My Stepbrother Wants Me

Chapter 215: Always A Step Ahead

Catherine’s POV

Richard’s gaze remained fixed on Julian, waiting for the explosion he clearly expected. He thrived on these moments; pushing his children to their limits just to see how they would react.

Julian’s knuckles were white as he gripped his wine glass. For a second, I was certain the glass would shatter and the dinner would end in a bloodbath of broken glasses and spilled red liquid. But Julian didn’t explode. Slowly, his fingers relaxed and forced a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

"I’m not exploding, Father," Julian said, his voice remarkably steady despite the fury I knew was roiling beneath the surface. "I’m just humbled by the scale of the vision. That’s really a very brilliant idea."

Richard raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by Julian’s restraint. "Of course, I’m that good, Julian. I expect you to understand that better than anyone."

"I do," Julian replied, leaning back in his chair. He was trying to sound casual, but the tension in his shoulders was obvious, maybe to just me. "However, I want to ensure the Vaughn brand isn’t spread too thin by three simultaneous engagements. It’s a lot of media attention to manage at once. We are all still in college, after all. Rushing into a triple engagement could look desperate or disorganized to our investors. Maybe we should take it slow. Focus on one couple at a time to maximize the publicity."

It was an attempt to buy time. Julian was throwing a wrench in the plan, trying to create a logical business excuse to delay the nightmare. He was staring at Richard, pleading silently for a reprieve.

Richard took a slow sip of his wine and shook his head. "Desperate? Disorganized? No, Julian. It looks like a dynasty. And as for college, I am not asking any of you to marry tomorrow. The engagement can happen anytime. It’s the marriage that can wait for only a little while. An engagement is a contract, a promise to the public and our partners. The actual ceremony can wait until you have your degrees, but the announcement needs to happen now."

The finality in Richard’s voice was like a gavel striking a bench. Julian’s attempt to buy time had failed before it even began. He looked down at his plate, his jaw tightening again.

Kiera, who had been watching the exchange, already knew what this was about but she wasn’t someone who panicked. She adjusted her posture, offering Richard a polite, professional smile.

"It’s certainly an ambitious plan, Mr. Vaughn," she started, her tone smooth and measured. "And I’m honored that you’d include me in such a significant family milestone. However, my father is very traditional. He’s not just a businessman; he’s a man of old-school values. I would need to inform him about the engagement and make sure he agrees before anything is made official. He’s very protective of how our name is used in the press."

Richard turned his gaze to her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I’m sure your father and I can come to an agreement, Kiera. I’ll have my people reach out to him, if you want... then we can begin the preliminary discussions. I doubt he’ll find any fault with an alliance with the Vaughns."

"I’m sure he won’t," Kiera replied, her smile never wavering. "But he does insist on being the one to make the final call on these matters. It’s a matter of respect in our circles."

While they were talking, Dante stayed silent. He had been so quiet for the last ten minutes that he practically blended into the wallpaper. He hadn’t touched his food, and I could see a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. He looked like he was about to have a panic attack right in the middle of the main course.

Richard noticed. He always noticed weakness. He turned his head toward him. "Dante? You’re very quiet over there. Are you okay? Is the food not to your liking, or is the talk of marriage too much for your constitution?"

Dante opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

I had to immediately step in and play the doting girlfriend. I reached over and placed my hand on his arm, feeling him trembling beneath the fabric of his jacket. I gave his arm a gentle, reassuring squeeze, leaning toward him as if we were sharing an intimate moment.

"He’s just overwhelmed, Richard," I said, forcing sweetness to drip from my voice. "It’s a big announcement. Dante isn’t used to the way we Vaughns do things. He’s a bit more private than the rest of us. Aren’t you, babe?"

Dante managed a weak nod, his eyes darting to me. Just then, I remembered Julian’s warning about such proximity to Dante and immediately looked at him. He looked so triggered. His eyes were fixated on my hand, his expression darkening until he looked truly lethal.

"It’s understandable," Julian said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He didn’t even look at me; he kept his eyes on Dante. "High society requires a certain level of grit. Some people just don’t have the stomach for it. Maybe Dante should have stuck to something a bit more... low-key."

Dante ignored him, still checking in his suits. This was clearly a form of panic attack but what was the cause? It couldn’t be the engagement.

Under the table, I felt a movement. Gabriel, who was sitting next to me, nudged my leg. I looked down slightly and saw him holding a small, folded piece of paper. He was being careful to keep it hidden from Richard’s line of sight. I took it quickly, slipping it into my lap and hiding it under my napkin.

I waited until Richard was distracted by a question from my mother before I risked a glance at the paper. It was a note Kiera must have given Gabriel earlier. The handwriting was sharp and hurried.

Don’t try to fight the engagement. Tell Julian too. We will all accept it. I have a plan to blow it up from the inside.

I felt a surge of hope, followed by a wave of anxiety. Accepting the engagement meant making the lie even bigger. It meant appearing in newspapers and hosting parties. It meant making it almost impossible to turn back. But if Kiera had a plan, it was the only thing we had to hold onto.

The rest of the dinner was more of forced conversation and Richard’s endless boasting. Once the dessert plates were cleared, Richard stood up, signaling the end of the evening.

"It has been a productive night," he said, looking around the table with satisfaction. "Julian, walk with me while I escort Dante and Kiera out. We have a few more details to settle regarding the press release."

Julian stood up, coldly complying. He followed Richard, Dante, and Kiera out toward the entrance. I stayed behind, my heart hammering against my ribs. Gabriel gave me a look that said he was going to stay out of the line of fire, and he disappeared toward the kitchen, helping my mom clear the dishes.

That left me alone with Lucy.

She hadn’t said much during the meal, but now that the men were gone, she let the mask slip. She stood up, smoothing out her dress, an ugly smirk resting on her face. She walked around the table until she was standing right in front of me.

"You look like you’re about to faint, Catherine," she mocked, her voice laced with venom. "What’s the matter? Don’t like the idea of being a bride?"

"I’m not in the mood, Lucy," I said, trying to push past her.

She stepped into my path, her eyes filled with evil. "You should be. After all, in a few months, we’ll be sisters. We’ll be living in this house together, bound by the same family name. And the best part? You’ll finally be out of Julian’s reach forever. Once you’re engaged to that pathetic little commoner, Julian won’t be able to look at you without remembering that you belong to someone else. And he’ll belong to me."

She leaned in, her voice a cruel whisper. "Richard knows what he’s doing. He’s putting you in a cage, and he’s handing the key to Dante. I can’t wait to see you try to wiggle out of this one. You’re done, Catherine. You lost."

She let out a sharp, grating laugh, while walking out. Stupid bitch!

I waited a few minutes, trying to compose myself, before I headed out into the hallway. I needed to find Julian and tell him about Kiera’s note before he did something stupid.

I found him standing near the tall windows at the end of the long hallway. He was alone, staring out at the dark driveway. His back was to me, but I could tell by the way he was standing that he was at his breaking point.

"Julian?" I called out softly.

He turned around, and the look on his face stopped me in my tracks. He looked physically ill.

"He did it," Julian said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Did what?" I asked, stepping closer to him, not confused but eager to know whatever Richard had done.

Julian shook his head, a bitter, lifeless laugh escaping his lips. "It’s over, Catherine. There is no delaying it. Richard told me in the study. He has already leaked the ’Triple Engagement’ news to a major social columnist. He didn’t even wait for the dinner to end. It’s already gone out."

"What?"

Even after what Kiera had told him about her dad?