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CASSANDRA'S POV

By the time that I reach the top floor, I'm out of breath. My heart is pounding and feels like it's bursting out of my chest, but I don't really care as I rush past Zac's secretary's desk. She's not there at the moment, because if she was, I'm sure she would stop me from barging in without reason, especially with how winded I probably look right now.

I shove the door open, rushing in and gaining Zac's attention right away. He's already standing, almost as if he was headed to the door himself to let me in or something. As usual, he's in a freshly pressed suit, and even though half the workday is completed, he doesn't have an inch of hair out of place. The complete opposite of me. I likely look like a hot mess with my heels in hand, hair falling around my face, and crazy eyes.

"Cassandra?" Zac raises his eyebrows as he strides towards me across the huge office that overlooks the city. I feel tiny all of a sudden, and my heart rate increases even though I'm just standing there instead of running through the office like a mad women a moment ago. "What's wrong? You look frazzled," he remarks as a flash of concern swipes across his face.

All of a sudden I feel like I'm suffocating and the huge room is closing in on me. How can he pretend to care about me if he has really been lying to me this entire time? Who the fuck does that? It's not his secret to keep. I shake my head at him as I step backwards, nearly tripping over my own feet and stumbling.

"Cas?" he frowns as he steps again towards me, grabbing my arm gently. My eyes burn as tears threaten to flood them. I can't even look at him right now, let alone confront him. "Did something happen?"

I jerk my arm back and away from him as I look up into his eyes. It's remarkable how much he looks like our father, or the man that I've believed to be my father my entire life. It's quite terrifying, because Zac looks like the perfect combination of him and our mother, but I'm practically just my mom in a young form.

"Is it true?" Zac's face falls with my action and he steps back as I ask him the question. Instead of getting a direct reaction from him, an expression mixed between pissed and confused now planted on his face.

"What? I have no idea what you are talking about, Cas. I can't really do much if you don't give me some context," Zac remarks somewhat rudely before his expression softens again. "Did something happen between you and Asa?"

"Are you seriously asking me that, Zac?" I'm now beyond hurt and confused, but also extremely pissed off that he's assumed this has anything to do with Asa. "Did you know that Ethan had a meeting here this morning? I thought that he doesn't work for Rhodes Enterprises anymore? What happened to that?"

"Um," Zac narrows his eyes at me cautiously, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "He doesn't exactly. He was here for a meeting with me in regards to something I'm considering for our Australia ventures to lighten up a bit of the workload. I figured that you wouldn't care as long as you didn't have to see him."

"Really? You couldn't at least tell me about this?" I shake my head at him again and cross my own arms across my chest. My chest is still heaving lightly as this conversation is really starting to upset me. "This is the company we're talking about, and you're considering a partnership with Ethan?! No way, not fucking happening. And since we're having this conversation already, you should know that I did have to see him because you let him in here!"

I never yell, but I'm fucking yelling at Zac at this point. My eyes begin to flood with tears and I'm forced to look away from the Zac. He's always made such a big ass deal about protecting me, but he couldn't keep the one guy that I know will hurt me out of the office? He's considering partnering with this guy to reduce workload for our Australian division? That's a whole new low for even Zac.

"What are you talking about? Did he talk to you?" I can tell from the corner of my eye that Zac isn't happy to hear that I saw Ethan, and I want him to feel upset about this. I want a reaction out of him because I also want to know the truth about what the hell has been going on. "Cassandra! Answer me!"

I jerk my head towards him, not having realized that I was staring at him as thoughts had spun around in my head about my mom and this company, and Ethan.

"Oh, yeah. He sure fucking did. He told me some really interesting stuff, actually. About how you've been keeping a secret from me. So tell me, Zac. Is he telling me the truth? Did mom have an affair? Am I your sister or only half?"

As soon as the question rolls off my tongue, I instantly regret it. Zac's face falls immediately and the way that his eyes are filled with guilt and remorse as they lock with my own gives me my answer.

"Oh my god," I choke out as the threatening tears overcome me. My heart feels like it's lodged in my throat and sinking to the pit of my stomach at the same time, and my legs feel as if they're about to give out. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

My whole world feels like it's been flipped upside down. I don't even know how to react, but my mind isn't even working right now. I feel all fuzzy and numb, and I can feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Just let me explain, okay?" Zac reaches out for me again but I stumble backwards again, refusing to let him touch me. I feel so betrayed by him. How could he not tell me? How could Ethan know about this before I did? "Cas, calm down..."

I don't realize what I'm doing at this point, but everything is blurred through the tears in my eyes. There's a slight ringing in my ears, and I feel like I'm not getting enough oxygen.

"Cassandra," Zac's voice is stern as he grasps my shoulders. My knees are tingly and I feel lightheaded, trying to make sense of this situation.

"How could you let him tell me?" I choke out, letting out a loud sob. "You let him get to me because you couldn't tell me yourself. I had a right to know, and he had no right to be involved in this," I continue, thinking about how Ethan has single-handedly destroyed me before, much like he has the satisfaction of saying he did once again.

That's what hurts the most. That Ethan is involved in any of this. Him and Camara, and him being the one to tell me.

"Cassandra, breathe," Zac shakes me slightly, just as I hear a loud knock, but my entire vision and mind is a blurred mess. I don't even know how much time has passed since I spoke. I feel faint, and almost like I'm about to pass out. Zac's saying something, and I'm not listening. Or maybe I am and I can't hear? I don't know, but the room is officially the smallest room I've ever been in, and I'm extremely anxious.

A few seconds pass, and suddenly I feel my legs wobble a bit. I'm lightheaded again, and this time, I feel like I'm actually going to pass out.

"Cassandra?" I blink a few times as I hear a soft voice, and suddenly Zac and Lauren are crouched down next to me, and I'm on the floor? I'm seated, and Zac's saying something else.

Lauren? Why is Lauren here? I don't even know if what is going on around me is what's actually happening, and I'm totally lost. The last thing I hear is Lauren's voice as she gets in my face, trying to tell or ask me something.