She crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. “And who exactly are the ‘we’ you’re talking about?” Liam glanced between them before settling his gaze on Cassia with a small smile, his expression calm. "I'll be on my way now..." he told her, making his way out and walking just a few steps to un
Stacy stood in silence, unable to process what had just happened. She glared at the closed door, picturing Cassia on the other side, and clenched her fists. “This is all your fault, Cassia,” she muttered, her voice thick with venom. “I’m not going to sit back and let you trample over me… I’ve alw
Stacy blinked rapidly at Cassia's reply, shocked that she had lost her words when Cassia said that. She watched as Cassia left without looking back. "Oh, please. Everyone knows why you're really here. But go ahead, keep pretending this is just about your career," Stacy found herself saying louder t
"Let me know if you need my help, okay? I'd gladly run over just to help out," Cassia offered, and he nodded appreciatively. "I'll see you off," he added. They both left the office, continuing their conversation until they reached the outside. Liam pulled her into a gentle hug. After a while, he p
When Stacy got home, she stormed into her room, furiously tossing objects around without caring about the loud crashes echoing through the space. She lived alone, with only a maid in the house, so there was no one to witness her outburst. “Cassiaaaa!” she screamed, her breathing fast and heavy. Ca
Cassia made her way to her office and settled into her chair. Just as she was setting down her portfolio, ready to review her design ideas in peace, the door swung open. Darvan stepped in, his face set in a hard, unreadable expression. “Sia,” he said, his voice low and controlled, but tension si
Cassia gently took her seat among the other participants, her heart pounding in her chest. Though she tried to project confidence, nerves coursed through her as she clutched her sketch. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind and focused on the task ahead. One of the judges stood up, commanding
"And you?" Martinez turned to Cassia. Cassia smiled slightly. "Are you done with your performance? I really don’t understand how you can take someone else's work and claim it as your own, and do so so confidently. So, it turns out that what 10 years of experience have really grown isn’t skills, but
Martinez sat frozen in his car for almost thirty minutes, his breath shaky as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. The thought of having anything to do with Cassia's parents kept echoing in his mind. Was he responsible for their deaths? No matter how hard he tried to shake it off, the flashes o
Cassia and Liam had been deeply engrossed in their design ideas for hours before they finally decided to take a break. Stepping out for a drink, they noticed Henry still seated in the reception area, waiting. Cassia raised a brow, surprised to see him still there, especially after Liam had made it
Darvan remained silent for a long time, trying to process everything that had just happened. His mind kept circling back to the voice he had heard over the phone. Stacy had saved Marc’s number as if they were business partners. But what kind of business were they involved in together? The bigger qu
Cassia left her room, already prepared for work. She found her friends still seated, but they immediately stood up when they saw her. "Going somewhere?" Quinn asked. Cassia nodded, making her way toward the door. "I'm not in the mood for your teasing today," she said, adjusting the strap of her ba
Martinez sat frozen, his mind in chaos. His sister’s words echoed in his head again, each syllable hitting him hard. "What are you saying?" he repeated, his a whisper. "That I... had something to do with her parents' death?" Mrs. Sinclair stood, turning to face her brother properly. "Figure it out
Martinez let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair as he sat up properly. Cassia, on the other hand, looked away, removing the bedspread from her body. "She misunderstood, right?" Cassia finally broke the silence. "She probably thinks we had sex?" Martinez inhaled lightly, rubbing his
The kitchen was quiet except for the soft sizzle of eggs in the pan. Darvan moved efficiently, plating the toast and pouring tea into a cup. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this...maybe it was a moment of guilt, or maybe he just felt like doing something different today. By the time he finished, S
Cassia stood frozen in Martinez’s embrace, her mind struggling to process his words. His breath was warm against her ears as he hugged her from behind, his grip firm yet trembling. Love? He loved her? Really? Slowly, she lifted her hands, unsure if she should comfort him or pull away. This wasn
Cassia’s fingers tightened around Henry’s arm as she helped him straighten. His sudden persistence felt off. She had been approached by aspiring designers before, but never like this. "You don’t have to kneel," she muttered gently with a tight smile. Henry straightened up, brushing imaginary du