"Gerald, my parents heard you're back from your business trip. They want you to come over for dinner tonight—and maybe we can talk about our marriage,"
Lucca stepped closer again, looping her arm through his, pressing her alluring curves against him in a deliberate tease.
In matters like this, Lucca had inherited her mother Tracy's expertise. She knew perfectly well that a man's desire satisfied could make anything she wanted effortless to obtain.
Back when she set her sights on Gerald, she had first ruined Catherine's reputation to drive her away, then carefully orchestrated a night together that forced Gerald to take responsibility.
Before that, Gerald had always resisted her. But once he had a taste of her, he never said he didn't want her again.
Lucca knew her methods were far from honorable. But who could blame her—she liked Gerald.
Yet she also knew the truth: the reason Gerald was with her might be only because of her youthful body and the pressure from the S family. His heart, she was certain, still belonged to Catherine.
Even after everything Catherine had endured, even after her reputation had been shattered.
In the past, Gerald might have fallen for her tricks. But now, he was irritated beyond measure. He pushed her away with a cold expression.
"I'm exhausted from the trip. I won't be going tonight."
With that, he turned and walked straight to his car.
"Gerald!"
Lucca stomped her foot, shouting to stop him.
"Don't think I don't know what's on your mind. You're still thinking about her, aren't you? Back from your trip, and as soon as you know she's back in the country, you rush straight here."
Gerald froze mid-step.
"I don't understand. She's already… like that. Why are you still thinking about her?"
"And what about me? Am I any worse than her? My clean body… all of it's for you, and I've been loyal to you all these years."
But Gerald ignored her words completely, continuing to walk away.
He knew it himself—being with Lucca was only about the pleasures she gave him in bed, and the pressure from both families: his own, and hers.
That night after he had woken up drunk in Lucca's bed, Tracy had cried and stormed into the S household, demanding his parents make him responsible for her precious daughter Lucca. Channing had been furious too.
His parents, meanwhile, saw Lucca as Channing's treasure, destined to inherit more of Channing's wealth in the future, and pressured him to take responsibility.
And so, here he was, with Lucca. Gerald knew very clearly that he didn't love her. But whether he still loved Catherine… he didn't know.
Before Gerald could even reach his car, a tall, stylishly dressed girl approached from the opposite direction.
It was Riley. She had just parked and was heading to find Catherine, but spotted the couple arguing. She walked up without hesitation, planted herself there, and sneered.
"Well, look who we have here."
"So, it's our Cici's little sister and her brother-in-law."
Riley deliberately emphasized the word "brother-in-law," aiming to irritate Gerald.
Riley had seen how infatuated Gerald had been with Catherine, how much he liked her. Yet shortly after Catherine went abroad, he ended up with Lucca. Because of what happened that night, Gerald gave up on Catherine. Riley was furious enough, and now seeing him with Lucca, all that remained for Gerald in her eyes was contempt.
Riley had always been someone who loved and hated clearly, bold in both. She had a boyish kind of frankness.
And in her mind, a real man should stand tall and take responsibility.
Even if Catherine really had spent that shameful night with another man, if Gerald truly loved her, why would he care about the gossip? Why would he worry whether her body was "clean" for him?
If Gerald were truly a man who stood tall and took responsibility, he should have been by Catherine's side at a time like that, shielding her with his arms and his position as her fiancé.
If even a fiancé didn't care, then what did it matter what outsiders said?
In this world, many women's "first times" weren't with their husbands—but Catherine's incident had been exposed and magnified for all to see.
Yet Gerald had not protected her. His response had been to publicly call off the engagement, and with that, Catherine was thrown fully into the eye of public opinion, mercilessly mocked and shamed.
Throughout it all, Catherine never voiced her own feelings. Even when Riley furiously scolded Gerald, Catherine had calmly spoken on his behalf, saying men simply couldn't handle such things—especially when it came to a publicly known betrayal.
But Riley knew how disappointed Catherine had been in Gerald, and how deeply her heart had hurt.
Catherine had truly loved Gerald. And because of that love, his betrayals had hurt her even more.
Ultimately, Gerald didn't love Catherine enough; he was selfish.
He loved her too little to overlook her "lost purity."
He was so self-centered that he cared more about the gossip and judgment of the world than about her feelings.
If he had truly loved her, he would have acted without hesitation, regardless of what others thought of their relationship.
Now, faced with Riley's deliberate provocation, Gerald did furrow his brow slightly. The title of "Catherine's brother-in-law" hit him like a jab to the chest.
Lucca, meanwhile, had caught up. She planted herself beside Gerald, possessively looping her arm through his, and shouted at Riley:
"Move aside! A good dog doesn't block the way!"
Lucca knew how close Riley was to Catherine, and she deliberately taunted her.
Riley crossed her arms, unfazed, and shot back:
"Then why are you standing in front of me?"
Lucca was momentarily stunned. Riley's quick retaliation had turned Lucca's insult right back on herself.
It was Riley who was blocking their way!
Fuming, Lucca shoved Riley roughly.
"Move out of my way!"
Lucca had always been headstrong and spoiled. Having been put down repeatedly by Bert over the past few days, her anger had been building. She had never tolerated such humiliation. And just moments ago, Gerald had been indifferent toward her. Now Riley was challenging her too. The frustration exploded, and she pushed Riley aside with enough force to send her stumbling.
But Riley was not someone to be trifled with. Wild and fierce since childhood—she had once beaten duke in a fight, and he had admitted defeat.
Being shoved by Lucca now only fueled her fury further.
Riley had long disliked that little bitch Lucca and had been waiting for a chance to teach her a lesson. Before, she held back out of respect for Catherine's gentle nature, not wanting to make things difficult for her. But this time was different. Catherine had shoved her first, and Riley found the perfect excuse to unleash her fury.
Riley, a model with a height advantage, stepped forward, easily grabbed Lucca by her braid, and yanked her mercilessly, throwing her against a nearby car while cursing:
"You fucking asked for it!"
Lucca, furious at being treated so violently, screamed and lunged at Riley. Riley met her head-on without fear, and soon the two were locked in a fierce tug-of-war.
Gerald hadn't expected the two women to erupt into a full-on fight so quickly. He hurried forward, trying to pull them apart. Seizing the moment, Riley swung her hand at Gerald's face, red-eyed and determined to take down that scumbag along with Lucca.
But Gerald instinctively tilted his head away, and the slap missed—though his face still burned as Riley's fingernails scratched a bloody mark across his cheek.
He raised a hand to wipe his face, blood seeping through, and shouted angrily at Riley:
"Riley, are you out of your mind?!"
Riley didn't even bother with him and continued her battle with Lucca. Lucca was dressed in her usual socialite style—high heels and a dress, requiring delicate steps—but Riley wore jeans and boots, easy to move in and perfectly suited for her wild, aggressive nature. Lucca was completely outmatched, shrieking as Riley yanked her hair, crying out to Gerald:
"Call the police!"
Seeing the chaos spiraling out of control, Gerald finally called the authorities. Soon, all three ended up at the police station.
Lucca's face was bruised, her makeup ruined, hair in disarray—utterly humiliating. Gerald bore a bloody scratch on his cheek. Riley fared much better but had a few minor injuries, her t-shirt torn by Lucca during the fight.
The officer handling the three of them glanced at their state, both annoyed and amused, and shot Riley a look:
"You're quite something, taking on two at once."
Riley rolled her eyes.
Lucca cried the entire time and even called Channing and Tracy. Gerald had wanted to avoid escalating the matter with their families, but Lucca insisted on calling them and even threatened to sue Riley.
Frustrated, Gerald tried to stop her, but Lucca, crying, accused him:
"Don't think I don't know why you don't want me to call the family. You're protecting her because she's Catherine's friend!"
Riley, unimpressed, scoffed:
"Fine, sue me if you want. Just don't drag me into this with this scumbag."
Riley found it disgusting that Lucca claimed Gerald was being protected; she continued calling him a scumbag, even though he was the man she secretly liked. This drove Lucca into another fit of rage:
"Riley, don't get cocky! My dad—"
Riley cut her off disdainfully:
"Are you going to say your dad is king?"
Lucca, furious at Riley, nearly erupted again. The police quickly intervened, separating the two, while Gerald, exhausted and annoyed, turned and went outside to smoke.
Soon after, Channing and Tracy arrived. Seeing Lucca battered and disheveled, they were livid—especially Tracy. Learning Riley was Catherine's friend only fueled their anger further, and they immediately shouted about punishing her.
Riley, calm and composed, replied casually:
"Do as you please. Your daughter shoved me first. I trust in the fairness of the law to give me justice."
Her nonchalant, almost flippant attitude sent Tracy's blood pressure skyrocketing, and she spat venomously:
"Sure enough, birds of a feather flock together. A child with no upbringing only has friends with no upbringing!"