The Heir He Left Behind Chapter 02
I was abroad when my family fell apart.
My father was killed. My mother sold everything and fled to relatives in Switzerland. She left me this studio apartment in Brooklyn.
I didn’t blame her. At least I wasn’t homeless.
The bed was small, but it beat the basement shack I’d shared with seven other people overseas.
That night, I slept soundly for the first time in months.
Until the doorbell rang.
I looked through the peephole. Dante’s handsome face stared back.
I’d forgotten the penthouse upstairs belonged to him.
I opened the door. “Sorry. I’ll move out soon. The place is for sale.”
“Cassie, what the hell are you up to?”
His face darkened instantly.
“I said I’m moving out today. You won’t see me again.”
I pulled out my phone to call the realtor.
He snatched it and smashed it on the floor. The screen shattered, cracks spidering everywhere.
“You think that’ll work? Playing hard to get? You’ve been pulling that stunt for four years.”
“Sell the house, then what? End up on the street crying, waiting for me to save you? So you can move into my building?”
“Grow up, Cassie. Stop these games.”
I stared at the broken phone. My heart ached. A volunteer had given it to me at the shelter.
I crouched down to pick up the pieces.
Dante’s wallet hit the floor. “Buy a new one. Don’t use this as an excuse to bother me.”
He slammed the door.
I ignored the wallet. I found some tape, wrapped it around the old phone, and managed to turn it on.
Then I texted Vincent to come pick up the wallet.
“Miss Cassie, I’m stuck at my desk. Can you bring it to the office?”
Vincent hung up and glanced at the man by the window.
He didn’t know why Dante had made him say that. But he could feel it — Dante’s hate for Cassie wasn’t as deep as his words made it sound.
“Did you get the medicine?”
“Yes, Don.”
Vincent handed over a bag of ointments and scar cream. All for Cassie.
Dante nodded. “Get out.”
Forty minutes later, the front desk called. Vincent knocked and stepped inside carefully.
“Mr. Marino, Miss Cassie sent a package…”
Before he could finish, the water glass flew across the room and exploded against the wall.
Vincent kept his head down.
Then Dante let out a low, bitter laugh. “Well played, Cassie. You finally stood up for yourself.”