Sitting in the sports car, Krystle wondered why Linus gave her his wallet. Then it flashed to her he was assuring her that he wasn't going to run away and it made her laugh.

Playing with his wallet, her eyes landed on a woman who was too familiar and hateful. The next second her eyes were in shock, Flora Dalton was on a date with a third-generation heir. Flora didn't look happy about it while the man seemed to be considerate of her.

She was itching to do something crazy but there came a knock on the window.

'Knock, knock.'

She saw it was a waiter from the cafe. She was about to get happy thinking Linus sent her coffee but.. There was a billing machine and a check on the tray.

Krystle: ".."

She rolled the window down and heard the waiter, "Miss, Mr. Collins said you will be paying their bill." There was a hint of bewilderment in his tone as it was always the men who paid the bill but the ladies.

Krystle instinctively opened Linus's wallet assuming he must have sent the waiter as his wallet was with her. However, she found the wallet empty of cash and cards. There were only identity cards.

Krystle realized the reason behind his action. He was telling her that she might have to pay all their bills and also take care of his expenses. "I will pay by phone." She said and the waiter handled the payment process.

When the waiter left, she noticed Linus leaning on the table at the entrance of the cafe and watching her. She narrowed her eyes and felt him sigh before going towards the car.

Krystle got out of the car and went around the car to reach him. Grabbing his jacket, she pinned him against the black wagon. "Linus Collins, do you think I will be riled up to pay your bills? Tsk.. Come up with something new."

Linus looked at her fingers clutching his jacket and at her fuming face. She was getting angry but for different reasons. For trying to test her, for still not understanding her.

The relationships aren't as simple as paying a bill or two. The acts which seemed endearing could appear irritating, and the attention that you liked could be suffocating. Living with no responsibility was easier than when you take responsibility for a person.

When a person depends on you, you take them for granted, you throw your frustration on them and assume they wouldn't leave you. A superiority naturally sets in and gives no importance to the other one's hard work or whatever they do.

Thus, knowing her now would be completely different from how they will be in a relationship.

Linus pulled her hands away from his jacket and asked, "Krystle, answer me something."

Krystle propped her brows seeing him so grave. They have to talk seriously but they don't have to look like they were planning to kill somebody.

Linus questioned, "Why is my sister-in-law adamant about buying a villa of her own when bro has a mansion?"

He didn't mean to compare themselves with another couple. It would be easier for Krystle to understand Anya's situation instead of explaining his position.

"She.."

Linus cut in and added another question, "Bro isn't lacking in anything, neither money. Then why is my sister-in-law planning for a new job?"

He paused looking at her and fell silent. He added another question, "She can join bro's company, then why doesn't she want to depend on him?"

Krystle opened her mouth and closed it. She was about to respond to him as Anya wants to be independent. Then she realized Linus wouldn't like to depend on her either.

Krystle is aware Anya trusts Alvin but that didn't stop her from wishing to be independent when she could have lived a lavish life doing nothing.

So even if Linus trusts her, he couldn't be able to depend on her. She wanted to say 'Annie has her responsibilities as the only daughter of her parents and a mother of a little boy.' Well, Linus has his responsibility too and Alvin could fulfill Anya's responsibilities too.

She wanted to say, 'You can depend on me like you did all these years.' But it sounded offensive to herself. Thus she ended up saying, "You- aren't Annie."

She genuinely didn't mind if Linus depended on her. When women could marry and depend on their husbands, why couldn't it be the reverse? She is earning more than enough for two to live a comfortable life, all she cared about was being together.

Linus nodded as he took his car key fob from her hand, "I am not." Anya's image in him was too high, the girl who was said to be innocent and simple had been through tough days and struggled past years to reach where she was today.

Compared to her, he has done nothing. He never thought about being independent, forgetting one day he has to take responsibility for his family and his life.

Krystle's appearance made him think if he should do something more. He was doing what he liked but he was doing nothing for his life. When he couldn't handle his own life, how was he going to look after another person?

More than himself, he was also worried about her. He wasn't sure if she wasn't thinking of consequences or she didn't care.historical

People were seeing him as the President's son, thus everyone was courteous but it wasn't the same anymore. Everyone will laugh at her, although people's opinions shouldn't matter to a relationship, they will inevitably get affected by the people.

There shouldn't come a day when she avoids taking him out, ashamed to introduce him to her friends or colleagues. One day she might hear her friends saying she is a sugar mother to him. It would undoubtedly hurt her and affect them.

Linus opened the door of the diver seat of the Mercedes Wagon and motioned for her to get in. He responded, "That doesn't mean I will depend on you."

He was leaving when Krystle caught his hand. She wasn't ready to take another rejection. At the same time, she didn't want to look desperate.

Linus sighed loudly and questioned in curiosity. His tone cheered me up more, "So many men are after you. And why are you behind me?"

Krystle's lips twitched. Her fingers itched to grab onto his hair but controlled, "Because they aren't you." She flipped her hair and crossed her arms, "And I am in front of you." She scoffed, disliking his choice of words.

Linus wasn't sure if he should be happy or curse their situation. Krystle; everyone knew was a butterfly. She got into nobody's hands and everyone admired her.

The two weeks, he couldn't believe they weren't ready to let go of each other. This was something they hadn't felt for another one.

She was still hotheaded and didn't fear being reckless. Whereas he changed from coolheaded to worrywart, thanks to her.

He gave her a gentle push to get in the car, "Go, don't make your friend wait." It was their girls' shopping day.

Before she could think, her fingers were already wrapping around his wrist. If she leaves with rejection, she knew she would never be able to face him again.

He needed time because he will have a major change in his life, "Let me think it over."

Krystle got the hope. She tugged him back when he turned around.

"Krystle Lewis, I am coming to the Nest." He wasn't going to avoid her if that's what she wanted to know.

He made sure she got in the car and left before going to his car.

–––––––

At the Nest regency,

Anya patted her cheeks looking at her reflection in the car window. She was still feeling hot and tense, her nipples hard and painful, poking against the undergarment. Even after standing in the cold without a jacket, it didn't help her.

Her shoulders dropped when Alvin draped his jacket over her shoulders. She wanted to feel cold, not warm. Definitely not his scent that runs her mind wild.

Anyway, her body turned cold as ice as soon as she stepped inside the villa. She started shaking and her eyes darted everywhere without focusing on anything. She felt suffocated to stand a second in her villa, her new home.