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Chapter 136
A Cut To The Heart

“Don’t ever say that again, Cassy. You deserve everything I can give you. You’ve given me peace, and this…” he pointed to the car “... is just one of many ways to show it.”

I smiled, my heart melting again. “You’re unreal, Nikolas.”

He smiled too. “Get used to it. I’m your husband now.”

Dre, still standing nearby, whistled. “Boss, you’re setting the bar too high. Now my girlfriend’s going to ask for a car too.”

Nikolas laughed, “Then get to work, Dre.”

We all burst into laughter. The sound felt warm.

I turned back to the car, still amazed. “I can’t believe I own this beauty,” I said, walking around it again. “Can I drive it?”

Nikolas chuckled. “Not today. You’re still recovering. I’ll drive for now.”

I pouted. “But it’s mine…”

“I know,” he said, leaning closer, “and because it’s yours, I’ll make sure you don’t crash it on the first day, but even if you do, I'll get you a million others!”

“Ha ha, you're so sweet and funny,” I said, rolling my eyes.

He opened the passenger door this time. “Come on, let’s take a little drive before we go to your father’s place.”

I froze. “Wait… you mean we’re going there now?”

He nodded. “I already called him. He’s expecting us.”

I blinked. “You what?!”

“I said I’d take care of everything,” Nikolas said calmly.

I didn’t even know what to say. I just stood there for a second, staring at him. “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

He smirked. “Always.”

I smiled and entered the car. The moment I sat down, I took another deep breath, still in disbelief. “God… it smells expensive.”

“Because it is,” Nikolas said, starting the engine. The car purred like a lion.

I gasped. “Oh my God, listen to that sound! It’s perfect!”

He laughed softly. “Buckle up, wife.”

I obeyed immediately. “Okay, I’m ready!”

The car rolled smoothly out of the compound, the wind brushing through my hair. I looked at him from the side, smiling to myself.

“What’s that look for?” he asked, eyes still on the road.

“Nothing…” I said. “Just wondering how I got so lucky.”

He glanced at me and smiled. “You’re not lucky. We both just found what we were looking for.”

I turned to the window, watching the city pass by.

I looked down at my hand, at the ring still shining there, and whispered to myself, “Thank you, God.”

Nikolas must have heard me because he squeezed my hand gently. “You don’t need to thank God alone, you know,” he teased.

I laughed. “I’ll thank you too, husband.”

He smiled proudly. “That’s better.”

“Now, let’s go see your father…” Nikolas said softly, and I nodded slowly.

I looked out the window for a second before we left, feeling that small twist in my stomach. 

I wasn’t sure what I was about to face. It had been too long. Too many unanswered questions, nights of silence that never gave me peace.

Nikolas placed his hand over mine. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” he said quietly.

I smiled faintly, shaking my head. “No, I want to. I need to.”

He nodded, his eyes soft. “Then I’m right beside you.”

I took a deep breath as we moved.

The ride was quiet. 

Nikolas didn’t play any music, maybe because he knew I was deep in thought. 

I just kept staring out the window, watching the buildings pass, my heart beating faster the closer we got to the prison.

The road ahead seemed longer than usual, maybe because I was scared. 

Scared of what I would hear. Scared of what I might feel when I finally saw Bruno again.

When we finally arrived, I just froze for a second. The building stood tall, dull grey, surrounded by wired fences and guards. It felt cold even before I stepped inside.

Nikolas turned off the engine and looked at me. “You ready?”

I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah.”

He opened his door, came around, and opened mine. “Come on,” he said softly, taking my hand.

His fingers were warm, grounding me as we walked toward the entrance. Two guards at the front recognized him immediately.

“Good afternoon, Mr. DeSantis,” one said, straightening up quickly.

“Afternoon,” Nikolas replied, his voice calm, firm, the kind of tone that always made people respect him. “We’re here to see Bruno Miles.”

The guard nodded and checked something on his clipboard. “Yes, sir. You’re expected.”

They led us through a corridor with white lights. 

I could hear faint noises, doors closing, voices echoing in the distance.

We reached a section where a tall, bald man was waiting probably the warden. He shook Nikolas’s hand immediately.

“Mr. DeSantis. It’s an honor,” he said.

“Thank you,” Nikolas replied politely.

The warden’s eyes came to me. “And you must be Cassandra.”

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

He gave a sympathetic nod. “Follow me. He’s in the visitation area.”

My legs felt heavy as we followed him down another corridor.

My palms were getting cold, and I could feel my heartbeat in my ears.

Nikolas noticed. He squeezed my hand gently. “You’re fine,” he whispered. “I’m here.”

I nodded again, breathing slowly.

Finally, we reached a thick metal door. The warden opened it, and the moment I stepped in, my eyes caught sight of him.

Bruno.

He was sitting behind the bars, grey hair now rougher, beard grown out unevenly. 

His eyes, those same eyes that once looked at me like I was his everything, now looked tired, drained.

He lifted his gaze slowly when he saw me.

For a moment, time stopped.

I didn’t know if I should cry, run, or turn around. But I stood there, frozen.

Nikolas stood behind me quietly, giving me space.

I finally took a slow step forward, my voice trembling slightly. “I loved you, father…” I began.

Bruno didn’t say a word. His hands were shaking as he gripped the metal bars. His eyes glistened. He wanted to speak, I could tell, but no words came out.

I blinked, my throat tightening. “How could you want to hurt your daughter… even though I’m not like you said…”

The silence stretched for a while. Then I saw him blink rapidly, tears slipping down his face.

“Cassandra…” he finally said, his voice hoarse. “I’m sorry… I was naive… I was overwhelmed by everything!!”

I shook my head slowly, staring at him. “You could have come clean. You didn’t have to do what you did. You sold me…”

Bruno’s hand trembled harder now. “I didn’t mean to… I thought…”

“No,” I cut in, tears rolling down my cheeks. “You knew what you were doing, father. You chose it. You chose money, lies, and people over me. Over your daughter.”

He tried to move closer to the bars, his voice shaking. “I lost everything, Cassy. I lost you too…”

“You lost me because you let it happen!” I said, my voice cracking. “Do you know how many nights I cried? Wondering why I wasn’t enough?!”

Bruno covered his face with his hands. I could see his shoulders shaking.

Nikolas stood still behind me, quiet, watching but not interfering.

Bruno lifted his head again, his eyes red. He looked at Nikolas then. “He’s the bad man… he killed my only daughter!!”

Nikolas’s head shot up instantly. “I didn’t kill her!!” he said sharply. His voice echoed through the room.

Bruno banged his hand on the bar. “You liar!! You’re a monster! You took her away from me!”

“Enough!!” I shouted.

The sound of it silenced them both. I stood there, breathing heavily, tears rolling down my cheeks.

I turned to Bruno again. “You still don’t see it, do you? You want to blame someone else because you can’t handle the truth.”

Bruno stared at me, confused. “What truth?”

“The truth that you broke your own family, father. Not him, not anyone else. You.”

He flinched.

“You abandoned me when I needed you. You let the lies poison you. You believed everything people said without asking me once. You were supposed to protect me, but you destroyed me instead.”

Bruno’s lips trembled. He reached through the bars a little, as if he could touch me. “Cassy… I was scared….”

“No. You thought only about yourself,” I said quietly. “You never came to find the truth. You let hate fill the space where love used to be.”

He looked away, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I’m sorry…”

I shook my head. “Sorry doesn’t erase pain, father. Sorry doesn’t fix the nights I spent feeling worthless.”

Nikolas stepped a little closer, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Cassy, let’s go.”

I looked up at Bruno one last time. His eyes were empty now, but his face was full of guilt.

“Do you know what hurts the most?” I said softly. “Even after everything you did… I still love you. I don’t even know why.”

Bruno broke down completely. His voice cracked as he whispered my name again and again. “Cassy… Cassandra…”