The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 29: Regret

Chapter 29: Regret

At her home, Cassidy was buried in work. Her pop-up store for Cy. Noire had been a surprising hit among the local fashion crowd, and now she was multitasking between meetings, emails, and sketches. On her tablet, a row of adorable rough drafts lined the screen, early concepts for her upcoming kidswear line, Little Noire, a project that had begun as a daydream and was now slowly taking shape.

Claire, her little girl, had been the spark behind it all, her laughter, her style, her boundless curiosity became Cassidy’s biggest inspiration.

Her studio smelled faintly of coffee and fresh paper, her mood focused but serene, until the sound of the front door opening startled her. Before she could even get up, a familiar voice echoed from the hallway.

"Anyone home?"

Cassidy’s eyes widened. "Xavier?"

Before she could reach the entrance, a loud squeal cut through the air.

"Uncle Xavi!!" Claire came dashing from her bedroom like a rocket, her little arms flying around Xavier’s waist as he bent down with a grin to catch her mid-run.

Xavier chuckled, lifting her effortlessly. "Hey, munchkin. Missed me?"

"You didn’t say when you were coming back!" she pouted in mock-annoyance, then beamed. "I waited forever!"

Cassidy stood a few steps away, hands on her hips, trying to hide her own surprised smile. "Really, Xavier? You didn’t think to mention you’d be back today?"

He shrugged, carrying Claire into the living room like she weighed nothing. "Surprise."

Cassidy shook her head. "Figures. And now I’m invisible again."

Claire giggled. "No, Mommy. I still love you too."

"Uh-huh," Cassidy muttered playfully. "Until your uncle shows up with presents, and suddenly Mommy’s out of the picture."

Xavier smirked and reached into his bag, pulling out a glittery pink package and a rolled-up scarf box. "Speaking of... I brought gifts. One for the little princess..." he handed Claire a Barbie and a shimmery princess dress "...and one for the queen of this house."

He handed Cassidy a beautiful silk scarf in rich sapphire blue.

Cassidy took it, fingers running over the smooth fabric, touched. "Wow. This is beautiful. Thank you."

Claire was already spinning around with the dress held up against her chest, beaming from ear to ear.

"She missed you," Cassidy added softly. "She’s been asking every day when you’d be back."

Xavier looked down at the small girl still clinging to him and ran a gentle hand over her head, ruffling her soft hair.

"I missed her too," he said. "More than I realized."

***

For the past few weeks, Cassidy had been buried in work. Cy. Noire was thriving, and her children’s wear line, Little Noire, was finally beginning to take shape. The days blurred into meetings, designs, and late nights. But then, everything stopped.

Her phone rang. Georgia.

Cassidy answered, not expecting anything out of the ordinary—until her sister’s voice broke through, tight and trembling.

"Cass... it’s Mom. She tried to take her own life. They rushed her to the hospital."

The world stopped.

Cassidy’s body froze, then collapsed. The phone slipped from her hand as she crumpled to the floor, unable to breathe, her chest seizing with panic.

Clara, who had seen Cassidy standing just moments before, rushed over in alarm. She knelt beside her, helping her sit up, her face etched with worry.

Georgia’s voice came faintly from the phone.

"I’m flying to New York now, on Thiego’s jet. I’m heading straight to the hospital. Cass... are you coming back to the States?"

Cassidy couldn’t speak for a long moment. Her mind raced, her throat dry. Then finally, her voice cracked through the silence.

"I’ll take the earliest flight today."

"What about Claire?"

"I’m bringing her."

"Okay. Please be careful. And let me know as soon as you land in New York."

"I will," Cassidy whispered, before ending the call.

She didn’t waste a second. Her hands trembled as she began packing clothes into a suitcase, her movements frantic but deliberate. Then she grabbed her phone again and called the one person she could count on—Xavier.

"Xav, can you help me book a flight to New York? The earliest one possible. Two tickets."

"What’s going on?" Xavier’s voice was tense.

"My mom’s in the hospital. I need to go to America. Now. With Claire."

He didn’t hesitate. "Got it. I’ll take care of it."

An hour later, Xavier showed up at her house, his expression grave.

"I’ve sent the e-tickets to your email. The fastest flight today is at 7 PM. All other flights to New York from noon to evening are fully booked."

Cassidy nodded, exhausted and overwhelmed. "Thank you, Xav..."

He didn’t say anything more. Just looked at her for a moment, as if he wanted to, but held it back. There was no time for deeper conversation now. Only one thing mattered, she had to go home.

Back to America.

Before leaving, Xavier told Cassidy that he would come back around 5 p.m. to drive her and Claire to the airport. He had to return to his restaurant for a few hours, but he promised to be back in time. Cassidy nodded silently, grateful for his presence, his calm, steady energy grounding her, even if just a little.

Once he left, Cassidy walked quietly into Claire’s room. Her daughter was still napping peacefully, curled up beneath her pastel blankets. Cassidy gently opened the wardrobe and began packing Claire’s clothes into a small suitcase. The rustling sounds must’ve woken her, because a moment later, Claire stirred, blinking sleepily.

"Are we going somewhere, Mommy?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, sweetheart," Cassidy said softly. "Can you help Mommy pack your things?"

Claire nodded, still drowsy, and walked over to the bed. She picked up her stuffed bunny, then her favorite Barbie, the one Xavier had given her, and tucked them into the suitcase with care.

"Where are we going?" she asked, a bit more awake now.

"To America," Cassidy replied, zipping up a sweater.

Claire’s eyes widened with surprise and excitement.

"Really? Are we going on a trip? Is Uncle Xavi coming too?"

Cassidy paused for a second before answering gently,

"No, honey. Uncle Xavier isn’t coming with us. We’re going to visit your grandma."

"Grandma?" Claire echoed, tilting her head in confusion.

"Yes," Cassidy said, kneeling down in front of her. "Grandma is my mom. That means she’s your grandma."

Claire’s brow furrowed.

"What’s wrong with Grandma? Why do we have to visit her?"

Cassidy’s chest tightened. She reached out and gently stroked her daughter’s hair, offering a small, sad smile.

"Grandma is sick, sweetheart."

Claire’s eyes searched her mother’s face.

"Is she very sick?"

Cassidy swallowed hard and gave a slow, heavy nod.

"Yes, baby. She’s very sick."

Claire was quiet for a moment, then whispered,

"Then I’ll kiss her on the cheek. Like you do for me when I’m sick. That will help her feel better."

Cassidy pulled her daughter close, holding back the ache in her heart.

"That’s very kind of you, baby. I’m sure she’ll love that."

After they finished packing, Cassidy sat alone in her room for a moment, her thoughts unraveling into chaos. Her mind kept circling the same question: Why? Why would her mother do something so extreme?

Yes, Teresa had always been quiet and obedient. But she wasn’t the kind of woman who would simply give in like that. Cassidy couldn’t understand it. Was her mother... depressed? Had she been struggling in silence all this time? But what could have pushed her to that point?

Was it their father?

That cold, domineering man who ruled their household with silence and pressure?

Or was it something else entirely?

Cassidy didn’t know. And that uncertainty gnawed at her.

A wave of guilt washed over her as she recalled how disconnected she had become from her mother over the years. She had distanced herself, thinking it was easier that way. But now... she remembered the look in her mother’s eyes the last time they saw each other, subtle, quiet sadness, as if she’d wanted to say something but never found the words.

The memory tightened around Cassidy’s chest like a fist.

She should’ve reached out. She should’ve asked if her mother was okay.

Cassidy let out a long breath. She hoped her mother would be okay. No, they were never particularly close. But now... now Cassidy was a mother too. And motherhood had changed her. It had opened her eyes to the silent pain women often carried. The weight of pregnancy, the agony of childbirth, the relentless exhaustion of raising a child, Teresa had gone through all of that for her.

Cassidy’s chest ached with uncertainty.

And yet, another fear loomed.

Returning to America meant more than just confronting family. It meant confronting the past, secrets buried and truths avoided. She hadn’t planned to bring Claire. But she had no choice. Claire couldn’t bear to be separated from her. Cassidy had tried once, leaving her with Clara for a few hours. The girl had cried nonstop, calling out for her mother, searching the rooms. It broke Cassidy’s heart.

She didn’t want Claire to face any of this. But now, there was no way around it.

Her family would have questions. About Claire. About everything.

And what if she saw him again?

Cassidy closed her eyes, letting out a shaky breath. Her heart pounded with dread.

She could only hope, pray, that returning to America wouldn’t break everything she had worked so hard to protect.