EPISODE 10_ VERONICA HAMPTON

Catherine raised her eyebrows in confusion, she didn't understand what Anitra meant by his words nor the meaning behind it.

"What are you trying to say? What monsters?" She asked curiously, he smirked and walked closer to her, he bent over and had his mouth closer to her ear.

"I'll leave that for you to find out " he said and straightened. "I'll see you around."

Anitra turned around and walked away from her and she released a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Catherine glanced down at the book in her hand and looked back at the direction where Anitra walked towards. She secretly prays that Anitra doesn't bother her again. She has a very bad feeling where he is, even though he doesn't make her hyperactive or scared like Ace does, there is this darkness hovering around Anitra and she doesn't want to get close to such darkness.

After a while,she checked her wristwatch and cursed herself inwardly, she quickly bookmarked the place she stopped reading the novel in her hand and stood up to go for her next class.

She went to the locker room and unlocked her locker so that she could grab her book for the next class. Upon opening her locker, her clothes were covered in a white paint. Catherine cried out and jumped back from her locker, her school uniform just got ruined. The students around were just laughing at her.

Catherine bit her bottom lip so hard that she could taste blood in her mouth. She was trying not to cry, not to show weakness but she couldn't help the stream of tears falling down her eyes.

Who....who did this?" She asked loudly, her voice trembling.

The students bursted into another fit of mocking laughter, Catherine couldn't bear it. What is she going to do? Her uniform is ruined and she can't afford such expensive material. Her uncle won't give her any money even if she ends up telling him what happened and Vivian will call her a cursed child.

What was she supposed to do?

"Who did this! Who the fuck did this!" She yelled more loudly this time around.

"Why are you disturbing the students that were trying to hurry up and go to class? At least peasants like you have brains, I don't think you've got any up there." Kisa Queens said, coming into view with her two idiotic friends, Mansi and Rachel.

Mansi is from new money while Rachel is a poor girl on scholarship, she became a maid for Kisa, guess that's how they formed their little group.

"Did you did this, Kisa? Did you break in my locker and plant a paint bucket inside? What did I do to you? I've never crossed your path!" Catherine said, her voice quivering. The paint made her body sticky. She felt dirty, how on earth was she going to wash the paint off her?

"Stay away from Ace, I'm warning you, the next time won't be a paint but a bucket of acid." Kisa deadpanned, Catherine stared at her as if she didn't hear what the other girl said.

Kisa wasn't even feeling remorseful.

Catherine glanced around the hallway only to find some students videoing what was going on. She felt ashamed of herself.

What can't she live normally like every other teenager? Why is her life different from that of her mates?

"Ace was the one after me, what am I supposed to do if he keeps tormenting me?" Catherine asked, she was obviously distraught over what happened.

She didn't wait for Kisa to say anything to her as she turned around and grabbed her extra school uniform from her locker and rushed towards the bathroom.

_____

After taking her bath, Catherine changed into her second school uniform. She stood before the bathroom mirror, staring at herself.

She couldn't walk out of the bathroom and go to class because she knew that she is the school's hot topic of the moment.

Her eyes were red from crying and her lips were still trembling.

How can she survive the next two month and a week she has left in the school?

She was determined to study hard and hopefully get a scholarship to study neurosurgery at Oxford. It was her dream college.

Ever since she made up her mind to be a neurosurgeon, ever since she woke up from a coma and forgot everything she used to know about herself, she was determined to go to the best college and acquire knowledge about the brain, but if she keep missing classes, how in hell is she going to make it?

Catherine squeezed her eyes shut and her lip thinned. She felt like the whole school just ganged up against her, the worst part was that she had no one to protect her.

Ace.

He caused everything, he blacklisted her, he marked her, she became a prey on their game. The thought of him made her shiver, it scared her because it wasn't a disgusting kind of shiver but something totally different.

Catherine sighed softly and straightened herself. She has to do this. For her last parents that she doesn't remember.

For her previous life that she remembers nothing about.

She has to be strong and pull through every obstacle on her way to Oxford.

She grabbed her already damaged uniform and carefully folded it before pulling the bathroom door open, the hallway was quiet, the students were already in their different classes. Catherine's heart ached. She should also be there but it was too late for that, she will have to stay behind until after the class period before going back home and get ready for work.

She fixed her eyes on the ground, walking ahead when she bumped into someone.

_____

Ace walked inside the dining room and saw his mother already sitting down behind the table, her tablet beside her.

Veronica Hampton.

Her profession was her top priority, a hardcore and ruthless politician. Ace and his mother don't see eye to eye. They definitely weren't the best mother and son out there and Ace wasn't looking for such a relationship with Veronica.

Veronica looked up when she noticed Ace's footsteps, her lips thinned as she took in his features.

"Why weren't you dressed, Ace?" She asked.

Ace sat down two seats away from Veronica and he picked up his fork.

"Dress for what? For dinner?" Ace asked and scoffed.

"Don't use that voice on me, Ace. Don't push me." Veronica said in a low threatening voice. Ace dropped his fork and raised his eyebrows challengingly at Veronica.

"What? You're going to boss me around? The least you can do is send me back to England. what else can you do, Veronica?"

Veronica sighed softly and stared at Ace whose whole demeanor was burning up.

"I don't want to fight, Ace. I just want to know who Kisa was telling me about, who is this girl that you have been giving so much attention to in school instead of your fiance?"

"I don't have a fiance, mother. I've said this over and over again." Ace grumbled, he picked up his fork yet again and started eating.

"Kisa is the fiance in my book, get used to it and stay away from that girl." Veronica started. Ace pushed his chair back and stood up.

"Chef Bruce!" He shouted, a man in his late forties stroll inside the dining room.

"Young master, you called me."

"Have someone bring my food to my room, and this should be the ritual everyday, I'll have my breakfast and dinner inside my room, is that understood?" Ace asked almost impatiently.

"Very well, young Master."

Ace glared at his mother and walked out of the dining room.

T.b.c