Femme Fatale: The King's Deadly Temptress

Chapter 658: A Tale

After everything that Katherine and Damien had been through, he believed she would make the right choice. Whatever that may be. For him, it didn't matter what it was as long as it would make her happy and at peace. 

For someone who spent her whole life seeking revenge for her parents' murder, Katherine was the same girl he met that tragic night. She could be vulnerable despite being capable of violence. She could kill, but she could also heal—just like what she did to him. So whatever her decision may be, Damien would support her all the way.

Katherine wanted to visit her grandfather in the hospital after lunch. Caroline joined the two of them, her eyes all puffy from crying all night. Senior housekeeper Teresa led the staff today, stepping up in her role as they did their duties and served the family in the dining room. If the rest of the staff had found out about what happened last night, they didn't show it. Everyone looked professional as always.

"Have you…decided?" Caroline probed in almost a whisper, slicing the silence that hung in the air.

Katherine met the other's eyes and paused. A beat later, she responded, "Not yet."

"When?"

"I don't know."

"But—"

"Caroline," Damien interrupted, his voice calm yet the sternness of his eyes was palpable. Aware that there were other people in the room, he merely glanced at the senior housekeeper and Teresa led the staff out to give them privacy, closing the door behind her. Once they were alone, he slid his stare back to Caroline. "This is a matter not to be taken lightly."

"You don't think I know that? It's my mother's life!"josei

"It's not just hers. It's also Katherine's." Even though he did not say it, the underlying words were obvious: And Katherine's parents.

Caroline's face scrunched up—she's on the verge of tears again. "What kind of monsters are you, talking about someone's life as if it's a candle you can blow out when you don't want its light anymore? You're not gods! You don't have the right to take someone's life! And what did Mr. Higgins even do? I can't believe I'm related to you—"

"We're not related," Katherine said. When the younger woman narrowed her eyes, she added, "We're not related by blood. Deborah was adopted when she was a baby. Higgins is the brother of Deborah's father who died in an accident—in which Higgins believed was Grandpa Theo's fault even though it isn't. This is all a scheme he concocted out of his delusions in avenging his brother's death.

"Your mother was about your age when Higgins told her the story about her birth. And she chose to destroy my family, the family who raised her. What does that say about her? You can call me a monster all you want. But since we're not related, you don't need to worry." Katherine got to her feet and looked down on Caroline, the stinging behind her eyes making her clench her hands into fists. She didn't want to hurt her, but it's taking everything in her to forget that she's Deborah's daughter.

Without another word, she walked out of the dining room, leaving Damien alone with Caroline whose face had turned green. He pushed his chair back as he stood with grace like that of royalty. "Never speak of it again when the staff is around. They might look like they don't care, but they have ears, and they will talk. It's for your own good." He left the room to go after Katherine.

:kitchen_knife::kitchen_knife::kitchen_knife:

Katherine sat in an armchair next to Grandpa Theo's bed. She was quiet since they arrived an hour ago, holding her grandfather's hand while hoping he'd open his eyes for her.

Meanwhile, Damien was at the round table near the tall window, working on his laptop and occasionally glancing at Katherine to check on her. He had some work to do, but he didn't want to leave her side, so he busied himself while they were there. The soft clicking of his keyboard halted when she finally spoke.

"It was a normal night—at least I thought it was. I remember doing my homework with my headphones on, listening to music while waiting for mom to call me out for dinner. She made roasted lamb that night because she knew it was my favorite. Dad was in his office a few doors down the hall, also waiting for mom." A small smile lifted on her lips before it disappeared, her chin trembling. "And then the lights went out."

Damien leaned against the backrest, closing his eyes as his own memories played in sync with Katherine's recollection of the war that broke out in her home so many years ago. She was telling her grandfather the story.

Whenever Damien remembered this incident, he always felt guilty, thinking he failed to save Katherine that night. For many years, he thought Katherine died in that explosion.

Now, whenever those memories invaded his thoughts, it's like the story had been rewritten. Same characters, different story. It was no longer a child he met back then, it was a younger Katherine. It was still a tragic night, but he was no longer alone in that experience. It didn't take away the darkness in his chest, but Katherine surely made it better.

Damien thought that Katherine would merely talk about that night alone. But as she went on, she was actually telling Grandpa Theo everything else that happened after. The orphanage, Shadow, being trained as an assassin, tracking down people whom she thought were her parents' murderers, and how she lost her memories six years ago. She came clean, telling her grandfather everything about her, and only hesitating at the last bit about discovering last night's truths.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by her admission of everything that happened to her, Damien understood. Everyone had their own ways of dealing with things, choosing decisions they thought were the best at that moment, and then dealing with the aftermath. It might not be pretty, but it was her life. It was what made her who she was.

He didn't know if she intended for Grandpa Theo to hear all that or if she was doing it because he was unconscious anyway.

"I don't know what to do, Gramps. I'm so tired. I'm still hurting, but I'm so very tired…" Katherine's shoulders shook as she clasped the older man's hand in her hands and pressed it against her cheek.

Damien walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulder, giving them a gentle squeeze. He didn't say anything. He only wanted her to know he was there. Sitting on the arm of the chair, he pulled Katherine to his side and softly stroked her arm. "Everything is going to be okay, Kitten." He lowered his lips on her head, planting a kiss.

She leaned against him, taking shelter in his arms without letting go of her grandfather's hand. For a moment, it was silent, the hospital's private room's white noise was the only sound surrounding them.

After a few minutes, he was about to usher her to the sofa to rest for a while. She must still be exhausted—what with everything that happened last night. However, just when he shifted, Katherine gasped.

"Did you see that?"

"See what?" Damien scanned the area where her eyes were locked in. 

"He moved!"

"Grandpa?"

"Yes! He moved! His fingers! Did you see?"

He stared at Grandpa Theo's hand but it was just there, frail and limp on the bed where Katherine had placed it down a minute ago. Damien shook his head, "Sorry, baby, I didn't."

She looked up at me, her eyes full of hope. "But they did! I swear!"

Stroking her hair, he smiled as he nodded and reassured her. "I believe you." Glancing at Grandpa Theo briefly, he told Katherine, "Maybe he's awake. I'll go get the doctors."

With renewed energy, Katherine moved closer to the bed and held her grandfather's hand again, speaking in a hushed voice as Damien left the room. There was a phone inside to contact the nurse's station, but he needed to stretch his legs so he chose to go out instead. The guard stationed outside Grandpa Theo's room gave him a polite nod as he passed. 

Damien was only a few steps away when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Upon seeing Detective Donovan's name on his screen, he answered it right away. "Detective?"

"Mr. Park. I hope I didn't interrupt you. I just called to let you know that I found Bennet."

He stopped in his tracks, his heart racing in his chest. Bennet—the police officer who responded to his father's accident.