Chapter 5

CASSIE'S POV 

It's seven pm and the party began an hour ago.

Mila is walking around, exchanging pleasantries excitedly with other dignitaries. 

If you didn't know, you'd think she is indeed happy for her stepdaughter. 

'Such hypocrisy!' I thought with a scoff as I stared at her from a distance, slowly sipping on my drink.

My so-called fiancé stood beside her, following her everywhere like a loyal dog.

He couldn't even pretend he was uninterested or that we were affectionate.

I slowly tap on the table beside me anxiously, in thirty minutes, our engagement would be announced to the public, and my fake boyfriend is yet to get here!

'Please don't tell me this dude decided to back out at the last minute!' I thought with my heart racing.

I kept staring at my wristwatch as the minutes went by faster than I could imagine. 

I swallowed hard at the thought of my stepmother having her way tonight. 

"Congratulations, princess!" Mrs Harrison, my mother's best friend, greeted me with a smile.

I snapped out of my thoughts and turned towards her, my eyes becoming laced with tears.

"Shh, baby girl. Do not ruin your makeup," she whispered, pulling me into a hug and my tensed self immediately relaxed in her arms.

Mrs Harrison was my mother's best friend. They grew up together since childhood but got separated after Mrs Harrison found her mate in another pack.

She had always made sure to visit twice a year and spent the week with us. My mom also did the same before she passed on.

After my mother passed away, Mrs Harrison tried to take me away when she heard my father was getting remarried, but my father strongly disagreed. 

Unable to take me away, she still visited as promised, but Mila began to create a ruckus anytime she came around, causing my Dad to ban her from visiting me.

I haven't seen her ever since.

How was she able to attend today's engagement party? I thought, wiping my tears as my makeup smudged.

She sighed and pulled me out of the hall towards my bedroom, helping me adjust my makeup. 

"Why are you here?" I asked in a whisper after sitting in silence for so long.

"Why? Don't you want me to be here?" She asked, and I nodded negatively. 

"I thought my father banned you from coming here?" I questioned curiously, and she smiled.

"Mila herself sent me an invitation for this party so I was able to come." She revealed, and I frowned in confusion. 

"Mila did?" I questioned, and she nodded.

"But Mila hates you. Why will she want you here?" I asked, and she shrugged. 

"Let's not dwell on that, I am here to take you away from this party. I'm pretty sure all of this is not your consent!" She revealed, and I smiled.

"It's ok, Aunty. I already have everything planned out," I replied, and she smiled. 

"Really?" She asked, still doubting, and I nodded positively in reassurance. 

"That's good if you haven't had it planned. I will take you away from here by nook or crook!" She said, and I felt genuine happiness that I hadn't felt in a while.

It feels good to have someone genuinely having your back, not just because of what they will gain from you.

"Thank you aunty." I muttered and she sniffed. 

"You really grew up to look like your mother, anyone that knew your mother would think you are her twin," she said, wiping off her tears.

"Let's not bring up the past and ruin the mood. We should head to the party now to avoid suspicion " I murmured and she nodded. 

"What is your plan for tonight?" She asked curiously. 

I stood up with my arms wrapped around hers as we exit the room.

"It's a secret, telling you means letting others know. The walls have ears." I whispered to her and she looked around before nodding. 

Arriving at the hall, Mila rushed towards me anxiously. 

"Where the hell have you been?" She squeaked angrily.

"How is that any of your business?" I responded with a smug look on my face.

She grabbed my other arm, pinching it tight.

"Don't you dare play smart with me girl. You had better obey me and get this over with or else?" She threatened and I laughed sarcastically.

"Yo, your facade of being a good step mother has disappeared. You wouldn't want everyone to turn around to see you like this will you?" I replied with a smirk and she let go of my arm like it burnt her.

She was quick to look around with a fake smile hanging on her face and I began wondering if she ever got tired of faking everything about her.

"It's the auspicious time to announce your engagement! Let's go." She said as she headed to the podium. 

Mrs Harrison turned to me, gently holding on to my hand. Her face full of worries.

"My dear, are you sure your plans will work?" She asked and I sighed.

I myself is in doubts of the person showing up tonight and if it doesn't work out, I'd be doomed tonight. 

"It's ok aunty, I have a plan B just in case this doesn't work out." I answered with a smile, trying to reassure her and probably myself too.

"Even if your plans don't work out, I'd fight with my last breath to get you out of this hell hole," she promised and I smiled.

At this point, my mother's face is all I could see on her.

I hugged her for the last time before heading to the podium.

"Good evening ladies and gents, tonight we celebrate the engagement of my stepdaughter and her lover..." Mila kept speaking but I had drifted off in my thoughts.

"Why the hell isn't he here?" I mumbled, staring around anxiously. 

"Please welcome, my stepdaughter, Cassie and her lover." She announced, handing over the microphone to me.

"Do not mess this up!" She warned before stepping back.

The shameless omega excitedly came forward with the crowd clapping and fawning of how good of a stepmother Mila is.

Since plan A failed, I will have to get out of this mess myself. 

Taking a deep breath in and out, I stared around the crowd for the last time, hoping for the stranger to step out but was disappointed. 

"Good evening everyone, I have something to say tonight. It seems my stepmother is suffering from dementia!" I announced and the crowd gasped.

"What the hell are you doing Cassie?" She yelled but I ignored her.

"A week ago, I remember talking about my lover to my stepmother but I don't remember introducing him to her. Plus, I don't remember my lover looking like this stranger beside me." I revealed and the crowd gasped once more.

"What is going on?"

"Why is her stepmother forcing her to get engaged to someone else?" 

"It's true that stepmothers can never love a step child like they love their own child!" 

Murmurs came from the crowd and I could see Mila look around nervously. 

"She is just joking everyone, Cassie likes to joke all the time. Right Cassie?" She asked, staring at me sternly as if daring me to say otherwise. 

"Everyone, no one will like to joke with their future as my stepmother is doing with mine, will they?" I asked the crowd and they responded with a befitting response. 

"Since you claim that this isn't your lover, where is he then?" She questioned and I sucked in a deep breath with my heart beating fast.

"If it is true that you indeed have a lover, I'm sure he will try to rescue you from this sham, isn't it?" She added with a smirk, turning the crowds opinion towards her.

"Well..." I muttered, unable to say anything and everyone began to criticise me.

"We should all agree that if she doesn't have a lover, she should get engaged tonight, right?" She continued and the crowd agreed.

"That's true, since you are yet to have a mate and a lover, why don't you just get engaged and live happily." Someone from the crowd suggested and they all agreed. 

I broke out in cold sweat as my palms felt sweaty with my heart racing.

Mila took the microphone to continue the engagement and I saw Mrs Harrison about to step in but I signalled her to stop.

I didn't want anything to happen to her because of me.

Mila was about to announce us engaged when a baritone voice ordered for the engagement to stop.

We all turned to stare at the direction the voice is coming from and I gasped in shock on seeing who it was.

Asher!