Chapter 4: Her Return, His Rage

“Cassidy, are you okay?”

Rodel's brows pulled together as he looked at her.

Cassidy hadn't said much since they left the airport. Her face was pale, and her mind seemed far away.

Rodel gently touched her shoulder.

“Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you.”

Cassidy finally looked at him.

“He's getting married,” Rodel continued. “You don't have to be afraid of him anymore.”

Cassidy nodded, but she couldn't stop thinking about the way Dylan had stared at Noel and Nardy.

Had he noticed something?

She couldn't tell.

And that frightened her more than anything.

Neither Cassidy nor Rodel noticed the two little boys whispering behind them.

Noel leaned closer to his brother.

“Something is weird.”

Nardy nodded.

He had secretly taken several pictures of Dylan at the airport.

“His last name is Edwards, right?”

Noel nodded.

Nardy looked at Dylan's picture on his phone.

“He made Mommy sad.”

Noel's little face became serious.

“He's the bad man?”

“The one who hurt Mommy and made her leave.”

Noel frowned.

“What are we going to do?”

Nardy's eyes narrowed.

“Teach him a lesson.”

Noel immediately smiled.

Unlike most children his age, Nardy was extremely good with computers. Cassidy thought it was simply a hobby.

Only Noel knew just how good his brother really was.

And Nardy already had an idea.

Across the city, Dylan sat inside his office at the top of Edwards Group's headquarters.

He signed the last page of a contract and pushed it aside.

“Done.”

Selena smiled beside him.

“You're always so good to me, Dylan.”

Six years had passed, but Selena had changed very little. She still had the same gentle smile and sweet voice.

The only obvious difference was the small baby bump beneath her dress.

Dylan glanced at her.

But his mind immediately returned to the airport.

Cassidy.

He hadn't expected to see her again.

Not after six years.

And certainly not standing beside Rodel Helton with two children.

Dylan's expression darkened.

She had left the country without saying a word.

Now she had returned as though nothing had happened.

With Rodel.

And those two boys.

For some reason, their faces returned to his mind.

Especially their eyes.

“Dylan?”

Selena's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

She handed him a bowl of soup.

“You've been distracted all day.”

Dylan accepted it.

“I'm just tired.”

Selena studied him.

“Is it because of Cassidy?”

His eyes immediately hardened.

“No.”

The answer came too quickly.

Selena noticed.

But she smiled anyway.

“Then you still love me?”

Dylan reached out and lightly touched her nose.

“Of course.”

Yet even as he said it, Cassidy's face appeared in his mind again.

Selena lowered her eyes.

She knew exactly when his attention had started wandering.

The moment Cassidy appeared.

She quickly changed the subject.

“There's a dinner with Harvey Walter tonight. Will you come with me?”

Dylan frowned.

“Why Harvey?”

“He used to be my boss,” Selena explained. “And Walter Group has been doing very well. He's investing in restaurants now, so I couldn't refuse the invitation.”

Dylan rubbed his temple.

“I already have a banquet tonight.”

“A banquet?”

“The charity auction at Havier Hotel. Eight o'clock.”

Selena's eyes brightened.

It was one of the biggest events of the year.

Business leaders and wealthy families from across the city would be there.

An idea came to her.

“Could Harvey attend the auction instead?”

Dylan looked at her.

“You want me to get him an invitation?”

Selena smiled sweetly.

“Please?”

Dylan took out his phone.

“Send an invitation to Harvey Walter for tonight's charity auction at Havier Hotel.”

After ending the call, he looked at Selena.

“Happy?”

She smiled.

“You're the best.”

Dylan leaned closer and kissed her.

“I've missed you.”

Selena laughed softly and pushed him back.

“Not now. The doctor said we should be careful.”

She placed a hand over her stomach.

“And I want our wedding night to be special.”

Dylan smiled.

But Selena's thoughts were not nearly as innocent as her expression.

By the time they married, her pregnancy would already be impossible to hide.

She wasn't worried.

She only needed Dylan to remain hers.

That evening, luxury cars lined the entrance of Havier Hotel.

Reporters and photographers crowded behind the barriers as the city's most powerful families arrived.

When Dylan and Selena stepped from their car, cameras immediately turned toward them.

Selena held Dylan's arm and smiled.

With her small baby bump and Dylan beside her, they looked like the perfect couple.

Inside another car nearby, Cassidy froze.

She stared through the window.

Dylan.

Selena.

Together.

Her fingers tightened around the door handle.

“You didn't tell me he'd be here.”

Rodel looked toward the entrance.

“I didn't know.”

Cassidy turned to him.

“You really didn't?”

“No.”

He reached over and gently covered her hand with his.

“But you don't have to go inside.”

Cassidy looked at Dylan again.

Her first instinct was to leave.

Then she remembered Noel and Nardy.

They had begged her to come tonight.

Rodel had encouraged her too.

More importantly, she couldn't spend the rest of her life running whenever Dylan appeared.

Rodel seemed to understand what she was thinking.

“You don't owe him anything anymore,” he said quietly. “You have your own life now.”

Cassidy took a slow breath.

He was right.

Six years ago, Dylan had watched her beg for help and driven away.

She had survived without him.

She wasn't that helpless woman anymore.

Cassidy straightened her black evening gown.

Her hair was pinned neatly in a bun, and around her neck was a custom necklace Rodel had given her.

She reached for the door.

“Let's go.”

Rodel smiled.

The moment Cassidy stepped from the car, camera flashes exploded around them.

Reporters immediately began whispering.

Rodel Helton rarely appeared publicly with women.

Tonight, one was holding his arm.

And she was beautiful.

Cassidy kept her head high as they entered the hotel.

She could feel people staring.

But she didn't hide.

Across the lobby, Dylan saw her.

His expression changed.

Cassidy.

Again.

Except she looked nothing like the woman he remembered.

The Cassidy from six years ago had always seemed quiet around him.

Tonight, she walked through the crowd with her head high.

Elegant.

Calm.

Confident.

And her arm was linked with Rodel's.

Dylan's jaw tightened.

Selena followed his gaze.

Her smile immediately stiffened.

Cassidy?

Why was she here?

Cassidy walked past them without even turning her head.

That bothered Dylan more than he expected.

She hadn't even looked at him.

Soon, the charity auction began.

The first item was a rare painting.

It sold quickly.

Next came an antique blue-and-white porcelain vase.

“Starting bid, fifteen thousand dollars,” the auctioneer announced.

Several guests raised their paddles.

But whispers continued around the room.

Many people were more interested in Dylan Edwards and Rodel Helton than the antiques.

Two powerful men.

Two beautiful women.

And an obvious tension no one could explain.

Cassidy tried to ignore the attention.

Rodel noticed her fingers tightening around her purse.

He leaned closer.

“Relax.”

Cassidy glanced at him.

“You're doing fine.”

His hand gently touched her back.

Cassidy smiled.

“Thank you.”

Across the room, Dylan watched them.

His expression darkened.

Why was Rodel touching her like that?

Then another thought hit him.

Why did he care?

Cassidy was no longer his wife.

She could do whatever she wanted.

Yet when Rodel leaned closer and whispered something that made her smile, Dylan's grip tightened around his bidding paddle.

The auction continued.

Finally, the last item was brought onto the stage.

A jade carving decorated with a dragon and phoenix gleamed beneath the lights.

The auctioneer smiled.

“Our final piece tonight. Starting bid, thirty thousand dollars.”

Several people murmured with interest.

Dylan raised his paddle.

“One hundred fifty thousand.”

The room quieted.

Before anyone else could bid, Rodel raised his.

“Three hundred thousand.”

He turned toward Cassidy.

“A gift for my girlfriend.”

Whispers exploded across the room.

Cassidy stared at him.

“Three hundred thousand?”

Rodel smiled.

“It's fine.”

“It's a piece of jade!”

“I know.”

“You're crazy.”

His smile widened.

Dylan heard them.

Girlfriend.

The word bothered him immediately.

He raised his paddle.

“Four hundred fifty thousand.”

Rodel didn't hesitate.

“Six hundred thousand.”

Dylan's eyes moved toward him.

“Seven hundred thousand.”

“One million,” Rodel replied.

The room fell silent.

Now everyone understood.

This was no longer about jade.

It was about the two men bidding against each other.

Selena held Dylan's arm.

“I really like it,” she whispered. “Can you get it for me?”

Dylan looked at Rodel.

Then at Cassidy.

She was leaning toward Rodel, clearly trying to convince him to stop.

Something hot and unpleasant twisted inside Dylan.

“One million five hundred thousand.”

Rodel raised his paddle.

“Two million.”

Gasps filled the hall.

Cassidy immediately grabbed his sleeve.

“Rodel.”

“Don't worry.”

“I'm serious.”

Dylan watched her hand on Rodel's arm.

“Three million.”

The auctioneer looked stunned.

“Three million dollars from Mr. Edwards!”

Rodel started to raise his paddle again.

Cassidy caught his wrist.

“Stop.”

He looked at her.

She leaned closer and whispered something into his ear.

Rodel's eyebrows lifted.

Then a slow smile spread across his face.

He lowered his paddle.

The auctioneer waited.

“Three million once.”

Dylan stared at them.

“Three million twice.”

Why had Rodel stopped?

Cassidy whispered something else.

Rodel laughed quietly.

Dylan's expression darkened.

Then Selena touched his arm.

“Dylan?”

His pride won.

Dylan lifted his paddle again.

“Four million five hundred thousand.”

The entire room erupted in shocked whispers.

Even the auctioneer froze for a second.

“Four million five hundred thousand!”

No one else raised a paddle.

“Once.”

Cassidy calmly sat back.

“Twice.”

Rodel looked amused.

“Sold!”

Applause filled the room.

Selena smiled brightly.

“We won!”

But Dylan didn't feel like he had won anything.

His eyes remained fixed on Cassidy and Rodel.

They weren't upset.

They weren't disappointed.

They looked amused.

Dylan's jaw tightened.

What had Cassidy whispered to him?

Then Rodel looked across the room and met Dylan's eyes.

A faint smile touched his lips.

Dylan suddenly understood something.

He had just paid four and a half million dollars for an item that had started at thirty thousand.

And Cassidy had been the one who convinced Rodel to stop bidding.

For the first time that night, Dylan wondered if he had been played.

But what he didn't know was that Cassidy wasn't the only person causing trouble for him tonight.

Far away from the auction hall, two little boys were sitting in front of a laptop.

Noel watched the screen eagerly.

“Nardy, are you sure about this?”

Nardy's small fingers hovered over the keyboard.

A photograph of Dylan Edwards filled the screen.

Nardy smiled.

“I'm sure.”

Noel leaned closer.

“What are you going to do?”

Nardy's eyes gleamed.

“Daddy Edwards needs to learn a lesson.”