Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1001-1010

Angela’s subordinates were puzzled by her outbursts of emotion. Then, when she realized she was in the middle of a meeting, she took a tissue from her assistant to wipe away her tears and said, “The meeting is over for today. Today’s lunch will be on me, so let’s eat together.”

“Wow!” Everyone applauded enthusiastically; ever since she took over this project department, they had been receiving numerous benefits and working in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Meanwhile, at Daphne’s office, a man in his early forties was sitting across from her. He sported an expensive watch, wore clothing from a well-known brand, and was impeccably dressed. It was Andy Graham, the previous general manager of the project department, who she had just terminated from his position.

“President Meyers, I know that Miss Meyers is your daughter. But, aren’t you worried that your company might be ruined for allowing her to manage such an important department?” Andy asked with a defiant expression.

“Andy, no matter what, she is my daughter. I believe I have a better understanding of my daughter’s potential than you do. After all, aren’t you constantly looking for a new job? I’m just helping you along,” Daphne responded calmly. Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.

“President Meyers, over the course of all these years, I’ve assisted you with a great number of important projects; do you really think it’s appropriate for you to kick away the ladder now?” His eyes had a hint of threat in them, and he continued, “People who act like this often find themselves in trouble.”

“Andy Graham, are you threatening me right now? Since you claim that I am kicking away the ladder, then perhaps we should discuss the various sneaky tricks that you have been pulling behind my back for such a long time. With all of the kickbacks you’ve been receiving, I believe you should be able to afford a brand-new house. What else are you not satisfied with?”

Andy’s face flushed with rage, and he glared at her. “President Meyers, you were lucky enough to walk away from that car accident without any serious injuries. Next time, be extra cautious and aware of your surroundings on the road.”

“Andy Graham! What do you mean by that?” Daphne bellowed.

He sneered. “I just wanted you to be cautious when driving.” Afterward, he slammed the door and left.

Andy had become more daring over the last few years. Furthermore, he had been terminated from his job, so he carried a deep resentment that gave him an inherently vicious personality. However, as he approached the elevator, his eyes lit up as he saw Angela emerge. Angela is stunningly beautiful. In fact, she was so beautiful that evil thoughts occupied his mind, prompting him to reach out and touch her.

Immediately, her assistant appeared before him. “Mr. Graham, what are you doing? We are currently in the company.”

Angela’s face was ice-cold and brimming with rage because her mom had told her about Andy. He had been secretly pocketing kickbacks from the company over the past few years without her mom’s knowledge. Even though her mom terminated him, he frequently came to the office to vent his frustration.

Now, he even intended to take advantage of her. “Andy Graham, you are not welcome here; do not return in the future.”

“Angela, do you think you’re capable of taking over my position, you silly little girl?”

“Why wouldn’t Miss Meyers be able to do it? She will eventually inherit the company,” her assistant retorted.

“My family’s company is no longer your concern,” Angela replied coldly.

“You are stunningly beautiful, Miss Meyers. You are becoming more and more appealing to me.” Following that statement, Andy gave a repulsive lick to his lips.

“I’ll call security if you don’t leave right away,” her assistant warned him.

Andy eventually left after a while. While in the elevator, he kept his gaze fixed on Angela’s slender figure as she walked away and smiled maliciously.

He was furious that Daphne had fired him. He couldn’t persuade her to reverse her decision even after swallowing his pride to beg her. Now, he directed all of his hatred toward Angela. After Daphne’s beautiful daughter is gone, let’s see who is left to inherit the company.

Angela went to her mother’s office to inform her that Richard had safely returned. It appeared that Angela had become more emotionally stable.

Daphne was happy for her as well. “Now you can finally get a good night’s sleep.”

She simply nodded. “I cannot wait to see him.”

“Be patient! Sooner or later, he will return,” Daphne told Angela.

Meanwhile, Captain Anderson and his men escorted Albert home on a private jet bound for a nonstop international flight. Richard, seated on the couch and staring out the windows at the clouds, couldn’t hide his homesickness.

His leg was in a cast, and it wasn’t severely broken, but he still needed to recuperate for some time.

“Who is Miss Meyers, Richard?” Captain Anderson sat opposite him and asked inquisitively.

He responded naturally and with a smile, “My wife.”

“You’re married? Why wasn’t I notified of this?”

“I’ll be getting married when I return this time.”

“You were extremely bold this time. Why did you defy my orders and go after Moccan?”

“Because of what he said.” Richard clenched his fists.

“What did he say?”

“Finally, he said that he would remember me. Initially, I was hesitant to take the risk as well. But his words compelled me to act. Otherwise, the safety of those I hold dear will be in danger,” Richard said with his teeth clenched.

Captain Anderson sighed and remarked, “It’s no surprise that you’d put everything on the line to pursue him. Moccan is also a ruthless person who will go to any length for vengeance. If I were in your shoes, I think I would have done the same thing.”

Yes, Richard realized he needed to make it back to safety right then. However, he was compelled to take this life-threatening risk out of concern for protecting his loved ones.

Angela was wide awake and energized even though it was nearly midnight. An hour before Richard’s flight landed, a car arrived to take her to Scarlet’s house. The two had agreed to go pick him up together at the airport.

Two SUVs were waiting for them when they arrived at Scarlet’s house. Angela and Scarlet were in one car as it moved through the dark night toward the military base airport.

It was fifteen minutes before the landing when Captain Anderson told Richard, “I’ve already contacted the base to get a wheelchair for you.”

Knowing that Angela would be waiting to welcome him, Richard’s dashing brow furrowed, and he asked, “Can you find a crutch for me instead?”

“Are there any differences between crutches and a wheelchair? Crutches will cause you more pain.” Captain Anderson was at a loss for words.

“Yes, there is. People may assume that both of my legs are severely injured if I am in a wheelchair. At least with crutches, I can prove that one of my legs is still fine,” Richard joked.

“You truly are impossible to please.” Captain Anderson snorted lightly and got up to get him crutches.

Angela was restless in the airport lounge, as she paced up up and down. I’ve been told that he fractured his leg. How bad is it? She was desperate to see him.

After ten minutes, there was a commotion at the arrival hall. Scarlet and her husband, Walter, were still seated when she abruptly rose to her feet. Walter reassured her, “Don’t worry, Richard will be arriving shortly.”

“He’s hurt, and I have no idea how bad it is.” She was still apprehensive about her son.

Finally, a group of team members arrived in high spirits with a gray-bearded Albert and were greeted by another team. After they had gone, a new team came in, and Angela’s beautiful eyes kept staring at them. At the same time, she waited with bated breath, only to see Richard appear with crutches.

Even though he moved slowly, the rest of the team followed closely behind him and kept pace with his footstep. The next instant, Angela dashed toward him and gave him a bear hug as he continued down the hall.

He reached out and wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t worry, I’m all right.”

“How bad is your leg injury?” she asked hurriedly.

“You must be Miss Meyers! Richard’s injuries aren’t too serious. He just needs some time to get well,” Captain Anderson said.

“How do you know my name?” she asked, surprised.

“Miss Meyers, our whole team knows your name. After all, you were the reason Captain Lloyd—” One of the forthright members was on the verge of spilling the beans.

Captain Anderson cut him off with a slight cough. “Because Richard informed us that you are his soon- to-be wife. That’s how we learned about you.”

Angela’s lovely face flushed. Does he have to tell everyone about our relationship? She took a step back and grabbed Richard’s arm. “I will invite you all to our wedding.”

“It will be our honor. If we can make it, we’ll definitely go.” Captain Anderson smiled cheerfully before departing with his men.

Even though the superficial injuries near Richard’s brow ridge had scabbed, she felt pain on the inside.

He looked at her as a flood of emotions welled up within him. He would not have survived the avalanche this time if it hadn’t been for the courage and confidence she gave him. So, he loved her and was grateful to her, and his gaze couldn’t help but wander from her face to her lower abdomen.

Angela blinked and then said timidly, “I’ve already taken a test, and I’m not pregnant!”

Astonished, Richard murmured with a series of smiles, “I don’t want you to be pregnant either.”

“Why?” She discovered she was not pregnant after multiple tests, which made her sad and relieved.

“Because I still want to spend more time with just the two of us. I am not prepared to be a dad just yet.” Richard realized they had spent too little time together and wished they had more alone time. He

wanted to prepare a home where they could live after marrying and having a baby.

Angela’s face flushed once more at this. Still, she shared his view that they should wait until they had established themselves as a married couple before thinking about the future.

“Hello, Mom and Uncle Walter.” He greeted his mom and stepfather.

“It sounds like you need to get that leg checked out at the hospital. Stop dithering!” Scarlet was worried about him.

“I will schedule a check-up for tomorrow. It’s nothing serious,” Richard reassured her.

“Go home and get some rest! Angela, how about spending the night with us?” Scarlet asked Angela.

Feeling awkward, she nodded slightly and replied, “Okay.” She not only had a lot to say to him but also wanted to take care of him because he was hurt.

Richard got into the car with her assistance before they returned to the Husson Residence. He and Angela did not speak to one another in the car because the driver was present, but they held each other’s hands very tightly the entire time. She leaned back against his shoulders, and their cheeks were lightly touching as they took pleasure in the peaceful sensation of clinging to one another.

Richard had a room for himself upon his arrival at the Husson Residence. Scarlet kept it clean and filled it with sentimental items from his childhood, although he rarely spent time there. Tonight, he stayed in, which made Walter very happy. Despite having no children, he wanted to treat him as if he were his own son.

Since the servants hadn’t fallen asleep, they sent a scrumptious midnight snack to the third-floor living room. Scarlet was concerned that they were all hungry, so she ensured they had something to eat before turning in for the night.

This time, Richard had suffered severe injuries on the mission and needed time to heal. While Angela was eating a midnight snack with him, she attentively stared at this man under the lights, and as she did so, she felt her love for him overflow. If there is such a thing as too much love for the people you care about, it will be reserved for those few whom you love with an intensity that seems insatiable.

She admired each and every one of his traits and characteristics. This included his appearance, which all matched her preferences. It was after she had met him that she underwent such a profound transformation. In the past, she was just a spoiled and short-tempered young lady. She only changed after she met him. And at this point in her life, she is more comfortable being herself; she respects and loves herself and is working on learning to cherish others.

“Are you full just by looking at me?” When Richard looked up at her, he saw Angela leaning her chin on her hand as if he could read her mind.

Her lips curled into a grin as she exclaimed, “I’m not only full but there’s also something aesthetically pleasing.”

“I’ve made you worried.” He apologized, remarking that he had observed that she appeared to have lost weight, which he knew must have been the result of her concern for him.

“I was worried about you. While you were away, I was at a loss as to how I should spend each day. Thank God you returned sooner than I expected,” she exclaimed cheerfully.

Back then, Richard kept rejecting the notion of being assigned a position back in his country. Now that he had found someone he wanted to spend his life with, the wanderer had finally found a reason to stay.

“I promise to be by your side as best as I can,” Richard assured her.

Angela, who knew him well, shook her head. “You don’t need to change anything for me; just be yourself. I like you because of your bravery, responsibility, and your patriotic spirit to protect the country. It’s just that I hope you don’t hide anything from me.”

Relieved, he felt very fortunate to have such an understanding wife.

After supper, the two went back to the room as Angela looked at the huge bed before looking at the man. “Are you allowed to bathe?”

He looked at the cast on his leg. “I don’t think I can, but I can wipe myself down.”

“Do you need help?” She lowered her head and asked shyly.

“If you want to help, I think I might need it.” The man looked at her passionately.

“Okay! I’ll help you.” Angela was all but too willing, for he was about to become her husband. What is there to be embarrassed about?

Yet, it was only after she helped him wipe his upper body that she got chased out by the man, who said that she was not allowed to do the lower part.

When Richard came out again, he had a black sleeping robe on. Even though his leg prevented him from walking normally, his strong body could still make one’s heart skip a beat as he sat on the couch.

“I’m going to shower now.” Angela shyly went into the bathroom. When she came out, she was donning a white nightgown that her mother gave her while her hair was flowing freely, which gave her a sultry look.

She had searched up the Internet on various topics inside the bathroom like, ‘Would leg injuries prevent sexual activities?’ In the end, she found that the doctors recommended not to do it as a second fracture might occur.

Looking at the man seated on the couch, she noticed that it was already 3.00AM, yet she was still very much awake with no hint of exhaustion. Full of vigor and spirit, she said to the man, “Let’s sleep!”

Richard looked at her with a hot gaze before he walked to the bed and reached out to her. “Come here,” he uttered with a hoarse voice.

Obediently approaching him, Angela fell into his embrace as he breathed somewhat roughly while lifting her chin out, trying to connect her lips with his.

She quickly buried her face in his chest and warned him, “Richard, don’t even think about it. The experts online said that you should not do anything reckless with your injury. Your wounds matter.”

“Don’t worry, this won’t affect our time together,” the man replied confidently.

As she was not about to let him have his way, Angela held back from intimate moments to ensure that his wound would recover.

“Nope. Before your injury gets better, let’s just sleep.” She then lifted his leg with the cast on the bed and had him lie down before she went to the other side of the bed to switch off the lights in preparation for sleep.

In the dark, the man pulled her into his embrace and was upset as he said, “I’m going to have the cast removed tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t. Don’t be so stubborn,” she lectured him.

“The experts online are unreliable anyway,” Richard retorted.

“No means no.” Angela rejected him outright and pried his arms open.

“Angela… Your husband is finding it very hard to resist,” Richard begged her. As expected, when the mood came, a man would often lose control.

With such a beautiful woman in my arms, am I still a man if I could resist this? At that moment, he wanted to beat up the so-called expert who ruined everything.

Insistent, Angela did not want him to sustain further injuries as she wanted to leave everything until his leg recovered.

After trying many times but to no avail, Richard could only go to sleep. He was actually quite fatigued, for he haD not been eating or sleeping well these days. Lying beside his wife-to-be, he found himself completely relaxing with drowsiness taking over him.

Angela also fell asleep as the two woke up in each other’s embrace the next day afternoon, where she accompanied Richard to the hospital for the check up. The doctors told him that the fracture still needed to be set by the cast for a few more days and that he should not walk around.

Two years ago, Daphne had already prepared an apartment for Angela as a betrothal gift. It was a penthouse in the best area of the city. However, she did not move in as she was single all those while.

Now, Angela had her servants clean the place up because she wanted to move in. Although Richard was by no means poor, his job required him to be abroad most of the time, so he did not have a permanent settlement in the country.

Hence, when Angela suggested for them to move into her house, the man had a very expressive and somewhat awkward expression.

“Don’t think the wrong way. That is our house. In the end, no matter whose house it is, it’ll work out so long as we’re together,” said Angela.

“I will find a house suitable to live in after our marriage.” It was about time for Richard to think about his future plans.

This made her smile. “Take your time. We’re not in a rush.”

That night, Angela and Richard moved into the apartment. Since both sides’ parents had agreed to the marriage, naturally, they would not interfere in their personal affairs. Instead, they only hoped that they would get along well.

In the coming few days, Richard would be recuperating here with Angela taking care of him until his cast came off.

This was also a rare break in his life, for he had not been so relaxed in a long time.

It was the day where Richard was scheduled to take the cast off three days after. In a very good mood, he was looking at Angela like a wolf awaiting his dinner.

Amused by this, she thought that the man must have been thinking about the same thing these past few days, which was how he would ‘devour’ her. I think he even has the positions set.

For the past couple of days, Richard stuck to Angela like a gum, making her realize that once a man became childish, they could act like they were a three year old.

Even if the man in question is the legend amongst soldiers, Richard Lloyd.

After removing the cast, Richard felt his leg regaining its mobility as it was almost the same before the fracture. Still, the doctor advised him to walk less and not do any extreme sports.

Yet, the advice fell on deaf ears.

In the afternoon, they went to a nearby restaurant before the man urged that he wanted to go home after the meal, stating that he was tired.

How could Angela not know what was on his mind? But, she still went along with his wishes and drove them back home.

Inside the elevator, she could feel the man radiating his pheromones, making her fear that she might be eaten whole.

As expected, she was blocked against the wall by the man the moment they entered the apartment.

Feeling her heartbeat rise, Angela looked up to see the man not kiss her, for he only looked at her gently with a loving gaze.

At such a close distance, she really could not withstand the tension. His sultry expression made her feel that she might sink deeper if she took one more look.

In actuality, Angela had been resisting her urge as well for the past few days. If not for his injuries, she would not hold herself back either.

Yet, just before the man kissed her, she stopped him. “Wait.”

“Hm?” The man was upset at being interrupted yet again.

“To the room.” She could not accept doing it in the living room.

Even though Richard could not hold on any longer, he still chose to go to the master bedroom out of respect for his significant other.

With the accompaniment of their assistant, Scarlet and her husband were waiting at the arrival terminal in Averna International Airport. Watching the people pour out from the airport, they finally found a

woman with long hair in a black coat paired with jeans walking out with a suitcase.

However, the simple outfit could not hide her youthful aura as the surrounding crowd’s gazes were drawn to her. With fair skin and bright eyes paired with her luscious lips, nobody could divert their eyes away from her.

“Aunt Scarlet! Uncle Walter!” The woman immediately waved at them happily.

“Ruka.” Scarlet became teary-eyed. She had been by her side since Ruka was three years old as she raised her until she was sixteen, so she had treated her like her own daughter.

Walter also showed a gentle smile. This was the daughter of his closest friend, but due to work, they had to be abroad for long periods of time. Besides that, the country in question was a dangerous one, so they had to let Scarlet take care of Ruka for sixteen years.

Scarlet walked quickly and hugged Ruka before stating, “You’re even taller than me now.”

Hugging her, Ruka responded, “I missed you guys so much!”

“Us too. Looks like you get to live with us again this time.”

“Yup! I’m going to accompany you two and be a filial daughter.” Ruka truly loved them.

“Looks like we don’t have to worry about our lives in the future.” Scarlet smiled at her husband.

“You said it well.” Walter smiled happily.

The assistant carried the luggage to the car outside while Ruka and Scarlet were chatting. Even though she was already twenty-three years old, she still acted like a child when facing Scarlet.

“Ruka, I’ve contacted the translation department for you and they’ve given you a position as an intern. Take a break for now. You can have a look at it a few days later. You should grab hold of this chance to

work at the department.”

“Really? Thank you, Aunt Scarlet. I will not let you down.” Ruka was very glad to have obtained the chance as well since she wanted to be like her parents and be a person that served the country.

“Oh right, haven’t you always wanted to see Richard? He’s here too.”

“Right. Richard has always been someone that I looked up to. Although I haven’t officially met him, he’s like a brother in my heart.” Ruka nodded.

“He’s about to get married, so you’ll have a sister-in-law soon.”

Smiling, Ruka replied, “My sister-in-law must be a gentle beauty, then.”

Scarlet nodded and said proudly, “You’re very right on that point.”

“Being so exceptional, Richard must have met someone just as capable as he is.” Even though Ruka did not grow up by her parents’ side, she still received all the love she needed. This meant that her actions were all genuine and kind.

Returning to the Husson Residence, Ruka began unpacking before heading downstairs to give Scarlet and Walter presents. “Aunt Scarlet and Uncle Walter, these are some presents for the both of you. I hope that you’ll like them.”

“Oh, we’ll love anything that you give us.”

Scarlet accepted them happily when a servant came to inform her upon receiving a call, “Madam, the vice-president mentioned that he wanted to dine here tonight.”

“Really? Prepare a few more dishes, then.” Scarlet had not seen her brother for quite some time now.

Ruka blinked. “Is Mr. Ren coming?”

When she went abroad, he had yet to ascend to the position of vice president. Now, he was one of the most influential people in the country.

Scarlet smiled and nodded. “That’s right. Ren is coming over. You two have some catching up to do.”

Ruka did feel a bit estranged, yet the memories about Ren were deeply ingrained in her. She remembered that her position fell by twenty in the mid-term exams when she was fifteen. When she saw the results, she cried sadly while soaking in the rain on her way home. While walking, she was knocked over by a man on a bike, which made her bawl even louder. It was then she bumped into Ren, who got down the car and took her home. On the way back, he scolded her harshly, making her sob ever sadder. What an embarrassing flashback.

Since then, she had been actively avoiding Ren, for she had feared how stern he was.

“H-He’s the vice-president now?” Ruka was in disbelief as to how he got the position at such a young age.

Smiling, Scarlet asked, “Why? Are you afraid of him?”

Indeed, she was a bit afraid of him. Now that he’s the vice-president, doesn’t that mean that he would only be more imposing?

But, even if I’m scared of him, I can’t just say it out loud. Though they were not related by blood and he was technically not her uncle, she still treated and respected him as one.

Scarlet, who noticed Ruka spacing out, comforted her, “You don’t need to be so scared of him. After all, it’s not as if he’ll devour you. You just have to catch up with him during dinner. If you build a proper rapport, he can even look after you when you work in the translation department.”

Ruka nodded shyly, thinking that she might have unknowingly used nepotism to get the job.

“Rest up now! I’ll call you when it’s time for dinner,” said Scarlet.

“Okay. I’ll go take a nap then.” Ruka went back to her room. The long flight back home had left her so fatigued that she slept all the way till evening.

It was that time when a black sedan slowly drove to the courtyard of the Husson Residence.

As the bodyguard opened the door, a tall figure emerged from the car, emanating a very dominating aura.

The butler, who was trimming the tree, wanted to quickly climb down the ladder to greet him when the ladder tilted to one side due to his hastiness, which caused it to fall toward Ren.

Fortunately, Ren’s bodyguard stabilized the ladder in time before angrily stating, “You nearly hit the vice-president.”

“I do apologize, sir. I only wanted to come down and greet you.” The butler was shocked as he merely wanted to pay his respect.

“It’s fine. Just be careful.” The man had a calm voice with no signs of anger.

This only made the butler even guiltier. The vice-president’s temper really commands one’s respect.

Meanwhile, Scarlet was cleaning the vegetables with the servants in the kitchen, as she wanted to cook Ruka’s favorite dish tonight. With her absolute favorite being the barbeque pork ribs, Scarlet made sure to personally cook for her with lots of love.

In the living room, Ren was sitting on the couch when he looked in the direction of the staircase and asked, “I heard that Miss Singed is back, right?” The servant informed him, “Yes, Young Mistress Ruka is still resting upstairs. She is very tired from the flight back.” In this household, Ruka was addressed as the young mistress.

“Oh!” Ren loosened his tie, his handsome face looking unbothered.

“Have some tea, Mr. Husson. Old Master Lloyd has gone out, but I believe he’ll be back soon. Madam Falkner is in the kitchen cooking for the young mistress.”

“Alright.” He nodded and sipped on the tea.

Sitting on the couch, he decided to stand up and walk around after ten minutes or so since he had been sitting all day in his office. Remembering that there was a study on the second floor and that his brother-in-law had a lot of books there, he wanted to do some reading to kill time.

Meanwhile in the master bedroom on the second floor, Ruka was already awake. She had just unpacked the books she brought home this time and was thinking of putting them in the study as she knew that Walter liked to read. That was why half of her suitcase was allocated for just the books.

In one go, she carried all the books from her room before getting startled by a silhouette upon exiting.

“Ah!” The books in her hand all fell with a huge commotion.

Stunned, the first thing Ren saw was a stunning, youthful lady.

“Long time no see, child.” He smirked and bent down to pick up the books.

“Oh my, Mr. Ren, let me do it!” Ruka quickly crouched down, wanting to get ahead of him when she saw him picking up the books. However, instead of grabbing the book, she grabbed the man’s slender yet large pair of hands.

Realizing what she had done, she quickly withdrew her touch and picked a few books as the man did the same before rising to his feet.

“Did you buy these recently?” Ren looked at the books and asked her.

“Yup. I brought them from abroad. You can hand them over to me, Mr. Ren. I’m going to put them in the study.”

“I’ll help you,” the man uttered in a low tone before walking to the direction of the study.

Entering the room, they saw that the lower racks of the bookshelves were packed completely full, so they could only arrange them on top.

Setting the books on the table, Ruka took a small ladder out of a dark corner and propped it against the bookshelf before taking two books with her up the ladder.

“Be careful,” he reminded her from behind.

“I’ll be fine. I do this all the time!” She smiled. Since she was an avid reader, she was used to climbing up ladders against bookshelves.

Yet, she did not expect that in the harsh winter, a mouse would be hiding inside the warm shelf. Just as she slotted the book in, the little mouse was startled by this movement.

Squeak, squeak! The mouse instantly crawled out from the little corner and jumped toward Ruka’s face.

“Aaahhhh!” Frightened, she waved her arms, causing her to fall backward.

In the meantime, Ren was already prepared to catch her. The moment she fell, her back collided with the man as he quickly caught her waist.

The flustered Ruka was still trembling as she pointed toward the bookshelf. “T-There’s a mouse.”

Slowly letting go of her, he patted her back. “It’s okay.”

The man’s low tone somehow calmed the woman down as she turned around involuntarily. Due to the dim moonlight refracted into the room, she could not see his features properly, but she could sense the glimmer in his eyes.

“I have to chase it away. What if it ruins the books?” Even though Ruka was petrified earlier, she found her courage back as she was looking around for something. Suddenly, she let out a smile. “I’m going to borrow a cat and chase the mouse away tomorrow!”

Ren did not know if he was infected by her smile, but he started smiling as well as he stared at her face. The dimples on his face made their appearance, rendering him too adorable to not look at.

Ruka just so happened to look at him and was instantly attracted. Although she had seen a lot of people with dimples over the years, he had the most attractive pairs out of them all!

Smiling, she tilted her head and teased, “Mr. Ren, when are you going to introduce my aunt to me?”

He could not help snorting this. “You sure are a busybody.”

“Of course I’m worried about your marriage. I’m wondering which girl would be so lucky as to get married to the youngest and most handsome vice-president of our country!” Ruka beamed widely before taking the books and climbing the ladder again.

Yet, he stepped ahead and snatched the books away. “Let me do it!”

“Be careful then.” She held the ladder for him as Ren easily put the books up.

Moments later, he held onto a book and asked her, “Would you lend me this?”

“Of course.” She was a bit elated since it was an honor for the vice-president to read the book she picked out!

It was then her phone rang. Fishing it out from her pocket, she saw that it was from her close friend, Michael Yves.

“Hey, Mike!” she answered happily.

“Why didn’t you call after you arrived? Didn’t you say that you were going to send me a message?”

“Uhm, I forgot about that. I’m sorry. I was too excited to be back. Then, I slept and forgot all about it. Please forgive me, Mikey!”

Ruka, who was chatting along, did not notice Ren’s gaze on her as he seemed to be lost in thought.

“It’s fine. Since I’m coming back tomorrow, you just have to treat me to a feast.”

“Alright, when you come back, I’ll treat you to a feast.” Ruka smiled, showing a very gentle face as her eyes glimmered and her pearly-white teeth showed.

Ren just so happened to catch a glimpse of this and felt a certain wave of emotions for a second there. Noticing a gaze on her, she turned around.

With lightning speed, the man diverted his gaze and looked at the book in his hands.

Seeing that he was reading, she went out of the room to chat, not wanting to bother him.

After around six minutes, she came back in to find the man sitting on the couch while still reading the book. In a white shirt paired with black vest and pants, the man flicked through the pages with his slender long fingers while lowering his eyes.

At that sight, her heart could not help but skip a beat. So, this is what class, elegance, and dignity look like. These words were perfect to describe her uncle!

Since they were not about to have dinner right away, Ruka decided to sit down and read too.

At first, she thought that she could read relaxingly like she was in a library, but she soon found out that it was impossible.

Sitting beside Ren, she could feel a very oppressing aura surrounding the whole study. It’s so difficult to read with him staying here.

“Uhm, Mr. Ren, I’ll be going downstairs now.” She left knowingly.

Watching her exit the room, the man could finally breathe easy as he closed the book shut. In actuality, he was not reading the book either; he was merely acting.

Although he could deal with all sorts of people, he found himself unable to get along with a young girl. Who could believe him if he said this?

Arriving downstairs, Ruka went straight to the kitchen to help out, causing the servants to be taskless instead. Scarlet, who was cooking, chatted with her god-daughter lovingly. In an outsider’s eyes, they seemed just like mother and daughter.

A short while after, Ren came down to the laughter of Ruka. Subsequently, he switched to the news channel while a servant served a new cup of tea, not daring to stay in the living room in fear of disturbing him.

Soon, Ruka started to serve the dishes before she delivered a smile to the man sitting on the couch. Heading back to the kitchen, she asked, “Aunt Scarlet, does Mr. Ren have a girlfriend?”

This made Scarlet grumble. “No, he hasn’t! We are all concerned about his marital affairs, yet he keeps saying that he’s too busy to care about that.”

Ruka laughed upon hearing this. “I don’t think he’s even thinking about this.”

“We’ve got no choice as well. With a man as capable as he is, his standards are naturally sky high.” Scarlet was feeling helpless, for she and Ren’s age difference was too big, creating a generation gap between them.

Ruka agreed with Scarlet as no ordinary woman would dare to woo a young man who wielded such power! Besides, Ren was too domineering, so who would even dare to strike up a conversation with him? I know first-hand how that felt. The pressure he emitted when they were ‘reading’ earlier was enough for her to want to escape.

Hence, if he did not take the first step, what woman would dare to woo him?

At last, Walter had returned when the last dish was served, making it the perfect time to start dinner.

“It’s time to eat, Mr. Ren!” Ruka became the moodsetter of the house.

Switching the television off, Ren stood up and went to the dining table while Walter approached him with a bottle of good wine. “This is from my treasured collection. Let’s have a drink.”

Yet, Ren only waved. “Perhaps we’ll do it next time, Walter. I still have work to do when I get back.”

In the end, Walter could only enjoy the wine by himself. Not only was he not angered, he did not pressure him further either. After all, he reserved respect for Ren as who he was.

“Ruka, try this. This is the barbeque pork ribs you adore so much. Since I haven’t cooked for a while, I might have gotten rusty. Let me know if it’s good.”

Picking up one of the ribs, Ruka tasted it while Ren was sitting opposite her. As she took a bite, her eyes glowed upon indulging the scrumptious flavors. “It’s still as delicious as I remembered! You really do know the way to my heart, Aunt Scarlet.”

“You sure know how to talk.” Scarlet was overjoyed inside before placing food on her little brother’s plate. “Eat up. You should eat on time since you’re so busy all the time.”

Ren tried some too. It really is quite delicious.

“Isn’t your birthday in a few days, Ruka? We’ll have to prepare a proper banquet,” suggested Walter.

“Uncle Walter, let’s just spend it in a simple fashion. Let’s just have a meal as a family.” Ruka did not want them to spend too much.

“Have you spent your twenty-third birthday?” asked Ren.

“Yup. I’m going to be twenty-four this year.” Ruka was happy to have grown a year older.

“Oh, yeah. Are you seeing anyone now, Ruka?” Scarlet popped a sudden question.

Ruka outright blushed as she bit on her fork. “I don’t! But, I have someone I like.”

Her words made Ren look straight at her, his visage turned solemn.

“Really? How old is he? Where’s he from?” Scarlet’s interest was piqued.

“From the same town. He’s my senior and he’ll be returning from abroad tomorrow,” Ruka stated everything honestly.

“How is he, personality and family wise?” Scarlet was like a mother that could only relax after knowing everything about the person.

“Yup. He’s a nice guy and he treats me well. I’m not too sure about his family though. I haven’t asked him about that,” Ruka replied.

Walter, who was happy to hear this, looked like a father that was looking forward to the day his daughter would get married.

It was then someone interrupted, “Walter, do you have any wine left?”

Hearing this, Walter quickly stood up and poured a glass for Ren as Scarlet asked surprisingly, “Didn’t you say that you have work later?”

“It’s fine. I’ll sleep better after this.” Ren then downed half the glass in one shot.

“Slow down, Mr. Ren. Your stomach will be damaged if you drink so quickly.” Ruka was concerned for him.

Yet, she found herself looking into a very solemn gaze.

Frightened, she immediately looked down and continued eating, not daring to stop him from drinking anymore.

Placing his glass down, Ren said to the girl opposite him, “Didn’t you wanna borrow a cat? I have one at home.”

Stunned for a few seconds, Ruka was overjoyed at this. “Mr. Ren, you actually have a cat!”

“I do. I’ll tell my men to send her over tomorrow,” he said nonchalantly.

“That’s great! I needed a cat!” She then said to Walter, “Uncle Walter, I found a rat in the study earlier. I was worried that it might chew on the book, so this is why I wanted a cat to scare it away.”

“Really? Are there mice in the study again? I found one last time too. I think it’s because of the impending winter, making the mice seek somewhere warm,” stated Walter somewhat frustratingly.

“This would happen less if we were in an apartment. But, it’s hard to avoid since we live in a villa.” Scarlet pointed out.

Eating just a few mouthfuls, Walter noticed that Ren’s cup was already empty. He was about to pour him another glass when Scarlet forbade him. “That’s enough. You just concentrate on filling your own glass.”

“It’s so rare that Ren is drinking with us. C’mon, let us have more!” Walter was a bit upset.

At that moment, Ruka was snickering before she matched gazes again with Ren, whose fierce look made her freeze as she stiffened up like an obedient child.

Watching the girl’s smile disappear every time she saw her made Ren a bit perplexed. Am I that scary?

He actually liked to see her smile, for he thought that it was very comforting to look at.

“Ren, I still remember that you had an upset stomach because you didn’t eat properly last time. Look at you, drinking so fast. Do you have something on your mind?” Scarlet looked at her brother curiously since he did not look like he was tasting the wine. He looked more like he was using it to drown his sorrows.

In front of his elder sister, Ren did not dare to act up as he replied, “It’s nothing. I just wanted to drink a glass or two, seeing how joyful Walter is.”