Chapter 8

Never before had Catherine realized so clearly that she was truly losing Raphael. In the past, no matter where she was, and no matter how many people stood between them, he would always spot her with a glance. But now, he only had eyes for Fiona. That night, Catherine had a series of nightmares. In one, she was surrounded by snakes. In another, Raphael was holding Fiona's hand and saying to her, "Catherine, stop clinging to me." She couldn't decide which nightmare was more terrifying. For days, she was haunted by snakes in her dreams. Each night, she awoke in a panic and was unable to fall back asleep again. As time passed, Catherine fell seriously ill. However, a hospital checkup revealed nothing wrong. The doctor simply said she needed to rest and recuperate. Catherine became afraid to sleep at night. She was constantly so exhausted that she could only manage brief naps during the day. But even then, the nightmares persisted. "No!" Catherine woke up screaming again, drenched in sweat. She was startled to see Raphael standing by her bedside, watching her with a complicated expression. He was aware of what had happened at the banquet and seemed to feel some guilt as he looked at her pale face. "I've taken care of Zayn. You won't ever see him again," he said, reaching out to gently ruffle her hair. His touch was careful and tender, reminding her of the way he used to care for her. Overwhelmed by fear and relief, Catherine couldn't hold back any longer and threw herself into his arms. She begged between sobs, "Don't leave me… Stay with me, Raphael. Please stay…" The sense of helplessness and fear she felt was far too intense for Raphael to ignore this time. Hence, he didn't push her away for once. When Catherine was in his arms, her unsettled heart finally began to calm down. However, Fiona's call came very soon. She had twisted her ankle while going down the stairs. As soon as Raphael heard that, he gently pushed Catherine away and said, "I have to go." Catherine's heart clenched, and she desperately grabbed at his sleeve. "No, don't leave. I'm so scared…" Sadly, the Raphael who used to hold her and comfort her patiently was no more. He merely brushed her hand aside mercilessly this time. Raphael ignored her tears and pleas. He walked out without looking back. In the empty room, all that remained was Catherine's muffled sobbing. The pitiful sound persisted for a long time that night. … It took almost two weeks for Catherine to finally start feeling somewhat normal again. During that time, Fiona continued to send her messages to taunt her. Every few days, Catherine was forced to see photos of Fiona and Raphael spending time together. And as always, Fiona would ask the same question: "Catherine, do you still love Raphael after seeing this?" Catherine stared at the photos in silence. Over those two weeks, the thought of giving up crossed her mind many times. But then, she realized she just couldn't do it. How could she let go of someone she had loved since her teenage years? It felt like tearing out her own heart. Even though her heart ached with stabbing pain, she stubbornly replied with two words, "I do." What Catherine hadn't expected was that Baxter would ask her to see him in his study the next day. His face was livid as he bellowed, "You insolent child! Explain to me what you meant by this!" Baxter threw his phone at Catherine. Even the usually understanding and easygoing Katie stood aside with a disapproving frown on her face. Catherine picked up the phone, and her heart sank. The message she had sent to Fiona the day before had been forwarded to Baxter. Fiona: "Catherine, do you still love Raphael after seeing this?" Catherine: "I do." Those two words stood out clearly on the screen, and the phone number was unmistakably hers. She had no way of denying it. In a biting tone, Baxter demanded an answer from her, "Tell me the truth! Are you really in love with Raphael?" Faced with her parents' angry confrontation, Catherine's initial panic from seeing the message began to fade. A strange sense of calm washed over her. In fact, there was even a small part of her that felt relieved. She no longer had to hide her feelings. After a long pause, Catherine answered steadily and resolutely, "Yes. It's true."