He even chartered a private jet to satisfy my casual wish to see the northern lights.
I, naive, believed that the outpouring of love once overflowing for Linnea had finally shifted to me.
Yet now I realized—what I received was merely the remains that fell from Linnea’s grasp.
Cassius would lavish me with extravagant gifts but had never taken the time to prepare a single meal himself.
My brothers could order a hundred-thousand-dollar wedding dress without a fleck of hesitation, yet never once inquired about my desires for the wedding or honeymoon.
All the genuine affection belonged solely to Linnea.
When Cassius caught sight of me, a frown marred his brow. He pulled me aside firmly, “Hazel, don’t mention the marriage in front of Linnea again. She’s unwell, and we’ve chosen to grant her wish for the wedding of her dreams. I told her we never registered our marriage three years back.”
My heart sank, a chill creeping in. “Is it truly about fulfilling her… or merely a convenience for you?”
“Remember, you took Linnea’s rightful place!” Cassius’s tone was soft but firm. “You should be more understanding. This is transitory; my wife will always be you.”
I struggled to find my voice when Linnea suddenly entered the kitchen.
“Hazel…” she purred sweetly, her voice honeyed. “You’re not upset by my return, are you? Thank you for caring for Cassius and my brothers over these past three years. It’s such a relief you never registered your marriage… No offense intended. Let’s be friends, shall we?”
My spine went rigid, sensing doom with each of her smiles.
As I had feared, her sleeve twitched slightly, and a large black spider emerged.
With its eight legs creeping along her wrist, it approached me like a malicious greeting.
Panic seized me. After an earlier incident where Linnea had locked me in with spiders throughout the night, I struggled to breathe.
“It’s perfectly tame,” Linnea insisted with a disarming smile. “Come say hello to Hazel.”
Terror tightened around my throat. With a scream, I instinctively pushed her away.
Linnea stumbled, hitting the ground.
“Hazel, why did you do that?” Tears pooled in her eyes, and her voice trembled with apparent fear. “Do you truly despise my return?”
“You’re being ridiculous—”
Before I could respond, Cassius’s expression soured, his demeanor icy. “Hazel, what are you thinking? She’s sick and you laid your hands on her?”
He shoved me, and I collided against the stove.
The pot of scalding soup tipped, its boiling contents splattering down my back.
In that instant, it felt as if my skin were being seared alive, the heat penetrating painfully deep into my bones.