Chapter 14
Every time his body attempted to make a sound, only a broken, hollow whimper escaped. The night wind howled through the curtains, carrying with it an
unbearable sting, as though a thousand sharp knives were carving into his skin. It was a pain that seemed to radiate from the deepest part of his heart, shaking him to
his core.
Matthew trembled, helpless against the agony that consumed him. It was more than physical–it was as if his entire being was being torn apart. Desperately, he opened WhatsApp, his hands shaking and scrolled through the conversation between Cassandra and Julia.
The instant he saw the messages, it felt as though the ground had vanished beneath him. His body went still, frozen as though time itself had stopped. He could hardly breathe. The weight of what he was seeing
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dragged him down into an abyss of guilt
and regret.
It was five in the morning, the world outside still shrouded in the fog of sleep, when a desperate hiss of regret tore through the silence of the villa‘ s master bedroom. Without thinking, Matthew shot to his feet, moving like a man possessed, running toward Cassandra’s room.
But when he entered, the sight that greeted him shattered his soul. The room, once a place of warmth and love, was now empty. Cassandra was gone. Her presence had faded, leaving behind only the ghost of
what had been.
Matthew collapsed to the floor, his body shaking uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face as the full weight of his actions came crashing down on him. It was too late he had lost her.
It turned out that Cassandra’s suffering had begun when Julia had sent her that circle of friends visible only to Cassandra.
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From that moment, every message, every provocative post, was like a dagger to her heart. Each one pushed her further and further away, until she found herself in a place of no return.
Matthew remembered the words
Cassandra had once spoken, lightheartedly joking as they folded paper stars together. “When you hurt me 100 times for Julia, Cassey who loves you will be lifeless.” At the time, he hadn’t taken it seriously. He had thought it was just another playful
remark. But now, seeing the truth unravel before him, he understood. Cassandra had never joked. She had been pleading for his attention, for his love, all while he turned
away.
He opened the first paper star and read what was written inside.
“On August 2nd, Matthew stayed over at Julia‘ s. I’m so sad.
A small crying face followed the words and Matthew felt a sharp stab in his chest. How
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had he never seen her pain? How had he failed to notice the tears she had silently shed? Each word, each sentence, was a cry for help, a plea that he had ignored.
He opened another star.
“On September 11th, Matthew went to accompany Julia again, saying it was for work. But I’m in pain too. Every day I’m in pain. How come you can’t see me?”
Her words echoed in his mind like a drumbeat. She had known everything. She had seen through his lies and pretended not to. She had given him countless
chances, waiting for him to turn back, but he had never come. And now, even as she lay on her deathbed, she never got to hear his apology. She had waited for him, but he
never came.
The last paper star he opened was the most painful of all.
“Matthew, when will you turn around and look at me? Cassey, I can‘ t hold on any
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longer.”
The words hit him like a tidal wave,
crashing through the last of his resolve. His heart was being torn apart, piece by piece. The pain spread through his entire body, suffocating him. He collapsed, unable to stand, his tears falling freely. The sunrise shone through the clouds and onto the star- shaped glass jar, but it did nothing to bring light to his heart. The jar shattered with two sharp cracks–one for him and one for her.
His fingers trembled as he tried to piece the shards together, running his hand over the cracks as though trying to mend them. But it was futile. The cracks wouldn’t heal. His attempts were meaningless. He could not turn back time. Cassandra was gone and there was nothing he could do to bring her back.
His mind raced and suddenly he realized something was missing from the room- the wedding photo that Cassandra had
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once placed in the frame. The photo that symbolized all the love, all the promises. they had shared. It was gone.
In that moment, a dreadful realization. washed over him. It wasn’t just the photo. Everything she had left behind, every trace of her love, was now absent. The servants, who had been quietly watching from a distance, were frozen in shock as they witnessed the president of Lawrence. Group, a man once filled with power and control, crumble to his knees in despair.
Matthew had never felt more helpless. He had everything, yet he had lost the one thing that mattered most. And now, all he could do was face the painful truth–he would never see her again.
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