CHAPTER 36: GETTING FRAMED

Catherine’s POV

I expected him to leave, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned the lock and started walking toward me.

"Julian," I warned, my voice sharper than I thought it could be. "Why are you locking the door? Get out."

"I’ve let you talk too much, Catherine," he said quietly. "Maybe you’ve forgotten where you are."

My chest tightened. "And what’s that supposed to mean?" I snapped, glaring at him.

He only smiled, slow, smug, and infuriating. "It means you shouldn’t test me."

"Save yourself some dignity," I shot at him but he laughed.

"Look who is talking about dignity. At least I’m not the one trying so hard to get noticed by a boy."

Huh? Get noticed by a boy? What on earth did he mean by that?

"You had to dress up like a whore to get Collins’ attention. Shows how despicable you are."

Oh, I got it now. He was speaking from pain or jealousy.

"This is a fucking nightwear, moron. Not everyone has a perverted mind like you."

"Perverted? Watch me show you just how perverted I am," he said and began to walk towards me.

I couldn’t say anything, I just kept glaring at him in a way to warn him to stay away, but with an annoying smug on his face, he kept moving.

He didn’t stop. Every step he took felt deliberate, heavy, until the back of my knees hit the bed and I sat down hard.

He was now standing over me, staring down. All I could do was breathe hard, stupid thoughts flashing in my head.

When I least expected it, he crashed down and grabbed my legs, pulling me forward through them. Before I knew what was happening, he was spreading my legs apart.

"Stop this nonsense, Julian! Not again, stop fucking treating me like your toy."

He didn’t stop. His fingers slowly trailed their way up into my legs.

With a shaky voice, I spoke again. "What are you doing? Planning to get me wet and run away as usual, right!"

He paused and gave me the most insulting reply ever, "no, I am doing what you want Collins to do to you. Maybe you can finally stop whoring around."

How dare he?! Without thinking, I sat up and tried to slap him but he held my wrist, stopping me.

"Let go of me!" I fought, trying to release my hand but it wasn’t working, instead his grip tightened, while he used his other hand to wrap around my waist, pulling me forward.

Before I could process all that movement, his lips came crashing down on mine. I didn’t want to kiss him back but the way he was sucking my lips like his life depended on it, wasn’t helping things.

I kissed him back, though my momentum was slower. Maybe because I was new to this.

Girl, you are letting him fool you again. After the kiss, he will toss you aside and spend all his time with that other girl.

I had that weird thought in my head, and without a second thought, I bit him hard on his lower lip.

"Argh! What the fuck!" He winced in pain, while I used the opportunity to rise to my feet and run into the bathroom.

"That’s exactly what you get for trying to fuck with me!"

He stood, looking hard at me. His legs started to move but before he could get to me, I shut the door hard on his face.

I only stepped out of the bathroom after I heard my door close.

I wanted to remain in my room and study but I couldn’t stop touching my lips, I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss.

What could Julian be doing now? Was he thinking of the kiss too? I wondered and decided to step out of my room.

Once I got out, the noise of the party hit me. There were still so many people around and it made my face squeeze hard.

I wanted to turn back and go back to my room but Lucy appeared, flashing a smile at me.

"Hey," she called. "You didn’t come out for the party. Thought Julian was going to invite you."

Her annoying voice rang in my head. I stared hard at her before rolling my eyes and turning to leave.

"Catherine," she called out, running to me. I ignored her still.

Until she grabbed my elbow. The heck was wrong with this girl? Was she that blind to understand that I didn’t want to talk to her?

"Let go of me, this minute!" My voice rang out cold while I stared at her and that’s when I noticed the look of mischief in her eyes and how her lips spread into a dark smile.

"What are you smiling at? I said let go!"

She immediately dropped my arm and scoffed. "What’s wrong with you? Why are you so uptight? You act like you were born into this rich world but you are just an opportunist who got lucky."

My eyes flew open. Never did I expect her tongue would be this sharp.

"What did you just say?" I demanded. She looked around, then back at me, that dark smile still there.

Then she moved closer, and lowered her voice. "You do not deserve a place in the Vaughn house, Catherine, so you better stop treating me like you own this place."

I paused for a while, my eyes blinking in shock. "Does Julian know this side of you?"

She smirked. "Julian knows me as his sweet girl. I understand you’ve been jealous of the attention he gives me but sorry not sorry, you can never have that."

It was my turn to scoff. "Do you really think so? Julian would pick me over you, any time and any day."

I opened my mouth to speak but shut them up immediately. Why was I even wasting my time with someone like her? She wasn’t worth it.

Without wasting further time, I turned around.

"Don’t you dare walk out on me!" Her voice rose a bit high, as she grabbed a fistful of my hair.

"Lucy! Have you lost your mind? Take your hands off me," I yelled in pain.

She didn’t listen, instead she dragged me to the wall, resting her stomach on my back, as her lips moved to my ear. "You insolent, little brat! I have dealt with so many girls like you. Do not push me to the wall."

I chew my teeth, rage biting deep in my bones. "You are hurting me, Lucy. Please let go!"

"Oh wow, she can actually beg. Say it again."

"I said beg again," she repeated, grabbing my hair harder.

"Please... Lucy... please,"I pleaded, unable to bear the pain. It felt like my hair would pull off from my scalp any moment from now.

She let out a laugh before releasing me. I turned around, sniffing my anger in, while she stared at me with a scornful smile.

"Good girl, I hope you’ve learnt your lesson now."

She was about to walk away when Julian’s voice came.

"Lucy? Are you there?"

She turned back at me, wide eyed.

Great, I was going to tell Julian about how she just assaulted me.

But I guess Lucy was just way too smart because she immediately fell to the floor and let out a loud cry.

Before I knew what was happening, Julian ran to us and after he saw her on the floor, he shot me a hard glare. "What did you do to her!"

Was he being serious? How could he just conclude that it was me?

I bit hard at the side of my cheek, shaking my head in disbelief, "I didn’t do anything to her. She was the...."

Before I could complete my sentence, Lucy let out another sharp cry. "Julian, I told she hates me. How could she hit me and throw me to the look because I was trying to talk things out with her."

She just lied through her teeth and that moron seemed to believe her. In anger, I walked to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Stop lying! I was the one who got assaulted..."

Julian dragged me back, protecting her. "Take your hands away from her. Catherine, it’s obvious you’ve disliked Lucy since she came to the house but I didn’t think you were the violent type."

"Moron!" I fired at him. "She is the one who is lying here. Can’t you see it?"

"See what?" He fired back. "Lucy is clearly the one who is on the floor. I heard her scream even before I appeared here, so stop with your lies. Gosh!"

I nodded my head, accepting that there was no point going forward with this. That bitch just framed me after abusing me and Julian foolishly took her side.

"Believe whatever the fuck you want to believe," I groaned. "What did I expect? That you would pick me over your fuck partner! Heck no!"

I walked out at once, leaving the two love birds to have fun together.