Chapter 92

"Who's out there?" Katrina's voice was sharp and controlled,slicing through the stillness like a blade.

She didn't hesitate and moved towards the door quickly.

Outside, the space was completely deserted. Not a single soul was there in sight.

Katrina stopped in her tracks, her keen eyes darting through the shadows. Out of nowhere, a sudden gust of wind swept past.

The door creaked, nudging softly against the frame,the sound startlingly loud in the quiet of the night.

Her expression didn't waver,radiating an icy calm that hinted at an underlying menace.

Turning back into the villa, she closed the balcony door firmly. Holding the spare phone in her grip, she began descending the stairs.

The master bedroom was eerily silent, the only sound coming from running water in the bathroom. Katrina's eyes flicked to the floor-the white tiles were pristine and bone-dry. She approached the bathroom door, gave it a light knock, and leaned in to listen, her ear resting against the cool wood.

"Sweetheart?" she called out.

No reply.

Whatever fleeting relief she'd felt earlier evaporated,replaced by a tightening unease curling in her chest.

She made her way to the table and picked up a fruit knife. With the blade firmly in hand, she returned to the bathroom door.

"Caiden,sweetheart? Are you in there?"

She called his name several times, but the only response was the persistent hiss of water flowing behind the door.

Katrina's fingers curled tightly around the doorknob,her other hand gripping the knife with an unyielding hold.

The blade was sharp-sharp enough to pierce a chest and sever an artery, causing instant death.

She knew this. She had done it before.

Even after all this time, the exact location of the heart remained seared into her mind, as though permanently etched like a blueprint. Taking a deep breath, she firmed her hold on the doorknob before shoving the door open with determined force.

Inside, Caiden lay relaxed in the bathtub, lazily scrolling through his phone. Startled by Katrina's sudden entrance, he lifted his gaze, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion. "What's going on? I'm just taking a bath."

Katrina hid the knife behind her back. "I've been calling you. Why didn't you respond?"

Glancing briefly at her, Caiden returned his attention to the screen. "I'm playing chess on my phone. Didn't hear a thing."

Katrina forced a nervous laugh. "I thought something had happened, like you slipped or worse. You gave me quite a scare! At your age, you've got to be more cautious, sweetheart. Don't stay in too long,okay?Come out soon."

Caiden didn't bother responding, his focus already absorbed by the game on his phone. Katrina lingered in the doorway, silently observing his relaxed profile.

Thoughts raced through her mind as she deliberated.Maybe this was the moment-she could step forward and end it right now. Just then, a knock broke the tension. The dangerous glint in Katrina's eyes disappeared in an instant. She left the room, returning the fruit knife to its usual place. Only after that did she turn the handle and open the door. She shot the housekeeper a sharp glare, her tone curt as she asked, "What now?"

The housekeeper faltered briefly before replying,"Ronald and Wyatt have arrived. They've brought some members of the Harper family with them."

Katrina's expression darkened into a deep frown.Returning to the room, she stated flatly,"Ronald and Wyatt are downstairs."

Without lifting his eyes from the screen, Caiden dismissed her words. "You deal with it. It's probably about jobs again. What can those fools even manage,anyway?"

Katrina's gaze lowered as she studied Caiden's indifferent profile. Her voice was calm but probing as she asked, "Did you go up to the rooftop earlier?"

Still focused on his game, he replied in a distracted tone, "Why would I go up there? I'm occupied here.Don't disturb me."

The tension in Katrina's chest finally started to subside,and a subtle smile crept onto her lips. "Alright. You focus on your game. I'll take care of it. I'll just tell them to talk to Daniela. Those penniless relatives of ours are more trouble than they're worth. Hiring them would only invite chaos into the company."

Running a company meant one golden rule: never mix family with business.

If they succeeded, they'd demand praise. If they failed,you couldn't even call them out.

It wvas a headache waiting to happen.

Caiden had always avoided hiring family, preferring to steer clear of unnecessary complications.

This approach pleased Katrina immensely.

To her, the Harper family's fortune was meant solely for Joyce. Letting these relatives into the business was like laying landmines-ready to go off and block Joyce's path when her time came to take the reins.

Handing this mess over to Daniela felt ideal. Daniela wasn't her child, so Katrina had no reservations about complicating her life.

Katrina took her time, slipping into a cozy outfit and carefully rubbing hand cream onto her skin. Only then did she make her way downstairs, her steps unhurried and composed.

Downstairs, Ronald paced restlessly, his frustration evident. "When is Katrina coming down? Does she think she can stay upstairs forever? If she won't come,then call Caiden down instead!"

The housekeeper responded courteously, "Mr. Harper is still in the bath, and Mrs. Harper oversees all family matters here. I ask for your patience."

Ronald glanced at his watch, his expression darkening."It's been over thirty minutes! How much longer do we have to sit here?"

The housekeeper, busy pouring drinks for the guests,seemed visibly uneasy.

Turning to his family, Ronald vented furiously. "Look at this! Do you see how full of herself she is? Katrina was nothing more than a housekeeper here once! She wormed her way into Caiden's bed while his first wife was too preoccupied to notice. Back in the day,a shameless woman like her would've had everyone pointing fingers. And now? She struts around as if she owns the place! She's the one calling the shots in the Harper family business while we, the real Harpers, are left out in the cold, unable to even secure jobs in our own company. And that's not the end of it. After shoving her own daughter into Daniela's company,she destroyed that connection by persuading Caiden to sever ties with Daniela entirely. Who does that? WVhat kind of woman operates like this? Why is she still even a part of this family?"

Desperation crept into Ronald's tone as he turned to the elderly woman on the sofa. "Mom, you have to step in. If you don't, she'll trample all over Wyatt and me!"

Despite her years,Peyton Harper remained sharp and perceptive.

She gave a decisive nod and addressed the housekeeper. "Go upstairs and tell Caiden his mother is here. Get him down at once! I kept quiet when Daniela was disrespected in this family, but now she's the CEO of Elie Lux, worth billions! And Caiden severed ties with her? Has he lost his senses?"

The housekeeper nodded obediently and started up the stairs to summon him.

As the housekeeper neared the stairs, Katrina appeared at the top, her face hard with cold disdain as she made her way down.

Ronald jabbed a finger at her, his voice rising. "Daniela told me she wanted to offer Wyatt and me top jobs -million-dollar salaries! And you destroyed it! Katrina,if you don't find us similar positions in Harper Group,this won't end here!"

Standing beside him, Wyatt tightened his fists and chimed in, "Exactly! You better do what we say!"Behind them, the rest of the Harper family nodded and murmured their support.