Chapter 8 Back To The Past (3) 1387

• "What right do you have to humiliate and attack Franchesca? Who do you think you are to speak to her like that?"
• "Lucian..." Catherine refused to accept that he preferred to be with a woman like Franchesca. "I love you. This woman is not worthy of you. Why can't you love me? Why don't you give me a chance?"
• Lucian didn't even look at Catherine. He approached Franchesca and gently took her into his arms. "Don't be afraid, I'm here. It's her who is not worthy of me."
• He sweetly kissed Franchesca's hair and then turned to Catherine with disdain. "I warn you, do not look for her again. Understand that I have never liked you, I have never loved you. I will never love you. Even if you were the only option between living or dying, I would choose death. Have some shame and stay away from us!"
• Lucian's words once again pierced Catherine's heart. Each word he had spoken moments ago was a new wound, while the old ones had not yet healed. But even so, she refused to give up. As she turned to leave, she swore in her heart that someday Lucian would love her and regret his words.
• ---
• A few months later, Catherine unexpectedly encountered Franchesca again. She had accompanied some clients who had come to the city for business. Before she could say anything, Franchesca entered the elevator like a lost soul and didn't even notice Catherine's presence.
• Seeing the closed elevator doors, Catherine inwardly sighed. "Don't you have any manners? Walking without even looking at people."
• As Franchesca was about to exit, a paper on the floor caught her attention. It was a medical diagnostic report.
• "Is she sick?"
• There was a touch of complexity in her heart. After picking up the paper and reading it, Catherine felt like fate was aiding her.
• "Franchesca, do you have cancer?" Catherine asked without hesitation.
• Franchesca, who had just learned about her illness, looked at Catherine in surprise. She didn't care about this woman's opinion of her. She had a friend studying medicine, so she asked him about the topic before coming here.
• Catherine continued, "I'm willing to give you five million, money you would never earn in your life, but in exchange, you have to leave Lucian. You have to abandon him."
• Franchesca was confused. The news had taken her by surprise, but she still wanted to tell Lucian. Maybe together they could face the illness.
• Catherine saw the doubt in her eyes, and then said relentlessly, "Even if your illness is cured, you won't be able to have children in the future. Lucian is the eldest son of the family, and everyone expects him to have heirs. At some point, despite being cold and serious, he will want children. What will you do then? Have you thought about it? He will never want a woman who can't have children. So it's best for you to leave. Otherwise, when his parents hate you and his grandfather hates you, do you think he will be happy?"
• After signing the check and placing it in front of Franchesca, Catherine sighed. She had already given her heart, so she was unable to give up. Even if she acted dishonorably, she was determined to get the man who was meant for her.
• "Fine... I'll leave," Franchesca said quietly, defeated.
• Franchesca turned around to pack her things. Before leaving, she took the check from Catherine's hand.
• ---
• Lucian had spoken with his family, and they organized a dinner at home to meet Franchesca. But when he arrived at the hotel, only Catherine was there; there was no trace of Franchesca.
• When he saw Catherine, his face changed from happiness to disdain. "Why are you here? Where is Franchesca?"
• "She's gone," Catherine replied, smiling.
• "She's gone?" Lucian's eyes widened in surprise. Anxiety completely overwhelmed him. "Where did she go? What did you do to her?"
• Catherine approached, trying to console him. "She doesn't love you at all. I gave her five million and she accepted it. She left with a check. How can someone who loves you leave like that? It's clear that she loves money, not you."
• 'Pow!' Catherine's face turned to the side. The blow was strong. Lucian looked at Catherine with a grim expression, his eyes filled with anger towards the woman in front of him.
• "Who asked you to take care of me? I warned you to stay away. Can't you understand that?"
• "She doesn't love you!" Catherine felt her cheek burn from the blow, which now throbbed. She bit her lip and shouted as tears fell down her cheeks. "Lucian, can you calm down? You're only worth five million to her. Your beloved and dignified woman left you for five million."
• When Lucian raised his hand again, his eyes widened in fear, but he bit his lip desperately to avoid crying. He raised his head proudly and looked at Catherine. "Hit me, hit me as much as you want. No matter how much you do it, you can't change the fact that the woman you love left you for five million." He withdrew his hand. He wasn't in the habit of hitting women. But now, he was furious with Catherine, his eyes filled with rage as he looked at the woman he hated the most in his life.
• "Catherine, get out of here! I don't want to see you!"
• "No, I won't leave. I want you to see me!" she shouted, standing still.
• "Lucian, you may not see it now. But I'm the one who truly loves you. Not that woman."
• "You won't leave?" Franchesca's fragrance still lingered in the room, making the pain even more unbearable. Lucian looked at Catherine bitterly. "Since you won't leave, right? Then, I will!"
• Without looking at Catherine, he turned around and left the room, determined to find Franchesca.
• Six months passed, and Lucian searched tirelessly, without any answers. His mood changed completely, becoming a ruthless and cruel being. Constantly drinking, thinking he had lost the woman he loved and at the same time hating her for leaving him without any explanation. He hated himself for not being able to find her.
• What had gone wrong? There was no explanation for her fleeing. No one understood what had happened, and no one dared to persuade Lucian not to drink.
• Only Catherine dared. Seeing him almost lose consciousness in a bar, she took a step forward and asked him, "Please, stop now."
• Upon hearing her voice, Lucian raised his head, giving Catherine a cold and repugnant look. "Get out!"
• Her indifferent and cold voice revealed the disgust in her eyes. It was so obvious that Catherine was surprised. Her body froze, unable to move.
• "Lucian, she's not worth it, that woman..."
• "If you dare to mention her name again, believe it or not, I will strangle you!" With a voice full of anger, Lucian stopped looking at her and started drinking again.
• That night, Catherine couldn't bear to see him destroy himself like that, so she decided to put sleeping pills in the liquor. She asked everyone to go home, claiming that she would take care of him. Sergio helped her take him back. Despite the medicine, he had drunk too much alcohol, and Catherine was afraid that something might happen to him while under the effect of the pills.
• After Sergio left, Catherine looked at Lucian sleeping on the bed. The stern and cold face had disappeared; in her opinion, he was even more handsome. She had always known it, but she had never had the chance to be so close to him in this way.
• "Lucian?" Knowing he had fallen asleep, she thought he wouldn't wake up. Feeling brave, she reached out and gently caressed his face. "Why? Why do you refuse to look at me? I love you. Is my love not enough? I just ask for a chance."
• Leaning in, she kissed his lips carefully, then lay down beside him. Looking at the profile of his face, she thought that if he were sober, he would have pushed her away.
• At that moment, a bold thought came to Catherine's mind, and she suddenly sat up. Looking at Lucian who was still sleeping, she thought, “Now is your chance, why don't you take it?”