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 you laughing at?” Kathleen demanded as she shot a glare at the man.
“I’m laughing at the absurd thoughts going on inside your little head,” Samuel said as he held her gaze. “I’m not as complicated 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?”
“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—your 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 my command.”
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 you coming 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 glanced at it. “So the entertainment company 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—I call her Granny Monica—used 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 explained. “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 dirty laundry 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 accident, 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 delayed 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 glance 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 explained, “Because the land 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 place. 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 explain 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 place?”
“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 that complemented 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 black, 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 black holes? Why are they right at the center of the map?”
