Initially shocked, Damian understands her move instantly, and then a smirk crawls onto his lips slowly.“What the hell?!” Annie slaps the table angrily. Then when the whole table snaps out of the shock, they burst into laughter, pointing at Catherine’s drenched funny look.A winning smile is back on Annie’s face.The two punks exchange bewildered looks.“Miss Bell,” Catherine starts with a calm tone, “how do you like my apology?”Annie rolls her eyes, a mocking smirk on her lips, “I asked you to drink it, not shower with it. Don’t say that I bullied you.”“Thanks for acknowledging that you asked me to drink it,” Catherine nods politely, still with smiley eyes, “so, can you lend me the fifty grand now?”“Are you crazy?” The mean girl shrills in a nasty voice, “Does Annie owe you anything?! Why would she lend any money to a slut who seduced her man?!”“Miss Bell?” Catherine looks directly at Annie, ignoring the mean girl.Annie seems to be in a struggle. Her eyes land on the empty mug,
Damian doesn’t miss how Dawson’s eyes passed on Catherine the moment he spotted her. As a man, Damian understands Dawson’s look well.He still cares about Catherine.At this moment, Catherine lets out a light chuckle. As if laughing at herself, or at the world. Finally she stops her laugh, looking up at Annie slowly as cold words leave her scarlet lips: “After last night? He is not even a friend anymore.”Sulleness flashes through Maverick’s eyes.The evil amusement takes over Damian’s face.“What if he begs you for a second chance,” Damian cuts into the conversation so naturally and elegantly as if he has always been a part of it, “...for the sake of your years together?”Catherine opens her mouth like a stunned kitten as she watches Damian joining the table. Seeing her cute look, Damian’s smile widens.“Answer me, kitten,” Damian walks so close to Catherine, he could see himself in her eyes.As if stung by a painful memory, Catherine darts her eyes off Damian. In that split moment,
Damian finally pulls back his sight from the gate, glancing at the woman sitting down beside him.Ava Knight.Best actress of the year. Unlike Annie’s purchase nomination, she earned it with her flawless acting. Though not without the influence of the city’s two kings.“What’s up?” Damian puts down his glass, looking at Ava with a serious look. She only looks for him when she wants something.“Nothing,” Ava lets out a laugh, slightly surprised at his assumption, “Killian says he’s meeting you here tonight, so I thought finding you is the same as finding him.”Then why not straightly looking for Killian?With little of an expression, Damian nods, reaching for his glass again.He can’t help noticing the glow on her face though. She was never this happy in the past two years, traveling the world with him. But now, even waiting for Killian, she is happy beyond reasoning.A shade of mockery flashes through Damian’s eyes. Icy cold.Pity Killian isn’t here to see it.Killian is in a maroon A
Noticing Maverick out on the street looking around. Catherine dashes into the first ATM vestibule she could find.She doesn’t understand Maverick, and she doesn’t care to anymore. She closed her heart toward him when he broke up with her out of nowhere and disappeared from her life.She didn’t want the breakup to turn ugly. After all, the three years’ good memory was real. But seeing this new Maverick since yesterday, Catherine is no longer sure who he really is.The perfect, gentleman-like caring boyfriend? Or the mean, cold-hearted nasty cheater?Either way, he is only in her past now. Life is too short to try only to fall into the same hole twice.No, second, chances.Catherine closes her eyes shut before Damian’s face could squeeze into her mind.Deposited the check, Catherine notified Victory the first thing before slipping down against the wall.She is drained.She has been bustling around ever since her father’s accident, exactly a month ago. She hasn’t even got a spare minute
Catherine walks over in elegant moves, not stopping until she is right in front of Ava, aversion to her plainly written in Catherine’s eyes.Even in high heels, Ava comes off shorter than Catherine. Maybe noticing she is not winning over Catherine on vigor, Ava sits down in a careless move. Right by Damian’s side.Catherine doesn’t even let her eyes land on Damina.“Killian,” Catherine’s voice is now steady and calm, “you bought the hospital my mom is in?”Killian answers with his usual flat tone, “No.”Catherine takes an inhale to try to keep a cool head, “So there is another jerk, just as mean as you, suddenly decided to buy that particular hospital for no reason but to raise my mom’s bill?”Welllll, she tried.It’s not wise at all, to lash out at the tyrant of the underground world, but Catherine also has her own leverage to bet that he won’t dare touch her now--Killian wouldn’t have come to her and asked nicely, if there was ANY other way to find Bess.Killian shoots Catherine a
Damian’s sharp eyes nailed on her, not buying it at all. She is lying....but her eyes are so luring that it almost feels like she is lying with the truth...Some bold whistles, along with gasps and whispers. Catherine ignores all that, taking Damian’s observing look calmly.Ava stares at the two people in disbelief, and only looks away when Damian’s eyes dart in her direction.A smirk crawls onto Damian’s face.He sees through Catherine’s lie after he sees Ava’s look--Everyone knows how he loved Ava for years, and how Ava has been with Killian for years, too. The hottest gossip these days remains how after breaking up with Killian, Ava only came back to get back with him, again.Damian came off as the pathetic backup in this story. Catherines knows that, and her offer, is pursuing him in front of Ava--Everyone knows how Ava used to be jealous of Catherine.Before Catherine’s epic fall, maybe still is. After all, Catherine, Bess and Ava were the three city princesses. The richest, m
Catherine bites her lips.She wants to throw something at him again. [Why would anyone marry such a mean guy] in a scornful tone would be perfect.“Katie!” Catherine jumps at that shout, startled. She didn’t think Maverick would ever talk to her, not to mention initiating one.Maverick has been out looking for her for a while now. If she didn’t go back to question Killian, she would have missed him. Maverick dashes to her side, a hand landing on the top of Damian’s Rolls Royce as he tries to calm his panting.Damian glares forward, the twisted eyebrows showing the man’s sulk.“How much do you need?” Maverick asks, only to add awkwardly, “Delete the recording, and you can name your number.”Catherine curves her lips into a bitter smile.A month ago this man was still a perfect gentleman, attending to her like she was his treasure. They could talk, laugh, having all kinds of fun in the world. And now, he sees her as an extortionist and he is only talking to her to protect another woman
Catherine doesn’t answer right away.Not likely. Even washed tattoos must leave some sort of a trace. Ink under the skin is not easy to get rid of, just like anything under one’s skin.For example, a woman.Damian waits, his eyes on her so sharp as if he could cut her open with those eyes and get the answer himself.“...no,” Catherine turns to him, her voice light but calm.She’s not lying.Damian feels a tremendous wave of disappointment washing over him. What did he expect? That Catherine could be that woman? Or it’s because...He wants her to be?“You are looking for someone,” Catherine states, not asking, glancing at Damian with indifferent eyes, “a biker with a collarbone tattoo?”Damian doesn’t answer her, real darkness occupying his eyes this time.“I can ask around for you if you want,” Catherine offers, her tone so light it almost sounds cheering, “who is she?”Damian glances at Catherine with a frown. Her cheering tone stings him. Is Catherine THAT happy to see his attention