Here it is another chapter. It's almost 3k enjoy..

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Present...

Jeremy stared at the receptionist shocked hearing the name of the person.

"What did you say?" He asked again not believing her at all.

"Cassandra Walmart" The receptionist said, confused at his odd behavior.

"This can't be true," he mumbled, rubbing his head.

"Is there any information about her?" He said, trying not to curse out loud.

"Yes Sir, her cell number" the receptionist handed him a paper with her phone number.

He dialed the number waiting for her to pick the call, "the number you are trying is out of reach" 

"It's out of reach. Do you have any other information?" Jeremy asked to put his phone on loudspeaker, so that she could hear. He was clearly annoyed at her work.

"No Sir, It was an emergency case and She said that she found her in a car accident opposite a cafe. So, we admitted her without any information. We thought after she regained her senses we would call her relatives," the receptionist explained the whole situation.

Jeremy took a deep breath trying to think this through but nothing came up.

"You need to fill her discharge form and pay for her treatment, before her release" the receptionist said and handed him the paper. He glared at her before taking the paper from her.

He signed the paper and handed it to her.

"I want to ask something," He said.

"Yes sir, What is it?" she asked, confused.

"Can you discharge her now?" Jeremy asked her casually. What the hell is he thinking? What would he do getting Catherine out of the hospital?

He could follow her and see what she was lying about. 

"Yes but Dr.McGregor needs to sign these papers" she said opening her file.

"How much time will it take?" He asked her casually.

"Tomorrow morning 9 a.m. " she handed him the file.

"Okay. I understand" he takes the file without checking it.

He walked out of the clinic exhausted, taking out his phone to check.

Notification

"What is it now?" Jeremy sighed and opened the voice message, " I want you to trace the last number that called Cassandra the first thing. And call me when you get the message " Coltrane's voice boomed, loud and clear.

He blinked, taking out his phone. He called Coltrane, " Why do you want me to trace the last number?" 

"What?" Jeremy cleared his throat unconsciously after hearing the words from the other side.

"Alright give me some time I will find out" he cut the call. This is getting worse. Coltrane knows about Catherine even though not fully but he does which will be a pain. But who called Cassandra is the big question here. 

Jeremy might have a hunch. But two all nighter without any sleep making him tired. He needs to rest, eat a full meal and take a bath before doing anything, especially dealing with Coltrane.

'I need to check my penthouse' he thought to himself and called a taxi. 'I will do it later for now I will get something for dinner and sleep'

"Hello" Jeremy called his secretary, stopping the car near a pizza stand.

"Yes sir. How can I help you?" His secretary asked.

"Meet me in front of the hotel" he said, eyeing the variety of pizza.

***********

The car drive was silent.

Cassandra stared outside with a far away look as if she was thinking, her lips still burning from the painful kiss . Coltrane clutched the steering wheel tighter not knowing what to do.

Cassandra's words make him wander about many things. 

Coltrane let his instinct take over and he kissed her just to prove a point. Now that he thinks about it, what point was he trying to prove? 

Her emotionless expression almost shook him for a while. He wanted to ask questions, forgetting about Catherine, but that's not something he could do.

"Who was that ?" Coltrane asked again, trying to restart the interrogation. He sounds like a broken radio now repeating the same words over and over.

"I don't know," Cassandra said with boredom. Her eyes return back to him, looking straight at him.

"Say" She said coldly, laying on the seat.

"Don't you get bored asking me the same question and getting the same answer again and again" She asked. He pressed the break glaring at her in the middle of the road.

"Do you think I will let you go if you don't answer? I will get those answers at any cost" Coltrane gritted his teeth when he heard the horn, he restarted the car.

"Very good," Cassandra laughed, chuckling at him. His blood boiled and she was pushing him to the edge.

"I will tell you who it was," She smirked, staring ahead.

He blinked his eyes, " What?" 

Never did he think that she would just answer his question.

"But I want something in return" Cassandra said ignoring his "what" and continued as if he said nothing.

Coltrane stayed silent letting her continue, "You will let me go. This farce will end here. I will be on my way and You on yours" her words hanged in the air.

"Alright I will give you what you want" Coltrane nodded his head thinking about the proposal. It's a good proposal if he says so himself.

"Awesome I might have said but where is the but?" Cassandra asked not to miss his pause. She knows him too well, as bitter as that thought is.

"After I get her," He said.
 
"Well it's cancelled. Find her yourself" She sighed closing her eyes.

"But you need to give me the benefit of doubt. I need a leverage in this after all you already know the person" Coltrane said trying to negotiate with her. He gripped the steering wheel, sweat accumulating on his hands. 

"My life is on line and you are talking about leverage?" Cassandra chuckled. She had many ways to end the farce that happened yesterday but it will take time and this might be the easiest way out.

"Austin" She said, All she wanted was to get away from him at any cost. She thought about it for a while. If she tried to hide this it might come back to bite her where it hurts most. All in all this is the best option.

"What?" Coltrane asked, confused. She sighed extending her hand,"It was Austin who called me. Make sure you remember our deal. Give me that phone" this is the fastest way to get to the root of all problems. Coltrane handed over his phone which he borrowed from his office.

"I will not forget about our deal" he said while waiting for her to call.

She dialed Austin, " The number you have called is out of reach "

Cassandra cursed under her breath before calling Lisa, "Hello Lisa where is Austin?" She asked her.

"He is in O.T. Cass, I will tell him to call you back" Lisa said.

"Okay thanks" Cassandra said before looking at him.

"We need to wait for a while he is in O.T"

"Is he a doctor?" Coltrane asked completely clueless about Austin.

"Yeah" She nodded her head looking ahead.

"Which hospital?" He asked her.

"Medicinal Health Care. Why?" Cassandra turned to stare at him. He suddenly turned and made his way to the clinic.

"I heard from Jeremy, Catherine got into an accident. So, this might be the clinic she is admitted" that was the last word they exchanged after that the ride was silent. Both lost in their own thoughts but peace resides between them.

************

Jeremy went back to his hotel to see James, his secretary, waiting for him.

"What can I do for you sir?" James asked.

"I need you to find this number and every detail related to this number" He handed James the number that the receptionist gave him.

"This might be a private number. So, make sure not to leave any trail behind" Jeremy warned James who nodded his head.

"Find whose number is this?" He gave him the number Coltrane asked him to search.

"I want those information tomorrow first thing in the morning"

"And James make sure no one knows about this" Jeremy said before walking in with a box of pizza. He went straight to his room. After eating pizza, he took a shower and went out like a tubelight.

Past..

"How is everything going on?" Jeremy asked Catherine after the incident with Nikolas. She always becomes shy whenever he talks to her. 

"It's fine," Catherine said, a light pink dust colouring her cheeks. 

"Thank god" he sighed, patting her head before leaving her behind. Her eyes widen, her heart skips a bit at his unjust behavior.

"Catherine?" she turns to see Coltrane behind her. 

"Yes! How can I help you?" Catherine asked, turning around to face him.

"I don't know what you can help me with but from next time be careful alright? You were staring at a space" Her cheeks flushed as she noticed that  she was staring at the place Jeremy was standing.

"Yes. I will, thank you for worrying about me" Catherine said awkwardly as if she was caught doing something she should not. She turned before leaving him behind.

"What happened? Why are you grinning like a fool?" Coltrane turned around hurriedly, staring at Cassandra's grinning face as she raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

He rolled his eyes, mumbling out a "nothing" before walking beside her.

"Do you have time? We need to hand out our project?" He asked as they made their way to the classroom.

"I don't know," Cassandra said sighing. They always hangout whether eating together or club activity she needs to catch up to her studies.

"Jeremy will come to my house" Coltrane said trying to make her come. They both know how good Jeremy is at studying and explaining things.

"You just want me to bring my project. Right?" Cassandra rolled her eyes. He sighed sheepishly.

"Okay, Okay it's as you said" Coltrane rubbed the back of his neck almost shyly.

"I will," She sighed, gripping her bag.

"Alright let's go" he grabbed her hand dragging her out of the school running past Jeremy.

"Hey! where are you going?" Jeremy yelled behind them sighing. He walked towards his bike.

"Excuse me" Catherine looked at the boy standing there waiting for her.

Her eyes widened as she flinched back.

"You are about to call your driver. Right?" Nikolas smirked, snatching her phone before throwing it away. He moved forward grabbing her hand.

"That girl was not you right? The one who makes a mess out of me and those girls. She even insulted me, her nerve" Nikolas grabbed her hair.

"No... that... that was me," Catherine said, trying to push him away.

"Oh! so then I should take my revenge on you. Should I?" She flinched away when he advanced.

"Stop, let me go" Catherine shuttered wiggling in his hands. Tears pricked her eyes.

"This time even Jeremy is not here to save you" Nikolas said coldly.

"Who said?" Jeremy's cold voice, froze both of them.

"You are a trouble magnet" Catherine heard a sigh before she got pulled into a hard chest and her eyes widened.

"So, aren't you getting your revenge?" Jeremy asked mockingly before grabbing his shirt bringing his face closer, punching him straight on his face.

"In which part of staying away from her did not get through your thick head" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"I will make it clear right now. She is mine if you or any of your friends want revenge, they can come and get it from me. Now run before I decide to break more than your nose" Jeremy glared at him trying to determine whether he needs to prove it or not. The boy ran away. Catherine stood there frozen, her heart skipped a beat but that did not last longer.

"I told you to punch him back. What were you thinking?" Jeremy yelled at her. 

"And what's with you? Huh? Why is it that wherever you go trouble comes in a package?" He asked her. 

"I am sorry" Catherine blinked her tears looking down, she was scared and her body froze up before she could do anything.

"Stop looking down" Jeremy sighed, casually grabbing her chin up to see her eyes. She blushed unconsciously.

He stare at her eyes while she tried to look down,"look me in the eyes when you speak"

"But that's not lady like?" Catherine said automatically looking back at him. He stared at her before chuckling at her, "Which era do you live in?"

"Bu...but my etiquette teacher told me that's how a lady behaves" she puffed her cheeks turning red in anger.

"Your what now?" Jeremy raised his eyebrows.

"My etiquette teacher," Catherine said again.

"I heard that" He rolled his eyes.

"Do you really want to become a lady that much?" Jeremy asked her casually,  a soft smile on his lips.

"Huh?" Catherine's eyes widened, she blinked her eyes, her heart skipped a beat. It's not like she has any option. Her mother wants her to become a perfect lady. Someone who can make any man fall in love with her. But this is the first time someone asked her what she wanted. She stared at him and tears filled her eyes.

"Ah! Don't cry. Okay you don't have to answer. Well then why don't I give you a ride home on my bike?" Jeremy awkwardly asked her when she didn't answer and he turned away taking that as a no. He felt a small tug on his sleeves.

"Alright" Catherine nodded her head, her cheeks turning redder in every passing minute.

"Hope on" he unlocked his bike giving her a helmet. She looked at it and did not know how to wear it.

"Here you go" Jeremy grabbed the helmet putting on her head when his hand brushed her cheeks softly. Her breath hitched.

Catherine sat behind him, her heart pounding loudly, "You won't throw me off. Right?"She asked.

"Who knows?" He laughed.

"Then I am getting down" She tried to get down.

"You will fall. Hold onto me tightly" Jeremy put her hands around him.

"Now you are safe" the bike vroom through the road. For the first time Catherine feel freedom, forgetting about her curfew she pressed her face on his back whispering a soft, "thank you"

"Alright take a left and stop there" he stopped the car in front of what seems like a rear gate.

"You know you have guts" Catherine got down from the bike when he noticed him staring.

"Huh?" She looked at him confused.

"You are quite bold huh? Riding a motorcycle in a skirt" Jeremy chuckled.

"What?" Her face flush as she angrily glared at him.

"I did not see anything except your white" He whispered.

"Jeremy?" She yelled flushing

"Just joking" he laughed softly patting  her head before going on his way. Catherine stood her heart pounding, she can still feel his hand on her head.

**************

Present…

Catherine blinked her eyes trying to stop the tears from falling. Jeremy coldly shrugged her off. She knows he will but feeling it herself seems more hurtful. 

"Here you are '' She froze, hearing the voice coming from her room entrance. She looked up to see Coltrane standing there beside Cassandra.

"How do you know about me being here?" Catherine asked, clearing her throat.

"That's the question I am least interested in answering," Coltrane said, shaking his head before he took her in his arms and hugged her. Catherine froze looking at Cassandra who was busy staring at them without any expression. 

"I am glad you are alright" Catherine gulped down before pushing him away. Coltrane felt shocked when she tried to get away from him.

"What is it?" He asked Catherine, confused at her sudden change in behavior.

"You should not hug me casually. Especially in front of your wife. Don't forget that you are already married" Cassandra was about to go away from all this melodramatic moment but her words stopped her. She turns around to face them.

"How do you know?" Coltrane asked her, stiffening up.

"So it's true" Catherine mumbled out, shaking her head looking at him. She knows her mother very well.

"I don't know who I was marrying. I promise I did not marry her knowingly. You can ask her" Coltrane explained, shuttering a bit.

"I know, It's alright" Catherine smiled at him.

"Congratulations on your wedding" She said before softly touching his hand.

"Wait... what are you saying?" Coltrane froze not knowing what the hell was going on in here.

***********

Thank you so much for reading dear readers..

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Until next time...