02 The Marriage That Never Existed

Cassie never returned home that night. She shut herself away in her apartment, but her mind refused to rest. The events at the hotel kept replaying over and over. Jacob. Kylie. The marriage certificate. Luca’s words. The harder she tried to push them away, the more questions filled her mind. Ting! The sound of an incoming message snapped Cassie out of her thoughts. She immediately reached for her phone. It was from Jenson, her lawyer. Jenson: The marriage certificate is fake, ma’am. The blood seemed to drain from Cassie’s body. Her hand began to tremble. Another message appeared. Jenson: We’ve verified it. Your marriage to Jacob was never officially registered. Cassie stared at the screen without blinking. Impossible. A chill spread through her entire body. Then a third message appeared. Jenson: There’s something else. Cassie’s heart began pounding violently. Jenson: Jacob is legally married to Kylie. Their marriage was registered on the same day as yours. Cassie’s world collapsed. The same day? That meant… While she had believed she was marrying Jacob… Jacob had been marrying Kylie too? “So…” Cassie’s voice was barely a whisper. “For two years…” She covered her mouth, struggling to hold back a sob. “For two years, I was deceived?” Before she could even catch her breath, another message arrived. This time, it was from Kylie. Kylie: Cassie, when are you coming home? I happened to run into your parents today. We’re having lunch at your restaurant. Cassie read the message but didn’t reply. Something suddenly occurred to her. A few minutes later, she stood up and got ready. She needed to see them for herself. Not long after, Cassie arrived at her restaurant. The five-star establishment was as busy as ever. The crystal chandeliers and luxurious interior that had once filled her with pride now felt strangely unfamiliar. As she stepped inside, she overheard two waitresses talking near the cashier. “Miss Kylie looks even closer with her husband these days.” Cassie stopped in her tracks. Her husband? This wasn’t the first time she had heard such gossip. The staff had often talked about Kylie and Jacob as though they were a married couple. Back then, Cassie had thought it was ridiculous. They simply didn’t know that Jacob was her husband. But after what she had witnessed the night before, that single word struck her like a knife all over again. Husband. “Where are they?” Cassie asked. The waitress looked nervous. “Miss Kylie is in VIP Room One, Miss Cassie.” Cassie immediately headed toward the room. When she reached the VIP area, she happened to pass a waiter who had just stepped out carrying an empty tray. Cassie raised a finger to her lips. “Go,” she whispered. The waiter nodded and quickly left. The VIP door wasn’t completely closed. Laughter drifted through the narrow opening—warm, familiar laughter that Cassie knew all too well. She slowly stepped closer and looked inside. Kylie. Jacob. Jacob’s parents. And her own parents. They were gathered around a large table, looking less like two families having lunch together and more like one big, happy family. Kylie sat unusually close to Jacob, occasionally brushing her hand against his arm with intimate familiarity. Cassie’s chest tightened. She was about to step away when a conversation from inside stopped her cold. “So, Dad? The doctor said I’m not supposed to get stressed right now,” Kylie said sweetly, gently rubbing her stomach. Harry Hayes smiled proudly. “Don’t worry. The Hayes family’s grandchild will get everything that belongs to them. We’ve already arranged everything so this can all be settled quickly.” Grandchild? Cassie’s vision blurred. Gretta reached for Kylie’s hand. “Yes, sweetheart. You’ve suffered for far too long.” Kylie smiled. “I’ve always been happy, Mom. You and Dad have always taken care of me.” Cassie gripped the doorframe until her fingernails turned white. Mom. Dad. In seven years of friendship, Kylie had never once called Isak and Gretta that. “Excuse me, Miss Cassie. I’m here to deliver your order.” The waiter’s voice behind her made Cassie flinch. Too late. The half-open VIP door was pushed wider. The laughter inside stopped instantly. Five pairs of eyes turned toward her at once. Jacob was the first to see her. His face went deathly pale, and he instinctively shot to his feet, the scrape of his chair against the floor cutting through the silence. “Cassie?” Silence. Every gaze in the room was now fixed on Cassie standing in the doorway.