Chapter 426

“Princess, did you enjoy the gift your husband gave you for your generosity?”

Arthur stroked her head and asked in a gentle, teasing voice.

Veronica was breathless. Her head was all fuzzy. She heard his voice from far away. She had a hard time processing what he said.

She stared at him in a daze. It took her some time to understand why he suddenly did that at his office.

He wanted to punish her for pushing the blame on him.

When she found out she was furious but she had no strength to fight him.

The blissful moment passed away. Veronica cooled down.

.....

She was lying on the couch while her head was on Arthur’s lap.

“You said you were prepared before you got married. You knew you had to face the responsibility and still married me,” she mentioned.

“That’s right. How could I not know what my responsibilities are?” Arthur tenderly stroked her hair while replying.

“But it was also true that I didn’t know how to deal with you,” he added. “I was being too controlling and secretive. I have no excuse for those mistakes.”

Veronica closed her eyes. “You are indeed more mature than I am. I’m feeling ashamed of myself. I thought both of us unknowingly got married because we desired something else. But now the responsibilities knocked us back to senses.”

She recalled once Sister Josephine told her – nothing comes without a price.

“It’s okay. You know now. Do you regret marrying me now?” Arthur asked her.

Veronica smiled. “Not at all. And I never will.”

“Even if you did, I have no intention of letting you go.”

“You sound like a tyrant.”

“Cause I am.”

——–

The next day, Veronica started writing apology letters for canceling the wedding on behalf of Catherine.

She didn’t mention the reason behind it. It was just a sincere apology.

In the meantime, Catherine rested as much as she could and could stand on her feet after two days.

To make her feel better, Veronica took some time off and took her to the market plaza.

This time, she didn’t let Sebastian guard them. She gave him some tasks, so he was unable to join them. Instead, she chose Felix to guard them.

Felix kept an eye on them from the shades. He didn’t come in front of Catherine.

Her face had sunken. She looked ghastly pale. Her lips were dry. Her eyes were red. She had become a lot quiet.

Felix felt sympathetic when he saw her.

Veronica took her to antique shops, book shops, gift shops and magic shops and dared not to take her anywhere near the couples’ area but nothing could make her happy.

Later, she gave up on making Catherine happy and took her to the massage center.

As regular customers, they got appointments sooner than they expected.

Catherine had missed her several massage therapy sessions. As a result, she felt sore all over her body after the massage. She even shouted when her back was being massaged.

Afterward, her body felt much better. She was relaxed. She had a feeling that her stress was all gone.

Even her face was livelier than before.

Veronica smiled as she looked at her. Even she felt better seeing her friend in a good mood.

However, their mood was ruined the moment they got out of the massage center.

They came face to face with Vincent’s mother. It seemed that she was also a regular customer of the massage shop.

She was startled at first when she saw Catherine and Veronica. The next second, her face beamed. She rushed forward and grabbed Catherine’s hands.

“Girl, you are here. I cannot believe I’ve finally met you. I’ve been trying to reach out to you for several days but you haven’t replied to any letters!”

Her loud voice attracted many people. Veronica and Catherine began to feel uncomfortable.

To help her friend from the dire situation, Veronica suggested, “Can we go to a quiet place to talk? It’s not a good place to have a conversation.”

Before Catherine could open her mouth, Vincent’s mother replied, “Sure, sure!”

Catherine’s expression was sour but didn’t refute.

———

“I’m sorry I didn’t guard you well enough,” Felix apologized.

Currently, he was sitting on a chair with Veronica. They were in a restaurant. The waiter served their meals.

“It’s all right. You are supposed to protect us from danger, not from a helpless woman.” Veronica blew the spoon full of soup and then took it into her mouth.

“I know, even so...” Felix lowered his head.

“Don’t bother. She had to face it at least once. I can’t help her with this. The sooner she cut ties, the better.” Veronica looked across the room.

Catherine was sitting with Vincent’s mother. She seemed extremely unwilling to talk to the middle-aged woman in front of her.

Vincent’s mother ordered their meal as she wanted to treat them to a meal.

After she was done ordering, she looked at Catherine’s haggard face.

She lovingly asked, “Catherine, girl, how are you doing?”

Catherine’s lips twitched when she heard the question. She looked outside the window and muttered, “Maybe you should ask that question to your son.”

Vincent’s mother let out a deep sigh when she heard the answer.

She felt sorry for the innocent girl. However, she had only one son and she only cared about his happiness.

“I know it must be hard on you. Even I’m surprised after what happened. I’ve scolded Vincent a lot and punished him too. He deeply reflected on his crime.

“He sent you letters every day. He feels sorry and wants to apologize to you. I understand your pain but I’m also a mother. A mother wishes for her child’s happiness. Please under my pain.

“I can’t bear to see my only son suffering. It was all Betty’s fault. She is a street girl. She whores around and seduces men. She wanted to seduce my husband first but I always guarded him closely.

“Since I hardly had time to take care of Vincent, she used him as a target. My son is also a victim of this conspiracy. He had done nothing wrong. He said he was drugged.

“So, please forgive him. Talk to him for a moment. Punish him or scold him. But please talk to him. You are soon to be married.

“How can a couple stay mad at each other? I know how much you two love each other. A street whore can’t be enough to tear apart you two.

“I’ve already decided to kick her out. Don’t worry about dealing with her. Once you come to the resort and talk it out with Vincent, I’ll deal with her. you don’t have to lift a finger. After all, you are my precious daughter-in-law.”

Catherine felt like laughing when she heard the term ‘precious daughter-in-law’.

Daughter-in-law?

What daughter-in-law?

She wasn’t even married yet.

They wanted to claim her before she got married.

What would happen when she was actually married to him?

Would she have freedom of life?

“He suffered?” Catherine finally looked at Vincent’s mother. “He is a victim – is that what she said?”

She couldn’t help but sneer at the middle-aged lady.

She wanted to say more but the meals were served. After the waiter left, she once again opened her mouth.

“If you think you can fool me with those words, you are underestimating my intelligence. I remember vividly what happened that day. There was no way he looked like a victim. Rather, he was embracing her and enjoying a woman’s body.”

At her words, Vincent’s mother knitted her eyebrows.

“I understand it hurts you deeply. But what can you do? You are going to get married anyway. A husband is like a god. A wife must serve her husband like she is worshiping a god. You have to get along with him.”

The more she listened to this, the more Catherine got irritated.

“You... think a god is lustful enough to cheat on their partner? Why have I not heard about a god like that before? Where did you come up with such a bizarre idea?

“He cheated on me in broad daylight. He was going to get married to me within three weeks but he dared to sleep with another woman. He was not drugged or anything.

“I’ve seen with my very own eyes. He wasn’t seduced. He was seducing her. He wasn’t being forced. Even if he was being seduced, he should have a great character not to fall for a whore!”

.....

The way Catherine was badmouthing Vincent, his mother became annoyed.

She retorted, “That’s a man’s body. He is young and healthy. Of course he would want to reduce his pain. Every man has a strong physical desire. They need to relieve their frustration. As his fiancée, shouldn’t you have done something to relieve his stress?”

Catherine was speechless.

“Now it is my fault?! How could you point your fingers at me? I was taught to preserve my dignity until I get married. In our society, a woman who loses her chastity before marriage loses value. And now you are saying I should have done something to give away my chastity? How could you!”