Neptune

Chapter 65 | The Betrayal

L U K E

Two years ago

I'd never realized how much my brain could hold until it was forced to keep functioning despite all the problems and pressures shoved into it.

And I'd never known how much strength my body had until my heart had to keep beating despite countless days without rest due to overwork.

I didn't say that it was healthy—it definitely was not. However, what did I expect when I was trying to build my family's business back from ruins?

With this rate, I was almost close to bringing Klein Enterprise into its safe zone, and if I was lucky, I might be able to finish my mission five years after its bankruptcy.

Just like any other night before this, I stepped into my home office right after I got home from work. I was working nonstop.

Even when I reached home, the first thing that I looked for was my desk. I still had to review some sales agreements—I hadn't managed to do so in the office due to the tight meeting schedules.

I tossed my suit onto the nearby couch and settled myself at my desk, turning on my laptop.

A smile touched my lips as my eyes dropped to the magazine on my desk. It had Cassie on the cover page, her perfect smile and enchanting chocolate eyes staring back at me.

Every day, Langston would place here the latest magazine or newspaper that had Cassie in it, making me feel like I was a creepy dude.

I didn't ask for it, but since Langston knew the story about us, she couldn't help but try to remind me why I shouldn't give up despite all the hardships that I was facing.

She'd noticed that I'd changed after my trip to Hallstatt five years ago—I'd become more driven.

I flipped through the pages of the magazine and read Cassie's interview about her latest album. I read every word and sighed, relieved that she was doing good.

I'd always believed that she would become someone big in the music industry, and indeed, she'd become a superstar, just as I'd predicted.

I could see her everywhere now, and it helped because I missed her, but it didn't make me long for her any less.

I grabbed the remote on my desk and turned on the TV. I'd decided to check the entertainment news tonight before I resumed my work.

Perhaps, they would talk about her. When the entertainment newscaster gossiped about the latest Victoria's Secret fashion show, I lost my interest and shifted my attention back to my laptop.

After a while, whoever delivered the news changed the topic, and when I heard Cassie's name, I looked up again.

I was sipping my coffee when they talked about her recent trip to Maldives with Jude Scott, and I instantly spit my coffee, standing up.

My eyes widened as they showed the latest picture of her and Jude all lovey-dovey at the beach, Cassie wearing a bikini and Jude wearing boardshorts.

I felt like my heart stopped beating.

What the fuck?

The newscaster's voice echoed in my ears as she talked to her partner, "Who would have thought that Cassie and Jude would become official? What a lovely couple. Oh, Bryce, I'm so happy for them. Look at them. They look so happy. What a perfect couple."

"I, on the contrary, have expected this big reveal, Rose. Most of their fans have already predicted this. Haven't you seen all those Instagram fan accounts who ship them?"