The pier was silent again. The fog coiled around the wooden planks like smoke, swallowing the sound of Jaden and Lydia's retreating footsteps. Cassandra stood still, watching their shadows vanish into the mist. Then, slowly, the smile returned — sharper now, colder.
"Run as much as you want, Jaden," she murmured, her voice soft but venom-laced. "You can't outrun the truth."
She turned on her heel, her black coat sweeping around her legs like a dark flame. A figure emerged from behind one of the fishing crates — a tall man in a gray suit, face half-hidden beneath a hood.
"They're gone," he said quietly.
"I can see that," Cassandra replied dryly, adjusting her gloves. "But that was the point."
The man frowned. "You let them escape?"
Cassandra gave a low, humorless laugh. "Of course I did. The real hunt hasn't even started."
She walked toward the edge of the dock, looking down at the dark water. The faint reflection of her face wavered with the ripples — a distorted version of herself that somehow felt more honest than the calm mask she usually wore.
"Do you have any idea what it's like," she whispered, "to lose everything because of someone like him?"
The man said nothing.
Cassandra turned to him, eyes flashing. "He ruined my family. My father's company. He played the markets, forged signatures, and left us in debt so deep that my mother…" Her voice caught, and she clenched her fists. "My mother didn't survive it."
The man looked away, his jaw tightening.
Cassandra took a deep breath, regaining her composure. The cold wind lifted her hair as she continued, her tone now calm — deadly calm.
"So, yes, I let them run. Because I want Lydia to see exactly who Jaden really is. I want her to look into his eyes and see the same monster I saw when everything I loved fell apart."
She turned, walking toward a sleek black car parked a few meters away.
The man followed. "And if she doesn't believe you?"
"Oh, she will," Cassandra said, slipping into the car with a smirk. "Jaden will make sure of it. Guilt always finds a way to expose itself."
The engine roared to life, headlights slicing through the mist. As the car pulled away, Cassandra's phone buzzed. She picked it up, scanning the message that appeared on her screen:
UNKNOWN: It's done. The next phase begins tomorrow.
Cassandra's lips curved. "Perfect."
She tilted her head against the seat, her voice dropping to a murmur. "Enjoy your last bit of peace, Jaden. Because soon, Lydia will see the truth — and when she does…"
Her eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"…you'll finally know what it feels like to lose everything".