CHAPTER 5

Lucius drove Catherine back to her parents' house, the city’s chaotic crowd fading behind them. His eyes were fixed ahead, while Catherine, still overwhelmed by the storm of emotions, barely spoke.

“Come on in, I’m waiting here for you!” Lucius's voice was calm, unbothered by her hesitations. He looked over at her. “What? Afraid I’ll run away and not help you? I’m not that bad.”

Catherine swallowed her doubts, her heart thudding with every beat as she opened the car door and stepped out into the old familiar yard. The house, hidden behind ancient trees, was where she had once lived, but now it felt like a distant memory—one filled with bitterness. She had left years ago, not on good terms, and now, she returned carrying the weight of that same pain.

Inside, the living room was a mess. Her stepfather was slouched in an armchair, glass of liquor in hand, staring at the wall. When he saw Catherine, there was no remorse in his eyes, only coldness. His lack of reaction made her even angrier.

"Stepfather…" she began, her voice tentative, but he didn’t even look up.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, as if they were strangers. "You think you can come back here? I thought that bastard would’ve taken care of you by now."

Catherine’s fists clenched. Her heart felt like it would burst as she fought to stay composed. "You knew everything? Why did you sell your wife's daughter?"

He scoffed, setting his glass down and slowly standing up. "Catherine, who do you think you are? You think everything in this world is free? I’ve raised you for ten years. Ten years. You owe me. And it's only right that you repay that debt."

Her world stopped. Catherine couldn’t comprehend the words. "You bastard! You're a bastard!" Tears welled up, but she fought to keep them in check. Her mother, Vivian, entered at that moment. Her expression softened briefly upon seeing her daughter, but Catherine wasn’t fooled. She knew her mother too well.

"Why are you back, Catherine?" Vivian’s voice was calm, a stark contrast to the tension in the room.

"Mother, do you know what he did?" Catherine’s voice cracked as she tried to hold on to a shred of hope, hoping her mother would say something, anything, that would explain this mess. But her mother avoided her gaze, and that glimmer of hope faded. "You’ve been in on it too, haven’t you?"

"Don’t make a scene," Vivian snapped, biting her lip as though Catherine’s pain was nothing more than an inconvenience. "What will the neighbors think?"

Catherine couldn’t contain the laughter that escaped her lips, though it was bitter. She wiped away the tears that were now freely flowing down her face. Her mother, the woman who should have cared for her, was the one who had turned away first. Her mother was indifferent to her pain, complicit in the betrayal.

"What’s wrong with you now?" Vivian pushed her away with force. Her eyes were cold, like those of a stranger.

Catherine stepped back, her whole body trembling with rage and disbelief. "Don’t touch me! You, both of you…" she screamed, shoving her mother’s hand away.

"You damned bitch…" Her stepfather rushed at her, but Vivian held him back. "That’s enough. Get out, Catherine. Never come back."

"You bastards… You are my biological mother!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Her stepfather sneered, throwing the bottle aside and slapping her hard across the face. "Daughter? Biological mother?" he spat, his tone venomous. "You’ve never been her daughter. Not since you ran off with that pathetic singer."

Time seemed to freeze. Catherine stood still, shocked, her world crumbling with every word. The cold slap still burned on her face, but the pain in her chest was far worse. "Am I wrong?" her stepfather continued. "You ran off with him, and now? What do you have left? Did he dump you? Haven’t you seen the news? He’s marrying that supermodel."

Catherine staggered back, her legs weak as the pain in her chest made her feel like she would collapse. "No way…" she mumbled.

"Get out of my house!" her stepfather yelled. "If you behave, maybe that guy will keep you like a pet. But a slut like you? Don’t call me your mother."

Vivian screamed in agreement, her face twisted with disgust. "Get out of here, Catherine!" She shoved Catherine toward the door. "We have nothing more to do with you."

And just like that, their relationship was over. Catherine wiped the tears from her face and smiled faintly, though the pain in her heart was unbearable. "Alright, I’ll grant you that wish. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

Her stepfather and mother didn’t even flinch. They were cold, indifferent. Catherine turned back to them, eyes burning with anger. "You think I’ll stay silent? No. I won’t let you keep hurting people. Not anymore."

Vivian scoffed, laughing bitterly. "Catherine, you have no power. No money. You’re just a girl with nothing."

Catherine gritted her teeth, her voice steady despite the tears still flowing. "Nothing? You abused me. You sold me. You and her—both complicit. I’m not going to let this stay hidden."

Her stepfather, enraged, took a step toward her. "If you ruin my life, I’ll kill you. I’ll expose everything to the city."

Before he could advance, a hand grabbed Catherine from behind, steadying her. It was Lucius. He had entered the house without a word.

"Lucius…" Catherine whispered, but her stepfather’s eyes softened as he saw the man who had arrived.

Lucius locked eyes with him, his tone low and firm. "You must know who I am."

The room fell silent. Even her stepfather didn’t speak.

"If Catherine chooses to let this go, I won’t pursue it. But if she wants to press charges, I’ll follow it through. Lucius Ravenswood here means the law of this city," Lucius declared. His voice left no room for negotiation.

With that, Lucius wrapped his arm around Catherine’s waist, guiding her out of the house. Catherine, still shaken, looked back one last time, but her family was already fading into the background. She had a choice now. And Lucius was right beside her, leading her into the unknown.

***