When Catherine received Bert's reply, she was sitting at her desk, cradling a cup of ginger tea and sipping it slowly. This time, she had stayed in the kitchen the whole time it was boiling—just to make sure nothing went wrong again.
After drinking the tea, warmth spread through her body, and the irritation she'd felt from being inexplicably scolded by him earlier began to fade.
His reply contained only one sentence:
"Being yourself is what matters most. There's no need to change just to please others."
Catherine understood the meaning behind his words immediately, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
Having noticed the rings he often wore, she had a sense of his taste. When she worked on the design, she'd instinctively tried to incorporate elements she thought he would like.
Once she finished, though, she'd realized the design didn't quite match her usual style—but she'd told herself to give it a try anyway. Maybe he would like it.
