Chapter 3
1143 Words
Catherine had never expected Michael to come home, so the moment she saw him walk through the door, surprise and irony washed over her at the same time.
Under the faint glow of the room's light, he immediately noticed her swollen eyes. "Were you crying?"
Catherine turned her back to him, but that didn't feel enough. She pulled the blanket over her head, unwilling to face him.
Michael sat down beside the bed and tugged at the blanket covering her. "What if you suffocate? Are you going to find me another wife to make up for it?"
Catherine answered coldly, "So you still remember that I'm your wife."
Michael didn't seem bothered by her anger. He pulled her into his arms and settled her on his lap, holding her tightly around the waist.
Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, he reached out to lift her chin and take a closer look. But the second his fingers touched her, she pushed his hand away. "Don't touch me!"
Michael could only use his fingertips to gently brush over the corners of her eyes. "Cat, why did you cry?"
He had always liked calling her Cat, but now, that nickname sounded nothing but sarcastic to Catherine.
Michael's voice carried a trace of guilt. "I didn't handle what happened today properly. I won't let you and Felix be put in that position again."
Catherine looked up at him. "What about the day you prepared Selena's welcome party?"
He paused briefly. "That was an accident."
The moment those words left his mouth, the small bit of warmth that had returned to Catherine's heart disappeared again. It was as if she had been thrown back into an endless winter, with every bit of hope freezing away.
'An accident?'
He had promised to celebrate her birthday with her, yet he had gone to Selena's welcome party instead. He had promised to have dinner with Felix, yet he had chosen to be with Selena.
Catherine laughed bitterly. "Michael, what exactly is our marriage to you?"
Michael's expression became complicated. He looked like he wanted to explain something, but the words never came.
He stared at Catherine for a long moment, then slowly raised his hand, wanting to touch her face. But she turned away and avoided him. At that exact moment, his phone rang.
Catherine saw Selena's name flashing on the screen. Selena said she was at the hospital, her leg hurt so badly that she couldn't sleep, and she needed someone to stay with her.
Catherine gave a cold laugh. "Go. Isn't she the one who needs someone by her side?"
Michael glanced at the screen. After a moment of hesitation, he still stood up. Before leaving, he turned back and said, "No matter what you think, I want you to know one thing. I have never treated our marriage like a joke."
Michael still left the house, and he didn't return for the entire night.
The next day, Catherine received Sam's reply. After packing a few sets of clothes, she headed to the university's research base. She stayed there for two days, and during those two days, she never contacted Michael. The most ridiculous and painful part was that he never contacted her either.
He probably hadn't even returned home, so he had no idea she was staying at the research base.
That afternoon, Catherine was checking a set of aerospace systems when her senior, Zoe Sutton, knocked on the door and entered. She told Catherine that the principal, Bob Carter, wanted her to welcome a guest.
Catherine normally had nothing to do with guest receptions. However, because of her good appearance, Bob had once suddenly asked her to receive a visiting mayor. She had handled it impressively, so after that, welcoming important guests became her responsibility.
On their way to meet the guest, Zoe excitedly shared some gossip. "I heard the person donating the library this time is a total heartthrob. He donated twenty million without hesitation and didn't even ask for an honorary title. His only request was for the school to arrange admission for his girlfriend and help her get a degree."
The research base was close to the university, only a 15-minute drive away. The moment Catherine arrived on campus, she ran into a group of people.
Bob was personally greeting the guest. From a distance, Catherine caught sight of a familiar figure and froze.
The sun had finally come out that day. The warm winter sunlight spread softly across the campus, yet Catherine felt her hands and feet turn icy cold, stiff as if they no longer belonged to her.
Michael stood there in a dark gray tailored suit with a long black coat over it. Under the sunlight, his handsome features looked even more striking.
He wore black leather gloves and pushed a wheelchair. The person sitting in it was none other than Selena. Selena was wrapped in layers of clothing, bundled tightly in a long white down coat. She looked like a delicate doll being carefully guarded.
Meanwhile, Catherine had dressed far too lightly that day. Standing beside Selena, she looked thin, fragile, and helpless.
Bob waved her over. "Catherine, come here!"
Catherine came back to her senses and forced herself to walk over, her legs feeling unusually stiff.
Bob smiled and introduced her to Michael. Catherine didn't want to meet his eyes, so she lowered her gaze, only to find herself looking directly at Selena.
Selena lifted her brows slightly. The pride and satisfaction in her eyes disappeared in a flash, but Catherine still caught it. It was the expression of someone who had already won.
'How absurd.'
Her husband had spent tens of millions to secure a degree for another woman, and now his wife had to stand there and welcome both him and the woman who had taken her place in his heart.
Selena looked back at Michael and said sweetly, "Michael, I really like this girl. Could you let her push me?"
Catherine immediately looked up at Michael. She was his legal wife, standing right beside him. Selena was the other woman sitting in the wheelchair. If Michael agreed to let her push Selena, Catherine knew she would never forgive him.
"Good." Michael's low voice fell, and Catherine's heart sank instantly.
Bob thought the arrangement was perfectly reasonable. After all, they were the guests. But when he turned around and saw Catherine still standing there, he urged her a few times.
Catherine kept staring at Michael, waiting for him to explain. But Michael only noticed her hands, which had turned red from the cold wind. As he handed her the wheelchair, he took off his gloves and placed them in her hands.
Catherine paused. A faint glimmer of hope returned to her lifeless eyes.
But in the next moment, she heard Michael say, "Hold on tight. Don't let her fall."
- Writer
