Chapter Five

Cassie entered her home and headed to the dining area. Setting her bag on the couch, she poured a glass of water, drank it all as she was quite thirsty. Meanwhile, Anderson, with a cute smile, was chopping vegetables. Cassie, noticing this, spoke softly, offering her help, but Anderson declined, mentioning he was almost done.

Cassie relaxed, her face buried in the table, overcome with emotion. Anderson, noticing a mark on her cheeks, dropped what he was holding, concerned.

He asked gently, "What happened to your cheeks?"

Cassie, sounding suspicious, replied, "Uh, nothing," adjusting her hair to cover the marks. Anderson pressed, "Who slapped you?" seriousness clouding his voice.

"No one," she said, "I wasn't paying attention and ran into a door," raising more suspicions in Anderson's mind. He casually nodded, trying to make her feel comfortable.

"Let me get a quick shower; I'll be back for dinner," she said, leaving his sight and dismissing the conversation.

Anderson, noting her departure, cleaned his hands on his apron and messaged an unknown number, determined to discover the truth.

The meal was ready and arranged on the tables with drinks. Cassie really enjoyed the food, expressing her satisfaction with the content "mmmmmm." However, her delight turned to surprise when she noticed the food had vanished from her plate. Anderson, having finished his meal, simply admired her eating.

"Thanks for dinner, it was so good," Cassie spoke, wiping her mouth. Curious, she asked, "Where did you learn how to cook?"

"Well, my mother taught me," he said, accompanied by a warm smile, with a bit of emotion in his eyes, shared, "Yeah, she was. Um, she died when I was in middle school. And being the bastard son of the Klein family, we didn't get to enjoy the privileges they did – the mansions, the servants, the whole thing.”

With her face nestled into the glass of wine, replied, "Oh, your mother must be a really good chef."

Cassie gazed at him, sensing the ache in his eyes, a mirror to her own. "I understand," she murmured softly, her smile fleeting.

"I'll handle the dishes tonight," she offered, reaching for the plates, eager to shift the conversation and evade any prying questions that might stir her emotions.

Moments later, Anderson's phone chimed with an incoming call from a private number.

He answered, his expression tense. "Boss," the caller said, his features tight with concern, "I checked the traffic cameras. It looks like Miss Cassie went to her family's place today.”

Anderson's voice grew firm, a hint of anger simmering beneath the surface. "So her family laid hands on her? Put some pressure on her father's business. I want to teach him a serious lesson. Cassie deserves respect too," he declared, his tone escalating with intensity.

"Yes boss, I understand," the caller responded, the urgency in Anderson's voice palpable even through the phone. The call ended abruptly, leaving an air of determination hanging in the room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Cassie's heart raced as her phone rang incessantly, her hand trembling as she answered. Her eyes widened with worry as she saw the caller ID displayed "St. Mary Hospital."

"Hello?" she answered, her voice quivering with nervousness.

"Hello Cassie," the doctor's voice came through, laden with solemnity. "I'm sorry to break this news to you, but your mother's health has deteriorated severely. We can't continue her oxygen support without the necessary finances for her kidney transplant. If we don't receive the funds within 48 hours, we might lose her.”

Tears welled up in Cassie's eyes as the weight of the doctor's words sank in. She felt a surge of desperation and helplessness wash over her, her mind racing with thoughts of how to raise the money in such a short time. The call ended abruptly, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable.

Tears streamed down Cassie's cheeks, her face contorted with anguish as she cried out, "Oh Lord, what do I do? Where do I turn? I can't bear to lose my mom, I'm stuck in this mess because of her. Please, help me." Her sobs echoed in the darkness as she clung to the hope of finding a solution.

As she woke, her eyes snapped open, her hands instinctively reaching out to touch her own body, a desperate attempt to confirm the reality of her surroundings. Relief washed over her as she realized it was all just a nightmare, yet the lingering fear gripped her heart tightly.

She had to pinch her body twice, the sensation of pain jolting her awake, to fully grasp that it was all just a dream.

Ringgggggg!!!

As Cassie's phone rang, the sound sliced through the lingering remnants of her dream, pulling her back to reality. With a tired and sleepy voice, she answered, recognizing the caller as Natalie.

"Hello Natalie, it's 7 am," she groaned, exhaustion evident in her tone.

Natalie's excitement burst through the phone as she delivered the news. "Guess what? You have an interview with BM Enterprise!”

Cassie's fatigue melted away instantly, replaced by a surge of excitement. "Nat, you're amazing! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with gratitude. The terrible dream from moments ago faded into the background as anticipation for the interview took over.

But then, Sarah's tone shifted, injecting a note of concern into the conversation. "But, there's a little problem…”

"What?" Cassie's reaction shifted, her curiosity piqued.

"Kyle and Serena from college work there, and Kyle is a VP," Sarah explained.

"Kyle? The guy who asked me out 300 times?" Cassie's voice tinged with disbelief.

"Yeah, that one. But Kyle and Serena are engaged now," Sarah continued.

"Great, just what I needed to hear," Cassie muttered, frustration evident in her tone. "I'll call you back." She ended the call, disconnecting without further ado.

Cassie hurriedly got ready in just 30 minutes, clutching a stack of CV files in one hand while adjusting her skirt with the other. Her footsteps were quick, almost frantic, as she didn't even bother to look ahead. Suddenly, she collided with Anderson, causing her to raise her head slowly to meet his gaze.

"Where are you going this early?" Anderson's voice was sharp, the aroma of coffee wafting from the cup in his hand.

"My best friend got me an interview," Cassie replied, her words slightly rushed as she tried to compose herself.

"Oh, where?" Anderson's inquiry hung in the air, his expression unreadable.

"B.M. Enterprise," Cassie responded with a fleeting smile.

"Good luck to you," Anderson spoke sincerely, stepping aside to let her pass.

"Thank you," Cassie replied hastily, darting out of the house. As she left, she couldn't help but ponder Anderson's unpredictable demeanor. "Today he's nice to me, tomorrow he's not. I just don't understand him," she mused, her thoughts clouded with confusion.

Lost in thought, Cassie hurriedly arrived at the company, overwhelmed by its enormity. The receptionist greeted her warmly, but Cassie couldn't shake off her impatience as she waited for her interview.

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Serena, an old friend from college. "Cassie, it's been ages since I've seen you!" Serena exclaimed, her laughter sounding forced.

Cassie noticed the insincerity but decided to play along, offering a smile in return.

"I didn't know you'd be my interviewer," Cassie said, smiling through the tension.

"Kyle told me you applied, so I had to interview you," Serena replied sarcastically.

"Congratulations on your upcoming marriage," Cassie offered genuinely.

"Thanks," Serena replied, her expression neutral.

"I heard you married Sebastian Klein. Wasn't he in jail?" Serena's question left the room silent and heavy.

"Anyway, let's move to the interview now," Serena said, taking a look at Cassie's CV files. After a brief glance, she delivered her verdict, "I'm sorry, but we don't need people like you in our firm. You lack the experience we're looking for. This is a business for people with class. Just look at you," she added, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Please, take a look at my college results. I can assure you, I have a good understanding of this business. I really need this job," Cassie pleaded, desperation evident in her expression.

With disdain evident in her gaze, Serena scanned Cassie from head to toe, her expression filled with disgust.

"I'm sorry, but you need to leave now," Serena declared icily, her tone cutting through the air like a knife. "We won't hesitate to call security."

Without offering any further explanation or opportunity for rebuttal, Serena turned on her heel and exited the room, leaving Cassie feeling rejected and humiliated.