Too close brother

I will protect you

The morning sun tells Katrina that it was time to wake up but she lay down still on her bed, the event of last night still vivid in her head.

After crying like a weak fool in front of Jace Holloway, he had dragged her into his car and drove her back to the mansion.

He opened the door for her like a gentleman and while she wanted to get down, she nearly fell and he grasped her, luckily.

His arms guarded her shoulders, and at that time, she looked into his eyes. It wasn’t filled with hatred but some sort of gentleness.

All through the night, she had been unable to shake the look off her head or stop herself from reading much into it.

It could be that he saw her as helpless and fragile last night and felt pity for her. He had even promised to make her life miserable, there was no way he would be suddenly nice

Katrina shook her head as the thoughts invade her head again, shutting her eyes snappy, and taking a long heave.

A knock came on her door and she hesitated before going to answer it. Yasmin pulled her immediately, her face looking alarmed.

“Reporters are here; they want to see you. The mistress daughter who took everything from the rightful heir” Yasmin rushed.

“What?” Katrina asked, perplexed.

Yasmin did not wait, she pulled her along, downstairs to see the reporters who are waiting too eagerly for her.

When Katrina saw them, she quickly withdraws and ran back, her heart hammering against her chest.

A cocky smile appeared on Yasmin’s face as she watched, enjoying her panicked for a second before moving closer.

“Someone leaked your pictures and information online” she told her, drawing closer.

“Who would do that?” Katrina cried, grabbing her hair back, looking distressed.

Yasmin shook her head, pretending not to know. However last night, when she saw the news from the burial party, she had deliberately made a comment, sending Katrina ’s information.

“Could be Jace? He seemed like that kind of person” Yasmin let out, putting her hands gently on her shoulder, pretending to care.

“Him?” Katrina looked doubtful. There was no way he would do something so despicable.

But Yasmin leaned in with a look of false concern. “What if he wants to get rid

you? He will do anything” she pushed further

Katrina gazed up at her, looking a little convinced. ‘what if all of last night was a pretense?’ she feared. Her head slowly lowered, the hurt washed over her body.

When Yasmin saw that, she hugged her but a faint crafty smirk appeared on her lips.

After a while, Katrina got up, her eyes looking all determined, staring at the door. “Why don’t I give them what they want?” she muttered, clenching her hands tight, as she was trying to convince herself as well.

Without wasting time, Yasmin nod to encourage her, but then they hear men from outside forcing the reporters to leave.

The two watched, the smile disappearing and replaced with a hard frown. Margot came to them.

“Master Jace sent help, the reporters have been taken care of” she informed.

Katrina stared at her, a bit confused and her eyes blinked in relief. ‘If Jace wasn’t responsible, then who was?’

“He said to make sure you’re safe” Margot added.

But Yasmin stepped forward quickly. “Why didn’t protect her in the first place? She’s your master, not Jace” she yelled in a loud voice.

Katrina tried to hold her back but she refused to stop.

“Are you saying Jace is the one you would listen to? Is this his way of pushing my friend out?” she continued her hands akimbo.

Margot furrowed her brows at her, not sure why she was trying to pick a fight. They had deliberately not wake Katrina up so she wouldn’t find out. And they had kept the reporters out.

“Watch your mouth. Master Jace is not be spoken about by the likes of you” she defended, feeling riled.

A scoff escaped Yasmin’s lips, she moved boldly forward but this time, Katrina pulled her back. “Please don’t” she whispered.

She turned to Margot and bowed her head a bit in apology. “Thank you”. she hurried to push Yasmin up.

When they got upstairs, Yasmin fought her hands off, looking pretty upset. “I was trying to protect you!” she yelled at her.

Katrina blinked, perplexed. “What are you talking about? You just saw, Jace wasn’t responsible for that”

“Of course, that’s what he wants you to think” Yasmin stressed, looking really concerned. She took her hands, looking in her eyes. “He’s trying to show you who is in charge, to push you out and steal this house from you” she told her.

Katrina gave a shrug “I don’t mind, it’s his anyway” she answered but Yasmin shook her head, looking horrified for a second.

“No, It’s yours. You won it fair and square” she argued.

Again, there was a confused expression on Katrina ’s face. She has never thought that and has always felt guilty about the mansion.

“You have to show him who is the boss, Katrina . That’s the only way to protect yourself” Yasmin stated, gazing into her eyes, to pass across her message.

Slowly, like an obedient puppet, Katrina nod her head and a smile spreads on Yasmin’s face.

After she left Katrina , Yasmin put out her phone and made a phone call. She carefully whispered. “Get as many people as you can” she said. “I’ll pay”

She cut the call after that and walked down the stairs with a mischievous grin. One of the housekeepers stood at a corner, closer, heard the conversation and wondered what it was all about.

Katrina dressed up after waiting hours, believing the reporters has been cleared off. She needed to go visit her mother at the hospital.

When she walked out of the Holloway’s domain, she has barely walked few steps when suddenly, about four people rushed at her.

They had their phones flashing at her which blinded her instantly. She tried to move back but her body froze.

There was a loud ring in her head, her sight blur as a terrible memory was triggered. She suddenly felt exposed and shivery.

Her throat felt too tight and she was starting to find it difficult to breathe, but the flashlights did not stop.

The words felt distant that she can’t hear them but their sharp eyes cut through her mind.

She staggered slowly, her mouth parted slightly as she struggled to wrapped her arms over her body.

The people did not stop but kept moving closer and she was forced to withdraw, her feet barely standing firmly on the ground.

She pants and was about to fall when suddenly, a arm pulled her and she was wrapped into a safe space.

Katrina did not hesitate to grip onto him, trembling. She buried her head against his chest, shutting her eyes tight, inhaling his cologne.