Empty vessels make the most noise, and men who fit that description to a tee hardly make for suitable partners. When Corinne had to go on a blind date with someone like that, she did the unthinkable simply to show her disinterest in him—she kissed a handsome older man whom she had never met before. "I hereby pledge myself to you," the older man vowed. If a single kiss from her was all it took for him to devote himself to her, would a second kiss entail much more? There was only one way for Corinne to find out…
View MoreWhy else would Sherman repeatedly bring Rita back to visit his family? His family was the most important thing in his life, and the public had no idea he was the scion of the Parr family. It was evident how much Sherman valued Rita whenever he brought her to attend family gatherings.Unfortunately, Rita was too deep in her confusion to see that. She assumed Sherman only did that to show his family a loving relationship, even if it was fake."You might just be caught up in the moment, which is why you think you like me, but it's not real. When you calm down, you won't feel that way about me anymore. After all, what is there to like about someone like me? I'll only bring you trouble. Sherman, please don't ask me such questions anymore. I can't give you an answer."Rita knew how hurtful her words were, but she had no choice. She could not ruin him with her selfishness. He was such a promising company president.Her? The difference between them was too vast."I refuse to believe you h
"So yea, I think this kind of girl is especially suitable for you—""But I don't like that kind of girl.""What? It's okay if you don't like her at first. You can take some time to nurture your feelings toward her. Just like when I first met you—""When you first me? You mean, you didn't like me at first?"Rita thought of how they had accidentally met and could not help but laugh. "You were like a block of ice. Who'd like that? Don't be too full of yourself.""Well, what about now? Do you like me now?" Sherman did not give Rita a chance to evade. He held her shoulder and pulled her closer.The two of them stared at each other, and Rita could not bear to look away. After all, she would not have the chance to be that close to him again after they parted ways."Tell me the truth, do you like me?"Rita tried to change the subject. What else was there to say between them? Did it matter whether she liked him or not? Apart from caring about herself, she cared even less about other peo
"What's wrong? Don't you like this design? I can have the designer start over if you don't."Rita shook her head quickly. "It's not that I don't like it; it's just that this place is too good. I love every detail of the design, I really do, but...""But what?" Sherman asked anxiously. He had put his heart and soul into this, just to make sure Rita would be pleasantly surprised when she moved in. All this was so she could feel comfortable living there."I love it, but this isn't mine."Sherman could see the disappointment in Rita's gaze. She was clearly pretending to be strong by saying those words, and that baffled Sherman."We're husband and wife. This is our shared home, so why do you say this isn't yours?""It's yours, Sherman, not mine. I know you married me out of obligation, and once the dust settles, I'm willing to divorce you. You don't have to act a certain way when we're with my dad. This place will eventually welcome its true owner."Sherman's expression changed, whil
"I don't approve of your father's actions, but I'm still thankful to him," said Sherman.Rita's ears perked up. "What for? I thought his attitude doesn't sit well with you."She did not understand what Sherman meant. If she were in his shoes, she would have been irritated if someone demanded money from her every day. Sherman, however, could still bring himself to smile in spite of all that. Perhaps such a quality was what made him a good company president."I'm grateful that he insisted on letting you marry me," Sherman replied.Rita fell silent. Her face turned red, and her heart was pounding. She did not dare to entertain the meaning behind Sherman's words, and she immediately looked away when she saw Sherman gazing at her."You... You need to stop saying things like that. I'll repay the money my father borrowed from you. You don't need to resort to your tricks...""What sort of tricks do you mean?" Sherman teased as he looked at Rita's flushed face and reddened ears."Like yo
Sadie then added, "Can't you see that things are still awkward between them?""I didn't notice that at all. All I see is how much they like each other," Karen responded helplessly."You don't have to lie. I know they don't have feelings for each other. If Rita can do it, then why can't I?"Karen sighed. "You're my daughter. I believe that you deserve the best, but you should at least look at the situation. What you said at the dinner table was inappropriate. You were already asking Sherman to visit more often when your father hadn't even said anything yet! If anyone finds out, you'll have a hard time finding a husband!""But I already found the man I want to marry. I want Sherman! You've been living the easy life for far too long, Mom. You've forgotten all those struggles we had to go through. Marrying Sherman would put Rita beneath me forever, and you'll finally be able to vent out that pent-up frustration."Despite Karen's attempts to reason with her, Sadie remained fixated on S
When Vince left, Sadie leaned to her mother and whispered, "Don't you think you're being so harsh on Dad? He did slap you by accident, but he already apologized to you. Can't you forgive him?"Karen then confided, "He reminded me of someone when he slapped me earlier.""Who?" Sadie asked casually."The man who condemned you and me to that dark, damp place. Your biological father." Karen grasped Sadie's hand. "I know you don't want to dwell on the past, but I think you ought to know what sort of person he was. His career wasn't going well back then, and he always lashed out at me when he came home drunk. That was about the same time I met Vince, and I decided that I wanted to leave him for Vince."I believed that Vince was the only one who could rescue me from that hell, but now he's turning into the same person that your father was. How do you expect me not to be afraid when the person I thought was my savior is acting like the devil?"Sadie was too young at the time to remember E
Rita's attitude was so firm that Vince's expression soured. "You interrupted before he even said anything. Is that the sort of attitude you should be displaying?"Rita was not happy at that remark, and she would have engaged in a direct argument with her father if Sherman was not around. His presence made her refrain from engaging in any confrontation, as she did not wish for him to see her family make a scene. All she wanted was to end the meal and leave.Dining at the Parrs was so much more enjoyable than at her own home. Though both sides were a complete family, the atmosphere was worlds apart."I can't believe that the daughter I've raised for all these years has changed completely after getting married. I can't help but wonder what lies you've told her to make her show such devotion to you.""He has never lied to me, Dad. You're the one who is continually siphoning money from the Parrs, but he's never said anything bad about us!" Rita retorted anxiously. Her blatant exposure o
As Rita grew older, she tactfully chose to sleep in another room and rarely ventured into her late mother's. On significant occasions, however, she would still retreat there for a few hours where she could have a sanctuary to reminisce about her mother.Vince had subtly alluded to that room, using it as a gentle reminder for Rita to return home more frequently and remember her roots as a member of the Russell family. While it was acceptable for her father to broach the subject, it carried a different weight when echoed by Sadie, who had no right to speak considering her place in the family."Don't worry, Dad. Just because I'm married now doesn't mean I won't come back anymore. Besides, I'm having dinner with you, aren't I? Now that I'm married, I think it's time I make some things clear. I can't have people assuming that things will continue as it was when I was single. In the future, I'll come back for dinner alone unless it's a special occasion. Sherman has his own family to keep c
Were it not for the huge dining table that separated them, Karen would have been tempted to give her daughter a gentle pat as a signal to stop her nonsensical chatter. Sadie's actions were only setting herself up for embarrassment. Sherman seemed to view her as non-existent, and there was really no point for her to try to get close to him.Sadie set the soup aside and said, "I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but I'm just telling the truth. Take today, for example—your husband's sudden arrival caught our parents off guard. I think we can all agree it's not very hospitable of us to receive him as a guest when our meals were not even prepared yet. If word of this gets out, our reputation for hospitality will be tarnished. And I don't think I need to remind you that your husband is an esteemed guest. You know that better than anyone, and you should at least be considerate of his status."Rita chewed her food and shot Sadie a glare. She knew what Sadie's intentions were. Sherman's presence
The Day I Kissed An Older Man written by Cher the Cherished is a billionaire romantic novel about meeting an unexpected love. It has five-star ratings from avid readers. Corrine Carew is on a terrible blind date arranged by her stepmother. To escape, she randomly kisses a stranger and dumps her date. The unknown man is quite handsome despite looking a bit old. Due to her unexpected action, the older man, Jeremy Holden, wants compensation. Corrine finds herself engaged to Jeremy all of a sudden. And it is highly publicized. Read all the chapters to find out what happens to this whirlwind romance.