Chapter 852: just like I remember

[State Prison]

"What do you want? If you came here to scold me, save it." Sven frowned deeply, gazing at his father across the table.

Unlike the last visit, where there had been a glass wall between him and Atlas, Sven was taken into a normal visitation room. This time, he could see his father eye to eye and even hold his hand. Not that he planned to hold it.

"Sven, how are you inside, hmm?" Stephen asked, his eyes scanning his son from head to toe. "Were you being picked on in here?"

Sven scrunched up his nose and hissed. "What are you expecting to hear from me, Father? That I’m doing fine in here? Whether or not I’m being picked on, I’m still locked up."

Back then, Sven wouldn’t have spoken to his father in such a manner. Although he was always tempted to talk back, he never did, out of fear. However, times had changed. Now that Sven was in prison, even if Stephen wanted to beat him up, he couldn’t do as much as he pleased.

"Sven." Stephen rubbed his hands together and clasped his son’s hands, making Sven pull them back. However, Stephen held on tightly. "Sven, listen to me."

"What? Why are you holding me like this? Dad, this is embarrassing."

Stephen ignored his son’s complaints, just as he ignored his son’s disrespect. "I’ll get you out of here," he breathed out to Sven, making Sven furrow his brows.

"What did you say?"

"I’ll get you out of here, son," Stephen said, his breath jagged. He nodded at his son. "Just be a little patient, and I’ll get you out of here. For sure."

Sven frowned, about to question his father for saying such reckless things. Even though Sven often argued that he hadn’t yet been sentenced, he knew the verdict would send him here. But seeing the look in his father’s eyes made him waver.

"Dad..." Sven trailed off, finally noticing how much his father had lost weight since the last time he saw him. As far as he could remember, this wasn’t how stressed and tired his father had looked before his arrest.

Not only that, but there was also evident fear beneath the determination in Stephen’s eyes.

"Dad," he called under his breath, now holding Stephen’s hands. "Don’t tell me, they—"

"Shhh!" Stephen hushed, shaking his head to stop his son from saying anything further. But that immediately answered Sven’s question.

The same people who had turned their backs on Sven were now keeping his father on a leash.

"No," Sven blurted out under his breath, shaking his head and squeezing his father’s hands. He leaned forward, shaking his head more while holding his father’s gaze. "Dad, whatever they promised you... don’t. Please, don’t. I’m locked up in here because of them."

"Sven."

"Leave me alone," Sven continued in a hurried, hushed voice, even though he was surprised he could utter those words to his father. "It’s not going to end well, Dad. Look what happened to me, they will—"

"I can’t back out now," Stephen whispered. "I’m already here; they’ve already put me in this position. If I don’t do what they want, then... I might just... get dumped and found somewhere. But the good thing is that you’ll be free. Once you are, I’ll send you far away with your mother and sister."

Slowly, the corner of Stephen’s mouth twitched into a smile. "It’s going to be fine. Just be patient and don’t cause any trouble inside."

"..." Sven could only stare at his father, his heart sinking as he watched the desperation in Stephen’s eyes unravel slowly but steadily.

This wasn’t the father he remembered. Stephen had always been a prideful man, someone who would rather starve to death than bow down to anyone. The only person Stephen genuinely respected was Chairman Bennet and Haines.

But now, Stephen was forcing a smile while telling his son he would get him out of there, all the while knowing he was someone’s puppet. It quickly shattered the image of the strict man Sven had in his mind.

---

Meanwhile, at the shopping center in Anteca...

"Ah, watch where you’re going..." Cassandra trailed off as she looked back at the man she had bumped into. Although she had been walking with her attention on her phone, she instinctively scolded the other person. But when her eyes fell on him, her brows furrowed.

"Dean?" she called, watching Dean raise his gaze at her. "Dean Pierson, is that you?"

Dean tilted his head slightly to the side, looking a bit puzzled. Seeing his reaction, Cassandra wasn’t surprised—they weren’t that close in the Star Section. After all, Dean had been mostly absent throughout the school year.

"It’s me! Cassandra!" she said, stopping a few steps from him. "Don’t you remember me?"

Dean narrowed his eyes, briefly assessing her face. "Number... five?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, what a surprise!" Dean rocked his head and smiled. "I didn’t recognize you. You’re... gorgeous."

Cassandra blushed slightly, tucking a portion of her hair behind her ear. "Thank you. And you still look... just like I remember."

"Still the same?"

"As charming as I remember," she corrected with a playful smile, making him raise an eyebrow. "It’s nice to see you here! What are you doing here, by the way?"

"I got this." Dean pulled out a pink ticket from inside his suit and showed it to her. "It’s a... ticket for this weird reunion. Are you here for that, too?"

Cassandra smiled and nodded. "Yes."

"I see."

"Well, anyway, it’s nice seeing you again, Dean," she flashed him a beautiful smile. "I’ll get going."

"Sure." Dean nodded, watching her slowly turn her back on him. As soon as she did, a glint flickered in his eyes and a brief smirk appeared on his face. "Cassandra."

She stopped and looked back at him. "Yes?"

"It’s almost time for lunch," he said, glancing at his wristwatch. "Shall we grab lunch and catch up after you get your ticket?"

Cassandra raised her brows in surprise, pressed her lips together, and then smiled. "Sure."