In the kitchen, she found her father sitting at the table and drinking herbal tea. Her father poured a cup for her, and she sat down to have a chat with him. In the oven, he was grilling some small potatoes.

His father looked older than his contemporary. "I am sorry that you dropped out of high school and went to work so young. I always hoped you could meet some nice guy and have someone to take care of you…"

He sighed and asked, "So the money for my surgery and medicine was from him?"

Kate had to nod while her heart shrank.

She explained later, "He and I…it is not just because of the money."

"I can see that. He is nice to you."

Mr. White paused a little and said, "I am just worried that he is a different person from us."

He could not explain himself very well. He thought his son-in-law was too good to be true, but too many things had happened, and not much could be changed.

"You have to take care of yourself. Don't give up your studies. He may have lots of money, but you need to be able to be independent."

Kate nodded. It was rare for her taciturn father to say so much to her. She was moved and also felt bitter.

The potatoes were done, and Mr. White picked them up in a small basket.

"Bring some to him to try."

When Kate got back to her room, Tristan was browsing her literature papers from high school. One of the essays was titled My Dream.

Kate grabbed it from his hand with embarrassment and put it away. She gave Tristan the small basket.

"Try this."

They started to peel the skin of the potato. They were soft and waxy, smelled very good. Tristan looked at Kate and pictured her and her siblings eating grilled potatoes as little kids. It was cozy.

He gave her a peeled one, but she shook her head.

"You eat it yourself."

Tristan split it into halves and put half into her mouth.

After they finished eating, they cleaned up and went to bed. The quilts Mrs. White brought to them were too thick. Tristan felt too hot. He tossed and turned in the bed.

Kate got used to it, and she lay there and saw him turning restless.

In the dark, their breath blew on each other.

Tristan reached his hand for hers.

Her hands were soft, and the fingers were slim. He held her hand in his big hand and felt the ring and the diamond on it. He rubbed it and then pulled her hand to his c.h.e.s.t.

Kate's finger moved, and she reached her hand under his clothes.

She touched the hard muscle and with curiosity and complicated emotion. Her fingers moved downward, to the ribs and to the abs. When she reached the abs, she felt that the muscles beneath her hand shrank and were controlled with effort.

She wanted to pull her hand away, but he pressed it and didn't let her go.

The air became tense.

She heard his breath turn faster. She hesitated for a while and then moved her hand lower.

It was the first time she took this bold move, and she hadn't the know-how, but it was enough to disorder his breath and made his body tighten.

She thought her rubbing could pacify his d.e.s.i.r.e, but on the contrary, he was hungrier with her stirring. The thing in her hand turned lively and had its own life.

His breath was heavy, and there was suppressed m.o.a.ning from time to time. She was holding the thing in her hand and didn't know how to deal with it. She could not leave it alone or continue.

At the same time, his hand also reached into her tops and covered her b.r.e.a.s.t, and kneaded in the same rhythm as his breathing.

Her body temperature also rose.

Kate gave it a thought, and then suddenly, she lifted up the quilt on him.

He was almost shocked by her unusual action, but the next moment, he gave out a m.o.a.n of satisfaction.

In the dark, he saw her long hair flow down and covered her face. The soft hair spread on his abs and touched his nerves. He could not see her expression, but he felt his soft lips, flexible tongue, and tight throat.

With Kate's movement, Tristan's body stretched like a bow being pulled to extremity. He grabbed her hair and called her name, "Kate…Lucy…" He raised his body higher so as to have more contact with her and to get to the depth of her.

Kate became passive. The thing in her mouth was aggressive and swelling, and she could not hold it. On the edge of suffocation, she wasn't herself anymore.

The depression inside her was dispelled, and she was dominated by a crazier and more liberal soul.

She didn't know what she was doing, and these skills seemed to be self-taught.

It was her mission to make him happy. She was happy because he was happy.

When it was finished, they were both sweaty and panting in the dark.

Tristan wiped the remaining liquid on the corner of her mouth, and she was dumbfounded until he reminded her to go gargle.

The heat and craze inside them subsided after the action. When they returned to the bed, it was still warm, but their bodies and souls felt the peace.

Tristan held Kate in his arms, and his hand stroked her belly gently.

When the drowsiness overwhelmed them little by little and their consciousness was fading away, he heard her say in a very low voice, "Do we have to go now?"

***

Tristan awoke and found all his drowsiness was gone.

Kate didn't speak any further. Her breathing was even as if she was in a night of light sleep, and the words she had just uttered were from her dream. However, Tristan had to respond to her question.

"It was the worst scenario. I had planned for all possibilities."

Tristan squeezed Kate's hand in his palm, "I cannot give you a choice this time. We three have to be together."

Kate was lying on her back, and Tristan was lying on his side facing her. There was only the space of about two fists between them.

It was unbearably hot earlier, but now there was a cold surrounding her.

After a while, Kate turned and leaned into his arms.

The next day, Kate got up early and prepared breakfast with her mother in the kitchen. Her mother was making Mozzarella sticks, Kate's favorite when she and her siblings were kids. They tasted so good that her mother only made them as a reward when they got good test scores at school.

When Tristan opened his eyes, his eyes met another pair of big eyes.

Kate was holding a plate of golden cheese sticks. She picked one and gave it to him.

"I haven't brushed my teeth yet," Tristan said.

"These are best when they are hot. Just one bite, and then you can go brush your teeth." Kate insisted.

Tristan took the plate and had one bite.

When he was eating, his eyes fell on her face.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Your face looks a little swollen."

Kate thought of last night and flushed. She turned and walked out.

Tristan laughed and ate the whole cheese stick. It tasted really good, crispy on the outside and smooth inside.

Kate didn't look at Tristan during the breakfast. If he looked at her for a while, he would force her to blush. After breakfast, she suggested a walk around town.

There were mountains at the edge of town. Scarce red roof houses were mostly built along the main street. They walked towards the mountain.

On the way, Kate told Tristan some funny stories from her childhood. She had never talked this much, and the stories made Tristan laugh from time to time.

When they got to the foot of the mountain, at a higher altitude than the main street, they looked back on the town. The chimneys all had smoke coming out slowly, rising to the sky. It was a peaceful and cozy scene, usually seen on a Christmas card. Tristan was touched by what he saw.

Kate picked up a pinecone from the ground.

"This is nice to hang on the Christmas tree."

And she started to pick up more cones underneath the pine trees. Tristan helped her pick, and they soon had their coat pockets full.

They walked back along a frozen river. Kate slowed down and looked to the icy surface.

"Is this the river where you saved your brother?"

Tristan had heard her story yesterday while chatting with her brother-in-law.

Kate nodded.

He held her shoulders and muttered, "Lucky you were OK."

They walked past a food stand when then turned back to the main street. A few kids were waiting there for the kebab they ordered. The cook was a young Indian man.

"Do you want to eat kebab?" Tristan asked Kate. But before she replied, he held her hand and walked to the stand.

There were all kinds of meat and vegetables. Tristan chose beef, which he thought beef, which he thought, was more conservative. Kate got chose chicken.

They saw the young Indian man put the skewered meat on the grill and apply a few kinds of oil to it, and then spray half a dozen powders on it. Soon the meat sizzled and turned brown. The Indians took their kebabs off the grill and sprayed some more powders on them before giving them to Tristan.

Tristan gave the chicken kebab to Kate. Kate held the skewer close to her mouth and tried to blow air on it in order to cool it.

Tristan shook his beef to cool it and then took a bite. He soon grimaced.

"Too hot?" Kate asked. "Yes," Tristan said, "No. Too spicy."

She took another bite and winked at him. This was good for her.

Tristan tried another bite, but his tongue was burnt, and he started to cough.

"Is it too hot?" Kate gloated.

Their trip was planned to be three days. For Tristan, it was not easy to get away for even three days.

On the last day, he took a lot of business calls. Sometimes he walked to the yard to answer the call. Kate would look gloomily at him through the window.

Her sister jokes, "You cannot let him out of your sight for just a second?"

Kate didn't respond to her stupid joke. She caught sight of Tristan's frowning face when he turned towards her in the yard.

Hopefully, it was not bad news, she thought.

On the way back, Kate played with a lovely baby-sized coat. Her mother had made it in two evenings. She said the baby would be healthy and lucky to wear clothes made by family members.

Tristan listened to her babbling and felt warm inside.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%E2%80%99s-talk_52301556325862793">#%E2%80%99s-talk_52301556325862793</a> for visiting.

On the plane, Kate held the tiny coat and fell asleep, while Tristan looked at her gently but also gloomily.

He had received news that the city government had met to discuss the case of Chasin Group.

There had been some debates. Some thought the case was very serious and should be handled without lenience, while some others thought Chasin had made great economic as well as charitable contributions to the city, lenience should be given if convicted.

They all finally agreed that L.A.PD, led by deputy director Roger Kane, should take action immediately and a crackdown on Chasin as soon as possible.

Now the investigation was carried out in secret, but in no time, Tristan would be infamous in the city, in California, and maybe even nationwide.

Thinking of these consequences, Tristan took a long breath.

At the same time, Jessie was trying to reason with her father in his study. "Dad, couldn't you let him off? You know how important he is to me."

Donald Harderson frowned, "This is a big case related to serious crimes. How can you let personal feelings get involved? Besides, didn't you two break up?"

Jessie's eyes darkened, and she sighed, "I am afraid I can never break up with him." She tried to take courage and then looked into her father's eyes and said, "I am pregnant with his child."

Donald was frightened, "What did you say?"

Jessie looked determined, and she fumbled in her purse and took out a hospital report. "HGG positive, pregnancy of five weeks."

Donald's eyes blazed with fury, and he banged the desk vigorously.