My CEO Boss Is A Masked Internet Sensation-Chapter 177: Her Feelings! Do They Matter?

(Arata)

My heart couldn’t bring myself up to believe Karsten could be behind what Andy had shown me. But it was true, so much had begun in my life from the moment he had stepped into it.

I knew there was a dark side to Karsten, the one he kept under wraps and refused to bring to life. He had bloody beaten the person who had tried to kidnap me.

But could he stoop so low to kidnap a child?

No, I refused to believe that. He can’t be the bad guy. I can’t just be betrayed by two men in a single year. That would set up as some kind of record and I swear I would never trust an unknown man again.

Still, there were things he needed to clear up with me, like how I was hired and why.

I waited for his answer and he tried to take a step to bridge the gap between us before answering.

I held up my hand, pausing him.

"Answer the question from where you stand, Karsten."

His face hardened like a brick but he respected my wishes. His eyes had literal storms raging in them. Folding his huge arms over his chest he finally said.

"You were singled out but I didn’t know much about you apart from that you belonged to the prestigious Kincaid Family." He paused, collecting his thoughts and gauging me for a reaction. My heart screamed but I kept my face stoic.

Karsten continued, "I just needed someone as my fake girlfriend, and someone from such a family would be skilled in etiquette and would know how to carry herself. I wouldn’t have to train you. In summary, I didn’t care much at that time, apart from having someone beautiful."

What kind of stupid fuck answer was that?

He didn’t know me and yet he knew I was from the Kincaid family? So he had always known who I was? And yet he didn’t care to check I was engaged?

Seriously, did he want me to believe that?

I snubbed the anger trying to shoot through me. I wanted to go and punch his perfect face. But I held my emotions in check and spoke with utter calmness. My nails dug into the skin of my arms. I was shaking so badly, the hurt piercing my heart like jagged shards of broken glass.

"So you knew who I was before hiring me? I wasn’t hired because of my skills but because of my last name. Now I understand why you never bothered to check my résumé. Thank you for turning out to be exactly like the men I was trying to avoid. Thank you for not caring."

Hurt flashed in his face and he started to shake his head and began.

"You are understanding it wrong..."

I let out a snarky chuckle as I held up my hand.

"Oh! Please, don’t try to make a fool of yourself now. Do I look like an idiot? How could you not know I was engaged when you already knew who I was?"

"Arata, believe me. I only knew your name and had seen you like once and that too on some social media. I didn’t know you were engaged when that invitation was sent to you. If I had, I would have never done that," he pleaded, his eyes holding sincerity.

But could I trust his words when he had held so much from me? When he had always known who I was and continued to act like he didn’t?

"Pardon! But I find that hard to believe. I don’t trust your words any more," I sadly shook my head. My world was crumbling all around me.

"I had someone else....."

"Save it, Karsten. I don’t want to hear more of your lies," I raged at him; my heart, which had begun to love him, was in shambles.

Another heartbreak? What did I ever do to deserve this?

"I am not lying to you, Arata. I promised I would only speak the truth and that’s what I am doing. As I said, I was a fool who didn’t care about others’ feelings. I just wanted a showpiece on my arm but..."

I let out hurtful laughter, the one so cold that it even baffled me.

"So I am like a showpiece to you? Tell me, Karsten, what about now? How does it feel to hurt me? To not even care about my feelings? Does it make you feel more of a man?" I stepped closer to him. Even after everything Andy had said about him, he didn’t scare me.

Maybe I was depraved, starved for love that I couldn’t see what a red flag he was? Was he a red flag?

How he had peeled off all my defences, crept into my soul and made me believe he was an angel instead of the devil Andy said he was.

Hurt deepened on his not-so-stony face now. His eyes flashed with pain my words had caused him or maybe he was too good an actor.

"I do care about your feelings, Arata."

I shook my head, the tears accumulating behind my eyes, wanting to spill. But I couldn’t be vulnerable in front of him. There was so much I needed to say to him.

"You do?" I taunted and he almost flinched at my tone. "So if I am to confess my feelings to you and say I have fallen in love with you, will you say it back?" All emotions on his face bleached away, turning it into white marble. The disappointment his expressions brought me drilled into my bones but I needed this off my chest. So I yelled out in an accusatory tone.

"Can the mighty Karsten Chevalier fall in love, or is it just a charade he had built up to hide his true self? The one which cares only for him and his reputation and nothing else."

Stiff and still like a statue of bronze he went. Not even a single hair moved on his body, only his eyes darkened with emotions unknown to me. His lips flatlined as if someone had just died. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

I waited for his response but nothing.

Was the idea so repulsive to him?

Was his heart nothing but a stone piece in his chest?

Nothing but lust was running in his veins.

But could I blame him? It was my fault when he told me from the beginning he didn’t believe in love.

"Just what I thought. So I guess I will just bury these feelings because the Karsten Chevalier I have fallen in love with is nothing but fake." I blatantly pointed at him with my index finger, tears clouding my vision. "This is the real Karsten, who doesn’t care."

The tears fell in abundance after that. The dress around my body felt so heavy like the burden of a million stones had been pressed onto me.

It wasn’t a costume made with love, it was just a garb of his riches and pretence, a gilded illusion of his fake care.

I needed to go, to step out and get away from this man, as far away as possible.

My numb legs moved with difficulty as I headed for the door and he finally called out to me, reaching with his hand to grab my wrist.

"Arata..."