From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 185- beautiful and irresistible

"I’ll go with you."

Bert spoke up on his own initiative, but Catherine shook her head.

"No need. I can go by myself."

Catherine knew Bert didn’t like Channing, so she thought it would be better not to make him come along.

But Bert insisted.

"He’s your father, after all. No matter how you look at it, now that he’s sick, I should go see him."

In truth, Bert wasn’t comfortable letting Catherine face Channing and Lucca alone. Channing might have lost all ability to act aggressively after his stroke, but Lucca was a different matter altogether—she was dangerous. There was no way Bert would allow Catherine to go by herself.

Seeing how firm he was, Catherine said nothing more. After breakfast, the two of them skipped the office and went straight to the hospital.

When they arrived, Channing’s hospital room was empty. Channing was struggling to lift his arm, reaching awkwardly for the nurse-call button by the bedside. His movements were clumsy and pitiful, his appearance haggard.

Catherine sighed inwardly and walked over to press the button for him. Channing collapsed back onto the bed as if released from a burden. He looked at Catherine, then at Bert standing behind her. His slightly clouded eyes shifted back and forth, his mouth opening and closing several times before he finally forced out a sentence with great effort:

"Th... thank you..."

Even those words came out indistinct and slurred.

Channing’s stroke was neither entirely severe nor mild. He wasn’t completely paralyzed and bedridden, but half his body was immobile, his speech was impaired, and everyday life was nearly impossible for him to manage on his own.

Seeing him like this, Catherine was overcome with mixed emotions.

Before this, she had harbored resentment and hatred toward Channing. Years of neglect, indifference, and emotional harm—how could she not? But at this moment, looking at his miserable state, those feelings faded somewhat.

She glanced around the room. Channing was staying in a private ward, yet there was no sign of Lucca anywhere. Catherine asked quietly,

"Where’s Lucca?"

Channing’s emotions had been relatively steady until then, but at the mention of Lucca, his whole body began to tremble with anger. He tried to say something, but no sound came out. Eventually, he lifted his one usable hand and pointed toward the bathroom, making strained, muffled noises of distress.

Catherine didn’t immediately understand what he meant. Bert stepped forward and asked calmly,

"Do you need to use the bathroom?"

Channing nodded repeatedly. Catherine felt a bit awkward. Bert went over, helped Channing up from the bed, and supported him into the bathroom. After settling him on the toilet, Bert stepped back out.

Just then, a nurse entered the room. Seeing that Channing wasn’t there, she turned to Catherine and Bert.

"Is there anything going on with the patient?"

Catherine wasn’t sure why Channing had pressed the call button earlier. Bert explained,

"He probably needed to use the bathroom."

The nurse frowned and said,

"In his current condition, the patient is basically unable to care for himself. A family member must stay with him at all times. If the family can’t manage that, the best solution is to hire a professional caregiver."

Catherine nodded.

"Understood. We’ll arrange it as soon as possible."

The nurse turned and left. Before Catherine could say anything else, Bert spoke first.

"A caregiver is a must. He’s a man—it’s not convenient for you to handle everything yourself."

Despite his dislike for Channing, Bert didn’t forbid Catherine from caring for him. Instead, he proactively suggested hiring a caregiver. Catherine looked at him with gratitude.

She knew he understood her. No matter how Channing had ignored her all these years, she was still his daughter. Now that he was in this condition, she couldn’t simply abandon him—morally, it wouldn’t stand, and it would invite criticism from others as well.

Catherine had never intended to wash her hands of Channing entirely. She had once thought that when he grew old, she would still support him. She had only assumed that with Lucca, Tracy, and that so-called son of his around, Channing would scorn her help.

Bert went back into the bathroom and helped Channing out again. With great difficulty, Channing returned to the bed. Even now, there was still no sign of Lucca. Catherine didn’t bother calling her. Instead, she turned to Bert.

"I’ll go out and buy some breakfast."

From the look of him, Channing clearly hadn’t eaten. Catherine planned to get him something—given his condition, it would probably have to be liquid food.

Bert stayed behind in the hospital room with Channing. Not because he was especially kind, but because he knew Catherine would have trouble caring for him alone. And if Channing needed to move, Catherine wouldn’t be able to manage physically. That was why he stayed.

As soon as Catherine left the room, Bert’s first move was to make a phone call, instructing someone to arrange a professional caregiver immediately—one who could arrive at the hospital as quickly as possible. Once Channing had round-the-clock care, Catherine wouldn’t need to be tied down here.

Just as Bert finished the call, the ward door opened.

A strong wave of perfume hit the air first.

Then Lucca appeared in the doorway.

Lucca entered the hospital room impatiently, her designer handbag swinging at her side. The moment she saw Bert standing there, she froze. Then, in the very next second, delight bloomed across her face. Smiling brightly, her hips swaying as she walked toward him, she called out sweetly,

"Bert—"

Lucca was practically overjoyed. She had been wondering how she might get a chance to see Bert—whether she should use Channing’s illness as an excuse to go directly to his company, or discreetly inquire about his social engagements so she could "run into" him somewhere.

She never expected the opportunity to fall straight into her lap. Not only was Bert right in front of her, but Catherine wasn’t even there.

Such a perfect chance to get close to him—how could Lucca possibly let it slip? From the moment she stepped inside and saw Bert, she completely forgot about Channing lying on the hospital bed beside them, still waiting for his breakfast. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

At Lucca’s sudden, syrupy "brother-in-law," Bert’s expression turned cold instantly. He could already guess exactly what kind of scheme was forming in her mind. A cold sneer rose in his heart—apparently, Lucca didn’t think her current situation was miserable enough yet.

Did she really think he was as cheap as Gerald? That he could be so easily bewitched by her, so easily betray Catherine?

Just the fact that Lucca dared to lump him together with Gerald was enough to make Bert feel like crushing her a hundred times over.

By now, Lucca had already drifted over to him, wrapped in her heavy perfume. She leaned closer, her tone intimate, her smile radiant.

"Bert, what brings you here?"

Lucca secretly congratulated herself—thank goodness she’d gone home to change clothes and carefully doll herself up. She believed she looked dazzling now, beautiful and irresistible.

Bert concealed the icy emotions in his eyes and smiled faintly at her. Instead of answering her question, he replied with something entirely unrelated,

"You look very pretty today."

How could Lucca’s little intentions possibly escape Bert’s eyes? And how could Bert’s true motives ever be deciphered by Lucca? Just that single compliment was enough to make her forget all the hostility he’d shown her before. She never once considered that his sudden gentleness toward her was, in fact, deeply unnatural.

She glanced down at her outfit with satisfaction, practically ready to spin in place.

"I went home specially to change this morning."

The corner of Bert’s lips curved into a mild smile, but inside he felt nothing but cold disdain and disgust.

Channing was lying right there, helpless on the bed, in need of care—and she still had the mood to dress herself up so flamboyantly. A selfish woman like this—what right did she have to compete with someone as kind and sincere as Catherine? Bert genuinely couldn’t understand where Lucca’s confidence had come from all these years, always believing herself superior to Catherine.

A person’s inner richness and goodness mattered far more than outward beauty. No matter how stunning the exterior, if the heart was as venomous as a snake or scorpion, how many people would be willing to stay by their side?

Seeing Bert smile at her, Lucca grew even more pleased with herself. The look in her eyes as she gazed at him became increasingly seductive.

Then Bert spoke again, calmly,

"I’ll be going to Channing Group later to handle some business. When that happens, come by the main office."

Lucca felt as though she were about to melt under his gentle voice and deep, unreadable eyes. Especially with words like "come to my office" carrying such an ambiguous undertone, she was instantly overjoyed and agreed without hesitation.

On the hospital bed nearby, Channing was grinding his teeth in fury, his face twisted as he glared at the two of them. After enduring so many upheavals recently—especially after surviving an illness that had nearly killed him—Channing finally realized which daughter was truly worthy of his trust.

The resentment and bitterness he had once felt over Catherine inheriting Channing Group dissipated entirely after she came to visit him on her own initiative, thoughtfully went out to buy him breakfast, and cared for him without complaint.

People were often like this—it was only at their most miserable moments that they changed their views, that they finally saw people and situations clearly.

Channing was furious at Lucca’s shameless behavior, her blatant attempts to seduce Bert. He was also angry at Bert—for responding to her advances at all. Thinking of how tender and devoted Bert had always been toward Catherine, and then comparing that to his current interaction with Lucca, Channing felt, for the very first time, a sharp pang of sympathy for Catherine.