Chapter 81 – Lines That Shouldn’t Be Crossed

Cassie stayed quiet for a long moment after Franklin finished speaking.The room felt oddly still, as if even the air was waiting for her reaction. Her fingers curled around her phone, but she didn’t move it away from her ear. The words he’d just said echoed inside her mind, refusing to settle.Pretending to be someone’s girlfriend, especially his, wasn’t as simple as he made it sound. It wasn’t a harmless favor.It was the kind of thing that tangled emotions, blurred boundaries, and left messes no one wanted to clean up afterward.“Frank…” she finally said, her voice slower, more careful. “If it’s your mother, then it’s not right.”There was a pause on the other end, followed by a sigh that sounded heavier than it should’ve been.“Come on,” he said quietly. “Just tell her you’re my girlfriend. That’s it. Afterward, I’ll tell her we broke up. It’ll be over before it even begins.”Cassie leaned back against the chair, staring at the ceiling. “That’s exactly the problem. Things like thi

Last Updated : 2025-12-27

Chapter 82 – Crossing Lines

“Welcome back, sir.”Franklin barely heard the chauffeur as he stepped off the private jet. The sound of his shoes hitting the tarmac felt distant, like he was moving through water instead of air.His body was here, but his mind was somewhere else, stuck on a familiar voice, a familiar presence he hadn’t shaken off since leaving Atherton.His hand went to his phone almost automatically.‘I’m back.’He stared at the message for a second before sending it, his thumb hovering like he might change his mind.A reply came quickly.‘Alright. I’ll have someone deliver the food to you.’His chest tightened in a way he didn’t expect.He read it again. And again, a part of him silently wishing she would bring it to him. He let out a quiet breath through his nose and locked the screen.Why the hell does that bother him?He leaned back in the seat as the car ro

Last Updated : 2025-12-28

Chapter 83 – Just standing up for you

Cassie told herself she was delivering the food for security reasons. That’s what she whispered to herself over and over. But deep down, she knew the truth. She wanted to see him.Did she miss him? The thought lingered like smoke, twisting in her chest, refusing to settle. She shoved it down, because admitting it out loud, well, that was a different kind of vulnerability.By the time she reached the top floor of the Roth Empire Tower, home of the Blackridge Capital Group, her heart was thudding, and of course, she ran right into that wall. Franklin’s secretary.Evelyn. With her sharp scowl, arms crossed like a barricade. “What the fuck are you doing here?”Cassie’s lips curved into a calm, deliberate smile. “That’s not really how a secretary talks to someone coming to see their boss,” she said, her tone like velvet over steel.Evelyn’s nose scrunched, offended and flaring. “You are rude. Y

Last Updated : 2025-12-28

Chapter 84 – This is California, not Texas

Cassie stared at her, and damn, Natalie had to admit it. Cassie was professional, graceful, like she didn’t need anyone to stand up for her.There was this aura about her, the way she carried herself, like she could squash bullies with nothing but a look.“That diet is for postpartum women, because of hormonal imbalances after childbirth,” Cassie said, calm, measured. “Miss, did you try it? Or are you just trying to argue? Either way, it just exposes your ignorance. Don’t you think?”Franklin’s lips stretched into a proud smile, and when Evelyn saw it, her resolve crumbled like dry sand.“You… how dare you insult me? Do you know who I am?” Natalie’s voice rang sharp, cutting the air.Cassie tilted her head, smiling softly. “Am I supposed to die just because you’re the president’s daughter? Excuse me, who are you again? I don’t recall seeing some

Last Updated : 2025-12-29

Chapter 85 – The Shares

Franklin remained blissfully oblivious to the whirlwind of thoughts racing through Cassie’s mind, as if her very existence was a background murmur to the symphony of his own world.“Cassie, I’m not just saying this because you’re helping my son,” he said, lifting another forkful of food to his mouth with the air of a man savoring a rare treasure.“This… this food… it’s world class. I’ve tasted a lot of healthy food in my life, and most of it is boring, bland, uninspired. But yours?” He paused mid-bite, letting the question hang in the air, though his eyes barely left the plate, lost in the flavors.Cassie tilted her head slightly, a small flutter of pride warming her chest. She could sense that he had something more to say, some proposition she didn’t want to risk losing in the moment.“What are you saying?” she asked softly, though her voice betrayed an eager curiosity,