From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 187- True management

Although he appeared calm and composed on the surface, Catherine could see his unease and worry clearly in his eyes—he was nervous that she might be angry with him.

Bert lifted his arm and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her a little closer. He lowered his gaze to her, his voice deep and solemn.

"The way I love you—love you deeply—the way I will only ever love you in this lifetime, the way I will never betray you... don’t you understand that?"

What Bert said was both an explanation and a confession.

Catherine couldn’t help but laugh when she heard him. Only then did Bert finally feel himself relax. He had always thought that at his age, after everything he had been through, there was nothing left that could make him feel anxious or unsettled.

And yet—only he knew how uneasy he had felt just moments ago, when he couldn’t read her expression or guess what she was thinking.

After laughing, Catherine let out a deep sigh. She scrunched up her face slightly and said to him,

"I was wrong."

Bert raised an eyebrow, signaling for her to continue.

"I was wrong before—for telling you to stop and not go after Lucca. Someone like her isn’t worth any sympathy."

Then she asked him, frustration and regret lacing her voice,

"Do you think this means I’m being softhearted? That I’m not cut out for anything big... that I won’t be able to manage Channing Group properly?"

She spoke with self-reproach, annoyance, and a hint of dejection, openly pouring out her low mood to him. Catherine had to admit that Lucca pulling something this vile again left her deeply upset.

Not because Lucca tried to seduce Bert—but because Catherine couldn’t understand why Lucca insisted on being so shameless, so malicious. Why couldn’t she just live her life honestly and properly? Why did she have to do things that invited nothing but contempt?

Lucca’s behavior had once again shattered Catherine’s moral bottom line, making her question whether she had truly been too softhearted.

Bert rejected her self-blame outright.

"You’re not wrong. Lucca is."

How could Catherine be wrong—when she was so genuinely kind and good?

As for Lucca, shameless and self-destructive were the most fitting words there could be.

"True management," Bert said quietly as he drew Catherine into a gentle embrace, soothing her low spirits, "is built on sincerity."

"When you run Channing Group, all you need to do is put your genuine heart into it—treat every client with sincerity—and you’ll already be more than halfway to success."

"Really?" Catherine asked, still doubtful.

Bert nodded, giving her an affirmative answer.

"Of course it’s true."

Then he continued calmly,

"On the road of business, there will inevitably be schemes, harm, hidden arrows you can’t guard against, and people who stop at nothing to gain profit. These things are unavoidable. But each setback teaches you something. Slowly, you get used to it. And in that process, you grow—and you become stronger."

Bert didn’t simply offer comforting words to ease her pressure. He didn’t want Catherine to believe that the business world was easy or gentle. Business was a battlefield—only without visible smoke.

"But remember this," he added, his voice warm yet steady. "No matter how big the trouble you face in the future, no matter what difficulties come your way, I’ll be by your side. My shoulder will always be there for you to lean on."

With those final words, Catherine felt the unease and fear she had about managing Channing Group quietly settle.

His words were like the warmest ray of winter sunlight, softly illuminating her heart—offering encouragement, support, and a deep, steadfast sense of security. Unafraid of the future now, Catherine rose onto her toes and pressed her soft red lips to his, expressing her gratitude.

After leaving the hospital, Bert drove Catherine to Bert Design, where she was currently working. For the time being, Catherine hadn’t yet begun participating directly in Channing Group’s operations—many matters still needed to be screened and handled by Bert first.

After dropping her off, Bert headed to Channing Group.

The moment Lucca heard that he had arrived, she rushed to the mirror, fussing over her appearance. Once satisfied, she went—radiant and carefully put together—to Channing’s former office, where Bert was temporarily working.

When Lucca entered, Bert was seated behind the desk, reading a document. His expression was cold and composed. His long, strong fingers held the papers with quiet authority, the refined watch on his wrist reflecting his impeccable taste. The perfectly tailored black suit gave him an air of restraint and gravity.

He said nothing. Simply sitting there in silence was enough to make a woman want to draw closer.

Lucca felt her heartbeat slip out of rhythm. Her thoughts began to wander—imagining how comforting those hands might feel against her skin, how intoxicating it would be to meld with that solid, powerful body.

"Bert..."

She called out to him softly, her voice sweet enough to melt—so tender that even a man’s heart might soften upon hearing it.

With his gaze lowered, Bert concealed the trace of disgust and coldness in his eyes. When he looked up again, he wore a faint smile as he met Lucca’s seductive stare.

"You’re here?" he said mildly. "Have a seat."

He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. Lucca swayed over and sat down. Before she could even tug her neckline any lower, Bert reached into a drawer, took out a document, and handed it to her.

Lucca caught sight of the bold words on the cover at once, and all interest in adjusting her clothes vanished. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Termination of Employment Agreement?"

Her expression turned awkward and strained. She had assumed that if she managed to spark something with Bert, she could continue staying at Channing Group. She hadn’t expected a termination agreement instead.

Of course she knew exactly what it meant. It was dismissal—just dressed up with nicer wording.

Bert smiled gently.

"Yes. I asked you to come because I wanted to inform you in person—you’ve officially been dismissed from Channing Group."

Lucca opened her mouth angrily, about to argue, but Bert continued before she could speak.

"The company belongs to your sister now. Staying here would only make things harder for you, wouldn’t it?"

His words sounded considerate, and his tone was calm and warm. Lucca felt much of her resentment ease. Deep down, she knew he wasn’t wrong—now that Catherine owned the company, staying would only humiliate her.

Still, she had been counting on attaching herself to Bert, squeezing Catherine out, and taking over Channing Group herself. She was far from willing to leave.

Bert looked at her with a deep, unreadable gaze, his voice dropping slightly.

"Wouldn’t it be better to find a reliable man to depend on?"

Lucca had no resistance at all to that look. She stared at him blankly and asked,

"Bert... what do you mean?"

"Eight o’clock tonight," Bert said calmly. "Don’t be late."

As he spoke, he slid a card toward her. Lucca picked it up and glanced at it—it was a VIP room card from Burg Eltz, the most luxurious hotel in the city.

A hotel. A room. Don’t be late.

Bert’s meaning was unmistakable.

Lucca’s heart burst into bloom. She looked at him, smiling brightly.

"Fine. I’ll accept the termination," she said sweetly. "But bert, you’ll have to make sure I’m well taken care of from now on."

Bert nodded with a smile.

"Don’t worry."

Then he added,

"You can go now. I still have a lot of work to deal with. I don’t want to be working overtime tonight."

Every word carried implication. Lucca had almost completely lost the ability to think. Clutching the card, she stood up, barely resisting the urge to cheer.

"Then I won’t disturb you. I’ll be going."

At the door, she turned back and smiled at him once more.

"See you tonight, bert."