Chapter 8
Derrick didn’t have to work today, so after breakfast, he accompanied Katherine for a walk.
The garden at Riverbend Manor was large, big enough to rival a public park. Katherine usually couldn’t make it past the halfway point But today, she walked much longer than usual.
There was no special reason–just that there was now a moving armrest beside her. Whenever she grew tired or weary, she could lean against Derrick
With their height difference, Katherine’s head fit perfectly against Derrick’s neck. She didn’t have to tilt her head down too much or stretch on tiptoe. And every time she leaned into him, Derrick would tense his body, firm and dependable.
Katherine felt completely at ease, not caring whether Derrick was tired. After all, in her observation over the next ten years. Derrick had a never–ending supply of strength.
Thinking back to their first intimate encounter and her awkwardness, as well as the second time when she completely broke down, Katherine decided that once the baby was born, she would focus on strengthening her body.
In her previous life, she had hated Derrick. But now everything was different. She still cared about the harmony in their intimate life.
A breeze swept through, carrying the scent of flowers on either side. Katherine took a deep breath, once again feeling how good it was to be alive. She thought, ‘With such fragrant flowers, and such a fragrant man.
She nudged her forehead against Derrick’s chest and asked, “Am I heavy?”
“No.” Derrick’s voice was a little hoarse as he looked down at Katherine’s hair.
If he could, he’d pick her up and carry her, no matter how far they had to go. But he didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to be rejected.
No matter how much he loved her, he didn’t want to be frequently turned down. It was both embarrassing and painful.
“Let’s go back. I don’t feel like walking anymore.” Katherine glanced at the remaining third of the path, sighing at her lack of stamina.
“Do you think I’m useless, that I can’t even make it through such a short walk?” Katherine tilted her head and asked again. But Derrick just paused for a moment.
“Alright. You don’t have to answer. Katherine shook her head in frustration. She’d asked casually, hoping to hear Derrick comfort her. But seeing his expression just now, she realized he might have wanted to say yes.
Katherine thought, Although it might be true, he still can’t say that
After a brief silence, Derrick didn’t speak again. Aside from matters regarding her departure and Charles, he had always respected Katherine and listened to her. It was just that, in her previous life, Katherine had hated Derrick to the core, so she never noticed it.
Although Derrick didn’t have to go to the office, there were still some urgent documents that needed his attention. After finishing the walk with Katherine, he headed into the study.
He hadn’t stayed here for a long time, but Maeve cleaned it every day, so not a speck of dust could be
seen.
Katherine, too lazy to go upstairs, stayed on the sofa watching TV. The large LCD screen made the people on it appear more lifelike, but Katherine wasn’t watching a drama. She was watching an interview with Derrick.
As the head of Riverporsh’s top company. Derrick was known for his strong financial skills and had been interviewed several times by financial news outlets.
But on the screen, he looked cold and distant, his expression fierce Katherine could tell that the host was doing her best to keep the mood light, but each attempt ended in silence.
To outsiders, Derrick was just a ruthless man who’d stop at nothing to climb the ranks. He was seen as a soulless machine for corporate acquisitions with no emotions,
As his father’s illegitimate son, Derrick didn’t even have the right to inherit anything from Graham Group
Derrick built his own company from the ground up, relying on years of experience and his keen instinct for finance. In the end, he gradually took over various subsidiaries of the Graham Group, until he completely absorbed it.
Chapter 8
He founded Riverbend Group with his own hands, rising from being an illegitimate son to a position that no one could reach.
In her previous life, Katherine had thought that someone like Derrick would do anything for profit and that he was truly terrifying Now, all she felt was sympathy–sympathy for all the suffering he’d endured over the years.
Katherine thought, ‘Derrick must have gone through so much to get to where he is now. But despite everything, there’s no one around him who cares for him. There’s only Maeve, who looks after his daily needs.
‘But in the future. Derrick will have me, and we’ll have our children. I can give Derrick more children, so he can feel the love of a real family.
Katherine was watching the serious financial news when she suddenly burst into laughter. She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Derrick surrounded by a bunch of kids, all asking for milk, and him not knowing which one to pick up.
Upstairs in the study, Derrick had been looking at a document for half an hour, occasionally switching to another window. On the minimized screen, there was a shot of Katherine laughing and slapping the cushion.
It wasn’t just the chairs at the dining table that had cameras. Even the ornaments across from the table did. Nearly every place Katherine might be had similar devices installed. He couldn’t touch her, so he could only watch her in secret.
Derrick thought, Katherine probably won’t be angry. If she were truly upset, she would’ve thrown the dishes at breakfast this morning
At Windridge Villa, Miranda was applying medicine to Mia’s elbow injury but was distracted, probing for details about what had happened. “Did Katherine really say that?” Not paying attention, Miranda pressed too hard with the cotton swab.
“Ouch. Be gentle, Mia yelped, her face scrunching up in pain.
Miranda irritably poked at the wound with the swab. “Stop pretending. It’s just a small scratch. You’d be fine without the medicine in a while.
Miranda tossed the cotton swab aside, her expression sour. “I asked you to deliver a message, but you ended up offending Katherine. You know what situation we’re in now and we still need Katherine to navigate things. What the hell were you thinking?”
Miranda’s nail jabbed into Mia’s forehead, leaving a red mark.
Mia rubbed her forehead, her eyes welling up in grievance. The pain, from her elbow was nothing compared to the sting in her heart. “Mom, is it my fault?”
Mia, raised by Miranda, was no pushover. She immediately shot back, “Didn’t you say not to let Katherine develop feelings for Derrick? You were worried she’d slip out of our control. I’m just doing what you said, bud now you’re yelling at me?”
“How dare you say that? Miranda pointed at Mia, looking like she wanted to pierce Mia with a stare.
But as Miranda looked at the face before her, one that resembled her own, she kept telling herself inwardly, ‘She’s my daughter. I have to hold it together!
Miranda took a deep breath. “Forget it. Find a time to bring Katherine out and apologize to her.”
“Apologize to her?” Mu shot to her feet, her face full of disbelief. “She’s always the one apologizing. Why should I do it this time? And it was her fault I fell down the stairs. How does she get to be in the right?”
Miranda shot her a sharp look. “A small compromise can save a bigger plan. Don’t forget our real goal.
“We need Katherine to convince her father to have a sou with me. Otherwise, once we’re older, the Lawson family’s fortune will have no one leh to multerit it.”
Of course, the real point of Miranda’s words was to emphasize herself. She would be too old to have children, but as long as a man money, he could have kids at any age
had
“Fine. I get it” Mia didn’t want to remain the nameless, u
