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.

have a different office? Better yet, why did Kester even have to

just

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

when he spoke

something not reflective of the chaos inside me. "Sometimes I just need

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

Oh, poor Jake.

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

was all

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

sighed. "I'm

smile before adding, "Sylvia asked you to bring the

just like that, my

Sylvia.

But how could I when she always found a way to make my life miserable? When

I could respond, another

"Hey, bestie!"

overly vibrant voice rang from the doorway, her

the urge to roll my eyes. One disturbance was more than enough for the day, but Claire?

Chapter 45

now, I had neither the patience nor the mergy to

dam

rather face Sylvia than pretend to be in a good

laugh

as she stepped inside, but I cut her off before she could

I'm

she smirked. "This is about Sylvia, isn't it? I told you to tell Kester

Kester.

wanted to hear

forcing myself to let

Kester," I muttered, reaching for the files I had stored away in

was one of his favorites. Who knows if he was

huffed. "I can tell him

I nearly laughed.

because she was offering but because

to be around Kester was a welcome idea for her. And wasn't that

pathetic?

responding. Didn't spare her or Jake another

just picked up the files, turned on my heel, and walked the hell

stalked down 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,

shallow. I had intentionally used the stairs instead of the elevator just

against the polished floor as I made my way toward Sylvia, who stood near the

moment she saw me,

drawled, folding her arms. "I was beginning to

clenched my teeth, but I refused to let

snatching the files from my hand without bothering to look at me. “Let's see if you

flipped through the documents. My stomach twisted. I

Chapter 45

she clicked her tongue, her expression shifting from

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

did everything exactly how you asked me to," I

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

that's adorable. But if you actually

muffled chuckles rose from the people nearby. My chest burned. I could

neck, the humiliation sinking deep