Shackled To The Enemy King-Chapter 125: A Door Opened

Catherine placed a warm cup of coffee in front of Jonathan.

She still had no idea why her usually indifferent brother would appear at her door so early in the morning and ask such a strange question.

"You are my brother," Catherine said calmly as she sat in the armchair across from him.

Maximilian had quietly slipped into another room, giving them privacy.

Catherine wasn’t sure whether she was already running late to meet Charlotte, but with Jonathan looking at her like someone had deeply wronged him, she decided to deal with this first.

"I don’t know how I made you feel otherwise," she added.

Jonathan shook his head and placed the mug down carefully.

"No, Bean. You’ve never treated me differently," he said quietly. "I know you love me."

Catherine nodded and then studied him closely.

Then what exactly was he trying to say?

Jonathan leaned forward, his expression suddenly intense—brows knitted, eyes sharp, as if he were about to discuss something classified.

"I heard Billy gifted you a car for your twenty-first birthday," he said. "You chose the gift yourself?"

Catherine blinked.

"He asked me to pick between two models," she said. "I chose the one I liked. I only got the car a few days ago."

Jonathan’s expression darkened slightly, as if that answer somehow made things worse.

"I also heard those ignorant demons at your workplace stole your research," he continued.

"Ah..."

For a moment, Catherine wondered how he even knew that. Then she remembered that Jonathan and Alexander were close. If Alexander knew, then Jonathan would too, considering they shared a ride home this time.

"It’s nothing really," she said with a small wave of her hand. She had already changed the research. What they stole was pretty much useless now.

And Ashley was currently in the hospital recovering from the consequences of that little "incident."

Jonathan didn’t look reassured. "Alexander recently gave you pearls," he said.

Catherine nodded.

"And Sophia has been giving you clothes your whole life," Jonathan continued. "I know exactly how much those clothes cost."

Catherine stared at him for a moment.

Then, slowly, realization dawned.

Her indifferent brother... felt left out. Every other sibling had given her something, except him.

Catherine let out a quiet sigh.

But honestly...

This was a rather nice problem to have.

"I’m using the black card you gave me to buy my groceries," Catherine said gently, hoping it would ease whatever was bothering him. "And you don’t have to give me gifts to show that you care."

"But you’re accepting gifts from the others," Jonathan replied, his voice faltering. "I... I didn’t even think about it."

Catherine pressed her lips together.

Jonathan looked as though he were on the verge of tears, like he had just discovered he had accidentally broken something terribly important.

"I know you love me," she said softly. "Honestly, I’ve never even thought about the fact that you didn’t give me gifts."

Jonathan let out a miserable breath and held out his hand as if presenting evidence of his own crime.

"See?" he muttered. "You’re my baby sister, and I’ve trained you to be like this. I’m a scumbag."

Catherine sighed and shifted closer to him on the couch. Without another word, she wrapped her arms around him in a quiet hug, gently patting his back.

It took a moment, but the tension slowly drained from his shoulders.

He still didn’t look completely convinced, yet at least he stopped accusing himself out loud.

After a while, Jonathan leaned back and began looking around the house instead, his eyes moving thoughtfully across the living room.

Catherine followed his gaze.

What now? she wondered.

"How about working from home?" Jonathan suddenly asked.

Catherine blinked. The question came out of nowhere.

"I know you do research... brain stuff, right?" he continued, trying to recall the details. "Is it dangerous? I once read about that scientist who did research at home and died from radioactive exposure... what was her name again?"

"Marie Curie?" Catherine raised an eyebrow.

Jonathan snapped his fingers. "Yes, her."

Catherine leaned back slightly, watching him with growing curiosity. What exactly was he getting at?

Jonathan leaned forward, his voice suddenly serious.

"I’ll build you a research lab here. Right next to your house," he said. "If you use your own equipment, no one can steal your research. And you can stay here... closer to Dad."

Catherine blinked again.

So that was what all of this was about.

A lab.

Her mind immediately started racing through the possibilities.

"But you can’t just build it," she said quickly, excitement creeping into her voice. "The equipment alone is extremely hard to obtain. And there are permits, inspections, certifications—"

"I know," Jonathan cut in with a sigh. "There are a million stupid procedures even when I try to build a warehouse. But I know some people."

Catherine stared at him, moved in a way she hadn’t expected.

"You’d do that for me?" she asked softly.

Before he could answer, she leaned forward and hugged him tightly.

Technically, she could have built the lab herself eventually. But the permits alone would have been a nightmare. She hadn’t even considered that Jonathan might have the kind of connections that could push things through.

Jonathan patted her back awkwardly.

"Beanie... you’re not powerless," he said quietly. "You have us brothers. Don’t forget that."

Catherine’s throat tightened.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Jonathan stayed a little longer, talking about practical details, before finally leaving.

After the door closed behind him, the house fell quiet again.

A moment later, Maximilian peeked out from the room he had retreated into earlier.

Only then did Catherine glance down at the bracelet around her wrist.

If she truly settled here... if she built a life here with her family...

What would Maximilian do?

He had an entire life waiting for him back in Meridon.

Catherine inhaled slowly.

She needed to find a way to remove this bracelet soon.

-----

Catherine spent most of it staring at Maximilian.

One door in her life had just opened. A lab of her own. Her family’s support. A future where no one could steal her work again.

She should have been happy.

Yet something kept tugging at her thoughts.

"What is it?" Maximilian finally turned to her. "Can’t keep your eyes off me?" he asked, that infuriating smirk spreading across his face.

Catherine rolled her eyes and immediately looked away, annoyed at herself for even worrying about him.

"Dream on," she scoffed.

Not even a minute passed before Maximilian suddenly took her hand.

Catherine turned back to him in surprise.

His expression had softened. "Don’t think about me," he said quietly. "I’ll be fine no matter what."

"Who’s thinking about you?" Catherine shot back immediately, puffing her cheeks slightly as she glared at him. "Don’t flatter yourself."

She tried to pull her gaze away again. But somehow she couldn’t. It was as if something invisible held her there, forcing her to meet his eyes.

Maximilian smiled faintly. "I don’t mind being the house-husband," he said casually. "Or your helper."

Catherine’s eyebrows twitched.

This man...

He made promises like that so easily, as if uprooting his entire life were nothing more than a casual joke.

"Don’t tempt me, Professor," Catherine said lightly. "I might hold you accountable for your words."

Her tone sounded teasing.

But her heart was pounding.

A quiet, dangerous thought slipped into her mind.

Could it be...?

Was it love?

Her heart skipped once... hard enough that she felt it in her throat.

Had she really fallen for him again in this life, too?

Catherine scoffed inwardly.

No.

She forced herself to stay alert, to keep her mind sharp.

She couldn’t afford to let her guard down again.

They reached the café where they were going to meet Charlotte. Catherine’s heart raced.

What truth will I learn today?