Chapter 86 HE LEFT

Chapter 86 HE LEFT
\[HALO HOTEL\]

Cassian arrived at the hotel, alone. He didn't want Ziggy to come so he drove the car himself. Fixing his eyes on the hotel door, he didn't know why he felt strange.

It's not the first time they're meeting in a hotel, or a private place, but it's the first time he's not able to predict what's going on in her head. Even if he doesn't predict, he guesses, and his guesses are seventy percent right most of the time, but this sudden and particular message, he couldn't even detect the tone.

His eyes traveled up the hotel building, and it was strangely quiet, as if nobody was inside.

Fixing the strand of hair that fell on his face, he wanted to open the door. Before his palm could touch the door—

"Help!!! Cassian!!!"

His ear instantly recognized that voice. Without thinking twice, he pushed the door open, almost breaking it down with his palm as he rushed inside the hotel.

Darkness covered the place, except for the light that came from the open door, which the breeze shut closed almost immediately.

His head snapped, memories clashing in his head as the darkness triggered those memories.

"Ah!" He groaned, grabbing his head.

"Cassian!!!" Lalissa's voice tore across the room.

"Lissa!" He yelled out, taking the first step.

Like a storm, crazy loud voices began ringing in his head.

"Mom!"

"Stay back!"

"Cassian!"

"Ah!!!"

Cassian grabbed his hair tightly, almost ripping them out with his grip as his voice tore across the room.

"Lissa!!!"

A low hiss sounded behind him.

He stilled, recognizing that sound.

"Stay back!"

"Mum! Wake up!"

"Dad!"

"Don't take him!"

The voices got louder and heavier. The hiss behind him also got loud.

"Cass!!!" Lalissa's voice found a way to creep under the chaos that was going on in his head.

"Lissa!" His hands left his hair, and he went rigid on the floor, the voices coming from different angles of the room.

"Dad! Wake up!"

"Mom, you can't leave me!"

"Stop!"

"Cassian!"

"Mom!"

The hiss increased, the voices in his head, the world spun, the memories hit harder, and he crumbled on his knees, looking like a lost soul.

Sweat cascaded down his body like rain was pouring on him. His breathing quickened, and his heartbeat rose.

"Cassian!!!" Lalissa's voice got into his head again.

Like magic, the other voices began disappearing, Lalissa's voice and memory echoing into his head.

The first time she walked into his room.

The time he was introduced as her soon-to-be stepfather.

The first conversation they had after the introduction.

The chase. Seductions. Give in. Sinful craving between a supposed stepfather and daughter. First time on a trip. Her kidnap. The pool scene. Her fears.

Everything rushed like recovering memories pushing away all those dark traumatic pasts.

His breathing began slowing down, and slowly he dragged himself up. Taking a sharp turn, he somehow managed to see through the darkness.

There was no snake.

"Lalissa!" he called, spinning around.

"Cassian." His body went still immediately he noticed the voice sounded close to him, and not like someone in danger.

"Lissa," he muttered, and as if planned, the lights came on.

He darted his gaze around the place, searching for a snake in particular, but found none.

His eyes settled on Lalissa, and he grabbed her shoulder. "What happened to you?" His eyes searched hers for any sign of fear or danger, but all he found was tears gathering in her eyes.

Stretching his thumb, he wiped the tears that fell, his face gleaming with confusion.

"Why are you crying?" he asked in a worried tone. "Talk to me. Did somebody hurt you?"

She shook her head. "I... I was never in danger," she confessed.

"I heard you scream. You sounded like—"

"I'm fine. Nobody captured me."

His hands dropped from her. "The scream. Darkness—"

"They were all planned," she whispered, looking directly into his eyes. "I did everything for you."

"For me?" he asked, still confused.

She nodded. "I wanted you to get over your fears, and it worked."

His eyes mirrored her, the initial worry that was in his eyes disappearing. "I can't believe you called me here for this. I have no fears—"

"You don't have to lie about it again," she cut him off. "How you developed an eye issue. At the age of four, you had a nightmare where you couldn't see and you were all alone. That same year, a snake spat into your eyes, and you were temporarily blind for one month. Two years later, you were with your mom, and a woman attacked you with a snake. The snake came for you again, but your mom stepped in the way, and took the bite meant for you," she paused, sniffling.

"At that same time, your Dad came home drunk, and that woman arranged the whole thing and made it look like your Dad killed your mom. The police came and arrested him while your mom was taken to the mortuary. You pleaded with them to leave your Dad, but he was taken away as a criminal. That's why you hate the police. Two years later, your Dad couldn't stand a prison life, and for serving a crime he didn't commit. He died in prison, leaving you all alone. You became cold and detached—"

"Keep quiet!" He thundered, causing her to jerk.

Her tears fell freely, and his eyes were so red that it hid his grey eyes.

"You know nothing about me or my past!"

"They're your past that followed you until now," she sniffed. "I didn't want to hurt you by lying that I was sick but I had to. I needed you to get out of your—"

He grabbed her arm before she could finish, and pulled her close to him.

She bit her lips, suppressing the pain from his hard grip.

"Who told you all of this!?"

"Cassian," she winced.

"Answer me!"

"M...Mrs Nora."

He released her arm forcefully. She'd have fallen if not for the table behind her.

"Don't get yourself involved in my past," he warned darkly.

She regained her posture before he could leave. "Why shouldn't I!? Haven't we been together long enough that I deserve to know that part of your life!? I've never hidden anything away from you! Even when you ask, I tell you without hesitation, then why can't you do the same!?" She yelled, her tears rolling down heavily on her cheeks.

His eyes flickered to her tears, and his finger itched. He has always wiped her tears, and made promises to himself that he'd protect her and never allow her to cry, but today, he's the one causing her tears.

"Not knowing every truth is the best sometimes."

"How is it the best!? Do you see me as someone dumb that can't be of any help? Am I just meant to satisfy your sexual cravings and nothing more?"

"I didn't say that, Lissa."

"Then what are you saying!?" She choked on her saliva.

He took a step forward, but she raised her hand in the air, stopping him from taking further steps.

"Don't move until you answer my question." Her throat was stable. "Tell me, aside from stepfather and stepdaughter satisfying their cravings, what's the name of our relationship?"

"Lissa..."

"You keep on saying let's announce our relationship to the world. What do we say? We're merely after each other's bodies?"

"No, Lissa, it's more than that—"

"Then what is it!?" She yelled.

Cassian wanted to hold her hand, but she stopped him again.

"You can't answer the question," she chuckled painfully. "Does none of that mean nothing to you? Are you going to pretend that your heart didn't soften? Or pretend that you didn't know I've fallen for you!"

"Lis—"

"Yes, Cassian. I love you. Madly. Deeply." Her voice came out in a broken whisper. "At first, I thought it was only because of how you treated me, and I didn't have a problem with hiding it. I tried to kill it, reminding myself that whatever we have was something temporary that'd end once you marry my mom. I didn't expect I'd fall this deep." She wiped her tears.

"But, ever since my mom returned, and has been actively trying to get you both married, I couldn't contain my jealousy at seeing you both together. I realized I'd rather lose my mom, how I'm viewed by society as long as I have you by my side, I don't care about anything else. The only thing I want is... You."

"Lissa." Cassian held her hand despite the countless warnings, pulled her to himself and began wiping her tears. "Enough."

She didn't fight, the cold AC brushing their skins as their gazes mirrored each other. They both didn't say a thing, letting the silence sit for a while until Lalissa decided to break it.

"Do you love me?"

Cassian froze, then continued wiping her tears. "That's enough. You've said too much for one day."

"No." She freed herself from him. "Do you love me, Cassian Reid?"

Cassian looked away from her.

"Look at me, Cassian," she said. "Do. You. Love. Me?"

"I'm sorry," Cassian whispered, almost inaudibly, but no matter how inaudibly he tried to sound, that was something she could hear mainly by reading his lips.

She smiled, and Cassian saw something he had never seen before. Heartbreak. Bitterness. Sadness.

"W...why?" Her lips trembled.

"I'm not the right man for you," he replied.

She staggered without being pushed. "W...who told you that? You're perfect for me. I—"

"No," he cut her off. "You deserve somebody better. Somebody who'll love you wholeheartedly."

"But I want you! I can decide that for myself, can't I?"

"I'm cold. I'm heartless. Do you think I'll soften because I met you? I took care of you because I benefited in return. I never knew you'd mistake those things for love," his words came out carefully as he witnessed how heart-piercing they were shattering her.

"Ah," she nodded repeatedly. "I see. I'm one of your sluts. What did I expect? That you'd fall in love with a slut who barged into your hotel room," she flashed him a broken smile. "I now know my place in your life. You can leave."

"Liss—"

"Leave!!!" She yelled, pointing towards the door. "Get out!!! Out!!!!"

Seeing the seriousness in her tone, Cassian turned and began walking out of the hotel.

From the side, Bella came out of her hiding, and rushed to Cassian, blocking his way.

"You can't leave like this. I've seen it in your eyes, sir. You love her. Think it through."

"Move from my way, Bella," he said coldly, taking a last glance at Lalissa. "Take care of her."

Immediately he walked out of the door, Lalissa sat on the floor with a thud.

"Lissa." Bella ran to her.

"He left, Bella. He did. He doesn't love me. He only used me! Ahh!!!"