"Hi...?" Martinez muttered, his tone hesitant. Cassia chuckled, unable to resist her amusement at his unexpected shyness Right now, he seemed more like a lost child. She turned her gaze to the sea, and there was silence for a few seconds before she turned back to him. "Is this the place you mentio
"And you're the one giving me lessons?" Darvan’s brows furrowed, his anger barely contained as he stared at his uncle. Martinez bit his lower lip, sensing the direction Darvan was taking the conversation, but he didn't care. He repeated his words as if daring Darvan. "I don’t intend to lecture you
After watching Darvan walk away, Cassia turned her attention to Martinez, a gentle smile gracing her face. "I think my friends must have gone back to the hotel," she said, glancing briefly at her wristwatch. "I should probably head there too. It's getting late, and I'm exhausted—and famished." Mar
Cassia walked through the hallway, making her way toward the apartment she and her friends had rented temporarily. She could hear their voices, loud with laughter and chatter, coming from the living room. As she stepped inside, Kiara and Quinn turned to look at her, their expressions brimming with c
"It just... felt like someone was watching us," she added, her gaze still fixed behind them. Quinn turned, scanning the street, but it was empty. "There’s no one there. Maybe you’re imagining things? I mean, why would anyone with bad intentions follow us during the day? They're not that stupid," Qu
Cassia stepped out of the mall, her small shopping bags swaying at her sides, the cool evening breeze brushing her face. She glanced over her shoulder for what felt like the hundredth time, her unease growing with each passing moment. "Okay, seriously, what’s wrong?" Quinn asked, noticing the dis
Quinn and Kiara emerged from the water, swimming toward the shore while laughing and chatting as they removed their masks. "That was fun," Kiara murmured. Quinn's eyes scanned the area for the coach. Not spotting him, she shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I thought the coach said he'd wait her
As Martinez walked toward his car, the dive coach and those at the seashore couldn’t help but whisper among themselves. “Hope she’ll be okay.” “Where exactly did the coach go?” “He promised to stay back to double-check everything.” “He deserves to be held accountable for being careless.” “Maybe
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