Insomnia

Slipping into the steaming hot bath, Kathryn felt her muscles relax, and a soft moan escaped her lips. She let her mind wander back to the events of the night and couldn't help but feel grateful for having come so far.

After soaking for an hour, Kathryn stepped out of the tub and efficiently wrapped both a short towel around her slim figure and another around her damp hair. Moving over to her vanity, she took a moment to admire her reflection with a delighted smile before using the hairdryer to dry her locks.

She then went into her roomy walk-in closet, rummaging through various racks until she finally found a sports bra and a pair of snug shorts to wear. Exhausted, she stifled a yawn, her bed calling to her endlessly, but she knew she had to stay disciplined and finish the hour of exercise she had planned for that night.

As she descended the stairs, Kathryn could hear panting coming from somewhere close by—it only grew more audible as she neared the gym. She steeled herself for the workout ahead and opened the door to her makeshift gym.

On getting inside she saw rebecca and Arthur sparring, she smiled...

"Couldn't sleep?" Kathryn asked, warming up and stretching..

"Yeah" rebecca said

She watched with amusement as Rebecca and Arthur bickered, sparring to prove their point. She admired their determination and discipline, as Rebecca narrowly avoided a sharp punch from Arthur and retaliated swiftly with a punch below Arthur's stomach, which he effortlessly blocked.

Arthur swiftly slid on Rebecca's feet and knocked her down in a swift move.

"Fucking hell, I almost had you Arthur, you know it" She hit the mat loudly and cursed under her breath before pointing her finger at Arhur, her expression one of frustration yet also respect.

"Almost doesnt kill a bird love" Arthur said ruffling her messy pony tail.

"Dont do that" Rebecca said hitting his hands away.

She was beyond upset that she had lost the spar for more than four consecutive sessions, yet she clearly wasn't ready to give up yet.

Kathryn couldn't help but smile at her two friends as they continued their banter. These two were her people, and she adored them to bits, constantly grateful for their presence in her life. Her expression shifted to one of mischievousness as she proposed a challenge to the two.

"Why don't you fight someone your own size?" Kathryn teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Arthur, feigning terror, quickly scurried away from Rebecca, retreating towards the gym's exit with his hands held high in surrender.

Even as she laughed, Rebecca's expression softened as she watched her brother escape, her fighting spirit momentarily replaced by a fond, almost sisterly affection.

"Oh hell no," he said, shaking his head. "I'm exhausted. We've been going at it for two hours now."

Kathryn raised a teasing eyebrow. "Afraid of getting knocked out by a woman? Imagine my surprise," she said, knowing it would sting his pride.

Not falling for the bait this time, Arthur simply grinned. "Whatever you say, Boss," he called out, already halfway through the door. Rebecca and Kathryn burst into laughter, their playful energy filling the gym.

An hour later, both Kathryn and Rebecca lay sprawled on the mat, their muscles aching, their lungs burning.

"Phew," Rebecca gasped, wiping sweat from her brow. "That was intense."

"I could just sleep right here," Kathryn mumbled, her voice barely audible.

"No can do," Rebecca said, pushing herself to a sitting position.

"You have a 7 AM meeting tomorrow with the shareholders and all the staff. Your schedule is practically booked solid until 4 PM. I need you firing on all cylinders, Kathryn, not drooling on a yoga mat." She reached out her hand.

"Fair enough," Kathryn sighed, taking Rebecca's hand and pulling herself up. Every muscle protested the movement.

Back in her room, she collapsed onto her large bed, her body sinking into the plush mattress. It took less than a minute for her to drift off to sleep, her mind still buzzing with the day's events.

---

Davin stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of his room, a vast expanse of glass that offered a panoramic view of the city lights twinkling below. He took a long, slow puff from his cigar, the rich, earthy aroma filling his lungs as he exhaled a plume of smoke that dissipated into the cool night air.

His gaze, usually so sharp and focused, was somber, clouded with the lingering memories of the previous night. His thoughts kept drifting back to Kathryn Blackwood, her image stubbornly refusing to fade.

He found it increasingly difficult to dismiss her, to pretend that she was just another rival, another face in the crowd. He was captivated by how she had owned every gaze that stared at her, how easily she had taken the space she wanted with no apology whatsoever.

He turned to the solace of a strong drink, hoping to drown out the unwelcome stirrings in his chest, the foreign emotions that she had so effortlessly awakened.

Restless and unable to find peace, he abandoned his futile attempts at sleep and instead, walked to his study.

Almost immediately, an unfinished task beckoned, a complex financial analysis that required his undivided attention.

He immersed himself in the details, poring over spreadsheets and market reports, but even as he debated and deliberated, his thoughts kept circling back to Kathryn, her face a persistent presence in the back of his mind.

---------

"No, no, please! I'm begging you, Carlos, please don't do this!" Kathryn's cries of fear echoed through the darkness.

The doors burst open and Rebecca leapt forward, nearly bouncing onto the bed. She shook Kathryn relentlessly, two, three, four times in rapid succession.

Kathryn jolted upright, panic glazing over her dazed eyes. She surveyed her surroundings desperately, until her gaze settled on Rebecca's. Realizing what had happened, she exhaled a terrified, yet relieved, sigh. Rebecca enveloped her in a tight embrace, her voice momentarily abandoning its usual cheery tenor.

"You're safe," she promised, stroking Kathryn's hair reassuringly.

"Becca.." Kathryn croaked softly, her throat raw from screaming. She buried her face in Rebecca's shoulder, her racing heart slowly calming in the embrace of her best friend.

"Yes, I'm here. You're safe, I promise," Rebecca whispered soothingly, her arms still tight around Kathryn. A few moments later, hot tears cascaded down Kathryn's cheeks, soaking the silky fabric of her pyjamas.

Rebecca shifted her hand softly upon her back, eliciting a gentle rise and fall of Kathryn's shoulders as her emotions burst forth. It had been six years since she'd seen Kathryn shed a single tear, not even when they had faced immense hardships together in pursuit of their success. Now here she was, her slender frame trembling in Rebecca's embrace.

Rebecca was filled with both worry and rage. She vowed that when she laid her eyes on that monster, she would be ready to exact her revenge.

The sobs eventually died down, and Kathryn's breathing became shallow and rhythmic. Rebecca leaned closer and looked down at her friend's puffy eyes; she was asleep at last.

"Guess you're exhausted. I'll try and shift the meeting tomorrow," Rebecca breathed, her voice an octave lower than usual.

Carefully she laid Kathryn down before settling in beside her. Carefully, she tucked the duvet around the both of them and cuddled up close to Kathryn. Comforted and soothed by her presence, Rebecca drifted off as well.