Chapter 280
""Enough!"" Leo spoke up, his voice devoid of any softness. ""Cassie is the daughter I've failed for over twenty years. This is my house, my home, and she'll stay as long as she wants. If you and your daughter don't like it, feel free to move out.""
Vera's face went from white to red and back again. She shot Cassie a venomous look and stormed off. ""Fine. If Luna's wedding plans are affected, you'll have me to answer to.""
After that, she left in a huff.
""Dad, I didn't seduce Mr. Hernandez,"" Cassie said earnestly. She didn't care what others thought, but if Leo also believed it, she would be heartbroken and disappointment in her father.
Leo sighed. ""I believe you. It seems Mr. Hernandez mistook you for someone else. He probably detests those situations.""
Cassie looked confused, and Leo explained, ""You have to pity Joseph a bit. His mother, Mabel, was the belle of the ball. She was incredibly bright from a young age, which is how she stood out and took over the Hernandez legacy. Back in old New York, many men wanted to marry Mabel, but she was taken advantage of by Barton Banks in a shady deal and ended up pregnant, forced into a shotgun wedding.""
Cassie was taken aback, finally understanding Joseph's outrage. Was it his own similar origins that made him particularly sensitive to treatment he perceived as manipulation?
Leo continued, ""So Joseph was never the apple of Mabel's eye; she even harbored a strong dislike for him. Not long after, Mabel divorced Cameron and remarried her college sweetheart, and had another son, Liam.""
""So he's had such a tough childhood..."" Cassie murmured, her mind a whirl of complex emotions.
""Yeah, Cameron turned to the bottle every day after the divorce, while Mabel cherished her new family and adored Liam all the more. In Joseph's eyes, Liam and his father were the interlopers who broke up his home, and that's why he also resents you.""
Leo patted her head with a look of sadness. ""Cassie, I'm sorry for letting you down before.""
""Dad, it's not your fault."" It was her presence that fueled Joseph's hate.
""Dad, I think I should move out for a while to avoid conflict with Vera and Luna."" Cassie initially wanted to stand her ground against Vera, but she really didn't want to witness her ex and her half-sister getting cozy.
""No way. You've finally come back, and of course, I want to keep you close,"" Leo said anxiously, fearing she might feel neglected if she moved out. ""Our family matters are our own. If Joseph doesn't like it, we'll simply not merge with the Hernandez family.""
Cassie felt a warm, grateful glow inside. Having a father who trusted her unconditionally was a precious thing.
————
The next morning.
Knowing she wasn't welcomed, Cassie got up early to prepare for work, planning to leave before anyone else stirred. Just as she was about to step out, she saw Luna and Joseph walking toward her in the soft morning light, arm in arm. They were like an attractive couple that, in anyone's eyes, seemed perfectly matched.
Her eyes stung at the sight - were those two already so close that they shared breakfast together?
She looked down and made a beeline toward where her driver was parked.
""Hold up, Miss Brooks. It seems like you haven't learned a thing about manners after last night's episode,"" Joseph called out to her, his handsome face wearing its usual mocking expression.
Cassie, recalling Leo's revelation of his background last night, didn't want to pick a fight anymore. ""I just figured someone of my lowly status isn't fit to be in Joseph's presence. Plus, I'm on my way to the office.""
""The office?"" Luna's eyelid twitched. She blurted out without thinking, ""You're working at Chapman Enterprises?""
""No, my mom left me a small family business."" Cassie's lips curled into a smirk that wasn't quite a smile. ""Don't worry, I won't be stepping foot in Chapman Enterprises.""
Her clear, piercing eyes seemed to see right through people, making Luna snort uncomfortably. ""Of course, I'm worried. You don't know the first thing about running a business. I'm afraid you'd turn any place you walk into a complete disaster.""
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