The Substitute Heiress

Chapter 1: Decisions to Make Cassandra I walked briskly down Bond Street, and a few meters ahead, I could see the elegant sign of "C&N Designs" shining between two nationally recognized boutique brands. My chest swelled with pride every time I saw what I had accomplished. As I opened the door to my store, I was greeted by the familiar aroma of fine fabrics and expensive perfumes. My best friend and business partner, Nicole, was already there, reviewing a catalog of new collections. "Cass!" Nicole greeted me with a radiant smile. "You’re just in time. We need to go over the week's order." "Perfect," I replied, hanging my coat on the office rack just behind the storage area and joining her. "I’m excited to see what we have." We immersed ourselves in our work, adjusting details and discussing strategies to attract more customers. Nicole leaned over the cutting table, her brown hair tied up in a messy bun, while she reviewed fabric samples from our new suppliers. I, on the other hand, was at the computer, analyzing last quarter's sales figures. "I think we should consider a collaboration with a fashion influencer," suggested Nicole, without looking up from the fabrics. "It could attract a younger audience." "Good idea," I responded, noting the suggestion in our marketing plan. "We could also launch a limited edition line for the holidays. Something exclusive that they can’t find in any other store." Nicole nodded, and we began brainstorming ideas for designs, colors, and advertising strategies. I looked around our boutique, with its dark wood shelves and gilded mirrors, the display cases carefully decorated with our latest designs. The scent we always used to perfume the environment gave a sense of elegance and tranquility. The soft lights enhanced the beauty of the garments, creating an atmosphere I liked to describe as magical. "I love how everything looks," I said, smiling as I observed the result of so much effort. A couple of hours later, just as we were finishing organizing the display cases, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a message from my mother. As I read it, my heart sank. "I need to talk to you urgently. Come home." My mother’s words were never light, and this time they didn’t sound good. I felt a knot in my stomach as I showed the message to Nicole. "It looks like I have to go," I said with a sigh. "Is everything okay?" Nicole asked, frowning with concern. "I don’t know. I hope so." I gave the store one last glance, ensuring everything was in order, and headed toward the Carlisle mansion, my parents' home, a place that had always represented luxury. Upon arriving, the atmosphere was tense. My mother awaited me in the main living room, her expression grave. I approached cautiously, trying to read the urgency in her eyes. "Mom, what’s happening?" I asked, feeling my anxiety grow. "Cassandra, sit down," she ordered, her voice firm but laden with concern. "We need to talk about your father’s situation." I sat in front of her, quite confused and waiting for her to speak, feeling the tension take hold of every fiber of my being. "Your father has made some... unfortunate investments," she began, her words careful. "We are on the brink of bankruptcy, and his health has been severely affected by the stress." "What?" I asked, quickly rising from the sofa. "Where is my father?" "In his room, but…" I didn’t let her finish and hurried up the long, pristine marble stairs to the second floor, my heart racing as I reached my parents' bedroom. Upon entering, the first thing I saw was my father's pale face, his eyes closed, and his chest rising and falling with effort. "Dad?" I called softly, but he didn’t respond. I approached and gently took his hand; his touch was cold, and a shiver ran down my spine. Dad was asleep, resting, but still maintained an expression of worry that unsettled me. It felt as if the ground crumbled beneath my feet. My father, always so sure and in control, now vulnerable and ill. Seeing him like this brought tears to my eyes, and a wave of fear and sadness hit me. "But how is this possible?" I asked, trying to grasp the magnitude of the situation. "What are we going to do?" My mother took a deep breath, and I knew she was behind me. I turned my head slightly to see her. Her gaze was sad as she looked at my father, then her eyes met mine before she spoke. "Let’s step out for a moment and talk, so he can rest peacefully." The last thing I wanted was to leave his side, but my mother's eyes were pleading for a conversation. I kissed my father’s forehead before leaving the room behind my mother. "What’s going on, Mom?" “There is a way to save us, Cassandra. The Renfields have offered to help us... under one condition.” I knew who the Renfields were, one of the wealthiest families in the city. In fact, the location where I have my boutique is their property, along with several adjacent stores. I knew my parents were friends with the Renfields; they always mingled with people of the same social status. I, on the other hand, always kept a lower profile. Now that I am on my own, I don’t even have a fifth of my parents' total wealth, or at least what they used to have. “What condition?” I asked, my brow furrowed. I would never give help without expecting something in return, but the wealthiest people are the ones who ask for the most in exchange. Ironic, isn’t it? “They want you to marry Warrick Renfield, the heir to their family.” I shook my head, thinking I had heard wrong. I asked my mother to repeat what she had said, and when she did, confirming I hadn’t misheard, I let out a humorless laugh while widening my eyes. “Marry? But, Mom, I barely know him. And... why me?” Of course, I knew who Warrick Renfield was. He’s quite famous for doing nothing and spending his parents' fortune, a spoiled brat. A man who would be nothing on his own. “Because, Cassandra,” she said with a coldness that chilled my blood, “it’s our only chance to save the family fortune. Besides, don’t deceive yourself. Do you really think you could find someone who would accept you as you are? With our expectations, with your independence. This is the best for everyone.” My mother’s words were like a dagger to the heart. I had always felt that I never lived up to her expectations, but hearing her say it aloud, at that moment of vulnerability, was devastating. “But, Mom...” I tried to protest, but she interrupted me. “No buts, Cassandra. Your father can’t handle any more stress. If you don’t accept, we will lose everything. And he might not survive this. Your father will die if you don’t do it. The Renfields have promised that if you marry their son, they will help us with your father's bad investment, as if it never happened. We will be financially stable again, and you will be married to a good man and millionaire. As I see it, Cassandra, it’s your best option.” The desperation in her eyes was real, and the gravity of the situation weighed on me like a slab. The thought of marrying someone like him made me nauseous; it was repulsive. I was allergic to people who were useless, just like I had always seen Warrick. But the image of my father, weakened and sick, drove me to consider the unthinkable. “I just... need to get out of here.” I said, stepping back away from my mother. “Think about it, Cass! It’s your best option; it’s for your father’s health. Don’t carry his death on your conscience just because you’re selfish.” Still in shock while hearing her, I fled from all of it, running to my car and driving away from that house as fast as possible. “Cass, what happened?” Nicole asked when I returned to the boutique, her voice soft but full of urgency. I told her everything, from the failed investments to the marriage proposal or whatever that was. She listened in silence, her eyes reflecting a mix of concern and astonishment. “I can’t believe your mother is asking you to do this,” she said finally. “But, what are you going to do?” “I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I hate the idea of marriage; you know I do. And I hate men like Warrick Renfield even more. This situation is overwhelming... I don’t know what to do.” Nicole took my hands, her support unwavering. “Damn, Cass.” Yes, exactly. That. Damn. The sound of my phone startled me. Nicole and I looked at each other nervously before checking who was calling. I answered with a trembling voice but couldn’t say more than two words before she told me that my father had been urgently admitted to the hospital. My phone fell from my hands; I don’t know how, but my friend managed to bring me to the hospital to see my father. “Cassie...” he murmured weakly, his voice barely a whisper when I entered his room, connected to several wires on his chest. “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you. I just want you to be okay.” His words, full of love, were the final straw. I couldn’t let my family fall apart, not while I had the power to prevent it. I returned home that night with a firm decision in mind. I found my mother in the study, surrounded by papers and looking exhausted. “Mom,” I said, “I will accept the marriage with Warrick Renfield. I’ll do whatever it takes to save our family.” My mother looked at me, and for a moment, I saw a spark of relief in her eyes. “You’re doing the right thing, Cassandra. This is the best for everyone.”