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THE COST OF LOVE AND PASSION
img img THE COST OF LOVE AND PASSION img Chapter 8 SMOKE AND MIRRORS
8 Chapters
Chapter 10 FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE- AS THE CASE MAY BE img
Chapter 11 ROYAL RECEPTION AND A DREAM IN REALITY img
Chapter 12 THE NIGHTMARE img
Chapter 13 COLLISION COURSE img
Chapter 14 DOWN THE RABBIT'S HOLE img
Chapter 15 SEEDS OF DOUBT img
Chapter 16 ENTANGLEMENTS img
Chapter 17 COLD AND DISTANT img
Chapter 18 GLORIA img
Chapter 19 KATE'S PUNISHMENT img
Chapter 20 RECONCILIATIONS img
Chapter 21 UNRAVELING THE PAST AND SOMETHING MORE img
Chapter 22 A ROOM FOR TWO img
Chapter 23 THE VISIT img
Chapter 24 THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM img
Chapter 25 UNSPOKEN TRUTHS img
Chapter 26 HEAVY BURDENS img
Chapter 27 THE WEIGHT OF DECISIONS img
Chapter 28 SPEAK TO ME img
Chapter 29 THE TRIP img
Chapter 30 ALICE'S WONDERLAND img
Chapter 31 JUST THE TWO OF US img
Chapter 32 RED ALERT img
Chapter 33 IN KATE I TRUST img
Chapter 34 MASTERMIND img
Chapter 35 THE STRENGTH WITHIN img
Chapter 36 NO MORE WHAT IFS img
Chapter 37 STEPPING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT img
Chapter 38 CHAPERONE img
Chapter 39 A QUEEN-SIZED TREAT img
Chapter 40 THE FIRST DAY ON SET img
Chapter 41 A MUCH NEEDED DISTRACTION img
Chapter 42 SWEET MOTHER img
Chapter 43 THE WOMAN SHE WAS img
Chapter 44 THE UNTHINKABLE img
Chapter 45 PRETENDING TO BE FINE img
Chapter 46 MY STALKER FROM A DISTANCE img
Chapter 47 THE FUN TRAIN IS BACK img
Chapter 48 THE PERFECT WEAPON img
Chapter 49 THE NEXT MOVE img
Chapter 50 FIGHT FOR ME img
Chapter 51 WALKING AWAY img
Chapter 52 THE RECKONING img
Chapter 53 THE BREAKING POINT img
Chapter 54 THE QUIET THAT FOLLOWED img
Chapter 55 CALL FROM THE DEVIL img
Chapter 56 JUST ME AS KATE img
Chapter 57 CAT OUT OF THE BAG img
Chapter 58 FIRST BLOOD img
Chapter 59 SAINT OR DEMON img
Chapter 60 STILL US img
Chapter 61 COMING HOME img
Chapter 62 THE WOLF'S TEETH img
Chapter 63 MY FAVOURITE PERSON img
Chapter 64 KEVIN'S POISONS img
Chapter 65 ENOUGH- FOR NOW img
Chapter 66 UNSCRIPTED img
Chapter 67 MY UNCONVENTIONAL FRIEND img
Chapter 68 A BOX FULL OF NOTHING img
Chapter 69 THE BEST GIFT img
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Chapter 8 SMOKE AND MIRRORS

Jared's POV

The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of frost and burning wood. As I drove away from Kate's apartment, the image of her standing by the doorway lingered in my mind. Her smile had been forced, her fingers twitching slightly as she clutched the roses I gave her. Something wasn't right.

I knew Kate well enough- well at least I think I do to some extent- to recognize when she was shaken. And this morning? She was definitely shaken.

My grip tightened around the steering wheel, the smooth leather, cool beneath my fingertips. The city outside blurred past in muted shades of gray and amber-coffee shops buzzing with early risers, couples strolling hand in hand, red and pink balloons tied to storefronts. Valentine's Day had painted the world in soft romance, but my gut was heavy with suspicion.

Something had happened before I got there.

And whatever it was, she didn't want me to know.

I replayed the moments in my head. The way she had hesitated before coming to me, the subtle panic in her eyes when Sophia nearly flung the door open. The way she had been too eager to get rid of something-something she tossed into the fireplace the second she saw me.

I might have brushed it off if I hadn't caught the last flicker of flames dancing over what looked like- a card?

My jaw clenched.

If she thought I hadn't noticed, she was wrong.

I turned onto the highway, my fingers drumming against the steering wheel. The logical part of me told me to let it go. If it was important, she would tell me. But the other part-the part that had learned not to trust too easily-whispered that secrets had a way of unraveling at the worst moments.

And I couldn't afford any more surprises.

Not after everything.

Not with Kevin still lurking in the shadows.

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. No. Kate wouldn't lie to me. Not about something important.

Would she?

The question gnawed at me like an itch I couldn't scratch.

A buzz from my phone snapped me out of my thoughts.

Incoming call: Mark.

I pressed the button on the steering wheel to answer.

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna want to see this," Mark's voice was edged with something that made my spine straighten. "Check your email. Right now."

I frowned, reaching for my phone at the red light. The screen glowed as I opened the attachment.

My blood ran cold.

A grainy image loaded-blurry but unmistakable. A red envelope. The same kind I had seen in Kate's hands this morning. The same one she had burned.

Next to it? A single word, typed in an all-too-familiar, taunting font.

"Surprise."

Kevin.

A slow, burning rage spread through my veins. My fingers curled around the phone as the light turned green.

Kate had been protecting me.

But from what?

And how the hell had Kevin gotten to her first? How did he find out her Address?

The night was a rough one, for my mind was very unsettled. The next morning, I was up before dawn, it took me less than a few minutes to freshen up, I skipped breakfast and a call to my chauffeur, I drove myself down to Kate's.

The city blurred past me as I pressed down on the gas, the hum of the engine vibrating through my bones. I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I got back to Kate's apartment-an explanation, an excuse, maybe even more lies-but I knew one thing. I wasn't leaving until I got the truth.

The moment I pulled up in front of her building, I killed the engine and stepped out. The winter air bit at my skin, the sharpness doing little to cool the simmering heat in my chest.

I climbed the stairs two at a time, my heartbeat a steady, pounding rhythm in my ears. When I reached her door, I hesitated for a fraction of a second before knocking.

No answer.

I knocked again, this time firmer.

Still nothing.

I knew she was home. I could see the faint glow of light peeking through the curtains.

With a sigh, I leaned in, my knuckles rapping against the wood one last time. "Kate." My voice was low, controlled. "Open the door."

Silence.

Then, after a beat, the lock clicked.

The door cracked open just enough for me to see her face. Her wide, brown eyes locked onto mine, wary and uncertain. "Jared-"

"Are you going to let me in?"

She hesitated before stepping aside. I walked in, my eyes immediately scanning the apartment. The scent of lavender and coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the faint scent of burning paper. My gaze flickered to the fireplace, where the last remnants of the red envelope had turned to ash.

So she really had burned it.

Kate shut the door behind me, crossing her arms. She was wearing an oversized sweater, her bare legs peeking out beneath the hem. She looked soft, vulnerable. But I wasn't going to let that distract me.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice even, but edged with something sharper.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Don't do that." I took a step closer, and she instinctively took one back. "Don't lie to me."

She swallowed, her throat bobbing. "Jared, I-"

My eyes flickered to the fireplace again. "You burned something the second I walked in. Something you didn't want me to see."

She stayed silent.

I let out a breath, dragging a hand through my hair. "Kate, I need you to be honest with me. Is this about Kevin?"

Her entire body went rigid.

That was all the confirmation I needed.

A slow, cold anger coiled in my stomach. I should have known. Kevin had always been a problem lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And now, it seemed, he had found one.

"Tell me what he said."

She hesitated, then finally, after what felt like an eternity, she walked past me, grabbing a glass of water from the counter. She took a sip, then set it down with shaking fingers.

"He- he left a card." Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant.

I already knew that much, but I didn't interrupt.

"He said he sent me a gift," she continued, her hands gripping the edge of the counter. "And that his next one would be for my 'clueless fake fiancé.'" She exhaled sharply. "That's you, in case it wasn't obvious."

I clenched my jaw.

Kevin was taunting us.

"Did he threaten you?" My voice was measured, but there was an underlying edge to it.

She shook her head. "Not directly. But it's Kevin. He doesn't have to."

I crossed the room in three long strides, placing a hand under her chin and tilting her face up to mine. "You should have told me. What was the gift he sent you?"

Her eyes flickered like she was searching for something frantically. "I don't know, I found only the card at my doorstep- I guess the gift is letting me know he knows where I live"

I noticed how she held on tighter to her sweater fabric and how she avoided my gaze.

I huffed out a humorless laugh. "Kate, we need to be more careful keeping secrets doesn't make things better."

She pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself. "I just- I didn't want you to worry."

"That's not your call to make."

The words came out sharper than I intended, and I saw the way she flinched.

She turned away from me, staring at the fireplace where the ashes of Kevin's card still lingered.

"I just wanted today to be normal," she whispered. "Just for a little while."

My anger softened, just a little.

I stepped closer, my hands resting on her shoulders. "Kate-"

She sighed, leaning into my touch for just a moment before straightening. "What are we going to do?"

I didn't have an answer. Not yet.

But one thing was certain.

Kevin wasn't done playing his games.

And I wasn't going to let him lay a hand on the damsel I dragged into my mess.

"Alright, my regards to your lovely sis, I guess I'd be heading to the office now" I exited the door, got into my car and left.

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