The Secrets in Their Hearts

First Meeting

"Okay," I said coolly. "Guess Gillian stays a mystery, then."

That stoked his fury. He didn't bother hiding the expression, but the guy took the pen and signed the papers. "Now talk."

I smiled. "She's still alive."

A heavy silence weighed down on us. I knew what he wanted. A continuation. However, I had set down my glass of wine and got ready to leave.

Sometimes you had to dangle the bait in front of the prey and make them work for it.

Instead of stopping me, he only followed me in silence. Then, we ran into Joan.

I picked this club on purpose. Given the horrendous way I died, I figured I wanted to make Joan the clown of the show this time around.

To my surprise, she and Jonathan were clinging to each other sweetly, and she was approaching me with a smug look on her face. "Well, someone looks gloomy. Did he complain about you? Of course he did. If a hot girl like me couldn't win him over, a girl with a deadpan face like you could never.

"Don't come crying to me when you get your heart broken, Katherine. I'll be busy being in love with my husband. I won't have time for you."

Then, I saw the hot models passing behind them, and I sneered. Guess someone learned her lesson. The old her would've gotten into a war with Jonathan if she saw him messing around with other women right in front of her.

"Sisterly reminder, Joan. Make sure you get checked after orgies. Crying won't cure STDs." Then I held Gilbert's arm and smiled at Joan. "And we're getting along swimmingly."

"Impossible! He'd never fall for a girl like you!"

Without missing a beat, I answered, "Just because you failed to win him over doesn't mean I failed."

Gilbert pulled his arm out and left us.

Joan laughed until she nearly choked. "You nearly got me there."

Even Jonathan shared the hilarity. "He ditched you, girl. I don't mind sleeping with one more woman, though."

I shot him a glare. "Sorry, but I'm a germaphobe."

His face fell, then he grabbed a bottle of wine and swung it down on my head. I found out about his condition back in my previous life. The one thing he hated most was defiance from women. If he did not like the things that came out of my mouth, he would beat me up.

And he made sure to hit the spots where clothes could cover up. The Internet called us a model couple, but that was just a facade.

Then, I felt blood trickle down my forehead. Joan slapped me before I knew it. "Don't mock my husband! I know you're just jealous of me!"

She was going to slap me again, but then someone raised their leg and slammed their foot into Jonathan's behind with full force.

Jonathan fell headfirst into the ground.

I put down the ashtray I'd grabbed moments ago. Gilbert strode back to me. Icily, he said, "And I thought you were smart, but you're as much a fool as your sister is. And you're a coward. You wouldn't even fight back when someone hit you."

I played along and reddened my eyes, then I let all the strength leave my legs and fell into his arms. He was going to push me away, but Jonathan had gotten back up. In a rage, he was swinging his bottle at Gilbert.

A bunch of bodyguards showed up out of nowhere and pinned him to the ground. Gilbert looked at him like he was a maggot. "I might not take any money from my family, but this is still their territory. Terrason territory. If you think you can touch me here, think again."

Then, he scooped me up and held me in a princess hug.

Joan stared at us like we'd just merged and grew ten tails. The sight was driving her mad. She roared, "You're holding her? You can't hold her, Gilbert!"