Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1131-1140

“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. Mr. and Mrs. Singed will be more than happy to accept this.” Angela smiled.

“I’ll have to talk to them myself. Honestly, I’m a bit embarrassed to bring this up.” Scarlet was really in a dilemma now. How am I supposed to convince my best friend to marry their young and lovely daughter to my old and single brother? I can’t do that.

“I’m counting on you, sis.” Ren wrapped his arm around her shoulder. There was a silent plea in his eyes.

Scarlet just realized Ren hid his feelings for Ruka really deep within. She didn’t even notice it for the longest time. But then they’re childhood friends, and Ruka moved in with him for almost a whole month. It’s honestly not that far-fetched that they become lovers.

“But we can’t let the public know about this, or it’ll affect the number of votes he gets,” Walter said.

Richard looked at Ren. He was trying to tell him not to drop out of the election.

Ren wouldn’t let his family down, not after they gave him their support in his relationship. Not to mention he needed to get Harold’s approval too. If he wanted his father’s approval, he had to get reelected in the coming election.

“Yeah. You and Ruka will have to wait, Ren. We’ll talk about marriage after May.” Scarlet was worried as well. “I did tell everyone she’s my goddaughter. Your rivals might use that against you if they know.”

“Yes. We can’t ruin his chances of getting reelected, so keep this between us. Don’t tell anyone.” Charlotte knew what her priorities were.

“I’ll join this election and do my best,” Ren promised.

“Why did you pass out all of a sudden, Mom?” Scarlet was worried about Charlotte.

“Oh, it’s nothing much.” Charlotte finally saw through Sophie. She told me about Ren dating Ruka on purpose just to make me think badly of Ruka. Charlotte was relieved she didn’t tell Ren to marry Sophie, or the family would eventually turn into shambles.

Angela wanted to tell her that it was all Sophie’s fault, but since Charlotte was broad-minded enough not to bring it up, she was in no position to talk about it. Gotta learn to be as generous as Charlotte is.

“And pay a visit to the Singeds, Scarlet. See if they’d like to marry Ruka off to Ren?” Charlotte was really happy. She wanted to settle this as soon as possible. Hey, I’m gonna have a daughter-in-law soon. Settle all this stuff ASAP.

“Sure. I’ll be going to their place in a bit, Mom.” Scarlet smiled and got up. She told Walter, “Let’s go, honey. Richard and the others can handle things on this side.”

Walter patted Ren’s shoulder. “Leave the talking to us, Ren. We’ll handle this for you.”

“I’m counting on you, Walter.”

Scarlet and Walter left. Charlotte was in a really good mood. She pulled her blanket down and tried to get out of bed, and Ren stopped her. “Get some more rest, Mom.”

“Nope. I passed out only because I was too angry. Now I’m not angry anymore.”

A doctor came in with some meds, and a gust of breeze carried the smell of pills through the ward. Angela took a whiff of it and felt her stomach churn. She covered her mouth and retched.

Everyone looked at her. She blushed. “The smell of meds always makes my stomach churn. Sorry.”

Charlotte was looking delighted. “We’re at a hospital. Quick, see if you’re pregnant.”

Angela’s face turned even redder. She quickly waved her hands. “No. Richard and I aren’t planning on having any kids just yet.”

Richard quickly realized what was happening thanks to his great memory. There was this one time when Angela insisted on having sex with him, and they went through with it before he could get any protection on. She initiated, to say the least.

Did she get pregnant from that one time? Richard held her hand. “We’re getting you checked.”

Ren saw them off enviously, while Charlotte clapped her hands. “Yay, double the fun!”

Angela muttered, “I’m not pregnant. I don’t need this checkup.”

“Remember the time when we were in the mountains? When we did it in the car?” Richard jogged her memory.

She blushed and blinked quickly. “That can’t be possible, right?”

“Never say never. Just get the checkup and see what’s happening.” He led her to a consultation room, and the doctor prescribed a pregnancy test for her.

Angela’s heart was thumping. She leaned against the chair and recalled what happened that day, which made her blush. Richard had taken her on a hiking trip out of the blue. The view was great, and Richard looked really hot, so she went in for a little thrill.

He handed the test to her and persuaded gently, “Get tested.”

Angela went reluctantly. She wasn’t prepared to be a mother so soon, since she wanted some more alone time with Richard.

She was sitting on the toilet bowl, waiting for the results to come out. After the first red line made its appearance, she stared at the second line to see if it would show up. The light was dim, and she was a little short-sighted, so she didn’t notice the vague second line. She came back out happily.

The girl even washed the test and took it out with her just to prove that she wasn’t pregnant. Angela came out of the restroom and looked at Richard.

Angela narrowed her eyes. She wanted to tease him a little. “Guess what the result is.”

Well, she looks happy, so it’s negative then. No way she’d look so delighted otherwise.

“Let me have a look.” Richard extended his hand.

“Here you go. There’s only one line.” Angela handed it to him happily.

Richard took it and had a look. His eyes widened in surprise. He had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn’t seeing the wrong thing. She said there’s only one line.

But there are two here.

“Are you sure you looked at it seriously?”

“I did.” She nodded.

He handed the test back to her. “I think you might wanna look at it again.”

Angela’s smile froze. She took it back and looked closely. “Wait. Two lines? I’m pregnant?”

Richard wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her hair. “The baby’s on the way.”

Angela was amused and a little miffed. Gotta watch how wild I get next time, or I might get knocked up again.

“Well, guess my folks are gonna be really happy then.” She changed her attitude. The baby’s on its way, so I guess I’ll just roll with it.

Richard’s heart went out for her. She’s scared of injections. Labor’s gonna be hell for her.

“Wanna see if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“Nah. We’ll find out eventually.” He smiled.

Angela just wanted to find out beforehand so she could buy the things her baby needed. But if Richard says it’s okay, then it’s okay.

They went back to the ward, and Richard announced the good news to Charlotte. Charlotte was over the moon as expected. She told Angela to sit beside her and gave her tips on how to get through the pregnancy.

At the same time, Scarlet and Walter were on their way to the Singeds’ place. Scarlet still had mixed emotions about it, but overall, they would be happy if this worked out.

Unbeknownst to them, the Singed household did not share their happiness. Ruka was lying on her bed, crying her heart out. Claire had locked herself up in her room as well. She still couldn’t get over it. She just thought her daughter shouldn’t ingratiate herself to the Hussons.

Things were grim in the Singed household. Robert was sleeping on the couch. He had no idea about the turmoil his wife and his daughter just went through. Claire locked herself up in her room and thought about how her daughter grew up. She just couldn’t figure out how her daughter became a shallow person who only cared about people with money and power.

Ruka was in her room as well. She had gone from crying her heart out to staying still. All she could think of was the time she spent with Ren. And then… she started crying again.

She had never felt so helpless in her life before. She was in a state of distress. She had no idea how happy she would be if she dated him, but losing him would kill her inside.

It felt like everything was starting to spin, and the world became silent. She had fainted without anyone knowing.

Someone rang the doorbell.

Robert had just woken up. He sat up, wondering who it was. The man opened the door and saw Scarlet and Walter outside.

“Scarlet? Walter? What brings you here?” Robert was surprised. He thought they would have dinner at the Husson residence.

Okay, it’s a bit too quiet here. Scarlet asked, “Are Claire and Ruka home?”

Robert looked at the shoe rack. “Yeah. They’re in their own rooms.

“Good. We have something to talk about.” Scarlet smiled. She heard sounds of footsteps coming from the bedroom. Claire came down tying her hair. She was surprised that Scarlet and her husband were here.

“What happened to you, Claire?” Scarlet noticed that her friend’s eyes were puffy. She looked pale and exhausted.

Claire heaved a sigh and took a seat on the couch. “Scarlet, there’s something I need to tell you, but you might get angry too.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about Ruka. She… She’s a bad girl now.” The guilt Claire felt crushed her, and she buried her face in her hands and started crying.

Robert looked at his wife in shock. “Claire, just say what you have to say. Don’t cry. What do you mean, she’s a bad girl?”

Scarlet sat down beside her friend and patted her back. “Just say whatever is on your mind, Claire. Ruka’s a good girl. What do you mean she’s turned bad?”

Claire was too ashamed to look at Scarlet. She hung her head low. “Scarlet, Ruka is a good child at heart.”

“I know. I always thought she’s a kind, upright girl. Just tell us what happened. Don’t scare us!” she quickly said.

“Yeah, just tell us what happened!” Robert was shocked as well.

Claire didn’t plan on hiding anything. She sighed. “Back at your house today, I… I saw Ruka kiss Ren.”

Robert was petrified. My daughter kissed the VP?

Scarlet and Walter exchanged a look. There were smiles in their eyes, but Claire didn’t notice it. She quickly said, “I’ll tell her to stay away from Ren, Scarlet. Don’t you worry.”

Scarlet smiled. “This is why we’re here, Claire. Have you ever thought that they might actually like each other?”

Claire gaped at Scarlet in disbelief. “What do you mean, Scarlet?”

“Ren told us he likes Ruka back at the hospital. He really likes her. He hopes you’ll bless their relationship,” Walter said.

The Singed couple exchanged a look. The news was a bombshell for them. Ren likes Ruka? They like each other?

“Is that a joke, Scarlet? I mean, Ren is the VP, and Ruka is just… Ruka.” Claire was still in disbelief.

Robert quickly asked, “When did this happen? Why didn’t Ruka tell us?”

“Probably when she was staying with Ren. They fell in love and probably just started dating,” Scarlet quickly answered.

Claire realized what was going on. She regretted everything she said and did to Ruka. So they love each other. It’s not a one-sided love like I thought.

“Why didn’t she say anything? And I actually yelled at her.” Wait a minute. I don’t hear anything in her room. She should have noticed the conversation and come downstairs by now.

“Ruka!” Claire shot up from the couch and made a dash for Ruka’s room.

Everyone else followed her. Claire knocked on the door. “Ruka? It’s me. Open up.”

The door was locked from the inside. It couldn’t be opened, and they had a bad feeling about it.

“Get the keys! Ruka might be in danger!” Scarlet said.

Robert went and looked for the keys. Claire was tearing up in panic. “Ruka, open the door! I’m sorry! It was a misunderstanding. Please, open up!”

“Ruka? It’s me, Scarlet. Let’s talk, alright? Don’t lock yourself up.”

Robert came back with the keys. Claire opened the door and went inside. Ruka was lying on the bed. She might be asleep, but Claire thought otherwise.

Robert quickly went to the bed and held Ruka. He checked her breathing and told everyone, “Take her to the hospital. She’s passed out.”

Claire wobbled. The guilt almost made her pass out as well, but Scarlet held her. “We gotta take her to the hospital, Claire. Let’s go.”

Robert left the house with Ruka in his arms. Walter got into the car and revved it up. Scarlet took the passenger seat, while Claire got into the backseat. She held Ruka as they made their way to the hospital.

“This is all my fault. I didn’t talk things through with her and went straight to the yelling. I even made her swear she’d stay away from Ren. I should have tried to understand the situation better first.” Claire was crying.

“It’s alright, Claire. Don’t cry. It’s not your fault.” Scarlet turned around.

They went to a nearby hospital, and Ruka was taken to the emergency room. Scarlet called Ren.

“Scarlet? What is it?”

“Ren, I need to tell you something, but promise me you’ll stay calm.” Scarlet was worried he might come to the hospital. He can’t run around, not when he’s still the VP.

“Did something happen to Ruka?” Ren quickly asked.

“Well, Claire saw her kiss you back at lunch. She thought Ruka might be trying to date you for money, so she scolded Ruka when they got home. The heartbreak got to Ruka, and she passed out. We’re at the hospital—”

Before she could finish, Ren said, “Which hospital, sis?”NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.

“You can’t come here, Ren,” she stopped him.

“Just tell me where you are, Scarlet,” he said adamantly.

Scarlet told him, and he hung up. She sighed. I can’t stop him. But she could see that he really loved Ruka.

Eventually, Ruka was brought out of the ER and taken to a regular ward. She had an oxygen mask on her face to help her breathe.

The doctor said this was a short-term passing out caused by great sadness. It was a matter of time before she woke up.

Claire was sitting right in front of the bed, looking at her pale daughter. Ruka must have internalized all the blame. She knew her overreaction shocked Ruka.

A motorcade departed from the Husson Residence, and they were heading to a hospital in the town area.

Elijah was right beside Ren. He unzipped a bag and unloaded the standard disguise for Ren—there was a mask, a cap, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. He usually used these on his outings.

“Why don’t you call Mrs. Husson and have her notify you once Miss Singed wakes up?” Elijah wasn’t big on the idea of him going to crowded places like hospitals.

“It’s alright. I’ll be going in with just you and two bodyguards,” Ren said.

Four black off-road vehicles stopped by the roadside, and a black car went into the hospital’s car park. Elijah opened the door, and out came Ren.

He was wearing a long black coat, a black baseball cap, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and a large black mask that hid most of his face. However, his tall figure and distinguished air still drew everyone’s attention.

Elijah followed right beside him, along with several bodyguards in the rear who were on their toes at all times. Walter and Robert were waiting for him in the corridor of the hospital’s inpatient ward on the sixth floor.

When Robert saw the man that stepped out of the elevator, his heart was moved. He was touched to see Ren coming to the hospital in spite of how dangerous it was for him.

“Mr. Husson.” Robert stepped forward to greet him.

“Has Ruka woken up yet?” Ren asked gently.

“No. Claire and Scarlet are both in there with her right now,” Robert replied before heading into the room.

“Mr. Husson is here.”

Claire stood up in a tizzy, and Scarlet patted her hand to calm her down. “Don’t be nervous.”

Claire was pleased, but she was also feeling a little remorseful. At last, she realized how strong the feelings were between her daughter and Ren. She was also deeply moved by the fact that he came to visit Ruka despite how dangerous it was for him.

Ren stepped through the door and his heart dropped when he saw the woman who was lying on the hospital bed hooked up to a ventilator. He turned to Claire and greeted her politely. “Mrs. Singed.”

“Mr. Husson,” Claire greeted him back a little nervously.

“Claire, let’s find a place to rest and let Ren sit with Ruka for a while.” Scarlet was more than happy to help her brother have some alone time with Ruka.

“Okay.” Claire nodded in agreement. She did not worry about leaving Ruka in Ren’s hands.

Scarlet turned to her brother and said, “Ren, take good care of Ruka.”

“I will.” Ren nodded.

The two bodyguards continued to keep watch outside the room. Elijah was leaning against the wall and he was on high alert as well.

After all, the man sitting in there right now was the nation’s vice president, Ren Husson.

Ren sat down by the bed and sighed. He figured out what happened based on what Scarlet told him earlier.

So she got a good scolding, huh? Ren blamed himself for it. It was his fault for not informing the Singeds about their relationship. His failure to do so led to her family misunderstanding her.

“I’m sorry, Ruka. It’s my fault.” Ren took her slightly chilly hand in his and kissed it softly.

Ruka was slowly gaining consciousness. She vaguely heard a man’s voice that sounded rather like his, but she thought she had to be dreaming.

Her eyelids trembled slightly and her eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.

The lights along the ceiling blinded her for a moment and she blinked rapidly to get used to the brightness.

“You’re awake?” She heard a deep voice calling out to her.

Ruka turned her head a little to the side and immediately, she saw Ren’s handsome face staring back at her. Startled, she quickly sat up in bed. “W-What are you doing here?”

Ren stood up from his seat and pulled her into his arms in one fell swoop. He rested his chin on her head as he said, “Don’t worry. Your parents know all about us now. They won’t scold you anymore.”

“Really? They know everything?” Ruka’s eyes welled up with tears as her despair surged up again. She grabbed his sleeves tightly and leaned against his chest. She was determined to be with him, even if it meant withstanding the brunt of her family’s anger.

“Why am I in the hospital?” Ruka looked up at him and asked.

Ren ran his fingers through her hair. His heart was aching as he explained, “You fainted after being too overwhelmed by your emotions. Scarlet and the others brought you to the hospital.”

Ruka felt a little mortified and she scampered back into his arms to hide. She had fainted out of grief that she would never be able to be with him anymore.

“Is it because of me?” he asked with a sigh.

Ruka did not want to deny it, so she nodded. “My mother saw me kissing you back at Husson Residence. She was furious and upset because she thought I was trying to seduce you.”

Ren sighed once again. He stroked her back to comfort her and kissed her on the forehead.

“Why didn’t you tell her that I’m the one who chased you?” Ren chided hoarsely.

“What makes you think I’d dare to? If I did say that, my mother would’ve said that I must have gone mad for being so full of myself! Mr. Vice President wouldn’t possibly take a liking to me, not even if he were blind!” Ruka huffed.

He rapped her head with his chin. “Who are you calling blind?”

Ruka giggled. Two hours ago, she felt nothing but despair, but now, she was drowning in bliss.

“Hang on. Does Aunt Scarlet know that you’re here to see me? What about your parents? Does everyone know?” Ruka clutched his shirt and fired off question after question.

“Everyone who needs to know does know by now, except for my father.” Then, Ren added, “Relax. My family supports our relationship.”

Ruka’s complexion was a little pale earlier, but now it was bright red. All of them know about it and they’re showing us support too?

“I’m certain your parents will give us their blessing too, or otherwise, it’s hard to imagine how sad their daughter would be if she couldn’t marry me!” Ren commented with a smile.

Ruka pouted and punched him in the chest. “You’re teasing me!”

She was already embarrassed enough for fainting because she thought she could not be with him.

He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest. His voice was serious and full of love as he said, “I’m not teasing you, Ruka. Words can’t express how happy I am that you love me so.”

Ruka’s face turned even redder, but she wrapped her arms around his waist. “You better remember that.”

Ren stroked her hair and said, “We will never be apart again, not now, not ever.” It’s a promise.

“Okay. We’ll never be apart,” Ruka agreed with a nod without hesitation.

“Ruka…”

“Hm?” She looked up at him.

“Don’t ever faint like that again, okay? You must remember that I’ll always be by your side no matter what happens.” Ren was afraid that if another misunderstanding cropped up, she would faint out of sadness or despair once more. It would break his heart if she did.

Ruka looked into his deep, brooding eyes and smiled. She feared nothing now since he said he would always be with her.

Still, she was vexed at herself for proving her love for him by fainting. What a foolish thing to do.

“Wait a minute. This is the hospital. Why are you here?” At last, it dawned on Ruka that a person like him should not be here right now.

“It’s fine,” Ren assured her.

However, Ruka was not about to be as callous with his safety. She tried to push him away. “No, you better leave now! I’m fine. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Go now, quickly.”

Ren grabbed her hand. “Come with me then.”

“Where to?”

“You can recuperate at my house.”

“No, I can’t. I…” Ruka blushed. She felt a little bashful about staying with him.

However, Ren was adamant. After all, he was certain that she was the one for him. He wanted to take care of her and he knew that her parents would be fine with it.

He would beg them if he had to.

Meanwhile, in a waiting room nearby, Claire was both amazed and disbelieving when she heard what Scarlet told her. Why would Ren Husson, of all people, take a liking to her daughter? It was as if Ruka had won life’s lottery! If Ruka did marry Ren, she would have the prestige of being the Hussons’ daughter-in-law.

“Is this true, Scarlet? Is Ren truly in love with Ruka? Why does it feel like I’m dreaming?” Claire exclaimed as she clasped her hand around Scarlet’s.

“I couldn’t believe my ears when I first heard about it too, but sometimes love happens when you least expect it. Since they’re in love, we should just accept it and give them our blessing! My mother is very pleased with Ruka too. She hopes that once Ren’s done with the general elections, we can start picking a date for Ren and Ruka’s wedding.”

“Will his marriage with Ruka affect him during the general elections? After all, a lot of people know that Ruka grew up with your family. I’m afraid that others might use this information to cause a scandal for Ren. I wouldn’t want this to ruin his future!”

“I was concerned about this too, but Ruka is your child. She and Ren are not related in any way, so there’s no reason to care about what others might say. Even if someone tries to use this against Ren, I doubt it will amount to anything as long as all of us stand together in their defense,” Scarlet assured Claire in her staunch defense of her brother’s happiness.

“Ruka’s relationship with the Hussons would change too. You’ll be her sister, and she’ll be calling Mrs. Husson Mom.” Claire was a little flummoxed by the thought of it.

“That’s nothing to fret over. I’m thrilled to have Ruka as my sister-in-law. Our two families will be joined in marriage now, so we’ll be closer than ever! Isn’t that a good thing?” Scarlet continued to assuage all of Claire’s worries without any sign of displeasure.

Claire nodded happily. “I like the sound of that. I’d love for us to be a family.”

“Claire, you can trust Ren. Ruka’s safe in his hands! He loves her very much,” Scarlet declared seriously.

Claire was still feeling remorseful over the way she admonished Ruka earlier. That, combined with the way she felt as if she had wronged Ruka, made her nod at once. “Of course. I have absolute faith in Ren. I’m just worried that he would have his hands full with her since she’s still so young.”

“That’s not true. Ruka’s a thoughtful and mature young lady. Plus, we’re glad that he’ll have someone by his side now instead of being alone all the time.” Scarlet felt bad for Ren. He sacrificed a lot for the sake of their family’s glory.

Just then, Elijah knocked on the door and came in. “Mrs. Falkner, Mrs. Singed, Miss Singed has woken up now and the doctor has cleared her for discharge, so that’s being processed right now.”

“Ruka should be fine now.” Scarlet stood up and said to Claire, “Let’s go and see her.”

Claire and Scarlet entered the hospital room and saw Ruka sitting up in bed. Ruka could not look her mother in the eye yet, but Claire came up to her and hugged her. “Ruka, I’m sorry for misunderstanding you. Please forgive me!”

“I’m not mad at you, Mom.” Ruka returned the hug. She could understand why her mother had been so worried.

“Mr. and Mrs. Singed, there’s something I’d like to ask of you,” Ren stood up and said.

Ruka’s cheeks turned pink. Was he going to say it now?

“Go ahead, Ren.” Robert looked at him.

“I wish to take Ruka home with me and let her recuperate there until the end of the year. I hope you will give your permission.” Ren gave them a pleading look.

Scarlet was amused at how impatient he was in his eagerness to keep Ruka by his side.

Claire and Robert exchanged glances and nodded without protest.

“Will it be too much trouble for you, though?” Claire asked in concern.

“Of course not,” Ren responded with a smile.

Ruka was certain that she looked like a boiled lobster right now, but she could not hide her joy. Does this mean I can stay with him for a few days?

“I’ll head home to pack some things for Ruka and have someone bring it over right away,” Claire said.

“That won’t be necessary, Mrs. Singed. I’ll prepare the clothes, daily necessities, and whatever Ruka needs,” Ren replied lightly.

Ruka’s face was burning up. She felt incredibly shy that he was doting on her so much in front of her parents.

It occurred to Claire as well that Ren had the finest things in life available to him. Ruka would be well taken care of when she was with him.

“That’s settled then. Ren, you should take Ruka home with you now. It won’t be good for you to stay here much longer.” Scarlet was worried about Ren’s safety.

Ruka had already pulled her shoes on a long time ago. Ren glanced at her and she said to her parents, “Mom, Dad, I’ll be going now!”

Claire reached out for Ruka’s hand and instructed her, “Ruka, remember not to cause trouble for Ren, okay?”

Ruka nodded. “Yes, I know.”

By the time they came out of the room, Ren had put his mask back on. The gold-rimmed glasses on his nose gave him an air of sophistication. Ruka had only taken two steps when she felt his hand close around hers.

Ruka’s blush extended all the way to her ears as she followed him to the elevator.

The hospital elevators were long and rectangular. Despite being rather large, it became quite crowded by the time they got to the third floor. Elijah and the two bodyguards stood protectively in front of them, while Ruka and Ren were stuck together. She nestled into him and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Once they arrived on the first floor, Ren continued to walk hand-in-hand with Ruka as he led her out to the hospital lobby. She felt a lot of envious and wistful stares from others. Although the man beside her was wearing a mask, it did nothing to hide his innate aura of dominance.

Even though the passersby could not see his face, they could tell from his distinguished air alone that he was no ordinary man.

Elijah and the two bodyguards remained vigilant and only exhaled in relief once the two entered the car.

The atmosphere inside the car was quiet and serene, in stark contrast to the bustle they had just walked through. Ruka felt the hand around her waist tightening as its owner pulled her closer. She scooted over and settled into the middle of the backseat, and he helped her with the seatbelt.

Ruka lifted her head a little and his lips brushed across her forehead. A smile danced in his eyes as he asked, “Are you happy, Ruka?”

“Yeah.” She held his arm and rested her head against his shoulder. “I’m very happy.”

They set off for Ren’s place. Ruka was exhausted after the sequence of events that took place throughout the day, so she leaned against Ren and fell asleep.

Ren held her close and used his coat to tuck her securely against him. The warmth that emanated from him lulled Ruka to sleep.

He had the car drive up to the front entrance of his residence, and once the driver opened the car door for him, he carried Ruka down. She stirred awake from the motion, and when she saw how he carried her into the hall, she was so embarrassed that she buried her head in his arms.

Fortunately for her, the bodyguards were wise enough to know when to be scarce. The procession of cars also disappeared within seconds.

“Do you still feel sleepy?” Ren asked. “Yeah. I still feel like sleeping.” Ruka nodded drowsily.

Ren smiled and carried her upstairs. Ruka sat up in shock when she realized that he put her down on his bed in the master bedroom. “I don’t want to sleep in your bed. I’ll sleep in the guest room!”

However, Ren bent over and took her shoes off for her. Even so, she still tried to stand in a hurry, as if she would sully his bed by sleeping there.

Just as she was about to stand, he pressed down on her shoulder to keep her in bed, and she tripped over her own legs.

“Ahh!” She began to fall back onto the bed, but before she landed, she reacted instinctively and grabbed onto his shirt, which ended up pulling him down with her.

She felt herself sinking into the soft bed beneath her, while his body loomed over her and trapped her in. Still, he managed to prop himself up with his hands flat against the bed, or else, it would have been painful for her if he fell onto her as well.

His sculpted features were reflected in her large, clear eyes—including the stir of emotions that could be detected in his gaze.

They stared at each other like that for several seconds. Ruka’s heart began to beat a lot faster.

Ren had thought that he was patient enough to wait, but he underestimated just how attracted he was to her. She had only just arrived at his house, but he was already feeling the urge kicking in.

Ruka blinked at him blankly, but she was squealing for help on the inside.

What should I do now?

Are we going to kiss? Should I push him off? Her eyes flickered here and there as the thoughts swarmed her mind. She dared not maintain eye contact with him. It was as if he would eat her alive the moment he locked eyes with her.

She no longer felt any trace of drowsiness now. In fact, she felt a little restless.

Her body was tense as if all her senses were transfixed on the man above her right now.

A hint of mirth flashed across Ren’s face when he saw how adorable she was being right now. Look at how nervous she is!

Still, Ren was reluctant about letting her off quite so easily, so he lowered himself down and pecked her luscious lips before standing up.

“Alright. Go to sleep.” Ren’s voice was restrained. It was evident he was holding himself back.

“What about you?” Ruka looked at ease but she was a little disappointed. Is he leaving just like that?

“I have some work I need to attend to. You should rest for now. The doctor will come later to give you a checkup.”

Ruka shook her head at once when she heard that. “No thanks.”

“You’re an adult now. Are you still scared of doctors?” Ren was amused.

“Yes. I’m scared of needles and getting my blood taken. I don’t want to see a doctor,” Ruka declared as she snuggled under the covers.

Ren adjusted the corner of the covers and replied, “Okay. We’ll see how you’re feeling when you’re up. If you’re feeling alright, then I won’t ask the doctor to come.”

“Okay.” Ruka nodded.

Once Ren left, Ruka buried herself among the sheets. They smelled like him and she soon dozed off.

Half an hour later, Elijah brought over several suitcases of clothes. They were all for Ruka and had all manner of clothing that she could possibly need from the most luxurious brands on the market.

The household staff arranged the clothes into the wardrobe on Ruka’s behalf. They took great care to complete the task as they had long since predicted she would be the future Mrs. Husson.

It was the festive season that led up to Christmas, and as dusk fell, the city came to life with the spirit of joy and celebration. There were even fireworks in the distance.

At Husson Residence.

Harold was looking forward to having Ren home for dinner, but when Charlotte told him that Ren was too busy with work to return home for dinner, he started grumbling in discontent.

“How can he be this busy during the Christmas season? Can’t he spare the time for a meal?” Harold was disgruntled.

However, Charlotte could not hide the joy in her eyes. Usually, she would have grumbled right along with her husband, but she got a call from Scarlet two hours ago and heard that Ruka had moved in with Ren. Thus, she was pretty pleased to hear that Ren would be spending time with his loved one this year.

“Still, the general elections are coming up soon. If Ren puts in the effort now, he would have a higher chance of success when the time comes.” Harold had a look of anticipation in his eyes. The general elections were a priority for him as well.

“I think we shouldn’t pressure Ren too much. He’s still so young. It’s great if he’s chosen to continue serving another term, but even if he doesn’t win, it won’t stop him from excelling in any other field he chooses,” Charlotte opined.

However, Harold insisted, “I’m sure Ren will win. He has never let us down.”

Charlotte decided not to dwell on this topic with Harold. She was waiting for the elections to be over so she can finally have a daughter-in-law, and hopefully a few grandchildren soon as well!

At around six-thirty, Ruka was woken up by the sounds of someone setting off some fireworks nearby. She sat up in bed and enjoyed the view as the fireworks sparked across the sky.

Then, she climbed out of bed and went back to the guest room she was familiar with and washed up. By the time she headed downstairs, the servants had already prepared a romantic candlelit dinner. Apart from the candles, there were also fresh flowers and champagne.

“You’re up, Miss Singed. Dinner is ready to be served.”

“Did he go out?” Ruka asked at once.

“No, Sir is still in his study working right now.”

Ruka felt bad for him. She had taken a long nap but he was still busy with work. Feeling guilty for being the only one who got to rest, she went back upstairs to the study on the second floor.

When she knocked on the door, she heard him calling out, “Enter.”

She pushed the door open and stuck her head in. “Are you done with work? It’s time for dinner.”

Ren set his pen down and pushed his chair back. He stretched his long legs and opened his arms wide.

“Come here.” His deep voice was full of affection.

Ruka opened the door a little wider to let herself in before closing it. She was like an innocent little rabbit who was entering the wolf’s den.

Ren had been under a lot of pressure lately and work was exhausting too, but when he looked at her right now, he felt like he was eighteen again and could carry on working tirelessly.

When Ren reached out to grasp Ruka’s hand, she seized the chance to fall into his arms. After wrapping her arms around his neck, she asked, “Are you tired?”

“Not at all!” Ren answered with a smile. He would never admit to being tired in front of her.

However, that did nothing to quell the sympathy she felt for him. Any other person would have burnt out from the mountain of work he did each day. She started massaging his temples. He blinked and smiled with his attractive dimples on full display.

His dimples drew Ruka’s attention, even as she continued with the massage. When his expression was neutral, he looked rather stern and imposing, but when he smiled, it gave others the urge to throw caution to the wind and do something reckless to him.

Ruka stared at his lips. Her heart started pounding as she felt ever so keen on taking the initiative for once.

Ren seemed to have sensed her inner turmoil. His eyes seemed to encourage her to do what she was thinking about.

Just as Ruka bit her lip in hesitation, his hand cupped her head and pulled her close so he could kiss her.

There was no telling how much longer it would take if he carried on waiting for her to make the first move.

Her head was tilted up as he kissed her fiercely. The longer they kissed, the more she felt like she would melt. Eventually, when they broke apart, she quickly climbed out of his lap.

“We should go down for dinner.”

Ren smirked at how far away she stood. He narrowed his eyes and asked, “Are you afraid that I’d eat you first?”

Isn’t that just a matter of time now? Even I can tell that much, she thought.

“Come on, let’s go down and eat,” Ruka urged once again. No matter how busy he was, he should still remember to take care of himself.

Ren’s smile deepened at the thought of having someone to keep an eye on him to make sure he took his meals on time. It did not feel bad at all to have someone who looked out for you. It was a blessing, and it made him feel warm inside.

“Okay.” Ren came over to her, and they left his study hand-in-hand.

At Grady Residence.

A white car came to a stop out front and a woman stepped out from the driver’s seat. She was dressed in black and had a mask on. When she entered the hall, she was met by a man in his fifties who was waiting for her.

“It’s great to see you, Miss Parfait.”

“Hello, Mr. Grady. I’m here to report something to you.”

“Please take a seat.” The man gestured politely toward the couch.

Victoria’s eyes were filled with hatred. Her jaw was tightly clenched as she stated, “I’m here to inform you that the current vice president, Ren Husson is in a relationship with his sister’s adopted daughter. A man like him does not deserve to be the vice president.”

“You seem to despise Ren Husson a lot, Miss Parfait.”

“I used to be in love with him, but he hurt me deeply with his heartlessness. I’m not going to hold back either. I know that you’re interested in being the vice president, so I hope this piece of information will be of use to you.”

Orson Grady remained in silent thought for a few seconds before nodding. “Thank you for sharing this with me, Miss Parfait. It is indeed of great use to me. What would you like me to do in return?”

“Destroy him. That’ll be the best thing you can do for me.” Victoria’s eyes flashed with hatred and resentment.

“I will do my best to grant your request,” Orson replied before signaling to his subordinate. “Please see Miss Parfait out.”

Victoria drove out of Grady Residence and came to a stop at a street light. Her hands curled tightly around the steering wheels. Hatred continued to swirl in her eyes.

Ever since Ren’s assistant delivered the warning to her, she had not been able to focus on her work. She was consumed by bitterness. Although she knew she was powerless and could not shake Ren’s position, she was still determined to not let him carry on for another term as vice president. Thus, she had to do whatever was within her means to achieve her goal.

What she could do was let his political rivals know about his relationship with Ruka. That would surely aid them in causing obstacles for Ren and weaken his chances during the general election.

Back at the Vice President’s Residence.

The servants wisely left the dining room and allowed the couple to enjoy a romantic dinner together.

Ruka was starving. She had not eaten much during lunch and had suffered through her mother’s scolding afterward, followed by her anguish and eventual fainting spell. All in all, she was famished and was looking forward to digging into the feast that covered the entire dining table.

“Everything tastes amazing!” Ruka munched away in great satisfaction.