Chapter 119: Games

Catherine's POV

"Oh, who do we have here?" A voice asked as soon as I stepped into the house, and I turned my head toward the source with a blank face.

A young woman sat nearby, engaged in a game of chess with two older men. They all turned to look at me as the voice spoke up.

"Good evening to you all. I am..."

"That's Catherine, Aunt Maya," a familiar voice interrupted, causing me to frown. Before I could respond, an arm snaked around my waist, and I instinctively moved away from the intimate touch, turning to face Lauren.

"If you ever touch me like that again, you'll miss your arm, Lauren. Keep your hands and anything else that's yours away from me," I snapped, my voice sharp with irritation.

Lauren chuckled, unfazed by my threat. "Your girlfriend is quite fiery; that's very nice," a deep voice remarked from behind me. I forced a smile as I turned to face the three individuals now standing before me.

"With all due respect, sir, Lauren isn't my boyfriend. He's my ex," I clarified thr