TRADING MY EX FOR HIS STEP BROTHER

I FEEL STUPID

CHAPTER 12: I FEEL STUPID

KIMBERLY:

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and washed my face, then headed downstairs.

It was already past eight and I wasn't used to late breakfast. I wanted to make my breakfast by myself. And it has to be my favourite. With the help of a maid, I found the ingredients I needed and started.

A few minutes later…

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?"

I paused, lifting the spatula up. I was halfway through scrambling the eggs. I turned to find Barbra standing at the entrance of the kitchen, arms crossed and lips curled in that signature sneer of hers.

"Good morning ma’am. I’m… making breakfast," I said, gesturing to the eggs and sizzling bacon.

Barbra scoffed. "This isn’t a hostel, Kimberly. You don’t just walk in here and do whatever you please."

I blinked. "I've not had breakfast. And Damien said—"

"Nobody cares what Damien says. That’s his problem," she snapped, cutting me off. "This is my kitchen. My house. And I don’t want your peasant hands touching anything in here."

Peasant? I gripped the spatula tighter and forced myself to remain calm.

"I wasn’t trying to offend anyone," I said quietly. "I’ll clean up when I’m done."

"You’ll clean up now," she hissed, stepping closer. "And you’ll get out of here. You may have schemed your way into marrying Damien but that won't give you the upper hand you thought you'd enjoy.”

My body tensed. I stared down at the eggs, the smell suddenly unpleasant. I turned the burner off and set the spatula down with trembling fingers.

"Fine," I muttered, stepping away from the stove. "You can have your kitchen."

Barbra didn’t move. She just watched me with smug satisfaction as I grabbed my phone and began to walk toward the door.

“Kimberly, come back here and clean up this mess,’ she shouted. But I didn't look back. I needed to get out of here.

I went back to our apartment and washed up quickly. I dressed casually, tied my hair into a loose bum and left the house.

On my way, I remembered I didn't check on grandma Evelyn. I felt bad about it and quickly sent her a good morning sticker. She replied with a heart emoji.

I laughed. Grandma Evelyn was dope.

In less than thirty minutes, I arrived at Beth's office.

Beth’s hug was exactly what I needed when I stepped into her office.

"You look tense," she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "What happened?"

I sank into the chair across from her desk. "Barbra, Damien's step mother wouldn't allow me to breathe."

"Oh no. What did the witch do this time?"

"She told me I had no right to cook breakfast in their house," I muttered. "Said my peasant hands didn’t belong in her kitchen."

Beth’s eyes widened. "She said that to your face?"

I nodded.

"Wow. That woman is lucky I wasn’t there. I’d have flung scrambled eggs at her Chanel blouse."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "I was tempted to do the same. But Damien specifically told me to stay out of her way."

Beth looked at me with pity. “I feel for you, girl. I can imagine how you feel.”

I just sighed and switched the subject.

Beth and I chatted about our school days but when my stomach growled the third time, Beth noticed.

"Okay, that’s it. You need lunch. A good one. Come on, let's go. I'll give you a treat."

"Are you sure? I don’t want to dump all my drama on you."

"Kimberly," Beth said, standing and grabbing her purse, "your drama is my cardio. Let’s go."

We walked down a few blocks from Beth's office and found a moderate restaurant. Beth held my hand and pulled me in.

We got seated near the windows, and Beth insisted on ordering cocktails before we even opened the menu.

"You need this," she said, handing me a pink drink with a ridiculous flower garnish.

I took a sip. "Wow. That’s strong."

"Exactly," she grinned. "Now tell me everything. And I mean everything. How was last night with Damien?"

I blushed, looking down at my drink. "I already told you everything on the phone, Beth. What else do you want to hear? That we made love? He only kissed me before leaving for work this morning, that's all."

Beth’s eyes sparkled. "He kissed you? Oh-ho! Our Kimmy is falling!"

"I’m not falling," I said quickly. "I’m confused. It’s just… everything just happened in a flash. I don't know how to handle it."

Beth rested her chin on her palm. "Maybe he’s not who you thought he was."

"Maybe," I murmured.

I reached for a piece of bread from the basket on the table when a familiar scent hit me.

I froze.

"What’s wrong?" Beth asked.

I didn’t answer. I scanned the restaurant slowly.

And there he was.

Damien.

He sat at the far end of the restaurant—in the VIP section—leaning in slightly, and speaking to a woman.

Beth followed my gaze. "Oh my God."

I said nothing.

The woman laughed, tilting her head toward Damien, her hand brushing his arm like she had every right.

He didn’t push her away.

Beth’s mouth dropped open. "Is that…?"

I nodded slowly, feeling like the floor had disappeared beneath my feet. "Damien."

"You said he was working."

"He said he had a meeting earlier today."

Beth reached for my hand. "Kim, this could be work. You know how business people are—they schmooze."

"Do they schmooze in dim corners with women dressed like that?"

Beth winced. "Fair point."

I watched Damien laugh at something she said, and the woman leaned even closer. My chest felt tight. Too tight.

"You okay?" Beth asked softly.

"No," I whispered.

"You want to go over there?"

"No," I said quickly. "I don’t want him to see me."

"But don’t you want to know who she is?"

"I don’t want to hear him lie to my face about it either."

Beth exhaled. "I’m so sorry, Kim."

"I feel stupid," I said, blinking fast to keep the tears back. "It seems trading one Carter for another was a big mistake.”

“I'm sorry, Kim,” Beth repeated.

“I let him hold me last night, Beth. I actually believed he wanted this marriage to work. And now he’s here—"

"Flirting with someone else," Beth finished for me, her voice tight.

"I can’t eat anymore," I whispered, dropping my napkin onto the table. “In just two days, my life has practically been ruined.”

Beth took my hand. "Don't say that, Kim. Let’s go."

I stood up slowly, and took one last glance in Damien’s direction.

He still hadn’t noticed me.

And I planned to keep it that way cuz from now on we're just strangers sharing a surname and living under the same roof.