The Organ Bride's Revenge - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Isabella scoffed, her glare sharp as a knife. "You actually expect us to believe you'd treat us well after marrying him? With that attitude? You've been nursing a grudge your entire life, Cassie. The second you get your hands on that fortune, you'll make sure we regret not bowing down to you. Do you really think we're that stupid?"
A bitter taste filled my mouth. There they stood—right in front of me—acting like they had every right to dictate my life, as if their greed was somehow justified. But fighting back now would be pointless.
Isabella's voice turned icy. "Your father and I have made our decision. Cathy will meet Jasper in your place. You can accept it willingly, or we'll make you accept it. The choice is yours."
I pressed a hand to my swollen cheek, the sting of my father's slap still fresh. My pulse hammered, but I forced my expression to soften.
Lowering my gaze, I played the role they expected—the meek, obedient daughter. "…I'll do whatever you want. Just… please don't hit me again."
Then, hesitating, I added in a carefully trembling voice, "But only if Cathy agrees to give me enough money to leave. I won't tell anyone I'm the real benefactor."
Their eyes lit up. Alaric exchanged a smug glance with my mother before nodding. "Now that's more like it."
As usual, my submissiveness put them at ease. They were so blinded by their dreams of riding Jasper Sterling's coattails that they didn't even question me. I'd played my part perfectly.
I let out a small, relieved sigh—but Cathy wasn't fooled.
Her sharp gaze pinned me in place. "You're giving up that easily?" she demanded, stepping closer. Suspicion dripped from her words. "What's your game, Cassie? What are you really planning?"
My breath hitched.
Had she figured it out already? Was this some twin intuition thing?
Before I could respond, Cathy's eyes widened like a lightbulb had gone off in her head. "Wait, I get it!" she exclaimed. "After you saved Jasper, something happened, didn't it? You're sending me in your place so he'll expose me as a fraud—then you'll swoop in and steal all the credit!"
I barely kept my jaw from dropping. Cathy's logic was razor-sharp—sharper than I'd expected.
When I'd saved Jasper years ago, I was only eight. He'd been bitten by a non-venomous snake, and I'd stayed with him, calming him down, even mentioning my blood type. Dramatic as ever, he'd sworn I was his savior and promised to repay me.
But after returning home, I'd forgotten all about it. My grandmother died that same year, and I never went back to the countryside.
Even then, I'd found his search… off. Too many coincidences. Too many unanswered questions. I'd done my own digging.
Now, under Cathy's piercing stare, I decided to play along.
I nodded slowly. "You're right. Something did happen after I saved him. But you're missing part of the story."
Her eyes gleamed like a cat cornering a mouse. "Then spill," she ordered.
I fed her exactly what she wanted—every detail, from the day I'd saved him to why I'd been fishing at the river. I made sure it was airtight.
At first, she grilled me like a prosecutor, demanding I swear on my life, accusing me of holding back. Even my parents joined in, turning it into an interrogation.
But I held my ground.
By sunrise, exhaustion had etched itself into their faces. And finally—finally—they bought it.
The next morning, Cathy didn't waste a second.
Still bleary-eyed from sleep deprivation, she dialed Jasper Sterling's hotline. From her side of the conversation, it was clear dozens of frauds had already tried claiming to be his savior. The person on the line sounded downright annoyed.
Cathy's temper flared—her face turned crimson—but she caught herself just in time.
She couldn't afford to look anything less than perfect now.
With a deep breath, she forced a saccharine smile. "I'm not here to cause trouble or ask for anything," she cooed, her voice dripping with faux humility. "If I wanted that, I wouldn't have waited years to reach out. I'm only calling to return the sapphire brooch Jasper gave me. That's all."
Her delivery was flawless—just the right mix of sincerity and selflessness.
I watched as she reeled them in—just like I'd reeled her in.
The one detail not leaked to the press hooked the person on the other end. After a pause, they asked for our address, promising to notify Jasper immediately.
Cathy and Alaric moved fast—locking me in my bedroom so I couldn't interfere. Soon, the doorbell rang, signaling Jasper's arrival—with an entire entourage in tow.
Then came the real surprise.
The media.
Not Jasper's people. Mine.
I'd called them secretly, knowing a spectacle would force Jasper to acknowledge the Montclarrs' sudden "generosity." The bigger the chaos, the better.
And Jasper Sterling? Just as breathtaking as ever. Handsome, charismatic, oozing effortless charm under the flashing cameras. His gaze landed on Cathy, brimming with something like gratitude.
"If it weren't for you back then, I would've died," he said, his voice warm. "All these years, I've searched for you… I've missed you so much."
Cathy—dressed to kill—blushed under the attention.
But before she could respond, a voice cut through the crowd:
"Where's Cathy's sister, Cassie? Why isn't she here?"
Jasper's expression shifted. "You have a sister?" His gaze flicked back to Cathy, sharp with curiosity. "You never mentioned that. Bring her out. I'd like to meet her."
My heart pounded.
Was there no escaping my fate?
For a heartbeat, Isabella and Cathy froze—deer in headlights. I nearly facepalmed at their lack of composure. Thankfully, Alaric recovered first.
With a dramatic sigh, he said, "Ah, Cathy does have a sister, but she's fallen terribly ill. She can't see anyone right now."
He shot a nervous glance at the growing crowd—no doubt worried a neighbor would blab.
Cathy jumped in, her tone dripping with fake concern. "My sister's health has always been fragile, so I didn't mention her before."
Jasper frowned, but Cathy smoothly redirected him, pulling out the sapphire brooch.
"Let's not dwell on that," she said sweetly, offering it to him. "This brooch you gave me… I've kept it safe all these years. But now, it's time to return it."
She lowered her eyes, feigning modesty. "Honestly, I didn't do much. Just stayed by your side. I'm not really your life-saving hero."
Jasper's breath caught the moment he saw the brooch. His fingers brushed over it, his voice barely a whisper.
"Who told you that?" His eyes locked onto hers, raw with emotion. "You saved me. My life is yours to claim—let alone this token."
He paused, steadying himself.
"I made my search public recently because…" His usual confidence faltered, replaced by vulnerability. After a long silence, he finally admitted, his voice trembling:
"I was afraid if I didn't find you in time… you might marry someone else. And if that happened… I'd regret it for the rest of my life."
The room went dead silent.
Cathy gasped, her voice breaking. "I… I've been waiting for you too!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
I sat alone, listening to the muffled applause. Was this it? Were they embracing now? Was this the start of their fairytale?
Outside, the commotion dragged on for hours. Snippets reached me—Cathy's breathless whispers, Jasper's replies, the sound of a ring being accepted.
By afternoon, it was over.
That's when my mother finally opened my door, smug satisfaction plastered across her face.
The living room was all smiles—well, mostly.
Cathy was radiant, her fingers possessive around the massive diamond on her hand. But the second she saw me, her warmth vanished.
Her smile turned venomous.
She stepped closer, her voice a warning. "Listen carefully, Cassie. Jasper proposed to me, and I said yes. You will never tell him the truth."
Her grip tightened on the ring. "If you do… you'll be stealing your own brother-in-law."
Alaric shot me a glare. "Know your place. That 'saving' nonsense was just luck. If Cathy had been there, she would've saved him. Jasper proposed because he fell for her—not some childhood fairytale."
I didn't argue. What was the point?
Isabella pinched my arm hard. "Say something! Cat got your tongue?"
I flinched but nodded, eyes downcast. "It was Cathy who saved him, not me. No matter how many times you ask, my answer won't change."
The tension eased—slightly. They still didn't trust me. Not fully.
They were terrified I'd slip the truth to Jasper.
So, to ensure I'd never look back, they handed me their entire savings—the money they'd scraped together for a new house—and ordered me to leave tonight.
I could barely contain my excitement as I took the cash. Finally—enough to go abroad, to start fresh, to chase the life I'd always wanted.
But I didn't let them see that.
I dragged my feet, hesitated at the door, even turned back three times—selling the act that I was reluctant. That I wasn't thrilled to escape this hellhole.
In reality? I couldn't wait to vanish.
The next few weeks flew by as I finalized my study-abroad plans.
Then, the day I got my departure confirmation, my phone rang.
It was Cathy.
The second I answered, she was sobbing. "Cassie, where are you? Please… please come back. I'm begging you!"