Catherine got better three days later. Most of her rashes were gone. One could barely see them.

Sean took great care of her these days. He prepared her medication every day and applied medical lotion on her rashes. He wouldn't let others do it.

​​

Catherine felt guilty. This wasn't the first time Sean took care of her. She was reborn to take revenge. She didn't want to relive her old days, and she wanted better.

But she seemed to mess things up every time. Sean had to clean up her mess every time. Although Catherine could vent, she had to pay a huge price. She wondered when she could defeat her opponents like Sean did, so easily and elegantly. She wished she could have a strong presence like Sean.

"Do I have to keep using the lotion?" asked Catherine.

"You'll get better with it."

"But you hate the smell. Let Susan do it."

Sean wouldn't let anyone do it. Every time he applied the lotion, his look turned worse. She knew he was mad at her for not protecting herself well. He blamed her for allowing others to harm her.

"Hey, don't keep a straight face. I'm getting better."

"So you'll learn a lesson."

"I'm not a good student if I didn't do as told. She'll deduct my credit points. Besides, if I refused her in public, she would make things harder for me in the future."

Sean said harshly, "Don't you know you have an awesome husband? Will I let you flunk and not be able to graduate?"

Catherine said, "You have influence in Kings College. Who is it?"

Sean said, "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm worried if you don't explain. What if I lose credit points?"

"You will graduate."

"Good."

Catherine suddenly weirdly looked at Sean. Sean asked, "What's the matter?"

"You're awesome. I idolize you." A sweet smile form on her lips while looking at him.

But Catherine's look wasn't idolizing. It was in a teasing way.

"If only I'm half a badass as you are. So they won't bully me."

Catherine realized she couldn't win any fights without Sean's help. She couldn't even fix her family business with her uncle, let alone Pearl.

Her uncle only respected Catherine because she was Sean's wife. But Catherine wouldn't feel bad about it. Sean was hers, and she would make this relationship counted. When a couple worked together, they could achieve anything.

"If you're any smarter, you wouldn't fall for their trap."

Sean glared at her.

Her voice sounded awkward when uttering her reply, "I know she would do something. I just don't know it would be apricot pollen. It's impossible to guard against Pearl."

"Just say you're stupid." Sean really disagreed that Catherine put herself on the line several times.

"If you want to set up a trap, you don't want others to know you do it. It's not worth it if you cost yourself along the way. Why not wait for your time and make the final strike?"

"I underestimated Pearl. But I'll be careful next time. Sorry to make you worry about me."

"Do you learn a lesson?"

"It's a lesson I will never forget."

"I'll spank you so hard you can't walk if you try this again."

"Why don't you take care of Pearl? I'm safe as long as she no longer sees me as a love rival."

Sean said, "Why not make yourself stronger? When you are strong enough, you don't have to worry about her."

That was not wrong. But Catherine wasn't strong. Johnson's family was so powerful, and she had nothing against them.

"But I have you," Catherine said.

Sean was pleased. He patted her head and said, "That is right. You have to tell me whatever it is the next time. Don't do it on your own."

"Okay."

"Go to sleep. I have things to do."

Tragedies fell upon the Johnson family. Although Karl woke up, he would rather stay in the coma, knowing they couldn't make the deliveries.

Pearl thought about going to Sean. But she wouldn't compromise. She thought her dignity and pride were too valuable to be stepped upon.

Iris guessed the cause of what happened to Taylor Inwood. She tried to reach Catherine. But she was asked to leave when she rang her doorbell.

Sean knew Iris had something to do with Catherine's allergy.

Pearl was exhausted. She couldn't see Catherine and wouldn't go to Sean. She hasn't slept for two days.

Since they couldn't do the fall/winter collection, they had to focus on the spring collection the next year. And they paid a lot of money for not delivering in time.

Taylor Inwood was an unprecedented financial crisis.

"Catherine, I want to talk to you," Pearl said over the phone.

Catherine was drawing her draft when she got Pearl's phone. She lost balance and made a long wiggly line on the drawing.

"Sorry, I have nothing to say to you."

"I know you're allergic to apricot pollen. You are back home resting for eczema."

"Who told you?"

Apart from her three roommates, only the help in Sean's mansion knew about her eczema.

"Don't mind how I knew."

"You're wrong. I'm recovering from a cold."

Since Sean told Iris she caught a cold, she went along with it. Although Pearl wouldn't be fooled, she couldn't do anything about it.

"Drop the act. I know it's not a cold."

"Why are you so sure? Where did you get the information?"

"Catherine, do you know what he did for you?"

"I don't want to know. But does Taylor Inwood go bankrupt?"

Pearl was crushed because of her casual tone.

"Madison's father and brother were laid off. Our clothes were destroyed, and we couldn't deliver anything. Even our drafts were stolen and gone."

Catherine wondered how much has happened.

"It has nothing to do with me."

"Don't play like a fool. You know who's behind this."

"So what? What do you want to talk to me about?"

Even if Catherine knew Sean was behind this, she wouldn't help Pearl since they were love rival.