CHAPTER 26

Matthew went down the stairs while calming himself. What happened to Catherine's room made his heart somersault in his chest. He took a large intake of air and exhaled it before he made his way to the living room. He saw the five bodyguards of Catherine together with Mr. Park sitting on the couch talking about something and they all straightened up when they saw him.

"Matt, come here." Mr. Park said and motioned him to sit on his right side.

Matthew did what he told him. "Let's just wait for Catherine for a while."

They all sat there quietly while waiting for Catherine while Joseph was wearing that annoying smirk on his lips while looking at Matthew.

"This guy really wants to die." Matthew thought while giving Joseph a cold stare.

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Catherine came down then kissed his father's cheek, and sat beside Matthew.

"Catherine, you sat beside Joseph ." Her father said.

Matthew looked at Mr. Park confused, and he caught Joseph staring at him grinning, which made his blood boil.

"Why should I sit beside him, I'm good here beside Matt," Catherine answered, then sneakily grabbed Matthew's hand that was resting between them, and gave it a light squeeze.

Matthew hid the smile that formed on his lips and just ignored Catherine.

"Catherine, you went overboard last night. You hurt your bodyguards. It is okay If they were like your previous bodyguard but they're not, and one of them is soon to be your husband." Mr. Park said.

"Husband?? Dad, what are you talking about?" Catherine asked.

"Joseph is soon to be your husband, this was decided a long time ago. Joseph is the son of my business partner, and his father was not happy with what you did to him, and he wanted to pull out all his share from our company. Thanks to Joseph, he made his father change his mind." Mr. Park stated.

" Dad!! Catherine screamed standing up from the couch. "You can't do this to me, and I don't want to marry that jerk."

"Catherine, It was decided when you were 10 years old."

"No!! I won't, and the marriage won't happen." she angrily said.

Joseph stood up and went to Catherine smirking. "Just say yes already babe coz you can't do anything about it," Joseph said with an evil grin on his lips then put his arm around Catherine's waist but she slapped him.

"Dream all you want Jerk but it will never happen," Catherine screamed and pushed him hard.

Joseph gritted his teeth and grabbed Catherine's wrist but Matthew quickly pulled Catherine behind him and kicked Joseph causing him to stagger backward.

"Matt!!!!! Mr. Park screamed angrily, but he ignored him.

Joseph gritted his teeth while looking at Matthew. He rushed toward him, only to be approached by Matthew kicked again.

Joseph fell down this time, his friends rushed to him and helped him up. He glared at Matthew then pulled out his gun and pointed it at Matthew.

Matthew just chuckled. "Don't pull a gun if you can't fire it." He calmly said. He let go of Catherine's hand and in a blink of an eye, he was already beside Joseph ready to slit his neck.

Mr. Park quickly rushes to Matthew and quickly pulls him away. "Are you crazy!!!!! Mr. Park screamed.

Matthew just clicked his tongue, then kicked the pale Joseph away. He yanked his hand away from Mr. Park then went to Catherine who was shocked and held her hand. "Let's go." He whispered, then made their way to the door.

"Matt!!!!! Mr. Park screamed again, but Matthew just ignored him and continued walking. Mr. Park quickly went to the intercom. "Stop Matt." He ordered all the guards outside.

"Uncle.... who is he?" Joseph asked, still holding his stomach which was still in pain.

" I can't tell you right now, but I'm warning you, don't mess with him because he won't hesitate to kill you. If I wasn't able to pull him away earlier, you would be dead now." Mr. Park warned him.

"But Catherine," Joseph whispered.

"Don't worry, he won't do anything to her, he's been guarding her for four years he won't do anything that will harm her."

"That is not what I mean uncle, I can see that he likes her."

Mr. Park laughed. "Matt like my daughter, a stone, heartless, killed people without mercy, a heartless Matt like my daughter?" you're making me laugh," Mr. Park said, chuckling.

Joseph looked at him as if he was crazy. "But I can see it with my own eyes, he cared for her." Joseph clenched his jaw. Matt the war between us began. You don't know what I'm capable of doing, and you'll regret crossing my way." Joseph thought fist balled beside him.

***

Matthew and Catherine stepped out of the mansion, but the guards blocked their way. "Matt, what are you doing," Catherine whispered.

"Taking you away with that jerk."

"Why?" Matthew glared at her but Catherine smiled and hugged his waist. "Stop, we need to get out of here." He said while looking at the ten guards that were surrounding them.

"I can manage this," Catherine said, then pulled his gun from his waist.

"Step aside or I'll shoot all of you." She warned. Matthew looked at her amused.

"I'm sorry, miss Catherine but your father ordered us to stop you and Matt."

"Step aside or I'll shoot myself," Catherine warned and pointed the gun at her head. The guard was taking a back as well as Matthew.

"Yah! what are you doing," Matthew asked. He thought that Catherine was just scaring the guards but when she unlocked the gun he felt scared instantly.

"Yah Catherine." but she ignored him. The guard quickly stepped aside scared, because they were sure that Mr. Park will kill them when something bad happens to his precious daughter. Catherine smiled inside and quickly grabbed Matthew's hand.

"Don't dare to follow us." She warned and dragged Matthew toward his car. He quickly unlocked it and let her get inside before he went into the driver's seat. He quickly started the car and drove off. When they have a good distance away from the mansion, Catherine bursts into laughter while clutching her tummy.

"What's funny?" Matthew asked.

"You," Catherine answered between her laughter. "Oh my god if only you see your face earlier when I unlock the gun, it was epic." She laughed.

"You think this is funny huh!" Matthew coldly said then quickly made a U-turn.

"Where are we going? " Catherine asked.

"I'll hand you to Joseph," Matthew said seriously. Catherine quickly stiffened and her face went pale.

"You're just joking right?" she nervously asked, but Matthew ignored her and continued driving.

"Yah! Matthew stopped the car. I won't go back there." Catherine said clutching his arm, but Matthew just focused his eyes on the road.

"Yah! I'm not going home." Catherine said, hitting his shoulder, ``stop the car." She screamed now crying. She takes hold of the steering wheel but Matthew yanks her hand away and then faces his back to her covering the steering wheel with his body. Catherine angrily punches his back but Matthew just hid the smile on his lips.

But he jerks on his seat and quickly steps the break when Catherine bites his shoulder. They were lucky coz no cars behind them.

"Yah!!! Matthew screamed. Catherine quickly let go of his shoulder, then grabbed the chance to get out of the car but it was a lock.

"Open the door." Matthew just shrugged his shoulders while rubbing the swollen part that she bites.

Catherine slapped him but Matthew caught her hand before it hit his face and pinned it on his lap. Catherine throws him a death glare with her tears running down her cheek. She tried to slap him again using her other hand but Matthew also caught it and pinned it on his lap together with her other hand. Catherine lowers her head sobbing.

"I don't want to go home, I don't want to marry that jerk, let me get out of here." She whispered.

"Look at me," Matthew whispered. Catherine looks up at him still crying and stiffened when Matthew pecks her lips. "I won't let him, so don't worry." He whispered and let go of her hand. Catherine quickly hugged him and buried her face in his shoulder sobbing.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"I love you," Matthew whispered.

Catherine's eyes widened and her heart instantly pounded inside her chest. She broke the hug and looked at Matthew who was staring at her with his soft gaze, not the usual cold and blank. This look is full of love and adoration only for her.

"What did you say?" She asked not believing what she heard.

Matthew clicked his tongue and then started the car. "Repeat, what you said earlier," Catherine asked.

" Not my fault if you're deaf, I'm not saying it again.," Matthew said, eyes focused on the road.

Catherine dried her tears pouting. "You said I love you, but I'm not sure if I heard it right." She murmured, but loud enough for Matthew to hear. He smiled and blew air from his lungs, stealing a glance at her who was still pouting and murmuring something he couldn't understand. Matthew felt something heavy lifted away from his shoulder just by saying I love you to her. He can stop the smile that was forming his lips while listening to Catherine murmuring beside him.

After one and a half hours of driving, he pulled inside the garage of the two-story house. Matthew got out of his car and opens Catherine's door, but she is still spacing out.

"You want to stay inside the car for the whole day?" He asked, chuckling. Catherine quickly blinks her eyes and looks outside.

"Who's house is this?"

"Mine, so get out now."

Catherine stepped out of the car looking around. Matthew closed the door and locks it. "C'mon let's go inside." He said and walked toward the front door. Catherine followed behind him with her eyes roaming around the area. The house was far away from the neighborhood as if it was purposely built away from others.

Matthew unlocks the front door and steps inside, he opens the door wider to let her in. Catherine stepped inside and she was surprised, the house was surprisingly clean. It was painted white and black and all the things inside are a combination of white and black only.

"Have a seat," Matthew said and motioned her to sit on the couch. Catherine sat on the couch while Matthew went somewhere inside the house, and a minute later he came back carrying two glasses of juice in his hand. He handed the one glass to her and then sat beside her.

"So what now?" He asked while drinking his juice.

"Huh! Catherine asked don't know what he meant.

"What are we going to do now, if you go home your father will force you to marry that guy, but if you stay here, your father will still get you out here."

"I don't know," Catherine answered honestly. "Ah... what about I tell Dad that I love you and I want to marry you instead of Joseph ." Matthew chokes on his juice, coughing.

"Why you don't want to marry me someday, you said you love me," Catherine said pouting.

"Your father won't agree."

"How can you be sure about it.?"

"I'm 100% sure," Matthew said and emptied his glass.

"Why... he trusts you, I can see that," Matthew chuckled.

"Yes he trusts me on his business, but I'm sure he won't trust his daughter on the hand of the son of the person he killed." Matthew thought. " "Yes he trusts me as your bodyguard, but not your lover." He said.

Catherine smiled and then hugged him. "So that means you're my lover now." She teased resting her chin on his chest while looking up at him grinning. Matthew hissed then poke her forehead. Catherine chuckled and lightly bit his chest giggling.

"Yah! Are you seducing me?"

"What if I am." She said, smirking.

Matthew hissed and pushed her away from him and quickly scooted away. Catherine burst into laughter, then crawled toward him and laid on his lap.

" Can I sleep here, I still have a hangover," she murmured, closing her eyes. "Ouch!!! Catherine whined rubbing her forehead when Matthew flicked it. "What is that for? " she whined.

"For bothering me," Matthew answered, then made her head comfortable on his lap. Catherine smiled, closing her eyes again. Matthew sighed and gently combed her hair using his finger which pulled her to sleep.

"This is getting more complicated." Matthew thought.