Chapter 33
Chapter 33
O
0
“Really? We’re on the same wavelength. I like that plan too.” Katherine’s eyes lit up. “And I’ve got a feeling that the girl is gonna blow up big time.”
She hadn’t been able to place the girl before, but when she saw the girl group’s name in the file, she finally recalled that the girl was Jasmine Lane, the star who’d take the country by storm in a few years.
Even in her past life, when Katherine barely cared about showbiz, she could see Jasmine’s face everywhere–street ads, TV, phone notifications. No one could escape her.
Katherine thought that signing a talent like Jasmine, and the company’s value would shoot up overnight.
But the next second, Derrick’s voice dumped a bucket of cold water on her excitement. “We’re not planning to move into that sector right now.”
20
Noticing Katherine’s disappointed face, Derrick assumed she was really into that girl. He spoke up, “If you really think she’s promising, can get her into a good agency.”
“No, no need. Katherine waved it off.
She thought, ‘Better not step into someone else’s career. In my last life, I had nothing to do with Jasmine, and she still made it big. Maybe she’s got her own path.
Derrick kept watching her–every blink, every shift in her gaze.
“If you like, we can greenlight the plan,” he said casually. It was just a small start–up to him–barely a dent in his budget.
“No. Too much trouble. And wouldn’t the shareholders question you?” asked Katherine.
Katherine had been through the same situation in her previous life. Whenever she wanted to start something, the board would gang up against her.
Sure, she didn’t propose things that actually helped the company, but she still didn’t want Derrick dealing with all that pushback just because of her. It was exhausting, and it stung a lot.
“They don’t get a say in my decisions,” Derrick said flatly. Riverbend Group was his from the ground up. He held all the cards.
“You just tell me if you want it or not. Don’t worry about the rest,” he added.
For the first time, Katherine actually felt herself drawn to Derrick’s sheer force of personality.
“I do.” She tugged on his collar and whispered, “I’m bored out of my mind. want something to do. But I promise I won’t be hanging around any other guys.”
She knew about Derrick’s possessiveness–maybe not a sickness exactly, but definitely a problem. She said, “If it makes you uncomfortable, I can sit this one out.”
But the truth was, from the second she mentioned it, she’d been planning to get involved, and she even wanted to reach out to Jasmine herself.
“I can bankroll you,” Derrick said, skipping right over her offer to quit. “Use Riverbend Group as your backing and set up your own company. How does that sound?”
“Seriously?” Katherine’s eyes lit up, then dimmed with hesitation. “I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this.”
In her last life, she briefly controlled Lawson Corporation, but that was just inheriting Richard’s shares–not the same thing.
“You can. There’s nothing you can’t do.” Derrick squeezed her hand and encouraged her.
He thought, ‘I’m willing to do everything for you. With my support, who could possibly stand in your way?‘
“Go for it. I’ll assign people to run the whole thing. All you have to do is pick the artists you like and projects you believe in. Someone will handle the rest for you.” He brushed her hair back from her face.
Katherine blushed, half thrilled, half embarrassed. “Is this really a project? Feels kinda like playing house.”
1/3
7:53 PM P P.
Chapter 33
6
Derrick smirked, thinking, ‘Yeah, it’s just tossing some pocket change to keep you happy. Looks ridiculous, but so what? The whole company is mine. No one can say no.
“I’ve gotta come up with a name for the company,” Katherine said, suddenly fired up.
Even though Derrick would be funding it, she saw it as her company.
With Jasmine as her money–maker, she’d build it up into something huge and make sure Derrick’s investment paid off.
O
Once Katherine had tasks to work on, she was full of energy every day. Two days later, she finally met the agent Derrick had arranged
for her.
“Mrs. Graham, nice to meet you. I’m Wyatt Hess,” said a man.
The moment she saw that younger–looking face, Katherine froze for a beat, blinking in surprise. Then her heart started racing.
If she remembered right, this was Derrick’s assistant. In her last life, the very last thing she saw was Wyatt carrying her son away and becoming her son’s guardian.
Glad to see you, I’m Katherine,” she said brightly, gripping Wyatt’s hand with way more strength than necessary.
From the side, Derrick’s brows knitted when he saw the scene.
Wyatt instantly felt a chill roll over him. He dropped her hand like it burned and stepped back a few paces. “Mrs. Graham, easy.”
He swallowed hard, shooting Derrick a quick glance. Derrick’s eyes were still cold, but not quite as lethal as they’d been a second ago.
Wyatt let out a breath and mused, ‘Okay, gotta keep a safe distance from Mrs. Graham.’
Katherine didn’t notice the weird tension. She figured Wyatt just wasn’t into physical contact and didn’t push it.
She kept her eyes locked on Wyatt’s, her expression full of warmth. She almost blurted out questions like, “Is Kit doing okay? Is he safe?“.
But she knew Wyatt probably had no clue who Kit even was. She had to shove the feelings down.
At some point, Derrick moved right in front of her, blocking her overly enthusiastic gaze from Wyatt.
“Go work on the proposal. Come back when you’ve got exact plans,” said Derrick.
The heavy air in the room had Wyatt’s back prickling with sweat. He nodded quickly and left without hesitation.
Only after the door closed did Derrick drop his hand. He gripped Katherine’s shoulders, making her look at him. He said firmly, “You know Wyatt.
It wasn’t a question–it was a statement.
Katherine’s heart skipped, She knew she’d overreacted in front of Wyatt.
She pressed her lips together and finally replied, “Can you not ask? I swear, I don’t know the Wyatt I saw just now.”
She dove into Derrick’s arms, pressing her head into his chest. “Don’t get jealous, okay? Don’t be mad. I’m yours now. Remember? I’m carrying your baby.”
Feeling her warmth and faint scent, Derrick was at ease. His hand slid from her hair down to her waist. He said in a soft voice, “Fine, I won’t ask. But promise me you’ll tell me everything someday.”
Katherine nodded. “Okay, I promise you.”
She had no idea Derrick spent the next day digging through Wyatt’s life–his hometown, his family history–looking for any link to her. Only when he found nothing did he stop.
Still, Derrick called Wyatt in privately and laid down orders.
On top of work, he was to file reports on every single thing related to Katherine–who she met, especially men, and whether they had any other intentions toward her. Those people were to be shut out completely from Katherine
2/3
7:53 PM PP.
Chapter 33
Hearing that, Wyatt broke into a cold sweat. He complained inwardly, ‘He’s asking me to keep an eye on her.
“Mr. Graham, this is illegal, isn’t it?” Wyatt asked, his voice shaking.
Derrick leaned back in his chair, smirking like it was nothing. “So what?”
Wyatt clamped his mouth shut. He sighed internally, ‘He’s insane. I’m not crossing him.‘
Three days later, Katherine finally picked a name for her company. She said to Derrick, “Riverbend Media. What do you think?”
Derrick wanted to be supportive, yet he still paused for a few seconds without answering.
Katherine nudged his leg with her foot, urging, “Say something. I know it uses your company’s name, but it’s got other meanings.”
Derrick sat up straighter and replied, “I’d like to hear that.”
His serious tone made her a little shy. She scratched her head and replied, “It’s nothing fancy, anyway. You’re the one putting in the money, so the name should be related to you.
See, the company’s mine, but the name is yours. Besides, I kinda want everyone to know you’ve got my back. That I’m…”
She stopped, shot him a quick look, and continued, “That I’m yours too.”
What she really meant was the name linked the company straight to Riverbend Group, and people would assume she had ties with it. She wanted to make it clear that she was part of Riverbend Group and Derrick.
But saying it outright felt way too weird, so she simply said, “I don’t know if you get me. Just figure it out yourself.”
3/3
