Ch. 471..480

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—” Kathleen looked at Anthony.

“Kate, eat up. My husband has something to tend to, so he’ll be late, but us Lesters are all around.” Yvonne put some food on Kathleen’s plate before she even finished speaking.

Us Lesters?

Kathleen could definitely feel that something was off.

“I—” 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.

“Though I’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 adding food to her plate.

Kathleen was never a big eater, so it was impossible for her to finish all the food that was piled on her plate 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 black 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 glanced 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 you coming?” 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 plane 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 was late.”

“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!

“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 planning 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 and come 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 that Samuel 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 placed 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 plant 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 place.”

“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 Yvonne were 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. I need to meet Anthony.” Samuel’s expression turned into its usual frostiness.

He had a hunch that the Lesters had ulterior motives for summoning Kathleen over.

“All right.” Tyson nodded.

He stepped on the gas pedal and drove Samuel to Lester Group.

After they reached the company, they walked to the reception desk and asked to see Anthony without further ado.

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?” 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, Samuel then took his leave.

He made his way back to the car.

Tyson asked, “Mr. Macari, what is the Lester family truly after?”

“It’s certainly not wanting to marry her into the Lester family,” Samuel replied in a deep voice.

Both Dylan 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 Lester family 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. Nonetheless, I can’t make her tell me if she doesn’t want to say it.

Yvonne blinked as she 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 incomplete, 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 Rebecca 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 her come 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 black Rolls-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 others coming 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 her coming 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—Kate’s husband.”

Betty had already known about Samuel and Kathleen’s relationship. She merely hummed in response awkwardly.

Kathleen chimed in, “Samuel and I had some misunderstandings in the past, but we’ve made up.”

“I see. We know that.” Yvonne gave her a sidelong glance. “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.

Glancing 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—you have me.” Holding onto his right arm, she stated, “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. Even without all of my memories, I still love her!

Chapter 473

Because You Were Not There

Kathleen guided Samuel to the restaurant.

Soon, they found a nice and quiet place to sit.

With the menu in hand, Kathleen ordered all the food that Samuel liked while he sat next to her.

There was a refreshing fragrance coming 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 glass 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. “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’d never 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. “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 plate.

He used his left hand to hold the fork while Kathleen kept putting more food on his plate.

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 plant 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 fiancée, 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 internet.

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’t he 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 wish come true. Yet… Samuel is unable to forget about Kathleen! His feelings for her must have been etched into his bones. That’s the only explanation 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 relationship.”

“What is it!” Ashley was keen to know.

Lauren proposed, “It’s killing Samuel and Kathleen’s children. Their relationship 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 elaborated, “We just have to come up with a good plan. As we both know, Kathleen and Samuel are not in the country at the moment—now 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.

Lauren casually 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?” the latter 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.”

Kathleen laughed 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? You clearly know how much I would miss you.”

Kathleen looked rather abashed. “All right, I’ll stay with you at the hotel.”

“Great.” Samuel flashed 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. I couldn’t fall asleep because you weren’t there.” The man spoke in an aggrieved tone.

Chapter 474

Settle The Score

At the hotel, Samuel fell asleep right after he lay 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.

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 you company,” he said lazily.

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 place no one else knew about.

A few minutes later, 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 up later 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 glanced 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 your company?”

“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 into laughter 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. “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 relationship with Ashley.”

“Don’t you sense something strange about Ashley?” Kathleen asked as she put her long hair up into a bun.

Samuel explained, “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

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,” declared Kathleen icily.

Of course, she was also referring to Lauren and Luna.

In response, Samuel nodded.

Another day passed by quickly.

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 welcoming you with open arms,” Yvonne reassured. “My mom was worried the whole night because you didn’t return last 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 recommended 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 it later 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, he lay 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 the company’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, come 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 slap sounded in the room.

Kathleen had slapped him out of no choice.

It was then that Samuel finally quieted down.

She held his handsome face and repeated, “Samuel, look at me!”

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

Taking It Too Far

Swallowing hard, Samuel insisted, “I’m fine.”

Kathleen sighed with relief. She let go of him and lay 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 clasped 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 relax completely either.

He was terrified.

Kathleen glanced 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.”

The fear was planted 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 while later, a series of knocks sounded from the door.

The two hurriedly paused in their tracks.

Embarrassment flashed 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 glare.

“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 and comfortable.

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 collaborated a few times before,” Francis mentioned as he took a sip of water from his glass.

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-in-law.” 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 flashed 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, the latter 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 explained.

“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—”

“I know what to do,” Samuel claimed. “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 glanced 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 play dumb about it.

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

Dead

A few days later, 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 elderly lady 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. “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, come in.”

“That’s not needed. I do not think that would be appropriate,” he replied plainly.

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 explained, “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 exclaimed 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, come in, Mr. Macari.”

Samuel nodded. He did not mind entering when accompanied 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 be comforting 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 explained.

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 regular 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 elaborated.

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 incompetent 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 become 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 become 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 planned 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. “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 had completely set the anger in their chests ablaze.

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 plan.

After leaving Ashley’s condominium, Samuel went to visit the kids.

Eilam and Desiree were very excited when they saw their father.

Samuel wanted to hug them, but Eilam 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

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 nonchalantly.

Samuel nodded.

“I saw the news. Congratulations 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 back later. I’ll need to continue troubling you with them.”

“All right.” Gemma nodded. “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 Eilam.

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 to come 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 Eilam’s hand and chirped, “Eil, Mommy and Daddy are finally back together. They won’t split up again after this!”

“Yes.” Eilam 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 related to Gemma’s accident, yet you only held her captive and continued caring for her, providing her with food and drinks. You’ll regret this sooner or later.

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 placed down his phone after sending out the message.

Then, he took a walk down the memory lane.

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 hour later, 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 success.” Francis grinned. “Kate was simply superb. I heard the doctors and nurses who worked alongside her in the operating theatre compliment 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 the last 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 table lamp. “I’m here.”

The soft glow from the table lamp illuminated his handsome facial features, which were arranged into a tender expression.

“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 glanced inside the room.

The elderly lady did not require any family members to stay and accompany 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 was comfortable 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 explained.

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 related 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 glanced 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 flashed across her eyes.

Chapter 479

The Show Has Just Started

“This is what he promised to give Ezra?” Samuel asked in a solemn voice.

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.

He had never once shown her how it felt like to be loved.

“Let’s consider today a date,” Kathleen added languidly.

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 playful 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 relationship.

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 playfully. “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 explained. “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 plans, 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.”

“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 may come a time where you’ll regret your decision,” Samuel explained. “Why don’t you just treat them as normal relatives 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’m coming 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 relay 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 explained. “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 explained.

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,” Samuel comforted 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

No Signal

An hour later, 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 glanced at the name on the phone screen — Leonard.

“Hello?” Samuel furrowed his brows slightly. “How did it go?”

“We don’t see Eil anywhere. It’s weird. We checked the entire plane as soon as it landed, 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 Eilam on his own.

“Okay.” Leonard nodded.

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 Eilam, she wanted to do whatever she could to help.

“Okay.” Kathleen bobbed her head.

Gemma soon took Desiree’s hand. “Desi, why don’t you come 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 plainly.

“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 plane.

It made Kathleen extremely nervous during the entire journey.

After all, those people would still harm Eilam in the end, even if they were not doing that for now.

About ten hours later, 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 glance. “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 plane, 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 unrelated 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 collapsed to the ground and spat out a packet.

The employee, who was standing in a corner, recognized the item at a glance.

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 planted 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 plane with it. I was told to turn it off once the plane lands.”

Does that mean the tracker’s been removed? Is Eil injured, then? D*mn it!

Kathleen frowned.

She approached the woman and grabbed the latter’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.