Chapter 62 Chapter 62: An Obedient Dog Part 2
Cathy's P.O.V
I took my time, applying foundation, contouring my cheekbones, adding a subtle smoky eye that made my eyes look bigger and more dramatic. I finished with a bold red lipstick that matched the dress.
When I looked at myself in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back at me. She looked confident, powerful, beautiful. She looked nothing like the plain, obedient dog Xavier had described.
But I wasn't done yet. I pulled a long black coat from my closet and slipped it on over the dress, buttoning it up so that Xavier wouldn't be able to tell what I was wearing underneath. So he wouldn't be able to figure out what my intentions were.
I grabbed my purse, checking to make sure I had my phone, my wallet, and my keys. My heart was pounding now, adrenaline rushing through my veins.
I took one last look at myself in the mirror. "You can do this," I whispered to my reflection. "You're not who he thinks you are."
Then I turned and walked out of the guest room, my heels clicking against the marble floors as I made my way downstairs.
The mansion was eerily quiet as I descended the grand staircase. I half expected Xavier to appear from somewhere, to question where I was going all dressed up. But the hallways remained empty.
As I reached the bottom of the stairs, one of the maids appeared from the kitchen, carrying a tray of dishes.
"Mrs. Dalton," she said, looking surprised to see me. "I didn't know you were going out."
"Where is my husband?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.
"Mr. Dalton and Miss Caroline left for the Dalton estate about twenty minutes ago," the maid replied. "They said they would be staying the night there, Madam Dalton has asked them over."
I felt a surge of satisfaction. Perfect. That was absolutely perfect.
"Thank you," I said to the maid, and then I walked out the front door before she could ask any more questions.
The evening air was cool against my face as I walked to where my car was usually parked at the garage. I slipped into the driver's seat, started the engine, and pulled out of the driveway without looking back.
My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I drove through the city streets. I knew where I was going. I had known from the moment I turned off that tablet, from the moment I heard Xavier call me an obedient dog.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up in front of a sleek high rise building in the heart of the city. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat, and my palms were sweating despite the cool evening air.
I got out of the car and walked to the entrance, my heels clicking against the pavement. The doorman recognized me from my previous visit and nodded politely, holding the door open.
I stepped into the lobby and made my way to the elevators. My finger trembled slightly as I pressed the button for the penthouse suite.
The elevator ride felt like it took forever. I watched the numbers climb higher and higher, each ding of the bell making my heart race faster.
What was I doing? Was this crazy? Was I really about to do this?
But then I remembered Xavier's words. Plain as fuck. Obedient dog. Doesn't even compare to Caroline.
The anger flared up again, hot and bright, and I straightened my spine. Yes, I was doing this. I was proving to myself, if not to anyone else, that I wasn't what Xavier thought I was.
The elevator doors opened, and I stepped out into the hallway. There was only one door up here, one penthouse suite that took up the entire floor.
I walked up to it and raised my hand to knock. For a moment, I hesitated, my knuckles hovering inches from the wood.
This was it. Once I did this, there was no going back. Everything would change.
But maybe that was exactly what I needed. Maybe I needed to burn down the old version of myself, the one who had been content to live in Xavier's shadow, and become someone new.
I knocked on the door, three sharp raps that echoed in the quiet hallway.
Seconds ticked by. I could hear movement from inside, footsteps approaching the door. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might burst out of my chest.
The door swung open, and Hunter stood there, looking surprised to see me. He was wearing casual clothes, a simple black t shirt and jeans, his hair slightly messy like he had been running his hands through it.
"Cathy?" he said, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't answer because if I opened my mouth to speak, I might lose my nerve. I might second guess myself, might turn around and run back to the safety of being Xavier's obedient wife.
So instead, I did the only thing I could think of.
I stepped forward, reached up, grabbed the front of Hunter's shirt, and pulled him down to me. And then I kissed him.
It wasn't a gentle kiss, wasn't a tentative exploration. It was passionate, desperate, angry. I poured everything I was feeling into that kiss. All the rage, all the hurt, all the need to prove that I was more than what Xavier thought I was.
For a second, Hunter was frozen in shock, his body stiff against mine. But then his hands came up to grip my waist, and he was kissing me back just as desperately.
The world fell away. There was no Xavier, no Caroline, no mansion, no betrayal. There was just this moment, just this feeling of being wanted, of being seen as more than just plain, more than just an obedient dog. And for the first time in days, I felt like I could finally breathe.
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Hey guys! Hope you’re enjoying the story!
So…I know I should probably post daily instead of dumping all chapters at once, but since I’m working on an Exclusive and a couple short stories on the side, I usually work on this story on the weekends. Since I publish this on multiple platforms, scheduling updates can get troubling as well…trust me, been there and made several mistakes…so the best thing is to…chapter dump all at once.
I know a lot of my readers would want regular updates but currently, this is the only way that works for me.
Until next week…stay safe, stay healthy and happy reading!