A Replacement Bride

Chapter 194

"Is something on your mind?" asked Joaquin, who got out of the shower only to see Katherine absorbed in her thoughts with her cheek resting on her palm.

She turned her head reflexively and looked at him.

Since he just took a shower, the moisture on his body was not completely dry. In addition to that, the loose bathrobe vaguely revealed his masculine chest, which could make one get the wrong idea. She had always heard of people describing a woman luscious, but she never expected it to be the suitable word to depict Joaquin at this very moment.

This man was attractively demonizing, especially that face of his; it would not be an exaggeration to describe him as the Statue of David.

According to Katherine's memory, Hera and John did not look like that. Thus, Katherine assumed that Joaquin took after his mother.

Katherine's scorching gaze made his heart race as he approached her closer. It was not until a hot breath caressed her face that she finally pulled herself together. She blushed upon realizing that she had been staring at his face.

As though nothing had happened, she turned her head elsewhere to not look at the man. Never in her wildest dream had she foreseen herself to be distracted by one's beauty.

It's all this man's fault! Why is he seducing me after taking a shower?

She took a deep breath before giving a response nonchalantly. "Nothing. I just thought of Grandma's words."

"Do you think that something doesn't fit the puzzle for what had happened that year?" He comprehended the meaning behind her words. After taking a seat next to her, Joaquin dried his hair with a cloth while asking in a languid manner.

She was repulsed by the close proximity out of instinct. At this moment, every breath of his brushed across her ear and her heart was beating uncontrollably.

It was the first time she had ever experienced such a feeling.

Fanning herself while moving to the other side, she hummed in response.

"Too bad it took place years ago. It won't be easy to carry out an investigation due to the undeveloped technology back then, but I'll take note of it and look into it for you." The burning tip of her ear made his heart skip a beat as he brusquely pulled her into his embrace.

Katherine shrieked in surprise and fell into his arms. Anxious and repulsed, she placed her hands against his chest while her little face was all beat red.

Joaquin lowered his head to gaze at the woman, who was frantic like a little rabbit. Feeling his heart pounding crazily against his chest, he inhaled a deep breath before propping her chin upward to force her meet his eyes.

Her heart was palpitating as well. Although she wanted to shove him away, her limbs were sapped out of energy to do so. Never once had she been so helpless before, not even in front of her enemies. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Her reaction elicited a low chuckle from him as his body shook lightly.

She pushed him slightly away with reddened eyes, and in an enticing voice, she pleaded, "Let go of me."

"No can do. Katherine Cornell, I'm serious about you, and I hope that you'll consider me seriously. I think I'm not that bad. I should fit your taste well. What do you say? Hmm?" Joaquin pulled the hum while looking at her with a raised eyebrow, looking all attractive.

Katherine barely gulped down her saliva and she almost nodded in agreement. Yet, she immediately came back to her senses and pushed him away abruptly.

Due to her unexpected reaction, he flopped backward onto the bed. Since he rested his hand around her waist, she fell and landed on him steadily.

Still hugging her waist with one hand, he smiled mischievously. "What's wrong? You can't wait any longer, can you? I don't mind speeding things up, though."

"Joaquin Levisay!" An embarrassed Katherine punched his chest lightly.

He held and pulled her little fists to his lips to give them a kiss. "Katherine, I mean it."

Hearing that, she fell into silence by pursing her lips instantly.

"I like Noah. It won't be bad to have a daughter like her. She seems to like me too—"

"I don't like you!" Noah pushed open the door and yelped at Joaquin furiously before he could finish his words.

Following that, she yanked Katherine out of his embrace and stood forward as she looked at him with eyes of wary and hostility. " I don't like you! I don't like you! I don't want you! Don't take my mother away from me! You're all bad guys! Anyone that's gonna take her away is bad! I hate all of you!"

She behaved so vehemently that her petite figure was trembling. Next, she buried her head into Katherine's arms and began to cry in grievance.

Flabbergasted, Katherine stared at the poor girl as she could not grasp the situation yet.

Joaquin was equally nonplussed either, for he had been getting along with Noah pretty well. He even gave her some hints and she agreed to be the matchmaker. So, why did things turn out to be like this?

"Alright, Noah. Don't cry. No one's gonna take me away from you. I'm forever yours." Now that Noah wailed her eyes out and she could barely catch her breath, Katherine patted her back helplessly.

The girl cried and sniffled non-stop while hugging onto Katherine's thigh tightly. After a while, she finally lifted her head to look at Katherine. "R-Really? Is no one going to take you away from me? That old woman s-said I'm an illegitimate child, a-and that you're going to marry and have kids later. Then, you'll abandon me. M-Mom, I don't want you to marry anyone. I don't want brothers or sisters. I can't lose you. I want you…"

Words scarcely escaped her lips through her broken voice. It pained Katherine to hear that as she finally understood why Noah was suddenly pushing Joaquin away.

He sighed after which he crouched to pull Noah lightly into his embrace. "Now, now. Why don't we stop those tears first?"

She stared at him with teary red eyes. The tears stopped, but her shoulders were still quivering.

He wiped off her tears. "Don't listen to that old woman's nonsense. Your mother will never leave you. Even if you have a younger brother or sister, she won't abandon you either. Noah, think about it. Don't I treat you well?"

Noah recalled her memories and she was sure that he treated her well despite the short period of time they spent together. Hence, she nodded honestly.

"Then, did your mother abandon you when I got together with her?" he questioned patiently.

Her body shrank as she sneaked a peek at Katherine before looking at him. She could not understand it all of the sudden.