From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 151- very happy

As he spoke, he continued to domineeringly seek her lips. Catherine was unable to resist, letting out soft, breathless sounds as he captured her red lips.

When he finally released her mouth, Catherine protested in a trembling voice,

"You’re still sick... and you haven’t even eaten..."

She had meant to say that he was too weak and should hurry up and eat first, but Bert had no interest in hearing that. He bent down and scooped her up in one smooth motion, the strength in his arms steady and powerful.

"Never doubt a man’s stamina in bed."

With that, he carried her to the large bed.

As her clothes were pushed aside, as every inch of her beauty was slowly tasted by him, Catherine melted completely. There was nothing she could do except cling tightly to his strong shoulders.

For Catherine, this was truly her first real experience of intimacy. The one two years ago had happened when her consciousness was unclear; aside from the soreness afterward, she had barely felt anything else.

The pleasure that made people cry out, the bliss where body and soul intertwined completely—she had never experienced any of it. This time, however, he made her feel it all, thoroughly and unmistakably.

In the end, Catherine couldn’t help but beg,

"I really don’t have any strength left... and I’m so hungry..."

She truly was starving. Because she had been upset with him, she hadn’t had much of an appetite for breakfast and had only eaten a few bites. Lunch had been delayed until now, and this intense intimacy had drained her even further. She felt that if he continued, she might actually faint.

Bert leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips.

"Then say you love me, and I’ll let you go."

She was on the verge of tears from his torment—he was truly awful, wearing her down both physically and mentally.

In the end, she could only give in. Wrapping her arms tightly around him, arching herself to meet his movements, she whispered her confession by his ear,

"I love you..."

"I love you, Bert..."

Afterward, Catherine lay sprawled on the bed, completely drained of strength. Bert went to the bathroom to rinse off, then returned and kissed her pale, exhausted cheek.

"I’ll go cook."

Remembering that he was still sick, Catherine hurriedly said,

"I’ll do it instead..."

He raised an eyebrow and looked at her with mild displeasure.

"You still have any strength left?"

She felt embarrassed.

"I’m just worried you’ll be too tired..."

She truly had no strength at all—not a shred of it. But thinking that he was still recovering, that his fever had only just gone down, and what they had just done in bed...

She wanted to be considerate and cook for him herself. Bert, of course, understood her intentions, but he still let out a soft snort.

"As long as you don’t sulk and get mad at me like this again, I’m perfectly capable of taking good care of you—both in and out of bed."

Catherine, "..."

When she finally processed his words, her face turned completely red. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it over herself, then muffledly chased him away,

"Just go already. Go cook."

Absolutely shameless.

Yet beneath those shameless words was his affection for her.

He was promising her that he would take care of everything—that she wouldn’t need to worry about anything at all. All she needed to do was love him properly.

Wrapped beneath the blanket, after the rush of embarrassment, Catherine felt a deep, overwhelming warmth in her heart. She was truly grateful—grateful that she had met a man who cherished her like this. Giving herself to him was something she did willingly, without a trace of regret.

And of course, it was very happy, too.

After Bert went out to cook, Catherine lay down for a while before getting up as well. She went to the bathroom to wash up, got dressed, and then stepped out.

In the kitchen, Bert—dressed casually at home—was busy with his back to her.

His shoulders and back were broad and straight, giving off an overwhelming sense of security.

Catherine walked over and gently wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her cheek against his back.

"I’m really grateful," she said softly, "grateful that my first time was with you."

At least this way, there was no burden in her heart—no lingering regret over having given her first time to someone other than him.

Bert didn’t turn around. Instead, he reached back with one hand and held hers where it was clasped around his waist.

"Even if your first time truly hadn’t been with me, I wouldn’t have minded."

"Everyone has a past. I wouldn’t insist that the you before meeting me had to be perfectly untouched. I’m not that boring."

These were Bert’s true feelings, not something he said just to comfort her.

Even if she had been with another man before him, he really wouldn’t have cared.

He didn’t want her past. What he wanted was her present and her future. As long as her present and future belonged to him with loyalty, that was enough.

From the age when people first experience young love to the moment they finally meet the person they truly love, the path is rarely smooth. Of course, some are fortunate enough to meet the right person right away and stay together for a lifetime.

Those people are undoubtedly happy. But there are also those who are destined to go through trials before finding happiness—so why be so harsh in demanding this or that from one’s partner?

If people knew in advance who their destined person would be, they would surely cherish themselves more, saving the best of who they are for the one they love most.

After lunch, Catherine said she needed to leave—she still had to go to work.

Bert looked thoroughly displeased.

"Is this how you treat a sick person? I’m not even fully recovered yet and you’re already leaving. Does that make any sense?"

Catherine protested,

"But aren’t you already better?"

He’d been energetic enough in bed and had even cooked—clearly he didn’t need anyone taking care of him anymore.

Bert glanced at her.

"As your boss, I’m giving you the day off."

Catherine looked troubled.

"But I only told my supervisor I’d be out for a bit, and I still haven’t finished today’s work."

When she left the office earlier, Catherine had informed her department head that she was stepping out briefly, saying she had something to take care of. She hadn’t said she was coming to see Bert, nor had she planned to be gone the entire day. She’d only meant to check on him, urge him to take his medicine or go to the hospital. She hadn’t expected things to develop the way they had.

Bert picked up his phone.

"I’ll give him a call."