Chapter 39 The Arranged Marriage

So I have either gone insane, and I am hearing things, or I am dreaming. I am almost sure that I just heard Mason say arranged marriage, and in the same sentence, he names my father. Now, if I still believed my father could not do anything wrong, I would tell mason off, but we have established that my father is nothing but a liar. This begs the question, what arranged marriage?
And as I watch Cassandra standing there with nothing but confusion on her face, I ask myself the question. Do I want to find out the truth in her presence? Have we not had enough drama for one week. But then again, I did say I have no secrets from her. This is going to break her heart if it is not already broken. So it is with dread that I do have to ask.
"What arranged marriage?"
"He did not say, said you must ask your father."
"Like I want to talk to my father now. The question is, will he even answer his phone?"
"This is one crazy situation Christian; I can't answer you there."
"So Joseph does not know that I have moved out, I presume, and my father won't be speaking to him either. How long are we safe here for?"
"If Joseph gets his crew back, then I would say maybe at most a week. We both know that Micah does crack under pressure. One day and he will sing."
"You guys settle, and Cassandra and I will discuss what we are going to do."
With that being said, Cassandra turns to me. I am fully expecting to see hurt and confusion in her eyes, but instead, I see rage, pure white rage. It is starting to boil in her, and it will erupt in a bad way and rather quickly. I am even afraid to ask what is wrong, but that shall be a stupid question; it is called Foster Caine. And with this in mind, she slowly, with trembling hands, takes her phone and starts dialing a number.
Now I have no idea whom she has called and if she even did have my father's number. So it is with hesitation that I ask her to put it on speaker.
"My baby girl, where are you?"
"It is not important. I want you to answer me a question; your answer will depend if I come home or not."
"What do you want to know?"
"This marriage thing with Christian?"
Joseph goes quiet for several minutes. After several attempts to get his attention, Cassandra shouts at him to snap out of his trance. But as expected, he tries to lie his way out of it.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Bullshit. Do you think Mason will bring a message that I am not going to hear? Now you tell me the truth, or you will never see or hear from me again."
We can hear how he swallows loudly on his breath through the phone. It is with hesitation that he finally starts telling his story.
"Back in the day when I was still working for Foster, he did a hit on some lowlife drug dealer."
"Like someone important or bad?"
"No, it was a dealer dealing on his turf. He caught him and wanted to set an example. So he was going to do it himself."
This immediately gets my attention. I honestly have no idea whom Joseph is talking about. My father rarely got his hands dirty, let alone with a nobody dealer. This is making me start to doubt this story of his, but I will let him continue.
"So Foster was set to go out and take this man out himself. It was in the questionable parts of town. Now when he got here, he thought there was nobody just him and this guy."
"Let me guess; he was not alone?"
"His girlfriend was in the room, but Foster did not see her. He went in and out, unnoticed. But a few days later, he got these photos in the mail."
"Oh wow, the dumb ass got his picture taken. But what does this have to do with Christian?"
And this is the part where both Cassandra and I wished that we never phoned Joseph in the first place. This shall also be the part where I will cut ties with my father for good. And as Joseph tells it, I can feel my rage growing.
"Foster promised that once Christian steps up, that her daughter will marry him. In return, she shall not show anyone these pictures."
"Where is this girl? Are they still getting married?"
"The last time I heard, she is still lurking around. I think Christian might have even gone out with her a couple of times."
Joseph must be lying; I have never gone out with some drug dealer's daughter. Never in my life would I have gone to that side of town, and I would surely not even try to pick her up on this side of town. There is something off about this story. But I decided to keep quiet and let Cassandra asks the questions.
"Do you know who it is?"
"It is Victoria. I am not sure something like that."
I look at Cassandra, and to say that my eyes are not bigger than her hoop earrings would be a blatant lie. I immediately know what to tell her to ask him...
"Maybe, Veronica?"
"Yes, that is it. Veronica."
We are both in absolute horrific shock. And as I look at her, there are no words to describe that pained face that has amusement written over it. I nearly topple over at her next remark to her father.
"You people are messed up. Whom am I supposed to get married to?"
Joseph goes quiet once again. We both hear him mumble something and then curse.
"Forget that I asked that."
And with that, Cassandra drops the call on her father. I sit back onto my chair, and it takes me one shot of whiskey before I can even find the courage to speak again.
"He was rubbing that woman off on me for years."
"But she did not look like she...well then again. You can't trust anybody these days."
"My father must have been looking after her and her mother."
"Now, what do we do now?"
"I don't know, princess, but I am not paying anyone to keep quiet."
"And if your father goes to jail, then everything about your family is out in the open?"
"And I am even afraid to say that I might find my ass in there."
"Then we will just have to speak to her."
...Cassandra POV...
Whenever I think that things can not get any more messed up, either my father or Foster opens their mouths. It is generally the child that makes stupid mistakes and hasty decisions, but for two grown men goes beyond me. I love my father, but he has now caused so much hurt to other people, not even to mention Christian, which makes me wonder.
"Christian, do you think your mom knew?"
Princess, I hope not, but I know that my mom won't do something like that. She never was that involved in what my father did."
"Yeah, just cleaned up his messes."
"Is that not what woman do?"
"Christian Caine, I will not clean your messes up. And if you know what is good for you, you will not make them in the first place."
"Yes, princess, I promise you."
With that said, maybe that was a bit harsh to say. But I don't want to be like my parents and most certainly do not want Christian to be like his father. That is why we need to sort this mess out.
"Princess, how are we going to speak to Veronica?"
"Take her out for dinner."
"Have you gone crazy?"
I chuckle as I see the seriousness creep over his face, or perhaps it is horror. Now that is something he never thought I would say; in fact, I would not expect myself to say that either. I have never liked the woman. First, he had to make dinner plans with her over me; then, I had to see her trying to be all over him. Well, I have news for her, this time I cut her grabby little fingers off.
"I am serious; take her to that fantasy restaurant."
"And then?"
"Have dinner, eat."
"What is that going to help?"
"Oh, you will see."
"What are you up to?"
"Just phone her."
"Now?"
"Yes, what is up with the twenty questions?"
I watch as he slowly and somewhat hesitantly takes his phone from the counter and starts dialing the number.
"Put it on speaker; I want to head the bitch."
He gives me a shy smile; I think he knows by now not to question or even protest.
It only takes the phone to ring twice, and the woman is already on the other side.
"Christian, babes, it is so nice to get a call from you."
We both cringe as her annoying voice comes loud through the speaker.
"Hey, Veronica."
"Are you phoning to set up our dinner plans?"
"Yes, why else would I be phoning you?"
"Maybe to go out?"
"Is dinner not out?"
Christian sees me grinding my teeth as this painful conversation is carrying on. He looks at me frustrated; he probably hates it more than I am. So I show him to end the call.
"Veronica, I will see you tomorrow night at eight."