Cassidy's raw from yelling, and her voice cracked, sounding harsh. But both of them were so mad right now, neither of them noticed.
Easton locked eyes with her, his gaze flickering like a snake eyeing its prey, sending chills down her spine.
Cassidy was pinned down by Easton, unable to move. She tried to push down her fear and talk to him again.
"Easton," Cassidy called his name, hoping he'd calm down. "I've been married to Ashton all this time and haven't shown any signs of pregnancy. How can you say getting pregnant is that easy?"
Easton snorted, "That just means Ashton's sperm quality is poor!"
Cassidy felt awkward. She never thought she'd be discussing her late husband's sperm quality with her stepson in bed.
She looked at Easton helplessly. "Easton, you know my situation. I'm not in a position to get pregnant. If I do, who would believe it's Ashton's baby? A simple hospital check-up would reveal the truth."
"As long as you agree to have a child with me, I'll handle everything else," he said seriously, making Cassidy realize he wasn't joking.
"Easton, we can't decide this so quickly. It's too risky! Have you forgotten about your competitors? What if Ryder finds out?" She didn't understand why Easton had this idea and tried to change his mind.
For Cassidy, getting pregnant now would not only be risky but also a burden.
When Ashton was alive, she had dreamed of having a baby. But now that Ashton was gone, her desire for a baby had vanished.
Her priority now was to get through the next six months, elect the next head of the family, and then leave the Cooper family with the money Ashton left her.
Even though she had a deal with Easton, she knew it had an expiration date.
Cassidy looked into Easton's eyes, hoping he'd understand. But Easton just stared back, like he was ready to bite her neck. "So, you just don't believe I can protect you and our child, right?"
She had said so much, but did it make any difference? Cassidy felt helpless. "Easton, it's not about whether you can protect us or not, but I can't get pregnant right now!"
"Cassidy, do you want to have a child with Owen?" Easton stared at her intensely.
Cassidy looked at him in disbelief. Why did he always bring up Owen? She had told him many times she had nothing to do with Owen!
Cassidy finally snapped. She pushed Easton away. "Easton, what the hell are you talking about! I've told you many times, I have nothing to do with Owen! How many times do I have to say it before you believe me! Besides, we're discussing our matters now. Why do you always bring up irrelevant people!"
Easton's eyes turned terrifying, and he grabbed Cassidy's wrist tightly. "Cassidy, I'll ask you one last time, will you give me a child or not?"
Cassidy shook off his hand without hesitation. "Then I'll say it one last time too! I can't have a child with you, not now, not ever!"
Easton's face darkened, and he clenched his fists tightly. Cassidy could even see the veins bulging on his arms. He looked downright terrifying, and she just wanted to get out of there.
When she thought he might do something, he suddenly got out of bed, threw on his robe, and shot her a cold look. Without a word, his expression made it clear: he intended to make her change her mind.
Easton left the room, and Cassidy sat on the bed, feeling uneasy. She had no idea what he was planning.
Knowing there was danger but not knowing what kind, and not being able to prepare for that made Cassidy feel really uneasy. She sat there for a while, her mind a mess.
Cassidy took a deep breath, got out of bed, and found some birth control pills. Even though she didn't think she'd get pregnant, Easton's words had scared her. She had to be careful and couldn't afford any mistakes.
Cassidy's refusal had made Easton furious. For days, Easton acted like she didn't exist, and Cassidy didn't try to talk to him either.
The others in the house sensed something was off and figured they had a fight. But no one asked about it, pretending nothing had happened, until the lawyer showed up.
"Mrs. Cooper, all of Mr. Ashton Cooper's estate and funds have been confirmed. You need to sign to inherit them." The lawyer laid out all the documents, waiting for Cassidy to sign.
Cassidy looked at the terms. Even though she knew what Ashton had left her, seeing it in writing was still shocking. She hadn't been married to Ashton long, but he had left her a substantial inheritance.
Cassidy felt touched and a bit sad.
The lawyer was still waiting, so Cassidy picked up the pen to sign. Just then, Ryder burst in and stopped her. "Cassidy, you can't sign!"
"Why?" Cassidy looked at him warily, not understanding what he was up to.
Ryder sneered. He pulled out an agreement and slapped it on the table, his knuckles rapping on it forcefully. "Have you forgotten the agreement you signed back then?"
Cassidy was stunned, not remembering what he was talking about.
"Take a look yourself." Ryder's eyes were mocking. "The agreement you signed before you married into the Cooper family, remember? It clearly states you have no right to inherit anything until you give birth to an heir. Father is dead, but you haven't given birth to an heir, so you can't inherit his estate!"
Ryder was thrilled to have finally found a loophole in Cassidy's prenuptial agreement.
Cassidy looked at the agreement, and a memory surfaced. She had been forced by her father to marry into the Cooper family, and she had been deeply worried about her situation even before the wedding because Ashton's sons were all against the marriage.
She had hoped Ashton would respect their wishes and call it off, but the news of a broken engagement never came. Her worries intensified, and she even feared that one night she might die at the Cooper estate.
During that time, their constant arguments prevented them from setting a wedding date. Ashton's sons were determined to oppose the marriage, while Ashton was adamant about marrying her.