Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Derek landed at the airport, he couldn't wait to reach home, he needed to talk to Kathleen, he had spent three days on his trip and now he was just grateful that he was back and in a few minutes, he would see Kathleen, he had missed her terribly, he could only hope that she would forgive him. He had been trying to reach her but her line wasn't going through, she was obviously still pissed with him, he sighed, he does not blame her for being angry with him for he was even angry with himself. His driver came with his Ferrari to pick him up, he closed his eyes throughout the drive home, thinking of the lines of speech he would use to ask for her forgiveness when he reached home.

Kathleen came back to the inn exhausted, it's been three days now since she was looking for a job but couldn't find one, she never knew looking for a job could be this difficult, she was gradually running low on her ten dollars, Mrs. Moores looked at her with sympathy, "no luck?"

Kathleen shook her head, from her expression, one would easily know that luck hadn't been on her side. Mrs. Moores placed a hand on her shoulders, she was a nice lady with no child and she had quickly taken Kathleen under her wings, " I talked with my husband on your behalf, I told him we could use an extra hand in serving guests their meals, though the pay is not much but...."

Kathleen understood what she was trying to say and tears brimmed in her eyes as she suddenly hugged Mrs. Moores, " of cause, I would do it, thank you, Mrs. Moores"

Mrs. Moores chuckled, "anything for you my dear, now go freshen up before the guests start arriving, we'll have a bit of serving to do. Kathleen nodded, "thank you so much" she dashed upstairs to get prepared in carrying out her first Job.

Derek knocked on Kathleen's door and frowned when he got no response, he pushed the door open, the room looked like no one had slept in it for days and Kathleen was not inside, where could she be?

"She left Sir," someone said from behind him and he turned to see a maid standing there with heads bowed, avoiding his gaze.

"What do you mean by that? Left to where?"

The maid looked flustered, "I...I... don't know, she just carried her things and left".

Derek turned around, eyes scanning the room, it suddenly hits him that her things weren't here, her clothes were gone, his heart did a little summersault, he turned to the maid and narrowed his eyes on her, "how long has she been gone?"

"It's been three days Sir"

Three days, so she left on the same day he had gone on his trip, there was a painful twist in his heart, he nodded at the maid who scurried away.

His mind screamed her name, he can't lose her, he admitted that he was such a fool for not believing her but he never stopped loving her, he still loves her with every fiber of his being but he had found out the truth a little too late, he hated himself for not trusting her, he would have to find her. He sat on the bed, her scent still lingers in the room, he had driven her to this room, turned her into a servant and she was actually innocent, his eyes filled with pain, he left the room, he would look for her.

"Derek, please can we talk?" Marcella called out to him as he was about leaving the house, he looked at her with scorn, " I have nothing to discuss with you"

" Derek please, I know that right now you're mad at me, I promise I didn't mean for it to happen that way, believe me, Stefan took it to another level, he did what I did not ask him to do".

"If not for my dad, I would have thrown you from this house a long time ago" he snarled and Marcella gasped.

"I am married to your father and you would have to accept it, I'll leave wherever he lives"

"How unlucky for this family to have you, you did such a thing against my wife, should I remind you that what belongs to me directly belongs to her because she's my wife? This is my house, not your husband's house"

Marcella's gaze froze at his remainder that the house is his, her heart filled with renewed hatred for Kathleen, she just hopes she dies wherever she is and Derek shouldn't be able to find her, she clenched and unclenched her fingers.

"She is coming back to this house whether you like it or not," Derek said as if reading her thoughts, "and if you must continue staying in this house, you'll have to apologize to her" Derek walked out of the house leaving Marcella fuming with anger, apologizing to Kathleen would be a huge slap on her face, she gritted her teeth and stared into space, a hand touched her on her shoulders and she jerked.

"Easy Marcella, it's just me," Nicole said, raising her hands to show that she meant no harm, "I overheard your little conversation with your stepson"

Marcella spat at the word stepson, "I hate him"

" Get a grip on yourself Marcella, he doesn't need to know that, it could spoil your plans remember"

"My plans are already being ruined because of that bitch Kathleen, he wants me to apologize to her"

"You have no choice but to do it, think of the big picture, when you've gotten all that you need from him, you'll discard him and all of this" Nicole gestured to the house, " I mean everything will be yours, no, not yours, ours"

Marcella breathe at that remainder, she would not allow anyone to stand in the way of her plans, if Kathleen begin to pose so much trouble, she would have to take her out of the way.

Stefan sat in his room sulking, Marcella had bailed him out but Derek had found out about their plans, he doesn't care much about him finding out but he was angry that it would make him reconcile with Kathleen, his Kathleen, he couldn't stand the thought of her choosing Derek over him, he would make her regret her decision, for now, he has to think of a new strategy to make her run into his arms once and for all.

He called Nicole to come over, he needed to see her, she hesitated at first which irritated him but eventually gave in.

The moment Nicole entered the house, he grabbed her, kissing her and she returned his kisses, he quickly carried her to his bed and soon they got lost in each other.

"That was so good, but was that why you called me here? Do you want to ruin our plans, what if Derek finds out?"

Stefan touched her stomach, "I want to know how my baby is kicking"

Nicole laughed, "of cause, your child is doing well in my womb, he's our ultimate ticket for getting what we want, very soon, we'll be drowning in the pool of money and I can't wait to bring back my father's company before it goes completely bankrupt".

"Just take care of my child"

"Of cause I will, nothing will happen to your child, I have to go now before Derek comes back" she quickly got dressed, giving Stefan a kiss on the lips before going out.