Hugh quickly slapped Kevin on the shoulder and whispered, “Mr. York, don’t let my brother hear this. Otherwise, he’ll get into a fight with you. He usually doesn’t talk much, but when he’s with me, he can chatter. Just look at my brother; no matter how you see him, he doesn’t resemble a woman at all.”
Kevin smiled and replied, “Your brother cares about you.”
Hayden didn’t appear feminine at all. If he had shown even a hint of womanliness, Kevin wouldn’t have hesitated to make a move. Yet, whenever he encountered Hayden, he felt strangely unmoved, as if he was pursuing a man.
Hayden glanced over, their eyes meeting.
Kevin smiled, but Hayden’s expression darkened before he looked away, staring into the distance.
Noticing that Kevin was watching his sister intently, Hugh nudged him and joked, “Mr. York, are you interested in my brother like those girls?”
He was munching on a snack.
Hayden scolded his younger brother, “With all that food, you still can’t keep your mouth shut.”
Kevin chuckled, “Mr. Queen, don’t blame the second young master for talking too much. Honestly, a handsome man like you makes it hard not to stare—even a big guy like me has watched too much and is worried I might become crooked.”
He teased Hayden, “Mr. Queen, you have to take responsibility for me.”
Hugh, who had just opened a bottle of water, nearly choked when he heard Kevin’s remark, spraying water everywhere and coughing.
“Drink more water,” Kevin said, handing Hugh a tissue while smiling.
Hugh quickly took a sip of water to compose himself. He accepted the tissue from Kevin and…
Kevin said to Mr. York, “Do you want to laugh at me to death so you can take over my group of close friends?”
Hayden watched the two men with a serious expression. Her brother was usually lighthearted, and Kevin had a knack for speaking freely. When they were together, they could say anything.
She regretted notifying her brother about Kevin’s return. She worried that Kevin might win him over.
Kevin smiled and said, “Mr. Queen, you have a close group of friends? I don’t have any confidants or a girlfriend. My grandma has picked a potential wife for me, but when I see her, I just can’t muster any feelings.”
Hugh chimed in curiously, “Is the wife your grandma chose for you unattractive?”
Kevin glanced at Hayden from the corner of his eye. Although she seemed disinterested, he noticed her ears perked up, listening intently.
“She’s not ugly, but I didn’t feel anything when I met her. Without emotions, I can’t engage. My second brother and I received the photo from our grandma at the same time. He’s already engaged, but I haven’t made a move because I just don’t feel anything for her.”
He wondered if Hayden would sense his heart if he dressed as a woman.
Kevin felt like he was chasing after something elusive. Regardless, his priority was to uncover Hayden’s true identity and see if he could fall in love with her along the way.
Marriage is a lifelong commitment. He needed to have feelings before he could marry; otherwise, how would he navigate life?