Page 6 of Neptune

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CASSIE

"D o you think that I should marry him?" I ask Paul, who's styling my hair.

Fortunately, Oscar has managed to secure the deal with Adidas, and right now, I'm going to do a photoshoot at home before I can post the pictures on my Instagram as part of my paid partnership deal to promote their latest product.

Paul stops and looks at me in the mirror.

"Honey, stop thinking about what Morgan wants.

I don't think you should marry that billionaire just because he controls one of the most influential news and media companies in the world.

" He shakes his head in disbelief before resuming his work again, styling my hair into a French braid.

"Lucas Klein is gorgeous. Hell, I would marry him if I didn't have a boyfriend.

But for you? No, dear. You deserve more than that.

Your marriage should be more than a business deal. "

I laugh from hearing that he would marry Luke because of his looks.

"Yeah. I don't understand why Morgan prefers to sacrifice my happiness instead." I sigh sadly.

Morgan wasn't always like this. In the early years after I met her for the first time, she was the most amazing human being I'd ever known.

Things changed as I grew up, and it became worse when she began throwing me into Hollywood. Since then, she’s acted like I’m just her bank account, but until now, I still refused to believe that fact.

Paul tilts my chin up, a soft smile touching his lips. "Darlin', she's just blinded right now by all of your achievements. I bet she didn’t expect that you would be this famous. I'm sure that deep down in her heart, you're still her precious little girl and that she never stops loving you."

My heart feels warm because of his soothing words, and I suddenly feel like I'm going to nail this photoshoot because my mood has just gotten better.

I hope that what Paul said is the truth, that he didn't just say that just for the sake of comforting me. No matter how badly Morgan treats me, I still want to believe that we haven't lost everything.

"Thanks, Paul." I smile, sighing, and he winks at me.

???

Another day has passed, and just like Oscar suggested, I spend the day relaxing in my spa at home.

Balinese instrumental music fills my ear, and I feel like lying down near an exotic beach far away from all of this madness—I can even hear the sound of waves crashing against the shore—while the spa therapist massages my temple.

This feels like heaven. I wonder if I will ever have the chance to go on vacation again without reporters or photographers secretly trailing me.

Maybe it's about time to find a virgin beach on an unknown island so that nobody can find me there.

" Cassie !" Morgan's voice suddenly booms, and I snap my eyes open.

Please, not now .

Morgan barges into my spa, making me abruptly sit up.

"What the hell are you doing now? This is not the time to chill and have an aromatherapy massage," she barks, but then closes her eyes as she inhales the soothing smell .

Right. Even when she doesn't want to admit it, she knows that it does smell good.

She snaps her eyes open again, shooting me a sharp look.

"Get up this instant. We're going to Italy soon.

Cal Jackson is having a tour there, and we're planning to release the song you collaborated on with him on the stage.

You're going to be a surprise guest there and perform your new song together. "

My jaw drops. All the relaxing atmosphere suddenly vanishes, and I'm back to hell. What is she talking about? Has Oscar not made it clear to her that I'm not going to release any new single soon?

I know what she's talking about. Cal Jackson is new in the music industry, but he's a rising star. He's expected to win the Best New Artist at the next Grammys, and we've made a song together, which will be on my next album.

But what Morgan said just now is the opposite of what Oscar has told her.

Feeling that I'm not in the mood to continue my spa therapy, I grit my teeth.

"You can go home now, Martha," I say to my therapist, putting my robe on before approaching Morgan. "What are you talking about? Oscar has made it clear that releasing a new song isn't the best decision for now."

"That's what he said, but the director and I know better," she says, surprising me.

"Yes, I've talked to him, and he agreed.

Oscar will have to obey him. We're lucky that Cal still wants to have you as a surprise guest. The moment your new collaboration song is out, the video will be all over the internet, and we just have to see the audience's reaction.

I must say that the song is a masterpiece, Cassie.

If we're lucky, if the reaction is good, you will release another single and perform them on AMA. "

Now my eyes widen in shock. AMA? That's too soon. It's only a month left, and she expects me to promote two new songs and prepare a performance to kill during that short period?

"It will have to be your best performance in history, Cassie," she continues. "It has to be an explosion, so we have no reason to delay your next album. In fact, we will accelerate everything. Once it's out, you'll begin your next tour."

"Next tour?" My voice is shaking. "But—I just finished one this year."

My mind is spinning because I still haven't forgotten either that she's forcing me to go to Italy now. For God's sake, I just got back from Spain less than two days ago. I've just recovered from jetlag.

Morgan throws me a cold stare. "Well, you deserve to work hard. After all, your charts are going down because you fucked up with all those controversies."

My eyes burn.

"So, that's all you care about?" I shout. "Do you only care about the profits? Do you only care about money? Have you not thought that there's so much hate directed at me now, people might boo me when I perform and how I feel about that?"

She goes silent for a while, still eyeing me.

"Cassie, I've never taught you how to be so weak." Her voice is soft but painful to hear at the same time.

"Not only that, but you didn't even think twice before pushing me to marry someone I don't love just for the sake of a fucking business deal," I yell.

However, Morgan acts indifferent. I pant, feeling tears pooling in my eyes.

"Can't we just stop this?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper. "Can't we just go back to those times when things were less complicated? Can't we just live a simple life and be happy?"

Can't I be your daughter again?

But she ignores all my words.

"Cassie, I didn't love your father either when I married him," she says instead, shocking me to the core. "I did that for my own good. I just didn't expect that he would leave us so soon and cause us to struggle alone for a living."

I can't believe what she just said. My heart aches even more .

"You did not just say that about Dad," I say, the agony inside me eating me. Shaking my head in disbelief, I glare at her. "No, I won't let you control my life anymore, Morgan. It's enough. I won't ever listen to you anymore. This is toxic."

To my horror, she raises her hand and gives me a hard slap across my face. My hand shaking, I touch my swollen cheek before snapping my head back toward her.

"How could you say that?" she hisses, her voice laced with venom, angry tears also visible in her eyes. "It's all because of me that you're at this point, Cassie. It's all because of me that you're a superstar now."

And with that said, she turns on her heels and walks out of the room, leaving me dumbfounded.

My lips tremble, I collapse onto my knees. How much more does she need me to overwork myself? Maybe this time, I will indeed get admitted into the hospital.

It's not only my heart that is tired but also my body.

But most importantly, even after all the cruel things she has done to me, I still miss her. I miss the Morgan I knew years ago.

If she weren't my manager, would things change? Would we be able to see each other as mother and daughter again?

But the company wouldn't just let Morgan go, even if I asked them to.

After all, Morgan has done so much for them.

She's the one who convinced the director about me in the first place before I became a superstar, which now makes him believe everything she says since billions of dollars fall in his lap every time she makes a decision.

Then Lucas Klein's voice echoes back in my ears. “ Remember, Cassie. With me, you'll have leverage against Astalis Records, for once .”

I freeze. A deal with Lucas Klein might be able to overthrow Morgan. After all, the company won't be able to resist the opportunity to ally with the most powerful news and media corporation in the country.

Luke will be able to convince them to fire Morgan .

As long as I marry him.

But still, no matter which decision I make, I'll end up in hell.

It's just a matter of which hell I will choose.