Chapter 57
Chapter 57:
“Exactly. She’s Ryan’s niece, after all. Shouldn’t we keep an eye on her?” The longer Vernon turned it over in his mind, the heavier his thoughts became, and he let out a troubled sigh. “I just hope she doesn’t get desperate and fall in with the wrong crowd p>
A dry scoff escaped the woman’s lips. “Wrong crowd? Listen to yourself—as if you’re any better p>
Catching the sudden chill in her tone, Vernon hurried to smooth things over. “Hey, I was only talking about Ryan’s niece. Don’t drag us into it. Don’t be mad, alright p>
Unaware that a lens had quietly followed her every move, Kailey strolled on without the slightest suspicion.
After dropping a few daily necessities and snacks into the cart, she and Kyson drifted toward the fresh-produce aisles, where rows of fruit, greens, and neatly trimmed cuts of meat lined the shelves. There was nothing stiff or executive about him here—he moved with easy confidence, inspecting ingredients with the practiced touch of someone long at home in a kitchen.
Kailey watched his deft movements with slowly widening eyes. “You picked all this up while you were overseas p>
“I didn’t exactly have a choice. My mom always warned me that if I couldn’t cook, I’d never find a wife p>
For a brief moment, Kailey found herself at a complete loss for words.
Kyson lowered two finely marbled steaks into the cart and continued, “But judging by how well lunch went today, it seems my future wife enjoyed what I made. Looks like my mom knew what she was talking about p>
𝗗𝗼𝗐ոl𝘰𝘢𝗱a𝘣𝗹𝘦 𝗣D𝖥𝘴 o𝗇 𝘨alո𝘰𝘃e𝘭𝘀.с𝘰𝗺
A faint flush crept onto Kailey’s cheeks, but a quick spark of logic steadied her. If he could toss out remarks like that without flinching, there was no reason she had to act flustered.
She cleared her throat, lifted her chin with playful gravity, and declared, “Then you’d better keep refining those skills, or this stunning, warm-hearted future wife of yours might leave with someone else p>
Kyson’s brows arched before a low, amused laugh slipped out. “Alright p>
Stepping out of the mall, he gathered both bulky shopping bags in his hands without hesitation. Kailey reached forward to take one, and he firmly refused.
“If you end up carrying everything yourself, what good would I be standing here p>
A subtle, complicated warmth tugged at her chest. She found herself thinking of how Ryan had always treated her with a certain kindness, yet never once fussed over her in these small, quiet ways. On their grocery trips, the heavy bags had almost always ended up in her own hands without a second thought. Only now did she understand that being cared for didn’t have to mean bearing the weight in silence.
About twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of their building.
Inside the apartment, Kyson sorted the groceries and slid them into the refrigerator while Kailey slipped down the hallway to grab fresh clothes for a shower. The moment her bedroom door clicked shut, her phone buzzed sharply—it was Ryan.
“Where are you right now?” His voice struck like a thunderclap the moment she answered.
“Did you need something?” Kailey replied, her tone even and distant.
That calm indifference poured fuel onto his temper. “I asked where you are p>