The Tycoon's Secret Wife's Escape

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I called Cassie the moment I stepped out of Gabriel's apartment building. She picked up after just two rings.noveldrama

"Baby! Help me!" she cried the moment the line connected.

Alarmed, I clutched the phone tighter. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?"

"Coming down from Mount Olympus! It's all that lunatic Asher's fault. Who even told him to ruin my night?" Her irritation was palpable, practically crackling through the phone.

"Send me your location. I'll come get you."

I considered hailing a taxi but hesitated. Talking about our dramas in public was the last thing I wanted, especially with judgmental strangers. Instead, I headed toward the club we'd visited last night-it was close to Gabriel's place, and I knew Grayson's car was still parked there.

Ten minutes later, the car was climbing the elegant curves of Mount Olympus, one of Hollywood's most exclusive neighborhoods, where sleek modern mansions perched above the city.

I found Cassie barefoot on a decorative stone wall, her thousand-dollar shoes dangling from one manicured hand like dead birds. She beamed with a smile when she spotted the Rolls-Royce.

She reached for the car door, but I didn't unlock it. Instead, I leaned on the steering wheel and raised an eyebr 'Before you get in, explain why you never mentioned you were engaged to Asher Reid."

Her face twisted into a guilty pout.

"Oh, baby, it's over now. What was the point of telling you if I already planned to call off the wedding?" She glanced down dramatically at her feet. "Besides, could you really leave me here? My poor Manolo Blahniks have been through enough. trauma, so I took them off. I couldn't let them get ruined!"

I could only shake my head as I unlocked the door. Trust Cassie to prioritize Italian leather over her own skin.

We drove toward Grayson's villa, the winding roads of Mount Olympus empty at this hour. Mansions loomed behind their gates like sleeping giants.

"By the way, I agreed to make amends with Gabriel," I said into the silence, keeping my voice deliberately casual.

"What?!" Cassie's voice shot up. "Pull over. I'm getting out!"

"Cassie, listen-"

"No, stop the car! I knew it! I knew you'd go crawling back to that scoundrel Gabriel!"

I stared at her, momentarily speechless. Then I smirked. "Are you sure? Can you really bear to ruin your shoes again? They'll be caked in dust in no time."

She froze, finally catching the sting in my words. "Fine, whatever!" she muttered, slumping back into her seat.

"I didn't reconcile with Gabriel for the reason you think," I said, correcting the negative assumptions in her thoughts. "I have my plans."

"And what exactly are these plans?" Her voice dripped skepticism.

I let out a weary sigh. "His fans, Sabrina's fans - they're relentless. They're accusing me of using Gabriel because I'm supposedly jealous of Sabrina. They think I'm clinging to him for fame. Honestly, Cassie, I'm done disregarding all of it. Even Gabriel assumes I'm just bitter-that I couldn't let go of our relationship-not even after he cheated on me with

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Sabrina."

My fists clenched at the thought.

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Cassie's expression softened, her earlier dramatics forgotten. "But won't this just confirm what Gabriel already believes? That you're doing all of this out of spite?”

"Not this time," I said with quiet determination. "This time, I'll make sure he gets the message. I'm done. I'll push him to be with Sabrina, and maybe then he'll finally leave me alone."

Her disbelief was written all over her face. "Wait-you don't actually believe they're going to stop seeing each other, do you?"

"That's exactly it. The moment Sabrina realizes why Gabriel's been avoiding her these past three months, she'll definitely make her move. And Gabriel?"

I let out a soft, bitter laugh. "He won't keep that last promise he made to me. But until then, I'll use him just like he used me," I said, surprising myself with how cold I sounded.

"Wow! You've gotten smarter, my friend! So this is what happens when you break up with a scumbag!" Cassie's eyes sparkled with pride.

We pulled up to Grayson's villa just as the personal shopper arrived, her truck laden with packages. I hadn't realized how much I'd ordered from her electronic catalog.

Cassie eagerly volunteered to organize everything in my wardrobe, admiring the luxury pieces. She couldn't help but criticize the helpers for not wearing gloves.

I left her to it.

While getting ready for my family gathering, I spoke with Grayson about the situation with Gabriel. His brows furrowed, and he remained silent during our video call.

"You don't seem happy," I observed.

"Of course, I'm not happy!" he paused, choosing his words carefully, "I was thinking..."

"If you think this is a reason for me to back out of our upcoming wedding, you're wrong. I won't keep secrets from you-we can even put that in the contract," I said, watching his face closely.

I think what I said gave him some peace of mind.

I added firmly, "No cheating in the marriage, Grayson. No sexual relationships with other men or women. If either of us cheats, we'll divorce immediately."

A hint of understanding crossed Grayson's features. "Ms. Panda, the way you're talking... it sounds like you know something."

"Cassie Monroe is my best friend," I replied.

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19:29 Sat, 12 Apr 0.