Marriage Without Love: Sir, Please Stop

Chapter 113

Catalina was envious of Bennett.

He could come to such a beautiful place often, but she couldn't.

Perhaps, this was her one and only chance in a lifetime.

"Bennett, stop the bike, stop!"

"Screech!"

Bennett hit the brakes and brought the bike to a halt. He turned his head to look at Catalina. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Catalina grabbed her skirt and gracefully hopped off the bike.

"I might not have a chance to come here again in the future, so I want to take a picture as a keepsake."

Catalina explained as she pulled out her phone from her bag. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to hand the phone over to Bennett. "Could you take the picture for me, please? Just one!" Catalina was worried Bennett might not agree.

Bennett gave her a sidelong glance. Then after a few seconds, he reluctantly accepted her phone.

Catalina was elated, "Oh, thank you!"

With excitement, Catalina rushed over to stand under the locust tree. She raised her hand and made a 'peace' sign.

Bennett remained seated on the bike, with his feet on the ground.

Bennett was holding the phone but not looking at the screen. His gaze remained fixed on the white figure under the locust tree.

She displayed a row of gleaming teeth and smiled at him. Her crescent-shaped eyes and brows were like the moon. Her innocent, naive smile and carefree expression resembled the determined little girl from his childhood.

Bennett's heart was jolted fiercely.

Complex emotions surged within him.

"Did you take the picture?"

Seeing Bennett staring at her and lost in thought for a moment, Catalina asked.

Bennett snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at the screen. With a sharp 'click', he pressed the shutter button, "Yeap, took it."

Catalina quickly ran back to take a look.

"Let me see!"

Anticipation filled Catalina as she opened the photo.

Upon seeing herself on the screen, she couldn't help but roll her eyes in dissatisfaction.

"Hey, I blinked, and I was talking too. Don't you ever check the screen?"

Catalina was on the verge of frustration.

Facing Catalina's reprimand, Bennett remained unfazed and showed no remorse for what he had done, "Good-looking people always look good no matter how you take their picture." "Do you really think this photo of me looks good?"

Catalina hadn't expected Bennett to actually compliment her.

After a brief silence, Bennett clarified, "What I mean is, if you don't look good, don't blame others for their poor photography skills."

"Ugh..."

Catalina grew irritated, "Fine, forget about it. I was naive and foolish to hope that a simple-minded guy like you could take a good photo of me. I'll just take a selfie, okay?" Catalina talked as she snatched her phone and returned to her original spot.

She kept posing in front of the raised phone, making all sorts of quirky gestures. Her smile had stiffened, but she remained enthusiastic about taking photos. Bennett glanced back at the sunlight behind him.

Golden rays filtered through the leaves and cast dappled patterns on her, as if gifting her with a radiant aura.

He took out his own phone and held it up high.

The lens captured his huge face.

Not far behind him, under the expanse of the white locust tree, a small figure was busy taking selfies.

A stiff smile tugged at the corners of Bennett's lips.

"Click..."

Shutter pressed.

Within the lens, two figures, one in front of the other, were captured sharply.

Indeed, handsome people looked good no matter how you photographed them.

This was their first photo together, and it might just be the only one.

It might even...

Be the last one!

Bennett put away his phone.

"Hey! Let's go!"

He sat on the bike and rang the bell.

"Ding-a-ling-a-ling..."

He kept urging Catalina.

"Coming, coming!"

While responding loudly, Catalina took a few more shots before jogging back.

"Wait, let me show you what real photography is."

Catalina proudly displayed the selfies she had just taken, and flipped through them. "Look!"

She shoved the screen in front of Bennett, "Isn't it beautiful?"

Bennett actually took a serious look.

On the screen, Catalina partially covered her cheek with a locust branch, and her black hair cascaded while catching the breeze. Golden shards of light fell onto the exposed side of her face, creating a stunning effect like a flawless oil painting.

"It's pretty."

Bennett commented, then averted his gaze before returning it to her face. "But it seems like it has nothing to do with you."

"What do you mean?"

Catalina glared at him, and she was so annoyed that steam could practically come out of her nose.

Leaning forward, Bennett rested his forearms on the steering wheel as he watched the smoke practically billowing from Catalina, "Why is it so hard for you girls to accept reality?"

"Hey!"

Getting caught by Bennett, Catalina's face reddened with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "Hey, I just applied a subtle touch of a beauty filter, alright? And could you even use the original camera without any filters? It might end up magnifying my pores tenfold or more."

Hearing her candid complaints, Bennett found it somewhat amusing.

But he held back his laughter forcibly.

Surprisingly, it was quite enjoyable to listen to her rant about these little life matters.

It was vivid, as if... he had truly stepped into her life.

It was also quite enticing.

Making him feel like he didn't want to step out.

"Get on the bike, there's a nicer spot up ahead. I can take more photos for you there."

Bennett shifted sideways, and patted the back seat.

Squinting her eyes, Catalina gazed at him. "You'll take photos for me? Oh well, don't ruin the beautiful scenery. I can't trust you with that."

She spoke and then plopped onto the back seat.

Bennett raised an eyebrow, "If you don't trust me, forget it!"

Leaning forward, he pushed off with his foot. "Hold on tight, here we go!"

"Ah, hey slow down..."

Catalina yelled as she clutched onto Bennett's waist tightly.

Amidst the locust trees, under the sunlight, there were two striking figures cycled through.

The fragrance of flowers was enchanting.

The sunlight was dazzling.

The young boy and girl from under the locust trees back then had grown up.

******

After taking a shower, Catalina walked out, and found Bennett sitting at the desk working.

The sky outside was still bright.

But it was already 9 o'clock in the evening.

The sun had yet to set.

"Come over."

Hearing footsteps, Bennett didn't lift his head while calling Catalina.

"Hmm?"

Catalina shuffled over in her plush slippers.

Before Bennett, there was a stack of thick documents on the desk.

These were all the tasks he needed to complete tonight.

As he spent the day accompanying her, his work naturally piled up for the evening.

Closing the case he had been reviewing, Bennett looked at Catalina. "Don't you have an interview to conduct? Go ahead!"

"Now?!"

Catalina was taken aback by the suddenness.

"Well, when did you want to do it, then?"

"No, no, no, I don't want to wait anymore. I'll go grab the voice recorder and camera. You wait for me, I'll be right back!"

Catalina dashed back into the room like a streak of lightning.

Hastily snatching her work bag, she rushed back out.

From her backpack, she retrieved a notebook, voice recorder, and a camera.

Finding the perfect spot, she set up the camera on a tripod and turned on the voice recorder before placing it nearby. "Okay, all set."

Bennett glanced at the camera on the table and then patted a spot on the edge of the table. "Come over here."

"??"

Catalina looked puzzled.

"I asked you to come here, so just come. No need for all that extra talk."

"...Fine."

Catalina had no choice but to obey. She obediently sat at the corner of the table as directed by Bennett.

The two sat facing each other.

Bennett settled into his comfortable swivel chair, and leaned his head against the backrest, while slightly raising his chin. "Let's begin!"

"Alright."