Too Close Brother

What isn't yours

After accepting the inheritance, Katrina ’s mother was taken immediately to the VIP room for treatment.

She was asked to move into the Holloway mansion now that she was the legal owner. Since she was already homeless, Katrina moved in immediately.

The housekeepers all came out to welcome her as the new owner, their heads bowed respectfully.

“Welcome, Mistress” they all chorused.

She was startled for a moment, halting and staring at them. She blinked feeling quite astounded. “Thank you” she stuttered a little.

They raised their heads, and one of them walked towards her. She seemed to be in her thirties.

She looked beautiful and bold with the bob haircut. “I am the house manager, Margot” she introduced and Katrina nodded.

“If you need anything or have any questions, please let me know” Margot added.

Katrina nodded again and she tried to move but Margot signalled to one of the ladies and she rushed to take her bag away from her.

“She will carry it to your room” she said and before Katrina could protest, the lady was already moving.

Having no other option, she walked after her, nervously pushing her hair back.

As she walked away, one of the ladies came to Margot. “Are we really accepting of her as the new mistress of this mansion?” she asked in a rather loud voice.

Margot quickly shushed her, putting a finger on her lips and sending a cautioned glare at her. She turned back to Katrina ’s disappearing figure.

“Of course not. Let’s wait and see how long she’ll last” she said and the others smiled in understanding.

…

“Dude, that’s f****d up” Ray said, drinking his glass after hearing what happened.

Jace watched the waiter pour a drink into his glass, he grabbed it almost immediately and drowned it down, the liquor burned through his throat to his chest and he gasped.

“Hey, slow down. That’s dangerous” Ray cautioned.

He knew that he was in a bad place right now and probably was really furious. He had just lost his father and now his inheritance depends on some girl.

“I hate him” Jace blurted, his eyes were clouded with bitterness, heavy with resentment.

“Come on, you don’t mean that” Ray said.

Jace made to pick up another glass of liquor but he stopped him and pulled it away.

“You’re going to hurt yourself” he warned him.

But Jace threw a darkened glare at him and grabbed the glass stubbornly, he was about to drown it again, with Ray trying to talk him out of it when he sighted a familiar figure walk into the club.

Katrina looked around the room and felt uncomfortable, she turned to her best friend, Yasmin

“I don’t like this place” she murmured.

Yasmin who was dressed in a black leather gown with a zipper in front, looking smoking hot with her packed hair grunt.

“Why not? This is the right place to celebrate your inheritance” she shouted and Katrina tried to shush her but she didn’t stop.

“Come on girl, you own the Holloway’s mansion now. I mean you’re rich. We have to celebrate” Yasmin said.

“My Mum is still in coma” Katrina reminded with a hard frown..

Yasmin’s excitement quickly died down a bit. She crossed her arms over shoulders. “I’m sorry about your Mum, but you still need to celebrate. We just graduated high school!” she screamed in excitement.

Katrina wanted to scold her again but she knew there was just no stopping her. As much as she would love to think about what would become of her now, a night wouldn’t hurt.

Maybe a drink would ease the ache in her heart.

She slowly nodded and Yasmin gave a loud cheer, attracting a few gazes at them. Katrina blocked her ears, forcing out a sad smile.

Yasmin pulled her along to the dance floor while she struggled with the crowd.

A short distance away from the two, Jace listened with Ray on all their conversations. His blood boils hearing that she was here to celebrate stealing what belongs to him.

He got up and followed after her, Ray also followed suit, afraid he might hurt the girl in his fury.

Katrina stood at the stair while Yasmin hugged a few friends who seemed to be waiting for them.

"This is Katrina,” she introduced. “The new owner of Holloway’s mansion” she announced.

“Yasmin!” Katrina snapped quietly. Her eyes widened at her outburst. She had no intention of letting people know that.

The three friends, a boy and two girls all exclaimed in surprise. They turned to her, their gazes hitting her curiously.

“I didn’t know Holloway had a daughter” one of the girls stated.

“Well, you do now” Yasmin responded and grabbed a shot from her hands.

She handed it over to Katrina who took it reluctantly, staring at the liquid. Yasmin also grabbed a glass and raised it up in a cheer.

They all drown it down in a gulp and let out excitement ‘whoop’ except Katrina who groaned, holding her chest, feeling the burn.

“Are you the mistress’s daughter?” the second girl suddenly said, pointing her glass at her.

The rest of them froze, including Katrina whose face became pale slowly. The other two stared back at her.

But the girl continued. “I heard Mr. Holloway had a mistress, one who died in a motor accident with him” she asked.

Yasmin looked at Katrina and could see her trembling already, her face drowned into horror.

“Hey, how can you say? Her Mum was no mistress” she yelled, in a warning tone.

“Are you certain? The Holloway only had one heir, and that’s Jace Holloway. How is she the family’s daughter if she’s not the mistress?”

The first girl asked, her tone mixed with curiosity and judgement as she gazed at Katrina from head to toe.

Katrina who was still holding the shot glass dropped it, losing strength in her muscle, her breath seemed stuck in her throat.

She tried to grab her jeans and slowly turned to Yasmin. “I need to go” she muttered and turned, rushing away, out of sight.

She was in so much haste that she collided in the one standing deliberately at the end of the stairs.

Katrina lifted up her face, her body fretting. Once her blue glassy eyes caught Jace’s, she recoiled so fast that her leg slipped, sending her tipping backward.

His eyes tightened with alarm the moment he saw her tipping backward. Jace shot forward, and grabbed her elbow, pulling her toward him.

She shot back so quickly she nearly smacked into his chest. She blinked down at him, breath caught.

Katrina ’s eyes widened as she wondered if he had overheard the words from a moment ago and her mind races, bewilderment swept over her like a cold wave.

Jace stood, still holding her in his arms but his expression had now shifted to irritation. His jaw tightened and his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Why are you running away?” he asked, his voice mocking. “I thought you’re bold and shameless just like your mother when you decided to accept what’s not yours” he blurted.

Katrina parted her lips but emptiness came out. Her eyes shakily looked into his. It carried stormy, mockery and accusations.

“You should expect more of that, because from now on, I am going to make your life miserable” he vowed, his eyes dark, carrying no sympathy.

The hard line of his face and the slight curl of his lips betrayed a satisfaction that was almost cruel, as if he was savoring the moment.

The words cut sharp, her cheeks flushed and her tears flowed slowly down her cheeks, looking weak and unprotected in his arms.

When he was done, Jace shoved her off and turned around coldly, walking out of the club.

Katrina ’s knees felt weak and she scrambled to the floor, grabbing the stairs for support, her other hand grabbed tightly to her chest and her tears poured out loudly.

The pain she had been resisting to feel rushed at her and she couldn’t bear it. The world seemed to hate her and out to get her.

At the top of the stairs, Yasmin had been watching with her other friends. Her eyes glinted with cunning frown, her lips were curved into a subtle secretive smirk as she watched Katrina wail.