God, I hated that look on her face-that smug, glittering satisfaction.
“Yeah. I can’t ignore your plea for attention. So, here I am. Talk to me.” I said, standing at akimbo.
Karina gave a mock gasp, one hand on her chest like she was genuinely touched.
“How sweet,” she cooed. “Look at us bonding.”
She sauntered over to the counter, hips swaying like she was on a runway, and reached for the glass jug of water.
“So, what shall we chat about?” she mused as she poured herself a glass-slowly, like even her movements were a form of psychological torture. “The weather? Your stepbrother’s upcoming engagement?” She paused and studied me as if waiting for a reaction, “Or me becoming Alpha?”
Wait. Did she just look for a reaction from me? Or it was just my thoughts? This could all be in my head. Right?
“What fun were you referring to about last night?” I asked again.
She raised a brow as if I’d just asked her what the meaning of life was. Then she sighed and set the glass down with an exaggerated clink against the countertop.
“Why are you so obsessed with this particular topic?” she said, cocking her head like a condescending therapist. Come on, little sis.”
The nickname dripped like acid.
“We have a thousand other things to catch up on. Like-oh, I don’t know-life? Love? How you’ve grown into such a curious little woman.” She raised her brows dramatically, “I mean… Why repeat one conversation when there are so many others worth exploring?”
That’s it. I was done. “You can go to hell,” I hissed, pushing off the counter and heading for the door. iT
Let her rot in her own poison. Let her talk in circles and play her little mind games with someone else. I was done.
I stood up and was already walking toward the door when she said something that made my legs freeze.
“Be careful what you wish for, little sis. Or your actions will come haunting you sooner than you think.”
My spine locked. My legs froze in mid-step. The pulse in my throat slammed so loud I was convinced she could hear it. Hell, the neighbors could probably hear it.
She knew.
God.
She fucking knew.
This wasn’t a wild guess. She knew exactly what she was insinuating.
My throat dried out. My mouth opened-but no sound came. The words I wanted to say? They curled up and died in the back of my tongue, refusing to cooperate with my scattered brain.
Because I couldn’t even bring myself to ask her.
If I asked, it meant confirming it. It meant giving her the satisfaction that she’d gotten under my skin.
I stayed there-mid-step, hands clenched so tightly I could feel my nails digging crescents into my palms.
“Hmm,” Karina hummed lightly, sipping her water with a smirk that made me want to hurl the glass across the room and watch it shatter. “No witty comeback?”
“If you’re trying to crack a creepy joke, Karina,” I said, forcing my voice to be as calm as one reading a grocery list, “you’re gonna have to do a lot better than cryptic horror movie one-liners.”
Her smile spread. “Who said I was trying to crack a creepy joke?”
“Oh, right.” I nodded once, “You’re just naturally creepy. My bad.”
That wiped a bit of the smugness off her face. Not much-but enough to satisfy me for half a second.
She opened her mouth, probably to throw another verbal grenade, when heels clicked softly down the hallway.
Mom entered the kitchen, looking as regal and effortlessly put-together as ever in her long, red gown. She was ready to go out for the Women’s Conference holding at the Crimson Valley pack.
I almost forgot. She couldn’t miss it. She had to make a good impression on her in-laws.
She took one look at Karina leaning against the counter, then turned her gaze to me. Her brows furrowed slightly. “Is everything okay in here?”
I didn’t miss the look of pure disdain that crossed her face when she looked at Karina.
I cleared my throat, arms folding over my chest, willing my heartbeat to slow down. I hadn’t realized it had spiked.
“Yeah,” I said, and I hated how dry my throat felt. “We were just talking. Nothing serious.”
Mum observed for a few more seconds before she spoke. “All right,” she said slowly. “You look a little pale, though. Did you eat anything this morning?”
I smiled, “I’ll grab something later. Just need to clear my head first.”
Without waiting for a reply, I walked past them both and out of the kitchen.
RASMINE.
Thurried to the front door to get it.
Finally, one normal person who isn’t part of the whole drama in my life decided to pay me a visit.
Claire.
It was a Friday morning, and instead of dragging ourselves to school like every other week, Claire and I had made other plans. Shopping. We were lumting for my birthday dress and maybe-if we had time a dress for the engagement party tomorrow.
Anything to take my mind off things. Especially after watching the news clip I found on 1*******m over and over again where June spoke about Kester and their love story. Repeating, again and again, that the deal her father made with him had nothing to do with their engagement. That Kester earned it.
I could hear his voice behind every line.
He had made her say those things. And desperate, infatuated June would gladly walk barefoot across thoms if it meant pleasing him.
Let me grab my phone-uhm, just sit. I’ll be right back,” Itold Claire after a quick hug. Her smile was soft and tired, but it was the first sign of peace I’d seen all week.
I moved fast. I didn’t want to bump into Kester. I didn’t want to see him. I hadn’t seen him since the night we fucked and let out steam, but I didn’t need anyone to tell me that we were only able to let out half the steam. There was still a lot of friction between us.
“Okay, Claire, I’m ready-“I called out, hurrying down the stairs with my eyes glued to my phone.
But when I looked up, I stopped cold.
Claire and Kester were standing inches apart in the living room, staring at each other like they were locked in some silent, electric war.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, and Kester replied even before Claire had the chance to do so.
“Yes, Mine. Everything is fine.” His voice was calm. His eyes were unreadable. And then-just like that-he turned and disappeared up the stairs without another word
But Claire didn’t move.
She stood there like someone had just cracked something inside her.
Whatever little conversation they had must have gotten to her a lot because I could see the effort she was putting into hiding the tears forming in her eyes.
I had enough shit of my own to carry, and if Claire was bleeding inside, she’d have to stitch it up herself-for now.
We stepped into the huge shopping mall, and our moods lightened instantly. Shopping was kinda a thing to me. I loved it
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