Chapter 6

"Marry me, Cath."

That was the message Svarga sent to Catherine. A velvet box containing two gold rings set with diamonds added to the atmosphere, making Catherine's heart race.

"Marry Svarga, dear," said Noel.

Catherine closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, then her small lips said, "Papa, this is too soon."

"So, are you rejecting him?"

"N-no, it's not like that. You and Mama surely know why I'm not ready for marriage. My wounds haven't healed, and I've just met the main person responsible for inflicting such deep wounds on me."

Noel and Keira exchanged glances, regret in their eyes as they looked at their daughter's pale and sorrowful face. Indirectly, they also played a part in Catherine's mental setback.

"I need time, maybe not now, or whenever… I must reconcile and discuss things with my heart and mind."

"Mr. and Mrs. Chandra, sorry to interrupt your conversation. It seems Catherine needs to rest now since tomorrow is the first day of shooting for the Gistara skincare brand," said Dhira, taking Catherine's hand and leading her out of the room.

Dhira supported Catherine's shoulder, and they hurried to her room. Once Catherine sat on the edge of the bed, Dhira quickly grabbed a bottle of tranquilizers and handed it to Catherine, along with a glass of water.

Catherine sighed, closed her eyes, and tried to forget the events of a few minutes ago.

"Are you feeling better?" Dhira asked.

Catherine nodded slowly. "Thank you, Dhira."

"No need to thank me. Now you need to rest. I'll sleep in the guest room. I can't leave you alone in this condition…"

"… Svarga and Liam have entrusted you to me, so my job is to take good care of you to ensure your activities aren't disrupted."

Dhira pulled the blanket over Catherine, turned off the leading light, and left the room.

Catherine opened her phone and looked at the message Svarga had sent her a few minutes ago. She didn't intend to reply, so she deleted it right away.

"Sorry, Svarga. I can't accept everything just yet. Especially… you were also part of my past."

***

The sound of cameras and flashing lights focused on a woman in a knee-length, strapless pink dress sitting on a chair while holding a beauty product.

Catherine's bright smile and natural and flawless makeup added value to every product she had.

Occasionally, Liam cheered enthusiastically every time Catherine finished a shot, praising her beauty as if it were a duty he had to perform.

"She's so beautiful. Does she have a boyfriend?" whispered a man sitting at the editor's table.

"She already has a fiancé," Liam interjected.

"Really? I thought she was a lonely widow."

Liam was slightly surprised but then normalized his expression.

"She's a dignified widow. You don't need to pity her because the lives of those who criticize her are far more pitiful and lonely."

Checkmate.

Liam wasn't exaggerating; everyone knew who the Chandra family was and how their power and wealth could silence the criticism of thousands.

"Okay, we're done, Cath!" shouted the lead cameraman.

Dhira and a makeup artist approached Catherine, wiping her sweat and touching her makeup.

"Is there another photoshoot session?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, you must wash your face and switch to a more natural look. The management wants to do live streaming, and you'll act as if you genuinely like the Gistara products," Dhira replied.

"Oh, I see..."

Catherine was momentarily lost in thought, watching Liam, who gave her two thumbs up, a sign of his pride.

Seeing that, a cunning idea crossed Catherine's mind. Today, she would do live streaming; she needed to read the script well, study the product, and act as if the rival skincare product was something everyone could accept.

"Do I have to do it now?" Catherine murmured.

"Do what?" Dhira asked, having overheard her.

Catherine shook her head. She went to the restroom to wash her face, then returned to the makeup room for a more natural look. Catherine read the script and improvised to make the live streaming seem more authentic.

The woman almost felt sick reading all the benefits claimed by Gistara's beauty products. Indeed, hatred and anger stored in the heart could make everything look like trash. Gistara and its business were the ultimate rot Catherine wanted to eradicate.

"Catherine, are you ready?" Liam asked at the door.

"Almost."

Liam signaled that the live streaming would start in five minutes. The crew had already set up a room resembling a bedroom. Catherine was impressed by the efficiency of the people in this company; she didn't feel awkward at all despite being out of the modeling world for a while.

"Looks just like your own room, right?" Dhira asked skeptically. "I took pictures of your room and gave them to the decoration staff. I wanted you to feel comfortable while working."

Catherine thanked her and entered the room resembling her home's private bedroom.

"Are you ready, Cath?" Liam asked, guiding Catherine to sit on the edge of the bed. "Svarga contacted me, saying he'll wait for you at the café after the streaming."

Catherine frowned. "Why didn't he contact me directly?"

"Ah, he said your phone was unreachable."

Catherine grimaced, embarrassed. She had forgotten that she turned off her phone last night and handed it to Dhira. She then nodded, indicating she would meet Svarga as Liam had requested.

The spotlight was turned back on; a company phone was already on in front of Catherine. A makeup artist adjusted her hair, ensuring she looked presentable on camera, complimenting her beauty that needed minor enhancement.

"ACTION!"

The live streaming began, and Catherine made an opening greeting that immediately drew the attention of everyone on set. They praised her skill and personality, which instantly transformed in front of the camera.

"Five minutes in, and we've hit 6500 viewers," whispered an editor monitoring the live streaming on his phone.

"Ten minutes in and 18,000 viewers. This is the highest number we've ever reached, and she's only introduced the day cream and sunscreen."

"Good job, Catherine!" Dhira whispered proudly.

After twenty minutes of live streaming, Catherine said goodbye to her viewers, thanking the thousands who actively supported her and asked questions in the comment section. Applause filled the room. Liam hugged Catherine, thanking her proudly.

"The Gistara sales team said that skincare sales on their official website skyrocketed in the last ten minutes. They also said they'd add more products for future live streaming," Liam informed.

Catherine needed to learn how to react; she didn't expect the public's response to her and the product she introduced to impact a business significantly.

"Liam, I need to meet Svarga—"

"Ah, Cath, sorry. Svarga said he had an appointment with someone else this afternoon. So, you can go straight home, but don't forget to reply to his messages if he contacts you again."

Catherine nodded in understanding, feeling slightly disappointed but relieved not to meet the man who 'accidentally proposed to her' last night.

Catherine and Dhira said goodbye to everyone and stopped by a café to get coffee for the journey home.

"Cath, look over there!" Dhira slowed the car, pointing to a boutique on the side of the road.

Catherine's gaze followed the direction Dhira pointed. Instantly… everything felt painful to imagine inside her head.