Richard’s face was dark and brooding—he clearly sided with the final decision made by Alexander. Thinking back on how he’d questioned Cassandra so harshly earlier, guilt tugged at him. He shot a cold, unreadable glance toward his wife and stepdaughter, then silently stood up and left the room.
“No, I didn’t... I swear…” Vera broke down, covering her face with her hands as tears streamed down. “Grandma, I’m telling the truth... I didn’t lie...”
In that instant, she finally realized—Cassandra was her curse.
In the tangled web of the Taylor family, she and Cassandra were like twin flowers on one stem—fated to bloom in opposition. Only one could shine; the other was doomed to wither away.
Lillian clenched her fists tightly, furious but too afraid to lash out. This whole mess was
