Chapter 9
Simon and I walked down the stairs together.
It was December, but River City didn’t have the first snowfall of the season, only a drizzle that had
just stopped.
The ground was slippery, and while trying to speak on his behalf, I accidentally lost my footing.
Just as I thought I was going to fall backward, a pair of strong arms wrapped around pulling me close. My face crashed into a firm, broad chest.
The faint scent of cypress wood on him was soothing and oddly reassuring.
Blushing, I stepped back slightly and looked up, meeting his deep, pond–like eyes.
My heart skipped a beat.
Steadying myself, I opened my mouth to thank him.
“Catherine!”
my waist,
The voice I never wanted to hear again boomed in my ears like thunder.
I turned around in disbelief and locked eyes with a gaze filled with fury.
Austin Colson and Emily Karson stood not far away. I had no idea how long they had been watching
- us.
Emily still wore that same disdainful expression.
“See? Didn’t I say it? She’s the type of woman who can’t live without a man!”
Austin’s expression was cold, his hands buried in the pockets of his coat, his presence disheveled as
if he had just arrived.
He strode over to me and grabbed my wrist. “Who is he? Tell me, who is he?!”
frowning, I yanked my wrist free with all my strength.
“What does it have to do with you?!”
A Love Left Behind. Embracing a B
n Better
er Future
“How does it not? I don’t approve!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You don’t approve? Who do you think you are to disapprove? You’re just a friend–don’t you think you’re overstepping?”|||
His expression shifted, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
Emily stepped forward, her lips pressed tightly together, her face sour.
“Austin, stop meddling with her! A woman as desperate as her can’t live without a man. She’s nothing like me–she doesn’t even understand what loyalty means!”
Austin looked at me, his mouth opening as if to say something.
But before he could, a deep, cold voice interrupted.
“Is this woman a relic from some forgotten tomb?”
The words landed like a bomb, and the air instantly turned silent.
Emily’s face turned ghastly pale.
“W–what do you mean by that?” she stammered.
“You can’t even understand that? Let me put it more plainly,” Simon Fraser replied, his earlier cold and aloof demeanor returning as if he radiated icy frost.
“As a woman, you’re excessively harsh on another woman. To impose your own narrow–minded perspective on someone else and feel proud of it–I’d say you’re perfectly suited to live in an era where women were drowned in pig cages.”
I shot Simon a grateful look..
I had seen his sharp tongue in action before, but clearly, he was holding back this time.
Emily was both furious and flustered. She reached out to grab Austin’s arm, but he strode past her and stopped in front of me.
“Come home with me!” he demanded angrily. “This man is obviously bad news! There’s no way he likes you!”
I turned to Simon, who shrugged, feigning innocence. “Catherine, he says I’m bad news.”
quickly shook my head. “He doesn’t get a say. You’re amazing, absolutely amazing!”
A Love Left Behind Embracing a Better Future.
8.74.
Simon straightened his posture slightly, a strange look of pride flashing across his face.
1–shook off Austin’s outstretched hand and said coldly, “The one who needs to leave is you, Austin!”
Hurt and anger flickered in Austin’s eyes.
“Catherine, are you seriously kicking me out for him? We’ve known each other for over twenty years. Who does he think he is?”
Emily, ignored by Austin, glared at me in fury once again. “See? I told you–she’s two–timing!”
Simon replied lazily, “Catherine is so exceptional, she could balance two yachts if she wanted to. Are you jealous, Miss?”
Emily cast another desperate look at Austin, but he didn’t even glance her way.
She lost all pretense of pride and elegance, her face contorted with rage. “Catherine, you’re shameless! Sleeping with one man after another, you’re nothing but a filthy tramp!”
Slap!
Before Simon could respond, my hand had already swung across her face.
The force stung my hand, and a bright red handprint quickly appeared on Emily’s cheek, her lip bleeding.
She clutched her face, staring at me in disbelief.
A Love Left Behind: Embra
