Chapter 68: I Can Do Anything for You!
Farewell kisses were common enough, and Alexander's movements were elegant and proper, composed throughout. But Catherine still felt her hand burning where his lips had touched.
"Why are you picking me up?"
"Aren't you going to visit your grandparents? I've already prepared the gifts."
Samuel had indeed arranged with her to have dinner at the Martinez Villa tomorrow. Plus, with Bethany and Aurora's argument today, Bethany had already gone back. Her plan was to go with Richard tomorrow.
Charles was abroad on business, George had surgery and wouldn't be back until evening, and Philip had to appear in court. That left only Richard, who had just finished filming and returned home.
"You weren't planning to take me along? Samuel invited me too."
When did Samuel invite him?
Grace's return from the lab was partly thanks to Alexander, and the two families had always known each other. It really wouldn't be appropriate not to let him come.
"Fine, I'll wait for you."
Alexander affectionately tapped her pert little nose. "Good girl."
The Howard Group still had a pile of business to handle. After giving Catherine a few instructions, he left the hospital.
The moment Alexander left, Oliver snuck into the hospital room, dodging Andrew who was patrolling outside.
"Catherine, you have to help me! Celeste got hit by someone and is still unconscious. Since you're Marcus's caregiver, put in a good word for us with Marcus and get the Windsor family to help us out!"
"Our family never wronged you. Raising you all these years wasn't easy! All these years, we gave you whatever you wanted. You can't refuse to help me!"
Catherine's lips curved into a mocking smile.
"When I was little and needed money for school, Grandma asked you for it. You said girls didn't need that much education. It was Elodie who carried me on her back to collect trash so I could go to school."
Oliver looked embarrassed!
That was when Catherine was four or five years old. How could she remember it so clearly!
"We didn't have money back then. Celeste and I were scraping by too. We really couldn't afford to send you to school."
Catherine smiled.
Back then, Clara was attending a private kindergarten that cost five thousand dollars a month, paid for by Oliver!
Meanwhile, she had to rely on Elodie secretly collecting bottles to sell so she could go to school.
Oliver had taken all of Elodie's savings to start a business, not even leaving Catherine money for school.
"In middle school, Grandma paid my living expenses and tuition. You complained that five hundred dollars a month was too much and told me to eat less. You weren't poor then."
By that time, Oliver had already bought a villa and the whole family had moved to Serenitia City.
"I wasn't wrong, Catherine. Girls with too much money will go bad. I was doing it for your own good. Five hundred dollars was enough to eat well. Back then, I only spent three hundred dollars a month on food!"
"Mr. Smith, you and your wife were taking nutritional supplements that cost three thousand dollars each, one bowl every day."
Oliver was speechless.
This Catherine! Why did she remember all these messy details so clearly! He had forgotten about all that himself.
Catherine was just ungrateful, dwelling on all these trivial things. Why couldn't she talk about the good things they did for her?
Besides, if they had really mistreated Catherine, could she have grown up so tall and beautiful?
"I was doing it for your own good, worried that eating too much would stretch your stomach. It would be hard to lose weight later and wouldn't look good. Look at your figure now!"
"I raised you all these years. Even if there's no credit, there's hard work! Your grandmother was part of the Smith family too. Her being good to you means I was good to you!"
"Find time to say some nice things to Marcus and get him to support our family. When our family prospers, it'll only benefit you!"
The hospital room door swung open. Marcus, his face dark with anger, was wheeled in by Richard, who looked equally grim. Marcus looked ready to kill Oliver on the spot!
Before, they thought the Smith family had raised Catherine and were benefactors to their family, no matter what. But they never imagined Catherine's past life was even worse than their investigation had revealed.
What kind of family doesn't even feed their child properly!
The Windsor family's only daughter had to rely on an old woman collecting trash to afford school. How heartbreaking!
"Mr. Windsor, I'm Catherine's father. I came here to—"
Marcus gripped his wheelchair armrests tightly. Not wanting to make a scene in front of Catherine, he said through gritted teeth, "Get out!"
Facing Marcus's murderous presence, Oliver couldn't say a word. Andrew grabbed him, hoisted him up, and threw him out of the hospital room.
Marcus's eyes filled with tears. He beckoned to Catherine.
"Catherine, come here."
"Grandpa, I'm fine."
Marcus took Catherine's hand, heartbroken and sad.
"Catherine, do you want us to deal with their family? Just say the word, and I'll do anything for you!"
Catherine shook her head. "There's no need to dirty our hands over people who aren't worth it. I have family now. The past doesn't matter."
Marcus's eyes brimmed with tears. He turned away to wipe them.
He couldn't speak, only patting Catherine's delicate hand heavily.
"Catherine, you're breaking my heart!"
"From now on, you're only part of the Windsor family. Charles said he wants to move the grave of the old woman who raised you. The Windsor family will honor her memory. Even if we need to move her to the Windsor family cemetery, I agree!"
If it weren't for Elodie taking care of Catherine, he might never have seen Catherine at all.
If Elodie didn't mind, the Windsor family cemetery could be her final resting place!
"That's not necessary. She'd probably rather stay near her own home. I had Charles place her near the Smith family's old house. We bought that house too."
Richard stepped forward and hugged Catherine, gently patting her back.
"Catherine, if you're ever upset, you must tell us. If that person comes to bother you again, come find me."
"I know, Richard."
Richard held Catherine tightly, his face pressed against her shoulder. A wet sensation made Catherine pause slightly.
Was Richard crying?
Richard's voice trembled.
"I'm sorry we didn't protect you. Even though you've come back to us, we still let that jerk bother you. It won't happen again!"
What did this have to do with the Windsor family? Oliver had snuck in on his own. The Smith family had always been shameless, and the Windsor family, thinking they were Catherine's former family, hadn't been too harsh.
The Windsor family was reasonable, but the Smith family was shameless. It really wasn't easy to guard against Oliver.
Catherine patted Richard's shoulder, comforting him instead.
"I'm fine. I don't care about the Smith family. Don't worry about me."
Marcus watched the siblings embrace and crooked his pinky finger.
Andrew bent down and leaned close to Marcus.
"Arrange a team to protect Catherine at all times. If any of those people approach Catherine, drive them away immediately. Use force if necessary, whatever it takes."
The phrase "whatever it takes" showed Marcus was truly angry!
"Yes! We'll definitely protect Catherine!"