Chapter 2

Cassandra's POV

Back home, I found the accident liability report I hadn't touched in two years. My labor had started suddenly while I was shopping with Tara. She took me to the hospital, but on the way, another car crashed into us.

My baby, Miley Grover, died before she could be born. When they finally brought her out, her little face had already turned purple from lack of oxygen.

When I woke up, I was frantically trying to find Miley, unable to sleep night after night. My heartbroken parents cried as Gavin knelt before me and apologized.

Tara was a lawyer and swore she would help me hold the driver responsible. But because they were afraid of upsetting me, they sealed away all the documents and only told me that the driver had already gotten what they deserved.

With trembling hands, I opened the file. It clearly stated that the driver had been found fully responsible for the accident. Yet, the victim's family had chosen to forgive the driver, and a settlement had already been reached.

The family member's signature was Gavin's, the driver's was Jenny's, and the lawyer handling the case was Tara.

The lock at the entrance clicked. Gavin was back. He glanced toward the kitchen, walked over, and served a bowl of soup. He turned on the microwave and set it for five minutes.

Then, he came over and took my hand. He said, "Please don't be angry anymore. I promise this won't affect your place or our life together."

I shook him off and pointed to the liability report. "Don't you have anything to tell me?" I asked.

He sighed. "Cassandra, we kept it from you for your own good. Jenny cried every day, saying she wanted to kill herself and give her life in exchange for Miley's. What was I supposed to do? I know you feel wronged. I'm sorry, okay?"

I glared at him and said, "You knew that Jenny was the one who killed Miley, yet you hid the truth, slept with her, and even had a child with her."

Gavin's expression hardened, and his voice dropped.

"She's your sister. Cassandra, you loved her so much. How can you not show her any understanding now? That car accident was just an accident. You can't have children, and both our families need an heir. Jenny stepped up and took responsibility for you. Miley is already gone. Do you want to drag everyone down with you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Dad, Mom, and Tara walked through the door.

When Tara saw the liability report in my hand, her eyes welled up with tears. She explained, "Back then, Jenny was too afraid to see you. She climbed onto the windowsill several times, wanting to jump. What more do you want? Cassandra, how can you be so heartless now?"

Mom wiped away her tears. She said, "You've always been competitive. You had to be the best at everything. When has Jenny ever competed with you? After Miley died, you cried every day.

"What did an unmarried woman like Jenny have to gain by giving birth to a baby without any proper status or recognition? Cassandra, you can't be heartless. Jenny never tried to take anything from you. If anything, she brought new life into this family."

Dad looked at me with disappointment. "Do you really have to drive everyone into a corner?"

I looked at their expressions. They seemed so certain that they were in the right. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. Even this house felt different. I felt so suffocated that I could barely breathe.

So, I had worked myself to the bone to buy this house and give my parents a better life, only for them to call me overly competitive.

Jenny killed my child and stole Gavin from me. But somehow, they said she had done it for my own good. And when I tried to hold her accountable, I became the unreasonable and heartless one.

I said nothing, so they assumed I had come to my senses.

Mom and Dad sighed in relief and turned to go back to their room. Gavin pulled me into his arms and buried his chin in the crook of my neck. "That's my Cassandra. I knew you'd be reasonable. We'll bring Jenny and the baby home tomorrow. Once you hold Molly, you'll definitely love her."

After he washed up, I poured the stew into the trash can. I glanced at the property deed beneath the accident liability report and contacted a real estate agent. "Hello. I'm going abroad for work, so I'd like to sell the house. I want it sold as soon as possible, preferably within three days."