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Novel Catalog
Chapter 100
Catherine froze when she saw Shaun standing by the door, the faint scent of cigarette smoke mixing with the already heavy atmosphere. His presence was commanding, and the casual way he leaned against the doorframe made it impossible for her to ignore him.
“You…” Catherine started, her voice tight as she tried to suppress the frustration bubbling up inside her. “What are you doing here?”
Shaun flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushing it under his heel with a deliberate, almost theatrical motion. He didn’t answer immediately, his eyes focused on her, calculating. The silence between them felt oppressive, as though there was a conversation they were both avoiding.
“I was waiting for you,” he finally said, his tone cool but not without a trace of amusement. “You took longer than expected. I was getting bored.”
Catherine felt a knot tighten in her stomach. “I didn’t ask you to wait for me. Go back to your seat.”
The coldness in her voice didn’t faze him. In fact, it seemed to fuel his determination. “You’re avoiding me,” he noted casually, stepping closer. “Trying to escape, Catherine? You know that never works with me.”
She backed up a step, instinctively putting distance between them. “I’m not avoiding you. I just don’t want to deal with you right now.”
Shaun’s lips twitched into a smirk as he moved closer still, making her feel smaller with each step. “You know, I think it’s cute when you try to act like you’re not interested. But I’m not buying it.”
Catherine clenched her fists at her sides, trying to maintain control. “I’m not interested, Shaun. Stop making everything a game.”
The words hung in the air for a moment before he responded, his voice low and almost too soft. “You can say whatever you want, but the truth is you’re here with me now. You’re not as indifferent as you want to appear.” His eyes bore into hers, challenging her to deny it.
“I’m here because you’ve cornered me,” she retorted, the words sharp. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Shaun laughed, though it wasn’t a genuine sound. It was dark, almost mocking. “Cornered? You’ve always had the choice to walk away, Catherine. But you never do, do you?”
Catherine felt her pulse quicken. The last thing she wanted was to be dragged back into this toxic dance with him. She had tried so hard to move forward, but here he was again, forcing her to confront the past.
Before she could respond, he took a step back, his expression unreadable. “I’ll leave you to think about it. Don’t take too long. We both know how things play out between us.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the quiet washroom, her heart pounding in her chest. She hated how easily he got under her skin. No matter how hard she tried to resist, he always seemed to have the upper hand.
Taking a deep breath, Catherine composed herself. She wasn’t going to let him control her anymore. She couldn’t. She had to find a way to escape this mess before it consumed her once and for all.