Chapter 57 I'm Gonna Make It Even Juicier
The empty hallway had this cold breeze sneaking in from the window, smacking Katniss right in the face.
She fixed her game face and headed straight for Bella's room, but bam, she ran smack into someone at the corner.
"Sorry, I..." Katniss started to say.
The dude's face twisted in anger, and he rubbed the spot where she bumped him. "Katniss?" he snapped.
She didn't expect to run into Jasper here, already out of his hospital gown. 'Did he get discharged?' she wondered.
"Mr. Bell, you..."
Under the light, Jasper's glare was icy, and he looked super pissed. "Don't act all respectful now, you're pretty slick yourself!"
His sarcastic tone threw Katniss off.
"Don't think you're getting off easy this time. Between Michael and Tristan, your life's about to get real messy. Let's see how you handle it," Jasper growled, then laughed like he just thought of something funny.
"Your love life's already a soap opera; I'm gonna make it even juicier! And let that jerk Michael know he can't just use me like a pawn!" Jasper added.
After dropping those cryptic lines, Jasper shoved her aside and stormed into the elevator.
Katniss hit the wall and turned to watch the elevator doors close, Jasper's angry face still clear in her mind.
Even with the doors shut, his image stuck with her. She didn't get why Jasper was so mad, but from his words, it seemed like he was letting her off this time.
So, was Matilda hurting him just gonna be brushed off?
She stood there, dazed, until she heard a noise up ahead. Instinctively, she looked over and saw Tristan coming out of the ward.
He had an open beer can, a slight sheen on his lips, and he swallowed the beer as soon as he saw her.
Their eyes locked, both stunned.
After a moment, Katniss moved first, walking towards him. "Mr. Forbes, why are you drinking in the hospital?"
"Is there a rule against it?" Tristan asked coolly, taking a few more sips, the clear liquid dripping from the corner of his mouth down his Adam's apple.
As Katniss got closer, she could tell he looked a bit on edge, maybe worried that Bella hadn't been discharged yet.
She didn't know what to say for a moment.
"What are you doing here so late?" Tristan stood by the window, one hand in his pocket, the dark scenery outside reflecting in his eyes.
Katniss swallowed and thought for a second before saying, "Just wanted to remind you, Mr. Forbes, there's a monthly executive meeting at the company at nine tomorrow morning. Can't be postponed or canceled."
He had to be at the company tomorrow.
Tristan looked down at her, guilt all over her small, delicate face.
"Anything else?" he asked.
Since Jasper's issue was sorted, she didn't need to bring up quitting in front of Tristan. She shook her head, "Nope."
Tristan's eyes narrowed, his gaze lingering on her. "You sure there's nothing else?"
Katniss had been bottling up her frustrations, and his probing almost made her snap.
Her lips twitched, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything and just shook her head again.
The silence was thick, and even with her head down, she could feel Tristan's eyes on her.
"Mr. Forbes, I'll be going now."
She turned and walked to the elevator, quickly pressing the button. Only after the doors closed did she let out a sigh of relief.
She didn't see Tristan suddenly move, striding over to press the elevator button just as the doors shut.
On the drive home, Katniss's car sped along, the half-open window letting the wind mess up her hair.
It took her just half an hour to get back to Oakwood Hills. She got out, closed the door, and walked slowly to her front door when suddenly, a strong car light blinded her.
She raised her hand to shield her eyes, only to see a tall figure get out of the car and walk towards her quickly.
Before she could react, strong arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her up.
The password lock clicked open, and in a dizzying moment, she was carried into the house, where the lighting was dim.
Tristan's intense kisses started from her forehead, leaving a trail of redness wherever they touched.
The faint smell of tobacco and alcohol on his breath instantly enveloped Katniss. Her body was pressed against the wall, her hands pinned around his strong waist.
The kiss was fierce, like he wanted to devour her.
But within that fierceness was a gentleness that made her melt.
Their kiss started out of nowhere, but it was something Katniss couldn't resist. The curtains in the room were half-open, letting in the moonlight.
The mood was just right, and he seemed especially urgent, not wanting to go upstairs at all.
He placed her on the hallway cabinet, his cool fingers unbuttoning her shirt one by one, revealing her delicate collarbone.
Her skin quickly bore large patches of kiss marks, shocking and blush-inducing.
Suddenly, Tristan's phone rang in his pocket. Without breaking the kiss, he took it out and glanced at it.
It was Bella. Without hesitation, he turned off the phone and tossed it aside, letting out a muffled grunt as he lifted her onto the sofa.
His movements were gentle, treating her like a rare treasure, repeatedly whispering her name in her ear.
As dawn broke, painting the sky with its glow, Katniss finally closed her eyes and drifted off just as the first ray of sunlight streamed in.
Only then did Tristan let her go. He lay down beside her, holding her soft body in his arms.
They didn't sleep long before Katniss's alarm clock went off. Despite their all-night escapade, they both felt surprisingly refreshed.
Tristan propped his head up with one hand, watching her with a satisfied grin as she got out of bed.
"I'll grab your clothes. I can only whip up some pasta for breakfast; that cool?" She felt a bit embarrassed, remembering George's complaints about her pasta.
Tristan first frowned, then raised an eyebrow and said, "Sure."
Seeing him frown, Katniss thought he might be worried about her cooking, but then he agreed, surprising her for a moment.
She went into the walk-in closet, changed into her work clothes, and brought out the suit Tristan had left there earlier.
She picked up Tristan's clothes from the floor, tidied up a bit, and then made two servings of pasta.
Tristan got up ten minutes later, his eyes never leaving her, feeling a sudden warmth in his heart.
Maybe he was hungry, so he ate quickly but still gracefully, though there was a slight furrow in his brow the whole time.
"I'll try to get better at cooking," Katniss said.
She was used to it and didn't think much of it. But she would like to improve for him.
"No need, it's fine," Tristan said, finishing his soup and putting the dishes in the kitchen.
Seeing this, she sped up, quickly finished eating, and headed straight to Synergy Global Corporation, arriving just in time for the meeting.
The senior execs from various departments were already in place, and the large conference room was super quiet because the latest business gossip was on the table.
Unsurprisingly, Tristan was the male lead, and Bella was the female lead. Several high-def photos of Tristan taking care of Bella in the hospital were blown up, showing all the details.
The last rumor hinted that Bella and Tristan were back together and briefly mentioned that Tristan had no feelings for his mysterious wife.
This time, the media focused on Bella's actions after returning from abroad.
She had visited Tristan every day, even had took a job as a secretary at Synergy Global Corporation, lowering her status completely!
Several photos of Tristan taking care of Bella in the hospital showed him looking very annoyed, as if he was unwilling.
The media speculated that Tristan actually didn't want to be with Bella, and maybe over the years, he had been sweetly in love with his mysterious wife.
It was Bella's return that disrupted Tristan's happy life, and her character and morals were seriously questioned.
The news spread like wildfire, but it didn't faze Tristan much. This time, Bella took the brunt of it.
Tristan looked dead serious, so the conference room was silent, and no one dared to bring it up. The regular meeting kicked off under Katniss's lead.
Katniss sneaked a glance at Tristan. When he was reading the newspaper earlier, he had tugged at his tie, making his clothes look a bit disheveled but still dignified.
She guessed he must be feeling particularly sorry for Bella. Things probably weren't going smoothly at the hospital, and he seemed a bit restless.
The meeting was supposed to last two hours, but under Katniss's direction, it wrapped up in an hour and a half.
As they left the conference room, Katniss followed Tristan and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Forbes, do you need me to get a car ready to go to the hospital now?"
"No need," Tristan said, then stopped and looked at her sideways. "Just do your job and don't worry about other things."
Katniss was taken aback, staring at him as he entered his office, then pursed her lips and returned to her own office.
Bella didn't show up for work. Following Tristan's usual routine, she made a cup of coffee and brought it in.
"Mr. Forbes, you have a lunch appointment with the president of Apex Holdings Group, and a golf game scheduled afterward."
Tristan's gaze shifted from the computer screen to the coffee she made. He took a sip, raising an eyebrow.
Katniss was about to say something when the office door suddenly opened, and Michael walked in with Bella, who looked pale and had swollen eyes from crying.
Michael, who usually had a smile on his face, looked very grim at the moment. He stood in front of the desk, looking down at Tristan. "Tristan, you need to handle this situation."
If Tristan doesn't respond, then everything Bella has done will be seen as meddling and being cheap. The public had already been harshly criticizing her.
If Tristan could come forward and clarify, saying that he had no feelings for his wife and had always been in love with Bella, the criticism Bella faced would lessen.
From Katniss's perspective, having Tristan handle it was indeed the best outcome.
Tristan calmly said, "If Grandma finds out I did this without her permission, I'm worried she won't be able to take it."
Tristan looked at Michael, his gaze unwavering.
Michael gritted his teeth, squinting slightly, and said without looking back, "Katniss, please take Bella out and comfort her. I need to talk to Tristan alone."
Tristan leaned back in his chair and nodded at Katniss. "Go ahead."
"Miss Astor, this way, please," Katniss said, leading Bella out.
As soon as they left Tristan's office, Bella suddenly shoved Katniss, causing her to stumble and hit a desk before regaining her balance.
"He was with you last night? We didn't do anything, but you're the one always entangled with him. Why should I bear this responsibility!" Bella snapped.
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