My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 145: Face Of The Youth Wing

Catherine’s POV

My phone buzzed on the nightstand just as I was trying to wipe the last of the gala’s heavy makeup from my skin. It was Kiera. I picked up on the second ring, knowing exactly what kind of lecture was coming my way.

"Catherine, oh my gosh, you’re really a terrible friend," Kiera’s voice boomed through the speaker before I could even say hello. "You vanished. No goodbye, no text, nothing. I had to find out from my brother that you had gone home. Really?"

"I’m sorry, Kiera," I sighed, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Everything just got... overwhelming. Richard and the others left early, and Gabriel insisted on taking me home. I wasn’t in the headspace to go back into that ballroom to find you."

"Doesn’t matter. You should have at least called. Don’t you remember I attended just ’cause of you."

I bit my lip, unsure of what I could say to get her to forgive me. "I’m sorry, Ki. Don’t be mad please."

She was silent for a moment, her tone shifting from annoyed to curious. "Fine. I’ll let you off the hook. You better not play this disappearing act on me again. And yes, tell me, was there an issue between you and Dante tonight? Did something happen after you guys went outside?"

I paused, my hand tightening on the phone. The memory of Dante’s lips on mine flashed through my mind, followed immediately by the image of Julian’s face as he watched us. "No. Why would you ask that?"

"Because he’s been in a foul mood since we got home," she said. "He hasn’t said a word. He just went straight to his room and slammed the door. That’s not like him, especially after he spent the whole night looking at you like you were the only person in the room."

I immediately thought about the tension between Dante and Gabriel. Gabriel had been borderline aggressive, and Dante hadn’t backed down. I wondered if that was what had soured his night, but I didn’t want to tell Kiera about all of that. Not yet.

"I have no idea," I lied. "We had a conversation, and then Gabriel showed up. Maybe they just didn’t hit it off. You should try to ask him yourself if he’s willing to tell you."

"I doubt it," Kiera muttered. "He’s stubborn. Anyway, get some sleep. You look like you need it, and I can hear the exhaustion in your voice. Goodnight, Catherine."

"Goodnight, Kiera."

I hung up and stared at the ceiling for a long time. The night had been a disaster, and who knows what would happen tomorrow. With Richard, Lucy and now... Julian, I knew I had to always expect the worse.

—-

The next morning, I stepped out of my room, my head throbbing with a dull ache. I just wanted to get through breakfast and find a way to avoid everyone for the rest of the day. But the universe had other plans.

The door to the guest suite across the hall pulled open, and Lucy stepped out. She was already fully dressed in a designer cream-colored dress, looking refreshed and entirely too pleased with herself. When she saw me, her eyes lit up with a predatory gleam. She didn’t even try to pretend she was going to let me pass in peace.

"Good morning, Catherine," she chirped, stepping into my path so I had to stop. "You look... tired. Did you not sleep well? I suppose the excitement of the gala was a lot to process."

"I’m fine, Lucy," I said, my voice flat. "Move aside. I’m going down to breakfast."

She didn’t move. Instead, she stepped closer, a smug smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "It was a wonderful night, wasn’t it? Especially that moment on stage. I have to admit, I was worried Julian might be a bit stiff, but he was so passionate. That kiss... it felt so real, didn’t it? Like he had been waiting to do it for years."

I felt the familiar heat of anger rising in my chest, but I forced it down. I knew what she was doing. She wanted me to snap. She wanted me to show her that I was hurt so she could feast on the satisfaction. I took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eye, forcing a calm, bored smile onto my face.

"Congratulations, Lucy," I said. My voice was steady, devoid of the emotion she was fishing for. "It was a very convincing performance. If the goal was to fool the public, you both did an excellent job. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m hungry."

I brushed past her before she could respond. I could feel her eyes on my back, burning with rage because she hadn’t gotten the reaction she wanted. I hurried down the stairs and into the dining room, where Richard and my mother, were already seated.

The atmosphere in the room was thick. Richard was focused on his breakfast, his tablet spread out on the table. Lisa was sipping her tea, looking out the window with an expression that suggested she was a million miles away. I took my usual seat, nodding a silent greeting that neither of them acknowledged.

A minute later, Lucy walked in and sat down next to Richard. She reached out and touched his arm.

"Good morning, everyone," she said brightly.

Richard finally looked up from his tablet. "Good morning, Lucy. I was just looking at the morning editions. The coverage of the gala is exceptional. We’ve managed to turn the entire narrative around in twelve hours."

"It’s all thanks to your guidance, Richard," Lucy replied, her voice holding a fake humility.

Richard turned his attention to the table at large. "Since we have a reasonable amount of family members here, I want to make an announcement. Given the positive reception Lucy received last night and her clear commitment to the family’s public image, I’ve decided that she will be the new face of the Vaughn Foundation’s youth wing. She’ll be heading the new initiative starting next week."

I felt a slight jolt of surprise, but I kept my face neutral. That role had been promised to me months ago. I had spent weeks preparing the project proposals and coordinating with the schools.

Lisa set her teacup down with a sharp clink. She looked at Richard, her brows furrowed in confusion. "But Richard? I thought you were giving that role to Catherine. We discussed this. She’s already done all the groundwork."

Richard didn’t even look at her. He kept his eyes on his plate as he cut into his omelet. "I changed my mind. Lucy is the one the public is interested in right now. She has the momentum. She deserves the position, especially now that people have embraced her as part of the family. It’s the smart move for the Foundation."

"But Catherine—" Lisa started, but Richard cut her off with a sharp look.

"The decision is made, Lisa. Catherine can find something else to occupy her time. Lucy is a better fit for the face of the youth initiative."

I stared at my coffee. I didn’t really care about the title—the Foundation was Richard’s plaything anyway—but the blatant disrespect was a bitter pill. It was a clear message that I was being sidelined.

Lucy leaned back in her chair, a look of pure triumph on her face. She looked across the table at me, her eyes dancing with malice. Suddenly, I felt a sharp, hard kick against my shin under the table.

I winced, my head snapping up. Lucy was staring right at me, her expression innocent, but the smirk on her lips was unmistakable. She did it again, a deliberate, painful kick that shook my chair.

I shot her a lethal glare, my hands clenching into fists on top of the table. I wanted to lunge across the table and wipe that look off her face. I looked at Richard, then at Lisa, but neither of them had noticed. They were back to their own silent worlds.

Lucy didn’t stop. She looked me in the eye and slowly, deliberately, she winked at me. She was taunting me, and there wasn’t a single thing I could do about it without looking like the villain.

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to look back down at my plate. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of a scene. I wouldn’t let her see that she was getting under my skin.

I wiped my mouth and stood up, leaving the room.