The dim light from Cassandra's penthouse shimmered against the glass walls, casting long shadows across the marble floor. The city glittered beneath her feet — a kingdom she believed she deserved. She stood by the window, swirling a glass of red wine, her reflection smiling back with quiet satisfaction.
Her plan was working.
Lydia was confused. Jaden was restless. And soon, both of them would fall exactly where she wanted them — apart, broken, and easy to control.
On her desk lay a file — thick with photographs, documents, and transcripts. Every page was a weapon. There was one photo she lingered on: Lydia, standing beside Jaden in front of his car, laughing, her eyes filled with that same warmth Cassandra used to crave.
Her jaw tightened.
"That should've been me," she whispered.
She remembered the night Jaden ended things with her — the look in his eyes, cold, decisive, final. He had said he wanted peace. But Cassandra didn't believe in peace. Only power.
A soft knock broke her thoughts.
"Come in," she said smoothly.
A man in a black suit stepped in, his expression unreadable. "The tracker's active. Her phone's location matches the address you gave. She hasn't noticed a thing."
"Good," Cassandra replied. "Keep watching her. The moment she contacts Jaden again, I want to know."
The man nodded and left. Cassandra set her wine down and walked toward a digital board glowing beside her desk — strings of data, phone logs, and messages connecting Lydia's name to Jaden's. The more she stared, the more she saw control forming in her hands like an elegant symphony.
She smiled — not out of joy, but revenge.
Jaden thought he could forget her. Lydia thought she could replace her.
Both were wrong.
Then she opened a small drawer and pulled out a diamond bracelet — one that used to belong to her. She ran her fingers over it before whispering to herself, "Let's see how long you can keep smiling, Lydia."
The bracelet clicked shut around her wrist, gleaming like the symbol of a war that had just begun.