CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CASSIE (AVERY)

After I bid Rosita farewell, I went back into the room to freshen up and head downstairs for dinner. The memory of her hug is still tightly held in my heart, I doubt if I'd ever forget it.

Rather than a bath, I opted for a warm shower, did my skincare, dried my hair and wore a freshly washed pair of orange two-piece pajamas.

Logan's room is my next destination, I need to check and prepare the pills he'll have after dinner. Penelope and her brother are already in the living room when I arrive downstairs. I noticed how distant she was into the world of thoughts, something was probably bothering her but it isn't my responsibility to find out, I guess.

I turned my eyes away from the scene and made my way to Logan's bedroom.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Heather's voice vibrated from the room and I screeched to a halt.

Tempted to find out whatever was happening, I stood at the door.

"Maybe I have," Logan countered.

"Why would you think of embarrassing us in the presence of Cassie? What do you mean by we haven't gotten anything for Lois—"

"Because you know what I mean, all you've ever done is make her life a living hell in this house, you've treated her like she's inexistent, like she has no significance but now Cassie arrives and you sing her praises like some god," He seethed, cutting Heather off.

"We aren't the ones who married her, are we? Wasn't that what you said to us when you brought that girl into our house and despite our disapproval, you went ahead. You married her, Logan so go ahead and buy her all the pretty things in life. Has she ever tried to reach out to us and we declined?" Evelyn asked but no reply came from Logan.

"Absolutely not," Heather answered, "She's always mute at the dinner table, a chatterbox when it comes to giving out orders to the maids,she doesn't participate in family events, she'd gladly walk past us even if we met in public. And now it's a problem, a grievous sin rather, to buy gifts for Cassie and not Lois?"

"I never said it was a sin but Cassie is just a mere visitor —"

"A visitor that would carry your child, Logan," Evelyn said.

"I haven't approved of that development. You people are so invested in making decisions concerning my life on my behalf!" Logan boomed.

"Look at the sad excuse of a wife you married on your own accord!" Heather countered with a shout.

"You will not speak of my wife that way!"

"I just told the truth, accept it or not, Logan. Cassie is a far better option for a wife and daughter in law than your precious, Lois. I'm horribly peckish, Evelyn. I'm done with this conversation,"

Alarmed, I fled for the kitchen which was only a few steps away as I went to process my emotions. My heart was racing at the speed of a running kangaroo. I can't seem to understand if it's because of the fear of almost being caught or the sudden revelation of Logan's insecurity that I was replacing the position of his wife in the family's heart.

A better wife and daughter in law? Why did they have so much trust for me in the first place? A strange pang of guilt struck my chest and I shut my eyes tightly to disperse it. I needed to get this job done as quickly as possible. Emotional attachment is the last thing that I would want now.

"Dear, is everything okay?" A familiar voice asked and I looked up to see Rosita. Only then did I realize that I had alarmed all the kitchen staff with my sudden entrance and I was currently sitting on the floor with my back against the wall and my hands grabbing a fistful of my hair. This is not good.

I couldn't give Rosita a response but rather stared at them with my mouth agape.

"Come with me, love," She said calmly, offering her hand to help me up and I reluctantly accepted. "Get back to work, it's all good," She spoke to her colleagues as she led away back to my bedroom.

When we got there,she helped me sit on the sofa then she went to get me a glass of water and returned minutes later.

"...Cassie arrives and you sing her praises like some god"

Logan's words replayed in my head concurrently.

Son of a b_tch. So much for me thinking that we had come to a truce and this would be easy, he still held a grudge against me. Shame on me for ever believing him. Since he holds his precious wife in high esteem, I would let him keep her if I find out she's in for the fortune.

I'm pretty sure she'll do anything to stay undercover and I could probably work with her to get that darn fortune and get out of here immediately. He could keep holding on to a deceitful marriage, that would no longer be my problem.

The sound of the door opening again dismissed my multiple thoughts and Rosita made her entrance minutes after with a glass of water and did the honors of locking the door behind her. I need a clean shot of vodka, that red wine is probably the closest thing to alcohol I've had since I came here.

"Thank you, " I said to her as I took the water from her hand.

"I've told the family that you'll be having your dinner here in your room, "

"Oh… I —"

"You seem too flushed to handle anything right now, do you want to talk about what happened?" Rosita asked further, sitting next to me on the sofa.

I could put her to use.

"Can I trust you, Rosita? " I answered her question with another.

"Of course, my dear, "

"You wouldn't spill anything from our conversation with anyone? "

"Why would I do such a thing?" She laughed. "I know that most sitcoms would advertise maids as gossips but I'm more of a listener than a contributor, "

I can work with that.

I adjusted my sitting position to look at her as I folded my legs on the sofa, "I need to know something regarding the Wellingtons, "