Lucas POV
“She had an accident five years ago,” Kurt reported.
In my hands, I was looking at hospital reports and winced.
“She stayed two months in comatose,” I said dully, unable to perceive Katherine in such a state.
Just thinking about it leaves a constriction in my chest. I could not breathe when I thought about what she had gone through.
“Now, that explains why she did not know us. She was not faking it.” Oliver pointed out.
His comment made me feel worse.
And to think that I branded Katherine as a great actress for keeping up the pretense of cluelessness when she, in fact, did not know us.
I shook my head. I feel like a j*rk for thinking so poorly of her.
Maybe she just did love Combs so much that she chose him over me. It was just unfortunate that she had an accident right after she ran away with him.
“The hospit
Katherine POV“Katherine." My body froze when I heard him call out my name. I just got out of the cab with a sleeping Erin in my arms. I pulled Erin close and kissed her head, ignoring the call. "Here, let me." He offered to take Erin from me, but I refused. I avoided him when he made a move."It's not necessary. I can take care of my daughter alone." My voice sounded clipped, too cold even to my ears."I want to talk to you." He told me. I ignored his presence and pretended that I heard nothing. I walked faster, though it was a struggle because of my little girl. Then, I reached our apartment building and had to pause to ring the bell. The building administrator greeted me and opened the door wider to let me pass. "Ms. Fielding, is he your companion?" The administrator stopped me in my tracks. "I am her husband." Greg volunteered before I could respond.I sighed, hating for an argument to ensue and disrupt Erin's rest. “How is she?” He asked.I didn’t bother to reply. He
Katherine POVMy brows furrowed. “Sorry for what?” Greg had so many things to apologize for, and I wanted to be clear about what he was apologizing for. “For everything.” He made a flick of his hand. “The divorce, Noreen, for failing to protect you from my mother’s wrath and for treating you and Erin poorly when I promised to be the best husband and father. I am sorry.” I did not expect this, and my heart began to thud painfully in my chest. Tears welled in my eyes, and I bit my lip to stop the sob from coming out. I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with air until it hurt. “You don’t belong to me. The two of you. I can’t love Erin because I know when your memory comes back and you remember who Erin’s father is, the two of you will leave me for him.” I sighed. “So, you turned your affections on Noreen,” I concluded bitterly. Greg looked away. “Noreen was my ex-girlfriend.”I shook my head, clearly intrigued. “I don’t understand. What does that have to do with everything?
Katherine POVI woke up to the urgency in Erin's voice. “Mommy, you have to wake up!” She called out. Automatically, my eyes opened a crack, and I saw her face inches from mine. I hugged her and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head, but she started wiggling after a while.“You need to help me.” She said with her brows furrowed.“About what?” I asked groggily. I still feel a heaviness in my heart after Greg’s revelations last night. It must be from too much crying. I tossed and turned in bed last night, trying to figure out that part of my past that I still can’t remember. Somehow, I wanted to fill my head with the memories of my parents. I urged myself to remember them, but unfortunately, I couldn’t. “Mommy, you are not listening,” Erin complained, lips pouting while she pierced me with her black coals that seemed so familiar.“What is wrong?” I asked to pacify her. Erin picked up her tablet from the night table and pushed it toward me. “I think there is something wrong
Katherine POVIt was around lunchtime when Noreen suddenly came to my office. I already thought that I had seen the last of her. I thought she had enough of my slap, but it seemed she hadn't. Maybe she was asking for more. I grinned inwardly at the thought and bent my head to be less conspicuous. “I heard that Greg dropped by your apartment.” She said.I did not respond, but her tone made me look up to see her glaring at me. My brows knitted in irritation. Here she goes again, coming to my turf to start an argument. I continued signing documents, ignoring her. “I didn’t know that you have become a surveillance camera now. Anyway, you are late. That happened two weeks ago.” I retorted, mocking her, but did not make it a point to look in her direction again. Noreen, being the spoiled brat that she is, hated the idea of being dismissed. Ignoring her is her pet peeve because she thrives on attention and pampering. “I am talking to you. The least you could do is to look at me.”
Katherine POVNoreen’s nostrils flared, and her face contorted in anger.“You bitch!” she snarled, making her face ugly. Then, she lunged at me to get my phone.It was at that exact moment when Lucas Sanders, Oliver Mans, Mr. Jacobs, and Veronica came in. They saw what happened and were all outraged, except for Noreen’s father, who stood by watching the furor. Lorrie also looked like a frightened rabbit. She was in the corner, eyeing the two of us with disbelief and shock in her eyes. Then, I felt Lucas came to my rescue immediately. He pulled Noreen’s hands away from me. I could feel his body heat, his scent filling my nostrils. My heart skipped a beat. “What are you doing, Ms. Jacobs?” He grabbed Noreen’s hands when she tried to claw at my face and threw her off. She staggered, but Lucas Sanders was not about to be thwarted, even in the face of Noreen’s father, who only gasped and came to the rescue of his daughter. “It’s her fault, daddy!” Noreen cried when her father’s
Katherine POVI held my breath, awaiting Lucas’s response. It was suspenseful when I heard his ruling.“No. Katherine will stay. Noreen, on the other hand, is suspended."I heaved a sigh when I heard the verdict.At least I don’t have to worry about Erin’s medical expenses. I couldn’t bother the Foundation again because I had already decided not to ask Lucas Sanders a favor.“You can’t do that to my daughter.” Mr. Jacobs’ outraged voice cut through my trance.So does Lucas Sanders’ rebuttal.
Katherine POVMy office phone rang. It was the shrill sound that pulled us apart. We looked at each other awkwardly, now that reality has intruded between us. Lucas Sanders cleared his throat to get my attention. When he had it, he waved my phone in the air. “I will get in touch with you.” He said. I nodded but could not quite meet his eyes in embarrassment. At the back of my head, I asked myself how we arrived at the point where we were hugging each other like it was the natural thing to do. Then, he was gone. Reluctantly, I picked up the handset.“Hello.” “Has the boss gone up to his floor?” Veronica whispered on the other end. “Yeah,” I said, nodding while bending down to pick up the papers Noreen threw from my desk. “What did he tell you?” She asked, sounding intrigued. A lump suddenly formed in my throat at the abruptness of the question. To say that I was caught off guard was an understatement. I was not prepared for it. I gripped the handset, hoping the action woul
Katherine POVI counted one to ten in my head while the silence stretched between us.Then, when I couldn't bear the tension anymore, I asked him if there was still something he wanted to talk to me about."I still have to finish my work." I reminded him.I don't know if it was his habit to make people feel awkward, but he was doing a good job of it right now.I cleared my throat to get his attention."Sir?""Yes?" He asked.His eyes were on me."If there is nothing more, may I be excused? I still need to get back to my work."He did not respond, so I stood from my chair."How is Erin?" He asked.Now, my anger from the past week resurfaced."She's fine, sir. Thank you for asking." I told him stiffly."I bought something for her. Here." He said, handing several bags from famous children's shops.I shook my head, refusing
Lucas POVI watched the shock registering on Greg Combs and Katherine’s faces when I issued the declaration. It gave me immense pleasure letting this b*stard know that he made a mistake.I don’t intend to give Katherine up. Not for anything, now or ever. I took advantage of their surprise to slowly walk toward them.When I reached them, I snaked an arm around Katherine’s waist to show Greg that Katherine belonged to me and me alone. I watched in satisfaction when my action elicited a wince from Greg Combs. I wanted him to know that no amount of regret can change the past. It already happened. All we have to do is accept things as they are. If he had changed his mind and regretted the decision to divorce Katherine, then he could live in misery because I was never going to give her up for anything.“Katherine is mine,” I told the shocked Greg Combs.“She has always been mine to begin with.” I reiterated when he recovered from the initial shock. When he did, I saw a trace of regre
Katherine POVI stared blankly at him while I gripped my phone in my hand. I don’t know what to say. Greg looked so much like how I looked before when I found out that he was having an affair with Noreen Jacobs. I was looking at the face of betrayal. I shook my head in an attempt to discredit the accusation. All the while, I was acutely aware of the people around us. This is a sidewalk. Passersby would notice us and couldn’t help but have an earshot. Even if they did not mean to snoop, Greg’s voice was loud enough to be carried by the wind. Everyone within earshot could not help but hear what he had to say. “I saw you.” He spits out. A frown formed on my head. “Saw me where?” I was clearly confused and wanted to be enlightened. Greg did not disappoint as he began a monologue that depicted an unsavory image of me. “You came out of his car not just once but all the time since I decided to observe.”Then, he brushed his fingers to his oily hair and gave a self-deprecat
Katherine POVIt was funny to watch him stutter as he tried explaining to our daughter what we were doing. “A kiss is an expression of love.” He told Erin. “So you love my mommy?” Erin asked. He nodded.Erin seemed satisfied by his response, and Lucas began to relax.A moment later, Erin turned her head toward him and asked. “If you love mommy, why is that girl kissing you?” Erin looked like she was about to cry,Now, that was something I did not expect to hear. My eyes turned to Lucas sharply. I heard Lucas cough out loud before glancing in my direction. My right brow arched upon hearing the information, leaving Lucas unsure of how to react. I would have remained oblivious to the whole thing if Erin did not mention it. Lucas gulped. He shook his head and began explaining with his eyes trained on me, magnifying his guilt. “You just said it. She was kissing me, not the other way around.” Lucas explained.He was watching my face for any change, but I remained impassive. It
Katherine POVThe way Lucas looked at me tells me a lot about the engagement ring that had gone viral a few months ago.My chest constricted.“The ring was for you.” He said shyly when Duke left, confirming what I already knew in my heart.Then, he sat beside me on the couch. I did not know“I was buying something for Agatha, a token to show her that I was willing to see her more than a friend.” I felt a blockage in my airways when he began to tell me about the ring I saw in Agatha’s post. The one that gave me the impression that he was toying with me.“A solitaire diamond ring caught my eye. At that time, I hated you for lying and choosing Greg over me, but the ring kept tugging at me. I bypassed the ring and left, but there was this restlessness inside, a feeling of regret. I asked Dan to go back to Hugo’s Creations to buy the ring under his name,
Katherine POVI nodded, and this time I allowed him to pull me to his chest. Lucas wrapped his arms around me, lightly dropping a kiss on my forehead.“I love you.” He said, but I remained silent. Right now, I can not define what I felt for Lucas. There was attraction and some feelings, but not enough to consider it love. “I don’t know what to say,” I told him honestly and shook my head. There was a subtle shift in him. I must have hurt him by being honest. I cupped his chin to force him to meet my gaze. “You know you are special, and I am attracted to you. I also like how you are good to me and a great father to Erin.” I told him sincerely while looking into his eyes. “But not enough to love me.” His reply hinted at bitterness, and I pulled him nearer for a quick kiss. He took advantage of our position. He grabbed the back of my head to deepen the kiss. Lucas began exploring my mouth. He was nibbling my lips, sending tingles all over my body, and down to my toes. I pushe
Katherine’s POVI swallowed hard after being confronted by the fury in Agatha’s gaze. The loathing in her eyes shook me to the core. Lucas told me she used to be my best friend, but her facial expression showed nothing except hatred. “You shouldn’t have come back!” She snarled, causing a shiver of fear to run through my spine, creating goosebumps. If looks could kill, I would have been dead by now from Agatha’s piercingly cold glare. I covered Erin’s ears with my hands. I don’t want her to hear anything Agatha says. “Why did you have to come back? Why did you have to mess with our lives? Lucas is mine!” Agatha spat the words out.She looked half-crazed, frothing in the mouth in anger. I was tongue-tied. Even Noreen did not look at me like this; with pure unadulterated hatred.I shook my head as fear spread through me. Not for myself but for Erin. I had been avoiding this kind of scene when Lucas suggested we work on us. Agatha was his unfinished business.Now, everything is sp
Katherine POVWhen we entered Lucas’ office, we found Oliver and Vern still there talking. Vern dropped the sketch pad and pencil to a nearby table when he saw us coming in. He then unrolled his tape measure, asking his assistant to jot down the measurements. I nudged Erin, silently urging her to approach Vern. To my surprise, my little girl ignored me and walked straight to Oliver, who sat on the couch upon our arrival. “Don’t be bad next time, Uncle Olly, okay?” She sure sounded grown-up. She looked too little against Oliver's frame when she looked at him with her head tilted back. I bit my lips while Lucas grinned from ear to ear. Oliver, on the other hand, looked surprised. He grinned and gamely responded. “Yes, ma’am.” Erin nodded. She beckoned for Oliver to lean his head closer. He bent to bring his head closer, arms went around her little body. When they were close, Erin wrapped her small arms around his neck.“Thank you, Uncle Olly. You are my third favorite person
Katherine POVI watched in amusement how Lucas tried to appease Erin.“It’s not like that, Erin.”Erin crossed her arms to her chest, looking like Lucas looked earlier when he tried to block Oliver from me.“No! From now on, she is my mommy only!” Erin declared, brooking no argument.Lucas looked like he was about to cry.He was flustered and red while trying to control himself. While it amused me to see him try so hard to convince his stubborn daughter that it was not the same. It looked like Erin was getting the upper hand in this case.&
Katherine POV“Good morning, Katherine.” Lorrie greeted me when I stepped outside the elevator. She came out of the pantry bearing a mug of steaming coffee. I remembered the coffee Lucas and I shared that morning, and my heart began to beat faster than usual when I thought about the kiss. “Good morning, Lorrie. Any urgent tasks for me today?” I asked, stopping for a while.Lorrie shook her head. We walked alongside each other toward our office, talking about my schedules.I appreciate Lorrie for making my professional life super dandy.“You have a meeting at ten o’clock with the boss.” She informed me. My brows furrowed. I had no recollection of Lucas mentioning the meeting to me. But maybe Lucas did not know either because Dan handles his schedules. I began signing documents, and when I finished, I prepared for my ten o’clock meeting with the boss. Ten minutes before ten, clutching my notebook, pen, and report for our department, I left my office for the meeting. “I am going