A Replacement Bride

Chapter 244

When Katherine heard this, she cheekily thought that this was a golden opportunity to tease him. So, she deliberately donned a grave expression as she raised her eyebrows imperiously and remained silent as she stared at him.

Joaquin felt his heart reach his throat when he saw her reaction. It was an utter torment to be in this position right now. He had never experienced such a thing for more than two decades. Suffice it to say, this was an occurrence that would only happen when he was around her.

A hint of joy flashed in her eyes when she saw him staring at her nervously. Therefore, she slowly let out a sigh after she figured that she had had fun.

"It's all in the past now. You've explained your part of the story, and I believe you. It's just a misunderstanding, and it was not like you were of sound mind. What else can I do? Should I torture you or beat you to a pulp? Or should I hate you for something that you were also a victim of? We should let bygones be bygones. I forgive you, and I'm happy to say goodbye to the festering anger that had bogged me down in the past. I want to embrace the future fully, and I'm no masochist, so I want my nightmares gone. You've given me the closure I've sought for all this time, and I would be a fool to dwell on nonexistent injuries."

Her voice turned into a low murmur when she said the last sentence, and a bleak light gleamed in her eyes. Although she had truly forgiven him, the pain she had endured couldn't just disappear magically. She needed time to heal from her torment.

Joaquin's heart ached when he heard Katherine's words. He tightened his hands slightly before reaching out, taking her hand, and carefully holding them in his hands.

His shoulders drooped slightly as he curled into himself in relief when he realized that she didn't avoid his touch. Nonetheless, he was wholly earnest and solemn as he intoned, "Kathy, I know it's not easy to let bygones be bygones, but that doesn't matter. From now on, I'll always be by your side, and I'll protect you from any harm as best as I can."

She knew that he was serious. So, she nodded slightly in response and said nothing more.

The room fell silent as both parties came to terms with the truth. After the confession, the atmosphere between the two became charged with something other than anxiety and guilt.

Joaquin fixed his gaze on his beloved Katherine. He couldn't bear to look away, and his heart felt like it was bursting at the seams with his affection for her.

Who would have thought that the woman back then would be her, and their meet-cute

become her

of that mattered as long as he had Katherine for better and for worse. He felt grateful that she had given him a chance to atone for

slightly as if she could sense his emotional journey. Finally, she raised her head to meet his eyes and looked at him. She suddenly

that Beatrice was the woman you had hurt back then, so you protected her, right? Frankly, I don't even know whether fool is enough

and he protected and showered her with affection. Now that she thought about it, she felt

feel something was off. The first thing that made me suspicious of her was that she never evoked the same emotions within me as you did. But the instant I thought of what I had done, I couldn't bear to ask her the truth. So many chances to discover the truth these five years slipped through my fingers due to my negligence and guilt. I wouldn't have imagined that she was not the

with a mirthless smile. "You couldn't feel what you felt back then when you were with her?" She repeated his words expressionlessly

of Joaquin's mind as he hurriedly explained, "No! No, that's not what I meant! I just thought that she didn't look like you back then. I didn't do anything with her. You

Although she was smiling, she felt anything but happy. She pouted and snarked, "How would I know? You spent five years thinking she

leaned toward her and held her hands desperately. He clasped her hands and squeezed them to prevent her from

telling the truth. Beatrice had told her that he had never touched her or slept

lit up, and he curled his lips into a smirk. "Kathy, you're

rolled her eyes. "As

so?" Joaquin

she shook him off and rose to her feet. "What?