CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

"Give it to me."

Two words were enough to leave Briar Welson speechless. His fork stopped halfway to his mouth. His jaw dropped, while Erica nearly choked on her wine.

Cassie noticed their expressions and felt a small, unfamiliar satisfaction. For once, they were the ones caught off guard.

The dining room was full. Erica sat at the head of the table while the other family members watched Cassie like she was a problem they wanted gone.

Cassie ignored them and looked directly at Erica.

"I'm sorry," Erica finally said. "What did you just say?"

Cassie slowly placed her fork on the table. She looked from Erica to Briar, then leaned back in her chair with a calm expression.“I said, will you please give me the surrogate information?”

Her lips curved into a faint smile. “I’ll find a woman who can give my precious husband the heir he wants so badly.”

Whispers immediately spread around the table.

Briar stared at her as if she had just spoken another language. His fork remained suspended in his hand. “You… you’re agreeing?”

Cassie tilted her head, studying his confused expression. “You sound disappointed.”

“I’m not.” Briar quickly lowered his fork, his brows drawing together. “Why would I be disappointed?”

“Then why are you staring at me like that?” Cassie asked, picking up her glass. “You wanted a solution, didn’t you? I’m giving you one.”

Briar opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Cassie took a slow sip of water before continuing. “You and your mother have spent the entire dinner discussing how badly you need an heir. I’m simply offering a solution.”

Erica narrowed her eyes. She leaned forward slightly, clearly suspicious of Cassie’s sudden calmness. “You’re suddenly very cooperative.”

Cassie placed her glass down and gave her a small shrug. “I’m trying something new.”

Erica’s eyebrows rose all of a sudden “Which is ?”

Cassie smiled politely. “Listening.”

A few relatives exchanged uncomfortable glances. One of them suddenly became very interested in their plate.

Cassie simply picked up her fork and continued eating as though she hadn’t just silenced the entire table.

After a moment, she looked at Erica again. “If we’re going ahead with surrogacy, we can finally stop the monthly pregnancy tests, right?”

Erica’s expression immediately hardened. “Oh, really?”

She slowly placed her glass on the table, her fingers tightening around it. “The cat finally grew claws overnight?”

Cassie remained silent, calmly cutting a piece of food on her plate.

Erica leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Your sudden agreement is suspicious. And no, the monthly tests are not stopping. You have another one due this week.”

Cassie stopped eating. She slowly lifted her eyes toward Erica. “I thought you wanted a surrogate.”

“We do.”

“Then why are you still testing me?”

“Because we have been doing it for years.” Erica’s voice became colder. “And you will continue until I say otherwise.”

Cassie stared at her for a moment. It was almost ridiculous, They had spent the entire evening discussing how useless they believed her womb was, yet they still insisted on checking it every month. Apparently, they weren’t ready to give up the humiliation.

Erica picked up her purse and stood. “Perhaps your attitude will improve by the next test. You better hope that test is positive, because I am getting tired of your useless excuses.”

She adjusted the strap of her purse and looked at Briar. “Fix your wife.” Then she turned and walked away.

Cassie watched her disappear through the doorway, then asmall smile touched her lips. “Maybe the Cassie you knew is gone.”

The room fell silent.

Briar stared at her, his expression difficult to read. After a moment, he cleared his throat.“You definitely woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.”

Cassie looked at him. “I slept perfectly fine.”

Briar rolled his eyes.“Whatever. You need a dress for the merger event next week.”

Cassie glanced at him. "I'll get it myself."

"I'll have someone send options."

"No. I'll go."

Briar frowned. "Why are you being difficult about a dress?"

Cassie turned to face him fully. "The last time you had someone send me options, they sent Fiona's size instead of mine."

She tilted her head. "I found it weird that you had your secretary's measurements memorized. Something I should know?"

Briar's face went pale. "That— that wasn't—"

"Wasn't what?" Cassie asked calmly. "A mistake? A coincidence? “Or did you simply assume I would fit into your secretary’s clothes?”

Briar stammered, his usual confidence crumbling. "It was— the assistant must have—"

"Must have what?" Cassie pressed. "Mixed up the order?

Several relatives shifted uncomfortably. Briar's jaw tightened then he reached into his wallet and pulled out his black card, sliding it across the table toward her. "Take it. Go buy whatever you want. Just stop with the accusations."

Cassie picked up the card slowly, turning it over in her fingers. "Thank you, Briar. That's very generous."

She tucked it into her purse and stood. "I won't be long." and walked out without another word.

Instead of going straight to the dress shop, she made a quick stop at the supermarket.

She pushed a cart through the aisles, filling it with canned food, bottled water, first-aid kits, batteries, flashlights, and medicine. She moved quickly, choosing only what she knew she would need.

When she reached the dairy aisle, she spotted the last pack of milk on the top shelf.

Cassie stretched onto her toes. "Come on…" Her fingers finally touched the pack, but it suddenly slipped forward. "Ah!"

She lost her balance, Before she could hit the floor, a strong arm caught her around the waist. The milk fell against her chest and burst, splashing all over her clothes.

Cassie froze.

The stranger steadied her before slowly letting go. “Are you hurt?”

Cassie looked down at the milk dripping down her dress and sighed. “My dignity is. I’m not sure about the dress.”

The man chuckled as he picked up the fallen milk.“Here.” He handed her some tissues. “I’m Hank.”

Cassie accepted them. “Cassie.” Before she could say anything else, a familiar voice cut through the aisle.

“Cassie!”

Her smile disappeared. She turned her head and saw her husband standing at the end of the aisle, staring straight at her.

Cassie quickly glanced toward the man who had helped her, but he was already gone. Apparently, Hank had decided not to get involved.

Briar’s eyes followed the direction Hank had taken before returning to Cassie. “Who was that?” he demanded.

Cassie looked down at her milk-soaked dress, then back at him.

“I’m asking who he was.”

She stared at him. There it was. Not concern. Possessiveness, The same man who had never cared where she went or who she spoke to was suddenly furious because another man had touched her.

"A Stranger and I fell," she said simply.

“He caught you?”

“Yes.”

“Why was he touching you?”

Cassie glanced at her milk-soaked clothes “Because gravity was winning.”

His attention shifted to the overflowing cart. His face became even darker. "You told me you were going shopping for a dress, yet I find you in a grocery store buying enough supplies to feed a family for weeks. You've been acting strange all day. Now you're meeting strange men behind my back."

Cassie looked around the supermarket, then back at him. "Behind your back? Briar, we're standing in the middle of a grocery store."

He stepped closer, his voice rising. "Don't play games with me. What exactly are you planning?"

The System screen flickered in her peripheral vision. [warning: hostile interaction detected.]

Cassie ignored it.

She looked at Briar's red face, at the way his hands were clenched at his sides. The man who had spent years making her feel invisible was suddenly furious at the thought of someone else touching her.

And she couldn't tell him the truth.

She couldn't say: I'm preparing for the apocalypse you know is coming, She couldn't say: I know you will betray me, She couldn't say: I've already started planning my escape.

Briar's voice rose, drawing the attention of several shoppers. "Tell me the truth, Cassie. What the hell are you doing?"

Cassie looked at him. Then at the cart full of supplies. Then at the aisle where the stranger had just walked away.

She slowly smiled.

"Buying groceries."