I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 49

Cassie's eyes instantly welled up with defensive tears. She looked up at Finnegan with a masterfully pitiful expression, her tiny fists tightly clutching both bracelets, completely refusing to let go. "But Finn, both of these match Seraphina perfectly. I want to buy them both for her."

Seraphina shot a rapid glance at Bonnie. She knew exactly who the imposing man standing behind the girl was, and she knew Xander was absolutely not someone they could afford to offend.

She quickly crouched down, gently smoothing Cassie's hair with a soothing, maternal tone. "Cassie, what have I always taught you? Good girls know how to share, right?"

Cassie blinked at her, genuinely confused, and fired back in her sweet, high-pitched voice, "But you also said if I didn't want to share, I didn't have to!"

Seraphina choked on her own breath, completely at a loss for words. She shot a helpless, desperate look up at Finnegan.

Finnegan bent down, his tone gentle but carrying an undeniable edge of authority. "Cassie, this isn't right. Bonnie wants to buy this bracelet for her sister, and you want to buy one too. You can each have one."

He paused, then added firmly, "You still haven't apologized for pushing Bonnie the other day. Since we ran into her, tell her you're sorry. Okay?"

Cassie's lip trembled in defiance. She absolutely refused to apologize. She had shoved Bonnie that day because Bonnie had her arms wrapped tightly around her mom. That was her mom! No one else was allowed to hug her.

But both Finnegan and Seraphina were staring her down. Seraphina especially. She was terrified Seraphina would stop liking her if she threw a tantrum.

"Fine," Cassie muttered, dropping her gaze as she grudgingly thrust one of the bracelets forward. "I'm sorry, Bonnie. I shouldn't have pushed you."

The words sounded incredibly polite, but she didn't mean a single syllable of it.

She absolutely despised sharing. She hated seeing her mom hold anyone else, and she hated seeing her mom comfort anyone else. Her mom existed solely to cater to her.

But with Finnegan and Seraphina forcing her hand, she had no choice but to comply.

Cassie shoved the bracelet further toward Bonnie, comforting herself with the thought that her mom would never find out anyway.

Bonnie stood her ground, her little face rigid with indignance.

She had clearly been there first! Cassie was the one trying to rob her, and now the narrative was somehow twisting into Cassie graciously 'sharing' one with her, as if she was supposed to be grateful!

Bonnie completely ignored Cassie's outstretched hand. Instead, she reached directly onto the vendor's display, grabbed the pale blue starfish bracelet she had originally claimed, and spun around to hold it up to Xander.

"Daddy, this is the one I want. It's for Nora."

"Finn?"

Seraphina's gentle voice pulled him back to reality. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing." Finnegan buried his thoughts and looked down at Cassie. The little girl's bottom lip was still jutting out in a furious pout, looking like the ultimate victim.

He crouched down and effortlessly scooped her into his arms. "Come on, let's go find somewhere else to play, okay?"

Cassie wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and gave a muffled, miserable nod.

She despised that Bonnie girl for trying to steal her bracelet, and she fiercely resented the way Finnegan had forced her to apologize.

She had just wanted to buy a present for Seraphina. She hadn't done anything wrong.

Holding Cassie with one arm, Finnegan naturally reached out and took Seraphina's hand with the other, leading them back toward the parking lot. Sienna trailed silently behind them, completely lost in her own distracted thoughts.