“Ms. Fleming, please understand, as you’re at Ocean University, you must follow our rules.”
“Rules?” scoffed Claire. “You made a whole scene to make Joseph swoop to your rescue, destroying
our lab in the process, and you talk to me about rules? To still be a student, and pull that kind of stunt…
despicable.”
Gradually, others began to tune in to their conversation, and then Kathy understood: they all think she’d
purposely gotten herself locked in, forcing Joseph to come save her. But she’d been trapped with a
poisonous gas, it could have killed her!
Kathy pursed her lips. “I don’t know why you’re all so prejudiced against me. When the lab was
destroyed, I was a victim too.”
“A victim? You seem fine to me. You and Joseph have a complicated relationship, go speak with him
directly,” said Claire coldly.
“Do you really want him to hear about this?” Kathy’s voice grew cooler. “You don’t follow the university’s
rules, and even spread rumors about your boss… I doubt the company will let you get away with that.”
The voices around them grew quiet. No one wanted Joseph to know of this. They only dared bully
Kathy. And so finally Claire passed papers to Kathy and said reluctantly, “This is our content for today.
Have a look.”
Kathy took them, facing all those mocking faces, and felt worse immediately. Leaving the lab, she took
deep breaths, trying to calm down. Then, going to Professor Watson’s office, she tried to regulate her
mood.
But he had sharp eyes, and saw something was off with her. “Who’s bullied my student?”
“Nobody,” she replied, handing the papers over.
“I heard there was an accident at the Josephs’ Group Lap. What happened?” he asked instead.
He had no idea she’d been hurt. “The electricity went out, and all the instruments are in the process of
being repaired.”
“Why do they need repaired?”
“I don’t quite understand either.”
He looked at her. “Kathy, tell me the truth.” Before his gaze, she felt helpless. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll go
ask Joseph.”
“Professor, it’s nothing.”
“Then why does the whole lab need repairs? You must tell me what’s wrong. Is there a problem with
the research?”
“No, it’s all my fault. When the power got cut, I was trapped inside, and Joseph had to all but destroy
the place to save me.”
At this, Professor Watson laughed, and she looked at him in confusion. He explained, rubbing his chin,
“I wouldn’t have thought him so sentimental.”
Kathy stared. Sentimental? As she’d passed out, she didn’t quite remember the whole debacle. Only
Joseph’s worried voice, which had turned out to be real…
The next day, Kathy had to go back to the hospital for a checkup, and Zofia planned to accompany her,
but Kathy said, “Haven’t you got class? I’ll go on my own.”
Zofia’s already asked for time off though. “I worry for you, going to the hospital is very lonely.”
Kathy smiled. “I’m really fine.”
“Unacceptable. Let’s go,” Zofia insisted.
Outside, a black car was waiting—Bertie’s. Kathy wasn’t not pleased. The two of them hadn’t got
umbrellas, and it had just begun raining. “Bertie, what are you doing here?” asked Zofia in surprise.
Bertie’s gaze stayed fixed on Kathy. “I’ve come to take Kathy to her appointment.”
Yet Kathy had no intention of getting in his car. “I wouldn’t want to trouble you.” Beside her, Zofia felt
rather awkward—she knew Kathy wanted nothing to do with Bertie, but he was her brother…
“It’s no trouble. Let’s go, parking here is an issue.”
Kathy, who’d been preparing to go fetch an umbrella, furrowed her brow at him. “Bertie, leave.” Then
she went back inside.
Zofia said helplessly, “Probably it’s best if you head back.”
But Bertie’s face was set. He wouldn’t give up on things he’d decided to do. When Kathy returned with
an umbrella, he was still there. But Kathy didn’t so much as look with him. She set off, with him
following in his car. Zofia, tagging after her, couldn’t help but look back.
At their school, this had gained quite a bit of attention—a luxury car tailing a female student. It was
suddenly the topic of much gossip.
“Has the university really become so brazen? That’s a hundred thousand dollar car…”
“Exactly, is he interested in Kathy?”
“Probably he’s her sugar daddy…”
Hearing those nasty things, Kathy’s expression didn’t change, but Zofia couldn’t help but shout, “Shut
up, what are you lot talking about, that car is my brother’s, he’s come to get me!”
At that, some students didn’t dare speak. But still, they couldn’t help but be interested. Outside the
school gates, Kathy and Zofia climbed in a taxi. With some regret Kathy said, “Zofia, thank you for
that.” Those students had said awful things, but Zofia had borne them with her.
“What are you talking about? It’s all my brother’s fault. I’ll yell at him later. He can’t keep coming to our
school, it sends the wrong message,” said Zofia angrily.
“I don’t want anything to do with him, but it’s like he’s part of half the family. I can’t avoid him.” Even
though her grandfather had already died, many of the Booth Group’s holdings were still with Bertie. If
she took them over, she’d have to cooperate with him.
Zofia said, “If that is really how you feel, you must make that clear to him. Don’t give him any hope.”
Still, she couldn’t help but feel badly for her brother.
When they arrived at the hospital, Zofia noticed her brother follow them in. He only came over once
Kathy had entered the examination room. His expression was gloomy, but he wouldn’t let Kathy see as
much. Zofia said, “Bertie, Kathy’s really not interested in you.”
“She can develop feelings,” he insisted.
“But you’ve chased her for so long…”
His eyes gleamed. “Do you think me the sort to give up easily?”
Zofia knew her brother’s personality, but she also knew Kathy’s heart, which still belonged to Joseph.
“Hasn’t Mother introduced any other potential matches to you?” For a while there their mother had
constantly thrown girls at Bertie, and had even gone so far as to sign a marriage contract with the
Fletcher family, stipulating Bertie marry before he turned thirty. But things had changed.
“I’m set on Kathy.”
Then Zofia understood. Their mother knows she couldn’t persuade him to consider other girls. “Bertie,
you’re on your own.”
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