Page 36 of Pretend for Me

These questions ran rampant in my mind as I frantically walked back to my desk, hoping to look through the files more closely.

My stomach sank as I was hit with the realization that so much of what Cassie had said throughout the years was probably true. If only I had believed her.

Holden lay down on the couch, huffing as he attempted to get comfortable. “So what are you gonna do now?”

Well, that was a loaded question if there ever was one.

I turned to look at Holden. “For starters, get up, this isn’t your bed! And I have no fucking idea. If I confront him, he will probably just deny it.” I pulled at the ends of my hair.

“Well, I mean, those papers are pretty damning, and we can try and dig up some other shit to strong-arm him with the statements of transfers?” Holden suggested, straightening his body on the couch.

“That’s good!” I wagged my finger in his direction and wiggled the computer’s mouse to jolt it out of sleep mode. I began logging into a few banks that I had access to, seeking out more evidence of my adoptive father’s deceptions.

“Is this a bad time to tell you that I’m going to propose to Bee?” Holden blurted out, wincing from another pen being thrown at his head this time.

18

THEN

Age 18

Cassie grumbled. She was tired of all of this. Tired of the games. Tired of parties with entitled rich people. Tired of pretending everything was fine when it so clearly wasn’t.

She grabbed one of the champagne flutes being passed by waiters and chugged it.

Five minutes later, she repeated her actions, and then another five passed and the cycle continued. The more alcohol she drank, the clearer things became for her. As Cassie looked around the crowded ballroom, she really saw the people in her presence in a different light.

These were a bunch of people who were miserable despite all of their blessings. They gossiped about the most inane things. Who was cheating on whom? Whose jet broke down so they had to use the backup one? Whose hedge fund crumbled? Whose trust fund was depleted due to excessive partying on exotic islands?

She shook her head in disgust at what they considered to be life-or-death problems. Could they all truly be so blind to the real world? Did they not realize there were kids who barely had enough food to eat? Kids whose parents abused them? Kids whose whole existence held little meaning?

A friend of Liz’s made eye contact with Cassie, watching her wearily.

“Do you know how many children you can feed with that clutch?” Cassie pointed, sucking on the back of her teeth. “I’m guessing a whole lot. There’s more to life than parties like this and ladies’ luncheons, you know.”

The woman sneered at Cassie before she stormed off. Cassie laughed maniacally. These people were too easy to frazzle. Just mention someone not in their social standings and they were all ready to shit themselves.

Cassie continued to antagonize the patrons, pointing out their self-centeredness, for a half an hour, creating quite the spectacle of herself, before Liz and Wyatt finally confronted her.

Wyatt stalked over to Cassie. “Young lady, what do you think you’re doing?” he scolded.

“Oh hey there, Mr. throw-money-at-the-problem. Here to offer me another bribe to disappear? Thanks, but no thanks. I’m having too much fun showing you douchecanoes how to have a good time,” Cassie vocalized, popping a pig in a blanket in her mouth.

“What's going on here?” Matthew spoke up from behind Wyatt, peering over his father’s shoulder to see Cassie smirking smugly, a glass of champagne in her hand.

“What’s going on is your girlfriend is making a mockery out of us all!” Wyatt spat the word ‘girlfriend,’ his spittle going in Matthew’s direction.

Cassie turned to her left to look at the tall leggy blonde girl beside her, who had her eyes set on Matthew. “Listen, blondie, you better put your claws away and stay the hell away from my man!” Cassie warned. “Or I might have to make you.”

The blonde girl jumped back dramatically. Cassie fake lunged at her, wanting to scare her further. She chuckled at how serious “Blondie” thought she was with her threats. Matthew grabbed Cassie around her waist, lifting her off the ground slightly, and escorted her outside. He practically dragged her through the party, much to his parents’ dismay.

“Let go of me!” she demanded, arms flailing, hitting Matthew’s chest and sides until he set her down on the concrete.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Embarrassing me like that? Embarrassing my family?” Matthew reprimanded, looking at her with a mix of disgust and pity.

“Oh yes your ‘family.’” Cassie snorted. “You know what? I can’t do this anymore. I can’t pretend this is what I want. What I want for myself. What I want for you. I’m not like those people.” She crooked her thumb back to the mansion. “Pretentious. Superficial. Fake.”

“Those people are my family and friends, Cassie. Would it kill you to act like you’re happy for me?” Matthew interjected, “You’ve hated them from the start. You never gave them a fighting chance.”

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