My Stepbrother Wants Me-Chapter 158: Scheming Bitch

Julian’s POV

The first thing I felt was the throbbing in my temples. It was a punishing ache that made even the act of opening my eyes feel like a task. My clothes felt damp and heavy against my skin, and the floor beneath me was hard.

I blinked, squinting against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. This wasn’t my room. The scent was different—cleaner, lighter. I sat up abruptly, my head spinning as the memory of the previous night came rushing back in disjointed fragments. The toast with Lucy. The sudden, overwhelming heat. The desperate run to this room.

I looked up and saw Catherine. She was sitting in the armchair a few feet away, her legs pulled up to her chest. She was already dressed, her eyes fixed on me with an expression that was impossible to read. She looked like she hadn’t slept at all.

"You’re awake," she said. Her voice was flat, devoid of the warmth.

"What..." I started, my voice sounding like gravel. I cleared my throat and tried again. "How did I get on the floor?"

"I dragged you there," she replied. She didn’t move. "You were out of your mind, Julian. You tried to... and then you practically collapsed. I had to put you under the shower to get your head straight."

I looked down at my shirt, which was wrinkled and still slightly damp. The shame hit me before the memory did. I remembered lunging at her. I remembered the desperation. I remembered the heat that wasn’t just desire, but a chemical fire in my veins.

"Julian," her voice sharpened. "Who drugged you?"

I froze. My mind raced toward Lucy. I could see her smug face as she handed me that glass of "alcohol-free" wine. I opened my mouth to say her name, but I caught myself just in time. If I told Catherine it was Lucy, she would ask why. She would ask what Lucy was doing in my room. She would ask what had happened before the drug took hold. I couldn’t tell her about the "test." I couldn’t tell her that Lucy had stood naked in front of me just to see if I’d react.

I scrambled to my feet, my balance still slightly off. "I have to go," I muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"Are you seriously ignoring me?" Catherine stood up, her eyes flashing with disbelief and anger. "You show up in my room drugged, you try to force yourself on me, and now you’re just going to walk out without an explanation?"

"I can’t talk about this right now, Catherine," I said, already moving toward the door. "I need to get to my room before the maids start their rounds. If anyone sees me coming out of here, we’re both dead."

I didn’t wait for her response. I wrenched the door open and hurried down the hallway, my heart hammering in my chest. I made it to my room and slammed the door behind me, leaning my back against the wood. I was furious. Lucy had crossed a line. She had tried to manipulate my body when she couldn’t manipulate my mind.

But as the anger grew, a hollow feeling settled in my chest. Catherine had seen me at my worst, and she had still refused me. She had chosen to drag me to a cold shower rather than let me touch her. It was the right thing to do, but the rejection hit me hard.

I spent the next hour scrubbing the scent of Lucy’s perfume off my skin. By the time I walked out of my room later that morning, I saw Catherine in the hallway. She was fully dressed for the day, heading toward the stairs with a purpose in her step. I moved quickly, stopping her before she could reach the landing.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

Catherine didn’t even slow down. She tried to brush past me, but I grabbed her elbow.

"I asked you a question," I said, my voice dropping. "Are you going to see Dante? Is that why you’re in such a hurry?"

Catherine finally looked at me, her eyes cold. "Where I go and who I see is absolutely none of your concern, Julian. You don’t get to act like a jealous boyfriend after what you did. Let go of me."

"I’m not acting like anything," I hissed. "I’m trying to make sure you aren’t doing something stupid that Richard will notice."

"The only stupid thing I’ve done lately is help you," she snapped.

Before I could push further, a high-pitched voice rang out from the end of the corridor. "Julian! There you are."

I turned, my jaw tightening as I saw Lucy approaching. She looked perfectly composed, her hair done and her face a mask of innocent concern. I felt a surge of hatred for her. I let go of Catherine’s arm, and she didn’t wait a second longer. She turned and walked out.

I watched her go, feeling the distance between us grow with every step. I turned back to Lucy, who was now standing a few feet away with a smirk playing on her lips. I didn’t wait for her to speak. I stepped forward and grabbed her arm roughly, pulling her into a recessed alcove.

"Why did you drug me?" I snarled, my voice a low growl.

Lucy didn’t look scared. She matched my glare with one of her own. "Why were you not in your room, Julian? I went back to check on you, and you were gone. You went to her, didn’t you? Even in that state, you went straight to the little whore."

"That is none of your business," I said, my grip tightening. "If you ever put anything in my drink again—"

"Save it," she interrupted, pulling her arm away. "Richard wants to see you. Now. He’s in his office."

Panic flared in my gut. My mind immediately spiraled into worst-case scenarios. Had she told him? Had she told him I was in Catherine’s room? If Richard knew I had spent the night in her room, he would do something about it. I looked at Lucy, searching for a hint of triumph in her eyes, but she just turned and walked away.

I spent the walk to my father’s office feeling like a man walking toward a firing squad. Shit, shit, shit. I had to think of a lie. I had to find a way to explain why I was out of my room, or why Lucy was upset.

I reached the doors and took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. I pushed them open and stepped inside. Richard was sitting behind his desk, and Lucy was already there, perched on the edge of one of the guest chairs.

I opened my mouth before my father could speak. "Dad, I can explain—"

"No need to explain, son," Richard said.

I stopped. He wasn’t scowling. In fact, he was doing something far more terrifying. He was smiling. He stood up from his desk and walked around to meet me, looking genuinely pleased.

"I have to say, Julian, I’m impressed," Richard said, reaching out to pat my shoulder. "I was starting to worry that you were dragging your feet with the arrangements, but Lucy just told me the news. She told me how you asked to take her on a special date last night. It’s exactly what the family needs right now."

I froze. I looked at Lucy, who was watching me with a sharp, threatening look. She had played me. She hadn’t told him the truth; she lied. If I denied it now, I would have to explain what actually happened, and that was a risk I couldn’t take.

"I... yes," I said, forcing a stiff smile and turning to my father. "I just want to do it so the public believes our relationship is strong. I thought it was time we showed everyone how committed we are."

Richard beamed. He looked surprised and impressed. He tapped my back again. "Spoken like a true Vaughn. Don’t you worry about a thing, Julian. Since you’ve taken the initiative, I’ll be the one to plan the date. I’ll make sure it’s an event that no one in this city will forget. High profile, plenty of press. It’ll be perfect."

I nodded, my stomach churning. I looked at Lucy, who was now wearing a triumphant smirk. She was nothing short of a scheming bitch.