Chapter 0002

Katrina was defenseless and alone inside a suite on the top floor of a hotel with her sister's supposed killer. What if as she lay buried under the blanket at the moment, Aaron was towering over her with a knife?

Hers might not be a stab like her sister's, hers might be a cut in the neck.

Seconds turned into minutes, the atmosphere was stale, it was suffocating.

Katrina opened one eye. Under the blanket, the light inside the room was dimmed. No silhouette of a man touring over her. No more sounds from the room.

Where did he go?

Before she lingered in her confusion, the space beside her on the bed sank and her heart skipped a bit.

Katrina covered her mouth to suppress her yelp and her head snapped to her side.

Aaron lay on his side, facing her and staring straight at her through the fabric.

"Kat." He lifted his hand and tugged down the blanket, revealing her face. "Are you asleep?"

Katrina had closed her eyes again. And there was uncertainty in Aaron's tone. He might be doubting she was asleep.

But Katrina didn't budge from her position. She held her breath and lay still.

Kat.

She didn't want to remember the memories that endearment brought. This was the first time he called her that after so many years.

Moments later, Katrina could feel his fingers tracing up the linen of her dress. A cold shiver ran down her spine and she shuddered.

No. This was wrong.

Her heartbeat went into a frenzied state. And she finally moved.

She faked a yawn and eased out of his embrace until her body touched the edge of the bed.

And a deep sigh reached her ears. Or maybe she had imagined it.

Katrina could feel his gaze on her. Her back was now to him. She could feel his deep gaze.

And as she was no longer facing him, her hand slowly wandered up to her still-drumming chest.

Was it even a good idea to share the same bed? Wouldn't it land her in more trouble?

She only had her mission to focus on. She'd be making a great mistake by allowing anything to happen between them.

A few minutes later, Relief washed over Katrina as Aaron left the bed.

His footsteps moved toward the balcony and she waited for a while before lifting her head.

She sneaked a peak at that area.

His shadow stretched on the floor and puffs of cigarette smoke hung in the air.

A sigh left her lips and she lay back on the bed.

'You can do this,' she reassured herself inside. She would take greater risks if she had to. If not for the love she had for her sister, then for the regret of not treating her well and allowing a feud to come between them.

This might be the only way she would ever repay her sister.

...

Katrina didn't blink throughout the night and when morning came, she left the bed and stalled in the bathroom.

If only there was a way to prevent this honeymoon from happening. If only she could come up with a plan to make that happen.

Her sister passed away here in this city. Every clue she might need would be here. And she also had a job to return to. The job she had pretended to abandon in order to marry Aaron.

She would get rid of him as soon as possible and return to her normal life.

Still contemplating a way out, Katrina couldn't linger in the bathroom lest Aaron got suspicious. And just as she was about to step out, she slipped.

Were the heavens with her or against her? Katrina couldn't comprehend that yet.

Her ankle twisted and her back hit the slippery floor.

"Ahhhhhh!"

She couldn't suppress her scream. The unbearable pain coursed through her body, numbing her leg.

And rushed footsteps approached the bathroom.

Katrina struggled to get off the floor but she fell down with a plop.

The second time she attempted to stand to her feet, she found herself in Aaron's arms.

"Are you alright? Where do you feel pain?" Aaron scooped her from the floor and stared down at her with a worried look.

Katrina couldn't form a reply. She bit her lips hard to put up with the pain. She couldn't feel her legs.

"Kat, talk to me." Aaron prodded.

But no reply came from Katrina. She didn't even mind their proximity, she didn't mind that she was pressed against his bare chest. The pain had invaded all her senses.

Shit! Was this a bad omen or what?

How could she proceed with her mission with a broken leg?

Aaron took her inside the bedroom and settled her on the bed.

Without a word, he sat beside her and propped up her legs on his lap. Then he massaged her ankle. The spot was sore-red already.

"Does it ache much?" Aaron applied gentle pressure to the spot.

And Katrina didn't waste time to nod.

"I'll get an ambulance." Aaron picked up his phone from the bedside table.

And Katrina shook her head. "No—" she put a halt to her words as an idea suddenly came to her head.

But it was too late. Aaron had heard her objection.

"Then let me get one of the staff. First aid might help before the plane arrives."

Katrina's heart sank and she gulped.

"N–No need of that." She put on a pained expression. "I– I don't think I will be able to walk. I want you to take me to a hospital."

Aaron's eyes narrowed for a second. Then he retained his blank expression.

"About the honeymoon—"

"Let's cancel it." Katrina gave him a pleading look. "My ankle aches so much–" she sniffled. "Wouldn't it be unreasonable to go on the honeymoon with this wound?"

"You're right." Aaron sighed and dropped his phone. And his eyes flashed with an indescribable emotion. The emotions Katrina couldn't comprehend.

She shifted away from him until her back made contact with the headboard.

He was so close, too close to her. Her sister's killer.

Was this the same way he had treated her sister, before ending her? And what had her sister done to him to deserve this?

Katrina let herself focus on the pain from her ankle instead of the sudden fury rising in her heart.

It would do her no good to unleash it now. First, she was wounded, and secondly, it was impossible.