The Returned Heiress Who Had It All (Cassia) novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16 The One They All Misjudged

Chapter 16 The One They All Misjudged

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Before Bruno could even finish, Vance rushed to speak. “Look, I already know what happened,” he said. quickly. “It’s my fault for not teaching her better. Sorry for the trouble she caused you. Just punish her however you need to. We’ll pay for any damages, no problem. I promise I’ll straighten her out when we get home.”

He said all that in one breath, worried that Bruno might think he was a bad parent.

Bruno frowned, completely confused.

“Mr. Wood, I think you might be misunderstanding something,” he said, puzzled.

Cassia stood beside them, her eyes filled with quiet mockery, like she was watching a comedy unfold.

A young officer nearby glanced between Vance and Cassia, then explained, “Hmm, Mr. Wood, I think you’ve got it wrong. Cassia’s actually the victim here. We’ve already finished the investigation. What she did counts as self–defense.”

“That’s right, Mr. Wood,” Bruno continued, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “We were planning to give Cassia an award, actually. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have caught those three thugs. They’re repeat offenders–always up to no good. Thanks to her, we finally had a reason to lock them up.”

He let out a nervous laugh, relieved that the situation had turned out fine in the end. Who could’ve imagined that such a young girl would have that kind of courage and even know people higher up the chain? A higher–up had personally called him earlier that day about her, and that call had nearly given him a heart attack.

Vance froze, still trying to make sense of it all.

Wait a minute. Is he confused? Cassia isn’t supposed to be the hero here. She’d gotten into a fight, hadn’t she?

“Chief Dittman.” Vance forced a polite smile, though his tone carried doubt.

Bruno patted him on the shoulder. “So, what’s your relationship with Cassia?”

“Oh, s–she’s my daughter,” Vance stammered, his voice so soft that it sounded barely like a whisper. Every word Vance spoke felt heavy on his tongue. He regretted coming here so recklessly.

He didn’t even know what had really happened, only that the whole thing terrified him.

If he had known he’d be dealing with someone this important, he would’ve stayed home and let Cassia handle her own mess.

She was almost an adult now. It was time she faced the consequences of her own actions.

The moment Bruno learned about this, his attitude would completely change. He suddenly became warm and polite, smiling as he said, “Oh, so you’re Cassia’s father! A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wood. I’ve heard so much about you–successful career, happy family, and such a wonderful daughter. Truly enviable!”

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12:16 Wed, Dec 31 G W

Chapter 16 The One They All Misjudged

“Uh… what?” Vance was confused. I hadn’t done anything special.

And calling Cassia a wonderful daughter? That girl is nothing but trouble.

He couldn’t tell if Bruno was just being polite or secretly mocking him.

Either way, he wished he’d never come. He was already filled with regret.

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Vance pursed his lips. After thinking for a moment, he forced a polite smile. “Bruno, you flatter me. Honestly, this child didn’t grow up with us. She’s a bit wild and hard to discipline sometimes.”

Bruno laughed heartily. “You’re too modest, Mr. Wood! Your daughter’s not only beautiful but also well- mannered. You’re a lucky man. I have two boys, and they are always causing me trouble!”

Vance didn’t understand what was going on, but he still laughed awkwardly to keep things friendly.

Then Bruno turned to Cassia. “Sorry for the trouble earlier. Those punks will be disciplined. You have my word.”

His tone was unusually respectful, even a little flattering.

Cassia simply nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate it. And please send my regards to Paul.”

Bruno froze, startled. So she did know someone powerful. Thank goodness he hadn’t done anything wrong earlier.

He rubbed his forehead, realizing sweat had formed. Bruno had rushed over as soon as he got the call. He left his business dinner halfway through.

Bruno could hardly believe what he saw. Who would have guessed that this quiet young girl was the one who had once saved the life of such an important man? The thought of how casually he’d spoken to her earlier made him uneasy.

The man that Cassia mentioned was a high–ranking official in the State Department. Cassia had saved him once by sheer coincidence, and they had gotten close with each other after that.

They rarely kept in touch, but when Cassia was brought to the station, she’d mentioned it to Jake–who must have gone straight to Paul Skeldon.

Otherwise, Cassia’d probably be stuck here for hours, getting a long lecture from the officers.

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