Chapter 245: Who Is She?

A gut feeling, those were good things to have. And though Cassandra Haven did not often blindly listen to hers. After all the people in her circles often had more than enough skeletons to make anybody wary. But just because you were wary of somebody. That did not mean you could not do business with them. You just had to sleep with both eyes open, and smile with all of your teeth on display.

But in the current situation that was unfolding. Her instincts were screaming too loud for her to ignore. The day when Cassandra had come unannounced to Derek’s penthouse, a girl had run past her. And despite the encounter being only brief, Cassandra had been unable to shake the feeling that she had just met somebody who played a big part in her son’s life.

Derek had sworn up and down that the girl was nothing, that what they had going on was temporary. A mutually beneficial agreement. That was what her son had tried to convince her. And Cassandra, being a mother, had tried her very best to believe it, despite every single part of her telling her no. That there was more to it. But despite everything Derek having said about the young woman making sense, Cassandra had been unable to put the issue to rest. It had kept popping up. And no matter what she did to try and forget it.

The issue concerning the girl just would not die.

And now Cassandra finally knew why.

Contrary to what her son might think, Cassandra did not just go to the city to visit him. Sure, she enjoyed popping up from time to time, and surprising him. But there were numerous other occasions, where she went to the city, handled her business and then headed back to the manor without Derek ever even knowing that she had set foot there.

And as it happened, a few days after, Cassandra had had the almost encounter with the young lady that Derek was sleeping with.

She was in the city.

As she did most times when she was just there to enjoy a bit of time with herself, she did a bit of therapeutic shopping. Then once that was done, she went to her favorite restaurant, and had herself some brunch.

Her meal finished, Cassandra decided to stop stalling. To get to the heart of the matter of why she was in the city in the first place. After all the years that she had been doing this, her heart still twinged a little bit when she did it. But at the same time, Cassandra cared too much not to. Unlike most of her age mates, who had moved on almost as soon as their spouses had died.

Often going for younger people who were beautiful to look at. But had very little intelligent thought process. Cassandra had never been able to make herself forget her husband. Jasper had been her everything.

She could not just move on like that. And so, Cassandra was one of the few widows who still wore her wedding ring.

And at least once a month she made sure to have it polished and cleaned professionally. Going to the one jeweler she trusted not to ruin it.

Some would call it a sad state of affairs. Like somebody who had been widowed as long as her should just move on. Take off her wedding ring and let it gather dust, forgotten in some jewelry box.

But Cassandra did not have it in her to do that. And so there she was, headed to the best jewelry store in the city. She could have had one of the staff take the ring and have it cleaned for her. But she had never been able to delegate this particular duty.

And that day, Cassandra’s inability to let go yielded results other than a sparkly ring.

After waiting patiently while her ring got cleaned and polished.

She could not help a relieved sigh when Pierre, her most trusted jeweler. Finally handed the piece of jewelry back, and Cassandra slid it back onto her finger. She never felt quite right whenever she took it off. It did not feel as though she were missing an ornament, but rather it felt as though she were missing a body part.

Her finger just was not complete without it. But now that it was back where it belonged, Cassandra felt better, much better. So much so, that when Pierre rose up and gave her a small smile.

"Madame, if you would be interested in heading to the back with me, there are a few collector’s pieces that we have recently acquired. I believe that some of them might be to your taste," Cassandra simply nodded and followed him to the back without wasting any time. Pierre was a man after her own heart. If he was suggesting that she look at a piece of jewelry.

Then most likely it was something that she would like. And sure enough, the pieces that he showed her were exquisite. If she could have, Cassandra would have bought all of them. But Derek had made her promise not to go overboard on jewelry. "Every time you over buy, Mother, you always waste time changing necklaces, earrings and even brooches. Just stick to having a few new pieces at a time and that way you will not struggle to make up your mind," Derek had said in defence of his stance, and Cassandra had been unable to find any fault in his logic.

So after looking over Pierre’s collection, she ended up just picking a set of sapphire earrings, loving the way that they caught the light.

Purchase done, she waited while Pierre packaged it for her, and she was just about to head back to the storefront when she heard a familiar voice.

"May I see some of your more unique pieces?"

Her son’s voice came through the curtains and Cassandra instantly halted. Derek?! What was he doing here? Was he there to buy something for her? Impossible. He would not do that. He had been the one who was complaining about the fact that she had too many pieces of jewelry after all.

So that left only one other option. He was there looking for jewelry for a woman, but it was not for her. Cassandra’s mind instantly went back to the woman who had been coming out of Derek’s penthouse. He had assured her that he and the woman were not an item.

That things between them were only temporary, but this proved otherwise. In some ways, Derek was so much like his father sometimes that it hurt. When she was younger, Jasper had been the one to ignite her love for jewelry.

Before him, Cassandra had not really cared. But Jasper’s way of showing affection had included constantly buying her jewelry pieces. Either from his travels abroad, or just because he happened to see something that he thought would suit her while passing by. And Derek was like that.

If he liked someone, as in really liked them. He always made sure to buy them a jewelry piece. So that meant that whatever it is that he had with that girl, it was getting serious. The young woman might not have caught any feelings for her son, but Derek most definitely liked her.

Going over to the curtain, Cassandra pulled it back slightly, peeking in just to be sure.

And she was proven correct in her guess.

It really was her son out there, staring at jewelry. Luckily for her, he was not looking at rings. Instead, he was staring at necklaces. He browsed them for a full thirty minutes, and then he left without buying anything. His hands clenched into fists.

As though he was struggling with himself. The impulse to buy almost too strong. After he had left, Cassandra quietly took her package from Pierre, and made her way out as well. All the while, her mind was ringing.

Derek liked someone.

A girl that Cassandra had never met before, and knew nothing about.

She could be a spy, a gold digger, or both. This could be very dangerous. Cassandra had to do something before things got out of hand.

"Jasper, whatever this is, I promise you, I will protect our son, with everything in me," She whispered, kissing her newly polished ring for good luck.

If this was war, then she would not be taking any prisoners.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read