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.

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

he just let

than I intended, and when he flinched, looking so damn innocent, a pang of guilt hit me square in the

he spoke again. "Is everything

I cut him off, forcing my voice into something controlled, something not reflective of the chaos

and then, in that gentle, maddeningly considerate tone of his, he said, "I'm sorry. It's just... it's hard seeing you upset

Oh, poor Jake.

hated that he cared so much. Hated that he was standing here, looking at me like I was something precious, when all I could think about

all

His fault that my mood was all over

"I'm

before adding, "Sylvia asked you to bring

like that, my mood

Sylvia.

avoid her for the rest of my time here, I'd gladly take it. But how could I when she always found a way to make my life miserable? When she always chose to make me work on things I should not even

respond,

"Hey, bestie!"

from the doorway, her head

resisted the urge to roll my eyes. One disturbance was more than enough for

Chapter 45

now, I had neither the patience nor

dam

pretend to be in

or laugh

started as she stepped inside, but

I'm on

offense, she smirked. "This is about Sylvia,

Kester.

last name I wanted to hear right

took a slow breath, forcing myself to let it

had stored away in the drawer. "She's his favorite staff. If I complain,

one of his favorites. Who knows

can tell

I nearly laughed.

because

excuse to be around Kester was a

pathetic?

spare her or Jake

up the files, turned on my heel, and walked

hallway, my grip on

I hated this.

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

the third floor, my chest was tight, and my breaths were shallow. I had intentionally used the stairs instead of the elevator just to punish myself a bit for letting Kester

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

saw me, her

a second to 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

but I refused to let my temper show, "I'm

without bothering to look at me. “Let's see if

the documents. My stomach twisted. I already

Chapter 45

before she clicked her tongue, her expression shifting

at me, a sneer curling her lips. "Tell me you're not actually expecting me to approve

did everything exactly how you asked me to," I

even though my insides felt like they were

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

from the people nearby. My chest burned. I

neck, the humiliation sinking deep