Chapter 86 Cassidy, Do You Really Owe Me Nothing?
Arabella reached out and took the invitation from Cassidy's hand.
Her voice was calm. "Since you're so enthusiastically inviting me, I'll accept it."
Arabella didn't believe a single word about this being Anthony's idea.
Anthony was already disgusted with her to the extreme—how could he possibly want to see her at such an important occasion as his wedding to Cassidy?
She could pretty much guess Cassidy's intentions—nothing more than trying to provoke and disgust her. But if she actually accepted the invitation and showed up at their wedding, who knew who would end up provoked and disgusted.
Cassidy stared in shock as Arabella pocketed the invitation. She'd expected Arabella to fly into a rage, to argue and fight with her—ideally even get physical so she could show Anthony how crude and shrewish Arabella was.
She still had lingering feelings for Anthony, didn't she? Otherwise, what normal woman would accept her ex-husband's wedding invitation?
Cassidy felt sick to her stomach as she bit her lip. "Arabella, are you challenging me?"
Arabella laughed. "You came to give me an invitation, saying you and Anthony both hoped I could witness your happiness in person. I accepted the invitation as you suggested—how is that challenging you?"
Cassidy's eyes reddened with grievance as she choked out, "Arabella, I know you've always resented me for taking Tony away. It's natural that you can't let go of such an outstanding man.
But love doesn't follow a first-come-first-served basis. Tony loves me. Besides, even if it did, I came first, Arabella. I don't owe you anything—you have no right to blame me."
Arabella looked at her for a long moment before saying, "Love may not follow a first-come-first-served basis, but it should at least involve basic decency and shame. It's true that you and Anthony knew and loved each other first, but when I was dating him, you two had already broken up. When I married him, you weren't by his side.
"My marriage was moral and legal. It was you who forced your way between us, you who destroyed my marriage by having an affair with him while he was married, and then out of spite toward me, you used my stepbrother's situation to make things difficult for me. Ms. Sanders, do you really not owe me anything?"
Cassidy stared at her steadily. "You do resent me for taking Tony away. But Tony and I truly love each other—he never loved you."
Arabella smiled softly and shook her head. "You still don't understand what I'm saying. How you two love each other is none of my business. But Anthony could have told me everything honestly, divorced me first, then been with you—but he didn't. You could have waited until after his divorce to get involved with him—but you didn't either.
"Ms. Sanders, I'm telling you this not because I'm unwilling to accept it, not because I resent you, and certainly not because I have lingering feelings for him. I wouldn't want a man who cheats during marriage, no matter how good he is.
"I just want you to know that I stepped aside to make way for you two. You're the ones lacking in character, violating social norms. Your subconscious treatment of me as an enemy, repeatedly emphasizing that you don't owe me anything, is really unnecessary. Because it makes you look pitiful."
Cassidy clenched her fists tightly, nails digging into her palms as she struggled to suppress the emotions churning inside her.
Pitiful? Arabella actually called her pitiful? What a joke!
What right did Arabella have to call her pitiful? Anthony had firmly chosen her, she hadn't been rejected by the entire Watson family, she hadn't been thrown out!
Arabella was the pitiful one!
She refused to admit it, couldn't accept that a woman Anthony had abandoned could so calmly and sharply point out all the key issues.
She didn't owe Arabella anything. She wasn't wrong. She was just pursuing her own love—why should that make her morally deficient?
Cassidy felt something metallic and sweet in her throat. After suppressing it several times, she glared angrily at Arabella. "All this talk just proves you still haven't gotten over Tony, doesn't it? Arabella, no matter how eloquent you are, you can't change the fact that Tony chose me, not you. No matter how hard you try, you'll never have him again."
Arabella looked at Cassidy with amusement. She thought she'd been clear enough, but Cassidy's reaction made her realize that some people only wanted to live in their own world and couldn't hear a word of truth.
She didn't want to waste more words on Cassidy, so she just smiled. "Think whatever you want. Either way, I wish you both happiness."
With that, she turned to leave. As she passed a trash can, she stopped and looked at Cassidy. "You're insecure about your relationship and desperately trying to find validation from me, but I don't think you'd really want me at your wedding. So I'll take the invitation, but I won't attend."
She tossed the invitation into the trash can.
Cassidy burst into tears, digging her nails into her palms until they were sticky with blood before slowly releasing her grip.
Arabella, why do you have to humiliate me like this? Wouldn't it be better to just stay away after the divorce? You're just an ex-wife—why do you keep inserting yourself between Anthony and me?
Just then, her phone rang. She glanced at it and answered, her voice returning to its usual gentleness. "Hello, Sawyer."
Sawyer's voice sounded tense. "Cassie, I heard you're marrying Anthony?"
Cassidy smiled shyly. "Yes, Sawyer. Tony and I are getting married. You'll come, won't you?"
Sawyer was quiet for a moment before saying with difficulty, "Of course... I'll go. I'll witness your happiness in person..."
He hesitated, then struggled to say, "I heard you're pregnant... that night we..."
Cassidy's expression changed, cutting him off sharply. "Sawyer, watch your words! There's nothing between us. Those photos that day were taken by someone with ulterior motives. We both understand that, don't we?"
"Yes, I know..." Sawyer sounded dejected. "I didn't mean anything by it, Cassie. I'm happy you can be happy. Don't worry, I absolutely won't tell anyone..."
"Sawyer!" Cassidy quickly interrupted. "I... I have things to do. Let me hang up."
"Okay." Sawyer forced a smile. "Cassie, I'll definitely attend your wedding. I'll tell everyone that the Tucker family is your family—with me there, the Watson family won't dare mistreat you."
Cassidy's voice softened. "Alright, thank you, Sawyer."
After hanging up, her expression darkened as she bit her lip and hailed a taxi.
Returning to Watson Villa, she saw the familiar car parked outside and felt a surge of joy—Anthony was home!
She hurried inside, and before she even entered, she heard Jennifer's sharp voice: "What's going on? They're already divorced—why hasn't that bitch withdrawn her adoption application? Why are process notifications still being sent to Watson Villa? What is Arabella trying to do?"
The name "Arabella" made Cassidy instinctively stop. She frowned—adoption application? Arabella wanted to adopt a child?
Then came Anthony's calm voice: "Mom, the decision to adopt was something she and I made together. She probably forgot to remove my information after the divorce. I'll call the orphanage later."
Jennifer remained acidic: "I think she's up to no good! A barren woman who can't have children—fine, let her adopt. The Watson family has an heir now. What's her point? Is she cursing Cassie's baby to not be born?"
Cassidy's body stiffened as she instinctively touched her belly.
She understood now—Arabella couldn't have children. Before their divorce, she and Anthony had applied to adopt a child together. Now that they were divorced, Arabella still wanted to adopt with Anthony.
And she claimed to have no lingering attachment to Anthony? Arabella was quite the actress. If she hadn't overheard this, she might have been fooled.
Clearly trying to maintain ties with Anthony through the adopted child while putting on airs of nobility—Arabella, how hypocritical!
Cassidy was about to enter when she heard Anthony say, "Mom, Arabella is too kind. She originally wanted to adopt for my sake. Now that we're divorced, the child wouldn't be much use to her, but she hasn't canceled the application because she doesn't want to disappoint the child. Say less about it."
Cassidy instinctively gripped her clothes.
In the living room, Jennifer's tone grew harsh with anger: "Anthony, you're becoming more and more unreasonable! She was married into the Watson family for two years without a single sign of pregnancy. Isn't it natural to find ways to continue the family line? What kindness—she was clearly trying to consolidate her position!
You think she's adopting that child out of goodness? Let me tell you—she couldn't have children with you, and she can't have them with her lover either! She's preparing in advance!"
Cassidy took a deep breath and walked in, smiling. "Mrs. Watson, Tony, what are you talking about?"
Jennifer was still angry. Seeing Cassidy made her even more irritated as she scolded coldly, "Where have you been now? I told you this morning I wanted warm pear soup—warm pear soup! Where's the soup you made? You're already this lazy before even marrying in!"
Cassidy bit her lip in embarrassment, struggling to keep tears from falling. "Mrs. Watson, I went out to buy pears, but I searched several supermarkets and couldn't find any..."
Jennifer glared at her. "Couldn't find any? You think I'm stupid? You just don't want to make it for me—you went out to slack off!"
Cassidy's eyes filled with tears as she looked pitifully at Anthony. "Tony, I'm really not what your mother says..."
Anthony looked at Jennifer calmly. "Mom, that's enough. Cassie is pregnant—don't torment her."
The more Cassidy involved Anthony, the more Jennifer hated her. 'You little bitch, not even married in yet and already turning my son against his mother—even more arrogant than Arabella!'
Since Anthony had spoken up, Jennifer knew that if she continued making things difficult for Cassidy, the woman might say something to her son later. She grudgingly accepted this loss.
So what? This was her Watson family. No matter how much Anthony protected this little bitch, he spent most of his time at the company anyway.
She'd have plenty of opportunities to deal with Cassidy!
With this thought, Jennifer just shot Cassidy a cold look before returning to her room.
Cassidy walked over to Anthony, saying with some guilt and unease, "Tony, your mother seems really angry with me. Should I go out and look again? If I don't make the warm pear soup, she'll definitely blame me."
Anthony's voice softened. "No need to make it. That's just her temperament. In the future, when she asks you to do something, just have the servants do it—don't worry about her. You're pregnant and need to take care of yourself."
"Okay." Cassidy looked at him with deep affection, tears in her eyes. "Tony, it feels like a dream that I'm about to marry you. Soon, I'll be your legal wife, and no one will be able to separate us again."
Anthony froze.
It seemed like someone had said something similar to him before.
It was on his and Arabella's wedding night.
She wore her wedding dress, sitting on their marriage bed, and when she saw him enter, she blushed.
When he held her in his arms, she said, "Anthony, we're husband and wife from now on. It feels like a dream. From now on, we'll work hand in hand to build our little home together, and no one will be able to separate us."
And he had solemnly agreed.
That promise had been as serious as an oath. He didn't know why, when marrying her had been merely expedient, he'd made such a solemn commitment—so earnest that he'd almost believed it himself.
Arabella's smile surfaced in his mind, and he suddenly realized he'd taken some things too much for granted these past two years. Every time he turned around, she'd been standing behind him, looking at him with a bright smile. Every time he saw that smile, he'd felt something indescribable.
He'd thought marrying Cassidy would give him the same feeling, but even now, he couldn't find it.
That feeling of peace and tranquility from just one glance—no matter how exhausted he was outside, seeing her would instantly make him feel relaxed and at ease.
"Tony, Tony!" Seeing the dazed expression on Anthony's face, Cassidy's alarm bells went off as she called to him. "Tony, what's wrong?"
Anthony was pulled from his memories, feeling oddly irritated. He forced a smile at Cassidy. "I was thinking about our wedding, how beautiful you'll look walking toward me in your wedding dress."
Cassidy's face lit up with a shy smile as she leaned gently against him. "Tony, you don't know how happy I am to marry you."
Anthony gently stroked her shoulder, saying distractedly, "Me too. I'm very lucky to marry you."
After a moment, he gently pushed Cassidy away, saying tenderly, "I still have some work to do. I'll spend time with you later."
With that, he turned and went upstairs to his study.
Cassidy watched his retreating figure, biting her lip. Was Arabella kind and loving? It was just adopting a child—what was so difficult about that?
She lowered her eyes, hiding the emotions within them.