Chapter 284: Back To Her World

Catherine wasn’t sure whether she had gained the right insight or was simply thinking too much.

If what she suspected was true, then Cassian could remain in the family, and she could watch him, and, perhaps one day, their children, grow up. The thought brought a strange warmth to her chest.

Although she had a feeling William would have something to say about Fitzgerald Rathbourne becoming involved with his precious daughter. And he would be right too.

And if she was wrong... well, then she was wrong.

Catherine decided not to think about it any further. At least for now. Either way, she would be happy.

She walked over to Fitzgerald. "Have you talked to your brother?"

The poor man was grieving, and this one seemed to have dealt with grief by becoming obsessed with...

Her eyes fell on the cooler beside him. "What’s in that?"

Fitzgerald looked down at it almost protectively. "Venison," he said with a pleased smile. "Alexander gave me some."

Catherine raised her brows at Alexander.

Alexander merely shrugged. The man had talked about meat for long enough that, in the end, he had packed him some just to shut him up.

"You can visit our hunting grounds if you have time," Catherine said casually. "There’s more where that came from."

Fitzgerald’s expression brightened with genuine pleasure.

Alexander’s head snapped toward Catherine.

The Preston hunting grounds were reserved for family and close friends. Apart from Maximilian, Fitzgerald was the first person Catherine had ever invited.

And she had done it so casually.

Fitzgerald looked at Alexander, then at Catherine, as though he couldn’t quite believe what he had just heard. Catherine, completely unaware of the significance of her invitation, had already returned to her seat and was helping Maximilian settle in.

Maximilian, however, was very much aware of it.

He turned his head and glared at Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald met his gaze and smiled.

There was just enough provocation in that smile to make Alexander sigh.

He glanced at Roxana, who had noticed the entire exchange. She simply slipped her hand into his.

Let them deal with each other themselves.

Fitzgerald was pleased. Venison itself was hardly a rarity in the Rathbourne family. He hunted as well, whenever and wherever it was permitted.

But access to the Preston hunting grounds was another matter.

For Samantha, of course.

If he wanted even the slightest chance with her after everything that had happened—after lying to her and, worse, taking Dorian’s side in a way that had hurt her family—he needed a way into her world.

He could, technically, simply find her, take her somewhere private, and make her listen to him until she accepted the truth. Technically, that would be kidnapping, but who’d care?

Or he could manipulate circumstances until she accepted a position in one of his companies, putting her within his reach and giving him enough time to rekindle what they had once had. That would be more interesting... He could pull the dying grandpa card, and make her register their marriage with him. Samantha had a soft heart; she’d fall for it.

She’d be pissed when she finds out the truth, but... She wouldn’t be so keen on divorce either. So, it would work for him.

But...

His brother had told him that a proper man wouldn’t do either of those things.

And Fitzgerald, for reasons he didn’t entirely understand, trusted his brother enough to listen. Maybe he shouldn’t talk to his brother before telling Sammy the truth. He needed to know when would be the right time. He’d hide until then.

Besides, his plan had already worked.

Somehow, without even trying, he had secured himself a reason to return to the Preston family.

And apparently, all it had taken was Catherine’s invitation and him pretending he needed a cooler full of venison.

Well... worth it.

-----

Catherine sat beside Maximilian and repeated the safety procedures the private crew had gone through with her, explaining everything in Latin while Maximilian simply watched her. Once she was satisfied that he understood, she moved on to her plans for the day, outlining every step of the operation and the precautions she had taken.

Maximilian listened attentively, but his attention seemed to rest more on her face than on her words. There was something beautiful about the way she looked when she was determined—eyes bright, expression focused, every movement purposeful.

This was his Katerina, all right.

Catherine made the final preparations, coordinating with Sebastian and Bernice while Alexander and Roxana worked on their part of the plan behind them. Afterward, she joined the two of them and went over the details again. Roxana gave her the latest information before retreating to the private bedroom to get some sleep.

Maximilian quietly walked over and sat beside Catherine.

Naturally, Alexander checked her for nicotine patches or pouches. Catherine could only roll her eyes, but she complied. She must have frightened her poor brother badly enough that he was determined to keep every possible crutch away from her.

She turned back to Maximilian with a smile.

She needed to stay sharp today, but with him beside her, she didn’t need anything else. He was enough.

Across the cabin, Fitzgerald watched the two of them conversing in what was, to him, a completely dead language and sighed.

Here he had thought he was surrounded by rural new money.

Why did it feel like he had somehow wandered into a medieval court?

Perhaps, they simply didn’t trust him yet. Whatever they were discussing, they were clearly plotting something serious. He had no idea what it was.

His gaze dropped to his phone.

BioQuant’s stock was rising. It had risen 700% when the market opened... all because of this cure for Alzheimer’s, and so was his father’s position after investing in the company.

Fitzgerald imagined how pleased Dorian must be right now.

The thought made him want to crush everything to dust.

"Wouldn’t the Rathbournes stop this?" Catherine suddenly asked Alexander. She looked genuinely surprised by the thought. "How did I not think of that until now?"

"Oh, they must," Maximilian said.

Catherine turned toward him.

He knew the entire plan. For him to say that so confidently... And then she understood.

"Ah! Nempe, princeps mi, sapiens es!"

[Ah! Of course, my prince, you are wise!]

She leaned over, cupped his cheek, and kissed him.

Then she returned to her seat and immediately went back to her laptop, typing rapidly as she gave Bernice the final briefing.

Maximilian watched her for a moment before placing a hand over his forehead and sighing.

Alexander, however, was staring at him. Wide-eyed.

Just now...

He had heard Maximilian speak English. Plain, perfectly fluent English, with the same slightly pompous Meridon accent he had always used.

"You..."

Alexander pointed at him.

Maximilian merely lifted an index finger to his lips, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"Oh, wow." Alexander ran a hand through his hair. "Does this mean you—"

"Everything. Yes." Maximilian smiled.

Then his gaze returned to Catherine. He had been speaking English to her for almost the entire morning. And she had been answering him in Latin without realizing it.

Perhaps both languages were simply so deeply rooted in her that her mind had stopped distinguishing between them. One belonged to the life she remembered, the other to the life she had lived.

"That girl..." Alexander chuckled softly.

He knew how happy Catherine would be when she realized.

But apparently, for all her brilliance, she could still miss something remarkably obvious when it was right in front of her.

"For all her brains, she gets dumb at pretty simple things."

Maximilian looked at him. "Can you...?"

Alexander immediately understood. He made a zipping motion across his lips.

He would leave this to them.

Maximilian nodded, gratitude and quiet happiness warming his expression.

He turned back toward Catherine, who was still completely absorbed in her laptop, blissfully unaware that the man beside her had already found his way back to her world.