Chapter 494

"Then I'll be leaving. Goodbye, father!" Adrienne kissed her father's cheek and pulled Cassandra out of the house.

Cassandra was stunned. Her stomach twisted as she witnessed the bizarre scene. What's wrong with Adrienne? Was that entire performance scripted? It feels like we're trapped in some twisted soap opera!

Did they just forget their explosive argument the moment the curtain fell? How can Adrienne act so casually affectionate with that man after everything he said?

The two women settled into the car, the silence stretching between them like taffy. Cassandra gripped the steering wheel, her mind racing through unanswered questions. Nothing about this situation made sense.

Adrienne rummaged through her designer purse and produced a bag of candied fruit. With manicured nails, she tore it open and offered a piece to Cassandra, who shook her head without meeting her eyes. Shrugging, Adrienne popped the treat into her own mouth instead.

"Still puzzling over why I'd buy clothes for that man?" Adrienne's voice was disturbingly calm, as if discussing the weather. "Should I have thrown a tantrum? Screamed until my voice gave out? Maybe ripped my hair and clothes like some tragic heroine?"

Cassandra kept her eyes on the road.

"I learned young that tears solve nothing." Adrienne chewed methodically, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. "Do you think hysterics would make him value me? See my worth?" She gave a bitter laugh. "It would only confirm his belief that I'm just some petty girl jealous of her half-brother."

Her jaw worked harder with each word, the dried fruit becoming her emotional punching bag. Cassandra glanced sideways, noticing the tension in Adrienne's delicate features.

"Adrienne..."

"Don't waste your pity." She waved a dismissive hand. "Every family has its skeletons. Mine just likes to dance in the daylight." The snack bag crinkled violently in her grip. "Remember when I asked if you wanted Alexander's body or his heart? My mother has the former. That other woman owns the latter."

The sudden shift caught Cassandra off guard, but the brutal truth in Adrienne's words resonated. She focused on navigating traffic while absorbing every syllable.

Adrienne rested her elbow against the window frame, watching the world blur past. "Men are predictable creatures," she murmured, more to herself than her companion. "The harder you cling, the faster they slip away. That woman didn't even need charm—just well-timed pheromones and my father's weakness."

A dark chuckle escaped her lips. "My mother got lucky. If that mistress came from better stock, I'd be the bastard instead." She turned sharply, her eyes glinting with something dangerous. "Silver linings, right?"

The engine hummed as the luxury car carried them away from the gilded cage of Prescott Manor, leaving unspoken truths hanging heavier than the designer bags at their feet.