The next morning, I couldn't remember exactly when the kiss had ended. I only remembered that when Alistair left the room, he couldn't bring himself to look at me. His lips still stung a little.
Alistair... so inexperienced... yet so full of love. In the end, I was exhausted and wanted to rest, but he wouldn't let me go.
I had to beg for mercy...
The kitchen was warm, and my breakfast was ready.
Alistair had sent me a message early in the morning, saying he had to leave for an event tonight and would need to prepare.
My father's call came in.
He reminded me that this situation was far more complicated than it appeared. I hurried to my father's office.
He threw a pile of investigation reports in front of me.
It turned out that Robert had persuaded my father to invest in a project that was a ticking time bomb. Not only were there issues with the contract, but there were also bank loans involved, along with the layoffs of 2,000 employees.
In other words, if my father signed the investment, he would not only lose billions and go bankrupt but would also have to cover the severance pay for the employees, along with land and equity costs.
Meanwhile, Robert could openly transfer assets.
He didn't have that much power on his own. It was the people behind him.
My father's competitors.
Years ago, they had tried to get my father involved in corrupt dealings, but my father refused. So, they turned their sights on me and my connection with Robert. This meant that Robert's appearance in my life was part of a much larger scheme.
Such a deep conspiracy.
My father's face was stern. "We can't make any moves yet. If he's embezzling such a large sum of money, there must be forces behind him that we can't see. As long as I don't sign this contract, I won't be implicated in any crime."
"Your father has friends in politics, and now I'm gathering evidence. He won't be able to escape."
"Kinley, I need you to play along with me."
"Let's blow this whole mess out of proportion."
Of course, I had to cooperate.
"Tonight, there's a banquet. Invite Robert, and introduce him to everyone as my son-in-law. That way, he'll lower his guard, and I can continue my investigation."
My phone vibrated.
It was a message from Alistair.
"I won't be home tonight."
I replied, "Okay."
His reply was nearly instant: "Kinley, don't be mad."
I responded, "We've only kissed. Why would I be mad?" I could almost imagine him, sneaking away from everyone to send me messages, feeling frustrated.
"Unless..."
"Unless what?"
He quickly followed up.
"Next time you kiss me, don't bite me, and don't knock my teeth. It hurts, so I'm really upset, you know?"
It was half an hour before I received his reply.
"Sorry, Kinley. I'll learn."
I chuckled to myself, holding my phone.
