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.

Better yet, why did Kester even

he just let

harsher than I intended, and when he flinched, looking so damn

was softer when he spoke again. "Is everything okay,

voice into something controlled, something not reflective of the

"I'm sorry. It's just... it's hard seeing you upset and

Oh, poor Jake.

was standing here, looking at me like I was something precious, when all I could think about was Kester and the mess

all

fault that my mood was all over the place. His fault that

sighed. "I'm sorry,

adding, "Sylvia asked you to bring the Jon Del

just like that, my mood

Sylvia.

was quickly becoming the bane of my existence. If I had the chance to avoid her for the rest of my time here, I'd gladly take it. But how

I could respond,

"Hey, bestie!"

voice rang from the doorway,

was more than

Chapter 45

had neither the patience

dam

rather face Sylvia than pretend to be in a

or laugh

she stepped inside, but I cut her off

I'm on

That was harsh." But instead of taking offense, she smirked. "This is about Sylvia, isn't it? I told you to

Kester.

wanted to

took a slow breath, forcing

files I had stored away in the drawer.

favorites. Who knows if he

can tell

I nearly laughed.

because she was offering but because I knew exactly

around Kester was a welcome

pathetic?

Didn't spare her

on my heel, and walked the hell

grip on the files so tight

I hated this.

get to me. Hated that Sylvia bad this much power over me. Hated that I was stuck in this godforsaken

tight, and my breaths were shallow. I had intentionally used

was busy-workers moving about, voices blending into a dull, meaningless hum. My heels clicked against the polished floor as I made my way toward Sylvia, who

turned the moment she saw me, her eyes narrowing

prepare myself before I heard her voice, "Finally," she drawled, folding her arms. "I was beginning to think you got lost on your way here. Do you always take

refused to let my temper

to look at me. “Let's see if you at least did something

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

Chapter 45

she clicked her tongue,

joke, right?" She flicked the papers at me, a sneer curling her lips. "Tell me you're not actually expecting me to approve

hard. "I did everything exactly how you asked me

insides felt like they were crumbling Sylvia's laugh was cruel. Loud. Deliberately

"Oh, honey, that's adorable. But if you actually followed my instructions, then this wouldn't

the people nearby. My chest burned. I could

my neck, the humiliation sinking