Page 92 of The Rules

"Yeah, I should get going soon," replied, her voice carefully even, not a hint of panic showing through.

Lisa just nodded, already turning back to her laptop, scrolling through another university's webpage. The complete trust in that simple gesture made her stomach twist with guilt.

Kath stood, grabbing her bag from where she'd dropped it by the couch. She moved with deliberate casualness, checking her phone as if confirming the time of her fictional meetup.

Lisa was already absorbed in her research again, completely unaware of the lie.

And Katherine felt the weight of it all—betraying her sister, who deserved nothing but honesty. And betraying herself, for going anywhere near Sinclair again.

The guilt trailed her all the way to Crimson Bloom.

Now, in front of the mirror in the dressing room, she sat at her vanity, fingers moving mechanically as she adjusted her mask. The golden trim caught the low light, throwing shifting reflections across her face that she barely registered.

The mask settled against her skin, familiar and foreign all at once. She exhaled slowly, steadying herself for the night ahead.

"Blondieee."

The sing-song voice sliced through her concentration.

Kath didn't flinch, didn't turn immediately. She forced her shoulders to remain relaxed, her breathing even. Aria had a talent for smelling weakness.

She glanced in the mirror, catching Aria's reflection.

The woman leaned against the doorframe, all curves and sharp edges, wrapped in a skin-tight dress that left little to imagination. Her smile was glossy and venomous, her eyes calculating as she held up a pristine white envelope between two perfectly manicured fingers.

"Looks like you've got a secret admirer," Aria purred, her tone suggesting she knew exactly who it was from.

Kath's pulse ticked upward. She turned slowly, her movements measured and controlled as she crossed the room.She plucked the envelope from Aria's fingers with sharp efficiency, not giving her the satisfaction of hesitation.

"Should I be jealous?" Aria asked, her smile soft but her eyes mean.

Katherine met her gaze, cool and unreadable. “Hard to say,” said flatly. “Last time you handed me something, it nearly got me pinned to the ground.”

Aria’s smile faltered, just for a second.

Then she raised her hands in surrender, her tone softening.“Chill, okay? It’s not a setup. Some guy gave it to me—said it was for Blondie. Looked kind of serious.

”She hesitated, then took a small step back, eyes flicking away.“If you don’t want it… toss it. What do I care?”

The corner of Aria’s mouth twitched again, something between amusement and indifference.

And then she turned and walked away.

Kath waited until Aria's footsteps faded, until she was certain she was alone. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she looked down at the envelope in her hands.

It was plain. Unmarked. Except for a small black heart drawn in the corner.

Her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers moved of their own accord, tearing at the sealed edge—fast, almost desperate.

What she saw inside made her world stop spinning.

She couldn't fucking breathe.

Kath stumbled into the bathroom, legs nearly giving out beneath her. Hands gripped the edge of the sink, knuckles turning white with the force of her hold. The cold porcelain was the only thing anchoring her to reality as lungs refused to expand, each breath shallow and useless. Fingers had gone numb, tingling with the rush of adrenaline flooding her system. Pulse thundered like a war drum in her throat.

She looked down at the photo again, spread open across the edge of the sink where she must’ve dropped it without thinking.

Lisa.