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It happened too fast, too sudden, too real. Cassy was reviewing documents when the call came in, sharp, urgent, unusual.
"Miss Williams—" Adrian's voice came through, tighter than usual, "we have a situation."
Cassy stood immediately. "What kind of situation?"
A pause. Then, "Media."
That was all it took, her chest tightened. "Where?" she asked quickly.
"Downstairs."
Of course, Cassy didn't wait, she moved, fast. By the time she reached the lobby, everything had already started, cameras, lights, voices overlapping and right in the center of it is Veronica.
Cassy stopped just for a second because this wasn't subtle anymore.
"Veronica Hale, is it true the engagement was broken unfairly?"
"Were you financially harmed?"
"Is Caleb Garcia refusing to settle?"
Questions flew, relentless and Veronica, she stood there calmly, collected, prepared. "Yes," she said clearly. That single word echoed.
Cassy felt it hit hard.
"I trusted him," Veronica continued, her voice steady, controlled. "But some decisions have consequences."
There it was, not loud, not emotional but powerful and dangerous.
Cassy stepped forward.
"Miss Williams—!" Adrian called after her but she didn't stop because someone had to.
"Veronica." The name cut through the noise, everything paused just for a second.
Veronica turned and smiled. "Ah," she said softly, "there you are."
Cassy held her gaze. "This isn't the place," she said calmly.
Veronica tilted her head. "Isn't it?" she replied. A pause. Then, "I think it's exactly the place."
The cameras shifted, now focused on Cassy and that changed everything.
"Who is she?" someone asked.
"Are you involved with Mr. Garcia?"
"Is she the reason—?"
"Enough." That voice, Caleb. The crowd shifted again and there he was walking straight through it, no hesitation, no pause just control.
He stopped beside Cassy, not in front, not behind, beside her and that alone said something. "This is a private matter," Caleb said firmly.
"No," Veronica replied calmly. "It became public the moment you broke the agreement."
Silence.
Tension snapped tighter, Cassy felt it, the weight, the pressure, the attention but she didn't step back, not this time.
Caleb glanced at her briefly just for a second and in that second something shifted again. "Let's go upstairs," he said quietly to her.
Cassy nodded once, they turned together but before they could leave—
"Veronica, one last question!" a reporter called, she paused then looked directly at Cassy. "Is she worth it?" the reporter asked.
Silence. Everything stopped, Cassy's breath caught because that question wasn't just for Veronica, it was for him.
Caleb didn't hesitate. "Yes." One word, clear, unshaken and that changed everything. The cameras flashed, voices rose again but Cassy didn't hear any of it because that one word, that one answer, stayed and for the first time the chaos around them didn't matter.
Only that, only him, only what he chose and he chose her in front of everyone without hesitation , without fear and suddenly this wasn't just complicated anymore.
It was undeniable.