The Substitute Heiress

Faking love

Chapter 3: Faking love

Cassandra

After spending the entire morning at the hospital with my father and finally getting the doctor's approval for him to go home, albeit with many recommendations to avoid returning to the hospital soon, I left my father at home and came straight to my boutique to catch up on the small tasks I had set aside due to the stress of these past days.

Shortly after, Nicole and I were immersed in the preparations for the new collection, checking every detail to ensure everything was perfect. The store was relatively quiet, with only a couple of customers browsing through the racks.

“Cass!” Nicole called from the counter. “We need to decide on the colors for the new winter line.”

I approached her, holding some fabric samples in my hands.

“I think we should go for warmer tones. Winter is cold and dark, so a bit of color might brighten things up.”

Nicole nodded as we continued discussing the options. Just as we were about to make a decision, the boutique door swung open, and a tall, familiar figure entered with a confident stride. Warrick Renfield. His arrogant demeanor filled the space, and my stomach churned at the sight of him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped, surprised and annoyed by his unexpected presence.

Warrick smiled smugly, as if my reaction amused him.

“Cassandra, what a warm welcome. I just came to talk about our next steps,” he replied, his tone clearly sarcastic.

Nicole looked at us, visibly uncomfortable, and decided to retreat to the back room to give us some privacy.

“I’m not interested in discussing anything here, Warrick. This is my workplace,” I said, trying to stay calm.

“Precisely why I'm here. We already agreed that we need to spend time together, and what better way than visiting my girlfriend at her work, eh?” he explained, not losing his arrogant tone.

“And what makes you think I want to be seen with you at my job?” I asked, crossing my arms.

Warrick approached, closing the distance between us.

“It’s not a matter of wanting, Cassandra. It’s a matter of necessity. This is where you spend most of your time, isn’t it? It makes sense that your boyfriend would come to see you here. Besides, your family needs this marriage as much as I do, so you better start getting used to the idea,” he said, his voice lower and more threatening.

I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger. I knew he was right, but that didn’t make the situation any easier to accept.

“Fine. What you’re saying is true, I hadn’t thought of that… It’s just that I didn’t want to contaminate my place with this whole farce,” I finally conceded, knowing I had no other option.

“There’s no other way; this is our reality now and for a good while,” he explained, as if he had already planned everything.

I nodded reluctantly. I hated everything to do with the elite world, from which I had always tried to distance myself. But now I was trapped in it, with no escape.

“Alright. But this doesn’t mean I like you, Warrick,” I warned.

“Relax, the feeling is mutual,” he replied, with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Just then, the boutique door opened again and a tall, elegant man walked in. He wore an impeccable suit and an air of confidence that immediately caught my attention. Nicole appeared behind him, her eyes shining with curiosity.

“Sorry for the interruption,” said the man, with a smooth but firm voice. “I was wondering if you could help me find a special gift.”

“Of course, Mr...?” I began to say, as I approached him.

“Henderson. Robert Henderson,” he replied, extending his hand.

I shook his hand, feeling an instant connection. His smile was genuine and his eyes had a sparkle that momentarily made me forget Warrick’s presence.

“I’m Cassandra Carlisle. I’d be happy to help you, Mr. Henderson,” I said, smiling.

As Robert and I discussed his options, I felt Warrick’s gaze on us, clearly annoyed by the interruption. I tried to focus on my client, but it was hard to ignore the tension in the air.

After a few minutes, Robert made his choice and headed to the register to pay. Before leaving, he turned to me.

“It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Cassandra. I hope to return soon,” he said, with a smile that made my heart beat a little faster.

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Henderson. We’ll be here,” I replied, feeling a slight blush on my cheeks.

When Robert left the store, Warrick approached me, his expression a mix of jealousy and disdain.

“Who was that?” he asked, in a more accusatory tone than I would have liked.

“A client. Nothing more,” I replied, trying to maintain my composure.

“It better be just that. Remember our rules, Cassandra,” he said, his voice low and threatening.

“I don’t need you to remind me, Warrick. I was the one who set those rules,” I retorted, looking him directly in the eyes.

The tension between us was palpable, but we both knew we had no choice but to go ahead with this plan.

“Fine. But if I see anything else, this is over,” he finally said, turning and leaving the store.

I sighed, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. The situation with Warrick was becoming more complicated, and having to fake a relationship with him only made things worse.

Nicole approached me after the whole encounter, her expression full of curiosity.

“Who was that handsome man?” she asked, smiling.

“A client. Robert Henderson,” I replied, trying to sound casual.

“And what did Warrick want?” she asked, changing the subject.

“We’ve agreed that we need to go out occasionally and be seen together by the press to get them used to us, and it has started sooner than I expected,” I explained, feeling the weight of the situation on my shoulders.

Nicole nodded, understanding the gravity of it all.

“Well, at least you know you’re not alone in this. You’ll always have my support, Cass,” she said, taking my hand.

“Thank you, Nicole. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I replied, feeling a bit of comfort in her words.

***

That evening, I received a formal invitation to the Renfield mansion for a family dinner. I knew it would be another test in this complicated game I was playing. I mentally prepared myself to face another night of pretense and tension. Of course, our mothers were aware that this was a farce, but our fathers didn’t know. Mr. Renfield had given his son an ultimatum, so seeing a woman wouldn’t be strange, but seeing me might be. This is how Mrs. Renfield and Warrick would start to get into Mr. Renfield’s head to settle my father’s debts. They had everything perfectly planned, and I was the last to know.

When I arrived at the mansion, Warrick greeted me at the door, his expression as serious as ever.

“Thank you for coming, Cassandra. My family is eager to get to know you better,” he said, with a formality that felt strange to me.

“It’s a pleasure, Warrick,” I replied, trying to sound convincing.

The dinner was a succession of trivial conversations and awkward questions. Warrick’s parents seemed interested in getting to know me, but there was also a clear pressure for everything to go perfectly. Warrick and I exchanged glances occasionally, aware that we were being watched.

“So, Cassandra, what is it like running such a successful boutique?” asked Warrick’s mother, with a kind smile.

“It’s challenging but very rewarding. I love being able to create and offer something unique to our customers,” I replied, trying to keep the conversation light.

“That sounds wonderful. I’m sure you will have a lot of success,” she said, nodding approvingly.

After dinner, Warrick walked me to the door.

“Thank you for coming. You did well,” he said, in a low voice.

“Thank you. We’ll see each other soon for the next public appearance,” I replied, trying to sound professional.

As I walked away from the Renfield mansion, I couldn’t help but feel trapped in a situation I never wanted. But I knew I had to keep going, for the sake of my family.

***

In the following days, Warrick and I started appearing at various social events together. We attended charity dinners, gallery openings, and exclusive parties. Each appearance was an exercise in patience and acting. We stayed close, smiling for the cameras and chatting with other guests, but in private, we barely exchanged words.

One night, while we were at a charity gala, I saw Robert again. He was talking with a group of people when our eyes met across the crowd. He smiled and came over to greet me.

“Cassandra, what a surprise to see you here,” he said, smiling. “You look incredible.”

“Thank you, Robert. You do too,” I replied, trying to keep my tone casual.

“Can I steal you for a moment?” he asked, pointing to a quieter corner of the room.

I glanced at Warrick, who was busy talking to someone else, and decided a couple of minutes wouldn’t hurt.

“Sure.”

We stepped out onto a small balcony, the night was cool, and the city lights smiled at us from afar.

“I’m glad to see you again,” he said, making my heart skip a beat.

Robert is quite a handsome man, and I couldn’t deny there was a strange connection from the first moment I met him. Since then, he had crossed my mind a few times, and I had hoped he would return to the store after Nicole told me he came by one day when I wasn’t there. Finding him here was a pleasant surprise.

“I’m glad too, Robert.”

My smile was immediate, but it faded soon after when I felt a hand on my waist, pulling me close to a strong, muscular body.

“Darling, what are you doing here? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

My eyes met Warrick’s, who had an unreadable expression on his face.

“I… uh…”

I didn’t know what to say in that moment of surprise, and then Warrick turned his eyes to Robert and smiled slightly.

“I see we haven’t been introduced. I’m Warrick, Cassandra’s boyfriend.”

I saw the exact moment Robert looked at me with disappointment, introduced himself briefly to Warrick, and quickly fled the balcony. I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“What do you think

you’re doing?” I asked, quite angry after finding my words.

“Thinking about breaking your own rules?” he asked angrily. “Try anything, Carlisle, and see who ends up losing.”

And with that, he walked away, leaving me alone.