Katherine

Chapter 2

With a smile I hurled my luggage into the motel, despite the unrelenting gaze of the receptionist. I had settled my bills, but he still kept on looking at me like he had seen a ghost.

I shot him a glare, but he wasn't moved, his amusement growing larger. He stood by the door, not bothered about my privacy. My gaze lingered on his valet, his black trousers flowing down like they had been done by a female tailor.

Maybe he is gay?

"Aren't you Katherine Diablo?" He asked.

I shot him a defensive look, watching his awkward smile creep out. We stood there staring at each other in silence; he was still giving me that curious look, wanting to know if truly I was who he had recognized me as.

"I wish!"

"But you are." He raised his eyebrow, his legs crossed. I couldn't help but get the hunch that I had seen him before, someplace where I had maybe sent him off.

"You're really funny; I'm not!" I said playfully.

"Katherine Diablo." The door closed and the locks followed. He took out the key from the keyhole, tubing it into his pocket.

"Who are you?" I questioned.

He flicked his wrist as he took off his valet. His muscles came into view as the valet fell from his body; I could tell it was perfectly fit from the size.

"Are you telling me that you don't remember me?" He chuckled, his arms folded before his chest.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you."

He tilted his head like he was searching for something. His eyeballs rolling from side to side like a mini AI. "Do you know anyone named Herald?"

The only person who I knew as Herald was my second guardian, who they had left me in charge with. I had supposedly fled despite knowing he would lose his job if I ever escaped his grasp.

"Anything click?" He raised his eyebrows.

"No, no, no, nothing at all." I said, shaking my head in the negative.

"Okay then, we'll have to go harder." He turned his back, a four cardinal arrow-like tattoo drilled onto his back. I stared at it some more before it finally came to my knowledge.

It was the Diablo's crest for very important staff; only the oldest got them, and their salary was higher than the average business owner's as they secured the house. Dad had made it a priority to identify them with tattoos despite the pain and consequences attached; he called it "Loyalty.".

"Herald." I rushed into his arms, wrapping mine around his back. His left hand held my back while his right patted my head gently. Being seven feet tall, it was expected he hugged me like that.

"I missed you all so much." Tears gathered in my eyes.

"Then why don't you come back to the house? Everyone's been sick and worried about you ever since you ran away with the delivery boy five years ago." He let out a sigh. "So where's the delivery boy?"

I tried to speak, but my words kept sinking back into my throat. I became mute, tears speaking in my stead.

"It's okay, Katherine."

… The smell of beef lingered in my nose as we walked into the motel's bar and grill. Herald had decided to take me out for dinner since I had cried till tears couldn't roll out no more.

"Boss, your table is ready. We've prepared just as you ordered." The waiter addressed.

"So you own this large motel?" I asked.

"It's not that large compared to your dad's five hotels in Hawaii and Jamaica, which lead up to 20 floors. I only have 5 floors here."

True, but it was splendid and had quite the taste for a motel. The resources seemed reliable, and the workers all dressed corporately like a true hotel. The fragrance was enough to woo anyone into booking a room.

"So tell me, why did he leave you after all you've done for him? I mean, you had to get a seal from the head of Miami for his company, and you also bought most of the materials there. Why did he kick you out?".

Herald's eyebrow went up, his jaws clenched as he stared at me. Telling him wasn't what I was afraid of; his reaction was the main deal. He was a gang leader of a terrorist organization before my dad hired him and his boys to be his guards and changed their story.

He would kill Derick, murder him in cold blood, and walk away. I didn't want my revenge to be that quick; I wanted a slow burn, pain-filled.

"Spill it out, and I promise not to throw him off the top floor of his company for ditching you."

Fair…

"He cheated on me behind my back with Lisa." I exhaled.

He flicked his wrist, his hands clutching the grilling knife as he began to spin his head as if trying to prepare for combat. "That girl you met on the street? That Lisa who can barely even get a man to herself, that pauper?"

"She's my best friend." Tears gathered in my eyes.

"Best friend? Best friends don't cheat on each other's man. She's just a wolf in sheep's clothing. Wait, doesn't she know you're a Diablo?."

"I kept it a secret; I wanted to create a penniless relationship with people, but it turns out it just doesn't work that way. He called me wretched because I acted like I was poor and claimed she was on a higher level than me. I can't believe it." I wailed.

"You know there's one way you can make him pay for acting all high and mighty despite helping them gain his money." He held up a mischievous smile, rubbing his hands together.

"I'm not interested in killing him." I said almost immediately.

He chuckled, his hands now cupping mine in his. "Return home and take on the position you've always been running away from. Become the heiress of Diablo Corporation."