Chapter 12 You are my kitten
Roger's eyes flickered, and his body tensed at the mention of Tonia, causing him to quickly let go, his mood sour. "I already told you. Once she's mine, we can sign the divorce papers."
His sudden coldness sent a chill down her spine, and the harsh reality hit her. She had no place in his heart and would always be second to Tonia in the eyes of those who mattered to her.
For a moment, she entertained the idea that things could change, and she could abandon her plan to start anew elsewhere. However, this was her breaking point.
"You never truly had Tonia, and if I was the reason she didn't accept you, why not try again with the new evidence?" The pain in her heart was raw, but she composed herself with dignity as his gaze remained cold. She added,
“The fact that I’m not pregnant?” She could use him to deliver the message her father didn’t believe.
As much as she wanted to avoid them, she needed to clarify that nothing had happened between her and Roger that night, except for the passionate kiss they shared before getting a room.
Without waiting for a response, she rushed out of the shower room, dried her hair, and quickly put on her pajamas. Roger, with just a towel around his waist and damp hair, entered after his shower, his expression neutral.
Something felt off. He sensed it but couldn't pinpoint it. "Why did you wake up so early?" Unease gripped his heart, yet there was no concrete reason for it.
He arrived home in the early hours of the morning, expecting her to be asleep, only to find her in the shower. It struck him as odd.
Karen hesitated for a moment, her thoughts muddled before she came up with a perfect excuse. "I was so tired after coming back from my parents' house that I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed. When I woke up to use the bathroom, I remembered to take a shower."
Satisfied, Roger's lips twitched into a brief smile. "Then you must be hungry."
He changed into his pajamas, prepared to make her something to eat, but Karen was tired of his feigned concern, feeling overshadowed by her sister.
"Don't pretend to care. I'm no longer pregnant."
Roger was overwhelmed with exhaustion. He had never had a girlfriend before, and now he was married. The responsibility was more significant than he had anticipated because Karen was not as meek as he had initially thought.
"But you are still my wife. My responsibility," he pointed out. Karen wanted to scream to let him know she was not pleased with his double-faced behavior.
One moment he was nice to her, and at the mention of Tonia, he would act cold. However, remembering Van's warning, she decided to play nice.
All that mattered was for Roger to leave without any suspicions because if he did, there would be no escape for her.
"I'd like cinnamon rolls and mocha. Can you get me that?" He had cooked whenever he was around, but they were simple dishes, so she wasn’t expecting him to take on the challenge, which he did to her surprise.
“That will take around two to four hours. Can you wait?” His voice had turned deceptively soft, which she abhorred, but that long? No way. The earlier he goes to bed, the earlier he’d wake up and leave.
“You know what, blueberry pancakes will be fine.”
The smile in the corner of his lips was not missed, but somehow, she found herself following him to the kitchen.
Watching Roger make her breakfast was torture, but she found it consoling that it was the last time she was going to see him.
Which woman would not want a hot hunk with excellent culinary skills? Too bad his heart already belonged to her undeserving adopted sister, and now, it was time to let go and start afresh.
Even without a divorce, she could return better to face him in court, but now, she was no match for him.
“What time are your lectures? I can drive you to school," Roger hinted during breakfast. Karen choked on her delicious mocha. "Ahem, ahem," she coughed.
Worried, Roger was by her side. "Are you alright?"
Why did he have to pretend so well? These were the things that made Karen's stomach giddy, but she knew better than to let her stupid heart continue to lead her on.
"I'm skipping school today. I just want to rest."
Worry crept onto Roger's face. The nerd skipping school? Too weird. "Are you sick? I…" His arms wrapped around her, causing her cheeks to pink. She pushed him gently away.
"No, I'm fine. No one believes that nothing happened between me and you. My parents won't take me back, so at least allow me some space." She didn't mean to sound weak, but it was.
Guilt shone in Roger's eyes, though to him, he was just being honest. It was already hard for him to break the news that there was no baby, so nothing could be wrong in putting one there, right?
The fact that he had accepted that she was pregnant with his child made her the right candidate to be the mother of his child.
"I should have gone with you, but..." he paused, sorrow filling his eyes. "Lexi lost her mother to asthma."
Sympathy welled up in Karen's heart as she remembered the name. Yes, that sophisticated woman from over a month ago at the hospital.
"Please convey my condolences to..." she paused, unsure how to address her. "If I may ask, is she your girlfriend?"
Roger gave her a strange look. "Our relationship is complicated." How could he explain that Lexi was his sister's best friend and that everyone had been trying to set them up since childhood, despite the age difference?
As he pondered this, he realized that Karen was around the same age as Lexi, which made things even more complicated for him. His response left Karen wondering what else he might be hiding from her.
It was unusual for them to be sleeping in the early hours of the morning, but that was exactly what was happening.
Karen was the first to go upstairs, leading Roger to believe she was asleep when he joined her. Once again, he wrapped his arms around her midsection and kissed her hair, this time lingering longer than before.
“You are my kitten, and so shall you remain.”