Chapter 10

Cassandra remembered the date vividly. It had been Gregory's birthday, and they had just started dating. Gregory had promised to have dinner with her, so she spent hours getting ready and waited at the restaurant with a heart full of anticipation. But as midnight came and the staff began closing up, Gregory still hadn't shown up. As Gregory's phone was switched off, Cassandra went to his college out of worry. She waited outside the men's dorm until dawn, but she only managed to see his roommate, Callum. At the time, Callum seemed awkward when he saw her. After a long hesitation, he finally muttered that Gregory had gone to the hospital the night before. Naive as she was, she actually thought that Gregory had been sick. She had even asked Callum not to tell Gregory she'd waited for him all night, afraid he might worry. Now, she finally knew the truth—that while she was waiting for him, Gregory had spent that night with Olivia instead. Cassandra couldn't bear to look any longer. Her chest constricted, each breath sharp with pain. The image seared itself into her mind, stabbing at the part of her heart she had fought so hard to shield. She had once believed Olivia only stepped into her place after the coma five years ago—that whatever happened between her and Gregory began afterward. But the truth was, they had been together all along. And clearly, all of Gregory's friends had known. To them, she was nothing but a pathetic joke. A chill spread through Cassandra's chest as the truth settled in. Gregory hadn't hired Olivia to help her, but he had brought her in on purpose. That meant Gregory had been cheating on Cassandra when she was pregnant. Cassandra's chest burned with fury and grief. She wondered how he could do this to her. Evelyn held Cassandra's trembling figure. "Cass…" Cassandra forced a shaky smile, swallowing the emotions threatening to spill over. "I'm fine." Before Evelyn could reply, her assistant knocked on her door and said urgently, "Ms. Caldwell, we need to get going. The paparazzi have spotted you, and there are some crazy fans waiting downstairs! The company car is already here." Yet, Evelyn glanced at Cassandra worriedly. Cassandra nudged her gently to the door. "Go. There are plenty of people who want to see you slip up. Don't give them more fuel for gossip." After Evelyn wore a mask and hat, she turned to Cassandra before leaving. "Cass, if that jerk dares to bully you again, I'll expose him on social media!" Her assistant looked horrified and quickly pulled her toward the door. "Not again, Ms. Caldwell! The company took over your social media account yesterday. You can't post anything anymore!" Cassandra couldn't help but laugh through the ache in her chest. After Evelyn left, Cassandra sat in silence for a while longer. When she finally managed to pull herself together, she put her sunglasses and hat back on, grabbed her cane, and headed out. With how influential the Hart family was, Cassandra knew better than to let Evelyn take the fall for her. This was her battle to fight. She was determined to make Gregory pay back for everything he had done to her. A man like him didn't deserve to be the father of her children. Just as Cassandra rounded the corner, she suddenly heard a child's voice. "Mommy, I got a red flower at school today! Our teacher said we can give it to the person we like the most." Cassandra froze the moment she recognized the voice—it was Noelle. But what was she doing here? Gregory had clearly said the twins would be heading to their piano lessons after school. Before she could make sense of it, Olivia's gentle voice followed. "Oh? And who do you want to give the flower to?" Without hesitation, Noelle chirped, "To you, of course! I brought it just for you. Apart from Daddy and Ashton, Mommy is the person I like the most!" Each word pierced Cassandra like a needle to the heart. Hearing her own daughter call another woman "Mommy" so sweetly made her chest tighten until she could barely breathe. Olivia smiled. "I like you the most, too. I'll treasure this flower forever. Let's head back. Daddy is waiting for us in the private room." Naturally, Olivia was referring to Gregory. The warmth in her voice made it seem as if they were one happy family. Cassandra's fingers clenched around her cane until her knuckles went white. She forced herself to stay calm, ducking quickly into the emergency exit beside her. Through the narrow gap in the door, she watched Olivia walk past hand in hand with Noelle. Wearing an adorable dress, Noelle skipped down the hallway while holding hands with Olivia. She would even shoot the latter a smile from time to time. Cassandra's eyes stung. The daughter she had nearly died giving birth to now saw someone else as her mother. Before she knew it, Cassandra found herself quietly following them. Olivia led Noelle to a private dining room and pushed open the door. From inside, Cassandra could hear the sound of laughter and teasing voices. "Look who's here! It's Gregory's beloved!" Cassandra was familiar with the man's voice. It was Gregory's childhood friend and college roommate, Callum. From the moment Gregory had started dating Cassandra, Callum had made his dislike for her clear. He would treat her indifferently, tinged with a trace of hostility and disdain. Nothing changed after Cassandra got married to Gregory. Whenever they crossed paths, Callum never once addressed her by name. To him, she was always just Ms. Monroe. Gregory would simply shrug it off, explaining that Callum had always been blunt and spoiled. The former told her not to take it personally. Cassandra couldn't help but sneer at the memory. Callum and Gregory had been college roommates, so he definitely knew about Olivia. His disdain suddenly made sense—he'd always believed Olivia was the one meant for Gregory, while Cassandra was nothing more than the outsider who'd taken her place. The realization left her hollow. Although Cassandra was Gregory's wife in name, the title didn't mean anything to his friends. From the shadows, Cassandra could just make out Gregory sitting on the couch, absorbed in his phone. Ashton, however, was nowhere to be seen. "Daddy!" Noelle's bright voice rang out as she ran straight into Gregory's arms. The man sitting beside Gregory quickly stood up to make room for Olivia. "Oops. My bad. I didn't realize I was hogging your spot." Olivia smiled, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she took the empty seat beside Gregory. Noelle giggled, grabbing Gregory's hand and placing it over Olivia's. "Daddy, your hand's so warm, but Mommy's hand is cold, so you should warm it for her!" The sight made Cassandra's chest tighten painfully. During the five years Cassandra lay in a coma, Olivia had completely taken her place, even making Noelle believe she was her real mother. Gregory, her so-called loyal husband, had simply turned a blind eye and let it happen. In fact, this might have been something he wanted all along.