Chapter 10
“No, thank you. I’m not thirsty.”
Roschelle’s smile faltered for a second before she pressed the juice forward again. “Sir Argent, Kier, and Rissa have all had some and said it’s good. You might like it too.”
As she spoke, she seemed a bit shy and glanced back at Kieran, who was standing behind her. “Kier said I’ll be staying here for the next few months. We gotta get along. Don’t be so suspicious of me.”
Alarieka tightened her grip on the doorknob. “I said no.”
“Alarieka!”
Kieran’s warning cut through the air. She snapped her head toward him.
His eyes were sharp and cold, lips pressed into a thin, impatient line. “Don’t make things difficult for Rose.”
Alarieka couldn’t help but scoff. She had always thought Kieran was a cold, clueless guy who couldn’t care less. But it wasn’t that he didn’t get it. He only cared about Roschelle and her son.
Roschelle looked down sadly and took a step back. “It’s okay. I can understand why Ms. Huston doesn’t like me.”
Before she could finish, under Kieran’s piercing gaze, Alarieka decisively grabbed the juice and drained it in one gulp. She handed the empty glass back to Roschelle, took a deep breath, and locked eyes with Kieran. “Kieran, are you satisfied now?”
Kieran’s eyes narrowed a bit.
“Leave me alone!”
Alarieka sneered, turned around, and slammed the door shut. Then she hurried to the bathroom sink, bent down, and used her fingers to gag, forcing the juice back up. She leaned on the edge of the sink, gasping for breath. Her hair was damp, sticking to the side of her pale lips.
This was how it had started. Roschelle handed her a glass like this, and without thinking, she drank that drugged juice. This time, she vowed to avoid those traps and stay away from Kieran. She didn’t want to get involved with him anymore.
Five minutes later, shouts erupted outside her door. She ignored them, focusing instead on her math problems. But then a loud bang shook the door, followed by Clarissa’s sharp voice. “Alarieka, get the hell out of here! What did you put in Kieran’s room? Come out now!”
At first, Alarieka didn’t respond. But Clarissa kept pounding on the door, and the table she was writing on started to shake.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me!”
Alarieka yanked off her headphones and flung the door open. Clarissa’s hand hung awkwardly in the air, eyes locked fiercely on her.
“What do you want?”
Clarissa sneered, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her forcefully into Kieran’s room across the hall.
Inside, Kieran’s face darkened as he stared at the pink envelope in his hand. Veins bulged on the back of his hand, and his pale fingertips showed how mad he was. Roschelle stood next to him, holding onto his arm with both hands, her cheek resting softly on his shoulder, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, the very picture of fragile innocence.
“Kier, how could you keep someone else’s love letter in your room?” She cast a hurt glance at Alarieka, hesitating to speak.
Kieran’s fist tightened around the envelope until it crumpled and tore. Then he reached out and pulled Roschelle closer, his voice hoarse. “I’ll handle it.”
Roschelle nodded gently. “Okay, I trust you.”
Alarieka’s gaze hardened as she looked at them.
Clarissa yanked her hand away. “Alarieka, how dare you shove a love letter into Kieran’s room? Don’t you feel disgusting?”
Alarieka rubbed her wrist calmly. “I didn’t. It’s not mine.” She had never done anything like that. This was definitely not her doing.