Chapter 862

“Am I not good enough? Or am I unworthy?” Ron admitted boldly. But Keira and Lena both took his words as a joke. The more straightforward he acted, the less believable it seemed.

Perhaps Ron was feeling bored with fewer people around, so he took it upon himself to play the role of an enthusiastic protector. He lavished attention on both Lena and Keira, which ended up annoying Hayden. “If you’re trying to impress a girl, stop buttering up my wife.”

“President Hart, wasn’t it you who begged me for favors, treated me to meals, and gave me a raise so I’d look after your wife? This is just a habit now, okay?” Ron shot back without a hint of politeness.

Hayden remained unruffled. “That was then; this is now. From now on, keep your distance from my wife. Besides… if you’re doing all my tasks, what’s left for me to do?”

“Haha,” Ron chuckled. “Why didn’t you just admit you wanted to please your wife from the start instead of putting on an act?”

“Ron, no wonder you’ve been single for thirty years,” Hayden quipped mercilessly.

Ron wasn’t fazed. “I’m about to leave singlehood soon.”

He turned to Lena after saying this. “Isn’t that right, Dr. Lane, the stunning beauty?” Lena played along as if cosplaying. “It’s an honor.”

“You agree?” Ron’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Lena hesitated before nodding. “I agree.”

“Oh my god, am I dreaming?” Ron’s reaction was so exaggerated that Keira dismissed it as theatrics.

“I don’t agree,” Aaron interjected, stepping in and shielding Lena behind him. Ron planted his hands on his hips. “And what gives you the right to disagree?”

Good question. Keira looked at Aaron, waiting for his answer. Rarely was a woman’s intuition wrong, and Keira could sense that Aaron felt differently about Lena. Lena, however, always denied it, likely because she couldn’t reconcile her feelings internally. After all, Aaron was her uncle—a relative everyone had told her to respect, even though they were only a few years apart in age.

“Didn’t you want to go fishing? I’ll take you,” Aaron didn’t answer and instead grabbed Lena’s hand, leading her away.

Lena obediently followed, while Ron made to go after them. Keira stopped him. “Are you seriously getting into character now?”

Chapter 862

“What character? I’m serious. I really want to pursue Dr. Lane,” Ron declared with such sincerity that even Keira wasn’t sure anymore. She turned to Hayden for confirmation.

Catching Keira’s signal, Hayden walked over and slung an arm around Ron’s shoulders. “It’s great that you’re finally falling in love, but you’ve picked the wrong person.”

“What do you mean, the wrong person? Dr. Lane isn’t married or in a relationship, right? I’m single too. We’re not even ten years apart in age, we have common interests, and we get along well. How is this wrong?” Ron listed his points logically, and Keira had to admit he wasn’t joking—he was genuinely serious.

This was starting to get complicated. Even Lena probably hadn’t realized Ron was this earnest about her.

“You’re not wrong, but the problem is that Dr. Lane doesn’t feel the same way about you,” Hayden, ever the straightforward man, didn’t mince his words.

“She doesn’t feel that way now, but once we’re in a relationship, she’ll fall for me eventually,” Ron said with the unyielding determination of a boss, refusing to give up. However, in the context of love, his persistence bordered on cluelessness, giving off an air of stubborn desperation.

Hayden paused for a few seconds before speaking. “Ron, there’s nothing wrong with chasing the girl you like. But as your bro, and for your own good, I’m advising you to give up and move on to someone else.”

“Why? Does she like someone else?” Ron asked.

Hayden glanced at Keira, and she understood his signal. Stepping to his side, Keira said, “Yes. She has someone she likes, and someone who likes her in return. Either way, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Ron looked back and forth between Hayden and Keira. “Are you two teaming up as a married couple to crush me? Can’t you leave me even a sliver of hope?”

“Better to end the pain quickly than to drag it out. If you give up now, you’ll save yourself heartache later,” Hayden said earnestly, squeezing Ron’s shoulder. “Really, we’re saying this for your own good. Otherwise, we’d just let you crash and burn while we watched for entertainment.”

Ron let out a long sigh. “So I should thank you for this?”

Chapter 863