跳过内容
Novel Catalog
Chapter 11
“Ah, why did you drop the towel?!” Catherine’s voice came out in a stunned whisper, her eyes wide with disbelief. This was the first time she had ever found herself in such a situation. She reached instinctively for her eyes to cover them, only to realize that the white towel was now in her hands.
Did I just… did I pull the towel off him?
Shaun’s indifferent voice cut through the silence, sharp as ice. “The towel came off?” He raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’ve never met a woman as shameless as you.”
Her stomach twisted, and she felt like crying, but no tears came. “I didn’t plan to do that! I tripped on the mat by accident!”
Shaun didn’t buy it. “I’ve been walking on this mat every single day and never tripped. Not once. Don’t try to convince me with such ridiculous excuses.”
Catherine blinked, her mind scrambling. It was clear this situation was beyond repair, so she sighed and decided to face it head-on. “Maybe after catching a glimpse of your god-like, perfectly sculpted body, I went blank and lost focus…”
Shaun scoffed. He had met many women, but none this brazen. “So now you’re blaming me for it?”
“No, no, not at all,” Catherine replied quickly, trying to salvage what little dignity she had left. “It’s just that… I haven’t seen much of life.”
Shaun’s frustration was palpable as he glared at her. “Stop staring. Get out.” He had clearly had enough.
“Yes, of course,” she muttered, trying to maintain some composure as she scrambled to her feet. “I’ll leave right away.”
Just as she reached the door, his voice rang out behind her, cold and demanding. “Stand right there!”
Catherine froze, her heart sinking. Shaun was livid, his voice full of fury as he said, “Give me my towel.”
She glanced at the towel in her hands, feeling utterly humiliated. This was beyond awkward. “Here.”
She held it out to him, doing her best to put on a bold front, but inside, she was a mess. Her face burned with embarrassment.
Shaun’s eyes flicked to where her gaze had involuntarily wandered, his lips curling into a sneer. The audacity of this woman.
With a frustrated sigh, Catherine slammed the door behind her, puffing in indignation. As she left the room, she caught the faintest tint of red on Shaun’s ears. Was he embarrassed? It was strangely endearing.
After the incident, Catherine hurried back to her bedroom, her heart still racing. She didn’t dare stay in the living room any longer. The moment had left her shaken, and she had no idea how much time had passed before there was a knock on her door.
Startled, she jumped. A few moments later, she weakly called out, “Can we talk about this tomorrow? I’m sleepy…”
Shaun’s voice, deep and firm, responded from the other side. “Do you keep your lights on when you sleep? Don’t make me get the key.”
Catherine groaned in frustration before reluctantly opening the door. Shaun stood there, dressed in gray pajamas, a faint hint of aftershave lingering in the air. His shirt was buttoned all the way up, even at the top, despite the mild autumn chill.
“What are you looking at?” His voice was laced with annoyance as he narrowed his eyes at her.
Speechless, Catherine didn’t know how to respond. She hadn’t meant to stare, but it seemed unavoidable.
Shaun’s eyes flicked downward, his gaze lingering on the neckline of her cotton pajamas. Catherine noticed his demeanor shift slightly, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He then spoke, his voice colder than before. “Well, what are you looking at?”
She blinked, thrown off guard by his question. The tension in the air grew thick as she instinctively covered her chest with her hands, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
He scoffed. “I’m trying to see how you’ll seduce me.”
Catherine was left speechless. That hadn’t been her intention at all, and now she was more embarrassed than ever. “I wasn’t…”
She pouted, her face free of makeup, showing a clean, fresh appearance that was all innocence. Shaun seemed to soften slightly before withdrawing his gaze, his usual indifference returning.
“I can give you money to rent a place elsewhere,” he said, the cold edge of finality in his tone. “It’s not appropriate for us to live in the same house.”
His words felt like a slap, and Catherine’s heart clenched in her chest. “How is it inappropriate? We’re lawfully wedded,” she tried to argue, but his sarcastic smile only made her feel smaller.
“I think you know the real reason why we got married,” he replied, his voice biting.
Catherine took a deep breath and forced a playful smile, trying to lighten the tension. “Isn’t it because I fell for you at first sight? Ever since, my heart has been deeply attached to you.”
Shaun was speechless, his expression a mix of incredulity and frustration. Catherine, sensing his irritation, quickly changed tactics. “I get it now. You must still be mad about earlier. I know you feel like I took advantage of you…”
She bit her lip, pretending to think. “What if I show you what I have to offer as well?” she said, her hand already moving toward the top button of her pajamas.
Shaun froze for a second, his breath catching, but then he spun on his heel and slammed the door shut in her face. His voice came through the door, filled with anger. “You’re outrageous.”
Catherine stared at the door, a laugh bubbling up inside her. Despite his harsh demeanor, he was still a gentleman in some ways, wasn’t he?
Late that night, Catherine was woken by Fudge’s persistent meowing. She jumped out of bed, concerned, only to find the poor cat lying under the table, clearly sick.
“Fudge…” She reached out in panic, but Shaun’s calm voice interrupted her.
“Get out of the way.”
He stepped forward, his movements deliberate and controlled, as he picked up the cat with surprising gentleness. Catherine’s heart twisted as she watched him.
“What happened to her?” she asked, her voice thick with worry.
Shaun shot her an icy glare. “What do you think? She’s a cat, but you’ve been feeding her trash. Do you really think her stomach could handle that?”
Catherine felt an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over her. She had seen stray cats eating anything they could find on the streets, which made her believe cats had strong digestive systems. She never realized how wrong she was.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“I won’t let you off the hook if anything happens to her,” Shaun warned, his eyes burning with anger as he grabbed the car keys. He hurried out of the house with Fudge in his arms, and Catherine followed him, her heart racing.
As they reached the parking lot, she opened the door to the passenger seat, but Shaun yanked her away, his grip forceful and unrelenting.
“Get out of here immediately. I don’t want to see you here when I get back,” he said coldly, his gaze filled with disdain. “I won’t ask politely again.”
With that, he shoved Fudge into the car and sped off, leaving Catherine standing alone in the dark parking lot. Her eyes welled with tears as the car disappeared into the night. The day’s frustrations and disappointments poured out in a rush, and she realized, perhaps it was time for her to leave. She didn’t belong here anymore.
Fudge had been the only one who had ever been kind to her, and now even that connection was in jeopardy. But Catherine knew it was her own fault. She had pushed too hard for something that was never meant to be.
With a bitter smile, she wiped her tears away, realizing that the time had come for her to move on.