His Regret: I'm with his uncle now

PART 1- A NEW KIND OF LIFE

Cassidy Murphy

"We're all so excited! Congratulations Miss Cassidy!"

The whole office was alive. Laughter bounced off the glass walls. Everyone was in high spirits. They had just secured an acquisition deal so rare that even the largest corporations often failed to land it.

"I think this calls for celebration, someone pop open a bottle of champagne!"

Cassie smiled, but her mind was elsewhere. She slipped away from the noise with her phone in hand, eager to share the victory with the one person who mattered most-her husband, Trent.

She dialed his number. Once. Twice. Again. Straight to voicemail.

"Miss Cassidy, aren't you coming back in? The shareholders are asking for you," Daria, her secretary, peeked her head out of the door.

"Something important just came up," Cassie said, forcing a smile. "Enjoy the celebration!"

The only thing on her mind was going home to the love of her life.

Her heart was racing. She only wanted to see Trent. He had to know what she had pulled off-this was the crown jewel, the greatest investment in his company's history.

The elevator hummed down to the underground lot. Soon, she was in her car, driving fast, a giddy grin tugging at her lips.

When she reached home, Cassie's excitement spilled over. She raced upstairs, her heels clicking against the polished floor with her laughter echoing in the wide halls.

Another thing that excited her was the thought of having alone time with him. His parents were in Paris for their regular yearly holiday. Alone at last, with no in-laws under the same roof, she and Trent could rediscover each other.

It had been a while since they were intimate. He barely even touched her.

Trent always had excuses.

Most times he'd say that his parents would hear them and she was always understanding.

Cassie ran upstairs, squealing like a little girl. Trent needed to know what she had pulled off.

She burst into their bedroom with a bright, "Trent!"

And then-

Her world shattered.

Trent's body hovered over another woman. The moans filled the room, ugly and raw. Cassie froze, her mouth dry, her breath breaking.

"Trent?" Her voice cracked as she whispered to herself.

He shifted, and the woman's face came into view.

"Misty?" Cassie staggered back. Her sister.

This couldn't be real. It had to be a cruel dream.

Her husband, was on another woman? Her breath hitched and she tried to steady it. The moaning sounds got more intense by the second.

Still in shock, she screamed out his name. "Trent?"

Cassie gapped for air. This was a prank.

Trent would never do this to her, he would never cheat on her. And with her sister? It was impossible.

"Cassie, if you're not going to join us, then leave. Close the fucking door on your way out!" he shouted.

Her whole body shook violently. He didn't even try to deny it. He wasn't even sorry, Trent just continued thrusting, acting as if his wife didn't just walk in on him.

Her knees buckled. Her chest caved in. The man she had loved, trusted, built her world around-he wasn't even sorry. And Misty... her own blood...she had no shame.

Cassie stumbled back, tears streaming, her body trembling like a leaf in a storm.

She ran.

Down the stairs, into her car, out onto the road. Her sobs choked her.

Cassidy was in immense pain. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

"It's all a dream!" That's what she kept telling herself as she got back into her car. Cassie raced to her best friend's house. This wasn't real.

She and Trent had been married for three years, three whole years.

Cassie's tears blurred her vision further as she sped down the highway. The image was seared into her mind, over and over again.

She punched into her dashboard, "No, no! It's not true," as if pain could wake her from the nightmare.

As she drove, her sobs grew louder, and her grip on the steering wheel loosened. Suddenly, her hands slipped, and the wheel spun out of control. The car moved sharply to the right, and Cassie's heart sank.

She tried to correct the wheel, but it was too late. The car swerved, metal screeched against the guardrail.

The airbag deployed with a loud thud. Cassie's head snapped forward, and she felt a jolt of pain.

A deafening bang.

Darkness.

...

Cassie opened her eyes to blinding white light. Pain tore through her chest and head. She was in a hospital. She woke up, dazed and disoriented.

Her eyes, wincing as the bright hospital lights pierced through her brain. She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through her head and chest, forcing her back onto the pillow.

As she looked around, she saw Cora, her best friend, sitting beside her hospital bed. Cora's eyes were red-rimmed. It looked like she hadn't gotten enough sleep.

"Cassie, oh my god, I was so scared," Cora said. Her voice was trembling. "I've been here, waiting for you to wake up."

Cassie tried to speak, but her throat was dry and sore. Cora quickly grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table and helped Cassie take a sip.

"What...what happened?" Cassie asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You were in a car accident," Cora replied gently. "You lost control of the wheel and crashed. The police said you were lucky to be alive."

"Trent! Where's Trent? How long have I been here?"

"Three days," Cora said, "The nurses tried getting in touch with your husband but he was too busy to come."

"That's not right. That can't be right!" She muttered under her breath. She was still in denial.

"Where's my phone? Call him, call him now! I want to see my husband!"

Cora tried to calm her down, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Cassie, baby, please..."

But Cassie shook her off, "I don't care about your 'please'! I want to see him now!"

Cassie yanked the IV fluid out of her hand, completely ignoring Cora. "I'm going to find him myself!" she screamed, throwing off the hospital blanket and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Cora rushed to grab Cassie, trying to hold her back. "Cassie, stop! You can't just get out of bed like that!"

Cassie broke down immediately and started crying. Cora quickly wrapped her arms around her, holding her close as she sobbed.

The nurse, who had been watching from the doorway, stepped forward, voice soft as a lullaby. "let's get you back into bed, okay?" she said gently, helping Cora guide Cassie back to the hospital bed.

As Cassie settled back into the bed, the nurse had this pitiful look on her face. "I think we need to calm down a bit, don't you?" she said, adjusting Cassie's pillows.

Just then, the nurse's expression changed, and she said, "Actually, I have something for you. Your husband just called, and someone dropped off a package for you."

Cassie's tears slowed, and she looked up at the nurse. "For me? What is it?" she asked.

The nurse held up a plain brown envelope. "This was dropped off at the front desk. It's addressed to you."

Her shaking hands tore it open, slowly. Cassie stared at the papers before her. There was no way! For a moment, her heart ceased.

Her chest hollowed.

Divorce papers.

On her hospital bed.

From the man she thought was her forever.

Cassie's eyes scanned the divorce agreement, each word slicing deeper, like tiny knives carving her chest open. Her heart sank with every sentence, until it felt as though it had dropped into a pit with no bottom.

Her breath caught when she saw the proposed settlement: a paltry $1 million.

"It's not fair," she whispered, though her voice trembled more with fury than with grief.

After all the years she had poured into Silverwood-years stolen from her youth, years swallowed by late nights, endless meetings, and dawns where she stumbled in half-awake with coffee as her only strength. After all the sacrifices she had made, all the loyalty she had shown-this was her husband's reward? A scrap thrown like a bone to a dog?

She had given her husband everything, and this was how he repaid her? With a measly $1 million settlement?

"Cassie, maybe you should talk to a lawyer before you do anything." Cora wasn't having any of it. She knew Trent was stupid but not this stupid.

But Cassie's voice rose, sharp and broken. "Cora, I've made billions of dollars for Silverwood. Billions! Yet I'm treated like a servant. I'm paid in crumbs, in pennies called royalties. No equity. Nothing to my name!"

Cora stayed silent, her expression carved from stone. She had warned Cassie before-warned her that Trent and his family were parasites, feeding on her brilliance while keeping her blind with promises of love.

But Cassie, ever the dutiful wife, the obedient daughter-in-law, the woman who wanted so badly to please, had chosen to close her eyes. And now? Now the truth sat on her lap in black and white.

Cassie was always the model daughter and innocent, naive daughter-in-law. She always wanted to please others, putting them before herself. And naturally, people too advantage of her.

She was still trying to process it all when she saw it, the reason for the divorce. "'Irreconcilable differences due to the wife's unreasonable behavior and neglect of marital duties'?"

"That's a lie!"

"Permit me to say, your husband is a bastard!"

But Cassie cut her off. "Yes, Cora! I completely agree. He's blaming me for the divorce. He's saying I'm the one who's unreasonable and neglectful."

How could he do this? How could he lie about her like this? She always put his needs before her own. And this was how he repaid her? By cheating on her and blaming her for the divorce?

She thought back to all the times she had bailed him out, covering up his mistakes and making excuses for his incompetence.

His parents had given him a meaningless title in the company, and everyone knew it was because he wasn't capable of doing any real work.

"This is ridiculous," Cassie spat, tossing the agreement onto the bedside table. "I'm not signing this."

"Look, let's call Nolen. Let's call him. He'll be your counsel and I can come for moral support!" Cora suggested.

Cassie looked at Cora. "You know what? You're right. I do deserve better. I deserve a fair share of what I've worked for all these years."

Cora nodded in agreement. "That's right, Cassie. You've made that company what it is today. You've earned the right to walk away with something."

Cassie's jaw clenched in anger as she thought about her husband's betrayal. "Billions, Cora. We're talking billions of dollars. And he thinks he can just give me a measly million dollars and call it a day?"

Cora shook her head. "No way, Cassie. You need to fight for what's yours."

"You're right. I'm not going to let him get away with this. I'm going to fight for what I deserve."

Cassie tried calling her family attorney, Nolen, but he wasn't answering. She tried again and again, but it kept going straight to voicemail.

Cora, who had been watching her, suggested, "Why don't I call a divorce lawyer I know? She's really good and has handled a lot of high-profile cases."

Cassie looked at her uncertainly. "I don't know...I've always dealt with Nolen for family matters."

Cora shrugged. "Well, Nolen's not answering, and you need someone who can help you now. Besides, divorce lawyers are a dime a dozen in LA. Couples get divorced every day here. It's practically a thing."

Cassie hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay, go ahead and call your lawyer friend."

....

The next day, after Cassie was discharged, Cora set up a meeting with Trent on Cassie's behalf. She couldn't stand hearing the man's name.

Cassie sat calmly in the conference room with her counsel, Rachel, by her left and Cora by her right.

The door opened, and Cassie's husband, Trent, walked in with a smug look on his face. But what really caught Cassie off guard was seeing her sister - Misty, standing beside him.

"What is she doing here?" Cassie asked.

Trent smirked. "Misty is my girlfriend now. She's part of my life."

All Cassie felt was anger and humiliation. Was Trent always this cruel or was she just not observant?

How dare he bring his mistress to their meeting? It was a blatant disrespect to her and their marriage.

Cora was enraged, she took Cassie's hand. "Don't let him get to you," she whispered. "We're here to negotiate and burn a hole in Silverwood's pocket."

Cassie took a deep breath and pushed aside her emotions. She focused on the task at hand, her eyes locked on Trent. "Let's get down to business," she said coolly.

Trent smirked, seemingly pleased with himself. "I'm glad we could finally meet," he said. His voice dripped with condescension. "I'm willing to offer you a generous settlement."

With the look in Cassie's eyes she could set Trent on fire.

Rachel leaned forward, locking eyes with Trent. "Let's see what you have to offer."

Trent handed Rachel a document. "This is my offer. I think it's generous."

Cassie looked at the document. "This is a joke," she said. "I deserve more than this."

Rachel nodded. "We'll need to discuss this further. This meeting is not over."

Trent leaned back in his chair. "I'm being very generous, Cassidy. You should take it."

Cassie shook her head. "No way. I've contributed just as much to this marriage and to your business as you have. I deserve a fair share."

Rachel spoke up. "We'll need to see financial records and other documentation to determine what a fair share would be."

Trent hesitated, clearly not wanting to hand over the documents. "I'll have my lawyer send them over," he said finally.

Cassie stood up. "I want to see them now. I want to know what I'm dealing with."

Trent sighed and pulled out his phone. "Fine. I'll call my lawyer and have him bring the documents over."

Misty, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "Trent, do we have to do this now? Can't it wait?"

Trent looked at her, his expression softening. "No, it can't wait. This needs to be taken care of."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "This is ridiculous. You're more concerned with your girlfriend's feelings than with doing what's right."

Trent's expression turned angry. "Do not refer to my woman with such disrespect Cassidy."

Cora scoffed, "I am more than ready to throw hands with you Trent. You know me!"

Rachel stood up. "Let's take a break. This meeting is getting heated."

Trent was obviously not taking her seriously. He didn't even bother to bring a lawyer. His audacity shocked Cassie. A fair settlement? Generous? Who was he to use words like that on her?

"You know, Cassie, I've been thinking. You were only with me for my money, weren't you?"

Cassie's eyes widened in shock. "What? You did not just say that."

Trent sneered. "Don't lie to me. I know all about your little spending habits. You've been bleeding me dry for years."

"Is he on coke?" Cora asked. "I am not in a good mood today, stop playing."

Trent laughed. "Oh, really? Thinking back, what have you contributed, hmm? Your charm? Your beauty?"

Her cheeks burned. "How dare you."

"I dare," Trent said, rising to his feet, towering with false power. "Because I'm the one who holds the cards. My parents will back me to the end. You? You're nothing without me."

With that, Trent turned and walked out of the room.

Cassie tried calling her parents, but neither of them answered. She felt so frustrated.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Cora said, standing up.

Cassie nodded and followed Cora out of the conference room.

But just as they neared the exit, shadows fell across them-uniforms, badges, guns. Police officers swarmed in.

It was an ambush.

"Cassie Murphy, you're under arrest for embezzlement and money laundering," one of the officers said, cuffing her.

Cora shouted, struggling with the officers. "What? That's not true!"

And then, like a devil stepping from the smoke smirking. "I'm afraid it's very true, Cassie," he said, his hand in one pocket. "You see, I've been keeping track of all the 'loans' you've been taking from the company, the world will see it too. And let's just say, it's not going to look good for you."

Cassie's voice cut like glass. "You set me up."

Trent only shrugged, his smile coiled. "Just business, sweetheart. Just business."

As the officers dragged her away, Cassie's gaze locked on Trent's face.

Smug. Triumphant. Unrepentant.

And in that moment, something inside her-something deeper than rage, deeper than sorrow-began to burn.

"I'll call your parents," Cora said, already dialing the phone. "And I'll get you a lawyer. This is ridiculous."

Cassie didn't respond, her eyes fixed on Trent's smug face as she was led away.

Cassie sat in the cold, sterile holding cell. She was still in shock. How on earth did she end up here?

Being accused of embezzlement and money laundering, it was way above Trent's thinking capacity. Someone must have put him up to it.

Before she could process her thoughts further, a police officer came to escort her to an interrogation room. Cassie stood up, with her wrists still handcuffed, and followed the officer to an interrogation room.

A middle-aged man with stubble and a stern expression, was already seated in one of the chairs. "Please, sit down, Ms. Murphy," the detective said, nodding to the other chair.

"Silverwood," she corrected as she sat down, her eyes fixed on the detective. They weren't divorced yet so Silverwood was still her last name. "I want to call my lawyer," she said.

The detective nodded. "I am not aware that you are a Silverwood. I will keep referring to you as Murphy till I verify that information." He sized her for a moment, "You can call your lawyer after we're done here. But first, I need to ask you some questions."

Cassie hesitated unsure of what to do.

Just then, Rachel, Cassie's lawyer came in. "I'm so sorry I'm late, Cora just told me what happened. I tried to get here as fast as I could" Rachel said, giving Cassie a reassuring smile. "Let's get down to business."

"What happened to Nolen? And aren't you a divorce attorney?" Cassie whispered.

"Nolen was a no-show! And I have a background in criminal law. I'll be your stand-in till your attorney comes." Rachel whispered back.

Cassie nodded. "How about Cora?" she asked.

"Meeting, she said to come to her apartment after the comedy show is over."

Cassie chucked. Cora would always have her back, always.

"Very well. Let's begin." The detective nodded curtly.

He pulled out a stack of papers, which Cassie seemed to recognize. They were the audit papers from Silverwood Industries.

She sensed some foul play in the company months prior so she secretly performed an audit with the internal audit department.

What she found was shocking. That was one of the things she wanted to inform Trent about. His uncle had been stealing from the company.

The detective presented the document as evidence, Cassie realized that something was off.

"These numbers don't add up," Cassie said, frowning. "And this transaction...I never made that."

The detective smiled "I'm afraid the evidence says otherwise, Ms. Murphy."

Rachel spoke up. "I'd like to see the original documents, please."

The detective hesitated, before handing over the papers. Rachel scanned them quickly. Her expression grew increasingly concerned.

"Cassie, I think we have a problem," Rachel said quietly.

The detective leaned forward. "Here's the deal, Ms. Murphy. If you want to avoid a very public and embarrassing preliminary hearing, you'll agree to pay back the money you...ah...borrowed from the company."

Cassie's eyes widened. "That's blackmail!"

The detective shrugged. "Call it what you like. But if you don't cooperate, things are going to get very ugly, very quickly."

"We're not going to fall for this. We'll take our chances in court." Rachel said.

"Very well. Let's do it the hard way."

Cassie looked at the detective in question, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, like a puzzle piece clicking into place, Cassie realized the truth.

She had been set up.

Trent had orchestrated this entire thing. He had manipulated the audit, fabricated evidence, and convinced the detective to go along with it.

Rachel's voice broke into Cassie's thoughts. "Cassie, are you okay?"

Cassie nodded. "I'm fine," she said, defeated. "Rachel, were not going to court, ask them how much they need from me." She had no energy to fight. Cassie was exhausted.

"Twenty million dollars?" she repeated, her voice shaking. Cassie's eyes widened in shock as the detective named the amount.

The detective nodded. "That's right, Ms. Murphy. Twenty million dollars. If you pay that amount, we'll consider this matter closed, and you'll be free to go."

Cassie felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Twenty million dollars was everything she had. Her entire life savings. She had worked hard for that money, and now they were asking her to hand it over?

But what choice did she have? She couldn't afford to fight this in court, not with Trent's resources arrayed against her. And even if she did fight, there was no guarantee she'd win.

With a heavy heart, Cassie made the decision. "I'll pay it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She called her accountant who wired the money immediately.

The detective nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Very well, Ms. Murphy. We'll take care of the paperwork."

Cassie was released from custody within the hour, the charges against her dropped.

She had just been robbed of everything she had, and she knew that Trent was behind it all.

It was a setup. Trent had manipulated the system to punish her, but why? Now, Cassie was left with nothing.

She had lost everything: her reputation, her family, and her business.

Cassie wondered what Trent stood to gain by pushing her out. Did they want control of the company? Were they seeking revenge?

She also couldn't help but think about what she had done to deserve this treatment. Had she been too successful? Too independent? At this point she was too hungry to think.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Your card has been declined." The barista's voice broke her out of her reverie.

Cassie stood in line at Greenly, her favorite café, waiting to order her usual coffee and pastry. When it was her turn, she handed over her card to pay, but the barista's expression turned apologetic.

Cassie's face flushed with embarrassment as she frantically searched her purse for another card. But before she could find one, a smooth voice spoke up behind her.

"Allow me."

Cassie turned to see a tall, handsome man dressed in luxury, from his Tom Ford shoes to his Charvet shirt and bespoke suit. She recognized the designers instantly, a habit she'd developed from handling Trent's wardrobe.

But Cassie's pride kicked in, and she shook her head. "No, thank you. I've got this."

The man raised an eyebrow, clearly not used to being refused. "Are you sure? It's no trouble at all."

Cassie stood her ground, despite feeling a twinge of embarrassment. "I'm positive. Thank you, though."

"Try it again," she said to the barista, embarrassment consumed her.

The man nodded and smiled. "Suit yourself. But please make it quick, I have somewhere to be."

A feeling of unease crept over her. Had Trent done something to her accounts? Had he frozen her assets?

Cassie's face flushed with embarrassment, but she refused to give up. "It's fine," she said, digging through her purse for another card. "I have other cards."

She handed her another card. This was her father's company card.

Cassie couldn't help but make a sly remark. "I guess rich people always need to make other people feel small."

The barista looked uncomfortable, but Cassie just smiled sweetly.

Before her eyes the card declined. The barista looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, ma'am. It's still being declined."

But as the barista handed her back the second declined card, Cassie's smile began to falter.

What was going on? Why weren't any of her cards working?

Would her father abandon her like this? She didn't know, and that uncertainty scared her.

Her heart stumbled inside her like it had forgotten how to beat. A chill crept up her arms, as if the café itself had turned its back on her.

Cassie's stomach twisted as the third card was declined. A sheen of humiliation burned across her face, but she forced her chin high. Pride was the only armor she had left.

"Can this rich man pay for your coffee and go his way now?" The stranger's tone was calm, almost bored, as though her struggle was nothing more than a minor inconvenience delaying his day.

All the sound in the Cafe seemed to fade into a buzzing noise. She screamed internally.

Cassie's throat tightened. She wanted to refuse again, to claw her dignity back, but the barista's pitying glance hollowed her out.

"Yes, please," she said finally, the words like ash on her tongue.

The man handed over his black card with a flick of his wrist. His jaw was set, eyes unreadable, lips pressed into a thin line that showed neither irritation nor kindness-only distaste at having to intervene.

Cassie hated him for it.

When the barista returned his card and handed her the steaming cup, Cassie tried to reclaim her footing. "Thank you," she said, her voice clipped. "But I insist on paying you back. Can I have your card, please?"

The stranger's gaze dropped to her, slow and deliberate. "Most people just say thank you and move on." His voice was smooth, but edged with a blade she could feel. Still, he slid a card across the counter without breaking eye contact.

Cassie snatched it, needing to prove she wasn't some helpless charity case.

Before she could glance at it, the café screen lit up with the evening news.

The news anchor's voice was loud and clear, and Cassie's eyes widened as she read the headline: "Silverwood Enterprises CEO Announces Wedding to Murphy Magnolias' Only Daughter." Cassie's chest tightened as she stared at the glowing screen. The words on the news banner burned into her eyes like fire.

Cassie's heart sank, and she felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Trent was marrying her sister? It couldn't be.

Her thoughts refused to stand still; they ran wild, crashing into each other like angry waves. Questions filled her mind, each one heavier than the last. Why her sister? Why now? And why had her father left her to drown alone?

Cassie's fingers tightened around the stranger's card. It felt like the only solid thing she could hold, while everything else in her life crumbled to dust.

Her mind was reeling. What was going on? Trent. Her sister. The betrayal wrapped itself around her ribs, squeezing until she could hardly breathe.

And now, had her father cut her off?