CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 64- RICH, POWERFUL, AND HANDSOME

Renata was picked up from the hospital by Riley, who had rushed back from out of town early that morning just to help Catherine bring Renata home. Riley had a car, which made things much easier than Catherine taking a patient along with large bags and trying to hail a taxi herself.

That was what friends were for—they didn’t have to be there all the time or keep in constant contact. Just showing up when needed most was enough.

Catherine felt lucky to have a sincere friend like Riley.

The three of them returned home. Catherine helped Renata upstairs, while Riley played the role of the strong helper, carrying bag after bag upstairs. Renata had been in the hospital for twenty days, and she had accumulated quite a few things.

Renata was pleased with the place Catherine had rented, but beyond the satisfaction, a tinge of melancholy lingered.

No matter how good it was, it wasn’t their original home. It wasn’t their own house.

Catherine sensed what Renata was thinking and went over to comfort her.

"Mom, as long as you’re here, anywhere can be home."

Renata sighed.

"It’s mommy who’s sorry for you..."

Renata had always been strong, but she hadn’t expected to face such suffering in her old age. She had originally left that apartment for Catherine, thinking it could serve as a respectable dowry when Catherine got married.

But now...

Mother and daughter were truly penniless. For a woman as strong-willed as Renata, this situation was unbearably sad.

"Mom, you’re not allowed to say that anymore!"

Catherine’s expression and tone were unusually serious.

"There’s no such thing as anyone owing anyone. The fact that you survived is the greatest gift from heaven. Money is just an external thing—we’ll earn it again if it’s gone. Besides, I’ve already found a job. Everything will be fine."

Riley, who had just come in, also moved to comfort Renata.

"That’s right, Renata. What you need to do now is focus on getting better so Cici can fight her way through the workplace without worries!"

As she spoke, Riley made chopping motions with her hands. Catherine glared at her.

"You make it sound like a battlefield!"

Riley gave her a lesson.

"The workplace is a battlefield. Understand?"

Riley had entered the industry two years earlier than Catherine—specifically, the modeling circle—and had long understood the unspoken rules inside and outside that world.

Catherine also knew what it meant that the workplace was a battlefield. She didn’t have many ambitions yet; she just wanted to do well in this job and make it through the internship without being eliminated.

Bert Design, after all, was a famous company in Burg Eltz, but competition and evaluation systems would surely be harsh and strict. Even before starting work, Catherine could already feel the pressure.

Riley continued to comfort Renata.

"Our Cici is so good. Maybe in the future she’ll find a rich, powerful, and handsome husband. Then you won’t have to worry about anything—you can just enjoy life."

The "rich, powerful, and handsome" Riley mentioned was clearly in reference to Bert’s conditions. Catherine couldn’t help but glare at her, silently telling her not to speak recklessly.

Riley had always been that carefree type, so Renata just took her words as a joke. Still, she couldn’t deny that listening to Riley had lightened her mood a bit.

As for her daughter’s future partner, Renata didn’t have high demands. The "rich, powerful, and handsome" Riley mentioned didn’t matter to her. All she hoped for was someone who would truly care for her daughter.

No betrayal, no harm—that was enough.

After settling everything, Catherine prepared lunch. Riley stayed to eat with her. Catherine told her that in the afternoon she would go shopping and hoped Riley could accompany her, so Riley didn’t leave.

Now that Renata had been discharged, Catherine decided to start work the next day. She needed to pick up a few clothes for herself, and she also wanted to buy a suit for Bert. Since Riley had time, Catherine asked her to go along and help deliver it, settling everything before officially starting work.

Later that day, Bert tried on several suits. Catherine thought they all looked good, noted the sizes and models, and planned to have Riley help her choose the final one before buying it.

Before leaving, Renata reminded Catherine to have dinner out with Riley, insisting she treat Riley since she had helped so much during her hospital stay. In the first few days after the surgery, Catherine had stayed by her bedside constantly, and all three meals were prepared by Riley’s parents.

Catherine agreed. She had plenty to talk to Riley about, plus she needed her company to deliver Bert’s suit. Dinner outside seemed inevitable.

The first thing they did after heading out was to pick a suit for Bert. Once Riley heard the whole story, she didn’t hold back her criticism.

"He actually had the nerve to make you pay for his clothes? Doesn’t he know you’re strapped for cash? And he even wanted two shirts—"

Riley didn’t know what else to say. Whatever—she had never understood Bert’s behavior from the start, and she wasn’t about to try guessing now. But she went ahead and concluded, based on instinct:

"Anyway, no matter what he does, I just feel like he has some kind of interest in you!"

"Then... what do you think it is about me that he likes?"

Catherine asked softly to Riley.

It wasn’t that she was insecure—Bert was just too outstanding. A man like him had many options; she was probably the most ordinary of them all.

For him to like her? It seemed somewhat unreasonable.

"Things like that, how are we outsiders supposed to know?"

Riley said as she drove.

"Love is mysterious. Many times, what seems incompatible or illogical to outsiders can be perfect and unique to those involved."

Riley spoke to Catherine like a love expert. Catherine shook her head.

"That’s impossible. Stop talking nonsense."

"I’m not in the mood to think about those things right now. I just want to take good care of my mom and work hard," Catherine said.

Her world was simple. She didn’t want to get entangled in complicated matters.

Bert’s identity and family background were far beyond her reach.

Riley laughed, her tone bright and cheerful.

"Don’t worry about it. What’s yours will be yours eventually. What’s not yours, no matter how tightly you hold it, you’ll still lose."

Riley’s words reminded Catherine of Gerald.

Indeed, what wasn’t hers would eventually be lost, just like Gerald had been to her.

After buying the suit, the two of them went to buy some women’s clothes for Catherine.

Of course, not in a large shopping mall, but in some smaller street shops. Riley, being a model, had a good sense of fashion and style, so she helped Catherine pick out a few affordable outfits suitable for work.

They went to deliver the suit to Bert after dinner. Although Catherine wasn’t yet working, it was still a weekday, so she thought it best to deliver it in the evening. If she went during the day, Bert would likely be at his office, and showing up there would be too conspicuous.

Not knowing Bert’s address, Catherine called him beforehand to ask for it, making sure to mention that she was bringing him a suit.

On the other end, he asked quietly,

"You’re coming over?"

Catherine caught a note of surprise in his voice and quickly said,

"If it’s inconvenient, we can do it another day..."

He was silent for a moment, his voice deep.

"Come over."

He then gave her the address and briefly explained the route before hanging up. Soon after, Catherine received a text with the same address, presumably in case she hadn’t caught it clearly over the phone.

Riley peeked at the text, started the car, and remarked,

"He’s thoughtful—makes sure you got it right by sending it in writing too."

She sighed and added,

"Sometimes you just have to admit it—older men are meticulous. Every move, every word, exudes a calm and charming aura. Makes me want to find an older man myself."

Catherine held her phone silently, glanced at the address one more time, and then put it away.

As Riley said, he really was careful. Catherine had no idea about his address, and even if he explained it several times over the phone—building number, unit, floor, or apartment—she might not remember it all. Sending the address again via text eased that worry.

Riley drove Catherine to the building where Bert lived. Catherine had hoped Riley would accompany her upstairs, since it felt a bit awkward to visit a single man’s home alone in the evening to deliver something.

Riley had originally agreed, but when they arrived, she absolutely refused to go up, leaving Catherine frustrated.

"It’s so inappropriate for me to go up alone—just a man and a woman."

"It’d be even more inappropriate if I went with you. I’d be a superfluous, giant third wheel."

Riley didn’t know exactly what Bert was up to, but her intuition told her that Bert’s feelings for Catherine were not simple, so she wisely stayed back to avoid getting in the way.

Then Riley tried to reassure Catherine,

"Don’t worry. I’ll wait right here downstairs. If anything happens, call me immediately. I’ll come running to save you."

Catherine couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

"What danger could there possibly be?"

If there had been any real danger, it would have already happened. That night, when he had stayed over at her house after she got drunk, nothing untoward occurred, right?

The reason she had considered asking Riley to come upstairs was simply that the atmosphere when she was alone with Bert felt far too quiet. Catherine didn’t plan to stay long—she only intended to drop off the suit and leave. She might not even go inside; just hand him the suit at the door and be done with it.

Riley stubbornly refused to get out of the car, so Catherine had no choice but to carry the suit herself. She reminded Riley to stay put and behave while she went up. Riley agreed and urged her to hurry.