6 - Dance

The moment Harry and Kate appeared on the stairs arm-in-arm, all eyes turned towards them. They looked like the ideal couple when they both looked into each other's eyes with love and admiration.

“They look so perfect together.” A dutchess whispered to her husband.

“Kate is so lucky to have gotten a gentleman like Harry Monterrey by her side.” Another lady of high rank whispered a taunt to her unmarried grown-up daughters.

“Kate's beauty seems to be glowing even more when she's next to Harry.” Some ladies who formed a group giggled amongst themselves.

At a corner in the ballroom, Edmund watched it all happen before his eyes. He felt like he was being set on fire, his body burned endlessly seeing the two of them together. Each time Kate looked at Harry with love, it enraged Edmund. All he wanted to do was to rip her away from Harry and tell Harry that Kate was his. And his body was more in flames whenever he heard the guests whispering how they fitted each other and were the ideal and perfect couple.

“Harry is going to make his father very proud. He's such a mannered boy.” An old man who stood a few inches from Edmund spoke warmly, much to Edmund's displeasure.

“I heard that he plans to open his own publishing house when he returns home from his studies and will even be writing for campaigns in the political sector.”

“Is that so? The young boy sure is dreaming big. Mr Collin would be a proud father.” Someone whispered.

“At least one of Mr Monterrey's sons isn't trampling his prestige under his boots.” Another added.

Aside from watching the girl he madly loved be in the arms of his half-brother, Edmund also had to listen to everyone praising Harry as the better son who could accomplish a lot.

“Mr Monterrey,” Some girls walked up to Harry and Kate. “We'd love to hear all about your experience when you return from your studies.”

Harry wasn't just popular for his skills as a writer in the newspapers, but he was also popular with the ladies as well. Every noble family eyed Harry for their daughters but now it wasn't possible as Harry had already publicly announced only Kate would become his wife in about two years time.

The girls praised Kate's beauty. The mayor of the town also walked up to them and congratulated Harry on his admission into one of the top art schools in France.

“You need to make your father very proud of you. His honor is with you now.” The mayor smiled before his eyes lit up when he turned to Kate. “And you my dear, you look divine.”

Kate smiled. “You honor me with your words, sir.”

“Yes, and I'm sure your wedding will be the talk of the whole town. Harry will return home as a successful young man and you will be by his side through everything.” The mayor blessed them and from the right corner, Edmund's hard gaze swept towards them.

He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't stand listening to everyone talk about his girl being perfect for his brother. The glass he was holding so firmly instantly shattered to pieces and fell to the floor.

And without wasting any second to even register his bleeding hand, he was about to approach them, his eyes blazing with jealousy and rage. He wanted to slap Kate hard for even thinking to look at his brother. He wanted to punish her for smiling so much and accepting everybody's fake words about belonging to Harry.

He was furious, storming his way towards where they were both being congratulated by the guests when Garrett pulled his arm to stop him.

“What do you think you're doing?” Garrett whispered in his ear but Edmund wasn't listening. His eyes were still locked on the couple, precisely on Kate. Her bright genuine smile, her face illuminating her happiness and joy and no sign of fear or feeling uncomfortable next to Harry. It infuriated him to the core to see that she never was her happy self when in front of him.

“She has to pay! She has to pay for ever thinking she can have a future with him! She's mine, Garrett, only mine!” Edmund gritted.

“Stop this madness, Edmund.” Garrett tried to persuade him. “There are a lot of guests here, don't cause a scene right here or your father might just completely disown you and throw you out.”

Edmund slowly turned towards Garrett, his eyes bloodshot and jaw tightened. “I don't give a damn about what my father thinks of me. He already sees me as a big disappointment, nothing can worsen what he already thinks about me now.”

“Look, you're bleeding on your palm.” Garrett looked down at his hand trickling thin lines of blood down to his fingers and onto the floor.

But Edmund felt no pain in his hand. His mind was fully occupied with one question, one damn question that was driving him insane. Why didn't she look at him the way she always looked at Harry?

Garrett tried pulling him away but Edmund was like a hard rock, not budging from where he stood as his eyes were still locked only on Kate.

Just then soft classical music from the orchestra began floating into the air. The guests started to pair up as they headed towards the middle of the room to dance. Edmund jerked off Garrett's hand from his arm and turned towards Kate again, his gaze hard and determined.

He walked towards them and Kate's back tensed up immediately after his cologne swirled past her.

“Elder brother?” Harry smiled at Edmund, completely oblivious to Kate's sudden change in demeanor.

Edmund forced a smile on his lips before his eyes turned to Kate, observing her.

“Do you need something, elder brother?” Harry asked and Edmund nodded.

“Yes, I would like to ask Kate for a dance.” Edmund replied politely, but his tone of voice clearly hinted he wasn't requesting but more like an order when his eyes briefly glared at Kate.

Kate's gaze was now on her shoes, her hands were shaking and her face burned with fear and refusal. She didn't want to say yes nor could she muster up the courage to say no either. She was in a dilemma. She silently hoped Harry would see that she didn't want to dance with Edmund but her hope shattered quickly.

“Of course, elder brother.” Harry replied presumptuously before turning towards Kate. “My future wife can surely have this dance with my brother. Go on, Kate.”

Kate's heart sank and she gulped when Edmund extended his hand towards her. She hesitated to raise her hand as she didn't want to dance with him. His scent and cologne were becoming repulsive to her, it reminded her of the fact that he had walked into her bedroom at night and God knows what he was doing in her bedroom. She was only sure of one thing - he hadn't touched her.

“Come on, Kate. Don't keep elder brother waiting. Just one dance and we'll dance together all night long.” Harry persuaded her and Kate inhaled before slowly raising up her arm and hesitantly placed her hand in his.

Edmund squeezed her hand tightly and Kate bit her lip as he pulled her with him towards the middle, amongst the other guests dancing.

Edmund joined his hand with Kate, almost crushing her hand. Kate inhaled and didn't want the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes fall on her cheeks. She instinctively placed her other hand on Edmund's shoulder and Edmund placed his bloody hand directly under her arm and a little to her back.

They started to move according to the music. Kate tried to look anywhere else but at him, but she hissed in pain and looked at Edmund after he purposefully stepped on her right foot.

“That's more like it, your eyes should always be on me, princess.” Edmund grounded his jaw.

He turned her around, leaned away from her but then pulled her close to him and her breasts hit his chest. Edmund hated seeing how uncomfortable she was with him. Her bright smile was gone and the glow in her eyes had dimmed. She looked no less than a puppet being controlled and pulled around by him.

“I see you like being in the spotlight, princess.” Edmund taunted, his eyes flaring with rage. Kate didn't respond to him and only wanted the dance to end as quickly as possible and looked at Harry who was in the midst of ladies and conversing with them. Her eyes fell seeing so many girls fawning around Harry.

Edmund pinched under her arm and she widened her eyes at him. “Do you want my half-brother simply because he can offer you all of the luxuries and a lavish lifestyle?”

Kate gaped at him for a second, but then didn't want to think about what he'd said. His opinions and thoughts about her didn't matter to her in the slightest. He could think whatever he wanted about her and she wouldn't care. She didn't feel like explaining herself to him either. There was no point in explaining to him the feelings she had for Harry as he wouldn't understand.

The current dance cycle was coming to an end and the men on the dancefloor twirled the women around. Edmund twirled Kate around and for a moment he let her go, aiming for her to fall. Kate widened her eyes and gasped in terror as she was about to hit the floor but Edmund grabbed her by her waist just in time and their faces were barely inches away.

Their warm breaths were hitting each other's faces and just as the music ended, Edmund leaned closer, his eyes filled with loathing for her constant rejection. “You're nothing but a gold-digger.”

Kate's tears immediately blurred her vision as her mouth hanged down in shock at his words.

Edmund glared at her before letting her go and stormed off, leaving her crying and standing alone in the middle of the ballroom.