Chapter 368 Like a Mouse Seeing a Cat
Whether Katniss agreed or not, it didn't bother Dione.
It gave her a chance to gauge Katniss's temperament and decide how to handle their relationship moving forward.
Dione thought Katniss seemed like someone who preferred to keep the peace, so she probably wouldn't force Desmond to apologize just to follow Dione's suggestion.
So, when Desmond looked at her, Dione gave him a reassuring glance.
Dione's guess was spot on.
Katniss had no intention of making Desmond apologize.
After all, his apology wouldn't benefit her.
She didn't like Desmond, but it wasn't because she wanted to see him grovel.
But just as she was about to refuse Dione's proposal, she noticed Dione and Desmond's expressions.
Suddenly, she changed her mind.
With a calm demeanor, Katniss casually said, "Ms. Saunders is right. Let him apologize. I'm listening."
Her words immediately created an awkward atmosphere.
The most affected was Desmond, who had just been reassured by Dione's glance.
He stared at Katniss, then glared at Dione.
Dione was also surprised but quickly patted Desmond's back, reminding him, "Desmond, didn't you say you wanted to apologize to Katniss in person? Now's your chance, go on."
Desmond's expression darkened.
Though his gaze softened slightly after Dione's pat, he stubbornly remained silent.
Katniss found his reaction amusing.
Normally, Desmond would have been furious by now.
It was only because Maximilian was nearby on a phone call that she got to see Desmond in such an awkward state.
"Didn't you say you wanted to apologize?" Katniss asked, feigning confusion.
She recalled Clara's usual way of speaking, thinking that Clara was best at playing dumb, especially in front of the Manners family, and most often in front of her ex-fiancé, Desmond.
Seeing Desmond's hesitation, Dione urged him in a low voice, "Desmond? What are you waiting for? Apologize to Katniss."
Dione had suggested this, and while she wasn't worried about Katniss blaming her, she wanted to earn Katniss's favor.
She hoped to meet Sophia.
Desmond felt a surge of annoyance at Dione's urging.
If it weren't for Gabriel's pressure and Clara's sudden incident, he wouldn't have even looked at Dione.
"Fine." Desmond responded to Dione, then glanced at Katniss with barely concealed disdain, saying, "I'm sorry, Katniss. I was wrong yesterday."
Despite being taller and more imposing than Dione, his apology was barely audible.
Dione sighed in relief, quickly adding, "Ms. Manners, Desmond isn't feeling well today, his throat is..."
Katniss interrupted, "It's fine, I don't mind."
If Katniss wanted to be difficult, she could have made Desmond apologize louder, but she had no interest in seeing his face any longer.
Maximilian returned from his call just in time to hear this, looking at Katniss with curiosity.
Katniss let him hold her, asking softly, "All done? Ready to go home?"
Her question implied that if Maximilian hadn't finished his work, she would accompany him to the office.
Understanding her, Maximilian replied easily, "All done, let's go home."
During their exchange, Dione stayed quiet, not wanting to dampen Katniss's mood or risk interacting with Maximilian.
Though it was their first meeting, Dione's keen observation skills told her that Maximilian was not someone to mess with.
Desmond kept his head down, avoiding eye contact.
He feared Katniss might bring up the recent incident, and if Maximilian found out about his half-hearted apology, he would surely be reprimanded.
Maximilian paid little attention to them, ready to leave with Katniss after their conversation.
Before leaving, Katniss said a brief goodbye to Dione, which delighted her.
Dione hadn't expected to become close friends with Katniss from this chance encounter, not even casual friends.
But at least Katniss acknowledged her as a friendly acquaintance.
Next time they met, whether Desmond was present or not, it shouldn't affect her ability to strike up a conversation with Katniss.
After they left, Desmond finally exhaled deeply.
"What was that about, Ms. Saunders?" Desmond voiced his displeasure as soon as Maximilian was out of earshot.
He felt Dione had set him up, making him look foolish in front of Katniss, and his face showed his discomfort.
Dione whispered, "Mr. Boleyn, keep your voice down. Maximilian and Katniss might not be far..."
Seeing her cautious expression, Desmond hesitated, lowering his voice but still questioning, "Why are you so afraid of them? The Saunders family is well-regarded in Starhaven. Maximilian is just from Luminous City. You don't need to act like this."
Dione rolled her eyes, thinking, 'An idiot is always an idiot.'
Considering Desmond's foolishness, she wondered if she should cut ties with him.
Katniss's low opinion of Desmond might reflect poorly on her if she stayed associated with him.
She wouldn't feel guilty about burning bridges with someone as foolish as Desmond.
Dione made up her mind.
"I was joking. They're long gone and can't hear us. Besides, Desmond, if anyone should be afraid of them, it's you."
Her tone returned to normal, but her gaze was no longer soft. Instead, it held a hint of contempt and disdain.
Desmond's face darkened immediately. Dione's mockery ignited his temper. "Dione, what do you mean by that?"
Dione feigned fear, but her words were merciless: "I forgot you can't see yourself. Let me describe it for you!"
Desmond expected nothing good from her mouth, but was still infuriated by her next words.
"When you see those two, you're like a mouse seeing a cat, a mouse that's stolen something and knows its days are numbered."
"Shut up!" Desmond slapped her, leaving a red mark on her face.
"You dare hit me?" Dione wasn't one to back down. She fought back with all her might.
Desmond regretted his slap immediately. Not only was the Saunders family powerful in Starhaven, but they also couldn't handle Gabriel's wrath.
Regretful, he didn't resist Dione's retaliation, soon finding his face scratched and his body in disarray.
Dione didn't hold back, aiming to make Desmond's face unrecognizable for a month.
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