What Can You Offer?

Cattleya's POV

I stared at him intently, my gaze tenacious.

Only he could command such undivided attention from me.

Leaning forward, I plastered on a sweet, seductive smile and whispered, "No, I'm not."

He sighed softly, clearly exerting self-control. "Alright then, it seems like you're persistent."

"I am," I replied firmly.

Suddenly, my phone rang, jolting me from our intimate moment.

Patrick's name flashed across the screen.

Why was he calling now?

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Jaxon asked, his gaze fixed on the road.

I shook my head, silencing my phone. "It's not important," I said, clearing my throat and trying to refocus. "So, where are we going now?"

He nodded, his hand tightening on the steering wheel. "Well, I'm taking you home. You need a good night's sleep and to stop thinking about me."

Confusion washed over me. "I thought you were going to help me find my sister's killer?"

"I don't know if I have to help you, Cattleya Sullivan," Jaxon said, his tone flat. "I don't have a price, and I don't need your money. And I've got better things to do than entertain someone like you. I don't see what's in it for me." He paused, his gaze challenging mine. "So, tell me, what can you offer?"

My breath caught in my throat as I struggled to find the right words.

 His intense gaze pinned me in place, and my mind went blank.

 I broke the suffocating silence by blurting out, “Well, the question is, what do you want from me?”

 A cold smirk crept across his face. “You know exactly what I want. For now, you’ll keep your mouth shut about me. If you don’t, you’ll face consequences far worse than your sister’s death.”

 Fear nibbled at me. I wanted to slap myself for getting involved with someone so dangerous.

 I knew I should distance myself, but an inexplicable pull drew me closer to him. Maybe he was the key to everything. 

I nodded my voice barely a whisper. "Alright, you can keep me. I have no problem with that."

He responded curtly, "Right." 

The car surged forward, propelling us back to my house at breakneck speed.

After a long two minutes, I couldn't contain my sigh. "So, after this, you're not going to talk to me anymore?"

He glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "Well, my men will be keeping an eye on you. Don't put my name in the public eye, and we'll be fine."

He stepped out of the car, turning to open my door. 

Our bodies were inches apart as I climbed out. 

His gaze flickered to my lips before he looked away. "Goodbye, Ms. Sullivan," he said, his tone clipped.

I watched as his car disappeared from sight, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stepped inside, letting out a heavy sigh. 

My phone buzzed in my hand, a wave of annoyance washing over me as I saw twenty missed calls from Patrick. 

Then he called me again.

"Where are you? I thought you weren't feeling well. But I heard you went to see a man. Who is he?" Patrick bombarded me with questions, his voice laced with urgency and accusation.

I rolled my eyes, trying to remain calm. "Patrick, this is none of your business," I replied firmly.

"Uh, really? But you lied to me, Catt. You lied to me," Patrick insisted, his voice rising.

I bit my lower lip to stifle a sigh. "I lied because I had something important to do," I explained, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Important thing to do? To see a man? That's ridiculous, Catt. I've waited a whole year to take you on a road trip, to have a date with you, but you can't even give me that. Yet, you give your time to some mysterious stranger?" Patrick exploded, his anger palpable.

"Easy, Patrick," I scoffed, "You're not my boyfriend, and I don't owe you any explanations."

“That’s unfair, Catt.” he said.

"Look, I'm not going to give you false hope. You're the only one who keeps pursuing me, even though I've made it clear I'm not interested. I'm sorry to be blunt, but please stop. I have important things to do, and love or a boyfriend isn't a priority right now," I said firmly, ending the call before he could respond.

I headed upstairs, my mind racing. With determined strides, I began packing my belongings. 

The butler and the maid, sensing something was amiss, offered to help with the luggage. I nodded silently, focusing on the task at hand.

"Just tell Mom and Dad not to worry," I instructed the butler. "I need some personal time, and to do that, I'm moving to my new apartment in the city."

Butler Lux looked concerned. "Ms. Cattleya, are you certain? You're safe here. You have around-the-clock protection and staff to care for your every need."

I offered him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Butler Lux. Thank you."

With that, I stepped into the waiting car. "Let's go," I told the driver.

******

CITY’S CONDOMINIUM CIRCLE

I arrived at the apartment building with a surge of hope, determined to unravel the mystery surrounding my sister's death.

As I stepped into the lobby, I collided with Analia. Her eyes scanned me from head to toe, surprise flashing across her face.

Before she could look away, she stepped forward, arms crossed defensively.

She was wearing a red mini-dress—red must be her favorite color.

I raised an eyebrow, curious about her reaction.

Her husband appeared, pulling her gently towards the exit. "Honey, let's go," he urged.

Analia hesitated, her grip tightening on his arm. "No, you have to stay. I want you to meet Cattleya, Ariella's twin sister. Remember her?" Her voice trembled slightly, filled with insecurity.

Her husband avoids my gaze, his eyes darting away as if he had something to hide.

I leveled a cold stare at him. "So, you're the husband? The one your wife claimed was having an affair with my sister?"

The man's face turned a deep shade of crimson as he glared at Analia. "What the hell did you tell her? Are you out of your mind? How many times do I have to tell you there was nothing between me and Ariella!"

I smirked at Analia, "Looks like you're the one imagining things, Analia. Your husband just denied everything. So, I want you to stay away from me; you and your husband will be out of here tomorrow morning, okay? And if I see you again, I'll make you regret it."

She glared at me, her face contorted with anger. "Oh, really? You think your sister was a saint? I know things about her you wouldn't believe. Maybe you should ask me for help."

I paused, my mind racing. Her words hung in the air, heavy with implication.

"What the hell did you just say?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

Was this a twisted game, or did she know something about my sister's death?