Chapter 5
At 9:30 PM. Katherine, nestled deep in her pregnancy routine, had gone to bed. Her biological clock had made her so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open. In the dim light from the floor lamp, she drifted off into a hazy sleep.
“Mr. Graham, why are you back?” Maeve, the only maid living in Windridge Villa, was always here just in case Katherine needed help during the night.
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Hearing the car outside. Maeve had already put on her coat and stepped out. Seeing Derrick, she felt both joy and worry. “If Mrs. Graham sees you
“It’s fine,” Derrick said, lightly placing his hand on Maeve’s back. “Go to sleep. Don’t worry about me.” With that, he left the car keys in the entryway and quickly headed upstairs.
Maeve watched as Derrick left in a hurry. She let out a heavy sigh as she thought, “What’s he planning to do this late at night?”
When Derrick reached the door of the master bedroom, he hesitated. He stared at the closed door, his brows furrowing deeper.
He thought, Katherine asked me to come back, but now she’s locking me out. Is she trying to humiliate me!‘
Derrick’s hand rested on the doorknob. Though he assumed the door was locked, he still tried the handle, unwilling to give up. He thought, ‘Even if it’s just this once, maybe Katherine will show me some mercy!
The lock clicked open with a soft sound. Derrick stood frozen for a moment, and with a gentle push, the door creaked open. Inside, it was dim, but there was a faint scent of coffee and herbs in the air, calming and pleasant.
Derrick thought. The door really opened? It wasn’t locked after all.
Derrick could see the lump under the blanket on the bed, and his throat tightened. For a moment, he didn’t know whether to feel overjoyed or worried. He feared this might be another trap, concerned that beneath the beauty of the flower, there were thorns.
Katherine was sound asleep, and the noise from opening the door didn’t wake her. Derrick cautiously stepped inside, thinking, Whatever. It can’t get any worse. If I die at Katherine’s hands, then it’s just fate!
His footsteps made no sound on the carpeted floor. Ever since the vase had shattered into pieces last time, Derrick had arranged for the entire house to be carpeted.
By the time he reached the side of the bed, Katherine still hadn’t moved. Perhaps feeling cold, she curled up, half her face buried in the blanker, her beautiful, sickly face standing out starkly in the dim light.
Derrick thought, ‘She clearly still looks so unwell, yet Ethan claimed she’s recovering well: What a quack”
Suddenly, Katherine turned over in bed. She kicked the blanket away, wedging it between her legs.
She curled up on her side in a comfortable position, a small corner of the blanket tangled around her waist, leaving her legs exposed. Her siender legs beneathther shorts were both alluring and delicate.
Derrick’s throat bobbed. The darkness in his eyes roared, wanting to devour those legs whole. But in the end, he restrained himself, gently reaching out to lift Katherine’s ankle and tug the blanket from between her legs, carefully covering her up again..
Throughout the whole process, Katherine didn’t react. Derrick thought, ‘Is she really asleep? Or is she just pretending to fool me?”
Unable to figure it out, he decided to stop guessing. He pulled the chair by the vanity closer and sat down beside the bed.
Derrick couldn’t bring himself to climb into bed. Being able to quietly sit here and watch her was already a luxury for him. He just hoped that when Katherine saw him in the morning, she wouldn’t be too angry.
From deep into the night until dawn. Derrick watched as Katherine tossed and turned countless times. Every time she kicked off the blanket, Derrick dunfully covered her again.
By morning, Derrick began to wonder if Katherine had always been like this when she slept alone. He thought, “If she doesn’t get sick often, then I guess her health isn’t as bad as I thought.”
The first rays of sunlight streamed through the curtains. To wake up in the natural light, Katherine had only pulled a thin layer of sheer
curtains across the window.
Katherine slowly started to wake up, letting out a soft hum as she stretch
ched her legs and arms under the covers, feeling completely
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Chapter 5
relaxed. Then she opened her eyes, her gaze locking onto Derrick, who was sitting by the bed.
Derrick sat up straight, his posture rigid as if he were at attention. There was a faint stubble on his chin, and his face showed signs of exhaustion.
He had originally been leaning back in his chair, but as Katherine woke up, he instinctively straightened himself.
When Katherine looked at him, even the slightest movement, like the flutter of her eyelids, seemed to affect him deeply,
“Well? Didn’t you say you wanted to see me?” Derrick’s heart was pounding, almost to the point where he couldn’t bear it anymore. His voice cut through the silence, cold and harsh, though it only felt that way to him.
Katherine blinked rapidly, and as soon as Derrick spoke, she sat up suddenly. “Derrick,” she said, surprised, throwing off the blanket. She quickly stood up, but then dizziness hit her, making her almost fall.
Just before she collapsed, Derrick’s strong arm wrapped around her, steadying her. His arm encircled Katherine’s slim waist, his hand resting lightly on her stomach.
“Why the rush? Didn’t you know you have low blood sugar?” His voice was low, and the anger in it made him sound especially intimidating.
But Katherine wasn’t afraid at all. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Derrick’s neck, rubbing her cheek against him. “It’s warm. It’s really you. Derrick.”
Katherine often dreamed of Derrick, where he would stretch out his hand, telling her he was going to take her away. But whenever she reached out to him, Derrick would turn and leave her behind, walking off alone.
Every time, Katherine would desperately chase after him, but no matter how fast she ran, there was always a distance between them. But now, Derrick was right here in her arms, so warm and comforting.
Unable to stop herself, Katherine tilted her head and nuzzled against him like a kitten
Derrick’s body stiffened, almost as though he were frozen in place, staying still in the embrace for a long time. Eventually, he grabbed Katherine’s shoulders and gently pushed her away.
His brooding eyes locked onto her face, just inches from his. He could have leaned down and kissed her lips, soft and sweet.
Derrick swallowed hard, his voice hoarse. “Katherine, look closely–I’m not the one you have feelings for.”
He figured Katherine must not be fully awake yet, still trapped in a dream. He thought, ‘Katherine actually hugged me first and rubbed her face against mine–how could this be? Unless she’s being possessed”
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