Outside, only when Kathy left the main building and saw the sky had already grown dark, did she
realize she’d not yet had anything to eat. But she didn’t want to stay here.
Suddenly, with a squeal of brakes, a light blue car came to a stop before her. Bertie got out, opened the
passenger door, and said, “It’s hard to hail a car here. I’ll take you to the airport. I’d worry if you want on
your own.”
Kathy furrowed her brow, but got in. But this time, Bertie did not take her to the airport. Instead he
drove toward the city center, farther and farther from the airport. Looking at him, she asked, “Where are
you taking me?”
“My home.”
“I want to go back to City N,” she told him seriously.
“You’ve not begun school yet. If you go back now, you’ll be all alone. Better to stay with me, it will foster
sentiment.”
“Nobody wants to foster sentiment with you,” she snapped. She wanted to get out, but Bertie had
locked the doors.
“Now Joseph’s not with you, I want to take the opportunity to get nearer you,” he said without a scrap of
shame.
“Bertie, let me out of the car!” she demanded, glaring at him. When he did not, she got out her phone
and threatened, “Otherwise I’ll call the police.”
But he was unimpressed. Laughing lowly, he said, “I took your SIM card out back at the Booth home.
Your phone’s got no signal.”
She turned it on to discover that he was right. “You bastard,” she raged.
But the angrier she grew, the happier he became. He found her fury adorable. Arriving at a
neighborhood, he got out and opened her door for her, saying, “Please, miss.”
Kathy got out and prepared to run, but Bertie had anticipated as much. He caught her easily, wrapped
her up in his arms. “Bertie Marshall!” she shouted.
“Don’t force my hand. I just want you with me. I won’t hurt you, and here, I won’t interfere with your
freedom.”
“You’re interfering with me freedom now,” she glared.
“Aside from now, as long as you don’t leave City N, you can do anything you want with me,” he told her
earnestly. But Kathy was hardly grateful. Escorting her from the parking lot, he kept her locked in his
arms.
She hated being so near him. “Let me go, I won’t run.”
He furrowed his brow, and did not release her till they entered the elevator. Immediately she scrambled
away from him. Seeing the floor numbers go by, her complexion became increasingly pale. She felt
increasingly conflicted.
“Don’t’ be afraid of me. I’ve never hurt you, have I?”
Kathy smiled coldly. “You drugged and tried to rape me. Does that not count?”
“I…” He pressed his lips together. It was the first time in his life he’d ever been at a loss for words. That
had been Grandfather’s plan, but he’d accepted, even if he’d regretted it later. But because it was
Kathy, he’d not had the heart. He wanted her to be willing.
Kathy could not restrain her temper. “All of you that claim to act on my behalf end up hurting me. I’ve
had enough.” She hated being bound, being controlled. She wanted to be respected. But in the Booth
family, that was near-impossible.
Bertie gazed at her seriously, understanding her a bit more in that moment. “I admit that that was wrong
of me. But I thought I’d already made it up to you.”
“Emphasis on you thought.”
He raised his arms, trapping her between him and the wall. “What will it take for you to forgive me?”
Kathy, disgusted, pushed him away. “Get away from me!”
“Tell me how to earn your forgiveness,” he insisted.
She lifted her chin, and laughed coldly. “Then let me go. Now.”
“Better for you to hate me for now, then.”
His home was located on the top floor of the building. He opened the door, and when Kathy lingered in
the doorway, he motioned her inside. She had no choice but follow.
His mother, upon seeing Kathy, said with a smile, “Bertie, how could you bring a girl home and not tell
me first?”
“It was an impulse decision.” To a servant he said, “Get the guest room ready.”
“Hello, ma’am,” Kathy said to his mother politely.
“Come in, don’t be nervous,” she bade. Sensing Kathy’s hesitation, her smile softened.
“This is Kathy, Grandfather’s granddaughter,” Bertie introduced.
His mother walked over, and asked astutely, “Has Bertie treated you badly? Is that why you’re upset?”
Kathy furrowed her brow. She’d never been able to conceal her emotions. They were always writ plain
on her face. “Yes,” she said simply. “I’m going to go rest.”
Bertie’s mother saw that her son’s gaze never left Kathy. “Why have you brought her?” she asked,
puzzled. “Shouldn’t she be with the Booth family?”
“She wants to return to City N. I’m making her stay.”
“Ah, so that’s why she looks so conflicted.”
Bitterly Bertie said, “She hates me. But at least that’s better than her having no feelings for me at all.”
At least this Kathy had heat, instead of being so typically cool.
“The terms of Zack’s inheritance. What were they?” his mother asked.
“The Booth Group’s stocks and most of its property. But she refused them, so they’ll go to her mother.”
“Why?” asked his mother with surprise.
“She’s not willing to marry me, so she can’t access her inheritance.”
His mother smiled. “What an unusual child.” Her son was charming—no girl could refuse him. Yet this
Kathy would rather give up her inheritance than marry him. “But she’s Joseph’s ex-wife, isn’t she,” she
recalled. “Perhaps she can’t get over him.”
“I’ll make her forget him over time.”
“Do what you think best. If you can marry her, of course it would be great for the whole family.”
…
That night, Kathy came looking for Bertie’s room, and he teased, “Can’t sleep?”
“I’ve stayed, so you can give me my SIM card back.”
“I will when you return to City N. Don’t worry, I’m paying the bill for you.”
She glared at him. “Don’t you think this is a bit much? It’s like prison!”
“It is a bit much. But I have to, to get you to stay. Tomorrow I’ll take you out, show you around, help you
relax. All right?”
“You go. I’m not interested.”
She turned to return to her room, and Bertie followed, asking, “Are you not used to things here?”
“No. I want to go home,” she glared. How could she be used to it? All she wanted was to leave.
“Who knows, this might be your home one day,” he pointed out, genuinely hoping she’d like it here.
“Bertie, that’s enough. This is not my home, and it never will be,” she said tightly. And with that, she
shut the door in his face.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda