Chapter 10

From the previous day until then, Catherine had endured a series of unbearable torments. She had taken 33 lashes without shedding a tear. She had knelt in the snow overnight and didn't cry. She had been rebuked severely by her parents and still hadn't cried. But now, with just one word from Raphael, the tears finally came. The faint glimmer of hope in her eyes went out completely. She realized that no matter how hard she clung to him, he wouldn't be hers. So, it was time to let go. After a long pause, she forced a weak smile. Her slender body looked frail, and all her stubbornness had vanished. It was as if she had finally accepted her fate. "Raphael, I told you 999 times that I loved you. But with one simple 'no,' you've defeated me completely. I understand now. I'll… try to forget you. I wish you and Fiona a life of happiness." Catherine turned around without looking back at Raphael. Her steps were shaky as she walked away and disappeared into the distance. When she finally returned home, she couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed into unconsciousness. … When Catherine woke up again, Katie, who had been sitting by her bedside, rushed over in tears. "Catherine, please, I'm begging you. Stop defying your father—stop loving Raphael." Catherine lay there, her face drained of color. Indeed, she would stop loving him—she would not love him anymore. After a long silence, she spoke in a daze, "Send me abroad. I want to forget him." Upon hearing that Catherine was finally willing to relent, Katie sighed in relief. Even Baxter, who was still furious, softened a little when he heard her words. As long as Catherine could forget Raphael, they were willing to do whatever it took. They feared that Catherine might change her mind. So, they wasted no time and put her on a plane that flew out of the country that very night. … The next day, while Raphael was at the office, Ethan walked in and delivered the news. He reported, "Mr. Lindberg, Mr. Somerset wanted me to inform you that they've sent Ms. Somerset to study abroad in Amemilis. She left on a flight last night." Raphael had been signing some documents when he paused and, subconsciously, did a double-take upon hearing the news. It caused his pen to accidentally trail a long line across the page. After a few seconds, he replied calmly, "I see." But after Ethan left, Raphael sat at his desk, lost in thought for a long time. When he finally came back to his senses, he frowned. Catherine was gone. She didn't love him anymore. It was exactly what he had wanted—so why didn't it feel right? Raphael rubbed his temples, trying to push the thoughts away and refocus on his work. But late at night, that strange feeling crept back into his heart. Frustrated, he tossed and turned in bed before finally turning on the light. As he stared out at the city lights, a sudden thought crossed his mind—what time was it in Amemilis right now? However, he quickly pushed those emotions aside. He pulled out his phone, intending to distract himself with work. But in the next moment, he saw that Catherine had posted something on social media. "Turns out the snow in Nevarnne is even heavier than in Coppersville. I've exiled myself to somewhere thousands of miles away from home…" Catherine had arrived in Amemilis. For some reason, seeing that message made Raphael's heart skip a beat. After that day, it was as if he had become addicted. He couldn't stop himself from checking Catherine's social media every day. On the third day after she left, she posted a video. In it, she was burning childhood mementos—dolls, hairpins, dreamcatchers, bracelets—all the gifts Raphael had given her over the years. On the tenth day after she left, she posted a picture of her new campus with the caption: "Embracing new beginnings." A month after she left, her location changed from Nevarnne to Svetziland. She shared photos of her skiing at places she used to beg Raphael to take her. What was different was that she was there with someone else now. Three months after she left, she posted a series of party photos. She was surrounded by classmates. For the first time, Raphael saw her laughing and having fun next to another man. Five months after she left, she posted a big announcement. "No more romantic encounters for me. The person I've been waiting for is here!" The photo showed Catherine embracing a man whose face was hidden under a canopy of apple blossoms that were blooming radiantly. She smiled as she held him close, and he had his arm wrapped lovingly around her waist. They were kissing! Raphael saw the post in the middle of a meeting. Three seconds later, his phone slipped from his hand and crashed onto the floor. The company executives who were seated in the conference room turned to look at him in confusion. Then, for the first time ever, they witnessed Raphael—who normally remained calm in the face of anything—suddenly dash out of the room in a frenzy!