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Novel Catalog
Chapter 10
Catherine forced a self-deprecating smile, her heart heavy with the weight of the situation. Since joining the company, she had always been cautious, diligent, and humble in her work. She never sought special treatment, always leaving the office last, working overtime, and showing respect to everyone around her. It was hard to believe that everything had unraveled so quickly.
After leaving the company, Catherine wandered aimlessly around the area, lost in her thoughts. Ethan had called her several times, but she couldn’t bring herself to answer. She bought some snacks and ingredients from the supermarket before heading back to Jadeite Bay.
As soon as she entered the house, Fudge, her loyal cat, bounded toward her, wagging its tail excitedly. She bent down to pat its head and murmured softly, “Fudge, you’re the only one left who likes me now.”
“Meow,” the cat responded contentedly, closing its eyes in satisfaction as Catherine continued to pet it. The corners of her lips lifted into a small smile. “I bet you want some dried fish snacks, don’t you? I’ll get you some.”
Shaun was still not home in the afternoon. Catherine had a simple lunch with Fudge, and then, feeling a bit down, she collapsed onto the couch and began searching for job opportunities on her laptop.
By 10 p.m., Shaun returned to the brightly lit living room. Catherine was sitting on the couch, feeding Fudge a small piece of chip when he walked in, his expression cold as he took in the sight of the snacks spread out on the table.
“Is this the kind of trash you feed my cat when I’m not home?” he asked, his voice sharp as his eyes scanned the table littered with chips, spicy fries, cheese, and chocolate biscuits. A tiny smear of chocolate was even visible on Fudge’s whiskers.
“I just gave Fudge a tiny bit. A real tiny bit,” she explained, gesturing with her thumb and index finger to show just how small the portion was. “Fudge kept begging me for some, so I didn’t have a choice—”
“What does a cat know?” Shaun interrupted, his irritation clear. “Shouldn’t an adult like you know better?” Without another word, he swept all the snacks into the trash. “Don’t eat junk like this in the house anymore. I can’t stand the smell.”
Catherine glared at the trash can, her mind racing with disbelief. How could someone be disgusted by the smell of snacks? What a weirdo!
Nevertheless, she plastered a smile on her face. “You’re right, Shaunny. These are trash. I’ll listen to you and stop eating them.”
He barely acknowledged her, his expression unchanged. “Take a look at yourself in the mirror and see how pretentious you are.”
With that, he picked up Fudge and retreated to his bedroom.
“Shaunny, you had a long day. Are you hungry? Should I cook something for you? I make really delicious pasta,” she called after him, her tone sweet but insistent.
He paused in his tracks. The food served at the restaurant during his business meeting had been so spicy that he barely ate any of it. His stomach growled faintly at the mention of pasta.
Seizing the opportunity, Catherine said quickly, “I’ll make some pasta right now. Go on and take your shower.”
He glanced over his shoulder, the soft orange light from the room casting a warm glow on her face. There was something unexpectedly lovely about her in that moment.
Fifteen minutes later, Catherine stood by the door to his master bedroom, holding a steaming bowl of pasta. She knocked gently, but there was no answer.
With no other choice, she cracked the door open and called softly, “Shaunny, the food’s ready.”
There was no response. A faint silhouette of the man could be seen through the frosted glass of the bathroom. Her thoughts wandered, and she found herself imagining how he might look without clothes. The thought made her cheeks flush, and she quickly shook it off. No, no, don’t think like that.
Just as she was about to leave, the bathroom door opened, and Shaun emerged, a towel casually draped around his waist, his damp hair sending droplets of water down his chiseled jaw and chest.
Her gaze unconsciously followed the trail of water droplets down his torso, and her breath caught in her throat. The sight was unexpected, and she couldn’t help but admire his toned, well-defined body—he had the perfect build, lean but muscular in all the right places. His skin had a warm, sun-kissed hue, and his waist was perfectly sculpted.
“Have you seen enough?” Shaun’s low, husky voice cut through her thoughts.
Catherine snapped back to reality, her face burning with embarrassment. She mentally scolded herself. What are you doing? You’ve seen Ethan’s perfect face countless times. Why are you getting distracted by another man?
“I… I’m here to deliver your food. Hurry up and eat it, or the pasta’s going to clump together,” she said quickly, turning to leave.
But just as she stepped away from the door, she misstepped and tripped on the edge of the mat. Her body pitched forward, and she braced for impact. Before she could recover, she fell face-first onto the ground.
Luckily, she landed on the mat, so the fall wasn’t too painful. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Shaun’s long legs standing over her.