Chapter 9

Baxter became even more displeased after hearing this. In a fit of rage, he threw the documents on his table straight at Catherine's face. He shouted angrily, "You disgraceful child! Have you no shame? Don't you realize that Raphael is 12 years older than you? He's an elder, and he's like a father to you!" Baxter's anger peaked. He shot up and pulled the whip that he hung on the wall of his study. Katie sensed that things were going to get out of hand. She hastily rushed forward to stop him, panic in her voice. "No! She's just recovered. We just need to help her come to her senses." Baxter clenched his fists and took a moment to calm himself before turning to Catherine. "Fine. If you tell me right now that you don't love Raphael, I'll pretend none of this ever happened." Catherine's eyes were teary and red as she looked at her parents. The next moment, she enunciated every word deliberately and clearly, "I love Raphael." "What did you say?" In a flash of anger, Baxter lashed out with the whip and struck her hard. The blow was so intense it knocked Catherine to the ground, and she nearly fainted from the pain it dealt to her. But despite the agony, she gritted her teeth and refused to give in as she knelt on the floor. "Mom, Dad, I love Raphael. I love him. I genuinely love him with all my heart," she insisted. The whip came down again and again as Baxter struck her with relentless fury. Though Catherine was someone who had always feared pain, she bore it in silence and refused to cry out. All she repeated—again and again like a broken record—was, "I love Raphael." … Winter had already arrived in the city. Outside, the wind howled as snow fell heavily. Inside the villa, Catherine's body was covered in blood from the whipping. Still, she remained defiant and unwilling to yield. Upon seeing her drenched in blood, Baxter couldn't bring himself to continue punishing her in spite of his anger. Still, he was furious and demanded that Catherine kneel in the courtyard and reflect on her mistakes. By evening, thick snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Catherine knelt in the snow. Her face paled as she tried to keep herself warm. She stayed there, kneeling in the cold, for an entire day and night. … The next morning, the ground was covered in a thick layer of snow. In the endless whiteness, the only patch of red was where Catherine knelt, her blood staining the snow beneath her. When Katie stepped outside and saw the scene, tears welled up in her eyes. She nearly sobbed as she covered her mouth in anguish. They had pampered Catherine all the while as she grew up. In fact, they had never scolded or even beaten her before. Even when she had to take medicine as a child, they had to bribe her with candy to get her to swallow it. Yet now, Catherine would rather endure this severe punishment and bite her tongue through unbearable pain rather than proclaim that she didn't love Raphael. Baxter's eyes, too, reddened when he saw the heartbreaking sight. However, his voice was austere as he asked, "Have you come to your senses now? Do you still love Raphael?" Catherine lifted her head. Her face was devoid of color, and she was trembling miserably. Even her voice was hoarse, but her defiance persisted as she responded slowly, one word at a time, "I'm not wrong for loving Raphael." How could loving someone be wrong? Baxter was nearly overcome with rage because of how stubborn and unyielding Catherine was. He let out a string of angry words and threw the whip he was holding at her in exasperation. "Get out! From this day onward, I have no daughter!" In the snowy courtyard, Catherine struggled to get to her feet as her body swayed. Baxter's furious voice echoed in her ears as she turned and walked away. The desire to see Raphael had never been stronger. With hands covered in blood, she pulled out her phone and tried calling Raphael, but he didn't answer. In her desperation, she called Ethan to ask him where Raphael was. He quickly sent her an address. Catherine rushed over to that location, despite her bloodied and disheveled state. When she arrived at the destination, she realized it was a restaurant that was famous among couples in the city. The usually packed restaurant was quiet that day. As she walked inside, she saw that the entire hall had been decorated romantically, with pink roses everywhere and a small orchestra playing violins in the background. Inside a heart-shaped arrangement made of rose petals not far ahead stood Raphael and Fiona. Catherine froze in place as realization hit her. She watched with wide eyes as Raphael pulled out a diamond ring and knelt on one knee. In that instant, it felt as if time had stopped. He was proposing… Raphael was proposing to Fiona! In contrast to the exquisite and carefully planned proposal, she stood there like an outcast, covered in unsightly blood. After Fiona accepted the ring, Raphael looked up and noticed Catherine standing at the entrance. His expression changed, and he quickly walked toward her. "What happened? How did you end up like this?" he asked while grabbing her wrist, his voice trembling with concern. Catherine's face was as pale as death. Her voice was hoarse, but her stubbornness shone through as she asked, "Are you going to marry her?" Raphael's eyes flickered as he looked at Catherine. Instantly, he realized where the bruises and whip marks had come from. He suppressed the complex emotions he felt and let go of her hand. "That's right." "So, do you really… not love me at all?" Raphael remained silent for a moment. After a while, he said seriously, "I've told you many times that I do not love you. Once I marry Fiona, I'll help you find a suitable spouse." Even at that moment, all he could think about was pushing her toward someone else. The strength that had been keeping Catherine going crumbled, and the pain she had been holding at bay flooded in. It was so cold… And it hurt so much… In a trembling voice, Catherine asked, "You'll be happy as long as I end up with someone else, right?" Raphael didn't hesitate to answer her. His voice was indifferent as he uttered, "Yes."