Heartbroken By My Deceitful Savior, Healed By My Arranged Groom

"Are you the housekeeper for Jordy's family?" asked the woman in a vibrant red dress, looking seductive. She spoke the moment Cassie Lloyd opened the door. Her voice carried a confident aura.

Cassie's expression turned stiff in an instant.

She thought this stranger must have mistaken the house for another home.

But that thought shattered the moment she noticed the man beside the woman. Her husband, Jordy Sutton, stood there.

"Go make some coffee. I need a word with you later," Jordy said, irritation pulling at his face when Cassie did not respond fast enough.

Before, he used to overlook her simple ways. Now that he carried influence in Neerdale, he acted as though a stay-at-home wife like her had no place at his side.

Jordy brushed past Cassie when she failed to move. He guided the woman inside with a careful hand.

"You should take it easy. You're expecting, and you need all the rest you can get," Jordy said to the woman.

Cassie felt her head go blank when she heard that.

The woman was carrying a child?

Was it Jordy's?

What exactly was happening here?

Cassie stood there, unable to believe that Jordy not only had another woman, but also had the gall to bring her into their home.

"Are you Jordy's mistress?" Cassie asked the woman, her voice steady as she held on to the kitchen knife she had not yet set down.

"Mistress?" the woman exclaimed, her eyes flaring with anger. "I'm Lucinda Jones from the powerful Jones family. Watch your mouth when you talk to me. And once Jordy finally divorces that forgotten wife of his, I'll be the next Mrs. Sutton."

Lucinda's gaze swept over Cassie from head to toe. "Don't tell me you are the wife he's been so eager to get rid of."

Most days, Cassie wore simple clothes and put all her effort into caring for Jordy's mother and managing his company's affairs. Today was no different. She had been cooking when the doorbell rang, dressed in something loose and comfortable.

Her bare face, framed by glasses, looked tired, and her lips had lost their color from months of quiet stress. She was far from unattractive, but her appearance now clearly couldn't compare to Lucinda's polished look.

"Jordy, don't you think I deserve an explanation for this?" Cassie said as she steadied herself and turned her focus to Jordy, refusing to let her shock overwhelm her.

Jordy barely spared her a look, dismissing her completely. He kept his attention on Lucinda as he led her further inside. "She is indeed my wife, Cassie. Don't waste your breath on her. She isn't worth your time."

Now that the confusion was gone, Lucinda's eyes were filled with open contempt toward Cassie.

"Well, so she really is Cassie," she sneered, curling her lips. "Honestly, she's hopeless. Just look at her-so plain and desperate to hang on to you. Jordy, you're way too kind. If it were up to me, I would have shown her the door a long time ago."

Cassie let out a cold laugh and turned her gaze to Jordy. "So, I'm plain and the one desperately holding on to you, is that it?"

That was how he introduced her to others?

She approached the pair, the kitchen knife still in her grasp. The sight of the knife wiped the smugness right off Lucinda's face.

"Ms. Jones, is it?" Cassie gave Lucinda a smile that held no warmth. "Let me tell you something I believe you need to know. Two years ago, Jordy had nothing. I put up the cash to get his business going. I tracked down the right people for the technical team; most of them were my friends from college. When it came time to build the factories, I was the one handling every detail. Funny how now that he is successful, he claims all the credit and says I am the one holding onto him."

She turned to look at Jordy. "Quite a story you're spinning."

Saying the words out loud, Cassie felt a wave of regret. She could not believe how blind she had been these years.

It was her support that allowed Jordy to get this far. If she had not owed him for saving her life, she never would have run from her father's plans for her and chosen to build a future with Jordy instead.

For Jordy's sake, she left behind an engagement her father had arranged, poured herself into his company's business, and took care of his sick mother every single day.

Those years had changed her. She had nearly forgotten what it was like to be the cherished daughter of the Lloyd family...

Jordy turned a cold stare on Cassie as he steered Lucinda to the sofa. "Cassie, I really don't have time for this. The only reason I married you was that my mother wanted it, and you were so willing. Looking back, I think it was such a rash decision. I never loved you. For two years, I never slept with you. Isn't it obvious that I don't have any feelings for you at all?"

Each word was like a knife to Cassie's heart.

"You always said you were too busy with work..." Cassie muttered.

"That was just something to tell you. Lucinda is the one I always care about, not you," Jordy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "The Sutton Group is mine now. I hold all the shares. You've got nothing to your name. I put up with you only because you looked after my mother, but with Lucinda expecting and her background, I can't keep her waiting for me. Our marriage has to end."

Lucinda's background?

She had said she was a member of the powerful Jones family.

Cassie tried to remember if that name meant anything, but nothing came to mind. She didn't know any Jones family that was powerful.

Everything was clear to her now. Jordy was desperate to move up in the world and had found someone powerful to help him; he was eager to toss her aside.

She hadn't anticipated that the man she had poured her heart into for two years could turn out to be this heartless.

"Jordy, is she refusing to get a divorce? What does she think, that she can squeeze more out of the Sutton family?" Lucinda lounged on the sofa, her lips curling into a mocking smile as she tossed Cassie a dismissive glance.

To her, everything Cassie had said was just a lie. She did not believe a word of it.

In Neerdale, everybody knew Jordy's reputation. He had made a name for himself as a sharp businessman over the last two years. Every project he took on seemed destined for success, and with the Jones family backing him now, he was bound to reach even greater heights soon.

But Cassie dared to claim that Jordy's success was all thanks to her?

The thought made Lucinda want to laugh.

Lucinda's taunt stirred something in Jordy. Cassie was acting completely out of character today. Could she be aiming to split the assets with him for the divorce?

He would not let that happen!

He saw himself as the one who had built the Sutton Group from nothing. Cassie, in his eyes, had been nothing more than a housewife.

No way would he let her walk away with anything substantial.

Even so, he needed to keep up appearances since Lucinda was still here, so he tried to soften his tone when he turned to Cassie.

"Cassie, let's be reasonable. We have been married for some time, and I admit you did look after my mother when she needed it. When we finalize our divorce, I'll give you a house in the suburbs and hand you a hundred thousand in cash. That should be enough for you to live on your own. What do you say-"

But before Jordy could finish speaking, Cassie's hand flew across his face with every ounce of strength she had left.

The force of it sent him stumbling backward, his balance slipping as he nearly collapsed onto the sofa.

"Have you lost your mind, Cassie? You actually hit me? Did you forget I was the one who gave you such a good life?" Jordy shouted, his ears ringing, his cheek already turning red and swollen.

"Get out!" Cassie yelled, her voice cracking as everything she had held in finally broke free. She jabbed a finger toward the door, shaking with fury.

"Get out? Have you gone crazy? This is my house. You don't get to order me around. Who do you think you are?" Jordy retorted, the sting of humiliation wiping away any attempt at restraint.

Lucinda rushed to his side, her eyes widening at the sight of his swollen cheek. "Jordy, look at you. How dare she hit you? That woman really doesn't know her place," she said.

She turned to glare at Cassie. "You pathetic bitch! You hit him, and now, you think you can throw us out? Keep this up, and we'll call the police on you and kick you out!"

Cassie let out a cold laugh. She raised the kitchen knife in her hand and aimed it straight at Jordy. "Jordy, you built everything with my support. Without me, where would you even be now? I am the reason you are successful now. And after all that, you dare stand here and talk like I'm nothing? Do you really think I'm someone you can step on easily?"

Her face had turned to ice. She seized Jordy by the collar, her voice lashing out with every word. Lucinda could only stand there, stunned into silence by the intensity in her eyes.

When Cassie finished speaking, she lifted the knife and brought it down in a sharp arc, aiming straight for Jordy.

"Ahhh!"

A shriek burst from Lucinda, terror written all over her face.

The sound of steel slicing through fabric filled the air, and Jordy's expensive suit was soon in ruins.

Once a symbol of his status, it now hung from him in ribbons.

Cassie then drove the knife into the wooden sofa behind Jordy, the blade biting deep into the wood with a solid, final thud. Jordy could barely catch his breath before her voice cut through the room.

"We're done, Jordy. I'll be back to gather my things once the divorce is official."

Cassie fixed Lucinda with a stare that held nothing but truth. "Since he's willing to betray me for you today, you'd better be careful. He'll leave you just as easily when he finds someone better than you."

Once, she had ignored all of Jordy's faults because he had saved her life before. But now, seeing his true colors, she realized that leaving him wasn't a bad thing at all.

Cassie tore the apron from her waist and tossed it aside. Without even glancing back or bothering to change, she strode out of the house, ready to leave it all behind.

Cassie left the house, pulled out 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 pulled her out of danger when they were kids. When she brought it up before, he had stared at her with a confused look like the memory had never existed.

Maybe the so-called debt 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.