Chapter 5 - Unraveling the Trust
By afternoon, the story of the poisoned glass at the DeLuca estate had leaked to the press, sending shockwaves through Chicago’s financial and political circles. Rumors swept the city that Julian DeLuca had been targeted in an internal coup, and that his engagement to Cassandra Vale was in shambles.
Inside a private room at Northwestern Memorial, Cassandra sat up in bed, wrapped in a silk robe, sipping tea. Her face was pale, but her sharp, piercing gaze had returned.
The door opened, and Julian walked in, carrying a small bouquet of white orchids. He placed them on the bedside table and pulled up a chair.
"You look better," Julian said.
"I feel like I swallowed battery acid," Cassandra replied dryly, though her lips twitched into a small smile. "The doctor said I owe my life to a very bad choice of champagne glasses."
"Cassandra... I am so sorry," Julian said, his eyes filled with genuine remorse. "The poison was meant for me. Thomas tried to kill me because he wanted to keep control of the family's assets through our marriage."
Cassandra set her tea down, looking at him thoughtfully. "I know. The police came by two hours ago to take my statement. They told me about Thomas... and they told me about the maid’s child."
Julian went quiet, bracing himself for her reaction.
Cassandra sighed, leaning back against the pillows. "You know, Julian... when I offered that million dollars last night, I did it out of pettiness. I was angry that a little girl said my dancing wasn't happy. But when she spun across that floor... I saw something I haven't seen in thirty years."
"What was that?"
"Truth," Cassandra said softly. "She wasn't dancing for an audience, or for money, or for approval. She was dancing out of pure love. It reminded me why I started dancing when I was three years old—before my mother turned it into a weapon."
She reached out and laid her hand over Julian’s. "She's your daughter, isn't she?"
"Yes," Julian said firmly. "Her name is Lily."
Cassandra smiled, a genuine, warm smile that softened her entire face. "The engagement was always more of an alliance than a romance, Julian. We both knew it. We respected each other, but we didn't love each other the way a man and woman should."
"Cassandra—"
"Don't interrupt me," she said gently. "The million-dollar trust stands. I've already instructed my attorneys to finalize the paperwork today. But I have one condition."
May you like
"Name it."
"I want to be her godmother," Cassandra said, her eyes flashing with a touch of her old fire. "And if anyone in this city ever tries to hurt that child, they will have to go through the Vale family first."
