LOGINThe penthouse remained deathly silent long after Dreston Tremont had left and after the message. It was the kind of silence that pressed down on the soul, making every painful thought echo louder and sharper in the emptiness. The air felt thick, heavy with the ghosts of everything that had just shattered. Tina Ackley still sat crumpled on the cold marble floor where she had collapsed, her back against the couch, legs sprawled awkwardly beneath her. Her breathing came in uneven, ragged gasps as fresh tears continued slipping silently down her flushed cheeks. Her entire body felt numb, disconnected, as though she were watching herself from outside her own skin. “You were someone I pitied.” Dreston’s final words replayed endlessly inside her head like a broken record, cutting deeper with every loop. Again and again. Every single thing she had fought for, every sacrifice she had made, every lie she had told herself had just shattered irreparably in front of her. And the worst part was
Tina Ackley had returned to her penthouse, but nothing felt the same. The silence inside was oppressive, almost suffocating, as if the entire apartment had stopped breathing along with her. She sat alone on the cold marble floor of her living room, back pressed against the base of the couch, knees drawn up to her chest. The heavy curtains remained tightly closed even though night had fully fallen outside. Only faint slivers of city lights filtered through the edges of the glass windows, casting long, ghostly shadows across the ruined space. Her phone lay beside her on the floor, still vibrating nonstop with incoming notifications, messages, and calls. Tina no longer bothered checking it. She already knew exactly what she would find—more insults, more vicious headlines, more people tearing her apart online in real time. Earlier that afternoon, one of the top trending topics worldwide had been: “Protect Cassienne Rhodes”. Somehow, that hurt more than all the insults combined. Becau
The news reached Dreston Tremont less than ten minutes after the incident at Nerox Technology had begun. He had been in the middle of an important strategy meeting at Auralink Systems, surrounded by top executives and board members, when Steve quietly slipped into the sleek conference room and handed him a phone without a word. At first, Dreston didn’t understand the unusual tension etched across his assistant’s face. Then he glanced down at the screen and saw the livestream. His expression changed instantly. The entire room fell into a heavy silence. Every executive seated around the long, polished conference table watched as Dreston rose abruptly from his chair, the movement sharp and decisive. On the phone screen, Tina Ackley was visible outside Nerox headquarters, screaming Cassienne’s name at the top of her lungs while a swarm of reporters circled her like hungry vultures, microphones thrust forward and cameras flashing relentlessly. Dreston’s jaw tightened dangerously, a mu
The internet had not calmed down since the gala incident. If anything, it had spiraled into something far worse overnight. Every major platform—social media, news sites, entertainment blogs—carried the same relentless headlines. Clips of Tina Ackley’s attempted trip on Cassienne Rhodes had gone viral across the world at lightning speed, racking up tens of millions of views within hours. Edited versions, slow-motion replays, and side-by-side comparisons with Dreston’s protective catch flooded every feed. And the worst part for Tina was not even the accusations themselves. It was the comments. Thousands upon thousands of them pouring in without mercy. “She’s so jealous it’s pathetic.” “She can never be Cassienne. Not even close.” “Dreston clearly still loves his wife. That engagement was fake as hell.” “She tried to hurt a pregnant woman? That’s low even for her.” That last comment destroyed her completely. Because now the public sympathy toward Cassienne had more than dou
Across the city, inside her once-pristine penthouse, Tina Ackley sat alone on the cold marble floor of her living room. The space was in ruins—broken glass scattered like ice, a shattered vase against the far wall, overturned decorations, and cushions ripped open in a fit of rage. She had barely slept. Her makeup from the gala was still smeared beneath her eyes, dark streaks cutting through her pale cheeks. Her hair was a tangled mess from the countless times she had dragged her fingers through it in frustration. Everything had gone wrong. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the faces from the gala—the disgust, the judgment, the whispers slicing through the air like knives. “She tried to hurt Cassienne.” “She’s jealous.” “She’s obsessed.” Tina covered her ears, rocking slightly. “Stop it!” But the voices only grew louder inside her head. Her breathing turned ragged as fresh tears burned her eyes. Then, without warning, she screamed. The raw sound tore through the pen
Morning sunlight spilled softly into the master bedroom of the Tremont mansion as the bathroom door finally opened. A cloud of steam escaped, carrying the scent of Cassienne’s favorite lavender body wash. Then Dreston walked out with her wrapped securely in his arms, a thick white towel draped loosely around her body. Cassienne laughed softly, her damp hair falling in dark waves against her bare shoulders as he carried her toward the bed like he had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. “DT,” she protested between giggles, “put me down.” “No,” he replied calmly, voice still rough from earlier. Cassienne shook her head, already familiar with that tone. “You are impossible.” “And yet,” Dreston murmured as he lowered her gently onto the mattress, careful with her growing belly, “you still married me twice.” That made her laugh again—bright, unrestrained, and perfect. God, he had missed that sound so much. He leaned down and pressed a slow kiss to her shoulder, then rested h
Dreston felt the blood drain from his face. Tina, why are you complicating things now? He exhaled slowly before turning back to Cassienne. “I’m sorry about that,” he said, his tone sincere. Cassienne only smiled. She looked calm and unbothered. Her professionalism can not be ignored. “It’s okay
Dreston’s bodyguards arrived later, heavily built men moving with firm steps. Right behind them were Garry and Ray. Tina came last, her face pale and her feet wobbling as if she might collapse at any second. Her eyes were fixed on Dreston, watching every move he made. Dreston didn’t look at any o
Cassienne felt her head pounding before she even opened her eyes. The pain was sharp and heavy, as if someone was hitting a drum inside her skull. She winced and slowly lifted a hand to her forehead. Her mouth was dry, and her body felt weak. When she finally forced her eyes open, she blinked seve
Cassienne remained on the cold hospital floor long after the chaos had quieted. Aurora knelt on one side of her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Daisy crouched on the other side, rubbing Cassienne’s back slowly in an attempt to calm her shaking body. Cassienne’s sobs had faded, but the exha







