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Who are you, Cathleen Knight?
Dora had a look at Cathleen and was on the verge of being rude, but then remembered why she was there in the first place. “So, this is your husband now. I thought you were supposed to be married to your first love. What’s his name? Finn. Is that his name?” Dora said as she ordered what she wanted to eat. Xavier found their relationship to be quite interesting for a mother and daughter to have, so he leaned back in his chair and wanted to know what Cathleen was going to say to the woman. “You seemed to have a short memory, Dora. Wasn’t that the same first love that I caught fucking Avery from behind?” Caleb’s hand shot up to his mouth, a look of shock and pain twisting his features. Xavier wasn’t surprised; he had come to learn that Cathleen possessed a sharp, cutting tongue capable of inflicting emotional wounds. Her words were like daggers, leaving behind scars that never truly healed.
“That’s no way to be talking about your sister!” “I’m a West; how is she my sister again?”Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
Cathleen’s delicate fingers curled around the warm ceramic mug, her soft lips pressing against the rim as she took a small sip of her steaming coffee. The rich aroma of roasted beans and creamy milk wafted up to her nose, filling her senses with comfort and warmth. She leaned back in her chair, enjoying the cozy atmosphere of the cafe as she savored every last drop of her favorite coffee. “Cathleen, I know you were angry that nobody stood up for you when Avery did what she did. But we thought it would be best for you to get married to Finn since he was already engaged to you.” “Oh, please. And by ‘did what she did’ do you mean have sex with Finn? I don’t buy that. If anything, you might have found out that there is another big shot in town who is better than Finn. I don’t buy your crap one bit. After all, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Don’t you agree with me?” Cathleen’s icy blue eyes narrowed as she shot a cold look at Dora, her dark hair falling in waves around her flushed face. Her lips were pressed into a thin, tight line, adding to the severity of her expression. “Well, I haven’t got all day; why are you here?” “Your father wanted to know who the owner of Knight Group International was. He wanted to set up a meeting with the man.” “How would I know that? I didn’t do business, remember?” “Maybe your husband has some idea who the owner might be.” Dora squeezed. “Maybe, and even if he did know, what makes you think that he would tell you who the owner was? Oh, wait a minute, did your daughter run away from home because she wanted to marry the owner instead of Finn? Oh, Dora, you and your daughter would do anything for wealth. And it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to because Finn was chasing after your daughter instead of getting married to his ‘ex’, huh?” Xavier and Caleb almost choked; Cathleen was so cold. They even wondered why she was calling the woman by her name, not Mother. “Well, let’s not dwell on the past. My interest is only in the question of who the owner is.” “So that your daughter could get married to the owner, is that it? Why does that not surprise me at all? Dora, please leave me and my poor husband in peace; at least he has some dignity left.” Xavier looked at Cathleen when she called him poor and thought maybe she was selling her body because she thought he was a poor man. But then why was Cathleen’s mother interested in getting to know the man who owned the Knight Group? “Okay, I am going to go and get another table, Cathy. Please come home with your husband; perhaps your father could introduce him to one of his business associates because I have doubts that his net income could be greater than Finn’s. You should have married Finn instead.”
Dora’s mouth twisted into a sneer; her eyes narrowed and were full of disdain as she looked down her nose at Cathleen and Xavier. “Well, at least I’m happy. That’s what counts.”
Dora stood up abruptly from the table, her chair scraping loudly against the wooden floor. The once-present smile on Cathleen’s face vanished in an instant, replaced by a scowl of irritation and impatience.”Why did you follow me?” Xavier’s eyes widened with amusement as he gazed at the petite woman confidently perched on the table in front of him. His lips twisted into a mischievous grin as he spoke, his deep voice filling the room and echoing off the walls. “Well, I’m glad I did. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known about the interesting relationship you have with your family.” This was just as the waiter was placing the food on the table. “Can I have the bill, please?” Cathleen requested, and Xavier’s eyes narrowed as he studied Cathleen. The elegant restaurant was not known for its affordability, and he couldn’t imagine how she could possibly afford to pay for her own meal, let alone his and Caleb’s. But then the waiter returned with a leather-bound bill, placing it delicately on the table in front of Cathleen. Without hesitation, she pulled out her card and swiped it, leaving behind only a faint whisper of her signature. As Cathleen walked out of the restaurant, Xavier couldn’t help but feel a twinge of curiosity about how she had managed to cover the cost. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Cathleen than met the eye. Throughout his entire life, no woman had ever reached into her purse and paid for a meal for him, with the exception of his mother. His wife had only paid for his food; he had wanted to leave the food, but it was the first time a woman had ever done such a thing for him. Who are you, Cathleen Knight?