Chapter 174 Chapter 174
Cassandra sat on the edge of her bed, her face buried in her palms. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, filling the silence of the dimly lit room. Her heart was racing — not from fear, but from anger.
The memory of Nathaniel’s words from the night before replayed in her head. “It was the worst choice of my life.”
She clenched her fists.
“Worst choice?” she hissed under her breath. “After everything I’ve done for you?”
Her eyes flashed with fury. For years, she had stood by Nathaniel — cleaned up his mess, managed his image, and even turned her back on everyone else for him. And now, all he could think about was Savannah.
She stood up and began pacing the room.
“No… no, I won’t let you destroy me,” she said to herself, her voice trembling with anger. “If I can’t have you or the company, then no one will.”
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She stared at it for a few seconds before picking it up.
A cold smile formed on her lips as she dialed a number she hadn’t called in years.
The phone rang twice before a deep voice answered, “Who’s this?”
“It’s me,” Cassandra said, her tone sharp but low.
There was a pause. “Cassandra? Well, well… I never thought you’d call again. What’s wrong, darling? Need someone to disappear?”
“Something like that,” she said with a smirk. “I need a job done. Quietly. No traces.”
The man laughed, his voice dark and rough. “You haven’t changed a bit. What’s the target?”
“His name is Nathaniel Steele,” she said coldly. “CEO of Steele Enterprises. I want it to look like an accident.”
The man whistled softly. “You want your own man dead? That’s cold, Cass.”
Her expression didn’t change. “He’s no longer my man. He’s a problem.”
The man chuckled. “Alright then. I’ll handle it. But this kind of job doesn’t come cheap.”
“Money isn’t the problem,” she said quickly. “I’ll pay whatever it takes. Just make sure it’s done clean.”
“Fine,” the man replied. “You know my rules — half now, half when it’s done.”
“Deal.”
She hung up and dropped the phone on the table, exhaling deeply. Her hands were trembling slightly, but she brushed the feeling off.
The anger inside her had become something darker — something deadly.
She walked toward her mirror, staring at her reflection. Her eyes looked wild, desperate, and consumed by greed.
“You pushed me to this, Nathaniel,” she whispered. “You should’ve just loved me. You should’ve given me everything.”
A knock on the door made her freeze. She quickly composed herself and opened it slightly.
Vanessa stood there, holding a cup of coffee. “You’ve been locked in here all morning. Are you okay?”
Cassandra forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just tired.”
Vanessa looked suspicious. “You sure? You look… different.”
“I said I’m fine,” Cassandra snapped. Then, realizing how harsh she sounded, she softened her voice. “Sorry, I didn’t sleep well.”
Vanessa sighed and placed the cup on the table. “Don’t stress too much, Cass. The business dinner is in two days. Just… be calm, okay?”
“I will,” Cassandra said sweetly.
When Vanessa left, Cassandra locked the door and took her phone again. She scrolled through her contacts until she found the name she had saved years ago — Rico.
Her thumb hovered over the name, and she smiled wickedly.
“Let the game begin,” she whispered, pressing call.
As the line connected, her heart steadied. There was no turning back now.
Somewhere deep inside, a small voice tried to whisper that she was making a mistake — but Cassandra had buried her conscience long ago.
In her mind, Nathaniel’s death was the only way to secure everything she ever wanted.