After the handshake,Cassia was given the cake and cut it while everyone cheered. She smiled and bowed in appreciation. "That's Mathew, your temporary personal assistant," the man from earlier said. Cassia nodded. "I'll give you a tour," Mathew offered. Cassia nodded again and followed him throug
After everything wrapped up, Cassia was led out of the workshop by Mr. Jeffrey, accompanied by Mathew, her assistant. In a small private room, the company had ordered her a meal, knowing she hadn’t eaten anything since the morning. "I’ll excuse myself. I’ll be back once you’re done with your mea
"Meet Cassia Sterlings," Nora introduced gently. "A promising young designer." Cassia gave a respectful bow, though her mind was filled with confusion. Clarissa hesitated before nodding, her gaze lingering on Cassia a moment too long. Nora, however, skillfully diverted the conversation, ensuring
After leaving Nora's place and arriving at her designated workspace, Cassia sat at her desk, fingers hovering over her phone. The search history was still there. Claudine Voss. "I'll leave you for now," Mathew said. She nodded absentmindedly, watching him as he walked away. Her eyes returned to
The silence went on for a few seconds before Cassia exhaled, gripping her phone tightly, as if rethinking her decision. "Are you sure about this?" Nora asked calmly, but Cassia could sense the concern in it. She knew Nora didn’t want her to make a choice she’d regret. "Yes," she confirmed. There
Cassia sat by the window, her phone resting in her palm as she gazed outside, lost in thought. Why wasn’t Liam picking up? She had been calling him since the morning, yet there was still no response. The sky had begun to turn deep orange, signaling the arrival of evening, but she barely noticed. He
"What?" Cassia pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced at the screen, double-checking that she had called the right person. Once she confirmed, she returned the phone to her ear. "So… when do we start pretending to be a couple?" His voice came through again. She blinked, gripping her phone
Cassia remained speechless as she stared at Martinez, who stood there looking completely at ease, as if he hadn’t just called himself her fiance in front of half the company. The murmurs grew louder. Cassia inhaled gently, pressing her lips together before shifting her gaze to Matthew, who looke
Cassia furrowed her brows at Darvan, wondering what was going through his head. Darvan, kneeling just a step away, met her gaze with desperation in his eyes. "When will it get it into your head that I’ve moved on?" Cassia asked gently, her voice steady. "What do you expect my fiancé to do? Appl
Darvan sat in the airplane, gripping his phone tightly. The video of Cassia and Martinez kissing played on repeat, again and again. "Welcome to Paris. The local time is 8:35 PM." The moment the plane landed, he grabbed his suitcase and left, heading straight to where his car was waiting. As soon
Cassia stood beside Martinez, her hand in his. Cameras flashed, and reporters shouted questions. She still felt the warmth of Martinez’s lips from the kiss. It had happened so fast, and now everyone believed they were in love. This was the second time they had shared such a passionate moment, and
Darvan clenched his jaw, his grip tightening around his phone. What was going on? Why in the world were Martinez and Cassia kissing so passionately on screen? Were they really a thing? A flood of thoughts raced through Darvan’s mind, and his irritation grew. Justin sat frozen, his phone still in h
"What should we do?" Cassia asked, moving toward the window, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening outside. "Just follow my lead, alright?" Martinez replied. Before Cassia could process his words, a sudden commotion outside the building made her heart skip a beat. Martinez’s grip on his p
"Mom—" Cassia started, but her mother cut her off, making her inhale quietly. "That amount shouldn't be hard to get, right? I promise this is the last time. My boutique just needs a few more items," her mother said. Cassia's grip tightened around the phone. She said nothing. What was she suppose
Mr. Jenkins and his wife sat in their living room that evening, watching the replayed news on their screen. The screen displayed a picture of Cassia and Martinez, from the announcement of their engagement to a photo that made it look like they were kissing. "This news has been circulating for two
He turned to Cassia, a smile playing on his lips. "Do you want this place?" Cassia blinked in shock. "What?!" What was Martinez doing? Why was he putting her on the spot like this? Ignoring her stunned expression, Martinez simply smiled before turning to Evans. "You can leave now," he said.
—THE FOLLOWING MORNING. Martinez stood outside his car, leaning against the door as he waited for Cassia. The moment she stepped out of her apartment building, he smirked. "You packed light," he said, eyeing the single suitcase she dragged behind her. "I don’t plan on staying forever," she repl