From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 163- why are you so good to me?

Morrison was practically furious.

"You’re a married woman—and a pregnant one at that! He has someone he likes now, what does that have to do with you? What exactly are you heartbroken about?"

Lilian ignored him and continued sighing to herself.

"What do you know? Just because I’m married doesn’t mean it affects my admiration for him at all. Hearing that he has someone he likes still makes me feel like I’ve gone through a breakup."

Morrison nearly fainted. He couldn’t understand this kind of celebrity fandom at all—nor could he comprehend why a married woman would still obsess over a male star.

Of course, he wouldn’t understand. In a woman’s eyes, an idol and a husband are two completely different concepts. You can only have one husband, but you can have countless idols—and they change with the trends of the times.

Once Catherine had confirmed Leonardo’s identity, she took out her phone, ready to add him. The contact Laurent had given her was Leonardo’s private account—one that only a few close friends had.

Before Catherine could even send the request, her phone was taken by Bert, who had just walked over.

Bert glanced at her and said,

"I’ll add him instead. As your boss, it’s better for many things to go through me."

Before Catherine could respond, he continued,

"Besides, we’re together almost all the time anyway. Whoever adds him makes no difference—it won’t delay your communication."

As he spoke, he pulled out his own phone, quickly found Leonardo’s account, and sent a friend request with the message:

Catherine’s boyfriend, Bert.

Only then did Catherine fully understand Bert’s intentions. This was his sense of crisis kicking into overdrive—cutting off any possible private contact between her and Leonardo at the source. She was left utterly speechless.

Still, with so many people around, she didn’t argue with him. If he wanted to add Leonardo himself, so be it.

Catherine’s obedient, accommodating response didn’t sit well with Dave. He snorted and looked at Laurent.

"Shouldn’t you delete Leonardo’s contact too? If he needs anything in the future, he can just come to me."

Laurent couldn’t be bothered to respond. What was he joining in for? She and Leonardo were classmates—if Leonardo had something to discuss, why would he go through Dave? Bert and Catherine, on the other hand, were both partners in work and in life, so of course it didn’t matter which one he contacted.

Now that she had passed along Leonardo’s contact information to Catherine, Laurent needed to get back to the kitchen. She stood up and said to the group,

"You guys chat. I need to get back to work."

And just like that, a single superstar managed to overturn a massive vat of jealousy among three couples.

Even though Leonardo already had someone he loved and was only commissioning the ring for a confession, it still didn’t stop three men from having their vinegar jars smashed.

Meanwhile, Bert had already connected with Leonardo. Holding his phone, he led Catherine to a quieter spot so she could focus on discussing the design with Leonardo—of course, with him accompanying her the entire time.

Catherine used Bert’s phone to talk with Leonardo. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Leonardo went straight to the point. For the ring he wanted, he had two requirements.

First, he wanted the letters "ZJ" engraved on the inside of the band. He said they were the initials of the girl he liked.

Second, he hoped the overall temperament of the ring would convey a sense of calm patience—like quietly waiting for a flower to bloom.

Catherine noted everything down carefully and then asked about the girl’s personality. After a long pause, Leonardo replied with a few words:

Resilient. Quiet. Beautiful. Intelligent.

Catherine savored the words thoughtfully. Then Leonardo sent another message:

Honestly, in my heart, these words still aren’t enough to describe how wonderful she is. Just take them as a reference.

A smile curved Catherine’s lips. From that single sentence, she thought she could hear the sound of love.

When someone truly loves another, that person becomes so beautiful in their eyes that words are no longer sufficient. There are countless beautiful words in this world, yet none seem fitting enough to describe the one held in one’s heart. That feeling—Catherine understood it deeply, because she, too, was in love.

Because Catherine understood the love hidden deep within Leonardo’s words, her smile became especially knowing—soft and subtle, her expression serene and at ease.

Bert had been casually flipping through a book Dave had left nearby. When he saw how beautiful her smile was, his brows instinctively knit together. He leaned over and glanced at her chat with Leonardo.

"What are you smiling about?"

For a national idol—handsome, talented, and admirable in character—Bert’s sense of crisis had already fully awakened the moment he learned that Leonardo wanted Catherine to design a ring. He would never allow the kind of starstruck infatuation Lilian had with male celebrities to happen to Catherine—though he didn’t believe Catherine was that kind of person either.

Catherine smiled and shook her head at him.

"Nothing."

She felt that what she was experiencing at that moment simply couldn’t be put into words, so she brushed it off with a "nothing." Bert gave her a long, quiet look but said nothing more.

Dave and Laurent were impeccable hosts. The food, drinks, and entertainment left everyone thoroughly satisfied. In truth, the gathering had been arranged largely for Catherine—to let her experience the warmth of familial bonds among the three families: close, lively, and full of joy.

Catherine had always lived a rather solitary life. Her mother had only ever had her. On Channing’s side, there were Lucca and Lucca’s younger brother—but her relationship with Lucca was openly hostile, and she was barely acquainted with that so-called brother at all.

In fact, Catherine had never intended to treat Lucca as an enemy. Although Tracy had once intruded into Renata and Channing’s marriage, Lucca had inexplicably harbored deep hostility toward Catherine. From childhood to adulthood, no matter the situation, Lucca had always targeted her, determined to trample her underfoot.

Catherine didn’t dwell on it. She simply focused on doing what she was supposed to do—whether in her studies or in how she carried herself. Renata had taught her from a young age that earning others’ respect mattered more than anything else, and Catherine had always lived by that principle.

After all these years of fighting and scheming, it was Lucca who ended up disgraced. And the things Lucca had fought so hard to take—Catherine now regarded them with complete indifference.

For example, Gerald.

After meeting a man like Bert, Catherine felt the gap between Gerald and Bert was like heaven and earth. Bert was the "heaven," and Gerald—well, decidedly low.

So for all these years, Catherine had never truly experienced the affection of siblings. This gathering was the first time she had ever spent such a lively, joyful weekend. The playful banter between Bert and Morrison was genuinely entertaining, and Laurent and Lilian made her feel a sisterly warmth and care she had never known before.

She felt happy.

And deeply content.

So during dinner, despite usually drinking very little, she had quite a bit—enough that she was nearly drunk. Bert, since he would be driving, didn’t touch a drop. When it was time to leave, Catherine was practically slumped into his arms as he held her and guided her downstairs.

Everyone could see it clearly.

Catherine was very happy.

Once inside Bert’s car, Catherine leaned against the seat with her eyes closed, her head tilted to one side. A delicate flush bloomed across her cheeks, intoxicatingly rosy. Bert leaned over to fasten her seatbelt. As she shifted slightly, she let out a soft, muffled whimper—

and the look in Bert’s eyes deepened.

Bert could tell how happy she was, how much she was enjoying the lively, joyful atmosphere of the day. So he indulged her, letting her drink one glass after another. As long as she was happy, he was willing to indulge everything about her.

After fastening her seatbelt, Bert started the car and drove out of the neighborhood where Dave lived. But not long after they set off, Catherine—who had been dozing beside him—suddenly began to whimper and cry. She lifted her hands to cover her face, crying like a child.

Bert frowned and glanced at her.

"What’s wrong?"

She suddenly lifted her tear-streaked face, smiling at him through the tears.

"I’m just so happy..."

"I’m really happy. I’ve never had such a lively time in my life..."

Crying and smiling at the same time was a classic sign of having drunk too much—seven parts driven by alcohol, three parts held together by sheer will. Whether laughing or crying, everything came freely, unrestrained, as all her emotional defenses temporarily fell away.

Seeing her like this, Bert couldn’t help but worry. He pulled over at a spot where parking was allowed, stopped the car, and turned around to grab some tissues.

After laughing, Catherine started crying again. With tear-blurred eyes, she looked at him.

"Bert... why are you so good to me?"

"Waaah..."

To Catherine, Bert’s kindness toward her far exceeded anything she had ever imagined. The kind of love she had once only read about in romance novels was now unfolding vividly in her own life. He had shown her what real love truly tasted like.

He gave her the courage to love without fear. He left her with no regrets in life. He made her feel as though every single day was filled with happiness.

With infinite patience, Bert soothed her, answering her question gently.

"You’re my woman. If I’m not good to you, who should I be good to?"

Catherine burst into tears again.

Yet even as she cried, her heart was overflowing with happiness, sweetness, and contentment.

And perhaps because she was too happy—helped along by the alcohol—many feelings she had always been too shy to express spilled out naturally. Crying softly through her tears, she looked at Bert with deep emotion and said,

"I love you. I love you so much..."

Bert unfastened his own seatbelt, leaned forward, and gently pulled her into his arms, murmuring softly as he comforted her,

"I love you too..."

Bert had thought that reassuring her like this would calm her emotions. He hadn’t expected that after hearing his confession, she would push him away, cup his face, and lean in to kiss him.

They had been together for quite some time now. He knew she was naturally shy—when it came to intimacy, if he didn’t take the initiative, she never would. Even with everyday kisses, he was always the one to start, while she passively responded.

Something like this—her kissing him first—was almost unheard of.