.¡± Tyson was puzzled. Samuel¡¯s spontaneous request had taken him by surprise. ¡°I noticed Kate wearing a few of their jackets. Please get in touch with them and request that they appoint Kate as their spokesperson,¡± Samuel stated lightly. Even though Tyson was still speechless, he managed to reply with a simple ¡°okay.¡± Samuel, on the other hand, focused on the jacket hung next to him. The longer he stared at it, the happier he felt. Tyson could tell that Samuel was in an exceptionally good mood by looking at thetter¡¯s crossed legs, which were bouncing rhythmically. It seemed that Samuel and Kathleen were making good progress. Thank God. Meanwhile, Kathleen was filming diligently with the film crew. And around the afternoon came Charles, who paid her a visit. ¡°Charles, what brings you here?¡± Kathleen asked. She was rather sweaty as she had just finished shooting a scene. It was an action scene. In order to present a more realistic shot, Kathleen had done the scene on her own without a stunt double. Charles cleaned the grime off her face before announcing, ¡°Mio wants you to be their spokesperson.¡± Utterly taken aback, Kathleen asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mio say they¡¯d never hire a spokesperson?¡± Kathleen questioned, still in a state of shock. ¡°Their jackets are reallyfy to wear, though.¡± ¡°That was what the ex-boss of Mio said. The current boss is apparently different,¡± Charles exined. Kathleen was once again taken aback by the information she was getting. ¡°The ex-boss and the current boss? Did Mio have a change of bosses?¡± Charles nodded in response. ¡°Who is the new boss?¡± Kathleen inquired, intrigued. ¡°The fact that they chose me, an A-list actress, as the spokesperson, however, shows that they have superb taste.¡± ¡°Samuel Macari,¡± Charles replied tly. Kathleen was rendered speechless. She did not expect Samuel to have acquired Mio right after receiving a jacket of the said brand from her not so long ago. On top of that, he even appointed her as the spokesperson. Thus, she had no idea how to react. ¡°What do you think?¡± Charles asked. ¡°Charles, you¡¯re letting me take the job?¡± Kathleen asked, feeling surprised. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s an opportunity to make money,¡± Charles reasoned. ¡°Furthermore, quite a few prestigious brands are also interested in working with you. I¡¯ll arrange it so that all shots can bepleted within three days.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. You carry on with the arrangements then. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± With a trace of irritation in his voice, Charles said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not happy with this. Mio, however, makes more than just jackets. Theplete apparel line was allotted to you, thanks to Samuel¡¯s arrangement. Thus, I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be endorsing the other clothing items as well. Which brings to mind something I need to talk to him about¡ªif he wants to make you the spokesperson, he had better make it permanent; he¡¯s also not allowed to hire other spokespeople.¡± Once again, Kathleen was rendered speechless. Charles seems to be tantly threatening Samuel at this point. He knows that Samuel would definitely agree to his terms. Not knowing what else to say, Kathleen opted to continue working instead. As she was about to turn around and leave, she informed, ¡°I have to continue filming, Charles.¡± ¡°Go on. I should also get back to the hospital,¡± Charles replied lightly. ¡°Has Granny not awaken yet?¡± Kathleen asked. Charles shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve consulted the doctor, but he isn¡¯t sure either. He said that we might have to wait until the next day.¡± ¡°After all, Granny was poisoned with a slow-acting poison,¡± Kathleen stated before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll wake up that soon. You should deal with your work, Charles. There are people in the hospital who could help look after Granny anyway.¡± Charles huffed. ¡°Samuel had instructed more people to be on guard. He¡¯s always been eager when it comes to things like these.¡± Helplessly, Kathleen retorted, ¡°Charles, isn¡¯t it good that Samuel¡¯s offering help?¡± Charles merely grunted in response. ¡°Well, he does have more men under him than you do,¡± Kathleen muttered. ¡°I¡¯m just worried that the same things that happened to you in the past will happen again,¡± Charles exined. Kathleen pursed her lips. It was then that Charles realized that he had said something wrong. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bring it up.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°He won¡¯t make the same mistake. Samuel¡¯s not that foolish.¡± She knew Samuel very well. Charles gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°You seem to know him extremely well.¡± ¡°What can I do? I¡¯ve liked him for so long. I¡¯ve been learning about him during my free time. How could I not know him well?¡± Kathleen smiled bitterly before continuing, ¡°If I had used some of the time that I had spent to learn him on myself, I would¡¯ve be famous two years ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t be a love-struck fool,¡± Charles eximed. ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯re living your best life now. So please don¡¯t cause yourself trouble by getting into a rtionship.¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°Says the one who hoped I¡¯d end up with either Chris or Caleb.¡± Charles was embarrassed after hearing her words. ¡°To put it out in the open, you just don¡¯t want me to get together with Samuel,¡± Kathleen suggested, raising a brow. Charles huffed. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to give him another chance to hurt you!¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen breathed out another sigh before patting Charles on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡± With that, she turned on her heel and left. Charles furrowed his brows. What does she mean? Does she think that Samuel won¡¯t hurt her? He nced at Kathleen, who was currently preupied with filming, and decided he didn¡¯t want to bother her anymore. Thus, he quietly took his leave. After the conversation, Kathleen was absorbed in her thoughts while filming. Why do I know Samuel so well to the extent that I know him better than myself? By the time Kathleen finished her work, it was already evening. Surprisingly, Samuel hade to pick her up. Kathleen looked at him. Apart from his shirt, he was dressed entirely in ck and was still sporting the jacket she had given him. He was breathtakingly handsome with distinct features, which consisted of thick brows and a straight nose bridge. He often gave a cold and closed-off impression when his face was expressionless. It was then that she realized she had been staring at him. She quickly walked over to him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive there myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯d get scolded if you did so,¡± Samuel replied. He shed her a half-smile as he stared at her. ¡°You filmed an action scene today?¡± Self-consciously, Kathleen touched her face. ¡°How did you know? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve wiped myself clean.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve missed a spot,¡± Samuel said with a smirk. ¡°Your ear.¡± My ear? Kathleen immediately shot her hand up to touch her ear. Yet, she failed to find any specks of filth. ¡°Let me help you?¡± Samuel asked. Hesitantly, Kathleen nodded. Samuel took a handkerchief out from his pocket and gently wiped the dirt off her ear. He quickly noticed how red Kathleen¡¯s ear had turned. Kathleen¡¯s ears are her second-most sensitive body part. The most sensitive one is¡­ Samuel stopped his train of thoughts from spiraling any further. Like the gentleman that he was, he continued wiping her ear. ¡°All done,¡± Samuel stated with a smile. He then caught a glimpse of Kathleen¡¯s earlobe piercing and felt his heart skip a beat. Slowly, he retracted his gaze and opened the car door. ¡°Get in.¡± Nodding, Kathleen got into the car. After also getting into the car, Samuel ordered the driver to start driving. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Kathleen had followed Samuel back to the Macari residence. Diana had been urging her toe over when she had the time to do so. However, Kathleen had not been able to visit for a while as she had been too busy recently. She could not help but wonder if Diana would me her. Samuel and Kathleen entered the residence and headed straight for the living room. Diana was already standing when they reached the living room. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since Ist saw you, Katie.¡± Kathleen felt slightly embarrassed as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Old Mrs. Macari, I¡¯ve been too busytely.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t me you. Samuel had told me all about it,¡± Diana reassured as she tugged on Kathleen¡¯s hand for thetter to sit with her. ¡°It¡¯s all this b*stard¡¯s fault.¡± Kathleen flushed after hearing the older woman¡¯s words. Meanwhile, Samuel had taken off his coat and handed it to the housekeeper. Turning to Kathleen, he said, ¡°Take off your coat.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen said, taking off her coat as well. With Kathleen¡¯s coat in his hand, Samuel repeated the same actions and handed it to the housekeeper. Diana, on the other hand, was silently looking at the scene before her, a contented smile on her lips. ¡°Aren¡¯t Mr. and Mrs. Macari around?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the end of the year now. There are many gatherings that they have to attend,¡± Diana exined. ¡°Especially since Samuel is rather poor in health. Those social gatherings that require him to drink alcohol would eventually have to be attended by Calvin instead.¡± Kathleen nodded. I see. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner first. We¡¯ll talk while we have our meal,¡± Diana suggested. She knew that Kathleen should be starving by then as Kathleen often looked like she was seconds away from fainting when she was hungry. Samuel, too, was about to remind them to have their meal. However, Diana had already noticed and was a step ahead of him. After that, the three of them headed to the dining area. Set on the table were all of Kathleen¡¯s favorite dishes. Instantly, Diana motioned for Kathleen to sit next to her. Samuel had nned to take a seat next to Kathleen. However, he was stopped by Diana before he could even take action. With a t tone, she ordered, ¡°You¡¯re sitting next to me.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. He was sure that Diana was doing it on purpose and was getting back at him for letting her take the me. Nevertheless, Samuel could only abide by her words. Diana, in the meantime, had ced some roasted chicken on Kathleen¡¯s te. ¡°I¡¯m already aware of the Yoeger family situation. Yasmine had even called me because of it. I honestly did not anticipate such mayhem within the Yoegers. Most importantly, I was surprised that Frances didn¡¯t notice anything. If she had, she wouldn¡¯t have been poisoned in the first ce.¡± With a tinge of hesitance in her voice, Kathleen asked, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, how does Old Mrs. Yoeger treat Zachary and Vanessa?¡± ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t much to say,¡± Diana began. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware of theplicated rtionships in the Yoeger family. Despite Frances¡¯ disdain for Hector, she still takes great care of the two children. They are, after all, the children of her sister. That¡¯s why she adores them and treats them as if they were her own.¡± ¡°What about Zachary and Vanessa?¡± Kathleen asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t really know them that well. But I¡¯ve heard Frances talk about them a lot. They seem to be nice and rather filial,¡± Diana stated before heaving a sigh. ¡°For that reason, Frances had all of her guards down.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Grandma, do you know the rtionship between Old Mrs. Yoeger and Old Mr. Yoeger?¡± Samuel asked. Diana merely nced at him after hearing his question. Awkwardly, Kathleen added, ¡°I¡¯d like to know about their rtionship too, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± With that, Diana¡¯s expression bloomed into something warm as she carried on with her exnation. ¡°I feel that Hector had taken a liking toward Frances in the end. Actually, I knew Teresa too. She was in a marriage of convenience with Hector. I wouldn¡¯t say that they were in a loving rtionship, but it was still an okay rtionship. However, everyone knew that Hector favored Frances over Teresa.¡± Kathleen frowned upon hearing that. After noticing Kathleen¡¯s frown, Diana questioned, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Originally, I was guessing whether my mom was stolen away by one of Old Mr. Yoeger¡¯s men. However, after hearing what you had just said, it doesn¡¯t seem possible anymore,¡± Kathleen answered truthfully. She would never hold herself back when she was with Diana. Thetter furrowed her brows at this. ¡°Hmm, you have a point. I am indeed curious about the person who stole your mother away.¡± Samuel¡¯s apathetic voice then came through. ¡°In my opinion, if Old Mr. Yoeger loved Frances that much, he shouldn¡¯t be excluded from the list of those who could have stolen your mother.¡± Perplexed, Kathleen inquired, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel gave a straightforward reply. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s what they call a love that turned into hatred. Old Mr. Yoeger couldn¡¯t ept the fact that the person he loved had given birth to another man¡¯s child.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words as she had never experienced anything like that. With her face firmly frowning, Kathleen questioned, ¡°But isn¡¯t it too cruel for someone to target a child?¡± Diana, too, had her eyebrows locked in a tight frown as she questioned Samuel, ¡°Do you have any proof for your deductions?¡± ¡°Grandma, Kate, I¡¯d like to ask the both of you a question,¡± Samuel started impassively. ¡°How was the reputation of White Clouds Welfare Center in Jadeborough?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Diana refuted. ¡°The welfare center had an amazing reputation. On top of that, there were often donations made from the rich. Honestly, the children there received great care.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement before adding, ¡°Aside from that, the director of the welfare center is my grandad¡¯s cousin. They are quite close. My granddad had no children, so the director urged him to adopt my mom. On top of that, my dad was also from the same welfare center and shared the same last name as the director. They are all wonderful people.¡± After hearing Diana and Kathleen¡¯sments, Samuel fell silent for a few moments. ¡°Have you given it any thought? The person who kidnapped your mother could have simply tossed her away or even killed her if they had a grudge against the Yoegers. Why did they send her to one of Jadeborough¡¯s most prestigious welfare centers?¡± Kathleen was caught off guard by his question. ¡°If what I stated previously wasn¡¯t clear enough, I could also phrase it this way,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Old Mr. Yoeger harbors no ill feelings toward the child. He cannot, however, ept the reality that the woman he loves had given birth to another man¡¯s child and was caring for it right in front of his eyes. As a result, he ordered that your mother be taken away. But instead of harming her, he sent her to a prestigious welfare center.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve researched the welfare center¡¯s ounts. Around forty-eight years ago, White Clouds received a ten million donation. That happened to be the second day your mother was sent there,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen¡¯s expression fell after she heard his words. ¡°I could help you do more research on this anonymous ount to verify whether it belonged to Old Mr. Yoeger if you still don¡¯t believe in what I had just said,¡± Samuel offered. Kathleen ced her fork down and drank some water before saying, ¡°If this is the case, won¡¯t the entire Yoeger family be utterly sorry toward Old Mrs. Yoeger?¡± Diana sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. It would be awful if Hector were behind it.¡± ¡°Grandma, do you know whether Old Mrs. Yoeger hadmitted any rtionships before marrying Old Mr. Yoeger?¡± Samuel asked. Diana furrowed her brows as she tried to recall. She soon shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. She had never mentioned anything to me regarding rtionships, and it was also awkward for me to ask her about it.¡± ¡°I guess we can only wait for Old Mrs. Yoeger to wake up and ask her for some rifications,¡± Samuel said impassively. Once again, Kathleen pursed her lips. She was feeling extremely anguished. She could not help but wonder how Frances would react if Hector were indeed the perpetrator of the incident. Frances had dedicated her life to the Yoegers. Yet, she was plotted against and even had to part ways with her child. Kathleen was concerned that Frances would not be able to handle the shocking information. Meanwhile, Diana was shooting the nastiest re she could muster at Samuel. She was inwardly cursing at her grandson for bringing up the topic and causing her beloved Kathleen to lose her appetite. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Diana went to rest after having her meal. Kathleen stayed inside the pet house, hugging Snowy in silence. Samuel entered and stood by the door. ¡°How about you take care of it for a few days since you like the dog so much?¡± Kathleen shook her head and pressed her face against Snowy¡¯s furry body. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time. A dog requirespanionship. My brother and I are both busy.¡± Samuel walked forward and crouched down beside her. He reached out to pat Snowy¡¯s head. ¡°You saved this dog in the past.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Kathleen turned around. ¡°Samuel.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Samuel gazed at her solemnly. ¡°You weren¡¯t just joking earlier at the dining table, right? You weren¡¯t just making baseless analysis, am I right?¡± she asked softly. Samuel wore an impassive expression. ¡°I do have some evidence.¡± ¡°Would you have done it if it was you?¡± Kathleen asked with all seriousness. ¡°That depends on how intense the love is.¡± Samuel regarded her with a pensive gaze. ¡°One can ept everything as long as they love deeply. If they are merely controlled by their superficial possessiveness, naturally, they will not allow anything to happen.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°But what does it mean to love deeply?¡± A troubled expression spread across her face. Snowy suddenlyy on the floor and showed its stomach. Kathleen proceeded to caress the dog¡¯s stomach. Samuel said, ¡°Perhaps it was the way you thought of me.¡± Kathleen momentarily froze and looked at him in surprise. ¡°What else could have motivated you to treat me in that manner in the past if it wasn¡¯t because you loved me deeply?¡± His eyes bore into her. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°But you did not seem to like it.¡± Then, she continued stroking Snowy¡¯s belly. ¡°I do like it.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. ¡°It was my fault for not realizing that earlier.¡± ¡°Samuel, you don¡¯t have to lie to me.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°One-sided affection will only cause annoyance to others, just like how I was and how you are.¡± He simply kept quiet and stared at her. He had the urge to embrace her, but Samuel knew he should not do that. Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°Anyway, I shouldn¡¯t be too pessimistic since this matter has yet to be thoroughly investigated, right? Perhaps this is all just a misunderstanding. Old Mr. Yoeger donated to the children¡¯s welfare center simply because he wanted to do a good deed. Am I right?¡± Samuel remained silent. Kathleen grasped his cor with both hands and uttered anxiously, ¡°Answer me. Am I right?¡± Samuel gazed at her delicate and adorable yet worried face while replying in a husky voice, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tears rolled down her cheeks, and Samuel instantaneously panicked. ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar.¡± Kathleen sniffled. Samuel took out a handkerchief to help wipe the tears off her face. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Kathleen wiped her tears with the handkerchief. ¡°Tell me, how much do you know? You told me you would never lie to me.¡± Samuel exined, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m really not lying to you. This is the extent of my investigation. Kate, all I can say is that I know men better than you. I may not have met with Old Mr. Yoeger, but based on my investigation and judgment, I reckon he¡¯s most probably behind this matter.¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips. ¡°Besides, think about this. Who could have stolen the child and not be discovered under so many people¡¯s watch in the Yoeger residence?¡± he continued coolly. Kathleen continued pursing her lips without saying a word. In fact, she had already epted Samuel¡¯s hypothesis because his statement and the evidence he had produced left no room for doubt. ¡°s!¡± Kathleen let out a sigh. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger was the one who suffered due to this incident. Why do you think Old Mrs. Yoeger split up with him? She decided to give birth to the child, after all.¡± ¡°Maybe the only thing she could do was to ensure that child lived.¡± Samuel gazed at Kathleen intently. She nodded. ¡°I can understand her point of view.¡± She was the same previously. Kathleen was willing to endure the humiliations but determined to deliver the child. Regrettably, she failed. She had allowed Nicolette to cause the death of her child and even nearly lost her life because of Nicolette too. Samuel knew Kathleen must have been reminded of that incident. He pulled her into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± He gulped. ¡°I did not mention that on purpose.¡± I¡¯m very sorry! Kathleen raised her arm and gently patted him on his back. ¡°It¡¯s okay. That¡¯s a matter in the past now, Samuel. Let bygones be bygones.¡± There¡¯s nothing we can do even if we hold on to the past. My child will note back to life anyway. Samuel felt extremely anguished, and he began coughing. He immediately let go of Kathleen, fearing he might soil her if he coughed out blood. Kathleen quickly handed the handkerchief in her hand to him. Samuel used the handkerchief to cover his mouth. After coughing for some time, he removed the handkerchief and saw that there was still some bloodstain on the hanky, albeit very little. He sped the handkerchief. Kathleen frowned. ¡°It¡¯s all right. These are the residue of the toxin. I will help treat and manage your health.¡± She would never leave him to his demises. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°What is this?¡± She stretched out her hand to touch his lips. There were ck spots on his lips, and she was sure that was not blood. Samuel froze. Her fingers were incredibly soft. The sensation as her fingertips brushed against his lips was extremely indulging. Kathleen touched the ck spots and frowned. ¡°What exactly is this?¡± Samuel looked at her and sighed. ¡°There are some on your face too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen touched her own face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Taking in her endearing and baffled demeanor, he said, ¡°This handkerchief was used to wipe your ears just now. Then, you used it to wipe your eyes before I used it to wipe my mouth.¡± Kathleen was stumped. ¡°Why are you looking at me, you messy girl?¡± Samuel stared at her. She stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s wash it off. It¡¯s too embarrassing.¡± Samuel slowly got to his feet and reced the handkerchief in his pocket. They exited the pet house together and went into the bathroom. Kathleen dampened a towel to wipe her face while Samuel washed his mouth with clear water, then rinsed his mouth. After he finished washing up, she handed him the towel. Samuel wiped his mouth, cleaning the ck spots off his lips. Kathleen reached out to check Samuel¡¯s pulse. He gazed at her in silence, allowing her to do as she pleased. She knitted her brows as she said, ¡°It is still because the toxin has affected your internal organs. This condition cannot be resolved easily by just taking some medications.¡± ¡°Do I still need to take medicinal baths?¡± Samuel asked curiously. ¡°Yes, you do.¡± Kathleen ced his hand down. ¡°You cannot stop taking your oral medications as well. But only Caleb has a few of the medications you¡¯re taking. I¡¯ll go find him tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go instead.¡± Samuel did not wish for Kathleen to have too many interactions with Caleb. After all, he knew well about the feelings Caleb had toward Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you two will get into a fight, and he will refuse to provide me with the medications,¡± she said. Samuel croaked, ¡°What if he threatens you? What if he forces you to be in a rtionship or marry him in exchange for the medications?¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°Samuel, do you think I will sacrifice myself for you?¡± Samuel stiffened. ¡°He¡¯s not a fool. He knows threatening me with that matter is futile.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s not that stupid.¡± Despite knowing that Kathleen was right, Samuel was still upset by the thought of them meeting up. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the medication,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m worried about that?¡± countered Samuel coolly. Kathleen looked as if she didn¡¯t quite understand what he was talking about. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to sacrifice anything for the sake of obtaining the medication.¡± Samuel¡¯s lips were set in a hard line. Surprised, she replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you understand what I said earlier? I already stated that I don¡¯t intend to sacrifice myself for the medication.¡± Does he think I¡¯m stupid? ¡°Kate, I know you don¡¯t love me anymore, but you did say that you understand me. Likewise, do you think I don¡¯t understand you as well?¡± said Samuel coldly as he looked at her. Kathleen pursed her lips as she took in his words. He continued in his low rasp, ¡°You¡¯re simply too kind. You may not do it for me, but I¡¯m sure the depths of your kindness wouldn¡¯t allow you to leave things as they are. That¡¯s especially because you¡¯ve already started handling the matter. I know that once you¡¯ve started something, you¡¯ll see it through to the end. That¡¯s just how much of a sense of responsibility you have.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t reply. Instead, she was overwhelmed with surprise at how well Samuel understood her. She now realized that although he might not understand some of her day-to-day habits, he had fully grasped her character and personality. On the flip side, she wasn¡¯t too familiar with Samuel. At that, she stated tly, ¡°Trust me, Samuel. I won¡¯t be that stupid.¡± His dark eyes stared intently into hers, but he didn¡¯t move a single muscle, not even to reply. Finally, Kathleen broke the silence and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost time. Both of us have been in the bathroom for some time now. It¡¯s easy for others to misunderstand us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± remarked Samuel nonchntly. ¡°Well, I am!¡± eximed Kathleen with derision. ¡°I¡¯m a full-fledged divorcee now. I don¡¯t want to be associated with and be tangled up in my ex-husband¡¯s affairs any longer.¡± Samuel was utterly speechless. He silently followed behind her as she exited the bathroom. Kathleen checked in with Maria and learned that Diana had already gone to sleep. Maria said, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari has been going to bed earlier these days.¡± Kathleen understood instantly and said, ¡°I just checked on Old Mrs. Macari¡¯s condition. She doesn¡¯t have any issues, but you do have to make sure to pay special attention to her.¡± Maria understood and replied, ¡°Yes, Ms. Johnson. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Since she¡¯s gone to bed, I won¡¯t bother her any further. I¡¯ll be leaving now, Maria,¡± announced Kathleen. A faint smile emerged on Maria¡¯s face as she replied, ¡°All right. Old Mrs. Macari seemed quite happy tonight. It could be because you¡¯re here, Ms. Johnson. With you around, things here have gotten much warmer and morefortable. It¡¯s no longer as cold and dreary as it used to be.¡± Kathleen was stunned for a moment, but she finally promised, ¡°I¡¯lle over again in a few days.¡± ¡°That would be great! I¡¯m sure Old Mrs. Macari would love that,¡± eximed Maria with a smile. As he took in their exchange, Samuel shed a look of satisfaction at Maria. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading off first, then, Maria,¡± Kathleen said as she put on her outerwear and left. ¡°Be careful on your way out,¡± Maria reminded worriedly. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving too, Maria,¡± said Samuel as he donned his down jacket and chased after Kathleen. Maria gazed at the pair as they departed. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh. If Kathleen decides to give birth to the child, this household is bound to be even more lively. Now that she isn¡¯ting over as frequently as she used to, it¡¯s almost back to its former dreary state. Kathleen and Samuel headed back to the Johnson residence. The second they entered, Charles stuffed two bags of items into Samuel¡¯s arms and eximed, ¡°These are your belongings. Take them and get lost!¡± Samuel didn¡¯t know how to respond. He merely received the items silently. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed toe over again,¡± dered Charles with contempt in his voice. ¡°I only listen to what Kate says,¡± stated Samuel with a faint smile. Charles was speechless. Kathleen didn¡¯t know how to respond, either. ¡°Charles¡­¡± ¡°In any case, we don¡¯t wee you here!¡± eximed Charles with his usual righteous self. Samuel couldn¡¯t help but smile once more as he turned to Kathleen and said, ¡°I¡¯ll head back first. I¡¯m still next to you. Shout for me if you need me.¡± Kathleen merely watched as he turned to leave. Charles mmed the door shut and furiously stated, ¡°You should do something about Samuel! He¡¯s been badgering you for so long now.¡± ¡°Violence doesn¡¯t solve problems¡­¡± ¡°So what? I¡¯ll be so angry if I don¡¯t teach him a lesson,¡± Charles huffed. Kathleen grew even more frustrated by his response. ¡°If you put him in a state where he can¡¯t make a full recovery for the rest of his life, then I¡¯ll have no choice but to stick with him for the rest of mine. If he somehow died because of something you did, I wouldn¡¯t dare to get married ever again.¡± Charles didn¡¯t know how to respond to her sudden promation. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head to my room first,¡± Kathleen said casually. Charles knew that whatever he did to Samuel would ultimately be reflected back on Kathleen at the end of the day. As such, he recognized that the only way for Kathleen to be free of Samuel would be for thetter to heal quickly and exit their lives. This was because he knew that Kathleen was simply too kind and too responsible a person. If it weren¡¯t for that, she would have every reason to ignore Samuel. That said, she was likely treating Samuel this way only because of the Macari family. As they had always treated her affectionately, she probably couldn¡¯t allow herself to stand coldly by the side and watch Samuel suffer. I have to admit¡­ The Macari family is certainly the best at deploying this move! Following her exchange with Charles, Kathleen finally returned to her room to seek some well- deserved rest. She was a little tired. After all, she had spent quite some time chatting with Diana that very same night. From their interaction, she was finally able to grasp just how difficult Frances¡¯ situation was. It was clear that her mother was right under Frances¡¯ nose, but thetter didn¡¯t even notice. She surmised that this meant someone had refrained from reporting this to her. Otherwise, there was no other way to exin why Frances had yet to find her mother by this point in time. I heard that the Yoeger family had spared no expense for the sake of finding their lost daughter, both in terms of manpower and material wealth. Even so, they¡¯ve somehow still failed in their attempt. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll believe that someone didn¡¯t manipte the search reports. The more Kathleen thought about it, the more confused she got. Eventually, she ended up falling asleep. Elsewhere, Samuel stepped out onto the balcony and looked across from him with his dark eyes. He saw that the room opposite him still had its lights on, but he couldn¡¯t pick up Kathleen¡¯s silhouette through the drawn curtains. Did she just lie down and fall asleep straight away? Indeed, she does not have the faintest clue about how to look after herself. Samuel pulled out a cigarette and his lighter. He proceeded to light the cigarette up and puffed on it deeply. Is it really impossible for things between Kathleen and me to return to how they used to be? This was the one question that he had been asking himself again and again. He knew that Kathleen was a softhearted person and would definitely express concern for him if she saw him in this state. However, that didn¡¯t mean that she still had feelings for him. In addition, there was also the matter with Diana to consider. She treated Kathleen as if thetter were her very own granddaughter. Back then, when Kathleen was still living in the Macari residence, she would receive the same treatment that everyone else got. Not only did she get a chance to eat and experience the best that Jadeborough had to offer, but she also got more of it than the rest. She had always been the kind of person to be appreciative of those who had helped her along her way. As such, even if the Macari family had owed her something or done her wrong, she had never sought to ask them for anything in return. As these realizations crossed Samuel¡¯s mind, his hand started to tremble involuntarily. He recognized that Kathleen had truly never asked anything of him or the Macari family. Nothing at all. In the past, she had wholeheartedly devoted herself and her heart to him. However, he had failed to cherish her and instead had cruelly trampled on her heart. At this, Samuel suddenly burst into a coughing fit. He raised his palm to his lips and felt a strange warmth upon his skin. He was sure that he had started vomiting blood again. Suddenly, the door to the balcony across from him opened, and Kathleen stumbled out in a daze. She looked up across at him, and her eyes widened in shock as she eximed, ¡°Why are you smoking?¡± He immediately put the cigarette out and threw it away. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Samuel!¡± yelled Kathleen as she walked up to the railing of her balcony, ring at him. ¡°If you keep this up, I won¡¯t care about you anymore. I mean it!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Samuel promised in a panic. He did not expect that his slight cough would wake her from her slumber. ¡°Get back in immediately! You¡¯re sick right now. You can¡¯t afford to get cold,¡± Kathleen admonished sternly. Samuel grunted in acknowledgment. He was about to turn around when he suddenly stopped. ¡°Kate, you promised me you would buy me clothes.¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Kathleen said, ¡°I didn¡¯t forget about that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± Samuel gave her a gentle smirk. ¡°I¡¯m free all the time.¡± He went inside shortly after saying this. Kathleen massaged her sore temples. Her head did not stop hurting. She felt really helpless. I have to make a deal with Samuel tomorrow. With that thought, she turned around and went back. Samuel closed the door when he saw her go in, but he was reluctant to draw the curtains. He sat on the bed, looking at the opposite window, his eyes thoughtful. The next day, after Kathleen had breakfast, she was ready to go to the set to film when Charles gave her the notice. ¡°Here, have a look.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll read on the way,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°The director has instructed the actors to stay in a hotel arranged for by the crew for a few days,¡± said Charles ndly. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone pack and send your stuff over to you. It¡¯ll be the end of the year soon. I reckon he wants to film more and give you all a proper vacation.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°Got it.¡± Charles said worriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll have your meals prepared and sent over to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen took the notice and went out. She got in the car and nced at her phone. Her schedule was full, and she was really busy enough. When she got to the set, she put on makeup and got to filming. She did not wrap things up untilte that night. Throughout the day, she did not have time to deal with her personal affairs. After managing to carve out a few precious minutes for herself, Kathleen gave Caleb a call. However, Caleb did not answer. Just as she was about to call him again, there was a knock on the door. Who could it be? Kathleen went to open the door. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. To her surprise, she found Caleb standing there. ¡°I received your call, Ms. Johnson.¡± Caleb curved his lips into a smirk. Kathleen looked at him in puzzlement. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me toe?¡± Caleb raised his eyebrows. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get through.¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°I brought you ate-night snack.¡± Caleb held up an insted lunch box in his hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± ¡°Please, of course.¡± Kathleen promptly ushered him inside. He stepped leisurely past the threshold as Kathleen fiddled with the door and the lock. Caleb put down the lunch box in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve made you your favorite.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen was a tad sheepish at the gesture. Caleb unbuttoned his suit and sat down. ¡°Eat. You must be hungry after a day of filming.¡± Kathleen sat down and opened the lid. The food inside was still hot, and it was her favorite dish. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen did not expect Caleb to be so thoughtful. Caleb twiddled with his thumbs absentmindedly before saying, ¡°It was my first time making it. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± His first time? Kathleen was surprised. ¡°You can cook?¡± Caleb smirked. ¡°You say that like it¡¯s hard.¡± Kathleen picked up her utensils and took a bite. She then nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Wow, Caleb! You¡¯ve cooked this very well!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just talented in many things,¡± Caleb said coolly. ¡°It¡¯s not just cooking.¡± Kathleen was stunned. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Caleb nced at her sideways. ¡°You definitely didn¡¯t call me for no reason. Did you need something?¡± ¡°Remember the medicines I asked you to get for me thest time? I need more.¡± Kathleen hesitated before continuing, ¡°You see, I¡¯m treating your sister¡¯s condition very carefully.¡± Caleb was quiet for a bit. ¡°You need them for Samuel?¡± Kathleen nodded. Heughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that shameless? To make you devoted to me by using medications as motivation?¡± Kathleen¡¯s response was icy. ¡°I know you¡¯re not that kind of person, but I wanted to make things clear.¡± Caleb¡¯s dark eyes were solemn. ¡°As long as I can provide it, you can have it. There¡¯s no need to exin yourself to me, nor will I ask you to.¡± Kathleen looked at him in surprise. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Caleb morosely. Kathleen shook her head, feeling a little flustered. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯m going back now.¡± Caleb did not n to stay here for too long. He knew what Kathleen was concerned about. She was afraid of being seen. After all, the entire crew lived here now. ¡°I¡¯ll send you off.¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°No, you should rest,¡± Caleb said solemnly. Suddenly, there was a loud noise from nowhere. In an instant, the room became extremely dark. ¡°Ah!¡± Kathleen eximed. She immediately ran to the corner and squatted down. She was huddled up and shuddering. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Caleb walked to Kathleen¡¯s side and ced his hand on her shoulder. His voiceced with concern, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She¡¯s trembling so much from this? Kathleen¡¯s face had turned pale. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of the dark.¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡± Kathleen said nothing, chewing on her lower lip. ¡°Kate, be at ease.¡± Caleb wrapped his hand around her. Using his gentlest voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯m here with you now. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He barely even registered the change in him. Kathleen grabbed his hand. ¡°When will the powere back?¡± Caleb sat beside her and turned on the shlight of his phone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The hotel has its own emergency generator, and you will be able to call soon,¡± Caleb comforted her. ¡°If you are afraid, hold onto me.¡± Kathleen did not take the invitation but grabbed his hand harder. ¡°Are you sure the hotel has it?¡± For a while, he did not know how to answer. After all,rger, more established hotels did have such amenities. He knew nothing about smaller hotels. ¡°Why are you so afraid?¡± Caleb frowned. Kathleen said quietly, ¡°Because of Nicolette.¡± Caleb replied, ¡°I heard that she once put you¡ª¡± ¡°Hush.¡± Kathleen¡¯s delicate face was drained of color. Her trembling had gotten much worse too. Caleb pursed his lips and pulled Kathleen into his arms. Instinctively, Kathleen wanted to struggle. Caleb gentlyid her head in his arms and said,¡± Kate, calm down. The morgue is cold, but my arms feel warm. Focus on the warmth. As long as you feel this, you can¡¯t possibly be back there.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t move. This was the first time another man who wasn¡¯t Samuel had held her this way. As it turned out, Caleb was nowhere near as cold as she imagined, nor was he as difficult to get along with. On the contrary, she began to view him in a different light. It would be hard to find a woman who would not be moved by someone like Caleb. Kathleen was really afraid although she had gone for hypnotherapy. The fear was quite intense, but this reaction was considerably milder than before. Before, she could barely tolerate ces with shade. Kathleen became quiet and calm in Caleb¡¯s arms. There was something quiteforting about his embrace. However, she could sense that his breathing had bebored and had no idea what the man was thinking. Ah, she¡¯s so soft. And she¡¯s such a decent person. Why did she fall for a sc*mbag like Samuel? A woman like her deserves to be cherished. Ten minutester, the power finally returned. Kathleen immediately distanced herself from Caleb. They were both sitting on the floor, facing each other. Caleb¡¯s ears were a little red. ¡°Since the power is back on, I should get going.¡± He stood up, but then he reached out and hugged Kathleen again. Caleb just found her too endearing to resist. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again tomorrow,¡± he said. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m taking orders. Just let me know if you want something to eat, and I¡¯ll do my best to make it for you.¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°My brother was supposed to bring me food, but I¡¯m guessing something happened that dyed him.¡± Caleb smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s at my house.¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Kathleen was at a loss for words. Charles is at Caleb¡¯s ce? ¡°I called him over,¡± admitted Caleb sheepishly. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t being sneaky or anything. My sister is sometimes lucid, sometimes not. She said she wanted to see your brother.¡± Kathleen nodded in understanding. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Caleb opened the door, only to see Samuel standing there. The expression he bore was dark as he red at them, but he was also quite out of breath. Seeing Calebing out of Kathleen¡¯s room, Samuel was clearly unhappy. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off, then.¡± Caleb patted Kathleen¡¯s head and turned away. For some reason, Kathleen was a little embarrassed. She looked at Samuel and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I heard there was a power outage.¡± She could see Samuel¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbing as he spoke. And you¡¯re afraid of the dark. ¡°I¡¯m all right. Caleb happened to be around,¡± replied Kathleen. So that¡¯s why he¡¯s here. Samuel pursed his thin lips. She must have been terrified at that time, but there was another man by her side. Caleb was smiling so heartily before I arrived, too. Something agitated Samuel, and he began to cough. Kathleen immediately walked over to support him. ¡°Come in and sit down.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded and walked into Kathleen¡¯s room. A cursory nce of the room showed that it was spick and span. His breath suddenly eased quite a little. Kathleen helped him onto the bed and sat down. ¡°Why are you panting so much?¡± ¡°The power has just been restored, and the elevator can¡¯t be used yet. I was worried that you¡¯d be afraid and alone, so I ran all the way up here.¡± Samuel¡¯s breathing had yet to slow down. ¡°You should mind your physical condition.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Samuel looked at her deeply, his voice getting lower and lower. ¡°I was truly worried.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°But you can¡¯t do anything too strenuous for a while. What if something happens?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel was very obedient. Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief. Samuel looked at the table beside him and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Caleb sent this over. He made it himself.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t speak. Why, I could do this too! ¡°Have you eaten? Would you like to share some?¡± Kathleen asked. Samuel shook his head. He couldn¡¯t stomach anything his rival made. Why did I not think of this sooner? ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Caleb. He promised to give me the medicines,¡± said Kathleen between bites of food. Samuel pursed his lips. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He could feel a certain ache in the depths of his heart. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Kathleen asked in confusion. ¡°I just came.¡± Samuel looked at her deeply. Kathleen took a sip of water before replying, ¡°But I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Are you driving me away, then? I¡¯m guessing something happened between the two. They looked odder than usual. Samuel did not care that Caleb knew how to make women happy. What he was concerned about was Kathleen¡¯s heart. Kathleen did not look at Samuel, but she knew exactly what he was thinking. ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± Samuel stood up, a gloomy expression on his face. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°All right.¡± Samuel walked to the door and then stopped to look at Kathleen. Kathleen paid him no mind; her gaze was directed at the window in front of her. This made Samuel hurt even more. He pursed his lips and turned away. I guess this is how she felt when she saw me and Nicolette. Or perhaps it was likely more gut- wrenching than this. Tit for tat. I dare say this is retribution. At the Lewis residence, Charles had his gaze directed at Caleb. Vivian was somewhat lucid, but she weaved in and out of rity and her muddled senses. Charles felt a sharp twang of pain in his chest. Vivian was the woman he loved, and now she was reduced to a shell of a person. It was really hard for him to ept things. ¡°Charles, why am I here?¡± Vivian¡¯s pale and bloodless face revealed doubts. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be in Pollerton, in school? Where is this ce?¡± ¡°Vivian, this is your home,¡± Charles said after a deep sigh. ¡°My home?¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes darted left and right as she looked at her unfamiliar surroundings. ¡°Are you kidding me? My home is very beautiful. The decor is warm, homely, and quite romantic. You¡¯ve even been there before, and you¡¯re saying this is my home?¡± Charles looked at Vivian with obvious heartache. It was true that she used to be quite a stylish person. To see her reduced to this, he was sad. ¡°Vivian, this truly is your home,¡± said Charles with emphasis. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me!¡± Vivian frowned. ¡°No, why am I bound? Hurry up and let me go!¡± Charles wanted to let go of her, but he couldn¡¯t. In the day, Vivian had the tendency to harm herself. ¡°Vivian, do you still remember what your room looked like?¡± Charles asked. Vivian tilted her head and recalled, ¡°I could see tall skyscrapers from my window. They were so beautiful at night, but I can¡¯t see anything from my window now. How could this be my room?¡± Charles pursed his lips. ¡°My room also has a retro carpet, a lot of furniture, and a lot of beautiful clothes. Wait, was I not wearing a caramel-colored dress before? What is this?¡± With that said, Vivian removed all her clothing. Charles held her hand and said coldly, ¡°Vivian, that dress was soiled, so you sent it for cleaning. Have you forgotten?¡± ¡°Soiled?¡± Vivian looked at him nkly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go get it for you tomorrow,¡± said Charles soothingly. Soiled? My dress? Vivian felt a pain in her head. She then let out a bark of strangeughter. ¡°Well, of course! I didn¡¯t soil my skirt! It¡¯s me who¡¯s completely ruined!¡± Charles shot a look at her. ¡°But you¡¯re not!¡± ¡°Oh, but I am. I am!¡± Vivian cried. ¡°Charles, I¡¯m unclean! I was bullied because I did not want to break up with him. He then made those guys do things to me. They took pictures!¡± Pictures? Charles frowned. ¡°Do you know where the pictures are?¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I will help you get them back.¡± Charles hugged Vivian. ¡°But you have to be good, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vivian immediately became calmer. ¡°Be good and take your medicine. Listen to me.¡± Charles truly hurt to see her that way. Vivian pouted. ¡°But the medicine is so bitter! The otherdy has given me so many bitter pills to swallow!¡± ¡°That little girl is my sister, and this is for your own good. I¡¯ll bring you candy next time, okay?¡± Charles¡¯ voice was hoarse. ¡°Really?¡± Vivian blinked. ¡°You don¡¯t dislike me even though I am unclean? You¡¯lle back to visit me?¡± ¡°Of course I will!¡± Charles reached out to pat Vivian on the head. ¡°You¡¯re so pure. You¡¯re like an angel to me!¡± Vivian beamed at him. ¡°Charles, the next time youe, remember to buy a silk scarf for me, okay? I want to get my hair done. Maybe I¡¯ll dye it a burgundy red!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Charles agreed. At this time, the housekeeper came over with her medicine. Vivian furrowed her brows when she saw the tinctures. Charles took the bowl and said, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll feed you.¡± Vivian hesitated for a moment and moved back. Charles was very patient as he fed her the medicine. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Worthy Vivian opened her mouth to take the medicine. The housekeeper happily said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you, then, Mr. Johnson. Usually, she won¡¯t take her medicine so obediently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Vivian is very good.¡± Charles continued to feed her. Vivian smiled amiably. ¡°I¡¯m doing it for candy and silk scarves.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Charles smiled deeply. ¡°I wille to see you tomorrow. You should sleep well at night, all right?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vivian nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡± Vivian¡¯s hands and feet were still tied with ropes. It was difficult for her to move. However, she did not struggle this time, much to the housekeeper¡¯s amazement. Vivian closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. Because the medicine had a calming effect, it kicked in shortly after Vivian consumed it. This drug had fewer side effects than sedatives. Charles stood up and said, ¡°When the day is warm tomorrow, give her a bath.¡± The housekeeper nodded but sheepishly said, ¡°We actually sponge her during the day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m notining that you don¡¯t take good care of her,¡± Charles said cidly. ¡°She just likes bathing. I think you should let her have a soak in the tub. Sprinkle some flowers on and make it nice, then dress her up in something yellow.¡± The housekeeper was surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t treat her as a patient. Treat her as a normal person,¡± Charles urged. ¡°The more you treat her as a patient, the more she feels sick. She must be allowed to establish herself as a normal person from the very beginning. This is what I came up with when I asked a psychiatrist.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The housekeeper dared not disobey. After all, they were all trying to make Vivian return to normal. Moreover, since Kathleen and Charles¡¯ intervention, Vivian¡¯s condition had improved quite a bit. These housekeepers started to feel more at ease. Charles nodded and turned away. As he went downstairs, Caleb had just entered the door. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Caleb looked at Charles unfathomably. Charles was indifferent. ¡°Did Vivian mention to you that Finn had asked someone to take pictures of the sordid affair?¡± Caleb shook his head. ¡°What pictures?¡± ¡°When they tormented her, they took pictures,¡± replied Charles. ¡°What?¡± Caleb was angry. ¡°This came out of her own mouth?¡± Charles nodded solemnly. ¡°D*mn it!¡± Caleb gritted his teeth. ¡°I swear I will not let this man go!¡± There was a sharp glint in Charles¡¯ eyes. ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to be impulsive. Let me investigate this with caution.¡± ¡°How else do you want to investigate it?¡± Caleb asked coldly. Nonchntly, Charles replied, ¡±Caleb, I know you care about Vivian very much because she is your sister, after all. But if you want to seek revenge against Finn, you must first have evidence.¡± ¡°Do you think my sister is lying?¡± Caleb was truly displeased. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. But given how fragmented her memories are, it¡¯s also possible that the person who did take the pictures was not actually Finn.¡± Charles¡¯ eyes were dark. ¡°If it isn¡¯t him, then we¡¯re going to spook him for no good reason. In fact, Vivian is my biggest concern. If they leak the pictures, then she will be finished. What we need to focus on now is rehabilitation, not revenge.¡± Caleb did not utter a word. However, Charles knew that Caleb was not convinced. ¡°Only when Vivian returns to normal can we understand the ins and outs of what happened at that time. We shouldn¡¯t act too rashly,¡± Charles said. ¡°I know Finn better than you, and I will find a way to ask him.¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± Caleb asked gloomily. Charles narrowed his eyes. ¡°I hope you can be patient. You are eager to take revenge, and so am I. But this must be handled slowly. We shouldn¡¯t be hasty.¡± Caleb was silent once again. Charles¡¯ heart sank. He didn¡¯t want to say anything more and walked away. Caleb pursed his lips, and there was a sh of coldness in his eyes. There are pictures? I had no idea! I guess roping in Charles and Kathleen was the right thing to do after all. Vivian has improved drastically now. Kathleen is truly a lucky star. The next day, Kathleen finally managed to take a break after a busy day at work. Valerie said to her excitedly, ¡°Kate! I have news! I received a call from Mr. Johnson saying that Old Mrs. Yoeger has awakened!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen was very happy. She called Charles on her phone. ¡°Charles, I heard that Old Mrs. Yoeger has woken up. Is this true?¡± Kathleen asked excitedly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Charles was expressionless. ¡°She did wake up.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the hospital after work!¡± Kathleen smiled slightly. ¡°Okay.¡± Charles paused. ¡°But you need to be mentally prepared.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kathleen¡¯s forehead creased. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s situation is a bitplicated,¡± Charles said quietly. ¡°She really seems to have Alzheimer¡¯s disease.¡± So it is true? No wonder Zachary and Vanessa had the audacity to do this! Kathleen reckoned that with Frances being so experienced, it should be hard to trick her at this age. Yet, it turned out that she had Alzheimer¡¯s disease. ¡°I see.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was dull. ¡°I¡¯ll go after filming.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Charles hung up the phone. Kathleen put down the phone and sighed deeply. Seeing that her expression seemed rather severe, Valerie asked with concern, ¡°Did something happen, Kate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just give me some water.¡± Valerie handed her the water. Kathleen took a sip and went back to filming with a heavy heart. Seeing that the situation was not quite right, Valerie secretly sent a message to Samuel. At seven o¡¯clock in the evening, Kathleen finished work. She didn¡¯t even take off her makeup. She just changed into a set of clothes and went to the hospital. When she arrived at the hospital, she saw Samuel. He was standing by the car as if he was waiting for her. She walked over and asked, ¡°Why are you¡ª¡± ¡°A subordinate told me that Old Mrs. Yoeger is awake.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ve also understood the situation.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then,¡± Samuel said. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Kathleen nodded and followed him into the elevator. Soon, they arrived at Frances¡¯ ward. Samuel¡¯s subordinates had stopped Vanessa from entering. After a nce at the scene, Kathleen noticed one other person. Nicolette Yoeger was there. She was sitting in a wheelchair and watching everyone quietly. She was also the first to discover Samuel and Kathleen. ¡°Aunt Vanessa?¡± murmured Nicolette. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Vanessa turned around and looked at the two of them angrily. ¡°Samuel, why are your people stopping me from seeing my mother?¡± ¡°Because you are not worthy,¡± Samuel replied monotonously. ¡°Hah, how ridiculous! I¡¯m her daughter! I¡¯m not worthy, but you guys are?¡± ¡°Are you worthy?¡± Kathleen asked. Vanessa red at Kathleen. ¡°Why did Old Mrs. Yoeger be like this? Don¡¯t you know?¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were devoid of emotions. Guilt shed in Vanessa¡¯s eyes. ¡°How ridiculous! People get sick when they¡¯re old! This disease is a common disease among the elderly! What does it have to do with me?¡± Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 227 See Your Face Kathleen stared at Vanessa¡¯s despicable face. Her fair and delicate facial features were arranged into an impassive look as she said emotionlessly, ¡°Vanessa, I found a video online earlier. You can take a look first.¡± Vanessa could not fathom Kathleen¡¯s deliberate and secretive behavior. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t take more than a few minutes of your time to watch the video.¡± Kathleen continued boring her frosty eyes into Vanessa. Vanessa¡¯s face darkened. A notification sounded from the system, informing her of the avability of a piece of trending news. She clicked the notification and saw the headlines: Vanessa Yoeger abusing her birth mother. What did Vanessa Yoeger feed Old Mrs. Yoeger with? Zachary Yoeger and Vanessa Yoeger are inhumane. Vanessa panicked. What are these? She proceeded to y the video. Unexpectedly, those videos were footage of her and Zachary entering Frances¡¯ room and feeding her the slow-acting poison in the past few days. Her face fell. She ced down her phone and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯re so adept at ndering others. I was merely feeding my mother her medications. How did that be a form of abuse?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re truly feeding an elderly her medications, do you need to do it while she was sleeping? Do you need to force her mouth open and brutally have her gulped the content?¡± Kathleen questioned Vanessa. ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s bing foolish and was reluctant to take the medications. I did that for her benefit because her health will further deteriorate if she doesn¡¯t,¡± Vanessa replied righteously. ¡°For her benefit?¡± Kathleen fixated her piercing dark eyes on Vanessa. ¡°Do you take everyone as idiots?¡± Vanessa remained indifferent. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the second video, right?¡± Kathleen reminded her. Second video? Vanessa lifted her phone and stared at the screen again. ¡°This is not a video. Why would a video show merely a ck screen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That is not a video. It¡¯s an audio recording. Aren¡¯t you going to listen to it?¡± Kathleen asked nonchntly. Vanessa hesitated briefly before she yed the recording. ¡°Who are you to give away something that belongs to me? I will eliminate those who stand in my way, including you¡ªmy mother. I will not let you go if you dare to hinder me. My abilities are not inferior to Zachary¡¯s, yet you are still reluctant to give me the Yoeder family¡¯s assets. You are biased! Go on and drink this poison. Only with your death can I finally inherit everything from the Yoeder family.¡± Vanessa¡¯s voice sounded from the audio recording. Her face turned pale. ¡°Vanessa, if you are doubtful about the recording¡¯s genuineness, feel free to get it authenticated by an expert. But before you obtain any result, I will never let you meet with Old Mrs. Yoeger. You should just give up on that idea,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°Am I to take your word for prohibiting me from meeting with her? Who do you think you are?¡± Vanessa bellowed. Kathleen sneered. ¡°Although my identity has yet to be confirmed by Old Mrs. Yoeger, my mother and Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s rtionship is undeniable. It¡¯s all right even if Old Mrs. Yoeger is not as sharp as before because there is still another person who can verify my status.¡± ¡°Who is that? I¡¯d like to see who the daredevil is!¡± Vanessa demanded furiously. ¡°Me.¡± Yasmine strode over from behind Vanessa. Thetter froze. ¡°Vanessa, I¡¯ve told you to stop your stupid and meaningless actions. You are also well aware of Kathleen¡¯s identity, so what else are you nning to do?¡± Yasmine grimaced. ¡°Aunt Yasmine, these are not the truth!¡± Vanessa said in a hurry. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Regardless of the authenticity, you can only meet with Mother after her condition stabilizes. You should go back for now,¡± Yasmine said frostily. Vanessa bit her lip in indignation while ring at Kathleen. How did shey her hands on those videos and audio recordings? She is unexpectedly capable. I¡¯ve truly undermined her resourcefulness. Kathleen¡¯s dark and cold eyes continued boring into Vanessa¡¯s. Vanessa snorted before turning on her heels to leave. Nicolette was about to leave as well. She gazed at Kathleen and smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised that I¡¯m here?¡± Kathleen merely regarded her with a poker face. ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised even if you¡¯re dead.¡± Nicolette turned to look at Samuel with an amused expression. ¡°I heard from the police that you were the one who requested my release.¡± A hint of fury shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°You should quit ying those meaningless tricks, Nicolette. Don¡¯t you find yourselfughable for attempting to sow discord between Samuel and me when you don¡¯t even understand our rtionship?¡± Kathleen piped up. Nicolette was taken aback. Their current rtionship? ¡°You two got back together?¡± Nicolette asked through gritted teeth. That was the least desirable oue she hoped to see. Kathleen wore an unfathomable sneer. ¡°What do you think?¡± Nicolette¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°Impossible!¡± There¡¯s no way Kathleen will ever forgive Samuel. This is absolutely impossible! Kathleen stared at her menacing and wrathful expression and said disdainfully, ¡°It is exactly as you think.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Nicolette¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. You didn¡¯t even grasp the situation, yet here you are, talking nonsense and turning yourself into a joke. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re pathetic?¡± Kathleen fixated her gaze on Nicolette. Nicolette chewed on her lip. Although Samuel¡¯s affection toward her had evolved into hatred, that was not the case for Nicolette. The love she had toward him did not waver, not to mention her desire to possess him. Her mindset had even mutated to the extent of not allowing Kathleen to have Samuel even if she failed to obtain him for herself. Therefore, Kathleen¡¯s words deeply provoked and unsettled Nicolette. She could not ept the turns of events. ¡°Nicolette, you are released because Vanessa found a way to bail you out by saying you need medical treatment. Do you really think I don¡¯t know what you two are doing?¡± Kathleen uttered indifferently. Nicolette glowered at her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop us, then?¡± ¡°If you remain in prison, you¡¯ll be oblivious to all the news circting outside. In that case, you won¡¯t know whatever is happening between Samuel and me. That will make me feel acking sense of aplishment. The best way to deal with people like you is to unt my achievements in front of you, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Kathleen looked at her in amusement. Nicolette¡¯s face darkened as she scoffed, ¡°Kathleen, I thought you were a very simple-minded person. Little did I anticipate you to be so cunning.¡± ¡°Simple-minded?¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°I can be na?ve and pure, but only when I¡¯m around people I like and trust. However, the only way to treat you is to be ruthless.¡± Nicolette remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want someone to start feeling hopelessly in love again when she sees your face,¡± Kathleen said to Samuel. Nicolette gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel smirked. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen pushed open the door to Frances¡¯ ward and entered, followed by Samuel and Yasmine. Gemma was inside Frances¡¯ ward at that moment. She had requested a transfer to take special care of Frances because she knew Kathleen regarded Frances with utmost importance. She could not rest assured if others were to attend to Frances. ¡°Gem, thank you for everything,¡± Kathleen said gratefully. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. Old Mrs. Yoeger will wake up in a while. I¡¯ll leave first. You all have a good chat.¡± Gemma grinned. With that, she strode out of the room. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Acknowledge Kathleen Gemma walked out of the ward and saw that Nicolette was still outside. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s still here. Staring at Gemma with indifference, Nicolette asked meaningfully, ¡°Has your waist healed?¡± Gemma ignored her and walked straight past her. ¡°I still haven¡¯t forgotten about you pping mest time,¡± Nicolette stated. ¡°Nicolette, do you have friends?¡± Gemma asked coldly. Gemma continued, ¡°You tried to sow discord between me and Katest time. I¡¯m just wondering if you¡¯re jealous?¡± Nicolette said nothing in response. ¡°You have no friends, no lover, and no family who truly cares for you. Rather than being jealous of Kathleen because of Samuel, I think you¡¯re jealous of her for everything she has.¡± There was a pitying look in Gemma¡¯s eyes as she looked at Nicolette. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Nicolette roared. ¡°Seeing how angry you are, I know I¡¯m not talking nonsense. I have no time to waste with you here. Unlike you, I have work to do. I don¡¯t sit in a wheelchair like a spoiled daughter of a wealthy family and do nothing. In fact, you¡¯re worse than me. I have legs and a career I work hard for. Meanwhile, you¡¯re only focused on scheming against others. How funny.¡± As Nicolette¡¯s face darkened, Gemma turned around and left. Clenching her fists, Nicolette looked toward Frances¡¯ ward. That despicable woman! Why would I ever be jealous of Kathleen? That¡¯s impossible. I just can¡¯t ept being defeated by her. I¡¯m not jealous. Never in a million years! Inside the ward, Frances woke up after a while. Yasmine¡¯s eyes reddened at the sight of the other woman opening her eyes. ¡°Frances!¡± ¡°Yas?¡± Frances looked at her in a daze. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Frances, you still remember me? I¡¯m sorry, Frances. I came toote.¡± Yasmine started shedding tears as she spoke. Frances was at a loss after hearing her words. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± When she looked to the side, she noticed there were two more people in the ward. ¡°Samuel?¡± she called out with a frown. In response, the man nodded quietly. Then, Frances shifted her gaze to Kathleen, the creases between her eyebrows deepening. ¡°And you are?¡± Kathleen stepped forward and hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t sure how to start exining. ¡°Frances, she is your granddaughter,¡± Yasmine chimed in. ¡°Look at her eyes. Don¡¯t they resemble yours?¡± Frances knitted her brows again. ¡°My granddaughter? She¡¯s Yareli? But from what I remember, Yareli doesn¡¯t look like this.¡± Yareli was Vanessa¡¯s daughter. However, Yareli had been keeping a low profile recently, and she was nowhere to be seen. ¡°No, Frances. She¡¯s the child of the daughter you lost,¡± Yasmine exined. Instantly, shock painted Frances¡¯ face. ¡°What?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and said, ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I really am the child of the daughter you lost. My name is Kathleen Johnson.¡± Frances had forgotten about their meetingst time. ¡°The child of the daughter I lost? Where is my daughter?¡± Frances asked, visibly worked up. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, my mother has passed away,¡± Kathleen stated. ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing that, Frances almost fainted, shocking everyone in the room. Yasmine hurriedly supported her while Kathleen went ahead and examine her. Fortunately, Frances did not lose consciousness. She held onto Kathleen¡¯s hand and studied thetter carefully. Kathleen looked back at her with a worried expression. ¡°You are Kathleen, right? The girl who was adopted by Old Mrs. Macari?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯ve done a paternity test.¡± Tears rolled down Frances¡¯ cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so close to me.¡± ¡°Yes. Sadly, we never met each other before.¡± After giving it a thought, Frances said, ¡°If you hade to that banquet a year ago, we might have seen each other.¡± Hearing that, Samuel felt a bit guilty. It was his fault, after all. If he hadn¡¯t interfered, Kathleen could have reunited with Frances long ago. ¡°But why?¡± Frances grasped Kathleen¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°You were so close to me. Why couldn¡¯t I find you?¡± ¡°Obviously, someone was stopping it from happening,¡± Yasmine remarked. Frances¡¯ expression was grim. ¡°Who is it?¡± Who is hindering me from looking for my daughter? ¡°Frances, calm down and listen to me,¡± Yasmine said solemnly. ¡°Let me ask you this. What would you do if you found Kate¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°What else would I do? I¡¯m going topensate her.¡± ¡°How?¡± Frances thought for a moment and answered, ¡°I¡¯ll give her the best things I have.¡± ¡°Exactly. Someone doesn¡¯t want you to give those things to her,¡± Yasmine concluded. Frances was taken aback. ¡°Who would be so petty? Besides, what¡¯s wrong with me wanting to treat my daughter well?¡± ¡°Frances, do you only have one daughter?¡± Yasmine prompted. Frances paused at her words. ¡°If you give her everything, what about your other children?¡± Yasmine added. Surprised, Kathleen looked at Yasmine. It seems like Ms. Schott is suspecting something, too. ¡°But I love them and care for them very much, too,¡± Frances retorted with a frown. ¡°That is true, but things are different when their inheritance is involved, Frances. I don¡¯t know how Kate¡¯s mother was abducted, but you haven¡¯t been able to find her even after two decades. I¡¯m sure your two other children have something to do with it,¡± Yasmine pointed out. At that moment, it seemed like Frances had a lot weighing on her mind as she did not even want to speak anymore. Kathleen was worried. She wondered if the information was too much for the old woman to take. Just then, Frances looked at Kathleen and questioned, ¡°What was your mother¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Her name was Reba Johnson,¡± Kathleen responded. ¡°You have the same surname?¡± Frances asked out of surprise. ¡°Not exactly. My father¡¯s surname is also Johnson. He was from the same orphanage as my mom. The surname of that orphanage¡¯s director is Johnson, and he was also a doctor before. Actually, my mother was adopted by his cousin. My parents grew up together since childhood and were childhood sweethearts. They wanted to be like the director, so they decided to study medicine.¡± Frances nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Frances, the most important thing to do now is to acknowledge Kate as your granddaughter. With Kate around, you would have someone to rely on,¡± Yasmine reminded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I have to acknowledge Kate. I¡¯ve done her mother wrong, and I can¡¯t do the same to her!¡± Yasmine curled her lips up into a smile. ¡°That¡¯s more like it, Frances.¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 As Expected Of Samuel ¡°Go and call Zachary and Vanessa over. I will tell them about this,¡± Frances instructed. However, Yasmine stopped her. ¡°Listen to me, Frances. There is no use calling them here now. They won¡¯t listen to you anymore.¡± ¡°What?¡± Frances¡¯ face turned gloomy. ¡°They¡¯ve got something to do with your poisoning. Why don¡¯t you acknowledge Kate first? It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not they ept her,¡± Yasmine advised. Frances furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°I was poisoned?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yasmine said helplessly. ¡°There¡¯s even a video to prove it.¡± ¡°Frances, you have to make sure not to give out the remaining thirty percent of shares in your hands. Otherwise, not only would you have nothing to give to Kate, you would be benefitting them,¡± Yasmine warned. Frances nodded seriously. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll give these shares to Kate, then.¡± At that moment, Kathleen spoke up. ¡°Granny, there is no need to rush. If you give them to me, Vanessa will only be more pissed and anxious. She might even¡ª¡± Yasmine interjected, ¡°Kate, just take them. To tell you the truth, it¡¯s more dangerous to let Frances keep the shares. They might even trick her into giving up the shares. In the worst-case scenario, they would neglect Frances since she would be useless to them without the shares.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°She is my granny. I will definitely care for her. There is no need for them to trouble themselves!¡± Kathleen blurted with frustration. ¡°Kate, if you¡¯re going to inherit the thirty percent of shares from the Yaeger family, then you have to ept the Schotts¡¯ thirty percent of shares as well,¡± Yasmine uttered. ¡°These shares can only be transferred after your grandmother and I sign the papers, which is why Vanessa never dared to offend me.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°The Schotts?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yasmine nodded lightly. ¡°Although I¡¯m in charge of the Schott family now, the shares are jointly owned by me and Frances. However, I own a bigger share since Frances focused on running the Yoeger family¡¯s business after she got married. I am the one managing the shares now, so they¡¯re scared to offend me.¡± It was only then that Kathleen realized why Vanessa always seemed to be afraid of Yasmine. Suddenly, a look of confusion appeared on Frances¡¯ face. ¡°Oh? Young woman, who are you?¡± Kathleen stiffened. With a helpless tone, Yasmine said, ¡°See? If Vanessa acts before us, we might not have a chance anymore.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you, Grandaunt.¡± Yasmine smiled with satisfaction at her answer. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to ask for help from you, Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel looked at her calmly. ¡°I would like to have a press conference tomorrow,¡± announced Yasmine. ¡°All right,¡± Samuel agreed with a nod. Being the careful woman that she was, Yasmine continued, ¡°Remember not to let the news get out, especially to Vanessa and Zachary. Otherwise, they might take the risk and go all out.¡± Samuel nodded once again. Nothing would go wrong since he was the one handling it. Afterward, Yasmine left the hospital to make some preparations while Kathleen stayed behind to keep Francespany. Holding Kathleen¡¯s hand, Francesmented, ¡°You look very familiar.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m your granddaughter,¡± Kathleen said softly. There was a nk look on Frances¡¯ face. ¡°My granddaughter? I have a granddaughter?¡± ¡°That is me,¡± Kathleen said patiently. ¡°My name is Kathleen Johnson, and my mother is Reba Johnson. She¡¯s the daughter you lost.¡± The daughter I lost? Frances tightened her grip on Kathleen¡¯s hand and mumbled, ¡°My daughter¡­ My daughter? The daughter I lost¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I remember now.¡± Frances looked at Kathleen. ¡°I remember now. I did have a daughter, but she went missing. Someone abducted her.¡± With that, she started to sob sorrowfully. Kathleen hurriedly took some tissues to wipe the old woman¡¯s tears away. ¡°Kate, I seem to alternate between being in the right state of mind and not. Hurry up and ask thewyer toe over. I¡¯m going to transfer the shares to you right now. We can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows and looked at Samuel. ¡°I know the Yoeger family¡¯swyer.¡± Taking his phone, Samuel walked out of the ward to make a call. Meanwhile, Frances embraced Kathleen and patted her back gently. ¡°You¡¯ve suffered so much.¡± Tears filled Kathleen¡¯s eyes in an instant. ¡°Granny, you were the one who suffered a lot.¡± ¡°I remember everything now. You almost died because of Nicolette, didn¡¯t you?¡± Frances felt her heart break as she recalled the incident. What happened to Kathleen was no secret to their circle. ¡°Granny, it¡¯s all in the past now,¡± Kathleenforted. She would be dealing with the matter on her own. There was no need for Frances to be troubled about it. However, Frances was incensed. ¡°Zachary and Vanessa have lost their minds. How could they bring Nicolette to the house? Do they think I¡¯m dead already? Since they¡¯re treating my dear granddaughter like this, I won¡¯t let them off easily as well!¡± ¡°Granny, calm down.¡± Kathleen was worried since Frances was still recovering from a serious illness. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Frances reassured. With a stern voice, she continued, ¡°I more or less know what Vanessa has on her mind. But why is Zachary acting like this, too? It was something out of her expectation. After a short hesitation, Kathleen revealed, ¡°Granny. The truth is, Zachary has kidney cancer. He needs a kidney transnt.¡± Frances frowned upon hearing that. ¡°So he¡¯s eyeing Nicolette¡¯s kidney?¡± Kathleen nodded in affirmation. Frances pondered over it for a while and said, ¡°No matter what, they shouldn¡¯t have brought Nicolette back into the family. Even if they want topensate her, they shouldn¡¯t treat her as a daughter of the Yoeger family!¡± Moreover, they were aware of Kathleen¡¯s identity. It was way too outrageous for them to do something like that. Frances treated Zachary and Vanessa as her own children, yet they did not even consider her feelings. After all, she was not their birth mother. It did not matter that they were rted to each other. If Frances found out that she was unable to meet Reba because of them, she would definitely not let them off the hook. Just then, Samuel opened the door and walked in with twowyers of the Yoeger family. ¡°After you¡¯re finished, you may rest in the room beside this ward. You cannot leave before the press conference tomorrow,¡± he ordered coldly. Flustered, the twowyers could only nod. ¡°Turn off your phones and hand them to me,¡± Samuel added, his icy expression unchanging. The two obliged without a word, which dumbfounded Kathleen. Why are they so obedient? It¡¯s just Samuel! Samuel then called Richard over to confirm that Frances was indeed in her right state of mind right now. After that, Frances affixed her signature on the shares transfer agreement. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Marrying Nicolette The entire process took ce smoothly, and Kathleen received the thirty percent shares owned by Frances. At present, she was Yoeger Group¡¯s biggest shareholder. Samuel told Tyson to take the twowyers to the adjacent room for a break. Richard exited the ward, too. Frances regarded Samuel unhappily. ¡°When do you n to marry Nicolette, Mr. Macari?¡± Samuel kept quiet. Frances ate it with a grin. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I don¡¯t like Nicolette,¡± Samuel answered in a deep voice. He could ignore the opinions of Diana and the others, but he could not ignore Frances¡¯. Judging by her appearance, Kathleen was a good girl, and Frances loved her. What should I do if Old Mrs. Yoeger won¡¯t let me be with Kathleen? Samuel could never, ever let Frances be his biggest obstacle. ¡°How heartless of you to make such a casual remark, Mr. Macari,¡± Frances muttered coldly. Samuel remained silent at first. Then, he cleared his throat and spoke. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, previously, I mistook Nicolette for my savior, and I¡¯m very sorry about this. I didn¡¯t know it was Kate who saved me back then.¡± Frances eyed him with a wan expression. ¡°Does this misunderstanding justify your poor treatment of Kate?¡± Samuel replied, ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t, so I¡¯ll try my best topensate her for what I¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Your best form ofpensation is to stop bothering my granddaughter,¡± Frances said with a scowl. Samuel spoke in a low voice. ¡°You can rest assured that I won¡¯t bother her, Old Mrs. Yoeger.¡± Frances stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve known you since you were a child, and I understand your character very well,¡± she said in an icy tone. ¡°You¡¯re the kind of person who doesn¡¯t stop until you¡¯ve achieved your goals. You say you¡¯ll stop bothering Kate, but secretly, you¡¯ll chase away all the men around her, am I right?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. ¡°I heard about this from your grandmother.¡± There was a hint of mockery in Frances¡¯ weak voice. ¡°Kate was very popr among the boys in high school, so you threatened them behind her back. Is that correct?¡± Samuel did not say a word, but a slight crease appeared between his brows. How did Grandma find out about that? And she has even told Old Mrs. Yoeger about it! Kathleen stared at Samuel in shock. ¡°You¡­¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I treated you like a little sister back then, and I was afraid you would be bullied.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Frances chuckled sardonically and reminded Kathleen, ¡°Don¡¯t ever fall for the lies of men.¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel was at a loss for words. Indeed, his biggest stumbling block was not other people but Frances. Kathleen fixed her gaze on Samuel. So, he used to do such a thing without my knowledge. Knock! Knock! Someone was knocking on the door. Samuel opened the door and was surprised to see the person standing outside. ¡°Grandma?¡± ¡°Move aside.¡± Diana pushed Samuel aside. ¡°I¡¯m here to see my old friend.¡± Then, she entered the ward. ¡°Fran, how have you been?¡± Diana asked emotionally. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Diana.¡± Frances was touched. After that, the two olddies hugged each other. Kathleen, who was next to Samuel, observed them with envy. Having a best friend to spend time with at this age was a joyful thing. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Frances was taken aback. ¡°I heard you woke up and was concerned, so I came here.¡± Diana looked at Samuel. ¡°What are you gawking at? You two may leave now. Take Katie out for supper. I¡¯m not leaving tonight.¡± Samuel and Kathleen were stunned. With Diana around, Vanessa and the others would not dare do anything drastic. In other words, Diana was here to back Samuel and Kathleen up. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded and led Kathleen out of the ward. When they were in the corridor, Kathleen realized Diana had brought along arge number of bodyguards. The whole corridor was filled with them. Kathleen smiled sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m sure Old Mrs. Macari wants us to have peace of mind.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head to the restaurant opposite the hospital. I recall that it¡¯s still open at this hour,¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°I still remember that I ate at that ce with you thest time, but¡­¡± Samuel pressed a cold finger against her red lips. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it again.¡± He felt sorry for what he had done at that time. Back then, Kathleen was pregnant and hungry. Yet, he had said those words to her. ¡°Will it cease to exist if I don¡¯t mention it?¡± Kathleen asked. Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°If you¡¯re still angry, you may carry on.¡± After all, he deserved it. Kathleen was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s rather meaningless.¡± She raised her hand and realized she still had half an orange left. Splitting it into two portions, she handed the other half to Samuel. ¡°I can¡¯t finish that much. You may have it.¡± Her intention was for Samuel to take the orange. However, Samuel grabbed her slender wrist, lowered his head, and ate the orange out of her hand. The warmth of his lips even lingered on Kathleen¡¯s palm. Instantly, she felt goosebumps all over her body. She was a sensitive woman, to begin with. As such, her face and ears turned a bright shade of red, and she resembled a tomato. Samuel liked her genuine reaction. The two of them entered the elevator. While they were in the elevator, Kathleen looked at the leftover orange in her hand and put it in her mouth. It¡¯s so sweet! ¡°I didn¡¯t know you used to do such silly things,¡± Kathleen muttered. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°If I only knew back then that it was because I liked you.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content. Unfortunately, it was all toote. ¡°And here I was wondering why everybody started casting weird looks at me one day.¡± Kathleen frowned and red at Samuel angrily. ¡°Did you know that an awful rumor spread in our school after that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyebrows were locked in a tight frown. ¡°Someone said a mafia boss had his eyes on me. Whoever liked me would be killed by the boss¡¯ subordinates.¡± Kathleen stared at him in fury. ¡°Now I know you were the cause of everything that happened.¡± Samuel frowned. He was oblivious to the existence of this rumor. ¡°It was a good idea. Without those people bothering you, you got into university easily.¡± A gleam shed across his eyes. ¡°I never knew how shameless you were, Samuel!¡± Kathleen was mad. ¡°High school was supposed to be a time of fun and excitement. Without romance, did you know how boring my school days were?¡± Samuel regarded her coldly. ¡°Back in high school, you liked me.¡± Who else does she want to like? ¡°Hmph!¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°Had someone confessed his love to me, I probably wouldn¡¯t have liked you.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. She¡¯s just trying to break my heart! Kathleen grinned. Then, she said in an icy manner, ¡°Did you just realize that you aren¡¯t as important to me as you think?¡± Samuel scoffed in response. Deep down, however, he was unhappy. Why am I unimportant to her? I¡¯m very important to her! Kathleen studied his frustrated expression and felt great. Serves him right! Chapter 231 Chapter 231 When Samuel and Kathleen arrived at the entrance of the hospital, they realized it was snowing outside. Kathleen held her hand out and caught a few snowkes. Sadly, they melted as soon as they touched her palm. Samuel, too, did the same, but they did not melt as fast as hers. Seeing that, Kathleen touched his hand with a frown. ¡°The ward was so warm just now. How is your hand still so cold?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Samuel lowered his hand. ¡°Because you said you¡¯d buy me some clothes, but you haven t.¡± Is this even rted to the clothes?¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Samuel smiled calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡¯ ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded. Thus, they left for the restaurant across the street. As expected, it was still operating. Along the way, Samuel ced his hand on Kathleen¡¯s head to prevent her hair from getting wet. By the time they arrived at the store, the back of his hand was wet with snow. He took out his handkerchief and wiped it gently. Meanwhile, Kathleen noticed an empty table by the window and led Samuel there. As they sat down, a waiter ced the menu in front of them, asking, ¡°What would you like to order?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like a quinoa sd,¡± Kathleen answered without looking at the menu. ¡°Oh, a side dish and a set of charcoal grilled roast beef too.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The waiter nodded. ¡°What about you, mister?¡± ¡°Same as hers. I want the quinoa sd,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Okay. Please wait for a moment¡± The waiter collected the menu and left. Kathleen removed her coat, revealing the caramel colored sweater she wore on the inside. She looked sweet and polite in it. Samuel, however, wore a ck suit on the inside as usual. It was as if he did not have other clothes. Kathleen¡¯s slender fingers tapped the tabletop, and Samuel instinctively ced his hand on the table. He had long, slender fingers with prominent knuckles. When he put out his left hand, Kathleen realized the wedding ring was still on his finger. She sighed. ¡°Do you want to take it off?¡¯ "No.¡± Samuel shook his head. Kathleen checked his pulse with a neutral expression. ¡°Are you upset?¡± Samuel asked in a low tone. ¡°Then again, this is my personal preference.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I have no right to interfere with your preference,¡± responded Kathleen helplessly. Samuel regarded her thoughtfully. ¡°What do you think things would be like now if we had gotten together back then?¡± Kathleen thought for some time. ¡°We¡¯d still be like this, I suppose. There wouldn¡¯t be any changes.¡± ¡°Do you really understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Samuel asked in a raspy voice. ¡°I meant if I knew I liked you sooner, we would¡¯ve gotten married once you graduated from university. Perhaps we¡¯d be living another kind of life now.¡± Instead of being like this. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Samuel, stop thinking about what ifs. It¡¯s meaningless.¡± Samuel fell silent. She withdrew her hand and instructed, ¡°Remember to stay warm for these couple of days. If you don¡¯t take care of your health this winter, your condition will worsen in the next.¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy you the clothes,¡± added Kathleen. ¡°After all, I don¡¯t want to owe you anything.¡± Samuel had an inexplicable expression. ¡°Okay.¡¯ Not long after, their food was served. They stopped talking and tucked into the food in silence. After their meal, Samuel paid for the bill. When he returned to the table, he told Kathleen, ¡°Grandma wants us to go home straight away. She¡¯ll stay with Old Mrs. Yoeger tonight, so we don¡¯t have to worry about her.¡± Pursing her lips, Kathleen answered, ¡°Okay, then.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze dimmed. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to get any rest if you stay here, anyway.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. It was indeed ufortable to share a room with three people. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel picked up Kathleen¡¯s scarf and handed it to her. Kathleen hesitated for a moment. She then took the scarf and beckoned him over. Seeing that, Samuel moved closer, only to be surprised by Kathleen putting the scarf around his neck. Her scarf was beige, which suited him well. Samuel smiled as he caught Kathleen¡¯s scent from the scarf. ¡°I¡¯m lending it to you temporarily. You¡¯ll have to return it once we get back,¡± Kathleen said tly. Samuel¡¯s smile faded instantly, and his shoulders slumped. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new er,¡± Kathleen added. ¡°Okay.¡± An affectionate look instantly appeared in Samuel¡¯s eyes. Kathleen secretly rolled her eyes, baffled by her own actions. Why am I so soft-hearted toward him? Soon, they arrived at Kathleen¡¯s house. Kathleen was about to get out of the car when Samuel said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll return your scarf tomorrow, in case you don¡¯t buy me a new one.¡¯ Kathleen was dumbfounded. ¡°Goodnight,¡± Samuel wished with a smirk. Exasperated, Kathleen alighted the car and walked into the mansion. Samuel watched her enter the house before bringing the scarf to his nose and taking a deep breath. Only then did he drive to the mansion next door with a satisfied smile. I¡¯m going to sleep well tonight. Meanwhile, Charles was shocked to see Kathleen enter the house. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you return to the hotel?¡¯ ¡°I came back to get some things. I¡¯ll go there tomorrow,¡± exined Kathleen. Charles nodded. ¡°Did Samuel send you home again? ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. Charles did not want to say anything to that. She has no idea how serious this matter is. ¡°Charles, how¡¯s Vivian?¡± Kathleen asked concernedly. Hence, Charles recounted the entire incident. Kathleen frowned when she finished listening to the story. ¡°That¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Charles said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m nning to pay Finn a visit tomorrow. It¡¯s best to resolve this matter as soon as possible, so tomorrow-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Grandaunt and the others will be there tomorrow. You don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Kathleen assured. Charles sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything about this, but I¡¯ll be less worried if Samuel goes with you. He¡¯ll definitely keep you safe if he sticks around you.¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°You make it sound as if I¡¯m weak. I¡¯m quite good at protecting myself, you know?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of the idea of outnumbering your enemies?¡± Charles asked sternly. ¡°I¡¯m sure Finn wouldn¡¯t meet me no matter how many times I ask him. Hence, I have no choice but to meet him in a public ce, otherwise, I¡¯d never leave you alone.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. ¡°Okay, okay. I get it. Stop nagging. I¡¯ll take care of myself. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Okay.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°All right. You should get some rest. It¡¯s veryte now.¡± Got it!¡± Kathleen shot up the stairs. After a moment of silence, Charles picked up the box of cigarettes and the lighter on the coffee table and walked out of the house. As he smoked in the courtyard, Samuel walked out In a down jacket. ¡°What¡¯s up? Samuel asked hoarsely. ¡°I really, really don¡¯t like you,¡± Charles stated coolly. Samuel kept silent, waiting for the rest of his words. ¡°But you¡¯re the person I trust the most in Jadeborough.¡± Charles¡¯ eyes glinted coldly. ¡®Tm handing Kate to you. You¡¯ve got to keep her safe, understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯d still do that even if you didn¡¯t tell me so,¡± Samuelmented tly. Charles growled, ¡°You¡¯d better realize how lucky you are. Don¡¯t you dare hurt her again, otherwise, you¡¯ll get a taste of my wrath.¡± Samuel responded icily, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± With a stony expression, Charles said, ¡°And that woman, Nicolette. I¡¯m sure you know what to do.¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 ¡°What about that woman?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was impassive. Charles was infuriated. He grabbed Samuel¡¯s cor and yelled, ¡°What about that woman? If you really want to pursue my sister, you shouldn¡¯t have let her get away with her crimes!¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Get away with her crimes? Do you think she¡¯s getting away with it?¡± Charles was stumped. It¡¯s true. Nicolette isn¡¯t really getting away with it. ¡°But she still got out,¡± Charles hissed. ¡°And I know she threatened Kate today.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was horrifyingly cold. ¡°I know what to do. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°If you upset Kate one more time, I promise you¡¯ll never find her again,¡± Charles warned, gritting his teeth. ¡°Why do you think you haven¡¯t heard any news from her for the past year?¡± A vicious expression appeared on Samuel¡¯s handsome face as he stared at Charles. Smirking, Charles continued, ¡°I¡¯m not skilled in anything else, but no one¡¯s better than me at hiding someone.¡± With that, he spun around and left. Samuel felt a stab in his heart.I won¡¯t let Kathleen disappear! I won¡¯t allow it!He looked to the window of the room that glowed softly due to the nightlight. As long as she did not disappear, he was satisfied with just watching her like that. Kathleen woke up early the next day. She collected the things she needed to use in the hotel and walked out of the house, finding Samuel already waiting outside. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe in?¡± Kathleen was puzzled. In response, Samuel cast Charles an unfathomable nce. Seeing that, Kathleen frowned and looked at her brother for an answer. ¡°Charles?¡± Charles grunted. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear him knock.¡± ¡°Did the housekeeper not hear it, too?¡± Kathleen questioned frostily. ¡°Are you trying to freeze him to death? You know I¡¯ll still be the one treating him if that happens, right?¡± ¡°He just stood out there for two minutes,¡± Charles stated unhappily. ¡°Just two minutes. It¡¯s nothingpared to all the times he bullied you in the past.¡± Kathleen was baffled. ¡°Your brother¡¯s right.¡± Samuel smiled politely. ¡°I deserved it.¡± Kathleen red at Charles. ¡°I¡¯m going to be mad if you keep up with that attitude.¡± Charles merely snorted in response. Samuel, you simp! ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen prompted, rolling her eyes at Samuel. ¡°You¡¯re another silly one. Couldn¡¯t you wait in the car for me?¡± A faint smile surfaced on Samuel¡¯s charming and elegant face. ¡°I forgot.¡± Looks like there¡¯s something wrong with his brain. Kathleen, I think you should prescribe him some supplements. Poor thing. He¡¯s already a muddlehead at such a young age. I hope he doesn¡¯t pester you for the rest of your life if he can¡¯t get a wife in the future,¡± Charles warned softly. Sighing heavily, Kathleen asked, ¡°Charles, weren¡¯t you going to see Finn? Why are you still here?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Charles asked. ¡°That banquet starts at the same time as your press conference. There¡¯s no need for me to rush.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave, then.¡± Kathleen walked off, pulling Samuel along with her. Charles watched their backs speechlessly. Why does it feel like it¡¯s getting harder to keep her at home? Kathleen followed Samuel into the car, and they left for the press conference. As usual, the press conference was held at Macari Group¡¯s main hall, for that was Samuel¡¯s territory. Vanessa and the others would not dare to cause trouble there. Soon, everything was all set. Thanks to Samuel¡¯s efforts, the reporters of every major media outlet and even those working for certified social media ounts were there. The ce was bustling. Yasmine had arrived long ago. Even Diana hade with Frances, whose presence shocked Kathleen. Don¡¯t worry, Kate. I¡¯m as healthy as a horse,¡± Frances assured while holding Kathleen¡¯s hand. Kathleen could feel that Frances¡¯ hands were warm and dry. Diana smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you two.¡± Kathleen nodded. Meanwhile, Samuel stood quietly beside Kathleen like a loyal guard protecting his princess. He had be more mature, dependable, and charmingpared to a year ago. Hence, many women there could not help but fix their eyes on him. However, Samuel only had eyes for one person- Kathleen. Yasmine walked over. ¡°I think we can start now.¡¯ Kathleen nodded and said to Frances, ¡°Please excuse me, Granny.¡± Frances nodded in response. Kathleen hooked her arm around Yasmine¡¯s and walked up to the stage. Diana chuckled as she held Frances¡¯ hand, watching Kathleen from below the stage. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d have a child inmon.¡± Lost in her thoughts, Frances muttered, ¡°I know, right? We were even inws once.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my ipetent grandson, we¡¯d probably have a closer rtionship by now.¡± The thought of Samuel¡¯s past actions made Diana furious. Despite that, Samuel continued standing there in silence. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of arranging a marriage for Kate.¡± Frances sighed. ¡°I think my health¡¯s deteriorating, Diana. I didn¡¯t get to see my daughter in a wedding dress, so I really want to see Kate getting married.¡± ¡®All right. We¡¯ll find a young man for her together,¡± consoled Diana.With that, she lifted her head and red at Samuel, whose eyes were fixed impassively on the stage. Even so, his fists were clenched. Kathleen seems to care a lot about Old Mrs. Yoeger. If Old Mrs. Yoeger forces her to get married, Kathleen will definitely give in. If that happens, who will Old Mrs. Yoeger choose as Kathleen¡¯s partner? I bet it¡¯ll be either Christopher or Caleb. It¡¯ll never be me. But if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll never get to be with Kathleen. Nevertheless, Samuel hoped Kathleen would follow her heart regarding the matter instead of simply marrying someone. Right then, the press conference officially started. Yasmine smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank all the reporters for attending today¡¯s press conference. Today, I have a very important announcement to make. The true identity of the person beside me, Kathleen Johnson, is actually-¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Vanessa shouted as she walked in. Everyone turned to look at her. Vanessa rushed to the stage. ¡°Aunt Yasmine, what are you doing?¡± Yasmine gave her an indifferent look. ¡°If you want to find out, take a seat and listen quietly, otherwise, I will kick you out.¡± Vanessa scoffed, ¡°This is interesting. Aunt Yasmine, don¡¯t you feel you¡¯re being shameless for bringing my mom out of the hospital and holding some stupid press conference here?¡± Shameless Yasmine frowned. ¡°Me? Shameless? How¡¯s that so? ¡°Aunt Yasmine, I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve offended you, but do you really think it¡¯s a good idea to coborate with an outsider to snatch our family¡¯s assets?¡± Vanessa asked, burning with rage. ¡°Outsider?¡± Yasmine snorted. ¡°Are you referring to Kate?¡± ¡®That¡¯s right. She¡¯s an outsider,¡± Vanessa said coldly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Granny¡¯s biological granddaughter. How does that make me an outsider?¡± Kathleen asked indifferently. Suddenly, Vanessaughed maniacally. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re right. Your mom is my mom¡¯s biological daughter, but-¡± She paused for a moment and fixed a sharp gaze on Kathleen. ¡°Your mom¡¯s biological father isn¡¯t my father.¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Everyone in the hall gasped, trying to make sense of what she meant. ¡°Shut up!¡± Yasmine was enraged. ¡°Vanessa, have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the ones who¡¯ve lost your minds!¡± Vanessa yelled at the top of her lungs. ¡°It¡¯s our family¡¯s assets. Why should it be given to an illegitimate child whose origin we don¡¯t even know?¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Yasmine was clearly pissed off. ¡°Vanessa, do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Vanessa scoffed, ¡°Of course I do. In fact, I know everything. Ms. Schott, you¡¯re my biological aunt. Shouldn¡¯t you know more about this matter?¡± The keen senses of the reporters present told them that juicy gossip was about to be released. They became excited and started shooting questions at Yasmine. ¡°Ms. Schott, can you answer Ms. Yoeger¡¯s question?1 ¡°Ms. Schott, what¡¯s happening? Just whose daughter is Kathleen¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°If Kathleen¡¯s not Old Mr. Yoeger¡¯s granddaughter, is she still qualified to inherit the Yoeger family¡¯s assets?¡± Feeling smug, Vanessa stared at the stage with a smirk on her lips. See it now? If you people can manipte public opinion, so can I. I¡¯ll never lose to all of you! Yasmine cast Vanessa an indifferent nce. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± ¡° I¡¯m an idiot?¡± Vanessa snickered. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. If I were to be any more foolish, all of our family¡¯s assets would¡¯ve been taken away. Anyway, I¡¯ll never let you give our family¡¯s assets to an outsider!¡± Yasmine¡¯s face darkened. ¡°How is Kathleen an outsider? Even if she¡¯s not Old Mr. Yoeger¡¯s biological granddaughter, she¡¯s still the only descendant left by your mother¡¯s daughter. ¡°Mother?¡± Vanessa let out an arrogantugh. ¡°Aunt Yasmine, if Kathleen¡¯s mother, Reba, was actually my sister from a different father, I¡¯d dly ept the decision. Unfortunately, she¡¯s not!¡± Yasmine¡¯s expression darkened more. ¡°Must you really unveil this secret?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Vanessa asked icily. ¡°Everyone¡¯s going to find out about it sooner orter.¡± It¡¯s only a matter of time. Yasmine gave her an unfathomable gaze and said frostily, ¡°Fine. Since you¡¯re dying to cause a scene, then I won¡¯t hold myself back from exposing the Yoeger family¡¯s secrets. You better not regret this, Vanessa.¡± ¡°Regret?¡± Vanessa scoffed. ¡°Regret is what I¡¯ll be feeling when I watch you give away my family¡¯s assets with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Yasmine snorted. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be able to keep up this attitude until the end.¡± Vanessa remained indifferent. Yasmine turned to the crowd below the stage and announced emotionlessly, ¡°I promise everything I say today is the truth. I¡¯ll ept any form of judgment if there is a single lie in my words.¡± Everyone was ecstatic upon hearing that. Yasmine said sternly, ¡°The story begins over fifty years ago.¡± That long ago? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The audience was shocked to hear that. ¡°As everyone knows, the Schott family has three daughters. My eldest sister is Teresa, my second sister is Frances, and I¡¯m the youngest. My elder sisters were twins, and they were spitting images of each other. Even our family members couldn¡¯t differentiate them sometimes. Teresa had a serious temperament, while Frances was more cheerful. Many people liked Frances Instead of Teresa, thinking thetter was hard to get along with. When they turned twenty years old, Old Mr. Yoeger, Hector, fell for Frances. However, he didn¡¯t know it was Frances he was attracted to. On top of that, Teresa pulled some tricks, causing Hector to marry her instead of Frances.¡± She took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°After the marriage, Hector realized something was amiss, but it was already toote. From then on, he hated Teresa for pretending to be Frances and ruining his marriage with her. Thus, he started giving Teresa the cold shoulder and drank all day, even refusing to go home at night. At that point, Teresa was already five months pregnant. Hector never spoke to her, even after she gave birth. In the end, Teresa fell into depression during her pregnancy. On top of that, she lost excessive blood duringbor. She lost all motivation to live and died in the middle of giving birth.¡± Everyone fell silent. What the heck? Hector¡¯s basically a scumbag! ¡°That¡¯s not all!¡± Yasmine said furiously. ¡°The doctor performed a C-section on Teresa. Turns out, she had two babies¡ªa boy and a girl. They were too small and needed someone to take care of them. It was at that moment when Hector conceived an evil idea.¡± Hearing that, everyone stared at Yasmine, wondering what the evil idea was. Yasmine snorted coldly. ¡°He told our family to let Frances marry him with the excuse that other women might not treat Teresa¡¯s children well. My parents were threatened back then; they had no choice but to agree. Frances was in a rtionship at that time. In fact, she and her boyfriend loved each other very much. For the sake of our family and Teresa¡¯s two children, Frances had to sacrifice her rtionship and marry into the Yoeger family. She didn¡¯t realize she was already pregnant until she married Hector. Unable to ept Hector as her husband, she made a deal with him. She would help him bring up Teresa¡¯s children. In return, he had to ept the child in her belly. However, Hector made a request.¡± At that, she paused. The crowd was intrigued; they could not figure out what request Hector had made. Yasmine snorted again. ¡°He knew Frances was great at business, so he let her manage the Yoeger family¡¯s business. I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s heard of Frances being called an irondy. Well, sure enough, the Yoeger family¡¯s business bloomed as soon as she got involved. At that point, she made another request. She wanted to own thirty percent of the shares, and she wanted the right to manage them personally.¡± The audience listened attentively. They seemed to have a picture of what had happened. ¡°Hector agreed to her request,¡± Yasmine said indifferently. ¡°In other words, Hector epted it despite knowing Frances was pregnant with someone else¡¯s child. Secondly, she didn¡¯t steal the shares. In fact, she acquired it fair and square. Thus, I believe no one has the right to interfere with how she decides to deal with her shares.¡± With that, everyone in the hall finally understood the situation. Yasmine red at Vanessa. ¡°Even if Hector were alive today, he has no power over those shares. So, what makes you think you have the right to intervene, Vanessa?¡± Vanessa paled. When she found out Reba was not Hector¡¯s biological daughter, she was so ted that she instantly rushed over despite Zachary¡¯s efforts to stop her. She never expected there was more to the story. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Vanessa insisted, gritting her teeth. ¡°Words are not enough to prove it. I¡¯ve got the results of the paternity test. I can prove that Reba¡¯s not my father¡¯s daughter!¡± ¡°You want proof?¡± Samuel spoke coolly. Everyone¡¯s attention instantly turned to him. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 A cold glint shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°You want evidence, don¡¯t you?¡± he asked again. Vanessa gritted her teeth. ¡°Yes! Samuel replied indifferently, ¡°I shall give it to you then.¡± What? ¡°Vanessa Yoeger, let me remind you of something. When Hector Yoeger transferred those shares to Old Mrs. Yoeger, threewyers were present to witness the process. Now, the threewyers are highly respected people in the legal industry,¡± he continued. Vanessa furrowed her brows. There werewyers present? Just as he finished speaking, three white-haired old men walked toward them. The three men had a few subordinates following them. Each of them carried a briefcase, looking smart in their suits. ¡°Isn¡¯t that one of the leading figures in the legal industry, Jay Gomez?¡± ¡°The one beside him is Loki Yandell. He participated in the amendment of aw a few days ago!¡± ¡°The other one Is Zeke Lopez. He is now the chancellor of University of Law.¡± No one expected that the threewyers who witnessed the transfer of the shares were now prominent figures in the legal industry. Their reputation was so great that no one would dare to doubt them. ¡°Mr. Macari, sorry for beingte,¡± Jay said. Samuel replied cidly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You came right on time.¡± Jay nced at his assistant. His assistant then opened his briefcase, taking out a document for Jay. Raising the document in his hand, Jay spoke up. ¡°This is the original document of the transfer of the shares from Mr. Hector Yoeger to Ms. Frances Schott. I¡¯ve kept it with me all these years. When they signed the papers back then, all three of US were there. We can prove the authenticity of this document.¡± Loki and Zeke nodded in unison. As everyone saw that, they realized that was the proof Samuel said he had. Thus, they believed Yasmine¡¯s words more. Kathleen nced at Samuel, then Yasmine. Upon noticing the calm look on their faces, Kathleen realized the two had nned this beforehand. They had prepared for this confrontation. Kathleen gasped inwardly as a thought crossed her mind. Who knows? Maybe this is actually a trap set by the two of them for Vanessa, otherwise, why didn¡¯t his subordinates stop her just now? And Vanessa has no idea that she has jumped right into the trap. With thismotion, the Yoeger family¡¯s scandalous past will spread. Meanwhile, Vanessa¡¯s face turned ashen. She couldn¡¯t believe that they actually had the evidence. This is unbelievable! As she stared at Samuel frostily, realization also dawned on her that it was all a trap. D*mn it! I fell for it! Vanessa wore a grim expression. Yasmine shot her a nonchnt look. ¡°Vanessa, do you have any more to say?¡± Vanessa¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line as she got ready to leave. ¡°Hold on.¡± Yasmine did not want to let her go so easily. Vanessa stopped in her tracks obediently. Yasmine said in a cold tone of voice, ¡°I know you don¡¯t acknowledge Kate¡¯s identity, but that¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine for her to not be a daughter of the Yoeger family. After all, I¡¯d feel disgusted if she bes cousins with Nicolette.¡± Vanessa was stunned. Yasmine added, ¡°Thus, I hereby announce that I¡¯ll pass the thirty percent of the shares of the Schotts¡¯ familypany, which originally belonged to my sister, Frances, to Kathleen. She Is not a child of the Yoeger family; she¡¯s the child of my family, the Schott family.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. What? Vanessa was enraged. ¡°How could the shares of both the Yoeger family and the Schott family be given to her?¡± ¡°What? Should I give them to you instead?¡± Yasmine shot back sarcastically. ¡°Do you remember what you¡¯ve done?¡± Vanessa froze. Her reputation had been destroyed after the video clips of her abusing Frances were uploaded to the inte. ¡°Besides, it belongs to Frances. She can give it to whoever she wants. Does that have anything to do with you?¡± Yasmine questioned coldly. Vanessa¡¯s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as she shot daggers at Yasmine. ¡°She can give it to her biological grandchild, but what about my mother¡¯s shares?¡± ¡°Your mother took them back then.¡± Yasmine exined, ¡°Butter when Hector wanted to marry Frances, he gave those shares back to the Schott family as a betrothal gift. In the end, Hector didn¡¯t suffer any losses at all, and what he did was disgusting.¡± Vanessa¡¯s expression stiffened. She couldn¡¯t believe that had happened. Yasmine continued in an emotionless tone, ¡°Besides, the Schott family became prosperous after your mother passed away, so the heads of the Schott family are rightfully Frances and me. It has nothing to do with your mother.¡± Vanessa chewed on her lip, holding her tongue. Bitterness was written all over her face. ¡°You can ask the threewyers if you have more questions. If not, you can either scram or watch on with your mouth shut,¡± Yasmine snapped impassively. Vanessa shot a deadly re at her before wheeling around to leave. Once she was gone, the atmosphere became much more rxed. Yasmine asked someone to bring over the shares transfer agreement. With that, Kathleen also inherited thirty percent of the shares of Schott Group. She was now a loadeddy, but she would not have it all to herself. She would give them to Charles. After all, she was not interested in business even though she could handle it as well. When everything was settled, the press conference came to an end. After getting off the stage, Kathleen held Yasmine¡¯s hand and went to meet Diana and Frances, only to find Frances was in tears. Kathleen crouched down andforted her. ¡°Granny, are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Frances was still weeping. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that my life would be filled with so much adversity.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Frances, now that things have developed to this point, can you tell US who was the man who made you pregnant?¡± Yasmine frowned deeply. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he care or ask about you all these years?¡± Frances shook her head lightly, sighing. ¡°It¡¯d be better for you all not to know about these things, so don¡¯t ask me again.¡± She didn¡¯t really want to talk about it. Yasmine looked at her sister helplessly, and Kathleen didn¡¯t want to push Frances either. ¡°All right. Don¡¯t cry anymore,¡± Diana consoled. ¡°How about this? I will bring you to watch a movie. It¡¯s been a long time since we watched a movie together.¡± ¡°What are we going to watch?¡± Frances asked in a low voice. ¡°The movie in which Kate yed the female lead. That¡¯s also the one she got an Academy Award for. It was released a few days ago,¡± Yasmine suggested. ¡°I¡¯ ¡°Sure!¡± Frances was quite hyped. ¡°I have to support Katie!¡±I¡¯ll make the arrangement,¡± Samuel chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ll reserve the whole ce.¡± ¡°No!¡± the three olddies rejected together. Diana was the one who disliked his idea the most. ¡°We¡¯ll use our own money to support Katie, not yours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Frances nodded. ¡°We¡¯re not going to use a scumbag¡¯s money. We don¡¯t want to smear Katie¡¯s reputation.¡± Samuel was left speechless. I¡¯ll do it then.¡± Yasmine took out her phone smilingly, booking the tickets. Kathleen threw Samuel a sideways nce. Noticing her nce, he shed her a helpless smile. Now that there are so many people supporting her, she¡¯s definitely over the moon. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 How could I let you all fork out the money? Kathleen chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°No can do,¡± Diana disagreed. ¡°We need to show our support for you with our actions.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re your family,¡± Frances added. Since Kathleen couldn¡¯t change their minds, she could only let them do what they wanted. ¡°All right. You should go and attend to whatever you need to deal with.¡± Diana waved her hand. ¡°We don¡¯t need any help here.¡± After Kathleen was driven away, the three olddies huddled together to discuss what they should eat after the movie. Realizing that someone was tugging at her sleeve, Kathleen turned around to find that it was Samuel. I¡¯ll send people to protect them,¡± Samuel said aloofly. ¡°You should head back to the film set.¡± Oh.¡± Only then did Kathleen remember that she needed to head back to work. I¡¯ll send you there,¡± Samuel offered in a deep voice. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She nodded in reply. After all, her stuff was in his car, and there was no one else here to send her. They got into the car together. As Kathleen reached out to put on her seat belt, Samuel gulped before saying, ¡°I heard your granny say that she wanted to see you in a wedding dress before she passed away.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words and could only look at him quietly. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed again. ¡°You¡¯re a good granddaughter, so you will agree to her request, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No one can force me to do something like this,¡± she responded coldly. ¡°If I meet someone suitable before Granny breathes herst, for sure I¡¯ll get married¡± Samuel pursed his lips as she continued, ¡°But, Samuel, you don¡¯t need to probe because I¡¯m also not sure what will happen in my love life. However, no matter how much you¡¯ve hurt me, I still believe in love.¡± Upon hearing that, he forced a smile even though he was hurting inside. ¡°You still believe in love?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice had never been so hoarse. He drove her over to the hotel. It was opposite the film set, so he did not need to send her over. Besides, the stylist was waiting for Kathleen in the hotel room. Samuel watched as Kathleen stepped into the hotel. Only then did he put down his hands dejectedly. He sat in the car in silence, motionless. At Macari Group. Ever since Calvin passed Macari Group entirely to Samuel, the former seldom came to the office. However, since Samuel was unwell recently and needed to rest, Calvin came to work again. When he reached the office, he took a look around and realized that Samuel was not present. He knew Samuel had gone to send Kathleen off, but it had been about three hours, and yet, his son still had note back. Just as Calvin was about to send someone to look for Samuel, he saw the younger maning in with a defeated look. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Calvin, who was sitting on the couch, stared at Samuel. Samuel poured himself a ss of water. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡¯ ¡°You seem as though something is bumming you out.¡± Calvin continued to look at him. ¡°Do you need me to tell your fortune?¡± ¡°Are you very free?¡± Samuel snapped in a cold demeanor. ¡°Thanks to you, yeah.¡± Calvin smiled faintly. Samuel took the upper half of the stack of documents on the desk and gave them to him. ¡°Go through all of these.¡± Calvin was stunned. ¡°Between both of US, who is the father?¡± Calvin questioned unhappily. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that our father-son rtionship doesn¡¯t matter in the office,¡± Samuel retorted monotonously. Livid, Calvin took one of the documents. ¡°It must be because your rtionship with Kate is not going well.¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Surely, Old Mrs. Yoeger doesn¡¯t like you,¡± Calvin continued angrily. ¡°Who would like your cold personality?¡± Samuel pinched between his eyebrows lightly. If he weren¡¯t my father, I¡¯d have chased him out already. ¡°Except Kathleen, I can¡¯t think of anyone else who can fancy you despite your annoying personality.¡± Calvin continued to mock his son. ¡°Even though Nicolette likes you, she also wants to use you.¡± ¡°Can you stop?¡± Samuel asked tly and walked toward his desk, starting to work. Calvin stood up and went to his side. ¡°Son, I¡¯ve been there. Don¡¯t you want to hear my opinion?¡± ¡°Your rtionship with Mom is smooth sailing. What opinion can you have?¡± ¡°But we¡¯ve met more people than you have,¡± Calvin said patiently. ¡°No matter what, you have to understand that Kate has already given up on you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me about that.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You¡¯ll have more difficulties pursuing herpared to others, but you can get close to her easier. Do you know why you can be at her side trouble-free?¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°Sense of security,¡± Calvin said. ¡°She knows that you won¡¯t take advantage of her or bully her. That¡¯s the advantage you have. You have to be patient. You can¡¯t rush things when you pursue her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me who is impatient.¡± Samuel responded hoarsely, ¡°It¡¯s Old Mrs Yoeger.¡± ¡°What did Old Mrs. Yoeger do?¡± Calvin was taken aback. ¡°She said she wanted to see Kathleen in a wedding dress before she passed away.¡± Calvin grinned from ear to ear. ¡°She deliberately said that for you to hear.¡± I know,¡± Samuel uttered. ¡°But it¡¯s precisely because I know that that I¡¯m more worried. If that day really comes, Kate will agree to it.¡± Calvin sighed. ¡°If that day reallyes, and Kate chooses another man, not you, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it either.¡± Samuel did not say a word. ¡°You can only give her your blessings,¡± Calvin continued solemnly. Samuel felt a pang in his heart. His voice was low as he said, ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t do that.¡± Calvin looked at Samuel, his heart breaking for his son. ¡°You won¡¯t have a choice unless Kate chooses you.¡± ¡°Dad, is there a machine that turns back the clock? Samuel inquired gruffly. Calvin kept mum. Samuel mocked himself, ¡°I think I¡¯ve gone mad.¡¯ ¡°If you think that you¡¯re crazy, that means you¡¯re not out of your mind yet.¡± Calvin motivated, ¡°Perk up. Besides, Kate gives you treatment every day, and your illness won¡¯t go away in a day or two. She¡¯s busy working during the day, and yet she uses the little bit of time she has left to treat you. She doesn¡¯t have any time to date another man.¡± Samuel was stunned for a moment. That had never crossed his mind before. ¡°When you¡¯re with Kate, don¡¯t mention anything rted to love and rtionships. Care for her daily life more, and don¡¯t let her feel as though you haven¡¯t given up yet. Don¡¯t stress her out. Let her change gradually,¡± Calvin advised. Samuel nodded. ¡°When your mom and Emily chatted that day, only then did I know that Christopher made Kate feel pressured while he was chasing her.¡± Calvin sighed. ¡°Because of that, he failed to win her heart. Don¡¯t make the same mistake he did.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t utter a word. I see. Christopher was rejected because of this. ¡°Old man, seems like you¡¯re still a bit useful,¡± Samuel said In an icy tone. Calvin, who had been called ¡°old man,¡± was displeased. ¡°Me? An old man? other old men already have grandchildren to y with them. What do I have? Nothing!¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Do Not Forget To Pay Despite what he said, Calvin still helped to shoulder half of Samuel¡¯s work. Samuel got off work early to call Kathleen. On second thought, he resisted calling Kathleen as he was afraid that she would feel pressured. However, he still wanted to see her, so he drove to the hotel. Parking the car in front of the hotel, he waited for her to appear. He would neither tell her nor disturb her. He just wanted to see her. That was all. After staring at the entrance of the hotel for a while, he identally dozed off. His energy level was not as good as before. He had a nightmare during his sleep. In his dream, he saw Kathleen, who was dressed in a wedding gown, entering a church arm in arm with a man whose face could not be seen. ¡°K-Kate!¡± Samuel jerked back to wakefulness. At the same time, he heard someone knocking on the car window. He nced sideways and saw Kathleen. Wrapped in a white down jacket with a mask over her face, she was looking at him speechlessly. He opened the car door. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡­¡± Samuel paused. ¡°I feel unwell.¡± ¡°Just go to the hospital.¡± Kathleen was annoyed. Samuel fell silent for a while before saying, ¡°I felt better after soaking in the medicinal bathst time, but it doesn¡¯t seem to work recently.¡± Kathleen thought for a while. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve developed a resistance to the drugs. It built up faster than I expected. I thought you couldst until spring at least.¡± Samuel kept quiet. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll check your pulse after dinner,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel was about to get off the car when she put a hand on his chest to stop him. ¡°Hold on.¡± Then, she reached out to help him put on the hood of his down jacket because she did not want him to catch a cold. Samuel allowed her to help him tidy up his outfit. After she was done, she handed him a mask. ¡°You¡¯ll attract too much attention.¡± He put it on obediently before getting off the car. In truth, no one dared to make big news of it even if he did not wear the mask as he had sent someone to keep an eye on the media. Kathleen then brought him to her room upstairs. She was staying alone, but the room was clean and tidy. Standing in the room, Samuel realized that he had never seen Kathleen being slovenly before. As a matter of fact, she was a sentimental person with a sense of ceremony. ¡°Take off your coat. We¡¯ll eat first,¡± Kathleen stated calmly. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel obediently removed his coat and hung it on the side. Afterward, he washed his hands and sat down at the dining table. Kathleen was amused. ¡°Your obedience is making me feel a little embarrassed.¡± Actually, he doesn¡¯t have to be like this. Looking down, Samuel hid the overwhelming emotions in his eyes. ¡°I enjoy this.¡± He enjoyed being controlled by her. He wanted to be the most obedient man for her. Kathleen was exasperated, but she proceeded to sit down and had dinner with him. She had a simple dinner¡ªbeef and some greens. After noticing Samuel in his car earlier, she had asked Valerie to cook up a normal dinner for him. Samuel did not need to stay in shape, so it was fine for him to have some carbohydrates in the evening. He ate very slowly. It was not on purpose as his stomach really did feel unwell. Kathleen looked at him and frowned slightly. ¡°Did you have lunch after you sent me back to the hotel?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Samuel. There was a skeptical look on Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I ate with my dad. You can ask him,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen knitted her brows. If he did have lunch, why would he still be unwell? She stopped asking further. After dinner, she checked Samuel¡¯s pulse. She took a longer time than before to check his pulse. Sitting across Samuel, she rested her chin on one hand and checked his pulse with the other. Samuel looked at her gentle and beautiful face quietly. After a long while, Kathleen put down her hand. ¡°Why is your body still not getting better if you eat your meals and take the medicine on time?¡± Samuel said nothing. ¡°Are you working too hard?¡± Kathleen looked at him calmly. ¡°Dad took half of my workload. I left work early today,¡± replied Samuel. Thud! Kathleen thumped the table. ¡°You should go home and sleep after getting off work early. Why did you come here? Couldn¡¯t you have called me?¡± Samuel pursed his lips. Kathleen stared at him. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re making me feel guilty.¡± ¡°I just¡­¡± Samuel paused for a second before saying self-depreciatingly, ¡°Sorry.¡± He could find no reason as he had promised not to lie to her. Kathleen did not want to speak either. She did not know what to do with him. Samuel rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± He then put on his coat, preparing to leave. He had tried everything but to no avail. The look on Kathleen¡¯s face told him just how much she did not like him. His heart felt like it was being torn apart. He could never get out of this cage and could only helplessly watch Kathleen walk further away from him. Covering his mouth, he started coughing. Initially, Kathleen wanted him to leave just like that, but her heart softened after hearing him cough. Walking over to check on him, she was shocked to find that he had coughed up blood again. ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡± She was worried. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Samuel answered in a hoarse voice. ¡°If something happens to you, I won¡¯t be able to exin to Old Mrs. Macari and the others. Weren¡¯t you very obedient earlier? Why are you not listening to me now?¡± Kathleen frowned. Samuel replied self-depreciatingly, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think of me as bothersome.¡± ¡°Funny of you to say that. If that were the case, why are you pestering me all the time? Am I that good? But I always lose my temper with you. I thought you like someone who¡¯s gentle, well-behaved, and obedient?¡± ¡°Because I like you. I¡¯ll still like you even if you¡¯re a feisty woman,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°Go wash your hands first. I¡¯ll give you a round of acupuncture and see how things go,¡± Kathleen said coldly. Samuel did as told. Kathleen then prepared the tools for acupuncture. When Samuel returned after washing his hands, Kathleen pointed at the bed. ¡°Remove your shirt.¡± Samuel took off his shirt. Even though he was thin, he had maintained his figure very well. In fact, he still had eight-pack abs and an Apollo¡¯s belt. His wide shoulders and narrow waist made him the perfect human mannequin. ¡°In what way should I lie down?¡± Samuel asked seriously. Kathleen came back to her senses, her face slightly flushed. ¡°On your back,¡± she replied softly. Samuel knew her very well. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She was a pure and innocent woman. He was the only man she had ever slept with. That thought made him feel better. After hey down on the bed, Kathleen took out the silver needles and inserted them into his body at several acupoints. Samuel was soon covered in needles, rendering him immobile. Kathleen pped her hands. ¡°Stay like this for fifteen minutes.¡± Samuel nodded. Then, Kathleen took out a pen and paper. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a different prescription to try out.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Samuel sounded hoarse. Kathleen snorted. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Don¡¯t forget to pay.¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 That Bad ¡°I don¡¯t have any wealth to my name.¡± Samuel then continued softly, ¡°I gave all my shares to you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows twisted into a tight frown upon hearing that. ¡°Right. Speaking of which, contact Tyson and have him transfer those shares back to you. The hefty portion of shares I currently have is giving me so much anxiety.¡± However, Samuel wasn¡¯t nning on taking his shares back. ¡°They were always meant to be yours.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. I¡¯ve got no use for all those shares and mary assets. I also n to return the Yoeger family shares to my brother. The only shares I¡¯ll keep are those from the Schott family,¡± Kathleen exined. Not a word came from Samuel. ¡°Listen to me, Samuel. All threepanies will suffer a great deal should anything bad happen to me since I currently own a majority of their shares,¡± said Kathleen, her features contorting into a stern expression. Yet, Samuel continued to refuse her wish. ¡°Consider it mypensation to you.¡± That caused Kathleen¡¯s frown to deepen as she retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not short of money. Besides, I don¡¯t even need the shares.¡± ¡°Whether or not you¡¯re in need of money isn¡¯t something to do with me,¡± replied a stubborn Samuel. After all, the shares were thest thing that allowed him to remain in Kathleen¡¯s life. A sigh came from Kathleen as she helplessly suggested, ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to give it all to me. How about this? I¡¯ll ept five percent of the shares. After all, it¡¯s not wise if you don¡¯t own any of your company¡¯s shares.¡± Samuel indifferently responded, ¡°I still have twenty-one percent of shares under my name that I bought over from the other shareholders.¡± Silence befell them as Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to run thepany so you can live a happy life. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Samuel raised his hand and rested it on Kathleen¡¯s head reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± Kathleen stated in an exasperated tone. It was then that Samuel changed the subject by hoarsely saying, ¡°I¡¯m a little tired now. Can you wake meter?¡± Upon seeing Kathleen¡¯s nod, he closed his eyes to rest. Kathleen watched him from the side, not uttering a word as she focused on the scar that shed across Samuel¡¯s body. Her heart inexplicably clenched with sorrow at that instant. It was not long before fifteen minutes flew by, and she took out the silver needles. However, she did not wake Samuel but pulled the nket over his body, allowing him to continue resting. She thenid down on the massive bed inside the room and fell into a deep slumber. The next day, a series of knocks sounded from outside the room, startling Kathleen from her sleep. Oh no! The makeup artist has arrived, but Samuel¡¯s still here! She leaned over to look at Samuel but was shocked at the empty space beside her. Even his clothes that hung off to the sidest night had vanished. Did he leave? Despite being perplexed, Kathleen went to open the door for the makeup artist to enter. Once thetter came in, she greeted Kathleen, ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Morning.¡± Kathleen nodded before adding, ¡°Could you give me a moment? I haven¡¯t washed up for the day.¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± The makeup artist shed an understanding smile. Following that, Kathleen hurriedly went to wash her face and brush her teeth for the day. When she returned from the washroom, she saw the makeup artist chuckling. ¡°Gosh, you¡¯ve got quite the hardworking assistant, huh? She¡¯s already delivered breakfast for you despite it being so early in the day.¡± Huh? Breakfast? Kathleen looked over at the desk nearby. Indeed, there was a breakfast set waiting there for her. That can¡¯t be Valerie¡¯s doing. If it were, she would¡¯ve woken me up long ago. It has to be Samuel. Kathleen sat down and took a sip of the coffee included in the breakfast. It was still piping hot, which meant Samuel must have left not long ago. Still, Kathleen could not fathom why he did not say anything before leaving. Meanwhile, Charles arrived at the Lewis residence with a gift for Vivian. It was the scarf that she previously visited him to ask for. That day, there seemed to be a trace of warmth on Vivian¡¯s expression. ¡°Charles, look! This is the new dress they got me. Is it pretty?¡± she excitedly asked while hopping around since she was no longer tied up. Seeing the way she behaved, Charles¡¯ heart began to ache. He soon retracted his gaze and handed her scarf over. ¡°Here. This was what you previously asked me for.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Vivian seemed utterly delighted. She took the scarf and wanted to look into a mirror, but there was none in the room. That was because she had previously broken the mirror and nearly harmed herself with one of its shards. Thus, the mirror had been removed. A tinge of displeasure showed on Vivian¡¯s face at once. Seeing that, Charles calmly spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vivian handed the scarf in her hand over to him. It did not take long for Charles to pull all her hair into a ponytail before securing it with the scarf. Vivian then lightly touched the back of her head and asked, ¡°Does it look nice?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. You¡¯re the prettiestdy I¡¯ve everid eyes upon,¡± Charlesplimented. Yet, the bashful Vivian snapped, ¡°Liar. What about your sister? Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s pretty too?¡± That garnered a chuckle from Charles, who replied, ¡°You¡¯re both prettydies.¡± Vivian giggled whilementing, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten much better at ttery, Charles. You would¡¯ve never tried to please both parties like this back then.¡± Her words amused Charles, who continued to chuckle lightly. At some point, she nced out her bedroom window, which had metal bars across it. Her gaze remained on the view as she walked over to the window and said, ¡°Is it winter now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Charles nodded before adding, ¡°But it¡¯s about to be spring soon.¡± ¡°Spring?¡± A series of giggles came from Vivian. ¡°Charles, can we please go on a pic when spring comes?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± said Charles with a grim tone. ¡°Yay! It¡¯s gonna be great!¡± A beaming grin spread across Vivian¡¯s face right away. ¡°I love trips! I remember when¡ª¡± She suddenly stopped. At that moment, Charles cast a deep and intent look at her. ¡°What do you remember?¡± ¡°Finn!¡± Vivian gripped Charles¡¯ cor frantically as though she had recalled something. She eximed, ¡°I remember! Finn doesn¡¯t want me anymore¡­¡± An ache rose in Charles¡¯ chest again as he soothed, ¡°Come now. Let¡¯s not think about that.¡± ¡°No! He doesn¡¯t want me anymore and even got someone to humiliate me!¡± Vivian shrilled while forcefully shaking her head. Charles hurriedly swept Vivian into a tight embrace, not wanting her to harm herself during her episode. However, Vivian desperately wanted to break free, so she bit down hard on his shoulder. The excruciating pain caused him to grunt in agony. Fortunately, a housekeeper noticed things were going south and hurriedly called for help to separate the two. In no time, Vivian was tied onto the bed as she was before. Charles shot her a sorrowful look. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. It felt as though all strength had departed his body, leaving it in a state of helplessness. Once Kathleen wrapped up her job, she returned to the hotel and saw Charles smoking outside her room. She walked over and asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± To her confusion, Charles remained silent. She nced at the cigarette butts on the trash can next to him before stating, ¡°Come in.¡± Kathleen opened the door to her room, and Charles followed her inside. ¡°What¡¯s up with your shoulder?¡± the former asked while ncing concernedly at her brother¡¯s shoulder. Charles took a seat with a dejected expression. ¡°Vivian bit me.¡± ¡°Have you dealt with the wound?¡± In response, Charles shook his head. ¡°Show me your shoulder. I¡¯ll apply some medicine to the wound.¡± Kathleen turned around to get her medical kit. Since she was currently filming a period drama, she often needed to perform stunts with high-tension wires and kneel in dramatic scenes. Thus, she had prepared a medical kit in case of any injuries. Charlies obediently revealed the bite wound on his shoulder. The wound was so gruesome that Kathleen could almost feel how badly it hurt. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± Charles¡¯ hoarse voice asked. Kathleen gazed coldly at him and replied, ¡°The main thing is Vivian¡¯s current state. She would never let you erase her memories, even if you wanted to. There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll cooperate.¡± Silence filled the air as Charles could not muster a word. ¡°You met with Finn, didn¡¯t you? What did he say?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°He refused to admit to anything,¡± came Charles¡¯ frosty reply. ¡°So did you two get into a fight?¡± Kathleen questioned while gazing at her brother. ¡°Hah. I wish.¡± ¡°Perhaps you can try this instead. Run an investigation on who was involved back then and start from there. After all, Finn would never admit to the truth,¡± suggested Kathleen. ¡°No one knows about this. Even Vivian remains in her dazed state and can¡¯t recall a thing.¡± Helpless, Finn added dejectedly, ¡°She even went mad when she remembered Finn.¡± Those words were enough to make Kathleen¡¯s eyebrows furrow deeply. ¡°That bad?¡± Charles nodded. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Chapter 238 y Pretend Kathleen was very cautious in applying medication to the wound on Charles¡¯ shoulder. His injury wasn¡¯t that serious, but Vivian¡¯s teeth had broken the skin, causing the wound to bleed. ¡°This will definitely leave a scar on you,¡± said Kathleen tly. Charles was unfazed, though, responding, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It couldn¡¯t be more normal for a man to have one or two scars.¡± In a cid tone, Kathleen replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine for you but not your future wife. Would she befortable seeing another woman¡¯s teeth mark on your body? Don¡¯t always assume that women should ept you unconditionally. What if the woman of your life had a tattoo of another man¡¯s name on her body? Would you be pleased, then?¡± Charles kept his mouth shut. Noticing his dejected visage, Kathleen let out a snort. ¡°It¡¯s okay! I¡¯m here to help you.¡± Charles turned to look her in the eye. Was she teasing me intentionally? ¡°So, Charles, could you get Caleb toe here with you tomorrow? I have something to tell you guys.¡± Kathleen was done treating Charles¡¯ wound, so she began tidying up the medical kit. ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me now?¡± queried Charles ever so casually. Kathleen shook her head. Helpless, Charles went on, ¡°You¡¯re so secretive even though I¡¯m your brother.¡± By then, Kathleen had already kept the medical kit away as she walked up to Charles, asking, ¡°Have you visited Granny yet?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Charles nodded as he spoke. ¡°She still recognized me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± Wearing a calm mien, Kathleen dropped a suggestion. ¡°Granny will be discharged from the hospital in a few days, but she can¡¯t stay with the Yoegers anymore. I think you ought to hire someone to clean up the house and let her move in.¡± ¡°That I know.¡± Charles paused for a bit to ponder before saying, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of getting a bigger house, though. The current one is kind of small.¡± Kathleen remained silent for a brief moment. She then questioned, ¡°Charles, do you think Granny might be willing to follow us abroad?¡± Knitting his brows, Charles answered her with another question, ¡°You¡¯ve thought of leaving this ce?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t our initial n foring back here just to investigate Mom¡¯s background?¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve figured out her identity, the only matter we have left to deal with is Vanessa and the others.¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure¡­ After all, Granny¡¯s not young anymore. If she were to go abroad, she would have to adapt to apletely new life. Not only that, but I¡¯m afraid that there are plenty of other things we need to consider.¡± Kathleen listened to him quietly while nodding. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you worn out by Samuel¡¯s persistent pestering?¡± asked Charles. His heart ached for her. ¡°Me? No¡­ It has nothing to do with him. I¡¯m just thinking¡­ Samuel has been gradually leading us into his trap. He even made use of Granny to divide my attention.¡± Charles froze momentarily before shing a faint smile. ¡°Do you mean you feel annoyed that he set you up?¡± Hearing that, Kathleen was stumped for words. ¡°I have to admit he¡¯s really meticulous in his schemes. I¡¯m actually pretty impressed by that. No wonder he could always seed in everything he did.¡± It was so rare for Charles to sing Samuel¡¯s praises. The corners of Kathleen¡¯s mouth twitched a little on that note. ¡°Hey, Charles, which side are you on?¡± Putting on a smirk, Charles answered, ¡°Do you have to ask? Of course, I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°I¡¯m truly terrified of Samuel, Charles.¡± A hint of uneasiness shed across Kathleen¡¯s sparkling eyes. ¡°I know better than anyone how capable he is when ites to entrancing a woman¡¯s attention. I¡¯m afraid that I¡ª¡± Deep down, she was worried that she might eventually fall for Samuel. Therefore, she hoped to put an end to all this before anything actually happened. Charles could already tell by her look. ¡°Don¡¯t always punish yourself because of someone else¡¯s mistake. There¡¯s very little point in worrying whether you¡¯d fall for Samuel. Even if you still hold a bit of feeling for him, that doesn¡¯t mean much.¡± Kathleen hung her gaze low, her long eyshes concealing the hopelessness in her eyes. Perceiving her bearing, Charles continued tofort her, ¡°As you said, Samuel has his way of bewitching ady, and you¡¯re no saint yourself. Since he has a thing for you, he¡¯ll certainly go all out to captivate your heart, just like Christopher and Caleb. They, too, wished to show you only their best. This is all very normal, so you have nothing to fear.¡± Kathleen side-eyed him. ¡°Once I finish all the scenes of this film, could you arrange a job for me abroad? I¡¯d like to take a breather for some time.¡± ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Charles nodded in agreement. Joy washed over Kathleen¡¯s face as she expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so courteous with your own brother, okay?¡± Displeased, Charles frowned. His words made Kathleen smile from ear to ear. That night, Samuel suppressed his urge to seek out Kathleen. Even so, he missed her. When he caught a glimpse of Kathleen¡¯s scarf, he wrapped it around his neck and buried his head in work. Not long after, there came a knock at the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse and deep. A man pushed the door open and stepped inside. Instantly, he squinted his eyes at Samuel. ¡°Are you that cold?¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows when he heard that voice. ¡°What do you want, Nichs?¡± That man was Nichs Larson. He approached Samuel and reached out to grab the scarf before taking a sniff. ¡°Oh? The scent of ady¡¯s perfume. Hehe¡­¡± said Nichs with a half-smile. ¡°Is it Kathleen¡¯s?¡± ¡°Hands off my scarf!¡± Samuel snatched the scarf back from Nichs¡¯ hands in a sh. ¡°What a reaction!¡± Nichs then wheeled around to grab a bottle of brandy and two empty sses from the wine cab. He filled up both sses and served one of them to Samuel while iming the other one for himself. ¡°I¡¯m not drinking.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone reeked of coldness. ¡°Why are you back from Loang? Didn¡¯t you run away from home to escape your family, who kept pestering you to get married?¡± Taking a sip of the brandy in his ss, Nichs let out a chuckle. ¡°How is it that even your house¡¯s brandy tastes so much better?¡± Wearing an impassive countenance, Samuel remarked, ¡°Get lost if you refuse to answer me.¡± ¡°Hey, why are you so cold-hearted?¡± Nichs put down the ss as he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m back because of you?¡± ¡°Because of me?¡± Samuel remained frosty at that. ¡°You¡¯d better exin yourself.¡± Heaving a sigh, Nichs uttered, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me a smart guy like you can¡¯t figure it out? I¡¯ve naturally caved in and agreed to that marriage arranged by my family. Otherwise, I¡¯d never dare to return.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°So, who¡¯s your date?¡± ¡°You already have the answer.¡± Nichs arched a brow. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was eerily low and cold. Nichs nodded. Immediately, Samuel grabbed hold of Nichs¡¯ cor and threatened him, ¡°It seems that I¡¯ve got to think of a way to make you disappear.¡± What the hell? ¡°Calm down, Samuel!¡± Nichs had never been so speechless before. ¡°Listen to me first. I¡¯ve already mentioned that I¡¯m doing this for you.¡± Samuel¡¯s chilling gaze remained pinned on Nichs. Having no choice, Nichs exined further, ¡°You know very well the rtionship between my grandma and Old Mrs. Yoeger, which is why Old Mrs. Yoeger suggested setting me and Kathleen up on a blind date. Think about it. Even if you murder me now, there¡¯d still be some other guy taking my ce. You can¡¯t just kill them all, can you?¡± ¡°Why not!¡± Samuel red at Nichs. Thetter chuckled bitterly. ¡°Please¡­ Kathleen will deem you a lunatic and leave you for good if you do that.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel pursed his thin lips. Nichs caught a glimpse of Samuel¡¯s grim expression. ¡°I¡¯m your friend, Samuel. I¡¯m well aware of your feelings toward Kathleen, so I won¡¯t snatch her from you. I¡¯m on your side, all right?¡± With that, Samuel slowly released his grip on Nichs. Thetter tidied his cor and elucidated, ¡°I¡¯m going to heed my grandma¡¯s order to meet up with Kathleen. But then, if our blind date fails, I bet Old Mrs. Yoeger would just introduce Kathleen to other guys anyway.¡± Samuel remained forbidding. Isn¡¯t that obvious? ¡°So, I was thinking of seeking Kathleen¡¯s agreement to pretend that we hit it off well and be in a make- believe rtionship,¡± suggested Nichs softly. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Chapter 239 You Do Not Trust Me ¡°Pretend?¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right. That way, Old Mrs. Yoeger won¡¯t force her to go on more blind dates, and you can stop worrying about some other man snatching her up. Doesn¡¯t that sound great?¡± Nichs said in a deep voice. Samuel pursed his thin lips, not saying anything. ¡°In other words, you can both use me as your cover.¡± Nichs exined, ¡°With no men after her, you can take your time to pursue her. Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes turned icy. ¡°I think she¡¯s the one being the cover for you.¡± Nichs was taken aback. ¡°You should go to her about this. It¡¯s not my decision to make.¡± Samuel fell silent after that. Nichs smirked. He knew that this meant Samuel had agreed. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to have my blind date with her the day after tomorrow. Remember toe.¡± Nichs patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t look so gloomy. The reason I¡¯m back is to help you.¡± ¡°Hah! Help me?¡± Samuel was in disbelief. Nichs shot him a meaningful look. ¡°Just wait and see. I¡¯ll show you how fortunate you are to have a friend like me.¡± With that, he turned around and left. Samuel furrowed his brows deeply. It seemed like what Frances had said to him the other day was for real. Two dayster. Kathleen had no choice but to follow Frances¡¯ order to go on a blind date. This time, the blind date was set at a dinner party. The guests were mostly young adults with very few older people. Kathleen had just finished work. She changed into afortable set of clothes and came over. Regardless of her outfit, as a celebrity, she still managed to look good. Her figure was slim, and her face was beautiful. Anything she wore looked good on her. With the addition of her having won an award before, everyone present immediately turned their attention to her. However, she didn¡¯t stop there. She went straight to look for Frances and the others, who were having coffee in a private dining room on the second floor. There were four people present. Around the table sat Frances, Diana, and two other women who appeared to be Nichs¡¯ birth mother and grandmother. Mnie, Nichs¡¯ mother, seemed to be rather shy. Kathleen had heard about her from Frances before. Apparently, Roger ¨C Nichs¡¯ father ¨C and Mnie had identally ended up sleeping together. After that, Mnie got pregnant. It was only then that she married into the Larson family. Mnie came from an average family background. Thus, she became very insecure by nature. She was very timid in everything she did. Of course, the Larson family treated her well. They did not look down on her because of her background. Although Roger did not fancy her, he had never cheated on her in the past two or three decades. He was very responsible toward his wife and children. Frances said that a family like that was sure to raise well-educated children. ¡°Hello, Granny, Grandma, Old Mrs. Larson, Mrs. Larson,¡± Kathleen greeted them all. The more Frances looked at her granddaughter, the more wonderful Kathleen seemed. ¡°Old Mrs. Larson, don¡¯t you think my granddaughter is beautiful?¡± Kathleen felt bashful. Geraldine, Nichs¡¯ grandmother, looked Kathleen up and down. ¡°She¡¯s not bad.¡± She has a tiny waist and wide hips. It¡¯s a good proportion for a woman. Kathleen felt ufortable at Geraldine staring at her stomach. It felt like she was a b of meat on a chopping board. ¡°Nichs and the others are inside the house,¡± Mnie said. Kathleen looked over. We¡¯ve barely even said anything to each other. Why is Mrs. Larson so rushed? What¡¯s going on with the Larson family? Geraldine could also sense that something was off. She smiled gently and said, ¡°Let me bring Nichs over. Both your grandmothers have already met him earlier.¡± ¡°I can go get him. I¡¯ve seen him several times before,¡± Kathleen replied calmly. ¡°You know Nichs?¡± Mnie was shocked. ¡°Is it because of Samuel?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± It was true that Samuel was the reason they had met. Mnie pursed her thin lips. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Nichs¡­¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± Geraldine might have appeared gentle, but in reality, she was warning Mnie. Mnie lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll go now,¡± chimed in Kathleen. She turned around and left. Frances and Diana exchanged a nce. Frances shot Geraldine a cold stare. ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡± Meanwhile, Kathleen went out of the room to go outside and look for Nichs. Directly opposite her were a few games rooms. She wasn¡¯t sure which one Nichs was in. ¡°On your right.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from behind her. She turned back and stared curiously at the man elegantly striding over. Samuel hadn¡¯te looking for her in over two to three days. He really missed her. However, he knew that he couldn¡¯t be too clingy toward her. ¡°They¡¯re in the games room on the right. They¡¯re ying snooker.¡± Samuel walked up to her. His voice was hoarse. Kathleen¡¯s face was soft and pink, like a peach. ¡°Come with me!¡± Kathleen said as she looked around. She wanted to find a ce to have a talk with him. Samuel smiled. ¡°The innermost room is empty.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes widened. Samuel chuckled. ¡°Because that¡¯s my personal room.¡± ¡°Hmph. I see you are living your life to the fullest.¡± Samuel paused before exining, ¡°I haven¡¯t been here in a year.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen let out a light snort. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel resisted the urge to reach out to grab her hand. ¡°You have something to say to me, right?¡± Kathleen walked ahead, so Samuel followed behind her. When they reached the innermost room, Kathleen prepared to open the door. However, she realized the door had an electronic lock. Why would someone install an electronic lock here? Samuel stood behind her. With a slight smile, he bent down and ced one hand on her shoulder. Then, he keyed in the password with his other hand. 1026. It was Kathleen¡¯s birthday. She knitted her brows slightly. The door opened, revealing the pitch-ck room inside. Samuel reached out his hand to turn on the lights. Instantly, the room was illuminated. Samuel led her in, then closed the door behind them. Kathleen looked at him curiously. ¡°Why is the password my birthday?¡± Samuel hesitated before answering, ¡°Should I have used mine instead? That would be too easy to guess, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°If you set it up so long ago, shouldn¡¯t it be Nicolette¡¯s birthday instead?¡± Kathleen asked. Samuel shed her an unfathomable smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never once thought about this question. Why is it that I used your birthday for many of my passwords even though I had feelings for Nicolette?¡± Kathleen was stunned. Many of his passwords? ¡°Kate, my subconscious realized that I liked you a long time ago.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was raspy. ¡°However, I just never noticed.¡± Kathleen pressed her lips together. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Samuel seemed to be very willing to cooperate with her. ¡°Are you involved in this blind date matter with Nichs and me?¡± she asked solemnly. ¡°Not at all.¡± Samuel shook his head. Kathleen stared into his jet-ck eyes. His expression was indifferent as he uttered, ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything.¡± Kathleen¡¯s fair, delicate face was tense. ¡°Really?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that I would never lie to you.¡± Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Samuel looked at her meaningfully. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Can you call him over? I have something I want to say to him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. He took out his phone and sent Nichs a text. The entire time, Kathleen never took her eyes off him. Samuel smirked. ¡°Do you really not trust me that much?¡± Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Chapter 240 I Believed It Kathleen snorted. Samuel walked over to her side and hugged her from behind. He then held his phone up in front of her so she could see the screen. Well, since he was already showing it to her, she figured she might as well take a look. Kathleen stared at the screen. At this moment, Samuel felt like Kathleen was like an adorable, curious little kitten. She was staring at his phone screen very seriously. He couldn¡¯t help but pat her on the head. Kathleen froze. All the hairs on her body were standing on end. It feels nice. Kathleen did not say anything, but Samuel did not dare to touch her again. Just then, a knock came from the door. Samuel let go of Kathleen to go open the door. Nichs came in. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re here to go on a blind date with me. Why are you meeting your ex-husband in private?¡± Kathleen replied seriously, ¡°Listen here, Nichs. I only came because of Granny. I don¡¯t have any feelings toward you.¡± ¡°Your words are quite hurtful,¡± Nichs answered bitterly. Samuel walked behind him and gave him a kick in the back of his shin. Nichs winced in pain. Kathleen was speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t talk while standing up. Come, sit down,¡± Samuel said gently to Kathleen. Following his words, she went over and sat down. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± he asked considerately. She had rushed over here from the film set. Hence, he was sure that she hadn¡¯t eaten yet. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel curled his thin lips into a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ll get them to make you some food.¡± As he spoke, he called the waiter and made an order. Kathleen looked at Nichs. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Nichs came and sat down opposite the both of them. He stared at Samuel. Samuel has turned into Kathleen¡¯s servant. He does whatever she says. ¡°Nichs, to be honest, I only agreed to have a blind date with you because of Granny.¡± She continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean I like you in any way.¡± Nichs was relieved to hear her say all this. ¡°Me too!¡± Kathleen frowned. On the other hand, Samuel had a slight smirk on his face. Nichs noticed his smirk immediately. This d*mned man. Look at how happy he is! ¡°What do you mean by that? Are you saying she¡¯s not good enough for you?¡± Samuel stared at Nichs icily. Nichs was too stunned to speak. At this point, Kathleen turned to give Samuel a cold stare. Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°What I meant to say is, you¡¯re a wonderful person. He shouldn¡¯t dismiss you so easily.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Nichs was at a loss for words. ¡°Then, should I say I like her instead?¡± ¡°Go to hell.¡± Samuel¡¯s face was expressionless. Nichs waspletely dumbfounded. ¡°Ms. Johnson, hear me out. The truth is, I don¡¯t want to be sent on blind dates either,¡± admitted Nichs. Kathleen stared at him in silence. ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s pretend we¡¯re dating to fool those oldies. If we don¡¯t work out, they will just keep arranging more blind dates for us. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too troublesome?¡± suggested Nichs. ¡°I have a way to persuade Granny, so I¡¯ll pass on your offer.¡± Kathleen was not interested in his proposal. Nichs was stupefied. ¡°You realize that the one with the problem here is you, not me, right?¡± Kathleenid things out for him. ¡°Your grandma is so anxious to matchmake you because she¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll end up like your father. She was never satisfied with your mother¡¯s background. Because she¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll repeat those same mistakes, she keeps pushing you to go on blind dates. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Nichs looked at Kathleen in shock. How does she know all that? Did Samuel tell her? Nichs looked over to Samuel. ¡°I never said anything,¡± Samuel stated calmly. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Samuel got up to open it. A waitress came in with a food cart before setting all the food down on the table. ¡°Mr. Macari, all the food you ordered has arrived,¡± uttered the waitress politely. Samuel nodded lightly. ¡°All right. That will be all. You can leave.¡± He took out five hundred in cash. The waitress smiled as she received it. She understood what Samuel was implying. Samuel was indirectly telling the waitress that she was not allowed to say anything about this. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± The waitress turned around and exited the room. On her way out, she shut the door swiftly. Kathleen picked up her fork and started to eat. She was starving. No matter how hungry she was, she still looked very elegant while eating. Samuel voluntarily started to peel some prawns for her. They were the freshest tiger prawns avable. Samuel had ordered them steamed and served as is. At the side, Nichs stared speechlessly at the loving couple in front of him. Are they really divorced? How interesting. At this moment, Kathleen suddenly said, ¡°Nichs, you¡¯ve been divorced before, right?¡± Nichs was dumbfounded as his eyes widened. ¡°Samuel!¡± Nichs turned to stare at his friend. ¡°She didn¡¯t hear it from me.¡± Samuel was not the type to gossip about others. Thus, he had never said anything about this to Kathleen. Kathleen cut in and responded, ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at him like that. He isn¡¯t the one that told me. I took a guess.¡± ¡°How can you guess something like that? Are you Sherlock Holmes?¡± Nichs replied in bewilderment. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± She stared at him meaningfully. ¡°However, when I met your grandmother and mother just now, I realized they both seemed very anxious. They want us to solidify our rtionship as soon as possible.¡± Nichs furrowed his brows. ¡°As a woman who¡¯s been divorced myself, I wondered what could make them so anxious to set you up with me. Is it because I¡¯m rich? Of course, that is a possibility. However, the other possibility is that you like a woman that they don¡¯t approve of. So¡­¡± Nichs bowed at her in admiration. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re right on the mark.¡± He had to hand it to her. ¡°Since you understand what I mean, you can exin things to your grandmother when we meet them later,¡± Kathleen stated tly. ¡°Ms. Johnson, if you don¡¯t want to fake a rtionship with me, what will you tell Old Mrs. Yoeger?¡± Nichs was curious. ¡°I have my own methods. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He sighed in frustration. ¡°Very well.¡± Then, he nced over at Samuel. Samuel was focused on peeling prawns for Kathleen. ¡°By the way, am I not included in this meal that you ordered?¡± Nichs stared despondently at Samuel. Samuel¡¯s gaze was icy. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, go out and get some food.¡± Nichs was speechless. How cruel! ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡± Nichs was furious. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re prioritizing a girl over a friend. Back when you used to like Nicolette, you never acted this way.¡± Upon hearing that name, Samuel shot him a re. Ignoring him, Nichs got up to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t pay him any mind. Just eat up.¡± When Samuel saw Kathleen¡¯s puffy cheeks filled with food, he smiled lightly. She looked just like a squirrel. After Nichs had left the room, Kathleen revealed, ¡°Actually, I lied to him.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°You¡¯re the reason I know about his divorce,¡± Kathleen admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ve never told you about that.¡± Samuel was confused. ¡°I know.¡± She nodded. ¡°The thing is, there was once where he hade to our house to see you. When you guys were talking in the study, your voices were really loud, so I heard everything.¡± Samuel was dumbstruck. ¡°I¡¯m sure not many people know about this. Granny definitely doesn¡¯t. Although, I think she might be getting suspicious,¡± Kathleen said as she munched down on some fish. Samuel smiled helplessly. ¡°You were so convincing earlier, even I believed it.¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Never Be A Lover ¡°Thank you kindly for your trust,¡± Kathleen said solemnly. Aware that she was mocking him, Samuel did not get angry at her. Anyway, it¡¯s much better for her to act like this than to coldly ignore me. Kathleen returned to her food as she could not bear to mistreat her stomach. ¡°Don¡¯t just take care of me. You should eat also.¡± Her mouth was stuffed to the brim. After Nichs left, she no longer maintained herdylike image. Samuel looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°You truly don¡¯t maintain your image in front of me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of doing that? You know what I¡¯m like. Besides, it¡¯s not as though I¡¯m wearing a vicious expression, right?¡± Kathleen asked flippantly. He shook his head. ¡°Exactly.¡± She ate the shrimp he had peeled in a rxed manner. ¡°A woman is only reserved in front of the man she likes.¡± Samuel was displeased. ¡°Don¡¯t irritate me.¡± He did not like to hear those words. Kathleen hummed in response with a yful look in her bright eyes. ¡°In any case, this matter with Nichs is just the beginning. I may have to go on lots of blind dates in the future to appease my granny.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill all those men.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes became hostile, losing their glimmer instantly. Kathleen threw him a sideways nce. ¡°Do you think you can kill them all?¡± Samuel snorted coldly. She didn¡¯t doubt that I dared do it, but if I was able to kill them all. She does know me very well. Her sess in making him upset instantly put her in a good mood. No matter how heartbroken he is, he still treats me wholeheartedly. After the meal, Kathleen drank a cup of tea to help with her digestion. ¡°My brother went to meet Finn, but their talk didn¡¯t go well,¡± she uttered. Samuel poured her another cup of tea. ¡°You want me to go to him?¡± ¡°I want you to take me to see him.¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°I wish to speak to him in person.¡± ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t,¡± he replied tly. ¡°Why?¡± She blinked her eyes at that. ¡°Is there anything wrong with him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with him, but his wife is a bit abnormal,¡± Samuel said coldly. Kathleen raised a brow. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°His wife loves him so much that she is hostile to any woman who appears around him. If you, a gorgeous woman, were to go to him, aren¡¯t you afraid of bing a target?¡± She was stunned. ¡°Not even for a chat?¡± Samuel shook his head. After some thought, Kathleen continued, ¡°I never help people halfway, Samuel. Ever since I knew about Vivian¡¯s matter, I didn¡¯t intend to stand by and do nothing. This has nothing to do with Caleb. I won¡¯t make you help me if you don¡¯t wish to.¡± With that, she stood up. Samuel grabbed her wrist and said, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to help you?¡± Kathleen stared at him. His gaze turned frosty. ¡°It¡¯s not because he likes you that I don¡¯t want you to help Vivian.¡± In a raspy voice, he continued, ¡°But because I know that if you cure her, he¡¯ll definitely like you more.¡± And he¡¯ll be even more reluctant to let her go. Kathleen is a charming woman who¡¯s also gentle, kind, beautiful, and generous. Everyone loves a woman like her. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen looked at him solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that even though you love me so much now, I haven¡¯t compromised, Samuel. Do you truly think someone can force me?¡± Samuel¡¯s tense aura slowly dispersed. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there. But to prevent any unnecessary trouble, you must listen to me. All right?¡± She nodded in reply. An exasperated look shed across his handsome and exquisite face. ¡°Give me two days. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± ¡°As soon as possible,¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone else if you take too long.¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°Do you know how mean you are now, Kathleen?¡± She blinked innocently. ¡°How am I mean?¡± ¡°You know that I still have feelings for you, yet¡­¡± Samuel huffed, ¡°Yet you want me to help you cure my love rival¡¯s sister¡¯s illness. Again and again, you stab a dagger into my heart.¡± A smirk appeared on her gentle and delicate face. ¡°You can always say no. I didn¡¯t force you at all.¡± Hmph! He gritted his teeth. ¡°In any case, you came to me, so you¡¯re not allowed to look for anyone else!¡± Despite nodding in agreement, Kathleen felt that he was implying something with those words. He seems to be saying since you married me, you aren¡¯t allowed to marry someone else! Kathleen sighed while staring at his eyes which were dark like bottomless pits. I hope I¡¯m just overthinking. At that moment, her phone chimed. After picking it up and taking a look, she said softly, ¡°Granny is asking where I am. I¡¯m going to meet them now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Samuel stood up and helped Kathleen put on her coat before doing the same for himself. After some deliberation, she turned around and said to him, ¡°I¡¯ll head out first. Come out after five minutes. Got it?¡± She reminded him as she was afraid that he would not listen to her. Samuel merely snorted in reply. Kathleen could not help butugh. ¡°The only thing you have going for you is your handsomeness. You look so gloomy all the time, so how on earth did I fall for you?¡± He looked at her intently. ¡°So you¡¯ll love me if I stop looking gloomy?¡± ¡°Hah! You wish.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was filled with mockery. ¡°I¡¯m heading out now.¡± With that, she walked away. Samuel looked at her slender back and huffed in displeasure before following suit. As Kathleen came out, she caught sight of Diana and Frances walking out together. ¡°Granny, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± She walked over. Her rosy cheeks looked so adorable that anyone who saw her felt happy. The pair noticed that she came out of the innermost private room. Unlike Frances, who was unaware, Diana knew that the room belonged to Samuel. Sure enough, the man walked out of that room after a while. Frances froze. They did not get the chance to speak when Geraldine and Mnie also came out together. Thetter was walking behind the former, looking timid as always. ¡°Have you met with my grandson, Ms. Johnson?¡± Geraldine said with a wry smile. Kathleen nodded in reply. ¡°How did it go?¡± the old woman asked with anticipation. Kathleen answered impassively, ¡°I think we can only be friends.¡± ¡°Nichs is a good man.¡± Mnie spoke up cautiously. ¡°You should interact with him more, Ms. Johnson.¡± ¡°My first intuition has always been urate. A man that can be my friend can never be my lover,¡± Kathleen said inly. She felt her words were blunt enough. ¡°You aren¡¯t that young anymore, Ms. Johnson, are you?¡± Mnie asked casually, ¡°Women your age have already given birth to children.¡± ¡°Only those you know. The women I know at my age are seeding in all kinds of professions.¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°Not every woman only thinks about marriage and children. They also have their dreams and goals. Only those with no pursuits in life would have getting married and having children as their life goals.¡± Mnie bit her lip. ¡°You¡¯ve been divorced once, Ms. Johnson.¡± The sarcasm in her statement immediately provoked Diana and Frances. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Gone Through A Divorce Originally, something like that would pass if Geraldine had just reprimanded her a little. However, she did not, which meant that she supported her daughter-inw. ¡°It¡¯s better to settle your marriage earlier.¡± Mnie continued tly, ¡°As for pursuits or whatever, our family is not too fond of women going out to work. However, we won¡¯t stop you if it¡¯s what you want.¡± Kathleen scoffed coldly upon hearing that. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like women going out to work, how about changing to a man?¡± Samuel approached them. His narrow eyes were dark and frosty. Mnie was shocked, whereas Geraldine looked at him with mixed emotions. ¡°They both just met, and you two are already thinking of guilt-tripping Kathleen here?¡± Samuel sneered. ¡°No wonder Nichs got married and divorced.¡± Divorce? Diana was dumbfounded. Frances also had a simr look of surprise on her face. They both fixed their eyes on Geraldine and Mnie simultaneously, who did not dare to meet their gazes. ¡°You two!¡± Frances became infuriated. ¡°You have betrayed my trust!¡± ¡°Your granddaughter is a divorc¨¦e, but I didn¡¯t mind it at all, Frances,¡± Geraldine remarked. ¡°You!¡± Frances angrily said, ¡°So what if she is? Our family never hid it from anyone. On the contrary, your family hid the fact that Nichs was married before. Does he have an illegitimate child too?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mnie shook her head. ¡°You need not worry about that, Old Mrs. Yoeger.¡± ¡°Need not worry?¡± Frances was annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s not as though my granddaughter doesn¡¯t have someone better courting her!¡± Mnie nced at her and said sarcastically, ¡°Would anyone court a divorc¨¦e? Isn¡¯t it always the woman who¡¯s in a hurry to marry herself off?¡± Frances gritted her teeth. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Kathleen merely smiled indifferently. ¡°I can¡¯t quite understand you anymore, Mrs. Larson.¡± Mnie was stunned. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Do you want me to marry into the Larson family or not, Mrs. Larson?¡± Kathleen asked with a spurious smile. ¡°Of course I do,¡± Mnie answered tly. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± Kathleen calmly remarked, ¡°You were just following Old Mrs. Larson¡¯s wishes in wanting me to marry Nichs, but you don¡¯t actually want me to because you still want him to remarry that woman, right?¡± Mnie was stunned. How does she know about that? ¡°What did you say?¡± Geraldine immediately looked at Mnie. ¡°You still keep in contact with that b*tch?¡± ¡°How could she have not kept in contact with that woman? Isn¡¯t she the daughter of Mrs. Larson¡¯s distant rtive? Think of how she married Mr. Larson back then. She¡¯s ying the same old trick again and wants her rtive¡¯s daughter to marry Nichs,¡± Kathleen said sarcastically. Mnie gasped inwardly. She knows too much! Hearing that, Geraldine flew into a rage. ¡°You!¡± ¡°Mom, what she said is not true.¡± After being exposed by Kathleen, Mnie was surprisingly calm, unlike her previous demeanor. She tried to appear helpless as she said, ¡°As if I would have the guts to do such a thing!¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°Will you only learn your lesson in the face of death, Mrs. Larson?¡± Mnie turned to look at her frostily before uttering softly, ¡°Ms. Johnson, even if I spoke out of turn just now, you still shouldn¡¯t wrongly use me like this, right?¡± Kathleen merely stared at her indifferently. ¡°Besides, even if I had that in mind, Mom would not agree to it. Never,¡± she added with a grim tone. ¡°Indeed. You knew that Old Mrs. Larson would not agree, so you took a different approach, using harsh words to bully others to make them annoyed with the Larson family. When they realize that they would have to face this kind of grandmother-inw and mother-inw after marriage, they¡¯ll definitely be reluctant. Am I right?¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes at Mnie. ¡°You¡¯re making things up!¡± Mnie immediately denied it. ¡°I¡¯ve never dared to cause trouble before Mom before.¡± ¡°Never dared to cause trouble?¡± Kathleen let out a snort. ¡°But look, aren¡¯t you the one who is arguing with me back and forth? You¡¯re very good at pretending, Mrs. Larson. You usually pretend to be so timid, but I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re not like this in private.¡± Mnie froze and narrowed her eyes. Kathleen took out her phone and said coldly, ¡°When I entered the door just now, I was annoyed by both your stares, so I sent someone to investigate. I didn¡¯t expect to get such a satisfying oue.¡± Mnie looked at her nkly. Kathleen handed her phone over to Geraldine. ¡°Old Mrs. Larson, take a look and see if Nichs¡¯ ex- wife is the one who is chatting andughing with Mrs. Larson in the photo.¡± Geraldine looked over, and her expression changed in an instant. Mnie felt a shiver run down her spine. ¡°You!¡± Geraldine red at Mnie. ¡°You really are still in contact with that b*tch!¡± ¡°Let me exin, Mom. She¡¯s still my rtive, after all. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me meeting her, right?¡± ¡°Nothing wrong?¡± Geraldineughed in disbelief. ¡°Have you forgotten all the things she did after marrying into the family? Do you think it¡¯s nothing? If we let her and Nichs remarry, she¡¯ll bring down the Larson family!¡± Mnie appeared unfazed. Kathleen felt that Geraldine was wasting her breath. Mrs. Larson is not even listening. Old Mrs. Larson surely hopes that Nichs will find a rich woman of equal status. Whatever she couldn¡¯t fulfill through her son, she would shift it onto her grandson. So when we met just now, she instantly assumed that Nichs and I would get married in the future. But Mrs. Larson doesn¡¯t want that. She married into the Larson family with great difficulty but didn¡¯t enjoy the slightest benefit. She couldn¡¯t even return home and show off. Hence, she wants Nichs to marry someone who is on her side and can help her in the Larson family. That¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t like rich girls marrying into the family. She¡¯s afraid they¡¯ll look down on her, just like Old Mrs. Larson. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°It¡¯s better not to be so self-righteous in the future, Mrs. Larson,¡± Kathleen uttered with an icy gaze as she kept her phone. ¡°You dared to attack me even when you didn¡¯t know me. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll ruin you?¡± At her question, Mnie trembled from head to toe. Samuel smirked upon seeing Kathleen¡¯s indifference. Looks like I don¡¯t need to worry about her. Diana and Frances exchanged a nce. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± thetter said in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Frances,¡± Geraldine apologized. Frances looked at her solemnly. ¡°This is your family matter, so we won¡¯t interfere.¡± Geraldine nodded. Kathleen reached out to hold Frances while Samuel stood beside Diana. As the four left together, Geraldine turned to stare at Mnie coldly. Thetter uttered meekly, ¡°Mom, I¡ª¡± p! Geraldine gave her a tight p. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Know Her The Best Covering her face, Mnie looked in agony at Geraldine. ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve always been so closefisted whenever I brought you out to socialize,¡± Geraldine said coldly. ¡°The reason is obvious, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re insecure and scared people would me you. That¡¯s why you always act so timid, wanting to hint to people that I have been abusing you to avert their attention. Do you think I¡¯m blind?¡± Mnie was astounded. So she knew all along? ¡°I didn¡¯t bother with you as I could understand how you felt,¡± Geraldine remarked indifferently. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re also Nichs¡¯ mother. He will also be looked down on if others dissed his mother.¡± Mnie pursed her lips at that. ¡°Only someone who has nothing like you would bother about someone being a divorc¨¦e or not,¡± Geraldine criticized. ¡°Who cares if it¡¯s her first marriage or not? It doesn¡¯t matter as long as she¡¯s from a higher social status. If Nichs married Kathleen, he would be able to obtain her help to climb up the social statusdder. This is the most important whenpared to those unrealistic things.¡± Mnie lowered her head. ¡°However, everything is ruined because of your shortsightedness.¡± Geraldineughed coldly. ¡°Kathleen is smart. She¡¯ll definitely try her best to cause trouble for you since you provoked her. Do you know how much trouble you¡¯re going to cause Nichs?¡± Upon hearing that, Mnie started to sob. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already portrayed me as an evil mother-inw from an elite family, I won¡¯t go easy on you,¡± Geraldine stated frostily. ¡°From now onward, I forbid you from going out and engaging in any form of socialization. You need to learn manners first!¡± Mnie stared at Geraldine in shock. Did she just forbid me from going out? With a snort, Geraldine marched out of the room. ¡°You should know if I asked my son to divorce you, I¡¯m sure he would do it without a second thought.¡± Mnie turned pale as she ducked her head even lower, following Geraldine out of the room. Kathleen and Frances shared a car while Diana was in Samuel¡¯s car for the journey back home. ¡°Granny, can you stop arranging dates for me in the future?¡± Kathleen asked weakly. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to explode from anger when I encounter a mother-inw like Mrs. Larson.¡± Frances also agreed with Mnie, saying, ¡°But you need to marry someone one day. You can¡¯t refuse to marry just because Samuel hurt you once.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say I won¡¯t marry,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t meet anyone I like till now. Plus, even if I decide on marrying, I¡¯ll definitely do a thorough background check on him.¡± Frances nodded. ¡°Naturally. However, do you know what kind of men you prefer?¡± ¡°Well, the most important factor would be a rxed family atmosphere. That way, I can get along with them easily,¡± Kathleen answered with a smile. When Frances thought of Diana¡¯s words, she had to admit that Kathleen was treated reasonably well in the Macari family for thest few years. In fact, the Macari family treated her with love and took care of her a lot. It did not help that Kathleen was a sweetheart, causing Diana to allow Samuel to marry her. Frances also thought it was a good idea, so they married without a hitch. However, nobody would have thought Kathleen and Samuel would separate because of Nicolette, Kathleen¡¯s cousin, no less. ¡°Granny, I know how much you love me and wish to give me the best in the world.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes. ¡°However, I was already hurt once in a rtionship. Thus, I don¡¯t want to start a new rtionship immediately. Besides, I would also prefer fate to meet me with him. Is that okay?¡± Frances let out a deep sigh as she caressed Kathleen¡¯s cheeks. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll leave it up to you, then,¡± she croaked. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Granny!¡± Kathleen smiled yfully. While hugging Frances, she pressed her cheek against hers. Frances was smiling in satisfaction, and the atmosphere in the car was harmonious. However, it was a different story in the other car. ¡°I saw it.¡± Diana spoke indifferently. ¡°You and Kathleen came out of the same room.¡± Samuel suppressed the glint that was threatening to sh across his eyes. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything except having a meal together.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Dianaughed mockingly. ¡°What else are you expecting to do other than that?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. ¡°You brat! If it weren¡¯t for me, your wife would have gotten snatched up!¡± Diana scolded. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How could you have the nerves to ask?¡± Diana growled. ¡°You punk! Why do you think Old Mrs. Yoeger would choose the Larson family? I was the one who suggested them!¡± Samuel furrowed his brows deeply. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Diana stated. ¡°Although I know about the Larson family¡¯s affairs, Old Mrs. Yoeger doesn¡¯t! I was the one who told her that the son of the Larson family seemed like a decent man, leading her to contact Old Mrs. Larson.¡± Samuel was stunned. No one can beat Grandma¡¯s tactics! ¡°How would I not know what¡¯s Kate like?¡± Diana said proudly. ¡°Once is all it takes for her to make it clear with Old Mrs. Yoeger. Besides, the Larson family seems like a peaceful family at first nce, but they actually have a lot of internal problems. Thus, Old Mrs. Yoeger would no longer dare to set her up on dates, fearing she would harm Kate. This is called killing two birds with one stone. Get it?¡± Samuel¡¯s unreadable orbs darkened. ¡°Yes.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°I only helped you because of how sorry you are toward Kate. Otherwise, I would have ignored you.¡± Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°What?¡± Diana¡¯s expression was stiff as displeasure spread across her face. She felt ufortable enough for betraying Kathleen. ¡°Thank you,¡± Samuel uttered in a hoarse voice. ¡°I understand now why you wanted me to marry Kate back then. She¡¯s a brilliant woman. Besides, my life was simple yet harmonious in the three years I spent with her.¡± Kathleen gave him the feeling of being at home. ¡°You¡¯ve realized it toote.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°Grandma,¡± Samuel croaked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Diana¡¯s face was drawn into a rictus. ¡°Could you please go the extra mile and help me?¡± he muttered. ¡°You brat! You¡¯re pushing it!¡± Diana bellowed. ¡°How else can I help you? Perhaps you want me to persuade Kate to love you?¡± Samuel¡¯s lips twisted into a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m kidding. I can pursue a woman myself.¡± Diana sucked in a deep breath. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to listen to me, you need to remember one thing. No matter what the others say, you cannot rush Kate into making a decision. She¡¯s too insecure and needs some time to recover from the past. You need to give her some space to think clearly. Before she can do so, she¡¯ll never ept you or any other man.¡± Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°Kate has been under my care for so long. I know her better than anyone else.¡± Diana shot him a meaningful gaze. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Ulterior Motive Samuel¡¯s orbs darkened. ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°I understand you¡¯re anxious,¡± Diana began with a deep voice. ¡°However, you need to stand in Kate¡¯s shoes. You will fail very thoroughly if you¡¯re still trying to use your logic to understand her.¡± Samuel did not answer, but his eyes became dark. The car in front of them changed directions as Kathleen and Frances were headed to the Johnson residence. Since Samuel wanted to send Diana back to the Macari residence, they were not going in the same direction. However, Samuel would soon return after sending Diana off, so he did not say anything. When Kathleen and Frances arrived at the entrance of the Johnson residence, a woman walked up to them when they got out of the car. ¡°Granny.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was neither too loud nor too soft. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for some time.¡± Frances sent her a look of surprise. ¡°Yareli?¡± Yareli? Yareli Yoeger? Kathleen stared at the woman in silence. She heard rumors that Yareli had returned some time ago but had never seen her. Even when Kathleen and the Yoeger family had such a huge dispute, Yareli was nowhere to be seen. Thus, nobody knew where she had gone. Yareli walked over with a faint smile. ¡°Granny, pleasee home with me.¡± Frances paused for a moment before shaking her head lightly. ¡°I won¡¯t go home with you.¡± ¡°I know that you and my mother and uncle had some misunderstandings before, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s your home,¡± Yareli muttered. ¡°This is the Johnson residence. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being criticized for staying here?¡± ¡°So what if this is the Johnson residence?¡± Kathleen asked, feeling perplexed. ¡°My elder brother and I are Granny¡¯s grandchildren. Not to mention we can take care of her too.¡± It was then that Yareli turned to look at Kathleen. ¡°You¡¯re Kathleen, right? I don¡¯t really know you well, but I want to tell you that Granny is a member of the Yoeger family. Thus, she must go back to the Yoeger residence, understand?¡± Kathleen sneered, ¡°I understand.¡± Yareli furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s easy to tell what you¡¯re trying to convey. If you get married one day, let me tell you that you should nevere home andin if your husband bullies you. After all, in your eyes, married daughters are outsiders and no longer family,¡± Kathleen continued to mock her. Yareli bit her lip. ¡°You!¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t have a father, so your surname is still Yoeger. However, Granny is your grandmother from your maternal side, so the Yoeger residence isn¡¯t really your home. Why stay there, then?¡± Kathleen wanted her to have a taste of her own medicine. ¡°So what? I grew up under Granny¡¯s care. I¡¯m closer to her than all her other grandchildren would ever be,¡± Yareli said coldly. ¡°Although I didn¡¯t grow up with Granny, her DNA is in my veins. Are you trying to say that I would mistreat my own grandmother?¡± Kathleen questioned indifferently. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Yareli was at a loss for words. ¡°All right. Stop quarreling,¡± Frances stopped them. ¡°Granny, you should head home with me. What would outsiders think if you lived here?¡± Yareli advised worriedly. ¡°Haha.¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°It seems you¡¯re just worried about getting criticized, not Granny.¡± Yareli¡¯s face turned morose. ¡°How funny,¡± Kathleen ridiculed in a monotonous voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that your mother mistreated Granny? You returned days ago, after all. Besides, your mother didn¡¯t even utter a single apology about this. She must be waiting for the entire incident to pass. How innocent of her to think that it¡¯s possible.¡± Knowing how sharp Kathleen¡¯s tongue was, Yareli turned to Frances. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m back now. I promise you that I will protect you from now onward.¡± Frances furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Tell me. Are you willing to head home with me?¡± Yareli reached out to take Frances¡¯ hand. ¡°Vanessa?¡± Frances¡¯ expression was nk. ¡°Why are you here, Vanessa?¡± Yareli was taken aback for a moment before furrowing her eyebrows. ¡°Granny, that¡¯s my mother. I¡¯m Yareli. Your favorite granddaughter, Yareli.¡± While saying that, Yareli even shot Kathleen a smug look. Kathleen mused, Although Yareli has the aura of a daughter from an elite family, her actions and words tell otherwise. No wonder she¡¯s Vanessa¡¯s daughter. Her words are blunt and filled with selfishness. Kathleen knew Frances¡¯ mind was muddled again. Gently taking her hand, Kathleen smiled gently. ¡°Granny, let¡¯s go inside. It¡¯s too cold.¡± Frances nodded. ¡°Kathleen, what are you doing?¡± Yareli red at her. ¡°It¡¯s so cold outside. Perhaps you¡¯re not worried about Granny, but I am,¡± Kathleen mocked. Yareli pursed her lips while seeing as Kathleen helped Frances into the mansion. Yareli¡¯s expression turned cold. As expected, Kathleen is such a pain! However, Frances¡¯ abnormal response just now had given her an idea of how to proceed. When Yareli walked out of the entrance of the Johnson residence, a ck Maybach drove past. It was not an ordinary Maybach, for its car te was one she was very ustomed to. Immediately, Yareli walked toward the mansion next door. When she reached, Samuel got out of the Maybach, which was parked on the porch. ¡°Samuel,¡± Yareli called out. When Samuel heard someone calling his name, he turned sideways and red at her. Yareli quickly ran toward him. ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t know you lived here.¡± Yareli was both surprised and happy. Samuel answered indifferently, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You must think I¡¯m here to look for you, right?¡± Yareli asked with a grin. Samuel¡¯s handsome face was cold as he looked at her. ¡°Have you ever heard of a saying?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Yareli asked curiously. ¡°One¡¯s intention must not be good for visiting someone out of the ordinary.¡± Samuel¡¯s ck orbs were filled with coldness. Yareli froze. ¡°How could you say something like that?¡± she asked aggrievedly. ¡°My grandmother and yours are best friends, after all.¡± ¡°So?¡± Samuel shot back. Yareli was taken aback. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I know everything about what the Yoeger family did, so why should I be polite toward you?¡± Samuel questioned calmly. ¡°I saw youing out of the Johnson residence with a darkened face. This shows that you met with Kate and perhaps even quarreled with her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you decided not to be polite to me?¡± Yareli felt a bit frustrated. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Samuel retorted. ¡°I don¡¯t like anyone who causes Kate trouble. Besides, your grandmother is also Kate¡¯s grandmother.¡± Yareli was at a loss for words as she understood what Samuel meant. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should be med for my mother¡¯s actions. Although my mother was in the wrong, I knew nothing about it,¡± Yareli exined, not wanting Samuel to misunderstand her. Samuel looked down at her, his handsome face emotionless. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Yareli was taken aback. ¡°From what I know, you were already back for a week,¡± Samuel continued. Yareli looked at Samuel in surprise. How did he know about this? Did he track me down? ¡°Samuel, did you hire someone to follow me?¡± Yareli asked awkwardly. At that, Samuel looked up at the Johnson residence¡¯s second floor. When he saw that the once-opened curtain suddenly drew shut, he smiled. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Chapter 245 I Am Sleepy Yareli found that Samuel was ncing at the second floor next door. ¡±What are you looking at?¡± she asked. Retracting his gaze, Samuel stared at her icily. ¡°You should leave now.¡± Leave? Yareli was utterly indignant. ¡°Samuel, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re living outside. Are you not going to invite me inside for a cup of coffee? It¡¯s so cold outside.¡± ¡°Nope. I won¡¯t. Otherwise, Kate will misunderstand the situation,¡± Samuel refused her directly. With that, he walked toward the mansion. After entering the password, Samuel went inside and immediately closed the door behind him. Samuel evaded Yareli as though he was afraid that she would chase him down. It seemed like he found her presence irritable. Needless to say, Yareli was enraged by his rejection. It turns out that Samuel is living next door to Kathleen. Did he move out of Florinia Manor because of Kathleen? No way! Yareli refused to believe that. Samuel is an outstanding man from a prominent family. Besides, he has a natural air of arrogance around him. There¡¯s no way he would do such a thing for a woman he has abandoned. Maybe he likes living here? Yareli¡¯s expression turned cold at once. Come what may, she was determined to prevent Samuel and Kathleen from getting back together. She regretted not telling Diana her feelings toward Samuel back then after finding out that Diana had made Samuel marry Kathleen. Otherwise, Diana would have set up Yareli with Samuel due to her close rtionship with Frances. N?velDrama.Org ? content. At first, Yareli wanted to wait for another two years after she graduated from university. Nevertheless, she had never expected that Kathleen would make her move. Fortunately for Yareli, Kathleen and Samuel divorcedter. However, Vanessa helped her to get engaged to the eldest son of the Yates family. It took Yareli a year to break off the engagement. She came back this time in hopes of marrying Samuel. Thus, Yareli was anxious to take Frances back. With thetter¡¯s help, she would have many opportunities to approach Diana and drop hints about her marriage with Samuel. However, nothing ever turned out as nned as Vanessa was exposed for what she had done. Fortunately for Yareli, she had nothing to do with that matter. No matter what, Vanessa was still her mother. It was impossible to say that Yareli was unaffected by the scandal. Hence, she needed Frances¡¯ help. The rumors would only die down when Frances returned home. Yareli had to figure out a way to bring her back as soon as possible. When Samuel returned to the room, he nced across the house and saw that the light was still on in Kathleen¡¯s room. Picking up his phone, Samuel sent her a message: I have nothing to do with her. Please don¡¯t misunderstand the situation. Kathleen replied: That has nothing to do with me. Samuel texted back: Since you aren¡¯t bothered with it, don¡¯t take a peep next time. Just look openly. Otherwise, I might misunderstand your intention. Kathleen was rendered speechless upon reading his message. It was wrong of me to peek at them. Did he seriously ask me to look at them shamelessly? That¡¯s just ridiculous. Samuel curled his lips and texted: Aren¡¯t you curious about our conversation? Kathleen replied: What else can there be besides flirting? Samuel texted: I didn¡¯t even know I could still flirt with others. Furrowing her eyebrows, Kathleen replied: Anyway, you have never flirted with me before. Hence, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve done this with other women in the past. Besides, I¡¯m not curious either. He¡¯s the one who texted me first. I didn¡¯t bother to ask about their conversation! Smirking, Samuel texted: I told her that she had ulterior motives in approaching me. Seeing that, Kathleen frowned even more. Samuel added: Half a month ago, Yareli broke off the engagement with the eldest son of the Yates family. She¡¯s been back here for at least a week. However, she hasn¡¯t shown her face for the past week despite what has happened. Aren¡¯t you curious about where she went? Kathleen fell into deep thought after reading the long message. Of course, Kathleen knew that Yareli had returned home long ago. Nheless, she did not know what Yareli was up to for the past week. Kathleen: You know where she went? Samuel replied: I do. Kathleen pursed her lips, hesitating whether to ask him. Just as she was contemting it, Samuel sent her another message: It¡¯ste now. You should go to bed early. I¡¯ll drive you to the film crew tomorrow morning. We can talk on the way. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Samuel texted: What¡¯s wrong? Kathleen replied: You just want to see me, right? Samuel texted back: You can think whatever you like. Anyway, I¡¯m sleepy now. Good night. Seeing his message, Kathleen let out a snort. He¡¯s doing it on purpose. Now that my curiosity is piqued, how can I fall asleep? That b*stard! The next day, Kathleen came downstairs with two huge eyebags adorning her face. She immediately went to the door. Frowning, Charles probed, ¡±Kate, aren¡¯t you going to have breakfast?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Kathleen answered weakly. Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°Still, you must eat something. Otherwise, you might faint while filming later.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll eat when I arrive at the filming set.¡± Kathleen went out the door after putting on her jacket. Charles frowned at her reply. Did she wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? With that in mind, he stood up and looked outside the window. He saw Kathleen getting into Samuel¡¯s Maybach. Charles was rendered speechless. His mood turned sour instantly. Did Samuel threaten Kathleen? However, that makes no sense as he doesn¡¯t have any leverage over her. What¡¯s the problem then? Could it be that Kathleen has decided to get back with him? Inside the Maybach, Kathleen stared at Samuel wearily. There was a hint of resentment in her gaze. Raising his eyebrows mischievously, Samuel asked, ¡°Rough night?¡± Kathleen let out a snicker upon hearing his sarcastic remark. Taking her hand, Samuel ced breakfast on her palm. ¡°I made salmon sandwiches and a smoothie for you. Try it.¡± ¡°You made these yourself?¡± Kathleen was startled. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I can cook? Besides, it wasn¡¯t that hard to make this simple breakfast,¡± Samuel replied with a wry smile. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think you have the time to do it,¡± Kathleen said tly before eating her sandwich and drinking the smoothie. Samuel smiled warmly while looking at her. Look at how hungry she is. ¡°Go on, then.¡± Kathleen happily munched on her sandwich. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Samuel asked. He seemed to care more about her opinion of the breakfast. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s good. I know the salmon is fresh the moment I took a bite.¡± Kathleen took another sip of the smoothie. The mixed berry smoothie made by Samuel was refreshing. Samuel¡¯s mood instantly lightened upon seeing how she was enjoying the breakfast. ¡°Come on, just spill,¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°What should I say?¡± Samuel was perplexed. Kathleen fell silent. Feeling infuriated, she red at Samuel. However, her expression looked more charming than menacing at that moment. A bright smile appeared on Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Yareli went to see Sean Brooks.¡± Sean Brooks? ¡°Are you talking about the eldest son of the Brooks family in Jipsdale?¡± Kathleen asked, puzzled. Samuel nodded. Kathleen said in surprise, ¡°I can¡¯t believe they knew each other.¡± ¡°Do you know the Brooks family?¡± Samuel probed. ¡°Of course, I do. Those prestigious families will send gifts to each other every New Year. I have to help Grandma and the housekeeper with these things every year. On the one hand, we can¡¯t send anything too expensive. On the other, we must express our sincerity in those gifts. It¡¯s such a troublesome process.¡± For Kathleen, that matter was the only insurmountable obstacle faced by a wife of a wealthy family. There are so many prestigious families. Therefore, we can¡¯t send out the same gift twice. Ugh. Only Lord knows how much hair I had lost during those days! Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Do You Agree If I Woo Him ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this sort of thing next time. Just leave it to me.¡± Samuel cracked a grin. ring daggers at him, Kathleen fumed, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare spout nonsense like this!¡± She had never once thought of reconciling with Samuel. I¡¯ll never get back together with him! ¡°What I mean is, I¡¯ve always been sorting this out in your absence,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen let out a light snort as soon as she heard it. She then followed her train of thought as she continued her feast. ¡°The Brooks family resided so far away in Norham, so what does Yareli want with him to go all the way there?¡± Samuel gazed at her intently. ¡°Maybe you can look at it from a different perspective. Sean may be the one who¡¯s looking for her instead.¡± Kathleen was surprised as she looked Samuel in the eyes, only to find thetter¡¯s darkened gaze. ¡°But the Brooks family is a military family, so why would they require Yareli?¡± Kathleen had no clue whatsoever. Samuel reminded her, ¡°Since they¡¯re connected to the army, they could offer Yareli a wealth of aid. Yet, their foundation is in Jipsdale, so it¡¯d be quite inconvenient for them to carry out whatever businesses they have in Jadeborough.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ Yareli is acting as their middlewoman?¡± Kathleen made a wild guess. Samuel nodded in response. Realization dawned upon Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for the Brooks family to talk business with Yareli. It can only be something else, then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Samuel¡¯s visage remained as calm as a millpond. ¡°They have to be sharing some kind of top secret.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes at that. ¡°Because¡­ I¡¯m also not so sure myself,¡± replied Samuel ever so leisurely. ¡°If that¡¯s something not to my knowledge, it can only be a secret.¡± ¡°Samuel, why don¡¯t you just admit that you don¡¯t always have ess to every single piece of information under the sun?¡± Kathleen leered at him the whole time. Unconcerned, Samuel gave his feedback. ¡°It¡¯s not about me not admitting to it. But rather, I¡¯ve known my limit a year ago when I searched high and low for you but ended up in vain. Other than that, nothing has ever been a stumbling block for me. As for this matter, I can only say that Yareli herself doesn¡¯t know much as well. All she has been doing was running errands blindly for the Brooks family.¡± His words were like a bolt from the blue to Kathleen. She blurted out, ¡°What? You mean, all this while, she has been doing their bidding without even asking? Interesting¡­¡± Samuel nced at her. ¡°The Brooks family must have offered her an astronomical amount of benefits beyond our imagination.¡± With a soft tone, Kathleen asked, ¡°Are you implying that Yareli may deal with me through the Brooks family¡¯s hands?¡± Samuel inclined his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay because I, too, have backers!¡± proimed Kathleen. Not a hint of fear could be sensed coming from her. Samuel smirked. ¡°It¡¯s me, right?¡± That made Kathleen snort coldly. ¡°Pfft! It¡¯s not you.¡± A meaningful look shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes on that note. ¡°Who could it be, then?¡± ¡°Do you have to ask? My brother, Charles!¡± Kathleen was all smiles. ¡°Charles will always keep me from harm¡¯s way.¡± Dubious, Samuel questioned her in a deep tone, ¡°Are you certain? It¡¯s the Brooks family we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Hmph! So what? Could they be mightier than the heavens?¡± Wearing a disdainful countenance, Kathleen mocked him, ¡°I know you¡¯re terrified. What a pity. Because I¡¯m not!¡± Narrowing his eyes to slits, Samuel shot her a frosty gaze. ¡°Do I look like a scaredy-cat in the face of the Brooks family?¡± ¡°Yes, you do.¡± Kathleen was so daring to get on Samuel¡¯s nerves. ¡°If not, why do you have that reticent look on your face?¡± Putting on an ice-cold mien, Samuel retorted, ¡°It seems that you have no idea who I am¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re Samuel Macari. Who else can you turn into?¡± Kathleen had her eyes fixated on him before adding, ¡°Oh, right! You¡¯re also Old Mrs. Macari¡¯s grandson, Mrs. Macari¡¯s son, some random woman¡¯s future husband, and maybe your future kids¡¯ dad. I don¡¯t care¡ª¡± As she rambled on and on, Samuel suddenly hushed her by locking his lips against hers. Kathleen was stunned on the spot. She then argued with him, ¡°What are you doing? Didn¡¯t you give me your word that you wouldn¡¯t kiss me mindlessly? Plus, I¡¯ve never given you my consent!¡± At that moment, Samuel¡¯s eyes were filled with hostility. ¡°Your consent isn¡¯t needed this time around.¡± ¡°You!¡± Kathleen hurled a murderous re at him. ¡°What did you say? Why not?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re hurting my pride.¡± Samuel sounded so stern with his statement. Hurting his pride? ¡°Huh? Since when have I ever humiliated you? In what way?¡± Kathleen was baffled by Samuel¡¯s words. Thetter pulled her chin closer toe face to face with her and stated, ¡°First and foremost, it¡¯s pretty ridiculous for you to presume that I¡¯m inferior to the Brooks family. The Macari family has never bowed and will bow to no one.¡± Hearing his promation, Kathleen pressed her cherry-red lips together. ¡°I just didn¡¯t know better. No one told me.¡± ¡°Hmph! You¡¯ve lived with the Macari family long enough in the past and even married me. Don¡¯t say you were a stranger to the Macari family.¡± Displeasure washed over Samuel¡¯s face as he spoke. Kathleen said nothing. ¡°Also, I¡¯m rather upset by you saying that I¡¯d be someone¡¯s future husband or dad.¡± Samuel held her cheeks with his calloused palm and went on with a frigid tone, ¡°I already mentioned I won¡¯t remarry, so I can never be someone else¡¯s husband nor dad, got it?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips, remaining silent. At that juncture, Samuel brushed his finger lightly across the corner of her mouth before putting his finger into his own mouth. Astounded, Kathleen froze there and then. That¡¯s the leftover sandwich¡¯s sauce! In a matter of seconds, Kathleen¡¯s ears were flushed as red as a tomato. What a filthy pervert! Inexplicable emotions inundated Samuel¡¯s face as he side-eyed Kathleen. Thetter quickly straightened her back and faced to the front while putting the piece of sandwich in her mouth, munching the whole time. Samuel couldn¡¯t help but grin at that. She¡¯s so adorable. Eventually, they arrived at the hotel. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± announced Samuel nonchntly. Only did Kathleen regainposure the second she heard his voice. She turned to look out the car window. We¡¯re here already? Hanging her head low, she found that she had only managed to finish half of the sandwich. Without a second thought, she stuffed the remaining sandwich into Samuel¡¯s hands. ¡°Why did you prepare so much food? I¡¯m not a pig, okay? It¡¯s impossible to finish them!¡± Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re a bit unhygienic?¡± Kathleen finished thest mouthful of her drink as she spoke. ¡°Does it suit your liking?¡± Samuel gazed deep into Kathleen¡¯s eyes. Kathleen, in turn, cast a nce at him before nodding. Letting out a cackle, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯ll whip up the same for you tomorrow.¡± Kathleen let out a snicker and uttered, ¡°I want to see Finn.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged that for you. I¡¯lle to pick you up once you¡¯re done with filming,¡± suggested Samuel with a half-smile. ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded softly and bade goodbye. ¡°I¡¯m off.¡± She opened the car door and spun on her heels. Samuel watched her enter the hotel, his lips curling upward into a smirk. She¡¯s really so delicate and sweet. Turning his gaze over to the half-finished sandwich in his hands, Samuel took a bite before instructing the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The driver nodded. With that, the car drove off. Soon after, Kathleen was back in the hotel room. The stylist had been waiting for her. After putting on her makeup, Kathleen joined the film crew on set. By noon, there was a heated discussion among the crew. ¡°Who¡¯s that woman who visits Timothy on set? Doesn¡¯t she look gorgeous?¡± ¡°Indeed. She¡¯s so stunning that she has what it takes to be a celebrity. Besides, she seems very intimate with Timothy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know she¡¯s Yareli from the Yoeger family?¡± ¡°What? That Yareli? Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! I heard Timothy calling her name just now.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Kathleen is also from the Yoegers. Let¡¯s sit back and wait for their drama to unfold!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think Kathleen counts as one of the Yoegers because her mom isn¡¯t the biological daughter of Old Mr. Yoeger. Better still, Yareli¡¯s mom isn¡¯t Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s biological child either. That means both of them are only cousins.¡± ¡°Shh¡­ Yareli¡¯s here.¡± Meanwhile, Kathleen was sitting on a bench, waiting to shoot her scene. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Just then, a silhouette dawned upon her from right above. With a chilling voice, Kathleen piped up, ¡°Tsk. Move aside, please. You¡¯re blocking my view.¡± Flying off the handle, Yareli crossed her arms and raised a question with an icy tone. ¡°Say, Kathleen, do you think I should woo Samuel?¡± Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Pretext ¡°Samuel and I aren¡¯t associated whatsoever. Why would you need my permission to pursue him?¡± asked Kathleen, feeling speechless from what Yareli had just said. Yareli narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re just here to look for trouble, so stop using someone else as a pretext.¡± Kathleen exposed her mercilessly, causing her face to flush. ¡°Besides, if Samuel is truly willing to date you, you wouldn¡¯t havee to ask me this question. You¡¯re just trying to irritate me by saying that. As if he¡¯s really going to date you if you want.¡± ¡°How do you know he won¡¯t agree to it? Didn¡¯t you see us chatting happily at his ce yesterday?¡± asked Yareli with a cial tone. Kathleen, who was unfazed by her words, curled her lips. ¡°So?¡± ¡°So stop clinging onto him! I don¡¯t like it when my boyfriend gets acquainted with another woman, especially his ex-wife.¡± Yareli sounded stern. Kathleen chuckled, clearly amused by what she had just heard. ¡°Do you mean I¡¯m the one who¡¯s clinging onto him?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly.¡± Yareli assumed that Kathleen was the reason that Samuel was giving her the cold shoulder. As long as she got rid of Kathleen, she could then build a closer rtionship with Samuel. ¡°Oh, sure,¡± said Kathleen, nodding with a half-smile. She then took out her phone and called Samuel. After only two rings, the man answered the call, and his deep and attractive voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯ll go and pick you upter at night?¡± Kathleen put the phone on loudspeaker mode, so everyone around could hear Samuel¡¯s words. The crowd was stunned and wondered what was going on. As she crossed her legs and ced her chin in one of her palms, Kathleen said, ¡°Please do me a favor ande bring your girlfriend away. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll beat her up if you don¡¯te soon.¡± ¡°My girlfriend? I¡¯ve told you before. I will never date another woman.¡± There was a tinge of coldness in Samuel¡¯s tone. The crowd was once again surprised. Did Samuel actually say that to Kathleen before? He really does love her! Kathleen raised the phone in her hand. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t believe me? Ms. Yoeger, please say something. Didn¡¯t you tell me that Samuel is your boyfriend and that I should get away from him? Please tell him that yourself and let him make me go away.¡± Yareli¡¯s face instantly turned pale. She had never expected Kathleen to be such a straightforward person who would never allow herself to be pushed around by someone. As she stared at the phone, Yareli couldn¡¯t find the words. ¡°Yareli?¡± Samuel called out frostily. Yareli tried her best to sound as natural as possible. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Samuel, I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding. You should hang up first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Yareli? Are you scared? I¡¯ve recorded everything you told me just now. Why don¡¯t we listen to the recording together?¡± Kathleen spoke indifferently. Recording? She recorded what I said? When did she record it? N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Yareli widened her eyes in shock. Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°You should listen to it too, Samuel. Or else, someone¡¯s going to me me for using your girlfriend.¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when he heard Kathleen emphasize the word ¡°girlfriend¡± through clenched teeth. She recorded the conversation with her phone. Fortunately, mobile phones nowadays were advanced enough to be able to y a recording in the middle of a phone call. Thus, Kathleen yed the recording for Samuel to listen to. After knowing everything that had happened a few moments ago, Samuel¡¯s expression was gloomy. ¡°Yareli, what¡¯s the meaning of this? ¡®Chatting happily?¡¯ Did we actually chat happily yesterday?¡± ¡°Samuel¡­¡± Yareli said, her voice trembling ever so slightly. Never in a million years did she expect Kathleen¡¯s way of doing things to be so aggressive. Samuel snorted. ¡°I said you¡¯re up to something, and you think that was a happy conversation? So you like it when people use you? Is there something wrong with you?¡± Yareli was at a loss for words. ¡°Kate, she has nothing to do with me. You can do whatever you want with her. Don¡¯t worry. If anything happens, I¡¯ll settle everything for you,¡± he said with a deep voice. Upon hearing that, Kathleen curled her lips to form a meaningful smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Subsequently, she ended the call and slowly turned to look at Yareli, who pursed her lips sheepishly and left. Kathleen almostughed out loud when she saw Yareli leave, as she thought thetter would at least try to argue with her. Irked, Yareli returned to Timothy¡¯s lounge. Timothy had just finished listening to his assistant¡¯s reports when she stepped in. He faced her with an indifferent expression and asked, ¡°Ms. Yoeger, are you here to visit me, or do you have other intentions?¡± Yareli remained silent for a while before uttering, ¡°I¡¯m just here to visit you in Mr. Brooks¡¯ stead.¡± ¡°Then why did you provoke Kathleen?¡± Timothy¡¯s expression showed obvious annoyance. She replied unhappily, ¡°What do you mean I provoked her? I was just informing her about what she should know. Who knows she¡¯d do something like that? I bet that was a publicity stunt.¡± Publicity stunt? He scoffed. ¡°Why would she need a publicity stunt when she¡¯s already this popr?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t she need a publicity stunt? If she doesn¡¯t hype up the situation, how is she going to maintain poprity? Without poprity, how would anyone know who she is?¡± she said with an unfathomable meaning behind her words. He was speechless. ¡°Not everyone likes publicity stunts.¡± ¡°How can you be sure? Just look at her. Ever since her debut, she had been using Samuel to make herself popr. No matter where Samuel went, she would be by his side.¡± Timothy was displeased to hear that. ¡°Stop jumping to conclusions. Maybe Samuel was the one who was clinging to her. Do you think everyone shares the same mindset as you?¡± Suddenly, Yareli narrowed her eyes and fixed her gaze on Timothy. ¡°You¡¯re in love with Kathleen, right? Why don¡¯t we work together? I¡¯ll pursue Samuel, and you¡¯ll pursue Kathleen. We¡¯ll join forces to destroy their rtionship if they show signs of getting back together. What do you think?¡± Still wearing a stern expression, Timothy replied, ¡°I¡¯m not as despicable as you are.¡± Despicable? She chuckled coldly. ¡°Wow. I have to say; you¡¯re indeed good at pretending to be magnanimous. You¡¯re clearly pining with unrequited love, yet you¡¯re putting up a righteous facade and lecturing me. That¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°Get out of here.¡± He lost his patience. She red at him with a cold gleam in her eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t havee here if Mr. Brooks hadn¡¯t told me toe.¡± Upon finishing her sentence, she turned to leave. ¡°I know you¡¯re here to look for Kathleen. You wanted to embarrass her, but you didn¡¯t expect the n to backfire on you. I¡¯ve heard about your mother, and initially, I felt sorry for you. But now it seems I¡¯m just wasting my time andpassion.¡± He fixed his cial gaze on her. Yareli bit her lip and uttered sarcastically, ¡°Men are so easily tricked by women like her who are good at putting on a pitiful act. The moment she sheds a tear, you guys would fall for her act and think she¡¯s bullied by someone. You guys can¡¯t even tell what¡¯s real, and it¡¯s sad.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± bellowed Timothy,pletely losing thest bit of his patience. With that, Yareli strode out of the room while wearing a smug smile. Timothy¡¯s assistant immediately tried to console him. ¡°Mr. Currah, calm down. There¡¯s no point getting angry at someone like her.¡± ¡°Why in the world would Sean be acquainted with someone like her?¡± Timothy almost hit the roof. The assistant pondered for a while and answered, ¡°I guess it probably has something to do with the people Sean found. As you know, Sean has been entrusting us to run errands for him. Perhaps he asked for the Yoeger family¡¯s help this time around because we¡¯re not that familiar with Jadeborough, so it¡¯s quite difficult for us.¡± Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Liar Upon returning to the Yoeger residence, Yareli smashed a vase onto the floor and made a loud noise, frightening everyone in the residence. Vanessa came down from the second floor and asked, ¡°What are you doing, Yareli?¡± Yareliined to her mother with her eyes reddened, ¡°Mom! Samuel scolded me for the sake of a b*tch!¡± Vanessa frowned. ¡°You went to find Samuel?¡± She somewhat knew that her daughter was in love with Samuel, but it was a pity that the Macari family had never considered letting any other girl than Kathleen be Samuel¡¯s wife. To Vanessa¡¯s utter confusion, they let Kathleen, who was still an orphaned girl back then, marry Samuel and be his rightful wife. Vanessa wondered just how lovable Kathleen could be to make Diana decide to let her marry Samuel. However, after getting to know Kathleen, she found out that Kathleen¡¯s personality was horrible and was far from good. Thus, she deduced that the Macari family had been tricked by the young woman. ¡°Everyone in Jadeborough knows Samuel is courting Kathleen. Why did you go and make a fool out of yourself?¡± reprimanded Vanessa. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you think Samuel is stupid? Why did he run after Kathleen when they are already divorced?¡± Yareli couldn¡¯tprehend what Samuel was thinking at all. Vanessa snorted. ¡°Hmph! I bet Samuel just can¡¯t forget how amazing she is in bed.¡± Yareli replied with a faint sight, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I can master some skills, too.¡± Vanessa stared at her daughter. ¡°Do you really love him that much?¡± Yareli said aggrievedly, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve been in love with him since we were young, but he was too aloof and unapproachable. Back then, he was in love with Nicolette and not me. I thought they would get married in the end, but I didn¡¯t expect Old Mrs. Macari to take action and separate them. And then Kathleen came into the picture, diminishing my hopes of ever getting married to Samuel.¡± She was filled with hatred back then. Later on, Vanessa, who was worried her daughter might never get the happiness she deserved, hurriedly arranged her marriage with the Yates family. However, Yareli kept dying the marriage, unwilling to give up on Samuel. Surprisingly, it seemed like the heavens took pity on her. Samuel and Kathleen were divorced. Yareli then used a whole year to break off the engagement with the Yates family, but to her dismay, Kathleen and Samuel met each other again, messing her n up. Moreover, for some unknown reason, Samuel began to sound sarcastic whenever he spoke to Yareli. Back when they were kids, he might be aloof and distant, but he would never mock her with a tone filled with sarcasm. This further angered her, causing her to vent all her fury on Kathleen. ¡°Kathleen¡¯s such a b*tch! Not only did she take Granny away, but she also stopped me from being with Samuel! I will never let her go! Ever!¡± Yareli said through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yareli. If you really love Samuel, I¡¯ll think of a way to help you.¡± Vanessa spoke with a complex tone. ¡°Really? Mom, are you for real?¡± Yareli beamed happily. Vanessa said disdainfully, ¡°I seriously don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so excited about a man. It¡¯s a piece of cake for women to conquer men, but you¡¯re just too ignorant. I¡¯ll teach you some ways, and I guarantee you¡¯ll seed.¡± ¡°Okay, please tell me,¡± said Yareli excitedly. Vanessa sighed upon seeing how eager her daughter was. It looks like she¡¯s really in love with Samuel, to the extent that she¡¯d forget about the proper way she should behave as the heiress of a prominent family. She usually won¡¯t act like that. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll tell you right now. Come with me to the room,¡± uttered Vanessa after a soft sigh. Yareli nodded. ¡°Okay!¡± In the evening, Kathleen returned to the hotel to change and remove her makeup after getting off work. Then, she dressed up again and went downstairs to wait for Samuel. To her surprise, Samuel had already arrived. She sauntered toward the man¡¯s car and opened the door, taking note of thefortable warmth within the vehicle. After getting in, she asked, ¡°When did you arrive?¡± ¡°I arrived half an hour ago,¡± replied Samuel. Half an hour ago? She was shocked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me? I thought you were still on the way and was thinking of coming down here to wait for you, but it turns out you¡¯re already here.¡± As he wore a faint smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯m patient enough to wait for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re patient, but Finn is not. Let¡¯s go.¡± She put on her seat belt. Samuel said with a heavy tone, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to meet Finn, but theter we get there, the better.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen asked, puzzled. His voice was clear but deep as he told her, ¡°I won¡¯t let you see him face to face tonight, but instead, I¡¯m inviting you to watch a show.¡± A show? What does that mean? Kathleen¡¯s heart was filled with confusion over what the man said. However, he didn¡¯t give her a proper exnation. After starting the car, they headed toward their destination. Half an hourter, they reached a private clubhouse. Samuel halted the car and said to Kathleen, ¡°Put on your mask and cap.¡± She heeded his words and did as she was told. With his lips curled, he said, ¡°You¡¯re too attractive. I don¡¯t want those men to stare at you.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He pushed the car door open, and she got off the car. Subsequently, he took her hand naturally, like they were an old married couple. As she furrowed her brows, he whispered a reminder, ¡°It¡¯s quite messy in there, so you have to stay by my side. Don¡¯t wander away from me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded obediently. He smiled, loving how docile she looked. As he wrapped her tiny hand with his, the desire to dote on her once again surged within him. I swear I¡¯ll never lose her again. Ever. They stepped into the clubhouse. Under Samuel¡¯s lead, the two of them were allowed to enter directly, but the people behind them were stopped by the guards and were asked to present their invitation letters. Kathleen tugged at Samuel¡¯s sleeve and asked quietly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you need an invitation letter to get in?¡± ¡°My face itself is a pass,¡± he replied, grinning. She didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. They stepped into an elevator, and a couple followed right behind them. The couple, who was quite bold, ignored the two strangers beside them and began making out on the spot. Kathleen felt so awkward that her ears turned bright red. She then turned to look at Samuel andined in annoyance, ¡°Did you bring me here to watch a reality show? I¡¯d have to wash my eyes after we get backter.¡± Samuel chuckled and pulled the woman into his arms, using his own body to block her view from the couple. She felt quitefortable as she pressed her fair and delicate face against the man¡¯s warm chest. When the elevator finally stopped, the couple got even more carried away. They even removed their clothes while engaging in passionate physical interactions. Kathleen couldn¡¯t even look at them. Samuel held her shoulders, and the two of them exited the elevator. She hastened her steps and walked by his side while looking slightly irritated. ¡°Do youe here often?¡± He looked down at the woman in his embrace. ¡°Yes.¡± She red angrily at him. ¡°Hmph! It would¡¯ve been better if you met up with Nicolette. How dare you spend your time at a ce like this? You¡¯re worse than a sc*mbag!¡± He was speechless as she tried to break free from his embrace. However, he tightened his grip. ¡°Do you believe in anything I say?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°You promised you won¡¯t lie to me,¡± said Kathleen angrily. She then looked at him and queried, ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Kidding doesn¡¯t count as lying.¡± She was at aplete loss for words after realizing she had been tricked. ¡°Wow, so funny! You liar!¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Go Somewhere Else Samuel was amused by her reaction. As they walked, he exined to her, ¡°I don¡¯te here often. I¡¯ve only been here once during the grand opening. This clubhouse belongs to my friend.¡± His friend again? Just how many friends does he have? ¡°Your friends are all your scapegoats, huh?¡± mocked Kathleen with her soft and gentle voice. He narrowed his eyes and defended himself, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you.¡± The conversation came to a temporary pause as they stopped in front of a private room. Samuel pushed the door open and stood at the doorway as the smoky and foul air inside the room enveloped him. Instead of entering right away, he called out coldly, ¡°Ryan!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here! Mr. Macari, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve got you a prettydy to keep youpany.¡± Ryan stood up. Before Samuel could say anything, Kathleen pinched his waist. He frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d do something like this!¡± Apparently, she did not believe him. ¡°Oh, Mr. Macari, I see you¡¯ve brought ady yourself. You should¡¯ve told me earlier, so I won¡¯t bother finding one for you. But of course, if yourpanion doesn¡¯t mind, thedy can stay. The two of them can serve you together,¡± said Ryan, smiling from ear to ear as he nced at Kathleen, who was wearing a cap and a mask. Samuel¡¯s face was dark, while Kathleen let out a cold sneer. ¡°What did I tell you, Ryan? Did you not heed my words?¡± Samuel questioned unhappily. Ryan trembled all over when he saw the gloomy look in Samuel¡¯s dark eyes, indicating that thetter was furious. He gave the people beside him a few kicks. ¡°That¡¯s enough, guys. Get lost!¡± s, they were all too intoxicated to move. The unhappy look on Samuel¡¯s face was evident. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else. This room reeks of alcohol and smoke.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ryan nodded sheepishly. He got up and brought them to another private room. Samuel asked indifferently, ¡°Does this private room have the same view as the one just now?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the same. Mr. Macari, does your girlfriend not like the smell of smoke and alcohol?¡± Samuel looked at him gloomily. ¡°Don¡¯t ask anything that doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± ¡°Then shall I have someone send some food here?¡± asked Ryan, trying to please Samuel. Thetter looked down at the woman in his embrace. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Kathleen nodded in response. After all, she came here right after work and didn¡¯t even get to have dinner. Ryan was quite surprised to see Samuel treat another woman so nicely. He had always thought that Kathleen was the only one who had a special ce in Samuel¡¯s heart. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Get us something tasty and light. Serve us some juice, too,¡± ordered Samuel. ¡°All right.¡± Ryan nodded and sent his subordinates by the door to make the arrangements. Samuel nudged Kathleen to sit down. ¡°You can take off your mask and cap now. It¡¯s safe here.¡± In the meantime, Ryan was curious about this woman that Samuel brought with him. Just how pretty can she be to make Mr. Macari treat her this gently? As he was wondering, he saw the woman remove her mask and cap. He was dumbfounded when he saw Kathleen¡¯s exquisite and alluring face. I knew it! She is, indeed, Kathleen. With her around, Mr. Macari would never fall in love with anyone else. ¡°Kathleen, please don¡¯t take what I said to heart. I was just kidding,¡± said Ryan, feeling extremely awkward now that he knew Kathleen¡¯s true identity. ¡°Oh, that isn¡¯t funny at all,¡± said Kathleen with a faint voice. Ryan remained silent while Samuel shot him a re. Soon after, the waiters brought in some dishes. Samuel stood up and opened the window facing the inside of the clubhouse. They were able to look down at what was happening downstairs. After taking a few bites of food, Kathleen walked over to Samuel¡¯s side and asked, ¡°You said you brought me here to watch a show. What show is it?¡± He responded coldly, ¡°It¡¯ll start soon.¡± She furrowed her brows and was wondering what he had in mind when a group of people entered the clubhouse. The leader was a young woman who was wearing a fur coat. ¡°She¡¯s Tracy Smith, Finn¡¯s wife,¡± Samuel whispered into Kathleen¡¯s ear. She is Finn¡¯s wife? ¡°Is she here to cause trouble? Why did she bring so many people here?¡± Kathleen asked in shock. ¡°Mr. Macari, please put this on.¡± Ryan approached and gave them two sets of earphones. Samuel helped Kathleen put on the earphones. His movements were quite gentle as he did so for fear of hurting her small and delicate ears. However, it was quite difficult for him to put the earphones on for her, as her ears were small in size. After several failed attempts, he turned to re angrily at Ryan. ¡°Why can¡¯t you do anything right?¡± Ryan hung his head in embarrassment. See? He dotes on his wife so much! Ryan had noticed that Samuel obviously loved Kathleen deeply since a long time ago. Not even Samuel himself was aware of that. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to be more careful next time.¡± Ryan looked at Kathleen piteously, silently asking her for help. The woman took the earphone and wore it. ¡°See? It¡¯s done.¡± Samuel turned and shot Ryan another re wordlessly. After moments of speechlessness, Ryan turned on his heels. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Samuel put on the earphones too. Although they could see and hear Tracy from a distance, they couldn¡¯t hear her clearly. The earphones would help them hear her better. ¡°Go and find Wendy right away!¡± bellowed an enraged Tracy. Before she could even finish her sentence, the men she brought dispersed and began searching everywhere. A whileter, Kathleen heard footsteps sounding outside the room. She asked curiously, ¡°Do you think they have the guts toe in?¡± Samuel snorted and put on a vicious smile. ¡°I do hope they¡¯ll barge in.¡± At that moment, they heard the voice of the guards by the entrance, stopping Tracy¡¯s men. ¡°There are VIPs in here,¡± said one of the guards icily. ¡°Who cares? Ms. Smith wants to look for someone. The audacity of you guys to get in her way!¡± Tracy¡¯s men regarded the guards with contempt. ¡°They¡¯re so haughty,¡±mented Kathleen with a frown. Samuel sneered in response. Then, they got into a fight. That was when the door to the private room they were in was opened. Samuel turned to look coldly at the intruder who barged in and whispered to Kathleen, ¡°Wait here for me.¡± She nodded and watched as he strode over and kicked the man out of the room. The man didn¡¯t even manage to see Kathleen¡¯s face before he was sent flying out of the room. Samuel closed the door behind him and spoke in a cold tone. ¡°You¡¯re just a dog of the Smith family. How dare you barge into my territory!¡± Kathleen heard Samuel¡¯s voice in the earphones and thought it was fascinating. These earphones are probably the same as the ones Samuel gave mest time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Macari. We didn¡¯t know it was you. I¡¯m truly sorry!¡± the man cried and begged for mercy. Samuel gave him another kick. ¡°Bring me to see Tracy!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The man, who was scared out of his wits, instantly obeyed. Kathleen looked down and saw that Ryan had approached Tracy. ¡°Ms. Smith, what brings you here?¡± he asked. ¡°Ryan, you¡¯d better stay out of my way. I¡¯m here to look for someone,¡± answered Tracy apathetically. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Ryan was curious. Tracy said furiously, ¡°I¡¯m looking for a b*tch who dared to seduce my husband!¡± ¡°What? Who has the guts to do so?¡± Ryan¡¯s faked surprise was obviously exaggerated. ¡°A woman named Wendy Locke. Do you know her?¡± asked Tracy, fixing her gaze on Ryan. The man shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Tracy scoffed. ¡°Hmph! How could you not know her? She¡¯s your subordinate. Are you lying to me?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know his subordinate, but I suppose you know yours, right?¡± Samuel¡¯s cold voice echoed. Carrying the man by his cor, he threw the man onto the floor right before Tracy¡¯s feet. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 n By Samuel Tracy stared at the man who fell next to her feet in shock. What¡¯s going on? She knew she could not afford to offend Samuel, as he was not just an ordinary businessman. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m sorry if my man offended you.¡± Obviously, Tracy was still aware of who called the shots in Jadeborough. Besides, she did not want to mess with someone like Samuel. Tracy shot the man at her feet a cold stare. ¡°How useless! Apologize to Mr. Macari right now.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m sorry,¡± said the man, his face bruised and battered. Samuel scoffed. His handsome face was overshadowed by a sense of aloofness. ¡°I can tell that your man doesn¡¯t know the rules. Go back and remind him to run away whenever he hears my name in the future.¡± Tracy¡¯s face fell. Pfff! Samuel heard Kathleen¡¯sughter through the earphones. His lips curled into a subtle smile. This woman! Come to think about it. I¡¯ve never brought Kathleen out to look around. I didn¡¯t even introduce her to my friends and allowed her to get exposed to the outside world. Diana was right. He had to be patient with Kathleen. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Despite the fact he had the upper handpared to the others, it would be over for him if he were to make a mistake. However, he would never ever allow himself to end up in that state. Tracy had no idea why Samuel was smiling. All she knew was that the cool, good-looking man before her looked exceptionally charming when he smiled, even though it was just a faint smile. A thought shed across Tracy¡¯s mind. His charm is truly out of this world. The smile on Samuel¡¯s face faded, and he shed Tracy a cold look. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for a woman,¡± came Tracy¡¯s reply. ¡°Woman? Who is it?¡± Samuel responded indifferently. Tracy hesitated for a moment. Samuel sneered, ¡°Tracy, to be frank with you, I invested in this ce too. Since you¡¯ve caused a ruckus at my turf, don¡¯t you think I deserve an exnation from you?¡± Pursing her lips, Tracy replied, ¡°Her name is Wendy Locke. She was working as a housekeeper at my home a few days ago, but she¡­¡± ¡°What did she do?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression turned frosty. ¡°She seduced my husband. Just because she is quite pretty, she actually seduced my husband. I¡¯ll never let her off!¡± Tracy fumed. Looking unfazed, Samuel cast his gaze upon her. A sense of guilt filled Tracy¡¯s eyes. Right then, two bodyguards came out, holding a woman. The woman¡¯s hair was disheveled. She was wearing an emerald green gown and had a curvy figure. One could still see how beautiful she was even though she looked like a mess at that moment. ¡°Wendy Locke, you¡¯re such a sl*t!¡± Tracy strode forward wrathfully and pped Wendy on the face. Wendy looked up, and there was a stain of blood on the corner of her lips. ¡°You¡¯re the sl*t!¡± Burning in rage, Tracy lifted her hand and threw another p across Wendy¡¯s cheek. Wendy sneered, ¡°You only know how toy your hand on a woman. Why don¡¯t you beat your husband up instead?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my husband? He¡¯s a nice man!¡± Tracy red at Wendy, enraged. Wendy let out a scoff and retorted, ¡°Nice my as*! He was the one who touched me first!¡± ¡°You¡¯re making things up!¡± Tracy roared. ¡°Finn will not be interested in a filthy woman like you! You b*tch! How brazen you are to spout this unreasonable nonsense! I¡¯m going to turn you into a filthier woman! All these women who tried to snatch my husband away, I¡¯ll not let you go!¡± ¡°All these women?¡± Wendy snickered. ¡°It seems like he has cheated on you quite many times.¡± Tracy gritted her teeth and yelled, ¡°Do you think I have no idea how to handle a woman like you? I¡¯ve seen many of this kind of b*tches! I can just end you with the snap of my fingers!¡± Wendy replied provocatively, ¡°So what? He will still cheat on you with other women. For instance, his ex-girlfriend, whom he can¡¯t forget. He told me that I look like his first love.¡± Those words triggered Tracy to lose her rags. ¡°Impossible! I destroyed the woman, and she¡¯s such a filthy woman now! Finn saw those photos too. It¡¯s impossible that he would think of that woman! No way!¡± Meanwhile, Kathleen frowned silently as she heard that. The more she listened to Tracy, the more she felt something amiss. There seemed to be underlying meaning and hints behind every word Wendy said. Kathleen could not help but wonder if Samuel had arranged such a scene with other motives. The crease between her brows deepened. She had an inkling of what was happening, so she continued to listen to them patiently. ¡°That¡¯s only because Finn didn¡¯t tell you. Tracy, if a man has someone special in his heart, you can never win him overpletely even if you¡¯re his wife,¡± Wendy taunted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to gain anything, though. I only slept with him because he is good-looking.¡± ¡°You!¡± Tracy raised her arm, wanting to p Wendy again. Just then, Ryan grabbed Tracy by her wrist. ¡°Tracy, that¡¯s enough! If you were to kill someone here, how can we still run the business of this ce?¡± Tracy clenched her jaw. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll take responsibility?¡± Ryan let out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°The Smith family has transferred all the assets abroad for many years. What else is left here in the country? You still have to bear the consequences if anything happens.¡± Tracy raged, ¡°Ryan Snyder, are you rted to this woman?¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Ryan was speechless. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m that free? How would it benefit me to help her out?¡± As thoughprehending Ryan¡¯s remark, Tracy bit her lip. ¡°Tracy, what did you say just now? What did you do to Finn¡¯s first love?¡± questioned Samuel apathetically. Tracy was stunned. She shed an awkward look. ¡°Mr. Macari, I don¡¯t think this matter has anything to do with you.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that it has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m just curious what would happen if I were to tell Finn about it,¡± Samuel replied impassively. Biting her lip, Tracy seemed toe to a realization. She took a look at Samuel before diverting her gaze to Ryan and Wendy. ¡°Mr. Macari, are you the one behind all these?¡± Tracy asked grimly. Samuel merely sneered without saying a word. Tracy¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I only want to know what you did to Finn¡¯s first love.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was sharp as though it could pierce through someone¡¯s heart. Tracy froze at his reply. Why is Samuel trying to get to the bottom of this matter? It has nothing to do with him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me?¡± Samuel stared at Tracy frostily. ¡°We¡¯ll tell Finn about the conversation just now.¡± Left with no choice, Tracy blurted out, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. But you have to promise me not to spread this around.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in a position to tell me what to do,¡± replied Samuel, exuding a gloomy aura. Tracy was startled. D*mn it! ¡°After I got married to Finn, his first love was still pestering him, and she wouldn¡¯t leave no matter what.¡± Tracy sounded annoyed. ¡°Initially, I was considered polite to her. When she came to my house, I told her that Finn married me on his own ord, and I didn¡¯t force him. But she was certain that I snatched Finn away from her. I had no other choices, so I instructed a few¡­¡± ¡°What did you instruct them to do?¡± came Samuel¡¯s question. Tracy pursed her lips and replied, ¡°I instructed a few men to teach her a lesson and took some clips and photos to threaten her so that she would stop pestering Finn.¡± ¡°Have you shown Finn the clips and photos?¡± Samuel questioned aloofly. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Teaching You A Lesson Staring at Samuel¡¯s unfathomable gaze, Tracy nodded in silence. ¡°So, Finn doesn¡¯t know you were the one behind it?¡± Samuel asked indifferently. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know, of course.¡± Tracy bit her lower lip. ¡°Mr. Macari, please don¡¯t tell him!¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m begging you!¡± Tracy pleaded. She was all worked up. Maintaining his deadpan expression, Samuel uttered, ¡°What is done by night appears by day.¡± ¡°As long as no one tells him, he will never find out!¡± Tracy responded. ¡°Tracy Smith!¡± Kathleen could no longer hold herself back. She came down from the second floor. Tracy heard someone calling her name and turned around. Kathleen slowly approached. She was full of rage. Tracy knew Kathleen, but she had only seen thetter on TV. Kathleen asked, ¡°Do you think you did nothing wrong back then?¡± Tracy was dumbfounded. Kathleen¡¯s gaze darkened as she added, ¡°Have you ever thought about how much harm you would bring to her by doing that?¡± Kathleen could not hold back her anger anymore. She walked toward Tracy and threw a hard p across thetter¡¯s face. Rubbing her cheek, Tracy stared at Kathleen, who was boiling with anger in disbelief. ¡°It has nothing to do with me! It was Finn who dumped her.¡± Tracy was infuriated. ¡°Finn married me willingly, and I didn¡¯t force him. He chose me instead of that woman. She should catch the hint and leave but not keep pestering us and bothering us!¡± ¡°Have you ever thought that she wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this state if Finn hadn¡¯t dumped her without any exnation?¡± Kathleen clenched her slender fingers. ¡°Moreover, you used such a filthy method to deal with a woman. Do you have any conscience?¡± ¡°I will never let anyone get in between Finn and me.¡± A sense of hatred flitted across Tracy¡¯s eyes. Kathleen let out a scornful chuckle. ¡°Finn was the one to be med. Instead of punishing Finn, why did you go after a woman?¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, this is a matter between us, and it has nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re too busybody?¡± said Tracy, looking displeased. As soon as she finished speaking, a cold male voice sounded. ¡°It has nothing to do with her, but it has something to do with me.¡± Tracy paused for a moment before she looked in the direction where the voice came from. She saw Caleb walking toward her, looking frigid and distant. Tracy froze. ¡°Caleb?¡± ¡°It seems like you know me.¡± Caleb¡¯s gaze was intimidating. ¡°I guess you know who my sister is, then.¡± Her sister? After pondering for a while, Tracy replied, ¡°Of course. Your sister is that woman. What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Caleb darted toward Tracy and grabbed her neck. Tracy did not manage to dodge his attack and was caught by him. ¡°Ouch! Let go of me!¡± Tracy tried to push Caleb¡¯s hand away. However, Caleb grabbed Tracy so tight that she could not free herself from his grasp at all. Caleb grabbed her neck with all his might as he questioned, ¡°I thought you were fearless just now. What¡¯s wrong with you now?¡± He exerted more force as he spoke. Tracy¡¯s breath was bing more and more rapid. She could even feel herself suffocating. ¡°Let me go!¡± Tracy dug her nails into Caleb¡¯s hand. Kathleen looked at Caleb worriedly. ¡°Caleb, it will not change anything even if you kill her. You can¡¯t save your sister. Calm down! It isn¡¯t worth staining your own hands because of someone like Tracy! There are many other ways to seek revenge!¡± None of her words reached Caleb¡¯s ears. At that point, all he had in mind was to avenge Vivian. Vivian was his only family. She was his sister. Since he was still a child, Vivian had been protecting him. Hence, he had secretly vowed to protect her after he grew up. His enemy was right before him. How could he not seek revenge? ¡°Caleb Lewis!¡± Kathleen reached out to grab Caleb¡¯s other arm. She was afraid that Caleb might lose his mind and kill Tracy. Thetter deserved to die but not at Caleb¡¯s hands. Tracy had already ruined one of them from the Lewis family. Kathleen could not allow Tracy to destroy Caleb too. Not to mention, Vivian had gone through so much torment because of Tracy. It would be too easy for Tracy if she were to die this way. ¡°Go away!¡± Caleb pushed Kathleen away. Kathleen was caughtpletely off-guard by his sudden response. She lost her bnce and fell into a warm embrace. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep. Kathleen shook her head. Staring at Tracy, who was almost dying, she called out to Samuel, ¡°Quick! Get someone to stop Caleb! Don¡¯t have someone get killed here for real.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was oppressing as he stared at her without saying a word. Kathleen chided, ¡°Stop getting jealous at a time like this. There¡¯s nothing between him and me!¡± Samuel grinned. ¡°Okay. I buy this exnation.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words in an instant. Ahh! What a j*rk! How frustrating! Samuel waved his hand, and about five bodyguards went toward Caleb and surrounded him. Two of them grabbed him by the arms, and another two grabbed his legs. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Caleb was fuming. However, the four bodyguards only listened to Samuel¡¯s instructions. The only bodyguard left moved a chair over and ced it at the side. The other four bodyguards carried Caleb and ced him on the chair before tying him up with ropes. At the same time, Kathleen stared at Samuel silently, as though having something weighing on her mind. Has he gotten everything prepared beforehand? Tracy slumped to the ground and rubbed her neck, her eyes red. ¡°Caleb, you¡¯d better not go too far! It was your sister who kept bothering my man! I only taught her a lesson. She deserved it!¡± p! N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen walked over and pped Tracy hard on the face. Tracy was taken aback by her act. Covering her face, she questioned furiously, ¡°Kathleen Johnson, what are you doing? Don¡¯t you think you cany your hands on me again and again just because Samuel is backing you up? I¡¯m not someone you can easily mess with!¡± ¡°I¡¯m teaching you a lesson.¡± Kathleen shot Tracy a cold re. ¡°Finn didn¡¯t break up with Vivian when he got married to you. Vivian had been waiting for him. Based on what you stated, who is the mistress, then?¡± ¡°Haha! Vivian is the mistress! She is the mistress!¡± Tracy scoffed. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Looking at the arrogant woman before him, Caleb bellowed, ¡°Let me kill her!¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows settled into a deep frown. Tracy shows no remorse at all! A j*rk like Finn and a sl*t like her are a perfect match. Both of them are the culprits! Samuel asked apathetically, ¡°Tracy, would you dare to say the same in front of Finn too?¡± Tracy was dumbfounded. Her eyes were filled with horror. She could never let Finn find out about what she had done. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re well aware of the situation.¡± Samuel continued sarcastically, ¡°Finn always has Vivian in his heart. He only married you because of his family. Since you know about this, why can¡¯t you ept that Finn married you not because he loves you?¡± Tracy¡¯s face stiffened. Samuel shed Kathleen a faint smile. ¡°Go tell her.¡± Kathleen responded with a nod. Staring at Tracy, she said calmly, ¡°Tracy, you got someone to spread that kind of photo around, and Vivian has gone mad because of that. If you still wish to make up for the bad deeds you¡¯ve done, hand us the negatives.¡± Tracy seemed reluctant. ¡°Tracy, you¡¯ve been married to Finn for many years, but you couldn¡¯t get pregnant all these years. Have you ever thought it could be karma?¡± Kathleen said emotionlessly. Tracy froze at Kathleen¡¯s remark and stared nkly at thetter. ¡°Tracy, I¡¯m a traditional medicine practitioner. Judging by yourplexion, I can tell you often have nightmares. You always feel anxious and depressed. That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard for you to conceive, right?¡± Kathleen analyzedposedly. Tracy widened her eyes in shock. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Traditional medicine is all about inspection, auscultation, consultation, and cross-examination. Your issue is already very severe. It will be hard for you to conceive if you don¡¯t receive treatment,¡± said Kathleen. She suppressed the anger surging within her. If the allegation could be grounded with evidence, I really wish she could receive the punishment she deserves. Even so, it¡¯s too easy for her. I¡¯m going to make Tracy regret what she had done to Vivian because of Finn. Tracy looked at her nkly. ¡°You can help me, right?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I do have a condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Tracy was willing to promise Kathleen anything as long as she could get pregnant. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Apologize ¡°Apologize to Vivian and untie the knot in her heart,¡± Kathleen icily stated. Baffled, Tracy bit her lip and eximed, ¡°Never!¡± That garnered a scoff from Kathleen, who then sardonically snapped, ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid that Finn would leave you? After all, many years have passed, and you still haven¡¯t gotten pregnant. Aren¡¯t you worried that the Morris family won¡¯t want you around anymore?¡± Tracy pursed her lips. Kathleen¡¯s indifferent voice rang again as she continued, ¡°I heard Finn¡¯s mother kept asking you to get pregnant. That way, Finn would have all the more reason to return to the Morris family and inherit the family business.¡± ¡°As long as I apologize, you promise you¡¯ll help me get pregnant?¡± asked Tracy, whose intent gaze was fixated on Kathleen. A nod came from thetter. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll apologize,¡± Tracy said through gritted teeth. At that moment, Kathleen and Samuel exchanged looks, relieved that they had finally convinced Tracy. If she had refused, the two would have taken extreme measures to have things go their way. ¡°Have someone deliver the original copies of the video and photos here now. I¡¯ll get my brother to send Vivian over,¡± Kathleen instructed. Dissatisfaction shadowed all over Tracy¡¯s face, but there was little else she could do in the situation. Hence, she ordered one of her subordinates to head back and collect the original copies. Kathleen phoned Charles. ¡°Hey, Charles, bring Vivian over. Let¡¯s settle the matter today.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles, who was on the other end of the line, nodded. With that, Kathleen hung up and looked over at Ryan. ¡°Get us a bigger room.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Ryan nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen said while shooting Tracy an apathetic nce. Thetter took two steps before pausing on the spot. She then looked over at Samuel to ask, ¡°Can I ask you something, Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± replied an impatient Samuel. Once more, Tracy paused for a brief moment before asking, ¡°Did you arrange for Wendy to put on that show earlier?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Samuel candidly replied. That instantly baffled Tracy. Never did she expect Samuel to admit it. Yet, he did. It seemed that the man was not even worried about her seeking revenge on him. Kathleen had heard the two¡¯s exchange as well. Gosh! Samuel is really fearless, huh? Soon, they arrived at thergest banquet hall on the first floor. There were no activities or conventions for the day, so the banquet hall was empty. It did not take long before some men carried Caleb, who sat on a chair, into the hall. The entire situation dumbfounded him as he yelled, ¡°Kathleen! Let me go!¡± In response, a look of indifference appeared on Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°No. You¡¯re too reckless and can mess things up.¡± That was enough to render Caleb speechless. Nevertheless, he soon regained his senses and thundered, ¡°Need I remind you that this matter involves my sister?¡± ¡°So what? Things will proceed smoothly even without your presence. Do you seriously think you¡¯re that important?¡± Kathleen questioned. No response came from Caleb at that point. He figured that he had pissed her off by shoving her earlier. However, it was not intentional, as he was not thinking straight at that time. ¡°Um, about me shoving you aside earlier¡­ You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± Caleb eventually asked with concern. ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Samuel¡¯s frosty re pierced Caleb as he added, ¡°If it happens again, I¡¯ll chop your hands off.¡± Silence befell Caleb as he cautiously eyed Samuel. He knew he was indeed at fault for acting so brashly despite Kathleen¡¯s sincere intentions. Just then, Tracy¡¯s subordinate returned with a bag in hand. Tracy nced over before instructing, ¡°Hand it to them!¡± Her subordinate approached Kathleen while speaking with the utmost respect. ¡°Here are the items you requested, Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words upon hearing the formal title given to her. Cough! Cough! Samuel cleared his throat, rifying, ¡°I had nothing to do with that.¡± Enraged, Kathleen was quick to reply, ¡°It¡¯s all because you keep showing up beside me, and that causes a misunderstanding for everyone!¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s my fault,¡± Samuel soothed. Only a huff came from Kathleen as she felt Samuel did not realize his mistakes. Nevertheless, she epted the bag containing many photos and the video stored on a memory card. She nced at the photos but felt they were too jarring, so she quickly stuffed them back into the bag. ¡°Have someone bring a metal bucket over,¡± ordered Kathleen. In that instance, she seemed like the boss of the ce as everyone obeyed her demands. However, Kathleen knew others were onlyplying with her for Samuel¡¯s sake. She felt deep down that she was merely ying out an act of being powerful. Ryan quickly ordered some of his staff to fetch a metal bucket. Not long passed before Charles arrived at the scene with Vivian. That was Vivian¡¯s first time leaving the mansion in three years. She wore a light yellow dress that reached her ankles and tied her hair with a red scarf from Belmonia. Pure innocence exuded from her presence. However, her skin was so pale under the chandeliers¡¯ sparkling lights that it almost looked translucent. Tracy could tell Vivian was ill. Yet, the former felt utterly displeased as thetter still appeared stunningly gorgeous despite being unwell. What right does she have to be so beautiful even when she¡¯s clearly sick? Charles continued to hold Vivian¡¯s hand, providing her withfort and support. ¡°Everything¡¯s okay. Rx.¡± Like always, a look of innocence shed in Vivian¡¯s eyes as she asked, ¡°Charles, why are we here? Is it to attend an event?¡± Not a word came from Charles. ¡°Oh, I know! You¡¯re taking me to a ball, aren¡¯t you? Well, why didn¡¯t you say so? I would¡¯ve worn my favorite leather heels. Um, where did I put them?¡± Vivian continued to speak with a na?ve and confused expression. ¡°We¡¯re not here to attend a ball,¡± Charles grimly interjected. ¡°We¡¯re not?¡± Vivian¡¯s brows drew close. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. What are we doing here then? ¡°Charles,¡± Kathleen called out. With a cold expression, Charles swept his gaze past everyone at the scene. Is Finn not here? Meanwhile, Vivian noticed her brother and asked curiously, ¡°What are you doing here, Caleb?¡± ¡°Vivian! Help untie me,¡± Caleb urged. Although Vivian tried to reach out, Charles nudged her away and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him.¡± Vivian blinked in surprise before retorting, ¡°But he¡¯s my brother.¡± ¡°My sister asked someone to tie him up,¡± Charles exined. That shocked Vivian, who eximed, ¡°Gosh! I had no idea your sister was into that kind of thing.¡± An awkward silence filled the air as both Charles and Kathleen did not know how to react. Contrarily, Caleb narrowed his eyes while Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. Kathleen adjusted her emotions and took a deep breath before speaking. ¡°Charles, could you step back? I¡¯d like for us women to deal with this matter ourselves.¡± Charles tensed up upon hearing that. However, Kathleen instantly looked over and held Vivian¡¯s hand. The former said in a gentle tone, ¡°Come with me.¡± Vivian hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. The two then arrived hand in hand before Tracy, whose arms were crossed. However, Tracy instantly uncrossed her arms as soon as she noticed Kathleen ring at her. D*mn it! ¡°Who are you? Why do you look so familiar?¡± Vivian asked confusedly. She felt a sense of familiarity but could not quite pinpoint where or how she had met Tracy. ¡°Do you have amnesia?¡± asked a frowning Tracy. Those words further confused Vivian, who questioned, ¡°Yeah¡­ Have I lost my memories? Why can¡¯t I remember?¡± ¡°Vivian, this woman¡¯s name is Tracy Smith. She caused you great harm in the past, but she intends to apologize to you today,¡± Kathleen coldly stated. ¡°Apologize?¡± Vivian¡¯s brows raised as she queried in perplexity, ¡°Why does she want to apologize?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Vivian, do you remember¡­¡± Kathleen struggled to utter the words but eventually continued, ¡°About those pictures?¡± Pictures? Initially, Vivian blinked as though she felt lost about what was going on. Yet, her expression suddenly contorted into one of hysteria in the next moment. ¡°Pictures? T-Those pictures!¡± The sudden turn of events made Charles uneasy as he hurriedly stepped forward to intervene. However, Samuel reached out and gripped his shoulder. ¡°Calm down.¡± Samuel thought they should have faith in Kathleen. Meanwhile, Kathleen held Vivian¡¯s hand while stating, ¡°Finn didn¡¯t hire someone to take those pictures of you back then. It was her.¡± Vivian stiffened then and there. Her dumbfounded gaze remained on Tracy for a long while. ¡°She knows what she did was wrong now and wants to apologize to you,¡± Kathleen exined. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Where The Hell Are You All the blood drained from Vivian¡¯s face at that moment. Even her limbs were trembling fervently. While watching the entire scene unfold from the side, Charles and Caleb both felt worried. ¡°Why did you do that to me?¡± Vivian cast a nk look at Tracy. She had always assumed Finn was the one behind the matter. Coldughter came from a sneering Tracy. ¡°Because you kept clinging on to Finn like a leech. Jeez¡­ Vivian, he and I are already married. If his love for you was truly deep and genuine, why would he marry me?¡± Vivian gnawed on her bottom lip in annoyance, countering, ¡°That¡¯s because his family forced him to marry you.¡± ¡°His family didn¡¯t say that he had to choose between marrying me or taking his own life. That means he clearly loves power and glory over you,¡± Tracy hissed. That made Vivian turn even paler. Kathleen shot a surprised look at Tracy. Doesn¡¯t Tracy know everything? She should be aware that Finn doesn¡¯t have feelings for her then. Why is she still so obsessed with him? How puzzling. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if he doesn¡¯t love me. However, I can¡¯t stand that you keep clinging on to him!¡± A murderous look crept up Tracy¡¯s hideously frowning face. She seethed with utter rage, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how irksome you are? Constantly bothering us like a pest and causing a scene at our home! You¡¯re the reason we can¡¯t have a peaceful life!¡± ¡°I-I just¡­¡± Vivian faltered as tears trickled down her cheeks. ¡°Tracy! Why are you saying all of that?¡± a furious Kathleen interrupted. ¡°Just apologize!¡± It was then that Tracy bit her lips, stopping herself from going on. Instead, she reluctantly muttered, ¡°Sorry.¡± Several tears dotted Vivian¡¯s long, darkshes at that point. She said, ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you.¡± ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t care less.¡± Tracy turned to look elsewhere grumpily. That was when Kathleen spoke with a frosty tone that could send chills down one¡¯s spine. ¡°Tracy, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve gone too far by using these dirty tricks against Vivian?¡± ¡°I went too far?¡± Tracy scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve never had an annoying pest bother you daily.¡± ¡°There are many ways in which you could¡¯ve resolved this matter.¡± A cold gleam shed across Kathleen¡¯s hostile gaze. She added, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do such a thing. Instead, you could¡¯ve gotten Finn to rify things with Vivian.¡± ¡°Oh, what do you know?¡± Tracy snarled. A mighty, upromising rage shed in Kathleen¡¯s dark eyes at that point. ¡°Clearly, you don¡¯t regret doing those vicious things, do you? Well, I won¡¯t ever let you off easy!¡± Caleb barked from the chair he got tied to. ¡°Hmph! Come at me then! Do you think I¡¯ll be afraid of you? As if! No one else in this world loves Finn more than I do!¡± asserted Tracy. Kathleen frowned while turning back to her brother. ¡°Charles! Look after Vivian for a bit.¡± At once, Charles marched forward and stood before Vivian defensively. He held her hand whileforting her with a gentle tone. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡± Vivian¡¯s hand was ice cold. Tracy looked at them, then lowered her head. By then, Kathleen had walked to Samuel¡¯s side and asked in a soft voice, ¡°What¡¯s Finn and Tracy¡¯s rtionship like?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡± replied a smirking Samuel. ¡°Duh. She¡¯ll probably say that Finn adores her a lot. Asking her would just be a waste of my breath.¡± Kathleen shrugged. Just then, Samuel cracked a joke. ¡°You¡¯re not wasting your breath because you¡¯ll still need to breathe either way.¡± Feeling speechless at hisme joke, she ordered, ¡°Answer my question.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not on good terms at all.¡± ¡°You arranged for Wendy to say those things earlier, didn¡¯t you?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°So, did Wendy tell you how Tracy and Finn get along with each other on a daily basis?¡± Kathleen curiously asked. Samuel instantly turned to instruct his men, ¡°Get Wendy over here now.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± One of his bodyguards hurriedly carried out the task. Not long passed before Wendy got escorted into the hall. She had not left the private club yet. Upon entering the hall, she awkwardly slunk over to Samuel and Kathleen. ¡°Ms. Johnson has a question for you. You¡¯d best answer it earnestly,¡± Samuel icily ordered. Wendy fervently nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°How is Finn and Tracy¡¯s rtionship?¡± Kathleen probed while staring intently at her. That question took Wendy by surprise, and she answered, ¡°Tracy¡¯s practically a simp for Finn. She showers him with affection, and it¡¯s almost as if she is his ve. However, Finn couldn¡¯t care less about her. He would rather speak with me than her.¡± Kathleen frowned but pressed on, ¡°What else?¡± Wendy was stumped, so she asked, ¡°What would you like to know, Ms. Johnson?¡± ¡°What do they normally chat about?¡± Kathleen questioned. Despite being flustered, Wendy responded, ¡°You have no idea, Ms. Johnson. Back when I stayed in the Morris residence as a housekeeper, Finn would talk to me more than with her. Even if the two were on speaking terms, they would be arguing.¡± ¡°What would they normally fight about?¡± Kathleen continued probing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t catch what they were fighting about, since they often fought behind closed doors. The one time I managed to listen in was when they argued during a meal. A member of the Stewart family encountered some problems and wanted Tracy to ask for Finn¡¯s help. However, Finn declined, so Tracy snapped at him. I recall him saying something about how the Smith family lied to him.¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows furrowed. Lied to him? Seeing Kathleen in deep thoughts, Samuel coldly spoke up. ¡°You can wait back there. If Ms. Johnson needs anything else from you, we¡¯ll call you over.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wendy nodded before backing away to the side of the hall. It was then that Kathleen shot an exceedingly grim look at Tracy. Her low tone almost sounded like a growl. ¡°How can there be a bigger idiot than me when ites to falling blindly for someone?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze became a tad frosty as he countered, ¡°I¡¯m not like Finn.¡± Kathleen raised a brow upon hearing his statement. ¡°I¡¯m merely saying that Tracy and I are simr. I¡¯m not talking about you and Finn. Why do you seem so bothered? Do you feel guilty?¡± Samuel mped his lips shut at that moment. After all, an intelligent man would know not to talk back when arguing with a woman. ¡°Hmph!¡± Kathleen scoffed before storming over to Caleb. All that remained was a frowning Samuel, who felt that he had misspoken again. ¡°Caleb, how do you n to resolve this matter?¡± Kathleen locked eyes with him. ¡°Are you seriously asking me?¡± Caleb questioned with a prickly tone. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you get someone to tie me up so that I can¡¯t do anything?¡± Caleb pouted. However, he would never dare to be mad at Kathleen. ¡°That¡¯s because you tend to act rashly,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Now, I¡¯m asking you what you would like to do regarding the matter.¡± ¡°Now that things havee to this point, I will never let the Smith family go!¡± Caleb uttered resolutely. Kathleen was rendered speechless. She eventuallymented, ¡°Thank goodness I tied you up.¡± Caleb red at her upon hearing that. However, Kathleen did not want to waste any more time talking to him. She turned around to stare daggers at Tracy. ¡°Call Finn and say that you¡¯re being held captive by us. Tell him that he¡¯s to show up here in person if he wants you to return alive.¡± Tracy tensed at once. What did she say? Her eyes opened wide as she gawked at Kathleen with puzzlement, then she shifted her gaze to Vivian. No! I can¡¯t do that! ¡°Aren¡¯t you and Finn a loving couple? Why won¡¯t you call him? Won¡¯t hee to your rescue if you¡¯re in trouble?¡± Kathleen now knew how to get on Tracy¡¯s nerves, so she went all the way. ¡°Of course he will!¡± Tracy said through clenched teeth. ¡°Quit wasting our time, then! Make the call,¡± Kathleen thundered. ¡°Unless you want me to release Caleb and lock you two in here.¡± Having heard the conversation, Caleb sardonically piped up, ¡°Gee, thanks forparing me to a bloodhound!¡± Kathleen glowered at him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Meanwhile, Tracy stole a glimpse of the tied-up Caleb. She knew she would only suffer a great deal if she were to end up in his grasp. Left without a choice, she could only ask Finn toe over and pick her up. She took out her phone and dialed a number before cing the phone by her ear. After two rings, an indifferent-sounding man spoke from the other end of the line. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what time it is? Where the hell are you?¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Nothing Wrong Tracy¡¯s body tensed. She said, ¡°Kathleen and the others captured me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Finn frowned. ¡°They say they will only release me if youe here. Otherwise, they¡¯ll let Caleb beat me up. Darling, you cannot leave me to my own devices,¡± Tracy uttered indignantly. Fury shed across Finn¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did I not tell you to stay away from them? What were you thinking?¡± ¡°They are too cunning,¡± Tracy replied sheepishly. Finn gritted his teeth. ¡°Did you mention anything you¡¯re not supposed to?¡± She shook her head fervently. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Hurry up and save me, Darling.¡± ¡°I got it. You¡¯re so troublesome!¡± Finn was mad. Tracy was ashamed by her ipetence as she hung up the phone. Kathleen stared at Tracy with a poker face. Is it worth taking such a risk for a man who doesn¡¯t love you? Tracy appeared to be in a daze. Charles knew Finn wouldeter, so he helped Vivian to a seat. Samuel walked over, dragging Kathleen along as they sat down too. ¡°Ryan, bring us some beverage,¡± he said to Ryan. ¡°All right!¡± Ryan ordered his subordinate to prepare the drinks. Soon, someone brought over some fruits and drinks. That¡¯s very thoughtful. Kathleen did not eat anything earlier, so her stomach was empty. She picked up a fork and helped herself to the fruits after the fruit tter was served on the table. Samuel poured a cup of hot coffee for her and set it aside for the heat to dissipate. Tracy was left alone and isted from the others present. She sat down as well afterward. A dozen minutester, Finn entered. He was slightly astounded after taking in the scene. Vivian immediately leaped to her feet when she saw him. Their eyes met. A hint of hostility gleamed across Finn¡¯s eyes, but he quickly recollected himself. He narrowed his eyes and shifted his cold gaze onto Kathleen. ¡°Ms. Johnson, may I bring Tracy away?¡± Kathleen looked at him indifferently. ¡°Finn, aren¡¯t you curious why we detained Tracy?¡± Finn curled his lips. ¡°Tracy was pampered and spoiled growing up, so she can be quite willful in handling matters. I apologize in her stead if she offended any of you.¡± ¡°Finn!¡± Caleb gritted his teeth. ¡°To prevent my sister from pestering you, Tracy instructed some men to taint my sister¡¯s purity, and those animals even took pictures in the process. Do you think that¡¯s a trivial matter?¡± Finn knitted his brows and narrowed his eyes at Tracy. Tracy¡¯s eyes glinted when Finn entered earlier. However, his gaze lingered on Kathleen and Vivian but never rested on her, as if she was non-existent. ¡°You did that?¡± Finn asked coolly. She nodded. ¡°Yes, I did that.¡± He turned to look at Caleb and uttered apologetically, ¡°This is my first time hearing this. In that case, I am truly sorry for what happened.¡± Caleb¡¯s dark eyes shone with malicious intent. ¡°Finn.¡± Vivian bit her lip with tears in her eyes. Finn said to her in the same regretful tone, ¡°Ms. Lewis, I truly am sorry.¡± Vivian was stunned. Kathleen finished her coffee and stood up. ¡°Finn, something has been troubling my mind, and I hope you¡¯ll be able to enlighten me on this issue,¡± she said coldly. Samuel narrowed his eyes. He knew it was about time for Kathleen to make her move. ¡°Ask away, Ms. Johnson,¡± Finn smiled slyly. ¡°In the past, your family members arranged a marriage for you with someone from the Smith family. You married the woman, but why didn¡¯t you exin the situation to Vivian? Why did you leave without saying a word?¡± Kathleen questioned him calmly. Finn remained silent. ¡°To the best of my knowledge, you did not break up with her. Instead, you gave her the cold shoulder. Is that correct?¡± she asked further. Finn narrowed his eyes. ¡°I thought she would understand. What else is there to exin if a man decides to ditch a woman? To be honest, I thought you should know better, Ms. Johnson. After all¡­¡± He nced at Samuel. Thetter was unfazed by the turns of events. Kathleen sneered. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not assuming a feeble attempt like that will provoke me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to do so,¡± Finn said, obviously up to no good. Kathleen¡¯s expression was gloomy. ¡°In that case, you should end things properly with her right here, right now.¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. Kathleen said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you reluctant to do so? Don¡¯t tell me you still like her.¡± Finn answered casually, ¡°How is that possible? My feelings for her have long gone.¡± Vivian¡¯s face turned pale. Finn turned around and stared at Vivian coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened three years ago. I did not rify things with you, but I hope you¡¯ll understand. I do not love you anymore.¡± Tears welling up in her eyes streamed down her cheeks. She gazed at him as her heart ached terribly. ¡°Why is that?¡± she asked, unwilling to ept that oue. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for someone to stop loving another person. I do not like the way you need to rify everything in a rtionship, Vivian. Don¡¯t you think it is better for a gray and undefined zone to exist in a rtionship? Do you get what I mean?¡± Vivian shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t get it!¡± ¡°Let me make myself clear, then. I pursued you because I was lonely during my school days, so I needed a girl to apany me. I married Tracy because her family and background are beneficial to me. That¡¯s all.¡± Vivian sobbed, ¡°You¡¯re too cruel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cruel? Isn¡¯t that in selfishness?¡± Even Ryan could not bear to listen further. Finn sneered. ¡°Everyone will always put their own benefit above others. I believe that¡¯s a principle that everyone could grasp. I¡¯m just chasing after my desires. Is that wrong?¡± Kathleen did not expect Finn to be so shameless and despicable. He had never treated Vivian wholeheartedly. She was nothing more than a ything to him. Charles clenched his fists as his eyes turned icy cold. Kathleenughed mockingly. ¡°Finn, your words are truly enlightening and have provided me with such new insights. I was indeed too narrow-minded.¡± Finn sensed her sarcastic tone. He gazed frostily at Tracy. ¡°Why are you still sitting there? Let¡¯s go.¡± Tracy slowly stood up. Kathleen walked up to Caleb and stood behind him. Tracy strode over to Finn¡¯s side and said indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Finn snorted before turning on his heels. Kathleen bent down to untie Caleb while saying, ¡°Finn, you¡¯re the most inhumane person I¡¯ve ever met. You¡¯re worse than a beast.¡± Finn stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. Kathleen tossed away the ropes in her hands. Caleb got to his feet. I¡¯m finally free! ¡°Please mind your manners and show some respect, Ms. Johnson!¡± Finn was furious. Kathleen scoffed, ¡°Respect? Does a sc*m like you deserve that?¡± He glowered at her. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen stepped forward. ¡°Finn, how dare you act so righteously when you¡¯vemitted the wrongdoing but let a woman take the me for you?¡± Finn¡¯s expression changed drastically. Everyone was shocked. Caleb was taken aback. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°No, I did that. Finn has nothing to do with this matter!¡± Tracy suddenly became very agitated. ¡°Tracy, there is nothing wrong with you loving someone, but do you know what you¡¯re doing right now is no different from holding a candle to the devil?¡± Kathleen said emotionlessly. Tracy fell into a daze. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know. Anyway, this has nothing to do with Finn. That¡¯s the truth!¡± ¡°Pull yourself together. This man will not fall for you simply because you take the me for him. On the contrary, he¡¯s desperately hoping you¡¯ll be imprisoned or even be murdered by Caleb because of this matter,¡± Kathleen uttered sarcastically. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Not A Despicable Man Tracy¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Tracy, if something happens to you, Finn will have a reason to divorce you. Don¡¯t tell me you think he will wait for you to be released if you¡¯re imprisoned,¡± Kathleen reminded. Tracy¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°By then, your family will have lost everything they currently have, and their lives will hit rock bottom because of you. Do you think they will not hate you when you get out of jail?¡± Kathleen pressed further. ¡°I¡­¡± Tracy paused and looked in Finn¡¯s direction. Finn sneered. ¡°Ms. Johnson, are you trying to sow discord between another couple because your marriage is filled with misfortune? That¡¯s not really appropriate, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice, since you¡¯ve enlightened me with how a real j*rk would behave. Even Mr. Macari seems cute and innocent inparison,¡± she replied. Samuel snorted to express his frustration. Do notpare me to Finn! ¡°F*ck you, Finn!¡± While they were talking, Caleb dashed up to Finn, grasped his cor, and punched him. Kathleen knew Caleb was a good fighter. The corner of Finn¡¯s mouth started bleeding at once. ¡°Darling!¡± Tracy went to help Finn up. He pushed her away. ¡°Get lost!¡± The silverware on the table nked noisily as she regained her bnce by supporting her weight on the table. She turned to look at Finn and Caleb. They were already engaged in a fight. Kathleen did not intend to stop them. ording to her analysis, Caleb had the ability to outfight Finn. Since thew failed to punish a j*rk like Finn, I¡¯ll just let Caleb handle him. Finn is not as good at fighting as Caleb, anyway. After all, Caleb used to be a gangster. Finn was overwhelmed by Caleb after they exchanged a few punches. Tracy grabbed Caleb¡¯s leg in desperation. ¡°Please, I beg you. Stop hitting him. No!¡± ¡°Go away!¡± Caleb thundered furiously and booted her. Still, she did not let go. ¡°If you still want to avenge your sister, then direct your anger at me!¡± Tracy yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I do not dare to hit women! I¡¯m not as gentlemanly as you think I am!¡± Caleb bellowed. Tracy gritted her teeth and wrapped her arms tightly around his leg. Meanwhile, Finn merely stared at them without showing any willingness to help Tracy. Kathleen gazed at Vivian while thetter turned to look at her as well. ¡°Do you see what I mean now? Think this through. Are you going to let your brothermit the biggest error of his life here because of that man, or will you continue to hold on to that despicable man?¡± Kathleen questioned her coldly. Vivian covered her face as she wept in silence. Charles stared at her. ¡°Stop what you¡¯re doing, Caleb!¡± Vivian shouted all of a sudden. She withdrew her hands from Charles¡¯ and walked up to Caleb. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop hitting her.¡± Caleb paused. She held his hands and said, ¡°She¡¯s not at fault. Don¡¯t harm the innocent.¡± He gritted his teeth and snorted. In fact, Tracy was fine, aside from being kicked once by Caleb. Vivian strode up to Finn. ¡°So, you orchestrated the whole thing?¡± Finn remained silent. ¡°Say something!¡± She grabbed his cor. ¡°You dare to do all those things, yet you do not have the courage to admit your doings?¡± He gazed down at her with an unfathomable expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. I did it. So what?¡± Tears streamed down from the corner of Vivian¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Why? Why did you do this to me? Why did you have to be so cruel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too stupid! I ignored you simply because I did not wish to be with you anymore, yet you demanded I rify things with you. What else could I say? I told you I didn¡¯t love you anymore, but did you believe me?¡± She sniffled. ¡°But I thought you were acting against your own will. I assumed you were forced to marry Tracy.¡± Finn sneered. ¡°And that¡¯s why I said you¡¯re stupid!¡± Vivian was stunned. I¡¯m stupid? He¡¯s right. I am stupid. That¡¯s why I fell in love with a man like him. Haha! All these misfortunes that befell me must have been my punishments. ¡°You b*stard!¡± Caleb was livid. He reached out to punch Finn, but thetter avoided his attack. That prompted Caleb¡¯s anger to intensify. However, Vivian grasped her brother¡¯s arm. ¡°Caleb, this is a matter between him and me. You¡¯re not allowed to intervene!¡± Caleb recollected himself and stayed still afterward. ¡°Finn, even if I am stupid, you shouldn¡¯t have hurt someone who loved you.¡± She wiped her tears off as she continued, ¡°Haha¡­ Won¡¯t your conscience be guilt-ridden after you rendered me in such a pathetic state?¡± ¡°He has no conscience, presumably having lost it a long time ago!¡± Caleb snapped. Finn stared at Vivian with a poker face. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand me?¡± Understand you? Vivian found his question to beical. ¡°I have to understand you after you hurt me cruelly? You¡¯re ridiculous, Finn!¡± This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He grabbed her wrist and whispered so that others could not listen in on their exchange, ¡°You¡¯re defiled, anyway. I¡¯ll offer you to be my mistress. What do you say?¡± p! She pped him hard on the face and thundered, ¡°F*ck off!¡± Finn curled his lips into a derisive smile and let go of her. Then, he dragged Tracy along and left. ¡°Vivian, what did he say?¡± Caleb frowned. What¡¯s with her sudden, exaggerated response? Vivian was reluctant to answer him. She merely gazed at the merciless Finn¡¯s leaving figure from behind and sneered. What a brutal man. He drove me insane and still deliberately humiliated me in that manner. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Caleb,¡± Vivian uttered. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. The siblings proceeded to make their way out. Charles moved to Kathleen¡¯s side. ¡°Tracy took the me for Finn?¡± ¡°Her affection toward Finn has caused her to lose herself. Her thought process baffles me,¡± Kathleen said indifferently. Charles pursed his lips. ¡°I still think something doesn¡¯t feel right about this matter.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. ¡°I have this simr feeling too. However, the rest is no longer our problem now. I think Vivian will no longer feel troubled by this matter.¡± Charles knitted his brows. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± She paused briefly before adding, ¡°It¡¯s up to her now if she¡¯s able to leave the past behind completely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Lewis residence to visit her tomorrow,¡± Charles said. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the hotel, Charles. Please take care of the family, especially Granny.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Charles nodded. Kathleen was about to leave when Samuel piped up, ¡°I¡¯ll send you home.¡± She raised her brows at him. ¡°That¡¯s not needed.¡± Samuel frowned. What did I do to offend her? Kathleen walked away. Samuel hastily put on his jacket and chased after her. When they arrived at the entrance, he pulled her into his embrace and mped her figure between his underarm and body. Then, he forced her into his car. Kathleen was rendered speechless. D*mn it! I don¡¯t even have to chance to struggle! Samuel got into the car and narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Why are you mad at me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I wouldn¡¯t dare to be mad at you,¡± Kathleen replied indifferently. Samuel snorted coldly. ¡°You¡¯re mad at me right now. I¡¯m not Finn. I admitted everything I¡¯d done in the past. Why are you being snarky?¡± ¡°Say whatever you want.¡± She turned to gaze outside the window. Samuel pursed his lips and tugged on Kathleen¡¯s arm, pulling her to his side. He then said softly, ¡°Did the encounter with the j*rk remind you of the hatred you harbored toward me?¡± Kathleen did not say a word. Samuel was anxious. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m not a j*rk anymore. I swear!¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Go To Hell Samuel felt helpless whenever he faced Kathleen. No matter how much he tried, she would not ept him. He felt as though he had fallen into an abyss, and he couldn¡¯t extricate himself from it. ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t ask you to like me,¡± Kathleen said heartlessly. Samuel looked at her icily as he scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re really hard-hearted.¡± She remained silent, and he let her go. Just as she thought he was giving up and was about to back away, he stopped her from leaving his embrace, tightening his grip on her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°I just want to hug you.¡± His voice was deep. He didn¡¯t know how he could have her. Even though he could see her, he realized he still could not touch her. All this while, he had been rather confident with himself, thinking that he could win her heart again. However, as time went by, only then did he realize Kathleen was like a kite with a broken string. Unless she came back to him of her own will, he could never get her back. Caleb sent Vivian back to her room in the Lewis residence. ¡°Vivian, are you all right?¡± he asked concernedly. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Vivian, you don¡¯t have to care much about that man¡¯s words. There are still many good men in this world,¡± Calebforted. Vivian looked at her brother. ¡°Caleb, you really don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯vee to my senses.¡± Caleb merely stared at her in silence. Vivian sighed. ¡°I was too stubborn back then. I used to put love and romantic rtionships above all else, yet I was badly hurt by men.¡± ¡°Vivian¡­¡± Caleb didn¡¯t know what to say. In his opinion, forgetting the past would be the best. ¡°Vivian, I heard that Charles knew of a fantastic therapist. Perhaps you can undergo hypnotherapy and forget that incident.¡± Vivian gave him a solemn look and forced a smile. ¡°What¡¯s the point of that? People will mention it anyway.¡± Caleb was crestfallen. Whatever had happened had happened. There was no way to pretend as though everything was fine. ¡°Vivian, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let Finn get away with it!¡± Caleb dered furiously. Vivian replied with aplicated look, ¡°Caleb, thank you, but I don¡¯t need it. I don¡¯t want you to do more for me.¡± Caleb was stunned. She put her hand on his head, smiling gently. ¡°The little guy who always followed me around back then has grown up. I had been lost for so long that I didn¡¯t realize it.¡± He gazed at her intently. ¡°Vivian.¡± ¡°All right. It¡¯s gettingte. You should sleep,¡± she reminded. Caleb nodded. ¡°Vivian, I¡¯ll ask someone to remove the window bars, or perhaps I should let you move to a new room and decorate it with the design you like.¡± He hoped that she could live her life gracefully as before. Vivian replied softly, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Good night, Vivian.¡± With that said, Caleb left the room. After she watched him enter his own room, she went back to her room and closed the door. As shey on the cold bed and stared nkly at the ceiling, tears of humiliation and anguish streamed down her face. Finn, go to hell! The next day, Kathleen was filming as usual. After that, she went to the side to take a rest. Valerie approached her with a smile. ¡°Kate, look. You have visitors.¡± Kathleen turned toward the direction of her voice and found that Frances and Diana hade to visit her. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari? Granny?¡± Kathleen was surprised. The two olddies were dressed in casual outfits as they stood not far away from her, waving at her. Kathleen chuckled before noticing Samuel¡¯s tall and lean figure. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Why is he here too? When the director saw Samuel hade, he let everyone have a two-hour break. Kathleen went toward the two olddies with a spring in her step. ¡°Katie, you looked awesome just now!¡± Diana praised. ¡°Of course. I practiced for a long time,¡± Kathleen said proudly. ¡°Yeah, you looked like a superwoman.¡± Frances alsoughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go to my break room.¡± Kathleen held the twodies¡¯ hands and walked toward her break room, completely ignoring Samuel. He was rendered speechless. D*mn it! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to be angry, and yet, she still has the audacity to pay no heed to me! How daring she is! When Tyson saw Samuel being neglected, the former said, ¡°It seems like Ms. Johnson doesn¡¯t want to see you, Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°You know nothing!¡± Samuel was displeased. Tyson fell silent. I know. I know everything. ¡°Give out the things brought by Grandma and Old Mrs. Yoeger. I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± Samuel was about to go. Tyson reminded him, ¡°Mr. Macari, are you going to embarrass yourself?¡± ¡°Embarrass myself?¡± Samuel red at him. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? Ms. Johnson is giving you the cold shoulder.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t.¡± Samuel was quite confident. With that, he strode toward Kathleen¡¯s break room. Just as he entered the room, he heard Diana remind Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s going to get cold these few days. It¡¯s so cold in the film set. You have to take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Kathleen smiled. Samuel coughed. Kathleen looked over, and a trace of worry shed past her eyes. Diana said solemnly, ¡°Since you¡¯re sick, why are you here? Go home.¡± He was speechless again. Only my grandma would be so unhelpful. While he stood quietly at the side, Diana and Frances asked Kathleen many questions, as they were interested in filming. They chatted until two hourster when the filming began. Only then did the olddies stand up to leave. As a result, Samuel could not even have a word with Kathleen, as he had been standing there quietly. Kathleen was not involved in the first scene to be filmed, so she saw them off. When she sent the two olddies to the entrance, Samuel did not follow along. Instead, he stayed behind in the break room. Although Kathleen noticed that, she did not say anything because she nned to continue to give him the cold shoulder. After seeing the two olddies off, Kathleen went back inside to work. She did not care when Samuel would leave, so she did not ask Valerie as well. When the clock struck seven, the film crew wrapped up their work. Kathleen felt exhausted after having to be suspended in the air with stunt wires all day. When she entered her break room, she found Samuel lying on the couch. He had a lean and fit figure with a t tummy, making the belt on his waist exceptionally pleasing to the eyes. So he¡¯s still here. Kathleen walked toward him and bent over, reaching out to poke his face. ¡°Samuel, why did you fall asleep?¡± However, when her hand touched his face, she realized that he was having a fever. Oh, no! She shook him. ¡°Samuel, wake up!¡± He opened his bloodshot eyes slowly, his voice raspy. ¡°I dozed off?¡± ¡°You¡¯re having a fever.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Even though this is a break room, the heater here is not warm enough. You shouldn¡¯t have slept here. What were you thinking?¡± She felt quite angry. Samuel¡¯s body condition had been improving these few days, but it was now back to square one Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Do Not Ignore Me When Samuel saw that she was upset, he immediately put on an innocent look. ¡°But you didn¡¯t talk to me today, so I wanted to wait until you were free to have a chat with you.¡± He tugged at her sleeves like a puppy. ¡°I didn¡¯t disturb you. I was just waiting for you to get off work.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. He sat up and asked, ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡± She was stunned momentarily before she shook her head lightly. Samuel smiled bitterly. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s all for our chat today. I¡¯m leaving.¡± With that, he stood up, his body swaying slightly. ¡°Where¡¯s Tyson?¡± Kathleen queried. ¡°It¡¯s seven now. He¡¯s gotten off work,¡± Samuel answered. She stared at him, feeling speechless. How could I let him go back alone when he¡¯s in this state? After thinking for a while, she said, ¡°You should go back to the hotel with me.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. She continued, ¡°Call someone and let them pick you up.¡± Samuel had a lot of subordinates, so they could just drive over to fetch him. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s seven o¡¯clock. They¡¯re all off work now.¡± Samuel paused for a moment before he added, ¡°If I force them to work overtime, they¡¯ll say I¡¯m an evil businessman.¡± Once again, Kathleen was stumped. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± She felt a slight pain in her head. No one could outsmart him when he was ying tricks like a sly fox. Besides, she couldn¡¯t leave him behind when he was having a fever. People say that women are willful, but men are more willful! If she paid no heed to him and left him here, she was worried that he might stay in that break room for the entire night and freeze to death. Samuel left with Kathleen in a car and reached the hotel. The hotel room was warm. When they stepped inside, she helped him to the bed. After that, she opened the drawer and searched for something. ¡°Valerie, help me buy some medication for fever. Also, buy two sets of dinner while you¡¯re on the way back. Get something light,¡± Kathleen ordered. ¡°All right.¡± Valerie wheeled around and left. Kathleen then rubbed his forehead with a hot towel. Samuel put hisrge hand on hers. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have made you mad yesterday. It¡¯s okay no matter how you look at me or scold me, but please don¡¯t ignore me.¡± Rendered speechless, she stared at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± She was not lying, but what had happened the previous day got her thinking. ¡°Are you really not upset?¡± He furrowed his brows. ¡°You didn¡¯t even talk to me while we were in the car.¡± Kathleen was starting to lose her patience. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re the one at fault.¡± Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°What did I say yesterday, huh?¡± She shot him a disdainful look. ¡°You¡¯re the one who started it. You felt that you were a j*rk in my eyes, but did I say that? You¡¯re the one who overthought, and yet you¡¯re trying to me it on me.¡± Samuel knew it was his fault, so he started to y dirty and change the subject. ¡°My head hurts.¡± Kathleen stared at him wordlessly. ¡°Kate?¡± he called out in a pitiful, deep voice. She heaved a long sigh. ¡°Samuel, what have I done to deserve this?¡± With that, she reached out and massaged his temples. A hint of seriousness emerged on his attractive face. Kathleen is too soft-hearted. There was a pleasant floral scent on her. It was not intense and made people feel rxed. Gradually, Samuel fell asleep as he breathed in her scent. Kathleen continued to massage his head for a while before she stopped. Valerie soon came back with bags in her hands. ¡°Thank you. You should head back.¡± Kathleen took over the items. ¡°Kate, I shall go back to my room next door then. Call me if you need anything,¡± Valerie responded. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Eat well and go to sleep early.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Valerie smiled and went out of the room. Before leaving, she closed the door. Kathleen took the medication and put it on the bedside table, thinking that she would give it to Samuel when he woke up. Then, she sat at a small table and enjoyed her dinner slowly. Her dinner was simple¡ªboiled broli and boiled chicken breast. As she ate, she stared nkly ahead, pondering about her rtionship with Samuel. She had a feeling that he would not stop pestering her, but she hoped that he could give up one day. Am I not assertive enough? Back then, she had made a fuss at the wedding ceremony because she was disappointed with Samuel. After a year, she realized she didn¡¯t hate him as much as before. Besides, he had punished himself, so she could not bring herself to be harsh on him. She sighed. ¡°Samuel, do you know you¡¯re making things difficult for me?¡± She had run out of ways to push him away. When Samuel woke up, only the bedsidemp was turned on, and the room was quiet and tranquil. He was baffled. How long have I slept? With the light from themp, he checked his wristwatch and saw that it was already three o¡¯clock in the morning. He had slept for a long time. After he went home the previous day, he had not slept a wink because he had been angry with himself. Therefore, he had gone to the office early in the morning. After he heard that Diana and Frances were going to visit Kathleen at work, he had followed along. Then, while he waited for Kathleen, he dozed off. I¡¯ve been here for a long time. Will she be upset? As he turned around, he saw Kathleen, who was sleeping next to him. Her figure looked slim and elegant. She looked beautiful with her fair skin and her delicate facial features. Currently, she was sleeping soundly, her breathing steady. Samuel didn¡¯t dare to move around a lot for fear that he would wake her up. Seeing her sleeping beside him, he felt at ease. His slender fingers touched her hand. He then held her hand and put it on his chest. How wonderful. ¡°There¡¯s some food on the table. Have some and take the fever medication,¡± Kathleen mumbled groggily. Being a light sleeper, she would be easily woken up by the slightest noise. Hence, after Samuel and Kathleen got married, he would put his phone on silent when they slept to avoid disturbing her sleep. ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Samuel spoke in a deep voice. He didn¡¯t mean to do that. Raising her hand, Kathleen inched closer to him and put her hand on his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re still having a slight fever.¡± She let out a yawn. Then, she put her hand back under the cover and continued to sleep. Samuel gazed at her affectionately. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± he asked. Kathleen huffed, ¡°I¡¯m not that cruel. I¡¯m not you. You know you treated me badly in the past.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, Kate,¡± Samuel apologized sincerely. ¡°Since you know it, why were you angry yesterday?¡± Kathleen questioned angrily. Samuel remained silent. She opened her eyes and continued, ¡°Samuel, do you know? Actually, you¡¯re no different from Finn, for you¡¯re also a j*rk. You¡¯re right that I think you¡¯re a jerk like Finn¡ª Mmph!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. She didn¡¯t expect that he would kiss her all of a sudden. After sucking on her crimson lips for a moment, he cupped her face with hisrge hand and said huskily, ¡°Stop chiding me. I¡¯m changing for the better.¡± Kathleen snorted coldly. He caressed her face. ¡°I¡¯ll go back after I eat the food and take the medication. You¡¯ll need to do your makeup two hourster. It¡¯s not good for us to be seen together by outsiders.¡± Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Another Chance Kathleen said dryly, ¡°No rush. I¡¯m putting on makeup at nine because I don¡¯t have any parts in the morning.¡± Samuel pursed his lips and said, ¡°All right. You may continue sleeping then. I¡¯m going to apany you.¡± Kathleen sat up from the bed and said, ¡°Samuel, could you ask me before you kiss me next time?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. She wiped her lips and said, ¡°I have multiple ways to push you away.¡± She could have used medicine to render him unconscious, but she did not wish to do that. ¡°You surely will not agree to it if I ask. So, I¡¯m going to rule this out.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯m going to hate you?¡± Kathleen asked angrily. ¡°You already loathe me. Who knows when I¡¯m going to die? Better get some more kisses before I kick the bucket,¡± Samuel said with a half-smile. It was Kathleen¡¯s turn to be rendered speechless. ¡°We¡¯ll talk after you eat.¡± Kathleen sighed to herself. She could not keep this up with Samuel any longer. Noticing that her expression was grim, he asked, ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t continue pestering me like this,¡± she said sternly. Samuel sat up as well as he leaned against the headboard. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that.¡± ¡°Then why did you ask me about it?¡± Kathleen was enraged. That man was getting on her nerves. Samuel shed a half-smile at her. Kathleen pinched her be and muttered, ¡°Samuel, I hope you could be more serious.¡± She thought she was being really patient with him. Samuel trained his eyes on her and uttered, ¡°I am being very serious right now, Kate.¡± She put her hand down and said, ¡°Samuel, let me be honest with you. The previous three-year marriage has scarred me for life. I can¡¯t just move on just because you tell me you love me. You will never understand how terrified I am every time I sit in your carte at night. I am always gued by this fear of not knowing just when you¡¯re going to throw me out of the car.¡± Samuel was stumped. ¡°I am haunted by countless worries. There may no longer be Nicolette standing between us, but there is no guarantee that there won¡¯t be another Nicolette in the future. I do not wish to relive that past. Do you understand?¡± she exined with furrowed brows. Samuel was at a loss for words when he saw how tormented Kathleen was. The things that he used to do out of his whim had left an indelible mark on Kathleen. He felt a numbing pain in his chest right then. Kathleen leaned against the headboard and said, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not trying to y hard to get when I reject Caleb and the others. I really can¡¯t.¡± Samuel looked intently at her. ¡°Let me be frank with you. I¡¯ve tried to ept Caleb or Chris. I thought if I were to cure myself, I need to move on and open up. But I just can¡¯t move on. I¡¯m terrified that all men will end up like you. I¡¯m afraid of going through another failed marriage.¡± Samuel looked wistfully at her. ¡°Katie, I am so sorry.¡± Why was I such an *sshole back then? Kathleen did not appear too startled by his apology. ¡°Samuel, do you understand what I¡¯m trying to tell you? I will not be together with another man because I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t even make myself happy. So, I do not wish to make another man unhappy by dragging him down along with me.¡± Samuel kept his silence for some time before he said, ¡°Kate, how can I make it better?¡± Kathleen looked lost. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Samuel felt a searing pain inside of him. He approached Kathleen and circled her into his embrace. She did not struggle or push him away, for she knew that Samuel was upset too. Samuel then realized that she felt so fragile and delicate in his arms. He had never felt such pain. ¡°Kate, what should I do?¡± His voice was hoarse. ¡°Tell me.¡± He could not lose her. The thought of losing her was enough to suffocate him. Kathleen muttered under her breath, ¡°Samuel, just give me some time.¡± Samuel was stunned. ¡°Give me three years. If I can conquer this, and if you can show me how sincere you are, I¡¯m willing to give you another chance. So, could you stop pushing me now?¡± Kathleen asked, feeling upset. Samuel shuddered as he said hoarsely, ¡°All right. I can promise you that.¡± I¡¯ll promise you anything. Kathleen closed her eyes and said, ¡°All right. You might want to eat first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry yet.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Just continue sleeping. I¡¯m going to call someone to send me home immediately.¡± Kathleen did not ask him to stay. Samuel let go of her and got up to put on his coat. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± he said as he caressed her cheek gently. Kathleen was already feeling sleepy. She continued sleeping after Samuel left. In the end, Samuel drove himself back. He finally understood that Kathleen was not only disappointed in marriage. She had lost hope in everything. If she had not wanted to investigate her mother¡¯s identity¡­ He shuddered to think how things might have turned out instead. Samuel drove to the Johnson residence. He pressed on the doorbell multiple times. The housekeeper was roused. Still yawning, she opened the door, only to discover that it was Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Charles?¡± Samuel asked impassively. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping in his room,¡± the housekeeper replied. Right then, Charles descended from the second floor, yawning. ¡°Samuel, what are you doing? It¡¯s four o¡¯clock in the morning!¡± Samuel approached the man and asked coldly, ¡°Has Kate¡¯s depression really been cured?¡± ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± Charles asked with furrowed brows. ¡°Answer me!¡± Samuel demanded. ¡°No!¡± Charles responded. ¡°It cannot be cured. So, I¡¯ve asked someone to amend her memories.¡± As expected. She is still a pessimist. Samuel felt drained. Charles crossed his arms across his chest and said coldly, ¡°Samuel, if you notice that Kate¡¯s depression rpses, I can only tell you that there is nothing we can do about it if it gets worse.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°What if I tell you that I asked someone to perform hypnotherapy on Kate half a year ago? The anchor is her falling in love with you. As soon as she falls in love with you, those memories will resurface, and her condition will re up. Are you going to continue pestering her then?¡± Charles asked in a serious tone. Her condition will re up? Samuel felt a chill down his spine. ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to bother her any longer.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better remember what you said. So, stay away from her and quit bothering her. Do you really wish to see her go mad?¡± Charles said in a frigid tone. Samuel¡¯s eyes turned red. What have I done? ¡°Is there really no other way?¡± Samuel asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°We¡¯ve tried everything but to no avail. Samuel, if you really love her, you really ought to let her go. I know that Kate will not fall in love with anyone else. She has lost all hope in love. How could you expect her to love again?¡± Samuel gulped. ¡°Help me contact the psychologist.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Charles asked with furrowed brows. ¡°I¡¯m going to cure Kate.¡± Samuel then continued with red-rimmed eyes, ¡°Even if she¡¯ll marry someone else in the future, I just can¡¯t bear to see her tormented by her condition.¡± Charles¡¯ lips pursed into a thin, hard line. ¡°That is useless.¡± ¡°How could you say that without giving it a try?¡± Samuel looked at him. ¡°Give me the contact.¡± ¡°Wait for a moment,¡± Charles said before turning around to retrieve the contact for Samuel. Meanwhile, Samuel slumped against the handrail of the stairs. I¡¯m going to save her! Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Celebrating New Year Together After a few days, the film crew got a few days off because of the new year holidays. Kathleen had been looking forward to it. She moved from the hotel that the film crew had booked back to the mansion. ¡°Granny, what would you like to eat? I¡¯m going to make some for you tomorrow.¡± Kathleen sat beside Frances with a notebook. Frances smiled and said, ¡°I will enjoy anything you make, Katie.¡± Kathleen noticed that Frances had been influenced by Diana and started to call her Katie too. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen kneeled on the carpet before the coffee table and nned out her menu seriously. Ding dong. The doorbell rang right then. The housekeeper went to open the door. To her surprise, it was Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to fetch Old Mrs. Yoeger,¡± he said coolly. Meanwhile, Kathleen was rather surprised to hear what Samuel said. Samuel had not looked for her in the past few days, nor had he appeared in front of her. He had only sent two text messages a day¡ªgood morning and good night. Kathleen did not know what he was getting at. The housekeeper was stumped and blurted, ¡°What?¡± He eyed the housekeeper coldly. The housekeeper snapped out of her surprise and immediately gave way to him. Samuel headed inside the house and arrived in the living room as he eyed Frances and Kathleen. ¡°Good morning,¡± he said in his usual husky voice. Kathleen blinked in surprise. ¡°Why are you here?¡± His tone was gentle. ¡°I¡¯m here to fetch Old Mrs. Yoeger to the Macari residence.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen asked, confused. He looked at Frances and said, ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, do you remember? A few days ago, you promised my grandma that you would celebrate New Year at the Macari residence.¡± Frances was hit by a pang of realization. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve forgotten all about it.¡± Kathleen was rather speechless. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, my grandma has asked me toe and pick you up. Could you ask someone to pack your things? We¡¯re going to leave when you¡¯re ready,¡± Samuel said. Frances nodded. ¡°Come help me pack my things.¡± ¡°All right, Old Mrs. Yoeger.¡± The housekeeper made her way over and helped Frances back to her room. Samuel lowered his gaze and regarded Kathleen. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°When was this decided?¡± Samuel took a seat and replied, ¡°A few days ago. They talked to each other over the phone and promised to spend the New Year together. I thought you knew.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know at all.¡± ¡°Do you want to go together?¡± Samuel eyed her with a longing gaze. She fidgeted uneasily under his stare. ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your granny. Besides, Grandma misses you a lot. Everyone in the house does.¡± I miss you too. He kept thest sentence to himself. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°You can take care of her if you tag along,¡± Samuel reasoned. Kathleen hesitated for a moment. ¡°Go pack your things. I¡¯ll send both of you there.¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stay at the Macari residence during the New Year?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°I can make myself scarce if you do not wish to see me,¡± Samuel said mildly. Kathleen paused for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s your home. You¡¯ve always spent your New Year holidays there.¡± Samuel remained silent. Kathleen retracted her gaze and said, ¡°Samuel, I told you I don¡¯t hate you that much anymore.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s celebrate the New Year together. The house was exceptionally quiet without youst year,¡± Samuel said in a throaty voice. ¡°All right. Let me give my brother a call,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel¡¯s thin lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯d better go pack up then. But you don¡¯t need to pack a lot. I¡¯m sure there is plenty of what you need at home.¡± Even though Kathleen had left the house, the things she used to use were still replenished periodically. Kathleen pursed her red lips. ¡°All right.¡± Then, she got up to leave. Samuel smiled. After she went upstairs, he picked up the notebook that she left on the coffee table and noticed that she had written: butter prawns. Samuel¡¯s lips quirked into an amused grin. Is this something she¡¯s nning to cook or something she¡¯s craving to eat? Samuel drove Kathleen and Frances to the Macari residence. Diana personally weed her old friend. She was over the moon to see that Kathleen had tagged along as well. Diana held Kathleen¡¯s hands and beamed with delight. ¡°Katie, only when you are around that it feels like the New Year.¡± Kathleen smiled shyly. ¡°Fran, we¡¯re going to share a bed tonight.¡± Diana held Frances¡¯ hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve got to tell you all about this drama that I¡¯m watching right now. It is so good!¡± Then, the two old women walked away. The housekeeper came to take Kathleen¡¯s luggage. ¡°Please send it to my room,¡± Samuel said. ¡°All right, Mr. Macari.¡± Kathleen was stumped. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep in the guest room,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°You¡¯re the host. Why are you sleeping in the guest room instead?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°What host? Even Snowy enjoys a higher social status than me in this house,¡± Samuel joked. Kathleen let out a chuckle. ¡°That much is true.¡± Samuel grinned as he looked at her smiling face. ¡°Are you going to visit it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen was in a good mood. Samuel brought her to the pet house to pay Snowy a visit. Snowy practically hurled itself at Kathleen upon spotting her. Kathleen beamed delightfully with Snowy in her embrace. Samuel¡¯s foul mood that had been dragging on for days finally improved after he saw her bright smile. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°The weather is quite pleasant today. Let¡¯s take him for a walk in the garden,¡± Kathleen suggested. ¡°Sure,¡± Samuel said with a nod. Kathleen opened the door, and Snowy was already eager to head out. Kathleen looked sadly at Snowy who was running freely in the garden as she asked, ¡°I remember you were not quite fond of it when I rescued it and took it in back then. Why is that?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t like dogs. They shed,¡± Samuel stated inly. ¡°That¡¯s because you prefer cats,¡± Kathleen said with a chuckle. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Samuel shook his head. Kathleen teased, ¡°Why? I remember someone giving Nicolette a cat right on the second day after she said she wanted one on her eighteenth birthday.¡± Samuel smiled as he noticed her tone tinged with jealousy. ¡°I was not the one taking care of it, anyway.¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°You¡¯re such a j*rk, Mr. Macari,¡± Kathleen mocked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you send Snowy away after I left, then?¡± ¡°Because you like it,¡± Samuel said in a low voice. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Woof! Snowy barked at them. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Samuel said as he turned around to head back to the house. After some time, he appeared with a frisbee in his hand. Samuel threw the frisbee out. Snowy stuck out its tongue and stared at them with an adorable look. Samuel frowned. ¡°You should go fetch it.¡± Snowy did not budge. Kathleen looked at the two. Samuel appeared quite frustrated as he stepped out to fetch the frisbee. Then, he threw it in Snowy¡¯s direction again. Still, Snowy did not budge. Samuel fell speechless. Kathleen then threw out the frisbee. Snowy immediately rushed to fetch it. Samuel felt defeated while Kathleen just felt likeughing. ¡°Let me try again!¡± Samuel did not wish to admit defeat. Kathleen passed him the frisbee. Then, Samuel threw it out again. Snowy merely looked at him nkly and did not move. Samuel¡¯s face turned grim as he announced, ¡°Your New Year treat is canceled!¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 You Grew On Me ¡°Why are you picking a fight with a dog?¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°Snowy didn¡¯t know how to y fetch at first. I¡¯m the one who taught it that year you left us. Now, it humiliates me in front of you. Don¡¯t expect me to go easy on it from now on,¡± exined Samuel. Seeing Samuel go through the roof, Snowy stilly on the ground, giving him the cold shoulder. Anger got the better of Samuel there and then. shing a smile, Kathleen uttered, ¡°You were the one saying you didn¡¯t want Snowy when I brought it back. I then wanted to bring it to the condominium, yet you objected to that. Perhaps Snowy resents you because of that.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. ¡°Or maybe¡­ When you gifted Nicolette a cat, you got the stench of a cat on your body. Snowy must¡¯ve remembered that smell of yours, so it loathes you,¡± added Kathleen. After saying that, she went to retrieve the frisbee and yed with Snowy. Samuel grimaced. Not only had he managed to traumatize other people, but he had even left scars in Snowy¡¯s heart. Kathleen and Snowy were having such a good time, but Samuel could only watch from the sidelines. A sudden thought popped into his head. How nice it would¡¯ve been had the child been given a chance to be born¡­ Thinking of that, he figured he was being too selfish to demand that much from Kathleen. As long as she¡¯s happy, nothing else matters. Thump! Samuel felt a tremendous pain in the back of his head. ¡°Watch out!¡± shouted Kathleen as she bolted toward Samuel. It was toote nheless. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Kathleen was worried. ¡°I tossed the frisbee just now, but it changed its trajectory on its own. It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡± As Samuel caressed his head, he felt a sense of relief that he wasn¡¯t bleeding, at the very least. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± came his reply, and his tone was as calm as a millpond. Kathleen quickly apologized to him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Gazing at her being all apologetic and anxious, Samuel had the urge to yank her right into his embrace and shower her with fondness. ¡°Help me back inside.¡± He reached out on that note. Kathleen grabbed hold of his arm and agreed in an awkward manner, ¡°Okay.¡± Soon after, they entered the house. Kathleen ordered the housekeeper to lead Snowy back to the pet house. She then supported Samuel upstairs and made it all the way to the bedroom they had once shared together. Out of the blue, Samuel came to a halt. ¡°My room is next to yours.¡± After dropping that sentence, he brought Kathleen to the guest room instead. Prior to that, the guest room had already been tidied up. Samuel¡¯s daily necessities and clothes had also been moved into that room. The second they stepped into the room, Samuel wanted to head to the couch. However, Kathleen hindered his wish and urged, ¡°You ought to go lie in bed.¡± Samuel nodded obediently. As he sat at the bedside, he began removing his jacket. Kathleen caught a glimpse of it and recognized that jacket in a heartbeat. ¡°Is this the jacket I got you last time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wear a different one for a change?¡± ¡°But this is the only one you bought,¡± came Samuel¡¯s retort. He felt aggrieved as he spoke. Upon hearing that, Kathleen was dumbfounded. Why has this be my fault? ¡°You even promised to get me new clothes but then went back on your word.¡± Samuely down as he spoke. ¡°Because of that, I didn¡¯t get to wear brand new garments for the New Year.¡± While listening to him, Kathleen kept her lips buttoned. Side-eyeing that dociledy right before him, Samuelined, ¡°You¡¯re such a liar!¡± Heaving a long sigh, Kathleen tried to elucidate the reason. ¡°I didn¡¯t bluff you. I merely got so busy in filming that I didn¡¯t have any spare time to do it.¡± ¡°Oh? But you had plenty of time to offer Caleb your help.¡± A tinge of jealousy rose within Samuel¡¯s heart. Kathleen poked at his shoulder and refuted, ¡°How can youpare clothes with humans? Besides, I helped Vivian out, not him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same because they¡¯re siblings. Caleb is just going to fancy you even more now that you¡¯ve given Vivian a helping hand,¡± said Samuel softly. At that point, he wasn¡¯t acting up. In fact, he was truly in great sorrow. All Kathleen felt was helplessness. ¡°Can I ask you a question, Kate?¡± Samuel went on with a deep voice, ¡°I hope you can answer me truthfully.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded at that. ¡°I hurt you so badly in the past, but you seldomined orshed out at me. Why is that?¡± Samuel was baffled. ¡°Just like me grumbling at you right now. You seemed to have never done it for as far as I could recall.¡± After pausing for a bit, Kathleen piped up, ¡°I did. Still, you would have an impatient look on your face every time I did that, so I didn¡¯t feel likeining anymore. Gradually, I came to realize that you wouldn¡¯t listen even if I were to make a fuss. In the end, I decided not to waste my breath on you. Anyway, I was blindly in love with you at that time, so I thought I could put up with you.¡± To be honest, she was no saint, so she couldn¡¯t take it all in. However, she had fallen head over heels for Samuel at that point in time, which was why she could pull through somehow. Hearing her response, Samuel felt a stinging pang of sadness in his heart. He then held her hands tightly and blurted out in a husky voice, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kate.¡± Kathleen, in turn, responded nonchntly, ¡°You really don¡¯t have to say you¡¯re sorry all the time.¡± Looking up at the ceiling, Samuel dropped a remark. ¡°Other than apologizing and treating you nicely, I have no idea what else I can do for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything, then. Just let things take their natural course,¡± suggested Kathleen inly. Samuel¡¯s eyes turned red as he directed his gaze at her. Hmm¡­ Let nature take its course, huh? Does that mean I¡¯d no longer hold a special ce in her heart? ¡°Kate, I went to meet up with Kaisa several days ago.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep. Kaisa? ¡°You mean that psychologist you¡¯ve told me about?¡± Kathleen was slightly surprised by that. Samuel exined with a hoarse voice, ¡°Yup. Go get treated, Kate. I can¡¯t bear to let you go in this state. As long as you go see Kaisa, I¡¯ll give you my word that I won¡¯t intrude into your life anymore. I mean it.¡± He was a man of his word, so he would never break his promise. Pressing her red lips together, Kathleen appeared to be fraught with worry. Bang! ¡°Katie!¡± Wynnie barged in all of a sudden and broke the silence. Samuel had nearly jumped up from the bed. Immediately, Wynnie gave Kathleen a big hug and caressed her face at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here! We can celebrate the New Year together again! I¡¯ve even nned to send you the gift I¡¯ve prepared for you. I¡¯ll pass it to youter, okay?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. It seems like my own mother has totally forgotten about me. s, everyone in this house is really giving me a headache. Wynnie continued, ¡°Come with me, Kate! Let¡¯s head downstairs to discuss the menu.¡± With that, she began tugging at Kathleen¡¯s arm, making a beeline for the stairs. ¡°But¡ª¡± Kathleen turned her head to cast a nce at Samuel. ¡°Duh! Ignore that fellow. He¡¯s only acting vulnerable. Hmph!¡± Without a second thought, Wynnie dragged Kathleen along and marched off. Witnessing that, Samuel heaved a sigh. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Why¡¯s everyone trying so hard to get in between me and my wife? Feeling a little worn outtely, he figured he should just take a catnap. Time passed. Samuel woke up, only to find himself drenched in sweat. He decided to take a shower. After walking into the bathroom, he realized that he had forgotten to bring along his bathrobe. He recalled the bathrobe was still in the bathroom of Kathleen¡¯s bedroom, so he headed there for it. As he stepped into the room, he pushed open the bathroom door straight away. ¡°Ah!¡± Kathleen¡¯s scream came from inside. She was shocked. Samuel froze on the spot as well. At that time, Kathleen had nothing on below her waist. All she was wearing was a white sweater with some red stains on it. In a sh, Samuel wheeled around and looked away. His face, though, was already reddened like a tomato. ¡°Sorry! I thought you were still downstairs.¡± ¡°I spilled the strawberry juice over, so I had toe up here to get changed,¡± exined Kathleen. ¡°Uh¡­ I forgot my bathrobe.¡± Samuel stopped for a while at that. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯lle back again after you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Hold up!¡± came Kathleen¡¯s voice as she called out to Samuel. He stopped in his tracks. Samuel then heard Kathleen¡¯s footsteps approaching him. ¡°Stretch out your hand,¡± instructed Kathleen. Samuel did her bidding. She then hung the bathrobe over his arm and said, ¡°There.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± replied Samuel with his croaky voice. ¡°No problem.¡± Kathleen took a few steps back and resumed her business. With that, Samuel dashed out of the room at once. Little did Kathleen know that Samuel had already seen her reflection from head to toe in the mirror earlier. What an adrenaline rush! I don¡¯t think I can bear it any longer! Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Stop Seeing Each Other The only woman Samuel had touched in his life was Kathleen. Ever since he and Kathleen were divorced, he had been abstaining from his desires. However, he almost lost control of himself when he saw Kathleen earlier. Thus, he quickly returned to the room and did his best to suppress his burning desire. After taking a shower, he stepped out of the room, coincidentally bumping into Kathleen, who was also coming out at the same time. Kathleen was dressed in an off-shoulder sweater, which revealed her fair shoulders and delicate corbones, making her look incredibly cute and sexy. On her waist hung a ck skirt, which gave her an elegant vibe. When Samuel saw her pink cheeks, the incident from a while ago immediately came to his mind. He finally realized Kathleen was too attractive for him. Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Samuel, we were once a married couple. I can tell how many moles you have on your body. In fact, I can even tell you where they are.¡± Kathleen was surprisingly calm. Samuel was stunned. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to be too bothered about it. I¡¯d be mad if you had kept staring at me, but you didn¡¯t. You turned around right away. So, I¡¯m not mad at you,¡± Kathleen said softly. Samuel merely gazed at her without saying a word. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen descended the stairs. As she walked beside Samuel, her body gave out a unique scent. Samuel took a whiff and smiled. Her scent is still the best! After lunch, Wynnie suggested a game of poker. With so many people at home, she would not waste the opportunity for a game. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Macari. Samuel and I won¡¯t be ying. We¡¯ve got to pop by the mall to get some things,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Oh, sure. Go ahead, then.¡± Wynnie shot Samuel a gaze that seemed to imply something. ¡°You know what to do as a man, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Samuel asked in puzzlement. ¡°Have you be stupid? Did you let Nicolette pay when you went shopping with her back then?¡± Wynnie whispered. ¡°Mom, why are you bringing her up?¡± Samuel was upset. ¡°I¡¯m just worried you¡¯ll have double standards. You know, where you¡¯ll be willing to spend your money on Nicolette instead of Kathleen,¡± Wynnie retorted. Her words rendered Samuel speechless. Meanwhile, Kathleen, who heard everything, felt slightly dumbfounded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel turned around and pulled Kathleen with him. After getting into the car, Samuel massaged his temples. ¡°Don¡¯t believe my mom¡¯s nonsense. I barely went shopping with Nicolette.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen looked unfazed as if she couldn¡¯t be bothered by it. A wave of frustration washed over Samuel. He felt as if he had been screwed over by his own mother. ¡°I was busy studying and managing thepany at that time. I really didn¡¯t have time for all that,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen threw him a nce. ¡°Samuel, that¡¯s all in the past. Don¡¯t be so nervous. Just bear with the teasing. It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t do those things, anyway. No one would talk about it if you didn¡¯t do it.¡± She snickered inwardly. Samuel fell silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen fastened her seat belt. Samuel fastened his seat belt obediently and started driving. Soon, they arrived at a nearby mall. First, Kathleen brought Samuel to the down jacket section. Since Samuel rarely wore other colors, Kathleen chose a dark blue down jacket for him. At the same time, she picked a ck one for herself. Samuel frowned. ¡°I want a ck one, too.¡± That way, we¡¯ll have a matching set. Kathleen was dumbfounded. ¡°You already have a ck one.¡± Samuel pursed his lips, looking upset. His behavior made Kathleen speechless. Why is he acting like a child? Seeing that, Kathleen had no choice but to get a ck one for him. Only then did he huff to express his satisfaction. At a loss for words, Kathleen carried the clothes and walked to the counter. ¡°Please send these to the Macari residence. Thank you,¡± she said. The employee was ted when she recognized Kathleen and Samuel. ¡°Of course.¡± Kathleen turned to look at Samuel, who stood not too far away. ¡°Come over and pay.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re the one buying it for me. So why should I be the one to pay?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your mom lecture you just now? Have you forgotten about it already?¡± Kathleen asked, snickering. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who wanted to buy it for me,¡± Samuel persisted. Kathleen was stumped. ¡°Hurry up and pay for it,¡± Samuel urged. Oddly enough, their roles had been switched. ¡°You¡¯re the worst, Samuel.¡± Resignedly, Kathleen pulled out her phone and scanned the code for payment. Samuel was delighted, but he still instructed the employee in a cool manner, ¡°Make sure they arrive at my house today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Macari. I¡¯ll send someone to deliver it in a while.¡± Naturally, the employee did not dare to cause any dys. ¡°Good.¡± Samuel nodded with satisfaction. Kathleen rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You still owe me a set of clothes.¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist and walked away. Kathleen had no choice but to follow him out of the store. After a while, they arrived at the only store in the mall that sold high-end suits. Some of Samuel¡¯s suits were from that brand. However, the suit he wore often came from another store that sold high-end custom-made suits. It would take a week for the clothes to be ready if they ordered them at that moment. There was not enough time for that. Thus, Kathleen chose that store. She selected a dark blue suit that had dark-colored stripes and two rows of buttons. She thought that suits with two rows of buttons were suitable for wealthy bosses. Samuel had a slender figure and an elegant aura, which made the suit look more suitable for him. Moreover, it looked right on him, for it was a three-piece suit. Samuel took the suit as she handed it to him. Suddenly, he mumbled, ¡°If I remember correctly, Charles¡¯ suit came with a shirt.¡± Kathleen red at him furiously. ¡°Samuel, how is it I never noticed how calctive you are?¡± Samuel grinned. ¡°It¡¯s not toote to notice it now.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Kathleen turned around, picked a light blue shirt, and tossed it to him. Catching the shirt, Samuel entered the fitting room. It did not take long for him to walk out. The dark-blue suit with two rows of buttons matched with a light-blue, vintage-looking shirt suited Samuel to a tee. His elegant aura instantly radiated off him. Kathleen smiled with satisfaction. ¡°It looks good on you.¡± Samuel stared at himself in the mirror. He, too, was satisfied. It was an undeniable fact that Kathleen had great taste. ¡°I need a tie,¡± Samuel uttered. Hearing that, Kathleen turned and picked out a tie. ¡°That¡¯s right. A tie makes a suit like this look better.¡± She chose a dark blue tie, helped him put it on, and straightened his outfit. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. As Samuel fixed his eyes on her, who stood just a few steps away, a bittersweet feeling flooded his heart. Finally, Kathleen withdrew her hands. ¡°All right. Have a look. Do you like it?¡± Samuel turned around and stared at his reflection. However, his gaze fell on Kathleen. She looks so gentle and cute. Despite that, waves of grief crashed against the wall of his heart. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Kathleen heaved a sigh of relief. With that, she went to the counter to settle the bill. This time, she could only pay by card. When the transaction was done, she received a text about her payment. I can¡¯t believe I used up over a million just like that. This is so sad. ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± asked Samuel when he returned from the fitting room, already dressed in his own clothes. ¡°I spent over a million today. It¡¯ll take several stunt shootings to get that amount back.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart wrenched with pain as she thought about that. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll help you get it back after the New Year. Don¡¯t forget. You still have Macari Group¡¯s shares,¡± Samuel said confidently. Kathleen frowned, nonplussed. ¡°Are you really not going to take those shares back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Samuel nodded. Pursing her lips, Kathleen asked, ¡°What if I say we should stop seeing each other since you don¡¯t want it back?¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Something Bad Samuel nced at Kathleen¡¯s petite face, and his expression turned sullen. ¡°Samuel, there¡¯s only so much I can take,¡± she said ruefully. ¡°You know how much I hate troubles, so¡­¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°So you don¡¯t wantpensation from me?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Money can¡¯t solve everything, Samuel.¡± His fists clenched, and he replied in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°All right.¡± He didn¡¯t want to put her on the spot or stress her out. ¡°But ording to thew, I can¡¯t own more than fifty-one percent of shares, so I¡¯m still leaving you with ten percent,¡± Samuel added. Kathleen hesitated. ¡°Fine, do what you must, then.¡± She just wanted to get this over with. He gave her a long, meaningful look. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen said before leading Samuel out of the shop. ¡°Where would you like to go next?¡± he asked as he trailed behind her closely. The mall was crowded during the New Year, and he stuck close to her to protect her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kathleen was bewildered. ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± Samuel gazed at her with hooded eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to continue shopping?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not ordinary people,¡± she pointed out. ¡°We can¡¯t just go shopping during peak hours.¡± He gave a nod, and they walked to the nearest elevator together. They were squeezed to the rear corner as soon as they stepped in. He shielded her with both hands, and her face came dangerously close to his chest. A small smile yed at the corners of Samuel¡¯s lips as he gazed down at Kathleen in his arms with his abysmal eyes. The elevator reached the first floor before they exited from the cramped space, and the apple of Kathleen¡¯s cheeks flushed a rosy color. ¡°I want milk tea.¡± She was parched. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Samuel then instructed, ¡°Wait for me here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded. He turned and walked in the direction of a milk tea shop, but there was a long queue, and he stood at the tail end of it. She stood at the side and waited patiently for him. Her eyes was darting around the crowd, afraid that someone would recognize her. Fortunately, no one knew who she was. Samuel, on the other hand, was soon recognized. Kathleen was disgruntled. Do I not stand out? I guess it must be because I¡¯m covering myself up too much. Samuel has a tall frame, so it¡¯s only natural he was recognized in an instant. Besides, he¡¯s only wearing a mask, while I¡¯m also wearing a cap. Everyone around Samuel was staring at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Samuel Macari?¡± ¡°I think so. He looks like Samuel Macari. Not even the mask could hide his handsome face!¡± ¡°It must be him. This guy is dressed head to toe in designer wear.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he likes milk tea.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got to be buying it for someone else, not himself.¡± ¡°For a girl, maybe?¡± ¡°What do you think? Of course it¡¯s for a girl!¡± ¡°It has to be Kathleen Johnson. If she¡¯s here, they must be out on a date.¡± ¡°No way. Wasn¡¯t their rtionship a publicity stunt?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I believe it was genuine. Although they¡¯re divorced, I¡¯m confident they will reconcile.¡± ¡°How would you know?¡± ¡°I just do!¡± Samuel knitted his brows as he listened to the crowd prattling. Meanwhile, Kathleen was afraid of getting recognized, so she fled the scene. She sent him a text: I¡¯ll wait for you in the car. He gave a wry chuckle at her apprehension of being seen with him. When it was finally his turn to order, he bought two cups of milk tea before returning to the car. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Kathleen rubbed her hands together. ¡°Which one is mine?¡± ¡°They¡¯re both the same,¡± he replied. She lifted one cup and took a sip. An expression of satisfaction soon appeared on her face. Samuel¡¯s lips twitched in a smile. ¡°Slow down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been craving this for a long time.¡± She continued with a smile, ¡°But Charles wouldn¡¯t let me have even a sip of it while I was filming.¡± After all, she was a movie star. The smile was still hanging on Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Drink as much as you want today.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She was perplexed. ¡°If he dares say a word of criticism to you today, I¡¯ll take revenge for you,¡± he said with a faint smile. ¡°What good would that do? I¡¯m the one who has to lose weight in the end,¡± she grumbled before sipping anotherrge mouthful, making her cheeks bulge. Samuel looked at her tenderly before driving away. It was already nightfall when they reached the Macari residence, and dinner was ready. However, Kathleen was too full to eat. After all, she had consumed an entire cup of milk tea on the way back. Wynnie spooned some food onto her te. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Kathleen replied bashfully. ¡°Did both of you sneak out to eat?¡± Wynnie gave them a disapproving look that was typically reserved for kids. Flustered, Kathleen stared at the dishes on the table and felt helpless. Samuel came to her defense. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t force her. She has a small appetite.¡± Wynnie gave Kathleen a steely look. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll wait till you¡¯re hungry, then.¡± Kathleen nodded, and Samuel took her portion of food. ¡°I¡¯ll finish them for you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said in gratitude. Wynnie watched them openly with a strange look until Calvin subtly gave her a nudge with his foot under the table to stop her. She was being too obvious. Nheless, Diana and Frances were unfazed, talking andughing amongst themselves. Kathleen went up to her bedroom for the night after dinner. Samuel was about to do the same when Wynnie stopped him. ¡°Son, your rtionship with Kate seemed to have improved.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Mom,¡± he said curtly. ¡°Why not? Are you going to fool around again?¡± Shock crept into her voice. Samuel fell silent. ¡°You can¡¯t do that! Kate has been hurt enough. You¡¯re crossing a line if you do that.¡± Wynnie huffed angrily. ¡°Can you let me finish, Mom?¡± he snapped. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Wynnie reined in her emotions. Samuel took a deep breath. ¡°Kate is showing signs of her depression rpsing. All I wanted is to make things better for her, so I won¡¯t force her to be with me. My only wish is for her to recover.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Wynnie was shell shocked. ¡°Mom, just don¡¯t interfere with our affairs.¡± He continued lightly, ¡°I can¡¯t force her to be with me. I only care about what¡¯s best for her, and that¡¯s it.¡± With that, he went up the stairs with long strides. Wynnie¡¯s brows drew together, and Calvin came over to urge in a low voice, ¡°Just leave them be.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± she mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s best if we don¡¯t meddle in the kids¡¯ affairs,¡± heforted. ¡°Besides, as you said, their rtionship has improved, and our son appears happier than before. Things might take a turn for the better if we don¡¯t pry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that.¡± She hesitated. ¡°I have a strong premonition that the Yoeger family is about to do something bad.¡± Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Burning Bridges ¡°If they dare do anything to the Macari family, you best believe I would never let them walk away unscathed.¡± Calvin¡¯s gaze turned flinty. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Wynnie pursed her lips, her expression still one of worry and anxiety. Samuel went upstairs and knocked on Kathleen¡¯s door. She answered with a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Can we talk?¡± he asked in a low voice. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen shifted to let him in, and he followed. They had shared this bedroom before, but he felt that something was missing in her absence of a year. Now that she moved back in, she had breathed life back into the space. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Kathleen sipped on a cup of fruit tea. ¡°The Yoeger family.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression was cold. Kathleen immediately perked up at the mention of the Yoeger family. ¡°Did they make a move?¡± She was intrigued. ¡°Not at the moment,¡± Samuel said evenly. ¡°But I reckon they¡¯ll make a move soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hardly surprising. After all, they are under such immense pressure and criticism from the public that they¡¯ll probably want to get this over with as soon as possible. But there¡¯s nothing they can do if Granny doesn¡¯t go back,¡± she reflected. ¡°So, we have to stop the Yoeger family from contacting your grandmother. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of how frail she is. Besides, Ms. Schott isn¡¯t here. You need to be more careful,¡± he reminded gravely. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of them. I want to know if Old Mr. Yoeger had sent my mom to the orphanage and who her biological father is,¡± she said coldly. These two questions were her utmost priority. Unfortunately, Hector had passed, and dead men tell no tales. There was insufficient proof based on Samuel¡¯s presumption alone. ¡°Old Mr. Yoeger couldn¡¯t have done something like this on his own. He would need help to cover this up, from the doctor who had to steal your mother away to the security guard deleting the surveince footage.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying he had aplices?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Certainly. It¡¯s impossible to achieve this without aplices. Old Mrs. Yoeger immediately knew when your mother went missing and sent someone to check the surveince cameras. If Old Mr. Yoeger had acted alone, he wouldn¡¯t have had time to leave your mother at the orphanage and erase the footage,¡± Samuel exined in a low voice. Kathleen nodded at his reasoning. ¡°ording to the chronological events, it was three days between when your mother went missing and the time the orphanage epted her. Old Mr. Yoeger couldn¡¯t have gone missing while taking care of your mother and then sending her to the orphanage three dayster. Old Mrs. Yoeger would have noticed his absence.¡± Kathleen understood his analysis. ¡°Someone took care of my mother during those three days.¡± ¡°I bet it was someone Old Mr. Yoeger trusted with his life,¡± Samuel wagered. The person Old Mr. Yoeger trusted the most? ¡°Should we start looking into his friends and family?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°I have inquired about his assistant at that time, but it was a dead end,¡± Samuel answered. Kathleen was surprised. He has started looking into this? She was so busy taking care of Frances and filming that she hadn¡¯t had time for this. As for Charles, he was too preupied with Vivian and his business to devote time and energy to this. Although this matter had nothing to do with Samuel, it had always been on his mind. Kathleen was dumbstruck. ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°I have a photo.¡± Samuel took out his phone and searched for it before handing the device to her. She epted the phone and saw a photo of three handsome young men in their mid-twenties wearing sleek suits. She examined it more closely. ¡°The middle one is Old Mr. Yoeger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°The one on the left looks familiar.¡± She frowned. ¡°That¡¯s Christopher¡¯s grandfather,¡± he said. What? ¡°That¡¯s Christopher¡¯s grandfather, Old Mr. Morris? The Felix Morris?¡± Kathleen eximed. Samuel nodded solemnly. It¡¯s him? Kathleen was stunned speechless. ¡°The one on the right is Isaac Norris. Do you recognize him?¡± Kathleen took a deep, calming breath. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curved into a smile. ¡°He¡¯s a phnthropist and hails from a wealthy family. He gave to many charities, including your mother¡¯s orphanage.¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Could it be him?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Samuel was silent for a beat. ¡°We need concrete proof.¡± Kathleen said after deliberating, ¡°I¡¯ll look into this man myself.¡± She didn¡¯t want to trouble Samuel. He stood up, his gaze piercing into her. ¡°Katie, are you burning your bridges now?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. She froze. ¡°No! It¡¯s just that you have been helping me with my family affairstely. So I want to do this on my own.¡± Samuel reached out to take her chin between his fingers, stroking her skin before he murmured, ¡°I¡¯m happy to help, Kathleen. This concerns me as well since it involves Grandma and Old Mrs. Yoeger. Understand?¡± Kathleen nodded mutely. ¡°We¡¯ll work together.¡± His voice was gentle and velvety. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second that you¡¯re bothering me. I¡¯m also doing this for Grandma. Okay?¡± She gave another nod. Satisfied, Samuel said, ¡°I always pay the Norris family a visit during the New Year. Would you like to come?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she agreed, knowing the Macari and Norris families had ties. He stroked her hair. ¡°Good. Get some rest.¡± With that, he turned and left the room. Kathleen stared at his tall, ramrod straight back and let out a heavy sigh. The next day was New Year¡¯s eve, and Kathleen woke up early. She was spending the New Year with the Macari family, so she definitely couldn¡¯t sleep in. She took a shower and changed into fresh clothes before expertly applying a thinyer of makeup. She smiled satisfactorily at her reflection and exited her room. Coincidentally, Samuel wasing out of his room and saw her dressed in a white blouse with a ck ribbon tied at her neck and a red sweater, paired with a pair of ck shorts. Thigh-high socks completed her look, and she looked youthful and beautiful. He greeted with a smile, ¡°Happy New Year.¡± ¡°Happy New Year,¡± Kathleen echoed brightly and reached her hand out to him. ¡°Say, Mr. Macari, where is my mary gift?¡± Samuel froze, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Don¡¯t you know any etiquette?¡± Her expression turned perplexed. He then fished out a thick envelope from his pocket. ¡°You¡¯re magnanimous as always, Mr. Macari.¡± Kathleen was beyond delighted. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Bully A Little Girl Samuel stated cidly, ¡°The only person I need to give a mary gift to in this family is you.¡± If the kids were still around, I would have to prepare three gifts in total¡­ Kathleen smiled faintly as she took over the envelope. She immediately opened it and counted the thick stack of cash inside. Samuel crossed his arms, looking at her. ¡°Counting the money right in front of me, huh?¡± ¡°Heheh¡­¡± Kathleen was like a money-grubber. ¡°I spent over a million yesterday. Of course, I have to get some of it back.¡± After she finished counting it, she sighed and continued, ¡°It¡¯s only ten thousand. Seems like I can¡¯t get my money back.¡± ¡°Ten thousand?¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes. She frowned upon hearing the doubt in his voice. Did I count it wrongly? It can¡¯t be. Did I lose my ability to do calctions after sleeping? She took out all the money inside the envelope. Thud! A bank card dropped onto the floor. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Kathleen bent over to pick it up before looking at Samuel in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for you,¡± Samuel responded nonchntly. ¡°There¡¯s a billion and one in it.¡± Kathleen was baffled. ¡°Why that number?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know the phrase ¡®one in a million?¡±¡® Samuel exined, ¡°Well, this is called ¡®one in a billion.¡±¡® Kathleen was rendered speechless. He¡¯s trying to be romantic, but I don¡¯t get it. Samuel leaned over and whispered in her ear, ¡°You¡¯re my one in a billion.¡± With that, he walked off. As she stood there and looked at the cash and the card in her hand, she sighed. Well, he¡¯s quite generous. He didn¡¯t even think twice before giving out a billion. She then put the mary gift in the room and went downstairs. The atmosphere was lively in the living room, and everyone was present. Even Charles hade. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here now. Let¡¯s dig in,¡± Calvin said. With that, all of them went to the dining hall, which had two dining tables. They usually had meals at the long rectangr table. However, now that it was the festive season, they used an oval dining table to seat more people. Once the dishes were served, everyone started to dig in merrily. When Diana saw the sight in front of her, the sadness she had felt during the past year dissipated a little. If Samuel hadn¡¯t caused a fuss, the atmosphere would have been merrier. After their meal, the three young ones exchanged greetings and wishes with the elders. The four elders were open-handed in their gifts. Kathleen said something that made Charlesugh, and he also gave her a big mary gift. Having five mary gifts, Kathleen was on cloud nine. ¡°Where¡¯s your gift for Kate?¡± Wynnie frowned as she asked her son. ¡°I met a robber when I went upstairs just now, so the gift had been snatched away.¡± Although Samuel sounded helpless, his voice was filled with affection. ¡°Looks like Kate¡¯s received a fortune today.¡± Diana chuckled. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s the youngest one here,¡± Frances chimed in smilingly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t spend the money recklessly. I¡¯ll save it.¡± Kathleen grinned from ear to ear. Charles looked at her with a cheeky smile. ¡°Should I save it for you?¡± Kathleen was stunned momentarily before turning away to shield her money from her brother. ¡°No, thanks. I can do that myself. I¡¯m not a child anymore. So don¡¯t you dare covet my pocket money.¡± Amused, Charles grinned till his eyes were mere slits. ¡°Shall we y poker?¡± Wynnie narrowed her eyes slyly. ¡°Let¡¯s help Kate out. Once we y with her, she won¡¯t need to go to the bank to save her money there.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°Great!¡± Old Mrs. Macari loved to y poker. ¡°Let¡¯s start then.¡± An hourter, as Kathleen stared at the money that had been dwindling down, she felt like crying. ¡°Oh my, you only have this much left, huh?¡± Wynnie took a look at that money too. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The money wasn¡¯t mine, to begin with, anyway.¡± Wynnie was at a loss for words. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s continue!¡± Kathleen thought that it was not possible for her to lose every round. But after a while, she found that she was still losing. Diana and Frances sighed, shaking their heads. ¡°Kate, we¡¯re already going easy on you. Why can¡¯t you win?¡± Diana asked, baffled. Kathleen pursed her lips. Frances chimed in, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s not your lucky day today.¡± Kathleen pouted. ¡°I¡¯m a newbie. The three of you are seasoned yers.¡± ¡°Newbies are supposed to be bullied.¡± Wynnie smiled wickedly. ¡°Carry on.¡± Just then, Samuel walked over. Calvin and Charles were ying chess, and he did not join them. When Samuel heard Kathleen¡¯s voice, he came over to have a look. Upon seeing the money in front of Kathleen, he chuckled. ¡°The stack of money was quite thick just now. What happened?¡± Crestfallen, Kathleen did not say a word. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Samuel patted her on the shoulder, thinking that she was still too naive. Kathleen gave her seat to him in a heartbeat. Sitting down, Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Ladies, it¡¯s not good to bully a young woman.¡± ¡°Oh, save the pretty talk. Say all you want once you beat us,¡± Wynnie teased. Samuel smirked. ¡°Kate, I need a drink.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen went to bring him a drink. After a few minutes, when she returned, she noticed that they were already starting a new round. So who won the previous round just now? She put down the drink in her hand. Samuel looked at his cards as he sipped on his drink nonchntly. Five minutester, Samuel dered, ¡°I win.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Wynnie couldn¡¯t believe it. He smirked. ¡°Pay up, please.¡± The threedies gave it since they had lost. With that, they continued to y a new round. Another five minutes passed, and Samuel was the winner again. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Wynnie felt that something was fishy. ¡°Mom, a bet is a bet.¡± Samuel stretched out his hand. ¡°Pay up.¡± Wynnie put a few bills in his hand. About ten minutes passed, and Kathleen came back again to find that stack of money in front of Samuel had be thicker. Meanwhile, Diana and Wynnie both wore gloomy expressions. Samuel revealed his cards. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m the winner again.¡± Wynnie was beyond frustrated. ¡°You used five minutes to beat us in the first few rounds at first. Then, it gradually decreases to three minutes, and you even won every round. Did you cheat?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s impossible for me to cheat.¡± Samuel took the cash in front of Wynnie. Diana grumbled, ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have yed with you. When you were five years old, you followed me out to y poker. I only went to the washroom for a while, and when I came back, you¡¯d already won a round. I thought you were just lucky back then. Later, I found out that you were calcting the cards.¡± Samuel was gifted in mental calction. He could remember all the cards and analyze which yer had which card. That was the most terrifying part of him. He used that talent in the business world. That was why he had great achievements at such a young age. It was true that Samuel was the pride of the Macari family. Samuel stood up and put the money in Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t get tricked again.¡± Wynnie huffed, ¡°We didn¡¯t trick her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She lost, so it¡¯s only natural that she¡¯d honor the bets,¡± Diana said. While Samuel felt speechless, Kathleen chuckled awkwardly. Ding dong! The doorbell rang right then. Maria went to get the door. After a while, she came back in and said, ¡°Someone is here to look for Mr. Samuel.¡± Someone¡¯s looking for Samuel? ¡°You should go then,¡± Wynnie urged. Samuel nodded and walked off. Wynnie then called out, ¡°Katie,e over here. Shall we carry on?¡± Kathleen hugged the money in her hands. ¡°Mrs. Macari, this is money we¡¯re talking about. Please spare me some. Being an actress is not easy, you know.¡± Wynnie said wickedly, ¡°Samuel gave you a billion, didn¡¯t he? Come on. Let¡¯s y. Don¡¯t try to run away now.¡± Kathleen could only sh her an awkward smile, thinking that Wynnie had lost her mind. Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 They Look So Sweet Together For the safety of her riches, Kathleen rejected Wynnie¡¯s invitation. Thetter was still in the mood for poker, so she called Calvin over. ¡°What¡¯s Samuel doing?¡± Wynnie asked. ¡°What¡¯s taking him so long?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡± Kathleen turned around and left the games room. Just as she reached the door, Samuel pushed the door open and came in. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± His voice was gentle. ¡°Mrs. Macari is worried since you¡¯d been gone for so long, so I came out to check on you.¡± She looked outside the main door, but Samuel blocked her line of sight. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see. It¡¯s just Tyson. He came for work matters.¡± Kathleen blinked. ¡°It¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve. He¡¯s still working?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°You¡¯re an evil capitalist,¡± Kathleenmented teasingly. He snorted in reply. Just then, Charles came over and asked, ¡°Samuel, do you want to have a game of chess with me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel grinned. ¡°You two have been ying chess all day,¡± Kathleen groaned. ¡°It¡¯s the holidays. Can¡¯t you think of something fun?¡± Charles huffed, ¡°Nothing is fun with this kind of person.¡± Samuel shot him a side nce. ¡°I¡¯m not really interested to y with you either.¡± With that, the two snorted and turned around before walking away. Kathleen was speechless. They¡¯re so quick to turn against one another. I¡¯ve had enough. ¡°I¡¯m going to look for Snowy.¡± Kathleen muttered coldly, ¡°For the first time, I find that it¡¯s more difficult to talk to humans than a dog.¡± Samuel, who had just sat down not far away, frowned. Charles also felt like he had been insulted. When Kathleen went to the pet¡¯s room to find Snowy, she saw that the dog was lying on the carpet. She leaned over and hugged its neck. Just then, Charles came into the room. ¡°This is Snowy?¡± He stroked Snowy¡¯s fur on its head. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Being the well behaved dog that it was, Snowy did not budge as it let Charles stroked it. ¡°Yup.¡± Kathleen nodded and exined, ¡°It was rescued by me, so I named it Snowy.¡± Charles gave her a meaningful look. ¡°Godfather gave me a call today.¡± Kathleen responded indifferently, ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°He requested me to ask you about your condition now and if you still remember the three-year promise,¡± Charles reminded. ¡°Tell him I won¡¯t break the promise.¡± Charles knew she didn¡¯t like his godfather. ¡°He probably saw the news about you and Samuel, so¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°Charles, tell him not to worry. I won¡¯t go back on my word, but you also have to tell him not to be presumptuous. Only several months have passed. It¡¯s not even three years yet. What¡¯s the rush?¡± Kathleen questioned icily. Charles pursed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. You agreed to his conditions because of me.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Charles, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Her brother patted her on her shoulder lightly. Standing outside the door, Samuel overheard their conversation, and his eyes darkened. What conditions has Kathleen agreed to with Charles¡¯ godfather? Why does she hate him so much? Could it be¡­ No. I can¡¯t let her be controlled by others. A cold glint shed across his eyes at that thought. At eight o¡¯clock at night, they had New Year¡¯s Eve dinner at the Macari residence. Since it was New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, they had liquor on the table. Kathleen asked Wynnie, ¡°Mrs. Macari, where¡¯s Cynthia?¡± ¡°She¡¯s cooler than me. She¡¯s gone traveling on a luxurious cruise ship.¡± Wynnie poured Kathleen a ss of wine. ¡°Here, drink some.¡± Seeing that it was red wine, Kathleen did not decline. Wynnie was the one who could drink the most among them. After drinking several sses, Kathleen started to feel dizzy. Samuel sighed. ¡°Mom, are you trying to give her a hangover?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll ask Maria to make some hangover remedy for her.¡± Wynnie then teased, ¡°Why? You finally know how to show concern for your wife, huh? Why didn¡¯t you take care of her back then?¡± Samuel fell silent. Just then, Charles received a call. ¡°Excuse me. Something came up, so I¡¯ll be taking leave first.¡± He stood up slowly. Kathleen tugged at his sleeves and mumbled, ¡°Charles, where are you going?¡± ¡°The Lewis residence,¡± Charles answered in a low voice. ¡°Vivian wants to see me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You should go then. Send her my wishes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles reached out and stroked her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t drink anymore. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have a hangover tomorrow.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Charles looked at Calvin solemnly. ¡°Mr. Macari, I shall leave my sister and my granny to you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mr. Johnson,¡± Calvin replied warmly. Only then did Charles leave without worry. At ten o¡¯clock at night, Diana and Frances had gone back to their rooms after drinking a little bit of wine. They felt tired and went to bed early. Meanwhile, Wynnie had downed two bottles of wine unknowingly. Her cheeks were red, and she looked drunk with her ssy eyes. Calvin sighed. ¡°Darling, let¡¯s go back to our room.¡± ¡°No.¡± Wynnie shook her head and slurred, ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough.¡± ¡°Darling, we can continue drinking together in our room.¡± Calvin caressed her face, his gaze gentle. ¡°Really?¡± Wynnie¡¯s eyes lit up. He chuckled. ¡°Do you remember the bottle of wine I brought back previously? You said we should drink it during the New Year. Well, we can drink it in our room. This way, we won¡¯t have to share with them.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Wynnie agreed to his suggestion readily. Calvin heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he picked his wife up and carried her upstairs. Wynnie kicked her legs. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about my wine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The way Calvin spoke and talked to her was gentle. With her arms wrapped around his neck, Wynnie gave her husband a kiss. After they left, the only sounds that could be heard were the ones that came from the television in the dining hall. Kathleen and Samuel were the only ones left at the dining table. Staring in the direction where Calvin and Wynnie had left, Kathleen said, ¡°They look so sweet together.¡± Samuel looked at her flushed cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Maria to prepare you the hangover remedy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she rejected. She took the winess and gulped down half of the wine. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I was drunk. It feels nice.¡± Samuel gazed at her intently. ¡°Is there something troubling you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen stared nkly ahead. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it then.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was filled with gentleness. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat much just now.¡± She put down the winess. Suddenly, she tugged at his tie, pulling him close to her. ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel stared at her, his deep, dark eyes seemed tranquil. ¡°Samuel, stop pestering me.¡± Her soft voice wasced with coldness. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep this charade up with you any longer.¡± Charade? She thinks that I¡¯m toying with her? Samuel continued to cast a cold look on her, but somewhere in his heart stung. ¡°Why?¡± We were fine. She even said she wanted to cure my illness and heal my body. Displeasure seeped into Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like you. Isn¡¯t that reason good enough?¡± His eyes turned even colder. ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Chapter 266 She Is Dead ¡°I¡¯m d you understand then.¡± Kathleen sounded a little exasperated at that point. In response, a stiflingly grim aura started exuding from Samuel as his gaze turned frosty. He was reluctant to let her go. Kathleen soon poured herself another ss of wine, seemingly more annoyed than usual. Ugh. D*mn it! I can¡¯t believe that old bat is eyeing Samuel! ¡°Stop drinking,¡± Samuel ushered while grabbing her wrist. That sparked even more displeasure in Kathleen, who snapped, ¡°I want to.¡± Even so, Samuel did not loosen his vice-like grip. Kathleen shot a sideways re at him, her lustrous eyes reddening by the second. ¡°What gives you the right to order me around, Samuel? Who do you think you are?¡± That stunned Samuel into silence. Still, her sardonic words did not stop here. ¡°Don¡¯t assume there¡¯s hope for you just because I¡¯m smiling at you. Did you know? One year ago, on the night Nicolette restrained me to the operating table, I dreamt of my kids. They were crying, begging me not to kill them. Do you have any idea how much I wanted all of you to die aspensation for what you guys did to my kids?¡± All the muscles in Samuel¡¯s body tensed up as he listened to her words. ¡°Still, you never listened to me. All you ever concerned about was your precious Nicolette¡¯s ramblings about how she desperately needed to live¡­¡± Kathleen continued before sighing and chuckling coldly. At that moment, she could feel waves after waves of despair crashing over her. Samuel gazed at her, his eyes full of worry. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Kathleen got to her feet, but the moment she did so, she started swaying due to her drunken state. ¡°Stop involving yourself in my life, Samuel. Do you know how incredibly lonely I get when the daily hustle and bustle ends and I¡¯m left all alone?¡± She sniffled before continuing, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t married you back then, I could¡¯ve gotten myself a loving husband and birthed him a baby. We could¡¯ve lived happily ever after.¡± By then, Samuel had also stood up. He stretched out his arms protectively, fearing that Kathleen would fall over. However, she swatted his hand away. ¡±Samuel, my heart is bruised and battered. I can no longer find it within me to love you anymore. Please understand. I¡¯ll meet with Isaac alone tomorrow, so you don¡¯t have to apany me.¡± With that, she turned to leave with wobbly steps. A momentter, however, Samuel closed in from behind her and grabbed her waist. His lowered voice echoed in her ear with a solemn weight. ¡°I¡¯ll stay out of your life starting from tomorrow. I promise.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Kathleen replied, nodding. Samuel¡¯s gaze hardened bleakly as it locked onto Kathleen¡¯s eyes. Does Charles¡¯ godfather have something to do with her sudden change of attitude? I don¡¯t want to force her to tell me. If any issue arises, I¡¯ll resolve it for her in the dark. She won¡¯t have to know. ¡°Since we can¡¯t see each other when tomorrowes, I want you to follow me for now,¡± uttered Samuel as he led her away. Since there was no strength left in Kathleen¡¯s body, Samuel wrapped his arm around her and guided her to the door. Once they got there, he helped put her coat on before leading her outside. At that moment, Kathleen felt a pounding headache ripping through her skull. She cast a perplexed gaze at Samuel, not knowing what he was up to. From her current angle, she had the perfect view of Samuel¡¯s chiseled jaw. Some time passed before she lowered her head and burrowed deeper into his embrace. ¡°Kate, look at the sky.¡± Samuel¡¯s baritone voice suddenly rang out. The sky? Kathleen looked up at once. She noticed the many floatingnterns rising in the distance, their luminance brilliantly sparkling across the inky sky. Her jaw fell agape as her eyes widened in shock. Samuel hugged her from behind before speaking in his husky voice, ¡°I remember that one time after our wedding when you watched the floatingntern scene in Tangled. You couldn¡¯t keep your eyes off the main characters as they watched thenterns in their boat, so I figured you¡¯d like to see the star-like lanterns tonight.¡± Tears sprang to Kathleen¡¯s eyes. Upon seeing that, a miserable feeling rose within Samuel. Kathleen wiped her tears while stating, ¡°We can¡¯t go back to how things were, Samuel. Why are you talking about the past suddenly? Haven¡¯t you heard of the saying ¡®it¡¯s toote to amend things?¡±¡® ¡°I was too arrogant back then and assumed I could control everything in the world. Now, it seems that I¡¯m nothing more than an ordinary person,¡± Samuel replied self-deprecatingly. Tears kept flowing from Kathleen¡¯s eyes as she gazed at the glowingnterns. Bang! Bang! Bang! Just then, fireworks broke out amidst the darkness, taking Kathleen by surprise. He even prepared fireworks? A grin grew on Samuel¡¯s face as he watched her dazed expression. ¡°Happy New Year, Katie.¡± With that, he leaned in to kiss her cheek. Kathleen remained as still as a statue. The fireworks went on as Samuel hugged her tighter. ¡°In thising year, I¡¯m going to fulfill all your wishes. Since your first wish is to never see me again, I won¡¯t appear before you starting tomorrow.¡± Kathleen simply nodded in response to his words. Still, his tone remained gentle as he said, ¡°But there¡¯s one thing you need to remember. I¡¯m only a call away if you ever need me, Kate. I¡¯ll rush over in an instant. Don¡¯t ever forget that.¡± Kathleen nodded again. To that, a satisfied grin spread across Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°All right. You should head back to bed now that the fireworks are over.¡± It was only then that Kathleen turned around, revealing her tear-streaked face. The sight of that made Samuel¡¯s chest lurch in pain. These days, even a sorrowful look without tears from her was enough to make his heart ache. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way then.¡± Kathleen then walked away. Left behind, Samuel watched her departing figure with a sharp twinge in his chest. At this point, all he could do was keep an eye on her from afar until things unfolded themselves. It did not take long for Kathleen to return to her room before shey sprawled out on the bed. While she was the one who insisted that Samuel keep his distance from her, she could not deny the grueling ache she felt. After drowning in her sorrows for some time, she fell asleep. It wasn¡¯t until noon the next day that she woke up with a raging headache. Gosh. I shouldn¡¯t have drank so muchst night¡­ Kathleen sat up on her bed when her phone coincidentally rang. She picked it up and saw Charles¡¯ name as the caller ID. ¡°Charles? What¡¯s up?¡± she asked while massaging her temples. ¡°K-Kate¡­¡± Something sounded odd about Charles¡¯ voice as he failed to finish his words. ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows drew close. ¡°V-Vivian is¡­¡± Grief overwhelmed Charles so much that he sounded like he was on the verge of tears. ¡°S-She¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What?¡± The news shocked Kathleen, who instantly probed, ¡°How did she die?¡± ¡°She hung herself¡­ in her room¡­¡± Charles¡¯s hoarse voice rang out from the other end of the line. ¡°Caleb¡¯s emotionally unstable right now, and we need you here.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Kathleen hurriedly got ready. An hourter, she arrived at the Lewis residence dressed in a simple outfit. There, the housekeepers reced all cheerful decorations from the gate with dark-colored decorations as an indication of mourning. Kathleen soon entered the residence, noticing that a mourning section had already gotten set up inside. ¡°Get lost!¡± Caleb¡¯s ferocious snarl came from the second floor, adding, ¡°My sister¡¯s not dead! Get out of our home!¡± What came next was a series of hurried footsteps. The butlers and all the housekeepers had frantically scurried down the stairs in that instant. Seeing that, Kathleen approached them to ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Since Ms. Lewis has passed away, we asked Mr. Lewis to pick a funeral portrait of her. But he kicked us out¡­¡± exined a helpless-looking butler. Once Kathleen heard that, she reached out. ¡°Let me see.¡± The butler then handed over a few photos of Vivian to her. These seemed to be from long ago. But I guess there¡¯s nothing we can do about it now. ¡°This should do.¡± Kathleen picked out a sophisticated-looking photo of Vivian from the bunch. ¡°All right.¡± The butler nodded without a trace of objection to her choice. Following that, Kathleen headed upstairs. Charles, who stood at the study¡¯s door, soon came into her view. She found it hard to speak. ¡°Charles¡­¡± In front of her, a red-eyed Charles said, ¡°You made it.¡± Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Alone In His Room Kathleen nodded. Charles pointed at the study and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been holding Caleb back, and the housekeepers are also watching him below the windows. Please try to persuade him.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen frowned, her brows drawing together. ¡°What is he nning to do?¡± ¡°He wants to kill Finn,¡± Charles answered while casting a grave look at her. Kathleen nodded understandingly. ¡°I would want the same if I were in Caleb¡¯s shoe.¡± Her frank reply caused Charles to frown even more. Ignoring that, Kathleen turned and entered the study. ¡°Get out!¡± thundered Caleb, whose back was facing Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± thetter stated calmly. Caleb stiffened before turning around, his eyes red with tears as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Kathleen approached him with the utmost concernced in her tone. ¡°Are you all right?¡± In response, Caleb cast a glum look while cing both her hands on his face. His voice was hoarse as he replied, ¡°I never thought she would hang herself¡­¡± Kathleen felt her heart sink. Tears fell from her eyes as she admitted, ¡°I know. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have let her see Finn¡­¡± In truth, she med herself for Vivian¡¯s death. Kathleen would rather have Vivian live on with her mental condition than be dead. However, it was toote now; Vivian had chosen to depart the world permanently after discovering the truth. Caleb started crying. His voice was choked-up as he uttered, ¡°I-I¡¯ve lost my sister, Kate¡­¡± Kathleen had no idea how tofort him at that moment. All she could do was walk over and wrap her arms around him, offering a warm embrace. He, too, hugged her tightly while resting his head on her shoulder. They remained that way for a few minutes, holding onto each other for any sense offort they could get. Eventually, Kathleen patted his back and said, ¡°Caleb, you need to be strong. There are still things you need to deal with for Vivian¡¯s funeral, and you have to inform your parents that are overseas about this.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t feel like doing it¡­¡± A moment passed before Caleb asked hoarsely, ¡°Will you help me?¡± ¡°If you need it, I¡¯ll dly help you out. That¡¯s what friends are for.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Also, I don¡¯t want you to settle the score with Finn. He¡¯s not worth it. After all, you¡¯ll go to prison for killing him. If you truly want revenge, there are many alternative ways to achieve it. Killing him isn¡¯t the only option.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let Vivian¡¯s death be in vain!¡± ¡°Good,¡± replied Kathleen. Yet, regardless of his currentpliance, she could not stop worrying that Caleb would do something awful. ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through. So please don¡¯t interfere with Vivian¡¯s matter, Kate. I have a n to make Finn pay for it,¡± Caleb suddenly proimed. I¡¯m going to make Finn regret his actions. He¡¯ll spend the rest of his life paying for my sister¡¯s death. Killing him would mean letting him off too easily! ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Kathleen urged with concern. ¡°I won¡¯t. I would never tarnish my life over a scumbag like him.¡± Only after hearing that did Kathleen heave a sigh of relief. Then, she released him from her embrace and instructed, ¡°Rposed yourself and call your parents, okay? I¡¯m heading downstairs to check up on things.¡± Even though Caleb had asked her to stay out of Vivian¡¯s matters, she could not bring herself to stand by and not do anything. ¡°All right.¡± Caleb nodded. However, something flickered in his gaze as he watched Kathleen turn to leave. When Kathleen arrived downstairs, the Lewis residence¡¯s housekeepers had efficiently assembled the mourning hall¡¯s furniture in a short time. She approached the butler and instructed grimly, ¡°Caleb¡¯s mentally and physically exhausted. I¡¯ll help bear some of his responsibilities in arranging Vivian¡¯s funeral. There¡¯s no need to trouble him, so pleasee to me should you need anything.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± replied the butler right away. Since Mr. Lewis has given Ms. Johnson the power to handle his family affairs, that must mean she¡¯s in charge of the family now. It looks like he¡¯s nning to make her his wife. ¡°That¡¯s all. You may resume with your tasks,¡± Kathleen stated. ¡°All right.¡± The butler turned on his heels to leave. Soon after, Kathleen looked around in confusion. Where did Charles go? Once Vivian¡¯s obituary got published, many guests arrived at the residence for her memorial service. Even Samuel showed up, but he merely nced at Kathleen without doing anything. Vaguely recalling what had happened the night before, Kathleen strolled over to him. However, Samuel retreated half a step backward. His actions put Kathleen at a loss for words. ¡°It¡¯s best if we keep our distance. After all, I promised not to show up in front of you again,¡± he said. In response, she lightly pinched the space between her brows. ¡°I did ask you to stay out of my life. But I never asked you to avoid me like the gue. Besides, we¡¯ll have to face one another eventually since we have many coborative projects. There¡¯s no way you can avoid me forever.¡± Silence fell as Samuel kept mum. ¡°Anyway, thank you for attending and paying tribute to Vivian,¡± Kathleen said politely. ¡°Why are you here?¡± came Samuel¡¯s husky reply. Kathleen exined, ¡°Vivian and Caleb are my friends. It¡¯s only natural that I help out.¡± Is that so? Deep down, Samuel did not believe her words. She continued, ¡°Besides, Caleb¡¯s not feeling the best right now, so I figured I¡¯d help him out.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel felt even more upset. ¡°How kind of you,¡± he remarked emotionlessly, the bitterness in his tone unnoticed by Kathleen. It was then that Caleb joined the two. He greeted in a deep and hoarse voice, ¡°Kate.¡± Kathleen instantly looked to her side and asked, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Caleb nodded, and rified, ¡°My head aches.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen ced the back of her palm on his head, frowning. ¡°You seem to have a fever. I think you should rest up in your room in case it worsens.¡± ¡°Can youe with me?¡± Caleb¡¯s brows twisted together in a stern expression as he added, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to talk to you about.¡± Kathleen nodded before shooting a sideways nce at Samuel. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave first, then.¡± As the two turned to leave, Samuel studied them with an unwavering and steely gaze. It was not long before Kathleen supported Caleb into the house. She even asked the butler to prepare some fever-reducing medicine for him. ¡°Right away, Ms. Johnson.¡± The butler nodded. Following that, the two headed upstairs to Caleb¡¯s room. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Caleby down on his bed, his body limp from fatigue. He was indeed sick, but the reason he went downstairs was also to provoke Samuel. It was only understandable since he had already lost a family member. He did not want to lose Kathleen as well. This was his only chance to have her. Kathleen¡¯s kind and soft-heartedness was the one thing he could use to his advantage. ¡°Lie down and rest,¡± Kathleen said while tucking him in. That was when Caleb grabbed her hand with his remaining strength while asking hoarsely, ¡°Can you stay with me?¡± She nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± came his reply. ¡°Have you called your parents?¡± Kathleen asked in concern. ¡°I have,¡± Caleb answered as his countenance grew paler. ¡°They¡¯re already on their way back.¡± Those words provided brief reassurance to Kathleen as she pursed her cherry lips. ¡°I see.¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes locked onto her like mas. ¡°You don¡¯t have to take responsibility. Vivian¡¯s death has nothing to do with you. The one who should be paying dearly is Finn!¡± Those words made every muscle in Kathleen¡¯s body tense up. ¡°I thought Vivian could make it through those tough times, but I never thought¡­¡± ¡°No woman can handle being set up for utter humiliation by the man she loves. That being said, she acted so normal at first even I believed she had moved on,¡± said Caleb, whose gaze bore holes into the ceiling above. A wave of sadness washed over Kathleen, suffocating her from within. She eventually said, ¡°This might not have happened if I paid more attention and care in handling things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°You should rest up.¡± Kathleen added softly, ¡°There are more matters that require your attention tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Caleb nodded before shutting his eyes. He continued holding Kathleen¡¯s hand as he fell into a deep slumber. A sigh slipped out of Kathleen at that moment. She truly felt sorry for what happened with Vivian. Who would have expected that Vivian would end her life this way¡­ Also, I still haven¡¯t seen Charles anywhere. I wonder where he went¡­ Half an hour passed when Kathleen heard loudmotionsing from downstairs. She immediately got up and exited the room. As soon as she arrived downstairs, she saw Charles dragging Finn over. The former thundered at the top of his lungs, ¡°Get on your knees!¡± At the same time, Kathleen noticed how Finn could not bring himself to look straight at Vivian¡¯s funeral portrait. All he did was shoot a quick look at it before avoiding it altogether. She walked over but instantly froze in her tracks when she noticed Samuel sitting by the side. He hasn¡¯t left yet? Mixed emotions filled Samuel¡¯s predator-like gaze as he studied her. Finally. What the hell were they doing alone in his room for this long? Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Chapter 268 That Much Charles pinned Finn to the ground. Thetter resisted with all his might but eventually went down on one knee. ¡°Get down on both knees!¡± Charles exerted more strength as his handsome face contorted with rage. ¡°Have you lost your mind, Charles!¡± Finn¡¯s voice boomed throughout the space. However, Charles opened his eyes wide. Fury overtook his senses as he grabbed Finn¡¯s cor. ¡°Open your eyes wide and see whose portrait that is!¡± All color drained from Finn¡¯s face as he nced over. ¡°I heard the news. You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± ¡°So why didn¡¯t you show up to her memorial service? Have you forgotten that you¡¯re the one who caused her death?¡± Charles interrogated. ¡°I didn¡¯t cause anything. She¡¯s the one who hung herself. It has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°She did that because of you! If you hadn¡¯t put her through all that sh*t, she wouldn¡¯t have resorted to doing this!¡± ¡°You have no evidence to prove your ims,¡± Finn stated, persistently denying the truth. That only made the wrathful fumes in Charles¡¯ heart broil even more. He bellowed, ¡°Do you really I won¡¯t dare to beat you up just because I don¡¯t have any evidence?¡± Finn responded with sarcastic chuckles, which only made things worse. Bam! Charles¡¯ fist struck Finn¡¯s face at full force. Upon witnessing such a scene, everyone rushed up to prevent the situation from escting. ¡°No one is to intervene!¡± Kathleen snarled, her tone frosty. When it came to fighting, Finn was nothing more than trash before Charles¡¯ brute strength. Not to mention that Charles¡¯ deep affection for Vivian greatly surpassed Finn¡¯s past feelings for Vivian. Utter chaos broke out in the mourning hall. Finn got beaten up so badly that his nose started to bleed, and he could barely stand upright. While Charles did not suffer any severe injuries, he did end up taking a punch or two from the former. ¡°Stop! Stop it!¡± Tracy charged into the space with her subordinates. When she saw that Finn had gotten beat up, she rushed to stand in front of him defensively, her shrill voice piercing the air. ¡°Are you trying to beat him to death?¡± ¡°Get the hell out of my way! Don¡¯t think that I won¡¯ty hands on a woman!¡± Charles¡¯s piercing gaze shot toward her. ¡°Kill me then! I¡¯m the one behind all those things anyway!¡± Tracy continued to take the me on behalf of Finn. Charles scoffed as he retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid Vivian¡¯s spirit will haunt your dreams?¡± Tracy bit down on her lip, not wanting to answer that question. Meanwhile, Kathleen¡¯s indifferent gaze focused on Tracy as she spoke up. ¡°What an idiot. How can you defend a selfish man who doesn¡¯t even show you respect or treat you like a human?¡± A bewildered look crept upon Tracy¡¯s face upon hearing that. ¡°Besides, Vivian was once his most beloved woman. However, he did all those horrible things after using her as a ticket to improve his societal standing. Contrarily, he doesn¡¯t even love you. Do you think he¡¯ll remain kind to you once you¡¯re no longer useful to him?¡± Kathleen added, her toneced with bitter distaste. Her words made Tracy bite her lip. ¡°You¡¯ll eventually end up like Vivian,¡± remarked Kathleen with murderous intent shing in her narrowed eyes. Despite all those words, Tracy refuted with a downcast gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t care! I love him, and he¡¯s my husband, so it¡¯s only right that I defend him!¡± ¡°How idiotic,¡± Kathleen spat before scoffing. ¡°Aren¡¯t you an idiot too?¡± It was now Tracy¡¯s turn to speak sarcastically as she questioned, ¡°Remember how you loved Samuel all those years ago like a fool? Even when his heart was clearly devoted to Nicolette?¡± Kathleen¡¯s delicate face paled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was an idiot back then, so I¡¯m advising you now to open your eyes.¡± Despite that, Tracy ignored her and went to kneel before Vivian¡¯s photo. ¡°Vivian, you can hold me ountable for everything that¡¯s happened. If you want to get revenge,e at me. I¡¯m okay with that!¡± Finn shot a surprised look at Tracy. Meanwhile, Kathleen felt Tracy was too far gone in her obsession to be saved now. ¡°As expected.¡± Kathleen looked over at Finn and resumed, ¡°The world wouldn¡¯t have men that are scumbags if women didn¡¯t fall in love so deeply. You¡¯re not worthy of these two¡¯s affection.¡± Finn remained silent. ¡°Kick them out of here,¡± Kathleen ordered icily. Her curt instruction made Charles frown in dissatisfaction. Seeing that, she added coldly, ¡°Charles, you can always destroy everything he dreams of if you hate him. There¡¯s no need to beat him up. After all, why risk getting hurt yourself?¡± Those words seemed sensible to Charles, who soon agreed. ¡°Get out of my sight.¡± All trace of warmth had evaporated from Kathleen¡¯s delicate face at that point. ¡°Don¡¯t taint Vivian¡¯s memorial service with your vile presence.¡± Tracy sniffled before walking toward Finn to help him off the ground. In response, thetter merely nced at her beforepliantly leaving with her. The two soon got into a car when Finn asked in his scratchy tone, ¡°Do you really love me that much?¡± Tracy paused for a moment before finally admitting, ¡°Yeah.¡± Finn¡¯s grim gaze settled on her. ¡°Even if I¡¯m such a scumbag?¡± ¡°The truth is, Finn, I can¡¯t find it in me to fall for anyone else even if we were to split up. It¡¯s likely that I might never find love again.¡± Tracy bit her lip. This must be how Kathleen feels, huh? The only difference is that I¡¯m not as carefree as her. She may have the courage to leave her toxic rtionship, but I don¡¯t. Finn pulled Tracy into his arms, not uttering a single word. In response, Tracy stiffened as her tears fell. She hurriedly returned his hug and swore, ¡°We¡¯ll pay for Vivian¡¯s death together.¡± Finn nodded. In the meantime, Kathleen brought some iodine swabs over to Charles. She then nagged, ¡°Why did you force him here like a prisoner? Aren¡¯t you worried that Vivian won¡¯t be able to rest in peace?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Charles faltered. ¡°I genuinely have no idea what to say to you. What¡¯s the use of causing such a big scene anyway?¡± Kathleen told him off like he were her younger brother while she applied the medication to his wounds. ¡°Okay, that should do it.¡± After she was done, she put away the swabs and locked eyes with Charles. ¡°I just think she didn¡¯t deserve to die¡­¡± he muttered while gazing at Vivian¡¯s photo. To him, she looked absolutely gorgeous in her funeral portrait. Kathleen sighed. ¡°Perhaps death is a form of release for Vivian. That incident has tortured her for all these years, after all. I doubt any of us can truly understand her pain.¡± With his reddened eyes, Charles fell silent. It was then that Kathleen nced sideways, her gaze meeting Samuel¡¯s dark eyes. She had forgotten all about him. ¡°Charles, I¡¯m going over there for a bit.¡± With that, Kathleen approached Samuel. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The man shed her a deep look. ¡°I need to tell you something¡ª¡± Before he could finish, however, Kathleen cut him off. ¡°I want to see Isaac.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that anymore.¡± Kathleen froze momentarily before responding, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t trouble you then. I¡¯ll go look for him myself.¡± Irritation sparked in Samuel upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯m not refusing to introduce you two. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve already paid him a visit.¡± Kathleen blinked a few times. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean toe off like I was upset at you.¡± She was merely reiterating her words fromst night¡ª That she didn¡¯t need to trouble him from now on. Likewise, she uttered those words because she found it odd that he remained at the memorial, despite not being close with the Lewis family. Hence, she assumed he was waiting there for her. ¡°I¡¯ve met and asked him the question on your behalf.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darted around before he added, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people here. Is there a more quiet ce where we can discuss this?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to your car then.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel nodded. They then made their way out the door. It just so happened that Caleb wasing downstairs, so he caught sight of the two. Something sinister shed in his eyes right then. Kathleen got into Samuel¡¯s car and instantly asked, ¡°So, what did Isaac say?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t admit to helping Old Mr. Yoeger steal or temporarily look after a child.¡± To that, Kathleen pursed her lips,menting, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s involved because we have no evidence to prove it. This is going to be tricky¡­¡± ¡°I believe him.¡± Samuel then confidently exined, ¡°He said it himself that he would never agree to help Old Mr. Yoeger do such a cruel thing. Plus, he even reminded me about something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Samuel¡¯s expression darkened as he sternly said, ¡°It¡¯s possible that Old Mr. Yoeger entrusted the matter to a woman.¡± Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Kathleen understood immediately. ¡°I get it. You¡¯re saying that only a woman could take care of a child well. Besides, if he asked Isaac for help, Isaac would have to look for a nanny, too. That way, there would be one more person aware of the matter, making it riskier. Am I right?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°But a woman, huh?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I wonder who could it be?¡± Seeing how she was thinking hard with furrowed brows, Samuel felt a bit sad. If she asked him for help, he would be d to offer it. However, she never turned to him and resorted to doing everything on her own. ¡°I can look into it for you if you¡¯d like ¡± Samuel offered calmly. Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked too much ¡°Just think of it as me paying you back for the treatment. Since you refused thepany¡¯s shares, this is the only way I could think of to not owe you a favor¡± Samuel said indifferently. Kathleen paused for a moment before agreeing. Since he doesn¡¯t want to owe me one, I¡¯ll just ept his help. ¡°Give me three days.¡± He then added coldly. ¡°You may get off the car now.¡± Feeling speechless, Kathleen got off the car without a word. As Samuel stared at her departing figure, he felt heartbroken. But more than that, he felt irritated, which was very unlike him. When he saw Calebing out of the mansion to bring Kathleen in, he scoffed. Caleb will never have Kathleen! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. While walking into the mansion, Kathleen looked at Caleb and inquired, ¡°Did you have a good rest?¡± ¡°I had a good sleep, thanks to you,¡± Caleb said with a smick. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ll ask the chef to prepare some food. What time are your parents arriving?¡± ¡°Around midnight. After a short pause, Caleb added, ¡°You shoulde with me. My dad and I won¡¯t be able to coax my mom.¡¯ Kathleen gave it a thought and replied, ¡°All right.¡± The woman was also Vivian¡¯s mother, so it was only right that Kathleen should help. Caleb knew that Kathleen had a soft heart. In fact, he thought that it was too easy to trick her. Meanwhile, Charles watched them in silence. He noticed Kathleen didn¡¯t look at Caleb the same way she looked at Samuel. Al three in the morning, Kathleen arrived at the airport with Caleb They didn¡¯t wait long before Caleb¡¯s parents appeared at the exit The couple had rushed over without bringing anything with them. ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± Caleb strode over to them, and Kathleen followed suit. Caleb¡¯s mother, Linda Jones, grasped his arms desperately. ¡°Caleb, is your sister¡­ is she really dead?¡± Caleb nodded with a pained expression. ¡°My daughter!¡± Linda almost fainted at the tragic news. Thankfully, Caleb¡¯s father, George Lewis, held her in time. Kathleen also stepped forward to massage Linda¡¯s head to make her feel better. It was only after a while that Linda managed to pull herself together. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car first¡± Kathleen suggested. Caleb nodded. Together with his father, they supported Linda and walked out of the airport. ¡°You should ride with your parents. I¡¯ll take the next car,¡± Kathleen told Caleb. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen was very sensible. Without saying anything further, she got in the car behind them. ¡°Dad, Mom. Let¡¯s get in.¡± Caleb opened the car door. In the car, the couple asked him the details of Vivian¡¯s death. Linda wept sorrowfully, while tears could be seen pooling in George¡¯s eyes. When they arrived at the Lewis residence, Linda started sobbing the moment she saw Vivian¡¯s photo. No one could manage to calm her down. In the end, Kathleen struck the side of her neck to render her unconscious. Seeing that, George looked at her in bewilderment. ¡°I heard from Caleb that Mrs. Lewis has heart disease. Something bad could happen if she keeps crying like that,¡± Kathleen exined. George nodded slowly. ¡°Excuse me, please bring Mrs. Lewis to the room,¡± Kathleen called out. Immediately, two housekeepers came over and brought Linda to a room on the second floor. George turned to Caleb and asked, ¡°Who is this young woman?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Kathleen Johnson, your future daughter-inw,¡± Caleb said in a low voice, Daughter-inw? Caleb is dating someone? I can¡¯t believe any woman would like him, considering his gloomy personality. How strange, George thought. in the morning, Linda finally woke up. Before she oven opened her eyes, the smell of medicine filled her nose. Then, she saw Kathleen silting by the bed, holding a ss of medicine Linda frowned in confusion. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Hello, Mrs. Lewis. I¡¯m Vivian¡¯s friend, Kathleen Johnson, Kathleen introduced herself. She then continued, ¡°I¡¯m also terribly heartbroken about Vivian¡¯s passing, but I hope you can take care of yourself. I¡¯m a traditional medicine practitioner, and here¡¯s the medicine i formted for you. Please give it a try.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Linda took the ss and admitted shyly, ¡°I thought you were Caleb¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Kathleen remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m not. Actually, I¡¯m a divorcee. My ex-husband is Samuel Macari. You probably heard of him.¡± Linda was surprised at that revtion. It was no wonder Kathleen looked familiar to her. She was too heartbroken the day before to recognize the young woman. Taking a sip of the medicine, Linda found it rather bitter. She knitted her brows lightly and started, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m a very open-minded person. As long as my son likes you, I won¡¯t mind letting him marry a divorcee. Even if you have children, I will still ept you.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Linda looked at her and added, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. You exined to me in advance so I wouldn¡¯t misunderstand, right?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Miss, may I ask you a question?¡± Linda inquired meaningfully. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What is it that my soncks for you to not like him?¡± Linda asked curiously. Kathleen was dumbfounded at her words. The talk seemed to be going in a different direction from what she imagined. ¡°My son is handsome and rich.¡± After giving it a thought, Linda continued, ¡°Well, I suppose his personality is a bit nasty, but he will definitely treat you well. Although it may not seem like it, he¡¯s the type to love someone with his whole heart and soul once he has fallen for her.¡± Kathleen was a bit embarrassed. ¡°Mrs. Lewis, it¡¯s not his problem. The problem lies with me.¡± Linda stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re still in love with Samuel?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Feelings can be nurtured, you know?¡± Indeed, Linda was broad-minded. Just then, Caleb pushed the door open. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re awake. Kate is a terrific doctor. So feel free to consult her if you don¡¯t feel well.¡± As he spoke, he winked at Linda. The woman instantly got what her son was hinting at. So Caleb does like this young woman! ¡°Ms. Johnson, I do have a feeble body. I don¡¯t like modern medicine elther. Could I ask you to treat me?¡± Linda prompted, Kathleen nodded. ¡°Sure. No problem.¡± ¡°Mom, just call her Kate. I call her that, too, Caleb chimed in. ¡°I should at least ask Ms. Johnson first if she would be okay with that.¡° As she said that, Linda looked at Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a name, anyway,¡± Kathleen responded. Hearing that, Linda smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Kate from now on, then.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen smiled back. At that moment, her phone rang. After she picked it up, Tyson¡¯s panicked voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Ms. Johnson, bad news! Mr. Macari has fainted.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°Samuel fainted? Did you send him to the hospital?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on the way. He keeps calling out your name. Could youe here, Ms. Johnson?¡± Tyson sounded very anxious. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll head over right now.¡± With that, Kathleen turned to leave. Caleb followed her and asked, ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Samuel fainted. He¡¯s being brought to the hospital right now,¡± Kathleen said worriedly. ¡°But he was fine when he left,¡± Caleb hinted. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Kathleen paused in her tracks. She looked at Caleb coldly and stated, ¡°I know Samuel¡¯s physical condition very well. A mere cold could kill him.¡± Caleb froze upon hearing that. Without hesitation, Kathleen turned and headed to her car. When Caleb got to the door, she had already sped off. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to let go of Samuel.¡± Charles¡¯s deep voice suddenly sounded beside Caleb. Clenching his fists, Caleb said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe so! I¡¯m going to chase Samuel out of her heart and have it for myself!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just making things difficult for yourself,¡± Charlesmented, taking a puff of his cigarette. Caleb turned to face him with a solemn gaze. ¡°I like her.¡± ¡°Christopher likes her, too. He even had more chances to approach herpared to you. Do you know how resistant she was to him?¡± Caleb pursed his lips. Is there really no way to this? When Kathleen arrived at the hospital, she immediately found Tyson. Just as she was about to ask him what happened, a nurse hurried out of the ward and told Tyson, ¡°Mr. Macari was poisoned.¡± Poisoned? Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Can you detoxify him?¡± A look of hesitance appeared on the nurse¡¯s face. ¡°Let me in. I know how to save him,¡± Kathleen dered. Her beautiful face looked icy at that moment. ¡°Let Ms. Johnson in. I¡¯ll take responsibility for anything that happens,¡± Tyson said. With a nod, the nurse led Kathleen into the ward. The doctor was ready to snap when he saw the nurse bring someone inside. However, he stepped aside after the nurse whispered a few words into his ear. After Kathleen examined Samuel, her face darkened. Rolling up her sleeves, she instructed, ¡°Let half of his blood out and transfuse my blood to him.¡± ¡°Your blood?¡± The doctor was stunned. ¡°Stop wasting time. If anything happens to him, I will make you guys bear the consequences!¡± Kathleen warned furiously, startling the doctor. Everyone knew about her rtionship with Samuel. The doctor frowned. I thought they were divorced. But it looks like they still have a close rtionship, though four hourster, Samuel woke up He frowned, wondering why he was in the hospital. ¡°Mr. Macari, you¡¯re awake!¡± Tyson eximed delightfully. ¡°What happened to me?¡± inquired Samuel with a hoarse voice. ¡°You¡­¡± Tyson hesitated for a moment before continuing. ¡°You fainted.¡± Kathleen had told him not to tell Samuel the truth. ¡°I fainted? Why did I faint?¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, you have poor health. Isn¡¯t it normal for you to faint?¡± Tyson said sheepishly. However, Samuel was very keen. ¡°No. I didn¡¯t faint because of that. I remember that my heart hurt badly, and I was having a hard time breathing.¡± Hearing that, Tyson bit his lip quietly. ¡°Tyson, you¡¯re lying to me,¡± Samuel pointed out coldly. Tyson responded with a helpless smile. I knew I couldn¡¯t keep it from him. He¡¯s no ordinary man, after all. ¡°Mr. Macari, I wasn¡¯t trying to keep it from you on purpose. Ms. Johnson¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes turned cial as he ordered, ¡°Tell me what actually happened.¡± Left with no choice, Tyson told him everything. Upon hearing that Kathleen had transfused half of her blood to himself, Samuel felt shocked and heartbroken at the same time. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the ward next to ours. She¡¯s very weak right now,¡¯ Tyson informed him. Without a word, Samuel lifted the nket off him and headed straight toward Kathleen¡¯s ward. When he entered and saw her sleeping peacefully, a bitter expression shed across his face. He approached her and sat down, reaching out for her soft and fair hand. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°How could you be so foolish as usual? You called Tracy an idiot, yet you¡¯re just the same. You despise me and called me an a*shole, so why didn¡¯t you just leave me to die? Won¡¯t that make things easier for you?¡± Now that she saved him, it made him more reluctant and unwilling to let go of her. Just then, a doctor came in. The look in Samuel¡¯s eyes turned dark, and he asked softly, ¡°When will she wake up?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I suppose,¡± the doctor answered. ¡°She gave you a lot of blood, so she has to rest well.¡± Samuel tightened his hold on her hand and told the doctor, ¡°I¡¯m renting out this entire floor. No one is allowed to disturb her Naturally, the doctor didn¡¯t dare to oppose ¡°Understood ¡°Anything else Samuel looked at him iclly The doctor froze for a second before saying, ¡°Ms. Johnson asked me to conduct a blood test on you. The results are out.¡± With that, he handed the document to Samuel. Taking it over, Samuel instructed, ¡°You may leave now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The doctor obliged with a nod and exited the ward. Samuel then turned his attention back to Kathleen. He touched her face lightly and whispered, ¡°You silly girl.¡± Always doing such silly things. After staying with her for a while, Samuel stood up and went out. Tyson was waiting outside. When he saw Samuel, he urged, ¡°Mr. Macari, you should return to your ward and rest on the bed.¡± It would be troublesome if something happened again. ¡°I want you to investigate how I was poisoned. Start from the food I ate.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was as frosty as ever. Fortunately, Tyson was an efficient man. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve looked into it already. There were no issues with the food and water you had today.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows at that. ¡°None at all?¡± After some hesitation, Tyson admitted, ¡°I did notice something wrong.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The medicine Ms. Johnson gave you.¡± ¡°Kate will not try to kill me,¡± Samuel said, his tone brimming with certainty. Someone must have reced it with something else.¡± ¡°The medicine was bought from Lewis Enterprises¡¯ pharmacy.¡± Tyson paused upon saying that. Then, he added, ¡°Could it be him?¡± Samuel knew who Tyson was referring to. It was Caleb. Caleb liked Kathleen, and he believed that Samuel was his biggest obstacle in pursuing her. Thus, Tyson figured that he wanted to kill Samuel. Since he couldn¡¯t do it directly, he probably decided to tamper with the medicine. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s stupid? If he uses Kate¡¯s medicine to poison me to death, Kate will be enraged when she finds out. She¡¯ll kill him with something even more poisonous,¡± Samuel said. Besides, if Caleb did that, Kathleen would loath him for it. Samuel knew very well what kind of person Caleb was. If he was so simple minded, the Lewis family wouldn¡¯t be what it was today. Tyson purged his lips ¡°Who could it be, then?¡± 1.130% no The Yorgerrnlly. Semuel uttered indifferently. Tyson was taken aback. ¡°The Yoeger family? Could they be using the same old trick again?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find out once we look into it. From today on, instruct the people in Florinia Manor to make nutritious food and send them here,¡±manded Samuel coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve already told them to do so. They¡¯ll bring food here in a while.¡± ¡°I need you to prepare something else for me.¡± Samuel lowered his voice and warned, ¡°Tell them to be quiet when they move. If anyone wakes Kate up, they¡¯ll have to answer to me!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Then, Samuel told Tyson what he had to prepare. After listening, Tyson looked a little surprised. ¡°Go on now. And don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± ¡°All right, Mr. Macari.* Tyson bobbed his head obediently, Afterward, Samuel returned to Kathleen¡¯s ward, This time, he got into the bed and fell asleep with Kathleen in his arms. Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Kathleen woke up in the middle of the night, and the first thing she noticed was Samuel sleeping beside her. Why are we sleeping on the same bed again? Didn¡¯t I ask Tyson not to tell Samuel? He¡¯s useless! Just as that thought shed across her mind, she noticed something was off. There were a lot of star-shapedmps hung in the room, emitting a warm yellow glow, providing her a sense of rxation. The lights illuminated the room, acting as nightlights that chased the darkness away. Did Samuel prepare all these because he knows I¡¯m afraid of the dark? As that thought came to mind, her heart skipped a beat. Samuel imed he would draw a line between the two of them, but in truth, he still couldn¡¯t persuade himself to pull away Since he couldn¡¯t, Kathleen decided that she would. Hence, she got off the bed cautiously and prepared to head outside after grabbing her coat. She opened the door and was surprised to see the whole floor being decorated with star-shaped lamps. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice sounded behind her, causing her to freeze on the spot. He¡¯s awake? ¡°Yeah. You should stay here and get plenty of rest,¡± she said without looking at him. With that, she was about to march away when Samuel grabbed her wrist from behind, pulling her back. She was already quite weak, so she fell into his arms right away. He held her and asked hoarsely. ¡°Why are you pushing yourself? You¡¯re clearly not fine.¡± She frowned. ¡°Samuel, please let me go.¡± ¡°Unless you promise me that you¡¯ll recuperate in the ward for half a month, I won¡¯t let you go,¡± he said coldly. She glowered at him and replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m feeling okay.¡± ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t push me into doing something to myself. I know I can¡¯t do anything to you, but I can easily end myself,¡± threatened Samuel in a cial tone. Before Kathleen could respond, she was carried back into the room. ¡°You¡¯reing back with me!¡± He ced her on the bed and pinned her down, ordering, ¡°Stay put and don¡¯t move. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything that¡¯s going on out there. All you have to do is rest.¡± ¡°Vivian¡¯s burial is tomorrow. I¡¯m going. Kathleen struggled to break free. Samuel stared at her with an icy look in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll let you go, but for now, you must get plenty of rest. Onse, I¡¯ll stab myself in the stomach¡± upon finishing his sentence, he grabbed a knife and pointed it at his belly, proving to her that he wasn¡¯t ITuing around Kahariws caught in a tough spot Trin Pirtthrop downI wont leave. In the ond, ale nad no choice, as she know the inan wus definitely serious. ¡°Then close your eyes and sleep,¡± hemanded as he stood by the bed. She looked at him helplessly. ¡°Put the knife down first. I won¡¯t leave. I swear.¡± However, he remained standing there motionlessly as if he was not going to yield until she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Since she knew his condition was worse than hers, she could only give in. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll sleep. You should go and rest, too.¡± When shey down, he sat by her bed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll watch you fall asleep.¡± Kathleen intertwined both her hands and ced them on her abdomen. ¡°Do you know how you were poisoned?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll investigate it.¡± The man¡¯s voice was devoid of emotions. Kathleen furrowed her brows slightly. ¡°You must¡¯ve been extra careful with your daily diet after the Yoeger family tried to poison youst time. The only thing that could make you let your guard down were the medicines prescribed for you, right?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± he queried. ¡°It was just a guess. How can someone tamper with my medication? I bet that person has a death wish,¡± she said, fuming. In a half-joking manner, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t suspect it was Caleb who wanted me dead.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t try to kill you. I trust him,¡± she said solemnly. Caleb wouldn¡¯t do something so immoral. If he were exposed aftermitting such a crime, it would be embarrassing. Samuel chuckled when he heard that, but he was dispirited. N?velDrama.Org ? content. She trusts Caleb, huh? Since when are they so close? ¡°I¡¯ll ask Caleb tomorrow and have him do some investigations. You should ask your men to do the same, too,¡± Kathleen said seriously. Theplete silence that ensued made her sit up with a confused frown, She looked at Samuel, who had fallen asleep, and frowned, ¡°You¡¯re obviously tired out. So why did you push yourself so hard?¡± she muttered. Subsequently, she took her coat and draped it over his shoulder before touching his face. ¡°Don¡¯te near me anymore, Samuel. I¡¯m serious. You¡¯re putting me in a tough spot,¡± she said, her voice husky When Samuel woke up, Kathleen was already gone. As hey in bed, he lost his temper and scolded Tyson, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why did you let her leave?¡± Tyson stuttered as he tried to exin himself, ¡°M-Mr. Macari, I didn¡¯t have a choice. She¡¯s Ms. Johnson, after all.¡± Who would dare to stop her? ¡°Can¡¯t you guys have woken me up?¡± Samuel red at his ipetent subordinates. Tyson murmured sheepishly, ¡°I wanted to, but Ms. Johnson drugged you, so there¡¯s nothing I could do. She said you need to rest and you¡¯ll wake up once the drug wears off.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t know what to say to that as he hadpletely forgotten that Kathleen was capable of doing ¡°Where did she go?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°She went to the Lewis residence,¡± Tyson replied. ¡°Go and start the car,¡± ordered Samuel, his face turning grim. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Without further ado, Tyson went to carry out his order. After Tyson left, Samuel looked at the sky outside while wearing a bleak expression. In the Lewis residence, Charles looked at Kathleen with his brows furrowed. ¡°Where have you been? And why is your face so pale?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kathleen hid her hands in her sleeves and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Caleb?¡± ¡°He was just here a moment ago,¡± answered Charles, ¡°I¡¯ll go and look for him.¡± She turned and walked away while Charles fixed his gaze on her, wearing a deep frown. Why do I smell a strong scent of disinfectants? Kathleen found Caleb, who was talking to the housekeepers, ¡°Change all the sunflowers to lilies. My sister only likes lilies.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The housekeepers nodded. Caleb saw Kathleen approaching and dismissed the housekeepers. ¡°Okay, you guys may leave now.¡± After the housekeepers left, he looked at Kathleen solemnly. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± She nodded wordlessly, and he asked, ¡°How¡¯s Samuel?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine. Caleb, Samuel was poisoned,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°Is that so?¡± Caleb¡¯s attitude was indifferent. Kathleen elucidated, ¡°Previously, he was poisoned once, and ever since that incident, he had been very cautious with what he consumed. However, he was still polsoned yesterday.¡± He seemed to haveprehended the meaning behind her words. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± She replied faintly, ¡°The medicine he consumed is from a pharmacy under Lewis Enterprises.¡± Caleb was displeased. ¡°What are you trying to say? That I was the culprit? Why didn¡¯t you think he was the one who was trying to frame me because he¡¯s jealous that the two of us are close?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Samuel isn¡¯t that despicable.¡± Upon hearing that, Caleb stepped forward and pinched her chin. ¡°So, you mean I¡¯m despicable? You came here speaking to me in an using tone because you¡¯re confident that I poisoned him, right?¡± She pushed his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m just asking you to look into this matter. I didn¡¯t say you were the culprit. If i thought it was you, I wouldn¡¯t be this calm when speaking with you.¡± Caleb stared at her seriously. ¡°Tell me, what should I do to erase Samuel¡¯s existence in your heart?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Caleb looked down at her dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯m jealous that you care so much about him. Ms. Johnson, I think need to remind you that I¡¯m pursuing you, too.¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m also a man who has feelings of jealousy and anger. Or do you seriously not care the slightest bit about me?¡± Caleb¡¯s charming face was wearing a look of helplessness at the moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t you pursue me because you suspected that my brother hurt your sister? You¡± Before Kathleen could finish her sentence, Caleb pressed his cold finger on her pale lips and spoke solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Ms. Johnson. So, please don¡¯t ignore my feelings. Okay?¡± She frowned deeply. He was gentle as he looked at her. ¡°You look like you didn¡¯t get a good night¡¯s sleep, so head to my room and get some sleep. I¡¯ll investigate the case of Samuel¡¯s poisoning, and promise to give you an exnation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired. Caleb, you¡¯re not my type. I only stayed to help you for Vivian¡¯s sake. Please don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was faint and cial. With that, she turned to leave. Caleb stood rooted to the spot and narrowed his eyes. As he stared at Kathleen¡¯s figure, a cold smile spread across his face Is she trying to make me give up? In her dreams! In truth, Kathleen was indeed exhausted. She returned to the car and slept inside. When Samuel drove over to the Lewis residence and got off the car, he saw Kathleen sleeping in the car. He wondered why she wasn¡¯t resting in the room, but he didn¡¯t want to disturb her sleep, so he stood by the car and lit a cigarette. ¡°Mr. Macari, is it really okay for you to pester your ex-wife like this? She told me before that you¡¯re sticking to her like the gue and she can¡¯t avoid you no matter what she does.¡± Caleb approached. Samuel shot daggers at him. ¡°Do you even have the right to talk to me about this?¡± Caleb froze upon hearing that. ¡°If you don¡¯t, you should just shut up. Know your ce.¡± The gleam in Samuel¡¯s eyes was frosty. Caleb mocked, ¡°Samuel, if Kathleen is still in love with you, she wouldn¡¯t have thrown herself into my arms.¡± Samuel snorted. ¡°Thrown herself into your arms? She¡¯s not in love with you.¡± Caleb stared at him indifferently. ¡°How do you know she¡¯s not? The truth is that I¡¯m way better than you. At least I was never blind.¡± Samuel merely glowered at Caleb and continued smoking wordlessly. He didn¡¯t feel like conversing with the man. All he wanted was to wait until Kathleen woke up. Caleb, who was irritated to see him standing there, strode over and grasped the cor of his fine white shirt. ¡°Samuel Macart, you¡¯re really annoying, you know that? She and I are already dating.¡± Sarnuel¡¯s deep eyes turned Icy ¡®She¡¯d never do something like that.¡± At that moment, the car window was wound down. Kathleen cleared her throat and asked, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Why are they fighting again? ¡°Kate, Mr. Macari doesn¡¯t believe that we¡¯re dating. Why don¡¯t you tell him yourself?¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. Kathleen looked at Samuel¡¯s abstinent and elegant face. ¡°Samuel, Caleb¡¯s right. We are indeed dating.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± Samuel frowned. If they really are dating, why would Caleb let Kathleen sleep in the car? Kathleen got off the car and stood in between of the two men. She then linked arms with Caleb. ¡°Samuel, from now on, we have nothing to do with each other. You should leave.¡± A dangerous glint shed across Samuel¡¯s gaze as his eyes turned bloodshot. He refused to believe that Kathleen would fall in love with Caleb. No way! This is just impossible! ¡°Samuel, if you still don¡¯t believe me.¡± Kathleen paused and stood on her tiptoes before nting a kiss on Caleb¡¯s cheek. She then continued, ¡°How about now?¡± All the color drained from Samuel¡¯s face Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Caleb, on the other hand, was dumbfounded but overjoyed at the same time. Samuel¡¯s Adarn¡¯s apple bobbed as he stared at Kathleen in utter despair. She looked at his charming and pale face. ¡°Samuel, stop holding on to the past. I¡¯m begging you. What should I do to make you give up on me? I¡¯m so tired. I fell in love with you and look where that got me? After losing my child, every day of my life had been like a living hell. Can you please consider my feelings?¡± Heartbroken, Samuel looked at her and said hoarsely, ¡°Okay, I understand now. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± There was nothing else he could do It hurt so much that it felt like his heart was torn apart, but he couldn¡¯t drive Kathleen into a corner He just couldn¡¯t As Samuel turned to leave, Caleb saw a red dotnd on the back of the former¡¯s head, He wanted to say something, but Kathleen grasped his hand and shook her head fervently winodiately understood wity Kathleen had said such things to push Samuel away She looked at him with a cold glint in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that he won¡¯t think of you as his enemy¡± Caleb frowned in confusion. What does she mean? Kathleen went to see Charles When thetter saw her grim expression, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°That old man¡¯s preparing to take action. He promised to give me three years¡¯ time. Ask him what¡¯s the meaning of this! If he dares to break his promise, I¡¯ll never let him off. The worst that could happen is that we¡¯ll perish together.¡± Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°Godfather won¡¯t do something crazy like that.¡± ¡°Charles, I know you owe him, but if he dares touch Samuel, I¡¯ll make him pay¡± Her voice was cial. ¡°I¡¯ll call and ask him,¡± said Charles carefully Kathleen snorted. She was genuinely infuriated. Samuel returned to Florinia Manor alone. He chased everyone out of the manor and locked himself in the room How could Kathleen kiss that man? How could she do something like that? The pain he felt was unbearable, but he was well aware that he was in no position to interfere with Kathleen¡¯s life After all, they were not rted to each other in any way. If I hadn¡¯t taken a misstep back then, maybe everything would¡¯ve turned out differently. Back then, all he wanted was to repay Nicolette for her kindness, but he had made a mistake. It was his fault, so he should pay the price. The suffering he was currently going through was what Kathleen used to endure. He deserved everything that had happened to him. Cough! Cough! All of a sudden, he began coughing up blood. ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± When Tyson heard that Samuel had returned to the mansion, he hurried over. Samuel, who should be in the hospital, began throwing a temper tantrum. ¡°Get lost! All of you!¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, you haven¡¯t recovered yet. You should return to the hospital,¡± Tyson persuaded anxiously Crashi Sarnuel threw a vase at the door, and the vase shattered into pieces all over the floor He looked down at the shards of the vase and wallowed in absolute despair Icent lose her no matter what I can¡¯t Meanwhile, outside the door, one of the housekeepers said uneasily, ¡°Mr. Hackney, Mr. Macari won¡¯t turn into how he was a year ago, right?¡± ¡°H-I don¡¯t know.¡± Tyson was still in befuddlement, too. ¡°We¡¯re all doomed if that happens again.¡± The housekeeper felt helpless. ¡°I think he won¡¯t. Ms. Johnson is still in Jadeborough, so don¡¯t worry,¡± consoled Tyson. The housekeeper sped her hands and prayed, ¡°God help us.¡± Seeing how nervous the housekeeper was acting, Tyson became anxious, too. Please don¡¯t let that happen. Chapter 273 Chapter 273 The next day was Vivian¡¯s funeral. The rtives and friends of the Lewis family all came to attend. All these years, everyone thought Vivian was overseas. The Lewis family had blocked off all information about her, for fear that people would know. However, following Vivian¡¯s suicide, everything was exposed. Nheless, they would never know about the true reason. Everyone thought Vivian ended her life because she was stricken by love, but that was not the case. Kathleen hated the cemetery, so much so that she began trembling all over as soon as she arrived. Charles only noticed she was shivering after he went over and held her shoulder. ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked. She nodded silently ¡°I¡¯ve been calling Godfather yesterday, but the line won¡¯t get through. He finally answered my call this morning and said that he didn¡¯t send anyone to assassinate Samuel. It wasn¡¯t him,¡± he whispered. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°I won¡¯t believe anything he said. Let¡¯s go back after settling everything about the Yoeger family.¡± He nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Vivian was soon buried. As Kathleen looked at the casket, she felt distressed. Noticing the expression on his sister¡¯s face, Charles took her in his arms and pressed her head in his embrace. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He knew that she was reminded of the death of their parents. Her tears fell as he spoke in a low whisper. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kate. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my brother. I won¡¯t hesitate to do anything for you. But I can¡¯t let them touch Samuel.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯ll help you protect him,¡± Charles said. As Kathleen spoke, she closed her eyes. ¡°Listen up, Charles. We can¡¯t let Samuel know about this. Ever. We should settle the Yoeger family¡¯s matters as quickly as possible and find a ce for Granny to stay in. Then, we¡¯ll return to the castle.¡± ¡°All right. He nodded Vivian¡¯s luneral came to an end, and everyone began leaving the cemetery. Caleb walked over ¡°Are you all right?¡± Kathleen replied huskily. ¡°I don¡¯t like funerals.¡± I think everyone hales funerals.¡± He furrowed his brows. Just When Charles¡¯ phone rang He answered the call and yelled in shock, ¡°What did you say? Have Samuel gone nuts?¡± When Kathleen heard Samuel¡¯s name being mentioned, she got anxious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Charles? Is Samuel okay?¡± Caleb looked concerned as well. Charles responded with a solemn look on his face, ¡°Samuel went to the Yoeger residence and captured Nicolette, who was bailed out from jail.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°But the Yoeger family is waiting to get the dirt on him. I think he¡¯s trying to avenge me and my child.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Charles expression was grim. ¡°I¡¯ll call Tyson and ask him about Samuel¡¯s whereabouts. Kathleen took her phone out and gave Tyson a call. ¡°Ms. Johnson.¡± Tyson¡¯s voice on the other end of the line sounded apprehensive. ¡°Tyson, where¡¯s Samuel?¡± asked Kathleen, her voice cracking. ¡°Mr. Macari went out alone in the morning. Ms. Johnson, I think you shouldn¡¯t look for him. I¡¯m serious,¡± replied Tyson. ¡°Why? Samuel captured Nicolette, and if anything bad happened to her, the Yoeger family would definitely make a big fuss about it. Are you guys just going to stand by and watch?¡± Kathleen was perturbed. ¡°Ms. Johnson, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Actually, Mr. Macari¡¯s multiple personality disorder is acting up. If worsees to worst, you should leave this ce.¡± Tyson wiped the cold sweat on his forehead. ¡°What did you say?¡± Kathleen was bbergasted. ¡°I¡¯m serious. Ms. Johnson, Mr. Macari has multiple personality disorder, and his second personality is currently in control of his body. His second personality is destructive, and after he¡¯s done dealing with Nicolette, he¡¯ll definitely go after you next. So I think you should take a ne and leave the country. Cover your tracks and don¡¯t let him find you. We¡¯ll take care of the rest, so you don¡¯t have to worry¡± Upon finishing his sentence, Tyson ended the call. ¡°Well? What did he say?¡± Charles asked with a deep frown on his face. *Samuel is missing. Tyson said he has a second personality.¡± ¡°A second personality?¡± Charles was stunned. ¡°I have to go to him. I can¡¯t let him do anything crazy.¡± With that, Kathleen turned to leave. Charles caught up with her and said uneasily, ¡°I heard Tyson asking you to leave. What¡¯s going on?¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Nothing. He just doesn¡¯t want me to cause trouble.¡± Charles didn¡¯t believe what she said, and she didn¡¯t bother to exin either. After getting into the car, she drove away. Still worried about his sister, Charles sald, ¡°Caleb, lend me your car.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together. I¡¯m worried, too,¡± said Caleb. ¡°You don¡¯t have toe with me. Stay here and handle the rest of Vivian¡¯s funeral arrangements. Charles knew that the lesser people involved in this, the better Caleb knew what Charles meant. ¡°Someone else will take care of it. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell anyone about this. I don¡¯t want your sister to hate me.¡± After that, they got in the car. As Kathleen drove, she kept calling Samuel, but thetter never answered his phone. She was beyond anxious. What an idiot! How did he end up getting a second personality? D*mn it! I shouldn¡¯t have upset him yesterday. She tried her best to calm down and thought of where Samuel would¡¯ve gone. Right then, her phone rang. She nced at the screen and was delighted to see that it was from Samuel. Kathleen stopped the car and answered the call. ¡°Samuel, It¡¯s me! Where are you? Don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was gruff. ¡°Ms. Johnson, this is our first time talking to each other. I¡¯m happy that you finally know my presence.¡± ¡°Are you really Samuel¡¯s second personality?¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡°Why, of course. Would you like to meet me?¡± His tone sounded frigid and ruthless. ¡°Yes. Where are you?¡± replied Kathleen without any hesitation ¡°I¡¯m d that you would like to meet me. Looks like I would have to change into another set of clothes to wee your arrival. I¡¯m covered in blood, after all,¡± he said nonchntly, ¡°Samuel, did you kill Nicolette? Are you out of your mind?¡± Kathleen felt cold all over as her whole body went numb ¡°You don¡¯t want her dead? My way of doing things is different from his. Although we are both ruthless and decisive, I, for one, love taking matters into my own hands. As he spoke, his emotions were unfathomable. ¡°D*mn it! If Samuel is sentenced to jail because of you, I swear I¡¯ll destroy you!¡± Kathleen screamed in anger. When Samuel heard her words, he chuckled. ¡°How do you think I was born? It was because of you.¡± Chills ran down Kathleen¡¯s spine as she questioned, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the castle. You¡¯re smart, so you should know where it is.¡± Samuel curled his lips. The castle? Is he talking about Spirit Vi? The ce where Nicolette was once imprisoned? Juste here and don¡¯t worry about anything else. I¡¯ve tampered with the surveince cameras on the way. so they won¡¯t notice anything. Oh, by the way. If you tell anyone about this, I¡¯ll kill Nicolette and turn myself in.¡± he said, his tone dripping with sheer coldness ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t!¡± Kathleen promised After Samuel hung up, she felt a headacheing She had a bad feeling that Samuel wasn¡¯t faking it. Cursing under her breath, she immediately drove toward Spirit Vi, for fear that something would happen if she waste When she reached the ce, she saw Samuel¡¯s car. Spirit Vi was reduced to ruins after the fire. She examined the ce and got off the car to look for Samuel. The moment she stepped inside, she saw Samuel descending the stairs in a white suit that made him look as elegant and noble as a god. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 A bone chilling coldness radiated from Samuel¡¯s ebony eyes. The corner of his thin lips stretched into a faint smile. ¡°Hello, Kathleen.¡± ¡°Are you faking it?¡± Kathleen questioned, her brows furrowed. As he approached her, Samuel scoffed, his gaze hard. ¡°What can I do to convince you that I¡¯m not faking it?¡± Upon hearing his words, Kathleen merely pursed her scarlet lips and changed the subject. Where is Nicolette?¡± ¡°I killed her.¡± Samuel stated tly, his tone icy ¡°What?¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. She paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Bring me to see her body then.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Samuel inquired, a menacing smile on his face ¡°I¡¯m afraid that seeing it will give you nightmares.¡± ¡°What kind of cruel method did you use to kill her?¡¯ Kathleen questioned with a frown. ¡°Listen. I don¡¯t care who you are Just know that I won¡¯t allow Samuel to end up in jail! Bring me to Nicolette. Now!¡± With an intriguing re in his eyes, Samuel pinched her chin. ¡°Are you trying to hide my identity from the police by destroying the crime scene?¡± ¡°Or, I¡¯ll take the me for you.¡± Kathleen retorted coldly Samuel froze. This woman is really something else ¡°Follow me,¡± he eventually said before leading her upstairs. Kathleen followed him without any other words. She could hear Nicolette¡¯s faint cries upon reaching the second floor ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you, Samuel! W-Why did you do this to me? I loved you so much.¡± Nicolette wailed. Kathleen was soon able to pinpoint the source of the voice. It came from a room. She entered the room without a second thought The scene that greeted her was that of Nicolette sprawling on the cold ground. The woman¡¯s hair was a mess, looking as if she had just stepped out of a horror film Nicolette raised her head when she noticed a pair of women¡¯s boots in her line of sight ¡°You betch!¡± she snarled, ring resentfully at Kathleen Kathleen, however, met her gaze with a poker face Samuel emerged from Kathleen¡¯s side and stepped on the back of Nicolette¡¯s palm Nicoletie let out a blood-curdling scream Samuel¡¯s handsome face wore a hostile expression as he asked, ¡°Would you like me to break your hands as well? With a vigorous shake of her head, Nicolette pleaded, ¡°I was wrong Please, let me go Isn¡¯t It enough that I¡¯ve be like this? Stop torturing me I beg you.¡± ¡°Let you gor Samuel sneered in your wildest dreams! I would never let you go In fact, I¡¯m nning on taking my sweet time to torture you.¡± Kathleen walked up to Samuel and pulled him away. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± she asked, her brows pulled in a deep frown. ¡°What can I do to get rid of you? How can I get the real Samuel back?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re saying.¡± Samuel replied, his eyes gleaming with mockery. ¡°I am Samuel.¡± ¡°Samuel won¡¯t be as rash as you are,¡± Kathleen stated calmly. ¡°So what if you manage to take revenge? Everything will be for naught because of your involvement. Think about it; there are plenty of ways to deal with people like Nicolette.¡± In return, Samuel sniggered. ¡°How could you possibly understand his anguish? I was formed solely due to his undying affection for you. He has made numerous attempts to reach you ever since you disappeared. Yet, it was to no avail. Then, he became insane. He eventually lost his mind. I understand his pain. Therefore, assisted him in breaking this woman¡¯s legs and harming himself I could destroy myself together with him. Can you do the same?¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± Kathleen asked incredulously. ¡°You were the one who encouraged him to harm himself?* Samuel gave her a cold grin as he answered, ¡°He was in too much pain. I was merely helping him solve his problem.¡± Instantly. Kathleen grabbed a fistful of his cor as she spat, ¡°How could you? Staring her down, Samuel replied, ¡°I can do whatever I want. This body is now under my control. Get it? ¡°Return him to me!¡± Kathleen mustered all her strength and shook Samuel. Tears streamed from her eyes as she repeated, ¡°Return him to me!¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist as he red at her. ¡°I could destroy the things that you no longer want.¡± Kathleen felt a fuse blow in her head What? ¡°Samuel¡¯s a living person!¡± she fumed. ¡°He¡¯s not a thing. Get the hell out of his body! Leave!¡± Samuel only gave her a cold smile in response Raising his hand, he struck her neck, and Kathleen instantly lost consciousness Samuel pulled her into his chest, cradling her in his arms. Nicolette scoffed at the scene before her. ¡°Your care for her doesn¡¯t diminish even with this personality, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Samuel replied as he stared at her nkly ¡°Why? Nicolette shrieked Indignantly. ¡°Have you never liked me, Samuel?¡± ¡°Our so-called rtionship was built on a foundation of lies. It was never meant tost.¡± Samuel stated matter-of-factly, ¡°To be honest, you were never as important to him as Kathleen was. You would have lost your life way earlier if you hadn¡¯t lied to him that you were the one who saved his life.¡± Enraged, Nicolette cried out, ¡°Kill me then Kill me if you dare to!¡± At that moment, she only wanted to end It once and for all instead of suffering the agonizing tortures ¡°Death is considered an escape for you.¡± Samuel remarked icily. ¡°You deserve a life of suffering¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. A shudder wracked through Nicolette¡¯s body, causing her to tense up She crawled to where Samuel was standing and grabbed onto the hem of his white pants. ¡°Kill me Just kill me!¡± Samuel, who was carrying Kathleen bridal style, kicked Nicolette away. Nicolette crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain as she screamed, ¡°I hate you, Samuel! You¡¯ve shattered all of my hopes!¡± ¡°Once again, your hope was built on a foundation of lies. Samuel¡¯s tone was cold as he continued, ¡°You should¡¯ve known that a weak foundation was bound to crumble sooner orter With that, he turned around and left. Nicolette was left all by herself and could only scream in misery She would rather die than be tortured by him, Kathleen awoke with a sharp pain in the area where her shoulders and neck met Curse that dmned Samuel for using so much strength on that one hit! However, she soon corrected herself No. He¡¯s not Samuel. He¡¯s another Samuel. Most importantly, where the hell am I? The room was foreign to her It did not look like Florinia Manor But it made sense that Samuel would take her somewhere else. If he had brought her back to Florinia Manor, the others would have found out right away Kathleen got up, went to the window, and pushed it open. A chilling gust of sea breeze blew past, making her heart feel much colder than it already was. Did Samuel bring me to a deserted ind? She closed the window and backed up Suddenly, the door was pushed open She turned around and saw a figure wearing white walking into the room. Samuel was holding a tray, and on top of the tray was a single cup Kathleen was unsure of the cup¡¯s content. though ¡°Drink this,¡¯ Samuel ordered coldly Instantly, Kathleen felt repulsed. The Samuel from before would have never acted in such a way Nevertheless, she took the cup and sniffed the content. What is this? ¡°Nicolette would have to remain soaked in sea water If you don¡¯t drink it.¡± Samuel threatened. What the hell? Kathleen tightened her grip on the cup as she eximed, You¡¯re being ridiculous! You know dimn well that i dont care about Nicolette¡¯s well-being, but I can¡¯t let Samuel take the fall.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference? I am him, and he is me,¡± Samuel stated impassively. Kathleen was seething, ¡°What do you want? What are your demands?¡± Samuel snorted. ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me you think I was the one who forcefully took over his body?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Kathleen retorted coldly. ¡°Samuel couldn¡¯t have given it to you voluntarily.¡± ¡°Oh, but he did.¡± Samuel stated with a smirk. ¡°He was the one who gave me his body. I told you before, didn¡¯t 1? He lost the will to live after losing you. Therefore, I didn¡¯t take over by force; he was the one who didn¡¯t want his body anymore.¡± Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Kathleen was taken aback upon hearing Samuel¡¯s words. You abandoned him, Samuel stated as he stared at her iclly, ¡°He gave up on his body. Thus, I¡¯ll be the one controlling this body from now on. Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a single word you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have the will to live either. I¡¯m just trying to keep him from turning into a cold, lifeless husk of flesh.¡± Samuel then ced the tray down, took out a dagger, and stabbed it into his shoulder without hesitation Kathleen widened her eyes at the sight. With the color slowly draining from his face, Samuel said. ¡°See? I don¡¯t care.¡± Damn him! ¡°Tell me then, what can I do?¡± Kathleen asked, her brows knitted together. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do.¡± Samuel replied apathetically. ¡°He won¡¯t show up anymore. This body will now be controlled solely by me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Kathleen shouted, her face flushed with emotion. She set the cup down and locked her gaze on Samuel¡¯s ebony eyes ¡°Samuel, can you hear me? I¡¯m Kathleen. Come out this instant. You¡¯d bettere out right now!¡± However, Samuel responded with a mocking glint in his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s useless. He¡¯s in a state of deep slumber now and wont be waking up any time soon¡± Kathleen¡¯s hands were visibly trembling at the information she had just received. But Samuel paid her no mind. ¡°Well, Ms. Johnson, you¡¯d still be free now if you weren¡¯t such a busybody.¡± Kathleen could only purse her pale lips at that. Samuel took the cup and handed it to her. ¡°Drink it.¡± Kathleen ignored the cup and instead stared straight at him. ¡°You must have a goal, right?¡± *A goal? Samuel let out a mirthlessugh at that ¡°I don¡¯t have any goals. I just want to live however I want to For example, I¡¯ll hold you captive or torture Nicolette whenever I want. Simple.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. I can¡¯t be too anxious. I should observe the situation fro now. Samuel could be faking it However, deep down, Kathleen was sure that Samuel wag not faking it. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The person before her was, indeed, Samuel But he was the other Samuel. ¡°Drink it, Samuel ordered monotonously. ¡°You¡¯re not on my list.¡± Kathleen scowled, ¡°What list?¡± ¡°What I meant was you¡¯re not my type.¡± Samuel replied with a half-smile The scowl on Kathleen¡¯s face deepened as she eximed, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you use Samuel¡¯s body to do anything bad ¡°Kill me?¡± Samuel questioned with a cold chuckle. ¡°Are you sure? He¡¯ll never be able toe back if you kill me.¡± Kathleen could only bite her lip in frustration after hearing his words. ¡°So, how is it? Are you still nning to kill me?¡± Samuel asked as he drew closer to her. Kathleen turned her head around and drank the contents of the cup. The drink was a concoction of various iron-replenishing supplements However, it tasted awful with all of the supplements mixed together Smirking at Kathleen¡¯s disgusted expression, Samuel muttered, ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Kathleen kept her mouth shut. As a result, Samuel tugged her hand over and pressed a piece of candy into her palm before turning and walking away ¡°Where is Nicolette?¡± Kathleen questioned in a cold tone as he was about to go. Samuel pointed at the floor. ¡°She¡¯s in the basement.¡± ¡°I want to see her.¡± Kathleen stated with a frown etched on her face ¡°Your scope of activity is within this castle. You can go to the kitchen if you¡¯re hungry Other than that, you can find me if you need anything else,¡± Samuel informed before turning around and leaving A deep scowl settled on Kathleen¡¯s face. He¡¯s so confident that I wont be able to escape She forced her frustrated thoughts from her mind and decided to look for Nicolette in the basement Since the current Samuel broke Nicolette¡¯s legs, Kathleen reckoned the woman ought to know a thing or two about his situation The basement was dark and humid, and it even had a drain that led to the sea In fact, it could easily pass as a water cell. Samuel had locked Nicolette in this makeshift water cell¡¯ Kathleen could not get into the water, even if she wanted to Nicolette was barely alive as she peeled her eyes open to beg Kathleen, ¡°Please, save me.¡± Kathleen lowered herself down and stared at her. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll do that?¡± don¡¯t want to die here,¡± Nicolette choked out bitterly. ¡°I can¡¯t die here.¡± ¡°Do you love Samuel, Nicolette?¡± Kathleen asked with absolute seriousness Nicotette nodded in response *Then why did you lie to him?¡± Kathleen asked, bewildered. ¡°Would he fall in love with me had I not lied to him? Nicolette sneered. ¡°What¡¯s the use If I¡¯m the only one who loves him? Would he give me his all if I loved him? Of course not. That¡¯s why I have to make him fall for Kathleen grimaced. ¡°There¡¯s obviously something wrong with you.¡± Nicoletteughed eerily. ¡°Humans are selfish, Kathleen. Can you really me me for it? I only did it for my benefit.¡± *Forcefully taking my blood and even killing my children +you¡¯re telling me these are justified?¡± Kathleen was infuriated. You¡¯re telling me it was entirely okay for you to ask that doctor to send me to the morgue? Nicolette remained silent. Kathleen was furious. ¡± was the one who saved Samuel. Yet, you imed that you did so. I think that what you¡¯re experiencing now is karma!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you guys would dare to kill me.¡± Nicolette narrowed her eyes as she continued. ¡°Everyone¡¯s aware that Samuel was the one who took me away. On top of that everyone knows about the feud between us Naturally, they¡¯ll connect the dots and think that Samuel was the one who murdered me if I died.¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°How about we get rid of your body after killing you? How does that sound to you, Nicolette?¡± Nicolette froze ¡°Samuel won¡¯t be pinned as the murderer without a bodyl Kathleen stated as she stared at her indifferently ¡°Do you actually think you have the right to pick a fight with me?¡± Nicolette was fuming at that point ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this if it weren¡¯t for you! I would have been Mrs. Macari! I would have had all the glory and wealth!¡± Kathleen merely regarded her with a poker face. ¡°How long do you think you¡¯dst as Mrs. Macari with how you used others to get to that spot?¡± Nicolette chuckled coldly. ¡°Who are you to say that? Aren¡¯t you the same? Didn¡¯t Old Mrs Macari contribute to your marriage with Samuel?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I divorced him,¡± Kathleen replied. Nicolette chewed on her lip. ¡°I believe that there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know, Nicolette, Kathleen said. ¡°Do you know why the Yoegers suddenly acknowledged your identity as their daughter? Nicolette stared at Kathleen sharply. Judging from her expression, it was obvious she had no idea. ¡°Zachary needed a kidney transnt, and yours matches his,¡± Kathleen informed, her pretty face void of emotions Nicolette was taken aback by the information ¡°Did you think the Yoeger family had truly epted you as one of them?¡± Kathleen mocked. However, she would never tell Nicolette that Zachary did not actually have to undergo a kidney transnt. Nicolette¡¯s face contorted into an ugly expression as she roared, ¡°You¡¯re lying to me!¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? How would it benefit me to lie to you at a time like this?¡± Kathleen retorted. Nicolette was at a loss for words ¡°I only have one question for you, Nicolette. Did you know about Samuel¡¯s condition?¡± Kathleen questioned coldly Nicolette¡¯s eyes darkened. Yeah. I knew.¡± Kathleen frowned. When did you know?¡± ¡°Help me escape if you want my answer!¡± Nicolette eximed through gritted teeth. However, Kathleen merely gave her a cold stare before turning to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Nicolette cried out. She had not anticipated Kathleen to be as cruel and obstinate as she was ¡°Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself, Nicolette. You have no right to bargain with me, Kathleen stated icily Nicolette sucked in a deep breath. ¡°After you left, he took me hostage and broke my legs without hesitation That was when I found out that Samuel had multiple personality disorder* Kathleen furrowed her brows at Nicolette¡¯s response *Why didn¡¯t you say anything after getting rescued?¡± ¡°I- I was too terrified to do so,¡± Nicolette exined as she trembled in fear. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it too. Samuel¡¯s other personality is terrifying.¡± Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°How did he get better after that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Nicolette shook her head. ¡°Anyway, after Samuel harmed himself, he didn¡¯t appear in the castle for three months. When he finally reappeared, he had reverted to his normal self.¡± Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. Asking her seems pointless. Nicolette noticed Kathleen intention to leave. ¡°Wait. I also overheard the conversation between Samuel and Tyson. However, you have to promise to release me from this water cell. I¡¯m begging you.¡± Nicolette pleaded desperately. ¡°I have thssophobia. I¡¯m terrified of having to soak in seawater.¡± Thssophobia? I have heard such a term before. ¡°Spit it out then.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was cold and detached. ¡°I heard Tyson say that once Samuel¡¯s other personality emerged, he wouldn¡¯t sleep. Otherwise, his original personality would revert.¡± So that was it? It indeed matches the majority of people who have this disorder. Kathleen started walking away ¡°Wait, save me, Kathleen!¡± Nicolette rasped out a plea. Nheless, Kathleen pretended not to hear her. ¡°You liar!¡± Anger welled up within Nicolette Everyone is a har! When noon came. Samuel came down from the second floor He could smell the aroma of food that was drifting from the kitchen N?velDrama.Org ? content. When he entered the kitchen, he saw Kathleen in a pink apron, and how she even had her hair tied up in a high ponytail. The woman had immersed herself in cooking The sight of the harmonious and heartwarming scene malted Samuel¡¯s heart Nevertheless, he immediately suppressed the writhing of his heart. Kathleen whired around upon hearing themotion. ¡°I was just about to call for you. It¡¯s time to eat.¡± Samuel crossed his arms. What do you mean by that, Mg. Johnson7¡å ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just didn¡¯t want you to get hungry.¡± Kathleen smiled in a way that looked nothing like a smile. ¡°Can you help to prepare two tes of pasta?¡± Samuel stared at her. ¡°Hurry up.¡± Kathleen urged. ¡°We should split the housework equally. If I prepare the dishes, then you should do the dishes A Look Back At Mnia Trump¡¯s Most Memorable Fashion Moments Meghan Isn¡¯t Too Close With Her Family Today And We Can See Why Samuel let out a cold snort before setting up the dining table. After that, he brought the two tes of pasta and ced them on the table There were already three other dishes and a bowl of soup on the table, all prepared by Kathleen Every dish looked absolutely mouth-watering. Samuel took his seat.It was his first time trying out Kathleen¡¯s cooking. Just then, Kathleen brought out the final dish she had prepared. After setting it on the dining table, she took out a bottle of red wine from the cab beside her. ¡°I never thought you would possess such good quality wine. Kathleen ced the alcohol before Samuel ¡°How about a drink?¡± Samuel replied indifferently. ¡®Are you sure?¡± ¡°Do you need to be that calctive over a bottle of wine? Kathleen grinned meekly Her smile resembled a blooming flower. A trace ofplicated emotions shed through Samuel¡¯s eyes as he gazed at her After opening the wine bottle, Kathleen filled Samuel¡¯s wine ss to the brim She knew the alcohol content of this particr wine. Apart from that, she was also well aware of Samuel¡¯s tolerance for liquor There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t get drunk after downing this bottle of wine! She then poured herself a small amount of wine. Samuel narrowed his eyes. However, he didn¡¯t want to expose her. Kathleen raised the wine sses. ¡°Cheers.¡± Unexpectedly, Samuel not only epted the wine ss meant for him from Kathleen¡¯s hand but also took her wine ss He first drank Kathleen¡¯s portion before gulping down his. Kathleen was taken aback by his action. After putting down the wine sses, Samuel narrowed his eyes and chuckled coldly. ¡°Ms. Johnson, it seems like you don¡¯t have a good understanding of my illness.¡± His words stunned Kathleen ¡°Sometimes, when the split personality takes over their alcohol tolerance will also change.¡± Samuel¡¯s frosty gazended on her, Dimn it! He saw through my ploy! Kathleen squeezed her fingers, not knowing what Samuel might do next. As for Sarnuel, he picked up his fork and helped himself to the food she had prepared. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Samuel said in a monotonous voice Kathleen sat down and ced both hands on her thighs. What do I have to do for you to return Samuel to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯d told you multiple times, Ms. Johnson, Samuel reminded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t belong to you. Also, it was you who didn¡¯t want him. He¡¯s like a piece of trash, and trash should get destroyed.¡± Kathleen looked up with bloodshot eyes. Who gave you the right to say so?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Samuel sniggered. ¡°If not for his stupidity which made him believe in Nicolette¡¯s lies, would you have lost your baby?¡± Kathleen pressed her lips together. ¡°If you were him in the event of an incident, you would also assume the first person you saw upon waking up was your savior. Moreover, it was Nicolette who said that in the first ce. He didn¡¯t even have time to differentiate her words, ¡°You¡¯re actually making up some excuses for him?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was loaded with sarcasm, Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡¯m just stating the facts.¡± Feeling annoyed, she poured herself a ss of wine and was about to drink it. However, Samuel stopped her and said cidly. ¡°You can¡¯t drink.¡± Kathleen raised her brows slightly ¡°Why not?¡± Samuel responded apathetically, ¡°You just can¡¯t ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t expect you-the alter ego-to care for me.¡± Kathleen pushed his hand away ¡°Didn¡¯t you dere that both of us are merely strangers? So why would I need your concern?¡± With that, she finished her ss of wine. Kathleen had a terribly low alcohol tolerance. Therefore, her delicate face soon flushed red Even so, she wanted to continue drinking Seeing that, Samuel snatched the wine bottle away. ¡°Let me drink¡± Kathleen attempted to snatch it back, Knowing that taking the wine bottle away would be futile, he downed the remaining wine all at once. Kathleen glowered at him. Very well! She flung her arms around his neck and stared into his piercing eyes ¡°Samuel, how did you end up in this state? You always gave me the cold shoulder during our three years of marriage. But you became like this the moment I left your side.¡± She was like an octopus clinging onto Samuel¡¯s body. Her pair of bright, expressive eyes sparkled as she said, ¡°Please return Samuel to me. If not, can you give me some time to talk to him?¡± Samuel¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you want to say to me?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡± Samuelmented impassively. ¡°How heartless¡± ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re also interested in me?¡± Kathleen questioned while in the state of intoxication There was an unfathomable look in Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re thinking too highly of yourself Kathleen¡¯s brows twitched in response to his words. ¡°Can you let him out? I truly do have something to say to him.¡± Samuel¡¯s breathing grew heavier ¡°Why don¡¯t you kiss me? Kathleen was startled at his request Even though he¡¯s Samuel, he¡¯s not him in a sense ¡°You even kissed Caleb before So why can¡¯t you do the game to me?¡± Samuel scoffed. He knew about this too? Kathleen loosened her arms around him. ¡°This is what I need to exin to Samuel However, Samuel pulled her toward him and pinned her against the wall Kathleen struggled for a while but to no avail She bit her lip. What do you think you¡¯re doing? ¡°Ms. Johnson, are you afraid that I¡¯ll fall for you and end up not reverting?¡± Samuel got angered into laughter Kathleen stiffened. What an acute observer! That is what he has inmon with Samuel, although I know they are the same person ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. Samuelughed self-deprecatingly. He raised his hand to caress her face before lifting her chin with his fingertips His smile deepened. Gradually, he could feel his mind getting foggy, and he copsed into Kathleen¡¯s embrace The drug effect had kicked in Chapter 277 Chapter 277 After Kathleen settled down Samuel, who had passed out she went straight to Samuel¡¯s study and started ruraging through his stuff She found his phone from the coat that he hung on the side As soon as she turned on his phone, a call came in Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡®Mr Macari, where are you?¡± Tyson asked eagerly ¡°Tyson¡± Kathleen answered calmly ¡°it¡¯s me " ¡°Mrs Macani! Tyson was so overwhelmed that he momentarily forgot about the rtionship between Samuel and Kathleen Til send you my location I need you toe over right away.¡± Kathleen said with a grim tone ¡°Mrs Macari, how are things going over there?¡± Tyson asked in concern ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Kathleen replied coldly Tyson, don¡¯t bring too many people along with you We still need to deal with Nicolette ¡°Understood¡± Tyson nodded. With that, Kathleen ended the call She knew the password to Samuels phone It was her birthday Then, she sent her location to Tyson Alter that, Kathleen went down to the basement to see Nicolette When Nicolette saw Kathleen, the former¡¯s eyes were no longer as sharp Instead, they looked like a dead fish¡¯s eyes-dim and unable to reflect light ¡®Let¡¯s make a deal, Nicolette¡± Kathleen suggested while looking at the woman condescendingly Hearing that, Nicolette furrowed her brows ¡°You¡¯ve convinced him to let me go7¡± Kathleen nodded in response Nicolelle was at a loss for words ¡°Why?¡± She sneered ¡°What do you mean why?¡± Kathleen asked in confusion ¡°He likes you no matter which personality he is!* Nicoletle was agitated ¡°Let me tell you something I knew you would be my rival the day Old Mrs Macari brought you back to the Macari residence it¡¯s different how Samwel looks at you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen was puzzled ¡°Haha The bystanders can always see more clearly than the people in the game Nicoletle bit her lip ¡°You are the only person in his heart He would never have talked to me if I didn¡¯t lie to him that I saved his life¡± Kathleen never imagined Nicolette would tell her this ¡®Let me tell you something you dont know, Kathleen Nicolette continued. ¡°When you first came to the Macan residence, Samuel always apanied you when you were crying secretly by staying in your general Vicinity I saw him doing that a few times when I went to the Macari residence He even rejected my invitation to go out since he was scared you would be alone From then on, I knew you had lo diel¡± Nicolette thought this was her only solution Otherwise, she would have nothing left *I had no idea¡± Kathleen looked at her indifferently ¡°I put in so much effort and yed so many tricks, yet he only looked at me once. But you, you easily attracted his attention.¡± Nicolette¡¯s eyes were full of despuk. ¡°He loves you so much that he split into two personalities, and both of them still love you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression was as emotionless as ever ¡°Even so, you¡¯re still not worthy of sympathy, Nicolette¡± Just do whatever you want to me!¡± Nicolette snorted Still wearing a poker face, Kathleen uttered, ¡°I never thought of killing you I never wanted you to die from the very beginning After all, you must be in despair since you can¡¯t use your legs.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s your goal? To watch me suffer a pain worse than death and to live a living hell?- Nicolette¡¯s eyes turned cial That¡¯s right¡± Kathleen¡¯s red lips curled into a sneer Til be able to watch as you amble slowly to your death without taking any action mysell * ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Nicolette bellowed in agony ¡°Nicolette, you¡¯re powerless now.¡± Kathleen said calmly ¡°You¡¯re nothing but Zachary¡¯s source of kidney even if you¡¯re able to get out now The Yoeger family is nice to you anly because they can benefit from it* Nicolette looked at Kathleen in despair Then, she asked coldly, ¡°What do you mean when you say you want to make a deal with me?¡± ¡°Keep everything that happened here a secret in exchange. I¡¯ll help you when the Yoeger family decides to take your kidney Kathleen raised her brows slightly ¡°How are you going to help me?¡± Nicolette frowned ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that now But I¡¯ll let you out of the water cell if you agree to our deal Kathleen¡¯s clear eyes appeared cold Nicolette¡¯s face turned ashen ¡°Fine. I ept the deal.¡± ¡°Nicolette, li kill you with my bare hands if you dare to break your promise. You should know that it¡¯s a cakewalk for me to do that all it takes is a pack of poison.¡± Kathleen sneered Her words made Nicolette tremble ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid til retaliate once I get out of here You?¡± Kathleen uttered disdainfully, ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid of you oven when your legs were fine So why should I be now that you¡¯ve be like this?¡± ¡°Kathleert, you¡¯ll regret it in the future if you don¡¯t kill me today!¡± Nicolette threatened ¡°We shall see then.¡± Kathleen stared at her coldly Nicolette bit her lip hard ¡°I¡¯ll make a deal with you.¡± Kathleen merely stared at her indifferently for a moment belore she said. Wait for me then I¡¯ll go look for the keys now¡± With that, she turned and left Nicolette could only smile bitterly She never thought Kathleen could make Samuel listen to her this easily This was something she could never achieve Meanwhile, Kathleen went back to the dining hall She remembered she left Samuel on the chair However, he was gone when she came back ¡°Samuel?¡± Kathleen was confused Where did he go? ¡°Are you looking for this perhaps? All of a sudden, Samuel appeared right behind her with a key in his hand ¡°Are you Samuel?¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows twitched slightly as she stared at Samuel¡¯s handsome face Samuel¡¯s thin lips curied up slightly ¡°Yes It¡¯s me Instantly, Kathleen¡¯s heart lurched ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I told you before that he wouldn¡¯t return anymore,¡± Samuel said coldly Kathleen uttered fatly, ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Tyson, and hell be here soon Give me the keys, Samuel¡± Samuel lowered his head He was so close his thin lips could almost touch Kathleen¡¯s nose ¡°What if I refuse to¡± Kathleen replied calmly ¡°Fine You can keep it. What else can I do? | leave the ce when Tyson comes You can do whatever you want. You¡¯re not Samuel, so I don¡¯t care what you do You don17 Hostility filled Samuel¡¯s eyes ¡°That¡¯s right¡± Kathleen said in frustration She continued, Samuel listens to me well. He would rather hurt himself than me, and he told me he would never lie to me. Also, he told me to ask for his help whenever ! needed it. And that he¡¯ll help me as long as I do.¡± *Then why did you abandoned him?¡± Samuel scoffed Kathleen was caught off guard by his words You¡¯re such a cruel woman ¡°Samuel squeezed her chin. ¡°You want him to be nice to you even when you dont love him What do you want from him7 *I want him to live well.Kathleen could feel that his lips were almost touching hers It was just a hair breadth away ¡°But he can¡¯t live well without you ¡± Samuel¡¯s breathing grew heavier ¡°He hurt you, so he deserves it. Why do you feel bad for him?¡± Unable to refule his words, Kathleen fell silent Then, she lifted her head and spoke with teary eyes. ¡°You know nothing.¡± Samvel froze ¡°I only want him to live well That¡¯s all.¡± Kathleen said in a hoarse voice, Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Looking at Kathleen, Samuel felt an ache in his heart as if it was getting torn apart ¡°I can live well in his ce So let me siay by your side, okay?¡± He spoke in a low voice ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to stay in control of his body And I dont like you Not even a tiny bit!¡± Kathleen pushed him away abruptly ¡°Is that so? I guess I¡¯ll die together with him then since you don¡¯t like either of us¡± Samuel smirked coldly Kathleen froze. What? Samuel walked toward the window with the key in his hand Kathleen knew what he was getting at ¡°Siop. Samuel!¡± She ran in his direction to stop him, However, to her dismay, she was toote Samuel had threw the key out the window Below the window was a vast sea It would be impossible to find the key if itnded in the sea Kathleen looked at him helplessly With a pull, Samuel held Kathleen lightly in his embrace He sounded alool when he said, ¡°Tve hidden bombs in this castle, and fi die along with Nicolette Both of us are people that you hate the most You¡¯ll be able to livefortably when we¡¯re gone¡± What? Kathleen struggled to break free from his grasp ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± Then she felt a sharp pain in her neck She instantly lost all strength in her body ¡°What are you doing. Samuel?¡± Kathleen asked as Samuel held onto her He carried her up in his arms ¡°Nothing¡± Then, he walked toward the door ¡°Till put you in the car Just wait for Tyson there¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Kathleen asked groggily Samuel nted a kiss on her forehead and said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. Forever.¡± Tears welled up in Kathleen¡¯s eyes ¡°Samuel won¡¯t want to die ¡°I¡¯ve told you. I¡¯m the one that makes the call for this body now¡± Samuel covered Kathleen with his windbreaker and proceeded to carry her out The weather was cold outside Samuel carried Kathleen into his car After he left her in the driver¡¯s seat he touched her face lightly and said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Samueli Dont leave!¡± Kathleen panicked Lowering his head, Samuel couldn¡¯t help but kiss her agunt¡¯s time I should disappear since you hate me So Much¡± a choice that day Samuel Your We would be at ¡°No, dont¡¯ Tears rolled down Kathleen¡¯s cheeks ¡°I didn¡¯t hur risk if I didn¡¯t do that.¡± Huh? Why would my hfe be in danger? That made Samuel frown ¡°I dont want you to die, Samuel I mean it Kathleen held onto Samuel¡¯s clothes with whatever strength she had left ¡°You¡¯re lying ¡°Sartvel was visibly unconvinced ¡°This is thest time we¡¯ll be seeing each other Kathleen. I love you no matter which personality I am¡± He put her hand back on herp ¡°No!¡± Kathleen stretched out her arms once again ¡°Samun. I¡¯m telling the truth Someone wanted to kill you The sniper was nearby the Lewis residence at that turne Caleb saw it too That was why he helped me.¡± Samuel stiffened *Urgh *He clutched his chest all of a sudden He was in so much pain his face instantly turned pale. ¡°Go back! Go back!¡± Samuel roared Seeing that, Kathleen frowned Who is he talking She held onto Samuel¡¯s arm with all her strength ¡°it¡¯s me. Samuel. Im Kathleen Don¡¯t let him control you any longer Come out Let¡¯s talk, all right? i have so many things to tell you. Please, pleasee out and meet Samuel¡¯s eyes became bloodshot as he directed his gaze at her and smiled coldly ¡°Why? Dont you want to see me? He¡¯s Samuel, but so amni¡± ¡°Don¡¯t me me, but I only want him. The other Samuel 1 Kathleen¡¯s heart tightened Samuel chuckled. ¡°What a cruel Lady Samuel louched her face again. Suddenly, he said calmly, ¡°Fine, as you wish then¡± Kathleen looked at him inlenily ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You dont have to apologize¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were filled with reluctance He continued, ¡°I just met you, and now I have to leave I¡¯ll disappear for real once he recovers.¡± Kathleen was startled upon hearing that ¡°But it¡¯s fine As long as you¡¯re happy everything¡¯s fine heavier Samuel¡¯s voice became softer, and his eyelids got Soon, he shut his eyes Then he fell on his back *Samvell Kathleen yelled Mustering all her strength, she got off the car There were only two of them here She covered Samuel with the windbreaker he gave her and sal quietly beside him Just then, lightning shed across the sky It was going to rain soon Kathleen put Samuel¡¯s head on herp Soon, the rain started pouring down Kathleen covered Samuel¡¯s head to prevent him from getting drenched in the rain She had no idea when the eflect of the drug would wear off Also, she was uncertain when Tyson would artie Both Samuel and she would be in deep trouble if they had lo stay here overnight and if the rain got heavier Kathleen let out a sigh at that thought She pondered for a moment belore she ced Sarnuel shead onto the ground gently Slowly, she moved to open the door to the backseat of the car Then, she tried to move Samuel into the car with all her ught Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work at all After trying a few more times, she felt she was going to lose all her strength Needless to say, she was exasperated Cough¡¯ Cough¡¯ At that moment, Sarnuel regained his consciousness ¡°You¡¯re awake, Samuel?¡± Kathleen was pleasantly surprised and crawled over ¡°Kate?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded hoarse ¡°Why are you-* ¡°Can you stand up?¡± Kathleen asked We need to get out of the rain Samuel stood up. He was mostly unharmed He lifted Kathleen Then, he headed straight into the castle with her in his arm Samuel clenched his jaw He seemed to have guessed what had happened after seeing everything in front of him ¡°Kale Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Samuel croaked ¡°Head upstairs, dont stand here Both of us need a hot bath,¡± Kathleen instructed ¡°Okay¡± Without hesitation, Samuel carried Kathleen upstairs Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief It really is Samuel! As soon as they arrived at the room, Samuel went to the bathroom to prepare hot water Kathleen wrapped herself in the nket after she took off all of her wet clothes It was different for her than Samuel Although Samuel got poisoned, he had a blood transfusion from her As such, he would be fine However, in Kathleen¡¯s case, she had lost too much blood On top of that, her body was weak originally. After this series of events, her body could no longer take it Just then, Samuel came out of the bathroom and walked toward Kathleen ¡°it¡¯s done I¡¯ll carry you inside¡± Kathleen put down the nket Samuel gulped when he saw her naked body *Stop staring It¡¯s not like this is your first time seeing it anyway Do you want me to freeze to death?¡± Kathleenined. Samuel was rendered speechless He carried Kathleen and walked into the bathroom Then, he put her inside the bathtub filled with hot water Kathleen hummedfortably as her body warmed up ¡°Okay You don¡¯t have to worry about me Go take your shower.¡± She closed her eyes She waspletely worn out ¡°Okay.¡± Sarnuel croaked He then left and went to the room next door to take a hot shower Samuel was in a bathrobe when he returned. ¡°Are you done?¡± he asked as he squatted next to the bathtub Kathleen slowly opened her eyes and asked. ¡°This illness of yours have you tried getting it treated?¡± Samuel froze His guess was right ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, Kate He held onto her hands tightly ¡°I will never hurt you no matter which personality I am¡± ¡°1 know you won¡¯t. But I can¡¯t ept that you hurt yourself, Kathleen stressed You¡¯re afraid of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Samuel murmured Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 No Choice But To Let Go Kathleen sighed heavily. Why are they all asking this? In her worry, she said, ¡°Can you stop hurting yourself this way, Samuel? If you continue this way, aren¡¯t you just letting Old Mrs. Macari down? Along with Mr. Macari and Mrs. Macari?¡± Samuel didn¡¯t reply. Frustrated, Kathleen pursed her lips anxiously. She was worried that he would rush out again if he happened to get agitated. ¡°Enough now, Samuel. You should treat your illness,¡± pleaded Kathleen as she furrowed her brows deeply. ¡°It¡¯s incurable,¡± rasped Samuel coarsely. He continued, ¡°After I regained consciousness, I hired an extremely well-known doctor and got him to take a look at my condition. My illness started because of you. All will be well as long as you¡¯re next to me. You¡¯re the crucial element that helps to stabilize both my condition and my emotional state.¡± Kathleen was stunned by his sudden deration. Am I really that important? ¡°Is there no other way?¡± she asked with a frown. Samuel picked up on the difficult position that she was in and said, ¡°I know. I can¡¯t force you to do something you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯ll try my best to manage alone.¡± At that, she descended into a moment of deep thought, and silence ensued. Now that I think about it, I wonder if he overheard the things I said outside earlier. From his expression, I doubt that he did. That means he doesn¡¯t know that I kissed Caleb yesterday in order to protect him. Well¡­ So be it. I don¡¯t want to exin myself anyway. He took in her expression and picked up on the frustration she was feeling. As such, he didn¡¯t pursue the matter any further. He was afraid that she would have more reason to scorn him now that she knew he was ill. He suppressed the unhappiness he was feeling and said, ¡°Let me wash your hair for you.¡± She nodded and grunted in agreement. Following that, Samuel proceeded to meticulously and delicately wash her hair. ¡°How long will Tyson and the others need toe over?¡± asked Kathleen curiously. ¡°It¡¯ll take them at least until tomorrow night. It all depends on when the storm blows over,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°This is an ind, correct? Is there anyone else around?¡± she asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± he replied with a shake of his head. She frowned slightly and probed, ¡°What are you doing with an ind like this?¡± As he helped to wash her hair thoroughly, he said, ¡°I was thinking that if it came to a point where I couldn¡¯t get myself under control, I needed a ce to iste myself.¡± Kathleen was stunned and repeated, ¡°You nned to live alone on an ind?¡± He nodded in acknowledgment. At that moment, Kathleen felt pangs of heartbreak and sadness wash over her. She realized that she was what Samuel needed to treat himself. If he couldn¡¯t find her, his emotional state would fluctuate perpetually, and he might just end up having to stay on the ind. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to treat myself, Kate,¡± rasped Samuel reassuringly. That said, he knew that there might not be a point or much use to all the treatment. ¡°I¡¯ll find a doctor, so please don¡¯t hate me. Will you?¡± pleaded Samuel desperately in his low voice. Kathleen felt a sharp pain straight through her heart before she finally replied, ¡°All right.¡± He was delighted upon taking in her response. He stated, ¡°Your hair¡¯s done. Is there anything else you need help with?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go too far now. Haven¡¯t I ended up in this state all because of you?¡± puffed Kathleen angrily. He was taken aback and paused for a moment before he stated, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She faintly asked, ¡°Do you have another copy of the key?¡± ¡°What key?¡± asked Samuel with a deep frown. ¡°You locked Nicolette in the underground prison. I went to find you earlier to get the key, but you threw it away,¡± exined Kathleen impatiently. ¡°Nicolette¡¯s here?¡± asked Samuel as his brows knotted in surprise. Kathleen gazed at him strangely and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you both share the same set of memories?¡± He said hoarsely, ¡°He can see my memories, but I can¡¯t see his.¡± She didn¡¯t know how to respond to that revtion and instead maintained her silence. He promised, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to make sure he doesn¡¯t appear anymore.¡± He had be very careful with his mannerisms and the way he conducted himself. He was sorely afraid that he would reveal the explosive side of himself and scare her away. That was something he wanted to avoid at all costs, as he didn¡¯t want to detect the slightest bit of fear or terror in her eyes when she looked at him. However, with that revtion, Kathleen was fully convinced that Samuel hadn¡¯t heard what she had said previously. ¡°Let Nicolette go, Samuel. She¡¯s lost both her legs. It¡¯s more than enough torture for her already,¡± stated Kathleen grimly. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± replied Samuel obediently. However, he added, ¡°That said¡­ I only have one key.¡± She was rendered speechless. He quickly added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. I¡¯m sure Tyson and the others cane up with other methods of getting her out when they arrive tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± replied Kathleen with a sigh of relief. ¡°Are you done? I¡¯ll carry you out,¡± he asked. She raised both her arms as a preliminary test before she replied, ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve gotten some of my strength back.¡± He looked intently at her with a tinge of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°Hand me the bathrobe,¡± instructed Kathleen. However, he didn¡¯t move and merely looked at her with a pitiful expression on his face. She held her forehead in exasperation as she conceded and said, ¡°Fine. Help me put on my bathrobe, then carry me out.¡± Samuel grunted in acknowledgment and gleefully nodded. He grabbed the bathrobe and helped to drape it over her lithe frame before he lifted her into his arms and carried her out. Outside, the storm continued to rage on relentlessly. Kathleen took that in and worriedly asked, ¡°Do you think Nicolette will freeze to death down there?¡± ¡°I can lower the sluice and allow the seawater to drain away,¡± stated Samuel coldly. Truth be told, he didn¡¯t want to do so at all. However, he guessed Kathleen wasn¡¯t willing to let Nicolette meet her end at a ce like that. ¡°Go on and do it then!¡± implored Kathleen. She continued, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so before?¡± ¡°Well¡­ You didn¡¯t ask either,¡± he replied solemnly. She wasn¡¯t too pleased by that and remarked, ¡°You¡¯re done for if Nicolette meets her end here, Samuel.¡± However, he put on a nonchnt expression and fully conveyed how he didn¡¯t care one bit. She exined, ¡°You know as well as I do that Zachary wants to have a kidney transnt, as he thinks his current kidneys aren¡¯t doing well. Once Nicolette leaves this world, that would be the same as shredding all hope that Zachary has. I doubt he would let you get off unscathed after that.¡± A cold look shed across his eyes as he countered, ¡°Do you think they have the ability?¡± He clearly didn¡¯t care. She grabbed hold of his ck bathrobe and demanded, ¡°Hurry up and drain the water away now. Do get me a fresh set of clothes as well.¡± ¡°All right,¡± he replied with a nod. With that, he turned to leave, and Kathleen finally let out a long sigh of relief. Samuel headed down underground and drained the water away. Soon enough, Nicolette emerged drenched to the skin, trembling non-stop. As she wrapped her arms around herself in a futile attempt to preserve her warmth, she red at Samuel and eximed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just get rid of me now and be done with it?¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Kate, you would still be soaking in the midst of all that seawater,¡± countered Samuel coldly, and he turned to leave. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to engage in any form of conversation with Nicolette. Not Kathleen again! Curse her! Once I get out of here, I¡¯ll absolutely need to find a way to deal with her! Samuel then went to the kitchen and prepared two warm cups of ginger tea. He carried the cups over to the room and handed one of them over to Kathleen. She received the cup with both hands and felt the warmth that emanated from the cup immediately spread throughout her body. He took a seat next to her and the pair sat in silence just like that. After some time, she faintly began, ¡°Samuel¡ª¡± However, he quickly interjected, ¡°You don¡¯t have to persuade me anymore. I¡¯ll head back to receive the necessary treatment. I promise that this won¡¯t happen ever again.¡± ¡°Really?¡± probed Kathleen gently as she looked at him. He nodded solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s great then,¡± replied Kathleen with a slightly coarse whisper. She added, ¡°Samuel, I hope that you¡¯ll continue to live decently in the years toe. Truth be told, you being like this ces a substantial burden on me as well. This might be me being selfish, but I feel terrible when you¡¯re in this state. I¡¯m trying my hardest to leave the past in the past and live mying days in peace. Please don¡¯t be like this again, all right?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. His handsome and elegant face turned slightly pale as he agreed and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Even though he agreed that easily, he knew there was little to nothing he could do about it. If he truly did end up going out of control, he would inevitably end up in such a state once more. There was no way out of that conundrum he faced. The way Samuel saw it, the only way he could dream of returning to having a semnce of a normal life was to have Kathleen by his side at all times. There was no alternative solution, especially since he just so happened to like her that much. However, despite all that, he had no choice but to let her go. The pain he felt was immense and utterly unfathomable by others. Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Old Man Cough! Cough! Samuel began coughing terribly all of a sudden. Even his hand that was holding the cup was trembling. Kathleen immediately received the nket, set it aside, and gently patted his back. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± His coughing appeared to be severe. She ced a hand on his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re having a fever. Where do you keep your antipyretic medication?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be okay after I take a nap.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know your body¡¯s condition better? An ordinary person may feel better after a nap, but do you think that will apply to you?¡± She stood up. Samuel took in her anxious demeanor and said with a husky voice, ¡°Sometimes, when I look at your facial expressions, it gives me the false impression that you¡¯re still in love with me.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Lie down and rest for now. I¡¯ll go search for the medication.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded andy down on the bed while she looked for the medication. In the end, Kathleen found a first-aid kit under the television cab in the living room. There were all kinds of medications inside. Creak! Creak! She heard the sound of the door swinginging from the basement. Did Samuel not lock the door properly? She hurried toward the basement. The scene that entered her vision shocked her because Nicolette was missing. Did someone sneak into the castle? Sh*t! Samuel! Kathleen dashed upstairs at once. She saw a woman forcing Samuel¡¯s mouth open and stuffing a pill inside. Samuel had lost consciousness because of the fever. Otherwise, he would not have allowed the woman to do as she pleased. ¡°Who are you?¡± Kathleen stepped forward to stop her, but she was toote. The masked woman let out a derisive chuckle before striding hastily toward the window and jumping out. Thump! She jumped into the sea. D*mn it! It seems like someone knows we are on the ind, and they¡¯ve been hiding nearby, waiting for an opportunity to ambush us when we let our guard down. But why did they capture Nicolette? If we fail to locate her, or her body is discovered after she is killed, Samuel will undoubtedly shoulder the me. Even if there is no evidence, others will assume he¡¯s the culprit. What a troublesome mess. Who¡¯s that woman anyway, and what did she feed Samuel? Kathleen returned to Samuel¡¯s side and checked his pulse. However, she did not find out anything unusual happening in his body. That¡¯s weird. Are my medical skills failing? What could that pill be if it is not poison? Never mind. I¡¯ll deal with thister. Kathleen administered an antipyretic medication to him. Then, she locked all the doors and windows because she was going out to search for Nicolette. A thunderstorm is raging outside, so I am sure they haven¡¯t left. They should probably still be on the ind. Kathleen went to Samuel¡¯s study. She had noticed a few guns when she was looking for the medication earlier. She took two guns with her and searched the entire castle, ensuring no one else was in there before leaving. Kathleen then drove around the ind for traces of the unweed guests. The ind was not vast. Samuel had instructed his men to fix the highway surrounding the ind. Therefore, her journey was not unbearable. These people could not possibly hide in the mountains amidst the pouring rain, since it is too dangerous to do so. She drove the car to the other side of the ind. As she expected, Kathleen saw a mini truck. The truck was used to transport items from the dock to the castle but was stolen by those people. These people sure are audacious. Do they think that Samuel and I are both sick, so we will not dare to chase after them? Great! Just they wait. I¡¯ll show them. They probably think I¡¯m a joke because I¡¯ve been docile for some time. Kathleen rolled down the car window, maneuvering the steering wheel with one hand while holding a gun in her other hand. Then, she fired two shots at the truck¡¯s wheels. The other party did not expect Kathleen to leave the castle, nor did they anticipate her to fire the shots. The tires burst instantaneously, and the truck halted. Kathleen got out of her car holding two guns, one in each hand. She aimed at the truck¡¯s window and opened fire directly. The driver was shot and knocked out on the steering wheel. She walked around the car to the passenger seat. ¡°Get out!¡± she shouted at the man. The man had sustained injuries. He opened the car door and revealed his wounded arm. However, he was holding a gun in his other hand. Bang! Kathleen shot his gun-wielding arm without hesitation. That man eximed in agony before falling out of the vehicle. She stepped on his wound and demanded, ¡°Where¡¯s Nicolette?¡± He shrieked, ¡°She¡¯s inside the trunk of the car!¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen strode over and pulled away a cloth at the back of the truck. Nicolette was indeed hiding in there. Terror filled her eyes as she gazed at Kathleen. Kathleen snorted and walked back to that man¡¯s side. ¡°Who sent you here?¡± He kept quiet, unwilling to divulge the information. She squashed his wound with her feet. ¡°Quit acting tough and spill the beans! Otherwise, I¡¯ll throw you into the water cell as well!¡± That man¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°I¡¯m from the Blissful Sect.¡± The Blissful Sect? The organization my brother¡¯s godfather is in? D*mn it! ¡°That old man!¡± Kathleen¡¯s fury intensified. They must be tired of living! Kathleen brought them back to the castle. She removed all the equipment and tools on them and ced them inside the water cell. Nicolette uttered with a trembling voice, ¡°I did not n on escaping.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°They did not render you unconscious. Why didn¡¯t you shout or make any noise earlier if you were not thinking of escaping?¡± Nicolette was stunned. Kathleen locked the door to the water cell. She turned on her heels and headed upstairs to Samuel¡¯s room. However, she noticed he was no longer lying on the bed. Where is he? ¡°Samuel?¡± Kathleen shuddered. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s kidnapped? Sh*t! ¡°Sam¡­¡± She turned around and was about to look for him. Then, she saw Samuel standing quietly behind her. ¡°Are you all right, Samuel?¡± Kathleen walked up to him. As soon as her finger touched him, he suddenly grasped her wrist and pinned her on the bed, locking her hands behind her back. ¡°Samuel, what are you doing?¡± Kathleen was livid. He leaned down and pressed his hot chest against her cold back. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Why is it you again?¡± She was infuriated. ¡°That pill.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice turned a few notches deeper. ¡°I¡¯ve taken that pill before.¡± What? ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kathleen recollected herself. ¡°The first time I woke up, I sensed that simr taste in my mouth. The vor was sweet with a hint of alcoholic smell,¡± he replied. She pursed her lips. ¡°Let go of me first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will not harm you.¡± Samuel paused briefly before continuing, ¡°Your journey out of the castle alone made me doubt your self-protecting awareness. Therefore, you will rest well in the room from now on while I am going to deal with those people.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to deal with?¡± Kathleen was mad. ¡°Hurry up and go back. The matter has nothing to do with you.¡± Samuel did not move. Instead, he smirked. ¡°It is so easy to take advantage of you in this posture.¡± D*mn it! ¡°I dare you, Samuel! I¡¯ll hate you for eternity!¡± Kathleen exploded with rage. ¡°You hate me to begin with.¡± He nibbled her ear. ¡°Be a good girl, will you?¡± Kathleen was fuming. ¡°You must not hurt them. I still need them.¡± ¡°I have some things to ask them,¡± Samuel said frostily. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. I¡¯ll be worried if you go alone.¡± She frowned. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Ufortable Samuel wore a bitter smile. ¡°Are you worried about them or me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Samuel!¡± Kathleen rearranged her facial features into a solemn expression. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are at the moment, but we must cooperate now. We cannot fight against them single- handedly.¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Those people from the Blissful Sect.¡± She knew she could not keep that information from him because Samuel would know everything once he questioned the manter. The Blissful Sect? He furrowed his brows. I¡¯ve never heard of them. ¡°The Blissful Sect is very mysterious and keeps a low profile. There aren¡¯t many people who are aware of this organization¡¯s existence. They specifically target logistics businesses. Do you have any logistic- rted business, Samuel?¡± Kathleen had no other choice but to distract Samuel. She could not let him know about her dealings with the Blissful Sect. Otherwise, he would adopt a more extreme personality. ¡°Are you telling me that the Blissful Sect is targeting my logistics business?¡± Samuel knitted his brows. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Can you let go of me? I¡¯m getting very ufortable.¡± Samuel loosened his grip and backed away. Kathleen sat up on the bed. Click! He cuffed her to the headboard. She was dumbfounded. ¡°Get some good rest.¡± Samuel lowered his head and pecked her on her forehead. D*mn it! Kathleen was furious. ¡°Samuel, you *sshole!¡± she snarled. He grinned at the sight of her exploding with rage. Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Kate, your growth in the past year astonishes me. From utilizing poison to mastering how to use a gun. My little girl is getting scarier.¡± Samuel caressed her soft and tender cheek. She stared at him stiffly. ¡°Were you putting up an act, Samuel?¡± Samuel wore a meaningful smile. ¡°Would they have shown themselves if I hadn¡¯t put up an act? Would you have told me the truth?¡± Kathleen was stumped. ¡°The Blissful Sect, huh?¡± Samuel leaned down to kiss her neck and lips. ¡°I will personally destroy the organization which had kept your whereabouts hidden for a year.¡± She trembled all over. ¡°Samuel!¡± she growled. He kissed her lips forcefully, rendering Kathleen helpless. She finally understood Samuel was merely luring his prey in the past few days. Not to mention, his n was a huge sess because he had sessfully attracted his prey. ¡°You told me you¡¯d never lie to me!¡± Kathleen said to him angrily. ¡°I did not lie to you. Do you think I was really oblivious to someone aiming at me with a sniper rifle the other day?¡± Samuel¡¯s face was perfectly handsome. Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Katie, I did not trick you. I was setting those people up. I captured Nicolette because I wanted to lure them out. However, you were very persistent in following us, so I had to detain you as well,¡± he exined. ¡°Samuel, you better don¡¯t return my freedom. Otherwise, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± She red at him. ¡°Perhaps I should give you my Academy Awards trophy, since your acting skills are on par with Hollywood standards!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll offer you my life after I deal with the Blissful Sect.¡± He turned on his heels and left. Kathleen sat on the bed and sighed. He¡¯s indeed the formidable Samuel Macari. I need to be so careful when going against him. D*mn it! I should not have gone easy on him. Nheless, she was still mad. Kathleen realized the Blissful Sect had been targeting Samuel since a year ago. That old b*stard had fooled her, and that woman was most probably a member of the Blissful Sect. Kathleen tried to force herself to calm down. It seems like the Blissful Sect is targeting Samuel for a different reason than the one I have in mind. No, this can¡¯t do! I need to go and listen to the questions Samuel will ask them. She unlocked the handcuff effortlessly. The handcuff could not possibly restrict her movements. After she had reunited with Charles, the first skill she learned was to unlock a handcuff. She exited the room and went downstairs. The rain had stopped pouring outside, but the wind was still howling. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The tree branches rustled against the windows due to the gales appearing like a demon waving its ws. Kathleen arrived at the entrance of the basement. She heard Samuel¡¯s indifferent voice. ¡°What¡¯s Kathleen¡¯s position in the Blissful Sect?¡± Kathleen was startled. Is Samuel suspecting me of being a member of the Blissful Sect? ¡°She¡¯s not one of us, but she¡¯ll join us soon,¡± that man replied. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Our leader is impressed by her abilities and is interested in nurturing her,¡± he exined. Kathleen frowned. That man was right, but he was not telling the whole truth. ¡°Isn¡¯t itical for your leader to hand over such arge organization to another person for no reason?¡± Samuel was unconvinced. As I expected, look at that. That¡¯s Samuel Macari at his finest. Therefore, it is very difficult to fool him. On the other hand, he¡¯s so despicably adept at tricking others! ¡°That¡¯s really all I know. I¡¯m not a core member of the Blissful Sect, so I don¡¯t know anything else,¡± that man said fearfully. Samuel furrowed his brows. Judging by this man¡¯s expression, I suppose he¡¯s not lying. ¡°They ordered you to capture Nicolette to target me?¡± Samuel asked frostily. That man nodded. ¡°Most probably.¡± Samuel scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve been shing with your organization for so many years, yet I did not know your organization¡¯s name all along. Little did I expect my wife to be your leader soon.¡± Kathleen was livid. Who¡¯s your wife? I¡¯m your ex-wife. That man felt Samuel¡¯s tone wasced with a hint of peculiarity when thetter spoke. Samuel knew that was probably all the information he could obtain from that man. He stood up and aimed his gun at the man. That man was terrified and dumbfounded. ¡°Ahh! Please don¡¯t kill me. I don¡¯t want to die. I¡¯ve told you everything I know!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s no use allowing you to live,¡± Samuel announced coldly. That man feltpletely helpless at that moment. ¡°Samuel, stop!¡± Kathleen walked into the basement. ¡°You cannot kill him.¡± ¡°Advisor.¡± That man was desperate at that moment. ¡°Advisor?¡± Samuel grimaced. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I am the advisor to the Blissful Sect¡¯s research and development department. I am skilled in traditional medicine, so I was appointed as their external advisor.¡± Samuel wore an unfathomable look. Kathleen turned to gaze at that man. ¡°You know who I am? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, I¡¯ve only met you once,¡± he replied. ¡°Listen. I can spare your life, but you must follow me back to the Blissful Sect,¡± she said. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. Samuel stared at Kathleen with a poker face. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± She met his eyes. ¡°I need to settle some personal matters. I reckon this has nothing to do with you?¡± Are we falling out now? Samuel grabbed her wrist. ¡°Are you going to the Blissful Sect? Let¡¯s go together then.¡± ¡°I will not bring you along, Samuel.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I cannot betray the Blissful Sect.¡± Cannot betray? Samuel questioned her, ¡°Why? Is that useless organization more important than me?¡± Kathleen steeled her resolution. ¡°That¡¯s right. I have the Blissful Sect to thank for my current achievements. Regardless of how the Blissful Sect treats you, I cannot be ungrateful. Do you understand?¡± Samuel¡¯s face fell. I don¡¯t understand! Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 What Have You Been Through The Blissful Sect was after him, and yet she was not willing to turn her back against the organization. Knowing Kathleen was indebted to the Blissful Sect, Samuel could understand her sentiments. But why did she have to go that far and provoke me by saying that? ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t have the guts to kill him?¡± Samuel had his gun pointed right at the man¡¯s head. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Johnson, please save me!¡± The man was practically screaming at the top of his lungs. ¡°Stop crying!¡± Kathleen chided angrily. ¡°I¡¯m going to poison you to make you a mute if you keep crying!¡± The man was stumped. He cast a sheepish nce at Kathleen and dared not say anything. Kathleen looked coldly at Samuel and said, ¡°Samuel, we are not rted to each other in any way. I will deal with my own matters as I see fit, and I will not interfere in your matters too.¡± ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel burned with fury right then. ¡°If what he said is true, that you¡¯re going to be the next leader of the Blissful Sect, are you going to attack me if I am to deal with the Blissful Sect?¡± Kathleen was stunned for a moment. She turned around to face Samuel. ¡°Will you attack me then?¡± ¡°No,¡± Samuel replied in a heartbeat. He did not have the heart to do so. ¡°I will, though.¡± Kathleen¡¯s sweet voice was tinged with cruelty. ¡°I owe the Blissful Sect a lot.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes burned with fury. He held Kathleen¡¯s hand and came up from the underground. The two of them arrived at the living room as tension hung in the air. Samuel knew there was nothing he could do to Kathleen. He did not even have the heart to pluck a strand of hair off her, let alone harm her. Right then, a flicker of light illuminated the room. The sun was about to rise. It had been a long night. Kathleen was all tuckered out. She looked at Samuel and asked, ¡°Are Tyson and the others just nearby?¡± Samuel said nothing. ¡°Ask them toe onto the ind right away!¡± Kathleen approached Samuel and said, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Samuel nced at her and fainted. ¡°Samuel?¡± Kathleen was shocked. She reached out to touch his forehead. He¡¯s burning up! Kathleen knew his fever had taken a turn for the worse. She immediately looked for his phone. She wanted to call Tyson. ¡°Ms. Johnson¡­¡± Tyson said in mild surprise. ¡°I know you guys are just nearby. Get your *sses right here!¡± Kathleen chided. ¡°Samuel has to go to the hospital immediately.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Tyson dared not defy her. Kathleen ended the call and then called Charles. It was almost time to contact him. The call went through, and Kathleen said impassively, ¡°Charles.¡± Charles asked worriedly, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Charles, the Blissful Sect has made a move. What did your godfather promise me?¡± she said in a frigid tone. ¡°I was just about to tell you that something happened to the Blissful Sect. Are you all right?¡± Charles said in a hoarse voice. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was still cold and distant. ¡°But I did teach a few people from the sect a lesson.¡± ¡°Kate, I¡¯m going back to the sect to check out the situation. Please stay at Jadeborough and don¡¯t go anywhere,¡± Charles said concernedly. ¡°Charles, I will deal with the matter at Jadeborough as soon as possible and go look for you.¡± She pursed her lips, and then said, ¡°I¡¯m going to cure the poison in your body.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how it goes. I can¡¯t keep burdening you.¡± Charles felt his heart ache for her. ¡°Kate, I do not wish to see you putting your life at risk for me again. I¡¯ve wanted to see you settle down with a trustworthy man so that I can¡ª¡± ¡°Charles¡­¡± Her voice turned shaky. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Kate, after Vivian¡¯s gone, I realize that this world is mundane and dull at best.¡± He lifted his head to look at the blue sky. ¡°After I knew that you were taken away by Samuel, I suddenly did not feel as apprehensive anymore. Maybe I do hate him, but I know for a fact that he will not hurt you.¡± ¡°Charles, don¡¯t do anything dumb.¡± Kathleen sniffled. ¡°Just you wait. I can save you for sure!¡± ¡°Anyway, I will head back to the Blissful Sect first. Wait for me at Jadeborough,¡± Charles said. ¡°Charles, call me if anything happens. I will go look for you,¡± Kathleen said with furrowed brows. ¡°Okay,¡± Charles said before hanging up. After making sure that Kathleen was safe and sound, he knew he no longer had any inhibitions. Two hourster, Tyson finally arrived with a group of people. He looked at the ind and castle that were in a mess, and he was at a loss for words. ¡°Send Samuel to the hospital. Send Nicolette back to the Yoeger residence. Imprison the man,¡± Kathleen ordered calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson then ordered his men to get to work. He walked over to Kathleen¡¯s side and asked, ¡°Are you all right, Ms. Johnson?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ll leave the cleaning up here to you guys,¡± Kathleen replied mildly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Johnson.¡± Tyson only took orders from Samuel, but Kathleen was an exception. Others might not be aware, but he knew just how important Kathleen was to Samuel. Kathleen got up and left in a car. They boarded a ship to head back to Jadeborough. On the ship, there was apartment for one to rest in. Kathleen fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. She was haunted by multiple nightmares in her dream. There was blood everywhere. ¡°Ah!¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes sprang open. She shot up from the bed and clutched tightly onto her sheets. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Samuel asked huskily. Kathleen was stumped when she spotted him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I was afraid that you would leave without notice,¡± Samuel said hoarsely. Kathleen leaned against the headboard and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will not leave. I want to stay in Jadeborough to wait for my brother.¡± Samuel stared at her and said, ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve just left for one year. To be honest, your improvement in your skills infuriates rather than surprises me. It is definitely not something that you can cultivate with only a year of practice.¡± Kathleen appeared impassive. ¡°So, what do you reckon?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve engaged in true battles,¡± Samuel said coldly. Kathleen did not say a word. He threw a cold, hard look at her. ¡°What have you gone through this past year?¡± ¡°Would you let me off the hook if I tell you?¡± Kathleen muttered. ¡°As long as you¡¯re honest with me, then yes.¡± Samuel had mentally prepared himself for whatever mighte. Kathleen hugged her knees to herself and said, ¡°After the wedding, Christ brought me to meet my brother. I thought that Charles was merely a boss of an entertainmentpany. It was only after that I found out that his godfather was actually the leader of the Blissful Sect. I was in a bad shape right then, always feeling a need to thrash things around. I was gued by the fury and urge to kill both you and Nicolette. Right then, Charles¡¯ godfather suggested to me that he had a way of letting me vent my frustration.¡± Samuel listened to her every word attentively. ¡°I was left to fend for myself in an area where a rival organization was having a vicious turf war with the Blissful Sect. Every day, all I thought about was when the bullets would finally kill me,¡± she recounted bitterly. ¡°But it happened that I was lucky enough to survive that and became an external advisor for the Blissful Sect.¡± Kathleen knew she could not divulge the whole truth to Samuel. Some things were better left unsaid, such as the fact that Samuel was the main reason that she had agreed to be the advisor for the Blissful Sect. Samuel then asked incredulously, ¡°And Charles agreed to that?¡± ¡°My brother has been poisoned. If he can¡¯t find the cure, he won¡¯t be able to live past forty. I don¡¯t have the means to develop the cure, and I can only develop some medicine to dampen the effects of the poison. Only the Blissful Sect has the key ingredients to make the cure. Without the Blissful Sect, my brother will die. Samuel, I¡¯m sorry. If you wish to eradicate the Blissful Sect, you¡¯ll have to deal with me first,¡± she said ruefully. She had to save Charles. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Loving Him My Way Samuel then uttered in his deep voice, ¡°All right then.¡± He stood up, and Kathleen found her gaze following him. ¡°I never expected us to go on separate ways like this,¡± Samuel said impassively. Kathleen pursed her lips, saying nothing. She knew that the Blissful Sect wanted to kill Samuel, but she also knew that she could not lose what the Blissful Sect could provide to her. It was the only way to save Charles. She had no other choice, for Charles was her only brother. Samuel was wounded. He knew for a fact that Charles was more important to Kathleen than he was. Samuel started to cough as he covered his mouth. The palm of his hand was wet. Kathleen looked at his hand and was slightly stunned. ¡°Are you coughing blood again?¡± ¡°This is normal,¡± Samuel said nonchntly. ¡°From now on, my matters have nothing to do with you. You take good care of your brother.¡± Then, he turned around to leave. Kathleen was stunned momentarily before she retreated into a corner of the bed. Her eyes dimmed. Ah, I should just let it all go. She was tired of it all. After a day¡¯s journey, they were back in Jadeborough. A woman came to pick Kathleen up. She was taken aback by the sight of the woman. ¡°Giselle?¡± Giselle Zahn nodded. She came over and draped a jacket over Kathleen. ¡°We¡¯ll talk in the car.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen muttered and followed her. Samuel¡¯s eyes glinted as he eyed Kathleen¡¯s leaving figure. ¡°Tyson, go investigate who that woman is,¡± Samuel ordered. Tyson was slightly stunned. He knew that Samuel and Kathleen had fallen out, for the two of them had not seen each other even when they were on the ship. During the voyage, Samuel kept smoking, sending swirls of smoke into the air that the ship almost looked like it was on fire. Noticing Samuel was down in the dumps, Tyson could not help but ask the man, to which Samuel had wistfully replied that he would not interfere in Kathleen¡¯s matters anymore. Here he is again, worrying about Kathleen just because a woman approached her. Men are liars. ¡°All right.¡± Tyson nodded. Kathleen followed Giselle into the car. ¡°Giselle, why are you not following my brother?¡± Kathleen asked worriedly. ¡°He sent me here to protect you,¡± Giselle replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to be safe. You should have followed my brother.¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows were knitted as she sighed in worry. ¡°Mr. Johnson will only be at ease when he knows for certain that you are safe and sound,¡± Giselle exined. Kathleen eyed the woman before her quietly before she said, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. How¡¯s your condition?¡± ¡°Thanks to your medicine, I¡¯m doing much better,¡± Giselle replied impassively. ¡°d to hear that.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I heard that Mr. Johnson¡¯s first love passed away?¡± Giselle asked after a brief pause. ¡°Yes. She chose to end her own life that way.¡± Kathleen sighed. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°No wonder Mr. Johnson sounded so distant,¡± Giselle muttered in a small voice. Kathleen was stunned. Giselle had never been one to disy her emotions in front of others. It was Kathleen¡¯s first time hearing her being vocal about Charles¡¯ impassiveness. Kathleen regarded the woman intently and asked, ¡°Giselle, do you have a crush on my brother?¡± A flustered look darted across Giselle¡¯s face as she hurriedly said, ¡°No.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Ms. Johnson, please don¡¯t tell Mr. Johnson this. Otherwise, he will not let me stay by his side.¡± Giselle panicked. ¡°Do you know that Charles has always liked Vivian?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Giselle nodded. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve followed him for a long time. I know Mr. Johnson very well.¡± ¡°Then, you¡­¡± Kathleen was rather taken aback. ¡°I like him. It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not he reciprocates that feeling,¡± Giselle said calmly. ¡°I just want to stay by his side. Ms. Johnson, I hope you could grant this little wish of mine.¡± ¡°What if Charles never realizes your feelings for him?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of letting him know.¡± Giselle appeared to be at peace with her decision. ¡°I just want to love him in my own way.¡± ¡°Giselle¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, you may save any of the words of advice you might have for me.¡± Giselle¡¯s lips quirked into a wistful grin. ¡°I hope that he could give in his all without inhibition. To me, there¡¯s no better way to love him.¡± Kathleen widened her eyes in surprise as she eyed the woman before her. She was in awe of Giselle¡¯s selflessness. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s deal with the matter at Jadeborough first. We¡¯ll head back to the Blissful Sect after this is done and dusted,¡± Kathleen dered. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen and Giselle headed back to the mansion. ¡°Kate!¡± Frances headed out of her room and asked, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Granny, sorry for making you worry. I¡¯m all right,¡± Kathleen said as she looked at Frances. Kathleen actually worried about Frances the most. She was contemting whether she should give Yasmine a call and ask for thetter¡¯s help. ¡°I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re all right. I was scared witless when I heard that you were abducted,¡± Frances said as she clutched Kathleen¡¯s hands tightly in her own. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m really fine,¡± Kathleen soothed her. ¡°You must be all tuckered out. Go on and take your rest,¡± Frances said. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay, Granny.¡± She turned around to head upstairs. Frances then turned to the housekeeper and said, ¡°The weather is really nice today. Do apany me for a walk outside.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the housekeeper nodded. Frances headed outside for a stroll with her housekeeper. After a few moments, Frances asked her housekeeper, ¡°I forgot my thermos. Could you fetch it for me?¡± The housekeeper eyed the distance to the mansion. After confirming that it was indeed quite near, she said, ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, don¡¯t go anywhere. I will return shortly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Frances nodded. The housekeeper headed back to the mansion to fetch the thermos for Frances. Frances then said coldly, ¡°Come out now.¡± A middle-aged man emerged from behind a tree. ¡°Who are you?¡± Frances said icily. The middle-aged man approached her and showed her the tattoo on his arms. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I am from the Hoover family.¡± The Hoover family? Frances¡¯ eyes widened. Then, she narrowed her eyes and demanded, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I¡¯m here to take Ms. Johnson home,¡± the man exined. ¡°Take her home? Didn¡¯t Collin Hoover tell you that my child has nothing to do with him?¡± she said in an icy tone. The man remained calm. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, if you had told Old Mr. Hoover that the child was his, he would have lent you a helping hand.¡± ¡°You can tell him to piss off!¡± Frances bellowed. ¡°Tell him I don¡¯t need his help!¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, please listen to me,¡± the man said in a low voice. ¡°There are people who are aware of Ms. Johnson¡¯s identity. She is in danger.¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Frances spat. ¡°Old Mr. Hoover wants to take both you and Ms. Johnson home. Under his protection, the two of you do not have to worry about your safety,¡± the man exined. Frances¡¯ gaze was frigid as she sneered, ¡°Go and tell Collin Hoover that he can piss off. I don¡¯t need his help!¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, I believe you¡¯re well aware that your grandson and granddaughter are destined for great things.¡± The man¡¯s eyes glinted as he continued, ¡°They might not be able to focus on what¡¯s truly important if they have to take care of you.¡± Frances narrowed her eyes. The man noticed that the housekeeper was approaching, and so he said to Frances, ¡°Please do consider what I said.¡± Then, the man turned around to leave. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Lady Of The Macari Family The housekeeper dashed toward Frances¡¯ side. Panting heavily, she asked, ¡°Is everything all right, Old Mrs. Yoeger?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m tired.¡± Frances¡¯ face was pale. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Huh? ¡°Okay.¡± The housekeeper was stunned momentarily before helping Frances back to the house. Little did they know that Giselle had been observing them from the window on the second floor. She had a panoramic view of the entiremotion. Back at the Yoeger residence, Zachary heaved a sigh of relief the moment he saw his daughter stepping into the house. The second Nicolette caught sight of her father, she, however, shot him a vicious re. ¡°I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re back, Nicolette!¡± came Zachary¡¯s greeting, his voice as loving as ever. What a hypocrite! Nicolette had thought that her father genuinely doted on her. s, she finally understood that Zachary had only been making use of her. Meanwhile, Zachary had sensed a change in Nicolette¡¯s attitude. That flustered him for a bit before he continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry anymore because you¡¯re safe now.¡± Nicolette then raised a question leisurely. ¡°Did you really send someone to go rescue me?¡± Her words caught Zachary by surprise. ¡°Of course I did!¡± Even so, Nicolette simply took her father¡¯s words with a grain of salt. ¡°I was panic-stricken the moment you went missing, so I dispatched gazillions of people,¡± exined Zachary in a heartbeat. ¡°But, you know, I still couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Samuel.¡± Pursing her lips, Nicolette scoffed, ¡°Now I finally see how lousy the Yoeger family is! We¡¯re so inferior to the Macaris that we¡¯repletely under their heel.¡± Zachary felt a twinge of guilt. ¡°It¡¯s my bad. I¡¯m always under the weather, which is why our family hasn¡¯t risen through the ranks for so long.¡± Nicolette sniggered at that inwardly. That would make sense, for the Yoeger family was never in his hands to begin with. Vanessa was the one reigning over the entire Yoeger family at present. She was dying to get rid of Zachary and the rest so that she could usurp the position as the head of the Yoegers and call the shots. Dad is such a moron through and through! Nicolette reckoned that it would be naught but a wasted effort for Zachary in the end. Witnessing her demeanor, Zachary felt helpless. ¡°You should go get some rest.¡± After giving his remark, he stepped out the door. In actuality, Zachary had never been close to Nicolette. There was no solid kinship whatsoever between that father-and-daughter duo. Nicolette said nothing. Just when Zachary exited the house, he bumped into Yareli. ¡°Hello, Uncle Zachary,¡± greeted Yareli. ¡°You seem to be in the pink of health. You can even stand and walk now.¡± Zachary nodded. ¡°Yes. The previous doctor suddenly quit, so I went to see another one. This doctor rmended me a kind of imported medicine. I feel so much better after taking it.¡± As Yareli listened to his speech, her brows bunched up into a knot of annoyance. Since when did he change his physician? Why weren¡¯t Mom and I informed about this? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this to me and Mom, Uncle Zachary? We ought to run a background check on this doctor, you know. What if he¡¯s a quack?¡± Yareli had a knack for feigning kindness. ¡°Uh¡­ Because both you and your mom are so busytely, I thought I shouldn¡¯t bother you all with my personal affair,¡± was Zachary¡¯s exnation. Yareli nodded before changing the subject. ¡°How¡¯s Nicolette?¡± ¡°She seemed to be quite emotional. I suppose she must¡¯ve been agitated by something or someone. Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll be fine after a good rest,¡± stated Zachary. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to herter. I bet it¡¯s because of Samuel. She merely can¡¯t let him go.¡± Yareli¡¯s expression darkened as she spoke. Zachary expressed his appreciation. ¡°Thank you. Try your best, then.¡± After saying that, he spun on his heels. Yareli¡¯s gaze turned ever so malicious as she watched Zachary leave. We¡¯vee so far to get what we¡¯ve always wanted. There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll let it fall into someone else¡¯s clutches! Wheeling around, Yareli made a beeline for Nicolette¡¯s bedroom. As soon as Nicolette caught a glimpse of Yareli¡¯s presence, the former¡¯s gaze became as cold as the winter. ¡°What are you here for?¡± Wearing a disdainful countenance, Yareli looked at her and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you that afraid of me?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The displeasure in Nicolette¡¯s heart intensified. Looking at Nicolette¡¯s legs, Yareli let out a sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate your dear Samuel to death for making you a cripple?¡± Nicolette bit her lip and hollered, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°Ah, right. You totally deserved it yourself.¡± Yareli was so unbending that she continued to mock, ¡°A shady, illegitimate child trying to change its own destiny by stealing someone blind. Of course, you have nothing toin about in the face of retribution.¡± Resentment washed over Nicolette on that note. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Kathleen, I would¡¯ve already hit a home run.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ It¡¯s too bad that she¡¯s still alive.¡± A chill glint shed across Yareli¡¯s eyes. ¡°After so long, why haven¡¯t you realized that it¡¯s not crucial to captivate Samuel¡¯s heart at this moment? Kathleen¡¯s the most important issue you need to deal with. So long as she continues to exist, she¡¯s going to be the greatest threat to you.¡± ¡°As if I could rece her spot upon her demise.¡± Nicolette bit her lip at that. ¡°Of course you can!¡± Yareli narrowed her eyes to slits. ¡°I¡¯ve got wind that Samuel had mistaken Kathleen for you back then. If Kathleen were to be gone with the wind, given the resemnce you both bear to each other, Samuel would cherish you to no end. By then, he might treat your legs, get you a makeover, and even make you thedy of the Macari family.¡± Nicolette arched a brow. ¡°Oh, really? Do you mind telling me from whom you got that information, then?¡± ¡°Rest assured. I¡¯m not bluffing.¡± Yareli shed a meaningful visage and informed, ¡°I¡¯ve snooped that out from one of Samuel¡¯s subordinates.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± questioned Nicolette cidly. ¡°I just want to know if you¡¯re really willing to admit defeat just like that.¡± Yareli put on a half-smile. Nicolette kept her lips buttoned. Indignation filled her eyes. Fishing out a piece of paper, Yareli threw out a suggestion. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of revenge, I have the person who can do the job in your stead. But if anything were to crop up, you¡¯d have to bear the consequences alone. I¡¯m staying out of it.¡± After deliberating for a brief moment, Nicolette eventually grabbed that piece of paper from Yareli. Thetter narrowed her eyes. She knew that Nicolette was a woman with insatiable ambitions. Even if Nicolette had been disabled, she would never rest until she seized what she desired. With that, Yareli grinned from ear to ear as she exited the room. Nicolette, in turn, looked at the phone number written on that paper and dialed ordingly. In the meantime, Kathleen had just awakened from her slumber, feeling a whole lot better. A knock came from the door. ¡°Are you awake?¡± uttered Giselle as she walked into the room. Kathleen nodded and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± With a deep tone, Giselle answered, ¡°A middle-aged man came to look for Old Mrs. Yoeger today. I couldn¡¯t hear what they had been conversing about, but I took notice of Old Mrs. Yoeger¡¯s sullen look.¡± What? Kathleen knitted her brows into a tight knot. ¡°Did you find out who that man is?¡± ¡°We¡¯re on it. It¡¯s just that he has concealed his identity so well. It may take longer,¡± Giselle elucidated the matter. ¡°All right. Be sure to let me know the oue,¡± said Kathleen tly. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to ask Old Mrs. Yoeger about it?¡± Giselle was baffled. ¡°Forget it. Granny wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡± Frowning, Kathleen went on, ¡°I somehow have a feeling that she¡¯s hiding something from me. Maybe that man¡¯s rted to my mom¡¯s biological father. It¡¯s just a wild guess, though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why wouldn¡¯t Old Mrs. Yoeger disclose that to anyone of you?¡± queried Giselle in perplexity. ¡°Well¡­ Perhaps the identity of this man would invite nothing but trouble to our family.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone reeked of austerity. ¡°I can understand her decision. Yet, if they¡¯ve already shown up on our doorstep, we can¡¯t take things lying down.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll have the resultstest by tomorrow,¡±forted Giselle. ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡± Out of the blue, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang. She answered the call. Nicolette¡¯s voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°It¡¯s me. You¡¯ve agreed to help me get out of the Yoeger family, right? Does it still count?¡± Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Three More Cripples ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask the Yoeger family for mercy on your behalf,¡± Kathleen rified. ¡°I¡¯m only promising you that Zachary won¡¯t touch your kidney.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet, then,¡± Nicolette said. Kathleen scoffed. ¡°Do we still need to meet over this matter?¡± ¡°Kathleen, I have Melting Ice Grass,¡± Nicolette revealed. ¡°Do you want it?¡± Her words stunned Kathleen. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Melting Ice Grass? How could she have that? Kathleen frowned and asked again, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I heard from Samuel that your brother had been poisoned,¡± Nicolette replied. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Samuel would never tell you that!¡± Kathleen wouldn¡¯t believe her words. ¡°Kathleen, you guys fought, didn¡¯t you?¡± There was a half-smile on Nicolette¡¯s face. ¡°He wants to destroy the Blissful Sect, but the sect has the medicine that can save your brother. That¡¯s why you guys turned against each other, right?¡± Kathleen was stunned. How could she know about what Samuel and I talked aboutst night? We were the only ones present. No one else was there! This meant that Samuel was the only person who could tell Nicolette about it. Kathleen sneered, ¡°Samuel actually told you?¡± ¡°I used to be his confidante, after all,¡± Nicolette boasted. ¡°Kathleen, you can¡¯t deny that I¡¯m better at coaxing men than you do. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain our rtionship no matter how many lies I tell. Am I right?¡± Kathleen froze. Indeed, Nicolette¡¯s words made sense. ¡°Give me the Melting Ice Grass. I¡¯ll agree to any condition you state.¡± Nicolette¡¯s expression looked ambiguous as she said, ¡°Sure. Come and meet me on your own.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Kathleen agreed without any hesitation. After Nicolette gave her an address, Kathleen hung up the phone, ready to head there right away. Giselle held her back. ¡°Ms. Johnson, where are you going?¡± ¡°Nicolette has Melting Ice Grass,¡± Kathleen said eagerly. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet her.¡± She then took out a document from the drawer to bring with her. ¡°Ms. Johnson, have you ever wondered why she would have Melting Ice Grass with her? It could be fake,¡± Giselle advised. ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s fake, I have to go. Melting Ice Grass is the only antidote to my brother¡¯s poison. The effectiveness of the Blissful Sect¡¯s Snow Grass is quite average. It can only suppress the symptoms but not remove the poison.¡± ¡°Let me go with you.¡± Giselle was very worried. ¡°I¡¯m fine. She won¡¯t be able to do anything. Don¡¯t worry, Giselle. I¡¯m totally prepared,¡± Kathleen reassured. Giselle pursed her lips. ¡°Howe Nicolette knows so much, though?¡± ¡°Samuel told her,¡± Kathleen said with darkened eyes, shocking Giselle with her words. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± After saying that, Kathleen left in a hurry. Worried about her safety, Giselle could only follow her in secret. Nicolette had asked Kathleen to meet her in a bar that was also involved in some shady business. Kathleen had long heard about it, and she was surprised that Nicolette actually found this ce. Things were getting more and more interesting. When Kathleen walked into the bar, a man approached her. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Nicolette Yoeger,¡± answered Kathleen coldly. ¡°This way.¡± The man started leading the way, and Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but narrow her eyes. Upon arriving at a room, the man gestured at the door. ¡°Please enter.¡± Kathleen opened the door and saw Nicolette sitting on a couch inside. ¡°That was quick,¡± Nicolette remarked with a faint smile. Walking inside, Kathleen responded, ¡°You surprised me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?¡± Nicolette asked with curiosity. ¡°Zachary doesn¡¯t have kidney cancer. He was fooled by someone. This is the proof.¡± Immediately, Nicolette¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Give it to me!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the Melting Ice Grass?¡± Kathleen asked icily. ¡°Kathleen, have you forgotten that this proof is my hush money? If you don¡¯t give it to me, I¡¯ll reveal everything and tell everyone that Samuel has a split personality,¡± threatened Nicolette. ¡°If you do that, the first person to suffer will be you.¡± Hearing that, Nicolette bit her lip in silence. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lose one of my kidneys, anyway,¡± Kathleen added indifferently. Nicolette clenched her jaw. ¡°Fine. You win!¡± Then, she took out a box from behind her. ¡°The Melting Ice Grass is in here.¡± Kathleen strode over. It was only when she approached Nicolette that she saw what was on thetter¡¯s body. It was a robotic exoskeleton from the military. No wonder Nicolette coulde on her own. Who gave her this? As if hearing Kathleen¡¯s thoughts, Nicolette smiled smugly. ¡°Samuel gave this to me.¡± Samuel? ¡°I suppose you know about Samuel¡¯s connection to the military,¡± Nicolette bragged. ¡°I just stayed with him andforted him, and he gave me this in return.¡± Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips. Nicolette took the document from her before shoving the box into her hands. ¡°Take a look at it. I don¡¯t want you to use me of scamming you.¡± When Kathleen opened the box, a swirl of white smoke came out. Caught off guard, she got a whiff and immediately fainted. ¡°Haha!¡± Nicoletteughed boisterously. ¡°Kathleen, it seems like you¡¯re quite easy to take down. Come in!¡± Following that, the man earlier entered the room. ¡°Have you prepared everything?¡± Nicolette demanded. ¡°Yes,¡± answered the man with a nod. A vicious glint shed across Nicolette¡¯s eyes. ¡°Very well. Take her away. I want to see if Samuel would still want a woman touched by other men.¡± Without a word, the man carried Kathleen out. Nicolette stayed behind, gritting her teeth. ¡°Everyone from the Yoeger family has to die!¡± Meanwhile, the man brought Kathleen into a room and left afterward. The next moment, Kathleen sat up swiftly and looked around. When she saw the interior of the room, she couldn¡¯t help but curse silently. There were various kinds of adult toys around her. D*mn these disgusting people! Nicolette has overestimated herself. Does she really think she can trick me? Right after she hid behind the door, a series of footsteps sounded. From the sound of it, someone was heading toward the room. ¡°Gentlemen, we prepared a gorgeousdy for you today. Please enjoy yourselves.¡± The voice belonged to the man earlier. ¡°All right. You can leave now,¡± urged someone else as he tipped the man. Following that, three men entered the room and closed the door behind them. ¡°Huh? Where is she?¡± ng! Without any warning, Kathleen whopped the head of the man in the middle with a flower vase. Instantly, he slumped to the ground. The man on the right tried to run away, but Kathleen did a roundhouse kick and sent him copsing as well. ¡°Someone¡ª¡± Before thest man standing could yell for help, an exquisite-looking gun appeared in Kathleen¡¯s hand. It had been hidden in her boots all this time, and the man who had brought her there had not noticed it. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me!¡± thest man pleaded for help, fear evident on his face. ¡°Perverted sc*mbags!¡± Kathleen was incensed. ¡°You *ssh*les have ruined countless women¡¯s lives. Today, I¡¯m going to make sure justice is served!¡± Her gun had a silencer on it, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about attracting attention. She fired three shots, each aimed toward the three men¡¯s groins. In an instant, the three of them turned into cripples. Kathleen was very satisfied. With Nicolette in mind as her next target, she opened the door. However, she was stunned the next second. Samuel was standing outside, his face grim.¡°I¡¯m not going to ask the Yoeger family for mercy on your behalf,¡± Kathleen rified. ¡°I¡¯m only promising you that Zachary won¡¯t touch your kidney.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet, then,¡± Nicolette said. Kathleen scoffed. ¡°Do we still need to meet over this matter?¡± ¡°Kathleen, I have Melting Ice Grass,¡± Nicolette revealed. ¡°Do you want it?¡± Her words stunned Kathleen. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Melting Ice Grass? How could she have that? Kathleen frowned and asked again, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I heard from Samuel that your brother had been poisoned,¡± Nicolette replied. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Samuel would never tell you that!¡± Kathleen wouldn¡¯t believe her words. ¡°Kathleen, you guys fought, didn¡¯t you?¡± There was a half-smile on Nicolette¡¯s face. ¡°He wants to destroy the Blissful Sect, but the sect has the medicine that can save your brother. That¡¯s why you guys turned against each other, right?¡± Kathleen was stunned. How could she know about what Samuel and I talked aboutst night? We were the only ones present. No one else was there! This meant that Samuel was the only person who could tell Nicolette about it. Kathleen sneered, ¡°Samuel actually told you?¡± ¡°I used to be his confidante, after all,¡± Nicolette boasted. ¡°Kathleen, you can¡¯t deny that I¡¯m better at coaxing men than you do. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain our rtionship no matter how many lies I tell. Am I right?¡± Kathleen froze. Indeed, Nicolette¡¯s words made sense. ¡°Give me the Melting Ice Grass. I¡¯ll agree to any condition you state.¡± Nicolette¡¯s expression looked ambiguous as she said, ¡°Sure. Come and meet me on your own.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Kathleen agreed without any hesitation. After Nicolette gave her an address, Kathleen hung up the phone, ready to head there right away. Giselle held her back. ¡°Ms. Johnson, where are you going?¡± ¡°Nicolette has Melting Ice Grass,¡± Kathleen said eagerly. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet her.¡± She then took out a document from the drawer to bring with her. ¡°Ms. Johnson, have you ever wondered why she would have Melting Ice Grass with her? It could be fake,¡± Giselle advised. ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s fake, I have to go. Melting Ice Grass is the only antidote to my brother¡¯s poison. The effectiveness of the Blissful Sect¡¯s Snow Grass is quite average. It can only suppress the symptoms but not remove the poison.¡± ¡°Let me go with you.¡± Giselle was very worried. ¡°I¡¯m fine. She won¡¯t be able to do anything. Don¡¯t worry, Giselle. I¡¯m totally prepared,¡± Kathleen reassured. Giselle pursed her lips. ¡°Howe Nicolette knows so much, though?¡± ¡°Samuel told her,¡± Kathleen said with darkened eyes, shocking Giselle with her words. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± After saying that, Kathleen left in a hurry. Worried about her safety, Giselle could only follow her in secret. Nicolette had asked Kathleen to meet her in a bar that was also involved in some shady business. Kathleen had long heard about it, and she was surprised that Nicolette actually found this ce. Things were getting more and more interesting. When Kathleen walked into the bar, a man approached her. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Nicolette Yoeger,¡± answered Kathleen coldly. ¡°This way.¡± The man started leading the way, and Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but narrow her eyes. Upon arriving at a room, the man gestured at the door. ¡°Please enter.¡± Kathleen opened the door and saw Nicolette sitting on a couch inside. ¡°That was quick,¡± Nicolette remarked with a faint smile. Walking inside, Kathleen responded, ¡°You surprised me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?¡± Nicolette asked with curiosity. ¡°Zachary doesn¡¯t have kidney cancer. He was fooled by someone. This is the proof.¡± Immediately, Nicolette¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Give it to me!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the Melting Ice Grass?¡± Kathleen asked icily. ¡°Kathleen, have you forgotten that this proof is my hush money? If you don¡¯t give it to me, I¡¯ll reveal everything and tell everyone that Samuel has a split personality,¡± threatened Nicolette. ¡°If you do that, the first person to suffer will be you.¡± Hearing that, Nicolette bit her lip in silence. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lose one of my kidneys, anyway,¡± Kathleen added indifferently. Nicolette clenched her jaw. ¡°Fine. You win!¡± Then, she took out a box from behind her. ¡°The Melting Ice Grass is in here.¡± Kathleen strode over. It was only when she approached Nicolette that she saw what was on thetter¡¯s body. It was a robotic exoskeleton from the military. No wonder Nicolette coulde on her own. Who gave her this? As if hearing Kathleen¡¯s thoughts, Nicolette smiled smugly. ¡°Samuel gave this to me.¡± Samuel? ¡°I suppose you know about Samuel¡¯s connection to the military,¡± Nicolette bragged. ¡°I just stayed with him andforted him, and he gave me this in return.¡± Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but purse her lips. Nicolette took the document from her before shoving the box into her hands. ¡°Take a look at it. I don¡¯t want you to use me of scamming you.¡± When Kathleen opened the box, a swirl of white smoke came out. Caught off guard, she got a whiff and immediately fainted. ¡°Haha!¡± Nicoletteughed boisterously. ¡°Kathleen, it seems like you¡¯re quite easy to take down. Come in!¡± Following that, the man earlier entered the room. ¡°Have you prepared everything?¡± Nicolette demanded. ¡°Yes,¡± answered the man with a nod. A vicious glint shed across Nicolette¡¯s eyes. ¡°Very well. Take her away. I want to see if Samuel would still want a woman touched by other men.¡± Without a word, the man carried Kathleen out. Nicolette stayed behind, gritting her teeth. ¡°Everyone from the Yoeger family has to die!¡± Meanwhile, the man brought Kathleen into a room and left afterward. The next moment, Kathleen sat up swiftly and looked around. When she saw the interior of the room, she couldn¡¯t help but curse silently. There were various kinds of adult toys around her. D*mn these disgusting people! Nicolette has overestimated herself. Does she really think she can trick me? Right after she hid behind the door, a series of footsteps sounded. From the sound of it, someone was heading toward the room. ¡°Gentlemen, we prepared a gorgeousdy for you today. Please enjoy yourselves.¡± The voice belonged to the man earlier. ¡°All right. You can leave now,¡± urged someone else as he tipped the man. Following that, three men entered the room and closed the door behind them. ¡°Huh? Where is she?¡± ng! Without any warning, Kathleen whopped the head of the man in the middle with a flower vase. Instantly, he slumped to the ground. The man on the right tried to run away, but Kathleen did a roundhouse kick and sent him copsing as well. ¡°Someone¡ª¡± Before thest man standing could yell for help, an exquisite-looking gun appeared in Kathleen¡¯s hand. It had been hidden in her boots all this time, and the man who had brought her there had not noticed it. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me!¡± thest man pleaded for help, fear evident on his face. ¡°Perverted sc*mbags!¡± Kathleen was incensed. ¡°You *ssh*les have ruined countless women¡¯s lives. Today, I¡¯m going to make sure justice is served!¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Her gun had a silencer on it, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about attracting attention. She fired three shots, each aimed toward the three men¡¯s groins. In an instant, the three of them turned into cripples. Kathleen was very satisfied. With Nicolette in mind as her next target, she opened the door. However, she was stunned the next second. Samuel was standing outside, his face grim. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Chapter 286 I Want Your Kiss Kathleen didn¡¯t want to talk to him. Venting his problems to Nicolette, huh? What a disgusting man! Without sparing him a nce, she walked past him. ¡°Tyson, clean up the mess,¡± ordered Samuel. Tyson nodded. ¡°All right.¡± Samuel then chased after Kathleen and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. ¡°Let go! Are you worried about Nicolette because I¡¯m going to kill her?¡± There was a murderous look in Kathleen¡¯s eyes as she spoke. Samuel froze. Then, he looked at her coldly and questioned, ¡°What are you talking about? If you want her to die, I can shoot her right now.¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°You seem unwilling, though. You even got her the robotic exoskeleton.¡± ¡°What robotic exoskeleton?¡± Samuel asked calmly. ¡°Samuel, why are you acting dumb?¡± Kathleen snapped. She felt extremely frustrated as she stared at his handsome and noble features. ¡°If you didn¡¯t tell Nicolette that my brother needs Melting Ice Grass, how would she think of using that to lure me here?¡± Samuel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I didn¡¯t even contact her. If you hadn¡¯t held me back that day, she would have been dead by now.¡± Samuel knew that Kathleen had spared Nicolette¡¯s life because she didn¡¯t want him to face awsuit. Now that Kathleen was using him, he felt upset. ¡°You¡¯re the only person I told about Charles getting poisoned. Even in the Blissful Sect, not many people know about it. How did Nicolette find out?¡± Kathleen demanded. Feeling angry, Samuel stared at her frostily. He was upset that Kathleen didn¡¯t trust him. However, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. He knew that Charles was the person Kathleen cared about the most at the moment. She would often lose her rationality when Charles was involved. ¡°Let go! I¡¯m going to get back at Nicolette!¡± Kathleen bit her lip as she red at him. There was nothing but coldness in her expression. Yet, Samuel still wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°She¡¯s not here anymore,¡± he stated. Kathleen was taken aback. After a short silence, she retorted, ¡°I can look for her at the Yoeger residence.¡± ¡°Five minutes before I came here, Nicolette texted me that you were having fun here,¡± Samuel said grimly. Having fun? ¡°If it were not for my fighting skills, I would be suffering right now,¡± Kathleen said with annoyance. ¡°I asked someone to find her whereabouts, but she had left.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°She left the country?¡± ¡°Yes. Someone is helping her in secret,¡± Samuel said as he stared at Kathleen¡¯s face. Thetter remained silent. She couldn¡¯t believe Nicolette had actually managed to escape. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m helping her?¡± After asking that, Samuel held his breath, waiting for Kathleen¡¯s answer. ¡°How could she know so many things if it were not for you?¡± ¡°Have you never considered that the problem might be lying within the Blissful Sect?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression was hard to read. Upon realizing that possibility, Kathleen clenched her jaw. ¡°Then that old man must be asking for death! Regardless, I have to visit the Yoeger residence first.¡± She broke free from Samuel¡¯s hold and turned to leave. Suddenly, Samuel hugged her from behind. His action attracted strange looks from the many people passing by. Biting her lip, Kathleen growled, ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you apologize for falsely using me?¡± Samuel grumbled unhappily. ¡°But you have no evidence to prove your innocence,¡± Kathleen countered, turning her head to look into Samuel¡¯s dark eyes. Samuel scoffed. ¡°What if I prove that I have neither contacted nor helped her?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll apologize to you,¡± Kathleen replied solemnly. Samuel smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology.¡± His words brought a frown to Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°What do you want me to do, then?¡± ¡°I want a kiss from you.¡± When he said that, his lips curled up further into a smirk. Kathleen bit her lip once again and elbowed Samuel in the chest. ¡°We¡¯ll see after you prove your innocence.¡± With that, she headed outside. When she noticed Samuel following her, she asked, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the Yoeger residence too. Since we¡¯re heading for the same ce, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°I have my own car.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t want to be in the same car as him. ¡°Don¡¯t you know we have to lessen our carbon footprint?¡± Taking her hand, Samuel led her to his car. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t touch me! Do you have a death wish?¡± Kathleen blurted in a panic. She was certain those people were still around. ¡°I don¡¯t have a death wish. After what happened at the castle, I have no intention to die at all,¡± Samuel said with a mocking smile. He had to live on and find out why Kathleen was so resistant to him. However, he had a feeling that she was doing that to protect him. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡± Kathleen forced a smile, but deep inside, she was relieved. You have to live a good life, Samuel. We¡¯re no longer the same now. Upon arriving at the Yoeger residence, Kathleen and Samuel got out of the car. Immediately, they sensed something was amiss. ¡°From what I remember, the Yoeger residence is always heavily guarded. Howe there¡¯s no one at all tonight?¡± Kathleen pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. In the past, the Yoeger family¡¯s butler or housekeeper would be standing here once they saw visitorsing,¡± Samuel added. He¡¯s right. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look inside. Stay alert,¡± Kathleen said. Stepping forward, Kathleen raised the gun in her hand. Meanwhile, Samuel narrowed his eyes, an ominous look fleeting across them. The mansion¡¯s door was left utched, revealing a crack. Carefully, Kathleen pushed it open. The smell of blood immediately filled her nose. She grabbed Samuel¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous in there. I¡¯ll go in and take a look. You stay here and wait for me.¡± Samuel raised his brows upon hearing her words. ¡°Do you think I need your protection?¡± Does she think I¡¯m useless? Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not as good as me right now.¡± ¡°Do you want to give it a try?¡± Samuel responded, wrapping his arm around her thin waist. ¡°Scr*w you,¡± Kathleen snapped. Does he actually think now is a good time to joke? At that moment, a hoarse voice sounded. ¡°Save me¡­¡± Kathleen was stunned. The voice sounded very much like Zachary¡¯s. Without a second thought, the two of them walked into the mansion. They were greeted by the sight of Zachary lying in a pool of blood, struggling. ¡°Mr. Yoeger, what happened to you?¡± Kathleen asked with a frown. ¡°Nicolette came with a group of men and attacked us,¡± Zachary answered weakly. Nicolette? ¡°Let me turn on the lights.¡± Samuel strode over to the wall and found the switch. Click! With a click, the entire living room was illuminated. Aside from Zachary, there were two housekeepers lying on the ground by the entrance to the kitchen. Samuel checked on them and found that they were already dead. He quickly whipped out his phone and asked Tyson toe over. ¡°Nicolette took Vanessa away. Yareli is upstairs. Please go and check on her,¡± Zachary said anxiously. ¡°Let me go and check,¡± Samuel offered. He was worried that someone else would be upstairs. Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Are Tyson and the others almost here?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This man won¡¯t die so soon,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, the two of them headed upstairs. As Zachary watched their backs, a dark look shed across his eyes. When Kathleen and Samuel arrived on the second floor, they heard noisesing from one of the rooms. They walked over and entered the room. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Upon seeing the switch, Kathleen turned on the lights. ¡°Ahh!¡± Yareli¡¯s scream pierced through the air. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, please. I beg of you! Spare my life!¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Do Not Touch Me Kathleen walked over and noticed a disheveled-looking Yareli, who was hiding in the corner with a knife in her hand. ¡°Yareli.¡± Kathleen tried to approach her. However, Yareli used all her might to swing the knife around in frantic motions. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go over to her,¡± said Samuel. He held Kathleen back, fearing that she would get injured. Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Yareli, calm down and take a good look. It¡¯s me. I¡¯m Kathleen.¡± That was when Yareli paused and looked up at Kathleen, and then she turned to look at Samuel. Her grip on the knife loosened. The knife dropped to the ground with a loud ng as she suddenly bawled. Seizing the chance, Kathleen hurried over and kicked the knife away before squatting in front of Yareli. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°I-It¡¯s Nicolette! She¡¯s deranged!¡± Yareli exined between hysterical sobs, ¡°She even took my mom away. Kathleen, I know you hate my mother, but can you please help me save her?¡± Kathleen frowned upon hearing those words. Nevertheless, Yareli leaned in closer and added, ¡°We¡¯re cousins, and my mom is your aunt, after all.¡± ¡°Saving your mom is impossible. Plus, whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with me,¡± Kathleen heartlessly stated. Yareli instantly froze in shock. ¡°How could you be so cruel?¡± By then, Kathleen could not bother to continue chatting, so she stood up. That was when Tyson rushed upstairs to report, ¡°Mr. Macari, Zachary is now in the ambnce.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another one in here,¡± Samuel said while pointing at Yareli. Tyson looked at her before darting outside to call for help. It was not long before a doctor and nurse came over. Seeing that, Yareli snarled through clenched teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Tyson hurriedly exined, ¡°Ms. Yoeger, they are good people.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°So what?¡± Yareli indignantly shrilled, ¡°Someone tried to take advantage of me earlier, so I don¡¯t want anyone touching me now.¡± Feeling helpless, all Tyson could say was, ¡°All right. Why don¡¯t you stand up on your own, then?¡± A pout appeared on Yareli¡¯s pitiful face. ¡°B-But I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°So what you do want?¡± Tyson asked impatiently. ¡°Can you help me up, Samuel?¡± Yareli pouted while whining, ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone now except you. I know you¡¯re not that kind of guy.¡± A frown marred Samuel¡¯s countenance. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s your lucky day, Mr. Macari,¡± Kathleen snidely remarked before pivoting on her heels to leave. She wanted to have a look at Nicolette¡¯s room. Just then, Samuel¡¯s chiseled face contorted, giving off an air of hostility. ¡°I have two words for you.¡± ¡°What are they?¡± Yareli¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Get lost,¡± Samuel said brusquely. Then, he set off to go after Kathleen. All that remained was a furious Yareli, whose face had turned a hideous shade of purple. Did he ask me to get lost? How dare he! I¡¯m Yareli Yoeger, the Yoeger family¡¯s heiress and a gorgeous lady! Doesn¡¯t he know to behave more gentlemanly in front of ady? Ugh! Tyson stared speechlessly at Yareli, secretly thinking her excuse to get close to Samuel was idiotic. Meanwhile, Kathleen went into Nicolette¡¯s room and noticed everything seemed ordinary. She circled around but still found nothing. Samuel soon sauntered over and asked, ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Nope.¡± At that, Samuel shut the door before closing in on her. His actions immediately startled Kathleen, who eximed, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I won¡¯t let him off easily if he dares overstep the boundary. Samuel¡¯s slender finger reached out to pinch her chin. ¡°I¡¯m not the least bit interested in Yareli, so you¡¯d best not misunderstand anything.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Kathleen retorted while frowning. It was then that she got cornered by Samuel, whose gaze grew gloomier by the second. ¡°With Zachary¡¯s current condition and Vanessa getting kidnapped by Nicolette, Yareli is the Yoeger family¡¯s sole heir. She¡¯s a perfect match for you,¡± remarked a grim-faced Kathleen. Samuel did not know whether she was speaking honestly or sarcastically. Either way, her words bothered him. Displeasure filled his darkening eyes as he leaned in closer to her face. Kathleen knew there was nowhere to hide, so she shut her eyes. She could already sense Samuel¡¯s breath closing in. Suddenly, a series of knocks came from the door before a voice rang out. ¡°Mr. Macari, Derek Lynch has arrived.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Samuel stopped what he was doing and replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll head down now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Tyson took his leave. Only then did Samuel¡¯s frown loosen. At the same time, Kathleen heaved a sigh of relief. Gosh, that frightened me. Samuel¡¯s eyes locked onto hers as he instructed, ¡°Come downstairs with me to see Derek.¡± ¡°Derek?¡± asked Kathleen in perplexity. ¡°Derek Lynch is a member of the military. He also specializes in the study of robotic exoskeletons, so he can prove whether I gave one to Nicolette.¡± While speaking, Samuel held Kathleen¡¯s hand and led her out. That was when her gazended on the trash can nearby. ¡°Wait!¡± She broke free from his grasp just then, rushing over to take out a piece of paper from the trash can. On the paper was a phone number. Samuel was quick to notice something. ¡°It¡¯s a foreign number.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°We can run an investigation on it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Right away, Samuel took a photo of the number with his phone and sent it to Tyson. ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re not the only one with extra help,¡± Kathleen scoffed while sending the number to Giselle. Exasperated by her antics, Samuel asked helplessly, ¡°What good is pissing me off?¡± Kathleen did not respond. Sorrow caused Samuel¡¯s chest to tighten at that instant. Silly girl. She seems to think I don¡¯t know anything at all¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dropping the matter, he then led her down to the living room to meet Derek. ¡°What a big scene. I can¡¯t believe there are people who managed to survive this massacre,¡± Derek eximed, not knowing whether to feel relieved or amused. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Samuel then questioned indifferently, ¡°Have you investigated the matter?¡± Derek looked over at Kathleen. ¡°Ms. Kathleen.¡± The formal title startled Kathleen, who quickly corrected, ¡°Just Kathleen is fine.¡± Unsure of what to do, Derek looked over at Samuel for approval. ¡°Do as she says,¡± was thetter¡¯s icy response. Amusement shed in Derek¡¯s eyes as he replied, ¡°I suppose.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s focus on what matters. Did the military misce a robotic exoskeleton?¡± Samuel interrogated. ¡°Technically, it wasn¡¯t misced. But then again, a set of robotic exoskeleton is no longer there¡­¡± ¡°Get to the point.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression had darkened like coal by then. ¡°One of our newer models that got wrecked is missing. Actually, it was not entirely wrecked. Before it went missing, it was meant to be repaired,¡± Derek answered. ¡°That¡¯s a severe problem. Yet, the military has just found out about this?¡± Discontent was evident in Samuel¡¯s voice. Derek¡¯s expression wasplicated as he borated, ¡°The person responsible for repairing the robotic exoskeleton stole it. The situation isplicated. However, if it¡¯s truly with Nicolette and she has gone abroad, then we¡¯re in deep trouble.¡± ¡°Oh? So, you¡¯ve only realized the gravity of the situation now?¡± Samuel sarcastically stated. ¡°We¡¯ll investigate this matter thoroughly in secret,¡± replied a helpless Derek. He then looked at Kathleen and said, ¡°If Samuel had truly wanted to give a robotic exoskeleton to Nicolette, he wouldn¡¯t have stolen a wed one. Plus, he wouldn¡¯t have taken this specific model. After all, it¡¯s only a half-body design. One can only walk after attaching its sections to their waist and ankles, which could be rather inconvenient. The one we¡¯re currently researching and have developed is utter perfection. So, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense if Samuel gave her that model instead?¡± Those words took Kathleen aback. She had not expected Derek to reveal so much. It was now evident that Samuel and the military shared a moreplex rtionship than she thought. Eventually, Derek¡¯s gaze returned to Samuel. ¡°I should head back. The higher-ups are taking this matter very seriously. Please inform me if you guys manage to track Nicolette down.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Will do.¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Reassurance Derek turned around and left. Samuel nced at Kathleen with a grim expression. She looked back at him in silence. ¡°Do you believe it now?¡± Samuel gazed at her sternly. Nodding, Kathleen apologized, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. It¡¯s pointless to apologize.¡± Samuel cupped her chin and continued, ¡°You know what I want.¡± Gnashing her teeth, she yelled, ¡°You just want to take advantage of me!¡± Samuel shed her a half-smile. ¡°Nobody forced you to agree on this. I wouldn¡¯t have done anything to you if you didn¡¯t agree earlier. You¡¯re too naive.¡± Kathleen was livid by his cheeky attitude. ¡°Do you want to do it here or in the car?¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curled up in a devilish smile. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Kathleen replied, ¡°In the car.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel grabbed Kathleen¡¯s hand and led her to the car. As soon as they sat down in the back seat, Samuel instantly cupped Kathleen¡¯s chin and kissed her. She had no strength to struggle free. Ten minutester, Kathleen¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment as she stared at him with misty eyes. I can¡¯t believe he kissed me for ten minutes! D*mn it! Samuel snorted at her. ¡°You¡¯re a terrible kisser.¡± Unsurprisingly, Kathleen was furious by his remark. Shoving him away, she eximed, ¡°I¡¯ve already apologized to you. Goodbye!¡± Having had enough, Kathleen was getting ready to leave. Samuel wanted to send her back. However, he knew Kathleen would turn him down, looking at her expression. Forget about it. I should send someone to protect her secretly. As Kathleen drove home, she called Charles on her Bluetooth earphones. Biting her lip, she said, ¡°Charles, it¡¯s me. Something has happened to the Yoeger family.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Someone secretly helped Nicolette. She took Vanessa away and then injured Zachary. Nicolette has left Jadeborough. She should be overseas now,¡± Kathleen exined, frowning. ¡°Did that really happen? Why would Nicolette take Vanessa away?¡± Charles was stunned. ¡°I told Nicolette that the person who needed her kidney was Vanessa. Zachary was totally fine. It was Vanessa who wanted to kill two birds with one stone. She wanted to get rid of both of them,¡± Kathleen exined. Charles paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you safe over there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Charles. What about you?¡± she inquired worriedly. ¡°Those two brothers arepeting fiercely against each other. They¡¯re trying to win my favor. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind this for the time being,¡± Charles exined. Thinking of something, Kathleen said, ¡°I found a phone number in Nicolette¡¯s room. It¡¯s from overseas. I¡¯ll send it to youter. Please help me check the number.¡± ¡°All right. It¡¯s very chaotic over here. So, don¡¯te here for the time being and never leave Giselle¡¯s side. Understood?¡± he reminded. Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Charles, are you fine over there?¡± Charles let out a chuckle. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine. They won¡¯t do anything to me as long as I don¡¯t pick a side. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Even so, she was still concerned about her brother¡¯s safety. We have to solve these issues in Jadeborough as soon as possible. The next day, Kathleen went to the filming set first. She had too much on her tetely. The film crew was thrilled to see her on the set. ¡°They¡¯ve received Mr. Macari¡¯s payment,¡± Valerie informed. Kathleen also knew about the situation at work. She was busy doing the reshoots the entire morning. Kathleen swiftly got into the character and managed to shoot the scenes without having a retake so that no one could find faults in her acting. In the evening, Samuel came to the filming set when they finished shooting. Furrowing her eyebrows, she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise not to pester me?¡± ¡°Zachary¡¯s awake,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Should I visit him in the hospital, then?¡± Samuel cast her a meaningful look. ¡°He said he wants to meet us.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. Why would Zachary want to meet us? ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to get changed.¡± He stood at the door of the lounge with no intention of entering. ¡°It¡¯s even weirder for you to stand there.¡± Kathleen frowned at him. Arching his brows, Samuel stepped inside the lounge. Kathleen had meant to tell Samuel to wait for her in the car. Nevertheless, hepletely misinterpreted her words. What a bother! She reluctantly went inside to change her clothes. Ten minutester, the duo left the filming set and headed toward the hospital. Zachary¡¯splexion looked pale as hey on the bed. ¡°You guys are here,¡± he uttered weakly. He was shot in the shoulder and the calf. Nheless, his injuries were not serious. Zachary would be fine as long as he recuperated smoothly. ncing at him indifferently, Kathleen probed, ¡°Why did you ask us toe here?¡± Zachary gave her a long, meaningful look. ¡°Yoeger Group¡¯s stocks have been going down today. It¡¯s estimated that it will continue to plummet tomorrow.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯re also part of the Yoeger family no matter what,¡± Zachary mumbled. Kathleen could not help sneering at him. ¡°Me? Part of the family? Ha! Does it mean that I¡¯m part of your family only when I¡¯m being useful to you guys? Don¡¯t forget that I have no rtion with any of you!¡± ¡°Even though your mother isn¡¯t my father¡¯s biological daughter, she¡¯s still my cousin. You can ask Old Mrs. Yoeger. There¡¯s no way she will stand aside and do nothing when the Yoeger family is in trouble,¡± Zachary exined hurriedly. ¡°You guys only need her to clean up the mess. How did you treat her back then?¡± she retorted. Zachary said dejectedly, ¡°Kathleen, I was also deceived by Vanessa. I only found out that there was nothing wrong with my body today. That wicked woman was the mastermind behind everything! She even nned to marry Yareli off to an old guy just to consolidate her position. Isn¡¯t she despicable?¡± ¡°It takes one to know one.¡± Kathleen scoffed. Zachary could note up with a retort. ¡°What are your motives behind this?¡± Kathleen did not want to waste time talking nonsense with him. ¡°I want to take Frances back to the Yoeger residence and let her preside over these matters. Otherwise, the Yoeger family will be ruined. Kathleen, I promised to transfer some of the family¡¯s shares to you if you allowed me to bring her back,¡± Zachary pleaded. Kathleen snorted in response. However, Zachary was genuinely willing to do so. ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to do that,¡± Kathleen said. Zachary was stunned by how swiftly she rejected his request. ¡°You guys are too ambitious and heartless. Who knows what you will do in the future? That¡¯s why I¡¯ll never agree on this. Therefore, you can save your breath,¡± Kathleen advised coldly. Zachary pursed his lips. ¡°Kathleen, can I see Old Mrs. Yoeger?¡± Shaking her head, Kathleen rejected him indifferently, ¡°No.¡± All of a sudden, Yareli¡¯s voice sounded from the entrance of the ward. ¡°Who gives you the right to say no?¡± Kathleen turned around and saw Yareli entering the ward while holding Frances. ¡°Granny? Why are you here?¡± Kathleen was shocked. Frances stepped forward and advised, ¡°Kate, you don¡¯t have to say anything. I will handle all the matters of the Yoeger family.¡± Kathleen frowned upon hearing that. Looking at Samuel, Yareli greeted, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re also here.¡± Nevertheless, he did not deign to reply her. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have believed in Vanessa¡¯s words.¡± Zachary broke down in tears. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You aren¡¯t a child anymore. Stop crying,¡± Frances admonished frostily. ¡°Okay.¡± Wiping his tears, Zachary added, ¡°Mom, we need you to step up and reassure everyone in the Yoeger family right now.¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Chapter 289 A Better Future Frances¡¯ gaze darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s what I came here for.¡± ¡°Granny, what do you mean by that?¡± Kathleen was a little taken aback. Frances gestured for her to stay calm for the moment. ¡°Zachary, I want you to make a promise to me.¡± Frances cast him a stern look. ¡°Go ahead, Mom. I¡¯ll do anything you ask me to,¡± Zachary said softly. Frances replied coldly, ¡°I only need you to make a vow that you will never go against Kate in the future.¡± Zachary was taken aback by her request. ¡°Mom, although Kate¡¯s mom isn¡¯t my real sibling, we¡¯re still cousins. That makes Kate my niece. Why would I go against her?¡± ¡°Just promise me!¡± Frances demanded sternly. ¡°Okay.¡± Zachary nodded sheepishly. ¡°Furthermore, I want to give my shares of Yoeger Group to Kate. You guys aren¡¯t allowed to vie for it. Besides swearing in front of me, I want you to post a statement on Twitter,¡± Frances ordered seriously. What on earth is she talking about? Zachary was stunned by her request. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you unwilling to do so?¡± she questioned coldly. After a moment of pause, Zachary answered gingerly, ¡°I-I will do it.¡± ¡°Very well, then. If you do as I say, I¡¯ll step up and help you to stabilize the situation tomorrow,¡± Frances promised. He pursed his lips and replied, ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Go ahead and make your vow,¡± Frances ordered impassively. Stretching out his hand slowly, Zachary uttered, ¡°I swear that I will never go against Kathleen.¡± ¡°What if you break your vow?¡± Frances probed nonchntly. Zachary gritted his teeth and dered, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be struck dead by lightning and rot in hell!¡± Are you satisfied now? Yareli looked at Zachary in amazement. What a vicious oath! ¡°Yareli, what about you?¡± Frances asked coldly. Yareli was surprised by the mention of her name. ¡°Me? Granny, do I have to swear in front of you too?¡± she asked sheepishly. ¡°Of course.¡± Frances did not want to state the obvious. Even though Yareli had not done anything to Kathleen, Frances did not think that she was innocent either. ¡°I¡­¡± Unlike Zachary, Yareli was reluctant to make a vow. Frances gave her a frosty look. Pursing her lips, Yareli muttered pitifully, ¡°Granny, I promise to get along with Kate in the future. After all, we¡¯re cousins and rted by blood.¡± Nevertheless, Frances remained silent. Looking at Kathleen, Yareli asked, ¡°What do you think, Kate?¡± Kathleen felt disgusted upon hearing how Yareli called out to her intimately. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. Let¡¯s steer clear of each other in the future. You guys should do as Granny says. Besides, you are the ones who need her help, not me.¡± Yareli stiffened. Feeling displeased, she pretended to yield. ¡°All right. I swear that if I do Kathleen wrong, my mom will die a painful death. Is this good enough for you?¡± Kathleen gave her a long, meaningful look. ¡°You¡¯re truly your mom¡¯s precious eldest child. How filial of you to swear on her life,¡± Kathleen remarked sarcastically. Yareli gritted her teeth upon hearing Kathleen¡¯s jibe. She cursed thetter several times silently. Gosh, I want to eat her alive. ¡°You guys better remember the vows you made today. Only time will tell if this wille back to bite you,¡± Frances reminded seriously. Zachary and Yareli were flustered by her words. ¡°Come with me, Kate,¡± Frances urged. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen followed her out of the ward. As Samuel prepared to leave, Yareli called out. ¡°Samuel.¡± However, he pretended not to hear anything. ¡°Wait, Samuel. I have something to tell you.¡± Yareli tugged on his arm. Samuel shook her off. ¡°So, you get handsy with me since you can¡¯t talk properly, right?¡± Yareli was snubbed by him. Biting her lip, Yareli pleaded, ¡°Samuel, why are you treating me like this? I only want to ask you to help me save my mom.¡± ¡°She deserves to die,¡± Samuel uttered emotionlessly. ¡°Samuel, can you help me for the sake of our rtionship in the past?¡± Yareli sobbed. His expression darkened at once. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us. Stop making a fool of yourself.¡± With that, he spun around and left. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. A sinister look instantly shed across Yareli¡¯s eyes. ¡°D*mn it!¡± she cursed. Zacharyughed mockingly at her. ¡°I think you aren¡¯t as good as Nicolette when ites to dealing with Samuel.¡± ¡°Nicolette is nothing but a liar! I¡¯m not like her. I don¡¯t believe that Samuel will love Kathleen for the rest of his life,¡± Yareli fumed. ¡°Even if his affection for Kathleen didn¡¯tst forever, can you guarantee that he will fall for you instead?¡± Zachary replied calmly. Yareli red at him. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I just want to give you some advice. Don¡¯t be so stubborn. We have some important things to n now. I¡¯ll never let you off the hook if you messed this up for us,¡± Zachary warned. Yareli chuckled in exasperation. ¡°As if I will let you off either! You¡¯d better make sure this n is sessful.¡± Zachary snorted. ¡°You¡¯d better tell your mom to be careful. Kathleen won¡¯t let her off that easily.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my mom.¡± Yareli narrowed her eyes and continued, ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait for Nicolette¡¯s next move.¡± Kathleen helped Frances as they walked downstairs. Feeling surprised, she asked, ¡°Granny, why are you here? The Yoeger family wouldn¡¯t be in a crisis even if you didn¡¯te.¡± ¡°I know. At worst, the stocks will fall. Thepany¡¯s market value will drop by half. By then, the Yoeger family will no longer be among the elites,¡± Frances said coldly. Kathleen was dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to help them. That guy owes me. Therefore, I have to make him pay back,¡± Frances added. Her remark left Kathleen dumbstruck. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what you¡¯re thinking about. Although I¡¯m not in my right mind asionally, I have thought about whether your mom was taken away by that guy,¡± Frances exined. Kathleen froze for a moment. ¡°Granny?¡± ¡°If it was him, I have the right to take back everything that belongs to the Yoeger family. Even if he wasn¡¯t the culprit, I still have the right to do this due to his children¡¯s actions.¡± Frances could not care less about other people¡¯s opinions. ¡°Kate, you should follow me and live in the Yoeger residence. No matter what, the family is my heart and soul. I¡¯ll never let the family fall on my watch. I will hand over the Yoeger family to you when the time is right,¡± Frances said in a deep voice. However, Kathleen was stunned by her words. ¡°Granny, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a great idea.¡± Frances said reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t need to pay attention to those people. I¡¯m getting old. Besides, my health is deteriorating. There isn¡¯t much I can do for you. I want you to live a carefree life in the future.¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Chapter 290 At A Disadvantage Kathleen hugged Frances, feeling moved. ¡°Granny¡­¡± Frances caressed Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Good girl. I promise I¡¯ll never make you suffer.¡± Meanwhile, Samuel silently watched the scene of the grandmother and granddaughter hugging each other by the side. Frances smiled faintly and said, ¡°All right. Could you wait over there? I¡¯d like to have a word with Samuel.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded obediently and scooted to the side. Knowing Frances had something to say to him, Samuel walked over. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, is there something you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± ¡°Samuel, stop clinging onto Kate,¡± Frances advised. ¡°Though both of you never told me about it, you were the one who kidnapped her, right?¡± Samuel said nothing. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not forcing you to leave Kate. I just hope you can consider my advice,¡± Frances said solemnly. ¡°After all, I¡¯ve known you since you were a kid. I was utterly heartbroken when you told me you liked Nicolette back then. Although you¡¯ve seen her true colors now, I hope you can let Kate regain some of her freedom.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger, you don¡¯t have to do this. My rtionship with Kate is real. She didn¡¯t promise to be with me because of how I clung to her. I won¡¯t force her into anything in the future, but we have to walk this path together, as we have amon objective now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Frances knew there was no point in saying anything more. ¡°Both of you are adults, and you have your own ideas. I just hope that you won¡¯t harm Kate, whatever decision she makes. It doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t give her your blessing.¡± That was enough to make her grateful. Samuel croaked, ¡°I won¡¯t hurt her.¡± No matter how vicious and extreme he was, he would never harm Kathleen. He loved her with all his heart. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Kate to the Yoeger residence for a few days,¡± Frances said softly. A cold gleam shed across his eyes. ¡°I know.¡± Frances cast him a thoughtful gaze. ¡°Kate and I will be going home now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send both of you home,¡± Samuel offered solemnly. ¡°Okay,¡± Frances answered after giving it some thought. ¡°This way.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was calm. Hearing that, Frances called out to Kathleen, and all three of them got into Samuel¡¯s car. Kathleen felt uneasy, for she knew Frances wanted to return to the Yoeger residence. ¡°Granny, they¡¯ve hurt you so much. Why do you still want to live with them under the same roof?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If they want to kill me, they would¡¯ve done it long ago,¡± said Frances, staring into the distance, lost in her thoughts. ¡°I know they let me live not because they couldn¡¯t bear to see me die but because I¡¯m still useful to them. Just like this very moment. No matter what happens to the Yoeger family, as long as I¡¯m alive, all their problems can be solved by using me.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t believe their promise.¡± ¡°You silly child. Do you think I believe them?¡± Frances shed her a half smile. ¡°I¡¯ve faced all the ups and downs of life. I understand the human heart well.¡± ¡°So why are you still helping them?¡± Kathleen was bewildered. ¡°Because of my dignity.¡± Frances¡¯ gaze darkened. ¡°I can¡¯t ept how my daughter was taken away just like that. I know what that old man cares about. He fears the fortunes of the Yoeger family won¡¯t be inherited by a member of the Yoeger family. But he¡¯s forgotten that I¡¯ve worked my ass off for this. I can give it to whoever I want. Anyway, he¡¯s basically powerless. He can¡¯t control me.¡± Kathleen was shocked by what she heard. She never expected Frances to have such thoughts. Frances assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Back then, I didn¡¯t expect them to be so heartless and ambitious. Now that I know their true colors, I won¡¯t lower my guard.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°Okay. You should pack up your things. You¡¯ll move into the Yoeger residence with me tomorrow,¡± Frances said seriously. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen had no choice but to agree. When she stepped out of Frances¡¯ room, she was stunned to see Samuel standing in the living room. How did he get in? As if reading her thoughts, Samuel exined, ¡°The housekeeper let me in. She said you were talking to Old Mrs. Yoeger, so I didn¡¯t let her interrupt your conversation.¡± I see. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Of course.¡± Samuel strode over with his long, slim legs. Thanks to his height, he gave off an intimidating aura. Kathleen frowned deeper. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This is your house. What can I possibly do?¡± Samuel asked with a faint smile. ¡°Look at how scared you are.¡± Kathleen bit her lip, looking pale. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be petty with you. After all, you¡¯re not in great condition. You might not be my match if we really got into a fight.¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to fight you.¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°We¡¯re on the same boat, anyway. There¡¯s no harm in having conversations.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Since when are we on the same boat?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t?¡± Samuel raised his brow. Kathleen did not agree with his words. ¡°Think about it. If I attacked Blissful Sect with my all and ruined their Snow Grass, how are you still going to save your brother?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Kathleen froze for a moment. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If we work together, I promise to find a way to get Snow Grass,¡± Samuel suggested seriously. ¡°What ways do you have?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry. Snow Grass is what you want,¡± Samuel said nonchntly, smiling. ¡°Of course, it¡¯ll be better if you have Melting Ice Grass, right? Thetter is indeed hard to find, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible.¡± Surprised, Kathleen asked, ¡°Can you find it?¡± ¡°If I can find it¡­¡± Samuel slowly parted his lips to speak when Kathleen cut in without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll agree to any request you make.¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curled into a subtle smile. ¡°Very well. That¡¯s what you said. You¡¯d better not regret it.¡± Kathleen paused for a moment and blinked with her eyes that sparkled like diamonds. ¡°I won¡¯t. What matters is that you can find it. As long as you can save Charles.¡± Samuel fixed his eyes on her delicate face. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your words in mind.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°What do you think about this matter with the Yoeger family?¡± asked Samuel grimly. Softly, Kathleen asked, ¡°Do you have any thoughts about it?¡± ¡°Personally, I think this entire matter is a little strange,¡± Samuel said inly. ¡°Who exactly is Nicolette? How is she able to rob the Yoeger family and even take Vanessa away?¡± ¡°What about the phone number? Do you have any updates from your side?¡± asked Kathleen. Samuel shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°This number wouldn¡¯t appear in Nicolette¡¯s room for no reason,¡± Kathleen said indifferently. ¡°If you weren¡¯t the one who leaked the news about Melting Ice Grass, then it must be them.¡± Samuel looked at her coldly. ¡°You still don¡¯t trust me?¡± ¡°Only partially.¡± Kathleen turned her head away. Samuel huffed in displeasure. ¡°You¡¯ll be at a disadvantage for not believing me.¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Make ns For Him ¡°Samuel, what¡¯s your view on this matter?¡± Kathleen asked in a solemn tone. ¡°I want to hear the truth.¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. ¡°They¡¯re trying to escape.¡± Kathleen kept silent. ¡°The Yoeger family hase to a deadlock,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Someone from the Yoeger family needs to make a sacrifice. Otherwise, there will be absolutely no progress. A standstill is not beneficial for them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kathleen massaged her temples as she analyzed the situation in her mind. ¡°Someone from the Yoeger family needs to make peace with me, but neither Zachary nor Yareli are suitable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they chose Vanessa,¡± Samuel said tly. ¡°Or maybe Vanessa volunteered herself.¡± Kathleen gave him a meaningful look. ¡°What about Nicolette?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a pawn who¡¯s full of herself,¡± Samuel spat. He had lost all his feelings for Nicolette. Thus, he was extremely upset when he knew Kathleen misunderstood them for being together, even after breaking up. ¡°What more can I say to a mere pawn?¡± Samuel looked displeased. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you all my chat history. I have nothing to hide.¡± Kathleen was stumped. ¡°What made you realize the problem?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°What about you?¡± Kathleen stared back at him. Samuel smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we say it together?¡± Kathleen nodded. Together, they said, ¡°Yareli.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°You find her odd, too, right?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s really Nicolette who did it, there¡¯s no way Yareli is unharmed.¡± There was a palpable change of emotions on her gentle face. ¡°She hates everything that takes away her possessions. She thinks she¡¯s the precious daughter of the Yoeger family. But Yareli¡¯s biological father is unknown, and she uses her mother¡¯s surname. She¡¯s totally not worthy of being the daughter of the Yoeger family. So, Nicolette would never let Yareli go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Samuel ced his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with a cold and lonely gaze. ¡°Everyone else in the mansion¡¯s dead. The fact that only two of them are alive is suspicious. I¡¯ve asked the doctor about it, and he says Zachary¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t very serious. His injury to his leg was caused by a bullet graze. Then again, the bullet only grazed past his calf. It¡¯s not life-threatening. Hence, the blood belongs to someone else.¡± Kathleen nodded and said sarcastically, ¡°What kind of n is this? It¡¯s literally full of ws.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why aren¡¯t you talking to your granny about this?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Granny has her own ns. I can¡¯t do anything about it,¡± Kathleen exined. Samuel pondered. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± Kathleen said nothing. Samuel took a step forward, his dark gaze looking grim. ¡°Kathleen, this is a serious matter. I hope you won¡¯t keep me in the dark all the time.¡± ¡°Samuel, I can take care of myself, too. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Kathleen did not want to bother him. Samuel snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t need my protection, huh? One day, you¡¯ll take those words back.¡± Seeing Kathleen remaining silent, Samuel muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll get going.¡± With that, he turned and left. The fact that he did nothing to Kathleen made her sigh with relief. After leaving the Johnson residence, Samuel drove to a bar to have a drink. He did not really like drinking, but he enjoyed chilling there alone. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± Leonard was surprised to see him. Samuel nced at him impassively. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to talk to you.¡± In other words, he was implying that he wanted to be left alone. Leonard let out a chuckle. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re being too heartless. Aren¡¯t we good friends?¡± Samuel did not respond to that. Leonard studied Samuel¡¯s expression and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you having trouble winning your wife back?¡± Samuel still said nothing. ¡°Do you know how many people are there on earth?¡± Leonard asked with a half smile. ¡°Do you know how many women are there in this world?¡± The gaze in Samuel¡¯s eyes looked incredibly deadly. ¡°Why do you want to give up on an entire forest for a dead tree?¡± Leonard teased. ¡°Take a good look around you. Even this ce is filled with many gorgeous women. Are you really not attracted to a single one?¡± Samuel was not in the mood to reply. No matter how exciting the performance on the stage was or how seductive the women¡¯s posture was, Samuel just sat there without drinking or watching the performance. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Leonard was exasperated. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to say to you. Why don¡¯t you tell me what¡¯s going on with you and Kathleen? Maybe I can give you some ideas.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Leonard narrowed his eyes. He then pulled out his phone to send someone a text before saying to Samuel, ¡°Fine. Enjoy yourself, then.¡± With that, Leonard left. Enjoy? Truth was, Samuel did not like such ces. In fact, he felt annoyed and ufortable. He knew he had wronged Kathleen in the past, but he could not bring himself to ept how Kathleen rejected him so clearly. What else does she want me to do? While he was lost deep in his thoughts, a woman who smelled of cloying perfume approached him. ¡°Samuel.¡± Yareli was dressed in a red miniskirt and was grinning at him. ¡°So, you¡¯re here.¡± Samuel merely shot her an icy nce and got to his feet, preparing to leave. Why does this woman keep showing up around me? Seeing he was about to leave, Yareli walked over and went closer to him. ¡°Samuel, I just want to talk to you. We used to talk all the time, remember?¡± Samuel asked coldly, ¡°Really? I don¡¯t remember that.¡± Yareli said solemnly, ¡°Samuel, please listen to me. I really need your help right now. Thepany is on the verge of copsing. Can you help me? Let¡¯s work together, okay?¡± Samuel eyed her coolly. ¡°Why should I work with you? Old Mrs. Yoeger has already taken over the Yoeger family. I can just go straight to her. If I work with you, there¡¯s a high possibility of you using this to attack Old Mrs. Yoeger. Besides, you might even im that you were the one who talked me into the coboration. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll never give you the chance to do that.¡± Yareli was baffled. She had underestimated Samuel, thinking he would never think so far ahead. To her surprise, he had already given it great thought. After finishing his words, Samuel took his leave. However, Yareli was ready to risk everything and clung to Samuel. ¡°Please. I¡¯m begging you. Please help me.¡± Samuel was about to shove her away when she pulled out a tiny bottle of drugs from her pocket. Before he could notice anything, she sshed it on his face. At that time, the performance on the stage was too exciting that no one paid attention to them. s, Samuel slumped into Yareli¡¯s embrace, and thetter caught him quickly. Grinning, she muttered, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re mine tonight.¡± With that, she ced Samuel¡¯s arms around her shoulders and dragged him out of the bar. Standing in the distance was Leonard, who frowned as soon as he saw the scene. What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s unlike Samuel to leave with Yareli. Suddenly, his eyes gleamed, and he gave Tyson a call. ¡°Tyson, do you have Kathleen¡¯s number?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson yawned. ¡°Do you need it?¡± ¡®Yes. Send it to me quickly,¡± Leonard urged. ¡°I want to help Samuel.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid you might make things worse?¡± Tyson teased. ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± Leonard snapped. ¡°Since when do I make things worse? You¡¯re worse. You¡¯re constantly with him, yet you don¡¯t know how to help hime up with a n.¡± Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Chapter 292 I Did Not Betray You Tyson felt wrongly used. ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t, but¡­ Ugh, forget it. Do whatever you want to do. Just don¡¯t me me when things go wrong.¡± He hung up in anger and sent Kathleen¡¯s number to Leonard via text. Leonard smiled evilly. ¡°He gets mad so easily. Hah. I never mess things up.¡± Some timeter, Kathleen arrived at the bar. Her face waspletely covered with a cap and a mask. Despite that, Leonard recognized her instantly. ¡°Hello.¡± Kathleen nced at him. ¡°Were you the one who told me you have the Melting Ice Grass?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonard shed her a subtle smile. ¡°Truth is, I¡¯m not the one who has it, but it¡¯s someone I know. He¡¯s in a room on the third floor. You can go up and see him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Ms. Johnson, even if I¡¯m lying to you, you¡¯re already here.¡± Leonard cast her a meaningful smile. ¡°I know you¡¯re desperate to save your brother, so you¡¯lle here even if the news is fake.¡± Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°How do you know about that?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go there and ask him yourself?¡± Leonard smiled politely. ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry, you might miss the chance once that man changes his mind.¡± ¡°If this is real, I¡¯ll repay you greatly,¡± Kathleen said indifferently. ¡°But if it¡¯s not, then I¡¯ll end your life here.¡± Leonard chuckled. ¡°Sure. Here¡¯s the key card.¡± Kathleen epted the key card and headed upstairs. As she left, Leonard peered at his watch. She might make it in time. Soon, Kathleen reached the door of the room on the third floor. As soon as she opened the door with the key card, she heard amotion on the inside. ¡°Get lost!¡± bellowed a man. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Oh, Samuel. Why do you reject me?¡± The woman¡¯s voice sounded pitiful. ¡°You clearly can¡¯t hold it in anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you drugged me! Scram! Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Samuel fumed. Thud! Something seemed to have fallen to the ground heavily. ¡°Ah!¡± Yareli shrieked. ¡°How could you kick me, Samuel?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never touch another woman apart from Kathleen in this lifetime! So, get the hell out of here if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± Samuel was seething with rage. Chuckling, Yareli got up from the ground and crawled onto the bed again. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re going to lose all your energy if you continue to struggle. For your information, I¡¯ve given you double doses.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Samuel clenched his teeth. Kathleen, who stood by the door, was dumbfounded. She never expected Samuel to be there, not to mention Yareli. Based on their conversation, Kathleen had a rough idea of the situation. Yareli is getting bolder. How dare she drug Samuel? She¡¯s really asking for death. Yareliughed, sneering, ¡°Samuel, you won¡¯t be able to resist the temptation.¡± She was too ecstatic to realize someone had entered the room. ¡°Once I have sex with you, Kathleen will hate you even more.¡± Yareli narrowed her eyes. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll definitely get pregnant.¡± Hostility filled Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Go to hell!¡± ¡°Feel free to kill me now.¡± Yareli grinned smugly. ¡°Too bad you can¡¯t. Tell me, are your arms losing strength?¡± Samuel fell silent. If I really do anything that betrays Kathleen today, I¡¯ll kill everyone who¡¯s against her before ending my own life. Yareli was delighted to see him too weak to resist. She gently caressed his face. He¡¯s so handsome! In the next second, she leaned over, wanting to kiss him. ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, she felt someone tugging at her hair. When she turned around to see who it was, she was shocked. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Samuel, too, was stunned to see Kathleen. However, he was instantly relieved by the sight of her, for he was really out of energy. Still grabbing Yareli¡¯s hair, Kathleen pulled the former off the bed. ¡°Let me go!¡± The naked Yareli looked extremely pathetic. Kathleen put on a dangerous smirk. ¡°Yareli, finedies shouldn¡¯t be making things difficult for others. He clearly doesn¡¯t want to touch you, but you keep forcing yourself onto him. You¡¯re really shameless.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Yareli hissed. ¡°Samuel likes me! He¡¯s doing this out of his own volition!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. He leaned against the headboard with a grim look in his eyes. ¡°Kate, I did nothing to betray you. I¡¯ve kept my innocence.¡± Seeing him in such a state made Kathleen feel worried and sad. What an idiot! Isn¡¯t it obvious? Why would Yareli drug him if he wanted to do it? He¡¯s not having any sexual problems, after all. ¡°Yareli, you really shouldn¡¯t mess with me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was frosty. ¡°Since you¡¯re already such a shameless person, you might as well go out there and continue being one.¡± With that, she shoved Yareli out of the room and shut the door. ¡°Open the door!¡± Yareli stood up and pounded on the door. ¡°Kathleen, you wicked woman! Open the door now! Samuel¡¯s mine! He¡¯s not yours!¡± At the same time, Leonard watched her from afar. After some time, he smiled at the waitress by the side and said, ¡°Please get Ms. Yoeger some clothes.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The waitress nodded. Meanwhile, in the room, Kathleen checked Samuel¡¯s pulse. What the hell? Yareli¡¯s really vicious! She actually gave Samuel two doses! ¡°Kate, I feel terrible,¡± Samuel mumbled, his forehead drenched with sweat. Beads of sweat trickled from his slender neck into his cor. Under his cor, his delicate corbone and firm chest could be seen. ¡°Samuel¡­¡± Kathleen hesitated. ¡°If there¡¯s a woman you fancy, I can help you get her over. I can¡¯t undo this medicine¡¯s effects.¡± ¡°I like you.¡± Samuel reached out and circled his arms around her waist, pressing his face against her belly. He felt better instantly. Her scent is the best. Kathleen stiffened. ¡°Just leave, Kate,¡± Samuel said huskily. ¡°I¡¯ll endure this. Maybe it¡¯ll go away in a while.¡± Kathleen sighed at his words. It won¡¯t go away. It¡¯s a double dose. Right then, Samuel hugged her tighter, which made him feel much better. Nheless, Kathleen was too shocked to react. Seeing that, Samuel released her and smiled. ¡°You can leave.¡± It¡¯ll be over in a while. Pursing her lips, Kathleen mumbled, ¡°Okay.¡± With that, she walked toward the door. Samuel smiled weakly. She¡¯s actually leaving. In truth, he was doing his best to suppress his desire. In fact, he had been wanting to satisfy his desire a while ago. The effects of the drug were too powerful, and he knew he could not endure it. Moreover, he feared another woman would barge into the room. Just then, his sharp eyes spotted the vase in the corner of the room. ng! He smashed the bottle and held a shard in his palm to prevent himself from losing all sense of rationality. The pain in his palm made him somewhat sober. Unfortunately, his sense of rationality was weakening. If this goes on¡­ Just as he was about to lose it, a fragrance entered his nostrils. The familiar scent made him toss the shard in his hand and wrap his arms around the soft body. ¡°Kate¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s deep voice was dangerously attractive. ¡°I love you, Kate. I can¡¯t live without you.¡± He got carried away and kissed the woman in his arms. He could not endure it any longer. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. All he wanted was her. Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Are You Mad Samuel held Kathleen in his arms as he dozed off after the eventful night. He hugged her tightly, afraid she would disappear when he woke up the following day. Kathleen was utterly drained, having to satisfy his desire. She was exhausted after doing it with Samuel for the whole night. By the time he woke up, it was already afternoon the next day. He lifted his hand. The wound on his palm was hurting, and blood was smeared all over the nket. Then, the first thing he did after regaining his senses was to look for Kathleen. Fortunately, she was still there, curling in his embrace and sleeping soundly like an adorable bunny. She didn¡¯t leave! She must have returned here after she leftst night. Kathleen couldn¡¯t bear to leave me to my own devices here. This is great. She still has a soft spot for me. Samuel¡¯s heart ached at the sight of the hickeys on her whole body. Yareli Yoeger! I¡¯ll never let you off the hook. Kathleen was still asleep, but she was frowning as if something was troubling her mind. Samuel kissed her cheek before getting off the bed to pick up the clothes on the floor and put them on. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He noticed all the buttons on his shirt had be loose. Apparently, he was very anxious to take off his clothesst night. I reckon Kathleen¡¯s clothes will be in worse condition. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Samuel opened the door and saw Leonard standing outside. He grinned. ¡°Good afternoon.¡± A cold glint shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°These are some clean clothes.¡± Leonard was very thoughtful. Samuel asked indifferently, ¡° Were you the one who called Kathleen over?¡± ¡°I was trying to help you.¡± Leonard curled his lips. Samuel received the clothes. ¡°Just you wait!¡± Leonard became flummoxed. ¡°But I helped you.¡± Samuel grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re dead anyway.¡± Leonard was rendered speechless. Did I not do a great job as his best friend? ¡°Mr. Sullivan.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice sounded from behind Samuel all of a sudden. Samuel was stunned. She woke up? ¡°Can you have someone bring over the first-aid kit?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Leonard nodded. Then, he immediately excused himself. He did not forget her deration yesterday that she would destroy that whole ce if he dared to tell a single lie. Samuel closed the door and walked up to her. She wrapped her body with a bathrobe and was gazing at him frostily. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± Samuel beamed slightly at her. ¡°I feel ufortable everywhere. I can¡¯t believe you fell for Yareli¡¯s trap and was tricked by her,¡± Kathleen uttered. ¡°I drank some winest night. Besides, she took me by surprise by suddenly assaulting me,¡± he exined. Kathleen snorted coldly. ¡°Go and rest on the bed if you don¡¯t feel well. Let me know if you need anything.¡± Samuel regarded her with a sincere look. She shook her head. At that moment, someone knocked on the door again. Samuel went to open the door and received the first-aid kit from Leonard. ¡°You can leave now.¡± Then, he shut the door again. Leonard was stumped. I¡¯ve never been so speechless my entire life. Kathleen stared at Samuel as he reentered with the first-aid kit. She said, ¡°Take a seat.¡± He sat down. She opened the first-aid kit and took out a bottle of antiseptic and some cotton swabs. Samuel obediently stretched out his hand in her direction. She disinfected the wound on his hand, applied some medication, and wrapped a bandage around his palm. Then, she reminded, ¡°Keep the wound dry.¡± He bore into her dark eyes. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± Kathleen let out a resigned sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Samuel pulled her close and ced her on hisp. He wrapped his arms around her thin waist and gazed at her with all tenderness. ¡°If you¡¯re mad at me, you can p or beat me. Please do not suppress your anger.¡± Kathleen rested in his embrace. ¡°Why should I hit you? I chose toe back, after all.¡± ¡°Kate. Let¡¯s get married again.¡± His voice sounded hoarse. She froze. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you given up on that idea yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never give up.¡± He rubbed his chin against her face. ¡°Everyone is telling me to give up, including you. However, Kate, I don¡¯t have a choice. I¡¯m not trying to take revenge on you or for any other reason. It¡¯s simply because I love you and cannot live without you. When I lose you, every moment felt agonizing to me.¡± That was a pain others could not fathom. Samuel even had the urge to keep Kathleen hidden so no one else could locate her for eternity. In that way, she would belong to him and him alone. Kathleen felt helpless. ¡°You¡¯re making things difficult for me, Samuel.¡± He took in her ashen yet delicate facial features. ¡°Kate, will you only be together with me if I can help you resolve all those troublesome matters?¡± She remained silent. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, allow me some time. I¡¯ll help you settle the problems. What do you say?¡± Samuel pleaded in his husky voice. Kathleen sighed. She felt a pounding headache ripping through her skull. Samuel kissed her face. ¡°I¡¯ll assume you¡¯ve agreed then.¡± ¡°I did not agree with you.¡± She knitted her brows. ¡°Samuel, things are not as simple as you imagine.¡± ¡°How about we make a bet?¡± Samuel was slightly disheartened, but his elegant and ssy smile did not waver. ¡°If I help you resolve all those troubles, you¡¯ll consider going out with me. Is that all right? There¡¯s no need for us to rush into marriage, but I want to rify our rtionship. Is that fine by you?¡± Kathleen turned sideways to look into his charming eyes. ¡°Why are you doing this, Samuel?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± He held her hand with his injured palm and brought it close to his lips. Then, he gently and sincerely kissed her hand. ¡°Do you really like me that much?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m faking this?¡± Samuel ced her hand on his chest. ¡°Is that scar not sufficient to prove my earnestness? Or perhaps you prefer seeing it with your own eyes? I¡¯ll gouge out my heart and show it to you.¡± She was afraid he would be paranoid again, so she immediately shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not needed. I trust you.¡± The problemy with her as she could not convince herself. Samuel smiled. ¡°Kate, I do not have any other request. Can¡¯t you agree even to start dating me again?¡± That was truly his only wish. He merely wanted Kathleen to verify his status so he could finally stand by her side openly and officially. Kathleen felt a little upset and helpless. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel was overjoyed. ¡°However, you have to remember this. As long as my brother is not cured from the poison, you are not allowed to harm the Blissful Sect.¡± She turned solemn the next second. ¡°I¡¯ve ordered my men to find out Melting Ice Grass¡¯ whereabouts.¡± He curled his lips. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll be receiving some updates soon.¡± Kathleen nodded. Then, she suddenly thought of something. ¡°Were you the one who informed Leonard?¡± ¡°Yes. The Sullivan family owns a lot of bars and pubs, even in other countries. I believe there will be some results if he spreads the news,¡± Samuel said. Thest thing Leonardcked was connections. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait for your news,¡± she replied. He kissed her face again. ¡°You should take a bath first. I¡¯ll have someone prepare some food.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen was indeed starving. Samuel ced her on the bed and ordered his subordinate to send some food to the room. Kathleen took her clothes and went into the bathroom. Samuel curled his thin lips into a smile while listening to the sound of water sshing from the bathroom. Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Save My Brother When Kathleen was done showering and exited the bathroom, her condition was much better than before. Samuel¡¯s heart ached as he gazed at her. ¡°Go on and have your meal first. I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± She nodded. Kathleen was indeed famished. Moreover, the dishes Samuel ordered the servants to send over were all her favorites. Ding dong! The doorbell rang all of a sudden. The other party appeared to be in a hurry. Kathleen was stunned. Who could it be? She got up and was about to open the door when she heard Wynnie¡¯s voice outside. ¡°Open up, you b*tch! How dare you seduce my son! Open the door at once!¡± Kathleen was caught in embarrassment. ¡°How dare you drug my son? You¡¯re dead, Yareli!¡± Wynnie pounded the door. ¡°I¡¯ll call someone to break down the door if you do not open up right this instance! Why is there someone as shameless as you in the Yoeger family!¡± Kathleen opened the door. Wynnie dashed into the room without taking a proper look around. With her hands on her hips, she turned around to gaze at Kathleen. Then, Wynnie¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Kate?¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari,¡± Kathleen greeted her awkwardly. ¡°Howe you¡¯re here?¡± Wynnie cheered up at once. ¡°I wasn¡¯t scolding you earlier. I was chastising Yareli.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°W-Where¡¯s Samuel?¡± Wynnie asked cautiously. She was afraid of making a blunder. What if Kathleen had spent the night with someone else other than Samuel? ¡°He¡¯s showering,¡± Kathleen exined. Wynnie noticed the food on the table. She grinned. ¡°Hurry up and have your meal. You must be hungry, I suppose?¡± Kathleen blushed. She was still wearing a bathrobe because she did not have the time to change into a pair of fresh clothes after having just done bathing. However, the parts of her skin uncovered by the bathrobe clearly exposed the hickeys on her body. Wynnie figured the couple must have shared a wild night. ¡°Mrs. Macari, how do you know about Yareli drugging Samuel?¡± Kathleen was surprised. Wynnie exined, ¡°I went to meet with a client this afternoon. He told me he saw Samuel drinking here last night and even mentioned that he was hugging Yareli. I knew something was wrong after hearing that. Samuel only likes you, so there was no way he would have fooled around with Yareli. I came here after I inquired about the address from my client.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°I see.¡± Kathleen smiled in resignation. It was obvious that Wynnie had absolute trust in her son¡¯s character. At that moment, Samuel came out of the bathroom. He frowned. ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°You b*stard! I can¡¯t believe you let Yareli set you up,¡± Wynnie snapped. Samuel was stumped. ¡°Mrs. Macari heard about this from her customer,¡± Kathleen immediately dered that she had nothing to do with Wynnie¡¯s sudden visit. ¡°Nothing happened between us. I will never let Yareli get her way. Don¡¯t worry,¡± he uttered solemnly. Wynnie harrumphed, ¡°I¡¯m d we¡¯re on the same page. Anyway, I didn¡¯t expect Yareli to be so despicable.¡± ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have to intervene in this matter. I¡¯ll handle this myself,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°That won¡¯t do. It¡¯ll be extremely troublesome for men to handle an issue like this. After all, what can you do to her? Regardless of your methods, others will say that a grown man like you is bullying a woman. That will significantly affect your reputation,¡± Wynnie borated. Samuel fell silent. ¡°You and Kathleen should avoid meddling in this matter to prevent inviting unnecessary problems while failing to teach Yareli a lesson. I have my strategy to deal with her, so you two don¡¯t interfere,¡± she added in all seriousness. Samuel and Kathleen exchanged nces. ¡°Anyway, the two of you should get some good rest. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Wynnie turned on her heels and left hastily. She saw Leonard when she arrived downstairs. ¡°Thank you so much, Lenny.¡± Wynnie beamed at him in amusement. ¡°If you¡¯re ever troubled by any legal dispute, feel free to contact me. I¡¯ll definitely help you.¡± Leonard grinned. ¡°Mrs. Macari, there¡¯s actually something you can help me with. I deceived Kathleen to bring her here, and she told me she would tear down this ce if I lied to her.¡± ¡°Then you should let her do as she pleases. After she tears down this ce, you can ask Samuel to rebuild it for you.¡± She patted his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Leonard was at a loss for words. He had witnessed the extent of Samuel¡¯s overprotectiveness toward Kathleen. Little did he expect Wynnie to side with Kathleen unconditionally as well. How terrifying! Kathleen is such a capable woman, having sessfully won over the affection of the Macaris, especially Samuel¡¯s. Meanwhile, inside the room, Samuel tousled Kathleen¡¯s hair and noticed it was still wet. ¡°Come here and dry your hair so you won¡¯t catch a cold.¡± He dragged her along to blow-dry her hair. She stood in front of him while he helped her to dry her hair with a hair dryer in his hand. Kathleen¡¯s hair was thick and soft like silk. ¡°There. All done.¡± Samuel ced the hair dryer down and stared at her delicate face. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± She met his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about matters rted to the Blissful Sect.¡± He gazed at her solemnly. ¡°Is the Blissful Sect important to you?¡± She nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Samuel caressed her face while wearing a faint smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s the Snow Grass in the Blissful Sect¡¯s possession that is important to you. If the Macari family has the Snow Grass as well, will you agree to all the terms and conditions Iy out for you in exchange for the nt?¡± ¡°Certainly. I want to save my brother,¡± Kathleen said earnestly. ¡°In that case, the Blissful Sect is not important to you. What matters is the Snow Grass.¡± He bore his dark, pensive eyes into her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Kathleen fell silent. Yareli did not dare to return to the Yoeger residence because she was afraid Samuel or Kathleen would look for her there. D*mn it! My n yesterday would have seeded if Kathleen did not appear all of a sudden. She could not help but make a phone call to Vanessa. ¡°Mom,¡± Yareli sobbed aggrievedly. Vanessa quickly replied, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Yareli? Is everything proceeding smoothly on your end?¡± Yareli sniffled before recounting yesterday¡¯s event to her mother. ¡°You are too impatient.¡± Vanessa furrowed her brows. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m afraid that they¡¯ll cause me trouble. What should I do now?¡± Yareli uttered worryingly. Vanessa felt her head throbbing upon being informed of Yareli¡¯s situation. ¡°You¡¯re so careless. Someone must have seen what you did and told Kathleen. Why didn¡¯t you change to another ce to execute your n?¡± Yareli pursed her lips. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s very difficult to get near to Samuel on normal days. He¡¯s rarely alone. I only stumbled into him when I went to have a drink yesterday.¡± ¡°I think you shouldy low for now. I¡¯ll go back to help you once I¡¯m done dealing with matters here.¡± Vanessa did not know what else to do either. ¡°Mom, you need to hurry back. I¡¯ve tricked the old hag into returning here. Zachary didn¡¯t notice anything fishy either. He still foolishly thinks we are helping him,¡± Yareli said. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash in the days toe. Let that old hag help us stabilize the Yoeger family for now. After the Yoeger family bes stable, I¡¯ll persuade Zachary to poison her again. Once the old hag dies from poisoning and Zachary is imprisoned for murder, the Yoeger family will be ours!¡± ¡°But Mom, you¡¯re forgetting Kathleen. How should we handle her?¡± Yareli knitted her brows. Vanessa snorted coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have formted a n. Something bad will befall Charles soon, and Kathleen will undoubtedly go to his aid. Besides, I know some things which can lead to a permanent separation between Kathleen and Samuel!¡± ¡°What is it? Tell me, Mom!¡± Yareli pressed on. Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Mind Your Own Business Kathleen had arrived at the Yoeger residence. This morning, Frances had already moved in. Giselle was always by Frances¡¯ side. Seeing her there, Kathleen felt more at ease. Having seen that Kathleen had returned, Frances sped Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°I heard that you were called to the setst night and have been busy till now.¡± Kathleen knew that Giselle was covering for her. ¡°Well, the crew have been in a hurry to wrap things up,¡± Kathleen exined. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be too concerned about us. I reckon you shoulde over when you¡¯ve got yourself sorted out,¡± said Frances fretfully. ¡°Granny, is Yareli at home?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her all day,¡± replied Frances. ¡°Do you have business with her?¡± ¡°Yes, I need to see her.¡± Kathleen was not too keen on telling Frances the truth, lest thetter felt worried. Then I¡¯ll give her a call.¡± Frances took out her mobile phone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Granny. We can talk when she gets back.¡± Kathleen continued, ¡°I still have to work after dinner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The old woman nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the housekeepers prepare dinner right away.¡± Kathleen hummed in response. ¡°By the way, I have prepared a room for you to stay in.¡± With that, Frances tugged at her hand again. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Naturally, she was not going to make things difficult by letting Kathleen stay in Nicolette¡¯s old room. After all, the Yoeger residence was huge. It was not difficult to prepare a new room for Kathleen¡¯s stay. Kathleen followed Frances from behind. When they arrived at the new room, Kathleen seemed surprised to see that it was newly furnished. She had not expected Frances to spend the whole day making this happen. ¡°Thank you, Granny,¡± said Kathleen gratefully. ¡°Ah, well¡­ I have not managed to raise your mother for a single day,¡± sighed Frances wistfully. ¡±But fortunately, God sent you to my side to let me make up for my regret.¡± Frances hugged Kathleen. ¡°From now on, my house is your house too, dear child.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I also had someone prepare your brother¡¯s room. When hees back, he can move right in.¡± Frances smiled and said, ¡°With you and Charlie by my side, I can pass on without regrets.¡± ¡°Granny, you will definitely live a long life,¡± said Kathleen indignantly. Francesughed when she heard this. ¡°Yes, I still want to see you and your brother building your own family and flourishing!¡± Kathleen smiled slightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go downstairs for dinner.¡± Frances decided to drag Kathleen downstairs. After dinner, Frances went back to her room because she had other matters to attend to. Now that they were alone, Giselle looked at Kathleen. ¡°What happened to youst night?¡± Kathleen shook her head passively. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Kathleen, I think they might be here,¡± Giselle said solemnly. ¡°I moved here with Old Mrs. Yoeger today, but I kept having the feeling that we were being watched.¡± ¡°Your intuition has always been sharp,¡± Kathleen said thoughtfully. ¡°I just don¡¯t know who is here this time.¡± Giselle sighed. ¡°You know there aren¡¯t many people in the Blissful Sect who can give me the creeps like this.¡± ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s here?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it,¡± replied Giselle. ¡°Giselle, you¡¯re not from the Blissful Sect. I think you should drop it.¡± Kathleen frowned. Giselle was nted by Charles and not the Blissful Sect. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Your brother asked me to investigate this matter,¡± Giselle exined. ¡°Then, be careful. Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡± Kathleen was worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Giselle smiled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m very adept at protecting myself.¡± Kathleen nodded lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡± She got into her car. Giselle grunted in response as she watched the car speed away. Just then, Giselle¡¯s heart lurched. Surely it can¡¯t be that man? It was about one in the morning by the time Kathleen finished work. She yawned, ready to go home. Samuel came to pick her up. Kathleen frowned. Just then, she spotted a ck car from the corner of her eyes. There was a sh of light in the car. Her heart sank. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t pester me before you find the Melting Ice Grass,¡± Kathleen said coldly. Samuel knitted his brows at that. ¡°This behavior of yours is really irksome,¡± she continued in a displeased tone. ¡°If you¡¯ve got so much time on your hands, why aren¡¯t you looking for the Melting Ice Grass? Only then I¡¯d consider being with you. If someone else finds it first, then I¡¯ll consider them, too.¡± Samuel remained rooted to his spot. Kathleen got into her car and drove away. The ck car continued to tail after her. A grim look soon spread across Samuel¡¯s handsome face. Is she telling the truth? If someone else finds the Melting Ice Grass, then she¡¯ll marry them? Kathleen had driven for quite some distance before she pulled over to the side. The ck car tailing behind her had also rolled to a stop. She walked over and opened the door. ¡°So, Wyatt. It¡¯s really you.¡± In the car sat a charming man with a sinister, demonic aura. With a half-smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡± Kathleen clenched her fists. ¡°Was it you who sent that woman?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Wyatt yed dumb. ¡°The one who drugged Samuel,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°Oh.¡± Wyatt smiled. ¡°You mean Lauren? She¡¯s not one of mine. She¡¯s my brother¡¯s subordinate.¡± ¡°Lauren is working with Wilbur?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°If I had someone with her talents with me, then I wouldn¡¯t be so badly oppressed in the Blissful Sect.¡± Wyatt smiled sardonically at her. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re not helping me, dearie.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up, Wyatt!¡± hissed Kathleen.¡±I have nothing to do with you at all!¡± ¡°Why are you so heartless?¡± Wyatt was very aggrieved. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. Without the Snow Grass, your brother would¡¯ve¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Kathleen snapped. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Why, to see you, of course,¡± said Wyatt, his voice tinged with ice. ¡°I also came to tell you that you¡¯re mine. So stop fooling around with your ex-husband.¡± ¡°Wyatt, are you insane?¡± Kathleen was very displeased. ¡°Even if we have a three-year contract, it will take three years. You can¡¯t control me now.¡± Wyatt smiled deeply. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave you be. But you should stay out of my affairs, too.¡± Kathleen red daggers at him. ¡°Samuel¡¯s grandfather killed my grandfather, so I must avenge his death. If you hadn¡¯t been so meddlesome, I¡¯d have killed him ages ago,¡± Wyatt said unhappily. ¡°Nobody knows if Samuel¡¯s grandfather actually killed your grandfather. Even your father is uncertain.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Well, one of them is a soldier, and the other is a bandit. Since a fight broke out, who could it be if not his grandfather who killed mine?¡± asked Wyatt icily. ¡°Wyatt, listen to me. Unless you cane up with solid evidence, I won¡¯t stop meddling in your affairs!¡± Kathleen was enraged. ¡°He killed both your children, yet you still forgave him?¡± Wyatt narrowed his eyes. Kathleen paused before replying, ¡°Forgave him? No. But the Macari family treats me very well. Samuel is the only heir to the Macari family. If anything happens to him, they will be devastated. I can¡¯t let you kill him.¡± I won¡¯t let you. Wyatt snorted. ¡°Excuses.¡± ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s an excuse, you know very well.¡± Kathleen red at him again. ¡°You¡¯d better not show up in front of him. He is already aware of your existence.¡± Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Chapter 296 At First Sight ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of him?¡± Wyatt¡¯s tone was disdainful. ¡°I don¡¯t really care if you die. But if you do end up dead, that would mean an end to my Snow Grass supply,¡± retorted Kathleen. Wyatt said nothing in response. Having had enough, Kathleen was getting ready to leave. ¡°Kate.¡± Wyatt¡¯s voice became very gentle, ¡°I have news about the Melting Ice Grass.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°If I procure the Melting Ice Grass before Samuel, will you marry me?¡± he asked meaningfully. Kathleen¡¯s response was mild. ¡°We¡¯ll talk when you actually find it.¡± After speaking, she turned on her heel, got into her car, and drove away. Wyatt smiled evilly. ¡°Kathleen, you can only be mine!¡± With the help of Kathleen and Charles, Wyatt was certain of his victory. He would bring Bliss Sect to its knees and be its leader. Kathleen made a phone call using a Bluetooth headset. ¡°Hello?¡± Wilbur¡¯s voice was deeper than Wyatt¡¯s. ¡°Where¡¯s Lauren?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. Wilbur smiled wryly. ¡°I see that Wyatt has told you.¡± ¡°Just what are you trying to pull here?¡± asked Kathleen angrily. ¡°You drugged Samuel, and you want to take Nicolette away?¡± Wilbur smiled faintly. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell already? I want revenge.¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Oh, so both brothers have the same goals? Why aren¡¯t you working together then?¡± ¡°If we join forces, who will get the credit?¡± Wilbur retorted. ¡°He and I are opponents. Whoever kills Samuel first will be favored more by our father.¡± Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°I won¡¯t let you seed.¡± ¡°Kathleen, give it a rest. You can¡¯t stop this,¡± chided Wilbur. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± she said coolly. ¡°If you really want me to stay in line, then you have to promise me this. You will not hurt Samuel.¡± Wilbur remained impassive. ¡°Do you think Wyatt will agree to my request?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. It was likely that Wilbur wasn¡¯t going to agree, but she could not be sure about Wyatt. They were half brothers, sharing the same father. Wilbur was the eldest grandson and was deeply cherished by his grandfather who raised him. Wyatt, on the other hand, was an illegitimate child. Wilbur¡¯s grandfather was not too happy about the affair, so he never liked Wyatt. Wyatt merely wanted to kill Samuel to make his father happy. If Kathleen¡¯s condition was to not kill Samuel, Wyatt would have agreed readily. Wilbur smiled, his gaze turning cold. ¡°Yet Samuel¡¯s life is also in my hands.¡± Kathleen was indifferent. ¡°What Lauren gave him is a lovebug,¡± Wilbur exined tly. ¡°The male lovebug is in his body, and the female lovebug is in captivity. If Lauren puts the female lovebug in her own body or the body of another woman, Samuel will be in theirplete control.¡± Kathleen gritted her teeth. ¡°You actually injected Samuel with a lovebug?¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Isn¡¯t that fun?¡± Wilbur smiled teasingly. ¡°It matters little how much he loves you now. When the female lovebug is imnted, all his memories of you will be reced by that woman in question. He will be a stranger to you, no longer in love with you. If you don¡¯t love him, Kathleen, why does it matter who controls him then?¡± ¡°This is nonsense!¡± Kathleen was agitated. ¡°If either party does not truly love the other, then relying on such lowly tricks is nothing more than a sham. It¡¯s a crime!¡± ¡°Kathleen, I will tell you a secret.¡± Wilbur snickered. ¡°Lauren and Nicolette actually know each other. If Lauren puts the female lovebug in Nicolette¡­ well, we¡¯d both know the consequences.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°So, it is you, after all! You¡¯re the one helping Nicolette in secret!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me,¡± Wilbur said indifferently. ¡°I just happen to know Lauren. She is not colluding with me. But if you want to save Samuel, I can contact her and ask her to hand over the female lovebug. However, my helpes at a price. You need to marry me.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Your hand for the Snow Grass, or your hand for Samuel¡¯s affection. It¡¯s your choice.¡± Wilbur then hung up without saying another word. Kathleen bit her lip. D*mn him! What a despicable person! Soon after, Kathleen returned to the Yoeger residence. After a moment of musing, she decided to call Charles. ¡°Hello?¡± Charles¡¯ voice was hushed. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet?¡± ¡°How are things on your end?¡± Kathleen was very worried. ¡°Nothing much¡¯s going on.¡± Charles lowered his voice again. ¡°I heard that Wyatt went to see you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°We have already met.¡± Charles said coldly, ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll never agree to any of his conditions under any circumstances. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m well aware of what I should and should not do,¡± said Kathleen reassuringly. ¡°Be wary of Yareli,¡± said Charles quietly. ¡°I did some digging and found some rather interesting things.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen was surprised. She knew that the identity of Yareli¡¯s biological father was unknown. Could it be that Vanessa left the capital this time to seek out Yareli¡¯s biological father? Hmm¡­ this is getting more interesting by the minute. ¡°It¡¯s good if you have some sense.¡± Charles said, ¡°It should be veryte on your end. You should go to sleep.¡± With that, Charles hung up. He put down the phone and pressed his hand to the wound on his arm. His wound was bleeding. Just then, the door opened and a figure walked in. ¡°Charles, are you all right?¡± The girl¡¯s innocent face was etched with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°But you¡¯re bleeding.¡± The girl frowned. ¡°Kate¡¯s not here, so you have to take care of yourself.¡± She got up to retrieve the medicine box before helping Charles to treat the wound. ¡°Thank you, re.¡± Charles frowned again. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone know about this injury.¡± ¡°My lips are sealed. Don¡¯t worry.¡± rissa Watson then whispered, ¡°When I learn how to grow Snow Grass, I will definitely not let you take risks again.¡± Charles was stunned for a moment before he smiled slightly. ¡°Okay. Do your best, but don¡¯t push yourself too hard either. Snow Grass needs to be fed human blood, and you need to drink a lot of herbal concoctions to generate enough blood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± rissa puffed her chest out in indignance. Charles smiled faintly. rissa helped Charles to the bed before she went and disposed of the bloody cotton swabs and gauze. ¡°Charles, go to sleep. I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± With that, rissa exited the room. Charles nodded. He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep. He had not closed his eyes for three days now. After leaving Charles¡¯ room, rissa was about to return to her room when she sensed that something was amiss. Turning her head around, she noticed that the angle of the camera in the corridor had changed. How odd. She frowned. She went back to her room, turned on theputer, and hacked into herwork. Because the web terminal of the camera was on her father¡¯sputer, rissa soon realized that the angle had, in fact, shifted. It was obvious that their surveince cameras had been hacked. rissa snorted coldly. She was determined to catch the culprit. She started following the hacker¡¯s trail through the loopholes they had left behind. As a result, herputer was soon taken over. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Be Alone A line of words appeared on rissa¡¯sputer screen: Little girl, if you dare to act rashly, I will delete everything on yourputer. rissa went ballistic. She immediately typed: I¡¯d like to see you try. If you delete my stuff, I¡¯lle after what you hold dear! She had painstakingly saved a lot of anime and other files. If someone messed with that, there was going to be hell to pay. Unknown: I hold nothing dear. Unless¡­ you want to fill that position for me? rissa gritted her teeth and responded with: You wish! What are you trying to do, hacking into my surveince system? Who are you? Unknown: What a greedy little girl with so many questions. I¡¯m not going to answer them all at once. However, I will answer one question. If you tell your parents, then I¡¯m not going to have fun with you anymore. rissa was infuriated. It was the first time she had met an opponent like this. rissa: Fine! Son of a b*tch! I need to catch this person. Unknown: I will answer your first question. You asked what my intentions are, yes? I just liked how you decorated the ce and wanted to take a look. rissa sneered. Like hell I¡¯d believe that! rissa: I won¡¯t tell my parents, but I need to know who you are. Unknown: What a greedy little girl. I¡¯ll let you know tomorrow. After that message was sent, the unknown hacker went offline. rissa¡¯sputer then returned to normal. She gritted her teeth. What a horrible person that was! I need to be prepared tomorrow to expose them! In Jadeborough, at Florinia Manor, Samuel was having a conversation with Leonard. ¡°Could you be any more bothersome?¡± he asked tly. ¡°I was caught by a little girl and I didn¡¯t want to lose,¡± Leonardined. ¡°I just wanted to tease her.¡± ¡°You really are bothersome.¡± Richard narrowed his eyes. ¡°Mr. Macari asked you to keep tabs on the Watsons, but instead, you¡¯ve decided to stare at little girls. How shameless of you.¡± Leonard snorted disdainfully. ¡°And I suppose you¡¯re upright? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯re using Kathleen as an excuse to get close to Gemma.¡± Richard huffed. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that crap. I¡¯m a doctor, and she¡¯s a nurse. Our paths will always cross.¡± ¡°Then why did you suggest transferring Gemma to your department, effectively letting her be around you all the time?¡± asked Leonard teasingly. ¡°I guess still waters run deep. Are you going to pull all the stops on her then?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Richard sneered. ¡°What about Mr. Macari then?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression was icy. ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet, Mr. Macari. What¡¯s up?¡± asked Richard with a wry smile. ¡°I reckon it must be unbearable seeing Kathleen speaking to another man,¡± said Leonard sardonically. ¡°Do you two want me to throw you out?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Mr. Macari, don¡¯t be upset,¡± said Richardfortingly. ¡°I daresay that Kathleen has gotten over you already and that she only cares because of Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Leonard agreed readily. ¡°Indeed. I was rooting for you both, but she wasn¡¯t moved by me trying to match-make you two. Even if anything happened, I doubt Kathleen would have acted on it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal for divorced couples to sleep with each other, too,¡± said Richard thoughtfully. ¡°What¡¯s more, she has her brother to think about. You are less important than he is to her.¡± Samuel was silent. He knew that he no longer held any sway over Katherine¡¯s heart. Richard and Leonard were right. If it wasn¡¯t for Diana, Kathleen would not have tolerated him. If Kathleen had to choose between him and Charles, it went without saying that Charles would have emerged victorious. He was nothing to her. Even so, he wanted to ease Kathleen¡¯s burdens. Back at the manor, Nicolette was receiving treatment from Lauren. She wanted nothing more than to get up again. After Lauren treated her with acupuncture, she said coldly, ¡°Your injuries are so bad that you won¡¯t be able to stand up for a year and a half. Even if you do manage to stand, you won¡¯t be able to walk very well in the future.¡± Nicolette looked at her legs glumly. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine as long as I can stand.¡± She had to seek revenge on both Kathleen and Samuel for this. Thud! A bamboo tube on Lauren¡¯s table fell to the ground. Nicolette was surprised. ¡°Why did it fall by itself?¡± Lauren picked it up. ¡°Because something wily is trapped in it.¡± Nicolette asked quietly, ¡°Is there a female lovebug in the container?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lauren nodded. Nicolette¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Who are you going to use it on?¡± ¡°Yareli,¡± Lauren replied. Yareli? Nicolette¡¯s heart went cold. ¡°She¡¯s already on her way,¡± Lauren exined. ¡°You two will be able to meet soon.¡± Nicolette stared at the bamboo tube. So, Yareli wants to nt the female lovebug into herself in order to get Samuel to like her, huh? Lauren saw through Nicolette¡¯s thoughts and she sneered at her. ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much. There is absolutely no possibility of you and Samuel being together in this lifetime.¡± Nicolette bit her lip. That can¡¯t possibly be true! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Lauren put the bamboo tube on a high shelf, went out, and called for a housekeeper to show Nicolette out. Nicolette stared at the bamboo tube that was way out of her reach and smiled coldly. She had to obtain this female lovebug no matter what. ¡°Hey, Lauren.¡± rissa came to look for Lauren. Lauren paused. ¡°Ms. Watson? What brings you here?¡± ¡°I came to hang out with you, Lauren.¡± rissa smiled slightly. ¡°Are you entertaining someone at the moment?¡± Lauren replied, ¡°Yes. A friend of mine came to me for treatment.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± rissa was surprised. ¡°You actually have friends? I thought I was your only friend?¡± Lauren was quite embarrassed. ¡°But no matter how many friends you have, you must remember that I am your number one friend, okay?¡± rissa then took her hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out! Thetest season¡¯s fashions have just hit the stores. We should go take a look!¡± ¡°Wait for me while I get dressed,¡± said Lauren in response. ¡°Sure thing.¡± rissa let go of Lauren¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here, waiting.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lauren nodded before turning around to leave. After she left, rissa looked through the whole clinic. Suddenly, her gaze fell on a bamboo tube sitting on the shelf. She reached out and took it down before giving it a shake. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s in here?¡± She heard movement inside. rissa¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Just then, Lauren returned. She was stunned when she saw the bamboo tube rissa was holding. ¡°Put it down!¡± Startled, rissa jolted and the bamboo tube fell to the ground. Upon hitting the ground, the tube cracked open. Inside was a small ck bug squirming in a viscous liquid. ¡°Ahh!¡± eximed rissa in disgust. The little bug squirmed toward her. rissa screamed loudly again and she stepped on it. No!¡± Lauren shouted, but it was toote. rissa¡¯s foot had already met its mark. By the time she lifted her foot, the bug was dead. Lauren froze. rissa muttered sheepishly, ¡°Lauren, it¡¯s no big deal, right?¡± Lauren looked at her in shock. ¡°You really are going to be the death of me.¡± rissa was very contrite. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Why don¡¯t I pay you back for it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something you can just pay back so easily,¡± Lauren hissed, pinching the bridge of her nose. ¡°Leave me be. I want to be alone.¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Illegitimate Child ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± stammered rissa piteously. Lauren¡¯s face was devoid of any emotion. As such, rissa could only leave in embarrassment. Lauren knitted her brows. I can¡¯t let anyone know that the female lovebug is a goner. Fortunately, rissa had no idea what the female lovebug was. Lauren mulled over it for a while before her lips slowly curved into a rigid smile. A n had formed in her mind. Meanwhile, rissa was walking toward the gate when she bumped into Yareli, who was walking in. Yareli was furious. ¡°Are you blind?¡± rissa also red at her. ¡°Well, my eyes are not used for looking at something this ugly!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Yareli red daggers at rissa. Thetter snorted disdainfully. ¡°You heard me. I said you were ugly!¡± Yareli raised her hand to hit rissa but was not prepared for thetter¡¯s reflexes. rissa managed to grab Yareli¡¯s hand in mid-air. She then pped Yareli first. Yareli howled, ¡°How dare you hit me!¡± ¡°So what if I did? I hit whoever I please!¡± hissed rissa with her arms akimbo. Yareli reached out to grab rissa¡¯s hair. All right, so be it! rissa smirked at the attempt. ¡°What a weakling.¡± Having said that, she grabbed Yareli by the hair and threw her to the ground. Satisfied, she then proceeded to make a show out of dusting her hands clean. ¡°I don¡¯t know where the heck you came from. You just barged in here without even asking me who I am, and now you want to pick fights with me?¡± said rissa disdainfully. ¡°Mom! Mom!¡± Yareli yelled. The purpose of her visit that day was to see Vanessa. Vanessa heard loud shoutinging from downstairs and hurried over to look. ¡°Yareli, what happened?¡± Vanessa went to help her daughter. Yareli stood up and pointed at rissa. ¡°Mom, she hit me!¡± Vanessa was stunned. She looked at rissa faintly. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ rissa?¡± rissa¡¯s expression sank. ¡°You¡¯re the mistress?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Yareli red at her. ¡°And you must be the illegitimate child,¡± said rissa contemptuously. Yareli¡¯s face was gloomy. rissa gave them both a cold look and turned away. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Yareli seemed to be particrly agitated. ¡°You¡¯d better exin yourself to me!¡± Vanessa stopped her. ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°But Mom, she hit me!¡± Yareli was livid. ¡°If you want to marry Samuel, don¡¯t mess with her,¡± said Vanessa solemnly. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mom?¡± Yareli was puzzled. ¡°Regardless, you are not allowed to provoke her now.¡± Vanessa sounded thoughtful. ¡°We still have a lot of things to do, and we have to rely on her father to help us.¡± Yareli pursed her lips. ¡°Who is her father?¡± ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough with the questions. I¡¯ll let you knowter,¡± said Vanessa, her tone morose. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to see Lauren first.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Lauren?¡± Yareli frowned. ¡°She¡¯s the doctor here, and she¡¯s very powerful.¡± Vanessa continued, ¡°Once she imnts the female lovebug into your body, Samuel will definitely fall madly in love with you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yareli¡¯s face revealed hope. Vanessa then promptly brought her daughter into Lauren¡¯s clinic. Inside, Lauren looked at them mildly. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Lauren, this is my daughter, Yareli,¡± Vanessa said with a half-smile. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the lovebug business to you.¡± ¡°A female lovebug is different from its male counterpart. The female lovebug needs to be imnted at a specific time for it to work,¡± said Lauren coldly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it isn¡¯t for another two days.¡± Vanessa was surprised. ¡°Two more days?¡± ¡°Why, can¡¯t you wait?¡± Lauren asked icily. ¡°Of course, we can. We¡¯ll wait,¡± said Vanessa. ¡°Then leave. I have preparations to make,¡± murmured Lauren. ¡°Okay.¡± Vanessa nodded as she tugged Yareli away. Yareli said unhappily, ¡°Mom, why are the people here so weird?¡± ¡°If anyone here were normal, they would be of no help to us.¡± Vanessa looked at her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Yareli hesitated for a moment. ¡°Mom. After so many years, you¡¯ve said nothing about my biological father. Why is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter,¡± said Vanessa mysteriously. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Yareli pursed her lips, feeling a little dissatisfied. What is it that you can¡¯t just tell me? When rissa returned home, Raymond happened toe down from the second floor. His expression was very severe. ¡°You¡¯re back and you haven¡¯t said a word to me.¡± rissa simply snorted and walked past him. Raymond frowned. What¡¯s going on here? rissa returned to her room. She closed the door andy on the bed, wiping away tears in secret. Just then, herputer turned on by itself, followed by a burst of loud singing. An animated figure then started to chime with a singsong voice: Little girl, little girl, crybaby cry, your shoe has gone missing, and your thoughts are now awry! rissa gritted her teeth. ¡°What terrible singing!¡± She came to theputer and sat down. A line of text popped up on theputer: My singing was perfect. You just didn¡¯t know how to appreciate it. What a philistine you are. rissa tapped on the keyboard with both hands. Instead of replying to the hacker, she was trying to find his tail. rissa vowed to uncover their identity today. Unknown: Ooh¡­ someone¡¯s angry. Who pissed you off? rissa ignored it and continued her pursuit. She soon felt like she was close to exposing their identity. However, before she could do anything, the hacker fled. How despicable. I will try again! Unknown: So you want to catch me? Are you in love with me and want to elope? rissa: I can¡¯t be bothered to elope with someone so repulsive. Unknown: Maybe you are lonely after all, poor little girl. Poor attention-deprived little girl. I have an idea. Why don¡¯t youe and spend some time with me instead? I have plenty of hours to kill, and I can show you a good time. D*mn it! rissa was about to explode in anger. She ended up sulking. With renewed efforts and determination, she started the chase again. Sure enough, she managed to scramble into another loophole. Unknown: Not bad, not bad. I ran a little slower and you really caught up. Come on, little short legs. Run like the wind. Immediately after sending that, the hacker vanished without a trace. ¡°D*mn it!¡± rissa smashed her fists into the keyboard. Shortly after, tears began to fall like rivulets down her cheeks. She was not agitated because of this unknown hacker but because she had encountered Vanessa. The hacker soon returned once more. Unknown: Why are you crying? rissa: It¡¯s none of your business! Unknown: Oh, I get it. You have a crush on me, and you¡¯re upset that you don¡¯t even know my name. It¡¯s with great difficulty that I tell you this, so you¡¯ll have something to hold on to. You may call me Songbyrd. A dashing young man at your service. rissa: So, you¡¯re an old fart or a neckbeard. Got it. Songbyrd: So what if I¡¯m an old fart? I know how to make thedies feel special. rissa: You¡¯re disgusting! Just you wait! I¡¯ll have you unmasked soon enough! Songbyrd: Deal. We¡¯ll get married when you do unmask me. rissa: F*ck off! With that, Songbyrd disappeared again. However, she soon noticed that her mood had improved after the tussle she had with Songbyrd. Just then, there was a knock on the door. rissa wiped away her tears and walked over to open the door. A housekeeper stood there. ¡°Ms. Watson? Mr. Watson would like to see you.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± replied rissa. The housekeeper then left. Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Marriage rissa made her way downstairs to find Raymond sipping on some coffee. ¡°What is it?¡± asked rissa coldly. Raymond looked at her, his expression thoughtful. Ever since he brought rissa back, his rtionship with her had been rocky. He could not treat her like he did with Wyatt or Wilbur. After all, rissa was his daughter. He couldn¡¯t possibly treat her like she was his son. ¡°How are you and Charles getting along?¡± he asked. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± rissa was displeased. ¡°I only like him as a brother. I¡¯d suggest that you stop your meddling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about your future,¡± Raymond said solemnly. ¡°I raised Charles myself. I have full confidence in his character. If you are with him, you won¡¯t encounter any issues in the future.¡± Of this, he was very certain. rissa was furious. ¡°Listen here, old man. I don¡¯t like Charles that way. He is like a brother to me. If you even think of arranging our marriage, I¡¯ll do what mom did. Maybe you¡¯d be happy seeing me dead!¡± ¡°You insolent brat!¡± Raymond mmed his fist on the table. ¡°I¡¯m your father! How can you speak to me like this?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± retorted rissa angrily. ¡°I have a better idea. Why don¡¯t you just kick me out? Let me live as the outcast I once was! See if I even care!¡± Raymond¡¯s face was contorted with fury. rissa clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Charles had heard themotion and hurried over. ¡°What are you two arguing about, Godfather?¡± ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± said Raymond kindly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± rissa turned on her heel and ran outside. Feeling rather helpless, Raymond muttered, ¡°That child hates me, Charles. Please help me persuade her. Don¡¯t let her get too angry at me.¡± Charles nodded. He then turned around and went to look for rissa. Charles soon spotted her under a tree, her eyes wet with tears. He squatted down next to her and asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± rissa cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just sand in my eyes, that¡¯s all.¡± Charles chuckled. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He wants to matchmake us. I hate it when he¡¯s like this! He won¡¯t listen to reason no matter how I exin it to him!¡± hissed rissa in anger. Charles said coldly, ¡°Did you know that your brothers are fighting a ferocious battle?¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± said rissa faintly. ¡°Wilbur has been trying to win me over. But you also know that Wyatt has been kind to me, so I hope that they¡¯ll stop fighting. I¡¯m well aware of what Blissful Sect demands. There has to be a fight to the death. But is there any way to stop them at all, Charles?¡± Charles shook his head lightly. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m out of ideas.¡± rissa sighed. ¡°I¡¯m out of ideas myself. Wilbur is my biological brother. My mother left the household because my father cheated on her. She then gave birth to me away from the family. After Wilbur found me, he was very affectionate toward me. However, I got to know Wyatt, who also treated me well. He¡¯d also gotten injured on my behalf. My head¡¯s about to explode thinking of what to do. I¡¯m in a proper mess.¡± Charles looked at her solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure there are other ways.¡± ¡°If only Kate were here. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d have thought of something by now.¡¯ rissa looked up to Kathleen and liked her very much. Charles smiled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will try my best to stop them.¡± rissa could only nod and hoped for the best. Back at Jadeborough, Kathleen was busy filming on set. When she was done, she decided to sit and take a break. Just then, Caleb came over. ¡°You asked for me?¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°Caleb, let¡¯s get married.¡± Caleb was stunned for a moment. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯ll be a fake marriage.¡± Kathleen took a sip of water. ¡°This is all a sham.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is this for Samuel¡¯s sake?¡± ¡°Not entirely. I heard your freighter was hijacked a few days ago, am I right?¡± inquired Kathleen. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention that,¡± said Caleb sullenly. ¡°It was a local tyrant who did it. Plus, it¡¯s not the first time. Who it is exactly, I have no idea.¡± It was truly a sordid affair. ¡°I know who it is,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°I can tell you who you¡¯re up against, and I can guarantee that your goods will be safe in the future. But before that, I need you to agree to marry me.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°A marriage in name?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°After two years, we will get a divorce. What do you think?¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t want to divorce you?¡± Caleb looked at her deeply. ¡°When I¡¯ve had you, do you think I¡¯ll let you go?¡± ¡°Caleb, I don¡¯t mind telling you the truth. I have a marriage contract with another. If I can find a cure for my brother in three years, the contract will be null and void. If I fail, I¡¯ll have to marry them because they have the cure for my brother¡¯s condition.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was tinged with urgency, but she continued, ¡°This person has ulterior motives. He¡¯s afraid that Samuel and I will rekindle our rtionship, so he has been taking action in secret. He means to kill Samuel.¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that the Macari family has only one heir,¡± said Kathleen quietly. ¡°If anything happened to him, they will certainly die of grief. I can¡¯t let any harm befall him for this reason.¡± Ah, so this was the reason why. ¡°Won¡¯t the other party kill me?¡± asked Caleb. Kathleen shook her head. ¡°They can tell whether or not I truly like you. Also, I want Samuel to leave me alone. To be frank, I¡¯m leaving Jadeborough in a week¡¯s time.¡± Caleb was stunned. ¡±Where are you going?¡± ¡°Moranta. I need to look for Charles,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As soon as I leave, they¡¯ll leave too. We can also divorce in secret. After they see that you¡¯re not tied to me anymore, they won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Caleb grabbed her wrist and said coldly, ¡°You know what? You¡¯re making me more convinced that you¡¯ll never let Samuel go.¡± Kathleen merely replied, ¡°That has nothing to do with this. I just hope he¡¯ll live a good life.¡± Longevity was no longer in the cards for Samuel. Given his physical condition, he could only live up to the maximum age of fifty or sixty. Plus, that was under the assumption that nothing serious happened to him as well. Thinking about it, Kathleen felt a little ufortable. Caleb was deep in thought for a moment. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll do it. I will marry you.¡± It¡¯ll still be nice, even if she¡¯s mine only in name. ¡°If you have doubts about this before the wedding, please let me know,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a wedding?¡± Caleb was a little excited at the prospect. ¡°A fake one, yes. In order to deceive everyone.¡± Kathleen said quietly, ¡°I will cover the costs.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactlycking in funds, you know?¡± retorted Caleb with a frown. ¡°Leave the wedding to me and rx.¡± Kathleen nodded. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Suddenly, Caleb held her by the shoulders. ¡°We should take a picture and make it official.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a while before she nodded. ¡°All right.¡± Caleb hugged her and took a picture before posting it on Twitter. Underneath the photo, the caption read: From today onwards, you are mine. I will take care of you for the rest of my life. Kathleen retweeted the post and responded with: Thank you. Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you have to be so cold?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m already very enthusiastic,¡± Kathleen replied sheepishly. Caleb hummed. ¡°Fine. As long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Besides. Starting today, she¡¯s mine. Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Granting Desires Caleb sent Kathleen back to the Yoeger residence. When she got out of the car, she saw Samuel standing at the entryway. I guess the time hase. Need to rip off the band-aid right now. Caleb was also prepared to get off from the car, but Kathleen stopped him. ¡°Caleb, let me handle this.¡± Caleb thought for a while. ¡°Okay. Remember to call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Kathleen nodded. He closed the door and drove away. Samuel walked toward Kathleen as he exuded a noble and powerful aura. Kathleen was about to speak but was interrupted by Samuel pulling her into his arms. He hugged her hard and growled, ¡°Why?¡± His hold on her was so tight that Kathleen¡¯s bones started to hurt. She pushed Samuel away and looked at the man¡¯s furrowed brows. She could tell that he was in pain. ¡°What do you mean, why? I longer love you, and I can no longer find it within to love you. So stop pestering me!¡± Samuel looked at her stiffly. ¡°You¡¯re not the one who has nightmares every day. You¡¯re not the one who wakes up every day feeling like shit, and you¡¯re not the one who wakes up with hatred brimming from within.¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression became more and more indifferent. ¡°If not for the Macari family, I wouldn¡¯t have cared less if you lived or died.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Samuel grabbed her wrist. ¡°You obviously like me still!¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°That was a lie. I came back to Jadeborough to face the Yoeger family. I just needed some help. That¡¯s all.¡± Samuel tried very hard to ignore the pain gnawing at him. ¡°Is someone threatening you?¡± Kathleen was silent. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that! I¡¯ve got people working on those issues! I¡¯ve also been keeping tabs on the Melting Ice Grass!¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes were bloodshot. ¡±You said you would wait for me! So why are you suddenly marrying Caleb?¡± His heart was aching. Kathleen huffed impatiently. ¡°Samuel, this is my revenge. I reckon what you¡¯re feeling now is how I felt when I saw you and Nicolette together. If I don¡¯t let you feel this pain now, how would I make my vengeance sweeter?¡± Samuel paused. ¡°Samuel, from now on, even if you die, I won¡¯t bat an eyelid, said Kathleen icily. ¡°If you want to continue doing this, I¡¯ll stop being nice about it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Samuel was very stubborn, his handsome face was full of remorse. ¡°Kate, I know what I did was wrong. Please forgive me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath before saying, ¡°Samuel, why should I forgive you? Because you want me to? When I made you break Nicolette¡¯s legs, you faltered.¡± Samuel started at her with a sullen expression. Kathleen wrestled her hand out of his and said coldly, ¡°I hope you can be a little more measured. From now on, I¡¯m Caleb¡¯s wife. I¡¯ve got nothing to do with you.¡± She did not have much time anymore. Vivian¡¯s death was going to be a burden she had to carry. She knew that Caleb was going to take action against Finn soon and did not mind fanning the mes. ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s end things here.¡± Samuel remained stoic as he held back the pain in his heart. ¡°I know you are hung up over Vivian¡¯s death. But you don¡¯t need to get your hands dirty over those people! I will handle it for you!¡± Kathleen opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Samuel. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty in rejecting me.¡± He was afraid of what Kathleen was going to say, so he hurriedly added, ¡°Kate, don¡¯t I even have the right to help you?¡± ¡°Nicolette will always be between us.¡± Kathleen looked at Samuel coolly. ¡°We can¡¯t go back to the way things were.¡± After speaking, she walked away. Samuel looked at her departing figure and he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Suddenly, he heaved and threw up some blood. Kathleen heard this and wanted desperately to turn around. However, after thinking twice, she raised her feet and marched straight into the mansion. Samuel looked at her walking away and promptly fell to the ground. Kathleen looked at a nearby housekeeper. ¡°Keep an eye on things outside and have someone send him to the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The housekeeper nodded. Kathleen returned to the room and immediately went to the window to look outside. She saw the housekeeper carrying Samuel to the car before driving it to the hospital. She pursed her lips and lowered her hands weakly. It¡¯s done¡­ She felt tired. Perhaps I should not have returned with Charles in the first ce. I should have let Charles sort out the Yoegers on his own. In fact, she also tried to let go of the past. Unfortunately, she failed to do so. The next day, Samuel woke up. His expression was grim and a sinister aura was emanating off him. Wynnie was sitting at the side. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Samuel, regarding Kate¡­¡± Wynnie hesitated for a while. ¡°Her business has nothing to do with me,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°She hates me to the core.¡± ¡°Samuel, you can¡¯t me her.¡± Wynnie fussed over him, attempting to give him somefort. ¡°I¡¯m not ming her,¡± said Samuel in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m just granting her wish and setting her free.¡± That¡¯s it. I won¡¯t bother her anymore. Wynnie pursed her lips. ¡°Maybe you should look on the bright side.¡± ¡°Mom, I want to stay by myself for a while,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt myself.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie nodded, and she got up and left. The ward became very quiet. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The only sound was the chirping of birds outside the window. Spring had arrived, but Samuel waspletely frozen on the inside. He felt numb from the cold. He closed his eyes for a moment and called out, ¡°Tyson!¡± Tyson had been stationed outside this entire time. Hearing Samuel¡¯s voice, he came in. ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari?¡± Tyson stood upright beside Samuel¡¯s bed. ¡°Have you tracked Nicolette¡¯s whereabouts?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Good,¡± murmured Samuel. ¡°Leave things be for now. I want to catch her right before Kathleen¡¯s wedding.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Tyson quietly. Samuel¡¯s heart ached. Whenever he thought of Kathleen, heard her name, or even said it out loud, all he felt was pain. ¡°You can make a move on Finn.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was deadly cold. ¡°Tracy should also pay for her actions.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± inquired Tyson hesitantly. ¡°Let them taste all the bitterness that Vivian has experienced!¡± replied Samuel through gritted teeth. Tyson immediately had a n in his mind, ¡°Of course, Mr. Macari. I¡¯ll have it arranged right away.¡± ¡°Off you go then.¡± Samuel closed his eyes again. He felt positively exhausted. How I wished to fall asleep like this and never wake up again. Back at the Yoeger residence, Kathleen received a call from Charles. ¡°Is this true?¡± Charles frowned slightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Well¡­¡± Charles thought about it and bit his lip. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°Charles, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. Caleb and I have already made things clear,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°I¡¯ll head over once I sort things out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have toe over yet. Nothing is going on here,¡± Charles urged. ¡°As long as you can protect yourself, I will have no worries.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and sighed. ¡°Charles, I can¡¯t let you face this alone. Knowing Wyatt and Wilbur, if nobody helps you, they wille for you first. After all, you are Raymond¡¯s most trusted aide and his godson. Given how important your position is in the Blissful Sect, I have to be there.¡± Charlesmented this, ming himself. ¡°I only sought you out because I wanted to meet my rtives before I die. I¡¯d never expected to be a burden to you like this.¡± ¡°Charles, how can you say that?¡± Kathleen eximed. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have crumbled long ago.¡± Charles said in a deep voice, ¡°Kate, let my affairs take their course.¡± ¡°Charles, you are my only rtive,¡± said Kathleen solemnly. ¡°To me, you are more important than anyone else. I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Charles¡¯ lips curled into a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t attend your wedding, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s a fake wedding, anyway¡± Kathleen paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°By the way, I agreed to help Caleb with his freighter problems.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Charles said. ¡°Okay. If you face any difficulties, let me know,¡± replied Kathleen meaningfully. ¡°The person in charge of the port over there still owes me a favor.¡± ¡°All right, I got it.¡± Charles¡¯s tone was gentle. ¡°You should rest early. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Charles.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± With that, Charles ended the call. He looked at the moon outside the window and put his hands on his chest. ¡°I can¡¯t drag Kate down. I just can¡¯t¡­¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Do You Love Him Five dayster, Kathleen finally wrapped up filming her scenes. The film crew prepared a banquet to celebrate that day, and it was necessary for Kathleen to attend since she was the female lead. She had overheard that Samuel would attend the banquet too. Despite a moment of hesitance nipping at her mind, she decided it was best to go and even invited Caleb. It was not long before Caleb arrived to pick her up. His jaw fell agape as though mesmerized when she strolled out of the Yoeger residence. Kathleen donned a velvet, deep emerald floor-length gown. Its thin straps highlighted her sculpted corbones. Meanwhile, the high slit gave an asional peek of her legs that went on for miles. Her ethereal and goddess-like presence left Caleb in a gawking mess. Eventually, his thin lips curled upward into a teasing grin. ¡°Seeing you like this makes it impossible for me to ever get a divorce with you.¡± His words caught Kathleen by surprise as she chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re not even married yet.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only two more days to go.¡± Caleb opened the car door for Kathleen. Once she got in, he shut the door and circled the car to the driver¡¯s seat. That was when Kathleen¡¯s delicate brows quirked with concern. ¡°Have you resolved the issue with your logistics business?¡± ¡°Yeah, I have. The other party has agreed not to cause any more problems starting today. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Caleb¡¯s tone was oozing with utter gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I helped out because I owed you.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Caleb looked over at the jaw-dropping beauty next to him. He then spoke as if sounding her out. ¡°Samuel will be there today.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who allowed me to star in the movie. It¡¯s only natural that he¡¯ll attend the movie¡¯s end-of- filming banquet. If he tries to beat you up, you can get behind me for safety.¡± There was a frosty nip in Kathleen¡¯s tone. Caleb snorted before refuting, ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of him? As if! He¡¯s unwell now, so what exactly can he do to me?¡± His words made Kathleen purse her lips. She had found out from Gemma that Samuel¡¯s body did not recover well. The doctors kept suggesting he rest more, but he refused to listen. It even seemed like Samuel no longer consumed the medicines prescribed to him. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ve caught the person who poisoned Samuel.¡± Caleb¡¯s voice deepened a few notches. ¡°Would you like to meet him?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d like to see him after the banquet,¡± came Kathleen¡¯s reply. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll have Philip take him to my home, where they¡¯ll wait for our return.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. Soon, the two arrived at the hotel where the banquet took ce. It was not in Kathleen¡¯s intention to stay for long. She only nned to show up briefly, greeting the film crew and actors before making her exit. However, everyone was enthusiastic and eager to chat with her, which dyed her n. When she finally got ready to leave, she bumped into Samuel. He had arrivedte. All eyes were on him as he had lost a significant amount of weight after these few days. His once charming and elegant face seemed gloomier. Even his chiseled features were more defined from the weight loss. The suit on his body did not help. Rather, it only emphasized how thin his waist had gotten. When he noticed Kathleen, a frosty gleam shed across his eyes. Meanwhile, Kathleen was busy thinking if she should greet him since they were face to face. However, before she could, Samuel walked right past her side. A relieved sigh slipped out of her lips. Yet, her chest inexplicably tightened at that moment. ¡°Wait up, Kathleen,¡± Spencer suddenly called out to her. ¡°Since Mr. Macari is here, why don¡¯t we take a group photo?¡± The sudden request flustered Kathleen. And here I thought I could avoid facing Samuel¡­ I guess it¡¯s inevitable. With that thought in mind, she turned around and nodded. The entire group soon arranged themselves in position. At first, Kathleen stood with Spencer and Timothy. However, for some reason, Spencer suddenly ran to the other side of the group, leaving Samuel by her side. That left her speechless. It was also then that someone identally nudged Timothy. He lost his footing and tipped over, crashing into Kathleen. The domino effect did not stop there as Kathleen soon stumbled toward Samuel¡¯s back. Fortunately, his slender fingerstched around her waist in time. His gravelly voice rang out, ¡°Be careful.¡± Only after Kathleen steadied herself did she reply, ¡°Thank you.¡± The two¡¯s interaction got cut short when Samuel removed his hand from her emotionlessly. It was not long before a photographer came over and took the group photo. Once that was over, Kathleen pivoted on her heel, ready to leave. However, Samuel moved faster. He grabbed her wrist before saying in his deep voice, ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± Kathleen froze at the abrupt physical contact, snapping, ¡°Please let go of me. Caleb¡¯s here, and I don¡¯t want him to misunderstand.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened as sheer wrath emanated from him. He released her wrist while curtly instructing, ¡°This way, please.¡± For a moment, Kathleen hesitated but eventually went with him to a discreet corner. She then boldly locked eyes with him. ¡°What did you want to tell me?¡± ¡°Grandma wants you to visit the Macari residence. She says she has a gift for you since you¡¯re getting married,¡± said Samuel coldly. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best if I don¡¯t go. I can¡¯t ept anything from Old Mrs. Macari anymore.¡± ¡°Do as you wish. It¡¯s your choice whether you want to cut all ties with the Macari family or not.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way then¡ª¡± ¡°Do you love him?¡± Samuel added in his husky voice, ¡°Caleb, I mean.¡± ¡°I do.¡± A moment passed as Kathleen pondered over her words carefully. Then, she continued, ¡°I thought about it, and I¡¯m sure now that I love him.¡± In that instant, bitterness engulfed Samuel. It felt like bile had lodged at the back of his throat while a sharp pain burned up his nostrils. ¡°Congrattions then.¡± His gaze locked onto her with grueling frost and malice. ¡°Let¡¯s hope Caleb doesn¡¯t have an evil first love who¡¯ll cause you trouble.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless at that. Just then, Samuel took one step closer to her. Her instincts kicked in as she retreated backward. Yet, to her surprise, all Samuel did was hand over a box. ¡°This is for you.¡± A frown marred Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Something you need,¡± Samuel pulled her hand over and ced the box in her palm. It seemed small and was unlikely a jewellery box. Right when Kathleen wanted to return it, Samuel had already strode far away from her. With knitted brows and a growing curiosity, Kathleen opened the box. Whatid inside made all her muscles tense. ¡°Melting Ice Grass?¡± she eximed. Where did he get this? I¡¯ve only ever read about it in old books! Goodness, I¡¯ve nevere across one despite searching for it all these years¡­ Yet, Samuel managed to somehow find it? I can¡¯t believe it. Perplexed by the hefty gift, she dashed ahead, hoping to catch up to Samuel. s, he was long gone by then. ¡°What happened? Why do you seem so panicked?¡± Caleb approached her at that moment. ¡°It¡¯s the Melting Ice Grass.¡± Kathleen showed him the box in her hand and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know how Samuel got his hands on it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Caleb took it over to have a closer look. ¡°Are you sure this is it?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I thought such a grass would look fresher,¡± Calebmented with a trace of suspicion. To that, Kathleen exined, ¡°Melting Ice Grass has long been extinct. Those who have collected them are few and far between, so this specific grass is extremely precious. Having money doesn¡¯t mean one can secure it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid that Samuel has traded something important for it?¡± Caleb raised his brow upon deducing her thoughts. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen took the box back into her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Samuel¡¯s not that dumb.¡± Then, Caleb patted her shoulders reassuringly. ¡°Although, this means your brother can now be cured.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± said Kathleen, her grip tightening on the box. ¡°Come on.¡± Caleb reached out to hold her hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to see who poisoned Samuel?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. She joined him in his car as they departed the banquet. Meanwhile, Samuel¡¯s hawk-like eyes studied the two from afar. His handsome face grew abnormally pale while he tailed the couple¡¯s car. Some time passed when he noticed Caleb was taking Kathleen to the Lewis residence. The two even entered the building alongside each other. That was enough to cast a grim shade over his face. Initially, he did not believe it when Kathleen said she loved Caleb. However, it was evident that she had told the truth, especially since she went to Caleb¡¯s home thiste. Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Not Long To Live Hack! Hack! Samuel suddenly burst into a coughing fit. He covered his mouth with a handkerchief but soon noticed some bloodstains. Wanting to steady his emotions, he leaned against the seat, taking deep breaths. That was when his phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± Samuel asked in his hoarse voice. ¡°It¡¯s me, Mr. Macari. Have you received the item I sent you?¡± an elderly man¡¯s voice rang out from the other end. ¡°I did. How did you secure it?¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t you worry about that, Mr. Macari. I swear on my life that I gave you genuine goods. Now, about the item I requested¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you after the wedding.¡± Samuel¡¯s palm rested on his chest as he added, ¡°You cane over now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared everything.¡± Skin-crawling chuckles came from the person as he reminded, ¡°Mr. Macari, a word of caution. You won¡¯t have long to live after extracting the male lovebug from your body.¡± ¡°How many years will I have left?¡± Samuel questioned frostily. ¡°Three years.¡± Three years? The words echoed in Samuel¡¯s mind, but he kept an unbothered expression. ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. Remember, you¡¯re not to tell a single soul.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t since I don¡¯t want to invite any trouble for myself.¡± The old man chuckled before saying, ¡°See you in three days.¡± After that, Samuel hung up and exerted an iron grip on the steering wheel before him. I guess I only have three more years left¡­ He glowered grimly at the Lewis residence as countless thoughts swirled in his mind. Three years. What¡¯s the point of living through thesest years of my life if I can¡¯t even be with her? If I have to keep my distance and watch her from afar¡­ I¡¯d rather die. Meanwhile, in the Lewis residence, Kathleen nced impassively at a man whose face was purple from being beaten up. ¡°Did Lauren Xenos send you here?¡± Kathleen interrogated sternly. The man froze for a bit but soon uttered, ¡°Yes.¡± Not a tinge of emotion showed on Kathleen¡¯s face as she continued, ¡°Lauren¡¯s a member of Blissful Sect, isn¡¯t she?¡± The man nodded even harder. Kathleen scoffed coldly. She sarcastically pointed out, ¡°Two questions was all it took to see through you, huh?¡± Her words startled the man. However, she continued stating the facts while ring daggers at him, ¡°Firstly, Lauren does everything herself. And secondly, she¡¯s not a member of Blissful Sect. Don¡¯t you know such basic things?¡± The man froze upon the unexpected revtion. It was then that Kathleen took out a pill, pried his mouth open, and shoved it deep into his throat. ¡°W-What did you feed me?¡± the man stuttered, fear evident in his wide-eyed stare. ¡°Something good, of course!¡± came Kathleen¡¯s icy retort. A minuteter, howls of agony reverberated throughout the mansion. ¡°I-It hurts! Everything hurts!¡± the man cried while squirming all over the ground. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Kathleen remarked. ¡°While I have no expertise in poison-making, I¡¯ve been diligently studying it this past year. The poison I fed you will simte the grueling sensation of bug bites all over your body. What do you think? Not bad, huh?¡± A glisteningyer of sweat coated the man¡¯s body at that point. ¡°Just kill me!¡± ¡°Hah. What makes you think I¡¯ll grant you death as you wished? I happen to be in need of ab rat, and you¡¯ll do perfectly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know!¡± The man¡¯s eyes were filled with terror. He had no desire to be tormented to death. ¡°Then you¡¯d better tell the truth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from an organization named Windwell Corporation. My name¡¯s Noles.¡± ¡°Windwell Corporation?¡± Kathleen shot to her feet, identally dropping the box that Samuel gave her. Shock crept up Noles¡¯ face upon seeing the box. Wynnie frowned and spoke up. ¡°What is your organization nning to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I-I was merely following my superior¡¯s orders¡­¡± Noles muttered while trembling. Caleb stepped in to help Kathleen pick up the box. Once she took it from him, she spoke again. ¡°You should know that I¡¯ll make you suffer even more if you¡¯re lying.¡± Noles shook his head at once. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t have the right or the guts to question my superior¡¯s orders. After all, I¡¯m not a core member of Windwell Corporation.¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows twisted into a deep frown. Seeing that, Noles instantly added, ¡°I swear I¡¯m not lying. Please, can¡¯t you give me the antidote?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Kathleen coldly answered. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Her words only caused Noles to be more anxious. ¡°I genuinely don¡¯t know anything. But my supervisor might know a thing or two. I can direct him to you guys.¡± Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Really?¡± Noles nodded. Following that, Kathleen took out a white pill and handed it to him. Thetter was desperate and hurriedly chucked it down his throat. ¡°That¡¯s not the antidote.¡± Kathleen¡¯s icy stare continued to scrutinize his every expression. Opposite her, Noles widened his eyes with fear. ¡°If that¡¯s not the antidote, what is it then?¡± ¡°This pill will temporarily suppress the poison¡¯s effect, but it¡¯ll onlyst three days. If you cooperate with me, I can give you the antidote. Do you understand?¡± she quested with a bone-chilling voice. ¡°I understand,¡± said a nodding Noles. ¡°Caleb, have someone take him to a room. Make sure to keep an eye on him.¡± Then, Kathleen¡¯s tone became heavier. ¡°I¡¯ll take him with me after a few days.¡± Caleb nodded before asking his subordinates to escort Noles out of the room. He eventually gave in to his curiosity and asked, ¡°What kind of organization is Windwell Corporation?¡± ¡°An organization that specializes in bio medicine research. Most of the bizarre drugs in the ck market are their creations,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°Oh? How did Samuel manage to piss them off?¡± ¡°This organization handles many of their matters discreetly. From what I know, whomever they go after must be someone who¡¯s of use to them.¡± ¡°If Samuel¡¯s so useful, why did they poison him?¡± Kathleen¡¯s features tightened into a grave look. ¡°What I mean is, they¡¯re using Samuel as a test subject.¡± That instantly elicited a frown from Caleb. ¡°They¡¯re testing drugs on him?¡± ¡°They previously made Samuel suffer from a slow-acting poison that wasn¡¯t lethal. Then, when Noles failed his mission, they didn¡¯t do anything to follow up.¡± Kathleen then emphasized, ¡°If they wanted to kill Samuel, they would¡¯ve done so long ago.¡± ¡°Why would they target Samuel?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Kathleen shook her head while gripping the box tightly, her heart full of worry. ¡°Samuel¡¯s right outside. Do you want to ask him?¡± Caleb inquired. Moments passed as Kathleen hesitated. Ultimately, she replied, ¡°No.¡± That made Caleb arch one of his brows. Despite that, Kathleen ignored his reaction and asked, ¡°Could you prepare a room for me, Caleb? I¡¯ll be staying over tonight.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded. Up till the next day, Samuel remained in his car outside of the Lewis residence. Kathleen never went outside. Every inch of Samuel¡¯s body ached. There was one more day till Kathleen would be Caleb¡¯swfully wedded wife. The thought of that alone was enough to turn his face as pale as a sheet. He could not help but gave a wryugh. As expected, I must have assumed wrongly. She really has moved on from me. Samuel soon started his car and drove away. Little did he know that Kathleen was standing before the windows as she watched him leave. A sigh of relief came from her lips right then. Knock! Knock! ¡°Come in,¡± Kathleen said. Following that, the door opened as Caleb strolled in. He immediately noticed how Kathleen was already dressed. ¡°Were you up early?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With a nod, Kathleen asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really a big deal. I just wanted to ask when can we go visit your granny?¡± Hearing that made Kathleen¡¯s jaw tense. Once she snapped to her senses, she awkwardly exined, ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been so busy these days that I¡¯ve forgotten about it altogether.¡± ¡°Is it because you forgot, or because you didn¡¯t take it seriously since all of this is fake?¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits. A confused look showed on Kathleen¡¯s face upon hearing that. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Her words sparked a sardonic chuckle from a frosty-looking Caleb, who then stated, ¡°There¡¯s a big difference. Anyway, you can go ahead and get ready. We¡¯ll leave once you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Reluctance Kathleen brought Caleb to the Yoeger residence to visit Frances. Frances was ted, as she felt that Caleb was a decent guy who was a good match for Kathleen. No matter whom Kathleen chose, Frances would be d for her. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯d been so busy that I didn¡¯t even have time to pay you a visit,¡± Caleb exined. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Frances was all smiles. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Kate was too busy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that Kate has a career she loves.¡± Caleb¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. Frances beamed with joy. ¡°I¡¯m d that you understand her. Come in and have a seat.¡± With that, they went to the living room and sat on the couch. ¡°Caleb, how¡¯s the preparation for your wedding?¡± Frances asked smilingly. ¡°Almost done. Granny, all you need to do is attend the wedding ceremony.¡± Caleb chuckled. The olddy nodded. ¡°I know Kate didn¡¯t have time to make wedding preparations with you. Please bear with her.¡± ¡°Granny, I don¡¯t mind it at all. I¡¯m so happy to have her.¡± Caleb was truly contented. It didn¡¯t matter even if their wedding were fake. ¡°Kate is truly blessed.¡± Frances grinned. Just then, the doorbell rang. When the housekeeper went to get the door, she eximed in shock, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari? Mrs. Macari?¡± Kathleen was startled too. Why are Old Mrs. Macari and Wynnie here? She quickly stood up to wee them into the house. Upon seeing them, Kathleen felt a tad guilty when she saw Diana. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Samuel had said that Diana wanted to meet her, but she didn¡¯t go. Diana wore a smile as she looked at Kathleen and walked over to her. ¡°Why won¡¯t you look me in the eye?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, I¡¯m sorry. I¡­¡± Kathleen muttered awkwardly. Diana took her hand in hers, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin anything. I understand your decision.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips in silence. Wynnie smiled as well. ¡°Kate, congrattions.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Macari,¡± Kathleen replied politely. When Frances and Caleb came over to the door, the former greeted, ¡°Hello, Diana.¡± Diana parted her lips and spoke. ¡°I know Kate is going to have her wedding today, so I came over. It¡¯s not suitable for our family to join the ceremony. That¡¯s why I came here.¡± It was true that Kathleen did not invite the Macari family to the wedding. Frances nodded in response. ¡°Fran, I have something to tell Kate in private. Do you mind?¡± Diana inquired in an amicable manner. ¡°If Kate thinks that it¡¯s okay, then I¡¯m fine with it,¡± Frances replied. Diana smiled, tugging at Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your room.¡± Kathleen nodded in response and brought Diana upstairs. When they reached her room, Kathleen invited the elder to sit down. Diana held her hand. ¡°Kate, tell me the truth. Why do you want to get married to Caleb?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, I like him,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°Why the rush then?¡± Diana questioned solemnly, ¡°Kate, tell me. Is it because you¡¯re sick of Samuel pestering you? Is that why you use this way to get rid of him?¡± Kathleen shook her head lightly, not saying a word. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m not against you marrying Caleb.¡± Diana paused before continuing somberly, ¡°But if you marry Caleb rashly because of Samuel, then you¡¯ll face problems in your marriage with Caleb in the future. I¡¯d feel terribly guilty.¡± Kathleen stated calmly, ¡°No, Old Mrs. Macari. I¡¯m marrying Caleb for other reasons.¡± Diana looked at her in silence, waiting for her to continue. ¡°I just want to forget the past.¡± Kathleen pressed her lips into a thin line. ¡°It¡¯splicated between Samuel and me, but I don¡¯t want to dwell on it anymore. I want to have a fresh start.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°I know. Samuel¡¯s forever indebted to you. It¡¯s his fault.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, I¡¯m sorry. I know you¡¯ve always wanted me to reconcile with Samuel.¡± Diana patted her hand. ¡°Silly girl, I do hope you give Samuel a chance, but I don¡¯t want you to force yourself. Make yourself a priority in life.¡± Pursing her lips, Kathleen lowered her head as her eyes reddened. Diana fished out a box from her bag. ¡°This is for you.¡± Kathleen recognized the box. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, that¡¯s the heirloom of the Macari family. I can¡¯t take that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an heirloom, so it needs to be passed down.¡± Diana took out the emerald bracelet and put it on Kathleen. ¡°You¡¯re not the wife of my grandson, but I¡¯ve always treated you like my granddaughter. I can pass it to you because you¡¯re a member of the family.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were red with tears. She hugged Diana and called out, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Diana wanted to burst out in tears too. ¡°Kate, I can¡¯t bear to see you go. You¡¯re such a good girl. Samuel isn¡¯t fortunate enough to have you.¡± Kathleen sniffled. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari.¡± Tears streamed down Diana¡¯s face. ¡°Ever since I took you in, I¡¯ve never once thought you¡¯re an outsider. I want you to grow up and find yourself a good man, but when I noticed you liked Samuel, I made the worst decision in my entire life. I thought I was helping you; I didn¡¯t expect that it¡¯d harm you.¡± When Kathleen heard those heartfelt words, her urge to cry intensified. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, I remember everything you¡¯ve done for me. Not just you, Mr. and Mrs. Macari also dote on me.¡± They all treated me as if I were a part of their family. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t ignore Samuel. But I know I can¡¯t drag it on anymore. I have to save my brother. The two hugged one another, weeping. Diana was truly reluctant to let her go. Knowing Diana¡¯s health condition, Kathleen consoled, ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, don¡¯t cry. Your body might not be able to take it.¡± Diana grabbed her hand tight. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t cry. Remember, Kate. No matter what happens in the future, you¡¯ll always be a part of the Macari family. You¡¯re my granddaughter. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded. As Diana caressed her face, tears rolled down her face again. Diana did not have a daughter, so when she saw that Kathleen was about to get married, she felt very emotional and sorrowful. After Kathleenforted Diana for a while, thetter finally stopped crying. They then went downstairs together and heard Frances and the others talking about the wedding. Wynnie was open-minded; she knew it was all her son¡¯s fault for hurting the woman he loved. As she was fond of Kathleen, she didn¡¯t mind whom Kathleen married. ¡°You¡¯re done talking with each other?¡± Frances turned toward Diana and Kathleen. Kathleen nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± Diana was ready to go. ¡°Kate, see them off,¡± Frances suggested. Kathleen nodded again. ¡°Okay.¡± She then sent Diana and Wynnie to the car outside. Holding Kathleen¡¯s hand, Wynnie stroked her hair dotingly. ¡°Kate, my son is not lucky enough. You¡¯ll get married tomorrow, so put on a big smile. Even though we can¡¯t attend tomorrow, we wish you the best.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Mrs. Macari, thank you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes began to water again. Wynnie embraced Kathleen for a while before getting into the car. As Kathleen watched them depart, Diana covered her face in the car and started to shed tears. Wynnie couldn¡¯t help but weep too. Kathleen was just like a daughter to her. Now that she was a bride-to-be, they could not even attend her wedding. They were simply heartbroken. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Chapter 304 All My Fault On the wedding day, Kathleen was d in a white wedding gown. Her makeup was light, but it looked delicate and mesmerizing. However, although she was all smiles, the smile didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. Frances entered the room and sized Kathleen up. ¡°You don¡¯t look happy at all.¡± Kathleen smiled faintly. ¡°Granny, I am happy.¡± Frances let out a sigh. ¡°Granny, Caleb is a great guy.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°After the wedding ceremony, I¡¯ll have to find Charles. He needs my help. I¡¯ve asked for Caleb¡¯s help, and he¡¯ll take care of you.¡± Frances was shocked. ¡°You are going to leave?¡± ¡°Yes. Granny, after Charles and I settle down, we¡¯ll bring you over.¡± Frances thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like this ce. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve done everything I could for the Yoeger family. What¡¯s left in that family is no longer my business.¡± Her energy and health were limited. Kathleen held her hand. ¡°Granny, I¡¯ll continue to investigate the Yoeger family¡¯s matter.¡± Frances nodded. Just then, someone knocked on the door. It was one of the staff members telling them it was time for the ceremony. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Frances grabbed Kathleen¡¯s hand. Thetter¡¯s hand was slightly cold. It was the second time she had worn a wedding dress, but this time, she didn¡¯t wear it for the person she loved the most. However, it was just a ceremony, so she did not mind. As Kathleen walked down the red carpet, everyone gasped in unison when they saw her gorgeous appearance. She was a natural beauty. After she wore the wedding dress, she looked even more elegant and noble. Standing at the other end of the aisle was Caleb. He was dressed in a white tuxedo, looking dashing. When he saw Kathleen, his dark eyes lit up with amazement. Dragging the long dress with her, Kathleen reached his side and whispered, ¡°Mr. Lewis, the gown you chose tires me out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared two sets for you. Do you want to change it?¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s such a waste of money.¡± Caleb smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re a fake couple,¡± she reminded in a low voice. Acting as though he didn¡¯t hear her, he held her hand and turned around to face the priest. The marriage officiant smiled. ¡°Mr. Caleb Lewis, do you take Ms. Kathleen Johnson to be yourwful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, until death do you part?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Caleb¡¯s lips curled into a smile. The priest turned toward Kathleen. ¡°Ms. Kathleen Johnson, do you take Mr. Caleb Lewis to be yourwful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, until death do you part?¡± Kathleen looked at the solemn priest. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°She does not.¡± Samuel¡¯s cold, deep voice rang from behind. The crowd gasped. Kathleen clenched her fists. Why is he here? Caleb sneered. As expected, Samuel¡¯s calmness was fake. He¡¯s been waiting for this moment. Samuel walked over in long, confident strides, his face handsome but frosty. He wore a ck tuxedo that fitted him perfectly. Under his fringe, a certain emotion was surging within his deep, cold eyes. Caleb took a step forward, blocking Samuel. ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t invite you, did I?¡± As Samuel stopped in his tracks, he shot a stern look at Kathleen, bringing chills down her spine. The way he looked at her was as though he wanted to swallow her alive. ¡°Kathleen, I know why you marry him.¡± Samuel¡¯s cold voice resonated through the hall. ¡°You don¡¯t love him.¡± ¡°Samuel, please get out of here!¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t wee you here.¡± Kathleen stared back at him. ¡°So what? It¡¯s fine as long as he loves me.¡± Samuel froze. ¡°Samuel, stop pestering me,¡± she continued with a pained expression. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m suffering because of you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given you Melting Ice Grass,¡± Samuel responded gruffly. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°You no longer have to be worried about being threatened by Blissful Sect. You can save your brother. What are you scared of now?¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°You know nothing!¡± Samuel pushed Caleb out of the way and grabbed her arm, speaking softly. ¡°Why would I not know? The Watson family wants me dead, and you want me to live. But listen to me, Kathleen. I won¡¯t die. If I need your sacrifice for me to be alive, I¡¯d rather die.¡± She froze. Why does he seem like he¡¯s known everything? ¡°Samuel, stop being so presumptuous.¡± Caleb strode over, trying to separate them. Samuel held onto Kathleen¡¯s wrist. ¡°Tyson!¡± With that, Tyson came into the hall with his other subordinates. Caleb¡¯s men wanted to fight back, but Samuel had more people on his side. Meanwhile, other people at the scene dared not to speak up even though they were infuriated by Samuel and his subordinates. ¡° Are you crazy?¡± Kathleen paled. The viciousness in Samuel¡¯s eyes was intense, but he gazed at her gently. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± She was so enraged that she trembled all over. ¡°Samuel, what do you want?¡± ¡°I want you not to marry him.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to sacrifice yourself for me.¡± She gritted her teeth. ¡°Caleb was right. You are presumptuous. I don¡¯t love you, and I¡¯m not sacrificing myself for you.¡± Samuel shed her a wry smile. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ¡°My grandfather killed Wyatt Watson¡¯s grandfather. One of them was a soldier, and one of them was an ouw. They were sworn enemies. Wyatt wants to avenge his grandfather¡¯s death, so he provokes me. He knows I care about you the most. He also uses that kind of method to force you. Did you think I know none of these?¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. How did he know about this? Seeing her widening her eyes in surprise, Samuel knew that his guess was right. ¡°You don¡¯t love me?¡± Samuel continued to fire questions at her. ¡°You hate me to the core? Why do you want to protect me secretly then?¡± She gnawed on her lip. ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so dishonest.¡± He grabbed her chin, a cold glint shing across his eyes. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t marry Caleb, I¡¯ll ask them to retreat now.¡± ¡°What if I insist on marrying him?¡± Kathleen asked furiously. ¡°Do you want to turn this wedding into a bloodbath? If you dare to do that, I¡¯ll never forgive you! Ever!¡± Samuel smiled gently with a hint of mncholy. ¡°Katie, how can the hate between us dissipate? Ever since you came back, I know you don¡¯t love me anymore. If it weren¡¯t for my family, you would have shunned me. Am I right?¡± Kathleen¡¯s breath hitched in her throat. He continued, ¡°When I was drugged by Yareli, you came back not because you loved me. It was because you felt that you were indebted to my family.¡± Complicated and twisted emotions filled his eyes. ¡°But it¡¯s the Macari family who is indebted to you. My family caused you to lose your parents, and I caused you to lose your babies. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Is He Dead Kathleen stared at him in silence. ¡°After that, I¡¯ve been thinking about how I could make you let go of the grudges, but I realized it¡¯s impossible.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Perhaps, it¡¯s only when I¡¯m gone that all the love and resentment will vanish.¡± Kathleen felt her heart skip a beat. What is he talking about? Samuel held her tightly with one hand. His voice was deep and hoarse as he said, ¡°I¡¯m so reluctant to leave, Kate¡­ I really couldn¡¯t bear to¡­¡± At that point, Kathleen noticed something amiss. She pushed Samuel away and saw a dagger on his abdomen. His hand was ced on the dagger, and blood was gushing out from the wound. He looked like he was in extreme pain. ¡°Samuel Macari!¡± Kathleen took a step forward. However, Samuel stepped back. Kathleen¡¯s face paled in an instant. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Samuel could hardly keep his bnce. Kneeling on one knee, he confessed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have no other way to make you forgive me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s vision became blurry. ¡°Kate¡­¡± Blood dripped out from the corner of Samuel¡¯s lips. ¡°If I die, forgive me. Please?¡± Kathleen bent down and cried, ¡°Samuel, why do you have to do this?¡± Is he trying to make me feel miserable on purpose? ¡°Tyson, leave those people alone. Send Mr. Macari to the hospital right now!¡± Kathleen yelled. Nheless, Tyson remained unmoving. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I¡¯m sorry. This is an order from Mr. Macari,¡± Tyson replied helplessly. Wiping her tears, Kathleen asked, ¡°Samuel, what about your grandma and the rest of them if you die?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ I have already prepared everything beforehand. After I die, thepany will run as usual.¡± Samuel raised his hand, which was stained with blood. His hand was icy. He gently stroked Kathleen¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about your future too. It doesn¡¯t matter if you get married to someone or if you choose to live freely on your own for the rest of your life. I¡¯ve considered everything for you. This is the only thing I can do for you.¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± Kathleen cried uncontrobly. Samuel fixed his gaze on her as he continued, ¡°As for Blissful Sect, I¡¯ve made some arrangements, and the n will be executed after I pass away. So you don¡¯t have to take the risk.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the hospital.¡± Kathleen wiped her tears. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s pointless for me to live. Kate, goodbye!¡± Samuel shook his head. Mmph! He pushed the dagger deeper into his abdomen and spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°No!¡± Kathleen held him. Samuel fell into her embrace and lost consciousness. Kathleen looked at how her dress turned from white to crimson red. It was all drenched in Samuel¡¯s blood. ¡°Tyson Hackney!¡± Kathleen growled, ¡°Come over right now before I kill you!¡± Upon hearing her order, Tyson walked over. ¡°Get the car ready!¡± Kathleen held Samuel in her arms. ¡°Send him to the hospital! Quick!¡± Caleb pushed away the people who tried to block his way and went over to help out. He certainly had not expected Samuel to go that far. Samuel¡¯s health isn¡¯t good, to begin with. And now, he even stabbed himself. I doubt if he could survive. At the hospital, Kathleen sat on the chair in front of the operating room. She was quivering terribly. Caleb took off his coat and draped it over Kathleen. Kathleen¡¯s face was as white as a sheet. ¡°He won¡¯t die, right?¡± She lifted her head, revealing her tear-streaked face. Caleb showed a troubled look. Just by looking at Kathleen¡¯s dress, one could tell Samuel had already lost a lot of blood when he was sent to the hospital. It was hard to tell if he could survive. At the same time, Diana, Calvin, and Wynnie arrived. They had already heard about the incident. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari.¡± Caleb looked at them grimly. ¡°How is Samuel?¡± Wynnie asked, utterly worried. Caleb pursed his lips. Just then, the operating room indicator light went off, and the doctor stepped out of the room. Everyone immediately swarmed forward and surrounded the doctor. ¡°Doctor, how is my son?¡± Wynnie asked anxiously. The doctor looked resigned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯ve done our best.¡± ¡°What?¡± Diana passed out right away. ¡°Mom!¡± Calvin supported her. Wynnie¡¯s legs weakened, and she slumped into the chair. Kathleen stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. Samuel is dead? This is impossible! Why would he die? No! I don¡¯t believe this! She stood up and dashed into the operating room. The next scene that came into her sight was Samuel lying motionlessly on the operating table. His charming face looked exceptionally peaceful. She walked over and ced her hand on Samuel¡¯s face. Tears welled up in her eyes. I can still feel the warmth on his face. How could he be dead? ¡°Samuel¡­¡± Holding his face, Kathleen uttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to die. I mean it¡­¡± She had only wished to see Samuel living well. At that moment, looking at his face, Kathleen felt she did not resent him as much as before. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you just leave everything in the past?¡± Kathleen choked up, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to stay alive and live happily?¡± He was dead, and he died right before her eyes. She leaned against the operating table and started bawling. ¡°Hey, why are you crying?¡± A hoarse and senile voice sounded next to her. Kathleen looked up and stared at him. The voice came from an elderly who was almost in his seventies. His gray hair was tied into a ponytail, and he wore a pair of sses with ck, round frames. ¡°Who are you? How did you get in here?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. The old man took a scalpel and walked toward Samuel. ¡°Stay right there! What are you trying to do?¡± The crease between her brows deepened. ¡°I¡¯m going to remove the male lovebug close to his heart. He promised me that,¡± the old man exined. ¡°He promised you?¡± Kathleen was baffled. ¡°Yes. In exchange for Melting Ice Grass.¡± The old man shed a smirk. ¡°We even have the written pledge.¡± As the old man spoke, he took out a piece of paper and waved it in front of Kathleen. Kathleen instantly grabbed the paper and studied it attentively. ¡°You were the one who gave him Melting Ice Grass. Where did you get it from?¡± ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± The old man pushed her away. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way, as I¡¯m going to take the male lovebug out. The bug will die too when he is completely dead.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Completely?¡± Kathleen grabbed the old man¡¯s scrawny hand and questioned, ¡°Is he not dead yet?¡± The old man replied calmly, ¡°The male lovebug is still in his body, so he has yet to take hisst breath.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take it out then!¡± Kathleen fumed. ¡°It¡¯s pointless. He has lost a lot of blood, so it¡¯s impossible to save him.¡± The old man waved his hand. ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t let youy your hands on him.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze turned frosty. Narrowing his eyes, the old man sized Kathleen up. ¡°Hey, it isn¡¯t right for you to do this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just watch him die.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were red. The old man hesitated for a brief moment. ¡°I do have a way to keep him alive, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Kathleen took a step forward. ¡°Tell me!¡± The old man shed her an unfathomable smile. ¡°I need you.¡± A sense of coldness filled Kathleen¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°Okay. As long as you can save him.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask what I will make you do?¡± the old man asked, his eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as long as he can stay alive.¡± Kathleen looked helpless. ¡°I¡¯m part of why he ended up in this state.¡± Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Bonded By Blood Wearing a half-smile, the old man looked at her. ¡°Let¡¯s begin then!¡± Kathleen stared at Samuel¡¯s pale face and nodded. Calvin was the first to regain his consciousness. He did not remember what had just happened and how he had fainted unknowingly. Then, he sat up and looked at Diana and the others. All of them had yet to regain their consciousness. What¡¯s going on? Right! Samuel! Calvin stumbled his way into the operating room. To his surprise, Samuel was still breathing. ¡°Doctor!¡± Calvin darted out of the room. The doctor immediately made his way back upon hearing Calvin. ¡°My son is still alive!¡± Calvin could hardly contain how thrilled he felt. After taking a look, the doctor was shocked to witness that too. He immediately called the other doctors and nurses at once and started rescuing Samuel. At the same time, Diana, Wynnie, and Caleb had woken up. ¡°Mom, Samuel is still alive!¡± Calvin¡¯s eyes were filled to the brim with tears. ¡°What? He¡¯s still alive?¡± Diana was dumbfounded. Calvin responded with a nod. Wynnie was delighted too. ¡°That¡¯s great! Thank God!¡± Caleb rose to his feet and looked around. ¡°Where is Kathleen?¡± Everyone was stunned. That¡¯s right¡­ Where is Kathleen? ¡°She went in to see Samuel just now, but I didn¡¯t see her when I went in the room.¡± Calvin furrowed his brows, baffled. ¡°All of us passed out just now. Something must have happened to Kathleen.¡± Caleb¡¯s gaze darkened. Diana tugged at Calvin and ordered, ¡°Quick! Go and search around!¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get someone to look for her now.¡± Calvin took out his phone. Caleb stated indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll check the surveince footage!¡± The next instant, he turned around and left. He went to the security room to check the surveince footage, only to find that all the footage was gone. D*mn it! Someone must¡¯ve done this on purpose! Kathleen, you¡¯d better be all right! Please! Meanwhile, in Moranta, Charles was recuperating in the vi where he stayed alone. Not long ago, he had carried out a mission for Raymond and had been injured. Besides, the effect of the poison in his body was kicking in, so he had no choice but to take a break. The people from Blissful Sect knew nothing about this vi. Hence, he could stay there without worries. However, someone came to look for him that day. Charles stared at the old man in front of him. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought someone to meet you.¡± The old man opened the car door. Charles took a step forward and stared wide-eyed at the person before him. ¡°Kate!¡± The old man curled his lips into a meaningful grin. ¡°She put the male lovebug into her own body to save Samuel.¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Charles was startled. ¡°The male lovebug will not cause any danger if it is in a male¡¯s body. But she inserted it into her body, and that¡¯s why she has fallen unconscious,¡± the old man said nonchntly. Charles grabbed the old man¡¯s cor and questioned furiously, ¡°Were you the one who caused her to be in this state?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, and I only suggested it to her, but she did it on her own ord.¡± The old man shrugged. ¡°The male lovebug needs to hibernate in her body, so she will be in a deep sleep for some time.¡± Charles shot the old man a cold stare. Despite that, the old man showed no trace of fear. ¡°By the way, she¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Charles could not believe his ears. ¡°I rarely make mistakes in checking pulses.¡± A sinister smile crept over the old man¡¯s face. ¡°You can always look for me if you need help. I can ensure that she gives birth smoothly.¡± The old man shoved a card with his name written on it to Charles. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand here. Carry her in,¡± the old man instructed inly. Staring at Kathleen¡¯s pale face, Charles reached out to carry her in. I¡¯ve only left for a while, but she has already lost so much weight. ¡°Let me remind you not to tell anyone that Kathleen is back to your side. I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s going after the male lovebug in her. If you don¡¯t wish to put her life in danger, then you will have to keep her trail from everyone,¡± the old man warned while standing behind Charles. ¡°Who else?¡± Charles asked, his brows knitted. ¡°Lauren,¡± the old man revealed implicitly. It¡¯s her? Charles held Kathleen tightly. He felt his heart wrenching as he stared at Kathleen¡¯s sickly face. The old man had already left when Charles snapped back to his senses. Charles carefully ced Kathleen on the bed and covered her with a nket. He caressed Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll protect you! And I¡¯ll never let you get hurt! As for the grudges involving the older generation, I¡¯ll never let them have a chance to affect you.¡± Nine monthster, the old man stared at the two infants. He told Charles, ¡°It won¡¯t bring you any benefits to keep these two babies here.¡± Charles replied tly, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t have any ill intentions toward them.¡± Wearing an unreadable grin, the old man continued, ¡°I mean you should send them back to the Macari residence. At least, their safety can be ensured if they¡¯re with the Macari family.¡± As though mulling over the old man¡¯s suggestion, Charles bit his lip. The old man added, ¡°If you send the babies to them personally and tell the Macari family that Kathleen has passed away, I guess the people out there will give up looking for her.¡± Charles seemed hesitant. ¡°Do you think the Watson family will let them off if they know they¡¯re Samuel¡¯s kids?¡± the old man reminded in a low voice. ¡°Who exactly are you? You don¡¯t seem like a nice guy to me, yet it seems like you¡¯re helping us,¡± Charles asked, puzzled. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m only doing this for the male lovebug.¡± The old man put on a creepy smile. After giving the old man¡¯s suggestion a second thought, Charles replied, ¡°Okay. I ept your suggestion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You can¡¯t keep these two babies safe in Blissful Sect.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. After a momentary pause, the old man added implicitly, ¡°Wyatt and Wilbur want to marry Kathleen, and if the babies are around, they wille after her for sure.¡± Charles stared at Kathleen¡¯s face and asked, ¡°When will she be awake?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. Go ahead and sort this matter out first.¡± The old man shrugged. Charles nodded in response. That was the only option he had at that point, after all. Two dayster, Charles rushed back to Jadeborough and arrived at the Macari residence. Diana and the others were shocked to see him, especially when they saw the two babies in his arms. ¡°Charles, this¡­¡± Diana furrowed her brows. ¡°Where is Samuel?¡± came Charles¡¯ question. Diana and the others exchanged nces. Wynnie then revealed, ¡°Samuel is still unconscious.¡± Even Samuel¡­ Charles stated, ¡°They¡¯re Samuel¡¯s kids. I can¡¯t take care of them on my own, so I can only send them to you.¡± Wynnie was dumbstruck. ¡°You¡¯ve found her! Is she doing well?¡± ¡°She passed away due to excessive blood loss during childbirth.¡± Charles¡¯ voice was hoarse. ¡°What?¡± Wynnie was startled. ¡°So both of them are Kate and Samuel¡¯s babies? Diana asked in shock. ¡°Yes.¡± Charles gave a slight nod. ¡°Oh, dear! Kate!¡± Tears streamed down Diana¡¯s face. ¡°They¡¯re twins. The elder one, Eil, is a boy. The younger one is a girl, and her nickname is Desi. As for their full names, you can name them.¡± Charles looked depressed. Wynnie called the housekeeper over, and each of them carried one baby respectively. Wynnie¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°Charles, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I hope you can take good care of them.¡± Charles¡¯ deep voice sounded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will.¡± Wynnie nodded. The twins were bonded to the Macari family by blood, after all. Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Is She All Right ¡°We should inform Samuel of Kathleen¡¯s death. Or else, I don¡¯t think he could move on from her.¡± Charles heaved a heavy sigh. Wynnie and Diana exchanged looks. Subsequently, Wynnie frowned and asked, ¡°Charles, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t let the children suffer.¡± Charles looked at the babies in their arms and continued, ¡°I¡¯lle to visit them often.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Charles. If Samuel remarries again, Wynnie and I will raise them up ourselves. We won¡¯t let any stranger go near them,¡± said Diana with a grim tone. Charles nodded and hummed in response. With that, he spun around and left. There was nothing else he could do at that moment. With her eyes slightly reddened, Wynnie murmured, ¡°Mom¡­¡± Diana wiped her tears and voiced, ¡°Why did things end up like this?¡± Gazing down at the quiet baby in her embrace, Wynnie said, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s take them and show them to Samuel. Perhaps he will wake up if he knows that he has children.¡± Diana nodded slowly. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± Soonter, they carried the babies upstairs and entered the room. Samuel could be seen lying in bed. He lost so much weight that his cheeks were sunken. Nheless, his cheekbones and features remained prominent. At that time, he was wearing his ck silk pajamas. His skinny figure made his corbone exceptionally obvious. Wynnie put the two babies beside him and said, ¡°Samuel, Kate gave birth to your babies. Wake up and see for yourself. They¡¯re adorable. The baby girl resembles Kate, and the baby boy looks exactly like you.¡± Not a single reaction came from Samuel, nheless. His breathing remained the same. Wynnie held his hand and ced it on Desi¡¯s little palm. ¡°Can you feel it, Samuel? It¡¯s Desi¡¯s hand. It feels soft and small, isn¡¯t it? Desi and Eil are still young, but they have lost their mother. What should they do if they don¡¯t have a father?¡± At that time, Desi had woken up. She did not cry and stared at Wynnie with her eyes wide open. As she took a nce at Desi, Wynnie thought of Kathleen. Following that, tears began to stream from her eyes immediately. Diana then patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. We have to stay strong for Desi and Eil.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie nodded in response. Diana let out a sigh and mumbled, ¡°Hopefully, these children could give Samuel the will to live. I wish that he could wake up soon.¡± Meanwhile, Charles rushed back to the vi after knowing that Wyatt had gone there to look for him. He was worried that someone would find out that Kathleen was in the vi. Hence, he was determined to stop Wyatt. As soon as Charles arrived at the vi, he saw Wyatting down from the second floor. ¡°Wyatt, how dare you barge into my house without permission?¡± His expression darkened, and a menacing gleam shed across his eyes. Beforeing here, Charles already had a n in his mind. If worse came to worst, I would finish off Wyatt here. I won¡¯t let him find out Kathleen¡¯s whereabouts no matter what. A bright smile crept over Wyatt¡¯s face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored living here for almost one year alone?¡± Alone? I guess he didn¡¯t find out anything about Kathleen¡­ ¡°How I spend my life is none of your business. I¡¯m not interested in the fight between you and your brother too. Hence, stop bothering me with your problem,¡± Charles remarked aloofly. ¡°That¡¯s not very nice of you to say that.¡± Later, Wyatt approached him and continued, ¡°With your support, I can secure my position in Blissful Sect. Unfortunately, it seems like my brother is making a more favorable impression. I need your help.¡± ¡°Just because you have the Snow Grass? I don¡¯t need that at all.¡± With that said, Charles gave out a snort. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t need it?¡± Wyatt narrowed his eyes at him and asked, ¡°Do you wish to die?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Charles remained forbidding. Wyatt shot him with a skeptical look. However, he did not have any evidence to prove it. ¡°I heard that Kathleen is back.¡± Wyatt fixed his eyes on him. ¡°No, she isn¡¯t,¡± Charles responded coldly . ¡°Really? Where did she go? It¡¯s been some time since Ist saw her. How could she not contact you? You¡¯re her brother, after all,¡± Wyatt said, feeling annoyed. ¡°I hope that she doesn¡¯t appear, though. Or else, she would be targeted by you guys, like a pack of hungry wolves coveting a sheep,¡± mocked Charles. Wyatt let out a chuckled and voiced, ¡°Let me know when she returns. I still remember our three-year deal.¡± Charles wore an indifferent expression on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. Hence, it¡¯s void to me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need it?¡± Wyatt shot him a re. Not wanting to respond, Charles merely said, ¡°You may leave now.¡± Then, Wyatt huffed in displeasure and walked away. After he left, Charles dashed upstairs and went to the room directly, only to see Kathleen no longer on the bed. The room was exceptionally clean as if Kathleen had not lived there at all. No wonder Wyatt didn¡¯t notice anything when he was here. Where is Kathleen? Did that old man take her away? Instantly, Charles tried calling him, but the number was not reachable. How could this be? It was at that moment he finally realized something. That old man purposely diverted my attention! His target was Kathleen! D*mn it! With that thought crossed his mind, he swiftly checked on the surveince cameras, only to find out that all of the footage had been removed. Seeing that, Charles could feel his limbs turn cold almost immediately. Kathleen! I hope she¡¯s all right! Why am I so careless? Charles¡¯s gaze darkened. I swear I¡¯ll find Kathleen! She has suffered too much! I must ensure that she won¡¯t end up in others¡¯ hands! Time flew, and it was soon five yearster. Samuel entered the hospital, holding an adorable little girl in his arms. Desi wrapped her arms around his neck and said coquettishly, ¡°Daddy, why are we here in the hospital?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sick. We have to come here to see the doctor.¡± Samuel carried her firmly. I¡¯m not sick. Besides, the female doctor here always brushes me off when she checks on me. Instead, she only focuses on you,¡± Desi muttered pitifully. ¡°It¡¯s just a normal checkup. Furthermore, I¡¯ve requested to change the doctor for you,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°Is he handsome?¡± Desi beamed. ¡°Yes,¡± answered Samuel dotingly. With that, Desi said gleefully, ¡°I like handsome guys. However, it¡¯s undeniable that you¡¯re the most handsome man on earth, Daddy!¡± Samuel smiled slightly and replied, ¡°You sure know how to tter people.¡± Just then, they arrived at the doctor¡¯s office and spotted ady with her back facing them. She was wearing a burgundy shirt and a pair of ck pants. Besides, she had a slender figure and waist-length hair. As he fixed his eyes on her, Samuel felt a stab in his heart. He thought that her back seemed a little familiar. ¡°You¡­¡± His voice was hoarse. Hearing his raspy voice, thedy turned around. She looked ordinary. However, she had a pair of bright eyes. ¡°Are you Mr. Macari?¡± thedy asked casually. Seeing her face, Samuel suddenly felt relieved. I¡¯ve mistaken her for another person. ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯m here for the new doctor, Dr. Zabinski.¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s me. My name is Gizem,¡± thedy voiced. ¡°Huh? I thought you¡¯re a guy.¡± In response to her words, Samuel frowned in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve never mentioned that I¡¯m a guy. Could you put her down, please? I need to do a checkup on her,¡± Gizem said tly. ¡°I need to confirm your identity before that,¡± suggested Samuel. Gizem did not refuse and nodded at him instead. ¡°Sure.¡± Afterward, Samuel grabbed his phone to call Richard. ¡°Hello, Richard? What¡¯s going on? My appointment is with a male doctor, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Chapter 308 He Is My Fianc¨¦ Richard said awkwardly, "I¡¯m sorry.It was my mistake." "You¡­" The look in Samuel¡¯s eyes was cold. "Actually, you can¡¯t me me for this.It¡¯s the system that made a mistake," exined Richard helplessly. "But you don¡¯t have to worry about her capability. She¡¯s a doctor who graduated from Arvard College of Medicine, so she¡¯s an expert." Samuel remained silent while wearing a cial expression. Desi disliked female doctors, so he was nning to look for a male doctor who excelled in the relevant field. However, he didn¡¯t expect them to make a mistake.Gizem nced indifferently at the man. "Mr.Macari, are you done with the confirmation? May I please examine Ms.Macari¡¯s body now?" Samuel, who had always respected his daughter¡¯s decision, turned to question her, "Desi, what do you think?" Desi sized Gizem up and concluded that although the woman before her was not exceptionally pretty, she gave off a dashing aura that made people want to befriend her. Thus, she nodded reluctantly. "Okay then." As long as she¡¯s not here to snatch Daddy away will do.I have to keep an eye on Daddy for Mommy¡¯s sake. Samuel ced Desi on the bed, and Gizem put on her stethoscope to examine the little girl¡¯s body. When her hand touched Desi¡¯s tummy, thetter was momentarily stunned. "Ms.Zabinski, your hand feels warm." Gizem¡¯s raven eyes were clear as she looked at the girl. "Thank you." Desi gazed at Gizem quietly and noticed that thetter seemed different from other women. Unlike other women, Gizem didn¡¯t even steal a nce at Samuel. After examining Desi¡¯s condition, Gizem helped the girl put on her small coat. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "How is my daughter?" asked Samuel aloofly. Gizem¡¯s tone was calm as she elucidated, "I¡¯ve looked over her previous medical records.Ms.Macari¡¯s heart condition is currently fine.As long as her condition remains unchanged, she¡¯d be able to undergo a heart transnt surgery when she¡¯s eighteen years old." "You should know your duty, yes?" he uttered solemnly. "Of course.My duty is to ensure Ms.Macari reaches the age of eighteen safely and soundly." The woman¡¯s demeanor remained cid. "Good." Samuel needed to find a reliable doctor, as the doctor was responsible for looking after Desi in the long term.She said tly, "Rest assured, Mr.Macari.I know what I should do." Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation on her palm and looked sideways to meet Desi¡¯s eyes. "Is everything okay?" "Ms.Zabinski, your eyes are so pretty." Desi stared intently at Gizem¡¯s eyes.Her eyes are as pretty as Mommy¡¯s. Gizem was slightly surprised. "Thank you for yourpliment, but I¡¯m just an ordinary person." As soon as she finished her sentence, a woman barged in. "Samuel, I heard that you¡¯d be bringing Desi here to see a doctor, so I went to the house to see if you¡¯re there.I didn¡¯t expect you guys to be here already." Samuel replied emotionlessly, "What does that have to do with you?" As Yareli heard his words, she felt aggrieved.She nced at Gizem and asked, "Who is this?" Gizem¡¯s gleaming jet-ck eyes made Yareli inexplicably ufortable. Samuel ignored her while carrying Desi in his arms. "All right.Let¡¯s go home." "Daddy, can we please go home after getting some breakfast? I¡¯m hungry." The girl pouted. She didn¡¯t have breakfast because her stomach needed to be empty for the checkup. "Okay." The way Samuel looked at his daughter was exceptionally gentle. "I want some fried chicken." Desi blinked her adorable puppy eyes.Samuel looked at Gizem, who immediately understood his meaning and said, "Ms.Macari, you can¡¯t have fried foods.It¡¯s not good for your heart." "Then, what else can I eat?" Desi, who was a foodie, was disappointed to hear that she couldn¡¯t eat what she wanted. Gizem was a little helpless as well. Just then, the little girl sniffed andmented, "Something smells so good." "It¡¯s probably my perfume." Yareli smiled. Desi nced at her with disdain. "Your perfume smells bad.It¡¯s not from you." Yareli was at a loss for words. "Daddy, put me down." The girl wriggled her legs. Samuel put her down as told. "What do you want to do?" Desi darted toward Gizem¡¯s side and sniffed the air before walking behind thetter.She stopped in front of a bag. "Yes, this is the smell!" Gizem exined in a faint voice, "That¡¯s my lunch." Desi looked at the woman piteously while Samuel said with a sigh, "Desi, that¡¯s Dr.Zabinski¡¯s lunch.You can¡¯t have it." The adorable girl continued looking at Gizem pleadingly. In the end, Gizem couldn¡¯t resist those puppy eyes.She bent down, took her lunchbox out, and opened it. "It¡¯s meatballs!" Desi¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. "You can have it." Gizem¡¯s rosy lips curled into a faint smile. "But what would you have for lunch, then?" The girl furrowed her brows in concern. "I can go and get something else." Desi pondered for a while and asked, "Daddy, can we treat Ms.Zabinski to lunch? I¡¯ll eat her meatballs, and you will treat her to lunch." Samuel frowned.Doesn¡¯t she dislike it when women approach me? Oh, well. As long as she¡¯s happy will do. "Mm." He nodded. "No way!" For some reason, Yareli was quite agitated. Although the female doctor wasn¡¯t considered attractive, she could sense an immense threat from the woman. All these years, had it not been for the female lovebug in her body, Samuel would¡¯ve killed her already. However, in order to live a few more years so he could look after his children, he allowed her to live. Yareli had never given up hope. All this while, she had been fantasizing that one day, Samuel might fall in love with her. When the time came, she would finally be able to marry him. Therefore, she went out of her way to drive every single woman away from Samuel. Fortunately, Desi shared the same thought with her, though the little girl only did it for Kathleen¡¯s sake. Nheless, Kathleen was already dead. A deceased person did not deserve to have a ce in Samuel¡¯s heart. Yareli was confident that Samuel would want to stay alive even after the kids grew up. After all, no one would want to die. By then, in order to stay alive, he would definitely marry her. The woman standing before Yareli had a perfect body figure. Though she wasn¡¯t extremely good-looking, she gave Yareli a strong sense of insecurity and threat. There was no way Yareli would let someone like that woman stay by Samuel¡¯s side. Gizem said expressionlessly, "I don¡¯t have time either.I have a few more appointments with other patients after this." Yareli sneered when she heard that. "If so, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for me to have your lunch." Desi felt troubled. "It¡¯s okay.You can have it if you¡¯re hungry." Gizem closed the lunchbox lid and handed it to the little girl. "All right.I¡¯ll bring something yummy for you the next time we meet." Desi held the lunchbox with both hands. "Deal." Gizem nodded. With the lunchbox in her hands, Desi walked over to her father. "We can go now, Daddy." Samuel stole a nce at Gizem before picking the girl up to leave. Yareli, however, didn¡¯t leave. Instead, she scowled at Gizem with a frosty glint in her eyes. "I¡¯m warning you¡ªstay away from Samuel! He¡¯s my fianc¨¦!" Gizem put on her white coat and uttered, "I¡¯ll take you to see a neurologist if you won¡¯t leave." Yareli froze when she heard the woman¡¯s calm words. "Are you leaving or not?" Gizem added coldly. "Hmph!" Yareli snorted and turned to leave. "What a crazy woman," remarked Gizem. As she put on her white coat and waited for her next patient, her phone rang. She answered the call. "Master." "Have you met Samuel Macari?" asked an old man on the other end of the line. "Yes. His daughter¡¯s condition is stable." Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Chapter 309 I Miss Mommy ¡°Do you think she¡¯d be able to live until the age of eighteen, then?¡± questioned the old man. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that. After all, she¡¯s barely five years old now. There would be a lot of unexpected issues in the future.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Then, we should just do our best and leave the rest to fate. Samuel paid us enough money anyway.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Gizem nodded, well aware that her master was someone who valued profit. ¡°Remember, do not have any unnecessary thoughts about Samuel. We¡¯re only trying to earn money from him,¡± he reminded. ¡°I understand,¡± she answered. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll let you go back to whatever you were doing.¡± The old man smiled and hung up. Gizem put the phone down. She recalled Desi. For some unknown reason, the girl gave her a familiar and amicable feeling. Meanwhile, Samuel carried Desi into the car and went home. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. On their way home, she tasted one of the meatballs and narrowed her ck grape-like eyes in pleasure. ¡°Wow! This tastes amazing! It tastes like Mommy¡¯s cooking!¡± she eximed. A hint of distress shed past Samuel¡¯s eyes when he heard what his daughter said. Desicked motherly love ever since she was young, and Samuel knew it was all his fault. Had he known Kathleen was pregnant back then, he wouldn¡¯t have done what he did. ¡°Daddy, try some,¡± Desi said excitedly. ¡°You can have it. If you like it so much, I¡¯ll tell Dr. Zabinski to make you some next time,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°Daddy, she¡¯s a doctor, not a maid.¡± The girl was speechless at her father¡¯s words. Daddy is too bossy! ¡°Anything for you, my baby girl.¡± He looked at her affectionately. Desi beamed. ¡°But I don¡¯t want Ms. Zabinski to hate me.¡± Samuel merely ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair wordlessly. He sent the girl to the Macari residence. Usually, when he went to the office, he would leave the two kids at the Macari residence under his grandmother¡¯s care. Diana doted on the two children and would fulfill their every request. As the big brother, Eil was quite obedient and well-behaved. He was calm and collected by nature and seldom got into trouble. Desi, however, was only a docile sweetheart when her big brother was around. Without him, she would transform into a domineering and bossy little princess. Desi got out of the car with the lunchbox in her hands. Diana saw the lunchbox and asked curiously, ¡°Where¡¯d you get that from?¡± ¡°The nice doctor gave it to me. I want Eil to have a taste too. It tastes like Mommy¡¯s cooking!¡± the girl said joyfully. While Diana remained silent, Samuel approached and said, ¡°I found Desi a new doctor. Desi seems to like her very much.¡± ¡°Have you investigated her? Is she reliable?¡± questioned Diana seriously. ¡°Mm. Richard introduced her to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Diana nodded. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll be off to work now.¡± Samuel turned to leave. Diana looked at her grandson¡¯s thin and slender back view before letting out a faint sigh. Fortunately, he still had two kids as his pir of support. Otherwise, Diana was sure that he would follow in Kathleen¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Eil! Look what I¡¯ve brought you!¡± Desi hopped her way upstairs, wiggling her tiny body in excitement. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Eil, who had charming facial features that resembled his father. His personality was just as calm and collected as Samuel¡¯s too. Desi went over to him. ¡°Tasty meatballs!¡± ¡°Did you go to the hospital or the restaurant?¡± He furrowed his brows. She picked a meatball up with a fork and ordered, ¡°Stop asking. Open your mouth.¡± The boy opened his mouth obediently,pliant to anything his baby sister said. After all, his sister had poor health, so he would do whatever floated her boat. Desi stuffed the meatball into Eil¡¯s mouth. Thetter munched on it and knitted his brows slightly. ¡°It tastes like Mommy¡¯s cooking, doesn¡¯t it?¡± asked Desi, filled with anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s just a meatball that tastes slightly better than average.¡± Eil was not impressed. Desi was disappointed as she insisted, ¡°It clearly tastes like Mommy¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never even tried Mommy¡¯s cooking before. How can you be sure?¡± The boy looked at his sister speechlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t care! It¡¯s Mommy¡¯s cooking!¡± The little girl was determined as she pouted, looking like she was about to burst into tears. ¡°Okay, okay. It¡¯s Mommy¡¯s cooking.¡± Eil could only agree with her just to cheer her up. ¡°I miss Mommy.¡± Desi put the lunchbox down and cowered aside, tears welling in her eyes. Eil panicked. ¡°Desi, it¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Eil, I miss Mommy.¡± She sobbed pitifully. The boy didn¡¯t know what to do either. He missed his mother too, but he also knew it was impossible that his mother was still alive. Their uncle told them their mother had passed away due to dystocia when giving birth to them. Eil hugged Desi and consoled her, ¡°Desi, be a good girl and stop crying. Mommy will be watching over us in heaven. We must be happy so that she won¡¯t worry about us, okay?¡± The little girl continued weeping. ¡°But I want Mommy¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Why don¡¯t we investigate the person who made these meatballs?¡± She stopped crying almost immediately. ¡°So you think Mommy¡¯s alive too, right?¡± The boy fell silent. Desi was the only person in the household who firmly believed Kathleen was still alive. ¡°Then, tell me, who gave you these meatballs?¡± asked Eil. ¡°It¡¯s the new doctor. Her name is Gizem Zabinski.¡± ¡°Oh. How do you spell her name?¡± Eil took hisptop out. She spelled the name for her brother and exined, ¡°I asked Daddy, and he told me it¡¯s spelled this way.¡± The boy nodded and looked it up on the inte. After he typed the keywords in the search bar, results popped out instantly. He looked at Gizem¡¯s photo and frowned. ¡°She looks in.¡± Desi lifted her chin and said, ¡°You¡¯d know after meeting her. She¡¯s not as aloof as she looks in the pictures. Her hands are warm, and her voice is melodious.¡± He heaved a sigh. ¡°You only fantasized all that because you want a mommy too badly, right?¡± ¡°Fantasize? No, I think she is our mommy!¡± Desi was confident about her assumption. ¡°Why do you say so?¡± She grabbed her brother¡¯s arm. ¡°Because she smells like Mommy! Don¡¯t you believe me, Eil? We¡¯re twins. Aren¡¯t we connected telepathically?¡± Eil held his forehead. ¡°Yes, we are.¡± ¡°Then, investigate her! Find out where she¡¯s from!¡± Desi pleaded, narrowing her eyes. Left without a choice, Eil could only do as he was told. He found some information about Gizem, which looked too perfect to be true. It turned out that she was a top student of Arvard College of Medicine who graduated with a doctoral degree. She was also a promising young doctor who had won various awards and owned many patents. Furthermore, she grew up overseas, and there was detailed information about where she studied during every educational stage as well as who her teachers and friends were. All those were listed down in detail on the inte. There weren¡¯t any issues nor discrepancies. Eil spoke solemnly. ¡°Desi, something might be wrong with this woman.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Desi didn¡¯t understand what her brother meant. He exined, ¡°Her information is too detailed. Even the names and addresses of the people she knows are avable. It¡¯s clearly luring the people who suspect her identity into investigating her.¡± The young girl was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean? Why are they trying to lure us into investigating her?¡± Eil sighed. ¡°I envy your naivety sometimes.¡± She pouted. ¡°Are you looking down on me?¡± ¡°No. Desi, I don¡¯t think you should get too close to that woman. Have you forgotten what Uncle Charles said? He told us we can¡¯t get ourselves into danger and cause Daddy trouble.¡± Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Do You Know Who We Are A deep frown appeared on Desi¡¯s chubby face. Eil caressed her head. ¡°I know you miss Mommy, and I do too, but we have to be good kids, okay?¡± She nodded obediently. He smiled faintly at his younger sister. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Go ahead and y on your own, then.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to y with me?¡± Desi blinked. As he thought of Desi¡¯s toys, which were too childish for him, Eil replied, ¡°Next time, maybe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and y with Snowy, then.¡± At the mention of the word ¡°y,¡± Desi stopped dwelling on her mother. The little boy watched as his sister hurried down the stairs and smiled to himself. She¡¯s truly such a child. He had forgotten about the fact that he himself was a child too. Then, he turned to look at Gizem¡¯s information that was disyed on hisptop screen and felt that the woman was quite suspicious. As the doctor was responsible for treating his sister, he thought it was necessary to inform Samuel about it. When Yareli returned to the Yoeger residence, she sneakily gave Vanessa a call. ¡°Mom, a woman named Gizem Zabinski abruptly popped up. I think she¡¯s interested in Samuel,¡± said Yareli, worried. Vanessa furrowed her brows. ¡°Don¡¯t be paranoid. You have the female lovebug in your body now. Samuel won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± ¡°But Mom, didn¡¯t Lauren say that as long as I have the female lovebug, Samuel would definitely fall in love with me? It¡¯s been five years now! Why hasn¡¯t he fallen in love with me yet?¡± Yareli was beyond anxious. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Lauren too. She said it¡¯s probably because the male lovebug is hibernating after Samuel suffered from excessive blood lossst time. Just be patient and wait, okay?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer. Mom, please help me think of a way,¡± Yareli pleaded out of frustration. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll ask Lauren to go and give Samuel a checkup.¡± Vanessa heaved a sigh. ¡°Okay.¡± Yareli nodded. ¡°Remember, Samuel hasn¡¯t met Lauren before, so you must not let him know anything. Otherwise, all our efforts will go down the drain,¡± reminded Vanessa. ¡°Mm. I know.¡± Yareli ended the call. After taking a deep breath, she was still unable to rx. She was thinking about investigating Gizem¡¯s identity. I also have to do something about those two little b*stards by Samuel¡¯s side. They won¡¯t stop opposing me, and it¡¯s annoying. If I don¡¯te up with a way to deal with them, things will be difficult for me after I get married to Samuel. If worsees to worst, I¡¯d just have to kill them and end everything. Samuel won¡¯t do anything to me, anyway. I refuse to believe that he would want to die. On the other side, Gizem prepared to return home after seeing herst patient. Right then, the door of her office was pushed open by someone. A golden-haired man came walking in with arge bouquet of red roses. ¡°Babe.¡± A charming smile spread across the man¡¯s face. ¡°Levi, why are you here?¡± Gizem was taken aback. The man, Levi, remained smiling. ¡°My father handed the business in Chanaea over to me. There¡¯s an important banquet tonight. May I have the pleasure of inviting you, my partner, toe along with me?¡± Gizem epted the bouquet. ¡°I¡¯m not your partner; my master is.¡± ¡°The old man handed over all the business in Chanaea to you, so technically, you are my partner. I need to meet another business partner at the banquetter, so please help me.¡± ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go.¡± Gizem picked up her luxury handbag, which was ced on the side. Levi was overjoyed when she agreed. They stepped out of the hospital together, and the man said, ¡°Let me bring you to pick a gown first.¡± She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He brought her to a haute couture dress store. As soon as they entered, he shed his ck card to the staff members, who expressed obvious enthusiasm upon seeing that he was a VVIP. Gizem uttered indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be a VIP of this store. Looks like you often buy dresses for women, huh?¡± Leviughed. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± She was speechless. ¡°No. Why do you say so? I¡¯m merely teasing you.¡± He put on an unfathomable smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you like me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my type.¡± She nced at him somewhat wryly. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re still interested in dating? I¡¯ve always thought you¡¯re uninterested in getting into a rtionship and getting married. After all, it looks like you won¡¯t fall for any man.¡± She gazed emotionlessly at him. ¡°I¡¯m just not interested. Getting into a rtionship is a waste of time, after all.¡± He shed her a half-smile. ¡°How nice it would be to be your boyfriend. I won¡¯t have to worry about you clinging to me and annoying me all day. Actually, we share the same opinion. What do you say the two of us give it a try?¡± She replied coldly, ¡°Not interested.¡± Levi didn¡¯t continue the conversation. Instead, he took a burgundy gown beside him and grinned, saying, ¡°This suits you.¡± He was well aware of the fact that Gizem loved the color burgundy. Actually, not even Gizem knew why she loved that color. She would usually have dreams whenever she was asleep, and in those dreams, she would always see scenes that consisted of the color red. Whenever she had such dreams, a sense of inexplicable sorrow and anxiety would surge within her chest. Even so, she would still subconsciously purchase some things that were red in color. ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± Gizem took the red dress and headed toward the fitting room. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Levi¡¯s phone happened to ring, so he went out to answer the call. Just then, a mother-daughter duo stepped into the store. ¡°Mom, I heard that Samuel will be attending the banquet tonight. In order to meet him, I have to look my best!¡± said Joanna Hurst in excitement. Her mother, Carrie, was happy to hear that. ¡°That¡¯s great! Ever since our family started having business dealings with the Macaris, your dad has beening up with ways to make them our long-term business partner. If you¡¯re really able to get acquainted with Samuel, your dad would definitely be impressed!¡± Joanna bobbed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯ll make you proud. I won¡¯t let anyone look down on you ever again.¡± Carrie nodded in satisfaction. As a mistress who married into the family, she was used to being detested and jeered at by all the other noble women. If her daughter Joanna could rise to sess, her life would finally change for the better. Joanna looked around the shop for a while before questioning the staff member unhappily, ¡°Where¡¯s the dress that I¡¯ve reserved?¡± The staff member exined awkwardly, ¡°Ms. Hurst, you didn¡¯t tell us to reserve it when you left just now.¡± ¡°What! Do you want to lose your job?¡± Joanna blew her top. The staff member was at a loss for words. ¡°Listen up. I reserved that dress for the sake of meeting Samuel Macari. Just you wait. I¡¯m going to tell him and let him deal with you!¡± Joanna red angrily at the staff member. As the staff member nched, Gizem came walking out of the fitting room. Her figure was slender, and the burgundy dress further entuated her fair skin, making her look like she was glowing. It was as if the scene was straight out of a fairy tale. Joanna was instantaneously enraged. ¡°Why are you wearing my dress? Take it off right now!¡± Gizem shot the woman a cold re and asked apathetically, ¡°This is yours? Is your name written on it?¡± ¡°I had my eyes on this dress first! Take it off!¡± ¡°This dress is indeed my daughter¡¯s. You better take it off right away. Also, do you know who we are?¡± Carrie was displeased as well. Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 He Is Married Gizem calmly questioned, ¡°Where did such crazy peoplee from?¡± ¡°Who are you calling crazy?¡± Joanna scowled. ¡°You guys, of course. You randomly used me of wearing your dress. If it were yours, why would it be hanging here?¡± ¡°I asked the shop assistant to reserve it for me!¡± Joanna pushed the staff member forward and snapped, ¡°Tell her!¡± The shop assistant started stammering as she did not know what to say. She knew she could not afford to offend either party. Gizem remarked, ¡°Speak the truth will do. What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯d better speak the truth.¡± Joanna red at the shop assistant as if she was going to devour thetter. The shop assistant was stuck in a dilemma. ¡°Well, to be honest¡­¡± She hesitated before continuing, ¡°When Ms. Hurst left, she did not ask me to reserve the dress.¡± Joanna glowered at the staff. ¡°What did you just say? How dare you lie? Get me the manager!¡± Feeling aggrieved, the shop assistant replied, ¡°You definitely did not ask me to reserve it. Also, just so you¡¯re aware, we have surveince cameras here.¡± ¡°I bet you are only siding with her because you¡¯ve received her money!¡± Flustered and exasperated, Joanna fumed, ¡°Get me the manager! I¡¯ll have you fired!¡± The shop assistant was speechless. This woman definitely did not ask me to reserve it! When Levi came back and saw the confrontation, he frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked in a calm tone. ¡°These two are using me of wearing their dress,¡± Gizem exined frigidly. ¡°They are also demanding to speak to the manager.¡± Levi¡¯s aquamarine eyes narrowed. ¡°Then, let¡¯s just get the manager.¡± As soon as Joanna saw Levi, her eyes shone in amazement. Levi had the enchanting facial features of a supermodel. His body was nothing but perfect as it looked like the type that would look lean in clothes yet muscr when bare. The man was undoubtedly the type to look majestic when he was stern. ¡°Go get the manager.¡± Levi gazed at the shop assistant calmly. The shop assistant went to the counter to make a phone call. ¡°Are you her boyfriend?¡± Joanna asked curiously. Levi smirked. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Joanna was stunned speechless. After a moment, a woman came over in a hurry. When she saw Levi, her expression changed drastically. ¡°Mr. Levi!¡± Levi stated ndly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste my breath, so I¡¯ll get to the point. This dress was picked out by my woman first. Yet, this woman says it¡¯s hers and is making a scene here.¡± Gizem knitted her brows. Who¡¯s his woman again? The manager turned toward the shop assistant. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ms. Cromwell, Ms. Hurst insists that she had asked me to reserve this dress for her, but I am very sure she never said such a thing. We have surveince cameras at the reception counter, so you will know I¡¯m not lying after checking the footage,¡± the shop assistant exined nervously. ¡°You are indeed lying!¡± Joanna was practically seething. ¡°Since there are surveince cameras, let¡¯s just check the footage,¡± Levi remarked nonchntly. ¡°If there is proof that they are lying, get them topensate for their mistake as an apology.¡± The manager quickly nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Joanna started to get nervous. She, in fact, did not ask the shop assistant to reserve the dress. Judging by the way the staff treated Levi, she knew that the man must be someone influential. The shop assistant immediately went to retrieve the surveince footage as this was the perfect opportunity to clear her name. Joanna frostily uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m Samuel Macari¡¯s girlfriend!¡± She was sure that Samuel¡¯s name would be enough to scare them into submission. The manager frowned. She¡¯s Samuel Macari¡¯s girlfriend? Levi asked in a distant voice, ¡°Samuel has a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Of course! He simply doesn¡¯t want to make our rtionship public!¡± Joanna huffed. ¡°Ha!¡± Levi scoffed. ¡°What a coincidence. It just so happens that I know him, so why don¡¯t we get him to drop by for a moment?¡± As he spoke, he fished out his phone. Joanna bit her lip as her nerves were starting to show. It was at that moment that the shop assistant eximed, ¡°I found the footage!¡± ¡°y it,¡± Levi responded. The shop assistant yed the footage. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Soon, voices could be hearding from theputer. ¡°Would you like me to ring this dress up for you, Ms. Hurst?¡± It was the shop assistant¡¯s voice. ¡°This dress is ridiculously expensive! I¡¯ll think about it for now,¡± came Joanna¡¯s grumbling. ¡°I see,¡± the shop assistant replied in annoyance. ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯ll have you know that I can afford it easily. I merely don¡¯t know if Samuel would like me in it.¡± Joanna scowled. As soon as she finished, she turned and left. Levi eyed Joanna coolly. ¡°If you aren¡¯t hard of hearing, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard what you said.¡± The woman looked incredibly ill at ease. Levi¡¯s cold gaze fixated on her. ¡°Now, apologize to her.¡± She bit her lip tightly. Apologize, my foot! If I apologize now, I won¡¯t be able to recover from this! Seeing the turn of events, Carrie dragged her daughter away, wanting to leave. Levi turned toward the manager impassively. ¡°Make sure that woman can never shop here again. If you ever serve her in the future, I¡¯ll ensure your CEO fires all of you.¡± The manager and shop assistant dared not to say anything to that. They knew that since Levi was a prominent person, he was sure to know their CEO personally. Levi then grinned at Gizem. ¡°You look amazing in that color.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Gizem did not refute. She pulled out a ck card from her purse and gave it to the shop assistant. Thetter was shocked. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s also a person who owns a ck card. Levimented with displeasure, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just spend my money? Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± ¡°Why would I spend your money when I have my own?¡± Gizem looked as cid as ever. He chuckled at that. After processing the transaction, the shop assistant handed the ck card back to Gizem. As Gizem put on her jacket, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Levi nodded in response. After leaving the mall together, they headed straight to the hotel where the banquet was held. Once they reached the venue, Gizem left her jacket and purse at the front desk. She then put her arm around Levi¡¯s before walking in. ¡°Oh, right. Who are you here for?¡± she inquired. ¡°Caleb Lewis.¡± Levi exined, ¡°He¡¯s Chanaea¡¯srgest supplier of medicinal herbs. We¡¯d like some support from the locals for our factory here.¡± Gizem nodded lightly. Levi spotted Caleb in a single nce among the crowd. With Gizem by his side, he went over to Caleb and greeted, ¡°Mr. Lewis, long time no see.¡± Caleb turned when he heard Levi and looked at them, seemingly aloof yet handsome at the same time. ¡°Mr. Levi, it¡¯s been a while.¡± As he finished speaking, his gaze fell on Gizem before looking elsewhere, his expression unchanging the entire time. Levi smiled gently. ¡°This is Gizem Zabinski. She¡¯s one of my business partners.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s yourpany¡¯s chief pharmacist?¡± Caleb asked indifferently. Levi nodded. Looking unimpressed, Caleb thought that the woman seemed ordinary. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Lewis.¡± Gizem stretched out a hand. Caleb furrowed his brows a little before shaking hands with her. Gizem¡¯s hand felt slender and soft. Slightly stunned, Caleb loosened his grip. He sized her up and greeted, ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Gizem was not very fond of Caleb¡¯s gaze on her, so she retracted her hand. Levi asked smilingly, ¡°Mr. Lewis, what do you think about the suggestion I made before?¡± ¡°Are you really that generous as to let me make a profit?¡± Caleb questioned meaningfully. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a very credible businessman.¡± With a half-smile, Levi continued, ¡°But we¡¯ll be using Ms. Gizem¡¯s patent, so the patent fee is a must.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡± He raised his ss to take a sip of wine, his ring incredibly striking. Gizem was slightly surprised. Oh, he¡¯s married. Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 She Looks Down On You ¡°Mr. Levi, since you¡¯re this sincere, there¡¯s no need for me to beat around the bush, then.¡± Putting down his ss, Caleb said, ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over to my office tomorrow and get the papers signed?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great!¡± Levi did not expect that things would go so smoothly. Looking at Gizem, he praised, ¡°You are undoubtedly my Lady Luck!¡± Gizem could not respond to that. I¡¯m pretty sure I did nothing, though. ¡°How¡¯s the factory¡¯s location selection, Mr. Levi?¡± Caleb asked curiously. ¡°I have yet toe to an agreement with the other party regarding this,¡± Levi answered helplessly. ¡°Is the other party Samuel Macari?¡± Levi nodded in acknowledgment. Caleb scoffed, ¡°Mr. Levi, you might not be aware of this, but myte wife was Samuel¡¯s ex-wife. Hence, we can be said to be nemeses.¡± Levi¡¯s expression changed at once. ¡°Are you being serious?¡± ¡°Of course. However, he removed everything about his ex-wife on the inte four years ago. Nobody knows the reason for this, and such information is still unreleased. Moreover, no one in the city dares to mention it, so it¡¯s only natural that you guys don¡¯t know about it.¡± Levi frowned. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that if we acquirend from Samuel, you won¡¯t work with us anymore?¡± Gizem voiced her inquiry indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Caleb remained aloof. ¡°Based on what I know, we¡¯ll still need Samuel¡¯s help after we start our factory to transport our machinery here from overseas. Are you saying that you don¡¯t want us to work with himpletely?¡± she asked apathetically. ¡°Yes.¡± Caleb narrowed his eyes as he spoke. ¡°Mr. Lewis, you should know that we don¡¯t want to offend any of you. Don¡¯t you think you are crossing the line a little here?¡± Gizem¡¯s bright eyes looked icy. Levi also thought that Caleb was going overboard with that request. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. This was clearly making them choose sides. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Levi. I¡¯ll find you a suitable location.¡± Caleb earnestly continued, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to help you solve whatever worries you might have. That way, you won¡¯t need to work with Samuel at all.¡± Levi gave it some thought. That sounds reasonable. I think I should agree to it. Yet, Gizem chimed in, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll consider it. Please excuse us.¡± She then led Levi away. ¡°Levi, you need to be careful.¡± Gizem sounded serious as she advised, ¡°Caleb and Samuel have personal grudges. I don¡¯t think we should get involved.¡± ¡°But if we don¡¯t take up on his offer, we can¡¯t start our factory.¡± Levi was visibly concerned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Before I came here, Master mentioned that we could seek help from Chanaea¡¯s upper echelon. The medicine we develop will bring benefits to the country. To make sure that we are willing to stay, they will surely help us solve our issues.¡± Gizem emphasized, ¡°However, it is important that we don¡¯t get involved in things we shouldn¡¯t.¡± Levi nodded in agreement. Standing not too far from them, Caleb narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized Gizem. I see. That woman is crucial in this. Levi¡¯s family and the mysterious Windwell Corporation are rted. Moreover, I¡¯ve discovered that Kathleen¡¯s disappearance all those years ago had something to do with that organization. I did some digging on Levi but found nothing. But now, I have a lead, starting with this woman. Levi gazed at Gizem. ¡°What should we do next?¡± Suddenly feeling a sharp gaze on her back, Gizem turned to look behind her but found nothing out of the ordinary. With her brows scrunched up, she answered, ¡°We¡¯ll put things on hold for now. I¡¯ll contact the higher- ups.¡± Levi agreed with a nod. ¡°Then, let¡¯s do that. I¡¯ll go talk to Samuel in the meantime.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Go get yourself some food. I¡¯ll be back,¡± he suggested. ¡°Mm.¡± Levi soon strode toward Samuel, who was the center of attention at the moment. Gizem felt that the strange gaze she sensed a moment ago came from where Samuel was. Nheless, she could not confirm that. Anything business rted was not something she needed to worry about. She would only get involved in anything that was too tricky for Levi to handle. If there weren¡¯t any issues, she would never interfere with Levi¡¯s decisions. While Levi went to do his work, she went to get some food. Strawberry cake was one of her favorites, so she got herself a slice. All of a sudden, her back felt cold. It was then she heard a sarcastic voice saying, ¡°Oh, my. Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t see you there. I can¡¯t believe I identally ruined your dress.¡± Gizem turned around instinctively. Lo and behold, Joanna was there with a wine ss in hand. identally? She clearly did it on purpose. Gizem picked up a ss of wine next to her and flung the contents toward Joanna without hesitation. mming the wine ss back down, she uttered, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. That was an ident too.¡± Looking like a drowned rat, Joanna clenched her fists. ¡°How dare you dump wine on me!¡± ¡°Right back at you,¡± Gizem retorted. ¡°You little wench!¡± Joanna had nned to present herself elegantly in front of Samuel, but even her makeup was wholly ruined by Gizem now. Gizem was never one to stand down. It was clear that holding back was something she would never do. Currently, Levi was conversing with Samuel. Hearing themotion, he turned toward its direction. ¡°Mr. Macari, is that woman your girlfriend?¡± Levi asked as soon as he spotted Joanna. Samuel replied impassively, ¡°Who are you referring to?¡± ¡°That woman in the ck dress.¡± Levi frowned. ¡°She and my girlfriend had a bit of a dispute this afternoon in a store.¡± Girlfriend? Samuel¡¯s icy-cold eyes were on the man. ¡°Gizem is your girlfriend?¡± Levi replied with a nod. Strangely, Samuel felt ufortable upon hearing that. Levi had already reached Gizem¡¯s side before he took off his coat and draped it on her. Since her dress was the figure-hugging kind, the outline of her lingerie could clearly be seen after being drenched in red wine. ¡°Thanks.¡± Gizem appreciated the gesture. ¡°No worries; I¡¯ll back you up.¡± Levi swiveled around. ¡°You crazy woman, have you lost it? Did you not create enough of a ruckus this afternoon in the store? You were the one who couldn¡¯t afford the dress, yet you were adamant that the dress was yours! Do you think you¡¯re that great of a deal just because you are Samuel¡¯s girlfriend?¡± The onlookers were in shock. Soon, whispers sounded in the room. ¡°Samuel¡¯s girlfriend? Has Samuel finally decided to date someone?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be! Everyone knows he said he would never marry again because of histe wife!¡± ¡°Men are only ever good at one thing, and that¡¯s lying to women! As soon as they meet a young and beautiful woman, they¡¯ll have their fun even if they don¡¯t marry her. All that stuff about true love is all a lie!¡± ¡°If Joanna really is Samuel¡¯s girlfriend, then it¡¯s going to get chaotic soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Yareli has been after Samuel for a long time. She might not be better in terms of looks and backgroundpared to Joanna, but if Joanna bes Samuel¡¯s official girlfriend and not her, she¡¯ll definitely be the butt of the joke!¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡± Samuel walked over with a gloomy expression and a cold air around him. Joanna was embarrassed in an instant. As she looked at Samuel cautiously, she mumbled, ¡°Mr. Macari, can¡¯t you help me out this time for my father¡¯s sake? It was that woman who picked on me first.¡± The man coldly responded, ¡°Why should I do a liar a favor?¡± She bit her lower lip. ¡°But when I said I was your girlfriend, she didn¡¯t even back down. So doesn¡¯t that mean she looks down on you?¡± Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Staying At The Macari Residence Gizem looked at Joanna, the sower of discord, indifferently. This woman must have a screw loose. ¡°If Mr. Macari has an issue with Gizem over this, then that has got to be a freaking joke!¡± Levi mocked. If Samuel¡¯s really siding with Joanna, I¡¯m certainly not putting up with it! ¡°First of all, I have nothing to do with you,¡± Samuel started in a low and t tone. ¡°Secondly, you cooked up a story, pretending to be my fianc¨¦e. Lastly, you caused the trouble on your own. So why should I help you?¡± Those words stumped Joanna, who felt utterly awkward. ¡°Mr. Macari¡¯s right. He hasn¡¯t even dealt with you for iming to be his fianc¨¦e yet!¡± Levi ridiculed. ¡°Everyone knows that Mr. Macari still loves his ex-wife wholeheartedly.¡± Joanna¡¯s face turned pale as she sported a grim expression. Gizem remained aloof. ¡°Joanna Hurst, you deliberately sshed red wine on me, and I returned the favor. That makes us even. If you keep this up, I will make the Hurst family vanish from the face of Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Joanna expressed disbelief. ¡°Try me!¡± Gizem sneered. Joanna bit her lip. ¡°Just you wait!¡± With that, she walked away in a huff. The crowd dispersed after themotion had ended. Levi frowned as he turned to Gizem. ¡°Follow me. Let¡¯s get you a change of clothes.¡± ¡°No need.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m heading back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you home, then.¡± Worried, Levi didn¡¯t want her to travel alone. She nodded. As Samuel watched on with a dark gaze, his phone rang. He epted the call and said with a frown, ¡°Mm, got it.¡± He then strode toward Gizem. ¡°Desi fainted. She¡¯s being taken to the hospital.¡± Gizem returned the jacket to Levi and responded to Samuel, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She was Desi¡¯s doctor, so she had to head over there. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you guys,¡± Levi chimed in. ¡°Levi, I haven¡¯t tidied my house. Other stuff will be deliveredter. Please take them in for me.¡± In other words, Gizem didn¡¯t want him to tag along. He replied worriedly, ¡°All right.¡± She turned and left, following Samuel out of the hotel and into his car. The man started the car and drove them both to the hospital. When they arrived, Desi had alreadye out of the emergency room. Gizem stepped forward and asked the doctor, ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°Nothing major. She says her heart feels unwell,¡± the doctor replied softly. ¡°Dr. Zabinski, shall we perform a CT scan?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s observe her overnight. We¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow,¡± Gizem answered after going through Desi¡¯s medical report. ¡°All right.¡± The doctor nodded. Gizem passed the report to the doctor, then went to check on Desi in the ward. Samuel had already gone there earlier. When Gizem arrived, she saw an aloof little kid standing at the ward¡¯s entrance. ¡°Are you the new doctor?¡± Eil stared at Gizem¡¯s face. She nodded before stepping into the ward. The boy watched her go. Somehow, she seemed familiar. Nheless, he was sure that this was their first encounter. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m feeling a lot better now,¡± Desi said meekly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡± Samuel stroked her head with hisrge hand gently. ¡°It¡¯s all right, as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± Kathleen wasn¡¯t around anymore. Hence, he had to take good care of their kids and raise them well. That way, he would be at peace when he reunited with her in the afterlife. Wynnie piped up worriedly, ¡°Desi hasn¡¯t been feeling well at nighttely. Why don¡¯t we admit her into the hospital?¡± She was at the hospital because she was the one who brought Desi here. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here! No way!¡± Desi protested. Samuel consoled the girl softly in a low voice, ¡°Mm, we won¡¯t.¡± Atst, Desi stopped making a fuss. Samuel looked at his daughter with concern. I can¡¯t let anything bad happen to her. He rose to his feet and approached Gizem, his towering figure looming over thetter. She looked up and gazed into the man¡¯s deep, dark eyes. ¡°Desi¡¯s condition hasn¡¯t been stabletely,¡± Samuel stated coolly. ¡°I¡¯ll run some checks as soon as possible,¡± Gizem offered, frowning. When Desi left earlier that day, Gizem was absolutely sure that there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. However, there could always be exceptions. ¡°Desi suddenly didn¡¯t feel well tonight. We¡¯re missing a relevant member in the household, so we were at a loss,¡± Samuel muttered coldly. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°From today onward, you¡¯ll stay at the Macari residence after work,¡± he instructed coolly. Everyone was stunned. Wynnie and Eil exchanged nces. Desi, feeling rather gleeful, rubbed her tiny hands together. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡ª¡± Gizem began. ¡°Consider it your night shift. I can pay you an extra million a month,¡± Samuel proposed a generous offer. ¡°I only have one request. You shall stay with Desi every day after work to prevent any misfortune from befalling her.¡± Gizem didn¡¯t expect that Samuel would be so domineering, but she was a person with a strong sense of responsibility as well. She, too, didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to Desi. ¡°All right,¡± she agreed. ¡°I¡¯m going out to make a phone call.¡± Samuel nodded. Gizem then turned and left. Meanwhile, Wynnie fixed her gaze on her son. ¡°Samuel, you¡­¡± ¡°Mom, what matters is Desi¡¯s health.¡± Samuel gazed lovingly at his daughter. Wynnie understood what he meant. Eil peered at Desi. A moment ago, when they were ying, she had been fine. Yet, all of a sudden, her heart throbbed in pain. Something¡¯s definitely up! Gizem came to the office. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. In there, she had ced a set of spare clothes. She took them out and got changed, then called her master on the phone. ¡°Giz, I don¡¯t care if you stay upte, but it¡¯s noon over here! Can¡¯t you let me take a nap?¡± the old man grumbled. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll be staying at the Macari residence,¡± she reported tly. ¡°Oh?¡± The old man paused, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Was it your suggestion?¡± ¡°No, Desi¡¯s heart suddenly ached. Samuel¡¯s worried that no one¡¯s taking care of her at night. He wants me to stay with her in case something happens again.¡± ¡°He really loves his daughter, huh.¡± The old man¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Do what he says, then.¡± Gizem nodded, asking curiously, ¡°Master, why do you want me to stay at the Macari residence?¡± ¡°You need not know that now,¡± he responded, deliberately keeping her in suspense. She pursed her lips. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Giz, you have to remember¡ªSamuel is a very dangerous man. You must deal with him carefully. Don¡¯t slip up. Do you understand?¡± he warned. ¡°Especially because he has been investigating our organization.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master,¡± Gizem reassured him coolly. The old man went on, half-smiling, ¡°By the way, how¡¯s your face?¡± ¡°This hyper-realistic mask is wonderful. No problems so far.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± He nodded. ¡°Make sure Samuel doesn¡¯t find out.¡± ¡°Of course. I know what to do.¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Still Alive Gizem finished changing and stepped out of the office. She headed to the ward to check on Desi. The girl would be staying in the hospital that night, so Gizem herself would have to work overtime. When she arrived at the ward, Wynnie and Eil were not there anymore, likely having headed home. Samuel was the only one apanying Desi. The man was truly a loving father. The love he had for Desi was very genuine. ¡°Daddy, I want ice cream,¡± Desi begged coyly. ¡°Some other time. We¡¯ll have to wait till you get better.¡± Samuel caressed her cheek. The little girl looked a lot like Kathleen, especially her pair of eyes. Samuel¡¯s heart would often throb in pain when he looked at Desi. If it hadn¡¯t been for him, perhaps Eil and Desi wouldn¡¯t have lost their mother¡¯s love. He owed his two children far too much. ¡°But I really want to have some,¡± Desi pleaded. ¡°Little glutton.¡± Samuel chuckled dotingly. ¡°Tomorrow, then. The convenience store downstairs is closed now.¡± The girl pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you can¡¯t even get me some ice cream, Daddy. You are Samuel Macari, aren¡¯t you?¡± Samuel couldn¡¯t refute that. Meanwhile, Gizem found it rather hrious. Samuel heard her chuckle and turned around to throw her a sharp sideways nce. For a moment, Gizem froze. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop. I came to refill her IV drip.¡± True to her word, she was carrying a bag of IV drip. Samuel nodded. Gizem walked over to Desi and reced the nearly empty bag with the new one. ¡°Ms. Zabinski, can I have some ice cream?¡± Desi tugged on Gizem¡¯s white coat. ¡°Yes, you can.¡± Gizem¡¯s red lips curved upward. ¡°If you intend to revisit the emergency room tonight, you can do that.¡± Hearing that, Desi pouted again. ¡°No way! I don¡¯t want ice cream anymore!¡± Gizem smiled faintly. As expected, children are so predictable. Samuel came to tuck Desi in. ¡°Since you¡¯re not having ice cream anymore, sleep early, then.¡± Desi yawned. ¡°Ms. Zabinski, can you tell me a story?¡± Gizem froze. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. In the past, Desi used to pester him all the time. It made him feel needed. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°I got bored of your croaky voice, Daddy,¡± the girl grumbled. ¡°I want to hear Ms. Zabinski¡¯s gentle voice.¡± As she said that, she turned to Gizem. ¡°Can you, please?¡± Gizem nced at Samuel, who said nothing. Thus, she nodded at the girl. ¡°Sure.¡± Desi was ted. She shifted from her spot on the bed to give Gizem some space. When Gizem sat down, Desi quickly wrapped her arms around the woman¡¯s slim waist and buried her face in Gizem¡¯s embrace. ¡°Ms. Zabinski, you smell like herbs.¡± Gizem stiffened. Desi closed her eyes. That¡¯s clearly how Mommy smelled like. Gizem didn¡¯t think that this kid would like her that much. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°I¡¯m going out.¡± Gizem nodded. With Desi in herp, she began to narrate a story. Since she had barely read any fairy tales herself, she racked her brain and made one up on the spot. Desi listened attentively in fascination. Soon, she fell asleep. Gizem, who had gone through an exhausting day, closed her eyes too, her arms wrapping around Desi. Outside, Samuel was on the phone. ¡°Samuel, my subordinates have been tracking Charles for three years but haven¡¯t found Kathleen¡¯s grave,¡± Leonard reported. ¡°Do you want us to continue?¡± ¡°Not even once?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze was dark and solemn. ¡°Not even once,¡± Leonard answered firmly. ¡°Do you suppose that Kathleen wasn¡¯t buried?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Samuel said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Charles would definitely give her a proper burial.¡± ¡°For three years, Charles hasn¡¯t visited the cemetery once. Does that mean Kathleen is still alive, then?¡± Leonard surmised. At that point, Samuel suddenly burst into a coughing fit. Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Time To Grow Up Gizem furrowed her brows. ¡°Can you let go of me first? Desi might see us.¡± Samuel did her bidding, shing her a stern look. Gizem leaped up and kept a distance from him. ¡°It¡¯s the smell of my very own perfume,¡± was her exnation. Her words only made Samuel shoot her a dubious leer. Gizem went on and elucidated her im, ¡°You can also find this scent on ancient books, Mr. Macari. It originated from a female physician and has a sedative effect.I heard that your ex-wife was also a traditional medicine practitioner. I guess she must¡¯ve followed the same ancient prescription.¡± A coincidence? Suspicion rose within Samuel as he fixed his ice-cold gaze on Gizem. Could it be that she¡¯s trying to bluff it out because of some ulterior motives? Never in a million years did Gizem expect Samuel to be so vignt over a measly fragrance. ¡°You¡¯re a traditional medicine practitioner, too, you say?¡± His tone was as cold as the winter. ¡°Yes.¡± Gizem nodded. ¡°I learned traditional medicine before diving into modern medicine.¡± ¡°All right. You may leave,¡± ordered Samuel with an impassive countenance. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Gizem wheeled around and stepped out. Samuel heaved a sigh at that. My mind must¡¯ve gone haywire. Why did I mistake her for Kathleen? Gizem got back to the office, only to hear her phone ringing non-stop. She finally picked up the call. Immediately, Levi¡¯s yawn was hearding from the other end of the line. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back yet, Babe? I almost wanted to crash out, you know.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not going back tonight. I¡¯m going to stay overnight at the hospital,¡± stated Gizem. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ll help you tidy up the house, then,¡± Levi stated helplessly. With an indifferent tone, Gizem declined his offer. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve given Samuel my word to move into the Macari residence just so it¡¯ll be easier for me to look after Desi.¡± Levi blinked his eyes in disbelief. ¡°What? But why? You were so unbending when I invited you to stay at my house back then!¡± ¡°Levi, I rejected you because I didn¡¯t want you to misunderstand the rtionship between us.¡± Gizem sounded rather nonchnt. ¡°As for the reason I moved in to stay with the Macaris, like I said, it¡¯s because of Desi.¡± It¡¯s also to follow my master¡¯s instruction. ¡°I don¡¯t care! Do you not love me anymore?¡± Grievance washed over Levi¡¯s heart as he spoke. Gizem was stumped for words. ¡°I¡¯ve never ever loved you before.¡± ¡°You mean love would one day dissipate, correct?¡± said Levi in defeat. Gizem took out a bag of coffee, preparing to pull an all-nighter. ¡°Hey, Levi. Love would never go away, okay? It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never had a thing for you, so there was no love from me to you, to begin with.¡± Levi then uttered in an icy tone, ¡°So¡­ I¡¯ll send your baggage over tomorrow. Will that be okay?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯ll be here at the hospital to receive it,¡± replied Gizem calmly. ¡°Got it.¡± A tinge of indignant rose within Levi. ¡°Worsees to worst; I¡¯ll also move into the Macari residence.¡± Gizem was bereft of speech on that note. ¡°Don¡¯t wear yourself out, you hear? I¡¯ll bring you breakfast as well.¡± Levi was still so sweet toward her. ¡°Mm. Thanks.¡± Gizem nodded. Breathing out a long sigh, Levi hung up the phone. Finally, Gizem made herself a cup of coffee as she sat in front of theputer to continue her dissertation paper. The next morning, Gizem sprawled on the desk and fell asleep. It was the knocking sound on the door that awoke her from her slumber. Rubbing her eyes, she answered, ¡°Come in.¡± It was Levi. ¡°Babe! Herees your breakfast made with love!¡± He entered her office with a spring in his step. Gizem was at a loss for words. As Levi ced the breakfast right in front of her, he added, ¡°Please check and ept the donuts and milk.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Gizem appeared to be listless. Wearing a skin-deep grin, Levi stared nkly at her. At that moment, Gizem seemed to have recalled something. ¡°Aren¡¯t you obsessed with good looks, Levi?¡± Thetter bobbed his head in approval. Witnessing that, Gizem became all the more curious. ¡°I¡¯m very much average-looking, at best. What makes you fall for me?¡± Prior to that, Levi had been in a rtionship. Gizem, too, had seen his photo with his girlfriend. Thetter was a blonde girl with blue eyes. Having a voluptuous figure, she was extremely stunning, so much so that she could easily be the world¡¯s most gorgeous woman. ¡°Some of us would only focus on the outside, while the others would need to consider their partner¡¯s inner beauty.¡± Levi¡¯s smile reached his eyes as he gazed into Gizem¡¯s sparkling eyes. ¡°My inner beauty never needs makeup, though. Would you reconsider?¡± Levi was only inches away from Gizem at that point in time. Thetter wanted to shove him away. Right then, Samuel pushed open the door to Gizem¡¯s office and marched in. At first nce, he assumed that that duo was locking lips with each other. He froze momentarily before blurting out, ¡°Sorry.¡± Embarrassed, Gizem quickly voiced out, ¡°Why are you apologizing? We¡¯re not doing anything here, okay? Are you looking for me?¡± ¡°My mom made breakfast, and she prepared you a share as well. I¡¯m here to deliver it to you.¡± As Samuel spoke, he put down the thermal lunchbox on her desk. ¡°Excuse me.¡± With that said, he left. For some inexplicable reason, Samuel was rather displeased with what he had just seen. After Samuel walked out of the office, Gizem turned to re at Levi. ¡°Thanks to you, there¡¯s a misunderstanding now.¡± ¡°Why do you care?¡± Levi frowned. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t, but it¡¯d be very inconvenient for me if any confusion or dispute were to arise in the future.¡± Gizem then opened the lunchbox brought over by Samuel, only to find some mashed potato, greens, and mushroom soup. ¡°Wow. This is not too shabby¡­¡± Levi arched a brow at that. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, Levi, leave me,¡± suggested Gizem cidly. ¡°All right.¡± Having no choice, Levi spun on his heels. Bah! She¡¯s always chasing me away. At longst, Gizem could dig in peacefully upon Levi¡¯s departure. After finishing it, she cleaned the lunchbox before handing it back to Samuel. When she arrived at Samuel¡¯s ward, she only found him lying on the couch alone. Hearing the noise, Samuel opened his eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s Desi?¡± came Gizem¡¯s question as she put down the empty lunchbox. ¡°My mom took her out for some activities.¡± Samuel¡¯s cool gazended on Gizem. ¡°Oh, right.What¡¯s the rtionship between you and Levi? Are you guys seeing each other?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gizem shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re only business partners.¡± Business partners? It¡¯s as clear as day that he¡¯s not portraying a business-like attitude toward her! ¡°Is there anything else, Mr. Macari? If not, I shall get going.¡± Gizem was already making her way to the exit. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Does Windwell Corporation ring any bell for you?¡± Samuel¡¯s tone reeked of naught but coldness. Startled, Gizem queried, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t know?¡± Samuel had his eyes fixated on her. Gizem shook her head ever so leisurely and concurred with his opinion. ¡°I have absolutely no idea. You might have to enlighten me.¡± Rising to his feet, Samuel exined with a straight face, ¡°This organization has always been researching medicine, and they only put their product on sale on the ck market. But, they suddenly changed their business nature in the past year or two. I¡¯ve got wind that even their core members have changed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them at all. Sorry,¡± were Gizem¡¯s words, her demeanor as calm as a toad in the sun. Even after what she said, Samuel still hurled a sharp look at her. Unflustered, Gizem continued, ¡°Are you thinking that I¡¯m lying to you, Mr. Macari?¡± Samuel kept his lips buttoned. ¡°Since you don¡¯t trust me, run a background check on me. See if I¡¯m in any way rted to that organization.¡± Gizem was unwavering. ¡°That I will do,¡± proimed Samuel in his deep voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave, then.¡± Just when Gizem was about to leave, Samuel added, ¡°I¡¯ll go through Desi¡¯s discharge procedures in a moment. Follow us to Florinia Manorter.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Gizem nodded and left right away. Taking his seat, Samuel squeezed his be with his slender fingers. There¡¯s something off about Gizem¡­ An hourter, Gizem followed Samuel and reached Florinia Manor. ¡°A question for you, Mr. Macari,¡± Gizem piped up tly. ¡°Ask away.¡± Samuel¡¯s reply was icy as usual. ¡°I heard that you all have been staying at the Macari residence, so why did you bring me here?¡± Gizem felt perplexed. Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Is Mommy Still Alive Gizem did not expect Samuel would be so strict with his children¡¯s education. "I see¡­" "You¡¯re not a parent.You won¡¯t know what I¡¯m feeling," Samuel stated emotionlessly.She gave noments to that. "Your room is upstairs, next to Desi¡¯s room,"he continued in a cold voice. Gizem nodded in reply before taking her luggage with her as she went up the stairs. Florinia Manor was huge. The second floor alone had several rooms. That did not include the living room, kitchen, and other rooms in the manor. It, in fact, looked more like a castle. "What are you looking for?" A handsome-looking Eil stood behind Gizem, wearing a gray hoodie and blue denim jeans. She answered, "My room." "This way." He looked at her. "I¡¯ll show you." "Thanks." After thanking him, she shed him a faint smile, causing the boy to blush.A thought appeared in his mind. Even though she¡¯s not pretty and doesn¡¯t seem to be a friendly person, she looks gentle when she smiles. When Eil led her to her bedroom, she thanked him once more before pushing open the door.Her room was not spacious, but it had everything she needed. Eil was not in a hurry to leave. "I ate the meatballs you madest time." Gizem turned around to look at him, blinking in confusion. "Do you know how to make other stuff?" he asked out of curiosity. "I do." She nodded. "Can you cook for me, then?" After a pause, he added, "Well, it doesn¡¯t have to be now." "No problem, but let me unpack my stuff first." He nodded. "Okay." When the boy was about to leave, he swiveled around again. "My room is next to yours as well.If you need anything, you can look for me.I¡¯ll help you." Gizem responded with a tight-lipped smile, "All right." Eil pursed his lips for a while before exining, "I¡¯m not treating you like a housekeeper.I just think your culinary skills are good." The woman was stunned for a second. "It¡¯s fine.I can make some food once in a while.I¡¯m d you like it." Eil¡¯s face flushed once again as he walked off. Noticing his red cheeks, Gizem smiled faintly. What a cute little guy. After unpacking her luggage for a while, she went downstairs to cook. The housekeeper saw her enter the kitchen and asked, "Dr.Zabinski, do you need anything?" "Eil wants to eat the food I prepare," Gizem exined. The housekeeper was taken aback. "Oh, really?" Gizem nodded. "My goodness!" The housekeeper was even more surprised. "What¡¯s the matter?" Gizem looked at the woman in bewilderment. "Mr.Eil has always been a picky eater.Actually, he¡¯s not that picky, but he usually doesn¡¯t like to eat food prepared by other people.He¡¯s only not picky with the food prepared by Mr.Macari." Is that so? "Let me have a try, then," Gizem stated dispassionately. "All right." The housekeeper nodded, stepping aside. With that, Gizem started preparing dinner. Her movements were fluid and natural. One could see that she was someone who often cooked. Samuel was initially in the study but wanted to get himself a ss of water, so he went downstairs to the kitchen. Upon seeing Gizem in there, he furrowed his brows slightly. "Why are you here?" he asked coldly. The housekeeper turned around and answered, "Mr.Eil wants to eat the food prepared by Dr.Zabinski." Hearing that, Samuel frowned deeply, as Eil had never asked anybody else to cook except for his father.What¡¯s so special about Gizem¡¯s cooking? Even Desi was the same. When she caught a whiff of the meatballs made by Gizem previously, the little girl didn¡¯t even want to leave. Gizem turned off the stove and exined, "I¡¯m just making ordinary home-cooked dishes." Samuel did not utter a word in reply. She then went on, "Mr.Macari, will you please ask them toe downstairs?" The man gave a nod and went to call his children down.After that, as he stood on the second floor, he wondered why he was so obedient to Gizem. When Desi and Eil came down the stairs, the boy asked, "Daddy, what¡¯s the matter?" Samuel looked at him meaningfully. "Did you ask Dr.Zabinski to cook?" Eil admitted it, feeling a bit guilty. "Yes." "Ms.Zabinski is cooking?" Desi¡¯s big round eyes glimmered. Samuel nodded. "Awesome!" She tugged at her father¡¯s hand. "Daddy, you need to try it.Ms.Zabinski¡¯s cooking tastes like Mommy¡¯s cooking!" Samuel patted her on the head. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "You go on ahead.I have something to say to your brother." "Okay." The little girl trotted down the stairs. Samuel solemnly stared at his son. "Do you also think that her cooking tastes like Mommy¡¯s?" Eil shook his head. Samuel added in a deep voice, "I¡¯m not ming you, but when your mommyes back in the future, how would she feel when she sees Desi being so emotionally attached to Ms.Zabinski?" Taken aback, Eil questioned, "Daddy, is Mommy still alive?" "There are some clues, but I can¡¯t say for sure." Samuel had no intentions of keeping this from his son. Since Eil was Samuel¡¯s heir, the boy ought to experience things like this as early as possible so that he could support the whole family after Samuel left. Samuel carried Eil in his arms and fixed thetter¡¯s cor. "Eil, I know this might be unfair to you, but you¡¯re my son.I¡¯ll pass this family to you in the future.Your sister, grandparents, and great-grandmother need you." Eil hugged his father¡¯s neck. "Daddy, don¡¯t leave Desi and me." Samuel stroked the boy¡¯s hair affectionately. "I won¡¯t." With that, he brought the boy down the stairs and put him down on the floor. "Eil, hurry!" Desi rushed over to pull Eil. Samuel followed after them to the dining hall. There were five dishes, including a bowl of soup, on the table. As Gizem had said, they were all ordinary home-cooked dishes. After they sat down together, Desi immediately picked up her fork and ced a meatball on Samuel¡¯s te. "Daddy, try this." Previously, Samuel did not taste the meatball.If he eats it, he¡¯ll definitely discover that taste! "Thank you." He ruffled Desi¡¯s hair, smiling. Delighted, the little girl grinned from ear to ear. Gizem realized although Samuel was aloof toward outsiders, he was especially gentle to his family. Blinking herrge eyes nervously, Desi stared at her father in anticipation. Samuel could not stand the girl¡¯s intense gaze, so he tasted the food. After taking a bite, he was stunned for a moment. This taste¡­ "Daddy, is it delicious?"Desi asked. He nodded in response, not showing any emotions. Eil also took a drumstick and bit into it.It¡¯s exceptionally nice.Indeed, it does taste like Mommy¡¯s cooking. Seeing that the two little ones were satisfied, Gizem felt relieved and contented.Her effort was worth it. Once they finished eating, Desi and Eil returned to their rooms. "Mr.Macari, are you feeling unwell? You seem to eat very slowly," Gizem asked out of curiosity as she noticed Samuel was a slow eater. He answered impassively, "My digestion is not good." "If you don¡¯t mind, can I check on you?" He paused for a moment before replying, "Okay.Thanks." As he stretched out his right hand, she sat at his side and ced her hand on his wrist. Samuel stared at her slim, soft hand.Her hand is beautiful, and it seems familiar. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Chapter 317 You Are Hurting Me Perhaps, a person¡¯s appearance and voice could be changed, but what about a person¡¯s hand? Especially when it¡¯s the hand of a loved one. Samuel grabbed her hand abruptly. "Who exactly are you?" Gizem was startled. "Mr.Macari, are you okay?" "I asked, who are you?" His grip tightened unthinkingly. She frowned. "You¡¯re hurting me." Upon hearing that, he instantaneously let go of her. "Mr.Macari, I¡¯m just a doctor.I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about." Gizem was getting infuriated. "Your cooking tastes like my wife¡¯s," he said frigidly. His wife? Kathleen Johnson? "I heard of what happened between you and your wife, but I only heard about it because I have to come here to treat your daughter." Gizem was displeased. "I have no idea why our cooking tastes the same." Samuel remained silent. After taking a deep breath, she added, "Mr.Macari, you might not like what I¡¯ll say next, but your health condition is not great.I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to be difficult for you to recuperate.You should have more doctors to check on you.Otherwise¡­" "Otherwise what?" he asked indifferently. "Otherwise, you¡¯ll have less than three years to live." With that, she turned on her heel and left.Samuel¡¯s frown deepened. Three years? That short? Desi and Eil will only be eight years old three yearster. I still want to be with them longer, but I guess fate is not giving me more time. That¡¯s why I need to find Kathleen back. At least I¡¯ll die in peace. Unbeknownst to Samuel, Desi and Eil were hiding in the corner. Desi wanted to speak, but Eil signaled her not to talk first. Hand in hand, the two siblings went back to their rooms. Eil rested his chin on his hand, saying, "Even Daddy said that Dr.Zabinski¡¯s cooking tastes simr to Mommy¡¯s." "Eil, you think so too, right?" Desi said excitedly, "She¡¯s Mommy! She must be Mommy!" ncing at his overexcited sister, Eil said dispassionately, "What if she¡¯s a swindler?" "Ms.Zabinski is not a swindler." She pouted in displeasure. "Have you ever seen such a diligent swindler?" "Of course." The handsome little boy¡¯s expression remained indifferent. "Think about our daddy¡¯s identity.Many women want to be our stepmother." Desi fell silent. "Besides, if Mommy is still alive, would you choose Mommy or her?" he continued. "Mommy, of course." Desi blinked. "But she is Mommy." Eil sighed, realizing he could not convince his sister otherwise. "Eil, you did greatst time when you discovered her curriculum vitae was fake. Can you please investigate again?" She tugged at his arm. He stared at Desi and asked seriously, "Desi, if I find out that she¡¯s not Mommy, will you genuinely give up on that thought?" The girl nodded. "Yes, as long as it¡¯s proven that she¡¯s not Mommy, I won¡¯t hold onto that misunderstanding." "Okay.Remember what you said." Eil patted her head. "You can¡¯t go back on your words." "What if she¡¯s Mommy, then?" "If she is, then our family can finally be reunited." "Actually, there¡¯s a really simple way." Desi smirked. "What is it?" Eil frowned. "A DNA maternity test." Desi crossed her arms and raised her chin smugly. "Aren¡¯t I a genius?" Eil was taken aback by that answer. "Why didn¡¯t I think of that?" Indeed, that was a very straightforward method. "Now that Ms.Zabinski is living in our house, it¡¯s easy for us to take strands of her hair." Desi was getting worked up. "But it needs to have hair follicles, or else it won¡¯t work," Eil reminded. "Oh."She nodded. "All right.You should go to bed now." "Got it! But I worry that I can¡¯t sleep." She was still jazzed. "Even if you can¡¯t fall asleep, you have to go to bed so that your body can recover.Understand?" "Okay." She nodded. "I¡¯ll go to sleep." "Go." Eil watched her retreating figure as she went out of the room. Once she was gone, he switched on hisputer and searched for Gizem¡¯s biodata again. The result was the same as what he had found before. His attractive eyes dimmed.I¡¯ll have to search for people who are rted to Gizem then.If something is fishy, that¡¯s where I can get clues. Meanwhile, Gizem sat on the bed, checking her wristwatch.Is Samuel already suspecting my identity? Just because of my cooking? Is my cooking really that simr to his wife¡¯s? For some reason, a strange feeling was gnawing at her. After pondering for a while, she decided to call her master. The old man picked up the phone. "Oh my.You never call at a decent hour." Gizem smiled awkwardly. "Something came up." "What is it?" He frowned. "Samuel ate the food I prepared today and said my cooking¡¯s simr to his wife¡¯s." The old man narrowed his eyes. "Then?" "After that, he questioned who I was." Gizem sighed, feeling dejected. "Master, did I ruin the n?" "Don¡¯t you think this is good?" he asked with a sardonic smile. "How is it a good thing?" She heaved a sigh again. "Master, should I get ready to escape?" The old man chuckled. "No, no.As long as he doesn¡¯t discover Windwell Corporation, just let him be." Gizem uttered slowly, "Are you not afraid he might kill me?" "He won¡¯t," her master replied firmly. "As long as you can save his daughter, he won¡¯t kill you." "Master, there¡¯s one more thing," she said in a serious tone. "What is it?" "There¡¯s a scar on my abdomen, and you¡¯ve never told me how I got it," Gizem remarked meaningfully. "With your knowledge and expertise, can¡¯t you tell what it is?" he answered impassively, not appearing to be infuriated by her obscure usation. She pressed her lips into a thin line before saying, "It¡¯s a scar of a cesarean delivery." After a short moment, her master responded, "Giz, I didn¡¯t want to hide anything from you, but your past was so horrific that I don¡¯t want you to think about it again." "Master, is my child still alive?" "No¡­" The old man sighed. "The baby died right after birth.At that time, you were suffering from severe poisoning, so¡­" Gizem understood her master didn¡¯t tell her the truth for her sake. "Giz, carry out your mission well.When you return, I¡¯ll bring you to visit the grave of that man and the child.Well, if you want to." "Yes, I do!" She nodded. "All right.I¡¯ll bring you there when the timees." With that, her master hung up the phone. Putting down her phone, Gizem let out a breath.It seems like everything is just like what I¡¯ve guessed. Many things happened during the year when I was unconscious. It turns out I also had a man I loved and had a child with him, but they are no longer alive. The longer she thought of it, the more frustrated she felt. Thus, she changed her clothes and went jogging outside, not expecting to bump into Samuel.He was smoking as he stood by an artificialke. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. She initially wanted to jog past him, but the man stopped her. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Chapter 318 I Will Not Remarry "Stop right there." Samuel¡¯s voice was low and husky. Gizem halted her footsteps and asked indifferently, "How may I help you, Mr.Macari?" The man shot an emotionless nce at her. "It was my bad earlier." She paused for a moment before striding toward him. "I never thought you¡¯d apologize." "I took a peek earlier.Perhaps, you and my wife are both experts in traditional medicine, so you both like to add some medicinal herbs to the dishes, hence why they tasted rather familiar." His gaze never left her as he spoke. "Perhaps," stated Gizem quietly. "I have two kids.I have to be cautious," he stated, his tone aloof. "I understand." "You¡¯re able to understand where I¡¯ming from?" Evidently, the man was quite surprised to hear that. "I, too, had¡­ a child." Gizem exined, "However, I¡¯ve never met him because he passed away shortly after birth.If he were still alive, I would likely react the same way you did." "You were married before?" "I don¡¯t know either, but I know both my child and his father have passed away." A deep crease formed between Samuel¡¯s eyebrows.He couldn¡¯t help but query, "You don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve been married before?" "I lost my memories, so there are plenty of things I can¡¯t remember," she elucidated. Samuel nodded slowly upon hearing about the woman¡¯s past. "Mr.Macari, I don¡¯t harbor any evil intentions toward you and your children.I¡¯m here solely because you pay well, and I¡¯m here to earn money," Gizem rified. Not a single word came out of Samuel¡¯s mouth, but his expression looked rather grim. Truth be told, he didn¡¯t exactly believe her exnation. Saying that adding medicinal herbs to her cooking made her bear some resemnce to Kathleen earlier was all for the sake of calming her down. Something was indeed wrong with this woman standing before him, but it wasn¡¯t time to expose her just yet.He still needed a little bit of evidence. "It¡¯s gettingte, so I¡¯ll head back now," remarked Gizem. After seeing the man nod in response, she turned around and left. Samuel¡¯s eyes fell on the tranquilke after he retracted his gaze. That woman¡¯s cooking tasted exactly like Kathleen¡¯s. Does that mean she knows Kathleen, or perhaps, they have her? The following morning, the incessant ringing of a doorbell echoed throughout the manor. Maria hurried to the door and opened it. What followed next was Charles bursting into the residence, his sudden arrival taking the housekeeper by surprise. "Mr.Johnson?" "Where¡¯s Desi?" he asked, his toneced with urgency. "Ms. Desi is¡ª" Before Maria could form aplete sentence, Desi was already running down the stairs. "Uncle Charles!" "Desi!" Charles strode toward her, squatted down, and pulled the little girl into a warm embrace. Desi wrapped her arms around her uncle¡¯s neck, her voice crisp as she asked, "Uncle Charles, why are you here?" "Your daddy said you¡¯re unwell, so I came over.How are you feeling now?" he asked concernedly. "I feel fine." Charles put the girl down and scanned her from head to toe. "Are you really fine?" Desi nodded in response, but that only made Charles¡¯ expression dim.I¡¯ve definitely been set up. Just then, Samuel came downstairs. Shooting a fierce re at the man descending the stairs, Charles thundered, "Samuel Macari, you *ssh*le! You used Desi to deceive me!" "She¡¯s indeed feeling unwell and was discharged from the hospital yesterday.Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t something serious.I wanted to let you know there¡¯s no need toe yesterday, but I forgot." Samuel¡¯s calm and aloof tone rendered Charles speechless.The former then shot a look at his daughter, who promptly understood the signal and began, "Uncle Charles, I missed you, so, so much!" Desi was an adorable little girl and extremely skilled at winning hearts.No one would be able to resist her charm. "I miss you too," said Charles as he hugged her. "If you¡¯re not feeling well next time, remember to let me know.Don¡¯t let a certain somebody¡­ ry any false information," he reminded. Desi nodded obediently, and at that moment, Eil had alsoe downstairs. "Uncle Charles." Charles nodded in acknowledgment of the boy¡¯s greeting.He couldn¡¯t help noticing the resemnce between the father and son. Eil looks more like Samuel with every passing moment.It almost seems like they were carved out of the same mold! Just as they were speaking, Gizem arrived downstairs as well. Her appearance caused Charles¡¯ expression to darken. "There¡¯s a woman in your home?" D*mn it! Samuel said he wouldn¡¯t remarry.As expected, men are all liars! "You¡¯ve misunderstood.I¡¯m a doctor," Gizem exined. "After Desi felt unwell yesterday, Mr.Macari asked me to be their family doctor." Doctor? Charles furrowed his brows. At that, Desi quickly chimed in, "Uncle Charles, it¡¯s true.Ms.Zabinski really is a doctor." The little girl¡¯s exnation appeared to have appeased him, for he let out a snort after hearing her. "Mr.Macari, I received a notice from the hospital.They received a group of patients, so they need me over there," said Gizem. Samuel nodded, allowing her to leave. "All right.Go ahead." Just as she was about to take off, Charles¡¯ cold voice sounded. "I¡¯ll take you there." The woman was momentarily stunned but quickly rposed herself and declined, "It¡¯s all right.I¡¯ll get a taxi." It was rather obvious Charles was perturbed by her. Since he wasn¡¯t fond of her, Gizem didn¡¯t feel the need to appease the man or get on his good side. "It won¡¯t be easy to get a taxi at this hour.I¡¯ll take you there," Charles insisted. Gizem frowned at that. Yet another difficult fellow to deal with! The two walked out of the manor, and Gizem knew there was no avoiding it this time. Well, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so I needn¡¯t be afraid. She got into his car, and the man drove her to the hospital. On their way there, Charles was exuding a strong air of hostility, causing Gizem to furrow her brows deeply. After finally arriving at the hospital, Gizem was about to alight when Charles locked the car door. "What are you up to?" he asked in an ice-cold tone. "I¡¯m up to nothing. I just want to treat my patients." Charles grabbed her by the wrist. "I¡¯m warning you. I don¡¯t care if you have any feelings for Samuel, but keep your distance from the children. Do you understand?" "Mr.Johnson, if I keep my distance from Desi, who¡¯s going to treat her?" Gizem¡¯s tone was indifferent andced with a hint of sarcasm as she continued, "You don¡¯t think I¡¯m capable of treating someone through a wall, do you?" Charles continued to emit a chilly aura but did not respond. Seeing that, she pulled her wrist out of the man¡¯s grasp and said, "I hope you¡¯ll stop insulting me, Mr.Johnson.I¡¯m not interested in men." As soon as the words left her lips, she pushed open the door and alighted from the car. Charles watched as the woman¡¯s figure slowly disappeared from his line of sight, his expression solemn.I have to find Kathleen as soon as possible. Perhaps, she can save Desi¡­ After dropping the children off at the Macari residence, Samuel went to work.He had just arrived at the office when Tyson walked in. "Mr.Macari, Mr.Lewis is here," thetter informed. Caleb? "Let him in." "Understood." Tyson made his way out, and following that, Caleb walked in. Thetter headed straight for the couch and plopped down on it. "I didn¡¯t expect you to be so impatient, Mr.Macari.It has only been a few days, yet you¡¯ve already brought her home." A cold look flitted across Samuel¡¯s handsome and stunning countenance. "Are you here to spout nonsense?" he retorted. "Did I hit the nail on the head?" Caleb scoffed. Samuel¡¯s gaze was dark and frosty. Just then, Caleb crossed his legs and asked, "Charles is back?" Samuel didn¡¯t respond to that. Thus, Caleb took it a step further and deliberately provoked the man. "Come to think of it, I¡¯ve not seen that brother-inw of mine for a long time now." "I must remind you, Caleb, you and Kathleen never got around to registering your marriage.Strictly speaking, you are in no way rted to the Johnson family at all." "Who are you to say all that? Do you think Kathleen would¡¯ve agreed with what you have just said? Back then, if it weren¡¯t for you, we would¡¯ve headed to City Hall after our wedding ceremony." "This shows how you two are not fated to be together," Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Samuel retorted.It was apparent his words had ruffled Caleb¡¯s feathers as thetter¡¯s expression immediately dimmed. "Listen, Samuel Macari, if you want to remarry, then hand the kids over to me.I won¡¯t ever remarry." Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Rescue Me Samuel said indifferently, ¡°I suggest you see a doctor if something is wrong with your brain.¡± Caleb walked up to the man and mmed his hands on the desk. ¡°Samuel Macari, Kathleen disappeared all of a sudden in the past, and Charles had been extremely secretive about her matters. I want to ask you¡ªwhat if Kathleenes back one day, and Eil and Desi already formed an inseparable bond with that woman?¡± Samuel¡¯s expressionless eyes gleamed faintly. ¡°Do not underestimate the significance of blood rtion.¡± Caleb was furious. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you really n on letting that woman continue staying in your house? I did a background check on her. Her identity may appear ordinary, but she¡¯s actually a very problematic individual. Aren¡¯t you afraid she will harm the kids if you let her stay?¡± They are Kathleen¡¯s children! Even if Eil and Desi were not rted by blood to Caleb, he would not stand by and do nothing. Although he did not raise them by his side, Caleb regarded them as his own children. Samuel wore a frosty look. ¡°I am better informed about her identity than you are.¡± His words further baffled Caleb. ¡°Why did you let her stay in your house if you already know she has issues? Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°I am. I¡¯m disease-ridden and will not live more than three years,¡± Samuel stated coldly. Caleb was stumped. ¡°Just you wait, Samuel Macari!¡± He then left angrily. Samuel continued wearing a poker face. His dark eyes radiated a chilly aura. What do you know? Caleb was incredibly worried about Eil and Desi. He knew Charles had returned, so he phoned thetter. ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me for five years.Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time we meet?¡± Caleb said in displeasure. Charles replied emotionlessly, ¡°Is that necessary?¡± ¡°Samuel caused your sister to be in such a miserable state, yet you willingly gave him those kids. My feelings toward Kathleen are genuine.¡± Caleb was exasperated. ¡°Forget about Kate, Caleb. I know she doesn¡¯t love you. She only married you because she was trying to stop Samuel from pestering her.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fiasco caused by Samuel during the wedding ceremony, Kathleen and I would¡¯ve been a married couple. Anyway, juste out and meet with me. Samuel brought a strange woman home, and she¡¯s no ordinarydy!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already seen the woman you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen her?¡± Caleb was surprised. ¡°There¡¯s a great chance this woman is supported by an extremely powerful organization. You¡¯ll startle them with the way you¡¯re reacting now,¡± Charles reminded. Caleb frowned. ¡°You guys only care about whether your actions will startle those people. Meanwhile, I only care about Eil and Desi¡¯s safety.¡± ¡°Caleb, I can understand your sentiment of caring for Kathleen¡¯s children because of your affection toward her.¡± Charles hesitated briefly before continuing, ¡°However, I hope that you will move on.¡± ¡°My sister has passed away a few years now. Are you telling me that you¡¯ve moved on as well?¡± Caleb questioned back. ¡°I have not,¡± Charles replied tersely. At the mention of Vivian, both of them grew silent. At the hospital, Gizem had just finished a consultation and was about to get some rest. Right then, a few bodyguards dressed in ck outfits entered. She snapped, ¡°Who allowed you all toe in without knocking on the door? Get out!¡± Yet, those men in ck did not move. Then, a man wearing a sinister smile walked in. ¡°Are you the doctor who recently found a cure for women who face difficulty in getting pregnant?¡± Gizem nced sideways at him. ¡°Do you know me?¡± She had published the article and experimental results anonymously. ¡°My name is Finn Morris,¡± Finn said with a half-smile. ¡°My wife has been unable to get pregnant for many years, so I would like to invite you over to check on her condition.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not free,¡± she refused. Finn took out a gun and ced it on the table. ¡°Why don¡¯t you reconsider if you have the time to spare?¡± Gizem sneered. She opened her drawer and revealed the gun kept inside. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you think?¡± Finn narrowed his eyes at her. This woman is indeed no ordinary person. ¡°Ha! Dr. Zabinski, I am very sincere in inviting you over.¡± ¡°Sincere?¡± She gazed at the few men who entered the room alongside Finn. The smile on Finn¡¯s face did not waver. ¡°Mr. Morris, I should tell you that Samuel Macari hired me to care for his daughter¡¯s illness. Even if I am on duty today, I will only treat patients with cardiovascr diseases. I suggest you seek another doctor¡¯s assistance to address your wife¡¯s infertility issue.¡± Finn uttered coldly, ¡°I can pay you if money is what you want.¡± Money? Gizem had the urge to toss her bank card to the man¡¯s face and let him take a good look at the bnce in her bank ount. ¡°You should keep that money and use it to look for another doctor to treat your wife¡¯s condition. Also, you may want to let the physician check on your health status as well instead of only trying to find fault with your wife,¡± she suggested sarcastically. His face darkened. ¡°Do you know where this is? How dare an insignificant doctor like you, who has just arrived here, dare to provoke me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an insignificant doctor, so I doubt I have the abilities to diagnose your diseases. You should really find others for medical consultation.¡± Gizem was not courteous toward him at all. From the moment shey her eyes on Finn, anger surged in her chest. Inexplicably, she had the intense urge to rip him into numerous pieces. Finn was more livid than before. He picked up the gun on the table and aimed it at Gizem. ¡°It seems to me you¡¯re tired of living!¡± She did not show a hint of fear on her face. ¡°Shoot me if you¡¯re so capable. Killing me will be no different from ending Samuel¡¯s daughter¡¯s life. Just you wait and see if he will ever let you off the hook.¡± Finn did not anticipate Gizem to be so tough and stubborn. ¡°Do it!¡± he ordered. The few men surrounded Gizem. Still, she remained unfazed. One of the men took out a bottle of medicated water and sprayed it in her face. Gizem was ready to block the mist with her hand, but she had still inhaled some of it. Her consciousness began to fade, but she had yet to pass outpletely. Just as Finn instructed his subordinates to make their move, Gizem used her phone to send Samuel a message. The text consisted of only two words: Rescue me. Then, she tossed her phone under the table. Finn failed to notice her actions. He told his men to carry Gizem. They brought her out of the office and left the hospital. Samuel furrowed his brows slightly when he saw Gizem¡¯s message. Rescue her? What happened to her? At that moment, he was in the middle of a meeting. He said calmly, ¡°Tyson, you¡¯ll take over.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Tyson continued to host the meeting. Samuel dialed Gizem¡¯s number as he walked, but no one answered the phone. For some reason, he felt a little worried. Gizem is a talented and aplished woman. Those elites from Jadeborough will undoubtedly target her and force her to do their biddings. He called Leonard. ¡°Find out at once if Gizem is at the hospital. If she isn¡¯t, find out where she went.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Leonard proceeded with the investigation immediately. Samuel arrived at the underground parking. He got into the car and left the parking lot, driving in the direction of the hospital. Halfway through the journey, Leonard contacted him. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ve found out the information you need. Finn brought Gizem away, seemingly wanting her to check on Tracy¡¯s condition. She¡¯s at the Morris residence now. I¡¯ll send some men over to support you,¡± Leonard said solemnly. ¡°That¡¯s not needed. There¡¯s nothing to be worried about. It¡¯s just the Morris family,¡± Samuel uttered coolly. Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Change A Partner Gizempletely regained her senses. She did not pass outpletely all along. It was not because of the medication¡¯s inferior quality. Instead, the reason for the sedative¡¯s ineffectiveness was her special physique. Amon sedative would not be efficacious to her. She would only be weakened but not rendered utterly insensible. After Finn brought her to the Morris residence, he ced her on a bed inside a room. A woman entered just as she sat up on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Are you hurt?¡± Emily smiled faintly at Gizem. Thetter shook her head. She knew Emily meant no harm to her. ¡°I saw Finn¡¯s men bring you in here, and I thought something bad happened to you. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re fine,¡± Emily said gently. ¡°Where is this?¡± Gizem asked. ¡°This is the Morris residence,¡± Emily exined. The Morris residence? I knew it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not going to get hurt. Actually, Finn just wants you to check on Tracy¡¯s condition.¡± Emily beamed at Gizem. Gizem said nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s the definition of forcing others into doing his bidding.¡± Emily paused briefly before saying, ¡°You can just do a casual health check on her to prevent him from constantly troubling you.¡± Gizem nced at Emily and nodded. Emily grinned slightly and brought her to meet Tracy. Tracy, somewhat corpulent, was sitting on the bed. The smile on her face wasced with a hint of bitterness. An inexplicable sense of familiarity rose within her when she first nced at Gizem. If she had not known about Kathleen¡¯s death, she would have thought Kathleen had been resurrected. Although Gizem did not share Kathleen¡¯s appearance, her eyes and temperament were very simr to thetter¡¯s. Kathleen¡­ At the thought of her, Tracy shuddered. If Finn had not arrived in time previously, Tracy was afraid her purity would have been tainted. She knew very well that incident happened because Samuel and Caleb were trying to avenge Vivian. Therefore, Tracy had been lying low for the past few years. ¡°This is Gizem Zabinski,¡± Emily introduced. Tracy gazed at Gizem. ¡°Thank you, and sorry for the trouble.¡± Gizem replied, ¡°I did not wish to meddle in this matter, but your husbandPlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. kidnapped me here.¡± Tracy felt embarrassed. ¡°Give me your hand,¡± Gizem demanded. Tracy stretched out her right arm for Gizem to check her pulse. One minuteter, Gizem ced Tracy¡¯s hand back down. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with your body.¡± ¡°In that case, why can¡¯t I get pregnant all this while?¡± Tracy furrowed her brows. ¡°I¡¯ve visited many doctors and tried various medications, but none of them worked.¡± Gizem crossed her arm. ¡°Why are you so certain that the problem lies with you instead of your husband?¡± Tracy was stunned. ¡°Do you still not understand the problem? The one suffering from infertility is your husband and not you,¡± Gizem announced with a clear voice. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± Tracy shook her head. ¡°Ha. If you¡¯re reluctant to ept that he is the problematic one, then there¡¯s nothing I can do to address this issue. There¡¯s no way for me to help. I¡¯m sorry.¡± With that, Gizem was about to leave. ¡°Hold on!¡± Tracy halted her. ¡°Dr. Zabinski, I¡¯ve checked your records, and I know you¡¯re highly capable. You¡¯ve assisted a few families in bearing their own children. I beg you. I just want to have a child. Just one will be sufficient.¡± Gizem said coolly, ¡°Actually, there is a way.¡± ¡°Please, tell me! I¡¯m willing to pay any amount necessary!¡± Tracy responded solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s not a mary issue. You just need to change a partner.¡± Tracy fell silent. Gizem shook off her hand. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say.¡± She strode off afterward. Emily hastily chased after Gizem after ncing at Tracy¡¯s ashen face. ¡°Dr. Zabinski, wait for a moment!¡± Emily called after her. Gizem stopped in her tracks. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Emily hesitated for a few moments before asking, ¡°Can you please check on my son?¡± Son? ¡°My son¡¯s name is Christopher. Five years ago, he went to Smend and was met with a car ident. He¡¯s been in aa since then. I hope you can help me by looking at his condition.¡± Christopher? Car ident? Gizem wore an unfathomable expression. ¡°Sure.¡± Emily was overjoyed. She held Gizem¡¯s hand and dragged her toward the third floor. They arrived at a room. The room had been modified into the design of a ward. An emaciated man was lying on the bed. Gizem moved forward. ¡°He¡¯s Christopher?¡± Emily nodded Her eyes were slightly reddened. ¡°Dr. Zabinski, I¡¯ve consulted many doctors, but all of them said there¡¯s nothing they could do.¡± A gloomy silence descended on Gizem as she took his pulse. Gizem remained quiet for approximately three minutes. Emily knitted her brows. ¡°How is my son, Dr. Zabinski?¡± ¡°Can you tell me more about the incident involving your son¡¯s car ident?¡± Gizem put Christopher¡¯s hand down and proceeded to examine his body. Emily took a walk down memoryne. ¡°A little over five years ago, my son went to Smend. We received the tragic news of his car ident a month after his departure. However, we did not find him at the ident scene then. One weekter, we realized he was saved by someone else and was sent to a hospital. We found him in this state when we reached the hospital. The doctor mentioned he would regain consciousness soon, but¡­ he never woke up since.¡± She wiped her tears while recounting the story. ¡°He did not sustain any injuries to his head,¡± Gizem said monotonously. Emily nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. After we returned to the country, we visited a doctor and did an X-ray examination on him. The doctor also mentioned there is nothing wrong with his brain. However, he¡¯s simply not waking up.¡± Gizem pursed her lips. ¡°Pardon me for being straightforward, but he¡¯s not in aa because of the car ident.¡± Emily was astonished. ¡°What did you say? What other reason could it be if not for the car ident?¡± ¡°He¡¯s poisoned,¡± Gizem replied. Poisoned? Emily was in utter disbelief. She grabbed Gizem¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you sure? Can you save him?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I do not have absolute confidence either. Can you give me some time?¡± Gizem asked. Emily nodded firmly. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve waited five years, so I don¡¯t mind waiting a little longer. Do you know how many physicians we have consulted, but none of them managed to diagnose his condition? You¡¯re the first person who has a different view. At the very least, you¡¯ve provided us with a direction.¡± Gizem consoled her, ¡°In that case, I¡¯lle here tomorrow to take some of his blood samples. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Emit agreed. At that moment, the door to the room was pushed open. Finn entered, seemingly in rage. He grasped Gizem¡¯s cor. ¡°I think you¡¯re a quack doctor!¡± What the f*ck! Gizem raised her leg and booted him in the crotch with her high heels. Finn, who did not expect her to retaliate, loosened his grip on her clothes in pain. Gizem stepped forward and kicked him forcefully in his abdomen, sending him rolling backward on the floor. ¡°F*ck you! No one has ever dared to treat me like that! Who do you think you are? How dare a piece of filth like you dare to touch me!¡± Gizem was livid. Emily was taken aback because Gizem was acting entirely different from before. She was deeply impressed by Gizem¡¯s reaction and reckoned Gizem must have undergonebat training. Otherwise, her movements would not be so smooth. ¡°If I tell you you¡¯re the problem, then you¡¯re the problem. You can do nothing even if you¡¯re unhappy about my judgment!¡± Gizem bellowed. Emily, standing aside, had the urge to p her hands. Ever since Christopher becameatose, Finn had been jeering at them all the time. However, Finn had also failed to be blessed with a child all those years. Emily felt ted, watching Gizem teach him a memorable lesson this time. Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Disgusting Sight ¡°You!¡± Finn gritted his teeth and pulled out a gun. ¡°Finn, stop!¡± Emily¡¯s face fell. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± With an arrogant expression, Gizem yelled, ¡°Go on! Shoot me if you dare!¡± Finn narrowed his eyes. Bang! The sound of a gunshot rang out. Emily had subconsciously stood in front of Christopher to protect him. Snapping back to her senses, Emily quickly turned to look at Gizem and realized the latter was fine. Instead, it was Finn who was howling in pain. Samuel marched in with a gun in his hand. ¡°Finn, how dare you attack my acquaintance?¡± Finn¡¯s face turned pale. Tracy hurried down the stairs immediately after hearing the sound of the gunshot. When she saw Finn injured, she dashed over. ¡°Darling, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Finn, raising his hand. Samuel showed mercy. He only shot at Finn¡¯s gun, which injured Finn¡¯s hand. Samuel turned to Gizem and asked coldly, ¡°Are you injured?¡± Gizem shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She walked over to Finn and looked down at him, saying, ¡°Tracy¡¯s body is perfectly fine. She¡¯s not the problem that you two can¡¯t bear a child. You¡¯re the problem. Haven¡¯t you seen your eyes? They¡¯re cloudy and yellow. Clearly, you have unhealthy kidneys. Still, you want children? What a joke.¡± Unhealthy kidneys? Finn paled at the thought of their misfortunes over the years. ¡°If you really love your wife, you should try to solve your problem instead of torturing her,¡± Gizem scoffed. ¡°If it¡¯s really your wife¡¯s problem, I bet you¡¯d have filed for divorce long ago. But you didn¡¯t. You ced the me on Tracy so you could cover the fact about your incapability.¡± ¡°You!¡± Finn was enraged. He got up and charged toward Gizem. However, Gizem merely watched the man charge at her like a mad dog. She then lifted her leg, preparing to give him another kick. Bang! To her surprise, Samuel used a simple yet violent method by shooting at the ground beside Finn¡¯s foot. A hole was instantly formed the second the bullet hit the ground. Finn immediately stopped in his tracks, not daring to take another step. ¡°You better stop pestering her. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for whatever happenster,¡± Samuel said coldly. Finn gritted his teeth. Right then, Tracy hurried over and held Finn¡¯s arm, supporting him. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Finn. Let¡¯s just all calm down, okay? Why don¡¯t we let Gizem examine you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sick!¡± Finn hollered. Gizem snorted at his response. Tracy smiled ruefully. ¡°Finn, it¡¯s been five years. I¡¯m tired. Please, just get checked, okay? I¡¯m begging you.¡± Finn pushed her away and insisted sternly, ¡°I said I¡¯m not sick!¡± Tracy stood there and sobbed. ¡°But I¡¯m not sick, either. Why can¡¯t I get pregnant, then?¡± Samuel said icily, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s your retribution.¡± Finn and Tracy were too stunned to react. Samuel looked daggers at them. ¡°Have you two forgotten how you¡¯ve made someone end their own life?¡± His words made Finn and Tracy¡¯s expressions change drastically. Gizem frowned. ¡°Mr. Macari, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know about this since you¡¯re new to Jadeborough. Caleb had a sister. She was Finn¡¯s lover in the past. At that time, Finn was still the disgraceful, illegitimate child of the family. To secure his position, he drove that woman crazy by using filthy tricks. In the end, the woman lost her mind. When she finally returned to her senses, she killed herself because she couldn¡¯t ept the truth,¡± Samuel exined. Samuel¡¯s expression was vicious. Finn will never get a child. He¡¯s not worthy! The only thing he¡¯s worthy of is this punishment. After listening to the entire story, a hostile gaze filled Gizem¡¯s eyes. ¡°What a scumbag! He¡¯s not worthy of receiving my treatment!¡± Gizem cast Finn a cold stare. ¡°I swear I won¡¯t be so lenient toward you if youe looking for me again the next time.¡± Finn was baffled. Was she ever lenient? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel left with Gizem As they descended the stairs, a woman walked in from the outside. Her expression stiffened when she bumped into them. ¡°Mr. Macari, it¡¯s been a long time since youst came to the Morris residence,¡± Astrid said softly. s, Samuel ignored her. Noticing someone else standing beside him, Astrid turned to look and was stunned by Gizem¡¯s face. It¡¯s her! Why is she here? Gizem stopped in her tracks and stared calmly at Astrid. ¡°You look familiar.¡± Astrid froze. ¡°Really? It¡¯s my first time meeting you, though.¡± Gizem responded tly, ¡°I must¡¯ve mistaken you for someone else, then. Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Softly, Astrid asked, ¡°Are you Mr. Macari¡¯s new girlfriend?¡± Gizem retained her cold expression.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m just his daughter¡¯s doctor.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to waste your time talking to people like her,¡± Samuel remarked and left. He disliked talking to any member of the Morris family. With that, Gizem trailed behind him. Astrid¡¯s face was pale as she watched them leave. After some time, she turned around to head upstairs. ¡°Mrs. Morris,¡± greeted Astrid while fixing her eyes on Emily. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Christopher.¡± Emily did not want Astrid to touch Christopher. ¡°Ms. Holloway, didn¡¯t I tell you to stop coming here to see Christopher? He¡¯s been unconscious for five years now. Even the doctor doesn¡¯t know when he will wake hip. So, please stop pestering him. Don¡¯t waste your time and start a new life.¡± ¡°Mrs. Morris, I really like Christopher. I¡¯ll never get married in this lifetime. It¡¯s fine if he doesn¡¯t wake up. I can take care of him for the rest of my life.¡± Astrid looked aggrieved. Emily thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Holloway. I can¡¯t let you take care of him.¡± Astrid was dumbfounded. ¡°I¡¯ve already thought about it, and I want to find a wife for my son. Please stoping to our house,¡± Emily said coldly. ¡°What? Mrs. Morris, did you say you want to find Christopher a wife?¡± Astrid¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Emily responded curtly, ¡°That¡¯s right. With his current state, the fortune-teller says I should get him a wife to bring him good fortune.¡± ¡°Mrs. Morris, I can y the role too,¡± Astrid offered. Emily rejected her directly, ¡°You can¡¯t. Please forgive me for being direct, but the fortune-teller has specified that the wife must be a virgin. Are you one?¡± Astrid froze. Emily scoffed, ¡°As expected, you aren¡¯t. So, why should I let you marry my son? You¡¯ll be more of a jinx rather than a wife who will bring good fortune.¡± Astrid put on a pitiful expression while gazing at Emily. ¡°Mrs. Morris, we¡¯re living in modern times. Why are you still believing in things like this?¡± Emily scoffed. ¡°Since when are you in the position to lecture me? Do you have a child? Do you understand the heart of a mother who wants her son to wake up?¡± Astrid fell silent; she did not dare to argue. ¡°Get out!¡± Emily exploded, annoyed by Astrid¡¯s presence. ¡°Stop putting on an act in front of me. It¡¯s really disgusting!¡± Astrid paused briefly before walking out with her head lowered. I¡¯ll never let someone else take care of Christopher! What if he wakes up one day without me knowing about it? I¡¯ll be doomed if he wakes up and exposes everything that happened. No way! I won¡¯t let that happen! Gizem sat quietly beside Samuel while he drove. Samuel¡¯s handsome face had a cool and indifferent expression. ¡°Don¡¯t get involved in Finn¡¯s matters. Caleb will never let him off. In fact, you¡¯ll face the same fate if you get involved.¡± Gizem side-eyed him. ¡°Mr. Macari, are you concerned about me?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want anything to happen to my daughter. There¡¯s no one to treat her once you¡¯re dead,¡± Samuel said. Gizem asked cidly, ¡°So, does that mean Finn¡¯s infertility is Caleb¡¯s doing?¡± Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Chapter 322 I Am His Girlfriend Now Samuel gave her a vague answer, ¡°Who knows?¡± He could not care less about Finn¡¯s issue at that moment. His main priority was to ensure that Gizem would stay alive. For him, it served as a kind of insurance policy. He hoped that if something were to happen to him, Gizem would remember his goodwill and continue to treat Desi¡¯s illness. ¡°I should thank you nheless, Mr. Macari,¡± Gizem insisted. She felt incredibly appreciative of Samuel. Samuel wore an indifferent expression. ¡°As you should.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, you¡¯ve been continuously reminding me of your kindness. Is this your method of bribing me to take good care of Desi?¡± Gizem inquired, her gaze locked on Samuel. Much to her surprise, Samuel gave her a straightforward reply, ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right.¡± He did not mind her knowing his intentions. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be calctive, Mr. Macari,¡± Gizem remarked casually. Nonchntly, Samuel retorted, ¡°You could always opt to betray my kindness.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Gizem firmly proimed. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to take on the responsibility of caring for Desi, and I have no intention of quitting. Unless you want the caregiver changed, or else, I won¡¯t ck off on my work until Desi turns eighteen and eventually gets her surgery done.¡± In a cold tone, Samuel said, ¡°I hope you keep to your promise, Dr. Zabinski.¡± Samuel¡¯s evident lack of sincerity was audible to Gizem throughout his speech. She stated, casting him a sidelong nce, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I never turn back on my promises.¡± Instead of responding, Samuel kept his attention on the road as he sent Gizem back to the hospital. He was not the type to spare his attention on people other than his two children. Gizem was just about to thank Samuel when she got out of the car. However, thetter drove away instantly. Gizem was rendered speechless. Forget it. She then turned around and walked toward her office. The phone on the office desk rang just as she walked in. ¡°Master?¡± Gizem murmured as she answered the phone. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you were held captive by Finn,¡± Theodore questioned yfully. ¡°Yeah,¡± Gizem replied while nodding. ¡°He wanted me to treat his wife, but it turns out that he¡¯s the one who¡¯s sick.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Theodore inquired, intrigued. ¡°Probably something to do with his kidney,¡± Gizem said monotonously. ¡°Does this mean that you¡¯ve run a checkup on him?¡± Theodore asked again. ¡°No. I merely took a look at him,¡± Gizem answered. ¡°Traditional medicine requires the practitioner to listen, ask, and observe, yet you were able to tell what his problem was just by a mere nce. You¡¯re indeed amazing,¡± Theodore eximed with augh. Gizem said in exasperation, ¡°That¡¯s not a big deal, but I honestly had no idea that guys like him existed! How dare he hold me hostage?¡± Damn it! ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve taught him a lesson, didn¡¯t you?¡± Theodore questioned. Furrowing her brows, Gizem asked, ¡°How did you know, Master? Did the news spread that quickly?¡± Theodore was at a loss for words. Regaining hisposure, he said, ¡°I have my connections in Jadeborough.¡± Gizem, on the other hand, was skeptical of his words. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you send your people to help me, Master?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± Theodore muttered, clearly taken aback by Gizem¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m the disciple capable of making the most money for you!¡± Gizem ranted. ¡°That¡¯s because I know how capable you are. I know Finn won¡¯t be able to harm you,¡± Theodore exined. Yet, Gizem remained skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up if there¡¯s nothing else, Master.¡± ¡°Take good care of yourself,¡± Theodore reminded. ¡°Got it.¡± With that, Gizem ended the call with a frown etched on her face. Somehow, she had a weird feeling about her conversation with Theodore. However, a knock on the door soon snapped her out of her thoughts. Gizem turned around at the sound. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Gemma. I was previously Dr. Zimmer¡¯s nurse. The management informed me that you¡¯ll need a nurse. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± Gemma said with a small smile. Gizem nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you, Gemma.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working in this hospital for many years. Thus, I¡¯m very familiar with everything around here. Do let me know if you need anything,¡± Gemma said as she entered the office. ¡°I will,¡± Gizem replied. She stared at Gemma and asked, ¡°Are you Richard¡¯s girlfriend?¡± A blush crept up Gemma¡¯s cheeks as she stuttered, ¡°N-No. I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°I saw a picture of you in Richard¡¯s wallet. I noticed it when he treated us to coffee during our hospital meeting,¡± Gizem exined. Gemma only pursed her lips shyly and remained silent upon hearing Gizem¡¯s words. ¡°Are you free during the afternoon?¡± Gizem asked curiously. ¡°Yeah, I am. Do you need anything?¡± Gemma inquired. ¡°I want to get a car,¡± Gizem replied. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Gemma said with a chuckle. ¡°All right,¡± Gizem responded, wearing her doctor¡¯s coat. ¡°Could you please let the patients in?¡± Gemma nodded in response. Immediately after work, Gizem and Gemma headed to a car dealership shop. In a hushed tone, Gemma inquired, ¡°Are you sure this shop is where you want to purchase your car? They¡¯re all rather pricey.¡± Gizem nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been driving cars like these during my time in Moranta.¡± ¡°Wow! You¡¯re loaded, Dr. Zabinski!¡± Gemma eximed in shock. The cars from this shop cost about four to five million. However, the price would quickly rise to a whopping six million when all external charges were included. Gizem became aware of the problem as she hurriedly exined, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to show off my wealth.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to get so tense, Dr. Zabinski,¡± Gemma reassured with augh. ¡°Let¡¯s just take a look at the cars,¡± Gizem muttered. Previously, Gizem did not care about others¡¯ opinion on her. But when she heard Gemma¡¯s words, she felt the need to exin herself right away. After some browsing, Gizem finally settled on the car that she bought during her time in Moranta. The only difference was that the one in the shop was thetest version. It was ck in color and had a sleek design. ¡°I¡¯ll get this one please,¡± Gizem stated softly. The shop assistant was overjoyed. ¡°Of course. Would you want to pay in installments or in full?¡± ¡°Full payment, please,¡± Gizem responded, pulling out her ck card. The shop assistant¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing Gizem¡¯s ck card. After all, not everyone owned a ck card as such. Most importantly, these cards were not given out to anyone at random. However, just as the shop assistant was going to ept the card in Gizem¡¯s hand, it was grabbed away by someone else. It was Yareli. She questioned, her tone dripping with mockery, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed spending someone else¡¯s money, Dr. Zabinski?¡± Gizem shot her a sideways nce as she asked icily, ¡°Someone else¡¯s money?¡± ¡°You heard me right. I reckon this card belongs to Samuel.¡± Yareli¡¯s eyes remained steely as she continued, ¡°Samuel would not simply hand over his ck card to anyone. Admit it; you stole the card, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gizem gripped Yareli¡¯s wrist and snatched the ck card back. ¡°Is there only one ck card in the entire world?¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s impossible that a mere doctor like you owns one! You must have stolen Samuel¡¯s ck card and came here to act like you¡¯re loaded!¡± Yareli eximed. Gizem chose to ignore Yareli. She turned to the shop assistant and handed him the card. ¡°I¡¯d like to get the car immediately after the transaction.¡± The shop assistant was at a loss for words. Hesitantly, he replied, ¡°All right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯ll bemitting theft if you dare swipe the card!¡± Yareli screamed at the shop assistant. The shop assistant stopped in his tracks, clearly at a loss for what to do. Meanwhile, Gemma had just returned from the restroom. She immediately strode toward Gizem after seeing Yareli putting Gizem in a tight spot. Angrily, she yelled, ¡°Are you out of your mind, Yareli?¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s you,¡± Yareli sneered. ¡°What about me?¡± Gemma asked, displeased by Yareli¡¯s tone. ¡°I¡¯m not like you; I don¡¯t brazenly pester a man who doesn¡¯t love me. Hell, you even want to be the stepmother to his children! Not to mention, the children¡¯s mother is your cousin.¡± Everyone was looking at Yareli with odd gazes upon hearing Gemma¡¯s words. Yareli bit her lip. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting! Kathleen has been dead for years. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s illegal for me to like Samuel!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not illegal, of course. But does Samuel even like you?¡± Gemma pressed on. Yareli fumed, ¡°At least I¡¯m his girlfriend now!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Do You Have Proof Gemma scoffed. ¡°I dare you to call Samuel and repeat that to him.¡± Yareli eximed furiously, ¡°That¡¯s not the point now! The point is that this woman stole Samuel¡¯s card and is nning to use it to buy herself a car.¡± Gemma turned to look at Gizem. Gizem stole Samuel¡¯s card? How is that possible? ¡°You¡¯ve been bbering about me stealing his card. Do you even have any proof to support your usation?¡± Gizem questioned. Yareli pursed her lips. ¡°That card over there is the proof!¡± ¡°I demand you to apologize to me if this card is proven not to be Samuel¡¯s,¡± Gizem stated, her gaze cold. Yareli¡¯s eyes were burning with contempt as she retorted, ¡°Pfft. There has to be a problem. How could a regr doctor like you, who barely makes that much in a year, afford to buy a fancy car whenever you wanted?¡± Yareli was aware that Gizem had moved into Florinia Manor. She, however, had never stepped foot into that ce even after five years. Yet, Gizem managed to move in as soon as she appeared. Yareli was sure of one thing, and it was that Gizem was a woman with many tricks up her sleeves. Gizem was clearly average looking. Thus, even after wrecking her brain, Yareli could note up with an appropriate reason why Samuel had allowed Gizem to move into the manor. With an icy expression, Gizem said to the shop assistant, ¡°Please check the ount name of this card and inform thisdy over here.¡± Yes, Miss,¡± the shop assistant replied before carrying out the request right away. Yareli felt slightly uneasy. However, she had her own deductions. If this card does not belong to Samuel, it must belong to other men. As long as she could prove that Gizem had mary exchanges with other men, she could then find a way to kick Gizem out of Florinia Manor. After a while, the shop assistant was back. ¡°This card belongs to Ms. Gizem,¡± he said, his eyes shining with admiration. ¡°Heard that?¡± Gizem inquired as she gave Yareli a re. ¡°This is impossible!¡± Yareli shrieked. ¡°She¡¯s a mere doctor! How is it possible that she owns a ck card?¡± The shop assistant gave Yareli a dirty re. ¡°You seem to be unaware that she is not only a doctor but also a car designer. She personally designed this model.¡± Everyone was shocked. Gemma, too, was stunned. Gizem¡¯s the designer of the car. That¡¯s why she chose toe here and chose this particr car. ¡°I¡¯ve just received a call from the headquarters, Ms. Gizem. You can drive this car away free of charge,¡± the shop assistant informed as he handed Gizem the keys. Gizem took the keys and stared at Yareli impassively. At that moment, Yareli¡¯s mouth was agape due to the shock she was experiencing. ¡°I strongly suggest you read more to broaden your knowledge. Talking to people like you makes me feel like I¡¯m squandering my intelligence,¡± Gizem snidely said. ¡°You!¡± Yareli squeaked; her lips were twitching from the fury. Gizem, however, ignored her and jumped inside the car as she said to Gemma, ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll take you for a drive.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Gemma squealed in delight as she climbed into the car. Gizem then drove the car away. Yareli gritted her teeth. She peered at the car that was slowly vanishing from her line of sight, a bitter re building in her eyes. During their drive, Gemma was delighted as shemented, ¡°This car¡¯s functionality is amazing.¡± Gizem smiled at that. She stopped the car when they passed a cake shop. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gemma asked curiously. ¡°I kind of want to have some cake,¡± Gizem replied. ¡°My treat. To thank you for driving me around,¡± Gemma stated as she got out of the car. ¡°I want a strawberry-vored one,¡± Gizem informed. Gemma froze in her steps before smiling lightly. ¡°Sure.¡± Meanwhile, Gizem was waiting for Gemma in the car. She enjoyed herself as she listened to the music ying from her stereo. After some time, Gemma reappeared, holding a box of cake. She opened the box, revealing a variety of cakes within it. Gizem took out the piece topped with strawberries. With the tiny stic fork in her hand, she pierced the strawberry and ate it first. Gemma was taken aback momentarily by Gizem¡¯s actions. ¡°Do you always start with the strawberries?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Gizem replied. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we always eat delicious things first? It¡¯s somewhat like love, I think. It¡¯s sort of like those rtionships that we know are bound to hurt us¡ª Somehow, we manage to remember all the good parts of it instead of the bad parts.¡± Gemma froze. Kathleen had said the exact same words in the past. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Gizem looked at her in bewilderment. ¡°Nothing. I just thought of a friend of mine,¡± Gemma exined as she took a bite of the blueberry cake. ¡°She likes strawberry cake too. And simrly, she likes eating the strawberries first and even said the same things you did.¡± ¡°You could always meet her if you miss her,¡± Gizem suggested. ¡°She¡­ passed away,¡± Gemma said. After a slight pause, she continued, ¡°I heard that she hadplications duringbor and lost too much blood.¡± Shocked, Gizem asked, ¡°What about her children?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still alive. You¡¯ve met them,¡± Gemma said quietly. It then dawned on Gizem. ¡°You mean Eil and Desi¡¯s mother?¡± Gemma nodded. ¡°My friend was really kind and responsible. To be honest, I think she¡¯d probably still be alive if it weren¡¯t for difficultbor.¡± ¡°But maybe it was worth it for her. Sacrificing herself for the sake of her two children, I mean,¡± said Gizem as she stopped forking her cake. Gemma merely stared at her quietly. ¡°I¡¯d also nearly became a mother, but I lost my child in the end,¡± Gizem continued lightly. Gemma was baffled. ¡°You¡¯re already married, Dr. Zabinski?¡± ¡°Nope. He was just my boyfriend at the time,¡± Gizem exined. ¡°He passed away when I was pregnant. I didn¡¯t expect the child to go with him. The miscarriage was due to a car ident. Simrly, I lost too much blood, and paired with the impact of the crash¡ª I ended up losing my memories as well.¡± Gemma was shaken to the core as she breathed, ¡°Your experience is too traumatic.¡± ¡°Yeah. The past was too painful. My heart aches each time I try to think of my boyfriend at the time. I believe he¡¯s trying to stop me from thinking about him, so I¡¯ve stopped. But life has been good this way¡ª I no longer live in pain. Although I can¡¯t remember the past, it hasn¡¯t really affected me in any way,¡± Gizem muttered. Gemma nodded understandingly. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s better not to think about the past if it¡¯s that painful.¡± The two of them then chatted away amicably. ¡°Dr. Zabinski, would you be interested in taking part in a charity event?¡± Gemma asked. Gizem was interested. ¡°What is the event about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an event about caring for the autistic. We have an activity in two days and we kind of have a shortage of staff. Do you want to join?¡± Gemma exined. ¡°Sure.¡± Gizem nodded in agreement. ¡°Great! I¡¯m sure this event will be even better with your participation,¡± Gemma eximed happily. After talking a little more, Gizem sent Gemma home and drove back to the manor. Meanwhile, at Florinia Manor, Samuel had just managed to get Desi to sleep. His phone rang as he walked into his study. With furrowed brows, he answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Samuel. Why didn¡¯t you pick up when I called you using my phone?¡± Yareli said anxiously. Yareli had borrowed another person¡¯s phone. The current number was someone else¡¯s. ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel asked impassively. ¡°You have to get Gizem out of Florinia Manor, Samuel!¡± Yareli eximed. Warily, she continued, ¡°That woman is bad news. She¡¯s got herself mixed up with several different men. I can send you pictures as proof.¡± Samuel remained unfazed. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Do you have too much time on your hands?¡± Why should he care about how many men Gizem had dated in the past? ¡°You¡¯ll understand after seeing the pictures, Samuel. The woman is a bad influence for Desi,¡± Yareli insisted. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Chapter 324 I Have To Find Her Samuel hung up the phone, his expression ice-cold. Yareli then sent him the photos. After ncing at them, Samuel noticed that the photos documented intimate moments of Gizem with other men. However, that was not all. Samuel even knew the identities of some of the men in the photos. Hmph. I really underestimated her. Just then, he heard footstepsing from outside. He put his phone down and turned to head outside. Gizem was just about to return to her room when she saw Samuel exiting his study. ¡°Mr. Macari,¡± she greeted him. ¡°I have something to speak to you about,¡± Samuel responded coldly. Gizem paused for a moment before she turned and walked into his study. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Macari?¡± Gizem asked with a frown. Samuel remained cold as he spoke. ¡°I heard that you purchased a car at a car dealership today.¡± ¡°Did Yareli tell you this?¡± Gizem questioned. Samuel nodded. ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± Gizem then asked seriously, ¡°Mr. Macari, there isn¡¯t anything wrong with me buying a car, is there?¡± ¡°Fancy carsplement a beautiful woman like you. Of course, I won¡¯t get in the way of you making friends. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s tone suddenly changed. ¡°I hope that you can be aware of your influence. After all, my daughter is still young.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Gizem furrowed her brows deeply. Samuel then switched on his phone. ¡°Take a look at this yourself.¡± After Gizem skimmed through the photos on his phone, her expression changed drastically. ¡°Who gave you these?¡± ¡°Is this you?¡± Samuel questioned coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve studied them and found that there were no traces of photoshopping.¡± Gizem clenched her fists tightly. ¡°It is me.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened after he heard her response. Although Gizem seemed ordinary, she didn¡¯t look like someone who had no dignity. Never would he expect that he would be wrong about her. ¡°All these happened a long time ago,¡± Gizem continued as she returned the phone to him. Samuel sat down as an icy glint crossed his eyes. ¡°I hope that you can understand my concerns. If you continue doing such things, I¡¯ll consider removing you from your position. After all, my daughter¡¯s health is of utmost importance and so is her education.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Macari. I won¡¯t let her know about this.¡± With that, Gizem turned around and made her leave. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. His expression remained cold as he looked at the photos on his phone. For some reason, the woman in the photos had eyes full of ambition. However, that was not the case with Gizem. Gizem¡¯s eyes were clear and innocent without any trace of impurities. However, she had said that those things happened years ago. Perhaps, she had genuinely changed. After Gizem returned to her room, she dialed a number on her phone. Soon, the call was answered. ¡°Master, it¡¯s me.¡± Gizem spoke in a cold voice. Theodore was slightly taken aback upon hearing her tone. ¡±Oh. Who got on your nerves?¡± ¡°Master, where¡¯s Lauren?¡± Gizem asked furiously. ¡°She went to help me handle some stuff. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Theodore frowned. ¡°If she¡¯s out on a mission, then so be it. But why does she have to use the same face as me?¡± There was a flicker of irritation in Gizem¡¯s voice. ¡°Now Samuel is doubting my identity, and it¡¯s making things so difficult for me!¡± ¡°Calm down. Isn¡¯t this normal? It is only then that you can confuse Samuel and prevent him from questioning your identity,¡± Theodore replied with a slight smile. ¡°I just looked through the photos that Samuel received. Thetest one was from three days ago. I was in Jadeborough then. How could I have appeared in Lusterg? Tell her to stop this immediately. If not, I¡¯ll tear off this hyper-realistic mask!¡± Gizem fumed. Theodore could tell that Gizem was genuinely enraged and tried tofort her, ¡°All right. All right. I¡¯ll talk to her about it. Calm down.¡± ¡°Master, you know what my temper is like. This is the one thing that I cannot tolerate! This isn¡¯t the first time. If she does it again, I¡¯ll immediately go back and teach her a good lesson!¡± Gizem snapped. With that, she ended the call. Theodore grinned as he looked at his phone. ¡°What a temper.¡± He then gave Lauren a call. ¡°Yes, leader?¡± Lauren¡¯s tone was exceptionally respectful. ¡°You went way overboard. Don¡¯t let this happen again,¡± Theodore said icily. At this, Lauren responded nonchntly, ¡°Master, I¡¯m only doing this so that Samuel won¡¯t suspect that she has other agendas. By trying to establish a flirtatious image for her, Samuel won¡¯t be interested in her.¡± ¡°Lauren, I have to remind you. If you enrage her this time, I won¡¯t hold her back again,¡± Theodore warned. ¡°I understand,¡± replied Lauren sheepishly. Theodore then hung up. ¡°What an annoying old man!¡± Lauren snorted at the phone. After ending the call, Gizem still felt enraged. Lauren is just too ridiculous! She then picked up the phone and called her subordinate. ¡°Freeze all the cards that Lauren has this instant.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The subordinate immediately did as he was told. An icy expression formed on Gizem¡¯s face. Lauren loves to splurge. I¡¯ll see how she¡¯s going to go insane without money! In the deep of the night, Samuel was done with his work. He got up and prepared to head back to his room for a rest. When he picked up his phone, he saw that it was still on the page where he showed Gizem the photos. He was just about to exit the page when all of a sudden, he noticed that there was a digital clock in the background of one of the photos. The date was disyed on the digital clock. However, it showed that the photo was taken three days ago, and Gizem was still in Jadeborough then. How could she have suddenly gone to Lusterg? Besides, Samuel was certain that the photo had not been doctored. Unless, there were two Gizems, and the one in the photo was a Gizem that he didn¡¯t know of. If it wasn¡¯t her, then why did she admit it? Could it be that the woman is her twin sister? Samuel recalled the expression on Gizem¡¯s face a while ago. She seemed furious and was desperately trying to hold back her emotions. Initially, Samuel thought that she was angry because he exposed her. But now, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. There were too many mysteries surrounding her. As he thought about this, Samuel immediately called Leonard. ¡°How are your investigations going?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Leonard replied, ¡°There¡¯s something strange, Samuel. You said that Kathleen passed away, but why isn¡¯t there a single funeral portrait of her in Charles¡¯ home?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Then what about other stuff?¡± ¡°I have indeed found some traces of Kathleen¡¯s life.¡± Leonard paused for a while before continuing, ¡°But they are very strange.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Samuel asked. Leonard exined, ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Samuel. I found that five years ago, Charles hired a caregiver. However, no one knew about this. I only found out about this after discovering a document on Charles¡¯ desk. On the document, it wrote that he was providing thrice the sry for a caregiver to take care of an unconscious patient.¡± ¡°Can you find this caregiver?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°The caregiver is from Pandera. I guess I have to get the people over there to help me out,¡± Leonard replied.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. ¡°Get it done as soon as possible.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Did you discover anything else?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Leonard answered. ¡°Do a check on Gizem for me as well. I suspect that there are two Gizems.¡± ¡°Two?¡± Leonard was stunned. ¡°Do you want me to ask Richard about this?¡± Samuel replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve tried to call Richard, but the call didn¡¯t get through. You can investigate this first.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Leonard nodded. Samuel¡¯s eyes turned dark. No matter where Kathleen was, he had to find her. Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Adults Are All Liars The next day, Gizem received a phone call from Lauren. ¡°What is the meaning of all this?¡± Lauren was fuming. Gizem set her phone aside and put the call on speaker. ¡°Nothing.¡± Lauren replied huffily, ¡°I¡¯m out of money.¡± ¡°So?¡± Gizem¡¯s tone was ice cold. ¡°I¡¯m not your parent. Am I supposed to give you an allowance?¡± ¡°Gizem, what¡¯s your problem?¡± Lauren was upset. ¡°Just because I spent some of your money, you think you can act so high and mighty? ¡°Don¡¯t spend my money then. Every time you run out of money, youe crawling back to me,¡± mocked Gizem. ¡°You!¡± Lauren gritted her teeth. ¡°What the h*ll is wrong with you?¡± ¡°Lauren, if you ever mess around using my face again, I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± Gizem¡¯s tone was t. ¡°It¡¯s not your real face anyway. What¡¯s the big fuss?¡± Lauren sneered. ¡°Anyhow, once you¡¯re done with your mission, your face and name will disappear.¡± ¡°That might be so, but I am still using them now. In the meantime, you better act smarter!¡± Gizem retorted coolly. ¡°Gizem, I am your senior.¡± Lauren was infuriated. Gizem said indifferently, ¡°Senior? I would still scold you the same way even if you were my master.¡± With that, she hung up the phone. Lauren was boiling with rage. She set down her phone as she clenched her jaw. Stupid Gizem! She decided to make a call to Theodore. ¡°Are you here to tattle on Gizem?¡± said Theodore half-jokingly. ¡°Master, she¡¯s nothing but a pawn. Why are you so nice to her?¡± Lauren couldn¡¯t ept this. ¡°Oh, what do you know? Do you have any idea who her mentor is?¡± he asked sternly. ¡°Of course. Her mentor is one of your seniors. So what? She¡¯s still foolishly toyed by us,¡± uttered Lauren with contempt. ¡°Lauren, for the past five years, everything we have, we owe to her. She¡¯s smart, and she¡¯s useful to us,¡± reminded Theodore solemnly. Lauren snorted. ¡°We are too hung up on the past. Kathleen knows how to break through to the future. She is the reason we¡¯ve gotten to where we are today,¡± he praised. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll bear with her a little longer,¡± Lauren said icily. ¡°By the way, any news on Nicolette¡¯s whereabouts?¡± asked Theodore. ¡°No,¡± Lauren answered. The whole purpose of her trip this time was to look for Nicolette. She also wanted to rx while she was at it. However, Gizem was putting a damper on her ns. Five years ago, Nicolette had taken the chaos as an opportunity to escape. Although Theodore had told Lauren that Nicolette was no longer someone that mattered, Lauren still could not let go of the matter. That was why she was out searching for Nicolette. Lauren had no idea where she could be hiding. There was no sign of her at all. The only thing Lauren could do was set this matter aside for the time being. Her priority right now was the issue in Jadeborough. The next day, Desi knew that Gizem was going to attend a charity event and insisted on tagging along. Gizem knew that Samuel disliked it when Desi tagged along with her. This was because he was worried Gizem would be a bad influence on Desi. Although this upset Gizem, she did not want to stir up any trouble. ¡°Desi, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m really busy today. I won¡¯t have the time to look after you,¡± she exined. ¡°Ms. Zabinski, you hate me, don¡¯t you?¡± said Desi sadly. Although Desi had discussed this with Eil before, she still adored Gizem. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll bring you next time, okay?¡± Gizem replied helplessly. ¡°You adults are all liars.¡± Desi pouted. Just as Gizem was in a dilemma, Samuel came downstairs. When he saw his daughter¡¯s reddened eyes, his heart ached. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Daddy, I want to follow Ms. Zabinski to the event.¡± Desi tugged at Samuel¡¯s pants. ¡°Daddy, I want to go.¡± ¡°Desi, you¡¯re not supposed to go to ces with too many people.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was soft. Gizem stared at the elegant, handsome man before her. It was as though he had given all his tenderness to his daughter. Even though he seemed cold on the outside, he was surprisingly a very loving father. Desi¡¯s puppy dog face aroused pity within them. Due to the little girl¡¯s condition, Samuel rarely brought her out to y. He was afraid that something might happen to her. Desi was very obedient as well. She had never once rebelled against her father¡¯s words. When Samuel first woke up and saw the scrawny state she was in, his heart almost tore into two. The doctor said that since Desi was so tiny, it meant her mother¡¯s pregnancy probably wasn¡¯t a great one. When Samuel heard that, he hugged Desi and cried. Kathleen had sacrificed her life to give birth to Desi and Eil. How could his heart not ache? In a cold voice, he said, ¡°Can you promise me that you won¡¯t run around or get too excited? If anything happens, you must tell Dr. Zabinski at once. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Does that mean I can go?¡± Desi was overwhelmed with excitement. Samuel nodded. ¡°However, I will go pick you up in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Desi was over the moon. She went over to Gizem. ¡°Ms. Zabinski, I can go.¡± Gizem nodded. ¡°Go get changed. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t leave without me,¡± Desi reminded. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± replied Gizem with a smile. Immediately, Desi turned around to go upstairs. Gizem raised her head to look at Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari¡­¡± ¡°I know. My men will protect her from afar. Plus, I¡¯ll pick her up in the afternoon,¡± Samuel assured. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Macari. I¡¯ll take good care of her,¡± promised Gizem. His expression remained indifferent as he hummed in agreement. When she saw how cold his reaction was, Gizem felt a little insulted. Does he not trust me? Just then, Desi came back downstairs. She was wearing a beautiful pale yellow princess dress, looking very adorable. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. When Gizem saw the little girl, her heart almost melted. A lot of colleagues in Gizem¡¯s department often criticized her for being too cold and unfriendly. Honestly, she saw herself as a distant person as well. However, that all changed after she met Desi. Now, she realized she wasn¡¯t as emotionless as before. At least when it came to Desi, she had feelings. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gizem grabbed Desi¡¯s hand. Desi was feeling very joyful. She said goodbye to Samuel before following Gizem out. Gizem drove her new car to take Desi to the event. Half an hourter, they finally reached the event venue. Gizem helped Desi out of the car as Gemma came out to wee them. Gemma was surprised when she saw Desi. ¡°Wow. Samuel let you bring his little princess out?¡± Gizem shrugged. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Hi, Ms. Young,¡± Desi greeted sweetly. Gemma picked her up. Desi was Kathleen¡¯s daughter. In terms of looks, she was the spitting image of her mother. Gemma had seen Kathleen as a child. Thus, she adored Desi even more. However, Samuel hardly allowed Desi out of the house. When Gemma missed Desi, she would always visit Samuel¡¯s ce. It was very unexpected to be able to see Desi outside this time. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you to go meet the others. The host of this event is called Federick. He has a daughter who suffers from autism. With his years of effort, her condition has improved somewhat,¡± exined Gemma. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Go To Hell As they spoke, they reached a stall. Federick was taking his daughter, Madeline, around and giving out his books. He was as elegant and dignified as always. Madeline was eleven years old. She was a beautiful child. Her eyes were big and bright, but she was rather reserved. For the most part, she kept quiet. ¡°Federick, hey. Look who¡¯s here.¡± Gemma carried Desi over. ¡°Desi?¡± Federick was shocked. ¡°I thought Samuel isn¡¯t free today?¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Evans,¡± said Desi adorably. Federick patted her on the head. ¡°Long time no see, Desi.¡± ¡°Ms. Young, put me down,¡± said Desi. Gemma let her down gently. After getting down, Desi went over to Madeline¡¯s side. She grabbed her hand. ¡°Hi, Madeline.¡± Madeline looked at her and nodded. Federick nced at the two girls. Until now, Madeline was still not great at taking the initiative to socialize with others. However, Desi seemed to possess some kind of charm which made Madeline willing to socialize with her. As expected of Kathleen¡¯s daughter. ¡°Mr. Evans, let me introduce you to Gizem. She is Desi¡¯s doctor. She is the one who brought Desi here today,¡± said Gemma. Federick was taken aback. ¡°You brought Desi here?¡± Gizem nodded. Federick was in disbelief. ¡°Gizem, this is Federick Evans. He¡¯s the one who published all these picture books. The contents are rted to children with autism,¡± stated Gemma slowly. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Evans.¡± Gizem extended her hand. Federick followed suit and shook her hand while sizing her up at the same time. In his opinion, Gizem wasn¡¯t particrly pretty. She looked to be an average woman. However, her eyes were extraordinarily bright. It instantly reminded him of Kathleen. ¡°Pleasure to meet you.¡± Federick¡¯s expression was neutral. Kathleen and Gizem¡¯s eyes were identical. This caused Federick to worry. What if Samuel misses Kathleen too much and starts a rtionship with Gizem? Nevertheless, at the same time, he knew that Samuel was not that stupid. The moment Madeline saw Gizem, she was stunned. She let go of Desi¡¯s hand and ran over to Gizem, hugging her. This shocked everyone around. ¡°Hello!¡± Madeline was very emotional. Gizem was quite confused. Federick went over immediately. ¡°Madeline, let go of her please.¡± Madeline shook her head. She tightened her grip around Gizem¡¯s waist. ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Johnson!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Federick looked at Gizem awkwardly. In response, Gizem shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just let her hug me.¡± ¡°My daughter isn¡¯t usually like this. The only person she acts this way around is Kathleen,¡± stated Federick meaningfully. Gizem furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°You mean Mr. Macari¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Federick took hold of Desi¡¯s hand. ¡°My daughter has autism. Previously, she never interacted with anyone. Her condition only improved after she met Kathleen. When Kathleen passed away five years ago, my daughter was devastated for quite some time. It¡¯s only recently that she¡¯s been doing better.¡± This showed how much Madeline adored Kathleen. Gizem replied politely, ¡°I see. But, I¡¯m not Kathleen.¡± ¡°I know, but maybe you guys are the same kind of person,¡± answered Federick. That was why Madeline took such a liking to Gizem. ¡°No, it¡¯s her!¡± Madeline shook her head vigorously. ¡°She¡¯s Ms. Johnson.¡± She remembered Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Be good, Madeline. Let¡¯s finish giving out the books to the other children first, okay?¡± Federick tugged at Madeline¡¯s hand. However, the girl shrugged her father¡¯s hand away. Federick was put in a very awkward position. ¡°Dr. Zabinski, please take good care of Madeline. Federick, let me help you out,¡± said Gemma. ¡°Mr. Evans, I can help too,¡± said Desi. ¡°Thank you." Federick caressed Desi¡¯s head. This was the first time Gizem was faced with such a situation. None of them seemed to want to help her out as well. ¡°Madeline, can you let go of me for a minute? I won¡¯t run away. Please?¡± pleaded Gizem. Fortunately, Madeline was very obedient. She instantly let go of Gizem. Gizem breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you for liking me. However, I am not Ms. Johnson. My name is Gizem. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± She reached her hand out. Madeline shook her hand whilst shaking her head hard. ¡°No. You are Ms. Johnson.¡± In a resigned tone, Gizem said, ¡°You can treat me as her if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°You are her!¡± Madeline was overjoyed. She grabbed Gizem¡¯s hand and went over to give out books along with everyone else. ¡°Madeline, do you like Ms. Zabinski too?¡± asked Desi cheerfully. Madeline nodded. Desi smiled. ¡°Me too. Let me tell you something. She smells like Mommy.¡± Madeline pondered for a while before nodding seriously. ¡°Yes. She smells like Ms. Johnson.¡± Federick gazed meaningfully at Madeline, his thin lips curling into a smile. One hourter, they were done giving out all the books. Since this was a charity event, there wasn¡¯t much profit to be earned. Regardless, everyone felt very fulfilled. ¡°I need to go to the washroom,¡± said Desi. Madeline grabbed her hand and led her toward the washroom. Even though she was a child with autism, she understood that as the older one, it was her responsibility to take care of Desi. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on them.¡± Gizem followed the two girls. She couldn¡¯t let Desi out of her sight. After the two girls headed into the washroom, Gizem waited outside. Just then, a woman came up to her. ¡°Can I borrow a lighter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t smoke,¡± replied Gizem tly. The woman suddenly raised her head. There was a gleam in her eyes. ¡°Then, go to hell!¡± With that, she pulled out a knife and aimed it at Gizem¡¯s stomach. Fortunately, Gizem reacted quickly. She swiftly grabbed hold of the woman¡¯s wrist. Coincidentally, Madeline and Desi came out of the washroom. ¡°Go back inside!¡± yelled Gizem. The two children were frightened and too stunned to move. The woman turned around and shouted behind her, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there!¡± Following her order, four men came rushing in. D*mn it! The four men headed straight toward Madeline and Desi. Just as the two girls were prepared to scream, the men sprayed some sort of chemical on their faces and knocked them out. Then, the men picked up the two children and headed out. Meanwhile, Gizem was still holding onto the woman¡¯s wrist. She twisted the woman¡¯s arm to the side, then raised her leg to kick the woman in the stomach. The woman heard a crack as her bones broke. Immediately after, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. The pain caused her to copse to the floor. Gizem quickly ran out to catch up to the men and grabbed one of them by the shoulder. The man turned and swung his fist at her face. Gizem was still holding the knife that the woman used earlier. Using the knife, she sliced the man¡¯s wrist as hard as she could. The man cried out miserably, knowing that his tendon had been cut through. His screams attracted a lot of attention around them. One of the men who was carrying Madeline flung her to the floor and headed over in Gizem¡¯s direction. At this point, Gizem already knew that they were most likely targeting Desi. The two men that were carrying Desi had already gone much further ahead. At that moment, Federick suddenly came running over. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± he roared. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. The man immediately turned his focus toward Federick¡¯s yell. Gizem let Federick deal with the man and went to rescue Desi. Please don¡¯t let anything happen to Desi! Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Why Cry Gizem caught up to the two people. They had already opened the car door and got Desi into the car. One of the men gave way for another to get into the car first. Gizem¡¯s eyes shed with a cold glint as she flung the dagger in her hand out. The daggernded gingerly on the eye of the man who was about to take Desi away. The man let out a sharp wail. The other man dashed over in Gizem¡¯s direction, the one who was the strongest among the group of four. However, Gizem did not seem at all intimidated. The man took out a de, and Gizem¡¯s eyes narrowed as he aimed the de right at her. She turned sideways and managed to dodge the de unscathed, save for a few shed strands of hair. Her eyes darkened as she snapped, ¡°You have a death wish!¡± The man let out a cold snicker. ¡°A mere wench and you dare challenge me?¡± Then, he hurled another de in her direction, to which she managed to dodge yet again. The man who had gotten hurt pulled out the dagger in his eye and aimed it right at Desi. ¡°If you keep up with this fight, I will kill her!¡± Just as Gizem was stumped, the de managed tond itself on her shoulders. Her khaki windbreaker was soon stained with fresh blood. The man who was clutching yet another de beamed smugly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you really good at fighting?¡± the man snickered. ¡°You¡¯ve hurt four of my men. I¡¯m going to avenge them now!¡± Then, he held the de high up in the air. Gizem pursed her lips and reached into her pocket. Bang! The sound of a gunfire shot filled the air. The man holding the de fell to the ground as he suffered a shot to the back of his head. Another man nced over to his side. Gizem grasped the opportunity and dashed over to kick the man aside, trying hard to hold in her pain. The man fell to the ground, and the dagger that he was clutching was sent flying. He reached out and tried to grab it. Before he could, someone who was wearing a pair of shiny leather shoes stepped on the man¡¯s hand and hissed, ¡°You have a death wish!¡± Then, the sound of another gunfire shot rang out. The man was dead. After confirming that Desi was all right, GizemN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. turned to look at the man who saved her. Oddly, she found the man¡¯s slender figure blurry. The pain in her shoulders was making her drift in and out of consciousness. In a semi-conscious state, she thought she saw Samuel. She mumbled softly, ¡±Samuel¡­ Samuel¡­¡± Samuel approached and supported her. Only then did he realize that she was bleeding profusely. His blood-stained hand held Gizem¡¯s face as he urged, ¡°Wake up!¡± Gizem looked at the man and mumbled softly, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re all right. Samuel, I won¡¯t let you die.¡± Then, she fainted. Samuel was stumped as he held her in his embrace. For some unknown reason, he felt a numbing pain in his chest. Then, he rushed Gizem to the hospital and waited outside the operating room. His sleeves, shirt, chest, and hands were all stained with blood. He stood frozen, still as a statue. Gemma approached him and reported, ¡°Mr. Macari, Desi and Madeline are all right, but they¡¯re on sedatives and will only regain consciousness after some time.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Luckily Gizem has managed to stall them,¡± Gemma said and pursed her lips. ¡°I hope she¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to be all right,¡± Samuel said coolly. Gemma paused for a moment before she said, ¡°Mr. Macari, do you think ¡ª¡± She had wanted to say something when the door of the operating room was pushed open. A doctor made his way out of the room. Samuel stepped forward and asked, ¡°Doctor, is she going to be all right?¡± ¡°Her shoulders are injured. Luckily, her bones are not affected. Nheless, she had received ten stitches and lost a lot of blood. She¡¯s going to need ample rest to recuperate,¡± the doctor elucidated. Samuel nodded. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± The doctor then turned around to leave. Gizem was pushed out of the operating room and sent to the ward immediately. ¡°Mr. Macari, you may want to go take a look at Desi. I will take care of Gizem.¡± ¡°Okay. I will head thereter.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Gemma nodded. Samuel turned around to leave while Gemma headed for Gizem¡¯s ward. Gemma took care of Gizem, while both Madeline and Desi had people to take care of them as well. After some time, Gizem started to mutter a string of slurred sentences. ¡°Samuel, please don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t die. Samuel, why¡­ are you doing this? Why? Samuel, I just hope you are alive¡­¡± Gemma could not clearly discern what she said. However, she did notice that Gizem had repeatedly mentioned Samuel¡¯s name. She gave a long sigh. Samuel entered the ward right then. ¡°How is she doing?¡± Samuel asked, his brows knitted. ¡°She¡¯s sleep-talking,¡± Gemma answered hesitantly. Sleep-talking? Samuel approached Gizem¡¯s bedside and bent over to listen to her. However, she had already stopped sleep-talking. Samuel cast a sideways nce at Gemma and asked, ¡°What did she say just now?¡± ¡°Nothing much. I can¡¯t hear her clearly.¡± Gemma thought it was best to not tell Samuel about it. Things could potentially get really awkward, considering that Gizem still had to treat Desi. Given Gizem¡¯s personality, Gemma reckoned that she would want to keep her feelings to herself. I don¡¯t think that she will ever want to let Samuel know. Hence, Gemma thought it was best to bite her tongue. Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Is she going to be all right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to be fine.¡± Gemma paused. ¡°Mr. Macari, do you think we should inform Gizem¡¯s family about her condition?¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s an orphan.¡± An orphan? Gemma was surprised to hear that as she had no idea Gizem was an orphan. ¡°I see¡­ But, her injury¡­¡± Samuel appeared quite impassive. ¡°I will be responsible for that. After all, she was hurt for saving Desi¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, let me take care of her on your behalf,¡± Gemma said. Samuel trained his eyes on her. ¡°It¡¯s more convenient for me to take care of her as a woman,¡± Gemma exined. Besides, she did not wish to let Samuel overhear what she just heard Gizem utter. Samuel nodded in agreement. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well, I am a nurse,¡± Gemma stated inly. ¡°Do let me know when she¡¯s awake,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel then eyed Gizem before turning around to leave. Gemma sighed with relief. She looked at Gizem and said helplessly, ¡°Gizem, you really shouldn¡¯t have fallen for Samuel. Your feelings are futile and irrelevant.¡± Samuel headed out of the ward and leaned against the wall by the corridor. He heard every word that Gizem had uttered clearly before she fainted. Why did she say that? Who is she? Could it be that¡­ No, that¡¯s impossible! Unless someone¡¯s changed her face and voice completely, otherwise¡­ He pinched himself between his brows and reckoned that he must be overthinking the matter. How is it possible that Gizem is Kathleen? That¡¯s impossible. A dark look crept up his face when he marched away. The next day, Gizem finally woke up. She looked at the white ceilings atop her and instantly deduced that she was at the hospital. Gizem started to recollect her thoughts. She sat up and stared nkly out the window at the gloomy sky, contemting her dream about Samuel. In the dream, she had a crush on Samuel. When he did not reciprocate her feelings, her heart ached. Gizem touched her face and realized that she had been crying. What¡¯s happening? It was just a dream. Why did I cry? Have I really fallen for Samuel? How is that possible? Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Chapter 328 I Am A Doctor ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice came from the doorway. Gizem stilled before her gaze flew in his direction. ¡°Yeah.¡± He strode in with an inscrutable expression. ¡°Thank you for saving Desi and Madeline.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s what I should do,¡± she returned. The intensity of his stare made her uneasy. She asked, ¡°Are they hurt?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied tly. ¡°d to hear that.¡± She breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, right, what about the guys? Did you find out who sent them?¡± ¡°The police are still interrogating them.¡± His stare never wavered from her, sending the hairs on her neck stand on end. ¡°Do you have a question for me, Mr. Macari?¡± she asked uneasily. Samuel pulled out his phone and ced it in front of her. ¡°This was taken in a casino in Lusterg about a week ago. Can you exin it?¡± Gizem lowered her head to look at the photo. It was Lauren impersonating her and getting caught on camera. I knew this would happen. ¡°That woman isn¡¯t me, Mr. Macari. She looks like me because I have in features,¡± she rified. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your exnation is a little far-fetched?¡± His expression remained emotionless. ¡°Since that¡¯s what you think, Mr. Macari, there¡¯s nothing more I can say,¡± she said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way.¡± His finger glided across the phone screen. ¡°Take a look at these photos. They were the same person taken at the same time in different ces, and they all work for Windwell Corporation.¡± She wrung her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡± ¡° If I find out you¡¯re associated with that corporation, you¡¯re doomed.¡± His expression turned flinty. Gizem could sense his wrath lining the words, and she felt an inexplicable pressure building in her chest. ¡°Mr. Macari, even if I was associated with that corporation, I would never do you or Desi any harm. I¡¯m a doctor,¡± she shot back. ¡°Do I need to list out every heinous act they havemitted to you?¡± Samuel snorted. Of course she was aware of what Windwell Corporation was capable of, but she wasn¡¯t the kingpin and didn¡¯t know the ins and outs. She only knew to keep her head down and mind her own business. He pocketed the phone and turned on his heels. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget how you saved Desi. And I¡¯ll forever thank you for that.¡± Then, he left with long strides, his expression grim. Gizem felt as if the ground had fallen away beneath her. How dare he use me like that? I¡¯ve never harmed anyone. Someone entered the room at that moment, and she nced sideways at the door. It was Gemma. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Dr. Zabinski.¡± Joyced her tone as she spoke. ¡°Yeah.¡± Gizem nodded. Gemma stepped further into the room. ¡°Though you didn¡¯t break any bones, you¡¯re still severely injured. You might be unable to perform surgeries if we don¡¯t treat your hand properly.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She knew a thing or two about her own injury. ¡°Would you like to contact your family members and tell them about your condition, Dr. Zabinski?¡± Gemma asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have any,¡± she answered. No family? ¡°Are you an orphan?¡± Gemma asked, to which Gizem nodded. ¡°What about your friends?¡± Gemma sounded sympathetic. Friends? No, I don¡¯t think so. Gizem gave it a thought. She didn¡¯t get along with her coworkers. They all treated her as though she were an alien. ¡°I don¡¯t have any either,¡± she replied monotonously. Gemma was frazzled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Gizem shook her head lightly. Levi entered the room with a huge bouquet as soon as she finished speaking. ¡°Hey, babe.¡± He was his usual annoying self. ¡°Cut it out.¡± Gizem rubbed her temples. Gemma observed their exchange and took the hint. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t interrupt you both.¡± She left with a smile. ¡°I left you alone for a few days, and you managed to injure yourself. You should take better care of yourself.¡± He ced the flowers in Gizem¡¯s arms. ¡°Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman,¡± heplimented. ¡°I¡¯m a in Jane. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to tter me.¡± She gazed at the bouquet in her arms. ¡°But thank you for the flowers. I like it.¡± Levi smiled faintly. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it. See how well I know you?¡± Gizem was lost for words. ¡°Babe, you should move in with me when you¡¯re discharged.¡± His voice turned tender. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you until you¡¯ve fully recovered.¡± He was being serious. ¡°Severe injuries will take a long time to heal, but mine are only flesh wounds. I don¡¯t need anyone looking after me.¡± She declined. Levi had nothing to do with her. She would never ask him to look after her. ¡°Do you no longer love me?¡± His face fell in disappointment. Gizem said nothing. I never loved you in the first ce. When a knock sounded on the door, she called out, ¡°Come in.¡± Desi breezed through the door. ¡°Are you feeling better, Ms. Zabinski?¡± Desi wasn¡¯t alone; Madeline and Federick trailed behind her. Samuel was mercifully nowhere to be seen, or he could have misunderstood if he saw Levi with her. Her brows furrowed at that thought. Why should I care if he misconstrues the situation? ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Gizem gave a smile. ¡°What about you guys?¡± ¡°Madeline and I are fine. Does your boo-boo hurt? Should I give it a kiss?¡± Desi responded. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯m fine now, really.¡± Gizemughed. Madeline fixed her gaze on Gizem. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± replied Gizem with a smile. Federick¡¯s gaze swept over Levi from head to toe, and Levi did the same to him. ¡°This is Levi. Levi, that¡¯s Federick Evans. He¡¯s the organizer for the charity event.¡± Gizem made the introductions. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re Mr. Evans.¡± Levi approached him and extended his hand for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mr. Levi,¡± Federick acknowledged. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve always heard your name on the news.¡± ¡°You mean the gossip rags?¡± Gizem quipped, catching Federick off guard. Levi retaliated, ¡°No way! I¡¯m saving myself just for you.¡± Gizem shot him a wordless look that said she was only teasing him. ¡°Ah, got it¡­¡± He smiled conspiratorially. Gizem froze and tried to exin, ¡°No, this isn¡¯t what you think. We¡¯re not together.¡± ¡°Why not, babe?¡± Levi made a face. ¡°You even epted my flowers.¡± She was speechless. ¡°Mr. Levi, you can¡¯t be with Ms. Zabinski.¡± Desi clung to Gizem¡¯s arm protectively. ¡°Why?¡± He frowned. ¡°Because she¡¯s my mommy!¡± she dered earnestly. Levi guffawed. ¡°She¡¯s your mommy? Oh, please. You want her to be your stepmother, but have you asked your daddy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to ask! She¡¯s my mommy!¡± Desi eximed indignantly. ¡°She¡¯s not. Her name is Gizem Zabinski, and she¡¯s not your mommy.¡± Levi leveled his gaze on her. ¡°She is! She is!¡± Desi persisted. ¡°No, she isn¡¯t. She isn¡¯t.¡± Levi denied. Desi was on the verge of tears at this point. ¡°Have you had enough, Levi?¡± Gizem told him off. Does he think it¡¯s fun to pick on a child? Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Severing All Ties If You Do Not Apologize Federick, too, thought Levi was being foolish, but he concluded that Levi must really like Gizem to thwart her from bing Desi¡¯s stepmother. Desi¡¯s eyes rimmed with tears. ¡°You are my mommy!¡± Gizem stroked her head without saying anything, and Madeline nodded from where she stood as Federick narrowed his eyes. ¡°Levi, you had better apologize to her,¡± Gizem ordered. ¡°No.¡± He turned his head away in refusal. ¡°We¡¯ll sever all ties if you don¡¯t apologize to her.¡± She issued an ultimatum. He whipped his head back and mumbled an apology, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Macari.¡± Desi grunted and held onto Gizem more tightly, burrowing her head deeper into Gizem¡¯s embrace. Jealousy consumed Levi as he looked at both of them. Samuel strode into the room at that moment, not realizing that there was another person in the room, and Gizem could feel the beginnings of a headache. Levi nced at Samuel and smiled. ¡°Mr. Macari, your daughter is pestering my girlfriend to be her stepmother.¡± He was hinting at Samuel to do something about Desi¡¯s behavior. Federick snickered at Levi. He¡¯s a grown man, but he¡¯s actually snitching on a kid. Samuel walked over to Desi, who pouted piteously, ¡°Daddy.¡± He knew she wanted a mommy, but Gizem wasn¡¯t her mommy. ¡°Come here, Desi.¡± Samuel lifted her in his arms and shot Levi a cold look. ¡°I apologize for my daughter¡¯s misbehavior. I¡¯ll talk to her about it.¡± Desi looped her arms around Samuel¡¯s neck, buried her face in his neck, and sobbed quietly. Levi sneered. Gizem saw Desi crying and fastened a disapproving look on Levi. He gave her a sheepish smile upon noticing her vexation. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Federick suggested. He took Madeline¡¯s hand and smiled gently. ¡±Shall we let Ms. Zabinski rest and visit her tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Madeline nodded meekly and waved goodbye to Gizem. ¡°See you.¡± Gizem bade her goodbye. ¡°We should leave too,¡± Samuel said to Desi. The little girl gave a sorrowful nod and nced at Gizem. ¡°I¡¯lle to see you again tomorrow, Ms. Zabinski.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Okay.¡± Gizem shed her a smile. Desi reached out to tug on Gizem¡¯s oversized hospital gown. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯ll still be staying in our house after you¡¯re discharged.¡± Gizem hesitated, her eyes darting to Samuel, who looked as impassive as ever. He wasn¡¯t looking at her; instead, his attention was fully focused on Desi. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Gizem pursed her lips. ¡°You have to promise me, or I won¡¯t leave.¡± Desi refused to budge as if she was afraid Gizem wouldn¡¯t stay at her house anymore. Embarrassment swamped Gizem. She wasn¡¯t sure if Samuel would let her continue staying at Florinia Manor.¡°Be good, Desi. Dr. Zabinski is your doctor. She wouldn¡¯t go anywhere,¡± Samuel cajoled. Desi was the most important person in his life. If she asked for a star in the sky, he would personally reach up and pluck one down for her. ¡°Did you hear what my daddy said, Ms. Zabinski?¡± Her mood improved immediately. ¡°Yeah,¡± Gizem acknowledged. Desi shot a smug look at Levi and huffed, leaving him speechless. Samuel carried Desi and left the room. Gizem nted a look at Levi. ¡°Why would you pick a fight with a little girl?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it when she hounds you.¡± He took a seat on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient for you to stay at the Macari residence. Why don¡¯t youe and live with me?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have that kind of rtionship, Levi. I¡¯m not going to bother you. I know you like me, but until I regain my memories and identity, I won¡¯t like anyone else,¡± she exined. He said sadly, ¡°But will you consider being with me after you¡¯ve recovered your memories?¡± Gizem chose not to answer his question. ¡°You won¡¯t because you¡¯re in love with another man. Even your master warned me to be mentally prepared if I want to pursue you.¡± His voice was hoarse with emotions. ¡°You talked to Master about this?¡± She was bewildered. He stated solemnly, ¡°Of course. He¡¯s the closest to you. Who else would I talk to about this if not him?¡± Gizem heaved a sigh. ¡°Gizem, you¡­¡± Levi hesitated. ¡°Levi, do you know that Gizem isn¡¯t my real name? It¡¯s just a code name.¡± He nodded. ¡°That doesn¡¯t bother me. Gizem, I still like you, no matter what your name is.¡± She pressed on. ¡°You don¡¯t even care about the person I used to be?¡± ¡°Does that matter? I like you regardless of who you are,¡± he said meaningfully. ¡°Thank you, Levi.¡± She shed a rueful smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to thank me,¡± he said somewhat agitatedly, instantly realizing he shouldn¡¯t be talking to her in this manner and regretting his attitude. ¡°Think about what I said, Gizem, okay? Don¡¯t reject me so quickly,¡± he pleaded. ¡°All right,¡± she agreed wryly. Levi beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here tonight to look after you.¡± ¡°No need. That¡¯s inappropriate,¡± Gizem promptly dismissed his suggestion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He feigned innocence. Gizem was utterly at a loss for words. Samuel and Federick were getting ready to take the children back home. Samuel got into the driver¡¯s seat, while Federick secured Madeline in the backseat before turning to Samuel, ¡°I have something to say to you.¡± ¡°Say it,¡± Samuel said brusquely. ¡°Are you sure Kate is still alive?" he asked. Samuel¡¯s expression was nk. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious Desi wants a mother,¡± Federick continued in a low voice. ¡°Did you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never remarry.¡± Samuel cut him off. Federick chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted to say. I was just wondering if you had noticed how Madeline and Desi reacted simrly.¡± A frown creased Samuel¡¯s forehead. ¡°Do you think Gizem¡¯s eyes look simr to Kathleen¡¯s?¡± Federick¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°I¡¯m not saying she is Kathleen, but I think you should look into it. I doubt there¡¯s another person in this world with whom Madeline would voluntarily have a conversation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look into her background,¡± Samuel replied expressionlessly. Anything for Desi¡¯s safety. He would never let anyone shady be around his daughter. Federick cracked a half-smile. ¡°Fine.¡± Then, he slid into the car. Wordlessly, Samuel got into the car as well. When Samuel returned home, he left Desi with Wynnie, who inquired, ¡°How is Dr. Zabinski?¡± ¡°She needs to stay in the hospital for further observation. Mom, I¡¯m leaving Eil and Desi with you for a few days,¡± he uttered. She nodded. ¡°Okay. Would someone be preparing meals for her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve ordered a hotel restaurant to send meals to her daily,¡± he answered. ¡°She saved Desi, and meals from a hotel restaurant are perfunctory, to say the least, and frankly, appalling. Send this to her.¡± Wynnie held up a thermal lunchbox. Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Chapter 330 A Pitiful Act A frown marred Samuel¡¯s countenance. ¡°Why are you zoning out?¡± Wynnie urged him, ¡°Go now! It¡¯s almost dinner time already.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± With that, Samuel made a trip to the hospital once more. On the way, Samuel received a call. It was Tyson. ¡°Those savages have owned up, Mr. Macari.¡± Tyson fell silent for a bit before going on, ¡°They said it¡¯s Dr. Zabinski whomanded them. It¡¯s her ploy to fish for sympathy.¡± Wearing an indifferent visage, Samuel gave out an order. ¡°Oh? Take them to Florinia Manor tonight. I¡¯ll question them myself.¡± After a brief pause, Tyson asked, ¡°Do you not believe their words, Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel sounded impassive at that. ¡°Noted. I¡¯ll make the arrangement now.¡± With that, Tyson hung up the phone. Putting on a darkened face, Samuel arrived at the hospital. He made a beeline for the ward, carrying with him the thermal lunchbox along the way. At that moment, Gizem was standing by the window, staring at the view outside. Hearing footsteps nearing, she slowly wheeled around. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± Why is he back again? Never did she anticipate seeing him that many times in a day. ¡°My mom asked me to bring you this,¡± was Samuel¡¯s reasoning as he put down the lunchbox. ¡°Please ry my thanks to Mrs. Macari.¡± Gizem wasposed as she spoke. Samuel, in turn, stated nonchntly, ¡°The interrogation session went pretty well with the nefarious horde.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Gizem¡¯s eyebrows bunched up into a tight knot as she queried, ¡°Who¡¯s the mastermind?¡± ¡°You!¡± Samuel red daggers at her. Me? ¡°Is this a joke? Tell me, then. Why would I endanger myself?¡± Gizem shot him a grave look as anger inundated her fair face. ¡°They said it was an act to arouse pity,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°An act to what?¡± Gizem sneered, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! Do you even understand how important hands are to a doctor? It could¡¯ve cost me my entire career!¡± ¡°No guts, no glory.¡± Samuel was emotionless. ¡°It¡¯ll only be convincing enough once youy your own career on the line, isn¡¯t that so?¡± Flying off the handle, Gizem hollered, ¡°No! This has nothing to do with me! Don¡¯t you malign me!¡± The whole time, Samuel was staring deep into her eyes. Indeed, her eyes bore so much resemnce to that of Kathleen. Because of that, Samuel became all the more infuriated. How dare they make use of Kathleen to y me for a fool! ¡°That person behind your back is rather smart if I must say,¡±mented Samuel coldly. ¡°He didn¡¯t arrange for someone who¡¯s totally alike to Kathleen but you with that pair of identical eyes. He even made you copy her culinary skills and wear her scent. All that just to entice me!¡± Gizem was trembling with rage. ¡°Entice you? With these average-looking facial features of mine?¡± Samuel ced his palm on her delicate face. He then ran his fingers gradually toward her neck. Gizem was startled by his move. All of a sudden, Samuel¡¯s fingers seemed to have felt something odd. ¡°Why are you disguising yourself as someone else?¡± Samuel¡¯s question in a heartbeat. As expected, this is the only logical exnation. Connecting the dots, Samuel finally understood how she could make an appearance in different ces concurrently. Shock overwhelmed Gizem straight away. Her hyper-realistic face mask was worth a fortune. No common folks could have noticed it that easily, even if they had the chance to touch her face. Yet, Samuel had managed to discover her secret in seconds just by touching her face. What a terrifying person! ¡°Hands off me!¡± Gizem shoved Samuel¡¯s hand away there and then as she took a step back. Samuel let out a snort. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me your true identity in this instance, I¡¯ll never let you off the hook.¡± This woman is way too mysterious. Her existence alone is a threat! Gizem bit her lip. ¡°Hehe¡­ I¡¯m merely an orphan, a nobody. I relied on my own to get into the university. That¡¯s it.¡± One step at a time, Samuel approached her. All Gizem could do was step back. Soon enough, her back hit the wall behind her, and her heart skipped a beat at that. The wall was ice-cold. Lifting his hand, Samuel pinched her chin. He then moved his fingers toward her neck, all ready to tear down her hyper-realistic mask. Gizem became a nervous wreck, screaming, ¡°No!¡± s, Samuel had already had his fingers on the seam. Exerting his might, he tore Gizem¡¯s hyper-realistic mask apart. Immediately, Gizem covered her face with both hands. Samuel grabbed hold of her hands and pried them away little by little. Astonishment was written all over his face once he caught sight of Gizem¡¯s look. ¡°What¡­¡± Samuel gaped at her with utter disbelief. Scars were seen everywhere on Gizem¡¯s cheeks. It was hideous and horrifying to witness. ¡°Can you quit staring?¡± Gizem was all choked up. Still, Samuel stared her in the eyes and asked, ¡°What happened to your face?¡± ¡°Just some burn scars.¡± Gizem retracted her hands on that note. ¡°I had been in aa, and unfortunately, I was caught in the fire at the hospital during that period. I was nearly cremated alive. They saved my life but couldn¡¯t save my face. My master then let me wear this so that I won¡¯t get drowned in self-abasement.¡± Hearing her story, Samuel was astounded to the core. No wonder¡­ Gizem reached out and demanded, ¡°Please give that back.¡± Samuel obediently handed the hyper- realistic face mask to her. Hanging her head low, she uttered, ¡°Leave me.¡± Samuel cast onest gaze at Gizem before turning around to walk away. ¡°Mr. Macari, it wasn¡¯t me who had hired that group of people,¡± added Gizem cidly. ¡°If there¡¯s a need, I can always confront them.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Come with me to Florinia Manorter. They¡¯re already there.¡± Samuel was expressionless when he spoke. ¡°All right.¡± Gizem nodded. ¡°Come outside when you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± With that, Samuel spun on his heels. Immediately afterward, Gizem rushed into the bathroom. She heaved a sigh of relief. How terrifying! I was so close to getting exposed. Luckily, I was prepared and wore twoyers of masks. Otherwise, Samuel would have really unveiled her true identity. Ten minutester, Gizem exited the ward in a fresh set of casual attire. Casting a meaningful peek at her, Samuel prompted, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gizem followed him downstairs and hopped into his car that had been parked outside the hospital. Following that, they departed for Florinia Manor. Momentster, they reached their destination, only to be greeted by Yareli¡¯s presence at the front door. Samuel and Gizem then got out of the car. The second Yareli took notice of Gizem, a tinge of disdain washed over the former¡¯s face. Never in a million years would she expect Gizem to be there, much less be in the same ride with Samuel. She thought that Samuel had heard the testament from the kidnappers and had gotten rid of Gizem. ¡°Samuel, I heard Desi has gotten into some kind of mishap. Is she all right?¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Yareli feigned a worried expression as she asked that. ¡°She¡¯s fine. What brings you here?¡± questioned Samuel in an icy tone instead. ¡°I wanted to visit Desi,¡± replied Yareli casually. She then went on, ¡°Goodness gracious! Who on earth would target an innocent kid like our poor Desi? What a crazy monster!¡± Samuel merely dropped a calm remark as he walked past her. ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you actually. You may go.¡± ¡°Hey, wait up, Samuel! There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± Yareli caught up with Samuel right away. Meanwhile, Gizem was trailing behind them quietly. Sparing a sidelong nce at Gizem, Yareli gnashed her teeth. ¡°Think about it, Samuel. Desi has always been fine. Ever since somebody came into her life out of nowhere, she instantly got into such a misfortune. This couldn¡¯t just be a coincidence!¡± Of course, Gizem knew what Yareli was insinuating. Sporting a deadpan mien, the former piped up at once, ¡°Are you referring to me?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m d that you still have self-awareness,¡± scoffed Yareli. ¡°Yes! You¡¯re the one who had arranged for Desi¡¯s kidnap. This must be your tactic to gain pity!¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Chapter 331: Prove Her Innocence Gizem chuckled. Yareli insists on framing me; does she really think that everyone else is stupid? ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Yareli stated firmly. Samuel cast her a cold gaze. ¡°Who told you she did it?¡± Yareli paused. Her eyes were filled with guilt as she added, ¡°The ones you captured! Someone told me that they have confessed. This whole thing was orchestrated by this woman!¡± Samuel¡¯s cold stare remained. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this.¡± Yareli bit her lip. She didn¡¯t know which part she had messed up. ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t forget what I mean to you!¡± Yareli expressed her displeasure. Samuel¡¯s handsome face turned grim. ¡°I hate threats. I don¡¯t mind killing you, and then wait for death myself.¡± Yareli froze. Gizem smiled faintly at her, and then calmly walked past her. Ovee by anger, Yareli gnashed her teeth. For some reason, Gizem was in a very good mood. She followed Samuel into Florinia Manor. The captives had been locked in the tower there. They had all been tortured by Gizem to the extreme, and were in indescribable pain because they did not receive timely treatment. They all got excited when they finally saw Samuel show up, but their faces fell when they spotted Gizem right behind him. Gizem snickered. ¡°You all work for me. Is this how you react when you see meing to save you?¡± Samuel threw her a sideways nce. She had actually gone on a preemptive strike. This put the few people in an awkward situation. ¡°What are your names?¡± Gizem asked smilingly. There was a malicious intend behind her smile, which made them shudder. Gizem then looked at the woman. ¡°What¡¯s your name? As your leader, I don¡¯t really remember.¡± The woman bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m Alice Dashwood.¡± Gizem slowly crouched down. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Grinning, she said, ¡°Oh, Alice. What have you done? I¡¯ve given you so many benefits, and yet you still betrayed me. How could you?¡± Alice got confused. Why isn¡¯t she severing ties with me? ¡°Oh, right. Why don¡¯t you tell Mr. Macari what benefits I¡¯ve given you?¡± Gizem shed a half-smile. ¡°If anything, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m an exploitative tyrant. Since you work for me, I¡¯ll surely not mistreat you.¡± Alice exchanged nces with the others. ¡°If you can provide the evidence, Mr. Macari will let you go. I can handle the rest alone,¡± Gizem added with a raised brow. However, they didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Mr. Macari, am I right?¡± Gizem turned to Samuel and shot him a look. He nodded nonchntly. ¡°You have no idea how inhumane Mr. Macari can be. He knows I¡¯m the mastermind behind the whole thing, so he grabbed me from the hospital and took me here,¡± Gizem said helplessly. ¡°I may seem calm andposed right now, but I¡¯m actually scared to death. Mr. Macari and I struck a deal. If you can provide the evidence, I can be left in one piece. Come on, give me an answer. Don¡¯t dy my death.¡± Everyone was speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get your injuries looked at?¡± she asked meaningfully. It was then that Alice piped up, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? You gave us a lot of money.¡± ¡°How did I do that?¡± Gizem asked. ¡°You transferred it,¡± Alice answered. ¡°Words are not enough. Hand over the ount number, and Mr. Macari will check it out,¡± Gizem instructed. Alice hesitated. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Gizem frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to live? You¡¯ve betrayed me, so might as well get it over with.¡± Alice looked at the others. Then, she opened her mouth and provided an ount number. Gizem turned to Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari, you may go check.¡± Casting her an impassive gaze, he responded, ¡°You¡¯reing with me!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Gizem trailed behind him. After they stepped out, she exined, ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m guessing you have some sort of expert on your side. Get them to check Alice¡¯s ount. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find the ount she received the money from.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe that?¡± Samuel said with a distant gaze. Gizem was stunned. She went on, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, Mr. Macari, there¡¯s nothing I can do. If you¡¯re so sure that I did it, you can do whatever you n to do to me.¡± She got tired of exining. Samuel nced at her coldly, thinking that it would be far-fetched to consider this a pitiful act. Her move wasn¡¯t a smart one because itpletely exposed her. He could tell that Gizem was smart and cautious. She couldn¡¯t havemitted such a grave mistake, unless she was framed. If so, then that person¡¯s goal was simple. They could kill two birds with one stone. They could get rid of Gizem and, at the same time, cause him to lose his daughter. Who could hate Gizem so much and dislike my daughter as well? The answer was obvious. ¡°Tyson,¡± Samuel muttered coldly. Tyson walked over to him. ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°Take her home,¡± Samuel instructed irately. Tyson peered at Gizem, his eyes filled with doubt. ¡°Understood.¡± Didn¡¯t Mr. Macari bring her here to interrogate her? Why is he sending her away so suddenly? Gizem was stunned too as she blinked. ¡°Do you believe me?¡± Samuel said nothing. Watching him, she chuckled. Her eyes curved into crescent moons, an indication that she was indeed happy. Samuel stared into her eyes. Kathleen used to be just like that. ¡°Go,¡± he said coldly. ¡°Okay.¡± Gizem nodded and left with Tyson. Then, Samuel got his subordinates to check the ount Alice had provided. In the tower, no one was guarding the captives who were all tied up. ¡°Do you think Samuel will believe what I said?¡± Alice asked worriedly. ¡°Rx. Even if he doesn¡¯t, once he checks, he¡¯ll find out that it was Gizem who transferred the money to us,¡± herpanion said. ¡°Right. Soon, we¡¯ll be free. I need to get treatment soon, or I¡¯ll really go blind!¡± Samuel sat in the study, listening to their conversation. He had installed a bugging device in the tower. In the beginning, they wouldn¡¯t give in. After what Gizem did, they eventually spoke. Just then, Eil opened the door of the study. He ced the tablet in front of Samuel. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ve checked. The ount that Alice mentioned is really hers, but the one that transferred money to her seems problematic. Truthfully, it¡¯s under Gizem¡¯s name, but after a quick check, I found that Gizem is not even that bank¡¯s client. Someone¡¯s modified the information.¡± Samuel lifted the boy and ced him on hisp. ¡°Who asked you to check?¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, Daddy.¡± Eil nced sideways at Samuel. ¡°But I¡¯m not about to use Dr. Zabinski of something she didn¡¯t do.¡± Samuel asked, ¡°Do you like her?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Eil replied calmly. ¡°But I know she can¡¯t rece Mommy.¡± Samuel stroked the boy¡¯s head and said in a low voice, ¡°Eil, you¡¯re the older brother. I¡¯m relieved to know that you¡¯re so calm and confident.¡± Eil was overjoyed at thepliment. Samuel¡¯s tone was heavy as he continued, ¡°In the future, with you in charge, I believe the family is in good hands.¡± Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Hand Over The Antidote Eil grew nervous when he heard his father say that. ¡°Daddy, didn¡¯t you say you know where Mommy is?¡± He sounded surprised. ¡°Once we find Mommy, you¡¯ll recover from your sickness. Isn¡¯t that right, Daddy?¡± Samuel said nothing. The boy went on, ¡°I heard from Grandma and Great-grandma that Mommy is an amazing doctor! She can surely heal you, Daddy!¡± He didn¡¯t want Samuel to die. After all, he had a really deep bond with his father. It didn¡¯t matter that outsiders considered Samuel to be cold- blooded and ruthless, because Eil knew that he was a good father. Samuel would agree to whatever nonsensical requests made by his two children. He would speak to them gently, and he never scolded them. Eil turned around and wrapped his arms around Samuel¡¯s neck. Somehow, he wanted to cry. Samuel loved Eil and Desi equally. However, Eil was the older brother, and Desi was of poor health. More often than not, he couldn¡¯t give them the same amount of attention. ¡°Eil, you have to be a good old brother. Then, Daddy wouldn¡¯t have to worry,¡± Samuel reminded the boy. ¡°Okay!¡± Eil nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard so that I can share your burden. So, you have to get better, Daddy!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel patted him lightly on the back. He knew that Eil and Desi were the greatest gifts Kathleen could ever give him. He also knew that he might not live to see the day Eil had a family of his own, or when Desi got married. He just hoped they could have a better, stabler life. Therefore, he had to get rid of all the dangers before leaving this world in peace. Meanwhile, Gizem returned to the hospital. She had just entered the ward when Yareli charged in. ¡°Gizem, I want you to leave Samuel!¡± Yareli red daggers at her. ¡°A woman like you, with such a questionable identity, doesn¡¯t deserve to be by his side!¡± Gizem responded impassively, ¡°Are you sick? I¡¯m here as Desi¡¯s doctor. Do you think I¡¯m here to find love?¡± ¡°Ha! A woman like you surely wants to climb up the ranks!¡± Yareli mocked her. ¡°You may be able to fool others, but you can¡¯t fool me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t assume that other people are just as dirty as you,¡± Gizem sneered. ¡°Anyone could see that Samuel is not interested in you one bit. What makes you think you can stand here and criticize me?¡± Yareli froze. ¡°I¡¯m more qualified than you to enter Florinia Manor,¡± Gizem retorted indifferently. In an instant, Yareli¡¯s expression changed drastically. Gizem¡¯s mockery had deeply upset her, even though the former was absolutely right. ¡°And how are you qualified?¡± Yareli stepped forward. ¡°You can say you¡¯re a doctor, but you¡¯re nothing more than a housekeeper with some medical skills! You¡¯re a servant!¡± Gizem walked up to Yareli. She pinched the woman¡¯s cheek and snorted, ¡°Some medical skills, you say?¡± Yareli saw a chill sh across Gizem¡¯s eyes. She proceeded to threaten, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Gizem! I¡¯m the daughter of the Yoeger family. If you dare to mess with me, I¡¯ll tell my granny to end your life!¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of that?¡± Gizem snickered. She forcefully pried Yareli¡¯s mouth open and stuffed a pill inside. Then, she lifted Yareli¡¯s chin, allowing the pill to enter thetter¡¯s stomach. ¡°What did you feed me?¡± Yareli eximed furiously. Unfazed, Gizem replied coolly, ¡°Good stuff.¡± Yareli grabbed Gizem¡¯s arm. In a harsh tone, she barked, ¡°What did you make me swallow? Give me the antidote right now!¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Gizem withdrew her arm. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to suffer disfigurement, you should stay away from me!¡± Her ferocity startled Yareli. Suddenly, Yareli¡¯s neck felt itchy. She reached an arm to scratch it. The itch then spread to her corbone, and eventually her arms. Gizem snickered. ¡°You!¡± Yareli bit her lip. ¡°Just you wait!¡± She quickly went in search of a doctor. Gizem¡¯s expression remained indifferent. Sure, I¡¯ll wait! After interrogating Alice that day, Gizem had a hunch that the woman was under Yareli¡¯s instructions. If the n had been sessful, they would kill two birds with one stone. They could get rid of her and kill Desi in the process. Then, nothing would stop Yareli from getting together with Samuel. Until this day, she couldn¡¯t do that mainly because of Desi. Yareli had been trying to frame Gizem, so naturally, thetter wouldn¡¯t let her get away just like that. Frances rushed to the hospital right after she received a phone call. She entered the ward and saw the doctors and nurses trying to stop Yareli from scratching her own skin. ¡°Granny!¡± Yareli cried when she saw the old woman. Frances stepped forward to check on her, only to find trails of blood appearing on her granddaughter¡¯s neck and arms. ¡°What is this?¡± she frowned. ¡°Gizem did this!¡± Yareli spat. ¡°She fed me a pill, and then this happened! Granny, you have to avenge me!¡± Frances furrowed her brows. ¡°Are there any grudges between you two?¡± In recent years, Frances didn¡¯t quite trust Yareli as much as she had in the past. Yareli pursued Samuel despite knowing that he was Kathleen¡¯s husband, which displeased Frances. Frances loved her two great-grandchildren, and she was well aware of Yareli¡¯s personality, so she greatly opposed Yareli¡¯s marriage to Samuel. Moreover, Samuel had no intention to marry Yareli. ¡°I¡­¡± Yareli paused. ¡°There is one, actually. She does not enjoy seeing Gizem right next to Samuel.¡± Charles stepped in just then. ¡°You went to pester Samuel again?¡± Frances snapped. ¡°How many times have I told you not to pester him? You never listen!¡± ¡°Granny, you¡¯re being unfair!¡± Yareli muttered, feeling aggrieved. ¡°Kathleen¡¯s your granddaughter, but so am I! She married Samuel, so why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Samuel doesn¡¯t like you,¡± said Frances with a grim tone. ¡°He¡¯ll never marry you.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Yareli bit her lip. ¡°He¡¯ll definitely marry me!¡± The male lovebug was in Samuel¡¯s body, while the female lovebug was in hers. In order to live, Samuel would have to get together with her. He could live a long life only if he had sexual intercourse with her. Otherwise, he would die young. However, she did not tell a single soul any of this. Samuel knew that, too, and he didn¡¯t tell anyone either. Frances frowned in displeasure. Everyone was aware of Samuel¡¯s attitude toward Yareli. Yet, the woman remained stubborn. ¡°Granny, it¡¯s so itchy! I¡¯m itchy all over!¡± Yareli cried. ¡°Gizem wants me dead! Granny, you have to avenge me! Otherwise, the Yoeger family¡¯s pride will be ruined!¡± Frances snorted, ¡°What pride?¡± Those words paused Yareli in her tracks. ¡°It¡¯s all gone because of Zachary and Vanessa,¡± Frances added coldly. Yareli was rendered totally speechless. ¡°Doctor, help her stop the itch,¡± the old woman requested in a low voice. The doctor responded, ¡°I¡¯ll have to administer a sedative.¡± Frances nodded. With that, the doctor picked up a syringe and injected Yareli with a sedative. Her eyes slowly closed, and she finally fell silent. Then, Frances shot an icy nce at Charles. ¡°Charlie, go look for Gizem. Get her to hand over the antidote.¡± Charles scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Confrontation Charles deeply abhorred Yareli. If it weren¡¯t for his worry for Frances, he wouldn¡¯t havee over. Frances uttered, ¡°If you¡¯re not going, I will.¡± ¡°All right, Granny. I¡¯ll go.¡± Left with no choice, Charles turned and left. Frances heaved a long sigh. Her body was getting weaker. She supposed she would have to hand over the Yoeger family to Charles as soon as possible. Charles headed to Gizem¡¯s ward. In truth, he had a lot of questions for her. When he arrived, Gizem happened to be resting. ¡°Come in,¡± she responded calmly after she heard knocking on the door. Charles opened the door and entered the room. Gizem raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± He began impassively, ¡°What did you do to Yareli?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Gizem sneered. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask what she did to me?¡± Charles stared intently at her. ¡°I actually don¡¯t really care for any of that. I have other questions for you.¡± In fact, he didn¡¯t care if Yareli lived or died. Gizem looked at him. ¡°What questions?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Axeworth Corporation?¡± Charles went straight to the point. Gizem frowned deeply. Somehow, it seemed that many people knew about her rtionship with Axeworth Corporation. The problem was that outsiders couldn¡¯t have found out about that, unless someone in the group leaked it. ¡°If I told you that I have nothing to do with this corporation you mentioned, would you believe me?¡± Gizem asked coldly. Charles stared at her icily. ¡°You don¡¯t know when to quit, do you?¡± Gizem knitted her brows. ¡°These days, I¡¯ve received a lot of information about you.¡± Charles narrowed his eyes. ¡°They all show that you are heavily associated with Axeworth Corporation. How do you exin that?¡± Gizem snickered. ¡°Information can be misleading.¡± ¡°My intelligencework has never made mistakes,¡± Charles said confidently. ¡°Do you know how much information I have? Plenty, just like snowkes.¡± Gizem frowned. ¡°It seems that you¡¯re not exactly weed in Axeworth Corporation,¡± he mocked. Gizem¡¯s brows furrowed again. She didn¡¯t want to answer that. Charles cast her a cold nce. ¡°I¡¯ll just ask you one thing.¡± Gizem¡¯s long eyshes trembled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your master¡¯s name?¡± Charles inquired sternly. ¡°Five years ago, did he bring a woman home?¡± Gizem was rather stumped. This man knows my master! ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡± She fiddled with her fingers. ¡°I lost my memory.¡± Lost her memory? Charles didn¡¯t buy that. ¡°That¡¯s ame excuse.¡± Right then, Gizem tore off her hyper-realistic mask, revealing the scorched face underneath. ¡°Five years ago, I was unconscious. I was trapped in a fire, and my face got burned. When they were trying to save me, something hit my head. I might have woken up, but I lost my memory. Happy now?¡± Charles stared at Gizem¡¯s face in shock. She snapped at him, ¡°I have nothing else to say to you! Leave!¡± Charles felt awkward indeed. With a horrifying face like that, life must have been difficult for her. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Charles turned to leave. Gizem breathed a sigh of relief. Her face could certainly turn many people away. She took out her phone and called her master. ¡°Giz, why are you calling me at this hour?¡± the old man grumbled. ¡°Master, I want to ask you something. Who leaked my information?¡± Gizem was enraged. ¡°It¡¯s barely been ten days since I came to Chanaea. Now, Samuel and Charles both know about my connection with Axeworth Corporation!¡± Her master frowned. ¡°How did they find out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Samuel, but Charles told me that someone had leaked it to him on purpose,¡± Gizem said. ¡°Master, if this goes on, I might have to go back. It¡¯s dangerous for me to stay here in Jadeborough!¡± She knew that Samuel and Charles had been looking for information about Axeworth Corporation all these years. However, this time, she had been tricked. ¡°You can¡¯te back now,¡± her master said, frowning. ¡°You haven¡¯t finished your mission.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Gizem chuckled bitterly. ¡°How can I proceed like this? You might as well wait around to collect my corpse!¡± Her master furrowed his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll send someone to look into this.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you three days,¡± she said, still upset. ¡°If you can¡¯t find out anything, I¡¯ming back. I¡¯ll clear out the pests myself!¡± After that, she hung up. Her master realized that she was really crossed. ¡°Come in,¡± he commanded in a low voice. A man entered. He was Zack Hoffman, one of the old man¡¯s apprentices. ¡°Get someone to investigate and find out who released information about Gizem. Catch the traitor and don¡¯t let them off.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Zack nodded. ¡°You may leave now,¡± said the old man. ¡°Master, Raymond¡¯s here,¡± Zack reminded him. The master narrowed his eyes. ¡°Tell him toe in.¡± Zack nodded, then turned to leave. A momentter, Raymond came in. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Old Mr. Hoover.¡± Raymond shed a half-smile. Hoover was the old man¡¯sst name. However, everyone in the entire Axeworth Corporation referred to him as their leader. Others like Gizem and Zack would call him ¡°Master.¡± Therefore, no one outside of Axeworth Corporation knew about thest name of Axeworth Corporation¡¯s leader. Theodore Hoover looked at Raymond meaningfully. ¡°What¡¯s your business here? Haven¡¯t I told you that I can¡¯t cure your sickness? Just wait for death, will you?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Raymondughed. ¡°Back then, I thought I was marked for death as well, but the heavens allowed me to live a few more years. Now, I¡¯m fit as a fiddle. It seems that they aren¡¯t ready to take me yet.¡± Theodore snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t be so cheeky. They might change their mind tomorrow.¡± Raymond¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. ¡°Old Mr. Hoover, I¡¯ve received news.¡± ¡°What kind of news?¡± Theodore peered at his visitor. ¡°I heard that five years ago, you brought back an unconscious woman.¡± Raymond observed Theodore¡¯s wrinkly face, hoping to spot some clues. Theodore frowned. ¡°Says who?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Raymond said slowly. ¡°Kathleen suddenly died five years ago, but Charles hasn¡¯t visited her grave at all. Don¡¯t you find that odd?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that recollection stirs emotions?¡± Theodore asked mockingly. ¡°Oh, I forgot.¡± ¡°Forgot what?¡± Raymond asked with curiosity. ¡°You don¡¯t have emotions!¡± Theodore sneered at him. ¡°Back then, you saw potential in Kathleen and forced her to marry one of your two sons. You even poisoned Charles to hold her back. Charles doesn¡¯t know anything about that, right? When he eventually finds out, do you think you can still live?¡± Raymond scoffed, ¡°You know lots of things, huh?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Theodoreughed. ¡°Both our organizations are on the samend. For so many years, we might not be on good terms, but we don¡¯t have bad blood either. Today, youe to confront me about something so baseless. How do you think I¡¯d feel?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Put The me On Someone Else ¡°Baseless?¡± Raymond sneered. ¡°I heard that someone called Gizem, who works under you, has stirred quite amotiontely.¡± Theodore¡¯s cloudy eyes turned cold. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Raymond responded nonchntly. ¡°Allow me to rify. Gizem has been causing a lot of trouble on my turf. I hope you can provide me with an exnation, Old Mr. Hoover.¡± He added calmly, ¡°By the way, I heard that you once used the name Windwell as the code for an organization, and that was the organization that took Kathleen away.¡± ¡°Haha, where did you hear that? That¡¯s so dubious!¡± Theodore eximed. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to admit it, there¡¯s nothing I can do,¡± Raymond stated. ¡°Please resolve the conflict that your people started on my turf.¡± Theodore frowned. ¡°Gizem hasn¡¯t been around recently. She went back. How could she have stirred up trouble on your turf?¡± Raymond burst intoughter and proceeded to mock Theodore some more. ¡°You¡¯re really getting old, seeing as to how you won¡¯t even admit to something like this. Since you know you¡¯re no longer capable, you should make way for a new leader quickly.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your proof?¡± Theodore expressed his displeasure. Raymond chuckled cruelly. ¡°I do have it. She was caught on surveince cameras.¡± Theodore raised his brows. ¡°Old Mr. Hoover, if you¡¯re losing your touch, I suggest you step down. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have a single sessor. I have many sons, and I don¡¯t mind sparing you one if necessary,¡± Raymond taunted. ¡°Scram!¡± Theodore barked in anger. He rarely lost his temper, but this time, Raymond really got to him. Laughing all the way, Raymond left the ce. Nevertheless, he sent the images snapped by the surveince cameras to Theodore. When Theodore saw them, his hands trembled in anger. He immediately contacted Lauren. Right then, Lauren had resumed her original appearance, and she was enjoying the sun by the beach. When she saw the caller ID, she had no desire to answer the call. That old geezer! He trained me, yet he looks down on me! He discovered Kathleen¡¯s capabilities, took her in as an apprentice, and made her into Gizem. He even intends for her to take over Axeworth Corporation. What am I to him? However, Theodore was persistent. Lauren knew she couldn¡¯t have a falling out with Theodore for the time being. In the end, she huffed and took the call. ¡°Master,¡± she said, her tone a respectful one. ¡°Was it you whounched a conflict with Blissful Sect under Gizem¡¯s nametely?¡± Theodore interrogated. ¡°No,¡± Lauren lied through her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break at the beach right now. How would I have the time to do that?¡± Theodore didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°It better not be you. If I find out who did it, I won¡¯t forgive them!¡± With that said, he hung up the phone. Lauren snorted, ¡°Old geezer! You still have the audacity to order me around! One of these days, I¡¯ll make you kneel down before me and beg for mercy!¡± Her anger intensified the more she thought about it. Next, she dialed a number. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± she said coolly. ¡°Your n was a sess. I¡¯m sure Axeworth Corporation is in a mess right now. How are you doing, Nicolette?¡± ¡°Congrattions! We¡¯re almost there!¡± Nicolette smiled cheekily. ¡°I¡¯m recovering just nicely.¡± ¡°Make every second count,¡± Lauren said in a grim tone. ¡°I¡¯m wary of unexpected changes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? We have the upper hand here,¡± Nicolette responded in a low voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want that old geezer to find out!¡± Lauren pursed her lips. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t intervened back then, I would¡¯ve already killed Kathleen!¡± Nicolette said calmly, ¡°Lauren, he may be your master, but he never sees you as a potential sessor. If I hadn¡¯t overheard what he told the others, we would still be kept in the dark!¡± Lauren replied huffily, ¡°Either way, I can¡¯t wait any longer!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start something else.¡± Nicolette shed a half-smile. ¡°You want to get rid of that old man, and I want to teach somebody a lesson.¡± Lauren raised her brow. ¡°Yareli?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Nicolette sneered, ¡°I won¡¯t forgive those people who took everything from me!¡± Hearing that, Lauren smirked smugly. She knew she had made the right bet. The next day, Gizem decided to get discharged. She didn¡¯t like staying in the ward. She might be a doctor, but she didn¡¯t like it there at all. While she was on her way to process the discharge procedures, she bumped into Samuel unexpectedly. ¡°Where are you going in such a rush?¡± Samuel asked with a slight frown. ¡°I want to get discharged,¡± Gizem replied. ¡°I can recover at home.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a doctor. Of course I¡¯m sure.¡± Gizem gave a firm reply. Samuel remained aloof. ¡°What¡¯s this feud with Yareli?¡± He had heard about it just now. Gizem exined, ¡°She started it. She came to my ward to provoke me. I had no reason to be nice to her.¡± Samuel scowled. ¡°And you don¡¯t mind getting yourself into trouble?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you suspecting that I¡¯m somehow connected to Axeworth Corporation? Wouldn¡¯t it be natural for me to have a backing?¡± Gizem said sarcastically. Samuel¡¯s solemn tone sounded frosty as he spoke. ¡°Once you see what I have, you probably won¡¯t be so smug.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Gizem asked. Samuel handed her the file he had been holding. When she flipped through it, her expression darkened. ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°Do I have a reason to set you up?¡± Samuel said, his arms crossed. Damn it! Someone¡¯s been masquerading as me to stir trouble! And Samuel found out about it! Gizem thought. ¡°I suggest you get Axeworth Corporation to resolve this,¡± he mocked dryly. ¡°None of your business!¡± Gizem eximed angrily. ¡°I asked the doctor just now. You have to stay for two more days,¡± Samuel went on, as cold as ever. ¡°Just be good and stay put in the hospital.¡± After that, he turned and left. Gizem turned around, too. She returned to the ward and got back to her bed. She picked up her phone, intending to call Theodore. However, she thought about it carefully and put her phone down. She had told Theodore many times, but he basically did nothing. Could he be behind this? Gizem had always known that Theodore could be quite unpredictable. She wondered what he was up to this time. Since Samuel knew about it, there was no reason why Theodore couldn¡¯t have known. Yet, he never called. Perhaps he¡¯s dealing with pests of his own? Never mind, I¡¯ll talk to him another time. At night, when Gizem was about to sleep, she saw a dark figure sh past the ss on the door. She frowned. The next second, the shadow shed by again. ¡°Come in,¡± Gizem summoned. The door opened, and a woman walked in. There was a smile on her doll-like face, but her eyes were frosty and hostile. ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she uttered, raising a brow. Gizem red coldly at her. ¡°idents happen. What do you want, Freya?¡± Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Your Answer Freya spoke sharply as she sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°We¡¯ve got a situation back at Axeworth Corporation.¡± Gizem¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a traitor among us.¡± Freya shot a side-eyed look at the former. ¡°You know who it is?¡± Gizem asked. With eyes still locked on Gizem¡¯s face, Freya answered, ¡°Honestly, I think it¡¯s best if you stop using this hyper-realistic face mask. Someone else has been using your current face and going around causing trouble. Not only has she upset Blissful Sect, but she¡¯s also provoked other organizations. I hear people have already hired assassins toe for you.¡± Assassins? The thought sparked a dagger-like sharpness in Gizem¡¯s face. ¡°Let theme. I¡¯m not afraid of them.¡± After all, it was not her first time dancing on the thin de between life and death. Still, Freya urged, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you focus on finding the impostor since it¡¯s a pressing matter?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. I already know who it is.¡± Gizem then calmly revealed, ¡°Lauren Xenos.¡± ¡°Lauren?¡± A hard look formed on the dubious Freya¡¯s face. ¡°How¡¯s that possible?¡± ¡°A few days ago, she posed as me and lost a hefty sum in Lusterg¡¯s casinos,¡± Gizem instantly replied. ¡°Her actions caused Samuel to misunderstand my intentions. At the time, I phoned Master and asked him to resolve this matter. However, it¡¯s been days, and he still hasn¡¯t made a move. It even seems like he¡¯s allowing things to intensify.¡± Freya hesitated but eventually chimed in on the topic, ¡°Gizem, don¡¯t you think that Master has gotten old?¡± ¡°Old?¡± Gizem raised a brow. Nodding, Freya borated her argument. ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s old now and can no longer make prompt decisions, so we can¡¯t rely on him. Do you understand?¡± A dark gleam flitted across Gizem¡¯s eyes when she heard that. ¡°What are you implying?¡± That was when Freya stood up and approached her. ¡°Gizem, Aren¡¯t you here toplete a mission under his orders? Isn¡¯t it odd that Master never deigned to tell you what the mission is about? What if he asks you to sacrifice your life? Would you do it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not that cruel,¡± Gizem¡¯s icy tone defended. At that, Freya¡¯s nose scrunched up into a sneer. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. He is a cruel man.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Everyone says even the most vicious tiger would never harm its cubs. But do you know that Master¡¯s only son died in his hands?¡± Freya¡¯s tone dripped with disdain as she pointed out, ¡°Otherwise, given his age, he would¡¯ve retired long ago. Yet, he¡¯s still the leader of our corporation to this day. It¡¯s obviously because he has no sessor.¡± True enough, Gizem had previously overheard Axeworth Corporation¡¯s members discussing that Theodore had a son, whom he identally pushed off a cliff. Freya¡¯s growl-like voice added, ¡°Gizem. Lauren has already made her move, and she¡¯s always seen you as her enemy. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s letting you off easily should her schemes continue to fail.¡± Despite learning that, Gizem remained impassive. ¡°Oh? Weren¡¯t you two a team?¡± Freya shook her head. ¡°Of course not. Please think it through, Gizem. We desperately need you on our side. Plus, if you¡¯re willing to join us andplete this incredible task of overthrowing him, we¡¯ll allow you to be Axeworth Corporation¡¯s second-inmand.¡± ¡°We? Is someone else working with you?¡± Gizem grimly questioned as she was quick to notice. ¡°Zack. Either way, most of Axeworth Corporation¡¯s members have agreed to our n. All that remains is you.¡± ¡°What about those who disagree?¡± Gizem sat back down. ¡°Those guys?¡± Freya scoffed. ¡°Half of them n to betray the organization while the other half are on Lauren¡¯s side. So, once we overthrow Master, we¡¯ll eliminate all of them.¡± Never did Gizem expect the adorable Freya to be so ruthless. The former retained a grave tone while asking, ¡°Freya, do you guys really need my help?¡± Absolute sincerity filled Freya¡¯s eyes right then. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you guys need me, or my money?¡± Gizem spoke again with an even chillier voice that made Freya tense up. The organization relied solely on the drugs that Gizem developed to generate ie. Thus, anyone who could secure Gizem on their side would sessfully take over the organization. ¡°Gizem, listen to me,¡± Freya urged. ¡°Lauren won¡¯t bother coaxing you onto her side. All she wants is to kill you. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t order her subordinates to pose as you and cause trouble everywhere. She wants other organizations to finish you off on her behalf. Don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°Obviously. I¡¯ve known her long enough to understand her character. However, I¡¯m not waiting for her to coax me onto her side, nor am I taking yours.¡± Freya paused in shock. Moments passed when she snapped to her senses and coldly chuckled. ¡°Are you really not considering my offer?¡± Gizem shook her head. ¡°If you won¡¯t help out, don¡¯t me us for turning a blind eye when other organizations try to kill you after we take over Axeworth Corporation,¡± Freya threatened. s, only a frosty look showed on Gizem¡¯s face. ¡°Do you seriously think I¡¯m a scaredy-cat?¡± ¡°I hope you reconsider my offer, Gizem. I¡¯ll be in Jadeborough these next few days. You know how to contact me should you change your mind.¡± With that, a glowering Freya stormed off. She was not going to give up that easily. Left behind, Gizem lightly pinched the space between her brows. As I guessed, the organization¡¯s members no longer share a united goal. Then again, who can me them? This is what Master brought upon himself. Back then, Theodore was the one who roped Vanessa into Axeworth Corporation and entrusted her with a huge responsibility. Vanessa¡¯s presence messed up all order and peace in the organization. On top of that, she used Axeworth Corporation¡¯s connections to boost her ce in society. What was worse was she eventually abandoned her position to run off and marry someone. Now, she lived a morous life while Axeworth Corporation stumbled down a declining slope. Thus, all Axeworth Corporation¡¯s members were in a state of panic, thinking it would only be a matter of time before their organization would copse. Two dayster, Samuel went to pick up Gizem, who was finally discharged from the hospital. His warm hospitality surprised Gizem, who said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Samuel Macari is here to pick me up.¡± Samuel icily ignored her words and did what he came here to¡ªinterrogate her. ¡°Do you know about this thing called liquid ecstasy?¡± Liquid ecstasy? Gizem¡¯s lips pursed from the sudden tension she felt. ¡°Some people have recently gotten drugged with this. A new batch of killers has arrived in Jadeborough, and it seems like they¡¯re here to assassinate the creator of liquid ecstasy. Upon hearing this, Gizem frowned. ¡°Is this news reliable?¡± ¡°My informants are always reliable,¡± replied a frosty-looking Samuel. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think it¡¯s best if I stay away from Florinia Manor. You and the kids live there, after all. I don¡¯t want to get you guys in any trouble.¡± ¡°Florinia Manor has the best security, so you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Samuel cooly interjected. ¡°I¡¯m merely helping you for the sake of my daughter.¡± He made it very clear that he had no other intentions toward her. Gizem¡¯s lips pursed into a taut line. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin, Mr. Macari. I know you¡¯re not interested in me now that you¡¯ve seen what I truly look like. Rest assured. I don¡¯t have any improper thoughts toward you.¡± That was when Samuel indifferently cut in. ¡°Even so, you will resolve those things if you want to continue staying here. I¡¯ll give you one night to make up your mind. Either you tell me everything, and I¡¯ll help you settle the matter, or you leave this ce.¡± Gizem was startled by his threat. Moments ago, she was mentally praising him for being a kind man, yet that thought no longer existed. She now saw the man before her as a demon. Even if she ignored the repercussions of leaving, she still needed to face a perilous journey back to the organization. Gizem could only hope that Theodore could settle the internal dispute within Axeworth Corporation. Otherwise, there would only be endless trouble. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she said. Eyes narrowing to slits, Samuel spoke again. ¡°You¡¯ll have only one day to sit on it. I expect your answer this time tomorrow.¡± Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Chapter 336 The Grim Reveal Sometime after arriving at Florinia Manor, Gizem sat in her room with her phone in hand. She hesitated briefly before phoning Theodore. This time, he answered the call without anyints. ¡°Master¡­¡± Gizem took a while to ask, ¡°How are things on your end?¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve heard?¡± Theodore¡¯s morose voice answered with a question of his own. ¡°Yeah,¡± replied a nodding Gizem. ¡°Do you need me to return?¡± ¡°Dearest Gizem, it¡¯s indeed time for you to repay my past kindness to you.¡± There was a hidden meaning behind Theodore¡¯s tone. ¡°Do you know why I sent you to Jadeborough?¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You have a mission for me.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Theodore¡¯s tone took on a de-like sharpness. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you what your mission is now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Gizem nodded. ¡°I want you to kidnap Samuel¡¯s daughter. Bring her here.¡± W-What? That was not what Gizem expected. ¡°But why, Master?¡± ¡°Why are you asking so many questions? Don¡¯t forget who rescued you when you were unconscious back then. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would¡¯ve suffered plenty more disfigurement than the one on your face.¡± Gizem tensed. ¡°That¡¯s true. But Master, why would you abduct Samuel¡¯s daughter if Samuel¡¯s the one you¡¯re after?¡± A bone-chilling chuckle came from the phone. ¡°Do as Imand. Or, are you not nning to obey me?¡± An apathetic look shrouded Gizem¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°I expect a lot from you, Gizem. As long as you bring Samuel¡¯s daughter over, I¡¯ll make you Axeworth Corporation¡¯s sessor.¡± Gizem frowned as she did not care about achieving such a thing. ¡°You¡¯d better get moving.¡± Theodore¡¯s tone bore a heavy weight. Lips pursing for a moment, Gizem eventually replied, ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± Following that, Theodore hung up the phone. Gizem continued to frown deeply even after. So that was his n¡ªfor me to kidnap Desi. But she¡¯s merely a girl with heart disease. Why would he go after her? That¡¯s too odd. Deep down, Gizem knew she could never make a move against Desi. What do I do? Even Samuel keeps hounding me for answers. It feels like the world is drowning me in all sorts of problems. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± An ache started invading Gizem¡¯s temples. Suddenly, a fragmented vision shed in her mind. Those fragments seemed to be her past memories. It was a pity, though, since she could not recall anything despite having that vision. As I guessed, I probably shouldn¡¯t overwork my brain. With that thought, Gizemy down to nap for a bit. Her slumbersted until half past eight in the evening. Only then did she awake and notice what time it was. Her eyes grew wide in shock. Gosh! How did I sleep for this long? Although, my head doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, so that¡¯s good. She then got off the bed and headed outside. Florinia Manor seemed exceedingly quiet at that hour. Usually, Samuel would be spending time with Eil and Desi in the living room at this time of day. Why is it so quiet today? Gizem could not help questioning the unusual silence. ¡°Gizem!¡± Freya¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from behind her. At once, Gizem turned around, her brows tightly knitting together. ¡°Freya?¡± A vicious smirk curved across Freya¡¯s face in response. ¡°How did you get in? And aren¡¯t you afraid of getting caught?¡± Gizem¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Rx,¡± said an unbothered Freya. ¡°I knocked them out.¡± What? Rage took over Gizem¡¯s senses as she snapped, ¡°Have you lost your mind? What the hell are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take Samuel¡¯s daughter away.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gizem coldly questioned. Why is she and Master both after Desi? ¡°Duh, to threaten Samuel and Master.¡± Freya emotionlessly chuckled while borating, ¡°Oh, sweet Gizem, you know too little about Axeworth Corporation. Then again, you never were part of us, to begin with.¡± Bloodthirsty wrath swirled in Gizem¡¯s gaze. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°You know how Master pushed his son off a cliff? Well, his son actually survived and is in a vegetative state. Master did everything he could to make his son recover. He even turned to ck magic, but nothing worked.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± Gizem asked. ¡°What happened?¡± Freya sardonically sneered, ¡°He discovered his son had an illegitimate child. However, that kid has a blood disorder. Have you not noticed the tasks he assigns you always revolve around blood?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with Desi?¡± Gizem was perplexed at that instant. ¡°Desi¡¯s birth parents had unique physical conditions that distinguished her blood from others. It can save Master¡¯s grandson. Thus, I can threaten Samuel and Master with Desi. Simultaneously, I can get them to go against each other while I reap the benefits. Once everything ends, I¡¯ll have full control of the organization. What do you think of my n?¡± ¡°Desi has always lived with heart disease. If you extract her blood, it will only mean death for her!¡± Sheer rage emanated from Gizem. ¡°So what? It has nothing to do with me.¡± Those words caused Gizem¡¯s fists to ball up. ¡°No wonder someone told me that Axeworth Corporation consists of lunatics! That you¡¯re all ruthless monsters!¡± ¡°Hah! Indeed, we are. You¡¯re the only normal one here. But that¡¯s because you were never one of us. Master lied to you.¡± Gizem stormed ahead. ¡°Tell me what you mean by that!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you manage to beat me in a fight!¡± Freya challenged. ¡°Fine!¡± A solemn darkness filled Gizem¡¯s orbs then and there. She darted quickly toward Freya. Yet, only a sneer came from Freya upon seeing Gizem¡¯s iing fist. The former abruptly pulled out a knife while snarling, ¡°You¡¯re dead meat, Gizem! Since you refuse to help us, prepare to die!¡± Surprisingly, Gizem managed to dodge Freya¡¯s knife. Thetter was skilled inbat arts and was one of the top three fighters within the organization. Gizem was not too shabby either, but she still paled inparison. Freya was so confident that she did not even take Gizem seriously. In her eyes, Gizem was merely a brainiac who knew how to earn money but had poor body strength. As the fight went on, a grin broke out on Freya¡¯s face each time she forced Gizem to retreat. ¡°Is that it? You¡¯re too weak, Gizem!¡± Freya sneered. Not a trace of emotion showed on Gizem¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s no telling who will win just yet!¡± ¡°It will obviously be me!¡± Freya cockily added, ¡°That¡¯s enough toying around with you. I¡¯m going to end your life now, then kidnap Desi. Here is where we bid farewell, you, so-called genius pharmaceutical scientist! Even though I¡¯ll miss the money your drugs will generate, you leave me with no choice but this!¡± With that, she charged at Gizem with full force. A murderous gleam appeared in Gizem¡¯s dark eyes. She patiently waited for Freya to close in before raising her dainty gun. Bang! A bullet pierced the spot between Freya¡¯s brows. Subsequently, a fearful expression marred Freya¡¯s face as her body fell next to Gizem. Only then did Gizem put down her gun. ¡°I know I can¡¯t beat you in a fight. Even so, you¡¯re still nothing but a human. How can you defend yourself against a bullet?¡± Gizem heaved a deep sigh of relief while preparing to leave. Thud! Someone hit her head from behind just then, instantly knocking her out. She did notpletely lose consciousness, so she managed to catch a glimpse of a dark figure dragging Freya¡¯s body away. Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Provide Treatment The dark figure soon returned, heading straight into the children¡¯s room. The unconscious Desi was then carried out of the room. ¡°No¡­¡± Gizem forced herself to stay awake. Despite that, the pain in the back of her head was so intense that it felt like it was splitting her head open. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. That dark figurepletely ignored Gizem as they headed outside. As Gizem struggled to get up, it was but a futile attempt as she could not hold on anymore. She could only watch the two vanish together. D*mn it! By the time Samuel woke up, he found himself in the hospital. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake, Samuel,¡± said Wynnie anxiously. All Samuel felt at the moment was dizziness. Just being awake was enough to make him feel awful. ¡°Someone drugged all of you. The doctor said that the drug used was three times stronger than the average sedative. Desi is currently missing, and Eil is still unconscious.¡± Wynnie spoke in a worried tone. ¡°Desi is missing?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was incredibly hoarse when he croaked, ¡°What about the others?¡± Wynnie uttered in a whisper, ¡°Gizem is also missing.¡± As Samuel¡¯s sharp gaze turned dark, he threw the covers off of himself. That was when Tyson walked in. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Mr. Macari!¡± he eximed. ¡°Did you find Desi¡¯s whereabouts?¡± Samuel¡¯s face was as dark as coal. ¡°Yes.¡± With a tablet in hand, Tyson reported, ¡°Two hours ago, it was Gizem who brought the unconscious Desi onto a ne that was heading out of Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Where is the ne heading to?¡± Samuel asked in a grave tone. ¡°Zedfield, which is in Moranta,¡± Tyson responded. Zedfield? Isn¡¯t that the most dangerous city in Moranta? To my knowledge, Axeworth Corporation¡ªthe organization that Gizem belongs to¡ªis based there. ¡°Get the ne ready¡ªI¡¯m heading there immediately,¡± Samuel stated as his eyes narrowed. ¡°Understood!¡± Tyson gave a nod. Filled with worry, Wynnie looked at Samuel. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Gizem¡­ She¡­¡± ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t jump to conclusions. It might not be her.¡± Samuel¡¯s hoarse voice was deep but clear. A bit shaken up, Wynnie blurted, ¡°But Tyson said that it was her who was seen in the surveince footage, taking Desi away.¡± Samuel nced at Wynnie meaningfully. ¡°That person may look a lot like her, but it is not her.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure, Samuel? What if it is her? She could be the informant your enemies nted by your side!¡± Wynnie was doubtful. She could not understand how someone as decisive and sharp as Samuel could trust someone he had only met days before. Picking up his coat as he got up, Samuel said, ¡°Please take care of Eil, Mom. Call me if something comes up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie knew that there was nothing else she could say that would change anything. Forget it. I¡¯ll just save my breath for now. Once Samuel got his coat on, he immediately headed toward the door. After rushing to the airport, he quickly prepared to head toward Zedfield, worried that Desi would be in danger if he were to be a minute toote. The moment Gizem opened her eyes, she noticed that her arms and legs were bound. Looking around, she found herself in a room, and the sky outside was already dark. How long have I been knocked out? Is Desi being held here with me? If she¡¯s here, I need to find her and get us out of here. Just then, the door opened. Finn walked in. It¡¯s him! However, Gizem was sure he wasn¡¯t the dark figure who took Desi away. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Her eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± A sinister smile hung on Finn¡¯s face. ¡°Are we in Chanaea?¡± Gizem questioned icily. ¡°Yes.¡± Gizem calmed herself down as she looked at him. ¡°What are you after?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± His gaze turned cold. ¡°If you want to live, you¡¯d better provide treatment.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Gizem scoffed, ¡°Treatment? For who? You? Or Tracy?¡± Finn stayed silent. ¡°The one with an issue is you. I can¡¯t treat someone who doesn¡¯t have any illnesses.¡± One could feel the sarcasm just from looking into Gizem¡¯s eyes. Enraged, Finn snapped, ¡°You should think about your current situation! Samuel already knows that you were the one who took his daughter. He will never let you off for that.¡± Gizem¡¯s face fell. My guess is right then. Someone wants to frame me. With a chilly tone, she countered, ¡°Whatever I say to Samuel to prove my innocence is none of your business. You, on the other hand, are clearly ying with fire!¡± Finn burst outughing. ¡°You still want to resist, huh? The sedative in your body is going to linger for a long time. How are you going to beat me now that you¡¯ve lost your strength? Moreover, you¡¯re tied up.¡± With eyes filled with fury, Gizem chuckled. ¡°The winner hasn¡¯t been determined yet.¡± Finn took a step forward before grabbing her by the hair. ¡°Listen. You¡¯d better treat her. If nothing happens within Tracy¡¯s womb by the end of the month, you¡¯re dead.¡± He mmed her head against the wall as he finished. ¡°This is a lesson for you!¡± the infuriated Finn warned. Gizem¡¯s head was already hurt. Hence, hitting her head again exacerbated her pain. It felt as though her head was really about to split open. After she copsed onto the bed, her mind was in total chaos. She began seeing many images and scenes. The things she saw were like memories that did not belong to her, but they still felt familiar¡ªas if she had experienced them personally. She saw Samuel. His eyes looked cold at times and sinister at other times. He also looked gentle asionally but then miserable every now and then. The emotions she saw ovepped and intertwined with each other, making her unable to tell if they were real or if it was all an illusion. She soon saw something else¡ªa woman. It was a young and very pretty woman who acted quite erratic. ¡°Vivian¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°She hung herself.¡± ¡°No. Her death was caused by Finn.¡± She also saw Charles and Caleb. They looked like they were in pain when they talked about the woman named Vivian. What¡¯s going on? Why do I have such memories? Wait¡­ Who exactly am I? Regardless, there¡¯s no doubt that Finn is the one who caused Vivian¡¯s death. Vivian¡­ She was the woman Charles liked. Is this why I felt ufortable when I first met Finn? Gizem was pissed. In fact, she felt like ripping Finn into a thousand pieces. Gradually, she felt more and more dibobted. In the end, she passed out once again. Gizem woke up again a few hourster. This time, although her head hurt, she felt incredibly clear-headed. She took a deep breath. I¡¯m uncertain about a lot of things, but one thing is for sure¡ªFinn needs to die. Click! The door was opened again, and at the doorway was Finn. His voice sounded even more distant as he asked, ¡°Have you thought things through?¡± Gizem sat up and leaned against the headboard. Finn was sure that he had already subdued her. He smiled chillingly and added, ¡°As long as you listen to whatever I say, I will not hurt you.¡± ¡°Finn, who¡¯s Vivian?¡± Gizem questioned calmly. ¡°How did you know about her?¡± He narrowed his eyes. She is not a citizen of Jadeborough. There¡¯s no way she would know. ¡°Was she the woman you used to love the most? Did you force her to her death?¡± Rage could be seen in the depths of Gizem¡¯s eyes. Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Bing An Idiot Finn roared, ¡°What does that have to do with you? I brought you here to treat people, not to ask pointless questions!¡± Gizem smiled grimly, her eyes unwavering. ¡°Treatment, eh? I got just the treatment for your illness.¡± ¡°What?¡± Gizem¡¯s charming red lips curved. ¡°All you need to do is to die and reincarnate!¡± Right after she ended her sentence, she stood up, picked up the tablemp beside her, and swung it at Finn¡¯s head. Thump! Finn was caught off guard as he did not anticipate that she would abruptly get up. He had no idea how she got out of the rope that bound her. With themp, Gizem bashed his head several times, hard. It was not until Finn¡¯s face was covered in blood that she finally stopped. She got to her feet, tossing themp in her hand aside. Finn, at the brink of death, looked at her. ¡°You¡­¡± Gizem raised her hand, showing off the ring on her slender finger. ¡°This ring has a hidden de in it. Pressing the ring would unleash it.¡± Finn was at a loss for words. She stepped on his chest and asked, ¡°Tell me. Who handed me to you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Finn breathed weakly. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, I¡¯m going to end you.¡± It was apparent that Gizem was filled with hate. A terrified look fleeted across Finn¡¯s eyes. ¡°N-No!¡± ¡°Then tell me the truth!¡± Gizem stepped on his chest harder. ¡°My patience is wearing thin!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an organization called Windwell Corporation! They handed you to me.¡± Finn continued to exin, ¡°When I visited the ck market a few days ago to find treatment, someone said they could help me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Gizem frowned. ¡°Windwell Corporation disbanded without a trace a few years ago.¡± In truth, the organization was founded by her master, Theodore, and it was supposed to be a fake organization. Its sole purpose was to confuse those who wanted to exact revenge on him. Nheless, Theodore disbanded it three to four years ago, and they all operated under the original organization called Axeworth Corporation after that. Looking like he was in pain, Finn uttered, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I still have their messages with me.¡± He began feeling around his suit pocket. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Gizem demanded. She crouched down and pulled out Finn¡¯s phone. After getting him to unlock the phone with his fingerprint, she soon found the chat logs between Windwell Corporation and him. At first, Gizem did not believe that the organization was Windwell Corporation. It was not until she saw the picture the organization sent that she began to doubt herself. The picture contained Windwell Corporation¡¯s emblem. After she studied it, she noticed that the emblem undoubtedly belonged to Windwell Corporation. It was the real deal. Back then, Theodore destroyed the emblem immediately after disbanding the organization. That emblem had a marking at the bottom¡ªit was Theodore¡¯s signature. Only those from Axeworth Corporation knew about this. It was impossible for malicious outsiders who wanted to cause trouble in the guise of Windwell Corporation to notice this. This is inconceivable. ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you,¡± Finn hoarsely uttered. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve said is the truth.¡± Gizem asked impassively, ¡°What else do you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much else, but¡­¡± Finn shook his head. ¡°The person who brought you here said that as long as I fed you this drug, you¡¯d listen to me obediently. I already fed you some.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the drug?¡± Gizem grabbed his cor as she questioned. Finn pointed at his other pocket. Gizem then fished out a bottle from it. She popped it open before taking a whiff. Her dark eyes quickly turned cold. ¡°Do you know what kind of drug this is?¡± ¡°All they said is that you¡¯d be obedient after taking some of it.¡± Finn spoke in a low tone. ¡°This is a slow-acting poison that would damage one¡¯s brain. Taking this for a month can turn one into an idiot.¡± Gizem pried open Finn¡¯s mouth. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just give them all to you!¡± She stuffed the contents of the bottle directly into his mouth as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have a son? Once you be an idiot, you won¡¯t have to worry about that anymore!¡± Gizem had a lot of animosity toward him. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Finn struggled against her, but she was ruthless as all she wanted was to force him to swallow everything. Soon, most of the pills were in his mouth while some fell onto the floor. Nevertheless, he ate most of them. Gizem gradually loosened her grip on him as he stopped struggling. Getting to her feet, she stared at him with hostility. ¡°Ha! That¡¯s what you get! I don¡¯t know who Vivian is, but at least I¡¯ve avenged her!¡± With that, she walked out of the room. The building was a mansion. Judging by her surroundings, she could tell that the mansion was an old one. The ce was very quiet, and it seemed as if she and Finn were the only people there. Seeing the car parked in the yard, Gizem was sure that she was still in Chanaea. I don¡¯t know who took Desi, but it could only be my master or the members of Windwell Corporation. Regardless, I need to head back. But based on what Finn said, I¡¯ve be the suspect of Desi¡¯s kidnapping. Samuel would never let me go because of that. I don¡¯t have any evidence that can prove my innocence, and the only thing I can do now is to save Desi. I¡¯ll definitely find some clues about all this when I save her. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Grabbing the car key nearby, she strode out of the mansion. As soon as she got into Finn¡¯s car, she ripped the hyper-realistic mask off her face. She looked into the rear-view mirror, scrutinizing her horrifying face. Then, she took off the secondyer. Finally, my pores could breathe now! She had been wearing those twoyers of masks almost every day before this¡ªespecially the second one. Everyone in Axeworth Corporation thought her face was still ruined, but it had healed a long time ago. As Gizem looked at her face in the mirror, bitterness glinted in her eyes. ¡°This face looks way too simr to that of Samuel¡¯s wife,¡± she grumbled. Although it¡¯s notpletely the same, it¡¯s just too simr for me to handle. I guess this is why Master made me wear the mask constantly. It¡¯s to avoid misunderstandings. So, where exactly did Ie from? Why are there such memories in my head? Her red lips pursed slightly. I guess I have no choice but to ask Master. As she pondered, she drove toward the airport. She was sure no one would recognize her with her face. An hourter, Gizem reached the airport. She had prepared her ID card in advance. After buying the flight ticket, all that was left to do was board the ne. ¡°Kate?¡± A low and familiar voice suddenly sounded. Gizem was not aware that the voice was calling for her, so she kept walking. ¡°Kate!¡± Caleb ran after her, grabbing her hand once he reached her. His eyes could not move away from Gizem¡¯s face. ¡°You¡­¡± Gizem pulled her arm away. ¡°Ah, ah.¡± She acted mute and shook her head vehemently. She was afraid she would be recognized if she spoke. Caleb furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯re not Kate?¡± Gizem shook her head. He continued to frown. ¡°But¡­ You look so much alike.¡± They look so simr, with only a slight difference. Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Chapter 339 A Kathleen Lookalike Gizem was in a hurry to board the ne. Thus, she withdrew her hand from Caleb¡¯s cold grip and left. A frown was etched on Caleb¡¯s face as he wondered if he had guessed wrongly. But she looks very much like Kathleen, be it her face or her back. It¡¯s just that Kathleen is not mute. Still, Caleb thought he should ask her again. When he turned around to look for Gizem, she was already out of sight. Where did she go? At that moment, Philip approached him. ¡°Mr. Lewis, the ne is ready for take-off.¡± Caleb remained indifferent. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Send someone to investigate thedy I stopped just now. I want all her information when I get back from Zedfield.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Philip nodded. With that, Caleb turned around and got ready to board the ne. He took a private jet, whereas Gizem took amercial flight. Although they were heading to the same destination, they weren¡¯t on the same ne. After more than ten hours, the nended safely. Gizem rushed to see Theodore as soon as she got off the ne. However, she stopped the car midway. Wait a minute! If this is really Theodore¡¯s doing, wouldn¡¯t I be in danger if I went there now? Although Gizem wasn¡¯t sure what Theodore wanted, Freya had previously told her that his goal was to take Desi¡¯s blood. If that was true, then she¡¯d only be regarded as an enemy by Theodore if she went there now. Then, she would be captured by him. After giving it some thought, Gizem decided to wait for the night to fall. She would go there in the dark. Meanwhile, at a hotel, Samuel smoked continuously as he stood by therge window. He hade to Zedfield for Gizem and Desi, but after he arrived, there was no news of them anymore. All traces of them had disappeared. Suddenly, a person popped into his mind ¡ªRichard. It was Richard who rmended Gizem before. As soon as Richard received Samuel¡¯s call, he rushed to see thetter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Samuel?¡± Richard asked with a frown. ¡°How did you meet Gizem?¡± Samuel questioned aloofly. Richard stiffened. ¡°I heard Gizem kidnapped Desi. Is that true?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°How can this be?¡± Richard was shocked. He added, ¡°I can¡¯t believe she would do this. I met her at an academic conference. She¡¯s exceptional in our field, so I got to know her. Then, we kept in touch over the phone. I just thought of her when you mentioned you wanted to change Desi¡¯s doctor-in-charge.¡± Samuel continued puffing his cigarette. It had been a long time since hest smoked. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth, Samuel.¡± Richard was perturbed. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll ask around and look into this.¡± The gaze in Samuel¡¯s eyes looked cold. Just then, Tyson came in. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve found something,¡± he reported. ¡°Windwell Corporation vanished into thin air a few years ago, but Gizem is from this organization.¡± Richard was overwhelmed. ¡°What?¡± He had heard of Windwell Corporation before this. It was the time when Samuel got infected by the male lovebug. An elderly hade looking for Samuel and dered he could help thetter. Following Samuel¡¯s near-death experience and Kathleen¡¯s disappearance, the elderly man never showed up again. Richard only knew that the old man had something to do with Windwell Corporation, but never did he expect that Gizem was connected to the organization, too. ¡°What¡¯s your view on this?¡± Richard looked at Samuel. ¡°Some time ago, I heard that Gizem is from Axeworth Corporation,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Do you think one person can belong to two organizations? Based on my understanding of the organizations in Zedfield, someone who does that won¡¯t be able to live another day once they get caught.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Richard replied tly. ¡°Although this ce is chaotic, there are still some rules in ce.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°So, I don¡¯t think Gizem is from Windwell Corporation.¡± ¡°But Mr. Macari, they heard that she imed to be a member of Windwell Corporation,¡± Tyson chimed in. Samuel nced at him and responded, ¡°Windwell Corporation is a fake organization.¡± Both Richard and Tyson were shocked by that statement. ¡°Fake?¡± ¡°I found the link of this organization on the dark web just now,¡± Samuel exined in an aloof tone. ¡°This organization appeared out of nowhere after I was infected with the male lovebug. Then, I fell into aa, and Kate disappeared. After two years, Windwell Corporation vanished without a trace. But recently, it became active again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± Tyson knitted his brows. ¡°Mr. Macari, please enlighten me.¡± Samuel remained expressionless. ¡°Windwell Corporation is just Axeworth Corporation¡¯s disguise. They tell others that they are from Windwell Corporation when they are actually from Axeworth Corporation.¡± Tyson widened his eyes, his mouth agape. Meanwhile, Richard frowned. ¡°You mean the elderly from back then lied that he was from Windwell Corporation to prevent you from tracking him?¡± Samuel nodded in response. ¡°So that¡¯s why!¡± It suddenly dawned on Richard what had happened. ¡°For the past few years, we kept trying to investigate Windwell Corporation, but our attempts were futile. Apparently, it¡¯s just a disguise.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°Although it was a fake organization before, their actionstely don¡¯t seem fake.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Richard was at a loss. Samuel oozed a chilly aura. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the leader of Axeworth Corporation.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Richard frowned. ¡°I think he has something to do with Gizem taking Desi away,¡± Samuel said coldly. Also, it was best for him to see it for himself. Samuel wanted to know if the leader of Axeworth Corporation was the elderly from five years ago. ¡°Okay!¡± Richard nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Samuel¡¯s face was devoid of emotions. ¡°I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Richard sounded worried. ¡°No, it won¡¯t be.¡± Samuel was certain. ¡°I¡¯ll sneak in. Nobody will notice me.¡± It would alert the enemy if he went there openly. Thus, Samuel nned to go there secretly and figure out the situation. He would find a way to rescue Desi if she was really in their hands. When darkness fell, Gizem went to Theodore¡¯s ce all alone. She climbed inside through the windows on the second floor and went straight to Theodore¡¯s room. Gently, she pushed open the door and walked into the room. To her dismay, the bed was empty. Gizem touched the bed, and it was cold without a hint of warmth. It seemed like Theodore wasn¡¯t sleeping here. Then, she turned around and went to the study. Once again, she was met with disappointment when she saw that there was no one in the study. What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s sote now. Where could he go? After checking the study, Gizem went to the first floor. Usually, there were twodies taking care of Theodore¡¯s daily needs. Thus, Gizem went into the housekeeper¡¯s room, hoping to see someone. However, the housekeepers were not there too. This is strange. Is there no one in the mansion? After pondering over it, Gizem switched on the lights in the mansion. In an instant, the whole ce was brightly lit. Gizem thought someone woulde out if they saw the lights. Yet a few minutes passed by, and no one appeared. It seemed like the mansion was indeed empty. Gizem turned around and went to the study again. She figured that she could find some clues if Theodore had left the ce. Gizem knew he had many hideouts, but she wasn¡¯t sure where he was hiding now either. She had no choice but to start searching for clues. Just when she was engrossed in looking for clues, she heard footstepsing from outside the door. Is Master back? Gizem quickly hid behind the door. After a short while, the door to the study was pushed open. Soon, a tall silhouette walked into the room. ¡°Stop!¡± Gizem said coldly. Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Do it The figure looked very tall. Gizem could sense that he wasn¡¯t afraid as she looked at his straightened back. It was pitch ck in the study, so she couldn¡¯t see his face clearly. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. How could he not be afraid at all? ¡°Where¡¯s my daughter?¡± the man asked in an icy tone. Gizem was stumped. Samuel? What is he doing here? Samuel was about to turn around when Gizem threatened, ¡°I¡¯m holding a gun in my hand, Samuel.Don¡¯t move if you don¡¯t want a hole in your kidney.¡± ¡°You think you can do that?¡± Samuel sneered. Then, he turned around swiftly. In the dark, he stared at her coldly with deep eyes. Gizem had already put on her hyper-realistic mask. Thus, Samuel wasn¡¯t able to see her real face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who kidnapped Desi, Samuel. Please believe in me.¡± Slowly, Gizem lowered her gun. She hoped Samuel could feel her sincerity. Samuel remained silent while wearing a cial expression. The next moment, he grabbed Gizem¡¯s arm, twisted it hard, and snatched the gun. ¡°Where is my daughter? I won¡¯t let you off if anything happens to her,¡± he said as he pointed the gun at Gizem¡¯s forehead. A feeling of bitterness crept into Gizem¡¯s heart after she saw Samuel¡¯s behavior. ¡°Samuel, I didn¡¯t kidnap Desi. Please believe in me.¡± Gizem never felt aggrieved, but despair filled her when she saw Samuel suspecting her. The glowing moonlight shone into the study. With its aid, Samuel stared straight into Gizem¡¯s dark eyes. Her eyes looked too identical to Kathleen¡¯s. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill her. Moreover, he knew it wasn¡¯t Gizem who kidnapped Desi. For some reason, after he saw the back of the woman in the surveince footage, he was certain that she wasn¡¯t Gizem. Gizem¡¯s heart started pounding hard. She didn¡¯t know when Samuel would pull the trigger. A few minutes psed, but Samuel didn¡¯t seem to have the intention to kill her. ¡°Samuel, please give me three days. I¡¯ll bring Desi back by then,¡± Gizem promised. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you go after capturing you?¡± He spoke in an aloof tone as he stared at her. ¡°You can¡¯t save Desi if you behave like this, Samuel. I¡¯m looking for the person who kidnapped her. I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Gizem exined desperately. ¡°Let me go. Otherwise, it will be toote. I¡¯m afraid something bad will happen to Desi.¡± ¡°I can let you go, only if you let me ce this in your body.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes appeared icy. He proceeded to take out a tiny box. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Gizem was shocked. ¡°It¡¯s a GPS tracker.¡± What? Gizem stared at him in disbelief. ¡°What? You¡¯re scared?¡± Samuel said indifferently. He continued, ¡°You can¡¯t take this out once it¡¯s ced in your body.¡± Gizem pursed her lips. Does that mean he gets to monitor my movements for the rest of my life? However, she didn¡¯t have a choice now. Saving Desi was her priority Also, she knew Samuel was doing this for Desi too. ¡°All right.¡± She nodded lightly. ¡°Are you going to let me go if I ept your condition?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it then.¡± Samuel pursed his thin lips and lowered the gun. Then, Gizem turned around to switch on the lights. ¡°Do it.¡± She sat on the couch, and took off her coat and top, leaving only a sports tank top inside. Samuel was taken aback by how easygoing she was. All Gizem wanted was to speed things up as she didn¡¯t want to waste even a second. Samuel walked over and sat next to her. ¡°Now that things turned out this way, can you tell me what you have to do with Axeworth Corporation?¡± he asked softly. Gizem was hesitant. ¡°I¡¯m from that organization.¡± Samuel wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°So, you approached me because of Desi?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Gizem was stunned by that question. She was at a loss for words. Before, she wasn¡¯t aware of Theodore¡¯s motive. Now that she did, she didn¡¯t know how to exin things to Samuel. Since she remained silent, Samuel didn¡¯t probe. He inserted the small chip into her arm. During the whole process, Gizem made no sound at all. She was very calm, and there was no unnecessary emotion on her face. ¡°Done.¡± Samuel stood up and kept a distance from her. ¡°If there¡¯s no news from you in three days-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± Gizem put on her clothes. Then, she turned around and got ready to leave. ¡°You used to live here?¡± Samuel asked indifferently. ¡°Yes.¡± With that, Gizem walked off. Samuel narrowed his eyes. After that, he looked around the mansion and found Gizem¡¯s room. The furnishing of her room was very simple and unadorned. In fact, there weren¡¯t many feminine items. Also, there were not many traces of Gizem¡¯s life. However, it was definite that she did live here before. The only thing that Samuel found strange was that he couldn¡¯t find a single picture of Gizem before her face got disfigured. It was just too strange. Samuel wasn¡¯t sure if Gizem disliked having pictures of herself taken or if she had burned all her previous pictures after her disfigurement. That woman is such an oddball. Samuel remained expressionless. Just then, Charles walked into the room. ¡°Samuel, have you found Desi?¡± he asked agitatedly. Samuel turned around. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°D*mn it!¡± Charles was enraged. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°You asked me toe here. What¡¯s this ce?¡± ¡°The residence of Axeworth Corporation¡¯s leader,¡± Samuel answered. What? ¡°How did you find this ce?¡± Charles was surprised. He had been searching for this ce for a long time but to no avail. ¡°I asked someone else to investigate,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°I found this picture in the master bedroom just now. Look.¡± Huh? Charles was puzzled. When Samuel handed a picture of Theodore to him, his eyes widened instantly. That¡¯s him! It really is him! He took Kathleen away back then. Where is Kathleen now? Slowly, Charles raised his head and found that Samuel was looking at him with scrutiny. Charles was displeased. ¡°Why are you staring at me with that look?¡± ¡°Where is Kate?¡± Samuel sounded hoarse. ¡°She¡¯s alive, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± Charles said grimly. ¡°Charles, the look in your eyes changed when you saw the man in the photo just now.¡± Samuel looked at him frostily. ¡°You looked shocked and surprised. Why would you show those expressions if you didn¡¯t know him?¡± ¡°Who do you think you are, Samuel? Do you think you can tell what I¡¯m thinking just by studying my expressions?¡± Charles sneered disdainfully. ¡°Don¡¯t be too full of yourself.¡± ¡°Charles, my people have been tailing you for thest five years.¡± Charles stiffened. What? For such a long time? ¡°Initially, I just wanted to know where you buried Kate so I can visit her,¡± Samuel muttered. ¡°But for the past five years, you have never been to a cemetery. I¡¯ve sent someone to your house, but her ashes aren¡¯t there, too. My only conclusion is that she isn¡¯t dead. She¡¯s still alive, isn¡¯t she?¡± Charles went silent. There was a hint of hostility in his gaze. ¡°Why do you bother if she¡¯s dead or alive? Don¡¯t forget that she was already Caleb¡¯s wife when she passed away.¡± Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Chapter 341 I Hope You Have The Courage ¡°They didn¡¯t go through with their wedding.¡± There was a cold look of mockery on Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Besides, they¡¯re legally unrted!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not rted to Kathleen either, are you?¡± Charles retorted sarcastically. Samuel looked down and said coldly, ¡°She¡¯s my ex-wife and the mother of my kids, so I have to care for her.¡± Charles laughed in exasperation. ¡°You are so shameless! Samuel, I have to ask you, what exactly does Kathleen owe you? When she was in love with you, you turned a blind eye to her; when she doesn¡¯t want you anymore, you stick to her like glue.¡± ¡°I love her,¡± Samuel dered in a deep voice. ¡°You love her, but you made a scene at her wedding. Caleb is so much better than you are. You just can¡¯t stand seeing her having a better life than you do, can you?¡± Charles said coldly. Samuel¡¯s handsome face paled slightly. Of course, he wanted Kathleen to be happy, but he hoped that he was the one who would be bringing her the happiness. He knew that he was paranoid in the past, but he would stop being paranoid after finding her this time. Charles took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you now. It¡¯s more important to save Desi.¡± Samuel stared at him coldly and unblinkingly. Charles hesitated before saying, ¡°All I can say is, if you can find the man in the photo, you¡¯ll find Kate.¡± Samuel knitted his brows. ¡°What did you say? Is Kathleen in the hands of this man?¡± ¡°When youmitted suicide at the wedding and were sent to the hospital, it was this man who went to the hospital to save you. Then when he brought Kate to me, he told me that Kate fell into aa because she tried to save you and that she was pregnant,¡± exined Charles. ¡°Kate saved me?¡± Samuel was shocked. Charles looked at him. ¡°Hmph! Charles, you¡¯ll never know how much Kate has suffered for you!¡± Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°What exactly did she do?¡± Charles turned around. ¡°Ask her yourself when you find her. I hope you have the courage.¡± With that, he left. There was a hostile expression on Samuel¡¯s face. If Kathleen and Desi are both in this man¡¯s hands, I have to hurry up. A dayter, Gizem took a speedboat to a small ind. She was very familiar with most of the people on the ind. When those people saw her, their expressions were still as strange as ever. She walked straight toward a white building in the center of the ind. As soon as she entered the building, she heard the voice of an old man. ¡°Giz, you¡¯re finally back.¡± Theodore seemed to be enthusiastic to see her. ¡°Master.¡± Standing in the hall, Gizem looked at Theodore, who was standing on the second floor. Theodore nodded. ¡°Master, who was the one who knocked me out and threw me to Finn?¡± asked Gizem coldly. Theodore was stunned. He thought that Gizem would ask about Desi first. ¡°Come here,¡± he said in a low voice. A tall man came out of the room. It was dark the other day, so she did not see the man¡¯s face clearly. Only now did she realize that although this man looked ordinary, his eyes spoke of ruthlessness. He was obviously quite a character. Gizem looked up. ¡°Master, I demand an exnation. Why did you leave me to Finn?¡± ¡°He wanted to see you for treatment, so I got Shadow to take you there. I originally nned to send someone to bring you back after you¡¯ve cured him. I didn¡¯t expect you toe back first.¡± Gizem¡¯s eyshes quivered. ¡°Then why did you give him poison?¡± Theodore was shocked. ¡°Poison? What happened, Shadow?¡± Shadow replied in a deep voice, ¡°It was Lauren who gave it to me.¡± Gizem frowned. It was Lauren? Theodore furrowed his brows. D*mn, Lauren! ¡°Since it wasn¡¯t your idea, Master, I¡¯ll ask Lauren.¡± After a short pause, Gizem asked, ¡°Is she on the ind?¡± ¡°She¡¯sing over tomorrow,¡± replied Theodore. Gizem nodded. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired after being on the road all day.¡± Theodore smiled thoughtfully. ¡°Shadow, prepare a room for your junior.¡± Shadow nodded. Junior? Realizing that Shadow was also Theodore¡¯s apprentice, Gizem frowned hard. Of all Theodore¡¯s apprentices, she should be the youngest. Shadow took Gizem to the room to rest. ¡°You may leave now,¡± Gizem said coldly. She did not like Shadow. When he hit her earlier, it almost killed her. Shadow then left the room. Gizem took her phone and nced at it. There was no signal. She wondered if Samuel¡¯s GPS tracker would work. I¡¯m going to find Desi in the still of the night. The white mansion that Theodore built on the ind was actually quite big. Half of it was the living area, while the other half was his work area. She was in the living area. As the living area was not big, she thought that it was impossible for him to lock Desi up in such a conspicuous ce. He must be hiding her in the work area. But how should I escape with Desi after rescuing her? I need to solve this problem! Sitting in his car in Zedfield, Samuel unlocked his phone to check the ce where Gizem wasst seen. It was the Pillere Ocean. It¡¯s impossible she could just disappear without a reason. Her signal has probably been jammed. There are so many inds in the Pillere Ocean. I guess I have to search one by one. ¡°Tyson, send more men to search all these inds. Don¡¯t get caught, or it¡¯ll alert them,¡± Samuel said in a cold voice. ¡°Understood!¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel massaged the space between his brows. It¡¯s been a day and a half. I wonder how Desi is doing. Thud! Thud! Someone was eagerly knocking on the car window outside. Samuel looked sideways. Caleb was standing outside the car with a cold look on his face. There was an ice-cold look in Samuel¡¯s narrow eyes as he instructed, ¡°Drive, Tyson.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson nodded. He knew that Samuel did not like Caleb. In fact, Samuel was already considered kind for not asking Tyson to hit Caleb with the car. Seeing that Samuel actually started the car, Caleb said angrily, ¡°Get out of the car, Samuel. I have something to ask you!¡± Samuel ignored him. Being unable to open the car door, Caleb could only stand there anxiously. When Samuel¡¯s car drove past him, his face was twisted with rage. If it was not for the fact that Samuel knew something he did not, he would not have been so polite toward the former. Philip walked over and asked awkwardly, ¡°What should we do now, Mr. Lewis?¡± ¡°Follow them!¡± Caleb gritted his teeth. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Gizem took Desi away, and he met Gizem here yesterday. He must know what is going on.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Philip nodded. They then got into the car and tailed Samuel. Samuel and Tyson arrived at a port, where a cruise ship Samuel had gotten his men to prepare was already docking. When the car came to a stop, Samuel pushed open the car door and stepped onto the covered bridge. Caleb, who followed him to the port, got out of his car as well to follow him to the ship. Tyson stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lewis. This is a private cruise ship owned by Mr. Macari. I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t board it.¡± Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Gizem Means Mystery Caleb was furious. ¡°Samuel!¡± However, Samuel did not even look back. Caleb snorted coldly and turned to say to Philip, ¡°Get a boat ready, now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Philip leaped into action. After Samuel boarded the cruise ship, Charles emerged from the cabin. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Go and save Desi.¡± Standing on the deck, Samuel looked with a sad expression at the sea that was dyed red by the sunset. Whenever he saw such scenery, he would think of Kathleen, making the void in his heart even more prominent. He felt the best when his heart stayed where it belonged, which was not the case these days. Charles took out several photos. ¡°Look at this.¡± He did not want to show him at first, but on second thought, he knew that he could not find Kathleen on his own. Samuel took the photos from him and immediately froze when he saw them. ¡°This woman looks like Kate, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Charles asked. Samuel nodded slowly and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Where did you meet her?¡± ¡°At the airport. I looked it up and found that she was heading to the same destination as I was, but she took a different flight from mine.¡± They had bothe to Zedfield. Is this a coincidence? Charles did not believe such a coincidence was possible. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Charles noticed the serious look on Samuel¡¯s face and the anger in his eyes. Samuel held up the photo. ¡°Do you know whose clothes she is wearing?¡± ¡°No. Whose?¡± Charles frowned. ¡°Gizem¡¯s. Her clothes are the same as Gizem¡¯s.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Charles knitted his brows. ¡°Did you remember it wrongly?¡± ¡°No. Gizem¡¯s clothes are almost all limited editions,¡± Samuel said coldly. Charles was shocked. ¡°But her face¡­¡± ¡°A disguise,¡± replied Samuel. What? Charles was astonished. ¡°A disguise? But how could she have a face that¡¯s very simr to Kate¡¯s?¡± Samuel fell silent. He remembered that he had torn the hyper-realistic face mask off Gizem¡¯s face. The face under the mask was disfigured. Thinking about it now, he realized that Gizem could have stic surgery if her face was disfigured, considering that she was rich and had the resources. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. In other words, the disfigured face he saw at the time had to be fake. It was a fail-safe. The face of the woman in the photo was very simr to Kathleen¡¯s, but not exactly the same. Samuel thought of what Gizem said. She said that she encountered a fire when she was unconscious. Maybe that fire had really burned her face. She also had stic surgery to look the way she does now. Her name, Gizem, means ¡°mystery,¡± too. She deliberately doesn¡¯t want us to discover the truth about her. And I almost killed her by mistake because of Desi¡¯s expression. The person who came up with this n is so wicked! As Samuel did not say anything for a long time, Charles frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Samuel replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°Gizem is Kathleen.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Charles was astounded. ¡°She¡¯s Kate.¡± Samuel gripped the railing, his knuckles turning white. ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± Charles furrowed his brows. Samuel nodded. ¡°What are we waiting for, then? Let¡¯s depart now! Let¡¯s save Kate and Desi!¡± Charles urged. Samuel turned to look at Tyson. ¡°Set sail now.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Macari!¡± Tyson immediately gave the order to set sail. Caleb, who was on another ship, also instructed his men to do the same upon seeing Samuel¡¯s ship leave the port. The storm has just passed on the ind. The clouds in the sky were dyed fiery red. Gizem pretended that she was going out for a walk. Shadow went up to her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± To keep an eye on me? Gizem shed him a cold smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Shadow said nothing. Gizem then turned to head outside with Shadow following behind. The ind was not very big, but it was rather well-equipped. Gizem guessed that the ce was probably disguised as a holiday ind, so it would not be easily discovered by the others. However, there were no tourists on the ind. It was full of people from Axeworth Corporation instead. Those people looked familiar to her. Shadow followed her around the ind. Gizem saw several speedboats moored to the pier. These speedboats should be the means of transportation they use to get out of the ind. As they were approaching the mansion, Gizem suddenly turned around. ¡°Shadow, I¡¯m not done with you yet for hitting me.¡± Shadow gave her an indifferent look. ¡°Do you want to fight?¡± ¡°Why? Are you afraid?¡± Gizem asked defiantly. She massaged her hands with a look of disdain. Shadow replied coldly, ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡± ¡°Let me get it straight¡ªif something goes wrong, don¡¯t go back andin to Master!¡± Gizem gave him a cold smile. Shadow agreed in a chilly tone, ¡°Okay.¡± Gizem pulled out a dagger from her boot. They did not perform a body search on her when she came to the ind. They probably think that I can¡¯t beat them since they outnumber me, but I¡¯ll make them regret it! Shadow knew that Gizem was a good fighter. Instead of fighting blindly, she had always fought smart, which included a lot of methods such as using poison. Looking as if he had seen through her, Shadow beckoned to her. ¡°I shall warm up with you, then.¡± Gizem snorted coldly. ¡°Warm up? Be careful not to burn yourself!¡± With that, she charged at Shadow. Shadow thought that her dagger would pierce his heart, but the de slid across his arm before she turned around to stab him with the dagger in her other hand. This time, Shadow was still covering his chest, secretly surprised that Gizem could use both hands. It¡¯s no wonder why Master thinks so highly of her. Gizem smiled coldly. She switched the dagger to her other hand and continued to attack him. As before, Gizem did not attack the lethal ces of his body. Her purpose was only to cut through his flesh. She kept attacking Shadow in such a way several times with a frosty look on her face. Shadow could not figure out what she was thinking. Moreover, he found that he could not catch her at all, as she was as slippery as an eel. They fought for five minutes. Gizem took a few steps back and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll y with you again tomorrow.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Inspecting the wounds on his body, Shadow decided to go back to tend to them. And Gizem watched him leave with a cold smile on her face. That night, Gizem came out of the room quietly after everyone in the mansion had gone to bed. She then went downstairs, heading toward Shadow¡¯s room. Thetter was sleeping soundly on the bed. He was feeling unwell, dizzy, and nauseous after dinner, so Theodore had asked him to take a rest. Gizem hade to Shadow¡¯s room to steal a key from him. She heard from the housekeeper of the mansion that Shadow was the one who purchased all the necessities in the mansion, so she was certain that he had the key of the speedboat.She went straight to where Shadow hung his clothes. As she had expected, she found a key in one of his coats. When she turned around, however, she realized that Shadow was standing behind her, staring at her. Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Has She Regained Her Memory Gizem shed Shadow a cold smile. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shadow looked at her with a serious expression. ¡°Would you believe me if I said I¡¯m attempting to be a thief?¡± Gizem asked with a half-smile. ¡°Master said that I can get rid of you if you do anything odd.¡± The look on Shadow¡¯s face became sinister. ¡°Get rid of me?¡± Gizem chuckled. ¡°You?¡± Shadow¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You asked for it! I won¡¯t let you go the way I did during the day!¡± After that, he raised his fist. Gizem looked at his raised fist coldly with a calm smile on her face. ¡°Do it.¡± Just as Shadow was about to throw a punch, his hand suddenly dropped. What the¡­ He tried to move his arm but realized that he could not raise it no matter how hard he tried. Afterward, he felt that his waist also became sore and weak. He could not even stand. A hint of coldness appeared in Gizem¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you find that you have no strength in you?¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± Shadow looked at her in disbelief. Immediately afterward, he fell to the ground. His eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°Hmph! You guys are really ungrateful. It¡¯s all thanks to my drug that you can act with impunity all these years.¡± Gizem looked down at him condescendingly. ¡°Even this ind and everything on this ind was bought using the money we make from selling the drug I developed.¡± Shadow gritted his teeth. ¡°Master won¡¯t let you off! Neither can you escape from here!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to escape. I just want to find out who I am, my identity.¡± Gizem had a cold look in her eyes. Propping his body up, Shadow smiled wickedly. ¡°You won¡¯t end well once Master catches you. He¡¯ll definitely make you hand over the antidote.¡± Gizem replied in an indifferent tone, Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There is no antidote to this drug. Besides, you and I are both only tools to Master. He has many tools like you, but I¡¯m different. I can help him make money.¡± ¡°You are too arrogant.¡± Shadow was indignant. ¡°Ha. I don¡¯t have time to argue with you here. The drug will kick in in a minute. By then, you will be stiff and unable to move. Your tongue will also turn so stiff that you won¡¯t be able to speak, so if you want to snitch on me, you may do so to the devil in hell.¡± With a triumphant smile, Gizem turned around and left. ¡°Come back here!¡± Shadow screamed angrily. Gizem, however, had already left. Shadow wanted to call Theodore to inform him about what just happened, but his arms had turnedpletely immobile. ¡°No¡­ No!¡± Then he realized that he could not move his tongue as well. No! Gizem, who got the key, immediately rushed to the work area. The keys Shadow had were for the speedboat and the work area. Thus, they provided her with unimpeded ess to everywhere. It was the first time she was in the work area. Although she was not very familiar with the ce, the work area only had one floor, which made it easier for her to search the ce. She saw Theodore in the innermostboratory, but she did not go in. There were windows on the doors of theboratories. Through the window, she saw that Theodore was still working. It seemed that thetter had not started drawing Desi¡¯s blood. Where would Desi be? She turned around and continued walking inside. She then saw a sickbay. A sickbay? Could it be that the person living here is, ording to rumors, the child left behind by Theodore¡¯s son? She looked in through the ss window and could only see a person lying on the hospital bed. She gently pushed the door open and walked in. There was really someone lying on the bed. It was a boy that was about twelve or thirteen years old. He was in aa, and his face was purple. Gizem checked his pulse and found that he was indeed terminally ill. Desi¡¯s blood might not be able to save him. Gizem had to go and find Desi, or it would really be toote. Gizem secretly came out of the sickbay and walked to the next room, which seemed to be a sickbay as well. There was also a person lying on the bed. It seemed to be a kid. Gizem immediately pushed open the door and went in. She walked up to the bed and saw that it was indeed Desi. ¡°Desi, it¡¯s me.¡± She patted Desi lightly on the cheek. However, thetter did not wake up. Gizem found it weird. After noticing a ss that was half full on the side, she picked up the ss and sniffed at it. D*mn it! It¡¯s spiked! They probably kept feeding Desi the drug in order to keep her quiet. The drug was so powerful that it affected adults, let alone children. Gizem took out a sheepskin scroll hidden at her waist and unfolded it, revealing three silver needles. She took out a silver needle and gently inserted it into the space between Desi¡¯s brows. After thirty seconds, Desi came round and was immediately about to cry. Gizem gently covered her mouth and whispered, ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t make a sound. I¡¯m here to save you.¡± Desi nodded. Gizem pulled out the silver needle and put it away. She then said in a hushed voice, ¡°I¡¯m taking you away now. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Desi nodded obediently. Gizem helped her get dressed, then carried thetter in her arms, preparing to leave. Desi wrapped her arms around Gizem¡¯s neck tightly without making a sound. Turning around with Desi in her arms, Gizem saw Theodore standing at the door looking at them with a chilling gaze. ¡°What are you doing, Gizem?¡± Theodore asked coldly. ¡°Master, I should be asking you this.¡± Gizem hugged Desi tightly. She could feel thetter shivering in her arms. ¡°Put her down!¡± Theodore demanded sternly. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve checked the kid¡¯s pulse. He¡¯s already gravely ill. It¡¯ll be useless no matter how many times you change his blood,¡± Gizem said coldly. ¡°You know nothing! Put her down, and I¡¯ll spare you. If you insist to go against me, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Theodore gave her a serious look. ¡°Master, if you need someone¡¯s blood for that kid, you can use mine. Desi is still a kid. If you draw her blood, she¡¯ll die,¡± Gizem proposed. Theodore chuckled through his gritted teeth. ¡°What do you know? Only her blood can save my grandson.¡± Gizem was stunned at his words. ¡°Why?¡± Theodore replied coldly, ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± ¡°Well, I guess we have nothing more to say, then.¡± Gizem took a deep breath. ¡°Master, I have another question for you.¡± Theodore fixed his cold gaze on her. ¡°Who am I? Who the hell am I?¡± Gizem asked. Theodore did not expect such a question from Gizem. Has she regained her memory? It¡¯s impossible. There are parasitic worms in her body that will give her a momentous amount of pain once she remembers her past. ¡°Why the silence, Master?¡± Gizem took a step forward. ¡°You said the man I loved died, and so did our child, but you never showed me his picture. What did he look like?¡± Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Who Am I Theodore¡¯s eyes were icy-cold as he kept mum. Gizem smiled in an equal manner. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°I have nothing to say.¡± Theodore continued to stare at her frostily. ¡°Don¡¯t you already have your suspicions?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, I should have had my suspicions earlier, but Master, I really do respect you. Even though I have a lot of doubts, I still believe you since the beginning.¡± Theodore asked, ¡°Have you recovered your lost memory?¡± She shook her head. No wonder! She hasn¡¯t regained her memory, but she¡¯s noticed much information. That¡¯s why she starts to suspect it. ¡°Gizem, you can¡¯t run away from here. Everyone on this ind is my subordinate.¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything even if you steal the key from Shadow. I¡¯ve asked someone to move the speedboat away this afternoon.¡± What? Gizem was taken aback. ¡°Unless I call them toe back, you¡¯ll never have a chance to leave,¡± the old man added. Upon hearing that, Gizem hugged Desi harder as she stated inimically, ¡°Even so, I won¡¯t let you harm Desi.¡± If Desi is really my daughter, I won¡¯t let Old Mr. Hoovery a finger on her. Theodore¡¯s gaze turned even grimmer with a hint of coldness. ¡°Defying me is going to be the biggest mistake you¡¯ll ever make.¡± As soon as he said that, four people came and stood behind Theodore. ¡°Keep an eye on them. If they escape, I¡¯ll punish you all!¡± Theodore ordered. With that, he wheeled around and left. Gizem immediately perked up her ears to listen to his footsteps and found that Theodore didn¡¯t go to the room next door, so she figured he was heading to theboratory. Although he asked Shadow to abduct Desi, he is not well-prepared yet, which means that Desi will probably be safe tonight. Carrying Desi, Gizem went over and sat on the bed. ¡°Desi, don¡¯t be scared,¡± Gizem reassured gently. ¡°Mommy is here. I¡¯m not scared at all.¡± Desi threw her arms around Gizem¡¯s neck. Gizem was stunned for a second. ¡°Why are you so sure that I¡¯m your mommy?¡± ¡°Because you smell just like her. I¡¯ve smelled this scent before, but I¡¯m not sure where I smelled it. Eil said we probably caught a whiff of it when we were born,¡± Desi exined. Gizem nodded in reply. ¡°Mommy, are you really my mommy?¡± Desi asked in anticipation. Gizem was at a loss for words for a moment as she smiled awkwardly. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s that on your face?¡± Desi inquired curiously. ¡°This is a hyper-realistic mask.¡± Gizem took off the hyper-realistic mask. She didn¡¯t dare to let Desi see the secondyer of the mask, so she showed the little girl her real face directly. When Desi saw Gizem¡¯s appearance, the girl¡¯s jaw dropped. The moment Gizem revealed her whole face, Desi eximed, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s really you!¡± Still feeling awkward, Gizem responded, ¡°You can call me ¡®Mommy¡¯ after we find out the truth.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m sure of it!¡± Desi was very confident with her judgment, and Gizem didn¡¯t know why she could be so certain of it. ¡°Mommy, is it true that we can¡¯t get out of here?¡± Desi asked, feeling a tad fearful. ¡°That elderly man is so fierce. I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find a way out.¡± Gizem stroked her hair. ¡°Your daddy wille soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Desi perked up again. Gizem nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± The little girl was overjoyed, but the next moment, she pouted. ¡°Mommy, I have a headache.¡± Only then did Gizem remember something, She took out a small bottle and extracted a white pill from it before feeding it to Desi. As Desi chewed on the pill, she asked, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s sweet. What is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I made for you. When you feel unwell, take one and you¡¯ll feel fine in a short time,¡± Gizem exined. ¡°Oh.¡± Nodding, Desi continued to munch it. After she took the medication, she felt sleepy and dozed off on Gizem¡¯sp. Having Gizem by her side gave Desi a sense of security. Gizem smiled faintly as she gazed at Desi¡¯s angel-like face. If Desi is truly my daughter, I¡¯d be the happiest person on earth. Desi and Eil are so cute. Although she didn¡¯t have much interaction with Eil, she knew that he was a very good, sensible boy. Besides, he always took care of his sister. However, the thought of Samuel caused Gizem to feel a headacheing. She had heard of the rumors about Samuel and his ex-wife, Kathleen, previously, and word had it that they shared a passionate love, but their love didn¡¯t have a happy ending. If I¡¯m really Kathleen, how should I interact with Samuel? Frankly speaking, I don¡¯t have any romantic feelings toward him. She heaved a long sigh. It¡¯s too hard. When the day broke, sunlight poured into the ward. Gizem managed to take a short nap during the night as well. By the time she opened her eyes, Desi had woken up. Thetter seemed to be feeling better than the day before. ¡°Mommy, good morning!¡± Desi greeted in a sweet voice. ¡°Morning, Sweetheart.¡± Gizem also shed a smile. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Desi muttered pitifully. Hearing that, Gizem picked Desi up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go have breakfast.¡± Taken aback, Desi asked, ¡°Can we go out?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gizem seemed confident. ¡°Okay.¡± The girl nodded. When Gizem brought her out of the room, a man blocked her. Before the man could speak, Gizem demanded, ¡°There¡¯s not a single boat at the pier. We can¡¯t run away from here. Get out of my way!¡± The man wore a hesitant expression, keeping quiet. ¡°My daughter is starving. If anything happens to her, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± Gizem threatened with a fierce re. Those men didn¡¯t really care about Gizem the day before. However, when they knew what happened to Shadow, they felt cautious around her. After all, even Theodore could not save Shadow. That was why no one had the guts to stop her. Thus, the man put down his hand awkwardly. Snorting in response, Gizem walked off and brought Desi to the living quarters. She put Desi down on the floor and said, ¡°Wait for me while I heat up some food for you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Desi answered obediently. Just as Gizem was reheating some leftovers, a woman stood in the doorway of the kitchen andmented coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not afraid at all.¡± Gizem did not even spare that woman a nce as she asked, ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°Just a moment ago.¡± As Lauren stared at Gizem¡¯s face, a trace of shock shed across the former¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your face¡­¡± Gizem turned toward Lauren and looked at thetter with an inexplicable look. ¡°Why? Did you think my face waspletely disfigured?¡± ¡°Previously, your face was severely burned!¡± Lauren shot daggers at Gizem and roared furiously, ¡°You lied to all of us!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to all of you,¡± Gizem responded indifferently. ¡°I only hid it from irrelevant people like you. Master has always known about it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing that, Lauren got even angrier. Old Mr. Hoover knows about this? Why didn¡¯t he say anything then? Gnawing on her lip, Lauren continued to re at Gizem¡¯s face begrudgingly. Lauren was green with envy. Even though she had been disfigured, her facial features still look so delicate after the stic surgery. One wouldn¡¯t even realize she had undergone stic surgery before! Gizem knew what was on Lauren¡¯s mind. ¡°Your nose has copsedpletely. I guess your doctor is not as skillful.¡± Lauren gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare humiliate me! You are not better than me! This is not your original appearance! You were originally hideous!¡± Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Is That So Gizem¡¯s lips curled into a half-smile. ¡°Have you seen my original appearance before?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Lauren answered firmly. ¡°You were unsightly. Having your face disfigured was equivalent to getting stic surgery for you.¡± Gizem scoffed, ¡°Lauren, do you really think I¡¯m easily fooled?¡± Lauren froze. Tearing away her gaze, Gizem said, ¡°I already know who I am.¡± Lauren was at a loss for words. ¡°Have you regained your memory?¡± she asked incredulously ¡°No.¡± Gizem sounded impassive. ¡°I don¡¯t need to have the lost memory back. I wasn¡¯tpletely disfigured during the fire back then. Only a small part of the left side of my face was burned, but Master lied to all of you to conceal my identity, saying that I was severely defaced.¡± Lauren clenched her fists in indignation. So that¡¯s the truth! Gizem turned off the induction cooker. Carrying the meal in one hand, Gizem held Desi¡¯s hand in another and tried to walk past Lauren. ¡°Step aside,¡± Gizem uttered tly. Lauren huffed, ¡°You¡¯re just a prisoner now. How dare you act so arrogant in front of me!¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Haha.¡± Gizem chuckled mirthlessly with a vicious glint in her eyes. ¡°Lauren, did you think the money of the organization is in Master¡¯s hands?¡± Lauren froze. ¡°Let me tell you something. I¡¯ve stored ten billion in Sumanthova Bank,¡± Gizem continued, smiling frostily. ¡°If something happens to me, all of the money will be automatically donated to international charitable organizations for children.None of you will get a single penny. I¡¯m sure you know how broke you are now.¡± Indeed, Lauren was here for money. Axeworth Corporation needed money for various operations, and the same went for Windwell Corporation as well. Every year, she would secretly transfer a sum of money given by Axeworth Corporation for event expenses to Windwell Corporation to let that organization continue to operate. Although Windwell Corporation had some business deals on hand, those deals could not earn profits as fast as the sale of Gizem¡¯s medications. That was the reason Theodore didn¡¯ty a finger on Gizem all these years. It was because she was a tool for them to earn money. Lauren bit her lip hard, stepping aside to make way for Gizem. With that, Gizem brought Desi to the dining area. After she put the little girl down on a chair, Gizem gave Desi a spoon, allowing thetter to eat by herself. Then, Gizem went to the kitchen to get some food for herself, nning to eat together with Desi. While she was busying in the kitchen, Lauren stood motionless at the side. Gizem smirked, speaking slowly. ¡°Are you not going to see Master?¡± Lauren remained silent. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re not here for him.¡± Lauren strode over. ¡°I need money.¡± Resting her chin on her hand, Gizem chuckled coldly. ¡°Why do youpromise your integrity for money as well?¡± Enraged, Lauren barked, ¡°Are you going to give it to me or not?¡± ¡°On one condition.¡± Gizem narrowed her eyes. Her fox-like eyes glimmered, making her look even more attractive. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Lauren gnashed her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll also die miserably if I help you.¡± Gizem scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re even less influential than Shadow on this ind.¡± Though Lauren was annoyed, she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°You only need to cooperate with me.¡± Gizem smiled darkly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect I would cooperate with you.¡± ¡°Give me the money!¡± Lauren pursed her lips. ¡°I can tell you an ount number that contains fifty million. After I get Desi out of this ce safely, I¡¯ll tell you the password.¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t tell me the password then?¡± Gizem grinned. ¡°This is a two-way deal. I¡¯m worried you¡¯d snitch on me if I tell you the password first.¡± Lauren stared back at her in silence as Gizem continued, ¡°I can tell you a file-hosting service, and you can check it first. During all these years, there is absolutely no money in Axeworth Corporation¡¯s ount. Because you squander the organization¡¯s money, I often have to put my own money into the ount to ensure the organization can continue to operate.¡± While Lauren was still not saying a word, Gizem added, ¡°It¡¯s useless even if you threaten Master. The money in his ount has been used to buy this ind and the equipment here, so he can¡¯t give you any money even if you ask.¡± There was nothing more important than money, and Gizem and Lauren knew about that fact. Lauren had tried to sell her own medications on the ck market, but the effect was poor and the side effects the medication caused were serious. Therefore, her product could not be sold at a high price. She had also tried to sell venomous bugs, but they were hard to find, and she did not have the skills to make them into venomous bugs of top-tier quality. Ordinary venomous bugs were inferior to poison. Besides, it was easier to poison someone with poison compared to venomous bugs, so not many people bought the bugs. ¡°Deal!¡± Lauren agreed. A frosty gleam shed across Gizem¡¯s eyes as she realized Lauren had long nned to betray Theodore. Gizem then wrote down an ount number on a piece of paper and passed it to Lauren. Lauren kept it, asking, ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ll knock you out, take the speedboat key from you, and take Desi out of this ce,¡± Gizem exined bluntly. Lauren scoffed sardonically, ¡°You won¡¯t even be able to get from the mansion to the pier.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gizem smiled, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Master can catch up to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s those people lying in wait for you! Did you think the people on this ind are all useless?¡± Gizem sneered, disdain written all over her face. She took a piece of tissue to wipe Desi¡¯s small mouth. ¡°Thank you, Mommy,¡± Desi uttered sweetly. Lauren was dumbfounded when she heard that. Have they reunited with each other? ¡°Anyway, you just have to be cooperative,¡± Gizem ordered monotonously. ¡°All right!¡± Lauren replied swiftly. Gizem turned toward Desi and asked, ¡°Are you full now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The little girl nodded. ¡°Okay, we shall rest for thirty minutes before we leave this ce. Are you okay with that?¡± Gizem shed a warm smile. Desi nodded in response. Lauren felt speechless. ¡°You want to rest for half an hour?¡± ¡°The time of our departure won¡¯t affect the oue,¡± Gizem said tly. Lauren snorted and sat on the couch to take a break. ¡°Are you not going to meet Master?¡± Gizem asked as she carried Desi in her arms. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going,¡± Lauren answered cidly. ¡°He no longer cares about me anymore.¡± Gizem caught on to the meaning behind Lauren¡¯s words. ¡°So you n to rebel?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lauren was so worked up that she shot up from her seat and quickly nced around with caution. Gizem snickered. ¡°Lauren, did you take me as a fool? The money you secretly take out from the organization¡¯s ount recently are actually¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Lauren roared, interrupting Gizem. ¡°Can you just stop?¡± ¡°Okay, I can not talk about it, but I have questions for you.¡± Gizem looked at Lauren coldly. ¡°Is the female lovebug you nted in Yareli real?¡± Lauren was stunned. How did she know about this? ¡°I¡¯ve been finding it strange.¡± Gizem spoke coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the man and woman who are nted with the male lovebug and female lovebug respectively will be very in love with one another. However, Samuel has no feelings toward Yareli at all. That¡¯s why I¡¯m suspicious of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the effect of the lovebug depends on the health condition of the individual,¡± Lauren exined. ¡°Samuel¡¯s body is not well, so the male lovebug devours his body, hence the bad effect.¡± Gizem¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Is that so?¡± Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Traitor "Why would I lie to you?" Lauren looked at Gizem unhappily.She was feeling a little guilty.Gizem chuckled coldly. "You¡¯ve really regressed over the years." Lauren froze. "The people from my organization told me that you are an expert at ck magic.As it turns out, apart from the lovebug you cast on Samuel and Yareli, you¡¯re not good at much else," Gizem said with a half- smile. "Don¡¯t you dare look down on me.I¡¯m much better than you!" Lauren red at her angrily. However, Gizem merely responded with a smirk.She was better, but she wasn¡¯t useful to the organization. Gizem found it funny. At this point, Lauren¡¯s anger was rising.Gizem took a look at the time and realized it was almost time.She beckoned for Lauren toe over. Lauren frowned. "What?" "You said you would cooperate with me, right? Come over," replied Gizem with a faint smile. Lauren hesitated for a moment before walking over.She murmured, "What are you up to?" As she went over, Gizem ordered, "Turn around."Lauren was shocked.In a displeased tone, she asked, "Are you f*cking with me?" "Hurry up!" Gizem barked coldly. Lauren was unhappy, but she still did as she was told.She wrapped her arms around her elbows. "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do.If you were on your own, perhaps you could escape.However, you¡¯re carrying a child now, so there¡¯s no way¡ª" Before she could finish speaking, Gizem mmed a flower vase into Lauren¡¯s head. "Ouch!" Lauren yelled and fell to the floor.Gizem threw the vase in her hand onto the floor. "Finally, some peace and quiet." She was extremely annoyed. Lauren wasn¡¯t usually this chatty.Beside her, Desi pped her hands. "Mommy, that was great!" Gizem smiled. "Cool, huh? I¡¯ll teach you next time." Desi nodded vigorously.Then, Gizem squatted down and searched Lauren¡¯s body.She took out the key to the speedboat. After that, she picked up Desi and ran outside.They ran to the back of the kitchen.There was a pickup truck stopped there.It was mainly used to transport goods. Gizem sat Desi down in the front passenger seat.Then, she got into the car too.However, there were no keys in the truck.Left with no choice, Gizem had to revert to the old-school technique of hot-wiring the truck. Eventually, the engine started to turn on.She drove the truck out of the mansion. Bang! Suddenly, Gizem heard a gunshot behind her. There was no time for her to think.She could only m her foot on the gas pedal and sped up their pace. Up ahead, there were people blocking them as well. However, they seemed to be shocked by the speed of the truck and didn¡¯t dare toe too close. Just like that, Gizem sped along to the port. As expected, there was a white speedboat parked there. Gizem parked the truck right in front of the boat.She carried Desi down and got onto the boat. Meanwhile, Theodore and the others were acting quickly as well. Gizem hurriedly started the speedboat. This was her first time operating something like this, and she had no experience whatsoever. As soon as she started the engine, the speedboatunched forward. Bang! Bang! More gunshots sounded from behind them. Gizem told Desi to crouch down and note up until told otherwise. Bang! Gizem groaned.She reached up to touch her shoulder. That was when she realized she had been shot.Regardless, she knew she couldn¡¯t stop.If she did, they would be captured again. Gizem knew that both she and Desi would suffer horrible consequences if they were recaptured. Desi could see that Gizem was injured.Her beige coat was dyed red by the blood. The sight of it scared Desi so much that she burst into tears. Gizemforted her by saying, "Desi, be good.Don¡¯t be afraid.Close your eyes.We¡¯ll be safe soon." Desi nodded and shut her eyes tightly. However, she still couldn¡¯t help but keep crying. Bang! Bang! The sound of the gunshots was getting nearer to them. Gizem could see that multiple speedboats were surrounding them from all directions. They were trapped in the center. Theodore was on one of the speedboats as well. When Gizem realized that she couldn¡¯t escape, she had no choice but to stop the boat. Theodore hopped onto her boat.He was holding a gun.Without hesitation, he shot Gizem in the leg. Gizem gritted her teeth but made not a single sound, shielding Desi behind her.Meanwhile, Theodore was furious. "You dare to betray me?" In response, Gizem sneered. "Betray? I was never your apprentice.How can this be a betrayal?" Theodore paused for a moment as his gaze turned icy. "You got your memory back?" Gizem shook her head. "Thanks to you, I merely became more suspicious about what¡¯s been happening around me." Theodore was shocked. "What do you mean?" "For example, you rarely use silver needles.You¡¯re also an expert at poison.On the other hand, I am more skilled at saving lives." As she spoke, her gaze was sharp. "Hah! Even when you¡¯ve lost your memories, I still can¡¯t fool you." Theodore snorted. Gizem tore off the hyper-realistic face mask that she was wearing. "Back then, you told me that I underwent stic surgery because I was disfigured.You imed you chose to model me after that woman, Kathleen, because you thought she was pretty.Later on, another doctor told me that my face wasn¡¯t that badly burnt at all.You lied to me because you didn¡¯t want me to get suspicious about my identity." "You even went to see a doctor?" Theodore was surprised, as prior to this, everything Gizem did was in the palm of his hands.Right now, it was getting harder and harder for Gizem to stand upright.She squatted down with her back leaning to the side. With a coldugh, she said, "Master, your glory days are over.Do you have any idea how many traitors you have by your side?" Theodore was stunned silent.Gizem continued to look coldly at him. "I want to know the reason why." After a pause, Theodore smirked. "I will never tell you." "Haha.Then you will never know who the traitors in your organization are." "I¡¯ll investigate it on my own.Oh, Gizem.It¡¯s such a pity.You are so smart.If only you were my apprentice.It¡¯s unfortunate that another man is your master." "What man are you referring to?" Gizem asked puzzledly. The murderous intent in Theodore¡¯s eyes surged. "Why don¡¯t you ask Satan when you get to hell?"Gizem bit her lip and shut her eyes.She had done all she could.Bang! A gunshot sounded.Beside her ear, Gizem could hear Desi screaming.Gizem thought that she was dead.However, she didn¡¯t feel any pain.She opened her eyes and saw two people holding onto Theodore, who had taken a bullet to the chest.However, the bullet hole was nowhere near his heart. "Take me away!" ordered Theodore. The men immediately helped Theodore back to the speedboat beside them and sped off.The other speedboats started to retreat as well. Gizem had no idea who was here.She kept her gaze fixed on the deck of the speedboat.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Soon enough, a tall figure leaped onto the boat. When he saw Gizem, his entire body froze. "Desi, your daddy is here." At this point, Gizem was starting to lose consciousness. "Mommy, don¡¯t die!" Desi held onto her and sobbed. "Kate!" Samuel walked over.Gizem stared at him dazedly.She whispered, "Your daughter is fine." After that, she passed out.Samuel held her in his arms.Pain flooded his handsome face.She still hasn¡¯t recovered her memories. "Daddy, is Mommy going to die?" Desi was sobbing uncontrobly. Samuel held onto Kathleen tightly. "No." Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Is She Really Kate Charles came onto the boat too and immediately picked Desi up. Looking at the woman in Samuel¡¯s arms, he was stunned. ¡°Is that Kate?¡± Samuel lifted Kathleen into his arms and stepped off the speedboat, bringing her onto their cruise ship. Kathleen was losing too much blood. She needed a blood transfusion. Fortunately, Samuel had already ordered his men to prepare bags of blood in case of an emergency. The doctor on the ship helped to operate on Kathleen and extracted the two bullets from her body. Staring at the two bullets, Samuel had a terrifying look in his eyes. When Charles saw it, he stated, ¡°These are bullets from Axeworth Corporation.Even if you take the bullets out, the wounds won¡¯t heal that easily.¡± Samuel looked at the doctor. ¡°You¡¯re a doctor. I trust that you don¡¯t need me to tell you what to do.¡± The doctor present was a woman named Xienna Powell. She was in her thirties and had perfectly delicate features. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Macari. I will do my best,¡± replied Xienna softly. Samuel nodded and headed into the ward. Gizem was still unconscious. He walked over and sat at her bedside. Then, he raised his hand and caressed her face gently. An adoring smile appeared on his attractive face. Tears started to form in the corner of his eyes and streamed down his face. He had finally found her. She was still alive. Thank God. He finally knew how it felt to find something one had lost. He held Kathleen¡¯s hand up to his lips and kissed her gently. ¡°Kate, I will never force you again. I swear.¡± After saying that, he started to sob. He made no sound, with only his shoulders shuddering slightly. Outside the ward, Caleb wanted to go in, but Charles stopped him. ¡°Wait a bit before you go in.¡± Caleb frowned. ¡°Caleb, after Kate wakes up, what are you going to do?¡± asked Charles curiously. ¡°Bring her home, of course. Have you forgotten that she is my wife? As soon as she wakes up, you have to help me. Don¡¯t let her fall for Samuel¡¯s lies,¡± said Caleb unhappily. ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t want to leave with you? What if she wants to be with Desi and Eil?¡± asked Charles tly. Caleb remained silent. ¡°Are you going to lie to her? Or force her?¡± asked Charles sternly. ¡°If you do either of that, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Caleb snorted lightly. ¡°That¡¯s still better than letting her go with Samuel!¡± Charles asked, ¡°How do you know she will pick Samuel?¡± Maybe she won¡¯t pick either of you. Caleb pursed his lips. ¡°I just do.¡± In a solemn tone, Charles replied, ¡°Kathleen has lost her memory. She deserves a fresh start to life.¡± Caleb froze upon hearing that. ¡°Remember this. If anyone forces Kate to do something she doesn¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t let that person go,¡± stated Charles firmly. Caleb remained silent. Just then, Charles¡¯ phone rang. He turned around to answer his phone. Caleb took one nce at him, then walked into the ward. Charles wanted to stop him. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. However, he thought about the fact that Caleb was only acting this way because he liked Kathleen. Ultimately, he decided to let them sort it out amongst themselves. With his phone in hand, he left. He came to a quiet room. ¡°I heard you guys found Kathleen?¡± Raymond asked casually. ¡°Godfather, I see word travels fast to your ears. We haven¡¯t even reachednd yet. I guess someone on my team must be working for you.¡± Raymond remained indifferent. With a chuckle, he responded, ¡°Nothing escapes my eyes. When she¡¯s recovered, remember to send her back. It¡¯s about time to n the wedding for her and Wyatt.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Charles scoffed. ¡°My poison has already been neutralized. I no longer need Kate to be my sacrifice. Moreover, I don¡¯t want my sister to be involved in your family fights! All these years, you¡¯ve been wanting to level the ying field between the two brothers after Wilbur married the princess of Jeradus. That¡¯s why you want my sister to marry Wyatt, right? How can you be so shameless?¡± ¡°Charles, I am your godfather. How could you talk about me that way?¡± Raymond was insulted. ¡°I¡¯ve given my life for Blissful Sect. Every time Wilbur and Wyatt refused to do something, I would take their ce. I¡¯ve already done more than enough to repay my gratitude. However, if anyone dares to try anything with my sister, I will take them head-on! Try me if you dare,¡± threatened Charles harshly. His rage had reached its boiling point. Kathleen had lost her memory, and now she was injured. In Raymond¡¯s eyes, Kathleen was nothing but a tool. He ced her wherever he needed her. How could Charles let them use her like that? He once swore that he would make Kathleen happy. However, everything she had been through so far made his heart ache. Charles didn¡¯t know what to do. If only he had been more ruthless back then. He should have wiped Samuelpletely out of Kathleen¡¯s memory. If he had, perhaps things would be different now. However, he couldn¡¯t bear to do so. Kathleen herself was against it as well. Meanwhile, in the ward, Samuel heard footsteps behind him. He dabbed his tears dry. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see my wife. Why would I need your permission?¡± Caleb couldn¡¯t care less. Samuel gently let go of Kathleen¡¯s hand. He stood up and turned around. His gaze was sharp and cold. ¡°Let me remind you. She has lost her memory, so she doesn¡¯t remember a thing. Furthermore, you two never had a wedding, nor did you sign a marriage certificate.¡± Samuel spoke emotionlessly. ¡°Haha!¡± Calebughed mockingly. ¡°Even so, technically speaking, I am her fianc¨¦. I should be the one taking care of her, not you!¡± Samuel¡¯s voice turned frosty. ¡°Once she wakes up, if she needs you, I won¡¯t stop her. However, you¡¯re not allowed to get near her right now!¡± ¡°Says who?¡± Caleb was infuriated. ¡°It¡¯s so noisy¡­¡± Kathleen stirred. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. ¡°Kate, you¡¯re awake!¡± Both Samuel and Caleb rushed to her bedside. Kathleen stared at them. ¡°Can you guys go argue outside?¡± The two men were too stunned to speak. ¡°Where¡¯s Desi?¡± The first thing that came to Kathleen¡¯s mind was Desi. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s out ying on the deck,¡± answered Samuel. That¡¯s a relief. Kathleen sighed. Then, she said, ¡°My master uses special bullets. The wounds won¡¯t heal that easily. Do you mind helping me get some medicine from somewhere?¡± ¡°Tell me where. I¡¯ll send my men over,¡± Samuel answered. It didn¡¯t matter what she wanted him to do; he would do it. Kathleen gave him an address. ¡°Tell the guy I¡¯m the one who wants it. He¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. He got up to leave and find his men to acquire the medicine. Now, only Kathleen and Caleb were left in the room. Caleb stared at her quietly. ¡°Kate, do you still remember who I am?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re Mr. Lewis. I didn¡¯t forget.¡± Caleb was stunned. ¡°No, I mean¡­ Do you remember what we used to be?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the past. Who are you? What sort of rtionship did we have?¡± Caleb inhaled deeply. ¡°My name is Caleb. At one point, you and I almost got married. However, Samuel got in the way.¡± Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Who Is He Kathleen nodded and gave a brief response. With a gentle tone, Caleb asked, ¡°So, can I take care of you in the future?¡± Kathleen did not understand his intention earlier. It was at that moment when she finally got it. Frowning, she apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Lewis. I¡¯ve lost my memory, so I can¡¯t ept your offer. My wound will be healed soon once I have the medicine. I don¡¯t need anyone to take care of me.¡± Caleb was at a loss for words. The Kathleen in front of him looked like the Kathleen he knew, yet they were different. At that moment, Samuel returned, bringing Desi along with him. Caleb snorted. What a cunning man! He failed to win Kathleen¡¯s heart, so he¡¯s using familial ties now. ¡°Mommy!¡± Desi ran to the bed with some flowers in her hands. It was obvious that they were freshly plucked. ¡°Mommy, these are for you.¡± Desi grinned, exposing her little canine teeth. A smile appeared on Kathleen¡¯s lips. ¡°Thank you. But how did you get these flowers on the ship?¡± ¡°The cruise is stopped by an ind now. She went down to pick them just now,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Mommy, does your wound still hurt?¡± Desi asked worriedly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. Thank you.¡± Kathleen caressed Desi¡¯s hand. ¡°Get well soon, okay? I still want to go to the amusement park with you. Eil, too! I just called him to tell him I¡¯ve found you, and he¡¯s really happy about it.¡± Desi sounded very excited. Kathleen put on a warm smile. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll bring both of you to the amusement park when I¡¯m well.¡± Desi beamed. ¡°Okay! Rest well, Mommy. I¡¯ll go out to y now.¡± ¡°Sure. Go ahead,¡± Kathleen responded gently. Desi handed the flowers to Samuel and reminded him, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t forget to ce these in a vase. I plucked these for Mommy.¡± ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t forget.¡± Samuel took the flowers from the little girl, who skipped out of the room after. ¡°You sly fox,¡± Caleb mocked Samuel coldly. Unfazed, thetter bent over and looked at Kathleen. ¡°Go back to sleep. I¡¯ll bring you the medicine once it¡¯s ready.¡± Kathleen nodded. She was truly exhausted; she did not want to think too much about anything. Caleb understood her condition. Hence, he had no choice but to follow Samuel out of the room. Upon stepping outside, he snorted at Samuel and strode off. Meanwhile, Samuel lowered his gaze, wondering who Kathleen would choose Regardless, he would respect whatever decision she made. He did not have much time left, anyway. The next day, Kathleen and the others arrived at Jadeborough. As to where Kathleen was going to recuperate, Samuel, Charles, and Caleb each had different opinions on it, which got them into an argument. Sitting in the wheelchair, Kathleen said coldly, ¡°Why are you three debating so passionately among yourselves? Have you forgotten I¡¯m the one who makes the final call, not you three?¡± Instantly, the three men fell quiet. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go.¡± Desi held Kathleen¡¯s hand tightly, unwilling to let go.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Kate¡ª¡± Caleb was about to speak when Kathleen rejected him immediately. ¡°Mr. Lewis, I¡¯m not going to the Lewis residence. Mr. Macari, please help me get a car. I have a house in Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. He would not attempt to change Kathleen¡¯s decisions. It did not matter where she lived. He was fine with it as long as she was in Jadeborough and somewhere within his sight all the time. ¡°Daddy, can I stay with Mommy?¡± Desi asked eagerly. With a gentle voice, Samuel answered, ¡°Mommy needs to rest for now. Once she¡¯s better, you can stay with her as long as you want. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Desi nodded resignedly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let Desi stay with me. I¡¯ll find a housekeeper to take care of our daily needs,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°All right,¡± Samuel quickly agreed. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m sure Eil would like that, too,¡± Desi added softly. She had not forgotten to ask on Eil¡¯s behalf. Kathleen cast Samuel a nce. ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°Are you sure you can take care of two children?¡± Samuel asked with concern. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be fine soon when the medicine is here.¡± Naturally, Samuel listened to her. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Sorry for troubling you,¡± Kathleen said lightly. ¡°Get in the car, then. I¡¯ll bring you guys there.¡± After saying that, Samuel opened the car door. Since Kathleen was seated in the wheelchair, he scooped her up and walked to the car. Seeing that, Desi covered her mouth and giggled. Meanwhile, Charles gazed at Desi intently. He knew he could not get too involved in Kathleen and Samuel¡¯s matters. After all, they had children together. No doubt, the children were the priority in their decision-making. That was something no one had control over. It was also Samuel¡¯s advantage. ¡°Kate, I¡¯d like to go over and have a look. I just want to check what your house is like and confirm the address,¡± Charles piped up with a half-smile. Kathleen gave him a nod. Caleb was also about to say something, but Samuel beat him to it and uttered coldly, ¡°Mr. Lewis, isn¡¯t yourpany swamped with work today? I was reading the financial news this morning, and it seems that thepany you were nning to purchase is facing a major problem. Shouldn¡¯t you hurry over to solve it?¡± ¡°It must be your doing, right?¡± Caleb ced the me on Samuel without thinking twice. Samuel commented nonchntly, ¡°If it was me, you¡¯d be hearing news about the Lewis Enterprises going bankrupt.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Caleb¡¯s gaze darkened. Kathleen, who was still in Samuel¡¯s arms, asked, ¡°Mr. Macari, can you please put me in the car first?¡± Hearing that, Samuel nodded obediently and ced her in the car. Desi quickly crawled into the vehicle and sat beside Kathleen, hugging thetter tightly. It was evident how much she liked Kathleen. Afterward, Samuel got into the car as well. Charles nced at Caleb and consoled, ¡°Don¡¯t be too reckless. He¡¯s got an advantage.¡± In response, Caleb huffed. ¡°You should hurry and get back to the office. I heard Samuel really has nothing to do with it,¡± Charles advised grimly. ¡°Got it,¡± responded Caleb coldly. Charles shed him a subtle smile before entering his own car. Forty minutester, they arrived in front of a mansion. Samuel got down from the car, took the wheelchair out of the trunk, and ced it on the ground. Then, he opened the door to the backseat, carrying Kathleen out and cing her in the wheelchair. ¡°Mr. Macari, you don¡¯t have to do all this for me. I can manage.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a habit. It¡¯s hard to change,¡± exined Samuel with his husky voice. Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± With that, Samuel wheeled her into the courtyard while Desi and Charles followed behind them. Scanning the area, Charles remarked, ¡°This mansion is not bad. When did you buy it, Kate?¡± ¡°Three years ago, I think? A rich businessman from Jadeborough wanted to buy my medicine, but he had little cash on him. So, he used this house as a mortgage. In the end, I kept it because I found it quite nice,¡± Kathleen answered. Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Will your master¡¯s subordinatese looking for you here?¡± ¡°Not for now. The organization is facing a lot of problems at the moment. He¡¯ll lose his grandson if he doesn¡¯t solve them,¡± Kathleen said. Charles frowned at her words. ¡°Grandson? Who is this old man?¡± Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Chapter 349 You Seemed To Hate Me ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen paused, then she sighed and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Charles frowned slightly. Seeing that, Kathleen exined, ¡°Actually, all I know is that his surname is Hoover. He never told me anything about himself.¡± ¡°Hoover?¡± Charles frowned harder. ¡°Do you remember someone once said Granny was quite close to someone with the same surname?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost my memory,¡± Kathleen said tly. ¡°The only answer I can give you is that I don¡¯t remember it.¡± Charles¡¯ face flushed with embarrassment. He had forgotten about that. ¡°Where¡¯s your room?¡± Samuel¡¯s indifferent gaze was instantly filled with gentleness and affection when he looked at Kathleen. ¡°The first floor. There¡¯s a room in there,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel pushed her into the house and headed for the room. The room had a massive floor-to- ceiling window¡ªthe kind of windows Kathleen loved. She liked the feeling of having sunlight pouring into the house. ¡°This is fine. Thank you,¡± Kathleen said softly. ¡°Do you need me to carry you to the bed?¡± Samuel asked in a deep and gentle voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Kathleen shook her head gently. Samuel noticed her slight resistance toward him. ¡°So¡­ Let¡¯s talk again after you get some rest?¡± He knew Kathleen was avoiding him. In fact, he knew the exact thing she was afraid of as well. Even if she had lost her memory, her understanding and fear of him never disappeared. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Eil will be here in a while. I¡¯ve sent someone to bring over the children¡¯s necessities, too.¡± Samuel squatted to look at her at eye level. ¡°Do you mind if I take a look around the house? I¡¯m worried there might be some spots that the workers missed during renovation. I don¡¯t want you and the children to get hurt.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Go ahead. Eil and Desi are your children, too. It¡¯s totally normal for you to be meticulous with things rted to them.¡± Samuel smiled and hummed in agreement. Finally, he stood up and exited the room. Only then did Kathleen breathe a sigh of relief. She could not help but feel stressed when she was in Samuel¡¯s presence. For some unknown reason, Samuel¡¯s gaze made her anxious. The feeling of being totally exposed, trapped, and helpless made her uneasy. Samuel¡¯s too terrifying. He¡¯s always watching me so intently. I¡¯d always know he¡¯s there, even if he does nothing. He¡¯s like a deep pit I¡¯d fall into once I make a wrong move. Ugh¡­ He¡¯s too scary! ¡°Mommy!¡± A boy¡¯s childish voice traveled into the room. Kathleen turned sideways and spotted a little boy who looked like a spitting image of Samuel. Her red lips curled into a smile. ¡°You seemed to hate me when west met.¡± Eil already knew Kathleen was Gizem. His ears flushed red, and he said embarrassedly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was you.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Kathleen extended her hand. ¡°Come here.¡± Eil walked over and slipped his soft and tiny hand into hers. Mommy¡¯s hands are so warm. And they¡¯re so slender and soft. ¡°Mommy, Desi says we can stay here with you. Is that true?¡± Eil asked expectantly. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± Being the more observant child, Eil asked, ¡°Mommy, are you not nning to remarry Daddy?¡± Kathleen fell silent for a while. Finally, she gathered her courage and admitted, ¡°Eil, I don¡¯t want to lie to you. I¡¯ve lost my memory. For now, I might find it awkward to live with a stranger.¡± ¡°What about thest time?¡± Eil was a curious child. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s because of work. He was my employer, while I was his employee,¡± Kathleen exined, though she was not sure if Eil actually understood her words. True enough, Eil did not get her words completely. Just then, Desi came to the room. ¡°Hey, Eil. You¡¯re here, too!¡± She seemed quite excited. ¡°I¡¯ve checked out the rooms. Do you want to see them?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Eil shook his head. Desi pouted. ¡°You¡¯re going to let Mommy¡¯s efforts go to waste. She got someone to decorate the room nicely for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Eil looked at Kathleen in surprise. ¡°Not really,¡± Kathleen said honestly. ¡°I just asked the staff to redecorate the room with some of the things you like.¡± ¡°I like it as long as it¡¯s made by you,¡± Eil stated without hesitation. When Eil was with Samuel, he acted maturely. However, when he was in Kathleen¡¯s presence, hepletely transformed into a child. It was not Samuel¡¯s strict methods that pressured Eil to act that way. Rather, it was Eil who matured faster compared to other children. He knew the responsibilities he had, which made him work hard to be more dependable. Now that he had a mother, he felt as if there was someone he could depend on. Thus, he allowed himself to behave more like a child. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Eil said excitedly. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Sure. Go on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you there, Eil!¡± Desi grabbed Eil¡¯s hand and pulled him out of the room. A warm smile appeared on Kathleen¡¯s delicate face as she watched the children leave. Standing by the doorway, Charles remarked, ¡°You three seem to get along well.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my children, after all,¡± Kathleen responded inly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Charles paused for a while. He then stepped into the room and said in a grim tone, ¡°Granny wants to see you.¡± Kathleen was slightly taken aback. ¡°Please give me a few more days. I still need time to digest some things here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles did not expect Kathleen to show reluctance. Though they had found Kathleen, the one they were currently seeing was drastically different from the Kathleen they were used to. The old Kathleen was too soft-hearted. This new Kathleen, however, seemed tougher and moreposed. Kathleen asked in an unhurried manner, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s all. Get some rest.¡± Charles quickly left the room, feeling awkward. When he arrived in the living room, he bumped into Samuel. ¡°Kate has changed a lot,¡± Charlesmented with a frown, feeling worried. ¡°No matter how much she changes, she¡¯s still Kathleen.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was deep and calm. Charles let out a slight snort. ¡°I never said she isn¡¯t. It¡¯s a good thing that she shuns you along with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right for her to dislike me,¡± said Samuel monotonously. ¡°After all, I did many things that hurt her in the past.¡± Charles scoffed, ¡°d you know that.¡± Samuel shot him a re and went into the kitchen. Charles was feeling rather bored, but he did not want to go home. So, he followed Samuel into the kitchen. Seeing Samuel taking out ingredients from the refrigerator, Charles asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already four o¡¯clock. I¡¯m going to make them dinner before leaving,¡± Samuel answered. Charles was dumbstruck by his response. Once Eil and Desi were done viewing the rooms, they returned to Kathleen¡¯s room. All three of themy on the bed, and Kathleen told them stories until night arrived. Desi¡¯s stomach growled. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check out the kitchen.¡± Kathleen sat up right away. Just then, the door opened, and Samuel appeared with a solemn gaze. ¡°Are you all hungry? Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to leave soon.¡± Samuel entered the room. ¡°Anyway, I made some dinner.¡± ¡°Daddy, aren¡¯t you eating with us?¡± asked Desi sadly. Samuel patted her head. ¡°I¡¯m not. You two shall eat with Mommy.¡± Desi quickly fixed her big eyes on Kathleen. ¡°Mommy?¡± Kathleen flushed awkwardly. She turned to Samuel and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for dinner?¡± Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Chapter 350 It Is My Bad ¡°Am I worthy of that?¡± Samuel asked in a low yet gentle voice. There was a hint of sorrow in his eyes. Kathleen paused briefly before saying, ¡°It¡¯s just a meal.¡± Samuel nodded graciously. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen remained silent. ¡°Eil, take your sister to wash her hands,¡± instructed Samuel. Eil led Desi off the bed. He put on his slippers before helping Desi to put on hers. After that, the two siblings walked out of the room hand in hand. Samuel gazed at Kathleen. ¡°The children have been waiting for you toe back so our family could be reunited. That¡¯s why¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin,¡± Kathleen interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not that unreasonable. It¡¯s totally understandable that the children want aplete family.¡± Samuel nodded and spoke in his deep, enigmatic voice. ¡°I¡¯m d you understand.¡± ¡°Samuel, the fact that I understand doesn¡¯t mean we can be¡­¡± Kathleen exined hurriedly, worried he might misunderstand her words. Samuel chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not the same person from the past.I didn¡¯t misunderstand your words.¡± Kathleen sighed with relief. That¡¯s great. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted into the air as Samuel scooped her into his arms. With Kathleen in his arms, Samuel walked to the wheelchair and ced her in it. Softly, he said, ¡°I¡¯m fine with letting the children stay with you. But as you know, they¡¯ve been staying with me when you were gone. So, it¡¯s not them who can¡¯t be away from me. It¡¯s the other way round. I¡¯d like to see them every day. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bother you.¡± Kathleen nodded lightly. ¡°I understand.¡± Samuel continued, ¡°The housekeeper I¡¯ve hired to take care of you can only arrive tomorrow. I¡¯ve asked Gemma to keep youpany tonight. She¡¯ll take of you here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, Samuel pushed her wheelchair out of the room. When they arrived at the dining hall, Eil, Desi, and even Charles were already seated at the dining table. He didn¡¯t leave, either. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°What¡¯s with that look of disdain on your face? Kate, you used to depend on me a lot, you know?¡± Charles said disappointedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kathleen apologized. ¡°I really have no recollection of the past. I only remember you shouting at me when we met for the first time.¡± Charles was speechless. At that time, he did not know Gizem was Kathleen. He would not have acted that way if he knew. ¡°My dear sister, please forgive me,¡± Charles pleaded. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was you. If you think about it, how was I supposed to recognize you through the hyper-realistic mask?¡± ¡°I recognized Mommy,¡± Desi said arrogantly. ¡°Uncle Charles, the fact that you couldn¡¯t recognize Mommy proves you¡¯re stupid.¡± Charles was baffled. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid!¡± ¡°You are. You couldn¡¯t even recognize Mommy.¡± Desi snickered. Her words left Charles huffing in anger, which made Desi burst outughing. It was clear that they were close. Kathleen merely watched them wordlessly. Right then, Samuel put on a smile and said to her, ¡°Let¡¯s eat. Try the food. These used to be your favorite dishes in the past. I can prepare something else if you don¡¯t like them.¡± Kathleen finally returned to her senses. ¡°I¡¯m not a picky eater. I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± ¡°I forgot. Daddy didn¡¯t recognize Mommy either!¡± Desi said smugly. ¡°Eil, too!¡± I was the only one who recognized her. Eil stuffed two bites of food into his mouth before mumbling, ¡°Of course, I could guess that it was her.¡± Desi chuckled. Samuel pursed his thin lips lightly. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s my bad for not realizing it was her.¡± ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be mad at Daddy, okay?¡± Desi was a caring and thoughtful girl. ¡°Daddy has missed you so much over the years.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Desi carried on with her meal obediently. Samuel knew the reason Kathleen did not let Desi continue speaking was that in Kathleen¡¯s heart, the fact that he had missed and waited for her meant nothing at all. His current efforts were nothingpared to what she had done for him during their three-year marriage. ¡°Mommy, have a drumstick.¡± Desi served Kathleen some food, then she ced some on Samuel¡¯s te as well. ¡°Daddy, you too.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kathleen and Samuel thanked her in unison. Desi then ced a chicken wing on Charles¡¯ te. ¡°Uncle Charles, thank you for your hard work in bringing Mommy back.¡± Charles was surprised and delighted. ¡°Aw, the little princess is bing more and more sensible.¡± He patted Desi¡¯s head. She¡¯s too cute. Desi was an incredibly adorable child. It was impossible to not dote on her. Thanks to her, the atmosphere at the dining table became harmonious. After dinner, Samuel cleared the table and went to do the dishes in the kitchen. Charles could not help but raise a brow. He¡¯s acting like this is his house. Just then, the doorbell rang. Charles got to his feet to open the door only to find Gemma standing before him. She blinked in confusion. ¡°Mr. Johnson, is it true that Kate¡¯s back?¡± Charles nodded. ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡± As Gemma stepped into the house, she asked softly, ¡°Uh¡­ So, Dr. Zabinski is actually Kate?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Charles brought her to Kathleen. She was sitting on the couch in the living room with Eil and Desi on either side of her, leaning against her while they watched a cartoon together. Gemma walked over. As soon as Gemmaid eyes on Kathleen, tears started welling in her eyes. Seeing Gemma had arrived, Kathleen smiled. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Hello, Ms. Young,¡± the children greeted at the same time. ¡°Hello.¡± Gemma nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for having to trouble you tonight, Gemma,¡± said Kathleen gently. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formalities between us.¡± Gemma¡¯s eyes reddened as she stared at Kathleen. ¡°Charles, can you help me take Eil and Desi to their rooms?¡± asked Kathleen. ¡°Okay.¡± Charles walked over and took the children to their rooms. After they left, Gemma walked over and took a seat beside Kathleen. Eyeing Kathleen¡¯s wound, Gemma asked, ¡°Is it severe?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Kathleen smiled reassuringly. ¡°Did youe here by yourself?¡± Gemma paused briefly. ¡°Richard¡¯s outside. He doesn¡¯t dare toe in because he¡¯s worried about seeing Samuel.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°So, his wife isn¡¯t the only thing Richard¡¯s afraid of.¡± Gemma blushed. ¡°Oh, shut up. You make me sound like a fierce beast. You have no idea how gentle I am.¡± Kathleen smiled subtly. ¡°Your room is beside mine. Do you want to take a look?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t move with your legs in such a state.¡± Gemma stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll have a look at it myself and drop my things there as well.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, Gemma followed her instructions and walked to the room. The moment Kathleen turned off the television, Samuel stepped out of the kitchen and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Is Gemma here already?¡± ¡°She went to put her things in the room,¡± Kathleen answered. Samuel nodded in response. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°Drive safe,¡± Kathleen said politely. An uneasy feeling filled Samuel¡¯s heart. ¡°What time can Ie over tomorrow?¡± Kathleen paused to think. ¡°Anytime.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get going now.¡± Samuel grabbed his coat. ¡°Call me if there¡¯s anything urgent.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen looked at him silently. Samuel put on his coat and walked out, leaving Kathleen sighing with relief. Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Never See Them Again The moment Samuel exited the mansion, he spotted Richard¡¯s car and walked over. Richard was smoking with his windows rolled down, and his arm hanging outside the car. The hand that usually held a scalpel currently had a cigarette between its fingers, giving off a depressing vibe. When Richard saw Samuel approaching him, he tossed his cigarette and got out of the car. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Samuel asked with a deep and icy voice. ¡°Nothing. By the time we went after them, the ind was already empty,¡± said Richard with a complicated expression. Samuel fell silent. ¡°What did Kathleen say?¡± Richard asked with a look of curiosity. ¡°She still doesn¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°Sam, time waits for no one. The male lovebug in your body shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly.¡± Richard frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Yareli¡¯s the biggest threat.¡± ¡°I know this better than you,¡± Samuel responded in an icy tone. ¡°Gemma¡¯s staying here tonight. Why are you still here?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be staying for the night. That way, she won¡¯t have to stay,¡± said Richard coolly. ¡°I just came back yesterday.¡± ¡°Forget about it. Kathleen treats me like a total stranger now,¡± Samuel said gloomily. Richard snorted lightly. ¡°Well, well. Finally getting a taste of your own medicine, eh? Remember how you hurt her in the past? Yet, she still returned and was reluctant to part with you.Now that she¡¯s forgotten all about you, all she has for you is indifference, no matter how much you care.¡± Samuel stretched out his hand toward Richard. ¡°Give me a cigarette.¡± Richard handed Samuel one, and thetter lit it up. ¡°Have you heard of this saying?¡± Richard asked slowly. ¡°¡¯One would eventually have to pay for their evil deeds.¡¯ Because of Nicolette, you ignored Kathleen in the past. Well, serves you right. It¡¯s time you get a taste of your own medicine.¡± Samuel nced at Richard in displeasure. ¡°Are you staying here just to make fun of me?¡± Richard chuckled. ¡°Anyway, do you want to have a drink? You¡¯re not taking care of your children tonight, anyway.¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ve been trying to keep to a healthy lifestyletely.¡± Richard was at a loss for words. With that, Samuel entered his car and drove away, leaving behind a puzzled Richard. Did I hear that correctly? Did he just say ¡°healthy lifestyle¡±? Not long after, Samuel arrived at Florinia Manor. The mansion was brightly lit. When he entered the house, Calvin and Wynnie were sitting in the living room. ¡°Mom? Dad?¡± Samuel called out in puzzlement. Wynnie rose to her feet. ¡°Samuel¡­¡± A thought came to Samuel¡¯s mind, and he quickly exined, ¡°Mom, the children are with Kate.I hope you can be understanding and let her have her way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t stop her,¡± Wynnie assured, walking over to Samuel. ¡°I just wanted to know when can we visit her. How is she doing?¡± Samuel said grimly, ¡°She needs to recuperate for now. Please help me exin this to Grandma. It¡¯s best to not bother Kate for the time being and let her get enough rest.¡± ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Wynnie nodded. ¡°Remember to pass Kate our regards.¡± Samuel gave her aplicated look. ¡°Mom, you should prepare yourself mentally. Kate¡¯s lost her memory. And with everything she had experienced over the past few years, she¡¯s not the same person anymore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We understand.¡± Wynnie smiled kindly. ¡°We¡¯re just d to hear that she¡¯s fine.¡± Calvin got to his feet. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll get going then.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Calvin nodded and led Wynnie out of the mansion. As soon as they got into the car, Wynnie broke into tears. ¡°Darling, do you think Kate will take the children away?¡± she sobbed. ¡°If she does, we won¡¯t see them anymore.¡± Calvin was dumbstruck. Why is she suddenly crying? ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll happen,¡± Calvin said, though feeling unsure. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Samuel just now?¡± Wynnie wiped her tears. ¡°Kate¡¯s lost her memory. Even her personality has changed. I¡¯m worried she has lost all her feelings for Samuel. What if she takes the children away from Samuel and us? What if they leave this ce? Oh no¡­ I won¡¯t get to see my grandchildren anymore.¡± Calvin was stumped. That night, when everyone was asleep, Kathleen sat by the window and gazed at the moon. It was exceptionallyrge and round. Suddenly, her phone rang. When Kathleen saw the phone number on the screen, the corner of her lips curled into a smirk. ¡°Master, I can¡¯t believe you actually called.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was indifferent. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯ll never let you off!¡± Theodore growled. ¡°I¡¯ll never let you take my daughter¡¯s blood,¡± responded Kathleen calmly. ¡°You tricked me back then for my daughter, didn¡¯t you?¡± Theodore was stumped, but he soon answered, ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Master, your biggest mistake is messing with my daughter,¡± Kathleen informed coldly. Theodore scoffed, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to regain your memories at this time either.¡± With a cold tone, Kathleen refuted, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I never regained my memories. I just realized there was something wrong with some matters and started suspecting my identity. That¡¯s why I did what I did. Clearly, my guess was right.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you answer my call?¡± Theodore inquired coldly. ¡°Why did you call me, then?¡± Kathleen asked in return. Theodore was momentarily stunned. Snapping out of it, he muttered, ¡°I want to save my grandson.¡± ¡°Are you trying to strike a deal with me?¡± Kathleen asked with a smirk. ¡°Yes.¡± Theodore fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I have to save my grandson!¡± ¡°Master, do you think I¡¯ll actually give you my child?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. ¡°Then, why did you leave me this note?¡± Theodore questioned icily. He found a piece of note in his coat pocket earlier that day. The moment he saw the handwriting, he recognized it was Kathleen¡¯s. That was why he called her. After trying toe up with a way to save his grandson, he was now at his wit¡¯s end. Right then, Kathleen¡¯s eyes glinted brightly. ¡°You have a solution, don¡¯t you?¡± Theodore asked softly. ¡°I sure do,¡± answered Kathleen nonchntly. ¡°Master, if you had let me see that child earlier, I would¡¯ve helped you to save him long ago.¡± ¡°Do you really have a solution?¡± Theodore was in disbelief. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen asked grimly, ¡°Do you not believe me?¡± ¡°What are your terms?¡± asked Theodore. ¡°The truth,¡± Kathleen stated calmly. ¡°I want the truth. All of it. I want you to tell me everything you know.¡± Theodore murmured, ¡°That depends on whether you can cure Zion.¡± Kathleen smiled lightly, knowing Theodore was negotiating with her. ¡°Master, here¡¯s an idea. Why don¡¯t you send Zion to my ce? When he¡¯spletely cured, I¡¯ll send him back to you. Then, you can tell me everything. How¡¯s that?¡± Theodore hesitated. ¡°I believe you, but ¡ª¡± ¡°Samuel¡¯s never seen Zion before, and I won¡¯t reveal his identity either.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°What say you?¡± Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Chapter 352 A Deal Theodore sneered. ¡°Hehe¡­ Did you n this from the start?¡± Kathleen remained silent. ¡°You are very smart, Kathleen.¡± Then Theodore yelled furiously, ¡°Answer my question!¡± Kathleen replied, ¡°Yes. Because from the start, I didn¡¯t really believe what you said to me, but at the time I was weak, so I could only pretend to believe it all.¡± Hearing that, Theodore snorted coldly. Kathleen exined, ¡°You can¡¯t me me because you said that I¡¯m your apprentice, and you trust me, but those members of Axeworth Corporation have a grudge against me. If you really trust me, why would they treat me like that?¡± Theodore froze upon hearing that, as he did not think he would get caught. Kathleen continued coldly, ¡°But there is one thing, Master. If you hadn¡¯t sent me to Samuel¡¯s side, I really didn¡¯t think I was Kathleen at first.¡± Theodore smiled coldly and asked, ¡°When you save Zion, will you let me help you restore your memory?¡± ¡°You mean my memory can be restored?¡± Kathleen was a little surprised. She had checked before that her brain damage was real. ¡°No, your brain damage is real,¡± uttered Theodore in a deep voice. ¡°I asked because I¡¯m worried about you and want to help you restore your memory.¡± ¡°Master, can you tell me your name?¡± Kathleen queried. ¡°I¡¯ve known you for so long, but all I know is your surname.¡± Smiling indifferently, the old man replied, ¡°My name is Theodore.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kathleen finally learned his name. Theodore then asked coldly, ¡°Now, how do I send Zion to your ce?¡± ¡°Let me know the time and means of transportation. I will pick him up,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Okay. I hope you can keep your promise,¡± answered the old man icily. Kathleen hesitated for a moment. ¡°Master, do you still remember what I said a few days ago?¡± ¡°You have nothing to do with Axeworth Corporation now, Kathleen, so you do not have the right to ask about these matters,¡± Theodore said coldly. With that, he hung up the call. Kathleen pinched between her eyebrows lightly. Fine. It was better for her not to meddle in the affairs since she could do anything, anyway. The next day, Kathleen got up early in the morning, nning to prepare a meal for Desi and Eil. As a mother, Kathleen had never made breakfast for her children. Although they had eaten food she made before, it was still not the same. Ding dong! The doorbell rang right then. Kathleen nced at the time and was a little confused. Who woulde this early? Bearing that thought in mind, she moved her wheelchair to open the door, only to see Samuel standing there with a lot of things in his hands. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Samuel looked at her deeply, as if he was trying to suck her in. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded before asking softly, ¡°Why did youe so early?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t have a housekeeper. I was afraid that you would be hungry, so I brought you breakfast on the way,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Thank you. Pleasee in.¡± Kathleen gave way, and Samuel walked into the house. The well-built, elegant man smelled good. cing the breakfast on the table, he asked, ¡°They are not awake yet?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No. They slept a littletest night.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the first time living with their mommy, so they¡¯re a little excited, but they¡¯ll get used to it,¡± said Samuel in a hoarse voice. ¡°Eil and Desi are going to have piano lessons today. Should I ask the teacher toe here? Or should I take them back home?¡± Kathleen knew Samuel attached great importance to the education of the two children. ¡°I don¡¯t have a piano here, but I can buy it. Can the piano lesson be postponed for a day?¡± Kathleen looked up at him faintly. Even so, to him, she never changed¡ªit was still as if she was giving puppy eyes. Gulping, the man replied, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°No need. I also know someone who sells pianos.¡± Kathleen did not want to rely too much on him. Disying a smile, Samuel answered, ¡°Okay.¡± Just then, Desi had already woken up. Spotting Samuel, she directly threw herself into his arms. ¡°Daddy!¡± Samuel picked Desi up and held her face with his big hand. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Desi nodded. ¡°I slept very well.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face, which was usually painted with coldness, softened. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Desi, Mommy can¡¯t move around, so you have to take care of her, okay?¡± Desi nodded vigorously. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m already mature now. I will learn to be considerate.¡± Samuel was amused by her reply, while Kathleen looked at him. Although she still found Samuel cold and terrifying, he was a good father. ¡°Okay. I brought your favorite little bagel sandwiches, go wash up, and thene eat,¡± said Samuel while he put Desi down. Desi iled her short legs. ¡°I¡¯ll go call Eil and Ms. Young.¡± With that, she ran away. Noticing Kathleen was staring at him, Samuel smiled gently and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wash up?¡± Embarrassed at being caught, Kathleen replied, ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡± She went back to the room to wash up. Facing the mirror, she looked at herself. Admittedly, Samuel is a very attractive man. Although I¡¯m not a sex-crazed woman, who would reject a good-looking man? Thinking about it now, I very stubbornly loved him in the past that I destroyed myself, but that¡¯s not going to repeat, as I have forgotten everything. Now, he¡¯s only another handsome man to me, who to be the father of my children. Yes, that¡¯s it. By the time Kathleen came out, they had already sat down and were eating breakfast. However, Samuel was not there. ¡°He left?¡± Kathleen asked, surprised. Gemma nodded in response. Handing Kathleen a cup of milk, she uttered, ¡°I heard there¡¯s an urgent matter at thepany.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± replied Kathleen tly. ¡°Mommy, is it true that we don¡¯t have to take piano lessons today?¡± Desi asked happily. Kathleen looked at her sternly. ¡°Only today.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Desi eximed. Eil let out a sigh. ¡°How na?ve.¡± ¡°What?¡± Desi asked, confused. Eil exined, ¡°Knowing Daddy, he will definitely have a recement lesson in the future. There is no escape.¡± Desi suddenly shed her pair of big eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯ve never had extra lessons before. Did you have extra lessons, Eil?¡± Eil knitted his brows, not saying a word. Pfft! Watching their little argument, Gemma was amused. ¡°Eil, did you just lose?¡± Suddenly, Eil felt the bagel sandwich was not that delicious anymore. Kathleen looked at her son sympathetically. Letting out a sigh, Eil felt that life was not easy. I¡¯ve been tricked by Daddy all this time. ¡°I¡¯ll help you ask Samuel not to give you extra lessons,¡± Kathleenforted him. ¡°Forget it,¡± said Eil bitterly. ¡°I know how Daddy is. He will definitely pretend to agree with you. Then he will settle the score with me.¡± Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Manipted After breakfast, Kathleen began to browse the web. She wanted to buy a piano for the children. Desi sat next to her. ¡°Mommy, can you not buy a piano?¡± Hearing that, Kathleen looked at her in surprise. Desi stretched out her little hand and exined, ¡°Every time I y the piano, I feel as if my fingers are about to break.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s buy it for Eil. He has long arms.¡± Eil, who was sitting by the side and reading a book, was speechless. Gemma looked at him sympathetically. ¡°Okay!¡± Desi strongly agreed. Kathleen said with a smile, ¡°I heard that practicing the piano can make your arms grow longer, and your body will also grow taller. In the future, Eil will grow up to be as tall as Daddy, but you will still be this short. When the timees, Eil will make fun of you for it.¡± Blinking, Desi asked, ¡°ying the piano makes a person taller?¡± ¡°You see how Eil is taller than you? It¡¯s because he practices the piano more than you do, and he takes it more seriously,¡± Kathleen said with a smile. Desi could not sit still anymore. ¡°Mommy, hurry up and buy it! Let¡¯s buy this white one! This ck one is also fine. Just buy one and let them send it here!¡± If I don¡¯t start now, I¡¯ll never grow taller. Eil heaved a sigh. She¡¯s so easy to be manipted. At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, two elderlydies came to the house. One of them was Amelia Gardner, and the other was M Hunt. They were both in their forties, and they looked like honest people. After all, they had been carefully selected by Samuel. Kathleen said to them, ¡°I don¡¯t have any other requests. Your main task is to help me take care of my two children.¡± Amelia and M nodded. ¡°Noted, Ms. Johnson.¡± ¡°Also, I don¡¯t like people who gossip,¡± added Kathleenzily. ¡°Yes.¡± The two nodded again. ¡°There is nothing else. The rest of the things are up to you guys,¡± Kathleen said tly. With that, Amelia and M went to the room to drop off their luggage. Then, they started to familiarize themselves with the environment. Truthfully, beforeing here, Samuel had already informed them beforehand, so they knew the rules. It was a bright and sunny day. Kathleen took the children to y on the field of grass. She and Gemma sat under the parasol, having coffee. ¡°Are you and Richard going to get married?¡± Kathleen asked out of the blue, curious. Gemma blinked, with a shy look on her face. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be very sure,¡± Kathleenmented, astonished. Letting out a sigh, Gemma responded, ¡°It¡¯s my brother. He doesn¡¯t like Richard. You know he¡¯s a policeman, so he¡¯s always suspicious, and Richard has a lot of reallyplicated things.¡± ¡°Howplicated?¡± Kathleen was curious. ¡°It¡¯s that he¡­¡± Gemma trailed off. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know how to put it into words, but I think he¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°You can think of it this way. If he really has a problem, your brother would have already caught solid evidence by now,¡± Kathleen exined. Gemma said helplessly, ¡°I think so, too. I know my brother is worried, but¡­¡± Taking Gemma¡¯s hand into hers, Kathleen stered a soft smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much, because your brother loves you very much. If you really want to marry Richard, he will never stop you. If Richard really wants to spend his life with you, he will have to face the pressure from your brother. Who knows, maybe they¡¯ve alreadye to terms with each other.¡± ¡°Would that actually happen?¡± Gemma was curious. Kathleen nodded and smiled gently. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can call and ask.¡± ¡°No need. I believe you.¡± Gemma smiled, making Kathleen chuckle. She then looked at the two children, tenderness painted on her delicate face. Later that evening, Gemma was going to work the night shift, so she left first. Richard came to pick her up. As they left, the two conversed andughed, looking like a sweet couple. Just then, when Kathleen was ready to go back, Samuel arrived in his car. Why is he here again? ¡°Daddy!¡± Desi rushed out of the mansion immediately. Getting out of the car, Samuel squatted down and hugged her. Looking at the father and daughter duo, Kathleen breathed out a sigh. It seems like Desi is extremely fond of Samuel. Well, it¡¯s no wonder, though, considering he raised her since she was a baby. In contrast to his sister, Eil seemed reserved. ¡°Hello, Daddy,¡± he called. Despite that, he was looking at Samuel with deep admiration. ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel nodded. Letting go of Desi, he got to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll leave after seeing them,¡± he uttered, looking at Kathleen. ¡°They had always been with me, so I¡¯d feel a bit empty if I don¡¯t see them at home.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Oh, well, you¡¯ve seen them already.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go back right now.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze stayed on her face. Had it been the Kathleen who still had her memory, he would be invited in, but he knew, as of now, she would not. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading inside, then,¡± Kathleen turned around. Samuel stared at her back, and his heart ached. He knew that the former Kathleen loved him, even if she was hurt by him before. The Kathleen now had no feelings for him at all. Samuel would have panicked in the past, and he would have desperately made sure Kathleen still had him in her heart. However, right now, all he had in his heart was pain, as he no longer need to make sure because Kathleen did not love him anymore. Even if he acted pitifully and yed some tricks, Kathleen would not be soft-hearted. Samuel stood outside for a while longer. Afraid that Kathleen would find him burdensome, he left. Pondering for a moment, he decided to go to a bar. The man was born with a strong aura. That was why he would be noticed wherever he went. Once he stepped foot into the bar, many people already had their eyes on him. Some women were bold enough to approach him to strike a conversation. However, a few servers stopped them. ¡°I advise you not to go near him. You all know who that man is. If you really dare approach him, you¡¯ll be chased out of Jadeborough and never return.¡± Those women were some influencers and celebrities. If they were really kicked out of Jadeborough, they would beughed at. Even so, there were also some courageous ones. A woman walked over with a charming smile on her face. ¡°Hello, Mr. Macari, I¡¯m Lillian. Have you seen any of my work?¡± Samuel ignored her. He was drinking brandy, but he did not dare to drink much. It was because he knew that he had poor health, but he stillN?velDrama.Org exclusive content. wanted to numb himself with alcohol. Hearing the woman¡¯s voice, he felt annoyed. As he did not reply, Lilian continued, ¡°My new film is being broadcast right now. Although I¡¯m the fourth female lead, it happens to have my part today. If you¡¯re interested, how about we find a hotel and watch it together?¡± Samuel held the winess and put it in front of her. Lillian was stunned for a moment, and then she said excitedly, ¡°Mr. Macari, are you asking me to drink it? I really¡ª¡± ¡°Eat the ss,¡± Samuel interrupted coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you once you manage to do it.¡± Hearing that, Lillian froze. ¡°How can I eat ss?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes were icy cold. ¡°Exactly, yet you still think that you¡¯re worthy of me? You¡¯ve overestimated yourself.¡± Lillian was stunned. At that moment, Tyson walked in from outside. ¡°Mr. Macari, I have some news for you.¡± Looking at him, Samuel ordered, ¡°Get this woman out of Jadeborough.¡± Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Chapter 354 She Is Not Dead With that, Samuel got up and exited the bar. Tyson looked at the dumbfounded woman. ¡°Why can¡¯t you women learn to be smarter?¡± If Samuel were a yer, he would not save himself for Kathleen for so many years. Lillian wanted to beg for mercy, but Samuel was long gone. Initially, a few other women were also eager to try, but upon seeing what happened to Lilian, they were instantly rendered speechless, thankful that they were not impulsive earlier. Otherwise, they would have been kicked out of Jadeborough as well. Meanwhile, Samuel sat in the Maybach. Sitting in the passenger seat, Tyson handed over the documents. ¡°Mr. Macari, these are the documents you wanted.¡± Skimming through the documents, Samuel uttered, ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°What¡¯s next, Mr. Macari?¡± Tyson queried curiously. ¡°We¡¯ll go for a hunt,¡± Samuel responded icily. ¡°Understood!¡± Tyson nodded. Samuel massaged the space between his brows. ¡°Okay, you can go back now. It¡¯ste. Go be with your wife and children.¡± ¡°Let me take you home, Mr. Macari,¡± said Tyson worriedly. ¡°It¡¯ste, and you drank alcohol.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s waiting for me at home.¡± His house was too deserted. Samuel was a person who liked peace and quiet. However, a house with people waiting for him and no one waiting was not the same. Samuel was already thirty-three years old. He only realized the feeling of having someone keeping the lights on for him. In the past, Kathleen would leave the lights on for him. No matter howte he got off work, she would wait for him on the couch. At that time, he did not appreciate it, but now, he realized how great it felt to have someone care for him. ¡°Does Ms. Johnson still refuse to forgive you?¡± Tyson asked. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of whether or not she forgives me. She has forgotten about me, Tyson,¡± replied Samuel in a hoarse voice. She has no feelings for me at all. In the past, Samuel regarded her feelings for him as a pir of support. However, at the moment, his heart was empty. ¡°Let me take you home, Mr. Macari,¡± Tyson stated. Samuel responded with a nod. Tyson went to the driver¡¯s seat and drove Samuel back home. After that, he took a taxi and left. As Samuely on the cold bed, the corners of his eyes were moist. I have no right to ask for it. As long as Kathleen is still alive, that¡¯s enough. At the Yoeger residence, Yareli received a call from Vanessa. ¡°Bad news, Yareli. Kathleen has returned,¡± Vanessa informed solemnly. ¡°Isn¡¯t she dead?¡± Yareli was surprised. Vanessa shook her head and replied, ¡°No, she is not dead.¡± ¡°Does Samuel know?¡± Yareli queried, panicking. Regretfully, Vanessa replied, ¡°He must have known because it was he who rescued her. It was so close!¡± ¡°Mom, what should I do?¡± Yareli asked aggrievedly. ¡°I waited for so long, yet Samuel still refuses to marry me. Now that Kathleen is back, it is even more impossible for him to marry me.¡± ¡°Calm down. Kathleen has lost her memory, so she doesn¡¯t remember anything. Besides, you¡¯re linked to Samuel because of the lovebug. Kathleen stands no chance against that. Samuel will be yours sooner orter.¡± ¡°But Kathleen is alive. That is the biggest threat to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have already thought of a n,¡± Vanessa said coldly. Immediately, Yareli became excited. ¡°Really? What¡¯s the n?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better for you not to know. Knowing too much will do you no good, so even if the n fails, you can remain innocent.¡± ¡°Oh, okay,¡± replied Yareli with a nod. After that, she hung up the phone. All of a sudden, she heard somethinging from the door. Getting to her feet, she walked to the door and opened it, but she found nothing outside. Did I hear it wrongly? A few more days passed. Samuel went to the mansion twice these past few days. Once in the morning, and once in the evening. He didn¡¯t particrly go there to bother Kathleen, as he only wanted to meet the kids. Samuel would asionally go in for a meal before leaving. Both Kathleen and he were adapting to that way of interaction. In the past few days, the wound on Kathleen¡¯s body had healed a lot. Today, Samuel got off work to see the children. Once he walked in, he spotted Kathleen wearing ck sses. Her head was on the coffee table as she wrote and drew around. Samuel walked over and sat down. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked. ¡°The basement is empty. I¡¯m nning to turn it into aboratory.¡± ¡°Do you need me to help? I can assign people for you,¡± Samuel uttered softly. Not even lifting her head, Kathleen replied, ¡°No need. I can handle it myself.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As Samuel stared at Kathleen¡¯s delicate profile face and slender white neck, his thin lips curved upward. Just being able to look at her made him happy. Putting her pen down, Kathleen looked at him. ¡°Do you have something to ask me?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Ask away, then,¡± said Kathleen. Samuel was silent for a moment. Then, he asked, ¡°Will you always be in Jadeborough?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Huh?¡± Samuel kept his eyes on her. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be here,¡± the woman responded in an icy tone. ¡°The children are here. Where else could I go?¡± Hearing her reply, Samuel secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He felt much more rxed. Samuel said softly, ¡°Kate, five years ago, Lauren put a male lovebug in me, and Yareli has the female lovebug in her body. Did you know about that?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°You have a male lovebug in your body?¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen reached out and grabbed Samuel¡¯s wrist. Samuel hadn¡¯t touched her for a long time, not even a strand of hair. Hence, he feltfortable with her soft hand on his wrist. Retrieving her hand, Kathleen stated, ¡°That¡¯s weird. Are you sure, Samuel?¡± ¡°Is there any problem?¡± Samuel asked. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Yeah, a big one at that. You don¡¯t have a lovebug in your body, but there¡¯s a poisonous parasitic worm in you. You¡¯ll be fine after consuming meds, though.¡± Samuel frowned at that. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go for a checkup.¡± ¡°But I did have it in my body when Ist went for a checkup.¡± Samuel was a little confused. ¡°When was that?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°About five years ago,¡± replied Samuel. Five years ago? At that moment, Charles came in. ¡°I think that old man did it,¡± he voiced icily. ¡°Back then, when Samuel was dered dead in the operating room, an old man came in. While he brought Samuel back to life, he took you away.¡± Kathleen was surprised to learn that. ¡°Could that old man be my master?¡± Charles nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s him. He made us all unconscious by the door of the operating room.¡± Kathleen deeply furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Lauren poisoned Samuel, then my master detoxified him. What are they trying to do?¡± Charles shook his head, as he wasn¡¯t sure either. ¡°Trying to find a host, perhaps,¡± said Samuel. ¡°When your master came to me, he said he could help me get the lovebug out.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen frowned even more. ¡°Removing the lovebug by force will cause you death. Are you crazy?¡± Samuel fell silent. ¡°He exchanged the Snow Grass for the parasitic worm for me,¡± stated Charles. Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Being Polite To Her Kathleen was surprised, as she didn¡¯t expect Samuel to do that. Seeing the surprised look on her face, Samuel smiled helplessly. Kathleen, who lost her memory, didn¡¯t seem to believe that he would do it. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kathleen responded with gratitude. Samuel froze for a moment, then intoned, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re wee.¡± Upon seeing that, Charles wanted tough. Samuel probably didn¡¯t think Kathleen would thank him so politely, considering how rude she was in the past. Despite that, Kathleen¡¯s reaction was not what Samuel wanted. He thought that Kathleen would be moved. However, she wasn¡¯t, and her reaction was extremely dull. ¡°But if there is no male lovebug in Samuel¡¯s body, then what¡¯s going on with Yareli?¡± Charles was a little confused. Samuel didn¡¯t know either. ¡°Did your heart beat faster when you saw Yareli?¡± Kathleen looked at Samuel with curiosity in her pair of big eyes. Shaking his head, Samuel replied coldly, ¡°No, never.¡± ¡°Then how did you know that the female lovebug in her body affects the male love bug in your body?¡± Charles questioned, puzzled. ¡°Because my heart was always hurting at that time,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°I thought it was because of the lovebug. Never had anyone told me my heart was supposed to beat faster when I met someone with the female lovebug. Never.¡± Even Yareli didn¡¯t mention that. Kathleen slightly furrowed her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Does your heart hurt when you see her now?¡± Samuel shook his head lightly. ¡°Not anymore.¡± Giving it some thought, Kathleen uttered, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to take you to the College of Medicine. I heard that theirboratory has introduced very advanced equipment that can check whether there are any lovebugs in your body. What do you think?¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave it up to you, then.¡± Samuel looked at her deeply. His gaze made Kathleen¡¯s heart palpitate for some reason, so she silently avoided his gaze. ¡°Kate, you said that the lovebug in Samuel¡¯s body was removed, then what¡¯s going on with his heart?¡± Charles questioned out of curiosity. Kathleen frowned and mulled over it for a while. ¡°It¡¯s very likely that Theodore was too rough when he removed the male lovebug, so arge amount of toxin was left in Samuel¡¯s body. His heart didn¡¯t hurt because he met Yareli, but because meeting Yareli triggered the toxin. His heart doesn¡¯t hurt that much now because the toxin reduced over the years.¡± Hearing her exnation, Charles nodded in understanding. He then sneered, ¡°This time, Yareli will be doomed.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Yeah, if the male lovebug is dead, the female lovebug will not survive as well, and she¡¯ll die because of that,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°However, since she¡¯s still alive, who knows who has the male lovebug now?¡± ¡°This woman wants to be Samuel¡¯s wife so desperately. Now that there¡¯s no chance for her to do so, she¡¯ll be devastated,¡± mocked Charles. He had always disliked Yareli. Kathleen gently pulled Charles¡¯ sleeve and said, ¡°Charles, please stop talking.¡± Charles understood what she meant. Naturally, Samuel understood as well. ¡°I don¡¯t like her,¡± he rified. ¡°Never did. Not even in the past.¡± There¡¯s only one person in my heart¡ª Kathleen. ¡°I have an idea, guys,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°I want to find Vanessa through Yareli.¡± ¡°This matter is up to you. I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Charles then looked at Samuel and continued, ¡°How about you, Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need my say in this,¡± uttered Samuel. ¡°I have nothing to do with her.¡± Kathleen said faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Have you forgotten how I was used of kidnapping Desi by those hired by Yareli? You clearly knew who the mastermind was, Mr. Macari, yet you still investigated me.¡± Freezing, Samuel cleared his throat. At the time, he didn¡¯t know Kathleen was Gizem. Had he known, there was no way he would investigate her. Charles looked at Samuel meaningfully. ¡°I can exin,¡± responded Samuel. ¡°Forget it,¡± replied Kathleen tley. ¡°I will handle Yareli myself.¡± Fixing her gaze on her, Samuel said nothing. A hint of coldness shed across Kathleen¡¯s charming face. ¡°As for other matters, we¡¯ll talk about it next time.¡± Samuel and Charles nodded. Samuel stayed at Kathleen¡¯s mansion and had a meal there before returning to Florinia Manor. Even when he was alone when he reached home, he had spent the whole afternoon with Kathleen and the children, so he felt very satisfied. When he was about to reach the gate of Florinia Manor, he noticed Yareli standing there, looking into the distance. He furrowed his eyebrows deeply. When the gate opened, he stepped on the elerator and drove the car in. Yareli had been eagerly waiting for him, but when she saw how he didn¡¯t even stop and drove right in, she felt immensely nervous. From the beginning until now, Samuel had always been indifferent toward her. Now that Kathleen had returned, Yareli knew Samuel would not even spare her a nce. Even so, she still wanted to give it a try. After all, she had liked him since she was a child. At that time, when Samuel was deceived by Nicolette, the former only had his eye on thetter, so there was nothing Yareli could do. When Diana showed up and joined hands with Frances to send Nicolette away, Yareli thought her chance hade. Who would have thought that Diana only did what she did just for Kathleen? Everyone in Jadeborough knew that Diana loved Kathleen. She treated Kathleen like her own granddaughter, which made all the daughters from rich families jealous. With Diana in charge, it would be easy to marry Samuel. It just didn¡¯t ur to her that Samuel had never forgotten about Nicolette until thetter came back. However, even if Nicolette returned, she was already doomed to fail because Samuel had been living with Kathleen for three years. Both of them had already done what they were supposed to do, which just showed that Samuel had never hated Kathleen. Hence, Yareli knew Nicolette would lose. However, even with Nicolette¡¯s failure, Yareli didn¡¯t expect the rtionship between Samuel and Kathleen to fall apart. Even after a year since Kathleen came back, their rtionship would never go back to the way it used to be. Because of that, Yareli was always prepared for the storm. It was until Vanessa told Yareli that she could use the parasitic worm to make Samuel fall for her that she happily agreed. Although she knew the parasitic worm was deadly, it was worth it for her, as long as she could get Samuel. However, even with the female lovebug, she noticed Samuel was still unfazed by her whenever they met. Yareli had asked Lauren about this before. Thetter told her that the effect of the lovebug varied from person to person. Even if Samuel was not attracted to Yareli, at least his life was in her hands. Everybody was afraid of death, so Yareli used that card to threaten Samuel and ask him to marry her. s, the man still refused. Ever since she was a child, she had harbored feelings for Samuel. Hence, she would do anything for him. However, just when she was so close to getting him, Kathleen made a comeback. How could she possibly live with that? That was why she came to Samuel¡ªto threaten him. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Sacrifice Me Yareli knew better than anyone else that she did not have much time left to wait. She knew Kathleen¡¯s medical skills were amazing. Yareli heard from Vanessa that when Kathleen was serving Axeworth Corporation, she had invented a lot of medications. She feared that Kathleen might have invented a drug to counter the poison. Therefore, she went to look for Samuel. However, he ignored her. Yareli was anxious. She worried that he might have found out how to cure the poison. In that case, all her efforts thus far would go to waste. No! I¡¯ll never let something like this happen. Never! She chased after him and stepped through the threshold before the door closed. Samuel stopped the car and got out of the vehicle. ¡°Samuel!¡± Yareli jogged up to him. She halted his way forward. With eyes brimming with tears, she said aggrievedly, ¡°Why are you ignoring me?¡± ¡°Should I pay attention to you?¡± he responded coldly. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°How dare you say that to me, Samuel?¡± Yareli put down her outstretched arms and walked up to him. ¡°Samuel, are you trying to force me to end my own life? There¡¯s no way for you to survive if I die. Do you understand that?¡± Samuel¡¯s heart ached slightly. Nevertheless, he knew very well that the source of his agony did not arise from his feelings toward Yareli. ¡°I do not want to see you.¡± A hint of fury shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. Yareli shuddered. She said, ¡°Samuel, what should I do to make you understand my heartfelt affection for you? I have liked you ever since I was little. The love I harbor toward you is not lesser than Kathleen¡¯s or Nicolette¡¯s, and that¡¯s the truth!¡± ¡°How dare youpare yourself to Kathleen?Do you think you deserve to express your love for me after you utilized such an underhanded method to coerce me?¡± he scoffed. ¡°You forced me to do this! If you were willing to love me, I wouldn¡¯t have be who I am today!¡± Yareli shouted desperately. Sheer hostility was apparent on Samuel¡¯s handsome and chiseled face. Suddenly, Yareli took out a cutter knife from her bag. She ced the knife¡¯s sharp edge on her wrist and said threateningly, ¡°Samuel, if you do not agree to marry me, I¡¯ll end my life in front of you!¡± Samuel regarded her with a harsh expression. ¡°If you wish to die, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± With that, he strode away. Yareli did not expect him to be so merciless. ¡°Samuel! Do you really intend to drive me to the brink of death?¡± she shrieked. Samuel¡¯s handsome and elegant face turned cold. At that moment, his phone vibrated inside his pocket. He took out the device and nced at the screen. It was a message from Kathleen, informing him to ept Yareli¡¯s request. Samuel furrowed his brows. How does she know? Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s nearby? Samuel replied: Come and meet me. Kathleen: ept her request first. Samuel: Kathleen, you said marriage is a sacred ritual. Yet, you¡¯re telling me to agree to marry her for the sake of luring Vanessa out. Kathleen: This is the only way. Samuel: Come and meet me! Kathleen: I¡¯ll meet with you once she leaves. Samuel shut his eyes briefly in exasperation before typing: Okay. He turned around and looked at Yareli frostily. ¡°I can agree to marry you, but there are some things I need to confirm with your mother. Tell her to come and meet me.¡± He walked into the house after saying that. Yareli was stunned. What did he say? He¡¯s willing to marry me? This is wonderful! I can finally marry Samuel. This is so great. But why does he want to meet with Mom? Is he still attempting to avenge Kathleen? Yareli frowned instantaneously. She wanted to marry Samuel, but his condition was to meet with Vanessa. She wondered what Samuel¡¯s intention was. Yareli had the urge to question him, but she did not have the courage to do so because she was afraid Samuel would regret his decision once she asked. She needed to leave at once to contact Vanessa upon arriving home. Yareli was thrilled, as she was so close to achieving her goal after waiting for so many years. Samuel stood inside the study on the second floor, gazing out of the window. A cold glint shed across his eyes as he turned on his heels. At that moment, someone knocked gently on the door. ¡°Enter,¡± he said coolly. Standing outside the door, Kathleen shuddered. He doesn¡¯t sound cheerful, unlike his usual self. Seems like he¡¯s quite mad. She pushed the door open and stepped into the room. Samuel stood inside the unlit study. He stared at her with his dark, frosty eyes. She felt even more pressured. ¡°Have you been following me?¡± He frowned. ¡°No, no.¡± She waved her hands immediately. ¡°Someone told me Yareli is here, so I came because I¡¯m curious what she¡¯s up to. Then, I heard what she said.¡± Samuel said indifferently, ¡°Forcing me to marry Yareli. Aren¡¯t you bing more capable, Kathleen?¡± ¡°I did not force you,¡± she said in a hurry. Samuel gazed at her emotionlessly. ¡°I was merely pleading with you to cooperate with me. I want to locate Vanessa,¡± Kathleen added. Samuel eyed her in displeasure. ¡°That¡¯s why you sacrificed me? Who am I to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to marry her for real. Don¡¯t tell me you truly n to marry Yareli after luring Vanessa out?¡± she exined. ¡°What if Vanessa suggests meeting with me only after I register for a marriage certificate with Yareli? What should I do then?¡± he demanded. Kathleen flushed. ¡°You have the upper hand in this matter. As long as you are adamant about meeting with her before the marriage, judging by Yareli¡¯s obsession with you, she would beg Vanessa toply. Besides, if Vanessa feels this matter is risky, she may not agree to her daughter¡¯s request and even persuade Yareli not to pester you anymore. Am I right?¡± ¡°How do you n topensate me if things do not progress as you anticipated?¡± Samuel took a step forward, radiating a domineering aura. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°My brother told me you are in my debt.¡± Samuel frowned. His eyes turned cold. ¡°That¡¯s why you n to sacrifice me?¡± ¡°I told you that¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing.¡± Kathleen did not know how to exin. ¡°Otherwise, you can just reject her and forget about this matter.¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes, which were the same shade of ck as the luxurious suit he wore, gleamed. ¡°I can agree to your request, but with conditions.¡± Kathleen had already nned to leave. She did not me Samuel, as it was only natural for him to oppose her suggestion. However, since he agreed, she had a reason to stay. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to ask you to marry her for real.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°I just want to find out Vanessa¡¯s whereabouts. I cannot rest assured while she roams free. I¡¯m worried she might risk it all and kidnap the children for money, personal gains, or even for the sake of securing a better future for Yareli. That¡¯s why¡ª¡± Samuel pressed his slender finger against her red, soft lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak further.¡± He understood Kathleen¡¯s concern. As a mother, she was worried about a lot of things. Samuel was no different from her. Therefore, he was extremely protective of Eil and Desi. Samuel fixed his dark, emotionless eyes on her. ¡°Can you really not remember anything from the past?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t recall anything.¡± He put down his hand. A crestfallen expression spread across his handsome and chiseled features. ¡°Samuel, do you wish for me to remember my past or not?¡± she asked in curiosity. His gorgeous face paled slightly as he answered in a hoarse voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. He wore a bitter expression. ¡°Perhaps it is better that you do not recall anything.¡± Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Can You Come With Me ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen asked. Samuel swallowed hard. ¡°Because I don¡¯t see any hatred in your eyes.¡± Previously, Kathleen loved and hated him, and her hatred suffocated him. However, with how things were at the moment, distance had formed between them. In fact, he did not like it, no matter what. On the contrary, from Kathleen¡¯s point of view, it was probably better to forget about it so there would not be suffering anymore. ¡°Anything else?¡± Kathleen asked. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going home.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you back,¡± he said in a hoarse voice. Waving her hand, she rejected, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I can go home by myself. I can move my arm now, so I can drive just fine.¡± He looked at her without saying anything. ¡°See you at the College of Medicine tomorrow afternoon,¡± she added awkwardly before turning to leave. Samuel massaged the space between his eyebrows. She¡¯s obviously turning me down, and she doesn¡¯t like me getting close to her at all, and I can¡¯t do anything about it. Bearing that thought in mind, he coughed twice. Returning to stand by the window again, he looked out of it. He watched her walk out of the gates alone toward a car parked not far away. Getting into the car, she drove away. Samuel continued to stare at her with his dark eyes until she disappeared from his sight. At first, Kathleen wanted to drive back home, but she noticed that she was being followed, causing her to furrow her brows. I¡¯m sure I was alone when I got out of the house earlier, but as soon as I left Florinia Manor, someone started following me. It seems there are many eyes around Florinia Manor. Narrowing her eyes, she stopped her car instantly. The car that was following her stopped as well. She then got out of her car. However, there was no movement from the other car. With a gun in her hand, she walked toward the other car and pointed it at the window. ¡°Get out here!¡± The car door swung open, revealing Emily. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Mrs. Morris? What are you doing here?¡± Kathleen was surprised as she lowered her gun. Emily was embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you. You checked on Christopher and had someone deliver some medicine, right? But Christopher still hasn¡¯t woken up yet even after he finished the medicine. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± At that, Kathleen finally remembered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Morris. Too many things have happenedtely, so I totally forgot about it.¡± Pursing her lips, Emily replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t expect you to be Gizem. Kathleen, can youe with me?¡± Kathleen nodded deeply. ¡°Okay. Lead the way, Mrs. Morris.¡± Emily let out a relieved breath. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°No worries. I promised to help. Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen replied inly. After that, she walked back to her car, with Emily¡¯s gaze set on her back. Kathleen seems different from before. Half an hourter, they arrived at the Morris residence. After Kathleen got out of her car, she asked casually, ¡°Mrs. Morris, are Finn and Tracy still staying with you?¡± ¡°Something happened with Finn a few days back. Someone from his biological mother¡¯s extended family from her second marriage took him away. Tracy left with him too,¡± Emily replied. Hearing that, Kathleen frowned. ¡°I heard that his mother had passed away?¡± Emily nodded. ¡°Yeah. She passed away not long ago. She got married to a royal family, but you know how the power struggle is with wealthy families. It¡¯s even worse with royal families. No one knows how she died.¡± Knowingly, Kathleen asked with a calm expression, ¡°What happened to Finn?¡± ¡°I heard it was an overdose, and he was almost out of breath when they noticed it. Someone said even if he coulde back, he would be crippled,¡± Emily exined. Upon learning that, Kathleen was yelling in her heart. Serves him right! How dare Finn and Theodore set me up! As they talked, they entered the mansion. At that time, Felix walked out of his room. He still didn¡¯t know that Kathleen was back from the dead. Therefore, when he saw her, he froze, as he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°Y-You!¡± She looked at him indifferently. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Although she didn¡¯t remember him, she knew that they must¡¯ve met before. Charles specifically told her about her rtionship with the Morris family. ¡°You¡¯re still alive!¡± Felix eximed, shocked. I thought she¡¯s dead! Kathleen replied coldly, ¡°Judging by your expression, I take it you really wish for my death.¡± Felix didn¡¯t say anything. Right then, Emily pulled Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°Kate, this way.¡± Kathleen¡¯s hand was cold. Seeing that, Felix frowned deeply. ¡°Emily, what are you doing?¡± Emily pursed her lips for a while before she turned to look at him. ¡°What else do you think I¡¯m doing? I¡¯m getting treatment for Christopher, of course!¡± Felix didn¡¯t expect her to have such a big reaction. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like Kathleen and don¡¯t wish to see her, I¡¯ll move out with Christopher tomorrow,¡± Emily added coldly. Felix¡¯s frown deepened. He knew that Emily wasn¡¯t happy with him. If he hadn¡¯t sent Christopher out to do something for himst time, Christopher wouldn¡¯t be lying on the bed then. Besides, there was news that the Holloway family seemed to have something to do with the incident that caused Christopher to be in that state. Therefore, Emily was particrly dissatisfied with Felix. There was no way she could ept Felix insulting Kathleen when she brought Kathleen back to treat Christopher. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Kate,¡± said Emily as she pulled Kathleen upstairs. Felix sighed silently before going back to his room. I hope Christopher gets better. If the situation remains the same, Emily will hate me to death. In the meantime, Emily took Kathleen upstairs and walked into Christopher¡¯s room. Christopher still looked the same. Walking over, Kathleen examined him before speaking up. ¡°He looks a lot better now. Mrs. Morris, you took good care of him. I can see that he really took all the medicine I gave him.¡± ¡°Yeah. He has always been palest time. I didn¡¯t even know that he was poisoned,¡± Emily replied with a forced smile. Kathleen hesitated for a while. ¡°Do you mind if I take off Christopher¡¯s clothes to check on him, Mrs. Morris?¡± Emily smiled. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Okay. Please help me.¡± Emily went forward and helped Kathleen as thetter examined Christopher. Emily noticed that Kathleen was furrowing her brows the entire time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, she walked to the end of the bed and stretched out Christopher¡¯s toes. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s here,¡± she uttered, looking sullen. Emily approached her. ¡°What?¡± Kathleen pointed to Christopher¡¯s toe web space. ¡°Look over here, Mrs. Morris. There¡¯s a needle mark here.¡± Emily¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Where?¡± Kathleen pointed it to her. Seeing that, Emily was stunned. ¡°Is this the truth behind Christopher¡¯s poisoning?¡± ¡°There¡¯s more to it. However, this proves that someone has been poisoning him for a long time,¡± Kathleen answered grimly. What? Emily¡¯s expression changed. ¡°But I¡¯m the one who takes care of him this whole time!¡± Kathleen asked meaningfully, ¡°Mrs. Morris, even if you¡¯re the one who takes care of him every day, you didn¡¯t stay by his side all day, right?¡± Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Who Provoked You Emily kept quiet as she thought about it. ¡°I noticed that Christopher wasn¡¯t poisoned overnight when I was herest time. It¡¯s just that I couldn¡¯t tell you back then because Finn and Tracy were present. Since you said they already left a few days ago, then they¡¯re not the ones behind this because this needle mark is only one to two days old,¡± Kathleen exined. Emily was very confused. ¡°Then, who did it?¡± She couldn¡¯t think of anyone else. After a pause, Kathleen continued, ¡°Mrs. Morris, have you forgotten about someone who cares a lot about Christopher?¡± Only then did realization dawn on Emily. ¡°Astrid!¡± ¡°Was she here for the past two days?¡± Kathleen queried. ¡°Yeah, shees every day,¡± Emily confirmed,nodding. Kathleen said coldly, ¡°If she didn¡¯t do it, then one of the housekeepers did. This is all I can think of.¡± Emily¡¯s eyes were burning with hatred as she spoke. ¡°All the housekeepers are senior citizens, and I know their background clearly. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d be bribed. It¡¯s definitely Astrid! We received news some time ago that the Holloway family is most likely the ones who hurt Christopher back then!¡± Kathleen wasn¡¯t surprised by that. She felt something was off with Astrid when she met thetterst time. ¡°However, if there isn¡¯t concrete evidence, there¡¯s no way we can get her to admit it.¡± Furrowing her brows, Kathleen thought about it. ¡°Ah! I have an idea.¡± Emily¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What?¡± Kathleen walked over to Emily¡¯s side and whispered something to thetter. After hearing what Kathleen said, Emily nodded. ¡°Okay! We¡¯ll do as you say!¡± Kathleen then looked at the time. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, Mrs. Morris. I have to go now.¡± Emily tried to get Kathleen to stay. ¡°Kate, you can stay here tonight since it¡¯ste.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. My kids are home, so I want to go home,¡± Kathleen exined. Emily nodded. ¡°Okay. Drive safely.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± With that, Kathleen turned to leave, going downstairs by herself. Coincidentally, right then, Aaron entered the mansion. Ever since something had happened to Christopher, Aaron was the only one who took care of thepany¡¯s matters. He always went homete when he was busy. The moment he saw Kathleen, he was slightly taken aback. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Kathleen responded indifferently, ¡°Mr. Morris.¡± Aaron heard about Kathleen from Emily, and he knew that Emily heard it from Wynnie. However, he didn¡¯t expect to meet Kathleen so soon. ¡°Goodbye,¡± Kathleen said and continued walking toward the door. Aaron was still stumped, as he initially nned to see her off. After that, he went up the stairs and entered Christopher¡¯s room. At the moment, Emily was wiping Christopher¡¯s face. ¡°Darling, why did Kathleene?¡± he queried, puzzled. Emily wore a cold look. ¡°Can¡¯t shee?¡± He was startled by her reaction. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Turning to him, she answered, ¡°Let¡¯s move out. If you feel bad about leaving your father behind, I¡¯ll move out with Christopher. I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore.¡± Aaron approached her. ¡°Darling, who made you angry?¡± Suddenly, Emily burst out crying. She pulled Aaron over and showed him the needle mark on Christopher¡¯s toe web space. ¡°Look at this!¡± Aaron frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Emily sobbed. ¡°This is why Christopher can¡¯t wake up! This needle mark is fresh, which means that someone has been poisoning him continuously.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aaron was startled. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no way that our housekeepers are the ones who did it, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s Astrid who has been poisoning him! I tried to stop her froming countless times, but she¡¯d use your father¡¯s words against me and continue showing up here every day. If no one knows about her motives, they would think she loves Christopher, but the truth is she doesn¡¯t want him to wake up. I¡¯m sure that he knows something. That¡¯s why she¡¯s afraid that he¡¯ll wake up,¡± she said aggrievedly. Aaron patted her shoulder gently. ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, I won¡¯t let the Holloway family off. However, we need evidence in order to sentence her for that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m moving out either way! I¡¯ve had enough of this! I won¡¯t let anyone interfere with Christopher¡¯s life! No one can decide who he should love or marry, including you!¡± Emily yelled and pushed Aaron¡¯s hand away. After that, she turned around and left. Aaron sighed quietly. He understood how she felt. Everything was fine with Christopher before the Holloway family came along. How could he not be infuriated? Besides, he didn¡¯t do everything he could, since he always turned a blind eye to whatever Felix did. Back then, Christopher loved Kathleen. If it wasn¡¯t for Felix, there was a high possibility that Christopher and Kathleen would¡¯ve gotten married by now. Had that been the case, none of that would¡¯ve happened. Emily¡¯s right. Christopher has the freedom to marry whoever he wants. We have no right to interfere. The next day, at the dining table in the Morris residence, Aaron needed to announce something. Clearing his throat, he started, ¡°Dad, we¡¯ve decided to move out.¡± Felix¡¯s face sank instantly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Aaron exined, ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your opinion. I¡¯m just letting you know, officially. Since you like Astrid so much, and there¡¯s no way Christopher¡¯s marrying her, why don¡¯t you marry her instead? We don¡¯t care who you leave your inheritance for, anyway.¡± Bang! Felix mmed the table. ¡°How dare you! Do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± Startled, Emily looked wide-eyed at Aaron. What¡¯s wrong with him today? Could it be that he actually listened to what I saidst night? She lowered her head in silence. Felix flicked his eyes between Aaron and Emily. Felix said quietly, ¡°Astrid, she¡ª¡± Aaron snapped coldly, ¡°Dad, Christopher will never marry her. Even if he wakes up, it¡¯s impossible as well. Besides, you heard about the news, right? I have nothing else to say if you still think that the Holloways are innocent. However, don¡¯t you dare try anything with Christopher, or I¡¯ll sever ties with you!¡± ¡°You!¡± Felix was infuriated. Aaron stood up and looked at Emily. ¡°I¡¯m going to thepany now. You can start packing first. Once I get off work in the afternoon, I¡¯ll make arrangements to pick you two up.¡± Emily nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Aaron turned and left the scene. Felix stared at her unhappily. ¡°What did you say to him?¡± Emily stood up. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Right when she was ascending the stairs, Felix asked in a cold tone, ¡°Emily, you¡¯d better think this over carefully. If we chase Astrid away, who will care for Christopher when we get older?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± she replied indifferently. ¡°Samuel is my nephew. He¡¯ll make sure Christopher is taken care of.¡± After that, she walked upstairs. Felix gritted his teeth as he yelled at Emily¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°You¡¯d better think it over properly! Christopher and Samuel almost had a fall out because of Kathleenst time! Are you sure Samuel will care about Christopher?¡± Emily stood on the second floor. ¡°Samuel¡¯s not a heartless person! I¡¯m his aunt! There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll only stand by and do nothing!¡± With that, she turned and left as soon as she could, not wanting to talk to Felix any longer. He¡¯s already senile! If he¡¯s clear-headed, how could he let Finn return to that family? Because of that, Aaron had to deal with another enemy like Caleb in the mall. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Useless Apology Since Caleb became Aaron¡¯s enemy, thetter had faced a lot of problems from Lewis Enterprises in the mall. Aaron had also mentioned that he and Finn were not the same. However, Caleb just did not listen to him. Luckily, Samuel was there. Otherwise, Aaron would have been put in a tight spot. Even so, Felix did not bother about those at all. Every day, he was only busy figuring out ways for them to ept Astrid. That was because he was afraid that no one would take care of Christopher if they passed away. However, Felix was just being na?ve. If they passed away, there would be no one to supervise Astrid, and there was no way they would let her continue to take care of Christopher. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Seriously, do people get na?ve and foolish as they get older? Ultimately, Emily was rendered utterly speechless by Felix. She did not want to stay together with him anymore. She was afraid that once Astrid had malicious intentions, everyone from the Morris family would be in deep trouble. Downstairs, Felix thought that the incident was rted to Kathleen. He had always looked down on Kathleen just because she was a divorcee. Who knows what Kathleen said to Emily that Emily¡¯s thinking of moving out? Felix was infuriated at that moment. Once he turned around and returned to his room, he took out his phone and called Astrid. Since he had no other solutions, he could only start with Astrid. After all, Felix still could not believe that Astrid would be so cruel to hurt Aaron. Perhaps the news that Emily got was fake. It is not real. Once Astrid received Felix¡¯s call and listened to his story, she raised her eyebrows. Gizem is Kathleen? Kathleen is Gizem? Isn¡¯t Kathleen dead? How could she still be alive? Not only that, but she even became Gizem? Astrid¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, what did Kathleen say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what Kathleen told Emily. However, when we were having meals earlier, she said she wants to move out,¡± Felix replied displeasedly. Upon hearing that, Astrid froze. What? They want to move out? Then I can¡¯t meet Christopher anymore. Astrid knew that Emily hated her and was reluctant to let her meet Christopher frequently. Despite that, she still insisted on visiting Christopher because she could never allow him to wake up. Once Christopher woke up, everything she did would be exposed. Therefore, she could not let them move out. If Kathleen found ways to treat Christopher and bring him back to consciousness, everything would be over for Astrid. Hence, Astrid panicked. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, don¡¯t worry. I will go overter and help you persuade Emily.¡± ¡°All right. Come quickly,¡± Felix answered. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go over right away,¡± Astrid said softly. After the call ended, she departed immediately. That darned Kathleen! If it wasn¡¯t for her, why would Emily want to move away? I don¡¯t have any other choice left. If Christopher woke up, all her schemes would be exposed, and she would definitely be imprisoned. Hence, she would never allow that to happen. At that moment, the only solution that she could think of was to poison Christopher to death. That would then solve her problems once and for all! Half an hourter, Astrid arrived at the Morris residence. She was so anxious to the point that she went straight to the second floor without greeting Felix. When she entered the room, she found no one in it. Christopher was lying sideways with his back facing her. She then took out a poisonous needle hidden in her bag. As she walked to the end of the bed, she grabbed Christopher¡¯s toes and tried to inject the needle into the toe web space. ¡°Astrid!¡± Kathleen suddenly shouted her name. Hearing that, Astrid immediately froze. Turning around sharply, she looked toward the door. At the same time, Christopher¡¯s imposter sat up on the bed, startling Astrid. The person on the bed was not Christopher; it was Charles. Not wasting any time, Charles grabbed Astrid¡¯s arm and snatched the poisonous needle over from her. Astrid¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± ¡°What did you want to do?¡± Kathleen red at Astrid coldly. ¡°Nothing!¡± Astrid tried to talk her way out of this. ¡°Why are you guys here? Where is Christopher?¡± She pursed her lips as she pondered. They cannot do anything to me if I don¡¯t admit it. At that moment, Aaron and Emily appeared at the door, both staring at her icily. Taking the needle in Charles¡¯ hand, Kathleen snorted, ¡°What is this?¡± Astrid replied guiltily, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°Astrid, there are surveince cameras here. Say, you took out this poisonous needle and tried to inject it into Christopher¡¯s toe web space, right?¡± ¡°No! You¡¯re spewing nonsense!¡± Astrid denied. ¡°This is just a normal needle!¡± ¡°Charles, please hold on to her,¡± Kathleen instructed. Hearing that, Charles grabbed Astrid¡¯s arms and pressed her against the table. ¡°Let me go!¡± Astrid struggled. ¡°What are you guys trying to do? My grandpa will never let all of you get away with this!¡± Holding the poisonous needle, Kathleen stated, ¡°Since you said this is just a normal needle, then let me inject it into you. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s indeed a normal one.¡± Scrutinizing Astrid for a while, Kathleen grabbed thetter¡¯s head and aimed the needle at Astrid¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll inject it into your eyes, then.¡± ¡°No! Stop! Let go of me!¡± Astrid was extremely terrified at that moment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s just an ordinary needle, you¡¯ll only be blind at most.¡± Kathleen smiled resolutely as she continued, ¡°If it¡¯s a poisonous needle, then you¡¯ll be dead.¡± Seeing the needle getting closer and closer to Astrid¡¯s eyes, she shut her eyes tightly. ¡°This is a poisonous needle! Stop!¡± Kathleen stopped before demanding, ¡°You better make this clear!¡± ¡°This is a poisonous needle,¡± Astrid wailed. ¡°So you were the one who poisoned Christopher?¡± Kathleen questioned sternly. Astrid did not reply as she started trembling and sobbing. ¡°How dare you cry now!¡± Emily was infuriated. ¡°You have no right to cry at all when you¡¯re the one who caused my son to be in this situation! You son of a b*tch!¡± Emily had never cursed before, but this time, Astrid truly filled her with immense wrath. Aaron¡¯s matured and elegant face darkened in an instant. How dare Astrid do this! ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Astrid sobbed aggrievedly. ¡°What¡¯s the use of apologizing now!¡± Emily shouted. Kathleen tried to calm Emily down. Staring at Astrid, she queried, ¡°What happened to Christopher that day?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Astrid avoided Kathleen¡¯s intense gaze. Although Kathleen sounded soft and casual, she still sent shivers down Astrid¡¯s spine. ¡°Still not telling the truth?¡± Kathleen wiggled the silver needle in her hand. Seeing that, Astrid bit her lip before uttering, ¡°That year when Christopher went to Smend, I followed him there too.¡± Kathleen raised a brow. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°I followed him to the hotel and tried to seduce him.¡± At that, Astrid blushed, but she continued, ¡°However, he did not fall for me. Instead, he chased me out of his room. He was going back home the next day. I was too anxious at that time, so I found someone to kidnap him to force him to¡­ You know¡­ Unexpectedly, a car ident ensued.¡± Upon hearing that, Emily was furious. ¡°So it was you!¡± She rushed over and pped Astrid hard. Kathleen gestured for Charles to let go of Astrid. Emily was truly infuriated. She was unrelenting with her ps on Astrid¡¯s face and body to vent the anger within her. Why does such a shameless woman like her exist! Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Death Sentence ¡°Mrs. Morris,¡± Kathleen called, stopping Emily. Aaron also walked over and held Emily back. ¡°Now that we found out the truth, the Morris family should decide what to do,¡± Kathleen stated. ¡°Thank you,¡± Aaron thanked her sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Turning to Charles, Kathleen said, ¡°Charles, let¡¯s go.¡± Thetter nodded and turned around to enter the bathroom. After removing his hospital gown and changing into his own clothes, he came out and left with Kathleen. When they exited the room, they ran into Felix, who had been eavesdropping outside. Even when a fight broke out inside, he did not go in. Upon seeing him, Kathleen sneered. ¡°Old Mr. Morris, do you perhaps think that I¡¯m being nosy?¡± Felix¡¯s face darkened at her words. ¡°Because of your foolishness, your grandson ended upatose. I wonder how you feel,¡± Kathleen mocked. ¡°You!¡± Felix clenched his jaw with rage. ¡°Just because you¡¯re old doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t dare to do anything!¡± Charles spoke up, looking at Felix coldly. Felix was so mad that his features were contorted. On the other hand, Kathleen smiled nonchntly. ¡°Even if I were not a divorcee, I would never want to marry into your family. With an elder like you around, my life would be horrible!¡± After saying that, she turned around and left. Charles also let out a snort before following suit. As Felix watched them leave, his face was sour. Just then, Emily¡¯s angry voice boomed from the room. ¡°Send her to the police station. I¡¯m going to kill whoever tries to stop me!¡± Since she had already put it that way, Felix knew there was no point in going in anymore. Never in his dreams did he expect Astrid to do something like this. No matter what, Christopher was his grandson. There was no way he would stand on Astrid¡¯s side at this point. He decided to let Aaron handle the matter. However, he was sure that his friend woulde begging for mercy. Meanwhile, after the Johnson siblings left the Morris residence, they got into their car. Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Charles asked, ¡°Where do we go?¡± ¡°To the College of Medicine. I¡¯m meeting Samuel there.¡± Charles paused for a while. ¡°Kathleen, you¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I still remember what you told mest time,¡± Kathleen reassured. ¡°Like what you said, I did have feelings for him before. But now, I don¡¯t remember those days anymore, nor do I still like him. It¡¯s just that, as Desi and Eil¡¯s father, he took care of them for five years. They¡¯re very dependent on him, and if something happens to him, the kids will be traumatized.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not in the position to say much about the rtionship between you two. Your happiness matters the most, in the end.¡± ¡°I know. No one can force me to do what I don¡¯t want to,¡± Kathleen uttered icily. Upon remembering something, she asked, ¡°By the way, did the people from Blissful Secte looking for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ignore them, no matter what they tell you,¡± Kathleen said sternly. ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with them once I¡¯m done with the matters on hand.¡± Hearing that, Charles looked at her in surprise. ¡°Wilbur has long joined hands with Axeworth. However, he doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of my identity.¡± Charles was visibly taken aback. ¡°His father, Raymond, has never been on good terms with Theodore,¡± hemented. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I know that. The two organizations have been battling each other fiercely this year. Do you think that¡¯s a pure coincidence? It¡¯s all someone¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°I guess I should inform Raymond about it,¡± Charles muttered, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to act,¡± Kathleen advised. ¡°Do you think Raymond will believe you if you tell him now? Wyatt and Wilbur are going at it right now. If you tell Raymond, he¡¯ll think that you¡¯re siding with Wyatt. You better take your hands off Blissful Sect¡¯s issue as early as possible. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll destroy them for you.¡± Charles widened his eyes. ¡°All it takes is a bag of powder,¡± Kathleen continued coldly. ¡°That would be too obvious.¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± After saying that, Kathleen startedying out her n. ¡°I¡¯ll give Raymond, Wyatt, and Wilbur one bag each. After they die, you¡¯ll be the most powerful one in Blissful Sect. By then, you can be the leader.¡± Charles stared at her as he was rendered speechless. She had indeed changed a lot. When Charles dropped Kathleen off at the entrance of the College of Medicine, she immediately saw Samuel¡¯s Maybach parked outside. He had arrived way before her. He¡¯s quite cooperative, huh. After she got out of the car, Samuel did the same. Walking toward her, he inquired, ¡°You went to the Morris residence?¡± ¡°Yes. I captured the bad people for them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± With that, Kathleen led the way. She had contacted the relevant personnel in advance, so when they arrived, the staff were already doing the preparations. Kathleen handed a hospital gown to Samuel and told him, ¡°Change into this. Take off your undergarments and your watch.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel took it from her before entering the changing room. Standing outside, Kathleen could hear him undressing and dressing. Soon, Samuel finished changing and came out. Despite wearing a hospital gown, he looked as mighty and powerful as ever. They then moved to the room containing the machine. Everything was all set there with the staff waiting for them. After making Samuel lie down, Kathleen passed him a pair of earplugs and reminded him, ¡°If you feel ufortable, press the button beside the bed. The machine will immediately stop working.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel responded and took the earplugs from her. Withdrawing her hands, Kathleen stepped back and stood at the side. When Samuel saw the indifferent look on her face, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sullen. If this were before, she would definitely give him a few more reminders out of concern. Yet now, she only did the bare minimum. Gulping, Samuel put the earplugs in andy down. The staff then turned on a switch, sending him into the machine. While Kathleen focused her attention on the monitor, Richard entered. He greeted her and watched the monitor with her. Three minutester, the machine stopped, and Samuel reemerged from it. Kathleen and Richard walked over to him, while the staff removed the safety belts wrapped around his body. Samuel sat up, his forehead beaded with sweat. Upon seeing that, Kathleen frowned. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Samuel did not answer her question. Instead, he asked impassively, ¡°Did you find anything?¡± ¡°There is indeed no male lovebug in your body. However, something is wrong with your heart,¡± Kathleen informed him. Samuel nodded. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You know?¡± Kathleen was slightly startled to hear that. ¡°My heart has been in pain for a while now,¡± Samuel said. Kathleen turned to Richard with furrowed brows. ¡°Do you know about this?¡± In response, Richard shook his head. He had no idea at all. ¡°Is it really bad?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°You need a heart transnt. However, considering your health condition, you¡¯ll definitely die if your body rejects the transnt,¡± Kathleen exined in a low voice. Samuel nced at her. Even after hearing those words from her, he could only smile. ¡°How much time do I have left?¡± ¡°Before, I thought you still have a few years. But now¡­¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°Half a year, I think.¡± Only half a year? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Samuel¡¯s tone remained calm. ¡°Don¡¯t tell my family.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want them to know?¡± ¡°There is no need to,¡± Samuel insisted in a hoarse voice. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Want To Spend Time With You ¡°Okay, then. Have you decided how to spend the rest of your time?¡± Even under such circumstances, Kathleen appeared aloof. Her words paused Samuel in his tracks. How do I want to spend the rest of my time? I want to spend it with you. Would you agree, though? Noticing his expression, Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make things difficult for you,¡± Samuel assured. His handsome face was void of any emotions. Kathleen froze. He won¡¯t make things difficult for me? That means he¡¯s thinking about it. ¡°You decide on your own. It¡¯s your issue, after all.¡± There was no warmth in Kathleen¡¯s voice. It made Samuel feel incredibly miserable. Standing by the side, Richard could no longer watch on. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you seem to have forgotten that you¡¯re a doctor. Have you forgotten your duty?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. However, Mr. Macari didn¡¯t ask for my help,¡± Kathleen retorted with an indifferent gaze. Immediately, Richard looked at Samuel. ¡°Do you know how to save me?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°I can¡¯t promise you, but I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Kathleen said carefully. Giving her a meaningful look, Samuel uttered, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll entrust my life to you.¡± ¡°Let me warn you this. I¡¯m not certain that I can cure you. If I run out of options, I¡¯ll tell you honestly. Don¡¯t you me me when that happens,¡± Kathleen cautioned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t me you,¡± Richard chimed in. His words earned him a re from Samuel. Hey, I¡¯m just helping you! Samuel withdrew his gaze and turned to Kathleen. ¡°Just do what you can.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. Go and change now. I¡¯ll contact the experts on this matter so they can give their opinions on your condition.¡± Despite what she said, Samuel continued to look at her without moving an inch. ¡°Are you not busy with work?¡± Kathleen queried. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Kathleen was baffled. ¡°I¡¯m dying soon. Can¡¯t I choose how I want to live?¡± Samuel returned the question calmly. A frosty glint shed through Kathleen¡¯s bright eyes as she paused momentarily. Then, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was rude of me. You¡¯re free to do whatever you want, Mr. Macari. I¡¯ll take my leave now, as I have things to attend to.¡± With that, she turned and exited the room. A dark look descended upon Samuel¡¯s face. ¡°Stop looking. She doesn¡¯t care about you,¡± Richard remarked. Samuel remained silent. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to request something outrageous? Maybe you can ask her to marry you again since you¡¯re dying soon,¡± Richard proposed. ¡°She¡¯ll hate me even more if I do that. I¡¯m content enough with how things are right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Taking in Samuel¡¯s glum look, Richard teased, ¡°Look at how miserable you are. You don¡¯t even look like yourself anymore! If Kathleen hadn¡¯t lost her memory, she¡¯d beforting you at this moment. Now, she¡¯s urging you to go to work because she doesn¡¯t even want to see you. Gosh, karma indeed bites back.¡± Samuel shot him a sharp look. ¡°Whose friend are you? Mine or hers?¡± ¡°Yours, of course. But my girlfriend, Gemma, is Kathleen¡¯s best friend. Gemma thinks you deserve this.¡± Not wanting to talk to him anymore, Samuel stood up and left to change his clothes. As Richard watched Samuel¡¯s tall yet lonely figure, he was at a loss for words. In no time, Kathleen gathered the College of Medicine¡¯s experts in the conference room and showed them the scanned image of Samuel¡¯s heart. Most of them spoke straightforwardly after examining it. ¡°The only way for him to survive is to get a heart transnt.¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no other way to cure him.¡± ¡°The patient has a very frail body, so it will be very dangerous for him to undergo an operation. There¡¯s a big chance he would die during the process,¡± Kathleen pointed out. ¡°If we use conservative treatment, there won¡¯t be much improvement.¡± ¡°Considering his condition, he would be lucky to live for another six months. I think we¡¯d better take our chance.¡± Just then, Richard cleared his throat and spoke up. ¡°We have here an assessment report of the patient¡¯s health. It clearly states here that he is not suited to undergo major operations. If he does, he would need to recuperate for three years. However, his heart won¡¯t be able to hang on for that long.¡± Silence ensued in the conference room. The experts exchanged nces without a word. Seeing that, Kathleen stood up slowly. ¡°The patient has to undergo surgery. However, his health has to be improved for us to do that.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Everyone turned their attention to her. Tapping her slender finger on theptop, Kathleen turned the screen toward them and announced, ¡°So, I would like to ask everyone to help me with this n.¡± Immediately, the experts turned their gazes on theptop. After reading its content, Richard was surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t X-9 appear on the ck market two years ago?¡± ¡°That was X-7. It wasn¡¯t good enough.¡± Richard frowned. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the one who developed it,¡± Kathleen imed. ¡°I know the pros and cons of each version, so I¡¯ve been researching and developing X-9 recently.¡± ¡°Wait, what are you two talking about?¡± The other people were lost. ¡°Yeah, what is this X-9 you¡¯re saying?¡± ncing at Kathleen, Richard said, ¡°Let Dr. Johnson exin to you guys.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes twinkled, but she still spoke impassively. ¡°X-9 is the newest version of a drug that can strengthen human cells¡¯ ability to regenerate. If the patient takes this medicine, his cell regeneration ability will be restored. That way, his body will recover in the shortest amount of time, and we¡¯ll be able to operate on him as soon as possible.¡± Everyone blinked at her in bewilderment. ¡°There¡¯s such a medicine?¡± ¡°Of course. There were a number of scientists who came up with this kind of medicine, but the effectiveness was quite terrible.¡± Suddenly, Xienna shot up from her seat. ¡°I object! We can¡¯t let Mr. Macari take this medicine. It has never gone through clinical trials, so we can¡¯t use it on humans! Who will take the responsibility if something happens to Mr. Macari?¡± Kathleen shifted her icy gaze to Xienna. She remembered thetter. Back when Kathleen was shot twice by Theodore and brought to the ship by Samuel, it was Xienna who operated on her. It was true that Xienna was skilled in medicine. However, Kathleen also noticed back then that Xienna liked Samuel. ¡°Can you propose a better way?¡± Kathleen asked tly. ¡°Not for now. However, I will not allow you guys to treat Samuel like this!¡± Xienna fumed. Richard couldn¡¯t help but raise his brows. ¡°You don¡¯t have a say in this matter. As long as Samuel agrees to our proposal, no one else has the right to object.¡± Xienna was rendered speechless. With a frosty expression, Richard added, ¡°Since you can¡¯te up with any alternatives right now, are you going to keep Samuel waiting? Until when? Until you watch him die after half a year?¡± Pursing her lips, Xienna remained silent. Kathleen¡¯s voice sounded at that moment. ¡°Dr. Zimmer is right. In the end, it is Samuel who makes the decision. If you guys have any other opinions or solutions, feel free to speak up. You may also go to Samuel directly and tell him about it. As long as he agrees, no one will stop you.¡± Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Asking For Death The people in the conference room had varying expressions. None of them coulde up with a better way. The fact that Kathleen was standing there and hosting the meeting indicated that Samuel had entrusted the matter to her. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t really object. Nevertheless, Xienna was unwilling toply with Kathleen, as she believed that thetter was harming Samuel. Thus, before the meeting even ended, she walked out rudely. Kathleen didn¡¯t really care, but the others looked somehow flustered. Although Kathleen had divorced Samuel, it was clear thathe still had feelings for her. As for Xienna, although she was the family doctor Samuel had appointed, she was no special to him. However, Xienna didn¡¯t think that was the case. After the meeting ended, Richard helped Kathleen carry herptop. With a smile, hemented, ¡°Dr. Johnson, even if you don¡¯t cherish and care for Mr. Macari, someone else will.¡± She threw him a sideways nce and responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that she¡¯ll go to Mr. Macari and have you reced?¡± asked Richard with a half- smile. ¡°That would be great. I¡¯ll be able to focus on developing X-9.¡± ¡°Do you really think it can save Samuel?¡± Richard asked again. ¡°It cannot save him, per se. It will just help strengthen his body so he will be in the optimal condition to receive surgery.¡± After a short pause, Richard questioned, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell Samuel the reason behind his severe heart problem? It¡¯s because the male lovebug left in his body has merged with his heart, thus overloading it.¡± ¡°Even if I don¡¯t tell him, you will. Plus, he knows it very well himself.¡± The male lovebug was indeed the cause of Samuel¡¯s heart problem. ¡°You¡¯re scared that he would overthink once he found out, aren¡¯t you?¡± Richard suggested meaningfully, to which Kathleen made no response. ¡°I feel like you¡¯re quite concerned about him,¡± Richard went on. ¡°Even though you seem to have no feelings for him now.¡± ¡°I do have no feelings for him.¡± As she said that, Kathleen took herptop from his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll carry this myself, Dr. Zimmer.¡± Then, she strode forward. Richard chuckled lightly. ¡°Dr. Johnson, don¡¯t you want to take a look at your office?¡± Confused, Kathleen turned around. ¡°What office?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an incredible talent, so the College of Medicine is making much effort to make you stay. They have prepared an office for you,¡± Richard exined. ¡°I don¡¯t have ns to work here,¡± Kathleen said with a frown. ¡°That¡¯s true, but you said earlier that you would need lots of manpower and materials for your n. They have all of that here. Come on, let¡¯s go and take a look,¡± Richard urged. ¡°The organization is funded by Samuel, anyway. It would be a waste to not use the office.¡± Speechless, Kathleen allowed Richard to lead her to the office. Indeed, the College of Medicine treated her with much respect. They had prepared a huge and spacious office for her. ¡°Not bad, right? They know about your rtionship with Samuel, so they don¡¯t dare to take you lightly,¡± Richard remarked. ¡°I am quite a capable person on my own,¡± Kathleen pointed out. She didn¡¯t have to depend on Samuel. ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Richard agreed. ¡°It¡¯s just that thebination of those two factors makes you even more impressive.¡± Kathleen couldn¡¯t help snorting lightly. She had to admit that Richard was a smooth talker. As they were talking, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang. The moment she picked up the phone, Samuel¡¯s deep voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°I just remembered something. A few years ago, you joined hands with Caleb and captured a man called Noles. After you got into the ident, Caleb abandoned Noles because he thought thetter was useless. I actually rescued Noles and kept him by my side all these years. Is there anything you would like to ask him?¡± Kathleen was surprised to hear that. ¡°You mean about me and Caleb?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was heavilyced with displeasure. Of course, Kathleen had to find out the truth. ¡°I¡¯ll head over right away. Where do I meet you?¡± ¡°At thepany. I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°Okay.¡± With a nod, Kathleen hung up. ¡°Did Mr. Macari call you over?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave things here to you, then.¡± As she turned around and left, Richard gazed at her figure intently and smiled without a word. Meanwhile, Xienna arrived at Macari Group with the intention to tell on Kathleen. When she walked into the building, a security guard stopped her. ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± His question irked her. ¡°You¡¯re saying I need an appointment?¡± ¡°Of course. Everyone whoes here needs an appointment. If you don¡¯t have one, I won¡¯t be able to let you in. That is the rule here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± Xienna snapped. ¡°This is not my first timeing to Macari Group!¡± ¡°Of course I know you, but that doesn¡¯t change anything. Since you don¡¯t have an appointment this time, you won¡¯t be allowed to enter,¡± the security insisted sternly. Xienna grew even more irritated upon hearing that. ¡°Since you know who I am, you should know how important I am to Samuel. He won¡¯t let you off if the urgent issue on hand gets dyed because you won¡¯t let me in!¡± Despite her words, the security was unfazed. ¡°Mr. Macari did not give me any orders about letting you in for no reason, so I cannot do that.¡± Frustrated, Xienna stomped her feet. ¡°Dr. Powell, if I were you, I¡¯d call Mr. Macari and ask him to let me in,¡± the security prompted. Xienna bit her lip, unwilling to give in. It would be too embarrassing for her to call Samuel and ask him to let her in. After all, she wanted a different treatment that could show how special she was to him. This lowly security guard knows nothing! Just as Xienna was contemting what to do, Kathleen showed up. She walked straight past Xienna without noticing thetter. Abruptly, Xienna grabbed her. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Kathleen knitted her brows and withdrew her hand from Xienna¡¯s grip. ¡°Are you asking for death?¡± she uttered coldly, making Xienna freeze on the spot. ¡°Who said you could touch me?¡± Kathleen added with disgust. ¡°You can¡¯t go in without an appointment!¡± Xienna warned. Before Kathleen could even respond, the security interjected, ¡°Ms. Johnson doesn¡¯t need an appointment.¡± Dumbfounded, Xienna blurted, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Macari has instructed us in advance that you don¡¯t need an appointment to enter. This way, please,¡± the security said politely. ¡°Okay.¡± Without a change in her expression, Kathleen went ahead. ¡°Howe she can go in?¡± Xienna questioned with exasperation. ¡°It¡¯s an order from Mr. Macari, of course,¡± the security replied. ¡°He asked Mr. Hackney to remind us to be polite to Ms. Johnson. Whoever dares to offend her shall leave Jadeborough.¡± Xienna was in disbelief. What? Didn¡¯t Samuel divorce her already? Why is he still treating her so well? Does he think she¡¯s the only one who can save him? That foolish man! Kathleen just wants to use him as a test subject. No, I can¡¯t let this happen. I won¡¯t allow Samuel to be harmed! I have to stop her!Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Here For Your Money Kathleen reached the door to Samuel¡¯s office and announced her arrival with a knock on the door. The door was flung open soon enough. Samuel was the one who opened the door for her. ¡°The next time you¡¯re here, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re not obliged to knock.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen was stumped momentarily before responding, ¡°No, that¡¯d be too impolite.¡± Samuel gestured for her to step inside. As she entered the office, her curiosity got the better of her. ¡°Was I that ill-mannered in the past?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was as deep as a bottomless pit. ¡°That¡¯s good, then. I really don¡¯t wish to be despised because of my attitude.¡± A sigh of relief came from Kathleen¡¯s mouth. It was heart-rending for Samuel to hear those words, though. ¡°No matter what others say about you, you¡¯re one finedy.¡± Gentle, soft, unyielding, and brave. Samuel¡¯s praise left Kathleen dumbstruck for a second. ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± Staring nkly at her, Samuel said, ¡°Give me a minute. I¡¯ll settle something and then we can go meet that person.¡± ¡°Had I known you¡¯re still busy, I wouldn¡¯t havee up here,¡± grumbled Kathleen. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face froze as he heard that. Would she lose a limb for waiting a little while for me? ¡°You know, just now, I saw Xienna downstairs.¡± Kathleen seemed to be insinuating something. ¡°She was very worried about you, and she thinks I¡¯m harming you.¡± Upon hearing that, Samuel knitted his brows. ¡°Should I be held responsible for her actions?¡± An unfathomable grimace inundated his good looks. Noticing him flying off the handle, Kathleen kept her lips buttoned and scanned her surroundings. In an instant, her brows were all bunched up tightly. ¡°During myst visit, I asked the doctor about my condition. She imed that my kind of amnesia could be improved pretty easily if I were to frequently have contact with the people and ces I¡¯m ustomed to, but why am I not sensing any familiarities when I step in here?¡± Samuel¡¯s hoarse voice came in response. ¡°That¡¯s because you were seldom here.¡± Nodding, Kathleen agreed to his statement, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t debate that. This is your workce, after all.¡± A feeling of bitterness crept into Samuel¡¯s heart. I should¡¯ve allowed her to visit my office as often as she could back then. Ugh! It¡¯s all thanks to that Nicolette. Even so, Kathleen didn¡¯t think too much, which only made Samuel feel all the more anguished. Her current demeanor only meant one thing ¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even one bit of affection left for him. Had she still harbored feelings for him, she would¡¯ve long figured out the truth behind this. Never would she appear all calm and collected right before him. Right then, Samuel¡¯s phone chimed. He picked up the call, only to hear Xienna sounding ever so aggrieved. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m here to tell you something very important, but the security guards won¡¯t let me through.¡± That caused Samuel to raise a question. ¡°What matter could you possibly have? You can say it over the phone right now.¡± ¡°Kathleen must¡¯ve said something to you, didn¡¯t she?¡± A wave of anger erupted like a volcano within Xienna¡¯s heart. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, Mr. Macari! She¡¯s full of nothing but lies!¡± Then came Samuel¡¯s frosty voice, ¡°Really? But she hasn¡¯t even mentioned anything. All I¡¯m getting is that you¡¯re so eager to begin pointing fingers.¡± Xienna nearly choked on her own breath, listening to that. ¡°From today onward, you¡¯re no longer the Macaris¡¯ family doctor.¡± After dropping the forbidding sentence, Samuel ended the phone abruptly. Surprised, Kathleen stood rooted to the spot, her mouth agape. Samuel simply hung his head low as he continued burying his head in the pile of work. As his towering figure was bathed in the golden sunshine, it was as though he was gleaming with warmth and radiant energy. Even so, never was that sufficient to dispel his chilling vibe. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He had always been portraying an icy and aloof bearing, after all. ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at me for three minutes now,¡± announced Samuel as he checked the time. ¡°Come closer if you¡¯re that interested. I don¡¯t bite.¡± Feeling speechless, Kathleen quietly took a step back before slumping into the couch. With his deep voice, Samuel inquired, ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, what ns do you have in mind?¡± Casting a sidelong nce at him, Kathleen blurted out, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about starting a business.¡± Samuel paused for a bit before asking another question, ¡°What sort of business?¡± ¡°A pharmaceutical business.¡± Kathleen tried to elucidate her view. ¡°I couldn¡¯t recall the past, and I no longer yen for my acting career. I thought I¡¯d rather have a shot at what I¡¯m good at.¡± Samuel shot her a meaningful nce. ¡°If you do want to give acting a go, you still can, actually.¡± ¡°No, forget it,¡± expostted Kathleen as she shook her head. ¡°But you were so into filming in the past.¡± Samuel coaxed further, ¡°Also, you graduated from a film academy, you know. Even if you really wanted to dive deeper into medical research, you can enroll in the College of Medicine. Acting and researching can always go hand in hand.¡± ¡°I tried hard, but I can¡¯t seem to remember anything. Maybe I should really start over,¡± exined Kathleen. ¡°Huh? Where has all your confidence gone to?¡± As Samuel lifted his head, he revealed the ever-so- gentle gaze in his eyes. One nce in his eyes was more than enough to be spellbound, so to speak. There was a faint glint in Kathleen¡¯s sparkling eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter about my self-confidence, but rather ¡ª¡± ¡°You know, you¡¯ve always rambled on about finally being able to follow your heart¡¯s desire and do whatever you want after the divorce.¡± Samuel deliberately lowered his gaze as he spoke, trying to conceal the despondency in his eyes. ¡°So if you still fancy acting, there¡¯s no harm for you to pursue it.¡± In actuality, he thought he could prevent Kathleen from leaving Jadeborough if she were to heed his advice. After contemting for a brief moment, Kathleen piped up, ¡°Did I¡­ really say that?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Samuel inclined his head. ¡°All I could remember was you telling me the whole time that marrying me had cost you your career. You¡¯ve always yearned to go on set.¡± Kathleen gave him a curt nod. Leaping up from his seat, Samuel prompted, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Oh? Already?¡± Kathleen was startled by that. Directing his impassive gaze upon Kathleen, Samuel told her, ¡°I can tell you¡¯re bored to death, and I know you don¡¯t want to be here waiting for me, so let¡¯s just head out right now.¡± Upon hearing that, Kathleen was flustered. ¡°I merely didn¡¯t want to intrude into your work.¡± Staring at her elegant face, Samuel uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not. In fact, you are my motivation.¡± Dumbstruck, Kathleen kept mum. ¡°Come on.¡± Samuel tugged at her hand and led her out the door of his office. Just like that, they held hands all the way to the elevator. Tyson and the rest raised their heads from their desks as the duo walked past. Could that be a sign of reconciliation? ¡°Have that couple reconciled already, Mr. Hackney?¡± Heaving a sigh, Tyson shook his head in disagreement. ¡°It¡¯ll never be that easy.¡± ¡°Just so you know, there¡¯s quite a number of women trying totch onto Mr. Macari outside this building recently,¡± uttered one of his colleagues. Another one chimed in, ¡°Yes, I saw that, too. I think I¡¯ve even seen some influencers among them when I arrived here this morning.¡± As Tyson listened to the hearsay, he intervened, ¡°Mr. Macari wouldn¡¯t even spare them a peek. He¡¯s a wolf, don¡¯t you guys know?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good criticism for him.¡± ¡°Wolves are one of the most loyal and faithful creatures on earth,¡± exined Tyson. ¡°In this lifetime, Mr. Macari will never ever fall for someone else except Kathleen, so don¡¯t even think of snatching his woman.¡± ¡°Of course, we wouldn¡¯t!¡± ¡°I second that! We¡¯re no fools, all right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Tyson nodded in approval. After Samuel and Kathleen boarded the elevator, thetter retracted her hand from Samuel¡¯s. Immediately, her eyes were imbued with caution. Samuel, on the other hand, remained asposed as ever. Deep down, Samuel was used to Kathleen belonging only to him. As a consequence, he felt it was only right for him to keep her to himself. It must have slipped his mind that Kathleen was no longer the same person as before. ¡°Sorry.¡± His croaky voice resonated throughout the elevator. Kathleen did not reply to him. The elevator soon came to a halt on the ground floor. In a jiffy, Kathleen marched out of the elevator. To be honest, she couldn¡¯t help but feel enormous pressure each time she was with Samuel. If Samuel wasn¡¯t the biological father of Eil and Desi, she would have never gotten involved in this hurdle. Samuel trailed behind her. The second the duo stepped out of the elevator, Xienna bolted toward them out of the blue and eximed, ¡°Listen to me, Samuel. This woman lost her memory. She¡¯s not in any way in love with you anymore. Now, she¡¯s only trying to plot your demise so that her kids can inherit your entire fortune. She only has eyes for your money. Don¡¯t you see it?¡± Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Chapter 364 I Can Save You A vicious cold look shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Xienna nodded fervently. Standing beside, Kathleen smirked and said, ¡°So what if I only want the Macari family¡¯s money?¡± ¡°Did you hear that, Mr. Macari? She admitted it herself!¡± Xienna got emotional upon hearing that. Meanwhile, Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re clueless. Five years ago, I gave all my assets to her. So, I¡¯m actually working for her now,¡± said Samuel coldly. ¡°W-What?¡± At once, Xienna and Kathleen froze at his remark. In the meantime, thoughts began to cross Kathleen¡¯s mind. Huh? Is that true? Charles has never mentioned anything about that to me before. As a matter of fact, Kathleen had enquired Charles about the past. He was her brother, after all. Therefore, she genuinely believed that Charles would never lie to her. Did Charles identally miss something out? It¡¯s possible that he left the details out intentionally as well, but either way, I¡¯m not bothered. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m financially unstable. On the contrary, there was a change in Xienna¡¯s expression. What? Samuel gave everything to Kathleen? How is that possible? With a distinct voice, Samuel stated, ¡°Get out of my sight. If I see you again, I won¡¯t be polite to you anymore.¡± Inwardly, Samuel did not want to repeat the mistake, as he did not want others to misunderstand that he had any feelings for Xienna. He turned to the security guard andplimented, ¡°You did very well.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hearing that, the security guard was surprised and delighted. ¡°I¡¯ll inform the HR department to consider an increment for you.¡± Samuel cast Kathleen a nce and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± Startled, Kathleen asked in return. ¡°Well, I work for you. Of course, I¡¯ll need to ask you beforehand,¡± he exined calmly. Kathleen was rendered speechless. At that instant, it was rush hour in the evening. Thepany¡¯s employees were gathering in the hall. Hearing Samuel¡¯s words, all of them nced at Kathleen enviously, as they could sense the deep feelings of affection Samuel had for Kathleen. Xienna was so filled with jealousy that she almost went berserk. She yelled, ¡°You know nothing, Mr. Macari! The X-9 that she mentioned is not a stable reagent. Even if she doesn¡¯t care about the money, she has no good intentions toward you!¡± Samuel then shed a piercing and frosty gaze at her before voicing, ¡°So what? My life is hers. She can do anything with it. It¡¯s totally out of your business.¡± Xienna was bereft of speech listening to that. Meanwhile, the crowd present there could not help but chuckle. All of them shared the same thought as they watched at the side. Silly girl. She needs to have more self-awareness and learn to read the room. If she¡¯s smart, she would know what Samuel meant by that. Nheless, Xienna remained obstinate and was still unwilling to give up. ¡°Samuel, trust me. I can save you,¡± Xienna muttered pitifully. However, she irked him so much that Samuel ordered the security guard to take her away. ¡°Yes!¡± Hearing hismand, the security guard swiftly dragged Xienna and threw her out of that ce. With an icy expression, Samuel said to Kathleen, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Even so, Kathleen remained unfazed after hearing what Samuel had just said. Recalling back, Samuel realized that Kathleen only disyed a shift of her expression at the time when he mentioned the transfer of his entire assets to her. Subsequently, Samuel strode away, and Kathleen followed closely behind. Upon stepping outside, Tyson drove the Maybach over. ¡°You may go home now. I¡¯ll drive.¡± The look on his face remained frosty. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Okay.¡± Following that, Tyson emerged from the car. Awkwardly, he stole a nce at Kathleen, only to see theck of emotion on her delicate face. Noticing that, Tyson merely kept mum. I remember how sweet Kathleen was in the past. She was an adorable and kind girl; how things have changed! Now, however, she¡¯s behaving so cool that I could barely recognize her anymore. No wonder Mr. Macari looks dejected. He looks like he has been dumped. In some ways, this Kathleen in front of me is no longer the Kathleen in my memory, although they¡¯re the same person. ¡°Get in,¡± Samuel uttered to Kathleen. She hesitated and asked, ¡°Where should I sit? The passenger seat? Or at the back?¡± Hearing that, Samuel grabbed her arm and pulled her to the passenger seat. He opened the car door and said indifferently, ¡°Only you deserve to sit here. Don¡¯t ask again next time.¡± Kathleen nodded in response. She then leaned over to enter the car. Inwardly, Samuel understood that Kathleen did not do that on purpose. He could not restrain his agitation, nevertheless. Aren¡¯t my actions obvious enough? Why is Kathleen still ying dumb? I feel like she¡¯s challenging my limits! In the car, Kathleen was exceptionally quiet. She barely talked throughout the journey. Samuel could feel an air of coldness surrounding him. He felt crestfallen as frustration slowly welled up inside him. Not only that, the fact that Kathleen had lost her memory caused him to feel extremely helpless. The mixed feelings surging in him caused him to get more and more irritated. Soon, they arrived at a welfare center. Kathleen got down the car and stood right in front of the center. Looking around, she saw a huge arched sign at the door and read the words on the board inwardly. White Clouds Welfare Centre? Samuel stared gently at her and muttered, ¡°This is where your parents stayed back then.¡± Astounded, Kathleen asked, ¡°My parents?¡± ¡°Yes. Both of your parents were orphans,¡± exined Samuel. Nodding her head, Kathleen responded, ¡°I heard about it from Charles before. However, we have found my mother¡¯s family, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel bobbed his head before continuing, ¡°This ce was closed down a while ago. But, then, I bought it and continue to operate it.¡± ¡°I see. This ce is pretty nice.¡± Kathleen shifted her attention around. ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± muttered Samuel in a low voice. With that, Kathleen went inside and followed him to the main building. That ce was mainly used as an office, ssroom, and dining area. Next to it was a dorm where the orphans lived. Meanwhile, on the field, a group of children gathered around a young man with a baby face. ¡°Nn, could you please stay and y with us a while more?¡± As a matter of fact, Nn had spotted Samuel and Kathleen from a distance earlier. He patted the kid¡¯s head lightly. ¡°Be good. You guys y here for a while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, Nn made his way toward them. Standing behind Samuel, Kathleen asked in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s Noles?¡± Samuel nodded in response. ¡°He has good looks,¡± she murmured. Hearing that, Samuel swiftly turned around and shot her a re, only to see Kathleen sticking out her tongue at him cheekily. Just then, Nn was already in front of them. ¡°Mr. Macari,¡± Nn greeted before shifting his eyes to Kathleen. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Macari. It¡¯s been a long time since Ist saw you.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes. ¡°Samuel and I have been divorced for years.¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m used to addressing you that way,¡± justified Nn. Kathleen shrugged. Just then, Samuel remarked coldly, ¡°You can ask him anything.¡± ¡°How about we go to the art studio? It¡¯s empty now, as there is no ss there,¡± suggested Nn. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded. Noticing her enthusiasm, Samuel huffed in displeasure. His reaction garnered a narrow-eyed look from Kathleen. Did he just snort at me? We¡¯re divorced. Why is he being so controlling? Samuel was peeved by her reaction, although he knew that she was not really interested in Nn. Noticing their interaction, Nn wore a skin-deep grin. ¡°Come with me.¡± Then, they followed Nn to the art studio. Inside the room, there were a lot of flower stands, the children¡¯s work, and also some tools. They then casually grabbed a chair and sat down. Afterward, Kathleen locked eyes with Nn and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your real name?¡± ¡°Noles. My new name is Nn,¡± he answered ordingly. ¡°Which organization are you from?¡± Kathleen asked, puzzled. The corners of his mouth twitched resignedly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, either.¡± Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Scumbag Kathleen looked at Samuel in confusion. ¡°Let him finish exining,¡± Samuel remarked calmly. ¡°I was a member of Windwell Corporation from the beginning. Not long after I joined this organization, the leader asked me to infiltrate Lewis Enterprises and put poison in Samuel¡¯s medicines. That¡¯s all,¡± Nn exined. Taking out Theodore¡¯s picture, Kathleen asked, ¡°Is he the organization¡¯s leader you¡¯re talking about?¡± Nn nodded. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s him.¡± ¡°Did he say anything else besides asking you to poison Samuel?¡± she inquired. Shaking his head, Nn answered, ¡°No.¡± Furrowing her brows, she probed, ¡°Then, how much do you know about Windwell Corporation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that much about the organization. However, I can tell you one thing.¡± Nn gave her a level look and continued, ¡°I heard the leader¡¯s conversation with Lauren by chance.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°The leader said since you¡¯re that man¡¯s granddaughter, he can do whatever he wants to you,¡± Nn replied. Granddaughter? Samuel murmured in a low voice, ¡°Before you had amnesia, you¡¯ve already found that the man who was in a rtionship with Old Mrs. Yoeger also has the Hoover surname.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen was bbergasted. Samuel nodded in response. Nn spoke up. ¡°Mr. Macari, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back first.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Nn stood up and left. When he reached the door, he turned back and asked Kathleen, ¡°Ms. Johnson, will I be hunted down by the organization?¡± Kathleen froze for a moment before asking, ¡°Do you even know which organization you¡¯re working for?¡± Nn was startled by her question. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They have long forgotten about you,¡± Kathleen reassured. They have forgotten about me? Nn¡¯s expression darkened at once. He had been living in seclusion over the past few years. He was on tenterhooks every day in fear of being hunted down by the organization. Nevertheless, he did not expect that they had long forgotten his existence. Nn was an orphan who had no one else to rely on. He was used to surviving on his own until he was recruited by Windwell Corporation one day. That gave Nn a sense of purpose in which he thought that he had found a ce he belonged. However, they never took him seriously. Kathleen seemed to read Nn¡¯s mind at that moment. Sheforted, ¡°Look on the bright side. You can start a new life now that they have forgotten about you. Isn¡¯t that nice?¡± Nn let out a chuckle before replying, ¡°Maybe.¡± With that, he turned on his heel and left. Kathleen knew that Nn needed time to process what had happened that day. Looking at her solemnly, Samuel asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°If Theodore is rted to my biological granddad, I can only go to Granny and ask for rification about this matter.¡± A conflicted expression shed across Kathleen¡¯s delicate face. Samuel observed her with his keen eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see her?¡± Nevertheless, she remained silent. He knew that Kathleen was reluctant to contact the people she knew before her amnesia, even if they were her rtives. Furthermore, she was also acting indifferently toward Charles. She would only show her gentle expressions toward both Eil and Desi. Standing up, Kathleen said, ¡°We have to get to the bottom of this matter. Let¡¯s go.¡± Samuel swallowed hard as he called out, ¡°Kate¡­¡± Looking at him calmly, Kathleen uttered, ¡°We should go now. I¡¯ll call Charles first.¡± Nodding, he answered, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± The moment Charles received Kathleen¡¯s call, he immediately rushed to the Yoeger residence. Upon arriving, he saw Kathleen sitting inside Samuel¡¯s car. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Charles walked over with a deep frown on his face. ¡°Do you know why people feel apprehensive upon returning home after a long time?¡± she asked. Charles was rendered speechless for a moment. ¡°Rx, Kate. She¡¯s our granny. She loves us very much. Even though you have lost your memory, she won¡¯t treat you badly. Besides, her Alzheimer¡¯s disease has been getting worse in recent years,¡± Charles reassured her. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, she got out of the car. Charles looked at her warmly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Then, Kathleen followed him to the Yoeger residence. Frances was over the moon knowing that Kathleen hade to see her. Tears streamed down Frances¡¯ face when she saw Kathleen. ¡°My dear Katie!¡± Frances wrapped her in a tight embrace. Kathleen tried her best to remainposed. Nevertheless, when Kathleen felt the warmth from Frances, her tensed body gradually rxed. ¡°Good girl. Thankfully you¡¯re still alive. I knew you wouldn¡¯t die because you¡¯re strong. Eil and Desi will finally have a mom.¡± Frances shed tears of joy. Kathleen nodded in response. Atst, Frances let go of Kathleen. Regardless, thetter¡¯s expression had changed slightly. Frances was heartbroken when she learned of Kathleen¡¯s ordeal. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s sit in the living room.¡± Frances took Kathleen¡¯s hand and led them to the living room. Everyone took their seats. Kathleen smiled faintly upon sitting down. ¡°Granny, can you help me to identify this person?¡± Then, she took out her phone and showed Frances the picture of Theodore. Frances¡¯ face turned pale when she saw the picture. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Granny, do you know this guy?¡± Kathleen asked as she looked at Frances. Even though Frances wanted to deny it at first, she eventually nodded after pondering it briefly. ¡°Yes, I do know him,¡± she admitted, sighing. ¡°Granny, who is he?¡± Kathleen was curious to find out the person¡¯s identity. A hint of bitterness shed across Frances¡¯ face as she spoke. ¡±He¡¯s your granddad¡¯s elder brother.¡± What? Kathleen looked at her in astonishment. ¡°Granddad?¡± ¡°His name is Trevor Hoover. He¡¯s a scumbag!¡± Frances eximed coldly. A scumbag? ¡°Trevor Hoover? That Trevor from Quilton?¡± Samuel finally spoke up. Frances nodded in response. ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± Kathleen frowned at Samuel¡¯s reaction. ¡°Samuel, do you know him?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met him once before. However, I didn¡¯t think they were brothers as they don¡¯t resemble each other,¡± he exined. ¡°Of course, they don¡¯t look alike. They¡¯re half-brothers. Furthermore, they aren¡¯t on good terms as they publicly fought each other to be the head of the Hoover family. I met Trevor thanks to Theodore,¡± Frances replied. ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen inquired. Frances let out a long sigh. ¡°Back then, Theodore had the upper hand whilepeting for the inheritance. Trevor had amnesia after his ident, and that was when I met him. I didn¡¯t know who he was, nor did I think much at that time. I was young, after all. By the time I found out that I was pregnant, he had also recovered his memories. After that, he abandoned me.¡± Kathleen widened her eyes in shock. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say anything?¡± Shaking her head, Frances said, ¡°s, no. However, it¡¯s all in the past now. I no longer hold a grudge against him. Kate, why are you showing me Theodore¡¯s picture?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s something you don¡¯t know, Granny. Theodore was the one who abducted me back then,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°What? It was him?¡± Frances fumed. Kathleen nodded. Frances was seething with rage. ¡°D*mn it! Even though you¡¯re Trevor¡¯s granddaughter, he has plenty of other descendants. Theodore also hates dealing with the children or grandchildren that Trevor cares most about. Why would he kidnap you of all people?¡± Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Did You Not Lose Your Memory Hearing Frances¡¯ words, Kathleen couldn¡¯t seem to understand the reason for that as well. ¡°But now that I¡¯m clear of this, it¡¯ll make things much easier,¡± Kathleen replied. She roughly knew how Theodore was going to use her, and it was all because she was Trevor¡¯s granddaughter. However, what Frances said wasn¡¯t wrong. Trevor had plenty of descendants, and he had not once cared about the children that Frances had. Thus, it was impossible that Kathleen was the one he doted on the most. Then why does Theodore have to go after me? Could it be that he couldn¡¯t deal with the children around Trevor, so he¡¯s trying to go after me instead? She just couldn¡¯t understand it. ¡°Granny, did Trevor contact you?¡± Charles asked casually. Frances shook her head. ¡°After we broke up, we don¡¯t have anything to do with each other anymore. Why would there be a need for him to contact me? I cut all ties with him a long time ago.¡± Frances had always done things cleanly and decisively. After breaking up with Trevor, she never wanted to be rted to him again. ¡°Granny, I want to go and meet him,¡± Kathleen said. Hearing this, Frances was stunned and pursed her lips. ¡°If you want to go, then go ahead. I won¡¯t stop you. You¡¯re already an adult. Besides, if Trevor is really the reason why Theodore is treating you like that, I do want to interrogate him and see if he can manage that brother of his!¡± ¡°Okay. I understand,¡± Kathleen replied solemnly. She then stood up. ¡°Kate, are you leaving?¡± Frances looked at her longingly. ¡°I¡¯lle and visit you again tomorrow, Granny. I still have some stuff to attend to,¡± Kathleen exined. It was only then that Frances released her grip on Kathleen. ¡°All right.¡± With that, Kathleen made her way out. Charles sat down. ¡°Granny, since Kate is busy, I¡¯ll apany you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Frances replied with a faint smile. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles nodded. He then nced at Samuel. Samuel¡¯s handsome face looked exceptionally grim. He then turned and headed outside. Kathleen was standing beside the car. ¡°Do you not want to keep in touch with people from your past?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t want to remember the past?¡± Kathleen was stunned. She turned around and looked at him. ¡°Do you not want to remember your past?¡± Samuel asked again. ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Kathleen¡¯s soft voice sounded exceptionally cold. She retracted her gaze as she continued, ¡°Just by listening to what Charles said, I already feel so upset. If I really recovered my memory, I¡¯m afraid that it would be too much misery for me.¡± Samuel clenched his fist, his jawline sharp and cold. He knew that he couldn¡¯t force her. As he looked at her, his entire body was in pain. She was extremely reluctant to remember her past to the point that she would rather not be close to her family. Guilt that was never before seen shed across his dark eyes. ¡°Kate, I won¡¯t force you like how I used to. If you¡¯re not happy, then I won¡¯t be in contact with you. But you don¡¯t have to give up on your family because of me.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Samuel, would you agree to let me bring the kids away?¡± Upon hearing this, Samuel froze. ¡°I don¡¯t like it here,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°After everything is settled, can you allow me to bring the kids away?¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face darkened instantly. ¡°Where do you want to bring them to?¡± ¡°Probably Pollerton,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not making you cut ties with the kids. You can still see them, and they cane back to see you, but I just don¡¯t wish to live here.¡± ¡°What about your family?¡± Samuel asked in a raspy voice. ¡°I¡¯ll bring Granny with me,¡± Kathleen responded. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Then what about Grandma?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember anymore. I was never rted to her by blood, to begin with,¡± Kathleen replied coldly. Samuel felt an excruciating pain in his heart. The thing that he feared the most still happened. He nced at Kathleen and remained silent for a long while. Meanwhile, Kathleen only felt her scalp be numb. However, she had already decided on this long ago. A cold aura exuded from Samuel as if he had just been through a thousand-year snowstorm. Kathleen knew that he wouldn¡¯t agree to it. ¡°All right.¡± There was an icy chill in Samuel¡¯s low voice. ¡°I promised you that I would respect you no matter what decision you make.¡± ¡°You¡¯re agreeing to it?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± Samuel asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°I can¡¯t help it that I like you. I¡¯m willing to do this.¡± ¡°Thanks then,¡± Kathleen thanked him. Samuel gazed at her huge, bright eyes and asked, ¡°Kate, how do you feel toward me now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± Kathleen blinked her eyes. ¡°I know that it¡¯s quite hurtful, but I still think that it¡¯s better for me to tell the truth.¡± Samuel felt a tight clench in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Samuel responded as he gazed at her clear eyes. ¡°Get in the car. I¡¯ll send you back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, she got into the car. After calming himself down, Samuel also got into the car. He then drove Kathleen back home. After they arrived at Kathleen¡¯s house, Samuel didn¡¯t enter. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t miss the children, but it was that he needed some time to calm down. Kathleen¡¯s words were cold and hurtful, but he couldn¡¯t me her. She was extremely innocent after all. Samuel gazed at her intently. Kathleen unfastened her seat belt and said, ¡°Goodbye.¡± Samuel nodded in response and nced at her with an unfathomable look in his eyes. Kathleen got out of the car and turned to leave. She didn¡¯t look back, and neither did she long for him. He was like a stranger to her. If it weren¡¯t for Desi and Eil, she might have probably ignored him. Samuel leaned against his car seat, taking deep breaths. His heart ached terribly as if it was about to be shattered at any moment. Retribution. This is retribution. After thinking about it for a while, he drove off. On the other hand, Kathleen entered the mansion. When she entered, Desi rushed over and peeked behind her. ¡°Mommy, Daddy didn¡¯te back with you?¡± Kathleen squatted down and exined, ¡°Yeah. He went back.¡± A trace of disappointment shed across Desi¡¯s face. Kathleen also felt that she was being a little selfish. Is it really right to bring Desi and Eil away? Although she didn¡¯t have any feelings toward Samuel, the children did. After all, they were personally brought up by Samuel. Of course, he would be reluctant. ¡°He¡¯ll being over tomorrow,¡± Kathleenforted her. ¡°Okay.¡± Desi nodded. ¡°Then can I video call Daddyter?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Of course, you can.¡± Kathleen patted Desi¡¯s head. ¡°What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll cook it for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything that Mommy makes,¡± Desi responded. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. She then got up and headed into the kitchen while Desi continued ying in the living room. Just then, Eil walked over with a tablet in his hands. ¡°Mommy, are you never going to remarry Daddy?¡± As the miniature version of Samuel, even the way that Eil spoke was simr to the former. Kathleen paused for a while before nodding. ¡°Yeah. I won¡¯t.¡± Eil walked over to her. ¡°Forever?¡± ¡°Yeah. Forever.¡± Kathleen nodded. Hearing this, Eil sighed. ¡°Mommy, aren¡¯t you going to think about it before answering me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to think about it. I¡¯ve thought about this long ago,¡± Kathleen exined. After a pause, Eil asked, ¡°Mommy, could it be that you didn¡¯t lose your memory?¡± Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Someone Else Kathleen found this a little funny. ¡°Of course, I did lose my memory.¡± Eil tilted his head, looking at her oddly. ¡°Hmm. Then I¡¯ll believe that you really don¡¯t want to remarry Daddy.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Because I was testing you,¡± replied Eil with a shrug. ¡°Based on your reaction, you seem to have no feelings for Daddy whatsoever.¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± He nodded. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°Eil, if I don¡¯t get back together with your daddy, will you hate me for it?¡± she asked. ¡°No.¡± Eil shook his head gently. ¡°As Daddy said before, you have the right to decide your future. He said that Desi and I should not hold you back.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Samuel actually said such things to you?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± murmured Eil. ¡°When did he tell you this?¡± Kathleen was a little surprised. ¡°It was the day we were brought here,¡± Eil replied. ¡°Daddy said I am the older brother, so I need to take care of you and Desi. He told me to keep an eye on Desi to ensure she behaves well and to make sure that she doesn¡¯t force you and Daddy together.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart softened. ¡°He truly said this?¡± Eil nodded again. Kathleen smiled helplessly. ¡°He really knows how to ease my burdens.¡± She remained silent for a bit before asking, ¡°Eil, do you want to go abroad with me?¡± A hint of surprise registered on Eil¡¯s face. ¡°Do you want to leave, Mommy?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°When things have been sorted out, then we¡¯ll leave with Granny. What say you?¡± Eil had a slightly distraught expression on his face. ¡°If we all leave, then won¡¯t Daddy be left alone?¡± Kathleen did not respond. The boy pondered over this briefly before turning toward Kathleen again. With a serious expression on his face, Eil asked, ¡°Mommy, can I stay behind?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Do you want to stay?¡± ¡°I want to apany Daddy,¡± said Eil morosely. ¡°If we leave, then Daddy will be left alone. Won¡¯t that be sad?¡± Kathleen looked at him, her expression solemn. ¡°I will respect your decision.¡± ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love you. I love you both!¡± Eil then proceeded to give Kathleen a hug. ¡°Desi would definitely be willing to go with you. I¡¯ll stay here with Daddy.¡± Kathleen could feel a pang of hurt and difort. Samuel has raised the boy well. He is responsible and very mature. She patted his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to continue cooking. Why don¡¯t you go and y with Desi?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eil then wriggled away from Kathleen and left the room. Kathleen looked at the two children ying in the living room with a gentle butplicated expression. Am I being too selfish? Should I think this through for the sake of the kids? But can those wounds really be healed? How do we even start over? At the pier the next day, Kathleen stood there wearing a ck trench coat and a pair of sunsses. A whileter, a cruise ship arrived. She walked over. Several medical staff rushed out to push out a wiry-looking teenager whoy on a medical bed. It was Zion Hoover. She walked over and asked bluntly, ¡°You are all hired by Axeworth Corporation?¡± ¡°No, we are not.¡± They shook their heads in fright and denial. ¡°We are just ordinary medical staff.¡± Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°Then there is nothing more for you to do here.¡± The medical staff looked at each other. Kathleen folded her arms and said, ¡°If you think there is a problem, then you may take him back with you.¡± None of them made a sound. Kathleen motioned for her own staff toe over and help Zion into the ambnce. She turned around and walked away. Among the medical staff, there was a woman wearing a mask. Her eyes glinted with a dangerous look. Kathleen got into the ambnce and took Zion¡¯s pulse. Zion is not doing well. It¡¯s no wonder Theodore is anxious. She took out a vial with a blue-purple solution in it. After inserting it into a syringe, she carefully injected Zion with it. Just then, Zion opened his eyes in a daze. He saw a very beautiful woman injecting him with an unknown liquid. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Zion¡¯s tone was weak but imposing. Kathleen¡¯s frigid eyes reflected his pale face. ¡°I¡¯d have more sense if I were you. If the needle gets embedded inside you, then I¡¯m not going to bother removing it.¡± Zion paused. Kathleen pulled out the needle and said coldly, ¡°Continue struggling if you must. There¡¯s nobody here to help you.¡± Zion looked at her with obvious disdain. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Theodore didn¡¯t tell you who I was?¡± queried Kathleen icily. Zion did not speak. ¡°Giving me an attitude is pointless,¡± tutted Kathleen. ¡±If you mess with me, then I will make your life very miserable.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you will!¡± said Zion indignantly. ¡°How sure are you?¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°Do you know me that well?¡± Zion could not respond. ¡°Did Theodore tell you something then?¡± Kathleen smiled meaningfully. ¡°Speaking of which, I have no control over Theodore. But now that I have a hostage in my hands, I can do whatever I want.¡± Zion bit his lip. ¡°You are not allowed to treat Grandpa like this!¡± Kathleenughed mockingly. ¡°Why did you say nothing when he treated me thus?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Zion eximed indignantly. ¡°Grandpa is a good man! I¡¯d be dead if it weren¡¯t for him!¡± ¡°He may be a good person to you, but not to everyone else,¡± said Kathleen nonchntly. Zion was very angry. ¡°You are all bad people. I only trust Grandpa!¡± Kathleen shrugged. She could not be bothered to debate with a child. Just then, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang. She picked it up on the first ring. ¡°How is Zion doing?¡± came Theodore¡¯s baritone voice through the receiver. ¡°I just injected him with some medicine,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°He¡¯s doing better and has since regained enough strength to argue with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± There was a long pause before Theodore breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I believe you¡¯ve already asked your grandmother?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± retorted Kathleen. ¡°I know that she is linked to you.¡± Theodore smiled coldly. ¡°Does she still miss Trevor?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°She called Trevor a scumbag.¡± Theodore smiled faintly. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°I really wanted to ask. Why did you let Lauren drug Samuel and then cure him yourself?¡± Theodore smirked before his tone turned deep again. ¡°You little brat. If you have so many questions, why haven¡¯t you looked into it yourself?¡± ¡°We had a deal. I¡¯d help you treat Zion in exchange for the truth.¡± Kathleen then clicked her tongue in annoyance. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m letting this slide just because I know who you are?¡± Theodore¡¯s smile was sardonic. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you will gradually learn about those things. You already know how you¡¯re rted to Zion, right?¡± ¡°So he¡¯s my cousin?¡± Kathleen¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. ¡°Then we don¡¯t share the same grandfather.¡± ¡°You just need to remember that being rted by blood is enough.¡± Suddenly, Theodore¡¯s voice became hushed. ¡°I will tell you another secret.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Your mother was indeed taken away by Hector Yoeger in secret,¡± murmured Theodore. ¡°However, the one who removed all traces of your mother was someone else entirely.¡± Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Uncle ¡°Could it be Vanessa?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Given her abilities, anything difficult would be as easy as pie,¡± replied Theodore. ¡°Think about it. Just think. Who was it who could not ept your mother¡¯s presence?¡± After speaking, Theodore hung up the phone. Kathleen frowned deeply. He wants me to think about this? How? ¡°I want to talk to Grandpa.¡± Very feebly, Zion reached out for the phone. Kathleen gave the phone a mild wave. ¡°The old man has hung up.¡± Just then, her phone vibrated. She had received a text message from Theodore. Zion doesn¡¯t like the hospital. You should take him home. At this point, the ambnce had stopped. The paramedics got out of the car and opened the door. Seeing the hospital outside, Zion immediately eximed, ¡°I¡¯m not going to the hospital! You can¡¯t make me!¡± The medical staff didn¡¯t dare to touch him. They merely looked at Kathleen hesitantly. Kathleen said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble you. I think you can go on and rest. Just leave one person with me to drive.¡± They nodded promptly. When the driver got back into the ambnce, she gave him an address and asked him to take them there. Kathleen called the housekeepers at home and instructed them to prepare one of the guest rooms. Zion¡¯s handsome face was pale, and his jaw was tightly clenched. He seemed very nervous. Kathleen decided to tease him a little. ¡°What are you scared of? Think I¡¯ll murder you or something?¡± Zion¡¯s face showed a sneer that didn¡¯t match his age. ¡°I¡¯ve already died once.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± Kathleen was curious. ¡°Thirteen,¡± Zion said coldly. ¡°I think you¡¯re more like a seventy-three-year-old,¡± Kathleen teased. ¡°You speak so maturely that I think you might be a vampire or something.¡± Her Story Is Unbelievable: 10 Facts About Maria Sharapova Zion huffed, closed his eyes, and stopped talking. Kathleen massaged her sore temples. This boy was truly a pain in the butt. Heck, even my own son is more obedient than this. However, I guess I have Samuel to thank for raising him to be the responsible and gentle little boy I know. It would appear that Samuel was not half as useless after all. At the very least, he was a good father. After half an hour, they arrived at the mansion. Two of the housekeepers hade outside to help. They immediately took Zion to his room. Throughout themotion, he never opened his eyes until the room was quiet. Just then, he noticed a little girl standing by the bed, eyes as round as saucers. She looked rather cute. ¡°Who are you?¡± The girl had peachy lips and white teeth. She looked quite adorable. Zion frowned slightly. ¡°Are you her daughter?¡± ¡°Whose?¡± Desi tilted her head. ¡°Kathleen,¡± Zion replied. ¡°Yes, Kathleen is my mommy.¡± Desi smiled sweetly. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± So she is Kathleen¡¯s daughter. What a lovely, cute girl. She looked like she grew up in a loving environment, unlike him. Zion closed his eyes, not wanting to speak. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something?¡± Desi looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Are you sick? It¡¯s okay. My mommy is a very good doctor! She will definitely be able to save you.¡± Zion covered his head with the quilt. Desi looked puzzledly at him. Just then, Kathleen walked in. ¡°Desi, why are you here?¡± Desi pointed at Zion. ¡°I was talking to him.¡± ¡°Oh, him? He¡¯s my cousin, so I reckon he would be your uncle,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Oh!¡± Desi greeted politely, ¡°Hello, uncle.¡± Zion listened to the sweet voice of the little girl and took a deep breath. ¡°Go and y with your brother.¡± Kathleen then ushered her out of the room. Ever the obedient little girl she was, Desi sauntered out. Kathleen folded her arms and stood at the edge of the bed. ¡°We¡¯re at my house, so you can rest easy. However, I have something to say. If you approach my children with ill intentions, then I won¡¯t be so courteous.¡± Zion lifted the quilt, and his pale and handsome face a mask of self-mockery. ¡°I¡¯m an invalid. What do you think I would do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as an agreement,¡± said Kathleen icily. ¡°I¡¯ll be getting you some supplies. Do you have any special needs?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zion covered himself with the quilt again. ¡°Look, if you¡¯re so worried that I¡¯ll harm her, why don¡¯t you tell her to leave me the heck alone?¡± Kathleen frowned. He seemed to have a temper. Having heard that, she walked away. Zion removed the covers, his gaze dark and imprable. Kathleen came out of the room and instructed the housekeeper to take good care of Zion. ¡°Mommy, who is he?¡± asked Desi, staring at her mother with herrge eyes. She hadn¡¯t seen Zion on the ind, so she didn¡¯t know who he was. ¡°He¡¯s like my brother,¡± said Kathleen hastily. She did not want Desi to pry. ¡°Then can I y with him often in the future?¡± asked Desi. She was curious. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen continued, ¡°Because he is sick, he can¡¯t y with you. He needs plenty of rest. Do you understand?¡± Desi huffed in response. Kathleen held her hand and felt her pulse. Desi seemed stable. Kathleen was relieved. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. What worried her the most right now was Samuel. In other words, Samuel hadn¡¯t evene to see the children, given their rather unhappy parting. ¡°I need to go out. Go y with your brother, dear. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°What are you going to do, Mommy?¡± asked Desi in confusion. ¡°I¡¯ll get some stuff for your uncle,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Ah.¡± Desi blinked at Kathleen. ¡°Can¡¯t I go with you?¡± ¡°No, you should stay at home,¡± said Kathleen while ruffling Desi¡¯s hair. ¡°Be a good girl for me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Desi shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s always the same with the two of you!¡± Her parents rarely brought her out. Kathleen found this a little funny. Who¡¯s to say that children aren¡¯t wily? They get away with it because they¡¯re cute. Kathleen then went out after getting dressed. Eil was having his lessons in the room. Desi was quite bored, so she decided to target Zion instead. At that moment, Zion was resting inside the room. This condition was difficult to endure. After all, Zion¡¯s life was in limbo. He could not tell if he was going to make it or not. He wanted to die. But if he hadn¡¯t met his grandfather, then he would have been dead ages ago. Suddenly, he heard someonee in. The person¡¯s footsteps were light, just like a cat¡¯s. She crept in, came to the bed, observed him, and left. This was repeated several times. In the end, Zion couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He opened his eyes and saw several wildflowers beside the bed. ¡°You¡¯re awake? I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Desi had entered once again. She put down the flowers and turned to leave. However, after a few minutes, Desi came in again. Zion couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. ¡°What the heck are you¡ª¡± Before he could finish speaking, Desi stuffed half of a peach into his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet.¡± Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Chapter 369: Artificial Insemination Zion was speechless. However, all he could taste was the sweetness of the peach. Desi giggled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it sweet?¡± Zion nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to eat all of it,¡± Desi urged. ¡°I¡¯ll be off.¡± After speaking, she turned away. Zion sighed. Since it was already in his mouth, all he could do was swallow it anyway. Meanwhile, Kathleen busied herself at the mall. She pursed her lips, unsure of what a thirteen-year-old boy would like. As such, she could only buy a random assortment of things. After shopping, she came out of the mall with bags in tow. A man wearing sunsses walked up to her. ¡°Are you Gizem?¡± Kathleen arched a finely plucked brow. ¡°In the flesh.¡± ¡°Thedy of the house would like a word,¡± the man said coldly. Lady? ¡°And who might that be?¡± asked Kathleen, her tone equally icy. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see her.¡± The man frowned. Kathleen sneered. ¡°You know what? Nobody has dared to speak to me like this. I¡¯m afraid you know nothing about my temper.¡± The man was upset, hearing this. ¡°I can also tell you that no one has dared to¡ª¡± The man howled as Kathleen punched him in the face. Soon, the corners of the man¡¯s mouth were tinged with scarlet. ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started on your tone!¡± hissed Kathleen. ¡°You want me to meet her, but this is how you treat me? Who is she, the Queen? You can go back and tell her that I am God!¡± Everyone had stopped to look at them. Because Kathleen had sunsses on, nobody recognized her. The man merely stood there, seething. Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°P*ss off!¡± The man was furious, but there were many people watching. All he could do was leave. Kathleen carried all her purchases to the car park. She was about to open the car door when she spotted the reflection of a woman standing behind her in the ss. She turned back sharply. A graceful-looking middle-aged woman stood there, her red lips curved into a smirk. ¡°Ms.Johnson, allow me to apologize for my subordinate¡¯s uncouth behavior.¡± Her subordinate? So this was the woman the man mentioned earlier? Why would such a person show up now? ¡°Who are you?¡± Kathleen frowned. With a hand outstretched, the woman introduced herself. ¡°My name is Dorothy Cartwright.¡± Her nails were painted a gorgeous shade of red. Kathleen nced at her warily. ¡°Did you need something?¡± ¡°Can you hand over the child in your care?¡± Dorothy asked with a wry smile. ¡°Zion?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson, that child is bad news. Letting him stay with you will not help you,¡± Dorothy exined with a smile. ¡°Also, you can¡¯t nullify the poison that courses through his veins.¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°Are you looking down on me?¡± Dorothy raised her hands in mock defeat. She then took out a business card and gave it to Kathleen. ¡°All I¡¯m suggesting is that you don¡¯t waste your time. My number¡¯s on the card. I¡¯ll give you three days ¡ª¡± Kathleen immediately ripped the card. ¡±I¡¯m really sick of you people pretending to be high and mighty. If you have anything worth saying, spit it out.¡± Dorothy¡¯s expression changed slightly. Kathleen looked at her coldly and raised her chin. ¡°If you can¡¯t learn to speak, don¡¯t bother me.¡± Dorothy hissed at her. ¡°I can tell you this. Zion is my son!¡± What? Kathleen was a little shocked. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can do a maternity test.¡± Dorothy looked at Kathleen with a frigid expression. ¡°Now, can you hand him over?¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°Since you are his mother, then how did he end up in the hands of someone else?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Dorothy¡¯s expression took a grim turn. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯m warning you. If you don¡¯t listen to what I say, then I will make your life a living hell.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± retorted Kathleen scornfully. She opened the door and got in the car. Dorothy gritted her teeth. ¡°Kathleen, don¡¯t think that you can let your guard down just because you have Samuel to help you!¡± Kathleen lowered the car window, smirking wickedly at her. ¡°Let me also warn you. I¡¯m not the Kathleen I used to be.¡± After speaking, she drove away. Dorothy was left standing there, her face contorted with fury. Kathleen returned home when she spotted Samuel¡¯s car in the driveway. Looks like he showed up after all. Kathleen walked into her home. She noticed that Samuel was spending time with both Desi and Eil. She walked over to greet him. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face was expressionless as he hummed in response. He then told Eil, ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring your sister upstairs?¡± Eil nodded and took Desi by the hand. Samuel¡¯s eyes were deep. ¡°Is that boy Zion?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before. Nobody is more well-informed than I am in Jadeborough,¡± said Samuel in a hushed tone. ¡°But what is he doing here?¡± ¡°I cut a deal with Theodore,¡± Kathleen replied. Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned that this is a plot of his?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen was very determined. ¡°This can¡¯t be a plot. When I took Zion¡¯s pulse, I saw that he truly was dying. He can¡¯t be saved with Desi¡¯s blood anymore. I don¡¯t think they would be that stupid and make a gamble like this.¡± Samuel said nothing. ¡°Since you are so well-informed, can I ask you something? Who is Dorothy Cartwright?¡± Kathleen was curious. Samuel¡¯s voice was a measured calm. ¡°She sought you out?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I guess that makes sense. She¡¯s your aunt, after all,¡± Samuel teased. ¡°She was with one of Trevor¡¯s older sons. I also heard that she was obsessed with coveting the position of the matriarch. Zion is indeed her son.¡± ¡°How obsessed are we talking about?¡± Kathleen was very interested. ¡°Zion is a test-tube baby,¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°How did she do it?¡± ¡°She kidnapped Zayne and found a doctor,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°If she has already kidnapped him, why did she need a doctor?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Because there is no guarantee that she could have conceived immediately,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°And what happened after that?¡± Kathleen asked again. She really didn¡¯t expect Samuel to know so much and in such vivid detail. Samuel¡¯s thin lips were pursed. He knew that this was one of the times where her gaze would be devoid of all warmth. ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± interjected Samuel. Kathleen snorted. ¡°Wait, there is food in the kitchen.¡± She went to get Samuel something to eat. Samuel swallowed audibly. He knew he was shameless, always using this trick against her. However, there was nothing he could do. Since she wanted to go so badly, he could just continue doing it until the time came. It was likely that he would have had no chance to do so in the future. Kathleen warmed up the food and served it to him. She sat beside Samuel and watched him eat. Samuel¡¯s mannerisms were as delicate as Eil¡¯s. Kathleen looked at him deeply. Samuel stopped chewing after a while. ¡°A heavily pregnant Dorothy went to Zayne and demanded that he take responsibility. However, Zayne was in no position to do so.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen blinked her charming eyes. ¡°Because Zayne¡¯s wife did not agree,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°The Hoover family does not tolerate illegitimate children regardless of who conceived them.¡± Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Why Are You Still Alive ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Kathleen wore a slight frown with a hint of solemnness between her brows. ¡°Zayne Hoover is a yboy. Even at his current age, he still acts as unrestrained and reckless as ever. Because of that, he had a lot of illegitimate children, but most of them passed away at a young age.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was cial. Kathleen was stunned. ¡°They passed away?¡± ¡°Yes. Almost every one of his children didn¡¯t manage to live past eighteen. Zion is a special case,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°The Hoover family is ruthless! The children are innocent lives! Even if they want revenge, they can¡¯t harm those children. Why can¡¯t they just castrate Zayne to solve the problem once and for all?¡± said Kathleen furiously. ¡°That¡¯s the tradition of the Hoover family which started from Old Mrs. Hoover¡¯s generation.¡± He looked at her with a meaningful gaze in his eyes. Her face fell when she realized that he had been dropping her hints. She would be too silly if she still didn¡¯t get it. ¡°Do you mean what happened to my mother back then had something to do with Old Mrs. Hoover?¡± she asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°Apart from Old Mr. Yoeger, she¡¯s the only one who knows something. Otherwise, who else held such grudges against your mother? Back then, she was just a baby. What does Vanessa know? Isn¡¯t this the most reasonable exnation?¡± he questioned, not showing much emotion. She pursed her rosy lips. ¡°Which means, Old Mrs. Hoover and Old Mr. Yoeger joined forces?¡± ¡°In the past, the Hoover family and the Yoeger family were once partners. Though it¡¯s unknown why their partnership onlysted for a brief period and they parted ways after that, I guess it¡¯s because Old Mrs.Hoover wanted Old Mr. Yoeger to kill your mother, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it, so he merely sent your mother to the welfare center,¡± uttered Samuel matter-of-factly. As Kathleen heard that, she was at a loss for words. Yeah, that makes sense. Samuel¡¯s exquisitely charming facial features had graveness written all over them. ¡°Vanessa must know a lot about what happened. When Old Mrs. Yoeger was ill, she was in charge of all the affairs in Yoeger Group. ording to hearsay, she was once in contact with Old Mrs. Hoover. Moreover, she is now overseas, and it seems that the Hoover family has provided her with a lot of benefits.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Are you serious?¡± He nodded in response. Her pretty face turned pale as she hung her head, her long ck hair concealing almost half of her fair and delicate cheeks. He lifted his hand and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear before asking in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. When his warm fingertips touched her face, she snapped out of her trance and asked faintly, ¡°What did my grandmother and my mother do wrong? Why did they have to be separated? My grandmother was never a third wheel. It was Trevor who abandoned her first. My grandmother never asked him for anything either. She gave birth to and took care of the child all on her own. And who does that Old Mrs. Hoover think she is? How can she do something like that?¡± Upon seeing how upset she was, he tried tofort her, ¡°Maybe she just loves Trevor too much.¡± She scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s her fault for falling in love with a scumbag. The audacity of her to harm my grandmother and my mother!¡± Samuel pursed his lips in slight uneasiness when he heard Kathleen¡¯s remarks. It felt as though she was talking about him, but he knew he should bear the consequences of his own actions. She was so furious that her cheeks puffed red. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished talking about Zion. Do you want to hear it?¡± He ced hisrge hand on her thin shoulder. She nodded. ¡°Yeah, please continue.¡± ¡°Though Zayne had a lot of illegitimate children over the past years, Old Mrs.Hoover gave birth to her first child around ten years ago. The child was named Quentin Hoover, and unfortunately, he suffered from critical hemophilia since birth,¡± he narrated. Kathleen arched her eyebrow when she heard that. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that Zion¡¯s life was spared because Quentin needs his blood?¡± Samuel nodded. Although she had already assumed that to be the case, she was still shocked. ¡°Quentin¡¯s sickness is weird. It won¡¯t work if he¡¯s given normal blood. The person who transfuses blood to him must consume some special medication so that his or her blood consists of the medicinal property,¡± he exined. She frowned in puzzlement. ¡°What?¡± ¡°So, the Hoover family promised Dorothy that if she agrees to let Zion be Quentin¡¯s blood supply, they would then acknowledge her identity,¡± he uttered in a practical manner. ¡°Didn¡¯t she know that in order to do that, Zion needed to take medication?¡± She was beyond astounded. ¡°She knew about that, but marrying into the Hoover family was her wish, so she agreed to it. Zion was seven years old at the time.¡± There was aloofness in Samuel¡¯s eyes. Kathleen¡¯s hands were trembling. ¡°How can a mother be so cruel? Even if I¡¯d lost my memory, I was still happy when I found out that Desi and Eil were my children.How could she¡­¡± She¡¯s so cruel! ¡°Dorothy lived a carefree life after she married into the Hoover family. Indeed, she never really cared about Zion, as the boy was only regarded as Quentin¡¯s blood supply since he was young. This continued until Quentin turned ten. That was when his hemophilia was finally cured.¡± The look in Samuel¡¯s eyes was undisturbed as he continued telling the story. ¡°So the Hoover family wanted to kill Zion because he was no longer useful to them?¡± she asked, lifting an eyebrow. He merely nodded. She was so furious she let out a frustrated chuckle. ¡°The Hoovers have really shown me what it¡¯s like to be demons.¡± ¡°But after that, Zion suddenly went missing. No one knew where he went.¡± ¡°Did Theodore save him?¡± She frowned. He replied, ¡°ording to what I know, Theodore had never been to the Hoover residence. Plus, it seems that Quentin¡¯s hemophilia has recently rpsed.¡± She eximed in shock, ¡°Seriously?¡± As he nodded, she let out a cold snort. ¡°I know kids are innocent and all, but have the Hoovers thought about why this tragedy has befallen Quentin? It¡¯s clearly well-deserved karma.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± he answered. After some hesitation, she asked, ¡°Does that mean the Hoovers are targeting me since Zion is currently with me?¡± Samuel nodded in confirmation. . ¡°But the problem is that very few people know about Zion¡¯s whereabouts. Even if someone were to know that a teenage boy is staying at my ce, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily know it¡¯s Zion. I don¡¯t think Theodore was the one who exposed the secret.¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows as she pondered. Theodore wants to save Zion. If he was the one who exposed the secret and Zion was captured, all his previous efforts would¡¯ve gone down the drain. So, it can¡¯t be him. She mulled over the whole issue seriously. After all, she was the main target of the Hoovers. Subsequently, she grabbed her phone and dialed a number before cing it on the table in loudspeaker mode. Samuel listened quietly as the call was answered. An enchanting female voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t contact me anymore.¡± Lauren chuckled. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Theodore killed you yet?¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was filled with confusion. Lauren cackled. ¡°Haha! You¡¯re so heartless. If it hadn¡¯t been for me, how could you have escaped with your daughter??¡± Kathleen responded coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve given you money. Lauren, were you the one who spread the information about Zioning to me for treatment?¡± Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Nicolette Is Back. ¡°No.¡± Lauren smiled nonchntly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen was suspicious. ¡°Think about it, Kathleen. Dothe two of us share any grudges? Now you''re no longer by Theodore''s side.The organization would be mine if I so much as move a finger and end him. Why would I even want to cause youtrouble?¡± There was a tinge of amusement in Lauren''s tone. ¡°If it wasn''t you, then who was it? I think you''re the only one in the organization who knows about Zion''s ancestry.¡± Kathleen lifted her eyebrow while wearing a frosty expression. ¡°I have no idea either. Oh, I forgot to tell you. There''s a big-time nuisance among the people who escorted Zion today. I wonder have you noticed anything?¡± Big-time nuisance? ¡°Who is it?¡± asked Kathleen, frowning. ¡°I won''t tell you. That''s your business with the person. I''m just in charge of receiving the money, that''s all.¡± Lauren let out a sinister chuckle before hanging up on Kathleen. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Samuel queried, ¡°Where are the people who came with Zion?¡± Kathleen rubbed her temples. ¡°I''ve asked them to go back. I didn''t expect Theodore to send me a custom-made bomb.¡± ¡°Is it someone from the organization who holds a grudge against you?¡± he asked with a worried frown. She let out a casual sneer as chilliness crept up her pretty face. ¡°I know who it is. No wonder I thought her gait was weird when she walked.¡± He asked in a frosty, gruffy voice, ¡°Who is it?¡± She turned to look at him sharply, her eyes devoid of the usual gentleness. ¡°Nicolette Yoeger.¡± It''s her? He was stunned. ¡°You still remember her, right?¡± asked Kathleen emotionlessly. ¡°I thought she could no longer stand?¡± Samuel was beyond confused. Though she was able to walk with support from the robotic exoskeleton, the thing was too obvious for Kathleen to have missed it. If even Kathleen didn''t notice anything, that would mean Nicolette was able to stand without support from any equipment. Are her legs cured? Kathleen chuckled coldly. ¡°Lauren is well-aware of her own specialty, after all.¡± Samuel gazed solemnly at her. ¡°Is Lauren capable of curing her?¡± ¡°Not entirely, of course. But ording to Lauren''s way of doing things, I have a rough grasp on what method she used,¡± she uttered indifferently. He frowned and waited for her boration. ¡°Lauren excels at using parasitic worms. There is one kind of parasitic worm that has the ability to control people''s nerves. I bet Lauren must have done something to Nicolette''s legs. That''s why Nicolette''s gait looked weird today. She hates me, so she''d definitely try to exact her revenge on me.¡± A cold gleam streaked past Kathleen''s eyes as she spoke. I''m waiting for her. I might have lost my memory, but I would never forget everything between Nicolette and me. A ferocious glow emerged in Samuel''s cold eyes as he swore to himself that he would end Nicolette with his own hands. In the meantime, Yareli was happily shopping for clothes in the mall.Ever since Samuel agreed to marry her, she had been in high spirits. She told Vanessa about the good news, and thetter promised to attend their wedding. Although she hadn''t told Samuel about it yet, she nned to doll herself up and go to meet Samuel. After choosing a pretty floral dress, she stepped into the fitting room and was about to try it on when someone knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it? It''s upied,¡± she asked in annoyance. However, the person outside knocked again. She opened the door and yelled impatiently, ¡°What do you want?¡± The person standing outside shed her a malicious smile. As the color on her face drained away, Yareli stuttered, ¡°Y-You¡ª¡± Before she could even finish her sentence, the person took out a spray bottle and aimed it at her face, knocking her out. As she copsed on the floor, the person dragged her into the fitting room and dialed a number. ¡°All done. You guys cane up here and bring her away. Remember, don''t let anyone notice. I think Kathleen has already noticed something, so avoid her at all costs.¡± After that, she ended the call, her eyes glowing menacingly. ¡°I''m taking back everything that''s rightfully mine!¡± When Samuel had just gotten into the car after leaving Kathleen''s ce, he received Yareli''s call. Her voice was soft as she spoke. ¡°It''s me, Samuel. My mom has agreed with our marriage. She''ll be there at the wedding.¡± ¡°You must''ve forgotten that I want to meet her before the wedding,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°How do we know you''re not just trying to trick my mother intoing back?¡± said Yareli. ¡°Since you guys are so worried about that, then what''s the point of our marriage? Tell her it''s not necessary to return. The marriage can be called off.¡± His tone was freezing cold. After he ended the call, Yareli smiled devilishly and mumbled to herself, ¡°Samuel, your attitude remains the same after all these years. You gave all your gentleness and affection to Kathleen. So what''s left for me?¡± No. I refuse to ept this! What''s so good about Kathleen? Why does she deserve all the good things? Look at me! My leg is crippled, and my face is destroyed! I''ve lost everything! I''m going to take back everything that belongs to me. Including Samuel, the man who never spared me a nce despite how much I love him! It waste at night when Yareli returned to the quiet residence. She was about to head upstairs straight away without making any noise when the lights of the living room flicked open. She was taken aback as she reflexively lifted her hand to cover her eyes from the sudden brightness. An elegant figure stood on the second floor. She slowly put her hand down. ¡°What are you doing here, Kathleen?¡± ¡°Why can''t I be here? Granny has decided to move in with us tomorrow.¡± Kathleen''s tone was icy. ¡°What?¡± Yareli froze in shock. ¡°This is for the best. The Yoeger family is just using her, after all,¡± uttered Kathleen apathetically. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Also, Yoeger Group will be divided tomorrow. You guys can keep the main part. As for the rest, Granny will hand them over to me.¡± There was a solemn look in Kathleen''s dark eyes. ¡°What''s the meaning of this, Kathleen?¡± Yareli asked unhappily. The Yoeger family would be left with almost nothing if they lost the part that Frances owned. Kathleen responded indifferently, ¡±Then you should tell Vanessa that if it hadn''t been for my granny back then, you guys would''ve already been doomed. Now, Granny is old. She no longer wants to be part of this mess. Hence, this has to be done.¡± Yareli clenched her fists. D*mn it! She didn''t expect Kathleen to take such a drastic measure to deal with this matter. Kathleen uttered meaningfully, ¡°It''ste, Yareli. You should sleep early. There are a lot of things you need to deal with tomorrow. Oh, right. Congrattions on your marriage.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Yareli''splexion was pale as she gritted her teeth, holding back the urge to tear Kathleen apart. This woman always ruins everything for me! Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Treat You Horribly Kathleen returned to her room and sat on the bed. She arrived an hour ago and discussed the matter with Frances. Luckily, the old woman listened to anything she said. She decided to let Frances move in with her, as there was no way she was letting the old woman be trapped in a dangerous situation. Moreover, Yoeger Group would soon be divided. The Yoegers could deal with their assets however they wanted, but Kathleen was adamant about helping Frances regain everything that was rightfully hers.I will not let them have Granny''s assets! Hector''s actions alone proved that the Yoegers never valued Frances'' contributions to the family. All Kathleen wanted was for Frances to live her sunset years in peace. As for her children, she didn''t have to worry, as she could ask Samuel to stay and look after them for one night. Shey in bed and received a text from Samuel that read: How''s it going on your side? Kathleen replied: Everything''s going well. Are the kids asleep? He responded: Yeah, they''re asleep. She texted: Good. He replied: You should rest early, too. She typed: Okay. Justas she put her phone down and prepared to sleep, Samuel sent her another text message: I''ve turned down the marriage with Yareli. She texted back: I was wrong. I shouldn''t have forced you. You''re right; marriage isn''t child''s y. It''s not a tool that can be used. He replied: It''s good that you understand. Kathleen frowned in confusion. What does he mean? He sent another text message: You treated marriage as a joke five years ago. So why did you marry Caleb when you didn''t love him? She replied sheepishly: I''ve lost my memory. I can''t give you an answer even if I want to. He texted back: I like how memory loss is your excuse for everything. She pursed her lips. He''s kind of humorous sometimes. Momentster, he texted: Go to sleep. She rolled her eyes and replied: I was about to sleep. You were the one talking to me! A smile spread across his face as he could almost sense her irritation through the words on the screen. He was able to picture her angry expression as he texted: Did Iin when you summoned me back to look after the kids? She furrowed her brows and replied: I won''t need you anymore after I return tomorrow. He responded: Wow. Is this an act of discarding me after you''re done using me? Kathleen was speechless. Why does he make it sound like it''s my fault? Hence, she texted: Fine. I won''t ask you for help in the future anymore, okay? She wouldn''t have asked him for help if Charles wasn''t busy. Samuel''s thin lips curled into a smile as he texted back: Can''t you tell I''m joking? I just don''t want our rtionship to be too awkward. Before she put her phone down and went to sleep, she merely replied: Good night! While wearing a gloomy expression, he responded: Good night. Things would never return to the way it was, huh? The next morning, Kathleen woke up and checked the time on her phone. It was only six o''clock in the morning, but she found herself wide awake. Thus, she got up and went downstairs to check on Frances. After knocking on the door, she entered and saw Frances still asleep. She walked over, intending to leave after taking a look. That was when she caught sight of a bottle of sleeping pills and a letter on the old woman''s bedside table. Her whole body stiffened. ¡°Granny!¡± she eximed as she ced her finger beneath Frances'' nose to feel her breathing. When she didn''t feel anything, her mind began buzzing. ¡°Granny! Help! Someone!¡± she shrieked frantically. One of the maids rushed in. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Go get the car ready! Hurry!¡± Kathleen screamed hysterically. At a single nce, the maid could tell that something had happened to Frances. Without asking anything else, she immediately went to carry out Kathleen''s order. Kathleen held Frances in her arms and bawled in despair. Why did this happen? Why did Granny end her own life? Soon after, the maid returned and informed Kathleen, ¡°Ms. Johnson, the car is ready.¡± ¡°Help me!¡± Kathleen stuffed the letter into her pocket as the maid walked over and helped her carry Frances into the car.She sped all the way to the hospital, but it was toote. Frances had already passed away. She had already stopped breathing when they reached the hospital. When the doctor announced Frances'' death, Kathleen sat motionlessly on the chair in a state of complete shock. Samuel was the first to arrive. When he saw Kathleen''s dejected look, he approached and embraced her. ¡°Kate?¡± Kathleen threw herself into his arms and hugged his neck, bawling like a baby. He hugged her tight and allowed her to vent her emotions. Charles came next, and then there was Wynnie and Calvin. Initially, Diana wanted toe as well, but they didn''t let her, for fear that she wouldn''t be able to handle the sorrow of losing her friend. The way Kathleen was weeping in misery broke everyone''s hearts. Charles looked at Samuel and said, ¡°Why don''t you bring her back first?¡± Wynnie walked over. ¡°I''ve asked someone to send the kids back home.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Samuel nodded and looked down at Kathleen, who was in his arms. ¡°I''ll bring you back first, okay?¡± ¡°No. I want to stay.¡± Kathleen shook her head, her soft and fair hands clutching the man''s cor. She sobbed piteously, her eyes and nose red from all the crying. Samuel''s heart ached as he looked at her tear-stricken face. ¡°All right then.¡± He then shook his head at Charles, indicating they should allow her to stay. When Frances was pushed out of the operating room, her head was covered with a white sheet. Kathleen approached, wanting to take a look. The doctor knew what she wanted and allowed her to take onest look at her grandmother. As she lifted the white sheet and looked at the old woman''s peaceful expression, tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Granny... It''s all my fault. I should''ve let you know that I''m your granddaughter sooner. Why did you do this?¡± Kathleen''s voice turned hoarse. Everything was fine just one day ago. She couldn''t fathom why something like this happened. As she sobbed, Samuel held her arm and supported her. All of a sudden, her heart clenched, and she cked out. ¡°Kate!¡± Samuel caught her in time. The doctor shouted, ¡°Quick, send her to a ward!¡± Samuel carried her and sent her into one of the wards for the doctor to do a checkup on her. ¡°She passed out due to extreme grief. Let her rest, and make sure she doesn''t have any more emotional fluctuations,¡± said the doctor. Samuel nodded. ¡°All right.¡± After the doctor left, Samuel pulled the covers for Kathleen. As he took her hand and looked at her delicate but pale face, his soulful eyes were filled with heartache. Kathleen woke up in the evening. She didn''t know how long she had been unconscious, but she felt lethargic. ¡°You''re awake?¡± Samuel''s deep voice sounded. She looked over at him. ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± ¡°You''ve been asleep for the whole day,¡± he answered. ¡°My granny...¡± She frowned. He ced his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don''t worry. Charles and my parents are handling everything.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Thank them for me.¡± ¡°I will.¡± His voice sounded slightly raspy. ¡°Where are my shoes? I want to go home.¡± She gazed at him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°I''ll help you.¡± He took her shoes and wanted to help her put them on. ¡°It''s okay. I''ll do it myself.¡± She furrowed her brows.His big hands enveloped her feet. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Subsequently, he helped her put on her shoes in a gentle manner. All of a sudden, he realized something. ¡°Kate, back then, I thought I treated you nice enough. But now, as I helped you put on your shoes, I realized that I had treated you horribly,¡± he uttered gruffly.. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Pointless To Regret Kathleen titled her head. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± She did not care much about it, after all. Samuel froze as he felt his heart wrench. Then, he replied bitterly,, ¡°Is that so??¡± ¡°Let''s go.¡± Kathleen got out of the bed. Samuel followed her silently as they exited the room. He was exuding an indescribable sense of iciness. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, Kathleen could sense that he was trying hard to suppress his emotions. Yet, she was not in a good mood to mull over what he actually had in mind. Soon, they arrived in front of the elevator.The elevator stopped right on the level they were at. The elevator doors opened, and Charles walked out. As soon as he saw Kathleen, he furrowed his brows. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I''ve been fine the whole time.¡± Kathleen stared at Charlesintently. ¡°Charles, why are you here?¡± ¡°Hmm... I came here to discuss this with you. Granny''s funeral will be held at the Johnson residence instead of the Yoeger residence. Granny had done enough for the Yoeger family, and they had wronged her. I don''t want to have Granny buried with the Yoeger family even after she has passed away,¡± Charles stated frigidly. They only felt disgusted at the mention of the Yoeger family. Kathleen gave a slight nod. ¡°You''re right.¡± ¡°I''ll make the arrangements then,¡± said Charles. ¡°All right. Let''s go.¡± Kathleen nodded. Charles nced at Samuel before turning around. Then, three of them took the elevator downstairs. After leaving the hospital, they went to Charles'' ce. The mourning hall was all set up in just a day.Many people came to pay theirst respects. Some of them had been friends with Frances for more than decades. Diana had been there since that afternoon, and she had not left since then. Kathleen walked toward Diana. It was the first time they met after so long. Diana''s eyes were red-rimmed as she looked at Kathleen. ¡°Kate.¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, thank you foring to be with my granny in her final moment.¡± Diana replied sadly, ¡°Your granny and I were really close friends. I surely have to be here to send her off.¡± Kathleen lowered her gaze and nodded. Diana let out a sigh. She was definitely aware of the drastic change in Kathleen aspared to before. Kathleen used to be a really sweet and gentledy, but now, she seemed aloof and distant. It would be impossible for Diana not to feel sad at the change. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, it''s gettingte. You should head back and get some rest. You''re getting on in years. If anything were to happen to you, we couldn''t afford to bear the consequences,¡± Kathleen advised calmly. Diana certainly knew that she would trouble them to take care of her if she was there. In fact, she only wanted to meet Kathleen for a while. ¡°Okay,¡± Diana replied with a nod. She rose to her feet and reached out her wrinkled hand to grab Kathleen''s. ¡°I''m leaving then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen''s voice sounded a little hoarse. Diana released her grip and shed a faint smile. Then, the housekeeper helped her out of the ce. ¡°Mom, I''ll see you off.¡± Wynnie followed behind. Momentster, Diana got into the car outside. Wynnie hesitated for a brief moment before she blurted out, ¡°Mom, I guess Kate...¡± ¡°Wynn, it''s pretty good to see Kate like this too,¡± Dianaforted. Wynnie was stunned. ¡°Think about it. Weren''t we the reasons why Kate couldn''t cut ties with Samuel? Just leave everything as it is now,¡± Diana said seriously. Wynnie nodded. ¡°I know. I didn''t mean to pressure Kate too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Diana let out a sigh before she continued, ¡°I didn''t expect Frances to do something foolish. Just yesterday, she called me and told me to take good care of Kate. So this was what she meant.¡± Diana could only me herself for not giving her words much thought at that time. ¡°Mom, don''t worry. I''ll help them with Old Mrs. Yoeger''s funeral,¡± Wynnie assured. ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± came Diana''s reply. Wynnie then closed the car door for her. Sitting in the car, Diana sighed again. The housekeeperforted, ¡°I guess you don''t feel good too, right?¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± Diana''s eyes turned red. ¡°Kate always liked to be around me in the past. She didn''t even visit me this time when she came back. Moreover, she wasn''t acting as close to me as she did back then.¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson lost her memory, but she''s Mr. Eil and Ms. Desi''s mother. She is still connected to the Macari family no matter what,¡± said the housekeeper. ¡°I know. I''m not ming her either. Maybe it would''ve been better if I hadn''t made her marry Samuel last time,¡± Diana said faintly. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari, it has already been so long, so it''s pointless to regret now.¡± The housekeeper was helpless too. If Nicolette had not gotten in between them, Samuel and Kathleen would surely live a happy life. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Diana ordered softly. Only then did the driver start the engine and drive off. In the meantime, there were not many people in the mourning hall to pay their respect. Kathleen shot Charles a sidelong nce and asked, ¡°Has Zacharye?¡± ¡°Of course. He cried for a bit pretentiously and left after pretending to pass out,¡± Charles said sarcastically. ¡°What about Yareli? Was she not here?¡± Kathleen''s brows settled into a frown. ¡°She was here much earlier, but she left after a while,¡± replied Charles. ¡°That''s strange.¡± The crease between her brows deepened. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Samuel and Charles looked at her. ¡°I went to the Yoeger residence yesterday and bumped into her at midnight. Considering how she treated me in the past, she wouldn''t have been so calm when she saw me at the Yoeger residence yesterday,¡± Kathleen stated tly. ¡°She''s a psycho, and we shouldn''t be surprised by whatever she does. However, you''d better be careful if she seemed that calm.¡± Charles was worried. A sullen look crept over Samuel''s face. ¡°I''ve already sent someone to keep an eye on her.¡± Kathleen looked at him in shock. ¡°Just today?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± Samuel''s captivating eyes turned icy-cold. Yesterday? That was after I talked to Lauren on the phone. ¡°Just keep an eye on her for now, then.¡± After a moment''s pause, Kathleen continued, ¡°Did she bring up the marriage with you?¡± ¡°Yes, she did. She said Vanessa would be at the wedding, but I told her off.¡± Samuel''s voice was frosty. ¡°It''s good that you rejected her. I shouldn''t have forced you to marry her. Now that Granny has passed away, the Yoeger family will have no choice but to split the assets. Zachary and Yareli will share what''s left. Judging by Yareli''s ability, she probably can''t take charge of the Yoeger family''s affairs, and Vanessa will definitely do something when she can no longer stand it,¡± exined Kathleen. ¡°I guess we will have to get this matter sorted out as soon as possible.¡± Charles knew Kathleen was trying to force Vanessa toe back. Kathleen responded with a nod. Knitting her brows, she asked, ¡°Charles, is anyone taking care of things at my house?¡± Charles replied patiently, ¡°Amelia and the others are there. Moreover¡ª¡± Just then, Kathleen''s phone rang. She picked up the phone and heard Amelia''s feeble voice. ¡°Ms. Johnson, someone took Zion away.¡± A cold glint flitted across Kathleen''s eyes. ¡°I''ll be there right away!¡± She ced her phone down and said solemnly, ¡°As expected, Dorothy has made her move.¡± Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Your Last Name Is Not Yoeger Kathleen told Charles not to follow her. They would need someone to take care of things at the funeral, too, as they could not possibly pass all the chores to Wynnie and Calvin. In a low voice, Samuel offered, ¡°I''ll go with you.¡± A hesitant look appeared on Kathleen''s delicate face. Samuel tugged at her and headed out, not leaving a chance for her to turn him down. After getting into the car, Samuel tried his best to hide the menacing look in his eyes. ¡°I''m not trying to force you or anything. However, if you¡¯re clearly aware that the Hoover family is coming after you, don¡¯t stop mefrom helping you.¡± Kathleen pursed her red lips. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel turned around and stated directly, ¡°Kathleen, I can put up with everything you do, but if you choose to put yourself at risk, I''ll need to stay by your side. I don''t want Eil and Desi to resent me their whole life for failing to protect you.¡± Initially, Kathleen wanted to retort, but she held her tongue upon hearing those serious words from him. There was nothing else Kathleen could say when it came to the matters rted to their children. Seeing that she did not refute, Samuel finally felt the tension in his body subside a little. ¡°Can we leave now?¡± Kathleen asked cautiously. The next instant, Samuel started the engine. Kathleen let out a sigh without saying a word. How terrifying! Samuel looks the scariest when he is furious. Soon, they arrived at Kathleen''s house. In fact, Samuel had arranged for some of his subordinates to guard Kathleen''s house too. They did not get to inform Samuel in time, not because they were not carrying out their duties, but because all of them had been knocked out. One of them even died after suffering severe injury. Those people were going too far. At the same time, Samuel had sent another group of people over. When Kathleen and Samuel went in, there was someone examining Amelia and the others. ¡°Amelia, are you okay?¡± Kathleen hurried over. Amelia shook her head. ¡°I''m fine.¡± Knitting her brows, Kathleen asked worriedly, ¡°What exactly happened?¡± ¡°A group of people broke in and knocked us out. Just when I was still in a daze, I saw them taking Zion away. I wanted to call you, but I didn''t have the strength to do so. So, I immediately contacted you as soon as I regained my consciousness,¡± Amelia exined. Kathleen merely replied with a nod. Then, she turned around and headed to Zion''s room. The room doesn''t look messy, so they weren''t searching for anything. I guess they took Zion away directly. Just then, Samuel''s phone rang. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± As soon as he finished his words, he ended the call. After that, he walked toward Kathleen and said, ¡°My men found Dorothy''s car. She has gone to Quilton.¡± ¡°Did she drive there?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. Samuel nodded in response. ¡°It might not be true. She knows we will definitely save Zion, so she purposely exposed her trail and allowed us to discover her car. But the people in the car might not be her and Zion,¡± Kathleen reasoned composedly. Seemingly unconcerned, Samuel replied tly, ¡°Don''t worry. I have enough manpower. I''ll send a group of them to trail after this car, and another group of people will continue to look for her around Jadeborough.¡± After mulling over his n, Kathleen asked, ¡°Are there any ces in Jadeborough that we''ve possibly neglected?¡± ¡°It must be a ce where the people know about your rtionship with the Hoover family, yet it''s a ce that we couldn''t think of,¡± analyzed Samuel. A sharp glint shed across Kathleen''s eyes. ¡°Let''s go to the Yoeger residence!¡± At the same time, Samuel thought of the Yoeger residence, too. Dorothy must be waiting for the storm to be over. Then, she could secretly take Zion away without them noticing. During this period, the ce she was going to hide with Zion would be a concern. Since Samuel''s men had been searching for them, Dorothy definitely would not bring Zion to hotels or other ces. There could only be someone in Jadeborough who could help to hide their trails. Most importantly, those people must know about their rtionship with the Hoover family. Samuel and Kathleen could only think of the Yoeger family after mulling everything over. Vanessa definitely knew about this. So, it''s impossible that Zachary and Yareli have no idea about it. Kathleen fell into deep thought, and the Yoeger family crossed her mind. Of course, Samuel had the same assumption in mind too. Without any dy, they drove to the Yoeger residence. The lights were on in the Yoeger residence. Kathleen got out of the car and rang the doorbell. No one came to open the door for her even after a long time. Kathleen let out a sarcastic chuckle. They''re making things even more obvious now. As she was thinking about how to open the door, Samuel came over. ¡°I''ll do it.¡± He pulled Kathleen away and shot right at the electronic lock. The lock was damaged in an instant, and the door opened. Kathleen was a little guilty. What a violent man! Samuel darted into the house and searched every room. Just then, Yareli walked out of her room and stared at Kathleen and Samuel apathetically. ¡°Kathleen, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Is there any issues with meing back to my own house?¡± Kathleen refuted. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Your house? Mind that yourst name is not Yoeger!¡± Yareli fumed. ¡°It''s true that I''m not a Yoeger, but this house is mine.¡± Kathleen shed her a half-smile. ¡°What did you say?¡± Yareli frowned. Kathleen exined calmly, ¡°Granny made a will. Since she passed away, this house now belongs to me. You''re staying at my ce, yet you didn''t open the door when I rang the doorbell. I had no choice but to break in. Is there anything to do with you when I break my own house door?¡± Enraged, Yareli gritted her teeth. ¡°You''re just making things up!¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°Even if I don''t, I''m already in.¡± Yareli''s face grew sullen. Obviously, she is no longer the old Kathleen from the past. Kathleen ascended the stairs as she called out, ¡°Aren''t you moving out of my way?¡± ¡°Kathleen, you''d better not go too far!¡± Yareli was burning in fury. With her eyes full of disdain, Kathleen looked into Yareli''s eyes intently. Yareli felt uneasy under Kathleen''s intimidating gaze. She looked away and said, ¡°Kathleen Johnson, if you try to break in forcefully, I''ll call the police!¡± Looking unfazed, Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Call the police, then.¡± The next second, she pushed Yareli away. Yareli lost her bnce and fell. At that moment, Samuel was following behind Kathleen. Yareli grabbed his arm andined pitifully, ¡°Samuel, look at what she''s doing.¡± Samuel retracted his arm from her grasp and replied coldly, ¡°What''s wrong with what she''s doing?¡± His reply left Yareli in a daze. Kathleen searched room by room and eventually found Dorothy. However, there was only Dorothy in the room. ¡°Ms. Johnson, aren''t you sleeping at such ate hour?¡± A hint of panic appeared on Dorothy''s face. ¡°There''s a guest here. Naturally, I shoulde over and greet her,¡± answered Kathleen. ¡°Haha... I heard what you said just now. So this is your home,¡± Dorothy replied nonchntly. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen walked over casually and opened the closet. A dash of concern shed across Dorothy''s eyes. Samuel turned sideways and said to his subordinates, ¡°Search around the second floor. Do not miss a single corner in every room.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Dorothy was all worked up as she voiced, ¡°Ms. Johnson, since you don''t wee me here, I''ll leave then.¡± Immediately after saying that, she grabbed her bag and was about to leave. Kathleen pulled her bag and put on a cold grin. ¡°This is not how I treat my guest. Since you''re already here, just stayfortably.¡± Upon hearing that, Dorothy questioned implicitly, ¡°Ms. Johnson, what are you trying to do now, though?¡± Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Why Did You Save Me ¡°I''m looking for something, but I forgot in which room I ced it. Ms. Cartwright, don¡¯t mind me.I''ll leave after I finish searching,¡± Kathleen exined indifferently. She had checked allthe cabs and even the bathrooms. Yet, she found nothing. Dorothy wore an unfathomable grin as she questioned, ¡°Have you found it?¡± Kathleen shook her head. Meanwhile, Samuel''s men came back from searching around the house too, yet they did not manage to find anything. A cold grin shed across Kathleen''s beautiful face. ¡°Since I couldn''t find it, I''ll stop searching around. I hope you wouldn''t mind, Ms. Cartwright.¡± Dorothy stared at Kathleen for a long while. When she came and saw me just now, she didn''t even mention anything about Zion. Thisdy is merely in her twenties, yet she could stay thisposed. She''s truly a prudent person. Dorothy came to a realization that she had met a strong opponent. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Kathleen turned to Samuel. He replied with a nod. Then, they came out of Dorothy''s room. At the same time, Zachary had rushed back too. Infuriated, he asked anxiously, ¡°What''s going on? Yareli told me that this mansion has be yours.¡± ¡°Granny had that written in her will. When she got married to Old Mr. Yoeger back then, he had given the house to Granny. The owner''s name of this property had already been changed to Granny''s a long time ago,¡± Kathleen exined without a tinge of emotions. ¡°What?¡± Zachary was startled. ¡°ording to Granny''s will, this house will be given to me.¡± After a brief pause, Kathleen continued, ¡°Oh, you will get a little share of it.¡± Zachary frowned. ¡°I don''t trust you!¡± ¡°That''s up to you, then. If you think there are any issues with the will, you can always find yourself a lawyer. I''m ready to go to court.¡± Hearing that, Zachary knew that Kathleen must have hired awyer. He supposed that thewyer she engaged was most likely Samuel''s mother, Wynnie. Wynnie was an outstandingwyer, and she had never lost in any cases. Gnashing his teeth, Zachary eximed, ¡°My father shouldn''t have married her back then!¡± ¡°Haha! The Yoeger family was begging her to marry your father. Your family was so incapable. Besides, my granny didn''t im your things as her own. Back then, she even allowed you guys to manage the company on your own, but you guys messed it up. My granny helped thepany through the crisis with her dowry and saved the Yoeger family''s reputation from being tarnished. Not only that you''re not grateful for her contribution, but you even made such a remark about her. How shameless!¡± Kathleen taunted mercilessly. ¡°You!¡± Zachary was fuming. Kathleen smiled contemptuously and added, ¡°Of course, if you like this house that much, I can sell it to you at a lower price. Even if Granny did give it to me, I don''t feel like moving in. After all, a bunch of vengeful ghosts has lived here before. I''m afraid that I''ll have nightmares.¡± Zachary felt the rage pulsing through his veins. He reached out and wanted to grab Kathleen''s wrist. Samuel strode forward and stopped right before Zachary. His voice was cold as he questioned, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Zachary felt a sense of guilt. In truth, Zachary only dared toy his hand on Kathleen because she was a woman. Yet, Samuel was better than him in terms of strength and physique. Zachary backed down sheepishly in an instant. Kathleen reached out to pull Samuel''s sleeve. ¡°Don''t care about him. Let''s go.¡± Samuel grabbed Kathleen''s hand in turn. Nodding, he left with Kathleen. When they walked past Yareli, thetter''s gaze fell upon their hands that sped tightly together. A ferocious look flitted across Yareli''s eyes. Kathleen and Samuel walked out of the house. The former''s face grew solemn. ¡°Why couldn''t we find him?¡± ¡°She probably hid Zion somewhere else,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen gave him a slight nod as she pondered over that possibility. It''s possible. Perhaps, we can only get someone to keep an eye on Dorothy all day. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Kathleen let out a sigh. After taking a few steps forward, Samuel questioned, ¡°That car belongs to Dorothy, right?¡± Kathleen stopped in her tracks and stared at the car in front of the garage. ¡°I think so.¡± Samuel''s gaze darkened as he pulled Kathleen over. Baffled, Kathleen blinked and asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Open the trunk,¡± Samuel instructed his subordinates. They came over, got the tools needed, and were ready to pry open it. Just then, Dorothy hastily ran out of the mansion. Kathleen''s eyes darkened as realization dawned upon her. After they opened the trunk, they saw Zion lying inside. His face was a white as a sheet. Kathleen ced her hand under his nose. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He''s still breathing.¡± Samuel instantly carried Zion out from the trunk and headed to his own car while Kathleen followed behind him. After taking a few steps, she stopped next to Dorothy. ¡°At the end of the day, both of you are rted by blood. What could you gain from using him?¡± Dorothy''s face turned pale. A sense of aloofness shrouded Kathleen as she turned around and left. Then, Kathleen got into the car. Samuel immediately drove to the hospital. As soon as they arrived at the hospital, the doctor began the emergency treatment at once. Fortunately, the doctor managed to save Zion. Kathleen and Samuel went to visit him in the ward. At that moment, Zion was awake. Staring at Kathleen, he asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Kathleen looked at him impassively. ¡°I feel sorry for you.¡± Zion replied dismissively, ¡°I don''t need you to pity me. I only want to die.¡± Kathleen grabbed his hand and took the crumpled flower in his palm. ¡°Why?¡± Zion paused for a second. ¡°Did Desi give this to you?¡± asked Kathleen. Zion threw it away. ¡°I took it somewhere randomly.¡± ¡°You don''t actually wish to die, right? If you want to live, then stop with this attitude of yours! If not, I''ll end you before Dorothy and the others make their moves!¡± Kathleen threatened apathetically. Zion was stunned. ¡°As a doctor, I only want to save those who have the will to live. If you don''t, I''ll leave right now.¡± Zion remained silent. ¡°Let''s go, Samuel!¡± Kathleen tugged at Samuel and was about to leave. Right then, Kathleen felt someone gripping the edge of her shirt. She looked down and stared at Zion. Zion''s voice sounded raspy as he confessed, ¡°I... don''t want to die, but they will never let me go. I will only bring you a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Well, trouble is thest thing I fear.¡± Kathleen''s brows settled into a deep frown. ¡°Kathleen, I''m not rted to the Hoover family. My mom didn''t get pregnant back then. She adopted me from somewhere,¡± Zion cried miserably. Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I''m telling the truth. They only used me because there''s something unique about my body. In order to treat that person, they fed me a lot of medicines. But I managed to survive. Actually, there were a few others who underwent the drug trials, but all of them died. I''m the only one who survived.¡± Kathleen could not believe what she had just heard. ¡°Are you for real?¡± Zion nodded. ¡°Yes. Please be careful, Kathleen. I heard from Grandpa that Desi''s body is unique too, and the Hoover family is targeting her now. That was why I thought Desi would be safe if I went instead.¡± Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Posthumous Letter ¡°Ha! Thanks, but no thanks,¡± said Kathleen tly. ¡°My daughter doesn¡¯t require protection from a small bean like you.¡± Huh? Asmall what? Her crude remark rendered Zion speechless. Why was I regarded as a small bean? ¡°It''s way too early for you to act as someone else''s protector.¡± A half-smile was all Kathleen could muster at best. Zion grunted in response and shut his eyes. ¡°Anyway, I''m pretty grateful for your help.¡± Kathleen expressed her appreciation in the end. Even so, Zion refused to say anything to her. Kathleen then turned to look at Samuel and prompted, ¡°Let''s head out.¡± Samuel gave her a nod and did her bidding. As soon as they exited the ward, they were greeted by four bodyguards in ck suits. Of course, it was Samuel who had arranged for those bodyguards to stay on guard. That would make sense, for Kathleen didn''t have that many underlings. Therefore, she had no choice but to rely on Samuel for the time being. As for Charles, his subordinates were all in Zadiff. On top of that, most of them were members of Blissful Sect. Charles had to refrain from bringing the power from Blissful Sect into y just for Kathleen''s sake. Raymond and his gang were coveting Kathleen, after all. More urately, they had their eyes on Kathleen''s capability. Just like Theodore and the others, all of them had only intended to make her their very own magic money tree. ¡°Let''s go now.¡± There were traces of exhaustion on Kathleen''s face. The coldness was apparent on Samuel''s handsome and chiseled face as he inclined his head. Soon after, they arrived at Charles'' mansion. Just as Kathleen was about to get out of the car, she caught a glimpse of Samuel''s movement as the latter seemed to be following suit. Immediately, she sped his hand, stopping him from unbuckling his seat belt. With her palm over his hand, Samuel could feel her overflowing warmth spreading through his own cold hand. He gazed at her with his obsidian-like eyes, asking, ¡°What''s the matter?¡± ¡°Today''s been rough.Why don''t you head back home first?¡± suggested Kathleen as she released her grip. A hint of displeasure then emerged on Samuel¡¯sface. ¡°You cane again tomorrow.¡± Kathleen was flustered. ¡°Don''t get me wrong. I''m not burning any bridges here.¡± Ha! An icy expression formed on Samuel''s face. He retracted his hands from the seat belt before uttering with a chilling tone, ¡°Is there a parade of people residing in Charles'' mansion?¡± Kathleen was caught off guard by his inquiry. Getting no response from her, Samuel scoffed, ¡°If not, it must be haunted.¡± Feeling speechless, Kathleen relented and dropped herment. ¡°You can stay here if you insist, but I assure you that it''s not going to be asfortable as being in your own home.¡± With that, she got out of the car. Watching her leave, Samuel narrowed his frosty yet sparkling eyes to slits. She has quite the temper, huh? But since she''s given me her approval to stay as I wish, I might as well do just that. He then exited the car. In the meantime, Kathleen already set her foot in the ever-so- quiet mansion. At that moment, only Charles and one of his subordinates were present at the mourning hall. Kathleen walked over and looked at flowers in the hall. Charles'' curiosity got the better of him as he posed a query. ¡°Did you find who you were searching for?¡± Kathleen nodded to signal her answer. She then asked, ¡°Where are Mr. and Mrs. Macari?¡± ¡°We''ve troubled them enough. I told them to go home to get some rest.¡± Charles sounded rather impassive. ¡°How''s it going?¡± ¡°Don''t worry. Dorothy didn''t let anything out of her mouth,¡± exined Kathleen. ¡°Some nerve she has, don''t you think? Don''t tell me you''re letting her off the hook just like that?¡± Charles was baffled. Right then, Samuel came inside. Hearing the nearing footsteps, Charles turned to look at the source, only to sh theer an inexplicable visage. Kathleen bit her lip upon witnessing Samuel''s presence. ¡°I can''t believe he actually came in.¡± ¡°From what I can see, you can''t get rid of him,¡± teased Charles. Kathleen said nothing while fishing out the letter that she had been keeping in her pocket. It was a letter penned by herte grandmother. In a sh, Charles could already recognize the handwriting on the letter. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°It''s lying on the cab next to Granny''s bed,¡± replied Kathleen. Charles knitted his brows. ¡°No wonder you''re not even one bit dubious about her passing.¡± ¡°Nah... A letter doesn''t prove anything. Perhaps she hadn''t been forced to swallow the sleeping pills. Then again, we wouldn''t know if there was anybody mentioning anything else to her before her demise.¡± As Charles listened to his sister''s words, he was taken aback. ¡°It''s just like what Vivian had been through,¡± added Kathleen as she lowered her gaze, concealing her emotions. Then came Charles'' hoarse voice. ¡°What''s written on it?¡± Unfolding the letter, Kathleen began reading aloud its content. ¡°Charlie, Kate, when the two of you read this letter, I must''ve already gone with the wind. Don''t grieve for me. I''ve long expected this. I''m also not in pain, so you don''t have to be upset. I''ve fallen for the wrong men in this lifetime. Be it Trevor or Hector, none of them have been truthful to me. It''s okay, though, because I don''t regret my decisions. I owed only to your mom, Reba.¡± Kathleen paused for a bit before going on, ¡°Not only have I never carried her in my arms, but I was also never given the chance to watch her grow up and build a family of her own. Despite these regrets, I''m finally going to meet her, hug her, and tell her how much I''ve missed her. Kate, I know you''re aware of the Hoover family. Even though that family blood runs deep in you and your brother, I want both of you to know that you have my permission toy a finger on them if they ever try to put you both in harm''s way.¡± She then arrived at a suspenseful sentence. ¡°Also, ry my message to Samuel.¡± Kathleen stopped making a sound abruptly as she spared a sidelong nce at Samuel. Thetter met her gaze. ¡°Say it.¡± His dark eyes were as deep as the oceanic abyss. Hanging her head low, Kathleen proceeded. ¡°Samuel, when some opportunities were missed, they would never be provided again. Kate is my precious granddaughter, so I guess she more or less inherits my character. If she''s been utterly disappointed, you would never be able to make amends and salvage the entrance to her heart. Let her go, please.¡± At the end of the letter was Frances'' signature. Samuel''s attractive face was still giving off a rather faint yet imposing vibe. He appeared to be emotionless. No words came from his mouth. ¡°That''s all.¡± With that said, Kathleen kept away the letter. ¡°Hmm... It seems as though Granny really didn''te across anyone or anything recently.¡± A glum look washed over Charles'' face. ¡°I think so.¡± Kathleen''s eyes began to water. ¡°I don''t understand... Why did she end her life like that?¡± Her brother patted her shoulder and consoled her, ¡°Maybe she had finally epted to be at peace with herself. Or, maybe she hade to realize that there was no more reason for her to keep going on.¡± Deep down, Kathleen was moaning in pain. Charles reminisced about the past. ¡°Ever since you got into trouble, Granny had been missing you dearly. She often got hung up unwittingly on you when she looked at Eil and Desi. Now that you''re back, the kids have you around, so maybe she figured it was about time.¡± Kathleen sniffled and tried to retort. ¡°So what gives? She still had us by her side.¡± At that juncture, a ck checkered pattern handkerchief came into her sight. Running her gaze along the man''s slender hand, Kathleen eventually met his eyes. ¡°Thanks.¡± She grabbed the handkerchief to wipe her tears away. ¡°Old Mrs. Yoeger hadn''t been in the pink of health for a very long time,¡± Samuel piped up with his deep voice. ¡°In particr, her condition had worsened recently. My grandma even told me that Old Mrs. Yoeger confessed to her that she couldn''t even remember stuff sometimes. Worst still, she also couldn''t cater to her own needs. She didn''t want to be stripped of her dignity before breathing herst.¡± Kathleen was startled by that sudden revtion. ¡°Everybody has their own take on life. To your granny, she must''ve deemed her decision the best one,¡± comforted Samuel. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°I still don''t think she''d be willing to depart from this world, especially when the incident with the Hoovers had just gotten blown up. Not only was she cheated on by Trevor, but she was also used by Hector and got separated from her child. She had never wished for any of that. I bet she simply wanted to avoid staying intertwined with the Hoovers, knowing that we would someday send the Hoovers packing. Even so, I don''t suppose she would''ve taken this path.¡± Something doesn''t add up. Holding his sister''s shoulder, Charles borated on his view instead. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Kate, it could also be that Granny was exhausted with all this, considering her age. Like what Samuel said, it was her decision.¡± Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Chapter 377: They Are Not Yoegers Kathleen nodded. Charles instructed, ¡°It''s gettingte. Go on and head to sleep. Don¡¯t Forget thatyou''re still injured.¡± ¡°I''m all right,¡± replied Kathleen with a shake of her head. She added, ¡°My injuries have long healed, Charles. Why don''t you letme stay up to keep watch? You should rest.¡± ¡°There''s no need. You can get some rest. I''m still around.¡± Given that he was her brother, there was no way that he could allow her to stay up and watch over him all night. ¡°All right then,¡± conceded Kathleen as she yawned widely. She added, ¡°I''ll drop by again tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded his head in acknowledgment. With that, Kathleen rose to her feet and dered, ¡°I''ll be heading off to bed then.¡± Following that, she proceeded up the stairs without sparing so much as a second nce at Samuel. For his part, Samuel merely sat there motionless and did not react to her departure. ¡°What do you want to talk to me about?¡± asked Charles slowly. However, Samuel merely shook his head silently. He had only stayed back as he wasn''t feeling particrly sleepy. Faced with such silence, Charles finally rose to his feet and walked over to sit next to Samuel. After a brief pause, Charles asked, ¡°I don''t think you need me to exin what my granny was getting at with her words earlier, do you? Deep down, you should know as well.¡± As per before, Samuel did not say a single word in response. Charles was egged on and slowly added, ¡°Since you understand, then from today onward, shouldn''t you¡ª¡± ¡°What if she isn''t disappointed in me?¡± countered Samuel suddenly. Charles was caught off guard momentarily. He gazed at Samuel with a long and meaningful look before he replied, ¡°Are you seriously suggesting that you haven''t given up by now?¡± ¡°I''ll never give up for the rest of my life,¡± replied Samuel in a low voice. ¡°I''ll keep at it until I meet my end. It''s just that I don''t want to force her anymore.¡± ¡°Well, I can''t force you. The choice is yours. After all, I''m sure Kate won''t fall in love with you,¡± replied Charles casually. ¡°She''s not like how she was before. Haven''t you realized that she doesn''t care too much about you these days?¡± ¡°I don''t need you to remind me of that. You can stay up by yourself,¡± replied Samuel tersely as he suddenly stood up in defiance. Charles paused for a moment in surprise before he lightlymented, ¡°I couldn''t tell at first, but it seems like you wanted to apany me just now.¡± Samuel''s expression was icy cold as he replied, ¡°You''re thinking too much. I just wanted some time to myself so I could organize my thoughts. It''s just that you''re too irksome.¡± With that, he turned and proceeded to take his leave. As he did so, his gaze suddenly flickered upward, and he saw a figure swiftly disappear from sight on the second floor. He pressed his thin lips together lightly as he wondered if Kathleen had been eavesdropping on them the entire time. On the second floor, Kathleen quickly returned to her room and shut the door behind her. She pressed her back firmly against the door as she strained her ears to pick up any sound of movement from the other side of the door. Soon enough, she picked up on the increasingly vivid sound of approaching footsteps. Samuel came to a stop right before her door and spoke in his usual low voice. ¡°You can just ask me directly if you would like to know what I''m thinking. You don''t have to be so furtive or sneaky about it.¡± She maintained her silence and pretended as if she hadn''t heard anything. Samuel paused for a moment in thought before he finally said, ¡°Good night.¡± With that, he turned and headed into the neighboring room. The second he disappeared, Kathleen immediately heaved a heavy sigh of relief, and her shoulders sagged as all tension left her body. She knew that there were moments when a direct conversation would not reveal the truth, and this was one of them. Two dayster, Frances'' funeral was sessfully conducted in an extremely low-profile manner. Once the funeral proceedings hade to an end, Charles turned to Zachary and Yareli and said, ¡°We''ll head over to the Yoeger residence with thewyerter on so that we canmence with the reading of Granny''s will.¡± Zachary asked coldly, ¡°Do you really intend to disband and break up Yoeger Group?¡± Charles smiled wryly as he replied, ¡°You''ll find out when we head over to the Yoeger residence.¡± With that, he strode away coolly from the pair. Kathleen prepared to take her leave as well. Elsewhere, Yareli strode over to stop right in front of Samuel, where she quietly began, ¡°Samuel, about the wedding...¡± ¡°I don''t want to marry you,¡± he replied tly. She was taken aback and demanded, ¡°What did you say? You clearly promised me just yesterday.¡± ¡°That was before. Don''t you know that things change?¡± questioned Samuel icily. At this, a glimmer of hate suddenly shed across Yareli''s eyes. However, Samuel simply strode off alone. Yareli nced to the side and looked at Kathleen with pure hatred in her eyes. Thetter sarcastically asked, ¡°What are you ring at me for?¡± Yareli scoffed before she pursed her lips and replied, ¡°You must have said something to Samuel.¡± Kathleen merely rolled her eyes and looked at Yareli''s legs before she turned to leave. Kathleen''s sudden movement caught Yareli utterly by surprise, and a tinge of panic appeared on her face. Did she discover something? Ah... I''ll think about thister. I have to rush back to the Yoeger residence first to find out exactly what was written in that will! Over at the Yoeger residence, Zachary sat nervously on the couch as he pondered exactly how much of the assets would be allocated to him. At that moment, he felt rather helpless, for he had always failed in his business ventures and simply paled inparison to Vanessa when it came to raw capability. Zachary knew full well what he truly amounted to, which was why he was this desperate to find out precisely how much he could stand to gain from the division of assets. Meanwhile, Yareli was the picture of calmness despite the worry that clouded her heart. On the other hand, both Kathleen and Charles were perfectlyposed. They simply didn''t care about what they could potentially gain following Frances''s passing. Wynnie was thewyer ced in charge of reading Frances''s will. This was something that Kathleen didn''t find particrly strange at all. Wynnie gazed out at everyone seated in the living room and lightly cleared her throat. Following that, she began, ¡°I''m here to read out thest will and testament of Old mrs.Yoeger, also known as Frances Schott. As per her request, the following six individuals are required to be present: Charles Johnson, Kathleen Johnson, Em Macari, Desiree Macari, Zachary Yoeger, and Yareli Yoeger.¡± Em Macari and Desiree Macari were the actual names of Eil and Desi respectively. Kathleen was a little surprised as she blurted out, ¡°Desi and Eil as well?¡± ¡°You''re their parent, so it''s all right for you to listen in on their behalf since they aren''t around,¡± stated Wynnie. Kathleen nodded and replied, ¡°All right.¡± Wynnie cleared her throat and continued, ¡°ording to the prenuptial agreement signed by Frances Schott and Hector Yoeger back then, she was allowed to freely allocate all the assets and misceneous items she owned prior to the marriage. She had decided to leave that full sum of money to Kathleen Johnson. As for her portion of the assets she co-owned with Hector Yoeger, Frances Schott had decided to entrust it fully to Charles Johnson and Kathleen Johnson. The remaining portion will be left to a family trust fund, and each of the six individuals named earlier would be entitled to about two million in allowance every month. If Zachary Yoeger or Yareli Yoeger were to engage in any activity that ces the remaining four individuals in harm''s way during these proceedings, the two would automatically be revoked of all privileges to receive the allowance.¡± ¡°What?¡± eximed Zachary as he leaped to his feet in displeasure. He continued to rail, ¡°They''ve already taken so much for themselves! How dare they fight with us for the portion that''s going to the trust fund? They''re not even Yoegers! What right do they have to have the allowance?¡± ¡°Let me inform you, mr.Zachary Yoeger. From a legal standpoint, their mother, Reba Johnson, is the daughter of Frances Schott and Hector Yoeger. No matter if there are any direct blood rtions to speak of, this is still recognized and legally binding. As Reba Johnson''s children, Charles Johnson and Kathleen Johnson have every right to be heirs to the inheritance. If you have any other concerns, please feel free to lodge an appeal.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. If ites to that, I hope that you''re able to foot the legal bills thate your way,¡± stated Wynnie coldly. As it wasn''t cheap to fight awsuit for a squabble over inheritance issues, Zachary shut his mouth the second he heard that he would need to spend money. Given that he wasn''t even allocated that much to begin with, he knew that he would be left with nothing if he continued to pursue the matter and get embroiled in awsuit that entailed hefty fees. He had no choice but to silently swallow his resentment and ept his loss. Yareli''s expression had turned icy cold the moment she heard Wynnie''s words. She didn''t expect that she would merely be entitled to two million a month. It was an extremely frustrating moment for her, especially since she was the daughter of the Yoeger family. Furthermore, the entire reading of the will had no mention of Vanessa and Nicolette at all. It seemed like the pair had been utterly overlooked and forgotten by Frances. Wynnie closed the document she held in her hands and dered, ¡°If there are no further questions, please proceed to sign atop this document. Once all the signatures are present, the document will take effect and be legally binding. Following which, all of the money will be credited directly to your respective ounts.¡± The more Zachary thought about it, the more he couldn''t keep his anger and frustration under control any longer. Finally, he burst out, ¡°Charles! Kathleen! Have both of you no shame? How can you just stand there and shamelessly take away all this money that belongs to the Yoeger family?¡± Chapter 378 Chapter 378 No Longer Significant ¡°Why didn''t you Criticize the Yoeger family for being shameless when Hector used my granny to resolvethepany''s crisis then?¡± Kathleen rebuked icily. ¡°Besides, Hector knew that my granny was pregnant and still insisted on Marrying her. This clearly meant he only caredabout the things my granny had! If it weren''t for my granny, you guys would have been starving on the streets! Forget about two million. You wouldn''t even have twenty thousand!¡± Sheer rage caused Zachary to re at her. ¡°My granny was too kind.¡± Kathleen glowered as she added, ¡°My mother was the child that Hector tossed away. If it weren''t because of my granny being nice for old time''s sake, you wouldn''t have received any money!¡± ¡°Y-You!¡± Zachary raised his palm high, ready to strike Kathleen''s cheek. However, Charles zipped over to defend Kathleen. Wynnie thundered, ¡°Zachary! If you dare touch Kate even once, I''ll have you sent to jail!¡± Zachary was at a loss for words as he knew Wynnie was truly capable of such a thing. ¡°I forgot to mention that this mansion also belongs to Kate. So, you guys had better pack up and leave at once!¡± said a scoffing Wynnie. When Zachary heard that, he felt both a grueling heat and a nipping chill across his face. It shocked him that all he had inherited was the monthly two million allowance and nothing else. D*mn it! Dad was too soft-hearted. He should''ve killed Reba when he had the chance. That way, these two rotten brats wouldn''t have shown up now to receive the family inheritance! ¡°Get lost.¡± An air of hostility emanated from Wynnie while she spoke. ¡°I''ll also have you behind bars if you insist on hogging someone else''s property!¡± Zachary gritted his teeth but could not do anything at that point. Thus, he phoned some people to help move his things out. Meanwhile, Yareli did not budge that entire time. Wynnie''s pointed gazended on her. ¡°Ms.Yoeger, I trust that you don''t need me to repeat my words.¡± A vile sneer lurked on Yareli''s face. ¡°It looks like you''ve got quite the help, Kathleen.¡± ¡°You guys brought all of this upon yourselves,¡± replied Kathleen, who bore an impassive countenance. ¡°Hah.¡± Yareli scoffed, ¡°Say, I wonder why Grandma was so foolish to end her life the night you arrived. What poor timing.¡± Charles'' gaze turned steely at once. ¡°Quit with your schemes. Granny left a posthumous letter before she died.¡± A posthumous letter? Yareli clenched her jaw in response. ¡°Huh. I can''t believe it. Howe I don''t know about this?¡± ¡°The posthumous letter was addressed to Kathleen. Why would anyone have to tell you about it?¡± Sarcasm dripped from Charles'' voice as he questioned, ¡°Who you think you are?¡± Yareli snorted. ¡°This isn''t over, Kathleen.¡± She then spun on her heel to go upstairs. Kathleen''s gaze remained downcast on her legs, not a trace of warmth visible on her delicate face. ¡°Ignore her, Kate.¡± Wynnie consoled, ¡°She''s all bark and no bite.¡± ¡°Her words don''t bother me,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°Good.¡± Wynnie nodded before stating, ¡°I''ll be off now since I have many matters to deal with.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you so much for all your efforts, Mrs.Macari.¡± ¡°Silly child. There''s no need to be so formal with me,¡± said Wynnie, who had no idea how to react when Kathleen called her ¡°Ms. Macari.¡± While she knew she needed to ept it eventually, she could not help feeling odd. After all, Kathleen used to call her ¡°Mom¡± or ¡°Wynnie.¡± Ugh. It''s all Samuel''s fault! How upsetting! ¡°I''ll be off now.¡± Wynnie soon turned to leave. Following that, Kathleen pursed her lips, feeling concerned. ¡°Charles, Mrs.Macari seems sad.¡± ¡°Samuel may be heartless, but his parents and grandma truly do adore you.¡± Charles borated, ¡°However, they understand your decision.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°So, how do you n to deal with this ce?¡± Charles looked over at the Yoeger residence. ¡°I''m going to sell it.¡± Unwavering determination filled Kathleen''s tone. ¡°There''s no point keeping it since we would never move in. Of course, if Zachary and the others desire this ce, then I''ll consider selling it to them. After all, I would never give it to them for free. They''re not worthy.¡± ¡°All right. I''ll handle that then.¡± ¡°I''m going to pack up Granny''s things.¡± Upon hearing Kathleen''s words, Charles nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The former then headed to Frances'' room while thetter waited in the living room. In the meantime, Wynnie had just left the Yoeger residence when she noticed that Samuel''s car was parked by the road, so she walked over. Inside the car sat Samuel, who did not lower his windows. It seemed as though he did not want to talk to his mother. Wynnie then pounded his window with her fist. That left Samuel helpless as he opened the door. ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I should be asking you that,¡± Wynnie remarked in a chiding tone. ¡°I can''t believe it. Kate has lost her memories and no longer loves you.¡± ¡°Mom, I''m your son.¡± ¡°You don''t have to remind me.¡± What came next was a heartlessment from Wynnie. ¡°I''ve already got a grandson and granddaughter, so you''re no longer significant to me.¡± Samuel bit down on his lip, not saying a word. Nevertheless, Wynnie continued to lecture her son, ¡°I just want to say that you shouldn''t have treated Kate the way you did back then. Do you remember? You were so rushed to see Nicolette once that you dumped Kate alone in the middle of the road. She had to fend for herself against a drunkard. Now that I think about it, your current state is truly a work of karma.¡± Silence was still the only thing Samuel had to offer. ¡°All right. I''m done nagging. Hmph! It''s all your fault that Kate is calling me Mrs. Macari now.¡± Having said that, Wynnie left a gloomy Samuel. She''s lecturing me over this? Although, I have been nagged at plenty of times over these past few years. I suppose I''m used to it by now. Sometimeter, Kathleen and Charles walked out of the Yoeger residence. Samuel got out of his car. His sudden arrival took Kathleen aback. Why is he here? Subsequently, he strolled over to her and said, ¡°Eil and Desi miss you a lot.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kathleen nodded before replying, ¡°I''ll go over right now.¡± Samuel reached out to take the items in her hand, stating, ¡°Hop in. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. I''m heading home too.¡± Kathleen froze, slightly dumbstruck, and wanted to reject. Before she could do that, Samuel had already held her hand, leading her into his car. Charles crossed his arms as his intent gaze focused on the two. Kathleen did not refuse Samuel at that point. After all, she had been busy for three whole days, so she was missing the kids too. It did not take long for Samuel to get her into his car and drive away. The entire thing made Charles chuckle bitterly. Jeez, that... Samuel! How could he leave me behind? Am I not worthy of visiting my own nephew and niece? Meanwhile, in the car, Samuel''s chilly frown could send chills down one''s spine. Kathleen''s cautious and unwavering gaze was on the dashboard at all times. ¡°You should slow down.¡± Her words caused Samuel''s handsome but taut face to darken. Even so, hepliantly drove slower. Kathleen puffed up her cheeks, pouting. ¡°Don''t make me remind you next time.¡± Next time? Samuel''s husky voice immediately asked, ¡°Are you still willing to ride with me?¡± ¡°I don''t want to,¡± Kathleen icily denied. ¡°It''s just that Eil and Desi often travel in your car.¡± Samuel was speechless upon hearing that. Like him, Kathleen wordlessly stared outside the car window. The scene felt as though the two had returned to the past before Kathleen lost her memories. Back then, she never really paid attention or responded to him either. ¡°What are your ns from this point on?¡± Samuel tried to revive a spark in their dying conversation. ¡°Teach the Hoover family a lesson.¡± Kathleen frostily added, ¡°I''m going to get to the bottom of things. I need to know whether the Hoovers were involved with what happened to my mom.¡± Samuel''s lips thinned into a line. ¡°I heard you''ve been starting apany? Are you not operating that entertainmentpany alongside Charles anymore?¡± ¡°I''m not interested in that. I''d much prefer researching and developing unique medications. After all, that can help improve other people''s lives.¡± Samuel offered gravelly, ¡°Don''t hesitate to ask me if you ever need help.¡± ¡°There''s no need for that,¡± responded Kathleen tly. ¡°I''ll ask Caleb if I need anything.¡± Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Chapter 379: Reliance Samuel''s face was extremely grim. ¡°Did I say something wrong??¡± Kathleen asked in surprise. ¡°No.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face was utterly cold. ¡°If I set up apany, I''d have to approach a wholesaler.¡± Kathleen did not understand why she felt compelled to give him an exnation. ¡°Most of the nation''s raw materials are controlled by him.I had no choice but to approach him.¡± Samuel did not expect Kathleen to provide an exnation. Furthermore, she did it for business reasons, not personal feelings. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel¡¯s icy gaze turned a few notches warmer. Kathleen shrugged. Soon, they arrived at the Macari residence. ¡°Mommy!¡± Desiree dashed forward. Kathleen bent down and picked her up. Desiree wiggled her legs happily. ¡°Mommy, you finally remember me and Eil!¡± Kathleen looked at her daughter¡¯s aggrieved little face and immediatelyforted thetter. ¡°I''m sorry, Mommy has been very busy recently.¡± Desiree was a sensible child. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s okay, I understand.Great-grandmother would not want to see you upset.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen pat Desiree on her head. They then walked into the mansion. Em heard the commotion just now and knewKathleen was here to pick them up. His beautiful eyes were full of expectation. Diana was in the living room apanying them. ¡°Old Mrs.Macari,¡± Kathleen greeted as she walked over. Diana had been feeling down recently because of Frances¡¯ recent passing. ¡°You¡¯vee.¡± Diana¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse. Kathleen walked up to her and sat down. ¡°Old Mrs.Macari, are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°I''ve just been feeling a little down,¡± Diana replied. Kathleen knew Diana was advanced in years. She reached out her hand and checked thetter''s pulse. Diana had suffered a stroke before, and although she took care of her heath, she was getting on in years. As such, her health deteriorated when she felt depressed. With a face full of concern, Kathleen advised, ¡°Old Mrs.Macari, you must ensure you get enough rest.I¡¯ll prescribe you a medication.You must make sure to take them.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Diana nodded and feltforted. She knew that even though Kathleen had lost her memory, thetter would always be kind and caring. Diana missed those good old days when Kathleen was just a young child. Thetter would sit by her, chat with her, and make herugh. Even though Kathleen was still being herself, some things had changed. She knew what had happened was not Kathleen''s fault. It was simply a joke yed by fate. Furthermore, she did not want to help make excuses for Samuel. He had done many things to try to make amends to Kathleen. However, it seemed like there was a wall between them, and there was no way they would ever reconcile. Notwithstanding this, Diana noticed that his gaze was fixed on Kathleen and sighed inwardly. Such a shame. Kathleen finished writing the prescription. ¡°Old Mrs.Macari, you just need to take the medicine as prescribed.¡± Diana nodded. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen wanted to pass the prescription to Maria, the housekeeper who had been taking care of Diana all this time. However, Samuel reached out to receive it. ¡°Daddy, Iwant to eat strawberry ice cream.¡± Desiree looked at him expectantly. ¡°You can only have some,¡± Samuel responded gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Desiree nodded happily. ¡°Eil, do you want some?¡± Em raised his handsome little face. ¡°I want chocte ice cream.¡± ¡°Let''s go.¡± Samuel held Desiree in one hand and Em in the other and walked into the kitchen. He passed the prescription to Maria on the way. ¡°Kate, do you n to leave?¡± Diana asked. Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Old Mrs.Macari, how did you know?¡± ¡°It''s just my guess.¡± Diana smiled casually. ¡°When I first saw you, I already knew you had such thoughts.¡± After all, they had lived together for some time. Even though Kathleen had lost her memory, Diana understood Kathleen well. Kathleen could not help but feel amazed by how well Diana was at reading people. ¡°Don''t Worry.I won''t stop you,¡± Diana said in a gentle tone of voice. ¡°My only wish is that you''d let Desi and Eil stay in the Macari residence before you take them away.Will that be okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kathleen nodded lightly. ¡°Old Mrs.Macari, I''m sorry, I¡ª¡± ¡°You don''t have to exin.¡± Diana smiled warmly. ¡°My old friend has left.There''s no reason for you to want toe back here anymore.¡± Kathleen looked down. ¡°Your granny called me the night she passed away,¡± Diana continued slowly. Kathleenraised her head. ¡°What did Granny say?¡± ¡°She did not say anything else other than asking me to take care of you after she left,¡± Diana exined. ¡°I know she meant to tell me to always support your decisions.¡± Kathleen was shocked, not expecting Frances to make sucha call. ¡°You may not know this, but Samuel was unconscious after you disappeared five years ago.One year later, your brother brought the two kids over.If not for them, Samuel may have never woken up.¡± Diana sighed. ¡°After Samuel woke up and found out that you gave birth to the two children, he could not stay calm.He took care of Desi and Eil every single day without fail.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Samuel is a good father.¡± ¡°His reliance on the two kids is greater than any of us,¡± Diana uttered meaningfully. ¡°It''s not that the two kids are unable to leave him.It¡¯s the other way round.He can¡¯t leave the two kids.They are his life.¡± Kathleen looked toward the kitchen and saw Samuel watching the two children have ice cream. Hehad a warm smile that was filled with adoration. If I force them apart, it may not do any of them good. However... Kathleen pursed her lips. Diana did not say anything else. In the evening, Diana asked Kathleen to stay for dinner. Thetter found it difficult to refuse the invitation and had no choice but to agree. There was still some time before dinner. ¡°Kate, you must be tired. Why don''t you rest in the room?¡± Diana looked at the dark circles below Kathleen¡¯s eyes and felt pity for thetter. ¡°I''ve asked someone to tidy up the guest room for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. She stood up and walked up the stairs. When she was on the second floor, she realized that she did not know which was the guest room. The Macari residence had many rooms, and she felt that it would be rude if she opened them one by one to check. Just as she was hesitating, Samuel''s deep voice rang from behind. ¡°It''s the room on the left.¡± She turned around and replied embarrassedly, ¡°Thank you.¡± Samuel walked up and helped her to open the door. ¡°You''re wee.¡± ¡°Where''s Desi and Eil?¡± she asked. ¡°They''re with Diana,¡± he resp Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Afraid That You Would Misunderstand ¡°These were brought back by the family whenever they travel.¡± Samuel picked up one of them. ¡°You used to love these thingss.¡± ¡°I still like them.¡± Kathleen picked up one Too. She shook it and watched the snowkes dance before they slowlynded on the roof of the tiny house. Samuel nced ather sideways. He could see the joy in her gaze, and his lips curved slightly into a smile. ¡°Do you want to take them? They were supposed to be gifts for you anyway.¡± ¡°Take them away?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°You can keep them here too.¡± Samuel hoarsely uttered, ¡°If you evere over or decide to stay here, you''ll be able to see them.¡± After a momentary pause, she responded, ¡°It''s fine.Once you''re married in the future, your wife will not befortable with seeing my things here.¡± Samuel snorted. ¡°Do you really think I''d get a wife?¡± Kathleen''s forehead furrowed. ¡°It''s not impossible, right? There''s still a long life ahead of you.I don''t think anyone can predict the future.¡± As his dark eyes became intense, he narrowed them into slits. ¡°You¡¯re right.No one can predict the future.¡± Feeling chilly from the man''s cold gaze, she stated, ¡°I¡¯d like to rest for a bit.¡± Samuel chuckled in a deep voice. ¡°You know what? You''re afraid of me.¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Although you''ve lost your memories, you¡¯re afraid of me.¡± His gaze solemn and gentle, he asked, ¡°What are you afraid of? Are you worried that I might eat you or something?¡± ¡°Don''t spout nonsense.¡± Pursing her lips, she forced herself to be calm. ¡°I''m not afraid of you.¡± Seeing that Kathleen looked like a cat showing its defensive posture, he looked at her with his most gentle gaze. ¡°Why do you look so agitated if you''re not afraid?¡± Kathleen bit her pink lip. ¡°You can get out now.¡± The man''s thin lips curved upward. ¡°Do you know what you''re afraid of me doing?¡± Kathleen frowned upon hearing that. Why is he still talking about this? His voice was husky ashe continued, ¡°You''re afraid that I would be too nice to you.You¡¯re scared that you would fall for me.Aren''t you tired of restraining yourself?¡± ¡°Stop being so full of yourself, Samuel.¡± Kathleen fumed, ¡°The present me has no feelings for you.¡± How could I still like him? That¡¯s justughable! Who gave him that confidence? Samuel looked at her meaningfully for a long time. ¡°Is that so? I must have been too presumptuous, so you can just act as ifI had never said that.¡± He turned on his heel after he spoke. Kathleen felt her anger rising. That d*mned Samuel! Does he think that I''d still have feelings for him? That''s just unthinkable! I don''t have feelings for him at all! From what I heard from Charles, all I know about that man is that he''s the father of my two children. That¡¯s all.I will not give anyone a chance to hurt me. Never! Kathleen was about to leave after she ate at the Macari residence. She wanted to drive home, but Samuelwanted to send her back. They soon stood in the yard. Kathleen mocked, ¡°Please don''t send me back¡ªI''m worried you would misunderstand that I have feelings for you!¡± As she finished, she got into the car. After mming the door shut, she drove away. Watching the distancing vehicle calmly, he thought that she was pretty irritable. I guess that also gives me a piece of mind.I just don''t want her to feel pressured whenever she''s with me. Meanwhile, Kathleen got home alone. As soon as stepped into her house, Charles gave her a call. ¡°Kate, are you home?¡± Charles'' deep voice sounded. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kathleen huffed. Charles smiled as he asked, ¡°Did Samuel get on your nerves?¡± ¡°He thinks I still have feelings for him.¡± ¡°Oh.Don''t you?¡± Charles questioned in confusion. Kathleen refuted, ¡°Not at all.Am I stupid? Why would I give him another chance to hurt me?¡± ¡°He was definitely in the wrong back then.But he has already paid the price for it.¡± Charles spoke calmly. ¡°Charles, who¡¯s side are you on?¡± Kathleen sounded mad. Charles chuckled. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m always on your side.I just think that Samuel has already paid for it.That''s all!¡± Kathleen let out a light snort as soon as she heard him. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that for now.Didn''t you mention something about starting your ownpany before? Why don¡¯t youe to help me in Brilliance Corporation?¡± Charles asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± With a nod, she added, ¡°If you need my help, of course, I''ll lend you a hand.However, I still want to start my ownpany.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Charles smiled gently. ¡°Then you should help me with something first.¡± Kathleen pouted. ¡°You''re already putting me to work that quickly?¡± ¡°To be honest, I have a movie on hand, andthe lead actress needed is under Divine Corporation.That company''s CEO would not let her work with us,¡± Charles exined. ¡°Oh?¡± Kathleen wondered out loud, ¡°Even with your capabilities, the other party still refused?¡± ¡°And that''s where youe in.The other party seems to be suffering from some sort of invisible illness.I''d like you to go check up on him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. ¡°Sure, that¡¯s not a big deal.When should I go see him?¡± ¡°We''ll be going together tomorrow,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.Then I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Kathleen repliedzily. ¡°Okay.Be sure to sleep early.¡± Charles then hung up. Laying down her phone, she pinched the space between her eyebrows. Suddenly, her phone¡¯s ringtone sounded. She picked up her phone and saw a message from Samuel. He texted: Are you home yet? Kathleen replied: Yes. Samuel responded: Tell me when you get home next time, or I''ll have to go to your ce to check up on you. Kathleen was dumbstruck. All of a sudden, she heard the engine of a car outside. Momentarily stunned, she started to wonder. He can''t be outside, can he? She stepped toward the window and looked outside. That''s Samuel''s car... A ck Maybach was outside of her home. As the window rolled down, a slender hand could be seen extending out. The long fingers were sping on a cigarette. Kathleen instantly stiffened. She responded in a heartbeat: Why did youe? Samuel stated: I thought you weren¡¯t home,seeing that the lights of the mansion are still off. Kathleen texted back: I got a phone call and forgot to turn them on. She then spun around to turn on the lights before adding: You can leave now. Taking a drag, he replied: Okay. Samuel retracted his hand and drove away. Only then did Kathleen heave a sigh of relief. Sitting on the couch, she massaged the space between her brows. Maybe Samuel was right. The nicer he is to me, the more I''m afraid of him. Can''t I stay strong? Would I fall for him once again? The next day, Kathleen went to Brilliance Corporation. Charles personally waited at the lobby to greet her. Walking in, she saw her picture hung in the lobby. That was a picture from five to six years ago. ¡°I''m not an actress anymore.¡± Kathleen pointed at her picture. ¡°I Don''t think so, though.¡± Charles smiled as he suggested, ¡°Do you want to have a look around? The present Brilliance Corporation is pretty big.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Kathleen refused, shaking her head. ¡°I need to head back sometime soon.There are some things regarding Blissful Sect that needs to be handled.Can you look after the ce while I''m gone?¡± Charles asked earnestly. With a serious expression, Kathleen replied with a question,¡°Is Raymond on the move?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Two days ago, there was a bit of a sh between Blissful Sect and Axeworth Corporation.Both sides are at an impasse.He wants my help.¡± ¡°It''s going to be dangerous.¡± Kathleen uttered in worry, ¡°Charles, I don¡¯t think you should go.I can prepare some drugs to make you look like you¡¯re actually sick.¡± Nevertheless, Charles shook his head. ¡°If I don''t go, he''ll make Wyatte.¡± I don''t want Kathleen to be entangled with Wyatt. With a frown etched on her face, Kathleen remarked, ¡°It seems that Ihave burdened you again, Charles.¡± Charles smiled faintly in response. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t be having so many issues.¡± Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Go On A Date With Me Kathleen frowned. ¡°If it was not for the Hoover family¡¯s matter, I¡¯d have helped you to settle your problem at Blissful Sect.¡± ¡°The Hoover family''s matter has to be dealt with first.Otherwise, Desi will be in danger.We can look into my matter after that,¡± Charlesforted. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Charles, don¡¯t worry.I''ll get it over with as soon as possible.¡± ¡°No rush.¡± Charles nced at her with his smiling eyes. ¡°We should go now.¡± Noticing he changed the topic of the conversation, Kathleen gazed at him in worry. Actually, she was also rather anxious as she wanted to help Charles with his matter. However, it was true that some things could not be rushed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded gently again. ¡°Let''s go.¡± After that, Charles brought Kathleen out of the building of Brilliance Corporation. ¡°Charles, where are we going?¡± Kathleen inquired curiously. ¡°You need to get changed first.¡± Charles sized her up. ¡°It''s not suitable for you to attend the dance party in this outfit.¡± Looking down at herwhite shirt and jeans, Kathleen thought otherwise. ¡°I think it''s fine.¡± ¡°Just listen to me.¡± Charles shed a faint smile. Kathleen could only nod in agreement. Soon,they arrived at a shop that sold haute couture clothing. Charles had one of his hands in his pocket as he ordered, ¡°Please bring the dress that I reserved.¡± The shop assistant immediately brought a ck gown over. It was well-tailored, and the overall design was not too eye-catching. After Kathleen put it on, her slender neck and delicate-looking corbone were exposed. It looked fantastic on her. While Kathleen was attractive, she did not look seductive. Instead, she looked particrly elegant instead of sultry no matter what she wore. Charles turned toward her and said, ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. After they left the boutique, they headed straight toward the venue of the dance party. It had been a long time since Kathleen attended this kind of event, but she was still familiar with it. When they arrived, the crowd who attended the party was shocked by her beauty. People who had attended Frances'' funeral knew that Kathleen hade back, but there were some who didn''t know about her return. Some even thought that she had died. However, upon seeing that she was here at the dance party, they could not help bu stare at her in disbelief. ¡°The CEO of Divine Corporation is over there.¡± Charles led Kathleen to the other side. The CEO of Divine Corporation was Ryder Xenakis, a handsome man who was about thirty-five years old. Currently, he was d in gray suit, giving off an elegant and noble aura. ¡°Hello, Mr.Xenakis.¡± Charles reached out to shake his hand. Ryder narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hi, Mr.Johnson.¡± After greeting Charles, Ryder''s gazended on Kathleen. Ryder had long heard of her, and he had also seen her in movies. However,that was the first time he met her in person. She''s indeed a morous beauty, bright and eye-catching. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr.Xenakis.¡± Kathleen reached out to shake hands with him. Ryder smiled politely. ¡°How should I address you?¡± ¡°Anyway you like¡± she replied. ¡°I''ll call you by your name then.¡± Ryder was a direct person. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded, sizing Ryder up while thinking. Charles said this guy has an illness. I wonder what it is. Just then, the music started ying. Ryder extended his hand to invite Kathleen. ¡°Kathleen, shall we have a dance?¡± Kathleen was caught off guard for a moment. ¡°Dance?¡± ¡°Dancing together helps to bring us closer to one another.¡± Ryder held her hand, bringing her to the dance floor. Everyone had a surprised look on their faces. No one expected the two of them would have any interaction. Meanwhile, Charles smiled meaningfully. Since Ryder had her hand, Kathleen could only follow him to the dance floor and dance with him as the music yed. ¡°Mr.Xenakis¡ª¡± Kathleen was about to speak when Ryder smiled and interrupted, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Samuel?¡± ¡°We are friends,¡± Kathleen answered. Friends? Ryder chuckled wryly. ¡°Oh, so both of you are friends.¡± ¡°Mr.Xenakis, actually, my brother needs to borrow the most popr actress in yourpany,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Mr.Xenakis, I''m not sure why you don''t agree to it.¡± Ryder cracked a half-smile. ¡°I didn''t disagree to that.¡± His answer caught Kathleen off guard. ¡°That actress is actually my sister,¡± Ryder exined. ¡°My sister likes your brother, but she was rejected by your brother previously.However, no one expected he would want my sister to star in that film.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Kathleen felt awkward all of a sudden. I didn''t even get the details from Charles. Ryder chuckled lightly. ¡°It seems like your brother didn''t tell you the truth.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°The director of the film is a really good friend of your brother.The director insists on having my sister take the role, so your brother came begging tomy sister,¡± Ryder continued, the corner of his lips quirking up. ¡°But you know that a broken heart is difficult to mend.I think your brother should find another actress.¡± Kathleen thought for a while before asking, ¡°Is there no other way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Ryder shook his head. ¡°Can I meet your sister?¡± Kathleen asked tentatively. ¡°Haha.¡± Ryderughed. ¡°You¡¯re really smart.Your brother can''t meet my sister, so he doesn''t have the chance to convince her.Although your brother didn''t tell you, you caught on to it immediately.Are you nning to change my sister''s mind?¡± Kathleen didn''t expect Ryder would see through her in the blink of an eye. ¡°Yes.¡± She stated cidly, ¡°Mr.Xenakis, are you not going to help me?¡± Ryder''s lips curled into a smile. ¡°I can help you, but I have a request.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen frowned in confusion. ¡°Go on a date with me.¡± He cockeda brow. Kathleen froze. ¡°You said Samuel and you are just friends,¡± Ryder added smilingly. ¡°Hence, going on a date with me should be fine.Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. Lowering his head, Ryder whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.I''m not a man who likes to force ady to do something she dislikes.It¡¯s just a date.It doesn''t mean anything else.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a short while before she agreed to it. ¡°All right.¡± Ryder held her hand, grinning in satisfaction. ¡°Let''s meet up tomorrow then.¡± His swift decision left Kathleen dumbstruck. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°So fast?¡± ¡°The money has already been invested by your brother''s entertainmentpany.Even a day of dy will cause lots of money.You have to factor that in or he will be burning lots of money.¡± A smile was still stered on Ryder''s face. That''s true. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay.It¡¯s tomorrow then.Where should we meet?¡± He chuckled in amusement, and there was not a hint of mockery in hisughter. ¡°Kathleen, how long have you not gone on a date?¡± She frowned, pondering his question. ¡°Not in the past five years.I''m not sure if I had ever gone on a date before I lost my memory.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a date, naturally, I¡¯ll be the one who fetches you.¡± Ryder smiled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m a gentleman.¡± ¡°All right.I''ll be waiting for you at home.¡± She felt slightly abashed. ¡°Okay.¡± Just then, the music stopped. Ryder let go of Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. Kathleen heaved a sigh of relief, then strode over to her brother. ¡°Charles!¡± Charles grinned sheepishly. ¡°What''s up?¡± ¡°Things are different from what you had told me.¡± She huffed in exasperation, ¡°Ryder doesn¡¯t have any illness, and I bet it''s not his sister who doesn''t want to meet you.¡± ¡°You''ve figured it out?¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Kathleen scowled, feeling annoyed. ¡°He''s the one who said it,¡± Charles exined. ¡°He asked me to bring you to him, and he''d exined the rest to you...¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Charles¡¯ curiosity was piqued. Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Give Them Your Blessings ¡°Charles, can you not be so busybody?¡± Kathleen shot him a disdainful look. ¡°Am I?¡± Puzzlement was Written all over Charles¡¯ face. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen knittedher brows. ¡°Don¡¯t do this again.Otherwise, I¡¯ll never forgive you.¡± Her brother just smile. ¡°It¡¯s not me who set you up this time.Ryder told me he wanted to meet you and promised he would help me to convince his sister to take the role.I had no other choice.¡± She puffed out her cheeks, refusing to say anything in reply. ¡°Once I leave Blissful Sect, Brilliance Corporation will be my onlypany.You don''t want your brother to go bankrupt, do you?¡± Charles asked pitifully. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you,¡± she dered in a solemn manner. ¡°I''m pretty loaded.¡± ¡°How could I let you take care of me? I¡¯m a man!¡± He stroked her hair dotingly. Only then did Kathleen finally crack a sweet smile. ¡°Can we go now?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah.Let''s go.¡± Charles nodded. When they were about to leave, Kathleen saw Tyson among the crowd. Tyson also saw her and gave her a timid smile. Immediately, she felt goosebumps all over her. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Charles noticed something was amiss with her. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± She felt guilty all of a sudden. Just then, Tyson came over. Upon seeing him, Charles seemed to have realized something, and his gaze darkened. ¡°Ms.Johnson, what a coincidence.¡± An awkward grin spread across Tyson''s face. Kathleen asked tly, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°No.I just came over to greet you.¡± Kathleen had an uncanny feeling that it was not that simple. ¡°When did you arrive?¡± ¡°I''ve been here for a while now.¡± Tyson did not dare to lie to her. ¡°Mr.Macari...¡± He trailed off. ¡°Is Samuel here too?¡± she questioned coldly. Tyson nodded in response. No wonder I felt a chill running down my spine just now. So Samuel has been watching me. But we''ve talked through the things between us, so why should I be bothered by his opinion of me? ¡°Mr.Hackney, enjoy your time dancing here.We''ll leave first.¡± Kathleen was ready to get out of here. Tyson wanted to say something, but he held his tongue. With that, Kathleen pulled Charles with her as she walked out of the ce. Charles smiled meaningfully at Tyson and did not say a word. Meanwhile, Tyson hurriedly dashed away in search of Samuel. Thetter was on the second floor. He saw the entire scene when Ryder and Kathleen were dancing together, but he did not show himself. He merely stood behind a stoa on the second floor and watched their every move. Tyson approached him and greeted, ¡°Mr.Macari.¡± Samuel wore an indifferent expression on his face. ¡°Did you ask her what was going on?¡± ¡°Ms.Johnson seemed to be quite hostile when she saw me.I didn''t dare to ask her.¡± Samuel deadpanned, ¡°Do I seem very friendly to you?¡± Tyson froze for a split second before shaking his head frantically. ¡°No.Not at all.¡± Samuel frowned, causing Tyson to break out in cold sweat. Samuel¡¯s brow was deeply furrowed. Ryder and Kathleen were chatting happily just now.I have no right to stop their interaction. Compared to Caleb, Ryder is much more dependable. Ryder''s personality is simr to Christopher''s, but the former is more assertive.If it wasn''t for Felix''s interference then, Christopher and Kathleen would have been together. Unfortunately, there was no way Christopher could fight Felix. But it''s different for Ryder as he''s the head of the Xenakis family. Samuel was deeply troubled. ¡°Mr.Macari, Mr.Johnson smiled at me just now,¡± Tyson hurriedly exined himself. Samuel snapped back to his senses. ¡°Do you think he should cry to you?¡± ¡°What I''m trying to say is he seemed to be smiling wickedly.It was as if he was hinting at something.¡± Samuel snorted frostily. ¡°I knew he¡¯s not a good guy.¡± ¡°Mr.Macari, if Mr.Johnson is not a good person, he wouldn''t have given Mr.Eil and Ms.Desi to you.¡± Tyson voiced his analysis. ¡°He could''ve given them to Caleb because it''s much safer to say that they¡¯re Caleb¡¯s children.¡± Samuel fixed his ice-cold gaze on Tyson, causing thetter to shudder in fear. Gosh, I shouldn''t have said that just now. After a while, Samuel stated coldly, ¡°If it wasn''t for that matter, I would''ve beaten him a long time ago.¡± Tyson chose to keep quiet. ¡°Ask around again and find out what Ryder and Kathleen were talking about,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°Mr.Macari, there were only two of them just now, so nobody would overhear their conversation,¡± Tyson replied hesitantly. ¡°I think you can directly ask Ms.Johnson.After all, both of you are friends now.Best friends will tell everything to one other.¡± Samuel''s expression turned even colder. Do we look like besties who will tell everything to each other? Kathleen doesn¡¯t even want to get close to me. Noticing Samuel''sck of response, Tyson conceded fearfully, ¡°Mr.Macari, I''ll ask around.¡± ¡°There''s no need for that.¡± Samuel turned around and left. Kathleen and Charles parted ways when they reached the entrance of the venue. She had her clothes in her hand. ¡°Charles, you should go ahead with your work.There¡¯s no need to worry about me.¡± Charles frowned. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I need to choose a ce to set up mypany.¡± Kathleen gave him a faint smile. ¡°I will check out some ces in the afternoon, so you should attend to your matters.¡± ¡°Will you be fine on your own?¡± Charles was still worried about her. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°Bye.¡± She then turned away and left. Staring at her slim retreating figure, Charles was lost in his thoughts. After a while, he spoke in a low voice to his driver. ¡°Let''s go. ¡° Right at that moment, the car door was opened from the outside, and Samuel got into the car. Immediately, it felt as though the temperature inside the car dropped a few degrees. Scowling, Charles said to the driver, ¡°You may leave the car for now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The driver got out of the car, leaving only Charles and Samuel in the car. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Charles looked at him with a half-smile. Samuel shot daggers at him. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to ask you.Why did you let Ryder get in touch with Kate.¡± ¡°As her brother, can¡¯t I consider or make decisions for my sister''s love life?¡± Charles'' smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°Frankly, I think a gentleman like Christopher or Ryder is more suitable for my sister who is soft- hearted.¡± Samuel froze. ¡°My sister loved you so much back then.For three years, she endured so much without aint or regret during her marriage with you,¡± Charles continued, ¡°but if it were Ryder or Christopher, they would be warmed by her even if they had a heart of stone.They would not be the way you''re today.¡± Samuel''s expression darkened. ¡°If Kate and Ryder can¡¯t be together this time, I won¡¯t stop her from being with you if she chooses you in the future,¡± Charles added impassively. ¡°However, if she has a great start with Ryder, I hope you can ept them and give them your blessings.Can you do that?¡± Samuel could not help but cough as he felt blood welling up in his throat.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. He swallowed the blood, not wanting to let Charles notice his condition. ¡°You saw how they had a great chat during their first meeting just now,¡± Charles continued in a somber tone of voice. ¡°Is this the reason why you asked me toe?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Charles gave him a side- nce. ¡°Yes, I realize Kate is very scared of you.¡± Samuel remained silent. He had noticed that as well. ¡°I just want to let you figure it out yourself whether that is out of love or fear.¡± Charles retracted his gaze. Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Waging War Samuel did not utter a word as he got out of the car. While shooting him a side nce, Charles¡¯ decisive tone rang out. ¡°I''ll take your silence as an agreement to this bet.If Kate chooses Ryder, then you''re not allowed to disrupt their rtionship like you did with her and Caleb.¡± Samuel did not stop walking even after hearing that. Only he was aware of his agonized, bleeding heart at that moment. If Kathleen truly fears me, that means I can never be with her again. From today onward, she''ll be someone else''s girlfriend and wife-to-be.... I can no longer be close to her. Samuel looked as though he was in utter agony. At the same time, he knew this was all his fault¡ªhe deserved this fate. Will it truly require my death to gain Kathleen''s forgiveness? It''s like we''re back at square one. Things are as miserable as they were back then. It felt as though he had stumbled into a deep, hell-like pit, where he could not escape. Meanwhile, Kathleen arrived at the first office building. It was located in an industrial area outside of the city center. The building only had three floors, but they were spacious and well lit. Kathleen was still wearing a ck gown with the same colored suit draped across her shoulders. The real estate agent was enthusiastic as he said, ¡°This ce is fairly decent, Ms.Johnson.It''s newly built, and the previouspany only upied it for half a year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a nice environment but a little too far from the city,¡± Kathleen replied in a cid tone of voice. ¡°Not at all.It''ll only take forty minutes to travel here by cab.¡± A chuckle came from Kathleen, who pointed out, ¡°Do you expect my employees to take a cab here every time? Aren''t you aware of how much it costs?¡± Her reply shocked the agent. ¡°Gosh, it''s my first time meeting someone who cares so much about her employees, but there¡¯s a bus service here.¡± ¡°A bus service whiches around every thirty minutes.¡±Kathleen had already done her research before arriving here that day, so she curtly said, ¡°Forget it.Show me the other location instead.¡± The agent nodded, but it was then that his phone rang. ¡°Sorry, I have to take this call.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Kathleen replied. Subsequently, the agent turned around to answer his phone while Kathleen roamed around for a bit. She found the environment satisfactory,if not for the inconvenient transportation issues. The ce was clean, which she loved. Click! ck! Click! ck! Suddenly, a series of heeled footsteps came from behind her. She soon turned around and realized it was Dorothy. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Kathleen was a little taken aback. Anger seethed from Dorothy as she demanded, ¡°I want my son back.¡± That garnered a scoff from Kathleen, who retorted, ¡°Zion has already told me the truth, Dorothy.He¡¯s not biologically rted to the Hoover family.It''s merely a coincidence that he has a unique bodily physique.¡± Dorothy froze. ¡°How did he find out?¡± ¡°Perhaps he overheard it when you guys discussed it.¡± Kathleen indifferently added, ¡°Therefore, why wouldI hand him over to you if he''s not your son?¡± ¡°However, ording to thew, I''m his legal guardian,¡± rebuked a frowning Dorothy. ¡°Your guardianship can be revoked since you''ve abandoned him once.¡± Kathleen shed a half-smile. Every muscle in Dorothy''s body tensed up when she heard that. Seeing the former''s reaction, Kathleen snidely remarked, ¡°Perhaps you should read more about the law.¡± Dorothy was so livid that she rushed up to grab Kathleen''s wrist, and that sparked an explosive annoyance in Kathleen, who instantly pped the former. After Dorothy snapped out from a daze, her features twisted into a scowl as she raised a palm to cup her reddened cheek. ¡°How dare you hit me!¡± ¡°Yeah, I just pped you.Do the same to me if you dare!¡± Kathleen snarled. Dorothy wasted no time in raising her hand. Smack! The other side of her face had gotten pped before she could do anything. Kathleenthen spoke up derisively. ¡°How dare you try to p me just because I told you to! Why don¡¯t you askTheodore about my life during the past five years in Axeworth Corporation? Crushing trash like you daily is a piece of cake for me!¡± Dorothy was so upset that her nose almost scrunched high up to her eyes. Even so, Kathleen continued to chuckle contemptuously. I was exaggerating when I said I could beat up one person daily. Although, the undeniable fact is that I''ve never been bullied, much less beaten up. Who does Dorothy think she is? ¡°If you don''t hand Zion over to me, you¡¯ll be waging war with the Hoover family!¡± Dorothy threatened, ¡°Let me tell you something, Kathleen.The Hoover family isn''t a force you can defeat! They''re nothing like the Yoeger family!¡± Kathleen snorted before resuming, ¡°I don¡¯t give two hoots.They cane at me if they dare.Also, I want you to ry this message to them.If they have a bone to pick with me, have them send someone who actually has the power to make decisions in their family to see me.I don''t ever want to see a worthless person like you again.Get lost!¡± ¡°Just you wait!¡± Dorothy trembled with sheer rage before whipping around to leave. Kathleen remained indifferent but eventually frowned when she noticed something was off. Why Isn''t the agent back yet? She then walked out of the building. It seemed like the real estate agent had ditched Kathleen. She had arrived here in the agent''s car earlier. Now that he had left, all she could do was hail a cab home on her own. However, this was an industrial area, which meant she needed to go further out to actually find a cab. Kathleen pinched the space between her brows. Ugh. How unlucky! Just when she was speechless, a ck Maybach pulled up in front of her. The license te was one she knew very well. It was not long before the door opened, and Samuel''s husky voice sounded. ¡°Hop in.It won''t be easy getting a cab here.¡± Kathleen did not wish to put herself in a difficult situation, especially since she wore high heels too. Her feet would undoubtedly be sore by the time she walked out of the industrial area. Thus, she got into the Maybach. ¡°Did youe here alone?¡± Samuel''s gaze settled on her as she took off her heels. A relieved look appeared on her face now that her feet were free. The corners of Samuel''s lips curled slightly.It had been a while since he saw Kathleen with such an expression. ¡°The real estate agent left me behind,¡± Kathleen exined in a wry tone. ¡°Have you found a ce?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kathleenshook her head. ¡°This ce is too far away.Overall, I felt having a spot in the city would work better, so I asked the agent to take me there.Little did I know he would ditch me after a phone call.¡± Preposterous! Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°You could''ve told me that you were looking for a property.Why trouble yourself like this?¡± ¡°There''s no need.¡± Kathleen shook her head. When Samuel saw how determined she was, something tightened in his chest. He exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.I¡¯m merely rmending you a ce.You''ll have to discuss the rental fees on your own.¡± He figured it was all right as long ashe did not interfere with her decisions. ¡°You know a good spot?¡± Kathleen blinked. ¡°Yep, it''s right in the city.¡± Samuel drove while continuing, ¡°The building has seven floors.Although the size of every floor is a little small, the building has convenient ess to transportation andis in a decent environment.¡± ¡°That sounds nice.Could you take me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Samuel answered huskily. He drove ahead with his attention fully pinned on the road ahead. Kathleen couldn''t help but sneak a nce at him. His aura remained imposing. Even while sitting next to him, she could feel an immense sense of authority emanating from him. Without a doubt, Samuel was her type on paper. Perhaps it was his jaw-dropping good looks, but Kathleen felt no one couldpare to him. The thought of that made her sigh. Samuel can win me over with his looks alone. As for everything else about him¡ª ¡°You''ve been staring at me for five minutes.¡± Samuel¡¯s gravelly voice sounded, breaking Kathleen out of her thoughts. ¡°W-What?¡± She snapped put of her trance. Suddenly, Samuel slowed the car to a halt. It made Kathleen increasingly nervous as she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Samuel froze while unbuckling his seat belt.He looked over at the adorably frightened woman and could not help chuckling. Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Schemes Kathleen''s face instantly flushed red as a beetroot. ¡°Samuel, you¡­¡± How could he speak such words so unabashedly? ¡°I¡¯m not as disgusting as you think,¡± said Samuel ashe got out of the car. Kathleen frowned deeply. Huh? Is he leaving because he''s mad at me? He didn''t even bother about leaving his car behind. But how am I going to drive? I''m wearing heels! Just as she was considering whether to call for a driver,Samuel returned. Carrying a huge bag with his long, graceful fingers, he got into the car and shut the door. Kathleen was a little taken aback. However, before she could react, Samuel retrieved a box of adhesive bandages from the bag. Then, he took her ankle with hisrge, warm hands and ced it on hisp. Kathleen merely gazed at him in silence as he covered the wounds on her toes and ankle with the Band-Aids. After that, he put her leg down and picked her other leg up. His actions were cautious and gentle, and it was clear that his intentions were pure. Kathleen''s heart was racing as she watched him. ¡°You seldom wore high heels in the past.¡± Samuel''s deep voice broke the silence. ¡°You mostly only wore ts.Besides, you never liked shoes of this brand and used toin that their soles were stiff.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before?¡± Kathleen was stunned. Samuel nodded. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you still remember,¡± remarked Kathleen, who was genuinely astonished. ¡°Of course, I do.I paid attention to everything you said.¡± Samuel lowered her leg. ¡°You shouldn''t wear these high heels anymoreter.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that I walk barefooted, then?¡± Kathleenasked, feeling rather exasperated and amused at the same time. As soon as she said that, Samuel took out a pair of dainty, white shoes from the bag. ¡°Here, wear this pair of shoes.It''s your favorite brand.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kathleen was shocked that Samuel actually thought of buying that as well. Hearing her word of thanks did not put Samuel in a better mood,but it did not worsen his mood either. Kathleen put on the shoes and sat quietly in her seat. As Samuel resumed driving, he began asking, ¡°You and Ryder....¡± Here we go! Kathleen knew he was definitely going to ask about that. ¡°Yes?¡± she uttered curiously. ¡°It''s nothing.¡± After a moment''s thought, Samuel decided not to ask about it. Kathleen could not help but feel perplexed. However, she was somewhat relieved that he did not ask further, as she did not know how to exin it to him either. ¡°It looks like the weather''s going to be fine tomorrow.I''m thinking of bringing Desi and Eil out for some fun.Will you be free?¡± asked Samuel. Kathleen immediately froze. He must be doing this on purpose! ¡°No,¡± Kathleen answered. After a moment''s hesitation, she continued, ¡°Can''t we postpone it?¡± ¡°I''ve already promised them,¡± Samuel went on in a deep tone. ¡°I can bring them myself if you¡¯re busy.But of course, how should I exin to them that you¡¯re not coming along?¡± Slightly dumbfounded, Kathleen responded in an embarrassed tone, ¡°You could tell them that I''m busy.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded and said nothing else. Soon, they arrived at the ce Samuel mentioned earlier. It was indeed located in the heart of the city, and the surroundings were nice. Kathleen could not be more satisfied with it. Finally, she asked, ¡°What ce is this, Samuel? Who should I talk to about renting it?¡± ¡°This used to be the office of Macari Group.It''s where my grandfather started thepany,¡± stated Samuel in response. Kathleen was stunned to hear that. ¡°You may talk to my father about it, as this building is under his name,¡± Samuel added. Kathleen did not know what to say. So, this ce is still under the ownership of the Macari family... ¡°All right, then,¡± she agreed with a sigh. ¡°My father''s in the office right now. Do you want toe over?¡± Samuel asked. Kathleen raised a brow. ¡°Why does it seem like you''d nned all this in advance?¡± ¡°I have nothing to do with the agent¡¯s disappearance.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯d better not let me find out that this whole thing was a setup,¡± Kathleen replied disbelievingly. ¡°I''m hardly bold enough.¡± Samuel gazed at her with a half-smile. If Kathleen indeed set up her office here, then it would mean she would frequently have toe back to this ce. He wished more than anything that she would stay here and would not dare do anything that might cause her to stay away. ¡°Lead the way, then.I''ll meet your father now,¡± said Kathleen with a scoff. ¡°This way, please.¡± Samuel spoke in the most polite tone. Kathleen''s brows were furrowed lightly as she followed him. Ten minutester, they arrived at Macari Group, and Kathleen went to meet Calvin in his office. The moment Calvin saw them entering his office, his eyes instantly brightened. ¡°Kate! What brought you here?¡± he greeted her warmly. Calvin was very fond of Kathleen. He knew that Kathleen was a girl with a pure heart and that she had married Samuel with no other intentions besides to love him. Unfortunately, Samuel did not cherish her. ¡°Mr.Calvin, it¡¯s like this.Samuel just showed me Macari Group''s old building, and I''m thinking of renting it,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Sounds good.In fact, you may just go ahead and use it.¡± Calvin nodded affirmatively. Kathleen was rendered speechless. ¡°Dad, will you be serious? Kathleen¡¯s no longer part of our family anymore.You''re just putting her in a tough spot if you offer the ce to her for free now,¡± Samuelremarked in a deep voice. Kathleen was just about to nod in agreement when Calvin retorted angrily, ¡°You heartless brat! How dare you say that! What did you mean by saying that she''s not part of our family anymore? She''s the mother of my grandchildren and a great contributor to our family!¡± Samuel could not find any words to refute Calvin''s statement. ¡°You''re indeed nothing but a heartless brat!¡± Calvin added, fuming. Afraid that she was unintentionally causing a rift between the father-and-son duo, Kathleen quickly rified, ¡°Mr.Calvin, let me exin.It was me who insisted earlier that I would pay rent.If not, then I will not use the ce.Besides, Samuel made a fair point.Even siblings should not owe each other money.So, please ept my suggestion.¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Calvin felt as if his heart was being ripped in half. Despite that, he could only agree reluctantly, ¡°All right, then.I shall rent the ce to you.Are you okay with one thousand monthly for the rental?¡± Kathleen merely gazed at him speechlessly. ¡°Is that too expensive?¡±Calvin frowned. ¡°How about five hundred, then?¡± Samuel could no longer stay silent. ¡°Dad, that''s enough.¡± Calvin scoffed at him in response. Turning to Kathleen, Samuel proposed, ¡°The rental fees for any building in the city are expensive.It would be thirty thousand monthly, which would add up to three hundred and sixty thousand per annum.Seeing as we know each other, I''ll ept three hundred and fifty thousand from you.How''s that?¡± ¡°Sounds great to me.¡± Kathleen was satisfied with his suggestion. ¡°You go ahead and prepare the agreement, then.¡± ¡°By the way, would you be needing any office supplies? Ouroffice previously underwent some renovation, and we had bought a lot of supplies.There are still some left in our storeroom.If you need any, feel free to help yourself to them.I won''t be charging you for those, or my father might scream at me again.¡± ¡°Sure, don¡¯t mind if I do!¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°All right.I''ll have Tyson get the paperwork ready.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen was extremely satisfied with Samuel¡¯s efficiency. Tyson finished preparing the paperwork in no time, and then Kathleenand Calvin signed the agreement. Taking the keys that Tyson handed over, Kathleen turned to Calvin. ¡°Thank you so much, Mr.Calvin.¡± Calvin mumbled something incoherent in response. ¡°Mr.Hackney, could you bring me to have a look at the office supplies?¡± asked Kathleen urgently. She wished more than anything that she could begin setting up her office the next day. ¡°Of course.¡± Tyson shot Samuel a nce, then led Kathleen out of the office. Calvin propped his chin in the palm of his hand. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, the supplies in the storeroom should add up to about three hundredthousand in cost.¡± Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Chapter 385 An Ambush ¡°There''s no progress,¡± Samuel replied truthfully. Calvin threw his son a look of utter disdain. ¡°You might''ve inherited my looks, but it looks like your EQ is not as good as mine.¡± Samuel said curtly, ¡°Should I record the first half of your sentence and send it to Mom?¡± ¡°Don''t you dare!¡± Calvin huffed and red at Samuel. ¡°You''re the one having problems with your marriage, and you''re trying to make me suffer with you?¡± ¡°No.I want you to live happily.¡± Calvin found Samuel''s words insincere. ¡°You should check on Kate.It¡¯s a rare opportunity for you to meet her.Don''t miss it,¡± the former urged. Truth was, he could not bear to see his son¡¯s long face. Thankfully, Samuel took his advice and left. Calvinsnorted quietly while watching him leave. Meanwhile, Kathleen and Tyson arrived at the underground warehouse. Sure enough, many things were stored there. ¡°Mrs.Macari, these tables and chairs are extras from Macari Group''s renovation a few months ago.¡± Tyson was used to addressing Kathleen that way, which took her by surprise. Noticing the look on her face, Tyson grew flustered and covered his mouth. ¡°Ms.Johnson, I¡¯m so sorry.I¡¯m too used to it.¡± Kathleen studied him in silence. ¡°Do you refer to me as that when you''re talking to the others?¡± Tyson smiled sheepishly. ¡°I''ll change it.¡± ¡°Has Samuel ever corrected you?¡± Kathleen asked in puzzlement. ¡°Of course not.Mr.Macari told us he''ll never let anyone take over your position.He makes us acknowledge you as the only female boss.In fact, he''ll execute anyone who dares to pull strings for other women.¡± Kathleen found the news amusing. ¡°Does he see himself as a king? Execute? Seriously?¡± Tyson scratched his head in confusion. ¡°In a way, this is Mr.Macari¡¯s territory.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes glinted. ¡°Indeed, it''s his territory.¡± ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Samuel elegantly sauntered over. ¡°Nothing.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Mr.Macari, I¡¯ll get someone to help Ms.Johnson carry these things.¡± Tyson took his cue to leave. Gesturing to the checklist in her hand, Kathleen said, ¡°I¡¯ve made a rough calction.These things aren¡¯t cheap, Samuel.I think it''s best that I pay you back.¡± ¡°It''s fine,¡± Samuel said coolly. ¡°I won''t ept it even if you pay me, so don¡¯t bother.¡± Kathleen pursed her rosy lips. ¡°But the total of all these is more expensive than the rent.I''ll feel guilty for not paying.¡± Samuel said in a heavy tone, ¡°Kathleen, you have to understand this¡ªwe have children together.This is something that''ll keep us indebted to each other forever.Besides, no one uses these when they¡¯re kept here.You''ll be doing me a huge favor clearing my warehouse by taking and using them.¡± Kathleen was speechless. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone using this method to clear their warehouse. ¡°Let me treat you to dinner, then.¡± Kathleen still felt bad about it. ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel agreed instantly. Seeing his reaction, Kathleen asked, ¡°Don''t you have any social events at night?¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°I never attend them.¡± More precisely, he rarely attended one ever since Kathleen faked her death. Of course, his attendance for the recent ones when she returned was an exception. After all, he attended them because of her. If not for her, he would not be the slightest bit interested in going. ¡°What if there''s a social event you must go to?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°The Macari family has another mascot,¡± exined Samuel. ¡°A mascot?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Who''s that?¡± ¡°My father,¡± answered Samuel. Calvin? It was at that moment Kathleen finally remembered Calvin was the chairman of Macari Group. Well,he''s truly the mascot of thepany. Smiling faintly, she said, ¡°The role of the mascot suits him.¡± Her smile made Samuel lift the corners of his thin lips. ¡°He''ll represent me for the events, so I basically don''t have to do anything.¡± Kathleen nodded in understanding. ¡°Since it¡¯s a thank-you meal, what would you like to eat?¡±she asked. Samuel''s obsidian eyes looked even darker. ¡°You can decide.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Why is Tyson noting back? Why don''t we head upstairs? This underground warehouse is a little chilly.¡± Samuel removed his coat and draped it over her. He wrapped his slender and elegant fingers around hers and led her to the elevator. They had to take the elevator to go up. Kathleen could not help but blush atSamuel''s actions. The man was tall and built. As he stood in front of her, he emanated a calm and mysterious aura, which made one feel fearful yet relieved at the same time. Gusts of wind blew at them. Kathleen instinctively tightened her grip around Samuel''s hand, nervously looking around the area. Feeling her grip tighten, Samuel lowered his gaze and smiled subtly. She''s still so cowardly. Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps approached them. When Kathleen turned around to look in the direction of the sound, she saw a dark shadow charging at them with a steel de. Samuel pushed Kathleen away and used his massive hand to grab the ambusher''s hand. With that, the two of themunched into a fight. The moment Kathleen regained her bnce, she hurriedly fumbled through the suit pocket. As expected, Samuel''s phone was in it. She took out the phone and turned on the screen, only to discover it required a password to unlock. Kathleen tried her birth date, which unexpectedly worked. Casting a nervous nce at Samuel, she hurriedly dialed Tyson''s number. ¡°Tyson, hurry down here.We¡¯re in danger!¡± she urged. ¡°Mrs.Macari, we''re at the elevator, but it''s broken,¡± Tyson exined. ¡°The door to the third underground floor is locked from the inside.¡± ¡°Break the door! Hurry!¡± Kathleen urgedonce more. ¡°Got it! We''re going there now!¡± With that, Kathleen put down the phone and looked at Samuel. Their ambusher was a man. His figure was about the same as Samuel''s. On top of that, the man seemed to be more powerful than Samuel. If it was not for Samuel¡¯s poor health, that man would not stand a chance against him. Though Samuel seemed to be having a tough time, it was not an easy fight for his opponent either. ¡°Kate, run!¡± he shouted. Kathleen snapped out of her thoughts and realized the man was charging at her with the de in his hands, staring at her with a murderous gaze. Is this man trying to kill me? Samuel grabbed the man''s shoulder from behind. In response, thetter turned around and shed his de in front of Samuel. Thankfully, Samuel turned away just in time and sessfully avoided the de. Spotting Samuel''s arm that was on his shoulder, the opponent brought down his de on Samuel''s wrist. Samuel looked at Kathleen grimly. ¡°Run! Quickly!¡± Kathleen gritted her teeth. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°No!¡± If I run, he¡¯ll be facing the ambusher alone. No way.I can''t do that! To their surprise, the man sneered, ¡°No one¡¯s getting away!¡± With that, he turned to face Samuel and swung his de at thetter. Samuel frowned at the sight. Meanwhile, Kathleen had been thinking of ways to help Samuel. Sadly, she could not find an appropriate tool to assist her. There was no way she could go into the fight just like that. Not only would she be of no help to Samuel, but she could also get injured. ¡°Who sent you?¡±Kathleen questioned the man. ¡°What¡¯s your motive? Spit it out.Why are you doing this?¡± Samuel grabbed the man''s arms with hostility written all over his face. ¡°She¡¯s talking to you, man.Why aren''t you answering?¡± The man hissed, ¡°Don''t you dare think of distracting me to buy time!¡± With that, he suddenly exerted more force and shed the de at Samuel. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Chapter 386 I Have Two Arms Kathleen held her breath, and her heart was racing maniacally. Thankfully, Samuel¡¯s reactions were swift, and he managed to pull his hand away. Regardless,the tip of the de still managed to cut his wrist. Kathleen''s heart tensed. Oh no! Things won''t be good if Samuel''s tendons got cut identally.Dang it! Why does it have to be now? I don¡¯t have anything on me! The man lifted the de and swung it at Samuel again. Unable to holdin her urge, Kathleen clenched her fists and prepared to go up against the opponent herself. ¡°Stop!¡± Tyson''s voice sounded exceptionally loud on the third floor of the underground warehouse. The man was taken aback by the sudden noise. When he saw the massive group of people running toward him, his eyes widened with shock. He clenched his jaw and swung his de hard at Samuel. ¡°Get lost!¡± Kathleen charged forward, locked her arm around the man''s head from the back, and gave it a violent twist. Crack! In an instant, the man ceased to move. Seeing that, Kathleen loosened her grip and slumped to the ground. Samuel nced at the man on the ground who had stopped breathing. Enduring the excruciating pain in his wrist, he walked toward Kathleen, got to his knees, and pressed her head into his embrace. Tyson and the others came running over. Seeing that, Samuel ordered grimly, ¡°Deal with him quietly.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Tyson knew what he had to do. He ordered some of his men to approach and take the body away. When that was done, Tyson caught sight of Samuel''s wrist. ¡°Mr.Macari, your hand¡ª¡± Samuel shot Tyson a re, causing thetter to shut his mouth. He then looked down at the woman in his embrace. ¡°It¡¯s okay.No one will find out.Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m fine.I just haven''t experienced this for some time.¡± When she was finally calm, she examined Samuel¡¯s hand, noticing the cut was very deep. She lifted her head, looking at him with concerned eyes. ¡°You should go to the hospital first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. Half an hourter, they arrived at the hospital. The doctor cleaned and bandaged Samuel''s wound. Kathleen had been standing by the side and watching the entire process. ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡± ¡°His bones aren''t broken, but...¡± The doctor looked at her solemnly. ¡°His tendon is slightly injured.Mr.Macari''s hand won''t be the same anymore.¡± The color drained from Kathleen¡¯s face when she heard that. ¡°What did you say?¡± The doctor fell silent. Sensing the panic in Kathleen¡¯s voice, Samuel nced at the doctor coldly and said, ¡°I have two arms, anyway.¡± The doctor lowered his head and focused on bandaging the arm. ¡°All right.Remember to keep it dry and don''t lift heavy things.Take good care of it and it''ll return to its original state.¡± Kathleen pinched her fingers. If it wasn¡¯t for me, Samuel wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt. In fact, he would be so badly injured. That man was clearly targeting me. Had Samuel not been there at that moment, I''d be dead meat by now. Samuel turned to herand used his uninjured hand to hold hers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.I have another hand.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips and said nothing. The doctor prescribed some painkillers, and Kathleen went off to collect the medicine. When she was gone, Samuel cast a sullen nce at the doctor, asking ¡°Is it serious?¡± ¡°Mr.Macari, I¡¯m going to be honest with you.Your tendon was almostpletely broken,¡± whispered the doctor. ¡°This kind of recovery is extremely tricky.You must be careful.¡± Samuel understood the severity of his injury. He then reminded grimly, ¡°I trust you know what to say if shees looking for you privately?¡± The doctor was puzzled. ¡°But Mr.Macari, she''s a doctor, too.¡± ¡°You just need to know what to say.That¡¯s all,¡± Samuel ordered. ¡°Okay.I understand.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr.Macari.¡± Samuel got up and prepared to leave. The doctor sighed resignedly as he stared at Samuel¡¯srge and dependable back. Right then, Kathleen came running back with the medicine in her hand. Samuel''s charming face looked slightly pale. ¡°Don¡¯t run.I''m not in urgent need of those pills.¡± Kathleen merely squeezed the bag of pills and said nothing. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to send me home.I can¡¯t drive,¡± said Samuel with a deep voice. ¡°Would that be too much of a trouble for you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. Fixing his eyes on her, he said, ¡°Let''s go.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She seems to be quite upset about me being injured. Even so, he was happy about it. It meant that she was worried about him. Soon, Kathleen started the car and sent Samuel back to Florinia Manor. She was rather familiar with the ce. Kathleen got out of the car with Samuel and walked into the house. Upon arriving at the room, Kathleen stood in front of Samuel, looking somewhat hesitant. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Samuel.This happened all because of me.¡± He shed a nonchnt smile at her. ¡°Don''t worry about it.¡± ¡°I''ve checked the medicines.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Your injury is serious, right?¡± ¡°Kathleen, the severity of my injury has nothing to do with you.You don''t have to feel responsible for it,¡± Samuel assured her with his deep, attractive voice. ¡°Surely you don''t want me to force you to repay me with yourself?¡± Kathleen stiffened at his words. ¡°I know you won¡¯t, and I won¡¯t force you to do it, either.Stop worrying.If you do that, it''ll make me want to take advantage and bully you.¡± His voice was cold yet soothing. Hearing that, she froze, and a frown appeared on her forehead. ¡°What on earth is in your mind?¡± ¡°You,¡± Samuel answeredzily. ¡°All I think about is you.¡± His answer rendered her at a loss for words. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± he asked as he shed a smile at her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can you prepare some warm water? I want to remove the blood on my wrist.I''ll also need you to help me change into a clean set of clothes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Will you be ufortable with these requests?¡± Samusked, curious about her answer. ¡°I''m indebted to you, after all.¡± ¡°Sorry for the trouble,¡± he said with a smile. Kathleen then turned and walked into the bathroom. She wet a towel with warm water, wrung it, and walked out. Meanwhile, Samuel was sitting on the bed and using one hand to unbutton his shirt. It was his right hand that got injured, which made it all the more difficult for him as he had to work with his left. Kathleen strode over. ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. Kathleen stretched out her hands and helped him undo the buttons one by one, revealing his firm chest and eight packs. A light-colored scar could be seen extending from his chest to his abdomen. It resembled a giant centipede that was crawling on his body. It was Kathleen¡¯s first time seeing the scar ever since she lost her memories. She had only heard about it from Charles. Apparently, Samuel did that to punish himself when she left, which almost cost him his life. Her heart started to tremble when she saw the scar. As Samuel lowered his gaze to look at the shocked Kathleen, an unfathomable gaze flitted across his eyes. After some time, Kathleen stopped herself from staring at the scar. She picked up the towel and wiped his wrist. When the dried blood waspletely removed, she entered the walk-in closet to help him get a set of fresh clothes. She realized men''s clothing was not the only type of clothing there; there were also women''s. What was more surprising was that the women''s clothing was of thetest design, and their tags were not removed yet. Kathleen casually chose a shirt and brought it out of the walk-in closet. For some reason, seeing all that left a suffocating and painful feeling in her chest. Despite that, she helped Samuel to put on his shirt wordlessly. Samuel''splexion had turned paler. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Kathleen frowned deeply. ¡°You should take the medicine.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded obediently. Kathleen took out the bag of pills and popped them into her palm. She wanted to ce them on his hand when he lowered his head and ate the pills from her palm. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Chapter 387 You Will Be Gone ¡°Water,¡± Samuel croaked. Kathleen immediately poured some water into a ss and ced it in front of him. However, he still did not stretch out his hands. Just like what he did earlier, he simply lowered his head and ced his lips at the edge of the cup. Seeing that, Kathleen raised the ss so he could drink the water. Samuel swallowed the pills andy on the bed. Following that, Kathleen helped him to remove his shoes and tucked him into bed. In the meantime, he had been watching her with a warm smile on his handsome face. Though his hand hurt, seeing Kathleen taking care of him filled his heart with warmth. ¡°Get some sleep,¡± Kathleen breathed. ¡°The pills have a sleep-inducing effect.Your hand won''t hurt once you''re asleep.¡± Samuel''s thin lips moved slightly. ¡°But you''ll be gone when I wake up, right?¡± The woman did not answer him. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Samuel''s throat tightened as sorrow grew in his heart. He knew Kathleen would not be moved by his actions. Even if he got injured because of her, her heart would not soften. However, he could not force her to feel the way he wanted her to. Feeling helpless, he shut his eyes. The effect of the medicine kicked in, and he soon fell asleep. Kathleen finally heaved a sigh of relief. She sat by the side of the bed and stared at the ceiling, letting out a deep sigh. This is quite a messy matter. I don''t want to owe him anything, nor do I want to develop feelings for him.Yet, he got injured because of me. What should I do? Can someone please tell me? After pondering for some time, she got up and walked out ofSamuel''s room. The housekeeper approached her, asking, ¡°Ms.Johnson, do you need anything?¡± ¡°That room I used to live in, is it still here?¡± asked Kathleen coolly. The housekeeper nodded firmly. ¡°Of course! Are you nning to stay here, Ms.Johnson?¡± ¡°Yes.Samuel¡¯s injured.He needs someone to take care of him.¡± Taken aback by her answer, the housekeeper exined, ¡°You¡¯re right.Mr.Macari never let any women serve him.Whenever he''s injured, he''ll get a man to take care of him.¡± Kathleen asked quietly, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± The housekeeper smiled politely. ¡°Well, there were female doctors who came to treat Ms.Desi, but none of them ever lived in the house.¡± Kathleen was the only exception. She was not particrly moved by the news; she was just surprised. Samuel did not know she was Kathleen at that time. Yet, he had an inexplicable preference for her. ¡°Why don''t you prepare the food a little earlier?¡± Kathleen asked indifferently. ¡°He can have some once he''s awake.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The housekeeper nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll cook some for you as well, Ms.Johnson.¡± ¡°Sure, I''ll eat in the dining room.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After some time, when Kathleen arrived at the dining room, the housekeeper had already ced the dishes on the table. They were Kathleen''s favorites. Unable to suppress her curiosity, Kathleen asked, ¡°Do you never prepare Samuel''s favorites?¡± It had happened several times; the dishes set on the table were always her favorites. The housekeeper shed a smile and exined, ¡°Yes.Mr.Macari told us to only prepare your favorites in this house.This practice has been going on for five years.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. For five years? Kathleen did not expect so much time to have passed. ¡°I see.¡± She picked up her fork and dug into the food. Knowing Kathleen did not like to be disturbed, the housekeeper informed, ¡°Ms.Johnson, I¡¯ll be right outside.Feel free to let me know if there''s anything you need.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, the housekeeper left,and Kathleen carried on with her meal. Then, her phone rang. ¡°Charles?¡± Kathleen called out calmly. ¡°I heard you were ambushed this afternoon.Are you hurt?¡± asked Charles, a deep crease forming between his brows. ¡°I¡¯m fine.Samuel got hurt because of me,¡± she replied grimly. ¡°Oh.Where is he hurt?¡± Charles'' voice wasced with indifference. ¡°His wrist.¡± Kathleen pursed her trembling lips. ¡°His hand might be crippled.¡± What? ¡°Could the doctor be working with him to trick you?¡± Charles believed Samuel could do something like that. After all, thetter liked Kathleen a lot. ¡°Charles, I''m a doctor too.I know the severity of his injury at a nce, but Samuel won¡¯t let the doctor tell me the truth.¡± ¡°So? Are you moved?¡± Letting out a sigh, shereminded, ¡°You''re the one who told me to not forgive him.¡± She was referring to the time when they had a heart-to-heart sibling talk. Charles¡¯ gaze dimmed at that. ¡°That¡¯s right.I''m not letting you forgive him, but you''re moved, right?¡± ¡°That man was there to kill me,¡± Kathleen uttered. ¡°It had nothing to do with Samuel in the first ce.¡± ¡°Kate, if you like him, then you should be with him,¡± said Charles, a faint smile hanging on his lips. ¡°I haven''t thought things through.¡± ¡°Kate, this amnesia can be your new beginning,¡± said Charles seriously. ¡°I told you to not forgive him, not because I want to prevent you two from getting together but because I feel that you shouldn¡¯t marry him just for the sake of the children.However, if you really like him, then you can ignore what I said back then.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Should I forgive him?¡± she asked, feeling confused and at a loss over what to do. ¡°Ona certain level, Samuel has paid the price and almost died,¡± Charles exined. ¡°But that depends on you¡ªwhether you think the price he paid is worth thepensation.¡± Kathleen said softly, ¡°But I lost my memories.¡± She could not remember how much she hatedSamuel, nor did she know if everything Samuel did was enough to atone for his mistakes. Charles smiled. ¡°Since you can''t make up your mind, why don''t you let time answer for you? If you realize you still like him after a long time,then you should be together.Kate, life¡¯s too short to spend it on contemting.You should enjoy it to the fullest.Being happy is the most important thing.¡± ¡°Thank you, Charles.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°I feel much better after talking to you.¡± ¡°That''s good,¡± Charles said with a warm smile. ¡°As for Ryder...¡± ¡°I''ll reject him, but I don''t think I''ll be with Samuel right away.I still need time to think.¡± ¡°Okay.You have my support no matter what decision you make.¡± ¡°Thank you, Charles.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°Oh, by the way.I don¡¯t have enough people with me here.Can you make the arrangements and assign me two more? One more thing.I want to know who was the person who ambushed me today and the reason for the attack.¡± ¡°Sure.I¡¯ll send someone over to see you tomorrow.If you think that person is suitable, you can keep him,¡± said Charles seriously. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I''ll hang up, then.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen hung up and let out a sigh of relief. Though she wasn''t feeling chirpy, at least she was not as stressed as before. She finished up her meal and headed upstairs. That night, Samuel woke up due to the pain. He nced at the side of his bed and realized there was no one. Looks like she''s gone. Enduring the stinging pain in his wrist, he sat up, turned on the bedsidemp, and reached out for his pills. He popped them into his palm and put everything into his mouth. Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Going On A Date Samuel thought he was hallucinating when he heard Kathleen¡¯s voice. It was only when he saw her hand that he eventually realized she was real. He took the ss of water and swallowed the medicine. Under the light, his handsome face looked pale yet frail. Kathleen looked at him impassively. ¡°Is there a need to torture yourself like this?¡± Samuel shot her a sideways nce. His gaze darkened as he said, ¡°I''m really in pain.¡± ¡°You had been injured and had fallen sick so many times before.Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s drug resistance?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Isn''t what you''re doing now considered torturing yourself?¡± Samuel stared at how furious she looked and swallowed hard. ¡°You didn''t leave?¡± ¡°Who''s going to take care of you if I leave?¡± asked Kathleen, puzzled. Her reply made Samuel¡¯s mind go nk for a second. In a deep, hoarse voice, he asked, ¡°Did you stay to take care of me?¡± Hearing that, Kathleenchuckled. ¡°If not, did you think I stayed to watch you torture yourself?¡± Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t take your medicine before your meal.It''s going to hurt your stomach.¡± Kathleen gave him an indifferent look. Samuel paused for a while before he replied, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Kathleen rose to her feet and switched on the light. She stood next to the bed as she cast her gaze upon that man who looked sick yet charming. ¡°I can''t do anything if you wish to do things that harm yourself.If you don''t need me here, I can leave.¡± Samuel fell silent. Kathleen¡¯s gaze darkened before she turned around. Right then, Samuel reached out and grabbed her wrist. His deep eyes beamed as he asked, ¡°Is there anything for me to eat?¡± ¡°I told the housekeeper to prepare some food.If you want to eat them, I''ll heat them up and bring them to you.Is that okay?¡± Kathleen asked tly. ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen stared at his slender hand and said, ¡°Let go of me, then.¡± Samuel gradually released his grip. Then, Kathleen walked out of the room. The next instant, Samuel swiftly pinched his own thigh hard. I''m not dreaming! It''s real! Kathleen really stayed to take care of me. Everything seemed too good to be true, but nheless, he was over the moon. In fact, he did not ask for much. He only wished to hold a ce in Kathleen''s heart. It would be enough for him that she had him in her mind, regardless of what she took him as. Lying on the bed, he ced his left arm on his forehead. His lips curled into a bright smile. A few minutester, Kathleen brought the food upstairs. Upon entering the room, she saw Samuel sitting on the couch obediently. He was staring at her deeply at the same time. She walked over and ced the food on the coffee table. ¡°They¡¯re all something light.Have some.¡± Samuel gave her a slight nod. He took the spoon and ate the food bit by bit. At the same time, with aposed expression, Kathleen sat across from him and watched him. He looks so frail when he''s injured. Despite that, he still looks elegant while eating no matter how hungry he is. Suddenly, Samuel stopped eating. He looked up, and his dark eyes met Kathleen¡¯s. Looking Composed, Kathleen stared at him. ¡°Why did you stop eating? Is the food not to your liking?¡± Samuel shook his head lightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong then?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Why do you keep looking at me?¡± Samuel asked solemnly. For the first time, he felt uneasy under her gaze. At that point, Kathleen realized that she had been staring at him all the while. Seemingly trying to brush things off, she chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re good-looking.Didn''t they say that if we stare at good-looking people more often, we will feel delighted?¡± A faint blush rose to Samuel¡¯s cheeks. Kathleen looked at him and urged, ¡°Eatup! Go get some rest after you finish eating.There are some matters I need to attend to tomorrow, so I have to go to bed early too.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going on a date with Ryder,¡± Kathleen exined. A date? Samuel felt a strange feeling welling up in his chest. ¡°Have we gone on a date?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Her question came as a bolt out of the blue, stunning Samuel. Indeed, they had never gone out for a date before. ¡°I guess not.¡± Smiling, Kathleen continued, ¡°I''m really looking forward to it.I wonder if Ryder will bring me to a movie or take me shopping? Either is fine, though.It''d be perfect if we go for a candlelight dinner at night!¡± Samuel did not say a word. He felt his wound slightly aching again. Kathleen shed a smile and said, ¡°You don''t seem like you enjoy this conversation, do you?¡± Her sudden question left Samuel at a loss for words. ¡°Didn''t you say that we''re friends? Can''t friends talk about this topic?¡± Kathleen still wore a faint smile on her face. Samuel replied coldly, ¡°Go ahead as you please.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°Fine.I¡¯m not going to keep this conversation going.We will find out tomorrow.¡± Samuel''s face grew sullen. He felt that Kathleen did that on purpose, yet there was nothing he could do to prove his assumption. He hurriedly finished the food even though he had no appetite. After the meal, Kathleen kept everything and ced them in the corridor. The housekeeper would come to collect them in the morning. In the room, Samuely on the bed. His eyes looked dull, almost vacuous. Then, his gaze fell upon Kathleen. Meanwhile, Kathleen sat on the couch, removed her shoes, andy on her back. Even though the two were not that close to one another, they could hear each other''s breathing. Samuel closed his eyes and felt his heart wrenching. It was as though all kinds of emotions were stirring within him. As expected, he could not bear seeingKathleen being together with another man. He was aware of how possessive he was, yet there was nothing he could do. Kathleen would not care about it at all. It hurt so bad that he found it slightly hard to breathe. Whenever he recalled the time when Kathleen had almost married Caleb, he felt the urge to knock Kathleen out and bring her somewhere far away, somewhere nobody else would go. A ce where there was only two of them, and they could be together forever. No one could ever break them up. However, Kathleen definitely would not agree to it. With his mind awash with a gamut of thoughts, Samuel gradually drifted off to sleep. Kathleen could tell he had fallen asleep just by listening to his steady breathing. She turned sideways and looked at Samuel. The dim rays cast on half of his delicate face, leaving another half of it in the dark. Samuel always gave off a domineering aura no matter what he did. She could feel her heart racing as she stared at him. However, she still found it hard to ept how stubborn Samuel was, so she decided to wait for a little longer. After a long time, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes. The next day, it was already eight o''clock when Kathleen woke up. She sat right up and grabbed her phone. Just then, Ryder''s call came in. ¡°It''s me.Where should I pick you from?¡± asked Ryder, smiling. ¡°I''m at Florinia Manor.¡± Kathleen lifted the quilt. She was confused for a moment when she noticed that the thin nket on herst night had already been reced with a quilt. Could it be Samuel who covered me with the quilt? As that thought crossed her mind, she looked in the direction of the bed, and Samuel was nowhere to be seen. He woke up that early? ¡°Okay.See youter.¡± Kathleen hung up the phone. She walked toward the bathroom, and Samuel was justing out from there. There were still water droplets on his charming face. Kathleen was stunned for a moment. ¡°Why didn''t you wipe your face clean?¡± As she said that, she grabbed the towel from the side and helped him wipe his face. Dumbfounded by her sudden act, Samuel stood rooted to the spot. He had never been that close to Kathleen in such a long time. Kathleen had always felt distant and unapproachable. He just could not go anywhere near her. Now that Kathleen was helping him to wipe off the water on his face, he really wished his face would be wet all the time. ¡°All right.I¡¯m going out.Just call the housekeeper if you need any help,¡± Kathleen stated tly. Nheless, Samuel did not reply a word. ¡°By the way, could I borrow the women''s clothing in your closet?¡± asked Kathleen. Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Anyone Would Have Done The Same ¡°Those are meant for you, anyway.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Heshook his head. ¡°But I''m going to wear them for the date with Ryder.¡± The woman''s bright eyes met with his. Samuel was stumped. ¡°So let me pay you.If not, it''d feel odd,¡± came Kathleen''s implicit remark. Samuel lowered his head. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Just wear them.Since I bought them for you, you can wear them as you wish.¡± After saying that, he walked past her. ¡°Thank you.You''re such a kind person.¡± Kathleen grinned. Samuel was rendered speechless. I don¡¯t want you to take me as just a kind person! After that, Kathleen went to freshen herself up. She took a light-yellow dress out of the closet. The dress had a square neckline that would reveal her corbone. It was a sleeveless piece, and the hem of the dress was slightly above the knee. The overall style was fresh and youthful. When Kathleen came out wearing that dress, Samuel was completely stunned by that sight. Of course, he knew better than anyone else how fair she was. s, she dressed up so beautifully only to date another man. Samuel felt he was on the verge of losing his mind. She certainly knows how to torture me. ¡°I''m leaving,¡± said Kathleen before leaving. Samuel gulped and turned to look out of the window. Ryder hade to pick Kathleen up, and he parked his car right at the entrance. Kathleen left the house and got into Ryder''s car. Shortly after, the two left. Samuel started coughing all of a sudden. The injury he had suffered was no match for the pain he felt at this moment. Hisface paled in mere seconds. He took his phone and called Tyson. ¡°Go find out where Kathleen and Ryder are going for their date.¡± Tyson was startled. ¡°Mrs.Macari and Mr.Xenakis are going on a date?¡± ¡°Cut the crap.Go!¡± Samuel ordered sternly. ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson immediately hung up the phone. Wearing a grim look, Samuel called the butler. ¡°Help me get changed and call the Macari residence.Tell them I''m picking the kids up.¡± The butler was shocked. ¡°Mr.Macari, are you still going out even when you''re injured?¡± ¡°Yes.Go get ready.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°All right.¡± The butler dared not go against his wish, so he could only do as Samuel instructed. Samuel¡¯s charming face grew more solemn. I wonder what Kathleen and Ryder are doing now. As soon as Ryder saw Kathleen, his lips curled into a grin. Kathleen got into the car. ¡°Mr.Xenakis, aren''t you going to start the car?¡± Ryder started the engine. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°We¡¯re going to a resort, and it''s located on the outskirts of the city.It''s a resort invested by one of my business partners.They''re having their soft opening today, so they told me to pay a visit.That''s why I thought of bringing you there to rx for a bit.¡± Kathleen nodded at his exnation. It seems like the date is pretty different from what I expected. ¡°They have malls and ces for movies there.I bet you will like it,¡± Ryder said confidently as though he could read her mind. Kathleen felt a little embarrassed. ¡°I wasn''t expecting too much, actually.¡± ¡°But I can tell you''ve put in a lot of effort in dressing up.¡± The man shed her a half-smile, and Kathleen responded with a faint smile. ¡°I''m merely wearing a bright-colored dress.¡± In truth, she did not even put on makeup and had only applied lipstick. Even so, she already looked exceptionally stunning. Ryder chuckled. ¡°I heard that Mr.Macari is injured.Is he okay?¡± ¡°Not really.It''s still hard to tell if his hand could recover fully.Even after he recovers, it''s not necessarily that he could still use his hand as he did in the past,¡± said Kathleen, shaking her head. ¡°What a pity.¡± Ryder¡¯s gaze darkened. Kathleenslightly clenched her hand. ¡°He wouldn''t have gotten hurt if he hadn''t tried to save me.¡± Ryder gave her a meaningful look. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself.No one wished for this to happen.Under such circumstances, I would''ve done the same to protect you if I were there.¡± Kathleen stared at him without saying a word. ¡°Anyone else would¡¯ve done the same,¡± Ryder exined. Anyoneelse would''ve done the same? Kathleen looked out of the window. To Samuel, maybe there is no such saying. An hourter, they finally arrived at the resort. The resort was lively and bustling with people. It was obvious that they had just started the business. Ryder parked the car and said to her, ¡°It''s their soft opening today, so there are not too many people.There will also be some reporters around, but of course, I¡¯ll not make you go in front of the cameras.¡± Kathleen went into a daze for a moment before she snapped back to her senses. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, they got out of the car together. It was a sunny day. Kathleen''s fair skin seemed like it was glowing under the soft daylight. Even though she had a fair complexion, she did not look sickly. Her skin was slightly pinkish, and she looked just like a peach. Ryder¡¯s gaze grew darker. He held an umbre over Kathleen''s head. Kathleen froze for a second before replying, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You''re wee.This way,¡± said Ryder, grinning. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she followed Ryder to the reception. ¡°Mr.Xenakis, you''re here.¡± A man d in a suit walked over. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll have to pay a visit since you¡¯ve invited me over.¡± After shing the man a grin, Ryder said to Kathleen, ¡°Let me introduce him to you.He''s my business partner, Leonard Sullivan.¡± Looking at Leonard, Kathleen greeted, ¡°Mr.Sullivan, nice to meet you.¡± Leonard was so startled that he cursed inwardly. D*mn it! It¡¯s Kathleen! Why would shee with Ryder? ¡°Nice to meet you, too,¡± came Leonard¡¯s reply. When Rydercalled Leonard the night before, thetter had thought that Ryder was bringing someone else over. Leonard would not have expected him toe with Kathleen. Leonard had even prepared a room for Ryder,thinking that thetter could spend a pleasant time with his partner. Judging by the situation now, he would better forget about it. Aspared to Ryder, Samuel was the one Leonard could not afford to offend. Leonard then instructed his assistant, ¡°Go get the two key cards I''ve prepared for Mr.Xenakis.¡± Two cards? His assistant immediately caught the hint. Soon, his assistant brought the key cards over. Leonard handed o Ryder and another one to Kathleen. ¡°You can just tell them your room number when you''re spending here.There''s no need to pay.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ryder epted the card. Naturally, Kathleen took the card the card, too. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I''ll get someone to bring you there.¡± Leonard was weing them warmly. The staff then brought them to the resorts. Kathleen and Ryder were staying indifferent resorts, but the buildings were right next to each other. After they left for their rooms, Leonard instantly called Samuel. Despite his rtively calm tone, he sounded like he was gloating over Samuel¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Mr.Macari, your woman followed Ryder to my resort here.¡± Samuel wore a deadpan expression. ¡°I''m on my way there.¡± ¡°Didn''t you say you''re noting to join the fun?¡± Leonard shivered for a bit. ¡°Do you think I''m heading there just to join the fun?¡± Samuel questioned apathetically. ¡°It doesn''t seem like it.¡± Leonard was full of guilt all of a sudden. ¡°I brought Eil and Desi along.¡± Samuel looked down at the two children sitting next to him. ¡°I''ll be there soon.¡± He ended the call as soon as he finished his words. Leonard stroked his chin as he pondered over Samuel¡¯s words. As expected from Samuel. He truly has a knack for winning his wife''s heart.He¡¯s bringing the kids over. Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Chapter 390 I Like You Kathleen reached her room. She checked on her phone, only to see the system notifying her ofEil''s and Desi''s location. She froze for a moment. Ten kilometers away? Could it be that they''re here too? As a matter of fact, Kathleen had gifted both of them two kid watches, which had a tracking system inside. She never thought that the watches woulde in handy today. At the same time, Kathleen seemed to know who brought them there. With that thought in mind, she could not help but chuckle. Meanwhile, Leonard stood at the entrance to wee Samuel. As the car slowly came to a halt, Samuel got out of the vehicle. Looking at the injury on Samuel''s wrist, Leonard asked worriedly, ¡°You brought the kids here all by yourself?¡± ¡°Tyson''sing too,¡± said Samuel coldly. Leonard was slightly taken aback. ¡°Is Tyson here to take care of the kids or you?¡± Indifferently, Samuel replied, ¡°I don¡¯t need someone to take care of me.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Em got out the car with Samuel. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Although the former was still a kid, he could take care of himself well. Hearing Em''s words, Leonard stared at him and began to ponder. Eil is exactly like his father, even in the way they talk. ¡°The check-in procedure is done.I''ll bring you guys there.¡± Leonard smiled. Samuel nodded in response. With that, Leonard and him got into the car together. Without dy, they started their journey and reached the resort''s entrance very soon. Knowing that Samuel brought the children along, Leonard specially booked a children-friendly resort for them, which provided a small children''s yground. In the backyard of the resort, there were slides, swings, and other fun facilities. Desiree liked the ce very much. Em, however, was not a tad bit interested. He nced at Samuel and uttered, ¡°Daddy, I''ll watch over Desi.Go busy with your stuff.¡± With that said, the little boy walked in the swing¡¯s direction and started reading a book. Seeing that, Leonard crossed his arms and voiced enviously, ¡°Mr.Macari, could you tell me how to raise a kid so well? He¡¯s such a good boy.How I wish I have a son like him!¡± Samuel''s gaze turned intense. ¡°I''ve never taught him anything.¡± Eil was dependable and sensible since young. It¡¯s heart-rending to see him behaving this way. A kid his age shouldn¡¯t be too mature.I hope that he can grow up happily, albeit born a guy. Unfortunately, being a Macari, it''s almost impossible for him to enjoy a carefree childhood. ¡°Mr.Macari, Kathleen is living right beside this resort.¡± Leonard pointed at another resort not far away. The resort where Kathleen was staying was a taller building. In fact, she could easily spot them from her window. In the meantime, Leonard felt that he was well- intentioned. Samuel gazed at him calmly. ¡°I brought them here to y, that''s all.¡± Hearing that, Leonard could feel the corner of his mouth twitch slightly. Tsk!Who would believe that? Anyone who isn''t a fool knows that he came with an ulterior motive. ¡°If so, you should go and enjoy yourself with the kids.There are electric tourist vehicles here.I''ll leave you guys to have fun,¡± mentioned Leonard. Right after saying that, he left. Samuel then lifted his head to look at the resort afar while pursing his thin lips. At that time, the watch on Em''s wrist rang. It was a text from Kathleen that read: Why did your father bring both of you here? Em replied: I don''t think he brought us here to y. Mommy, are you at the resort too? That text left Kathleen dumbstruck almost instantly. Eil has quite a strong intuition! Kathleen: Yes. Em: Mommy, are you here alone? Kathleen: No, of course.I''m here with my male friend. Em: Will he be our new dad? Kathleen was bemused by the littleboy''s words.She replied: No. Em: Anyway, I know what Daddy is up to bying here. Kathleen was curious,so she asked: What is it? Em: To stop you. Feeling puzzled, Kathleen replied: Stop what? Em: You''re seeing someone else.He''s here to interrupt you, undeniably. An unexpected burst ofughter escaped from Kathleen at his text. Kathleen: I¡¯m afraid that his n may not work. Em was rendered speechless. Kathleen: Doyou want me to go over and find you guys? Em: Don''t worry, Mommy. Enjoy your time here with your friend. After all, you and Daddy are divorced. Kathleen beamed and replied: Okay.I will! Em: All right. Meanwhile, Kathleen smiled faintly. Will Samuel be angry if he knows what Eil said to me? It was at that moment the doorbell rang out of the blue. Hearing that, Kathleen went to open the door. Ryder was standing outside. He changed his attire from a while ago into his casual wear. Just now, he was wearing a suit, looking extremely professional. After changing into a different outfit, he looked even more elegant. ¡°Let''s go out for a spin.Then, we can have lunch together afterward.¡± Ryder shed her a smile. ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded. She packed her stuff and followed him out. They then went to the backyard and drove off in the electric tourist vehicle. Their vehicle happened to drive past the resort where Samuel was staying. At that time, Samuel was on the second floor and spotted them from the window. His eyes turned maliciously bloodshot as he watched them from above. He knew that he had no right to get furious. Nheless, he could not control his emotions. ¡°Mr.Macari, it''s time for you to take your medicine.¡± Tyson walked over with a ss of water. He responded gruffly, ¡°I¡¯ll take it after having my meal.Go and get Eil and Desi here.Let''s go for lunch together.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Tyson nodded. Afterward, he went downstairs and asked the two children to get prepared. A momentter, Samuel came down as well. ¡°Daddy! I¡¯ve only been ying for a while.I still want to y,¡±ined Desiree. Gently, Samuel responded, ¡°Be a good girl.Let''s go eat first.¡± ¡°But I''m not hungry.¡± The little girl patted on her stomach. In fact, they had just eaten whenSamuel went to fetch them earlier. ¡°You will be hungryter.Let''s go,¡± replied Samuel, his gaze darkening slightly. After giving his remark, he grabbed Desiree¡¯s hand and departed. Tyson and Em followed closely behind as they made their way to their destination. Thetter heaved a sigh inwardly. On the other side, Ryder brought Kathleen to wander around the ce. Both of them were not starving yet. The scenery there was breathtaking. As the water shimmered under the sunlight, theke looked stunning. Besides, the resort was not opened to the public officially, so the ce was not crowded and was extraordinarily quiet. After parking the car in a shaded ce, Ryder gazed at theke and asked Kathleen, ¡°How do you feel?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°It¡¯s pretty nice.The scenery is picturesque.Furthermore, it''s not crowded here, so it''s very rxing.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it here.¡± A wide grin started to form on Ryder¡¯s handsome face. He looked genuine and innocent,like a young boy, when he smiled. Noticing that, Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Ryder, do you like me?¡± He was stunned by her frank query. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that.I''m not stupid, and you''re acting way too obvious,¡± said Kathleen quietly. He stared at her with an intense gaze. ¡°Judging from your straightforwardness, I assume you''re not interested in me at all, right?¡± The unexpected question flustered Kathleen as well. ¡°Why do you say so?¡± ¡°If you like me, it would give you butterflies in your stomach at the beginning of our rtionship.However, you aren''t shy around me by asking me something so direct.Hence, I''m certain that you don''t like me,¡± Ryder muttered frankly. She nodded, confirming his deduction. ¡°Sorry, Ryder.I don''t like you.¡± The man chuckled and replied, ¡°Kathleen, I''ve liked you for a very long time.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen was stunned upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your performance on stage when I went to your school in the past.Since that day, I have had a crush on you.Nevertheless, knowing about what happened between you and Samuel, I decided not to interfere,¡± exined Ryder ina husky voice. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 Chapter 391 They Look Like A Family Kathleen sighed ruefully. ¡°I lost my memories.¡± She had forgotten about the people and memories from her past, so Ryder¡¯s words puzzled her. He gave a thoughtful smile. ¡°Being constrained by memories isn¡¯t a good thing.People change; you may dislike something you liked when you were younger, right?¡± She returned his smile. ¡°That makes sense, but sometimes changes can be difficult.¡± ¡°Unless you have recovered your memories.¡± His smile turned sly. ¡°Are you trying to probe if my memories have returned?¡± Kathleen chuckled. He froze. ¡°Save your time.I don''t remember anything yet.¡± She gave a wan smile. ¡°Do you think this is a God-given opportunity to reincarnate? You have a clean te and a new beginning, so you''re not bound by past emotions.¡± She barked augh, and he closed his hand over hers. ¡°I like you.Do you feel the same for me?¡± She was going to answer him when she heard Desiree¡¯s voice from behind her. ¡°Mommy!¡± The little girl''s voice shook when she saw Kathleen. Kathleen tugged her hand away from Ryder''s and got out of the car. Desiree followed suit and scampered to her. ¡°Mommy, you''re so beautiful.¡± Her eyes filled with awe and admiration. It''s no wonder that everyone likes Mommy! Samuel''s eyes drank in Kathleen¡¯s beauty, and his throat bobbed on a swallow. ¡°Why are you guys here?¡± Kathleen yed innocent. ¡°Daddy brought us here.¡± Desiree nced back at the electric tourist vehicle. Kathleen followed her gaze and looked away as soon as she met Samuel''s dark eyes. Samuel followed Ryder''s lead and got out of the car. She nced at the former''s wrist and felt he was being careless with his injury, despite the fact that he was wearing protective gear. ¡°Mommy, please talk to Daddy.His hand is injured, yet he isn''t resting properly,¡± Desiree tattled. Kathleen held her tiny hand. ¡°I don''t think I''ll be able to persuade him otherwise.¡± If I could, he wouldn¡¯t be here now. Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°Well, you didn''t try.¡± She lifted her gaze and smiled, but the smile never quite reached her eyes. ¡°Didn''t I tell you to rest before leaving the house today?¡± Samuel remained silent. Ryder took a stepforward. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr.Macari.¡± The cold look returned to Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Pleasure¡¯s mine, Mr.Xenakis.¡± ¡°You must be Desi.I''m Ryder Xenakis.¡± He stretched his hand toward Desiree. She looked up at him with twinkling eyes. ¡°You¡¯re very handsome, Mr.Xenakis.¡± Heughed. ¡°And you¡¯re very adorable.¡± Samuel snorted under his breath. She blinked. ¡°Mr.Xenakis, are you Mommy¡¯s boyfriend?¡± Ryder hesitated before chuckling. ¡°Not yet.¡± Desiree furtively sighed in relief and yanked on his arm. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, Mr.Xenakis.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll get you something to eat.¡± He bent down to scoop her in his arms. She was a warm and soft bundle, provoking his fatherly instincts and overriding his typical indifference toward kids. His life would be more fulfilling if he could have such a cute, charming daughter. Kathleen approached them as Ryder headed toward his car carrying Desiree. ¡°Let me take her while you drive.¡± ¡°All right.¡± He shed her a smile. Kathleen was about to carry Desiree from him when a suit jacket landed on herp. Kathleen''s head shot up, and she saw Samuel wearing only his ck shirt, his eyes darker than it as he stared at her before turning to leave. Her short skirt would have ridden up with Desiree on herp, disying more than intended. Kathleen looked at the tailored suit jacket, and a softugh escaped her. ¡°Let''s go,¡± she said to Ryder after settling Desiree on herp. He nodded and pulled away with Kathleen and Desiree. Just then, Em swiveled toward Samuel. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Drive, Tyson.¡± Samuel''s gaze was flinty. Tyson was taken aback since he expected Samuel to manhandle Kathleen from Ryder¡¯s car,but instead, Samuel shrugged out of his suit jacket and gave it to her. It was baffling. Tyson followed them from a distance, and Emmented after catching a glimpse of the three of them in the car, ¡°They look like a family.¡± Samuel''s handsome face darkened into a scowl, and Tyson pleaded inwardly.Say no more, Mr.Eil, or Mr.Macari might rupture a blood vessel in anger. Samuel''s gaze sharpened, never leaving the car before them. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is Desi a traitor?¡±Em snuck a peek at his father''s side profile. ¡°After all, Mr.Xenakis seems kind.¡± Samuel had the world''s ckest scowl on his face, and Tyson wanted to cry in the front seat. They reached the restaurant soon, and patrons could choose betweenbuffet or a-carte. A man of Samuel''s and Ryder''s calibers would naturally opt for a-carte. However, Desiree had other ns. ¡°I want buffet style.It has a lot of choices,¡± the little girl dered. She rarely had the chance for an excursion dueto health and safety reasons. She was resolved to make the most of her newfound freedom and have a good time. The adults adored her, so she could have whatever she wanted. Coincidentally, Leonard stood by the entrance and wore an odd expression when he saw them. ¡°Mr.Sullivan,¡± greeted Desiree warmly. Leonard immediately reached out and took her in his arms. ¡°Ah, my princess, are you here for dinner?¡± She nodded and noticed there was a beautiful, long-haired lady standing next to him. Thedy seemed shocked to see Leonardhandling a child easily and remarked, ¡°I didn''t know you liked kids, Mr.Sullivan.¡± He nted a look at her and bit out, ¡°Have I ever said I didn¡¯t like them?¡± She was taken aback.No, he didn¡¯t. ¡°Mr.Macari, Mr.Xenakis,¡± Leonard greeted. Desiree chimed in indignantly, ¡°Mr.Sullivan, why didn''t you include Mommy?¡± ¡°Because I''m not sure how to address her appropriately.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°Daddysaid Mommy is starting her ownpany, so you can call her Ms.Johnson,¡± she said with unblinking eyes. ¡°Well, aren''t you a smart one?¡± Heughed and shifted his gaze to Kathleen. ¡°My apologies, Ms.Johnson, I really didn''t know how to address you.¡± She sketched a wan smile. ¡°You normally wouldn''t have this problem.¡± ¡°Precisely, problems umte as time getste,¡± he agreed. Kathleen maintained her smile and motions to the woman beside him. ¡°And you are?¡± She was caught off guard and introduced herself. ¡°I¡¯m Kelly Hoover.¡± Kathleen arched a brow.. ¡°Yourst name is Hoover?¡± She nodded. What a coincidence. Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Outsider Samuel''s brows drew together when he heard herst name. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with each other?¡± Leonard¡¯seyes cut to him. ¡°We don¡¯t have one.¡± Kelly¡¯s gaze darkened noticeably. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re just friends.¡± Kathleen gave her a pointed look. It doesn''t look like they''re just tonic friends. ¡°Let''s go in, Mommy.I¡¯m hungry.¡± Desiree pouted. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You can put Desi down, Mr.Sullivan.She can walk on her own.¡± Leonard did as told, and Desiree held Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°I want shrimp, Mommy.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen smiled and led Desiree inside. Meanwhile, Samuel nced at Em and asked in a deep, affectionate voice,¡°Aren''t you hungry?¡± ¡°I''m a man; I can endure hunger for a bit,¡± Em answered sensibly, holding onto Samuel''s other hand. Samuel''s gaze softened. ¡°All right,e along.We''ll go look for Mommy and Desi.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The little boy nodded enthusiastically. Leonard smirked at Ryder. ¡°He has a wingman.What about you?¡± Ryder grunted softly and strode into the restaurant. Then, Leonard turned toward Kelly. ¡°You can handle your parents alone, yeah? I won''t be heading up, then.¡± Her parents were here on the second floor as well. She said, ¡°If you don¡¯t showup with me, I''ll be in for a tongueshing.¡± Leonard''s expression cooled. ¡°Kelly, I think I''ve made myself very clear.¡± ¡°I''m not twisting your arm here, Leonard.This is not an indication that I like you.I wouldn''t have met you if my family hadn''t pressured me,¡± she asserted. ¡°To be clear, it¡¯s for the best if you don¡¯t have feelings for me.I don¡¯t want any trouble.Please tell your parents to give up trying to matchmake both of us,¡± he stated matter-of-factly. Kelly bristled with indignation. ¡°Do you think my parents are the only ones to me? Why don¡¯t you say that to your grandpa as well?¡± Leonard merely gave her a long look. ¡°I must have been blind to fall in love with you.You were a coward seven years ago, and you are worse seven yearster. You''re nothing but a piece of trash!¡± she spat angrily before leaving. His gaze darkened.She has some nerve to call me trash.She''s not the same person she was seven years ago. Did someone reincarnate into her body? She used to be meek and cute, and that version of her is far preferable to her personality right now. Leonard adjusted his tie and made his way toward Samuel. Meanwhile, Kathleen let Desiree hold a te as she spooned Desiree''s favorite foods onto it, and Desiree watched with wide eyes. Kathleen cocked her neck to look at her son. ¡°What would you like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not picky,¡± he answered. ¡°Daddy said to eat proteins and vegetables to grow taller.¡± She smiled. ¡°He''s right, and you should drink more milk as well.¡± ¡°Mommy, do you think I¡¯ll grow to be as tall as Daddy?¡± Em asked eagerly. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s your daddy, and you''re his son.You''ll be just like him when you grow up.¡± Sheughed. He met her gaze squarely. ¡°Mommy, I want food that will make me grow taller.¡± ¡°Coming right up.¡± Kathleen made a te for him and eyed Samuel''s injured hand. Em caught the look and said to Leonard, ¡°Mr.Sullivan, would you mind walking Desi and me to the table over there?¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± He hesitated before ushering the kids there. Kathleen didn¡¯t want to trouble Leonard, but Samuel spoke up. ¡°What should I eat?¡± That caused her to still and sessfully returned her attention to him. ¡°You said I don''t listen to you.I¡¯m injured now and don¡¯t know what to eat.You should decide for me.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t listening to me.This is very,¡± she huffed. She picked up a te and took spoonfuls of greens. ¡°These.¡± Samuel epted the te and didn''t show a hint of annoyance. ¡°Thank you.¡± He would dly eat anything she put in front of him, even if it was poison. He carried a teheaped with a variety of greens and stood upright alongside Kathleen. Her brows furrowed. ¡°Aren''t you going to sit down and start eating?¡± ¡°Waiting for you.¡± His answer was sinct. ¡°No need, go to Eil and Desi instead.It''s better to look after the kids ourselves and not bother other people.I''ll be there in a minute.¡± Other people? Samuel''s brows rose. ¡°Is Ryder an outsider?¡± She faced him with her arms crossed across her chest. ¡°What do you think?¡± He remained silent. My thoughts don¡¯t matter. What matters most is what you think. ¡°Hurry on,¡± Kathleen urged and moved to take her favorite dishes. Samuel¡¯s attention was pulled to Ryder approaching them, and he didn¡¯t move an inch. Ryder¡¯seyes narrowed. ¡°Mr.Macari, are you converting to a vegetarian diet?¡± ¡°Kathleen took these for me,¡± Samuel replied coldly. Ryder cracked a smile. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Ah, Ms.Johnson, why don''t you make me a te, too?¡± ¡°You have two perfectly fine hands,¡± said Samuel. Ryder had been grating on his nerves for quite some time now. Kathleen said, ¡°Do it yourself, Ryder.I only did it for Samuel because he''s incapacitated.¡± ¡°Must be nice.If only I had been wounded as well.¡± Ryder sighed. Samuel had a permanent scowl on his face. ¡°Nonsense.No one wishes to get hurt,¡± she chided. Especially not on their hands. ¡°That''s not always the case.¡± Ryder smiled, his eyes cutting to Samuel. Samuel¡¯s expression was a mask of stone, and Kathleen ignored them as she made a te for herself and turned to leave. Samuel was on her heels immediately. Ryder hastily took some food and caught up with them. ¡°Here, Mommy,¡± Em called out. Kathleen went to him and sat down with Desiree and Em on either side of her. Samuel, Ryder, and Leonard each took a seat next to each other. One of Samuel''s hands was out ofmission, so he could only eat with a fork. Fortunately, Kathleen had taken food easy to spear with a fork. Leonard teased, ¡°Is a vegetarian diet really the right choice for you, Mr.Macari?¡± ¡°Zip it.¡± Samuel wasn''t in the mood. Kathleen nced at everyone''s te and felt a pang of guilt. She admitted that she wanted to get even with Samuel, but having only vegetables wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°Mommy, I want shrimp,¡± Desiree requested, and Kathleen peeled it for her. Samuel wanted to help Desiree and instinctively reached his hand out before remembering it was injured. ¡°Let me.¡± Ryder drew the te to him and took over the task of peeling shrimps for the little girl. Kathleen didn''t miss Samuel''s eyes dimming as he dropped his hand without saying anything, and she felt her heart squeeze with inexplicable emotion. Ryder finished peeling the shrimps and ced them in front of Desiree. ¡°Thank you, Mr.Xenakis,¡± she said. His face split into a warm smile. ¡°Tell me if you want more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded. Samuel had lost his appetite during the meal, but he soldiered on for the sake of his pride. It was alreadyte when they finished dinner. ¡°Mommy, I want to spend the night with you.¡± Desiree tugged on Kathleen''s hand. Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Chapter 393 You Are A Good Person Kathleen smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Desiree looked at Em. ¡°What about you, Eil? Do you want toe with us?¡± Em looked at Samuel as the former shook his head. ¡°I''ll keep Daddypany.¡± Samuel was stunned and said quietly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Em was very considerate. ¡°But no one is here to take care of Daddy.¡± Samuel caressed Em¡¯s head. ¡°I don''t need anyone to take care of me.¡± Tyson uttered quietly, ¡°I¡¯m still here.¡± Em gazed at him wordlessly. Tyson was stunned.Maybe I should¡¯ve stayed silent.I''m sure Eil has his ns. ¡°It''s okay,¡± Samuel replied inly. Em hesitated for a brief moment. ¡°Okay then.I''ll stay with Mommy tonight.¡± Either way, I won''t let Mommy have the chance to go on a date with Ryder! Ryder smiled. There was no way kids would have ill intentions. They only wanted their parents to get back together. Kathleen smiled. ¡°Don''t worry; Tyson has been friends with your daddy for many years.He knows your daddy¡¯s temper very well.I''m sure he can take good care of your daddy.¡± Em sighed. Tyson doesn¡¯t understand Daddy at all. If he did, he wouldn''t have said anything earlier. Kathleen pulled Em and Desiree. ¡°Let''s go.¡± ¡°I''ll send their clothes overter,¡± Samuel said in a deep voice. She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Ryder smiled. ¡°I''ll send you home since we stay close by.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze turned grim. We also live near to one another! Kathleen brought Em and Desiree over to Ryder¡¯s car and got in. Ryder drove them to the resort. He watched Kathleen get off his car. ¡°I''lle to see youter to continue where we left off earlier during the day.¡± Kathleen was stunned for a while. Not long after, she remembered that Samuel and the others had arrived before she had the chance to respond to his question. She looked at him. ¡°Actually, I can give you an answer right now.¡± Ryder smiled with a gentle expression. ¡°I hope you can take your time to think about it and answer me without any distractions.I''ll wait for you.¡± After that, he turned and left. Helplessness was written all over Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said to Em and Desiree. She brought the two of them inside. After some time, the doorbell rang. Hearing that, she went to open the door. Samuel was standing at the door, carrying a bag in his left hand. ¡°There are some clothes for the kids and you in the bag.¡± She was surprised. ¡°You prepared clothes for me too?¡± He nodded. She looked at him coldly. ¡°Samuel, did you know I was here with Ryder from the very beginning?¡± Samuel froze. ¡°Thanks.¡± After taking the bag, she shut the door. Sheughed in exasperation. What he''s doing ispletely unnecessary. Em tilted his head to look at her. Mommy looks happy. Desiree grew curious. ¡°Mommy, what are youughing about?¡± ¡°I''mughing at a dummy.Come; let''s get cleaned up,¡± she replied with a gentle smile. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, she brought them to shower. After that, she tucked them in and apanied them. Desiree had been ying the entire afternoon, so she was already exhausted. Soon, she fell asleep. After that, Em and Kathleen talked. Em asked curiously, ¡°Mommy, do you like Mr.Xenakis?¡± Kathleen was shocked and replied with a half-smile, ¡°What do you think?¡± He said quietly, ¡°He¡¯s pretty gentle, and he¡¯s really patient with Desi.Daddy has finally met a worthy opponent.¡± Sheughed lightly. ¡°So, that was Desi and your motive today?¡± Em was embarrassed. He asked curiously again, ¡°Mommy, are you going to get together with him?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No.I don''t like him, but it''s true that he''s a good guy.No women can resist men who are gentle.¡± Em asked hesitantly, ¡°Is Daddy gentle?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not, and somehow, his gentleness scares me,¡± she replied. Em couldn''t understand. ¡°Why?¡± She sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t get it either.I don''t know why I''m so afraid of him.¡± I get scared when he¡¯s near, when he¡¯s being gentle toward me, and the dark and dangerous look in his eyes. She didn''t know what to do. Although Em was smart, he couldn''t understand too. As expected, adults areplicated. ¡°Mommy, you should go and meet Mr.Xenakis.I''ll look after Desi,¡± he said after some contemtion. Kathleen sat up and looked at him. ¡°How did you be so considerate?¡± ¡°That''s because you and Daddy are busy.Besides, I''m the big brother,¡± he replied. She pulled him into her arms. ¡°But you¡¯re a child too.You''re my son.¡± Em''s face turned red. This is a little embarrassing, but as expected, Mommy¡¯s scent is different from Daddy¡¯s. Samuel¡¯s was masculine, while Kathleen¡¯s was gentle. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mommy.I can handle it.¡± It was heartbreaking to see him being that thoughtful. Kathleen patted his head. ¡°Okay.I¡¯lle back very soon.¡± He nodded. ¡°Mm.¡± She let go of him, and hey on the bed. After that, she covered him with a nket.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ll be downstairs.Call out to me if you need me.¡± He nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She lowered her head and kissed Em on his forehead before leaving. Em let out a sigh. Life is tough. Although I want Mommy and Daddy to be together, Mommy said she¡¯s afraid of Daddy, so maybe they have no chance of getting back together.I''ve tried my best. Kathleen went out to the courtyard. Ryder was standing under a tree. It was a cold night. Shewalked over to him. ¡°Ryder.¡± Hearing her voice, he turned slowly. ¡°Are the kids asleep?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah.Actually, I''ve already given you my answer to your question.¡± Ryder smiled faintly. ¡°I wanted to hear it from you in person.¡± She looked at him calmly. ¡°Ryder, I don¡¯t like you.You''re a very sweet and gentle guy, but, I''m sorry, I don¡¯t have feelings for you.¡± Hesmiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve expected that.¡± Kathleen looked at him deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.I only agreed to go on a date with you because of Charles.You know that.¡± Ryder¡¯s gaze was dark but gentle. ¡°Kathleen, you really never considered dating other guys? You''ll only know who suits you best after you get to know different men.¡± She replied coldly, ¡°Ryder, it¡¯s not that I don''t have the guts to do so or that I overthink things.It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t like it.I don¡¯t like forcing myself.Besides, I don''t want to attract more trouble by taking another step forward.I prefer peace.That¡¯s all.¡± Ryder looked at her with a half-smile. ¡°I respect all your decisions.I knew you''d say that, but I still had to ask so that I could give up on you completely.I really like you very much.¡± There was a sincere look in Kathleen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Thank you for liking me.You¡¯re a good man.I''m sure you''ll find someone you like who likes you back.¡± He smiled as he asked, ¡°Will Samuel be the one you choose in the end?¡± She shook her head instead. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Someone Is Angry Ryderughed out of exasperation. ¡°Since you¡¯re saying that the future is uncertain, why are you rejecting me so quickly?¡± Kathleen replied helplessly,¡°That''s because I know I won''t fall for you.Besides, I don''t want you to waste your time because of me.You¡¯re already thirty-five years old, aren¡¯t you?¡± Heughed. ¡°Haha.Am I that old?¡± Kathleen flushed. He looked at her. ¡°Samuel¡¯s thirty-three.We''re only two years apart.¡± She couldn''t help but scoff, ¡°You sound like you want to get together with him.¡± He looked at her thoughtfully. ¡°Kathleen, you can turn me down, but I have the right to continue liking you.¡± She was speechless. He said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s painful to wait for someone.I knew you since I was twenty-two.Although my confession this time has failed, I won''t give up.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say anymore. Could it be that my rejection wasn¡¯t straightforward enough? She had no other choice. ¡°Suit yourself. It¡¯s your business, anyway.¡± Ryder let out a deepugh. ¡°You¡¯re right.This is my business.¡± She had no choice but to say righteously, ¡°Nheless, I hope you won¡¯t affect my life.¡± He smiled inly. ¡°You don''t look stern at all, although I can see that you¡¯re trying to.On the contrary, you look adorable.¡± Exasperation was written all over her face. ¡°Is that so? A lot of people are afraid of me in the past, though.¡± ¡°How can someone who likes you be afraid of you? In the eyes of someone who likes you, you''re adorable,¡± he replied with a half-smile. She pursed her lips. ¡°I''ll do my best to be more strict next time.¡± Heughed. ¡°Toward me?¡± She nodded fervently. Ryder narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°You may not know this, but I like girls who can be both adorable and fierce.¡± His kind smile under the gentle moonlight did not look like he was joking at all. She blushed. He smiled and hugged her suddenly as he whispered next to her ear, ¡°Good night.I don¡¯t regret confessing my feelings to you.Even if you fall in love with someone else and get married to him one day, I won¡¯t have any regrets.I know that feelings can''t be forced, but at least I¡¯ve tried.¡± After that, he let go of her. Shestood under the tree as she watched him leave with a glint in her eyes. Just then, she heard some movements near her. Kathleen asked without looking back, ¡°You''ve been watching for a long time, haven''t you?¡± Samuel murmured with his voice lowered, ¡°I''m just here to see the kids.I didn¡¯t mean to see that.¡± She turned. ¡°Samuel, you''re not being honest at all.¡± He looked at her dark eyes and muttered in alow voice, ¡°What about you? Are you being honest?¡± She frowned. ¡°Do you dare to admit that you still have feelings for me?¡± he asked her in his hoarse voice. She scoffed, ¡°What? You want me to admit that I still have feelings for you? I''ve already lost my memories! How can I have feelings for you?¡± ¡°Kathleen, do you remember when you passed out after saving Desist time? You kept calling my name.Do you dare to say that you don''t remember anything?¡± She was stunned and shook her head fervently. ¡°No!¡± He mocked, ¡°Do you need to get so worked up?¡± Kathleen was enraged. ¡°Can''t I exin myself when you''ve clearly misunderstood me?¡± He looked at her coldly. She snapped, ¡°Eil and Desi are perfectly fine here with me! Don''t you forget! I''m their mother! There''s no way I''d hurt them! It''ste, and they don''t need you to worry about them.You can leave now!¡± Samuel looked at Kathleen under the moonlight. To him, she looked elegant, fresh, and charming. ¡°Good night!¡± With that, she stomped away angrily. Looking at Kathleen¡¯s slender figure, he suddenly said pitifully, ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Kathleen wasstunned as she turned to look at him. ¡°Am I your mother? Why are you telling me that for?¡± He looked at her quietly. ¡°Then, who should I tell?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.You can ask for Tyson, Leonard, or anyone''s help here.Just don''t look for me,¡± she huffed. ¡°Tyson''s wife isn''t feeling well, so he has already left.Leonard isn¡¯t here either.Besides, I''m not close with anyone else here,¡± he exined. She asked coldly, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that we¡¯re close?¡± Samuel was taken aback for a moment before he askedposedly, ¡°Aren''t we?¡± We even have two kids together. She snorted coldly. ¡°Sorry.We''re not.¡± With that, she turned to leave. He let out a self-deprecatingugh as he watched her close the door in his face. As expected, I shouldn''t have provoked her. However, when he saw Ryder hugging her, he couldn''t control himself. Great. Now she doesn¡¯t want to talk to me anymore. I should''ve kept my mouth shut. The next day, Kathleen went for breakfast with Em and Desiree. Emcalled Samuel, but thetter didn''t pick up. Kathleen looked at Em''s worried expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He frowned. ¡°Daddy has never slept in before, but there''s no response from him at this hour.I called him, but he didn¡¯t answer at all.Did something happen?¡± Hearing that, Kathleen got very worried as well. Tyson''s not with Samuel. I wonder if he can walk or do anything by himself. At that moment, she saw Ryder. ¡°Ryder, can you help me look after Eil andDesi for a while? I''ll be back soon,¡± she said instantly. Ryder nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Looking at how anxious Kathleen was, he couldn''t help but wonder if something had happened to Samuel. Suddenly, he felt someone pulling his hand. He lowered his head to look atDesiree. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Mr.Xenakis, my mommy¡¯s not right for you.You should look for someone else,¡± Desiree said with a conflicted look. Ryderughed lightly. ¡°You''re truly Samuel''s precious daughter.¡± Em, on the other hand, drank his milk in silence. Ryder patted Desiree¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.Your mommy has already rejected me.¡± Desiree was stunned before she beamed. After that, she pulled his hand andforted him, ¡°Mr.Xenakis, I''m sure you''ll find yourself a good wife since you¡¯re so handsome! Maybe you will even havea cute daughter like me.¡± Ryder was amused. ¡°I''ll take your word for it.¡± After that, he shifted his gaze to look at Kathleen, who was walking away, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling resigned. That''s probably how love is.Even if she has forgotten about him, her love for him is already deeply engraved into her bones that she herself doesn''t notice. Kathleen stood before Samuel''s resort entrance and knocked on the door. However, no sound was heard from the inside. She furrowed her brows deeply. Did something really happen to him? It can''t be, right? She looked around as she thought about how to get to the second floor. She saw a chair at the side and dragged it over to the balcony. She got on it and held onto the railings with both her hands. If it weren''t because of her dress and leather shoes, she would''ve already climbed up. At that moment, the door opened with a click. Samuel walked out of the door in his robe. He lifted his head to look at Kathleen who was trying hard to get onto the second floor and frowned slightly. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Kate, what are you doing?¡± Kathleen was shocked. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Did You Wish I Was Dead Samuel had a gloomy look on his face. ¡°What? Did you wish I was dead?¡± Kathleen felt embarrassed. He walked over toher. ¡°Get down. I can see your panties.¡± Feeling awkward, she quickly got off the chair. She knitted her brows. ¡°Why didn''t you answer Eil''s call when you''re fine? He''s worried about you, so I¡¯m here to check on you on his behalf.¡± Heshot her a long and meaningful nce as he asked, ¡°Aren''t you worried about me?¡± She snorted coldly. ¡°Why should I be worried about a self-righteous man like you? I¡¯d rather not get involved with you.¡± He felt miserable. ¡°If you¡¯re fine, then get changed quickly. Eil and Desi are waiting for you,¡± she said indifferently. He looked at her without saying anything. She wanted to leave, but he pulled her hand. ¡°Kate,I need your help.¡± She was annoyed. ¡°You told me you''re hungryst night; what do you need this time?¡± He pointed at his injured wrist. ¡°I can''t lift my entire arm.¡± She was shocked and walked toward him. ¡°What? Get in! Let me see.¡± He followed her into the vi and sat on the couch. She untied his bandage and saw how terrible his wound was. Her eyes turned red. ¡°Did you use your injured hand?¡± ¡°I wanted to take a showerst night, and I identally slipped,¡± he replied. She bit her lip. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± His voice was hoarse. ¡°It waste, and you were all asleep.I thought that it would be okay after enduring the pain, but I only realized that my arm hurt too after I woke up.Maybe it was caused by the fall yesterday.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.Is that how you should be taking care of yourself? Would it kill you to skip showering for a day?¡± Samuel remained silent as he sat there. She looked at him angrily. ¡°Get changed.We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡± He stood up. ¡°But I can''t wear my clothes.¡± ¡°I''ll help you,¡± she replied quietly. He smiled. ¡°Thanks.You''re really a good person.¡± ¡°I feel that you''re mocking me,¡± she said angrily. It¡¯s like he¡¯s mocking me for ignoring himst night! He didn''t dare to look at her. ¡°You''re overthinking things.¡± Hah! Kathleen promptly made her way upstairs. She took out a suit from the closet and ced it on the bed before taking a white shirt and turning to look at him. He was looking inly at her too. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Take off your clothes.Why are you looking at me?¡± A pained look appeared on Samuel¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Kate, I really don¡¯t have any energy left.I¡¯m not faking it.¡± She walked over to him. ¡°I get it.I''ll help you with that.¡± The next moment, she reached out and helped him out of his robe. He was not wearing anything inside. His figure was tall and sturdy, he had no b at all, and his abs were sexy. Kathleen blushed and said in an irritated tone, ¡°Why didn''t you wear anything underneath your robe?¡± He smiled in exasperation. ¡°If I could, I wouldn''t have waited for you to help me.Besides, do you wear anything when you take a shower?¡± She puffed up her cheeks. ¡°Sit down.¡± He sat down obediently, and she helped him put on his pants. After he put on his pants, she felt much better. Next, she helped him put on his shirt and button it up before tucking it into his pants. Lastly, she helped him with his belt. To her surprise, she had reached the end of the belt, but it was still loose. That meant that he had gotten thinner than before. She lifted her head to look at his handsome face. Indeed, he had lost weighttely. His cheeks were sunken, and his skin was pale.He looked unhealthy. His body condition wasn''t good to begin with. If it wasn''t for her, his condition wouldn''t have worsened. However, he neverined to her. Yet, when he told her he was hungry the day before, she ignored him. He panicked all of a sudden when he saw her reddened eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± She sniffled. ¡°I''m not crying.¡± After helping him with his belt, she went on to help with his tie. It had been a long time since he was that close to her, and he was looking at her with his gaze lowered. He felt like they had gone back to several years ago. At that time, they had just gotten married, and she was always keen on helping him with his tie. Wearing a pink sleeping gown, she would stand in his embrace and help him with his tie. In the past, he didn''t understand. Only then did he finallyprehend what her action meant. He lowered his head down slowly and pulled her intohis arms. Kathleen froze. He closed his eyes. ¡°Kate, I get it now.All of it.But it''s toote now, isn''t it?¡± She asked quietly, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Back then, you treated me as your husband, but I...¡± His voice was hoarse. Back then, to Kathleen, Samuel was her husband and someone whom she would spend the rest of her life with. She took care of everything around the house wholeheartedly, and it was obvious from everything she did. However, he misunderstood her and hurt her. If he could turn back time, he would never make her sad. ¡°Samuel, that''s in the past.Talking about it now is useless.Let go of me first.I asked Ryder to help me watch the kids.I feel bad for troubling him.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Mm.¡± Samuel nodded and let go of her. She continued helping him with his tie. Suddenly, she was shocked. ¡°Your tie''s already torn.¡± He replied inly, ¡°It''s just a little worn.¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Don''t you have money to get a new one?¡± ¡°You bought me this tie in the past,¡± he exined. She was speechless. So, he has been wearing the same tie for five years? She remained silent as she helped him with his suit. He still looked like the handsome and heartless Samuel that she knew. ¡°Let''s go,¡± she said to him. Samuel nodded and left with her. Kathleen asked him to get into the car first while she went to the restaurant. Ryder and the two kids had already finished their breakfast. ¡°Thank you, Ryder.Samuel''s not feeling well, so I''m taking him to the hospital,¡± she said. Ryder frowned. ¡°Do you need me to send you there?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No.I can drive.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± He didn''t want to force it. With that, Kathleen held onto Em andDesiree''s hands as they walked toward the car. Samuel was sitting in the passenger seat as he looked at them quietly. Kathleen asked Em and Desiree to sit at the back and passed a paper bag to Samuel. ¡°There¡¯s some pancakes inside.I heard that they added some ck truffles.Have some for now.¡± With that, she closed the door of the passenger seat and walked over to the driver¡¯s seat before getting into the car. She drove toward the city. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Soon, they reached the hospital. Tyson was already waiting for them at the entrance. Kathleen and the others got out of the car. She asked Tyson to watch the kids while she brought Samuel to see the doctor. After the checkup, the doctormanded Samuel to be hospitalized. If Samuel didn''t take good care of his wrist and let it recover, he would be crippled. Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Chapter 396 I Will Kill That Bastard Samuel shot the doctor a sharp re. The doctor pursed his lips. Kathleen stood at the side with her arms crossed. ¡°Stop ring at him, would you? Samuel, I''m a doctor too. Did you really think I wouldn''t know?¡± Samuel remained silent. ¡°Besides, a doctor is someone who saves your life! You¡¯d better watch how you treat him!¡±she reprimanded. Samuel instantly became obedient. The doctor looked awkwardly at her. As expected, only she can tame him. She was angry. ¡°Doctor, please make arrangements for his ward.I''ll follow up with his treatment myself.¡± Naturally, the doctor was happy about that. Since Samuel wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone but Kathleen, the doctor felt relieved that Kathleen wanted to take over Samuel''s treatments. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, the doctor passed all the information that he had to her. She looked at Samuel sternly. ¡°Come to the ward with me!¡± He stood up and followed her. Meanwhile, Tyson was watching over Em and Desiree outside the consultation room. Samuel said, ¡°Tyson, send them back to the Macari residence first.Have my parents take care of them. Tyson nodded. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen hesitated for a while. ¡°Tyson, your wife isn¡¯t feeling well, right?¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Yeah.Luckily Mr.Macari let me go home and take a look at her yesterday, or else she wouldn¡¯t go to the hospital.¡± Kathleen shot Samuel a nce. ¡°That¡¯s great.If your wife still needs anything that the doctors can''t solve, you cane to me for help.¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°Okay.Thank you, Ms.Johnson.¡± ¡°You''re wee.¡± Kathleen turned and left. Samuel looked at Tyson with a satisfied look before he followed her. Em crossed his arms. ¡°All of a sudden, I feel that Daddy''s a big simp.¡± Desiree wasn¡¯t happy to hear that. ¡°Eil, how can you say that? But it''s true that Daddy¡¯s a simp when ites to Mommy.¡± Tyson was bemused. ¡°How can you say that about your own daddy? Well, I must say that I agree with you, though.¡± Em and Desiree looked at him awkwardly. ¡°Come on. Let''s send you home.¡± With that, he took them away. Meanwhile, Kathleen led Samuel to a VIP ward. Afterthey arrived at the VIP ward, she tossed a hospital gown to him. ¡°Put it on.¡± He smiled. ¡°Dr.Johnson, can you be more gentle toward a patient?¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°Of course.I¡¯m always gentle to obedient patients.¡± Samuelughed in exasperation. ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose.Tyson said so himself that his wife is really sick.Who would use his own wife as a joke for no reason?¡± She snorted, ¡°You¡¯d better call him and ask him to bring some daily necessities over.¡± Hestood in front of her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.Even if I didn¡¯t say anything, he¡¯d bring them.Dr.Johnson, please help me change into the hospital gown.¡± Kathleen frowned deeply. Samuel smiled. ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°If it isn''t because you have a full body checkupter, I¡¯d definitely ignore you,¡± she grumbled angrily. He continued to smile without saying anything. Oh, you won¡¯t ignore me. You get soft-hearted easily. That was how she was. It had nothing to do with her losing her memory or not. After putting her things down, she helped him change into the hospital gown. Whatever she had helped put on earlier was taken off by her. After helping him change into the hospital gown, she asked him to wait while she made arrangements for his full body checkup. Samuel sat on the hospital bed, smiling. Although it was a big price to pay, at least she was talking to him. Meanwhile, Tyson arrived at the Macari residence with Em and Desiree. Wynnie asked curiously, ¡°Tyson,where''s Samuel?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. It had been days since shest saw Samuel, so she only heard about thetter''s injuries not too long ago. She frowned. ¡°I heard that Samuel¡¯s injured.Is he okay?¡± ¡°Ms.Staines, Mr.Macari is in the hospital now,¡± Tyson exined. She continued to frown. ¡°Is it that serious?¡± ¡°Umm...¡± He didn''t know how to exin. It''s true that Mr.Macari''s injuries are serious, but he told me not to tell his family. Seeing his hesitation, Wynnie thought of something else. ¡°Is Kate treating him?¡± Tyson nodded. She snorted. ¡°He¡¯s really something.Now, he¡¯s even acting pitiful.¡± ¡°Ms.Staines, if acting pitiful is useful, he wouldn''t have waited until now to use it,¡± Tyson said awkwardly. ¡°Listen.That act works every time, especially with a soft-hearted person like Kathleen.Eil and Desi, you''d better not be like your parents, okay?¡± Wynnie lowered her head to look at the two kids. Em shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Grandma, I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Desiree shrugged as well. Wynnieughed lightly. ¡°Okay.Let¡¯s get inside.¡± ¡°Ms.Staines, I have to pack some items for Mr.Macari, so I''ll take my leave first,¡± Tyson said. Wynnie nodded. ¡°Okay.Go on.¡± With that, Tyson left. Right when Wynnie wanted to see what the two kids were doing,her phone rang unexpectedly. It was an unknown number. However, not many people knew her number. After a moment of hesitation, she finally answered the call. ¡°Wynnie, is that you?¡± An icy voice of a woman sounded from the phone. Wynnie frowned. ¡°Who are you?¡± The woman on the phone replied, ¡°It''s Hannah.¡± Wynnie''s expression darkened instantly. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± ¡°Wynnie, it''s been a long time since west met.Don''t you want to see me?¡± Hannah Tate asked with a half-smile. Wynnie felt disgusted. ¡°No.I don¡¯t want to.I really regretted helping you before!¡± ¡°Oh,e on.We¡¯re ssmates.I¡¯m in Lightspring now.Besides, do you know who my husband is?¡± Hannah chuckled softly. ¡°I don¡¯t care.Stop bothering me!¡± Wynnie snapped coldly. ¡°My husband is Shane Hoover.Besides, you know what your daughter-inw Kathleen''s rtionship with me is, don¡¯t you?¡± Wynnie asked coldly, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Wynnie, the Hoover family has ill intentions toward your grandson and granddaughter.Don''t you wish to protect them? I''ll be waiting at Hyatt Hotel for you.¡± Hannah chuckled before she hung up. Wynnie¡¯s expression darkened. That Hannah! I can¡¯t believe she still dares toe to me again after so many years! Back then, Hannah and Elena disgusted everyone in Jadeborough. However, Wynnie wanted to know what Hannah meant. After contemting, she decided to meet her. At Hyatt Hotel, Kelly was looking at Hannah exasperatedly. ¡°Mom, who did you call?¡± Hannah put her phone down. ¡°Since Leonard has dumped you, I have to find you a man to get married to, don¡¯t I?¡± Kelly was speechless. ¡°Mom, I told you.I''m not going to get married.¡± ¡°Kelly, this isn''t up to you.If word about you giving birth to an illegitimate child gets out, you¡¯ll lose your right to the inheritance! Therefore, I have to do something before that happens!¡± Hannah had a sharp look in her eyes. ¡°Mom, are you doing it for me or yourself? You know how chaotic Uncle''s family is.You''re afraid that Dad won''t be able to get anything from the inheritance because he¡¯s weak, so you¡¯re using me,right?¡± Kelly asked as she bit her lip. Hannah asked coldly, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Mom, if what you''re doing is really for my benefit, you wouldn''t find anyone from the Sullivan family! Anyway, I''m not going to marry anyone!¡± she snapped. Hannah''s gaze was cold. Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Chapter 397 You Look A Little Familiar ¡°Mom! Felicia''s your biological granddaughter!¡± There were tears in Kelly¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hmph!She''s just a bastard to me.Anyway, if you don''t do as I say, you can forget about seeing her again!¡± Hannah said expressionlessly. At first, Kelly had nned to leave.But after being threatened by Hannah, how could she? Her daughter was in someone else¡¯s hands, so she could only do as she was told. An hourter, Wynnie had arrived at Hyatt Hotel. She walked into a private room and sat down. There were only Hannah and Kelly in the room. Kelly felt very ufortable.She stood up. ¡°Mrs.Macari.¡± Wynnie looked at Hannah without expression. ¡°What do you want?¡± Hannah looked back at Wynnie. ¡°You''re still the same after all these years.¡± Wynnie cast her a side-nce. ¡°Can you stop talking nonsense?¡± Hannah smiled meaningfully. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re very lovey-dovey with Calvin.Ah.That¡¯s right.He loves you so much that he did everything and anything to pursue you.Now that you''re married, I''m sure he treats you very well.¡± Bang! Wynnie mmed the table. ¡°Hannah, don''t you know how to speak like a normal human being without being so cynical?¡± Hannah asked with a half-smile, ¡°Oh? I didn''t realize our bigwyer here can''t hold her anger back.¡± ¡°I''m not here to listen to your nonsense,¡± Wynnie said calmly. Hannah''s eyes flickered at that. ¡°Wynnie, Shane''s older brother, Jaiden Hoover, has a son, and that son is the only heir to the Hoover family.¡± ¡°The only heir? What about your daughter then? Isn''t she a daughter of the Hoover family?¡± Wynnie mocked. Hannah was taken aback at that. ¡°There''s no difference between sons and daughters.Don''t you think it''s hrious that you''re saying that in front of your own daughter?¡± Wynnie continued. Kelly lowered her head. Hannah chuckled coldly. ¡°Hah! Wynnie, not everyone is as lucky as you to marry into a wealthy family and get to have such a kind mother-inw and husband.¡± ¡°We will only be respected by others when we respect ourselves.What you¡¯re doing is belittling yourself.As expected of your superficial friendship with Elena in the past,¡± Wynnie said in disgust. Hannah¡¯s face turned purple with rage. ¡°That''s enough, Wynnie!¡± Wynnie continued speaking in a disgusted tone, ¡°If you want me to stop, you¡¯d better get to the point now.¡± She wasn''t in the mood to waste time talking to Hannah. Hannah took a deep breath. ¡°The only heir to the Hoover family is very well-protected, but that child has hemophilia.The illness was cured several years back, but who would''ve known it would rpsest year? Now, the entire Hoover family is doing everything to save him.I heard that someone told them that there is a way, which is to look for a person with a special body constitution and feed thetter with a special herb before transfusing their blood to the heir.By doing so, the heir will live.¡± Wynnie furrowed her brows. ¡°Is that simr to Zion¡¯s case?¡± Hannah replied coldly, ¡°Yes.Now, they know that your granddaughter, Desiree, has that special body constitution.¡± Anger shed in Wynnie¡¯s eyes. ¡°I''ll kill them if they dare to touch her!¡± ¡°Wynnie, you can¡¯t go against the Hoover family as you please.You don¡¯t even know anything about them.Why don''t we work together if you want to know about their ns?¡± Hannah asked meaningfully. ¡°Work together? How?¡± Wynnie furrowed her brows. ¡°Wynnie, your son is single, and so is my daughter.Why don''t they get married? That way, it''s only natural that I would help you,¡± Hannahsaid with a half-smile. ¡°In your dreams!¡± Wynnie became infuriated instantly. ¡°Wynnie, you''d better think clearly about it.With my help, you don''t have to worry about Jaiden.¡± Hannah grinned. Wynnie¡¯s gaze darkened as she suddenly understood something. ¡°Hah! Hannah, you¡¯re really full of schemes.You pretend that you wish to help me, but actually, you want me to help you get your hands on the Hoover family¡¯s inheritance.You''re really shameless!¡± Hannah asked calmly, ¡°Can you really bear to see your granddaughter die?¡± Wynnie stood up. ¡°First, if the Hoover family wishes to touch the Macari family, they have to see if they''re worthy.Besides, Desi is my granddaughter and also the daughter of Samuel and Kathleen.Does the Hoover family dare to do anything to her given her parents¡¯ statuses?¡± Hannah was speechless. Wynnie let out a cold laugh. ¡°I don''t think the Hoover family is so fearless that they¡¯d dare to touch Desi! You¡¯d better continue dreaming if you think this can make my son marry your daughter!¡± After she said that, Wynnie turned to leave. Hannah sneered. ¡°Haha! Wynnie, when everyone thought that Calvin was the one who pursued you in the past, I was the only one who knew you had already fallen for him before he did. However, because you are engaged to Jaiden, you used Calvin to call off the engagement.I wonder what will Calvin think of you when he finds out?¡± Wynnie clenched her fists tightly at that. Just then, the door of the private room was pushed open from the outside. Calvin stood at the door with a half-smile. ¡°Darling, I''m here to take you home.¡± Wynnie froze. Why is he here? Did he hear everything? Calvin walked in and held her slender waist with his hand. ¡°Have you finished chatting? Can we go home now?¡± Wynnie pursed her lips. ¡°How did you know I''m here?¡± ¡°Is there anything that I don¡¯t know about when ites to you?¡±he asked Wynnie with a meaningful smile before shooting a side-nce at Hannah. ¡°I knew everything you said earlier.The engagement was arranged without Wynn''s knowledge, so it''s natural that she used me to dump Jaiden.I¡¯m not the only one who knows that.Jaiden knows about it as well.¡± Wynnie was stunned. Jaiden knows as well? She looked at Calvin. Just how much does Calvin know that he isn''t telling me? Hannah had an awkward look on her face. ¡°Hannah, I¡¯msure you don''t know the definition of a married couple.Do you dare to let Shane know about your many secrets?¡± Calvin mocked. Hannah went stiff. Calvin narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Do you want me to help you see if Shane is willing to stay with you after he finds out?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He had always been like that¡ªelegant and gentle¡ª with a smile on his face the entire time. However, he was also ruthless at the same time. His smile could make one shudder. Hannah went pale. Of course, she didn''t dare to do that. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Kelly at the side. ¡°You look a little familiar.¡± Kelly was stunned. ¡°She''s my daughter,¡± Hannah exined. Calvin said meaningfully, ¡°Ms.Hoover, were you at the Macari residence with Leonard to celebrate Samuel¡¯s birthday many years ago?¡± Kelly was taken aback by his words. She didn¡¯t expect anyone to remember her, let alone that matter. Hannah furrowed her brows and looked at Kelly. ¡°Many years back? You knew Leonard a long time ago?¡± Why didn¡¯t she mention that before? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Calvin held Wynnie and turned toleave. Kelly didn''t know how to answer that. Hannah was furious. Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Chapter 398 I Knew You Liked Me Calvin led Wynnie out of Hyatt Hotel. She grabbed onto him to rest. ¡°Calvin, I¡­¡± Calvin reached out his hand and brushed it across her pink lips. With a smile, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say all that for the sake of my own pride. Wynn, I¡¯ve known you like me for a while now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not upset?¡± She stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re already married to me. What is there to be upset about? Darling, don¡¯t fret about this. Just remember that even if you turned into a viin, I would still love you.¡± Wynnieughed.She tiptoed, hooked her arms around his neck, and gave him a peck on the cheek. ¡°Calvin, I love you so much! Thank you for loving me all these years,¡± she said sweetly. ¡°You fool. Why do you need to thank me for loving you?¡± He wrapped his arms around her. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. That means we stick together through thick and thin. I don¡¯t love you because I want you to thank me. One day, we will both grow old. As long as I have you beside me, I know I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Wynnie was touched. ¡°Calvin, you¡¯re amazing. Howe your son never took after you?¡± Calvin was speechless. ¡°Can you not bring up that disappointment?¡± he asked in frustration. Wynnie chuckled. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore.¡± ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go home,¡± said Calvin with a smile. ¡°Carry me,¡± she pleaded. Calvin¡¯s thin lips curved upward as he carried Wynnie to the car. At this moment, Hannah Tate came walking out of Hyatt Hotel with a gloomy expression on her face. Kelly was following behind with her head lowered. They both watched Calvin carry Wynnie into the car and go off happily. Hannah clenched her fists as jealousy and admiration shed through her eyes. Kelly frowned lightly. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Hannah was not in a good mood. ¡°Call Leonard right now. I need to ask him what he ns to do!¡± ¡°Mom, I already told you he and I are over.¡± Kelly was getting a headache. Hannah turned around and asked coldly, ¡°Is Felicia his daughter or not?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Kelly was stunned. Seeing that, Hannah narrowed her eyes.It was a rhetorical question. The child was definitely his. That night, at the hospital, Kathleen did her rounds, and eventually, she reached Samuel¡¯s ward.He was busy looking at hisptop. She went over and closed it shut. Tensing her beautiful face, she said, ¡°Mr. Macari, do I have to set a bedtime for you?¡± Samuel curled his thin lips. ¡°If they offer those services here, then sure.¡± ¡°You must not want your hands anymore. Why don¡¯t I chop them off for you?¡± Kathleen red at him. Samuel leaned back slightly, thenid down. Coolly, she stated, ¡°Samuel, I have to tell you that getting adequate sleep will help your injuries recover faster.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Go to bed then.¡± ¡°Are you leaving?¡± He grabbed her hand. ¡°I¡¯m working the night shift,¡± she replied. ¡°Oh.¡± Samuel still hadn¡¯t let go of her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t work too hard.¡± Kathleenughed. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be having such a hard time, and I mean that in multiple ways.¡± Samuel could hear theint in her tone. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you from now on.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see. If you don¡¯t, then this will be it for you. I won¡¯t be giving you any more chances,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re willing to give me a chance?¡± Samuel¡¯s dark eyes lit up. ¡°Let go of my hand. I have work to do.¡± She frowned. However, he responded by tightening his grip. ¡°Kate, are you really willing to give me another chance?¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a nag!¡± Kathleen pulled out her arm and barked, ¡°Go to sleep!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen turned off the lights in his ward. Before leaving, she turned on the small night light by the bed. Samuel was very emotional. It was unlikely he was going to be able to fall asleep that night. This feeling was akin to the very first time he ever fell in love. He was very nervous. This time, he had to do well in order to win Kathleen¡¯s heart back. Kathleen came out of Samuel¡¯s ward. At this moment, she saw that Zion¡¯s ward still had the lights on. She walked over, and as expected, Zion was still awake. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± She stood in front of him. Upon hearing her voice, he slowly turned over. ¡°I heard Samuel got hurt when he rescued you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded. ¡°We suspect that your mother is the one behind it. Probably because I refused to let her take you away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Zion stared at her guiltily. ¡°If you feel like it¡¯s too much trouble, you don¡¯t have to help me. Just let me die.¡± Kathleen strode over and put the patient files in her hand on top of his head. ¡°I saved your life. Don¡¯t you feel bad saying stuff like that to me?¡± Zion pouted. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°If you truly feel bad, then you should understand who you should be pouring your gratitude to from now on. Study hard so you can repay him.¡± ¡°Of course, I will. I just¡­¡± Zion¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°Look here, kid. Why do you have so many problems?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Even if the sky falls, we¡¯ll be here to hold it up for you.¡± Zion scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re not that tall.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m one hundred and sixty-five centimeters tall!¡± Kathleen retorted. ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll surpass you,¡± said Zion teasingly. Kathleen was furious. ¡°If you keep sleepingte, you won¡¯t be able to grow tall!¡± ¡°You know, having a bad temper makes it easier for you to get wrinkles,¡± he reminded. Kathleen was speechless. Click! She turned off the lights and left. Zion didn¡¯t say a word. As hey down in bed, he wore a smile on his face. Kathleen had given him another chance in life. He would forever be indebted to her. At five thirty o¡¯clock in the morning. Kathleen yawned as she walked out of her office. She headed to buy a cup of coffee. At this moment, Gemma came running over. ¡°Kate,e quick! It¡¯s Madeline!¡± All of the drowsiness immediately left Kathleen as she followed Gemma to the emergency room. Madeline was lying on a hospital bed, covered in blood. ¡°What happened?¡± Kathleen asked as she put on her gloves. ¡°She got hurt while trying to save another child,¡± exined one of the nurses. Kathleen looked at Gemma. ¡°Go call Federick.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Gemma turned around and rushed out. With no time to waste, Kathleen started to carry out emergency treatment on Madeline. The blood on her body was from the injuries on her arm and legs, but those wounds were no big deal. What mattered was her head. Her head was injured. Kathleen finished up the emergency treatment, but Madeline was still unconscious. Perhaps she needed more time. ¡°Dr. Johnson, over here!¡± shouted one doctor. Kathleen handed Madeline over to another nurse now that her condition had stabilized. ¡°Remember to take her to do a CT scan of her brain.¡± ¡°Will do!¡± The nurse nodded. Kathleen went over to the doctor that had called her. On the bed was a girl that was roughly five years old. Her age was simr to Desiree¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°This is the girl that Madeline saved. We noticed that there¡¯s something wrong with her blood,¡± exined the doctor. Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Chapter 399 One Chance Kathleen ordered, ¡°Draw some blood, and bring it to theb for testing.¡± The doctor immediately called a nurse over to carry out those orders. Meanwhile, Kathleen gave the little girl a brief check. Her voice was soft as she spoke. ¡°Hey there, can you hear me?¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes remained shut. ¡°Can you hear my voice?¡± Kathleen tried calling out again. This time, the girl slowly opened her eyes in a daze. ¡°You¡¯re awake. What¡¯s your name?¡± asked Kathleen. ¡°Where¡¯s Madeline¡­¡± The girl was very confused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯s fine. What¡¯s your name?¡± Kathleen asked again after reassuring the girl. ¡°Felicia. My name is Felicia¡­¡± After answering the question, the little girl passed out again. The doctor furrowed his brows lightly. ¡°Dr. Johnson?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the report?¡± Kathleen stood up. The nurse came running over. ¡°It¡¯s here, Dr. Johnson!¡± Kathleen scanned through it. ¡°Her telet levels are low. Everything else is showing abnormal levels as well. She might have leukemia.¡± The doctor and the other nurses were stunned. ¡°Take her to a ward for now. Find a way to contact her family,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°Got it.¡± The doctor nodded. Kathleen turned around and went out. Just then, Federick came running over. ¡°Kate!¡± ¡°Federick, Madeline has already been admitted into a ward. Her head is injured. We¡¯ll have to wait for the CT scan results to determine more,¡± exined Kathleen. Federick¡¯s hands were cold. ¡°Will she be all right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Federick. You have me,¡±forted Kathleen. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the ward and take a look at her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He choked up slightly. Soon, they arrived at the ward. Gemma was currently taking care of Madeline. When she saw Federick, she greeted him solemnly, ¡°Hey, Federick.¡± Federick went over. When he saw Madeline lying in bed, her face devoid of colors, tears streamed down his cheeks. ¡°Recently, Madeline¡¯s condition has improved a lot.¡± Federick dabbed his tears. ¡°Sometimes, she¡¯ll speak to us. Although her sentences are simple, it still makes us very happy.¡± ¡°This past week, she has been taking the dog for walks in the morning,¡± he added bitterly. ¡°We knew that it wasn¡¯t safe for her to go out alone. However, as you all know, it was a good chance for us to train her. Yesterday, my mom¡¯s leg was acting up. She couldn¡¯t even walk today, so I stayed home to watch her. I never expected¡­¡± His voice trailed off, and by then, he was sobbing uncontrobly. Kathleen and Gemma exchanged looks with each other before going up to him. ¡°Federick, don¡¯t worry. Madeline will be fine,¡± said Kathleen caringly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t be like this. Madeline will recover soon enough,¡± Gemma chimed in. ¡°Yeah.¡± Federick wiped his tears away. Staring at Madeline, he felt his heart ache. ¡°Dad¡­ Dad¡­¡± Suddenly, Madeline started to speak. Federick was stunned for a moment. He raised his head and stared at her daughter. ¡°Madeline, you¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Dad¡­ Dad¡­¡± Madeline cried out. ¡°I¡¯m right here!¡± He grabbed hold of her hand. ¡°Are you in pain? Tell me!¡± ¡°No.¡± Madeline raised her hand above her head. ¡°The girl¡­¡± ¡°Madeline, that little girl¡¯s name is Felicia. She¡¯s still in the emergency room right now, but there¡¯s no need to worry. Nothing will happen to her,¡± Kathleen replied reassuringly. Madeline turned her head to the side. ¡°Ms. Johnson!¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Kathleen held her hand. ¡°Be good. Don¡¯t touch your injuries.¡± ¡°Is she okay?¡± Madeline asked. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing for you to worry about. Got it?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Madeline nodded. ¡°Dad, what about the dog?¡± ¡°The dog ran back home by itself. Once you get discharged from the hospital, you¡¯ll be able to see it again.¡± Madeline sighed in relief. Kathleen and Gemma exchanged smiles. They both came out of the ward together. ¡°What a scare!¡± Gemma patted her chest. ¡°I thought Madeline was in serious trouble. When I saw her covered in blood earlier, I was so afraid.¡± ¡°Madeline is really lucky.¡± Kathleen smiled warmly. ¡°Indeed.¡± Gemma nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Are you working the morning shift?¡± Kathleen looked at Gemma. ¡°Yeah. You?¡± Kathleen yawned. ¡°I worked the night shift. I was just about to get off work, but then¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better go back and rest now,¡± Gemma answered worriedly. ¡°No. I want to check Madeline¡¯s CT scan resultster. I¡¯ll head back to my office for now.¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma nodded. With that, Kathleen turned to head to the office. When she reached the door, she noticed several nurses peering into her office. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Dr. Johnson, look!¡± One of the nurses pulled Kathleen inside. On her desk, there was a huge bouquet made up of ny-nine roses. The entire room was filled with the fragrance of rose. Kathleen picked up the card attached to the bouquet. On it was the message: To my beloved Katie. One of the nurses helped her read it out loud. Behind them, the other nurses were even more excited than Kathleen herself, who found it rather hrious. ¡°Don¡¯t you guys need to work? Better be careful the head nurse doesn¡¯t scold you guys.¡± With that reminder, everyone immediately dispersed. Holding the card, Kathleen turned to go upstairs. She entered Samuel¡¯s ward. Upon her entrance, Samuel closed the book in his hand. ¡°You¡¯re here. Tyson just sent breakfast over. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± Kathleen set the card down in front of him. ¡°Is this your doing?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you even recognize my handwriting anymore?¡± He stared at her meaningfully. She replied in frustration, ¡°Of course, I can. My point is, why did you have to make it so high-profile?¡± ¡°Is giving you flowers very high-profile?¡± His tone was yful. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he was afraid she might get scared off by him, he would be announcing his love for her to the entire world by now. Kathleen was speechless. ¡°You can eat breakfast alone. I¡¯m going home to catch up on some sleep.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen nced at him sideways. ¡°Thanks for the roses. They really lifted my mood.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Samuel¡¯s lips curved into a smile. She likes them! Great! Meanwhile, at the Sullivan residence, Leonard had never expected Kelly to show up at his door. He was a total mess. His clothes were dirty, and he reeked of alcohol. Just as Kelly was about to say something, a woman came out of the room. She wrapped her arms around Leonard. ¡°Mr. Sullivan, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Kelly froze upon seeing that. Leonard is dating someone? ¡°Nothing. Head inside and get some more sleep,¡± answered Leonard softly. ¡°Okay.¡± The woman raised an eyebrow at Kelly. Her gaze was cold. After the woman went back in, Leonard sat down on his couch. He lit up a cigarette and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can you help me find someone?¡± Kelly was desperate. ¡°Who?¡± Leonard locked his eyes on her face. She wasn¡¯t sure what he was trying to read off her face. ¡°A little girl. Her name is Felicia. She¡¯s four years old.¡± She paused and then continued, ¡°She also has leukemia. Please hurry if you can.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Leonard scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re asking me for a favor, yet you dare to rush me?¡± ¡°Leonard, please. I need your help.¡± Kelly¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°Felicia¡¯s body is really weak.¡± ¡°Kelly, do you remember why we broke upst time?¡± he asked frostily. ¡°You told me you were going out. When I went looking for you, I found you in bed with another man. I don¡¯t suppose that child is his?¡± Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Chapter 400 You Will Come Back Tears were brimming in Kelly¡¯s eyes. ¡°She is if you believe she is.¡± Leonard squeezed her jaw. ¡°After all these years, you¡¯ve finally admitted it. If that was the case, you¡¯d know how much I despise you. Why did youe to me for help?¡± Kelly felt bitter. She wouldn¡¯t have gone to Leonard if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that he was Felicia¡¯s biological father and an influential person in Jadeborough. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She struggled to find the appropriate words to say as tears streamed from her eyes and down her cheeks like a broken string of pearls. At that very moment, she was experiencing both physical and psychological pain. After witnessing Kelly in such a state before him, Leonard could not experience any sense of pleasure. The only emotion he felt was anger. She had acted as if she did not know him when he bumped into her that day. By then, he was already enraged.He found it hard to believe that someone could be as cruel as Kelly, who had considered their prior rtionship as nothing more than a dream and had since forgotten about it. Leonard had immersed himself in his suffering from their parting, yet Kelly somehow managed to act as if nothing happened and begged him for help to find her child.He released Kelly from his grip, and the latter immediately slumped to the ground. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m still that fool from the past?¡± Leonard rasped. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯ll still do anything for you?¡± Rubbing her neck, Kelly pleaded, ¡°Please, Leonard, Please help me. Felicia was supposed to be with my mom. I wouldn¡¯t havee to bother you if she didn¡¯t threaten me with Felicia. I mean it.¡± Leonard¡¯s hands tightly balled into fists at her words.It was still bearable when Kelly had not provided an exnation. But as she did, Leonard only grew angrier.He found it hard to ept that the reason she attended the blind date was merely due to her mother¡¯s threat.Is my presence that unbearable to her? ¡°Get lost!¡± Leonard barked. ¡°I never want to see you again.¡± By then, Kelly knew that her pleads were no use.She stood up and staggeringly found her way to the exit. It seems like I can only depend on myself to find Felicia. Leonard went to the bathroom after the incident.He twisted the tap open and sshed some cold water on his face, feeling calmer after that. Yet, beneath his reddened eyes was anger, pure anger that did not diminish even after sshing himself with cold water. He exited the bathroom three minutester, took his phone, and made a call to Samuel. However, the one to pick up the call was not Samuel, but Kathleen. ¡°Where¡¯s Samuel?¡± Leonard asked, slightly surprised. ¡°He¡¯s showering,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°Do you need anything? I¡¯ll help you leave him a message.¡± ¡°You guys sure are making good progress, huh?¡± Leonardmented drily. ¡°Could you just spit it out already?¡± Kathleen muttered. ¡°I¡¯m working on my thesis.¡± ¡°I need Samuel to help me find a kid named Felicia,¡± Leonard said, his voice sounding hoarse. ¡°Please tell him this.¡± With a frown etched on her face, Kathleen asked, ¡°Felicia?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Leonard replied coolly. ¡°Please ask him to inform me once there¡¯s any news on the kid.¡± With that, he was about to hang up. ¡°Hold up,¡± Kathleen called out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to get Samuel to help you with this; I can help you find the kid.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Leonard eximed in disbelief. ¡°Come over to the hospital. I¡¯ll wait for you by the entrance.¡± With that, Kathleen ended the call. Leonard was nning to ask for more details, but it was toote. Kathleen ced Samuel¡¯s phone on the side after hanging up the call. Meanwhile, thetter had just emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered. Although Kathleen initially forbade him from having a shower, he was obstinate and insisted on doing so. Thus, Kathleen could only relent. She helped him wash his hair, whereas Samuel washed the other parts of his body. His injured arm was wrapped in ayer of stic wrap to keep the water from touching it. Samuel walked up to Kathleen, wearing a ck silk robe, smelling like the minty-woody scent of his body wash. ¡°Where are you going?¡± His grating voice sounded. Earlier on, Kathleen had returned to the hospital after taking a shower at home and changing into fresh clothes. Samuel was contented when he saw her sitting on the couch, reading through documents as she wrote her thesis. However, he had made her angry by insisting on taking a shower. Given that Kathleen had helped him wash his hair, he believed that everything was okay. However, the sight of her putting on her coat led him to believe she was about to leave. Kathleen rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Leonard. He wanted you to help him find a girl named Felicia. Coincidentally, the girl that Madeline saved today is also called Felicia. So, I told him toe over to the hospital. I¡¯m going to meet him at the entrance.¡± ¡°Help me change. I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Samuel said in his baritone voice. Kathleen¡¯s delicate face was cold as she shot him a stern look. ¡°You¡¯d better not forget that you¡¯re a patient.¡± ¡°My arm¡¯s the only part that¡¯s hurt. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll need to use it anyway. I¡¯ll just follow you down,¡± Samuel croaked an exnation. Kathleen pondered for a while before asking, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think I¡¯m lying to you?¡± Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous, Samuel,¡± Kathleen eximed exasperatedly. ¡°Why should I bring Leonard in if I wanted to lie to you? I could¡¯ve easily made up any reason. Moreover, I can leave whenever I want. Do you think I need a reason to do so?¡± Samuel remained silent. He had nothing to counter after hearing Kathleen¡¯s words. Kathleen red at Samuel with narrowed eyes. Thetter stood silently in front of her, emanating the sense that he had been wronged. ¡°Just how childish can you get?¡± Kathleen questioned with an annoyed huff. Giving him her best steely look, she continued, ¡°Be a good patient and stay put in your ward. I¡¯ll help you dry your hair.¡± Samuel nodded. As an attempt to ease the doubt in his heart, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ll actuallye back, right?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kathleen reassured. ¡°Liar liar pants on fire, right?¡± Samuel hummed, a small smile on his face. He sat down and waited for Kathleen to dry his hair. Kathleen took out the hair dryer and started drying his hair. She nced at the time after she was done. ¡°Right. Time for me to go now.¡± With that, she turned around and left. Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened as he pursed his thin lips and stared at her diminishing back. Kathleen was standing by the hospital¡¯s entrance, waiting for Leonard¡¯s arrival. Much to her surprise, the said man arrived in his car a few minutester. Kathleen squinted at him. ¡°Did youe from your house?¡± Leonard nodded. ¡°Where¡¯s the girl?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take at least thirty minutes to reach the hospital from your house. Yet, you¡¯ve reached in twenty,¡± Kathleen said, her eyes still narrowed. ¡°Who is this girl to you? Why do you care so much about her?¡± Leonard¡¯s expression was cold as he replied, ¡°She¡¯s my friend¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°I feel sorry for this friend of yours then,¡± Kathleen said, aplicated expression on her face. ¡°Her daughter has leukemia, and the condition is critical. The girl is still unconscious in her ward at the moment.¡± Leonard froze. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°The girl has leukemia,¡± Kathleen repeated. ¡°We contacted the bone marrow transnt center. However, we haven¡¯t found a suitable bone marrow donor.¡± Shock was written all over Leonard¡¯s handsome countenance. ¡°You know what leukemia is, right?¡± Kathleen asked, an inexplicable look on her face. ¡°You guys should have researched it while helping Samuel find a suitable bone marrow for Nicolette.¡± Leonard was taken aback.So this is when karmaes knocking at my door. Quietly, he muttered, ¡°Bring me to her.¡± ¡°Follow me,¡± Kathleen said as she led him to Felicia¡¯s ward. Felicia was staying in a single ward. On top of that, it was the hospital¡¯s best ward. Kathleen led Leonard into the ward. Leonard could not help but freeze in his tracks upon seeing Felicia¡¯s pale face. Felicia looks so much like Kelly. With her arms folded in front of her chest, Kathleen said, ¡°I keep having this feeling that I¡¯ve seen this child before, but I just can¡¯t figure out when and where.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met her mom,¡± Leonard said, swallowing thickly. Mom? Kathleen paused, and a thought urred to her. ¡°Kelly?¡± Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Marriage Certificate Leonard nodded. What a coincidence. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask this,¡± Kathleen started. ¡°Kelly has been to the Macari residence in the past, right?¡± Leonard hummed as he nodded. ¡°I brought her over during Samuel¡¯s twentieth birthday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the girl looks so familiar,¡± Kathleen muttered. ¡°You¡¯d better give Kelly a call then. The little girl has been looking for her mom since she got here. I reckon Kelly is also worried to death.¡± Leonard passed her his phone. ¡°You make the call.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kathleen uttered,pletely puzzled. With a somber expression, Leonard said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to her. Kathleen threw him his phone. ¡°Don¡¯t be a nutcase! Do you think it¡¯s easy for your ex-girlfriend to beg you? She wouldn¡¯t have bothered you if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she had no other options,¡± Kathleen spat. ¡°You make the call.¡± Leonard stiffened at her words. He did not know about Felicia¡¯s condition. If he did, he probably would not have treated her the way he did. Resignedly, he picked up his phone and sent a message to Kelly: Your daughter is at the hospital. Come quick! After the text, he even attached the location of the hospital. Kathleen nced at Leonard and massaged her temples. ¡°It seems like you hate her.¡± A deep crease forms between Leonard¡¯s eyebrows. ¡°Did Samuel tell you about Kelly and me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kathleen replied lightly. ¡°It¡¯s just that I could tell how fond you were of her when you brought her over to the Macari residence. Kelly was different back then; she was spoiled. And you¡ªyou enjoyed spoiling her. I just thought that since the two of you were so madly in love, there were bound to be regrets during your breakup.¡± Furthermore, the party with resentments must have loved more intensely. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past,¡± Leonard mumbled. ¡°Is it?¡± Kathleen asked quietly. She did not believe Leonard¡¯s words at all. Right then, Hannah barged into the ward with a group of people. She froze as she was not expecting Leonard to be there as well. Leonard¡¯s eyebrows pinched. ¡°Ms. Tate?¡± ¡°Mr. Sullivan. A surprise seeing you here,¡± Hannah remarked coldly. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up my granddaughter.¡± Leonard frowned. ¡°Take her away,¡± Hannah ordered. The two bodyguards immediately walked up to Felicia, who was lying on the hospital bed. Kathleen furrowed her brows at that and was just about to speak up. However, Leonard had stepped up and used his body to stop the bodyguards from advancing. His gaze was sharp as he said, ¡°Get away!¡± The two bodyguards were too shocked to continue walking up to the little girl. Meanwhile, Kathleen narrowed her eyes and was prepared for the drama to unfold before her. ¡°What do you mean by this, Mr. Sullivan?¡± Hannah asked icily. ¡°You can¡¯t move her now,¡± Leonard replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what illness she has?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of knowing?¡± Hannah responded sardonically. ¡°I¡¯ve already consulted the doctor long ago. Her condition is both hard to treat and hard to cure.¡± ¡°A condition that¡¯s both hard to treat and cure?¡± Leonard repeated. His eyes darkened as he continued, ¡°So you¡¯re just going to take her away without even trying to do anything for her?¡± Hannah was displeased. ¡°She¡¯s not even your daughter, Leonard. Why are you getting yourself involved?¡± Leonard clenched his fists at that. Just then, Kelly entered the ward. ¡°Where¡¯s Felicia?¡± she asked frantically. ¡°Here,¡± Leonard said as he looked at Kelly, who was a wreck. Kelly approached Felicia and immediately burst into tears upon seeing the girl¡¯s state. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Felicia. It¡¯s my fault for not protecting you,¡± Kelly cried. She wanted to reach out and caress Felicia but stopped upon seeing the various machines hung onto her. Kelly turned to Leonard, her eyes brimming with tears. ¡°What happened to Felicia?¡± Leonard, too, was unsure. Hence, he turned to Kathleen. ¡°She was sent to the hospital earlier this morning,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°A girl named Madeline had saved her from under a tire. She was walking her dog when she came across Felicia.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kelly eximed in shock. She immediately turned to Hannah. ¡°Mom! This was not what you promised me. You said that as long as I listened to you and your arrangements, you¡¯d take good care of Felicia. How could you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Hannah was at a loss for words. Kelly¡¯s tears became a torrent as she stared at Felicia. ¡°She has leukemia. Any injuries would lead to her life being in danger. How could you do this?¡± ¡°What was I supposed to do?¡± Hannah scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s just like you¡ª doesn¡¯t listen to me at all! She¡¯s been whining about wanting to see you and sneaked out while we were still asleep in the morning. It serves her right to be knocked down by a car!¡± Kelly¡¯s face paled. ¡°How could you say that, Mom?¡± Leonard narrowed his eyes as he looked at Kelly, who was on the brink of breaking down. ¡°It appears that you forced your daughter to go on a blind date with me, Ms. Tate.¡± ¡°Stop faking it, Mr. Sullivan,¡± Hannah sneered. ¡°I just came to know that you and Kelly had actually dated. I have to give it to the both of you for hiding it so well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mom!¡± Kelly cried out in a panic. Hannah let out a cold snort. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that this child isn¡¯t yours, Mr. Sullivan.¡± With that, Kelly¡¯s face became a shade paler than it already was. She didn¡¯t expect Hannah to believe what she told her about Felicia not being Leonard¡¯s child. However, the situation was about to be unpleasant because Hannah had so tantly disclosed it to Leonard. Leonard inquired impassively, ¡°Ms. Tate, isn¡¯t it your ultimate goal to get your daughter to marry me? I¡¯ll marry her. This child is therefore also mine.¡± Hannah¡¯s eyes lit up at that instant. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I have my conditions,¡± Leonard stated coldly. Wrinkles appeared at the corners of Hannah¡¯s eyes due to her uncontainable excitement at that moment. ¡°Do state them.¡± ¡°You are not allowed to be within proximity to Kelly and Felicia from today onward,¡± Leonard dered, his gaze sharp. ¡°I¡¯ll chop off your fingers if you fail to abide by this.¡± Despite her displeasure from Leonard¡¯s threat, Hannah was nheless thrilled as Kelly had finally married into the Sullivan family. We¡¯d finally have someone to rely on from today onward. This is way more important than getting threatened! Furthermore, Hannah did not believe Kelly would ignore her if she was truly in need. ¡°Sure. I ept your condition,¡± Hannah dered. She narrowed her eyes at Kelly. ¡°You¡¯re lucky this time. You¡¯d better not forget about your mother after bing a rich wife!¡± With that, Hannah, along with the two bodyguards, left. Kelly stood up abruptly. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± She was about to go after Hannah when Leonard stopped her. He refused to let her go. Kelly bit her lip in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t stop me, Leonard. Let me talk to her. I can¡¯t marry you!¡± ¡°Do you have a better way to solve this other than marrying me?¡± Leonard asked icily. Kelly froze. Meanwhile, Kathleen had dismissed herself after sensing that there was nothing else for her to do. Tears were streaming down Kelly¡¯s cheeks. ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to marry me in this situation.¡± Leonard was not marrying her out of love, and she did not want that. Leonard scoffed. ¡°What? Are you hoping that I¡¯ll fall in love with you again?¡± ¡°Then why did you agree with my mom¡¯s request?¡± Kelly asked, utterly puzzled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m your first lover after all,¡± Leonard replied in a casually cruel manner. ¡°There¡¯s always an option to get a divorce after marriage. Also, the main priority is to solve your problem. I¡¯m not sure why you keep asking such pointless questions.¡± Kelly was taken aback by Leonard¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll get Kathleen to help with Felicia¡¯s issue,¡± Leonard dered before coldly adding, ¡°Prepare the documents. We¡¯ll get our marriage certificate done tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Kelly asked, clearly shocked. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Is he in such a hurry? Does he really not want to think more about it? Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Cousin ¡°What else?¡± Leonard frowned. ¡°Do you wish to host a wedding ceremony before registering for the marriage certificate?¡± Kelly was stunned. ¡°Stop dreaming! There¡¯s not going to be a wedding ceremony. We are only doing this for your mother¡¯s sake in the first ce,¡± he said coldly. With that, he strode away. Tears streamed down Kelly¡¯s cheeks. She covered her mouth and wept in silence. Why is this happening? I do not wish for Leonard to harbor so much hatred toward me, but we still ended up like this. What do I do? Leonard went over to Samuel¡¯s ward to look for Kathleen. ¡°Kathleen, how is Felicia?¡± Leonard frowned. Kathleen had just entered the room. Samuel poured her a cup of water before staring at Leonard in displeasure. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Let her take a sip of water first.¡± Leonard flushed. She received the ss of water and said, ¡°As I mentioned earlier, she has leukemia and requires a bone marrow transnt, simr to the condition Nicolette had in the past.¡± Samuel lowered his gaze. Leonard nced at him. It seems like Kathleen¡¯s tactless remark is not only directed at me. ¡°When can we proceed with the operation, then?¡± Leonard was anxious. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for further updates. The operation can be done any time if apatible bone marrow is avable in the bone marrow bank. However, if there isn¡¯t, then we can only wait,¡± she exined. ¡°What should we do if nopatible bone marrow is avable? Can Felicia¡¯s body condition allow her to wait?¡± Leonard asked worryingly. ¡°You¡¯ve asked the crucial question. Felicia¡¯s condition is terrible. I figure she does not have much time left to wait, three months, tops.¡± Kathleen looked sideways. Leonard was astounded. ¡°If there is nopatible bone marrow in the bone marrow bank, then we¡¯ll need to check if there are any suitable donors among her rtives. I think Kelly must have asked around, but things are not looking hopeful for her,¡± she borated. ¡°What if there still isn¡¯t any suitable bone marrow avable in the end?¡± Leonard pressed on. ¡°In that case, we can ask Kelly to give birth to another child and use the umbilical cord¡¯s blood to save Felicia. I can try to slow the disease¡¯s progression and allow Felicia to survive longer,¡± Kathleen replied. Leonard fell silent as his mind raced. If Kelly needs to give birth to another child, does that mean she needs to find that man? What if the bone marrow is still notpatible? If that happens¡­ A distressed look filled Leonard¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯ll be counting on you regarding Felicia¡¯s issue,¡± Leonard uttered in a hoarse voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll do my best. Anyway, the Hoover family¡¯s blood flows in me. I¡¯ll visit the bone marrow transnt center to do apatibility testter,¡± Kathleen said. Leonard gazed at her in astonishment. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll join you.¡± She nodded. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen and Leonard went to the bone marrow transnt center together and had their bone marrow samples aspirated. Kathleen exited that ce while holding a test report. She was about say something when Kelly ran over. ¡°Dr. Johnson.¡± Kelly looked at Kathleen and was hesitant to speak. Then, she turned to gaze at Leonard. ¡°I heard you¡¯re here to take a bone marrowpatibility test?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± he asked indifferently. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No.¡± Kelly panicked. ¡°Thank you.¡± Leonard gave her the cold shoulder. Kelly eyed Kathleen uneasily. ¡°Dr. Johnson, may I have a word with you?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯ll be leaving first. Let me know if there are any updates.¡± Leonard was dissatisfied after realizing Kelly was not there to look for him. With that, he left. Kathleen regarded Kelly with an impassive look. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thrilled knowing that Leonard came to do the bone marrowpatibility test? Why the long face?¡± Kelly was stunned. ¡°Dr. Johnson. Y- You knew?¡± Kelly¡¯s expression stiffened. Kathleen nodded. ¡°It is very obvious to me. Although I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, your daughter¡¯s blood type is the same as his. They both have Rh-negative blood.¡± ¡°Dr. Johnson, Leonard doesn¡¯t know anything, so please don¡¯t say anything to him,¡± Kelly pleaded with her. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s so difficult to find apatible bone marrow for your daughter.¡± Kathleen sighed. Kelly took a deep breath. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Why do you still intend to keep him in the dark even at this time?¡± Kathleen was puzzled. Kelly replied with a hint of bitterness, ¡°Kathleen, you¡¯ll understand my rationale if you did not lose your memories. However, you cannot fathom my decision now, right?¡± ¡°I think I may be unable to understand even if I do not lose my memories.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°Is the grudge between you two more important than your daughter¡¯s life?¡± ¡°Kathleen, are you faking your amnesia?¡± Kelly gave her a meaningful look. Kathleen uttered nonchntly, ¡°I¡¯m not faking my amnesia, but I¡¯ve recalled some things. Coincidentally, you are included in this part of my memory.¡± ¡°Is it memories from Samuel¡¯s twentieth birthday banquet?¡± Kelly asked. Kathleen nodded. Kelly said, ¡°I knew Samuel liked you since then. The way he looked at you was different from how he looked at Nicolette.¡± ¡°Is that so? I do not recall all those things.¡± ¡°Kathleen, Leonard and I actually ended our rtionship on bad terms.¡± Kelly bit her lip. ¡°I broke up with him because he caught me cheating on him with another man in bed.¡± ¡°Why did you cheat on him when you liked him so much?¡± ¡°Leonard did not know I was the Hoover family¡¯s daughter when I first started dating him. He regarded me like I was an ordinary girl and treated me very well. He loved me a lot and had never looked down on me because of my unremarkable origin. I liked him. I really did.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I believe you know that my uncle has a son, right? In the past, they treated us inhumanely to save that child. At that time, my physique was more suitable than Zion¡¯s. However, I heard that I would be infertile after taking the medication, so I did not want to burden Leonard. That¡¯s why I resorted to that method,¡± Kelly exined in a hoarse voice. After saying that, she took a deep breath. Tears brimmed in her reddened eyes. ¡°That news was fake. However, I did not anticipate that I was already pregnant with his child then. I was terrified. I fear the Hoover family would force me to abort my child to save my uncle¡¯s son.¡± Kelly sniffled. ¡°Luckily, because of my suspicion and the Rh-negative blood type of the child I was carrying, my blood had undergone mutation. Therefore, they¡¯ve selected someone else.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you meet with Leonard?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost the courage to do so. Can you understand my stance?¡± Kelly croaked. Kathleen nodded. ¡°What happened afterward?¡± Kelly continued, ¡°I left the Hoover family at once after that. However, my mother found me and forced me to return to the Hoover family for the sake of the family¡¯s assets. She even took Felicia away. It was also only then did I know Felicia had leukemia. I begged the other members of the Hoover family to do thepatibility test, but all of them refused.¡± Kathleen uttered coolly, ¡°The members of the Hoover family sure are heartless.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all like that. Leonard told me earlier that he¡¯s only marrying me because that is part of the n. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to tell him. We will part ways peacefully after this. No one will feel happy if we force ourselves to be together simply because of the child. And so, Dr. Johnson, I hope you will not divulge any unnecessary information to him, okay?¡± Kathleen remained unfazed. ¡°It¡¯s your call. I¡¯ll respect whatever decision you make as long as you think it is the right thing to do.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kelly held Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°Come to think of it. I¡¯m considered your cousin, right?¡± Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Grudge Kathleen was stunned. Kelly said, ¡°Kathleen, the Hoover family are ruthless. You need to be careful.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Trevor is actually not that big of a concern. My grandma is the one you need to be wary of. That woman has a very twisted mind,¡± Kelly reminded. ¡°Okay. Thank you for your reminder.¡± Kathleen nodded. Kelly flushed. ¡°Perhaps I should have told you all these things earlier.¡± Kathleen fell into a daze. ¡°I knew of your existence for a long time. When I was very little, I overheard my grandma talking on the phone, and she mentioned you as well as your mother. Since then, I was made aware that your mother is my grandpa¡¯s ex-girlfriend, and she was at that time pregnant.¡± ¡°Do you know who Old Mrs. Hoover was talking to?¡± Kathleen asked. Kelly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°All right. I got it. I¡¯ll look for you if I have any more doubts.¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression was calm. ¡°Okay.¡± Kelly nodded. Kathleen turned around and left. She leaned against the wall while wearing a poker face. She grew more confident that her mother¡¯s disappearance must have had something to do with the Hoover family. Since Old Mrs. Hoover is so cruel, I shall not show her any mercy in the future! Meanwhile, at the Yoeger residence, Yareli found Zachary. ¡°Uncle Zachary, are you really nning to just hand over thepany and this house to an outsider?¡± Zachary was drinking alcohol at that moment. He had not left the house in the past few days. ¡°Do you truly think that¡¯s what I want? But what else can I do now?¡± he said. After all, Frances had already made her will, and they were rendered incapable of further actions. ¡°You really can¡¯t think of any method?¡± Yareli questioned him in a meaningful tone. He gazed emotionlessly at her. ¡°Why? Do you have an idea?¡± ¡°Although I cannot resurrect Grandma to amend her will¡­¡± Yareli sneered. ¡°I have a way to re-seize Yoeger Group.¡± ¡°How do you intend to do that?¡± Zachary arched his brow. ¡°Someone is offering capital to help us purchase Yoeger Group¡¯s shares in secret. However, she has a condition. If we can help achieve her goal sessfully, she agrees to gift us those shares upon completing the task,¡± Yareli exined. He frowned. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I think you already know that Yoeger Group has been progressing very well under Charles¡¯ leadership in the past few years. It will be such a waste for us to give the corporation up just like that. Merely relying on the feeble amount of money from the family¡¯s trust fund for a living will not be sufficient,¡± Yareli said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m aware of all those things even without you pointing them out,¡± Zachary replied impatiently. ¡°In that case, shouldn¡¯t you begin taking some actions instead of sitting here and drinking alcohol by yourself?¡± Yareli¡¯s eyes radiated a chilly aura. He furrowed his brows. ¡°Who is that person? What does she want us to help her with?¡± ¡°You are not a stranger to this person. She had provided us with plenty of assistance previously. You will know her identity once I tell you her goal,¡± Yareli said in a significant tone. ¡°What¡¯s her goal then?¡± Zachary asked curiously. ¡°She wants Kathleen dead.¡± A hint of murderous intent shed across Yareli¡¯s eyes. What? Zachary straightened himself on the chair and ced down his wine ss. ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover looked for you again?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. His face darkened. ¡°Do you think it is easy to kill Kathleen Johnson? Putting aside the fact that she has acquired abilities to protect herself now, she¡¯s also safeguarded by Charles and Samuel. We can do her no harm.¡± ¡°Who says we can do her no harm?¡± She sneered. ¡°If we make a direct move on her, Samuel and Charles will certainly know we are the culprits.¡± ¡°Then, how are you going to aplish the task given to you by Old Mrs. Hoover?¡± he asked curiously. Yareli grinned sinisterly. ¡°Isn¡¯t this easy? Who are the people Kathleen cares for the most?¡± ¡°It must be her two children,¡± Zachary answered. He understood Yareli¡¯s intention after the words left his mouth. ¡°However, the problem is, how do you n to seize them?¡± He frowned. ¡°If youy a finger on those two kids, Kathleen will not let you go. Not to mention having to face Samuel¡¯s wrath as well.¡± She scoffed, ¡°Ha. I already told you we cannot be so obvious in executing the n.¡± ¡°What other methods do you have in mind?¡± Zachary was eager to know. ¡°I already bribed a servant from the Macari family. You can rest assured as this person would never betray us, and he will help us smuggle the children out. We don¡¯t have to deal with them. We just have to inform Kathleen where the kids are held captive and wait for her to rescue them.¡± ¡°What happens next?¡± Zachary was baffled. ¡°Then, I will bomb her and her b*stards into pieces. Haha!¡± Yareliughed ominously. I can¡¯t wait for this delightful asion to take ce! Zachary wore a deep frown. Why do I feel like the hatred Yareli harbors toward Kathleen and her children is unusual? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still going to invite trouble for yourself by doing this?¡± He was caught in perplexity. ¡°Uncle Zachary, you need to be more ruthless to be an aplished man. Abandoning all doubts is the key to achieving great sess.¡± She paused briefly before adding, ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Zachary knitted his brows, seemingly in hesitance. Yareli looked at him disdainfully. ¡°You are destined to stay an ordinary man for life, after all.¡± He bellowed in anger, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°When will you be sessful with your timid personality? Since you¡¯re not participating in this n, I¡¯ll do it myself. Thepany will be mine when I triumph in the future!¡± Yareli uttered derisively. With that, she turned on her heels and left. Yareli had arrived at the mansion¡¯s entrance when Zachary caught up with her. ¡°Let Old Mrs. Hoover know that I agree to her request.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude. There will be much more riches and luxuries for you to enjoy in the future.¡± Yareli smirked. Zachary regarded her with a meaningful look. He could not shake off the feeling that Yareli was different from before. After Yareli left the mansion, she immediately contacted Old Mrs. Hoover upon getting into the car. ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover, everything is now well-arranged. I¡¯ve convinced Zachary. We can push all the me to him in the future without having to shoulder any responsibilities ourselves.¡± ¡°Good. Very good. You¡¯ve done well, Yareli.¡± An old woman¡¯s deep and menacing voice sounded from the speaker. ¡°Thank you for yourpliments, Old Mrs. Hoover.¡± Yareli smiled faintly. ¡°What about our previous agreement?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed someone to send the item to you. I¡¯ll pass the other half to you upon the fulfillment of this job,¡± Old Mrs. Hoover replied coldly. ¡°All right!¡± Yareli was overjoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll go back and check out that item then.¡± ¡°I will make sure your hard work is well-appreciated if you carry out your duty with diligence.¡± ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± Yareli nodded. Old Mrs. Hoover hung up the call afterward. Yareli curled her lips. I can finally kill Kathleen. I¡¯ve been waiting too long for this day toe. At that thought, she caressed her face. I will never forget this grudge. Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Chapter 404 He Must Not Take The Risk Again The next day, Kathleen received the results of the bone marrowpatibility test. Leonard¡¯s bone marrow was not a match with Felicia''s, which was not surprising. After all, when it came to bone marrow, even biological parents were often not a match with their children. She then ryed the results to Kelly. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Kelly felt terrible. Kathleen gazed at her coldly. ¡°You could consider exining the truth to Leonard and have another child with him.That way, you would have another chance at saving Felicia.¡± Kelly bit her lip. ¡°I...¡± ¡°It''s for your daughter! Is it really so hard to do that?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows slightly. In fact, Kelly had spent the entire night thinking about it, too.I''d do anything for my daughter! ¡°All right, I''ll do it!¡± she dered. Standing up, she set out to talk to Leonard. The moment she said that, however, the door of the ward was pushed open. Leonard came in, standing tall with a frosty expression on his handsome face. ¡°I''ll make a move first.¡± Kathleen turned around. ¡°What''s the test result?¡± Leonard gazed at her. ¡°You''re not a match,¡± answered Kathleen. ¡°I''m leaving.¡± With that, she turned to leave. Looking at Kelly impassively, Leonard asked in a heavy tone, ¡°So, what now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of trying the other suggestion given by Dr.Johnson.¡± Kelly lowered her head. ¡°Do you have the man''s contact?¡± Leonard¡¯s voice was deep and hoarse. ¡°What?¡± Kelly was stunned. ¡°I meant your daughter¡¯s biological father.You should have his contact, right? Aren''t you still in love with him and unwilling to leave him?¡± Leonard¡¯s tone turnedicy as his eyes darkened. Kelly froze for a moment, pursing her lips. After a brief pause, she stated, ¡°Leonard, Felicia''s biological father is actually¡­you.¡± Leonard froze when he heard that. Kelly bit her lip. ¡°It¡¯s true.Her blood type is Rh-negative, same as yours.¡± Leonard merely gazed at her nkly. Tears rolled down Kelly¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Nothing ever went on between me and that man.It was all just an act.¡± Just an act? Leonard was ovee with confusion. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Taking a deep breath, Kelly began to exin, ¡°It¡¯s because of my family¡­¡± With that, she told him the truth about what really happened. Leonard said nothing for a long while. He was simply too shocked. Kelly waited for his response anxiously.She had no idea what was going through his mind. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me this now only because you want to save Felicia''s life?¡± Leonard asked coldly. Kelly nodded unhesitatingly. ¡°I understand now,¡± Leonard uttered through gritted teeth. With that said, he spun around and left. Kelly could not help but feel dumbfounded. What does he understand? After leaving Felicia''s ward, Leonard thought for a moment and went straight to see Samuel. Kathleen happened to be changing the dressing on Samuel''s wrist. ¡°Haven''t you ever heard of knocking?¡± Samuel asked disdainfully. ¡°Go easy on him.He''s probably just received the shock of his life,¡± Kathleen teased. ¡°What shock?¡± Samuel frowned deeply. ¡°Kelly¡¯s given birth to his daughter, whose name is Felicia.Back then, Kelly didn''t leave him because she had an affair with another man but because of reasons to do with her family,¡± Kathleen exined simply. Samuel remained expressionless. ¡°Then why does he look so depressed?¡± Kathleen shot a quick nce at Leonard before exining, ¡°Needless to say, he must have asked Kelly ifshe was telling him the truth now only for the sake of saving Felicia, and she must have answered yes.That should exin his gloomy state.¡± Samuel finally understood. ¡°I see.So, you''re unhappy about the fact that Kelly told you about this because of her child and not because she loves you?¡± Leonard swallowed. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She''s already given birth to your daughter, and yet you care about such a trivial detail? If she didn¡¯t love you, then why would she have chosen to have your child? Wouldn''t it be easier just to get an abortion?¡± Samuel scoffed. ¡°And is it based on this line of reasoning that you believe Kathleen still has feelings for you, even though she lost her memories?¡± Leonard asked quietly. Samuel ignored him. ¡°Leonard, there is no time to waste when ites to treating Felicia''s condition.I might be able to dy it for a while, but her body might not beable to bear it for long,¡± Kathleen remarked as she dressed Samuel''s wound. Leonard nodded. ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°There''s another thing.¡± Kathleen frowned as she continued, ¡°You¡¯d better not be foolish.If you''re thinking of in vitro fertilization, you should know that the procedure would be very harsh on Kelly¡¯s body.¡± Leonard was shocked by her words. ¡°But Kathleen¡ª¡± ¡°I''m only telling you the truth, even if you don¡¯t like to hear it,¡± Kathleen interrupted in an icytone. ¡°That''s not what I mean.¡± Leonard felt rather embarrassed. ¡°I''m a doctor, and I''m just telling you the facts.¡± Kathleen''s expression remained chilly. ¡°If there''s nothing else you want to understand, then go quickly and sort it out with Kelly.She¡¯s distressed enough as it is because of Felicia.Don''t make things any harder for her.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. With a nod, Leonard left the room. Samuel gave Kathleen a long, meaningful look. ¡°You''re pretty good at giving advice, aren''t you?¡± ¡°I was onlyying out the facts for him so that they have less to think about.Most importantly, I don¡¯t want to waste time.Felicia is about Desi¡¯s age.If what happened to her is happening to my own daughter, I would be beyond anxious.How would I still have the time to wait for a man to dilly-dally? He really shouldn''t be giving Kelly anything more to worry about.¡± Samuel sat up straight. ¡°Kate, I promise I would never hold you back.¡± ¡°I''ll kick you if you dare do that,¡± stated Kathleen, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°I''d never let you have any reason to do that.I''m going to prove it to you.¡± Samuel leaned closer to her. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your word, then,¡± Kathleen said with a scoff. ¡°Of course,¡± Samuel confirmed with a nod. ¡°You should rest well and take care of your injury.I''m carrying on with my work.¡± Kathleen picked up her things and left the ward before Samuel could say anything else. He gaped at her disappearing figure speechlessly. What a cool woman! Later in the evening, Kathleen was treating a patient when her phone suddenly rang. ncing at her phone screen, she saw that it was Wynnie calling and picked up the call. ¡°Hello, Mrs.Macari.¡± ¡°Bad news, Kate.Desi just disappeared! I just saw her ying in the courtyard before I left to get a drink of water.But when I came back, she was no longer there!¡± Wynnie¡¯s panicked voice rang out on the phone. Kathleen immediately stood up, grabbing her coat and car keys. ¡°Got it.I''m off to search for her now.¡± ¡°Where would you be searching?¡± Wynnie asked anxiously. ¡°If Desi was kidnapped, the kidnapper would surely call either me or Samuel.¡± With that,Kathleen hung up and went off to Samuel''s ward at once. Samuel had received Wynnie''s call as well and was getting dressed, ready to leave the room. However, Kathleen pushed him back. ¡°I know you''re anxious, but you have to take your medication first, or you won¡¯t have time for thatter.¡± She then handed him the medication. Samuel frowned slightly,but he could not refuse to take it since it was Kathleen who was giving it to him. Thus, he quickly swallowed it and stood up to leave. However, all of a sudden, he was hit by a rush of vertigo. Kathleen instantly wrapped her arms around him, supporting him and helping him to lie down on the bed. ¡°Kate...¡± Samuel uttered drowsily. ¡°You shouldn''t move around too much, Samuel.Get some rest here and wait for my news.¡± Kathleen leaned her forehead against his. Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Chapter 405 If I Could Turn Back Time The second Kathleen stepped out of the ward, her phone chimed. She fished out the phone and nced at the screen,only to find a virtual phone number. Tch! Trying to y games with me, huh? She instantly hit the answer key and put the phone near her ear. ¡°Your daughter is with me, Kathleen.Come to the old campus where you attended high school if you want to see her alive.You should know where that is.¡± A machine-like voice sounded over the phone. The other party ended the call abruptly right after finishing the sentence. At this, Kathleen descended into a moment of deep thought as silence ensued. Prior to that, the old campus of her previous high school had been emptied out. That ce had already been put on the waiting list to be demolished and then rebuilt. How interesting for her to set our meeting there, of all ces. Immediately, Kathleen made her way downstairs and drove off in her car. It was already the dead of night. The security guard at the front gate was seen crashing out as he sprawled on his desk. Tiptoeing toward the small door beside the front gate, Kathleen gently pushed it open and strode inside. Without deliberation, she made a beeline for the school building. Right then, her phone rang once more. She picked up the call right away and questioned, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Why don''t you make a guess?¡± An icy voice was heard on the other end of the line. Her eyebrows knitted to a knot of displeasure at that. Scanning the vicinity, she marched toward the fourth floor of the building. Once she reached the fourth floor, she walked to a wasted ssroom. That very ssroom was the one she had been to during her final year. There Desiree was, lying on the floor right in the center of the ssroom. Her body was strapped with bombs. No one else could be found inside but her. Kathleen rushed over to her daughter''s side and carried thetter in her arms. ¡°Desi,¡± called out Kathleen softly. ¡°Mommy''s here.¡± Sadly, Desiree remained unconscious and unresponsive. Touching her daughter''s body, Kathleen reckoned that Desiree must¡¯ve been drugged with sedatives. As she held Desiree in her arms,she tried to remove the bombs that had encircled her daughter''s body. s, the bombs began to emit a series of beeping sounds. Kathleen was scared out of her wits and dared not continue her reckless act. At that juncture, the ringtone yed from her phone. Tapping the answer button, she was all ready to listen to what the other party had to say. ¡°Even if you''ve found your daughter, Kathleen, I doubt you coulde up with an idea to rescue her!¡± That voice reeked of naught but coldness and sarcasm. ¡°You will both be blown into smithereens! Haha!¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°Nicolette, I didn''t expect you to be so full of yourself despite everything that has happened.¡± The laughter from the other end of the line ceased instantly on that note. Letting out a snort, Kathleen continued, ¡°I''ve already caught sight of you when I picked Zion up at the port the other day.Why on earth did you cover yourself up from head to toe? Were you that afraid of me seeing you?¡± Only silence came from the phone. ¡°I didn''t anticipate you to keep me waiting after your arrival in Jadeborough.You nearly had me there for a moment with your inactivity,¡± added Kathleen with sarcastic chuckles. ¡°I then realized that you¡¯re not idling at all.Rather, you''re busy acting out the role of someone else¡ª Yareli!¡± The rhythm of breathing could be heard over the phone. Kathleen went on, ¡°It has alreadye to this.You''d better show yourself!¡± A loud peal of thunder came from Nicolette¡¯s lips. ¡°Haha! Not bad, Kathleen! But you''re too little, toote to see daylight.You¡¯ll never get to defuse the bombs.Besides, the detonator is in my hand.A single tap from me will send you straight six feet under.Don¡¯t fret, though.That little bastard will join you.¡± As Kathleen sensed that they were in peril of dying, her gaze turned as sharp as the razor. ¡°Do you think you can go on them after getting rid of me? Ha! You can never shake off Samuel¡¯s pursuit!¡± That statement only made Nicolette sneer. ¡°Why would I be responsible for Yareli''s doings? She and Zachary will be the scapegoats! Anyway, it¡¯s time for you to kiss this world goodbye, Kathleen! I hate you! Go to hell!¡± Those were Nicolette''s final words before she pressed the button on the detonator. Boom! With the thunderous boom, the entire school building exploded into scraps. Even the windows of the nearby buildings were all shattered to shreds. That security guard who had been sitting at the guardhouse was also jolted to his senses. Pieces of ss were already scattered all over his body. At that point in time, Samuel finally arrived at the scene, only to catch sight of the roaring sea of mes engulfing the whole building. A parade of passersby surrounded the area in a matter of seconds, but no one was in the know about what had actually happened. Samuel''s attractive face paled to a ghastly white. Am I toote? Oh, no! Tyson immediately stopped Samuel in his tracks. ¡°No! Don¡¯t go in there, Mr.Macari!¡± If Kathleen and Desi were really goners, what would be of me? At that thought, Samuel gushed out a mouthful of blood all of a sudden. Tyson recoiled in fright upon seeing that, screaming his lungs out, ¡°Help! Send Mr.Macari back at once!¡± There was no strength left in Samuel''s body. All he could do was fix his gaze on the fire as he was being taken away by his men. Kate! Desi! Oh, God. How could you be so cruel to me? Punish me and take me instead! Why do this to them? Why? Samuel had a dream while he was unconscious. In his dream, there Kathleen was in his sight. That Kathleen was very young and petite. She appeared to have just arrived at the Macari residence. There were traces of tears on her cheeks, not to mention her beguiling appearance that could move the hearts of anyone who saw her. Diana led Kathleen to Samuel and dered, ¡°From now on, Samuel, Kate will be your sister.Make sure to fulfill your duty as a big brother and treat her well.¡± An indescribable feeling crept up on Samuel as heid eyes on his so-called sister. Despite that, he nodded with an impassive countenance. Right then, the little girl called out to him in a mellow voice, ¡°Nice to meet you, Sam.I''m your sister, Kathleen.¡± Samuel froze at that. That made sense, for he had always been the only child in the family. Of course, they were others addressing him the same, yet somehow, it was particrly sweet for him to hear that from Kathleen. His usual frosty visage seemed to be wavering as he gave her a nod in response. The other prestigious families, who were affiliated with the Macari family, were soon informed about the newest member of the Macari family, Kathleen. They all brought their children to pay the Macaris a visit. No matter how those people gave Kathleen a hard time, she put up with them and didn''t make a fuss. At first, Samuel only watched from the sidelines. It was when one of the arrogant silver-spooned brats tried toy a finger on Kathleen that Samuel went over to kick his butt out the door. In that instance, Samuel wasn''t even eighteen, but he already had a sinister and menacing mien. The children from those wealthy families in Jadeborough were all very much terrified of him because of that. Tugging Kathleen to his side, Samuel announced in front of those brats, ¡°She''s my sister.I''ll hunt you down if any of you ever mess with her.¡± Hearing his threat, all of them scurried away in fear. Kathleen, in turn, shed Samuel a grateful grin. A thought shed through Samuel''s mind at that time. He even surprised himself when he realized that he had taken a liking to Kathleen. That would be logical, for hardly anyone could resist inclining their hearts to an obedient and gentle little girl like her. Even so, there was also a sense of gratitude in Samuel''s heart toward Nicolette because, at that moment, he thought that it was Nicolette who had saved his life. In order to prevent the others from bullying Nicolette, he had no choice but to allow her to call him her boyfriend. In Samuel''s mind, though, he, too, knew that he ought to not let Kathleen grow on him like that. Thus, he proimed, ¡°I''ve always seen you as my dearest sister.¡± The girl blinked her eyes at that. Feelings of grievance, insecurity, and hurt were apparent on her delicate face. It was as though Samuel was watching himself from the sidelines, reviewing every episode in the past. He was dying to tell hisContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. past self to own up to his true feelings from the depths of his heart. I have to confess to her right now and put an end to her suffering! Yet, he couldn''t seem to utter a word no matter how hard he tried. He watched himself walking away. Kathleen was huddling in a corner, crying her eyes out. Witnessing the scene, Samuel felt a pang of misery in his chest. Not even once had Kathleen attempted to do anything to sow the seeds of discord between him and Nicolette. Nicolette was the one who had insisted on getting married and gotten herself sent away by Diana. Samuel realized that he shouldn''t have put the me on Kathleen, for she was truly innocent of tying the knot with him. ¡°K-Kate...¡± He struggled to mutter to himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kate¡­I was wrong.I should''ve loved you with all my heart right from the beginning¡­ Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Apprentice Samuel''s hand hung in mid-air, and all of a sudden, he felt a warm and soft hand holding his hand. At that very moment, his sorrowful heart calmed down almost immediately. The agonizing pain faded away as well. ¡°Samuel? Wake up.It''s me.¡± Kathleen''s voice rang out. s, there was no response from Samuel. It was as if he had sunken into the darkness, allowing it to swallow him whole. Kathleen frowned as she tightened her gripon the man''s hand. ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s me.I¡¯m Kathleen.Desi and I are fine.Open your eyes and take a look at us.¡± Desiree''s tearful voice was filled with concern. ¡°Daddy!¡± The others stood aside, wearing worried expressions. Kathleen examined Samuel''s condition in puzzlement. He may have vomited some blood, but that doesn''t exin why he¡¯s unresponsive. Wynnie approached and exined,¡°Kate, Samuel had been like this before.He slipped into aa and only woke up after your brother left Eil and Desi in our care.¡± Kathleen lookedat Samuel''s pale face. ¡°Then what should we do now?¡± Even she had no idea what to do, as she didn¡¯t expect Samuel to be in this state. Wynnie, who was also clueless, said, ¡°All of us staying here isn''t going to help much.I¡¯ll bring Desi home first.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mrs.Macari.I''ll take good care of Samuel,¡± said Kathleen solemnly. ¡°All right.¡± Wynnie nodded and took Desiree¡¯s hand. ¡°Desi, honey, let¡¯s go home, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Desiree obediently. After Wynnie left with Desiree, Kathleen looked at Samuel, who was lying unconscious, and ced her hand on his charming face. With sorrow in her tone, she said, ¡°Why do you always torture yourself?¡± Samuel''s brows remained deeply furrowed.It was unknown whether he could hear her or not. ¡°Samuel, you have to wake up soon.Or else, I would abandon you if you stay in aa for too long.Promise me you¡¯ll wake up soon.You said you wanted to pursue me, right? I''m waiting for you.I don''t like this at all,¡± she threatened. Still, he didn''t give her any reaction, but the grimace on his face slowly disappeared. Kathleen helped him pull the covers and got up to leave the ward. At that moment, there was a man and a woman standing by the ward door. The man was Yadiel Gibson, and the woman was Rory Gibson. They were siblings whom Charles had sent to help and protect Kathleen. They were the ones who saved Kathleenand Desiree at the school earlier. ¡°What did you guys find?¡± asked Kathleen coldly. ¡°We found Yareli nearby.She had passed out with a detonator in her hand,¡± answered Yadiel. Rory added, ¡°Her fingerprints were the only ones found on the detonator, but she¡¯s now unconscious.The doctor has no idea what to do either.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not the one who wanted to kill me.Nicolette is the one behind all this.She''s merely a scapegoat that Nicolette left at the scene.¡± ¡°But, there¡¯s no evidence that proves Nicolette was a part of this.She didn''t leave any traces behind,¡± said Rory. Kathleen''s expression was frosty. ¡°Someone must be helping her.Moreover, I don''t think she will carry out the n without disguising herself.¡± ¡°All the current evidence proves that the culprit is Yareli.What should we do, Ma''am?¡± Yadiel questioned. Kathleen paused for a while before saying indifferently, ¡°You don''t have to call me that.Just call me Dr.Johnson.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Yadiel nodded. Kathleen arched an eyebrow. ¡°Case closed for now.Nicolette won''t show herself if we''re hot on her heels like this.We can only wait until she lets down her guard.¡± Yadiel and Rory exchanged nces before nodding. ¡°Yes, Dr.Johnson.¡± ¡°Send Samuel to Florinia Manor.Zion and Yareli, too.¡± Kathleen spoke in a low voice. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Roger that.¡± Kathleen thought that Florinia Manor was the best ce for her to conceal her whereabouts and look after Samuel at the same time. Only a few people knew that she was still alive. Before Nicolette showed herself, Kathleen would stay away from public view so that the former wouldn''t find out about her and be alert. Upon reaching Florinia Manor, Kathleen tucked Samuel into his bed. Subsequently, she lifted her head to look at the wedding photo hung over the bed headboard. The photo was taken at their wedding back then. She looked unhappy in the photo, and even Samuel''s handsome face showed a tinge of hostility. The wedding photo was far from perfect. Even so, Samuel still left it there instead of taking it down. Won¡¯t his mood be affected when looking at it? I don¡¯t understand him. She went to get a hot towel and wiped Samuel''s face and body. Knock. Knock. Right then, she heard knocking soundsing from outside the door. ¡°Come in,¡± she said softly. Zion, who had regained his ability to walk in the past two days, pushed the door open and entered. His condition was able to improve in such a short time because of Kathleen''s treatment. ¡°Kathleen, how is Samuel?¡± the young boy asked. Kathleen looked sideways at Samuel. ¡°He¡¯s still in aa.¡± Zion sighed. ¡°I feel for him.Is it worth it to torture himself for the sake of a woman?¡± Kathleen was speechless. The boy continued with a cidtone, ¡°I swear I wouldn''t be like him in the future.¡± ¡°Be careful not to end up eating your own words,¡± Kathleen reminded. ¡°I''m sure I won''t.¡± Zion refused to believe that he would reduce himself to such a miserable state for a woman. However, in the future, he would eventually understand what it felt like to be madly in love with someone. s, he was now still too young and ignorant to understand that. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°Oh, nothing.I''m just here to check on you guys,¡± he answered. ¡°You can be at ease here.This ce is much safer than my mansion.¡± This was Florinia Manor, after all. Apart from bodyguards that guarded the ce, there were surveince cameras installed in every nook and cranny. Absolute safety was guaranteed in the manor. After a few moments of hesitation, Zion asked, ¡°Kathleen, do you have an apprentice?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No.Why would I need an apprentice?¡± ¡°Have you ever thought of epting one?¡± he questioned again. She furrowed her brows. ¡°Are you trying to say you want to learn from me?¡± ¡°Can I? I would love that.¡± The boy straightened his back, showing his passion and earnestness. ¡°You¡¯re still a kid.You would still need to go to school after you get better.When the timees, you might have a lot more options to decide from.¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t want to limit the boy¡¯s future. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.I can study and learn from you at the same time.Think about it.After you teach me your skills, I could be your assistant,¡± said Zion seriously. ¡°Are you really interested?¡± He nodded fervently. ¡°Yes! I want to be more capable so that I could protect myself and the people around me.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°You may be young, but you sure are ambitious.¡± ¡°So, is that a yes?¡± Zion¡¯s eyes twinkled with excitement. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. He beamed happily and asked, ¡°Then how should I address you in the future? Do I call you ''Master'' or do I call you by your name as usual?¡± ¡°Whatever floats your boat.¡± She didn''t really mind. ¡°I''ll call you by your name then.What should I start learning first?¡± he asked eagerly. ¡°You can go ahead and take a walk outside first.I''lle to you after I finish with everything here.¡± ¡°All right.¡± With that, he turned and left the room. Kathleen smiled to herself, amused at the thought of suddenly having an apprentice. She then looked down at Samuel. ¡°See? My life is still filled with surprises even when you¡¯re in aa.¡± Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Tentative Still, there was reaction from Samuel. Kathleen sighed and poked his face with her finger. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen into aa because you thought I was dead, right? But now, I''m right in front of you.Why won''t you open your eyes and look at me?¡± He''s such a headache! She lost her patience soon. ¡°I''m ignoring you! I have a lot of things to do, and I don¡¯t have time to keep youpany.If you don''t wake up soon, I''ll leave you here, and you¡¯ll be all alone!¡± After a few moments, she still received no response. ¡°Samuel, please wake up.Let''s fall into a deep slumber together after we die, but not now.You have to wake up, okay?¡± Kathleen took his hand and pressed it against her face, her voice hoarse. ¡± What should I do if you stay in aa forever? Samuel remained motionless.The only noise that echoed in the room was his breathing. She blinked her moist eyes and fumed, ¡°D*mn you,Samuel.I''m going to leave you here!¡± Upon finishing her sentence, she turned to leave and went to her bedroom. Her things had just been moved into the room. She took two of her medical books before going to look for Zion, who had just returned from his walk around the manor. ¡°Kathleen, this manor is huge.I''ve been walking forever, yet I haven''t even toured half of it.¡± He wiped the sweat on his forehead. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You should take care of your health.Don''t think you''re fine now and tire yourself out.¡± Kathleen handed him the medical books and continued, ¡°Read these two books and memorize the contents.I''ll give you a spot test a few dayster.If you fail to memorize the points, I won''t ept you as my apprentice.¡± Zion held the books in his arms like they were the most precious treasure in the world. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.I have a sharp memory.Just give me a week, and I''ll memorize everything like the back of my hand.¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Stop bluffing.A week? These two books may not look thick, but I bet you¡¯d at least need a month.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prove it to you then!¡± Zion was determined. ¡°Fine,¡± she replied indifferently. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°I''m going to check on Yareli.¡± ¡°I''ll go with you!¡± He caught up with her. ¡°Why are you tagging along?¡± She looked at him in surprise. ¡°I want to watch how you treat patients.¡± ¡°I''m just like any other doctor.The only thing different about me is that I excel at both traditional and modern medicine.I''m not that impressive,¡± she said wryly. Does he think I have a special way to treat my patients? As they talked, they reached Yareli¡¯s ward.It was one of the rooms that was situated on the first floor. Florinia Manor was huge, with around a dozen rooms on the first floor. Thus, Kathleen transformed some of the rooms on the first floor into her office and wards. Yareliy motionless on her sickbed. Kathleen checked her pulse with a solemn expression before examining her eyes and body. Zion imitated her and felt Yareli''s pulse, too. Kathleen lifted her eyebrow. ¡°Well? What do you think?¡± ¡°Her pulse is weak.I can''t feel anything at times,¡± he uttered with a frown, unsure whether his observation was urate or not. ¡°That''s a sign of poisoning.¡± As she spoke, she took a scroll out and spread it open, revealing a row of silver needles. She took one of the silver needles and jabbed it in between the thumb and forefinger of Yareli''s right hand. Momentster, a bulge appeared on Yareli''s abdomen which began moving. When Zion saw that, he felt goosebumps all over his skin. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a parasite.Don''t make a huge fuss.¡± She nced at him. ¡°Oh.¡± He tried his best to stay calm. Although he knew about parasites,that was the first time he ever saw one in real life. After Kathleen removed the silver needle, the bulge in Yareli''s abdomen disappeared. Zion queried in shock, ¡°Kathleen, is this the reason she remains unconscious?¡± ¡°Yes.I have to find a way to get rid of the parasitic worm.¡± She nodded. He asked curiously, ¡°Is it challenging?¡± ¡°I don''t know much about parasites.I only learned some from Theodore when I was with him,¡± she replied. ¡°Should we call Grandpa and ask him?¡± Kathleen handed Zion her phone. ¡°You could try and see if the call goes through.¡± He took the phone and dialed Theodore¡¯s number, only to find out that the number no longer existed. Ashe listened to the robotic voice on the other end of the line stating that it was an invalid number, he was dumbfounded. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kathleen took the phone from him. ¡°He disappeared, of course.You didn''t know, right? The entire Axeworth Corporation now belongs to Lauren.¡± ¡°Will Grandpa be fine?¡± He was worried. She responded apathetically, ¡°He¡¯s as sly as a fox.Why wouldn''t he be fine? No news is good news.Don''t worry.¡± ¡°You don''t seem to care about him at all,¡± Zion said with a faint voice. ¡°Why should I care? Not only did he try to save you in exchange for my daughter''s life, but he also tried to kill me.¡± She arched an eyebrow. A sheepish look appeared on Zion''s face as he decided that he should just shut up. Kathleen took her phone and dialed another number. After two rings, an alluring voice sounded on the other end. ¡°I didn''t expect you to call me again.¡± Lauren''s tone brought with it a hint of amusement. ¡°I''m calling to congratte you.You''ve finally gotten what you wanted.¡± Kathleen spoke coldly. ¡°Hmph! Save all the hypocrisy.¡± Lauren snorted. ¡°I¡¯m curious, Lauren.Why didn''t you announce to the world after you''ve gotten Axeworth Corporation all to yourself?¡± Kathleen asked while wearing a half-smile. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡± Lauren replied furiously. ¡°Let me guess.All you got is an empty shell, right?¡± asked Kathleen tentatively. Lauren merely snorted in response. As she did not deny it, Kathleen knew that her guess was right. ¡°Were you the one who saved Nicolette? Did you give her the parasitic worm?¡± Kathleen went back to the main topic. Lauren was silent. ¡°Lauren, you might not know much, but you excel in the field of parasitic worms.On the other hand, Nicolette knows nothing about parasitic worms.You were the one who gave her the parasitic worm so she could imnt it in Yareli¡¯sbody, right?¡± Lauren let out an evil chuckle. ¡°So what if I did? I¡¯m in the business.If you want to save Yareli, that¡¯s fine.Give me money or something else I want, and I will give you the antidote.¡± ¡°Did you forget about something, Lauren? Aperson can only be imnted with one kind of parasite in their body.Nicolette imnted a parasitic worm in Yareli¡¯s body.So, what about the female lovebug that was previously in her body? What is it really?¡± asked Kathleen with an unfathomable tone. Lauren fell silent again. Kathleen continued, ¡°The male and female lovebug are the most powerful parasites.The other parasites are no match for them.However, the parasite you gave Nicolette was able to overtake the female love bug in Yareli¡¯s body.Does that mean the female lovebug in Yareli''s body was a fake?¡± Beep. Beep. Kathleen was speechless when she realized Lauren had hung up. Zion overheard the whole conversation. ¡°Is she embarrassed because you exposed her?¡± Kathleen put her phone away. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I didn''t expect the main reason you called her was to ask her about the female lovebug.She thought you called her because you want to save Yareli,¡± he uttered. Initially, he believed that was the case. Kathleen nced at Yareli. Chapter 408 Chapter 408 Chapter 408 What Did You Do Kathleen had never perceived herself as apassionate person who would lend a hand to anyone who needed help. At that moment,Rory came walking in. ¡°Dr.Johnson, I''ve done what you told me to.¡± She spoke softly. ¡°Good job.¡± Kathleen paused and asked, ¡°Can you do me anotherfavor, Rory?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Take a picture of Yareli in this unconscious state and share it on the inte.I want to trick someone out of their hiding ce,¡± said Kathleen indifferently. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rory was quite surprised to hear that. Kathleen narrowedher eyes. ¡±I want to lure Vanessa, of course.She''s overseas, and I''m sure she has no idea what happened to Yareli.She definitely knows how my mother was stolen back then, so I must capture her.Yareli will act as bait.¡± Rory understood Kathleen¡¯s intention. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr.Johnson.I''ll post the photo on international tforms so she would see it.¡± Kathleen nodded and touched her chin. ¡°Tell them to write the title like this, ''The former heiress of Yoeger Group, Yareli Yoeger, will be sentenced to death for themurder of the wife and daughter of Macari Group''s CEO.¡±¡® ¡°Roger that.¡± Rory took her phone out and snapped a photo of Yareli before leaving the room. Kathleen looked at Yareli emotionlessly and said, ¡°It''s surprising to know that Yareli, who had once triumphed over Nicolette, would end up in this state because of Nicolette.¡± ¡°What is Nicolette nning to do?¡± asked Zion. ¡°She wants revenge.She thinks someone else had caused her miserable situation, and not herself,¡± replied Kathleen, her voice devoid of emotion. Zion nodded wordlessly. ¡°Okay, let''s go.Nothing else to see here.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The young boy followed her and exited the room. After that, he said to her, ¡°Kathleen, I¡¯ll return to my room first.¡± ¡°Go ahead.I''ll send someone to inform you when it''s meal time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Zion left, Kathleen turned to leave, too. Meanwhile, Vanessa was on vacation overseas. She wasn¡¯t worried, as she had been in contact with Yareli for the past few days. However, she could no longer remain calm when she saw the news on the inte a few minutes ago. She tried calling her daughter, but to her dismay, thetter''s phone was switched off. Is all of this real? Is Yareli really in trouble? But I''ve told her not to act recklessly so that Kathleen and the others won''t be able to get the goods on her. Why did she kill Kathleen and her daughter? Samuel would never let her off the hook! Vanessa was beside herself with worry when she still couldn¡¯t get intouch with Yareli. After moments of pondering, she called Zachary. Fortunately, the line went through, and Zachary''s booming voice sounded from the other end of the line. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Zachary, it¡¯s Vanessa.What is going on? What happened to Yareli?¡± asked Vanessa in a low voice. ¡°You! The audacity of you to ask me this question!Because of the two of you, I can''t even leave my house! People are guarding me every day and forbidding me to head outside.They''re even investigating me!¡± Vanessa froze when she heard that. Looks like everything on the news is true. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve never asked Yareli to do something like that!¡± she eximed anxiously. Zachary scoffed disdainfully. ¡°She came to me and asked me to team up with her.Guess what? She even recorded the conversation.Now that she''s captured, the police found the voice recorder on her, and they think I¡¯m her aplice.Are you''re still saying she didn''t do anything?¡± ¡°Recording?¡± ¡°Vanessa Yoeger, I''m telling you, you bettere back right now and deal with all this mess.Or else, I''ll expose your transaction with the Hoover family and make your life a living hell.I''m going to drag you down with me!¡± threatened Zachary angrily. After that, he ended the call. Vanessa frowned. How did things turn out like this? No! I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing.I have to return and look into the matter myself. With that thought in mind, she took her phone out. ¡°Book me a flight to Jadeborough right now.Hurry!¡± She knew that if she didn''t return as soon as possible, the Yoeger family would be doomed. However, at the same time, she was aware that if she returned without making any preparations, there was no way she could defeat Kathleen and the others. Moreover, she had a lot of questions. Thus, she made another arrangement. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Prepare a car for me first.I need to go and meet Lauren.¡± After hanging up on Kathleen, Lauren felt uneasy as well. Nicolette is such a nuisance!How could she imnt a parasitic worm in Yareli''s body? As she was unable to hold back her anger, she called Nicolette right away. ¡°Are you crazy, Nicolette? I''ve told you not to imnt a parasitic worm in someone who already has a parasitic worm in their body! Why won''t you listen to me?¡± screamed Lauren into the phone as soon as the call connected. Nicolette replied apathetically, ¡°Are you talking about Yareli? Theodore has already gone down, so what''s the point of hiding this any longer? You should just tell everyone that I''m your partner and that the female lovebug is in my body.Won¡¯t that solve everything?¡± Lauren gritted her teeth. ¡°You! Don''t you forget that Yareli has a mother! Vanessa has strong backing behind her, and she¡¯s not someone we should mess with.¡± Nicolette snorted. ¡°The person backing her won''t necessarily be able to help her this time.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Lauren frowned. ¡°That person is now on my side.Vanessa would surely contact you in a while.I''m leaving the rest to you, Lauren,¡± elucidated Nicolette. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Kill Vanessa.She knows too much.Just kill her, and the person backing her would help us.Don''t worry,¡± Nicolette said meaningfully. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lauren was skeptical. ¡°I''ve done so many things ever since I¡¯ve gotten back.Why won''t you believe me? Kill her and let the Yoeger family be the scapegoat.They will be med for Kathleen¡¯s death.After that, we won''t have to worry about anything.¡± A cold and evil smile appeared on Nicolette¡¯s face. Lauren asked, ¡°How about Zachary? He¡¯syour father.¡± Nicolette chuckled. ¡°He doesn''t think of me as his daughter at all.I¡¯ll never let him off.¡± Her meaning was obvious. Zachary had to die, too. ¡°Okay then.¡± Lauren understood that she and Nicolette were on the same boat, so they had to help each other. Now that Theodorehad escaped back to the country, Nicolette was the only one who could get rid of him. Otherwise, Theodore would most definitelye looking for trouble once he was done recuperating and regathering his strength. Lauren''s job, on the other hand, was to get rid of Vanessa for Nicolette. After ending the call, Lauren frowned and pondered for a while. Just then, the door was pushed open. Vanessa stormed into the room, her voice filled with anxiety. ¡°Lauren, what is wrong with the parasitic worm that you imnted in Yareli? Why hasn¡¯t Samuel fallen in love with her yet after so many years?¡± Lauren turned to look at her. ¡°How would I know?¡± Vanessa widened her eyes in fury. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Vanished Into Thin Air "Go to Theodore if you don¡¯t believe me!" Lauren said angrily, "He was the one who made me do it.It¡¯s pointless for you to ask me!" "Theodore?" Vanessa sneered. "No one knows where he went.How am I to ask him?" "How can you not know where he went?" Lauren remarked sarcastically, "Weren¡¯t you guys working very well together before?" From her reply, Vanessa found a hint. "It¡¯s you who was behind Theodore¡¯s incident, isn¡¯t it?" Lauren smiled creepily. "You just found out? How else did the whole organizatione into my hands?" Hearing that, Vanessa gritted her teeth. "As I thought.You¡¯re heartless and ambitious.You¡¯ve wanted to do this for a long time, right?" Lauren did not respond and simply stared at her. From her reaction, Vanessa understood it all. Lauren had no good intentions from the start.The female love bug in Yareli¡¯s body could be fake! "What the hell did you do to my daughter?" Vanessa rushed over, intending to grab Lauren¡¯s hair. There was no way Lauren would allow Vanessa to hit her, so when thetter rushed over, she had already pulled out a dagger and aimed it at her stomach. Vanessa wanted to avoid it, but Lauren grabbed her shoulder and viciously drove the dagger into the former¡¯s stomach with all her might. "Ugh!" Vanessa¡¯s face twisted in pain. Lauren sneered. "You lot should be dead long ago for hogging what belongs to us in the first ce! You¡¯re just as abominable as Theodore!" With that, she pulled out the dagger and drove it in again.Arms iling in the air, Vanessa managed to grab a vase next to her. Bang! With all her strength, she smashed the vase onto Lauren¡¯s head.Thetter was caught off guard and immediately fainted. Vanessa could not care less about anything else.She clutched her injured abdomen, turned around, and staggered outside. There was only one thought in her mind at that moment.I want to live.I must survive. Yareli is still waiting for me to save her. By the time Vanessa escaped from Lauren¡¯s residence and ran out of the gate, she had run out of strength.She looked around, hoping to see someone who could save her. Just then, a white BMW drove over.She immediately stretched out her hand, and the car stopped in front of her. rissa got out of the car.She had never met Vanessa, so the two did not know one another.She had only ever met Yareli. However, due to her strong impression of thetter, she was reminded of something the moment she saw Vanessa. "Save me¡­" Vanessa crawled to rissa¡¯s feet. "I can give you money.I can give you anything as long as you can save me." After saying that, she passed out.rissa crouched down and found out Vanessa was still alive after checking her breath. "Do you think Ick money when I¡¯m driving this kind of car?" she remarked tly, mumbling to herself. As the esteemed member of Blissful Sect, she was never short of money. "Oh, whatever! You may be of no use to me, but perhaps you are for someone else." rissa narrowed her eyes for a moment before getting Vanessa into the car.She sent the letter to a hospital that she felt was more reliable for emergency treatment. The medical service there was quite good, so the doctors managed to save Vanessa. After confirming that thetter¡¯s condition was all right, rissa went to look for Charles.She sat in the car and called him. "Where are you, Charles?" "Your house," he replied in a low voice. "My house?" rissa frowned. "Are my dad and brother causing you trouble again? Wait for me.I¡¯ll go back now." With that, she ended the call. Charles did not even get the chance to speak.He solemnly ced his phone down and looked at Wilbur sitting across from him. Thetter had just returned from abroad, and beside him sat his newly-wed wife, Adina. Adina was beautiful, with dark hair, deep eyes, a sharp nose, and alluring lips.She was a royal princess and was said to also be a strong contender for the next royal heir. Wilbur had obeyed Raymond¡¯s arrangement to marry Adina to consolidate his position. Since Adina also needed the help of the Blissful Sect, they mutually benefited from the marriage. As for how much love there was, Charles did not know, and neither did he care about it. "I heard that your sister is still alive," Wilbur said with a half-smile. "You¡¯re not very well-informed." Charles¡¯ tone was cold. Wilbur smiled meaningfully. "I meant the explosion." Charles kept quiet. Wilbur is really much better informed with Adina¡¯s help. "Don¡¯t worry.There¡¯s nothing between your sister and me now." Wilbur wrapped his arm around Adina¡¯s shoulder and bragged, "I¡¯m now better than Wyatt." Charles remained silent.I¡¯ve not heard from Wyatt for a long time.I wonder where he went. Before the words left his mouth, Raymond came down from the second floor.The three of them stood up. "Sit, everyone." Raymond looked tired. "What¡¯s wrong, Father?" Wilbur asked curiously. Raymond let out a sigh as he sat on the couch. "What else but Wyatt? I don¡¯t know where he is now.He seemed to have vanished into thin air." Vanished into thin air? Wilbur narrowed his eyes. "He won¡¯t die, anyway." Raymond¡¯s expression was cold. "Charles, get your men to investigate within the country to see if he has returned." Charles remained calm.Raymond mentioned using my men.It seems like he¡¯s also testing me besides asking me to look for Wyatt. "Okay." Charles nodded graciously. Hearing that, Raymond said solemnly, "Thank you.If there is any news, notify me immediately." "Will do." Charles nodded in response. Just then, rissa came into the living room from outside. "Dad, Wilbur, are you two giving Charles a hard time again?" Raymond frowned. "What on earth are you talking about?" "Have you ever seen us bullying him, rissa?" Wilbur asked thoughtfully, "What¡¯s the matter? Are you afraid that he¡¯ll suffer at our hands?" Adina grinned. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Do you like Charles, rissa?" "No!" rissa¡¯s face instantly turned red.She looked at Charles, who was on the side, with a flustered expression. Thetter looked back calmly. "I¡¯m fine." Only then did rissa let out a sigh of relief. "d to hear that." Raymond furrowed his brows. "We merely asked Charles to look for Wyatt.Your brother is missing, and you¡¯re not even anxious?" "He¡¯s a living person.How can I control where he wishes to go with his own two legs?" rissa continued coldly, "Besides, isn¡¯t it clear to everyone why he doesn¡¯t want to return to this house?" If I had the means, I wouldn¡¯te back either. Hearing that, Raymond frowned.rissa blinked before adding, "Dad, since you say I don¡¯t care enough about Wyatt, how about I follow Charles to Jadeborough and help look for him?" Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Chapter 410 I Am Still A Girl "I think you just want to go out and have fun," Raymond remarked. rissa sat down. "See? I want to look for him, but you¡¯re saying I want to go out and have fun.I won¡¯t go then." Raymond¡¯s gaze swept over Charles and rissa before he said tly, "Take rissa with you, Charles.After all, she should explore and get more exposure to the real world." "Okay." Charles nodded. rissa was overjoyed. "Can I really go?" Raymond nodded in response. Sweet! "When are you nning to set off, Charles?" rissa looked at his handsome face. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Tomorrow," he replied. "I¡¯ll go get ready then!" rissa was looking forward to the trip to Jadeborough. I¡¯ve always stayed here and have never left.Of course, I¡¯m looking forward to it now that I finally have the chance.As Charles gave her a nod in response, she stood up. "I¡¯ll go get ready now." With that, she turned around to head upstairs.Raymond¡¯s lips twitched. "I¡¯ll have to trouble you then, Charles." Charles¡¯s expression remained neutral. "It¡¯s fine.I¡¯ll take my leave now." After saying that, he also left. "Dad, are you trying to¡­" Wilbur did not finish his words as he tried to guess his father¡¯s intention.Raymond said coldly, "In the future, Charles will live in Jadeborough long-term for sure.We need to have our people there, and if rissa marries him, we won¡¯t need to send another person.Not to mention, Charles has Samuel as his brother-inw." "Oh?" Wilbur narrowed his eyes. "Is Kathleen going to remarry Samuel?" "I haven¡¯t gotten the news yet, but isn¡¯t that a natural thing?" Raymond said tly, "Samuel will never let go of Kathleen in this life, so it¡¯s only a matter of time before they get together again.Besides, they still have two children." Wilbur nodded in response while something shed in Adina¡¯s eyes. After Raymond had gone upstairs to rest, she put her arm around Wilbur¡¯s. "Your father is really interesting." He narrowed his eyes. "How so?" "There¡¯s no way you didn¡¯t notice your sister¡¯s ambition, right, Wilbur?" Adina uttered coolly.Wilbur remained impassive. "You can¡¯t just be wary of Wyatt anymore.There¡¯s also rissa.Your father never said that Blissful Sect cannot be passed on to his daughter," she reminded him. He smirked. "She¡¯s just a little girl.Why are you afraid of her?" Adina got up and said lightly, "In any case, if you don¡¯t take it seriously now, don¡¯t me me for not reminding you when she has her own power and can challenge you within the sect."https://novelebook/home1 Wilbur¡¯s gaze turned cold. If rissa truly has that in mind, I¡¯ll nip it in the bud! A touch of coldness appeared on rissa¡¯s face when she heard Wilbur and Adina¡¯s conversation from her position on the second floor. Thinking of killing me? Dream on! Then again, I have something important to tell Charles. Gosh, I¡¯m so careless! She immediately went back to her room and called him. At that moment, Charles was on his way back. "What¡¯s up?" he asked indifferently. "Can you pick me up an hour earlier tomorrow, Charles? I have something very important to tell you," she said cautiously. "Mm, got it," he said with a nod. "Okay.I¡¯ll wait for you!" rissa hung up the phone and went to get ready. While driving alone, a trace of coldness surfaced on Charles¡¯ handsome and devilish face.He had no issue with rissa. On the contrary, she had helped him a lot over the years, both openly and secretly.It¡¯s just that Raymond¡¯s intention is as clear as day. Everyone knows what he¡¯s thinking. However, I only like rissa as a sister, nothing romantic.I don¡¯t want to hurt her, so I should find an opportunity to talk to her tomorrow. The next day, Charles came to pick up rissa an hour earlier. She looked pretty, wearing a pink-colored dress with her long dark hair tied into a ponytail and a bow of the same color pinned to her hair.She walked over to him with a smile. "We can go now." Charles noticed she was carrying a yellow suitcase that was only thirteen inches and lifted his eyebrow. "Is this all?" "Yes." rissa showed him the bank card in her hand. "Don¡¯t worry.I can buy stuff when we get there." "All right then." He helped her lift the suitcase into the car. They then entered the car and started their journey. "Where will I be staying when we get there, Charles?" rissa asked curiously, "If you haven¡¯t made any arrangements, I can get someone to rent a house for me in advance.I don¡¯t want to stay in a hotel." "You¡¯ll stay at my house." Charles exined, "Your father told me to take good care of you, and I¡¯m notfortable with you living outside." "Okay." rissa nodded. "As long as I¡¯m not troubling you." "You¡¯re very sensible and have never given me any trouble," he replied tly. Hearing that, she grinned. "I also think that I¡¯m quite sensible." Charles smirked at her response. "What is it that you wish to tell me?" At his prompt, rissa suddenly remembered it. "Let¡¯s go to the hospital first." Hospital? Despite his confusion, he changed his route and took her straight there. Upon reaching the hospital, rissa led him to an intensive care unit. "Look, Charles.I picked up a big fish." She pointed at Vanessa, who was lying on the bed. Charles¡¯ brows twisted into a deep frown. "Where did you meet her?" "Near Lauren¡¯s house.I was going to look for Lauren when I spotted her midway.She was seriously injured at that time and stopped my car.I thought of Yareli as soon as I saw her, so I brought her back." Despite not knowing who the woman was, rissa knew that she was rted to Yareli.He regarded her with a meaningful look. "She is Yareli¡¯s mother, Vanessa.She knows a lot of secrets.Kate and I have been looking for her, but we couldn¡¯t seem to find her." rissa narrowed her eyes. "It seems I¡¯m quite lucky." "Thank you." Charles continued with a frown, "But we can¡¯t leave her here.We must take her away as soon as possible." "Okay." She nodded. "Let me make a call." He then went out with his phone.He stood in the hallway and gave some instructions while ncing into the ward. rissa obediently stood by the hospital bed, waiting for him to return. Charles pulled his lips into a thin line. "Make it quick." With that, he hung up the phone and went back inside. "How is it?" she asked with concern. "It has been arranged." Charles¡¯s voice was slightly lower. "rissa." "Yes?" She threw him a sideways nce. Slowly, he said, "Actually, your father¡ª" "I¡¯ve said it before, Charles.I only think of you as a brother.My dad is my dad.His thoughts don¡¯t represent mine," rissa said seriously. Charles nodded lightly. "This I know.I just don¡¯t want to hurt you." "You already did.You ask as though you¡¯re disgusted with me.Even though I only like you as a brother, I¡¯m still a girl," she said bitterly. Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Their Enemy Is Our Friend "I-I¡¯m sorry!" Charles instantly panicked. "I¡¯ll only forgive you if you treat me to a good meal when we get back to Jadeborough," said a puffy- cheeked rissa. "Deal." An apologetic smile curved on Charles¡¯ face as he added, "I¡¯ll treat you to any meal you want." "You said it, not me! So you¡¯d better not go back on your word!" rissa yfully huffed. "I won¡¯t," replied Charles, who helplessly chuckled. "All right, I need you to stay here while I go downstairs to get the others." "Okay." rissa nodded. Only then did Charles turn around to leave.A quiet sigh slipped out of rissa¡¯s lips just then. Even the corner of her eyes glistened with tears as she knew some feelings needed to be buried deep in her heart.There was no way she could ever make her crush known. After all, Charles would only love Vivian in this lifetime.https://novelebook/home1It did not matter if she were dead or alive; She would remain in his heart forever.That thought alone was enough to make rissa¡¯s tears stream down her cheeks.She gently wiped them away while muttering to herself, "It¡¯s okay, rissa.At least you can still stay by Charles¡¯s side as his sister.That¡¯s more than enough." It was not long before Charles brought the others over.By then, rissa had used up all her tears and was pretending nothing had happened.Instead, she focused on helping Charles take Vanessa away from the hospital.The group wasted no time rushing to the airport. Charles had arranged to take a private jet out of that ce. Thus, they immediately took off after boarding. During the flight, Vanessa was under the doctor¡¯s constant care, so she returned to Jadeborough safely.Rory then came to pick the group up when theynded. Charles had phoned Kathleen before boarding earlier, so all the arrangements were were already made.Vanessa would get sent straight to Florinia Manor with Charles and rissa. As for the truth about Kathleen still being alive, Charles did not bother to hide it from rissa.Thetter also knew not to tell anyone about this. Soon, Kathleen examined Vanessa¡¯s wound before coldly stating, "She won¡¯t die.While her wound runs deep, it has not affected any vital organs within her abdomen." "So when will she awake?" Charles¡¯ low voice asked. "It should be soon," came Kathleen¡¯s icy reply. Just then, Vanessa¡¯s eyes fluttered open.Her hazy vision took a while to settle in while she asked weakly, "W-Where am I?" "Jadeborough." Kathleen crossed her arms before dering, "You¡¯re now a hostage in my hands." Those words struck Vanessa like lightning.Fear gleamed past her already ghastly and pale face. "K-Kathleen!" "That¡¯s me." A frosty-looking Kathleen then questioned, "So you still remember me, huh?" "How did this happen?" Vanessa was wholly startled by the sudden turn of events.How did I end up in Kathleen¡¯s hands? I know for a fact that Lauren and Kathleen aren¡¯t a team! "I saved you." N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. rissa walked over and added, "However, I¡¯m acquaintances with Kathleen, so I brought you here." A touch of bitterness appeared on Vanessa¡¯s face, her tone bing sharper by the second. "I can¡¯t believe it.What a small world." "Indeed," Kathleen chimed in. It was then that Vanessa recalled something and yelled with shock, "Didn¡¯t you die?" "There¡¯s no way I¡¯d die so easily." Kathleen snorted. "Even if I had died, I would have taken you down with me!" Hearing that, Vanessa gritted her teeth. "Do you have Yareli too?" Kathleen nodded. A cold scoff came from Vanessa, who now seemed to have given up entirely. "Vanessa, the one who tried to blow me up isn¡¯t Yareli.It¡¯s Nicolette." Kathleen¡¯s menacing tone snarled, "Your death will never be enough to make up for your actions.Although, I can let Yareli go.But all depends on how you behave from this point on." "How is she now?" Vanessa seemed concerned. "Nicolette has poisoned her, and she¡¯s now unconscious.If you¡¯re willing to work with me, I can save her." "Can you really do that?" There was doubt in Vanessa¡¯s tone.It made Kathleen sneer, "Don¡¯t you forget, Vanessa.I studied and developed drugs under Theodore for five years.Such a poison isn¡¯t difficult for me to deal with." Vanessa stared at her intently, demanding, "I¡¯ll only tell you everything after seeing Yareli awaken.Otherwise, you can forget about it!" Kathleen scoffed. "How bold of you to threaten me.Don¡¯t you know that you¡¯re not the only one who knows the truth? Do you seriously think you¡¯re a lifeline in this matter?" Her offensive remark made Vanessa¡¯s face fall. Nheless, Vanessa knew she was powerless if Kathleen decided to kill her then and there. "I can reveal this, Kathleen.Your mother was indeed taken away by my father.And yes, she was given to Old Mrs.Hoover.However, if you want evidence, you¡¯ll need to awaken Yareli.That¡¯s my condition." Something grave filled Kathleen¡¯s chest, weighing even her breath down. "Fine.But remember, I want to every detail out of you when the timees!" "Okay!" Vanessa nodded forcefully. The same impassive look stayed on Kathleen¡¯s face as she whipped around to leave. Charles and rissa joined her outside. "Do you believe her words?" the former asked. "Yeah." Kathleen nodded, adding, "Vanessa may be inhuman, but her motherly love for Yareli is unquestionable.She obviously wants her daughter to live." "Can you neutralize the poison in Yareli¡¯s body, though?" rissa asked with concern. "Yup." Kathleen nodded. "I picked up many things when working under Theodore.Such a poison isn¡¯t hard to neutralize, but it does quite some damage to the body.That won¡¯t matter since all Vanessa asked was for me to wake Yareli." "Oh, right.I heard some rumors that Theodore has returned to the country." Charles¡¯ deep voice then asked, "Do you think he¡¯ll go to the Hoover family?" "I think so too." With that, Kathleen borated, "Theodore would never be happy with how Trevor kicked him out of the Hoover family back then.Now that Lauren ended up empty-handed, Theodore will undoubtedly have other ns in store." "Looks like we should be more cautious," Charles responded with aplicated look. "Theodore won¡¯t necessarilye for us." Kathleen crossed her arms before her chest and added, "Our enemy¡¯s enemy is a friend to us, after all.Although Theodore and we have some history, he would never go against us right now.Who knows? Perhaps he might even contact us to form an alliance." Charles¡¯ eyes narrowed when he heard that. "Speaking of, Raymond has asked me to search for Wyatt since thetter is also in the country." Kathleen arched a brow. "Do you have any news about him?" Charles shook his head. "Do you guys think Wyatt will work together with Theodore?" rissa guessed. "After all, Wyatt is my brother, and I¡¯ve always known him to be a peevish oddball." Kathleen¡¯s voice lowered dangerously, "Perhaps.Either way, those two would never remain stagnant.They¡¯ll eventually make a move as long as we keep holding on, especially now that we have Vanessa captive.Some people are surely bothered by this." "Let¡¯s see what the Hoover family¡¯s next move is then," said Charles. "Vanessa and Zion are both in my hands, so I believe the family will surely make a move within the coming two days." Just as Kathleen spoke, Yadiel walked over with some updates.He reported to Charles, "Mr.Johnson.Zachary is dead." "How did he die?" Charles¡¯ brows drew close. "I¡¯m not sure.It seemed like Zachary suffered from acute heart failure and stopped breathing when he got to the hospital," he replied. At that moment, Charles locked eyes with Kathleen. "Looks like the Hoover family has already made their move." "There¡¯s not telling if the Hoover family is behind this.After all, Nicolette could also be the one responsible." Kathleen then stroked her chin before adding, "To be safe, I think it¡¯s best if we head to the hospital and check up on the situation." Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Guess Whose Face This Is "It¡¯s not wise for you to appear before them right now.Why don¡¯t I go instead?" Charles grimly stated. That was when rissa immediately offered, "I¡¯ll go with you since I¡¯m more adept at determining whether Zachary is truly dead." Charles nced at her with deep intent before finally nodding. "Okay, let¡¯s go." The two promptly took their leave. A dark emotion flickered in Kathleen¡¯s narrowed eyes just then.Doesn¡¯t rissa seem a little too proactive? Oh well.I guess it¡¯s best to let Charles realize some things on his own. After all, who¡¯s to say Charles is interested in rissa? Plus, she might not want him to know her feelings.If I tell Charles that I think rissa¡¯s interested in him, it might make things awkward. The only thing keeping Kathleen together these days was Samuel. However, a week had already passed, yet he showed no signs of waking up.He would previously twitch a little when dreaming, but that did not happen anymore. How frustrating! With that thought, Kathleen turned to go upstairs and check on him. Samuely unconscious on the bed.His breathing was stable, but his chest barely rose or fell. Kathleen approached him, sat on the bed, and held his hand while speaking. "I used to think you were too quiet and wondered if you talked more when around Nicolette.Now that I¡¯m seeing you like this, I can¡¯t help but miss the way you used to be. "Please wake up, Samuel.Haven¡¯t you slept enough? Please juste around, okay? Let¡¯s not fight anymore.Can¡¯t we spend the rest of our days peacefully?" Despite her efforts, Samuel did not respond.That sparked annoyance in Kathleen, who instantly snapped, "I¡¯ve already asked you nicely! Why won¡¯t you wake up? Ugh, you¡¯re so mean!" There was still no response. Subsequently, Kathleen leaned closer to him while frowning. "What¡¯s so good about staying unconscious anyway? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re dreaming about Nicolette!" It was then that she pointed at Samuel¡¯s chiseled face. "Do you not love me anymore? I bet the Nicolette in your dreams is super gentle toward you, huh? I bet she¡¯s so much better than me.Is that why you¡¯re unwilling to wake up?" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Only silence came from Samuel. "Jeez, fine.I¡¯ll stop joking around.You go ahead and rest up then," said a sighing Kathleen. She adjusted the nket over Samuel before walking out of the room.By the time she went downstairs, Tyson had just entered the manor. "Mrs.Macari," Tyson greeted. He never stopped addressing Kathleen with that title, but thetter did not mind. "What¡¯s the matter?" Kathleen asked. "News about Mr.Macari being unconscious hasn¡¯t got out yet.However, there¡¯s this event that Mr.Macari needs to attend, no matter what." Tyson seemed like he was in a dilemma. "What event is it?" asked a curious Kathleen. "The birthday party of the daughter of Mr.Macari¡¯s mentor." "Oh." Kathleen¡¯s brows arched in confusion as she repeated, "Samuel¡¯s mentor?" That was when Tyson realized something. "Oh, my apologies.I forgot that you lost your memories, Mrs.Macari.But yes, that mentor named Stephen Yackley significantly aided Mr.Macari when thetter was younger.It¡¯s now the twentieth birthday of Stephen¡¯s daughter, and their family has extended an invitation to Mr.Macari.They insisted that he attend." With that, he handed the invitation card to Kathleen. Thetter nced at it briefly before asking, "We can¡¯t decline at all?" Tyson nodded. "Indeed.Not at all." A frown crept up Kathleen¡¯s face. "I need to think about what to do." Following that, Tyson stood wordlessly beside her as she brainstormed for what felt like forever.https://novelebook/home1She eventually stated in a helpless tone, "If there¡¯s nothing we can do about it, then let¡¯s just get someone to pose as Samuel for the event." "What?" Tyson¡¯s eyes rounded in utter shock. "Pose as Mr.Macari?" Kathleen nodded with the utmost seriousness. "Don¡¯t you recall how easy it was for me to disguise myself back then?" Her words only fueled Tyson¡¯s rmed response as he eximed, "Still, won¡¯t it be too difficult?" "What¡¯s difficult is finding someone with the same height and aura as Samuel." Kathleen massaged her temples before asking, "Do you know anyone who could fit the bill?" Tyson shook his head, thinking it was truly impossible to locate such a person.It was then that Yadiel walked past Kathleen with the medicinal ingredients that he helped her purchase from Lewis Enterprises.He was moving them into the office. "Stop right there!" Kathleen boomed all of a sudden. Yadiel froze in his steps, asking, "Is something the matter, Dr.Johnson?" Kathleen walked over and got on her tiptoes to examine his height. Moments passed before she nodded satisfactorily. "Not bad.Not bad at all.You¡¯re perfect." Perplexed, Yadiel¡¯s brows scrunched together as he wondered what she was up to. "Wait here! Don¡¯t move a muscle!" Kathleen instructed while patting his shoulders. Hence, Yadiel remained stiffly in that position while Kathleen ran upstairs.Thetter brought down a set of Samuel¡¯s suits from the room upstairs and handed it to Yadiel. "Put these on," she said. Yadiel cautiously eyed the luxury brand suit in Kathleen¡¯s hands.His frown eventually deepened as he asked, "What is all this about, Dr.Johnson?" "Quit asking questions, and get to it!" Kathleen urged. "Come to the office once you¡¯re done.As for you, Tyson, I want you to follow me." "Okay." Tyson obediently joined Kathleen in the office right away. At the same time, Yadiel brought the suit set to the washroom and got changed. Minutes passed before he walked into Kathleen¡¯s office in Samuel¡¯s clothes. That was when Kathleen took out her tool kit and asked Yadiel to sit down. Seeing the tool kit, Yadiel was rmed and instantly questioned, "What are you nning to do, Dr.Johnson?" "Stay still.I¡¯m going to put you in a disguise.Now, remember, you¡¯re going to be Samuel tonight." What? Yadiel¡¯s eyes went wide upon learning what he had gotten roped into. "Tyson, I want you to tell him all of Samuel¡¯s quirks and habits," Kathleen instructed. "Understood," replied a nodding Tyson. He then ryed every bit of information regarding Samuel¡¯s habits and behaviors when attending events. "Firstly, Mr.Macari never drinks in public." That sound of that left Kathleen dumbstruck. "Doesn¡¯t he drink?" "Nope." Tyson exined, "You have no idea, Mrs.Macari, but he stopped drinking ever since you left.He didn¡¯t want other women to get him drunk with ulterior motives.Thus, he would refuse even if others handed him a mere cup of water." Silence befell Kathleen at that point.She had never expected such a thing to happen. Tyson shot a wary look at Kathleen before resuming, "There¡¯s more.Mr.Macari refuses to dance with other women, regardless of who they are.It doesn¡¯t matter even if it¡¯s his own mother." Yadiel nodded, patiently digesting all the information. "Of course, if someone asks you something you can¡¯t answer or don¡¯t feelfortable answering, you can always remain silent." Tyson was helpful in advising, "This way, the other party can¡¯t guess what you¡¯re thinking and won¡¯t dare to ask further." "I see," Yadiel replied. "All right.You¡¯re going to stop talking now." With that, Kathleen began inserting a pipe into Yadiel¡¯s mouth so that he could breathe.She then poured some ster onto his features to form a face cast. Two hourster, apletely different-looking Yadiel stood before Kathleen and Tyson. Seeing that made Tyson p eagerly while eximing, "My God, Mrs.Macari, you¡¯re incredible!" "Oh, hush." Kathleen humbly exined, "I merely learned a few things about disguise-making that are enough to get us through this." "Don¡¯t worry, Mrs.Macari.I¡¯ll make sure to diligently watch over Yadiel tonight," Tyson promised. That was when Kathleen pulled out another hyper-realistic mask. "No need.I¡¯ll be attending the party with Yadiel." Tyson was stunned by that but asked, "You¡¯re going too, Mrs.Macari?" Kathleen raised the mask but obstructed its facial features with her hand. "Guess whose face this is?" Unsure, Tyson shook his head and shrugged. "Yareli¡¯s," was all Kathleen said before letting out a ruthless chuckle. Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Chapter 413 The Banquet Tyson was surprised. "Huh? Mrs.Macari, are you sure you want to put on Yareli¡¯s face and go to the banquet with the fake Mr.Macari? How will you exin this in the future?" Kathleen said indifferently, "It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to do something overboard.Besides, I¡¯m just afraid that Yadiel can¡¯t handle it alone, and it¡¯ll be better with me beside him." Tyson asked embarrassedly, "Then how will I exin it to Mr.Macari in the future?" "Just tell him the truth.You can just say that I wanted to do this, and let hime at me if anything happens," Kathleen said coldly. "Okay." Tyson felt helpless. After all, that was Kathleen¡¯s decision.Who was Kathleen? She was Samuel¡¯s sweetheart.Whatever she wanted to do, Samuel would spoil and obey her. There was no way a little assistant like Tyson could oppose her.Kathleen let them leave first, so Tyson could exin some things to Yadiel.She also began to put on her disguise. Tyson and Yadiel were chatting in the living room. Suddenly, Rory came in from outside.She nced at the living room and couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. "Mr.Macari?" Yadiel cleared his throat. "It¡¯s me." "Yadiel?" Rory was shocked. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. What is going on? As she was thinking, Yareli, who was unconscious, came out of Kathleen¡¯s studio, still wearing Kathleen¡¯s clothes. Rory was even more shocked. What on earth is going on? "Rory, where are the things I asked you to buy?" Kathleen looked at her. "Dr¡­ Dr.Johnson?" Rory was very surprised. Kathleen nodded. "Yup.It¡¯s me." Rory opened her mouth. "What are you two doing?" She was confused. "Your brother and I are going to a banquet.Please help take care of the affairs in the mansion," Kathleen reminded. "Okay." Rory nodded. Kathleen continued, "Regarding the mother and daughter pair, if they do anything weird, then there¡¯s no need for you to be gentle with them.If there¡¯s nothing you can do, it¡¯s okay to dispose of them." "Yes!" Rory nodded. She finally understood and knew what to do. Kathleen nodded with satisfaction.She then looked at Yadiel and said, "I¡¯ll go change clothes, then we¡¯ll head off." "All right," replied Yadiel. Kathleen looked at Tyson and asked, "Do we need to prepare a present?" Tyson shook his head. "No need.Mr.Macari already gave a present before." Kathleen was curious. "Do you know what it is?" Tyson exined, "It¡¯s a golden abacus.It¡¯s because the youngest daughter of Mr.Macari¡¯s mentor is studying finance." Kathleen said, "Okay, I understand." She took the bag from Rory¡¯s hand and turned to change clothes. Soon, Kathleen came out of the room.She was already very simr to Yareli when she put on her clothes. Kathleen could pass off as the real deal. This was especially so for Tyson, who had seen Yareli before. If he hadn¡¯t known that Kathleen was pretending to be her, he would have thought that Yareli had woken up. However, just to make sure, Tyson ran to Yareli¡¯s ward to take a look. Yareli was indeed still in bed. Tyson returned to the living room. "Now that we¡¯re ready, let¡¯s go." Kathleen nodded. She then looked at Yadiel and said, "Let¡¯s go!" Rory watched them leave together. At the Yackley residence, a party was underway to celebrate the twentieth birthday of Josephine Yackley, Stephen¡¯s youngest daughter. Stephen was a professor of finance at Jadeborough University, and many of these renowned people were his students. Therefore, many of them came to Josephine¡¯s birthday party. Josephine looked at the door with anticipation. "Daddy, will Samuele?" she asked excitedly. Stephen nodded and replied, "He will." Josephine fiddled with her fingers and said, "This time, he can¡¯t ignore me for being young." She was already twenty years old. "Josephine, are you really nning to pursue Samuel?" Stephen was a little worried. Everyone in Jadeborough knew who Samuel liked.https://novelebook/home1Even if Kathleen had just passed away, he couldn¡¯t have fallen in love with someone else so quickly. "I don¡¯t care! In short, I want to pursue him," Josephine said softly. At that time, her elder sister Haylee came over, and her eyes were cold and arrogant. "You are so stubborn." Josephine said unhappily, "That¡¯s none of your business! Anyway, Mommy agreed." Haylee was speechless. "By the way, why hasn¡¯t Mommye down yet?" "She seems to be stuck in a call with our uncle.Our little cousin¡¯s condition is getting worse and worse, so he is begging Mommy to find a way," Josephine exined. Haylee narrowed her eyes. The Hoover family? "Old Mr.Yackley, Samuel is here." The butler hurried over. "Really?" Josephine got excited.She straightened her hair and clothes, ready to meet Samuel. Seeing how excited she was, the butler said, "But Mr.Macari brought Yareli with him." "What?" Josephine was shocked. Not only her but Stephen and Haylee were both shocked too. Samuel brought Yareli? Didn¡¯t Yareli blow up his wife and daughter? What on earth is going on? Before they even finished thinking, Samuel and Yareli walked in while holding hands. Not just the father and daughters, but even the others were equally shocked. That was simply too strange. Kathleen looked at everyone¡¯s reaction and smiled with satisfaction.She whispered to Yadiel, "Be careful if Stephen is looking for you aler." "Don¡¯t worry, Dr.Johnson." Yadiel nodded. They walked toward Stephen and his daughters. Josephine saw Kathleen, and a look of disgust shed on her expectant face.She didn¡¯t understand why Samuel was with Yareli. Yareli was the one who hurt his wife and daughter.Is he crazy? "Mr.Yackley." Yadiel¡¯s voice was hoarse. "What¡¯s wrong with your voice?" Stephen was a little surprised. "I¡¯m sick," Yadiel exined. Stephen deeply furrowed his brows. Yadiel looked at Josephine and said, "Ms.Yackley, I wish you a happy birthday." "I¡¯m¡­ not happy at all!" Josephine muttered. Haylee poked her from behind, reminding her of the current asion. Josephine was very unhappy. Stephen said meaningfully, "Samuel, given how you¡¯ve endured a tragic ordeal, I shouldn¡¯t have invited you here.But I assume you¡¯re also aware of the ramifications of this rtionship.If you weren¡¯t invited, people would talk." Yadiel nodded lukewarmly, as he pretended to have Samuel¡¯s icy cold and arrogant aura. Kathleen sneered inwardly. Samuel isn¡¯t afraid of being criticized by others.They are the ones who are afraid of being criticized! If Samuel didn¡¯te, it would definitely have an impact on them. Josephine looked at him aggrievedly. "Samuel, do you remember our agreement?" Yadiel was speechless. What agreement? Tyson didn¡¯t tell me about that. Kathleen smiled lightly. "Samuel, it turns out that you have an agreement with another woman.Can I know what the agreement is?" "It¡¯s not important," Yadiel said lightly. Josephine blushed and said aggrievedly, "Samuel, you promised me that at my twentieth birthday party, you would dance with me for the first time." Yadiel said coldly, "Oh? Really?" Is it true? Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Is It Him Kathleen didn¡¯t know either, but she cared about it very much in her heart. Samuel actually agreed to dance with another woman?But didn¡¯t Tyson say that Samuel was very well- behaved in recent years? Tyson came over. ¡°Mr. Macari! There is an emergency call for you.¡± Yadiel nodded. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Kathleen also prepared to leave with him. Haylee said softly, ¡°Ms. Yoeger, my mother wants to see you.¡± Mother? Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Old Mrs. Yackley wants to see me?¡± ¡°Pleasee with me.¡± Haylee took her upstairs. Kathleen knew that Old Mrs. Yackley¡¯s surname was Hoover.She was Trevor¡¯s biological younger sister, and her name was Tessa Hoover. Kathleen didn¡¯t know why Tessa asked Yareli to go upstairs.So, she followed Haylee upstairs with curiosity. Haylee then took her to a room. Tessa was sitting on a chair, wearing a purple gown, with a pair of sses on the bridge of her nose. Her face looked kind, but her eyes were unusually sharp. Kathleen was calm in her heart and walked over without being arrogant. ¡°Old Mrs. Yackley,¡± said Kathleen. Tessa sized her up. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You are very capable. After creating such a huge incident, Samuel can still forgive you. It¡¯s incredible.¡± Tessa¡¯s eyes were filled with deep suspicion. Kathleen smiled lightly. ¡°Because I¡¯m not the one who murdered his wife and daughter.¡± Tessa slightly furrowed her brows. ¡°Oh? Then who did?¡± ¡°Nicolette Yoeger,¡± answered Kathleen. There was no surprise on Tessa¡¯s old face. Kathleen thought to herself, It seems that Tessa knows. That¡¯s why she isn¡¯t shocked at all. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Very few people know the truth. There are not even a lot of people in the Macari family who know. But, Tessa actually knows.She and Nicolette are likely working together. After all, her surname is Hoover! ¡°Is Nicolette able to do that?¡± Tessa asked quietly. Kathleen didn¡¯t make it clear. ¡°I don¡¯t know that. In short, Samuel believes in me.¡± Tessa knitted her brows wordlessly, while Kathleen looked at her calmly. After a while, Tessa said slowly, ¡°You are more mature than before.¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°I think anyone who has experienced something like me will be silent. After all, I was almost regarded as a murderer.¡± Tessa paused and said nothing. ¡°Can I go now?¡± Kathleen asked with a half-smile. Tessa responded with a nod. Kathleen turned around. Suddenly, Tessa asked, ¡°Will you tell Samuel about it?¡± Kathleen paused. It seemed that something really happened between them. Kathleen smiled meaningfully. ¡°Then I want to see who wants to harm me. After all, I still want to live well.¡± With that said, she turned away to leave. A dark gleam shed across Tessa¡¯s face. Haylee looked at Tessa and said, ¡°Mom, I sense that Yareli has be mysterious.¡± ¡°If you were harmed by someone, it would be the same for you.¡± Tessa¡¯s expression was icy cold. Haylee was curious. ¡°Then who are you helping, Mom? Is it Yareli or Nicolette?¡± Tessa sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll help the more capable one! If Yareli can really marry Samuel, I will definitely be willing to cooperate with her. She¡¯s the rich daughter of the Yoeger family. Compared to an illegitimate child, Yareli is a little more pleasing to the eye.¡± ¡°But Mom, Josephine, she¡­¡± Haylee hesitated. Tessa said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Samuel doesn¡¯t like her, nor is he tempted by her. I have other arrangements for her.¡± ¡°But it seems like Josephine only wants Samuel.¡± Haylee snorted. Tessa said calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t care. You¡¯re not young too, so you should think about finding a partner.¡± Haylee stayed silent. Tessa said coldly, ¡°I know that you also like Samuel. But he is definitely not good for you. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know how good he is, but given his love for Kathleen, it¡¯s absolutely impossible to change that easily. I don¡¯t want you and your sister to suffer.¡± ¡°I understand, Mom.¡± Haylee was still unwilling to ept that. She was even a little older than Samuel. In the past, in school, Haylee always spoke to him under the guise of Samuel¡¯s mentor¡¯s daughter and his senior. However, Samuel didn¡¯t even look at her at the present. A long time ago, Stephen had suggested Samuel marry Haylee. Despite that, Samuel tly refused. That would probably be when Samuel was about to marry Kathleen. At that time, she also thought that Samuel must hate Kathleen very much. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for Kathleen, he would have been with Nicolette. However, after Samuel rejected Nicolette that day, Haylee suddenly realized that Samuel might not hate Kathleen. Maybe he even liked Kathleen. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going downstairs.¡± Haylee left. Tessa nodded. Kathleen came out of Tessa¡¯s room, and she was about to go downstairs. ¡°Yareli, how did you get Samuel to bring you here?¡± Josephine¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred. Kathleen smiled lightly and replied, ¡°He did it voluntarily.¡± Josephine was very agitated. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that! You must have done something to him!¡± As she said that, Josephine grabbed Kathleen¡¯s arm. Kathleen happened to be standing on the stairs. She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Josephine, I¡¯m warning you to let go. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to cause a scene!¡± Josephine said fiercely, ¡°This is the Yackley residence. What can you do to me? I can murder you and make it look like an ident!¡± Kathleen remained indifferent.Has this woman lost her mind? The more Josephine looked at Yareli, the angrier she became.I am younger and prettier than her.Why can¡¯t Samuel see that? If this woman isn¡¯t here today, I will be able to dance with Samuel! It¡¯ll be fantastic if this woman¡¯s gone. Thinking about that, Josephine pushed Kathleen down hard. Kathleen didn¡¯t expect Josephine to attack. She was caught off guard and fell backward. Just when she thought that she was going to roll down the stairs, a warm embrace caught her. She could even make out the distinct scent of herbs. Kathleen was dumbstruck.She opened her eyes and looked at the man holding her. Samuel? He¡¯s awake? Samuel hugged her and let out a sigh of relief. He looked at Josephine with cold and sharp eyes. ¡°Are you tired of living?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Josephine didn¡¯t expect Samuel toe upstairs. Kathleen thought of Samuel¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°Your wrist¡­¡± Samuel said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You guys are ridiculous.¡± Kathleen stuck her tongue out. Samuel looked at Josephine coldly. ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t let you go that easily!¡± After he said that, he carried Kathleen downstairs. Stephen heard the butler say that Samuel went upstairs, so he followed. Samuel¡¯s eyes were cold and sharp. ¡°Mr. Yackley, this is thest time I¡¯ll visit your house. If anything happens to the Yackley family in the future, don¡¯te to me!¡± After he finished speaking, he took Kathleen and left. Stephen was confused. He looked at Josephine and asked, ¡°What did you do?¡± Josephine tried her best to remainposed. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± There was no way that Josephine would admit that she wanted to murder Kathleen. Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Jealous Samuel came out with Kathleen.He reached out and tore off the hyper-realistic mask on Kathleen¡¯s face.His ck eyes were sharp and his expression was very unhappy. Kathleen felt awkward. ¡°Um, I¡­¡± Samuel squeezed her chin and said, ¡°You sure do like to cause some problems for me.¡± Kathleen looked at Tyson and Yadiel who were not far away. The two of them pretended they saw nothing. Kathleen said, ¡°Although I caused some problems for you, I have made a very important discovery.¡± Samuel remained silent while wearing a cial expression. Kathleen red at him. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Who do you think I am doing this for? I¡¯m helping you for the stability of the Macari Group.¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes. Although Kathleen¡¯s purpose at the beginning was definitely not that, hiding the news of his unconsciousness did not cause chaos in thepany. Samuel¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen said sarcastically, ¡°Haha, you¡¯re so reluctant. By the way, Ms. Yackley is still waiting for you to dance.¡± Then, she pushed Samuel¡¯s hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°What dance?¡± Kathleenughed and scolded, ¡°Stop pretending! Josephine said just now that you promised her to have the first dance with her at her twentieth birthday party. No wonder she wanted to push me down the stairs.¡± Samuel said in a deep voice, ¡°I never agreed to it. She did mention it to me at the time, but I didn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Then how did you reply to her?¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°I told her I have a wife, so I don¡¯t dance with others,¡± Samuel exined. Is that so? Kathleen still didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Or do you want me to bring her here and question her face to face?¡± Samuel said coldly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Let Samuel go back there? His face is pale and frightening. He might raise suspicion if he goes back there. After all, the health of the CEO of the Macari Group was also a point of concern to the public. If he could live long, only the Macari Group could develop for a long time. Kathleen hummed slightly. ¡°Forget it. Anyway, I¡¯ll believe what you say. In fact, you don¡¯t have to be nervous. It¡¯s just a dance with a woman. I haven¡¯t danced less in recent years.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Who did you dance with?¡± Kathleen counted using her slender and fair fingers. ¡°A lot of people. Levi, some other guy¡­¡± Samuel held her fingers, and he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°You can only dance with me in the future.¡± ¡°Hmph. Who do you think you are?¡± Kathleen was disdainful. ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to give me a chance?¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m giving you a chance. I merely allowed you to pursue me. However, I didn¡¯t agree that we were a couple. Why are you so agitated then?¡± Kathleen retorted. Samuel was speechless. Seeing Samuel deted, Kathleen felt relieved. ¡°Forget it, I am a generous woman. Seeing how sulky you look, I¡¯m not going to argue any further.¡± Kathleen opened the car door and continued, ¡°Now go home.¡± Samuel grabbed her softly and looked at her with dark eyes. Kathleen was startled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Samuel asked in a hoarse voice. Jealous? Kathleen was amused. ¡°How can I be? Tyson said that you saved yourself for me and if I hadn¡¯t heard Josephine say that today, I would have believed it.¡± With that, she entered her car. Samuel furrowed his eyebrows, and he also sat in the car. Only then did Tyson and Yadiele over, and the two of them sat in front. Kathleen looked sideways and looked out of the car window, which reflected her fair and delicate face. Samuel shot her a sideways nce, and he didn¡¯t even rx his eyebrows. Tyson and Yadiel regarded themselves as servants. They didn¡¯t dare to speak, and they didn¡¯t dare to breathe. ¡°I haven¡¯t been close to any woman other than you in these years.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was low. Kathleen was stunned. She looked in front of her, then looked at Samuel again. Tyson and Yadiel pretended to not hear that. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can collect proof from attendees of therge and small events I¡¯ve participated in over the years and show it to you.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°No need for that.¡± Kathleen thought to herself, I was just teasing him. If Samuel wants to find a woman, it will be very easy for him to do so. ¡°Then are you jealous?¡± Samuel asked faintly. Kathleen felt awkward. Does he have to ask this in front of Tyson and Yadiel? She slowly looked at Samuel. His expression was very serious, and there was a trace of nervousness in his deep ck eyes. It was as if the world would end if she didn¡¯t answer him. ¡°Yes,¡± Kathleen admitted. Samuel couldn¡¯t help but grinned a little. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± Kathleen was displeased. Samuel knew that she was angry. He raised his hand and rested it on his forehead. ¡°Kate, I have a headache.¡± That made Kathleen snort coldly. Jerk! He is such a jerk! The two people in front of them pretended to not see that. So this is what Samuel looks like when he acts coquettishly. Kathleen didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore. Soon, they returned to Florinia Manor. They got out of the car and walked in. Rory said softly, ¡°Dr. Johnson, you¡¯re back.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I wanted to call you, but Mr. Macari wouldn¡¯t let me.¡± Rory was put in a difficult spot. Kathleen replied coldly, ¡°Okay.¡± Rory secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Kathleen turned to look at the gang and said, ¡°Tessa knew about Nicolette murdering me.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°What did she tell you?¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°I just found some clues in the conversation. I think she must have known that my mother was kidnapped by Hector.¡± Samuel asked coldly, ¡°Then do you want to seek the truth again, or are you going to ask that directly?¡± Kathleen said softly, ¡°Unfortunately, those people are all dead and gone. The only ones we can use as bait are Vanessa and Yareli.¡± After thinking for a while, Kathleen furrowed her brows and said, ¡°I have an idea.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen said softly, ¡°I want to pretend to be Yareli again, and then hold a press conference. I want to pretend to rify this matter, and reveal some secrets from the past.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face became very cold. ¡°So, you want to lure them out?¡± Kathleen nodded slowly. ¡°Once the cat is out of the bag, those from the Hoover family will definitely not be able to sit still.¡± Then, they would act. ¡°If you want to use yourself as bait, I won¡¯t agree to it.¡± Samuel knew that Kathleen wanted to take risks. However, he was not on board. The Hoover family was ruthless, that was why he wouldn¡¯t agree. Kathleen said unhappily, ¡°Then what should I do? Do you want me to wake Yareli up?¡± Samuel¡¯s narrow eyes were cold. ¡°Yareli is not enough to attract the attention of the Hoover family. Isn¡¯t she in your hands?¡± Kathleen crossed her arms. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to use her. Who knows if Vanessa can take the risk.¡± ¡°Unless she doesn¡¯t care about Yareli¡¯s life,¡± Samuel said coldly. Kathleen thought for a while. ¡°Then let¡¯s go test it out.¡± Samuel nodded in response. The two of them walked into Vanessa¡¯s room. Vanessa¡¯s eyelids twitched when she saw the two of theming in, as she had an ominous premonition. Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Too Many People Know This ¡°Vanessa, there is something we need you to cooperate with,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°How¡¯s my daughter?¡± Vanessa couldn¡¯t get out, so she couldn¡¯t see Yareli. ¡°She¡¯s in a very stable condition now. It¡¯s up to you to decide on whether to cooperate with us or not.¡± Kathleen looked at her meaningfully. Vanessa paused. ¡°How do you want me to cooperate?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I will hold a press conference, and you have to expose what the Hoover family did to my mother on the spot,¡± Kathleen said coldly. What? Vanessa frowned. Samuel said coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice, Vanessa. Now you and your daughter are in our hands. Don¡¯t y any tricks. If you don¡¯t cooperate with us, Yareli will be the one who suffers.¡± Vanessa¡¯s fists clenched tightly. ¡°I can cooperate with you, but I want to see my daughter wake up.¡± That was her only wish. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Fine. Just you wait!¡± With that said, she turned around and exited the room. Samuel followed her out too. ¡°Do you have a way to wake Yareli up?¡± Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Of course.¡± Kathleen turned and entered Yareli¡¯s room. She took out a pill and a shot. The pill was given to Yareli to eat first. The shot was then used to inject into Yareli¡¯s vein. A few minutester, Yareli really opened her eyes. She sat up suddenly. ¡°Where am¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, she felt like she wanted to puke. Kathleen opened the bathroom door. Yareli ran out of bed, entered the bathroom, and began to vomit. After a while, she screamed. Ahhh! Kathleen stood at the door with her arms folded. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss, it¡¯s just a lovebug. Just flush it away with water.¡± Soon, the sound of flushing the toilet came from the bathroom. Yareli walked to the sink and kept rinsing her mouth. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Then, she came out and looked at Kathleen with a grim face. ¡°What on earth happened to me?¡± Yareli was stunned. Seeing that Samuel was standing aside, her face became even more embarrassed. Samuel was indifferent and expressionless. ¡°You fell into aa. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. Yareli sat on the bed. ¡°I only remember that I was trying on clothes in the fitting room of a mall. Suddenly, a woman with the same face as me walked in. Then, I don¡¯t remember anything, even until now.¡± She still felt scared thinking about it. Kathleen sneered, ¡°That¡¯s because someone pretended to be you.¡± Pretended? Yareli bit her lip. ¡°Who? Who dares to do such a thing?¡± ¡°A lot of people,¡± Kathleen said quietly. Like me. Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°Since you can¡¯t remember it, it doesn¡¯t matter. You are not important anyway.¡± As she opened the door, Rory pushed Vanessa in. Seeing Yareli, Vanessa cried out excitedly, ¡°Yareli!¡± ¡°Mom?¡± Yareli was shocked. Why is she here? They hugged each other. ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± Yareli asked in surprise. Vanessa exined, ¡°Lauren wanted to murder me. But I was rescued by rissa and handed over to Kathleen.¡± What? ¡°Then what about me?¡± Yareli wondered. ¡°You were framed to be the one who tried to murder Kathleen and her daughter,¡± Vanessa said agitatedly. Yareli gritted her teeth. ¡°What? It must be the woman who looks exactly like me!¡± Kathleen said coldly, ¡°The woman who looks exactly like you is Nicolette. Yareli, as long as I don¡¯t show up now, you are a murderer.¡± Yareli paused. Then, she asked, ¡°How are you never going to show up?¡± Kathleen smiled sarcastically. ¡°I can. It doesn¡¯t matter what I do as long as I can watch you go to jail.¡± Yareli roared, ¡°It¡¯s Nicolette who wants to murder you! She hates you to the core.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were sharp. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me? Don¡¯t you want me to die?¡± Yareli was at a loss for words. Of course I want to! If Kathleen¡¯s dead, Samuel will look at me! Kathleen said indifferently, ¡°So you two are the same. In short, as long as I don¡¯t show up, you will be locked behind bars.¡± ¡°You!¡± Yareli was angry. Kathleen sneered at her. ¡°Also, I can start over with a different identity, and it will have no effect on me. Anyway, Kathleen in the legal sense has been blown up by you, and when your case is settled, nobody will care who I am.¡± Kathleen made Yareli¡¯s face contort with fury. Kathleen gazed coldly at Vanessa and asked, ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Vanessa pursed her lips. ¡°You have to let Yareli go.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were cold and sharp. ¡°You made a lot of requests. You want me to save her, and now you want me to let her go. Believe it or not, I will murder you two here!¡± Vanessa and Yareli trembled together. Kathleen lost her patience. ¡°I can save you or murder you, so don¡¯t take it too far!¡± ¡°Kathleen, as long as you¡¯re willing to let Yareli go, I won¡¯t just attend any press conference. I can even help you sort out Luna Zeller.¡± Luna Zeller was the name of Old Mrs. Hoover. Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°So you are finally working with me now?¡± Vanessa looked at her faintly and said, ¡°I want you to help send Yareli to Turlen. Do you agree?¡± Kathleen smiled coldly. ¡°Then it depends on your sincerity.¡± Vanessa paused and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m full of sincerity! Just let me have a few words with Yareli alone, okay?¡± Kathleen and Samuel nced at each other, and they then turned to go out. Yareli said agitatedly, ¡°Mom, how can you promise them this?¡± Vanessa said calmly, ¡°Listen, Yareli. When you reach Turlen, go and see your biological father immediately. I¡¯ve informed him a long time ago. He won¡¯t just leave you out to dry, and you will not suffer if you stay with him.¡± ¡°My biological father?¡± Yareli furrowed her eyebrows. Vanessa held her hand and continued, ¡°Anyway, stop asking. Someone will pick you up when you get off the ne. I can see now that Nicolette is the most ruthless one. So, just leave this ce.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Yareli asked worriedly. Vanessa exined, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Kathleen won¡¯t murder me. At most, she will send me to prison, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Yareli said anxiously, ¡°That won¡¯t work either! Mommy, if nothing works, how about we go to Luna?¡± Vanessa became furious. ¡°Why don¡¯t you understand? Luna is already working with Nicolette. We can¡¯t trust her anymore! Otherwise, do you think Nicolette is capable of pulling off such a big stunt on her own?¡± Yareli pursed her lips. ¡°Why?¡± Vanessa just realized and said, ¡°Why else? Too many people know this secret. If you, me, and Uncle Zachary are dead, the only one left knowing will be Nicolette. By then, Luna will surely find a way to murder her.¡± Does Nicolette think that she can escape? In her dreams! Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Chapter 417 The Winner Takes It All A woman as vicious as Luna would never let anyone who owed her off the hook. Hence, she was determined to stay and watch Nicolette suffer. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not leaving. I can¡¯t leave you behind.¡± Yareli was reluctant. ¡°Stop wasting time and leave now!¡± Vanessa gritted her teeth. ¡°Remember this, don¡¯t try to save me or come back for me. Also, be more obedient to your biological father. All he has is a son and a daughter, who are younger than you, but no wife. As long as you use your head the right way, you won¡¯t have to worry about your livelihood.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± Tears welled up in Yareli¡¯s eyes. ¡°Listen to me. Leave now.¡± Vanessa caressed her daughter¡¯s face and said, ¡°Go.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Yareli nodded in response. ¡°Ask Kathleen and the rest toe here,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, Yareli turned around and left. Momentster, Kathleen and Samuel entered the room with Charles in tow. Vanessa stared at them coldly while she stated, ¡°Kathleen, I want you to send Yareli to Turlen. She¡¯ll never return to this country from now onward. What do you say?¡± Kathleen replied tly, ¡°Okay. I agree.¡± ¡°Do you promise?¡± An icy expression shrouded Vanessa¡¯s face. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, we can call off our deal now.¡± Kathleen remained indifferent. To that, Vanessa sneered, ¡°You¡¯ve probably figured out what happened by now, haven¡¯t you, Kathleen?¡± ¡°I¡¯d still like to hear about it from your perspective,¡± Kathleen replied. Vanessa took a deep breath before she began. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Luna is a jealous and narrow-minded person. After she found out about Trevor and your granny, she immediately set off to look for my father, Hector. Then, she told my father she¡¯d coborate with him on one condition. And that was to kill your mother.¡± Kathleen frowned upon hearing that. ¡°Kill?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Vanessa nodded before continuing, ¡°However, my father was soft-hearted and left your mother at the entrance of the orphanage owned by the Johnson family.¡± ¡°Soft-hearted?¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s a load of crap. Would you still consider me soft-hearted if I provide medical treatment to you after I break all of your limbs?¡± Vanessa was at a loss for words. At that moment, Kathleen¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Surely he received some benefits from Luna. Why are you trying to clear his name?¡± ¡°Right. My father should have just killed your mother!¡± Vanessa narrowed her eyes. If he had done so, there wouldn¡¯t be so much trouble now. ¡°That¡¯s right. That way, your sins would be concealed.¡± Kathleen sniggered. ¡°Karma has got you back for it now, but you would end up far worse if your father had actually killed my mother.¡± Vanessa gritted her teeth. ¡°Keep talking,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°How did you and Luna start to work together?¡± Vanessa stared nkly at Kathleen. ¡°Although my father sent your mother to the orphanage, he kept tabs on her all these years. He didn¡¯t expect Luna to catch on to that. At the time, your mother married your father and had given birth to Charles.¡± Just then, Charles¡¯ gaze turned sharp. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Luna was behind the incident when I got separated from my parents in the past?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vanessa nodded lightly. Charles clenched his fists tightly at that. That Luna is too wicked! ¡°What about you two?¡± Kathleen stared directly into Vanessa¡¯s eyes. ¡°What did you and Zachary do?¡± Then, Vanessa took another deep breath and continued, ¡°We covered up her trails. You were Luna¡¯s target after your parents passed away. However, no one expected that you would get taken in by the Macari family.¡± Kathleen looked at Samuel silently. It suddenly dawned on Kathleen that she could have died if the Macari family had not taken her in. Naturally, Kathleen was grateful to the Macari family for raising her. ¡°Old Mrs. Macari did a meticulous job protecting you,¡± Vanessa said. ¡°That¡¯s why we couldn¡¯t get our hands on you. Fortunately, you didn¡¯t have too much interest in your mother¡¯s identity. Thus, we didn¡¯t have to kill you at once. We only made a move after you and Charles came back and started investigating.¡± Kathleen coldly uttered, ¡°What about Granny? Does her death have anything to do with you?¡± ¡°No. I neverid hands on your granny. It was her who wanted to end her own life,¡± Vanessa replied, shaking her head. At that, Kathleen descended into a moment of deep thought as silence ensued. ¡°All I know is that she called Trevor over the phone before she passed away,¡± Vanessa answered. ¡°Luna told me this herself.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. She had nothing to ask anymore. ¡°Do you have proof?¡± Samuel stared at Vanessa without a hint of warmth. ¡°Words alone are not enough. Do you have any evidence to back up your ims?¡± ¡°All the evidence is locked up in my overseas safety deposit box,¡± Vanessa answered. ¡°What¡¯s the password? I¡¯ll send someone to retrieve it,¡± Samuel said while wearing a cial expression. To that, Vanessa told them the bank where the safety deposit box was and her password. Samuel had many powerful connections overseas. He sent someone to the bank to retrieve the evidence with just a phone call. ¡°I¡¯m curious, Vanessa. Didn¡¯t my granny treat you guys well?¡± Kathleen croaked. ¡°From what I know, she often doted on you and Zachary.¡± Vanessa clenched her fists. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want her to die back then! I just wanted her to remain unconscious for a while. I wanted to get all of the Yoeger family¡¯s inheritance before taking care of her until her death. But you came back.¡± Kathleen sneered coldly, ¡°My mom never knew about her identity. She was only curious about why she got left behind at an orphanage. As for Granny, she suffered a deep longing for my mom over these forty years. They were both in the same city, but because of you guys, they never reunited!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Vanessa muttered, ¡°As the saying goes, every man for himself, and the devil takes the hindmost.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°So you¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t me you for this?¡± Vanessa fell silent. ¡°Why did you say I¡¯m vicious then?¡± Kathleen chuckled coldly and continued, ¡°I¡¯m just letting others have a taste of their own medicine. You¡¯re such a hypocrite, Vanessa. As the saying goes, the winner takes it all. So, you should admit you¡¯re ipetent and not me others.¡± Vanessa lowered her gaze. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± It was indeed a total defeat for her. ¡°Nicolette has already killed Zachary,¡± Kathleen said unhurriedly. ¡°So you guys are next in line.¡± ¡°What?¡± Vanessa¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How could she kill her biological father?¡± She did not believe Kathleen¡¯s words at all. ¡°Believe whatever you want. I have no reason to lie to you.¡± Kathleenzily nced at her while speaking without haste. ¡°All in all, I¡¯ll throw you and your daughter out onto the streets if you don¡¯t cooperate with me. I bet Nicolette will be ecstatic if that happens.¡± Vanessa¡¯s face fell. Is Nicolette really so ruthless? Then, Kathleen walked out of the room to allow Vanessa think her options through. Samuel and Charles also left with her. Meanwhile, at the living room, rissa was sizing up Yareli. Thetter furrowed her brows and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before.¡± ¡°Did you just remember that?¡± rissa questioned indifferently. It was then that Kathleen approached them. ¡°Kathleen, what¡¯s with the female lovebug in my body?¡± Yareli roared. Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Do You ept ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll tell you if you question me with that tone?¡± Kathleen shot a poker-faced look at Yareli. Thetter was at a loss for words. ¡°Rory, send her back to her ward and lock her up,¡± Kathleen said in annoyance. ¡°Help give her a quick refresher since she doesn¡¯t know her ce.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Rory replied before approaching to grab Yareli¡¯s arm. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Yareli struggled. However, Rory did not loosen her grip one bit. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far, Kathleen!¡± Yareli hollered. ¡°How dare you do this to me in front of Samuel?¡± All that came from Kathleen was a snort. ¡°You don¡¯t have to show her mercy, Rory,¡± Samuel chimed in. ¡°Understood!¡± Rory nodded. She got more dauntless after receiving Samuel¡¯s instructions. Following that, Rory aggressively dragged Yareli to thetter¡¯s room and tied her to her bed. ¡°I hate you, Kathleen!¡± Yareli roared. Kathleen stood in front of the door while looking at the tied-up Yareli. ¡°Rory, give her a sleeping pill. She¡¯s too noisy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rory nodded once more. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! Kathleen!¡± Yareli¡¯s voice was deafening. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare?¡± Kathleen scoffed. Then, she took a sleeping pill and forcefully shoved it down Yareli¡¯s throat. ¡°Mm-Mmph!¡± Yareli struggled with all her might but to no avail. In a matter of minutes, she drifted off and sumbed to sleep. After that, Kathleen instructed Rory, ¡°Give her one sleeping pill everyday. Make sure she stays quiet until the day we ship her off.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Rory nodded. Kathleen then turned on her heel and returned to the living room. Only Charles and rissa was there. ¡°Where¡¯s Samuel?¡± Kathleen was puzzled as he was there just a moment ago. That was when Charles pointed at the second floor, hinting that Samuel had gone upstairs. Kathleen frowned. ¡°So, you¡¯ve decided-¡± Charles looked at Kathleen and was hesitant to speak. Pursing her lips, Kathleen eventually answered, ¡°Charles, I think I do like him.¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± Charles sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to see you off, Charles. Goodbye.¡± With that, Kathleen walked up the stairs. A hint of bitterness caused Charles¡¯ handsome face to contort. rissa asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Charles?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thinking that maybe there¡¯s no need for memories of love,¡± Charles said tly. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± rissa muttered. ¡°Kate is behaving the way she is now because she fell for Samuel after she lost her memories. But there¡¯s no guarantee she¡¯ll still be in love with him after she regains her memories.¡± Charles fixed his gaze on her. ¡°You don¡¯t know how special Samuel is to her. Especially after she heard how Vanessa said she would have died if not for Samuel and the Macari family¡¯s protection.¡± ¡°But will Samuel ept a love that¡¯s heavilyced with gratitude?¡± rissa was curious. ¡°Of course, he will,¡± Charles replied. ¡°That¡¯s what he wants. To be linked to Kate in all ways so that she can¡¯t leave him.¡± rissa stuck her tongue out after she heard that. ¡°What a strange man.¡± ¡°He¡¯s very capricious too,¡± Charles added. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± rissa nodded. Then, she followed Charles as they departed Florinia Manor. Later, Kathleen went to the bedroom, but Samuel wasn¡¯t there either. He just woke up. Why isn¡¯t he resting? Where on earth did he go? She then stepped out of the bedroom and went to the study. The door was left slightly ajar, revealing that the lights were switched on inside the study. So, Kathleen pushed the door open and entered. Inside, Samuel was sitting on a chair. His handsome face looked slightly pale and tensed. ¡°Is your wound hurting?¡± Kathleen asked in concern. Samuel nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go get your medicine. Let¡¯s dress your wound again,¡± Kathleen said. With that, she got ready to leave. That was when Samuel abruptly shot up from his seat to approach Kathleen. He inched closer, giving her no choice but to retreat backward until her back was against the door. ¡°You¡­¡± Samuel croaked. ¡°I¡¯m still angry with you.¡± Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°Angry?¡¯ ¡°Yes!¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome and pale face looked displeased. ¡°You made me pass out, took the risk, and went all alone. That¡¯s why I¡¯m angry.¡± Kathleen shed him an awkward smile. ¡°Why are you angry? I¡¯ve returned unscathed. Moreover, Desiree and I are fine.¡± ¡°So you think I shouldn¡¯t be angry with you because you returned in one piece?¡± Samuel asked with a grim face. ¡°Y-Yeah¡­?¡± Kathleen replied hesitantly. Although she tried to sound assertive, she was scared of Samuel getting angry with her. However, she felt the sense of oppression that Samuel gave her was not as strong as before. Could it be true that I¡¯m not afraid of Samuel but scared of liking him, as he once said? Now that Kathleen admitted to liking Samuel, the oppression that she felt before had vanished. Samuel looked intently at her. Kathleen balled her fists, not knowing what to do. ¡°Tell me directly if you¡¯re angry with me and don¡¯t want to see me. I¡¯ll leave.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. A frown marred Samuel¡¯s countenance. ¡°Bye then!¡± Kathleen turned around. Before her hand could even touch the doorknob, Samuel hugged her tightly from behind. Her waist was delicate and soft. On top of that, she gave off a faint fragrance that was pleasing to smell. The situation made Samuel feel like the two had returned to the past before Kathleen lost her memories. ¡°Don¡¯t leave.¡± Samuel sounded hoarse. ¡°Won¡¯t I be an eyesore to you if I stay?¡± Kathleen chuckled bitterly. ¡°You should be dancing with other girls and enjoying life!¡± She tried to break free from Samuel¡¯s hug. That made Samuel wrap her in his embrace more tightly. ¡°You have such a big temper.¡± Samuel gazed at her meaningfully and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already exined myself. Why are you still jealous?¡± Kathleen said nothing. Thus, Samuel rested his chin on her shoulder and spoke hoarsely. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m just worried about you. I don¡¯t want you to leave me again.¡± Kathleen instantly turned around and said, ¡°Maybe it won¡¯t take long before you get sick of me, Samuel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Samuel was certain. ¡°I¡¯ll never get sick of you. Ever.¡± Kathleen raised her head as her bright eyes looked at him. To that, Samuel returned her gaze without a word. He then lowered his head to nt a feather-like kiss on Kathleen¡¯s red lips. ¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t say you could do that!¡± Kathleen protested coyly. ¡°But the look in your eyes¡­¡± Samuel murmured with slight hoarseness. Says otherwise. ¡°Whatever!¡± With that, Kathleen turned to leave. Samuel was rendered speechless. Once again, he got convinced that girls had a fiery temper. He eventually turned and went into the bedroom. After a while, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he said. Subsequently, the butler entered the room, exining, ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari asked me to redo your wound dressing.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± Samuel questioned in a frigid voice. ¡°Mrs. Macari is having a conversation with Vanessa now,¡± the butler answered. ¡°Okay,¡± Samuel responded gently. ¡°Please prepare some midnight snacks.¡± ¡°Right away, Mr. Macari.¡± The butler nodded. After the butler redid Samuel¡¯s dressing, he left the room. Meanwhile, Kathleen gave Vanessa some instructions, then left thetter¡¯s room to go to the living room. It was not long before Samuel came down the stairs. Seeing that, Kathleen deliberately snorted. That made Samuel¡¯s lips curl into a subtle smile. He then walked over to her and offered, ¡°I asked the staff to prepare some midnight snacks. Have some with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Kathleen rejected. ¡°I am, so apany me.¡± Samuel grabbed her hand. ¡°I can¡¯t eat well without you.¡± Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Trying To Act Pitiful Kathleen gazed back at Samuel in silence, wondering how he was so skilled at making her swoon. Her curiosity got the better of her, so she asked, ¡°Were you always this good at acting coquettish?¡± ¡°Coquettish?¡± Samuel frowned, feeling bewildered, as he had always thought only women would do that. ¡°Yeah. Like what you did just now,¡± Kathleen exined pointedly. ¡°No.¡± Samuel held her hand and brought her to the dining hall, where he sat her down. There was light supper on the dining table. He picked up the cutlery with one of his hands and started eating the pasta. Once Kathleen looked at his injured hand, a pang of sadness broke out in her heart. When Samuel noticed she was staring at him with a look of guilt and misery, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Lowering her head, Kathleen slowly began to eat the food. Supper soon passed as a tired look crept onto Samuel¡¯s face. When he stood up to leave, Kathleen rose to her feet too, saying, ¡°Samuel, I¡¯ll walk you back to your room.¡± He stared at her impassively for a moment before nodding in reply. They soon arrived at his bedroom. That was when Kathleen stepped forward and helped Samuel unbutton his suit. Lowering his gaze to nce at her, Samuel asked uneasily, ¡°Am I right to say that you¡¯re only willing to take care of me because I got hurt for your sake?¡± His direct question caught Kathleen off guard. She raised her head, shooting him a strange look. ¡°Would you be angry if I said yes?¡± Samuel kept mum. ¡°You¡¯re too greedy, Samuel.¡± Kathleen continued chiding, ¡°When I wasn¡¯t in love with you, you did everything you could to beg me to stay. Now, I¡¯m giving you a chance, yet you¡¯re questioning my motive of staying by your side.¡± Samuel remained silent as he kept his gaze lowered. ¡°Get changed by yourself. I don¡¯t care anymore,¡± Kathleen snapped, infuriated by hisck of response. ¡°Kate, don¡¯t go.¡± Samuel panicked. ¡°I won¡¯t ask such things anymore.¡± Turning around, she shot him an emotionless stare. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t believe it.¡± He was rendered speechless. She added coldly, ¡°Samuel, sometimes it¡¯s not good to care about certain things too much. Since I¡¯m willing to stay, it means I¡¯m sincere about it. If I didn¡¯t want to stay, I wouldn¡¯t even if you put on a pitiful act.¡± He still didn¡¯t reply to her. Kathleen came over again and helped him remove his tie. ¡°Be more obedient, okay? I like an obedient man. Even if you¡¯re not, at least try to act like one.¡± He responded gruffly, ¡°Okay.¡± Since she likes me to be obedient, I¡¯ll act that way. I can¡¯t go wrong as long as I obey my wife. After removing Samuel¡¯s shirt, Kathleen put her hand on his belt, causing him to purse his lips and blush. Noticing the awkward atmosphere, she said, ¡°What are you embarrassed about? We were married couple then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I touched you,¡± Samuel croaked. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s not dwell on that. You were on bed rest for a week, and I was the one who took care of you. I¡¯ve already touched and seen every part of you.¡± She wore a solemn expression. He pressed his lips into a thin line. ¡°Everywhere? Including there?¡± ¡°Y-You!¡± She saw red in embarrassment. ¡°Of course! I needed to clean you while you were bedridden. Aren¡¯t you a germophobe?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless again. She took off his belt and folded it before pping it against her palm lightly. ¡°Take off your pants.¡± Upon hearing that, he let out an amused chuckle. Kathleen immediately realized her ambiguous action and words as she roared angrily, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re a pervert!¡± He looked at the ground. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take them off.¡± Speechless, Kathleen certainly did not expect that helping him to get changed would be so troublesome. I thought I was the one in control, but I was wrong! Samuel soon changed into his sleepwear bottoms, and Kathleen helped him to put on a top. ¡°Samuel, were we also like this in the past? Whereby you would do whatever you want, and I could only follow along?¡± She held his ck silk pajamas. He pondered for a while before answering, ¡°I think so.¡± It was true that Kathleen was very cooperative back then, and she had noints, just like a submissive wife. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°No wonder I got bullied by you, but I¡¯m not the same as before.¡± Samuel smiled. ¡°I like every side of you.¡± ¡°Empty words,¡± she remarked, not trusting his words. ¡°How do you want me to prove it to you? Gouge my heart out?¡± Her brow furrowed. ¡°Do you want to see it?¡± he asked. ¡°I can do it now.¡± This man is so annoying. Feeling speechless, she said, ¡°Is your body made of steel?¡± ¡°Done.¡± She finally finished assisting him into his pajama top. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go to bed soon.¡± However, Samuel slung his arm around her waist. ¡°Kate, we still have a lot of time to be together.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± said a chuckling Kathleen. With that, she pushed him away and walked out of the room. His lips curled into a smile. No matter what, Kate will always be with me. As long as she can stay by my side, I¡¯m happy. That alone is more than enough. I¡¯m satisfied with it. The next day, Kathleen and Samuel brought Vanessa to Macari Group. The press conference would be held at thepany¡¯s building. Samuel didn¡¯t allow Kathleen to disguise herself as Yareli or anyone else. Thus, Kathleen could only wear a mask and a pair of shades, blending in with the crowd. Many people came to the press conference that day as Samuel had invited almost every reporter from multiple media outlets in Jadeborough. Samuel sat at a table, a hint of coldness shing across his attractive face and deep, dark eyes. Rory soon brought Vanessa forward. Thetter was in a wheelchair, looking somewhat pale with Bluetooth-enabled earphones in her ears. She could hear Yareli¡¯s voice through the device. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve boarded the ne. It¡¯s about to take off. I¡¯ll turn off my phone soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vanessa nodded and ended the call, then looked toward Kathleen, who was sitting among the crowd. Kathleen had her arms crossed in front of her chest as she stared back at Vanessa cidly. Yadiel was ordered by Kathleen to send Yareli to Turlen. Vanessa knew that If she dared to mess around, Yadiel would immediately kill Yareli. I can¡¯t believe Kathleen would resort to such vicious tricks. She¡¯s grown up too fast. After taking a deep breath, Vanessa announced, ¡°I¡¯m here today to rify something to all of you.¡± The journalists looked on quietly. ¡°Everyone knows my rtionship with Kathleen Johnson. Her mother, Reba Johnson, was actually the daughter of my adoptive mother, who was the deceased Old Mrs. Yoeger and Trevor Hoover,¡± Vanessa continued. Everybody was astounded. Although the Hoover family was not based in Jadeborough, many people knew about them. ¡°When my adoptive mother married my father, he knew she was already pregnant,¡± Vanessa added solemnly. ¡°Everyone knew about this. Later, my adoptive mother gave birth to a daughter, but after a few days, that girl was abducted. It was actually my father¡¯s doing, but he did that because someone asked him to do so.¡± Everyone was dumbstruck again, not expecting that someone had the power to threaten Hector. ¡°That person is none other than Lu¡ª Ugh!¡± Bang! A gunshot was fired at Vanessa¡¯s forehead, causing her to fall forward and slump onto the table. Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Be The Scapegoat The sudden gunshot caused chaos. Kathleen immediately stood up and walked over to Vanessa while Samuel checked on Vanessa and found that she was no longer breathing. Tyson had sent people to go after the shooter, and the other subordinates dismissed the reporters at the scene. Looking at Vanessa, who got shot in the forehead, Kathleen uttered tly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to die like this.¡± Samuel replied indifferently, ¡°It seems like Luna doesn¡¯t want Vanessa to tell the truth.¡± ¡°Does she think killing Vanessa is enough to hide what she¡¯s done?¡± Kathleen scoffed. ¡°This only proves that she¡¯s feeling guilty.¡± ¡°We should wait for Tyson¡¯s findings before doing anything.¡± Kathleen turned toward Rory. ¡°Take her body away.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Rory nodded. After a while, Tyson came back with the other subordinates. Judging from his expression, one could tell he had failed to capture the shooter. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°Luckily, we still have a piece of evidence to prove Luna is the mastermind.¡± ¡°You mean the piece of evidence left by Vanessa?¡± Samuel inquired in a deep voice. She nodded. ¡°Ask your men to work on that piece of evidence. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be the scapegoat for the death of Vanessa.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t get med for this.¡± Samuel nodded in response. ¡°These people are getting more and more daring.¡± Kathleen clenched her fists. I won¡¯t let them off! Half an hourter, the evidence kept by Vanessa was disclosed to the public, and it implied that Luna was the mastermind. What was more unexpected was the plummet of the Hoover family¡¯spany stocks. Even thepany¡¯s market value dropped by billions. When Kathleen got the news, she went to meet Samuel and asked, ¡°Was it you?¡± Samuel nodded, admitting that he was the one who caused the drop in numbers. Kathleen widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Why are you so shocked? It¡¯s merely a minor thing,¡± Samuel stated self-mockingly, as his health condition did not permit him to help her in things that involved physical strength. Hence, he figured he could use his intelligence to assist her. ¡°A minor thing?¡± Kathleen stared at him with her arms crossed. ¡°If it were mypany that lost billions in an hour, I would¡¯ve gone berserk.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help out if yourpany faces any trouble,¡± Samuel promised. ¡°Gosh! Knock on wood!¡± She frowned. ¡°Mypany is going to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony after a few days. Try not to say anything negative about it.¡± Samuel¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Then, I wish for you to earn more money and take care of this useless person.¡± He pointed at himself. Kathleen had no words to reply to him. Meanwhile, ady with a gorgeous appearance arrived at the Hoover residence. Then, another woman opened the car door for the former. ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover is waiting for you.¡± The gorgeousdy nodded. When she reached the door to Luna¡¯s room, she knocked before entering. Upon seeing her, Luna stated with an impassive countenance, ¡°Your face seems well sculpted.¡± The gorgeousdy touched her face and grinned in confidence. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your great help, Old Mrs. Hoover. You found a good doctor for my stic surgery and to treat my legs.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve done so much for you, you should do something in return,¡± Luna said frostily. ¡°Why is Vanessa still alive?¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead now.¡± The gorgeousdy seemed a bit anxious. ¡°But she left evidence, didn¡¯t she?¡± Luna was displeased. ¡°Now the evidence implies that I¡¯m the culprit. If you want me to continue to help you, you need toe up with a solution to this.¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover, since Vanessa has died, we can me everything on her and say that the evidence is fake.¡± The gorgeousdy exined, ¡°Besides, even though Kathleen has obtained proof, they haven¡¯t confronted us yet. That means that the evidence isn¡¯t enough to prove that you¡¯re the one who did it.¡± Luna did not say a word, considering her suggestion. The gorgeousdy felt slightly nervous. ¡°What do you think, Old Mrs. Hoover?¡± ¡°Since you know what to do, go ahead and carry out your n,¡± Luna ordered as her gaze darkened. ¡°Now, the problem is, what should we do with my grandson?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way to take Zion back, Old Mrs. Hoover.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s useless now. I want the daughter of Samuel and Kathleen.¡± What? The gorgeousdy was stunned as she felt that mission¡¯s difficulty was a tad high. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you do it?¡± Luna stared at thedy with her sharp, piercing eyes. ¡°Yes, I can.¡± The gorgeousdy nodded. ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure I can do it.¡± ¡°Go ahead then,¡± Luna ordered. ¡°Time waits for no one.¡± ¡°R-Right away!¡± The gorgeousdy walked out of Luna¡¯s room. The other woman, who opened the door for the gorgeousdy earlier, said, ¡°Ms. Yoeger, this way, please. I¡¯ll send you out.¡± The gorgeousdy¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°My name is now Ashley Zeller. I¡¯m the niece of Old Mrs. Hoover. Don¡¯t get my name wrong!¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I understand,¡± the woman said awkwardly before sending her to the door. The woman then went to Luna and helped massage thetter¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover, can we really trust Nicolette?¡± ¡°She bears a grudge against the Yoeger family. And she did her recent work pretty well, didn¡¯t she?¡± Luna replied coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t care if Kathleen has evidence or not. I just want my grandson safe and sound.¡± The woman nodded. Still, Luna continued menacingly, ¡°Kathleen keeps going against me, so I need to find someone to deal with her. I won¡¯t let Kathleen off!¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s too arrogant,¡± the woman agreed. A cold glint shed across Luna¡¯s eyes. ¡°Trevor¡¯s never forgotten that woman. She must die for stealing my man! Since her descendant wants to avenge her, her descendant must suffer as well!¡± The woman nodded. When Ashley exited the Hoover residence, a car came to a stop in front of her. Then, a man got out of the car. When she saw the man¡¯s face, her eyelid twitched. What¡¯s she doing here? Wyatt silently mused as he walked over to her. ¡°I never knew the Hoover family had such a beauty like you,¡± he flirted. Ashley raised her gaze. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Are you Ashley Zeller?¡± Wyatt sized her up. She nodded. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Luna mentioned you to me before. She wants us to have a marriage of convenience.¡± Wyatt stared at her. ¡°Are you interested?¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty direct.¡± Ashley fiddled with her fingers. ¡°I don¡¯t like beating around the bush.¡± Wyatt asked coldly, ¡°I need a wife now. What do you think?¡± ¡°I think we should start as friends¡­¡± Ashley extended her arm to shake hands with him. ¡°Wyatt Watson.¡± ncing at her hand in disdain, he scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to y games with you. Since you still need time to consider about it, take your time then. I don¡¯t want to wait.¡± With that, he entered the car and left. Ashley was rendered speechless by his abrupt departure. She assumed Wyatt was attracted to her appearance, but he was actually interested in her identity. I didn¡¯t expect my identity as Ashley Zeller woulde in handy. This identity alone is enough to cause Wyatt to think about having a marriage of convenience with me. I wonder who this Ashley is. If she¡¯s that important to the Hoover family, why did Luna ask me to impersonate her? How strange. Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Chapter 421 To A Bar With her phone in hand, Kathleen went to Samuel the next day. ¡°Take a look at this.¡± She ced her phone in front of him. Giving it a nce, Samuel remarked, ¡°It seems like Luna¡¯s ountability has shifted to Vanessa.¡± ¡°They are literally using a dead person as a scapegoat.¡± Kathleen seethed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe they could be so cruel. Vanessa did help them a ton, after all. She just died from a single shot.¡± If that bullet was shot toward Samuel, I¡¯d kill them all! But then, the Hoover family most likely does not dare to wage war on the Macari family. A lift of Samuel¡¯s finger could easily make Hoover Group¡¯s stocks drop rapidly, so they definitely wouldn¡¯t dare make a move on him. Shifting her gaze down to look at Samuel¡¯s bandaged right hand, she uttered, ¡°Did you take your medicine?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen had been staying with him in Florinia Manor for the past few days. Since she could not show herself in public at the moment, she had been staying home. Samuel could not go anywhere too because of his injury. Throughout the day, they would spend a lot of time together. Their incongruous moments also lessened because of this. Gradually, she began to converse with him more. On the other hand, Samuel did not think her interruptions were undesired. As a matter of fact, he loved being bothered by her. As Kathleen noticed Samuel¡¯s deep, mesmerizing gaze, she cleared her throat. ¡°Samuel, being at home all day is suffocating.¡± ¡°Do you want to go outside and have fun?¡± Samuel stared at her in a daze. ¡°I thought you loved the peace and quiet?¡± ¡°Unlike you, a thirty-something-year-old old man, I¡¯m twenty-seven! It¡¯s the best time to be ying around for me.¡± Kathleen snorted. Samuel was rendered speechless. Old man? Is thirty-three that old? ¡°Fine. Where do you want to go?¡± Samuel asked thoughtfully. ¡°To a bar.¡± Kathleen continued implicitly, ¡°I was talking to Tyson just now¡ªhe told me that you would refuse to go home and would always go to a bar back then. That is why I¡¯d like to try going for once.¡± The man was speechless once again. Tyson and his big mouth! ¡°It was just for the first few months of our marriage. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t because I was avoiding you,¡± Samuel exined cautiously. ¡°How would I know what you were thinking back then? Regardless of whether or not you were trying to avoid me, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Samuel gulped in response. I really mistreated her back then. He responded in a gentle tone, ¡°Sure, then you should go get ready. We¡¯re heading to a bar.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen shed him a devilish smile. ¡°We¡¯re going to the one you frequented, right?¡± Samuel did not know how to respond to that. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She¡¯s doing it on purpose! Twenty minutester, Samuel was sitting in the living room waiting for her. Momentster, Kathleen came down from the second floor. With smoky makeup and wavy hair, she had a ttering dark purple sequin short dress on¡ªshe was ravishingly beautiful. It was Samuel¡¯s first time seeing her dressed like that, and he found it hard to take his dark eyes off of her. She took his breath away. ¡°No one would recognize me in this get-up, right?¡± Kathleen said, her smile warm and sweet. ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze were on her slender legs. Even if he saw her at a bar, he would not dare to believe it was her. Going to a bar was not something the well-behaved Kathleen would do, after all. Nevertheless, little did he expect that Kathleen¡¯s current look would make her look so alluring. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen chirped with a wide smile. She passed Samuel by. The backless dress showed off a huge part of her smooth, fair skin. Samuel was regretting his decision of agreeing to bring her to a bar now. That night, it was likely that she would get targeted by quite a few wolves. Nheless, since he had agreed to it, he could not take it back. She¡¯ll definitely get mad at me otherwise. They walked out of the manor and got into the car. Seeing Samuel¡¯s darkened face made Tyson feel bad. Samuel stared at Tyson with a meaningful look. Tyson felt even more guilty at that. He stayed silent as he drove. Soon, they reached the bar. Samuel nced outside the window. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been here. I didn¡¯t lie to Kathleen. Other than the times I came here because I was depressed when I had just married her, I didn¡¯te here at all. Kathleen smirked. ¡°What are you waiting for? Get out of the car.¡± She opened the door and got out, and Samuel followed. The ce was lively, with music sting from the speakers. People filled the dance floor, all moving with the melody and having a wild time. Kathleen was nervous since it was her first time at a ce like this. She subconsciously grabbed Samuel¡¯s sleeve. Samuel smirked slightly. He wrapped his right hand around her waist as if dering she was his. The moment they walked in, a few men¡¯s gazes glued onto Kathleen, and he hated it. Even though Kathleen was dressed in an alluring way, she was pure and innocent at heart. Samuel knew that he needed to be her protector that whole night. ¡°Samuel?¡± Leonard was surprised to see them. Samuel shot him a sideways nce. ¡°Hey.¡± Leonard turned to look at the woman next to Samuel. Shocked, he stuttered, ¡°K-Kat¡­¡± Kathleen made a shushing gesture. ¡°I¡¯m here to have a good time. Don¡¯t expose me.¡± The man was visibly shaken. ¡°Weren¡¯t you¡­¡± ¡°We can talk about this at another time. So what brings you here?¡± Samuel coldly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Felicia in the hospital?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he be in the hospital apanying her? A cold look fleeted across Leonard¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Did you have a fight with Kelly?¡± asked a curious Kathleen. ¡°Follow me.¡± Leonard brought them to a ce to sit. Leonard was there alone to drink. Yet, the table was packed with alcohol. ¡°Did you drink all of these alone?¡± Taken aback, Kathleen advised out of kindness, ¡°You¡¯re going to get alcohol poisoning. You and Kelly are preparing for conception, aren¡¯t you? Alcohol is bad for a baby¡¯s development.¡± Leonard replied bitterly, ¡°Preparing for conception? I don¡¯t even know what she is thinking about right now.¡± Surprised by his reply, Kathleen questioned, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you two?¡± As she spoke, she grabbed the bottle of whiskey that was nearby, preparing to pour a ss for herself. Samuel grabbed her arm. ¡°Do you want to have a headache all day tomorrow after drinking that?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Well, what am I supposed to drink then?¡± Samuel called for the bartender and ordered a special cocktail for her. Kathleen was displeased. Looking at the charming Samuel and the attractive Kathleen, Leonard asked tly, ¡°Have you guys made up?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel was over the moon when he heard her. His expression, however, did not change. Leonard looked at Samuel. ¡°You must be happy right now, Samuel.¡± ¡°Is there a problem with me being happy?¡± Samuel grabbed Kathleen¡¯s small and delicate waist. Looking at Samuel¡¯s sultry face, Leonard decided to stay silent. As Samuel extended his hand to grab some alcohol, Kathleen stopped him, saying, ¡°You can¡¯t drink too.¡± Mimicking Samuel¡¯s previous action, she snapped her fingers and ordered, ¡°Please get Mr. Macari a ss of milk.¡± ¡°Milk?¡± Leonard chuckled uncontrobly for a moment. ¡°If the news of Samuel drinking milk at a bar got out, he¡¯d be aughing stock.¡± ¡°What do you know? Milk is very nutritious and can promote the healing of wounds!¡± Kathleen countered defensively like a little hedgehog. Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Kissing Other Women Haha! Leonardughed in exasperation. ¡°What are you to Samuel now? A fierce tigress?¡± Kathleen was about to lose it. Samuelughed knowingly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to care when she teaches you a lessonter.¡± ¡°Hey! Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± Leonard was at a loss for words. As he looked at the threatening woman next to him, Samuel¡¯s smile deepened. Tonight isn¡¯t so bad. Just then, the song changed. ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the dance floor.¡± Kathleen got up and said, ¡°You guys should keep chatting.¡± With that, she went to the dance floor. Leonard gave Samuel a look. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do something?¡± ¡°She can do whatever makes her happy.¡± Samuel held onto the ss of milk. It was warm. Leonard asked carefully, ¡°I know you care, so why do you still indulge her?¡± ¡°Because I like it.¡± In a low, husky voice, Samuel added, ¡°I have been reflecting on what brought her and me to that state. Iter realized that it was because I wasn¡¯t being honest enough.¡± Astonished, Leonard stared at him. ¡°It would have been better if I had been more honest and told her what I wanted to say deep down. Maybe we wouldn¡¯t have had that many misunderstandings if I did.¡± Leonard stayed silent. ¡°Not everyone can have the opportunity to start over or make amends.¡± Samuel¡¯s deep, dark eyes watched over Kathleen, who was on the dance floor. ¡°If I don¡¯t cherish this, I¡¯ll never have the chance again.¡± Leonard picked up his wine ss. ¡°I¡¯m kind of envious of Kathleen since she can live life to the fullest even though she has lost some of her memories. She even likes you like you¡¯re apletely different person. Samuel, are you afraid that she would regain her memories?¡± Samuel said nothing. ¡°What if she regains her memories and remembers all the pain? What if she wants to break up with you because of that?¡± Leonard asked hypothetically. ¡°I¡¯ll just pursue her again,¡± Samuel responded calmly. Leonard smiled to himself wordlessly. He sure is simple and straightforward. Kathleen was already on the dance floor but didn¡¯t know the current type of dance. She had learned contemporary dance before, but she had forgotten all about it since she lost her memories. Seeing the men and women swaying to the music, she could only try to follow along. A few men were looking at her, wanting to hit on her. In the end, before they could even open their mouths to speak, they were dragged away by Samuel¡¯s men. Kathleen was dumbfounded by what she saw. Leonard turned his head to nce at Samuel. ¡°Wow. You¡¯re ruthless!¡± Samuel sipped his milk, looking a bit reluctant. Kathleen also turned to look at Samuel; her eyes were basically screaming that he was too overbearing. Contrastingly, Samuel looked calm. He was fine with Kathleen doing whatever she wanted. However, no man would be allowed to get close to her. All of a sudden, Kathleen felt her back bing cold. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± A petnt female voice sounded. Kathleen spun around. Her big, bright eyes were met with that woman¡¯s gaze. That woman was none other than Josephine. Kathleen couldn¡¯t believe she was that unlucky to havee across this woman. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m meeting her here. Wait! That can¡¯t be right. Samuel doesn¡¯t go to any other bars since this bar is Leonard¡¯s. Since Josephine likes Samuel, she must have done some digging. She missed the opportunity to get close to Samuel at the birthday party, so she must be after him this time too! ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± Josephine pretended as though she was actually sorry. The woman had seen Kathleen and Samuel acting intimate a moment ago. Josephine did not understand how Samuel could change women so frequentlytely. Is he truly relieved by Kathleen¡¯s death? It was Yareli before, and now it¡¯s someone who looks like Kathleen? When will Samuel ever notice me? Josephine was extremely envious. Seeing that Kathleen hade to dance, she could not control herself and dumped her cocktail all over Kathleen¡¯s back. Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Sorry? What¡¯s the use of your hands if you can¡¯t even hold a ss properly.¡± ¡°You sure are cocky.¡± Josephine warned frostily, ¡°Don¡¯t think that Samuel actually likes you. You¡¯re just his ything!¡± Kathleen looked at her in derision. ¡°He¡¯s taken a liking to me and not you, am I wrong?¡± ¡°You!¡± Josephine red daggers at her. Samuel got up from his seat and headed toward Kathleen. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He took off his jacket and covered Kathleen with it. Her back¡¯s all wet. ¡°Thanks.¡± Kathleen sighed. Samuel turned to look at Josephine reproachfully. ¡°I guess Stephen did not take what I said to heart.¡± Samuel did not address Stephen respectfully anymore. Josephine looked aggrieved. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do it. I really didn¡¯t. You have to believe me, Samuel.¡± ¡°Do you want me to check the surveince footage?¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. Josephine¡¯s face turned pale immediately. ¡°If you mess with her again, I¡¯ll cripple you!¡± Samuel warned without showing any signs of politeness. Josephine began to sob like she was the one being wronged. ¡°Just why! Why can all these women have you while I¡¯m the only one who can¡¯t!¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Samuel, I like you. I like you a lot!¡± Josephine whined between sobs. ¡°I¡¯m way better than a woman like her who gets her way with her looks!¡± ¡°What right do you have topare yourself to her?¡± Samuel questioned with an icy expression. ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± Josephine wiped her tears and uttered, ¡°At least I¡¯m well educated. Compared to someone who only looks a bit like Kathleen, am I not better? How can she even bepared to me?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. I guess she doesn¡¯t recognize me. Samuel put an arm around Kathleen¡¯s shoulders, stating, ¡°Regardless of who she is or what background she has, I will always like her. This has nothing to do with you!¡± ¡°You b*tch! What spell did you cast on Samuel for him to like you so much!¡± Josephine finally snapped. She threw her hands toward Kathleen¡¯s face, but Samuel¡¯s subordinate blocked her just in time. Languorously, Kathleen looked at Josephine. ¡°You¡¯re so young, yet you¡¯re surprisingly vulgar.¡± Josephine was stunned. With her lusciously red lips curved into a smirk, Kathleen tugged at Samuel¡¯s tie. She stood on tiptoes before nting a kiss on his thin lips. As they had never been this intimate in a long time, Samuel stood motionlessly. Despite that, the man was delighted in his heart. Shifting the hand that was around her shoulders to her lower back, he forcefully pulled her into his embrace. He returned her kiss with a passion in front of the crowd. There were cheers and apuse from all around. It was thrilling. Josephine was absolutely dumbstruck. Samuel is kissing other women of his own ord? Soon, Samuel loosened his grip around Kathleen. Kathleen was still the same old Kathleen who sucked at kissing. The corner of her eyes became watery, looking somewhat alluring. ¡°Were you trying to suffocate me?¡± Kathleen grumbled. She sounded coy and gentle, which could easily make one swoon. Samuel glowered at Josephine. ¡°Get lost already!¡± Josephine¡¯s eyes turned red. She was humiliated to the core and was about to leave. ¡°Wait.¡± Kathleen¡¯s t voice sounded listless. ¡°What else do you want!¡± Josephine barked. Wearing a skin-deep grin, Kathleen queried, ¡°You don¡¯t actually think that there are doppelgangers in this world, do you?¡± This made Josephine freeze. ¡°Do you need me to say who I am again?¡± Kathleen asked with the same insincere smile. Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Chapter 423 It Is Her ¡°Kathleen!¡± Visibly shocked, Josephine eximed, ¡°You are Kathleen!¡± Kathleen smiled sweetly. ¡°You aren¡¯t dead!¡± Josephine was simultaneously taken aback and fuming. How is she still alive? If she is alive, then I don¡¯t have a chance at all! So that¡¯s why Samuel abandoned Yareli and brought her here instead. It¡¯s because she is Kathleen! I lost to Kathleen! Kathleen said in a whisper after taking a step forward, ¡°Josephine, why don¡¯t you also guess who the Yareli who had attended your birthday party was?¡± Josephine became inanimate. What does she mean by that? Kathleen gave a knowing smile as she continued, ¡°This man is mine. You have to be more mindful next time, okay? Otherwise, if I find out that you are plotting something else, I¡¯ll have to take care of you myself.¡± Josephine¡¯s face went as white as a sheet. Kathleen nced at her indifferently. She then turned around and shifted her gaze to Samuel¡¯s arm. ¡°We should go; the music¡¯s giving me a headache.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a massage when we get back.¡± Samuel¡¯s raspy voice sounded both gentle and hoarse. He soon left with Kathleen. Josephine was still standing there like a statue. She had never thought there would be a day when she could feel so miserable. As the duo left the bar, they soon got into the car. Samuel gazed at her intently. ¡°Did you decide that you would reveal your identity tonight a long time ago?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Kathleen went onzily, ¡°There¡¯s no need to pretend anymore. Vanessa is dead, and Yareli¡¯s never going toe back. Hence, hiding will not help my n of vengeance.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes glinted. Kathleen gave him a sidelong nce. ¡°Are you mad that I¡¯m using you without discussing it with you first?¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel gazed at her deeply and warmly. ¡°As long as you are happy, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have much of a temper, huh?¡± Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kathleen asked, ¡°Samuel, are you holding yourself back?¡± Samuel carried her onto hisp. ¡°Kathleen, you don¡¯t have to keep testing me. There is no point in doing that. That¡¯s just how I am to you. You can use me however you want. If you get mad at me, you could just stab me. And I wouldn¡¯t evenin about it.¡± As long as you don¡¯t leave me, anything is fine. ¡°Are you a masochist?¡± Kathleen was nonplussed. ¡°You are making me out as a scary person. Speaking of which, you sound like you¡¯re going to me me for the wounds on your body you¡¯ve gotten over the years.¡± Watching the lively girl speak and remembering the kiss from before, Samuel suddenly felt his mouth run dry. ¡°You¡¯ve never hurt me,¡± he said gruffly. ¡°I¡¯m d you know that.¡± Kathleen shed a lukewarm smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m really tired.¡± I guess I do prefer peace and quiet. The music in there was making my head pound. Samuel ordered Tyson to drive. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Then, he moved Kathleen¡¯s head onto his shoulder, giving her something to lean on. Holding her supple body, he could not help but look at her gently. This is more than enough. Kathleen was still sleeping when the sun was already out the next day. Samuel was right¡ªa lively bar like that one didn¡¯t suit her. All it took was a cocktail the previous night to make her unable to get up in the morning. At that moment, Samuel pushed the door open. He sat at the edge of the bed and put hisrge hand on Kathleen¡¯s forehead. Kathleen groggily opened her eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t knock.¡± ¡°Hey, I also slept herest night, okay?¡± The man was speechless. ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen refused to acknowledge it. ¡°Then I guess you¡¯re pretty weak.¡± Samuel did not know what to say to that. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Kathleen asked ndly. ¡°Your manager is here and wants to see you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kathleen sat up. The strap of her pajama slid down onto her arm, exposing her slender shoulder. She was unknowingly being seductive. Samuel lowered his head and nted a peck on her exposed shoulder. ¡°If you seduce me again, I won¡¯t mind making your manager wait the entire morning.¡± It was Kathleen¡¯s turn to be speechless. Is he even human? He¡¯s definitely the devil! About ten minutester, Kathleen arrived downstairs. Looking exhausted, she yawned. A stunning woman was standing in the living room. It was Rory. Rory looked askance at Kathleen as she crossed her arms. ¡°It¡¯s already half past ten. So why were you still in bed? Were you up to no goodst night?¡± ¡°Did I not get on the news?¡± Kathleen snapped back to her senses and inquired. ¡°You did, and on the headlines too. The news basically broke Twitter. How could you not talk about something so important with me first?¡± ¡°It was ast-minute decision,¡± Kathleen answered tly. ¡°So when will you pay back what you owe me?¡± Rory had a contract in her hands. ¡°What do I owe you?¡± Kathleen was confused. Passing the document to Kathleen, she said, ¡°Before the incidents that happened to you, I got you signed onto a few films. I have to pay a lot of money because of you.¡± Kathleen flipped through the contract. ¡°Three and a half billion? Rory, are you kidding me!¡± ¡°What else can I do? Back then, you were the best actress, so all the films were big productions. Mr. Johnson also knows about this. Before this, we wanted to terminate the contract but they refused. Now that they know you are alive, they are starting to bring up the contract.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°How could they? That¡¯s despicable.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to shoot the film if you don¡¯t want to, but money is needed to terminate the contract.¡± Rory added in a low voice, ¡°The only downside to that is the other artistes under thepany would be affected.¡± Kathleen was stumped. I don¡¯t mind forking out the money but three and a half billion is just too much. It¡¯s literally daylight robbery! How unbelievable! Now that they know I¡¯m back, they want to kick up a fuss? Those people are still the same as always. There¡¯s no one better at causing scandals and stirring up trouble than them. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll shoot the film!¡± Kathleen raged, ¡°I can¡¯t just let them take the money for free!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking too.¡± Rory smilingly said, ¡°At least you will still get paid once the shooting is done. It¡¯s better than letting them get free money.¡± Kathleen fell silent for a moment. ¡°Sure. You can settle whatever you need to do and tell me if anything comes up. I still have other things I need to do.¡± ¡°Okay. Call me if you need me.¡± Kathleen gave a nod in response. Rory turned around and left. Kathleen spun on her heel to look at Samuel nkly. ¡°If I knew this would happen, I would have never revealed my identity. Great. Now I have to work.¡± Samuel merely chuckled. ¡°Three and a half billion, right? I¡¯ll pay it for you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money, so why should we give it to them? Just like what Rory said, I can still get paid after the filming. There¡¯s no reason for them to get money for free.¡± Samuel smiled sincerely. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you then. But, if you think it is too much, I have ways to help you settle the matter.¡± Kathleen shook her head almost instantly. He doesn¡¯t have to do that. It¡¯s just shooting films. All of a sudden, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. He answered the call in a deep voice. ¡°Yeah. Understood. I¡¯ll ask her.¡± With that, he hung up the call. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Kathleen looked at his face. ¡°Leonard wants to meet you. He had something to say to you yesterday. He¡¯s paying for lunch and wants you to choose what you want to eat.¡± ¡°Why is he being so generous?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows for a moment. ¡°Is he having a hard time with Kelly?¡± Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Best Gifts ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. Smirking, Samuel said, ¡°Don¡¯t think about helping him to save money.¡± ¡°No matter how much I can eat, that amount of money is nothing to him.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll go get ready.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Samuel stared deeply at her. With that, Kathleen went ahead to get ready. Meanwhile, Samuel stood at the side and watched her in silence while she put on her makeup. Holding the cotton, Kathleen shot him a sideways nce. ¡°Why do you keep standing there?¡± ¡°I want to look at you. I don¡¯t think I ever looked at you like this before.¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. They had spent quite a long time together, yet he had never seen Kathleen putting on makeup. Since they were husband and wife, it would only make sense that they knew each other well. They would have witnessed anything the other party had done. Yet, he had never paid attention to her. Kathleen could no longer hold herself back. ¡°There are still many years ahead for you to look at me. I bet you¡¯ll get sick of me soon.¡± With his arms crossed, Samuel retorted, ¡°What if I won¡¯t?¡± Kathleen grabbed the lipstick and applied a thinyer to her rosy lips. She rose to her feet and shed him a bright smile. ¡°You¡¯d better not speak too soon.¡± Samuel replied seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen said calmly. ¡°Have you thought about what to eat?¡± Samuel grabbed her by the waist. ¡°You can decide for me. I don¡¯t feel like wasting my energy on this,¡± Kathleen repliedzily. ¡°Now you have a chance to make him pay, yet you don¡¯t seize the opportunity.¡± Samuel smiled. Shrugging, Kathleen replied, ¡°I¡¯ve asked enough for Felicia¡¯s medical fees.¡± Samuel chuckled as he knew that Kathleen would not stand by and watch even if others did not have the money. Soon, the two came out of Florinia Manor and drove to their destination. In the end, Leonard was the one who decided on the ce for their meal. When Samuel and Kathleen arrived at the restaurant, Leonard had already waited at the table for a long time. Kathleen deliberately nced at the time and asked, ¡°When did you arrive?¡± ¡°Quite some time ago.¡± Aplicated look filled Leonard¡¯s eyes. Samuel pulled the chair and gestured for Kathleen to take a seat first. As soon as Kathleen sat down, she shot Leonard a look. ¡°You don¡¯t look well. It seems like something unfortunate might happen to you soon.¡± Leonard was rendered speechless. Then, Samuel reached out to the coffee pot. ¡°Let me do it,¡± said Kathleen, for she could not let Samuel serve her. Thus, she took the pot and poured some coffee for Samuel and herself. Leonard red at them coldly. ¡°Could you two stop with your public disy of affection right in front of me?¡± ¡°How is this considered disying affection when I was merely pouring him some coffee?¡± Kathleen gave him a baffled look before she continued, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you and Kelly? And what¡¯s with your indignant acts?¡± Leonard muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t get her.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I shouldn¡¯t tell her that I only married her for the sake of the child? I talked to her, but instead of listening to me, she insisted on going for the in vitro fertilization procedure,¡± Leonard exined helplessly. Kathleen was shocked. ¡°Have you two researched what in vitro fertilization is?¡± Nodding, Leonard replied, ¡°Of course. I was worried that she didn¡¯t know much about it, so I brought her to the doctor for consultation. She insisted on going for artificial insemination. I asked her if she didn¡¯t want to get intimate with me, and she actually admitted.¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words as she recalled her previous conversation with Kelly. Didn¡¯t she take my words into consideration? Kathleen askedposedly, ¡°So, are you trying to have me persuade her?¡± ¡°Could you?¡± Leonard questioned bitterly. ¡°No. If she refuses to sleep with you, there¡¯s nothing I can do,¡± Kathleen said directly. ¡°All right.¡± Leonard took a sip of the coffee. In truth, he merely wanted to talk to someone and vent his frustration. After pondering for a moment, Kathleen asked, ¡°Have you two talked things out with each other?¡± Leonard nodded. ¡°I was really calm.¡± He was worried that Kelly would feel pressured, so he did not show any hint of emotions in front of her. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll help you find out what she has in mind.¡± Kathleen was resigned too. Leonard rarely requested Kathleen to do anything, so she would try her best to help him. ¡°Thank you, and sorry for the trouble,¡± Leonard thanked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m going to the hospital in the afternoon anyway, so I¡¯ll help you ask her,¡± Kathleen replied. Hearing that, Leonard gave her a slight nod. Kathleen went to the hospital after the meal. She soon arrived at Felicia¡¯s ward and saw Kelly taking care of the former. ¡°Kathleen? You¡¯re alive! That¡¯s great! I was really happy when I received the news yesterday that you¡¯re still alive!¡± Kelly stood up. Kathleen stepped into the ward. ¡°I¡¯ve been following up on Felicia¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°She was still conscious just a moment ago, but she¡¯s fallen asleep now,¡± Kelly stated. ¡°Her condition is deteriorating. How long more are you and Leonard going to let the matter drag on?¡± Kelly was stunned. ¡°Kelly, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Kathleen frowned. An awkward look appeared on Kelly¡¯s face. ¡°Kathleen, I¡ª¡± ¡°Considering Felicia¡¯s current condition, I think you should know the limit even if you¡¯re mad at Leonard.¡± The crease between Kathleen¡¯s brows deepened. ¡°But¡­¡± Kelly hesitated for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not guaranteed that I can conceive sessfully through the natural method. I merely think that artificial insemination is more convenient, but Leonard misunderstood me.¡± Kathleen was tongue-tied. ¡°Did he look for you?¡± Kelly asked, looking guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wanted to talk things out with him, but he ignored me.¡± ¡°Kelly, there¡¯s no guarantee that you can conceive sessfully through artificial insemination too. I advised you to opt for the natural way for the sake of your health. As for you and Leonard, why would you even fight over a small matter like this? How silly,¡± Kathleen exined helplessly. Kelly revealed, ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling like everything is different from how it used to be.¡± ¡°You two have broken up for a long time. Moreover, people change. They tend to develop different views and thoughts as they change. That¡¯s the reason why many couples end up parting ways. Since you two are back together, just be a little more patient.¡± Kelly nodded, agreeing to Kathleen¡¯s words. Thetter eventually let out a sigh and said, ¡°Call him. I¡¯ll take care of Felicia.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Kelly was embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go ahead and call him,¡± Kathleen replied coldly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Kelly grabbed her phone and went out. Kathleen walked to the edge of the bed. She checked Felicia¡¯s pulse. Everything seems fine. Right then, someone pushed open the door and walked in. Kathleen looked up. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to send you home if I leave?¡± Samuel knitted his brows. ¡°I thought there¡¯s something in thepany you need to deal with. I can hail a cab,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°It¡¯s all settled.¡± Samuel stood aside. ¡°Oh.¡± Kathleen nodded. Then, she ced Felicia¡¯s hand under the nket. ¡°Samuel, thank you for taking care of Eil and Desi since they were still babies.¡± Kathleen¡¯s voice was soft. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Samuel looked up. ¡°I¡¯m their father. That¡¯s what I should do, so you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a great person.¡± Kathleen wore a gentle smile. Opposite her, Samuel merely stared in silence. These days, he would always feel contented just by looking at her. ¡°Felicia reminds me of Desi,¡± Kathleen stated with a lowered tone. Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Afraid Of Samuel ¡°Speaking of Desi, does she need to wait until she¡¯s eighteen years old to receive treatment?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Yup. It just hit me that you must be really tired taking care of Desi, who¡¯s always sick.¡± Samuel swallowed hard without replying a word. That was when Kelly came into the ward. ¡°How is it?¡± Kathleen looked in her direction. Kelly sighed andined, ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve exined everything clearly, but not really.¡± ¡°Is heing over then?¡± Kathleen asked again. Kelly merely responded with a nod. ¡°Talk to him again when you guys see each other.¡± Kathleen stood up. ¡°Anything that you didn¡¯t manage to tell him during the call just now, say it again when you two meet face to face. You can lock the door, lest he runs away when you¡¯re talking halfway.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Kelly seemed troubled. ¡°We¡¯ll head off first.¡± Kathleen walked toward Samuel and pulled him out of the ward. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished speaking earlier¡± Samuel stared intently at Kathleen. ¡°What is it?¡± Kathleen replied indifferently. Thus, Samuel held her hand and confessed, ¡°Kate, Eil and Desi are the best gifts you¡¯ve ever given me. Despite Desi¡¯s health condition, I¡¯ve never felt exhausted taking care of her. Instead, I made it through the five years waiting for you because of them.¡± Kathleen was taken aback. Moments passed before she questioned gently, ¡°Are they gifts?¡± Samuel took Kathleen into his embrace, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. For the first time after they had broken up, Kathleen responded to his gesture and hugged him back. Samuel¡¯s voice turned slightly hoarse. ¡°Of course. They¡¯re truly one-of-a-kind to me.¡± ¡°Samuel, in the future, we will have to face the same situation as what Leonard and Kelly are facing now. If¡ª¡± Kathleen reminded, her voice trembling. Before she could continue, Samuel assured her, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. We¡¯ll surely make it through. Desi too.¡± Samuel hugged her tighter. ¡°Okay.¡± She buried her face in Samuel¡¯s arms. ¡°Thank you.¡± Samuel lowered his head to kiss her hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. With that, they left the hospital. Momentster, Leonard arrived at the hospital. He went into the ward and saw Kelly wiping Felicia¡¯s face with a towel. Now that Felicia had recently regained consciousness, herplexion looked slightly better. Most importantly, Felicia opened her eyes and greeted Leonard as ¡°Daddy.¡± That nearly melted Leonard¡¯s heart then and there. He could finally rte to how Samuel had been feeling. It was true that children could heal one¡¯s soul. He went over and grabbed Kelly¡¯s wrist. The next instant, he took the towel from her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kelly made way for him. She rose to her feet and went to the door before locking it. In the time that followed, Leonard wiped his daughter¡¯s face attentively, so he did not notice Kelly¡¯s move. ¡°Leonard, let¡¯s talk.¡± Kelly mustered her courage. ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± replied Leonard, nodding. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about our current misunderstanding. Leonard¡­ I-I¡¯m fond of you. Even after so many years, I¡¯m still into you all this while,¡± Kelly said calmly. Leonard was shocked by the sudden revtion. His ears gradually turned red. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m against being intimate with you physically, but I feel that artificial insemination has a higher sess rate. Of course, I know you care about my health. We can try to conceive naturally first. If things don¡¯t work out, we¡¯ll go for the artificial method. What do you think?¡± Kelly was in trepidation as she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ fond of me?¡± Leonard¡¯s voice was raspy. A flush of embarrassment rose to Kelly¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Yes.¡± Why would I give birth to your child if I¡¯m not fond of you? Leonard took a sharp inhale and replied, ¡°I like you too. It has been so many years, yet I still have you in my mind. I used to resent you, but I would think about you every night that I hardly fell asleep.¡± Kelly¡¯s eyes gradually misted with tears. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I only wish that you will not hide anything or your thoughts from me in the future. Can you promise me that?¡± Leonard asked in his trembling voice. Kelly nodded. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t hide anything from now on.¡± ¡°All right. Me too. Let¡¯s start over,¡± Leonard replied calmly. Kelly¡¯s face turned redder as soon as she heard that. While gazing at Kelly¡¯s rosy cheeks, Leonard grinned and pulled her into his arms. Then, he gently pressed his lips against hers. The little girl on the bed opened her eyes and saw the couple kissing. Flustered, she immediately covered her eyes. Yet, she could not help but peek at them through the gap between her fingers while giggling with joy. It was not long before Kathleen and Samuel returned to Florinia Manor. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Zion came over. But he froze when he saw Samuel. ¡°Samuel.¡± Even though he was also staying in Florinia Manor, he rarely had the chance to meet Samuel since the manor was massive. Moreover, Samuel had a pair of dark eyes with a deep gaze that exuded a mysterious and oppressing aura. Zion was bubbly in front of Kathleen, but he felt exceptionally anxious when facing Samuel. Samuel nodded and said to Kathleen, ¡°I¡¯ll head upstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Then, Samuel strode off. A baffled look showed on Kathleen¡¯s face as she stared at Zion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Yareli¡¯s back,¡± Zion said coldly. She¡¯s back? ¡°How did you know?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Dorothy called me today.¡± After a momentary pause, Zion exined, ¡°She knows the manor¡¯s number, so she called, and I happened to pick up. When she was talking to me, I heard Yareli¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t hear it wrongly?¡± Kathleen frowned. Shaking his head, Zion answered, ¡°I never confuse voices. My hearing ability is a lot better than ordinary people¡¯s.¡± ¡°Okay. I got it,¡± Kathleen replied with a nod. ¡°Kathleen, Yareli will surely think that you caused her mom¡¯s death. You¡¯d better be careful,¡± Zion reminded. Kathleen let out a cold chuckle and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She can¡¯t do anything to me.¡± ¡°d to hear that.¡± Zion nodded in relief. ¡°By the way, why did Dorothy call you?¡± Kathleen came back to her senses. ¡°She said she could tell me my biological parents¡¯ whereabouts,¡± Zion revealed. ¡°I see. What¡¯s your thoughts on that, then?¡± Kathleen was curious. ¡°What if she¡¯s lying to me? Besides, no one knows why my biological parents abandoned me back then. If I return to their side, are they going to cherish me like their son or continue to sell me out to Dorothy?¡± Zion was slightly agitated as he spoke. He was in a dilemma. Of course, Kathleen knew how miserable Zion felt too. Patting his shoulder, she suggested, ¡°Actually, all you need to do is pull off some tricks. Since she doesn¡¯t have good intentions, to begin with, you don¡¯t have to be nice to her too.¡± Zion¡¯s brows settled into a deep frown as though he was trying toprehend the meaning behind Kathleen¡¯s words. ¡°You can pretend to ept her suggestion and ask her to show you what your biological parents look like. Then, you can leave the rest of it to Samuel. He¡¯s really good at looking for people. In a ce as big as Jadeborough, he will find out even if a rat were to sneak in,¡± Kathleen exaggerated. Zion was amused by Kathleen¡¯s remark. ¡°Is Samuel a cat?¡± ¡°Well, he isn¡¯t a cat, but he¡¯s technically in the feline family. He¡¯s a lion,¡± Kathleen mocked. ¡°I try it out then.¡± Zion was slightly doubtful. ¡°Mm-hmm. Go ahead. Just look for Samuel if you need something.¡± ¡°Kathleen.¡± Zion hesitated for a moment before he blurted out, ¡°Do you ever feel afraid of Samuel?¡± Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Divorce Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Scared?¡± ¡°I always feel nervous when I see him,¡± Zion said cautiously. ¡°His eyes look too intimidating.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen touched her chin and agreed, ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. I also can¡¯t seem to maintain eye contact with him at times.¡± Samuel was quite scary when he was serious, but he was a totally different person when he was gentle. ¡°No, it¡¯s different. When he looks at you, there¡¯s honey dripping from his eyes. His eyes look super cold when he looks at other people. They¡¯re enough to freeze people to death,¡± Zionmented. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Kathleen turned around and looked for Samuel. He was making a phone call in the study. With a sneer, Samuel told the caller, ¡°Trevor wants to invite me over? Tell him I can¡¯t because I don¡¯t feel well.¡± The caller then said something, to which Samuel replied, ¡°Tell him I messed with the Hoover family because I was too bored while recovering.¡± With that, he hung up the call. Kathleen walked in and asked him, ¡°Trevor contacted you?¡± Samuel responded with a nod. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he contact me? Am I not important enough?¡± grumbled Kathleen. ¡°Because to him, what matters the most is thepany affairs,¡± Samuel said with a smirk. ¡°Haha! He¡¯s indeed Luna¡¯s husband. They¡¯re both so annoying.¡± Samuel caressed her face softly. Just then, Kathleen remembered something. ¡°By the way, is he inviting you to Faike?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯sing to Jadeborough three dayster. He¡¯ll be attending a tech conference.¡± Kathleen raised her brow. ¡°The one about artificial intelligence?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That put Kathleen on alert. ¡°From what I remember, Macari Group has the best artificial intelligence technology in the country now. It seems like Trevor wants to join you and get a share of the profits.¡± ¡°Indeed, there have been many people wanting to work with Macari Group in recent years. However, we have sufficient manpower and capital, and we have no intention of coborating with others. Regardless, I still have to attend the tech conference,¡± said Samuel. ¡°So you¡¯ll run into Trevor even if you don¡¯t meet him intentionally, right?¡± Kathleen asked. In response, Samuel nodded. ¡°Bring me with you. Let me meet him,¡± Kathleen requested, wrapping her hands around his arm. Samuel couldn¡¯t help but smile as it was quite rare to see her acting cute in front of him. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll bring you along.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Just as Kathleen cheered in delight, her phone rang. It was a call from Rory. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Kathleen, are you free these days? There¡¯s this show that will begin filming in the next few days,¡± Rory told Kathleen. Thetter was taken aback. ¡°That soon? But I¡¯m not prepared yet.¡± ¡°You can slowly adapt as the shoot goes on. It begins on the day after tomorrow. I¡¯ll have someone fetch you by then,¡± Rory insisted. Left with no choice, Kathleen could only agree. ¡°All right, then.¡± When she ended the call, Samuel smiled and said, ¡°If you¡¯re bored, just join the shoot. I can keep tabs on other things if ever somethinges up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried that I won¡¯t be able to perform like I did before,¡± Kathleen admitted. ¡°As you know, I lost my memories. I¡¯m scared that I¡¯ll be nervous in front of the camera.¡± ¡°How about you watch your shows from before and try to get a feel of it?¡± Samuel suggested. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded before saying, ¡°Will you watch with me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With that, Samuel wrapped his arm around her shoulders and left the study with her. Upon exiting the room, Kathleen suddenly recalled something. ¡°Let¡¯s visit your family tonight and tell your grandmother and parents about us.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do that.¡± At dusk, Kathleen and Samuel arrived at the Macari residence. The Macari family had been paying attention to what was happening to the couple the past few days, and the one who felt happiest about the situation was none other than Diana. Sitting on the couch, she said confidently, ¡°I knew that you guys would end up together.¡± Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but blush at her words. Diana held Kathleen¡¯s hand just like how she always did before and added smilingly, ¡°Sweetheart, Samuel made you suffer too much before. From now on, feel free to get back at him. Don¡¯t feel shy about it.¡± No matter what Kathleen chose to do, Diana would support her. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Desiree and Em were also d about how things turned out since they didn¡¯t have to leave the country and part with their great-grandmother, grandparents, and father anymore. Finally, their family could stay together. After dinner, Diana returned to her room to rest, while Samuel and Calvin chatted in the study. The two children were exhausted from ying, so they went to bed first. Thus, only Kathleen and Wynnie were left in the living room. When Kathleen saw Wynnie open a new bottle of wine, she was surprised. ¡°Mrs. Macari, haven¡¯t you had enough wine?¡± Ignoring her question, Wynnie poured her a ss and handed it to her. ¡°Here you go.¡± Kathleen epted the ss and took a sip. The wine tasted fantastic. ¡°Kate, are you really willing to be with Samuel?¡± Wynnie asked with utmost sincerity. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Kathleen answered shyly. After a short hesitation, Wynnie spoke again. ¡°You didn¡¯t choose to be with him because of his hand, did you?¡± Kathleen smiled nonchntly at that question. ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons. To tell you the truth, Samuel also asked me about this.¡± Wynnie was astonished. Their rtionship is progressing quite quickly. They¡¯re finally learning not to keep things to themselves. ¡°Mrs. Macari, I¡¯m not the kind of person who allows other people to force me into something. I can use different ways to cure Samuel¡¯s wrist, and there is no need to sacrifice myself,¡± Kathleen expressed calmly. Seeing Wynnie nodding at her words, she took another sip of the wine and continued, ¡°I guess I really love him. Throughout the years, there were other men who confessed to me, but I always felt like a certain someone had my heart. When I met Samuel afterward, that feeling intensified. Life is too short, so I don¡¯t want to be troubled by others¡¯ opinions. Since I like him, I¡¯ll be with him. If I find out one day that we¡¯re not suited for each other, I won¡¯t force myself to stay with him either.¡± ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve be more insightful than before,¡± Wynnie remarked thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I was like before, but I just want to treat myself better.¡± As Kathleen said that, she finished the wine in her ss. From now on, she wanted to follow her heart. Wynnie looked at her intently. Kathleen then said, ¡°Mrs. Macari, please take care of Desi and Eil for a while longer. Trevor ising to Jadeborough three dayster.¡± Upon hearing that, Wynnie frowned. ¡°Is heing here to attend the tech conference?¡± Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± reassured Wynnie. She knew that the situation in Jadeborough would be unstable with Trevor¡¯s arrival. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Macari. Thank you for your help.¡± At that moment, Kathleen¡¯s head started to throb a little. Wynnie held her hand and chided, ¡°You¡¯re being too polite again.¡± ¡°Well, Samuel and I are divorced,¡± Kathleenmented with a faint smile. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that punk hasn¡¯t registered your marriage. I¡¯ll give him a good beating on your behalf later.¡± Feeling a bit tipsy, Kathleen responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need to. I¡¯ll do it myselfter.¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s wrong to beat someone, I¡¯ll support you,¡± encouraged Wynnie in jest. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help butugh at her words. Just then, they heard footstepsing down from the second floor. Kathleen stood up from the couch, swaying slightly from the wine she had. Upon reaching the first floor and seeing her like that, Samuel nced at the wine bottle on the table. He supported Kathleen and frowned at Wynnie. ¡°Mom, seriously.¡± In return, Wynnie stuck her tongue out. Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Kidnapped Before ¡°Samuel, I had a great time drinking with Mrs. Macari,¡± Kathleen said adorably as she wrapped her arm around Samuel¡¯s waist. ¡°It¡¯s better to have a daughter-inw than a son,¡± Wynniemented at the side. After saying that, she even let out a burp. ¡°Dad.¡± Samuel looked at Calvin.Thetter smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your mom drunk in a long time.¡± He walked over to Wynnie and patted her back lightly. ¡°You¡¯ve drunk too much. What will you do if you feel sickter?¡± ¡°I have you.¡± Wynnie blinked innocently like her younger self. ¡°You told me that I can drink to my heart¡¯s content as long as you¡¯re by my side.¡± Her words brought a smile to Calvin¡¯s face. He bent down and scooped Wynnie up in his arms before saying to Samuel, ¡°Why are you guys still here?¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Heading toward the stairs, Calvin added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the kids since they¡¯re staying with us. That incident won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ve taken care of that housekeeper already. Hurry up and go home now.¡± There was a hint of disdain in his voice. ¡°Haha! Samuel, you¡¯re unwanted here.¡± Kathleen giggled. A look of helplessness shed across Samuel¡¯s face as he looked at the drunk woman in his arms. ¡°You should leave, too,¡± said Calvin with a stern face. Then, he went upstairs, carrying Wynnie. Kathleen leaned her head on Samuel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. I¡¯m also unwanted now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Okay.¡± They then got into their car. After Samuel asked the driver to drive off, Kathleen leaned against his shoulder again and noted, ¡°Samuel, your parents are so sweet to each other.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Howe you don¡¯t have a bright personality when they¡¯re so lovey-dovey? Instead, you¡¯re so calctive.¡± Kathleen was very curious. Samuel was at a loss for words. He wasn¡¯t sure how to answer that question. ¡°When I see you acting like this, I feel worried about Eil. I hope he¡¯ll grow up to be a cheerful person,¡± Kathleen mumbled worriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t be like me.¡± Samuel touched her face and found that it was a bit hot due to the wine she had consumed. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± Kathleen pouted. She did not grow up with Samuel since young, and on top of that, she had lost her memories. Thus, she had no idea what Samuel had gone through. His family structure was very simple, so under normal circumstances, he shouldn¡¯t have had any painful childhood experiences. How did he end up like this? ¡°I was once kidnapped when I was five,¡± Samuel admitted, his eyes darkening. Kathleen was stunned. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°I escaped,¡± Samuel answered indifferently. ¡°At five years old?¡± Kathleen asked in astonishment. Samuel gave a nod, and it was then that Kathleen seemed to understand why Em was so smart. He had gotten it from Samuel. ¡°Did you toughen yourself up because you were afraid?¡± Kathleen¡¯s gentle voice wasced with intrigue. Samuel knew that he had to be honest with Kathleen about this, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. ¡°No. I¡¯m only afraid that you will leave me,¡± Samuel said in a low voice. Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Are you serious? I don¡¯t believe you.¡± shing her a half-smile, Samuel held her hand and stated, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Kathleen closed her eyes. Softly, she spoke. ¡°Samuel, I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to tell me. There¡¯s no need for you to conceal the truth like this.¡± After saying that, she stayed still as she fell into deep thought. She knew that everyone had painful experiences. Since Samuel didn¡¯t want to talk about it, it meant he didn¡¯t want to relive it. She was not the type of annoying person who would force him to do that. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Samuel swallowed hard and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± It¡¯s¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Kathleen said gently. Soon, they arrived at Florinia Manor. When the car stopped, Kathleen woke up and stumbled out of the car. Samuel also got out and supported her. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kathleen said. Despite that, Samuel held her hand firmly with his left hand and walked by her side. Upon entering the mansion, he instructed Maria to prepare some hangover remedy. Then, he led Kathleen upstairs and into their room. Immediately, Kathleen copsed onto the bed. Her head was aching badly. Seeing that, Samuel took off her shoes for her. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Kathleen as she hugged a pillow. At that moment, Maria entered with a ss of hangover remedy. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ve left some snacks in the kitchen for you two,¡± Maria informed him. Kathleen had drunk too much. If she woke up in the middle of the night, she would definitely feel hungry. Samuel took the ss from Maria and gave her a nod of acknowledgment. With that, Maria left the room. ¡°Kate, wake up and drink this. Otherwise, you¡¯ll feel terrible when you wake up tomorrow,¡± Samuel urged as he passed the ss to Kathleen. ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink it.¡± Kathleen shook her head. Feeling tipsy wasn¡¯t a bad experience, after all. With a frown, Samuel put down the ss and pulled Kathleen up from the bed. Thetter leaned against him,ining, ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink it.¡± However, Samuel wouldn¡¯t relent. He held the ss to her lips and coaxed, ¡°Be good. Just take one sip.¡± Despite the look of agony on her face, Kathleen eventually took a sip reluctantly. Samuel smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. Here, just another sip.¡± Kathleen had no choice but toply. She finallyy down again after drinking, while Samuel stood up and went to take a shower. Although Kathleen wanted to sleep, she couldn¡¯t. True to its im, the hangover remedy cleared her mind. As she listened to the water running in the bathroom, she stared at the ceiling in a daze. What is Samuel hiding? The incident happened when he was five, and no one in the Macari family ever mentioned it. Although she had lost her memories, Kathleen figured that since Samuel was so careful about it, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for the Macari family to tell her. This is so frustrating! Never mind, I should just sleep. I won¡¯t have to worry about anything while I sleep. After taking a bath, Samuel walked out of the bathroom, smelling like mint. He could hear Kathleen¡¯s steady breathing¡ªan indication that she was fast asleep. Lying down by her side, Samuel pulled her into his arms. ¡°Kate, my hands were once tainted with many people¡¯s blood. They all deserved to die. However, I¡¯ve also harmed an innocent person, and it shames me to tell you about it. How should I tell you that I¡¯m someone like this?¡± he whispered hoarsely. As uneasiness filled his heart, he tightened his arms around Kathleen. Thetter was sleeping so deeply that none of his words reached her ears. The next day, Kathleen woke up to a terrible headache. She touched the space beside her and felt a bit of warmth lingering on it. Samuel must have gotten up just a while ago. Groggily, she walked out of the room. When she passed by the study, she heard voices inside. ¡°Mr. Macari, we¡¯ve managed to track that woman. After years of investigating, we found out that she is still alive.¡± The one speaking was Tyson. ¡°Really?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Tyson nodded without a word. With furrowed brows, Samuel questioned, ¡°Then where is she now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in Faike,¡± answered Tyson. Samuel paused. Faike? After a short pause, Tyson continued, ¡°She is Ashley Zeller, the daughter of Zeller Group¡¯s owner.¡± Ashley Zeller? Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Chapter 428 This Is A Miracle Outside the room, Kathleen knitted her brows. She didn¡¯t know why Samuel was looking for Ashley. Nheless, she let the matter go and walked away from the door. Meanwhile, the conversation in the room went on. ¡°We haven¡¯t found anything all these years. Howe there¡¯s suddenly news about her now?¡± Samuel wondered out loud, a solemn look evident on his face. ¡°Here¡¯s what happened, Mr. Macari. After Ashley was kidnapped back then, the Zeller family kept quiet about it because they were worried that something would happen to her again. They also forbade anyone in the family from spreading the news. It is said that Ashley was so traumatized to the point of losing part of her memories. Thus, the Zeller family kept the incident a secret for her sake. However, someone managed to dig this up some time ago, which allowed us to follow the clues and find her,¡± Tyson exined. Samuel nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing she¡¯s alive.¡± Otherwise, he would feel guilty about it for the rest of his life. ¡°Mr. Macari, I have another piece of information.¡± Tyson paused before continuing, ¡°Ashley is Luna Zeller¡¯s niece. The former is very favored by the Zeller family since her parents had her in their autumn years.¡± ¡°I got it. I owe her for this incident, after all. It doesn¡¯t matter whose niece she is,¡± Samuel said calmly. ¡°Do I need to inform Mrs. Macari about this?¡± Shaking his head, Samuel advised, ¡°There is no need for now.¡± ¡°All right. I understand,¡± Tyson said, bobbing his head. ¡°Do not let anyone know of this,¡± reminded Samuel with a deep voice. Once again, Tyson nodded. There was no way he would tell anyone about this. After a while, the two men came out of the study together. When Samuel returned to the bedroom, Kathleen was nowhere to be found. He immediately came back out and went downstairs. Kathleen was sitting by the dining table, having her breakfast quietly. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Samuel uttered as he walked over to her. Kathleen simply nodded without saying anything. ¡°Does your head hurt?¡± Samuel asked out of concern. ¡°Yes.¡± Taking a gulp of her juice, Kathleen remarked, ¡°Your head would hurt if you drank, too.¡± Her words amused Samuel. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ban me from drinking?¡± He had listened to her well and abstained from alcohol totally. In response, Kathleen let out a light snort. Samuel sat down, studying her carefully. Noticing that there weren¡¯t any visible changes in her mood, he figured she had forgotten aboutst night. While Kathleen was eating nonchntly, her phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± she said into the phone. Federick¡¯s excited voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s me. Are you at the hospital today? I¡¯ll visit you with Madeline. I have something urgent to tell you.¡± Something urgent? ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed instantly. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital and wait for you there.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After that, Federick cut the call, and Kathleen put down her phone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Samuel inquired. ¡°Federick wants to see me for something urgent. He said he¡¯sing with Madeline. I don¡¯t know what happened,¡± said Kathleen with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to the hospital.¡± Kathleen gave him a side-eye and teased, ¡°You¡¯re by my side all the time. Are you giving up on your company now?¡± Samuel stared at her. ¡°If you keep doing this, your employees might use me of seducing you and keeping you from going to work,¡± Kathleen argued. ¡°You don¡¯t need toe with me. I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡± After all, she was a grown-up now. Pursing his lips, Samuel gave in. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Bye!¡± Kathleen gave him a peck on the cheek and reminded him, ¡°Be careful with your wrist.¡± In an instant, the nervousness Samuel had been feeling the entire night dissipated because of her action. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to work now.¡± After kissing her lips lightly, he stood up and headed out. Tyson was already waiting in the car outside. With Samuel gone, Kathleen heaved a sigh of relief. She finished her food and changed her clothes before heading to the hospital. Right after she reached her office, Federick came in with Madeline. ¡°Please be seated,¡± Kathleen said politely. ¡°What urgent matter is it that brought you two here?¡± Federick seemed pumped up, so she guessed it was not something bad. ¡°Kate. Madeline¡­ Madeline has changed!¡± Federick blurted excitedly. Changed? Kathleen shifted her gaze to Madeline and asked with bewilderment, ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°Ms. Kate,¡± Madeline called out sweetly. Kathleen froze. The girl used to call her Katie. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°Ms. Kate, I¡¯ve returned to normal,¡± exined Madeline with a smile. Returned¡­ to normal? Hearing those words, Kathleen looked Madeline up and down. ¡°You¡¯re cured of autism?¡± ¡°Daddy brought me to a checkup this morning. My symptoms are very mild now. The doctor said I can be cured if I continue taking medicine and receiving treatment.¡± Exhrated, Kathleen wrapped her arms around Madeline. ¡°This is great news!¡± Federick wiped away his tears and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a blessing in disguise?¡± ¡°It is!¡± Kathleen beamed. She let go of Madeline and held thetter¡¯s face with both hands. Madeline was thirteen years old now, almost in the prime of her youth. Federick was worried sick about her before, but fortunately, she recovered. He was so emotional that he began to shed tears of joy. ¡°Back then, I even thought of asking you to take care of Madeline when her grandmother and I are no longer around.¡± Madeline¡¯s eyes also started to redden at that point. When Federick and her mother divorced, he was still young. He could have dated someone else, but he did not do so. Instead, he devoted himself to taking care of Madeline. Sitting beside Federick, Madeline noticed that he had grown a lot of white hair. There was no denying that he had aged a lot. ¡°Thank you, Dad,¡± said Madeline tearfully. Federick was sobbing uncontrobly by then, and it pained Kathleen to see that. She patted his shoulder andforted, ¡°Federick, this is a good thing.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Federick cried. ¡°I am happy. I am beyond happy! If only I could, I¡¯d let everyone in this world know about this good news!¡± Kathleen understood his sentiments very well. Federick then said, ¡°Kate, it will be Madeline¡¯s birthday in a few days. I want to throw her a huge birthday party. Remember toe with Samuel.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Wiping his tears, Federick stood up. ¡°We¡¯ll leave first, then. My mom is still waiting for us at home.¡± ¡°All right. See you soon!¡± After walking them out of the hospital, Kathleen stood by the entrance, watching their leaving figures. At that moment, Gemma ran out in a hurry. ¡°Kate, I heard that¡ª¡± Before she could even continue, Kathleen embraced her andughed heartily. Gemma immediately understood. She hugged Kathleen back tightly and said with a trembling voice, ¡°This is great news. This is wonderful news!¡± ¡°I know!¡± Kathleen was about to burst into tears. ¡°This is a miracle!¡± ¡°I feel like nothing else can make me happier than this,¡± Gemma said with reddened eyes. The two women expressed their excitement for a while before releasing each other. Holding Gemma¡¯s hand, Kathleenmented, ¡°This is indeed happy news, but you¡¯ll be as happy when Richard proposes to you again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it.¡± Gemma suddenly pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but he¡¯s been extremely quiet after the proposal. My brother is slowly setting aside his prejudice toward Richard. Now, Richard is the one staying in the same ce and not progressing.¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Broke Your Promise Kathleen was surprised as the Richard she knew did not seem to be such a person. ¡°He may have reasons for doing so,¡± sheforted. ¡°It¡¯s been one year since he proposed to me.¡± Gemma felt helpless. ¡°Forget it. I feel upset whenever I bring him up. I¡¯m going back to work.¡± Kathleen walked along with her. ¡°Perhaps, you can ask him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared the oue will be bad if I do.¡± Gemma lowered her head. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m terrified we¡¯ll break up because of this.¡± Kathleen took hold of Gemma¡¯s hand and consoled, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this. Richard has always been reliable, so I guess he has his reasons. Why don¡¯t you give him a little more time? ¡°All right.¡± Thetter nodded, though a little confused. ¡°How long should I give him, though? https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°This depends on you,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°After all, everyone¡¯s tolerance and endurance toward this matter are different.¡± ¡°Kate, what if it were you?¡± Gemma asked out of curiosity. ¡°I¡­¡± Kathleen paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°If I encountered something like this, I suppose I would be in the same state as you.¡± Gemma looked toward the woman. ¡°Didn¡¯t you and Samuel reconcile already? Why do I feel like something happened between you two?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly.¡± Kathleen shed a half-smile. ¡°However, everyone has troubles that can¡¯t be shared even with their loved ones. Thus, we need to give them time to decide if they want to tell us.¡± ¡°Kate, you seem to have returned to your past self,¡± Gemma remarked while staring at Kathleen. My past self? ¡°How was I like before?¡± thetter asked bitterly. ¡°You would endure many things in the name of love. It¡¯s exactly how you are right now.¡± ¡°I would feel frustrated when I endured something back then. However, it¡¯s different now as my tolerance is due to maturity,¡± Kathleen elucidated. ¡°People change, after all.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After all, she was not the type to immediately tell Samuel if she had a secret either. Gemma nodded. ¡°True. Everyone changes.¡± Kathleen smiled. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything going on at night, so why don¡¯t we go out and have a drink?¡± Yet, Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already been drinking for two nights straight. I feel like my head is going to explode.¡± Gemma smiled faintly. ¡°Are you trying to drown your sorrows with alcohol?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°All right, then,¡± Gemma replied with a sigh. After hesitating, Kathleen added, ¡°I can apany you if you really want to go.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gemma¡¯s expression brightened up immediately. ¡°Mm.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I can deal with a headache. Your mood is more important.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Gemma chirped. ¡°I¡¯lle and meet you once you¡¯re off work.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. When Samuel got off work, he received a call from Kathleen right after he exited his office. ¡°I just got off work and am going to pick you up,¡± he said gently. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Kathleen murmured. ¡°I¡¯m having dinner with Gemma tonight. I¡¯ll take a taxi back after we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Where are you going for dinner?¡± Samuel asked in a deep voice. ¡°I can go and fetch you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Kathleen felt embarrassed. After all, there was no way she could tell the man she was going out to drink. ¡°You can head home first.¡± Then, she quickly hung up the call. Samuel was rendered speechless. Tyson noticed the man¡¯s change of expression and asked, ¡°Mr. Macari, what happened?¡± ¡°She must be mad.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was hoarse. Mad? ¡°Check where Kate and Gemma are having dinner tonight,¡± Samuel ordered coldly. ¡°Got it.¡± Tyson nodded. Gemma was the one who decided on the location this time. When Kathleen followed Gemma into the bar, she realized thetter must be a frequent visitor, for even the bartender recognized her. Arriving at their booth, Gemma ordered a ton of beer. By the looks of it, it seemed that she was not going home without getting drunk. Kathleen soon noticed she was there just to serve as a prop as Gemma¡¯s drinking was much better than hers. Gemma finished almost all the beer on the table, not even stopping to clink the half-finished beer in her hand with Kathleen. Soon, she got drunk. ¡°Kate, why am I such a coward?¡± Gemma muttered in her drunken state. ¡°All because we¡¯ve been together for a couple of years, I don¡¯t dare to question him what¡¯s happening. Instead, I hide everything in my heart for fear of losing him. Shouldn¡¯t dating be rxing and happy? Why should I do this to myself?¡± Kathleen did not know how to respond to that. ¡°I don¡¯t want to admit it, but I¡¯m scared I can¡¯t find someone better than him. I¡¯ve been with him for such a long time, and I¡¯m getting older too. Although I love him, I must admit it¡¯s my fault that I¡¯m losing confidence in this rtionship.¡± Gemma¡¯s eyes were red. ¡°What should I do, Kate?¡± Right after saying that, she slumped down on the table. Kathleen sat beside her with a sigh and sprawled on the table too. When she tucked Gemma¡¯s hair away, she realized thetter was crying. Kathleen felt distressed. ¡°If you really cannot take it, you should ask him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared that he isn¡¯t prepared for that yet and would feel irritated and break up with me if I keep asking. Did you know that I haven¡¯t seen him for a month?¡± It¡¯s that bad? After resigning from the hospital, Richard had busied himself ever since. When Gemma asked, he told her he was starting a business. However, she did not know what exactly he was doing. Kathleen did not know how to advise the woman. It was up to Gemma to decide on her next steps, after all. ¡°Are you just going to let yourself suffer, then?¡± Kathleen asked gently. Gemma pursed her lips. ¡°I have a feeling I¡¯m going to break up soon.¡± Kathleen sighed and gently patted Gemma¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s not a bad thing to break up sooner if you and Richard are not fated to be together.¡± Gemma nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s continue drinking and get wasted!¡± Kathleen clinked her ss with the woman. At that, Gemma sat up and continued drinking. Meanwhile, it was starting to rain outside. Samuel was sitting in the car and quietly observing the bar entrance. Although he knew Kathleen was inside, he did not go in to disturb her. He knew he needed to give her space. At around half-past ten, Kathleen staggered out of the bar while supporting Gemma. Although she wanted to hail a taxi, she could not get one as the rain was too heavy. ¡°Hey, you two. Do you need some help?¡± asked a greasy-looking man approaching them. Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°No.¡± ¡°The both of you seem drunk, though. Why don¡¯t I send you two back home?¡± After saying that, the man stretched out his hand. ¡°Get lost!¡± Kathleen roared. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look at who I am? How dare you try to make a move on me?¡± Upon hearing that, the man felt displeased. At that moment, a ck umbre appeared on top of Kathleen¡¯s head. When she saw the dark, blurry figure in front of her, she frowned momentarily. Samuel stared down at the man who was preparing to make a move. ¡°Do you not want your hands anymore?¡± The man¡¯s expression changed when he noticed Samuel, and he immediately ran away fearfully. Samuel instantly supported Kathleen. ¡°You drank again.¡± Tyson also came over and helped Gemma into the car. Kathleen grabbed Samuel¡¯s cor with both hands. ¡°You told me you would never deceive me, yet you still did. Samuel Macari, you broke your promise.¡± Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Do You Not Hate Me ¡°You¡­¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was extremely hoarse. ¡°Did you remember something?¡± Kathleen started to loosen the grip on his cor. ¡°Is that important?¡± His eyes turned dark. ¡°Of course!¡± She snorted, slowly sobering up as the cold wind blew against her face. ¡°Are you scared that my memories will recover, Samuel?¡± Samuel did not answer, merely staring at her with his intent gaze.He¡¯d lying if he said he wasn¡¯t. ¡°Never mind. I won¡¯t force you anymore,¡± Kathleen said miserably. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Right after saying that, she turned around. Suddenly, Samuel hugged her from behind while still holding the umbre with one hand. ¡°I¡¯ll answer you.¡± She knitted her brows. ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s too much for you.¡± She no longer longed to know. ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car first. It¡¯s a bit inconvenient for me to talk here,¡± Samuel reminded her that his wrist had not recovered yet. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl She lowered her head to look at the right hand on her waist, softlyying her hand on top of it. ¡°Okay.¡± When they got into the car, Samuel turned up the air-conditioning, fearing she would get sick. Kathleen massaged her sore temples. ¡°How much do you remember?¡± he asked hoarsely. ¡°Not much. All of them are memories of you hurting me, though.¡± The man swallowed hard. Indeed. When I recall, we don¡¯t have many sweet moments together. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me?¡± he queried darkly. Kathleen answered helplessly, ¡°What¡¯s the use of doing so?¡± Samuel stayed silent. She slowly added, ¡°Although I regained my memories, I didn¡¯t forget about the present. How do I put it? Well, I think that¡¯s enough punishment for you. After all, I¡¯d also be exhausted if we carried on this way. I simply don¡¯t want things to get messy again.¡± He held her hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t hide it from you on purpose.¡± ¡°I understand. Everyone has their own secrets that they can¡¯t tell.¡± Since he did not want to bring it up, she would not force him either. Right then, Samuel changed the topic. ¡°When I was abducted, a little girl helped me to escape. However, she did not make it while we were trying to flee and was killed by those people.¡± Kathleen was stunned. Killed? ¡°I should have protected her,¡± he choked out. ¡°Hence, I always felt indebted to her, but I didn¡¯t even know who she was. When I returned home, I immediately asked my father to save her. However, blood was all we found upon arriving there. We did not see anyone, let alone the little girl¡¯s corpse. I¡¯ve hired people to investigate her all these years, and not long ago, I found out herst name is Zeller. Ashley Zeller. She¡¯s Luna¡¯s niece. I didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯s still alive.¡± Perplexed, she asked, ¡°Really?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I heard the Zeller family was afraid she would get into danger again, so she¡¯s been living under the radar.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t that great? You don¡¯t need to be so guilty if she¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯m just scared you would mind her rtionship with Luna.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Whatever. She¡¯s not the one who harmed me. I¡¯m someone who knows how to distinguish between gratitude and grudges, after all.¡± To her, Samuel¡¯s benefactor was also hers. Samuel gazed at her and mumbled, ¡°Are you really not mad?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d get mad that easily?¡± Kathleen asked in displeasure. ¡°I have quite a good temper if I say so myself.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Yeah, you do.¡± In fact, he seemed to be theplete opposite of her right now. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I have a headache.¡± She leaned against the seat. Upon hearing that, Samuel called the driver standing outside to start the car. When they got home, the rain had stopped. The air was fresh and had a fragrance of earth. After getting out of the car, the duo walked into the mansion and went upstairs to their room. Kathleen removed her shoes and prepared to sleep just like that, not having the energy to do anything else. Samuel helped to tuck her in. When he caressed her face, his lips curled into a smile. Perhaps, this is not bad of a start. The next day, Kathleen woke up early and briefly got ready before heading downstairs. Samuel was currently eating breakfast in the dining room. After greeting him, she sat down as Maria brought breakfast over. Then, she began to eat slowly. ¡°What time is the tech conference?¡± she asked in curiosity. ¡°Ten o¡¯clock,¡± he answered. ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush.¡± She nced at the clock and realized it was presently nine in the morning. They would arrive just on time if they departed from here. She¡¯d get to see Trevor today. As Kathleen drank yesterday, her head was still throbbing. Thus, she took a painkiller after finishing breakfast. Samuel nced at her. ¡°Why did you still drink when you know your body can¡¯t take it?¡± ¡°Something happened between Gemma and Richard, so I¡¯m just supporting her as her friend,¡± she answered. ¡°Won¡¯t you apany your friends when they¡¯re feeling down?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t like this when they¡¯re in a bad mood,¡± he answered tly. Kathleen was at a loss for words. After heading out of the mansion, they got into the car. Pondering for a moment, she decided to ask, ¡°What exactly happened to Richard? Why are things so off between him and Gemma?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Samuel shook his head. He was telling the truth, for he was indeed clueless about it. Kathleen shot him a disdainful look. ¡°How could you be so indifferent to your friends?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re just angry because you can¡¯t get anything out of me.¡± Kathleen let out a light snort, not caring that he exposed her. After a moment¡¯s thought, Samuel remarked, ¡°I¡¯ll try to find out once the conference is over.¡± ¡°Remember what you said!¡± Her eyes sparkled. ¡°I didn¡¯t force you to do it.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Why do I think she¡¯s wrapping me tighter and tighter around her little finger? ¡°It¡¯s not a problem for me to help you, but what benefits can you offer me?¡± Samuel started to negotiate with her. ¡°You actually want me to give you something in return?¡± Kathleen found it uneptable. A grin crept over his face. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At that, she was speechless. He smiled when he saw her face flushing from his teasing. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not funny.¡± Kathleen snorted coldly. Soon, they arrived at the tech conference. After the duo exited the car, Kathleen walked into the venue while holding Samuel¡¯s arm. There was quite a number of guests who came, and the atmosphere was lively. Naturally, the person who garnered the most attention was Samuel. After all, Macari Group was the toppany specializing in artificial intelligence. When Kathleen and Samuel appeared hand-in-hand, spections started to fly around again. ¡°They¡¯re together again. I wonder how long they¡¯llst this time.¡± ¡°No way they¡¯re going tost long!¡± ¡°But they look like a match made in heaven!¡± ¡°Who cares if they look good together? A marriage without love is just going to end in disaster!¡± ¡°Why are you so hostile toward them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kathleen¡¯s fan, after all.¡± Kathleen and Samuel walked over to the first row of seats. Everyone who could be seated there must have a certain status. While Kathleen sat next to Samuel, another person sat on the other side. The person was an old man with gray hair, holding a walking cane. Despite his age, he had a brilliant glint in his eyes. If Kathleen was not mistaken, he should be Trevor. Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Chapter 431 No Intention To Admit Samuel walked over with Kathleen, and they sat down at the same time. Trevor was ready to greet them, but Samuel totally ignored him and made the first move. The main goal of the tech conference this time was for people to listen to the insights of other industry yers. Kathleen wasn¡¯t familiar with this field. Samuel began to exin in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself. No one will really present their results. In fact, they might evene up with some unrealistic assumptions, then insist that they have done the research.¡± Kathleen responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just making empty promises?¡± ¡°Well, whatever ideas they say here could easily be snatched away by otherpetitors for their own research,¡± Samuel admitted solemnly. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Exactly how insecure are they? Their findings will have to be announced sooner orter.¡± ¡°When ites to tech and innovation, time is money,¡± Samuel said tly. ¡°If someone else has giarized and perfected your ideas before you did, you can¡¯t really defend yourself.¡± Kathleen sighed. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± She was in the pharmaceutical business, and they were very different fields. ¡°Next, let us wee Mr. Samuel Macari,¡± said the host on the stage. Surprised, Kathleen nced sideways at Samuel, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re giving a speech today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Samuel nodded. He stood up and walked onto the stage. Kathleen watched as he strode away calmly, admiration rippling through her. Samuel was indeed attractive.He was charming and high-spirited. Any woman would fall for him. She came here with him, yet other women still couldn¡¯t resist to approach him. Kathleen sighed inwardly. She felt rather insecure, as though she was falling in love for the first time again. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. As she looked at Samuel and listened to his speech, she was quite captivated. His speech wasn¡¯t exactly a long one, but what he shared was quite practical. After he finished his speech, he returned to sit next to Kathleen. Kathleen asked curiously, ¡°You just said that no one¡¯s really honest here, for fear of being giarized.¡± Samuel chuckled. ¡°Macari Group has our own brand of confidence.¡± Fine. The conference eventually ended, and Samuel and Kathleen rose to their feet. ¡°Mr. Macari,¡± Trevor finally called out to him. Samuel turned to face him. ¡°Old Mr. Hoover, how may I help you?¡± Trevor stared unblinkingly at Samuel. ¡°I wonder if you have any ns for a coboration.¡± ¡°Macari Group has never cooperated with others in this field,¡± Samuel rejected him coldly. Macari Group had always done its research and development independently. Cooperation was extended only when both parties had insufficient funds orcked manpower. However, Macari Group was different. Samuel had both money and manpower. The people who worked for him were highly paid, so he was sure that they wouldn¡¯t be poached. Trevor smiled meaningfully. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take some time to think about it, Mr. Macari? I heard that you wanted to get involved in drones, but you¡¯re having trouble with the system. I have a few good people working under me. They might be able to help you.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Your information is quite urate, Old Mr. Hoover.¡± I only have such intent thus far. No proposal has been made yet. ¡°Then, won¡¯t you consider it, Mr. Macari?¡± Trevor grinned. Samuel looked at him sternly. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Not expecting that Samuel would still refuse him, Trevor thought that it was time for him to y his trump card. ¡°Uncle Trevor!¡± A beautiful woman came in from outside. When Samuel nced sideways, his eyes widened in shock. Kathleen quickly surmised that the woman was Ashley, Samuel¡¯s savior. Kathleen clenched her fists, hoping that nothing would go wrong. ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re here.¡± Trevor gave her a meaningful smile. Ashley nodded. ¡°Traffic was bad. Am Ite?¡± ¡°You missed Mr. Macari¡¯s speech. It was fascinating!¡± Trevor eximed. Sighing, Ashley turned around to face Samuel. ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Macari. I¡¯m actually a reporter. Can I interview you?¡± Seeing that she did not mention a word about their previous encounter, Samuel replied, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Ashley said joyfully. Kathleen raised a brow. In the past, Samuel would never ept interviews. Apparently, it was different when the request was made by one¡¯s savior. ¡°I shall wait for you in the lounge,¡± he said tly. ¡°All right!¡± Ashley was over the moon. Samuel wrapped his arm around Kathleen¡¯s shoulders and left. Soon, they arrived at the lounge. Kathleen proceeded to mock him, ¡°I¡¯m your savior too. Why aren¡¯t you nicer to me?¡± Samuel removed his jacket. ¡°Am I not nice enough to you? Ms. Johnson, I¡¯ve even entrusted my life to you.¡± Kathleen let out a light snort. Samuel grinned as he took note of her jealousy. ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on between us. Why do you care so much?¡± Kathleen remained silent. She had seen her fair share of how this would unfold. ¡°You can attend the interview alone. I¡¯m going out for fresh air.¡± With that, she turned around and left. Samuel furrowed his brow and instructed the bodyguard to follow her. Kathleen didn¡¯t go far; she was just nearby. Right then, a bodyguard approached her. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Mr. Hoover would like to see you.¡± Kathleen raised a brow. ¡°Lead the way.¡± The bodyguard then led her to another lounge. Trevor was having coffee when they arrived. As Kathleen entered the room, their eyes met. Kathleen and Trevor looked simrly calm and composed. ¡°Ms. Johnson, take it easy. Have a seat,¡± Trevor said. Kathleen did not move. ¡°I only have one question.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Trevor cocked his brow. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± she questioned in an icy tone. ¡°I do. You¡¯re Frances¡¯ granddaughter,¡± Trevor answered casually. ¡°We may be rted by blood, but I do not intend to admit it, Ms. Johnson.¡± Good! ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I don¡¯t want to do that as well. I just want to ask about your take on the separation of Granny and my mom due to Luna and Hector,¡± Kathleen stated coldly. ¡°I shared a past with Frances, but that is, after all, in the past,¡± Trevor said with very little emotion. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how Luna and Hector teamed up, and I don¡¯t n to find out. I¡¯m not going to divorce her because of this.¡± Kathleen clenched her fists. ¡°In other words, you don¡¯t have any feelings for my grandmother and my mom anymore. Is that it?¡± A grim smile appeared on Trevor¡¯s face. ¡°If I did, I would havee looking for you long ago.¡± Kathleen felt a chill run down her spine. He was right, and Kathleen¡¯s heart ached on behalf of Frances. ¡°Noted,¡± she uttered coldly. ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t hold back against the Hoover family!¡± With that said, she turned and left. Trevor merely sat there, calmly sipping on his coffee. ¡°Fran, this child¡¯s personality is just like yours.¡± Then, he downed his drink in one go. It¡¯s time to resolve these grudges. He was getting old, so he might not get any more chances to do so. Kathleen walked out of Trevor¡¯s lounge with a grim expression, feeling aggrieved for Frances. They fell out of love. Fine. But did he have to cause her harm after breaking up? D*mn it! I¡¯ll never forgive the Hoover family! Never! Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Quarrel Kathleen took out her phone and called Rory, ¡°I want you to find out about all of the Hoover family¡¯s businesses.¡± Join Telegram Group For Fast update and Novel Query ¡°Okay.¡± Rory nodded. ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Kathleen hung up after that and headed to Samuel¡¯s lounge. She pushed the door, only to realize that it had been locked from the inside. The two bodyguards standing by the door were surprised as well. ¡°Step back, Mrs. Macari,¡± one said as he pulled her back. He was about to kick the door down when it swung open. Ashley stood there, looking rather shy. ¡°The interview¡¯s over.¡± She walked away after that. Kathleen frowned. When Ashley walked past her just now, Kathleen noticed the smirk on that woman¡¯s face, and Kathleen didn¡¯t like it one bit.She then strode into the room. Samuel was sitting silently on the couch. ¡°Are you¡­ all right?¡± Kathleen faltered. He nced at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Why did you lock the door?¡± she asked. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl It¡¯s supposed to be an interview. ¡°She did that,¡± he rified. ¡°I did nothing of the sort.¡± It was true that Ashley merely locked the door, but he knew that Kathleen would misunderstand. Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°What did she say?¡± Samuel shook his head. Ashley did not bring up the past at all. Kathleen seemed to have something to say, but she hesitated. Whatever. In the end, she¡¯s the one who saved him. If I say something that might cross the line, Samuel surely wouldn¡¯t like it. In the end, Kathleen said inly, ¡°If that¡¯s all, let¡¯s go.¡± Staring at her face, he remarked, ¡°You care about what happened just now.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Samuel rose to his feet and walked toward her while she stood rooted to the ground. If this were In the past, her legs would have given out. Right now, she was very calm. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± She broke the silence. Samuel said with a deep voice, ¡°I still prefer how you used to fire questions at me aggressively. What are you afraid of? Is there anything you don¡¯t dare to say?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Just because she¡¯s my savior, you intend to turn a blind eye to her scheming?¡± Samuel questioned coldly. ¡°You are still my wife after all.¡± ¡°Nonsense. We¡¯re divorced,¡± Kathleen corrected him. ¡°At most, we can be considered boyfriend and girlfriend, and some couples break up because one party interferes too much.¡± Samuel continued to gaze at her. He knew this wasn¡¯t what she truly felt. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t mind at all if Kathleen voiced her suspicions because he would have done the same. Ashley¡¯s words and actions were certainly odd. ¡°We won¡¯t break up.¡± Samuel ced her hand on his chest. ¡°What do you want me to say to make you understand that you can do whatever you want when you¡¯re by my side?¡± He had sworn that he would love her and dote on her even more than before, no matter what. Kathleen responded, ¡°We won¡¯t break up because we¡¯ve both matured.¡± Samuel was quiet for a while. ¡°You don¡¯t care about me,¡± he muttered in a deep voice. ¡°You¡¯re not aware of the dangers around you!¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. Looking at Kathleen¡¯s delicate and soft face, Samuel adjusted his emotions and took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± He reached out to grab his jacket. Kathleen hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Mr. Macari, I just can¡¯t love you the way I used to.¡± Samuel froze. ¡°I think we should reconsider our rtionship.¡± Kathleen felt a headacheing. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the office.¡± With that said, she turned to leave. Instantly, Samuel¡¯s obsidian-like eyes dimmed. Kathleen arrived at herpany, Golden Wing Pharmaceuticals. Thepany should have done the ribbon-cutting ceremony some time ago, but they had so many things going on that they kept dying it. Regardless, thepany had finally begun to operate properly, and the business was doing well. Kathleen sat alone in her office, spacing out. Yadiel came in and greeted, ¡°Ms. Johnson!¡± Kathleen lifted her head. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Yadiel nodded. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I apologize. Yareli fled right after the nended. I¡¯ve been searching for her for days and still couldn¡¯t find any clues.¡± ¡°She¡¯s returned,¡± Kathleen said tly. ¡°Dorothy called Zion, who caught Yareli¡¯s voice over the phone.¡± ¡°She¡¯s actuallye back!¡± Yadiel expressed his surprise. ¡°She must havee back to exact revenge,¡± Kathleen surmised. ¡°She must be thinking that if we hadn¡¯t forced Vanessa to call out Luna, Vanessa wouldn¡¯t have died.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s obvious that Luna¡¯s the one who wanted Vanessa dead.¡± Yadiel knitted his brows. ¡°She is blinded by hatred,¡± Kathleen uttered in exasperation. ¡°Yadiel, I want you to investigate Ashley Zeller for me.¡± ¡°Ashley Zeller?¡± It was the first time Yadiel heard of that name. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s Luna¡¯s niece. She¡¯s the one who saved Samuel when he was kidnapped while he was a kid,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Samuel said that the girl who saved him then had passed away, but recently, he got wind of the news that the girl was Ashley.¡± ¡°Got it. Ms. Johnson, you¡¯re suspicious of the rtionship between Luna and Ashley, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yadiel summarized, to which Kathleen nodded firmly. Yadiel understands me after all, but Samuel doesn¡¯t! This is ridiculous! ¡°Sure, I shall investigate,¡± replied Yadiel. Kathleen waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a break.¡± Stunned, Yadiel muttered, ¡°Ms. Johnson, aren¡¯t you meeting Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°Why would I do that? We just had a quarrel,¡± Kathleen said in frustration. ¡°I saw Mr. Macari downstairs,¡± Yadiel went on. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone notify you?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°You ought to take a look,¡± Yadiel suggested. ¡°He¡¯s in the lobby.¡± Kathleen stood up for a second before sitting back down. ¡°Let him wait.¡± It was high time he did so. Yadiel didn¡¯t want to interfere in their matter, so he turned around and left. After that, Kathleen picked up her phone and looked at it. Samuel didn¡¯t even send her any messages. In that case, I shall pretend I don¡¯t know anything. When it was time to get off work, thepany¡¯s employees passed by the lobby, and all of them noticed Samuel. He sat there in his elegant ck suit, emanating an air of austerity. ¡°Mr. Macari¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°Ms. Johnson¡¯s so lucky! If I have a handsome boyfriend like that picking me up from work, I¡¯d be jumping for joy!¡± ¡°Dream on! You don¡¯t even have a boyfriend, let alone a handsome one!¡± Samuel sat there on the couch, looking straight at the elevators. He would be able to see the exact moment Kathleen stepped out of the elevator. Very soon, Kathleen appeared among the crowd. She also spotted Samuel, clenched her fingers tightly, and pretended not to have seen him. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. With that, she kept her head low as she walked ahead. Eventually, a ¡°wall¡± blocked her way. A pair of shiny leather shoes entered her sight. Her eyes worked their way up until they eventually met Samuel¡¯s deep gaze. Frowning, Kathleen spoke. ¡°Have you calmed down?¡± It was then that Samuel wrapped his arms around her right in the middle of the bustling lobby. Everyone stopped in their tracks. What¡¯s this about? ¡°Samuel, let go this instant! Everyone¡¯s watching!¡± Kathleen yelled at him, blushing hard. Samuel did as he was told, and Kathleen looked around her. Everyone else quickly pretended to be fascinated by the view of the sky. Someone even said, ¡°Look, a UFO!¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. When she came back to her senses, Samuel had slowly got down on one knee. The crowd gasped. This is it! Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Will You Marry Me Again Kathleen wanted to keep a low profile, but Samuel had apparently escted things. He got out the ring he had long prepared and showed it to her. ¡°Kate, are you willing to trust me one more time and marry me again?¡± Samuel asked sincerely. Kathleen lowered her eyes, staring back at him as her cheeks flushed red. ¡°I do.¡± She nodded. Samuel instantly froze.He didn¡¯t expect Kathleen would agree to his proposal so readily. As she continued to gaze at him with her red cheeks, her eyes glimmered in delight. Samuel stood up, held her hand, and slipped a ring on her finger in a heartbeat. He then took one step forward and ran his hand through her hair to cradle the back of her head, while he wrapped the other hand around her waist. Next, he slowly lowered his head, allowing his lips to touch her cherry-red ones. The surrounding crowd erupted into apuse and cheers. Kathleen heard none of that. Her mind was a total nk.She could only hear the sound of her heart thumping loudly and rapidly.Her hand with the ring clutched tightly onto Samuel¡¯s top.She wasn¡¯t sure if she did it right this time, but she was certain that she was willing to trust him. The road ahead was a long one. She was bound to take some risks and surrender to her impulses. A long whileter, Samuel released her. As he gazed at the woman, who could hardly breathe, he smiled. ¡°Looks like I have a lot to teach you.¡± Kathleen¡¯s cheeks flushed even redder. ¡°Let¡¯s get going!¡± she huffed. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Samuel took hold of her slender hand and led her out of the building. Someone posted the entire video of their proposal on the inte and Instagram. Very quickly, they became the top trending topic. In a hotel, Ashley snickered as she stared at the phone in her hand. Herughter was dripping with sarcasm.She didn¡¯t think they would take action so quickly.Samuel had proposed just like that.She thought they would keep dragging for some time. Somehow, she had a feeling that if she had shown up a bitter, they might not have fretted so quickly. Ashley picked up the knife next to her and plunged it into an shoppingmode apple. ¡°So what if he¡¯d proposed? Kathleen, I will separate you two! Just you wait!¡± A wicked glint shed across her eyes. Back at Florinia Manor, Kathleen was sitting on the bed. Her phone had been buzzing non-stop.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. So many people were sending her congrattory messages.She didn¡¯t know which one she should respond first. Samuel noticed her dilemma and grabbed her phone. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. Put it off till tomorrow.¡± Kathleen stared back at him. ¡°Mr. Macari, this is the first ring you gave me. Tell me, was it Tyson who bought it?¡± When they got married the first time, Samuel hadn¡¯t taken it seriously. ¡°Nope.¡± He sat down next to her. ¡°I chose it myself. Do you like it?¡± Kathleen lifted her hand. She finally remembered that she should take her time to admire the ring. It was certainly a beautiful one, especially therge diamond studded on it. Kathleen thought she wouldn¡¯t like shiny jewelry, but the moment she saw the ring, her heart fluttered. No woman could escape it. Samuel knew she liked the ring, but he wasn¡¯t quite satisfied with her expression. He wrapped her in an embrace and said uncertainly, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I can exchange it for a different one.¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Do you expect me to be as excited as a little girl? Samuel, I¡¯m a mature adult. I¡¯ve seen my fair share of diamonds. I bought some too. So, you shouldn¡¯t expect me to get emotional.¡± Samuel said nothing, looking rather dejected. Kathleen lifted his face and smiled. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re not the violent and sinister man you used to be, and I¡¯m not an innocent little girl anymore. We¡¯ve changed. The way we handle matters and the way we express emotions differ now. I like the ring. I¡¯m very impressed.¡± A hint of warmth appeared on Samuel¡¯s handsome face. Even if Kathleen didn¡¯t like it, there was nothing he could do. In the past, he tended to give her a hard time too. Back then, she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Are you hungry? Let¡¯s get something to eat,¡± Kathleen asked in a gentle tone. ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel led her downstairs to get some food. They had Kathleen¡¯s favorite dishes for dinner. While they were halfway through the meal, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang. It was Gemma. ¡°Hello.¡± Kathleen took the call. ¡°Kate¡­¡± Gemma was sobbing on the other end. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Gemma, what¡¯s up? Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital,¡± Gemma said in between sobs. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± Kathleen stood up, put her phone down, and turned to Samuel. ¡°Something¡¯s happened to Gemma. I¡¯m going to the hospital.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Let me take you there. Maybe I can help.¡± ¡°All right.¡± At the hospital, Kathleen found Gemma in her office. Thetter was crouching on the floor, her face buried between her knees in utter misery. Kathleen crouched down as well. ¡°Gem, what happened?¡± Gemma continued to sob. ¡°Did Richard hurt you?¡± Kathleen questioned worriedly. Gemma cried even harder, so much so that she couldn¡¯t speak clearly. Kathleen frowned upon seeing that. From the look of things, she supposed she would have to wait for Samuel¡¯s update. Meanwhile, Samuel arrived at Richard¡¯s office. Richard was lying on his back on the chair. His tie had been ripped off, and his white coat was unbuttoned. ¡°What happened?¡± Samuel demanded icily. What have these two gotten into this time? ¡°Miley had gone to look for her,¡± Richard said, his voice hoarse. ¡°I¡¯d made my intentions very clear to her, but Miley was adamant to jump.¡± ¡°She jumped?¡± Samuel questioned in a frigid voice. Richard nodded. ¡°We were on the third floor then. She leaped out of the window. Gemma couldn¡¯t stop her in time.¡± ¡°Is she still alive?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°She¡¯s in the emergency room.¡± ¡°What¡¯s next? What are you going to do?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Break up with Gemma?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Richard¡¯s expression sank. ¡°If anything happens to Miley, it¡¯s not possible for me to stay with Gemma, Samuel.¡± Gemma and Richard could never put this behind them. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. This woman is nothing but trouble,¡± Samuel stated. ¡°But she¡¯s my professor¡¯s daughter. I can¡¯t ignore her.¡± Richard felt a headacheing. ¡°How¡¯s Gemma?¡± ¡°Kate¡¯s staying with her,¡± Samuel answered. ¡°I really envy you,¡± Richard blurted. ¡°You two have been through so many hardships, and now you two are back together again.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t give up, you can,¡± Samuel said. ¡°If Miley¡¯s safe and sound, what¡¯s your n?¡± Richard stayed silent. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m forcing you,¡± Samuel muttered coolly. ¡°You have to figure out a way to resolve this. If you think about it only when something bad has happened, you¡¯ll miss out on a lot of things.¡± Right then, Samuel¡¯s phone rang in his pocket. Kathleen had sent him a message: I¡¯m taking Gemma home. I¡¯m noting back tonight. She¡¯s not in the right state of mind. I¡¯m worried about her. Samuel nced at it and responded: Sure. I¡¯ll get a few people to stand guard. Look for them if you need anything. It¡¯ste. Don¡¯t leave the house alone. Kathleen typed back: All right. Samuel slipped the phone back into his pocket and said, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go to the operating room.¡± Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Kathleen led Gemma to the bedroom and asked thetter to lie on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a ss of water,¡± Kathleen said. Gemma grabbed her hand, stopping Kathleen from leaving the room. ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty, Kate.¡± Since Gemma had calmed down, she felt like talking to Kathleen. ¡°Talk with me,¡± Gemma continued. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen sat down. Gemma slowly let go of Kathleen¡¯s hand and stared at the ceiling. ¡°That woman¡¯s name is Miley Chapman. She¡¯s the daughter of Richard¡¯s professor, who died during an international aid. That professor saved Richard when he died, so Richard has been responsible for taking care of Miley since then.¡± Kathleen asked coldly, ¡°Did you not know about that all these years?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know. He hid it perfectly. Besides, Miley had always been abroad and nevere back.¡± Kathleen nodded, encouraging Gemma to go on. ¡°We drank too much yesterday, so I told Richard that I wanted to break up if he didn¡¯t want to get married.¡± Gemma pursed her lips. ¡°Kate, I don¡¯t want an intense, dramatic rtionship. I just want it to be simple andst long. I want to get married, have kids, and live a peaceful life.¡± Kathleen held Gemma¡¯s hand. ¡°Gem, I know. This is understandable. Everyone makes their own choices. You want to get married, but he doesn¡¯t want to. You can break up with him and find another man.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what I thought too.¡± Tears rolled down Gemma¡¯s cheeks. ¡°But Richard said that he wanted to marry me and that he loved me very much. It¡¯s just that he wants to wait another year. I love him so much that I agreed to his request.¡± Kathleen did not criticize Gemma because that was how people were when they were in love. Everyone, including Kathleen, used to be a fool when they were in love. Gemma took a deep breath and continued. ¡°Richard gave me a ring, saying that it was a marriage proposal. He promised to marry me after a year. He even brought me to see our new house and gave me the key and a bank card so that I could decorate the house. Kate, I was really happy at the time.¡± Kathleen replied solemnly, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Gemma burst into tears. ¡°The woman named Miley appeared. She came back from abroad and found me. I was in the hospital ward then. She said that Richard loved her and that he went to see her when he went abroad all these years. She even said that she used to have his kid. I didn¡¯t believe her. Richard showed up afterward and told her that the one he loved was me, not her. In the end, she turned and jumped out of the window. I tried to grab her but couldn¡¯t get her in time.¡± Kathleen felt angry yet helpless upon hearing her words. Gemma cried sorrowfully as she went on, ¡°Regardless of whether Miley will survive the fall or not, I know that I can¡¯t be with Richard anymore.¡± Kathleen lightly patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Gem, get some sleep. You should think about this again when you calm down.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma closed her eyes. She had a hard time trying to calm down, so it was difficult for her to fall asleep. Opening a drawer, Kathleen took out an incense stick and lit it. The incense stick released calming scents. Upon smelling the scent from the burning incense stick, Gemma became emotionally stable and soon fell asleep. Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, Miley¡¯s surgery at the hospital was over. The doctor said that she was safe, and fortunately, her head was not seriously injured. The only thing to worry about was her legs, for she might never be able to stand up again. Richard swallowed hard. If Miley did gome, he would have to take care of her for the rest of her life, which meant that he could never be with Gemma anymore. Samuel looked at Richard coldly. ¡°I can help you if you don¡¯t have the heart to do it.¡± ¡°How?¡± Richard frowned. ¡°Send her to a ce you don¡¯t know about,¡± replied Samuel. Richard was rendered speechless. ¡°But it seems that you don¡¯t need me. Richard, if you want to take care of her, you should be prepared to break up with Gemma,¡± Samuel reminded. Richard said bitterly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to break up with her.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to, but is there a woman who can ept her man taking care of another woman? Gemma is more like a soft touch than Kathleen is, but do you really think that she can¡¯t live without you? You¡¯ve been with her for so many years without marrying her. Do you really think she can¡¯t meet a better man at her current age?¡± Samuel mocked. Richard was stumped. ¡°Don¡¯t get clever with Gemma. Richard, I thinkpared to Kathleen, it¡¯ll be even harder for her to get back together with you once she¡¯s made up her mind. Think about it yourself,¡± Samuel added coldly. Richard remained silent. ¡°Kate took Gemma back to her mansion. You can go to see her after you make the decision. If you haven¡¯t decided yet, don¡¯t disturb and upset her,¡± Samuel said calmly. ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded. Samuel then turned to leave. There was a look of misery on Richard¡¯s face. What should I do? Samuel came out of the hospital. When he was about to enter the car, the voice of a woman was heard from behind. ¡°Samuel.¡± Samuel turned to look at Ashley with an indifferent expression. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± He¡¯s so aloof. Ashley walked over. ¡°Why did youe to the hospital?¡± ¡°To do my stuff.¡± Samuel remained distant. Ashley noticed his indifference toward her and said hesitantly, ¡°Samuel, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t get to tell you that day.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± Samuel asked emotionlessly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Ashley looked pale. ¡°I have an upset stomach from dinner. Please apany me to the doctor first, and then, I will tell you.¡± ¡°Hey, you over there, apany Ms. Zeller to get a check-up,¡± Samuel instructed in a cold voice. Ashley was bereft of speech as a bodyguard walked over. Samuel fixed his indifferent eyes on Ashley. ¡°Does it not hurt anymore? Hurry up and go.¡± Ashley felt humiliated. She could not believe that he actually got a bodyguard to get rid of her, Ashley Zeller, the niece of the owner of Zeller Group. Samuel looked at her coldly. ¡°Samuel, that¡¯s not very gentlemanly of you,¡± Ashley remarked calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t need to be one to you. Why should I be so nice to women other than my own?¡± Samuel replied icily. Ashley froze. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re dying,¡± added Samuel. As she looked up to meet his dark, cold eyes, she was stunned. Samuel was staring cold as ice at her without any emotion in his eyes. Ashley clenched her fists. ¡°Samuel, actually this is what I¡¯m trying to tell you. Do you remember when you were kidnapped many years ago and a little girl died while trying to save you?¡± Samuel kept his cold gaze at her. ¡°Yes.¡± That¡¯s great! ¡°Actually, that little girl is me.¡± Ashley felt uneasy. In fact, she didn¡¯t want to mention it herself. Chapter 435 Chapter 435 I can¡¯t tell him that I want to be with him, can I? ¡°Samuel, actually, I want to be your¡­ sister.¡± Ashley squeezed her fingers as she went on, ¡°I¡¯m the only child. I want a¡­ brother.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s either money or something else. I won¡¯t agree to have such an ambiguous rtionship with you,¡± Samuel replied tly. Ashley froze. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Why is this different from what I thought? Samuel looked at her indifferently. ¡°Do you still want to see the doctor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself.¡± After a pause, Ashley added hesitantly, ¡°Samuel, how about this? Treat it as a favor you owe me. I¡¯lle to you when I have the need to in the future. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± That¡¯s great! ¡°I hope you¡¯ll have your mind made up when youe to me,¡± Samuel added before closing the car door and instructing the driver to drive. Biting her lip, Ashley watched him leave. I didn¡¯t expect him to be so unyielding, but it¡¯s okay. I have other ways. Kathleen woke up early the next day. After she went downstairs, she saw Samuel sitting in the living room, and there was food on the table. ¡°How did youe in?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°With key. Desi gave it to me,¡± exined Samuel. Kathleen recalled that she had indeed given Desiree the key to her house when thetter lived here. Kathleen did not expect Desiree would give the key to Samuel. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I want you to sleep a little longer,¡± Samuel replied. She went over to sit next to him. ¡°I know all the ins and outs. How¡¯s Miley doing?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t hurt her head, but she won¡¯t be able to stand up for the rest of her life,¡± stated Samuel calmly. It¡¯s that bad? Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°What is Richard going to do?¡± Samuel nced sideways at her. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°If he wants to take care of Miley, Gemma¡­¡± Kathleen could not finish her sentence. Instead, she said, ¡°It¡¯ll be too cruel for her.¡± Samuel held her hand. ¡°She has to face it.¡± Kathleen felt bad for Gemma. ¡°It¡¯s too cruel.¡± There was a solemn look in Samuel¡¯s ??vel?book eyes. Indeed. It¡¯s not easy for Richard and Gemma to be together. Gemma has indeed sacrificed a lot in the rtionship. ¡°Kate.¡± Gemma¡¯s voice was suddenly hearding from upstairs. Kathleen immediately rose to her feet. ¡°Gem, you¡¯re awake. Are you hungry? Samuel got us some breakfast.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Gemma nodded. Kathleen grabbed Gemma¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and eat something.¡± The former then nced at Samuel. ¡°Come eat together.¡± Samuel nodded. The three of them went to the dining room. Kathleen took care of Gemma. ¡°Here¡¯s some soy milk and bread.¡± Kathleen ced the breakfast in front of Gemma. Gemma took a sip of the soy milk. ¡°Samuel, how¡¯s Miley?¡± ¡°I called just now and was told that she¡¯s out of critical condition. I¡¯ve also helped you to apply for leave at the hospital. You can take a good rest and return to work anytime,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°Thanks.¡± Gemma¡¯s eyes were reddened. He replied calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony. You¡¯re Kate¡¯s friend.¡± Gemma pursed her lips. ¡°So she¡­¡± Gemma trailed off. ¡°She can¡¯t move her legs anymore. She has to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair,¡± Samuel stated. Gemma took a bite of the bread and chewed it slowly, tears rolling down her cheeks. Kathleen took a piece of tissue and helped Gemma to wipe the tears off her face. As tears kept streaming down Gemma¡¯s face, Kathleen got worried. Gemma knew that it was impossible for Richard to ignore Miley when Miley was in such a condition. Gemma felt terrible, and her heart ached. Closing her eyes, she broke down in tears. Kathleen patted her lightly on her back. ¡°Don¡¯t take it too hard, Gem. Richard is so terrible. If he had resolved the matter sooner, it wouldn¡¯t have affected you.¡± Hearing Kathleen¡¯sint about Richard, Samuel did not want to make anyments. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m really sad. I love him so much, but this is what I get in the end.¡± Gemma sobbed. She was indignant that she had to break up with Richard because of such a thing. ¡°There are a lot of things in life we can¡¯t control, Gem. If you can¡¯t force it, it¡¯s better for you to walk away from it as soon as possible,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma sniffled. ¡°Kate, I would like to be alone now.¡± ¡°Make yourself at home, Gem. I¡¯ve told the guard not to let Richard in. Don¡¯t worry. Have a good rest,¡± Kathleen assured. Gemma nodded and went back to her room. Samuel gave Kathleen a thoughtful look. ¡°What do you think Gemma will do?¡± Kathleen replied straightforwardly, ¡°Break up. No woman can ept such a thing. Richard is the one who makes the mistake, so he should bear the consequences himself. He can¡¯t drag Gemma into it.¡± Samuel gave it a thought and asked, ¡°What if this happens to us?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2363.html Kathleen looked at him with a serious expression. ¡°If the woman who ces you in a tough spot is Ashley, Samuel, I won¡¯t cry as Gemma did. Now, I understand that making myself happy is the most important thing. When the timees, don¡¯t use me of not loving you enough. If you love me, you won¡¯t have anything to do with Ashley.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make a mistake.¡± Samuel felt helpless. Kathleen took a sip of the ??vel?book soy milk without saying anything. Ashley¡¯s existence made her feel ufortable. It was not that she was overly concerned, but something like that happened too many times, such as Nicolette, who pretended to be the one who saved Samuel. As a result, Samuel treated Nicolette very well. By the way, there has been no news of Nicolette these days. Where did she go? ¡°What are you going to do today?¡± asked Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m keeping Gempany at home. I vaguely remember that she always spent time with me when I quarreled with you previously, so I can¡¯t leave her now,¡± replied Kathleen. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to the office today. Call me if you need me.¡± He knew that Kathleen would not possibly call him as she was no longer the same as before and could solve everything by herself. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen gave him a slight nod. Samuel got up and left. He then got into the car with a frown. Tyson asked awkwardly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Macari?¡± ¡°Tyson, humans are so greedy.¡± Samuel swallowed hard. ¡°I used to think it would be fine as long as she stayed by my side, but now I want her to love me like before.¡± ¡°What happened, Mr. Macari?¡± Samuel told Tyson the whole thing. ¡°Mr. Macari, I actually think that Mrs. Macari is right. Both of you have changed. You certainly didn¡¯t handle things the way you did in the past. Besides, I think the fact that Mrs. Macari is bothered by Ashley shows that she loves you.¡± Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Kathleen turned on the light and scanned the room but could not find Gemma. The former was stunned for a moment before making her way to the bathroom. Only then did she find Gemma sitting in the bathtub filled with cold water. ¡°Gem, you¡¯ll get sick.¡± Walking over, Kathleen squatted down next to Gemma. ¡°Come out first.¡± She reached out to touch Gemma, whose skin was icy cold and wet. ¡°Gem, you can¡¯t be like this because of a man.¡± Kathleen cupped Gemma¡¯s face with her hands. ¡°It¡¯s really not worth it. It¡¯s his business that he wants to repay his mentor. You don¡¯t have to punish yourself like this.¡± Gemma remained sitting quietly with her knees to her chest inside the bathtub. Kathleen drained the cold water from the bathtub and wrapped Gemma in a bath towel. ¡°Can you not be like this, Gem?¡± Tears welled up in Kathleen¡¯s eyes. Saying nothing, Gemma sat quietly in the bathtub. Kathleen could not do anything about it. The doorbell rang all of a sudden. Kathleen knitted her brows. If it were Samuel, he would have entered the house instead of ringing ??vel?book the doorbell. Who will it be? ¡°Gem, I¡¯ll go have a look.¡± Kathleen ran some warm water in the bathtub and added, ¡°While you warm up your body first.¡± Gemma said nothing. Kathleen then got up and went downstairs to get the door. Richard was seen standing at the door. Still wearing his outfit from the day before, Richard looked worried. ¡°Is Gem¡ª¡± Kathleen cut him off coldly, ¡°She¡¯s not okay.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Richard faltered. ¡°If you want to see her, I¡¯ll ask her first,¡± said Kathleen. Richard did not expect that Kathleen would let him see Gemma. ¡°Richard, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t me you. I just think it¡¯s necessary for you to rify this matter with her. You should finish what you started.¡± There was a standoffish look in Kathleen¡¯s eyes. Richard stiffened. ¡°Are you asking me to break up with her?¡± ¡°What else can it be?¡± Kathleen gave him a stern look. ¡°Do you want her to wait? A woman doesn¡¯t have much time to waste! You know she wants to get married, to live a stable life, but you can¡¯t give her what she wants, so what makes you think you can cling to her!¡± Richard was bereft of speech. He took a deep breath before relenting. ¡°If this is what she wants, I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes glinted with emotions as she turned to head upstairs to see Gemma. When she entered the bathroom, she saw that the water in the bathtub had overflowed. Turning off the water faucet, she said gently, ¡°Richard is here. He wants to see you.¡± Gemma did not move an inch. Kathleen sighed. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll ask him to leave.¡± Gemma suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ll see him.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen was stunned for a moment. ¡°Gem, don¡¯t force yourself if you don¡¯t want to do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Get him toe up here.¡± Gemma¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ll help you dry your body first.¡± Kathleen took off her clothes and wiped her body dry before putting a clean bathrobe on her. Afterward, Kathleen helped Gemma out of the bathtub, led thetter to the bed, and wrapped her with the nket. Gemma¡¯s body gradually got warm. Only then did Kathleen go to see Richard, who was standing by the stairs on the first floor. A tall and sturdy man was standing next to him. It was Samuel. ¡°I brought dinner.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was calm. Kathleen nodded at him before looking at Richard. ¡°You may go up.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Richard walked upstairs. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Won¡¯t you follow him?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°They¡¯re both adults. They have their own ??vel?book ways to solve things. It¡¯s personal. I shouldn¡¯t interfere.¡± Samuel held her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s have something to eat first.¡± Kathleen nodded. She looked down at Samuel¡¯s hand that was holding hers and saw that he was wearing a ring. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like this is thetest style,¡± Kathleenmented, feeling curious. ¡°I bought it when we got married. I¡¯ve been keeping it,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen was puzzled. ¡°It looks quite ordinary. Did I pick it myself?¡± Samuel froze. It was not wrong to say that Kathleen was the one who picked the ring. At that time, he was impatient, so Kathleen had picked a low-key and cheap ring. ¡°Since you are wearing the old one, I will also wear the old one,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°I don¡¯t know where I kept yours.¡± Samuel held her hand tightly, feeling guilty deep down. Kathleen gazed at his eyes, knowing that he was clearly lying. However, she did not bother to expose his lies as it was sometimes better to be ignorant. Richard came to Gemma¡¯s room, and she was sitting on the bed motionlessly. She was like a doll that was left to the mercy of others. Richard rarely saw her like that. Gemma had always been a gentle and quiet person, but she would not be so silent and lifeless. ¡°Gem, are you okay?¡± Richard¡¯s voice was deep. Gemma slowly looked up at him without any emotions in her eyes. ¡°Richard, how¡¯s Miley doing?¡± Richard froze for a moment. ¡°She¡¯s fine, but her legs are injured, so she needs some time to rest and recover.¡± Gemma questioned, ¡°What¡¯s the point of lying to me? My colleague texted me telling me that her legs were broken. She can never stand up again.¡± Richard shot her a helpless look. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2363.html ¡°You¡¯ve been taking care of her because of your mentor. Now that her legs are broken, that¡¯s all the more reason for you to take care of her. Richard, I can¡¯t keep on waiting for you. Do you get it?¡± ¡°Are you breaking up with me?¡± Richard asked in a hoarse voice. Gemma nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Richard¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gemma took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯d thought about it for a day. Richard, I¡¯ve been waiting for you all these years, but you¡¯ve let me down. I can no longer waste my time on you. Let¡¯s go our separate ways.¡± Richard clenched his fists. ¡°Even if I ask you to give me some time?¡± Gemma shook her head. ¡°No. To give you a little more time is to stab myself with a knife. Richard, you can¡¯t be so cruel. I¡¯ve sacrificed too much. I can¡¯t ept that you care more about another ??vel?book woman instead of me, so let¡¯s break up.¡± Richard¡¯s hands started trembling uncontrobly. ¡°Gem¡­¡± ¡°Richard, it¡¯s been almost seven years.¡± Gemma looked up at the ceiling, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°How many seven years can a woman have?¡± Richard stood rooted to the spot. ¡°We¡¯re breaking up. That¡¯s all I have to say. I¡¯ll go to your house to pack up my stuff in a few days. I¡¯m done talking. You may leave.¡± Gemma began to chase him out. She did not want to see Richard anymore. The sight of him made her heart and every part of her ache. Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Finally Free Richard looked at her and pursed his lips before stepping out of the room. As he descended ? ? v e l ? b o o k the stairs dejectedly, he nced at the dining room. ¡°How did it go?¡± asked Samuel. ¡°We¡­ broke up,¡± Richard muttered, hoping Samuel would console him. ¡°Gemma¡¯s finally free. From today onward, you can keep that crazy womanpany,¡± Samuel commented tly. Richard was rendered speechless. ¡°Richard, you¡¯re greatly responsible for Miley¡¯s current state. If you had kept a distance from her since the beginning, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up like that. You knew Miley liked you, yet you kept getting in touch with her. Naturally, her desire for you will grow. In fact, she¡¯s even willing to use such methods to own you.¡± Samuel¡¯s words hit the bullseye. Richard stayed silent. Samuel was right. It was all Richard¡¯s indulgence that caused Miley to be in such a state. ¡°Kathleen, please take care of Gem,¡± Richard mumbled. ¡°I would¡¯ve done it without you telling me to do so,¡± Kathleen stated coldly. A look of helplessness appeared on the man¡¯s face. Just then, his phone rang. ¡°Dr. Zimmer, pleasee over quickly. The patient¡¯s awake, but she keeps crying and making a fuss. We can¡¯t keep her calm.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right over.¡± Richard ended the call and immediately dashed off. Kathleenmented frostily, ¡°You¡¯re right. The biggest factor is not setting boundaries. But I never expected Richard to be like this.¡± Samuel murmured, ¡°I won¡¯t do that.¡± She side-eyed him. ¡°I don¡¯t believe Ashley never went looking for you.¡± Her womanly instincts told her that Ashley would not back down. ¡°Forget it. She¡¯s your savior. I have no right to say anything.¡± She swallowed her food with a cid expression and informed, ¡°I¡¯m going to check on Gem.¡± With that, she put down her cutlery and went upstairs. Clearly, she was ignoring Samuel. He sighed inwardly, frustrated by the situation. Kathleen really doesn¡¯t like Ashley. Well, neither do I. Kathleen went up the stairs and arrived in front of the room door. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, for she heard Gemma¡¯s sobs from inside the room. Standing at the doorway, Kathleen sighed and leaned against the wall. Apart from feeling worried and heartbroken for Gemma, Kathleen thought about Ashley upon seeing Gemma in this state. It was inevitable for women to feel insecure when a person like Miley showed up around their significant others. Kathleen used to think her feelings for Samuel were not as intense as before. However, Ashley¡¯s appearance made Kathleen realize how scary her possessiveness could be. Despite that, she did not want Samuel to notice it. After all, Ashley did save Samuel. It was up to Samuel as to how he wanted to thank Ashley. Even so, Kathleen could not help but worry. She stood at the door for ? ?vel?book some time until the sobs inside became softer. Only then did she enter the room. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2363.html ¡°Gem, are you okay?¡± Kathleen asked concernedly. Gemma slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were swollen from crying. ¡°We broke up. Our seven-year rtionship ended just like that,¡± she sobbed. Kathleen sat beside the bed and pulled Gemma into her embrace. ¡°There¡¯ll be a better man who loves you. You¡¯re a great woman. You deserve better, Gem.¡± Gemma hugged the woman back. ¡°Kate, I feel awful. I really love him, but I can¡¯t tolerate having a woman like her getting in between us. It¡¯s too torturous. I¡¯d rather give up on a rtionship like this.¡± Unfortunately, the process of giving up was too difficult to bear. Kathleen patted her friend¡¯s back. ¡°Cry it out if you want to. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve really had enough. What gives that woman the right to take away the person I love? What makes her think she can threaten him with her life? Does she think I can¡¯t do the same? I simply don¡¯t want to,¡± Gemma bemoaned, sounding as if she was about to tear up again. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Gem, you must not think of it that way! She jumped from the third floor because she¡¯s a madwoman. You¡¯re not. It¡¯s not worth doing that for a man who hurt you. Think of your brother. Are you willing to break his heart?¡± Gemma sniffled. ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m his only family and vice versa. We can¡¯t lose each other.¡± Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m d you understand.¡± ¡°Kate, I¡¯m thinking of resigning.¡± Gemma let go of Kathleen and leaned against the headboard. ¡°I¡¯ll keep seeing them if I continue working at the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay. Go ahead and resign, then.¡± Kathleen thought for a moment and asked, ¡°But isn¡¯t being a nurse your dream?¡± Is it really worth giving up a job you like for a man? Gemma answered inly, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve thought about it.¡± She had considered it thoroughly. ¡°Do you have any ns after this?¡± Gemma shook her head; she had not thought about that. However, her savings would give her enough time to mull it over. ¡°Gem, why don¡¯t you join mypany? We¡¯re in need of employees. You coulde over and help me?¡± Kathleen suggested. Gemma frowned. ¡°But what can I do?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you can be my assistant. What do you think?¡± Gemma gave it a thought before answering, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do it, but I can give it a go.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Sure! Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not difficult.¡± Gemma smiled faintly. ¡°Thank you for keeping mepany today, Kate.¡± Kathleen shed her a smile. ¡°What are you saying? We¡¯re best friends. Who¡¯s going to take care of you if not me? Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Gemma bobbed her head. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go get some food.¡± Kathleen helped her friend to get out of bed. When they reached the dining room, Samuel was already gone. Kathleen paid no mind to it. She led Gemma to the seat, and they ate together. After eating, Gemma returned to the room, saying she wanted to prepare her resignation letter. Thus, Kathleen cleaned up the ce and retreated to her room as well. To her surprise, she saw a man lying on the bed. His suit had been taken off and ced by the side. He had fallen asleep on the bed while still dressed in the other pieces. Kathleen assumed he had left. Never did she expect him to have quietly crawled into her bed. Since Samuel was sleeping soundly, she moved around the room quietly. She took a bath, theny on the bed. Her fragrance wafted up the man¡¯s nostrils instantly, causing him to open his eyes. Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Did I wake you?¡± Samuel shook his head. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything about staying here? I got a shock when I saw someone lying on my bed as I entered the room,¡± sheined helplessly, slightly exaggerating. He held her hand. ¡°Kate, if you¡¯re so bothered by Ashley, why did you agree to marry me?¡± Kathleen ?.?vel?book huffed indignantly. ¡°I¡¯m regretting it now.¡± Samuel tightened his grip around her hand. ¡°You love me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No shit, Sherlock. Why am I with you if I don¡¯t love you?¡± She furrowed her brows. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m insane?¡± He nced at her with a gentle gaze. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve gone insane from loving me.¡± She scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re really full of yourself, aren¡¯t you? Samuel, I¡¯ve got nothing to say since Ashley¡¯s your savior. What I do mind is her identity.¡± Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Kathleen¡¯s eyes, which were initially closed, fluttered open. ¡°Did she ask for other forms of repayment?¡± Samuel remained silent for a moment, then nodded. She raised a brow. ¡°Interesting. What did she want?¡± ¡°She wants to be my little sister,¡± he admitted. Kathleen was dumbstruck. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to it,¡± he muttered. In fact, there was no way he would agree to it. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She turned over and stared fixedly at him. ¡°I think Ashley¡¯s up to no good. If she really makes a move, will you¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill her. But if she messes with you, I¡¯ll never forgive her,¡± Samuel said grimly. Kathleen sighed with relief inwardly. ¡°Okay.¡± After saying that, she shut her eyes. ¡°I hope she can ept reality.¡± The next morning, Samuel received a phone call. ¡°Okay. Got it. Go back to the manor and help me pack my luggage,¡± he instructed sternly. Kathleen was awakened by his voice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Nichs. He¡¯s gotten into some kind of trouble at Smend. I¡¯ll need to go there personally to settle it. I might stay there for a week.¡± He hugged her. That long? She nodded. ¡°Okay. Stay safe.¡± Samuel nted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Mm. You should get more sleep. I¡¯ll wash up and leave when I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°All right.¡± With that, the man got up and went to wash up. Kathleeny back on the bed, but she could not fall asleep. A momentter, Samuel was prepared to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± She walked up to him and slipped a talisman into his coat pocket. ¡°Samuel, this talisman has a special pill. If you get tricked by someone, swallow it. It¡¯ll help you.¡± He held her hand. ¡°All right. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯lle back in one piece.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She nodded. Samuel gave her a hug, pecked her red lips, then left. Kathleen sighed silently and watched him leave the mansion. Unable to fall back to sleep, she went to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. That day, Gemma came downstairs too. However, herplexion was poor. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Kathleen asked in concern. Gemma felt her forehead and said, ¡°I think I¡¯m down with a slight fever.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Are you still going to the hospital, then?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Gemma answered confidently, for she had made the preparations. ¡°Kate, can you apany me to pack up my things after visiting the hospital?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Upon arriving at the hospital, Gemma went straight to the director¡¯s office to hand in her letter of resignation. The director tried to convince her to stay. ¡°I¡¯ve really thought this through. Please let me resign,¡± she pleaded with a helpless expression. The director sighed and responded reluctantly, ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Gemma turned around and exited the room. Upon exiting the director¡¯s office, she said to Kathleen, ¡°I¡¯m going to bid farewell to my colleagues.¡± ¡°Sure. Go ahead,¡± Kathleen said ndly. Hence, Gemma went off to look for her colleagues while Kathleen strolled around the hospital grounds. ¡°Ms. Johnson!¡± Rory greeted when she finally found Kathleen. ¡°Why are you here?¡± asked Kathleen in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve got a document that needs your signature.¡± Nodding, Kathleen picked up the pen and signed with a flourish. ¡°How could it be her?¡± Rory eximed out of the blue. ¡°Who?¡± Kathleen raised her head. Rory pointed at the silhouette that was moving about in a hurry. ¡°That woman over there. Her name¡¯s Marjory Garner. She used to be my mentor at the bodyguard training institution.¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Oh? She¡¯s so young.¡± ¡°I know, right? She¡¯s really incredible. In fact, she became our mentor when she was in her teens,¡± Rory exined. ¡°But why is she here in the country?¡± Kathleen sensed Rory¡¯s curiosity. ¡°You should greet her if you want to.¡± Thetter shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s all right. She¡¯s taught many students. Besides, she often gives lessons to rich kids. I bet she¡¯s forgotten all about me.¡± Kathleen fell silent. ¡°Anyway, I shall get going, Ms. Johnson.¡± Rory picked up the documents and left. Kathleen nodded in response. Just as Rory left, Kathleen recalled there was an important document lying on her office desk. Thus, she went over to get it. Along the way, she happened to pass by Miley¡¯s ward. The ward door was wide open, and Marjory could be seen standing in front of Miley¡¯s bed. The two looked extremely serious. Right then, Kathleen recalled Rory¡¯s words. Marjory gave lessons to rich kids. Does that mean she taught Miley before too? Quietly, she stood in a corner and listened to their conversation. ¡°Looks like your wish ising true,¡± Marjorymented coolly. ¡°Yes. Soon, he¡¯ll be mine.¡± There was a hint of smugness in Miley¡¯s voice. ¡°Whatever floats your boat,¡± Marjory responded tly. ¡°Ms. Garner, let¡¯s not keep in touch from today onward. I¡¯m afraid he might be suspicious,¡± Miley said concernedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m only here to check up on you. You¡¯re my student, after all.¡± ¡°Did something happen? Why are you back in the country?¡± Miley asked with curiosity. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m here to work as the bodyguard of Zeller Group¡¯s owner¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Bodyguard?¡± Miley raised her brow. ¡°All the best, Ms. Garner.¡± ¡°Oh, well. They pay a princely sum,¡± Marjory admitted straightforwardly. Miley thought for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you guys nning to make a move against Kathleen Johnson?¡± ¡°Miley, it¡¯s best not to know too much about some things,¡± Marjory reminded softly. Miley grinned. ¡°Ms. Garner, I won¡¯t get involved. But Kathleen is Gemma¡¯s best friend. I¡¯m afraid Gemma might attack me. Of course, if you can eliminate her, then I won¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡± ¡°You should rest well.¡± Marjory looked unwilling to talk anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll get going.¡± With that, she walked to the door. Seeing that, Kathleen quickly left the corridor. Meanwhile, Marjory stepped out of Miley¡¯s room and went downstairs. Kathleen frowned deeply. So, there¡¯s something fishy about Miley¡¯s attempt to jump off the building? When Kathleen returned to her office, she quickly dialed Rory¡¯s number. ¡°Rory, if I tell you to jump from the third floor, are you able to make sure your head won¡¯t be injured?¡± Rory was taken aback, but she answered right away, ¡°Sure, as long as I¡¯m not afraid to break the rest of my body. During the jump, I¡¯ll wrap my hands around my head, adjust my posture, and make sure my legsnd first.¡± Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Chapter 439 You Are At Home ¡°Did Marjory teach you this before?¡± Kathleen inquired. Rory nodded. ¡°Of course. In fact, professionals like us are unlikely to be injured when jumping from the third floor. We¡¯ll be fine as long as we don¡¯t make careless mistakes.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Dr. Johnson, is there any problem?¡± Rory asked in puzzlement. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You may carry on with your work now.¡± Kathleen hung up the phone and went looking for Miley¡¯s attending physician. His name was Stanley Hans.He grinned when he saw Kathleen personally visiting him. ¡°Hello, Dr. Johnson.¡± Kathleen nodded in acknowledgment and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to have a look at Miley¡¯s medical records.¡± Stanley stiffened, flustered by the unexpected request. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Richard asked me to treat Miley¡¯s legs. So, I need the medical records,¡± she answered indifferently. ¡°Oh. Perhaps, Ms. Chapman¡¯s legs might recover with your treatment,¡± he responded awkwardly. Kathleen reached out and repeated tly, ¡°The medical records.¡± Stanley handed them to her obediently.She took the medical records and announced, ¡°I¡¯ll take them with me, then.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Huh?¡± The man was stunned. She asked expressionlessly, ¡°Can¡¯t I? All of you have an electronic copy of these medical records, anyway. I¡¯ll return them to you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he responded reluctantly. With that, Kathleen turned to leave. Upon exiting the room, she found a janitress. Kathleen took out a tiny bugging device and said, ¡°I need a favor from you. Please stick this under Miley¡¯s bed when you¡¯re cleaning the area.¡± The janitress eyed her suspiciously. ¡°Won¡¯t it be discovered?¡± Kathleen reassured, ¡°It won¡¯t. Feel free to let me know if there¡¯s anything you need.¡± The janitress was taken aback by Kathleen¡¯s words. ¡°Really? Anything?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing me a favor. Of course, I won¡¯t treat you unfairly. However, you must promise to keep this a secret.¡± The janitress epted the bugging device. ¡°Then¡­ My son just graduated from university, and he needs a job.¡± ¡°Does he want to go to Macari Group or mypany?¡± Kathleen asked straightforwardly. ¡°Macari Group.¡± Kathleen nodded in understanding. ¡°Okay. Go and get busy. Someone will get in touch with you guys soon.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The janitress was overjoyed. With that, she pushed the janitorial cart toward Miley¡¯s ward. Miley was not the slightest bit suspicious since the janitress was there to clean the room. When Kathleen got into her car, she unlocked her phone and put on her Bluetooth earphones. She tapped into an application and made some adjustments. Suddenly, Stanley¡¯s voice came through the earphone speakers. ¡°Looks like Richard asked Kathleen to treat your legs. It won¡¯t take long for him to find out your legs are fine,¡± said Stanley uneasily. Miley smiled nonchntly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that better? That way, I¡¯ll have a reason to get to my feet. There¡¯s no need to look for other doctors anymore.¡± ¡°But Kathleen has superb medical skills. She¡¯ll definitely realize something¡¯s off. When she realizes there¡¯s nothing wrong with your legs, she¡¯ll know I¡¯ve falsified your records,¡± he uttered nervously. ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much. She won¡¯t realize a thing,¡± remarked Miley indifferently. Exasperated, Stanley asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re underestimating her? Anyway, I¡¯ve already finished helping you. I won¡¯t be responsible if something happens next time.¡± Miley¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Are you trying to burn the bridge now?¡± ¡°What do you mean, burn the bridge? This was our agreement. All I had to do was fabricate your medical records, saying your legs can¡¯t function anymore. That¡¯s all!¡± retorted Stanley, trying to shirk his responsibility. He knew he could not afford to mess with Kathleen. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re on your own if you really let Kathleen treat your legs!¡± Stanley did not want to bring trouble upon himself. What he did was already enough to make him lose his job. ¡°Fine. Since Richard is being obedient to me, he won¡¯t force me into things I don¡¯t want. You should leave quickly. He¡¯ll be back soon. We must not let him find out that we¡¯re in contact,¡± Miley said coldly. ¡°Okay.¡± Stanley sighed with relief and left the room. Kathleen turned on the recording mode for the bugging device and removed her earphones. I knew I¡¯d get information about this. Had it not been for Rory recognizing Marjory in the hospital, I¡¯d never have imagined Miley pretending to be crippled. Thump! Thump! Gemma knocked on the car window. Kathleen opened the door, asking, ¡°Are you done with your farewells?¡± Gemma got into the car and muttered, ¡°Yes. They want to throw me a farewell party.¡± A farewell party? ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want them to worry about me. We¡¯ve been colleagues for many years, and our friendship is real. I want to go.¡± Gemma squeezed her hands. ¡°Just don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± Kathleen gave Gemma¡¯s hand a squeeze. ¡°What were you thinking about earlier? You looked quite serious.¡± Gemma studied the woman curiously. A look of contemtion that was never seen before appeared on Kathleen¡¯s delicate face. ¡°Just some things,¡± answered Kathleen. ¡°Is it about Samuel?¡± Gemma raised a brow. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. She really was not thinking about him. ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip. Don¡¯t you miss him?¡± Gemma was surprised. ¡°I do. But I don¡¯t miss him that much. He¡¯s going toe back, anyway,¡± Kathleen said casually. Gemma stared at Kathleen with envy. ¡°Kate, I wish I could be as carefree as you. I took Richard too seriously, and now, it¡¯s like his shadow is in every part of my life, so much so that I had no choice but to change my job.¡± If she did not do that, she would keep thinking of him. Kathleen pondered for a moment. Finally, she decided not to bring Miley up in case the news affected Gemma again. After all, she was not sure what Miley had done yet. ¡°So, shall we go to Richard¡¯s ce now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gemma nodded, turning on the navigation system. With Kathleen driving the car, the duo soon arrived at Richard¡¯s residence. Gemma unbuckled her seat belt, and she scanned the building with a look of revulsion. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen prompted. ¡°Let¡¯s finish packing earlier. You¡¯re going to have a meal with your colleaguester, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Gemma answered with a nod. She took a deep breath and got out of the car. Kathleen, too, got out as well. They took the elevator upstairs. Upon arriving at the door, Gemma pulled out a key. Before she could even insert the key into the keyhole, the door opened from the inside. There stood Richard behind the door, dressed in his pajamas. Gemma¡¯s and Richard¡¯s eyes met instantly. It was extremely awkward. ¡°You¡¯re at home.¡± Gemma did her best to remain calm. ¡°Mm.¡± Richard fixed his eyes on her face. ¡°I¡¯m here to pack up my things. I¡¯ll be done in a sh.¡± She looked away, avoiding his intense gaze. He swallowed hard. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°Sorry for the disturbance,¡± Gemma said, walking into the house.She went straight into the room, took out her luggage from the closet, and started packing her things. Kathleen went closer to Richard. ¡°I checked Miley¡¯s medical records just now. I think there¡¯s still hope for her legs. Can you let me have a go at it?¡± Richard frowned. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You?¡± She said aloofly, ¡°Yes. She can¡¯t stand, anyway. So, it won¡¯t hurt even if the treatment fails. Surely you do not think I want to harm her?¡± Chapter 440 Chapter 440 Chapter 440 Polite Richard saidposedly, ¡°Would you go through so much trouble if your intention is to harm her?¡± Nonchntly, Kathleen asked, ¡°So, that¡¯s a yes?¡± ¡°You look pretty surprised.¡± He frowned. Staring at him coldly, she answered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did Gem agree to this?¡± Richard muttered. ¡°She was a nurse with ethics. Do you think she will stop me?¡± ¡°Was?¡± A deep frown formed on the man¡¯s face. Kathleen merely shrugged. Then, Richard strode toward the bedroom. Meanwhile, Kathleen walked to the couch in the living room and sat down. Standing behind Gemma, Richard questioned, ¡°You resigned?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She was taken aback by his question. Nevertheless, she nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°I thought you love your job? Why did you resign out of the blue?¡± he asked with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary for one to continue working even with passion, right? I¡¯m just feeling burned out at work, so I decided to resign,¡± she answered calmly. ¡°If it¡¯s because of me, I can resign.¡± Pursing her lips, Gemma said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to pity me, Richard. Do you think I can¡¯t survive after leaving here without a job? Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m not useless. I can afford to take care of myself.¡± Hearing that, Richard froze on the spot. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to work at Kate¡¯spany. Also, please stay out of my business.¡± With that, Gemma zipped up her luggage. ¡°This is your house key. I¡¯ll put it here.¡± She ced the key on the bedside table. As Richard shifted his attention to her luggage, he realized that Gemma¡¯s belongings were not much, although they had been living together for a long time. Look at her determination to leave. I wonder if she would hesitate to do so if she had ced more things here in my house? Then, he stepped forward, only to see her retreat instantly. ¡°Go away, Richard. I don¡¯t want you toe near me!¡± Richard could not do anything but look at her nkly. ¡°Richard Zimmer, I¡¯ve sacrificed my time and youth for you, but what I got in return is deception.¡± She took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°I wish happiness for the both of you.¡± As soon as she finished her sentence, she dragged her luggage and left the room. Kathleen immediately stood up and walked over to her friend. ¡°Are you done?¡± Nodding, Gemma croaked, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen muttered and followed along. Meanwhile, Richard had a gloomy look on his face while he watched them leave. Downstairs, Kathleen and Gemma carried the luggage into the car. ¡°Kate, you¡¯ve truly decided to treat Miley¡¯s leg?¡± Gemma asked abruptly. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Gem, I can¡¯t disclose the reason to you yet. You¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Gemma interrupted, smiling faintly, ¡°As you said, saving lives is a doctor¡¯s duty. I don¡¯t me you at all. I¡¯m just asking.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell you everything when the time is right.¡± Gemma nodded in response. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen then dragged her into the car. Soon after that, Gemma received the location of the dinner gathering, and Kathleen drove her there. ¡°Have fun,¡± Kathleen voiced after dropping Gemma off. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma nodded. ¡°You should go home now, Kate. I¡¯ll get myself a cab after the meal.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen hesitated for a brief while. ¡°Trust me; I¡¯m fine. You should go handle your business.¡± Gemma shed her a smile. ¡°Come on. I¡¯m not that fragile. I swear I¡¯m all right now.¡± With that, she turned away to leave. In the meantime, Kathleen heaved a heavy sigh. How could she be okay? I¡¯m not too worried about her, as the Gemma I know is a strong person. I know she¡¯s swallowing her grievance. Nevertheless, it¡¯s unhealthy for her to do so. I¡¯m afraid that her repressed emotions might lead to dire consequences someday. At that thought, Kathleen let out a sigh helplessly in her car. Then, she was interrupted by a phone call. It was from Samuel. She pondered, realizing that he must have arrived at his destination. Kathleen picked up the phone. ¡°I¡¯ve reached the hotel.¡± Samuel loosened his tie. There was a hint of displeasure in his gravelly voice. She nodded and answered, ¡°I see. You must be tired from the flight. Get some rest.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± He swallowed hard, then continued saying, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just dropped Gem off. She¡¯s having dinner with her colleagues. I¡¯m on my way home now.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Holding his phone, Samuel stood in front of the window of his hotel room. He looked outside, not uttering a single word. On the other side, Kathleen took a nce at her phone curiously. He¡¯s still on the line, but why isn¡¯t he saying anything? ¡°Hello? Are you there?¡± she asked with a frown. ¡°Yes,¡± he croaked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, then?¡± With a low voice, he uttered, ¡°Drive safe. I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± He knew that he could notin much. In the past, Kathleen would always check on him when he went out for his business trips. He was used to her dropping him a text before his flight arrived at his destination. That way, when he switched off airne mode on his phone, he would immediately receive her texts. I guess it¡¯s my karma for not appreciating what she did for me in the past. Now, Kathleen is acting cold and distant toward me. I can¡¯t expect anything from her, nevertheless. ¡°I¡¯m too busy today. That¡¯s why I had no time to check on you. All right, you should get some rest now. Bye.¡± Soon, Kathleen hung up the call. Samuel was speechless.She didn¡¯t even give me a chance to say anything before she hung up. He took a deep breath while wearing a look of helplessness on his face. It was at that moment Samuel heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± he murmured. Tyson pushed open the door toe in, reporting, ¡°Mr. Macari, I have news about Mr. Larson for you.¡± ¡°How is he?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained cool. ¡°Indeed, he has been kidnapped by someone powerful here. A while ago, I asked someone to investigate the matter for me, and that person found me almost immediately. Not only that, but I was also asked whether you¡¯re here too,¡± Tyson said with a faint voice. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°It seems like this person wants to meet me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Tyson nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expose your whereabouts to them. Instead, I told them I just wanted to confirm Mr. Larson¡¯s safety. They don¡¯t know whether you areing or not.¡± Samuel nodded and replied aloofly, ¡°Do your best to find Nichs.¡± ¡°Got it. Mr. Macari, how should we reply to the other party?¡± ¡°Tell him that I¡¯m here. Ask him toe and look for me if he has anything to say to me,¡± Samuel stated indifferently. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it right now.¡± At this, Samuel descended into a moment of deep thought as silence ensued. They kidnapped Nichs but wanted to see me instead. Could it be that I¡¯m their target? Who is the person behind all of this? What is his intention? As thoughts began to ur to him, his phone rang out of the blue. He grabbed the phone and saw that it was a message from Kathleen. She texted: I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that petty to stop talking to me because of that, right? Samuel replied: I¡¯m not. If I stop talking to you, I bet you won¡¯t feel sad at all. I¡¯m worried that you might take this opportunity to give up on everything. I won¡¯t let you give up. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Kathleen: Let me know if you need anything there. I¡¯ll lend you a hand. You don¡¯t have to be polite to me. Samuel: Of course. Why would I be polite to my wife? Once again, Kathleen was stumped reading his message. He¡¯s really good with his words, huh? Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Unsessful Surgery Receiving no news from Kathleen the whole day, Samuel couldn¡¯t help but feel resigned.He put down the phone and removed his jacket before moving to his work desk. After quite some time, Tyson called and said, ¡°Mr. Macari, that man said he wants to meet up with you, and he¡¯ll only let Mr. Larson go once he sees you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Samuel sounded rather nonchnt. ¡°Make the necessary arrangement. I¡¯m going there now.¡± ¡°On it!¡± Tyson nodded. As Samuel leaped up from his seat, his obsidian-like eyes darkened. He¡¯s finally showing up, huh? Let¡¯s see who this mysterious fellow is. Meanwhile, Richard came to the hospital and went straight to Miley¡¯s ward. Prior to that, he was resting at home.He hadn¡¯t been having any good night¡¯s sleep for a few days in a row, so he thought of catching up on some sleep. Unexpectedly, Miley rang him up. Of course, he bolted to the hospital right after getting summoned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Richard¡¯s brows knitted to a knot of worry as he gazed at Miley, who was recuperating in bed. Tears welled up in thetter¡¯s eyes. ¡°Someone came here to threaten me just now, Richard. He warned me to watch my back, or he¡¯ll im my life with his own hands.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ He said he¡¯s sent by one of Gemma¡¯s close friends. I-I don¡¯t even know him¡­¡± were Miley¡¯s words. There was a tinge of grievance in her voice. Gemma¡¯s close friend? Could it be Kathleen? Nah¡­ Not possible. Still, Richard posed a query. ¡°Do you mean Kathleen?¡± A frown formed across his forehead. Miley sniffled while dropping a remark. ¡°I know that woman loves you a lot, and you, too, are madly in love with her. Still, I really can¡¯t bear to leave you. Even if she threatens me or even ends my life in the process, I¡¯ll never part ways with you.¡± Hearing her words, he approached her and sat by her side. ¡°Gemma¡¯s not a vicious woman. Neither is her friend, Kathleen. In fact, Kathleen just informed me today that she¡¯ll treat your legs.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Miley shook her head frantically at that. ¡°I don¡¯t want her help. She¡¯s Gemma¡¯s best friend, so she¡¯s bound to harm me one way or another. I refuse!¡± ¡°Kathleen won¡¯t do that to you,¡± refuted Richard with aplicated visage. ¡°How can you be so confident? Do you know her inside and out?¡± Miley felt all the more aggrieved. ¡°What if she really finished me off?¡± A look of helplessness appeared on the man¡¯s face. He knew Kathleen would never do something like that, yet there was nothing else he could do to hinder Miley from thinking that way. ¡°I don¡¯t care! I don¡¯t want her to treat me!¡± As Miley continued to yell, she suddenly began to sob pitifully. ¡°You must be thinking I¡¯m such a burden¡­¡± Left with no choice, Richard ultimately relented. ¡°Fine, fine. I won¡¯t let her treat you. Please stop crying.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She sniffled. He inclined his head and acknowledged that. ¡°Yes, for real.¡± Only then did Miley break into a bright smile. ¡°Great! I can stay alive, then.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes seemed to be holding a lot of emotions. ¡°Can you stay and apany me here tonight, Richard? I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m feeling very uneasy these few days,¡± she pleaded in a casual manner. ¡°Mm.¡± Richard nodded in approval. Seeing that, Miley grinned in satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ll be sleeping on the couch, I guess.¡± He rose to his feet and went to sit on the couch, theny down on it. She pursed her lips. Whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter as long as he stays. In truth, Richard was genuinely beaten. He fell into a deep slumber very quickly. Miley¡¯s eyes flickered at that. Right then, Stanley walked in from outside. Hearing his footsteps nearing, she turned to shoot him a meaningful stare, gesturing for him to quiet down for a bit. Stanley then tiptoed toward Richard and sneakily took out thetter¡¯s phone from the suit¡¯s pocket. Following that, he turned off the phone before sliding it back into Richard¡¯s suit. Miley arched a brow at Stanley. Thetter took the hint and wheeled around to depart from the ward. Miley¡¯s smile reached her eyes as she watched Stanley leave. Richard will be all mine after tonight. No one can take him away from me! On the other side, Kathleen returned home and took a short break. Thirty minutester, her phone rang. ¡°Hello, may I speak to Kathleen Johnson?¡± A deep voice sounded over the phone. ¡°We have a patient here called Gemma Young. Is she your friend?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my friend.¡± Kathleen stood up and questioned, ¡°What happened to her?¡± ¡°She got into a car ident. Pleasee to the hospital.¡± The tone of that person was as grim as ever. ¡°She¡¯s in a critical condition, so if you¡¯rete¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way!¡± Kathleen ended the call abruptly and grabbed her jacket before dashing out of the house. Soon enough, she reached the hospital. ¡°Are you Kathleen?¡± queried a nurse there. The hospital Gemma was in wasn¡¯t the one that the others were at. ¡°Yes!¡± Kathleen didn¡¯t even have time to catch her breath. ¡°May I know what¡¯s her condition now?¡± ¡°She has a brain hemorrhage and isn¡¯t doing so well, but the doctors are trying their best.¡± Without a second thought, Kathleen fished out her certification and requested, ¡°This is my identity. I need to participate in the surgery!¡± The nurse was startled. ¡°Okay, hold on.¡± As she said that, she went inside. After a while, the nurse came out and ushered Kathleen into the operating room. Wearing a stern countenance, Kathleen hurried inside.I must save Gemma at all cost! Four hourster, Kathleen exited the operating room, utterly exhausted. No one was waiting outside the operating room. She slumped into a seat, her hands trembling endlessly. How could the surgery have failed? s, Gemma was gone with the wind. ¡°Dr. Johnson!¡± Rory sprinted over. ¡°I had to ask around everywhere for your whereabouts.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes were all reddened. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I heard something happened to Gemma¡­¡± Rory pressed her lips together. Kathleen nodded in a daze. ¡°Mm.¡± Noticing something was off with Kathleen¡¯s expression, Rory probed, ¡°Is she¡­¡± ¡°The surgery failed.¡± Tears came trickling down Kathleen¡¯s cheeks. ¡°She¡¯s already gone.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rory was astounded by that revtion. ¡°I asked the nurse to get Richard. Why is he not here yet?¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Rory pursed her lips. Kathleen could tell that Rory was hesitating to speak. ¡°You seem to be in a hurry to see me. What is it that you¡¯re keeping from me?¡± Her voice was croaky. ¡°An hour ago, I got wind that something had gone wrong when Mr. Macari went to Nichs¡¯ rescue. His location can¡¯t be tracked right now. So¡­¡± What? Stunned, Kathleen got to her feet. ¡°Is your source reliable?¡± ¡°Yes, Tyson¡¯s the one who called me personally.¡± Rory¡¯s voice was as deep as a bottomless pit. ¡°Book me a flight. I¡¯m going to find Samuel myself.¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows were bunched up together. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the airport right away!¡± ¡°All right!¡± Rory nodded. Kathleen understood better than anyone that now wasn¡¯t the time for her to dwell in her grief. I¡¯ve got to pull myself together and rescue Samuel! I can¡¯t afford to lose him too! She wasted no time rushing to the airport and boarded the ne to Smend. Throughout the journey, she kept a sullen and frosty countenance. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After the ne touched down at the airport in Smend, she hurriedly got off the ne and met up with Tyson. ¡°Any news yet?¡± came Kathleen¡¯s question. She looked ratherposed, though. ¡°No.¡± Tyson shook his head. Immediately, a frown marred Kathleen¡¯s face. ¡°Where on Earth did Samuel go missing? Bring me there now.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s too dangerous, Mrs. Macari.¡± Her request caused Tyson to worry. She shot him a chilling leer and hollered, ¡°I¡¯ve braved even graver situations before, so you¡¯d better cut the crap and lead the way!¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Hanging his head low, Tyson had no choice but to do her bidding. They hopped into an off-road vehicle and made a beeline for the location where Samuel wasst seen. In a sh, they arrived at the said ce, only to be greeted by the utter, chaotic mess at the scene. There were broken parts of vehicles scattered all over the ground, coupled with bloodstains here and there. Upon closer inspections, several bullet holes could be spotted on the surface of the car. Evidently, an intense battle had urred in this ce earlier.I hope Samuel¡¯s still alive¡­ Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Definitely Still Alive He¡¯s certainly still alive! Kathleen tried her best to force herself to calm down and stop overthinking. Samuel won¡¯t die. ¡°Are there surveince cameras around?¡± she asked. ¡°No.¡± Tyson shook his head. The light in her eyes dimmed when she heard the answer. ¡°Send more people to search around. Check if there are any witnesses.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson immediately went off to carry out the order. Just then, Yadiel came over and said, ¡°Dr. Johnson, I¡¯ll ask the local influential figures for more information.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Ask them to check nearby hospitals as well.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. Kathleen¡¯s brows furrowed again as she stared at the blood on the ground, hoping it wasn¡¯t Samuel¡¯s. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Otherwise¡­ As a result, she stayed in Smend for a week.She had sent numerous people to search for Samuel but to no avail. An entire week had passed, but there was still no sign of the man. She could not help but panic. Tyson and Yadiel were worried sick as well. ¡°Mrs. Macari.¡± The worry on Tyson¡¯s face hadn¡¯t faded since a week ago. ¡°It¡¯s been a week.¡± With a solemn expression on her face, Kathleen stated, ¡°Even if it¡¯s a month, a year, or even a decade, I will continue to look for him. Dead or alive, I must find him. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tyson nodded, then turned around and walked off. When Yadiel came over, his eyes met Tyson¡¯s, and thetter shook his head in dismay. Yadiel looked at Kathleen, his gaze darkening. ¡°Dr. Johnson, we need to go back.¡± Kathleen side-eyed him. ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a mess now in Jadeborough. Word about Mr. Macari¡¯s disappearance has spread. Now, Macari Group is in an unstable situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give Samuel¡¯s father a call and ask him to take care of thepany for now. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Yadiel originally wanted to convince her to go back, but he realized she didn¡¯t even have the intention to return. Before this, he had always thought Kathleen did not have strong feelings for Samuel and surmised that she got together with Samuel only because Samuel was the father of her two children. However, judging from her reaction now, it seemed like that was not the case. Beneath her cold countenance was her fiery love for Samuel. ¡°All right, then.¡± Yadiel did not continue to insist. Turning around, Kathleen fished out her phone and phoned Calvin. ¡°Mr. Macari, it¡¯s me, Kathleen.¡± It was a real struggle for her to speak to Calvin at that moment. ¡°Kate, you don¡¯t need to worry about thepany. I can handle it,¡± he replied in a somber tone. ¡°They can¡¯t do anything for now. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kathleen apologized sincerely. ¡°You all hadn¡¯t been in contact with me ever since Samuel¡¯s disappearance. I know it¡¯s because you and the family don¡¯t want to disturb me.¡± ¡°Kate, Samuel hasn¡¯t been found, am I right?¡± There was a hint of destion in Calvin¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°But I haven¡¯t found his body either. Mr. Macari, think about it. If they wanted him dead, they¡¯d definitely spread the news about his death.¡± ¡°I thought so too. Samuel is definitely still alive.¡± Not only did Kathleen feel that Samuel was alive, but she also had a feeling that the person who abducted him aimed to get her. ¡°Mr. Macari, I might need to stay here for some time, so I¡¯ll have to entrust the matters in Jadeborough to you,¡± she said in a low voice. ¡°All right.¡± Calvin nodded. After that, Kathleen ended the call. When Yadiel heard what Kathleen said, he knew she wouldn¡¯t be returning in a short while, but there were many things in Jadeborough waiting for her to deal with. That day, Samuel finally woke up on an ind in the Pillere Ocean. When Ashley saw his eyes open, she was thrilled. She stood by the bed and said gently, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Where is this ce?¡± he asked in a hoarse voice as he knitted his brows in confusion. ¡°We¡¯re on an ind,¡± she exined. ¡°Do you still remember? I was the one who saved you.¡± Looking at her, Samuel noticed her left arm was wrapped in bandages. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked cidly. Ashley was dumbstruck for a moment before answering, ¡°I¡¯m Ashley Zeller.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. He could not help but frown, for he could not remember that name at all. Noticing his bewilderment, she became agitated. ¡°Did you lose your memory?¡± He nced back at her with his bleak eyes. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t remember who I am.¡± Besides, his head hurt immensely. Meanwhile, Ashley¡¯s heart was pounding with excitement. This is a blessing in disguise! Samuel suffering from amnesia means that he¡¯ll never get to remember who Kathleen is. ¡°You¡¯re Samuel Macari,¡± she stated. ¡°You were kidnapped when you were about five to six years old. Coincidentally, I was abducted as well, and we were locked up in the same ce. We heard the kidnappers were going to kill us right after they received the ransom, so we decided to run for our lives.¡± Aloofness was written all over Samuel¡¯s handsome face as he listened to her. ¡°But when we were trying to escape from there, those kidnappers discovered us. I covered your back so that you could escape first. Then, I was shot in the chest.¡± She tugged at the cor of her shirt, showing him the scar. ¡°Look. This is the proof.¡± Unfazed, Samuel nced at it. ¡°Then, what happened after that?¡± Ashley was not sure if he believed her words or not. Nevertheless, she went on, ¡°After that, I was dragged out of that ce. They thought I was dead, so they brought me to where we were held captive and left. Then, my dad came and saved me.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he uttered expressionlessly. ¡°Samuel, you promised you¡¯d marry me.¡± She blushed in shyness. ¡°Although you¡¯ve forgotten about it, I still want to remind you that I¡¯ve always been waiting for you to deliver your promise.¡± ¡°Am I unwed?¡± ¡°You were married, but you got a divorce,¡± she elucidated. ¡°You and your ex-wife are ipatible. Besides, she had two romantic interests previously, and she was even engaged to one of them.¡± Ashley did not want to keep this from Samuel. Once they were on their way back, Samuel would definitely investigate his past. Besides, what she had said was true. Samuel remained calm. ¡°Contact my family. I want to go home.¡± ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t rush.¡± Ashley pointed at his leg. ¡°Your legs are not healed up yet. There¡¯s an excellent doctor here. It would be best if you let her treat your legs. I¡¯ll help you to contact your family.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± He nodded. Ashley secretly heaved a sigh of relief. I¡¯ll contact the Macaris some other day. After all, I want to get closer to him by spending more time with him. Perhaps, I can make him like me more. Now that he¡¯s lost his memory, this is the perfect chance. I must win this man¡¯s heart! Soon, three months had passed, and Kathleen still did not have news about Samuel. In those three months, she had lost a significant amount of weight. Yadiel persuaded, ¡°Dr. Johnson, it¡¯s time for us to go back. Trevor¡¯s already taken action in Jadeborough. While you and Mr. Macari were away, he has been expanding his territory at an exponential rate.¡± Kathleen¡¯s expression turned ice-cold. ¡°Does he have a death wish?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not the only one. Ever since Mr. Macari disappeared, many people have been eager to take down thepany.¡± Yadiel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Someone tried to poach the members of Mr. Macari¡¯s renewable energy development team.¡± Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Punishment ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen was unperturbed. ¡°Who dares to do that?¡± ¡°Trevor Hoover,¡± Yadiel answered. Upon hearing that name, she flew into a rage. ¡°That old b*stard! He wants to poach, huh? Let him do it, then!¡± ¡°But Mr. Macari has put his heart and soul into that team.¡± Yadiel knitted his brows. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t let that man off easily. Ask some of your men to stay to search for Samuel. Don¡¯t miss out on any clues.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After a pause, Yadiel asked, ¡°Are we going back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A cold glint appeared in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll head to Axeworth Corporation first.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yadiel couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Kathleen sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Lauren won¡¯t kill me.¡± The next day, when Kathleen reached Lauren¡¯s house, she pressed the doorbell, but no one answered the door. Just as she pressed the doorbell again, a middle-aged man in a disheveled state came out.It was obvious that he was annoyed with her sudden arrival. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Where¡¯s Lauren?¡± Kathleen asked coldly. ¡°She¡¯s not around,¡± the man huffed. ¡°Where did she go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± The man was getting more exasperated by the minute. ¡°Scram if you¡¯re not here for important matters. Don¡¯t waste my time!¡± ¡°Yadiel, go,¡± Kathleen ordered indifferently. ¡°Yes.¡± With that, Yadiel stepped forward, ready to barge in. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± The middle-aged man was so shocked that the color drained from his face. With Yadiel¡¯s height and physique, he could overpower the middle-aged man with ease, causing the latter to stagger backward in trepidation. Kathleen followed after Yadiel as he gripped the man¡¯s neck. Crack! The man¡¯s neck was snapped. Then, the man was thrown aside by Yadiel like a garbage bag. ncing at the side, Kathleen strode over to the naked woman on the couch, who was trembling and cowering in fear. Kathleen remained emotionless as she said to the woman, who seemed to be in her thirties, ¡°If you don¡¯t want your neck to be snapped, answer my question.¡± The woman nodded frantically. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Lauren?¡± ¡°She left. Someone called her to ask her to treat someone¡¯s legs.¡± Treat someone¡¯s legs? Is it Miley? I didn¡¯t hear of that. ¡°Do you know this woman?¡± Kathleen showed her the picture of Ashley. The woman shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡± Kathleen shot her an icy look. ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, I won¡¯t dare to lie to you!¡± The woman shuddered in fear. Kathleen¡¯s gaze was indeed too intimidating. ¡°Tell Lauren her subordinate disrespected me, so I gave him a light punishment,¡± Kathleen said tly. The woman nodded in response as her face turned even paler. A light punishment? He¡¯s lost his life! After that, Kathleen left the mansion with Yadiel. When they got into the car, she said, ¡°Go to the airport.¡± As the driver, Yadiel drove toward the airport as told. On their way there, Kathleen had been sending messages on her phone. When she was done with it, she looked at the scenery outside the window, lost in thought. Meanwhile, on an unknown ind, Samuel could already stand up, as his legs had recovered well these days. Ashley supported him while he tried to walk. ¡°Samuel, take it slow. There¡¯s no hurry. I will always be by your side.¡± In the past three months, even though nothing much happened between Samuel and her, he did not treat her aloofly anymore. At the very least, he did not find her touch repulsive even though she had only touched him inadvertently. Samuel took his hand away from her grip and took the walking cane. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± Ashley pouted. ¡°I¡¯m worried you¡¯d fall down.¡± ¡°There are injuries on you as well. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he replied cidly. Her lips curled into a smile. ¡°I knew you cared about me.¡± With that, she went to hug Samuel again, but he pushed her away with some force, causing him to lose his footing and fall on the bed. After Ashley fell too, she stood up again. Seeing Samuel on the bed, she walked over and pounced on him. He furrowed his brows and shoved her away. Just then, Lauren came in with a phone and quickly took a picture upon seeing the scene before her. This is a golden opportunity! This time, Samuel used a great deal of force, so Ashley fell down from the bed altogether. Holding her scraped knees, she grumbled pitifully, ¡°Samuel Macari, what are you doing!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the smell on you.¡± The man¡¯s expression turned stony. Ashley sniffled with an aggrieved expression. ¡°I¡¯m not stinky.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it anyway. I won¡¯t be so nice if this happens again.¡± She was rendered speechless. Was he nice just now? Lauren kept her phone and chimed in with a half-smile, ¡°It seems like you have recovered well, Mr. Macari.¡± Samuel remained impassive. ¡°My legs have healed almostpletely.¡± Lauren gave him a meaningful look before ncing at Ashley. Thetter shook her head lightly. Lauren shed a smile. ¡°Mr. Macari, you still can¡¯t leave this ce. You¡¯ll have to wait until the day you don¡¯t have to rely on the walking cane anymore.¡± ¡°Samuel, Lauren is right. Your parents said you could only head back once you recovered,¡± Ashley said. ¡°How can you prove that the parents you said are indeed my parents?¡± he questioned. Ashley was at a loss for words. ¡°Mr. Macari, aren¡¯t you being rude this way?¡± Lauren narrowed her eyes. ¡°After all, Ashley is the one who saved you.¡± ¡°You two are the only ones who told me those things.¡± Samuel remained cautious. ¡°Since you don¡¯t believe us, are you not afraid that we¡¯ll harm you?¡± Lauren threatened. He snickered in contempt. ¡°Try me, then. Let¡¯s see if I¡¯ll be scared of your threats. If worsees to worst, I¡¯ll simply die here, but I¡¯ll never allow myself to be controlled by others.¡± Lauren had nothing to say to that. This man has such a foul temper. How did Kathleen subdue him? Ashley hurriedly exined, ¡°Samuel, you¡¯ve misunderstood Lauren. Don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s really for your sake. Actually, I¡¯ve asked around and found that the one who wanted to harm you was your ex-wife¡¯s biological grandfather.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Unfazed, Samuel cocked a brow. ¡°Yes. Besides, they took advantage of your absence and teamed up to deplete yourpany¡¯s resources.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier, then?¡± ¡°I was worried it¡¯d affect your recuperation,¡± she answered awkwardly. ¡°Get ready immediately. I want to go back as soon as possible.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone, as well as his gaze, turned even colder. Ashley wanted to reject him, but things would get bad when Samuel became furious if she continued to stall for time. She didn¡¯t want her rtionship with him to turn strained. ¡°All right.¡± She nodded. Kathleen and Yadiel got back to Jadeborough. When they left the city back then, it was still summer, but it was already autumn now. Sitting in the car, she gazed out the window expressionlessly.She wanted to head over to the Macari residence for a while to see her children. As she sat there, she looked like a perfect statue. Just then, her phone rang. After she answered the call, Tyson said, ¡°Mrs. Macari, that group of people has been poached. They¡¯ve handed in their resignation letters, and the chairman has approved.¡± Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Chapter 444 I Can Handle Him ¡°Keeping disloyal people by one¡¯s side is akin to having a time bomb. Besides, the otherpany offered them a high price. They naturally won¡¯t stay,¡± Kathleen uttered impassively. Tyson said sympathetically, ¡°But Mr. Macari has put his heart and soul into the work.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let Samuel¡¯s hard work go down the drain. Are they going to meet Trevor now?¡± Nodding, Tyson answered, ¡°Yes. They have taken all the proposals with them. This new energy electric car will be put into production immediately once they join the team.¡± Kathleen instructed, ¡°Okay. I got it. Send someone to keep an eye on the situation. I¡¯ll go to the office this afternoon.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Tyson hung up the phone. Sighing, Kathleen massaged her temples. Soon after, she arrived at the Macari residence. Both Em and Desiree missed her dearly. Even though theymunicated with her through video calls, they could not see their mother in person. Thus, they were concerned about her. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Looking at her two children, Kathleen immediately embraced them. Wynnie stood in front of them with a sorrowful expression. Samuel had been missing for three months. Yet, there was still no news of his whereabouts. Wynnie was very worried deep down. However, she decided to put on a brave face so that her emotions would not affect Diana. Tugging at Kathleen¡¯s sleeve, Desiree asked, ¡±Mommy, where¡¯s Daddy? Why hasn¡¯t hee home?¡± Kathleen caressed the girl¡¯s face and reassured, ¡°Daddy is too busy at the moment. He¡¯ll return when he¡¯s no longer busy with his work.¡± ¡°Why is he so busy? He¡¯s already wealthy,¡± Desiree asked, feeling confused. ¡°Everyone has a goal they want to achieve in their lives. It has nothing to do with money. Be good. I promise we¡¯ll go to the amusement park together when Daddy isn¡¯t busy, okay?¡± Kathleen suggested hoarsely. Desiree nodded. ¡°All right.¡± However, Em looked at Kathleen in silence. ncing at Wynnie, Kathleen called out, ¡°Mrs. Macari.¡± Wynnie nodded and signaled the housekeeper to take the two children inside. The two women stood by the door. Kathleen choked up and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Macari. I wasn¡¯t able to bring Samuel back. However, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s still alive, then what happened to him? Why didn¡¯t he try to contact us?¡± Wynnie¡¯s eyes were red-rimmed. ¡°Perhaps, it¡¯s inconvenient for him to do so,¡± Kathleen postted. Wynnie sniffled. ¡°Kate, what if Samuel neveres back?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Stepping forward, Kathleen hugged Wynnie before adding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Macari. I promise to find Samuel and bring him home.¡± ¡°Okay. I have faith in you.¡± Wynnie wiped her tears. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight.¡± When Kathleen left, she was probably forty-five kilograms. Yet, she was likely only forty kilograms right now. She was too skinny at that moment. In the afternoon, Kathleen went to Macari Group. As soon as she entered the office, she immediately sensed a cold aura. Without paying too much attention to it, she took the elevator upstairs and went to the chairman¡¯s office. Calvin knew Kathleen wasing. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± He heaved a sigh of relief. After all, Calvin was no longer in the prime of his life. It was exhausting for him to carry such a heavy responsibility of managing a bigpany on his shoulders these days, especially when he had already taken the back seat and handed everything over to Samuel. Samuel led thepany toward reformation and innovation. There were things Calvin was not familiar with in these fields. Hence, he seemed helpless at times. Fortunately, thepany was rtively stable even though some of its employees had quit recently. ¡°Mr. Macari, how are you doing?¡± Kathleen greeted. Nodding, Calvin answered, ¡°I¡¯m still holding on.¡± ¡°Trevor was the one behind this whole mess. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Taking a deep breath, she continued, ¡°Leave it to me. I have a way to deal with him. I won¡¯t let him get away with it that easily.¡± He frowned. ¡°How are you going to deal with him?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have my ways,¡± she guaranteed. Feeling at ease, Calvin nodded faintly. ¡°All right. I trust you.¡± A few dayster, Hoover Group, which belonged to Trevor,unched a new energy electric car. That day, Kathleen was working in the office in Samuel¡¯s absence. ¡°How infuriating!¡± Tyson stormed into the office and eximed, ¡°Look, Mrs. Macari. They¡¯ve stolen Mr. Macari¡¯s ideas!¡± He gritted his teeth in rage. Taking the brochure from Tyson, Kathleen read through it. ¡°Has it been put into production yet?¡± ¡°I think these people have been nning to jump ship for a long time. I heard they have already started working in the factory,¡± he replied. She nodded in response before picking up her phone and dialing a number. ¡°Regarding the n we¡¯ve discussed in the past, you may proceed with it now. Money isn¡¯t a problem. Someone will bear all the expenses. Mm, all right,¡± Kathleen instructed calmly. With that, she hung up. ¡°Mrs. Macari, who were you on the phone with?¡± Tyson asked in confusion. ¡°It was a patient I¡¯ve saved before. You may return to your work now,¡± Kathleen exined half- heartedly. ¡°So, this matter¡­¡± ¡°Since they¡¯ve produced the first generation of the cars, we¡¯ll make the second generation.¡± ¡°But the whole team has been poached by them,¡± Tyson rebutted. ¡°Yes, our team has been poached. Nevertheless, it¡¯s not the end of the world. We can still recruit another team. Surely you don¡¯t need me to teach you how to recruit new employees, right?¡± she asked coldly. ¡°No, no.¡± Tyson waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll get to it now.¡± She nodded. Meanwhile, Trevor was in a great mood over in Hoover Group. He did not expect that his trick would work out so perfectly. Without Samuel, he managed to poach the entire team with ease. Now that the new product had beenunched, the next step was to wait for sales orders. He was looking forward to it. At that moment, his phone on the table suddenly rang. ¡°Hello, Old Mr. Hoover. I¡¯m Ezra Hayes from Bera.¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes?¡± Trevor was thunderstruck. He had heard of Ezra¡¯s name before. Thetter was the wealthiest man in Bera. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Furthermore, Ezra¡¯s wife and children were not ordinary people either. Ezra¡¯s wife was a member of the royal family, whereas his daughter was the deputy director of the central bank of Bera. Moreover, Ezra¡¯s son was the favorite candidate for the parliamentary seat in the uing election. ¡°Mr. Hayes, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Trevor was surprised yet delighted at the same time. Ezra exined, ¡°Old Mr. Hoover, I want to order five hundred thousand new energy cars from you.¡± ¡°Five hundred thousand?¡± Trevor eximed in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s right. My son is going to run for the election. Therefore, I need to help him. Will yourpany be able to finish the order within a month?¡± ¡°A month?¡± Trevor hesitated momentarily. ¡°Is it not doable? Well, it looks like I have to order from someone else, then. If the batteries of the new energy vehicles produced by Macari Group were more energy-efficient, I would¡¯ve cooperated with them. Now, I have no choice but to choose them. Besides, I will make a full payment,¡± Ezra replied in disappointment. Full payment? The offer was too tempting for Trevor to turn it down. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I can promise to deliver your order. However, can you be more lenient with the time frame?¡± he inquired tentatively. ¡°Why would I buy these cars if yourpany can¡¯t produce them within a month? I¡¯m nning to help my son by creating a buzz during the campaign.¡± ¡°All right, then. I promise to deliver five hundred thousand units within a month!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Ezra let out an enigmatic smile. Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Chapter 445 I Am Not Scared ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news.¡± Ezra hung up the phone. Trevor immediately summoned everyone in the office for a meeting. Soon, Ezra called Kathleen and informed her, ¡°I did as you instructed. Trevor took the bait as expected.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you,¡± she said cidly. ¡°You saved my life without asking for a reward. It¡¯s the least I can do for you. However, a new energy car costs a hundred thousand. I¡¯ve ordered five hundred thousand units in total. It¡¯s a considerable amount of money. Are you sure you want to make the full payment?¡± ¡°How would the fish take the bait if it wasn¡¯t tempting enough? Don¡¯t worry. I have done my research. His factory isn¡¯t that big. They are bound to encounter problems if they have to produce five hundred thousand cars within a month. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they couldn¡¯tplete the order on time.¡± After pondering it for a moment, Ezra asked, ¡°What if he manages to pull it off?¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°Trust me. He won¡¯t be able to do so.¡± Feeling curious, he probed again, ¡°Do you have other ns?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you. You¡¯ll find out when you watch the news.¡± She yawnedzily before adding, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your work. Bye.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The man nodded. Kathleen ended the call. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Meanwhile, Trevor presided over the meeting in Hoover Group. ¡°We have to produce five hundred thousand units within a month!¡± The vice-president spoke out. ¡°Mr. Hoover, it¡¯s already our limit to produce a hundred thousand units per month. It¡¯s simply impossible for us to produce that much within that time frame.¡± ¡°Why is our production volume so low? Didn¡¯t I tell you guys before that we must increase our production if we want to take over the market for new energy vehicles? We can¡¯t afford to rest on our laurels and let Macari Group surpass us!¡± Trevor¡¯s face dimmed. All the employees exchanged nces upon hearing his ambitious deration.Even though Samuel was no longer there, Macari Group was still a strongpetitor in the market. Thepany¡¯s current hardship was merely a blip. They knew that Macari Group would still be the strongest by the time thepany recovered from the slump. ¡°Are you guys doubting me? Don¡¯t you know who was the one who poached this team?¡± Trevor snapped. He was the person who poached this team from Macari Group. The person in charge of this team, Ronald Lytcott, was personally contacted by Trevor. Of course, Trevor had to triple the sry Ronald received while working for Macari Group. Thus, Trevor was anxious to recover the cost. ¡°Even so, we still have to work overtime, which means some of the parts suppliers might have to work overtime too. Some manufacturers may not be as efficient.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, find more manufacturers. Do you all still need me to teach you how to solve these problems?¡± The others did not dare to retort or question Trevor when he had set his mind on something. Besides, they could see that Trevor was desperate to make money from this lucrative order. When Kathleen walked out of the elevator after work, she instantly saw Richard. He had be very lean in those three months she had not seen him. Walking over, the man spoke in a raspy voice. ¡°Kathleen, there¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Save your breath, Richard. I won¡¯t tell you where Gemma is buried. You don¡¯t deserve to pay your respects to her,¡± she stated indifferently. Richard¡¯s eyes became bloodshot. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why? Richard Zimmer, Gemma waited for you for seven years, wasting the prime of her life during those years. Miley is merely your mentor¡¯s daughter. Sure, you can take care of her. However, why must you turn it into a romantic rtionship? Now, who¡¯s the disgusting one?¡± Hearing that, Richard froze on the spot. ¡°I didn¡¯t say much in the past since you¡¯re friends with Samuel. Yet, you still haven¡¯te to your senses after these three months. I won¡¯t let you sully Gemma¡¯s good name anymore. Don¡¯t bother me ever again. I won¡¯t tell you the location!¡± Kathleen warned sternly. Upon saying that, she was ready to walk away. However, Richard stopped her from leaving. Yadiel stepped forward and threatened, ¡°Dr. Zimmer, don¡¯t force me to use violence. I won¡¯t hold back on you.¡± Pursing his lips, Richard shot Kathleen a look. Then, he spun around and left. Only then did Kathleen breathe a sigh of relief. She reminded, ¡°Stay on your guard, everyone. Don¡¯t let him find out the truth.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr. Johnson. Ms. Young is safe now,¡± Yadiel reassured her. She nodded. ¡°Have you found out Ronald¡¯s itinerary for tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll meet him tomorrow, then,¡± Kathleen instructed. With that, she headed outside. The next day, Kathleen woke up at seven o¡¯clock in the morning. Soon, Yadiel and her arrived at the entrance of a private elementary school. After a while, they saw Ronald get out of a car while holding a little girl¡¯s hand. Kathleen also got out of her car and approached them. Ronald recognized the woman at once. He shuddered in fear. ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± the little girl asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Sweetheart, you should go inside. I will pick you up after school.¡± Ronald forced a smile. ¡°Okay!¡± The little girl walked past the school entrance. After watching the young girl entering the schoolpound, Kathleen remarked nonchntly, ¡°Your daughter is quite cute.¡± Feeling anxious by Kathleen¡¯s sudden appearance, Ronald asked, ¡±What do you want?¡± She snorted. ¡°What are you afraid of? I¡¯m not going to eat you. It must be wonderful to be your daughter, isn¡¯t it? She has a father to pick her up and drop her off at school. Unfortunately, my children aren¡¯t as lucky as her. After all, Samuel is currently missing.¡± ¡°I have nothing to do with Mr. Macari¡¯s disappearance,¡± he said in exasperation. Kathleen narrowed her eyes and smiled chillingly. ¡°I¡¯ve never said that you had anything to do with Samuel¡¯s disappearance. What are you so anxious about?¡± Anger was bottling up inside Ronald¡¯s heart. ¡°What the h*ll do you want? Ms. Johnson, it¡¯smon to jump ship nowadays. Macari Group can¡¯t offer me what I want. People yearn to go to higher ces and seek improvement and better working conditions. There¡¯s nothing wrong with what I did!¡± he fumed. She scoffed in response. ¡°You¡¯re right. However, you took away something that doesn¡¯t belong to you. Samuel was the one who came up with the design and frame of the new energy car. Yet, you have stolen his work and benefited from it. Do you honestly think Trevor would pay you that much money if it weren¡¯t for Samuel¡¯s effort?¡± Ronald stared at her in silence. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m only here to see how a traitor like you is doing,¡± Kathleen remarked calmly. The man¡¯s face turned pale at once. ¡°Don¡¯t you darey a finger on my daughter!¡± She mocked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not as inhuman as you. I just want to warn you that you¡¯ll get your comeuppance sooner orter. Well then, take care.¡± After saying that, she turned on her heel and left. The uneasiness in Ronald¡¯s heart grew. After seeing Kathleen get into the car, he immediately called Trevor. ¡°How¡¯s the matter of going abroad?¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? I will let you go in a month,¡± thetter replied tly. ¡°Why am I the only one? It must be done within a week. I can¡¯t stay here any longer. I want to leave this country with my whole family!¡± Ronaldined anxiously. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You still have to wait until thepany has delivered Ezra¡¯s order.¡± Balling his hands into fists, Ronald yelled, ¡°That¡¯s not what you promised me! If you can¡¯t get it done within a week, I¡¯m going to tell everyone how you poached me back then!¡± Trevor sneered in response. ¡±Do you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± Chapter 446 Chapter 446 Chapter 446 He Is Back ¡°What did you say?¡± Ronald¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Haha.¡± Trevor scoffed. ¡°If you think about it, there¡¯s already no turning back for you. If you¡¯re not making my life easy, do you think that the Macari family would let you off instead?¡± Ronald was stunned. ¡°Just hand over the remaining documents. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± With that, Trevor hung up. Ronald knew that Trevor just wanted the remaining documents that he had. It was the design and blueprint of the second-generation new energy car. However, Samuel was the one in charge of the project, and Ronald had no idea what it actually was. All he did was deceive Trevor that he had it so that thetter could pay him tons of money and even allow his entire family to flee the country. Never had Ronald expected that Trevor would do this to him. Besides, Samuel had already lost everything that he had. There was nothing left that Ronald could give Trevor. Trevor was simply driving Ronald to a dead end by going back on his word. As he thought about this, Ronald genuinely regretted working with a sly old fox like Trevor. Damn it! As Yadiel drove, he couldn¡¯t help but nce at Kathleen, who was in the back seat, from time to time. After they returned to Jadeborough, she had be exceptionally quiet. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. Yadiel picked up the call. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°What? Are you serious?¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°All right. I got it. I¡¯ll talk to her about it.¡± After ending the call, Yadiel pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Dr. Johnson, I have a piece of good news and bad news. Which one would you like to hear first?¡± Hearing this, Kathleen snapped back to her senses. ¡°The good news first,¡± Kathleen replied coldly. ¡°Mr. Macari is back.¡± Yadiel spoke cautiously. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°The airport,¡± Yadiel answered. ¡°Then what¡¯s the bad news?¡± Kathleen asked again. ¡°Mr. Macari is going to be engaged to Ashley. They¡¯re now being interviewed by the reporters at the airport,¡± Yadiel replied helplessly. At this, Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Dr. Johnson, are we going to the airport now?¡± Yadiel asked. ¡°No.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°Head back to the office.¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Johnson.¡± Yadiel didn¡¯t expect that Kathleen would be so calm. Kathleen was indeed calm. She knew that Samuel wouldn¡¯t die. However, she didn¡¯t expect that he would be engaged to Ashley. Despite that, it was great that he was back. As for who he wished to marry, that was entirely up to him. Meanwhile, at the airport, Samuel¡¯s handsome face was tensed. Never would he expect that Ashley would arrange for reporters to pick him up at the airport. Besides, she even announced the news of their uing engagement. However, Samuel didn¡¯t intend on getting engaged to Ashley. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Initially, he just wanted to rify things after he came back. But now, what Ashley did caught himpletely off guard. However, Ashley was the one who saved him after all, so he didn¡¯t want to reject her immediately. ¡°We¡¯re very grateful for all your blessings. The engagement between Samuel and I will be held in a week¡¯s time, and we hope to see all of you there. We hope to receive your blessings.¡± Ashley smiled as she hooked her arm through Samuel¡¯s. Hearing this, Samuel¡¯s handsome face turned cold. ¡°Would you like to say a few words, Mr. Macari?¡± a reporter asked. From the beginning, Ashley had always been the one speaking on behalf of them. ¡°I have nothing to say,¡± Samuel responded coldly. Before he made things clear for himself, he didn¡¯t wish to provide anyment. ¡°I have a question for you, Mr. Macari. What about Kathleen?¡± the reporters persistently questioned him. ¡°Kathleen?¡± Kathleen furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°The interview for today will end here,¡± Ashley said as she hurriedly pulled Samuel away. The reporters scrambled after them. Seeing this, Ashley immediately shot the bodyguards a look. The bodyguards instantly stepped up to block the reporters. The reporters could only watch as the two took their leave. Meanwhile, there was a car waiting for them outside. After they got into the car, it was only then that Ashley heaved a sigh of relief. She was slightly nervous. If Samuel hadn¡¯t been in a rush toe back, she wouldn¡¯t have returned to Jadeborough while her rtionship with him was still unstable. That was despite how Samuel already believed her that Kathleen already had feelings for someone else, and how he didn¡¯t have any feelings for Kathleen at that moment. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s go to our house first,¡± Ashley replied with a smile. ¡°What about my parents?¡± Samuel questioned icily. At this, Ashley felt a little guilty. She hadn¡¯t informed the Macari family of this at all. Because of that, Wynnie and Calvin wouldn¡¯t be going there. ¡°Samuel, I actually wanted to tell you that your parents were tricked by Kathleen,¡± Ashley responded sheepishly. ¡°They are still very trusting of her now. In fact, after your incident this time, she secretly linked up with my uncle and poached a renewable energy development team from Macari Group.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°Do you have evidence of that?¡± ¡°Of course. The person in charge of the team is already at my uncle¡¯spany. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask him,¡± Ashley continued cautiously. ¡°I¡¯ll go meet my parents first,¡± Samuel said indifferently. ¡°All right.¡± Ashley was helpless. Why is he just so indifferent? However, she knew that Samuel had always been unexpressive. Even if he lost his memory, his temperament wouldn¡¯t change drastically either. What she was most worried about was if she could sessfully trick an intelligent person like Samuel. After all, if even a small w was revealed, there would be a possibility that her lie would be exposed. Soon, they reached the condominium. Ashley tricked Samuel into believing that that was where they stayed. After Samuel got out of the car, he nced at the condominium, his face expressionless. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ashley said with a smile. Samuel followed after her. When the security at the door saw theming in, he greeted them warmly, ¡°Mr. Macari, Ms. Zeller, you¡¯re finally back.¡± Ashley nced at Samuel. ¡°Look. Even the security here knows that you haven¡¯t been back for a long time.¡± Samuel¡¯s cold and dark eyes swept across the security guard. The security guard was so frightened that he broke out into a cold sweat. What a terrifying re! Although there wasn¡¯t a trace of anger on Samuel¡¯s handsome face, his gaze was extremely sharp. All of this had been arranged by Ashley in advance. She then pulled Samuel into the elevator. Samuel retracted his hand. ¡°Samuel, the engagement ceremony will be in a week¡¯s time. Don¡¯t you have any opinions about it?¡± Samuel remained silent, and there wasn¡¯t a trace of warmth in his eyes. ¡°Samuel, I¡¯m not young anymore. You can¡¯t possibly make me keep waiting, can you?¡± Ashley asked pitifully. ¡°If you¡¯re in such a hurry, you can marry someone else instead,¡± Samuel replied while maintaining a frigid expression. ¡°How could you say that? You¡¯re the one I love. How could I marry someone else?¡± Ashley was on the verge of tears. Samuel retracted his gaze. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to get engaged, let alone get married.¡± When she heard this, Ashley¡¯s eyes reddened. Soon, the elevator reached their floor, and they stepped out. Ashley walked over to a door, keyed in the passcode, and opened the door. After she entered, she took a pair of male slippers for Samuel and a pair of female slippers for herself. They were a pair of matching slippers. Besides the matching slippers, there were plenty of other matching items in the house. All of them seemed to be reminding Samuel about his rtionship with Ashley. Ashley then opened the door to the bedroom. ¡°Have a rest first. I¡¯ll get someone to fetch your parents.¡± Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Maybe He Has His Reasons Samuel remained impassive. ¡°Are you really going to fetch them?¡± ¡°Do you not believe me?¡± There was a hint of despair in Ashley¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a rest,¡± Samuel responded tly. He then walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind him. A cold glint shed across Ashley¡¯s eyes as she stood outside the door. She picked up her phone and sent Trevor a text. Trevor has to help me with this! If not, I¡¯ll drag him down with me! Meanwhile, Kathleen reached her office. Everyone else in thepany had already seen Samuel¡¯s interview at the airport as well as the news of his engagement, and all of them looked at her withplicated expressions. However, Kathleen wasn¡¯t bothered by that and proceeded to find Calvin. Calvin¡¯s eyes darkened when he saw her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go and find Samuel?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to,¡± Kathleen replied nonchntly. ¡°No matter what¡¯s the reason he¡¯s getting engaged to Ashley is, I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Calvin frowned at this. ¡°Perhaps Samuel has his reasons for it.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Maybe.¡± Kathleen remained impassive. ¡°Mr. Macari, since Samuel is already back, I won¡¯t get involved with Macari Group¡¯s business.¡± In the past, she used to be Samuel¡¯s ex-wife, a mother to two of his children and was supposed to be his fianc¨¦e at that moment. But now, she was nothing. ¡°Kate¡­¡± Calvin couldn¡¯t find the words to continue. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry, Mr. Macari. I¡¯m sure that Trevor is only going against Macari Group because of me. I¡¯ll take full responsibility for this,¡± Kathleen replied solemnly. After hearing this, Calvin was perplexed and asked, ¡°But if you aren¡¯t going to be the CEO, how are you going to handle this?¡± ¡°I have my own ways,¡± Kathleen responded. After thinking about it, Calvin said, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a move first, Mr. Macari.¡± With that, Kathleen turned around. Calvin also stood up. ¡°Kate, Samuel won¡¯t fall for anyone else. I think that perhaps he also lost his memory, just like you.¡± Kathleen stopped in her tracks. ¡°I understand what you mean, Mr. Macari. I¡¯ve never denied Samuel¡¯s feelings toward me, but neither am I going to take any initiative about it. If hees looking for me, I won¡¯t reject him either.¡± With that, she walked away. Calvin let out a sigh of helplessness. After about ten minutes, the door to his office was opened. Calvin looked up. There was only one person who dared to enter his office like that. ¡°Come with me!¡± Wynnie furrowed her brows. ¡°Have you found where Samuel is?¡± Calvin asked curiously. ¡°Yes!¡± Wynnie fumed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this brat actually moved into Ashley¡¯s ce. We have to get him back!¡± Calvin hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He then followed Wynnie to the condominium. To Wynnie, finding Samuel¡¯s whereabouts was just a piece of cake. Wynnie pressed the doorbell. Not a single sound was heard in the house. Wynnie started to get agitated and kept on pressing the doorbell. Just then, she heard a sounding from the inside. However, the door still wasn¡¯t opened. What¡¯s going on? Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Samuel was woken up by the sound of the doorbell and walked out of his room. Before that, Ashley had already peeked through the peephole and saw who was outside. When she saw Wynnie, Ashley¡¯s heart started palpitating furiously. What¡¯s Wynnie doing here? Ashley started to get anxious. Wynnie waspletely different from Kathleen. After all, the former was Samuel¡¯s mother, and there was no way that Samuel wouldn¡¯t listen to her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you opening the door?¡± Samuel asked coldly. ¡°I¡­¡± Ashley was stumped. She didn¡¯t want to open the door. Seeing that she was stunned, Samuel walked over and opened the door. When Wynnie saw Samuel, the look of heartache shed across her face. She turned to look at Ashley. p! A resonating pnded on Ashley¡¯s face. ¡°Mrs. Macari?¡± Ashley was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! You disgust me!¡± Wynnie spat icily. Ashley was on the verge of tears as she looked at Samuel with an aggrieved expression. Samuel frowned. ¡°I¡¯m your mother!¡± Wynnie red at Samuel furiously. ¡°This is your father!¡± She then took out a stack of documents from her folder and added, ¡°These are the paternity test results and everything else about you!¡± Samuel was left speechless. Wynnie was enraged. ¡°Why did you have to get engaged to this woman? Haven¡¯t you already proposed to Kate?¡± The expression on Samuel¡¯s face remained cold. ¡°Kate?¡± ¡°Kathleen Johnson, your ex-wife, who¡¯s now your fianc¨¦e!¡± Wynnie replied. ¡°Hasn¡¯t she already fallen for someone else?¡± Samuel asked calmly. Wynnie furrowed her brows as she turned to look at Ashley. ¡°Did you tell him this?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything wrong, have I, Mrs. Macari? Previously, Kathleen was indeed going to get married to Caleb. Wasn¡¯t Ryder also pursuing her some time ago?¡± Ashley questioned nonchntly. Wynnie scoffed. ¡°Back then, Kathleen was forced to marry Caleb. Besides, the wedding wasn¡¯t even sessful because Samuel crashed it. As for Ryder, that happened before Samuel proposed to Kathleen. The two of them arepletely unrted!¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari, perhaps you didn¡¯t know that I was the one who saved Samuel,¡± Ashley continued calmly. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to see your son now.¡± Wynnie was stunned by Ashley¡¯s words. Ashley rolled up her sleeve and went on, ¡°I even got injured while saving Samuel, Mrs. Macari.¡± There were two fresh scars on her arm, and they were evidently gunshot wounds. ¡°Mrs. Macari, I can¡¯t even lift my arm now. Besides, Kathleen was the reason why Samuel got into an ident. She was the one who took everything from Macari Group.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Wynnie didn¡¯t believe a word she was saying. After all, Kathleen and Samuel had already made up. ¡°Mrs. Macari, all of you have been fooled by Kathleen,¡± Ashley continued exining. ¡°In fact, Kathleen had always despised Samuel, because he tolerated Nicolette and caused Kathleen to lose her child. Hatred like this won¡¯t disappear so easily. You should know this very well as a woman.¡± Hearing this, Wynnie was dumbfounded. Such hatred was indeed hard to let go. However, she still didn¡¯t believe that Kathleen would do such a thing. After all, she had plenty of opportunities to kill Samuel before this. There was no reason for her to only make a move now. Calvin turned to look at Samuel. ¡°Samuel, what do you think of this?¡± ¡°Did I really cause her to lose her child?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. Calvin nodded. ¡°Yes. But that happened seven years ago. She even gave birth to a pair of twins with you after that. She doesn¡¯t hate you anymore.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, Kathleen only gave birth to the twins because she was unconscious and didn¡¯t even know that she was pregnant.¡± Ashley narrowed her eyes. ¡°If she knew that she was pregnant, she would definitely abort the children. Even until now, although she lost her memory after regaining consciousness and forgot how much she despised Samuel, she would definitely hold grudges after losing her first child.¡± ¡°You know quite a lot.¡± Calvin red at Ashley icily. Ashley froze. ¡°Samuel, do you want to go back with us?¡± Calvin looked at Samuel. ¡°Em and Desiree miss you dearly.¡± Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°Samuel, your leg still needs to be treated. Lauren will being over tomorrow, and it¡¯ll be more convenient for your leg to be treated here.¡± ¡°Samuel, Kate can treat you as well!¡± Wynnie chimed in. ¡°Mrs. Macari, how would Kathleen treat Samuel if she despises him to the core?¡± Ashley mocked. ¡°Back when Samuel injured his right arm while saving Kathleen, she didn¡¯t even treat him. Now, he can¡¯t even move his right arm properly.¡± Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Regret ¡°You!¡± Wynnie was livid. ¡°We are talking to our son. What does this have to do with you?¡± Ashley pursed her lips. ¡°You need to think this through, Samuel. What if Kathleen doesn¡¯t give her best effort after verbally promising to treat your legs? In that case, you¡¯ll have to rely on a walking stick forever.¡± Samuel¡¯s left hand tightened around his walking stick. Wynnie blocked Ashley from Samuel¡¯s view and said to him, ¡°No. Kathleen will never do that.¡± Samuel wore an indifferent facial expression. ¡°You tell me Kathleen is my fianc¨¦e, so why is she not here to meet with me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still mad at you. In order to search for you, she stayed in Smend for three months. She turned so skinny when she came back. If she hated you, why would she remain there for so long?¡± Wynnie exined. yvolumeAd1 ¡°Because those were all an act! She¡¯s putting up a facade to others as if she¡¯s looking for Samuel, but in fact, she did not try her best. Otherwise, how was it possible that she failed to find any clues?¡± Ashley said at once. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Wynnie red at her. ¡°No one will think you a fool if you don¡¯t speak!¡± ¡°Mrs. Macari, you shouldn¡¯t be biased toward Kathleen simply because she gave birth to your grandchildren. I almost forgot that you two sided with Kathleen when she divorced Samuel previously. You didn¡¯t care the slightest for him,¡± Ashley added. Wynnie furrowed her brows. Samuel gazed at Wynnie and Calvin with a poker face. ¡°You two should go back first.¡± ¡°Samuel! You must leave with me!¡± Wynnie was anxious. Nothing good will happen from leaving him here with Ashley! ¡°I will not go back. Please leave, the two of you,¡± he said. ¡°Samuel, think carefully. Do not let her deceive you! You¡¯ve never liked her!¡± Wynnie uttered in a state of agitation. ¡°But she saved me,¡± Samuel said solemnly. Wynnie froze. That¡¯s right. Ashley saved Samuel. Although I do not want to admit this, I cannot ignore the existence of this rtionship between Ashley and Samuel. Calvin took out a piece of a business card. ¡°This is my contact details. If you have any doubts or any needs, please feel free to contact me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel received the business card. A hint of malice shed across Ashley¡¯s eyes as she looked at the business card in Samuel¡¯s hand. Calvin tugged on Wynnie¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Samuel, you better don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret. Otherwise, you will hate yourself when you regain your memories,¡± Wynnie reminded. Samuel remained silent. Ashley immediately shut the door after Calvin dragged Wynnie out of the room. She returned to Samuel¡¯s side and said, ¡°Samuel, are you hungry?¡± He shook his head. She stretched out her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll help you keep the business card.¡± Samuel withdrew his hand. ¡°Give me a phone.¡± Ashley froze momentarily. ¡°Samuel, I know you¡¯re anxious, but at the moment, you require rest¡­¡± ¡°Give me a phone,¡± he demanded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll instruct someone to prepare the phone.¡± Ashley nodded in resignation. Calvin brought Wynnie outside. ¡°Darling, you shouldn¡¯t have hit her earlier,¡± he said. ¡°I was angry. Ashley distorted the truth. Samuel lost his memories, and he¡¯s in her debt after she rescued him. I¡¯m afraid Samuel will trust her instead of us,¡± Wynnie uttered worryingly. ¡°Samuel knows what he¡¯s doing. He merely lost his memories, not that he became a fool. There is so much evidence ced before his eyes. He will make sense of everything. We just need to give him more time,¡± Calvinforted his wife. She asked sorrowfully, ¡°Why is Kate noting to meet with him?¡± ¡°I suppose Kate is disheartened. However, she did mention that she will not refuse to meet with Samuel if he approaches her,¡± Calvin exined. ¡°That¡¯s good. I wonder what happened between Samuel and Ashley.¡± Wynnie felt ill at ease. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink the situation. I don¡¯t think Samuel likes Ashley a lot. Perhaps he¡¯s acting like this because Ashley saved his life.¡± Wynnie nodded. ¡°Probably.¡± They went home after saying all that. Kathleen went to visit her children at the Macari residence. Samuel and Ashley¡¯s engagement spread like wildfire after the news was released. Everyone knew, including Em and Desiree. There was no way to hide that information from them. Em was fine as he did not show his feelings. His controlled and restrained personality was simr to Samuel¡¯s. Desiree, on the other hand, reacted differently. She bawled and sniffled, seemingly pitiable. Everyone doted on her, so the sight of her crying tugged at Wynnie¡¯s heartstrings. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Desi.¡± Wynnie did not know how to console the little girl. ¡°Your daddy will not marry that woman.¡± Desiree continued weeping. Kathleen wiped her tears. ¡°Desi, can you please stop crying? Why don¡¯t you think of it in this way? There will be one more person to care for you after your daddy gets married, right?¡± Desiree was rendered speechless. I¡¯m not crying because I want you tofort me with those words! Wynnie felt helpless. She could sense that Kathleen was actually infuriated. ¡°Kate, we went to see Samuel today. He lost his memories and hurt his leg. It was Ashley who saved him,¡± Wynnie said. ¡°Mrs. Macari, why did Ashley go to Smend? And why was she so fortunate to stumble into Samuel there?¡± Kathleen replied nonchntly. Wynnie was stunned. ¡°If Samuel failed to consider this point, I don¡¯t want to meet him anymore.¡± She wiped the tears off Desiree¡¯s face. ¡°Mrs. Macari, I wish to bring the kids back to stay with me. I am worried, looking at their current state.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wynnie nodded. Kathleen left with the two kids after having their dinner. In the car, Desiree, still wearing a long face, asked, ¡°Mommy, will Daddy get married?¡± ¡°I think he will,¡± Kathleen replied calmly. She felt exhausted. ¡°But I do not want Daddy to marry that woman.¡± Desiree frowned. ¡°That woman is not a nice person! She snatched Daddy away from me!¡± ¡°Desi, you¡¯ll understand this when you grow up. Not every married couple will stay together forever. Your daddy has the freedom to marry whoever he wants, just like you and your brother. When you two grow up in the future, you will have the liberty to marry anyone you like. Your daddy and I will not have the right to interfere in that matter,¡± Kathleen exined. Despite what she said, Kathleen knew Desiree would fail to wrap her mind around the concept. Desiree was about to say something else when Em stopped her. ¡°Mommy is driving. We¡¯ll discuss whatever you have in mind when we¡¯re home.¡± Only then did Desiree shut her mouth. When they arrived home, Kathleen saw Charles¡¯ car parked in the courtyard. He¡¯s here? Charles had been very busy recently. He was upied by the search for Wyatt¡¯s whereabouts. However, he had yet to receive any news thus far. Kathleen parked her car, helped the two kids get out of the vehicle, and entered the mansion. ¡°Eil, Desi.¡± rissa strode over from the living room. Em and Desiree had met with rissa before. The three of them had a great time together. ¡°Eil, Desi, why don¡¯t I y with you two upstairs?¡± she asked. The two kids exchanged nces before following rissa up the stairs. Kathleen knew Charles must have given her the order to do so. Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Tell ¡°Charles.¡± Kathleen entered the living room and took a seat. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that matter and instructed my men to find out more information. Samuel lost his memories, and Ashley took care of him for three months,¡± Charles borated. Kathleen clenched her fist, then loosened her grip. ¡°It seems like Samuel married her for a reason.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do something?¡± he asked in a meaningful tone. ¡°I suppose I will invoke his displeasure regardless of what I do, right? I hate Ashley, but she¡¯s her savior. With their current rtionship, Samuel will not believe me no matter what I say. Therefore, I don¡¯t want to waste my effort anymore,¡± she replied. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve given up.¡± Charles frowned. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°I¡¯m not giving up. I¡¯m just reluctant to relive the past.¡± Kathleen looked sideways. ¡°Charles, actually, I¡¯ve regained some memories recently. My jealousy toward Nicolette had previously driven me to the verge of insanity. I do not want to go through all those unpleasant emotional roller coasters again because of Ashley. There¡¯s no need for me to do that.¡± ¡°But you and Samuel¡­ Are you really willing to give him up?¡± Charles asked. ¡°If his judgment is not clouded, he wille and see me. If he is disinclined to meet me, my initiative to look for him will not be significant either.¡± She paused briefly before adding indifferently, ¡°Charles, my sh with Trevor has started. When I¡¯m done dealing with him, if Samuel is still resolved to marry Ashley, I¡¯ll bring the kids with me and leave this ce.¡± Charles¡¯ gaze darkened. ¡°Where do you n to go?¡± ¡°Pollerton. I¡¯ve wanted to go there for a long time. Previously, I wanted to go there for a vacation, but now I¡¯m thinking of staying there permanently,¡± Kathleen exined. He nodded. ¡°You can decide for yourself. I will not interfere in your business.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Charles, hurry up and resolve the issue rted to Blissful Sect. I¡¯ll wait for you to be reunited with us.¡± He was slightly taken aback. ¡°You seemed certain Samuel will marry Ashley.¡± Kathleen remained silent. Samuel unknowingly dozed off after having his dinner. The time was two o¡¯clock in the morning when he woke up. A cold glint shed across his eyes when he saw Ashley lying next to him on the bed.He got up and noticed that his phone on the bedside table had vanished. Howe the phone is missing? I clearly remember I ced the device on the bedside table. Did Ashley take the phone away? His eyes zed murderously. Then, he exited the room. He had always been a light sleeper, so there was no way he would fail to sense Ashley entering his room and lying down next to him. Unless¡­ That woman! Although she saved my life, what she did was simply outrageous! Such audacity! Samuel went outside to get some fresh air. Initially, he merely wanted to linger in the corridor for a short while. However, without himself realizing it, he took the elevator and went downstairs, arriving at the ground floor of the condominium. A ck Maybach was parked downstairs at that moment. A woman stretched her hand out of the car window. Her fingers wrapped around a bottle of beer. Samuel knitted his brows. Just then, the woman¡¯s delicate facial features entered his vision as she turned to look out the car window. Kathleen thought her eyes were ying tricks on her. She blinked. The person before her was, indeed, Samuel. Kathleen went there because she was feeling slightly irritated. However, she did not anticipate Samuel to be there because that condominium was their home when they were married in the past. ¡°You are¡­ Kathleen?¡± His voice sounded hoarse. Kathleen gulped the rest of her beer. ¡°I am Kathleen. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Are you here to see me?¡± Samuel gulped. She rubbed her temples. ¡°No. One of the units in this condominium was where we stayed when we became a married couple previously. I wanted to visit the house. I did not expect you to be here.¡± He was maddened after knowing she was not there to meet with him. ¡°It seems like you really don¡¯t love me. Perhaps you even hate me, am I right?¡± Kathleen looked sideways. ¡°Why should I hate you?¡± ¡°In the past, I had indirectly caused us to lose our first child. That¡¯s why you hate me and have been looking for an opportunity to take revenge on me,¡± Samuel said. She could not help butugh. ¡°Who told you that? Was it Ashley?¡± Samuel did not say a word. ¡°Yes. I am taking revenge on you. What can you do about that? Since you¡¯ve lost your memories and you know I hate you, why don¡¯t you try killing me?¡± she said haughtily. Samuel stayed quiet. ¡°I once lost my memories too, but I did not lose my ability to make considered decisions like you,¡± Kathleen uttered coldly. Samuel stared at her face. ¡°Whatever that floats your boat.¡± She activated the car¡¯s engine. He reached out and ced his right hand on the rising car window. His hand trembled. Kathleen¡¯s head ached at that sight. She paused in her action. ¡°How else can I help you?¡± She gazed intently at his wrist. ¡°I need your contact details,¡± he said in a deep voice. Kathleen slid her hand into her pocket. ¡°This is my phone.¡± Samuel received the device. ¡°I¡¯ll call you once I¡¯m home.¡± She was about to leave after saying that. ¡°Hold on!¡± He did not allow her to go. ¡°What¡¯s the problem now?¡± Kathleen was baffled. ¡°You drank alcohol. You should not drink and drive.¡± Samuel opened the car door and handed her the phone. ¡°Call someone to pick you up.¡± Kathleen was stumped. Having no other choice, she contacted Tyson. Tyson departed to her location in his car immediately after he received the call. He became agitated when he saw Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari!¡± Samuel responded expressionlessly, ¡°Who are you?¡± Tyson was stunned. Mr. Macari has indeed lost his memories. He has forgotten everything that happened in the past. ¡°Mr. Macari, I am your assistant, Tyson. You¡¯ve finally returned, Mr. Macari. Do you know how worried Mrs. Macari was about you?¡± Tyson replied. ¡°That¡¯s enough. He doesn¡¯t want to listen to all that. There is more time for you two to be reunited in the future, Tyson. Send me home for now. My head is hurting,¡± Kathleen piped up. ¡°All right!¡± Tyson nodded. Then, he looked at Samuel. ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯ll meet with you tomorrow.¡± ¡°I will be waiting for you in the lobby,¡± Samuel uttered. In other words, he was hinting at Tyson to return there after sending Kathleen home. ¡°I understand.¡± Tyson bobbed his head. Kathleen got into Tyson¡¯s car and sat in the backseat. Tyson nced at Samuel before getting into the car as well. Samuel stared at them as the car drove away. His slender fingers wrapped tightly around Kathleen¡¯s phone. I am finally reacquainted with this world. Ashley was covered in a cold sweat when she woke up and realized Samuel was gone. She immediately got off the bed and went searching for him. The moment Ashley stepped out of the elevator, she saw Samuel sitting on the couch in the lobby. She saw a familiar figure walking out of the main entrance. Ashley¡¯s heart jumped to her throat. She strode over to Samuel. ¡°Samuel, why aren¡¯t you sleeping? You¡¯ll fall sick, staying outside the room under such cold weather.¡± Poker-faced, he said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ashley narrowed her eyes when she saw the phone in his hand. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± ¡°Kathleen gave it to me,¡± he replied coolly. Ashley stiffened. ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Has he already met with Kathleen? How did she know Samuel is here? Did Wynnie inform her of this ce? Colors drained from Ashley¡¯s face. ¡°What did she tell you?¡± Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Chapter 450 An Intimate Photograph ¡°She said the same thing you did. That she hated me,¡± Samuel answered with indifference. What? Kathleen said that to him? That¡¯s great news! But why did she say that? How peculiar¡­ Despite those thoughts, Ashley finally felt relieved and let out a sigh. It was then that Samuel stood up to head to the elevator. Upon seeing that, Ashley hurriedly followed behind him as they returned to the condominium. ¡°Don¡¯t ever sneak into my room when I¡¯m asleep again,¡± Samuel frostily reminded. His words shocked Ashley, who rebuked, ¡°What are you saying? Samuel, we¡¯ve always slept together in the past.¡± ¡°That was the past. Things are different now.¡± A bone-chilling frown crept up Samuel¡¯s face. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°I¡¯ll move out if it happens again.¡± ¡°Oh, all right. I won¡¯t sneak in anymore,¡± Ashley replied helplessly. Following that, Samuel went into his room and locked the door, leaving a speechless Ashley behind. The next day, Kathleen slept in due to her hangover. When she finally came downstairs, Charles and rissa were looking after the two kids as they all ate breakfast. ¡°I hear you went out for a drive on your ownst night?¡± Charles interrogated, his tone as cold as stone. Kathleen was caught off guard by his question but she eventually replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± Still, Charles continued with his interrogation. ¡°I also heard Tyson had sent you home afterward.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°And you drank?¡± ¡°I only had a little to drink¡­¡± Kathleen took on anguid tone as she spoke. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, stop worrying about me, Charles.¡± A sneer instantly appeared on Charles¡¯ scrunched-up face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you went to see Samuel.¡± Kathleen was stumped as she did not know how to respond. Before she could say anything, Yadiel entered the space and ced a new phone in front of Kathleen. He exined, ¡°Dr. Johnson, Tyson has been urging you to send your new phone number to Mr. Macari.¡± Charles shot a narrow-eyed stare at Kathleen upon hearing that. Right away, guilt ate away at Kathleen¡¯s conscience. ¡°Also, there¡¯s a document for you,¡± Yadiel added. Kathleen epted the document and the phone before heading upstairs. When she arrived in her room, she switched on the phone and noticed her new SIM card had already been inserted. She sent a message to her old phone before opening up the document. What came out of the document¡¯s package was a photo. Upon closer inspection, Kathleen realized it was a photo of Samuel and Ashley in bed. Ashley was on all fours while Samuely beneath her. Their position seemed intimate and sexually ambiguous. Her nose scrunched up to her eyes right then. That was when she suddenly received a call from Samuel. Kathleen nced at the caller number on the phone while pursing her lips into a thin line. Moments passed before she epted the call. ¡°You said you¡¯d call me after getting home,¡± said Samuel. Kathleen sounded unconcerned as she said, ¡°Most establishments aren¡¯t even open this early. How am I supposed to contact you if I haven¡¯t settled things with my SIM card?¡± Her snappy response made Samuel frown. ¡°Are you still hungover?¡± To that, Kathleen massaged her temples and questioned, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I need to have a proper chat with you.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone returned to its usual iciness. ¡°Are you free?¡± ¡°What is there to talk about between us?¡± Kathleen snarled into the phone. ¡°Since Ashley loves you that much, and you¡¯re super grateful to her, your precious savior, you two can live happily ever after together! Quit bothering me!¡± With that, she pressed down hard on the red button, ending the call mercilessly. Her fingers immediately raised to massage the spot between her brows. D*mn you, Samuel! What a scumbag! Meanwhile, on the other end of the call was a deeply frowning Samuel. Did she just hang up on me? Is her temper really that foul? Kathleen¡¯s phone had many contact numbers. At some point, Samuel noticed Tyson¡¯s contact and wasted no time in phoning thetter. ¡°M-Mr. Macari?¡± Tyson¡¯s voice sounded as enthusiastic as always. ¡°Come over and pick me up. I¡¯d like to drop by thepany,¡± Samuel ordered without a trace of warmth. ¡°Got it!¡± Tyson nodded. Then, Samuel hung up. It was also that moment when Ashley entered the house and saw Samuel putting on his coat. She asked curiously, ¡°Are you heading out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to thepany,¡± was Samuel¡¯s curt response. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Ashley was quick to offer. She clung to him like a leech at that moment as she did not want Samuel to spend any time with Kathleen alone. Samuel impassively nced at her without uttering a word. Seeing that he did not refuse, Ashley secretly heaved a sigh of relief. It was not long before Samuel took his walking cane and went downstairs with Ashley in tow. The two waited at the main gate for a brief moment before Tyson arrived. Thetter then got out of the car to open the door for Samuel, who got in right after. Ashley wanted to get in too, but Tyson stopped her while stating, ¡°Apologies, Ms. Zeller. You can¡¯t join Mr. Macari to thepany.¡± ¡°Why the heck not?¡± Ashley¡¯s shrill voice yelled. Her displeased gaze was quick to look over at Samuel. Like her, Tyson turned around to face Samuel and exined, ¡°This has always been a rule that you set, Mr. Macari. You said that anyone unrted to thepany isn¡¯t allowed there. Otherwise, it would be hard to maintain order at thepany.¡± Samuel nodded. His frosty gaze then shot over at Ashley as he ordered, ¡°You can wait at home.¡± ¡°But!¡± A pout formed on Ashley¡¯s face as she whined, ¡°Who else will look after you if I don¡¯t go?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Tyson tersely chimed in before shutting the car door and getting back into the driver¡¯s seat. The entire thing left Ashley enraged but helpless at the same time. Ever since she learned that Samuel had met up with Kathleen, her mind was filled with worry. After all, Samuel¡¯s love for Kathleen knew no bounds. Hence, Ashley deeply feared that Samuel would fall in love with Kathleen all over again upon seeing thetter. Tyson ignored the grumpy-looking woman and drove off at once. That left Ashley crestfallen with her fists balled tautly. D*mn it! I¡¯ll get Samuel to rece that irksome assistant of his sooner orter! Just then, a series of heeled footsteps sounded behind her. ¡°It seems like you haven¡¯t fully tied Samuel down, huh?¡± a familiar woman¡¯s voice remarked. Ashley turned around and instantly said, ¡°Lauren, you made it.¡± While chuckling, Lauren replied, ¡°Yep. I was nning to head upstairs but saw you twoing outside, so I hid.¡± Ashley pursed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Samuel and Kathleen will never have a future together,¡± Lauren casually dered. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Ashley frowned. ¡°Because I sent this photo to Kathleen.¡± With that, Lauren deviously chuckled and extended her phone toward Ashley. All it took was a glimpse before thetter¡¯s eyes lit up with hope. ¡°When did you take this?¡± ¡°I took plenty of such photos, but I personally feel this one packs the most punch,¡± Laurenmented with a half-smile. ¡°Indeed.¡± Ashley satisfactorily nodded as she praised, ¡°You did so well, Lauren!¡± With this picture, Kathleen will surely misunderstand my rtionship with Samuel! This is great! ¡°Helping you is helping myself. If you marry Samuel, then I¡¯ll have him to back me up.¡± Lauren¡¯s malicious grin reached her eyes as she continued, ¡°Let¡¯s hope this utterly worsens Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s rtionship. That way, he won¡¯t be sad even if I kill her. It¡¯ll all be perfect!¡± ¡°You want to kill her?¡± Ashley lowered her voice to a bare whisper, fearful that anyone would hear them. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Lauren lowered her voice to match the former as she exined, ¡°I n to poison Old Mrs. Macari, then me it on Kathleen. Given how little Samuel trusts Kathleen now, this is our best chance! He¡¯s going to hate her if we seed. Then, all we need to do is create an ident and kill off Kathleen without attracting any suspicion. Samuel won¡¯t know a thing.¡± Ashley nodded, saying, ¡°That¡¯s a good n. Although, how are we going to poison Old Mrs. Macari? That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Lauren snorted viciously before rifying, ¡°Sickness is inevitable in life. Plus, most foods contain toxins these days.¡± Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Innocence ¡°Poisoning is not difficult.¡± Lauren smiled confidently. ¡°As long as Kathleen winds up dead, there will always be a way.¡± Ashley then murmured, ¡°You still need to keep it under wraps. Make sure nobody finds out about this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen,¡± Lauren smiled meaningfully. Ashley¡¯s face showed a hint of distress. ¡°How are you going to work out your engagement ceremony with Samuel?¡± Lauren asked curiously. ¡°He didn¡¯t mention it.¡± Ashley shook her head slowly. ¡°He did not mention it, yes, but it wasn¡¯t an outright refusal, right?¡± asked Lauren again. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, what are you still waiting for? Hurry up and have it sorted,¡± Lauren urged. ¡°As long as you and Samuel are engaged, he will be yours. Then you¡¯ll have some sort of backing. Why would you still be scared of Kathleen?¡± Ashley mused over this, thinking that Lauren¡¯s words made perfect sense. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll step up on preparations then.¡± ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll decide on which poison to administer to Old Mrs. Macari. Things should be happening right on schedule,¡± said Lauren with a wry smile. Ashley was also looking forward to this. Samuel arrived at the Macari Group for work. As soon as he appeared, the entirepany was abuzz with gossip. ¡°The CEO is back, but he seems to have a foot injury. Why is he on crutches?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Kathleen will definitely have him in good shape again. She¡¯s a famous doctor, after all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. The CEO is about to get engaged to Ashley, so how can Kathleen treat the CEO¡¯s injuries?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t really like Ashley, does he?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he? I heard that it was Ashley who rescued him. She injured her arm so badly in the process that she couldn¡¯t move it for a bit. Anyone would be moved by that gesture.¡± ¡°Did Mr. Macari break up with Kathleen just because of this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s too much happening between him and Kathleen. The rtionship is not as fraught with Ashley.¡± ¡°Stop talking, all of you! He is our boss! What if he overhears us? Do you want to lose your jobs?¡± Everyone shut up just as Samuel walked into his office. He stood in the center of the office, looking left and right. Nothing seemed familiar to him at all.He then turned and walked to his desk. On the desk were three framed pictures. One was of Kathleen, the other a wedding portrait, and the third was a picture of him and his two children. ¡°Mr. Macari, that¡¯s Em and Desiree. You raised them both. After your ident, they were very sad,¡± came Tyson¡¯s exnation. Samuel asked coldly, ¡°Why don¡¯t I have a picture of all of us together?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Tyson hesitated. ¡°That is a long story.¡± ¡°Then start talking.¡± Samuel sat at the desk. ¡°Okay.¡± Tyson stood in front of him and recanted everything that had happened. One hourter, Tyson was done. His mouth felt quite dry. ¡°All I can say is that you love your wife very much, Mr. Macari. And she loves you all the same,¡± said Tyson. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°She loves me?¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome face was indifferent. ¡°She didn¡¯t even go to see me yesterday. If Ashley had not arranged for her to stay in our previous chambers, then Kathleen wouldn¡¯t havee to see me at all.¡± ¡°But Mr. Macari, doesn¡¯t that imply that she misses the past?¡± queried Tyson. ¡°I reckon she is angry that you and Ashley are engaged.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Ashley said,¡± said Samuel. ¡°But you didn¡¯t deny it, sir.¡± Tyson sounded hesitant again. ¡°Even before your ident, Ms. Johnson never liked Ashley. The fact that Ashley magically showed up to save you in Smend is inconceivable. Her gripe is that based on that one incident, you assumed Ashley was a good person.¡± Samuel was silent. ¡°Ashley¡¯s aunt, Luna, also has a bone to pick with Ms. Johnson. This is why she is so incensed about the whole affair,¡± continued Tyson. ¡°I had no idea,¡± Samuel said coldly. Tyson was stunned. ¡°Do you know about Ronald?¡± Samuel asked mildly. ¡°Of course I do, that wretched traitor!¡± Tyson said angrily. ¡°He took so much away, including your designs and idea!¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was icy. ¡°Call him in. I have something to ask him.¡± ¡°What if he doesn¡¯te?¡± asked Tyson quietly. ¡°You won¡¯t think of a way?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Tyson nodded. He then left the office. Samuel sat alone in the office, looking at the photos thoughtfully. Half an hourter, Ronald appeared in Samuel¡¯s office, trembling like a leaf. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± Ronald¡¯s voice appeared to waver slightly. Initially, it was his assumption that Samuel wouldn¡¯t return that emboldened his actions. However, Samuel beat the odds and came back after all. ¡°I heard that you quit while I was away?¡± Samuel asked with a cold expression. Ronald¡¯s face was embarrassed. ¡°Out of the manypanies in Jadeborough, why did you pick Hoover Group?¡± asked Samuel indifferently. In hushed tones, Ronald replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t actually want to go. It was Trevor who came to me.¡± ¡°So if he asked you to jump off a cliff, you would too?¡± retorted Tyson sardonically. ¡°Nobody is going to stop you from changing jobs. However, you took away the whole operation! The team, other things belonging to the CEO¡­ Where is your spine? Your pride?¡± Ronald lowered his head, not daring to look at Samuel. Samuel¡¯s face was still motionless. ¡°So what has Trevor offered you?¡± ¡°He tripled my pay.¡± Of course, Trevor promised him other things, but he didn¡¯t tell Samuel. Samuel had other things he needed to rify. ¡°Who was the middleman between you and Trevor?¡± A look of shock immediately registered on Ronald¡¯s face. ¡°How did you know?¡± Samuel¡¯s ck eyes were sharp. ¡°There was someone doing all this in secret,¡± Ronald said. ¡°Who is it?¡± Samuel asked icily. An embarrassed expression appeared on Ronald¡¯s face. ¡°Mr. Macari, I think you shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Speak!¡± Samuel said sharply. ¡°I-it¡¯s Kathleen,¡± Ronald stammered. ¡°That is preposterous!¡± hissed Tyson. ¡°I¡¯m not lying! Trevor can easily back up this im!¡± retorted Ronald. ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± Tyson was very angry. They¡¯ve all gone nuts! How dare they use Kathleen so brashly? ¡°What evidence? How can she leave anything behind when she¡¯s so careful?¡± whispered Ronald harshly. ¡°Anyway, she¡¯s a blood rtive to Trevor. She will dly help him. Also, she¡¯s the one who bears a grudge over the death of her child!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± roared Tyson. ¡°You know sh*t!¡± ¡°Mr. Hackney, you¡¯ve all been deceived by her. She¡¯s not a good person at all! Why would she be fraternizing with so many men, eh?¡± asked Ronald, sounding a tad smug. ¡°This is between Mr. Macari and his wife! It¡¯s not your job to specte!¡± hissed Tyson through gritted teeth. What a horrid person! Samuel nced at Tyson indifferently. ¡°Leave us be, for now.¡± With him present, Samuel could not quite get the answers he wanted. ¡°Mr. Macari, you can¡¯t believe in what he said!¡± said Tyson, seemingly agitated. ¡°The man is a traitor, and he¡¯s trying to make himself seem innocent!¡± Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Opportunistic ¡°Mr. Hackney, you are Mr. Macari¡¯s personal assistant. If you¡¯re sticking up for Kathleen, then surely you have a connection with her too?¡± asked Ronald. Tyson scoffed indignantly. Samuel gave Tyson a warning look. ¡°Leave us.¡± Tyson clenched his fists and promptly left. When he got outside, he called Kathleen. ¡°Ma¡¯am, Ronald has gone too far! He¡¯s ndering you in front of Mr. Macari!¡± eximed Tyson in rage. ¡°What exactly did he say?¡± queried Kathleen. ¡°He ims you¡¯re the one who made him go to the Hoover Group. He also imed that Trevor could back up his story!¡± Tyson was agitated and fiddled with his tie. ¡°Ms. Johnson, it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re in cahoots and want to mess with you!¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Kathleen¡¯s tone did not even change. ¡°What else did he say?¡± Tyson was flustered. ¡°He¡­ Long story short, he said a lot and tried to pin all of it on you.¡± ¡°Does Samuel believe him?¡± asked Kathleen mildly. Tyson suddenly paused. He was unsure because he did not notice a change in Samuel¡¯s expression. Seeing that Tyson did not respond, Kathleen knew that he was not sure either. ¡°If Samuel is willing to believe Ronald, there is nothing I can do,¡± murmured Kathleen. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m powerless. How he thinks isn¡¯t up to me.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After speaking, Kathleen hung up the phone. Tyson could feel his temples pounding. Kathleen¡¯s reaction was indeed calm. However, this felt strange to him. This was not calmness. She was being cold. If this continues, I guarantee she won¡¯t love Samuel anymore. He had worked for Samuel for so many years. Therefore, he knew better than anyone how much Samuel loved her. If they separated because of Samuel¡¯s amnesia, then it would not have been worth it. At this time, Ronald came out of the office with a smug smile on his face. Tyson red at the man before him. ¡°This won¡¯t end well, and you know it!¡± Ronald¡¯s smile was dark. ¡±That¡¯s not necessarily true. After all, I walked out of his office in one piece.¡± ¡°Just be careful on your way out, lest you get hit by a car,¡± scoffed Tyson. Ronald sneered and turned away. Tyson immediately returned to the office. He looked at Samuel. Samuel still sat there, his expression ever unyielding and impassive. ¡°Mr. Macari, Ronald is obviously trying to divert this conflict by pushing all me onto Ms. Johnson. He ims she¡¯s the cause of all trouble but has been unable to produce evidence. You can¡¯t believe him.¡± Samuel said indifferently, ¡°I have my own judgment.¡± ¡°Yes, I see.¡± Tyson said nothing further. ¡°Where are the kids now?¡± asked Samuel. ¡°Ms. Johnson picked them up yesterday,¡± replied Tyson. ¡°She stayed behind in Smend, looking for you. She did not mind the children. Then upon her return, she encountered the issue with Ronald and did not have time to catch up with them. So she decided to take them with her.¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained neutral. ¡°I see.¡± Tyson did not speak. ¡°Leave me be. I need some time alone,¡± said Samuel after a while. ¡°Of course.¡± Tyson turned around and left. He was concerned that this time, Samuel might have actually believed Ronald. That afternoon, Kathleen brought the children out for lunch. She had been neglecting them for a while since her priority was to look for Samuel. Now that Samuel was back, everything else was in order. She finally found some precious spare time and decided to bring the kids out. ¡°Mommy, where are you taking us to eat?¡± Desiree asked with great anticipation. Kathleen smiled wryly. ¡°The ce you like, of course.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Desiree was very excited. Kathleen smiled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Desiree looked at Kathleen with a smile and turned toward Em. ¡°We can finally go!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re the one who wants this,¡± said Em mildly. He was content with anything. Kathleen asked him gently, ¡°What do you want to eat then?¡± ¡°I have nothing in particr that I want. Let Desi choose.¡± Em was quite sensible for his age. Sensible children were likable, but they also made her feel sad. Kathleen knew that Em was nothing like a boy his age. He did not have the innocent whims of a child. On the contrary, he was restrained and calm, just like Samuel was. ¡°You wanted it too!¡± Desiree was reluctant to admit that she was the glutton. Em did not want to say anything further. This was just his nature. Soon, they arrived at one of the most famous children¡¯s restaurants in Jadeborough. To eat here, one needed to spend about three thousand per person. Kathleen parked the car and got out of the car with the two children. The restaurant was located on the thirteenth floor of a high-end shopping mall. In addition to this children¡¯s restaurant on the thirteenth floor, there was also a very luxurious fine-dining restaurant next to it. When Kathleen and the others came out of the elevator, they happened to run into Trevor. Trevor was on his way to the fine-dining restaurant for lunch. ¡°Ms. Johnson.¡± Trevor narrowed his eyes. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± As he said that, his gaze fell on the two children. Kathleen was displeased and said coldly, ¡°Are we that familiar with each other?¡± Trevor was stunned momentarily before giving her a rigid smile. ¡°Ms. Johnson, we¡¯ll be seeing a lot more of each other soon. Surely you don¡¯t have to be like this?¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°That¡¯s cute. I still don¡¯t see why we have to keep seeing each other, to begin with.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Trevor smiled faintly. ¡°Samuel is about to get engaged to Ashley after all. We¡¯ll be rted to the Macari family in the future. Since you are the mother to Samuel¡¯s children, we¡¯ll be running into each other a lot more.¡± Kathleen¡¯s face was indifferent. ¡°We won¡¯t.¡± Trevor frowned. ¡°If Samuel really intends to marry Ashley, then I¡¯ll leave with the children. They¡¯ll have kids of their own in the future. I don¡¯t believe that a man without a spine will treat my children well,¡± retorted Kathleen. Trevor smiled coldly. Just then, Desiree shouted, ¡°Daddy!¡± Kathleen looked up and saw that Samuel had arrived. Ashley was holding onto his arm. They made quite a handsome pair. Desiree hugged Samuel at the thigh. ¡°Daddy, why haven¡¯t youe home?¡± ¡°Desiree, your father has injured his leg. It¡¯s best not to touch him there.¡± Ashley seemed to sound kind, but her eyes were full of barely-concealed disgust. ¡°Daddy!¡± Desiree tugged at Samuel¡¯s trousers and looked at him piteously. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe home? Do you know how much we miss you?¡± Samuel said nothing. He heard everything Kathleen said just now. She actually nned on leaving with the children. Desiree¡¯s eyes gradually turned red. Kathleen could not stand it anymore. she walked over, took Desiree¡¯s hand, and tried tofort her. ¡°Desiree, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll eat what you like.¡± Desiree had started to tear up. ¡°Daddy, are you really going to marry another woman?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Desiree, your father and I truly love each other,¡± Ashley said meaningfully. ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Desiree said angrily, with tears on her soft little face. ¡°Grandma said you are taking advantage of him!¡± Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Gone ¡°You lied to Daddy while he lost his memory! You are so hateful!¡± Desiree was quite upset. After Wynnie went to see them thest time, she came back and told Diana everything. Desiree, who was at one side, heard every word of the adults¡¯ conversations. ¡°How can you say such things, little girl? It¡¯s not cute at all,¡± tutted Ashley. Kathleen suddenly sneered. Everyone looked at her. ¡°Ashley, my daughter never lies. I¡¯d suggest using your brains before speaking.¡± The re Kathleen had was cold and sharp. ¡°If you dare use her like this, I won¡¯t let things slide. I don¡¯t care who your fianc¨¦ is. I¡¯ll make your life a living hell!¡± Ashley pursed her lips. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Kathleen looked at Samuel disdainfully. ¡°Samuel, you can forget anyone else in the world. But if you¡¯re going to be this cold toward your own children, then you should¡¯ve thought about this before bing a father!¡± She took off the diamond ring from her finger. Kathleen then walked over, took Samuel¡¯s hand, and put the diamond ring in his palm. ¡°You can have this back.¡± After she finished speaking, she walked away with both Em and Desiree. Samuel faintly looked at the diamond ring in his palm. A chill shed across his eyes. Ashley¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Just great. Samuel clenched his fist, and the edges of therge diamond started biting into his palm. He then pocketed the ring. Trevor smiled mildly. ¡°Samuel, let¡¯s go in too.¡± Samuel pursed his lips slightly and followed them into the restaurant. He nced at the children¡¯s restaurant and saw Kathleen sitting at the dining table with Em and Desiree. Kathleen could be seen wiping away Desiree¡¯s tears. ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t like Daddy anymore,¡± cried Desiree. She felt wronged. After all, she was raised by Samuel. Her emotions naturally ran deep. Over the past five years, when had Samuel ever been so indifferent to her? Given Desiree¡¯s age, this was something she could not ept. Kathleen patted her head gently. ¡°Desiree, your father didn¡¯t think of you because he has lost his memory. But he will soon ept that you are his daughter, and he will eventuallye around. Be a good girl, and don¡¯t cry anymore?¡± However, Desiree¡¯s tears refused to stop. ¡±Why did Daddy lose his memory? It¡¯s fine if that happened, but why is he together with that woman? That woman said I wasn¡¯t cute and he did not say anything to defend me!¡± Kathleen smiled slightly. ¡°Says who? She must be blind.¡± Desiree sniffled and finally stopped crying. By then, their food had been served. Kathleen picked up a french fry, dipped it in ketchup, and put it in Desiree¡¯s mouth. Desiree opened her mouth and began to chew. The little girl had finally stopped crying. Meanwhile, Em was eating quite gracefully with his fork. The little guy definitely has a noble air. Halfway through the meal, Em put down his cutlery and said, ¡°Mommy, I need to use the bathroom.¡± ¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Mommy,¡± he replied after standing up. ¡°You should just mind Desiree.¡± He turned away. Kathleen thought about this and couldn¡¯t help sighing. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you sighing?¡± Desiree was curious. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I just think your brother is too sensible.¡± Kathleen was worried. Desiree didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be sensible, of course. But he will never say what he¡¯s thinking,¡± said Kathleen helplessly. ¡°I¡¯d rather he lived more like a child.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s a child like me!¡± Desiree didn¡¯t understand what Kathleen meant. Kathleen merely shook her head and exined that she was talking about something else. ¡°Children you may be, but you¡¯re also very different from each other,¡± said Kathleen. Desiree seemed to be distressed when she heard this. Kathleen smiled lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it now. You will understand when you grow up and have your own children.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Desiree nodded sagely. But I really am different from Eil. He¡¯s a genius. Em made his way to the restaurant Samuel was at. He happened to see Samuel get up and go to the bathroom. Em decided to follow suit. Samuel was not expecting Em to be there with him either. ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°Do you really have amnesia?¡± asked Em, his tone serious. ¡°Yes.¡± Samuel felt no need to hide things. ¡°When Mommy lost her memory, you were so angry that she forgot us,¡± replied Em in earnest. ¡°But Mommy, unlike you, never got engaged to another man. If you want to choose that woman, then that¡¯s your business. But my sister and I will really leave you and this ce behind.¡± Samuel looked at his son coldly. ¡°Is this what your mother told you? ¡°No. Desi and I have made this decision ourselves.¡± Em frowned and continued, ¡°I just wanted to let you know that even if it is amnesia, you shouldn¡¯t be led by the nose by people with ill intentions. That is all.¡± Em then turned and walked away. Samuel frowned. The little man really resembles her. Em made his way back to the restaurant. Kathleen frowned and looked at him. ¡°What took you so long?¡± ¡°Well, there was no water in the bathroom just now, so I waited,¡± replied Em. Kathleen looked at him faintly. What nonsense! She clearly saw Eming in from the outside. He did not go to the bathroom at all. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± she said. Em only nodded. After eating, they left. When leaving, Desiree nced at the restaurant Samuel was in. There was a deep disappointment in her eyes. Kathleen didn¡¯t say anything. All she could do was lead them out. In the fine-dining restaurant, they were all gathered at a table. Trevor smiled faintly and Samuel said, ¡°When you both get engaged, Mr. Macari, my family will send you our blessing.¡± Ashley looked at them both shyly. Samuel¡¯s eyes, however, were sharp. ¡°What engagement are you talking about?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? It¡¯s five more days till your engagement ceremony,¡± chided Trevor. Samuel tutted and red at Ashley. ¡°Looks like you ignored everything I said to you.¡± He stood up, clearly unhappy at the situation. ¡°Samuel!¡± Ashley was quite distraught as she tugged at Samuel¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t do this, we¡ª¡± ¡°We?¡± Samuel said coldly. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Ashley¡¯s face paled. Trevor gave Samuel an icy stare. ¡°Do you not want to get engaged?¡± ¡°It has never crossed my mind,¡± retorted Samuel. Ashley was rendered speechless, her mind racing. How could it turn out this way? ¡°Samuel, you have your pride, but what about Ashley¡¯s pride?¡± retorted Trevor. ¡°She is the pride of the Zeller family! Not some toy to be yed with! And look at the state of her left arm. She has been unable to lift it, and she put her life on the line to save you. You¡¯re an ingrate, treating her this way!¡± Samuel merely hummed in indifference. ¡°I can repay that debt through other means. Things remain the same for me. If not for my memory, I wouldn¡¯t be with her in the first ce.¡± After he finished speaking, he walked away. ¡°Samuel! Samuel!¡± Ashley shouted toward his retreating figure. Samuel merely walked away without looking back. Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Chapter 454 As Much As She Wants Kathleen got into the car with the two children. She fastened their seat belts and got herself into the driver¡¯s seat. Just as she was about to close the door, a slender hand blocked her from doing so. Kathleen frowned and raised his head. There seemed to be a hint of frost in her gaze. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Samuel said coldly, ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was equally cold. ¡°Do you love me?¡± Samuel asked in a hoarse voice. Even his Adam¡¯s apple seemed to bob a little more. Kathleen¡¯s gaze was mild. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Kathleen, this isn¡¯t the kind of answer I want. Do you love me or not? Tell it to me straight!¡± urged Samuel. ¡°Let me see.¡± Kathleen arched a finely plucked brow and continued, ¡°You believe what Ronald said about why I was at Smend? That I was putting on a show instead of looking for you?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Samuel was silent. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°Samuel, you are really ridiculous.¡± With a forceful shove, she removed his hand from the car door, got inside, then drove away. Samuel frowned deeply. I don¡¯t understand! Is it a yes or a no? ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± Tyson had walked over. There was a harsh edge to Samuel¡¯s voice as he asked, ¡°Does this woman really love me?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I believe she does,¡± replied Tyson firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t feel it,¡± said Samuel. ¡°She¡¯s so¡­ cold.¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, I¡¯d suggest waiting until you regain your memories before pursuing this line of inquiry. In fact, your actions in the past were excessive. If not for your insistence, she might have ended up with another man. You¡¯d barely spent any time with Ms. Johnson before sh*t hit the fan again. On top of that, you¡¯re engaged to the woman she hates the most. It¡¯s only natural that she¡¯s angry,¡± exined Tyson patiently. Samuel bore a dark expression on his handsome face. ¡°I just want to be sure if she even cares about me.¡± If only she would tell him, then he never would¡¯ve gotten engaged to Ashley in the first ce. He never intended for this to happen. The very thought had never even crossed his mind. In the meantime, Ashley had returned to the condominium. That was when she realized that Samuel had note back at all. After a brief moment of pondering, she remembered that the mobile phone Samuel was using belonged to Kathleen. She dialed Kathleen¡¯s cell phone number. Samuel had returned to Florinia Manor. There was no one else there except for the butler and some of the staff. The rest of them had moved out with Kathleen. As such, the manor was deserted. The butler immediately asked if Samuel needed anything. ¡°Take me to the bedroom to have a look,¡± Samuel said softly. ¡°Of course.¡± When he arrived inside, Samuel saw that arge wedding portrait was hung by the bed. Both he and Kathleen were in it. In the photo, Kathleen¡¯s smile seemed a little forced. ¡°When was this taken?¡± Samuel asked with a frown. ¡°This was taken at your wedding, sir. After the death of Mrs. Macari¡¯s first child,¡± the butler replied. Samuel¡¯s face suddenly sank. I see. No wonder she doesn¡¯t look happy at all. How can it be possible to have a wedding under those circumstances? How would she even look happy? ¡°Leave me be. I need to be alone for a moment.¡± Samuel was not too fond of being around people. ¡°Very well.¡± The butler promptly left the room. Samuel stood in front of the huge wedding portrait. A pin- drop silence filled the room. If she knew she wasn¡¯t happy in this picture, why did she pick this one then? Did she do it to stress herself out? Just as he was thinking about it, Ashley called. Samuel¡¯s eyes shed with anger. Nevertheless, he answered the phone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s veryte. Why haven¡¯t youe home yet?¡± Ashley asked quietly. ¡°That¡¯s not my home,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°I also don¡¯t like you barging into my room in the middle of the night. Understand?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make this mistake again,¡± Ashley said, aggrieved. ¡°Samuel,e back, okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force me, or I won¡¯t answer your calls again,¡± threatened Samuel. If it wasn¡¯t for Ashley saving him, he would have not bothered answering the phone. He also noticed that Kathleen added a note to Ashley¡¯s name, calling her a ¡°toad.¡± He could see how much Kathleen detested this woman. ¡°Samuel, how could you treat me like this?¡± Ashley actually burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯ve ruined my arm for your sake!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact the best doctor to treat you,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°That Lauren can heal my legs and your hands. Let her make an offer, and I can give her any amount.¡± Ashley was stunned. Without saying anything further, Samuel hung up. Ashley then tossed away her phone in anger. What a horrid person! How could he change his mind so quickly after a single meeting with Kathleen? Although Samuel had never been drawn to Kathleen, Ashley knew that Samuel had approached Ronald and asked questions. Ronald had told Samuel what they agreed upon earlier, that Kathleen was Trevor¡¯s aplice. In the end, Ronald managed to leave Macari Group unharmed. This indicated that Samuel harbored no doubts about Ronald¡¯s words. She thought the n was foolproof. However, I did not expect to run into her today. I¡¯d even met the two evil beings she birthed. If they hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared, then perhaps Samuel¡¯s reaction wouldn¡¯t have been so severe. D*mn it! Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Ashley went to open the door. It was Lauren, who held two bottles of wine in her hand. She narrowed her eyes when she noticed Ashley. ¡°You were crying?¡± Ashley turned around hastily. ¡°No.¡± Lauren walked in and closed the door. ¡°I originally nned to celebrate the whole marriage thing. Now it appears that you¡¯re not exactly happy at all.¡± ¡°Lauren, I think it¡¯s too difficult for our n to seed,¡± Ashley said quietly. ¡°Samuel is not interested in me at all.¡± Lauren smiled wryly. She walked to the wine cab beside her, took out two sses, and then came toward Ashley and put the wine sses on the coffee table. ¡°It hase to this point now, so you have no choice.¡± Lauren opened a bottle of red wine and filled up both sses. ¡°Are you willing to give up Samuel to Kathleen?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not!¡± There was hatred in Ashley¡¯s eyes. ¡°Samuel should have been mine! I have to hold onto Samuel. Otherwise, how can I reconcile with all the hardship I¡¯ve faced all these years?¡± Having said that, she ran her fingers across her face. ¡°You¡¯re right to think so.¡± Lauren smiled coldly at Ashley. ¡°See how smug she looks! Wouldn¡¯t you want to be able to do the same?¡± Ashley nodded vigorously. Of course she wanted this. Lauren handed her a ss of wine, which Ashley epted. ¡°Actually, the most important factor in this matter is Kathleen. Now, the rtionship between Samuel and Kathleen is in jeopardy. While you can say that Samuel will go back to her, it¡¯s also likely that he might turn to you, his savior, instead,¡± said Lauren earnestly. ¡°But how can I make Samuel fall for me?¡± Ashley asked in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s very simple. Deepen the conflict between them and force Kathleen to leave this ce,¡± replied Lauren. ¡°If you don¡¯t see her, then you won¡¯t be upset. If Samuel can¡¯t see her, then he won¡¯t miss her. It¡¯s a slow process, but you¡¯d be able to work your magic on him.¡± Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Truly Amnesia "But what do I do?" Ashley didn¡¯t understand. "That¡¯s also very simple.Just tell her you¡¯re pregnant." Lauren smirked and looked at Ashley sardonically. "Given Kathleen¡¯s prideful behavior, she won¡¯t call Samuel to verify this.If it were true, why would she risk losing her pride? Even if she does decide to confront him, Samuel is going to feel very attacked.How will they not fight, then?" Ashley thought that what Lauren said made sense. "But Kathleen is a traditional medicine doctor after all.She will ask to take my pulse." In this sense, Ashley did not feel at ease with the n. After briefly rummaging through her bag, Lauren fished out a bottle of medicine. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl "These pills can help replicate a dual pulse.Even if you go to the hospital for an examination, they won¡¯t find out.However, this onlysts for seven days." Ashley gasped and took it from Lauren. "Is it truly that effective?" "Don¡¯t you believe me?" Lauren smiled coldly. "Think about your legs and face.Who do you have to thank for that?" "I believe in you!" Ashley was very happy. "Lauren, I¡¯m so d to have you help me." Lauren smiled casually. "You know what I want, right?" "I know," Ashley said with a smile. "Don¡¯t worry.When I marry Samuel, I will let him get rid of the Blissful Sect for you.By then, the whole country can be yours!" Lauren was very happy to hear this. "Lauren, I haven¡¯t seen you have a man for so many years." Ashley was extremely curious. "Surely you¡¯re not¡ª" "I¡¯m straight.I also have male friends who take care of those needs," said Lauren mildly. "I just think that men are inferior to power and money.Men cannot give me a sense of security, and I can never trust men." With that said, Lauren downed half a ss of red wine. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Ashley said quietly, "What if a man like Samuel pursued you?" Lauren let out a peal of sarcasticughter. "He is very good, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to like him." Lauren had always had only one purpose.She wanted power.She wanted to get rid of all the organizations in the nation and emerge as the only victor. When she had the power she craved, why would the men not cave? Ashley pursed her lips, but said nothing. Back at the Johnson residence, Kathleen had just helped Desiree with her bath and put her to bed. Desiree took Kathleen¡¯s hand. "Don¡¯t be sad, Mommy.Even if Daddy doesn¡¯t want you anymore, I still love you." Kathleen¡¯s gloomy mood was swept away immediately, and she smiled. "Don¡¯t worry.I¡¯m not sad, and it¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t want me anymore.Rather, it¡¯s the opposite." "Mommy, do you really not want Daddy anymore?" asked a very upset Desiree. "But I want us all to be together!" Kathleen stroked Desiree¡¯s face. "Desiree, some things cannot be forced." Desiree seemed to hover between understanding and confusion. "Okay, time for bed." Kathleen kissed Desiree¡¯s forehead, tucked her in, then left. Kathleen went downstairs.She entered the living room, only to find Charles sitting there. Kathleen walked toward him. "You¡¯re alone? Did rissa not tag along?" "She said she wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she decided to rest at home.I also heard you had a run-in with Samuel today?" queried Charles. Kathleen was surprised. "How did the news reach your ears so quickly?" Charles sighed. "Why didn¡¯t you say something? Everyone is watching you.You were even photographed by the paparazzi near the restaurant you were at today." What? "Who did this?" Kathleen immediately dug out her phone.She could not care less if she showed up in the pictures. However, she did not want to expose the children to this. "They¡¯re not that unscrupulous.The children¡¯s faces were censored, but they also deleted these pictures," replied Charles. Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you think Samuel really has amnesia?" Charles asked curiously. Kathleen huffed in anger. "If his amnesia is fake, wouldn¡¯t this situation be even more abhorrent?" Charles was stunned to silence, and he found that Kathleen was not just angry at Samuel.She was downright resentful now.Her indifference toward Samuel was likely a product of her rage. "You¡¯re just going to let it slide?" Charles narrowed his eyes. "If Samuel is really engaged to Ashley, then I definitely don¡¯t want him!" hissed Kathleen. "That being said, it matters not if hees to me.I¡¯m not going to go out of my way to seek him out." Charles sighed lightly. He knew it would be like this. At this time. Charles¡¯s cell phone rang.He answered the phone, his expression solemn. "Alright, I¡¯ve got it." Charles then hung up. Very slowly, he stood. Kathleen looked at him. "What¡¯s wrong?" "There has finally been news about Wyatt.I¡¯m going to check it out," said Charles icily. "We¡¯ve been looking for him for almost half a year, and he finally emerged." "Do you need me to apany you?" Kathleen asked. "No." Charles shook his head. "They just saw him, and they may not be able to find him.I¡¯m leaving." "Alright." Kathleen got up and escorted him out. Charles got in the car and drove away. Kathleen then returned to the vi, and then went back to the room to rest. The next day, Kathleen went off to thepany for work as usual.She was very busy that morning. When it was almost noon, Kathleen received a call from an unknown number.She frowned. Who is this? This was her new mobile phone number, so not many people knew it. Both her old phone and the number were with Samuel. Honestly, why hasn¡¯t he returned it to me yet? Does he want to use my phone perpetually now? Or perhaps, this is his new number? "Hello?" Kathleen answered the phone. "It¡¯s me." Ashley¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. Kathleen did not n on speaking. In fact, she¡¯d made up her mind to hang up the moment she noticed who it was. "Kathleen, I know you don¡¯t want to hear my voice, but I have something very important to tell you," Ashley said quietly. "Are you willing to meet me?" "Is there anything you can¡¯t say on the phone?" sneered Kathleen. "I¡¯d rather not waste my time looking at your stic face." stic? Ashley was shocked. Of course, she had not gotten any cosmetic surgery.Her face was as natural as it could get. Ashley calmed down before speaking. "Perhaps you¡¯re scared after all.However, if you don¡¯t meet me, you will regret it." Sighing, Kathleen pinched the bridge of her nose. "Where?" "I¡¯m in the coffee shop by yourpany now." Ashley smiled faintly. "I¡¯ll wait for you." After speaking, she hung up the phone. Kathleen stood up and walked out of her office.She exited the building, then proceeded toward the cafe mentioned by Ashley.It was lunchtime. The cafe was crowded. She noticed that some of the employees in herpany were dining there too. Kathleen¡¯s expression was cold. So, this is how she wants to y it? She saw Ashley sitting in the booth by the window. She walked over, taking her time. Ashley narrowed her eyes. In front of her was a ss of hot milk. "You came rather quickly." Kathleen sat down. "If you have something to say, say it." "Look at this." Ashley ced some test results in front of her. Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Not Allowed Kathleen picked it up and looked at it, frowning slightly. Ashley drank her hot milk and said with a smile, "I¡¯m pregnant.It¡¯s been a month." Kathleen put down the results and sneered. "I can make a hundred copies of this crap, Ashley." She did not believe it was true. Very casually, Ashley ced her hand in front of Kathleen with a smile. "Go on, check my pulse.See if I¡¯m lying to you." Kathleen frowned. Hesitantly, she put her fingers on Ashley¡¯s wrist. After a while, Kathleen truly felt the pulse.It indicated that she was in fact, pregnant. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Very slowly, she removed her hand. "Kathleen, I¡¯m not trying to agitate you here." Ashley sounded contrite but she was quite satisfied with the oue. Without warning, Kathleen picked up the ss of water in front of her and sshed it onto Ashley¡¯s face. "What are you doing!" Ashley screamed. "Have you gone mad?" Everyone else in the cafe looked at them, unsure of what happened. However, they recognized both parties at a nce. Kathleen stood up and said coldly, "Ashley, before Samuel¡¯s ident, everyone knew that he proposed to me.What kind of coincidence could lead him to lose his memory and you being right there? Do you think I have no basis in suspecting that you had a hand in this? You know of our rtionship, but you put in so much effort to seduce him.I¡¯ve seen plenty of wh*res, but you¡¯re the one to take the crown here." Ashley looked at her indignantly. "Why do you say that to me? I can¡¯t use my arm because of Samuel!" Kathleen said sarcastically, "Samuel nearly threw his life away for me.Do you think he will do the same for you?" Ashley was put in the spot. "Consider this an act of mercy.If you dare show up in front of me again, I¡¯llpletely destroy your other hand!" After saying that, Kathleen turned away.Her face was pale like never before. Test results could be used as deception, but there was no mistaking her pulse. Kathleen went back to the office and tried to calm down.She refused to be led by the nose due to Ashley¡¯s ministrations. At this moment, Yadiel rushed in. "Dr.Johnson? Something has happened." Kathleen raised her head, her eyes red. "What¡¯s wrong?" "Dr.Johnson, are you alright?" Yadiel seemed to be quite surprised. Kathleen frowned. "What happened?" "Old Mrs.Macari is hospitalized and is in critical condition," Yadiel exined. Kathleen stood up immediately. "We need to go there right now!" Kathleen went to the hospital and found out that Diana was no longer in danger. The doctor was exining the diagnosis to both Wynnie and Calvin. "We can confirm that Old Mrs.Macari was poisoned.Did she eat anything strange today?" asked the doctor. "Just breakfast and lunch like we normally do.But we ate it too, and we¡¯re both fine," replied Wynnie. The doctor frowned. "Anything else?" Wynnie hesitated for a moment. "That leaves us with the medicine." Kathleen was stunned. Could her poisoning be linked to my prescriptions? "What medicine?" The doctor was surprised. "Well¡­" Wynnie didn¡¯t know how to exin. In fact, she believed in Kathleen, but¡­ "It¡¯s a medicine I have prescribed," said Kathleen as she walked over. "Old Mrs.Macari suffers from rheumatism and has beenining about pain in her leg.I prescribed the medicine, and the staff had it sent over to the Macari family." Kathleen was not one to evade responsibility.If it was truly an issue with her medication, then she was going to take the me for it. "Mom has been drinking that medicine for several days, and it¡¯s been fine.I doubt it¡¯s the medicine." Wynnie stepped in to defend Kathleen. "I still think it¡¯s best to have it tested," said the doctor mildly. "It¡¯s necessary to confirm exactly what she was drugged with." Wynnie nodded. "Alright, I understand." She turned around and made a phone call. Samuel and Ashley had arrived together. "What¡¯s happened to Old Mrs.Macari?" Ashley¡¯s expression was stricken, and tears covered her face. "I heard that she was poisoned! How could that happen?" Kathleen bristled at the sudden outburst. When Samuel saw Kathleen, his back straightened.He looked at the doctor and asked, "How is my grandma doing?" The doctor said, "Preliminary diagnosis will indicate that her poisoning might have to do with taking traditional medicine." "What!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ashley¡¯s reaction was quite strong. "Kathleen, how could you be so vindictive toward Old Mrs.Macari? Are you upset at her decision to let me marry Samuel? Or perhaps it¡¯s how she cost you both your children?" "Shut up!" Wynnie put down her phone, extremely angry. "Kate is not such a person!" They all believed in Kathleen. Kathleen did not n to exin herself. Samuel looked at Kathleen deeply. "Was it you?" Kathleen looked at him coldly. "Samuel, you¡¯re crazy!" Wynnie said angrily. "How could Kate do such a thing! Don¡¯t be led astray! If Kate wanted to kill us, she would have done so without us knowing! Why would she use such an obvious tactic to draw attention to herself?" Samuel looked right at Kathleen. Kathleen sneered. "If you think so, then I guess I am the culprit." "Kate?" Wynnie was surprised. Calvin also noticed that Kathleen admitted to this because of Samuel¡¯s distrust. Samuel¡¯s face was tense. Kathleen looked at Calvin and Wynnie and said, "I¡¯ll be sure to have an exnation for this." After speaking, she turned away. Samuel looked at her figure and hurried forward to catch up.He hugged Kathleen¡¯s slender waist from behind and dragged her into a ward. The ward was empty, and no one was there. Samuel closed the door and held her against it. Ashley wanted to go after Samuel. Suddenly, Wynnie grabbed Ashley¡¯s hand. "Be honest with me!" Ashley was very angry and panicked. In the ward. Samuel squeezed Kathleen¡¯s chin. "Kathleen, do you love me?" Do you love me at all? Kathleen frowned deeply. "What does loving you or not have to do with Old Mrs.Macari¡¯s poisoning?" Samuel swallowed audibly. He stared at Kathleen¡¯s lush lips, wanting to kiss her badly. Kathleen took a deep breath. "Samuel, I don¡¯t love you.I never loved you from the start.Ashley is right.You allowed Nicolette to kill my children.Yes, children.They were twins.I will never forgive you for this, ever!" Her eyes were red. She did not have much of an impression, but she remembered what Gemma told her. Although Samuel knew nothing about it, she was still angry. This was a burden in her heart that she could never get over with. However, she knew that Samuel could not be med entirely. Samuel frowned when he heard what she said. "Are you trying to get a rise out of me?" "Is it working? After all, aren¡¯t you the one who has been nitpicking since you came back?" said Kathleen coldly. "Don¡¯t touch me, Samuel.I despise you right now." He had made Ashley pregnant.He even came to question her whether she loved him or not. She could not imagine the audacity of this man. "Why do you despise me?" Samuel stared at her. "I think you are filthy!" The more Kathleen thought about it, the angrier she became. "Samuel, let me go! I won¡¯t allow you to touch me!" Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Dumped By Kathleen I¡¯m filthy? What Kathleen said to Samuel seemed to strike a nerve.He stared at Kathleen, and his gaze was filled with fury. Kathleen¡¯s eyes were brimmed with tears.She pushed Samuel away forcefully and turned around. Then, she opened the door and left without looking back. Confusion was written all over Wynnie¡¯s and the others¡¯ faces when they saw Kathleen leave in a hurry. Ashley immediately went to look for Samuel. Meanwhile, Samuel sat on the bed in silence.He remained unmoving as though he was a statue. "Samuel, are you okay?" Ashley felt slightly uneasy.She had no idea what Kathleen had told Samuel, but she only wished Kathleen had not mentioned anything about her pregnancy. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl If not, everything she had done would get exposed. Samuel looked up, and a sense of coldness crept over his face. Ashleyforted, "Samuel, I¡¯ll never leave you.I¡¯ll stay by your side forever." As she spoke, she reached out her hands, wanting to hug him.Samuel¡¯s cold voice rang out and stopped her from continuing her move. "Are you still thinking of holding the engagement ceremony?" Ashley was startled by his sudden question. Despite that, she replied calmly, "Yes, Samuel.I like you.I¡¯ve been fond of you for a long time, and I¡¯m really into you." Samuel gulped indifferently and said, "Let¡¯s hold the engagement ceremony as scheduled in four days." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. As soon as he finished his words, he stood up and walked out. What? Ashley could not believe what she had just heard.She dashed out of the room and caught up to Samuel. Samuel was already waiting in front of the elevator. "Samuel, are you serious about what you said?" Ashley was shocked yet delighted. Samuel remained silent. Ashley was all over the moon. Lauren¡¯s suggestion worked perfectly! I didn¡¯t expect both ways worked and caused Samuel and Kathleen to fall out with each other! That¡¯s great! The elevator arrived, and Samuel walked in. Just as Ashley was about to enter, Samuel¡¯s voice sounded. "Stop following me! Also, don¡¯t look for me.I¡¯ll show up at the engagement ceremony four dayster." Samuel seemed annoyed. As those words fell, the elevator door closed. Samuel leaned against the elevator with his eyes closed. Since Kathleen has dumped me, it¡¯s fine then. When Ashley was excited over Samuel¡¯s words, she turned around and saw Wynnie shooting her a cold stare. "Mr.Macari, Mrs.Macari, I¡¯m getting engaged to Samuel four dayster.Please remember to be there." Ashley looked smug. With that, she turned around and left. Wynnie felt the urge to rush forward, but Calvin held her by the wrist and said impassively, "Leave it.Just let her be." "I¡¯ll never let her set foot in the Macari residence!" Wynnie was burning in rage. Initially, she thought that Samuel would not get engaged to Ashley.She had not expected Samuel to change his mind that soon. "Just don¡¯t attend the ceremony.Besides, it¡¯s only an engagement, not their marriage ceremony," Calvin said solemnly. "I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s on Samuel¡¯s mind! Why would Kate poison Mom? Does he even have the ability to think?" Wynnie ced her hands on her hips. "It isn¡¯t necessary that Samuel is suspecting Kate, and he¡¯s probably dwelling on something," Calvin exined implicitly. "What is it?" Wynnie was baffled. "All of us told him that he was engaged with Kate before what happened to him.Yet, when he came back after he lost his memory, Kate didn¡¯t take the initiative to visit him.I bet it must¡¯ve hurt his pride," said Calvin as though he had already seen through everything. "Pride? That¡¯s absurd.If they hadn¡¯t announced the engagement right after they got off the ne, I guess Kate wouldn¡¯t have gotten mad." Wynnie frowned. "Samuel probably didn¡¯t know anything about it," Calvin exined. "If he knew nothing about it, why didn¡¯t he reject it then?" Wynnie asked, confused. Calvin added, "That¡¯s because he always thought Ashley was his savior, so he should at least take care of her image.Darling, no matter what, Samuel most likely wouldn¡¯t have survived if not for Ashley." Wynnie remained silent. "I know you dislike Ashley, and I don¡¯t really like her too.Just by looking at her gaze, I can tell she is harboring other intentions," Calvinforted. "It¡¯s not just that.She¡¯s a vicious woman!" Wynnie fumed. No matter what, Ashley would be an eyesore to Wynnie. Calvin¡¯s words were not wrong, though. Ashley was the one who saved Samuel. Even if she had saved him, it did not mean that she could do anything as she wished. "Let¡¯s go in and check out Mom¡¯s condition." Calvin tugged at Wynnie and entered the room. Meanwhile, Kathleen arrived home. As soon as she entered the house, she saw Yadiel.She had called Yadiel over when she was on her journey home. "Dr.Johnson," Yadiel called out. "Who has been sending the medicine for Old Mrs.Macari all this while?" Kathleen asked apathetically. "It was one of my subordinates," Yadiel revealed, frowning. Kathleen sat on the couch and ordered, "Call him over.By the way, bring the person who helped to prepare the medicine too." "All right." At that point, Yadiel was aware that something must have happened, and it surely had something to do with Diana. Although Kathleen had lost her memory, she still had a deep bond with Diana. As such, she was more anxious than anyone else when something happened to Diana. Yadiel dared not dy any further and immediately called his subordinates over. With her brows furrowed, Kathleen waited while sitting on the couch. Momentster, Yadiel walked to her with a stern expression on his face. "Dr.Johnson." "Which of them has disappeared?" came Kathleen¡¯s question. "It¡¯s the one who prepared the medicine for Old Mrs.Macari.But I already sent someone to get her.There¡¯s nowhere she could run to!" Yadiel assured in a deep voice. "Do you know where she will go?" asked Kathleen. "I already sent someone to her hometown," Yadiel answered. Kathleen massaged her temple as she replied, "You need to get things done as soon as possible." "Sure.I¡¯ll take my leave and get on it now." Yadiel nodded. Kathleen waved her hand, and Yadiel turned around and left. Not long after Yadiel left, Charles rushed into the house. Seeing that, Kathleen rose to her feet. "Charles, you¡¯re back.Did you manage to meet Wyatt?" "Yes.I heard something happened to Old Mrs.Macari.Is that true?" Charles looked at her emotionlessly. "Yup.She was sent to the hospital because she was poisoned.Fortunately, she¡¯s no longer in danger," Kathleen repliedposedly. "Is the Macari family suspecting you?" Charles asked in a solemn manner. "What? Who did you hear this from?" Kathleen frowned. "It has been trending on the inte.There was someone who said Old Mrs.Macari got poisoned and rushed to the hospital.That person mentioned that the whole incident might have something to do with the medicine Old Mrs.Macari has been takingtely.And you were the one who sent the medicine to her," Charles replied with a serious look. "Haha! The news is spreading really fast," Kathleen scoffed. "I know right? So is it true that the Macari family is suspecting you?" Charles knitted his brows. Shaking her head, Kathleen denied, "Charles, Mr.Macari and Mrs.Macari didn¡¯t suspect me." "You mentioned the two of them deliberately.Could it be that someone else from the Macari family is suspecting you?" The crease between Charles¡¯ brows deepened. "The other families can¡¯t meddle with the Macari main family¡¯s business.Is it Samuel then?" Kathleen pursed her lips without saying a word. "That b*stard! Why couldn¡¯t he use his brain to think? Why would you even try to harm Old Mrs.Macari?" Charles was infuriated. Hearing that, Kathleen replied bitterly, "Because Old Mrs.Macari had arranged the marriage for Samuel and me, and she was part of why I lost my first child." "That¡¯s nonsense! Where is he? I¡¯m going to teach him a lesson!" Charles¡¯ face darkened. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Chapter 458 I Will Not Overthink "Charles, forget about it.There won¡¯t be anything between Samuel and me anymore." Kathleen pulled Charles¡¯ hand. Furrowing his brows, Charles asked, "What do you mean?" Kathleen gradually released her grip. "Perhaps, we shouldn¡¯t have gotten back together from the start." Feeling sorry for her, Charles asked, "What did Samuel say to you?" "Nothing.Charles, I have ways to prove my innocence, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me," Kathleen assured calmly before she asked, "Didn¡¯t Wyatte back with you?" https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Knowing that Kathleen had changed the topic, Charles knew she did not want to talk about Samuel, so he replied, "We met and talked for a bit before he left." "What did he say?" Kathleen was curious. "He didn¡¯t say much but only asked me if I¡¯m willing to side with him.But you know I don¡¯t want to get myself involved in the matter between him and his brother." Apparently, Charles had turned Wyatt down. "What happened after that?" "After that, he left without saying anything," answered Charles. After pondering for a brief moment, Kathleen remarked, "Charles, whether Wilbur or Wyatt bes the leader of Blissful Sect in the future, it won¡¯t do us any good." "You¡¯re right.Unless we take over Blissful Sect, but that would cause more trouble." Charles¡¯s gaze darkened. At that point, Kathleen and Samuel only wished to live a peaceful and stable life; a rather ordinary life. "Charles, besides the two sons, Raymond has a daughter too," came Kathleen¡¯s implicit remark. Knitting his brows, Charles asked, "Are you going to help rissa to snatch over the role as the sect leader?" Kathleen nodded. "Both Wilbur and Wyatt will be threats to us, but rissa is different.If she bes the sect¡¯s leader, she won¡¯te to us to look for trouble." "Is she willing to be the leader, though? When her mom sent her to Blissful Sect, she said she wished rissa could live a peaceful life without worries." Charles¡¯ frown deepened. "We can ask for her thoughts then.Let¡¯s not force her.If she is unwilling to do so, I¡¯ll stop bringing this matter up," Kathleen suggested. Charles thought about it and replied, "Okay.I¡¯ll talk to her." "All right." Kathleen nodded. "I¡¯ll go back now." Charles then turned around and left. Charles came out of Kathleen¡¯s house and drove back to his own ce. As soon as he stepped into his house, rissa walked out of the room. "Charles, have you found Wyatt?" rissa asked concernedly. "Yes.I found him," Charles responded with a nod. "Did he tell you when he¡¯s going back?" rissa was curious. Without much emotion showing on his face, Charles merely replied, "He doesn¡¯t n to go back.Also, Wilbur had married Adina, so he said he had already lost to Wilbur once.As such, he doesn¡¯t want to lose to him again." rissa was bewildered. "Who does he want to marry? Does he think of marrying some fairies then?" "I have no idea.But I can tell he¡¯s growing more anxious, so I¡¯m worried Wyatt might opt for a way that leaves him no chance to turn back." "Charles, it¡¯s pointless for you to worry here.The fight between Wilbur and him is inevitable, and this was why Wilbur insisted on marrying Adina even though he knew her personal life was a huge mess," rissa exined. Charles said in a low voice, "If you¡¯re given a chance to choose, who would you side with?" rissa was taken aback.It was the first time Charles had asked her this question in all these years. "I side with no one," rissa replied sternly. "None of them can manage Blissful Sect well.Besides, Blissful Sect was initially¡­" As she spoke, a glint seemed to sh across her eyes. In a deep voice, Charles questioned, "Do you want to take over Blissful Sect?" rissa knew she could not stop her ambition from growing. "Yes! I want to! Charles, this is the first time I¡¯m opening up to you.Back then, I was the one who asked to go to the Watson family.My mom helped Raymond to establish Blissful Sect, so why should I hand it over to someone else in the end?" Charles stared at her intently without replying a word. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. rissa¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. "My mom is not the mistress! Just because she failed to give birth to a son, Raymond dumped her.No one would¡¯ve expected him to go to that extent of looking for my mom and doing such a thing to her.When my mom discovered she was pregnant, she felt like the sky was falling apart.She didn¡¯t want to give birth to me because I reminded her of all the humiliations and sufferings she had experienced.Even though she hasn¡¯t been treating me well since I was a child, I don¡¯t resent her for that.She has given me life, after all." Looking at how she was crying miserably, Charles reached to pat her on the shoulders. rissa shed him a pitiful look. "Can¡¯t you hug me? I will not overthink anyway." Charles was tongue-tied.He let out a sigh of resignation and took her into his arms. rissa buried herself in his embrace as she wailed. After so many years, it was the first time Charles saw her crying that sorrowfully. In fact, it was also the first time rissa cried in front of someone. Since she was young, she had been exceptionally good at suppressing her emotions, so she could always hold back her tears no matter how much she felt like crying. However, this time, she could not hold herself back at the mention of her past. After a long while, even though no more tears were left to cry, she was still weeping.She let go of Charles and stared at that expensive suit he was wearing. "Charles, I¡¯m sorry.I¡¯ve stained your suit with my tears." "It¡¯s okay.As long as you feel better after crying." Charles seemed unbothered. "I¡¯m not a child." rissa sniffled. "I don¡¯t cry all the time." She had always been tough. "Yes, I know." Charles stared at her deeply. Hearing that, rissa could not help muttering inwardly. You know nothing! "rissa," Charles called out. rissa looked up and asked, "What¡¯s the matter?" "If you wish to take over Blissful Sect," Charles continued after a momentary pause, "let me help you." rissa was stunned. "You can no longer stay out of it if you wish to help me.Also, there¡¯s no way you could escape once you meddle with this matter." She did not want to trouble Charles, as she knew Charles wished to live a life of his own.Hence, he should be chasing after a life that he truly wanted. Charles shed her a faint smile. "Do you expect me to stand by and watch when you¡¯re caught in a predicament?" rissa felt her heart racing. "But I¡¯m going tond you in trouble." "If I leave you alone, I couldn¡¯t live in peace too.Since you have this wish, I¡¯ll help you to achieve it.No matter how tough the process will be, leave it to me without worries," Charles stated. rissa¡¯s cheeks turned rosy as soon as she heard that assurance from him. "You¡¯d better not take me as a trouble by then." Charles grinned subtly. "It won¡¯t happen.Don¡¯t worry." "Where should we start?" rissa wondered. "It¡¯d be hard for Wyatt to look for a suitable partner here.In truth, he isn¡¯t really a big threat to you, as he has no one to rely on at the moment." Charles took a deep breath before he continued, "Adina is the biggest threat." Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Chapter 459 It Does Not Make Sense "Adina?" rissa was confused. "Don¡¯t you mean Wilbur?" Hah! Charles scoffed. "Wilbur is greedy, but so is Adina." "What could she possibly want?" rissa couldn¡¯t understand. "Adina might be a royal princess, but royals are plentiful.Only someone capable enough will be prioritized." Charles exined, "If Adina helps Wilbur take down Blissful Sect, her status amongst the royals will rise significantly.Do you get what I mean?" "So, you¡¯re saying Blissful Sect is just a tool for her to rise through the ranks of royalty?" rissa frowned. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl "Yes.Furthermore, if she takes over Blissful Sect, she¡¯ll be more useful to the royal family.Do you understand how important this matter is now?" Charles asked. "Yes.The only way for us to acquire Blissful Sect is by dethroning Adina so that she can¡¯t help Wilbur," replied rissa. "Mhm." Charles nodded. "I¡¯ve been observing things for a while now.Tomorrow, I intend to fly to Dartan." "I¡¯lle too!" rissa tugged at his sleeve. "Take me with you." "Of course, I¡¯ll bring you along." Charles smiled deeply. "I¡¯ll take you to meet the prince, Lachman." "You know him?" rissa was surprised. "Not me, Kate." He exined, "Three years ago, Lachman came looking for Kate in private.He wanted her to help him cure an illness." "I¡¯ve heard of that.His siblings took advantage of him because of his poor health," stated rissa. Charles nodded. "Yes.However, in these past three years, with Kate¡¯s medicinal prescription, his body has healed completely.The reason he fakes illness is to act as a protective shell.That¡¯s why he¡¯s never publicly announced that he¡¯s recovered." rissa nodded in acknowledgment. "I see.I doubt Adina would ever guess that." "Lachman has wanted to take action for a long time now.He ns to wipe out all the people who have been eyeing his throne." Charles smirked. "We will go to him and ask him for his help in dealing with Adina.Then, we can deal with Wilbur." "Sounds good!" rissa nodded. "You better go to bed then.I¡¯ll get someone to book the flights," said Charles. "Okay!" rissa smiled. "Good night, Charles." "Night." rissa turned around to go back into the house. Charles went out to the balcony and stared at the night view of the city.He was surprised that he hadn¡¯t needed to persuade rissa.She already shared the same idea. For a moment, he wasn¡¯t sure if he should assume it was a coincidence. Or perhaps Kathleen had long realized rissa¡¯s ambitions. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter. rissa wanted Blissful Sect. All he needed to do was get it for her. The next day. Samuel had just woken up. At the same time, Ashley arrived at Florinia Manor to look for him. However, she was being held up at the door.She wasn¡¯t even allowed to enter the courtyard.She was furious. "Open your eyes and take a good look.I am Samuel¡¯s fianc¨¦e!" The bodyguard¡¯s expression was calm. "I don¡¯t care who you are.I follow whatever orders Mr.Macari gives me." "When hees outter, I can guarantee he¡¯ll fire you!" she yelled. The bodyguard remainedposed and did not speak. Ashley gritted her teeth as she made a phone call to Samuel.However, no one answered. The butler knew that Ashley was here, so he went to look for Samuel.He knocked on the door and went in. "Mr.Macari, Ms.Zeller is outside the gate.She wants to see you, but the guards outside won¡¯t let her in," said the butler softly. Samuel¡¯s expression was very calm. "Mm." He did not me the guard. The butler seemed to have understood something. "Should I let Ms.Zeller in?" "Mm." Samuel nodded his head indifferently. The butler turned around and went downstairs.He proceeded to go to the door and invited Ashley in. Ashley was overjoyed.She pointed to the guard by the door and said, "Fire him." "I don¡¯t have the authority to do that," replied the butler. Ashley snorted coldly. "I didn¡¯t know a butler¡¯s power was so limited.Don¡¯t worry.Once I get married to Samuel, I will promise to give you more authority." The butler looked faintly over to the bodyguard. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. "Mr.Macari says you did a great job." Ashley was speechless. The butler turned around. Displeasure was written all over her face. When she married into this family, she swore to get a new butler too. Anyway, she proceeded to follow the butler through Florinia Manor. The ce was huge.She knew that Samuel had built Florinia Manor for Kathleen. Isn¡¯t this way too extravagant? This ce is like a pce. Samuel had really given his best to Kathleen. His money. His life. However, not anymore. From now on, Samuel¡¯s money would be Ashley¡¯s. His life would be hers too. Kathleen couldn¡¯t take it away even if she tried. Just then, Samuel came downstairs wearing ck checkered pajamas.He wore gold-rimmed sses on his nose.He looked very handsome. Ashley felt her heart flutter. Samuel was her favorite person to look at. "Samuel!" Ashley whined. "The guard at the door wouldn¡¯t let me in.He made me stand outside for so long.You must tell him off.How can he act that way?" "I was the one who told him to do so." Samuel was cold. "I don¡¯t like anyone disturbing my sleep." He said "anyone." Naturally, that included Ashley. Ashley was afraid of upsetting him. "Samuel, I came to you because of an emergency.Have you been on Twitter? One of the employees for Kathleen¡¯spany released a video.She admitted that Kathleen paid her to poison Old Mrs.Macari." Samuel nced at her sideways. His dark eyes turned cold. "I¡¯m not lying to you.That woman couldn¡¯t live it down.That¡¯s why she decided to film a video and release it online." Samuel took out Kathleen¡¯s phone and tapped on Twitter. As expected, the hashtag "Kathleenpoison" was trending at number one. On the phone, Kathleen¡¯s ount was already logged in on Twitter.He realized one minute ago, Kathleen had uploaded a post. It was a very daring post. Kathleen: If I wanted to poison her, I could have done it myself without anyone knowing. Why would I ask someone else to do it? Not to mention, I have a thousand different ways to get close to Old Mrs.Macari.I could have poisoned her water or food. Wouldn¡¯t that make more sense than adding poison to my own prescription? There was nothing wrong with what she had said. However, no one wanted to listen to her. Even though Kathleen¡¯s words were true, they refused to believe her. That was because they were all more interested in the drama between the rich. Hence, thements on the post were mostly filled with criticism. All of them were attacking Kathleen. At the same time, Kathleen didn¡¯t bother to exin. Samuel¡¯s grip tightened around his phone. Suddenly, he saw a notification stating that someone else had logged into the ount from elsewhere.It was most likely Kathleen. "Samuel, that phone belongs to Kathleen, right? Let me buy a new one for you," offered Ashley. As she spoke, she reached out to grab the phone in Samuel¡¯s hand. Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Chapter 460 What Right Do You Have Ashley¡¯s fingertips were already touching the phone. Samuel¡¯s eyes shed with a warning gaze. "Move your hand away!" "Samuel, you are about to get engaged to me.Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s disrespectful to me if you¡¯re still using your ex-wife¡¯s belongings?" Ashley couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Samuel was too heartless. "I am the person who saved your life!" yelled Ashley. "I used to belong to her too.If you mind it that much, then don¡¯t get engaged to me." Samuel had lost his patience.He turned around and left. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Ashley was rendered speechless.She couldn¡¯t believe that Samuel had just said that. Did he just say that he used to belong to Kathleen too? How could he be so self-deprecating? The butler walked over to Ashley. "This way, please, Ms.Zeller." Ashley red at him. "I am at my fianc¨¦¡¯s home.What right do you have to chase me away?" "It¡¯s what Mr.Macari wants." The butler took out his phone. Samuel had sent him a message, asking him to kick Ashley out. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ashley clenched her jaw.She snorted coldly and turned to leave. Standing outside the entrance of Florinia Manor, she swore to herself that once she married Samuel, she would hire entirely new staff. All of the employees here used to serve Kathleen. Thus, it was only natural that they all favored Kathleen. Ashley intended to hire new staff that would be loyal to her instead. After posting on Twitter, Kathleen went back to being busy. In the morning, Charles had dropped by. Him and rissa were headed to Dartan. Before leaving, he told Kathleen to be careful. He reminded her to bring a bodyguard along whenever she went out. Kathleen told him that she understood. After Charles left, Kathleen went to take care of the two children who were just waking up. She apanied them to eat breakfast. After that, Zion brought them to y in the courtyard. Kathleen scrolled through her phone and read through the news.She knew that someone was trying to set her up. That was why she uploaded that post on Twitter. Additionally, she also made a police report. The police would find that woman for her. Beep! A car honk sounded outside the door.She went out. Desiree pointed to the door. "Mommy, I think it¡¯s Mr.Levi." Kathleen nced over at the maning down from the car. It was Levi. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for some time. "Mr.Levi!" Desiree adored him. This was because Levi was mixed-race, and he was very handsome! Levi was fond of Desiree too.She looked a lot like Kathleen.She was adorable and soft. Levi picked Desiree up. "Hi, princess.How have you been?" Levi asked yfully. "Life has been less interesting without you," whined Desiree. "Haha!" Levi was happy to hear it. Standing at the side, Em shrugged.He knew his sister was someone especially good at pleasing people. Levi was very happy. "Why are you here?" Kathleen looked at him in surprise. "Have you solved the stuff at home?" "Not yet." He shook his head. "I¡¯m here for business.I also figured I¡¯d drop by and see you guys." "Oh." Kathleen nodded. "So¡­ How are you?" Levi asked concernedly. He had seen the news.He knew quite a bit about Kathleen¡¯s recent experiences as well. "I¡¯m doing fine." Kathleen acted as though nothing was going on. "You don¡¯t have to worry about me." "Mm.If you need anything, you can let me know," said Levi meaningfully. "Okay." Kathleen smiled. "By the way, I also came to see you because I need your help." "What is it? Tell me." Naturally, Kathleen wouldn¡¯t turn him down.Levi had done so much for her. "Do you know the Lester family from overseas?" Levi asked slowly. "I¡¯ve heard of them." Kathleen frowned. "I heard they own most of the mineral businesses in Nardor." "Yeah." He nodded. "Previously, Old Mrs.Lester had a weird illness.She¡¯s seen multiple doctors but to no avail.They know that I know you, and they¡¯re inviting you to Nardor." Kathleen was surprised. "Invite me?" Levi nodded. "I have some business to do with the Lester family.Can you help?" "Sure." Kathleen nodded. "Can you give me four days?" Four days? Levi put Desiree down. "Desi, go y with Eil for a while." "Okay." She nodded, then turned to look for Em. Levi¡¯s gaze was solemn. "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning on attending Samuel¡¯s engagement party?" "No." She shook her head. "I¡¯m not going to his engagement party.I¡¯m going to see Luna." Samuel and Ashley were getting engaged. Luna was for sure to turn up. "It¡¯s the same thing." He paused for a while. "I intended to go back in three days.In that case, we¡¯ll set off for Nardor in four days." "All right." Kathleen nodded. "Call the two children over. I¡¯ll buy you guys dinner," Levi said excitedly. "Okay. Let me go get changed." "I¡¯ll wait for you," Levi answered with a smile. Kathleen turned around to go change. With a smile, Levi walked over to the two children. "I¡¯ll be buying you guys dinnerter.What do you guys feel like eating?" Desiree was like a little glutton. "Can we pick anything?" "Something healthier would be better.Otherwise, your mom will scold me." "Mr.Levi, are you that afraid of Mommy?" Desiree was curious. "Of course.It¡¯s not just me.A lot of people are afraid of your mother.She¡¯s very capable," replied Levi softly. Desiree pouted. "She¡¯s so capable, but that bad woman still bullied her." "If your mom wanted to deal with that woman, it would be a piece of cake.That bad woman is your father¡¯s savior.It¡¯s not that easy for her to do something," Levi exined. Desiree was upset. "I hate thatdy.She snatched Daddy away." Levi hadn¡¯t expected to touch Desiree¡¯s soft spot. Desiree looked like she was about to cry. "Wait!" Levi started to panic. "Look.When I see that baddy, I¡¯ll teach her a lesson for you, okay?" "Really?" Tears welled up in Desiree¡¯s eyes.She looked incredibly pitiful. "Yes." Levi nodded. "When have I ever lied to you?" "Mr.Levi, you¡¯re the best." Desiree¡¯s tears suddenly disappeared. "Make sure not to forget what you said." Levi was silent. Desiree changed her attitude so quickly.He didn¡¯t even know how to react. Em stood beside and kept shaking his head. One should not be easily fooled by Desiree¡¯s innocent appearance. Otherwise, one would fall into her trap. Levi didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. Just then, Kathleen had gotten done changing.She came out of the mansion. Staring at the three people in the courtyard, she asked, "What¡¯s going on?" "Nothing." Levi shook his head.He was afraid to let Kathleen know that he had been duped. It was too embarrassing. Even worse was the fact that he had been tricked by a five-year-old girl. Kathleen frowned slightly. "Are you sure?" "Let¡¯s get going.I made a reservation," said Levi. Kathleen nodded. They got in the car together and headed to the restaurant. This restaurant was newly opened. That day was their first day of opening. Kathleen nced sideways at Levi. "Is this your restaurant?" Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Chapter 461 She Is Ignoring Me Levi gazed at her quietly. "No, but I¡¯m acquainted with the owner." The owner? "Kate?" Just then, a middle-aged woman with a mature charm came out of the restaurant, immediately recognizing Kathleen. Kathleen froze, an inexplicable sense of familiarity rising within her the moment her gaze fell on the middle-aged woman before her eyes. M gave her a faint smile. "My name is M Hunt.I¡¯m a close friend of Wynnie.You used to love my cooking." https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Kathleen blinked a few times before responding, "Hello, Mdm.Hunt." "I had no idea you two knew each other, Mdm.Hunt." Levi remainedposed as he shed a smile at M. ncing at him, M asked indifferently, "Mr.Levi, what are you doing here again?" "Mdm.Hunt, I¡¯m here to¡ª" "You¡¯ve just had lunch here earlier, Mr.Levi.You shouldn¡¯te here again for dinner," said M tonelessly. Levi immediately turned to look at Kathleen. Despite not fully understanding the conflict between Levi and M, Kathleen knew that this was her cue to step in. Clearing her throat, she exined, "Mdm.Hunt, Levi is my friend.He came to Jadeborough on a business trip and dropped by to visit me.I was hoping to treat him to a meal, so¡­" "Oh, I see.Come in, then!" M invited them in graciously the moment she heard Kathleen¡¯s words. Levi was overjoyed.He had no idea Kathleen¡¯s words and presence had such an effect. Kathleen merely gazed at him speechlessly before following M into the restaurant. "What would you and your children like to eat, Kate?" asked M with a smile after showing them to their seats. "I have no idea." Indeed, Kathleen had no ns, nor did she know what the signature dishes of the restaurant were. "Allow me to decide for you guys, then." M smiled kindly. "I¡¯d like to have Sizzle Steak." Unlike Kathleen, Levi seemed to be very clear on what he would like to order. Everyone turned their gaze toward him. "That¡¯s a limited-edition dish that you¡¯ve already had earlier, so it¡¯s only avable for Kate and the kids now," stated M bluntly. "That¡¯s fine, too.I just want them to try it," Levi replied nonchntly. Kathleen knitted her brows. Somehow, she felt that that was not Levi¡¯s true intention, but she had no clue what he had up his sleeve. "Please wait for a moment." M shed Kathleen a smile before she spun around and left. Kathleen immediately turned to Levi and demanded in a stern tone, "What¡¯s going on with you? Exin everything clearly, or I¡¯m leaving with the children!" "Calm down.You¡¯ll know in a second," answered Levi with a sheepish expression on his face. A momentter, a young woman d in a chef¡¯s uniform approached them with a serving cart. The woman was probably about Kathleen¡¯s age.Not only did she have fair skin and delicate features, but faint dimples would appear on her cheeks when she smiled, too. "Here ites!" Levi became excited. Kathleen turned to look at the woman. Just then, M came toward them as well, walking alongside the woman. Only then did Kathleen realize how strikingly the two women resembled each other. "Kate, let me introduce you.This is our head chef." M beamed. Kathleen smiled faintly in response. "Hi, my name is Kathleen." She reached out her hand. "I¡¯m Queena Hunt." The woman held out her hand as well. Queena Hunt? Kathleen shook hands with her. "Are you¡­" "She¡¯s my daughter," M exined smilingly. Realization dawned on Kathleen. Oh, I see.No wonder they look so alike! She shot Levi a sideways nce only to see that he was staring at Queena with a dazed look in his eyes. Queena blushed slightly. "I¡¯m about to make Sizzle Steak.First, I¡¯m going to heat up this piece ofva stone here, and then I¡¯m going to ce this marinated steak on it.In just two minutes, the steak would be ready to be served." As she spoke, she began heating up theva stone. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Then she picked up the steak with a pair of tongs and ced it on theva stone. Sizzle! A loud, crisp sizzling rang out the moment the beef wasid on theva stone. Desiree watched in fascination. "The steak is really cooked." "That¡¯s right," Queena affirmed with a smile. Meanwhile, Levi was staring at Queena like an idiot while thetter did not even bother sparing him a nce. Kathleen felt rather helpless. It was not hard for her to work out that both M and Queena were equally irritated with him. After Queena finished grilling the steaks, she served them to the guests. "Please enjoy your meal." "Thank you," Kathleen responded with gratitude. "You¡¯re wee." Queena smiled warmly. "Just let me know if you guys feel like having anything else." Kathleen nodded. "We will." With that, Queena left with her serving cart. M red at Levi wordlessly before turning to Kathleen. "Kate, I¡¯ll leave you and your children to your meal while I serve the other customers." "Okay, sure." Kathleen nodded. The moment M left their table, Kathleen looked sideways at Levi and snapped, "What was that all about?" Seeing that Levi did not respond, she went on furiously, "Why do I feel as if you were using me? Exin yourself now!" "Many things happened since west met.Three months ago, I met Queena in Pollerton and fell in love at first sight," exined Levi quietly. "And what about her?" Kathleen asked in a cold voice. "She liked me as well, so we got together.Perhaps it was because I was too busy and didn¡¯t spend much time with her, but by the time I went back to see her again, she had returned to her country." Kathleen massaged her temples. "Then did you call her?" "I did." Levi nodded. "But she didn¡¯t pick up.So, tell me.Why would she treat me like this?" "It¡¯s hard to know the answer to that just by listening to your side of the story.Perhaps you¡¯d done something that offended her," stated Kathleen indifferently. "But I didn¡¯t." Levi was genuinely baffled. "All the same, why didn¡¯t you just tell me about this earlier?" Kathleen was still mad at him. "I¡¯m sorry," Levi apologized at once. "There better not be a next time.You just made things extremely awkward for me," Kathleen warned. "All right." Levi smiled sheepishly before a look of despair washed over his face. "But she¡¯s totally ignoring me now." "Then you should try to talk to her nicely." "Talk to her?" Levi continued in a helpless tone, "How am I supposed to do that when she won¡¯t even give me a chance to do so?" Kathleen furrowed her brows slightly. Looks like the problem is indeed quite serious! "It¡¯s Daddy!" Desiree eximed suddenly. Kathleen turned around, immediately noticing Samuel and Ashley entering the restaurant and M going over to wee them. "And that evil woman is with him too.If Daddy marries that woman, then I¡¯m really never going to bother about him again.I¡¯m being serious!" added Desiree in disappointment. Kathleen retracted her gaze. "Are you okay?" Levi asked in concern. Kathleen nodded. "Yeah, I¡¯m fine." M was Wynnie¡¯s close friend. Since M just opened a new restaurant, it was expected that Samuel would be visiting the ce. However, what Kathleen had not expected was that he would bring Ashley with him. Simrly, it did not ur to Ashley that she would bump into Kathleen here either. What surprised her even more was that Kathleen was apanied by a man, who also happened to be very handsome and charismatic. "Looks like Kathleen¡¯s been busy, Samuel.She found a new boyfriend soon enough," Ashley remarked with a meaningful smile. "They look like a loving couple, don¡¯t they? Do you see how affectionately that man is looking at her?" Of course, Samuel saw it all.He did not know who the man was, but he had to admit that Ashley was certainly right. That man indeed had a look of deep affection as he gazed at Kathleen. Besides, Kathleen seemed to get along well with that man. They seemed to be quite close.Who is that man? Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Chapter 462 The Point Of No Return M fixed her gaze on Samuel. "This way, please." She intentionally led them to a table as far as possible from Kathleen, fearing that things would turn ugly. Samuel trailed behind M to the table and sat down. "I didn¡¯t expect you to bring your friend over, too," were M¡¯s words. Samuel merely gave a t response. "Mm." Then came Ashley¡¯s deration, "I¡¯m not just Samuel¡¯s friend, Mdm.Hunt.More urately, I¡¯m her girlfriend." https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl She wore a smug look at that. The corner of M¡¯s lips curled upward. "Oh, my.I hope I didn¡¯t offend you with my choice of words, Ms.Zeller.I was just trying to stay neutral and as future-proof as I possibly can be.It¡¯s just so I don¡¯t have to owe anyone any exnation if something were to crop up in the future.Don¡¯t get worked up, okay?" "Oh, no.I also didn¡¯t mean anything else, Mdm.Hunt." Ashley¡¯s words clearly implied otherwise. "That¡¯s good to know." shing a half-smile, M quickly changed the topic. "What would you like to eat, Samuel? Do you have any cravings?" "My mom asked me to support your business.I¡¯ll leave it to you," uttered Samuel cidly. To be honest, he was reluctant to show up at first.It was Wynnie who had forced him to do so. No matter his amnesia, he would never go against her wishes. She was his mother, after all, so he had to do her bidding. A faint smile appeared on M¡¯s face. "Okay, I¡¯ll serve you something nice, then." Samuel gave a nod. His gaze unwittinglynded on Kathleen and her group. At that time, Kathleen was chatting with Levi. "Why don¡¯t you try and talk to her nicely?" "But she¡¯s been giving me the cold shoulder." Levi sounded aggrieved. "Why don¡¯t you help me, Kate?" "Uh¡­ Okay," said Kathleen as she massaged her temples. "If I happen to ruin it somehow, don¡¯te after me." Levi winced on that note. "Could it get any worse than what I¡¯m facing right now?" hemented. "No, indeed." Kathleen just had to admit it. Levi fell speechless at that. Looking at that intimate duo happily chit-chatting, the look in Samuel¡¯s eyes darkened slightly.I never should¡¯ve stepped into this restaurant in the first ce . To make matters worse, Kathleen was all smiles when Samuelid his gaze on her from afar. Look at the way she smiles! Why can¡¯t she treat me the same way? Ever since his return, she had never once shed him a smile, not even a faint one for that matter. Destion rose in his heart. Why couldn¡¯t she understand how insecure and lonely I must¡¯ve been after losing my memories? Right then, Queena pushed the food cart to the table where Samuel was at and ced a steak on the grill to begin cooking. Halfway through the process, she must¡¯ve gone into a daze, for she identally brushed her thumb against a grill stone. Immediately, her thumb was seared and reddened like a tomato. Concurrently, a yelp came through her lips. "Ouch!" At that juncture, Levi suddenly leaped up from his seat and bolted toward Queena. Grabbing her injured hand with both hands, Levi was distressed as he urged, "Did you hurt yourself? Come! I¡¯ll send you to the hospital!" "Let go of me!" Queena appeared to be agitated, hollering, "Don¡¯t you dare touch me!" Huh? Levi froze as he witnessed her reaction. "I-I¡¯m only worried about you¡­" He loosened his grip sheepishly. Queena, in turn, ignored him and directed her gaze at Samuel instead. "I¡¯m sorry, Mr.Macari.Please excuse my clumsiness.I¡¯ll go get my colleague to continue serving you." Samuel gave a curt nod. Deep down, Samuel was puzzled by what he had just seen. From his perspective, something must¡¯ve been going on between this pair. Anyone can tell that he cares a whole lot for her. With that said, Queena headed toward the kitchen right away. To Samuel¡¯s surprise, Kathleen, too, rose to her feet and followed Queena¡¯s footsteps. A deep frown was etched on Samuel¡¯s face. Why on earth did she have to follow? When Kathleen entered the kitchen, Queena was already rummaging through the first aid kit, seemingly looking for some medicine. Kathleen walked up and sped Queena¡¯s hand before dragging thetter toward the sink.She turned the pipe on and ced Queena¡¯s seared thumb under the running cold water. "Always give it a good rinse before applying any medication." "Thank you." Queena expressed her appreciation, her eyes teary. A faint smile appeared on Kathleen¡¯s face as she fished out her phone to dial Yadiel¡¯s number. The call quickly got through. "Fetch me some burn ointment," was Kathleen¡¯smand. She hung up the phone right after that. Queena bit her lip, gawking at her injured finger. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Out of the blue, Kathleen crossed her arms and asked, "Why did you break up with Levi?" Her words stupefied Queena on the spot. "Don¡¯t get me wrong.I¡¯m not prying.Levi asked me to help him out, but that doesn¡¯t mean I take his side.He simply wanted to get to the bottom of this." Kathleen portrayed a fair-minded demeanor as she spoke. "Forgive my bluntness, though.If you¡¯ve decided to let him go, surely you wouldn¡¯t mind telling me, right?" Queena froze at that. Initially, she had really thought of keeping it to herself.However, considering Kathleen had already put it that way, Queena was left with no choice. "He¡¯s been seeing someone else.During his absence, a woman came to me and showed me some photos of them acting all lovey-dovey with each other.I couldn¡¯t ept it, so I left him," Queena gruffly blurted out the truth. Kathleen blinked in disbelief. "Seriously?" The look on Queena¡¯s face was stern as she said, "There¡¯s no reason for me to lie." "No, no, no.I mean, Levi wouldn¡¯t do such a thing." Kathleen¡¯s visage was impassive, but her tone was all the more indifferent. Queena knitted her brows. "What makes you say that?" "His mom is one of those devoted bunch.Naturally, Levi is, too.They¡¯re the kind of people who would forbid getting physical before marriage.I bet when you guys were dating each other, he had never crossed the line except giving you some pecks, correct?" remarked Kathleen. Her deadpan countenance didn¡¯t waver at all. Queena nodded in agreement. Kathleen went on, "Trust me.I met Levi¡¯s mom before.She¡¯s super strict when ites to educating her son.Well, even if he¡¯s nothing of the sort, he wouldn¡¯t just get himself another partner like that.I¡¯ve known him long enough to know him inside and out." Listening to her im, Queena pursed her lips. "But¡­ what I said is also true." "How about that woman, though? Is she believable?" Kathleen shrugged. "You know, it¡¯s rtively easy toposite photographs nowadays." Those words made Queena freeze for a moment. "Actually, you should¡¯ve confronted Levi about this.You¡¯re his girlfriend.You have all the right in the world to do that," added Kathleen in a heartbeat. "It¡¯s a little toote for that now¡­" Queena hung her head low, concealing the emotions behind her hazel eyes. "I beg to differ.He still has a thing for you.No matter what, you two should really talk it out before jumping to conclusions.Everyone hates being set up, don¡¯t we all?" Kathleen tried her best to talk some sense into Queena.Thetter inclined her head in approval. "I guess so¡­" "That¡¯s settled, then.I¡¯ll ask Levi to wait for you to get off work.I¡¯ve got to go now." "Okay," Queena responded with a nod. With that, Kathleen wheeled around to exit the kitchen. Right after she stepped out of the kitchen, she bumped into Samuel. Samuel clenched her hands and dragged her all the way into the restroom. "What are you doing? Let me go!" Kathleen red daggers at him. Samuel released his clutch at once before piping up, "That guy¡¯s not into you.He only cares for Queena." Kathleen¡¯s brows furrowed. "Oh, really? What does that have anything to do with you?" "That man doesn¡¯t love you." Samuel¡¯s voice was as deep as the ocean. "Wake up!" "So what if he¡¯s not in love with me? Why should I care?" came Kathleen¡¯s ice-cold retort. Samuel¡¯s dark gaze pierced deep into Kathleen¡¯s eye. "You don¡¯t care?" A frown marred Kathleen¡¯s mien. "Yes, I don¡¯t." Of course, Kathleen couldn¡¯t be bothered about Levi¡¯s feelings toward her, for she herself wasn¡¯t attracted to Levi. Besides, Levi only had eyes for Queena. Although Kathleen knew that Samuel had gotten the wrong idea, she hadn¡¯t the slightest intention to exin anything. Some nerve he has to intrude on my private affairs after getting Ashley pregnant! Kathleen fumed furiously, "We¡¯re no longer rted, Samuel, so don¡¯t pester me anymore!" She left in a huff as soon as she finished her words. s, Samuel wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, yanking her back into his embrace. "Let go of me!" Kathleen struggled as she turned around. As they grappled with each other, Samuel¡¯s cor was unbuttoned by ident. A ne then fell out,ing into sight. Attached to the ne was the diamond ring that Kathleen had returned to him. Huh? He even wears that diamond ring on his neck now? Kathleen was stunned upon witnessing that. Embarrassed, Samuel stuffed the ne back under his shirt.He acted as though he had been stripped of his veryst bit of dignity. "Fine.I¡¯m staying out of your business from now on!" After dropping those words, Samuel let go of Kathleen and strode off in no time at all. A trace of helplessness and bitterness shed across Kathleen¡¯s face. What¡¯s going on? Are things never going to be the same again? Have we really reached the point of no return? Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Chapter 463 You Cannot nder Me Kathleen came out of the restroom and went back to her seat. Meanwhile, Levi was sitting there with a pained expression. "I just saw youe out of the male restroom," he whispered. Kathleen felt speechless. He continued, "I even saw Samuel walking out of there." She gave him the side-eye. "Do you wish to reconcile with Queena or not?" "What did she say?" Levi asked, feeling agitated. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Kathleen knitted her brow as she questioned, "Did you lie to me? Do you have another woman?" "How is that possible?" Levi huffed. "I don¡¯t have other women." "But Queena told me a woman went to find her and showed Queena an intimate picture of you with that woman.That was why Queena left." "What?" Levi was shocked to the core. "That¡¯s impossible!" Kathleen nced at him dispassionately. "Why would Queena use you for nothing? If she wanted to break up with you, she didn¡¯t need to find such ame excuse." Levi pursed his lips. Just then, Yadiel arrived with a bag of medication in his hand.It was medicated cream for burns that Kathleen asked him to buy. "What are you waiting for?" Aloofly, Kathleen nced at Levi. "Bring that cream to her." Upon hearing that, Levi shot to his feet and took the bag from Yadiel before dashing toward the kitchen at the back. Sighing, Kathleen massaged her temples. "What is Mr.Levi doing?" Yadiel asked curiously. "Winning his girlfriend back." She turned toward her children. "Are you guys full?" Desiree and Em nodded in unison. Desiree then nced at a spot a stone¡¯s throw away. "Huh? Where¡¯s Daddy?" Em replied ndly, "He left." Samuel was long gone. He had gone out right after he walked out of the restroom. "Let¡¯s go." Kathleen rose to her feet. Ashley stormed toward them. "Kathleen, why are you always around wherever Samuel and I go?" Kathleen gazed at the furious Ashley nonchntly. "Are you the owner of this restaurant? Why can¡¯t I be here?" Ashley was stumped. "Are you the only one who can visit a new restaurant?" Kathleen¡¯s sarcasm was almost tangible. "As a mistress, you¡¯re the one who should learn to be a decent person. Don¡¯t you find yourself ridiculous when youe here to question me?" Ashley stared daggers at Kathleen. "If Samuel didn¡¯t lose his memory, would you even have the chance to talk to him?" Kathleen¡¯s eyes were ice-cold. "Ashley, you should pray that Samuel will never get to recall the things in the past.The day he recovers his lost memory will be the day of your downfall.Just you wait!" Ashley could only tremble with rage, not saying a word. Kathleen looked at Yadiel and said, "Carry the kids.We¡¯re leaving." With that, she picked Desiree up, and Yadiel went over to Em. The boy shook his head and held Yadiel¡¯s hand. "I can walk on my own." I don¡¯t need people to carry me.I¡¯m a big boy now. Holding Em¡¯s hand, Yadiel led him out of the restaurant. As Ashley stared at the two children, she put her hand on her abdomen subconsciously. If only I¡¯m really pregnant. If I have his child, I¡¯ll be held in high regard and I don¡¯t have to be wary of Kathleen anymore. Nor do I need to worry about Samuel regaining his lost memory.I need to think of a way. The next day, Kathleen went to the hospital to pay Diana a visit. Thetter had be conscious, but she still didn¡¯t look well. As Kathleen checked Diana¡¯s pulse, the former frowned. "Old Mrs.Macari, the toxins in your body haven¡¯t been cleared out yet.That¡¯s why you feel so weak." Diana sighed. "I¡¯m old, after all." "Old Mrs.Macari, I¡¯m sorry," Kathleen apologized sincerely. "It¡¯s my fault for not disciplining my subordinates well.Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have dared to do that." "No, don¡¯t beat yourself up," Diana replied in a hoarse voice. "You have so many subordinates.There¡¯s no way you could guess what each and every one of them is thinking about.Mistakes are bound to happen." Kathleen held Diana¡¯s dry, cool hand. "Old Mrs.Macari, I¡¯ll help you to clear the remaining toxins in your body. Don¡¯t worry." "I trust you, Katie." Diana beamed. "They won¡¯t get what they want.I trust you more than anyone else." Kathleen was touched. "Old Mrs.Macari, I¡¯ve already found some information for the moment.I¡¯ll keep you posted." "Okay." Diana nodded and asked, "Are you really going to let Samuel and Ashley have their engagement?" Kathleen pursed her lips.It was the first time Diana asked her this question. "I hope you can stop them," Diana continued. "Kate, think about it.No matter how Samuel is, he¡¯s just like a newborn baby ever since he lost his memory.Hecks a sense of security, so he would rely on the people around him.Do you get me?" "Yes." Kathleen nodded. "In my opinion, Samuel is not that foolish.He treats you like the person he loves the most, but he¡¯s throwing a tantrum.He just wants you to ndish him.Can you do that for my sake? You can teach him a lesson once he gets back home." She can do whatever she wants as long as she can stop Samuel and Ashley from getting engaged. Kathleen hesitated for a moment before agreeing to Diana¡¯s request. "Okay." Actually, she didn¡¯t know how to break the news to Diana that Ashley was pregnant. Forget it. Things will work themselves out sooner orter. If Samuel still insists on having an engagement with Ashley after I try to persuade him, so be it. "Kate, thank you." Diana gave her a benevolent smile. Kathleen nodded in reply. After that, she left the hospital, not expecting that she would bump into Richard and Miley at the entrance of the hospital. Miley was in a wheelchair. It had been quite some time since theyst met. While Richard seemed to be slimmer and more stand-offish, Miley looked happy with a very sweet smile on her face. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but feel disgusted. When Richard saw Kathleen, he was slightly taken aback and stepped forward. "Long time no see." "It¡¯s not that long actually," Kathleen said tly. "You came to me and asked about Gemma¡¯s burial site a few days ago, remember?" She said that on purpose, causing Miley¡¯s expression to turn sour instantly. Although she had gotten Richard to herself, she still hadn¡¯t won his heart.He still had not forgotten Gemma even after she had passed away. "Actually, I¡ª" Richard began. "I won¡¯t tell you where she is," Kathleen cut him off coldly, thennded her frosty gaze on Miley¡¯s face. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. "Gemma¡¯s death is not idental.The one who caused Gemma¡¯s death will get hereuppance." Miley stared back at Kathleen. "Kathleen, why are you looking at me?" Kathleen smirked. "I heard that you knew Marjory Garner." Miley was startled, uneasiness appearing in her eyes. "I don¡¯t know her." "Is that so? Why did she visit you when you were at the hospital then?" Kathleen smiled sardonically. "Besides, I also know that you asked her not to find you anymore because you were afraid that Richard would know about her." Richard¡¯s brows furrowed deeply as he nced at Kathleen in puzzlement.Meanwhile, Miley became emotional. "Kathleen, I know you don¡¯t like me because of Gemma, but you can¡¯t nder me." Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Scared of You Kathleen scoffed. ¡°nder? What did I nder you for? I only said that you knew Marjory. How is that nder? Oh, is there something wrong with Marjory?¡± Miley bit her lip in silence, as she had no way to retort what Kathleen had said. Kathleen shot a cold look at Richard. ¡°You can either find out the truth or stay as an idiot. It¡¯s your choice.¡± With that, she strode off. Richard frowned deeply, having a feeling that Kathleen was hinting at something. ¡°Richard, don¡¯t be tricked by her. She¡¯s just bitter about Gemma¡¯s death,¡± Miley uttered tentatively. ¡°Who is Marjory?¡± he asked, knitting his brows. ¡°S-She¡­¡± Miley stammered. ¡°She¡¯s a friend of mine.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Is she admitting that she knows Marjory? ¡°What does she do for a living?¡± Richard was still frowning. Miley paused for a while before answering, ¡°She was hired by my parents to teach me self-defense tactics in the past. I was her student, but I was too pampered so I quit halfway. Then, she left my house.¡± Richard stared at her quietly. ¡°Richard, let¡¯s get inside. The doctor is waiting for us,¡± Miley reminded, trying to change the topic. Richard then pushed her into the hospital, expressionless. Miley clenched her fists secretly. Kathleen¡¯s presence is a threat to me! Meanwhile, Kathleen returned to the mansion and saw Rory taking out an ointment from the first aid kit. ¡°Rory, what happened?¡± Kathleen walked over. ¡°I¡­¡± Rory was at a loss for words. Kathleen snatched the ointment from her. ¡°Where did you get hurt? I¡¯ll help you to apply it on you.¡± Rory then took off her top, revealing a severely bruised spot on her shoulder. ¡°How did you get this?¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°I had a brawl with Marjory,¡± Rory replied in a low voice. ¡°She was my teacher, so¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t win?¡± Kathleen cocked her brow. ¡°We tied.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of, then. Luckily, she didn¡¯t pin you down on the floor and beat you to a pulp,¡± Kathleenforted. Rory was rendered speechless. Kathleen¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Why did you start fighting with her?¡± she continued. ¡°When we were secretly tracking Ashley, she noticed us. Dr. Johnson, Marjory is now Ashley¡¯s personal bodyguard. It¡¯s quite strange for her to provide protection to Ashley,¡± Rory exined. ¡°Oh?¡± Kathleen raised her brow. ¡°How so?¡± Rory answered, ¡°Marjory is very capable. Hiring her to be a bodyguard is costly. If Ashley didn¡¯t do anything, why would the Zeller family hire such a good bodyguard for her? Is it because they know someone would seek revenge on Ashley as she had done something wrong?¡± Kathleen understood what Rory was implying. If Ashley was just trying to steal Samuel while he was still suffering from amnesia, no one would want her dead. Unless¡­ she also did something else. In fact, I¡¯ve always had a troubling question on my mind. I am not sure if my assumption is right, but I could have my surmise confirmed during the engagement ceremony. That¡¯s decided then. Kathleen continued to apply the ointment on Rory. ¡°Do you know Marjory well?¡± ¡°Not really. She was just my teacher after all. We didn¡¯t reallymunicate with each other in private,¡± Rory elucidated. Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°I have an idea. She poses a great threat to us. We should eliminate her as soon as possible.¡± ¡°How should we do that?¡± Rory knitted her brow. After pondering for a moment, Kathleen replied, ¡°I do have an idea, but I¡¯ll need your cooperation.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rory nodded. ¡°When should we make our move?¡± ¡°Tonight!¡± A hint of solemness emerged on Kathleen¡¯s beautiful face. ¡°We can¡¯t dy this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After the fight with Rory, Marjory went back home. She didn¡¯t expect that Rory, her ex-student, had the same level of capability as herself. If it were in the past, she could definitely outpower Rory and defeat her student easily, but now, they tied. Rory is not to be underestimated, so I have to be careful. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Lauren yawned as she came out of her room. ¡°What happened to your face?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Marjory¡¯s pride didn¡¯t allow her to tell other people about her draw with her ex-student. ¡°I¡¯m not being nosey.¡± Lauren spoke in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, but I just want to tell you that Kathleen will definitely do something during Ashley¡¯s engagement ceremony. You¡¯ll need to keep her under control. Nothing can happen to you at this critical juncture.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Marjory was unperturbed. Upon seeing her reaction, Lauren did not bother to speak more with Marjory. After that, Marjory went back to her room. If it wasn¡¯t for money, I wouldn¡¯t have cared about this matter. Just then, her phone rang. She took her phone and found that it was a message from Rory. Rory texted: See you at the warehouse at twelve o¡¯clock tonight. Marjory replied: I¡¯m not going. Rory: Then, I¡¯ll expose you. Marjory: What? Rory: Do you think I¡¯m unaware of what you did for Miley? What do you think Kathleen would do to you if she knows what you had done? Marjory: What do you want? Rory: Meet me, and we shall fight again! Marjory: Fine! Left with no choice, Marjory could only agree to Rory¡¯s request. Her greatest worry was Rory giving the evidence she had to Kathleen or Richard. If that happened, Marjory knew she would be in deep trouble. When midnight came, Marjory went to the abandoned warehouse. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The moment she stepped foot in that warehouse, a beam of light shone on her. Standing on a stack of wooden boxes, Rory gazed down at Marjory from above. ¡°I knew you¡¯de,¡± Rory said. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re scared that I¡¯d leak your secret. As a teacher of a bodyguard training institution, you didn¡¯t fulfill your duties to protect other people. Instead, you helped someone else to harm a person. You vited the rules of the institution. Your reputation will be tainted, and you will no longer be a teacher, let alone take on missions.¡± Marjory gritted her teeth. ¡°Rory, there are many people like me in the institution. The higher-ups of the institution will just turn a blind eye to it.¡± ¡°Why did youe then?¡± Marjory froze on the spot. Rory smiled inwardly. Kathleen is so smart! She¡¯s guessed it right. ¡°Come down, and let¡¯s have a duel!¡± Marjory was ready. Rory gave her a frosty smile. ¡°We¡¯ll just have a draw in the end. It¡¯s going to be boring, so there¡¯s someone else who wants to fight you.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Marjory furrowed her brows in confusion. ¡°Me.¡± Kathleen strode over from the side. She was wearing a ck trench coat, looking cool and pretty. Marjory scoffed, ¡°Are you kidding me? You?¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°How ridiculous. Why would I be scared?¡± Marjory sneered, ¡°I¡¯ll finish you off right here and save myself a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Come on then.¡± Kathleen shed a provoking half-smile. Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Fend For Yourself ¡°Be careful,¡± said Rory in a hushed tone. Upon hearing that, Kathleen nodded in response. Just then, Marjory dashed forward, intending tond an uppercut on Kathleen with her left fist. Kathleen dodged the attack easily. She grabbed her opponent¡¯s wrist and gave it a hard squeeze. A pang of pain shot up Marjory¡¯s arm in an instant, and it felt as if her wrist was burning. She tried her best to wriggle her wrist out of Kathleen¡¯s grasp but found out her wrist had turned ck. What¡­ is this? While Marjory was distracted, Kathleen dashed forward, bellowing her opponent¡¯s name, ¡°Marjory!¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl A fistful of powder hit her face when Marjory looked up, and upon inhaling the powder, she instantly slumped to the ground. Every inch of her body was twitching uncontrobly, and her limbs felt limp. D*mn it! How could I forget that Kathleen had that trick up her sleeve! Casting a cold nce at Marjory, Kathleen taunted, ¡°Do you reckon anyone would find out if I were to get rid of you right here and now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± ¡°Do you think Ashley and the others would dare to look for you out in the open?¡± Marjory remained silent while wearing a grimace, for she knew Ashley wouldn¡¯t do that for her. ¡°Miley¡¯s suicide was your idea, wasn¡¯t it? You were the one who taught her how to jump without hurting herself, isn¡¯t that right?¡± queried Kathleen impassively. ¡°No, I have nothing to do with it.¡± Marjory stubbornly refused toe clean. Hence, Kathleen whipped out her phone and yed a recording on it. The recording was none other than the conversation between Marjory and Miley that had taken ce three months ago. Marjory¡¯s face instantly turned as pale as a sheet. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always known. It¡¯s just that Gemma got hurt before I could do a thorough investigation.¡± Wearing an icy expression, Kathleen continued, ¡°Was it Miley who instructed you to hurt Gemma?¡± ¡°Gemma¡¯s death has nothing to do with me!¡± yelled Marjory. ¡°Then what about Samuel? Do you dare say it had nothing to do with you?¡± Kathleen¡¯s words rendered Marjory stumped. ¡°Did you think I was sitting around doing nothing in the three months I spent at Smend?¡± A mocking smile hung on Kathleen¡¯s lips as she continued, ¡°I sent people to investigate if any organizations had been to the area or if any local organizations were working with anybody. I didn¡¯t expect something so interesting to fall right into myp.¡± A hint of guilt flitted across Marjory¡¯s face when she heard that. ¡°It seems like I hit the nail on the head. You brought a bunch of people to ambush Samuel, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Biting her lips, Marjory continued to deny her involvement in the scheme. ¡°No! I don¡¯t know anything!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t admit it because I¡¯ll still expose your schemes on the day of Samuel¡¯s and Ashley¡¯s engagement. I¡¯m sure you and Ashley both know Samuel¡¯s temperament very well,¡± said Kathleen while ring daggers at the other woman. In spite of all that, Marjory still refused to believe her. ¡°Impossible! There¡¯s no way you¡¯d have any evidence!¡± ¡°As long as you did it, there will be a trail leading back to you. Did you truly believe you two executed a wless n? Where did you get that sort of confidence, hm?¡± ¡°Let go of me!¡± Marjory struggled but she couldn¡¯t muster an ounce of strength at all. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy.¡± Kathleenughed. ¡°This medicine is specifically made for you. You¡¯ll continue to be like this for a week, unable to muster any strength. As for the engagement ceremony, you can stop thinking about attending it because you won¡¯t be able to.¡± Marjory bit down on her lips, ring at Kathleen fiercely. ¡°If I disappear, Ashley will definitely look for me.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s her engagement ceremony with Samuel. Do you think she¡¯d have the time to look for you?¡± The corner of Kathleen¡¯s lips curved upward, but the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes as her gaze remained frosty. It was then that Marjory knew she couldn¡¯t escape. She had been careless. I should¡¯ve listened to Lauren and note out at all. ¡°Rory, tie her up and take her away. However, do not leave a trail. I don¡¯t want anyone discovering this,¡± instructed Kathleen. ¡°Understood.¡± Rory nodded. Right before turning around and leaving, Kathleen shot onest nce at Marjory, who clenched her teeth in rage. The following day, Lauren took a peek into Marjory¡¯s room. She noticed thetter hadn¡¯t been home all night. Where did she go? At that thought, she whipped out her phone and gave Marjory a call, only to find out Marjory had switched her phone off. What¡¯s going on? Lauren also called Marjory¡¯s subordinates, but none of them knew where she had gone off to. Upon hearing that, Lauren instantly had an ominous feeling. She quickly gave Ashley a call. ¡°Bad news. Marjory might have gotten in trouble.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashley was enraged. ¡°Where did she run off to?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I even called her subordinates, but none of them knew her whereabouts. I suspect something has happened to her,¡± exined Lauren worriedly. A sense of anxiousness arose within Ashley when she heard that. ¡°How could it be? Today is such an important day. Marjory is too disobedient!¡± ¡°What¡¯s most important right now is the engagement ceremony between you and Samuel. Besides, you only employed her to deal with Kathleen. You can always employ someone else to take her ce in the future.¡± Lauren then lowered her voice, adding, ¡°After all, this is the most important thing.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°Just let her subordinates look for her then.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Marjory¡¯s disappearance must have something to do with Kathleen. You should be cautious. I can¡¯t step up to deal with it, so you should be more careful.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After that, Ashley hung up the phone. Lauren ced the phone down and clenched her fists. For some reason, she had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. Kathleen¡¯s approach was aggressive. Meanwhile, Ashley was in the lounge. She had already gotten her makeup done and changed into her outfit. At the same time, the banquet hall was quickly filling up with guests. However, Samuel hadn¡¯t arrived. This made Ashley slightly uneasy, for she was deathly afraid he might not show. If Samuel doesn¡¯t show up, won¡¯t I be the butt of the joke? How can I maintain status in Jadeborough? Just then, the door to the lounge was pushed open, and an olderdy walked in. ¡°Aunt Luna.¡± Ashley stood up, looking dissatisfied. The older woman was none other than Luna Zeller, Ashley¡¯s paternal aunt. Luna merely hummed in acknowledgement of Ashley¡¯s greeting. In an indifferent tone, she stated, ¡°Samuel hasn¡¯t arrived, but the guests are all here. Aren¡¯t you going to call him and ask him to hurry up?¡± ¡°I called him, but he didn¡¯t pick up. I suppose he¡¯s still on the road,¡± said Ashley quietly. Displeased by her niece¡¯s answer, Luna thundered, ¡°It¡¯s been so long. Why don¡¯t you have him in the palm of your hand yet? You knew him so well in the past, yet you still haven¡¯t seeded.¡± ¡°Back then, Samuel wasn¡¯t truly in love with me. The one he loved was Kathleen, and in fact, I don¡¯t know him that well either. He never gave me the chance to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already toote to back out now. You have to hold onto Samuel or you¡¯d be in dire straits yourself. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you! Think about how much the Yoeger family has hurt you in the past. If you don¡¯t work hard now, you won¡¯t have another chance to!¡± After she was hauled over the coals by her aunt, Ashley meekly responded, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°If you fail today, I won¡¯t bother with you anymore. You¡¯ll have to fend for yourself in the future.¡± As soon as her words fell, Luna stood up and strode out of the lounge. Ashley bit her lips hard, determined to not let all of the hard work, effort, and sacrifices she had made go to waste. Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Chapter 466 You Are Not Wee Here Ashley immediately ced a call to get in touch with Samuel. The moment the call connected, she quietly asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you here yet, Samuel?¡± He simply replied, ¡°Traffic congestion.¡± Traffic congestion? How¡¯s that possible? That¡¯s all excuses! ¡°Samuel, at the end of the day, I did save your life. No matter what happens today, you¡¯re not allowed to put me in a difficult position before everyone else. Just take it that I¡¯m begging you for your cooperation on this,¡± stated Ashley pleadingly. There was no warmth in his voice when he replied, ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether to believe me or not.¡± With that, he ended the call. Ashley was taken aback and left speechless. Despite the surge of rage that overwhelmed her, she fought back the urge to fling her phone in her anger. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl He¡¯s too much! As she clenched her teeth firmly together and fumed about the matter, she gave it some thought and guessed that Samuel was likely behaving this way because of Kathleen. As such, she rose to her feet and lifted the hem of her dress up before she made her way out. To herplete surprise, she saw that Kathleen had already arrived. Thetter was dressed in a fully ck gown and had a trench coat wrapped around her. It was almost as if she hade to attend a funeral. Ashley instantly felt that this was a bad omen of things toe and sorely wanted to chase Kathleen away. She strode over and eximed, ¡°Kathleen! You¡¯re not wee here!¡± However, Kathleen only raised her eyebrows questioningly in response. ¡°That aside, I didn¡¯t even invite you! Please leave the premises at once!¡± yelled Ashley angrily. ¡°You¡¯re right in saying that you didn¡¯t invite me. However, the Macari family wanted to give me an invitation card,¡± replied Kathleen nonchntly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. As she spoke, she pulled out the pastel-colored purple invitation card. Ashley was caught utterly by surprise, especially since this was the exact same card that she had arranged to have sent over to the Macari family previously. She had done so as she wanted to antagonize Calvin and Wynnie by letting them know that her engagement with Samuel was set in stone andpletely unavoidable. Furthermore, this was also her way of signaling that it was now impossible for things to progress further between Kathleen and Samuel. Despite her intricate ns, Wynnie and Calvin hadn¡¯t turned up at all. Instead, they had handed the invitation card over to Kathleen and had thetter attend on their behalf. That¡¯s despicable of them! Isn¡¯t that the same as purposefully trying to gatecrash and ruin the event? However, just as this thought ran through Ashley¡¯s mind, Kathleen coldly stated, ¡°I¡¯ve no interest in crashing this event or ruining it for you. Furthermore, I didn¡¯te over to look for you.¡± At this, Ashley furrowed her brows and countered, ¡°That may be true, but you¡¯re here for Samuel! Isn¡¯t that the same?¡± Kathleen scoffed lightly before she dered, ¡°Ashley Zeller, if I truly intended to stop your engagement with Samuel, I didn¡¯t have to go through the trouble of turning up here physically at all. I could simply have gone over to find him at Florinia Manor.¡± This stumped Ashley as she realized that Kathleen did have a point. Kathleen momentarily swept her gaze across the ce and it involuntarily fell upon Luna. Thetter returned the favor with a cold re. As they locked eyes, an indescribably cold glint flickered across Kathleen¡¯s eyes. She marched forward and strode over to take a seat right next to Luna. Kathleen¡¯s eyes narrowed as she asked, ¡°Is it all right if I sit here? We¡¯re fairly well acquainted after all.¡± However, Luna only snorted coldly in reply. Well acquainted? In your dreams! Kathleen nced over at Trevor, who had acted as if the entire situation was none of his business, and her red lips curled slightly. Back where she had been left standing alone, Ashley clenched her fists tightly as she fumed over this new development. She was sure that Kathleen¡¯s presence here would surely affect Samuelter on. As such, she knew it was imperative that she get rid of Kathleen as soon as possible. Ashley swiveled about on the spot and looked about anxiously. Finally, she called a bodyguard over and muttered a series of instructions in a low voice into his ear. Following that, the bodyguard nodded and strode off, presumably to perform as instructed. Ashley directed her gaze back toward Kathleen and red venomously at Kathleen¡¯s back. At this moment, Samuel suddenly strode in. Ashley let loose a sigh of relief as she daintily threaded her way over to him and greeted, ¡°Samuel.¡± However, he didn¡¯t even bother to look at her. His eyes, sharp as they were, had immediately noticed Kathleen¡¯s presence and locked onto her. She¡¯s here! His handsome and elegant face suddenly took on a darker and more solemn look. At this, Ashley quietly murmured, ¡°You¡¯re finally here. You¡¯re almostte.¡± However, Samuel didn¡¯t pay her any heed and instead made his way over to Kathleen. He had only arrived thiste because he had been waiting for Kathleen to head over to find him. Despite the entire situation, he held a glimmer of hope that Kathleen would seek him out to stop him from proceeding with the engagement. However, she didn¡¯t turn up at all, and he was left with nothing but an overwhelming sense of disappointment. As such, he hadn¡¯t expected that Kathleen would make her way here directly, let alone sit calmly at her seat without so much as a hint of any intent to stop the engagement from proceeding. Samuel grabbed a chair and sat down. This left everyone present dumbfounded as they struggled to understand what was unfolding before their eyes. After all, despite being the male lead and the star of the show, Samuel had elected to take a seat among them. If that was the case, that invited the question of exactly who Ashley was engaged with. Ashley started to feel ufortable about the entire situation. She approached Samuel and began, ¡°Samuel, don¡¯t you think we should¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asked Samuel coldly all of a sudden as he interrupted Ashley and directed his question toward Kathleen. Kathleen knew that Samuel was speaking to her. ¡°Here to watch the show,¡± exined Kathleen tersely. ¡°There are so many other forms of entertainment avable in Jadeborough. Did you really have to come here for that?¡± demanded Samuel as his eyes filled with rage. However, this didn¡¯t seem to faze Kathleen. She casually replied, ¡°Whatever¡¯s going on here seems pretty entertaining. Just look at all the attendees¡¯ faces and their hungry gazes. I simply can¡¯t wait for them to devour youpletely until there¡¯s nothing left of you.¡± A hint of fury shed across Samuel¡¯s eyes and a vein on his forehead started to bulge and throb fiercely. Trevor was the first to speak up. He eximed, ¡°What do you mean by this, Kathleen? This is not somewhere that you can do as you please! That¡¯s especially so for today, of all days!¡± ¡°Just look at what you¡¯re saying now, Trevor,¡± remarked Kathleen as sheughed mirthlessly. She continued, ¡°How can you speak to me this way when I helped you get your hands on Ronald? Given our close ties, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too much of a stranger here?¡± Trevor was caught off guard by herment. He hadn¡¯t expected that Kathleen would actually say something like that and was worried that Samuel would start to be suspicious of him. After all, Trevor had already dumped the mess on Kathleen, and it seemed like Samuel had bought the story. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± mumbled Trevor as he feigned ignorance. Kathleen chuckled coldly before she exined, ¡°You don¡¯t understand? What a joke! Weren¡¯t you the one that went around telling everyone that I was the one that paved the way for Ronald to take his entire team with him over to Hoover Group?¡± Trevor frowned deeply in response to her words. ¡°This is making me really curious. With how you¡¯re behaving right now and pretending like you don¡¯t know me, it seems like I have nothing to gain from our rtionship. If that¡¯s the case, then why should I continue to help you?¡± asked Kathleen as she continued to gaze at Trevor. She continued, ¡°Should I do so just because we¡¯re rted by blood? But you never intended to acknowledge our biological rtions, right?¡± At this point, Trevor¡¯s face had darkened and be sullen with rage. Kathleen smirked coldly once more and added, ¡°Why are you keeping quiet, Luna? Didn¡¯t you send a couple of men to get rid of me just a few days back?¡± ¡°Are you really that desperate for us to chase you off the premises?¡± retorted Luna as she red at Kathleen. Kathleen sneered upon taking in Luna¡¯s words and countered, ¡°Chase me away? I¡¯m here at the behest of the Macari family. If you kick me out, you¡¯ll only be hurting the Macari family¡¯s reputation and offending them. I dare you to give it a try!¡± At this, Luna¡¯s face turned even uglier and she nced sideways at Ashley in a bid to prompt her to take action quickly. Ashley understood what Luna was hinting at and immediately called some bodyguards over in preparation to force Kathleen to leave. Following this development, Yadiel and Rory brought their men over and stood staunchly behind Kathleen. Once they had gotten themselves into position, Yadiel sternly dered, ¡°Let¡¯s see who dares toy a finger on Dr. Johnson!¡± Kathleen narrowed her eyes as she looked at Ashley and said, ¡°Ashley, do you know who Marjory Garner is?¡± Taken by surprise, Ashley paused for a moment as she gave the question some thought. Her expression was frantic when she finally replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°Ah! You¡¯re truly merciless to the core. To think that you¡¯ve forgotten all about her now that you¡¯re done making use of her,¡± remarked Kathleen as she rose to her feet. She continued, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let me exin everything.¡± She strode over to Ashley¡¯s side and slowly circled her once as she maintained the icy cold smile on her face. Finally, Kathleen began, ¡°Approximately three months ago, Marjory went to Smend along with a group of people. Theseprised the students under her charge. Aftermencing with a full week of preparation, the day finally came for this group to execute their n. They hid along the side of the road before they seized the opportunity to ambush and assault a passing businessman.¡± Ashley¡¯s face turned ashen pale as she took in Kathleen¡¯s words. Kathleen¡¯s cold gaze next fell upon Samuel as she continued her story. ¡°This businessman had only gone over to help deal with his good friend¡¯s aftermath. Not only did he have a stake in several mining business ventures in Smend, but he also managed to maintain a fairly amicable rtionship with some of the local organizations as well. With all that in mind, it wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to im that a trip to Smend for him was analogous to him visiting his very own backyard. He was fullyfortable and familiar with the working environment. It was for this reason that he elected not to have a full security detail with him for that particr trip. In the end, this only contributed to his downfall. After he got assaulted by the group lying in wait, he suffered grievous injuries and was taken away as a result.¡± Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Exposed Samuel straightened his back. He knew what Kathleen was talking about. Kathleen continued, ¡°These people have received professional training. They attacked the businessman, abducted him, and cleared the scene, leaving no evidence behind. However, they caused quite a fuss, and some people found out about it. So, they bribed the witnesses, forcing them to not say a word about it.¡± The uneasiness in Ashley¡¯s heart grew. Kathleen¡¯s red lips curled into a smile. ¡°Thus, the businessman¡¯s wife brought a few people with her and searched for three whole months. Yet, they couldn¡¯t locate the businessman. That was when the wife used her own connections and finally found the clues. In the end, she returned to her country. Coincidentally, the businessman returned after a few days.¡± The crowd said nothing. They held their breaths and stared at her. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°s, as soon as the businessman got off the ne, he announced he was engaged to another woman, all because that woman was his savior. It seemed as if it never crossed his mind that he had a wife, a lover. How do you think the wife of the businessman felt?¡± Kathleen shot Samuel an icy re. Biting her lip, Ashley shouted, ¡°Kathleen! How dare you keep calling yourself the wife? You and Samuel had already divorced long ago! Even if you two are engaged, you¡¯re still not his wife!¡± Kathleen smirked. ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting you¡¯re the savior of the businessman, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ashley questioned furiously, ¡°What are you trying to do by hurling usations here? Besides, you almost ended up marrying Caleb!¡± ¡°Caleb?¡± Kathleen could not help butugh. ¡°That¡¯s like news from six years ago. I¡¯m sure everyone here knows how dramatic the wedding was.¡± With that reminder, everyone recalled the incident. ¡°That wedding was really tragic. I¡¯ll remember it even if it happened ten years ago.¡± ¡°Exactly. The thought of it still gives me goosebumps. I can¡¯t believe Samuel stabbed himself just to make Kathleen stay. He must love her so much that he¡¯s lost his mind.¡± ¡°I say, what do you think will happen when he recovers his memory and realizes he married someone he doesn¡¯t love? Will he go mad?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll go mad, but I think he¡¯ll start a ughter.¡± ¡°Do you guys even hear yourself? No matter what happens, Ashley¡¯s the daughter of the Zeller family. Besides, she¡¯s also Samuel¡¯s savior. Samuel will never harm her. You guys are overthinking it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not. You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t understand Samuel well enough. If he really wanted to marry another woman, why would he pester Kathleen so much?¡± ¡°Well, Kathleen didn¡¯t marry him in the end, did she? Even after all those years?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Sure, she didn¡¯t marry him, but he¡¯s already proposed before he got into an ident. Besides, they have two kids together. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they get married.¡± ¡°Maybe Samuel regretted his actions after proposing.¡± ¡°How do you know he¡¯s regretting it? Oh, you¡¯re the Zeller family¡¯s rtive. No wonder you keep speaking up for Ashley.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°Displeased, are you? Let¡¯s fight it out, then!¡± The crowd started to get into a fight. ¡°Shut up, all of you!¡± Luna raged. ¡°Kathleen, no matter what you say, Samuel was the one who approved of this engagement ceremony. We didn¡¯t force him into it. You can ask him yourself if you don¡¯t believe us.¡± Everyone¡¯s gazes fell on Samuel. However, Kathleen said aloofly, ¡°Hah. I¡¯ve already told you this. I¡¯m not here for him.¡± Samuel swallowed hard but kept his silence. Kathleen said coldly, ¡°Ashley, Marjory was hired by you three months ago. You and Marjory took the same flight to Smend and stayed in the same hotel. Besides, you left with Marjory and the others on the day of Samuel¡¯s ident. Are you still going to say you have nothing to do with it?¡± Ashley panicked. ¡°Kathleen, do you think everything you say is right?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m saying all this without evidence?¡± retorted Kathleen as she scoffed. Ashley clenched her fist upon hearing that. Right then, Marjory came to her mind. Marjory¡¯s missing! Could she be abducted by Kathleen and spilled everything? Marjory, you traitor! With a calm demeanor, Kathleen called out, ¡°Yadiel.¡± He stepped forward and ced a stack of pictures on the table. ¡°Ms. Zeller, you didn¡¯t know there were surveince cameras at the hotel¡¯s entrance, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ashley froze. ¡°In fact, the hotel is not the only ce with surveince cameras. A family who lived near the road where Mr. Macari¡¯s ident happened installed one at their house. However, their camera was in a rather discreet location. Hence, no one knew until one of us found it a few days ago. These are the evidence of you being around Marjory and the others,¡± Yadiel said icily. Ashley panicked at the sight of the pictures. Clearly, Marjory did not betray her. However, those pictures were like a death sentence for her. ¡°Since you knew about Samuel¡¯s identity, why didn¡¯t you send him to the hospital after the ident? Why did you send him somewhere far away and not inform us about it? What are your motives?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because someone¡¯s trying to harm Samuel! I was worried for him!¡± exined Ashley. ¡°Stop making excuses! You¡¯re the person who wants to harm him! You¡¯re clearly a pot calling the kettle ck!¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°No!¡± Ashley was trembling, and her mind was a mess. Kathleen had disrupted her n. Knowing Ashley was beyond saving, Luna stood up and prepared to leave. Suddenly, Kathleen uttered coldly, ¡°Luna, I heard Ashley got kidnapped about twenty years ago. By the time she was sent to the hospital, she had lost a lot of blood, and her body was cold. I wonder how did the hospital staff save her?¡± Luna¡¯s eyes glinted with a sharp gaze. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. Do you think you¡¯re the only doctor in this world?¡± Kathleen smiled calmly. ¡°Then, this doctor must be a miracle doctor. If he¡¯s so skilled, how did he fail to save your grandson?¡± Luna shot her an icy re and marched off. ¡°Aunt Luna, wait!¡± Ashley grabbed Luna¡¯s hand. She can¡¯t leave! Who¡¯s going to back me up if she¡¯s gone? ¡°This is your problem. You¡¯re the one who started it. It has nothing to do with me.¡± Luna pushed her hand away and walked off. Ashley froze, shocked by the fact that Luna was actually abandoning her. She then turned to look at Trevor, who, surprisingly, left as well. Aren¡¯t they worried I¡¯ll expose the truth to Samuel? Well, they¡¯re right. I wouldn¡¯t dare to. I¡¯d be dead meat if I told Samuel the truth. Screw this. I must leave now. Ashley turned around to leave. ¡°Ashley, your fianc¨¦ is still here,¡± Kathleen said indifferently. Ashley stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not here to crash the engagement ceremony.¡± Kathleen smiled casually. ¡°Kathleen!¡± Samuel clenched his teeth with his eyes fixed on her. Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Please Stay Kathleen cast him a frosty gaze. ¡°While Ashley has plotted many schemes, I¡¯d still like to congratte you, Samuel. You¡¯re going to be a dad.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°What did you say?¡± What does she mean, I¡¯m bing a dad? ¡°Ashley¡¯s pregnant. Congrattions, once again.¡± Kathleen smiled. Then, her gaze darkened, and she turned around to leave. Pregnant? Samuel wanted to stop her and make her exin herself. s, Kathleen left without looking back. Samuel side-eyed Ashley. ¡°I never touched you. How did you get pregnant?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Ashley¡¯s eyes darted around the room, looking extremely uneasy. ¡°I¡­ Samuel, I really love you. I didn¡¯t want Kathleen to keep pestering you, so I lied to her.¡± Bang! Samuel mmed his hand on the table, his eyes bloodshot. ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± After saying that, he turned on his heel and walked away. ¡°Samuel!¡± Ashley cried. ¡°Did you even lose your memory?¡± Samuel red at her coldly. ¡°Yes.¡± Ashley questioned furiously, ¡°Then, why do you still like her? I took care of you for three months. Were you not moved by my actions during that period? Not even the slightest bit?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression remained frosty. ¡°Are you worthy?¡± Ashley was stumped. ¡°I was not attracted to you the moment you stopped me from seeing my family. Only a guilty person would stop someone from doing so,¡± the man stated aloofly. Ashley stared at him, stunned. She only wanted to wait till their rtionship stabilized before letting Samuel meet other people. Never did she expect to have shot herself in the foot. ¡°I¡¯ll take this scheme you¡¯ve plotted as a repayment for the time you saved me from being kidnapped. We¡¯re even now. I don¡¯t owe you anything.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was cold. He left after he spoke. Tears fell from Ashley¡¯s eyes as she watched him leave. Her n failed. D*mn it! My n would¡¯ve been perfect if Kathleen didn¡¯t cause a disruption. Samuel exited the building where the engagement ceremony was held and got into the car. ¡°Where did Kathleen go?¡± he asked. ¡°No idea.¡± The driver shook his head. ¡°Drive!¡± Samuel took out his phone to call Tyson. ¡°Find out where Kathleen has gone!¡± ¡°Mr. Macari, Mrs. Macari is on the way to the airport now. Mr. Eil and Ms. Desi are already there waiting for her,¡± Tyson said awkwardly. Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. What? She¡¯s leaving? How could she abandon me like that? ¡°Drive faster!¡± he ordered. ¡°Got it!¡± The driver immediately hit the gas pedal. Meanwhile, at the airport, Kathleen held Desiree¡¯s hand and slowly walked toward the boarding gate. ¡°Mommy, where are we going?¡± the little girl asked curiously. She had never left the country before. ¡°Pollerton. I want to let you and Eil see the ce. I have a huge winery there. It¡¯s just like a castle,¡± Kathleen answered gently. ¡°You have a castle, so that means you¡¯re a queen. Does that mean I¡¯m a princess?¡± Desiree asked excitedly. Kathleen beamed. ¡°You¡¯re still a princess, even if I¡¯m not a queen.¡± Desiree chuckled at her words. Suddenly, she asked solemnly, ¡°Mommy, will wee back?¡± Kathleen merely held her hand without giving an answer. By that time, Levi and Em had passed through the gate. Kathleen and Desiree were next. The moment Kathleen handed the two flight tickets to the flight attendant, Samuel¡¯s husky voice could be heard from their backs. ¡°Kate!¡± Desiree turned around and eximed, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s Daddy!¡± Kathleen pursed her lips but did not turn back. ¡°Kate, I¡­¡± Samuel cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve never done anything with Ashley. Even if she¡¯s pregnant, that child isn¡¯t mine. I never wanted to be engaged to her. I just hoped you still cared for me, even if it¡¯s just a little.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. Still, she did not turn around. ¡°Kate, I expect nothing else. Don¡¯t go, please?¡± Samuel choked. Everyone in the airport was watching them. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. They knew who Kathleen and Samuel were. Samuel fixed his eyes on her slender figure. ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± he urged once more. To his dismay, Kathleen looked at the flight attendant. ¡°Are you done examining the documents?¡± The flight attendant answered awkwardly, ¡°Yes.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen took the tickets from the flight attendant and entered the gate while pulling Desiree¡¯s hand. Samuel¡¯s heart tensed up as he watched Kathleen leaving mercilessly. His forehead was drenched in sweat. Suddenly, his vision darkened, and he slumped to the ground. Tyson rushed over and carried Samuel to the hospital. The next day, Kathleen, who was already in Pollerton, tucked the children into bed before giving Rory a call. ¡°Tyson took Marjory away. Apparently, the Macari family wants to investigate this matter. Ashley will be done for once Marjory mentions her name,¡± Rory answered grimly. ¡°I see. Let them take her away, then,¡± Kathleen responded tly. ¡°And that man, Ronald, I heard Trevor abandoned him. Ronald says Trevor¡¯s the mastermind, and the latter made him frame you. However, he has no proof. Everyone here doesn¡¯t really believe him,¡± Rory added. ¡°He¡¯s just a pawn. This oue is already his punishment. We can forget about him already,¡± Kathleen remarked coldly. ¡°One more thing¡­¡± Rory sounded hesitant. ¡°Dr. Johnson, Samuel fainted the day you left. Tyson has sent him to the hospital. He finally regained consciousness this morning.¡± Kathleen¡¯s heart clenched at the news. ¡°Is he okay?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Rory paused and asked, ¡°Do you want to know the details? I can find them out for you.¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Rory, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be going back. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need you to manage thepany¡¯s matters on my behalf.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Rory nodded. With that, Kathleen hung up. ¡°Mommy, look! Ms. Gem made this wreath for me!¡± Desiree came running over while holding Gemma¡¯s hand. The castle was surrounded by countless flowerbeds, which had flowers nted in them. As it was summer, many flowers bloomed, decorating the ce with pretty colors. When Gemma was rescued, Kathleen instructed Yadiel to secretly bring her here to recuperate. After all, it was quiet and had a great view. It was the perfect ce for recuperation. Yadiel, Rory, and Benjamin were the only ones who knew Gemma was still alive. Kathleen did not tell many people about the news. Naturally, Desiree and Em knew about it now. However, Kathleen constantly reminded them to not tell anyone about it. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡± Kathleen patted Desiree¡¯s head. Satisfied with her mother¡¯s reaction, Desiree said, ¡°I¡¯m going to show it to Eil!¡± With that, she ran to Em¡¯s room. Gemma eyed Kathleen wordlessly. Finally, the former asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why do you look so pale?¡± Shaking her head, Kathleen answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. What about you? How do you feel? Do you feel any changes in your mood?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gemma nodded. ¡°I feel much calmer. Kate, I never knew I could be so at peace in a quiet ce like this.¡± ¡°Are you ready to face Richard now?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Punish Him Gemma smiled faintly. ¡°Not really. After all, it was a seven-year rtionship. But I will try my best. Trust me, Kate.¡±Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. I trust you.¡± Gemma smiled. ¡°Now that you guys are finally here, what do you say we make some ravioli?¡± ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go to the kitchen.¡± Kathleen agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± As the two of them prepared the ingredients in the kitchen, Gemma asked Kathleen, ¡°Kate, the reason you came to Pollerton this time isn¡¯t to avoid Samuel, right?¡± ¡°Of course not. I promised Levi to treat Old Mrs.Lester¡¯s illness,¡± exined Kathleen. ¡°I see.Looks like you''re going to stay in Pollerton for some time, huh?¡± Gemma nodded. ¡°No.Old Mrs.Lester is in Nardor.I could just drive to Nardor from Pollerton, so I''m just stopping halfway here,¡± answered Kathleen. ¡°Ah, I see.You''re just bringing the kids with you because it''s safer, right?¡± Gemma understood her intention. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen bobbed her head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the news.Samuel chased you all the way to the airport, but you didn¡¯t even turn to spare a nce at him.Are you punishing him?¡± ¡°Yeah, kind of,¡± said Kathleen coldly. ¡°Will you forgive him if hees all the way here?¡± Gemma was curious. Kathleen pondered for a while before replying, ¡°I don''t think he will.He has such a proud nature.I think I hurt his pride when I tantly ignored him.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.He''s no longer his past self, after all.¡± Gemma sighed. ¡°Are there any differences?¡± asked Kathleen. ¡°Of course.He lost his memory, so maybe he has a different mindset now.When he hurt you in the past, he would try to control himself or even harm himself.But now that he doesn''t remember anything, he might think it¡¯s better to just let you go so that the two of you can live peacefully apart.¡± Kathleen lowered her eyes and replied, ¡°Yeah.Maybe.¡± Gemma gazed at the look in Kathleen''s eyes before smiling. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. After lunch, Kathleen said to Gemma, ¡°Levi and I will be driving to Nardor now.I¡¯ll be leaving the kids to you, Gem.Don¡¯t worry.There are bodyguards everywhere.¡± ¡°All right.I''ll take good care of them for you.¡± Gemma smiled. ¡°Thanks.See you.¡± Kathleen got up. It took one and a half hours for the two of them to reach the Lester residence in Nardor. ¡°It¡¯s indeed not far away at all.Looks like you won''t have to stay here,¡± said Levi. ¡°I wasn''t nning on it either.¡± Kathleen lifted her head to look at the Lester residence, which exuded an air of mystery. The huge mansion seemed to be hiding a lot of peculiar secrets. Nheless, she didn''t even know she was popr enough for the Lester family to know about her existence and how outstanding she was as a doctor. Just as they were talking, the door opened. A maid stood by the door and greeted respectfully, ¡±Mr.Levi.¡± ¡°This is Kathleen Johnson.I¡¯ve invited her over to treat Old Mrs.Lester,¡± Levi briefly introduced Kathleen to the maid. The maid replied, ¡°This way please, Ms.Johnson.¡± Kathleen nodded, and the two of them stepped into the residence after the maid. The structure of the Lester residence was spacious with good lighting, and the furbishing looked like a combination of different countries¡¯ cultures. Levi whispered next to Kathleen''s ear, ¡°The Lester family is quiteplicated.Old Mrs.Lester had four children, but one of them passed away almost as soon as they were born. The remaining three were all married to foreigners. This vi was built by them as a gift for Old Mrs.Lester¡¯s eightieth birthday. That''s why the vi''s style is abination of different countries.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°No wonder.¡± Momentster, they reached a room that had double doors. The maid opened the doors, and the sweet fragrance of scented candles wafted out from the room. The maid lifted a hand and gestured for the two to enter. Following that, they stepped in and looked around. The room was wide, and it was divided into three partitioned spaces. They were currently standing in the living room; there were two other rooms on their left and right. The maid led them to a room on the right. Three women who had delicate facial features were standing in the room. They looked multiracial and were all extremely gorgeous. ¡°Mom, they¡¯re here,¡± said one of the women. An elderly woman with gray hair was sitting on the bed. She looked unhealthily scrawny, and her skin was pale as well. ¡°I''ll be waiting for you out here,¡± said Levi as he stood by the door. Kathleen nodded and approached the old woman¡¯s bedside. ¡°Hello, I''m¡ª¡± Before Kathleen could finish her sentence, the woman who informed her mother that the visitors were here walked over with a smile and interrupted her, ¡°You''re Kathleen, right? My name is Yvonne, and I''m Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s third child. These are my sisters-inw.¡± The other two women bobbed their heads at Kathleen as a greeting, wearing amiable smiles. ¡°Hello. Nice to meet you.¡± Kathleen didn''t think too much about it and thought they were only giving such a detailed introduction out of courtesy. ¡°You¡¯re pretty, Ms.Johnson,¡± praised Camille Sanders, the wife of Yvonne Lester''s eldest brother. ¡°Yeah, of course, she¡¯s pretty.Otherwise, how could she be a celebrity? Her acting is good, too.¡± Xenia Lacey, the wife of Yvonne¡¯s second brother, smiled. Kathleen felt quite awkward as thepliments kept raining down on her. ¡°I should take a look at Old Mrs. Lester''s condition first.¡± She looked over at the elderly woman on the bed, Betty Graham. Betty looked like a friendly and kind old woman as she gazed at Kathleen quietly, smiling from ear to ear. Kathleen began examining Betty''s condition when the elderlydy suddenly reached out her hand, which frightened the former. For some unknown reason, the old woman tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear and said with a smile, ¡°How pretty.¡± Kathleen felt so confused and awkward, wondering what was going on. Yvonne cleared her throat and reminded, ¡°Mom, she''s checking your condition.¡± Betty slowly put her hand down, and Kathleen breathed a sigh when she was finally relieved from the perplexing situation. ¡°Old Mrs.Lester¡¯s heart seems to have some issues.I''m afraid she would have to undergo surgery soon, or it¡¯s going to be dangerous if left unattended.¡± Kathleen put Betty¡¯s hand down after checking her pulse. ¡°Dr.Johnson, are you able to handle the surgery?¡± asked Yvonne, concerned. ¡°If you guys trust me, I''m willing to give it a try,¡± uttered Kathleen softly. ¡°Oh, of course, we trust you.Why would we even invite you here if we don''t? You¡¯ve handled simr surgeries before this,right?¡± Yvonne smiled. Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°Mom, what do you think?¡± Yvonne looked over at her mother, who nodded as well. ¡°Yvonne, I think we should discuss it with Anthony and the others when they return,¡± said Camille cautiously. Kathleen thought so, too. ¡°Yeah, you guys should discuss first.I''ll be taking my leave.¡± Just as she was about to leave, Yvonne grabbed her wrist. ¡°Wait! Ms.Johnson, it''s quite a hassle for you to travel back and forth from Pollerton.Moreover, my brothers are on their way back, and they would like to discuss things with you.Why don''t you stay here for the night?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to cause you all trouble,¡± said Kathleen. ¡°Oh, not at all.We have a lot of rooms here.Also, we knew you''d being, so I''ve asked someone to clean one of the rooms for you.Come with me.I''ll show you.¡± Yvonne beamed as she took Kathleen''s hand and dragged her out. Camille sighed and looked at Betty. ¡°Yvonne is too excited.¡± Betty spoke in a faint voice. ¡°I am, too.I''m satisfied enough to be able to meet Kate while I¡¯m still alive.¡± In consideration of some objective factors, she didn''t show her excitement when meeting Kathleen. Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Chapter 470 A Weird Family ¡°You''re not just excited, Mom. You''re literally so eager you couldn¡¯t even control yourself. Did you even notice how you frightened her just now?¡± Camille sat down. Betty remained silent. She didn''t mean to frighten Kathleen, but she just couldn''t keep her emotions in check. ¡°But Mom, Kate sure does look like a Lester.¡± Xenia smiled. ¡°Yeah.Her father is a handsome man.¡± There was tenderness in Betty¡¯s eyes as she spoke, and she soon began tearing up at the thought of Kathleen''s father. Immediately, Camille and Xenia walked over tofort her. ¡°Mom, don''t cry. We''re lucky enough to be able to find Kate,¡± soothed Camille. ¡°Yeah.When Anthony and Yusef are back, we can have a discussion on how to tell Kate the truth.By then, the both of you can finally reunite,¡± Xenia chimed in. ¡°I know.I''m just too happy, that''s all.¡± Betty wiped her tears. In the meantime, Yvonne led Kathleen to one of the rooms. Kathleen didn¡¯t expect the Lesters to prepare such arge bedroom for her. Thus, she said to Yvonne, ¡°Ms.Lester, I can¡¯t stay in this room.This should be the master bedroom, right? I''ll just stay in one of the guestrooms.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you.You¡¯re our¡­savior, after all.See, I''ve even asked the maids to prepare you some clothes,¡± said Yvonne, pausing in between. The way they treated her was precisely why she didn¡¯t dare to stay. The Lesters areweird. If they want to thank me, they could just give me money. ¡°Ms.Lester...¡± Kathleen began. ¡°You''re around my daughter''s age, so you could just call me¡­Aunt Yvonne.You don''t have to be so polite,¡± said Yvonne with an inscrutable tone. Kathleen was speechless. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s being too polite. They are all too friendly, and it''s weird! Yvonne said enthusiastically, ¡°Take a look around and tell me if you need anything else.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay.¡± Kathleen found it hard to turn her down. ¡°All right then.You should get some rest.¡± Yvonne turned and left the room. Kathleen sighed and went to look for Levi, who was supposedly in the room next to hers. Nevertheless, he wasn''t there when she opened the door. She descended the stairs and went to the garden, which had a pretty scenic view. As she couldn''t see Levi anywhere, she decided to take a walk around. At that moment, she saw two kids huddled together in the garden, each holding a tiny shovel and trying to scoop a flower out from the soil. ¡°Why are we doing this?¡± the little girl asked with a melodious voice. ¡°A new aunt hase to our house.We shall give this to her as a gift,¡± replied the little boy. The girl asked in excitement, ¡°Is she pretty?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably.My mom says she''s a celebrity.¡± ¡°I love celebrities!¡± the girl eximed. Kathleen nced at the poor Julietrose that was almost mutted to death by the two children and said slowly, ¡°The flower''s going to die.¡± The two chubby children paused in their tracks and turned to look at Kathleen. ¡°She''s so pretty,¡± whispered the girl before she put on a wide grin and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Are you the new aunt?¡± the boy questioned in surprise. Aunt? Kathleen answered, ¡°I''m the doctor who''s here to treat Old Mrs.Lester.¡± ¡°You''re our new aunt!¡± The boy threw his shovel away and dragged the girl over, greeting Kathleen, ¡°Nice To meet you!¡± The girl imitated the boy. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Kathleen replied wryly, ¡°Nice to meet you, too.Stop shoveling the flower.It''s going to die.¡± Juliet roses were precious flowers. The Lester family was apparently quite wealthy to be able to nt such valuable flowers in the garden like it was nothing. ¡°Mark! You naughty boy! Are you up to no good again?¡± A woman who looked to be around Kathleen''s age approached. The boy, Mark Lester, took the girl''s hand and hid behind Kathleen, yelling, ¡°Help!¡± Kathleen stared down at the kids speechlessly. As the woman got closer, she looked at Kathleen in surprise. ¡°You¡­You are...¡± ¡°I''m Kathleen Johnson,¡± said Kathleen, thinking the Lesters were a bunch of weirdos. Why are they so shocked to see me?Don''t they know I''m here to treat Old Mrs. Lester''s illness? The woman introduced herself, ¡°Hello! I''m Suzie, the little brat¡¯s mother.¡± Kathleen shook the woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Hi.Nice to meet you.¡± Suzie looked happy to see her. ¡±You¡¯re finally here.Give me a minute.I''m going to teach this brat a lesson.¡± Kathleen nodded as Suzie pulled her son over to her side, scolding, ¡°Lookat what you did to your grandpa''s precious flower! Your grandpa gave this to your grandma as a gift when they were dating, and you just destroyed it!¡± ¡°Mom, flowers don''t have feelings, so it''s totally fine! Grandpa and Grandma are already married, so the flower doesn''t really matter now,¡± Mark argued irrationally. Suzie was so mad that she squatted down and smacked the boy''s buttocks as punishment. Instead of crying, Mark said casually, ¡°Take it easy, Mom.My dad''s going to be heartbroken if you end up hurting your own hand.¡± Suzie was at a loss for words. Another young woman came over. ¡°What''s going on here, Suzie?¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± The little girl jumped into the woman¡¯s arms. The woman was shocked to see all the dirt on her daughter''s shirt. ¡°Be! What happened to your clothes?¡± ¡°Look what they''ve done, Nte.These naughty kids destroyed the rose that Dad gifted to Mom,¡± comined Suzie. The woman, Nte Kirby, stared at the ruined rose and sighed. ¡°You kids are so mischievous.¡± ¡°Mommy, we just want to gift the rose to our new aunt.¡± The girl, Be, pointed at Kathleen. Nte looked atKathleen. ¡°You''re Kathleen, right?¡± Before Kathleen could respond, the woman smiled and continued, ¡°Nice to meet you.I''m Nte.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Kathleen nodded as a greeting. Right then, the maid walked over and informed them, ¡°Mr.Anthony and the others are back.¡± ¡°Really? Let¡¯s go.I''m sure they''re eager to meet you.¡± Suzie let go of her son and grabbed Kathleen¡¯s hand, pulling her along. Nte carried Be and took Mark¡¯s hand, following behind them. When they returned to the mansion, the atmosphere was quite lively in the living room. Levi was chatting with the patriarchs of the family when Kathleen and the others entered. The four men in the living room stood up one by one as Camille and Xenia also approached. Levi curled his lips. ¡°Allow me to introduce them to you.This is the head of the Lester family, Anthony Lester, and this is his son Dn Lester.This is Anthony''s brother, Yusef Lester, and his son Nathan Lester.As for the others, I''m sure you already know them.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Hello.I''m Kathleen.¡± Anthony replied cidly, ¡°Wee to the Lester residence.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kathleen felt a little nervous to see all the members of the Lester family standing before her. It was quite a weirdly grand scene. ¡°Um...¡± She opened her mouth, wondering what to say. ¡°Let''s talk while we eat, Anthony.Or Kate''s going to feel awkward,¡± said Yusef with a smile. No, I already feel awkward enough. I''m confused, too. ¡°Okay.¡± Anthony nodded. When Suzie and Nte brought the kids to wash their hands, Kathleen approachedLevi and whispered, ¡°I''ve got something to ask you, Levi.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°I think these people are acting weird.There shouldn''t be a problem, right?¡± Kathleen looked around her. Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Can You Adopt Me ¡°No, of course not.¡± Levi shook his head. Why would there be a problem? There¡¯s no way they¡¯d do anything to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Everyone is already seated.¡± Levi brought Kathleen to the dining room and sat down. Betty was absent from the dining table due to her health condition; the maid had sent the meal to her room. ¡°Mr.Lester, about Old Mrs.Lester¡¯s condition¡ª¡± Kathleen looked at Anthony. ¡°Kate, eat up.My husband has something to tend to, so he''ll bete, but us Lesters are all around.¡± Yvonne put some food onKathleen''s te before she even finished speaking. Us Lesters? Kathleen could definitely feel that something was off. ¡°I¡ª¡± she began. Anthony interrupted with a half-smile, ¡°Ms.Johnson, you don¡¯t have to worry.We asked Levi to invite you here because we believe in your medical skills.¡± Kathleen spoke faintly. ¡°Old Mrs.Lester is old.It''s quite risky for her to undergo surgery.¡± The old woman was eighty years old, after all. ¡°Do you not have confidence, too?¡± Anthony queried. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°ThoughI''m confident, you''ll never know what''s going to happen on the operating table.Since you''ve made a decision, I shall arrange for Old Mrs.Lester to be admitted to the hospital and keep a close eye on her condition before taking the next step.What do you think?¡± said Kathleen. Anthony nodded in agreement. ¡°All right.We¡¯ll listen to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Kate¡¯s medical skills are so impressive.We should believe in her.Let''s eat, shall we?¡± Yvonne urged. Everyone began eating. As Kathleen ate slowly, Yvonne, who was sitting next to her, wouldn¡¯t stop addingfood to her te. Kathleen was never a big eater, so it was impossible for her to finish all the food that was piled on her te like a tiny mountain. Can someone please help me finish some? After the meal, the Lesters all went to the study. Kathleen, who was stuffed, decided to take a walk in the garden to help her digest better. When she walked near the gate, she saw a ck car parked outside and a tall figure standing beside the car. The figure exuded immense loneliness that couldn''t be ignored. Her heart clenched and she strode toward the figure, which turned out to be Samuel. The man nced sideways at her with an unfathomable look in his eyes. ¡°It''s really you.Why are you here?¡± She frowned slightly. ¡°You don''t want me anymore.¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was husky. She pursed her lips. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± ¡°I miss you, so I came to see you,¡± he replied hoarsely. ¡°Then?¡± she asked. He paused for a while before saying, ¡°Can you please adopt me?¡± She didn''t know how to respond to that. He stared at her quietly and waited for her response. ¡°I bet there are a lot of women out there who are willing to adopt you,¡± she said after some time. ¡°But I only want you to adopt me.Can''t you consider giving me a chance? Although I''ve lost my memory, I¡¯m a pretty good catch.¡± There was a hint of distress in his deep voice. She took a deep breath as she looked at his bloodshot eyes. ¡°Fine.I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± He curved his lips. ¡°Are you staying here tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded. ¡°I''m staying in the hotel tonight.Are youing?¡± He walked forward and looked at her through the gaps of the gate. As there was a gate between them, he couldn¡¯t touch her. Yet, there was eagerness and hope in his eyes. ¡°No,¡± she rejected him. A disappointed expression appeared on his face. ¡°You took a ne and flew here as soon as you woke up?¡± She took a step forward. He nodded. ¡°Yeah.I''m afraid you''d punish me again if I waste.¡± ¡°I never punished you.¡± He reached out and grabbed her hand through the gaps of the gate. ¡°Are you still mad?¡± ¡°I''m not mad,¡± she replied indifferently. ¡°But you were jealous.¡± Kathleen was speechless. ¡°What are you doing here at the Lester residence?¡±he questioned. ¡°I''m here to treat Old Mrs.Lester''s illness,¡± she answered. He looked at her with affection in his eyes. ¡°I see.You should go inside.Nardor¡¯s quite chilly, especially during nighttime.Your hands feel cold.¡± Samuel''s palm was dry and warm. Kathleen looked at him. ¡°Okay.You should get some rest, too.¡± She retracted her hand from his grip and turned to leave. As she walked away, he stood at the gate and watched until she disappeared from his sight. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief and return to the car. Tyson, who was gripping the steering wheel, was beside himself with excitement. He was confident that Kathleen and Samuel were going to get together again. This is great news! I was so worried! Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Mr.Macari, are we going back to the hotel?¡± he asked when Samuel got back in the car. ¡°You Should go back yourself.¡± Samuel leaned back on the car seat and closed his eyes. Tyson was shocked to hear that. Is he nning to wait here until they open the gates the next morning? ¡°Mr.Macari, I don''t think it''s a good idea for you to wait here.What would they think of Mrs.Macari when they see you waiting for her? Why don''t you return to the hotel ande back here early in the morning?¡± Tyson tried persuading. However, Samuel remained silent. ¡°Mr.Macari, if you stay here, I¡¯m sure Mrs.Macari would get mad at you when she sees you the next morning,¡± threatened Tyson. Samuel gulped and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Tyson smiled happily, relieved thatSamuel finally listened to his advice. Using Mrs. Macari''s name is always the best solution. The next day, Kathleen was going to bring Betty to one of the best hospitals in Nardor to get a physical checkup. When they were about to head out, Kathleen saw Samuel again. As soon as she stepped out of the opened gates, Samuel reached out his arms to hold her. He didn''t get to embrace her the day before, and he regretted it as soon as he got back to the hotel. They should''ve at least hugged after they were on good terms again. Kathleen ced her hand on his and asked, ¡°Have you been waiting here for a long time?¡± ¡°Yeah.I miss you.¡± Samuel''s voice was dull. I couldn''t wait to see you. She chuckled in amusement. ¡°Why are you so clingy? You''re like a child!¡± ¡°Who says adults can¡¯t be clingy?¡± he asked. ¡°All right, let me go first.I need to bring Old Mrs.Lester to the hospital.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He let her go obediently. Subsequently, he grabbed her hand and put the diamond ring on her finger. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever lose it again,¡± he reminded. ¡°I won''t.I have to go.¡± She put her hand down. ¡°I''ll go and pick you up after you¡¯re done.¡± After she nodded in response, he lowered his head to nt a kiss on her lips. Her lips are so soft! Kathleen''s cheeks flushed red as she said bashfully, ¡°What are you doing? We''re at the gates of someone else''s ce.¡± ¡°So what? We''re a couple.Isn''t it normal for couples to kiss?¡± Samuel curled his lips into a smile and gazed at her lovingly before saying, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°All right.See you.¡± She turned and got into the car that was parked by the side. Betty and Yvonnewere already waiting in the car. Kathleen waved at him through the window and watched as he hopped into his car as well. Tyson asked, ¡°Where are we going, Mr.Macari?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Lester Group.¡± Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Chapter 472 They Made Up Samuel went toward Anthony. Anthony knew of Samuel, so he said politely, ¡°Please Have a seat, Mr. Macari.¡± The polite voice carried a distant tone. Samuel took a seat and slowly inquired, ¡°Didn''t you guys just want Kathleen to treat Old Mrs.Lester?¡± Anthony questioned back, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± ¡°Kathleen is my wife.¡± Samuel stated sternly, ¡°I will not let her be exposed to danger!¡± ¡°Danger, you say?¡± Anthony sneered, ¡°I think you''re the dangerous one.And if I remember correctly, she''s not your wife.¡± ¡°You remembered it wrong.¡± Samuel icily announced, ¡°She currently is.¡± Anthony narrowed his eyes dangerously. He had heard one of his family''s bodyguards say that Samuel went to meet Kathleen yesterday. Not only did the two speak, but he also went to see her a moment ago too. Moreover, they were acting intimate for some time. I guess they''ve made up. ¡°So what? Kathleen is free to do what she wants.You don''t have the right to interfere, am I wrong?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl Anthony sounded aloof. ¡°I¡¯m not interfering with anything.But if you have an ulterior motive for getting close to her, I will not let you all walk free from this.¡± Is he threatening me? Getting up, Samuelthen took his leave. He made his way back to the car. Tyson asked, ¡°Mr.Macari, what is the Lester family truly after?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It''s certainly not wanting to marry her into the Lester family,¡± Samuel replied in a deep voice. BothDn and Nathan are married and have kids. Besides, even Yvonne¡¯s son and daughter already have partners. There''s no way the Lester family wants to be connected to Kathleen through marriage. Samuel remarked, ¡°The Lesterfamily have always been quite public that they have four children.Anthony, Yusef, Yvonne, and there should be another one.¡± ¡°I got it.I''ll look into it immediately.¡± Tyson nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Head to the hospital.¡± Samuel shut his eyes. All he wanted to do was to return to Kathleen¡¯s side. ¡°Understood.¡± Without further ado, Tyson started the car. At the hospital, Kathleen brought Betty for a checkup. With the scan in hand, she studied it diligently. Yvonne came over and asked, ¡°How is it, Kate?¡± ¡°It''s the same as the assessment from yesterday.I think we need to wait until Old Mrs.Lester''s condition stabilizes before we proceed with the surgery.¡± ¡°How would we know when it¡¯s stable?¡± Yvonne asked in a puzzled tone. ¡°I think I should prescribe some medicinal herbs for her.¡± ¡°We''ve already told you.You can do whatever you want.¡± Yvonne smiled lightly. ¡°Can I ask you something, Ms.Lester?¡± ¡°You don''t have to call me that.¡± Yvonne chuckled in amusement. ¡°Didn''t I say you can just call me Aunt Yvonne? Go ahead and ask me anything.¡± ¡°I would like to know why¡­you guys are treating me so strangely,¡± Kathleen questioned. Strangely? Yvonne was surprised. Were we really acting strangely? ¡°Oh, maybe it''s because you''re so loveable,¡± Yvonne answered with a smile. Loveable? That can¡¯t be it, right? She¡¯s not being honest with me. Nheless, I can''t make her tell me if she doesn''t want to say it. Yvonne blinked asshe started, ¡°Kate, I heard your parents grew up in a welfare center.¡± Kathleen lifted her head. ¡°They did.They met in the welfare center and got together in the end.¡± ¡°Were they close?¡± Yvonne continued to ask. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Yeah.After losing my memories, my current memories are iplete, so I don¡¯t really remember much.Nevertheless, they started up a hospital which became one of the leading forces in the industry.They respected the study of medicine and every single life.There was no doubt they were a like-minded couple.¡± ¡°That''s beautiful.¡± Yvonne smiled gently. ¡°What were their names?¡± ¡°My dad''s name was Andrew Johnson and my mom was Reba Johnson.¡± ¡°They were both Johnsons?¡± Yvonne queried. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s because the director of the welfare center had the family name ''Johnson.¡±¡® Yvonne replied with a nod. ¡°It would be better to bring Old Mrs.Lester home for now.Have here back to the hospital a week later.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yvonne smiled as she agreed. They walked out of the hospital together. In front of the entrance, a ckRolls-Royce was parked there. Kathleen had seen Samuel standing in front of that car yesterday. Before this, the same car was also parked in front of the Lester residence. As soon as Samuel spotted Kathleen and the othersing out, he got out of the car. Kathleen knew he was here for her. ¡°Old Mrs.Lester, Aunt Yvonne, my husband is here, so I''ll be going to him.Please excuse me,¡± Kathleen informed and walked toward Samuel. Seeing hering his way, Samuel spread his arms wide. Kathleen hugged him, and he hugged her back firmly. This embrace feels great. ¡°Are you done with your work?¡± Kathleen asked in a sweet voice. His thin lips curved into a light smile. ¡°Yes.I should go over there and greet them.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± They went over to the women. In a respectful tone, Samuel greeted, ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Old Mrs.Lester and Ms.Lester.I''m Samuel Macari¡ªKate''s husband.¡± Betty had already known about Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s rtionship. She merely hummed in response awkwardly. Kathleen chimed in, ¡°Samuel and I had some misunderstandings in the past, but we¡¯ve made up.¡± ¡°Isee.We know that.¡± Yvonne gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°There were some people kissing in front of our home after all.¡± Kathleen¡¯s cheeks flushed. Wrapping an arm around Kathleen¡¯s waist, Samuel apologized, ¡°Sorry for that.I just missed her so much.¡± Yvonne didn''t think that the astute Samuel would openly convey his feelings like that. What a sight to see.He must like her a lot to be able to unreservedly say such things. ¡°Old Mrs.Lester, Aunt Yvonne, we''ll be leaving now.¡± Kathleen pulled Samuel away, her blush still visible. They got in the car, and Samuel told Tyson to start driving. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°Let''s go get something to eat for now.¡± Samuel reckoned that she was hungry. Besides, it was already noon. ¡°Okay,¡± Kathleen agreed with a nod. They soon reached a restaurant. Samuel then gave Tyson some time off to unwind. ¡°Who''s going to protect you then, Mr.Macari?¡± Tyson queried in worry. ¡°Mrs.Macari will take good care of me.You should buy some gifts for your wife.I''ll cover it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With that, Tyson drove away. ncing at Samuel''s left hand which was holding a cane, Kathleen was worried. ¡°Lauren didn''t treat your leg, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel bobbed his head. ¡°Don''t worry¡ªyou have me.¡± Holding onto his right arm, shestated, ¡°I''ll be sure to treat both your arm and your leg.¡± Because of me, Samuel got hurt countless times.Enough is enough.It¡¯s not like we hate each other. So how could I keep letting him suffer? It''s decided, then. Samuel nodded. This is practically nothing to me.As long as she is by my side, then it is enough. Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Because You Were Not There Kathleen guided Samuel to the restaurant. Soon, they found a nice and quiet ce to sit. With the menu in hand, Kathleen orderedall the food that Samuel liked while he sat next to her. There was a refreshing fragranceing from her. He could not help but want to get close to her because of the pleasant scent. ¡°Kate.¡± Samuel inched closer to her. ¡°Did the Lester family only ask you to treat Old Mrs.Lester?¡± Picking up the pitcher beside her, she poured a ss of water for Samuel. ¡°That¡¯s right.What else would they ask me to do?¡± Samuel pursed his thin lips. ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡± Kathleen blinked in surprise. ¡°So you also feel the same way?¡± Samuel nodded in response. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s hard to put my finger on it.The Lester family does treat me a little strangely.¡± She muttered, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why they treat me that way.Is it really merely because I¡¯m treating Old Mrs.Lester¡¯s condition?¡± Samuel put her hand into his. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html?dev=tl ¡°Do you want to know what I have discovered?¡± Astounded, she questioned, ¡°Did you already look into it?¡± ¡°How could you forget? I¡¯m great at digging up information,¡± he said meaningfully. ¡°What did you find!¡± Kathleen was eager to know. Releasing his grip around her hand, he sipped his water. ¡°In any case, they aren''t trying to make you marry into their family.¡± Kathleen was dumbfounded. She fumed, ¡°Of course not! Furthermore, I¡¯dnever do that.¡± ¡°Oh? Why not?¡± Samuel gave her a knowing look. Kathleen raised a brow. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± replied Samuel indifferently. He continued to sip his water, unrelenting. Kathleen smiled wordlessly. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re the best.I have to marry you.¡± Hearing her words, Samuel smiled. A short while later, their meal was served. Kathleen put some food onto Samuel¡¯s te. He used his left hand to hold the fork while Kathleen kept putting more food on his te. Kathleen also passed a spoon to him. Her heart ached as she watched him eat with difficulty. His hand, his leg, and even his body were wounded. Anywhere that could be hurt was hurt. ¡°Aren''t you going to eat?¡± Samuel noticed her gaze was fixated on him. ¡°I am eating though?¡± Kathleen shifted her gaze away. Samuel''s pencil-thin lips curved upward. ¡°I want to eat that, Kate.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Kathleen turned to look at him. Little did she expect that Samuel would lean over and nt a kiss on her scarlet lips. ¡°This one.¡± Kathleen instantly blushed up to her ears. She stared at him, speechless. ¡°There are a lot of people around.¡± Samuel, in turn, narrowed his eyes and gazed at her. ¡°You''re my wife.¡± ¡°I''m still your fianc¨¦e, okay? We haven''t even registered our marriage yet,¡± Kathleen corrected. I only said that to the Lester family because I don''t want them to form any misunderstandings! ¡°We can get registered now.¡± Samuel spoke in a solemn tone. Kathleen was stumped. ¡°As long as you are willing to.¡± He fixed her with a serious and unwavering stare. ¡°Would you be willing to do it?¡± Kathleen gave it a long and hard thought. ¡°No.¡± Dumbstruck, the man looked defeated. ¡°I need to think about it more.After all, you almost married Ashley.¡± She suggested, ¡°We should take things like marriage slow.¡± It was apparent that she was traumatized by the idea of marriage and weddings. I know I can''t force her. There are still some hurdles inside of her that she can¡¯t get over. ¡°I understand.¡± Samuel nodded. Our current state isn''t so bad too. Just as Kathleen and Samuel were minding their own business having their lunch, someone snapped a photo of them and posted it on the inte. Everyone couldn''t believe what they were seeing. So after going around in circles, they still end up together? Ashley saw the news, too. She almost threw her phone out of anger. How could he do this? How could he just change like that? Doesn¡¯the know the price I have to pay because of this? ¡°Being angry doesn''t help, you know?¡± Lauren gave her a narrow-eyed look. ¡°Kathleen must be feeling proud at the moment.¡± Ashley roared indignantly, ¡°I¡¯ve already tried my best.I was so close!¡± I was so close¡­I could have married him and made my wishe true. Yet¡­ Samuel is unable to forget about Kathleen! His feelings for her must have been etched into his bones. That''s the only exnation for him to still love her after losing his memories! Heartbroken, she cupped her face with her hands. ¡°Lauren, tell me.What have I gained after going through so much pain?¡± Lauren stated indifferently, ¡°Honestly, I think that you are not ruthless enough.¡± Ashley knitted her brows. ¡°I''m not ruthless enough?¡± ¡°That''s right! If you just killed Kathleen, then you wouldn¡¯t be having so many issues.¡± ¡°Do you think I had never thought of that?¡± Ashley took a deep breath. ¡°I was so close to killing her back then.If it weren''t for Wynnie and the others, Kathleen would have been long dead.¡± Lauren remarked coldly, ¡°She was a nobody back then.Now, even if you want to get rid of her, it¡¯ll be very difficult.¡± Ashley decided to stay silent. ¡°Your top priority now should be finding ways to get Luna to have faith in you again.Also, there''s still one way to ruin Samuel and Kathleen''s rtionship.¡± ¡°What is it!¡± Ashley was keen to know. Lauren proposed, ¡°It¡¯s killing Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s children.Their rtionship would undoubtedly break down due to this.¡± Ashley was taken aback. ¡°If that were to happen, Samuel would never forgive me.¡± ¡°How would anyone know if we do it in secret?¡±Lauren borated, ¡°We just have toe up with a good n.As we both know, Kathleen and Samuel are not in the country at the moment¡ªnow is our best chance.¡± Ashley was hesitant. ¡°But...¡± She did not dare to take the risk. A misstep could easily lead her to her doom. It¡¯s way too risky. Laurencasually said, ¡°If you don''t do it, there won''t be a chance anymore.What will you do when Kathleen makes her move?¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Ashley pressed her lips together. ¡°We¡¯ll just do it your way.¡± Delighted, Lauren said, ¡°Good.I¡¯ll make the preparations for you.¡± Ashley nodded. ¡°We need to be quick.I''m worried that Samuel and Kathleen will be back to deal with me soon.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Back in Nardor, Kathleen and Samuel were dining together. ¡°Are you staying at the Lester residence tonight?¡± thetter asked in a low voice. ¡°Yup.¡± Kathleen gave a nod. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°I don''t want to be away from you.¡± His voice husky, he proposed, ¡°You either stay at the hotel with me, or I stay with you at the Lester residence.¡± Kathleenughed in exasperation. ¡°Wouldn''t it be a little too much if we both stayed at the Lester residence?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t asking me to sleep at a hotel alone a little too much? Youclearly know how much I would miss you.¡± Kathleen looked rather abashed. ¡°All right, I''ll stay with you at the hotel.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Samuel shed a contented smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.I want to have a good night''s rest.¡± Hearing him say that made her notice the faint dark circles under his eyes. ¡°Did you not sleep for the past few days?¡± she questioned. ¡°Yeah.¡± Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Settle The Score At the hotel, Samuel fell asleep right after hey down. Kathleen knew that he must be exhausted. Ever since she heartlessly left the airport that day, he hadn¡¯t had a good sleep. After he regained consciousness, he immediately rushed to Nardor. Kathleen, on the other hand, was very clear-headed. She sent a message to Levi that read: I won¡¯t be back tonight. Levi replied: Are you with Samuel? Kathleen: Yes. Levi: Old Mrs. Lester told me right away after they returned. I didn¡¯t expect you to forgive him so soon. Kathleen: I think I¡¯ve given him enough punishment. Levi: That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ll inform the Lester family on your behalf, then. Kathleen: All right. Thanks. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? After sending that text, Kathleen put down her phone. Samuel wrapped his arms around her slim waist at that moment and asked in a husky voice, ¡°You¡¯re still awake?¡± ¡°Yeah. Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°No. Since you¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll keep youpany,¡± he saidzily. Without uttering a word, Kathleen stared at him with a faint smile. Samuel had very good-looking features. He had prominent brow ridges, deep-set eyes, a sharp nose, and perfectly-shaped lips. Aside from the fact that he was a bit pale, he always looked gorgeous. Reaching out, Kathleen touched his brows and nose and smiled. The next moment, Samuel held her hand and flipped over, pinning her under him. Kathleen was caught off guard. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked nervously. When Samuel saw the resistance in her eyes, he swallowed hard. ¡°I want to kiss you.¡± Then, he leaned down and captured her cherry-red lips. There was a growing desire within him. He liked Kathleen too much, even when he had lost his memories. It was an indescribable feeling. When Ashley first mentioned that he had a wife, he knew right away that that woman must be very important to him. After all, it was unusual for someone so aloof as him to fall for someone. The moment he saw Kathleen afterward, the desire of having her to himself intensified. However, he was apprehensive to do so, for fear that she would hate him. Tortured by these thoughts, he even considered bringing Kathleen to a ce no one else knew about. A few minutester, he finally let go of her. Kathleen could feel that her lips were swollen. There were even tears in the corner of her eyes, making her look pitiful. ¡°Kate, I like you,¡± murmured Samuel as he kissed her eyes. Instantly, Kathleen¡¯s ears flushed red. She circled his neck with her arms and answered, ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Afraid that she would be repulsed, Samuel didn¡¯t dare to do anything more. Instead, he embraced her tightly. That was more than enough for him. Soon, he fell asleep again. The two of them woke upter that night from hunger. Samuel then ordered some takeout food, which was delivered to them quickly. Knowing that they were awake, Tyson sent over a document. After scanning through it, Samuel nced at Kathleen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t lie to you, but I think it¡¯s better for you to see this document after you¡¯re done with Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s surgery,¡± he said as he stared at the document in his hands. Kathleen blinked a few times before asking, ¡°So you think that the Lester family has no ill intentions toward me and that Old Mrs.Lester should be saved, but my diagnosis of her condition will be affected if I see this document? Is that right?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°Okay. I won¡¯t look at it now.¡± Kathleen agreed right away since she trusted him. Putting down the document, Samuel hummed in acknowledgment. ¡°Since I¡¯m free these days, I¡¯ll treat your legs,¡± she offered as she munched on food. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Are you going to stay in Nardor? How about yourpany?¡± ¡°Well, my father can manage it. He has nothing to do anyway,¡± Samuel said indifferently, rendering Kathleen speechless. How could he treat his elderly father like this? At the Lester residence, Betty was visibly disgruntled. Yvonne couldn¡¯t help but feel amused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom? Why do you look so unhappy?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been robbed,¡± grumbled Betty. Yvonne burst intoughter at her words. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel the same when I got married back then?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Upon recalling the past, Betty admitted, ¡°At that time, I thought that you should get married and leave the family as soon as possible. I just couldn¡¯t handle you anymore.¡± When Yvonne was still with the family, she was a troublemaker. As her father and two elder brothers spoiled her very much, she basically did whatever she wanted. Thus, it was a good idea to let her get married and have someone else control her. Nevertheless, Betty was quite satisfied with her son-in- law. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re worried that Samuel would bully Kate again, aren¡¯t you? I actually think we can¡¯t be sure who the real bully is.¡± Betty frowned upon hearing that. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice earlier? Between the two of them, Kate is the one in control. It¡¯s obvious that Samuel only feels happy when Kate is happy. She¡¯s the one who has the say,¡± Yvonne pointed out. After giving it a thought, Betty still felt a little upset. ¡°I was just thinking that Kate could stay with me longer, but Samuel suddenly appeared and took her away. How annoying!¡± ¡°They probably don¡¯t want to stay here because they don¡¯t want to disturb us,¡± Yvonne voiced out. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Should I ask them to move here tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Betty nodded. Yvonne smiled knowingly. ¡°Got it, Mom. Do you perhaps feel like Kate is acting like an outsider, so you think she should bring Samuel here?¡± Betty stayed silent. ¡°All right, I understand. I¡¯ll visit her tomorrow.¡± Closing her eyes, Betty urged, ¡°Hurry up and leave now. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Yvonne was stumped for words. That was a quick change of attitude. When Kathleen woke up the next day, the first thing she did was to check on Samuel. ¡°How do your legs feel?¡± The night before, she had performed acupuncture on him. Samuel moved his legs a few times before answering, ¡°They feel much better than yesterday.¡± ¡°Of course.I¡¯m much better than Lauren,¡± boasted Kathleen. She then added, ¡°I bet you¡¯re the only one who would let her treat your legs.¡± Seeing her petty behavior, Samuel chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not that I trust her. However, she seems to have a very special rtionship with Ashley.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you sense something strange about Ashley?¡± Kathleen asked as she put her long hair up into a bun. Samuel exined, ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it and found that Ashley was saved after she was sent to that hospital. However, she was hidden by the Zeller family since then.¡± ¡°Yeah. Also, didn¡¯t you notice that Ashley¡¯s father didn¡¯t even show up when she got married? Only Luna and Trevor came,¡± Kathleen reminded. With a frown, Samuel asked, ¡°Are you implying that she¡¯s not the real Ashley?¡± ¡°Who knows? She might be an old friend,¡± remarked Kathleen with a cold smile. ¡°If it really is her, we¡¯ll settle all the scores with her.¡± Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Look At Me An old friend? Samuel knitted his brows lightly and asked, ¡°You already know who she is?¡± Kathleen nodded slowly. ¡°You know her very well.¡± A glint fleeted through his dark eyes. ¡°It¡¯s her?¡± Once again, Kathleen nodded. She knew Samuel had figured out who the woman was. Although he had lost his memories, Tyson had informed him about those things . Thus, it didn¡¯t take him long to guess who Ashley was. ¡°After I¡¯m done with Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s surgery, we¡¯ll return and deal with them,¡± dered Kathleen icily. Of course, she was also referring to Lauren and Luna. In response, Samuel nodded. Another day passed by quickly. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? The next morning, Kathleen was about to head to the Lester residence when Yvonne showed up. ¡°Aunt Yvonne,¡± greeted Kathleen as she led Yvonne into the room. Upon seeing Samuel, Yvonne nodded at him. ¡°You¡¯re also here, Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave so you may talk in private,¡± Samuel offered calmly before turning to leave. ¡°Please stay, Mr. Macari,¡± Yvonne interrupted with a half-smile. ¡°The thing is, Kate is a special guest of our family. It would be embarrassing if people find out that she¡¯s staying in a hotel.¡± There were no changes in Samuel¡¯s expression. ¡°And so?¡± ¡°So, we want to invite you and Kate to stay at the Lester residence. What do you think?¡± Yvonne asked smilingly. They could also use the opportunity to observe what kind of person Samuel was. After all, it would be better to see it for themselves rather than listen to other people. Wordlessly, Samuel looked at Kathleen for her decision. He was determined to go wherever she went. Kathleen, on the other hand, was abashed. ¡°Won¡¯t it be rude for us to stay there? We might disturb you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯re weing you with open arms,¡± Yvonne reassured. ¡°My mom was worried the whole night because you didn¡¯t returnst night.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°With Samuel by my side, nothing will happen to me.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t stop her from worrying,¡± replied Yvonne meaningfully. ¡°My mom adores you a lot.¡± Her words took Kathleen aback. ¡°I like Old Mrs. Lester, too. She treats me very well,¡± she said after a while. ¡°Really?¡± Yvonne beamed. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go. If you keep her worrying, it won¡¯t be good for her health, right?¡± Kathleen nodded and looked at Samuel. ¡°Come stay with me there for some time. It won¡¯t be too long.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Kathleen gave him a smile in return. They soon arrived at the Lester residence. Kathleen immediately brought Samuel to meet Betty, who couldn¡¯t stop smiling after hearing that she was back. No matter what, it was best for Kathleen to stay by her side. ¡°Old Mrs. Lester,¡± called out Kathleen with a gentle smile. ¡°Samuel and I will be disturbing you for a few days.¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll be disturbing me? As long as you¡¯re happy here, you can stay as long as you please,¡± Betty said as she looked at Kathleen with doting eyes. On the contrary, there was a hint of aloofness in her eyes when she turned to Samuel. Since she thought he didn¡¯t deserve Kathleen, naturally, she didn¡¯t like him. Samuel knew that Betty didn¡¯t favor him. However, he was neither worried nor bothered. As long as Kathleen liked him, it was enough. After checking on Betty and making sure that she was fine, Kathleen left the room. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the room so you can rest,¡± she said while she supported Samuel, who nodded quietly. As a matter of fact, it was rmended that he stayed in bed to recover, but she had no choice because he didn¡¯t want to. Right when they were about to go upstairs, they ran into Yusef. ¡°Mr. Lester,¡± Kathleen greeted. With a faint smile, Yusef told her, ¡°Just call me Uncle Yusef. There are too many Lesters in this house, and it might get confusing.¡± ¡°Uncle Yusef.¡± Yusef was delighted. He looked at Samuel and asked, ¡°You¡¯re Samuel?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mr. Yusef.¡± Yusef¡¯s eyes had an unfathomable look when he smiled at Samuel. ¡°You¡¯re being too polite, Mr. Macari. My house is quite spacious, so enjoy your stay.¡± Pursing his lips, Samuel responded, ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Well, I shall get back to work now,¡± Yusef prompted. Kathleen then bade him goodbye. ¡°See you around, Mr. Yusef.¡± With that, Yusef walked away smilingly. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let me take you to the room.¡± Kathleen linked her arm with Samuel¡¯s and headed upstairs. Meanwhile, he looked at her intently. There is no way she doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with that smart head of hers. Maybe she just doesn¡¯t want to say it out loud. Upon entering the room, Samuel knew his guess was correct. If the Lesters only treated Kathleen as Betty¡¯s doctor, they wouldn¡¯t have been so meticulous in decorating the room and preparing the necessities. They were basically trying to make things clear. ¡°Take a rest first.I¡¯ve asked the housekeeper to prepare the medicine. Take itter when she brings it here,¡± reminded Kathleen. She thought that she could help Samuel recuperate while she was treating Betty. Samuel¡¯s biggest issue was his frail body. He had hurt himself before. As a result, his body was severely damaged. Kathleen wanted to strengthen his health so he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer when he grew old. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. Subsequently, hey down and closed his eyes. Standing up from the bed, Kathleen closed the windows to let him sleep in peace. After he fell asleep, she went to work. Aside from preparing for Betty¡¯s heart surgery, she had to handle thepany¡¯s matters. Soon, it was already afternoon. Samuel had a very long sleep. He seemed to be exhausted as his brows were tightly knitted together every time Kathleen looked at him. ¡°Kate, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± At one point in time, he started to talk in his sleep again. To Samuel, Kathleen¡¯s departure was his nightmare. Even when she was by his side at the moment, he could never feel totally at ease. Kathleen held his rough hands and uttered, ¡°Wake up, Samuel. I didn¡¯t leave. I¡¯m here.¡± Even so, Samuel could not wake up from his nightmare. ¡°Kate,e back¡­ I¡¯ll give you my life. Don¡¯t leave me! Don¡¯t leave me behind¡­¡± Seeing that, Kathleen was very worried. She couldn¡¯t let things go on like this. Releasing his hands, she started shaking his shoulders forcefully. ¡°Samuel, wake up. Open your eyes and look at me. I¡¯m Kathleen. Wake up!¡± Despite the strength she used, Samuel still wouldn¡¯t wake up. Kathleen couldn¡¯t help but frown. The next second, a crisp p sounded in the room. Kathleen had pped him out of no choice. It was then that Samuel finally quieted down. She held his handsome face and repeated, ¡°Samuel, look at me!¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Slowly, he opened his eyes. ¡°You were having a nightmare,¡± Kathleen said, heaving a sigh of relief. He touched his cheek and questioned, ¡°Did you hit me?¡± Kathleen was at a loss for words. Samuel then reached out and caressed her face. ¡°It hurts quite badly.¡± Embarrassed, she argued, ¡°What else could I do? You just wouldn¡¯t wake up. Did you have a nightmare?¡± Samuel pursed his lips in silence. He wasn¡¯t sure how to answer her question. His dreams always started out nicely. Then, they would turn sad and sorrowful. In those dreams, he more or less learned of the things he had done. Because of that, he was aware of almost everything that happened even though he had lost his memories. However, he didn¡¯t tell anyone about it. Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Taking It Too Far Swallowing hard, Samuel insisted, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kathleen sighed with relief. She let go of him andy beside him with both hands on her stomach. ¡°I seriously don¡¯t know what to say sometimes, Samuel,¡± she started. ¡°It seems like things are the same for you, whether or not I am beside you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s different!¡± He sped her hand and added with some difficulty, ¡°When you¡¯re by my side, I feel more at ease compared to the times when you¡¯re not around.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t rxpletely either. He was terrified. Kathleen nced at him and asked, ¡°You won¡¯t do that terrible thing to me again, so why are you still so worried?¡± A glum look appeared in Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡± T https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? he fear was nted deep inside his heart. Letting out another sigh, Kathleen turned on her side and hugged him. ¡°Samuel, you¡¯re going to ruin your health if you keep this up.¡± He¡¯s so paranoid because of his fear, and his body is in a terrible state. Despite that, he still came to Nardor to look for me. What is he thinking? Samuel hugged her back. He hadn¡¯t been so close to her in a long time, and he missed her a lot. Her faint fragrance blended with the air he was breathing in, calming him down. ¡°Kate, as long as you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Unable to hold himself back, he kissed her cheek. Kathleen did not stop him. Seeing that, he tightened his embrace and took things further. A whileter, a series of knocks sounded from the door. The two hurriedly paused in their tracks. Embarrassment shed across Kathleen¡¯s face. When she came back to her senses, their clothes were already in a mess. Moreover, one of Samuel¡¯s hands was in her clothes. He¡¯s taking it too far! ¡°Take it out,¡± she whispered. Fortunately, Samuel listened to her. She then got out of bed and walked to the door before opening it. Camille stood outside with a smile. ¡°Kate, dinner¡¯s ready. Come downstairs with Mr. Macari and have some.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Upon seeing Kathleen¡¯s flushed face, Camille understood what was going on. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded shyly. After Camille left, Kathleen closed the door and turned around, shooting Samuel a re. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you!¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. She¡¯s the one who blushes easily because she¡¯s sensitive! ¡°I¡¯ll wash my face first. Let¡¯s go downstairs for dinner afterward,¡± Kathleen told him, and he gave a nod in return. With that, she entered the bathroom. Meanwhile, Samuel sat up from the bed with a smirk. He took out his phone and texted Tyson: Have you found anything on the matter I asked you to look into? Tyson replied in an instant: I¡¯ve found some clues. The Ashley we met is indeed fake. I¡¯ve asked someone to track down her parents, and they are both in Pollerton right now. I believe the real Ashley is there, too. Samuel typed: Find out her exact address. Tyson responded: Got it. He got to work right after sending that message. Just then, Kathleen came out of the bathroom. The redness on her cheeks was nowhere to be seen now that she had washed her face. Samuel then got out of bed and straightened out his top and tie. Seeing how he was struggling with his right hand, Kathleen felt her heart ache. She walked over to him and started adjusting his tie for him. ¡°Let me do these things for you from now on.¡± Samuel put down his hands and watched her quietly. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen raised her head and looked at him with twinkling eyes. ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said again with a nod. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As she took his big hand with her small and soft one, he felt warm andfortable. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips up. Hand in hand, the two of them went downstairs. The entire Lester family was present, including Yvonne¡¯s husband and her two children. ¡°Kate, sit here.¡± Yvonne gestured at the two seats beside her. Kathleen supported Samuel as they walked over and sat down. ¡°Let me do the introductions. This is my husband, Francis Stone. This is my son, Ian, and my daughter, Keisha,¡± said Yvonne cheerfully. ¡°Hello, Ms. Johnson,¡± Francis greeted. ¡°Hello.¡± Kathleen smiled politely. Deep inside, she felt relieved. Finally, a normal person. Ian grinned and remarked, ¡°I¡¯m older than you.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen smiled shyly. ¡°And I¡¯m younger than you,¡± Keisha chimed in happily. She resembled Yvonne a little, and there was always a sweet smile on her face. ¡°This is my husband, Samuel,¡± Kathleen introduced. Francis nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Macari.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Samuel answered coldly. ¡°You know each other?¡± Yvonne asked out of surprise. ¡°We¡¯ve coborated a few times before,¡± Francis mentioned as he took a sip of water from his ss. However, he didn¡¯t expect his connection to Samuel to progress into something else. Judging from Kathleen¡¯s expression, it looked like she knew nothing yet. On the other hand, Samuel seemed to be aware. Hasn¡¯t he told Kathleen? Francis couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Hello, brother-inw.¡± Keisha took the initiative to talk to Samuel. Immediately, she felt a kick from Ian under the table. He shot her a look as if saying, Seriously? You¡¯re about to expose it! In response, she shed him a smile awkwardly. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Following Anthony¡¯s words, everyone picked up their forks and began eating. During dinner, Kathleen tried her best to take care of Samuel. After the meal, Francis invited Samuel to get some fresh air outside. Without much thought, thetter agreed. While they were strolling in the garden, Francis spoke first. ¡°I never expected my business partner to be the husband of my wife¡¯s niece.¡± His tone was calm and composed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that, too.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Kathleen the truth?¡± Francis asked curiously. ¡°No. If I tell her now, it might affect her diagnosis of Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s condition.I¡¯ve asked her, and she agreed to hear it from me after Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s surgery,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°She¡¯s a patient woman. But I guess this is something she could easily guess.¡± ¡°Letting her guess and telling her the truth are two different things.¡± Samuel turned to Francis and looked at him intently, adding, ¡°Were you able to do what I asked of you?¡± ¡°I found it.¡± Narrowing his eyes, Francis asked, ¡°Should I send the address to you?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°What are you going to tell her when you meet, though?¡± As Francis spoke, he took out his phone and sent the address to Samuel. ¡°What if she asks you to repay her by marrying her?¡± Samuel¡¯s expression was frosty. ¡°Only Kate can be my wife. As for Ashley, it is true that I owe her. I will meet her on my own and make sure to repay her.¡± Francis advised, ¡°Do as you see fit. The Lester family spent a lot of time looking for Kathleen and Charles. If something happens to you now, things might¡ª¡± ¡°I know what to do,¡± Samuel imed. ¡°Allow me to take my leave now.¡± He started walking away when Francis suddenly said meaningfully, ¡°Do you recall it now?¡± Freezing in his tracks, Samuel turned around and nced at Francis before spinning on his heels again. Indeed, he had recalled something from his past. However, he didn¡¯t want others to know, especially Kathleen. Those memories were quite unpleasant. Since Kathleen also forgot about them, he should just y dumb about it. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. After all, he was determined to make it up to her for the rest of his life. He would never let her suffer again. Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Dead A few dayster, Betty¡¯s condition stabilized, and she was ready to undergo surgery. Kathleen applied to the local hospital to borrow their operating room to carry out Betty¡¯s surgery. Prior to the surgery, the elderlydy was already admitted into the hospital for pre-operative management. Kathleen began preparing for the surgery as well. Samuel walked up to her. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll be leaving in a while.¡± She was shocked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to Pollerton to visit the kids because I miss them. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± He hugged her from behind. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. Go ahead then. It¡¯s normal for you to miss them since you are their father. Moreover, after all the things that had happened previously, they must be feeling sad.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel kissed her on the cheek. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°Good luck with the surgery.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen smiled faintly. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in time before you¡¯re done with the operation.¡± Nardor was not far from Pollerton. Samuel reckoned he would be able to return in time in the afternoon if he departed earlier. ¡°I got it. Be careful.¡± She continued wearing her carefree smile. He nodded, turned on his heels, and left. After that, Kathleen carried on with her preparation. She knew what Samuel was actually going to do and was also aware of why he had not been honest with her. I¡¯ll leave that matter to him because I have something more important to deal with now. Samuel returned to Pollerton. He went directly to the condominium Ashley was staying in and knocked on the door. A thin woman opened the door. She uttered in astonishment, ¡°S-Samuel¡­¡± Samuel gazed at that woman¡¯s face indifferently. It really is her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Ms. Zeller. I believe you know why I¡¯m here,¡± Samuel said expressionlessly. Ashley pursed her lips. ¡°Please,e in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not needed. I do not think that would be appropriate,¡± he replied inly. Ashley was slightly dazed. Inexplicably, she felt extremely pressured. She was genuinely frightened by him. Ashley apologized before saying anything else, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I knew everything Luna did, but I didn¡¯t stop her and even allowed her to abuse my identity.¡± ¡°All that because she¡¯s your aunt?¡± Samuel asked coldly. Ashley exined, ¡°Yes, simply because she¡¯s my aunt. She treats me very well, so¡­¡± Samuel piped up, ¡°She orchestrated your kidnapping incident in the past.¡± ¡°What?¡± she eximed startlingly. ¡°Are you telling the truth, Mr. Macari?¡± Walter stood at the bottom of the stairs. Standing beside him was his wife, Phoebe Gaunt. Both of them were shocked to their cores. Tyson took out the evidence. ¡°This is a recording taken by the kidnapper in the past. You all can take a look.¡± Walter strode over, extending an invitation to Samuel. ¡°Please,e in, Mr. Macari.¡± Samuel nodded. He did not mind entering when apanied by the couple. Walter, Phoebe, and Ashley watched the footage together. They witnessed Luna instructing the kidnapper to abduct Ashley and even told the kidnapper to kill Ashley after receiving the ransom in the video. Colors drained from the trio¡¯s faces. ¡°This¡­¡± Walter stared at Samuel in utter disbelief. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe the genuineness of this footage, you can submit it to the police to carry out an authentication test. Mr. Zeller, your daughter had to suffer this traumatic experience at such a young age, yet you¡¯re still helping the culprit. Doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt you?¡± Phoebe was especially infuriated. ¡°D*mn it! Darling, that¡¯s your little sister! I knew your sister was evil. We were blessed with a child at an old age, to begin with. I was almost fifty when we had Ashley. Luna wanted us to be childless so that she could inherit all the Zeller family¡¯s riches. She¡¯s such a ruthless woman!¡± Walter did not know if he should beforting his wife because he was also enraged. Luna must have done that because she¡¯s vying for the family¡¯s wealth. He sighed in misery. He did not expect his own little sister to be so cold-blooded. ¡°Mrs. Zeller, do you know why you experienced multiple miscarriages in the past?¡± Tyson asked. Phoebe was stunned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because someone poisoned you,¡± Tyson exined. The woman was dumbfounded. ¡°Luna was behind that as well?¡± Tyson¡¯s nod confirmed her question. ¡°That b*tch!¡± she cried her heart out. Walter was livid. ¡°How did she do that?¡± ¡°The doctor who treated Mrs. Zeller was working for Luna. Whenever Mrs. Zeller went to the clinic for her regr checkup, she would be prescribed some folic acid tablets. However, some of the other medications were teratogenic. Mrs. Zeller took the medications, assuming they contained folic acid, leading to the miscarriages,¡± Tyson borated. Phoebe almost fainted upon hearing that. ¡°Mom!¡± Ashley felt a pang of pain in her heart as she looked at her mother. None of them had expected the person they had trusted would harm them in that manner. Samuel wore an aloof expression. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this evidence here for you all. It¡¯s up to you to decide how to handle this matter. However, I don¡¯t think Luna will spare all of you.¡± With that, he stood up, turned around, and was about to leave. ¡°Samuel,¡± Ashley uttered. Poker-faced, Samuel said, ¡°I think these should be sufficient to repay you for saving my life.¡± Ashley flushed. ¡°Thank you, Samuel. If I hadn¡¯t been so ipetent in the past and stirred a ruckus, we could have escaped unscathed.¡± ¡°You were only five years old at that time. From now on, we owe each other nothing.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be happy.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He strode off with Tyson trailing behind him. Ashley returned to the couch dejectedly. Then, she began to sob. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have be infertile if not for Luna.¡± In the past, those people had indeed intended to kill her. The bullet hit her abdomen, and she bled profusely. After Ashley was sent to the hospital, the doctor informed her she could never be pregnant because her uterus was damaged. At that time, Ashley was overwhelmed by regrets. She constantly wondered if things would have ended differently if she had been more careful. Little did she expect the whole incident to be nned by Luna, her biological aunt. At the sight of her daughter in agony, Walter said, ¡°Ashley, I will avenge you. I promise!¡± Ashley¡¯s face was covered in tears. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I want to skin that fake Ashley alive!¡± ¡°Okay. I promise you! Let¡¯s go back now and take back everything that belongs to us!¡± Walter announced. ¡°All right!¡± The mother and daughter duo nodded in agreement. Samuel¡¯s visit this time hadpletely set the anger in their chests aze. Aside from being there to inform Ashley and her family of the truth, he had also intended to borrow their strength to deal with Luna. After all, another family member¡¯s betrayal carried the most significant weight. Samuel knew Walter and his family would not let Luna off the hook easily. In that case, Kathleen could rest assured and focus on treating Betty¡¯s illness at Nardor. Luna would not have the time to spare to cause trouble for Kathleen since Samuel and Walter would be at Jadeborough to hinder her n. After leaving Ashley¡¯s condominium, Samuel went to visit the kids. Em and Desiree were very excited when they saw their father. Samuel wanted to hug them, but Em said, ¡°Daddy, you don¡¯t have to hug me because I¡¯m an adult now.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Desiree followed suit. Samuel knew they were worried about his hand and leg, so he resorted to patting their heads. ¡°Mr. Macari?¡± Gemma came in from outside. She was astounded to see Samuel. Samuel fell into a daze as well when he saw her. Isn¡¯t she dead? Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Incident ¡°So, you are still alive.¡± Samuel was reminded of Richard¡¯s pain. Richard deserves to suffer. He has chosen to believe Elena, after all. ¡°That¡¯s right. Are you here to visit the kids?¡± Gemma said nonchntly. Samuel nodded. ¡°I saw the news. Congrattions on finally reconciling with Kate. You two have been through a lot.¡± She was genuinely happy for them. ¡°Thank you for helping her take care of the kids,¡± he expressed his gratitude. ¡°You¡¯re being too polite. I am their godmother, after all.¡± Samuel uttered solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll have to rush backter. I¡¯ll need to continue troubling you with them.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Gemma nodded. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°How long do you reckon you two will stay busy?¡± ¡°We will return here once Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s condition stabilizes,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°I got it.¡± Gemma smiled faintly. ¡°Tell Kate not to worry. I¡¯ll make sure the kids are safe and sound.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel patted his children¡¯s heads. ¡°I¡¯m going back to meet with your Mommy. You two stay at home obediently and listen to Gemma. Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Rest assured, Daddy. I¡¯ll take good care of Desi,¡± said Em. The little girl pouted at her brother¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t need someone to take care of me. I¡¯m a grown-up now.¡± Samuel beamed at them affectionately. ¡°Okay. In that case, take good care of yourselves.¡± ¡°Daddy, we will wait for you and Mommy toe back!¡± Anticipation filled Desiree¡¯s voice. She knew her parents had truly reconciled this time. ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. He stood up, turned around, and left. Desiree held Em¡¯s hand and chirped, ¡°Eil, Mommy and Daddy are finally back together. They won¡¯t split up again after this!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Em was delighted too. However, he was not as expressive as his sister. Samuel got into the car heading back to Nardor. Just then, Richard sent him a text message: Samuel, can you help me ask Kathleen where did she bury Gem? Samuel replied: I can¡¯t help you, Richard. You¡¯re still far too kind toward Elena. She is significantly rted to Gemma¡¯s ident, yet you only held her captive and continued caring for her, providing her with food and drinks. You¡¯ll regret this sooner orter. Richard felt anguished. He responded: What should I do then? Samuel: Do I need to teach you what to do? Deal with this matter without letting your feelings cloud your judgment. He ced down his phone after sending out the message. Then, he took a walk down the memoryne. Nicolette hurt Kathleen, and he had let Nicolette off the hook because she saved his life. His decision had allowed Nicolette the chance to harm Kathleen for a second time. That decision had also became his deepest remorse. He gave that heartfelt advice to Richard because he did not want Richard to regret his actions. As for Samuel, he would no longer show Nicolette any mercy as well. An hourter, Samuel arrived at the hospital. He had left the hospital for four hours since his departure earlier. Thus, he figured the surgery should be ending soon. Just as Samuel entered the hospital, Francis exited the elevator. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Samuel nodded indifferently. ¡°How¡¯s the operation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great sess.¡± Francis grinned. ¡°Kate was simply superb. I heard the doctors and nurses who worked alongside her in the operating theatrepliment her extraordinary medical skills.¡± ¡°That goes without saying.¡± Samuel felt proud. ¡°I¡¯ll check on her.¡± Now that the surgery had ended, he was afraid that the members of the Lester family would inform Kathleen of the entire truth when she was in that exhausted state. ¡°Go on.¡± Francis nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going back to grab some things.¡± Samuel bobbed his head before going into the elevator. He stepped out of the elevator upon arriving at the seventh floor. Anthony and the others walked in his direction. ¡°You¡¯re back, Samuel. Kate is inside the office. You should go and look for her there,¡± Suzie uttered. ¡°Thank you.¡± Samuel strode toward the office at once. The hospital vacated the office at thest minute. In the morning, Samuel had bid his farewell to Kathleen there. He knocked, pushed the door open, and entered. He saw Kathleen sitting on the chair, sleeping. She was obviously worn out. Kathleen had been preparing for the surgery for a few days. In addition, she had to keep herself focused for four hours straight just now. Therefore, she was overwhelmed by fatigue the moment she was allowed to rest. Samuel shuffled lightly to her side, took off his coat, and draped the outerwear on her body. Then, he sat down aside and took out his phone to deal with some matters. Kathleen slept for a long time. She did not regain her senses until night fell. ¡°Samuel.¡± She straightened herself on the chair and saw the coat. Instantaneously, she knew it was his. Due to the unlit surroundings, she failed to discern Samuel¡¯s location momentarily. He stood up, walked to her side, and switched on the tablemp. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The soft glow from the tablemp illuminated his handsome facial features, which were arranged into a tender expression. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Samuel gently caressed her face. ¡°Are you still sleepy?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better. How long did I sleep?¡± ¡°Six hours.¡± He curled his thin lips. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°A little.¡± She stroked her stomach. ¡°Let¡¯s visit Old Mrs. Lester before we have our meals.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Samuel nodded. Kathleen got to her feet, returned Samuel his coat, and picked up her own outerwear before exiting the room. They arrived at the entrance of Betty¡¯s ward and nced inside the room. The elderlydy did not require any family members to stay and apany her that night because there were professional doctors and nurses taking care of her. Kathleen briefly examined Betty¡¯s condition before leaving with Samuel. They walked out of the hospital together. Nardor¡¯s environment wasfortable as the temperature was just right. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk, Samuel,¡± Kathleen piped up. ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded. Kathleen knew Samuel¡¯s leg had yet to recover. However, the hotel was merely a five-minute walk from the hospital. ¡°Did you meet with Ashley?¡± she asked casually. Her question took him by surprise. ¡°Yes. I went to meet with her. I didn¡¯t lie to you on purpose. I just¡­¡± ¡°I know. You were just being cautious. Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t mind,¡± she said in amusement. ¡°She changed her name to Annabeth. Walter sent her here since that incident. She didn¡¯t know the mastermind behind her kidnapping was Luna,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Are you saying that Luna orchestrated that kidnapping incident?¡± Samuel nodded calmly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Walter and his wife were blessed with Ashley when they were close to fifty years old. Previously, Mrs. Zeller experienced multiple miscarriages, and those misfortunes were also rted to Luna.¡± ¡°Luna did all those things for the sake of money? Because she wants to take over the Zeller family¡¯s assets?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°I think so. What other reason could there be? She¡¯s a very selfish person, to begin with.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Now that Walter and his family know about this, they¡¯ll never let Luna and the others go.¡± ¡°I just received news that Walter and his wife have gone back to the country. It seems like they¡¯re going to settle the score with Luna,¡± Samuel said with all seriousness. Kathleen nced at the date. ¡°There are seven days left.¡± Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°What? Seven days?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the number of days until Trevor has to hand over the parcel.¡± A cold glint shed across her eyes. Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Chapter 479 The Show Has Just Started ¡°This is what he promised to give Ezra?¡± Samuel asked in a solemn voice. Join Telegram Group For Fast update and Novel Query Kathleen nodded. ¡°The show has just started.¡± Samuel did not know what Kathleen had done. However, just by observing her expression alone, he could tell she was determined. Trevor will have to bear the consequences soon enough. ¡°There¡¯s a Sylvonican restaurant in front of us. Let¡¯s go there.¡± Kathleen pointed at a restaurant not far away. ¡°All right.¡± Samuel nodded obediently. Kathleen took his hand into hers as she said, ¡°Even though I can¡¯t really remember, I think this is the first time we¡¯re having dinner peacefully.¡± Samuel was at a loss on how to reply. It was his fault, after all. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? He had never once shown her how it felt like to be loved. ¡°Let¡¯s consider today a date,¡± Kathleen addednguidly. A date? Oh right, we¡¯ve never gone on a date before. Samuel gulped before stating, ¡°I remember that you and Ryan went on a holiday once.¡± Kathleen shrugged. ¡°That did happen. However, you ruined it. He was able to give me what you couldn¡¯t, and yet, you still ruined it.¡± She was angry. For as long as she lived, she had never once gone on a proper date. That was when Samuel held her hand. ¡°You¡¯re my wife. If you want to go on a date, I¡¯ll go with you. You¡¯re not allowed to think of other men.¡± Otherwise, he would get jealous. Kathleen snorted. Samuel¡¯s heart softened when he saw the yful pout on her face. He eventually added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. That¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Kathleen looked up at the sky as she continued, ¡°I¡¯m a bit disappointed I couldn¡¯t enjoy happier times with the person I liked the most in my prime. However, what we have now is fine, because I¡¯m still with the same person I love.¡± Samuel¡¯s eyes instantly reddened. He held Kathleen¡¯s hands tightly. ¡°Kate, I¡­¡± he trailed off. Samuel knew deep down that he was not worthy of her profound love. For as long as he could remember, Kathleen was the one who put more effort into their rtionship. At that moment, Kathleen was also moved to tears from Samuel¡¯s reaction. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now,¡± she said as she tried to hold back her tears. Sometimes it was all right to lose part of one¡¯s memory. With reddened eyes, Samuel asked, ¡°Kate, can we start over?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already started over, Mr. Macari,¡± Kathleen said in a teasing voice as she blinked. Mr. Macari? Samuel cupped Kathleen¡¯s face with his hands as he lowered his head to kiss her. ¡°Thank you for giving me another chance, Ms. Johnson.¡± Kathleen scoffed yfully. ¡°You literally forced your way through.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Then again, he figured her response was only normal; it was his fault, after all. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m starving.¡± Kathleen dragged Samuel into the restaurant. During their meal, Samuel suddenly spoke up. ¡°Did the Lester family talk to you after the surgery?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°They asked me to go over tonight, but I rejected.¡± Samuel gazed intently at her without uttering a word. ¡°Actually, I kind of guessed what they wanted. But I personally still don¡¯t want to do it,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°I told them I would leave after Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s post-surgery condition has stabilized. As for what they intended to say, I¡¯ll think about it after settling the issues back at Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Are you not going to acknowledge them as your family?¡± Samuel asked. After a brief moment of hesitation, Kathleen replied, ¡°No.¡± Samuel then left the topic at that. Since Kathleen had her own ns, he did not want to affect her. ¡°Did you know, Samuel?¡± Kathleen started. ¡°I find it troublesome that I now have a big family. My father was never like my mother. He never wanted to find out his true identity. Thus, I guess he had already figured things out earlier on.¡± Samuel meaningful gaze bore into her. ¡°After thinking about it, I realized that it didn¡¯t matter if I acknowledged myself as a member of the Lester family or not,¡± she continued faintly. ¡°I guess that my father probably thought his presence was useless after finding out that Old Mrs. Lester had two other sons and a daughter.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what Old Mrs. Lester thinks?¡± Samuel replied. ¡°She really wants you back.¡± Kathleen remained silent. To be honest, she had no idea. ¡°Kate, although I don¡¯t know what your father was thinking, there¡¯s no denying that the Lester family really wants you back,¡± Samuel deduced. Kathleen looked at him. ¡°I never thought there would be a day where you would be the one giving me advice.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a long way to go in life. There maye a time where you¡¯ll regret your decision,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just treat them as normal rtives for now?¡± After hearing Samuel¡¯s suggestion, Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my brother about it.¡± Samuel¡¯s handsome expression had hints of solemness hidden within. After their meal, Kathleen and Samuel went back to the hotel. Just as they arrived at the main entrance, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Kate, it¡¯s me!¡± Gemma¡¯s anxious voice sounded over the phone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Something happened with Eil,¡± Gemma replied. ¡°He¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ming back now!¡± Kathleen instantly answered with her brows in a tight knot. ¡°Okay.¡± Gemma nodded. After hanging up, Kathleen looked at Samuel and said, ¡°Eil¡¯s missing.¡± Hearing that, Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He held Kathleen¡¯s hand as he called for Tyson. The two quickly drove back to Pollerton at once. While in the car, Kathleen gave Levi a call and asked him to ry a message to the Lester family. ¡°Old Mrs. Lester¡¯s condition has pretty much stabilized. The other doctors can take care of the rest,¡± she exined. ¡°I have something important going on, and I have to leave.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Levi nodded. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look for you if I need you,¡± Kathleen replied. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for your call,¡± Levi answered. With that, Kathleen hung up. By then, they had already arrived at Pollerton. Samuel held Kathleen¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s a tracker on Eil. I¡¯ve already sent people to look for him.¡± ¡°A tracker?¡± Kathleen was surprised. ¡°Eil asked me to give him one. Since he¡¯s my son, there will definitely be a risk of him getting kidnapped. That¡¯s why he allowed me to insert a nano-sized GPS tracker into his body,¡± Samuel exined. Kathleen instantly understood, and she nodded her head. Soon enough, Samuel got a call from Leonard. ¡°Samuel, your son is back in the country,¡± Leonard reported. ¡°Do you need me to go to the airport?¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°Are you sure that he¡¯s at the airport?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leonard nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Samuel turned to look at Kathleen. ¡°All right. Thank you.¡± He then hung up the phone. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kathleen asked uneasily. ¡°Eil has returned to the country. However, we don¡¯t know if he returned on his own or if someone kidnapped him,¡± Samuel replied solemnly. ¡°There¡¯s no way Eil would go alone. Someone must have taken him!¡± Kathleen said with furrowed brows. She was extremely terrified after hearing about the possibility of her son getting kidnapped. After all, Samuel had been kidnapped before, too. ¡°As long as Eil is in the country, he¡¯ll be fine,¡± Samuelforted Kathleen. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Luna and the others are the ones that took Eil away.¡± Her fears were natural since those people had been plotting Kathleen¡¯s downfall for a long time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll wait for Leonard¡¯s call,¡± Samuel replied seriously. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. Even though she was putting on a calm exterior, she secretly felt a crippling worry deep in her heart. Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Chapter 480 No Signal An hourter, Kathleen and Samuel arrived at the castle. Desiree ran over with tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Mommy, Eil¡¯s gone.¡± Kathleen stroked Desiree¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve found Eil¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Gemma walked over, panicking. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kate. I didn¡¯t know this would happen.¡± She was so worried that she cried many times. Kathleen consoled, ¡°Gem, it¡¯s not your fault. Pack your things. We¡¯re going back to our country this instant.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Gemma left to pack her things. The others, too, started making the preparations. Right then, Samuel¡¯s phone rang. Kathleen walked over as soon as she heard that. Samuel then nced at the name on the phone screen ¡ª Leonard. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°Hello?¡± Samuel furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t see Eil anywhere. It¡¯s weird. We checked the entire ne as soon as itnded, but we didn¡¯t see him anywhere. Even the signal¡¯s gone,¡± Leonard said dejectedly. Samuel frowned. ¡°Send me the list of passengers.¡± He was going to search for Em on his own. ¡°Okay.¡± Leonard nodded. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The list was sent to Samuel not long after ending the call. Kathleen knew the situation was not looking good. Leonard must¡¯ve failed to find Eil. Otherwise, Samuel won¡¯t be looking like that now. Gemma, who was done packing her things, walked over. ¡°Kate, I¡¯ll take care of Desi.¡± Although there was nothing Gemma could do to find Em, she wanted to do whatever she could to help. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen bobbed her head. Gemma soon took Desiree¡¯s hand. ¡°Desi, why don¡¯t youe to my room?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Desiree nodded obediently. When the duo had left, Kathleen looked at Samuel¡¯s phone and studied the name list with him. Kathleen analyzed, ¡°These people look normal.¡± Samuel pulled her over to the couch to take a seat. ¡°What do you think is their purpose of holding Eil captive?¡± ¡°To threaten us,¡± Kathleen answered inly. ¡°Correct. That means Eil will be fine as long as they haven¡¯t told us what they want. Now, who do you think is more desperate?¡± Samuel asked. ¡°Luna wants Desi because she has the same blood type as her grandson. Could it be Ashley, then?¡± asked Kathleen. Samuel¡¯s eyes glinted with hostility. ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon.¡± His men had been secretly tracking Ashley all this time. While waiting for the updates, Kathleen and the others packed their things and went to the airport. They did not receive a single piece of information, even when they boarded the ne. It made Kathleen extremely nervous during the entire journey. After all, those people would still harm Em in the end, even if they were not doing that for now. About ten hourster, Samuel, Kathleen, and the rest finally arrived at the airport. Leonard approached them and was stunned by Gemma¡¯s appearance. She¡¯s still alive? Richard has been wasting his life away ever since she died. Then again, it serves him right. ¡°Yadiel, please sent Gemma and Desi to the Macari residence. Gem, please stay there for now. If you want to contact your brother, you can give him a call,¡± Samuel instructed calmly. ¡°All right.¡± Gemma nodded. Hence, Yadiel took them to the Macari residence. Samuel gave Leonard a serious nce. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re detained in the dark room. Should we question them one by one?¡± asked Leonard. ¡°First, let¡¯s search their bodies and their luggage for trackers. Since the signal was still on when they got off the ne, they must¡¯ve turned off the tracker. Search the entire airport!¡± ordered Samuel. ¡°Got it!¡± Leonard proceeded with the search immediately. Meanwhile, Kathleen followed Samuel to the dark room to check on the passengers. Some of them were released, as they seemed to be unrted to the matter. In the end, the only ones left were a man and a woman. Both of them had traces of guilt in their eyes. Kathleen muttered grimly, ¡°I¡¯ll ask them some questions.¡± Samuel nodded in approval. Kathleen first approached the man. When the man saw his visitor was a woman, a look of relief spread over his face. Kathleen frowned. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s the one. If he has something to do with Eil¡¯s kidnapper, seeing me should make him nervous. Well, maybe this man has strong psychological resilience. Then again, if he¡¯s so strong, he wouldn¡¯t be looking so uneasy just now. Kathleen put on a look of disgust, asking, ¡°Do you have something on you?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste on you. Answer my d*mn question. Is there something on you?¡± Kathleen questioned furiously. Looking unbothered, the man muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Kathleen stepped forward, lifted him from the ground, and punched him in the stomach. The man groaned while his face scrunched up in pain. ¡°Are you going to talk?¡± Kathleen frowned. The man kept his silence. Kathleen threw two more punches at his stomach. Following that, the man copsed to the ground and spat out a packet. The employee, who was standing in a corner, recognized the item at a nce. Nice one! We actually caught someone like him! When Kathleen stepped out of the room, Samuel gazed at her. ¡°Do you still want to see that woman?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kathleen¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s definitely her. Take her away. I have other ways to deal with her.¡± Samuel nodded in response. Kathleen knew the woman would not speak so easily. After all, that woman was someone nted by Ashley and Lauren. The woman was blindfolded. Hence, she did not know where she was. All she heard were sounds of water, and she felt something strange around her. However, her hands were tied up, and she could not see a thing. It made her extremely anxious. Suddenly, she felt something sticky and slippery moving on her body. The sensation gave her goosebumps. ¡°Ah! Let me go! What are you people trying to do?¡± she shrieked. Kathleen stood by the side with a deadly expression. ¡°Do you know what I want to know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t! Let me go! You¡¯ve got the wrong person!¡± yelled the woman. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I want to ask you. How would you know I¡¯ve gotten the wrong person? Let me ask you again. Do you know what I want to ask you?¡± Kathleen spoke in a calm tone. The woman wanted to deny it, but the cold and slippery sensation sent chills down her spine. Kathleen gazed at her coldly. ¡°Fine. Enjoy your time here.¡± Once the woman heard Kathleen walking away, she screamed like a psychopath, ¡°I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯m begging you. Please let me go!¡± Kathleen stopped in her tracks. ¡°First, tell me what you know.¡± The situation was so mentally torturous that the woman was on the verge of losing her mind. After taking a deep breath, she uttered, ¡°Lauren made me do it. She gave me a tracker and told me to get on the ne with it. I was told to turn it off once the nends.¡± Does that mean the tracker¡¯s been removed? Is Eil injured, then? D*mn it! Kathleen frowned. She approached the woman and grabbed thetter¡¯s hair. ¡°What else do you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. I don¡¯t know about the rest! Please let me go!¡± the woman implored. ¡°Don¡¯t you even dream of leaving without telling the truth!¡± Kathleen threatened. Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Wait For My Return The woman was so terrified that she was on the verge of tears. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you. They want to kill your son, so you and Samuel will never get back together.¡± Kathleen paled, and a murderous expression appeared on her face. ¡°Do you know where they¡¯ve taken my son?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± The woman shook her head vigorously. Kathleen questioned icily, ¡°Then, do you know where Lauren and the others are?¡± Nervously, the woman replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. I¡¯m not lying. I really don¡¯t know anything. Lauren¡¯s the one who¡¯s been contacting me.¡± ¡°Give me her number, then. Besides, I¡¯m sure you know the other members of your organization. Tell me how to find them. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to make you suffer!¡± Kathleen uttered coldly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you everything. Just take away that thing from me!¡± The woman was about to burst into tears. It was too horrifying. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? With an icy expression, Kathleen removed the woman¡¯s blindfold and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s just a few octopuses.¡± Octopuses? The woman struggled harder as soon as sheid eyes on the massive octopuses. ¡°Ah! Octopuses are the worst! Take them away! Hurry!¡± Kathleen ignored her and walked out, leaving the subordinates to deal with the rest. Soon after, they walked out and handed Kathleen a name list. Kathleen looked at Samuel. ¡°I¡¯m sure Ashley¡¯s with Lauren. Can you get someone to track Lauren¡¯s number? Then, try calling Ashley to see if she picks up. If she does, track her location as well.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel nodded. It did not take long for everything to be set. Samuel dialed Ashley¡¯s number. Surprisingly, Ashley answered it within seconds. ¡°Samuel. Are you looking for me?¡± Ashley¡¯s voice sounded grim. ¡°Where¡¯s my son?¡± Samuel wore an unfriendly expression. Ashley replied solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Why are you asking me this? Didn¡¯t Kathleen take your son away? You should be asking her if something happened to him. How is she even a mother if she can¡¯t take care of her son?¡± Samuel¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°What do you want, Nicolette?¡± Ashley fell silent for a moment. ¡°What are you saying? Who¡¯s Nicolette?¡± Samuel nced at Tyson, who gave him a nod. Seeing that, Samuel went over to take a look. They had gotten a specific location. ¡°Nicolette, it¡¯s time we settled our grudges.¡± With that, Samuel ended the call. Kathleen found the location a little strange. ¡°Where¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The Yoeger residence.¡± There was a sh of coldness in Samuel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go there now!¡± Kathleen¡¯s worry for Eil grew more intense. Samuel grabbed her by the wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. Eil might not be in Nicolette¡¯s hands. This might be a trap.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°At least we can capture her and threaten Lauren to hand him over.¡± ¡°What if Lauren doesn¡¯t care about her?¡± Samuel asked grimly. Kathleen froze, her fingers coiling into a fist. Samuel reminded, ¡°Nicolette is basically useless to Luna now, but that¡¯s not the case for Lauren. Eil will be fine. Do you think Luna would dare to confront us so straightforwardly?¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Samuel squeezed her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll meet Nicolette alone.¡± ¡°No!¡± It was Kathleen¡¯s turn to grab his hand. ¡°Samuel, Nicolette hates you with her whole being. She feels the same for me, too. We should go together. Didn¡¯t we agree to face this together?¡± Samuel stared at her in silence. Kathleen stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. ¡°Samuel, you must not take any more risks. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Kate¡ª¡± A grunt escaped Samuel¡¯s mouth as he felt a pain in the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Samuel. Please wait for my return,¡± Kathleen whispered. Samuel gazed at her with a frown. She does this all the time. She always pushes me far away. Kathleen ced Samuel in Leonard¡¯s care. ¡°Please watch over him.¡± Frowning, Leonard asked, ¡°You¡¯re going alone?¡± While caressing Samuel¡¯s face, Kathleen exined, ¡°This grudge is between me and her. It¡¯s got nothing to do with Samuel.¡± Leonard pondered for a while. ¡°When he wakes up¡ª¡± ¡°He won¡¯t me me for it.¡± Kathleen kissed Samuel¡¯s cheek and added, ¡°I¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you there, Ms. Macari!¡± Tyson offered. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Give me the car keys.¡± Kathleen put out her hand. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Tyson gave her the keys resignedly. With that, Kathleen took the keys, walked out, and drove to the Yoeger residence. I never would¡¯ve imagined Nicolette to be hiding there. Then again, it makes sense. Since she¡¯s so desperate to be the daughter of the Yoeger family, she¡¯ll definitely go there to live her dream.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Just then, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang. She nced at it and saw Charles¡¯ name on the screen. She put on her Bluetooth earphones and greeted, ¡°Charles. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What happened? Why is Eil in trouble? What are you doing now?¡± asked Charles with a frown. ¡°Getting my revenge at Nicolette,¡± Kathleen answered with a murderous gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly. rissa and I have just gotten out of the ne. We¡¯ll be right over.¡± Charles was worried. ¡°Charles, listen to me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s tone was heavy. ¡°I suspect Eil¡¯s in Luna¡¯s hands. I¡¯ve sent someone to look into this and Wyatt seems to be acquainted with her. I need you to look for Wyatt and get some information.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°Okay. What about you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine. Nicolette¡¯s no match for me. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Kathleen ended the call before Charles could even say anything. She cared about nothing else; her only mission at that moment was to go to Nicolette. Not long after, she arrived at the Yoeger residence. A fire broke out there some time ago. As soon as Kathleen stepped into the mansion, she could smell the overwhelming stench of smoke. ¡°Nicolette,¡± Kathleen called out. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you.¡± Not a single sound was heard in the house. ¡°Are you that afraid to face me?¡± Kathleen sneered. Suddenly, Nicolette¡¯sughter echoed in the air. There were traces of misery in her bone-chillingugh. Kathleen headed to the second floor and followed the voice¡¯s direction. Immediately, she saw Nicolette sitting on the floor of a room. Thetter¡¯s face and body were covered in blood. Kathleen stared at her coldly. ¡°Perhaps this is a form of punishment.¡± Nicolette lifted her head and red at the former. ¡°Kathleen, I hate you!¡± ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual,¡± Kathleen responded calmly. ¡°Where¡¯s my son?¡± Nicolette hissed, ¡°Dead! Haha! He¡¯s dead! It¡¯s all because Samuel showed me mercy. That¡¯s why your child is gone! He indirectly murdered your child again! Haha!¡± Kathleen looked down at her. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that foolish? Do you really think I¡¯ll believe your words when you¡¯re clearly sowing discord between me and Samuel?¡± Nicolette widened her eyes in anger. ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me? Why?¡± ¡°Nicolette, remember how you lied about saving Samuel? What you¡¯re experiencing now is your punishment,¡± Kathleen said coldly. Nicolette¡¯sughter slowly turned into wry howls. ¡°What did I do wrong? Do you think I wanted to be an illegitimate child? I merely hoped to be born in a normal family, too! I don¡¯t want to be ignored. All of you look down on me because of my mother!¡± Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Chapter 482 A Fate Worse Than Death ¡°The person looking down on you is none other than yourself.¡± Kathleen continued indifferently, ¡°This was all your fault. Things wouldn¡¯t have ended this way if you didn¡¯t have ill intentions from the start.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk!¡± Nicolette¡¯s eyes filled with hatred. ¡°Your parents were famous doctors. Even if the Macari family didn¡¯t adopt you, you¡¯d still have everything you want. If your parents didn¡¯t save Old Mrs. Macari, you wouldn¡¯t have met Samuel!¡± ¡°I already fell for Samuel before my parents got into that ident. Nicolette, my love for Samuel started long ago, ¡° Kathleen responded tly. Nicolette looked at Kathleen coldly. ¡°Even if my parents did not pass on, I¡¯d still end up with Samuel because I saved him before. Besides, I like him, and he saved me too. You¡¯re just a scapegoat, and you¡¯ll get exposed sooner orter. You im that people look down on you because of your mother. But have you ever reflected on your actions?¡± Kathleen looked on with disdain. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Nicoletteughed hysterically. ¡°Why are you the only one who gets a happy ending? Why?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? Kathleen lowered her gaze. ¡°Nicolette, I know you wish to die, but I won¡¯t let you have your way. Since you¡¯re disfigured and unable to walk now, I¡¯ll find a ce for you to live the rest of your days in misery!¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that!¡± Nicolette started panicking. She wanted to die. If she had to continue living this way, she would rather not live. Kathleen squatted down and pinched Nicolette¡¯s chin. With a condescending smile, the former uttered, ¡°You underestimate me. I found a way for you to live a fate worse than death.¡± Nicolette¡¯s eyes were full of tears. ¡°Not to mention that you¡¯re still young, and if I take care of you well, you can still live for another thirty to forty years.¡± Kathleen continued sarcastically, ¡°I wonder how it feels to have to see this face for the next thirty to forty years without having the ability to walk.¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± Nicolette screamed. ¡°Kill me. Kill me! I killed your first child. Why won¡¯t you kill me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill you, but I won¡¯t let you have it easy either.¡± Kathleen let go of Nicolette. ¡°Kathleen, I beg of you. End things for me. I¡¯ll tell you everything that you want to know!¡± Nicolette pleaded. However, Kathleen remained unmoved. ¡°You¡¯re no longer useful to Lauren, so whatever information you provide will no longer be urate. You don¡¯t even know where my son is.¡± Nicolette stared nkly at Kathleen. Thetter stared back at her coldly and resumed, ¡°I¡¯m no longer worried after seeing you this way.¡± Nicolette shot an icy re. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Lauren sent someone to look for Eli, and her people told me that you guys nned to kill him to split up Samuel and me. After seeing how they abandoned you, I realized that this is Lauren¡¯s way of making a peace offering to Luna. Am I right?¡± Kathleen asked icily. Nicolette widened her eyes in disbelief. She knows everything. Kathleen held up her phone and called Yadiel. ¡°Yadiel, you cane upstairs now.¡± Nicolette stared at Kathleen. ¡°Do you think that you can take on Luna?¡± Kathleen was silent. Soon after, several footsteps neared. It seemed like Yadiel did note alone. Kathleen turned around and saw Samuel, who gravely stared at her. His unwavering gaze made Kathleen¡¯s cheeks pale. Samuel walked over, took her hand, and led her out. Kathleen looked at his back and could feel that his muscles had be tensed from anger. ¡°You woke up quite quickly,¡±mented Kathleen. Samuel looked at her coldly. ¡°Why did you have to knock me out?¡± She lowered her head. ¡°You can yell at me however way you want. I won¡¯t exin myself.¡± Samuel was speechless. Seeing that he was non-responsive, Kathleen asked, ¡°Do you have news of Eli?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°Leonard wille over to tell youter,¡± replied Samuel. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. She and Samuel stood at a corner. That was when Yadiel pushed Nicolette down in a wheelchair. Upon seeing Samuel, Nicolette¡¯s chest tightened with pain. She pulled on the wheelchair¡¯s breaks and looked at him. ¡°Samuel!¡± Samuel¡¯s frosty gaze shot onto her. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Would you fall for me if I were truly from the Yoeger family?¡± asked Nicolette. ¡°No.¡± His gaze was dark. ¡°I never once liked you.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Nicoletteughed, and her gaze was vicious. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always thought that you would fall for me as long as I be part of the Yoeger family. However, I realized your heart was never with me. Your feelings toward me were simply because I saved you. I knew you would kick me to one side the moment you found out that I wasn¡¯t the one who saved you.¡± ¡°Obviously. Did you expect me to treat you well after learning the truth?¡± Samuel replied indifferently. Nicolette was speechless. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen waved her hand. ¡°S-Samuel!¡± Nicolette was still screaming. ¡°Kathleen will never love you from the bottom of her heart! You indirectly killed your and her first child!¡± p! Kathleen gave Nicolette a tight p. ¡°Do you want me to cut off your tongue, Nicolette?¡± That was enough to stun thetter. ¡°Take her away.¡± Kathleen¡¯s gaze was cold. Yadiel soon pushed Nicolette out. At that moment, Leonard arrived in his car. Kelly came down from the car and eximed, ¡°Kathleen!¡± Kathleen frowned slightly. ¡°Kelly?¡± ¡°Eil is indeed in Luna¡¯s hands, but he¡¯s safe for now,¡± responded Kelly. ¡°How do you know?¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°A housekeeper from the Zeller family told me. That person can be considered my spy.¡± Kelly exined, ¡°However, I¡¯ve not found out why Luna took him. All I know is he should be fine since he¡¯s locked up in a room.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Thank you, Kelly.¡± ¡°You saved Felicia. It¡¯s only right that I help you out. Are you going over now?¡± Kelly asked curiously. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯m heading there now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you the contact details of the housekeeper then. You can tell her I sent you, and she¡¯ll aid you.¡± Kelly added, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked her to help look after Eli.¡± ¡°All right, thank you.¡± Kathleen was full of gratitude. ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Kelly advised, ¡°The rest of the Hoover family, besides Luna, are quite power hungry. Many of them are unhappy that Luna holds all the power.¡± ¡°Do you know why no one dares to go against Luna?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. Kelly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of how wealthy she is.¡± Kathleen exined, ¡°However, the Zeller family¡¯s attitude toward her has changed. Now that Walter has returned to the country, he will take back all the power she wields. Luna will no longer have a high standing in the Hoover family.¡± Trevor will soon crumble from his superior position as well. Just wait and see, Luna and Trevor! You¡¯re both doomed! Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Stop Following Me Kelly nodded. ¡°Recently, the Zeller family has been taking many actions. I heard Luna was overwhelmed.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more trouble looming in for them!¡± Kathleen turned to look at Samuel. ¡±Let¡¯s not waste any more time. We¡¯ll set off now. I want to reach there before the sun sets.¡± With a nod, he responded, ¡°Mmm. Let¡¯s go.¡± Then, Samuel and Kathleen got into the car and left for Faike City. They immediately headed to a hotel right after they arrived. There, Kathleen contacted the housekeeper that Kelly mentioned earlier. The housekeeper said through the phone, ¡°The child is safe now. Rest assured, Old Mrs. Hoover hasn¡¯t thought of what to do with him yet.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Did he get something to eat?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve given the child some food. There¡¯s bread and water. Old Mrs. Hoover wouldn¡¯t let me give him other food. I¡¯m sorry,¡± the housekeeper replied. ¡°That¡¯s good enough. Thank you so much. I¡¯ll contact you again if needed.¡± Kathleen thanked her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± With that, the housekeeper hung up the phone. Kathleen turned and looked at Samuel. ¡°Eil¡¯s at the Hoover residence now.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± He nodded. ¡°Walter is going to the Hoover residence tomorrow to see Luna. I¡¯ll send someone to go with him to find out the situation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. Hearing that, Samuel furrowed his brows. ¡°No, that¡¯s too dangerous!¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine as long as Luna doesn¡¯t recognize me, right?¡± Kathleen said tly. ¡°I can put on a disguise.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather go by myself if you were to go.¡± Samuel wouldn¡¯t let her take the risk. ¡°You can be easily exposed due to your height.¡± Kathleen was concerned. Samuel abruptly grabbed Kathleen¡¯s hand while she was speaking. Then, he took off the ring on her hand. Kathleen had hidden an anesthesia needle in the ring. It was the same one she previously used to anesthetize him. Thus, as a precaution, Samuel confiscated the ring. Kathleen was rendered speechless by his action. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone else to go. You don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Samuel said sternly. Kathleen pursed her lips tightly again, knowing her n got candidly dismissed. However, she was still worried sick for Em. It was only natural since she was Em¡¯s biological mother. Why can¡¯t he try to understand my situation? Meanwhile, Em was sitting down calmly at the Hoover residence. Perfect! I¡¯m finally at the Hoover residence now. Although the process was risky, this is what I wanted. Now, Em nned tomence the next step in his n. He walked around the room to check for surveince cameras. After confirming that there were none, he took a Rubik¡¯s cube out of his pocket. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The bad guys from earlier assumed the Rubik¡¯s cube was Em¡¯s toy, so they did not get rid of it. Little did they know that this Rubik¡¯s cube was more than a mere toy ¡ª it was his tool. Em soon opened the Rubik¡¯s cube, revealing a micrputer that was highly desired by hackers. Then, he used the micrputer to connect to the Hoover residence¡¯s surveince cameras. He had done this countless times at home. Thus, he was very experienced. It did not take long before all the surveince cameras of the Hoover residence were under his control. However, Em was not nning on doing anything. He only wanted to transfer the surveince footage of the Hoover residence to the cloud. I¡¯m going to find evidence so that Daddy and Mommy won¡¯t be troubled anymore! While Em was transferring the data to the cloud, he sent a message to Samuel. Em texted: Daddy, I¡¯m at the Hoover residence now, and I¡¯m safe. Samuel immediately showed Kathleen the text after he received it. Once Kathleen read the message, she asked with a stern expression, ¡°What do you think of this?¡± ¡°This is the special analog number I applied for Eil,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°Only he can send a message through it.¡± Hearing that, Kathleen was at a loss for words. ¡°Eil has been learning hacking skills from Leonard all this while,¡± Samuel said. ¡°He¡¯s quite bold.¡± ¡°Are you able to get in touch with him?¡± Kathleen tried to collect herself, although she was boiling with rage inside. Even so, Samuel could feel her rage. ¡°No. Only he can send me a message.¡± ¡°Next time, make an analog thingy that allows two-waymunication!¡± Kathleen hollered, ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t believe it. The nerve of my son!¡± ¡°I guess he just wants to help us out,¡± Samuel exined. ¡°That¡¯s too risky.¡± She frowned and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s just a five year old boy.¡± Samuel immediately consoled her, ¡°Since he can send us a message, it means that he¡¯s still safe now. I believe he knows how to protect himself.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless once again. All of a sudden, Samuel¡¯s phone beeped. It was another text from Em: I¡¯m sorry, Mommy. You can punish me however you want when I go home! ¡°I can¡¯t believe he still did it even though he knew I would be mad. How daring of him!¡± Kathleen said resignedly. Samuel did not know how to calm her down. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± bellowed an enraged Kathleen. This time, Samuel fell silent as he knew a wise man would know not to speak at a time like this. Kathleen sat on the sofa and dered sternly, ¡°I¡¯m going to the Hoover residence tomorrow, no matter what. Don¡¯t you dare stop me!¡± Samuel refused to let Kathleen take the risk. However, he knew he would be adding fuel to the fire if he tried to stop her now since she was so grumpy. Thus, Samuel neither approved nor disapproved of her idea; He just remained silent. ¡°Don¡¯t think I have no idea what¡¯s on your mind if you don¡¯t talk.¡± Kathleen was infuriated. ¡°Okay, you can go. But promise me you¡¯ll prioritize your safety.¡± Samuel stared at her in concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know how to protect myself.¡± With that, Kathleen stood up and walked toward the door. Samuel chased after her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To look for things to disguise myself.¡± Kathleen turned around. ¡°Stop following me. You should rest in the hotel.¡± A frown marred Samuel¡¯s features. ¡°Where are you going to look for that? It¡¯ste. I¡¯ll send someone else to do it.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Kathleen rejected his offer. ¡°Those guys won¡¯t sell the items to anyone else but me.¡± After some consideration, Samuel decided to go after Kathleen. Kathleen knew she had been to Faike before today. While Kathleen could not recall anything specific about the city, she knew of a ce in Faike where she could buy things she wanted. She went to a traditional medicine clinic that operated twenty-four hours a day. ¡°How may I help you?¡± An elderly was sitting inside the clinic. Kathleen handed a list to him and said, ¡°I¡¯d like all these.¡± The elderly waved his hand after he took a nce at the list. ¡°We don¡¯t have these here.¡± Kathleen snickered, ¡°I heard there¡¯s an exceptional traditional medicine clinic here in Faike. I got curious after hearing that and wanted to see this ce. At first, I thought there¡¯ll be a young person sitting here. I didn¡¯t imagine it to be a gray-haired old man.¡± Upon hearing that, the elderly frowned. ¡°What? Are you looking down on an old man?¡± ¡°No. Of course not,¡± Kathleen replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just curious as to how an old man gets the energy to operate a twenty-four-hour traditional medicine clinic. This ce isn¡¯t an emergency ward, yet it operates for twenty-four hours.¡± The gaze of the elderly turned hostile. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Theodore.¡± Wearing a half-smile, Kathleen stared at him. Theodore froze then and there. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to greet me, your old friend?¡± Kathleen gave him a meaningful look. Then, she reached her hand inside his white beard and pulled with all her might. Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Chapter 484 A Favorable Oue Theodore stroked his ruined beard and grinned helplessly. ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t hide it from you.¡± Kathleen looked at him impassively. ¡°You want to work with me?¡± Theodore was quite direct. Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°You don¡¯t mind that I¡¯d shot you and captured your daughter in the past?¡± Theodore seemed surprised. ¡°Of course I do,¡± Kathleen said tly. ¡°But, right now, I need to work with you.¡± Theodore narrowed his eyes. ¡°You learn quickly.¡± ¡°But I need to know your motives,¡± she added coldly, ¡°and what you¡¯re expecting.¡± Theodore¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Simple. I want to avenge my son!¡± ¡°The one they said was pushed off the cliff by you?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Even a vicious tiger will not eat its cubs.¡± There was a cold glint in his cloudy eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill my son. Trevor did!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kathleen was shocked. ¡°Why do you think? My son was the heir to the Hoover family. He would inherit the family assets,¡± Theodore eximed angrily. ¡°He was a frail kid, to begin with. Yet, Trevor pushed him off a cliff. All these years, I never had the chance toe to Faike to end him. Now, he thinks I¡¯m dead. His attention is on all of you now.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Kathleen sneered. ¡°So that¡¯s your n. In other words, you¡¯re afraid that Trevor might find you here.¡± Theodore was speechless. Kathleen tossed the man¡¯s fake beard on the table. ¡°What do you want?¡± Theodore asked in return. ¡°As I said, I want to work with you,¡± she replied calmly. ¡°Craft a disguise for me. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to infiltrate the Hoover residence and rescue my son!¡± Disguise? ¡°Who do you want to disguise as?¡± Theodore frowned. Kathleen took out her phone and showed him a photo. ¡°Here.¡± Theodore was surprised. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem for you, is it?¡± Kathleen questioned him, her face void of emotion. ¡°Of course not.¡± Theodore had the habit of reaching out to stroke his beard. He had been quite used to it. Unfortunately, once he touched his chin, he recalled that Kathleen had torn his beard off. ¡°Then, let¡¯s spare the nonsense,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°I save my son, and you avenge yours. That way, we both get what we came for. What do you think?¡± ¡°Not a problem.¡± Theodore¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Hold on.¡± He got up to get his tools. Four hourster, Kathleen stood in front of the mirror, admiring herself. ¡°Your skills have certainly improved a lot.¡± Theodore sounded dissatisfied to hear that. ¡°I¡¯ve always been great.¡± ¡°Bye, then.¡± Kathleen got ready to leave. ¡°You don¡¯t need me tomorrow?¡± he asked in astonishment. Kathleen¡¯s dark eyes grew chilly. ¡°Nope. Just focus on your revenge. Give him a fatal blow when he¡¯s too weak to fight back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting me to do the dirty work, aren¡¯t you?¡± Theodore frowned. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to exact revenge,¡± she said indifferently. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that we¡¯re at least acquaintances, I would not have given you this opportunity.¡± ¡°Then, after you¡¯re done with Trevor, will youe after me?¡± Theodore was curious to know. ¡°That depends on my mood.¡± With that, Kathleen turned and walked out. Theodore frowned. It depends on her mood, she said. This is insane! Kathleen stepped outside. She sent a message to Samuel: We¡¯ll meet at the Hoover residence tomorrow. Then, she hailed a taxi. ¡°To the Hoover residence.¡± The driver drove on. Samuel sat in a ck Rolls-Royce not far away, frowning. What is she up to? An hourter, at a location one kilometer away from the Hoover residence, a middle-aged woman walked toward Kathleen. She kept looking back. She was taken aback when she came face to face with a woman who looked exactly like her. ¡°Here¡¯s ten million.¡± Kathleen passed her a check. ¡°Take the money and leave. We don¡¯t want the Hoover family to find out.¡± The woman epted the check. ¡°Ms. Johnson, I didn¡¯t mean to threaten you. It¡¯s just that I got an urgent call from my son. He¡¯s abroad and he needs the money.¡± ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Kathleen uttered frostily. ¡°I¡¯m much more relieved when you asked for money.¡± Once the money was taken, regret was off the table. ¡°Yes.¡± The woman nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve exined everything. If you have other questions, you can call me.¡± Kathleen replied tly, ¡°No need. It¡¯ll all be resolved tomorrow.¡± She would just stay for one night here. She just wanted to see Em, to make sure that he was safe and sound. If anything happened at night, she could protect him. ¡°All right.¡± The woman carefully pocketed the check. ¡°Ms. Johnson, you have to take caution. A skilled woman has just arrived at the house.¡± Kathleen arched a brow. ¡°How skilled are we talking about?¡± ¡°She seems to know some pharmacology. I think she knows her stuff,¡± the woman exined. ¡°She¡¯s here to treat Mr. Eil.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Okay. Noted.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± The woman walked away hurriedly. Kathleen furrowed her brows. The woman could be referring to Lauren. Lauren pretended to work with Nicolette to capture Em. Then, she helped Luna get rid of Nicolette. After that, she presented Em to Luna as a ¡°gift.¡± That way, Luna would put her utmost trust in her. Next, Luna allowed Lauren to treat her precious grandson. The two were deeply involved with each other now. Em was nothing but a tool to them. At that thought, Kathleen got absolutely furious. She would never let them off! She would settle all grudges with both of them! Right after that, Kathleen headed toward the Hoover residence. ¡°Ms. Fiona, where have you been?¡± Luna frowned. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen you all day.¡± ¡°I fell ill.¡± Kathleen pretended to be in pain. ¡°I¡¯ve got a fever and sore throat.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you helping out in the kitchen for now, in case we get infected. Furthermore, don¡¯t get close to Logan, understand?¡± Luna instructed coldly. ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Just look after that kid on the third floor,¡± Luna added tly. ¡°All right,¡± said Kathleen. Just what I wanted! Luna left. Kathleen looked around her. It waste. The entire Hoover household had gone to bed. Luna was the only one up and about. It seemed that due to recent events, the woman could neither sleep nor eat well. Anyway, those were none of Kathleen¡¯s concerns. She wanted to see Em first. That kid had pretended to get caught, which worried her to death. How annoying! Kathleen went upstairs. She came to the room where Em had been confined. The door was locked, but there was no one standing guard. They assumed that they had little to worry about since Em was a kid. So, they were rather negligent about security. It was no wonder Em could send them messages. Luna had handed the key to Fiona, who passed it to her. Kathleen was about to open the door when a familiar voice came from behind her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Chapter 485 I Cannot Help You Kathleen did not have to look back to know who that was. She slowly turned around. ¡°Old Mrs. Hoover asked me to check on him.¡± ¡°What can a five-year-old do?¡± Lauren snorted. Kathleen said nothing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your voice?¡± Lauren approached her. ¡°You don¡¯t sound right.¡± ¡°I fell ill. Sore throat.¡± Kathleen took two steps back. ¡°Don¡¯te closer. You might get infected.¡± ¡°Let me see!¡± Lauren reached a hand out and squeezed Kathleen¡¯s neck. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Ouch!¡± Lauren let go. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s sore.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± Kathleen stated. ¡°Hmph!¡± Lauren said coldly. ¡°Do you want me to prescribe some medicine for you?¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯ve taken some,¡± Kathleen answered. Lauren went on, ¡°Allow me to remind you. Don¡¯t be too nice to that kid. He¡¯s going to die sooner or later. With that said, she turned around and left. A murderous intent shed across Kathleen¡¯s eyes. You want to kill my son? Not if I kill you first! She whipped around and opened the door. Inside the room, Em looked at her warily. He had overheard the conversation between Kathleen and Lauren. However, he knew that Fiona always took good care of him. Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that Em was in one piece. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask. Briefly stunned, Em shook his head. Kathleen spotted some traces of blood on his clothes. When they removed the tracker, he must have strongly resisted. Kathleen clenched her fists tightly. ¡°If you are, tell me.¡± Em slowly nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡± With that said, she stepped out. Em frowned deeply. Ms. Fiona¡¯s acting really strange today. Kathleen looked around her before she headed to the room on the opposite end of the corridor. Fiona had told her that Luna¡¯s beloved grandson, Logan, was staying there. The kid might be innocent, but Luna had harmed for too many people because of him. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open. On the bedy a boy around the same age as Zion. His face was rather pale,pletely drained of color. Kathleen approached him and ced a hand on the boy¡¯s wrist. Fiona said that Logan had been unconscious for quite some time. So, Kathleen wasn¡¯t worried that she might wake him. She frowned a bit when she checked his pulse. This kid¡­ He¡¯s¡­ ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Out of the blue, Logan opened his eyes. ¡°Ms. Fiona?¡± He¡¯s awake? Kathleen froze for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m here to check on you.¡± Logan grabbed her hand. ¡°Ms. Fiona, can you please tell Grandma to stop the treatment? I feel so miserable. Thatdy¡¯s weird. I don¡¯t want her as my doctor.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows as she tried to coax him. He might wake the others. Logan wanted to cry. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for several days. You woke up because of what she did. That means she saved you, right?¡± Kathleen consoled him. Logan shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s weird. She injected me with some strange bugs. I feel terrible.¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°You should tell Old Mrs. Hoover yourself.¡± ¡°Grandma just wants me to stay alive. Just breathing. She doesn¡¯t care if I¡¯m no more than a walking corpse,¡± Logan said, crying. ¡°She just didn¡¯t want the Hoover family to fall into someone else¡¯s hands.¡± Kathleen just stared at the teenager who was probably not much older than Zion. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± ¡°Ms. Fiona, I know you¡¯re one of the few good people in this household,¡± Logan went on, still sobbing. ¡°Get me out of here. There¡¯s someone I want to meet.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Kathleen,¡± Logan responded. ¡°She¡¯s an awesome doctor. She¡¯s also my cousin. I want to see her.¡± ¡°How do you know her?¡± Kathleen expressed bewilderment. ¡°I often hear Grandma and the others talk about her.¡± Logan released the hand that had been tugging on her. ¡°But I know that she won¡¯t save me. She doesn¡¯t like the Hoover family, so she won¡¯t like me, and so she won¡¯t save me.¡± Kathleen¡¯s haze darkened. ¡°What if she really can¡¯t save you?¡± Logan¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°What can I do? Death awaits me. I¡¯d rather die than be tortured like this. All these years, I¡¯ve consumed more medicine than regr food. My arms have been injected with so many needles that they resemble meat sieves! I really don¡¯t want to live like this anymore. I¡¯m even willing to get out of here and die out there!¡± Kathleen looked at the kid with aplicated expression. She didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Ms. Fiona, I haven¡¯t spent a day outside in my entire life. You know that,¡± Logan said with resentment. He had had enough. Kathleen responded tly, ¡°I can¡¯t help you.¡± She had no idea how to do so. Logan was Luna¡¯s grandson. There was nothing she could do. Logan, eyebrows furrowed, just stared at her. ¡°Y-You¡¯re not Ms. Fiona.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Kathleen insisted. She didn¡¯t think he would be that sharp. Luna and Lauren didn¡¯t see through her. ¡°Who are you?¡± Logan frowned. ¡°Ms. Fiona never talks to me like that!¡± Kathleen red at him coldly. ¡°Then, who do you suppose I am?¡± Logan didn¡¯t have an answer. He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you¡¯re here to save that other boy, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kathleen paused and eventually nodded. She had to calm him down. She couldn¡¯t let Luna or Lauren find out. ¡°How nice,¡± Logan said enviously. ¡°He has a savior, while I have no one.¡± ¡°Your parents,¡± Kathleen suggested. ¡°Them?¡± Logan chuckled self-deprecatingly. ¡°Grandma gave them a lot of money to stay out of this. They don¡¯t care whether I live or die. I¡¯m nothing but a tool.¡± Kathleen replied solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t help you.¡± Logan stared at her. ¡°If you want to tell on me, go ahead.¡± Kathleen turned around. She waited for him to respond. ¡°Wait,¡± Logan called out to her. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯m just really envious of him.¡± She shot him a nce. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Are you his mother?¡± he asked meaningfully. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Slowly, she nodded. ¡°He has a good mother,¡± Logan said, lying back down. He stared at the ceiling and wiped away his tears. Kathleen pursed her lips and walked away from the door. ¡°If, hypothetically, someone¡¯s after your grandma, how do you feel about that?¡± Logan froze. Kathleen knew that was exactly how he would react. Luna might be evil, but to Logan, she still had a good side. Kathleen strode off, leaving Logan in a state of perplexity. When she got back to Fiona¡¯s room, she sent Samuel a message: We take action tomorrow. They are nning to kill Eil. Samuel texted back: I¡¯m right outside. Text me anytime if anything happens. Kathleen was dumbstruck. Outside? Has he been following me? Kathleen approached the windows and looked out, but she wouldn¡¯t see any cars or people. She sat back down and texted Samuel: Tonight, I n to¡ª Before she could finish typing, she heard a screaming from outside. Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Are You Leaving Kathleen deleted that message she intended to send to Samuel. Instead, she typed: Something¡¯s happening outside. I¡¯m going to check it out. Don¡¯te in! She sent out that message, put down her phone, and rushed out. Everyone dashed out of their rooms. She did not expect to see Trevor lying on the floor, covered in blood. Did he¡­ fall from high above? Everyone exchanged looks of panic. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Luna came down from the second floor. She was shocked to the point of speechlessness when she saw Trevor. Her vision turned dark, and she slumped to the ground. ¡°Quick! Call the ambnce!¡± someone shouted. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? Everyone scrambled to lift her up and carried her to the couch before calling the ambnce. However, Kathleen could tell at a nce that Luna was faking it. Luna had tugged on Lauren once before the former pretended to have fainted. Something¡¯s really fishy here! Soon, the ambnce arrived. They took Luna and Trevor to the hospital. Kathleen surveyed the crowd but couldn¡¯t see Lauren anywhere. Her brows twisted. She quickly ran upstairs. Just as she suspected, the door to Em¡¯s locked room was open. In the room, Lauren had Em in a chokehold. ¡°Em, you only have yourself to me to have been born as Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s son. Together, those two are a formidable force. Once I kill you, Kathleen will be heartbroken. They¡¯ll me each other for not keeping an eye on you. It will destroy them! So, I can¡¯t let you live!¡± Em¡¯s face reddened. Kathleen entered the room and grabbed Lauren¡¯s hair from behind. Lauren, feeling the pain, released her grip. ¡°Let me go!¡± Lauren didn¡¯t expect that someone would attack her from behind. Kathleen grabbed the woman by the hair and mmed her head against the wall. ¡°Ah! Save¡ª¡± Lauren wanted to scream. Kathleen quickly covered the woman¡¯s mouth. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Lauren struggled. Kathleen looked at Em. ¡°Turn around.¡± Em did as he was told. Kathleen mmed Lauren¡¯s head hard against the wall. You shouldn¡¯t have made a move on my son! Lauren didn¡¯t know what had gotten into Fiona to attack her like that so suddenly. However, the sudden attack had struck her dizzy. She had no strength to fight back. Kathleen showed no mercy at all. Lauren passed out after Kathleen struck her one final time. Arge patch of blood was left on the wall. Kathleen took a deep breath after she was done with Lauren, who nowy motionless on the floor. Kathleen approached Em and scooped him up before walking out of the room, covering the kid¡¯s eyes at the same time. Em wrapped his arms around her neck. He detected her unique scent and instantly made the connection. ¡°Mommy?¡± Kathleen nodded. She left through the back door with Em in her arms. She told him, ¡°Your daddy¡¯s nearby. Go look for him.¡± ¡°What about you, Mommy?¡± Em asked, holding her hand. ¡°I have to clean up the mess. I can¡¯t let them know that Lauren¡¯s dead. Be good,¡± she exined. With that, she whipped out her phone and sent a message to Samuel: Take Em and go! ¡°Mommy, did the old man fall down on his own, or did somebody push him?¡± Em questioned. ¡°Who?¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°The one named Luna. The two argued about something, but I¡¯m not sure what,¡± Em borated. Kathleen replied solemnly. ¡°All right. After you meet up with your daddy, show him the video.¡± Em nodded. ¡°Go,¡± Kathleen said after tidying up the boy¡¯s clothes. Em turned around and made his way to the ck Rolls-Royce that hade for him. Kathleen turned toward the house. She returned to the room where Em was previously locked in, but Lauren¡¯s body was nowhere to be found. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Did she fake her death? No way! Kathleen went into a random room, grabbed a towel, and came back to wipe away the blood. ¡°Miss.¡± Logan suddenly appeared. Kathleen was caught off guard. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you kill¡­ thatdy?¡± the boy asked hesitantly. ¡°No,¡± Kathleen denied. ¡°She fell. I have nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°Come with me!¡± Logan grabbed her hand. Kathleen knitted her brows. She relented and followed Logan to his room. Logan lifted the nket off the floor. ¡°She crawled in here just now and scared me, so I hit her with a vase.¡± Kathleen examined Logan meaningfully and then looked down at the broken shards of the vase on the floor. It was obvious that Logan hadn¡¯t done it because he freaked out. He did it because he didn¡¯t want Lauren to treat his illness. ¡°What do we do next?¡± Logan asked worriedly. ¡°If Grandma finds out¡­¡± ¡°Where are the others?¡± Kathleen realized that, right after she took Em out of the house, the housekeepers seemed to have disappeared. ¡°They are on the first floor, waiting to be questioned by the police,¡± Logan answered. ¡°They asked me where you were just now. I said you¡¯d gone to fetch something for me. I also told them that you¡¯re my caretaker, so in a while, you and I will have to go for questioning together.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Thanks.¡± Logan just looked at her quietly. She went on to say, ¡°There¡¯s a cliff behind your house if I remember correctly.¡± ¡°Yes, the Hoover residence is located halfway up the mountain,¡± the boy exined. ¡°Do you want to make it look like she fell down on her own?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Kathleen arched her brows. ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Logan offered. ¡°No need. You need to help me deal with the police,¡± Kathleen said coolly. ¡°Logan, I have to be honest with you. About your illness, I don¡¯t think even a miracle doctor can do anything about it.¡± Logan continued to stare at her. ¡°I know. You checked my pulse just now, and judging by your expression, I¡ªAh!¡± He suddenly screamed. Kathleen frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Miss, look!¡± Logan pointed at Lauren. Kathleen turned to look at Lauren¡¯s body. She saw movement beneath the woman¡¯s stomach. Kathleen furrowed her brows. ¡°Do you have a knife?¡± she asked Logan coldly. The boy managed to find a fruit knife. Kathleen cut open Lauren¡¯s stomach with the knife. Several bugs wriggled out of it. Very soon, Lauren¡¯s body melted into a puddle of blood. Logan covered his mouth. ¡°W-What¡¯s this?¡± Kathleen trampled on the remaining bugs. ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have to bury the body now. These are parasitic worms. They can be used to control people. And this woman isn¡¯t Lauren!¡± The real Lauren isn¡¯t here! How sly! Logan was shocked. ¡°Then, where is she?¡± ¡°Definitely somewhere safe,¡± Kathleen concluded in an icy tone. I can¡¯t figure out what exactly is Lauren up to! Isn¡¯t she here to work with Luna? This is so strange! Kathleen turned to Lauren and said, ¡°You¡¯ll say that Lauren¡¯s gone to bury Em¡¯s body, and she never came back. Got it?¡± Logan nodded. Kathleen frowned. There was something amiss at the Hoover residence. She had a really odd feeling about the night¡¯s events. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Logan asked curiously. ¡°Of course I am. I¡¯m not staying here to be interrogated,¡± Kathleen replied tly. ¡°Take care!¡± Logan gave her a meaningful look. Kathleen took two steps forward. ¡°Logan, once you understand my question,e to me. I might be able to do something about your illness.¡± Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Chapter 487 You Have Gotten Bolder Logan looked at her hesitantly. ¡°Can I really go to you?¡± Kathleen nodded, turned, and walked away. She left the house through the back door. Then, she sent a text message to Theodore: Trevor¡¯s dead. He fell from the upper floor. Theodore replied instantly: Was it an ident? Murder. Luna pushed him. When Theodore read Kathleen¡¯s response, he inhaled sharply. Back then, Luna was the one who had exhausted all means to snatch Trevor away. The memories were still fresh in Theodore¡¯s mind. Yet, at present, the woman had pushed him down the stairs. What¡¯s that woman thinking? For a moment, Theodore was utterly confused. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? Trevor had died just like that. Kathleen strode toward the spot where Samuel had parked the car. She got in the vehicle and tore off the hyper-realistic mask. ¡°I want to go to the hospital. I need to look at Trevor¡¯s body,¡± she told Samuel. Samuel nodded. ¡°Tyson, start the car.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tyson did as he was instructed. Kathleen turned to her son. ¡°Em, I see that you¡¯ve gotten bolder.¡± Em replied sheepishly, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m just trying to help you and Daddy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re five. You¡¯re way too young to do that.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows as she spoke with a stern expression. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do something like that again, or I¡¯ll confiscate all your things.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Em lowered his head and nodded obediently. It was then that Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief. Half an hourter, they arrived at the hospital. Kathleen requested Tyson to stay in the car with Em. She and Samuel stepped out. She handed a mask to him. ¡°Wear this. It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡± Samuel nodded. They put on the ck masks and got down from the car. Samuel naturally took hold of Kathleen¡¯s hand and led the way to the hospital. Trevor had stopped breathing long before his body was brought to the hospital, so there was no need for emergency treatment. After a simple cleanup the night before, his body was taken to the morgue. Kathleen and Samuel went there. They eventually found Trevor¡¯s body. Kathleen lifted the white cloth covering the dead man and reached a hand out to touch Trevor¡¯s chin. Samuel looked at her sternly. His gaze darkened. Kathleen¡¯s eyes flickered when she felt something. Instantly, she ripped off the hyper-realistic mask on Trevor¡¯s face. Samuel stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s fake?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°We fell for it!¡± ¡°Are you saying that Lauren wanted to work with Trevor, not Luna?¡± Samuel arched his brow. Kathleen nodded. ¡°Exactly! But, right now, I¡¯m more curious about the rtionship between Trevor and Lauren.¡± Samuel frowned. ¡°How do you think they¡¯re rted?¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to guess,¡± Kathleen responded. Carefully, she put the hyper-realistic mask back on the dead man¡¯s face. Samuel said in a deep voice, ¡°So, their objective is to send Luna to jail or kill her. Is that right?¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I suppose the moment Luna pushed the fake Trevor down the stairs, she had an inkling that Trevor was out to get her, so she pretended to be unwell. However, she had no idea that Trevor had partnered with Lauren.¡± As Kathleen said that, she covered the dead man with the white cloth. Samuel uttered coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll get Leonard and the others to investigate.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been focusing on the wrong thing! We thought Lauren¡¯s only working with Luna. We failed to realize that Luna¡¯s just a pawn in their scheme,¡± stated Kathleen. ¡°If Trevor¡¯s objective is the money Luna has, then if he¡¯s revived, Luna will be acquitted,¡± Samuel added. ¡°It¡¯s not necessarily that Trevor wants to inherit the Hoover family, right?¡± Kathleen questioned tly. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Kelly¡¯s father, he¡¯s not even qualified. He¡¯s not capable. I¡¯m guessing that the only candidate is Logan,¡± Samuel analyzed. ¡°How can a thirteen-year-old kid do that right now?¡± Kathleen snapped. ¡°Let¡¯s not fret. We shall wait and see what happens next. I don¡¯t believe that Trevor and Lauren can bear it.¡± Samuel nodded indifferently. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kathleen walked with him. D*mn! I was hoping to kill off Lauren tonight. I didn¡¯t expect they would be nning to get rid of Luna. They talked as they made their way outside. ¡°Why do you have to deal with someone like that yourself?¡± Samuel asked as he held her slender hand. ¡°Your hands are meant to save people. They shouldn¡¯t be tainted by her blood.¡± ¡°She poisoned Grandma. I can¡¯t just sit back.¡± Anger could be seen on Kathleen¡¯s fair and delicate face. ¡°If she dares to show up, I won¡¯t let her off so easily!¡± By then, she would settle grudges new and old. When they walked out of the hospital, they spotted a police car parked at the entrance. Are they here for Luna? Kathleen frowned. They couldn¡¯te forward at the moment, so they had Walter find out what was going on. Samuel led Kathleen into his car. After that, they went straight to the hotel. When they got there, Kathleen proceeded to check on the wound on Em¡¯s arm. There was a deep wound on Em¡¯s arm. A scab had been formed, but it still looked frightening on his tiny arm. Kathleen cleaned his wound in silence. Em said nothing throughout the process. Even when he felt pain, he only frowned slightly. Kathleen¡¯s heart ached as she asked, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Em shook his head. ¡°No. Really, Mommy, it doesn¡¯t.¡± He did not want to be a crybaby. Kathleen muttered, ¡°Look at you. You¡¯ve learned to lie at such a young age.¡± Em remained quiet. I¡¯m not lying. Seeing that the boy had gotten distracted, Kathleen pressed on the wound a little harder. Ah!¡± Em yelped. He shot a nce at his mother. Kathleen looked at him sternly. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Em pursed his lips. Mommy¡¯s so mean! ¡°Done.¡± Kathleen quickly bandaged his wound. ¡°Don¡¯t put too much pressure on this arm, and avoid contact with water. It should be fine in a few days.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mommy.¡± Finally, he felt liberated. ¡°Have some food and go to sleep,¡± Kathleen told him. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel well, then let me know right away.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Em stood up and went back to his room. After that, Kathleen threw Samuel a sideways nce. ¡°You look like you have something to say.¡± ¡°No.¡± Samuel shook his head. Kathleen was parenting their child. What could he say about that? If he talked about it, there would be chaos. Furthermore, Kathleen was just worried about Em. Samuel and Kathleen had different concepts of parenting, but there was no right or wrong way to go about it. So, Samuel chose to keep his mouth shut. Kathleen let out a light snort. ¡°I want to see how Luna had pushed the fake Trevor down the stairs. Where¡¯s the video?¡± Samuel turned around and picked up hisptop before approaching Kathleen. ¡°I watched it in the car just now. I didn¡¯t see anything odd.¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°All right. Let me take a look.¡± Kathleen took the tablet. The two sat on the couch together. Kathleen clicked on the video. It had no sound. However, they could clearly see Luna going to look for Trevor. It was uncertain what the two were talking about, but they seemed to be having a heated argument. As they tugged away at each other, they soon came to the railing. Luna gave Trevor a shove, and he fell off. Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Can I Refuse After watching the video, Kathleen stroked her chin. ¡°Trevor seems to have a better physical condition between the two. There¡¯s no way Luna could have that much strength to push him down.¡± Samuel nodded and uttered coldly, ¡°But from the video, it was indeed Luna who pushed Trevor, causing him to fall down the stairs.¡± ¡°If the video is made public, Luna wouldn¡¯t be able to escape death. However, seeing as she¡¯s old, she probably wouldn¡¯t go to jail, but she¡¯ll no longer be able to manage thepany. I guess this is the goal of Trevor and the others,¡± said Kathleen tly. She then said curiously, ¡°Since Eil has saved these videos to the cloud, does this mean that the Hoover family¡¯s surveince cameras no longer have this footage?¡± ¡°If this is the evidence that Trevor and the others are going to use to frame Luna, I guess it¡¯ll be exposed soon,¡± he replied solemnly. Kathleen jerked upon hearing that. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. In other words, the video in our hands is no longer useful. ¡°Since that video is useless, you can take a look at this one.¡± Samuel clicked on another video. Kathleen looked over and noticed that the footage showed Lauren holding something as she went to meet Trevor. Despite not knowing what they said to one another, it was obvious that Lauren appeared smug, while Trevor¡¯s expression was a little gloomy. Samuel ced his slender hand on the screen and clicked pause before dragging down the image. Kathleen watched as he used special software to recover the letters on the file held in Lauren¡¯s hand. Soon, the words on it became clear. She read them out, ¡°Paternity test report?¡± Samuel pointed at the numbers at the bottom. ¡°This is the serial number. I¡¯ll send someone to check it out. We¡¯ll soon know exactly whose test this is.¡± After Kathleen nodded, Samuel made a phone call to get someone to investigate the matter. There was nothing he could not find out if he set his mind to it. Or rather, no one dared to disrespect his wishes. Not long passed before a reply came. Samuel showed Kathleen the electronic copy of the paternity test he had received. After ncing at it, her brows knitted into a deep V-shape. ¡°Trevor and Lauren are rted by blood?¡± ¡°From the looks of it, he¡¯s either her paternal or maternal grandfather,¡± Samuel replied. Kathleen furrowed her brows deeply. ¡°I never knew about this. If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t Lauren and I¡­¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°You¡¯re probably cousins.¡± ¡°Can I refuse to acknowledge this?¡± Samuel shook his head in response. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Trevor to be such a womanizer and leave offspring everywhere!¡± Kathleen was livid. ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder if I have other siblings.¡± Hearing her words, Samuel smirked. ¡°I guess Trevor won¡¯t admit it himself. After all, those kids are of no value to him.¡± Kathleen froze, and something darkened in her eyes upon hearing that. ¡°You¡¯re right. Lauren was the one who came to him.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not entirely innocent either, seeing as she nned her every move.¡± Samuel analyzed, ¡°She approached Theodore first, most likely because she initially suspected that he was her paternal or maternal grandfather. Then, after discovering that he wasn¡¯t, she went to Trevor to confirm the matter.¡± Kathleen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Does this mean that she¡¯ll inherit the Hoover family in the end?¡± Just then, Samuel received a message that caused his gaze to darken. ¡°Awyer came forward and said that Trevor made a will, which would be read out at his funeral.¡± ¡°From the looks of it, he¡¯s going to give all the inheritance to Lauren, huh?¡± Kathleen scowled. ¡°Thewyer mentioned you, so you also have a share of his inheritance,¡± Samuel replied solemnly. What? Kathleen felt dubious as she walked over and looked at his phone. It¡¯s true! ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from him, but I want to check the will out since Lauren will definitely show up,¡± she said quietly. Samuel nodded. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°By the way, I wonder how Luna¡¯s doing.¡± Kathleen uttered curiously, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from her for so long.¡± ¡°Neither have I. Wait and see. I¡¯m sure she has seen the news about Trevor¡¯s will and will certainly respond.¡± Samuel was very patient. Kathleen nodded. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste. Go to sleep.¡± Samuel stroked her head andmented, ¡°You have dark circles under your eyes.¡± To that, Kathleen hummed while rubbing her eyes. She was indeed exhausted from not sleeping well due to worrying about Em. Following that, Samuel took hold of Kathleen¡¯s slender hand and led her to the bedroom. Thetter soon took off her coat to take a shower. Samuel¡¯s thin lips curled into a smile upon hearing the sound of watering from the bathroom. No matter what, Kathleen is by my side now. Just then, the sound of running water from the bathroom stopped. ¡°Samuel.¡± Kathleen slightly opened the bathroom door, revealing only a crack. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Samuel, who had walked over. ¡°I forgot to take my pajamas.¡± Kathleen answered as her cheeks reddened, ¡°Please help me get it.¡± Samuel stared at her blushing face and swallowed hard. ¡°Okay.¡± He turned around to help her get the pajamas and used the chance to bring over a pair of her white underwear. Her face turned even redder when she saw the things he had brought. She reached out and grabbed the undergarments from him. ¡°How annoying!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t want to wear it?¡± Samuel pressed his foot against the door. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, you can always give it back.¡± While saying that, his hand reached out toward her. ¡°What do you mean to return it to you?¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s mine in the first ce!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to wear it, I¡¯ll take it out for you.¡± Samuel narrowed his eyes. ¡°Who says I¡¯m not wearing it.¡± She pouted. ¡°Get out!¡± Looking at her irritated expression, he shed her a smile before stepping out. Kathleen quickly closed the door. Samuel leaned against the wall, feeling extremely blissful while thinking about the woman who just snapped at him. She¡¯s finally behaving like her old self. He previously destroyed such a perfect Kathleen, and he did not know when the heavens would give that previous version of her back to him. However, he was very much satisfied with her current state. Click! Kathleen left the bathroom wearing a pearl white nightgown,zily yawning. ¡°Go and take a shower, too.¡± Samuel took her slender wrist and pulled her to his side. Kathleen frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a married couple, Kate,¡± he emphasized. ¡°Although we say that to outsiders, we are in a state of interest now,¡± she corrected. Hearing that, Samuel pursed his lips. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°Mm. I know.¡± Kathleen nodded. Samuel¡¯s dark eyes gazed at her intently. He was waiting for her to say the second half of the sentence. However, she merely gave him a confused look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Samuel¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He slowly let go of her wrist. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Go to bed first. I¡¯ll take a shower.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. Why does he seem so weird? ¡°By the way, remember to bring your pajamas,¡± she reminded. ¡°Okay.¡± With a nod, he took his pajamas and went in. Kathleen, on the other hand, sat on the bed. She started wondering about Samuel¡¯s strange behavior. What¡¯s going on with him? Why has he be so awkward again? He¡¯s so hard to understand. Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Chapter 489 You Are Trying To Kill Me Samuel was pretty fast. He only took around ten minutes to shower. When he got out of the bathroom, Kathleen was already asleep. Since she had a small figure, it was as if she wasn¡¯t there when shey on the bed. He walked over andy on the bed. Although he wanted to hug her, he held himself back when he saw how deeply asleep she was. The man was afraid of waking her up. At that moment, she turned and nestled in his arms. Samuel was stunned for a while before he hugged her tightly. ¡°You¡¯re still awake?¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°I¡¯m a light sleeper. But, of course, you don¡¯t remember since you¡¯ve lost your memories. When we slept together in the past, you¡¯d silence your phone because you were afraid of disturbing me,¡± Kathleen mumbled. ¡°My phone¡¯s on silent now, too,¡± he replied. ¡°When Nicolette returned from abroad, you didn¡¯t,¡± she said tly. He was speechless. ¡°I¡¯m not ming you, Samuel. It¡¯s already in the past,¡± she said gently. He took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s remarry.¡± ¡°Is getting married really necessary? We got a divorce too, even when we had the marriage certificate,¡± she asked quietly. Samuel¡¯s entire body tensed up. ¡°A marriage certificate doesn¡¯t mean anything, nor can it end anything. Even when we had the marriage certificate in the past, you didn¡¯t even fall for me,¡± she said in a muffled voice. He hugged her tight. ¡°I have already fallen for you a long time ago. I was just¡­¡± I was confused. She tilted her head. ¡°Have you recovered your memories?¡± His voice was hoarse. ¡°Yeah. Mostly.¡± She said bitterly, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t tell me. I thought you still don¡¯t remember anything.¡± He was afraid that she would get angry. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I just thought that you didn¡¯t want me to get close to you, regardless of whether I lost my memories or not.¡± Ever since he was hurt by her indifferent attitude, he started being careful around her. Kathleen was exasperated. ¡°I¡¯m already letting you hug me this way, yet you say I don¡¯t let you get close to me? Don¡¯t you feel bad for saying that?¡± He pursed his lips. She let him go and looked at him in his eyes. ¡°Samuel, I think you¡¯re the one who can¡¯t let go. It¡¯s already in the past.¡± He uttered, ¡°You¡¯ve already moved on. If I did that too, then we would¡¯ve parted ways a long time ago. You¡¯re able to let everything go, but I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it.¡± He pulled her into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything anymore. Shh. Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Kathleen was bemused by his words. She took a deep breath as she lifted her head and kissed Samuel¡¯s thin lips. He was stunned, and his entire body shivered. She held his face and kissed him deeply. He froze. She rolled over and got on top of him. The next moment, she nted kisses on his forehead, nose, and chin with her red lips. Samuel¡¯s blood boiled. ¡°Kate¡­¡± His voice became hoarse. She reached out to unbutton his pajamas with a seductive look in her eyes. ¡°Since you can¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll use actions to make you.¡± He looked at her with fiery passion in his eyes. She took off his pajamas and kissed him. That night was the happiest night of Samuel¡¯s life. The next day, Samuel woke up after he had had enough sleep. He opened his eyes slowly and saw the small, enchanting, red face right before him. He reached out and caressed her face lightly before tucking some strands of her hair behind her ears. Since he finally understood her feelingspletely, he wouldn¡¯t doubt her anymore. ¡°What time is it?¡± Kathleen¡¯s soft voice was a little raspy. Samuel made her cryst night out of pain, and even at that moment, her waist still hurt. He nced at the time. ¡°It¡¯s half past seven in the morning. You can sleep a little longer.¡± She askedzily, ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± With that, he unlocked his phone and looked at yesterday¡¯s news. He continued in a cold voice, ¡°We were right. Someone uploaded the video of Luna pushing Trevor down the stairs. The police had already interrogated her, but because of her age, they didn¡¯t arrest her.¡± Kathleen sat up with her shoulder exposed as she wrapped herself with a nket. There were a lot of hickeys and bite marks on her shoulder. Samuel gulped. ¡°I¡¯ll get Tyson to bring some ointments over.¡± She shook her head indifferently. ¡°It¡¯s fine. But, are you a dog?¡± He remained silent. ¡°Did you like to bite others in the past, too?¡± she asked, puzzled. He thought about it and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± She felt a little irritated. ¡°Hey! You said you remember our pastst night, but now you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t remember? Samuel, aren¡¯t you aware of how cunning you are?¡± Samuel didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Is there any other news?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± he replied inly. She calmed down. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s just wait for Walter¡¯s news.¡± He nodded. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Walter was there to visit Luna. Although there were police outside Luna¡¯s ward, Walter could still enter. Luna called out to Walter when she saw him enter. ¡°Walter.¡± His face fell. ¡°You still have the nerve to call me by my name? Do you think you¡¯re worthy of being my sister?¡± Luna frowned. ¡°Walter, what do you mean by that? Ever since you returned from abroad, I didn¡¯t even go looking for you even after all the things you did.¡± He chuckled bitterly. ¡°Looking for me? Luna, you¡¯re too evil! You were the one who kidnapped Ashley last time, weren¡¯t you?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She was stunned. ¡°No!¡± ¡°I have the evidence, and I¡¯ve already given it to the police! I¡¯ll never let you off the hook! Besides, don¡¯t assume I don¡¯t know that you were the one who caused Phoebe¡¯s miscarriages in the past!¡± he yelled angrily. ¡°Walter, did someone say something to you? Don¡¯t listen to them. How is it possible that I¡¯d hurt Ashley? She¡¯s my niece,¡± she said nervously. ¡°Hah! I finally understand how ambitious and ruthless you are. Now, I¡¯ll take back all the authority and shares you have of Zeller Group. From now on, you have nothing to do with the Zeller family! Do you understand?¡± he snapped. Luna was infuriated. ¡°Walter! How could you do this to me? All these years, Zeller Group has developed much better under my control than yours!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I was busy apanying and taking care of my daughter. Now that I know your motive, I¡¯ll manage thepany myself so that I can pass it on to Ashley in the future,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°Walter, sooner orter, Ashley will get married. When that happens, thepany will fall into an outsider¡¯s hands. If you leave thepany to me, I¡¯ll pass it on to my grandson. That way, it¡¯ll still be in a Zeller¡¯s hands instead of benefiting others,¡± she said softly. Walter got angry when he heard that. ¡°If you think that daughters aren¡¯t qualified to continue the lineage, then what makes you think you have the right to let your child take over the Zeller family? Did you think I¡¯m so stupid that I wouldn¡¯t have thought of this?¡± Luna¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°You¡¯re in it together! All of you wish to kill me!¡± Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Chapter 490 You Do Not Like This Do You Walter was furious. ¡°Kill you? You¡¯re the one who wants to kill us! Anyway, I¡¯m not going to care about you anymore!¡± ¡°Walter, you¡¯re really cruel! You¡¯re just as heartless as Trevor! All these years, if it wasn¡¯t for me, can you have all of this today? You guys depend on me!¡± Do they even get it? Walterughed coldly. ¡°Did you do that for us? You only did that because of yourself! Besides, do you know that someone who ims to be the daughter of Trevor¡¯s illegitimate child wishes to fight for the Hoover family¡¯s inheritance? I wonder if your favorite grandson can hold against her?¡± Luna¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? What do you mean by the daughter of the illegitimate child!¡± Walter took a deep breath and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you. You¡¯ll find out one day. However, everything would¡¯ve already ended by then, so whatever you try to do will be pointless.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? Luna¡¯s face darkenedpletely. Suddenly, she realized that she had no way out. ¡°There¡¯s no way Trevor would be so ruthless! Logan is his grandson, and Zane is his son! He can¡¯t be that heartless!¡± Luna didn¡¯t believe it at all. Walter asked coldly, ¡°Do you really think that Trevor likes your two children?¡± Luna was taken aback. ¡°Did you forget how you got together with him?¡± Walter asked with a sneer. She stared at him. ¡°But it¡¯s been decades! He should¡¯ve already moved on a long time ago!¡± Moreover, although they weren¡¯t on the same wavelength after all those years, they seemed to feel affection for one another. Walter looked at her with an icy gaze. ¡°How sad. You actually thought his courtesy toward you was love. Someone like you will never understand what love is.¡± In response to Walter¡¯s sarcasm, Luna¡¯s expression turned darker as she red at him. ¡°How do you know he doesn¡¯t love me? The one he loves is me! Those women seduced him! He didn¡¯t mean to cheat on me!¡± Walter didn¡¯t expect that Luna would still lie to herself even at that time. He said inly, ¡°Do whatever you want. No matter what, I¡¯m not going to help you anymore.¡± She pulled his hand. ¡°Walter, as my older brother, you have to help me!¡± He pushed her away and said in disdain, ¡°I¡¯m not going to help you. Remember this! This is the end of our rtionship as siblings!¡± With that, he turned to leave. D*mn it! Luna gritted her teeth in rage. ¡°You¡¯re all ungrateful!¡± Even after she tried to think of a solution, she realized it was no use. She sat on the bed and racked her brain for a long time. She knew that she still couldn¡¯t die yet. If she died, no one would be there to control Logan. She knew clearly how useless her two sons were. Thinking it over, in the end, she asked one of the police officers at the entrance toe into her room. ¡°I want to see Kathleen.¡± Kathleen wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised when she received the call saying that Luna wanted to see her. After thinking about it, she said, ¡°Okay. Tell Luna that I¡¯ll go meet her.¡± With that, she hung up the phone. Samuel walked toward her and asked calmly, ¡°Luna wants to see you?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll go check it out. You should rest well at the hotel.¡± He held her hand. ¡°I¡¯m going with you!¡± There was no way he would let her go alone. She stared at him. ¡°It¡¯s not like I won¡¯te back.¡± ¡°Just in case,¡± he said in a deep voice. She rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Okay then.¡± Interlocking his fingers with hers, he said, ¡°We promised to stay together forever. We mustn¡¯t get separated.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yeah. I get it.¡± The two of them went to the hospital to see Luna together. Luna¡¯s face remained indifferent when she saw Kathleen. ¡°You must be thrilled to see the state I¡¯m in.¡± Kathleen was dressed in a ck trench coat. She was tall and slender, and her perfect, oval face was cold. ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m happy to see you looking like this. I¡¯m sure you know clearly how my granny died!¡± Lunaughed coldly. ¡°Haha! She took her own life! It has nothing to do with me.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen was indifferent. ¡°Is that so? Regardless, you caused it to happen.¡± Luna was unfazed. ¡°Kathleen, could it be that you thought I was the one who separated Frances and Trevor?¡± Kathleen stared at Luna in silence. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Trevor is a yboy! Frances was fooled by his looks!¡± Luna grinned. Kathleen snapped icily, ¡°After my granny was lied to by Trevor, she never expected him to turn back! But what did you do? You made Hector take my mom away and separated my mom and granny! This is all your fault!¡± Luna wasn¡¯t repentant at all. ¡°So what if I did it? I get mad when I see Trevor looking at her photo every day!¡± Kathleen growled, ¡°My granny wasn¡¯t the one who contacted him! How dare you treated her that way?¡± Luna chuckled bitterly. ¡°Her existence alone was a sin! I couldn¡¯t let my hard-earned marriage be in vain!¡± ¡°So, to do that, you¡¯d sacrifice other people?¡± Kathleen clenched her fists as she gritted her teeth. ¡°At the end of the day, I will never let Trevor know that Frances had his child! If he found out, he¡¯d know that it wasn¡¯t me that night and divorce me! I don¡¯t want that!¡± Luna yelled in a fury. Kathleen¡¯s expression was cold. So, there¡¯s more to the story. However, none of that matters anymore. So what if there are misunderstandings here? Trevor still turned a blind eye to Luna¡¯s doings for all these years. Kathleen remained indifferent when she saw how mad Luna was. ¡°Being abandoned by your loved ones doesn¡¯t feel good, does it?¡± Luna gritted her teeth and said nothing. Kathleen continued, ¡°This is karma. Luna, since you don¡¯t have much time left to live, why don¡¯t you spend the rest of your days thinking about all the sins you¡¯vemitted in the past years? That way, you can exin yourself to Hades.¡± After saying that, Kathleen got ready to leave. ¡°Wait! Kathleen, no matter what, you¡¯re still rted to Logan. Can you help him?¡± Kathleen was expressionless. ¡°No.¡± Luna froze, and Kathleen turned. ¡°Please! I beg of you! As long as you can help me take care of Logan, I¡¯ll do anything you want!¡± Luna kneeled on the bed. ¡°Can you return my granny to me? Are you able to bring someone back from the dead?¡± Kathleen asked back coldly. Luna froze again. Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°You can¡¯t. Therefore, you have no right to beg me for help.¡± Luna wanted to cry, but there were no tears. ¡°Kathleen! Did you really think everything would be over after taking me down?¡± Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Underestimated Her Ambitions Kathleen looked at Luna coldly. ¡°I have ways to deal with Trevor!¡± Luna was stunned. ¡°Just wait for the news,¡± Kathleen continued. With that, she walked out of the ward. ¡°Kathleen! Get back here!¡± Luna shrieked. She wanted Kathleen to help, but she realized she didn¡¯t have the right at all. Kathleen couldn¡¯t care less about her. Luna covered her face and cried out loud. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? What will happen to Logan? After Kathleen got out of the ward, Samuel approached her. Samuel stood before her. ¡°Are you done?¡± Kathleen nodded lightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± He guessed, ¡°She asked you to take care of Logan, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t agree to it,¡± Kathleen replied inly. Samuel held her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t look happy, though.¡± She sighed. ¡°What¡¯s there to be happy about? Even if she dies, she can¡¯t make up for Mom and Granny¡¯s forced separation.¡± He replied in a deep voice, ¡°Yeah. I understand you¡¯re train of thought.¡± She looked at him deeply. ¡°Next, we¡¯ll see what Trevor is nning to do.¡± He replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t he already prepare awyer in advance? Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± Kathleen chuckled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ll force him to show himself. Just how much does he think he can leave for his illegitimate children? I¡¯ll make him lose everything!¡± It¡¯s almost time. At that moment, Kathleen¡¯s phone rang.She picked up the phone. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Since we didn¡¯t give Hoover Group the final fifty thousand camera lenses, they won¡¯t be able to finish their orders within one week. They¡¯ll lose a lot of money,¡± Yadiel exined. ¡°Excellent. If Hoover Group wants us topensate for it, you don¡¯t need to say anything. Just proceed with thepensation based on the contract,¡± she said coldly. Yadiel nodded. ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Kathleen hung up the phone and looked at Samuel. ¡°I¡¯ve finally avenged you.¡± ¡°You did that for me?¡± Samuel asked solemnly. ¡°Yeah. Why else? There¡¯s no way I would do it for myself. When something happened to youst time, I saw how Trevor took your team members and stole your technology. How can I let that go?¡± she replied calmly. Samuel smiled faintly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen let out a light snort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Suddenly, it became very chaotic in Hoover Group. If they couldn¡¯tplete the order, Hoover Group would get into very big trouble. After all, it was considered an international order that Ezra wanted to give his son for thetter¡¯s election. If the order waspleted, Hoover Group¡¯s reputation would skyrocket. When the time came, they would be better than Macari Group. It was also possible that Hoover Group could take over Macari Group¡¯s market. Hoover Group¡¯s family was the most influential. After they set the rules, Macari Group could only obey the former. However, if there were any problems, Hoover Group would face the biggest and most serious risk. If things went wrong, they would fail miserably. It wasn¡¯t that Hoover Group didn¡¯t have any leader, but that was almost the case. At the moment, no one knew who Trevor wanted to seed Hoover Group in his will. The other higher executives didn¡¯t dare to settle that matter by themselves since they didn¡¯t have the ability either. Therefore, everyone in Hoover Group was in a panic. Nheless, there was an informant arranged by Trevor within Hoover Group. His name was Micah Sampson. Lauren hired him for Trevor. The moment Micah saw thepany¡¯s condition, he called Trevor. Besides, Trevor had seen the news too. ¡°Old Mr. Hoover, what should we do now? It¡¯s possible that thepany will be gone before Lauren can take over it,¡± Micah said worriedly. Trevor gritted his teeth. ¡°There¡¯s no way thatpany would note out with the goods all of a sudden! Something¡¯s definitely wrong! It¡¯s either Kathleen or Samuel behind it!¡± Micah paused before he asked, ¡°But what should we do now?¡± ¡°Contact the person in charge of thatpany and discuss with them so that they will hand over the goods the next morning without fail,¡± Trevor said seriously. Micah asked curiously, ¡°But what if they still can¡¯t get the goods ready?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have lots of methods? Do you still need me to teach you what to do?¡± Trevor was cold. Micah fell silent. ¡°Okay. I understand.¡± Trevor hung up the phone angrily. He couldn¡¯t ept it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s either Kathleen or Samuel behind it! I¡¯m sure of it! Immediately, Trevor called Lauren. ¡°When exactly can you kill Kathleen?¡± Trevor was furious. ¡°Grandpa, no matter what, Kathleen¡¯s my cousin and your own granddaughter. Do you really want me to kill her?¡± Trevor roared, ¡°She¡¯s cruel toward me, so why should I show her mercy? At first, I thought about leaving her with something after I died. But from the looks of it, there¡¯s no need for that at all!¡± He was about to explode. It¡¯s obvious that Kathleen¡¯s helping Samuel! Lauren said softly, ¡°Can we solve the problems by killing her? I don¡¯t want an emptypany.¡± Trevor was speechless. ¡°Then, what do you want me to do? I¡¯ve already faked my death like you told me to and gave you everything.¡± Lauren remained silent. Actually, she didn¡¯t expect that such problems would ur before she had the chance to take over the company. Lauren roared in anger, ¡°But I don¡¯t want apany that is about to go bankrupt! Don¡¯t you have any other ways to deal with this?¡± Trevor replied exasperatedly, ¡°There is. We could look for a differentpany. However, even if we did that, they wouldn¡¯t be able to produce the goods in time, and we don¡¯t even know if their lenses are compatible with our product.¡± Lauren gritted her teeth. ¡°No matter what, we still have to try! There¡¯s no other way. I¡¯ll get thewyer to announce the heir earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you. I can¡¯t do anything anymore.¡± With that, Trevor hung up the call. ¡°That stupid old man!¡± Lauren yelled. She put down her phone and furrowed her brows deeply. As expected, Kathleen has something up her sleeve. But I won¡¯t lose! After Lauren found thewyer¡¯s number, she called him. ¡°I want you to announce the will today!¡± ¡°Today?¡± Thewyer was surprised. ¡°Yes! Today! I¡¯ll see you at the funeral,¡± she replied coldly. With that, Lauren hung up the phone and went to get ready. Kathleen received thewyer¡¯s phone call when she was on her way back to the hotel. ¡°Ms. Johnson, because of some reasons, the announcement of the will has been changed to today. Is it okay for you to go to Mr. Trevor¡¯s funeral now?¡± thewyer asked. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen let out a bitterugh. ¡°Are you going to cancel it if I say I can¡¯t go?¡± Thewyer was speechless. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± With that, Kathleen hung up the phone. Samuel¡¯s thin lips curved upward into a smile. ¡°It seems that you will meet Lauren very soon.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated her ambitions.¡± Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Feeling Blissful After an hour, Kathleen and Samuel arrived at the Hoover residence. It was Samuel¡¯s first time meeting Trevor¡¯s two sons. The eldest son was Zane Hoover. He was Logan¡¯s father and was married to Mary Xanthos. Trevor¡¯s second son was Adam Hoover. Both Adam and Hannah were familiar faces to Samuel, for they were Kelly¡¯s parents. They were not exactly strangers. When Adam and Hannah saw Kathleen and Samuel¡¯s arrival, the difort was evident on their faces. After all, Kathleen and Samuel came for the inheritance. Kathleen nced around the area and noticed that Lauren was absent. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°Why aren¡¯t we starting yet?¡± Mary asked in a sharp voice. ¡°We still need to wait for one more person,¡± thewyer exined. ¡°One more?¡± Mary eximed in a loud voice. ¡°Who?¡± Hannah also frowned slightly. If another person were to join, would we even be able to receive any of the inheritance? ¡°Please, have a seat, Kathleen and Mr. Macari,¡± Kelly said as she and the housekeeper brought out some drinks. ¡°Okay.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Why are you being so nice to them?¡± Hannah looked at Kelly with an annoyed expression. Even so, Kelly remained silent. At that moment, Leonard walked in from outside. Hannah instantly shut her mouth while Kelly breathed a sigh of relief. If Leonard wasn¡¯t there to back her up, she would definitely be criticized by Hannah. Leonard nced at Hannah coldly. Hannah¡¯s expression instantly morphed into one of embarrassment. She did not dare to offend Leonard. After all, she would have to rely on him a lot in the future. Moreover, Samuel and Leonard¡¯s rtionship was very useful as well. Leonard walked over to greet Samuel. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Samuel nodded. They sat down together. ¡°Who¡¯s not here yet?¡± Mary was still just as displeased. ¡°Why are theyte?¡± Just as she spoke, the sound of heels clicking could be heard from the door. Kathleen nced toward the side, and her eyes narrowed slightly. With bright red lipstick, Lauren walked in. She smiled confidently at everyone. ¡°Why is it you?¡± Mary eximed loudly. There must be some sort of mistake. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be me?¡± Lauren replied coldly. ¡°My father is Trevor¡¯s son.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mary replied anxiously, ¡°What proof do you have?¡± ¡°This paternity test is proof.¡± Lauren took out the document. The paternity test was the same as the one Kathleen and Samuel saw in the video. Mary scurried over and grabbed the document before flipping through it. She then silently threw it back to Lauren with a grim face. ¡°If there are any other people who have doubts about the paternity test, you maye forward to look through it yourself.¡± Lauren sneered coldly. She was not afraid at all, for it was the truth. ¡°Let¡¯s start the reading of the will,¡± Kathleen said coldly. Lauren narrowed her eyes at Kathleen. ¡°Are you really that anxious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s anxious, am I wrong?¡± Kathleen retorted. Lauren was stunned. Kathleen was right. Lauren was the one who was anxious. She had to take over the management rights of the Hoover Group as soon as possible. There was no way she would allow thepany to close down. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± Lauren nced at thewyer. The saidwyer nodded and took out the will. ¡°ording to Mr. Trevor Hoover¡¯s will, all of his properties and priceless items will be given to Kathleen Johnson.¡± Everyone was stunned at his words. All of that will be given to her? Kathleen herself also furrowed her brows slightly. What does Trevor mean by doing this? Does he want me to be everyone¡¯s enemy? ¡°Wait!¡± Mary¡¯s words rushed out in a panic, ¡°This house will also be given to Kathleen?¡± Thewyer nodded. ¡°All of his properties.¡± Mary¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Why!¡± Zane also frowned slightly. He was irritated by the turn of events. ¡°It¡¯s because Ms. Johnson¡¯s mother, Reba Johnson, was Mr. Trevor Hoover¡¯s eldest daughter,¡± the lawyer exined. Mary instantly gritted her teeth in anger while Lauren furrowed her eyebrows. She knew there were differences between the current will and the will she remembered. However, it did not matter. Lauren cared more about who was taking over thepany. On the contrary, Adam was very calm. He still had a daughter, luckily. His daughter was married to the heir of the Sullivan family. He would definitely live a good life regardless. When Hannah noticed the nonchnt look on her husband¡¯s face, she instantly flew into a rage. ¡°Can you care more about this?¡± ¡°Does it even matter if I care about this or not?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you want me to bring that old man back to life?¡± There was no way that would ever happen. ¡°Continue!¡± Lauren urged. ¡°Regarding the distribution of shares of Hoover Group¡­¡± thewyer continued. Lauren raised her brows slightly. The air was heavy with suspense. Mary and Hannah also roused their spirits. ¡°Mr. Trevor Hoover had fifty-one percent of shares under his name. Five percent will go to Logan Hoover, five percent to Kelly Hoover, twenty percent to Kathleen Johnson, and twenty-one percent will be given to Melissa Hoover.¡± ¡°What?¡± Apart from Kathleen, Samuel, Leonard, and Kelly, everyone else was stupefied. ¡°My son is the eldest grandson of this family. Why is he allocated only five percent?¡± Mary was losing her mind. ¡°And who is Melissa Hoover?¡± ¡°Me,¡± Lauren answered with a grim look. That old geezer! He told me that he would give me the entirepany! However, in the end, Trevor ended up dividing the shares between all of his grandchildren. Kathleen looked at Lauren impassively. It was only then that she found out that Lauren¡¯s real name was Melissa. Hannah was also speechless at the result. Although Kelly was given five percent, what use was that? Kelly, on the other hand, did not seem to be fazed by it. ¡°I will give up my part of the inheritance,¡± Kathleen said coldly. She did not want anything that belonged to Trevor, even though his entire will was basically leaning toward her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Although she did not know the reason behind his actions, she was adamant about not receiving even a single penny. ¡°Ms. Johnson, if you don¡¯t want it, all of your inheritance will be automatically donated to charity,¡± the lawyer reminded her. ¡°Donate it, then,¡± Kathleen answered dismissively. Mary was extremely resentful about it. ¡°Why should her share of inheritance be donated to charity just because she doesn¡¯t want it?¡± ¡°This is Mr. Trevor Hoover¡¯s will, Mrs. Hoover. It has to be done ording to his wishes,¡± thewyer answered. ¡°Let me remind all of you that his will is real and effective.¡± Mary was so angry that she could not even find the words to speak. Lauren looked at Kathleen with a meaningful look. ¡°Are you really going to donate it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Kathleen raised an eyebrow. Lauren scoffed, ¡°I¡¯ve done some research, Kathleen. Thepany that was not able to deliver the goods to Hoover Group is under your name.¡± ¡°Oh, really? You managed to find that out so quickly?¡± Kathleen repliedzily. With sharp eyes, Lauren stared at Kathleen. ¡°This is all just your ploy, right?¡± Kathleen looked at her coldly. ¡°So what if it is?¡± ¡°The reason you don¡¯t want Hoover Group¡¯s shares is that you don¡¯t want to help thepany,¡± Lauren fired back. ¡°Why should I help thepany?¡± Kathleen stared at her without even a hint of warmth in her eyes. Lauren froze. ¡°Moreover, why would I want anything that belongs to the Hoover family?¡± Kathleen retorted. ¡°I have my ownpany, and my husband is also very rich. Do I even need the Hoover family¡¯s inheritance?¡± Not a single thought of wanting the inheritance ever crossed her mind before this. Lauren clenched her fists in indignation. When Kathleen brought Samuel up, a small smile appeared on his face. He took Kathleen¡¯s hand into his. He felt extremely blissful and content. Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Chapter 493 I Am Rich Too Sitting aside, Leonard stared sideways at Samuel. How can he be so happy? Kathleen just brought him up for a second. Lauren felt irritated, but she could not do anything about it. All she could do wasin about Trevor in her heart. How dare he change his will! ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kathleen told Samuel. Samuel nodded as a response. When they were about to leave, Lauren gazed at her. ¡°Kathleen, let¡¯s talk in private.¡± Kathleen replied indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You can do whatever you want, Lauren. I don¡¯t care.¡± After saying that, she turned around and left with Samuel. Unwilling to give up, Lauren ran after them. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You can¡¯t give up your twenty percent worth of shares!¡± Lauren shouted hurriedly. ¡°You can sell it to me for whatever amount you want!¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°I¡¯m not as shameless as you, Lauren,¡± Kathleen retorted. ¡°I will never forget how Trevor harmed Granny and my mother.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny that. However, can¡¯t you tell how Trevor tried to make it up to you in his will?¡± Lauren said through gritted teeth. ¡°What about you? You also owe my father one, but that doesn¡¯t stop him from being biased toward you!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Kathleen shot back coldly. ¡°Should I ept it to make him feel better and betray my grandmother and mother?¡± Lauren remained silent. ¡°Congrattions on bing the CEO of Hoover Group, Lauren,¡± Kathleen added indifferently. ¡°I hope you can resolve the crisis as soon as possible.¡± After saying that, she got into the car. Lauren gritted her teeth and barked, ¡°Kathleen, I won¡¯t lose to you! Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re the only one with money!¡± Kathleen snorted and winded up the window. Kathleen snorted and winded up the window. After that, the car drove past Lauren. Lauren¡¯s expression darkened. After thinking for a moment, she picked up her phone and called Trevor. However, she did not seem to be able to reach him. Lauren decided to call Micah. ¡°Where is Trevor?¡± Micah¡¯s tone was filled with pain. ¡°Bad news. He ran away. I was keeping an eye on him when he suddenly knocked me out from the back.¡± What? Lauren was stunned. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Even if he escapes to the ends of the earth, find him!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Micah nodded. Then, Lauren hung up the phone. D*mn it! I can¡¯t believe Trevor made a fool out of me. What am I going to do next? Whatever. I finally got thepany¡¯s ownership, so I¡¯ll definitely not let it go bankrupt. I need to think of a n. In the Hoover residence, everyone had a darkened expression and did not move. Leonard slowly stood up. ¡°Kelly, we can¡¯t be away from Felicia for too long. It¡¯s time for us to go back.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kelly did not wish to stay there any longer, either. When Hannah saw they wanted to leave, she spoke indifferently. ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡± Leonard replied arrogantly, ¡°What do you mean by that? Do you think our daughter is unimportant?¡± Hannah went stiff. Immediately, Adam tugged on Hannah¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Hannah finally snapped. ¡°I worked so hard for this family, yet I got nothing! Even Kelly only got five percent worth of shares! What a steal the two outsiders got, especially Kathleen!¡± I can¡¯t believe she obtained the most in the will, yet she gave it up. Who is she trying to provoke? There was no way Hannah would not feel anxious when she saw such a tremendous amount of money being donated away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Leonard took Kelly¡¯s hand and wanted to lead her away, unwilling to watch them go berserk. Kelly followed right behind Leonard. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Hannah yelled toward Kelly. Kelly paused for a moment, and Leonard spoke up. ¡°Ignore her.¡± Kelly nodded and left with him. At that, Hannah almost fainted from anger. They¡¯ve be quite the rebel! Only Zane, Mary, Adam, and Hannah stayed in the mansion, while Logan remained upstairs as he was not feeling well. Thus, thewyer headed upstairs and informed him about the will¡¯s details. Expressionlessly, Logan asked, ¡°Kathleen decided to give up everything?¡± Thewyer nodded. ¡°As for me¡­¡± Logan trailed off, deep in thought. ¡°Mr. Hoover, you¡¯re different from Kathleen,¡± thewyer stated. ¡°With the money, you will have more than enough capital to do what you want, even if your parents decide not to support you.¡± ¡°Thepany is going to go bankrupt soon, anyway,¡± Logan mumbled. Thewyer stayed silent. ¡°I know I have to ept it. Otherwise, knowing my mom, she will throw a fit.¡± Logan closed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s great that you understand,¡± thewyer replied. ¡°Mr. Trevor also left you three houses and fifty million in savings, which is to be inherited when you are of age.¡± Logan furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This is to be kept secret as it isn¡¯t in the will, so there¡¯s no need to announce it,¡± the lawyer exined. ¡°I hope you can understand his intentions.¡± Logan nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Then, thewyer turned around and exited the room. While pursing his lips, Logan fell deep in thought. I understand why Trevor wants to wait until I¡¯m of age to give me the inheritance. If he gave it to me right now, my mother would definitely snatch it away, and nothing would be left when I¡¯m of age. I know how tricky my parents are, after all. Meanwhile, Kathleen and Samuel returned to the hotel. There, Yadiel told Kathleen, ¡°We managed to find Trevor just now, but we soon lost him.¡± ¡°Where did you find him?¡± Kathleen asked in curiosity. ¡°We found him in a mansion while following someone called Micah,¡± Yadiel exined. ¡°That person is a spy in the Hoover Group that would tell somepany matters to Trevor. When we found out about it, we¡¯d been following him around. However, Trevor ran off when we finally got an important clue.¡± Kathleen furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Micah was the one who helped him?¡± Yadiel shook his head. ¡°Micah was injured when he exited the mansion, so we deducted that Trevor was the one who attacked him. After all, there was no way they found out as all our men were cautious. Something must have happened between them.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Now that I think about it, Lauren¡¯s expression seemed off when thewyer read the will. It was as if she didn¡¯t expect it.¡± ¡°Judging by how infuriated she was when you left, Trevor must have told her something different,¡± Samuel analyzed. Kathleen nodded in response. ¡°I have the same thought. I¡¯m surprised that Trevor gave me so much, too.¡± I don¡¯t know his intention behind it, though. ¡°Do you still remember that video?¡± Samuel reminded. ¡°It¡¯s obvious Lauren had threatened Trevor with something, but instead of going along with her deal, he decided to take drastic measures.¡± Kathleen remembered. ¡°What exactly did Lauren threaten him with? There¡¯s nothing that Trevor cares about, though.¡± After pondering, Samuel answered, ¡°I think it¡¯s not his life.¡± Kathleen agreed, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s Logan¡¯s life?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Samuel was not sure about that, either. ¡°Yadiel, go on and continue looking for Trevor. We must find him.¡± Kathleen furrowed her eyebrows. I have to find out what the entire ordeal is! Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Not Difficult At All ¡°All right. I understand.¡± Yadiel turned to leave. Kathleen still had her eyebrows furrowed. Samuel said lowly, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to feel so anxious.¡± Kathleen merely gazed at him in response. ¡°Didn¡¯t you make it clear to Lauren just now?¡± Samuel continued. ¡°No matter what Trevor does or says, you will never forgive him or ept his benefits. Therefore, keep this thought in mind when you proceed regardless of what he¡¯s nning.¡± Kathleen mumbled, ¡°Okay.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After pondering, Samuel added, ¡°However, did you ever think Trevor had gone to Jadeborough?¡± ¡°Jadeborough?¡± Kathleen asked. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To visit your grandmother,¡± Samuel answered. My grandmother? ¡°It¡¯s obvious from Trevor¡¯s will that he wants to make it up to you. Since he¡¯s doing that, what else does he wish to do?¡± Samuel reminded. Kathleen muttered, ¡°If he wants to make it up to the people alive, he would also want to repent to the dead.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I understand now. You¡¯re saying that he¡¯s going to pay his respects to Granny.¡± Kathleen furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Yup. That¡¯s what I think,¡± Samuel replied. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Jadeborough, then,¡± Kathleen simply replied. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do here, anyway.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Samuel gave her a small nod. Just like that, the duo returned to Jadeborough that afternoon by ne. They soon arrived at the Macari residence. ¡°Eil!¡± Desiree hugged Em. ¡°You¡¯re finally back!¡± Em nodded in response. Wynnie let out a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you back.¡± Although she had received news that Em was safe, she still felt worried after knowing about his near-death experience. ¡°Mrs. Macari, how is Old Mrs. Macari?¡± Kathleen asked. ¡°She¡¯s much better and feels more energetic now,¡± Wynnie exined. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear,¡± Kathleen said with relief. With that, Wynnie shot a knowing look at her. ¡°By the way, why are you still calling me Mrs. Macari?¡± Kathleen could not help but blush at her words. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s not force her. We can discuss this after we register our marriage,¡± Samuel said in a deep voice. Wynnie let out a soft snort. ¡°I think you don¡¯t know about this, but when you two divorced, we always wanted to make Kate our goddaughter.¡± Samuel was rendered speechless. Kathleen fell silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Mrs. Macari, Samuel and I still have something to do, so we¡¯ll need to entrust you to continue taking care of Eil and Desi.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Wynnie promised. ¡°I won¡¯t let the same thing happen again.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± ¡°Drive safely.¡± Wynnie spoke. Lowering her head, Kathleen told Em and Desiree, ¡°Daddy and Mommy still have something to do, so you¡¯ll have to stay at home with Great-grandma, Grandpa, and Grandma. Be obedient, okay?¡± ¡°Mommy, I will never act rashly again,¡± Em admitted he was in the wrongst time. Kathleen let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s good that you admit to your mistake. You¡¯re too young. Mommy doesn¡¯t want you to take risks.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Em promised earnestly. ¡°Wait for when I¡¯m a bit older, Mommy.¡± After a pause, Kathleen answered bemusedly, ¡°You can¡¯t do that when you¡¯re old, either!¡± Em fell silent. ¡°All right. We¡¯ll leave now.¡± After patting his head, Kathleen told Desiree, ¡°Look after Eil, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Desiree assured. ¡°I promise to get the job done.¡± At that, Kathleen pinched her cheek and smiled. While looking at his children with a deep gaze, Samuel reminded, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to say.What Mommy told you is what I wanted to convey to you as well.¡± The duo nodded solemnly. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Samuel told Kathleen, knowing the duo would definitely listen to them after this. After Kathleen nodded, they left the Macari residence. Kathleen was the one driving on the way back, muttering, ¡°I feel like I don¡¯t have any sense of authority toward them.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Samuelforted. ¡°You only need to interact more with them. However, Kathleen knew he was just trying tofort her. She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m scared they won¡¯t listen to me if I¡¯m too gentle.¡± Em¡¯s rash actions had warned Kathleen that Em was not an average child. He was smart, cool- headed, and extremely brave. Therefore, Kathleen was both worried and troubled by him. Samuel advised, ¡°Since Eil is our child, he¡¯ll naturally be different from the others.¡± Kathleen felt helpless upon hearing that. They soon arrived at Florinia Manor. As the duo was exhausted from going out and about for the past few days, they immediately went inside and took a nap. When Kathleen woke up, Samuel was still sleeping. As carefully as possible, she got out of bed and exited the room, heading downstairs. When she reached downstairs, Rory had just entered the mansion. ¡°Dr. Johnson.¡± Kathleen walked over to him. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°I learned Lauren is meeting with another camera lens manufacturer tonight, and I just came back from meeting with the person in charge,¡± Rory exined. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten information about their meeting location and time.¡± Kathleen asked tly, ¡°Who is that person?¡± Rory replied lowly, ¡°Do you know Blissful Sect, Dr. Johnson?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Does Blissful Sect have something to do with this matter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rory nodded. ¡°The person in charge of thatpany is Wilbur¡¯s wife, Adina.¡± ¡°That means the person Lauren is meeting with tonight is Adina?¡± Kathleen frowned. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Rory nodded. Kathleen¡¯s expression darkened at that. ¡°I got it. You can go and get prepared. We¡¯ll head over tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rory turned around and left. After a moment¡¯s thought, she gave Charles a call. ¡°Are you back at Jadeborough?¡± Charles asked. ¡°Yup. I came back in the morning,¡± Kathleen mumbled. ¡°Lauren and Adina have gotten in touch. It seems that Wilbur cannot wait any longer and wants to arrange some of his spies in Jadeborough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also gotten that news. However, I won¡¯t let them seed,¡± Charles remarked indifferently. ¡°Could you dy a little longer on your side?¡± ¡°How long do you need?¡± Kathleen asked curiously. ¡°Three days is enough,¡± Charles revealed implicitly. ¡°It¡¯s quite sessful here as we have secretly taken away one of Blissful Sect¡¯s business. Even more so, I¡¯m sure Raymond and the others did not notice anything. After all, their attention is on Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Okay. I can make do with three days.¡± Kathleen nodded lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet with Adina today.¡± Kathleen had never met Adina before. Charles reminded her, ¡°You should be careful. Don¡¯t put yourself in danger.¡± ¡°Adina is someone with high status, after all.¡± Kathleen snorted. ¡°However, because of her status, it¡¯s difficult to say if the customs will detain the goods meant to be sold to Lauren or not!¡± She could always ask Samuel to help her out. Charles said solemnly, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll try to get it done as soon as possible on my side.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Charles, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± ¡°Okay. Remember what I said,¡± Charles urged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Kathleen hung up the phone and muttered to herself, ¡°Honestly, I doubt Adina is that hard to deal with!¡± Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Is It Done Kathleen had never taken Adina seriously, although she was royalty as there were many members of the royal family. One might be at the height of their powers now, but that would change tomorrow. The royal family was cruel and merciless. Charles was already on the move and had targeted numerous of Adina¡¯s businesses. She would find her power slipping through her fingers like sand if she couldn¡¯t hold onto her empire. Hence, she hade to Jadeborough and wanted a slice of the pie to prove herself. Of course, Kathleen wouldn¡¯t let her have her way. Adina and Lauren appeared to be in cahoots, and it was all the more reason for Kathleen to ruin her grand ns. This was Jadeborough! Adina and Lauren decided to meet at a clubhouse, and Lauren said without preamble, "This is important, so just give it to me straight¡ªwhat in the world were you thinking?" Adinaughed. "I wanted my piece of the self-driving technology pie." "It¡¯s oversaturated," Lauren observed. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°I¡¯ll help you get rid of Samuel in exchange for Macari Group¡¯s businesses," Adina proposed with a half- smile. "You want to be on the same level as me?" Lauren said coldly. Adina smirked. "Why not? You¡¯re nothing without me, Lauren." Lauren was silent. "Let¡¯s just work together without stepping on each other¡¯s toes. Jadeborough¡ªno, the entire Chanaea will be ours in the future. Sounds good?" Adina drawled. Lauren bit on her lower lip in contemtion. She really needed her help now. "When are the stocks arriving? I¡¯m running out of time." Lauren was desperate. "It¡¯s already at the port and will be transported to your warehouse once the contract is signed," Adina replied with a crooked smile. "All right." Lauren had no choice but to agree. Adina pulled out the contract, and Lauren was about to sign it when Adina¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She answered it, and a panicked expression came over her face. "What? Got it. I¡¯ll be right over." Then, she hung up. Lauren frowned. "What¡¯s wrong?" "Nothing, just sign it." Adina tried to smooth out her expression. "Something happened." Lauren put down the pen. "What is it?" "The customs officers seized the stocks," Adina admitted. What? Lauren shot to her feet. "It¡¯s got to be Kathleen!" The door to the suite flew open, and Kathleen stood in the entryway. "That¡¯s right. It was me." Both of them jumped in shock at her appearance. Kathleen strode in, followed by Yadiel and Rory. She picked up the contract on the table and scanned it. "Lauren, how unexpected of you to sign a deal like this on your own ord." Then, she tore the papers in half. "How dare you!" Adina sent her a death re. "This is Chanaea. You should learn to y by the rules, Adina." Kathleen snapped, and Adina shot daggers at her. "But I¡¯m not here to settle the score with you tonight. Get lost." She gave Adina a cold stare. "Don¡¯t be too conceited, Kathleen!" Adina gritted her teeth. "Are you not satisfied with the confiscation of your stocks by customs?" Kathleen¡¯s brows rose. "Do you want me to revoke your factory business license next?" Anxiety and vexation began to build in the pit of Adina¡¯s stomach, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about Kathleen. She knew Kathleen wasn¡¯t the only one behind this. Samuel must also be conspiring with her. Only the Macari family had such power and reach. "You¡¯ll pay for this!" She pivoted and marched away. "What do you want?" Lauren gave Kathleen a cold look. Kathleen returned the look. "I¡¯ve wanted to kill you since you poisoned Old Mrs. Macari." "You have no proof that it was me." Lauren snorted. "Is that important? I¡¯m not nning to call the cops on you, so is proof necessary?" Kathleen¡¯s gaze turned colder. Lauren went still. "Are you taking matters into your own hands? I¡¯ll sue you!" "Would you be alive long enough to do that?" Wynnie closed the distance between them. "Even if you dare to sue me, I¡¯ll go to the police with your real identity, so tell me, would you be able to leave unscathed at that point?" Lauren was incensed. She had done unspeakable things for money, and many Chanaeans had fallen victim to her greed. Kathleen clearly knew of her sordid past. Her life would be over if it was exposed. "You¡¯re not that innocent, Kathleen!" Lauren wanted to drag her down as well. "But do you have evidence?" Kathleen drawled. Lauren stilled. No, I don¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t as unobtrusive as Kathleen. She was shy in her actions and desired for everyone to know and validate what she had done. She never imagined she would be digging her own grave. "What the hell do you want from me, Kathleen?" She exploded in anger. Kathleen ced a white pill bottle on the coffee table. "Take this, and I¡¯ll let you go." "No!" Lauren knew it wasn¡¯t anything good. "This is the same poison you used on Old Mrs. Macari. Eat it, and I¡¯ll let you go. You know the consequences if you don¡¯t," Kathleen said tly. "How dare you!" Lauren glowered at her. "Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m¡ª" "You¡¯re what?" Kathleen snickered. "Do you think I¡¯m afraid of Axeworth Corporation? They¡¯re a motley crew, and they dare to step foot in Chanaea?" Lauren didn¡¯t move an inch. "I¡¯ll break your legs if you don¡¯t take it." Kathleen threatened. Lauren nced at the ruthless Yadiel and Rory. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Just you wait, Kathleen!" She picked up the pill bottle and shoved a pill in her mouth. "Check her, Rory," Kathleen ordered. Lauren was surprised by her meticulousness. He checked Lauren¡¯s hands and mouth and found them empty. She must have swallowed the pill. "That was your punishment." Kathleen stood up. Tears brimmed in Lauren¡¯s eyes. "Damn you!" Kathleen left with purposeful strides with Yadiel and Rory in tow. Lauren rammed her finger in her mouth and down her throat, but it was toote. She was well aware of the poison she used on Diana, its ingredient, and the effects it had. It would paralyze before asphyxiating its victims, their throats closing in on themselves. She soon noticed her breathing turned ragged. She gradually lost consciousness before copsing to the ground. An employee found her before sending her to the hospital. It was nightfall before Kathleen received a phone call. "Lauren went into anaphctic shock, depriving her brain of oxygen. She woke up and lost all cognitive processes," Yadiel informed. "Serves her right. Send her to a psychiatric facility and leave her be." Kathleen maintained a neutral expression. "Got it." He nodded. Samuel came out to the balcony and gave her a long look. "Is it done?" "Grandma has finally been avenged. They shouldn¡¯t touch anyone close to me," she asserted coldly. Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Chapter 496 You Messed Up My Hair Samuel¡¯s eyes never left Kathleen. "What¡¯s your next step?" "Axeworth Corporation is now leaderless.We should strike while the iron is still hot.Raymond will make a move if I don¡¯t, no matter what," she replied. "Yeah, you should do it yourself, rather than letting Raymond take the im and strengthen Blissful Sect," he agreed. "You¡¯re right, and it¡¯s not toote yet." Kathleen gave him a meaningful look. "So¡­" "Do you want to go back?" Samuel swallowed. "I don¡¯t trust anyone else to do this." She pursed her lips. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? "I¡¯ll go with you." He was worried about her as well. "Listen to me, Samuel." She wanted to persuade him to stay. "Nothing you say can convince me otherwise." He was resolute. She faltered before saying, "All right, we¡¯ll go together." Samuel squeezed her hand. "I want to know your past, but I know there are some things even I cannot get involved with." "I understand." Kathleen blinked at him.She wouldn¡¯t stop him if he wanted to go. There were no longer any dangers lurking there. The worst that could happen was Raymond. News of Adina¡¯s troubles would soon reach Raymond, and he would be too preupied to care about Kathleen and Samuel. Both of them were immediately on the move. Kathleen took care of Samuel during the journey. His leg was almostpletely recovered, but his right hand was still healing slowly.She would be perturbed every time she saw his scarred hand. Samuel woke up suddenly, and his breath caught when he noticed the sorrow on Kathleen¡¯s face.He pressed his forehead to hers. "Why do you always look at me like that?" "Should I be at peace instead?" She returned. He didn¡¯t say a word, but his expression said yes. "Samuel, you still don¡¯t get it.I stayed with you because I¡¯d moved on from the past.Of course I will be worried and sad when you¡¯re hurt.I didn¡¯t choose to be with you out of guilt and obligation.Don¡¯t worry." Kathleen sighed. He muttered self-deprecatingly, "Do you know that I always felt like a bastard for treating you that way? I understand if you don¡¯t forgive me, but I can¡¯t let you go." She stared deeply into his eyes. "It¡¯s water under the bridge, Samuel." He nodded. "Rest for a while longer.We¡¯re almost there." She took his hand in hers. He shed her a reassured smile. "I¡¯m well rested." A flight attendant announced over the PA system that they would bending soon. They exited the airport half an hourter, and a car was waiting for them at the curb. They were driven to Charles¡¯ mansion where he greeted them at the door. "Charles!" Kathleen walked toward him.His lips curved up. "You¡¯re here." "Yeah." She nodded. His gaze shifted to Samuel. "Come on in." "Okay!" Kathleen hooked both her hands around Samuel and Charles¡¯ arms and entered the mansion hand in hand. They reached the living room and sat on the couch. Charles started gravely, "Raymond has made the first move.He has been coveting Axeworth Corporation¡¯s territory for a long time." "I assumed he¡¯d be busy helping Adina." Kathleen furrowed her brows. "It¡¯d be hard." Charles eyed Samuel, deducing he was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. Kathleen knew the reason. "Did he make a move tonight?" "Yeah, he will act tonight.Besides, he had invited me for a party tonight," Charles answered. "It has to be a trap. I¡¯m going with you, Charles." Worry creased her brows. "Who will call the shots tonight if I went?" He said in a low voice. "Raymond will know we¡¯re up to something if you don¡¯t show up," she argued. "Samuel can takemand if I go with you." Samuel frowned. I don¡¯t want to be in charge.I want to stay with Kathleen. "You don¡¯t want to?" She asked. "I¡¯ll do it," Samuel replied ruefully. "Attaboy," she cajoled. His reluctance promptly vanished.He vowed toplete his task and return to her side as soon as possible. "Let¡¯s prepare." Kathleen surged to her feet to get ready for tonight.She could not show up to a dinner party like that. Samuel, on the other hand, required no preparation and simply waited for her. A whileter, she emerged from the cloakroom in a ckce-trimmed gown. Her long, toned legs peeked through the slit that ran up the dress, and she looked alluring. Samuel swallowed reflexively at the sight of her, but she wasn¡¯t aware of his heated gaze as she walked to the vanity and gathered her inky dark hair into a messy chignon with a few loose tendrils framing her face. After she dabbed a light sheen of red lipstick and turned around, he was already standing in front of her. "What¡¯s wrong?" She blinked. "Is your lipstick a little too bright?" He asked in a serious tone. "Is it?" Kathleen turned around again to check her reflection in the mirror.It might be a little too much. She pulled a piece of tissue to blot off the excess lipstick when Samuel grabbed her wrist and drew her closer. "That¡¯s too bothersome." She bumped into his chest and stiffened, feeling his finger curl under her chin and lifting her face before he sealed his mouth over hers. Kathleen didn¡¯t utter a sound, and he released her a few minutester, hisrge hand still cradling the back of her head, his breathing uneven. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes.She nced at his lips, which were smudged red with her lipstick. "Happy now?" She huffed a breath. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Samuel wiped his lips with the back of his hand and answered evenly, "Not really." "You¡¯re so annoying, and you messed up my hair." Kathleen nudged him away.He wouldn¡¯t have stopped at a kiss if it weren¡¯t for tonight¡¯s ns. She redid her hair and reapplied her lipstick before heading downstairs with Samuel following her unhurriedly. Charles shot them a look. "That took long.I was about to send someone up to check on you, but no one dared to try their luck."Kathleen remained silent. "I¡¯ll leave tonight¡¯s n in your hands, Mr.Macari.Yadiel and the others know the ins and outs of the situation.Kate and I will take our leave now," Charles said. Samuel eyed him without answering and sped Kathleen¡¯s arm. "I¡¯ll find you after everything¡¯s done.Wait for me." She blew out a breath and lifted her hand. "See this?" On her finger was the engagement ring Samuel had given her during their proposal.His hand flew to his neck, where the ring had been dangling from the end of a chain he wore. She had taken it without his knowledge. "Now will you stop worrying?" She was wearing the ring on her ring finger. Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Chapter 497 You Have Two Choices Samuel cleared his throat. "Yeah." "I¡¯ll be off then.See youter," Kathleen said as she pecked Samuel¡¯s cheek and left alongside Charles. Samuel¡¯s ck eyes shone with tenderness as he touched his cheek. Selfishly, he hoped no one would notice how great of a person Kathleen was. "Tyson," Samuel muttered, his tone drastically different. Tyson walked over. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? "Yes, Mr.Macari." "Is the car ready?" Samuel asked in a frigid voice. "Everything is ready," Tyson replied. Samuel nodded. "Let¡¯s go." "Yes, sir." Meanwhile, Kathleen had followed Charles¡¯ car and arrived at Raymond¡¯s house.The banquet that night was attended by a sizable crowd. Raymond anticipated Charles¡¯ arrival.He did not, however, anticipate Kathleen to join him. Furthermore, he had no idea when Kathleen had returned. Indeed, while traveling back, Kathleen had concealed her whereabouts.She kept it a secret from everyone. As a result, Raymond had not heard anything about her return. Raymond was certain, though, that the siblings were unaware of his intentions that evening based on how they entered the banquet. As a result, a satisfied smirk shed on his face. "Godfather," Charles greeted impassively. Raymond nodded. "You¡¯ve arrived." "Long time no see, Mr.Watson," Kathleen greeted tly. Raymond smiled. "Ms.Johnson.I wasn¡¯t expecting you." Kathleen only smiled faintly in return. "It¡¯s good, though," Raymond added, a sly grin on his face. "I have an important announcement to make tonight.It¡¯ll be even more lively now that you¡¯re both here." "I wonder what the good news is?" Kathleen asked. Raymond cracked a half-smile. "I wouldn¡¯t want to spoil the surprise for you.You¡¯ll know eventually." He cast a quick nce at the visitors. "I should head over and say a few words as it¡¯s almost time and the guests are almost all here." "Go ahead," Kathleen replied indifferently. With that, Raymond turned on his heel and headed for the stage. Kathleen nced around before whispering, "Where¡¯s rissa, Charles?" "She returned with me, but I¡¯m not sure what happened to her after that," Charles replied nonchntly. Kathleen did nothing but give Charles a thoughtful look.He still did not seem to be feeling anything for rissa. Rtionships, though, were in fact,plicated. "It¡¯s odd.I haven¡¯t seen Wilbur either," Kathleen remarked, her brows knitted together. In a low voice, Charles replied, "Maybe Wilbur isn¡¯t even here." "Don¡¯t tell me he went to deal with Axeworth Corporation on Raymond¡¯s behalf?" Kathleen inquired, her temples throbbing. "It¡¯s possible," Charles muttered. Kathleen lowered her gaze.She could not help but feel slightly worried for Samuel. "Are you really treating Samuel as a hothouse flower?" Charles asked in an attempt to console Kathleen. Kathleen was taken aback by his words. "He¡¯s Samuel Macari, for crying out loud," Charles continued. "Even if he¡¯s lost his memories, he¡¯s not an easy opponent." Kathleen nodded. Raymond¡¯s voice came through before Kathleen could even utter a reply. "Truth to be told, I¡¯ve invited everyone tonight to attend my daughter rissa¡¯s engagement ceremony." Everyone, including Kathleen and Charles, was stunned. Who is rissa getting engaged to? "And the person who¡¯s going to be engaged to my daughter is no one other than Charles Johnson," Raymond announced as he looked at Charles. Charles furrowed his brows. What the hell does Raymond mean by this? Kathleen, too, had her brows furrowed into a severe frown. "I believe everyone¡¯s aware that Charles is my godson.I have been treating him like my own.Thus, I wish to marry my beloved daughter to him.I hope everyone can give them your blessings." Then Raymond began to apud, and the crowd soon joined in. Charles¡¯ expression was grim. "Charles, this appears to be something Raymond had in mind from the start.You might humiliate rissa if you leave," Kathleen stated tly. "I reckon he knows that we¡¯re helping rissa." However, Charles had no ns of getting engaged to rissa.He was not romantically interested in rissa.He had only ever regarded her as his little sister for as long as he could remember. Thus, this arrangement was rather absurd to him. Kathleen¡¯s eyes were cold as she locked her gaze on Raymond. "Now that the groom-to-be is here, I¡¯m curious where the bride-to-be is." Raymond narrowed his eyes. "rissa is feeling under the weather." "Why didn¡¯t you postpone the engagement banquet if she was sick? Is it even appropriate to refer to it as an engagement banquet without the bride-to-be?" Kathleen inquired matter-of-factly. "Moreover, you did not inform anyone that tonight was the engagement banquet for Charles and rissa."Raymond merely stared at her in silence.He genuinely did not expect Kathleen to show up at the banquet. "I¡¯m sure you¡¯re familiar with my line of upation, Mr.Watson.Why don¡¯t you let me take a look at rissa? She might feel better after my consultation.What do you think?" Kathleen asked, staring intently at Raymond. Raymond frowned at that. Discreetly, Kathleen tugged at Charles¡¯ sleeves. Charles picked up on her signal right away. Coldly, he dered, "I won¡¯t agree to this engagement if rissa isn¡¯t present." "I assume you¡¯re implying that you¡¯ll marry rissa as long as she¡¯s present?" Raymond retorted. With a calm expression on his face, Charles replied, "Yes." Raymond smirked as he ordered, "Bring rissa here." Right as his words were out of his mouth, one of the help came pushing rissa, who was seated in a wheelchair.Her eyes were dull and soulless¡ª an obvious sign that something was wrong. Kathleen approached rissa in an instant. Raymond, however, intervened and stopped her. "What do you think you¡¯re doing?" "I¡¯m just trying to care for my future sister-inw.Am I not allowed to do so?" Kathleen asked icily. "Precisely.You are not allowed to do so," Raymond replied, his tone radiating the same coldness. Charles stepped up. "I¡¯m sure I have the right to do so as rissa is my fianc¨¦e." With that, he pushed Raymond away and walked up to rissa. "rissa?" Charles mumbled as he caressed the said woman¡¯s cheek. However, there was no reaction from rissa. Charles turned around to look at Kathleen. Kathleen pushed Raymond away and immediately went to rissa.She frowned upon checking rissa¡¯s pulse. "How is she?" Charles asked worriedly. Kathleen took a deep breath as she ced her hand on rissa¡¯s head and felt around the area. As she had expected, she managed to pull out a silver needle from the crown of rissa¡¯s head. Raymond¡¯s expression darkened. Damn it. Kathleen found out. Suddenly, rissa spat a mouthful of ck blood. "rissa!" Charles cried out as he held onto her. "Are you okay?" rissa first looked at Charles, then at Raymond.Her face took on a pained expression. "Her body is extremely frail now, Charles.We have to get her to a hospital as soon as possible," Kathleen urged, her eyebrows pinched in a frown. Charles frowned. Instantly, he carried rissa from the wheelchair, bridal-style, and prepared to leave. However, Raymond had ordered his men to stop them. "What are you trying to do?" Charles demanded, his gaze steely. Raymond grinned. "The engagement ceremony is not finished yet.Where do you think you¡¯re going?" "Don¡¯t you see the state your daughter is in right now, Raymond?" Kathleen eximed exasperatedly. "Her life will be at risk if we don¡¯t act quickly." Raymond merely scoffed at that. "Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of your goal, Charles.It¡¯s your fault that she¡¯s in this state.You have to get engaged to her to save her.If not, you have no right to take her away!" "Was this your goal all along?" Charles asked, his expression icy.Raymond wanted to induct him into Blissful Sect. "Yes," Raymond answered. He was not nning to hide his intentions anymore. "You have two choices.Either watch rissa die before your eyes, or get engaged to her and be one of Blissful Sect."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Chapter 498 You And Samuel Charles tightened his hold on rissa.She was as pale as a sheet; not even the slightest tinge of color was on her face.Her condition was getting worse with each passing second. Kathleen had been keeping an eye on rissa¡¯s condition.She was aware that rissa was on the verge of death. Charles gritted his teeth as he turned to the help. "Get me the ring!" As a result of being startled by Charles¡¯ furious expression, the help¡¯s faces contorted with fear. Without wasting any time, they brought the rings to Charles. Charles threw one of his arms around rissa and drew her close to his chest. Taking the rings from the tter, he slipped one on rissa and one on himself. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? "Is this enough?" Charles shot Raymond a cold re. Raymond was beaming with delight. "Congrattions to the pair!" Immediately, Charles carried rissa and dashed toward the exit. Kathleen was about to follow them.However, Raymond intervened and stopped her. "Ms.Johnson must stay." Charles scowled. He turned around, ring at Raymond. "What? Are you trying to threaten me now?" "How would I dare?" Raymond refuted. A half-smile appeared on his face as he continued, "But do you think I¡¯ll let you go that easily after you chose to appear here, Ms.Johnson?" Kathleen wore an icy expression.She turned to Charles, saying, "Bring rissa to the hospital first, Charles." "What about you?" Charles frowned. "I¡¯ll be fine," Kathleen reassured. Then in a low voice, she continued, "On top of that, Samuel won¡¯t let anything happen to me." Charles pursed his lips. "I¡¯ll be back really soon!" "Hurry on," Kathleen urged. rissa did not have the leisure to wait any longer. Charles clenched his jaw and left, holding rissa in his arms. Other than the guests of the banquet, Kathleen was ultimately alone, looking rather helpless. Raymond sneered. "How are things between you and Samuel, Ms.Johnson?" "We¡¯re still going strong.There¡¯s no need for you to be concerned," Kathleen replied coldly. "Spit out anything you have to say.I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have the chance to do so next time." Raymond scoffed. "You should be aware that Wyatt has had his eyes on you for some time." "Is that so?" Kathleen asked disinterestedly. "Then why did he get engaged to Ashley? It¡¯s unfortunate that Ashley turned out to be a fraud, though.How is he coping after having his fantasies crushed?" "Wyatt would still be living his dreams if it weren¡¯t for you," Raymond eximed as he gave Kathleen a long look. "Don¡¯t you think you should bear the responsibilities?" Kathleen sneered. "I don¡¯t understand your logic, Raymond.Was I the one who set Ashley up to be a fraud? It was clearly your party¡¯s fault.How could you me me for it?" "You were the one who didn¡¯t want to take up responsibility.Don¡¯t me me for being harsh," said Raymond, his expression stony. "I¡¯ll still have to find a way to get back at you for what you¡¯ve done to Adina back in Jadeborough." "Sure thing.Do whatever you want." Kathleen had her arms crossed in front of her chest. "I¡¯ve been working for you for a while.Do you want me to reveal all you¡¯ve done?" Raymond scoffed. As if I¡¯d give her the chance to do so! "Capture her!" Raymond ordered. "Kathleen and Wyatt will marry in three days. When that timees, I hope everyone will be able to attend." Before he finished his sentence, four bodyguards in ck immediately surrounded Kathleen. Kathleen¡¯s eyes were cold as ice. "Take another step closer to me.I dare you." The four bodyguards immediately stopped in their tracks. Kathleen sent a taunting re in Raymond¡¯s direction. "Have you forgotten? I¡¯ve trained everyone here.You can ask them how I deal with those who disobey mymands." Raymond was infuriated. "What are you guys doing? Get her!" Yet, the bodyguards remained rooted in their spots.Then Wilbur emerged, apanied by a group of people. "I¡¯ll do it." Kathleen narrowed her eyes at him. "Why not go and worry about your wife instead? She¡¯s currently in a tight spot in Jadeborough." "Everything will be sorted out after you be my sister-inw," Wilbur replied coldly. "You Watsons really know how to dream, huh?" Kathleen sneered. "Do you honestly think you guys will seed?" "There¡¯s nothing impossible.Everything will fall into ce once you get married to Wyatt," Raymond dered. He was adamant about his opinion. Kathleen¡¯s gaze was cold. "Moreover, I¡¯ve already shut down all airports, train stations, and harbors.You won¡¯t be able to escape.Simrly, those who want to save you won¡¯t be able to reach you.No one can do anything," Raymond continued. He was determined to seed. Kathleen¡¯s eyes were devoid of any emotion. "Do you think you¡¯ll seed?" "You can anticipate it," Raymond replied, smiling sinisterly. Kathleen smirked. "I¡¯m afraid things will not go the way you want." Raymond stared at her bitterly. Right then, a loud bang was heard from the outside. Kathleen raised her brows slightly. He¡¯s here! "What happened?" Raymond asked with a scowl. "Go take a look!" "I¡¯ll go," Wilbur dered as he strode toward the exit. However, a gun was pointed at his forehead just as he reached the door. Wilbur stared at the man who was holding the gun. "Samuel?" When did Samuele here? Wilbur retreated a few steps at the same time Samuel moved forward. Samuel heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing Kathleen unharmed.His ebony eyes looked at her with thick emotions. "Come over here." Kathleen went to him. Samuel wrapped an arm around Kathleen as he hugged her into his chest and asked in a husky voice, "You okay?" Kathleen nodded. "I¡¯m fine." She waspletely okay. Samuel need not get worried about her. Samuel lifted his gaze and red at Raymond. "Your n has failed." "Failed?" Raymond frowned. Why is Samuel here? My people told me he was still nursing his injuries in Jadeborough. "The people you¡¯ve assigned to wipe out Axeworth Corporation have all been killed," Samuel stated emotionlessly. "You guys are next." Raymond furrowed his brows. "That¡¯s not possible!" Samuel¡¯s cold, piercing look exuded a hostile and deadly aura. Right then, one of Raymond¡¯s subordinates came running into the ce as he nervously stammered, "P-Police! There¡¯s so many police!" What? Raymond widened his eyes. Soon, a swarm of police poured into the ce.The man leading the group stared at Raymond coldly. "Pleasee along with us, Mr.Watson." Raymond scowled. "Why should I? I haven¡¯t done anything against thew!" The police took out his arrest warrant. "Do you think we¡¯de without proof? Come along now." "Impossible!" Raymond was in disbelief. "Nothing¡¯s impossible," Samuel drawled. "This is the gift this country has given me in return for my promise to invest five billion here in thirty minutes." Raymond was dumbfounded. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Kathleen gave Samuel a surprised look. "Not only did you take care of the people from Blissful Sect and Axeworth Corporation, but you¡¯ve also managed to get a business coboration done?" "Yeah.I would¡¯ve been here earlier if it wasn¡¯t for the business meeting," Samuel replied as he pecked her forehead. Kathleen was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, the police had cuffed Raymond¡¯s hands and brought him away. Before going, he shot Kathleen a nasty re. "I won¡¯t go down like this!" "You won¡¯t have the chance to start over after going into jail, Raymond.Don¡¯t forget; you have quite a number of enemies.How are you so sure they won¡¯t try to kill you?" Kathleen reminded him coolly. Raymond¡¯s expression darkened.He shifted his gaze to Wilbur. Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Dare Kathleen sneered, ¡°It¡¯s pointless for you to look at him. There¡¯s nothing he can do too.¡± Wilbur remained silent while wearing a grimace. ¡°Hurry up and move,¡± The police urged Raymond. Raymond gritted his teeth. ¡°You must hang in there, Wilbur!¡± Wilbur nodded. Then, the police brought Raymond away. The others who attended the banquet gradually left as well. All of them were surprised by the unexpected turns of events that night. Soon, the crowd dispersed. Kathleen stared coldly at Wilbur. ¡°You won¡¯t hold on for long.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so presumptuous!¡± He red at her. ¡°Are you still expecting Adina¡¯s help? You can give that idea up because she¡¯s having trouble saving herself now.¡± Kathleen smiled indifferently. ¡°What did you say?¡± Wilbur frowned. ¡°Her right to the inheritance was terminated. She has lost everything now,¡± Kathleen said coldly. ¡°Impossible!¡± Wilbur was in disbelief. ¡°Feel free to contact her and ask her yourself if you do not believe me,¡± Kathleen said in a meaningful tone. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? He immediately took out his phone and called Adina. When the call connected, he heard Adina¡¯s hysterical sobs through the speaker. ¡°Wilbur, we¡¯re doomed!¡± Adina wailed in distress. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wilbur knitted his brows. ¡°I lost my ce in the royal family. My family is abandoning me. My mother did something wrong and dragged me into the mess,¡± Adina cried out loud. ¡°What?¡± He froze. He slowly put down his phone while glowering at Kathleen. ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just letting you all have a taste of your own medicine. Are you satisfied with this oue?¡± Kathleen said expressionlessly. Consumed by rage, Wilbur dashed forward in Kathleen¡¯s direction. Bang! Samuel pulled the trigger of the gun in his left hand, shooting Wilbur on his leg. ¡°Ah!¡± Wilbur shrieked. He fell to the ground, hugging his injured leg in agony. Kathleen merely stared at him with a poker face. ¡°This is retribution. You are being punished for the harm you were about to inflict on others.¡± Colors drained from Wilbur¡¯s face. ¡°Kathleen!¡± She continued gazing at him emotionlessly. ¡°Wilbur, stop fantasizing that you still have the opportunity to stage aeback. That will never happen.¡± ¡°Bring him away and ensure he is monitored at all times,¡± Samuel ordered sternly. Tyson, leading his subordinates, captured Wilbur and took him away. The other members of the Blissful Sect were at a loss. Kathleen regarded them with a frosty expression. ¡°If all of you are sufficiently wise and sensible, you should know better than to continue holding those weapons.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. A part of the crowd obediently put down their weapons. ¡°Regardless of where your loyalties lie in the past, the Blissful Sect belongs to Ms. Watson from now onwards. She will not make things difficult for any of you if you heed hermand. However, if you all still wish to blindly assist Raymond or Wilbur, don¡¯t me me for not being merciful!¡± The rest of the Blissful Sect members, still holding their weapons a moment ago, hastily dropped them upon hearing Kathleen¡¯s speech. Kathleen uttered solemnly, ¡°Very good. No matter who bes the leader of the Sect, your welfare and benefits will not be affected. Therefore, all of you can be at ease.¡± Everyone lightly bobbed their heads. Kathleen nodded in satisfaction. She turned to look at Samuel. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll head to the hospital first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They went to the hospital in a hurry. When Kathleen and Samuel arrived at the hospital, rissa was already transferred from the operating theatre to the ward. The doctor exited the ward and said grimly, ¡°Ms. Watson¡¯s brain nerves were destroyed. I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡°How is she?¡± Charles asked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid she will stay a fool the rest of her life,¡± the doctor uttered in resignation. What? Charles was shocked to his core. Kathleen frowned deeply as well. ¡°Is there no other way to save her?¡± ¡°The only option is to operate on her, but¡­¡± The doctor paused briefly before continuing, ¡°This surgery is extremelyplicated. There won¡¯t be any doctor with the courage to take up this challenge.¡± Kathleen gazed at Charles. She could sense his anguish. ¡°I am the reason she became like this! I neglected her because I was too busy since my return. Little did I expect Raymond treated her in this manner.¡± Kathleen did not know how to console her brother. Even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs, but Raymond is simply evil. Or perhaps he did not anticipate this oue himself. ¡°Charles, I¡¯ll handle rissa¡¯s surgery! Let¡¯s take a look at her condition first,¡± Kathleen piped up. Charles grimaced. ¡°Kate, I cannot leave rissa to her own devices in her current state.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°Since we are engaged, I will take care of her in the future.¡± Charles gazed at the ring on his finger. ¡°I¡¯ll take over the Blissful Sect. You can rest assured.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Charles, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here for you.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte now. You should go back first with Samuel. I¡¯ll stay and look after rissa.¡± ¡°Okay. Call me if anythinges up,¡± Kathleen said. ¡°All right.¡± Kathleen and Samuel turned around and left the hospital. Rory sprinted over when they returned to the hotel. ¡°Ms. Johnson, Old Mrs. Lester is here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kathleen was astounded. ¡°Lead me to her!¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Rory brought Kathleen upstairs at once. They arrived before a presidential suite. Kathleen was about to knock on the door when the door swung open. Yvonne looked at her with an amused expression. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She wishes to meet with you,¡± Yvonne replied. Kathleen stepped into the room, wearing an anxious look. Old Mrs. Lester has just undergone surgery. How could she travel so far? Kathleen went into the bedroom and saw Betty lying partially on the bed. Betty¡¯s face was slightly pale but generally appeared rtively well and lucid. Kathleen pursed her lips. Tears brimmed in Betty¡¯s reddened eyes. ¡°Are you still resolved on not acknowledging me?¡± Kathleen froze as tears rolled down her cheeks. Initially, she had indeed made the decision not to reunite with Betty. However, Kathleen¡¯s resolution wavered when she saw the old womaning so far to meet with her despite thetter¡¯s frail body condition. Betty had taken quite a risk. ¡°Grandma.¡± Kathleen moved forward and hugged Betty. Betty¡¯s eyes glistened with tears. Yvonne wiped the tears off her face. ¡°Congrattions, Mom. The granddaughter you¡¯ve been missing so dearly has finally returned to your side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Betty sighed. ¡°God has blessed me with great fortune.¡± After that, Kathleen examined Betty¡¯s condition and heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Grandma, you cannot behave like this in the future. You can call me if you miss me, and I¡¯ll visit you.¡± Betty grasped Kathleen¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ve made the decision. There¡¯s not much time left for me to live. I did not get to meet your father after we became separated at his birth. From now on, I¡¯ll be where you are. I wish to return to Jadeborough with you. What do you say?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kathleen was delightfully surprised. ¡°If uncle and the others agree, I am certainly more than happy with this arrangement!¡± ¡°Do they dare to disagree?¡± Yvonne beamed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Chapter 500 Chapter 500 "I¡¯ll call and thank themter." Kathleen felt apologetic. "Okay." Yvonne nodded. Kathleen held Betty¡¯s hand. "Grandma, I¡¯ll introduce you to Old Mrs.Macari when we return.Her temperament is very simr to yours.I¡¯m sure you two will be very good friends." Betty smiled brightly. "Okay." Kathleen apanied Betty and chatted for a long time. "Grandma, it¡¯s gettingte.You should rest now.I¡¯ll ask Charles toe to meet you tomorrow," Kathleen said. Betty bobbed her head slightly. "All right." Then, Kathleen got up and went back to her room.Samuel returned to the room before her.He was already done showering and was lying on the bed. Kathleeny down next to him. "Are you asleep?" He gradually opened his eyes. "I was waiting for you." "Samuel, I now have my own blood-rted family too." She rested her head on the pillow. "I¡¯m no longer alone in this world." Samuel¡¯s voice was low and deep. "Are you happy?" She nodded. "I am happy." "I¡¯m happy as long as you¡¯re happy." Samuel gently shifted her head and ced it on his shoulder. Kathleen took a deep breath. "Trevor is still missing, nor do we know what he¡¯s up to." "I¡¯m certain he has yet to leave the country.I¡¯ve arranged for my men to keep a lookout.They will update us if there¡¯s any news," he uttered confidently. "Okay." Kathleen gave him a slight nod. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? "Go back to sleep.I¡¯m going to take a bath." With that, she stepped into the bathroom. Samuel stared at the ceiling with an unfathomable expression. The following day, Kathleen went to the hospital and helped rissa do a detailed physical examination. Then, with rissa¡¯s CT scan report in her hands, she went to see Charles.Charles looked sullen. "How is it?" "A surgery is usible, but we will have to wait for her condition to stabilize further," Kathleen exined. "When will be the optimal time to carry out the operation?" His voice sounded hoarse. "We need to wait for at least a year," she replied. A year? Charles nodded slightly. "As long as she can be cured, I¡¯m willing to wait another ten years.One year is nothing." Kathleen pursed her lips. "Charles, Grandma is here." Charles was startled to hear that. "When did that happen?" "Yesterday.Grandma was already at the hotel when I went back yesterday," she answered. He nodded. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Penny for your thoughts?" "Grandma told me she wishes to return to Jadeborough with me. I want to bring her back," Kathleen exined. "That¡¯s good too.Kate, I don¡¯t think I can go back now.rissa and the Blissful Sect need me.You¡¯ll have to take care of Grandma in my stead," Charles uttered solemnly. Kathleen ced a hand on her brother¡¯s shoulder. "Charles, go to the hotel and visit Grandma.I¡¯ll stay here and keep rissapany." Charles nced at rissa, who was lying on the bed.He did not know when she would wake up in her current condition. "All right.I¡¯ll be back very soon." He turned around and left. Kathleen nced at rissa before sitting down. A few minutester, she heard amotion originating from the corridor outside the ward.It was as if pandemonium erupted. Less than a minuteter, the sound of footsteps halted on the opposite of the ward¡¯s door. Someone forcefully pushed the door open from outside. Wyatt and his subordinates stood in the corridor. He fell into a daze when he saw Kathleen. Kathleen looked sideways. "With Raymond and Wilbur gone, Ipletely forgot about you." Wyatt stepped into the room. The others behind him wanted to enter as well. "Wait outside, all of you," he ordered coldly. Then, he shut the door. Kathleen stared at him indifferently. Wyatt strode up to her and said threateningly, "Hand her over to me." "If I hand her over to you, can you treat her illness or prompt her to regain consciousness?" she questioned him calmly. His face darkened. "Give her to me, and I will not make things difficult for you.Otherwise¡­" Kathleen sneered. "Why do you want her? She can¡¯t do anything now." "That¡¯s none of your concern." Wyatt¡¯s eyes turned frosty. Then, he took out a gun. Kathleen remained unfazed, not showing any hint of fear on her face. "Wyatt, those who yearn for power usually treasure their lives dearly." He merely gazed at her in silence. "If you kill me, do you know how many people will want you dead, putting Samuel aside?" She arched her brow at him. "If you¡¯re so capable, then stop hesitating and just do it!" Wyatt gritted his teeth. "Kathleen, the trait I hate the most about you is that you¡¯re too smart!" Ha! She scoffed, "Do you think I care about your opinion?" Who do you think you are? "I will not harm her. I just want to take her away and turn her into one of my pawns. As long as your brother and all of you listen to me, I can guarantee she will remain safe and sound," he borated coolly. "Wyatt, she¡¯s your little sister." Kathleen regarded him with a stony expression. "So what? All those bonds between siblings vanished from the moment she decided topete with us for the family¡¯s inheritance," he said contemptuously. "How shameless are you to say something like that, Wyatt." Kathleen stared at him in displeasure. "rissa helped you in the past!" "That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving her the chance to help me again now. Is that prohibited?" Wyatt gave off the impression as if he had lost his mind. "Wyatt, don¡¯t tell me you n to take over the Blissful Sect, seizing this opportunity while Raymond is imprisoned and Wilbur injured?" Kathleen knitted her brows. He fixated his piercing gaze on her. "No.Kathleen, I only want her.I will not give you up as well." She took a deep breath and uttered emotionlessly, "Do you think you will seed?" "Don¡¯t expect Samuel to save you.I¡¯ve ordered my men to capture him earlier.After he¡¯s caught, I will tell my men to banish him so he will never get to meet you again!" Wyatt said apathetically. "You¡¯re crazy!" Kathleen was livid. "You all, go and take her away!" Wyatt instructed his subordinates. They entered the room and surrounded rissa, who was lying on the bed, and Kathleen. Kathleen leaped to her feet. "Who dares toy a finger on her!" "Why are you all still standing there, doing nothing!" Wyatt¡¯s eyes zed murderously. Kathleen pursed her lips. "Don¡¯t move!" Another group of people arrived outside the door, with Tyson leading the party. Tyson stepped into the room with his subordinates and subdued Wyatt¡¯s men. Sensing the situation turning sideways, Wyatt immediately dragged Kathleen to his side and pressed the gun against her temple. Samuel¡¯s eyes turned cold when he walked in and saw that scene. Kathleen furrowed her brows. "Wyatt, kill me if you have the guts!" Wyatt sneered while staring at Samuel. "Do not act rashly. Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill her!" "You won¡¯t survive if you kill her, much less get what you want. Wyatt, I know what you wish to achieve. You intend to fight for your mother¡¯s honor. How do you n to do that when you¡¯re dead?" Samuel said. Wyatt wore an icy expression. "What do you know, Samuel? You grew up adored and treasured by everyone. I am different from you. You can effortlessly attain whatever you want. On the other hand, I need to earn everything with my abilities." Poker-faced, Samuel said, "Let her go.I¡¯ll be your hostage." Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Apany ¡°No!¡± Kathleen stared at Samuel with all seriousness. ¡°Do note here!¡± Samuel gazed at Wyatt. ¡°I make a much better hostage than she does. Remember how your father and brother were thrown behind bars? Even the leaders here have to show me respect. You¡¯ll have an easier time escaping by holding me captive instead of her.¡± Wyatt knew he would have a tough time getting out of there that day. Kathleen was too cunning. On the other hand, Samuel was injury-ridden, so Wyatt reckoned Samuel would not dare to do anything foolish. ¡°Okay.¡± Wyatt nodded in agreement. ¡°No!¡± Kathleen red at Samuel. ¡°I do not agree!¡± Samuel gazed at her tenderly. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Move along now.¡± Kathleen took a deep breath. ¡°How much more suffering do you n to let yourself endure?¡± Samuel was stunned. Tears rolled down Kathleen¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve harmed yourself previously and almost lost your life. Then, your hand was crippled because of me, not to mention the injuries to your legs. That¡¯s enough, Samuel. That¡¯s truly enough. You¡¯ve sufficiently redeemed yourself!¡± His heart ached as he looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m really fine. Please, don¡¯t cry.¡± He ambled forward. Kathleen bit her lip. ¡°Wyatt!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wyatt narrowed his eyes. ¡°Go to hell!¡± She bellowed angrily. Kathleen suddenly turned around and stabbed his abdomen with a dagger. Wyatt was dumbfounded. She grasped his gun-wielding hand, gave it a forceful twist, and the gun instantaneously slipped through his fingers. Samuel¡¯s reflexes were quick. He grabbed the gun with his left hand, took aim, and fired three consecutive shots at Wyatt. Little did Wyatt anticipate things to take such a sudden turn. His eyes were still widened in utter disbelief when his body fell to the ground. Samuel walked up to Kathleen¡¯s side and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Are you all right? Did you sustain any injuries?¡± She shook her head while glowering at him. ¡°You¡¯re crazy! You¡¯re not allowed to do something like this again!¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? The situation would have turned dire if I did not prepare myself in advance. ¡°Silly girl. I was informed through the phone when Wyatt entered earlier. I¡¯ve already assigned a sniper to standby at the opposite skyscraper. The sniper was ready to end his life with one shot if he moved,¡± he exined. Kathleen frowned. ¡°I did not know you¡¯d already made all these arrangements!¡± Samuel patted her head. ¡°It¡¯s all right, as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Tell your men to clean this ce up. There¡¯s no need to resuscitate Wyatt either.¡± Samuel nodded. Then, he left the tasks to Tyson. Kathleen looked sideways at rissa, who was lying on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid rissa has never imagined her family members to be so ruthless.¡± Samuel held Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°Wyatt¡¯s subordinates have beenpletely dealt with. I¡¯ll let your brother address the rest of the issues.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kathleen felt grateful. ¡°You never have to thank me.¡± His voice was deep and maic. ¡°I¡¯m doing all these things because I love you, not because I seek your gratitude.¡± She smiled faintly. ¡°I got it.¡± Soon, everything returned to normal in the ward. Even the blood on the floor was gone. Charles returned in a hurry. ¡°Are any of you hurt?¡± Kathleen shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I did not expect Wyatt to resort to such desperate measure.¡± ¡°That was his final chance, after all. Did you meet with Grandma?¡± Kathleen asked. Charles nodded. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ve rified everything with her. I¡¯ll have to trouble you to care for her in the future.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no trouble to that.¡± Kathleen curled her lips. ¡°I¡¯m more than pleased to take care of Grandma!¡± Charles bobbed his head. ¡°Charles, Samuel, and I will return to Jadeborough in the next few days. I¡¯ll frequent here to follow up on rissa¡¯s progress. When her condition stabilizes, I¡¯ll perform the surgery on her.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you for the hard work.¡± Charles nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯ll be leaving first then.¡± Kathleen left the hospital with Samuel. They went back to the hotel, packed their belongings, and were ready to go. They arrived at Jadeborough in the afternoon the next day. Kathleen arranged for Betty to settle down in her mansion and brought her kids over as well. Betty was very happy to see Em and Desiree. The two children were extremely adorable. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Kathleen beamed slightly at the sight of them surrounding Betty. She gazed at Samuel. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home to visit your family now that you¡¯re back?¡± Samuel sat down. ¡°This is my home.¡± Kathleen chuckled. ¡°Grandma and Mom will be so sad to see you behaving like this.¡± He said casually, ¡°I¡¯m staying here to apany you.¡± ¡°I think you should go back to visit them. Then, you can return here again. Also, tell them toe here to have a meal together tomorrow. What do you say?¡± Kathleen suggested. Samuel remained silent. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll apany you to go thereter.¡± Kathleen felt helpless. Only then did he nod his head. ¡°You said it yourself.¡± ¡°What other choice do I have aside from saying that?¡± Kathleen uttered in resignation. Samuel kept quiet. Then, he massaged his temples. ¡°Kate, my head is hurting.¡± Kathleen was rendered speechless. He¡¯s bing more adept at utilizing this tactic. Kathleen and Samuel went to the Macari residence after they finished their dinner. Diana¡¯s condition seemed to have improved further, as her cheeks appeared more flushed and radiant. ¡°Grandma,¡± Kathleen greeted her cheerfully. Diana was delighted to see Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯m d that both of you are back.¡± ¡°How are you, Grandma?¡± Kathleen asked in concern. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± Diana wore a benevolent smile. ¡°Grandma, why don¡¯t all of youe over to my ce tomorrow and have a meal together? I wish to introduce my other grandmother to you,¡± Kathleen borated. Diana grinned. ¡°Sure. I want to meet with her too. So many years have passed. I¡¯m afraid it was long since west met.¡± Kathleen was astounded. ¡°You two know each other?¡± ¡°We only met once in the past,¡± Diana exined. Realization dawned on Kathleen. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s the case. Well, it¡¯s decided then. I¡¯lle and pick you all up tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Diana nodded. Wynnie smiled as she looked sideways at Samuel. ¡°After much difficulties, it¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯ve sessfully brought my daughter-inw back.¡± Samuel did not say a word. ¡°Don¡¯t lose her this time,¡± Wynnie reminded. Samuel responded gruffly, ¡°This time, I won¡¯t.¡± After that, Samuel and Kathleen left the Macari residence. The next day, Betty said to Kathleen, ¡°Kate, I want to pay my respect to your parents at the cemetery.¡± Kathleen fell into a momentary daze before replying, ¡°Sure.¡± She immediately gave the orders to make the necessary arrangements. Then, they arrived at the cemetery. Andrew and Reba were buried together. Tears streamed down Betty¡¯s face as she stared at the yellowing pictures on the tombstone. ¡°Andrew, I¡¯m sorry for being sote. Please forgive me for only finding you now.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened as well. ¡°Be mindful of your health, Grandma.¡± Betty took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She was merely overwhelmed by the urge to cry. Just then, someone¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Mrs. Lester, it has been a long time since west met.¡± Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Deserve To Die Betty turned around and fell into a daze. ¡°Theodore.¡± Theodore strode over and gazed at the picture on the headstone. ¡°Andrew resembled you.¡± Betty remained silent. Kathleen frowned. ¡°Grandma, you two know each other?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for many years,¡± Theodore said solemnly. ¡°Given the choice, I¡¯d not have the slightest inclination to be friends with you. I heard you fired a shot at my granddaughter?¡± Betty uttered coldly. Theodore froze momentarily before responding awkwardly, ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding. I did not know her identity at that time.¡± Betty said icily, ¡°Theodore, after all the bad things you all have done, you¡¯ll be faced with retribution sooner orter.¡± He replied in a self-deprecating tone, ¡°Retribution? I¡¯ve already met mine. My son died a few years ago.¡± Betty asked frostily, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Theodore turned to look at Kathleen. ¡°I¡¯m here to meet with you.¡± Kathleen knitted her brows. ¡°Me?¡± He gazed at her. ¡°You need to be more careful.¡± ¡°What do I need to be careful of?¡± Kathleen was confused. Have I not dealt with everyone who needs to be taken care of? ¡°Exin yourself!¡± Betty demanded in displeasure. ¡°Yareli. She mes you for Vanessa¡¯s death,¡± Theodore reminded. Kathleen frowned slightly. ¡°How did you know about that?¡± ¡°She found me. She wanted to coborate with me,¡± he exined. Kathleen uttered indifferently, ¡°I can¡¯t believe she still hasn¡¯t given up.¡± ¡°Vanessa¡¯s death has nothing to do with you. I think Yareli is just a lunatic.¡± Betty furrowed her brows. ¡°Rest assured, Grandma. I¡¯ll handle that problem.¡± Kathleen did not wish for Betty to be worried about her. Betty grasped Kathleen¡¯s hand. ¡°I think these people are being ungrateful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kathleen agreed. Theodore merely stared at her in a solemn manner. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± ¡°Hold on. Aren¡¯t you going to avenge your son?¡± Kathleen gave him a meaningful look. He smiled. ¡°My son has been avenged.¡± https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? Kathleen was taken aback. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Trevor is¡­¡± Theodore regarded her with a poker face. ¡°This person no longer exists in this world. That¡¯s all.¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°I know I should not be meddling in the grudges between you two, but¡­¡± Theodore borated, ¡°He felt rather remorseful. He regretted treating your grandmother in that manner. However, life is a collection of choices and decisions. It is difficult for us to turn a new leaf after making one significant mistake. He gave you all those things to make it up for your grandmother.¡± ¡°I will not ept them,¡± Kathleen stated. ¡°That¡¯s your problem then.¡± He turned on his heel. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Kathleen asked in curiosity. Theodore paused. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll leave that to fate now that I¡¯ve avenged my son.¡± He had already lost the will to live. With that, Theodore turned around and left. Kathleen let out a deep sigh. ¡°It¡¯s unexpected that Trevor really died.¡± Betty said, ¡°People like him deserve to die.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. ¡°I guess Theodore is nning to go to that ce.¡± Betty spected. ¡°Where?¡± Kathleen was eager to know. ¡°His wife¡¯s hometown. She came from Jedayton. I suppose he will probably go there.¡± Betty sighed. Kathleen could not help but ask, ¡°Grandma, how did you two know each other?¡± ¡°We grew up together, but there¡¯s nothing romantic between us. We are just friends. I was informed when he was married and blessed with a son. His wife died because of Luna,¡± Betty exined. Kathleen was shocked. ¡°That¡¯s unbelievable.¡± ¡°Their grudges were deep-seated. He¡¯s a pitiful man, actually.¡± Betty sighed again. Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Grandma.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Betty nodded. They got into the car and went to the Macari residence. Diana and Betty were excited to be reunited. The two of them had met many years ago. Although they did not chat for long then, the two women got along well. However, they did not have a chance to meet again after Betty went overseas. Their previous encounter prompted both women to feel as if they had been friends for a long time instead of newly-met acquaintances now that they were reunited. Kathleen felt relieved as she watched them talking happily. Diana invited Betty to stay. Betty found it difficult to refuse the invitation and had no choice but to agree. That night, Kathleen exited the bathroom after she was done showering. Samuel frowned while browsing through something. She sat down beside him. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Eil and Desi will be starting school soon. I¡¯m helping them to select a school,¡± he replied solemnly. Kathleen took a nce and noticed Samuel was surveying all the best private schools. She asked, ¡°Is it that difficult to make a choice?¡± cing her to sit between his legs, Samuel exined, ¡°This school provides rtively good basic education while this one focuses more on their students¡¯ self-development.¡± ¡°I think Eil¡¯s talent will go to waste if he attends the first school. Desi, on the other hand, is suitable. Eil is more fitted to go to the second school,¡± Kathleen expressed her thoughts. ¡°Yes. Moreover, I sought Eil¡¯s opinion earlier,¡± Samuel said. ¡°What did he say?¡± Kathleen was curious. ¡°He wishes to go overseas.¡± ¡°Go overseas?¡± Kathleen was stunned. ¡°How can he leave our side at such a young age?¡± ¡°Kate, I haven¡¯t agreed to his suggestion yet.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. She pursed her lips. ¡°But are you considering that option?¡± ¡°I promised Eil to respect all the decisions he makes,¡± Samuel answered. Kathleen fell silent. ¡°Kate, if you do not want him to go abroad, I¡¯ll let him know,¡± heforted her. She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. If that¡¯s truly what he desires, I¡¯ll respect his decision too. I just think that Eil seems to have lost the sense of happiness as a child. He¡¯s too mature for his age.¡± Samuel held her hands. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, we can apany him there.¡± ¡°But there are too many ces that need us.¡± Kathleen¡¯s eyes reddened. They were not only Em¡¯s parents but also had many other responsibilities andmitments. Still, Kathleen could not possibly be so selfish as to request Em not to go abroad. If Em really wanted to go, she would undoubtedly be supportive as well. Samuelforted her, ¡°The transportation system nowadays is very advanced. We can meet with him at any time.¡± Kathleen nodded. ¡°You support his decision to go overseas, am I right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He bobbed his head. ¡°He can choose what to do with his life. Moreover, I think his decision is not bad.¡± Feeling a little dejected, she asked, ¡°What if Desi is the one who wants to go abroad?¡± ¡°I will not stop her either. I wish for them to have the power to choose how they want to live their lives. They are our children, so we should have faith in their decisions. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°I can allow Eil to go overseas, but he needs to be a few more years older.¡± Samuel sensed that was Kathleen¡¯s extent ofpromising. He nodded. ¡°Okay. I got it.¡± Kathleen nced at the pamphlets of the schools on Samuel¡¯s legs. ¡°I¡¯ll bring them to visit these two schools tomorrow and let them choose for themselves.¡± Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Love You All My Life The next day, Kathleen brought Em and Desiree to school. In the morning, Samuel had discussed with Em, telling the boy that they hoped he would only go abroad a few yearster. Em did not object to that as he knew Samuel and Kathleen¡¯s concerns. Therefore, he thought that he could go overseas after he graduated from elementary school. Only then did Kathleen breathe a sigh of relief. When they arrived at the school, they had a tour as they checked out the school. Em was rather satisfied with that school, and Desiree liked it as well. Hence, Kathleen immediately proceeded with their school enrollment procedures. From tomorrow onward, they would study at that school. After that, Kathleen brought them out of the school. ¡°Kathleen!¡± An angry voice came from the side. As Kathleen nced to the side, she saw Yareli dashing over with a knife in her hand. Feeling worried that her two children would be harmed, Kathleen reached out to grab Yareli¡¯s hand. While they struggled against one another, the de cut Kathleen¡¯s hand. Unfortunately, Kathleen did not have anyone with her except for the driver. The driver got out of the car and wanted to help Kathleen. However, two more people rushed over to abduct Em and Desiree. Gritting her teeth, Kathleen ignored the pain in her hand and gripped Yareli¡¯s wrist before lifting her leg to kick Yareli in the abdomen. https://novelebook/all-toote-bd2256.html? ¡°Ouch!¡± Yareli copsed onto the ground, clutching her stomach in pain. Kathleen looked toward the two people. They didn¡¯t have the guts to do anything rashly, so they exchanged a nce with each other, then scurried away hurriedly. Kathleen snorted coldly and looked at the driver. ¡°Call the police!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The driver called the police at once. After that, Kathleen yanked Yareli up from the ground. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Yareli wailed, struggling against her grip. ¡°Kathleen, I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Save it! Wait until you¡¯re out of prison before threatening me!¡± Kathleen mocked indifferently. Yareli gritted her teeth. ¡°How dare you assault me. I¡¯ll make you pay for this,¡± Kathleen continued frostily. ¡°Spend the rest of your life in prison and repent.¡± ¡°Why should I repent?¡± Yareli barked in anger. ¡°You killed my mother!¡± Kathleen scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not the one who killed your mother. She deserved to die anyway.¡± She did not want to waste any more time talking to Yareli, so she asked the driver to find a rag to stuff the woman¡¯s mouth. Before long, Samuel arrived. He had a frosty look in his eyes as he stared at Yareli, who was restrained by Kathleen. When Yareli saw him, she struggled even more forcefully. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she hopes that you¡¯d save her,¡± Kathleen ridiculed. Samuel replied in a solemn tone of voice, ¡°In her dreams. She¡¯s overthinking it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked the driver to send the kids back home first,¡± Kathleen exined. He nodded in reply. Soon, the police arrived at the scene. Not wanting to spend more time, Kathleen cut to the chase as she reported, ¡°This woman has a grudge against me. She wanted to harm me with a knife. I hope she would be severely punished.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Macari.¡± The police then arrested Yareli and took her away. Looking at Kathleen¡¯s injured hand, Samuel said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you to the hospital.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Kathleen replied cidly. ¡°Yareli is really at the end of her rope. I didn¡¯t expect her to attack me on her own.¡± ¡°She brought this upon herself.¡± Samuel held her hand gently. ¡°You need to see a doctor.¡± With that, he pulled her into the car. Left with no choice, Kathleen sighed. After they arrived at the hospital, the doctor checked on Kathleen and stated, ¡°It¡¯s a superficial wound.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If we¡¯de here anyter, the wound would have healed on its own,¡± Kathleen said pointedly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The doctor¡¯s expression turned awkward. Samuel was rendered speechless. The doctor then helped Kathleen to bandage her hand. Moving her hand, Kathleen felt that her movement was slightly hindered by the bandages. Samuel grabbed her wrist, stopping her. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s really not painful anymore.¡± Samuel didn¡¯t utter a word. Holding her hand, he thanked the doctor and brought her out. As they were leaving the hospital, they bumped into Richard. When Richard saw them, he wanted to say something, but Kathleen ignored him as she walked off immediately. Samuel nced at Richard impassively. ¡°I also can¡¯t persuade her.¡± With that, the former strode off as well, leaving Richard behind. Samuel took the elevator down to the car park. Kathleen was already waiting for him in the car. Soon, he got into the car. ¡°He had taught Miley a lesson before you and Gemma came back.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kathleen faintly began, ¡°Samuel, Gemma told me that she would never patch up with Richard.¡± He fell silent. ¡°Gemma wasted seven years on him, Samuel. Seven years,¡± she continued coldly. ¡°Besides, I know Gemma did not simply say that out of anger. She was dead serious.¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Kathleen pursed her lips. ¡°Recently, Federick and Gem are quite close with one another. If they date each other, I¡¯ll give them my full support.¡± Samuel was taken aback. ¡°Federick and Gemma?¡± ¡°Madeline is much better now, she supports them too,¡± Kathleen exined. ¡°Gemma was deeply hurt.¡± As Samuel stared at Kathleen, he grabbed her hand and kissed it all of a sudden. ¡°Kate, thank you for giving me a chance.¡± She was stunned by his sudden action. ¡°Gemma had given Richard a chance before.¡± But Richard did not treasure her. Samuel nodded. ¡°I know. You reap what you sow.¡± ¡­ That night, Kathleen received a call from Gemma. ¡°Kate, did Richard go and see you?¡± Gemma asked in a low voice. ¡°He didn¡¯t dare to pester me,¡± Kathleen answered. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Kate, what kind of love are people searching for?¡± Gemma pursed her lips. ¡°Federick proposed to me today, and I-I¡­ epted it.¡± ¡°Federick is a very good and gentle person.¡± After a pause, Kathleen added, ¡°You¡¯re not someone who makes impetuous decisions as well.¡± ¡°Federick is really so gentle and forbearing. He told me if I regretted my decision, I could tell him about it. But Kate, I thought about it for a while, and I think I don¡¯t regret it at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Kathleen¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Are you happy with him?¡± ¡°Yes, and I feel rxed whenever I¡¯m with him,¡± Gemma responded sincerely. ¡°Kate, I have a feeling that it won¡¯t be a wrong decision this time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kathleen nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should rest early. Good night.¡± Gemma ended the call. Kathleen put down her phone as well and gazed at the scenery outside with a serene expression. Samuel came over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, his chin propped on her shoulder. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Samuel, it¡¯s indeed true that everyone¡¯s rtionship is different. Gemma is much more carefree than I have expected she to be. She¡¯s epted Federick¡¯s marriage proposal.¡± Kathleen turned to nce at him. ¡°Can you talk to Richard and ask him not to disturb Gem anymore?¡± Samuel croaked, ¡°Kate, I think I can¡¯t convince him unless he gives up on his own.¡± When he thought of Gemma¡¯s resoluteness, he was reminded of what he had done to Kathleen in the past. If Kathleen had made the same decision as Gemma, I¡¯d never have the chance to reconcile with her ¡°Kate,¡± Samuel called huskily. ¡°Yes?¡± Kathleen blinked at him. ¡°I love you.¡± He lowered his head andnded a kiss on her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Samuel, from now on, we don¡¯t owe each other anymore. Let¡¯s live happily together.¡± She cupped his face with her hands. Gazing at her deep in the eye, he promised, ¡°Mrs. Macari, I¡¯ll love you till the end of time.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Her glimmering eyes curved as she smiled. ¡°Mr. Macari, I love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!