Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 45

KASMINE

Why the hell was I letting this get to me?

I had no right to feel this way-no right to feel... jealous. Offended. Hurt.

Gods, I was being so stupid.

I clenched my fists, pressing my nails into my palins, anything to ground myself before my emotions spiraled into something I couldn't control. I wasn't supposed to care. Not about Kester. Not about what or who he did behind closed doors.

And yet, the image of him of her was burned into my mind, playing in an endless, torturous loop.

I hadn't seen Kester all day. Hell, he hadn't even stepped out of his damn room this morning. He'd told the driver and his guards to take me to the office.

I never meant to knock on his door. I swear I didn't.

But anger was a reckless thing. It had a way of moving my body before my mind could catch up. I was too angry, too shaken, too in need of something close to an explanation that I didn't even know when my knuckles were rapping against the heavy wood of his door, pretending so fucking badly that I only wanted to check if we were leaving for the office together.

Lies.

But, to my utter dismay, June was the one who answered the door. She was in a different nightie from the one I had seen her in last night.

I didn't need to be told what that meant.

Kester had ruined the other one. Torn it apart. Probably while he was deep inside her.

My stomach twisted violently, but I swallowed it down, forcing my expression into something indifferent. Unbothered. But all I could see was the image of her on her knees, her lips wrapped around his cock while he....

Stop.

I forced myself to breathe. Forced my lips into a polite, meaningless smile.

“Is Kester inside?" I asked, my voice perfectly even as if I wasn't seconds away from breaking my own damm neck just to make the agony stop.

And what did she say? "Oh, Kasmine, Kester is a bit too tired this morning. He says you should go ahead of him."

My heart almost stopped at her words. My knees nearly buckled. I barely held my balance, biting the inside of my cheek so hard I swore I tasted blood.

Too tired.

Too tired to even get out of bed?

Kester never missed work. Never. Not for anything. Not for anyone.

-But today?

Today, he was "too tired."

Chapter 45

Because of her.

Because he'd spent the entire night fucking her senseless.

The bastard. The shameless bastardl

It was past 2 pm already, and he was still not here. Still probably fucking June. Asshole.

Yet He had the audacity to pretend with me, spin his pretty little lies, and act as if I meant something to him. Only a fool would take Kester's words seriously. And maybe just maybe I was the biggest fool of all.

"Kasmine!"

Jake's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and for the first time, I hated that he was here.

yet, why did Kester even

he just let me

when he flinched, looking so damn innocent, a

softer when he spoke again. "Is everything okay, babe? You

fine, Jake," I cut him off, forcing my voice into something controlled, something not reflective of the chaos inside me. "Sometimes I just

of his, he said, "I'm sorry. It's just... it's hard seeing you upset and not

Oh, poor Jake.

standing here, looking at me like I was something precious, when

was all

couldn't keep myself together. His fault that my mood was all over the

sighed. "I'm sorry,

a small, reassuring smile before adding, "Sylvia asked you to bring the Jon Del Vanero

like that, my

Sylvia.

But how could I when she always found

could respond,

"Hey, bestie!"

the doorway,

One disturbance was more than

Chapter 45

neither the patience nor the mergy

dam

rather face Sylvia than pretend to be in a good

laugh

inside, but I cut her off before

know, I'm

of taking offense, she smirked. "This is about Sylvia, isn't it? I told you to tell Kester how she treats you, but you

Kester.

I wanted

a slow breath, forcing myself to

muttered, reaching for the files I had stored away in the drawer. "She's his favorite staff. If I

one of his favorites. Who knows if he

tell him

I nearly laughed.

but because I knew

was a

pathetic?

bother responding. Didn't spare her or

up the files, turned on my heel, and

the hallway, my grip on the

I hated this.

I was letting Kester get to me. Hated that Sylvia bad this much power over me. Hated that I was stuck in this godforsaken office, forced to answer to people

breaths were shallow. I had intentionally used the stairs instead

a dull, meaningless hum. My heels clicked against the polished floor as I made my way toward Sylvia, who stood near the

turned the moment she saw me, her eyes narrowing in

voice, "Finally," she drawled, folding her arms. "I was beginning to think you got lost on your way here.

clenched my teeth, but I refused to let

interrupted, snatching the files from my hand without bothering to look at

watch as she flipped through the documents. My stomach twisted. I already knew what was

Chapter 45

she clicked her tongue, her

me, a sneer curling her lips. "Tell me you're not actually

"I did everything exactly how you

though my insides felt like they were crumbling Sylvia's laugh

mocked, "Oh, honey, that's adorable. But if you actually followed my instructions, then

people nearby. My chest burned. I

my neck, the humiliation