My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 214: An Engagement Party for Three

Catherine’s POV

Julian’s hand was still clamped around my wrist, his thumb rubbing against my skin. I could feel the heat radiating off him, that suffocating cloud of possessiveness that always seemed to thicken whenever Dante’s name was mentioned. I turned fully to face him, placing my free hand on his chest to keep him from pacing the floor again.

"Julian, look at me," I said, my voice dropping into a firm tone. "You have absolutely nothing to hate about Dante. I’ve told you this before, but you need to actually hear it this time. I don’t love Dante. I’ve never loved him, and I never will."

He narrowed his eyes, his jaw still tight. "You kissed him, Catherine. More than once. I see the way he looks at you, even if it was just an act."

"It’s always been an act," I countered, refusing to let him spiral. "He looks at me that way to make it look real. Yes, I’ll admit it—he’s hot. He’s handsome. Anyone with eyes can see that. But that is just it. There is nothing beneath the surface for me. I have zero romantic feelings for him, and I am not attracted to him in the slightest."

Julian searched my face for a long moment, his breathing finally beginning to level out. The manic glint in his eyes softened. He didn’t say anything, but he stepped forward and pulled me into a hug so tight it nearly knocked the wind out of me. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, holding me like I was the only thing keeping him steady. I stayed still, letting him take what he needed from the moment before he finally pulled back and let me go.

"Fine," he muttered, helping me straighten my dress. "But while he is acting like your boyfriend tonight, make sure he doesn’t touch you. I might lose control."

"You had better not. Whatever happens, kindly play it cool," I warned him with a serious tone. And he nodded, raising his hands in the air to show submission.

We walked downstairs together. The front door was already open. I expected to see Dante standing there alone. Instead, he arrived at the mansion, but not alone. He came with Kiera.

I froze on the bottom step, my eyes widening. Kiera was dressed in a sleek, long dress with a slit from the mid thigh. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she carried herself with an air of absolute authority. When I had called her yesterday, she had told me not to worry about the situation, as she would handle it, but I never expected that she would come by herself to the dinner.

Dante looked relieved to have her there. I stepped forward, glancing toward the dining room to make sure Richard wasn’t within earshot yet.

"Kiera? What are you doing here?" I asked in a hushed whisper. "I didn’t think you’d actually show up to Richard’s dinner."

"I told you I’d handle it, didn’t I?" she replied, her voice smooth and devoid of any nervousness. She didn’t look like a student; she looked like a boss.

Before she could offer a real answer, Richard’s voice boomed from the entrance of the dining hall.

"Dante! My boy, you’re on time. Excellent," Richard said, his face splitting into that wide, artificial grin intended to manipulate. He stepped past me as if I were part of the furniture, moving straight to Dante. He greeted him with a firm pat on the shoulder and a hug, physically leading him toward the dining table. "Come, come. We have much to discuss. The kitchen has outdone itself tonight."

I stood there, stunned, watching Richard whisk Dante away, ignoring Kiera. Well... why was I even surprised? Women do not matter in his world!

Kiera caught my eye and gave me a subtle nod. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"We will talk later, Catherine," she said quietly. "For now, just follow the script."

We walked to the dining table, and Richard took his place at the head of the table. Lucy was already seated to his right, my mother on the left.

Richard looked up as Kiera took a seat next to Dante. Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask who she was, Kiera didn’t give him the chance.

"Gabriel!" Kiera called out.

Her voice carried across the room toward the hallway. Gabriel was just about to head out of the house, his jacket over his arm, clearly intending to skip the family dinner. He and Richard still hadn’t made up, so he avoided eating on the table whenever Richard was present.

Gabriel turned around immediately when he heard her. I could see the confusion on his face; he looked like he had been caught in a spotlight he didn’t know existed.

"Baby, where are you going?" Kiera asked, her voice dripping with a sugary affection.

The "baby" title caught me off guard and made Gabriel cough hard. He caught his feet, and froze, his eyes darting from Kiera to me, then back to Kiera. I felt my own jaw want to drop. I knew Kiera was bold, but this was a level of drama I hadn’t anticipated.

Richard’s brow furrowed, his confusion evident as he looked between the two of them. "What is going on here? Who is this young lady?"

Kiera stood up immediately, smoothing her dress. She didn’t wait for Gabriel to find his voice.

"I am so sorry, Mr. Vaughn," Kiera said, spreading a huge smile on her face. "I’m Kiera, Dante’s sister, the primary heir to my father’s logistics company. And," she paused, casting a ’loving’ look toward Gabriel, "your son, Gabriel’s girlfriend. I know he’s been shy about it, but I couldn’t resist coming tonight when I heard my brother was invited."

Everyone was shocked, including me. Julian’s fork hit his plate with a clink. Lucy’s eyes went wide, her mouth falling open. Gabriel, to his credit, recovered faster than I thought he would.

Kiera moved to Gabriel, holding his hand. I noticed her whispering something to him, her lips barely moving as she squeezed his fingers. Whatever she said worked because Gabriel’s posture shifted from confused to smugly defiant. He played along, stepping into the dining room and pulling a chair out for her.

"Kiera, I told you," Gabriel said, his voice mocking Richard’s previous expectations. "I wanted to keep us a secret for a bit longer. Why would you reveal our relationship to everyone like this?"

"I couldn’t help it, babe," Kiera purred, sitting down. "Your father seems like such a family-oriented man. I thought he’d be thrilled."

Richard was impressed. It was written all over his face. I watched the transformation happen in real-time. A man who had been angry at his son, treating him like a disappointment and a nuisance, was now flashing a huge smile at him. The anger suddenly disappeared as he realized his son was dating an influential lady from an influential family.

For the first time, Richard spoke to a lady like she really mattered. He didn’t dismiss her or look over her head. He leaned forward, his eyes bright with a new kind of greed.

"An heir, you say?" Richard asked, his voice warm and inviting. "Gabriel, you sly dog. You didn’t tell me you were keeping company with such a brilliant young woman. Please, Kiera, forgive me for not knowing who you were."

The fake apology and sweetness finally ended as we began to eat, though Richard couldn’t stop focusing on Kiera, nodding along to her descriptions of her family’s wealth and influence.

He treated her with a level of respect he had never once shown me or Lisa, not even Lucy. He asked her opinion on market trends, laughed at her polite jokes, and made sure her wine glass was never empty.

Then, the mood shifted after Richard emptied his plate. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and sat back, his eyes scanning the table.

"This dinner was for a purpose," he began. "I’ve seen the way the world is changing, and I’ve decided it’s time for this family to solidify its foundations. I’ve been talking with Lucy’s father because I wanted to create an engagement party for Julian and her next month."

What? I almost gasped. My eyes moved to Julian, whose hand was tightening around his glass. I could see the tendons in his neck straining.

"But then," Richard continued, gesturing toward me and Dante, "I thought, why stop there? Catherine is dating Dante, so I thought to ask if they are ready too, so I would make it a duo party. A double engagement to show the world the strength of the Vaughn alliances."

He paused, a predatory smile spreading across his face, as it shifted to Gabriel, then to Kiera, who remained perfectly composed.

"And now, seeing this," Richard gestured to Gabriel and Kiera’s joined hands, "it seems it might become a Trio party. All my children have found the right partners. It would be a historic event. An engagement party for three, three alliances, one house. It’s perfect."

Everyone was stunned. None of us were expecting this. Dante looked like he was about to pass out into his steak. Gabriel was staring at Kiera, his eyes wide with the realization that the lie had just become a cage. Lucy looked thrilled, her eyes darting to Julian to see his reaction. Of course, she would be the only one happy about this. All she’s ever wanted was to forcefully claim Julian.

Richard seemed to enjoy the shock, savoring the power he held over all of us. He took a slow sip of his wine, his gaze turning to Julian. He leaned in, his voice dropping into a dangerous tone.

"You seem like you are about to explode, Julian," Richard said, his eyes never leaving his face. "Is there a problem? Something you’d like to tell me? Are you not happy about this arrangement?"