A Billionaire's chase; wanting her back.

Chapter4

“Holy s**t!”

Cassie’s voice rings out as the paper cup of vanilla milkshake slips from her hand, splattering across the tiled floor.

I wince, preparing myself for what is to come next.

Not for the mess.

“You had a baby?” She questions, her eyes wide and disbelieving. “And you never told me?” She steps back as if the confession physically hit her. “I thought we were—” Her voice cracks as tears begin to fall from her eyes. “I thought we were best friends, Elina.”

It’s not until the first tear slips down her freckled cheek that I realize how deeply I’ve hurt her.

Cassie doesn’t cry.

She'd rather give you a sarcastic comment and insult you—maybe beat you up for it but she never cries.

Not when her first love broke up with her for her sit partner or when she lost the volleyball game.

But she’s crying now. Because of me.

Without thinking, I cross the room and wrap my arms around her but she shrugs me off, not willing to get close to me. She wipes furiously at the tears that won’t stop falling, her mascara smudging beneath her eyes.

“I knew something was wrong,” she says. “I knew you were battling something, but I thought it was just... stress or something. Maybe a phase that'll pass soon. But this?” She laughs bitterly. “This isn't a small issue , Elina. You lost a child and went through that pain alone—and I wasn’t there for you.”

I try to explain, to speak, but the words feel stuck in my throat.

“Cassie, I—”

“No,” she cuts in, shaking her head. “Don’t tell me you didn’t want to bother me. Don’t give me that crap. I signed up for the full ride the day we became sisters by choice, not blood. I was there for your first heartbreak, your second apartment flood, your tequila birthday meltdown—this should’ve been no different.”

She folds her arms as she turns away from me, not willing to see my face.

I step in front of her, swallowing the lump in my throat. “You’re not just my best friend, Cassie. You are my sister. The sister I never had but always needed. I didn’t hide this from you because I didn’t trust you—I hid it because I was broken. Because I couldn’t even say it out loud without falling apart.”

She doesn’t look at me, but her arms slowly drop.

“I couldn’t tell anyone,” I whisper. “Not even Noah. It was a burden I chose to carry alone. It felt... shameful. Like if I spoke it into existence, it would destroy me all over again.”

Cassie blinks slowly, absorbing every word, her expression softening. I can see it—the moment she realizes this wasn’t about excluding her. It was about living

She reaches out and gently lifts my chin until our eyes meet. “You’re not alone, Elina. You never were. Not while I’m still breathing.”

I break. I wrap my arms around her again, tighter this time, and this time she doesn’t resist. She holds me like she means it, like she’s anchoring me back to shore.

I don’t know how long we stay like that but when we finally pull apart, the air feels lighter.

Cassie wipes her face and clears her throat. “So... what did Noah say when you told him?”

I stiffen.

She squints at me. “Elina. You did tell him... right?”

I shake my head, barely able to meet her eyes. “No. I didn’t.”

Her gasp is sharp. “Elina Hemsworth! That was his child too. What possible excuse could you have for keeping that from him?”

I exhale shakily, pressing my hands against the counter to steady myself. “That’s exactly why I didn’t tell him.”

She stares, baffled.

“Noah adores kids,” I explain, voice low. “We used to talk about having them someday—two, maybe three. He would’ve made the most loving father. But losing that baby would’ve destroyed him. It nearly destroyed me, Cassie. And if I had told him... it would’ve ruined him. His work, his spirit, everything.”

Realization dawns on her face. “That’s why you left.”

I nod. “I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t be the one who ripped his heart out.”

Cassie exhales and runs a hand through her wild curls. “And now someone knows... and they’re threatening to tell him?”

I nod again, my fingers curling around the edge of the counter. “I’ve gotten two texts already. And the second one... it came with a name.”

“Let me see it,” she says, instantly shifting into problem-solving mode.

I hand her my phone. She studies the messages for a long, tense moment, then tilts her head.

“Well... lucky for you, they left us a trail.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

Cassie shrugs, already pulling out her own phone. “The number isn’t encrypted, and the name they used gives us something to dig into. I have a contact—an old friend from college. If anyone can trace the number and find out who’s behind it, he can.”

“You’ve got a hacker friend?” I blink, surprised.

She smirks. “You’re not the only one with secrets, babe.”

I laugh softly, despite myself. “Yeah... I guess I deserved that too.”

I step closer to her outstretched arm, my voice sincere. “I’m sorry, Cassie. I never meant to shut you out. I was just trying to survive.”

She nods slowly, then opens her arms. “Just promise me... no more secrets. From now on, we will handle things together.”

I take a breath.

“I promise,” I whisper, pulling her into another hug.

And this time, I won't let go.