Chapter 4

I clicked on the message, annoyed, but then froze.

"That suit really suits you."

"Take off your shoes and treat that ankle."

I was surprised she knew my ankle was bothering me.

Treat it?

Just then, a drone flew to the window, dangling a small box.

I opened it to find a perfectly tailored red suit jacket and a small bottle of pain relief spray.

So she'd known about Katerina's hideout all along, but hadn't made a move. I really had found the right ally.

After spraying the medicine as directed, I was about to go wash up when Katerina returned.

She held a tube of ointment in her hand.

"Don't move, I'll take care of it."

It seemed to be raining outside; her shoulders were a little damp, but she dried her hands first before carefully massaging my ankle.

I was always incredibly sensitive to pain.

When I first started fighting for Katerina, even a minor scrape would make me wince.

Whenever I got hurt, no matter if her own face was bruised, she would always stay by my side, letting me grip her arm as I endured the pain.

Those years, though dangerous, felt secure.

But I don't know when, her presence by my bed vanished.

Later, I suffered countless injuries, big and small, but she never gave them a second glance.

Now I wasn't afraid of pain anymore, yet she suddenly came to care for me again.

Was it a guilty conscience?

Katerina's apologetic voice drifted to me:

"Sean, you've lost weight. I'm sorry for neglecting you lately."

"I didn't tell you about the wedding because I was afraid you'd overthink it. Lucas saved my life, and he's being hunted because of me. I have to protect him."

"But don't worry, I won't touch him. I only love you. Once Veronica is dealt with, I'll clean everything up, and then we can be together, okay?"

She massaged my ankle, and my gaze was fixed on the wedding ring on her ring finger.

I looked at her, my eyes filled with despair, and asked:

"Katerina, after all these years, did you ever love me?"

She paused, then knelt and pulled me into a hug, her voice incredibly gentle. "Yes, I do. I only love you, Sean."

Then, she held a glass of milk to my lips, her eyes soft.

"Here, drink some milk and get some rest. If you want to go to the wedding tomorrow, go. I won't stop you."

But I tasted it. Something had been added to the milk.

Enough to knock someone out for a whole day.

My throat felt constricted, making it almost impossible to breathe.

She was still lying to me, just so Lucas could marry her tomorrow without a hitch.

So, her "keeping quiet" meant this.

I drank all the milk, a single tear tracing a cold path down my cheek. My heart was as cold as ice.

Katerina smiled, a truly genuine smile. I closed my eyes under her gentle gaze.

But she didn't know that after years of fighting for her, suffering sleepless nights, I'd developed a tolerance for these kinds of drugs.

A while later, Lucas's grumbling voice, filled with annoyance, sounded outside the door:

"Godmother, you've been gone so long, I thought you weren't coming back tonight!"

Katerina's voice was laced with a laugh, as if she'd just kissed him.

"How could I? He's just a useful shield. Veronica is still watching me, and having him nearby is helpful."

"Veronica is cautious because of him, she won't go for the kill with me."

Lucas whined. "Stop moving your hands… ugh, you're annoying~"

"Hmm, I just love annoying you…" Katerina's voice deepened.

The sound of rustling fabric followed, as the two of them started getting intimate outside my door.

My heart felt like it was being repeatedly crushed by a blunt object, a soul-wrenching agony.

I had always been unconditionally obedient to Katerina. Yet she had never shown me such fervent love.

"Sean, can you go see my lawyer?"

"Sean, my conflict with Veronica has escalated, come support me."

And I would always agree to her every demand, even if it meant risking my life.

Finally, they left. I didn't sleep a wink all night.