# CHAPTER 15: Masks, Mistakes, and the Fireworks of Truth
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review CHAPTER 15 of "Of Curses And Kisses free digital audiobook." This is one of those chapters that feels like a glittering party wrapped around a broken heart—beautiful on the surface, painful underneath. So settle in, because we are heading to a twenties-themed yacht gala, where secrets, lies, and heartbreak are all dressed up in silk, feathers, and champagne.
We begin in Daphne Elizabeth’s room, where Jaya is curled into an oversize papasan chair, trying to lose herself in a book. Outside, the winter wind lashes the pines and aspens, but inside, Jaya is seeking the old comfort of stories. Books, once again, are her shelter. Daphne Elizabeth, meanwhile, is tearing through her closet, trying on and discarding outfit after outfit. She casually mentions that Grey will be going to Caterina’s yacht gala next weekend too—because Daph convinced him.
Jaya barely looks up from her book, though her heart is not nearly as calm as her face. Daph and Leo have been trying everything to get her to talk about what happened with Grey, but Jaya refuses. She has not told them about the engagement. She does not want it getting back to Grey. And she does not want to explain to Grey why they cannot be together. In her mind, it is better this way—a clean break. She stopped things before they became too serious, and now Grey can move on. He may be angry. He may even hate her. But he will survive. She can deal with everything else.
Daphne Elizabeth asks if there is any chance Jaya might want to reconcile with Grey. She thinks he would be open to it. Jaya’s heart squeezes painfully, but she keeps her face impassive, almost borrowing Grey’s own mask. She tells Daph they have already talked about this. It would never work. They are too different. Daph pushes back, saying she has never seen either of them happier than when they were together. Jaya holds up a hand and threatens to leave if Daph cannot stop. Daph apologizes, then turns back to her closet and declares she has literally nothing to wear—right before pulling out yet another outfit, a red-and-green Gucci gown.
Jaya says it looks nice, relieved for the change in subject, but Daph rejects it. She does not want to look like a Christmas decoration at a twenties-themed charity event in November, especially one thrown by Caterina. Earlier that evening, Caterina had slipped thick embossed invitations under the doors of all the seniors. Jaya feels uneasy. She does not know what game Caterina is playing. She also is not sure Caterina will ever forgive her, even if logically Caterina should only be angry with Alaric and Daphne Elizabeth. Jaya underestimated how much her rejection would hurt Caterina when Caterina was vulnerable. Still, now that Jaya and Grey are no longer speaking, Caterina should have no more ammunition. That thought should bring relief. It does not.
Caterina still has not texted Daph back. Daph is distressed. It is unusual behavior for Caterina—very, very unusual. Daph says Alaric keeps telling her that Caterina does not want to talk about it and that she should forget and move on. Jaya knows she should stay diplomatic, but irritation rises too strongly. She closes her book and asks Daph if she can really not see what Alaric is doing. Daph does not understand. Jaya throws up her hands. She says Alaric is manipulating her. Caterina would not just ignore a text like that. Alaric is lying to Daph, or to Caterina, or very likely to both. Daph is in denial.
Daph’s pale cheeks flush red. She insists Alaric has shared so much of himself with her, and Jaya does not understand. Jaya makes a disgusted face before she can stop herself. Daph demands to know what that face means. Jaya calls Alaric a gobshite. She jumps up and begins pacing. She says there are more important things than going after what you want and doing what makes you happy. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your happiness for someone else, for something bigger than you. She yells that she does not know how to make Daph see that.
Daph yells back that maybe she does not need Jaya to make her see anything. Jaya says she is not there to be Daph’s moral compass. Daph says she did not ask her to be. Jaya says she had better go, and she sweeps out of the room without looking back. But if Jaya is honest with herself, her burning anger is not really for Daph. She is not mad at any one person. She is mad at the entire world.
The next weekend, Jaya is in her robe, about to begin her makeup for Caterina’s party. The only reason she is going is because she might be able to make a sizable donation to One World—a charity Caterina clearly cares about—and maybe earn some forgiveness. Caterina has not done anything since the Skype incident involving Kiran, but her anger feels like a hammer hanging over Jaya’s head, waiting to fall.
Her phone buzzes. It is Kiran, trying to video-chat. Jaya forces a polite smile and answers. They have spoken only once since the future engagement was announced. Kiran tells her the answer is one hundred and twelve. Jaya is confused. He reminds her of their email conversation: he wants gardeners to plant golden hibiscus shrubs to form a large entwined RH in the gardens for their engagement. Jaya vaguely remembers—the estate initials. Kiran explains it will take one hundred and twelve shrubs to achieve the size and scope he wants. He wants people to experience the power of the Hegde dynasty as soon as they set foot on the grounds.
Jaya does not care. He could plant two thousand shrubs and cover the entire palace for all she cares. But she asks if the engagement will be at the Rao palace. Kiran coolly says yes, but she will be a Hegde once they are married. Jaya forces another smile. Then Kiran mentions he had a nice conversation with Caterina. Jaya stills. They have not talked about Caterina or the Skype call since it happened. Kiran says it is important who they socialize with. The friendships they keep are a mirror of their values.
Jaya barely breathes. Does he know something? Had Caterina seen Grey and Jaya kiss that night Appa called? What if Kiran tells Caterina about the engagement, and Caterina tells Grey just to hurt Jaya? What if Kiran pulls out of the engagement because Jaya is a risk to the Hegde name? Jaya quickly agrees with him, then adds that she has not told anyone at school about the engagement. She thought it best to wait until closer to the time. She does not want people they hardly know feeling obliged to buy presents or trying to finagle invitations. She laughs easily. Kiran frowns slightly, and Jaya fears he will say he already told Caterina. But he nods and says that is fine. Then he wants her input on invitations—he feels the font for his name should be slightly larger than hers. The Hegde name, of course. Jaya sags against her dresser as he keeps talking.
Later, Jaya smooths down her flapper dress—a pale green number with fringey beads—and adjusts her gold carnival half-mask. The mask covers the top half of her face, making her feel cushioned from the world, as if it might hide the pain in her eyes. She wears tights and ankle boots, but she is desperate to get onto the yacht where it will be warmer. The car service drops her as close to the marina as possible, but the walk is still too long in the biting air. She wonders why she is even here when she could be in her room eating ice cream and reading. Suddenly, cozying up to Caterina does not seem important. Jaya is not in a glitzy party mood. After Grey and her fight with Daph, she would feel more at home at a funeral.
Twenties-era music plays energetically off Lake Rosetta. Jaya cannot see the yacht yet because of the pine trees. She glances at her ruby pendant. It does not really go with her outfit, but she wore it out of nostalgia for a time when she and Grey were… anyway. She frowns. Two more rubies have fallen, leaving six remaining—fewer than half the original number. Are they falling faster now? A thought creeps in: Grey’s eighteenth birthday is soon. But that is silly. The pendant has nothing to do with that.
She rounds a bend and is distracted by the vision before her. Lake Rosetta stretches dark and vast, milky with thin patches of ice. The yacht is a ninety-foot behemoth dressed for the occasion. Small intimate tables on the deck are covered in glittering gold tablecloths. Twinkling lights hang from every spare surface. Guests in costume mill about with coupe champagne glasses and long cigarette holders, looking as if they really have been transported to the 1920s. Jaya climbs aboard, the musty lake air tangling with her clothes. Caterina’s people have done a spectacular job. It looks less like a gala and more like a plush speakeasy for twenties-era celebrities. Jaya spins slowly, drinking it in, then stops. Two lupine blue eyes are watching her.
Grey had planned to sequester himself somewhere, drink a few Cokes, and leave early. The only reason he came is because Daph and Leo begged him relentlessly, and he did not have the energy to fight them anymore. They are hoping he and Jaya will speak again. He might have tried to fight his feelings, but apparently they are no secret to the others. Then he sees her. Like a twenties film star in her green dress, ornate half-mask, and wavy hair. She has not seen him yet. She is marveling at the yacht. Watching the naked awe on her face, the way she loves these social shindigs in a way he could never understand, Grey feels an iron fist around his heart, squeezing and squeezing. Then she turns, and their eyes meet. Her face lights with joy for a microsecond, only to be replaced by sadness. Sadness? Not irritation. Not weariness. Not indifference. Sadness. But why would she be sad when she was the one who broke up with him? They keep staring, neither able to look away.
Grey wants to wrap his arms around her waist and press his mouth to hers. He imagines she would taste like heartbreak and hunger, regret and reconciliation. But before he can move, someone shoulder-checks him. He grabs the person’s arm—shorter than him—and realizes it is Alaric. Alaric sneers and tells him to watch where he is going. It was obviously not an accident. Grey’s anger surges, making him feel more alive than he has in weeks. He tightens his grip and tells Alaric not to push him. Suddenly Jaya is at his side, eyes wide, trying to intervene. Then Caterina bustles toward them in a slinky black-and-gold dress. Alaric pulls away with a last sneer and disappears into the crowd. Jaya breathes an audible sigh of relief. She looks up at Grey with a tentative smile. But before he can say anything, Caterina is upon them.
Grey frowns. Caterina’s skin is too pale, her face too thin. When things are good with her and Alaric, she is pink-cheeked and bright-eyed. When they fight, she becomes gaunt until they get back together. Grey has always wondered what Caterina sees in Alaric. The way Alaric openly stares at other girls even when he and Caterina are together always sets Grey’s teeth on edge. Jaya greets Caterina, and the girls air-kiss. Caterina thanks them for coming. Jaya thanks her for the invitation and says the charity event is wonderful. Caterina’s smile turns ostentatious. She says she is set to raise more money tonight than any single person has ever done for One World. It will be wonderful PR for her father’s company. Grey thinks there is something stilted about the way she says it, as if it is vital they understand she is doing this only for publicity. Which is strange. Most wealthy people pretend not to care about publicity even though they secretly crave it.
Jaya nods seriously and says she understands. She looks around and praises the yacht. Caterina’s smile returns, complacent, barely touching her lips. She says all the decor, down to the tablecloths, was her idea. The event planner wanted plain black, but Caterina told her she was ridiculous. Jaya glances at Grey and bites the inside of her cheek, trying not to laugh. Grey covers his smile with a hand, pretending to itch his chin. For a moment, it is like they are them again. Jaya says that is absolutely ridiculous. Caterina tells them to stay for the fireworks at nine. Then Rahul walks up, looking like he is wearing a much bigger guy’s suit, though Grey knows it was tailor-made. Rahul greets Caterina. She barely spares him a glance. He says there is something wrong with the peach juice—it is bitter and carbonated. Caterina looks at him as if he has bought a knockoff Gucci handbag. She informs him those are bellinis: fresh-squeezed peach juice mixed with Armand de Brignac champagne. Rahul’s ears turn a shade of red Grey has never seen. He stammers and walks off.
Caterina turns back to them, says she must go because a reporter from a national outlet is here, and Alaric made her promise to have their picture taken. She says Alaric tends to get lost without her, then sashays off, shoulder blades like glass shards poking out of her back. Grey and Jaya watch her go, then turn to each other again, as if on cue. Jaya raises a hand as if to touch him, then drops it. Grey gazes into her brown eyes behind the gold half-mask, soft and glowing with sadness. He says hi. She swallows and pushes the mask up to the top of her head. She says hi back. She gestures to his suspenders and bowler hat and tells him he looks really nice. He says he looks like a jackass. Jaya’s mouth twitches. She says no one could ever say he was disingenuous.
He does not smile. She asks how he is, her voice just a breath. A soft breeze wraps them in its cold arms. Grey asks roughly if she really cares. She looks stricken and says of course she cares. He believes her. She still cares. Then he asks why. A group of loud couples jostles past, pushing them closer. Jaya puts a hand on his chest to steady herself, then jerks back as if burned. She looks at him, her mouth working, but no words escape. Grey points to a far corner of the deck, quieter. After a long pause, she nods.
They walk past laughing guests to the northern corner, mostly deserted. Jaya walks up to the railing and closes her eyes against the stiff breeze. Her wavy hair kisses her cheeks and collarbone. Something glittery on her eyelids sparkles like twin stars. Grey joins her, aching to put his arm around her, to feel her head on his chest. Instead, he asks if she still cares about him. Jaya turns to him and says she should not. She cannot talk about this with him. Grey swallows. He reminds her that two weeks ago she was kissing him, and she was really into it. She flushes and looks away. He presses. She quietly admits yes, she was. Grey looms over her, gripping the icy railing so he will not grab her wrist. He says if it was not an act and she still cares, then why can they not be together? That is all that matters—that they feel the same way.
Jaya looks at him with desperate fire. She says it is not all that matters, not for her. Family and dynasty have to come first. She has a duty toward the Rao name. Right now, it is imperative that she fulfill that duty. Grey murmurs that it is that easy for her, leaning closer. She blinks but does not move back. Her breathing grows faster, shallow. His eyes search her face. He says it is that easy for her to walk away from him.
If he kissed her, Jaya would not turn away. It is madness. It is thoughtless. It would be the most brazen act, here on Caterina’s yacht. Caterina, who is Kiran’s friend and holds a grudge against Jaya. If Grey kissed her, Jaya would kiss him back hungrily, desperately, like the world was ending. Looking into his searing blue eyes, she wants nothing more than to wrap her arms around him. But then Caterina would see, and she would tell Kiran, and Kiran would call off the engagement. That would finish the Raos. There would be no coming back. There is only one ending to the story of her and Grey together, and it involves the complete destruction of her world. Jaya steps back as if shocked. What is she thinking? What is she even doing here?
Then someone calls her name. Jaya spins from the railing, guilt and fear flaring, expecting Caterina. Instead, Daphne Elizabeth is clomping across the deck in high-heeled button-boots, unsteady. Jaya greets her, stealing a glance at Grey, who glowers. Daph looks between them and asks if they are talking again. Jaya opens her mouth but nothing comes. Grey is silent. Daph waves a hand and says she gets it; they do not want to tell her. It does not matter, because she has something important to say. Holding her drink aloft, she clumsily wedges herself between Jaya and Grey, who looks like he wants to throw her overboard. She tells Grey to move; he can bone Jaya later. Grey bites out that they were in the middle of something.
Daph ignores him. Her vowels are slurred. She says she has finally decided. Jaya was right this whole time. She thrusts her champagne glass in the air, liquid sloshing over the side. Jaya asks what she decided. Daph says she has been a complete fool. Alaric is walking around with Caterina like they are a couple. They walked right by Daph and neither looked at her. Daph’s eyes are pink around the edges. She says she is not just some doll he can toss aside. She has self-respect, even if she has not been acting like it. She hugs Jaya and says Jaya is a real friend for telling her what she needed to hear. Grey sighs and runs a frustrated hand over his face. Jaya avoids looking at him. She says she is happy for Daph, that Alaric is not worth bothering with, but perhaps they could talk about this later. Daph gives her a look. She says she is bothering with him all right. She is going to go up there and talk to Alaric and Caterina right now.
Jaya’s pulse kicks up. She grabs Daph’s arm and says she cannot do that. This is Caterina’s event. She cannot ruin it. Grey adds gruffly that Caterina will rip Daph’s hair out and use it as tabletop decor. Daph says she is not looking to ruin Caterina’s night. She is tired of sitting around waiting for one of them to acknowledge this. If not now, then when? She has to get it over with. They are all here, she has had some liquid courage, and it is now or never. If she waits, she will let Alaric sweet-talk her tomorrow. She needs to do it right now. She thanks Jaya and begins to walk off.
Jaya turns to Grey and says she has to go. He studies her and asks if she wants him to come. She says no, she had better do this alone. They look at each other for a long moment, the music and laughter fading. Grey nods once and steps back. Jaya swallows the lump in her throat. They will never speak like this again. She feels sure of it. Before she can change her mind, she hurries after Daphne Elizabeth.
Daph’s legs are longer than Jaya’s. At the bottom of the metal stairs, Jaya sees the skirt of Daph’s burgundy dress disappearing to the top floor. Cursing softly, Jaya runs up, dodging couples and their twenties accessories. The warm upper level is crowded. Silent auction items are displayed grandly: a ski trip to Aspen, a Tuscan villa stay, gilded Fabergé eggs. Jaya catches sight of Daph’s burgundy dress only to lose it again in the swarm. Then she sees Alaric’s head bobbing above the crowd, his thick blond hair gelled within an inch of its life. Jaya pushes through, digging in with her elbows when people do not move. People protest. She ignores them, focused on Alaric’s stupid tall hair. She cannot believe Daphne Elizabeth. She is never giving anyone relationship advice again.
She pushes through the crowd in front of Caterina and Alaric just in time to see Daph stride up, head high. Daph says they need to talk. Neither hears her at first. They are deep in conversation with Alaric’s lackey, Lachlan, and another senior girl, Spencer, Alaric’s hand resting lightly on Caterina’s lower back. Jaya lunges for Daph’s arm, but it is too late. Daph says louder, “Caterina. We need to talk.” It works. Caterina and Alaric turn. Alaric’s smile slides off his face, and his hand slides off Caterina’s back. Caterina’s expression cools a few million degrees. She excuses them graciously to Lachlan and Spencer, who exchange glances and leave, probably to spread the news that A-plus gossip is sprouting upstairs.
Caterina turns back to Daph, no longer smiling. Her steely expression is even scarier because she still wears her bloodred carnival half-mask. She asks what Daph wants. Daph says she wants all the lying to be over, her voice trembling. Jaya can tell she is making a monumental effort not to slur. Daph turns to Alaric and says enough is enough. To Caterina, she says Caterina never responded to her text. It has been a long time, and they need to talk it out. Caterina’s face freezes behind her mask. She asks, “What text?” Daph looks from her to Alaric. She says the text she sent about Alaric and her. Alaric said Caterina did not want—
Alaric laughs loudly and says he must have given Daph the wrong number. Silly mistake. They can pick this up tomorrow. Daph looks completely confounded. She repeats, “You gave me the wrong number?” Caterina asks again, with much more menace, “What text?” Daph meets her eyes and straightens her shoulders. She apologizes to Caterina and says that she and Alaric began seeing each other over the summer. It just happened. She is not proud of it. She tried telling Caterina over text, and Alaric gave her Caterina’s number.
Caterina turns slowly to Alaric. Jaya can almost hear tendons creaking. In a strange, wooden voice, Caterina asks if Alaric was going to let Daph text this to her and not say anything. Alaric puts a hand on her shoulder, which she shrugs off savagely. He says of course not. He was going to tell her. It was his idea, but Daph was scared. Daph gasps, “What? Alaric!” He regards her blankly. After a long, crackling pause, Daph laughs. She says, “Oh my God. I’m such a fool. You really are a gobshite.” Alaric asks what that is, drawing himself up. Daph ignores him and turns to Caterina. She apologizes sincerely—or as sincerely as she can while plastered. She says she considers herself a very honest person, but this made her lose her mind. It had nothing to do with Caterina and everything to do with her. Giving Alaric a disgusted look, she adds, and a bit to do with her boyfriend. Turning fully to him, she says she does not know what kind of spell he put on her, but it is over. Alaric smiles arrogantly and says, “How can it be over when it was never begun?” He obviously thinks he is clever. Shaking her head, Daph looks at Jaya and thanks her quietly for bringing her to her senses. Then she pushes through the crowd and clip-clops downstairs.
Caterina’s eyes are unreadable behind her half-mask, but her lips curve up in a little smile. Jaya thinks, how mature—she is going to walk out of here still smiling. Then there is an enormous, earsplitting shriek. It takes Jaya a moment to realize it is Caterina. She launches herself at Alaric, fingers hooked into claws. People gasp and turn to watch as she claws at his face, neck, arms—anything she can reach—screaming and calling him names. She is fury personified. Alaric has no trouble holding her off, but she keeps going, her face splotchy with rage. Jaya commands a group of young men to help her peel Caterina off him. With their help, she pulls Caterina back. Jaya keeps saying, “Let him go. He’s not worth it. He’s not worth it, Caterina.”
Finally, realizing she is no match for two big guys and Jaya, Caterina slumps forward, hair in disarray, mask askew. She rips the mask off in disgust and pants at Alaric, “You’re the vilest specimen of the human race. I hope you know you’ve done this at the cost of every friend you have. I will destroy you.” Alaric regards her with cold indifference. Even Jaya feels the chill. He says, “You greatly exaggerate your sphere of influence and how loyal people are to you, Caterina.” Then he turns and walks off, head high, gelled hair stiff and unyielding.
Caterina turns to the crowd. In her most dignified voice—impressively dignified considering her hair is sticking up in sixty-seven directions and her face is red—she asks everyone to continue bidding. It is for a good cause. The fireworks will begin in a few moments. She glances at Jaya. A flicker of pain crosses her face, gone as quickly as it arrived. Then she strides off through the silent crowd, head held high. After a moment’s hesitation, Jaya follows and catches up with her on the stairs. She says, “Wait! Caterina. Are you okay?” The fireworks begin, but Jaya barely registers the colors or the gasps of awe.
Caterina spins around, virtually snarling. She spits over the popping and booming that she was just humiliated in a room full of her father’s business acquaintances and friends. And the worst part? Jaya could have stopped it and did not. Caterina says she really thought, when they first met, that perhaps one day Jaya would prove herself a worthy friend. Her eyes are pink at the corners. But she was wrong. And sometimes she gets really fucking tired of being disappointed. Jaya says she is sorry. Two couples from upstairs try to come down, see Caterina, and scurry back up. Jaya says maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Alaric really did not deserve her.
Caterina narrows her eyes. She tells Jaya not to act like her friend. Not to act like she cares. She says Jaya is just as bad as them. Maybe even worse. The well-groomed, polite, likable princess who loves her sister and her family. Jaya fooled them all, didn’t she? Caterina calls her a hypocrite and a liar. She rips off her feathered headband and throws it on the ground, as if divesting herself of the party, the evening, one item at a time. Jaya feels a ripple of fear. Is Caterina talking about whatever she learned from Kiran? Or just about Jaya keeping the Daph and Alaric situation from her? Jaya reaches out, unsure what to say. Caterina holds up a hand and says she does not need Jaya’s charity. It is clear where her allegiances lie. Scoffing, she adds, “Enjoy the fucking fireworks.” Then she turns, pushes through the crowd, and melts away.
Jaya looks at the abandoned feathered headband on the metal stairs, the feather limp and sad. Guilt twists like a knife in her chest. Somehow, in the weeks before, it had become easy to justify her lie of omission to Caterina, just like she had justified so many others. But Jaya never meant for Caterina to get hurt. She never wanted that. She looks out over the sea of people, down to the deck where she and Grey had been talking. The space that held him is now empty. Maybe she just has a talent for inflicting pain.
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## Reader’s Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter is a masterclass in dramatic irony and emotional collision. Jaya is trying so hard to be steel—duty first, family first, heart last—but the yacht party strips away her armor piece by piece. The moment she and Grey lock eyes is electric, and their conversation by the railing is devastating because both of them are right and both of them are trapped. Daphne Elizabeth’s confrontation is messy, painful, and deeply human. Caterina’s humiliation is brutal, but her final words to Jaya cut deepest because they carry the sting of truth. The chapter balances glamour and grief beautifully, and the falling rubies add a quiet, ominous pulse beneath everything.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars
## Next Chapter Prediction
After this disaster, Caterina is almost certainly going to retaliate. She may not know the full truth about Jaya and Grey yet, but she knows Jaya withheld something important, and that is enough to make her dangerous. I predict Caterina will start digging, possibly reaching out to Kiran or using her social influence to expose Jaya’s engagement or her secret feelings for Grey. Meanwhile, Grey’s eighteenth birthday is approaching, and the rubies are falling faster—so the curse may finally begin to reveal its real stakes. Jaya will be forced to choose between protecting the Rao name and protecting the people she actually loves. And Daphne Elizabeth, now sober and humiliated, may become an unexpected ally or another casualty of Alaric’s cruelty. One thing is certain: the fireworks are not over.
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