Everything started spiraling out of control.

Jason would hardly even look at me.

Not only because he officially distrusted me now but also because he was too busy getting all sorts of calls from people in New York asking him where he was and when he was going to get back.

His family seemed to be pilling lots of responsibilities on him now with Anthony down.

He still wouldn't tell me much about Anthony's injuries but I knew for sure that it had 'Dean' written all over it.

Right now my cell phone was off because I didn't want to hear anything from Dean.

Everything he told me just seemed to make my situation worse. Any bout of sympathy I had once haboured for him was long gone.

This wasn't about him. Or maybe it was...

My Uncle Gavin, Dixon, Gary, the Callahans. They had chosen to do this.

To play this manipulative game that was no good for anyone.

But Jason was just stuck in the middle and I so desperately wanted to pull him out.

But I couldn't do that by lying and making deals with villains.

Jason knew more about lies and deals than I did.

He saw them everywhere he looked in his world.

He didn't want lies and treachery. He didn't need lies and treachery. He needed the opposite and he thought he could get it from me but I betrayed him.

I heard the door slam open as Jason angrily stormed in.

I was seated cross legged on the bed of the hotel.

We were on our way back to New York but had to make an emergency landing because the weather suddenly changed and was unfavourable for flying.

You can imagine how mad that made that made Jason. He cursed and yelled. A lot.

I tried to calm him down but he especially didn't want my comfort.

He had a driver drop me off at a hotel before disappearing somewhere, I assumed it was to find a jet willing to fly in this weather.

But when I caught the whiff of alcohol on him, I knew the answer immediately.

He marched past me as if I wasn't even here and went to the suite's little foyer.

''Room service sent up dinner.'' I muttered as I gestured to the untouched plate in the middle of the room.

Jason grumbled something that I think was 'not hungry' as he walked away.

I sighed and got off the bed and followed him. He had sank down on a sofa and was taking off his shoes.

''You have to eat something. Drinking on an empty stomach isn't advised.'' I spoke.

He didn't reply. He just took off his socks and stuffed them into his shoes.

''I can fix up something else for you if you're not in the mood for hotel food.'' I offered. Even I knew how ridiculous it was acting like everything was normal and like last night never happened.

"He still didn't respond and just sank back in the sofa. He fished into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes.

''Could you not?'' I I asked him.

He didn't look at me. He just fished into his other pocket and took out a lighter.

But before he could light either of them, I marched up to him and tore them out of his hands.

He looked up at me in irritation.

But I didn't let him speak.

''Yes, I know you're mad at me for not telling you about what went down with your parents. And I should have trusted you and told you the truth. But I wasn't lying, Jason. I was scared. I still don't understand your world and that's what makes me all the more scared. You can't blame me for not knowing who's side you'd be on if I did tell you.''

He just stared at me blankly for a while. He looked like he was about to say something. And he did. Just not what I was expecting.

''Can I have my cigarettes back?''

I tightened my hand around the box, smashing it.

He sighed then got up.

''Great. Now I have to get more.''

He started walking towards the door. My blood boiled as all sorts of emotions brewed in me causing me to react impulsively.

''I know who attacked Anthony'' I spoke.

Jason froze. This definitely got his attention. He spun around, eyes wild with anger.

''What did you just say'' He growled.

I gulped wondering if this was as good of a plan as I thought. Enough people had told me about Jason's bad temper. And I had witnessed it first hand but I was still testing him.

''That's right. I know who attacked Anthony. And I know who attacked you at your father's hotel.''

Jason rolled his eyes. ''Haven't you lied to me enough?''

I clenched my fists, trying to rile up confidence. ''I know you hate me. But at least hate me for a sensible reason. I know who hurt you and Anthony.''

He had this 'humour me' expression on his face but I could tell that part of him was seriously wondering if I was telling him the truth.

''It's Dean.'' I let out the name, surprised at how hard it was to get out. Probably because I had been so scared for so long to say the name in front of Jason.

Jason scoffed. ''Archibald hates me but he isn't a traitor. His father has worked with mine since I could remember. In fact, he's the architect responsible for most of the Callahan buildings.''

Something suddenly fell into place.

''Even the Dynasty?'' I asked.

''Especially the Dynasty. He designed the whole building himself.''

''Meaning Dean had the means of getting in and out without being detected.''

I remember what Dean had said about knowing the Dynasty better that its owners.

Jason stared at me in confusion. He looked at war with himself. Trying to decide if I was lying or not.

''Archibald is a lot of things but he's not stupid enough to go against us.'' It sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

''Why would I start lying now?'' I asked. 

Honestly, I had nothing to lose.

Jason eyed me intently as if looking for a reason to believe me.

I fished out 'Katelyn King's phone and handed it to him. ''If you don't believe me, check all my messages and missed calls. That's if the PI you hired didn't already.'' I added at the end.

I saw how his expression slightly  changed.

''Yeah, Dean told me that too. He told me to go up to your room when you got stabbed as well. He told me a lot of things.'' I shook my head and sighed. Letting all this out took a load off of me.

I looked up at him and he just stared with an expressionless face.

''I needed to tell you all of this. I know I should have done it earlier but...'' I let out a huge breath. ''I guess 'I was scared' isn't really a good excuse anymore.'' I spoke with a nervous laugh.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and shifted nervously, looking at the ground nervously,.''Maybe I was more afraid of losing you.''

He was silent and I was too for a while.

''It wasn't fake. None of it was. I really did-do care about you, Jason. I just wanted to say it on my own terms. Not because of Dean or your parents.''

More silence.

''That's it, I guess...'' I spoke. ''I never meant to betray you. But I did. And I'm sorry. But I was never meant for this world and I can't take another second in it. I'm not going back to New York with you. I don't know where I'll go but it needs to be somewhere I can start over.''

Jason simply shook his head in disbelief and walked off towards the other side of the room.

I fought the urge to choke out a sob. Something in my chest felt like it had dropped down in disappointment.

But what was I expecting?

I had lied to him and kept this from him. I should know by now that trust is hard to establish again after that.

I sucked in a deep breath and with all the dignity I had left, I walked out the room.

I slipped on my coat.

I picked up my bag and headed for the door.

I hesitated when I was about to head out the door. I looked back but Jason wasn't there.

He wasn't coming after me and I shouldn't expect him to.

I closed the door behind me and made my way to the main exit of the hotel.

I ignored the lady at the reception who asked me if I was checking out already.

I walked out the automatic sliding doors.

I raised my hand trying to hail a cab.

The cool winds blew at me, sending my coat and hair backwards.

I wished I could breathe it all in and just let it blow away all the things I was feeling right now.

It did a good job and blowing away the tears that were trying to escape my reluctant eyes.

No cab stopped for me, they all seemed to be rushing somewhere else or stopping for other people. Better people.

Or maybe I just wasn't trying hard enough. Either way, it was all too much and it triggered something that made everything I was holding in spill out.

I ended up stumbling back and throwing my bag on the ground before plopping down on in. I put my face in my hands and let those pesky tears escape.

I felt like a lost traveler who had just  been getting on different trains, not knowing where she was going.

Now time had caught up with me and I couldn't hide the fact that I had been reckless and impulsive. And there was always a price to pay for that.

My parents, my brother, Alex, Isabella, all the people I had known in my past life and all the people I had met in my new life, all lost. Jason All gone. All lost.

It's like I was cursed.

I was indeed a lost traveler who didn't know where she was... where she was going or who she was.

Where had my identity gone? Did I even have one?

My family was stolen from me in the midst and most confusing part of my teenage years, I had lost myself in a boy I hardly knew by the time I was seventeen. And 'Katelyn King' was forced down my throat without my consent or permission.

I felt a shadow cast over me blocking the sun.

I looked up and saw a towering figure.

''Miss, you can't loiter around here.'' The guard spoke.

I scrambled to my feet and wiped my eyes. ''Right, I'm sorry, I was just going erm... I was going''

''Nowhere without me.''

I perked up at the familiar voice. Jason was marching towards me. He took me in his arms and smashed his lips on mine,

It was like that one action sent me  us into a different world. Our own world where love mattered and not paparazzi or murder or blackmail.

Just us. And that was enough for me.

I thought he'd never pull away and I'm not sure I wanted him to.

He kissed me desperately and I kissed back, wanting to savor every second spent away from a lover who almost slipped away forever.

But we had to pull away eventually, and when we did, he held my face.

''I'm not mad.'' He  breathed out, his lungs trying to absorb all the oxygen he had missed out on in those few seconds much like mine. ''I get it. I understand.'' he added.

I didn't have words and I don't think I needed any. My expression probably said it all.

I was relived.

He kissed me again and I wanted to believe that it would all be okay but I couldn't allow myself to be that naive again. There were questions and problems that came with all this.

''What will you tell your family/'' I asked him.

I felt ashamed for not even considering Dixon, his father or Gary in all this. They had kept things from me too but I'd still like to believe that to some extent, they were still people I knew. Hence people who still meant something to me.

What would happen when Jason told his family what he had learnt?

Would they get revenge and if so, were Dixon and Uncle Gavin that deeply involved in this that they would get affected.

''I won'tell them anything.'' He spoke.

I furrowed my brows at him.

''I heard what you said.'' he continued. ''I don't want this life either...''

My confusion deepened. ''What are you saying, Jason?''

He clutched my hands tightly and looked intensely into my eyes.

''I'm saying, lets run away.''