Chapter 5: Hacker’s Revenge

After the auction, music filled the grand hall.

Couples moved onto the dance floor while other guests gathered in small groups, laughing and talking over glasses of champagne.

Cassidy finally relaxed.

At least the bidding war was over.

While Rodel spoke with several business partners, Cassidy quietly slipped toward the dining area.

Then her eyes lit up.

Strawberry shortcake.

Her favorite.

For the first time that evening, she smiled without forcing it.

She reached for a slice.

“Well, well.”

Cassidy's hand stopped.

A familiar voice came from behind her.

“You disappear for six years, then come back clinging to Rodel Helton.”

Cassidy slowly turned.

Selena stood behind her.

Her sweet public smile was gone.

Instead, she looked at Cassidy with open dislike.

Cassidy sighed.

She had been home for less than a day.

Was this really necessary?

“Good evening, Selena.”

She turned back toward the cake.

Selena's expression stiffened.

That was it?

No anger?

No jealousy?

She grabbed Cassidy's arm.

“I'm talking to you.”

Cassidy looked down at Selena's hand.

“Let go.”

Selena tightened her grip.

“Do you think coming here with Rodel makes you important?”

Cassidy's eyes cooled.

“No. But apparently it makes me important enough for you to follow me across a ballroom.”

Selena's face changed.

“You...”

“What is going on?”

Both women froze.

Cassidy knew that voice immediately.

Dylan approached them.

Selena released Cassidy's arm.

Then, without warning, her foot shifted.

She stumbled backward.

Dylan caught her.

“Selena!”

His arm immediately wrapped around her waist.

“Are you okay?”

Selena covered her stomach.

Her eyes became watery.

“I... I'm fine.”

Dylan looked at Cassidy.

“What happened?”

Before Cassidy could answer, Selena shook her head.

“Don't blame her. I only wanted to say hello.”

She lowered her eyes.

“I must have lost my balance.”

Then she quietly added, “For a second, I thought she was going to push me.”

Cassidy stared at her.

Six years ago, she might have panicked.

She might have rushed to defend herself.

Not anymore.

Dylan's expression turned cold.

“Haven't changed at all, have you?”

Cassidy's heart still hurt at the words.

But this time, she didn't let him see it.

“You've known me for years,” she said. “Do you truly believe I would hurt a pregnant woman?”

Dylan looked at Selena's stomach.

“She is carrying my child. I won't allow anyone to hurt her.”

“I didn't.”

“Then stay away from her.”

Cassidy gave a small laugh.

“You came to me.”

Dylan's eyes narrowed.

Cassidy held his gaze.

“It's been six years, Dylan.”

Her voice was calm.

“You have Selena. You're getting married. I have my own life. Why are we still having this conversation?”

For a moment, Dylan had no answer.

Then his gaze moved toward someone behind Cassidy.

Rodel.

He had noticed the commotion and was already approaching.

He stepped beside Cassidy.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” Cassidy said.

Dylan gave a cold laugh.

“Nothing?”

Rodel ignored him and looked at Cassidy.

“Did someone hurt you?”

“No.”

Selena smiled sweetly.

“Mr. Helton, there's no need to worry. Cassidy and I were simply talking.”

Rodel looked at the red marks Selena's fingers had left on Cassidy's arm.

His expression changed.

“That doesn't look like talking.”

Selena quickly hid her hand behind her back.

Dylan noticed the marks too.

His eyes flickered.

But instead of questioning Selena, he looked away.

Cassidy saw it.

Of course.

Even now, he would choose not to see anything that proved her side.

Something inside her finally settled.

Perhaps that was what she needed.

Not another explanation.

Not another apology.

Just proof that leaving him had been the right decision.

She took Rodel's hand.

“Let's go.”

Dylan's eyes immediately dropped to their joined hands.

His jaw tightened.

Cassidy noticed.

This time, she didn't care.

She turned back to him.

“You gave up on me six years ago. I accepted that.”

Dylan's expression hardened.

“So accept something too.”

Cassidy moved closer to Rodel.

“I don't belong to you anymore.”

Silence fell between them.

Rodel looked at Cassidy with surprise.

Then a faint smile appeared on his face.

Selena's fingers tightened around Dylan's arm.

Dylan stared at Cassidy.

Something unreadable flashed in his eyes.

Anger.

Jealousy.

Or perhaps something else.

But Cassidy was tired of trying to understand him.

Dylan finally gave a cold smile.

“Don't flatter yourself.”

Cassidy nodded.

“Good. Then we understand each other.”

She started to walk away.

“Cassidy.”

She stopped.

Dylan's gaze moved over her.

Then froze.

Near the hem of her evening gown, a small rose tattoo was visible on her ankle.

His expression changed.

Cassidy noticed.

Dylan stared at the tattoo longer than he should have.

She instinctively moved her foot back.

“What's wrong?”

His eyes lifted to hers.

“Nothing.”

But his voice sounded different.

Rodel stepped between them.

“Is there a problem?”

Dylan's expression hardened again.

He looked Rodel up and down.

“I simply don't understand your taste.”

Rodel smiled.

“That's fortunate. I don't need your approval.”

Selena quickly touched Dylan's arm.

“Let's go.”

Dylan didn't move immediately.

His eyes returned to Cassidy.

Then to Rodel.

Finally, he turned away.

Rodel watched him leave.

“One day, you're going to regret treating her this way.”

Dylan stopped.

He didn't turn around.

“I think you'll be the one regretting your choices.”

Then he walked away with Selena.

Cassidy released a slow breath.

Rodel immediately took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

He studied her face.

“You don't look okay.”

Cassidy managed a small smile.

“I'm just tired.”

“Do you want to leave?”

She nodded.

“I miss the boys.”

Rodel laughed softly.

“You've only been away from them for a few hours.”

“I know.”

“You're hopeless.”

Cassidy smiled.

That was better.

Normal.

Safe.

She looked across the ballroom one last time.

Dylan and Selena were speaking with a short, balding man.

Selena laughed at something he said.

Dylan remained serious but polite.

Cassidy watched them for a moment.

Six years ago, seeing Dylan with Selena would have broken her.

Tonight, it still hurt.

But it didn't destroy her.

That difference mattered.

She wasn't the same Cassidy anymore.

And she refused to become that woman again.

What Cassidy didn't know was that two very familiar little boys were much closer than she thought.

On the hotel's second floor, Noel stared at a security monitor.

His eyes widened.

“Look at Mommy.”

On the screen, Cassidy was standing beside Rodel.

“She looks sad.”

Nardy sat in front of a laptop.

His small face became serious.

He had watched everything.

Selena grabbing Cassidy.

Dylan blaming her.

Cassidy walking away.

Noel crossed his arms.

“I don't like that woman.”

“Neither do I.”

“What do we do?”

Nardy's fingers moved across the keyboard.

Noel leaned closer.

“What are you doing?”

“Finding out how the hotel's lights work.”

Noel's eyes widened.

Then he smiled.

“Oh.”

Nardy looked at him.

“You know what to do?”

Noel grinned.

“Of course.”

Nardy pointed at him.

“Don't hurt anyone.”

“I know.”

“And don't get caught.”

Noel looked offended.

“Who do you think I am?”

“A troublemaker.”

“I'm an expert.”

Nardy rolled his eyes.

Downstairs, the music continued.

Guests laughed.

Cameras flashed.

No one noticed a small figure slipping through a side corridor.

Selena was still speaking with the short man from earlier.

She laughed politely as he told another joke.

Dylan stood several feet away, talking to another guest.

Upstairs, Nardy watched the security cameras.

He waited.

“Come on...” he whispered.

Selena moved closer to the hallway.

Perfect.

Nardy pressed a key.

The entire ballroom went dark.

Gasps filled the room.

Someone screamed.

“What happened?”

“Turn the lights on!”

“Everyone stay calm!”

In the darkness, Noel slipped through the crowd.

A tiny pair of night vision goggles covered his eyes.

He spotted Selena.

There.

Noel moved quickly.

He reached her, tugged at a loose decorative layer of her gown, then darted away before she could understand what had happened.

“What was that?” Selena cried.

Someone bumped into her.

She stumbled.

The man beside her reached out to catch her.

Instead, he lost his balance too.

They crashed to the floor together.

Selena screamed.

Upstairs, Noel raced back toward Nardy.

“Done!”

Nardy looked at the security feed.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

Nardy restored the lights.

The ballroom lit up.

For one second, everything was silent.

Then gasps erupted.

Selena was on the floor.

Part of the decorative outer layer of her expensive gown had torn loose during the fall.

The man who had tried to catch her was sprawled awkwardly beside her.

Reporters immediately raised their cameras.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Selena's face turned bright red.

“Stop taking pictures!”

She tried to stand.

The torn fabric caught beneath her heel.

She stumbled again.

Laughter broke out somewhere in the crowd.

Selena's face twisted with humiliation.

“Who did this?!”

Dylan pushed through the guests.

“Selena!”

Cassidy turned at the commotion.

Her eyes widened.

“What happened?”

Rodel looked just as confused.

Then Cassidy noticed something.

On the second-floor balcony, a tiny head disappeared behind the railing.

Her eyes narrowed.

No.

It couldn't be.

Could it?

Cassidy looked toward the exit.

Then back upstairs.

Her heart suddenly started beating faster.

“Noel?”

Rodel turned to her.

“What?”

Cassidy didn't answer.

Because at that exact moment, Dylan looked toward the second floor too.

And unlike everyone else in the ballroom...

his expression wasn't confused.

His eyes had locked onto a small figure running through the shadows.

A little boy he had already seen once today.

One of Cassidy's twins.