LOGINEver since her divorce, Cassie had grown used to handling everything on her own, building her life piece by piece without leaning on anyone, making decisions independently because she had no other choice, but now things were different in a way she couldn’t ignore.She was married again, and even though she was more than capable of continuing the same way she always had, there was a quiet part of her that no longer wanted to carry everything alone.She looked at the box for a moment longer before shaking her head gently. “No,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “I want my husband to be there before I open it. Thank you, Mom and Dad.”Corrine nodded, a subtle sense of relief passing through her expression as she accepted that decision, though the concern in her eyes didn’t completely fade.No matter how things appeared on the surface, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Frederick might end up telling Sienna everythi
Frederick reacted almost instantly, moving toward his daughter with urgency written all over him, his focus locked on Rose as he tried to close the distance between them, but just as he got close enough to reach her, Cassie rose to her feet and walked away, creating a distance between them in a way that wasn’t loud or aggressive, yet still impossible to ignore.That single action created a clear boundary, one that forced Frederick to stop short, and for a brief moment, something unfamiliar and hollow settled deep in his chest, like he had just been quietly shut out of a space he once belonged in.Still, he pushed past that feeling, softening his expression as he looked down at Rose and spoke gently, determined not to let anything else upset her.“Sweetheart, I would never send you to a boarding house, okay?” he said, his voice steady and reassuring, the kind that used to calm her instantly. “Wherever I am, that’s where you’ll
Frederick ended the call so fast it almost felt like he was trying to cut off more than just the conversation, his hand tightening slightly around his phone before he lowered it and turned toward Sienna, his expression guarded.“How long have you been standing there?” he asked, his tone sharper than usual, carrying an edge of unease he couldn’t quite hide.“I just got here,” Sienna replied, though her eyes lingered on his face like she was trying to read everything he wasn’t saying. “But I definitely heard you say you made a mistake, so don’t brush me off. What’s going on?”Frederick shook his head almost immediately, like he had already decided there was no version of this conversation he was willing to have. “It’s nothing,” he said, forcing his voice to stay even. “Dad is doing better now, so we’ll be able to go home soon.”Sienna didn’t respond right a
Franklin had been in the middle of celebrating Scarlet’s pregnancy, riding that rare kind of high that made everything feel lighter, brighter, almost unreal, when his phone suddenly started ringing and cut straight through the moment.He didn’t even hesitate at first, already smiling to himself as he reached for it, fully expecting to see Cassie’s name on the screen, but the second his eyes landed on Frederick’s name instead, that excitement dimmed just a little, replaced by a faint crease between his brows, though he still answered without letting it ring a second longer.“Frank, you won’t believe what Mom just told me.”Something in Frederick’s tone immediately pulled Franklin out of his celebratory mood, grounding him, and making him sit up straighter, his expression tightening with curiosity as well as concern. “What did she tell you?” he asked, his voice steady but edged with interest.&ldqu
The name lingered in Cassie’s mind long after Corrine said it, echoing louder with every passing second until it became impossible to ignore.The Blackridge Maritime Group.It wasn’t just some distant company she had vaguely heard about. It was one of those names that carried weight everywhere, the kind that came up in business conversations with a tone of respect and caution, the kind that didn’t just exist but dominated. And she remembered something else too, something that made her chest tighten as the realization tried to form.There had never been a confirmed CEO, only an acting one.Drake Conner, the assistant CEO who had been running things in place of someone who had never stepped forward to claim the position.Her thoughts spiraled quickly after that, questions piling over each other faster than she could organize them.Was Drake her brother?Her cousin?The weight of it all pressed down on her, heavy
Corrine’s lips curved into a gentle smile as she looked at Adrian, her voice soft but filled with quiet pride as she explained what had happened.“It was Cassie,” she said warmly. “She’s the one who brought Doctor Nathaniel Cross here to perform your surgery.”Adrian’s expression shifted immediately, something deeper than relief settling into his features as his eyes searched the room instinctively.“And where is she?” he asked, his voice still weak but carrying urgency.Corrine didn’t hesitate as she turned to go get her, but before she could take more than a few steps, Frederick moved as well, falling in behind her without asking.Sebastian noticed immediately, his expression tightening as he moved as if to block him, but before he could act, Cassie gave a small shake of her head.“It’s his father too,” she said quietly, her tone calm but final.Sebastian
Franklin had met Frederick at the club that Saturday night in Chicago, the one notorious for its pulsing bass and glittering chaos.The music slammed against his eardrums like a physical force, each beat vibrating unpleasantly through his skull. He already regretted agreeing to come, but he couldn’
Both women’s reactions made Sebastian realize instantly that they had twisted his words into something else entirely. He lifted his palms slightly, as though calming two startled animals.“It’s simple,” he said, tone patient, deliberate. “Right now, Cassie needs partnership to push her business pla
Franklin was not the richest man in Manhattan, at least not on paper. His presence in the city was merely to nurture his growing branch, but everyone in the room knew the truth.His wealth stretched across America, Europe, and Asia like a silent empire.He had active branches in all five boroughs a
Sebastian studied Cassie’s profile for several seconds before speaking, his voice low with concern. “Are you truly ready to leave all this behind? If you want, I can help you fight for custody of your daughter. You don’t have to do this alone.”His words carried a weight he rarely allowed anyone to







