From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 60- too late

Gerald had seen everything clearly—Bert holding her close, gently brushing her hair away—and even though Riley had told him at the police station that Bert was Catherine’s boyfriend, he hadn’t believed it. He didn’t think Catherine was the type to fall for someone so easily.

From what he knew, Catherine and Bert hadn’t interacted before. She had only returned to the country when Renata fell seriously ill. They had only spent a few days together—how could she possibly have fallen for him? And if she hadn’t, there was no way she’d be with him.

As for why Riley had said Catherine and Bert were a couple, Gerald figured Riley had probably made it up just to get under his skin.

But seeing Bert and Catherine together, so intimate and close, had completely shattered all of Gerald’s assumptions. Clearly, they had just gone for a walk together—and that was the kind of behavior only lovers shared.

Catherine, however, had no intention of answering Gerald. Who she was with was none of his business.

"Gerald," she said calmly, "last time, in the rain at the hospital entrance, I made myself very clear."

She didn’t want to meet him, didn’t want contact—she would walk her own narrow path, he could walk his sunny road with Lucca and the others. They would remain strangers from now on.

But Gerald ignored her calm detachment. His brow furrowed, a hint of agitation in his voice.

"You’ve only known him a few days, and you’re already with him? Do you even know what kind of person he is? Do you know—"

He wanted to warn her about Bert’s reputation. Not just about him being a child of a mistress, but that incident years ago when Bert suddenly took control of Washington Co. There had been endless rumors.

People said he had used ruthless, underhanded tactics to seize power—enough to be considered treacherous, almost like a coup in old times. For some reason, Bert had later stepped down voluntarily, but that episode alone had proved his cunning and ruthlessness.

A man with such a complicated, nearly dark background was far from a suitable match for someone as simple and gentle as Catherine.

Catherine, however, remained calm in the face of Gerald’s hesitant objections. She gave a faint smile.

"I don’t care what others think of him. All I know is... so far, he’s a good man in my eyes."

Every word she spoke defended Bert—not to spite Gerald, but because that was genuinely how she saw him.

Even though Catherine hadn’t directly admitted her relationship with Bert, her defense left Gerald utterly hopeless. His brow furrowed even more.

"Cici, I’m telling you this for your own good—he’s really not right for you."

"Do you know how old he is? Thirty-six—ten years older than you—"

Gerald’s warning was cut off by Catherine.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

She refused to listen to Gerald belittle Bert. Good or bad, she would judge for herself. She didn’t need anyone else’s voice—her own heart was enough.

Catherine turned, intending to walk back upstairs, when Gerald’s voice rang out behind her.

"I’ve broken off the engagement with Lucca!"

Her steps faltered for a moment, but she didn’t stop. She kept moving forward.

Gerald hurried after her, grabbing her slender shoulders. There was obsession—and madness—in his eyes.

"Once I’m free, I’ll pursue you again!"

"You’re insane!"

Catherine yanked her shoulders away, her delicate face filled with rejection.

Even putting aside Lucca and Tracy’s personalities, breaking off that engagement wouldn’t be easy. And even if Gerald really did end it to chase her, there was no way Catherine would ever go back. She had no feelings left for him.

She would never debase herself again in front of Gerald’s parents. Back when she had been with him, she had considered enduring their disdain for his sake, but now that her feelings were gone, she had no intention of subjecting herself to their contempt again.

Even if she remained single for the rest of her life, she would never be with Gerald.

After two years, this was the one certainty in her heart. Yet Gerald—and Lucca and the others—still didn’t believe she could be so resolute. They assumed she couldn’t let go, but in reality, she was the one who had completely moved on.

The ones who couldn’t let go? That was them.

Because they hadn’t let go, they assumed it was she who was clinging to Gerald.

Gerald stepped forward again, forcibly pulling her into his arms, ignoring her struggles and resistance. His voice cracked with emotion.

"It was my fault before! I was a jerk! I shouldn’t have broken off the engagement and abandoned you back then!"

"Trust me—I won’t do it again. I’ll cherish you from now on!"

"Cici, come back to me, will you? Let’s start over!"

Catherine’s temper flared at his out-of-control behavior. She struggled, pushing against him—and in the heat of the moment, she slapped him hard across the face.

The crisp sound of the slap, and the sting of the impact, froze Gerald in shock. His eyes were wide with disbelief—he hadn’t expected Catherine to strike him...

Catherine had never been violent. Even when angry, she usually just raised her voice. Hitting someone was new territory—especially hitting Gerald, her former lover.

But for Catherine, Gerald had gone too far. His words, his actions—they were completely unacceptable.

Not everything ends when someone wants it to, and not everything begins just because someone desires it. Nor does everyone foolishly wait in place after missing their chance.

Catherine felt both anger and disappointment.

Every word, every action from Gerald was trampling on her dignity. In his eyes, she had always been so insignificant that he could discard her whenever he wanted and try to win her back whenever it suited him.

Her disappointment was directed at the man she had once sincerely cared for—a man so utterly unworthy.

She looked at Gerald coldly, her voice steady and unwavering.

"I’ve already made myself clear. Don’t ever come looking for me again."

"I have no lingering feelings for you, and I will not start over with you."

This time, Catherine left decisively, without even glancing back. Gerald was left standing there, his cheeks burning, his heart icy and hollow.

It was only now that he fully realized how foolish he had been. Back then, when that incident occurred, he had been angry at the loss of her purity, deceived by Lucca’s sweet words, and pressured by his parents. He had chosen to give her up.

Only much later did he understand that what he had abandoned was the love of his life.

But by then, it was far too late.

Meanwhile, Bert drove away from Catherine’s neighborhood and parked at a spot along the roadside not far off.

About ten minutes passed before he took out his phone and dialed her number.

Ten minutes—that was more than enough time for Gerald’s interference to run its course.

Bert hadn’t acted with the casual nonchalance he had imagined. If, after ten minutes, she were still entangled with Gerald, he was prepared to turn back and step in to drive him away.