Mr. Kane Got Blacklisted

Leighton exclaimed, ‘Monster!’’ Nicole echoed, “Monster!”
For once, they were in complete agreement about something.
Estelle was thirty-four, while his girlfriend was twenty-one. Saying that he was robbing the cradle was an understatement.
Estelle’s face turned red with embarrassment as he explained through gritted teeth, “When we were playing games, she told me
she was twentyseven. She didn’t show me any pictures, and I thought, who lies about being older?”
It turned out, some people did.
Leighton scoffed, “And after meeting her and knowing her real age, you didn’t cut ties?”
Estelle glared at him. “I did! I even deleted her from my WhatsApp!”
Nicole was curious. “So how did you reconnect?”
Estelle’s voice lowered, “I stayed off the game for a while, but one day I logged back in, and she immediately reached out, crying
and asking why I blocked her.
I told her she was too young, like my sister, and if she wanted, she could see me as a brother.
“She agreed, but then a few days later, she said she was in a car accident. The driver fled, and she didn’t know what to do, being
new in town, so I went to help...” Nicole watched Estelle’s uncomfortable expression and slowly said, “So, the car accident was a
lie to meet you. Turns out the saying is true: a persistent girl wears down a man. Under her intense pursuit, this old guy
blossomed.”
Estelle silently conceded that it was more or less true. However, he insisted, “It’s not because she’s young. If I’d known her real
age from the start, I wouldn’t have added her as a game friend.”
Leighton was skeptical, “I don’t believe you.”
Estelle was persistent, “Age doesn’t matter. It’s about a spiritual connection.”
Nicole quipped, “Mainly because older women are harder to fool. Fresh graduates are full of dreams and easy to deceive.”
Estelle suddenly wanted to throw both of them out of the car!

He decided to throw the problem back at them. “So where are you two going to stay?”
Nicole was silent for a moment before saying, “I have another place. Let’s go there.”
Leighton couldn’t help but swallow hard but forced himself to say, “Estelle has blossomedlinenot going to be a third wheel.
Besides... So what if someone died there? I used to sleep in a graveyard when I was a kid!”
Leighton pouted, “Why didn’t you say so earlier? We’ve wasted so much time.”
Nicole noticed his tightly clenched hands and chuckled softly. “Alright, but just so you know, the person who died wadlhanged.
Their eyes bulged, and their tongue stuck out. It wasn’t a pretty sight. I hope that doesn’t scare you.”
Nicole gave him a look. “Someone died in that house.”
Leighton hesitated.
Nicole smiled sweetly, “If you’re scared, you can stay with Estelle. You two can share a room.”
Nicole just smiled at him without responding and then gave Estelle the address.
The further they drove, the more remote it became. Even though there were cars passing by, it felt deserted to Leighton.
Seeing some lights ahead, Leighton asked, “Are we there?”
Nicole replied, “No, that’s the crematorium.