From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 186- He won’t hurt me

"Get out!"

"All of you—get out—!"

Channing struggled angrily for a long while before finally forcing those few words out at them, glaring at the two of them with great effort.

Lucca turned her head and glanced at Channing, speaking with unmistakable disdain.

"Dad, what are you doing? I’m just chatting with my brother-in-law."

Channing was so furious he wanted nothing more than to slap Lucca hard across the face. But his entire body refused to obey him. All he could do was sit there, face flushed and neck swollen, gasping heavily as he suppressed his rage.

At that moment, Catherine walked in carrying the breakfast she had bought. When Channing saw her, his expression changed instantly. He urgently pointed at Lucca and Bert, letting out a hoarse, strained growl toward Catherine. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Ci-ci—"

"Ci-ci—"

Thinking something was wrong, Catherine hurried over.

"Dad, what’s wrong? What are you trying to say?"

With great difficulty, Channing stammered,

"They... they—"

Catherine glanced briefly at Bert and then at Lucca, who was standing beside him with a smug, self-satisfied expression. She lowered her eyes and said nothing. Instead, she stepped forward and tried to help Channing sit up.

"Let me help you eat."

In truth, Catherine had noticed Lucca the moment she walked in—along with that embarrassing way Lucca practically clung to Bert. Lucca’s intentions were obvious at a glance.

After all these years, how could Catherine not understand what kind of person Lucca was? Especially when Lucca had a history of stealing Gerald from her. Yet Catherine felt nothing—no worry, no panic, no fear that Bert might be taken away.

Because she trusted Bert completely.

She trusted him, and she believed he would never betray her. Almost immediately, Catherine understood that Bert must be deliberately misleading Lucca.

There was no specific reason she had to believe him—it was simply the kind of man he was. If Bert were the type to fool around casually, he wouldn’t have remained single all these years. And at his age, choosing to talk seriously about marriage with her meant that someone as low-class as Lucca could never shake him.

In her heart, Catherine could only pray for Lucca—pray that Bert wouldn’t deal with her too harshly.

Lucca really had no sense at all. Bert had already tormented her badly once before, and yet she still dared to set her sights on him again. Catherine had once felt some sympathy for Lucca, but after seeing her behavior today, that sympathy vanished completely.

Whatever Lucca’s future held, Catherine knew she would never feel even a trace of pity for her again. Someone like Lucca simply didn’t deserve it.

Seeing that Catherine paid her no attention, Lucca assumed Catherine had no voice at all in front of Bert. Her smugness only grew. Of course—how could Catherine possibly have any say with a man like Bert? How could she ever control him? She probably didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly around him.

If only Lucca knew—

The one who didn’t dare breathe too loudly was actually Bert.

Catherine tried to help Channing sit up, but Channing was heavy, and with her limited strength she couldn’t manage it alone. Bert immediately stepped forward to help, and together they managed to lift Channing upright.

Channing shot Bert a vicious glare. If he had even a little strength left, he would have shoved Bert aside without hesitation, refusing his help.

Still fuming over the interaction between Bert and Lucca—and seeing that Catherine showed no reaction at all—Channing felt even more stifled. He was afraid Catherine had no standing in front of Bert, afraid she would be completely controlled by him, and that in the future she would only suffer.

As Bert helped Catherine support Channing, his gaze lingered for a second on Catherine’s calm, expressionless face. She acted as though she hadn’t noticed. Bert frowned involuntarily.

Had she misunderstood him?

Did she think he had feelings for Lucca?

The thought darkened his mood instantly. He had assumed Catherine would understand him, would trust him—that was why he had deliberately been gentle and misleading toward Lucca. But if his actions had caused Catherine pain or sadness, Bert knew he would never be able to forgive himself.

And so his resentment toward Lucca only deepened. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have made Catherine unhappy at all.

Watching Bert help Catherine so attentively, Lucca rolled her eyes, filled with contempt. Let Catherine believe that Bert was gentle and deeply in love with her. When the day came that Lucca took Bert for herself, she’d see how Catherine cried then.

Seeing that Catherine and Bert were both present, Lucca decided there was no point in staying. She smiled sweetly at Bert.

"Brother-in-law, I’m heading to the office now. See you later."

Her tone and manner were dripping with ambiguity. After speaking, she shot Catherine a triumphant look, then swayed out of the room with her bag in hand, fully convinced that her intimate display with Bert would disgust and enrage Catherine.

She had no idea that all Catherine felt was pity—

and sadness—for her.

Catherine had bought a light porridge. Spoon by spoon, she patiently fed Channing. Later, Bert received a phone call and stepped out of the ward. Channing struggled to speak again.

"He... he and Lucca—"

Seeing how red Channing’s face had become from the effort, Catherine could easily guess what he wanted to say. After what Lucca had just done with Bert, how could Channing not have noticed?

What surprised Catherine was that this time, Channing was actually trying to defend her.

She gently reassured him.

"He won’t hurt me."

Then she continued feeding him.

Channing could only worry helplessly at her response. Unable to do anything—unable even to speak properly—he eventually calmed down, resigned to his weakness.

After Catherine finished helping Channing eat breakfast and tidied everything up, Bert returned to the hospital room. This time, he wasn’t alone—he brought with him a man in his early forties. Bert introduced him as the professional caregiver he had hired for Channing.

Bert’s efficiency surprised Catherine slightly, but she also felt that hiring a caregiver was the best solution. Just as Bert had said, Channing was a man, and it wasn’t convenient for her to take care of him. Besides, she had her own work and life—she couldn’t possibly spend all her time at the hospital.

For Channing, the most suitable person to care for him would have been his wife. But he and Tracy were already divorced, and given Tracy’s personality, she clearly wasn’t someone who could calmly devote herself to nursing him anyway.

In the end, Channing accepted the arrangement as well. He knew perfectly well that having Lucca take care of him would be completely unreliable, and Catherine couldn’t stay here around the clock either. And so, the caregiver officially took over, while Catherine and Bert prepared to leave.

The moment they stepped out of Channing’s hospital room, Bert wrapped an arm around Catherine’s shoulders and guided her toward a quiet corner by the stairwell.

Catherine looked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

Bert stared intently at her face, his eyes full of scrutiny.

"Are you mad?"

Catherine deliberately teased him.

"What do you think?"

Bert pretended to remain calm, his gaze darkening slightly.

"I think you should know how I feel."

Catherine replied lightly,

"What do you feel exactly? How would I know what you’re feeling? I’m not a mind reader—or a worm living in your stomach."

Truth be told, by the time she reached the end of that sentence, Catherine was barely holding back her laughter. Seeing how nervous Bert looked was simply too amusing.

Yes—

he really was nervous.