Page 73 of Royal Deception
Kate’s grin only widens. “Oh, come on. You didn’t think I wouldn’t find out, did you? You’ve been playing the sweet little victim card, pretending you’re the innocent one in all of this, but I know better." She steps even closer, almost looming over me. “You think you can manipulate him, keep him in the dark while you play at being the delicate, needy little thing? Newsflash, sweetheart. Girls like you piss me off.”
I swallow, feeling the weight of her words pressing down on me, suffocating me. “What do you want, Kate?” My voice is quieter now, laced with fear. I can’t even begin to guess what her angle is.
She tilts her head, studying me like a predator sizing up her prey. “You think women like you have it so easy, don’t you? The pretty, fragile ones who get attention without lifting a finger. Meanwhile, women like me, the ones who actually work their asses off, have to struggle every damn day just to get ahead. And yet, here you are, playing at this little drama with Rory and his family.”
Kate’s words burn, but they don’t have the power to keep me down. The fear that churned in my stomach a moment ago is being replaced by something else—something stronger, more defiant. I straighten my spine, shifting my weight to one foot, and I lock eyes with her, refusing to let her see the doubt creeping in.
“You know what, Kate?” I start, my voice steady, but the fury behind it is unmistakable. “I’m done with this. I’m done letting you walk all over me.”
Kate stops in her tracks, her eyes narrowing as she waits for me to continue, clearly expecting me to back down.
I take a step forward, refusing to let her intimidate me. “You want to make me feel small? Sorry, but that shit doesn’t work anymore. So, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to tell you tofuck off. And I’m going to make it crystal clear. Stay the hell out of my life.”
Her jaw tightens, but I don’t stop there. The words spill out before I can hold them back. “And just so we’re clear, if you ever come near me again, I’ll have you arrested for stealing from my bank account. Don’t forget, I’ve got all the evidence. I could have you locked up in an instant.”
Kate’s face goes pale, the smugness from earlier slowly draining from her expression. For a brief moment, it looks like I’ve caught her off guard, and I can see the threat in her eyes as she weighs her options.
Her posture softens, just a little. She takes a step back, but not before fixing me with a glare that could kill. “You think this is over, don’t you?” she sneers, voice dripping with venom. “It’s far from it.”
I stand my ground, my pulse steady, my breaths controlled. “I don’t care. Just stay out of my way, or I’ll make sure it’s the last mistake you ever make.”
She huffs, clearly pissed, but after another tense moment, she turns on her heel and walks away. Her steps are quick, purposeful, but there’s a shadow of something in her retreat that tells me this isn’t finished. Not by a long shot.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, my heart still pounding but a sense of relief washing over me. I don’t have to let her control me anymore.
When I arrive back at Miranda’s place, the door swings open, and I step inside, my heart still pounding from the encounter with Kate. The tension in my chest hasn’t loosened, but the confrontation gave me a strange sense of control. Still, as I close the door behind me, a heaviness settles back in. The silence of the apartment feels louder than ever.
Miranda is already home from work, her coat discarded on the back of a chair. She looks up from the kitchen, whereshe’s been rummaging through the cabinets, and her eyes immediately land on me.
“Clary, what happened?” she asks, setting the jar of tea she was reaching for aside and walking toward me. Her expression softens with concern.
I drop my bag on the floor and lean against the doorframe, suddenly feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. My thoughts swirl in a chaotic mess—Kate’s threats, the baby, the lies, Rory. I can feel my breath catch in my chest as I try to sort through it all, but it’s too much.
“She came after me,” I start, my voice cracking, though I didn’t expect it to. “Kate… she knows. She knows I haven’t told Rory he’s the father.”
Miranda crosses the room, pulling me into a hug without hesitation. I lean into her, closing my eyes, appreciating the warmth and steadiness she offers. For a moment, I just stand there, letting the tears threaten, though I don't let them fall.
When she pulls back, her hands on my shoulders, she searches my face, her voice softer now. “What are you going to do about it, Clary?”
I look at her, uncertainty filling me as I realize I have no answers right now. “I honestly have no idea.”
31
RORY
The text shouldn’t have surprised me.
And yet, staring at the words on my screen—I’m quitting as your assistant—it still feels like a sucker punch.
I’ve read it so many times over the past couple of days that I could probably recite it by now. Not that it changes anything. The words remain the same. Clary’s still gone.
I thought maybe she just needed space. That after the gala, after everything, she’d cool off and we’d figure things out. That she’d come back.
But she hasn’t. And she won’t.
I should let it go.Move on, you know?I tell myself that as I shove my phone onto my desk and drag a hand down my face. If Clary wants to be done with me, fine. She was just an assistant. I can replace her.
Which is why, by midweek, I have a new one sitting outside my office.
