The Billionaire Who Stole My Heart

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.

Kari sipped her soup, her eyes squinting in satisfaction. "Mom, this is delicious."

Willa playfully tapped her daughter's nose. "You little foodie!"

Before leaving, Ronald noticed that the front door seemed tampered with.

A single mother and her daughter could easily become targets.

After a moment of thought, he headed to the nearby hardware store, purchasing the best lock and a security chain he could find.

He replaced Willa's door lock and handed her the chain. "Make sure to use this at night."

"Okay."

Willa was visibly shaken upon realizing the lock had been

sive

tampered with. She thanked Ronald profusely, stuffing his pockets with Cookies before he left.

Arriving home, Ronald found his mom, Calista, passed out on the floor, sleeping heavily.

He gently picked her up and placed her back in her room.

Calista had been beautiful in her youth, but the years had worn her down.

Ronald made his way to the kitchen, preparing a hangover soup and a pot of plain oatmeal.

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

BAUMS

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 booking 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."