Page 71 of Rockstar Daddy's Second Chance

Before I can respond, another clip plays—Kendrick on stage, her voice powerful as she sings one of her original songs. The audience falls silent, captivated by the footage.

“And then there’s this,” the host continues, her tone light but her eyes piercing. A photo flashes on the screen—Kendrick, Cassidy, and me at dinner. Cassidy’s small hand is clasped in mine, and I’m looking down at her with a smile that gives everything away.

The host turns back to me, her expression curious but kind. “Cass, the world wants to know... is that your daughter?”

The studio falls silent. The audience leans forward, hanging on my every word. I glance at the host, then at the cameras, and finally at the screen displaying the photo of my daughter. My family.

I take a deep breath, the weight of Derrick’s warnings pressing against me. But then I think of Kendrick, Cassidy, and the life I want to build. I’m done hiding.

“Yes,” I say, my voice steady despite the emotion swelling in my chest. “That’s my daughter, Cassidy—she was named after me.”

A collective gasp ripples through the audience. The host’s eyes widen slightly, but she quickly regains her composure.

“Wow. That’s... incredible. And Kendrick Cash? She was with you at the awards, right? When you thanked your new family,” she asks.

I nod, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Yes. Kendrick is very important to me. She always has been.”

The host beams, clearly delighted by the exclusive revelation. “Well, you heard it here first, folks. Cass Wild has a daughter. He’s now a family man.”

The rest of the interview is a blur. Questions about Kendrick and Cassidy dominate the conversation, but I answer them all with honesty and pride. By the time the segment ends, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and it feels great.

A huge smile spreads across my face at how good everything feels right now. I’m still shaking with a backlash of emotions, but even so, I start to whistle as I walk out the door and climb into the waiting car.

The driver glances at me via the rearview mirror with a grin. “You seem in a good mood tonight, Mr. Wild,” he states as he pulls into the heavy L.A. traffic.

“I am,” I reply, the satisfaction in my voice unmistakable. “In fact, I haven’t felt this good in a while.”

Back at the hotel, I sink into the oversized chair, phone in hand, and exhale deeply before dialing Kendrick. When she picks up, I listen for any type of emotion in her voice. “I saw the interview,” she says lightly.

“And?” I ask, holding my breath.

There’s a pause, and then she laughs—a warm, genuine laugh that makes my chest ache. “You were amazing, Cass. I’m so proud of you,” she says, her voice brimming with warmth.

Relief floods through me as I lean back. “I meant every word, Kendrick. No more hiding.”

“No more hiding,” she agrees, her voice filled with hope.

“What about Cassidy? Is she–”

“She’s thrilled, Cass. I’ve warned her that things may get crazy. What with the paparazzi and reporters. But for now, they don’t know where we are. So she’s safe and staying inside.”

“Good. I would have liked to have warned her, both of you. But this wasn’t planned.”

As we continue to talk, a sense of peace settles over me. “Good night, beautiful. I’ll see you and Cassidy soon.”

My peace is short-lived because there’s a harsh knock on my hotel door the minute we hang up. It’s Derrick.

“I should have known you’d show up–”

Derrick cuts me off as he confronts me, his face a mixture of fury and disbelief. “You made a big mistake, Cass—telling everyone Cassidy was your child.”

“I told the truth, Derrick,” I say, my voice sharp with conviction. “And it felt damn good.”

Derrick’s face is flushed with anger, his jaw tightening as he steps closer to me, his voice sharp and low. “What the hell were you thinking?”

I don’t flinch, meeting his glare head-on. “I was thinking about my daughter. And about Kendrick–about what really matters.”

“What matters,” Derrick hisses, stabbing a finger toward Cass’s chest, “is the brand I’ve spent years building. You destroyed it all in one interview. It’s going to take a tremendous amount of work to spin this–”

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