Chapter 3 An Unexpected Encounter

Cassie left the house, retrieved her phone, and quickly placed a call.

"Hello..."

After sharing her location in a few short words, she ended the call without waiting for a response.

Not long after, a glossy black Porsche convertible rolled up beside her, the engine humming with energy.

"Hop in."

Behind the wheel sat a sharp-looking man in sunglasses, and his features looked a bit similar to Cassie's.

Sliding into the passenger seat, Cassie gave him a small smile and said, "Hey, Shawn."

"So, you haven't forgotten about me after all? Two years went by, and you just disappeared. Changed your number, vanished into thin air. Why contact me now? And who did you call first-me or Brenton?"

Shawn Lloyd, Cassie's second-oldest brother, tried to play it cool, but the concern in his eyes gave him away.

With a quick tap on the accelerator, the car sped away from the curb. Cassie leaned back in her seat, her gaze drifting out the window as she murmured, "I'm going to get a divorce soon."

The Porsche jerked to a stop, and Cassie caught herself before she could hit the windshield. She looked over and said, "Shawn, you really haven't learned how to drive."

Shawn ignored her jab and studied her for a moment, then asked, "What happened? Did Jordy do anything to hurt you? If he did, just tell me. I'll teach him a lesson for you!"

Even though Shawn hadn't gone out of his way to find Cassie during those missing years, he had kept track of her life and knew she had married Jordy.

He and his brother had both chosen to stay silent about the matter, mainly because their parents were already angered by Cassie's choices.

Shawn's real concern finally broke through Cassie's walls, and a wave of emotion she'd tried to suppress welled up inside her.

She sniffed, trying to sound steady, "I'm okay, Shawn. Jordy isn't capable of pushing me around. I guess I just started missing everyone at home." Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

She wasn't lying. Remembering how Jordy had pulled her away from her family filled her with a heavy sense of regret.

Reaching across the space between them, Shawn gave Cassie a pat on the head. He didn't use much strength, but Cassie still furrowed her brows.

"Hey, what's that for?" she asked.

That really hurt.

"Hard to believe what I'm hearing. What finally made you not so blind anymore?" Shawn teased.

"Shawn!"

Pretending to be serious, Shawn studied her for a moment, then let a genuine smile break through.

Cassie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she let herself relax in her brother's presence.

The two of them had grown up trading jabs and teasing each other, yet this was the first time Cassie didn't bother to fire back.

After sitting with her thoughts for a moment, Cassie sighed and said, "Yeah. I finally saw everything clearly and got my head on straight."

At this point, she no longer cared about repaying Jordy.

Two long years of effort had been more than enough.

Whatever came next, Jordy was no longer her concern.

Everything had changed earlier that day when Jordy returned home with his mistress. The look on his face at that time had wiped out the last bit of hope she had been holding.

That was when everything became clear to her.

The bond she thought they had shared as children felt like only echoes of the past.

Jordy wasn't the person she remembered anymore.

He couldn't even recall the day he had pulled her out of danger. When she brought it up before, he had stared at her with a confused look like the memory had never existed.

Maybe the matter never mattered to him.

"Want to come home and see Mom and Dad?" Shawn asked, realizing she didn't want to talk about Jordy anymore.

The moment he finished speaking, Cassie shook her head. "No. Let's go to our old hangout."

"As you wish." Shawn shot her a grin, stepped on the gas, and soon eased the Porsche to a stop at a familiar corner downtown.

Stepping onto the sidewalk, Cassie and Shawn found themselves right in front of the Apex Club, the most exclusive spot in all of Neerdale.

Before her life with Jordy, Cassie had spent countless nights at this very club. She'd always chased excitement-racing cars and taking on shooting ranges, living for every rush.

The club belonged to the Sullivan family, the most powerful family in Neerdale. The place was always packed, and unless someone held a VIP membership, there was no way to get inside.

Shawn guided Cassie through the crowd, leading her straight to the familiar booth. He then ordered her favorite drink.

"Feels strange coming back here after two years away, huh?" Shawn said, grinning at Cassie from across the table.

She hadn't said a word about what she'd gone through, but he could see it in her eyes, so he decided to show her more care.

Cassie burst out laughing as the first round of drinks arrived. She lifted her glass and said, "Let's drink, Shawn. After two years, you should be able to keep up with me now."

Her lighthearted challenge made Shawn relax slightly.

He rolled up his sleeves, ready for a little competition. Soon, they were locked in a friendly showdown, taking shots one after another.

It hadn't taken much for the alcohol to start catching up to Cassie. She pushed herself up from the table, swaying a bit, and said, "I need a quick bathroom break."

Shawn moved to help steady her, but she waved him off. "No need to babysit me. I'll be back soon."

She navigated her way out of the booth, following the hallway toward the restroom. The mix of smoke and music only made her more unsteady. Bracing one hand against the wall, she tried to stop the world from spinning.

At the corner, she collided headlong into someone's chest.

"My bad..."

Before Cassie could gather her thoughts, she found herself pressed against the wall by the man in front of her. His full weight bore down on her.

Warm breath fanned against her neck, jolting her out of her daze.

Cassie tensed, instinctively shoving at his chest and winding up her arm for a punch. But she quickly stopped when she saw the man's face.

"Jasper?"

The man before her was Jasper Sullivan-the heir to the Sullivan family, the same man she had been supposed to get engaged to two years ago.