Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Seeing Catherine still stubbornly refusing to apologize, Gabriel raised his hand again to strike her. Emily quickly rushed forward, hugging Catherine tightly, shielding her with her body. She knew Gabriel was in a fit of rage, but she couldn’t just stand by and watch her friend keep getting hurt.

Looking at her friend’s now swollen face, Emily’s eyes welled up, and she turned back to Gabriel and said:

"This is my fault. I spoke without knowing the full story and insulted someone. I apologize to both of you. Please don't hit Catherine anymore."

Emily bowed to Gabriel and Juliet, while Juliet looked at Catherine with a triumphant gleam in her eyes.  Emily’s act of humbling herself only served to highlight their weakness and helplessness in this situation.

See, Catherine, your friend has humiliated herself for you now.

Even so, Juliet wasn't ready to let Catherine off the hook. She sobbed, "Gabriel, let's just stop here. Years ago, Catherine saved me, so I can endure her scolding."

Her words were like a spark, subtly invoking old debts to provoke Gabriel’s anger. Upon hearing that, Gabriel angrily stepped forward, grabbed Catherine by the hair, and dragged her toward Juliet, forcefully pushing her head down. This act inflicted not only physical pain but also a profound spiritual humiliation upon her, forcing her to bow before someone she had no desire to submit to.

"Juliet owes you nothing. If you don’t know where you’ve gone wrong, I’ll help you figure it out."

He yanked Catherine's head up and down before Juliet. The pain in her scalp was unbearable, but she could only grit her teeth and endure it. All her resistance was now futile and only made the situation worse. Emily, now frantic, begged: "Gabriel, Catherine’s mental state has been unstable lately, so her words may have been careless. Can I apologize on her behalf to you and your girlfriend?"

But Gabriel paid no attention to Emily and continued to torment Catherine. He was completely consumed by his rage and the twisted satisfaction of venting it on Catherine. Desperate, she urged Catherine: "Catherine, just apologize."

Catherine bit her lip, which had already begun to bleed. Finally, she closed her eyes and whispered: "I'm sorry."

Seeing that Catherine had obediently apologized, Gabriel released her hair. Her body wobbled slightly, but thanks to Emily's support, she didn’t collapse in front of that heartless couple.

Catherine kept her head bowed, silent. She didn’t want them to see her disheveled face; perhaps this was the last shred of dignity she could hold onto in this moment.

"Catherine, remember this well. We’re divorced now, so stay out of our sight from here on out, understand?"

Stay out of sight? Ha ha… Stay out of sight!

Catherine felt a bitter, salty taste rising in her throat, realizing it was the taste of blood. Her body was reacting to the extreme pain, her blood seeming to warn of the emotional wounds that would never heal.

How laughable, she thought, that Gabriel’s cruel words were enough to make her cough up blood.

Gabriel didn’t care about Catherine's reaction. To him, she was just pretending to look pitiful to win his sympathy. Perhaps the prejudice and hatred in his heart had blinded him, keeping him from seeing the truth of her pain.

He had repaid all that he owed her, but she didn’t accept it. So whatever hardship she now faced was none of his concern. In his mind, everything was over, and he no longer bore any responsibility toward her.

"Juliet, I think we’ve walked enough for today. You must be tired; let me take you home."

Gabriel’s gentle, honeyed voice pierced Catherine’s heart like a thousand needles. The stark contrast in his attitude toward the two women only multiplied her pain many times over.

Sensing Catherine's gaze, Juliet glanced over, giving her a triumphant smile. It was the smile of a victor, fully aware that he had taken everything for himself.

"Sister, I’ve won."

As the two figures grew farther away, Catherine could no longer hold it in. She collapsed to the ground, covering her face and crying. The tears were a release for all the pain, humiliation, and helplessness she had suppressed for far too long.

Seeing her friend like this, Emily also broke down in tears, She felt a deep sense of guilt, knowing that her impulsiveness had unintentionally made everything worse. She hold Catherine and sobbing:

"I’m so sorry. It’s my impulsiveness that caused you to be beaten and humiliated."

Catherine shook her head, forcing a smile to comfort her friend, though the burning pain in her cheek made her wince. The swelling alone was proof of how harshly Gabriel had hit her. But even in her deepest sorrow, she still tried not to let her friend be consumed by guilt.

He truly wanted to vent his anger on Juliet's behalf, without any regard for how much it hurt her.

Emily noticed Catherine's expression and lifted her face to check. Sure enough, both cheeks were swollen and bleeding. The difference in strength between men and women was already vast, and Gabriel, standing at 1.9 meters with a sturdy build, had hit her with all his might three times. How could she withstand that?

"How could that scumbag hit you so hard? He’s worse than an animal! Catherine, let’s go to the hospital."

Catherine wanted to say no, but her face hurt too much to speak. She was exhausted both physically and mentally, with no strength left to resist or refuse anything. Without further discussion, Emily quickly took her to the hospital.

The doctor treated her wounds and examined her brain, finding a mild concussion. He advised: "Young lady, if your boyfriend is abusing you, you should report it to the police. The law will provide justice for you."

Just from her sparkling eyes, the doctor could tell that she was a beautiful girl, yet she had encountered such a terrible situation.

Catherine didn’t want any more entanglements with Gabriel. Besides, even if she pressed charges, with the wealth and power of the Sterling family, not only might she lose the case, but his family might also hunt her down.

So she shook her head and said: "No, it was just an accident. Doctor, can I go home now?"

The doctor shook his head and replied:

"Not yet, there are still a few more tests. Ah, here we go."

The medical report appeared on the computer screen, and as soon as the doctor saw it, his brow furrowed. His expression gave Catherine a sense of foreboding.

"Young lady, you're pregnant."

"What? I... I'm pregnant? How is that possible?"

Catherine couldn't believe her ears. Didn’t the Sterling family doctor say that the bullet wound to her abdomen meant she would never be able to bear children? The news completely shattered her understanding of her own body, delivering a terrible shock.

Now, this doctor was telling her there was a child inside her. Could he have made a mistake?

The doctor observed Catherine's reaction, finding it strange. Her expression didn’t reflect the usual fear of an unplanned pregnancy, nor did she show joy at the thought of becoming a mother. Instead, she seemed shocked, as if the idea of being pregnant was utterly absurd.

After a moment of thought, the doctor cautiously offered, "If you don't want to keep the baby, I can assist with the abortion procedure."

"No, no." Catherine quickly wrapped her arms around her belly. This instinctive reaction came from the depths of her maternal heart, defying all confusion and disbelief.

Though she still couldn’t believe she was pregnant, the moment someone suggested terminating the baby, her immediate instinct was to resist. The child, no matter how it was conceived, had now become a sacred truth she wished to protect.

She looked at the doctor in confusion and asked, "But... but I was told that the injury to my abdomen had damaged my uterus, making it impossible for me to conceive. How could I be pregnant now, doctor?"

Her question carried a mixture of doubt and hope, a yearning for an explanation that could make this miracle real.