World After Worlds
Chapter 270 - 270: Side Story: Vladimir's Obsession Continuation Preview!

[Skip if not interested; this is not Yanarym's story!]

Katherine was not the type of girl who could poker face or really hide her grief. She knew how to wear a mask but those were all happy masks. She rarely got into the spotlight so no one really was interested in her feelings. She was good at camouflaging, however, not at all times. Especially if she was overwhelmed with emotions, so, her eyes started to water, while her heart was beating so hard, that it hurt her chest. She was so angry at him right now that she wanted to bawl her eyes out while slapping him. She wanted to grab those different kinds of sports balls and throw them hard at him.

By her understanding, he looked like a jealous lover storming at her because she cheated or something. She felt happy for one second seeing him here and it was not an illusion but she suddenly felt the injustice.

It was so unfair.

He heard that she liked Helios and just like that two years of not reaching out to her vanished. Here he was. How could he get jealous and storm here? While she has to cry in silence and keep everything to herself all this time?

Even now, she was still denying the fact that this guy was into her just as much as she did. That she could not like him. That her feelings should not exist. She should bury it deep. He had a fiancé, another woman. Katherine never questioned about that- she never showed jealousy. How dare he get jealous and question her about liking another man?

"Kath."

"Why?" She muttered. "Why are you here?! Do you have a right to question who I can like!"

"Why can't I, Kathrine?!" He shouted angrily. "How could you like someone else?"

She was startled by his scream and infuriated demeanor. He looked like he would hit her for saying those words.

"Why are you yelling at me?" She sobbed. She covered her face because she could not walk away or stop her tears.

"Kath. I... I didn't mean to. It's just... " he lowered his voice. "Why are you crying?" He was beside her in a matter of seconds. She wanted to push him but she just wanted to cover how pathetic was right now. "Katherine. Did I scare you? I'm sorry I didn't mean to get —"

"I'm so…fucking mad at you, Vladimir Vasquez! Stop calling my name!" She said so loudly. "Don't touch me!"

Vladimir immediately bit his lips but didn't move away from her. He wanted to squeeze her closer but she was too emotional right now...

He was confused about the situation. He knew something was wrong but he didn't delve into it immediately.

Katherine cried for a long time before she calmed down. She let out all of her grievances without the intention of doing it deliberately.

It sunk into her how embarrassing just happened. She bawled her eyes out. It was more embarrassing because Vladimir just silently watched her.

It was weird. Because now her heart was rambling while her mind was making a 'wang-wang' sound. She knew it was dangerous to be with him. She never liked the thought of mistresses and she would surely not become one of his. Even if she liked him a lot.

"You can let me go now."

"Did you calm down?" His voice was soft. As if he was being cautious. And soothing a baby.

"Yes, please let me go now."

She said intending to sound casual but failed after hiccupping. This time he listened and set her free.

Katherine quickly turned around and wiped her tears. She didn't know what to do or say to him at this point.

'Why did I cry?' She wanted to dig a hole and hide.

"Kath."

"C-can you leave? I'm so embarrassed to talk to you right now. Please," her voice cracked, and she felt that she was about to cry again.

"I want to talk, Katherine… I didn't mean to scare you."

"I wasn't scared. I told you I was so angry that I made this embarrassing scene."

"Why are you angry?" He asked. He sounded so serious that it annoyed Katherine.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I am jealous of Helios. I was supposed to talk to you later but I can't stay still. Do you like him?" He sounded like he was trying to not get agitated.

Katherine was trying to understand the situation now that her outburst was subsiding.

How her heart was jittering, it was happy but her brain was not. All of the logical questions were popping into her mind and she did not want to say a word. Because if she did, she was terrified to be crying again.

"Katherine."

Katherine closes her eyes. Why did it get so good when he called her name? She bit her lips and forced herself to get logical at the situation.

This man was engaged to another woman. If he was jealous of Helios then that means he was indirectly saying he liked her. She could allow herself to cross that line. She was poor not a mistress.

He liked him but he…he could not do this to her. Without knowing she was crying.

"I don't want to…talk." It was hard to speak and he could hear her sobbing again.

"I don't understand why are you crying, Kath. Is this an excuse to get away from—"

'Because you are playing with me! I thought you liked me, but after your graduation, you never talked to me again! I waited for you there! You even forgot about Champ. You… suddenly doing all this when you have a freaking fiancée. What do you think of me?!'– s what she wanted to scream at his face but ended up saying; "You're not doing it fairly. You're so unfair, Vladimir."

It took her almost an hour to calm down. Her eyes and nose were red, she was sobbing with no tears in the corner while Vladimir was sitting not far away watching her.

"I thought we would never be able to talk to each other again," she said hugging her knees while she was sitting on the floor. Her voice was weak but because of the quiet room, he could hear her. "There are many reasons why I cried and being surprised that you are seeing me right now is one of them." She turned to look at him and met his eyes.

She smiled gloomily and saw how his eyes darkened from her location. She could read him, there was a desire in those eyes. However, she kept on denying that he wanted her, she kept reminding herself that she was just being delusional.

"Katherine, what are you doing?" He said with a severe tone.

"This is us, Vlad. We're not that far, but we cannot be close too." He looked at her with perplexed eyes. He could not understand what she meant.

"I'm young, but not too young, Vladimir. You know, I like you, right? I wanted you. But I'm not your plaything." She swallowed hard. Her nose felt tingly, yet she wanted to cry no more…

At this point, she felt like her heart was breaking and kept on breaking. Because he was letting her say what she wanted to say. He was letting her think about what she wanted to do. The emotions she thought she would never surface, he was allowing her to feel that.

And it feels like after they talk. She really has to let this feeling go. That made her realize that she was unknowingly hanging onto him all this time.

She was waiting…

"Are you done?" He asked. She looked at him, she had more to say. There were questions she wanted to ask too. But she felt so tired already.

He bent his knees and narrowed the space between their faces. Before she could process his intentions, his lips landed on hers.

"When you said you wanted me. How much do you want me, Katherine?" He looked straight into her eyes. As if he was trying to devour her entirely.

Katherine gulped.

She was speechless.

"Katherine."

"W-why… How could you kiss me in this situation?" She was voiceless.

"I am not playing."

"You have a girlfriend."

"You agreed?"

"What?"

"Of our relationship."

"W..what?"

"You said, I have a girlfriend. That means you are acknowledging me as your boyfriend. "

"No…" Confused, Katherine shook her head. "You… I mean you are engaged. You have a fiancée. You are engaged..."

"To you."

.

.

.

"I gave you a son. We have been engaged since then."

"What the hell are you saying?"

"You belonged to me since then."

Katherine was overwhelmed. He was so close. He was not giving her time to analyze any word that was getting out of her mouth. He kept on looking at her lips as if he wanted to kiss her so badly but he was holding back.

"Baby, I don't why are you so confused right now." He wiped her tears. "I am more confused than you are crying and behaving like I did something bad. You said you wanted space because you want to do your best in getting your scholarship."

'What?' she was internally losing wits.

"I gave you two years, didn't I? I never approached you or hindered your studies. I did what you told me to do."

'What the hell is he saying?'

"In fact, I should be the one who should feel the injustice. Rain said you like Helios?" He smiled, but he wasn't happy. His eyes reflected dangerously as his thumb brushed her lower lips. "Are you serious, baby? You can't do that to me."

"Vlad… What the hell are you saying?" Katherine asked.