Hidden Crowns: The Diva Who Captivated the World

"You need to face reality. No matter how beautiful a woman is, once she's past thirty, she's only left to be picked over. And don't even get me started on you—a divorced one at that." Oliver West adjusted his standard bank-issued uniform, the buttons on his shirt straining against his bulging stomach. His beady eyes, hidden behind square-framed glasses, ogled Cassandra's legs with undisguised l**t. Cassandra calmly smoothed the hem of her pencil skirt and glanced up indifferently. "Oliver, I've heard you're quite wealthy. Word is, you paid cash for a villa in the West District. I'd love to see it." "My house? No… no problem!" A divorced woman in her thirties, dressed provocatively and suggesting a visit to his home on their first date? She was clearly desperate. A starving cougar, just his type. Oliver's inner glee was barely contained as his gaze shamelessly lingered on the thin fabric covering her chest. "Your ex-husband must've been blind. But don't worry, I don't care if you're not pure. As long as you marry me and give me a few big, healthy sons, you'll enjoy a life of luxury," he declared smugly. Sitting in the back seat, Cassandra quietly watched the passing scenery, her fingers idly tracing the bracelet on her wrist. Her exposed skin was pale and flawless, but her silence made Oliver scoff internally. 'A penniless woman from the sticks. No degree, no stable job. If it weren't for that pretty face and tempting figure, she wouldn't even qualify to talk about marriage with me.' He leaned back, basking in his own self-importance. 'I'm a bank supervisor, worth millions, with properties and cars to spare. This little village girl? A few boxes of jewelry, and she'll be on her knees calling me daddy.' But it didn't take long for Oliver to realize how wrong he was. After a brief tour of his two-story garden villa, Cassandra remained unfazed. Her only response was, "That's it? Got anything else?" For a moment, Oliver panicked. Could her ex-husband have been rich too? Or was she playing hard to get? Fueled by pride, he gritted his teeth and led her to the basement. Inside, shelves lined with antiques glittered under the light, a treasure trove more opulent than a royal tomb. Clearing his throat, he feigned humility. "Ahem, just a portion of my collection. Feel free to admire, but don't go spreading the word." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction when he finally saw her expression change. Encouraged, he launched into a detailed explanation of each piece, proudly recounting their origins. "When you marry me and give me a son, all of this will be yours," he concluded confidently. Cassandra nodded thoughtfully before tilting her head. "Oliver, if you're so well-off, why are you still single at 38? Do you have… peculiar habits?" His smile faltered, but he forced a laugh. "That's nonsense! I just have high standards. I'd rather stay single than settle." "High standards? And yet, you're courting a woman from the countryside? Doesn't add up," Cassandra replied with a sly smile. "By the way, I heard your family's from Grandtown. That's a prosperous area. Why move all the way to Skeynia?" Oliver's face flushed with panic. "I was born and raised in Skeynia!" he snapped. "Really?" Cassandra's smile widened. "I know your family's roots are in Grandtown. In fact, I also know your ancestors made their fortune looting tombs. Oh, and let's not forget the boyfriend your entire family opposed, the one who went to Terra for surgery just to marry you. Everyone in Grandtown knows about it." She leaned in closer, her voice soft but sharp. "Too bad you didn't marry them. Instead, your whole family fled here, changed your name, and started over. Isn't that right?" Oliver collapsed onto the ground, trembling like a leaf. "Who… who are you?" "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is my employer. She's been looking for you for a long time," Cassandra said coldly. At that moment, a red-haired woman in heavy makeup burst in, screaming, "Leon, you heartless bastard! You ruined my life!" She punched and kicked Oliver, who cowered and shouted back, "You can't even have kids! Why would I marry you? You chose surgery, and now you're neither man nor woman. Who'd dare take you?" "Who said I can't have kids? You're the one who's infertile!" she screeched, grabbing a pair of scissors and lunging for his groin. Behind her, two biracial boys wailed loudly. As Oliver's screams of agony filled the room, Cassandra calmly pulled out her phone and began recording the chaos. She sent the video to her family's group chat with the caption. Cassandra: Check out the great man you set me up with. The chat exploded with question marks, followed by a flood of frantic phone calls. Cassandra ignored them, turning off her phone with a smirk. Taking out a second phone, she strolled into Oliver's secret collection and recorded everything. Once satisfied, she uploaded the evidence of his illegal trade in looted artifacts to the X-BOE app. The task list showed one two-star mission marked "Completed," with her points increasing by 200. A second five-star mission remained active, its location marked as Seaview High. Cassandra stared at the unfinished mission, her expression darkening. Lost in thought, she didn't notice Emily Cooper rounding the corner until they collided. Emily waved an ID in her hand, gloating. "Cassandra, you must really hate your age. You actually faked an ID for a blind date? That's a crime, you know!" In the living room, Rebecca Cooper chuckled. "Faking your age is one thing, but claiming to be younger than Emily by ten years? How bold!" Helen, the matchmaker, glanced at the ID. "Cassandra Quinn, born April A303, Westmount. Says you're 23 this year!" Cassandra snatched it back effortlessly. "Rummaging through someone's room without permission? That's stealing. Didn't your family teach you any manners?" Emily froze, then burst into a tirade. "We took you in out of the goodness of our hearts! This whole house is mine! If your stuff's lying around, it's your fault I saw it! You're just guilty, aren't you? Liar! Beggar!" Before her insults got worse, Rebecca stepped in, trying to play peacemaker. "Alright, she's embarrassed because you called her out. Let it go, Emily." Helen quickly changed the subject. "Let's talk about the important stuff. We've got a great match for Cassandra this time—a wealthy family offering over a million in dowry!" Cassandra's eyes glinted with sarcasm. "Really? Another gem like Oliver?" Previously, they had hyped up Oliver as if he were a perfect catch, going to great lengths to marry her off, all for the sake of pocketing a $300,000 dowry. If Oliver hadn't happened to be her mission target, she wouldn't have bothered showing up. Rebecca stiffened, clearly having seen the group chat video. "Don't worry. That was my mistake. I should've done more research. You came all the way from Westmount to depend on us. We wouldn't let you suffer." Helen beamed, her tone laced with condescension. "Cassandra, you're divorced, 32, jobless, and from a rural background without parents. Let's be honest—it's tough to find someone willing to marry you." She leaned in as if delivering some juicy gossip. "But you're in luck this time! The young man I'm introducing to you is also divorced, but he's a true heir of Avalon's elite! Originally, he was supposed to marry a wealthy debutante, but she's young and beautiful, and when she heard he was divorced and living in Avalon City, she refused to even consider it. Her family was so desperate to secure this marriage, they asked me to find a polite, pretty girl to pose as their goddaughter and marry him instead." Helen paused dramatically. "The moment I heard this, I thought of you. And the best part? His last name is Quinn too! You wouldn't even have to change yours. Mr. Quinn said it must be fate!" Cassandra's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile as she finally spoke. "You're talking about that Quinn family, aren't you?" "Exactly," Helen exclaimed. "Skeynia's wealthiest—Alexander Quinn's family! His only daughter, Charlotte, is a brilliant graduate of Skeynia University and a renowned beauty. Cassandra, you'll be her sister-in-law someday. What a stroke of luck!" The corners of Cassandra's mouth twitched into a sneer. "Being part of their family—is that supposed to be a blessing?" "Of course it is!" Helen failed to catch the sarcasm, nodding enthusiastically. "You'd be marrying into a family others can only dream of. Don't forget us when you're a wealthy socialite!" Cassandra's gaze grew colder. "If this is such a good opportunity, why not let Emily marry him instead? Or are you saying I'm better than her—more deserving of the Quinn's family favor?" Emily's face darkened instantly, and she snapped, "Are you insane, Cassandra? I have a boyfriend—you know that!" Cassandra couldn't be bothered to argue. She turned on her heel and headed toward her room. But Emily wasn't done. She chased after Cassandra, her tone dripping with smugness. "I know you're jealous of me. My boyfriend graduated from Stanford and is a genius, while you're stuck with some disgusting cripple!" She gasped theatrically, covering her mouth as if she'd let something slip. "Oops, I wasn't supposed to mention that…" Emily leaned closer, gauging Cassandra's reaction. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I heard that rich bachelor is disabled, hideously ugly, and a notorious playboy with a violent streak. Rumor has it his ex-wife died under mysterious circumstances. Tragic, isn't it?" Cassandra's expression didn't change, though a thought flickered in her mind. 'So, it's true. Something's off here.' She kept her tone neutral. "Maybe you should focus on yourself. Ever wonder why your fancy boyfriend is interested in you?" Her eyes swept over Emily's nearly 200-pound frame, her gaze as cutting as her words. Emily turned red with fury and shook a designer bag in Cassandra's face. "Hick! Ever seen luxury before? My boyfriend got this for me, wouldn't take no for an answer. He's head over heels for me. Unlike you, I'm young and childless. Jealous much?" Cassandra let out a sharp laugh. "A low-grade knockoff, and you're proud of that?"