Chapter 311: Moving On

Maximilian immediately stepped in front of Catherine, his expression hardening.

Catherine got to her feet. “I’ll get dressed,” she said. She was certainly not going to speak to the FBI in her pajamas.

“And don’t say anything without a lawyer present.”

Maximilian nodded and walked toward the door while Catherine slipped into the walk-in closet. She quickly changed into something presentable, then returned to the room.

By then, the FBI agents had stepped inside.

“We need to speak with you, Mr. Whitmore… You too, Miss Preston,” one of them said. “There are some matters regarding Dorian’s case that require further investigation.”

Catherine glanced at Maximilian.

The agent continued, “Dorian left a confession implicating Maximilian Whitmore as the person who killed him. We need to investigate that claim.”

Maximilian’s expression remained cold.

“And there are also questions we need to ask you, Miss Preston, regarding the case files and your involvement in the investigation against Dorian.”

“Not without a lawyer,” Catherine said firmly.

Before the agents could respond, the door opened.

“I’m here.”

Alexander Preston stepped into the room, with Roxana beside him.

Catherine’s shoulders relaxed slightly when she saw them.

“Roxana will represent Catherine,” Alexander said. “You can ask your questions through her.”

The FBI agents exchanged a look before nodding.

The questioning began.

For the next several hours, they went over Dorian’s confession, the circumstances surrounding his death, the evidence recovered from the case, and the files Catherine had accessed during the investigation. Roxana carefully guided Catherine through every question, making sure she answered only what was necessary.

Maximilian remained beside her throughout.

He said little, but whenever Catherine glanced at him, he was there.

Eventually, the questioning ended.

The FBI agents gathered their files and left, promising that the investigation would continue.

When the door finally closed behind them, Catherine released a long breath.

“That took forever.”

Maximilian looked at her.

“It did.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Catherine turned toward him. “So…”

“So?”

She smiled faintly. “Where were we before the FBI decided to ruin everything?”

A soft laugh escaped him.

Maximilian stepped closer and took her hand. “I remember.” His thumb brushed over her knuckles.

Catherine looked up at him, her heart beginning to beat faster for an entirely different reason.

“Catherine.”

“Yes?”

He looked into her eyes, and the teasing expression disappeared from his face.

“About the matter we haven’t finished talking about…”

Her smile softened. “What?”

Maximilian lowered himself onto one knee.

Catherine’s eyes widened. “Maximilian…”

“I know I said we should wait until everything was settled,” he said quietly. “But after everything that happened today, I realized something.”

He took both her hands in his.

“I don’t want to keep waiting for tomorrow. You were right.”

Catherine’s eyes filled with tears.

“Let’s get married.”

Her lips parted. “Are you sure?”

A smile touched his lips. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Catherine laughed through her tears. “But what about everything that still needs to be dealt with?”

“We’ll deal with it together.”

He squeezed her hands gently.

“So?” he asked.

For a moment, Catherine simply stared at him. Then she threw her arms around his neck.

“Yes.”

Her voice broke with happiness.

“Yes, Maximilian.”

He caught her against him, laughing softly as she buried her face against his shoulder.

“But it’s going to be a grand wedding,” Catherine said, lifting her head. “I’m not compromising. We’re not going to hide, Maximilian. We’re going to live as happily as we should have.”

After everything they had survived, everything they had lost, and everything they had finally found again, the answer felt almost impossibly simple.

They were going to get married.

“I can’t wait to become your wife, Maximilian,” Catherine whispered, leaning against his chest.

That was what she had wanted in her previous life. And this time, she would have it.

Maximilian held her tighter. For once, there was nothing standing between them.

—–

When Catherine returned to Laurel Hollow, her father was waiting for her.

“Daddy!” She rushed into his arms. “You didn’t have to make the trip to the Capital,” she said, looking up at him.

Alexander had already told her what happened. James had threatened the government himself, and apparently, that had been one of the things that finally pushed them to act against Dorian.

James simply hugged his daughter tighter. “Anything for my little girl.”

Catherine pulled back, her face glowing. “Guess what, Daddy?”

James smiled. “What?”

“Your little girl is getting married!”

His eyes immediately grew moist. He hugged her again. “Your happiness is all I want.”

“I know!” Catherine was already bubbling with excitement. “I have to find Sophia. We need to make plans. Daddy, where should I get married?” She paused, then brightened. “In the same church where you and Mom got married?”

She had once dreamed of wearing her mother’s wedding dress. Unfortunately, the dress had been damaged beyond repair.

Still, she could have the next best thing.

A wedding in the same church where her parents had begun their life together.

“I’ll arrange it,” James said, his voice thick with emotion.

Just then, Miranda entered after hearing that Catherine had returned.

Within minutes, the entire family had gathered, and the house erupted into wedding preparations.

The following month passed in a blur.

There were dresses to do the fittings, flowers to arrange, invitations to send, menus to discuss, and a seemingly endless number of decisions to make. In between all of it, Catherine and Maximilian still had to cooperate with the ongoing investigations.

Dorian’s company was collapsing brick by brick, or rather, whatever remained of his empire was.

Catherine eventually heard that someone had bought what was left of Dorian’s pharmaceutical manufacturing businesses.

She slowly turned her head toward Maximilian. He looked completely innocent. Catherine narrowed her eyes. He simply pretended not to understand what she was asking.

She knew that look. She also knew better than to press him.

Meanwhile, the research was finally completed. Their discovery was expected to generate billions, especially with Remington Insurance benefiting enormously from the results.

Catherine insisted that Bernice receive forty percent. Bernice was not happy about it.

“I don’t need that much,” she protested.

“You do,” Catherine said firmly.

She had already met members of the Remington family, and they had welcomed Bernice with genuine warmth. More importantly, Bernice was no longer the insecure woman who believed she needed someone else’s approval to know her own worth.

She had learned how to carry herself among nobles.

But Catherine still wanted her to have enough money to stand firmly on her own convictions, rather than ever having to depend on someone else’s generosity for her position or respect.

Money was power.

It had been true in her previous life. It was true in this one, too.

In the end, Bernice reluctantly accepted. Then she looked at Catherine with renewed determination.

“Next… a cure for Alzheimer’s.”

Catherine smiled.

If they could detect the disease early enough, perhaps they could find a way to cure it, too.

That was the next goal.

Meanwhile, Sophia, Miranda, and even Victoria were stunned by how deeply Catherine had thrown herself into the wedding preparations.

Their family had seen plenty of weddings before, but Catherine had never shown the slightest interest in them. She had never cared about wedding dresses, flowers, decorations, or ceremonies.

Until now.

Now that she had found the right man, it was as though she had discovered an entirely new world to obsess over.

Even the direction the lilies should face in the centerpieces became a matter of serious concern.

Everything had to be perfect. ℯℯ𝑙.

They sent invitations to as many people as they could, even though Catherine and Maximilian had never intended for the wedding to become enormous.

It didn’t matter.

The RSVPs kept coming.

Apparently, half the country’s elites wanted to witness their wedding.

—–

The night before the wedding, Catherine was informed of one very important rule: She was not allowed to sleep with Maximilian.

Naturally, she protested. It didn’t help.

She was promptly dragged to her father’s house, where every woman in the family seemed determined to keep an eye on her so she couldn’t sneak away.

Later that night, Catherine sat in the bathtub, staring at the engagement ring resting beside her.

Her thoughts drifted back to her previous life.

She had sat in a bathtub then, too, uncertain of what her future held. Maximilian had promised to marry her. He had given her the bracelet. And yet, none of it had been enough to change what happened.

This time…

Catherine looked at the ring again.

She felt no fear. She knew Maximilian would be there. At the end of the aisle… Waiting for her.

The next morning, Catherine woke feeling strangely rejuvenated.

The moment she saw the wedding dress waiting for her, her excitement returned in full force. Hours later, after her hair and makeup were finished, she stood before the mirror.

She turned slightly, examining herself from every angle.

“Perfect,” she murmured.

When she finally descended the stairs, her father was waiting for her. James was dressed in his finest suit. And around his neck was the bolo tie he had worn when he married Catherine’s mother.

Catherine’s eyes softened. He had kept it all these years, for this moment.

James offered her his arm. “Ready?”

Catherine smiled. “Ready.”

Together, they left for the church.

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