From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 109- character

The opinions of the so-called parents and siblings she mentioned had never truly mattered to him.

Dave and Lilian had already met her, and their attitudes were clear—especially Lilian, who genuinely liked Catherine.

As for his parents, he was confident he could persuade them to accept the woman he had chosen.

And he had to persuade them. Since he had chosen her, there was no reason she should be made to suffer even the slightest grievance.

Catherine had no idea how long she cried. Only when she felt that all the pent-up emotions inside her had finally been released did she lift her head from his chest, eyes red and swollen. He looked at her with a faint smile and asked,

"Finished crying?"

She felt a little embarrassed by his words. He reached out, gently wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes with his thumb.

"If you have something painful, cry it all out at once," he said softly. "From now on, I won’t let you cry again."

Her nose stung, and she nearly burst into tears all over again.

His words were far too moving—far too tender.

I won’t let you cry again.

Such a simple sentence, yet it carried a weighty promise. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Sometimes, a person cries not because they’ve been wronged, but because they’ve been deeply touched.

Under the night sky, her eyes—washed clean by tears—were clearer and brighter than ever, quietly captivating. It wasn’t always a seductive gaze that stirred desire; sometimes, it was eyes so pure they made one want to shatter that purity, to stain them with emotions brought forth by oneself alone.

Bert knew he couldn’t stay with her any longer. If he did, the thoughts in his mind would only grow more dangerous.

Humans were strange creatures. Once a relationship was confirmed, desire immediately intensified. At this moment, he was no longer satisfied with merely kissing her. He wanted more—wanted the deepest intimacy between a man and a woman, wanted her to belong to him completely, both heart and body.

Catherine spoke softly, urging him,

"It’s late. You should head back."

Bert could only force down those raw, instinctive urges.

"Alright. I’ll leave after I see you go upstairs."

"Drive safely."

She didn’t linger. After saying that, she turned to leave.

But he suddenly pulled her back, his tone tinged with helpless amusement.

"You really are heartless."

Then he drew her into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her deeply—lingering, tasting—before finally letting her go.

Blushing furiously, Catherine pushed him away and ran off. Bert stayed where he was for a few minutes, watching her disappear, before turning back to his car and driving away.

When Catherine returned home, Renata was already waiting for her.

Since Catherine had decided to be with Bert, she chose to be honest with her mother as well.

Renata could surely sense Bert’s feelings through everything that had happened tonight, so Catherine focused on explaining his background, his current achievements, and his company.

As expected, Renata frowned slightly after listening.

"His mother once interfered in someone else’s marriage?"

Catherine nodded. She didn’t try to hide it for Bert. Renata would learn about it sooner or later—better to hear it from her than from someone else.

Renata looked at her, her voice heavy with concern.

"Cici, a person’s character is largely shaped by their mother. With a mother like that, do you really think he can be someone you can rely on?"

"What I mean is—if his mother was capable of interfering in someone else’s marriage, then by nature she must be rather fickle and indulgent in love. Aren’t you afraid that he might be the same?"

Renata continued,

"And he has money and power. The temptations around him must be endless. I’m not trying to discourage you, but I truly don’t want your marriage to end up like mine. I would much rather you choose an ordinary man—even if he isn’t as wealthy or powerful as Bert—as long as he is steady and loyal to you."

Perhaps because her own marriage had fallen apart due to Channing’s infidelity, Renata had never held a favorable view of wealthy men. The saying that men grow corrupt once they have money wasn’t groundless—there were simply too many negative examples around her. How could she not worry, when Catherine had chosen a man like Bert?

The last time they had dinner together, Renata had felt Bert’s attentiveness and consideration. And tonight, she had witnessed his protection of her daughter as well. But when men pursue women, they are capable of saying the sweetest words and doing the most touching things. Renata feared that Bert’s feelings might be nothing more than a fleeting passion.

Once time passed—once boredom set in, or his heart shifted elsewhere—the one who would suffer in the end would still be her daughter.

As a mother, Renata couldn’t help but think things through carefully for Catherine.

Faced with her mother’s string of questions, Catherine replied softly,

"Mom, as for whether he’s good or bad, I want to feel it with my own heart. If I’m always afraid of getting hurt and never dare to love, how would I ever know who my true happiness is?"

Everything Renata worried about—Catherine had worried about too.

It was precisely because she shared those same fears that she had kept retreating, hesitating, and avoiding him. But everything that happened tonight—his gentle yet unwavering protection—had completely dispelled those fears. It made her understand that if you love someone, you have to be brave enough to love them.

Although Catherine’s manner was gentle and unhurried, Renata could clearly sense the firmness in her tone and gaze. Renata was not the kind of mother who was overbearing or unreasonable, so she shifted her approach and said,

"Matters of the heart are something you can only truly understand by experiencing them yourself. I can’t say too much about that."

She paused, then continued,

"But as your mother, my only request is that you don’t rush into doing or deciding too many things. For now, just take things slowly and spend more time getting to know each other. Time is the best way to test a person."

Catherine understood what Renata was implying.

"Mom, where has your mind gone?" she said softly. "Of course we’re going to take our time and see how things go. Just like you said—let time prove his sincerity."

Renata was worried that Catherine might give herself away too easily. On this point, Catherine was actually quite clear-headed and self-respecting. If it weren’t for what had happened two years ago, she believed she would still be completely untouched even now.

Hearing Catherine say this put Renata at ease. Young people today tended to be far too open-minded about such matters, and when emotions ran high, things that shouldn’t happen often did. That was why Renata had deliberately offered her reminder.