On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 150

What was she going to do?

Lance Smith… you’re less than human.

The next morning, Catherine Brown arrived at Lakeview Heights with breakfast. The moment she stepped inside, she was hit by the overpowering stench of alcohol and nicotine. She followed the smell to the wine cellar and found Lance passed out on the floor.

She sighed and knelt beside him, gently patting his cheek. “Lance, wake up. It’s morning.”

He managed to pry his eyes open. He saw the woman before him, her voice soft, her eyes smiling.

“Jessica,” he rasped, grabbing her hand.

The smile vanished from Catherine’s face. She froze, a flicker of rage in her eyes. She tried to pull her hand away, unable to bear being mistaken for Jessica, to be her stand-in.

The more she struggled, the more agitated he became. He pulled her into a fierce embrace, pressing her against his chest as if trying to merge their bodies into one. “Jessica,” he pleaded, his voice thick with desperation. “Don’t go. Please, don’t go.”

A single tear fell from Catherine’s eye, soaking into the fabric of his shirt. “Lance…”

“I’m here,” he whispered, nodding frantically. “I’m here.”

She began to sob. Feeling her tears, he clumsily wiped at her face with both hands. “Don’t cry, don’t cry.”

Her throat tightened. She closed her eyes, cupped his face in her hands, and with a look of grim determination, whispered, “Lance, kiss me.”

She then marched over and pulled Lance up by the arm. He stumbled and fell back onto the floor, his head spinning. He looked up and saw Catherine, her clothes in disarray. He frowned. “Catherine, what happened?”

Helen sneered. “What happened? If I’d been a minute later, she would have had her way with you. A man needs to protect himself, even in his own home.”

Catherine covered her face, mortified, and slowly sat up, pulling her clothes together as she sobbed.

Lance’s head was already throbbing, and the scene only made it worse. “Helen, take Amy out of here!” he snapped. What was she thinking, saying such things in front of a child?

Startled, Helen quickly covered Amy’s eyes and hurried out of the room.

Catherine turned her head away. “Lance, I’m so embarrassed I could die. I couldn’t reach you on the phone, so I came to check on you. The minute I walked in, you grabbed me, pushed me onto the sofa, and started kissing me and taking off my clothes… And now Helen is saying I seduced you…”