Cassandra’s POV“Now that we’ve made our introductions, I’ll leave you three alone to discuss the details of the collaboration,” Damion said, pushing back his chair. He waltzed out of the room, leaving Stella, Dillon and I alone.“The CEO of Fox Finch Holding is your father?” I asked, turning to Dillon. He must have seen the shock on my face because he chuckled.“You got me!” He threw his hands up in the air. “The ruse is up! Yes, that’s my father. And yes, I’m next in line for CEO.”“I thought you were a lawyer,” I shook my head.He smiled, the corner of his brown eyes crinkling. “I am,” he confirmed. “But I also have an MBA. I didn’t tell you about any of this because I wasn’t sure if I was going to take over the company. It’s a lot of pressure. Sometimes I feel like, from the moment I was born, my father was talking about his ‘son’ taking over the family business. But I had to sort it out for myself. You know? Make sure it was something I wanted. And not just something I was doing
Cassandra’s POVTwenty minutes later and we were driving through downtown in Dillon’s car. It was a Ferrari with luxurious tan leather seats. Dillon professed his love for sports car as we ripped down the street.“Some people say they’re overpriced, but I don’t know. If you love something it has value, right? So I see their value. I have an entire collection.”“Of sports cars?” I laughed.“Yup. You should come see it sometime.”I nodded. I’d been anxious at first when he hit the gas, but he was an expert driver. Dillon told me he liked to drive himself instead of using a chauffeur, and truth be told, I could see why.He wove in and out of traffic expertly. It was exhilarating. Plus, it was nice to be in the front seat for change instead of in the back. I was so used to being driven around. I forgot not all cars come with a piece of glass that separates the passenger from the driver. We were listening to one of his Spotify playlists, and I was surprised to admit I liked pretty much ev
Cassandra’s POVCameron approached our table. I could see the surprise on his face. Clearly, he hadn’t expected to see me and Dillon here, alone together, having an intimate dinner.“Well, what do we have here?” Cameron asked, eying the open bottle of champagne on the table. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think this was a date.”He raised his eyebrows at us, a smirk on his face.“Hardly,” Dillon said quickly. “This is a business dinner.”“Hm,” Cameron teased. “A business dinner with champagne?”“Cassandra and I were just discussing the details of a business collaboration,” Dillon smiled.I realized in that moment that we hadn’t discussed business at all. On the contrary, our conversation had actually taken a really intimate turn.“Must be quite the discussion,” Cameron said, gesturing to the multiple plates of food on the table. He reached over and snatched a piece of bread right off my plate.“You know, Cameron, I’m a little upset with you,” I replied haughtily. I wanted to steer the c
Cassandra’s POV“I have to go to the hospital,” I told Dillon. “It’s Jordyn’s grandfather. Something’s wrong.”I stood up and pushed back my chair, grabbing frantically for my purse.Despite whatever was going on between me and Dillon, I adored Stanley. My heart raced.“I’ll drive you,” Dillon said without missing a beat.We hurried outside and rushed to the hospital.“I’ll wait here,” Dillon said, squeezing my hand. “Good luck.”I nodded thankfully and then ran into the hospital. I found Jordyn and Velma standing outside a surgery room. Jordyn looked disheveled and Velma was pacing.“Jorydn,” I said, hurrying towards him.Velma saw me, stopped, and shot me a disdainful look.“What are YOU doing here?” she scoffed snidely. “This is a FAMILY matter.”“Mother,” Jordyn snapped at Velma. “This is a hospital. I won’t tolerate your snide remarks. Not here.”Velma shut her mouth, but she glared at me. I ignored her hostility, choosing instead to focus on the real issue – Stanley.“How is he?
Cassandra’s POVWe all bolted onto our feet. The surgeon approached us as he removed his plastic gloves. We waited expectantly, fearing the worst. Jordyn took my hand and held it so hard, I thought he would crush my knuckles. “He’s stabilized,” the surgeon said.Jordyn let out a long breath. He released his grip on my hand.“Really?” Jordyn asked, relief in his voice.I was relieved too. I’d been so worried that the surgeon was going to come and tell us that Stanley hadn’t made it.I couldn’t even bear the thought of it.“Yes,” the surgeon confirmed, nodding his head. His tone was dry and factual. “He’s out of the woods, so to speak. His life is no longer in danger.”“Thank God,” Jordyn said.“Not God,” the surgeon quipped. “You have modern medicine to thank for this one.”“Yes, of course,” Jordyn said absently. I couldn’t tell if the surgeon was joking or not. His face remained serious.“Fortunately, the myocarditis hadn’t progressed to the point where he needed a heart transplant.
Cassandra’s POV“What?”He repeated himself with the same, calm voice.“I don’t want a divorce.”I was speechless!Speechless and angry! Where was this coming from? Who did he think he was? What did he mean ‘he didn’t want a divorce?’I stared at him, bewildered, unable to mutter even a single syllable.“I believe we can save our marriage,” he continued. But I held up my hand to stop him.I didn’t want to hear this. I didn’t want to hear ANY of this.“Jordyn,” I said, regaining my composure. I gently placed Stanley’s hand down on his blanket and stood up, to face Jordyn. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”“Please listen to me,” Jordyn pleaded. “I can explain. I can…”“Stop,” I shook my head. He did. He furrowed his brows and swallowed hard. Then he waited for me to continue. My mind was reeling. I didn’t even know where to start.“It’s not…it’s not that simple,” I said. “You neglected me for years. Do you know how many nights I sat alone, waiting for you to come home? Craving your aff
Cassandra’s POVI called Stella first thing the next morning and explained the situation. I wanted to go back to the hospital to visit Stanley, but I wasn’t sure how she’d react. She thought Jordyn was a total asshole so I didn’t think she’d be overly sympathetic.To my surprise, however, she was.“Of course, Cass. Don’t worry about anything. I’ve got it covered. I’ll look after things here at the company while you visit Stanley,” Stella told me.“Really?” I asked, unable to hide the shock in my voice.“Yes,” she laughed. “I’m not a cold-hearted bitch! I know you care about Stanley. I hope he recovers soon. Just check in with me, okay?”I agreed and hung up, a little flummoxed by her support. Clearly she understood that this was about Stanely, NOT Jordyn.A little while later, I pulled into the hospital parking lot and was surprised to see Ellie. She was just getting out of her car and she hadn’t seen me.“Really?” I scoffed to myself. It was hard not to get riled up when I saw her.
Cassandra’s POV“He’s awake!” I gasped, rushing to his side. “Stanley, can you hear me?” I gently took his hand. He squinted under the bright light, waiting for his eyes to adjust. For a moment, he looked confused. Then realization dawned on him.“Cassandra?” he asked, turning his head towards me and smiling weakly. “What are you doing here, dear? There’s no need to fuss over me.”I squeezed his hand. I was so relieved to hear his voice. For a moment last night, I thought I’d never hear it again. He still looked very weak and he was hooked up to an IV, but he was awake and alert.“Nonsense,” I smiled at him. “Of course I’m here. How are you? Are you in pain? What do you need? More pillows? Water?”“Slow down,” he chuckled. “Always the caregiver, that one,” he pointed at me and winked at Persa.“I just want to make sure you’re comfortable,” I told him. That’s why I was there, after all. To take care of him. “I’m perfectly fine, Cassandra. In fact, seeing your beautiful face is medicin
Cassandra’s POVDillon drove me to my house.“I’m home,” I called as I came through the front door. “And I have a guest so set another seat at the table.”The maid came and took our coats.“Are you sure your parents won’t mind?” Dillon asked as I led him through the foyer.“Dillon,” I said, fixing him with a stern look. “Come on. You know you’re always welcome in our house.”“We’re out on the terrace,” my mother said in her sing-song voice.We went through the terrace doors and sure enough, both my parents were there. The table was set, with candles and fresh cut flowers. I could tell my mother had gone through some effort for this dinner.“It looks lovely,” I said, kissing her on the cheek. “I love eating outside.” Then I turned to my dad and kissed him on the cheek too.“We’ve been having such nice weather,” my father said. “So we figured, why not take advantage of it.”“Plus it’s not very often we get to eat together as a family anymore.”“Mr. and Mrs. Stoneworth,” Dillon said. “So
Cassandra’s POVI appreciated his kind words. I could tell that he really cared about me. We locked eyes for a moment. Then I realized something.He’d said he’d been looking for me and had called Stella to ask where I was.“Why were you looking for me?” I asked.“Oh my god! Right! I almost completely forgot,” he said sheepishly. “I wanted to invite you to…this thing.”He looked down at his hands. He was acting a bit shy.“What thing?” I prodded.“It’s a cruise party,” he said, fidgeting with his hands. “It’s next month.”“Oh, like a date?” I asked, confused. Dillon was always so confident but he was acting strange. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was afraid to ask me.“No, it’s not a date,” he said in a rush. Cameron’s coming, too. It’s out of town. So I thought we could all go. It’s a great ship. They have live entertainment so we could catch a musical. Have a nice dinner? I think they’re having a dance, too. Oh, and there’s a casino? I suck at black jack but we could hit up some
Cassandra’s POVDillon tightened his grip on my shoulder. The atmosphere between the two men was tense. I felt it.“Come on,” Dillon said to me. “Let’s get you out here. I’m sure you want to rest after all that.”Jordyn’s eyes narrowed at Dillon’s words. He seemed angry that Dillon had helped me. But whatever, I couldn’t dwell on that. I was so over Jordyn and his drama and his complicated feelings.If Jordyn was jealous, that was his issue. Didn’t he have enough on his plate with Ellie and his engagement? He needed to start focusing on his own life. “Are you sure you’re okay, Cassandra?” Jordyn asked, stepping towards us. “Maybe you should come back to my office to get checked out before you go.”Back to Jordyn’s office was the last place I wanted to go.“She’s fine,” Dillon said dryly. “I’ll make sure she gets home safely.”“I’d feel better if you just sat down for a bit,” Jordyn said, completely ignoring Dillon. “I know how much you hate confined places and…”“Thank you for your
Cassandra’s POV“Cassandra!” Dillon exclaimed. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” His eyes anxiously scanned my body.“No, I’m fine,” I said, looking up at him. I was relieved that the doors were finally open. But he was above me. Which meant the elevator was dangerously between two floors. My heart sank. The doors were open but I still had to get out. “Just stay there,” Dillon instructed. “The maintenance crew is here with me. They’re going to help you out.”I was happy to see Dillon, but I suddenly wondered what he was doing there. This was Jordyn’s company’s office building. It seemed awfully coincidental that Dillon just happened to be there at the same time I got trapped in an elevator. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Dillon flashed me a smile.“Don’t worry about that right now. I’ll explain later,” he told me in a voice that left no room for arguing. “Let’s get you out of there first, okay?”I nodded.“Do you think there’s enough room to pull her out?” Dillon asked whoever was
Cassandra’s POV“HELP!” I cried out immediately. “Please, help me! I’m trapped in the elevator. It’s dark and I’m alone.”“It’s okay,” the voice said. It was muffled through the door. I ran to the door.“Get me out!” I cried out, my voice high and frantic.“You need to stay calm,” the voice reassured. “We’re going to get you out of there.”“I don’t have enough air,” I said, breathing heavily.“There’s more than enough air. Take a deep breath. And please back away from the door. We’re working on it. You’ll be out soon. I promise.”Relief flooded through me. They knew I was in here! They were working on getting me out! I thought for a moment that I recognized the voice. But it was faint through the door.“Are you away from the door?” the voice asked.I did as I was asked and backed away from the door.“Yes,” I called out.“Good. Stay towards the back of the elevator, okay?”“Okay,” I said.I took a deep breath and bit my lip. I already felt a bit calmer. But I still hated being trapped
Cassandra’s POVI stood frozen in spot. It was pitch-black in the elevator. I couldn’t see a thing. My heart started racing.‘Don’t panic,’ I told myself. ‘Stay calm.’But my breathing quickened as I realized that the elevator must have broken down. It wasn’t moving.I reached into my purse, fumbling in the darkness for my phone. I pulled things out: a lipstick, a powder compact, a small notebook. I tossed them on to the ground. Finally, my hand found it and I pulled it out.“It’s going to be okay,” I said out loud. “You can phone Jordyn. He’s in the building and he can find someone to help you.”But as I looked at my phone, I saw there were no bars. Which meant there was no signal.How could there be no signal?“No no no,” I said as my hands started shaking. My mind filled with awful thoughts. What if the elevator cables were defective and the elevator plunged to the bottom? What floor was I on? How far up?What if there wasn’t enough air in there and I ran out of breath? My knees w
Cassandra’s POV I could tell by Jordyn’s expression that he genuinely had no clue about Ellie’s engagement dress. Heck, he didn’t even seem to know about the engagement, let alone the dress!This surprised me. I honestly believed that Jordyn had deep feelings for Ellie. Ellie was his first love. It seemed natural to me that marriage was the next step.“I had no idea she ordered a dress. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I think I want to marry her, it’s just…” Jordyn started, but I held up my hand to stop him.What was he doing? Did he really think I wanted to stand here and listen to him confide in me? About his wavering feelings for Ellie? I wanted to remind him that he’d cheated on me with her. He’d shattered my heart in a hundred pieces with his betrayal. If he didn’t intend on marrying Ellie, then what had all this been for?I wished I hadn’t tried to help. I regretted this entire conversation. I had thought I was the right thing to do, to let him know that maybe Ellie couldn’t be
Cassandra’s POVStella and Jordyn’s project manager left the board room, leaving Jordyn and I alone. “What is it, Cassandra?” Jordyn asked, concern in his eyes. “Is everything okay?”I hesitated, wondering how much I should tell him. I wasn’t even sure if Ellie was actually cheating on Jordyn, although she threatened me, warning me not to say anything, so it sure seemed like it.But still.Was this really my place? Was I really the one who should be telling Jordyn that his future wife might be a cheating whore? I was worried that it might affect our collaboration, yes. If Ellie was feeding her little boy toy from Sterling Silver information about Jordyn’s company, it could have negative consequences for Jordyn’s company, and in turn, for ours.That wasn’t my only concern, though. I felt bad for Jordyn. Sure, he’d done the exact same thing to me, and it had hurt like hell. And for awhile, I’d really hated him. I’d have given anything to hurt him the way he hurt me.But I didn’t hate
Cassandra’s POV We reviewed the presentation details on the way to the meeting. We were feeling pretty confident. It was a great proposal. It benefited both our companies and we believed in our idea.At Jordyn’s office, a receptionist led us directly into the boardroom. Jordyn and the company’s project director were already waiting for us. My stomach did a weird flip flop when I saw Jordyn. It was weird. We’d once shared a bed and now we were just business associates.I realized it would take some time getting used to.“Ladies,” Jordyn said, nodding at us. He introduced us to the project director and then gave Stella the floor. I sat in my chair, my pencil perched above a notepad, just like an assistant would sit.Jordyn still didn’t know my real identity and I wasn’t ready to reveal it yet. So for all intents and purposes, I wasn’t Stella’s partner in this meeting. I was just her personal assistant.Stella went through the proposal. She explained our concept of a clothing line with