My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 209: Don’t Entertain The Witch

Catherine’s POV

I was still trying to regulate my breathing as I walked through the main hallway. The scent of Julian’s cologne was stuck on me, a reminder of the way he had just held me in the car.

I was still stupidly blushing hard and reliving the moment but I had to get my head in the game. I had a full schedule of classes, and more importantly, I had to find a way to tell Dante about putting an end to the act. I was heading toward my next period, mentally rehearsing how the day would go, when a familiar, irritating presence stepped directly into my path.

Lucy stood there, her arms crossed over her chest, her face twisted into a mask of indignation. She didn’t even give me the chance to sidestep her. She moved as I moved, blocking me like a wall.

"What do you want, Lucy? I’m late for class, please move," I said, not bothering to hide the exhaustion in my voice. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"You came to school in Julian’s car," she stated, her voice loud enough to make a few passing students turn their heads. She looked me up and down with an expression of jealousy. "And don’t even think of denying it because I saw you getting out of the sedan. Why were you in his car and not in the one Richard gave us? Why are you suddenly riding shotgun with him?"

I let out a sharp, mocking scoff. I couldn’t believe she had been tracking my arrival closely enough to notice which car I stepped out of. "Goodness, you amaze me. How is the car I ride in, remotely your business? Since when did you become the guardian of the driveway?"

"It’s my business because everything you do reflects on this family," Lucy snapped, her voice rising an octave. She looked like she was about to boil over. "You keep proving everyone right about you being a leech. A low-class, opportunist leech who doesn’t know her place. You think because your tuition is being paid for that you can just do whatever you want? You’re pathetic. Stay the heck away from my man."

I stared at her, completely unmoved. "Your man? Girl, stop acting like a clown."

Her neck stiffened and she shot the words out with force. "How dare you insult me when you are just a charity case!"

Of course she would always call me that. It was the same thing every damn time. Every single time she opened her mouth, it was the same rotation of insults. Leech. Charity case. Poor girl. It was getting boring.

"Is that all you’ve got today?" I asked, tilting my head. "Seriously, Lucy, you sound like a broken record. It’s always the same words, the same pathetic insults. Don’t you ever get tired of hearing yourself? Because I’m definitely tired of it."

"You should watch your mouth," she hissed, stepping closer. Her eyes were darting around, making sure she had an audience for her little performance. "You’re a guest in our home, and you’re overstaying your welcome. You’re lucky I don’t tell Richard exactly how much of a nuisance you’ve become."

"Go ahead," I challenged, stepping into her personal space. "Tell him. But while you’re at it, maybe I should remind you of a few things too. I haven’t forgotten that you tried to hurt my friend, Lucy. I haven’t forgotten about Tessa."

The shift in her expression was immediate. Her eyes widened, bulging out in a way that might have been scary to a child, but to me, she just looked desperate. She tried to maintain her posture, but I could see the slight tremor in her hands.

"What are you going to do about it?" she sneered, her voice trembling slightly. "You have nothing to prove it. You’re just a girl with a big mouth and no power."

I didn’t argue with her. Instead, I moved with a speed that caught her off guard. I reached out and gripped her elbow, my fingers digging into the joint with a pressure that was calculated and cold. I didn’t care about the onlookers anymore.

She let out a sharp whine of pain, her face contorting. "Let go! Let go of me right now, Catherine, or I will make a scene! I’ll scream so loud the principal will hear me!"

"Go ahead," I whispered, pulling her closer until our faces were inches apart. I made sure my voice was a low, lethal thread. "Make a scene. Scream. I’d love for the whole school to gather around so I can start exposing your real face to everyone. I’m sure they’d love to hear about the real Lucy; the potential murderer who pays people to do her dirty work."

"You can’t prove a thing," she spat, though her bravado was crumbling. "It’s your word against mine, and nobody is going to believe a girl like you over a future Vaughn heiress."

I let out a slow, dark smirk. I wanted her to feel the floor dropping out from under her. "That’s where you’re wrong. We have evidence, Lucy. We didn’t just find out what you did; we found the men you sent. They’re very talkative when they realize they’ve been left to rot."

Fear appeared in her eyes instantly. The color drained from her face, leaving her looking sallow and old under the harsh fluorescent lights of the hallway. The grip I had on her elbow was the only thing keeping her from stumbling back. She suddenly shifted gears, her face twisting into a fake, nauseating display of repentance.

"Catherine, don’t be mean," she stammered, her voice suddenly high and pleading. "I... I didn’t send those guys to kill Tessa. You have it all wrong. I swear. I just wanted them to scare her. I just wanted her to stay away from the family business. I would never actually want her dead."

I felt a surge of pure disgust. The way she lied so effortlessly, even when cornered, was revolting. In my head, I could see it clearly, I wanted to find a screwdriver and shove it into her head, turning it until I’d knotted all the loose screws in her brain that made her think this behavior was acceptable. She was a broken, dangerous woman, and she was trying to play the victim after trying to end a girl’s life.

I tightened my grip, my jaw clenching so hard it ached. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to make her feel a fraction of the terror Tessa must have felt.

But before I could do anything or say another word, a voice cut through the air from behind us.

"You bitch!"

I froze. I knew that voice. I turned my head just enough to see Tessa standing a few feet away. Her face was flushed with a mixture of shock and absolute rage. She had obviously heard enough of the conversation to know exactly what Lucy was admitting to. Tessa started to move forward, her hands balled into fists, looking like she was ready to tackle Lucy right there in the hallway.

Before it could explode into a full-blown riot, I let go of Lucy’s arm and stepped between them. I grabbed Tessa, wrapping my arms around her to hold her back. She was vibrating with fury, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

"Tessa, stop!" I whispered urgently into her ear, holding her tight. I could feel the eyes of dozens of students on us now. This was exactly the kind of scene that Lucy always craved for. "Don’t do this, don’t entertain the witch."