I froze beneath his intense glare, swallowing slowly as I thought of a way to escape the current situation... well, without having to deal with it of course.

"You!" he repeated with a kind of animalistic growl. Was he secretly some kind of animal? That would explain his consistent grumpy and mean aura... Okay not really, so I apologize to all offended animals. 

"Um..., " I trailed off stupidly as I searched for words but came up with none.

"Aren't you a little tired of messing up my life?" he snarled lowly making me tremble. "What kind of game are you playing? Was this all Keston's doing? I bet he put you up to all of this. First, you shoot me, then you try to get close to my family, what next huh? What's the next game plan and why any of it?" he asked accusingly, spitting Keston's name like it was a bad taste in his mouth. I only shook more.

Jake was right. Mr. Remora thought that Keston was making me do all this in deed. Why couldn't he just understand something called an accident? I mean, I shot him accidentally, you all know that right? It was an accident! And me becoming friends with his sister was just... I don't know... also an accident? But anyways, we all know that I didn't ask Whitney to drag me over to the 'rich' table, and my bumping into Mr. Remora again was, without any questioning, a total accident.

Well he doesn't seem to think so, my subconscious hissed. Yeah, I could see that too.

"If I ever find out that anything else that happens around here is your fault, I will-" Wait a minute! Why exactly was all the blame being put on me even before anything else happens? Can't a girl make a few mistakes and not get blamed for everything else except the stuff that she actually did? Like seriously, you shoot a billionaire once and they pin every other accident on you. My advice...don't add Shoot a Billionaire to your bucket list.

"- I will make sure that neither you, your little friend, or your father ever make it-"

"Okay enough," I interrupted him, holding my hand up...that wasn't the smartest move since his jaw ticked and his glare started burning, but whatever. "I'm so sick of you always blaming me for everything!" I hissed lowly since I didn't want the attention of everyone in the room. "I don't know why you think that the world revolves around you, cause newsflash, it doesn't. Maybe I'm just trying to have a nice time here, did that ever occur to you? Huh? Not everyone can be as perfect as you Mr. Remora, some people actually-"

"Shut up." The clipped, authoritative voice of the most intimidating man I had ever met, met my ears. My mouth snapped shut as soon as the order was made and I realized it a little too late for my liking. I slowly reopened my mouth, ready to blast him for ordering me around since it had been his powerful and commanding voice that had made me shut up automatically, but he shut me up again.

Who the hell did he think he was? I was fuming to the point of bursting a vein in my forehead.

"Ms. Harrington, I suggest you do not try to complete that statement because there is a boundary line for everything and I'm afraid you'll do more than cross your line if you continue." he stated, blinking slowly... very distracting if you asked me...

"I am crossing the line?" Was this guy serious? "I have to say Mr. Remora, that I do believe that line exists and must be upheld, but let's look at it this way," I clasped my hands together with a crazily sweet smile on my face, "if someone crosses the line, like for this instance you — since that's all you've been doing since we've met— then I have to cross the line as well to get you back behind it." I explained as if I was talking to a five year old.

He growled and took a step closer to me.

"I don't know why you think you have such great powers to speak to me at all much more to speak to me in this manner."

"That's the thing Mr. R, my power comes from my confidence and my pride, not from my money." I snarled making him growl. I could see that I'd hit a spot.

"Ms. Harrington, by that one statement I know that you know nothing about me." he told me flatly, making my mouth twist in annoyance. I couldn't say anything because that was true. I only knew that he had tons of money and would soon be my father's main boss, nothing else, and he seemed to realize that he was right as he tucked his hands into his pants pocket satisfied.

"I might just seem like the son of a billionaire and heir to one of the largest companies in the world, but trust me when I tell you that I am much more than that. I do not know how you ended up with the misfortune of not knowing who I was before you shot me and now, not knowing anything about me, but I suggest that you go and find out before you start your wild accusations or speak whatever you think."

I crossed my arms and folded my lips defeated. He watched me cooly, satisfaction evident in his eyes. I was blank, I had nothing to say. He was right, I was wrong, and I hated it.

Finally he said, "Pardon me Ms. Harrington, I am afraid that my time doesn't permit my stay here with you any longer. I have a party to attend and I must go there before it ends." he said unnecessarily as his goodbye before walking off smugly in the direction of the group of people.

I officially hated him and his smug self!

I don't know what other girls saw in him! He was just absolutely annoying and obviously thought that he had to win all arguments... which he most likely did. Ugh!

I was about to move off, still annoyed might I add, when the bastard decided that he wasn't finished and just had to make me more miserable.

"And Ms. Harrington, " he called back at me. I sighed and turned to him. "Stick to people who you can actually associate with based on your... financial situation. My sister is off limits to you. I have met your kind before, the kind who only befriends people for their money, power and lifestyle. I don't like them at all so it would be best if you don't try anything with my family seeing that you don't want to make me an enemy."

A glint found his eyes.

"You can stick with that other friend of yours whatsoever. Keston has this thing where he just has to have tons of friends or he can't live. Thank God I'm nothing like that... plus I care nothing about him so you can go use him all you want." the jerk nodded making mouth pop open. "Now that I've got my points and wishes across, I really must attend the party. Goodbye Ms. Harrington, and if I never see you again, that would be way too soon." he completed before turning around to stalk off to the party. 

I stood there for a second and watched him go before my body started shaking as if I was a volcano about to erupt.

The bastard! How dare he? Who did he think he was! So what if he was a billionaire who could swim in his money if he wanted to? I didn't care! Money wasn't anything... or at least not that much anyways, but still he thought it was! I mean look at how he had greeted his sister today, he couldn't have even given her a hug! Clearly money meant more to him than his family... And how could he really propose that I was only her friend because I wanted her money? Now that made me pissed.

Plus he had the audacity to call me poor in an euphemistic way, almost insulted Keston and maybe even did it secretly. Ugh! I hated him so much! I had only met him thrice and I had already hated, loathed and despised him with all my being, and those mean the same thing! He was just so... UGH! It was a good thing we were leaving the next day cause I swear, if I had to stay there with him for even one more day, I would have either gone crazy, strangled him, or strangled myself.... And I'm too precious and young to die so most likely, I was gonna strangle him.

I stormed off to go look for Jake in absolute fury, muttering the whole way my plans of Mr. Remora's demise. 

"Mr. Remora, you say that if you never see me again it will be too soon? Well good, cause the feeling is mutual. I hope to never, ever see you again in my entire life." I hissed to no one in particular as I marched up the staircase and down the hall with a sour look on my face. The dang bastard had spoilt my evening.

:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:
Saturday morning
8:00am
:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:

"Come in." I called after hearing the knock on the  room door. 

"Hey honey." dad said poking his head into the room. I smiled.

"Morning dad." I responded, zipping up my suitcase and placing it on the floor beside the bed. "Is everything okay?" I inquired while going to the dresser to fix my hair again.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to check up on you." he replied.

I sighed and took a seat. I knew what he wanted to ask. He wanted to ask if I had enjoyed myself there.

Ever since mom died, he thought that I would never be happy again. He always thought that someday I would leave like my brother and for that he would always worry. He believed that he didn't have what it takes to make me love him and everything he had to offer me. What he didn't understand was that he was my father and I would always love him... no matter what.

"I had an amazing time dad, don't worry. I love you, and I love everything you do. Thank you so much." I said sincerely, jumping up to hug him. I don't know why he was always so worried. I have always loved his gifts, whether they involved a self-centered, filthy rich, egotistical bastard like Mr. Remora or not. I'm sure he hadn't meant for that to be dropped into the package as well.

He hugged me back, fighting back tears before letting me go.

"Well, I better get these things down since we will be leaving shortly." he mumbled while looking over at my suitcase. "I'll just go grab a bellboy and be back." he continued with a smile.

"Wait dad, can I go say bye to Keston before we leave?" I asked hopefully. It would've been really bad to leave without saying goodbye. 

"Sure, but you only have about twenty minutes to meet us by the car." 

"Thanks daddy." I grinned as he left.

After fixing my hair into some sort of ponytail, I left my room in search of Keston. I wasn't sure at first if I should go say goodbye to Whitney after her brother's warning, but then I thought 'What the heck?' and went in search of her too.

Jake and I had sorta patched things up last night. He still couldn't wait until we were driving through the front gates, away from the two billionaires, but at least things were clearer between us. Hopefully when he got his wish and we were far away from them, we would return to how we were before we had arrived.

I ran down the stairs in a hurry as I needed to find the two persons before my father's deadline. I checked the ball room, the foyer, the halls and the garden. He was nowhere to be found. I had even asked around, but still I ended up empty handed. I was on the verge of giving up when a nice gentleman suggested that I checked his room. I don't know why I hadn't thought of that since it was still early.

I sprinted up the stairs, determined to drop a few pounds if I was going to endure the torture of actually going up at least one hundred stairs again. By the time I reached the top, I was ready to faint. That was weird, I didn't remember having that feeling the first time I went up there... Oh wait, at that time I had actually been wondering why there weren't anymore since I had thought that my death sentence had awaited me at the top. 

I fixed my composure as soon as I had realized that I wasn't the only person in the hall and blushed furiously. 

"Please tell me that's not Mr. and Mrs. Remora who are looking at me like I am crazy at this moment," I mumbled to myself, closing my eyes tightly. 

"Sorry, but they are Mr. and Mrs. Remora...and you forgot to mention me." someone whispered back.

I gasped and my eyes shot open to find Dominic Remora smirking at me. I blushed even more and pushed a stray hair tendril out of my face embarrassed. 

"Hi." I barely spoke causing his laughter. 

"Don't worry, I don't think you're crazy." he chuckled. 

"Thanks." I muttered fixing him a glare. 

"No problem." he grinned before asking, "You want to speak to Whitney I presume?"

"Well, yeah...but I also came to tell Keston goodb- Dominic? Are you alright!" I asked, patting his back as he coughed uncontrollably, seeming to have choked on his own saliva. His parents were about to come over but he regained his composure before they got a move on it.

"I'm fine," he assured them before turning to me. "Well now I understand." He stared at me with a look of interest. I tilted my head confused.

"Huh?" I asked. "What do you understand?" 

"Well, when I saw Riddian in a bad mood-" I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "well an even worse mood than he's normally in,"

I nodded approvingly.

"-I knew that it had to be a girl, but I just couldn't believe it. Now it makes all the more sense when you mention Keston." 

"Okay Christopher Columbus,  what are you talking about?" I rose my eyebrow even higher. How did he not know that I was the cause of Mr. Remora's sour mood all week? I mean I shot him by accident, as I've said many times before, and I also made friends with his sister and knocked into him last night... by accident of course. Who wouldn't expect him to be angry at me? I just hoped that I didn't accidentally meet him again today. I was going home for Pete's sake! At least today, the day I would leave this place, I would not see his devilishly handsome, cocky, grumpy, smug, stoic face again. 

"Kat!" Keston's voice drew me away from Dominic. I turned to see him coming down the hall towards us and smiled.

"Hey." I greeted and hugged him as soon as he reached me with his outstretched arms.

"Well hello there Mr. Keston Gavier." Dominic said in a teasing tone.

"Dominic." Keston said, making it short. Dominic grinned and winked at me for a reason only he knew. Keston glared at him while using his eyes silently to tell him to leave. "Oh! Sorry. Didn't realize that this was some kind of private conversation. I'll go get Whitney for you Kat." he said still smirking before strolling off down the hall with a smile on his face that I just wanted to rip off. We both knew that something sinister was going on in his head... he was a Remora after all.

Keston looked back at me with a smile plastered on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I just wanted to say goodbye before I left." I responded with a sad smile. His face fell before his face mirrored mine with his own sad smile.

"Right. Do you really have to go?"

I laughed and then rolled my eyes. He chuckled as well. "No, seriously, do you really have to go?" he asked looking hopeful. I was about to answer when a squeal echoed around the hall and before I could even react, I was suffocating in a bear hug.

Whitney.

"Katherine! Oh my gosh, I'm gonna miss you so much!" she exclaimed still squeezing the life out of me. 

"Can't...breathe...," I choked out.

"Oh! Sorry! Sorry!" she apologized repeatedly while letting me go. I laughed and hugged her again, but softly this time. 

"I'm gonna miss you too." I told her with a smile before we let each other go. I looked at her properly to see that she was still wearing her pajamas. It was as if she had just woken up with her hair all over the place, and still she managed to look amazing. 

"Whitney, did you just wake up?"

"Yeah, so what? I couldn't just let you leave and not say goodbye now could I?" she asked with a small, sad smile. I really was gonna miss her...her and her confidence. I mean, how many girls could go in front of two very hot men—well one in her case since one was her brother— in her pajamas and also with a messy hair? I mean I probably could...but there was a 100% guarantee that I would cringe to death every time I thought of it afterwards.

"So when are you leaving?" Whitney suddenly asked out of the blue. 

"Well," I began while checking my phone. Shoot! I had like two minutes to get down to the car! "Like right now." I continued hurriedly, giving both her and Keston an apologetic look.

"Well okay I guess," Whitney sighed. "I would follow you to your car but as you can see, I am not exactly dressed for the occasion."

I smiled. "It's okay. Thanks for an awesome week Whit." I thanked her before hugging her once more. 

"No problem." she murmured as we separated again. "Until we meet again."

"Bye."

I turned to Keston, ready to tell him goodbye as well, but he surprised me by taking my hand and dragging me towards the stairs. I turned my head back quickly to shout a last goodbye to both Whitney and Dominic, which they both returned, and then ran down the stairs with Keston. 

:*:*:*:*:

"I am going to miss you." Keston whispered as he hugged me. We were standing beside my dad's car and I was ready to go.

I smiled at him and repeated his words. Jake and dad were already in the car waiting on me so I sighed and let him go. "I have to leave now." 

He nodded and took a step back with his head down. I thought for a quick second and then hurriedly took a step forward and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Goodbye." I whispered before entering the car and closing the door behind me.

"Let's go." Jake grinned, grabbing my hand as dad drove off. I looked back to see Keston staring after us. I smiled and waved at him but then had the feeling that  someone was watching us. The feeling drew my eyes away to a window of the castle. A curtain was blowing there and I could have sworn I saw someone there before the curtains closed. Could it be....? Nah! I almost laughed at myself. There were no ghosts in Keston's castle... at least I hoped there weren't...

Forgetting about it, I turned away, looking ahead to where we were going. I really hoped that whatever happened here didn't affect my future. I hoped that instead it would open doors for me.

I leaned my head against the window, watching the trees fly by, and slowly I fell asleep.