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The deserted road stretched endlessly ahead, illuminated by the occasional flicker of streetlights that cast long, ghostly shadows. The hum of my car’s engine was the only sound that echoed in the stillness, but even that seemed muted under the chaos brewing in my mind. My foot pressed harder on the accelerator, the speed offering a hollow sense of control, though I felt none.

Katherine’s face flashed before me, her expression of—heartbreak, betrayal, and disbelief that shadowed her beautiful features when I’d threatened her. The image of her, standing in my office, trembling under the weight of my words, clawed at me like a thorn buried deep in my chest; her wide eyes stared back at me, begging for an explanation I couldn’t give. She didn’t deserve this. I knew it, and yet I couldn’t stop myself.

What have I done?!

I knew I’d gone too far. Threatening her—*manipulating* her—was beneath me, but I couldn’t undo it now. The kiss that started this mess… That kiss.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles whitening as guilt gnawed at my insides. Yes, the kiss that night had been a mistake—at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. But deep down, I knew the truth wasn’t so simple. I’d told myself it was to save Emily, to divert the media’s attention, to keep things under control. And yet, those justifications felt like lies the moment I saw Katherine’s shocked face. 

I was too much of a coward to admit even to myself. That kiss wasn’t just to save face. The truth was far more unsettling. It wasn’t just about Emily or my reputation. No. What made my blood run cold that night wasn’t the thought of scandal but the way Mason hovered around Katherine. The way he looked at her. The way he spoke to her. The way *she* seemed to be at ease in his presence. It stirred something dark and unfamiliar in me—something possessive, something I couldn’t suppress.

I’d acted on impulse. Seeing Mason close to her, trying to insert himself into her world, had flipped a switch in me. It was irrational and infuriating, and it made no sense. Mason already had Emily wrapped around his finger, but Katherine? She is supposed to be mine. Not in the sense of love or romance, but because she was under my control. Every step she took, every achievement she earned, had been a reflection of my guidance, and my expectations. And yet, that night, I felt something I hadn’t expected—a fiery, possessive surge that made me claim her in a way I had no right to. But I couldn’t stand it. I didn’t want him anywhere near her.

I shook my head sharply, trying to push the thoughts away, but they clung to me like a storm cloud. Was this about Katherine? Or was it about me?  It didn’t matter now. Katherine didn’t deserve this chaos, this mess I’d dragged her into. But the thought of letting her go—of losing that control—unnerved me. She wasn’t just a secretary to me, not anymore. She was… something I couldn’t define. 

My feelings—whatever they were—were becoming harder to ignore.

Before I knew it, I was pulling into the driveway of my villa. The wrought-iron gates loomed ahead, cold and imposing, in the night sky. I pulled into the driveway, slowing the car as I reached the gates. As I stepped out, the cool night air hit me, but it did nothing to calm the inferno inside me. I handed the keys to the guard, nodding absentmindedly, my mind still tangled in its web of chaos.

And then I saw him.

A shadow lingered by the front gate, shifting slightly in the dim light. As I moved closer, recognition slammed into me like a freight train, and my entire body stiffened.

Mason.

My blood boiled instantly, making the calm of the deserted night shattered. Of all people, he was the last I expected—or wanted—to see here. He was leaning casually against his car, with his hands in his pocket.

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