Cassia locked her apartment door and held her bag tightly. The morning air felt cool, and the sound of cars filled the street. She fixed her scarf and started walking only to stop short when she saw Liam standing near the sidewalk. He was leaning casually against his sleek car, his sharp suit perf
"And what if she was?" Darvan replied, his voice dangerously calm. "Would that spark your interest, Marc?" The question hung in the air, daring Marc to respond. Marc’s jaw tightened, and he straightened in his seat. "You think this is funny?" he asked, his tone sharp with anger. "Why would I w
It was almost time to go home, but Cassia was still busy sketching. The room was peaceful as Liam stood behind her, quietly watching her work. She was completely focused, her pencil gliding carefully over the lines of her design. Her serious expression and tightly pressed lips made it clear she was
Cassia looked up from her phone and caught Liam’s gaze. His dark eyes were locked on her, as if searching for something she couldn’t quite figure out. She quickly looked away, back at Martinez’s text glowing on her screen. Her teeth grazed her bottom lip as she deliberated on how to respond. Witho
Cassia walked into the busy shopping mall, looking around as people moved past her. She pushed her cart through the aisles, picking things she needed. As she reached for an item on the shelf, her cart slipped from her grasp. In an attempt to steady herself as she nearly fell, she accidentally nudg
"I’m not trying to be selfish, but I just hope you don’t go back to him... It could be anyone else, but not Darvan," Liam muttered, his gaze still fixed in Darvan's direction. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes dropping to the ground before he added, this time louder, "Or it could be me." As the
"I..." She bit her lip, unsure of what to decide. Uncertainty gnawed at her, but deep within, a spark of determination began to flicker. "There's nothing wrong with giving it a try," she muttered. Martinez smiled. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear," he said, his voice full of encouragement. C
Cassia pulled away from the kiss, her balance almost faltering. She nearly stumbled, but Martinez caught her just in time, steadying her as she fell against him once more. Her heart raced wildly, and as she blinked rapidly against his chest, she was certain he could hear it thundering. "Are you oka
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