Chapter 552: Banquet (3)

Knowing that Director Hughes was safe with their team, Katherine slowed down and checked the messages on her phone. She had been receiving a few from her grandfather's butler. Her brows furrowed and she let out an exhausted sigh as she thought about her grandfather.

[Master's cough has worsened. We already urged him to see a doctor but he's stubborn. When are you coming home, Young Madam? He listens to you.]

She hissed and clicked her tongue. Worried, Katherine quickly replied to the message.

[Katherine: I still have something to take care of, but I'll be there very soon. I won't be long. Please continue coaxing him. Call the doctor to go there. Tell grandpa I'll be mad if he doesn't let himself get checked.]

As soon as she pressed the send button, she put her phone away and took steps forward.

The hallway was brightly lit, and there were a few hotel staff around the area. She was at a section of the hotel near the lobby and would have to pass through the lobby to get to the other side of the building where the others were waiting for her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized when she bumped into someone just as she turned the corner. Her smartphone fell to the floor and skidded to the side. She was going to grab it when the person she just collided with had already gotten it for her.

She had kept her stare down the entire time, so she hadn't seen who the other person was yet. However, when her eyes landed on the man's hand reaching out towards her with her phone, she swore that her heart felt like it was being squeezed dry.

She lifted her gaze and met the eyes of the man whom she hadn't seen for quite a long time. The man whom she thought had been one of the people who could help her years ago. The man she dreaded to come face to face with—not only because she was afraid of him, but because she was afraid that all her demons would show up all at once and she wouldn't be able to control herself.

Parker.

"You dropped this," the older man said, his hand extending outward and clutching her phone lightly.

Her stomach dropped.

The urge to run away as fast as she could washed over her. She had thought about this day in the past, wondering what she would do if she ever met Parker again one day. She thought of what she would do and what she could possibly say, but nothing came to mind. Even the other day when she had almost ran into him, she still had not figured out what she was supposed to do.

It was hard given that she had known this man for years and Shadow had instilled fear in her. There was just something about Parker that was quite eerie—like he was a man born of evil.

Katherine didn't know how she did it, but despite the fact that she was about to lose her sanity, she managed to pull the corners of her mouth into a smile.

"Ah, thank you, Sir." She received the smartphone and held it tightly in her hands. Without lingering her gaze at Parker, she slightly bowed and turned away. She wanted to scurry and get out of there fast, but if she did so, she would be found out right away.

She was only able to take a few steps away from him when he spoke to her again. Her heart raced and was drumming against her ribcage.

"Pardon me, but… you look familiar. Have we met before?" Parker probed, his voice was dreadfully authoritative. It was as if he was compelling her to answer truthfully.

But Katherine remained calm and collected in her appearance. She skimmed through his face as though she was trying to recall who he was, and then gently shook her head as she answered, "Sorry, no… I don't remember having met you before. I have a really bad memory."

"Hmmm…" Parker nodded, looking both disappointed and considerate at the same time. "I see... Must be my mistake. Are you here alone?"

For Christ's sake, why was he asking more questions? She wanted to leave there already!

"I'm with my fiancé. He's actually looking for me already—"

"There you are…"

Damien's voice caught the attention of the two. He strode towards Katherine's side and snaked an arm around her waist. "I've been looking all over for you. Are you ready to leave?" he asked as he quickly examined her face.

He was just around the corner when he saw that she had bumped into someone. But he hadn't recognized the man until he had gotten closer—and his soul almost left his body.

"Yes, I was just about to head over," she responded with a smile. She was so glad that Damien arrived—she didn't think that she could stand straight with her heart ramming in her chest.

Ever so briefly, Damien met Parker's stare as he gave him a small polite nod. Then he whisked Katherine away and headed out of the hotel. The two never looked back.

The moment that Katherine and Damien stepped out of the building, a black limousine stopped before them.

He opened the door for her without waiting for the driver to serve them. Holding her hand, he gave it a squeeze as he helped her get settled inside, and then followed after her.

Once the door to the limo closed and the vehicle joined the traffic, Katherine let out a long and tired sigh. She suddenly felt exhausted all of a sudden, unsure if it was all the running that she did or because she had unexpectedly met Parker just now?

"Are you okay?" Damien swiftly removed his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "What happened?"

Katherine began to retell what occurred, starting with the text message she received and had to reply.

"You think he caught on?" she wondered.

"Let's hope not."

He exhaled a sigh of relief, finally able to relax when he saw that they were already far from the hotel and that no one was following them.

"I thought I was gonna die when I saw him," she mumbled.

"Never."

Damien pulled her to his chest, stroking her arms that trembled as she was reminded of the incident earlier. "I won't allow that," he reassured.

If he hadn't gotten to her in time, who knows what would have happened?