LOGIN“Nathan, I think I’m gonna have to call you back,” Cassie said, rubbing her temple as her thoughts tangled into a mess. “I need to figure out what all this is about.”“Please,” Nathan cut in quickly. “Just give me a minute. There’s something else.”Cassie exhaled slowly, still reeling from the shock of that insane investment amount. Ten billion didn’t even feel real. It felt like a typo that somehow slipped into her life. “Okay,” she said at last. “I’m listening.”“Good,” Nathan replied, sounding relieved. “I was hoping to ask if you’re free this weekend. I’ll be in Atherton, and I’d really like to have dinner with you.”Cassie smiled without realizing it. Franklin had already mentioned he’d be home over the weekend, which meant Tristan would be well taken care of. “Sure,” she said warmly. “I’ll look forward to it.”“But,” Nathan added quickly, stopping her before she could end the call, “there’s something else you should know.”Cassie’s smile faded slightly. “What is it?” she asked,
“Doctor Cross,” Franklin said calmly into the phone, his voice smooth and perfectly measured.On the other end of the line, Nathaniel answered just as casually, even a little amused.“Mr. Roth, your massive investment and the level of trust you’ve shown in my abilities honestly, it’s insane. I promise you, the returns are going to be phenomenal. And if I ever get the chance to meet you in person, dinner’s on me.”Franklin smiled slowly, the kind of smile that never reached his eyes. ‘If only you knew.’ he thought. If Nathaniel had any idea what kind of trap he was happily stepping into, he wouldn’t sound so confident.“I look forward to it, Dr. Cross,” Franklin replied smoothly.Nathaniel didn’t hesitate. “Then let’s make it this weekend.”“Yeah,” Franklin agreed. “This weekend works. I’ll send you the time and date.”There was a brief pause before Nathaniel added, “If you don’t mind, could we do it in Atherton? I have a few other business matters I need to handle there.”Franklin’s j
The moment Franklin landed in Chicago, he didn’t waste a second. Before he’d even fully settled into the car, he had Frederick on the phone.“Fred, where are you?” Franklin asked casually. “I’m in town. Short trip.”There was a brief pause on the other end before Frederick replied, sounding distracted. “Frank, I’m on my way to my parents’ place. I need to pick Rose up and get her ready for school. I’ll catch up with you later.”Franklin’s lips curved slightly. “No need. I’ll meet you there. I’ve got a gift for Rose.”Silence.Frederick frowned, trying to process that. “You… have a gift for Rose?”“Yeah,” Franklin said easily. “I’m like ten minutes away.”Frederick hung up feeling oddly unsettled, and by the time he pulled into his parents’ driveway, chaos had already erupted inside.“I’m not hungry! I won’t eat!” Rose’s little voice echoed through the house, sharp and stubborn.Frederick crouched in front of her, his heart sinking at the familiar scene. “Rose,” he said softly, trying
“You monster. You tricked me into this,” Cassie snapped, the words scraping out between clenched teeth as if she had to force every single one past her anger.The mask finally peeled off her face, raw and unfiltered, and she lunged for the contract on the table. Her fingers were already curling, ready to tear it into useless shreds, when Franklin calmly stepped in and plucked it away like he’d expected the move all along.“Come on,” he said lightly, as if they were discussing something harmless. “You can talk to him properly in the office. I just don’t like him calling you in the middle of the night.”His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “After all, I’m responsible for you now. And do you have any idea how happy your adopted parents will be when they find out I’m taking such good care of you?”Cassie pushed herself up from the chair so fast it scraped loudly against the floor. Her jaw tightened until it ached, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “Monster,”
Cassie made sure everything was settled before she even thought about leaving.She waited until Tristan had showered and gone to bed, personally checking with the maids to confirm the door to his room was closed.Only then did she quietly gather her things, slipping her laptop into her bag, fingers moving with practiced efficiency. The house had gone still, the kind of silence that only existed late at night, soft, heavy, and intimate.All she wanted was to let Franklin know she was leaving.She found him in the hallway instead.“Excuse me?” she said softly.Franklin paused, clearly surprised. For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered across his face before he forced a polite smile. “It’s nothing,” he said.Then, as if thinking aloud, “But isn’t it too late to go home? You can take the room next to mine. It’s between Tristan’s and mine.”Cassie didn’t even hesitate. “No,” she said firmly. “I’d rather go home.”Franklin nodded slowly, masking his disappointment well. Perhaps h
“No, no, no.”Cassie refused instantly, the words spilling out in a rush, sharp and instinctive, like her body had decided before her mind could catch up.She shook her head, stepping back half a pace as if Franklin’s suggestion had physically crossed a line she wasn’t ready to touch.“I can’t,” she said again, more firmly this time. “I really can’t. I have things to do. Private things. I mean… my own life.”The idea of moving in, of sharing space, routines, mornings and nights, made her chest feel tight. Too close. Too intimate. Too easy to blur lines she’d spent years learning how to redraw after they’d been shattered.Tristan’s expression changed immediately. The excitement drained from his face, replaced by quiet worry. He reached for Cassie’s sleeve, holding it lightly, like she might disappear if he let go.“But Mom,” he said softly,







