Chapter 61

Springer subconsciously wanted to ask who this Hans was, but in the next second, he was already moving forward, trying to push past Springer.

“I’m here for Catherine!”

Caught off–guard, Hans watched as the intruder squeezed past him and Into the house, Winnie and others had heard the commotion. As they opened the door, Georgina’s face turned a shade of ash at the sight of Hans, while Catherine, already pale, grew ghostly white, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Hans lit up his eyes when he spotted Catherine sitting on the bed, her brooding eyes staring back at him.

“Catherine! I knew you weren’t gone!” Saying so, Hans took a step towards her, but Georgina instinctively blocked his path, protecting her daughter who had just begun to find her normalcy again.

Winnie, guessing Hans‘ intent, moved to intercept him, but Springer was quicker. He darted in front of the bedroom door and with a fierce shove, pushed Hans back.

“Back off, buddy! One more step and I swear I’ll break your legs!” Despite his youth, Springer’s fierceness was unmistakable.

Hans, taken aback by the shove, glared at Hans with rising anger.

“Who the hell are you?! This is between her and me!”

“Who am I? I’m the knight in shining armor!” Springer replied. Without a second thought, Springer retorted and shoved Hans again, more forcefully this time.

“Stay where you are! Do you think you can just barge into someone’s house uninvited? Winnie hasn’t said a word! Until she does, you’re not going anywhere!” Springer positioned himself as Winnie’s personal guardian, his tone unyielding Hans, intent on seeing Catherine, was not interested in listening to Springer’s rant. When Hans was pushed a second time, he lost it and swung a fist at Springer’s face.

Springer might have been young, but he wasn’t untrained.

He raised his arms to block, but he was a split second too slow. Just as he braced for impact. Winnie flickered her hand and Hans‘ punch froze mid–air.

Both boys were stunned, but Springer, with his quick reflexes, seized the moment.

He twisted Hans‘ arm behind his back, pushed him down, and pinned him with a smoothness that even impressed himself.

He turned excitedly to Winnie, his eyes sparkling with pride, silently asking. “Did you see that? Wasn’t I awesome?”

12:40 別 lo stand there and let them treat me Fasting site heat the behest het syes Heel on Hans outside. Her body was rigid with Frankens Fallsins. I met wanted to see you I’ve been worried sick about you this palcem Tanline in my lamily stopped me from seeing you. Catherine, you You but As Hane Rouets his heart, unaware, each word struck Catherine like a whisper from a devil. Almartes of being bullied and caersed into being his girlfriend replayed in her mind, causing

Finally, she Fruhin‘ take it anymore and creamed, “Shut up! Just shut up!

Her eyes brimming with tear, Catherine glared at Hans, her voice shaking with determination, Tover weant to ass you saint Everything you say disgusts me, Hans! You’re scum! Why can’t kow at isave me alone? What did I ever de wrang?”

Since waking up the day before, Catherine had been on edge. She and Georgina, both wanting to forget the past year’s events, had even started to fantasize about a new life ahead.

But Hane arrival shattered that illusion, reminding Catherine that she couldn’t forget. She shouted hoarsely, venting years of pain and despair.

Winnte remained silent, and Springer, still pinning down Hans, kept his lips sealed, his grip Hans, however, appeared oblivious to the pressure. He stared at Catherine inside the house, able to believe her reaction.

ty te mind, their reunion after a long separation and his struggle against his family for her should have led her to a great epiphany and recognize her feelings for him.

But why did she find him disgusting?

“Catherine, you dare say you never liked me?! Not even once?! Hans bit back, unable to accept Yes, he had bullied her at first, but he had apologized.

Yes, he had forced her, but that was a momentary impulsel 12:40 When he realized he loved her, he genuinely made her his girlfriend. Although there had been threats, it was because he loved her!

He had always believed that once she became his girlfriend, once she enough time with him she would come to love him he did her Even if she resistant most of the time, he was convinced she liked him.

“I’ve never liked you, not once! It’s always been you forcing me into this!” Catherine shouted, “You threatened me with my mom’s job and used my grades as leverage against me. How could I ever like you? I don’t like you at all! It’s you who won’t let me be!!”

Catherine’s voice was laden with despair. She couldn’t fathom what she done to deserve such treatment. Why did she have to endure this?

Hans cornered Catherine in the ladies‘ restroom, with his cronies in tow, blasting her with a water hose, laughing and jeering at her, heaping humiliation upon her.

He’d dump his half–eaten lunch leftovers into her bowl, tear up her textbooks, and even force her down into the mud, demanding she recite passages…

Heaven knew when he declared his affection for her, she felt so nauseated she almost threw How could he think that after all the vile things he had done to her, she could still develop feelings for him?

How could anyone ever come to like a person who has inflicted such deep wounds upon them?