Chapter 3 The Betrayal

Cassie adjusted her blazer, her confidence a mask.

"Your next client is R.R. Conglomerate Holdings," her boss the M.D told her, his voice equal parts excitement and gravity.

Cassie's heart sped up as she looked around at the opulent conference room surrounding her. Power executives milled about, their faces a mix of ambition and tension. She took a deep breath, ready to dive into the case.

"Do we know anything about them?" she asked, looking through the crowd to see if she recognized anyone.

Her boss nodded, passing her a dossier. "They've been having problems with public opinion recently. You'll have to reverse that in a flash".

Leafing through the pages, Cassie paused at the CEO's name: Jeffrey Richards. Memories flooded her like a wave-those high school years, laughter intertwined with pain. How foolish she had been to believe he was different from the others.

She brushed her hair back and squared her shoulders. No time for distractions now.

As the conference began, Cassie pushed aside old ghosts. She focused on strategy, on solutions-the kind of work that had earned her respect in the business world. But whenever anyone mentioned Jeffrey's name, the old bitterness arose. How dared he return to her life like this?

Minutes later, he was in the room-a tall man with an aura of command that drew attention. Dark hair slightly rumpled; piercing green eyes scouring the room before coming to rest on Cassie. For a moment, everything else receded.

"Good morning," Jeffrey said, his voice as smooth as silk but with an edge she remembered much too well.

Cassie's heart rate accelerated as he walked towards her table. The recollection of their previous meeting lingered at the periphery of her thoughts-his laughter resonating in her mind like a ghost she couldn't shake.

"Cassandra Jones," he went on, pretending to be surprised but not quite masking his mirth. "Long time."

She smiled tightly, teeth gritted. "Yes, it has."

The air grew dense with unstated tension when their eyes locked-two worlds crashing in one tense moment filled with history and unresolved issues.

"Let's get down to business," Cassie said sharply, pushing memories aside as she switched into business mode.

Yet even as she discussed strategy and brand reputation management, something remained between them-a charge in the air that suggested old bitterness lay deep beneath layers of professionalism.

As they tossed around campaign concepts and press releases, Cassie found herself slipping into that same old combination of determination and frustration. This was her chance to prove to him how far she'd come; she wasn't about to be scared off by a face from her past.

Yet even as she outlined the trajectory for their campaign, something continued to nag at her-what if he was still the same man beneath all those high-end suits?

* * *

Jeffrey settled back against his polished mahogany desk, the contract's weight a solid comfort in his hands. His eyes darted up to the window, where the city pulsed with energy. R.R. Conglomerate Holdings required a face-lift-something to help improve their image. He'd heard wonderful things about Aspire Ltd., but nothing could have readied him for Cassie Jones.

She'd stormed into that conference room, a whirlwind of confidence dressed in designer wear. Those full hips and brilliant smile still set something ablaze deep within him, all these years later. But today, her face had been distant, guarded-a shield he couldn't breach.

He gripped the contract in his hand, the anger welling up in his chest. The memories came rushing back: study sessions late at night with laughter and dreams of the future. Then silence when she'd severed all contact. No calls, no messages-nothing but a gap where she had been.

There was a knock on the door, and Peter Lansley came in with a clipboard. "Jeffrey, we need to talk about moving forward on the Aspire project."

"Yeah." Jeffrey's voice was gruffer than he intended as he glared at Peter.

Peter's eyebrow rose, but he continued on, unaware of the tempest brewing in Jeffrey's mind. "Aspire's manager recommends Cassie lead this project. She's one of their best, apparently."

"I know." The words were sharper than intended.

Peter scowled but forged ahead unfazed. "We also need to have weekly status meetings with her team and very specifically set expectations going forward."

"Yes." Jeffrey resumed gazing at the picture of Cassie on the company website-the self-assured woman she'd become a far cry from the girl he knew.

"And," Peter concluded, tapping the pen against the clipboard, "the branding materials must be approved by Friday."

Jeffrey nodded absently, still thinking about Cassie's coolness during the day.

"Listen," Peter said, a hint of worry creeping into his tone. "I realize this is a big project for you and R.R., but don't let personal problems interfere with your thinking."

The comment jolted Jeffrey out of his reverie; he met Peter's green eyes-similar to his own-and felt a jolt of irritation mixed with gratitude for being brought back to reality.

"I won't," Jeffrey replied brusquely.

Peter paused for a moment and nodded slowly prior to walking out the door.

"Just concentrate on what you're doing," he grumbled before he disappeared from the office.

Alone once more, Jeffrey released a quick sigh and sagged backward into his seat. He had to figure out some way to view this project with Cassie through to the end without allowing past hurts to govern their working partnership. She still hated him; he'd glimpsed that carved on her features when they'd spoken today. But possibly there was some way beyond that-if only she would give him the opportunity.

* * *

Cassie stepped into Jeffrey's office, the subtle scent of leather and fresh coffee wrapping around her like an old embrace. She squared her shoulders, shaking off the specters of the past that clung to the edges of her mind. The angular lines of his high-priced furniture and the bird's-eye view of the city were foreign and yet achingly familiar.

"Thank you for seeing me," she said, her voice as crisp as she perched on the edge of a chair, her back ramrod straight.

Jeffrey looked up from his desk, his green eyes flashing with something that might have been hope. "Of course, Cassie. Thank you for coming in."

Her heart pounded against her ribcage, and the memories came rushing back-him leaning forward, laughing so hard tears poured from their eyes in those easy high school years. But that had been a lifetime ago, marred by heartbreak.

"Let's get down to business," she barked, pushing a folder across the gleaming surface between them.

"Right." He paused, looking at the papers, then at her. "Before we start. I needed to apologize for the way things ended with us."

Cassie inhaled slowly but said nothing. The atmosphere grew tense.

"I shouldn't have been so bad to you," he went on, his voice sincere. "You deserved better than what I did to you."

She gritted her teeth and made herself look at the contract, not his piercing eyes, which were filled with regret that was genuine but remote-a ghost between them.

"Thank you," she said icily, "but let's just keep this professional."

Jeffrey squirmed in his seat, obviously grappling with her refusal. "I just thought perhaps-

"No 'maybes.' We're here to discuss strategy for the rebranding of R.R." Cassie's tone effectively closed off the possibility of additional personal discussion.

She remembered their initial date-a awkward encounter at a little diner where he'd told jokes regarding the menu along with his own bad poetry. Laughter had poured from her mouth as he'd leaned across the table, his dark hair tumbling into his eyes as he winked. Nothing else had mattered for that moment there; she'd felt special and noticed in a manner that stirred something within her.

Now? Now such feelings only blurred her judgment.

"I just want to make things right between us," Jeffrey whispered.

Cassie's eyes locked with his again; something in those green depths flickered-regret mixed with longing-but she ruthlessly brought herself back on track.

"We can't afford distractions," she said firmly. "Let's concentrate on what's important."

* * *

The clocks ticked on into an hour, each clock pulse resonating in the tense silence between them. Jeffrey's irritation seethed just beneath the surface as Cassie laboriously worked through numbers and projections. She spoke in a flat tone, her manner all business. Yet he could sense it-a barrier she had erected, high and impenetrable.

"Is this the way it's going to be?" he asked at last, his patience running thin. "Like we're strangers?

Cassie's eyes grew keener, narrowing a fraction as she sat back in her chair.

"Strangers don't betray one another," she retaliated, every word bitter and stinging.

The truth of her words hit him with the force of a blow, knocking the wind out of his body. Remorse washed over him like a cold wave, mixed with anger-not at Cassie but at himself for letting things spiral out of control all those years back. Their last fight flashed into his mind-ugly words said that had left them both bruised and broken.

I screwed up," he conceded, his voice low but stretched tight with tension. "You have to understand that I never meant to hurt you."

Cassie slowly shook her head, not allowing him to slip beyond the moment they'd both been dodging.

"Not personal," she insisted, interrupting him before he could offer any explanations.

His fists tightened beneath the table, the frustration welling up again. It was not only what they had shared before; it was all those things he had never experienced-a midnight discussion that stretched into morning, the light she radiated when she talked about her dreams. No one else made him feel quite so alive as she did.

He still drew her now and then-soft lines on paper tracing the curve of her smile and the glint in her eyes. It was pointless now; the drawings were nothing more than reminders of what could have been and never would be again.

"You don't know how much I've missed you," he said before he could reconsider.

Her face toughened.

"Missed me? That's rich coming from you."

Her words cut him, stirring up a jumble of desire and anger in himself. How had it gotten so? With barriers so strong that no level of desire could penetrate them?

* * *

As Cassie strode out of the office, the click of her heels echoed against the sterile walls. Jeff watched her go, his heart thudding heavily in his chest. The door closed on her, cutting the last flicker of heat from their encounter. At that moment, a recollection came uninvited from the furthest depths of his mind.

It had poured sheets that morning, and the schoolyard was a slippery field of puddles and grey. Jeff lingered outside the doorway, adjusting the straps on his pack, as students rushed by, laughter and the sound of raindrops in a cacophony. He'd left his umbrella behind once more-a shortcoming he never gave a thought but now regretted intensely.

Then he saw her.

Cassie broke away from the crowd, her smile radiant even in the dismal surroundings. She was holding her umbrella over her head, its vibrant design slicing through the murk like a flag. She splashed through the water to get to him when she saw him, water pooling around her feet.

"Hi!" she said, breathless but upbeat. "You look like you could use this."

She didn't allow him a moment to protest or stammer out thanks as she tilted the umbrella in his direction, shielding them both from the rain that fell like a steady curtain.

"I can't take your umbrella," he protested, half-laughing as rain sprayed onto his clothes.

"Of course you can," she said with a smile that melted all resistance. "It's not like I'll melt."

She kept it there for a while, firm, as he slid under its cover. He was overcome with a rush of warmth-not just from her kindness but from something deeper stirring within him.

That was when he'd known Cassie was different-not just nice but truly kind. When Mrs. Carter had embarrassed him in front of the whole class for not doing a homework assignment-calling him lazy-Cassie had leapt up from her chair and defended him passionately.

"That's not fair!" she'd exclaimed, flames burning in her eyes. "Jeff tries hard; you don't know what he's facing outside of school."

In that instant, sheltered beneath one umbrella amidst the downpours and upheavals, Jeff had known he'd found somebody special-somebody who truly did notice him behind all those facades.

Now alone in his office with only the shadows remaining around him, reality came crashing back to him in waves. He gritted his jaw against the pain in his chest. All those moments-those slipped quickly through his fingers like rain on pavement-and it hurt worse than any battle ever could.

* * *

Cassie plopped down on Andrew's worn apartment sofa; her neighbor whom she often overnight at his apartment for late night Friday movies, letting her purse plop with a sigh onto the coffee table. The fading light of day seeped through the sheer curtains to leave gentle shadows throughout the room. Andrew glanced sideway from the mirror, eyebrows lifted in question.

"What's wrong?" he asked, setting aside his eye-pencil as he does his make-up for his next drag queen show tonight.

"Just saw Jeff," she burst out, folding her arms across her chest as though to shield herself from the rush of memories which tried to engulf her.

Andrew moved forward, curious. "Was he changed?"

Cassie paused, nibbling on her lower lip. "No. he was the same. That's the trouble."

Andrew looked at her for a moment, a perceptive grin spreading over his face. "You still have feelings for him, don't you?"

"I don't," she bit off, too quickly. She tossed her head in a movement similar to a person attempting to dislodge an annoying fly. "I mean, we were teenagers then. I've moved on."

"Oh sure you have." He settled into the cushions, folding his arms behind him in a stubborn grin. "But did you stop caring? It's been years since high school."

Cassie fiddled with a loose thread on her arm, declining to glance at him. Memories threatened to overwhelm her-Jeff's laughter echoing in her ears like the echo of a broken promise. But she shook them off. "I've got my career now. That's all that matters."

Andrew let out a sigh and rolled his eyes theatrically. "Girl, your career ain't gonna keep you warm at night."

Cassie laughed briefly but couldn't stop the blush that rose to her cheeks nonetheless. She detested how Andrew could read her like an open book.

"Seriously," he chided softly. "Do you think you're really over him?"

"No! I mean. not exactly." She softened as she struggled with herself. She happened to catch a glimpse of herself in a mirror that was hanging nearby-a woman strong on the outside but still grappling with insecurities on the inside.

There was a dense silence between them, thick with unspoken realities.

Later that night, while by herself in her apartment, Cassie leaned against the kitchen counter looking at nothing in particular. The heaviness of their discussion lingered around her like a thick blanket.

A part of her never ceased to care for Jeff-a spark that wouldn't die no matter how much she attempted to smother it. She bit her lip as the awareness seeped into her mind like unwanted guests: perhaps some emotions never really went away.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through Cassie's window and lit up the tiny kitchen where she drank coffee. She aimlessly scrolled through her phone until a gentle bump against the door broke her concentration. She was curious, so she put down her cup and opened the door.

There was a simple manila envelope, simple yet strangely enticing. She picked it up and experienced a strange tightening in her belly as she carried it indoors.

She opened it with trembling hands. The contents slipped out-a sketch, folded neatly. Cassie unfolded it slowly, her heart racing with each crease that revealed more of the image. There she was: sixteen years old, her eyes open wide with laughter and promise, her long hair cascading over one shoulder. Jeff had drawn her to perfection.

Her breath caught in her throat as she ran her fingers over the lines of the sketch. It was all alive, from the way her head was tilted to the sparkle of light in her eyes. It was strange to see herself again through his eyes.

At the bottom of the sketch was a simple message, written in Jeff's well-known handwriting: "I never forgot you.".

The words boomed like a thunderclap against an otherwise silent sky. Walls she had built around her heart trembled, ready to come crashing down under the weight of memories she thought she had put behind her. A tidal wave of feelings broke loose-confusion, rage, longing-all knotted into one dissonant ball.

Cassie clutched the paper until it crumpled in her hand. How could he? All these years?

She walked back and forth across the room, every step getting louder as thoughts spun out of control. Why now? Did he honestly believe a simple drawing would close all that space? All those days apart-did they count for nothing?

With a sudden flash of anger, she slapped the drawing down on the table as if it scorched her fingers. The crumpled paper fell softly on top of a stack of bills and receipts, its delicate beauty standing out from them in stark contrast.

She loomed over it for what seemed like an eternity, caught between rage and longing. Rip it to shreds? Smash it into oblivion?

But as Cassie gazed into that well-known face looking back at her across space and time, something restrained her-a glimmer of hope with bitterness that revealed no way forward that was clear.