A Tale of Intrigue and Passion

Chapter 6

“Winston, is there something you need? You’ve been standing by my side, and it’s making it hard for me to concentrate on these exam papers…”

Jessica's fingers lightly tapped on the desk, her gaze occasionally lifting from the papers to rest on Winston. His presence distracted her, though she was reluctant to appear rude. Dealing with Christina’s situation had already taken up most of her evening, leaving her with no extra time for this mountain of papers, so she was trying to tackle them quickly during her free periods.

“Uh…is there anything I can help you with? I’m really grateful for you covering my class last time; I owe you so much…” Winston said shyly, a hopeful gleam in his eyes, as if wishing to repay her kindness in some way.

“No, as I said, it’s really nothing. You don’t need to dwell on it,” Jessica replied with a gentle, reassuring smile, hoping to ease his concern.

“But I still feel bad. How about this—I’ll…I’ll treat you to a movie! What do you think?” He mustered the courage to propose, his cheeks flushed slightly, showing just how much bravery it took for him to make the invitation.

“A movie? But I’m not very interested in watching movies—sorry about that!” Jessica’s response was polite, though her tone carried a hint of regret. She didn’t intend to reject him, but her interests simply didn’t align with the offer.

“Miss Richter, do you have plans this evening? If not…” Winston pressed on, unwilling to give up, hoping to find an activity she would accept.

“No, not really.” She shook her head, feeling out of her element with these things. Her life was simple and routine, with few social events; she much preferred quiet surroundings where she could focus on her interests and work.

“Well, I did borrow some books from the library…” She planned to spend her evening finishing them, but before she could say more, her phone rang.

“Excuse me…” She picked up the phone, “Hello, Christina? What’s going on…”

“Sis, tonight Karen’s coming over to propose, so don’t come back for a bit. Remember what I said—I don’t want him to know I have a twin sister or even know about your existence.” Christina’s voice was hurried and firm, her seriousness clear.

“But I borrowed these books, and I wanted to finish them tonight so I can return them tomorrow…” Jessica tried to explain, not wanting Christina’s plans to disrupt her own.

“Sis, can’t you just be flexible for once? I don’t want you at home. Can’t you understand? They’re just some books—how could they compare to my lifelong happiness? You could stay at a hotel tonight if you need to, and I’ll even cover the cost if that’s what it takes! Did you get all that?” Christina’s tone had a commanding edge, intent on having Jessica follow her wishes.

“Christina…” Jessica’s voice carried a note of resignation; she knew she couldn’t convince her sister otherwise.

“Remember what I said.” Christina ended the call immediately after.

Jessica bit her lip, a small habit whenever she felt uneasy. How could she know how long Kaven would stay? Would she have to wander outside all night? But…he probably wouldn’t stay past 10:30 at the latest.

10:30…that left such a long gap after her shift ended. How was she supposed to spend all that time?

“Miss Richter?”

Winston’s voice broke her thoughts. “How about this? We could go for dinner, then catch a movie, and I can take you home afterward. Does that work?” His proposal was considerate, aiming to give her a pleasant evening.

“Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?” Jessica asked, feeling a little embarrassed after she had just declined him.

“Not at all, not at all,” Winston replied quickly, eager for the chance to spend time with her.

“Well…all right, then.” Jessica finally agreed to Winston’s suggestion, realizing it might be her best option for the evening.

“Karen, this is my dad, and this is my mom…”

Christina held onto Kaven’s arm, then they both sat on the couch together. Her voice brimmed with pride and anticipation as she introduced him, hoping her parents would see him the way she did.

“Mom, Dad, this is the boyfriend I’ve told you so much about.” She said with a shy smile. Mr. and Mrs. Richter were clearly impressed with Kaven, who looked refined in his suit. They had already heard all about his virtues and successes from Christina, and his wealth only made him more appealing.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Richter,” Kaven said with poised politeness. “I’m here today in the hope that you will…”

He had only begun to speak when Jessica and Christina’s mother interrupted him.

“Yes, yes, we know,” she said, holding up her hand in a welcoming gesture.

“You want to marry my daughter! Christina already told us as much. At first, I was hesitant—she’s my beloved younger daughter, always affectionate and sweet, and she’s been by my side for 26 years. The thought of her leaving us…it’s hard to bear.”

“Oh, Mom! It’s not like I’m moving to a different country! Besides, with travel so convenient nowadays, you and Dad can come visit me anytime…Come on, let me get married!”

All Christina wanted was to marry Kaven. For her, marrying him meant having everything she ever dreamed of. Her long-held fantasy of becoming a lady of luxury was finally coming true overnight.

It was perfect, truly perfect. Ever since Kaven mentioned proposing, she’d even taken to smiling in her sleep every night, thrilled beyond words.

In fact, she’d even quit her job. She didn’t want Kaven showing up at her workplace, lest any of her jealous coworkers gossip about her, possibly revealing her romantic past. She couldn’t risk her prince charming slipping away.

“Oh, Mr. Taylor, you see, my daughter is quite shameless—her heart is set entirely on marrying you, and she’s hopelessly attached. She’s not good at much else, so I only hope that in the future…”

“Mom, how could you say that?” Christina replied, feigning a pout.

“Oh, all right, all right! If you’re so enamored, who are we to say otherwise? If we kept her any longer, it would only lead to resentment.”

“Well, about the minor details, I’ll have someone coordinate with you, Mr. and Mrs. Richter. Originally, my parents were supposed to be here today, but they decided on a last-minute trip abroad. My apologies.”

“Not at all!”

Jessica and Christina’s parents kept smiling warmly, not daring to say anything that might put Kaven off in any way.

“If the future in-laws have prior commitments, it can’t be helped. With wedding plans, it’s usually the older generation who handle these things. You young ones should simply take care of your own responsibilities; that’ll be just fine.”

“Oh, and Mr. and Mrs. Richter, I think I overheard you mention that Christina has a sister? I haven’t seen her yet,” Kaven remarked casually, noticing the slight discomfort that flashed across their faces, though he thought little of it.

“She…uh…” Christina shot her parents a warning glance. She’d explicitly told them not to mention Jessica, and yet here they were, with even the smallest slip bringing her sister into the picture.

“Oh, yes! Karen, I do have an older sister. She’s a Chinese language teacher, but she just happens to be busy tonight, so…”

“Oh, I see… I was just curious.”

“Yes, of course,” her father interjected smoothly. “And as for the wedding date, would it be convenient to wait until your parents return so we can match up birth dates and star signs to find the most auspicious day for the marriage? I know it may sound old-fashioned, but such matters can be quite significant.”

“Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Richter. My parents will likely ask for Christina’s details as well. Shall we settle it that way?”

“Yes, certainly. That sounds wonderful,” they replied, thoroughly delighted as Christina nestled happily at Kaven’s side.