"Who’s there?" Cassia stammered, her voice trembling as she crawled backwards cautiously. Her heart pounded in her chest as the door slowly creaked open, inch by inch. A figure stood in the shadows, tall and imposing, with a presence that sent chills down her spine. The deep voice that followed ma
Darvan turned away from Cassia's window, but his eyes caught movement—a shadow slipping past her curtains. It wasn’t hers; the figure was unmistakably different. Something felt off, and a cold sensation ran down his spine. His instincts screamed danger. "Cassia!" he said, his voice sharp with worr
Liam's car came to a stop and he left it, hurrying to her door. His heart pounded, not from the rush, but from worry. Her trembling voice still echoed vividly in his mind. He knocked gently on her door and waited patiently for her to answer. When she did, face-to-face with him, her expression said
After the call came to an end, Martinez slid the phone back into his pocket and stared down at the hallway, his thoughts calculative. Who was this Lucas? What was his relationship with Cassia that made Darvan so frustrated? Martinez wondered, his fist clenching in anger. He couldn’t shake the feeli
"Uh... What's going on here?" Quinn asked, her voice filled with surprise. Cassia gently pulled away from Liam's arms, letting out an awkward laugh. "You two can't just stand around. Come help me out," she said to them before turning to Liam. "Why don’t you go take a quick shower and come back?
The day passed in a blur, the hum of activity in the office fading as the evening drew closer. Martinez sat at his desk, his eyes fixed on his wristwatch, counting down the minutes to 6 p.m. He drummed his fingers on the polished wood, his thoughts racing. A knock on the door pulled him from his r
"I’ll think about it," she said cautiously, finally stepping back. "Alright," Lucas replied, giving her a small smile. "And Cassia... thank you for letting me apologize." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Cassia stood there for a moment, her t
The next morning, Cassia woke up to prepare for work as she could still feel the effects of the late-night fun with her friends. As she buttoned up her blouse, she heard a knock at the door. Her friends popped their heads in, grinning. "We’re leaving now, but are you sure you don’t want a ride? Yo
Cassia didn’t waste time dwelling on rumors or threats. She walked past the judgmental stares, the looks of disgust from people who acted as if they knew her story. She ignored it all. She had more important things to focus on. When her parents called, asking for money, she sent it without a word.
Later that evening, after dinner, Cassia sat at the edge of her bed, scrolling through her phone. Her name flashed across multiple trending topics, all discussing her and the deceased Claudine. The sheer volume of posts made her wonder if people were being paid to share their opinions about the issu
Among the many people who saw the post, Aurora was one of them. She sat in her bedroom, phone in hand, casually scrolling through her news feed when the image appeared on her screen. The moment she saw it, she quickly took a screenshot. Then… just like that… it was gone. Deleted. She stared at th
Martinez pressed his lips together as he listened to Nora’s voice over the phone. She explained that Cassia wasn’t answering her calls, which was why she had reached out to him. "We're at the shopping mall," Martinez informed her. "Cassia might be in danger," Nora warned. "And soon, her name could
Nora welcomed them inside, gesturing toward the dining area where breakfast was already set. The warm scent of freshly cooked chicken and buttered toast filled the room, making Cassia’s stomach grumble softly. "Thank you for coming," Nora said as they took their seats. She offered Cassia a small s
Martinez took Cassia to a quiet, upscale restaurant that evening. Soft lighting and low chatter filled the air as they settled into their seats. "You do realize we’re supposed to be keeping a low profile, right?" Cassia teased, glancing around the elegant space. The room was filled with people; so
Martinez sat on the couch, phone in hand, his eyes glued to the screen, his brows drawn together in concentration. It hadn't been long since he had picked up Cassia from Nora’s place and brought her home. "Have you eaten?" Cassia asked, but he didn’t respond. His attention remained locked on his ph
Darvan stormed into his mansion, his mind replaying the moment his mother had slapped him. The memory pissed him, making his blood boil. "You are no son of mine." The words echoed in his head, causing him to exhale sharply. Without thinking, he grabbed a glass from the table and hurled it against
"Pretend to be my daughter, Claudine. Dress like her. Act like her… please." Cassia’s breath caught. Her heart pounded against her ribs. What was this? For a moment, the room fell into silence as both of them just gaze at each other. Cassia swallowed hard. "You're… asking me to become someone el