Chapter 403: Be Ruthless When Necessary
"But he could also take Katniss's life," Nicholas said.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"Forget it, isn't this exactly what Tristan wants to see? When Katniss gets married, we'll send him an invitation, and he'll be at ease," Emory replied.
At ease? Nicholas just smiled without saying anything. That would be uneasy.
The next morning, the sun was shining brightly. Katniss and Samuel were inspecting the village with the villagers.
Since Tristan had just been promoted to the project liaison position, he was also there.
He walked slowly, wearing a black shirt and jeans, with sneakers on his feet, his gaze fixed on the people ahead.
Samuel carried her bag and water, and occasionally helped her hold Evie. She would also hold Samuel's coat.
The two of them stood out among the villagers.
Tristan looked down at his calloused hands and tanned wrists.
They did make a good match.
"Mr. Forbes." Suddenly, a pair of white sneakers appeared in his line of sight.
The voice above was both familiar and unfamiliar. He looked up to meet Katniss's indifferent eyes.
"They said you have trouble walking. We're going up the mountain later, so you shouldn't come along."
Tristan responded with a sound from his nose, not even parting his lips.
Katniss thought for a moment and added, "Could you please ask the villagers to prepare some lunch for us? We can pay."
His hand at his side moved slightly as he stood up from the stone he was leaning on. "Okay."
"And please prepare some baby food for my daughter. She's nine months old and has six teeth. She can eat oatmeal and mashed potatoes," Katniss instructed carefully.
Tristan listened intently, then leaned back against the stone, looking away at Evie and Samuel.
After a long pause, he finally said, "Ms. Grey, you don't have any dietary requirements?"
"No," Katniss replied. "As long as they eat well, I'm fine with anything."
"Really?" Tristan looked back at her and asked, "When I saw you before, you seemed a bit off. Did you..."
After speaking, he frowned and looked down, trying to hide his frustration. He put a cigarette in his mouth and turned away. "I'll have lunch prepared. Ms. Grey, you can go ahead."
"Okay," Katniss said.
He didn't press further, so she pretended not to hear and went to Samuel, following the villagers up the mountain.
Their figures intertwined and disappeared into the forest.
Tristan's eyes darkened as he extinguished his cigarette and went to arrange lunch.
By the time Katniss and Samuel finished inspecting the mountain, it was past lunchtime, and the dishes on the table had gone cold.
Not wanting to trouble anyone, Samuel started a fire to reheat the food.
Among the dishes, Katniss saw Evie's favorite food.
Evie still loved it. After reheating, Katniss fed her, and she ate more than half a bowl.
After Evie was full, Samuel finished reheating the other dishes. He took Evie from Katniss's arms. "I'll watch her. You eat first; it won't be good for your stomach if the food gets cold."
"Okay," Katniss said without hesitation. She glanced at the slightly open window in the corner of the Nguyen House courtyard and quickly took a few bites before using chopsticks to pick out Samuel's favorite dishes.
"I'll feed you. It won't be good for your stomach if you eat cold food."
Samuel smiled and ate what she offered.
She took a bite and fed him a bite, occasionally teasing Evie, creating a harmonious scene.
The window suddenly closed, whether by the wind or someone.
After eating, they returned to their place. Samuel worked on the inspection report while Katniss took a nap with Evie.
In the evening, the Nguyen family invited Katniss and Samuel for dinner again.
Katniss brought Evie and went with Samuel. They ate and drank, occasionally whispering to each other.
Since Samuel was holding Evie, they inevitably had some physical contact.
In the blink of an eye, it was the day before Tristan and Maddy's wedding.
When the Nguyen family invited Katniss again, she brought the wedding gift Samuel had helped prepare, along with a small box.
This time, Katniss and Samuel stayed until the end, after most of the guests had left.
"Ms. Nguyen, Mr. Forbes, it's not my place to interfere, but I must ask, are you sure you want to get married?" Katniss asked seriously.
Maddy replied without hesitation, "Of course, Ms. Grey, what kind of question is that?"
Katniss looked at Tristan.
He had one foot on the chair leg, his body leaning against the backrest, looking somewhat stiff.
He opened his thin lips and said, "Of course."
"Alright," Katniss said, handing the gift to Maddy. "This is my wedding gift to you."
Finally, she handed a small red box to Tristan. "This is better given to Mr. Forbes. I'm sure you'll find it useful."
Tristan stared at the box for a long time before taking it. A clear sound came from inside.
His eyes trembled, and his brows furrowed.
"Congratulations on your wedding. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and many children. I won't be attending the wedding tomorrow. Mr. Bennett and I are heading back to Velvet City. It's a shame we can't attend your wedding."
Maddy suggested, "Why don't Ms. Grey and Mr. Bennett stay a couple more days?"
Katniss smiled lightly. "No, it's time to leave. My ex-husband used to say that being indecisive is not a good thing. You have to be ruthless when necessary."
That was something Tristan had told her when she was his assistant.
He said it while she was in his bed for the second time.
The first time was an accident. The second time, she felt a bit chaotic because she had taken his money the first time, feeling like selling herself.
Tristan kissed her lips and said, "Being indecisive is not a good thing. You have to be ruthless when necessary."
"Ex-husband?" Maddy looked at Tristan. 'Wasn't that him?'
Worried that her gaze might reveal something, she quickly changed the subject. "What are your plans when you return to Velvet City, Ms. Grey?"
Katniss kept her eyes on Tristan. He sat there, looking down, his brows furrowed, not saying a word.
Was he indifferent, or...
"Yes, I plan to find a suitable father for Evie while she's still young, so she won't grow up without a dad."
She smiled at Maddy. "She's just starting to learn to say 'daddy.' It would be nice if someone responded."
The courtyard fell silent.
Katniss didn't linger. She turned to Samuel. "Let's go. We have a flight to catch tomorrow afternoon."
She picked up her bag, and Samuel, holding Evie, followed her out.
Tristan, who had been sitting steadily, suddenly stood up, causing the chair to make a loud noise.
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