Catherine thought Silvia was far too dirty-minded. Having Riley around was already enough of a headache—now there was Silvia too. Just as Catherine was wondering how to escape from her, a clear male voice suddenly rang out from the kitchen not far behind them.
"Catherine!"
It was Bert.
Silvia was so startled that she imdiately let go of Catherine. Catherine turned to look at Bert as well—and naturally, the other colleagues nearby all turned their heads too, their knowing gazes flicking back and forth between the two of them.
"Co in for a mont."
Bert showed no particular reaction. His eyes swept briefly over Catherine and Silvia before he gave the instruction and turned back into the kitchen.
The other colleagues burst into teasing laughter. Catherine, blushing furiously, hurried into the kitchen amid their laughter.
Amy walked over to Silvia and said quietly,
"You should stop being so touchy with Catherine from now on. Didn’t you notice the boss getting jealous?"
Silvia stared at her in shock.
"No way?"
Thinking back on what she’d just done, she protested,
"I wasn’t even hugging her! I just linked arms with her. And I’m a woman! I’m not so guy—does he even get jealous over that?"
Amy rolled her eyes.
"With the boss’s nitpicky personality, even if you’re a woman, he probably won’t allow anyone to treat Catherine like that."
Amy was extrely good at reading people. From the way Bert had glanced at Silvia just now—quietly but pointedly—she could tell he wasn’t pleased.
Silvia looked like she was about to cry.
"How did things end up like this?"
Then she asked anxiously,
"He’s not going to fire in a fit of jealousy, is he?"
What had she even done wrong? All she’d done was link arms with Catherine. Girls did that all the ti—walking together, shopping together. How on earth had that provoked the boss’s jealousy?
Amy kindly reassured her,
"Getting fired probably won’t happen. But if you keep doing it in the future... then who knows."
Silvia felt utterly wronged. The big boss’s possessiveness was honestly terrifying.
Fine. Fine. From now on, she’d keep her distance from Catherine—no more linking arms, no more putting an arm around her shoulders.
anwhile, Catherine entered the kitchen, originally thinking Bert had called her in for sothing important. Instead, he rely pointed at a large fruit platter that had already been prepared and said calmly,
"Take this out for everyone."
"Oh."
Catherine didn’t think much of it. She carried the platter out as instructed and called to the others,
"Everyone, co have so fruit first."
Only after saying it did she realize sothing felt... off.
Having her invite everyone to eat fruit made it feel as though she were the hostess of the house.
The realization hit Catherine all at once, and she grew inwardly furious at a certain man who had deliberately assigned her this task. He had far too many tricks up his sleeve—she’d fallen straight into another one without even realizing it.
While the welco party was in full swing, soone else was embarking on an adventure of his own.
That person was Karl.
Carrying the engagent ring and suit designed especially for him by Bert and Catherine, Karl boarded a flight to Manchester, where Marylin was away on a business trip.
Marylin was scheduled to return to Burg Eltz on Sunday. In fact, her work had wrapped up by Saturday morning, and she could have flown back that very afternoon. However, having studied and worked in Manchester for several years, she still had many close friends and forr colleagues there. When they heard she was in town on business, they all insisted on eting up.
So they organized a gathering for Saturday night.
Marylin found it hard to refuse such warm invitations and agreed to attend—of course, only after confirming in advance that Channing, her ex, would not be there.
Karl knew about it. Ever since Marylin got together with him, there had been nothing she deliberately kept from him—and there was nothing she felt the need to hide.
Marylin had always believed that loyalty was the most important thing in a relationship.
Karl had agreed to her attending the gathering, which was why Marylin felt entirely at ease about it—open and aboveboard.
As for Karl’s plan to co to Manchester, Marylin knew absolutely nothing about it. In fact, before he even boarded the plane, Karl had called her to ask what ti her flight back was scheduled for the next day, whether there had been any changes—so he could go pick her up.
Marylin answered honestly. After exchanging a few sweet words, they hung up.
Once Karl landed, he took a taxi straight to the hotel where Marylin was staying. He already knew her room number and all the relevant details—Marylin had shown him the company-issued itinerary in full the mont her business trip was confird, without holding anything back.
To be honest, Marylin was quite confident in both her appearance and her presence. A beautiful, capable woman traveling alone on business was bound to attract attention—it was sothing she had encountered countless tis throughout her career.
That was precisely why she had shared her entire schedule with him. First, to put his mind at ease. Second, so he would know exactly where she would be during the trip and could check in on her at any ti.
Of course, Karl trusted her.
During the days she was away, he only called regularly in the mornings and evenings, chatting with her for a long ti. He never once disturbed her during work hours. That consideration, more than anything, moved Marylin.
She knew then that he truly trusted her. When he chose her, he must have understood what kind of woman she was. Though her appearance was undeniably striking—almost dangerously so—she had never behaved carelessly or invited unwanted attention.
Most people liked to judge by appearances, especially n. The mont they saw how she looked, they assud she was easy, speaking to her lightly or with ill intent, allowing themselves inappropriate thoughts.
Yet after a brief conversation, they would realize she was not a woman they could control or handle. She had depth, poise, and principles of her own—clear boundaries that were never to be crossed.
That afternoon, with no work scheduled, Marylin planned to stay in the hotel and rest. She wanted a proper beauty nap so she could attend the evening gathering looking radiant—once again the most dazzling presence in the room.
Lately, she felt her complexion and mood had both been excellent. She doubted she would look anything less than stunning. As Vivian liked to say, she was a woman nourished by love and desire—beautiful beyond asure.
Indeed, people often said that won in love were the most beautiful. Marylin found that sentint rang true.
She had just drawn the curtains and put on her sleep mask when a knock suddenly sounded at the door. Marylin tore off the mask at once, frowning sharply at the door. Her first thought was that so ill-intentioned man had sohow discovered her hotel information and co to harass her, so she chose not to respond.
But the knocking continued.
She was about to ignore it again when a familiar, clear male voice sounded from outside the door.
"Marylin. It’s ."
Marylin jolted upright in bed. That voice belonged unmistakably to the man she had been thinking about just monts ago.
Yes—she missed him.
Since they had made their relationship official, this was the first ti they had been apart. During these days of separation, she missed him constantly. It was also the first ti she had experienced how unbearable longing for soone could be—so much so that she wished the work would end imdiately so she could return to his side.
And it was precisely this separation that made Marylin realize just how important Karl was to her. When they were always together, she hadn’t felt it as strongly—but once apart, she understood how deeply she loved him.
After a brief mont of stunned silence, she rushed to the door and flung it open as fast as she could.
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