CHAPTER 49: MANIPULATIVE BITCH!

Catherine’s POV

I should’ve known Lucy’s kindness was a façade the moment she started smiling too much at me.

That morning began like every other. I sat in the dining room, going over my class notes while sipping coffee. I had a test the next day, and my handwriting was starting to blur together from the lack of sleep.

Lucy appeared at the table.

"Morning, Catherine," she greeted, too cheerfully. It was surprising because she only did that when the boys were around.

I shook my head and mumbled back. "Morning," returning my eyes to my book.

She sat opposite me, and I could hear her chew on a strawberry like it offended her. "You’re studying early. You always do that, don’t you? So disciplined."

"Yeah," I said. "Some of us have to actually pass exams."

Her smile didn’t falter, but her eyes cooled. "Of course. I wouldn’t know any of that because I didn’t attend college"

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just smiled lightly. For a few minutes, there was nothing but the sound of my pen scratching paper. Then she leaned forward, with her elbow on the table. "You know, Julian mentions so many good things about you. What’s the deal with the two of you?"

My hand froze mid-sentence. "There’s no deal. I told you that before."

"Mm-hm." She licked strawberry juice off her thumb. "But I keep noticing the sneakiness between you two."

Something in my chest flickered, and I hated that it did. "We live in the same house. We are bound to see each other constantly, there’s nothing sneaky about it."

"Right." Her gaze dropped to my open notes. "What are you working on?"

"Psychology."

She nodded and reached across the table. I thought she wanted to see the page but her elbow brushed my cup instead, and coffee spilled in a brown flood over my notes.

I shot up, too stunned to speak at first. The ink bled into the paper, the words vanishing beneath a spreading stain.

"Lucy!" My voice cracked. "What the hell?!"

Her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to."

"Stop lying. You were literally leaning over my stuff—"

"It was an accident, Catherine. Don’t make such a big deal out of it."

She was lying through her teeth like the last time and I knew it.

A hot wave of anger rose in me. "Those were my revision notes! I spent hours on them!"

She frowned, feigning guilt. "I said I’m sorry. You don’t have to bite my head off."

Footsteps approached, and I turned to see Julian standing in the doorway, his hair was messy and his T-shirt creased. He must’ve just woken up. His eyes flicked between us, then down at the ruined papers.

"What’s going on?"

I pointed at Lucy. "Your girl spilled coffee on my notes."

"It was an accident," Lucy defended quickly, staring wide-eyed and innocently. "I was just asking her something and the cup tipped."

Julian ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. "Okay, calm down, both of you."

I folded my arms. "I am

calm."

"She’s overreacting," Lucy muttered.

Julian glanced at me, then at her, clearly uncomfortable. "Lucy, maybe help her rewrite it or something. Catherine, it’s just notes."

Just notes.

My stomach twisted. Of course he’d take the neutral route, as far as it came to her. I could see that careful restraint in his eyes, that unwillingness to upset Lucy.

I didn’t say anything. I just gathered my soaked papers and left the room before they could see the tears stinging my eyes.

—

That night, I was supposed to be sleeping but I couldn’t. I decided to step out and maybe grab something to munch on.

The house was dark, silent except for the hum of the refrigerator downstairs. I pulled on a hoodie and padded barefoot through the hallway. As I passed the balcony, a faint glow caught my eye.

Julian was standing outside and of course he was smoking.

I opened the sliding door before I could stop myself. "You’ll die early if you keep doing that."

He didn’t turn around. "What are you doing up?"

I stepped out, folding my arms against the cold. "Couldn’t sleep. You?"

He shrugged. "Same."

The moonlight caught the sharp lines of his shoulders, the way his muscles flexed when he brought the cigarette to his lips. I looked away before my thoughts went places they shouldn’t.

He finally turned to me, one eyebrow raised. "You always sneak around the house at night?"

"Only when I’m not being harassed by caffeine assassins," I said, crossing my arms tighter.

A smirk ghosted across his mouth. "You’re still mad about that?"

"Yes. She ruined my notes."

He exhaled smoke, watching it fade into the air. "Lucy said it was an accident."

I frowned. "And of course, if Lucy said it, then it must be true."

His eyes flicked toward me, holding amusement mixed with warning. "Why can’t the two of you just get along?"

"I don’t like people who pretend to be nice while plotting world domination."

He chuckled lowly, that deep, rough sound and it made something in me stir. "You’re dramatic."

"Maybe," I said. "But I’m not stupid."

He leaned against the railing, eyes fixed on me now. "You should go back to bed."

"Why? Afraid I’ll bite?"

He smirked. "Wildcats usually do."

My breath hitched. "Stop already. Stop calling me that."

"No. It suits you."

He took a step closer, slow, deliberate. My back hit the wall behind me, and I didn’t move. His face was half-shadowed, but his eyes pinned me in place.

"You know," he said softly, voice rougher now, "I’m trying to keep my distance like you wanted but it’s still so hard."

My pulse jumped. "So you give up on things so easily?"

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

"I didn’t mean that," I added immediately and his gaze dropped to my lips, before flicking back to my eyes.

He leaned in, just a little, and I swear, if either of us breathed too loudly, it would’ve happened.

But then he blinked, pulled back, and turned away, exhaling sharply.

"Goodnight, Cath— Wildcat."

I was supposed to get angry but I felt something else.

He crushed the cigarette against the railing, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked inside.

I stood there long after he was gone, my heart pounding. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why did I even say that?!