CHAPTER NINETY ONE – THE VALLEY OF DECISION

The night of the gala arrived, and the mansion was transformed into a glittering wonderland. Cassie moved among the guests, serving drinks and hors d'oeuvres with practiced ease. She caught glimpses of Florian, handsome in his tuxedo, always with Vivian on his arm. As the evening wore on, Cassie began to relax. Perhaps Vivian's threats had been empty after all. But just as she allowed herself to hope, disaster struck. Cassie was carrying a tray of champagne flutes when she felt a sharp tug on her sleeve. She stumbled, the tray tipping precariously. With a sickening crash, the glasses shattered on the marble floor, drenching several guests in expensive champagne. "Oh my!" Vivian's voice rang out, feigning shock. "Cassie, how could you be so careless?" Mortified, Cassie dropped to her knees, frantically trying to clean up the mess. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened-" "Allow me to assist," a smooth voice interrupted. To Cassie's surprise, it was Karl who knelt beside her, hel