The Billionaire Who Stole My Heart

Old Mr. Malone squinted his eyes at Ronald, a mix of surprise and contemplation in his gaze. "You really care about her that much?"

"Grandpa, she's not just someone I like, she's the closest person to me," Ronald said, catching the undercurrent of threat in the elder's tone. "If anything happens to her, I'd go to the ends of the earth to avenge her." The cold determination in Ronald's eyes momentarily stunned Old Mr. Malone.

After a long pause, Old Mr. Malone looked away. "If you truly care for her, I suppose Lilith can make room for her."

Lilith was never one to hold petty grudges.

In the grand scheme of H city, where the wealthy families often harbored dark secrets, this arrangement wouldn't be the most peculiar.

"No."

Ronald shook his head firmly. "I can't accept that kind of marriage. It's not just an insult to her, but to me as well."

Seeing Ronald's resolve, Old Mr. Malone wanted to argue but, considering Ronald's commendable behavior over the years, he didn't want to make a scene. After a moment, he conceded, "I understand." Ronald felt the issue was resolved. "Please, no more matchmaking."

Old Mr. Malone sighed, "Find time to bring her to me."

"That's not possible right now."Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

"You think I'd harm her?" Old Mr. Malone challenged.

Ronald hadn't considered that. "She's not my girlfriend... yet."

"You haven't won her over?"

A vein throbbed in Old Mr. Malone's temple.

"No," Ronald hesitated.

Leaving the Malone estate at eleven at night, Ronald knew Kari was still at the hospital.

He wanted to visit, but feared disturbing her rest.

Instead, he sat in his car, gazing at the hospital window from hundreds of meters away.

For a long time, it had been Kari who helped him persevere.

But now, he found himself hesitating.

More than anyone, Ronald understood Kari's nature. If they couldn't move forward, they couldn't revert to their old ways either.

He was gambling on a possibility.

Gambling on the chance that Kari might develop feelings for him.

Exhausted from the day's events, yet unwilling to leave, he chose to sleep in his car, the heater warding off the cold.

Through the window, the sight of that closed hospital window somehow brought him peace.

Eventually, a knock on the car window woke him. It was Kari.

"Kari?"

Ronald rolled down the window and opened the door, rubbing his face. "What are you doing here? Aren't you cold?" Kari, wearing only a hospital gown, looked slightly pale with a hint of red at the corners of her eyes from the cold.

He took off his jacket and draped it over Kari. "Are you feeling alright? Do you need anything?"

Smelling the tobacco on him, Kari frowned. "You smoke?"

Ronald did have a habit of smoking to relieve stress.

He had never smoked around Kari, fearing her disapproval.

After leaving the Malone estate, he had smoked a cigarette, and now his clothes carried the scent. He tossed his jacket into a nearby trash can and accompanied Kari back into the hospital.

Once inside the warm building, Ronald apologized, "I shouldn't have smoked tonight." He knew she disliked the smell of tobacco and had always made sure to be free of it before seeing her. Kari seemed to understand his gesture, her lips pressing together slightly. "How long have you been smoking?"

"For years," Ronald's voice was hoarse. "Sometimes, when I'm tired or under a lot of stress, I... smoke."