Chapter 3: The Kiss

Kyle Reinhart, the newly appointed CEO of Reinhart Group, the largest corporation in Reeds City and one of the country's top 10 most powerful groups. He had just returned from the UK after successfully establishing five new branches there.

After a long process of proving his outstanding ability, Kyle was given the right to take over the group at the age of 32. That also meant he became the second most powerful person in the Reinhart family, only after his father, Charles Reinhart.

As Lysia focused intently on her iPad screen, she realized this was all she knew about the man. To her memory, Henry had never once mentioned his brilliant youngest uncle. It seemed as though the entire Reinhart family maintained a certain unease about Kyle’s presence.

While Lysia genuinely admired Kyle’s talent, anything involving the Reinhart family now made her feel uneasy. Her presence here today was purely for work, and she also had something to deliver to Kyle Reinhart—the man who had unexpectedly become the groom at her wedding that day.

“Mr. Reinhart is here!” A journalist exclaimed first, breaking the silence.

Lysia was startled and dropped her pen on the ground. When she raised her head, her eyes immediately locked onto the hazel gaze of Kyle.

Sharp, deep, both distant and close, and those eyes seemed to be about to swallow her whole.

Tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, Lysia took a deep breath to suppress her rapidly beating heart, and then she shifted her gaze elsewhere.

At that moment, Kyle’s attention also moved away from her. He stepped forward to speak into the microphone and his deep voice echoed throughout the large press conference hall.

“Mr. Reinhart, I have a question,” A female reporter stood up and asked, “I see you have a ring on your ring finger, are you willing to share your marital status? Is it true that you’re married?”

Lysia was startled and opened her eyes wide in panic. Clutching the voice recorder tightly in her hand, she felt her heart rise and fall with every subtle expression on Kyle’s face.

“Yes, I am married,” Kyle replied, casually showing off the ring.

“What?”, Lysia’s face darkened.

The hall became excited at this news. The female reporter smiled and pressed further, “Can you tell us who the lucky woman is?”

Kyle suddenly glanced in Lysia's direction, then smiled naturally at the camera, “She is here.”

A chill ran down Lysia’s spine, causing her to shiver. As she stood up to ask another question, Kyle shrugged innocently and added, “Here, in this city. I will introduce her to you guys all if the opportunity arises.”

Lysia was bewildered by the teasing look Kyle had just thrown her way. Standing alone in the middle of the room quickly made her the center of attention.

‘Damn it, he’s playing me!’ She cursed inwardly, noticing the barely concealed amusement on Kyle's face as she awkwardly sat back down.

The press conference ended about two hours later. As Lysia left the auditorium, a polite man approached her.

“Mrs. Reinhart, Mr. Reinhart is waiting for you in the lounge. I will escort you there.” He said.

“Sorry? You are…?” Lysia hesitated.

The man inclined his head slightly and introduced himself, “I’m Stephen Batista, Mr. Reinhart’s assistant. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hello, Mr. Batista, I’m Lysia Kingsley, a journalist from RRC Newsroom. Nice to meet you as well,” Lysia also nodded back at him. She then took out a card from her bag and handed it to Stephen, adding, “As far as I know, RRC doesn’t have a meeting scheduled with your CEO. Please give him this card on my behalf—Lysia—and let him know I won’t take up any more of his time since we have no further matters to discuss.”

The $50,000 card marked the end of their agreement. From this moment onward, she wanted nothing more to do with anyone from the Reinhart family.

“But Mrs. Reinhart…” Stephen said in confusion.

Lysia’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly as she interrupted him, “Ah, right, please adjust your wording. Not everyone is happy to be called ‘Mrs. Reinhart’.”

She then flashed a polite smile as a farewell before turning to leave.

Stephen stared after her retreating figure in bewilderment and muttered to himself, “But Mr. Reinhart specifically told me to call her that. What’s with this couple?”

***

The sound of high heels echoed through the deserted hallway. Lysia was walking towards the underground parking lot while searching for her car keys in her bag. Suddenly, a voice ahead made her raise her head.

“Oh let’s see, who’s that?” Camilla sneered, linking her arm through Henry’s as they looked at Lysia with smug satisfaction.

Lysia’s expression immediately hardened. She raised a hand to cover her nose and shot them a contemptuous look. “God, why does a high-end hotel like this reek of trash? I’ll need to file a complaint.”

“Lysia Kingsley, stop acting so high and mighty. After all, you’ve already lost miserably, all your resistance is pitifully weak.” Camilla growled and stomped her foot on the ground in anger.

“Cleaning up garbage for me and you think you’ve struck gold?” Lysia laughed sarcastically and clapped her hands, “Amazing. A third-wheel whore coupling with a backstabbing scumbag. Congratulations! Hold on to each other tightly for life so the rest of the world won’t have to suffer.”

With that, Lysia swung her handbag hard against Henry and walked past him without sparing him a glance.

“You bitch, stop right here!” Camilla went crazy and rushed forward to grab Lysia’s shoulder from behind.

“Ugh, damn it!” Lysia grunted under her breath and spun around.

Slap!

Lysia raised her wrist and slapped Camilla straight in the face.

The slap was so strong that Camilla staggered and fell into Henry’s arms. Her cheek instantly showed the vivid imprint of Lysia’s fingers.

Touching her stinging face, Camilla stared at Lysia in disbelief, “You… You slapped me?”

Lysia’s tone was dripping with impatience, “A slap isn’t enough to shut you up, you fake bitch?” She took a step forward, but Camilla began to burst into tears.

Camilla held her stomach and looked up at Henry with sparkling eyes, “Baby, my stomach hurts so much. What if our child is scared because of her?”

At this moment, Henry walked in front of Lysia with a fierce expression and shouted, “Enough, Lysia. Don’t you think you’ve gone too far for hitting a pregnant woman?”

Lysia folded her arms and tilted her chin up defiantly. “What are you going to do, Henry? Hit me? Do you dare, you coward?”

Camilla saw Henry’s discouraged expression and her anger flared up, her sour voice carrying a hint of madness, “Lysia, don’t be so smug. I know about your acting with Sir Kyle Reinhart at the wedding that day. Kyle dumped you right after the wedding and he will marry his fiancée for real soon. No matter how hard you try to save face, Henry is mine. And you are just a clown who has lost the favor of God.”

"Is that so?" A deep, magnetic voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere.

Henry and Camilla widened their eyes in fear as they turned back.

Kyle Reinhart stood there, his strikingly handsome face exuding an air of dominance and undeniable power.

“Uncle Kyle…” Henry stuttered and pulled Camilla aside.

Kyle strode towards Lysia. A faint smile flashed across his face as he looked at her and naturally wrapped his arms around her waist.

Henry lowered his voice, “Uncle Kyle, I’m sorry that my personal matters have bothered you. But please, you shouldn’t waste your attention on a woman like her. She only knows how to create chaos when things don’t go her way. I’ll handle this properly.”

“What kind of woman am I?” Lysia asked back.

She put her arm over Kyle’s affectionately and continued, “I have a good career, beautiful looks, a prominent family, and money. Why would I need a man with rotten morals like you, Henry? You’re overestimating yourself. My husband must be more outstanding than you could ever be.”

“But that man isn’t Kyle Reinhart," Camilla spoke softly from behind Henry, her tone dripping with venom, “You can not marry him! Stop this ridiculous act. Unless…”

Hesitating a second, she added and her lips curled into a sly smile, “Unless you dare prove that the two of you are genuinely in love. Go on—show it in front of him if you’re so confident.”

The corner of Lysia’s mouth curved into a mocking and bitter smile. Memories of high school flooded back. Camilla used to be isolated by her friends. At that time, Lysia was the only one who came to talk to her and became her best friend. Lysia always noticed that Camilla was always jealous of her, but she once believed that her sincerity would help Camilla overcome her insecurities.

They had been friends for 10 years. Yet, in the end, the results showed that she was wrong to treat someone who didn’t deserve it well.

Brushing away the complicated memories, Lysia stood on her tiptoes and kissed Kyle on his cheek.

A fleeting kiss but it caused Kyle’s expression to change so complicatedly.

‘How adorable,’ he mused, stifling a chuckle as he felt his ears warm.

Then, without warning, Kyle’s strong hand grasped Lysia’s chin and he leaned down to kiss her deeply. The kiss was slow and consuming, leaving her breathless. When he felt her breathing become difficult, he pulled away from her swollen lips and gently fondled them with his thumb.

In a husky whisper, he murmured, “Am I outstanding enough to meet your standards?”

Lysia was still dazed by the passionate kiss that she didn’t expect. Her whole body went limp in Kyle’s arms. Her ears were ringing as all she could hear was her pounding heartbeat.

Kyle’s attention shifted back to Henry, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Where is your respect?” He demanded.

His chest heaved as he said each word, “Address her as Aunt Lysia. Remember that. This is the first and only warning for you, Henry.”