Rose's POV
With long legs and a face that turned heads, Katherine looked every bit the supermodel she was.
It was no wonder Nathan had risked his marriage and organization by sleeping with the wife of the most bloodthirsty Don of their generation.
She hugged me like we were old friends.
I froze when I heard the muffled beating of her heart in her chest.
The thought that it had been inside Bella a few months ago sent me into hysterics and I shoved her away with more force than I intended.
She crashed to the ground with a loud, pained cry.
"Katherine!" Nathan rushed to her side, helping her off the floor as she whimpered and leaned into his touch.
He turned to me with a glare so fierce I stumbled back.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You could have seriously hurt Katherine!"
"It was an accident," I tried to explain, but he continued glaring, sure I was lying.
"It's fine, Nathan. She's grieving, and I must have startled her," she pleaded with him but I could see the smirk dancing on her lips.
Hearing her beg for me only made him angrier.
"That's not an excuse!"
His shout drew more attention from the other guests to our small group. Seeing the two bodyguards and the famous Katherine Salford piqued their curiosity, and soon, phones were brought out to record the drama.
Nathan had always hated attention, and having so much on him worsened his mood.
His voice was low and frightening as he commanded, "Apologize, right now."
I didn't want to cause a stir when I was so close to leaving. My fist tightened around the straps of the bag containing what little I could pack without suspicion and apologized to her.
Not satisfied, Nathan decided to end the day, but Katherine insisted she had to get the new line of clothes.
I watched his expression soften at her pout and wondered how I had been so blind to how devoted he was to her.
He gave in easily, but as punishment, I was only allowed to watch, not participate.
I agreed, knowing why I was really there, and remained quiet as I followed behind Katherine and Nathan.
I wore his ring on my finger, but staring at them as they joked and playfully browsed through clothes for her, they looked like a perfect pair.
It left a sour taste in my mouth, and I placed my hand on my belly to remind myself of who really mattered.
Finally, it was time for her to try on the clothes she had picked. I offered to follow her into the changing room, hoping to find a window I could climb out of.
Nathan tried to refuse, but Katherine insisted she needed my help. She dumped her heap of clothes into my arms and commanded me to follow.
I turned to Nathan, wondering if he would step in and set her straight.
He met my gaze, daring me to refuse.
It was a sad goodbye, but it was better I remembered him as the lovestruck fool he was for Katherine rather than my doting husband.
Katherine's smile was wide when I set her clothes down on a table in the stall.
"I can't imagine losing a sister and husband in the same year." She sighed, dramatically.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm just saying, it's only a matter of time till Nathan gets bored of all the weeping and moaning."
All I could do was stare, wondering what made her act so boldly when, up until that moment, she had been playing the friend role so well.
"Is there something you'd like to say to me, Katherine?"
Katherine took her time putting on her dress and taking a picture in it before she responded.
"I've already said all I need to. Unless you're too stupid to know how a flash drive works."
Realization dawned on me, and I froze.
She knew.
My Private Investigator was the best in the business. He had kept such a low profile not even Nathan had known I hired him, so how could she?
Unless...
I tried to remember the envelope—yellow and discreet, without any hint of who had given it to the delivery guy.
I had just assumed it was the Private Investigator, but when I tried to recall any sign of a sender, I came up with nothing.
Insisting Nathan had to see her dress, Katherine handed me her phone and left the stall before I could question her.
Looking down at her screen, I expected to see the selfie she had just taken but was met with a picture that sent a chill running down my spine.
It was a picture of a familiar hand—limp and pale, with a blue friendship bracelet that I knew well because I had made it for Bella.
It confirmed my suspicions that Katherine had sent that flash drive and she was taunting me about it.
Bella had been reduced to a part of her sick games.
The tears I had sworn not to shed ran down my cheeks before I could stop them, and my hands trembled with rage.
I would leave to protect my child, but first, I was going to make Nathan and Katherine pay for what they had done.
Wiping my tears away, I searched through Katherine's phone until I found what I was looking for—her husband, Francis Salford's number.
