Davin stepped closer, "I apologize for the assault," he said, his hands still tucked into his pockets.
She looked up at him with a sharp glint in her eye and said, "If he ever dares come close to me again, I won't press charges. I will kill him," her voice cold and unwavering.
He raised an eyebrow, his face a mask of amused bewilderment. Could this be the same woman he fought against for the award? The same one who had been laughing and chatting with his sister earlier? Was this all the same person?
"Rest assured he wouldn't trouble you again" Davin said staring at her with his forest green eyes...
His gaze drifted from her captivating hazel eyes to her plump red lips and down to her delicately pale neck, until he finally rested on her lightly swollen fingers. Without even realizing it, his hands ventured out of his pockets, reaching out to touch hers in that moment.
Seeing his movement, Kathryn took a step back, her expression icy. "Don't touch me," she said coldly. As he quickly withdrew his hand and tucked it back into his pocket, he remarked with affected indifference, "You may want to take a look at that—it's swollen."
Kathryn's eyes dropped to her hands, and she gasped to find they were indeed swollen and aching. She had been in too much of a daze to even notice.
Without looking at him,she left the rest room hallway and walked back to the Party hall.
Kathryn was an expert at masking her feelings—no one would have ever been able to tell that her hand was in unbearable pain. She thought back to the bathroom and inwardly scolded herself for smacking Michael's hard, chiseled face. 'I should have just punched him hard and saved myself all this hassle,' she thought.
Yet, while she was preoccupied with her thoughts, she did not take notice of Arthur's cold expression. "What happened to your hand? Who did this?" he asked, the anger clear in his voice.
Sighing, she knew this was to be expected from him—he was always so protective, like an older brother. If she were to tell him what happened, she was sure he would use any resource at his disposal to find and kill Richard, regardless of where the banks had chosen to hide him.
"It's nothing, let's go," Kathryn said dismissively.
Sighing in frustration, Arthur gave up. Whenever she used her inner voice, it was always non-negotiable.
As she grabbed her purse and prepared to leave, Kathryn could feel the intensifying stares of the guests that were still present.
No one had seemed to have gone home yet, as they all wanted the opportunity to speak to the Banks, who had so rarely been seen in a public setting. Despite being exhausted and desperate to leave, Kathryn knew that her role model was there and that this was an opportunity that shouldn't be passed up - the atmosphere was tense, yet electric., but she needed to leave...she will meet her when the time is right, she thought.
Upon exiting the grand auditorium, Kathryn peered back into the shadows where the wealthy businessmen were. She could feel their eyes on her, yet it seemed less like admiration and more like scrutiny.
She ducked her head and kept walking, feeling relieved when she got outside of the building - away from the looming figures and away from the stares and whispers that seemed to follow her wherever she went.
From the body language of the businessmen, Kathryn could tell that the well-wishes they gave were not authentic.
Despite being young and inexperienced, Kathryn was wise beyond her years and knew that these entrepreneurs were not genuinely wishing the banks well.
She would have loved to speak with her idol, Madame Genevieve Banks, but in a more suitable environment, one in which she felt confident in her own abilities and knowledge, and in which she felt she had earned the right to be given an audience.
Meanwhile at the banks table.....
"What happened" madame Genevieve asked her son davin when he came back to their table.
"Richard" he said indifferently.
"What he did do" Kimberley asked suspiciously.
"Assaulted our guest, President Kathryn" he said ever so formally.
"Oh my God, is she ok" Kathryn asked visibly worried.
Amused at his baby's reaction, Davin couldn't help but ask...
"Friend of yours?"
"Well, yes....even though we met today,I feel like she will be soul sister" Kimberley said happily..
Watching her daughter's ecstatic expression, madame Genevieve now more than anything wants to meet the young Ceo..
Nothing and no one impressed her daughter kim, aside from her brothers and her parents,she has always been by herself ever since childhood...
Growing up she hardly kept friends, according to her 'people only want to be friends with me because of my family'....she always referred to them as 'fake people', which fo the most part was true.
When she announced that she would be going into the entertainment industry after getting her degree at eighteen ,madam Genevieve was truly happy.
'Atleast she will have people around her and perhaps someone will catch her fancy' she would always thought, but it has been three years since her debut, nothing was reported or rumored about her personal life..
Madame Genevieve was growing worried for her baby girl,she didn't want her to be alone...if it was up to her,she would have given birth to another baby girl to keep kim company.
But seeing her daughter for the very first, saying someone was her friend made her night...
'I guess greatness recognises greatness' madam Genevieve thought..
"What are you gonna do to him" Mr banks asked.
"Let me alone with him in a room,so I can teach his stupid ass that you don't touch a lady without her consent" kim spat out angrily...
Laughing kelvin said "calm down there tiger"
" I will handle it" Davin said patting kim on her hair affectionately while kim leaned in into his large palm,he adored her.
Looking at his gold encrusted wristwatch Davin said....
"I should get going,I have a conference meeting tomorrow at 7am"
"Lets all go together,I am exhausted " madame Genevieve said.
Touching his wife affectionately on her neck Mr banks said kissing his wife on the cheek "I will give you a massage when we get home "
"Oh my God dad , this is not the place" kim said feeling embarrassed..
"Come and sleep at the family mansion its closer to the company" Mr banks suggested while still fixated at his wife.
After contemplating for a while, Davin agreed, and the whole family got up and began walking towards the exit after the bank's discussion with several prominent business people at the after-party.