Chapter 5

So that was all I was?

The maid's words came rushing back to me.

Just a bed warmer.

The man I thought had saved me was no different from the people who had hurt me. He'd promised me safety. He'd held me in his arms and told me I'd have a future with him.

I believed every word.

Cassandra tilted her head and gave a small smile.

“Oh, I understand. You're a man, Victor, and you have needs. I won't blame you for that, but don't expect me to accept her as anything more than what she is.”

She walked toward him, grabbed his collar, and pulled him down into a long kiss.

Right in front of me.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't look away either.

My chest felt like it was being crushed while Cassandra held him close, making sure I saw every second of it.

When she finally pulled away, she looked at me.

The sweetness disappeared from her face.

“You bitch,” she spat.

Her palm struck my cheek.

SLAP!

The sound rang through the room.

I stumbled sideways and grabbed my face. My cheek burned, but I barely felt the pain compared to what was happening inside me.

“Of all the people in this world, why did it have to be you?” Cassandra screamed. “You already took everything from me, and now you want my man too? How shameless can you be?”

Tears filled my eyes.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

Cassandra raised her hand again.

This time, Victor caught her wrist.

“Enough.”

His voice was low and dangerous.

Cassandra glared at him. “She deserves it, Victor. She's been playing innocent for years, and you're still protecting her.”

Victor tightened his grip before letting go.

“Don't test my patience, Cassandra. I said enough.”

Then he looked at me.

There was no warmth in his eyes.

“Larisse, go upstairs. Stay in your room until I call for you. Don't come down without my permission.”

I lowered my head.

“Yes.”

That was all I could say.

I walked upstairs with my hand pressed against my cheek. My legs felt weak, and every step made my chest hurt more.

When I reached my room, I closed the door and leaned against it. I slowly sat on the edge of the bed.

My hands were shaking so badly that I could barely pull the folded paper from my pocket.

The sonogram.

I stared at the tiny image through blurry eyes.

“Our baby,” I whispered.

A broken sob escaped my lips. I pressed the paper against my chest and cried. I cried until my throat hurt and my body became weak. I cried until there was nothing left inside me except pain.

Downstairs, I could hear Cassandra's voice.

Then her crying.

I knew what she was doing.

She was probably in Victor's arms again, pretending to be hurt because of me. And he was probably comforting her.

Just like everyone else always had.

…

That night, I learned that even when someone gives you a beautiful room, expensive clothes, and promises of a future, you can still be trapped.

The next morning, I woke with swollen eyes and a heavy ache in my chest. Sunlight came through the curtains, making the room look normal.

Then I saw her.

Cassandra was sitting on the couch like she owned the room.Her legs were crossed, and there was a smug smile on her face.

Something was between her fingers. It took me a moment to recognize it.

My heart dropped. My sonogram. Cassandra twirled it between her fingers and looked at me.

“So,” she said with a quiet laugh, “you're pregnant, hmm?”

I froze, feeling as if my heart had stopped beating. “Give it back,” I whispered, staring at the sonogram in Cassandra's hand.

Cassandra smiled. “Not yet. I want you to hear something first. Trust me, Larisse, you'll enjoy this story.”

“I said give it back.”

She ignored me and leaned against the couch, turning the paper between her fingers. There was something ugly in her eyes, something that made my stomach twist.

“You always thought you were better than me, didn't you?” she asked. “You had Mom and Dad's love, the nice clothes, the big room, everything. Even when we were children, you were always the one everyone chose.”

I lowered my eyes because I didn't want to listen, but Cassandra wasn't going to stop.

“You want to know how I became Victor's fiancée?” she continued with a smile. “I'll tell you because you should know exactly how easily I took him from you.”

My fingers curled against my palms as she slowly walked around the room, enjoying every second of my silence.

“Four weeks ago, Noah and Jacob told me Victor had taken you away. They said you were living in his mansion and that he was protecting you. Can you imagine how angry I was?” She laughed softly. “You had everything again. Even after all these years, you still had someone willing to take care of you.”

She stopped in front of me. “So I decided I was done watching you get everything.”

My throat tightened as Cassandra's smile grew wider.

“Noah told me Victor was going to US for business. I begged him to introduce us, and I made sure I looked perfect when I met Victor. I wore white silk, cried a little, and acted like I was some helpless woman who needed a strong man to protect her.”

She giggled. “Men are so easy when they think they're someone's hero.”

I stared at the floor while she spoke, unable to hide the pride in her voice.

“I studied medicine in US, remember? I knew exactly how to make a situation look real. So when Noah arranged the shooting, I knew what to do.”

My head snapped up. “What shooting?”

Cassandra laughed. “The one that made Victor fall for me.”

She came closer, her eyes shining with satisfaction. “Noah hired men to stage the whole thing. There were guns, screaming, and fake blood everywhere. I made sure Victor saw me trying to protect him. I even let myself fall and covered myself in blood.”

Her smile widened. “Victor believed every second of it.”

I couldn't breathe.

“He carried me to the hospital himself,” she continued. “He stayed beside my bed all night and refused to leave until the doctors said I was safe. When I woke up, he looked at me as if I were the only woman in the world.”

She touched the diamond ring on her finger. “He told me I saved his life. He said he owed me everything, and I knew I'd finally gotten what I wanted.”

She crouched in front of me. “So I told him exactly what I wanted.”

Her smile turned cruel. “I told him I wanted him. I wanted to be his woman, his fiancée, and the woman standing beside him for the rest of his life.”

I stared at her, my mind numb.

She lifted her hand and showed me the ring again. “And he gave me this. He promised me the world because he thought I'd taken a bullet for him.”

She laughed under her breath. “Guilt is such a useful thing, Larisse. Sometimes it's even better than love.”

Something inside me broke. A laugh slipped out, quiet at first, then louder until tears rolled down my face. I covered my mouth, but I couldn't stop.

Cassandra frowned. “What the hell are you laughing at?”

I wiped my cheeks. “So that's it?” I asked, still laughing weakly. “Fake blood, hired men, and a little acting? That's all it took for you to get him?”

Her face darkened. “Don't laugh at me.”

“I can't help it.” My voice cracked. “You worked so hard for a man who doesn't even love you.”

Her eyes narrowed.

I looked at the ring on her finger. “You can have him, Cassandra. I don't want him anymore.”

For a moment, she said nothing. Then her anger disappeared, and that scared me more. Her expression became calm again, almost sweet, but I knew her too well. That wasn't kindness. It was the look she wore whenever she was about to hurt me.

I slowly stood. “What are you planning?”

She stepped closer. “You're pregnant. I'm Victor's fiancée, and I'm the woman who supposedly saved his life.”

Her smile returned. “Let's find out who he'll choose when he has to save one of us.”

My stomach dropped.

Before I could move, Cassandra grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the window. “Let go of me, Cassandra!”