Chapter 30 Back From The Dead

...Cassandra POV...
Here we are standing, the two ruthless Caine men and the two elegant Cummings women, which in itself has not happened for years. They are all around the same table having a whiskey, casually chatting about a rather annoying little man they have just taken out. To say that this is a very rare scene is most definitely true. How long shall this peace last between these age-old rivals for as long as Christian and I are in charge?
But something has just happened, a very familiar voice, yet very surprisingly, has just snuck up to our group. If I did not know of any better, we could have been dead by now. We let our guard down, especially after taking a rival out the way we did. I am watching the faces of each man and woman around this table; it varies from shock, horror, and just a simple smile. All I can say for certain is that someone has got some explaining to do.
And the first one demanding so is the one and one Christian Caine that can barely hide the utter shock on his face.
"My god! Am I hearing voices in my head? Princess?"
He spins on his heels to immediately face the man that is standing behind him. His face goes paler than all fifty-two shades of white.
"Joseph!"
"Hello, Christian."
"What the fuck is going on here?"
The moment he speaks again while he comes rising from out the shadows, I immediately leap forward and crash into his arms. The seconds he folds them around me into a tight embrace, then I know it is for real. It is my dad, living and holding me with his big protective arms close to his chest. I don't care how or when or where; I cling on for dear life, scared that if I wink that he shall be gone again. But then I hear Foster speak.
"Joseph should have known when we could not find the body that something was not adding up."
"Did not think I could fool you but seems I did."
"You had us all fooled," Christian says as he is still standing in disbelief. "But somehow, I don't think that Giselle should be surprised."
I pull away from my father's arms just to see the wicked smile on my mother's face. She only gets those when she really has been up to no good. But forget the damn smile, how could they have done this to me, do they think that I cannot keep a secret
"Mom care to explain?"
"We thought it was better that you did not know."
"Did not know! You made me suffer for months! I cried myself to sleep so many nights. Don't you think it was just cruel?"
"My baby girl," my dad says lovingly as he pulls me back into a hug. "We had to let everyone think that I am dead for the plan to work."
"Plan to work?" Christian asks. "Exactly what was the plan?"
"That Antoni would move in and try to take over. We did not quite think he would move so fast and put a hit on Cassandra's head."
"Okay," Christian carries on; I can see he is getting slightly mad. "I am missing a few details here. If I did not kill him, then who would have?"
I watch as my mom and dad just stand in silence with somewhat of a horrified look that they have just been caught out doing something rather unthinkable. It is my dad that cares to explain further what the true intention of their plan was from the very beginning
"See, baby girl," my dad begins to explain. "You did not really get that job at the club by chance. We might have sort of set it up so that you will meet Christian."
"But," my mom adds. "We actually thought that you would perhaps recognize each other from your childhood, but then you met up in any case."
"So you want to tell me this relationship is set up and that you were hoping that I would shoot Antoni?"
"Yes, that was the plan, Christian."
I watch as Christian's face turn into hot anger with a wildfire raging within his deep brown eyes. He goes to take his jacket and slide his gun into the back of his pants again. For one brief moment, he turns to me with a smile on his face.
"Are you coming, princess?"
My entire body freezes over. Here is the man I love and my father, what do I do? I do not wish to turn my back on my father, who had just come back from the dead, but I do not want to lose Christian now because of this. I know in the back of my mind that I cannot have both. So I do the hardest thing that I am possibly ever going to have to do in my life
"I am sorry, Christian, but I want to stay with my dad."
"It is fine, princess; you need to do what is best for you. I will get Mason to bring your stuff on over here."
"But Christian..."
"Sorry, princess, I can't do this."
With that, he turns his back on me, and I watch as he walks step by step away from me. He does not once look over his shoulder; he carries on and on until I see him disappear out of the front door.
"Joseph, we will catch up later; I need to be with my son."
Then not even a minute later, Foster Caine walks the very same path that his son did. The tears that had been threatening to consume my eyes rapidly build-up, and in one sob, they erupt like a river bursting its banks.
...Christian POV...
I always thought my father was bad, but this is by far the worst thing that I think anybody can do. How does one play such a foolish game and set two people up to cross each other's paths? The question begs here, should Cassandra never have been placed in my way, would I have ever met her in another way then. Is my love for Cassandra even real then?
I know that I should not have left her the way that I did. No one shall dictate my life for me, and she deserves to be with her father now. I shall never make her choose between us; therefore, I shall just quietly step back.
As I slam the pedal down and speed in a roaring thunder out of the driveway, the tears that have been creeping in the corner of my eyes fall like waterfalls down my cheeks. They do nothing to cool the fire that I feel raging under my skin.
The moment I stop in my driveway, I immediately make my way to the bar and pour myself a double shot of whiskey and throw it to the back of my throat. With my second glass, I sit down and sip on it while I try to calm my racing heart. It is not long, and I am joined by my father if he has come with an 'I told you so then he is in the wrong place.
"Are you okay? Stupid question. Tell me what I can do?"
"Just have a whiskey and don't try to feel sorry for me."
"Not my intention; what they did was pretty messed up."
"I understand getting the man back that tried to off you in the first place, but this shit...it is not messed up, it is fucked up."
"So what do you think his intention is now?"
"Well, we both know he hates you more than anything; the likeliness that he will still let me around his daughter is slim."
"Yes, but he wanted you to meet."
"Yes, for his fucked up plan. And I shall not let her choose between her father and me."
"I am sorry, son, I don't really know what else to say."
"Just sit here a while, or else I might drink myself stupid."
"But you are already stupid."
"Hahaha. Nice one, father. At least you got me to laugh."
"I think you must go see Lucy."
"I think I might just do that."
...Cassandra POV...
The whole of last night, I tried to reach Christian, but he is not taking my calls or returning any of my messages. I understand that he is furious, for I am just as much, but those are our parents' problems, not ours. If he refuses to speak to me, then I shall go to him. It is fairly early enough; he should still be home at this time. Jessie has come to go with me to his place.
"Girl, are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, what is the worst he can do? Chase me off from his property?"
"Then we should get going before Mr. Caine disappears."
As we pass the kitchen to get to the front door, we catch my father having his morning coffee. It does very much feel strange to have him back. I go to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Where are you girls off to?"
"We going shopping."
"I need some new outfits for work," Jessie adds.
"Well, enjoy it; I will see you later, my baby girl."
With one last kiss on his cheek, we say our goodbyes and head on out the front door. Once we in the privacy of my car Jessie turns to me.
"Why did you not tell the truth to your dad?"
"My dad does not want me to see Christian."
"But I thought he wants you together?"
"Me too, but he asked me to stay away from him. I think he does not want to merge with the Caine family."
Half an hour later, we find ourselves on the doorstep of that very same Caine family. Jessie has to buzz the door, for I am shaking way too much. It is Foster that comes to open the door for us.
"Morning, Cassandra. I did not expect to see you here."
"Morning, Mr. Caine, is Christian here?"
"No, I am afraid he is gone away to see Lucy."
"Will you tell him I was here?"
"Sure will do."
Back in the car, Jessie watches me as I so desperately try to hold back the tears. She knows she should not, but she does anyway.
"Who is Lucy?"
"I have no idea."
...Christian POV...
Last night was nothing but torture for me. Cassandra tried calling me more than a few times, but I did not answer, nor did I respond to any of her messages. I do get the feeling that her father has spoken to her and asked her not to speak to me. A relationship such as this, where our love is clearly forbidden, could not possibly last. How can you continue to live in secrecy if your love grows day by day? You shall never have anyone's approval; you are only but doomed from the start.
So I have chosen to run away and clear my head, hoping that I shall get over this thing called love. I have come to see the only woman that will ever understand me; if someone can make this better, then she is the one.
And as she opens the door, all my shitty problems just disappear.
"Christian, I am so happy to see you."