Chapter 62 A Belated Surprise
I stared at Nicholas in a daze. His soft lips moved, opening and closing. The fog in my mind gradually dissipated with his words.
A beam of light pierced through the layers of mist, shining on me once more. Warmth spread from my feet through my entire body. My will to live solidified into something tangible. I had to survive.
Nicholas was like a great guide. He openly displayed his feelings for me. He could be petty when confronting others.
But what attracted me most about Nicholas was that he wouldn't strip away my right to pursue my own life. Instead, when I hit rock bottom, he personally pulled me back up.
Nicholas said he'd always stand behind me. He also said I needed to become strong myself, be my own protector.
He was my backup, not a controller managing everything for me. I wasn't a bird he kept in a cage—I was a beast he'd trained with his own hands.
"Nicholas, I'll live well."
My gaze was resolute, crashing directly into the seemingly calm depths of his eyes.
The tension in Nicholas's lips eased slightly. He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "Catherine, you won't disappoint me, will you?"
I smiled slightly. "Nicholas, you shouldn't have expectations for the rose you're raising. Because my thorns don't discriminate between friend and foe."
Anyone who invaded my territory would be my enemy.
Nicholas looked stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Good. I look forward to seeing what you'll do."
I stopped dwelling on the present problems. Just now, I'd found my direction forward again.
I wouldn't just make the Rosewood family pay—I'd stand at heights they could never reach. My life, Catherine's life, had to be dazzling.
The Ferris wheel slowly descended.
Nicholas asked, "Ready to go?"
I nodded. "I saw the coast to the west earlier. Want to walk there?"
Nicholas had no objections. We strolled side by side along the coastal path. The sea rose and fell, waves crashing against the rocks.
I turned my head and met Nicholas's gaze head-on. I was momentarily lost in thought. When I turned back, all I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears.
"Nicholas, I have a question for you."
To cover my awkwardness, I took the initiative.
Nicholas made a sound of acknowledgment, indicating I should continue.
I stopped and looked directly at him. "That day, why did you lie?"
My question wasn't clear, but my instinct told me Nicholas would understand.
"You mean the afternoon when James came to see you?"
He didn't rush to answer, first confirming with me.
I nodded.
That afternoon, Nicholas had clearly messaged me saying he had to work late and couldn't pick me up. Yet he'd been waiting at the corner and told me he'd heard my entire conversation with James.
That meant Nicholas might have witnessed my whole encounter with James from the start. What bothered me wasn't the eavesdropping itself—it was that he'd clearly seen me in danger but hadn't helped.
Whatever his reasoning, how could I not be angry? Any woman would be afraid when facing a stranger. And Nicholas, who claimed to like me, had hidden in the shadows and done nothing.
I'd doubted his feelings for me. Unfortunately, I hadn't gotten his explanation that day either. Until today, I decided to pull out this thorn.
Nicholas pressed his lips together thinly.
I said, "Actually, I was going to ask on the way to the auction."
Except Nicholas had been leaning on my shoulder asleep then, and with Miles present, I hadn't asked.
Nicholas looked understanding. "Catherine, I'm sorry. I made that decision on my own that day."
Nicholas told me everything that had happened.
"Actually, the company wasn't busy that day. I left work early and went home. I contacted two chefs to teach me how to cook—I wanted to wait for you to come home and surprise you."
Except it backfired. A surprise?
The corners of my lips curved slightly upward. I waited for the rest of his explanation.
Nicholas told me that when he'd reached the residential area entrance that day, he had indeed seen me with James. But by the time he saw us, James had already dragged me into the grove.
When he caught up, he saw me bite James's hand and break free.
Nicholas said he was about to step forward when the man revealed his identity, so he chose to follow us secretly instead.
Before I could speak, Nicholas lowered his eyelids, his face full of regret. "Catherine, I'm sorry. I got there too late. I wasn't able to stop James in time. I shouldn't have listened to your conversation, but I was worried James would hurt you again, so I..."
He didn't continue, as if he felt he was digging himself deeper.
But the thorn in my heart had already fallen out when he apologized voluntarily. I'd wronged him.
Still, I asked again, "Then why didn't you tell me later?"
At this, Nicholas's expression darkened slightly. "I didn't know how to bring it up. I asked Blake, and he said to let you be alone first, then explain later. But every time I tried to speak up, you didn't give me a chance."
I felt a bit guilty. Nicholas's expression seemed flat, without strong emotional fluctuations. So why did I sense such intense grievance emanating from him?
I laughed awkwardly and stiffly changed the subject. "So, um, I missed the surprise you prepared last time. When will the next surprise appear?"
Nicholas laughed at my antics, saying helplessly, "If I tell you in advance, how can it still be a surprise?"
I froze. That was actually a good point.
"Will I still get a surprise then?"
I suddenly looked up, my eyes bright as I gazed at Nicholas with eager anticipation.
Nicholas stood there stunned. His ears turned suspiciously red.
He averted his gaze awkwardly. "Do you still want to receive surprises from me?"
"As long as it's not like last time, I don't think anyone would refuse, right?"
I answered naturally.
Nicholas didn't respond. He just pointed to a relatively large, flat-surfaced rock near the shore not far away. "Let's go over there. The sunset's about to touch the horizon."
Before I could ask why, Nicholas had already given his answer.
We sat down on the rock, very close to each other. I didn't dare move an inch, my eyes fixed on the sea surface painted spectacularly by the setting sun.
"Catherine, are you nervous?"
Nicholas suddenly turned his head.
I stammered a denial.
Nicholas smiled and reached out, producing a small box from somewhere and holding it in front of me.
"What's this?"
My eyes widened in confusion as I carefully accepted it. Worried I might drop it, I deliberately turned and placed it in a safe spot.
Nicholas's face was unreadable. He only said, "Maybe you can think of it as a new surprise."
I felt inexplicably excited. "Well, I'd better confirm this isn't actually a scare first."