Chapter 7

Kathy opened her suitcase to choose her outfit for the day. The bedroom door remained closed, indicating the men were still talking. She selected her day clothes, changing out of her sleepwear. A bathroom flashback sent shivers down Kathy's spine, a memory she tried to suppress. She's likely shopping for clothes, and while she's out, she's contemplating moving from the mansion to her smaller home. Miles finally came out of the bedroom with a tray of empty dishes, and Mr. Thompson followed closely behind, as if he knew the place well. Kathy chose not to be inquisitive about their personal affairs.

"Mr. Thompson, are you feeling better?"

"Yes, I'd like to express my gratitude for looking after me."

“You don’t have to thank me. I couldn’t leave there. Will you and Miles go home and tell your families about your relationship?”

"Whose relationship are we talking about?"

"Wait," she said, her eyes narrowing, "you two are lovers, aren't you?"

The sight of Anthony's wolf Max laughing uncontrollably, with tears running down his cheek, caught Mr. Thompson and Miles off guard, leading them to exchange looks before turning to Kathy. They think she's two-headed.

"Wait a minute, do you believe we're romantically involved?"

“Yes, you were in the bedroom together for a long time, and you got quiet when I walked in, like you were trying to hide something.”

"Kathy, please understand that we are only friends."

Seeing Miles's assertion that they were just friends; Kathy chose not to pursue the matter. She put on her socks, followed by her sneakers, to warm her feet. After closing her suitcase and zipping it up, push it out of the way. Upon approaching the counter, she spotted a red invitation placed on it. Although Mr. Thompson is blind and relied on his other senses, Kathy sensed something from him.

“Mr. Thompson, how did you become blind?”

"I was in a car accident, but luckily I survived," Anthony lied. "My parents think I was careless and almost killed myself."

“I am sorry to hear that. Miles has been helping you ever since then?”

“Yes, I am sorry I didn’t introduce myself. My name is Anthony Thompson, you already know Miles,”

“Well, you have to go back home, right?”

“My parents are worried about me like always. You can stay here if you want,”

Kathy felt like he was lying to her, like he was holding a dark secret, what if someone was coming after him and end up killing him for real? Why is she worried about Anthony? Since he wasn't her husband or boyfriend, she had an idea: she'd ask him to pretend to be her husband until she inherited her mother's company. That option is unavailable to her; therefore, she must explore other possibilities.

Kathy approached Anthony, her smile a playful secret as she fixed his askew tie, the nearness a reminder of their shared moments in bed; the warmth of his skin seemed to linger on her fingertips. He isn't doing that at the moment, though. She withdrew from him.

“What is that invitation?” Kathy point to the red invitation that is on the counter

“Kathy, his parents always put this party to get Mr. Thompson a wife, he always doesn’t go to them,”

“How about I was on your date?”

“Kathy, that's unnecessary; he merely reviews paperwork in his office.”

Kathy figured he must read Braille, but she wanted to get to know him better—maybe take him out to dinner or for a walk in the park. It's okay to talk about his life, but he likely has difficulty trusting others, which is completely understandable.

“Anthony, let's meet at that restaurant; it's where my mom used to take me to get away from my dad when he was working.”

"I accept your offer, and thank you for fixing my tie."

“No problem,”

As they were leaving, Kathy spotted the red invitation on the counter. She started to run after them, but they'd already left the parking lot by the time she got outside. To buy an outfit, Kathy will walk to her car and drive to the mall. Until her phone rings again. Activate the talk function on her Bluetooth headset.

“Yes, father,”

“Come home right now,”

“I was on my way to the mall, it seems that I have to come home,”

“Yes, I will see you when you get here,”

Kathy ended the call, quickly turned the car around, and headed home, suspecting another one of her father's crazy schemes. She placed her mother's ashes in the secure penthouse, away from her father. Anthony’s constantly on her mind; she hopes he’ll join her at the restaurant so they can chat.