A Replacement Bride

Chapter 189

Katherine and Theodore were just about to leave the institute together when they saw Joaquin's car parked right in front of the institute, and he was leaning on his car, looking at his phone.

Katherine was astonished to see Joaquin there. "Why are you here?" she asked.

As Joaquin sensed someone was approaching, he looked up and stuffed his phone into his pocket. He greeted Theodore and only answered Katherine, "Well, I came to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" She pointed at herself and asked in disbelief.

Joaquin nodded. "Well, Ben told me about the issues you are currently facing. I looked at the time and estimated that you should be leaving the institute soon. So, I will be waiting for you here. Come, get in the car. I'll take you to a place." He then walked around the car and opened the car door for her.

"I was planning to have lunch with Theodore." She was pretty speechless at his whim. Nonetheless, she still got into the car as he told her, and only then did she tell Joaquin her initial plan.

"It's okay," said Joaquin before turning to Theodore and smiling. "Where are you heading to, Mr. Muller? I can give you a ride and treat you to dinner another day."

Theodore merely waved his hand. "Don't mind me. I don't want to be third wheeling. I can go home by myself. So don't worry about me."

"We'll invite you to dinner some other day for sure." Joaquin did not even bat an eye even after hearing Theodore's words. It was as if he just wanted alone time with Katherine that he nodded at Theodore, got into the car unceremoniously, and was more than ready to leave.

At the same time, Shane was seen stumbling and running out of the institute with a group of lackeys. He even shouted from afar, "Mr. Muller! Mr. Muller, w—wait for me!"

Theodore was wearing a cold expression and did not even bother to look at Shane as he sauntered to the intersection. Joaquin glanced at Katherine subconsciously when he heard Shane's shouts and asked her with his eyes how she wanted to proceed with the situation.

"Aren't you taking me somewhere?" She leaned back against the seat lazily and looked indifferent. Joaquin saw her attitude and knew that she also could not be bothered, so he smirked and stepped on the accelerator.

As Shane watched the car speed away, his face was full of despair, and the only option he had left was Theodore. So, he quickly caught up with Theodore and tried courting him. "Mr. Muller, it was all my fault just now. I am a b*stard and was too eager for quick success and profits. Please don't mind yourself with the likes of me, and don't close down the research institute! Please convey my apology to Miss. Cornell as well, as I never intend to offend her. It would be even better if you could introduce me to her."

"Are you talking to me?" Theodore, who was staring at the road, looked up at Shane. Shane was excited that he finally got some response from Theodore, so he looked at Theodore with anticipation in his eyes.

"No way. I'm not free as I'm going on vacation. You're blocking my way, by the way." After he finished speaking without missing a beat, Theodore stretched out his hand, pushed Shane aside, and left without waiting for another second.

Shane knew that he could no longer savage the situation and cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he looked at Theodore's back anxiously and helplessly. He wanted to chase after Theodore, but he feared he would anger him even more. There was nothing else he could do.

The news of Raven Research Institute's closure reached Kyoland in no time. Those higher-ups at Shioul Institute were so pissed at Shane that they reprimanded Shane and immediately arranged for someone to Hovington, hoping to mend fences with Theodore. But they were more interested in Katherine and sent their agent over, intending to invite her to work at Shioul Institute. If Katherine agreed to join them, their institute would rise to be the best research institute in the country!

On the other hand, Katherine looked at the sea of flowers in front of her and turned to Joaquin with doubts on her face. "So… This is the place you want to bring me to?"

In response, he coughed to hide his embarrassment, but that was not enough as his face turned red involuntarily while the tips of his ears were also pinkish. Finally, he avoided her gaze uncomfortably and said, "Well… This is the famous sea of flowers in Hovington. There is also a "marriage tree" over there. Legend has it that a couple can grow old together if they hang a lock on the tree."

"Do you really believe in this?" She was quite surprised to hear him say that as he did not strike her as someone who believed in tales.

Joaquin scolded Ben a million times in his heart. If it were not for Ben's flawed suggestion that couples usually dated at romantic places like the sea of flowers, he would have never brought Katherine here. He just wished he could dig a hole in front of him right now and bury his head in the hold in that instant because he could see her slightly disgusted expression.

"Ben was the one who told me that. If you don't like this place, then we..." Joaquin coughed and said almost subconsciously as a defense mechanism.

However, Katherine had already taken two steps forward, and she could not hear his words clearly because his voice was not loud. She turned and asked, "You were saying?"

"Nah. Nothing." He returned to his senses and answered quickly, so she continued walking forward.

The sea of flowers was indeed beautiful, covered in red, pink, blue, and purple flowers. One could also see colorful butterflies among the flowers. Katherine never knew such a place in Hovington; that was her first time there. She could not help but get mesmerized by the fairyland-like place. And the more she paid attention to the flowers, the more she realized that the flowers had actual medicinal purposes. Although they were not precious, they were all over the mountains. It must have been a large project, not to mention that they were maintained very well.

"Is this place a private property?" asked Katherine as she did not see any tourists nearby.

He shook his head. "Not a private property. Though, there are workers who take care of the flowers specifically here. These flowers were planted more than 20 years ago. I heard that the person who manages this mountainous area is a flower lover, so he planted flowers here every day for five years, covering hundreds of acres of mountains with all kinds of flowers. The place gradually became famous, and more and more people visited."

"But there's no one here?" She looked around, and there was no one except for them.

"Well, I have reserved the venue just for us today." Joaquin touched his nose when he said that in a low voice. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Katherine could not help but tease him, seeing his embarrassed reaction. "Reservation? What other surprises have you prepared for me?"

"No more. Let's just continue walking, shall we?" He quickly shook his head as he felt a little nervous at that moment, and he had not felt like this for a long time, ever since he went on the battlefield to kill an enemy—this situation with Katherine was arguably even more nerve-wracking. He never knew his heart could beat that fast, let alone the feeling of rising temperature on his face.

The two walked along the path between the flowers and soon saw the 'marriage tree'. The tree in front of them had withered and lush unknown vines wrapped around it. Because of its reputation as the

'marriage tree', it was covered with colorful streamers and locks of various shapes. Beneath the tree stood a wall filled with love messages from those who previously visited.

She glanced at the messages and smiled. What childish oaths. She then raised her head and looked at the floating pink streamers. The words were faintly visible to her, but she couldn't see them clearly because the streamers were quite far away.

At that moment, Joaquin came over and handed her a pink streamer. "Write your wish on it and try to throw it upward and see if it hangs on the tree. The higher you throw, the more likely your wish will come true."