Chapter 577
Chapter 577:
Judging by his reaction the day before, he had indeed known her mother. Then perhaps the two anonymous notes warning her not to marry Kyson had come from him — she was certain of the handwriting.
Moments later, they arrived at the restaurant.
Lyman had not yet arrived. The waiter greeted Kailey enthusiastically and guided her to a private room. “Miss, please come this way. Mr. Vasquez has already selected the dishes. Please wait a moment p>
She nodded, stepped inside, and pulled out a chair.
Not long after, the door handle turned.
Merritt entered. When he saw Kailey, his eyes instinctively shifted away. It was too late to retreat, so he offered an awkward smile. “Miss Evans, you arrived early p>
Kailey smiled back. “I was waiting for you, Mr. Calderon p>
Merritt lowered himself into the chair. The private room fell into a strange, weighted silence.
He had expected Kailey to ask questions. He simply didn’t know which ones. And he knew that whatever she asked would likely touch on things he either couldn’t explain or didn’t want to.
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯
Kailey rested her hand on the table and tapped it lightly, her movements slow and casual. “Mr. Calderon, I heard you’ve lived overseas for years and devoted yourself to painting. Have you retired now p>
He smiled as though the question were harmless, but a faint sheen of sweat had already formed along his hairline. “Retired? Not at all. It’s just that this generation doesn’t need people like me very often. If they don’t call, I don’t interfere p>
“I see.” Kailey nodded, her smile gentle. “You’ve done so much for the country. Someone like you deserves to enjoy a peaceful life now p>
His expression tightened for a fraction of a second. He quickly shifted the topic. “Your mother p>
“My parents died in a fire when I was nine,” Kailey said calmly. She held his gaze without blinking. “You were abroad at the time. You probably didn’t hear about it, did you p>
“No, I truly didn’t know. That’s unfortunate.” He let out a long breath.
Kailey narrowed her eyes slightly. His surprise had come too fast — too exaggerated to feel genuine. It seemed rehearsed.
Her fingers stopped tapping. She smiled again, softer this time. “Perhaps everyone has their own path. If their lives ended there, maybe it was simply another kind of beginning.” She paused. “Mr. Calderon, were you close to my mother p>
Her eyes were steady and bright, filled with quiet curiosity. “I was very young when they passed. I don’t remember much — I barely know anything about her. If you recall something, would you be willing to tell me?” Her tone shifted, light and fragile, like a child asking about a memory she had never been allowed to keep.
Merritt opened his mouth. Then he closed it again. Finally, he sighed. “You’re grown now. Your parents would want you to live well. There’s no need to dig into old matters p>
She tilted her head slightly. “Why? Does the past automatically mean something bad p>
“That’s not what I meant. I just…” He couldn’t finish.
Kailey studied his face carefully. Then her voice changed — steady and direct. “Do you have any siblings p>