Ken Johnson
BRIANNA’S POV
While on my bed, I practically blinked every two seconds to establish the fact that I wasn’t dreaming. Catherine Stan – the all-time elegant, perfect wife of Alpha King Sebastian. Only child and daughter of late Alpha King Castriel Hardwell. The Luna of Cornerstone pack cheating on her husband with none other than that piece of shit, Ken Johnson. I remembered her words to me that night she saw me returning from the small dinner date Sebastian organized for me and him like it was yesterday. It just seemed too hard to process. Too hard to take in. To accept.
I had known Ken Johnson from Aunt Gigi’s jewellery store where I had worked as a salesgirl. He was one of her most valued customers and came around almost every day to buy if not a pair of earrings, then a necklace, or a bracelet or an entire jewellery box collection to the extent I wondered who he was buying them for. Or if he was just using that as a disguise to come to the store every day and bother me and some of the other salesgirls.
Aunt Gigi saw him as a responsible, considerate man who wanted what was best for her business. But I saw him as nothing more than a hungry wolf waiting to feast on the bodies of innocent salesgirls.
I couldn’t count how many times I refused his sexual advances. He had wanted me to be his lover. His girl like he always called it. But I kept disappointing him.
At some point, I thought of telling Aunt Gigi about it. But restrained myself from doing so. I didn’t want to create hostility between them and jeopardize their buyer-seller relationship.
The disturbing, sexual noises coming from Catherine’s bedroom were enough to crack the walls of the castle. Although her and Sebastian’s bedroom was further away from mine, I could still hear the noises like it was close.
They have been fucking rounds after rounds. Hours after hours. And it was driving me nuts. The headache I had fought hard to suppress was now worse than ever.
Sighing and groaning, I turned restlessly on the bed and buried my face in the pillow in frustration, praying for the day to come fast. This I continued doing until I unknowingly fell asleep.
The next morning, I woke up before dawn as usual. My movements were slow as I prepared myself for the chores of the day.
Today was the third day and the end of the leave Catherine granted the maids. Which meant the castle will be loaded by this time tomorrow morning. Sebastian was also coming back tomorrow. He had said his business trip would last for three days. But I wondered how I’ll go about the reading lesson with him since Catherine gave me strict orders to stay away from him and never engage in any form of activity with him. Fuck!
Descending the stairs, I shot out a sigh as I saw Catherine and Ken’s pieces scattered all over. His belt. Her heels. His trousers. Her purse. His shoes.
Great. Just great. I muttered as I began picking them up and arranging them in a corner where they’ll see it easily when they come down. They had managed to turn me into a babysitter as well.
Making my way to the kitchen, I slid into an apron and hairnet to prepare breakfast. Since she had a guest, I battled within myself on whether to make two plates. Or just leave it to the usual one. The last thing I wanted this morning was for her to embarrass me in front of Ken.
The lunch of salad with grilled chicken and salmon I made for her yesterday was still in the fridge. I thought of leaving it as a makeup for her lunch this afternoon to avoid the stress of having to make another one. But a huge part of me warned me not to. In my few days of working for her, I knew for sure she’ll never eat leftover food.
After much thought, I decided to eat the leftover when I was sure she was out of sight. And also make two plates of breakfast. Even though I loathed the idea of having to make breakfast for that jerk, Ken.
I was assembling the ingredients that I needed for cooking when two arms attempted to snake themselves around my waist.
My heart skipped a notch in fear and I turned to see none other than Ken smirking like a mischievous child about to steal from the cookie jar. He was wearing an expensive silver-coloured silk robe I was sure was Sebastian’s. How shameless of him.
“How dare you try to touch me?” I threw my words at him like stones and reclined back against the counter. But he was close. Too close he could do something unexpected to me. The Ken I knew was a naughty imp.
Swiftly, I moved a bit further from him and tried to maintain firm control. I didn’t want him to think he could scare me. Or think I was the little, naïve girl I used to be back at the store.
“Brianna, Brianna, Brianna,” he put on a pitiful look I was sure was fake. “Still playing hard-to-get? And where has that landed you?” A mocking laugh bubbled out from his lips. “A castle maid. Scrubbing floors, waiting tables, wearing an apron and a hair net on a Thursday morning, making my breakfast,” he laughs some more. “If only you accepted my proposal, then I could have given you the entire world. I could have treated you like the princess that you were. I could have made you very very happy—”
“Save your happiness for your lovers,” I cut in sharply. “At least I’m in a better position, unlike you who travel across the entire kingdoms, sleeping with married women. Lunas for that matter,” I added.
The smile on his face vanished in an instant. He took a step forward and I took two steps back.
“The last time I checked, your aunt told me you were married off to some Alpha king—”
“That’s none of your business!” I interjected, making him growl in anger.
“My little princess has become hot-headed, uhh?” he snarled. “I’ll show you what my business truly is.”
He marched forward and before he could reach halfway, my hands instinctively grabbed the nearest weapon in sight. A kitchen knife.
“Don’t you dare come any closer!” I pointed the knife at him. That startled him and he halted his steps.
His dark mischievous eyes lingered in mine. But I occupied myself with looking for the nearest exit. I couldn’t get to the front because he was in my way. But the French doors that opened to the backyard garden were directly behind me.
“One way or the other, I’ll get you,” he ripped the words out from his throat as though it were a threat. But I pretended I didn’t hear him.
My steps were slow and cautious as I tried exiting from the French doors. But the moment I hear Catherine’s footsteps approaching, I stopped and hid the knife behind my back.
“What is going on in here?” Catherine inquired, her eyebrows quirked as she threw momentary glances at me and Ken. She was wearing the same red seductive nightwear from the night she caught me in her blue sequin mermaid gown. The one whose fabric was so thin, one could see her nipples poking out like two small, pointy thorns from underneath it.
“He tried to touch me,” I blurted.Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
Her piercing blue eyes stamped on Ken.
“Get out,” she said in a low but commanding tone.
“Seriously,” Ken asked, surprised. “You’re going to believe her? A maid?”
“I said, get the hell out,” she spelt out a yell and he gave up.
“Whatever,” Ken muttered and rolled his eyes before making his way to the kitchen door. When he got to the threshold, he glanced over his shoulder and smirked at me. I responded with a glare and tightened my grip on the knife handle. I prayed Catherine won’t see it.
“And make sure to take off that robe,” Catherine chipped in, looking in the direction of the door.
The moment she heard a distant “Whatever”, she returned her gaze to me.
“Now listen attentively to me,” her eyes hardened and grew a shade darker as she leaned forward to me. My heart missed a beat and a small fear suddenly held me. “Not a word of this to anyone. Not to Sebastian. Not to any of the maids. Not even to the shadows. Keep that tiny hole of yours sealed. Or else, I’ll do more than just lock you outside at night. Get it?” She leaned closer to the extent I could feel the heat radiating from her body.
I nodded. But almost reluctantly. I won’t tell the shadows. I won’t tell any of the maids. I won’t tell Sebastian. It would be an unwise thing for me to do. If I did, he might think I was lying, trying to disrupt his peaceful marriage. I just prayed within myself that he’ll find out one day.
“Good,” she said and retraced back. “Now, have two plates of breakfast made quickly,” she added before making her way out.