His Intention

~~~CAT'S POV~~~

I came back to my office after having lunch with Grace when I almost bumped into Daisy. She didn't even look at me when she passed through me. I looked behind me and watched as she went to her desk and gathered her things.

Why is she gathering her things from her table?

Then I noticed that she was crying.

I walked towards her desk. "What's wrong?" I asked her only for her to scowl at me. I was taken aback not expecting that angry look from her as if I killed her cat.

"You…is what's wrong!" She snapped at me. "Because of you, I was transferred to another department!" She spat angrily at me.

Okay. Maybe Nate finally realized that I don't need an assistant. So, what is she angry about? It's not as if she lost her job. She was only transferred to another department. I don't see what is wrong with that and why she should be angry at me. But of course, I didn't say it out loud.

Then I realize, that maybe she is angry that she was transferred to another department and she won't be close to Nate anymore.

Wait! Did she just say that it was because of me? I didn't ask Nate to transfer her. Oh no! What did Nate tell her?

"Because of me? I don't understand," I shook my head as I looked at her quizzically.

Daisy straightened her back and looked at me sternly, she had already stopped crying. She wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her palm and pointed a finger at me.

"Don't play innocent Catherine! I know that Mr. Vann keeps you as his mistress. Don't think that I didn't know the reason why Mr. Vann transferred me to another department." She walks around her desk and now she is standing in front of me. "He wanted to continue your obscenities away from the eyes of his employees. But too late now Catherine, because everyone here knows that you are Mr. Vann's mistress and it wouldn't take long for Mrs. Vann to find out."

Daisy takes another step closer to me not minding that my expression had already turned dark.

"What would you do now? Catherine?" She asked me pointing her finger at my chest.

I quickly grab her wrist and throw it away from me. "You don't know a thing, Daisy. Stop spreading rumors that are not true," I said then I walked away from her.

To say that I am angry is an understatement. I am livid.

Grace already told me about the possibility that Daisy is spreading rumors about me being a mistress but I ignore it. Now I am certain. And Nate just made the rumors seem true by getting rid of Daisy.

I clenched my fist on both my sides and I am sure that they are already white. I barged into Nate's office without even bothering to knock.

He looks up at me with that devilishly gorgeous face. The moment our eyes met, his eyes eventually turned soft. And for a moment, I forgot that I was angry. No, I am not angry with him nor with Daisy. I am angry with the situation I am currently in.

I shook my head and reminded myself of the reason I am standing now in front of this gorgeous devil.

"What did you do to Daisy?" I asked and probably he noticed my mood because his face became solemn.

"I transferred her to another department," He said sternly as he leaned back to his chair and propped up his elbows on the armrest.

"Why?" I asked with a frown.

"You said you don't need her, so I transfer her where she is needed,"

I shook my head, noticing that he was lying to me. "That's not what she said to me,"

His brows pulled together, "What did she say to you?"

I tilted my head, "Why don't you tell me?" Have I become comfortable around him that I dared to talk back to him? I don't know but I noticed that faint smile on the corner of his lips before he became serious again.

"She was spreading rumors that you are my mistress. She should be thankful that I didn't fire her knowing that she needed a job. But if she continued spreading those rumors, I would not hesitate. I might even blacklist her."

Anger and confusion danced in my eyes and he could probably notice it. I have a lot of questions in my mind but the first word that came to my lips was, "Why?"

He cocked his head to me then he seemed to realize that I am still standing in front of him. "Please sit down first and calm down. The last thing we want is for you to collapse in front of me having another flare," As he was saying that, he stood up and walked around the desk.

Thinking that I might not oblige, he pulled me to the sofa and let me sit comfortably.

"Why would you do that?" I asked again as he had taken a seat in front of me.

"She is spreading rumors about you and I will not tolerate it,"

I sighed because that is not the answer I wanted to hear. I wanted to know why he would go to such lengths as to blacklist Daisy for spreading rumors about me. I shook my head and put that question at the back of my mind. Because I might not like his response to that.

"How did you know that she is spreading those rumors?" I asked him after a while.

"You think I would not know what is happening inside my company, Catherine? I have a lot of ways," He said as he crossed his legs in front of him.

"You shouldn't have done that,"

"Why?"

"Because it only makes her think that I am your mistress," I said, not looking at him and instead I focused my gaze on the shelf behind him.

I heard him sigh. "Catherine, you are not my mistress," I heard him say.

Or course! I am not even qualified to be your mistress. I thought internally though I felt needles pricking my poor heart. What are you expecting him to say, Catherine? I chastise myself internally.

Nate stood up from his seat and the next thing I know, he is already sitting on the coffee table dangerously close to me. I pulled myself back to get some space from him but there is not enough space behind me. So, I am forced to feel the heat coming from his body. Him being so close to me is affecting me in a strange way that I haven't felt before.

"You are more than a mistress," He said then he shook his head. "No, in fact, you are in a different category,"

What?

He reached out for my hand that was on my lap and clasped them between his hands. "Look at me, Catherine,"

I don't want to, but there is a certain pull from his gaze that made me look at him and unable to look away.

"It is unfair and definitely not right for everyone to falsely label you as my mistress when you are not. Especially since I don't have a wife anymore. And I want to set this straight and right,"

If I am thinking about what he is thinking, I don't want him to go on. But I want to hear what he is going to say. Damn, this ambivalence.

Confusion and conflict are probably plastered on my face by the way that he is staring at me. I wanted to voice out my confusion but my words were stuck in my throat.

"I want you to be my girlfriend, Catherine," He said in his sincerest way without taking his eyes off of my eyes.

As soon as he said that, I am deaf. I cannot hear anything but the loud thumping of my heart against my chest. It was so loud and fast that it felt like I ran a couple of miles. And that is what I wanted to do right now. I want to run away from here. Away from him. Because if I don't I might probably say yes and before I realize it, I had already pulled them down with me.

That cannot happen. Damn, I love this man in front of me who wants me to be his girlfriend. I love his daughters like they were mine but I cannot be selfish and think only of what I want and what would make me happy.

No one will be happy with me, I will only be a burden to the people I love.

"No," Before I knew it, I already blurted out the word.

I saw the pain in his eyes and I immediately wanted to take back my word. How could a simple two-letter word hurt a person that I once dubbed as a devil?

I felt my heart wanted to jump out of its cage and betray me by jumping toward Nate to permanently latch on to him when in fact, it was I who betrayed my own heart and wants nothing but to be with him.

Nate released my hands and leaned back providing a little space between us. I could still see the pain in his face and I fought so hard to resist the urge to reach out and place my hand on his face.

I hurt him and at the same time, I hurt myself as well.

"I...I..." My lips tremble as I try to come out with words. He looks at me with hopeful eyes and I instantly look away.

"Can I...E-excuse m-me." I bit my lower lip as my hand started to tremble. I could feel my whole body start to tremble. I know I am starting to have the pain but I don't feel it. I feel numb seeing his pained expression. I don't feel any of my pain because all I could feel now is his pain.

I stood up from my seat because I cannot take it any longer. I have to leave now.