Katalina
“…”
Batum, Batum… My heart throbbed. For a moment, all I could see was Huracio’s face. The tone, the gaze, the intensity, the possessiveness… My body shivered and my brain went blank. I couldn’t help it.
“Hugh!” Dean straightened up and cleared his throat, bringing me back to my senses.
Realizing that I just got dazed while staring into Dean’s eyes, I turned red, hoping that he wouldn’t misunderstand.
“I…”
“You sure know how to pick them, Ms Cook.” An unfamiliar voice came from my back. Turning around, I found the Asian girl from the restaurant incident walking towards me with a radiant smile on her face.
“You again?” I titled my head to the side, wondering where I knew her or how.
I initially thought she was acquainted with Williams’ girlfriend, but that lady was nowhere to be found even though Williams was standing a few feet away from me.
“Yes, me aga…”
“You are quite something, Catherine.” Bella interjected with righteous indignation. The fiery she displayed surged like the puffing of a furnace, turning her face red. “How dare you address the young miss like that?”
“Young Miss?” I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Whose young miss was this?
“It’s okay, Bella. Go and tell my brother his little slut has arrived.” The Asian said, her smile never leaving her face.
Frowning, I watched as Bella gave a sought bow and left. Being a staff of TopLink, Bela wouldn’t casually bow to anyone like that.
“…”
No shit.
With a lighting ball going off in my head, I raised my brows at the Asian girl. “you are Mr Kim Hoseok’s sister?”
“You finally got a brain.” She kept smiling.
Couldn’t help but wondered why she kept insulting me. I wanted to retort, but that would be stupid. Though I had dropped my resignation notice, it wasn’t yet approved, and I was yet to get that clip from Hoseok. I didn’t have much hope of getting the clip, but until I formally resigned, offending members of Kim’s family would be a stupid move.
“Miss, Kim, I don’t think we have had the chance to disagree on anything before. Why do you keep attacking me for no reason?” I asked, intentionally sounding puzzled.
To my dismay, she covered her mouth and chuckled. “I see why my brother chose you. You are good at it. What a pristine, white Lotus. Hihihi.”
“It’s been more than an hour, Catherine.” Dean picked my hand and tried to draw my attention away from her. “We can just leave.” He encouraged me.
“Awwwh, so cute, caring boyfriend.” The Asian laughed again. “This is the third one since I started meeting you, Ms Cook. How many remain unknown? Let me let you in on a little secret. My brother might like little white Lotus, but he is very possessive. He doesn’t like sharing ” she earnestly warned me in a very serious tone that threw me and everyone off. One moment, she was warning me, the next moment, she was addressing me as if we’re close and she cared about me.
“MIss Kim, I think you misunderstood. I am not your brother’s woman.”
“Nor mine.” To my surprise, Williams stepped forward and defended me.
“Yet, you broke up with your girlfriend for her.,” she scoffed.
Shocked by her words, I turned to Williams. He really did it. I never thought he would.
Seeing my confused gaze, he shook his head. “Don’t listen to her, our breakup has nothing to do with you.”
“”Catherine, you are here. What took you so long?” Hoseok suddenly appeared with Bella behind him.
He walked over, grabbed my hand and wanted to drag me away.
Caught off guard, I was too dazed. But Dean instantly grabbed my free hand and held on to me. I suddenly found myself getting tugged by two men.
“Let her go!” Dean sneered.
Back to my senses, I felt a scorching rage and tried to yank my hand from Hoseok, but he was too strong.
“Mr Kim, let me go!” I snapped, but he wasn’t even looking at me. His fierce gaze was fixed on Dean.
“You are not deaf, Mr. Kim. Let her go. She doesn’t want to leave with you.” He growled.
“Hoseok, don’t cause a scene here. Let her go!” Williams said.
“This is none of your business, Williams.” Hoseok sneered.
“As you can see, it’s your brother who wouldn’t leave me alone. Not the other way round.” I turned to Miss Kim in anger.
She snorted and turned to her brother.
“You heard the lady, brother. This is Dad’s party, don’t cause a scene.”
“Catherine, I just want to talk to you for a minute. Come with me. Don’t be stubborn.” Hoseok ignored all of them and gave me a soft, pleading look.
“You think I will just stand by and do nothing while you take my girlfriend away?” Dean snorted. He then tried to get in Hoseok’s face.
There was no way I was allowing that.
First, Dean is just a small fry. It’s not in his best interest to offend Hoseok or the Kim’s family for me.
Secondly, why the hell would he say that? He was supposed to keep Hoseok away, not declare our fake relationship. I wished I told him not to talk at the venue.
“You girlfriend?” Hoseok gasped, sounding choked. He then turned a burning gaze at me. “Is he the reason why you have been rejecting me?”
“…”
Before I could even find the words to use, Hoseok dropped my hand, decked Dean in the mouth, grabbed my hand and abruptly dragged me out.
“Dean, no!” I shouted, but it was too late. I watched in horror as blood spurted from his lips.
As I was getting dragged out, I looked back and found several eyes watching us leave. Most of them were shocked. Luckily, we were at the very back of the hall, therefore, not many people noticed what was going on.
Getting outside, Hoseok dragged me to the courtyard.
Once we were alone, he released my hand and I swiftly slapped him.
“What is wrong with you?” I snapped at him, rubbing my reddened and stinging wrist.
“What is wrong with me? I should be asking you that? What can you bring a man here? Are you trying to humiliate me?”
“What do you mean? Why can’t I bring him? How did my boyfriend humiliate you?”
“Lies.” He growled, looking extremely angry. “Catherine, don’t test my bottom line. If I say you are mine, then you are mine.”
What?
At this point, I finally realised how impossible it was to talk to Hoseok. I have never accepted his advances. I did lead him on for a few months because Emilia and my therapist asked me to, but I have also told him countless times that I wasn’t interested in a relationship. Yet this man kept telling everyone who cared to listen that I was his girlfriend.
“No.” I shook my head even though my heart was erratic. A keen sense of panic engulfed me. There was no way I was allowing myself to get into a situation where a man dictates what happens to me again. “I will never be your woman. Get that into your head, Hoseok.”
He tried to grab me, but I pushed him away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Stop getting on my nerves, Catherine. Be a good girl.”
He took a big stride towards me and abruptly grabbed my hand. Just then, what felt like a lightning strike called my name. Looking up and across Hoseok’s shoulder, what I saw took my breath away.