Chapter 6

Cassandra

With her soft voice, she said something sharp. The corner of her eyes sharpened, and she made me freeze.

Isabella being here is still very shocking to me. She’s here to make my situation even more uncomfortable.

Right now, I can feel my fists clenching tighter. The soul within me is screaming loudly, then interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Then my eyes met his—blue, cold, and sharp, piercing straight into mine. But there was a glint I couldn’t understand in the way he looked at me.

What is he thinking right now?

Does he feel guilty towards me?

That thought almost made me laugh—because a man who sees himself as so perfect like Sebastian would never feel something like that just for me—the woman he hates.

“Bella’s been in bed for too long,” he finally spoke. “She needs some fresh air, but her motor functions haven’t fully recovered yet. I could only bring her home.”

He explained it very well, but something inside me was rebelling. From the way he said it, I felt like I was being completely unfair.

We only moved into this house after our wedding. Even though I knew our marriage was a disaster, I still felt like this house was the only proof of it—or at least a place that offered some kind of comfort.

“Home?” I said with a slight scoff. “This is our home. Not hers.”

At that, Sebastian’s eyes darkened. “She’s only here for a few hours. After dinner, she’ll go back to the hospital.”

Sebastian raised his voice. “Can’t you just be a little kind?”

In that instant, he took my breath away—standing there defending Isabella. And then I realized what he had done—he cooked for Isabella, something he never once did for me.

Of course, I would never win against that woman.

A few minutes later, I found myself sitting with them around the dinner table. I couldn’t help but notice Isabella’s gaze—she kept watching me. She was observing me, but the moment our eyes met, she quickly looked away.

“The food is amazing, Sebastian,” she said, her voice sounding completely different when speaking to him. “Reminds me of when we were in Boston. Do you remember?”

Sebastian looked a bit uneasy, and glanced at me briefly before answering.

“Yes, I remember.”

“That place is full of our memories, Sebastian.” Isabella held Sebastian’s hand, gently caressing it.

In that moment, I realized—she had deliberately glanced at me.

“That’s where you kissed me and promised we’d go there every time I wanted to, right?”

Sebastian looked unsure for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Of course. Once you’re better, I’ll take you there.”

This situation dragged me into sadness and then...

“Ah…”

Isabella, who was eating, dropped her fork. Holding her hand, she winced in pain. Sebastian gently took her hand and brought her to get first aid, letting water run over her hand.

Right now, I was just watching them. His gaze was full of concern, and I realized—that’s how he loves someone.

“You’re still the same… making such a big deal out of something so small,” Sebastian said with a smile as he tucked a strand of hair behind Isabella’s ear.

They were wrapped in love, while I was just observing them.

I couldn’t take it any longer. I dropped the fork and went straight to the living room.

Isabella noticed me leaving and seemed to lose interest. She smiled at Sebastian and said, “I'm all done, darling. Could you help me to the living room? I have so much to catch up on with Cassandra. I’d hate for her to feel left out.”

Sebastian tenderly guided Isabella to the living room, then returned to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Over and over again, watching how caring he was toward another woman—it broke me.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. I feel grateful, Cassandra,” Isabella’s voice pulled me back from my thoughts. “You’ve taken care of Sebastian for me while I was in a coma.”

“I didn’t do it for you.”

I didn’t think about it when the marriage proposal came to me, and to me, he was...

My eyes suddenly widened because her expression shifted—and a second later, she slapped her own cheek with a sharp sound that echoed through the room.

“Why did you slap yourself?”

I stood up, wanting to stop whatever she was doing—something I didn’t understand at all. But she kept slapping herself, again and again.

“Stop it, Isabella!”

I held her hand, trying to stop her. Our eyes met, and with a smile, she said, “I can do anything to take Sebastian back.”

Her cold words left me frozen. Such a shocking and unexpected act. Sebastian… is this the woman you love?

But I didn’t have time to think about it any longer because Sebastian appeared suddenly and shoved me with a force that sent me sprawling to the floor.

My knees crashed into the edge of the table, and I felt the immediate sting of broken skin.

“What the hell are you doing!?” he roared, voice filled with fury.

I looked up at Sebastian, dazed, my body throbbing with pain.

“She… she slapped me… I was just trying to talk to her…” Isabella sobbed, clutching her cheek.

My mind went blank, The words were a lump in my throat.

"No...no, I didn't," I choked out, but the protest felt small and pathetic.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around Isabella, looking at me with cold, sharp eyes. He roared, “She just got out of the hospital and you’re already acting like this?!”

I shook my head, trembling. “I swear, I didn’t do it. I didn’t…”

Humiliation and rage churned violently inside me.

At that moment, I wanted to say that Isabella had done it to herself. But I saw it clearly—Sebastian only cared about Isabella now, and the way he looked at me was full of fury.

Sebastian grabbed my wrist and yanked me to my feet, “Apologize to Isabella.”

His command was the final straw. He wasn't just demanding a lie, he was demanding that I surrender my last shred of self-respect.

“No,” my eyes burned.

I wrenched my arm free from his grip and slapped him across the face without hesitation, “I said it wasn’t me!”

Sebastian widened his eyes in disbelief. Isabella flew to her mouth with fear. Before he could accuse me again, I continued: “We’re even now.”

I turned and walked away, my feet dragging me from the suffocating living room.