The Billionaire's Forgotten Wife
Chapter 46: She is Beautiful

Chapter 46: She is Beautiful

Cassidy was sketching quietly in her workspace when her phone buzzed. She glanced over—Georgia.

She picked it up. "Hey."

Georgia got straight to the point. "Zeke called."

Cassidy paused, already feeling uneasy. "What did he say?"

"He wanted to make sure you knew about Elise’s birthday," Georgia said. "It’s this Saturday, 4 PM, at Elise’s house in the countryside. Just close family stuff. He sent me the location in case you... you know, decide to go."

Cassidy didn’t say anything right away. Her fingers tightened a little around her stylus.

Georgia waited a beat. "Have you thought about it? Are you going?"

Cass let out a quiet sigh. "Honestly? I don’t think I will."

"Why not?"

Cass rubbed her temple, staring blankly at her sketch. "It’s a family thing, and I’m not part of that family anymore. I don’t think I can sit there, smiling and pretending like nothing ever happened. I’m just... not ready to face all of them."

Georgia softened her voice. "Yeah. I get it."

Cass glanced toward Claire’s room, her voice dropping. "Thank you, though. For letting me know."

"Anytime," Georgia replied. "Zeke probably didn’t know how else to tell you."

Cass didn’t respond to that. She just stared at the screen a second longer before saying softly, "Good night."

Cass leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. Even if she wasn’t going to the party, she figured the least she could do was send a birthday gift for Elise. It felt like the right thing to do.

She decided that after dropping Claire off at preschool tomorrow, she’d head to the mall to find the perfect present.

***

The next morning, Claire was all excited about her first day of preschool.

In the car, Claire kept humming happily in her car seat, her little feet kicking the air. Cassidy glanced at her through the mirror and smiled to herself.

When they got to the preschool, Cassidy walked Claire inside and knelt down to fix her jacket.

"Have fun, make some new friends, and don’t be naughty, okay?"

"Okay!" Claire said brightly, nodding.

Cassidy watched as one of the teachers took Claire’s hand and walked her into the classroom. She waited a few seconds, then turned and headed out, feeling proud but a little emotional too.

Cassidy felt thankful. Claire was such an independent kid. She never made a fuss about being left behind.

Since it was still early, Cassidy decided to stop by the hospital before going to the mall.

As always, Martha was there and greeted her with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Miss Cassidy," she said gently. "You’re just in time, your mother’s had a good morning so far."

Cassidy returned her smile, a little hope flickering in her eyes. "Really? That’s good to hear."

Martha nodded. "She’s been more responsive today. Her vitals are stable, and earlier when I was talking to her, I think she squeezed my hand. It might’ve been a reflex, but still... it’s something."

Cassidy stepped closer to the bed and gently took her mother’s hand, brushing her thumb over the wrinkled skin. "Thank you for taking care of her, Martha."

Martha smiled again. "Of course. She’s a strong woman. I believe she’s fighting."

Cass didn’t say anything for a moment, just watched her mother’s face. Then she whispered, "Yeah... she always has been."

She stayed by her mom’s side for a little while, holding her hand gently and giving her a soft smile.

After a few quiet minutes, Cassidy turned to Martha. "I won’t stay too long today. I have a few errands to run."

"No problem. Just let me know if you need anything," Martha said.

When Cassidy arrived at the shopping mall, her first stop was a jewelry boutique. She wandered past the glass displays, admiring the sparkling pieces, when a familiar face caught her eye.

"Mr. Evans?" Cassidy called out, stepping closer.

Denis turned around, clearly surprised. A smile tugged at his lips. "Miss Cassidy. What a surprise."

Cassidy gave him a curious look. "Shopping for a girlfriend?"

Denis quickly shook his head. "No, no. I’m here with my mother. She insisted I come along."

Cassidy raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Ah, I see."

Just then, an elegant, fashionable woman in her late fifties approached them, wearing a warm smile and a designer bag on her arm.

"Well, well," the woman said with interest, looking at Cassidy. "Who’s this lovely young lady, Denis? Aren’t you going to introduce me?"

Denis cleared his throat, slightly awkward. "Mom, this is Miss Cassidy. She’s... a client."

Cassidy offered a polite smile. "Cassidy," she said simply, extending her hand.

Sophia took it graciously, her smile never fading. "Charmed."

"I’ll leave you two to it," Cassidy said, taking a small step back. "Enjoy your shopping."

Denis nodded. "You too."

As Cassidy disappeared into the store, Sophia turned to her son with a raised brow. "Client?"

Denis nodded again. "Yes. Just a client."

Sophia let out a long, dramatic "Ooooh," then leaned in, whispering with mischief, "She’s beautiful. Is she single?"

Denis shrugged. "I don’t know."

Sophia smacked his arm lightly with her purse. "Honestly, what do you ever know? You’re a lawyer. How can someone so smart be so clueless?"

Denis sighed, rubbing his arm. "I came here to look at necklaces, not get interrogated."

Sophia huffed. "Well, next time, bring a ring instead."

Denis gave a quiet chuckle, then nodded slightly. "But you’re right, she is beautiful."

As Cassidy disappeared deeper into the boutique, Denis glanced toward her from the corner of his eye. A subtle, unreadable smile tugged at his lips. Something between curiosity and admiration lingering there, unspoken.

Cassidy eyes scanning the displays until they landed on a delicate ruby necklace resting on a velvet stand. The rich red stone shimmered under the soft lights, and something about its elegance caught her attention.

A store associate approached her with a friendly smile. "Is this a gift, ma’am? Or something for yourself?"

Cassidy shook her head gently. "It’s a gift. For someone’s 80th birthday."

"Ah," the associate said with a nod of understanding. "A very special lady, I assume?"

Cassidy smiled faintly. "Yes, she is."

"Well then, let me show you a few options that might be just right," the associate offered, motioning toward another glass case.

He began presenting a small, curated collection, each piece refined and timeless. There were diamond tennis bracelets, emerald drop earrings, a selection of ruby pendants, and even a sapphire brooch shaped like a flower. Every item sparkled with understated luxury, perfect for someone like Elise.

Cassidy leaned in slightly, listening as he described each piece. She wasn’t just looking for something beautiful, she wanted something meaningful. Something that would show thought, but not overstep.

Her gaze returned to the ruby necklace. "May I see that one again?" she asked softly.

"Of course," the associate said, carefully lifting it out of the display with a pair of gloves.

Cassidy studied it closely, weighing the emotions behind the gift as much as the design.

Cassidy held the ruby necklace in her hand, the weight of it somehow comforting. It wasn’t too flashy, but it carried a quiet elegance, just like Elise. Something about the deep red stone reminded her of strength, of legacy, of women who carried themselves with quiet pride.

"I’ll take this one," she said, her voice certain.

The associate smiled. "An excellent choice, ma’am. Would you like it gift-wrapped?"

Cassidy nodded. "Yes, please. Something simple but elegant."

As the associate walked away to prepare the packaging, Cassidy leaned lightly against the glass counter, exhaling. It felt right—this gift. She didn’t know if she’d attend the celebration, but at least this way, a part of her would be there. A small gesture, maybe, but a sincere one.

When the associate returned, the necklace was nestled inside a velvet-lined box, wrapped in soft gold paper and tied with a deep red ribbon.

"Here you go," he said warmly. "We’ve included a blank card as well, in case you’d like to write something."

Cassidy took the box gently and gave a faint smile. "Thank you."

***

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.