Chapter 8 Derrick didn't have to work today , so after breakfast , he accompanied Katherine for a walk . The garden at Riverbend Manor was large , big enough to rival a public park . Katherine usually couldn't make it past the halfway point But today , she walked much longer than usual . There was no special reason - just that there was now a moving armrest beside her . Whenever she grew tired or weary , she could lean against Derrick With their height difference , Katherine's head fit perfectly against Derrick's neck . She didn't have to tilt her head down too much or stretch on tiptoe . And every time she leaned into him , Derrick would tense his body , firm and dependable . Katherine felt completely at ease , not caring whether Derrick was tired . After all , in her observation over the next ten years . Derrick had a never - ending supply of strength . Thinking back to their first intimate encounter and her awkwardness , as well as the second time when she completely broke down , Katherine decided that once the baby was born , she would focus on strengthening her body . In her previous life , she had hated Derrick . But now everything was different . She still cared about the harmony in their intimate life . A breeze swept through , carrying the scent of flowers on either side . Katherine took a deep breath , once again feeling how good it was to be alive . She thought , ' With such fragrant flowers , and such a fragrant man . She nudged her forehead against Derrick's chest and asked , " Am I heavy ? " " No. " Derrick's voice was a little hoarse as he looked down at Katherine's hair . If he could , he'd pick her up and carry her , no matter how far they had to go . But he didn't say anything because he didn't want to be rejected . No matter how much he loved her , he didn't want to be frequently turned down . It was both embarrassing and painful . " Let's go back . I don't feel like walking anymore . " Katherine glanced at the remaining third of the path , sighing at her lack of stamina . " Do you think I'm useless , that I can't even make it through such a short walk ? " Katherine tilted her head and asked again . But Derrick just paused for a moment . " Alright . You don't have to answer . Katherine shook her head in frustration . She'd asked casually , hoping to hear Derrick comfort her . But seeing his expression just now , she realized he might have wanted to say yes . Katherine thought , Although it might be true , he still can't say that After a brief silence , Derrick didn't speak again . Aside from matters regarding her departure and Charles , he had always respected Katherine and listened to her . It was just that , in her previous life , Katherine had hated Derrick to the core , so she never noticed it . Although Derrick didn't have to go to the office , there were still some urgent documents that needed his attention . After finishing the walk with Katherine , he headed into the study . He hadn't stayed here for a long time , but Maeve cleaned it every day , so not a speck of dust could be seen . Katherine , too lazy to go upstairs , stayed on the sofa watching TV . The large LCD screen made the people on it appear more lifelike , but Katherine wasn't watching a drama . She was watching an interview with Derrick . As the head of Riverporsh's top company . Derrick was known for his strong financial skills and had been interviewed several times by financial news outlets . But on the screen , he looked cold and distant , his expression fierce Katherine could tell that the host was doing her best to keep the mood light , but each attempt ended in silence . To outsiders , Derrick was just a ruthless man who'd stop at nothing to climb the ranks . He was seen as a soulless machine for corporate acquisitions with no emotions , As his father's illegitimate son , Derrick didn't even have the right to inherit anything from Graham Group Derrick built his own company from the ground up , relying on years of experience and his keen instinct for finance . In the end , he gradually took over various subsidiaries of the Graham Group , until he completely absorbed it . Chapter 8 He founded Riverbend Group with his own hands , rising from being an illegitimate son to a position that no one could reach . In her previous life , Katherine had thought that someone like Derrick would do anything for profit and that he was truly terrifying Now , all she felt was sympathy - sympathy for all the suffering he'd endured over the years . Katherine thought , ' Derrick must have gone through so much to get to where he is now . But despite everything , there's no one around him who cares for him . There's only Maeve , who looks after his daily needs . ' But in the future . Derrick will have me , and we'll have our children . I can give Derrick more children , so he can feel the love of a real family . Katherine was watching the serious financial news when she suddenly burst into laughter . She couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Derrick surrounded by a bunch of kids , all asking for milk , and him not knowing which one to pick up . Upstairs in the study , Derrick had been looking at a document for half an hour , occasionally switching to another window . On the minimized screen , there was a shot of Katherine laughing and slapping the cushion . It wasn't just the chairs at the dining table that had cameras . Even the ornaments across from the table did . Nearly every place Katherine might be had similar devices installed . He couldn't touch her , so he could only watch her in secret . Derrick thought , Katherine probably won't be angry . If she were truly upset , she would've thrown the dishes at breakfast this morning At Windridge Villa , Miranda was applying medicine to Mia's elbow injury but was distracted , probing for details about what had happened . " Did Katherine really say that ? " Not paying attention , Miranda pressed too hard with the cotton swab . " Ouch . Be gentle , Mia yelped , her face scrunching up in pain . Miranda irritably poked at the wound with the swab . " Stop pretending . It's just a small scratch . You'd be fine without the medicine in a while . Miranda tossed the cotton swab aside , her expression sour . " I asked you to deliver a message , but you ended up offending Katherine . You know what situation we're in now and we still need Katherine to navigate things . What the hell were you thinking ? " Miranda's nail jabbed into Mia's forehead , leaving a red mark . Mia rubbed her forehead , her eyes welling up in grievance . The pain , from her elbow was nothing compared to the sting in her heart . " Mom , is it my fault ? " Mia , raised by Miranda , was no pushover . She immediately shot back , " Didn't you say not to let Katherine develop feelings for Derrick ? You were worried she'd slip out of our control . I'm just doing what you said , bud now you're yelling at me ? " " How dare you say that ? Miranda pointed at Mia , looking like she wanted to pierce Mia with a stare . But as Miranda looked at the face before her , one that resembled her own , she kept telling herself inwardly , ' She's my daughter . I have to hold it together ! Miranda took a deep breath . " Forget it . Find a time to bring Katherine out and apologize to her . " " Apologize to her ? " Mu shot to her feet , her face full of disbelief . " She's always the one apologizing . Why should I do it this time ? And it was her fault I fell down the stairs . How does she get to be in the right ? " Miranda shot her a sharp look . " A small compromise can save a bigger plan . Don't forget our real goal. " We need Katherine to convince her father to have a sou with me . Otherwise , once we're older , the Lawson family's fortune will have no one leh to multerit it . " Of course , the real point of Miranda's words was to emphasize herself . She would be too old to have children , but as long as a man money , he could have kids at any age had " Fine . I get it " Mia didn't want to remain the nameless , u