I Was His Wife, Then His Widow, Then No One's But My Own novel Chapter 66

Nora froze. She hadn't heard Cassie use that sweet, pleading tone in ages—probably not since Finnegan was still living at home.

"I'm busy with work," Nora declined smoothly.

Cassie clearly hated the answer. Her voice pitched higher, laced with the indignant frustration of a child denied her way. "Mom, stop pretending! I know you don't have work! Hurry up and come play with me. I want to go to the amusement park."

Nora's grip on the phone tightened.

Cassie had no idea she left the house at seven every morning and didn't get back until eight at night. In Cassie's world, a mother was just a convenience—discarded when unnecessary, demanded the moment she was bored.

"I really am busy. I'll take you some other time," Nora said, her voice remaining perfectly level. "If you want to go so badly, ask your uncle to take you."

With that, she hung up.

Felix, in the middle of shoveling food into his mouth, noticed her expression and slowed his chewing. "Cassie?"

Nora nodded, placing the phone face down. "Eat up, Felix."

On the other end of the line, Cassie stared at her dead phone in disbelief.

She was sprawled across the edge of her bed, kicking her legs in the air, her lips stuck in a deep pout.

She had already called her dad, who said he was busy with work. She had called Seraphina, who said she didn't have time.

That was why she had called Nora. In her experience, her mother never said no. On weekends, her mother was always waiting at home for her.

On the other side of the mall, Seraphina dropped her phone back into her purse and linked her arm through Sienna's. They had just walked out of a shoe boutique, and Sienna was carrying yet another shopping bag.

"Who was that?" Sienna asked casually.

"Cassie. Wants me to take her out," Seraphina laughed, completely unbothered.

"You're not going?" Sienna asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you cared about that kid more than anything."

"I'm shopping with you today, aren't I?" Seraphina smiled, hugging Sienna's arm tighter. "Come on, let's check out the new arrivals at that store up ahead."

The two women strutted down the promenade in their heels. Seraphina's phone buzzed in her purse again, but she ignored it.