Chapter 22

"I never got home since I left at dawn," Cayden said. His mother's gaze was fixed on him. He blew out and asked, "How about Dad?"

"Cayden?!!" His three other sisters chorused from behind him.

"Oh!" He gasped, smiling at them with open arms. "Comm'n!"

They hugged for a while.

"So…" Shirley said. "You finally came…"

"Never thought you would," Samantha said. "What a surprise. I thought Hailey was lying when she ran calling on us, saying you were here."

Smiling, Hailey stretched a glass of drink to him and he took it. "Oh, thanks!" He said and took a sip.

"You didn't cheer," Hailey said, lifting her drink.

"Oops!" Cayden exclaimed. "I'm so thirsty…but, cheers to your promotion, sweetie!"

"Cheers!" The glasses clinked as they cheered.

As they drank, his sisters got engaged with friends and he was sitting with other people on a sofa, sipping his drink. Soon, he lit a cigarette, dragged it, and puffed out the smoke from his mouth and nostrils. Dropping his right hand on his lap with the flaming cigarette between his fingers he blew out.

It's been a while since he met his family. Damn! What had he been thinking about? What got into him? He just left his parents and siblings for that long? No doubt his sisters have tons of questions to ask him. He'd to prepare for it.

He dragged the cigarette again and puffed out the smoke from his nostrils.

Oh, mom! He thought. Oh, she must have been so sad. He can imagine how hurt she'd been. Oh, God! Fuck! How could he have said those mean things to her? After all, she was right about Elodre.

And now, Heather. Damn! He sipped his drink. Was she married to that shitty guy for real? That wretched fool? She was his damn wife! This thought rippled anger in him. The most stupid thing was how he abandoned her for Elodre. Sighing, he dragged the cigarette again.

Where had Heather been all these while? Why did she deny knowing him? That hurts. From the look on her face, he knew she still loved him…and might give him a second chance. A crook smile pulled one side of his lips. Of course, she will.

Smoke puffed out of his mouth and nostrils.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Weston had been waving at Cayden's face but he never noticed.

Cayden ignored him. He didn't realize Weston had been sitting beside him.

"Hey, bro, what's poppin'? Weston stretched his hand for a handshake

"Fuck off!" Cayden said and looked away from him.

Weston shrugged and sipped his drink, slightly nodding to Cheap Thrills by Sia. He listened as Jigyasa sang along beside him. For a while, he watched the girls dancing a few distances away from him and turned to Cayden. "Where's Elodre?".

Cayden's eyes narrowed.

" Thought she was here too," Weston said but Cayden ignored him. After a brief hesitation, he blew out drifted close to Cayden, and said, "Look, bro, I never had a thing with your…"

"Stop!" Cayden snapped, glaring at him. If Weston knows how much he disgusts him right now he would not stay here talking shit! God knows he doesn't just wanna create a scene. Not here. Not at his sister's party. He exhaled, struggling hard to be calm.

"Cayden, you must liste…"

"I said stop!!" He yelled, huffing in anger and this attracted some attention. "I swear the f…" Cayden bit back his words, got up, and walked off without finishing his drink. The cigarette was still burning on the table.

Weston's glittering gaze was fixed on him. He looked away and exhaled. He could feel rage creeping into him. What the hell!! He exclaimed in his head. Goddamnit! He picked up his glass and sipped the drink.

Jigyasa was stunned by what just happened. "What's wrong?" She asked but he ignored her. Observing that his countenance had changed, she didn't dare to question him a second time. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder what the issue was. She was confused.

From some distance away, Bianca spotted Cayden approaching the exit and she gasped.

**

*

"Cayden?!" She called out, hurrying to meet him but his pace was fast. "Cayden?! Cayden?!" Oh my God! She was panting. Amid various cars parked outside, she increased her pace.

With a bow, his guard opened the door and he got in.

"Cayden?!" She was approaching his car but it zoomed off just before she could reach him. Oh! She gasped, placing her hand on her head. Astonishment was glittering in her blue eyes as she watched the car vanishing into the dark. What happened? It was dusk already, did he perhaps get an emergency call or something?

***

*

In his Spider-Man pajamas, Raiden was lying on his bed while Elodre was sitting beside him, dialing Weston's number but it wasn't connecting. She'd been dialing his number for long but it wasn't going through. Ugh! She sighed. What should she do now? She was tired already. Damn! "See? It's not connecting, honey."

"Try it again, Mom," The kid said.

The fact that Weston has cut her off hurts so much. After all, he was the cause of her trauma. He'd ruined her marriage. She knows he's mad because she slapped him that day…but she didn't mean to. It was an accident. She was just too overwhelmed to control her emotions. She sighed. But, what if he didn't do anything with her that night?

This thought made her sick. Oh, God!

'Weston, the kid has been asking after you…'

"So what should I fuckin do?!" He grumbled after reading the message and Jigyasa was gazing curiously at him. With one hand on the steering, he furiously slipped the phone into his shirt pocket, then he blew out.

Now what's wrong this time? Jigyasa wondered. Not again. The memory of what happened some time ago at the garage replayed in her head and she was a bit frightened. Weston Is cool but not when mad. She just wanted to have a good time with him.

And the lump on her head had not even healed completely. That was how bad it was.

***

" Oh, noooo" Raiden was sobbing.

"Sweetheart, what do you want me to do?" Elodre asked in exasperation. She was hurt. "I've been trying to reach him. Didn't you see that?"

"I wanna go to his place…"

That was never possible. Not anymore. Not when he's cut her off like this. She studied Raiden for a while and exhaled. "Okay, honey, but that will be tomorrow after school, okay? It's already late now." She touched his forehead.

***

Slowly opening the door and entering the room, shock flashed through her eyes upon seeing her husband sitting on the bed, covering his face in his palms, facing downward. Shutting the door, for a while she couldn't breathe. There was no air in her lungs anymore. Excitement began to prick all over her.

What should she do now? Her body was so stiff, she couldn't move. Should she perhaps say something to him? But something like what? Her palms were clammy from anxiety.

She swallowed hard and started walking slowly with her curious gaze fixed on him. Was he angry? She wondered feeling apprehensive.

"What the fuck are you doing on my bed?!!" His voice was laced with raw anger.

She blinked and flinched as he turned to her, blazing a burning glare upon her. The one that was capable of stripping her naked.

"Now get your shitty ass outta my bed. Get out!" He jeered and she jerked out of the bed, flashing her alarmed watery gaze upon him.

Her heartbeat accelerated into a brutal whack that made her chest ache excruciatingly. It hurt so hard that she began to feel choked.

"I said get lost!!" In a rage, he began to unbuckle his belt. "Get out! Just get the heck outta my room, whore!!! Get out!!!"

Elodre didn't know when she scurried out of the room. She just found herself outside crying her eyes off. He slammed the door against her. Sitting on the floor, she wept bitterly. Why is he so mad at her? His outburst surprised her.

***

*

**

Jigyasa kept stealing glances at Weston. Once they arrived at the garage, her heart began to slam against her chest. What was he gonna do now? Should she talk to him?

***

Jigyasa was the first to enter Weston's luxurious room and the strong scent of his black orchid cologne wafted into her nostrils. She took off her dress, tied his towel, and got into the bathroom.

Weston was already in the room when she got out. He was sitting on the bed with his face down.

Her body trembled as she untied the towel. The night was so cold. Thunder was rumbling, coupled with lightning stripping across the sky. It was surely gonna rain. She thought. She hoped so cause she was dying to be in those arms…and lay her head on his chest.

If only he wasn't too angry to let her snuggle unto him.