Samuel"s reply matches Katrina"s explanation perfectly.That means that Katrina"s visit that day was just a fluke. She was only there to deliver some doc.u.ments to Carl.
Winnie continues to ask her son, "How many times has Katrina come to see your dad?"
Noticing the seriousness in his mother"s tone, Samuel recalls carefully, "It seems that was the only time. What the h.e.l.l is going on, mom?"
Hearing Samuel"s answer, Winnie finally gives up on the idea. "Nothing. Bye," she replies before hanging up.
Winnie usually spends her time at home. Katrina rarely visits, and on the rare occasion she does, she is always with the whole family. There was no instance where Katrina had been alone with Carl.
Samuel is at the company for work every day. Since Katrina only went to see Carl once, there"s probably nothing strange between them.
But why would Carl give Katrina 10 percent of his property?
The thought doesn"t put Winnie"s worries at ease.
On the other end of the line, Samuel looks puzzled when the line goes dead.
"What is up with my parents today? Are they playing a joke on me?"
First, his father spent the whole day training him. It was as if Carl was going to make him take over the company the next day. Then, his mother calls to ask him strange questions only to hang up immediately without explaining why.
Samuel feels really exhausted.
Meanwhile, Katrina is sitting in Marcellus"s limousine while Marcellus buys medicine for her in a nearby pharmacy.
Katrina doesn"t remember how she left the police station. She sits in the car in a daze.
Marcellus"s sudden appearance during the incident probably gave her some strength. Even though she lost the ability to think at that time, she accepted his support and followed him afterward out of trust.
Katrina"s phone suddenly rings. Picking up the phone, she sees that Colin is calling.
As soon as Katrina answers the phone, she hears Colin"s worried voice. "Katrina, are you okay?"
"I"m fine," Katrina whispers.
Colin seems to come back to life after the disaster, breathing out a long sigh of relief. "d.a.m.n that fierce lady! She grasped my arm the moment she came in, demanding for you in a horrifying way. She rushed in before I could warn you. I wanted to tell you to hide."
He adds, "Fortunately, I quickly called Marcellus. How is Marcellus? He was particularly handsome just now. It looked like a hero rescuing a princess. Doesn"t it feel particularly romantic? If you two get married, don"t forget to invite me to your wedding!"
Colin suddenly realizes how inappropriate his words are, given what just happened. After all, Katrina was humiliated in public a few moments ago. She must be feeling quite sad right now.
Clearing his throat, Colin lowers his voice and says, "Katrina, don"t worry. Everyone at the bureau is on your side. No one believes you could do any of those things she accused you of. Don"t burden yourself. No matter what happens, we"re here for you."
At Colin"s words, the corners of Katrina"s mouth lift into a reluctant smile. "Thank you, Colin."
No wonder Marcellus popped up at the crucial moment to save her. Colin had secretly called him for help.
Katrina remembers that Winnie had tried to pull her hair after she slapped her. Colin was the one who held her back and stopped her. Her colleagues had also defended her by warning Winnie off, preventing the woman from causing more trouble.
She is immensely grateful to her colleagues for choosing to trust and protect her.
"Katrina, talk to your Marcellus. If you need time off, just let me know. I can help you with your work," Colin says before hanging up.
Just then, Marcellus returns from the pharmacy. He hands Katrina an ice pack to reduce the swelling on her face.
Seeing the concern in Marcellus"s eyes, Katrina covers her face with the ice pack and says sincerely, "Marcellus, thank you."
He came over to rescue her when she was most helpless. He firmly protected her and pulled her out of the mess like a valiant hero.
At Katrina"s words, Marcellus stares at her with tender, loving eyes.
"Katrina, I just want to thank you. You trusted me and didn"t refute me when I said I was your boyfriend."
When Katrina"s colleague called him and told him that she was in trouble, he rushed over immediately. Seeing her being bullied by Winnie and Sophie made him so angry that he presented himself as her boyfriend even though Katrina hadn"t answered him yet.
Fortunately, Katrina didn"t contradict him. She let him wrap his arm around her shoulder until they left the station.
It was the first time that he felt so close to her.
He wants to be with her and become her boyfriend so much that he felt fulfilled when she accepted him.
Katrina can"t help but be surprised at Marcellus"s words.
Boyfriend?
Right. When Marcellus showed up, he claimed to be her boyfriend.
Katrina was so rattled by Winnie"s accusation that it didn"t register until now. Hearing Marcellus talk about it now, she suddenly feels embarra.s.sed and doesn"t dare to look him in the eyes.
Avoiding his gaze, she says, "I know you were only trying to help me."
He only said he was her boyfriend to shock Winnie and Sophie, didn"t he?
Although Katrina knows how Marcellus feels about her, she is still unsure of what to do. Since he confessed to her, she still hasn"t figured out how to answer him.
But Marcellus doesn"t seem inclined to back down this time.
His dark eyes are locked on Katrina as he reaches for her small soft hands.
Marcellus is holding on tightly, looking determined. There is a hint of desperation in his voice as he says, "Katrina, let me be your boyfriend!"
There is a sense of urgency and intense desire in his eyes. His handsome brows involuntarily coil up for a moment. He stares intently at her, afraid to miss any reaction.
Marcellus"s heart breaks more every time he sees that she is being bullied. The more his heartaches, the more he wants to stand by her and protect her.
And the only person who can stay by Katrina"s side is her boyfriend.
At first, he wanted to give her a few days to answer, patiently waiting for her reply.
But now, he finds that he can"t wait any longer.
Marcellus is desperate for her answer.
He desperately wants his claim of being her boyfriend to be a reality.