CHAPTER SEVENAfter leaving Zephyr, they headed to the hospital, with Catherine stealing occasional glances at Mr. Devan to check on his well-being. Despite the fact that they had left the source of his worry behind, she could still see the troubled expression etched on his face. As they drove along, she found herself growing increasingly concerned about what might be troubling him so deeply. She had always known him to be a strong and capable person, but seeing him like this made her wonder what could be causing him such distress."What's wrong?" She asked getting his attention. "Ronnie and Theo is coming back, shouldn't you be happy?"He held my gaze for a while before averting it. "Yeah, I suppose." He looked out of the window before continuing, "But Theo and Ronnie's return might ruin everything we've planned.""How?" She asked getting confused."Ronald, Dario, and Theodore had been inseparable since birth. Growing up together as cous

CHAPTER NINE Catherine's racing thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind, a tempestuous storm of emotions colliding within her. In an astonishing twist, Ron had revealed himself as Ronnie! She couldn't fathom how she had overlooked such an unmistakable clue. The implications of this revelation were staggering, and Catherine grappled with the surreal notion that the person she had grown fond of was, in fact, the brother of her sham fiancé.As she sat there, her eyes locked on Ronnie with a bewildered expression that mirrored his own, a palpable tension hung in the air. His departure, punctuated by the terse declaration, "I'll be back," left Catherine in a state of suspended uncertainty. She bit her trembling lip, her gaze still fixated on the empty space he had occupied, her mind swirling with a torrent of unanswered questions.Amidst the bewildering silence, Grandma's curious voice broke the spell, "What happened to Ronnie?" Her inquiry lingered, a beacon of opportunity in the sea of confus

CHAPTER ELEVEN The room was bathed in streams of sunlight as the morning sun peeked through the window. The green curtains were illuminated, revealing hints of red and gold that made them appear to glow. Suddenly, a jarring noise echoed through the room, growing louder with each passing moment. She groaned and clung to her pillow, recognizing the sound as her alarm clock.Catherine quickly got up and went to the bathroom to do her morning things. Catherine found herself drawn to Ronnie's charm and wit. Despite her best efforts to keep her guard up, she found herself opening up to him more and more. They would spend hours talking about their dreams, their fears, and their pasts, mostly his past. She usually just maneuvered her way through it. Ronnie had a way of making her feel seen and heard in a way that no one else ever had.As they grew closer, Catherine began to see a side of Ronnie that few people ever saw. He was fiercely loyal to his family and would do anything to protect th

CHAPTER THIRTEEN As Ronnie walked to his car, the weight of his forgetfulness bore down on him like an anchor. How could he possibly forget his phone, he wondered, chiding himself inwardly for this momentary lapse of memory? His frustration grew as he realized he would have to retrace his steps which might eventually lead to returning to the office to retrieve it.With a heavy sigh, he turned the ignition and started up the engine, intending to head back to the office. But just as he was about to shift into reverse, the melodic chime of his phone's ringtone filled the car's interior. Ronnie's ears perked up, and he followed the sound to its source, discovering his phone lying innocently on the back seat.He retrieved the device, and as he glanced at the caller ID, the name "Lucy" lit up the screen. Confusion washed over him; he was almost certain that Lucy was out of town. Ronnie hesitated for a moment, torn between answering the call and letting it go un

CHAPTER FIFTEEN Catherine descended the grand staircase, dressed in a mini sleeveless nightgown, her intention being to grab a quick breakfast before her morning shower. As she entered the spacious dining room, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. The room was unusually empty."Hayden?" she called out, her voice tinged with curiosity, as she approached her personal maid who happened to be the sole occupant at the moment.Hayden, ever composed, simply shrugged in response to Catherine's inquiry. Just as Catherine was beginning to wonder about the whereabouts of the rest of the household, she noticed her grandmother and her personal maid making their way downstairs.Quickly moving to assist her elderly grandmother, Catherine gently guided her to her designated seat at the dining table. A warm smile graced the matriarch's face as she acknowledged Catherine’s thoughtfulness."I'm not that old, Caitlin," her grandmother chided playfully, waving off Catherine's assistance with a tw