CHAPTER 148: ARE YOU NOT HAPPY

The entire Bennett household fell into a deafening silence when Kathrine, the eldest daughter of Hugo Bennett, showed up unannounced the previous night.

While Kathrine appeared calm and composed, Hugo and Rosiline were left utterly stunned—especially Rosiline, who hadn’t managed to sleep a wink since.

Despite the sleepless night, Rosiline carried herself with her usual poise that morning, sitting across the breakfast table with her chin held high, her polished demeanor barely concealing the storm brewing beneath.

"What kind of behavior is this, Kathrine?" Hugo’s voice cut through the tense silence, stern and cold. "You leave whenever you please, and now you come back acting as if nothing happened?"

Kathrine, seated opposite them, looked unfazed. She sipped her orange juice leisurely, her expression unreadable, offering no hint of remorse.

Rosiline, equally vexed but far more practiced at concealing her emotions, reached out to place a gentle hand over Hugo’s. "Darling, please don’t be upset," she said softly, her voice smooth and composed. "You have a press meeting to attend. Don’t let this ruin your morning."

Her eyes flicked toward Kathrine, and for a fleeting second, the mask slipped—a flicker of irritation flashed across her gaze. She despised seeing Kathrine back, but she knew better than to show it openly in front of Hugo.

"Kathrine," she began with forced patience, "you should have thought carefully before running away like that. Did you ever consider your father’s feelings? How deeply you hurt him when you broke his trust?"

Kathrine lifted an eyebrow, her calm defiance making Rosiline’s voice falter for a brief moment before she quickly regained her composure.

"But now that you’re here," Rosiline continued, her tone deceptively sweet, "why don’t you apologize to your father?"

Kathrine met her stepmother’s gaze—steady, knowing—and then turned to her father. Guilt flickered faintly in her eyes. She knew she had disappointed him when she walked away from the marriage he had arranged for her.

But what Hugo didn’t understand was that she had done it for her sanity. She couldn’t bring herself to marry Daniel—a man she didn’t love. Everything about that engagement had felt forced, suffocating, like a life sentence in a gilded cage.

She had chosen freedom over duty, heart over reputation.

Yet what followed after her decision... was something she hadn’t anticipated at all. Something that changed everything—and left her more shaken than she ever expected.

"Dad," she began softly, her tone laced with remorse. "I know I shouldn’t have done what I did, and I understand that my behavior must have deeply upset you. But, Dad... I want to be honest with you this time."

She paused, her fingers tightening around the edge of her glass as she met Hugo’s stern gaze.

"I don’t love Daniel," she admitted, her voice steady but filled with sincerity. "I never did."

The words hung in the air like a confession she had long buried.

Back then, she had been terrified—terrified of disappointing her father, of shattering the flawless image of the perfect daughter she had spent years upholding. She had lived her whole life trying to meet everyone’s expectations, always striving to be the pride of the Bennett family.

But somewhere along the way, she had lost herself.

All she had ever wanted was freedom—the right to make choices that felt like hers, not ones dictated by duty or family legacy. And when she finally found the courage to step away from the life that suffocated her, she had done it the only way she knew how—quietly, abruptly, and perhaps, yes, cowardly.

"And what does love have to do with any of this, Kathrine?" Hugo’s voice boomed across the room, sharp and unyielding. "Do you think love is what keeps this family standing? Do you think it’s love that makes our business run successfully?"

The authority in his tone made Kathrine’s lips press into a thin line. The warmth she had tried to bring into the conversation evaporated under his cold, pragmatic glare.

Of course. How could she forget?

Her father wasn’t a man guided by emotion—he never had been. Hugo Bennett was a man of logic, reputation, and control. A man who believed in results, not feelings.

He hadn’t even shed a single tear when her mother died.

Kathrine still remembered that day vividly—the way the house had been draped in black, the silence heavy and suffocating. While others mourned, her father had stood by the window, his face blank, his phone glued to his ear.

And the very next morning, he had flown overseas to secure an important business deal, leaving behind his grieving children and the ashes of a wife he had once claimed to love.

That was the day Kathrine learned what truly mattered to Hugo Bennett.

Not love.Not family.

But power.

"I had immense faith in you, Kathrine," Hugo said, his voice tight with restrained anger. "But you crushed it the day you ran away. If it hadn’t been for Anna stepping in, we might have lost everything."

His words cut deep. For a man who prided himself on control, Hugo Bennett had never expected to be blindsided by his own daughter’s rebellion. Kathrine’s decision to flee had not only humiliated him publicly—it had nearly jeopardized years of careful business alliances.

And in her absence, Anna had been forced to take her place.

Kathrine’s eyes flicked toward Rosiline, who sat beside her father with a carefully composed expression. Their gazes met for a brief second before Rosiline looked away, feigning concern. A spark of realization burned in Kathrine’s chest—she had trusted Rosiline once, believed her gentle words and false reassurances. But now, doubt crept in. Was Rosiline truly trying to help her back then... or had she orchestrated everything?

Her tone was calm when she finally spoke, but her eyes were sharp. "Is it true, then? That you’re going to acknowledge Anna as your daughter?"

The question made Rosiline stiffen ever so slightly, but Hugo didn’t react immediately. The silence stretched for several seconds before he finally gave a curt nod.

"I have no other choice but to accept her," he said flatly.

Rosiline exhaled a subtle sigh of relief, though she tried to disguise it behind a sip of her tea. But Kathrine caught it. Every flicker of movement, every false smile—she noticed it all.

Her lips curved faintly, though there was no humor in it. "And what about Daniel?" she asked, her tone deceptively casual. "Did he accept her as his wife?"

The question landed like a blow. Hugo’s jaw clenched, the composure he’d tried to maintain cracking for a brief moment. His expression darkened, and a shadow crossed his face.

How could he forget?

Daniel’s warning still echoed in his mind—cold, deliberate, and full of restrained fury.

"It’s time," he muttered curtly, ignoring Kathrine’s lingering questions as he answered the call. A moment later, his assistant’s voice carried faintly through the receiver, and without another glance toward his daughter, Hugo rose from his chair and strode out of the dining room—his departure as abrupt as his temper.

The sound of his footsteps faded, leaving behind a heavy stillness that settled over the grand Bennett estate.

Now, only Rosiline and Kathrine remained.

For a long moment, neither spoke. Rosiline adjusted her bracelet, gathering her poise before standing up, her expression smooth and unreadable. She clearly intended to walk away—to pretend the conversation had never happened.

But Kathrine’s voice stopped her.

"Are you not happy, Mom?" she asked quietly, her tone calm but piercing.

Rosiline froze mid-step.

Kathrine’s gaze didn’t waver as she looked at her stepmother—the woman who had always hidden her venom behind a gentle smile. It had taken her far too long to see through that facade, to realize that every act of kindness from Rosiline came with a hidden price.

Rosiline’s fingers curled into a tight fist before she finally turned back to face her. Her expression was still poised, but the strain around her eyes betrayed her irritation.

"Why wouldn’t I be happy, Kathrine?" Rosiline said smoothly, her tone laced with restrained sarcasm. "I never wanted you gone in the first place. Or have you forgotten—you begged me to help you?"

Her words struck like a slap, each syllable a cold reminder of the night Kathrine had come to her, desperate for support.

And as much as Kathrine wanted to hate her for everything that happened, she couldn’t deny it—Rosiline was right. She had asked for her help. She had trusted her.

"I just couldn’t stay away," Kathrine said, her voice softening as she forced a polite smile onto her lips. "Besides, I missed my life here... missed being with you all. And I’m sure Dad will forgive me once things settle down."

Her attempt at warmth only made Rosiline’s lips curve into a slow, knowing smirk.

"Of course he will, dear," she replied sweetly. "You’ve always been his favorite, haven’t you?"

But behind that pleasant tone, Rosiline’s mind was racing. Kathrine’s unexpected return was the last thing she needed before Anna got her rightful place. And now that she was here, she promise to do everything that wouldn’t threaten Anna’s married life with Daniel