Page 100 of One of Those Amnesia Stories

Cassandra’s laugh was sharp and shaky, a sound of pure desperation. “You think you can just back out? You can’t, Cassian. We signed a contract. Do you have any idea about the financial penalties, the lawsuit—”

I stared at her, and then a slow, deliberate smile spread across my face.

“Cassandra,” I said softly. “Did you forget the clause?”

Her face went still.

“What clause?” she whispered.

“The one your father insisted on. The one in the final term sheet you personally handed me.” I leaned forward slightly. “Clause 14.B. The Mutual Walk-Away.”

I watched the memory click into place behind her horrified eyes.

“It grants either party a ninety-day window to terminate the agreement,” I continued, calm enough to make every word feel clinical, “for any reason. Or no reason at all. No penalties. No damages. No legal recourse.”

Her expression faltered.

“You… you wouldn’t…”

“I would.” I let the smile disappear. “And I am.”

Even after softening half the contract, Hartley had made sure that clause remained.

I leaned back, my gaze cold. “Your father included it to flaunt his power. To remind me that he could pull the rug out from under me whenever he wanted, if I displeased him. I signed it because, at the time, I had no other choice.”

A slow smile touched my mouth again.

“Did you even read it? Or were you so arrogant about your supposed victory that you forgot the one clause you and your father never dreamed about anyone having the backbone to use against you?”

I let the silence stretch.

“That’s the thing about a two-way street, Cassandra. The power to walk away goes both ways.” I held her gaze. “And I’m invoking that power now.”

I straightened up, the decision absolute.

“So, thank you. Thank you for delivering my escape hatch. Now get out.”

Cassandra’s composure shattered. “You’re making a mistake! You’ll regret this, Cassian.”

I had a long list of regrets in my life.

This would not be one of them.

I glanced at Rohan. “Call security.”

She let out a bitter, disbelieving scoff, her eyes burning into me. “Deny it all you want. You can’t change the truth of what we have.”

Rohan opened the door and cleared his throat. She shot him a venomous glare, and with one last, searing look at me, she finally swept out of the room.

Liam dragged a hand down his face, exhaling hard. “Jesus Christ. What the fuck was that?” He looked at me, his expression stripped of its usual cheer. “Cassian… I didn’t know. I knew she had a crush on you when we were kids—hell, everyone did. But it was a kid’s crush. I thought she’d outgrown it. I never would have let her through the door if I’d known it was… this.”

I just slumped into my chair, the fight draining out of me as my head fell into my hands.

It was over.

My mother was dealt with.

Cassandra was gone.