The Leroys' little girl (1)

With Carlos helping her, Kara thought she would work faster. On the contrary, she couldn't focus on anything for a full minute before her gaze trailed back to him.

He had taken a small part of her desk to work on and was going through the files seriously as though it was his own work, consulting her if he was uncertain of how he should handle anything.

"Kara?" He tapped her arm. She jolted out of her trance, catching herself staring at his lips as he spoke. She had not heard a single word he had said. All that filled her mind was the movement of his lips. Those very lips that were capable of setting her skin on fire not too long ago.

"Are you listening?" He asked.

"I was, but I didn't understand what you just said. I'm trying to figure it out." She didn't admit to being absent minded.

He held her gaze for a few seconds before breaking it. "If you think my lips have the answer you are looking for, you can go ahead and kiss them. I don't mind."

She shot him a displeased look and shifted in her seat. "What were you saying?"

"My grandfather just texted me."

"Uh huh?" She probed.

He grabbed her hand so she would let go of the mouse. She was nearly breaking it with the amount of force she was using to grip it.

"He wants me to attend his birthday banquet tomorrow night." He continued, taking in her expression.

Hate flashed in her eyes but it was gone in a second, replaced with surprise. "So, go on and attend it as grandpa's little lapdog."

"Will you come with me?" He asked.

"If you are not scared of me potentially turning his birthday banquet into his wake, go ahead and send me an invitation."

She was not joking. Aside from Santino, Farren Aubert was the person she wanted to kill the most. He should never have existed.

She stabbed her nails into her palms. "You are using me to get rid of him, aren't you?"

He neither denied the claim nor admitted to it. "And if I am, will you take the chance or not?"

She looked into his eyes, feeling rage coursing through her bones. "Since you want me to come, I'll be there. As your female companion, of course."

His lips curled in a lopsided grin. "Farren Aubert would have a heart attack."

All his life, he had done things that would make his family proud. He had always been the best at whatever he did, because each of his achievements would make them stop scowling at him for a day or two.

Farren Aubert would never expect him to show up to his birthday banquet, with his arm linked with the woman who wouldn't hesitate to bomb the entire venue just to get a rise out of them. From Kara's reaction, the banquet would be a spectacle worth watching.

_____

"Alexa Wener is dead." Kara muttered in the mirror as she stared at her reflection.

Of course, Alexa Wener was long dead. But she had been forced to take her identity and that fake Alexa Wener was dead too. But the woman staring back at her in the mirror was nothing like herself. This was the person Santino had wanted to become—a sly seductress, driven by nothing but the desire to maim and kill.

Her floor-length gown had a cut up her thigh, ending just a few inches below the small dagger tucked in the holster strapped onto her thigh. The black fabric made her skin look more radiant while accentuating her curves. She finished off her makeup for the night with a bold red lipstick that made her want to take everything off immediately.

"Tonight, I am her. Just for tonight." She muttered just as her phone rang. She knew that Carlos had arrived. She didn't want him to enter her house yet so she grabbed her leather purse and slid her shoes on, answering the call as she hurried for the door.

"Coming."

He was already out of the car, waiting for her.

"Will I get on your bad side if I say how beautiful you look?" He inched towards her. She evaded him, which was expected. The last thing she wanted was for him to touch her.

"Let's go." She entered the car without wasting a single second. She had battled with herself the day before and earlier today, and had nearly decided to miss the banquet. She wanted to be out of here before she changed her mind.

And he didn't need to be told twice before flooring the accelerator. He was excited for this and she knew why. It just didn't bother her. Not anymore, anyway.

The banquet was being held in L'Onyx. When they arrived, Kara sent a message to Ash secretly.

[L'Onyx. We are here already.]

She didn't get a response by the time he gave the car keys to the valet, which made her nervous.

"Are you cold?" He asked, to which she shook her head.

Her phone vibrated in her purse and she took it as a green signal, all her nerves gone. "It's okay. Let's go in."

Then she hooked her arm around his and they walked through the metal detectors without a hitch. She used the bathroom as an excuse to leave and let Ash know that she was in. She could have ignored it but if the detectors malfunctioned for too long, it would become suspicious and might lead to the guests getting searched.

She returned to the hall where Carlos was talking to a guest and took a glass of champagne from a waiter's tray.

"If it isn't the Leroys' little girl." Someone spoke behind her, nearly startling her. Her blood boiled at the mention of her father's surname.

"Oh hello. You got the wrong person." She smiled at the man. "My surname is Williams."

"Kara Williams, right." Another voice spoke. "Or should I call you, Alexa Wener? Which one do you prefer?"

She shut her eyes for a second to stop herself from exploding. Then she turned to the second voice. Farren Aubert.