Semua Bab The Billionaire Bride of Convenience : Bab 41 - Bab 50

"You don’t deserve her, Cath."I froze as the words struck me like a slap. The shrill, poisonous voice of Kaila cut through the café's silence. Her elegant designer suit and flawlessly done hair contrasted sharply with the turmoil she was bringing into my life, making her a picture of deliberate control as she stood across from me.I carefully put down my coffee cup so she wouldn't see my shaking hands. "What are you talking about?"Uninvited, she slid into the seat across from me and leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Mia. You're not worthy of being her mother.My chest erupted with anger, but I made myself remain composed. "I have given Mia my everything. Everything. You're not allowed to enter here and—"She interrupted, dismissively waving a manicured palm. "Save it," she said. "You have deceived her, tricked her, and pulled her into a chaotic life. Is that really what's best for her, in your opinion?I gasped. Despite her gentle tone, Kaila's remarks had a weight that made my s

"Mike, why do you always flee when things get tough?"Long after Cath had bounded out of the park that day, the question continued to haunt me. I didn't have a solid response back then, and I wasn't sure I did now. A critical and merciless reflection of myself gazed back at me from the café window. The city outside shifted as though nothing had happened, as though my whole universe hadn't been upended.I swirled my coffee because it was something to do, not because I intended to drink it—it had gone cold an hour ago. Something to help me stay grounded when my thoughts were racing.In actuality, Cath was correct. When things got tough, I did run. I was afraid of the potential of something real, therefore I had fled from her, from us. I now had to consider whether it was too late to repair the damage I had caused.I had been struggling for days with the decision to see her. It was the sensible thing to do, I kept telling myself. Express regret, provide an explanation, and attempt to pre

"Do you believe she will ever pardon me?"The silence in the room was broken by Cath's voice, which was gentle yet heavy with a vulnerability I wasn't used to hearing from her. With her hands gripped tightly together, she sat at the edge of the bed and gazed down at the faded carpet as if it held the solution to her query.I said, leaning against the doorframe, "Mia's a kid, Cath." "Perfection is not necessary for kids. They require affection. And you've given her that every day, even during difficult times.Cath's eyes met mine as she turned her head slightly. "What if it's insufficient?"I walked over to her and firmly replied, "It will be." I knelt down in front of her and held her hands. "Me and you? We will ensure that it is.We were silent for a time. I could see the cautiousness in her eyes relax slightly as the silent hum of the city outside filled the void between us.A tiny voice then resounded along the corridor. “Mom? Mike?”Cath suddenly straightened, a look of concern re

Cath's voice was quiet but roiling with rage as she replied, "She thought I wouldn't find out." "Once again, she underestimated me."Her face was shadowed by the low light as I sat across from her at the kitchen table. She was holding a manila folder, the edges of which were worn from her overly firm grasp. Pages of evidence, each more damning than the last, were included within."She didn't simply undervalue you," I leaned forward and remarked. "She undervalued us both."Cath scattered the contents of the folder across the table after opening it. She continued, her voice trembling with barely controlled rage, "This is everything." "The falsehoods, the offshore accounts, the phony charities. For years, she has been defrauding her investors. You know whose name appears on half of it?I felt sick to my stomach when I looked through the papers. Kaila had exercised caution, but not enough. A few thoughtless errors—a traceable email here, a signature there—ruined her attempts to conceal he

"Are you certain of this?" Cath's hand shook a little as it was in mine, and her voice was quiet."Have I ever had more confidence in anything?" My gaze was fixed on hers as I asked.Although she smiled, a glimmer of uncertainty was visible on her face. "I just didn't think we'd get here after everything."I grabbed her hand more tightly and drew her in. This isn't about where we've been, Cath. It concerns our destination.The garden was drenched in amber and gold hues as the sun sank, creating the ideal atmosphere for the moment I had been waiting to give her—a genuine beginning free from fear, manipulation, or contracts. Even though it was just the two of us at the time, the little gathering of relatives and friends who had gathered around us demonstrated how far we had come.The officiant started talking, but I hardly heard him. The way Cath's eyes gleamed with unshed tears, how her breath caught when I put the ring back on her finger, and how her lips trembled into a grin that bro