CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

KATRINA

But no. I couldn’t just sit there and accept this. This might be the only chance I had to confront Boss Valerion.

Without hesitation, I turned to him and met his gaze with a serious, unwavering stare. He was seated across the long dining table, eating with such formality.

I clenched my hands under the table, gathering the courage to speak.

"With all due respect… is there really no chance you’ll change your mind?"

He looked up at me.

“Your bedroom is on the fifth floor, Katrina,” he said calmly. “If you’re done eating, proceed to your room.”

So this was really happening. The wedding was soon, and it wasn’t going to be canceled.

I let out a deep breath, trying to push down the lump in my throat.

Then I felt my dad's hand gently touch mine. “Sweetheart… I’ll come visit you here, okay? Just... please don’t forget what I told you. Whatever happens… don’t ever get involved with Boss Pierre.”

I just nooded.

I finished everything on my plate. It would’ve been embarrassing to leave without finishing the food, especially after how generously they served us.

After the meal, the butler was instructed to accompany me. He quietly led me to the elevator and brought me all the way to a large, luxurious room.

I was still full, yet somehow I already felt sleepy. The butler gave a slight bow and left without a word, gently closing the door behind him.

Letting out a yawn, I made my way to the bed. I stopped on the left side and slowly took off my indoor slippers and climbed up.

I pulled back the ridiculously thick blanket and slid under it, letting it fall back over me like a soft, heavy cloud.

As I lay down, I could feel my body sink into the mattress, it was unbelievably soft, the kind that seemed to mold perfectly to every curve of your body. It almost felt like it was pulling me in, cradling me gently.

I lay flat on my back, arms at my sides like someone lying inside a coffin. I let out one final yawn, my body relaxing completely, and slowly closed my eyes.

Sleep found me almost instantly.

But it didn’t last.

I was suddenly jolted awake when something or someone landed on top of me with a crushing weight.

“HMMMMPH!”

“FUUCK!”

The moment I groaned out in shock, a loud, panicked voice echoed through the room. Whoever it was must’ve been just as startled as I was. The weight immediately lifted off of me, as if it realized too late that they were suffocating a person, not crashing into a pillow.

Gasping, I shoved the thick blanket off my body and sat up in alarm.

“Y–YOU?!”

My voice cracked as my sleepy eyes tried to focus and there I saw Pierre.

Standing right in front of me.

His eyes squeezed shut as he dragged both hands down his face in frustration.

I could hear him breathe, trying to calm himself or not to snap any further.

“What... are you doing in my room?” he asked, his voice lower now, but still tense with suppressed rage.

I slowly sat up in bed, stretching a little as I let out a yawn.

Through my barely opened eyes, I could already feel that heavy, penetrating stare. And sure enough, he was watching me intently.

I took my time.

I lazily scratched my hair, which at this point probably looked like a witch’s nest.

Then, without a care in the world, I reached for his blanket and wiped the side of my mouth with it, pretending to clean off a trail of drool.

Even though I hadn’t drooled at all.

But judging by the way his face darkened even more, my little act had the desired effect.

He looked seriously annoyed.

“Maybe you just walked into the wrong room by accident?” I said in the softest, most innocent tone I could manage.

Then I puckered my lips into a playful pout fluttered my eyelashes at him.

The twitch in his jaw told me everything I needed to know.