CHAPTER 25: REALTOR RITA

Erisia nodded and said, "Yeah, you’re right. Let me know when you have a new lead, and when you’ve caught the guy. I’ll be taking my leave."

She turned to go, then paused and glanced back over her shoulder. "I can leave now, right?"

Officer Tyler stepped forward, and Erisia naturally fell in step beside him. He gave her a small nod. "Yes, you should have left a long time ago, but you didn’t—because of everything. So, you can go now. And yes, I’ll call you. You left your contact information, right?"

"I did."

"Then I’ll contact you whenever something happens."

"Alright."

They walked together until the end of the hallway, where Erisia gave him a polite nod before parting ways. From there, she headed toward the break room.

The break room wasn’t luxurious, but it was practical in the way only police stations could be. The walls were painted a neutral gray, and the overhead lights buzzed faintly, a reminder that maintenance always ran a step behind the workload. A row of vending machines lined one wall, humming steadily, their touchscreens slightly scuffed from heavy use but still responsive. They offered canned coffees, synthetic energy drinks, and the usual snacks, though the selection leaned more toward convenience than quality.

Several metal tables with mismatched plastic chairs were scattered around the room, clearly meant for short breaks rather than comfort. An industrial-sized coffee dispenser sat on a counter. The faint aroma of reheated meals lingered from the microwave in the corner, and a flat-screen monitor mounted above the door streamed muted news updates alongside a scrolling ticker of city-wide alerts.

Clean enough to pass inspection, functional enough to serve its purpose, but carried the weary atmosphere of a place too many people passed through while running on too little sleep.

She spotted Rein curled up on a folded blanket atop one of the chairs, fast asleep. Not seeing Cassian, she assumed the guy had already left. Moving quietly, she scooped up the kitten, blanket and all. Rein stirred only slightly, gave a small purr of contentment, and promptly burrowed into the crook of Erisia’s shoulder.

Erisia smiled faintly at the sight before grabbing the half-empty water bottle and the little food bowl. A glance around the room turned up a plastic bag left near the coffee counter, which she snagged to carry everything in.

Things shouldn’t be wasted. She wasn’t going back to the Wrenfords’ mansion, and Rein’s things were all there, so she couldn’t leave anything useful behind when she would have to buy the rest of her things again.

Thank God Echo had given her the $10,000 after she finished the second half of her lesson yesterday, which was the biggest reason she wasn’t going back to the Wrenfords’ mansion today. Because honestly, she didn’t know what she’d do if she laid eyes on that annoying bitch, Sierra, or her mother.

Erisia pulled out the phone in her jeans pocket and saw that the screen was cracked—she’d kept it with her the whole time, as the officers hadn’t needed to take it. She made her way out, saying her goodbyes to the officers she recognized from earlier, including a polite nod to the gatekeeper as she passed through the exit.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, the cool air hit her first. Then her gaze caught on a familiar figure a few feet away.

Cassian was there, standing beside a sleek black car with tinted windows. He was speaking to a woman whose brows were furrowed, her posture sharp and clipped as though her patience was hanging by a thread.

As soon as Erisia stepped onto the sidewalk, Cassian noticed her and he turned toward her with a small smile.

She glanced at the woman beside him, who was staring at her with sharp, evaluating eyes. "You haven’t left?"

Cassian shook his head. "No. I was waiting for you."

Erisia raised a brow, then flicked her gaze toward the woman. The woman didn’t look away—her expression was tight, and when she turned back to Cassian, the look she gave him was reproachful. Cassian let out a short laugh, as if to defuse it, and gestured toward Erisia.

"This is Erisia," he explained. "She was almost hit by a car earlier, but I managed to pull her away in time. Then the car nearly took us both out."

He looked back at Erisia, his smile lingering just enough to soften the introduction. "And this," he added, nodding toward the woman, "is my manager, Beatrice."

The woman straightened and extended her hand. Her lips remained in a flat line, professional but not unfriendly. "My name is Beatrice Castillo," she said crisply. "I’m Cassian’s manager. I handle his public relations, brand image, and, more specifically, damage control." Her dark eyes flicked over Erisia, then Rein nestled against her shoulder. "Which is why I came as soon as I saw the video circulating online."

She lowered her voice slightly, as if the street itself might be listening. "We needed to talk about how this looks. Right now, he is trending and you are too. Of course, your kitten also."

"Oh," Erisia said simply. She had expected this, especially once she found out Cassian was a singer and a rookie actor. Her calm reply surprised Beatrice, who had braced herself for dramatics or at least a flustered expression—certainly not the cool, unreadable one Erisia wore now.

"It seems you are not fazed?" Beatrice asked, brow arching.

"I expected it," Erisia replied evenly. "It was a commercial area—dozens of people were recording. I’m sure there’s nothing negative coming out of it, right? And if not, Cassian can just post on his accounts to explain the situation."

Beatrice’s lips pressed into a thinner line, but she gave a curt nod. "Correct. Nothing damaging is spreading, considering what Cassian did was heroic. Still, he wasn’t supposed to be in the limelight so soon... but it’s manageable. The more important question is whether you’re alright?"

Erisia gave a small smile. "Yes, I am. Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I’ll be taking my leave. Goodb—"

"Hey, wait," Cassian interrupted, stepping forward. "I’m sorry, but can you give me your number?"

Erisia stopped mid-step and turned her head, gaze cool. "Why?"

Cassian shrugged, a small half-smile tugging at his lips. "So I know you got home safely. And can’t I contact you once in a while?"

"I’m not sure..." she trailed off, glancing at Beatrice. The manager shook her head slightly, but then seemed to reconsider, tilting it the other way.

"It’s alright," Beatrice said smoothly. "I also wanted your contact information. It’s good to make friends."

"Okay." Erisia listed off her number, voice flat.

Cassian immediately pulled out his phone, tapped it in, then called her. Erisia’s cracked phone buzzed in her pocket. He cut the call instantly, saving her contact with a little satisfied nod.

"Got it," he said, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

Erisia shifted Rein against her shoulder. "Goodbye."

They both echoed the farewell politely, and she walked off without looking back.

Outside the station, a short walk later, she flagged down a cab. Rein stirred faintly as she opened the door, his soft mewl muffled against the blanket.

"To Brightfall Central Mall," she told the driver. It was the city’s largest commercial hub, known for sprawling floors of clothing stores, supermarkets, and restaurants.

Several hours had passed and the afternoon was slowly transitioning into evening. And Erisia? She was famished.

Getting to the mall, she first made a beeline for a small restaurant. After asking the guards if kittens were allowed, she walked in, sat at a table close to the window, and placed Rein on her lap.

A waiter came over to her and she ordered food and a drink before settling in to wait.

A minute later, he returned with the milkshake she’d asked for, setting it down with a polite nod. "Your food will be ready shortly."

Erisia smiled faintly and dipped her straw into the frosty pink drink. She took a long sip, the chill washing over her throat, easing some of the exhaustion in her chest. The waiter slipped away again, leaving her with Rein’s soft breathing.

Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes later, the waiter reappeared, carefully placing a steaming plate of food, an extra drink, and a glass of water in front of her before retreating once more.

Just then, Erisia’s phone buzzed. She pulled it from her pocket, momentarily blinking at the caller ID. Rita. The nurse she’d befriended at the hospital.

Sliding her thumb across the screen, she brought it to her ear.

"Erisia?"

"Hello, Nurse Rita—"

"I fucking told you to stop calling me that! And why didn’t you call me again after the day you arrived home? If I hadn’t called you now, would you have even bothered? I thought we were friends! Also, I just saw a video of you nearly getting killed by a car before some dude pulled you out of the way. Anyway—are you okay? Where are you? How are you?"

"Rita, I’m f—"

"Are you hurt? You hit the ground hard in that video. Did you even go to the hospital, or are you going to—"

"Rita."

"What? Why aren’t you answering my question?"

Erisia pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling softly. "I am answering it. I’m fine. Really. Just a few scrapes and bruises, but one of the female officers at the station knew how to treat wounds, so she patched me up. Nothing serious."

There was a pause, then Rita let out a loud, frustrated sigh. "You’re unbelievable. You almost get flattened, then go into a police station, leave there, don’t call me, and I only find out because the entire city’s timeline is blowing up with your face and some guy in a hoodie. What the hell, Erisia?"

"I was going to call you this morning after my outing with Rein—which turned into a disaster," Erisia said, though her tone was more amused than apologetic. "But things happened quickly. After it all, we had to give our statements at the station."

"We?" Rita cut in immediately.

"Yes. Me and the guy who pulled me out of the way. His name’s Cassian Rowe. He’s a singer, apparently, and a rookie actor."

Rita nearly choked through the phone. "What? That Cassian Rowe? No wonder the video went viral."

"Mm." Erisia poked at her food with her fork. "After that, my family sent a lawyer to close the case, wanting to give the driver money and make it neat and clean. But of course, I would never let shit like that happen."

There was silence for half a beat. Then Rita unleashed:

"Those rotten, miserable, elitist shitbags! You told me your family was shitty, but I didn’t know they were this shitty. Who the hell sends a lawyer to cover up their own daughter almost dying? What kind of mother—your mother, no less—thinks throwing hush money at some reckless driver is the answer?"

Her voice was sharp enough to make Erisia hold her phone a little farther from her ear.

"Mm. I don’t take them as family anyway, and I’m counting the days until I get to move out of that mansion." She started eating, "I’m planning to sleep in a hotel tonight."

"Hotel? You’re not going back?"

"Yes."

"If you are not going back then come over to my place!

"If you’re not going back, then come over to my place! I live in a two-bedroom apartment. It’s spacious, with a balcony and everything. The view’s serene. Trust me, it’s way better than some hotel," Rita said, pitching it like a realtor, which made Erisia laugh.

"I have a kitten. Do you like cats?" Erisia asked.

"A kitten? That explains what you were clutching to your chest in that video. Sure, bring it. Don’t worry—I don’t have any pets, but I’m not allergic. And cats are cute, aren’t they?"

Erisia chuckled. "They are very cute."

"Great! I’ll text you my address. Just grab a cab, it’s easy to get to my side of the city."

"Okay, but I need to buy a few things first. I left the mansion with nothing, so I need the basics. After that, I’ll head over."

"No problem. Take your time. I’m out running an errand right now anyway, but I’ll be back in about an hour. I’ll definitely be home before you arrive. See you later!"