𝐅𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 [𝟏𝟖+]

23

If you're still here waiting for an update on this book, I love you. And I'll make it upto you ❤️

6.3k words! Vote and comment please!

════════════════

I had a nightmare of Estella shooting Katrina last night. It was another one of those absurd nightmares I had been having since my trip. They hadn't stopped even after we had returned to Los Angeles. Since Estella wasn't around to give me answers, I naturally gyrated to Kate.

Fortunately for me, Romeo's lapdog, Mason, wasn't in the building since Cyrus didn't allow him quoting how unprofessional it was to have the client's information breached by the bodyguard. He was probably waiting outside the building. So while searching for Katrina, I only had to steer clear of Juniper.

Finding Katrina in the conference room seated in the farthest corner, I sat down in the chair beside her. As anticipated, she was sketching Nicholas Hurley, a British singer, songwriter and heartthrob of millions of girls.

"Spare me a few minutes," I said, drawing her attention to me. "I want to know the reason why you're so hostile to me. Do we know each other?"

"We don't." A severe frown lowered her brows. "At first you're my worst nightmare's doppelgänger, and my archenemy's fiance, and looking at your face brought so many emotions. Unfortunately, most of them are negative. But I won't lie, I believed you were in love with Romeo, which made my reactions ugly."

"Why do you think I don't love Romeo?"

She canted her head to one side, her eyes considering me. "Nobody cheats on the person they truly love."

"Accusing me of cheating when you barely know me?" Discomfort curled through me.

This would be a disaster if she used that news to goad Romeo.

"I have seen you enough to know your eyes are always on Cyrus," she said, as if it had been evident.

Even if it was evident or if it wasn't, nobody should know what happened behind closed doors. 

"Since Eirlys and you were shocked to see me," Volleying my eyes back to her, I steered the conversation. "I gather this doppelgänger is dead.

Pain behind her eyes spread like spilled ink on paper.

Her expression sobered when she gazed at the ring on my finger. "What is it like to want one man and be chained to someone else?"

"Let's hope you will never find out," I muttered under my breath, glaring at Romeo's ring on my finger. "You are not here to lecture me about my infidelity, though, are you?"

"I know your life from your birth to the day I met you, Corrine. My husband's men had interviewed a lot of people around you before they documented your life in records," she said without an ounce of hesitation or worry.

I could hardly disguise my surprise. "Stalking is a crime in the US, Kate."

"Quite a demand you must have to attract stalkers to spike your drinks and investigate your life." A sarcastic smile curved her lips.

"You seem equally talented at sketching and dressing snide comments as sarcasm."

"I do what I love," she retorted. "Now, back to our point. I have read the records to know how you fell into Romeo's clutches. Turns out you are a pawn in your mother's political game all this time. But how is she forcing a rebel like you into this marriage?"

Quelling the urge to remind her that it wasn't her business, I looked elsewhere. If she was asking me that question, she must have not known about my crime — Estella's murder. The few people who knew the truth would never out of me. Not even Romeo. Getting all worked up would bring her attention to that question, and if she would dig deeper, she would be another person to have leverage over me. The fact that she knew I was cheating on Romeo was bad enough. I didn't need more trouble.