•Cassie POV•"Mommy, can I wear the rainbow-colored bow today?" Cara asked as she stood between my legs while I gently combed through her soft golden brown hair, parting it into a neat ponytail. Her little hands reached into the box of bows, scanning through the colorful collection like it was a treasure chest."Yes, my love, if that’s what you want," I replied, running my fingers gently through her hair. "But if you want Mommy’s opinion, I’d say the pink one suits your outfit better."Her eyes widened as she looked up at me. "Really, Mom?"I nodded softly and tapped her nose. She giggled. "Then Mommy knows best," she said with a grin.I laughed and reached for the pink bow, clipping it onto her ponytail."Seems you two are bonding, and I have the bows to thank for that," Jerald’s warm voice echoed from the doorway. I turned and smiled at the sight of him leaning casually against the frame."Good morning, my love," I murmured, finishing the last touch on Cara’s hair. She immediately r
•Scott POV•I shoved a hand through my hair and tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my chest aching so badly that it felt like someone was squeezing the air right out of me. I hated that I feel this way, that one glance at her was enough to tear open everything I had buried."Scott, my love, what’s happening?" Layla’s voice trembled slightly beside me. "You almost got us killed."I didn’t answer. I just started the car and pulled back onto the road, ignoring her worried glances. Her words were nothing but noise right now, and I didn’t have the patience to deal with them.“Scott, talk to me!” she pressed. “It’s Cassie, isn’t it? She’s the reason you’re acting like this. Have you forgotten what she did?”“Layla, I don’t want to talk about it,” I muttered through gritted teeth, eyes locked on the road ahead.She scoffed and turned toward the window, finally going silent, and the sudden quiet felt like the first breath of air after being underwater too long.By the time I reached th
•Cassie POV•"Mommy, who is Cassie?" Cara asked as I stepped back into the hall, her head resting on my shoulder.My heart thudded heavily against my chest, like a spear had driven straight into it, one I had pulled out myself years ago. Hearing Cara ask with such innocent curiosity made my chest tighten. There was no way I could answer her without lying.I forced a small smile and gently patted her back. "Cassie is a name people use when they don’t know someone’s real name," I lied.She lifted her head from my shoulder and gave a tiny nod, satisfied with the answer.I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to steady my nerves as I walked back toward the VIP section. Once there, I carefully set her down on one of the chairs and straightened up, scanning the room for Jerald.My eyes searched through the crowded hall until they landed on him. He was standing among a group of men and was smiling as he spoke to them, his posture relaxed and confident. The sight of him brought a wa
•Scott POV•The little girl in front of me stared up with wide, curious eyes, gray and bright, almost piercing straight into my soul.I smiled. There was something about her energy, so full of life and innocence, that reminded me painfully of Cassie’s old dream of having a child. She used to talk about it almost every day. The memory made a sharp pain shoot through my chest. And seeing her today, with that man by her side, made me realize just how foolish I had been back then.“Mister, is something wrong?” the little girl asked softly, tilting her head as she studied me.I forced a small smile. “No, angel. I was just thinking about the right answer to your question.”She bounced lightly on her toes, excitement dancing across her face. The cool evening breeze brushed her cheeks, sending strands of her golden-brown hair fluttering. Without thinking, I reached out to tuck one behind her ear, but before my hand could reach her, someone pulled her away.“Mommy!” she squealed, and my heart
°Cassie POV°"What do you think you're about to do?" Jerald shouted, his deep voice filling the suddenly quiet hall. Even the music that had been playing earlier stopped.Layla’s eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Scott quickly stepped forward. "I apologize on her behalf, Mr. Lewis."Jerald’s gaze shifted from her to Scott, his expression turning cold and sharp."Sorry?" he repeated, his tone low but dangerous. "You think a simple sorry covers the disrespect she just showed my wife?""Your wife?" Layla’s face turned pale in confusion as her gaze drifted toward me.Jerald took a step closer, his presence dominating the space around them. "Yes, she is my wife. And you don’t walk into an event hosted by the Lewis family and try to humiliate my wife in front of everyone," he said, his voice steady but filled with restrained anger. "Now apologize to her, and I'll look past all this."Layla gasped, confusion flashing across her face, but the real ent
•Cassie POV•In the midst of two men talking cheerfully, dressed in a familiar blue suit, was Scott. My eyes widened in shock as they landed on him, and my heart thudded hard against my chest.Seven whole years, and I had hoped never to see him again. Yet, here he was. How could he be at this party?I forced my gaze away from his direction and focused on the man and woman in front of me. They gave me a polite smile before excusing themselves, but my mind was far from calm."Mr. Williams, this is a big moment for us. The first ever Lewis design of a Mercedes-Benz," one of the men Scott was speaking with said proudly."Yes, and all I need now is for Mr. Lewis to agree on—" Scott began, but his words faded.I didn’t wait to hear more. My legs moved quickly before I could stop them, weaving through the crowd. I just needed to be anywhere—anywhere else where I wouldn’t have to see Scott. My heart pounded so hard it felt like I had just run a marathon. I hated this. Hated how seeing him aga