*kathryn's POV*

Oh God. How could I have been so stupid? I couldn't believe I actually let Sebastian comfort me. The whole incident must have totally messed with my head. I'd bet anything that bastard was smirking inside to have seen that he had gotten to me.

Only when i was seated in the backseat of the limo did I realise that I had absolutely nowhere to go. Then I remembered Blaine. Blaine would never judge. As a matter of fact, he'd probably be completely amused with the whole sitch.

"Jenson, take me to Mr Tuttle's place"

***************************************************************

*sebastian's POV*

The minute Kathryn stalked out of the house, i knew where she was headed. Too ashamed to be seen in public, she wouldn't be engaging in retail therapy. The queen had fallen from grace now, and all her so-called friends wouldn't be caught dead with her. Except one.

"Hey Blaine. kathryn's headed over to your place now. I need you to do something for me..."

I needed to explain to her once and for all that I wasn't behind this, that I was on her side now, and that I would do my best in helping her take down Annette. I to find a way to make things up to her.

It only took a few minutes to formulate a plan. After making a few phone calls, everything was settled. I grabbed my passport out of my drawer and headed for Kathryn's room to get hers. We would definately need them later.

Grabbing my car keys, I headed out the house to Blaine's.

***************************************************************

*kathryn's POV*

"Hey princess," Blaine called out the minute I walked in.

"I'm not anymore Blaine, haven't you heard? I've been exposed to the whole of Manhattan as a coke-snorting whore. And I have no one to thank for it but my stupid step-brother."

To his credit, Blaine didn't say a word in Sebastian's defense. Probably because he knew there was no excuse for what Sebastian had done to me.

"I tried to return him to his former self, Blaine. I knew something had to be done after the virgin princess came into the picture. There was something different about the way Sebastian looked at her. It was the way he used to look at me.I loved him Blaine, he was the only one who knew me for who I really was and still liked me for it. I thought he loved me too, but i guess... I was wrong. All I did... i never wanted to hurt him. I just wanted the old Sebastian back."

"I know you did, baby. I wasn't exactly a fan of the new and improved Valmont myself. But Sebastian doesn't want Annette anymore, don't you see it? If he did, he would have gone running to her the minute he woke up in the hospital. But he chose to lead Annette to believe he's dead. He wants her out of his life."

"Yeah, right. Any idea how I was destroyed?" I pointed to a copy of the journal on Blaine's desk. "That's how. By copies of that fucking journal belonging to my step brother. Sebastian wrote that. He knew full well what the stupid hick could do with it. Don't defend him, Blaine. HE wrote it, HE gave it to Annette, it's all his fucking fault!"

Clucking his tongue at my little tirade, Blaine handed me a glass of wine. "Cool down sweetie. A swig of this will make you feel better."

Downing the whole thing in one shot, I felt my head start to clear. But seconds later, everything went black.

* * *

When I awoke, I was on Blaine's bed and standing over me was none other than the person I wanted to throttle most. Sebastian.

"Kathryn, we need to talk."

"No we fucking well don't! Get the hell out Sebastian!" I struggled to sit up but Sebastian was now pinning me down.

"No, you need to listen to me now Kathryn. I didn't put Annette up to it. I swear. It didn't occur to me that she'd really do something like this."

"Like hell you didn't! It's was your stupid journal! And don't pretend you didn't do it Sebastian, because there's no one else on earth who would like to see my downfall as much as you!"

"I don't,Kathryn. I would never try to hurt you deliberately. All the things I said to you in the past, I was just trying to win. I wanted to beat you so badly. It's like i was completely obsessed. Even i couldn't figure out why i was so hell bent on it. But i realised. i love you, kathryn. i always have."

His last words threw me completely off guard. For once, i, kathryn merteuil was completely speechless. I knew that sebastian loved me long ago. but after Annette came along, i thought that he had a change of heart. I wondered if he was just screwing around with me, but his face was completely serious.

"you're serious," was all i could manage.

"Of course i am, baby. And listen, we're gonna jet off somewhere to forget this whole episode. And somehow, someway, I'm going to help you to get back at Annette. So what do you say?"

"You're gonna help me get back at Annette? Why would you do that?"

"Nobody hurts my baby, especially not with a tool that I gave her in a moment's lapse of judgement. Revenge is the sweetest thing, and when we finally get Annette, I promise you it'll be all worth it. In the meantime, would Miss Kathryn be happy to contend with a little vacation?"

A slow smile spread across my face. "but of course," i said, linking my arm through Sebastian's.