When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 348

Chapter Three Hundred And Forty-Eight: Old Wounds

Jessica finally reached home close to midnight, yet the Tremont mansion was still brightly lit. Nobody had gone to bed. Not after what happened at the gala.

The moment she entered the house, she found almost everyone gathered inside the family drawing

room.

The atmosphere was far from relaxed.

Jessica sat between Abigail and carefully narrated everything that had happened at the gala. She spoke about the awards, the celebration, the sudden panic, and finally the conversation she overheard inside the ladies’ room.

The room fell silent with every word. By the time she finished, no one was able to say a single word. They just sat there still.

But Joseph slowly stood from his seat, and he began pacing. The large drawing room suddenly felt smaller than usual. His mind was working furiously.

For weeks now, things have been happening one after another.

Tina. The fake engagement. The attacks. The threats. The hidden enemy. And now a kidnapping plot. The problem was that none of it made complete sense, at least, not yet.

Joseph was convinced that whoever was behind all these things must be from the past. Someone connected to the old incident and to Ethan Rhodes.

This person must have carried resentment for years.

But who?

That was the question.

Who hated them enough to want to destroy lives?

Joseph stopped beside one of the windows with a grim expression. He hated not knowing what to do.

Across the room, Abigail was attending to Jessica, the younger woman still looked shaken. She had always lived a protected life, never lived in a world where murder, kidnappings, and criminal conspiracies existed around her.

Her world had been gaming tournaments, sponsorships, family gatherings, and friendly competition. What happened tonight has changed that.

Abigail gently brushed Jessica’s hair back. “It’s over now.”

Jessica shook her head. “No.” Her voice came out softly. “It doesn’t feel over.”

Nobody knew how to answer that, because it didn’t feel over to them either.

Chapter Three Hundred And Forty-Eight: Old Wounds

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Suddenly another voice broke the silence.

“I’m going upstairs.”

Everyone turned.

Nora had risen from her seat. Her expression remained indifferent, almost bored. “I need to sleep.”

Sheila, her mother stared at her. “You want to sleep after hearing everything your sister just told us?”

Nora shrugged. “What exactly do you want me to do?”

The room became quiet again.

Nora folded her arms. “You all keep acting like Cassienne is some special woman.”

Jessica immediately frowned. “Nora.”

But Nora continued. “Please leave me out of it.”

Joseph turned around, his tired eyes settled on her. And for the first time that night, genuine irritation appeared on his face. “You will say her name with respect.”

The room immediately became still.

Nora froze.

Joseph rarely raised his voice. That made moments like this far more effective.

“Cassienne is special in this family.” His voice was calm, but it was unquestionable. “Just like every other member of this family.” Nobody spoke, but Joseph continued. “She is this family’s daughter-in-law, and she will be treated with the respect she deserves.”

A long silence followed. Finally Nora lowered her eyes. “Yes, Uncle.”

Then she turned and walked away. But nobody stopped her.

Jessica watched her twin sister disappear upstairs. A small sigh escaped her.

Sometimes she truly didn’t understand Nora. Then unexpectedly, her thoughts drifted somewhere else. To a ballroom. She began to think about Kael Noah. The memory appeared so suddenly that it startled

her.

Jessica frowned at herself.

Why was she thinking about him again? It wasn’t like they were together, or like anything had happened between them. They only spoke for one evening, and that was it. Yet somehow she still remembered the way he looked at her.

Jessica immediately pushed the thoughts away. This was hardly the time. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Abigail’s lap.

Chapter Three Hundred And Forty-Eight Old Wounds

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Abigail smiled gently and continued stroking her hair.

Across the room, Jessica’s mother, Sheila noticed everything. She noticed that her daughter had something else that bothered her, but she said nothing.

Much later that night, the mansion finally grew silent. One by one, everyone retired to their rooms.

For Joseph, his mind remained occupied. The questions refused to leave him alone, and by the time he entered his bedroom, it was well past midnight.

His wife was already preparing for bed, so was he. He dropped his phone on the nightstand and just immediately, the phone rang.

His expression changed because it was too late into the night and he wasn’t expecting anyone to call at that particular time.

He picked up the device. The moment he saw the caller’s name, his posture straightened.

It was Justice Elena Simpson. Ray’s mother.

Joseph glanced toward his wife. Then answered. “Elena.”

The voice on the other end sounded very serious.

Joseph immediately understood that this wasn’t a social call. Something had happened. Without another word, he left the bedroom and headed toward his private study.

The moment the door closed behind him, he sank into his chair. “Tell me.”

Several seconds passed while Elena spoke. Joseph listened carefully. The deeper the conversation went, the darker his expression became.

Finally he leaned back in his chair. “Are you certain?”

Elena’s answer came immediately. “I wouldn’t be calling if I wasn’t.”

Joseph rubbed his forehead. For the first time in a long while, he felt genuinely exhausted mentally. ” This keeps coming back to the same place.”

“Exactly.” Elena sounded equally frustrated. “We’ve investigated dozens of possibilities.”

Joseph remained silent.

Elena continued. “We’ve questioned former employees, reviewed company records, examined financial trails. And somehow we keep ending up in the same place.”

Joseph already knew what she was about to say because he had reached the same conclusion himself. Emily.”

The name settled heavily between them. Neither spoke for several seconds.

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Joseph stared at the dark window beside his desk. Outside, the city slept, but inside, the past refused to stay buried.

“She hates us.”

The statement came quietly, not as a complaint, but as a fact.

Elena understood immediately. “Can you blame her?”

Joseph closed his eyes briefly.

No.

He couldn’t. Emily Rhodes lost her husband. She lost the man she loved. The father of her daughter. And every piece of evidence from that period pointed toward Auralink. Whether they were guilty or not almost didn’t matter anymore.

Pain rarely cared about technicalities.

Elena’s voice softened. “Joseph.”

He opened his eyes.

“I know this isn’t easy.”

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

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