Chapter 161 - Please Don't Leave Me

When Catherine heard that all LS members, Kinsey and her biological father, suspected Vincent was the killer of her birth mother, Cathy did not want to believe them. She was sure that Vincent was not someone like that. After all, a fourteen-year-old teenager to kill a woman inside of strong protection made absolutely no sense. 

Maybe she did blame Vincent a little for the fight that night; Cathy could also accept her brother and LS blaming Vincent, but she never thought once that Vincent was the main culprit in her mother's death.

"Because I killed your mother."

Therefore, Cathy did not expect this exclamation at all. That remark was very painful and tightened her chest. She wished she was dreaming right now.

Cathy got up and walked back and forth to calm down. She was trying to piece together all the information she's ever received. At that time, she clearly saw her mother's portrait in Vincent's private gallery. Her mother was one of the six women that Vincent adored very much. So the fact that Vincent was the killer of her birth mother made absolutely no sense.

Cathy remembered that she once asked Felicia when Vincent painted the six women. Mrs. Florence and Vienna's portraits were complete when Vincent was twelve years old. Apparently, Vincent was gifted in painting and was a genius in his field.

Meanwhile, Vanessa and Felicia's portraits were only made when Vincent graduated from college. Abigail's painting was finished two years ago, and Vincent planned to repaint his niece when Abi grows up.

On the contrary, Vincent painted Chloe when he was saddened to receive the news of the woman's death, meaning that Vincent was about fifteen or sixteen years old.

That means Vincent still adored Chloe when the murder took place... or could it be...? All of a sudden, Cathy remembered something stopping her steps.

When Vincent received news of Chloe's death, Vincent was in a state of amnesia. So he couldn't possibly remember what happened where her mother's murder took place.

Now that Vincent confessed that he killed her mother, does that mean Vincent's memories come back? If his memories already return, why did the man tell her that he was her mother's killer?

Could it be... Vincent kill her mother?

Cathy did not know how to respond to this fact, and she could only turn around to find out what Vincent's expression was like. She unconsciously stepped back as Vincent walked over to her.

She didn't want to avoid the man, but her body reacted on its own as if it admitted that she was scared of facing her mother's murderer.

"Are you afraid of me?" Vincent asked dryly without expression, making Cathy try to guess the man's thoughts in front of her.

"Yesterday's people at that place, did you do it?"

"You mean to beat them to the point of making them all unconscious, or are you concerned that I killed them?" actually, Vincent did injure them with sharp weaponry, but not to death. Vincent did not kill anyone while infiltrating Martin's secret place. Of course, Cathy wouldn't have known this.

"You killed them?!" Cathy's hands clenched into fists.

Her crazy guess was accurate. The person who was now standing in front of her was not the Vincent she knew. This person was so in contrast with the gentle and mischief man she once knew that it made her want to run away.

Vincent himself also saw a ray of fear dancing in Cathy's eyes... just as he expected. Then he walked away and turned his back to Cathy with a bitter expression. Vincent put his jacket back on and headed for the door.

"I'm going to ask Sophia to pick you up. You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't meet you again."

Cathy remained stunned for a few moments. What has she done? Doesn't she want to talk to Vincent with opened heart? Doesn't she want to know what happened nineteen years ago? Doesn't she want to live with Vincent in peace without worrying about past grudges?

Cathy immediately dashed and hugged Vincent's waist from behind to prevent him from leaving. 

Please, not anymore. She did not want to be left by her loved ones. At that time, Cathy let Vincent go, and it took a year to see each other again. If she let this man go right now, they would never be able to meet again.

In addition, it seemed that Vincent had no intention of seeing her again. Cathy felt herself literally falling into a bottomless and helpless abyss.

"Please don't go. If you hate me or feel I don't deserve to stay by your side, give me a chance. I'll make it up, I... I won't blame you. Please, don't leave me again."

Vincent closed the door again after taking a deep breath.

"What do you mean?" he replied in a weak tone. "Aren't you the one who hates me? You're even afraid of me now."

"I'm afraid. You are not the Vincent I know, I feel like I met a stranger, and I was petrified."

"I understand. That's why..." Vincent tried to untangle Cathy's arm around his waist, but Cathy tightened his hug even more. "I will go..."

"But I'm more afraid that I won't see you again." interrupted Cathy making Vincent's attempt to unhug her hand stopped.

"A part of me tries to hate you and blame you for the death of my mother, but my heart is screaming out loud, calling your name, asking me to meet you. Even now, my heart is crying, begging you not to leave my life again." Cathy spoke it with small sobs. "If... if there was still just a little bit... if you still loved me, could you stay? Can we talk about it properly? I... I don't want to experience this painful separation again."

Vincent stroked Cathy's hand, which was tightly wrapped around his waist.

"Can you let me go? We can talk again while sitting down if that's what you want."

"..." Cathy still didn't move. It seemed that she genuinely felt afraid of being abandoned and did not believe Vincent's words.

"I'm not leaving. I promise." Vincent continued in a reassuring tone.

Finally, Cathy loosened her hand and quickly draped her arm around Vincent's, pulling him to sit next to her.

Vincent knew it was not the right time to smile, but her gesture looked so endearing and adorable.