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
"What's wrong with him?" She wondered silently, her eyes narrowing as she search his face for answers. He said nothing, his eyes sweeping over her from head to toe, as if meticulously assessing the damage. The deep frown etched on his face made Cassia’s stomach churn with unease. She parted her lip
What the hell was his uncle trying to do? Darvan’s jaw tightened as he stood frozen on the sidelines, feeling like a complete outsider while watching Martinez sit comfortably at Cassia’s bedside. It was infuriating. His uncle could have at least respected the fact that Cassia was his ex. Sure, their
"And looking at things, who knows? I might be the one to show the girl you abandoned all the love you failed to give her." Martinez's expression was deadly serious, his words dripping with intent. His lips curved into a smirk as he chuckled softly, straightening up and patting Darvan’s shoulder lig
Days turned into weeks since Cassia's near-drowning incident. Although she had been discharged from the hospital, Martinez hadn’t eased up on the case. He was determined to find the person responsible for the attempted murder. Every day, he made calls, met with people, and followed every lead he cou
'she looked just like her... But how can that be possible?" Cassia noticed the woman’s expression but stayed quiet. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. "Yes, I’m fine, ma’am." The woman turned back to her, offering a gentle smile. "You remind me of someone I once knew," she said softly. "Str
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