Chris's POVI knew that Nicole was in this suburb from the last tracking done by the team Evan had created. I had received the map and set the directions on my car but had lost track of it with limited internet access when I simultaneously received a call for a few moments.I was already driving down the road with the edges flattened for the factory area that was still some distance ahead of me, eager to meet the woman who had driven me away several times but had yet to confirm the information I had found about her or her son who was most likely mine.I had deliberately come here to surprise her so that she wouldn't be able to evade, but then a car came from the opposite direction in front of me. I subconsciously watched, recognizing the figure in the driver and the passenger who had seen me first."Nicole?" I mumbled, seeing the woman in the passenger seat panicking and hitting the windshield several times. I could read her lips clearly calling out to me, making my eyes widen, but th
Chris' POVAt that moment, I was shocked when I felt the effect of the blow on my face, especially when the person who did this kind of action was Edwin Duncan, the great lord who was most known for his calmness. I looked at the man, not fighting back as he clenched his hands tightly."Do you think I'll be grateful for the favor you did for my sdaughter?" He asked, sounding fiery. "This all happened because of you, all of you from his past. Why... why are you still being mean and heartless to her?"The man sounded like he had a broken heart for Nicole, something I didn't understand when they weren't even family. Although I couldn't deny that both I and the man who had put her in danger were indeed someone who had given her a bad past.I had already admitted my mistake, but perhaps there were things that she still couldn't forgive that her foster father could talk to me like this.He grabbed the collar of the suit I was wearing tightly. "It's been a few days since you guys showed up, b
Chris' POVNicole looked back at me when we were alone. I still felt uncomfortable, guilty for her, and awkward when she said nothing to me for a while. I finally noticed the woman leaning not too comfortably on the hospital bed."You better lie down, Nicole," I suggested.She shook her head, remaining in her sitting position though now using a pillow to lean on. "I know that you saved me from what happened earlier."I listened to her speak carefully, not wanting to jump to conclusions like before, and trying to listen to everything she said first. She looked at me and finally continued."You saved me from that man. You know, he wanted to do something that might have made me unable to see my only child…."I looked at the woman, who showed no particular expression but I could see her hands trembling even though she was clasping them together. That woman was ugly to feel emotional after experiencing such a frightening event just now, without being able to fight back and without the help
Nicole's POVI was surprised to see Richard coming into my room and realized that Chris' hand was still holding the back of my hand. I pulled my hand away and looked at my son, who seemed to be panting in front of me. Watching him, who appeared to be staring at me intently."Richard, are you here too?" I asked, but the boy didn't answer and just kept walking.I looked behind my son, and a man I recognized followed him. He also showed himself—Matthew. He looked worried and seemed to want to talk, but at that moment, my son had already approached first and gave me a tight hug, crying bitterly.I hurriedly looked at Richard, who was crying loudly for the first time, touching his back, which felt shaky, before he spoke. "Is Mom okay? I was building a robot, but then heard that Mom was taken to the hospital."He told me that he heard Edwin, who was also accompanying him, when he received a call from Key. Although I don't know what exactly he heard at the time, I know that he became very wo
Nicole's POVChris fell silent after I stopped his words while I said back to the man. "You'd better get out.""But-" He was forced to stop when I gave him a sharp look.I cut him off again, not giving him pause to force me to listen. "I want to rest, not listen to out-of-place ramblings."Matthew seemed pleased with my words, smiling slightly and showing it to the man on the other side of my bed. "You heard, right? Nicole asked you out because you were the one talking too much."I exhaled, not expecting to see such a childish attitude from the man with glasses who always cared about me. I felt terrible for him but was also unhappy when I saw him doing the same thing as the stubborn man I had reprimanded."I'm saying this for you too, Matthew." I looked at him, wanting him to understand. "I just want to be with my son and rest. You guys should be able to understand this."The bespectacled man looked disappointed, but without saying anything, he also walked out with the other man. The
Chris' POVEven though I was kicked out by Nicole or whoever was still around that woman's room, I didn't give up and wanted to see her again. No one could stop me when I still had that desire, so I stayed in the hospital.I only moved away from the floor where she was being treated, but not too far so I could still rush to her place when the opportunity came to me and then wait for a while.The hospital already looked crowded after the night had passed. I watched a few people without much thought and then moved along when I saw the clock showing it was still morning. My destination was obviously that woman's room.I took a step, then stopped when I saw someone walking in the other direction from where I was heading. "Richard?" I muttered under my breath, watching the little boy walk into another hallway outside the hospital building area.The boy was walking alone, and I didn't even see Nicole's assistant, who usually stuck around when he wasn't around. He attracted so much attention
Chris' POVI didn't immediately follow Richard, who had stepped away first. I was still thinking about what he had said about the bespectacled man I had seen recently, but I had seized the thing I wanted most after finding out that I had a child.As the child had said, I didn't immediately believe the man had a good attitude. In fact, from a subjective assessment, I felt that the man was suspicious for capturing the hearts of my son and that woman so quickly, even if it was just with simple actions that I could also do well.I exhaled softly, following the boy who had already boarded the elevator. At the same time, I waited for the next elevator and immediately stepped into the room where Nicole was being treated after arriving.I peeked over the side of the glass door, seeing the little boy approach his mother and hand her the chocolate milkshake he had brought. Nicole smiled and kissed the boy's cheek in thanks while I stepped inside without waiting any longer."Thank you, Richard.
Nicole's POVRichard walked next to me in the wheelchair while the two men, who had been arguing, walked behind us. Matthew managed to earn the right to push me during our walk, so Chris kept quiet and didn't act as familiar as usual.I actually also felt confused by my final decision to have the two of them follow me and my son around the hospital, especially with that ignorant man who wouldn't listen to me.I knew from Key that he stubbornly stayed in the hospital waiting room and came straight to my room as soon as the visiting time happened. Maybe it was out of pity, or I just didn't know how to get rid of him, so he was still here, not like Matthew said.My son touched my hand lightly, looking up at me. "Are you okay, Mom?""Mom is fine." I nodded, looking back at my son, who lowered his head and brought his head closer to me.He whispered, seemingly trying to hide a plan I didn't know about. "Do you need some time with Uncle Matthew? I'll distract the other man."I heard someone
Edwin's POVI kissed Catherine more than the touch of lips she gave me. I did it slowly, not entirely sure, but following what felt right with her lips on mine.I just knew that something like this made everything around me slow down. I loved the feel of her soft lips, the slightly sweet taste of the wine left in her mouth and the moisture that mingled on each of our lips.Catherine pulled away from our kiss first, slightly out of breath but smiling at me. I paused, staring at the woman who was so innocent but also made me feel things I had never felt before.I had never known anything like this and went back to kissing her a few more times until my own lips felt like they were going to swell and felt hot with the inside of the car tightly closed, even with the coolant on.After that, we went beyond the point of no return."What is this?" The woman was heard shouting.My consciousness returned, and then my head felt like it was ringing. Her voice sounded really loud. It took me some t
Edwin's POVI know why Catherine is acting like this. She was proposed to by Benny, her best friend who seemed to have more feelings for her, but she herself didn't want that to happen.She had told me the things she wanted, some of the things in between the annoyance and sadness she felt. Above all, for Catherine, Benny was her treasured friend, not as a future husband nor one who could free her from the Varma family.I agreed to that after feeling a little uncomfortable with the way she had been talking about a man who had not been with us for some time.No sooner had I approached her who stood up from her seat in the restaurant and was in an unsteady state, than she fell into my arms. I could feel how soft and fragrant her body was close to mine.The sound of her breathing could be clearly heard over my shoulder where she was leaning. She was almost unconscious, so I sighed softly and whispered to her. "You seem to be looking for trouble with me, Varma."I repositioned her between
Catherine's Point of View"So, how was it?" He asked, looking at me.I wiped my face with my handkerchief, unable to look directly at the man again after a long stare, but still shook my head with certainty. "No way, my opinion hasn't changed from what I said before. I don't think it makes any sense.""Alright." The man nodded. "Come on, I'll treat you to dinner."I returned Edwin's nod, accepting the man's ride to a private restaurant that catered to a wide variety of conglomerate families from this city and abroad. This was the first time I had visited this famous place; previously, I had only heard about it from my father and Daniel.In addition to being a place to formally entertain guests, some also make official cooperation agreements between foreign companies, including my family, which is also the reason my younger brother was able to go to this place first with my father.I sat opposite Edwin, enjoying the view of the city through the restaurant's glass, which was almost as t
Catherine's POVI looked at the man over my glasses, feeling mixed emotions inside me as I poured out all sorts of things I had wanted to say to him since last night but could only say today."Did you know that your family sent a marriage proposal to my family?" I began. "It wasn't that long ago that we entered college, Ben, but how could the proposal come at such an unexpected time and from your family."My gaze was fixed on his eyes, which were also looking at me. "Did you ask for the proposal to be sent to my family so that we can get married?"He didn't say a word in reply; he just squeezed his hands on each side of his body and turned his gaze away from me. I clamped my mouth shut for a moment."I'm furious." I took a deep breath, trying to control myself from overwhelming feelings."You already know I don't like this at all, Ben. Getting married. It's a new prison for me and indirectly proves to my father that I'll never escape the Varma family's female nature."I still remember
Catherine's POVWhen I woke up, my head hurt, as well as my eyes, which were quite difficult to open even though I was awake. I seemed to have cried too much and fallen asleep immediately afterwards to have this effect.I felt thirsty and looked for a drink on the small table not far from the bed and grabbed it. I drank the contents of the glass in four big gulps and put it back on the table. My gaze automatically went to the large mirror on the other side of the bed.There, the reflection of my face looked messy. I really looked like someone who had just woken up after crying for hours. My eyes were puffy with traces of tears that I could feel with my fingers, my nose was slightly reddened, and the area around my eyes was slightly reddened.I stared at my appearance with mixed feelings. It's really embarrassing even though I'm the only one who sees this right now, and maybe one of the waiters who refilled my water, but it doesn't really matter because I have to leave for college in a
Catherine's POVI was feeling tired.It's been one week since the end-of-semester exams, and I have to repeat the lessons of the whole semester on my own. I also have to read copies of the assignments I've done and notes from the lecturer on topics that might come up in the exam this time.I was so busy that I didn't have time to do anything other than study and get enough rest when night fell, that is, if I didn't have any assignments to complete for the practical exam.Arriving home, I already felt a piercing headache that made me want to lie down and sleep for a while. I still had to study for the theoretical exam and submit other practical assignments to the lecturer from other courses.I had envisioned a soft mattress on my bed, as well as blankets and pillows that would feel very soft on my body after I had exhausted my thoughts and abilities for today's exam, but it didn't work out.Someone knocked on my bedroom door and opened the door after I let myself in. It was one of the
Edwin's POGIn my father's study, I was reading a book he recommended. He was also reading for a while, but then he put the book on the desk and looked at me."What do you think about our new project?" he asked, slightly serious but also relaxed.I moved the book out of sight to look at him. "The things they're doing are right. I can't find any flaws."He nodded. The report he had shown me this morning followed the book he had put down. It was about the business collaboration between the Duncan Family and the Thompson Family, with Benny and I as the chief executives, while our father was the funder and in charge.Although the two of us had not completely taken over the family business, our fathers had agreed to involve their family successors in this newly started business. Aside from the family interest, both of them said it was important for our future.I had no problem with that. After all, my father had taught me everything about our family business since I was a child and other i
Catherine's POVAfter receiving the gift from Edwin, I was now only with Benny and his personal driver driving. The man sat down with me and then noticed something was different about my attitude.He rested his chin on one of my hands, which was still clasped tightly. "What are you holding on to? You didn't let go at all....""This." I showed him the bracelet.His eyes look wide. "Isn't that the jewelry you saw earlier? I thought you didn't buy it.""I didn't buy it."Considering Benny was also aware of what I was doing while looking at the jewelry, perhaps my liking for this bracelet was too obvious.My gaze was fixed on the bracelet, and I thought about how the man who had left the festival first had unhesitatingly bought me this jewelry and given it to me without anyone knowing. I don't know what that man was thinking when he bought me this, but the pounding of my heart was starting to feel too clear in my chest.The car stopped. I blinked, realizing that I had arrived in front of
Catherine's POV"Thank you for buying me a drink, Duncan." I smiled, accepting the glass with a lid made of solid cardboard from his hand, and I immediately held the glass with both hands.He just nodded and passed the other glass to Benny.I took a sip of the relatively warm drink. It turned out to be a delicious chocolate drink. I felt relieved and happy. My legs even wiggled without me fully realizing it.Night had almost fallen, so it was starting to get cold. I remembered the embarrassing incident a few days ago when my skirt got caught, but in the end, the man came back to help me by giving me a warm drink after we had walked quite a distance.A loud snort was heard from Benny. "Why are you buying me a fruity and cold drink? I also want a warm chocolate drink like you guys." He protested.I looked at the two men who stood facing each other with glasses in their hands. Still, a noticeable smoke could be seen from Benny's slightly open mouth, probably the effect of the drink he ha