From: "Michelle Coursen" mcoursen@comcast.net
Subject:
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 2:46 AM

Chapter 9: Deceived

Summary: Tiffany schemes to keep Sebastian and Kathryn apart

"Where the hell did she go?" Sebastian screamed at the poor nurse at the front desk.

"I am sorry Mr. Valmont her mother checked her out in the morning." The nurse stammered nervously.

Reminding himself that the nurse wasn't to blame, Sebastian tried to calm himself down. Sebastian stormed out of the hospital and silently cursed his bitch of a former stepmother.

The day after he was kicked out of Kathryn's hospital room he entered the hospital and was greeted by two burly security guards.

"I am sorry sir, but we are under strict orders not to let you visit Miss Merteuil." The burly rent-a-cop informed Sebastian as he tried to enter the elavator.

"Excuse me?" Sebastian asked not sure if he heard correctly.

"Mrs. Merteuil not to let you visit her daughter. Your visits seem to upset her."

His visits upset her? More like Tiffany is upset at the thought of anyone other then her showing her daughter any attention.

Sebastian stepped back and debated if he could get away with making a run for it. Looking at the two very muscular and big goons he seriously doubted it.

"Whatever." Sebastian grumbled and turned to leave.

Dispatching Blain to go in his place was no help either. The two goons informed Blain that noone but family will be allowed to visit. Calling Kathryn's hospital room was also as helpful when he discovered that Tiffany placed her private secretary to screed all of her calls. What the hell did he have to do? Write a damn letter or send out smoke signals?

Resigned to the fact that his evil stepmother would try and so anything to remove him from her daughter's life, Sebastian settled on paying a few aides for information of Kathryn's recovery. When one of his sources informed him of the removal of the goons at the front entrance Sebastian made a beeline to the hospital. Now the dumb nurse informed him about Kathryn being checked out. Now Sebastian felt he had to do what he was hoping to avoid. Go over his former townhouse and beat the shot out of Tiffany until she let him see Kathryn.

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"Did anyone call here for me?" Kathryn's first words were as soon as she entered her house.

"Why who did you expect?" Tiffany asked pointedly.

"Noone just curious." Kathryn lied and ran to her room.

The doctors were impressed with Kathryn's speedy recovery, but then they didn't know Kathryn. Not even a bullet from some crazed social reject would keep her down for long. Being cooped up in a hospital for three days was annoying enough, but the fact that Sebastian never even bothered to check if she was ok took the cake. Now she didn't expect flowers, but a feaking call to say Hello and sorry you were shot would be enough!

Lost in her thoughts she didn't hear the commotion at first. Vaguely she became aware of some yelling downstairs. Curious Kathryn ventured to the top of the stairwell to see what was going on.

"I know she's here!" A voice yelled.

She instantly knew who voice that belonged to! A couple days late Kathryn bitterly reminder herself.

"She doesn't want to see you." Tiffany's voice said coldly.

"Maybe you should let her decide for herself for once." Sebastian snapped.

"Didn't you do enough? Isn't it bad enough that she was shot because of you?" Kathryn's mother demanded.

"Tiffany as usual you are talking out of your ass." Sebastian said snidely.

Kathryn had to laugh out loud at that. There were many times she wanted to say the same thing to her mother.

At the sound of her laughter Sebastian and Tiffany looked up to the top of the stairs and saw Kathryn.

"Come Kathryn." Tiffany said waving her down.

"Come tell this piece of trash you are finished with him." Tiffany demanded.

"Yes please do." Sebastian chimed in. "Come tell me that I never meant anything to you and that we are finished.

Looking back and forth between Sebastian and her mother Kathryn was torn. She would do anything to run into Sebastian's arms and turn her back on her mother, but there was still the subject of how Sebastian schemed against her. Also there was the fact that she was so close to being written back into her mother's will. Did she want to blow weeks of ass kissing when she was so close. Gazing into Tiffany and Sebastian's expectant faces Kathryn was at a loss what to do.