CHAPTER 34

CASSANDRA'S POV:

I heard a familiar voice in my deep sleep. He kept talking and mumbling, to which I listened.

I slowly opened my eyes and his smiling face was exposed to me.

I automatically smiled. I felt like I was suddenly relieved, even though I felt pain around me.

"So... you already liked me back then?" My voice was weak and rough.

I could see him stunned for a moment before he looked at me softly. There was a look of shock on his face, so I immediately smiled. His eyes began to water so I gently reached for his face.

"Hey baby," I said softly and caressed it.

His tears began to flow, causing me to cry with him. He held my hand tightly to my face and kissed it.

"I thought I would lose you again," he mumbled with fear.

I wiped away his tears and smiled. "Sorry," I sincerely said.

"Sorry for leaving you behind twice. Sorry for not choosing to stay," I bitterly said.

He shook his head and held my hand tight. "No need to be sorry baby. I understand," he said and kissed my head.

"Where's Mom?" I asked nervously as I remembered what had happened.

"Don't worry she's safe. She and Adrian are together," he replied.

I rested easily because of that and then looked at him.

"What happened? Why am I still alive? I mean, it's impossible, I saw how he aimed that gun at my head." I wondered.

"He aimed it, but I was fast enough to shoot him first; that's why you got shot in your stomach instead," he explained, and planted a kiss on my hand again.

"Is Rozz...dead?" I hesitated to ask. He's still my friend, though I loathed him for what he'd done.

His jaw tightened and he nodded in response. I just closed my eyes and exhaled.

Maybe this is how karma works.

Wherever you are right now Rozz, I hope you'll find your happiness.

"Are you mad?" he asked. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He seemed bothered by my reaction.

I smiled at him and pressed his hand back. "I just prayed for his soul." I stated, his eyes immediately widened as he stared at me.

"You are such a nice person wife. Indeed you are, like an angel in disguise." He smiled.

I just laughed, because I was a little overwhelmed by the pain in my stomach.

"You should rest more baby. I'll call your mom and the others to inform them that you are already awake," he said.

I just nodded and let myself lay properly to rest. I saw him tapping on his phone before I fell asleep.

I woke up to the feeling of someone caressing my face. I opened my eyes and saw my mom.

"Did I wake you up?" she asked softly.

I smiled and held her hand still on my face. "Thank God you are safe Mom," ​​I mumbled.

"I'm sorry my princess. I did nothing for you." She said bitterly.

"You being safe was enough Mommy," I said and looked in her eyes. "I can't afford to lose you," I continued.

A lone tear fell out of her eyes before she held my hand. "I never thought he would do such a thing. Your daddy and I thought that when we married you to someone else, he would stop that but he didn't."

"What do you mean mom? And why was he always saying that I was bound to marry him?" I asked him.

She looked at me sadly before looking down at the hand we were holding.

"Rozz was a good boy, Cass. I honestly didn't see anything wrong with him until you were seventeen," she began. "He talked to me and your dad. Asking us to let you marry him when you graduate." She hesitated to look at me.

"Of course we did not agree. I mean, we didn't disagree or anything, but we wanted that decision to come from you. We thought he would accept and respect our decision, but we made a mistake." Mommy smiled sadly at me.

"He threatened us that he would kill you if we did not allow him to do what he wanted. We were scared at the time; he looked like he said that he was obviously serious and he was ready to do that." Mommy continued and squeezed my hand again.

"I'm sorry, your daddy did nothing but agree to what he wanted. From then, on I only saw his excessive obsession with you. Even if I wanted to take you away from him, I knew he would just get angry and you would be surprised, so I did nothing more."

"That's why your daddy and I were happy when he went to America, but at the same time your Daddy's condition had worsened since you graduated," Mommy continued and stroked my face.

I could see the sadness and suffering in her eyes. Repentance and apprehension.

My parents suffered for several years because of his false love.

Even if I wanted to be angry, I knew there was nothing I could do. Everything has already happened.

"Is that the reason why Daddy asked me to marry Andrei?" I asked.

Mommy nodded quickly and smiled bitterly.

"Besides, your Daddy really wanted him to walk you to the altar, he hoped that if you married someone else, Rozz would stop. But it seemed like he was really obsessed; even marriage didn't shake him." Mommy replied.

That explains why Mommy dislikes Rozz then. That's why she didn't seem happy when I said I'd marry him. Now I fully understand it all.

"I'm sorry my child," Mommy said.

I immediately touched Mommy's face and smiled sweetly at her.

"No Mommy, thank you for you and Daddy. If it weren't for what you did, I might not have been happy. The marriage with the man you chose for me was not so perfect, but he is still the one I love. And I'm happy that I married the right man." I smiled and kissed her forehead.

She smiled back at me and hugged me. "We love you so much Cassandra," she whispered.

"I love you so much too," I replied as I hugged her back.

A few seconds passed, and the door opened, following the entry of my son with his father; behind them my friends followed.

I happily greeted them with a smile. "I still don't get it. How did Adrian know Dad?" I whispered next to Mommy as they walked closer to me.

"Mommy!" my son greeted me warmly and hugged me. I whimpered a little because he ran into me a little more aggressively than I was expecting, and Andrei picked him up quickly.

"Sorry Mommy," he said and pouted.

I laughed at his cuteness and patted his head. "It's okay baby. How are you? Is my baby okay?" I softly asked him.

Mommy moved a little away to give him space.

"I'm good Mommy. Daeshaia and I played together while you're here."

I glanced at my friends who were smiling at me.

My son and I talked for a while before Mommy took it and decided to take him home with Ayesha's daughter.

I felt like she meant to leave us adults here, as if there was something to talk about.

We looked at each other quietly. Ayesha nodded, while Azaia averted her eyes.

"So mind telling me what's happening?" I broke the silence.

"We're good," Daevon simply said before holding Ayesha by the shoulder, and her face immediately turned red.

I laughed in my mind. "Really? Hmmm Ayesha, why is it I remember that you once said that you would make that one cry?" I teased.

Azaia secretly laughed as Ayesha's eyes widened at me. She mouthed 'bitch' before glancing at me.

She turned to Azaia and rolled her eyes. "You're laughing. You're a traitor." Ayesha said here.

Azaia laughed while I wondered.

"What? You didn't ask. Is it my fault that her husband loves her so much?" She shrugged, even though there was a trace of happiness on her face.

She looked at me and smiled. "I know you're wondering how Adrian knows Andrei, so I'll just let him tell the story." She said and Ayesha automatically pouted.

I frowned at Andrei, waiting for his explanation.

He averted his eyes before looking at me intently.

"What?" he asked.

I stared at him, causing others to laugh with us.

"What did you do, Mr. Villa Cruz?" I asked.

"I just...I-I just..." he stammered while his palm was completely open.

"He just followed you to America and stayed there the whole time." Daevon butted in. Andrei immediately looked at him, and he just laughed, while my jaw dropped looking at him. I remembered again what he said; that he did not stay in the Philippines for a few years, so he was referring to America.

His eyes widened as he looked at me. "I told you I can't live without you; that's why I tried to find you, and followed you when I did. I knew you'd be mad, so I did not tell you," he said and smiled bitterly.

"Y-you were there with me all those times?" I stammered. He nodded softly.

"I caught him for two days at home. He was outside our house, and begged me not to tell you. I said I couldn't lie, but I also didn't want to interfere, as long as he didn't hurt you." Azaia said and gave me a small smile.

"How about Adrian? How did he know?" I asked them.

"Well he took care of Adrian since he was a baby," Azaia answered in the matter-of-fact tone.

"That explains how the fuck you can take care of two kids at the same time." Ayesha sarcastically said, making Azaia laugh.

"You two never asked, that's why I let things go that way, besides, he never hurt anyone," Azaia said.

My jaw dropped at Andrei's pout and his eyes widened as he looked at me.

"That's why he never looked for his dad, because he was really with you," I said, thinking of those days.

"He's smart. I told him that we were not totally okay, so we needed to hide that I'm taking care of him. And well, also Daeshaia," he explained.

"And her? He already knew that they had a child?" I asked pointing at Daevon.

I could see Daevon's jaw tightening for a moment.

"He broke my most expensive and favorite car for not informing him about Daeshaia," Andrei replied.

"Fuck you!" Daevon hissed and hugged Ayesha. He sank his face behind her.

We all just laughed at his attitude.

"What? You have money, so you could've followed. Look at me. I beat you." Andrei said.

Daevon cursed Andrei again and we all laughed.

Good thing. Things were falling into their rightful place now.