Chapter Thirty-Six

Cass gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The picture frame shook in her other hand as she stared at the familiar face smiling up at her. Miranda Wells. The woman who had swooped into Cass's life after her mother's death like a guardian angel, promising to support her and Scar's education. And she had kept that promise.

Cass turned the frame over with trembling fingers, reading the inscription on the back. "To my darling Marcus, Love always, Mom."

"Marcus's mom," she whispered. A wave of realization crashed over Cass, and she drew in a sharp breath. What was she doing here, in this lavish villa filled with Miranda's presence? Cass's mind reeled as she tried to make sense of it all, was it fate?

Marcus had dropped her here, insisting it was for her safety after their rushed wedding. But now Cass wondered if there was more to it. Did he want her to uncover his family's secrets? The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't know this man at all, she realized. Not like she