Chapter 120 - Vincent's Decision

Why did the man seem like he was avoiding her? What exactly happened? And why did she feel like this would be their last meeting?

No. If Cathy doesn't do something right away, she would really lose the man.

Right before Vincent reached to open the driver's seat door, Cathy grabbed Vincent's hand, forcing the man's body to face her. Then she brought her hands to cup Vincent's cheeks, making him unable to escape her gaze.

Why did that man's gaze look so sad? It should have been her who was feeling sad right now because of the cold treatment that man had given her. But why does Vincent look down, as if he was feeling guilty at something?

Did something happen before this?

"Vincent, did something happen?"

"…" Vincent shifted his gaze as if he tried to avoid her probing eyes. "Nothing happened." was his short answer still, not seeing his lover's face made Cathy's heart feel like it's being torn apart.

Why is this man refusing to see her? This man was not as usual, making her even more confused. Or... is it possible...

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"..."

"Do you know, seeing you like this makes me very sad? If you... if you don't want to be with me, you better say it directly. It's better that than you avoiding me in this way. It hurts much more." the tears that she tried to hold back finally rolled down the cheeks in the middle of her words.

Vincent frowned at the tears of the girl he loved. He realized he had made a terrible mistake.

Vincent's two hands pulled Cathy's hands away from his cheeks. Instead, Vincent pulled the girl's hands to make the girl's body closer to him. Vincent landed his lips on Cathy's forehead, causing her eyes were bulge wide.

Cathy's heart was beating so fast that she didn't expect the brief kiss on her forehead. Then Vincent led Cathy's hand around his waist before his hand wrapped tightly around her petite figure.

Cathy felt confused by Vincent's changing attitude. At first, the man was cold, as if he wanted to get rid of her. Why now this man's attitude has changed again? Cathy had absolutely no idea what Vincent was grappling with.

On the other hand, Vincent no longer cared for their unexpected circumstances and decided not to let fate paved their paths the way it wanted.

If fate said they were not meant to be together, he would fight it and searched for a way out. He chose to be selfish for once. It didn't matter if his family or the entire LS would go against his relationship with Cathy. If one day Cathy decided to leave him or asked him to let her go, only then would he give up. He would let her hands go and out of her life.

'Until then, allow me to love you and protect you from the shadow.' Vincent said dejectedly in his mind.

"I'm sorry, Cathy. I'm really stupid to make you hurt like this. I had some doubts before, but now I won't hesitate anymore."

Cathy raised her head and looked into Vincent's eyes with tears in her eyes.

"You doubt your feelings towards me? Is it because you regret that you were with me?"

"What?" Vincent stared at Cathy in disbelief at what he had just heard. As long as he remembered, Cathy had always been enthusiastic and had an optimistic mind. Then why is the girl even being pessimistic now?

Not long after, Vincent recalled something. Cathy experienced bitterness when it came to trusting. She was just optimistic about what was already her responsibility. It's different when it came to trusting other people. Cathy had opened up and believed him, yet now Vincent foolishly broke her trust.

"I never had any doubts about my feelings. Didn't I tell you before that you are the only woman I want in my life? Never doubt my feelings."

Once again, Cathy buried her face in front of Vincent's chest and tightened his arms. Both of them felt at home in each other's embrace and were reluctant to part.

"Then why... why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you... I just realized ..." I don't deserve to be with you. Vincent swallowed the rest of his sentence and decided to change their conversation. "Cathy, I have something to ask. Was Uncle Ben that your sisters once called, Benjamin Paxton?"

Vincent could feel Cathy's body tighten in his arms. Without having to hear it firsthand, Vincent knew the answer.

Catherine West… was Benjamin's niece, his cousin. He should have avoided Cathy because of his guilt, but his feelings were irresistible, and as long as Cathy still wanted him, he would not let go of this girl's hand.

While Vincent was still waiting for an immediate answer from his little lover, the girl remembered her uncle's warning instead.

'From now on, don't ever mention to others that you are Benjamin Paxton's niece. As much as possible, don't let anyone find out that you are related by blood to the Paxton family.'

That's the warning message from Benjamin when he stopped by Red Rosemary a week ago. Catherine didn't know the reason, but she obeyed her uncle's advice.

Unfortunately, one of the twins blurted out saying 'Uncle Ben' to Vincent when she fainted in Green park a few days ago. Fortunately, the man did not feel suspicious of the lies made by her siblings. So Vincent would not know that the four of them were Benjamin Paxton's nieces.

Alas, the man knew and asked her directly. How did the man find out? Did the man angry at her because she hid this fact?

Cathy bit her lip, not knowing what to answer to this question. She didn't want to lie, neither did she want anyone to know that she was related by blood to Paxton. And again, she almost believed that she was not her father's real daughter.

It's just that she still feels confused about her actual background. If she wasn't her father's biological daughter, did that mean she should have another surname? Could it be Paxton? She hoped not.

Cathy simply couldn't imagine having to be a member of the Paxton family who was said to be so arrogant, selfish, and power maniac.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you. Uncle Ben strictly forbids us from telling anyone." Cathy looked up hesitantly again. "Is that why you're angry at me?"

Vincent sighed, "I am so angry. Why did you bite your lip again?" he stroked her lower lips so gently with his thumb.

"I... I..." Cathy was speechless as she never expected that her boyfriend would be angry for something else instead of the fact she hid things from him.

"I will be even angrier if you bite it again. I don't like you hurting yourself. I can't forgive anyone who hurt you, especially the culprit is you. Don't do it again."

Cathy answered by nodding her head weakly and clutched the man's cloth meekly.

"I won't do it again. I promise."

Then Vincent stunned her with a beaming smile on his face without warning.

"You're finally back." unconsciously, Cathy voiced her heart. "I mean... earlier, you felt distant even though we were very close. I was afraid you would go without saying goodbye to me..." uttered Cathy to explain when she noticed the confused look on his face. "But I guess I don't need to worry about it."

"About that... I don't think I can see you after this. My family's business is having a problem, and I have to help them find a solution. I'm going out of town tomorrow."

"Ooo..." there was an evident disappointed expression on her facial face, "When will you come back?"

"I don't know either. So, I can't pick you up or take you anywhere you want for the time being. In return, I want you to use the car and private driver that Benjie has prepared for you."

"I'm not used to using it."

"From now on, you have to get used to it."

"I will try."

"Not trying, Cathy, I want you to promise." It was unusual for Vincent to give her a tone of command that he didn't want to argue with.

Cathy sighed in resignation. "All right, I promise." then Cathy realized something. Benjie? Why did Vincent call her uncle Benjie? To the best of her knowledge, only those closest to him called her uncle by this nickname.

"You know my uncle?"

"More than you know," was the ambiguous answer from him.

Do Vincent and Benjamin know each other well? When they first met at the banquet, the two introduced themselves to each other, right? Or did she it wrong?

Cathy shook her head in surrender because she didn't want to worry about unnecessary things. Besides, there was one more thing that Cathy would like to confirm.

"Vincent, that person who claimed to be your acquaintance, is he your acquaintance?"

"...."