Till the Flower Blooms

Freya’s nails, which were cut like daggers, sliced against Cassiopeia's cheek, leaving a visible claw mark.

Cassiopeia was bewildered by what Freya was saying.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Let me go."

"You’re still lying!" Freya gestured at the pale-looking Liam, who was lying on the bed, and teared up. "Liam is only four years old and just had a kidney transplant. How can you be so cruel to him? Aren’t you a mother too?"

Freya has always been a self-sufficient woman in front of Lucas. This was the first time she had displayed her vulnerable side. His heart ached for her. He embraced her and gently dabbed his finger over her eyes to wipe off the tears.

"Let me take care of this. I’ll make sure you and Liam get justice."

With that, he fixed an icy look absent of any trace of his past affection. There was nothing but disappointment in his eyes, and when he spoke, it was with a voice filled with malice.

"Cassie, didn’t I promise you that I would take care of them and that it would never affect you and Anya? Why can't you leave a mere four-year-old boy alone?!

"How could you get Anya to shove Liam into the pool? If Freya hadn’t managed to show up to rescue him just in time, he would have died!"

Cassiopeia was baffled by the accusation. She turned to look at Liam who was lying in bed with his eyes closed.

Anya shoved him into the pool? That was impossible!

"I never did that!" She tried to defend herself, "Anya is…"

"I witnessed it myself!" Freya interrupted her and cried out hysterically, "You think I would joke about my son’s life?"

As if on cue, Liam whimpered. "Anya, I’m not trying to steal your Daddy… Please don’t. Help… Save me, Daddy…"

Hearing the boy’s traumatized whimpers immediately enraged Lucas.

"Anya is just a child. She wouldn’t have done something so evil if it weren’t because she was misled by someone who came up with this dark scheme." With that, he turned to Cassiopeia to say, "And who else could that be but you?"

The accusation jabbed into Cassiopeia’s heart like a sharp dagger.

How dare he accuse her of scheming against the boy?

They had been together for two decades, and yet, Lucas refused to believe her. As a mother, she wouldn’t have the heart to do something like this to a child!

Blood dripped down her cheek and onto the floor. She met Lucas’s gaze and insisted firmly, "Like I said, it wasn't me."

Lucas seemed more disappointed than ever. "Cassie, how could you be so evil? I don't even recognize you anymore."

Cassiopeia smiled wryly at the claim. The irony of her circumstances struck her as some kind of twisted joke.

Had she changed into someone else or was it simply that this man had moved on to loving someone else?

The air in the ward had an oppressive quality.

Soon, a bodyguard entered and whispered something to Lucas.

Lucas frowned.

"Cassie, why isn't Anya in her ward?"

Before Cassiopeia could speak, Freya clenched her fists and spoke up with tears welling in her eyes.

"Mrs. Cadell, even though you were the one who instigated your daughter to attack Liam, don’t you think she also has to apologize for following through with it? But then you went and had her transferred to another hospital without telling anyone…"

Lucas cast a sharp look at Cassiopeia. "Since you had Anya transferred away, you have a responsibility to apologize to Liam on her behalf."

Despite the heartbreak, Cassiopeia met his eyes head-on and did not back down. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"

Lucas observed the blood trickling down her cheeks and felt a stew of emotions brewing inside him. He went through the cycles of anger, disappointment, and heartache before finally breaking his silence.

"Cassie, Liam is my son. I have to seek justice for him. I can’t let anyone hurt him. Throw her into the pool!

Cassiopeia observed the icy expression Lucas wore and the way he held Freya firmly in his arms.

Suddenly, she smiled. "Lucas, you’re going to regret this."

Lucas had killed Anya by having her kidney surgically removed for a child that did not even belong to him. He had chosen to take the side of a scheming, vicious woman and called for his childhood sweetheart to be punished.

Lucas turned away and refused to look into her eyes. He hardened his heart and ordered again, "What are you waiting for? Toss her into the pool!"

His bodyguards grabbed Cassiopeia and brought her to the pool.

Splash!

The freezing water washed over Cassiopeia in an instant. The surge of water rushed into her nose and mouth, into her lungs. She felt a wave of suffocation wash over her.

She suddenly recalled a scene from her childhood. A student had threatened her and jabbed a finger at her. Lucas had responded by breaking his finger on the spot and making him apologize to Cassiopeia while slapping himself.

She remembered the way Lucas had declared boldly, "I will not let anyone get away with hurting Cassie!"

However, he just ordered her to be tossed into a pool for Freya and Liam, a pair of strangers. He was the one who swore a vow, but he was also the one who broke the oath.

Cassiopeia did not struggle. She willingly plunged into the depths.

'Lucas, I regret ever falling in love with you.'