Eighteen Again: The CEO's Wife was a Delinquent

After a few rounds of trying out various gambling games at the casino, Gertrude and her companions eventually decided to pay a visit to the bar.

They’ve been seeing how people were rushing there for a while now. Many customers are going straight there right after entering. They haven’t even roamed around the casino yet, which made their current location less packed than earlier. It’s giving them the impression that something got them drawn over that place.

As soon as Gertrude and the others got there, they were a little surprised to find that the place was a bit too quiet to be considered a bar.

"This is the bar, right? Why there isn’t anyone dancing or something?" Levi thought out loud - which everyone else could not help but think the same. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Hmmm... There might be a show going on..." Gertrude presumed before going ahead and walking further inside with the others in tow.

"Oh, see? Someone’s on the stage-"

Right when they got a clear view of the platform, they all came to a halt.

Gertrude abruptly cuts herself off as soon as she recognizes the person who is about to perform. It turns out to be not just anyone.

At that second, she also finally realizes why some people are only speaking in low voices while others remain speechless. The air around this certain performer is just so striking that it grips their full attention.

Cassidy is standing in the middle of the stage, a microphone in hand.

Amidst the coruscant glows of the venue’s illuminations and the hushed chatters, she appears as radiant as a star. Everyone can’t help but behold her spellbinding beauty with awe, inevitably mesmerized. She has this self-possessed and confident look on her face that conveys a kind of attitude that people don’t usually see on her.

While Irish got herself a boisterous crowd earlier, Cassidy got everyone silenced.

’Well then, here goes nothing,’ she thought as she took a deep breath and raised her mic.

With that, a piece of soothing, saccharine music begins to flow through the air.

It’s a love song - a melancholic one.

She starts singing it as if she’s stirring their souls and touching their hearts. Just a few notes in and nearly everyone there is already feeling some kind of exhilarating chills. There is just something in her angelic voice that is so riveting that it takes them to quite an emotional journey. It sounds more heavenly than the softest of singers.

Her voice is immaculate and ethereal.

Now, Cassidy doesn’t only own the stage, but she is also in control of their feelings.

At least, that is how Olivia sees the whole thing.

While Irish stands beside her and continues watching Cassidy with a peeved expression, she is barely hiding how charmed and entranced she is. She can feel her emotions ascending from within, stirred by her sister-in-law’s divine singing.

Perhaps, this is not mere fascination. Olivia senses that it’s an eye-opener in the making. Now, she is almost convinced - Cassidy is more than her pretty face and unpredictable character.

She possesses the strength and confidence this whole time. All of that could have gotten her out of the darkness she had been trapped in for five whole years. They could change things drastically. Yet she chose to hide them. She allowed herself to stoop so low before her offenders. Not even once did she show any sign of having the power to break free.

’...I admire teachers!’

That’s when Olivia suddenly recalled what Cassidy said earlier.

As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was moved by that compliment. After all, no one from her family ever said or showed that much support before. That’s because they did not see this particular occupation as befitting for a Millicent.

Her mother wanted her to take up business or entertainment. If not that, she could enter the political world or study medicine. But in the end, she still decided to pursue the career of her choice despite the protests of her relatives.

Olivia worked hard to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher - much like how Cassidy worked hard to be a good wife to Adrian.

It’s not something they mainly did to meet people’s expectations. They did it because they truly wanted to do it. Both of them were genuinely earnest. They are honest about what they want.

’Yet if Cassidy did love Adrian, how come she does not seem to do so now? All because she lost her memories? Then, what made her fall for him in the first place?’ Olivia wondered before taking a look at where her brothers are.

Both Adrian and Edward are still sitting near the bar counter. Cassidy is already halfway through her song, but even then, everyone remains at the trance-like state they find themselves in when she started singing.

"Never knew Cassidy can sing so beautifully..." Edward mused out loud before glancing at Adrian.

"Did you know about this before-"

Right then, he fell quiet.

He reacts taken aback when he finds him looking like he is seeing one enrapturing daydream. His starry eyes are coated in an enamored luster that reflects only one person. He appears so helplessly in love - as if he is falling for his wife all over again.

And that’s exactly what Adrian feels right now.

At that point, it does not even matter if he becomes a total simp for Cassidy. In his eyes, she just looks so perfect despite her imperfections. He can’t keep himself from wanting her with every fiber of his being.

"You know, Edward..." Adrian eventually started while his gaze remained glued on his wife.

"Every time I get to see a new side of her, I feel just as guilty as I am happy."

"Why say so?" Edward inquired, staring at him questioningly.

"It always reminds me of how much I’ve taken her for granted before - of how stupid I am for not paying attention to such a wonderful person."

For that realization, he smiles at him and pats his back, thinking that he really is starting to act like his younger self. He is finally talking with his heart rather than his mind. It’s such a fresh yet all-too-familiar side of him.

’Hopefully, you guys can get things solved eventually,’ Edward thought with a smile.

Unbeknownst to the two, Sophie has been listening from behind them the entire time.

She may have been able to hide her feelings earlier, but this time, she can barely hold herself back. Her dark expression is hooded with malevolence while her dagger-like glare can practically bore holes on every soul right there. She is completely seething, scorching to end this absurdity.

’Indeed, Adrian falling for Cassidy is nothing but a huge absurdity.’

With that in mind, Sophie then takes a moment to pull herself together. She really should use this opportunity to act and not to brood. All she needs to bring forth here is a good fit of tremors. Eventually, things will go back to how they should be.

Yet before Sophie could start approaching Adrian, a couple of wine glasses in hand, Cassidy already finished her performance.

’Wow... It’s been a while since I sang like this...’ the redhead mused as she focused her attention on the crowd once more.

’But I doubt that I can win against Irene with this.’

Much to her dismay, not even a single clap can be heard from the audience.

The whole place is plain quiet for what seems like a long fraction of time. Right then, Cassidy thought for sure that she lost. Her singing may have been not as good as she has come to believe.

"Oh, how embarrassing..." Irish snickered with a mocking smirk, feeling more than satisfied by this unexpected outcome.

"People aren’t even making any sound. Too bad. It’s her loss~"

’Suck it up...’ Cassidy only grimaced silently before finally taking a step back.

’I agreed to this, so I should suck it up-’

That’s when someone from the crowd suddenly began clapping, making her flinch in surprise.

Almost instantly, Cassidy finds Adrian standing from his seat and clapping with a fond smile gracing his features. Edward and everyone else around him are clearly taken aback by how he broke the silence.

He really did as she told him earlier. Yet more than that, she could see the sincere appreciation in his eyes. He genuinely enjoyed her song.

For some time, only his clap echoes all around the place, and even though it’s a little awkward, she can’t help but be moved by the gesture.

Cassidy then blushes as Adrian only continues exchanging looks with her from a distance. That’s until more claps begin to join his, forming a surprising round of applause. As it gets louder and louder, she eventually realizes that the reaction of the audience has only been delayed.

Everyone just happened to be so blown away by her voice that they needed a moment longer to take it all in - an impression that Adrian fully supported.

Yet at that point, Cassidy was already satisfied that someone applauded her. Adrian’s gesture was more than enough, especially with how bright and delighted he looked. For some reason, that made her feel like it was alright to lose.

Though the place does proceed to get noisier and noisier for the next seconds to come, it is still not as loud as the one with Irish -

Or so Cassidy thought.

Soon enough, the round of applause starts to get overwhelmingly loud - and they find out that it’s thanks to all the people who are actually watching the entire thing from the second floor.

’Huh? A second floor? There is a second floor here all along?’ Cassidy mused in surprise, not really expecting this turn of events.