LOGIN•Cassie Pov•“Mommy, Daddy… are you there?” Cara’s small voice called out, and I rushed to her side, taking her hand.“Yes, baby. Mommy is here,” I mumbled, and a small smile pulled at her lips. “How are you feeling, my love?”She shifted slowly, and Jerald reached out to help her sit up. He brushed the loose strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he took her hand and checked for the rash before looking back at her.“You’re going to be okay, my love,” he said gently. “Daddy loves you, and he won’t let anyone ever hurt you again.”Cara nodded. Seeing her awake made the ache inside me ease a little. I walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, pulling her close. She rested her head on my lap and closed her eyes softly.“Mommy, can we go home?” she asked quietly.I looked up at Jerald, and he gave me a slight nod. “Yes, baby. We can, but first we need to confirm with the doctor.”Jerald shifted closer, and Cara lifted h
•Cassie Pov•“It couldn’t be him, no.” I shook my head again and again until a dull ache settled in my skull.“It couldn’t be Jerald?” Tamara asked, her voice careful, unaware of the storm tearing through my thoughts. The sympathy in her eyes made my chest tighten even more. I couldn’t tell her what I was really thinking, that my mind had gone somewhere dark, somewhere dangerous. I couldn’t tell her that Scott’s face kept flashing in my head, or that I was wondering if Cara could be his child. I wasn’t even sure if the thought made sense, but it wouldn’t leave me alone.“Lauren, please don’t think too much about this,” Tamara said softly, shifting closer on the couch and taking my trembling hand in hers. “It’s a normal reaction any child could have. Remember how I got my hair color from my mom and my eye color from my dad? It’s just something like that. Genetics can be strange.”I nodded, but my throat felt tight. I wiped my tears quickly, biting down on my lip to stop the sob that th
•Scott POV•I lifted my hand to touch my nose, which ached badly, staring at my palm now covered with blood. I looked around, noticing the weird looks and low muttering coming from people nearby.“My love, are you okay?” Layla asked as she brought a small white napkin to clean the blood from my face, but I shifted, collecting it from her instead.“I’m fine,” I muttered through clenched teeth without giving her a second look.I couldn’t believe that bastard hit me without even asking to know if I had just saved his daughter’s life. If not for the fact that I needed his approval for the investment deal, I would’ve retaliated.“My love, you’re bleeding badly. Let’s go to the hospital,” Layla cried, reaching again to touch my face, but I walked past her and out of the party area toward the parking lot where my car was.She rushed after me, her heels clicking against the concrete floor. “Scott, why are you acting all cruel to me as if this is any of my fault? You should’ve gotten into the
•Cassie’s POV•My heart hammered in my chest as I rushed to the pool, seeing Cara struggling in the water. I almost jumped in myself before reality hit me, I couldn’t swim. Getting into the water would only make things worse.“Help! Anyone knows how to swim?” I cried, my voice shaking as I looked around desperately for Jerald. People gathered around the pool, loud whispers filling the air as they made attempts to help her.“I can’t swim, Lauren!” Tamara cried, trying to dip her feet into the water, but before she could, someone else plunged in. My blood ran cold when I saw who it was Scott. But I couldn’t care less. Nothing mattered except seeing Cara safe.He swam quickly toward her, grabbing her and lifting her into his arms as he pushed through the water to the other side. The moment he emerged, I rushed forward and snatched Cara from him, holding her close. She stared at me with weak, frightened eyes.“Mommy… someone pushed me…” her small voice broke, tears rolling out of my eyes
{Cassie POV}I took a deep breath as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The dress I had on was a fitted wine-red bodycon gown that hugged my curves perfectly, with a soft shimmer that glowed under the light. It had a deep neckline and thin straps that made it both elegant and alluring without being too revealing. I smiled softly, curling a strand of my hair and letting it fall loosely over my shoulder.Excitement bubbled in my chest. After we came back from shopping, Jerald had told me about a surprise date he planned for the evening. He didn’t tell me the location. But the way he said it, with that charming grin and the twinkle in his eyes, made my heart flutter.Knowing he wanted to celebrate my birthday differently this year made me feel like I was floating. I couldn’t help but think back to the past seven birthdays we had shared together. Some were spent in fancy resorts, just the two of us enjoying the quiet and luxury. Other times, it was a cozy family celebration at home
•Cassie POV• Her perfectly styled blonde hair shimmered under the lights, and she was wearing a tight red dress that screamed for attention. The same woman who had once been the reason my marriage fell apart. Our eyes met. Her smile widened, sharp and cold. “Well, well,” she said, crossing her arms. “If it isn’t Cassie Newman. Or should I say… Lauren Lewis?” My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard, trying to hide the anger that rose inside me. Of all places, of all days—why today? She stepped closer, her heels clicking against the polished floor. “You didn’t think you could continue with this act, did you?” I clenched my fists at my sides, my pulse quickening. “What do you want, Layla? Why did you follow me here?” I asked, my voice filled with disgust. “If this whole charade is about Scott, he is all yours. As you can see, I’m happily married and have a child.” Layla tilted her head, her smirk deepening. “Happily married, huh?” she repeated mockingly. “You think you can be hap







