My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 178: Passing His Test

Catherine’s POV

Finally, the dinner ended. Richard stood up, smoothing his suit jacket with a satisfied expression. He walked around the table and actually reached out to shake Dante’s hand.

"It was a pleasure, Dante," Richard said. "The Varo Group is a formidable name, and I must say, you represent them well. I would love to see more of you. Perhaps we can discuss some of those ’global interests’ over a round of golf or a more private meeting in my study soon."

I stood there, almost wanting to laugh. Richard Vaughn, the man who terrified everyone in this city, was practically ready to kiss Dante’s ass. It was pathetic, but it was exactly what we needed. Dante had won him over with a name and a few cold stares.

"I’ll see what my schedule looks like, Mr. Vaughn," Dante replied, not promising anything, which only seemed to make Richard want his approval more.

I moved toward Dante, ready to get him out of there before our cover would blow. "I’ll walk you to the door," I said, looking at Dante.

"Actually," a voice interrupted.

I turned to see Gabriel standing by the doorway of the dining room. He had been quiet for the last twenty minutes, just brooding over his wine. He looked at Dante like he was trying to set him on fire.

"I’ll do that," Gabriel said, stepping forward. "Catherine, you’ve had a long day. I can escort our guest to his car on your behalf."

I frowned. Gabriel was still a major problem. He had been aggressive throughout the dinner, and I still couldn’t understand why he was taking this so personally. It was frustrating because, in a different world, I actually thought they would have made good friends. They both had that same playfulness and free spirit. They possessed similar traits, and if they weren’t trying to kill each other, they probably would have had a lot to talk about.

Dante turned to Gabriel, a mocking smirk spread across his face. He stepped closer to me, intentionally putting his arm around my shoulder.

"I appreciate the offer, Gabriel," his voice dripped with sarcasm. "But I’m not gay. I’d much prefer my woman escorting me to the door instead of a guy."

I couldn’t help it. The image of Gabriel’s face after being called a "guy" trying to hit on Dante was hilarious. A subconscious giggle escaped my throat. It was the first time I had felt like laughing all day.

Dante cut his eyes at me, his expression mock-serious. "Is something funny, Catherine?"

"Sorry," I whispered, trying to pull myself together. "Just... wait for me at the door. I’ll be right there."

Gabriel’s face went through three different shades of red. He looked at Dante’s hand on my shoulder and then at my face. He stepped up to Dante, his body tense, and tapped Dante on the shoulder.

"Have a good night, Damian or whatever," Gabriel said with a cold voice, obviously pretending to not remember his name. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away toward the stairs.

Dante and I walked toward the front door in silence. When we reached the foyer, the cool night air drifted in through the open door.

"Well," Dante said, leaning against the doorframe. "It seems I passed the Mean Richard Vaughn standard. He’s basically ready to invite me to the family retreat."

I leaned against the wall, feeling the adrenaline finally start to leave my body. "He’s a gold-digger in a suit, Dante. He saw the Varo name and decided you were his new best friend. It’s disgusting."

"It’s useful," Dante corrected. He looked out at his car, then back at me. "But it seems I might also have to try and win over the Vaughn brothers. Gabriel looks like he wants to bury me in the backyard, and Julian... well, you know already."

I looked down at my shoes. "Don’t worry about them. The relationship isn’t real. You don’t need to win over my ’brothers.’ You just needed to convince Richard so he stops breathing down my neck. You’ve done that. Your job is basically over."

Dante stepped closer, moving into my personal space. The playful look in his eyes changed to something a bit more serious, though the smirk was still there. "Who knows? Maybe it’ll be real someday."

I felt a heat crawl up my neck. I looked up at him, my breath hitching for a split second. He was looking at me with an intensity that didn’t feel like acting. My heart did a weird little flip, but I pushed the feeling down. I couldn’t afford to get confused.

"Shut up," I muttered, blushing and looking away. "Go home, you need to rest. I’ll see you at school tomorrow."

He laughed. "Goodnight, babe."

I watched him walk down the steps and get into his car.

I took a deep breath of the cold air, trying to steel myself before going back inside.

Walking on the stairs, I found Gabriel there. He was standing in the shadows of the hallway leading to the rooms, just staring at me. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his eyes were dark with an anger that felt far more personal than just "protecting" his father’s house.

"Gabriel?" I said, my voice cautious. "What are you doing?"

He didn’t answer. He just kept staring, his jaw working as if he were biting back a thousand words. He looked like he wanted to yell, to demand to know why I was with a guy like Dante, but he stayed silent.

"Gabriel, talk to me," I said, taking a step toward him. "If you’re mad about what Dante said, it was just a joke. He was just—"

Before I could reach him or finish my sentence, Gabriel turned on his heel. He walked down the hall with long, aggressive strides and entered his room, slamming the door so hard the frames on the wall rattled. I heard the distinct click of the lock turning.

I hurried down the hall and knocked on his door. "Gabriel! Open up. We need to talk. Why are you acting like this?"

I waited, leaning my ear against the wood. I could hear him moving around inside, the sound of things being thrown or moved roughly.

"Go away, Catherine!" he shouted from the other side, his voice muffled but sharp.

"I’m not going away until you tell me what’s wrong," I yelled back. "Dante hasn’t done anything to you. Can you quit getting mad whenever you see him?"

"You don’t get it," he snapped. "You never get it. Just leave me alone."

I sighed, resting my forehead against the door. The house was full of men who didn’t know how to handle their emotions, and I was caught in the middle of all of them.

Julian was trying to play the victim, Gabriel was locking himself away, and Richard was plotting how to use my "boyfriend" for a merger.

I walked away from Gabriel’s door, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion. I headed toward my own room, but as I passed the stairs, I looked up. The light in Julian’s room was off, but I could smell the faint scent of cigarette smoke drifting down from the balcony.

As much as I felt the urge to check on him, I forced my feet back to my room. Lucy, his soon-to-be-fiancée would probably be with him.

Who knows? Maybe they could be doing other things there. I realized I was digging my nails into my palm and immediately released it. What was fucking wrong with me? One minute, I conclude that I’m done with him. The next minute I’m pitying him or feeling jealous that he’s with his girlfriend.

Why did I feel like I was the one being caught in the trap?

I sat down at my vanity and started wiping off the makeup. My reflection looked back at me. The wrinkles on my forehead were enough sign that I was tired.

I thought about Dante’s joke about the relationship being real. For a second, I let myself wonder what that would be like to be with someone who could earn me Richard’s respect. But then I shook my head and remembered where I was.

I wouldn’t let myself be like Richard, who only used people for his gain.

I checked my phone out of boredom and entered the gallery, scrolling through the photos. I found a picture of me and mom from years ago, before Richard, before the mansion, before the lies. We looked so different then, so simple and truly happy.

A knock came at my door, unsettling me. "Who is it?"

"It’s me," my mother’s voice whispered.

I opened the door and she slipped in, looking frantically behind her.

"He’s in his study," she said, her voice trembling. "He’s so happy about this boyfriend of yours, Catherine. He’s already calling his lawyers to look into the Varo Group’s tax filings. He thinks he’s found a gold mine."

For a minute, the air in my lungs seized. Richard did... what?