Whisper Destiny

Chapter 16

~ Catherine ~

I was stunned into silence. My heart raced as if I had just finished my morning run. The room seemed to freeze, the air thick with shock. My mind spun, trying to process what I had just heard. I struggled to maintain my usual composure, but this news was unlike anything I had ever faced before. I looked at Natasha's face and saw a mixture of disbelief and surprise.

"Married?" Natasha asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She froze like a statue.

"Yes, married," Noel confirmed, her voice steady. "We believe it's the best for both of you. You complement each other in ways you may not realize yet."

I slowly to regain my composure. I cleared my throat, not trusting my voice, yet. "This is... quite unexpected," I said carefully.

"So unexpected that I can't single out the reasoning behind it," I tried to make sense of Noel and Emmette's proposal.

"We see potential in both of you together, not just as business partners but as life partners. We think it could be something beautiful."

Natasha shook her head slightly, as if trying to clear the fog of disbelief of what her parents just proposed. "This is not a business proposal! You're aware that I hate her, right, Mom, Dad? It's never even crossed my mind to be in love with her. Not now or even in my entire life. Not to mention, I'm not interested in women... I'm not a lesbian. And she's almost what, thirty? This is ridiculous. How can you come up with something so unintelligent?" Her tone was sharp and mean, but still froze beside me.

Noel leaned forward, her eyes soft but resolute. "Sometimes, love isn't about what's obvious. It's about what's possible. We're not asking you to make a decision tonight. We just want you to consider it, with open hearts and minds."

I glanced at Natasha, searching for any sign of how she felt. But she quickly stood up, facing the window with her back to me, as if she knew I was trying to assess her feeling.

As the night wore on, the gravity of the proposal lingered in the air, unspoken yet palpable.

I looked into Noel and Emmette's eyes. These two people had been my pillars when I was at my lowest. They were the only ones I allowed to glimpse beyond my thick walls, even if just a peek. I knew they loved me unconditionally and would never harbor any ill intentions toward me, unlike many of my other business associates.

But Natasha was a different story. They had never been on good terms. Why the Graysons thought this was a good idea was beyond my comprehension. My mind struggled to solve the puzzle they had created.

Noel and Emmette kept silent, giving Natasha and me time to evaluate the proposal.

What should I do? My mind went into overdrive, activating my emergency structured thinking mode, a mental algorithm I relied on for making hard decisions and solving complex problems. I methodically began to calculate the risks, weighing the pros and cons with meticulous care. The room seemed to fade away as I focused inward, dissecting every angle of this unexpected proposal.

Most importantly, I found myself wondering what my parents would do in a scenario like this. Their wisdom had always been my guiding star.

In that moment, a vivid image of my father and mother appeared in my eye. They were smiling at me, their faces radiating warmth and encouragement. It was as if they were silently urging me to trust myself, to follow my heart.

One thing was certain, I wasn't capable of giving love to anyone nor wanted the same thing in return, I don't want any emotional attachment towards anyone, and Natasha's disdain for me was palpable. There was no chance we would ever fall for each other.

I glanced at Natasha again, her profile framed by the window's dim light. I knew I was being selfish, but I promised myself I would make an effort to mend our relationship during this time. Perhaps, amidst the chaos, we could find common ground. At the very least, we could become friends. This will make Noel and Emmette happy right?

This arrangement could benefit us. If one day Natasha met her soulmate, I could let her go without any issues. The more I thought about it, the clearer the answer became.

I took a deep breath. Noel and Emmette could sense I had made a decision. I saw nervousness in their eyes.

"Okay..."

"No..."

We both said simultaneously.

*******

Returning to my house from the Graysons', I felt utterly drained, as though every last bit of my energy had been sapped away. My plan to continue working was now a distant thought. Perhaps I had exhausted my mental quota for the day.

I collapsed onto my bed, unable to muster the energy to do anything else. Doubt gnawed at me about the decision I'd made, and I considered telling Noel and Emmette to reverse it. Yet, for the next hour, I did nothing but replay the events of the afternoon in my mind.

What could have made Noel and Emmette think I had an interest in women? I'd never shown any such inclination in front of them. Nor had I displayed any particular interest in Natasha.

But I couldn't deny that Natasha was attractive. She had transformed from a cute little girl into an undeniably beautiful woman. When I designed clothes for her, I realized she had the kind of figure that could easily grace the catwalk, like all the model I've known.

It was no surprise that she became the center of man attention at the Graysons' New Year's Eve party, though she seemed blissfully unaware of it.

I knew Natasha had never been involved with a girl or woman before. I distinctly remember catching a guy slipping out of her room when she was just seventeen. Her closest best friends, Chase, was also a guy. I couldn't help but wonder if she was simply allergic to women.

As for myself, my past experience had been a diverse tapestry of both men and women, though not extensive. I refused to confine myself to any particular label. With each fleeting encounter, I meticulously maintained discretion, skillfully evading any potential scandal and gossip that might fuel the insatiable curiosity of the media and reporters seeking sensation.

Love and feelings had long been excised from my vocabulary. No one could come close to my heart. The closest any human being had come was Archer Ortega, my university mate and now Vice CFO of Ortiz & Co. But whenever he took a step closer, I would retreat ten steps further. I had made things clear between us, setting firm boundaries. We had slept together twice in the past, but I made it clear it wouldn't happen again. I could see Archer slowly falling for me, which was why I needed to put a stop to it.

That is how determined I am to closed off, not to fall to anyone. For me, it will make me weak, and I don't want to feel that hurt again. But now, what had I gotten myself into? I didn't even realize when I fell asleep, but that night, Natasha invaded my dreams.