Villainess on Ice

Chapter 14

Sunlight filtered in through the curtains, disrupting my sleep. My head felt like it had been dropped straight into concrete.

I tried to massage it, trying to stop the splitting sensation, but it did nothing to calm it down.

Then I started to remember the entire previous day’s events — from being suspended, to running out like a mad woman after finding out what happened to Beth and Eli, then to the almost-kiss.

That’s right. I almost kissed Kai.

Omg. I can’t believe I almost kissed Kai.

Elara, snap out of it. I pinched my thigh hard.

I can’t be reckless. Kai was most likely using a manipulation tactic to make me fall in love with him. Wrap me around his finger to do his bidding like Damon.

Damon 2.0 with a working brain, but without any poor ‘innocent’ scholarship girls. Not that I know of. There could be one trying to get his attention in the shadows.

I have to be careful. Kai is more dangerous than Damon. He isn’t stupid.

Then that threat.

*Flashback*

“What is that?” Kai questioned, moving to stand at my side to take a proper look at the note. “The Untouchable Queen will soon be touchable,” he read it out loud, his hand moving to take it out of mine to examine it more closely.

I moved it away from his grasp. “Don’t touch it,” I hissed, looking at him.

His face fell at my words, like I had said something hateful. I beat him to explain. “My fingerprints are already on this. I am going to send it to a lab to be investigated.” I took out a handkerchief from my bag and wrapped it carefully.

I stuck my hand into the locker to retrieve my phone. Once it was powered on, I took pictures of the locker before stuffing my phone back in my bag and closing the locker.

I didn’t waste time. I walked out, heading towards the parking lot where my car was. I could hear Kai’s footsteps behind me.

“Elara, where are you going?” He called after me, his footsteps picking up pace. “Aren’t you going to report this to the police?” He asked, his hand gently gripping mine and turning me around. “Talk to me, Elara. Are you okay?” He whispered softly.

“I am fine, Kai,” I answered honestly.

“You are not. Nobody would be fine after getting a death threat,” he spoke again softly.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Did he think that I was some damsel in distress that needed saving? Why did men like this assume all women are weak? He is no different from Damon, looking for a weak woman to stroke his ego.

“I am fine, Kai. I can handle this type of s**t. I haven’t lived this long not to know how to handle situations like this. I do not need anyone’s help to deal with this,” I flared up at him.

He put his hands up in surrender, etching a frown. “I am not calling you weak. I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do for you. Help you give a statement, call the police,” he explained.

I fumbled with my bag looking for my keys. “There is something you can do. Do not breathe a word of what you saw to anyone. I will handle this myself.” I opened my car door and got in, driving off. I made a mistake and looked back and saw an expression of hurt on his face.

*End of Flashback*

Calling the police was a mistake. I don’t need them getting involved. Yet.

I will find out who is responsible for this.

I pulled out my phone to text Dante the picture I took and to send someone to take the note to a lab for examination.

It displayed a call from my father.

Just the person I wanted to see. I answered it on speaker while getting ready for the day.

“What can I do for you, oh father of the century?” I spoke sarcastically after answering the call.

“Elara, it’s too early for this,” he spoke over the phone.

“Same with you calling me, but you don’t see me complaining.” I shrugged even though he wasn’t here to see. “What do you want?” I asked.

“Can’t I call to speak to my own daughter?” He used my words against me.

“Like you said, you and I are both flesh and blood. We know what each other want,” I retorted his words back to him.

He let out a sigh. “Come to my office. I need to discuss something with you.” With that he hung up the call.

I freshened up and headed out to Voss Enterprise.

I suspected he wanted to know about my information on the betting ring issue.

I stepped out of the car and headed inside, using his personal elevator.

I didn’t announce myself, only barging in like I owned the place.

“When will you ever learn basic manners such as knocking?” He said with a scowl on his face.

“When you start acting like a parent,” I responded, taking a seat. “What’s up? Why did you call me?” I asked.

“So impatient,” he muttered under his breath, before throwing me a stack of folders. “Look through those.”

I took one off the stack and began flipping through the folder, but saw a man with details in it.

I turned back towards him and raised my eyebrow in question.

“Those are young men I personally vetted,” he explained. I didn’t like what he was saying. Something about it made me uncomfortable. “They are the young men who I deemed suitable as a future spouse for you.”

I couldn’t help it. I just burst out laughing. This was truly a joke.

“Father, this isn’t the medieval ages where you would arrange marriage for me,” I spoke after the laugh subsided. “Besides, I don’t trust your taste in men. It would be as terrible as yourself,” I added that part with a sneer.

“Elara, I am your father and you will listen to me. This is for the sake of your future, the company’s future,” he spoke, his hand slamming on the table.

“Oh please. We both know it’s a way to put a leash on me. A way to strip my independence,” I scowled at him. He went quiet as I spoke.

“Don’t you want to make sure your siblings are safe?” He asked. I wanted to lunge at him and slap their names out of his mouth. “Don’t your siblings’ futures matter to you at all? If you get married to one of those men it would guarantee the Voss Empire for another hundred years.”

“Oh, now you remember them, when it’s time to use them to manipulate me. Keep their names out of your mouth. And as for those engagements, you can marry them yourself since you have been single for years now. Don’t you ever try to threaten me or pressure me into marriage again.” With that I walked out, leaving him speechless and making sure he knew I wasn’t joking with him.

I ignored everyone until I reached my car and got inside. I sat down to calm my head.

The sound of my cell phone brought me back.

Dante.

“What’s up, Dante?” I answered, trying to suppress the anger I felt.

“Ma’am, I sent you what you asked for regarding the coach.” He informed me. I heard the shuffling of papers. “I have also added some things I think you would like to see,” he added before I hung up the call.

I opened the messaging app and clicked on the first file he sent.

A wicked smirk appeared on my face.

Oh, Rozetta. Rozetta.

I zoomed in closer and it was a picture of Rozetta kissing Coach.

Accompanied by multiple evidence of text messages between them, pictures of them going into different motels.

I exited the file and clicked on the other one. I wanted to throw up as I scrolled.

Omg. Rozetta Pierrepont, you are shameless and disgusting.

Multiple images of her with different men. The hockey team, and other guys.

So the innocent act was just what it was — an act.

Rozetta, you f****d around with the wrong person.