Chapter Forty
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The afternoon sun bathed the sidewalk cafés in golden light as Cassie, Harper, and Delia strolled down the bustling boutique district near Fifth Avenue. The air buzzed with early spring energy. Fashionistas in statement sunglasses, tourists snapping photos, and city dwellers soaking in rare warmth.
Cassie wore a cream trench over a soft navy dress, her heels clicking confidently on the cobblestone walk. Delia chatted animatedly about the interior redesign for the new coastal resort, while Harper complained about an influencer drama blowing up her PR firm’s inbox.
“I swear, if one more heiress leaks a breakup for clout, I’m going off-grid,” Harper said, stirring her iced lavender latte with dramatic flair.
Cassie laughed, savoring the lightness of the moment.
“I still think we should take that girls’ trip to Tuscany,” Delia added. “Just us. No phones. No men.”
Cassie raised her brow. “Even Jared?”
Delia shrugged with a grin. “Especially Jared.”
They reached the courtyard of The Glasshouse Café when the mood shifted. From across the patio, Kelly stood near the entrance, stiff in a form-fitting red suit, scrolling on her phone. Her gaze lifted and locked with Cassie’s. Tension sliced the air.
Kelly's eyes narrowed. Her expression held none of the practiced warmth expected from someone raised in their social circles. It was ice. Cassie stopped. Harper and Delia followed suit.
“Well,” Harper muttered, “this should be fun.”
Kelly straightened and strode toward them, heels striking the ground with precise indignation.
Delia took a defensive step closer to Cassie, but Cassie lifted a hand subtly. “Let her speak.”
Kelly stopped a foot away, her eyes raking over Cassie like she was the enemy in a boardroom war.
“You’ve certainly recovered quickly,” she said, voice dripping with disdain.
Cassie held her gaze. “You say that like I was the one who betrayed someone.”
Kelly’s mouth twisted. “Don’t play innocent. You blew up everything. The families, the press, Damien’s legacy.”
Harper cut in sharply, “He torched that legacy himself when he started the affair. Don’t rewrite the story.”
But Cassie remained calm. “If you’re here for an apology, you’re wasting your breath.”
“I’m here to remind you that your little act, your carefully curated victimhood left casualties. I lost all my jobs in the fallout. Our parents were humiliated. And Damien—”
“Got exactly what he earned,” Delia said flatly.
Kelly’s eyes flashed. “You think this is over? You think the world’s going to keep swooning over your redemption arc? Eventually, they’ll turn. They always do.”
Cassie stepped forward, her voice low but firm. “If they do, I’ll face it. On my terms. Not hiding behind a man. Not wrapped in deception. But with my name, my work, and my truth.”
Kelly didn’t flinch but her jaw tightened.
“I’m not your villain,” Cassie added. “I never was. But if you want to keep playing that part, go ahead. Just know the spotlight’s a lonely place.”
Kelly’s smile was brittle. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”
She turned and stalked off.
Silence lingered until Delia let out a slow whistle. “I give that a solid nine-point-five for dramatic exit.”
Harper nudged Cassie. “You okay?”
Cassie inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly. “I am. More than I thought I’d be.”
They walked into the café together, heads high. By the time their drinks arrived, Cassie’s phone buzzed.
brEAKING: Cassie King and Grayson Collin’s Love Story Rewrites the Rules of Power Couples
The headline made her laugh. Maybe the world hadn’t ended. Maybe it was just beginning.