Another Breakdown

"He is here for me…. He is coming back." She said it continuously with tears streaming down her face.

There was nothing she could think of except to run and hide as far as possible. Staying in this place brought tremendous terror to her body. She controlled her breath and wiped the trace of tears on her face and looked in the only direction of the exit door.

"You can do it, Kath." She murmured.

With her body still trembling, she ambled to the exit door without caring about the family she left behind. Her goal was set, and there was nothing that could stop her. She needed to escape in order to feel peace again.

Meanwhile, in the center of the venue, Kalina and Adam searched for their daughter. The last time they saw each other was before the banquet started, as they were busy greeting all their guests.

"Kal, have you seen Kathrina?" Kalina asked with wariness laced in her tone.

"I think I saw her talking with Arthur Ford just a while ago," Kale replied. Although it was weird to see his sister talking with Arthur, he had not attempted to approach his sister and start investigating her relationship with Ford.

"I never knew she was close enough to him." Adam chimed in. His daughter was not the type to engage in a conversation during his company banquet as she thought most of them were his business partner and they were boring.

"She is friends with him," Jenna, who had been there the whole time, suddenly joined their family conversation.

Instantly their pupils enlarged at the sudden revelation.

"When did they meet, and how close are they?" Kale probed further. He had to know what kind of man was lingering around Kathrina.

"I think they met last month, and for your second question, you should ask Kathrina," Jenna said. She had talked too much already. If Kathrina were to know she was running her mouth like this, Jenna was sure she would be killed.

Kale's expression turned complicated. He was aware that Arthur Ford's reputation was pretty good. There was nothing scandalous about him. Yet he could not shake his bad feeling about Arthur.

"All of you seem to discuss something interesting." The low voice of the man shattered them from their bubble.

"Victor!"

"Uncle!"

All of them shouted almost at the same time. The smile bloomed on their lips as they realized another man was standing beside Victor Reed. The man was wearing a black suit that fitted his body. His green eyes were looking at them warmly.

"Juan, it's been a long time. I've missed you so much." It was Kalina's voice. The woman passed Victor and immediately gave a bear hug to the man called Juan.

"It's not that long, aunty. We met last year, remember?" Juan hugged Kalina's back and gave a little nod to Adam, Kale, and Jenna.

"I can't believe you hugged my son before me," Victor told Kalina jokingly. In response to Victor, Adam said, "Don't worry, you have me, brother." Which earned a hearty laugh from everyone else.

They exchanged hugs and several jokes with each other. The atmosphere around them was so harmonious that people watched them in envy. They were Reeds, after all. The public's eyes would look at them, either with admiration or jealousy.

"I have not seen Kathrina. Is she busy today?" Juan suddenly asked, making them realize they had forgotten about Kathrina's disappearance.

"Yeah, where is my ice queen niece?" Victor's eyes wandered around, searching for Kathrina's figure.

"Thanks for reminding us, Juan. She has been missing for a while. I'll call her." Kale said and left them to find a quiet place.

At the same time, outside of the venue, Arthur's car moved to leave the hotel. His mood went downhill right after Kathrina went away, and he could not force himself to socialize with other people and fake his polite smile. The best decision he could make was to leave everything in his secretary's capable hands.

He could not get the disappointment that flashed on Kathrina's face the moment he let the lie slip out of his mouth, and Arthur believed that nothing would be able to erase it from his mind as it would leave him like cancer and slowly eat him away.

Arthur was about to take a left turn when he saw a familiar figure looking so lost at the hotel's entrance gate.

"Kathrina," Arthur whispered.

He halted his car, pondering whether to approach her or continue his journey as he should. Finally, Arthur closed his eyes, sighed, and placed his foot on the pedal, wanting to escape before she could see his car.

But destiny had always worked unexpectedly. People rarely got what they wished for. Instead, they got a surprising gift.

Kathrina turned her head swiftly, but her eyes were unfocused as her tears blurred her vision. She could not think and stood there like a robot, waiting for the taxi she had called.

Arthur was stunned by sight before him. He did not think again as his body had its own brain and moved to approach Kathrina.

"Kath," he called softly, yet the woman was unresponsive to him. Arthur thought Kathrina was mad at him for what he did, so he touched her shoulder lightly.

"No!" Kathrina screamed defensively; she moved far away from him and stared at him as if he was some criminal.

Arthur could sense something was wrong with her. Her reaction was almost similar to the night she had her breakdown in front of him.

"Kathrina, hey, it's me, Arthur." He stepped closer, yet the woman took two steps away from him.

Several pairs of eyes were gazing at their action strangely. They might be thinking that he and Kathrina had a dramatic love quarrel.

Arthur's jaw ticked as he noticed Kathrina was preparing to run away. He did not bother to waste more time and took giant steps in her direction; then, he held her hand tightly.

Kathrina's brown eyes grew bigger as fear crept higher into her body. She struggled to break free; tears had fallen her cheeks uncontrollably.

"No, please. I will be good, don't take me, please." She forced Arthur to let both her hands join and begged like a child.

'Fucker,' Arthur repeatedly cursed to those whom Kathrina had in mind right now.

"It's okay, Kath." Arthur's voice softened as he took her stiff body into his. Embracing her from the terror that haunts her.

"No!" Kathrina punched his body.

Arthur caught her hands between their chests and hugged her tighter, hindering her movement.

"I am Arthur Ford, your annoying neighbor from the twenty floors." He whispered to her multiple times. "I am someone who likes you the most." He did not know why he said that, but apparently, his mouth also had its own mind.

He kept saying those two sentences like a chant, not caring that some people had taken their picture in such an intimate moment and started spreading it on the internet. All he could think about was getting Kathrina peace of mind. Nothing else matters but her.