Lahat ng Kabanata ng Dumped by the Heir, Claimed by his Brother : Kabanata 151 - Kabanata 155

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVENThe courthouse smelled like industrial carpet cleaner, nothing like a wedding was supposed to smell like, and Cassie found she didn't care even a little bit, the ordinariness of it somehow exactly right for what this actually was. She'd worn the absolutely stunning dress she had picked up from the designer earlier. And as much as she had dreamt of her mother in law and mother dressing her in this perfect gown, she was still excited about today even though she knew she would probably have to sew another because Dom was still going to do that his big dream wedding after everything was over. This was just a change in plan . Dom stood beside her in a flawless suit, looking like a hundred million bucks and smiling hard when he saw her in the dress. Vanessa stood off to the side, holding both their phones and a single small bouquet she'd insisted on grabbing from a corner deli on the way in, refusing to let the day pass without at least one flower in it,

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINEThe reception online kept climbing through the evening, the RealAfterAll momentum from weeks earlier apparently still carrying enough goodwill that this new announcement landed as romantic instead of scandalous, exactly the outcome Dom had bet everything on when he'd first floated the idea in that coffee shop. They ordered takeout instead of cooking, sitting on the kitchen floor with the containers spread between them because neither of them had the energy left to deal with plates or a table or any pretense of formality."I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop," Cassie admitted, chopsticks paused halfway to her mouth, staring at a piece of broccoli. "Every time something good happens lately, I brace for whatever's coming to ruin it. It's an awful habit and I don't know how to turn it off.""That's fair," Dom said, setting his own container down to actually look at her properly. "Considering that this year trained both of us pretty thoroughly to ex

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY ONEHe was already seated when the guard brought her in, and he looked up with sad eyes, like he'd learned not to hope for warmth from her anymore and was determined not to let himself slip back into hoping now."You came," he said, the same two words he'd said the last time, though this time they carried less desperate relief and more surprise."I came." Cassie sat down across from him, folding her hands on the table. "I don't have much time. I need to tell you a few things and then I need to go.""Okay." He straightened slightly. "You don't even deserve it but I'm not giving a victim impact statement at your sentencing."He looked both shocked, relieved and confused. "Why not?”"Because I thought about it for a while and I realized the only reason I'd stand up in that courtroom is to be angry at you in front of an audience. And I don't need an audience for that anymore, Dad. I don't need a judge or a room full of strangers to validate how much what you