Martinez was still focused on the man tied to the chair when his personal assistant informed him that Cassia was on the line. "Take him to the police tomorrow morning," he instructed firmly, then took the phone from his assistant, pressing it to his ear. "She’s been on the call for a while," his a
Martinez smirked, stepping back from Darvan with a glint of amusement in his eyes. He straightened his jacket, his smirk never fading. "I came for an important meeting," he said gently, a faint smile still playing on his lips. "We’ll catch up another time." Without waiting for a response, he turn
Cassia stared at Kiara, her mouth slightly open as if she wanted to speak. For a moment, she just sat there, before shaking her head, as though trying to physically rid herself of the words she had just heard. "No," she finally said, her voice steady but unsure. "I don’t think I like him." She glan
Darvan's chest rose and fell with anger as he clenched his fists. His fist ached slightly from the impact of punching Martinez, but the pain was nothing compared to the fury boiling inside him. He glared at Martinez, who stood there calmly, a faint smirk on his bloodied lips. "Why would you do that
"Elara Voss," Nora whispered the name, letting it roll off her tongue as if hearing it from someone else’s lips. It felt distant and foreign now, though it had been hers for so long. She stared at the intricate design before her again, then sighed softly. Her hand hovered over the page, fingers li
Cassia continued to stare at Liam, who still wore his confident smile. Suddenly, a man and a woman approached, their expressions warm and welcoming. "Welcome to the Arcadia International Design Challenge, proudly sponsored by the renowned luxury brand, Novaré Collection," the young woman announced
"It's time to win this competition. Not for anyone else... but for myself, to prove my worth," Cassia whispered, her voice steady with determination. "And then I'll call Nora and finally brag about how I impressed Master Elara Voss with my designs," she added, a small smile tugging at her lips. El
Smiling brightly, Cassia made her way to Liam. She didn’t care if she had stirred up trouble for herself; right now, she was completely satisfied with how she had handled things with Adeline. When she reached him, her smile widened even more. "Greetings, boss," she teased, her eyes twinkling mischi
Cassia sighed, tucking her phone into her pocket as she stepped out of her apartment after leaving Liam's place. She had gone there to check on him, hoping to see him but he wasn’t there...or at least, he wasn’t answering the door. "I’ll check on him later this evening," she muttered, casting one
"I knew I'd find you, babe," the voice said, leaning back in his chair as he stared at the screen. Cassia’s profile was open, displaying everything about her; her career as a designer, her achievements, and even some personal details, including her home address. He smirked, tapping his fingers agai
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