Chapter 36 Mistress

Chapter 36 Mistress
Kai's POV:

Erin's fidgeting with the reins didn't escape my eyes.

My contempt deepened. Her unnatural reaction when I mentioned the stable owner just confirmed my suspicion—she was indeed being kept by that man.

A once proud Perez family heiress, now having to rely on men for benefits.

I suppressed the disdain in my eyes, my smile becoming even more gentle.

I laughed casually, steering the conversation to the main topic.

"Actually, besides asking you to pick horses today, there's something else I need your help with."

Erin visibly relaxed, as if relieved I wasn't pursuing her relationship with that man further. She quickly asked.

"What is it?"

"Our company ran into some trouble recently. A batch of key pharmaceutical raw materials got cut off. We had everything settled with the distributors, but they suddenly backed out, saying because of the relationship between Thomas and Perez families, they absolutely refuse to sell to us."

I watched her reaction closely. Seeing her brow furrow slightly, I continued.

"Only the Baker family has stable supply of these materials. You have such a good relationship with the stable owner, and Baker family's Don is targeting Perez because of him. Could you put in a good word for me?"

As expected, Erin's face immediately showed difficulty, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the brass buckle on the reins.

"He won't listen to me. We're really just ordinary friends."

Those four words "ordinary friends" made me sneer inwardly.

I had anticipated this. A mistress had no voice in a man's eyes.

She was just his plaything to relieve boredom.

"Erin, I know Gloria went too far before, but you can't take it out on the entire family. Fine if you target Perez, but now even our Thomas family is getting dragged in. This is too much!"

I watched her face turn pale suddenly, feeling an inexplicable satisfaction.

"Your father already favors Gloria. Doing this will only make him angrier. You're already less favored than Gloria in the family. Keep this up, and uncle might truly abandon you completely."

Erin's lips trembled, her expression pained. I knew these words would upset her.

Before, when she was wronged, she'd always come crying to me with red eyes, saying father scolded her without reason again, saying Gloria was scheming behind her back.

So what?

If she hadn't been so stubborn, insisting on confronting uncle head-on, how would she have ended up like this?

My coldness lasted only a second before I immediately put on a concerned expression, gently patting her shoulder.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said those things to hurt you. But I'm really out of options. Thomas and Perez are tied together. We can't just collapse like this."

I softened my tone, coaxing her.

I saw hesitation in her expression, unable to read her exact attitude.

After a moment's hesitation, she still nodded lightly.

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee success."

I smiled triumphantly inside. I knew that as long as I hit her weak spot of craving paternal love and gave her some false hope, she'd obediently comply.

My face immediately broke into a smile.

"Thank you, Erin! Let me treat you to dinner?"

Erin shook her head, suggesting instead.

"Let me treat you. After all, you helped me get the retake opportunity."

I was about to agree when my phone suddenly rang, Gloria's name flashing on the screen.

I answered, hearing Gloria's sweet voice from the receiver.

"Kai, I booked that new French restaurant. Let's go together tonight?"

I could clearly feel Erin's body stiffen, her eyes instantly turning cold.

I quickly said into the phone, "Sorry Gloria, I still have some things to handle. I won't go tonight."

After hanging up, before I could speak, Erin spoke first.

"Since you have things to do, let's meet next Wednesday instead."

I nodded in agreement, watching her walk toward that Ferrari, my eyes suddenly narrowing.

This car's class wasn't something a riding instructor could afford.

Seems this stable owner really likes her, spending big money!

Erin's POV:

My heart burned with anger and grievance.

Kai's words just now pierced my heart like dense needles.

He clearly knew what kind of life I lived in the Perez family, yet still used those words to hurt me.

I remembered when I was fifteen, Gloria deliberately broke father's most treasured antique vase, then cried saying I pushed her and caused it.

Father didn't care who was right or wrong and slapped me, making my mouth bleed.

He locked me in the dark, damp basement for three whole days.

I hugged my knees in the corner, repeatedly banging on the door and crying, only to get father's cold "reflect properly."

It was Kai who secretly passed bread and water through the ventilation shaft.

I cried and told him all my grievances then, saying how much I longed for father to treat me like he treated Gloria, saying how much I hated that house.

I once thought he was the person who understood me most in this world, someone I could entrust my life to.

So I showed him my most vulnerable wounds without reservation.

But now, he was using what hurt me most to attack me.

He was no longer the Kai who cared only for me!

I exhaled. Thomas family shouldn't suffer because of Perez family's grudges anyway.

Though Kai had changed, this matter wasn't his fault.

I took a deep breath and drove toward the castle.

The moment I entered the living room, the atmosphere felt somewhat heavy.

Kingsley sat on the sofa reading documents, light casting faint shadows on his face, his whole being radiating a cold aura.

Harrison immediately ran over when he saw me, excitedly shouting.

"Mommy! Did you pass the assessment?"

I smiled and nodded. He immediately rushed over and hugged my arm.

"Great! I knew mommy was the best! By the way, you said a friend helped you get the retake opportunity. How should we thank him?"

I paused, remembering I had mentioned this to Harrison on the phone earlier.

I touched his head, saying softly.

"I'm planning to treat him to dinner next Wednesday evening."

As soon as I finished speaking, Kingsley, who had been silent, suddenly raised his eyelids. His gaze fell on me with a depth I couldn't understand.