𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍 | 𝟏𝟖+

26 | Her Weakness

I don't welcome her. I don't dare let her see the look on my face.

Instead, I pivot around on my heels and dash up the nearest flight of stairs. The corridors remain empty as everyone remains in the gathering hall, but I do wish there was someone to talk me out of my rush of frustration. Gods, how could that man be so stupid? He's supposed to be the most intelligent man I know but he's a dunce.

"Maureen!" a voice calls out.

Fortunately, it belongs to Annie, because if Cato were to chase me, I might do more than just spill soup and throw lamps at him.

I barrel into my bedroom as Annie latches onto my shoulders and spins me to face her. When those brown eyes notice the flood of tears streaking my flushed cheeks, she captures me in her embrace, wrapping her thin arms around me.

"I didn't expect you to get so emotional over the new headmistress," Annie whispers into my hair. "I know you miss Evelyn. We all do—"

"It's not that," I pull apart and look into her eyes. My fists grip tightly until my knuckles turn white. "He just hired her of all people."

She looks confused. Annie knew I worked at the hospital, but she never knew that Madame Newmister was the reason for all my hatred towards that forsaken place.

"Madame Newmister was my old boss," I explain. "And she made every day a living hell. I quit because I met Thomas, and he..." I'm telling her too much about him.

"Look, I know you've been keeping a lot of secrets from me about your love life, but whatever that woman did isn't part of it. What did she do?"

I sob into Annie's shoulder instead of answering her question. The answer is that Madame Newmister did everything she could to remind me who I am. A worthless daughter of a whore, just like my mother. Except I'm not her. I'll never be her, but she couldn't see past that. When she looks at me, she sees a Harradan.

A nobody in New Aberdeen.

My bedroom door swings open as a third party enters into the room. Annie gasps, followed by the shutting of a door.

"Maureen?"

It's him. Cato.

Annie's arms embrace around me tighter as she whispers into my ear. "Damn, he's even more angelic up close."

"Maureen, are you alright?"

I tear myself from Annie's arms. Am I alright? I bet my disheveled appearance and puffy tear-ridden eyes can answer his question.

"I told you I hated the hospital. I told you," I seethe, wagging my finger at him.

Cato gently clasps his hand around my wrist and lowers my finger. He seems oddly calm considering I'm on the verge of erupting like a volcano.

Those green eyes stare at Annie, who stands awestruck behind me. I bet she's breathing in his scent right now, wishing she could put his essence into a candle.

"Can you give us a moment of privacy, Annie?" he asks.

He remembers her name, unlike last time.

She nods her head. "Yes, Mr. Leveque."

I take one last look at Annie, hoping my gaze is enough to make her stay. Instead, I see her nearly exploding with joy since Cato Leveque acknowledged her, and even called her by name. The other servants will never hear the end of it.

The door closes behind Annie. I wriggle my wrist from Cato's hold, clenching my fingers tightly and raise my fist like a weapon.

It collides with his chest with a small thud, hardly making an impact on his hard body. It's not like I was hitting him to cause pain—only to release the plethora of frustration this man has caused me.