Chapter 52

CASSANDRA'S POV~

My jaw nearly hit the damn floor.

I stared at Dario, wide-eyed, breath caught in my throat as if he’d just told me the sky was green or that gravity had stopped working. My ears buzzed, actually buzzed like someone had clapped cymbals against both sides of my skull.

Was this a prank?

Was he joking?

Or worse... was I dreaming?

A sudden wave of doubt washed over me and I panicked. I bit the inside of my cheek hard.

“Shit,” I gasped under my breath when the sharp sting made my eyes water. That pain was too real.

I wasn't dreaming.

“Oh my God—are you serious?” I squealed, my voice coming out breathless, borderline hysterical.

Dario’s brows drew together. “Are you okay? Do you need water?”

Before I could even answer, he was already reaching for the bottle on the table, uncapping it and pouring it into my glass. I watched him, stunned by how calm he was while my entire nervous system felt like it was short-circuiting.

I shook my head quickly, blinking away the shock. “Y-Yea