A Life Debt Repaid

Cordy certainly came to like Richard a lot after spending a week with the boy. “I’ve left you my number, so call me anytime you miss me. I’ll even come to meet you when I’m free.”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire…”

Cordy dropped to a crouch then, which took her considerable exertion.

Nearby, the nonexistent man was left frowning as she tenderly tousled Richard’s hair from the same height as the latter. “Yes, pants on fire.”

Richard beamed adorably then and gave her a peck on the cheek.

The nonexistent man frowned even harder then.

“I have to go now,” Cordy told Richard with a tender look.

“Okay, Mommy. Don’t run or you might fall,” Richard called after her sweetly—the boy simply refused to stop calling her that even after a week.

When Cordy tried to, Richard would become alarmed, thinking that she was abandoning her, his little eyes turning red and welling with tears from misery.

It certainly stopped Cordy from being stubborn—the boy would get it when he was older anyway.

As she limped out alone from her ward on her crutch, John kept following her.

She wanted to stop him more than once, but she held her tongue.

It was not until they reached the main entrance that she spoke. “Mr. Levine…”

However, he simply walked past her, opening the door of the black Maybach parked in front of her like a gentleman.

As Cordy frowned, he said, “I’ll give you a ride home.”

“I shouldn’t trouble you. I can get home by myself.”

“I have a car,” he insisted simply.

Cordy stared at him. Was he bragging?

“It’s no trouble,” he added.

Cordy genuinely found it difficult to talk to him, but she compromised regardless.

He seemed to have this mystical ability to stop her from refusing, though refusing was just going to be a waste of time—it would never work.

As she got into the luxurious sedan, John asked, “Where do you live, Ms. Sachs?”

she replied.

ever since she returned to the country, and her so-called family

the chauffeur a look.

quickly nodded and slowly drove out

was when John suddenly leaned toward

even though she was clearly wary—John had always kept his distance.

as he helped her put on her seatbelt, and she was left pursing

done, he said evenly, “You don’t have

promptly looked

that she was doing that.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Sachs. I’m not the

Cordy was speechless.

narcissistic could he get?!

to hold back just then, she blurted, “How did you get a kid if you really were?”

soon as she said it—she was not close enough to John that they could joke

to look at her and held her gaze for a

changing the subject, John said, “It was against my

burly man who measured up to six

she’s quite assertive.” Cordy tried to

on that day.” John nodded, glancing at her again with

like their conversation was not that

you two end up separated?” Cordy asked, trying to change the subject—she was also curious as to why Richard’s mother would leave them.

like

dumbfounded again—someone dumped a man as gorgeous as him?!

she bear your

said coolly. “She was actually going to abandon him after delivering him.”

did not even want to imagine the scene where a newly born Dicky, so young and defenseless, was almost dumped

from a woman like her,”

lips and stared fixedly at her, as if there was something on her face.

her own cheeks self-consciously. “Mr. Levine?”

turned away and kept the back of his head

frowned—he was

considering that she mentioned his unpleasant relationship, it would make

until it stopped

you,” Cordy said as she

nodded. “Take care, Ms.

Cordy replied, while

to her apartment unit. Her tolerance toward strangers was already at its limit after he brought her to her

felt less wary toward him—even though she should be very

…