Chapter 1498: Breaking news

The next day...

Ring... ring...

Cassandra listened to the ringing, lowering her head as she waited for the last tone. The call didn’t go through. Looking at her phone, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her eyes softened, and she laughed at herself in mockery.

"What did I expect?" she whispered, huffing sharply. "I crossed the line."

It wasn’t Finn who had thrown away their friendship—it was Cassandra.

Even after breaking off their engagement, the two had maintained a friendship. Sometimes, they’d catch up over a call, just to check on each other. It was all fine until Cassandra started envying Finn. It wasn’t even Nina she envied.

It was Finn.

Nina was a mere casualty. After all, both Cassandra and Finn had come from the same place—both had experienced broken engagements. But while Cassandra was still struggling to understand Jonathan, Finn had found happiness.

And so, Cassandra did the unspeakable. As a doctor, she was well aware of the trauma she had caused Nina—just because she couldn’t accept that Finn had moved to a better place.

So why would Finn answer her call now?

Cassandra held her phone tightly as she stared at a blank message draft. After a moment, she sighed and began typing:

[To: Finn

I know I have a lot to apologize for, but no words could ever undo the mistakes I’ve made. It was a very dark time for me, Finn. I’m not saying this to gain your sympathy, nor to justify what I did. What I did was horrible. I crossed a line you never would have.

I hurt Nina. I hurt you.

You, who had always been there for me when I needed someone. You, who had always been honest with me—even when the truth hurt. And you, who had always believed in me.

If I could turn back time, I wish I’d handled things differently. That I hadn’t let envy and bitterness consume me. But no matter how much I pray or wish, I can’t go back.

The damage is done. I’ve not only lost you, but also the chance at a beautiful friendship with Nina. And I hate myself for throwing that away out of selfishness.

I kept making mistake after mistake. But I want to stop, Finn. I don’t want to hurt the people I care about anymore. So, I’m leaving. I want to find myself again—figure out my life again. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I’ll keep hoping.

You may never forgive me, but please know that I’m truly sorry. I’m also apologizing to Nina... and maybe to Penny.

Goodbye, Finn.]

---

A soft smile curved her lips as tears welled in her eyes. Sniffling, she tapped Send.

"Goodbye, Finn," she whispered, wiping a tear that had managed to escape.

At the same time, a voice echoed from the speaker, calling passengers to board. Cassandra quickly tucked her phone into her bag and stood from the bench, making her way to the boarding gate.

It had been long months in Anteca.

Although there were moments of happiness, the heavy memories outweighed the rest. Reaching the counter, she offered a small smile as the agent scanned her passport. Then she walked down the corridor to the plane.

Halfway there, she paused and turned to the glass wall beside her. All she saw were aircraft and machinery, but somehow, her heart softened.

I don’t know when I’ll be back... or if I ever will, she thought. But I’ll never regret leaving a home that never felt like one.

With that, she continued until she boarded the plane and reached her seat. But just as Cassandra was waiting for the plane to take off, the lights around her dimmed.

Looking up, her brows furrowed. Two uniformed officers stood in the aisle.

"Are you Miss Cassandra Smith?" one officer asked, and for some reason, that single question triggered all the alarms in her head.

Deep down, she already knew—this was bad news.

---

[In the hospital...]

"Second Brother..." Penny said, crossing her legs and arms while eyeing her brother. Hugo, who was busy enjoying his meal, looked up at her.

"What?"

"Weren’t you looking after that coma patient?"

Hugo raised a brow. "Uh huh."

"And you’ve been surviving on hospital food?"

"Yeah...?" he blinked. "What about it?"

"I’m just a little confused here," she said, gesturing with her hand. "Why would the hospital give a coma patient food? He’s in a coma, yet you’re getting two meals—yours and his."

Hugo’s face twitched. For a moment, he thought his sister was digging into something deep.

"Penny, you’re a licensed doctor too," he pointed out. "You should know coma patients can hear, right? I told his attending it’s not fair! Just imagine if you were in the patient’s position!"

"I probably wouldn’t want my food stolen," she muttered.

Hugo clicked his tongue. "A coma patient wouldn’t feel like they belong if someone eats next to them and they don’t get any food. Just imagine—they can hear how good the food was, smell food, and feel motivated! It might wake them up! It’s psychological!"

"Oh..." Penny’s mouth formed an o-shape. "That actually makes sense. If I were in a coma, I’d probably wake up from the smell of good food."

"See?" Hugo smirked—though in reality, he’d just begged the attending physician for two plates until they gave in.

"Second Brother, sometimes... you’re smart."

"I’m always smart, Penny. I just don’t show it," Hugo replied, pausing when a newsflash came on the television. "Hmm?"

"Always smart..." Penny pouted and leaned back, uninterested with the news report. She usually checked the news in the morning anyway.

But then—

"Hey, Penny, isn’t that... Nina’s friend?"

"Huh?" Penny turned to the TV. Her brows furrowed as she saw media crowding around a police station. Officers were escorting Cassandra inside. Despite the cloth covering her wrists, it was obvious she was in handcuffs.

"What the..." she whispered, her eyes locked on the screen as Hugo turned up the volume.

And what they got was a breaking report:

Cassandra had been arrested at the airport while attempting to flee the country—after being discovered as the head of a human trafficking operation disguised as an orphanage.