CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 67- NO RUSH

How could anyone have a proper romantic relationship when the one asking for a favor was so cold, with an edge of threat in his tone?

Morrison felt indignant, but Bert’s offer was far too tempting. He couldn’t bear the thought of Lilian, pregnant, having to do a promotional shoot for Bert. So he excused himself from his friends, got in his car, and headed straight to Bert’s house.

Fortunately, he hadn’t gone far. Morrison had deliberately chosen a gathering spot close to Bert’s home, making it easy to pick up Lilian after dinner. True to schedule, he arrived within fifteen minutes.

Lilian had been planning to introduce Catherine to Morrison, but before she could, Morrison pulled Lilian close and introduced himself to Catherine instead.

"Hello, Miss Channing. I’m Morrison, Lilian’s husband."

"Hello, Mos..."

Catherine gave a faint smile in greeting, but inside she was puzzled—how did Morrison know her last name was Channing? Even Lilian hadn’t known her before.

Lilian was equally confused.

"How do you know her name—"

Before she could finish, Morrison bent down and kissed Lilian on the lips, effectively cutting off her question. Lilian blushed, and Catherine even more so; she quickly looked away to hide her embarrassment.

Catherine had heard from Riley about the couple’s lavish wedding and knew they were deeply affectionate, but seeing them so openly intimate in front of others was still shocking.

"dear, it’s only been a little while, and I already missed you. Let’s go talk for a bit."

Morrison realized he had inadvertently revealed that he knew Catherine and quickly tried to make amends, holding Lilian close as they stepped into an adjacent room. He wanted to avoid any misunderstanding—Catherine was a young woman, and the fact that he knew her might make Lilian suspicious of him having an affair.

Immediately, he lowered his voice and explained everything to Lilian, honestly recounting the night Bert and Catherine had shared two years ago and revealing that he had known about it all along.

Lilian was so shocked that she didn’t know what to say.

Later, she thought that perhaps this was fate between Bert and Catherine. No matter what, it had been Bert back then, and fortunately, it was still him now.

Lilian already had a good impression of Catherine, and learning about her past with Bert only strengthened her hope that the two would end up together. Regardless of Bert’s reputation outside, Lilian knew that a man like Bert was absolutely dependable.

Once Bert had decided on a woman, no other would even dare approach him. Any woman trying to get close would likely be frozen in place by his icy demeanor before they could get near.

There was never a need to worry about him indulging elsewhere. He was mature, rational, had excellent self-control, and knew exactly what he wanted and what mattered most to him. He had experienced hardship and loss, so he truly understood how to cherish and protect.

Anyone who truly understood Bert’s character would feel that being with him brought both security and lasting happiness.

Morrison instructed Lilian to keep this matter secret, because Bert had not yet clarified the events of two years ago with Catherine. Bert clearly had his own reasons, and they needed to respect his wishes.

After the couple came out of the study, Morrison sat down on the sofa opposite Catherine and took the initiative to start a conversation.

"Miss Channing, what kind of work do you do?"

Although Morrison already knew everything about Catherine, he started with her occupation to find a suitable topic.

Catherine answered honestly.

"I’m a jewelry designer."

By now, Catherine no longer felt as awkward as before. Her brief interaction with Lilian had shown her that Lilian was easy to get along with—just as Bert had said.

Moreover, Morrison was not as intimidating as she had imagined. On the contrary, Catherine found him quite amusing. Perhaps it was because he had worn such a bright, friendly smile since the moment he entered the house. Catherine even felt that Morrison was easier to talk to than Bert.

This is the intuitive impression that a cheerful person gives compared to someone less expressive; most people would naturally prefer to interact with someone like Morrison.

"Jewelry design?"

Morrison began to show off his social skills, generously praising Catherine.

"That’s such a fashionable and high-end profession. From now on, all of Lilian’s jewelry, big or small, should be designed by you, Miss Channing."

Morrison’s suggestion surprised Catherine, and she quickly declined politely.

"I just started my career and haven’t independently designed anything for others yet. I’m afraid I might design something poorly for Miss Washington..."

If Catherine had initially thought the couple was enthusiastic toward her, now she felt their enthusiasm was a bit over the top.

After all, Lilian was the daughter of the Burg Eltz family and Morrison’s wife. Her wardrobe must be very carefully chosen and likely crafted by top designers. How could a small, inexperienced designer just starting out possibly design jewelry for someone like Lilian?

Lilian immediately waved her hand to reassure her.

"No, no, I don’t care about those luxury brands. I like things designed with heart, regardless of fame."

To make Catherine truly believe her, Lilian pointed to the clothes she was wearing.

"Look at these—I’m wearing clothes designed by my brother. Compared to those big-name international brands, this isn’t even considered a brand. So you don’t need to feel any pressure."

Lilian’s words indirectly validated Morrison’s suggestion that Catherine design her jewelry.

In her heart, Lilian admired Morrison even more. He had come up with this clever idea: it gave her a reason to interact with Catherine and also created an opportunity for Bert and Catherine to have more contact.

Catherine really couldn’t resist the enthusiasm of the couple.

"If Miss Washington likes, I can design a few pieces as gifts for you."

It wasn’t that Catherine lacked confidence in her abilities, but they were asking her to design without even knowing her style. What if her designs didn’t suit them? So she thought it best to first create a few pieces for Lilian as a trial, to see whether they were suitable.

Morrison quickly smoothed things over.

"Then another day, Lilian, you can meet with Miss Channing and tell her in detail what you want for your jewelry. Let her design a few pieces for you to see."

Lilian was delighted.

"Sure! I’ll call you another day."

Catherine agreed as well. She had to admit that the couple’s warmth, their lack of pretension, and their quiet confidence completely relaxed her.

Lilian stood up and said to Morrison,

"I’m going to check on how my brother’s cooking is coming along. You stay and have a proper chat with Miss Channing."

Bert remained in the kitchen, focused on preparing dinner. Lilian leaned over, smiling.

"bert, when are you going to make her my sister in law? I really like her."

Lilian was a straightforward girl; she expressed her likes openly and never pretended otherwise.

Bert let out a low, soft laugh, his voice deep, mellow, and magnetic.

"You’ve only known her a little while, and you already like her?"

Lilian nodded vigorously.

"Yes."

Bert turned to her and asked gently,

"What do you like about her?"

Lilian scrunched her little face.

"I don’t know exactly what I like about her—I can’t put it into words, but I just like her. It just feels good and comfortable to look at her."

She struggled to find words to describe her impression of Catherine, but there were none precise enough. Bert listened and couldn’t help but reply softly,

"You really are my sister."

Like him, she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what she liked about Catherine—but she liked her, nonetheless.

Lilian laughed.

"You don’t need a reason to like someone."

Then she leaned closer and asked,

"The clothing designs I saw in your living room earlier—those are for her, right?"

Earlier, when Bert had received Lilian, she had seen the design sketches scattered on the living room table. At first, she thought they were for her and frowned when she picked them up.

"bert, I can’t wear these clothes, can I?"

Not only were the styles professional and a bit formal, but more importantly, she was now pregnant, and her belly had begun to show. These pants, fitted coats, and dresses simply wouldn’t fit.

From Lilian’s understanding of clothing, these outfits were clearly designed for slim girls. Right now, "slim" was a word she could not use to describe herself.

Since becoming pregnant, between Morrison, her mother Tiffany, and various relatives, she had been constantly fed delicious food. At just over four months, she could already feel herself rounding out.

Bert answered her truthfully.

"Indeed, they aren’t for you."

Later, Lilian curiously asked who they were for, but Bert just smiled silently. Lilian couldn’t get a clear answer.

Looking at Catherine now, Lilian was certain the designs were meant for her. Catherine’s figure and temperament were perfect for those clothes.

This time, Bert didn’t deny it. He just smiled and said,

"The kitchen is smoky. Go sit outside."

Having learned so many of Bert’s secrets that evening, Lilian left in high spirits.

With Morrison’s presence, the atmosphere had become much livelier.

Morrison was an excellent conversationalist. Catherine felt no trace of awkwardness or nervousness. By the time Bert finished preparing dinner, the three of them were chatting so comfortably on the sofa that Catherine could even laugh softly.

She hadn’t expected Morrison and Lilian to be so easy to get along with, especially Morrison. As the head of a prominent company, he had no airs, skillfully keeping the conversation flowing, never making her feel overwhelmed or restrained.

Lilian was already used to this lively atmosphere. If Catherine were to see Morrison and Karl teasing each other at home, along with cheerful Linda, she would find this scene tame in comparison.

Once Bert had set the dinner on the table, he stepped forward.

"Dinner’s ready."

His deep voice cut through the conversation in the living room.

Seeing Bert approach, Catherine, who had just relaxed, became nervous again. She smiled politely at him. Though she had perhaps become friends with Morrison and Lilian over the past little while, with Bert, there still felt like a distance...

Maybe it was because he was her boss, or perhaps because of his naturally serious demeanor.

Seeing Catherine return to that nervous, flustered state, Morrison was full of quiet disdain for Bert. He thought to himself, With Bert acting like this, he’s going to scare the poor girl away sooner or later.

But he didn’t bother to interfere. Bert had come out, and Morrison felt his own task was accomplished. He got up, wrapped an arm around Lilian, and headed to the dining table to sit down and eat, glancing at Bert to silently remind him to honor what he’d promised on the phone.

After all, Morrison had done all the work to liven up the atmosphere—he deserved credit.

Lilian, on the other hand, enthusiastically took the initiative and invited Catherine.

"Catherine, come eat with us."

Morrison cleared his throat heavily, signaling to Lilian that such an invitation should come from Bert himself. Only then did Lilian realize she had jumped the gun.

Faced with Lilian’s invitation, Catherine quickly waved her hand.

"No, it’s fine. You go ahead. I already ate with my friend before coming."

Catherine truly had eaten with Riley—she had treated Riley to a buffet. As a model who valued her figure but was completely unfazed by indulgence, Riley had eaten plenty, and Catherine had ended up eating a lot too.

Lilian didn’t argue and followed Morrison to the dining table.

This left only Catherine and Bert in the living room. Bert looked up at her, his tone gentle.

"You really ate already?"

Catherine nodded, forcing herself to meet his gaze.

"Yes, I ate with Riley."

Bert believed her and didn’t press the matter. He had even cooked a couple extra dishes, thinking she hadn’t eaten.

He then glanced toward Morrison and Lilian at the dining table.

"You two eat first. I’ll take her home."

He intended to go get his coat and car keys. Catherine looked up at him, lips curved slightly.

"You’re not eating?"

"No rush. I’ll take you home first."

He went to the side to grab his car keys. Catherine quickly stopped him, speaking softly.

"You should eat first."

He had been busy all day preparing a sumptuous dinner. Now he was planning to leave without eating to take her home. Catherine couldn’t let him do that—she wasn’t inconsiderate or naive enough to let him skip his own meal.