The room felt like it could shatter under the weight of silence.
Lydia stood frozen, her back pressed against the wall, eyes darting between Jaden and Cassandra.
Cassandra's smirk never wavered. "You're faster than I expected," she said, her voice calm, taunting. "Guess you still care about her more than you admit."
Jaden didn't answer. His jaw clenched tight, the muscles in his arm tense as his hand curled into a fist.
"Put it down," he said quietly, nodding toward the small silver pistol Cassandra held lazily by her side. "This doesn't have to end like last time."
Lydia's breath hitched. Last time?
Cassandra laughed. It wasn't the laughter of someone amused—it was hollow, bitter, cracked with old pain.
"Still pretending you're the hero, Jaden? Tell her the truth. Tell her what you did."
"Cassandra, don't."
"Oh, but I will."
Her gaze turned toward Lydia, eyes glinting. "You really think he's the man you've fallen for? The man who saves people?" She took a slow step closer. "He destroyed me. He took everything I had — and then pretended he didn't know me."
Lydia's heart dropped. "What is she talking about?" she whispered, looking at Jaden.
He didn't answer right away. His eyes, once so steady, flickered with something Lydia had never seen before — guilt.
Cassandra's voice softened, venom laced in every word.
"Three years ago, I wasn't like this. I was his partner. His equal. We ran a firm together — investments, stocks, private deals. Until one night, a deal went wrong, and he threw me to the wolves to save himself."
"That's not how it happened!" Jaden snapped, stepping forward. "You betrayed me first, Cass. You sold confidential files to our rivals and cost innocent people their futures. I had to expose you."
"You exposed me because I found out your secret!" she shouted, tears flashing now behind her anger. "You were laundering money for a man you swore you'd never work with again — your father!"
The words hit Lydia like a slap.
Her eyes widened. "Your… father?"
Jaden froze. For a moment, his carefully built wall cracked. He looked at Lydia — the pain in his eyes said everything.
"Yes," he whispered. "I did it. I worked for him once… to save my company from collapsing. It was a mistake I've been paying for ever since."
Cassandra tilted her head, almost tenderly. "And now you see, Lydia. The man you trust — he's as cold as the empire he built. You're just another piece in his redemption story."
Lydia's pulse thundered in her ears.
"Stop," she said, shaking her head, tears threatening to spill. "You're both lying… you're both—"
But before she could finish, Cassandra lifted the gun.
"I'm done talking."
Jaden moved before she could pull the trigger — tackling her to the floor. The weapon clattered across the marble as the two struggled, the sound of fists, gasps, and broken glass filling the apartment.
Lydia screamed, running to grab the gun — but as her fingers brushed it, a single shot rang out.
Silence.
Then — Cassandra gasped, clutching her shoulder. The bullet had grazed her.
Jaden stood over her, chest heaving, blood trickling from a cut on his face.
"Get out," he said through clenched teeth.
Cassandra looked up at him, then at Lydia, a haunting smile curving her lips.
"You think this ends here?" she whispered. "You don't know half of what he's done."
And then, limping, she stumbled toward the door and disappeared into the night.
---
Lydia turned to Jaden. "Tell me she's lying," she said quietly, her voice breaking.
But Jaden just stood there, eyes dark, silent — the truth heavy in the air.
He didn't have to answer.
She already knew.