Chapter 78


    Chapter 78


    Suzanne stood patiently as she waited for Austin and Evelyn to arrive.


    As the couple joined her, they got into the car and headed back to the Jackson residence.


    Unable to contain her dissatisfaction, Evelyn questioned, “What is wrong with Cassandra? She gets


    involved with someone like Scott and keeps the family in the dark. We’ve lost face in front of so many


    people. If this news gets out, it may seem like we were hard on her. And giving the painting to Peter in


    her name? That should have been done in the name of the Jackson family.”


    S


    “Mom, why are you always so strict and cold with Cassandra?” Suzanne interjected abruptly, cutting off


    her mother’s discontent before it could fully unfold.


    There was a sudden silence that fell over the car.


    Evelyn turned to Suzanne and asked, “Suzanne, what are you talking about?”


    Suzanne met her mother’s gaze and asked earnestly, “Isn’t Cassandra your daughter too? Why


    question and distrust her openly in front of everyone? She is part of our family, isn’t she?”


    Suzanne’s words cast a contemtive silence over her parents.


    After a long pause, Evelyn said in a low voice, “Suzanne, did shein to you about something?”


    “No,” Suzanne replied.


    Evelyn added, “Suzanne, you’ve been with us since childhood. You’re kind and generous. I know


    you’ve got a soft heart, but in this situation, Cassandra messed up without thinking about the Jackson


    family. So…”


    Suzanne frowned and raised her tone, saying, “Mom… Cassandra didn’tin about anything to


    me. I just feel that both of you don’t like her. Is this all because of me?”


    Suzanne didn’t know the real reasons behind her mother’s coldness toward Cassandra. She attributed


    it all to herself after hearing Reba’s words.


    It was true that she disliked Cassandra because thetter was too cold and always seemed to have a


    natural sense of pride. Cassandra, however, showed no signs of frustration, even when she seemed to


    be defeated.


    However, Suzanne’s feelings were more rooted in envying her sister.


    She envied how Cassandra was genuinely straightforward and easygoing.


    In the meantime, at the Dustmeadow Mansion….


    Ondo didn’t go to thepany. Instead, he went home.


    As soon as he entered the house, he went upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door.


    He could see a figure lying on the bed through the dim light. He turned on amp and walked over to


    the bed. After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke softly, “Cassandra, Cassandra…”


    However, Cassandra did not respond.


    He tried again and said, “Cassandra, wake up. Let’s talk.”


    He assumed it would not disturb her rest as it was not toote at night.


    Chapter 78


    However, Cassandra remained unresponsive.


    Ondo furrowed his brow and reached out to pinch her cheek, thinking it would wake her. But when


    his cold fingertips touched her face, he was startled by an intense heat. He quickly ced his hand on


    her forehead. Cassandra’s skin burned with a terrifying, feverish heat. He hurriedly shook her and said,


    “Cassandra, wake up. You have a fever. Let’s go to the hospital, okay?”


    Cassandra was so exhausted. She felt her head heavy and her body weak. She could not open her


    eyes and just wanted to sleep. She reacted forcefully to Ondo’s disturbance, impatiently brushing his


    hand aside as she said, “You’re so annoying. Stop touching me, will you?”


    Ondo, stunned by her unexpected outburst, lifted her from the bed in bewilderment. He looked at her


    seriously as he insisted, “Cassandra, you have a fever. If we don’t go to the hospital, at least take the


    medicine, okay?”


    Cassandra found herself bombarded with questions. She opened her eyes reluctantly to confront the


    person before her. She resisted the urge to push him away and spoke indifferently, “I’m not taking any


    medicine. Leave me alone. If I’m sick, it’s my problem, not yours. If you want to take care of someone,


    take care of Reba, okay?”


    Ondo frowned. He was at a loss for words in response to her sarcastic remarks.


    Cassandra didn’t give him a second look. She justy back down after saying those words.


    Cassandra had a fever throughout the night that persisted despite Ondo’s efforts to alleviate it with


    cooling patches. She even refused his help.


    Early the next day, before dawn, Ondo summoned Weston. Weston prescribed some medication


    suitable for pregnant women and advised her to drink plenty of water, recognizing Cassandra’s weak


    condition.


    When Cassandra awoke, she found Ondo entering the room with warm water and medicine.


    She felt weak all over from the fever, and her face was flushed. Ondo walked toward the bed and sat


    down on a chair, and as she watched, her delicate eyshes quivered, and her lips tightened slightly.


    Ondo handed her the medicine and said, “Take this first. I’ve asked the kitchen to make some


    porridge for you.”


    “I’m not taking any medicine,” she refused without hesitation.


    Ondo coaxed, “Cassandra, don’t be stubborn. Not taking medication after a whole night of fever will


    only make it worse. Dr. Garrett mentioned that you need to drink more water to recover faster, okay?”


    When Cassandra learned that Weston had prescribed the medicine, her expression softened slightly.


    But as she looked at Ondo, the images ofst night’s events subconsciously shed through her


    mind.


    With a frail calmness, she replied coldly, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll take it myselfter.”


    “Why do you refuse to listen, Cassandra?” Ondo said, increasingly annoyed. It was her own health


    she was neglecting.


    Cassandra looked up, taken aback by his anger, and said, “Ondo, I have done nothing, yet you


    use me of causing trouble. Is it because in your heart, Reba is the epitome of perfection?”


    “Cassandra, we’re talking about your situation now. Why bring up Reba again?” he asked.


    “It’s not that I want to bring her up all the time. It’s just that every word I say seems to somehow rte


    to her,” she said with a trace of a mocking smile on her lips, her eyes not even blinking.


    Ondo frowned and handed her the ss of water as he said, “Take your medicine first. We’ll sort that


    outter.”


    “I’ll take it myself. Don’t worry, Cassandra said.


    Chapter 78


    Cassandra, are you really going to force me to feed you?” Ondo asked.


    “I said, I’ll take it myself,” Cassandra insisted.


    Her growing irritation seemed to re up as well.


    Ondo narrowed his eyes, then abruptly put down the medicine and pulled Cassandra into his arms.


    She stiffened. Her body instinctively fought back, but she could not free herself from his embrace. Only


    her hands waved in protest.


    Cassandra reacted strongly, her anger seething within her. Although Ondo’s physical strength


    allowed him to restrain and control her, he could notpletely calm her with his other hand holding a


    ss of water.


    The water from the cup spilled onto the quilt amid the struggle, soaking all their clothes to varying


    degrees.


    They both fell into silence in the next second.


    Cassandra took the opportunity to free herself from his arms. “I’ll get it myselfter,” she said calmly.


    With that, she rose from the bed and headed for the bathroom, not even ncing at him.


    Ondo felt her indifference and rejection, but there was little he could do. She was his wife, and taking


    care of her was a duty he could not ignore.


    Yet, an iprehensible look shed across his handsome face as his deep, dark blue eyes lingered


    on the bathroom door before he left the bedroom, as though he had expected her toe out from it.


    Cassandra’s fever persisted for several days, and their rtionship was lukewarm at best. Ondo,


    who was in charge, tried to help her most of the time, but her emotions and responses were minimal.


    She felt unwell and low on energy and paid little attention to events beyond her surroundings. Early in


    the morning, Nellie called and brought some gossip.


    Nellie said, “Reba became the talk of the upper–ss society after Mr. Peter Quinn’s birthday


    banquet. She made a high- profileeback and got endorsements and advertisements from other


    celebrities. Now, everyone is mocking her for digging her own grave.”


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Cassandra, not particrly invested in the news,mented, “It’s her own fault. She brought it on


    herself.”


    Nellie sighed before asking, “That’s right. By the way, do you feel better now?”


    “Yes, much better,” Cassandra replied.


    She did not go to thepany, and her work came to a temporary halt because of her fever. If she had


    not been pregnant, she would not have been so cautious. She had to be careful with a baby in her


    womb.


    As for Reba’s affairs in the upper ss society, they held no real significance for her. She listened to


    the gossip and let it drift from her thoughts.


    Later, Nellie continued, “Cassie, have you and Ondo thought about divorce? Do you n to tell him


    about the baby? As the months go by, you won’t be able to hide it. You can cover up as the weather


    turns colder, but he sleeps in the same room with you. Has he not noticed your baby bump at all?”