CHAPTER 4

Katherine's Pov

I pushed Doctor Mason aside, silently apologizing to him as I ran barefooted along the corridors.

Hey! Stop her!” I heard my stepmother yell behind me.

I tore down the hallway, dodging startled nurses and patients. My heart pounded wildly, every breath feeling like shards in my lungs. I was so weak, dizzy, but I couldn’t stop.

Freedom was only a few feet away, the glowing green EXIT sign just ahead. But just as I was about to burst through the door, I slammed straight into a solid chest.

I gasped, stumbling backward. My knees buckled and I felt myself tilting, ready to crash hard onto the floor, but I didn’t.

Strong arms caught me and that scent, the one I smelled before I went unconscious washed over me again. I subconsciously breathed in deeply, then my eyes lifted slowly.

The man holding me was tall, with dark hair and a sharp jaw. He had a red mole underneath his eyes, one that suddenly brought back memories that I had forgotten. His lips were pulled into a surprised smile and his eyes, his beautiful metallic grey eyes were fixed on me, eyes that seemed like they could look into my soul.

He looked down at me, his expression unreadable, but something flickered across his face. Recognition? Anger? Relief? I wasn’t sure.

For a long, drawn-out second, the world around us ceased to exist. My lips parted to speak, to ask who he was, why he felt so familiar but before I could say a word, his voice cut through the silence.

“There you are, Katherine.” He said softly, his grip tightening protectively around my waist as he steadied me, “I’ve finally found you.”

“Found me?” I muttered under my breath, about to say something when my father came crashing, they all stood in front of me, and I instantly shivered then stood behind the man who caught me. Despite the fact that I didn't know him, I felt like he was safer than the people in front of me.

“Who are you? Let go of my daughter this instant.”

The stranger’s arm curled tighter around my waist, subtly pulling me farther behind him, shielding me like he had every right to. His posture shifted, becoming rigid and guarded, his eyes never leaving my father’s face.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The man said, his voice dangerously calm.

“Please.” Emily chimed in sweetly, stepping forward, her voice laced with venom and fake concern, “You should be careful with her. Katherine is not exactly the innocent girl she looks like.”

The man’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. His silence only encouraged her.

“She’ll sleep with any man who gives her attention.” Emily said smoothly, cocking her head, “You should probably get yourself tested after this, just in case she passed something to you. You know, for your own health.”

“Is that so?” The man said dryly, tilting his head to the left.

“Of course.” Emily brightened up, “The truth is, she's actually slept with someone a few weeks ago that she's probably pregnant, that's why she's here. Also, I found out a few hours ago that some man is also looking for her. I don't know what she did but he's offering half a million dollars for us to bring her to him. If he's offering that kind of money, then she must have done something wrong right? What if… What if she stole something from him! Mom, I've always wondered where she got the money to splurge all the time, could it be…” Emily gasped and turned to her mother who shook her head pitifully.

“The truth is, Katherine has always been a stubborn child and we have done everything to make her happy and yet, she still hates us so much so…”

My pulse thundered in my ears, anger boiling in my chest. I had stayed quiet for too long. Too many people had spoken for me, over me, like I wasn’t even there.

“Wait.” I said, pushing gently against the stranger’s chest, “I need to say something…”

But before I could get another word out, he held up a hand and said firmly, “Not now, Katherine.”

His voice wasn’t harsh, but it was final. Authoritative. A voice used to being obeyed.

I froze, blinking up at him, but before I could argue, he was already pulling his jacket off and wrapping it gently around my shoulders. The thick fabric fell over my body like a blanket, warm and expensive-smelling. I gasped, shocked not just by the gesture, but by the way he did it, with such care, such quiet protectiveness, as though he’d done it before.

He straightened and without looking back, raised two fingers toward the entrance. In seconds, the glass doors slid open and in walked several men, tall, intimidating, dressed in black suits and radiating lethal energy. Their eyes swept the corridor before falling on my family.

“What… What’s going on?” My stepmother stammered, stepping back instinctively.

“Don’t come any closer!” My father barked, raising a hand, “We’re not afraid of you, whoever the hell you think you are!”

But the men didn’t flinch. In less than ten seconds, my father, stepmother, and Emily were each forced to their knees, their arms held behind their backs by the men in black.

“What the hell is this?!” My father roared, “Let go of me, you bastard! Who do you think you are? What right do you have to treat us like this?”

The man beside me didn’t answer.

Not yet.

That’s when another door opened and out stepped a man I recognized, the CEO of the hospital. Dr. Ainsley along with Dr Mason and a few other doctors whom I didn't know.

He glanced at the man beside me and immediately bowed his head.

“I… I’m so sorry for the chaos, Mr. Silver.” He stammered, “If we’d known you would personally come here…”

“What?” Emily shrieked, “Silver?”

My father turned slowly, the fury draining from his face, replaced by horror.

“Mr. Dacre Silver?” Dr. Ainsley called again, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.

I stared at the man beside me as my breath caught in my throat.

Dacre Silver. Everyone knew the name. The papers called him a ruthless genius. The streets whispered of him like a ghost. Billionaire, power broker, man whose very presence could silence a room. But why was he here? And why did he help me? I didn't know a big shot like him, I have never did.

“D… Dacre Silver… Why… Why are you with someone like her? She's a slut! She sleeps around, she even was caught in a bed at a hotel last month so why…” Emily yelled with wide eyes. She asked the question that I so badly wanted to ask.

“Do you want to know the reason so badly?” Dacre said and it felt like he was speaking to me rather than Emily. I stared at him with questioning in my eyes.

“That's because, the man she slept with one month ago… was me. The child in her belly, also belongs to me.