Eleven

The sound of the door opening caught the attention of Uncle Lionel and Aunt Marrie. They were having a light conversation when the girl they considered their own daughter joined them. Cassandra leaned back on the sofa.

"You look tired," Uncle Lionel remarked, folding the newspaper he had just finished reading and placing it on the table. Lowering his reading glasses, he looked at Cassandra with concern. "Taking care of criminals again today?"

Cassandra nodded. "Yeah, this city really is full of criminals, Uncle. By the way, are you busy?"

"No. I just finished reading the paper. Some things were interesting, but no, I’m not busy. Is there something you need to talk to me about?"

Glancing nervously toward Aunt Marrie, Cassandra slowly nodded.

Beside her, Aunt Marrie, with her usual scowl, sighed heavily and lazily rolled her eyes. "I’ll take care of the pigs. You two finish your conversation," she said flatly, standing and smoothing her worn apron. "After you're done, you better help me clean the pen."

"Thank you, Aunt Marrie."

Once the door to the backyard farm closed, Cassandra sat on the sofa across from Lionel, folded her arms, and gave him a determined look. Lionel raised his eyebrows, recognizing from her expression that something serious was about to be discussed.

"Why do you look so tense, Cass?" Lionel asked, sitting up straight. "It’s been a while since I’ve seen you like this."

"I need to talk to you about something important," Cassandra began, her voice serious. She bit her lower lip for a moment before continuing. "I think… I’ve found out who’s responsible for my parents' death."

Lionel froze, his expression shifting to concern. "What do you mean? Who? You didn’t keep investigating their case, did you, Cassandra?"

"I’m sorry, Uncle. But it’s Antonio Franches," Cassandra answered coldly. "All the evidence points to him. His connections... everything matches what I’ve discovered. He’s the man you saw at the scene when my parents' car burned. It has to be him."

Lionel’s face turned pale, and his strong hands trembled slightly as he set the newspaper down. "Cass, this is dangerous. You’ve gone too far. You need to stop before you get hurt even worse. And your parents... they’ve been gone for a long time, sweetheart. Can’t we stop here before you get too deeply involved?"

But Cassandra shook her head, her face full of determination. "I can’t stop, Uncle. I’ve carried this for too long. Fifteen years I’ve lived with this revenge, and I’m not backing down now."

Lionel clasped his hands tightly and leaned back in his chair. "What are you going to do, Cassandra?"

Cassandra took a deep breath and said it. "I’m going to marry him. A marriage contract."

Lionel fell silent, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. "What do you mean? A marriage contract? You say you're certain he killed your parents, but instead of arresting him as a police officer, you want to marry him? This is a terrible idea, Cass."

"I’ll marry him, but only for a set period, Uncle Lionel," Cassandra explained. "During that time, I’ll gather as much evidence as I can to bring him down. Before the contract ends, I’ll make him pay for everything he did to my parents. I won’t make it easy for him—he’ll get the punishment he deserves."

Lionel looked shaken and leaned forward. "No, Cassandra! You don’t know what you’re doing. Someone like Antonio Franches isn’t just dangerous—he’s deadly. You won’t be able to walk away from this plan. Even the police haven’t been able to catch him for five years. What can you do with this crazy plan? I can’t let you do this!"

Cassandra looked at Lionel with an unyielding gaze. "I know the risks. But this is my best chance. If I don’t do this now, I’ll never forgive myself. Let me try, Uncle."

Lionel ran a hand over his face in frustration. "Cass, you’re young. You have your whole life ahead of you. This isn’t the way to find peace. Think of something else—go to therapy or anything to heal and move on. Your life is more important than revenge!"

"This isn’t about peace, Uncle," Cassandra whispered sharply. "It’s about justice. And I’m ready to face the consequences, no matter what."

The atmosphere in the room grew so heavy it felt suffocating. Lionel looked at Cassandra with a mixture of worry and affection. To him, she was more than just a niece—she was the daughter he never had.

"There’s no turning back from this," Lionel whispered, as if offering one last warning.

"I know," Cassandra replied, steadying herself. "But I’ve already chosen this path."

Lionel sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair. "Whatever happens, Cass... I’ll always be here for you. But please, be careful."

Cassandra nodded, feeling a little lighter, even though the weight of her plan loomed in her mind. They sat quietly for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

The following night, Cassandra received a call from Antonio. His voice was cold but seductive over the phone.

"Cassandra, the preparations for our wedding have begun. I’ll send someone tomorrow to finalize the contract."

"Alright," Cassandra replied curtly. "I want everything to go as planned."

Antonio chuckled softly, his tone full of deceit. "Of course. You just need to play your part well."

Cassandra ended the call with trembling hands. A part of her hated herself for getting involved with someone like Antonio. But her desire for revenge and uncovering the truth was stronger than her fear.

That day, Cassandra began crafting her strategy. She couldn’t do it alone. If she wanted to win this dangerous game, she needed allies. Jessica was the first person she called. Her close friend and confidante listened attentively as Cassandra explained her plan for the marriage contract.

"You’re absolutely insane," Jessica remarked, shaking her head. "But if this is what you’ve chosen, I’ll be by your side."

Cassandra gave a small smile, feeling relieved by her friend’s support. "And I have an idea," Jessica continued. "We need to find a way into that warehouse called Cale. If we can get inside, we might find something to bring Antonio down faster."

Cassandra nodded in agreement. "That’ll be the next step."

Jessica looked at Cassandra seriously. "We need to be careful. Someone like Antonio won’t hesitate to eliminate anyone who threatens him."

"I know," Cassandra replied calmly. "But this is a risk I have to take."