The Billionaire Who Stole My Heart (Brittany and Isaac) novel Chapter 1232

Ronald had always been the cool type, a trait Kari had long since gotten used to.

Pointing at something in her textbook she didn't quite get, Ronald leaned in, his voice a whisper as he explained.

Two years her senior, Ronald at seventeen had quickly shed his boyish frame. Seemingly overnight, he had grown tall and lanky, now awkwardly folded onto a tiny couch that seemed too small for him.

Kari sat cross-legged on the floor, pencil in hand, tracing Ronald's thought process step by step.

From his vantage point, Ronald could easily study her profile.

Kari was young, with fair skin that made her side profile strikingly beautiful.

Ronald shifted back, his voice taking on a huskier tone.

Oblivious, Kari continued, her slightly too-tight school uniform lifting to reveal a sliver of her delicate waist as she raised her arms.

It was blindingly white.

Ronald felt a jolt, quickly averting his gaze.

Just as he was about to speak, Willa emerged from the kitchen. "Kari, clear the coffee table, will ya? Dinner's almost ready."

"Got it," Kari replied quickly.

After finishing her homework and tidying up the coffee table, Kari noticed Ronald hadn't touched the strawberries. She picked a few and held them to his mouth. "Try these, they're really good."

She loved strawberries.

The good ones were pricy, but Willa always bought the less perfect ones for cheaper. They tasted just the same.

Ronald's fingers brushed against hers as he accepted the strawberries, sending a shock through him, his ears turning red as he muttered, "Thanks."

Kari just grinned.

Willa called again, and Kari quickly served up dinner, piling Ronald's plate high with mashed potatoes, secretly worried he wouldn't get enough to eat.

Willa was an excellent cook, and she had outdone herself with several dishes tonight, the aroma filling the air.

It had been months since Ronald had tasted such delicious home-cooked meals.

He devoured his food, and Willa, noticing, filled his plate again. "Ronald, feel free to come over anytime. We might not have much, but there's always enough food."

Suddenly, the plate in Ronald's hands felt incredibly heavy.

Back in his cramped room, surrounded by books, he took a shower and went to bed.

The next morning, he was met with Calista's guilty gaze. "Ronald, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

He nodded coolly. "Try to drink less."

Calista shifted uncomfortably. "I will."

"Where did you have dinner last night?" Calista, now sober, was genuinely concerned for her son, despite her sobriety not lasting long.

"At Willa's."

Ronald made himself a bowl of cereal as Calista frowned. "Try to stay away from them. A single mom and her daughter, who knows what they're up to. I heard Willa's looking to remarry soon."

"Don't talk about Willa like that!" Ronald suddenly lost his appetite.

Calista opened her mouth to reply but then shut it, sulking instead.

After a while, she pulled out some change. "You mentioned you needed money for those application fees—"

"Forget it, I'll figure it out myself."