“Cassie, when did you get here?” Jacob asked, his face immediately betraying his panic.
Cassie saw it clearly.
But instead of questioning him, she put on a calm smile and walked in as though nothing was wrong.
“I just got here. Kylie said she was having lunch with my parents, so I came to join them.” Her gaze swept across the table. “I didn’t realize everyone was here.”
“I happened to run into Kylie, so we decided to have lunch together,” Jacob explained quickly.
Cassie gave him a faint smile.
“Why do you look so nervous? Relax. I’m not going to think anything of it.”
She even reached out and gently patted her fake husband’s shoulder.
No one knew that beneath that calm smile, Cassie was barely holding back the anger threatening to consume her.
“I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”
Isak immediately tried to ease the tension.
“What would you like, Cassie?”
“I’ll have steak.”
Cassie sat down beside Jacob.
Just as she always had, she showed no hesitation in sitting close to the man she had only just discovered had deceived her.
“You can have mine first,” Jacob offered.
“Thank you. You’re always so kind.”
Cassie smiled sweetly, just as she normally would.
A few seconds later, however, her eyes fell on the two plates of steak on the table.
Her gaze settled on Kylie’s plate.
Something immediately caught her attention.
“Looks like our plates got mixed up, Kylie.”
Without waiting for a response, Cassie switched her plate with Kylie’s.
“You usually like your steak medium rare, right? I prefer mine medium well.”
The room fell silent.
Not a single person dared to say a word.
Kylie simply stared at the medium-well steak now sitting in front of her.
Cassie suppressed a smile.
She knew Kylie was pregnant—and that pregnant women were advised against eating undercooked meat.
“Why is everyone so quiet?” Cassie asked casually. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Of course not,” Gretta quickly replied. “Mom is just happy you came. Eat as much as you want.”
Martha, Jacob’s mother, smiled as well.
“You’ve been so busy lately, Cassie. You should come visit us more often.”
“Of course, Mom.”
Cassie returned her smile without showing the slightest hint of suspicion.
She was playing her role perfectly.
But when she looked at Kylie, she caught a flash of jealousy in the woman’s eyes.
What does it feel like to be the legal wife, yet still have to hide from me?
For the first time, Cassie felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
“Your latest project is going well too, right, Cassie?” Isak asked.
“Of course, Dad.”
“Cassie’s abilities have never been in question,” Harry added.
Cassie simply smiled. She was used to hearing praise like that.
Isak then turned his attention to Kylie.
“Oh, by the way, why don’t you let Kylie join your company? You can help her learn the ropes so you won’t have to carry everything yourself.”
“Exactly,” Gretta added. “You two are best friends. Who else could you trust more than Kylie?”
Cassie almost laughed.
Kylie had once been the person she trusted more than anyone.
But everything was different now.
Still, her expression remained calm.
“I’ve wanted Kylie to join for a long time. She was the one who refused because she wanted to run her own restaurant.”
“Unfortunately, her restaurant isn’t doing very well,” Gretta said. “As her best friend, you should help her.”
“Of course. Kylie can join whenever she wants.”
“Thank you, Cassie. I’m sorry to trouble you,” Kylie said softly.
“It’s no trouble.” Cassie smiled. “I even warned you before to be more careful when choosing the location for your restaurant.”
Kylie’s smile slowly faded.
Cassie knew exactly why.
Kylie had never liked being compared to her—especially when everyone kept reminding her that Cassie’s advice had been right all along.
Her restaurant had failed three times.
“Cassie is right,” Martha said. “You should have listened to her, Kylie.”
Kylie could only lower her head.
They had always praised Cassie, and every compliment seemed to irritate Kylie.
“Oh, Cassie,” Harry suddenly said. “Could you help us secure a project with Blackwood Holdings?”
Jacob quickly chimed in, “You’re close to Luca. It should be easy for you.”
Cassie almost scoffed.
The man who had repeatedly claimed he didn’t want to depend on her family was now asking for her help yet again.
Even his family’s bank loans had been secured using Cassie’s assets as collateral.
Yet she kept her expression calm.
“We’re not that close. I only know him because he’s the son of my late mother’s friend.”
“Just try to help them,” Gretta urged.
Cassie nodded.
“Fine. I’ll try.”
Satisfied smiles immediately appeared on their faces.
As if Cassie were still the naive daughter they could use whenever it suited them.
Ting!
Cassie’s phone chimed.
A new message had arrived.
From Luca.
She discreetly opened it.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
Cassie’s breath caught.
Isak was standing beside Gretta.
Gretta was holding a baby girl in her arms.
Beneath the photograph was a handwritten note:
My little family — 2002
Cassie’s fingers went completely still.
2002.
That was the year…
She was born.
Aksara