Chapter 79 Emoji Meaning

Chapter 79 Emoji Meaning
Lalissa sat in the sitting room, phone in her hand as she scrolled through random things.

She had read Cassian's reply.

Sweet Daddy: 🖤 means?

She didn't reply and purposely left it at unread. She didn't know why but she felt like that'd be enough to get him to come back home. It's been hours already.

Remembering the question Sara asked her, she smiled not at the question, but at how confidently she told the lie.

She had said she met the guy on a dating app. They're still in the talking stage, and she'll surely tell her mom if they decide to proceed further.

One thing she doesn't understand was the sudden question and concern. Her mom never spent a mother and daughter time with her, why now?

She kept her phone, recalling the things Cassian told her about his parents.

Somehow, they share a similarity in their stories. He lost both parents while she lost one, and the one she had cared less. His mom was poisoned, and his dad died in—

She gasped, going on her feet.

Her brain began processing something.

Before she knew it, she was at the kitchen.

"Mrs. Nora?"

Mrs. Nora hummed in reply, chopping her vegetables.

"Does Cassian have a traumatic past?"

Mrs. Nora stopped chopping the vegetables, giving her the needed attention with a dilated pupil.

"Where's this coming from?" She asked, carefully.

"I don't know." Lalissa shook her head. "Cassian mentioned his mom dying by poisoning, though he didn't state the exact kind. And his dad died while locked up in prison. I'm guessing his fear of darkness started from there."

Mrs. Nora smiled, going back to her vegetables. "Seems like he's opening up to you."

"Am I right?" Lalissa asked.

Mrs. Nora chuckled, shaking her head. "I'm not the one who told you."

"But he refuses to tell me anything! We played a game for him to tell me this."

"It takes the universe to get something out of Cassian. You truly have a special place in his heart."

Lalissa blinked. "Was Cassian poisoned?"

Mrs. Nora stopped, hand freezing on the knife she's holding as she faced Lalissa.

"Did Cassian tell you that?"

\--
Ziggy's eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, catching sight of quiet Cassian at the back. Not that Cassian is loud, but there's this specific kind of aura his silence had. That aura could be felt, but this silence was strange. Surprisingly calm. What made it more strange was the fact that his eyes haven't left his phone screen since the past thirty minutes they joined the road.

He had mentioned Lalissa's text. He could tell it was her without having to see it, otherwise, what would have made him to spare Roman and his father. A single bullet is like Cassian's appetizer. He loves the cries that come with planting holes on a person's body without killing the person right away.

Ziggy cleared his throat, "She's got you really bad."

Cassian removed his eyes from the phone, finally. "What does a black heart mean?"

Ziggy looked back. "Did she send that to you?"

Cassian gave a warning glare.

Ziggy noticed the look, and faced front. "It can mean many things depending on the context. Intense feeling. Burning desire. Longing. At the same time it can mean mourning over someone."

Cassian listened attentively, rereading the text again. Her words and the emoji are apart. There's nothing to prove it. But if he's to listen to Ziggy's words, then the first one is relatively close.

He's intelligent. Solves plays that plot against him like it's his daily dose, but a single text from an innocent prey—he has been spiraling.

The car screeched to a halt. "Somebody is here," Ziggy announced.

Cassian cursed inwardly, staring at the car.

Dante emerged out.

Cassian gave Ziggy a sign, before leaving the car.

"You chose to stand outside today?" Cassian tucked his hands in his pockets, raising his brow at Dante.

Dante chuckled. "I'm in a hurry."

Silence.

"Natasha called." He broke it. "She begged that I—"

"Take down the news about her," Cassian completed, leaned on his car, and crossed his legs.

"You know where she is?" Dante asked, surprised.

"She's predictable. Her next move is just like a guard in a piece of cheese."

Dante laughed. "Dumb to think you've started changing. You're still the same. I think you grew more heartless."

"If you want to take down the news, then go ahead," he gave his permission. "The news has spread and the internet never forgets."

He uncrossed his legs and stood straight. "If this is done, I'll go in." The only thing ringing in his head is to run to Lalissa.

Dante raised his brow, but remained silent. He walked to his car, and opened the door.

Cassian did the same, but Dante called him back just when he was about to enter.

"Cassian. Please don't hurt her too much. For old time's sake." Dante got in the car, and reversed the car, driving away.

Cassian got into his car, and Ziggy drove the car into the compound.

He stopped at the front mansion. Cassian went in while he went to park the car.

He hadn't gone into the house when he saw Lalissa waiting for him.

She wore a smile on her lips, and he had kissed her lips immediately he got to her.

"You're back," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

"You wanted me back? I had to return," he rested his chin on her head, relieving her rich scent. "You know how to make me rush back."

"The emoji did the trick." She giggled on his chest.

"What does it mean?"

"Hm, hm. You'll have to figure it out."

He broke the hug, a frown appearing on his face. "I took an hour trying to figure out the meaning."

"And you couldn't?" She wore a teasing smile.

"I know how to get it." His palm cupped her neck, and her back met the wall as he claimed her lips.

She folded her palm on her shorts, enjoying how he admitted not only him creates situations where she has to think hard. She can also do the same with something so small as an emoji.

He pulled back, nibbling on her lips. "Intense feeling? Desire? Longing?"

Her arms went around his waist. "Who told you?"

"Ziggy," he admitted.

"You really couldn't figure out something so simple."

"If it were a deal, I'd have cracked it right away," he craned his head.

"Not everything has to be a business deal," she laughed. "That was a simple emoji."

"Doesn't matter. Knowing I make you feel all those things matters the most."

"You won again." She hugged him deeply.

Cassian reciprocated right away.

He was so busy today, and seeing her, he wants to forget everything that happened and just have her close to him, breathing in her scent like some sacred incense.

His brow ticked. "Did something happen?"

She broke the hug. "You must be tired. Let's go in."

He held her hand, and pulled her back to him. Palming her face, he had a close look, studying her.

"Talk to me."

"It's nothing important." She shook her head. "I think mom is suspicious."

"She said something?"

"Just asked some out of the blue, and..." She told him the exact details including the answer she gave.

He pecked her hair. "It's a good thing. I want the whole world to know you belong to me."

"Does...that...mean... you...love...me?" she whispered slowly that she doubted if Cassian had heard her.

Cassian returned the stare. "Hm?"

"Nothing," she muttered. "Let's go in." She led the way.

Cassian trailed behind her in slow steps, her question sounding in his head over and over again.

"Does that mean you love me?"

He heard her—loud and clear, but he had to pretend like he didn't. He knew she's been wanting to say those words to him, and maybe he—

\--
Sara's palm gripped the steering wheel, her nails digging into the leather each time her thoughts choked her.

She has a driver and always returns home with him, but today, she chose to drive herself. Not because she wanted to or the company was going down, but something deeper was bothering her. That thing is—

She pushed the car horn.

Honk! Honk!

Exhaling sharply she fixed her eyes on the road, but her mind was far away from the road.

"Shit." She reversed the wheel to the side of the road, and picked her phone.

A text came instantly as if it had been waiting for her to pick up the phone.

She looked at the sender's name—Ace.

Ace: It's ready. Will be shipped today.

She began typing back.

~Shipment cancelled. I need some details. It should be gotten under twenty hours. MERRYLAND HOSPITAL.