Chapter 32: Unexpected KissKathleen’s P.O.V“This…is how you really kiss.”Before I could understand what he was saying, Arthur pulled me close and crashed his lips onto mine.To say that I was caught off-guard…would be an understatement.Arthur’s lips were soft and wet and they moved against mine, a touch so tender that it sent shivers up my spine.I felt myself melting into the kiss, letting myself get lost in the moment. It was as if everything else faded away, and there were only the two of us. Everything happened so fast, like a scene from a movie, and I didn't see it coming. Another taste of Arthur's lips was all I needed for Christmas and even though he claimed not to like Christmas, he had granted my wish unknowingly.I felt his hand on my cheek, cradling me almost tenderly, while his other hand went down my body to rest on my waist…as he jerked me forwards, so that I landed flat against his chest, a small gasp escaping my lips when I found my body pressed up against his.Ta
Chapter 33: Moving ForwardArthur’s P.O.VAs I sat in my office, I could not stop thinking about what had happened earlier. I had acted rashly, letting my emotions get the better of me.But in all honesty…it wasn’t a rash decision…I had wanted it. After that teasing kiss that Kathleen had given me in front of my daughter’s room…I had wanted more, I had craved for more. Because that simple touch of lips, that simple brush of senses had ignited a fire within me that I hadn't been able to feel for ages.However, try as I may to convince myself otherwise, I knew that I had crossed a line and that I had to face the consequences for. Because what Kathleen had done before had been an impulsive thought, something to stop me from worrying about my daughter excessively. And it had worked.But what I had done? That hadn't been impulsive in the least. I had wanted to kiss her back every since that door had been slammed on my face. And when I had seen a chance, I took it, because I had been desper
Chapter 34: Personal Christmas TreeKathleen’s P.O.VThe morning sun streamed through my window, illuminating my bedroom with a warm, golden glow. I could feel the rays of light dancing across my face, and waking me from my slumber.I was glad to be finally awake, which meant that I had at least slept at little bit last night. However, the night in general had been a whole different story.I had tossed and turned most of the night, unable to escape the thoughts that swirled around in my head. My mind kept replaying the events of day, the feelings of confusion and guilt still lingering in my heart.No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't push the memory away; it was like a stain that would not fade. I could feel the exhaustion weighing down on me, my body aching for rest. But my mind refused to let me sleep, consumed by the events of the day before, and images of Arthur’s lips on mine…his hands on my waist.As I opened my eyes, I saw the world outside my window come to life; the soft mo
Chapter 35: Want vs. NeedKathleen’s P.O.VI pulled on my jeans and a t-shirt, staring back at the lean image in the mirror. It was barely a week working as Hayley's caregiver and I seemed to have lost significant weight.Or was it just the way the jeans fit me that’s why it looked different? Either way, I did need a belt to secure my jeans now and that was fine by me. I was actually glad that I was getting into shape.After finishing up getting ready and pulling on a large overcoat, I then walked to Hayley's room, wondering what she was doing in there alone. However, much to my surprise, I found her trying to get dressed, by herself."Aw," I beamed at her efforts. I loved that she was taking responsibility for things and trying to grow up. “Are you getting ready, sweetheart?”"Yes, Miss Kathleen." She returned the smile, still tugging on the pair of jeans under a blue top she had worn."Do you want to twin with me?" I smiled again, wondering how she knew that I was wearing a blue shi
Chapter 36: A New FriendKathleen’s P.O.VI quickly turned around to find a woman with long blonde hair and green eyes eavesdropping on our conversation.She looked stunning, with her angular facial structure and her soft cheekbones and natural blonde locks framing her face as she smiled angelically at me and Hayley. She wore a simple black dress that clung to her curves, accentuating her natural beauty. Her skin was simply flawless, with a light golden hue to it. Her hair was perfect, styled in a pony tail, and gelled at the right place. Her makeup was minimal, but complementary. Allowing her features to shine through. She seemed like a character from a movie. And somehow, it felt like I had met her before…which was simply impossible.But as much as I appreciated her input on our conversation…I didn’t exactly know her, so a stranger to suddenly be close to Hayley caused alarm bells to go off in my head…especially when I saw her slowly approaching Hayley and bending down to whisper in
Chapter 37: Not Skeptical EnoughArthur’s P.O.VI sat calmly at the meeting, listening raptly to all that was said when a beep from my cell phone interrupted me.I knew that it was not ideal to use my phone during a business conference, but since the incident with Hayley, I always kept my phone on sound mode, no matter how busy I was. I couldn't stop thinking about Kathleen and Hayley, as I saw neither before leaving the house since I had left so early. So I needed to be sure that they were both okay and safe.As I read the message that had interrupted me during the meeting however, a deep frown played on my brows. An interesting sum of money had been withdrawn from my credit card, the one I gave to Gerald in case he needed to buy something urgent while I was away. I stared hard at the screen, wondering what he could’ve bought that would be worth five hundred dollars.For a moment, I was tempted to call Gerald and ask. Even though five hundred dollars wasn’t a big sum compared to how
Chapter 38: Sudden Turn of EventsKathleen’s P.O.VHayley and I got home by five thirty and headed for the games room immediately.Chef Koko, who had been setting the dining table when we walked in, came to check what had happened. He walked over to the games room behind us, probably wondering what all the boxes were about as Gerald helped carry them for us."What are you both up to? I haven't seen you two the whole day." He looked at us curiously, smiling briefly at Hayley.This evening, he seemed to be in a better mood and from the way he was smiling and asking me questions, I guess I could say that the cold war between us was over. In all honesty, I think the only reason why he had been so tight lipped that day was because Hayley had asked me to cook for her, and maybe somehow, it had been like an indirect insult to him, who had been cooking in the Dalton mansion for almost five years.Hayley and Gerald were already busy with the wrappers and taking care of all the stuff we had bou
Chapter 39: Rash DecisionsKathleen’s P.O.VI was too stunned to move or speak as I stared at the closed door, my mind going completely blank for a few instances. "I'm really sorry, Miss Kathleen. I did try to tell you that he didn't seem to be in a good mood today." Gerald tried to make up for what just happened, but it took me a while to get out of my trance.But as I started coming out of my trance, my mind started becoming clearer, seeing things that I hadn't been able to see before.I had been an utter fool…to even think that our boss-employee status had changed in the slightest after our kiss. In fact, I shouldn’t have initiated a kiss in the first place. I shouldn’t have gone out of my way to do things that I wasn’t being ‘paid for’. Wasn’t that what Arthur had told me earlier?If I hadn't let myself be the delusional fool…then I wouldn’t have had my feelings hurt…feelings that I shouldn’t even be having for my employer in the first place. What had been wrong with me this whol
Chapter 81: Happily Ever AfterKathleen’s P.O.V I stood in front of the full-length mirror, smoothing out the delicate lace of my white gown. It’s a stunning dress, simple yet elegant, and it made me feel like a princess.The reflection staring back at me looked like a stranger. Not because of the dress or the elegant hairstyle, but because of the happiness that radiated from my face. It had been a long journey to get here, but standing here now, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of peace and joy.My mother stood behind me, helping me with the final touches. She adjusts the veil and steps back to admire her work."Kat, you look absolutely beautiful," she says, her voice thick with emotion. She wipes away a tear that escapes down her cheek. “I didn’t think I would see you in such a wonderful wedding dress!”"Mom, don't cry," I say, though my own voice is unsteady. I turn to face her, feeling the wave of the moment settle over me. "You always said you wanted to see me settle down w
Chapter 80: Christmas ProposalKathleen’s P.O.V Christmas had been a lonely time for me these past few years. I had usually spent the holidays working or at the hospital, during my mother’s treatment. But this year, everything changed when I met Arthur and his little girl, Hayley.Today, Hayley turned to me with a big smile as we all gathered around the Christmas tree after dinner to exchange gifts. "Miss Kat, remember when I asked Santa for a mommy this Christmas?"I couldn’t help but laugh. "Oh, Hayley, of course I remember!"Hayley’s smile was enough to light up the whole room, "I think he already fulfilled my wish by giving me you."Arthur and I exchanged a look, and I felt my heart skip a beat. We had only just announced our relationship, but I knew that he was the one, the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. And maybe, Hayley was right. Santa may have just granted her wish.Arthur's mother took my hand in her with a gentle smile. “Hayley is right. Welcome to the
Chapter 79: Clearing the MisunderstandingsKathleen’s P.O.V “Where have you been Arthur?” Georgina immediately snaps at her son, her expression dark as she looks from me to Arthur and then at Savannah. “We were about to have the announcement, but then we realized that the couple were missing! How can you abandon your own party like that?”“Mother,” Arthur spoke softly, trying to calm her down. “There is something you must know first, before anything is announced. So please, listen to Savannah.”All eyes turned towards Savannah immediately and she shrunk away under the scrutiny of their combined gazes, her eyes darting towards Arthur and me as I could see her face visibly pale from fright."We’re here for you," I say softly, moving to her other side and giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.Savannah took a deep breath and finally, turned to her parents. "Mom, Dad, there’s something I need to tell you. Something I’ve been hiding for a long time." Her voice trembled with fear, but s
Chapter 78: The Truth about SavannahKathleen’s P.O.V I took a deep breath. "It's a long story," I began, unsure of where to start. But I knew I had to tell him everything."Remember when I went to Target to buy the tree for Hayley’s room?" I asked, remembering the time I had finally learned why Arthur hated Christmas so much. Arthur nodded, still looking puzzled. "Well, while I was there, I bumped into this stunning woman. She was tall, elegant, the kind of person you can't miss. It was Korina, the supermodel."Arthur's eyes widened. "Korina? What was she doing at Target?""That's what I wondered too," I said with a small laugh. "She was looking for a tree just like me. We started talking, and surprisingly, she seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me. At first, I didn't understand why someone like her would want to be friends with someone like me. I mean, I'm just an ordinary person, right?"Arthur nodded, urging me to continue. "So, we exchanged numbers and started hangin
Chapter 77: Untangled WebsKathleen’s P.O.V I stood there, frozen, as Arthur kissed me. For a moment, everything else faded away. All that mattered was the feeling of his lips on mine, the way his hand wrapped around me in a blanket of warmth and comfort.Till now, the scrutiny of our neighbors, the whispers and the gossip had become too much to handle, until Uncle Thompson finally broke the silence and asked me, point blank, what had been on everyone’s mind. It had taken me aback to the point where I didn’t have any idea how to respond.But then I had turned and watched Arthur march towards me with determination…and now, as his lips moved against mine, I couldn’t help but feel a immense amount of relief wash over me.Then, reality crashed back in, and I realized that everyone in the restaurant was staring at us. My heart sank when I noticed my parents among the onlookers, their expressions a mix of shock and confusion.I pulled away from Arthur, my face burning with embarrassment. B
Chapter 76: Can’t Wait Any LongerArthur’s P.O.V When I walked out of the room, I wasn't expecting to see Hayley standing there, tears streaming down her cheeks. Immediately, my heart clenched with concern. I knelt down beside her, gathering her into my arms gently."What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked softly, my voice filled with worry.Hayley sniffled, her eyes red and puffy. "Daddy, did Miss Kathleen leave because I was bad? Because she doesn't love me anymore?"My heart sank even further. Kat was Hayley's beloved nanny, their relationship going even further than just the bonds of duty. They were inseparable…and now that Kathleen wasn’t here, she must be heartbroken. I rubbed Hayley's back soothingly, trying to find the right words to comfort her."No, no, Hayley," I said gently, "Kathleen loves you very much. She didn't leave because of anything you did. Sometimes, people need their own space, but that doesn't mean she doesn't love you."Hayley looked up at me with her big, watery
Chapter 75: Eve of ChangeArthur’s P.O.V I stood at the edge of the party on Christmas Eve, the music thumping through the floor and the chatter of people swirling around me. The office had transformed into a wonderful Christmas wonderland with all the necessary decors and even a gigantic Christmas tree to go along with the theme.However, it wasn’t just an ordinary Christmas party that was usually held by our company for the employees every year. This party was different.I glanced at Savannah, who was smiling tightly as she talked with some of the guests. Neither of us wanted to be here, announcing our engagement in front of everyone. It wasn't our idea. Our parents had planned this without our knowledge, springing it on us like an unwanted surprise.As I watched Savannah, my mind drifted back to the conversation I had with my mother earlier in the day. I had confronted her in the living room, where she was arranging flowers with a meticulousness that belied the chaos she had creat
Chapter 74: Unreciprocated FeelingsKathleen’s P.O.V I hadn't spoken to Cole since that incident in front of the restaurant. Seeing him now, standing awkwardly in front of me…I had no idea how to start a conversation, let alone tell him my deepest thoughts.The memory of that day was still fresh in my mind—his confession, my shocked silence, and the way everything changed in an instant. If Arthur hadn't been there that evening…I don’t think I could’ve had the courage to deal with him alone. But now, here he was, my former best friend…In all honesty, I didn’t even know if I could still call him my friend. We had too many unresolved issues between us. But as he took a seat on the edge of my bed, keeping as much distance between us as possible, I could see the worry etched on his face as he turned to face me."Kat," he says softly, his voice filled with uncertainty. "I’ve been worried about you. No matter what happened between us, I still care. I wish we could just forget that day and
Chapter 73: Comforting A FriendKathleen’s P.O.V Memories of Hayley and Arthur floated in my mind, making me feel like a heavy burden was pressing down on my chest. I had loved them both in my own way, but they were never really mine to begin with. It was time to let them go and try to move on. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off the past.Usually, at times like this, the only person who provided me with any form of comfort was my best friend, Cole. But with the recent developments in our relationship, everything I once knew had come crashing down around me, and I knew that I could never have that connection that I once shared with Cole.When everything else failed, I decided to reach out to my new friend.I picked up my phone and dialed Korina's number. She always had a way of making me feel better, and I hoped talking to her would help. The phone rang a few times before she picked up."Hello?" Korina's voice was shaky, and I could hear sniffling in the background.