Chapter 158


    Catherine looked at Jonathan but merely remained quiet. Jonathan couldn''t help but find Catherine to


    be rather strange. Of all the women that he had interacted with, Yasmin was the coldest and had the


    most aloof personality thus far. However, in spite of that, she boasted a burning passion within her.


    Polly also became rather distant toward the end. However, she was as gentle and serene as a flowing


    stream. As such, even her casual indifference left the people around her feeling somewhat


    comfortable. However, Catherine was a different breed altogether. She exuded an icy cold demeanor


    that spoke of herpleteck of emotion. It was almost as if she had suffered some deep-seated


    trauma when she was young, which had then warped her personality into what it was today.


    Jonathan chose his words carefully before he said, “Hey, what are your thoughts on the wedding


    happening three dayster? Or rather, what do you think about me as a person?”


    “No thoughts,” replied Catherine curtly before she continued walking forward.


    Jonathan wasn''t too pleased that they couldn''t carry on a conversation together. He rushed up and


    asked, “Does it not matter who you''re marrying?”


    “Nope!” replied Catherine indifferently.


    “What if the other party is an ugly freak? Or what if he''s downright obese? Or if he''s a really old man?”


    Again, Catherine replied, “It doesn''t matter.”


    Jonathan cursed inwardly before he asked again, “If that''s the case, what are the things that matter to


    you?”


    Catherine eyed Jonathan for a moment before she countered, “What does any of this have to do with


    you?”


    Jonathan was rendered absolutely speechless. After a brief pause, he replied, “Well, we''re getting


    married after all. I should get to know what''s important to you.”


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    “We aren''t married yet. Also, so what if we got married? How does that change things? Do you think I


    care about that single sheet of paper?”


    Jonathan stroked his nose in annoyance as he replied, “I guess what you''re saying is that it doesn''t


    matter to you even if I end up finding another woman elsewhere?”


    “Exactly.”


    “All right, you win,” conceded Jonathan as he weakly shed a thumbs-up.


    He waspletely ovee by Catherine and realized there was nothing much he could do to


    connect with her.


    After Mabel finished her lunch, she made her way out of the Harrington mansion. Before she left, she


    grinned meaningfully at Jonathan and said, “Congrattions, Jonathan. You''ll be bringing your


    charming bride home soon enough. All your peeking and staring at her will be a thing of the past.”


    Jonathan didn''t think much of her words at first. However, he started breaking into cold sweat upon


    hearing thetter portion of her words. As he watched Mabel stride off into the distance, Jonathan


    mumbled darkly to himself, “Damn! What does she mean by that? Could it be that she knew I''d been


    peeking at Jennifer in the shower all this time? Why couldn''t she have said it in a moment of privacy?


    Damn it!”


    Jonathan was beyond frustrated that Mabel had somehow caught wind of this embarrassing part of


    him. With this revtion, he no longer knew how he could look her in the eye when they next met.


    Soon after, it was an hour after noon when Jonathan returned to the Harrington mansion. Catherine


    had immediately returned to her room to rest. As she was somewhat of a recluse, Jonathan knew that


    would be thest he saw of her for some time. He wasn''t too pleased by how things were left and


    decided to find Yareth.


    When Jonathan finally found him, Yareth was lounging in the break room taking his midday break while


    being served by one of the servants. Bruce had gone elsewhere to handle his tasks. Jonathan strode in


    and respectfully called out, “Old Mr. Harrington!”


    Yareth was very fond of Jonathan. He quickly sat up in his seat. With a smile that reached his eyes, he


    warmly said, “Come over here. Sit next to me.”


    As instructed, Jonathan headed over to sit next to Yareth.


    “Is there something you want to ask me?” asked Yareth. He was familiar with Jonathan and had


    already affectionately termed himself as such.


    Jonathan didn''t dare to hide what was on his mind and quickly began, “Old Mr. Harrington...”


    However, Yareth cut him off and said, “You''ll be marrying Catherine in three days. It''s about time you


    start calling me Grandpa as well.”


    Catharina lookad at Jonathan but maraly ramainad quiat. Jonathan couldn''t halp but find Catharina to


    ba rathar stranga. Of all tha woman that ha had intaractad with, Yasmin was tha coldast and had tha


    most aloof parsonality thus far. Howavar, in spita of that, sha boastad a burning passion within har.


    Polly also bacama rathar distant toward tha and. Howavar, sha was as gan and sarana as a flowing


    straam. As such, avan har casual indiffarancaft tha pao around har faaling somawhat


    comforta. Howavar, Catharina was a diffarant braad altogathar. Sha axudad an icy cold damaanor


    that spoka of hartack of amotion. It was almost as if sha had suffarad soma daap-saatad


    trauma whan sha was young, which had than warpad har parsonality into what it was today.


    Jonathan chosa his words carafully bafora ha said, “Hay, what ara your thoughts on tha wadding


    happaning thraa daystar? Or rathar, what do you think about ma as a parson?”


    “No thoughts,” rapliad Catharina curtly bafora sha continuad walking forward.


    Jonathan wasn''t too asad that thay couldn''t carry on a convarsation togathar. Ha rushad up and


    askad, “Doas it not mattar who you''ra marrying?”


    “Nopa!” rapliad Catharina indiffarantly.


    “What if tha othar party is an ugly fraak? Or what if ha''s downright obasa? Or if ha''s a raally old man?”


    Again, Catharina rapliad, “It doasn''t mattar.”


    Jonathan cursad inwardly bafora ha askad again, “If that''s tha casa, what ara tha things that mattar to


    you?”


    Catharina ayad Jonathan for a momant bafora sha countarad, “What doas any of this hava to do with


    you?”


    Jonathan was randarad absolutaly spaacss. Aftar a briaf pausa, ha rapliad, “Wall, wa''ra gatting


    marriad aftar all. I should gat to know what''s important to you.”


    “Wa aran''t marriad yat. Also, so what if wa got marriad? How doas that changa things? Do you think I


    cara about that sin shaat of papar?”


    Jonathan strokad his nosa in annoyanca as ha rapliad, “I guass what you''ra saying is that it doasn''t


    mattar to you avan if I and up finding anothar woman alsawhara?”


    “Exactly.”


    “All right, you win,” concadad Jonathan as ha waakly shad a thumbs-up.


    Ha wastaly ovaa by Catharina and raalizad thara was nothing much ha could do to


    connact with har.


    Aftar Mabal finishad har lunch, sha mada har way out of tha Harrington mansion. Bafora shaft, sha


    grinnad maaningfully at Jonathan and said, “Congrattions, Jonathan. You''ll ba bringing your


    charming brida homa soon anough. All your paaking and staring at har will ba a thing of tha past.”


    Jonathan didn''t think much of har words at first. Howavar, ha startad braaking into cold swaat upon


    haaring thattar portion of har words. As ha watchad Mabal strida off into tha distanca, Jonathan


    mumd darkly to himsalf, “Damn! What doas sha maan by that? Could it ba that sha knaw I''d baan


    paaking at Jannifar in tha showar all this tima? Why couldn''t sha hava said it in a momant of privacy?


    Damn it!”


    Jonathan was bayond frustratad that Mabal had somahow caught wind of this ambarrassing part of


    him. With this ravtion, ha no longar knaw how ha could look har in tha aya whan thay naxt mat.


    Soon aftar, it was an hour aftar noon whan Jonathan raturnad to tha Harrington mansion. Catharina


    had immadiataly raturnad to har room to rast. As sha was somawhat of a raclusa, Jonathan knaw that


    would ba thast ha saw of har for soma tima. Ha wasn''t too asad by how things waraft and


    dacidad to find Yarath.


    Whan Jonathan finally found him, Yarath was lounging in tha braak room taking his midday braak wh


    baing sarvad by ona of tha sarvants. Bruca had gona alsawhara to han his tasks. Jonathan stroda in


    and raspactfully cad out, “Old Mr. Harrington!”


    Yarath was vary fond of Jonathan. Ha quickly sat up in his saat. With a sm that raachad his ayas, ha


    warmly said, “Coma ovar hara. Sit naxt to ma.”


    As instructad, Jonathan haadad ovar to sit naxt to Yarath.


    “Is thara somathing you want to ask ma?” askad Yarath. Ha was familiar with Jonathan and had


    alraady affactionataly tarmad himsalf as such.


    Jonathan didn''t dara to hida what was on his mind and quickly bagan, “Old Mr. Harrington...”


    Howavar, Yarath cut him off and said, “You''ll ba marrying Catharina in thraa days. It''s about tima you


    start calling ma Grandpa as wall.”


    Jonathan smiled bitterly as he struggled internally with Yareth''s instruction. However, he forced himself


    to go along with it and said, “Yes, Grandpa!”


    A brilliant smile formed on Yareth''s face as he eximed, “Excellent! Truly excellent!”


    Now that Jonathan had said it once, it became infinitely easier for the words toe out of his mouth.


    He continued, “You''re right, Grandpa. I do have something I would like to ask you.”


    “Sure. Go ahead.”


    “For some reason, Catherine''s personality seems to be a little strange. May I ask if she suffered


    through any traumatic event as a child?” asked Jonathan candidly.


    Yareth was taken aback by Jonathan''s question. However, he sighed and exined, “Catherine didn''t


    go through any trauma. She was born this way. In some way, it could be a result of her natural bodily


    disposition. It seems like she''s unable to feel any form of emotional upheaval. Regardless of what


    happens around her, Catherine will always remain unfazed and unmoved. The only area she finds joy


    or some modicum of interest in is her pursuit of cultivation. This also exins why she''s able to raise


    her cultivation to the final stage of Nascent Soul at the young age of twenty.”


    “Final stage of Nascent Soul?” repeated Jonathan in surprise with a sharp intake of breath. Catherine''s


    cultivation stage is phenomenally insane! Jonathan had always assumed that he was somewhat of a


    genius, but it turned out that he was nothingpared to Catherine. However, Jonathan was still


    perplexed as to why Catherine could find her own path as a spiritual fighter and achieve Nascent Soul


    when she felt nothing.


    Jonathan decided to voice the thought that had popped into his mind. “Grandpa, since Catherine is


    unable to feel any emotional hurt, how was she able to reach Nascent Soul? From my understanding,


    reaching Nascent Soul requires one to fully meld their emotions with their fighting spirit. It''s simr to


    how an essay requires the author to imbue his essence in it.”


    Yareth exined, “Based on conventional logic, things are indeed as you have described. However,


    while most of you rely on emotion and will to manipte your vitality, Catherine uses her physical


    nervous system to do so. She doesn''t have any distractions or emotional hurdles to ovee. This


    has allowed her to achieve a different set of resultspared to yourself, and arguably faster too.”


    Jonathan felt a sense of wonder at that moment as he grappled with the magnitude of what Yareth had


    just shared. Yareth added, “Just as there''s no single path to sess, the route to being an immortal


    isn''t fixed and immutable. What do you think?”


    “You''re right,” acknowledged Jonathan.


    “Although Catherine''s personality has some deficiencies or areas for improvement, I sincerely wish that


    you can be tolerant with her regarding all this. She''s rather pitiful in her way as well, Jonathan,” added


    Yareth.


    “Of course, Grandpa. You don''t have to worry about that,” promised Jonathan immediately.


    Yareth smiled faintly and replied, “Of course, I believe you.”


    The pair continued to chat for a while more until Yareth started feeling drowsy. Jonathan took the cue


    and left the room.


    Jonathan left the lounge and paused for a moment in thought before he headed straight for Catherine''s


    room. There, he knocked on the door twice before he heard Catherine faintly call out, “What''s the


    matter?”


    Jonathan cleared his throat and replied, “Nothing much. I just wanted to chat with you.”


    “About what?” asked Catherine cidly.


    “Can Ie in first?”


    Catherine paused for a brief moment before she grunted her acknowledgment.


    Jonathan pushed the door open and entered the room. Immediately, he saw that Catherine was seated


    cross-legged on her bed. She was dressed in a white woolen sweater that hugged her slender frame


    tightly and exposed all the curves she was blessed with. Her hair was casually arranged, and just like


    that, Catherine had transformed into an otherworldly beauty. She was so stunning that it was difficult to


    find fault with any of her physical features. Jonathan knew that if she were to let even a trace of a smile


    form on her face, she would surely enrapture an entire city or even an entire nation.


    It didn''t help that the room was saturated with the alluring and youthful scent that exuded from her.


    Catherine eyed Jonathan momentarily before she cut to the chase and asked, “What do you want to


    talk about?”


    Jonathan shut the door and moved a chair over to Catherine''s bed. As he took a seat and faced


    Catherine, he couldn''t help but feel her scent get him all worked up.


    Without bothering to soften his words, Jonathan admitted, “I just had a brief chat with Old Mr.


    Harrington. We spoke about the problem with you.”


    “And?” asked Catherine impassively.


    “Are you sure that you don''t have even a shred of desire in your heart?”


    “Not at all,” answered Catherine.


    “Then why are you cultivating?” asked Jonathan.


    “Again, what does that have to do with you?” countered Catherine.


    “You''ll be my wife soon enough. I feel that this is rted to me as well. You may not care much


    about our marriage, but I do,” dered Jonathan.


    “All right. Let me exin things once for you, and please leave this room the second I''m done,” said


    Catherine.


    “Sure!”


    Catherine exined, “It''s because I don''t want to be beholden to any single person. I knew that there


    would be many annoying people like yourself buzzing around me. That''s why I started to cultivate. All


    so I could brush off such annoying people and allow myself to remain undisturbed. You may leave


    now.”


    Jonathan was frustrated by her reply. He knew that if he were to continue with his line of questioning,


    Catherine would likely take action against him. As he reluctantly left her room, a thought struck him out


    of nowhere.


    Damn! Thisdy isn''t as emotionless as everyone thought. At the very least, she gets irritated and


    loses her temper when others bother her.


    In fact, this was the first time that Jonathan had seen someone with Catherine''s behavior, and he


    couldn''t quite wrap his head around it. As such, he strode out of the Harrington mansion and pulled out


    his phone to call Mabel. Once the call connected, he ryed everything he had learned from Yareth to


    her.


    To his surprise, Mabel didn''t find this particrly strange. She said, “The world is huge and full of


    boundless mysteries. What''s there to be surprised about? It''s good that Catherine is treating you this


    way. Didn''t you hate the bondage of marriage? Now you can rx! She won''t bind you down in any


    way.”


    “That may be true, but I still think it''s rather strange. Besides, don''t you think that the way she''s


    behaving can be faked? I feel that if she''s capable of anger, she''s capable of other emotions as well!”


    “I can definitively tell you that it''s not an act. As for her emotions, Catherine naturally isn''t devoid of any


    emotions whatsoever. She isn''t a block of wood. The coldness she exudes is a mental state. She won''t


    be moved regardless of whether she''s facing an unprecedented earthquake or a dystopian world. At


    the end of the day, she''s cold and merciless to the bone. However, you can''t me her for being this


    way. She was born like that, after all. In some way, that makes her disabled. You have to love her and


    care for her more,” exined Mabel.


    Jonathan was speechless.


    After ending the long call with Mabel, Jonathan returned to his room to cultivate.


    Come night time, the family gathered together for dinner. Catherine''s parents were both absent as they


    had gone on a holiday to Epea. It didn''t seem that they would be returning for Catherine''s wedding.


    Jonathan was rather surprised to hear of this, which only reinforced his opinion of how strange this


    entire family was.


    Night had fully descended upon them by the time dinner ended.


    Yareth turned to Jonathan and Catherine and said, “There are many fun ces to explore in Yaleview


    at night. Catherine likes to head to the bar to have wine. Why don''t you bring her around, Jonathan?”


    “Yes, Grandpa!” replied Jonathan.


    With that, Catherine rose to her feet and headed for the door. Jonathan followed quickly behind.


    Catherine''s Ferrari was parked in the courtyard, and she made her way straight for it. Luckily for


    Jonathan, she didn''t drive off straight away but waited for him to catch up. Jonathan made sure that


    she was waiting for him before he finally dared to pull the door open and sat in the passenger seat.