Chapter 176 The Best Gif

"Why don't you go to sleep?" She asked.

Joseph put the files aside and gave her a box.

"Is that a cellphone?" Kate asked, "But I've got mine, I don't need another."

"That asshole had the other one. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with it. So, just use this one," Joseph was kind but imposing.

"Maybe it's you who is uncomfortable," Kate chuckled.

"You know it!" Joseph replied, and looked cautiously at Kate.

"Fine, I'll take it…" Kate installed the sim card from her old phone into the new one, "But, only because it is a gift from you!"

"So, do you know what you want to repay me?" Joseph questioned.

"Well…" she thought carefully but didn't know how to answer, "I will tell you when I have an idea. I wasn't prepared for this!"

"You're the best gift anyway," Joseph giggled.

Kate misunderstood what Joseph was saying, she blushed and lowered her head. She shyly said, "Didn't we promise that we should take things slow?"

"What are you thinking about?" He made fun of her, "I mean you promised to be my girlfriend, that's the best gift."

"Huh?" She looked at him naively, and her face felt even hotter; she couldn't even speak.

Joseph knew how easily she became embarrassed, he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, "Don't worry, I will keep the promise!"

"Joseph, even though we were intimate before, don't you think I am a little… for feeling this way?" She asked him again, hoping he would ease her insecurities.

"No," He answered firmly, "On the contrary, I think this is a real relationship. We were married quickly and both reluctant, it wasn't because of love. Now, we are getting to know each other, everything is perfect!"

He understood what she meant, and Kate buried herself in his arms, feeling at ease.

Joseph sat thinking for a while, he frowned and cautiously asked, "Aren't you curious about that gift you rejected so long ago?"

"The rejected gift?" She did remember but instantly felt shame for acting childish, "Don't be upset about that. I was determined to divorce you, so I had to refuse it."

"Okay, I appreciate you being honest," Joseph sneered, "But tell me, when you were determined to divorce me, what were you thinking? Did you still love me?"

"How could I?" Kate pouted, "I want to and hoped I could, but every time I thought of you or heard what other people are talking about, I felt sick to my stomach."

Kate had finally been able to admit how she felt, Joseph stared at her, not saying a word. She didn't understand why so she asked, "What is wrong?"

"Do you know that your words broke my heart?" He squeezed her hands tightly.

"Sorry…" Joseph pulled her close and whispered in a sincere and soft tone.

"It is okay, I let go of the past! I have forgotten all about, all I see now is our present and our future!" Kate exclaimed.

"Yes, we shall think about that!" Joseph agreed and hugged her tighter.

"So, what was the gift that was I rejected?" Kate struggled free from Joseph's grip, staring into his eyes.

"Since you didn't want it then…"

She hurried to clarify, "I wanted and was curious. If it wasn't so well packaged, I would have secretly taken a look."

"Wait a minute, and I'll show you," He gently smiled

"Okay!" She looked like a child on Christmas morning waiting to open her presents.

Joseph took the exquisite gift box and handed it to her, "Since it is a gift for you, I allow you to open it!"

Kate was thrilled, she took the box from him. She was shocked to see colorful paper boats and handmade stars, "Don't tell me you made these yourself?"

Joseph nodded calmly.

"Really?" Kate was so astonished that she felt as if she might cry. She never thought that the cold and quiet Joseph could be so patient. Suddenly, she remembered the meaning behind them, she once told him in her letters, that making crafts was something she did to ease her troubles. Kate would fold paper boats and cut out small stars, then connect them and hang them in the house.

In all the letters Kate wrote, she shared her daily life with Joseph. She did think that he cared though, she wrote a lot of letters that talked about trivial things. When she never received a reply, she started to tell him about things that boys would like better, like joining the basketball team and watching sports instead of soap operas.

Kate wanted to get him interested in her, she continued to sign up for more sports like swimming, track and field, badminton, just to get Joseph's attention.  

Flora thought she was crazy but Kate understood it might be a long and difficult task to get him to possibly like her. Yet, the wonderful man was with her and all of the painful things that happened in the past didn't matter, she was ecstatic with her life.