Chapter 8

EDEN'S POV~

As I shut the door behind me, the sound of heels clicking on a runway filled the air. A quick glance at the wall clock confirmed that it was past 10PM. My mother sat, sipping green tea, her eyes glued to the fashion show on the TV screen. She smiled sweetly as I approached, leaning in for a kiss on her head.

"You look exhausted, Eden," she commented as she placed her cup on the stool in front of her.

"Just a long day at work," I replied, sinking onto the sofa with a sigh.

"Why don't you go freshen up, have something to eat, and then get some rest?" she suggested.

I gave her a small nod, but hesitated. "Mom, there's something important I need to discuss with you," I began, my voice laced with weariness.

She turned to face me, her expression curious. "What is it, Eden?"

I ran a hand through my hair, gathering my thoughts. "Well, Mom, I've decided to get engaged to Cassandra. I'm trying to fix the engagement banquet next week.”

My mother's face drained of color, her lips thinning into a tight line of disapproval. She stared at me like I had announced that I'd decided to grow wings and fly to the moon.

"Eden, are you out of your mind?" she demanded, her voice cold as ice.

"Mom, I know this is sudden, but—"

"No, it's not just the rush," she interrupted, her nostrils flaring like a dragon's. "It's the fact that you're marrying someone so...unworthy."

My jaw dropped open in shock.

"I expected better from you, Eden," she went on, her words as sharp as knives. "A lowly nurse? Someone with such meager education? How could you ever think that would be acceptable?"

I stammered, struggling to form a coherent response. "M-Mom, it's not like that," I tried to explain, feeling like I'd been punched in the gut. "Cassandra is a good person, a kind person."

"Kind doesn't pay the bills," she spat. "Or help your career. You need someone with connections, with money. You should be marrying the daughter of some tycoon, not some poor nurse with delusions of grandeur!" she continued, her venomous words striking deep into my soul. "You're my hope! You're the hope to a fortune, Eden! You can't throw that away on some fling with that girl?! You deserve better, how many times would I let you know that?!”

I stared at her, dumbstruck, as she raged on.

"Don't you remember, Mother?" I shot back, my voice rising in frustration. "Cassandra paid off my student loans, funded my first business venture, helped me get this tech start up off the ground! She's been there for me every step of the way!"

My mother snorted in disgust. "I don't care how much money she's thrown at you," she spat. "She's not the right choice for you. You need someone who can give you status, prestige, not some do-gooder nurse with no connections."

She stormed away, her words echoing in my mind.

I slumped down on the sofa, the air feeling thick and oppressive around me. Cassandra had done so much for me, but my mother's words still seemed to dig their claws in deep. Could I really hitch my wagon to someone who wasn't high-society? Who didn't come from wealth and privilege?

I felt like my mind was going in circles, the doubts swirling like a vortex. What if my mother was right? I thought, a cold knot of fear forming in my gut. What if I'm making a mistake?

Could I really afford to marry someone who can't further my career?

~ ~ ~

CASSANDRA'S POV~

I'd been on my feet for hours, dealing with some of the most stubborn patients this side of the city. All I wanted to do was kick off my shoes, crawl into bed, and hibernate for a few days. As I leaned back in my chair, savoring the brief break, my phone buzzed.

A notification from Adriano. I frowned, my curiosity outweighing my exhaustion. I opened the message, and my eyes widened in shock.

"Didn't know you liked your men penniless and pathetic," Adriano's message read.

"Eden is a useless wretch," he continued, his arrogance seeping through the text. "He'll never be able to give you the life you deserve. You're a queen, Joanna. And queens deserve the best. I can give you the world. All you have to do is ask."

My fingers tightened around the phone, rage coursing through me like a hot desert wind. Who did this man think he was? How dare he insult my boyfriend, my sweet, kind Eden? I couldn't believe he had the audacity!

With a growl, I blocked his number without hesitation.

I shut my eyes, willing myself to relax. To block out the memories of Adriano's words, his smug, self-assured tone.

~ ~ ~

Exhaustion seeped from my pores as I rushed towards the entrance of the villa, eager to collapse into the comfort of my bed. But as the taxi pulled up, my breath caught in my throat. There, standing menacingly outside the gates, was my uncle, shouting into a phone as a group of large men loitered nearby.

Heart racing, I paid the driver and slowly approached my uncle. He turned, his eyes darkening at the sight of me. "What are you doing here?" I snapped, fists clenched by my sides. "And who told you where we live?"

He let out a bark of laughter, his voice booming over the quiet neighborhood. "Do you think you could hide this from me, Cassandra? Do you think I wouldn't find out?" He jabbed a finger towards me, his face twisted in a snarl. "Selfish, ungrateful girls, the both of you! You and your pathetic mother! Hiding here like cowards! I deserve a share of this newfound wealth, don't I? That rich tycoon that's sponsoring you…”

"I deserve to know everything," my uncle demanded, his voice rising with each syllable. "You think you can live the high life while your family rots in poverty? You think you can just abandon us, forget where you came from?"

My blood boiled with every word he uttered. I wanted to scream, to lash out, but instead, I drew myself up to my full height and stared him straight in the eyes. "Why did you bring these men here?" I demanded, gesturing towards the thugs that stood behind him.

My uncle scoffed in disdain.

"They're here to show you that I mean business," he hissed, his arrogance palpable. "I deserve every penny, every shred of luxury that the tycoon is giving you. I deserve to live like royalty, just like you. So, you better start explaining, Cassandra a, or I'll show you just how serious I am."

The urge to slap my uncle across the face overwhelmed me, my hand curling into a fist as he spewed his venomous words. My mind raced, every fiber of my being wanting to silence the arrogant man standing before me.

"You're making a scene," I said, my voice tight with suppressed anger. "Stop yelling before someone calls the police."

But my uncle only grew louder. "I've given you and your mother money, paid your bills, helped you survive after your father had passed away! Is this how you repay me? By keeping your newfound wealth to yourself?"

"You think you can just abandon your family?" he continued, spittle flying from his mouth. "You think you can just forget about everything I've done for you?”

I grit my teeth, barely containing my rage.