Chapter 10 BULLIED

KATRINA'S P O V

‘‘I… I’m your secretary, Cohen…’’ I couldn’t help myself and blurted out. ‘‘Why did you decide to hire someone else without even informing me first?’’

Ella is Aunt Emily’s only child. My Auntie---mom's older sister who sold me to the Dawson family when she was meant to be my legal guardian.

Just like Aunt Emily, Ella possessed the same negative attitude as her mother. She used to bully me when we were still young. She would put chewing gum on my hair, and Aunt Emily would end up scolding me. After that, she would cut my hair short, which resulted in me crying to my sleep because I was aware how my mother loved my long hair so much. She would routinely braid my hair, and style it in different ways.

I can also vividly recall the time when Ella unexpectedly entered my room when I was in there reading a book. ‘‘Hey, nerd! Why are you reading all the time? That’s why you have no friends because you’re always here locking yourself in your room!’’ she snickered, her mouth turned up in a sneer.

I cried out when she slapped my book out of my hand. My lips quivered but I was adamant not to cry, because I knew that she would bully me more if that happened. I would only cry on my bed before I go to sleep.

Aunt Emily stepped inside the room when she heard Ella’s loud voice. I gave her a quick glance, expecting her to reprimand Ella and then help me with my book, but what she did next shocked me, and broke my heart at the same time.

‘‘Sweetheart, it's not because she's a nerd that she doesn't have any friends...’’ she said sweetly to her daughter. ‘‘That’s because she’s ugly!’’

I sat there in stunned silence. Whoever made that promise to my parents when they were still alive, that they would look after me, couldn't possibly have said something like that.

But the moment I caught a glimpse of the sardonic gleam in Aunt Emily’s dark eyes, I knew that I wasn’t mistaken.

‘‘Aunt Emily…’’ I whispered, my big honey-colored eyes welled up with tears of anguish.

‘‘A-aunt Emily..." Ella repeated in a sarcastic tone. ‘‘Aww… are you going to cry?’’

Whatever it was that I thought I saw on Aunt Emily's face for a fraction of a second, whether it was regret or something else entirely, but it didn't stick around for very long.

‘‘Let’s go, Ella…’’ Aunt Emily called, dragging Ella out of my room. ‘‘Don’t waste your time talking to the nerd!’’

After the door had been shut, I threw myself on the bed, bawled my eyes out, calling for my parents, and wishing that they are still here with me, not realizing that I fell asleep without eating dinner.

And that made me think that perhaps Aunt Emily sold me to the Dawson family because Ella never really liked me. At the Dawson family, they treated me very well, and it didn't take long for Cohen and I to become friends. We used to spend time together playing in the garden throughout the spring, and while we were there, he would gather flowers for me and tucked one behind my ear.

We also played in the rain, and when it started to snow, we would create a snowman and use a carrot for the nose. He would play Kristoff, and I would play Ana, and we would sing ‘‘let it go’’ together.

Cohen and I were childhood friends, and as the years went by, I couldn't help but notice that I was developing feelings for him. Ella appeared to be aware of it, and as a result, she made persistent efforts to seduce Cohen, but he refused to give in. Ella never managed to take anything from me despite her constant attempts, but now…

Cohen was well aware of the fact that I detest my cousin, so I don't understand why he chose to appoint her as his new secretary.

‘‘Me, someone else…?" Ella scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest and gazed at Cohen in an alluring manner as if she was asking to defend her.

‘‘You're going to work together from now on, Katrina...'' Cohen stated, and I stared at him in bewilderment. ‘‘She would be working in my office for the time being while the other room is being renovated, which is expected to take some time. You have to knock at the door first before you come in, if you have any questions or concerns...''

After providing my response, which was a death stare, Ella smirked at me as they walked away and entered Cohen's office.

I settled myself at my desk, and I felt the familiar pain again like my chest felt like being sliced over and over again. I gripped my chest as if it could relieve all the pain I was feeling. Nothing could feel a pain like I was experiencing right now.

I tried to calm down by taking some slow, deep breaths, but all the while, my eyes kept darting to the door of Cohen's office. I was curious as to what he and Ella were doing inside. The shutters on the large glass walls were drawn shut from the inside, so I couldn’t see what was happening.

I shook my head, trying to brush them away from my thoughts. I clicked my computer on, and immediately got to work---initially reading emails sent by a variety of senders from different companies, and then responding to the most significant ones.

Over the break, I left the office without informing Cohen. When the elevator doors slid open, I squeezed myself in with the rest of the crowd. When I finally reached the ground floor, I pushed myself out, smoothing out my dishevelled blouse, and continued walking to the cafeteria.

I had already started eating my lunch when I noticed Ella enter the cafeteria. She looked around until she found me, and then she put on a phony smile before approaching me.

She greeted me by saying, ‘‘Hey there, cousin...,’’ yet the tone of her voice was playful toward me. I paid her no attention and proceeded to finish my meal. And it appeared that my action made her blood boil, since she slammed her hand down on the table, which caused me to jerk away from the impact. ‘‘I am talking to you, so why aren't you paying attention to what I am saying?’’

I put my spoon and fork down as I became conscious of the fact that the other people around us were already watching, and I could hear murmurs and whispers as a result of Ella's antics.

‘‘What do you want?’’ I inquired with composure.

As she drew closer to me, her breath began to gently blow across my forehead. ‘‘Do you know that Cohen and I had already had sex on the day that you became his hidden wife...'' she stated, her voice was cold, firm and teasing at the same time. ‘‘And I loved it…’’

I balled my hands into fists and placed them on my lap while I continued to attempt to stop myself from hurting her.

‘‘I love his touch, his kiss, his everything…’’ And when she started laughing out loud and threw head her back, my vision darkened as I sprung from my seat and my hand flew, slapping her face hard. So hard that I thought it must have made her dizzy since she swayed a little bit.

‘‘You bitch! How dare you slap me!’’ She screamed at me and was ready to beat me back, but I grabbed her wrist and prevented her from hitting me.

‘‘Don't you dare, Ella!’ I warned her, speaking in a tone that was low yet stern. ‘As Cohen's wife, I demand that you show some respect to me!’’

Following the forceful release of her wrist, I turned my back on her and walked away, leaving her bewildered.