Page 78 of Bachelor

“My mother and Christian’s mother are friends. My mom would have known—”

“The Brockfords are rather skilled at maintaining appearances,” she crooned. “And after you decided to deny Christian’s proposal and run off to graduate school, they started getting desperate. Christian got desperate, especially after you broke up with him and forced his hand with Nicole.” She waved her manicured fingers in dismissal. “However, her family is quite wealthy and I’m sure they’re totally in the dark about the Brockfords’ financial dilemma, so it’s not as bad for him as he’s been making it seem.”

“What kind of sick game have you been playing all semester?”

She looked offended, her hand flying to her chest. “Me? Oh, I’m not playing games. I got this job like everyone else.” Her smile was wicked and sharp enough to cut through glass. “The right people pulled the right strings at the right time, and now I’m here for the sole purpose of making sure you’re following the right path. And after tonight?” She glanced down the hallway behind me that led back to Rhy’s office. “I’m not entirely sure I can help you anymore.”

“I don’t need your help. If Christian or his family put you up to this, they’re going to be sorely disappointed when you get fired and I out all of you for this disgusting scheme. You’re harassing me. You’ve been harassing me since the night I met you, and you assigned me to Rhys as his TA.”

That was all part of her plan. Their plan. Her and Christian. I underestimated him. I’d always found him dull and flighty, running toward the next shiny, new thing that caught his attention.

But she was right. He was acting out of pure desperation, and it had nothing to do with wanting me back. He wanted my family’s wealth.

And my parents had no idea any of this was happening. How could they? I knew for a fact even my mother would have shut down my relationship with Christian the moment she caught wind of his scheming for our wealth.

“I will make your life a living, breathing hell if you do anything that could hurt Rhys,” I hissed through gritted teeth, each word clipped and determined. “Don’t mess with me, Cassandra.”

Her brows shot up. “I’d be careful making threats.”

“It’s not a threat, it’s a promise.” I took a step toward her and she backed up, her eyes holding my icy gaze. “Say anything, and you won’t be able to show your face on the eastern seaboard again. You father can kiss his cushy job as my family’s lawyer goodbye. He doesn’t know about this scheme, does he? Because my parents don’t.”

She paled, realizing she’d played the wrong cards.

“I am done living for others. You can kiss my ass, Cassandra. If I go down for this, I’m dragging you to hell with me.”

I shoved past her and walked with my head held high all the way back to my apartment building. I didn’t go to my own room. I pounded on Jessica’s door, praying she was home. Her door swung open and she held it wide for me to pass through the second she laid eyes on my face.

“What the hell is the matter?” she exclaimed, shutting the door firmly behind her as I sat on the edge of her bed.

“We have a serious problem.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rhys

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