The morning light filtered through the windows of the Kappel mansion as Cynthia found Keith reviewing some medical notes in the library. She knocked softly on the doorframe to announce her presence."Keith? Do you have a moment?" Cynthia asked.Keith looked up and nodded. "Of course. What is it?""I wanted to confirm about the lunch tomorrow with the Genesis CEO," Cynthia said. "Are you still planning to come?""Absolutely," Keith replied without hesitation. "What time should I be ready?""The reservation is at one o'clock at Le Jardin," Cynthia explained. "I'll have the car ready at noon so we arrive with time to spare.""Perfect. I'll be available," Keith confirmed.After Cynthia left, Keith returned to his desk where an official envelope sat unopened. He'd recognized the court seal immediately and had been putting off opening it all morning. Finally, he tore it open and scanned the contents.The trial date had been moved up. Instead of two weeks, he now had just seven days to prepa

Yona's mind was spinning. The last thing she'd expected was for Keith to kiss her. They'd just agreed to take things slow – to see where things went without pressure or expectations. And now suddenly his lips were on hers, and her entire world was tilting on its axis.She was so shy, her heart hammering so hard she was certain Keith could feel it. Her hands trembled where they rested on his chest, and she felt heat flooding her cheeks. But despite her nervousness, despite the shock, she found herself kissing him back.When they finally pulled apart, Keith looked just as stunned as she felt. His eyes were wide, his breathing slightly uneven, and there was an expression on his face that Yona couldn't quite read – confusion mixed with fear mixed with something else."I'm sorry," Keith said suddenly, taking a step back. "I shouldn't have... we said slow, and I just...""It's okay," Yona said softly, though her voice was shaking."No, it's not," Keith insisted, running his hand through his

The car pulled up to Le Jardin, and Keith felt Cynthia's hand tighten around his. He knew he needed to tell her about Yona before they went inside, before she could build up more expectations about what was between them.They were led to a private dining room on the second floor, elegantly decorated with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The table was set for three, but they were the first to arrive."The CEO should be here shortly," the hostess informed them. "May I get you something to drink while you wait?""Just water for now," Cynthia said, and Keith nodded in agreement.Once they were alone, Keith turned to face Cynthia directly. He couldn't put this off any longer."Cynthia, about what I wanted to tell you," Keith began."Yes?" Cynthia said hopefully, her eyes bright with anticipation."Your grandfather spoke to me about marriage," Keith said carefully. "About me marrying you."Cynthia's face flushed. "He told you that?""He did," Keith confirmed. "And I need to be

"You're not Cynthia Kappel's assistant," Mira said with certainty. "Everything about you screams doctor, not administrative staff. So why are you here?"Keith studied her carefully. There was intelligence in her eyes, a sharpness that suggested she missed very little."Why did you bring doctors here?" Keith asked instead of answering. "To this city specifically?""That's an interesting counter-question," Mira said with a slight smile. "Are you asking as Cynthia's assistant, or as the miracle doctor everyone keeps talking about?"Keith felt his heart skip a beat. She knew. Or at least, she suspected."I'm asking as someone who's curious about your real motives," Keith said carefully.Mira's smile widened. "Fair enough. The truth is quite simple, actually. I love the common people.""The common people," Keith repeated skeptically."Yes," Mira said, her expression becoming more earnest. "I wasn't always wealthy, Mr. Cross. I came from nothing. I strived so hard to be rich, to build somet

They settled onto the couch together, and Keith recounted the lunch with Mira Chen and what had happened with Cynthia. Yona listened carefully, noting the sadness and frustration in his voice."So Cynthia's angry with you for rejecting her," Yona summarized when he finished. "And now she's making rash decisions about her father's care out of spite.""Essentially, yes," Keith confirmed. "And I can't stop her. Ivan is her father, not mine. If she wants to transfer him to Genesis Medical, that's her choice.""But you're going to go with them," Yona observed. "To the hospital.""I have to," Keith said. "I need to see these doctors for myself. And I can't leave Ivan alone with them if they're frauds."Yona nodded, understanding his protective instincts even if they complicated everything."Keith," she said after a moment of silence, "why have you been avoiding me?"Keith looked down at his hands. "I didn't know what to say to you.""About the kiss?" Yona asked gently."Yes," Keith admitted