CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71- EMOTIONAL GAME

Before going to bed, Catherine called Riley to tell her about the clothes she had just bought and asked Riley to bring them over when she had time.

But Riley had absolutely zero interest in delivering clothes. Instead, she asked gossipily,

"So, how did things go between you and Bert tonight? Did he drive you home?"

Catherine was speechless. What was going on inside Riley’s head every day? She had already told Riley not to gossip about her and Bert, and not to try pushing the two of them together anymore.

So she replied annoyed,

"And you still dare ask? I haven’t even settled the score with you yet. What kind of friend abandons me at some man’s house in the middle of the night!"

Riley laughed.

"I was just trying to create a chance for you two to be alone. Only by spending time together can you really get to know each other!"

If it had been any other man, Riley wouldn’t have done that. But because it was Bert—someone who radiated a cool, restrained, almost ascetic aura—Riley instinctively felt he wasn’t the type to do anything shady or indecent to a woman. That was why she dared to leave Catherine there alone.

Catherine snorted,

"Thanks so much for your kindness. Not only were we not alone, his sister and brother-in-law were there too. I ended up spending time with a whole group of people."

"Oh my God!"

Riley gasped on the other end.

"He let you meet his family already?"

Catherine: "..."

Riley’s brain had clearly run off to a completely different universe, so Catherine explained,

"It’s not what you’re thinking. His sister was already there when I arrived. It’s not like he arranged anything."

But Riley had her own theory.

"Sure, she was already there. But you called earlier to say you were heading over, right? If he didn’t want you two to meet, he could’ve easily said tonight wasn’t convenient.

"But he knew his sister was there and still told you to come. Doesn’t that mean he wanted you to meet her?"

Riley went on and on, and before Catherine could respond, Riley continued,

"You have to understand—people like him don’t casually introduce their family to outsiders. So the fact that you met them means that in his eyes, you’re not an outsider. You’re not somebody insignificant. You’re someone important!"

Riley concluded with absolute confidence. Catherine felt a headache forming.

"Riley, with imagination like yours, you could write novels."

After listening to Riley’s whole monologue, Catherine herself almost started believing it.

Riley huffed in protest,

"Hey, you’d better believe me. Bert definitely has feelings for you. If you don’t believe it, let’s make a bet."

Catherine almost laughed—how could anyone make a bet on something like that? Yet Riley continued excitedly,

"If he really likes you, you have to treat me to a fancy dinner!"

Catherine joked,

"As a model who relies on her figure to make a living, is it really appropriate for you to be thinking about food all day?"

Riley didn’t care at all.

"What’s inappropriate about it? If I get fat, I’ll just lose the weight again. I can’t wrong my mouth or my stomach."

Riley was never afraid of gaining weight. With an older brother who worked as a fitness coach, it would be a miracle if she ever managed to get chubby. He supervised her training every day, gave her customized workout plans, and thanks to him, she had abs, a toned waist, and perfectly lifted glutes—everything you could ask for.

That was also why her modeling career had been getting smoother and smoother. Her height was a natural advantage, and with Duke’s training her figure became impeccably balanced. Her overall aura grew more and more captivating. In Riley’s own words, "If I don’t become famous in the modeling world, it’s simply against the laws of heaven."

Compared to Catherine’s gentle, modest temperament, Riley was bold and unruly. Maybe it was precisely because of their opposite personalities that they became friends; friendships don’t necessarily require similar interests or character—sometimes contrast creates its own kind of harmony.

After hanging up the phone with Riley, Catherine got ready for bed. But as soon as she turned off the lights and closed her eyes, all she could think about was Riley’s rambling—how Bert might have feelings for her, how Bert might have intentionally introduced her to his sister and brother-in-law. Her mind was a complete mess, and she tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep.

In the morning, Catherine got up early to prepare breakfast. She set her alarm earlier than usual because she was afraid Renata might try to get up and do it herself. But to her surprise, Renata hadn’t woken up at all. Catherine gently pushed open her door and saw Renata still sleeping quietly.

After falling ill and undergoing surgery, her body really wasn’t what it used to be. Before, Renata would always wake up early to make breakfast, but now she couldn’t even get out of bed...

Catherine quietly closed the door and went to the kitchen. By the time she finished making breakfast, Renata had finally gotten up. Seeing everything already prepared, Renata sighed helplessly.

"A person really can’t endure much... After one surgery, it feels like all my energy’s been drained. I didn’t even have the slightest urge to wake up this morning."

Catherine took the chance to gently persuade her.

"That’s why, since you know your energy’s been drained, you need to rest and recover properly. Don’t run around doing unnecessary things—it’ll only make you more tired."

Renata didn’t respond. But Catherine understood her well; if Renata was forced to do nothing at home, she would feel even worse.

It was Catherine’s first day at work, and she felt nervous.

But as a new hire, there wasn’t much to do on the first day. They learned the company’s workflow and were called in by various department heads for introductory meetings. To Amy, a seasoned workplace elite, this was nothing more than adapting to a new environment. She accompanied the others in the morning to learn the processes and by afternoon had already gone out to meet clients.

Amy was an architectural designer, Silvia specialized in clothing design, and Catherine was a jewelry designer.

Seeing the carefree, cheerful Silvia beside her—and remembering that Silvia’s work aligned directly with the big boss Bert—Catherine couldn’t help thinking about her own scolding from the previous night. She suddenly felt worried on Silvia’s behalf. If Silvia ever made a mistake... she’d probably get chewed out by the big boss just like Catherine had.

Because they had joined the company at the same time, all three of their desks were in the same area. In the afternoon, as Amy was about to head out to meet a client, she glanced at the two who seemed idle. Remembering Bert’s instruction during the interview that she should help guide the newcomers, Amy straightened her expression and called out:

"You two—if you have nothing to do this afternoon, come with me to meet the client. Learn how to communicate properly."

Catherine and Silvia were both surprised. Silvia even blurted out,

"You’re willing to take us? To teach us?"

Amy snorted coldly.

"Do you think I’m doing this out of the kindness of my heart? This is a task assigned to me by Lord Washington—to take you two newcomers along."

"I switched jobs to come here chasing the big boss, and not only was I directly rejected because he already has someone he likes, now I have to be dragged along to be trained by him... I really don’t know why I even changed jobs!"

Amy pulled out a compact mirror and touched up her makeup as she complained. She wasn’t the type to hide or restrain herself, and she made no effort to conceal her admiration for Bert.

Catherine thought people like Amy—authentic and straightforward—were actually easier to get along with. Even though Amy verbally complained about them, and even though helping them was only Bert’s instruction, she still respected that instruction. That at least showed that her heart was in the right place and she was willing to guide them.

Because if Amy herself was unwilling, no amount of Bert’s urging would have much effect.

After Amy finished speaking, Silvia exclaimed in surprise,

"What? Lord Washington already has someone he likes?"

Amy continued,

"Yes, he has someone he likes. And he even mentioned plans to discuss marriage with her."

Silvia’s little face completely fell.

"Ugh, why do all the good men in this world already have someone?"

Hearing Amy’s words, Catherine didn’t quite know what to feel. He had someone he liked, and even plans to marry her... then what about all those subtle, ambiguous interactions between him and herself?

Do men always like to be somewhat indecisive?

Is this kind of indecisiveness supposed to be a symbol of a man’s charm, which is why they enjoy it so much?

For a moment, Catherine’s mind was filled with these negative judgments about men. She wasn’t oblivious—she could feel that he treated her a little differently from others.

But if that difference was based on the fact that he already had someone else he loved, then that "difference" immediately felt tainted.

Or perhaps... could it be that, knowing she had that kind of experience two years ago, he saw her as someone he could casually toy with, someone who could handle this kind of emotional game?