“Because if you do that, it might make her unhappy,” uttered Kenneth in his deep magnetic voice. “And I don't want that to happen.”
Alexia looked at the man with hope in her eyes but became somewhat disappointed when she heard his response. “Are you talking about Ms. Watson?”
“Yes,” replied Kenneth with a nod, and suddenly, she was rendered speechless.
Since the mixed-blood young woman kept silent, he continued, “With that said, I hope you understand that your desire to repay my kindness may cause me inconvenience. I really do not need it, Ms. Harper.”
A glint of sadness flashed across Alexia's eyes as soon as Kenneth finished his sentence. “How would I cause you any inconvenience? I'm just trying to repay you...”
However, he did not bother trying to make her understand. “Ms. Harper, you're still young, so there are some things you won't understand. Now that you have another chance at life, you should make the best of it instead of wasting your time on someone who doesn't matter.”
Looking at Kenneth, Alexia wanted to say something, but her mind was utterly blank. Even though she had spent countless nights imagining how the conversation would go, she was still unprepared for how it actually turned out.
“It's getting late. Mike and Luke are still waiting for you. You should head back,” voiced Kenneth.
Alexia slowly walked away after nodding distractedly at him, still somewhat confused and heartbroken because of his words.
“What's wrong, Alexia? Are you okay?” inquired Mike when she reached the car.
Alexia shook her head in response, so he urged, “Come on. Get in!”
Before getting into the vehicle, she turned to look in the direction of where she and Kenneth talked, but the man was already gone.
Disappointment flitted across her eyes again after she looked around but to no avail.
“Alexia?” Only after Luke called out to her did she retract her gaze in resignation, look at them, and enter the car.
Mike drove out of the castle immediately.
During the ride, Alexia did not utter a single word.
At that moment, he looked at her through the rearview mirror and asked, “Alexia, are you still thinking about Boss?”
However, she simply met his gaze with complete silence.
“I know you've always wanted to repay Boss' kindness, but from what I know about him, he'll surely tell you that it's unnecessary,” Mike explained.
Hope suddenly sparkled in Alexia's eyes when she heard his words. “How did you know that?”
“How would I not? I've known Boss for many years, so I'm well aware of the way he thinks and acts,” he stated proudly.
After some thought, she leaned in to inquire, “Then do you know how to make him not reject me?”
“Uh...” Mike was stunned by the question.
“I thought you said you knew him well. Do you have no idea either?” Alexia continued to pressure him for an answer.
“It's not that I have no idea; I just don't know what to tell you. Shouldn't you be glad that Boss didn't want you to repay him? Why would you insist on doing so?” he questioned.
Furrowing her eyebrows at the topic, she replied softly, “This goal is the only thing keeping me going. I would've died countless times if I weren't motivated by it. I don't know what I'd do without it...”
Mike and the others all knew how she was left alone after her family died tragically and that Kenneth was the only reason she joined DX Group. Over the past few years, the young woman had mentioned wanting to repay the man on more than one occasion.
Even though Mike did not realize it before, he suddenly learned then that Kenneth was the one who motivated Alexia to keep living.
However, nobody expected that things would take such a turn.
Looking at the young woman, Mike uttered, “Alexia, you're not...”
“Not what?” questioned Alexia, raising her gaze to look at him.
However, he pursed his lips and decided to hold his tongue. She's only nineteen!
“Nothing!” he said at last, which only made Alexia knit her eyebrows tighter.
“So, do you know or not? Or were you just bluffing?” she demanded.
“Why would you say that? I'm a senior to you, aren't I? At least show me some respect!” voiced Mike. “Of course, I know. Couldn't you tell that Boss was upset?”
“Upset?” After thinking for a while, she nodded in agreement. “I guess he did seem a little upset. Was he mad at me?”
“Who else, if not you?” he asked rhetorically.
“But why?” I didn't do anything wrong, though.
Glancing at her through the rearview mirror again, Mike replied, “Alexia, we all greeted Natasha when we saw her today, but why didn't you?”
Alexia, who immediately frowned when Natasha's face flashed through her mind, answered in a low voice, “I don't know, either. I just didn't feel like doing it.”
“That's why Boss was mad,” added Mike.
“Because of that?”
“The fact that you didn't greet Natasha means that you don't respect the woman he loves, so why should he be nice to you?”
“Is that really it?”
“Why wouldn't it be?”
While Alexia was lost in thought, Mike continued, “Boss has always been friendly; he treats us like brothers rather than subordinates. You're the first person to make him draw the line!”
After listening to his explanation, Alexia felt as if her heart had been stabbed with a knife.
All she tried to do was get closer to Kenneth, but the man responded by drawing a line between them, so naturally, she was hurt. I finally found the only ray of light in my life. Am I just supposed to watch while it slowly drifts farther away from me? No! I can't let that happen!
“What should I do? How can I salvage the situation?” she asked as she looked at Mike.
“Well, there is a way!”
“What is it?”
“It's simple; you just have to know what to say. Don't always talk about repaying Boss when you see him. As for Natasha, greet her as we do, and it won't be long before Boss changes his attitude toward you!” replied Mike.
Alexia fell silent when she heard his advice because Natasha's face appeared in her mind once again. She's both pretty and gentle, but for some reason, her smile and gentleness made her seem distant.
Even though she felt somewhat uncomfortable, she got hopeful when she learned that it was possible for Kenneth to treat her differently. “Really?”
“Of course. If you want to get close to Boss, you'll have to start with those closest to him. After they've accepted you, he'll have no choice but to do the same!” explained Mike, feeling incredibly proud of himself.
Alexia gave it some thought and eventually nodded in response. “I get it now!”
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