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Novel Catalog
Chapter 23: What Does She Do?
Kaitlin was fuming. The nerve of Ainsley! Not only did she stand up for herself, but she had the audacity to remind Kaitlin of her own family’s role in the marriage between her and Cason. It was clear from the coldness in Ainsley’s voice that she wasn’t the same person who once adored Kaitlin’s brother. This wasn’t the meek, submissive Ainsley anymore; this was a woman who had been through enough to no longer care about the opinions of the Baldry family.
“You do have the means,” Kaitlin spat, her face pale with fury. Her attempt to belittle Ainsley had failed miserably, and now she was only left with her pride to cling to. But even that was slipping through her fingers.
Ainsley narrowed her eyes, her voice colder than before. “Kaitlin, I was a fool when I fell in love with your brother back then, but I knew exactly why he married me. If you want to throw mud at me, you’d better not go too far.”
Ainsley’s words hung in the air like a slap, forcing Kaitlin to remember the painful truth about Cason and Ainsley’s marriage—the one she and her mother had manipulated into being. Cason’s grandfather liked Ainsley, and Kaitlin had believed that Cason’s marriage would bring Kaliyah back. Now, looking at Ainsley, all those plans seemed insignificant, and Kaitlin’s irritation grew.
Kaitlin jabbed a finger at Ainsley. “I threw mud at you? Since you’re so high and mighty now, why don’t you just return our family’s property? You wanted to fish for money from us before you left. Don’t think you’re worth it!”
Ainsley’s eyes darkened, her voice sharp as a blade. “For the record, your brother wasted three years of my youth. He asked me to serve you and your mother, then tossed me aside when his first love came back. It’s good enough that I didn’t sue your brother for cheating me into marriage. And now, your family expects me to leave with nothing?”
Kaitlin’s face turned a few shades paler as the harsh reality of Ainsley’s words settled in. The truth stung. In the past, Cason had been Ainsley’s weakness, but now, her bitterness was palpable. How dare she? Kaitlin thought, seething with anger. This wasn’t the Ainsley she could control.
But Ainsley wasn’t done. She glanced at the time, clearly uninterested in wasting more of her morning with Kaitlin. With a decisive motion, she patted Serina on the shoulder. “Let’s go. It’s time for you to go to class.”
Serina, ever the thoughtful friend, smiled and took Ainsley’s arm. “Alright, let’s go, Ainsley,” she said, signaling their departure from the escalating tension.
As they turned to leave, Kaitlin stood there, fuming. Her eyes followed them until they disappeared into the building. Her fists clenched in silent rage. Ainsley… How dare she? Kaitlin thought darkly. She was going to make her regret this.
Later, Serina and Ainsley entered the university campus together. As they walked toward the teaching building, Ainsley couldn’t help but glance at Serina, observing her once again. She had promised to treat Serina well, but she couldn’t quite shake the curiosity about this seemingly cheerful and lively girl.
Serina, not noticing Ainsley’s contemplative gaze, turned to her with a warm smile. “Ainsley, I’m going to class now. Are you free for lunch? We could hang out if you’re not too busy.”
Ainsley smiled back, appreciative of Serina’s warmth. “Sure, I’ll wait for you at the east gate of the canteen. It’s closer to the teaching building.”
Serina’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “Great! I’ll see you there. And by the way, you can call me Serina. No need to be so formal.”
Ainsley gave her a slight nod. “Alright, Serina. See you later.”
As Serina walked off toward her class, Ainsley felt a brief moment of contentment. It was refreshing to have someone as genuine as Serina show interest in being her friend. She hadn’t expected to make such a connection today, but here they were, two women bonding over something simple yet meaningful.
Meanwhile, Kaitlin, still fuming, crossed paths with one of her sidekicks as she made her way to the teaching building. Her follower had been trailing behind her and had been observing the interaction between Ainsley and Serina. The follower was quick to speak up when she saw Ainsley again.
“She’s the new teacher from the Psychological Counseling Room,” the follower said, eyeing Ainsley with intrigue. “She’s really young and pretty. The boys have been talking about her non-stop. She’s made quite the impression.”
Kaitlin froze for a moment, taking in the words. Ainsley, a teacher at the Psychological Counseling Room? Beautiful? It didn’t sit well with her. She had always seen Ainsley as beneath her, as the woman who had clung to Cason in desperation. How was it possible that Ainsley was now someone people were talking about? Beautiful? Worthy of attention?
Kaitlin clenched her jaw, but didn’t let her emotions spill over. Her follower, noticing the shift in Kaitlin’s demeanor, quickly tried to backtrack. “Well, she’s not that great, really. I mean, I think she’s had some work done—nose job, eyelid surgery, you know, that sort of thing. She can’t possibly compare to you, Kaitlin.”
Kaitlin didn’t need to hear more. The follower’s flattery was enough to soothe her bruised ego, but the mention of Ainsley being the ‘new teacher’ at the Psychological Counseling Room lingered in her mind.
“Psychological Counseling Room?” Kaitlin muttered to herself. “Is she worthy of that position?”
She turned to her sidekick, her gaze sharp. “Jenny, do me a favor. If you can manage this, my Chanel bag from last month’s shopping spree will be yours.”
Jenny’s eyes lit up at the offer. “Of course, Kaitlin! What do you need me to do?”
Kaitlin’s lips curled into a cold, calculating smile. “I want you to find out everything you can about this ‘new teacher.’ I want to know who she really is and what she’s up to. Let’s see if she really deserves all the attention she’s getting.”
The wheels of manipulation had already started turning in Kaitlin’s mind. She had no intention of letting Ainsley slip away from her control—she had a plan. And she wasn’t going to let anyone, not even Serina, stand in her way.
As Ainsley made her way to the Psychological Counseling Room, she was unaware of the storm brewing just around the corner. But one thing was for sure: she was done being anyone’s victim. And she was about to discover that standing up for herself meant more than just facing Kaitlin—it meant facing an entire world that wasn’t so easily won.
