Ambergris Locakboxes Traveled Salt Routes by Hugh Calder 26

Chapter Twenty–Six: Clarity

The silence that followed Cassienne’s words stretched on for almost a full minute. No one spoke or moved. The only sound in the large drawing room was the low hum of the air–conditioning above them. It felt loud in the stillness.

Cassienne stood there, breathing slowly, trying to stay strong. But inside her chest, everything was shaking. Her heart felt tight, like someone was squeezing it with both hands. She could feel herself breaking again.

She had tried so hard to bury the past. She had tried to push the memories away and pretend they no longer mattered. But now, standing in that room, they came back all at once, sharp and painful.

Dreston’s voice echoed clearly in her head, as if he was standing right in front of her again.

How did I never see this desperate side of you? Why do you think I hired Tina? It was because of her intelligence- something you clearly don’t have. You couldn’t even get a promotion. And now you want to claim someone else’s hard work? Is that how desperate you are?

Each word hit her like a slap.

Cassienne clenched her fists tightly. Those words had broken her before, and even now, they still hurt just as much. They were cruel. They were toxic. And no matter how hard she tried, they refused to leave her memory. They stayed fresh, like wounds that never healed.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself not to cry again.

Mr and Mrs Tremont stared at their son in shock. This was not what they had expected. They had believed that whatever problem existed between Cassienne and Dreston could still be fixed. They thought it was only pride, anger, or misunderstanding.

But now, they realised the damage was far deeper.

Joseph Tremont, Dreston’s father, leaned forward slowly. His face was serious, and his voice, when he finally spoke.

“I am very sorry you had to go through all that,” he said. “But we need to fix this.”

Cassienne looked at him, stunned.

Fix this?

That was all he could say?

Her heart dropped. She suddenly understood that they did not truly see her pain. They only saw a problem that needed a solution–something to manage, something to control.

“I am sorry,” Cassienne replied quietly, her voice steady despite the storm inside her, “but nothing can be fixed anymore. It is too late.”

Joseph’s expression changed instantly. His eyes hardened.

“You will disobey my orders?” he asked sharply.

The sudden rise in his voice made Cassienne flinch. For a moment, the old fear returned–the fear that had kept her silent for years. But this time, she refused to bow.

“I am sorry if I made you feel that way, sir,” she said respectfully, “but there is no going back now.”

Chapter Twenty Six Clarity

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Her voice was calm, but filled with certainty.

She stood up and took a step toward the door. She just wanted to leave. She wanted air. She wanted to breathe again.

But Joseph’s deep voice stopped her.

“I heard that you have the company’s project in your custody,” he said. “I advise that you return it before you leave.”

Cassienne froze.

Slowly, she turned around, disbelief written all over her face. Of all the things he could say at a moment like this, this was what mattered most to him?

She looked at, Dreston. His face was blank. No guilt. No protest. No defence.

Her chest tightened painfully.

So this was it.

They were not angry because she was hurt. They were not angry because their son had broken his marriage. They were worried about the software. About the project.

Cassienne nodded slowly.

What else could they possibly take from her? They had already taken five years of her life–five years she could never get back. She had stayed loyal, patient, and silent. And now, they wanted the one thing she had built with her own hands.

That software was not just work. It was her escape. It was the one thing that made her feel alive again. She had developed it for Auralink, putting in sleepless nights, effort, and passion.

But suddenly, she understood something very clearly.

If giving it up would finally set her free from this family, then so be it.

That software could pay off every debt. It could repay everything they had done for her mother’s medical care. And after that, she would owe them nothing–not loyalty, not silence, not gratitude.

She lifted her head and spoke clearly.

“That will not be a problem,” she said. “I only need to make some final adjustments. The software will be unlocked and permanently erased from my system. That should fully pay off every debt I owe you.”

She didn’t wait for a response. She just turned and walked out.

Her steps were steady as she left the drawing room, walked down the long hallway, and passed through the large doors of the mansion. But the moment she stepped outside and reached the street, her strength finally gave way.

Her body shook violently. A sob escaped her mouth before she could stop it. She pressed her lips together quickly, refusing to let herself fall apart in public.

What just happened?

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This was not how she imagined it would end. She thought they would at least scold Dreston. Maybe beg her to stay. Maybe show regret.

Chapter Twenty–Six Clarity

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Instead, they asked for the software.

That was when it hit her.

They knew.

They knew she was the brain behind it. Dreston had told them. And even knowing what their son had done to her, all they cared about was what they could gain from her work.

Her heart broke again, but this time, something else followed.

Clarity.

She looked around the quiet street. A few people walked past, unaware of the storm that had just passed through her life. She noticed a stone chair by the roadside and slowly sat down.

She brought out her phone and booked a ride.

As she waited, she watched the neighbourhood around her. It was calm and beautiful. Two couples walked past her, holding hands, smiling, laughing softly. They looked happy together. A reminder of what she couldn’t get.

A tear slipped down Cassienne’s cheek.

She wiped it away quickly with the back of her hand.

“No,” she whispered to herself. “I won’t cry anymore.”

She refused to see herself as defeated. This was their loss–not hers.

They had chosen not to see her value. Now, she would show them exactly what they had lost.

Dreston had called her brainless. He had mocked her intelligence. But soon enough, he would find out who she truly was.

And by the time he realised it, it would be far too late.

A car stopped in front of her.

Her ride had arrived.

Cassienne stood up, took one last look at the estate she once called home, and got into the cab.

The door closed behind her.

And just like that, she left that chapter of her life behind.

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