From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 129- grateful and fortunate

Catherine looked at the bottle of water and felt her throat was a little dry. She figured it must be because he had turned the heater up too high in the car—that had to be why she felt like this.

After thanking him, she took the bottle and drank a few sips. Just as she was about to screw the cap back on and hand it to him, his long arm reached over and took the bottle from her. He lifted it to his lips and drank straight from it. By the time Catherine tried to stop him, it was already too late.

"Hey— I already drank from that..."

He didn’t mind at all, tilting his head back and drinking more than half of it.

Catherine watched his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed and quickly looked away.

After he finished drinking, Bert glanced at her and deliberately teased her.

"We’ve kissed so many times already. What’s there to avoid about sharing a bottle of water?"

Catherine couldn’t even be bothered to respond.

When she turned her head to look out the window, she suddenly realized the snow outside had grown much heavier, and she exclaimed in surprise,

"It’s really coming down now!"

Growing up in the north, she had seen snow every year of her life, but she still felt excited and full of anticipation every time the first snow fell.

Because snow drifting through the air was truly a beautiful sight.

Bert also turned to look outside. When he had arrived earlier, there had only been a few light flakes drifting down. Now the snow was falling thick and fast.

He hadn’t thought things through when he came. After showering, he had planned to go to bed, but the thought of her kept clamoring in his mind, urging him to see her. So he had gotten dressed and driven over without hesitation.

Watching the snow grow heavier by the minute, Catherine’s expression quickly turned worried. She turned back to him and said anxiously,

"What are you going to do? The snow’s this heavy—how will you get back?"

That was what concerned her most.

Bert, on the other hand, didn’t seem bothered.

"This much snow is nothing."

But Catherine was far from reassured. With temperatures this low, the roads were bound to be icy, and the heavy snowfall would make visibility worse. She didn’t want him facing even the slightest danger, so she lowered her voice and cautiously suggested—

"Then... why don’t you stay?"

Bert looked at her in mild surprise, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching the corner of his lips.

"If I don’t leave, where am I supposed to stay? Spend the night in the car?"

Catherine shook her head.

"You—you can come home with me."

Actively inviting a man to stay the night at her place was no easy thing for someone as shy as Catherine. Her face burned, but for the sake of his safety, she steeled herself.

"My mom should already be asleep, and she usually wakes up pretty late. We can just leave before she gets up."

Then, blushing even harder, she hurried to explain,

"Don’t misunderstand—I just don’t want you to be in danger on the way back. I don’t—I don’t mean anything like doing that..."

Bert looked at Catherine’s embarrassed, flushed face and the concern in her eyes, and his heart warmed.

Being remembered, being cared about like this—this feeling was truly wonderful.

He had always wanted to find a woman who could calm his heart, who could make him stop living on edge, stop feeling lonely and adrift, and allow him to feel warmth again.

And clearly, Catherine was that person.

Bert felt both grateful and fortunate.

Although meeting her had come a little late, the timing of this relationship was just right. If they had met even a day earlier or later, neither of them would have become the one in the other’s heart. Perhaps that was the magic of fate.

He reached out and took her hand, speaking softly,

"Thank you..."

"Since you’re inviting me so enthusiastically, then I’ll come."

The first sentence had been tender and sincere, but the second instantly twisted the mood. Catherine couldn’t even be bothered to respond—she let him enjoy his teasing.

She grabbed her down jacket and slipped it on, urging him,

"Then hurry up and get out of the car."

Bert nodded, then lowered his gaze to a certain part of himself and sighed quietly.

"Ah... it just finally calmed down. Once we go upstairs, it’s going to suffer again."

At first Catherine didn’t understand what he meant. When she followed his gaze, she immediately realized—and snapped angrily,

"Shameless old man!"

She pushed the door open and got out of the car on her own. He was so brazen that she almost regretted bringing him home.

Bert followed her out, locked the car, and caught up to her in a few long strides.

Under the falling snow, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the sulking Catherine, shielding her from the wind and snow, warming her.

Holding her like that as they walked toward the building, he leaned close to her ear and murmured,

"Think I’m old? Once we’re in bed, I can immediately let you feel whether I’m old or not."

Catherine realized what he meant and nearly wanted to send him straight back.

"Bert, can you be serious for once?"

"I can’t."

Laughing and bickering, they entered the building together. Catherine opened the door quietly. After stepping inside, she first listened for any movement from Renata’s room before letting Bert in.

Bert took off his leather shoes in the entryway and followed Catherine into her room.

Catherine let out a long breath of relief. Bert set his shoes aside and, as he unbuttoned his coat, looked around her room.

"It’s pretty cozy."

"You wait here for a moment. I’ll get some hot water."

They had just come in from the cold and snow, and she thought something warm would help.

After Catherine left the room, Bert took a slow look around. When his gaze landed on the two sketches on the desk, he paused. He picked them up and examined them carefully, a smile already forming on his lips.

If this was the wedding she dreamed of, then he would gladly give her such a fairytale wedding.

He placed the sketches back neatly, took out his phone, quickly adjusted the focus, and photographed every detail clearly. Before Catherine returned with the water, he put his phone away and casually sat down on her bed, as if nothing had happened.

"Drink some hot water. It’ll warm you up."

Catherine handed him a cup and took another for herself.

But after just a few sips, she panicked. She suddenly remembered the sketches on the desk. She hurried over, set her cup down, and immediately gathered the drawings up.

Letting him see something like that was just far too embarrassing.