Summer's eyes widened in surprise. What did he mean by taking Kelly to see Hailey? Wasn't Hailey long gone? Was he suggesting they meet her ghost?Seeing her startled expression, James chuckled and clarified, "No, I don't mean meeting Hailey in person. I mean visiting her grave. "All Souls' Day is coming up in a week. Perhaps if Kelly takes Keith to pay respects, it might have some positive outcome."Summer was intrigued by James' suggestion. While Hailey was no longer alive, her grave could still evoke powerful memories and emotions in Keith. If Kelly accompanied him, it might be the perfect opportunity to help him confront his past.Summer felt a surge of excitement. Forgetting her surroundings in the elegant and serene restaurant, she stood up and cheered, "That's perfect!"Her outburst drew the attention of nearby diners, making Summer feel slightly self-conscious as all eyes turned toward her. She quickly sat back down, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Despite this,
Summer was surprised. "You knew?""Of course. I could tell Keith wasn't into me. During our date, he was so distant. I'm not oblivious. How could I possibly not notice? And when I didn't hear from you about a second date, I figured he didn't agree. If he had, you'd have called me right away."Kelly was smarter than Summer thought. Even though Summer hadn't spelled everything out, Kelly had pieced it together."Summie, let me handle this and talk to Keith myself. You can't always be the one relaying the message, right? If I'm serious about pursuing him, I need to take some initiative."Kelly spoke with firm resolve, which showed that she was committed and serious about this.It was a rare moment, and Summer realized Kelly was right. She couldn't always be her friend's go-between. Although Summer wanted to protect Kelly, she knew she couldn't do so indefinitely. Since Kelly liked Keith, she should be brave enough to pursue him. Relying on others to gain happiness would be meanin
Raindrops gently slipped through Keith's fingers, and he found the delicate, translucent droplets fascinating."'Mom, how does rain happen?"' he asked, filled with the wonder and curiosity a child would have. He couldn't understand how a bright, clear sky could suddenly bring rain.Hailey gazed down at him with a tender smile, brushing her hand gently over his hair. "'There's a Rain God up there. When the Rain God thinks the earth needs a break from the heat, he sends rain. Otherwise, the farmers' crops would dry up, and we wouldn't have any food."'"'Oh, so the Rain God is a good person!"' Keith said, his smile brightening even more. To him, the world was full of magical things. His mother had always said, "'Good deeds bring good fortune, and bad deeds bring trouble."'Keith believed there were gods watching over the world; they were the reason why humans could live happily and healthily. Some gods controlled the weather—like the rain god and the sun god, and others watched ov
Keith played in the rain joyfully. His laughter was bright and innocent, much like a child savoring a lollipop.Hailey was elated to see Keith enjoying himself. She gently brushed back her hair and watched him with loving eyes. As Keith dashed farther down the path, she chased after him. Soon, they were playfully splashing at each other.The world blurred around them in the light rain; a cool breeze swept by, and water droplets danced in the air. Despite the misty weather, the scene felt vibrant and full of life, like an impromptu water park adventure.As the memory faded, Keith's present surroundings came back into focus. He stood at the window of Ritter Corporation, gazing out at the rain that blurred the cityscape. So much had changed since those days. He wasn't the carefree child who found joy in the smallest things anymore.Keith's gaze turned steely, his demeanor calm and composed. Settling back into his chair, he immersed himself once more in the demanding tasks that fil
Kelly was the same. When she saw Keith step out, her previous confidence and energy deflated like a balloon. She lowered her head and stayed silent.Keith signaled for the two security guards holding Kelly to leave and then calmly asked her to enter his office. The atmosphere was tense, and the pressure was palpable. Sitting across from Keith, Kelly found it hard to breathe. She hesitated for a long time, thinking she couldn't come all this way just to say nothing. Kelly had promised Summer earlier that she would bravely confess her feelings no matter what. This was her love, and she had to be courageous."Keith, I have something to say to you!" Kelly finally blurted out after taking a deep breath. It was so difficult to speak under Keith's cold, sharp gaze; even climbing Everest wouldn't have been as challenging. Fortunately, Kelly managed to say the first sentence.Keith maintained his indifferent expression as if he could sit there with authority even if a typhoon were to h
Keith was a heartless and indifferent man. No matter what others did, it never affected him."Have you finished speaking? If that's all you want to say, please leave. I'm busy," Keith said emotionlessly. The air seemed to freeze. Although they were inside the office, Kelly's heart felt as cold as the rain outside. A chill spread from her heart through her veins. She couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with sadness; she wanted to cry.This was Kelly's first time confessing her feelings. Yet, she was rejected so coldly during her first attempt that she felt crying was the only way to release her emotions.A soft sob escaped her. Tears started welling up in her eyes, and she looked like a little girl whose candy had been taken away. She began to cry.Keith was stunned by the scene before him. He had never encountered anything like this—a woman crying right in front of him, and he was the reason for her tears.For a moment, Keith was flustered. But he was a cold president, and even
But everything that had just happened was real. Kelly stood up from her chair, puffed out her chest with pride, and explained, "I was the head of the drama club at school. Crying on cue is easy for me!"Although Kelly wasn't a professional actress, that didn't mean she couldn't cry. Even without using eye drops or onions, she could cry whenever she wanted. She was capable of putting on a moving performance if needed.Keith never expected to meet his match. Feeling frustrated and annoyed, he waved her away coldly, trying to back out of the situation.Kelly wasn't about to let him off the hook. She had come prepared. She picked up her smartphone and pressed play on the recording. Their conversation was replayed."As long as you stop crying, I'll do one thing for you.""Are you serious? If I stop crying, you'll agree to do something for me?""Yes." These three lines played repeatedly from the recorder. Kelly wasn't stupid. She had recorded the conversation in case Keith tried
Upon hearing Kelly's voice, Summer immediately asked, "How are you, Kelly? Did anything happen?""Don't worry, Summer. Nothing happened; everything went smoothly."When Summer heard that everything went smoothly, she knew what Kelly meant. The weight on her heart was finally lifted. She had been worried that Kelly would hit a wall and part ways with Keith on bad terms. It seemed she had successfully invited Keith on a date.But it was strange—Keith agreeing to a date with Kelly. Could there be some tricks involved? Summer couldn't help but be suspicious. Keith was mysterious and could be particularly cunning and ruthless. Who knew what he might be planning behind the scenes?Just as Summer was about to remind Kelly to be cautious, Kelly wanted to hang up the phone. "Summie, I won't go into details now. "I'm heading out with Keith. I'll explain everything when I get back." And with that, Kelly hung up, not giving Summer a chance to say more.Summer's thoughts surfaced like sh