Chapter 42 - Frenemy

Chapter 42

Katarine often wonders why Ethan could be so nonchalant. Even in the face of danger, she has met a lot of men since she started to develop crushes on them in high school up until she graduated and became part of the professional workforce, but none of them have ever seemed as calm and collected as Ethan. It's both frustrating and intriguing to Katarine, making her even more determined to unravel the mystery behind his unflappable demeanor.

He had this certain calm manner that drew her in, making her want to understand what lay beneath the surface of his seemingly carefree attitude. Katarine finds herself irresistibly drawn to Ethan's enigmatic aura, sparking a curiosity that drives her to uncover the secrets hidden behind his composed facade.

Even now, she still can't wrap around the fact that he was her boyfriend. The whirlwind nature of their first meeting and the fact that they ended up having a relationship with him only add to the intrigue. Katarine counts how many men have casual flings and dated her ended up in a misserable state; her first kiss when she was 16 years old ended up burning the young man's lips. She had to hide that fact as the reason why the 17 year-old fling ended at the hospital.

Every time somebody gets close to her and becomes intimate with her, it ends up like this: She understood this very well, and she just could not admit to them that she was born with a highly uncontrollable ability. Those years of trial and error were hard for Katarine; she needs to constantly control her emotions. All those situations where she unintentionally hurt another person were tiresome and ruined her social life.

Then, when a guy tried to hug her, the person just got tossed like a rag doll with an invisible force. Sadly who would believe this kind of news to be true? So many assumed she had physically assaulted the person, knowing all it was that her unconscious mind protected her from unwanted physical contact. This unique ability made Katarine feel even more isolated and misunderstood as she struggled to find ways to explain her unusual circumstances to others.

But with Ethan, he could hold her close, hug her, and even flirt with her without getting hurt. Among the nearly 30 guys with whom she had connections, she ended up being too scared to even shake her hand after their encounter with her.

She had no choice but to become cold and distant, with all the pain and loneliness. Despite her longing for connection, Katarine found solace in the fact that Ethan could touch her without causing harm. She was finally happy.

The warehouse became their small palace as they met once a week to relax and unwind with each other. The fact that Katarine was afraid that Ethan might lieve her made her do things that most modern women would never do. Unexpectedly, Ethan had the same fear so they gave each other breathing space and never ruined each other's sense of independence. This mutual understanding and respect for each other's fears allowed their relationship to flourish in a healthy way, deepening their bond as they navigated their individual vulnerabilities together.

Katarine learns how to cook, while Ethan helps her with anything that she needs help helping, while he flirts with her and compliments her on her progress in the small warehouse kitchen. This dynamic of support and encouragement strengthened their connection even further, creating a sense of partnership and mutual growth within their relationship.

Katarine and Ethen understood when to strike up a casual conversation; they both understood that if the other person was free and interested in engaging in deeper discussions, this was the time to indulge in this matter , but they also read certain unsensical language in their actions and body language, knowing when to give each other space and respect boundaries if necessary.

Katarine would keep silent and show her affection through her actions. Her grandmother once told her that a man is frequently evaluated based on what he can offer, but a woman is judged by their intrinsic qualities and societal roles rather than their capabilities or achievements.

This belief had always stuck with Katarin, shaping her approach to relationships and interactions with others. She believed in showing her worth through her actions and character, rather than just what she could provide materially.

She had enough money to purchase ten opulent mansions, but she never did because she wanted to be respected for her true self as a person, not simply her fortune, and since doing so would hurt Ethan's ego as a man. Katarin recognized the value of equality and respect for one another in a partnership, regardless of one's financial situation.

She now sees the simple joys of life. Walking and hanging out in the hidden mina part near Mr. Pings convenience store, this small paradise was a stark contrast to the extravagant lifestyle she once lived. Katarin found true happiness in the simplicity of nature and meaningful connections with others, rather than material possessions.

Katarine now visits Ethan by commuting, as Ethan showed her how to use the subway from her company. Toward the industrial district, this only fueled Nicole's jealousy and resentment towards Katarine, as she saw her visit Ethan, whom Nicole considered to be her future husband, flirting with another woman in front of her without any regard for her feelings. Nicole's heart sank as she realized that Katarine was slowly becoming a permanent fixture in Ethan's life, and she knew she had to act fast if she wanted to truly win him back.

One faithful day, the city government created a new initiative to revitalize the seven districts, bringing in more opportunities to teach those who wanted to learn new skills. was established as the biggest university and offered free courses to residents in an effort to boost the local economy.

Ethan saw this as a chance to improve himself, and Katarine supported this by also joining in on learning the culinary arts. while Ethan was interested in taking up computer design. Together, they embarked on this journey of self-improvement and growth, each pursuing their own passions while supporting each other along the way. Their shared commitment to personal development strengthened their bond and brought them closer together than ever before.

Nicole also found a way to use this opportunity to ruin their so-called relationship. The days Nicole watched Katarine enter the warehouse and saw Ethan and her going out on dates were eating her from the inside; unknowingly, she became Ethan Stalker. Nicole's jealousy and obsession with Ethan and Katarine's relationship grew stronger each day, leading her to engage in unhealthy behaviors. As her fixation intensified, Nicole's mental health deteriorated, causing her to spiral further into a dangerous obsession.

She also enrolled in the free university course Katarine enrolled in, befriending her and ultimately becoming more entangled in their lives than ever before. Nicole's actions became increasingly erratic and concerning as she struggled to cope with her growing obsession and sabotage Katarine with Ethan. Nicole intends to harm Katarine so she can have Ethan for herself.

Nicole continued her routine ways, making the situation seem coincidental and not planned, like accidentally seeing Ethan and Katarine together in public. Nicole would always swallow her pride when Ethan greeted her like a friend. However, deep down, Nicole's jealousy and resentment towards Katarine continued to fester, driving her to devise a plan to eliminate her competition. As Nicole's obsession with Ethan grew stronger, she became more determined to remove any obstacles standing in the way of her happiness.

Nicole would always tell Katarine how lucky she was to have Ethan as her boyfriend. Katarine knew that this woman desired Ethan to become hers; she wasn't that stupid to fall into her trap, but for the sake of Ethan's happiness, she chose to keep her distance, not engage in any conflict with Nicole, and just go with Nicole's plan.

Nicole pointed out that the class will start ten days from now. She even flaunted that her company gave her a flexible working schedule to participate in the free courses.

Casual smiles were shown, but Nicole felt something was off. Katarine didn't even react when Nicole told both of them that she also took a free culinary course at the university. Katarine remained composed, knowing that Nicole's intentions were not genuine. Despite the tension, she maintained her cool and decided to handle the situation with grace.

Nicole even asked Katarine if they could share phone contact as she handed her the university list indicating they were in the same class. Nicole's attempt to connect with Katarine seemed to fall flat, as Katarine politely declined the offer. making it clear that she was not interested in furthering their connection.

She simply smiled and excused herself from the conversation, leaving Nicole feeling slightly embarrassed. Ethan gave out a gesture, signaling to Nicole that he would have a discussion with Katarine later to see if he could help facilitate a better connection between them. Nicole appreciated Ethan's support with a smile and a vile grin after they had already crossed the other side of the street.

"I am going to kill you, bitch!"

"Ethan is mine,"