Chapter 131
""Hold on,"" Joseph Hernandez said, tossing a set of keys and a card onto the table. ""I've moved to a new villa. Here are the keys, and that card is the same one you've used for household purchases.""
Cassie was taken aback. ""Why the sudden move?""
""Dakota had his third litter. We needed more space, somewhere with a yard for them to soak up the sun,"" Joseph added casually.
Cassie: ...
Life felt exhausting. To think, being a cat was preferable—no cooking, just living in a mansion designed for the elite.
""Don't be envious. Stick with me, and you can have this life,"" said Joseph, his lips curling slightly. After all, he was done playing the field and if she stayed loyal, maybe, just maybe, she could permanently fill the role of his wife.
And a future remarriage after their inevitable divorce? Too much of a hassle for him.
""Oh,"" Cassie muttered sarcastically under her breath. She had no intention of being his lifelong kitchen-bound handmaid. She planned to work her fingers to the bone, pay off the four hundred million, and be rid of him. ""I’ll move in a couple of days.""
""No, you'll move now. I want to see you there when I get home from work,"" Joseph insisted, frowning deeply. ""This lawsuit is tough. If you don't eat and sleep well, it might just cost us the win.""
""Fine, I'll move right away,"" Cassie forced a smile.
---
After leaving the law firm, she immediately went to pack up her things at Laura Miller's place.
Following lunch and before moving, Laura handed her a small box with a teasing grin. ""Take care of yourself, don't get pregnant.""
Cassie threw the box away as if it were hot coals and flushed with embarrassment. ""Are you serious right now? Buying that kind of stuff?""
""Hey, it was meant for me initially. Thought something would happen the night Benjamin stayed over, but then he had to leave suddenly,"" Laura shrugged. ""If you don't want to use it, fine. But don’t blame me if you end up pregnant.""
After a moment's thought, Cassie pocketed the box despite her embarrassment.
Even though Cassie harbored some doubts about whether Joseph Hernandez would even notice her, there lingered a flicker of hope.
Shortly after, she drove to the villa.
The two-story, palatial mansion that Joseph Hernandez had purchased was situated on a sprawling estate boasting vast lawns, the villa itself, and a courtyard.
Upon her arrival, Dakota came bounding over with three kittens in tow.
Cassie picked up a pure white kitten and was immediately smitten—so endearing it was.
""Are you Miss Brooks? I'm the housekeeper here,"" a woman in her fifties approached, introducing herself.
Cassie was momentarily taken aback but quickly rationalized it—it was perfectly normal for such a grand house to have a housekeeper. If all the chores fell to her, she'd turn into a frazzled housewife within three years.
""Let me show you to your room,"" the housekeeper said, leading her upstairs and opening a door to announce, ""This is your room.""
""Oh, okay, thank you.""
Cassie was pleasantly surprised. The bedroom was enormous, akin to a master suite, immaculately tidy with the bed already made—it was a far cry from the luxury of her previous stay in Emerald Bay.
""The towels and toothbrush are all prepared for you. Let me know if you need anything else,"" the housekeeper reminded her before leaving.
Alone, Cassie began arranging her skincare products on the vanity. Opening a drawer, she found a hairdryer as well. She marveled at the housekeeper's thoughtfulness—the room was so cozy with the heated floors switched on that she abandoned the idea of unpacking her clothes.
It felt more like the cusp of spring inside than winter, inducing a lazy, sleepy comfort. In the afternoon quiet, she changed into a light nightgown and slipped under the soft blankets, immediately soothed by a familiar scent. The mattress was so comfortable, and the coverlet light and warm. With the recent stress of the lawsuit causing her to suffer from insomnia, now, without worries, she quickly cleared her mind and fell asleep...
............"
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