CHAPTER 20: CHAPTER 20- IS EVERYTHING RESOLVED?

To Duke, Catherine was like a younger sister—just like Riley. But Catherine had something different, something that set her apart from Riley.

Inside Bert’s car, after Riley fastened her seatbelt, Bert drove smoothly out of the parking lot. Riley turned her head to glance at his sharp profile, her eyes sparkling as she asked,

"So... what’s your relationship with our Cici? Why are you helping her like this?"

Bert let out a faint chuckle.

"You already said I’m her boyfriend, didn’t you? So why ask about the relationship?"

Riley froze.

This man... he was too clever, using her own words to corner her.

Not ready to give up, she pressed on,

"But I was just joking before! Come on, tell me—what’s really going on?"

Bert’s expression darkened instantly, his tone dropping with it.

"Words aren’t something to throw around carelessly."

One moment he had been smiling, the next he was serious, a sudden shift that made Riley’s heart skip a beat. She was usually fearless, never intimidated by anyone—even Duke’s towering presence hadn’t made her flinch—but this calm, composed man brought a sudden sense of unease she hadn’t expected.

She swallowed, her desire to keep asking fading. With a small huff, she said,

"Fine... you don’t have to say. But do you have to be so scary?"

Bert kept driving steadily, unmoved by her remark. Riley felt a little sheepish and fell silent for a moment.

Still, she couldn’t hold it in. A few moments later, she spoke again,

"Honestly though... I think you and Cici make a good match. She’s been through so much, and she deserves someone mature and strong to protect her."

Without waiting for his response, she lifted her chin toward the rearview mirror, indicating Duke’s car following behind.

"See that car? My brother likes Cici too, but after today... well, he’s kind of been put in his place."

Riley continued unabashedly,

"I mean, a man protecting a woman isn’t about looking strong—it’s about inner strength and courage. My brother doesn’t have that. But you... I think you do."

These were her genuine thoughts spilling out. She didn’t know why she was telling him all this, but seeing such an outstanding man by Catherine’s side made her feel compelled to speak her mind.

No one wanted Catherine to be happy more than Riley. She had witnessed all the hardships and injustices Catherine endured over the years, and it was only natural for her to hope Catherine would find someone capable of shielding her from further harm.

And from what she had seen today—at the police station, his composure, his aura—Riley had no doubt Bert had the strength, the ability, and the resources to keep Catherine safe. He had status, background, and an overwhelming presence. This was exactly the kind of man Catherine needed, someone who could ensure Channing and his family could no longer bully her.

As for Duke—he might be strong and muscular, but in terms of power and resources, he was no match for the Channings. Riley knew it in her heart.

Bert, still calm and composed behind the wheel, cast her a faint glance and said,

"You worry too much for someone so young."

Riley felt a twinge of frustration as Bert maintained his usual calm, unreadable expression. She turned her head toward the window, letting out a faint huff.

This man was far too cautious and calculating. After trying so hard, she hadn’t gotten a single hint—no comment about Catherine, no explanation of their connection, nothing. Riley couldn’t help feeling a little defeated.

He had repeatedly helped Catherine, time and again intervening in ways that could only be described as... well, undeniably intimate. Wasn’t that... flirting, in a way? Yet he had shown no trace of any such emotion.

What was this old man playing at? Even someone as sharp as Riley couldn’t see through him.

The trio finally arrived at the hospital. Renata’s surgery was still in progress, and Catherine paced anxiously outside the operating room, torn between worry for her mother and concern for Riley at the police station.

Her anxiety heightened when she heard footsteps echoing down the corridor. Looking up, she spotted Riley walking toward her and immediately ran over, scanning her for any injuries while asking,

"Is everything... resolved?"

Riley glanced at the man beside her and smiled confidently.

"Of course it’s resolved. The moment this gentleman stepped in, Channing immediately backed down."

Catherine exhaled deeply, relief washing over her, and turned gratefully to Bert.

"Thank you..."

Bert didn’t respond. He only glanced at her before moving to a nearby bench, sitting with long legs crossed, exuding calm and refined detachment.

Riley threw an arm around Catherine, and the two of them stood with their backs to Bert. Leaning close, Riley whispered,

"You really don’t know him?"

Catherine nodded seriously.

"I really don’t."

Riley frowned, puzzled.

"Then... why is he helping you like this?"

Catherine shook her head, equally bewildered.

As the two girls chattered quietly together, Bert lifted his eyes, glancing at them. His gaze lingered for a moment on Riley’s arm draped over Catherine’s slender shoulders before lowering again, turning back to his phone to handle work emails.

Just then, Duke appeared, and Catherine’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Duke... you came too?"

Though Duke was intimidatingly tall and fierce in public, his tone softened instinctively when speaking to Catherine, and he looked a little awkward.

"Riley said... Renata is having surgery today, so... I thought I’d come check on her..."

Duke’s unusually gentle tone made Bert lift his gaze again from where he was sitting. The words reminded him of what Riley had just said—how her brother liked Catherine, and how she had made sure to "put him in his place."

Bert couldn’t help but curl the corner of his lips in mild disdain. At least Riley seemed to have some sense. Her brother... really wasn’t even remotely a match for someone as delicate and petite as Catherine.

Still, he had to admit—the siblings treated her genuinely well. To have friends like that, Catherine’s life wasn’t entirely lacking in fortune after all.

Outside the operating room, a heavy silence hung in the air. No one spoke—there was nothing to say. The tension alone made conversation feel out of place.

Bert sat at one end of the bench, calm and composed, eyes downcast as he scrolled through emails on his phone. At the other end, Catherine and Riley kept a measured distance from him. Riley’s hand never left Catherine’s, tightly holding onto it like an anchor.

Duke stepped outside for a smoke, then returned, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. His gaze kept flicking between Catherine and Bert, frowning at the complete lack of interaction between them.

Then he glanced at his sister holding Catherine’s hand. Shouldn’t it be Bert—the supposed "boyfriend"—who’s holding her hand or keeping her close? His suspicious gaze followed Riley, but she avoided his eyes, pretending not to notice, cheeks tinged with guilt. Duke could do nothing about it.

Riley had long known about Duke’s feelings for Catherine, and Catherine could sense it too. But Duke had never confessed, and Catherine had always treated him purely as a brother. In her heart, that’s all he had ever been.

Before, Gerald had been by Catherine’s side, and the two shared mutual feelings. Duke had believed he had no chance, so he quietly buried his emotions. Later, when Catherine suffered misfortune and Gerald broke off the engagement, Duke never judged her. In his eyes, she remained that pure, kind girl.

He had wanted to step up and declare his feelings then, to protect her—but Riley had warned him against it. She told him that Catherine’s heart was tightly closed; a confession now would only deepen her pain. She had lost someone she truly loved, and an outsider stepping in to "protect" her would feel like salt rubbed into the wound. Riley also listed all the ways they were incompatible. Duke understood and held back.

Deep down, he had always known that such a beautiful, exceptional girl could never truly match someone like him. Now, with Catherine back in the country and a man like Bert in her life, Duke quietly accepted that perhaps his fate with her had run its course.

Better to remain the protective "brother" in the shadows and guard her quietly.

Meanwhile, at the police station, after Bert had left with Duke and Riley, Lucca’s fury boiled over, her voice sharp with indignation.

"Dad! Why did you drop the lawsuit against that... woman?"

Remembering Channing’s earlier submission to Bert, Lucca’s resentment only deepened.

"That Bert... he’s just a bastard! Why are you afraid of him?"

"And Catherine... how could she even deserve a boyfriend like that?!"

Though she verbally dismissed Bert as a mere illegitimate child, her jealousy betrayed her—Catherine having a boyfriend like him ignited a spark of envy, a tacit acknowledgment of Bert’s worth.