Chapter 75 Couldn't Taste the Sweetness At All
Katniss felt a sudden wave of panic, and her smile almost slipped.
Was she playing the good girl?
Yeah, she was. Ever since they tied the knot three years ago, she never once asked Tristan for cash.
But the crazy part? The money for Sophia's treatment, the car, the house—all of it came from Tristan.
Who'd believe she didn't have a plan?
"Mr. Forbes probably digs obedient folks. So when we get back to Velvet City, I'll whip up another divorce agreement, cool?"
She couldn't keep it under wraps anymore. No way she could tell Tristan that as his special assistant, she couldn't even figure out who his wife was.
Offering the divorce papers herself was her way of hoping Tristan would see her smarts and not make things messy, so they could split on good terms.
Tristan felt this weird irritation, yanked at his tie, and looked at her. "Fine, just like before, give her twenty million bucks."
Twenty million was a lot, and Katniss was super tempted.
Leaving Tristan and getting twenty million right away wasn't that bad for her, at least the money would cover Sophia's medical bills for the next few years.
Her mouth was full of dessert, so she didn't say more, but she couldn't taste the sweetness at all.
In the afternoon, after the banquet, Brady took Tristan and a few others horseback riding.
Behind the Rose Estate was this huge green field, with a few white horses running free.
Tristan changed into a dark blue riding outfit, looking all broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, with a black helmet on his head and white gloves on his hands that really stood out.
He looked pretty striking, even a bit taller than Brady when they stood side by side.
Even Lucy couldn't help but say, "Katniss, you are really lucky."
Katniss couldn't help but smile and sighed, "Yeah, super lucky."
Even though her thing with Tristan started out of necessity, without him, she'd have been in a way worse spot these past few years.
"How did you two get together? Who made the first move?" Lucy asked, curious.
She always thought Tristan didn't seem like the type to make the first move, but Katniss didn't seem like the type to chase after someone either.
Katniss thought seriously before answering, "We were kinda thrown together, both pretty passive."
Lucy didn't quite get what she meant.
"Think of it as getting hitched first and falling in love later." Katniss tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear, her eyes reflecting the shimmering lake in the distance.
She looked like a painting, and Tristan, who was riding a horse in the distance, couldn't help but glance over now and then.
Seeing this, Lucy covered her mouth and laughed, "I've heard of a lot of business marriages, and they usually suck. You and Tristan are really lucky to find love."
Lucy's sweet words and genuine praise made Katniss feel like she was in a dream.
She decided to soak up the good vibes and nodded. "Yeah, we're super lucky."
"We're bored anyway, how about a game?" Lucy, like some kind of magician, pulled out two dice and placed them in front of her.
Katniss had no clue how to play with these things and frowned. "I don't know how."
Lucy, all excited, explained the rules, which were just rolling the dice and seeing who got the higher number.
The real fun was in the stakes: whoever won could make a request.
Katniss won the first round.
"Lucy, I hope Brady and Synergy Global Corporation can keep working together, no matter what happens in the future," Katniss said.
The Rose Estate had a big chunk of the wine market, and their partnership with Synergy Global Corporation had been a big deal for years.
If she and Tristan split, their cooperation would definitely take a hit according to Brady's rules.
Her words left Lucy stunned for a moment before she reacted. "What's going on? Is something up between you two?"
Katniss smiled and shook her head. "Not right now, but you never know with feelings."
Lucy stared at her, catching a hint of sadness in her eyes, though it was hard to spot, it was strong.
Even though it was just a small game, Lucy quickly agreed to her request.
They played a few more rounds, and Katniss lost them all, with Lucy making several requests, all about Tristan.
Lucy, lively and cheerful, kept her chatting and playing until dusk, when the two men led their horses back, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun.
Tristan, holding the reins, walked over to where they were chilling and handed the horse to a servant. Just as he was taking off his white gloves, a bright figure rushed over.
His arm was gently clasped by Katniss's hand, and he instinctively bent forward to meet her approaching lips.
A light kiss landed on his tense cheek, with a faint fragrance wafting over him.
His eyes deepened, filled with a smile.
"I lost at dice," Katniss confessed honestly, her ears still tinged with red, otherwise, she would have been too embarrassed to be so forward.
Tristan handed his gloves to a nearby servant, turned around, and pulled her into his arms.
Ignoring everyone else, he kissed her glossy lips.
But he didn't lose control, only kissing for a moment before letting go.
"This is what I call punishment. You were too half-hearted just now."
"Good point!" Lucy laughed, walked over, and hooked her arm around Brady's, making a face at Katniss. "See, Tristan is more genuine. Katniss, you're too bad!"
Brady looked at Lucy indulgently.
Katniss was both amused and exasperated. She had been subtle, but now she was being called bad.
After a few laughs, a servant came to invite them to the dining room. Lucy had fallen in love with the local cuisine and had hired local chefs.
There were even many dishes that Katniss had never tried before, all introduced to her by Lucy.
"From the looks of it, Katniss, you don't seem very knowledgeable about food. Do you not cook often?" Lucy asked.
Thinking about her own pasta, Katniss gave a dry laugh and looked at Tristan.
Tristan calmly said, "Her pasta is quite good."
'Quite good?' Hearing this made her feel guilty, and she buried her head in her food without looking up.
Tristan continued, "Next time, she can cook for you."
"Really?" Lucy was interested. "How about tomorrow morning? You guys aren't leaving until the afternoon, right?"
Tristan glanced at Katniss, as if considering something.
Suddenly, he felt his clothes being tugged. Looking down, he saw Katniss gripping his coat tightly.
'Could my cooking be presentable?' Katniss thought. She silently begged him to be kind and prevent her from leaving any blemish in Lucy's memory.
Tristan chuckled softly and didn't push it, responding, "Next time."
"That's right, you're not really in a condition to cook right now. Next time we go to Velvet City, you can cook for us!" Lucy, thinking about Katniss's "pregnancy", was very understanding.
Katniss, having dodged a bullet, glared at the still-smiling Tristan in embarrassment. Even when they returned to their room that night, she ignored him.
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, with the breeze blowing her hair, he stood behind her, his hands on her slender waist.
His chin rested on her head, his shallow breaths brushing against her hair.
"My pasta isn't good at all," Katniss said sullenly.
Tristan's magnetic voice replied, "It's indeed not good, so when we get back, you should learn to cook properly. That way, you won't embarrass yourself in front of the Brooks next time."
She choked, then stepped on Tristan's foot. "Aren't you just making things difficult for me?"
"Not at all." Tristan stood still, letting her step on him. "I'll teach you when we get back."
'Teach me?' Katniss was dazed, imagining his busy figure in the kitchen. It seemed so wonderful.
But once they got back, there'd be a divorce agreement. Where would there be a chance for him to teach her to make pasta?
"Okay." She didn't argue, took a deep breath, inhaling his clean, pleasant scent, then turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Her cheek pressed against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and the bitterness in her heart surged.
"Let's go to bed. I'm tired," she murmured softly.
In bed, she took the initiative to hold him; her slender arms surprisingly strong, hugging him tightly.
At first, he was quite surprised, his body tensing up slightly. Despite having engaged in intimate acts countless times, her spontaneous gesture of affection without any prompting left him momentarily unsure of how to respond.
After a long while, he felt this was the real her. His heart softened, and he held her in his arms.
At the airport in Velvet City, Katniss wore a light green trench coat, once again exuding her cold demeanor.
She followed behind Tristan, both of them radiating an unapproachable aura.
After leaving the airport and getting into the company car, Katniss sat next to him in the back.
As soon as the car started, he spoke, "I'm going to the office to handle some matters. You go investigate that issue."
That issue referred to investigating his wife.
"Yes." Katniss's hand on her lap tightened unconsciously, her clean fingers gripping the corner of her trench coat, watching the scenery fly by outside.
After dropping Tristan off at Synergy Global Corporation, Katniss went straight home, found her resume on the computer, added some personal information, and printed it out, placing it in a file folder.
Her information wasn't much; she hold just a few light sheets of paper in hand, yet she felt heavy.
She also added a divorce agreement, accepting the twenty million dollars Tristan offered.
With work piling up at Synergy Global Corporation, Tristan stayed overnight at the office. Katniss took the opportunity to go to the hospital and paid off the money she owed from last time.
She also sat with Sophia for a while, who kept urging her to marry George quickly.
She could only deflect, "Mom, although I'm not young anymore, George is still young. We should spend more time getting to know each other before considering marriage."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I got a little hotheaded. You know I wouldn't push you if I didn't have much time left. Please understand, I won't bring it up again." Sophia waved her hand and changed the subject, but it always circled back to her impending death, urging Katniss to prioritize herself.
Katniss had planned to stay and accompany her for the night, but Sophia insisted she go home to rest, worried she wouldn't sleep well in the hospital.
As soon as she left, Sophia went to find Damon.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
