Chapter 107
KESTER
The long–awaited meeting had finally ended, yet my mind was nowhere near at ease.
June had begged me to spend the night in their pack, but I refused I needed to go home. Needed to see her. Even if from a distance. Even if I didn’t speak to her.
1 just needed Kasmine.
My life, which was once so neatly arranged, so ruthlessly tiny hands, was quickly spiraling out of control, and 1, the master of control, almost had no control over it.
I clenched my jaw and redialed.
The fucker finally picked up after what felt like the hundredth call.
“You could pass for a certified asshole, you know that, right?” I snapped the moment Norlan answered.
He just laughed, “Yeah… I recognize that tone. Dude’s pissed.”
Norlan’s laugh grated on my nerves.
“Go on,” he drawled. “Spit it out. What’s got your panties in a twist?”
I exhaled sharply. “I picked a date.”
A beat of silence followed. Then, “For what? Your funeral?”
I didn’t answer. He was sharp. He’d figure it out.
Another pause, and then a low, knowing hum. “No fucking way.”
“Yeah.” I tilted my head back against the seat, staring at the ceiling of the car like it could somehow save me. “The engagement is set for the 23rd.”
“Damn. And here I thought you’d at least pretend to fight it for a while. That Alpha King must’ve had a sword to your throat.” He said.
“Close enough.”
He let out a low chuckle. “So, tell me.. what’s the play here Gonna fake your own death before the ceremony? I know you wouldn’t have agreed unless you had an angle.”
I let his sarcasm roll off me. “I’m making sure I get something out of this.”
“That’s the spirit,” he mused. “If you’re gonna sell your soul, might as well charge interest.”
1 ignored him. “June’s been all over me about this. Since she doesn’t want to give it a rest and let me be, I’m using her. The second we’re engaged, I’ll make sure her father starts making moves to help me immediately. Ain’t waiting for after the engagement like he fucking promised.
Norlan hummed again. “So you picked an earlier date to fast–track Daddy’s contributions to the Kester Investment Fund. Clever.”
“Exactly.” I ran a hand through my hair, my patience thinning “I need to be done with this as soon as possible.
“And then?”
Chapter 157
“And then,” I exhaled, “I break it off.”
He let out a slow, appreciative laugh. “You cold hearted bastard.”
“She didn’t leave me a fucking choice, Norlan. I tried to push her away all these years.
“Oh, I agree,” he said lightly. “It’s just… damn, remind me ever to fall in love with you.
1 scoffed. “Like you could handle me.”
“True,” he sighed. “I like my heart in one piece.”
Lexhaled, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I need this over with.”
Norlan didn’t respond immediately. Then, in a quieter volc “You sure this is gonna give you what you want?”
I didn’t answer.
Because I wasn’t sure anymore
“Well,” he continued, “let’s hope June doesn’t turn into a lovesick lunatic when you pull the rug out from under her. You know how these things go.” He added.
“I don’t care how she takes it.”
The driver pulled into the parking lot, and before the car had even fully stopped, I was reaching for the door.
I needed to get out.
Stepping into the house, I barely registered the greetings tossed my way by the guards and maids I came across. I nodded at a few and muttered half–hearted responses to others because my focus was elsewhere.
Mum was in the living room, sitting still too still. Her eyes weren’t on the TV in front of her, even though her favorite show was playing. Instead, they were fixed on the clock on the wall, her fingers twisting together in her lap.
It was past nine. Nothing significant about the time, yet she watched it like it held some kind of answer to a problem I didn’t know about.
“Mum?” I called her attention when she didn’t even notice my presence.
She blinked, finally noticing me. “Oh. Kes.” She stood, wrapping her arms around me in a warm embrace. “You’re back. How was it?”
en more c
curious.
I heard the nervousness in her tone, and I got even
I studied her. The tension in her shoulders, the unease in her eyes. “Are you okay?” My gaze narrowed. “Did Dad
he cut me off, forcing a smile. “He didn’t. Your dad and I are fine.” At least she sounded honest there.
“No.” She
“So?” I prompted, “You look nervous.”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “Go on in and have a shower, sweetheart.” She kissed my cheek, “You must be exhausted.”
I knew Jorja. She’ll never talk about it unless she wants to. So, there was no point pushing my luck. I had somewhere important to be.
Promising myself I’d get it out of her later, I turned toward the stairs, shrugging off my suit jacket as I went. The house felt stifling
It felt unusually hot tonight.
As I reached her door, I hesitated, my hand hovering just above the handle, contemplating if I should knock or just push the door open as carefully as I could, just in case she was asleep.
It would be better if she was asleep. I’d be able to see her whout having to talk to her.
I knew I wasn’t ready to see her just yet, but the pull was stronger than reason,
Carefully, I turned the handle, easing the door open just enough to see Inside.
The room was empty.
Lights off. Bed untouched. Everything neat and organized
There was no sign of anyone in the room.
Where the fuck was she?
I shoved the door open with more force than necessary, stepping inside, my pulse already picking up.
“Kasmine?”
Nothing.
I stalked toward the bed, scanning the room for any sign that she’d just stepped out for a moment. Her shoes weren’t by the door. No worn clothes were tossed over the chair. No discarded book on the nightstand.
The longer I stood there, the more that uneasy feeling morphed into something darker.
My jaw tightened as I spun toward the bathroom, yanking the door open.
Empty.
“Fuck.”
I ran a hand through my hair, the first sting of real panic slipping beneath my skin.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed, but it went straight to voicemail.
1
My lips pressed into a thin line as I swiped over to the tracking app and opened it. Without waiting for the app to load, I was already taking long, furious strides out of her room
By the time I hit the stairs, I was seeing red.
“Mum?”
Jorja was startled at the urgency of my tone, her fingers twisting together in her lap. The way she flinched had my teeth grinding
“Where’s Kasmine?”
She didn’t answer immediately. Just that slight hesitation was enough to make my blood churrt. I didn’t wait for her to speak.
My thumb swiped fast over my screen, tapping into the tracking app before the thought even fully formed in my
head.
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Chapter 107
A small, pulsing dot blinked onto the screen.
She was not her.
Izoomed in. My breath locked in my chest.
She was at Velarié
My jaw flexed so tight my teeth ached. I barely heard when orja finally spoke.
“She–she went out for dinner,” she said softly.
1 lifted my head sharply, eyes narrowing on her. The nerves were all over her face.
“With who?”
Jorja hesitated again.
I stepped closer, my patience wearing razor–thin “Mum?”
She exhaled. “Jaden.”
Everything stopped.
It was like the world sucked all the air from the room in one sharp pull, leaving nothing but silence and the violent drum of my heartbeat in my ears.
Jaden.
For a split second, I wasn’t even standing in front of my mother anymore. I was back in that old place in my mind
-the one where he had embedded himself the day he vowed to me that he was going to take away the sister I loved so much from me, all because I told him never to go near Kasmine when he approached me in school and told me he liked her.
That was over ten years ago, but it is still very fresh in my memory. And to make matters worse, my parents had told me they had betrothed Kasmine to him two years later.
But he would never have her, even in his wildest imagination.
The time flashed at the top of my phone screen. 9:28 PM.
My gaze snapped back to Jorja. “When did he get back?”
Jorja sighed, rubbing at her temples. “Kes-
But I wasn’t listening.
full of
My mind was moving too fast, too full of questions I couldn’t even ask because the fury was swallowing them whole.
Jaden had been gone. Out of the picture. And now, he was back.
And nobody thought I needed to fucking know?
Jaden had no regard for women. Especially Kasmine. He just wants her in order to taunt me… To show me he was winning after all. That’s all.
No wonder Mum n was nervous. Because why would he fucking keep a woman out this late? No respect for her or her family!
Fuck
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Chapter 107
Jorja shifted on the couch, worry tightening her features, “he’s just having dinner, Kester. You know this has to happen.
I stared at her, barely breathing.
She was trying to smooth this over. But she knew me better than that. She knew I was never in support of this.
Without another word, I turned on my heel and strode for the door.
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