Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss (Kylan and Katrina) novel Chapter 152

The city was alive with the hum of summer activity, sunlight reflecting off shop windows as Katrina strolled down the bustling streets. She glanced at her phone, confirming the time and location. A deep breath steadied her nerves as she stepped into the large shopping center, her short heels clicking softly on the polished floor.

Taking a seat on a bench near the entrance, she scanned the crowd. Her thoughts swirled with anticipation and a hint of unease. Before long, a familiar voice broke through the noise.

“There you are. Right on time,” Dr. Lee Hanes said, his tone warm but tinged with playful reproach.

Katrina looked up and smiled, her gaze meeting his. Lee was impeccably dressed, his usual air of professionalism replaced with something more relaxed yet equally polished. “Why wouldn’t I come? I was the one who asked you to meet me,” she replied, standing to greet him.

He grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. “Well, I still worried you might change your mind.”

“Not a chance,” she said lightly. “Shall we?”

Lee stepped aside, gesturing toward the café he had in mind. “After you.”

The pair walked side by side through the shopping center, Lee chatting animatedly about his work while Katrina listened, occasionally interjecting with questions that encouraged him to elaborate. His enthusiasm was contagious, and she found herself smiling more than she had in days.

After a short walk, Lee held open the door to a cozy café for her. “Here we are,” he said.

“Thank you.” She stepped inside, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries enveloping her.

Lee pulled out a chair for her at a table near the window, leaning in slightly as he did so. “I’ll grab us some menus,” he said softly, his voice brushing close enough to send a small shiver down her spine.

As he moved away, Katrina took a moment to gather herself, looking out the window at the bustling street. When he returned, menus in hand, his expression was lit with something akin to mischief.

“I hope you’re hungry,” Lee said as he set the menus down.

She chuckled. “Starving, actually. This is perfect.”

Their conversation ebbed and flowed effortlessly as they decided on their orders and waited for the server. At one point, Katrina found her gaze lingering on Lee’s face, a tiny scar near his jawline catching the light.

“Do you always do this with your other patients?” she teased, referencing the unusually personal outing.

Lee’s brows lifted slightly, his expression shifting for just a moment to something unreadable before returning to his usual warmth. “No, I don’t,” he admitted. “Only you.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile. “I’m glad to hear that.”

The server arrived with their drinks, momentarily interrupting the flow of conversation. The young woman blushed as she glanced at Lee. “You two make a lovely couple,” she said shyly.

Lee’s grin didn’t falter, but his tone sharpened just enough to make his point clear. “Thank you, but we’re here to enjoy some privacy. If you don’t mind?”

The server quickly apologized and left them at their table, her cheeks flaming red.

Katrina raised an amused brow. “You didn’t have to scare her off.”

“I wasn’t scaring her,” Lee said with a slight laugh. “I was just… setting boundaries. I’d rather focus on you.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the sincerity in his tone, but she masked it with a teasing smile. “Well, aren’t you sweet?”

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping. “It’s not just sweetness, Katrina. I mean it.”

The conversation turned more serious as the meal arrived. They talked quietly, leaning closer as the minutes passed, their voices low enough that no one around them could hear.

When their plates were nearly empty, Lee reached across the table, taking her hands in his. His touch was firm but gentle, his gaze steady. “I’m really glad we met up today. But you said there was something important you wanted to tell me?”

Katrina hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around his. “It’s hard to say, but… I think I need to.”

Lee’s expression softened, his encouragement silent but palpable. “Go ahead.”

She drew in a breath, her heart pounding. She had to rub her belly to comfort herself. “I’ve made a decision. I’m leaving Kylan.”

Lee blinked, clearly caught off guard, but his focus never wavered. “You’re leaving him?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “I don’t love him. I never really did. And…” She hesitated, then pressed on. “I think I’ve been in love with someone else for a while now.”

Lee’s breath hitched, his composure faltering just enough to show a flicker of hope. “Who?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Katrina hummed a laugh. "It may seem insane to say this, but the man who has been after me. The man who has been chasing me for so long, I understand now. I think back to when I was trapped in that room, staring deeply into his eyes..." She clutched her chest. "It got my heart pounding, now I know why. I knew I could tell you, trust you..." She looked down at her pregnant belly. "Now I have her, I could run off with him. Yes, it means leaving Clarence and Theo behind but, it'll be harder taking them." She let out a long sigh. "I just wish I knew who it was. I mean I have a feeling who he is."

Lee Hanes smiled. "You do, do you?"

She nodded, her foot moving up his leg. She leaned forward to show off her cleavage. "It's you, isn't it? It's always been you."

Lee leaned closer. "It's me."

She frowned. "How can I be sure?"

He smiled. "Well, why don't I tell you my story, after all, Kylan was my first obsession then it was you. I'll tell you everything because I love you."

"Let's hear it."

"I was still a teenager when I met Kylan's mother one night. She tempted me back to her place. I told her it was the best night of my life, that I really connected with her." He sat back as he watched Katrina putting a hand on her belly. "However, it meant nothing to her but I was determined to have her, to let her see the light. I never meant to kill her, you know? She was my everything, but she was too difficult.

Katrina had to swallow hard before she nodded. "I understand, when you love someone you just do anything for them."

He smiled. "You get it. Good. Well, then I heard she had a son just a few years younger than me. He was Kylan." He looked down at his half eaten food. "It's a shame. I wanted Kylan to recognize me, I did everything to have him. I became a doctor!" He leaned closer. "I killed for him, but it was never enough." He let out a long sigh. "I gave up, thought about what I was doing. For quite some time, I had a wife and a daughter. But I had to kill her. She wasn't Kylan's mother. It was hard to see her as my wife. But my daughter... Isabella was obsessed with Kylan."

"Isabella was your daughter?" Katrina gasped but then she covered it with a laugh. "How small our world was."

Lee smiled. "She used her mother's surname because she hated me for being obsessed with her Kylan. She had a boyfriend you know? But then her boyfriend couldn't make her happy like Kylan. I pity Dominic. He was tortured by my daughter just because he can't be Kylan."

Katrina had to keep her composure as she felt her whole body collapsing.

Lee looked up at her. "I hated you at first."

Katrina smiled. "I don't blame you, I took away the love of your daughter's life, and the source of your memory with his mother."

Lee looked at her wedding ring then at her face, he spoke softly. "Katrina, the day I saw you in that bathroom was the day I fell for you." He grabbed his wallet and pulled something out, he smiled at it and handed it to her. She turned it so she could look, it was a photo of her in that bathroom with the woman in her arms, blood everywhere.

She looked back up at him. "You really are him, this picture confirms it." She placed the picture down. "I have one thing to ask."

"Ask away, beautiful."