Chapter 8

A whip cracked through the air and struck Cassandra hard, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Cassandra!" Howard roared, his face twisted with fury. "You're spoiled and out of control! You hurt Marissa, and now you're trying to frame her too! Are you ever going to admit your mistake?" "I didn't do anything wrong! I'm not apologizing!" Cassandra shot back, biting down on her lip. The whip came down again. Her whole body trembled, cold sweat beading on her forehead, but she refused to cry out. Her voice remained clear and defiant. "She's not Marissa! She's an imposter! You're the ones who can't see people for who they are! You can't even recognize your own daughter!" "You!" Howard's features contorted. He whipped her again and again, each strike heavier than the last. Blood seeped down fast, soaking through Cassandra's clothes. When the final strike landed, the whip snapped clean in two. Cassandra collapsed to the floor, barely conscious. A figure stepped into her line of sight. It was Ronan. Cassandra forced herself to look at him. For a second, she thought he might pull her into his arms like before and tell her he was there. But this time, Ronan's face was dark. "Cassandra, you're really impossible." The words went straight through her like a blade. She laughed, tears streaming down her face. "Fine. I'm impossible. So, Mr. Pierce, how exactly do you plan to 'discipline' me this time?" "I'm done with you." Ronan closed his eyes briefly, then spoke coldly. "Take her to the station. Detain her for three days." The next three days became the most terrifying nightmare Cassandra had ever lived through. She was beaten and cursed at, and someone even poured pepper oil into the raw, split-open wounds on her skin. Her screams echoed through the holding area. No one treated her injuries. The wounds festered and inflamed, and the pain ripped through her until she could barely breathe. "Mr. Pierce said we should teach you a proper lesson!" Cassandra curled on the floor, biting her lip until it split. She didn't believe Ronan would really do this, but every new round of torment felt like a scorching slap across her face. Three days later, they finally let her leave. Ronan stood in front of her and asked indifferently, "Did you learn your lesson?" Cassandra didn't say a word. Ronan stared at her pale face, his brows knitting together. When he spoke again, his tone softened slightly. "Cass, sending you there wasn't really to punish you. It was..." Before he could finish, his assistant, Bennett Colton, hurried in. "Mr. Pierce, the car is ready. The meeting can't be pushed back again." Ronan paused, his eyes fixed on Cassandra for a long moment. In the end, he said, "Take her to the hospital. If anything comes up, tell me when I'm back." Then, he turned and left in a rush. Cassandra watched him go, her expression cold. After a while, her phone buzzed. "Your account has been credited with 20 billion dollars." Right after that, Howard called. "You'd better keep your word and get as far away as possible." "Don't worry," Cassandra said with a cold laugh. "I'm never coming back." She hung up and immediately found a chance to slip out of view. With her bags already packed, she headed straight for the airport. Before she left, she placed a recording into a box. It was a "gift" for Marissa. Then, Cassandra pulled out her SIM card and tossed it into a trash bin. Her back stayed straight, pride holding every inch of her upright, and her steps never wavered. From that moment on, the future lay wide open before her, leading wherever she chose to go. Cassandra belonged to no one but herself.