Chapter 4

Olivia clung tightly to Gregory's waist, surrounded by the tulips Cassandra had planted. The scene looked like something straight out of a painting. Cassandra let out a derisive laugh, and then she watched as Gregory gently pulled away from Olivia. In the next instant, he took the lipstick she had accidentally left behind from his pocket and handed it to her. After exchanging a few words, Olivia rose on tiptoes to kiss Gregory. Disgust churned in Cassandra's stomach at that sight. Unable to watch any longer, she turned away from the window and made her way to the walk-in closet. The closet was spacious, with her clothes kept on one side. They were mostly neutral-toned dresses that made her look demure. Gregory had always liked her in muted tones. She, however, had never liked them herself. But he once told her she looked beautiful in white, so she dressed the way he preferred. Cassandra couldn't help but feel utterly pathetic. Moments later, she pulled open the hidden compartment in her closet. Inside were her ID, passport, bank cards, two phones, and a bulging file. The words "Halewood University" printed across the cover made her chest tighten. Yet, she simply glanced at it before turning away. The file held the one thing she had never sent, and it was the biggest regret of her life. After that, Cassandra unlocked one of her phones and scrolled through her contacts. Thankfully, everyone's numbers were still there. She then called her best friend, Evelyn Caldwell. The phone had barely started ringing when Evelyn picked up. Her voice trembled with excitement as she asked, "Cass? Is that you?" Before Cassandra could even answer, Evelyn launched into a tirade. "I swear, if you're not Cass but that bastard Gregory calling to ruin my sleep, I'll drag your sorry ass all over Twitter tomorrow! My eight million followers won't go easy on you!" Cassandra chuckled. For the first time in years, she felt a flicker of warmth inside her. "Evelyn, it's me." Almost immediately, the line went silent. But she knew Evelyn too well. Hence, she pulled the phone away and silently counted down. "Three… Two… One." Sure enough, Evelyn's scream pierced through the phone. "Cass! My baby! You're finally awake! Oh, my God, I missed you so much! Are you home or still in the hospital? Send me your address. I'm coming over right now!" Of course, Cassandra wanted nothing more than to see her as well. However, now wasn't the time. So, she replied, "Evelyn, I can't see you just yet. I need you to do two things for me." "Name it. What do you need? I could hire someone to take that bastard Gregory out!" Evelyn growled. "I still can't believe he left you in a coma for five years!" Now that was a true friend. Cassandra smiled before going straight to the point. "First, I need you to dig up everything you can on Gregory's secretary, Olivia Simmons. The more detailed, the better." "Sure thing. That woman's been glued to his side at every public event since you fell into a coma. She even dresses like she's Mrs. Hart herself. I've hated her from the start!" Cassandra fell silent. In fact, Olivia had started out as her secretary. Gregory had brought her on while Cassandra was pregnant, saying he didn't want her to overexert herself. Now, it seemed Gregory and Olivia's relationship was far more complicated than she had thought. "Cass, what's the second thing?" Evelyn pressed. Cassandra steadied herself and replied, "Send a few gardeners to my place tomorrow. I want the tulips in the yard dug up and replaced with my favorite—" "Yellow roses!" Evelyn blurted. Cassandra was taken aback. "How did you know?" She had loved yellow roses since childhood, but barely anyone knew. Later, when she found out Gregory liked tulips, she never mentioned it again. Evelyn had been her roommate in college, so how could she possibly know? "Turns out he wasn't lying. You really do love yellow roses," Evelyn mumbled. Cassandra asked, "Who is he?" Then, Evelyn uttered a name that left her completely stunned. "Theodore. He told me that." The phone nearly slipped from Cassandra's hand. The name Theodore was all too familiar. Even now, that unnervingly handsome face, with its hint of devilish charm, was etched into her memory. The last time she had seen him was at the airport seven years ago. Cassandra had received Gregory's call, and in the final moments before boarding, she had turned back without a second thought. Theodore had been the only one to stop her. He had stood tall before her, his lean frame blocking out the daylight. The setting sun cast half his strikingly handsome face in shadow, and a dangerous glint flashed in his cold eyes. Theodore had always been distant, almost detached from everything around him. Cassandra had never seen him lose control, but she would never forget how icy his gaze had been that day. She could see her own reflection in that unreadable gaze. To this day, Cassandra still remembered the last thing Theodore had said to her. "Cassandra, is he worth it?" He had stared down at her, his lips tightening into a thin, cold line. She hadn't answered him then. Instead, she had brushed past him with resolve and never looked back. But now, she could finally answer him. Cassandra stared at her pale, hollow reflection in the mirror and thought, "He wasn't worth it. But Theodore, I'll deal with the mess I made."