Chapter 166

Mara froze the second she heard Gerald's words. Back at her 18th birthday party, Cassandra had busted her for gambling with Faye’s pendant. Grandpa had been so furious that he delayed announcing her as the heir to the Hawthorne Jewelry Group. She’d thought if she played nice, stayed on Grandpa's good side for a few months, maybe he’d let it go and finally make it official during his birthday banquet later in the year. But now, Cassandra had somehow managed to get a clause in saying she couldn't become the heir before turning 20. “Grandpa, why would Cassandra ask for something so shady? Stopping me from becoming the heir for two years? What if she’s planning something that could seriously hurt our family or the company? We can't just fall for it,” Mara said, forcing herself to look worried instead of furious. She hadn’t panicked about the heir title before, but now with Cassandra playing the long game, a new fear crept in—what if one day, Cassandra ended up taking everything from her? T