Chapter 379 Richard's Apology
For more than twenty years, Alexander had lived alone.
Now, standing before Catherine, he let his gaze linger on her serene, elegant face. Behind him, the afternoon light spilled in a molten cascade, gilding her in a radiance that made her seem almost untouchable.
To Alexander, Catherine had always been an angel who had fallen straight into his life.
"Before you, Catherine, my life was nothing but empty winters. And then you came," he murmured.
From the outside, Alexander's family looked flawless. Both his mother's lineage and his father's commanded influence among the great houses of Imperia City.
But only he knew the rot beneath the polish—the sordid politics, the absence of a father's love, the weight of a corporation that had rested on his shoulders far too soon. Until she appeared, his life had been a muted, colorless thing.
"In the year you saved me," he went on, "I was drowning in more than you could have imagined."
The Howard family had done everything in their power to crush him, dressing their sabotage as 'training'—setting traps so subtle that one misstep would have been fatal. One wrong move, and the wolves would tear him apart.
Meeting Catherine had been like finding a lifeline in a storm.
He had searched for her ever since, determined to thank her in person. But the Galactic Aurora Collective was a ghost—slipping in and out of the border worlds without a trace. Hunting for a nameless woman in that vast expanse had been like trying to catch starlight in his hands.
Catherine reached out and pulled him to his feet. "You really are an idiot," she murmured, though there was warmth in her voice.
To her, Alexander's stubbornness had a boyish edge—foolish, yes, but disarmingly endearing. This man, she thought, was someone she would never be able to forget. And the idea of spending the rest of her life with him… to her surprise, it didn't feel frightening at all. It felt like something she could look forward to.
When word spread that Catherine and Alexander had set their engagement for next spring, Aurora could hardly stop smiling. "Perfect," she said. "I'll make all the arrangements."
It was, without question, the happiest news Catherine's family had received since her return.
At the offices of Richard's entertainment company, the mood was far less pleasant.
Richard stared at the stack of documents on his desk, his jaw tight. "You booked this ad for me? I told you—I'm not taking on any commercial work for the next two years."
His executive agent shifted uneasily. "Mr. Windsor, this perfume campaign could elevate your profile in the fashion world. The connections alone—"
"I don't need those connections," Richard cut in. "And the brand already had a spokesperson. You're asking me to swoop in and take their place?"
Fury simmered under his calm exterior. He had walked into the office certain this had nothing to do with him—only to find it was his own team's doing.
The agent hesitated. "There's talk in the industry that Quinn is scouting for a brand ambassador. If we shoot this perfume ad, Quinn will see you. If we land Quinn Couture's endorsement, your career will hit an entirely new tier."
The name alone made people in the industry envious. "Sophia is probably taking this perfume job for the same reason—she wants Quinn Couture," the agent added.
Richard rubbed his temples. "Call the brand. Tell them I'm out."
"But we already agreed—"
"Exactly," Richard said sharply. "And Sophia and the brand already agreed, too. If they can break their word to her for me, then I can break mine to them. Fair, isn't it?"
The logic was hard to argue with.
Richard had never stolen another artist's work in his entire career. If a brand was willing to breach a contract once, they could do it again—and he had no interest in working with people like that. With his influence, there was no shortage of international luxury brands lining up for him.
The agent still looked reluctant. "But we should still pursue Quinn Couture's endorsement, right?"
"Through proper channels," Richard replied. "And I don't want this happening again. If it does, you're out."
"Understood." The agent hurried out to do damage control.
Richard spun his chair once, twice, three times before his thoughts settled. Then, reluctantly, he dialed Sophia's number.
"What do you want? And don't even think about stealing any of the Howard Group's deals from me," she said the moment she picked up.
"I'm sorry. I've looked into it. Believe it or not, this wasn't my intention."
Sophia gave a delicate, exasperated sigh. "Of course. You've said all the right things, and I'm just the unlucky one. Not like you, living in your perfect little world."
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I should have kept my team in check. As an apology, I have a few endorsement opportunities you might want to consider."
"Naturally," she said.
Richard's offers were never small. Only a fool would turn them down.
"Then maybe I could take you to dinner? You can choose the place."
"Dinner's not happening. I'm not interested in giving the tabloids something to talk about."
The line went dead. Richard stared at the phone for a moment.
From the sofa, Philip peered over his newspaper. "Richard… did you just get turned down?"
Richard pressed his fingers to his brow. "Don't you have something to do? Take those files and get out. You're annoying me."
Philip made a show of looking wounded. "So it's my fault now?"
"You're throwing me off."
"Right. Everything's my fault," Philip muttered. Then his eyes lit with mischief. "You're not… interested in Sophia, are you?"
"Philip, you've been single so long you think everything's romance."
Philip grinned. "I never said it was romance."
"I just want to apologize," Richard said flatly. "Nothing more. And if you've got time to speculate about me, maybe use it to find Mom a daughter-in-law."
"Who was it that couldn't even get a dinner date? Not me."
"Then you try," Richard shot back.
Philip raised a brow. "What if I succeed?"
Richard's silence was pure challenge.
Philip pulled out his phone and, with a smirk, dialed Sophia. "That case you mentioned? I've got a lead. Court's next month. Want to meet and talk?"
"Sure," Sophia said. "Dinner's on me."
Philip ended the call and waved his phone like a trophy. Richard's glare could have cut glass.
Grabbing the files from the desk, Philip made for the door. No way was he sticking around to get punched.
But before he could step out, Richard's voice came from behind him. "I'm coming with you. I need to apologize. That's all."
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