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
Kelly turned her head and looked blankly at Keith. She didn't understand why they had suddenly stopped. Before she could ask, Keith spoke first. "Why do you want to go there?"His voice was cold and sharp, and his piercing gaze was intimidating, like that of a wild animal. Under his gaze, Kelly lowered her head. She knew that by mentioning this place, Keith could easily guess her intention.Kelly didn't spell it out. Instead, she smiled and said, "I want to pay my respects to a friend.""Pay respects to a friend?" Keith seemed skeptical. Kelly had gone to great lengths to secure this second date with him, and yet she chose to go to a cemetery, which was a place for the dead. Even a person who had lost their mind wouldn't choose to go on a date there.Keith found this interesting, but he also felt like something was off. Was Kelly really going to the cemetery to pay respects to a friend, or was there another reason? He blinked with suspicion.Kelly quickly explained, "Back in c
As Kelly stepped out of the car, she was greeted by rows of headstones, each about four feet high, inscribed with names and adorned with black-and-white photos. The collective presence of these headstones created an imposing and awe-inspiring atmosphere.It was clearly Kelly's first time visiting a place like this. She was unsure of where to go amidst the numerous graves and winding paths, with trees looming all around and a light drizzle complicating her journey.Keith, however, seemed familiar with the way. He retrieved an umbrella from the back of the car, held it over Kelly, and led her forward. "Weren't you going to pay respects to your classmate? Where is he or she buried?" he asked as they walked.His question caught Kelly off guard. Her true intention was to lead Keith to his mother's grave, not to visit any classmate. Luckily, Kelly was quick-witted. She glanced around and pointed to a random headstone among the many. Next, Kelly smiled and said, "That one. That's my cl
This was Kelly's true purpose. The talk of paying respects to classmates and going on a date was all a facade; her ultimate goal was to bring Keith here.At first, she thought that Keith, who was usually difficult, would raise questions. After all, he hadn't visited his mother's grave in years and might feel uncomfortable being brought here unexpectedly.However, Keith didn't refuse Kelly's request. On the contrary, he seemed to agree wholeheartedly, leading the way with an umbrella in hand. Although his expression was tense, Kelly could still sense a certain eagerness in his features. Eventually, Kelly understood the situation. From the moment she suggested going to the Peace Cemetery, Keith had known that her true intention was to bring him to pay respects to his mother. He simply didn't state it outright; perhaps he needed an excuse, and Kelly had provided that excuse for him to visit his mother.While Kelly was unaware of the specifics of Keith's relationship with his mother