Chapter 5

Kate Pov

As I headed home, I realized that I hadn't surprised my kids with a gift in a long time. They understood my financial struggles and had never asked for anything unnecessary. But today, I wanted to do something special for them.

As for Abel, I refused to waste my energy thinking about him. As long as he wasn’t the CEO, he had no real power over me. I wasn’t afraid of him—I despised him. What kind of man meets a woman for the first time and immediately starts acting like a lust-driven fool? It only proved how irresponsible he was.

I stopped by the mall, intending to pick up something for my kids. The moment I walked in, I saw a slap land on an old man’s cheek.

“What?!” I gasped.

A crowd had already gathered around, watching the scene unfold. I pushed my way through until I reached the old man who had just been hit.

The burly man in a suit who had slapped him stood with an air of arrogance, surrounded by other men also dressed in suits.

I stepped forward and confronted him without hesitation. “How dare you slap an old man? Do you have no respect for elders at all?”

The onlookers exchanged nervous glances. They weren’t scared for themselves; they were scared for me.

The man in the suit turned to me, his gaze filled with condescension. “Who are you?” he sneered. “Do you even know who I am?”

“I don’t care who you are,” I shot back. “What you did was wrong. You need to apologize and compensate this man.”

The man let out a mocking chuckle. “Or what?”

I lifted my chin defiantly. “Or I’ll slap you in return.”

A murmur of shock rippled through the crowd. Some people started taking pictures, others recording videos.

The man’s face darkened with rage. “I dare you,” he growled. “I assure you, you won’t leave here in one piece.”

Without thinking twice, I raised my hand and delivered a resounding slap to his face.

Gasps filled the air. A hush fell over the crowd. Would he dare hit me back? Who was this man? I squared my shoulders, preparing myself for whatever was about to happen.

The man clenched his fist, raising a baton as if to strike me, but a deep, authoritative voice rang out from behind him.

“Stop.”

Instantly, the man froze. He lowered his head, swallowing whatever excuse he had been about to make.

I turned toward the source of the voice, and my breath caught. It was him.

The “special man” from the hospital yesterday.

What was he doing here?

He whispered something to his personal assistant, and within seconds, the entire crowd was dismissed just like that. Only I, the old man, and this powerful figure remained, along with his entourage.

Then, his sharp gaze settled on me. “Are you trying to get my attention by all means, woman?”

I frowned. “No. I didn’t even know you were here. I saw this man slap an elderly person, and it disgusted me that everyone just stood by and watched. I stepped in to defend him.”

He turned his cold gaze to the old man. “He stole from me.”

I blinked, then turned to the old man. “Did you really steal?”

The old man hesitated, shame written all over his face. “Yes,” he admitted.

The man’s piercing eyes returned to me. “You’re just another woman trying to throw herself at me. I know your kind. This is the second time in two days you’ve managed to ‘coincidentally’ appear before me.”

My jaw tightened. How dare he assume that?

He gestured to his PA, who immediately handed him a crisp hundred-dollar bill. The man then extended it toward me.

“Take this. And don’t ever appear before me again.” His voice was low and dangerous. “Because if I see you next time, I will destroy you.”

My hands clenched at my sides. Was he giving me money because he thought I was a slut? Did he really believe I was like those women who fawned over powerful men?

I lifted my chin. “No, thank you, sir. You can keep your money. I was simply doing what was right. I’ll take my leave now.”

I turned on my heels and walked away.

His PA made a move to stop me, but the man motioned for him to let me go.

As I stepped away, I heard his PA whisper, “Should I run a background check on her?”

“No need,” the man replied dismissively. “She’s not even worth being my enemy. Forget her.”

The last thing I heard before I left was his command: “Let the old man go. And fire the one who raised his hand against that woman.”

Once I was out of sight, I pressed a hand to my chest and exhaled sharply.

That was a narrow escape.

Why in the world did I have to meet him twice in two days? I didn’t want problems, but it seemed like I was attracting them.

But no more. From now on, I would mind my business.

Shaking off the tension, I proceeded into the mall and bought caps for my children. They were expensive, but if it would make them happy, then I didn’t care.

{That Evening}

When I arrived home, my six little ones ran up to me, welcoming me with their usual excitement.

“Can anyone guess what I got for you all?” I asked, settling into the living room.

They all started shouting different guesses while I kept shaking my head. Eventually, they got frustrated.

“Mom, just tell us!” Nathan groaned.

I smirked. “So no one can guess?”

Sophia, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke. “A cap.”

I beamed. “Smart girl! It’s a cap.”

“Oh my gosh, Mom got us caps!” Jason cheered.

“I’ll even wear mine in my sleep!”

“Mum, let me see!” Emma pleaded.

“I bet they’re beautiful,” Chloe added.

I pulled the caps out of the bag, but before they could snatch them, I quickly separated them. “These are for the boys, and these are for the girls.”

Soon, they all had their caps on, laughing and thanking me over and over. Even Sophia, my quiet one, murmured a “thank you.”

I cracked a few jokes with them before heading to my room to rest.

{The Next Day}

I dressed up and left for work as usual.

On my way to my desk, I ran into Abel. Even after what had happened between us yesterday, I still greeted him politely.

He ignored my greeting and instead said, “The CEO is in his office. Report there immediately.”

“Got it,” I replied, dropping my bag on my desk before heading toward the CEO’s office.

I knocked gently. No response. Just as I raised my hand to knock again, the door opened by itself.

Must be one of those modern doors, I thought.

I stepped inside. The man sitting at the desk had his head buried in his Apple laptop.

He looked busy. I hesitated, unsure whether to speak or not.

“Good morning, sir. I’m....”

“Have a seat,” he interrupted, without even looking up.

Seconds later, he finally pushed his laptop aside and lifted his gaze.

Our eyes met.

And I felt my breath hitch.