My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 213: Jealoussss

Catherine’s POV

"Just tell him you’re done," Julian said, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that borderlined on desperation. "Tell him the ’relationship’ crashed and burned this afternoon. If you tell him now, there’s no reason for that guy to step foot in our house tonight. We can end this charade once and for all."

I shook my head, my mind already racing through the list of questions Richard would inevitably ask. "I can’t just do that, Julian. Think about it. We’ve been ’dating’ for weeks and your dad likes Dante. If I suddenly announce a breakup the same day that Richard invited him for dinner, he is going to ask for a reason. He’s going to dig. He’ll want to know exactly what happened between us, that led to a break up. I’m not ready for that kind of interrogation."

"It’s easy, you can just tell him that things couldn’t work out between you two," he countered but I knew that was a terrible move.

"No, it isn’t. Richard will just suggest that I try to make it work. It’s better if Dante comes over for dinner," I said, my voice firm despite the fluttering in my chest. "He will just play the role one last time. If we do this right, we can phase him out gradually or create a scenario that Richard accepts without suspicion. We have to be smart, not impulsive."

Julian let out a frustrated sound, a mix between a growl and a sigh. He clearly hated every syllable coming out of my mouth. The idea of Dante sitting at his dinner table, pretending to be my boyfriend was driving him toward a cliff.

"Fine," he muttered, though he was still not okay with the plan. He paced a small circle in the cramped hallway, his shoe clicking sharply against the tile. "If he comes, he isn’t leaving as your boyfriend. I’m not sitting through another three-course meal watching him pretend to be the man in your life."

He stopped pacing and looked at me, a dark glint appearing in his eyes. "He comes to dinner, but he breaks up with you in front of everyone. Right there at the table. I want to hear the words leave his mouth. I want Richard to see it happen so there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that you’re not with him anymore."

I didn’t disagree with the goal, but the execution sounded like a train wreck waiting to happen. "If this is going to happen, there should be a tangible reason for the breakup."

Julian leaned in, his smirk returning, though it lacked any real warmth. He looked like he already had an idea. "Don’t worry about the reason. I’ll come up with it. By the time the main course is served, Dante will have every reason in the world to want to walk out that door and never look back. Just get him there."

I didn’t like the sound of that, but I knew arguing with Julian was useless. I left Julian standing in the hallway and headed for my next class.

Later on, I found Dante and pulled him aside. I informed him about the dinner invitation from Richard. Dante’s face went from relief to pure dread in a matter of seconds.

"He wants me there? Tonight?" Dante asked, his grip tightening on his car keys. "Catherine, I thought you wanted us to end the charade? You didn’t tell him?"

"I know, and I’m sorry," I said, looking around to ensure we weren’t being watched. "But I can’t just tell Richard that. He specifically asked for you. We have to coordinate our ’breakup’ story so it doesn’t look like it happened for no reason. If we show up and say it’s over, he’ll suspect or ask for reasons. We have to play along for a few more hours."

Dante looked like he wanted to bolt. "Julian is going to be there, isn’t he? He looked like he wanted to skin me alive earlier."

"He’ll be there," I admitted. "But I’ll handle him. Just follow my lead. I will text you later about the plan and what the specific ’reason’ for our split will be. Just be at the mansion at seven. Don’t be late, and for heaven’s sake, don’t entertain Julian no matter what."

I had to warn him about Julian because I still wasn’t sure of his plan.

Dante nodded. "Fine. Catch you later then."

School was over, so I headed toward the car and funny enough, Lucy wasn’t in it. Good riddance.

The drive back to the mansion was a blur. My mind was a chaotic loop of potential disasters. By the time I pulled into the driveway, I was feeling so sleepy.

I headed straight for the stairs, wanting to jump into bed but unfortunately for me, I had a run-in with Lucy.

She was still nursing her bruised ego and her cheek, which had turned a dull, angry purple. She was holding an ice pack to her face, her eyes red-rimmed but sharp with malice. When she saw me, she didn’t shrink away. She stepped into the middle of the hallway, blocking my path to my bedroom.

"I hope you’re happy," she hissed, her voice muffled by the ice pack. "You and your little gutter-rat friends think you won something today."

"Move, Lucy," I said, not in the mood for her theatrics.

She let out a harsh, dry laugh. "You think Julian can protect you forever? You think he can hide what you are from Richard? I saw him, Catherine. I saw the way he looked at you in that office. And I made sure Richard heard all about it. I told him everything about the fight, and I told him exactly why I think it started."

My heart skipped a beat. "What did you tell him?"

Lucy dropped the ice pack, revealing the swelling on her face. A cruel smile spread across her lips. "I told him that you’re a distraction. I told him that Julian is losing his focus because of you. Why do you think he invited your little boyfriend over tonight? He wants to see the circus for himself. He wants to see if you’re actually ’taken’ or if you’re just a lie standing between his son and his future."

She leaned in closer, her breath smelling of peppermint and bile. "He’s going to tear you apart tonight, and I’m going to be right there to watch the blood hit the floor."

She brushed past me, her shoulder hitting mine with unnecessary force. I stood there for a moment, the cold realization washing over me. Richard hadn’t invited Dante out of curiosity. He had invited him because Lucy had planted a seed of doubt, and Richard was the type to dig up the whole garden to find the root.

I went into my room and locked the door, leaning my back against the wood. The sleep vanished from my eyes, while I began to make calls. Only one person could come up with a better idea to save me from whatever Richard was up to.

KIERA.

I had finished talking with her and started to get ready. I chose a dress that was modest but elegant. I was halfway through zipping it up when the lock on my door clicked.

Julian entered my room without knocking. He had changed into a crisp black shirt, the top buttons undone, looking entirely too composed. He walked over to me, his reflection appearing behind mine in the mirror.

He didn’t say anything at first. He just placed his hands on my waist and pulled me back against him. He started to kiss my neck, his lips warm and insistent against my skin. His hands moved to the zipper of my dress, his intent clear. He even wanted to take my clothes off, his touch lingering on the fabric as he tried to turn my attention away from the clock.

"Julian, stop," I said, breathless, trying to pull away. "Not now. There’s no time for this."

"We have plenty of time," he murmured against my ear, his grip tightening.

"No, we don’t. The dinner is in twenty minutes," I reminded him, finally managing to twist out of his grasp. I turned to face him, smoothing down my hair. "Dante will be here any second, and Richard is already downstairs. I have to be perfect."

Julian’s face changed instantly. The warmth vanished, replaced by a cold, hard mask of jealousy. He stepped back, his eyes raking over my outfit with a look of pure disdain. He made a comment about how he hated that I was dressing up for another man.

"You look pathetic," he snapped. "All this effort for a man who’s about to get his heart broken in front of the whole family. You’re wearing that for him?"

I rolled my eyes, reaching for my earrings. "I am dressing for dinner, Julian, not for Dante. This is about Richard, not him. I have to look the part."

"There’s no difference," Julian said, his voice rising. "It still feels like it’s for him."

I couldn’t help it. I let out a short, sharp laugh.

"You’re unbelievable," I said, shaking my head. "You’re actually jealous of a guy who is not truly my boyfriend. Stop being so insecure and let’s go."

Before I could move, he held my hand. "I know you hate this part of me but I can’t help it. Whenever I see that dude’s face, all I remember is seeing the two of you share kisses. That’s the reason I hate him."