Chapter 111

“Grandma.” Cassandra greeted with a smile that was equal parts sweet and smug. “They say trouble starts with the mouth, right? Like in business, mess up one sentence, and boom—a great partnership down the drain. If someone can’t control what they say, they should be ready for the consequences. And come on, someone like Vera, who's supposed to be the poster girl for elegance, saying stuff like that? Doesn’t really match her image, does it?” She paused for a beat, then added nonchalantly, “But since Grandma thinks I was wrong for hitting her, fine. Vera, here’s my apology.” Turning to Vera, she flashed a grin. “Sorry for hitting you.” Vera glared at her, fists clenched tight at her sides. Even with an apology, it didn’t make her feel better—it just made the knot in her chest twist tighter. “Cassandra, you slapped Vera and think just saying ‘sorry’ fixes everything? If apologies were enough, we wouldn’t need police!” Lillian’s voice cracked with anger as her hands curled into fists. That