From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 167- Legally married

Where Gerald’s gaze landed was near the rear entrance of the hall.

Catherine and Bert were sitting side by side, calmly watching the chaos unfolding on stage between him and Lucca, as if neither he nor Lucca had anything to do with her at all.

One of Bert’s arms rested naturally around Catherine’s shoulders, a gesture that carried an unmistakable sense of possession—and triumph.

Of course, there was no trace of triumph on Bert’s face, but Gerald still felt it. He felt that Bert was savoring his victory—rejoicing in having won Catherine, rejoicing in Gerald’s utter humiliation today.

Gerald couldn’t help letting out a hollow chuckle.

Yes, Bert deserved to be pleased.

After all, it was Gerald himself who had failed to cherish what he had. Only after experiencing Lucca did he finally realize how good Catherine had been—but now...

Gerald felt that he no longer had the strength to love anyone in this lifetime.

Enough. Let it be.

To live alone for the rest of his life wasn’t so bad. No love, no hatred—then there would be no pain, no wounds, and no bitter mix of joy, sorrow, regret, and helplessness like this.

Lucca was thrown to the ground once again by Gerald and no longer had the strength to get back up. She burst into tears without any regard for her dignity. Only Tracy remained beside her, trying to comfort her, though even Tracy was now powerless in the face of what had happened.

Channing turned away in anger, preparing to leave.

As for Gerald’s father, he too was furious. He had never approved of this marriage in the first place, but for the sake of appearances, he had still attended. Lucy had already refused to show up—if he hadn’t come either, what would have become of his son’s wedding?

Now, however, the wedding had turned into such a disgrace that all dignity had been utterly lost. Still, from his perspective, there was one small consolation: his son had finally cut ties completely with Lucca, that vicious woman. With that, he felt there was nothing more to worry about and chose to turn and leave as well.

Just as several people were turning away, a low, commanding male voice rang out from the back of the banquet hall:

"Wait."

With that single word, the entire hall fell silent once more, and all eyes turned toward the source of the voice.

Bert stood up calmly, one arm around Catherine’s shoulders as he led her forward with composed, unhurried steps onto the stage.

What had once been Gerald and Lucca’s wedding stage now belonged to Bert and Catherine.

Bert was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, elegant and noble. Catherine wore a camel-red knitted dress, gentle and poised.

Bert took the microphone from the host, his tone relaxed and natural.

"Since so many distinguished guests are gathered here today, there’s something I’d like to announce as well."

"The man who spent that night with Miss Catherine Channing two years ago was me. And I should thank that night—for it brought Miss Channing and me together in a rather extraordinary way. We are now in a relationship, and in a few days, we will become..."

"Legally married."

His words immediately sparked another wave of murmurs throughout the hall. Those who had once seen the footage of the man kissing Catherine outside the hotel room two years ago began carefully comparing that figure with Bert standing on the stage.

The resemblance was striking.

With just a few sentences, Bert had perfectly clarified everything: that it had been him with Catherine two years ago, that they were together now, and that they would soon be married. It was flawless—leaving no room for criticism.

Some might have wanted to attack Catherine for having slept with a man in the past, but Bert had already given her a promise of marriage. A one-night encounter that led to a lifetime—what more was there to say?

Others might have wanted to question whether the man from two years ago truly was Bert. But whether it was him or not no longer mattered.

The fact that he stood there today, publicly declaring his intention to marry Catherine in front of so many people, made one thing clear:

He simply did not care.

Even if it hadn’t been him back then—it would have made no difference at all.

What was more, the more people studied Bert’s build and side profile, the more they felt it closely resembled the man captured in that kissing footage exposed two years ago.

As for Bert’s declaration, most people, after the initial shock, chose to accept it. Some even began applauding and offering their congratulations to Bert and Catherine. After all, Bert was a member of the Burg Eltz circle, and many were willing to show that family a measure of respect by taking the lead in offering their blessings.

But there was one person whose rage surged so violently that she fainted on the spot.

That person was Lucca.

No matter how hard she tried, Lucca had never imagined that the man who had slept with Catherine two years ago would turn out to be Bert.

More than once, she had pictured that man as either old and ugly, or some revolting, lecherous creep. For the past two years, every time she thought of it, she would laugh in her sleep, reveling in Catherine’s supposed disgrace.

Yet now, Bert had stepped forward and openly admitted that he was that man.

What was worse was that the more Lucca looked at him, the more unmistakable the resemblance became.

Catherine’s first time had been given to a man so outstanding and handsome. Bert was exceptional in every sense—by any standard. And now he was even publicly promising Catherine marriage in front of so many people. Even if it had been nothing more than a single night, Catherine had not lost out in the slightest.

The happiness Catherine possessed at that moment stood in brutal contrast to Lucca’s own ruin.

Overwhelmed by fury and humiliation, Lucca felt blood surge violently in her chest. Unable to catch her breath, she collapsed unconscious into Tracy’s arms.

What happened afterward, Bert and Catherine never learned.

After proving Catherine’s innocence and publicly declaring their relationship, they left the venue. On the stage, Bert had kept her firmly within his arms the entire time, shielding her from every trace of unease and panic.

It was the first time in her life that Catherine had stood in such a public setting—speaking about something so deeply personal. To say she felt no nerves at all would have been a lie.

But thankfully—thankfully—he was beside her.

His broad arms gave her a sense of fearlessness, allowing her to remain composed, graceful, and quietly beautiful. They allowed her to meet his steadiness and grandeur with her own calm poise.

After today, everyone would know about their relationship—and their story.

As Catherine settled into the car, she let out a soft sigh.

She had never imagined that one day she would announce her romance in such a high-profile way. Yet though many things in life unfolded contrary to expectation, this was something worth it.

Because she was with him, she was willing to do anything.

And because this boldness was for him, she found it thrilling and sweet—and, above all, deeply satisfying.

Yes. Truly satisfying.

Catherine did not hide the sense of vindication she felt at seeing Lucca in such utter disgrace. It wasn’t that she or Bert were cruel.

Lucca had been vicious first.

They had merely revealed the evidence.

In the end, it was nothing more than Lucca reaping what she herself had sown.