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
"Girlfriend?" Cassia sat still, her gaze fixed on him, but all he did was smile. "Are you really dating, Cassia?" someone from the crowd asked. "Why? Is it wrong?" he replied, his tone calm. The person shook their head. "If I hadn't met her, I’m sure I wouldn’t have achieved what I did in t
Anita's smile widened. "Give her a proper welcome... just like we used to." "I thought we promised to be good after graduation?" Rita said, raising an eyebrow. Anita simply shrugged. "Just for tonight. Nothing too crazy, I promise. Just a little welcome gift." With that, she approached Cassia.
"Because we took her in when her parents died. We raised her. Isn't that what children do? Support their parents when they're in need? Or am I wrong?" Evelyn asked softly, searching his face. Mr. Jenkins ran a hand through his hair. "Honey... I..." "I mean, if she doesn’t have enough, she works wi
Cassia’s blood ran cold. "Mom?" she whispered in fear, quickly dialing her mother’s number. Her hands trembled as she waited for an answer. The phone rang once, then twice before someone picked up. "Hello?" an unfamiliar voice said. "This is Cassia Ster— I mean, Cassia Jenkins. How’s my mom?" Th
Cassia was lost in thought when she suddenly felt a hand on hers. She flinched and looked up to see Liam’s concerned face. His touch was warm, and she mentally scolded herself for letting Mrs. Sinclair’s words affect her when she had come here to clear her mind. "Are you okay?" he asked gently, his
Cassia sighed, almost yawning as she leaned against the doorframe. If she had known it was him, she wouldn’t have opened the door. She was exhausted after spending the entire day with her friends. But here was Darvan. After leaving Stacy’s parents’ place, he had confronted Cassia about her encounte
"You’ll regret this, Cassia," Mrs. Sinclair said with a cold smile. "Mark my words, you’ll regret this meeting today." With that, she turned on her heel and stormed off, Stacy trailing behind her like a controlled puppy. As they disappeared from view, Kiara let out a low whistle, shaking her head in
The words echoed in Cassia’s mind over and over again for nearly two minutes. "I’m pregnant with Darvan’s child." She blinked, forcing herself out of her thoughts and maintaining a neutral expression. The revelation was unexpected, and for some reason, she felt an odd stiffness within her. Confus
Martinez walked out of the bathroom, his eyes drifting to the kitchen where Cassia stood, her gaze glued to her phone. She looked as though she was trying to process something incomprehensible. He paused at the door, studying her. What could have possibly captured her attention like that? "Cassia,"