"Is this hard to believe?"


    "Yeah. People could see the resemnce between you and your father, and that too…" both of them were shameless when trying to make her into their family. "I can see that the love your parents gave was genuine."


    Den offered her a smile while stroking the top of Kaylee''s head gently.


    "I admire him and genuinely thought of him as my father."


    "I bet your parents thought about you like that too."


    "They are. But, sometimes, there are times when I feel like I''m in a ce that isn''t mine. I wouldn''t feel like this if my father were my father."


    "I don''t understand."


    "My father owns the ck corp, and there are many who oppose my position as his sessor. Especially from my paternal''s side, they tried desperately to block me and prove that I couldn''t do what my father did."


    Den lowered his hand from Kaylee''s head as he looked at one of the giggling children peeking out of the maze wall. He smiled amusedly at the boy''s response, who dashed away when Den caught him.


    Kaylee could see how rxed the man was when he was in this ce. The man often smiled as if he had no burden on his shoulders.


    She remembered that Den looked firm and distant as he greeted Mister Old ck''s guests. Even though the man smiled, Den never failed to put on a great dignity and cold vibe as if telling everyone not to approach him.


    It seemed Den could only act freely while in this ce. She wondered why this great handsome man finds an ordinary orphanage as his ''home.'' Now she knows the answer.


    "I can be myself when I''m here."


    Kaylee could see it and felt happy for him. She doesn''t know why the man loved this ce, but she could feel the peacefulness and heart-warming bond between Den and the kids.


    She knew that Den had stressed a lot with his profession as the founder of hispany and Mister Old ck''s sessor. Not to mention, his father''s family opposed him and disliked him only because he was an adoptive child.


    No wonder Den could be himself in this ce where no one would criticize him nor tried to get rid of him.


    "I love this ce. Would you bring me again?"


    "That I would do." was his response with a big grin.


    "So, is this why you started your ownpany?" Kaylee felt she was starting to understand him more and more, and without realizing it, she wanted to get to know him better.


    Den nodded his head while circling his hand on her shoulder. He pulled her closer and led her head against his.


    That man obviously could no longer keep his hand to himself and unconsciously always seeking the skinship.


    Miraculously Kaylee did not find anything strange with the man''s gesture as if his embracing her was their everyday activity.


    "One of my reasons. I want to have something that I can truly call mine. They will have no right to protest, and if they want to take what I have, I will fight them and keep mine." moreover, he had someone to protect... and now two.


    Den tilted his head until his eyes locked with hers with mischief glint. "That includes you."


    "Me?"


    "I will fight anyone who tries to snatch you from me."


    "Wh… I''m not yours," Kaylee protested while trying to break free, but the man would have none of it. The grip on her shoulders was firm yet gentle, made her unable to break free.


    "Sweetheart, whether you ept it or not, the moment you said yes to my proposal, you already belong to me and mine alone."


    The girl''s face turned crimson while her heart hammered like the disco-style music.


    This man always had a way of making her want to bury her face in a hole. When she let her guard down and feltfortable with this man, Den changed the situation to corner her like a bunny in the trap with no escape. After that, this man would calm her down, and she foundfort in his arms the next second.


    Really… this man''s approach and actions towards her were like an unpredictable roller coaster.


    "Has anyone ever said that you are a devil?"


    "Why?" Den chuckled to hear her question.


    "You''re the devil in my eyes."


    "Then you''re the angel that had been caught by the devil''s arm."


    Kaylee was speechless and didn''t know what else she could do to get back at him. The only thing she could do just let the man embrace her and kissed her crown.


    After being satisfied with apanying the children to y hide and seek in the maze, they went back into the house. Den and Kaylee said goodbye to Madame Esther.


    The kidsined but reluctantly let them go after Kaylee promised toe next week.


    "It seems the kids like you more than me now. Sweetheart, you stole my spotlight in their eyes." came the teasing protest from the man.


    "You should behave if you want to get your spotlight back." Kaylee won''t let this guy always win over her.


    "What reward would I get if I behave?"


    "Your spotlight."


    "What mine is yours, so my spotlight is yours."


    "…" what a sly man!


    "So… what is the reward?" Den lowered his face dangerously close to the poor girl as she tried to find a way out of this shameless cunning man.


    They are in a public ce, for god''s sake, and this man acted as a passionate lover in front of people.


    Well, it was not umon to see lovers making out on the side of the road or in a restaurant, but still… she wasn''t an attention seeker.


    Even though it was daily sights in this city, Kaylee was sure that at least one or two people would stop to see them. Plus, Den isn''t just anyone.


    He is a handsome man, and his well-built is incredibly appealing to all women.


    Kaylee remembered that the young girls kept stealing ncesst night when they were at Mister Old ck''s house to celebrate the older man''s birthday.


    Once someone noticed their intimacy, she was sure that the girls around them would inevitably worship her fiancé.


    Kaylee felt herself experiencing a struggle between two conflicting desires. One desired to make all the girls felt jealous of her and imed this man as hers. While thetter wished to get away and not get into the invisible trap from this cunning man.


    Without her realizing it, Den''s face had be so close to her that the two of them could feel their partner''s breath.


    "Can I kiss you?"


    Like a ma that attracts her, her pearl-like ck eyes merge with his eagle-like eyes. For a moment, no one made a sound as if the time around them had stopped.


    Both of them felt drowned with their partner''s eyes to the point that the world belonged to them both.


    How strange. Why did that man ask permission to kiss her? As far as she remembered, the man had never asked permission and stole kisses from her several times. But this time… why did the man remain motionless as if waiting for her approval?


    ''Just kiss him already.'' a voice in her heart urged her to im those alluring lips. But she still felt doubtful as she swallowed hard.


    It took all her strength to turn her gaze, and she nced away only to see that someone was staring at them with great interest.


    Kaylee lowered her head sheepishly and blurted out, "If you let me go, I''ll let you kiss meter."


    There was a dangerous glint in his eyes once he heard her words, but Kaylee didn''t notice it because her head was down.


    "Alright."


    Kaylee let out a relieved sigh when she felt the man''s hand no longer wrapped around her waist without knowing that she was already on the eagle''s nest.


    Den took her hand, and they strolled while enjoying the atmosphere of the evening air where the sun was starting to set.


    "Where do you want to go?" inquired Den after waiting for a few minutes to let his fiancé cool off.


    "Hm… How about we go to the town square? I heard there would be a street performance to greet Christmas."


    "Are you sure? I''m sure it will be pretty much crowded." Den thought Kaylee didn''t like crowds, so he didn''t expect the girl to even take him to a ce that would be filled with a sea of ??people.


    "Come on. It will be fun." Kaylee eximed with enthusiasm like a child who couldn''t wait to go to Disnend.


    Well, how could he decline her request? He would do anything to make her happy.


    "Alright. Let''s go." Den took Kaylee''s hand gently, and they walked towards the parking lot where Den''s car was.


    They talked about a lot of things until they finally arrived at their destination.


    However… Den steered his car toward a luxurious hotel??


    Why did they even go into the hotel to park the car??