Chapter 1381: We’re not giving them that

"Cassandra, I am so sorry that even you have to experience this," Mrs. Davis expressed sincerely, clasping Cassandra’s hand tightly. "Finn is not in his right mind, so... I hope you can extend your patience for me."

Cassandra smiled weakly, nodding. "I understand, Auntie. However, I will have to stay away from him for the time being. After all, I know him, and if he says to stay out of his life, I have to—no matter how much it hurts."

"Don’t worry," Mrs. Davis reassured her with a nod. "I won’t let this slide. Not after I found out that woman’s true colors."

Cassandra pressed her lips together, swallowing the tension rising in her throat. "Auntie, please don’t tell Finn that I was the one who told you about that incident. He will hate me."

"Of course." Mrs. Davis mused. "I will protect you. It’s the least I can do after you helped me see what kind of witch that woman really was, hiding behind that angelic face."

"Thank you, Auntie."

Mrs. Davis smiled warmly, squeezing Cassandra’s hand reassuringly. Cassandra returned the smile, her appreciation evident.

---

Later...

"Pfft—" Cassandra stifled her laughter in the backseat as her vehicle slowly pulled away from the residence. Her muffled giggles grew louder and louder, as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

After a while, she leaned back, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Her eyes gleamed with malice as she recalled the look on Mrs. Davis’s face. While Finn’s mother was generally generous, she could be ruthless when necessary. And after learning what Nina had done in the past? There was no way Mrs. Davis would hold back.

There was no way the Davis family would let Finn marry Nina. Or rather, let Nina marry into their family and gain control over their wealth, reputation, and everything else. The Davis family would never accept such a woman—no matter how extreme the measures needed to stop the marriage.

"Don’t blame me for being cruel," she whispered, setting her sharp gaze on the window. "You’re the one who chose this, Finn."

A wicked glint flickered in her eyes as she stared at her own reflection, her smirking, sinister counterpart mocking her.

’You hate me so much, don’t you?’ she mused darkly, laughing under her breath. ’Then I’ll give you even more reason to hate me. I’ll show you what crazy really is.’

They would not live happily.

Cassandra would make sure of that.

---

Meanwhile...

Nina could barely sit still in her chair, conflicted as she mustered her courage. She kept glancing toward her boss’s office, sighing for what felt like the hundredth time.

’I know I told Finn I’d drop the project,’ she thought anxiously. ’But this is the second project I’ve dropped in a month. My boss won’t be happy about it.’

Yet, deep down, Nina couldn’t bring herself to work with Cassandra anymore. Even if she forced herself, she just couldn’t—not after Cassandra deceived her, pretended to be a friend, only to stab her in the back.

’The only reason I can think of is that she still has feelings for Finn,’Nina mentally reasoned.

’I have to do this.’

Cassandra was lucky that Nina had asked Finn not to press charges. He had wanted to, but Nina had convinced him otherwise. At first, he was furious, but she had insisted—knowing that if they escalated the situation, it would spiral out of control.

If Finn took action, it wouldn’t just be him versus Cassandra. It would be Penny, Atlas, Hugo, Slater—the entire Bennet and Cortez families against Cassandra. And once they got involved, Cassandra’s family would step in too. Then, inevitably, Zoren would step in to protect the Bennets and the Cortez family.

Nina could already see it. She could already feel the stress of the inevitable fallout.

She didn’t want that.

The important thing was that Finn knew the truth now. At least they could be careful moving forward. Whether that was a good thing or a terrible one, she wasn’t sure. But she was sure of one thing—

’I will not let Cassandra win. I won’t let what she did postpone the wedding.’

With that firm resolve, Nina stood up and walked toward her boss’s office. She knocked three times before stepping inside. The door was already open, and her boss was in the middle of a phone call.

"No," her boss said curtly into the receiver. "I need a better excuse than that. Until then, don’t call me again and tell me how to run my department."

With that, she ended the call with an irritated huff. Whatever that was about, it was clear it hadn’t been a pleasant conversation.

"What is it, Nina?" Her boss leaned against the desk, clearly not in the mood. "I don’t have the patience for small talk, so get to the point."

"I want to drop my current project." Nina didn’t hesitate, following her boss’s instruction. "I don’t think I’m the right fit for a project this big. My seniors have more experience handling government contracts. They’d be better suited for this."

Her heart pounded as she spoke, even though she trusted her boss. She knew this would put her in a tough spot—especially since her boss had already dealt with complaints from Nina’s seniors about her handling the project.

"So..." Nina exhaled deeply, lowering her gaze. "Please transfer me to another project."

"I can’t."

Nina froze at her boss’s blunt response.

"Look at me, Nina." Her boss folded her arms. "Do you know what that phone call was about?"

Nina remained silent, waiting for her to continue. "No."

"Someone from the higher up just asked me to remove you from the department."

Nina’s breath hitched. "What? I’m... getting fired?" she whispered.

"No." Her boss’s tone was firm. "This department is the backbone of this company. No one on my team is getting fired just because some rich guy—who’s never set foot in this office—decides to say so."

Relief flooded Nina, but so did unease. Her mind should have been full of questions, but instead, it was just... blank.

"So, I’m not letting you drop this project, Nina," her boss continued, her voice both stern and reassuring. "Passing that project would just give them the excuse they’re looking for. And you and I? We’re not giving them that. Do you understand?"

Nina swallowed hard, reassured despite the tension. "Yes, boss."

"Even if the client is impossible to deal with, show up. Do your best, like you always do. Give them designs that no one else from any firm can match." Her boss’s eyes burned with conviction. "Let’s show them that this department has more integrity than anyone else."

Nina’s throat tightened, her eyes stinging. "Thank you, boss. And... I’m sorry for putting you in this position."

"Don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong." Her boss waved her off. "You’re here because you deserve to be here. If anyone’s putting me in a tough spot, it’s the people who think money is more important than talent."

Though still upset, her boss took a deep breath and nodded. "Now, get back to your desk and finish your work."

"Yes." Nina dipped her head before offering a small, wry smile. "Boss... thank you."

She turned to leave, but just as she reached the door, her boss called out once more.

"Nina."

Nina turned back. "Yes?"

"You’re not getting fired," her boss promised. "Not under my watch and not for that kind of bullshit reasoning."