A Deceptive Beauty

Chapter Fourteen

Despite Kaiden's orders, Sebastian didn't leave the next day. Nor did he leave the day after that. In fact, he was still there after a week.

For what reason, Belle still didn't know why. Nor did she know why Kaiden hadn't literally thrown him out yet, not that she wanted Sebastian to leave. She wanted answers, and Kaiden most likely wasn't going to give them.

This past week, Kaiden had looked and acted like he usually did, but Belle could tell he was tense. The bursts of anger when he was alone signified that. Well, when he was mostly alone because Belle had accidentally heard it while walking down the hall.

She had been wandering around the West Wing and remembered about the secret hall behind the wall. But before she pressed the button to open to wall, she had heard a commotion from nearby, stopping her from exploring the area.

When she had gone to see why had caused the noise, she had discovered that Kaiden was in his room, which was a mess, and furiously pacing around.

There were too many questions in her head, but she decided to lock them away, for now. At that moment, she was concentrating on the conversation she was currently in.

Since it had been Charlotte's date that day, it meant that she got to talk about it while everyone else listened.

Everyone but Elizabeth, who was somewhere doing who knows what. Probably trying to find and stalk Sebastian, who was most likely hiding somewhere in the shadows. Maybe that was why Kaiden couldn't find him, because he was already hiding from Elizabeth.

This time, though, Charlotte had come in with a troubled face. At first, Belle worried that something bad had happened, like Kai appearing. But Charlotte had quickly assured them that it wasn't anything the duke did and left it at that. Unfortunately, Valencia didn't stop pestering her until she gave it up.

And then she had confessed.

"I really like him," she had said, fidgeting in her seat. Belle's attention immediately went from her questions to her friend. Silence filled the air after she said that. Belle imagined that they could probably hear a pin drop.

"Like, as in love?" Elise asked hesitantly, with a tiny frown on the corner of her lips. Just two days ago, she had said the same thing, and the reactions had been the same.

Somehow, it felt that it was only a matter of time before the next girl would confess.

"No, I think it's too early for that," Charlotte fidgeted even more. "But...I can't describe it," she sighed out, looking down.

A look of jealousy appeared on Elise's face. Valencia's went blank like last time, while Lenore's was self-conscious and a little upset. Even Belle could feel her stomach churn a little.

From the month she knew Charlotte, Belle felt close to her, and they were almost like sisters. She had learned about her family, her dreams, her passions. And to know that she liked Kaiden unnerved her, even if Belle wasn't in love with him herself. The idea of fighting for the same man didn't sit too well with her. If it came down to her friend being in love with him and Belle simply fancied him, what would, or should, she do?

It wasn't just with Charlotte, but everyone else. Even Lenore, who seemed so fragile at times. If it was between her and Lenore, would she try to win and have her friend's heart be broken?

Belle mentally sighed. This competition would only get worse with time.

"Who do you think he likes the most?" Lenore said hesitantly. That was a dreadful question to ask, considering how they were all there to win his favor.